Escape from the Dead

With their previous experience working together, the four of them were even more in sync this time.

Li Xiaoyu's swordsmanship was steady and powerful. With each slash, he cleaved one of the enormous tentacles in two.

Lu Xueqi's Tianya Divine Sword was cold and razor-sharp. Its blue light flashed like lightning, striking precisely at the Great Black Leech's vital spots.

Bi Yao's Heartbreak Flower became a shower of blossoms that filled the sky. Carrying a strange fragrance, it constantly harried the Great Black Leech.

And Zhang Xiaofan became the surprise weapon in this battle.

The black aura around the Fire Poker in his hand surged. Each time it clashed with a tentacle, it devoured a great deal of the creature's demonic power, leaving the tentacles sluggish and limp.

Working together, the four of them balanced attack and defense, and actually fought the Great Black Leech to a standstill.

The battle continued for the time it took an incense stick to burn.

The four of them had used up a considerable amount of spiritual energy.

"This won't work. It has too many tentacles!"

Li Xiaoyu glanced at the river and saw even more tentacles surging toward them.

"We have to find a way to finish it off in one strike!"

He shouted to the three beside him.

The three understood at once and nodded.

"On my command!"

Li Xiaoyu roared as spiritual energy surged without restraint from his body into the Autumn Water Sword.

He infused the sword moves with the Daoist arts he had comprehended from the Heavenly Tome General Outline.

"Heaven and Earth have no bounds; Heaven and Earth Borrowing Method!"

The Autumn Water Sword in his hand shone brilliantly. A force that seemed to encompass all things and draw upon the power of heaven and earth burst from the blade.

"Divine Sword Thunder Control!"

Lu Xueqi cried out at the same time. The Tianya Divine Sword drew upon the power of thunder, and blue bolts of lightning leaped wildly along its blade.

Zhang Xiaofan poured all the power he had fused within his body into the Fire Poker. Black-and-red light shot up into the sky.

"Heartbreak Flower, Soul Severing at the End of the World!"

The Heartbreak Flower in Bi Yao's hand also burst into dazzling white light, transforming into a gigantic lotus that slowly revolved.

At that instant, four entirely different forces miraculously merged into one!

Li Xiaoyu's sword intent took the lead, Lu Xueqi's thunder served as the edge, Zhang Xiaofan's power formed the foundation, and Bi Yao's wondrous art provided support.

A massive, multicolored pillar of energy containing the strongest power of all four of them took shape with a roar!

Within the pillar seemed to lie the primal chaos of heaven and earth at their creation. It bore the majesty to destroy everything—and create it anew.

"Go!"

Li Xiaoyu swung his sword.

The pillar of energy, fused from the power of all four, plunged into the underground river below like a divine ray that could create the world.

"Boom—!"

The deafening blast shook the entire Abyss of the Dead.

The underground river was forcibly cleaved in two by that power!

The waters surged backward, and towering waves filled the cavern.

The Great Black Leech in the river was utterly annihilated before that destructive force.

With a single strike, the waters cleared and the world fell still!

The four stared at the astonishing sight before them, gasping for breath, utterly spent.

Yet their faces shone with the joy and pride of success.

The satisfaction of fighting side by side and breaking through together made their blood surge.

"We did it!"

Zhang Xiaofan said excitedly.

Li Xiaoyu smiled and walked to the riverbank, looking at the passage they had carved through it.

"Let's go. It's time to get out."

Without further hesitation, the four mounted their magical treasures, crossed the severed underground river, and flew toward the cave entrance shining with light.

The moment they burst out of the cave, long-missed warm sunlight, carrying the fragrance of grass and trees, fell upon them.

At last, they had escaped the dark Abyss of the Dead and returned to the surface.

The four greedily breathed the fresh air and basked in the warmth of the sun, each feeling as if they had returned from another world.

But after that brief joy came the sadness of parting.

"All right, we should be going too."

Bi Yao looked toward the distant sky and spoke to Zhang Xiaofan.

"Idiot, if we get the chance, I'll come find you and have some fun."

She grinned at Zhang Xiaofan, but her eyes held a trace of reluctance.

Then Bi Yao turned her gaze to Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi.

"Li Xiaoyu, Ice Face, I owe you both a favor for this."

"But next time we meet, we might be enemies."

With that, she didn't linger. She turned and transformed into a streak of green light, flying into the distance until she soon vanished on the horizon.

Zhang Xiaofan watched her departing figure. He parted his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

He simply buried those feelings deep in his heart.

"Senior Brother Li, Senior Sister Lu, I should return to Big Bamboo Peak and report to my master too."

Zhang Xiaofan bowed to them.

"Thank you both for looking after me during this trip to the Abyss of the Dead. I, Xiao Fan, will never forget your kindness."

Li Xiaoyu patted him on the shoulder and said warmly, "We're fellow disciples. There's no need to thank me. When you get back, focus on your cultivation. I'll see you at the Green Cloud Sect."

"Mm!"

Zhang Xiaofan nodded firmly.

Then he mounted the Fire Poker and flew toward Green Cloud Mountain.

In the blink of an eye, only Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi remained.

A breeze passed, stirring their clothes and hair.

The air between them grew a little charged.

"Let's go too."

Li Xiaoyu looked at Lu Xueqi and spoke gently.

"Mm."

Lu Xueqi nodded softly, a lovely blush rising on her face.

They exchanged smiles, mounted their flying swords, and flew side by side into the distance.

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi rode their swords side by side, turning into one streak of blue-green light and one of white as they cut across the sky.

Behind them lay the darkness and desolation of the Abyss of the Dead.

Ahead of them lay the long-missed warmth of the mortal world and its sunlight.

Their escape from that deadly place had changed their state of mind.

After facing life and death together, the barrier between them had already melted away without either of them noticing.

Though they said nothing, a glance or a smile was worth more than a thousand words.

They flew for several days. Their spiritual energy had mostly recovered, but the weariness in their minds would take longer to fade.

"There's a town ahead. Let's go down and rest for a while."

Li Xiaoyu looked at the town below, where cooking smoke curled into the air, and spoke to Lu Xueqi.

"Mm."

Lu Xueqi nodded softly. In the sunlight, her usually cool features seemed gentler.

They lowered their swords and quietly landed in a small grove outside the town.

After putting away their flying swords, they walked side by side into Little Pond Town, like an ordinary couple of wandering heroes.

The streets were paved with blue-gray stone, with quaint homes and shops lining either side.

There were few residents in town, and life moved at a slow, peaceful pace.

Children laughed and played on the roadside. Old folk cooled off beneath trees as they played chess. It was a scene of perfect tranquility.

Li Xiaoyu and Lu Xueqi walked down the street, breathing in the scent of everyday life.