"Bang bang!"
Two loud noises echoed as the Heaven Swapping Array, carrying Lin Chikong and Song Sheng, collided with the mountain-guarding sword array summoned by Huang Tingyu like meteors, and were actually blocked!
"Don't be stingy with your magic artifacts!"
Song Sheng grunted, crushing a string of golden prayer beads into powder and unleashing a punch.
Lin Chikong also removed a string of purple bracelets, which turned into a golden ray of light and shot out.
Instantly, the mountain-guarding sword array trembled. Although the entire array remained intact, a hole was pierced by the two wild cultivators of the Upper Five Realms. The Heaven Swapping Array, carrying them, became a pair of escaped fish.
"Oh?"
Huang Tingyu, standing on the roof of the Marshal's Mansion, was slightly surprised. "They have so many tricks?"
Chu Huaixi frowned. "How is it?"
"It's fine."
Huang Tingyu chuckled. "With her here, what could possibly be wrong? The Demon Ancestor and the Devil Ancestor would surely not dare to show themselves at this time. If they did, they would face Ming Yuechi's sword, hahaha~~~"
Chu Huaixi also let out a hearty laugh.
...
In the sky, Lin Chikong and Song Sheng plummeted south like meteors.
After a loud crash, the two hit the mountain and water restriction summoned by Shan Jun Su Fu, and their speed was further slowed.
"No, let's fight harder!"
Lin Chikong grunted. "Use whatever magic artifacts and treasures you have, or you won't be able to use them anymore!"
"No problem!"
Song Sheng roared, taking off his hairpin, which turned into a fiery red glow and shot out. Lin Chikong, with a heave of his arms, sent out four magic artifacts from his sleeves, fiercely attacking the mountain and water restriction.
The roaring sounds were incessant, and the mountainous aura that spanned the sky constantly cracked.
"Ouch~~~"
Shan Jun Su Fu, in the form of a golden glow, stood on the Shan Jun Shrine and supported the mountain restriction with one hand, chuckling. "Are you fighting so desperately? Then forget it... I'm only at the Star River Realm. There's no need to fight to the death with two Great Eleven Realm lords. I still need to save some money for my wife!"
With that, he directly withdrew the mountain and water restriction, allowing them to pass.
In fact, this Shan Jun of the Star River Realm, guarding his own territory and within his shrine, had his realm effectively increased by one level, equivalent to the Eleventh Realm. Facing a single wild cultivator of the Eleventh Realm with an unstable foundation would have been an easy matter. However, there were two of them now, and they both looked determined to fight to the death. Therefore, Su Fu naturally did not want to fight them. With "that person" around, there was no point in exerting so much effort for show.
...
Within the Heaven Swapping Array, the two Upper Five Realm cultivators sped south, about to collide with the sword array of the white-clothed female immortal.
"They actually dare?"
In the wind, the female immortal smiled faintly and lightly brought down her palm. "Go down!"
In an instant, a crystal-clear jade hand filled the entire sky with radiance, directly swatting the two wild cultivators towards the ground. The landing spot was precisely in front of the Iron Cavalry camp of the Shan Hai Division. As the two landed, dust filled the air. When Lin Chikong and Song Sheng got up, their true appearances were revealed, shocking the Shan Hai Division cavalry.
Amidst the crowd, Shao Fu Ling Li Tong exclaimed in shock. "That's... Lin Chikong?"
"Yes!"
A centurion was horrified. "Who beat the old immortal Lin down?"
"No way..."
Li Tong's heart trembled. "Isn't Lin Chikong an Upper Five Realm cultivator? Why... why did he lose?"
...
At this moment, the white-clothed female immortal in the sky slowly descended, exuding the aura of the sword. Her beautiful eyes looked at Lin Chikong and Song Sheng and said, "Stealing the sword is one thing, but you even thought of killing him. What did Lin Zhao do wrong?"
"Immortal Lady..."
Lin Chikong hurriedly knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly for mercy. "We were temporarily bewitched. Please, Immortal Lady, spare us. We will never dare to do this again, ahhh!"
"Yes, yes!"
As wild cultivators, they were always adaptable. Song Sheng also knelt and kowtowed, like a pecking chick. "It was all Lin Daoist's temporary delusion. I am just an ageless pine in the mountains. What bad intentions can a pine tree have? Please, Immortal Lady, spare my life. Ascending to the Great Dao is not easy. Please, Immortal Lady, look at my pathetic thousands of years of enduring wind, sun, rain, and dew, and spare my life..."
The white-clothed female immortal smiled. "If I spare your lives, who will spare Lin Zhao's life? My Ming Yuechi's rule is only one: those who harbor murderous intent are already deserving of death, let alone those who have already acted."
"Moon Pool Immortal Lady, spare us, spare us!"
Lin Chikong continued to kowtow. However, during his kowtow, a celestial ruler flew out from his sleeve, turning into a flying sword and heading straight for the white-clothed female immortal's throat.
"Ding~~~"
The flying sword shattered instantly. With a slight smile from the white-clothed female immortal, a wisp of sword qi, extraordinary and magnificent, surged forth, connecting heaven and earth. As it swept across, the Upper Five Realm wild cultivator Lin Chikong had already turned to dust, instantly perishing!
"This..."
Song Sheng's legs trembled with fear. "Impossible, impossible... Even if Ming Yuechi is strong, she can't kill an Eleventh Realm with one sword, impossible... Unless you have already surpassed the Thirteenth Realm..."
"It's your turn."
Ming Yuechi looked at Song Sheng and smiled. "An ageless pine tree in the mountains, instead of cultivating properly, you stir up trouble in the human world. If I don't kill you, who will I kill?"
