A Woman's Sneak Attack, Li Ze's Death

The next morning, everyone made preparations early and set out for the tree demon's location, led by Li Ze.

Half an hour later, Qin Yi and the others concealed their presence and slowed their steps, approaching cautiously. Before long, Qin Yi saw the so-called tree demon ahead.

The tree demon was a Ghost Willow. Ghost Willows were not uncommon in the Blood-Colored Forest. Perhaps it had come upon some fortuitous opportunity and broken through to the second tier. Could that Ghost Willow have found some fortuitous opportunity? Did the Li Household come to seize a treasure? Qin Yi wondered.

"Everyone, get ready."

Li Ze then brought out a sword-shaped talisman treasure. As he steadily channeled spiritual power into it, the talisman treasure grew brighter and brighter. Moments later, it shattered, and Sword Qi filled the sky in its place. Li Ze pointed at the Ghost Willow, and the Sword Qi streaked toward it like falling starlight.

No wonder Li Ze had not hunted the Ghost Willow the previous night. If he had used this talisman treasure then, he would have drawn every Demon Beast within ten li.

Boom!

The Sword Qi filling the sky struck the Ghost Willow, severing countless branches. Once the Ghost Willow reacted, it sent its remaining branches whipping toward Qin Yi and the others.

"Scatter! Attack with everything you have!"

At Li Ze's command, everyone scattered at once and launched their attacks. They looked as though they were giving it their all, but Qin Yi knew the woman had yet to use her full strength. The spiritual power fluctuations coming from her were still at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. If you're putting on an act, so will I. Let's see who can keep hiding until the end.

Attack after attack struck the Ghost Willow, and its branches whipped faster and faster. Suddenly, a branch appeared and wrapped around an Eighth Layer of Qi Refining cultivator. Another branch shot forward like a spear and pierced through him.

"Brother Hang!"

The eyes of another Eighth Layer of Qi Refining cultivator not far from him nearly split with fury. The Spiritual Qi around him gradually grew turbulent, and a giant sword formed from water rushed toward the Ghost Willow. The instant the sword touched its branches, the water turned to ice, freezing them in place.

"Good!"

Li Ze finally showed a satisfied smile. He held his sword horizontally before his chest. "You beast, it's time to send you to your death." A drop of heart's blood flew from Li Ze's chest and merged with the sword. The sword immediately gave off a presence that made Qin Yi sense danger. Without relying on external aids, Qin Yi would be gravely injured by this strike even if he survived.

"Wind Falls from the Nine Heavens!"

The sword in Li Ze's hand transformed into the illusory figure of a phoenix. The phoenix spread its wings and soared into the sky. Sensing a deadly threat, the Ghost Willow pulled its branches back in front of itself and intertwined them into a giant python.

"Fall!"

With Li Ze's thunderous shout, the phoenix let out a cry and plunged toward the Ghost Willow. At the same time, the giant python formed by the Ghost Willow charged at the phoenix.

Boom!

A tremendous explosion rang out in the sky. When the thick smoke cleared, Li Ze could be seen standing in the air, gasping for breath. More than half of the Ghost Willow's trunk had been severed, and only a few branches were still swaying, testament to its tenacious vitality.

"You beast, you still have to obediently accept your death."

Li Ze landed, his face pale. He took out a pill he had prepared long ago from his Storage Bag and swallowed it. Once some color had returned to his face, Li Ze slowly walked up to the Ghost Willow's trunk, ready to extract its tree heart.

Just as Li Ze was about to act, a short blade pierced his chest. The woman had made her move. Blood dripped steadily from the tip of the blade as Li Ze turned his head with difficulty to look at her and asked haltingly, "Wh-why?"

The woman pulled out the short blade and wiped it as she answered, "Why? Because your life is worth money, of course. A hundred thousand Spirit Stones, no less."

Li Ze leaned against the Ghost Willow, his vision gradually blurring, but he still forced out a question. "It was the Xie Household, wasn't it?"

"Yes. So what?" the woman replied disdainfully.

"I should have thought of it sooner. I should have thought..." Li Ze's hand fell limply. The sight left Qin Yi feeling somewhat rueful. One moment, a Foundation Establishment cultivator had stood awe-inspiring and cut down all before him; the next, he had died a miserable death on the spot. How fickle the world was, how fickle indeed.

Seeing that Li Ze was dead, the woman turned to look at Qin Yi and the other two who remained. "One at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining and two at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. What am I supposed to do with you?"

Qin Yi and the other two gathered together, worried that the woman would attack them. She gave a couple of lilting laughs and waved a hand at them, saying nonchalantly, "Don't be so nervous. My task was only to kill Li Ze and bring back the tree heart. Killing you would do me no good at all. You may go."

Qin Yi and the other two did not move. The woman said nothing more, turning to take the Ghost Willow's tree heart and Li Ze's Storage Bag in hand. After inspecting Li Ze's Storage Bag, a smile appeared on her face. She put everything into her own Storage Bag, and Qin Yi smiled faintly at the sight. The woman turned to look at the three of them again.

"What, you still won't leave? If you don't go, I'll attack," the woman said sharply.

Only then did Qin Yi and the other two separate and dart off into the Blood-Colored Forest. After the three disappeared from sight, the woman behind them chuckled softly. A red light flashed in her eyes, and she took a compass from her Storage Bag. Three red dots were moving across it.

"Which one should I kill first?"