Chapter 41 – Continue liquidation
"Fourth Senior Brother, no... Zhang Hanxiao, you've lost."
Li Qingran looked at Zhang Hanxiao, who lay motionless on the ground, and felt a weight lift from her heart, leaving her feeling much lighter.
It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".
The entire sect's plaza was silent as a grave, everyone staring in shock at the scene before them.
The spiritual energy fluctuations around Li Qingran clearly indicated she was at Qi Refining Great Perfection, yet Zhang Hanxiao, who was at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, wasn't her match? Even though Zhang Hanxiao only released his cultivation suppression at the last moment, and despite his flying sword being broken... he shouldn't have been defeated so easily.
Sect Master Wu Duantian was also taken aback, twisting his stiff neck as he asked Daoist Qingxuan beside him, "Elder Qingxuan, was Li Qingran really stripped of her spiritual root and had her dantian destroyed?"
He had thought the punishment was a bit excessive back then, but since the rules of the Azure Cloud Sect dictated that each peak managed its own affairs, the sect master only oversaw them. Moreover, Daoist Qingxuan was the strongest and had some connection with the Azure Cloud Ancestor, so he turned a blind eye.
Now he was rather bewildered.
His personal disciple Zhao Lingtian also had his dantian destroyed, causing the spiritual energy he cultivated to gradually dissipate, leaving him with no combat ability. How could Li Qingran, with her dantian similarly destroyed, still manage to defeat someone at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment like Zhang Hanxiao? It was unbelievable!
Daoist Qingxuan stared intently at Li Qingran without speaking.
He was shocked not only by Li Qingran's explosive combat power but also by her mastery of the Lesser Wuxiang Sword.
He vaguely remembered Li Qingran asking him for guidance many times, but her understanding of sword techniques was limited. After explaining several times, she still couldn't grasp it, and he gradually lost patience, telling her to think independently or ask Lu Changtian.
When Li Qingran left Crimson Sky Peak, her mastery of the Lesser Wuxiang Sword was only at a minor level. Now she could use 'Dancing Shadows of the Trees,' indicating she had at least reached a major level of understanding. Although the Lesser Wuxiang Sword wasn't a particularly advanced technique, being only Mystic Rank, it wasn't something one could master from minor to major in just a few months.
"Brother Zhang!"
"Fourth Senior Brother!"
Seeing Zhang Hanxiao knocked to the ground, Lu Changtian and the others immediately rushed over.
Yun Zimo lifted Zhang Hanxiao's upper body, while Xiao Yifeng took out a healing pill and helped Zhang Hanxiao regulate his breath.
Mu Baishuang cried into Zhang Hanxiao's chest, tears streaming down her face, "Senior Brother, it's all my fault, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have taken your sword. If you had that sword, you wouldn't be hurt like this..."
But in her heart, she thought.
Luckily, Zhang Hanxiao gave her that sword, otherwise, it would have been wasted now. The sword in Li Qingran's hand was clearly a good item, and even if he had another sword, it would probably have been broken too.
She was also more puzzled and a bit fearful.
What exactly happened to Li Qingran?
Who was that great cultivator standing behind her?
Would he see through her disguise?
No, her identity must not be exposed!
The young master was nearing the end of his life, and she had to do everything she could to give him a chance to survive. Once he broke through his bottleneck and contacted the ancestor in seclusion, they would have a chance to rise again!
Mu Baishuang reminded herself to keep a low profile, immediately getting up from Zhang Hanxiao and hiding behind Lu Changtian, pretending to cry.
"Li Qingran, aren't you being a bit excessive?" Lu Changtian pointed at Li Qingran, his expression stern. "No matter what, Zhang Hanxiao was once your senior brother. How could you be so ruthless?"
"Ruthless?" Li Qingran spread her hands and shook her head. "I'm only at Qi Refining Great Perfection, not Foundation Establishment Great Perfection. It's already my limit to injure him. Do you really think I could have severely injured him to the point of unconsciousness?"
Lu Changtian opened his mouth but had no words.
He turned to look at the 'unconscious' Zhang Hanxiao.
Zhang Hanxiao's face was as red as a brick, and it was clear to him that his junior brother was pretending to be unconscious. His external injuries were severe, but not enough to cause unconsciousness. He simply couldn't accept being defeated by Li Qingran.
"Li Qingran, has your dantian been restored?"
Daoist Qingxuan, who had been silent, suddenly spoke.
The disciples of Crimson Sky Peak were stunned, staring at Li Qingran, and Mu Baishuang peeked out from behind Lu Changtian.
"Thanks to the kindness of a senior, I was able to restore my dantian." Li Qingran brushed her hair behind her ear, holding her sword sheath with one hand, her eyes downcast, staring at her toes. A blush crept up her ears, a stark contrast to her previous calm demeanor.
But everyone's attention was on her words, not noticing her shy demeanor, except for Mu Baishuang, who narrowed her eyes.
Women understand women best.
She didn't know what had happened to Li Qingran during this time.
But she could see that Li Qingran had developed some special feelings for that mysterious cultivator.
She just didn't know how that cultivator felt about Li Qingran...
It was a bit troublesome.
If that cultivator's target was also Li Qingran's Taiyin Dao Physique, how could she compete with such an old monster with her current strength?
Mu Baishuang bit her lip, her eyes darting as she came up with a plan.
"Sister Qingran." She stepped out from behind Lu Changtian, speaking timidly, "I heard from Master before that restoring a dantian requires an extremely precious pill called the Primordial Heaven-Mending Pill. This pill has been lost, and only it can restore a dantian...
What I'm trying to say is, Sister, has your dantian really been restored? You must be careful of those with ulterior motives, who might give you a false impression while coveting something else from you..."
"Shut up!"
Before Mu Baishuang could finish, a fierce killing intent surged towards her, silencing her.
Li Qingran gripped the Su Xian Sword tightly, her knuckles white, her body trembling slightly. "The senior's kindness to me is as heavy as a mountain. How dare you slander it?"
Mu Baishuang was so frightened her face turned pale, quickly waving her hands, "Ah, I'm sorry, Sister, I was just worried about you..."@@novelbin@@
Clang—!
The answer to Mu Baishuang was the sound of a sword being drawn.
Li Qingran lowered her head, a strand of hair lifted by the wind, and the Su Xian Sword was already unsheathed.
A sword light flew diagonally towards Mu Baishuang.
There was no hesitation, aiming straight for Mu Baishuang's throat.
Mu Baishuang didn't move.
She simply closed her eyes pitifully.
She knew someone would act before her,
So she wouldn't reveal her true nature.
Clang—!
Sure enough, the sword was intercepted.
Mu Baishuang opened her eyes to see Yun Zimo, the third disciple of Crimson Sky Peak, standing in front of her.
Li Qingran and Yun Zimo locked eyes.
The Third Senior Brother who once protected her now glared at her with hatred and disgust.
How ironic...
But it didn't matter anymore.
She no longer needed to care about these things.
She no longer needed to live for anyone else.
She was just herself—Li Qingran.
No longer anyone's Sixth Junior Sister, no longer a former disciple of Crimson Sky Peak, and not anyone's you, me, or them. If she were to bloom for anyone in this life, it would only be for the senior who was worthy.
Li Qingran touched the tassel of the Su Xian Sword, the indifference and coldness in her eyes rising with each passing memory, a slight smile forming on her lips:
"Yun Zimo, since you've stepped forward...
Let's start with you.
Continue the reckoning!"
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