Chapter 40
Blood dripped steadily from Jiang An's back. Her face was tense as she turned around, her brother gripping her hand tightly, both teetering on the brink of collapse.
I've lost too much blood, and my only plan to escape has failed, Jiang An thought, exhaustion pulling heavily at her gaze.
Qing Lin rose to her feet and called her sword.The blade buzzed softly, flying back toward her in a controlled arc.
Her eyes, cold and serious, locked onto Jiang An."I really underestimated you, allowing my guards to be taken down," Qing Lin said, assuming her battle stance, sword in hand. "But that ends now. It won't happen again." Her gaze turned merciless.
Jiang An's eyes grew heavier by the second, yet she held Qing Lin's gaze with unwavering determination. Her body trembled, barely able to remain upright under the strain.
As if summoned by sheer will, her eyes brimming with resolve, she whispered to her brother,"Brother, I'll hold her off for some time. Run toward the woods without looking back."
"What!!" Jiang Mu gasped. "No! I can't possibly run without you!"
"Mu'er, you have to flee," Jiang An said gently, her voice softening. "You're still so young, and as your sister, I won't let you die here."
But—
Tears welled in Jiang Mu's eyes. He lowered his head and gave a solemn nod.
"Good," Jiang An said, offering a warm smile for a fleeting moment before turning back to face Qing Lin, expression hardening.
Qing Lin gathered soul energy into her sword.
"Die!" she shouted as she dashed forward, her blade piercing deep into Jiang An's chest. Blood gushed from the wound, staining the ground.
At that instant, Jiang An released Qing Lin's hand and gave a signal to her brother."Brother, ru—" Her voice broke as she coughed up blood, trailing off into silence.
Qing Lin looked on in confusion before swiftly turning toward Jiang Mu, who was sprinting toward the woods.No! I can't let him escape, Qing Lin thought, her eyes narrowing as Jiang Mu's silhouette vanished into the distance.
Desperately, she tried to pull her sword from Jiang An's chest.
"Not that fast," Jiang An said, gripping Qing Lin's hand firmly.
Qing Lin stared at her in shock. "You!!" she exclaimed.
"I won't let you go after my brother," Jiang An replied, her grip unyielding.
Jiang Mu ran toward the woods, tears streaming down his face."It's all my fault… Why, sister, why must—" he cried, frustration and guilt weighing heavily on his heart.
Atop a rock, the Abyssal Antarch sat, his eyes narrowing as he watched Jiang Mu flee.He slowly extended his hand toward Jiang Mu, and with a resonant bam, the ground in front of him cracked, forming a large pit.
"I said no one leaves until the last is killed or is killed by another," the Antarch declared coldly.
Jiang Mu halted, horror-struck, and looked back at the Antarch.
"Get away, you disgusting beggar!" Qing Lin spat, kicking Jiang An in the abdomen. Jiang An coughed up blood and collapsed.
Qing Lin drew her sword from Jiang An's chest and advanced toward Jiang Mu."Your sister is already at death's door," she said, pressing the blade against his shoulder.
Jiang Mu stared at his sister and Qing Lin, his eyes filled with fear, sorrow, resentment, and rage.His gaze dulled, as though he had accepted his fate."Sister, I am sorry," he whispered.
"Wait!!"
Suddenly, three fiery swords shot toward Qing Lin, hurling her away from Jiang Mu.
Qing Lin rose immediately and turned to face four figures emerging from the woods.
"Trying to kill a mortal in front of a child… Because of that treacherous beast, do you really have no pride?" Bai Ling sneered, disdain thick in her voice as she stared at Qing Lin.
"I don't know who you are, but coming here and interfering will be your last mistake," Qing Lin replied, pointing her sword at them.
"Is that so?" Bai Ling frowned.
After Bai Ling, Yun Xi, Xue Hua, and Yue Lan walked forward and took their positions behind her,
Yun Xi glanced toward Antarch. "On second thought, we should not have interfered," she said, her voice tinged with fear.
The Antarch narrowed his eyes at them."So, you four have been watching for a while. Finally, you decided to show yourselves," he said coldly.
The Abyssal Antarch grinned faintly, his pincers clicking."It's good that you all came. I was starting to get a little bored and impatient," he remarked.
"Huh, as I thought. He was well aware of our presence," Bai Ling whispered, her expression tense. The overwhelming gap in strength pressed heavily down upon the four of them.
"Yes. Even if we stayed in the woods, I doubt that beast would let us go. More importantly," Yue Lan said, looking at Jiang Mu, "we cannot let a child who hasn't seen the world die here."
"It was our mistake. We should have taken action earlier," Xue Hua added, gazing at Jiang Mu, who slowly headed toward the blood puddle where his sister lay.
Jiang Mu approached Jiang An and cradled her in his arms. Her body remained warm, and she was still breathing.
The dullness in Jiang Mu's eyes rekindled with hope."Sister, I won't let you be alone this time," he whispered.
The time of the trial is half over, and the sun is about to set, Jiang Mu thought, his expression tense.The trial will end soon, forcing all of us to teleport outside. Until then…
He looked at Bai Ling and her group with hopeful eyes.
This isn't good, Qing Lin observed cautiously.They are all in the highest realm of peak soul breaking.
Even though I am in the forging realm, my left hand is crippled. Relying solely on my right makes it nearly impossible to defeat them.
She clenched her sword tightly, glancing at Yun Xi and Xue Hua.First, I need to eliminate these two with lower cultivation.
