Chapter 050: Starfall Sword Sect
Xu Xuan's thunderous and poisonous killing methods struck terror into both the Blood Spirit Thieves and the Wind Feather Sect, and the tide of battle was about to turn. Amidst the fierce combat, the one-eyed leader Cao, who was pressing Le Feng, glanced at Xu Xuan's unpredictable movements, his face twisted with brutality and murderous intent. “A mortal martial artist of such caliber in an immortal sect? You’ve slaughtered so many of my brothers…”
Just a fleeting glance from Cao’s eye sent a bone-chilling murderous aura surging through Xu Xuan’s body, cold as ice. Even in his state of absolute stillness, he could hardly withstand such killing intent and oppression. The strength of this leader Cao far surpassed that of Wan Fu Shan.
Yet Xu Xuan’s face remained mechanical and impassive, unaffected and without the slightest hesitation, darting like a venomous serpent into the ranks of the Blood Spirit Thieves.
“Everyone together! Take him down!”
Three or four thieves, eyes gleaming with bloodlust, swung their curved blades as they surrounded Xu Xuan from all directions.
In an instant, Xu Xuan was plunged into peril, attacked simultaneously by four, his figure nearly swallowed by the cold, flashing blades.
Such a scene made the Wind Feather Sect disciples behind him pale, their hearts in their throats, sweating for Xu Xuan's fate.
No matter how formidable Xu Xuan was, facing a simultaneous assault by several equally skilled enemies put him in dire jeopardy.
The blades whistled through the air, cold wind swirling, encircling Xu Xuan so tightly that it was terrifying.
Yang Xiaoqian’s eyes were filled with reluctance, and young Yu Qin instinctively closed her eyes in fear.
Yet in this moment, Xu Xuan’s face remained cold and mechanical, utterly fearless, devoid of any human emotion.
In those lifeless, icy eyes, the four ferocious thieves appeared sluggish and clumsy—as if their movements were riddled with flaws!
He brought his feet together, aligning his body in a straight line, then bent backward abruptly, his form like a supple sapling, arching beyond ninety degrees in a flash.
From his knees, his upper body folded like an iron plank, and in a split second he evaded the four fierce blades.
From afar, Xu Xuan’s body seemed to be split in two, sending chills down the spine.
But that was not all. In that moment, his lower body stabilized on one toe, while his upper body, parallel to the ground and bent like iron, suddenly spun—three hundred sixty degrees!
This movement was so inhumanly extreme that everyone on both sides of the battle was left dumbfounded.
Regardless of victory or defeat, regardless of killing power, this combination of movements alone was astonishing, making one wonder what his bones and flesh were made of.
Yet these superhuman actions were not mere acrobatics.
With a flash, Xu Xuan extended two fingers from each hand, striking lightning-fast at the vital points in the crotch of the four thieves.
To the naked eye, a blur of purple-red shadows danced like venomous snakes.
“Ah! Ah!” The four thieves let out gut-wrenching screams as Xu Xuan’s precise, serpent-like strikes hit their most vulnerable spots.
Their cries were so horrific that many shivered in fear.
Thud! Thud…
Immediately, all four collapsed, their skin blackened as if poisoned.
“His fingernails are poisonous?”
The remaining thieves were terrified, their eyes filled with boundless fear as they looked at Xu Xuan.
With these four deaths, Xu Xuan had slain twelve thieves—nearly a third of their total.
Under his poisonous assault, within moments, the Blood Spirit Thieves were routed and the situation greatly improved.
However, this advantage did not last.
“Heh… It’s time to end this!”
A hoarse, icy female voice echoed from the canyon entrance.
Everyone tensed, turning to see: the ugly woman in the black dress, previously seated high above, swooped down like a black eagle, trailing a wave of cold air.
“Let’s settle you first!”
The black-robed woman raised her palm from afar, sending several blue, stone-sized icy stars streaking across the distance with a chilling light.
In the corner of his eye, Xu Xuan caught sight of them, startled by the impending mortal danger.
Even before the spell struck, his blood felt as if it were freezing.
In this crisis, he let out a roar, his energy surging, and pressed himself flat to the ground, darting like a spirit snake, moving several meters away.
Clang! Bang!
Three bowl-sized craters appeared in the hard mountain wall, stone chips flying, terrifying all who saw.
Xu Xuan dodged the attack, not daring to rise, instead wriggling like an eel, moving erratically to avoid further strikes from the black-robed woman.
“Hm!” The woman’s eyes flashed with surprise—a mere body-refining mortal could evade her spell?
She was about to attack again when the one-eyed leader called: “Second! Finish off this brat first.”