Another beam of sword light flashed. In an instant, Song Sheng revealed his true form, a towering ancient pine tree, which turned to ashes under Ming Yuechi's sword.
...
"This..."
From afar, in front of the Iron Cavalry camp, Shao Fu Ling Li Tong's expression was one of utter horror, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
That Ming Yuechi, holding her long sword, walked step by step towards the Iron Cavalry camp of the Shan Hai Division.
Who in the world didn't know Ming Yuechi?
She was the immortal lady who once guarded the sacred land, and later ascended with a single sword. Now, Ming Yuechi had returned to the mortal world, only to protect someone.
"Greetings, Moon Pool Immortal Lady!"
The cavalry soldiers all knelt down. The reverence for Ming Yuechi was as if it were etched into their bones.
"Moon Pool Immortal Lady..."
Li Tong also knelt with a thud. "This official... this official knows his mistake..."
"Is that so?"
Ming Yuechi smiled faintly. "Lord Li Tong, you have quite the authority. Back then, you wanted to beat and kill Lin Zhao simply because he wouldn't kneel. Even I, in the Upper Realm, was shaken by your authority."
"I... I..."
Li Tong's face turned ashen. "I know my mistake. Please, Immortal Lady, spare my wretched life."
"No need. People like you are detrimental to this world. There is no benefit."
Ming Yuechi's beautiful eyes swept over them, and a wisp of sword qi flashed, instantly piercing Li Tong's forehead. He fell to the ground listlessly.
Everyone was horrified, their livers and gallbladders split with fear.
"There are still a few more."
Ming Yuechi looked at the crowd and smiled. "Those who participated in killing Lin Zhao will all die."
In an instant, dozens of sword qi swept through the crowd, and dozens more fell dead. The remaining cavalry soldiers were all trembling with fear, their hands and feet numb, cold sweat dripping. Facing an Upper Five Realm female immortal, any thought of resistance would be detected and instantly killed, with no chance to escape or resist. Ming Yuechi killed with a single sword; she didn't even need a second.
When the crowd looked up, Ming Yuechi was already gone.
...
Downstream of Bai Yu Stream.
Ming Yuechi's slender feet stepped on the water as she walked, holding her sword. She looked down at the river and said with a faint smile, "Will you come out yourself, or shall I personally drag you out?"
"I will come out myself..."
In the water, an old woman slowly emerged, her hair like water silk, her eyes with a faint golden glow. She knelt on the ground. "Bai Yu Stream River Mother, Madam Xu, greets Moon Pool Immortal Lady..."
Ming Yuechi smiled indifferently. "Last time, when my junior disciple was catching that golden-finned flying fish, you wanted to kill him? Madam Xu, Madam Xu, as a deity, you should be diligently serving and benefiting the mountains and waters. Why are you always so unreasonable? Do you really think you can act recklessly because you have the backing of the Ancestral Court of the Military?"
Madam Xu wept. "This minor deity did not know that Lin Zhao was the Immortal Lady's junior disciple, so... so I was temporarily foolish and played a trick. I never intended to kill Lin Zhao..."
"Oh?"
Ming Yuechi smiled. "So, you're saying I've wronged you?"
"No, no..."
Madam Xu continued to sob.
"Why are you discontented?" Ming Yuechi asked.
"I... I..."
Madam Xu continued to sob. "There, in the Ancestral Court of the Military, I heard... I heard he was a great celestial official. Why... why did such a high-ranking official end up making me, a mere river mother... Immortal Lady, you don't know, my river mother temple is dilapidated, only about ten feet high, with no incense at all. When it rains, wild dogs and cats would come in. When the weather is good, mischievous children from the town would defecate in front of the temple gate, making it unbearable. Immortal Lady, I..."
"Enough!"
Ming Yuechi frowned. "I cannot interfere with the affairs of the military, but the fact that you tried to kill my junior disciple is undeniable. If I do nothing, I will be letting down my junior disciple."
With that, Ming Yuechi gently pushed out a palm. Madam Xu was sent flying on the water. When she steadied herself, her already sparse golden body had developed faint cracks.
"Thank you, Immortal Lady, for sparing my life."
She knelt on the water, but in her heart, she thought: If that person were not still presiding over the Ancestral Court of the Military, would you, Ming Yuechi, have shown leniency?
"Hmph!"
Ming Yuechi saw through her thoughts but said nothing. She turned and left.
...
Evening.
On the left bank of Bai Yu Stream, a new grave was erected. It was dug by Lin Zhao and Little Stone, who buried the body of "Sister Leng Yan." The customs of the town emphasized burial for peace. Lin Zhao set up a small altar in front of the grave, lit a stick of incense, and burned a lot of paper money. A wooden tombstone, inscribed with "Tomb of Leng Yan" using Thousand Rider Rolls Snow and the finest cinnabar.
Lin Zhao knelt on one knee before the grave, filled with self-reproach. He muttered to himself, "Miss Leng, if it weren't for my arrogance, Lin Zhao, and my coming to the bridge to fish, you wouldn't have been killed by a punch from an Upper Five Realm cultivator. I, Lin Zhao, owe you, Miss Leng. If there is a chance in the next life, I will be an ox or a horse without hesitation."
He frowned, his eyes reddening. "I'm sorry. I thought you were different from me, and that you must have been toying with me when you spoke. I'm truly sorry, it was I, Lin Zhao, who failed your good intentions..."
Beside him, Little Stone said softly, "Brother Lin Zhao, don't be too sad. The dead cannot be brought back to life."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao pursed his lips. "Miss Leng was a good person, and also very beautiful. It's too much of a pity that she's gone..."
...
"Rustle..."
Behind him, Leng Yan, who had returned from the resurrection point, saw Lin Zhao and her tombstone.
"???"
She was filled with questions.