Invincible in the Golden Core Realm
Song Xianming grinned after taking the pill.
He had taken a Minor Recovery Pill, which was exceptionally effective at treating injuries. After he swallowed it, the burning pain inflicted by the scorching breath of the Heavenly Secrets Sword Technique quickly subsided.
Sensation also began returning to his injured right leg. He scrambled to his feet and hurried over to the man.
The man sneered, studying Qin Yi with interest before glancing at Xu Xinran. He asked Song Xianming, "This is him?"
Song Xianming said, "That's the bastard. He's no weakling. He can actually execute Nine Stars Flash in Unison with the Heavenly Secrets Sword Technique. Looks like he must be a prized student of Dripping Water Sword Gu Yanshan."
Everyone knew that Dripping Water Sword Gu Yanshan, the seventh elder on Emerald Bamboo Peak, had never recruited a disciple himself.
All the disciples currently on Emerald Bamboo Peak had been assigned there by the sect.
Qin Yi was the sole exception, so he could also be considered a personal disciple of Dripping Water Sword Gu Yanshan, completely different from the other disciples.
But someone as proud as Dripping Water Sword Gu Yanshan was so discerning that ordinary disciples could never catch his eye.
Now it seemed that Qin Yi was indeed worthy of his regard.
He had joined less than a month ago, yet he already possessed Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation.
Moreover, it was said that he had reached the fifth level of Qi Refining the very first time he touched the Dao Comprehension Stone, making him a born genius.
Presumably, Gu Yanshan had taken him in hoping he would shine brilliantly and let Emerald Bamboo Peak hold its head high.
"Unfortunately, what's the punishment for seducing a fellow disciple's wife or concubine again?" the man asked Song Xianming with a smile.
Song Xianming gritted his teeth. "The woman suffers the wooden horse punishment, and the man is castrated."
A woman who failed to uphold her marital virtue would be seized and subjected to the wooden horse punishment. As for the man, it was simplest of all: castration, like a eunuch.
This was explicitly stipulated in the Famous Sword Sect's laws.
As the saying went, without compass and square, there could be no circles or squares. In many respects, the Famous Sword Sect's rules were exceedingly strict.
The man put away the Image-Recording Pearl, then said to Qin Yi, "Originally, Xianming told me you were quite an eyesore, so I intended to come teach you a painful lesson, so you'd know how to conduct yourself in the future. But I never expected you to do something like this. Since you've done this, a little suffering won't be enough."
The man blew the dust off his palms. He cherished his hands; his ten slender fingers made them look like a woman's hands.
"Xianming, do you still want that woman?" he suddenly asked.
Song Xianming said resentfully, "What would I want with a cheap woman who cheats on me with someone she's only just met?"
The man nodded. "If you don't want her, forget it. In that case, if the two of them disappear here, what should we report to the sect?"
Song Xianming glanced at him and understood. He intended to kill them both.
"Naturally, they died in an attack by wild beasts. We couldn't save them in time and could only mourn their loss."
The man smiled in agreement. "Exactly. Attacked by wild beasts, with no intact corpses left."
Xu Xinran was trembling all over. She clutched Qin Yi's sleeve tightly, her deathly pale face as taut as a zither string that might snap at any moment.
"Don't be afraid," Qin Yi reassured her.
Beside him, she whispered, "He... he's Xiahou... Xiahou Tai."
He's Xiahou Tai?
Although this was Qin Yi's first time seeing this man, it was not his first time hearing that name.
Back on Emerald Bamboo Peak, Gu Yiyi had told him that there were two particularly dazzling geniuses among the Famous Sword Sect's younger generation.
The first was Hua Yunfeng, the eldest disciple of the first peak, Snow Maple Ridge.
The second was Xiahou Tai, the eldest disciple of the second peak, Willow Leaf Peak.
Unlike Hua Yunfeng, Xiahou Tai was not a born genius, but his cultivation advanced at an astonishing pace. He and Hua Yunfeng were about the same age, and their cultivation was now on par as well.
If not for his rather violent and unlikable disposition, he ought to have been the person the entire sect valued most.
After all, despite lacking the constitution of a born genius, he had cultivated to a level comparable to Hua Yunfeng's. This made him a role model for almost every ordinary disciple, someone they could learn from.
Unfortunately, character determined everything. He was violent, impatient, and far too murderous, which left the Famous Sword Sect's higher-ups with slightly lower expectations for him than for Hua Yunfeng.
In fact, when Qin Yi first saw him, there had also been a description above his head that differed from those of others.
-[Heaven's Chosen Son · Villain]! (This man is destined to be Hua Yunfeng's strongest early opponent. Later, he will be slain by Heaven's Chosen Son, Hua Yunfeng.)
This Xiahou Tai was actually a Chosen One too, but the word "Antagonist" followed his Chosen One designation, signifying that he was a born villain.
He was destined to stray down a crooked path, then be utterly defeated by Hua Yunfeng in the guise of justice.
With Heaven's Chosen Son's fortune blessing him, no wonder he can keep pace with Hua Yunfeng's progress.
Qin Yi studied him carefully and suddenly noticed another line of small text above his head, describing his cultivation realm.
(This man's primary cultivation is the [Heavenly Demon Dao]. By sacrificing human hearts, he advances extremely quickly. His current realm is lesser achievement of the Golden Core.)
So he cultivates a demonic technique. No wonder he's so fast, fast enough to keep up with Hua Yunfeng.
Having obtained this detailed information, Qin Yi told Xu Xinran to retreat, preferably deep into the cave.
Once they started fighting here, the cavern would be unstable. It could collapse at any moment, bringing huge rocks crashing down.
Xu Xinran was not a woman to dither. Though traditional, she was very clever.
She knew that staying would only hold him back. Qin Yi showed not the slightest fear at this moment; instead, confidence shone on his face.
Xu Xinran did not know why he remained so confident even now, but out of her love for him, she trusted him absolutely.
"This Xiahou Tai has reached lesser achievement of the Golden Core. Husband... you..." She trailed off.
Their opponents clearly had no intention of sparing either of them,
And since they would not spare them, pleading would be useless.
"It's fine. Go hide farther back first." Qin Yi waved his hand.
Xu Xinran hesitated, then rose onto her tiptoes again and kissed his cheek.
Because her earlier kiss had granted Qin Yi strength, she felt that this was the only way she could help him now.
"Thank you. I can feel strength again." Qin Yi smiled faintly, a little surprised as well.
After kissing him, Xu Xinran hurried into the depths of the cavern.
"Cheap woman." Song Xianming could not bear the sight. Death was staring her in the face, yet that cheap woman still dared to betray her marital virtue and kiss Qin Yi.
"Senior Brother Xiahou, I want this Qin bastard to die a wretched death."
"Rest assured. Since I promised to help you, I certainly won't stop halfway. In short, after today, there will no longer be a person named Qin Yi in this world."
Xiahou Tai looked at his slender hands. Suddenly, the nails on all ten fingers lengthened wildly.
Each grew to roughly half a foot long, gleaming with a chilling light.
At the same time, his Golden Core Stage presence spread outward. The powerful pressure shook the entire cavern.
Qin Yi, too, abruptly felt as though the gravity beneath him had increased tenfold in an instant.
His feet suddenly sank into the soil, and his shoulders felt as though a burden weighing several hundred jin pressed down on them.
So this is the oppressive might of the Golden Core Realm? It really is powerful.