A Gaze with Hidden Fire

With a bang, a vast, shuddering force spread through the air above Ink Hill.

The golden cicada blocked the spike with its wings, then extended its mouthparts to draw out the spike's metal spiritual power. The instant those terrifying mouthparts opened, a crisp shout rang out: "Explode!"

A tremendous boom rang out, loud enough to make ears ring. Just like that, a magical treasure worth fighting over for countless cultivators had self-destructed!

The blast sent the golden cicada tumbling several times before it crashed through a stand of trees with a rumble. It sank deep into a crater, unable to get up for the moment, and a piercing wail came from its abdomen: "Scree-"

Though it had instinctively folded its wings at that instant, the immense force unleashed in a flash had torn a gash across its face. Blood shimmering with golden light flowed out.

One of its wings had it even worse: a corner had shattered and fallen off. Though its wings did not bleed, the injury had gravely damaged its vitality, leaving it listless.

The red-robed man was so pained that his eyes nearly split at the corners, and he spat out a mouthful of bloody foam. He put the golden cicada away, shifted hand seals with both hands, and snarled, "You bitch, how dare you ruin my golden cicada? Today, either you die or I do!"

"This old man has roamed the secret realm unhindered for a hundred years, and this is the first time I've suffered a loss. If I don't kill you, I'll never swallow this grievance!"

"Spirit-Corroding Insects, go!"

Wrapped in her restriction banner, Su Fuxi immediately descended to the ground while forming a hand seal. In the blink of an eye, seven or eight fireballs appeared, circling her at a distance of four or five zhang. The moment they appeared, the surrounding temperature soared. The wetlands dried and cracked, rocks turned white, and trees withered in an instant, turning straight to ash.

Eight huge, blazing fireballs formed an eight-star array shaped like a tower, with one above, three in the middle, and four below. They spun continuously in a ring, protecting her so tightly that not even the wind could get through.

With very few exceptions, most insects in the world feared fire. She refused to believe this mist of Spirit-Corroding Insects truly had no counter!

Hundreds of millions of insects formed a vast gray mist and charged at the fireball array. They struck the flames with a crackling barrage, the sounds of impact unceasing, accompanied by a foul scorched smell.

The insects did indeed fear fire, but they surged forward wave after wave, continually massing together to strike the fireball array. They tried to sacrifice the insects on the outside so those in the middle could break through the flames and devour Su Fuxi.

Su Fuxi stood in the array, maintaining her hand seal with both hands, her hair whipping around her. Her eyes and brows were cold, and she showed not the slightest fear. Her icy voice rang out across all of Ink Hill like a flood:

"Today's affair is between Daoist Gu Sheng and me. Those of you who have nothing to do with it, leave at once! After three breaths, anyone who remains within a thousand li had better not blame me for showing no mercy!"

Three breaths! Having witnessed Su Fuxi's decisive ruthlessness in boldly detonating a magical treasure, those with lower cultivation fled at once. In moments, dozens of streaks of sword light in all colors flew out of Ink Hill.

Even several peak cultivators quickly retreated beyond Ink Hill. They stopped to watch the fight, their eyes flickering with schemes unknown.

That decision, however, would leave them regretting it bitterly.

Seeing that his insect mist could not break through the fire array and had suffered considerable damage, the red-robed man put away the Spirit-Corroding Insects, a third of which had already been lost.

"How dare you harm my darlings..." The more his heart ached, the darker his gaze grew as he looked at Su Fuxi. He formed a seal with both hands and spat out a thread of silver light.

The silver light suddenly expanded before him, blazing brilliantly. Countless silver threads like tentacles appeared within it-the Thousand Silk Gu had emerged again! In the blink of an eye, it spread eleven zhang around him, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws.

Su Fuxi was slightly taken aback. The last time she had seen the Thousand Silk Gu, it had only spread seven or eight zhang. It had grown so much in just a few months; she did not know what method had been used to refine it.

The next moment, however, she gave a cold laugh and raised both hands, sending all the fireballs forward. Since her opponent dared release the Thousand Silk Gu, it meant the thing did not fear fire attacks.

Sure enough, when the fireballs met the mass of silver threads, the flames were effective at first, burning away all the inner threads wrapped around the fireballs.

But more of the outer threads invaded the fireballs. Even as the silver threads were destroyed, they absorbed and consumed the fireballs' spiritual essence. The spiritual power they drew out fed back into the core at the center of the threads, and still more threads emerged to coil around the fireballs and absorb them.

The fireballs were gradually consumed, shrinking smaller and smaller until they vanished. The thing could also serve as a defense, binding the fireballs so they could not move.