He referred, of course, to the strongest among them, Le Feng, who was now on the defensive. If Le Feng were killed, the Wind Feather Sect’s remnants would collapse.
“What a pretty boy—it almost pains me to strike.”
She licked her lips, her pockmarked face only adding to the revulsion.
Despite her words, she showed no mercy; blue light flashed across her body, and she struck from behind, her palm descending from midair.
Smack!
Blue mist quivered in her palm, and a cold blue stream shot out, blocking Le Feng’s escape.
“Not good!”
Le Feng stiffened, the chill slowing him, as Leader Cao’s blade came down fiercely.
With no way to dodge, and ignoring his wounds, Le Feng spread his arms, summoning a green screen of light.
Crash!
The bloody blade shattered the light, and Le Feng spat blood, his injuries worsening as he fell powerless to the ground.
“Hurry, save Senior Brother Le!” The sect disciples were frantic.
Xu Xuan’s heart sank—if Le Feng died, the Wind Feather Sect would face slaughter, and his own chances of escape would be slim.
“This pretty boy is mine to enjoy…”
The black-robed woman blocked the one-eyed leader, knocking Le Feng unconscious with a palm, her eyes glinting with greed.
“Second, this man is likely a true disciple of the immortal sect. He must be dealt with quickly,” said the one-eyed leader, his demeanor cold and domineering, causing the woman to hesitate, torn between reluctance and uncertainty.
Xu Xuan was stunned by the scene, thinking: This is the perfect moment to escape.
He tensed, scanning his route and calculating his chances, when his gaze was drawn to several figures approaching.
Whoosh!
At the canyon entrance, three graceful figures were hurrying toward them.
The leading man was tall and imposing, with a sword strapped to his back, and from a distance, he let out a cold laugh:
“A rabble of misfits!”
His voice was cold and domineering, laced with naked disdain.
At this critical moment, both sides of the battle paused.
Misfits? Such arrogance!
With a single phrase, he insulted both sides.
“Who are you?”
Leader Cao stiffened, feeling an icy, sharp aura as did the black-robed woman, their bodies tense.
The newcomers wore deep blue robes, swords on their backs, and their brows exuded a keen, sword-like energy.
Shing!
The leading man soared forward, drawing near.
His features were sharply defined, cold and angular like marble, his fierce eyes filled with an air of dominance and contempt.
Cold, domineering, superior!
The moment he stood there, he was like an unsheathed sword, his chilling aura pressing upon all.
“They are disciples of the ‘Starfall Sword Sect,’ and the leader is likely their rising prodigy—Nie Han,” Wan Fu Shan recognized them instantly, his face a mix of joy and concern.
The ‘Starfall Sword Sect’ was a neighbor of the Wind Feather Sect, both inhabiting Star Feather Mountain, separated by a deep gorge, and usually kept a low profile.
“Hahaha… The so-called rising star of Wind Feather Sect is nothing special.”
Nie Han’s piercing gaze fell upon Le Feng, held by the black-robed woman, his tone tinged with ridicule.
The Wind Feather Sect disciples blushed and paled at his words.
“It’s said the Blood Spirit Thieves have three formidable leaders. I, Nie, have come for two reasons: to avenge a fallen junior, and to use you as my whetstone for breaking through to the third stage of Qi Refinement!”
He slowly placed his hand on the sword hilt behind him.
Whetstone!
Leader Cao, the black-robed woman, and the giant iron-tower man all wore grim faces.
“Arrogant brat! Only a second-stage sword cultivator, and yet so boastful… courting death!”
The black-robed woman raged, her form flickering as she unleashed a barrage of blue icy stars.
“Die!”
A chilling voice echoed through the air, making all hearts tremble.
Clang!
A flash of cold light sliced through more than ten meters, shattering the blue icy stars in an instant.
The black-robed woman shuddered, frozen in place, her expression slack, her lips struggling to move but unable to utter a sound.
A bloody line appeared on her forehead, running down her face; her body split in two.
Thud!
Her bisected corpse fell in a pool of blood, gruesome and tragic.
The valley was instantly plunged into a cold, deathly silence.
Everyone gasped.
A wave of icy dread swept through the Blood Spirit Thieves, their pupils filled with extreme terror, their bodies trembling.
Leader Cao and the iron-tower man stiffened, their eyes burning with quivering hatred.
In Xu Xuan’s mind, the remnant soul of his past life murmured in admiration: “It’s been ages since I’ve seen such a promising sword cultivator…”
“Sword cultivator?”
Xu Xuan suppressed his shock and carefully scrutinized Nie Han and the other two disciples of the Starfall Sword Sect.