Her eyes turned cold as she faced Bai Ling and her group."I don't know who you people are, but if you came here, just die!" Qing Lin shouted, dashing forward with lethal intent.
She moved swiftly, attempting to catch them off guard."Be careful," Bai Ling warned, trying to block, but Qing Lin twisted her sword, infusing it with soul energy aimed at the ground.
Bang!
The ground cracked, soil and debris erupting violently as a large pit formed. All four of them jumped away and scattered.
As they separated, Qing Lin's eyes immediately locked onto Yun Xi and Xue Hua.First, Yun Xi, she thought, her eyes flashing with killing intent.
"Not good!!" Bai Ling muttered, realization dawning as she looked at Qing Lin, now standing directly in front of Yun Xi.
Yun Xi immediately took a defensive stance, raising her sword to block the incoming attack.
Qing Lin's gaze remained cold and unwavering as she arced her sword in a deliberate, merciless slash. Blood spurted from Yun Xi's side, propelled by the force of the broken blade.
"What… just happened?" Yun Xi murmured in shock, standing there with only a broken blade in her hand. A long, gaping wound stretched across her torso, far longer than her sword. Blood gushed profusely before she collapsed to the ground.
"Yun Xi!!" Qing Lin retreated, just as Bai Ling, Xue Hua, and Yue Lan hurried toward Yun Xi's fallen form.
"The wound is deep, but she's still breathing," Yue Lan observed, her expression laced with concern.
"We were too careless. This wouldn't have happened if we had been more cautious," Bai Ling whispered, clenching her fists. Suddenly, her eyes widened in alarm. She arced her sword behind her and stepped up.
The swords collided with a thunderous spark, Bai Ling's flames surging to push Qing Lin back.
Bai Ling and Yue Lan stood opposite Qing Lin, bracing for combat.
"Xue Hua, be here for Yun Xi and tend to her wounds," Bai Ling commanded, gripping her sword tightly and focusing her intent on Qing Lin.
"Hmm," Xue Hua nodded, her expression frustrated. Despite her Soul Spirit Realm cultivation, it was far more prudent to care for Yun Xi than engage in a futile battle that would only leave them weakened or injured further.
Sparks flew as swords clashed repeatedly. Bai Ling utilized her fiery techniques, creating space and launching wide-range attacks, while Yue Lan executed a wild, powerful sword style, relying on brute strength.
Bai Ling launched three blazing swords toward Qing Lin every time Yue Lan maneuvered away, aiming to catch Qing Lin off guard and land direct hits.
After some time,
Qing Lin coughed up blood, steadying herself on one knee with the support of her sword.
Though Bai Ling and Yue Lan bore injuries, none were severe.
Their wounds aren't serious. Clearly, they had the upper hand, Qing Lin thought bitterly as she eyed her crippled hand. If this continues, I will surely die.
Gritting her teeth, she opened the pouch hanging from her waist and retrieved a small blue pill. Her expression turned resolute as she swallowed it.
Bai Ling's eyes widened, sensing the shift in power."Yue Lan, be careful," she warned.
Yue Lan held her sword tightly, eyes locked on Qing Lin.
The moment the pill was ingested, Qing Lin's soul aura surged—mid forging, late forging, peak forging. Veins bulged from her neck, hands, and nose began to bleed gradually.
I only have a stick of incense time… Qing Lin thought.
She stood, clenched her fist, and tested her renewed strength.
Without hesitation, she launched toward Yue Lan, her tremendous soul energy forming a pit where she landed.
Yue Lan's eyes widened in alarm. She instinctively slashed her sword in defense.
Blood spurted from Yue Lan's side, the broken blade of her own sword clattering to the ground as Qing Lin passed through her. Slowly, Yue Lan collapsed.
"You!!" Bai Ling roared in anger, unleashing three fiery sword techniques at Qing Lin.
Serene and composed, Qing Lin met the attack head-on, her expression unwavering. She advanced swiftly and pierced Bai Ling with her sword. Blood spurted out from the wound as Bai Ling staggered back and collapsed.
Qing Lin stood over Bai Ling, blood dripping from her blade. With cold precision, she reversed the sword and pierced her opposite side before glancing back at Xue Hua, who stood with her sword poised behind Qing Lin, attempting to strike.
"You!" Xue Hua spat.
Xue Hua's gaze flickered from Qing Lin to the fallen Bai Ling. Defeated, she collapsed to the ground.
"Haahaa, good… very good," the Abyssal Antarch chuckled, I should commend your willpower. amusement clear in his voice as he observed the fallen figures.
Qing Lin clenched her fist, her eyes narrowing at the Antarch. But assessing the immense gap in power, she dared not challenge him further.
She withdrew her sword from Xue Hua's body and moved toward Jiang An and Jiang Mu.
Her gaze fixed on Jiang Mu, who stood protectively in front of Jiang An.
"Why aren't you running?" Qing Lin asked, her voice eerily serene.
Jiang Mu's legs trembled, his body weak, yet he opened his mouth."I won't run. I won't let you lay a finger on my sister."
For a fleeting moment, Qing Lin's eyes widened in surprise, but it didn't last long. She closed them and then pierced Jiang Mu's abdomen with precise force.
Blood flowed freely from the wound as Jiang Mu stood firm. His pupils shrank, breathing became difficult, and his heartbeat gradually slowed.
"B—Brother…
Jiang An, lying in a pool of her own blood, slowly opened her eyes, witnessing her brother's back pierced by a sword, blood dripping from his body.
Her eyes widened, and against all odds, her weakened heartbeat surged like a war drum.
"Brother?"