Three fireballs soon disappeared. Su Fuxi rapidly shifted hand seals, using her spiritual sense to control the mass of light in her sea of consciousness. Suddenly, light flashed between her brows, and a wisp of golden radiance flew out. The sect master's sword intent was unleashed in full.

In an instant, a formidable pressure spread outward in all directions with Su Fuxi at its center.

The vast, fierce aura was like the arrival of a Nascent Soul!

A shooting star tore through the air, streaking straight at the red-robed man. The powerful sword intent struck with the force of rushing thunder, piercing his heart meridian before he could even react.

Countless streams of sword qi, like needles in a torrential rain of pear blossoms, rapidly spread through his entire body. The thickest stream plunged straight into his dantian with world-destroying force, grinding all his flesh to pieces. With a bang, the red-robed Daoist became a human-shaped mist of blood in an instant.

Only his Golden Core remained, bearing a small crack. If his body had not been destroyed, the Golden Core would have shattered too.

The golden sword intent then flew onward with unstoppable force, charging straight out of Ink Hill without pausing.

Quick-eyed and quick-handed, Su Fuxi seized the silver light, which had shrunk to the size of a fist after its master's death and was trying to flee, and stuffed it into her storage bag.

The Peak Golden Core cultivators who witnessed that terrifying scene all stared in horror. As a speck of golden light grew larger and larger in their eyes like an approaching meteor, they hastily turned and fled.

But it was already too late.

Pfft, pfft, pfft!

After three muffled sounds, at once faint and thunderous, the golden light had already pierced the hearts of three peak cultivators, leaving behind enough sword qi to grind their bodies to pieces.

Bang, bang, bang!

Three blasts sounded in rhythm. The corpses did not even have time to fall before several human-shaped clouds of blood mist appeared in midair.

The wind blew them apart, scattering countless drops of blood between heaven and earth.

"Buzz, buzz..." Having met no worthy opponent, the golden sword intent rang out of its own accord, still completely undamaged!

Its golden light glittered as it formed the enormous phantom of a sword. Countless scattered streams of sword qi were drawn to it and gathered together. Streams of white-gold air flew in from all directions, becoming a vortex that poured into the golden light. For a time, the sword intent shone even more dazzlingly.

With a thought from Su Fuxi, the golden sword intent became a shooting star and rushed back between her brows. It returned to her sea of consciousness, where it was once again sealed by strands of golden spiritual sense.

At that moment, the cultivators watching from beyond a thousand li stood dumbfounded. Feeling the terrifying might of that sword intent, they all sucked in cold breaths, then scattered like birds and beasts, vanishing without a trace.

Only one Foundation Establishment cultivator hesitated for a moment before turning to fly away. The next second, a purple-clad young man at the Early Golden Core Stage called out to him.

"Fellow Daoist, please wait!"

"My master told me to give this to you."

The young man tossed him a storage bag, then turned and disappeared.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator opened the storage bag and found, to his surprise, a pile of spirit stones.

Su Fuxi remained where she was, sitting in meditation and regulating her breathing. Though the sword intent was powerful, using it fully was still very taxing at her current cultivation level. Moreover, with Golden Core cultivation, she could only bring out seventy percent of its power, not its full might.

In the hands of a sword cultivator, it would be a few degrees more powerful.

The battle had already left her somewhat exhausted. Worried that she would not have the strength to carry on, she had driven those cultivators away.

Even the task of collecting all the Golden Cores and fallen storage bags was left to Lin Sui.

"Hiss! So that was Nascent Soul-level sword intent. It was truly terrifying!"

"Isn't that the truth? The moment that pressure appeared, I felt as though even my mind had been suppressed. There was no escaping it! Thank goodness that senior meant a thousand li when she said a thousand li, and had no desire to kill! Otherwise, we..."

"Ah, you're right, fellow Daoist, but... that Gold-Birth Fruit..."

"Have you got a death wish? Why are you still thinking about Gold-Birth Fruit or Silver-Birth Fruit? Saving your life is what matters! I'm leaving first!"

"Exactly, exactly! Wait for me, fellow Daoist!"

Several Golden Core cultivators looked back toward Ink Hill, their hearts still gripped by fear. Some remained preoccupied with the Gold-Birth Fruit, but gritted their teeth and left unwillingly.

At the center of the battle.

Lin Sui soon returned and silently stood guard beside Su Fuxi while she regulated her breathing. He watched her quietly, his gaze intent.

As he watched, who knew what came to mind? His gaze grew uninhibited despite himself, and a hidden fire seemed to burn in his eyes.

Feeling his gaze prickle against her skin, Su Fuxi was deeply uncomfortable, as though he were looking her over while she stood completely naked.