There was a glint of greedy determination in Fu Hu's eyes. He hadn't expected to stumble across a lone female cultivator, and this time, it was bound to be a sure profit with no loss.
His squad had already surrounded Jian Dan and Xiao Yue. Fu Hu strutted forward in a flashy reddish-brown robe, striking what he thought was a stylish pose. Unfortunately, the effect was ruined since his eyeballs were practically glued to Xiao Yue.
Jian Dan's gaze swept over the group. She noticed that the female cultivator who'd picked a fight with her at their stall last time wasn't here. The people surrounding her all carried injuries, and there were only twelve of them, half the number Monkey Three had reported earlier.
She didn't yet know that Fu Hu's squad had barely escaped from the trading grounds after a sudden attack by the Blackwhip Electric Eel. They'd suffered heavy losses, and Dai Jiao had been swept away during that attack.
"Fu Hu, a good dog doesn't block the road," Jian Dan said flatly. She sat steadily on Xiao Yue's back, ignoring his posturing.
Xiao Yue bared his fangs in agreement. This guy was really annoying. If he hadn't blocked their path, her Zūnshàng wouldn't even be wasting words on him.
"Courting death!"
Fu Hu's face twisted. All his fake high-and-mighty attitude vanished as he raised his hand. A pair of Hunyuan Hammers appeared in his grip, and he charged straight at Xiao Yue.
His squad didn't pay Jian Dan much mind. They just stood back and watched their captain show off his might. Anyone with half an eye could tell that Xiao Yue was a pure-blooded wolf spirit beast, a rare treasure. To Fu Hu, capturing him was a prize worth more than the female cultivator herself.
Jian Dan frowned as Xiao Yue sprang nimbly aside, dodging the crushing blow. The ground where they'd just been standing exploded into a deep pit.
"Fu Hu, you really insist on making an enemy out of us? Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
Fu Hu sneered. "That's my line. Hand over the wolf and submit to me, and maybe I'll take you with me when I leave this place."
He was utterly arrogant, treating what he thought was already in his pocket with casual disdain.
"Xiao Yue, take this chance to sharpen your claws. Don't embarrass me," Jian Dan said with a grin as she leapt lightly off his back, patting his head.
Xiao Yue threw his head back and let out a wolf's howl, then launched himself into the fight. He met Fu Hu's hammers head-on, claws and whip-like tail clashing with ringing booms that echoed through the forest.
Fu Hu fought ruthlessly, targeting Xiao Yue's belly and waist, determined to beat him into submission. Too bad for him, Xiao Yue wasn't some easy prey. After countless battles alongside the Heavenly Demon Palace and the Heaven Division, he was more than familiar with human cultivators' tricks. With the natural toughness of his beastly body, he matched Fu Hu blow for blow.
Meanwhile, Jian Dan turned her eyes on the rest of the squad. Without a word, she flicked her hand, summoning the Mò Xī Jiàn. The blade spun a dazzling flower in the air as she smiled, then darted straight into their midst.
The squad members were surprised. They hadn't expected her to actually fight back when they held the advantage in numbers. Amused, they swung their swords to meet her.
Half a minute later, nobody was laughing. Every clash left their blades shuddering, their palms split, and their arms aching. The force behind her strikes was monstrous, far beyond what her slender frame suggested.
"Careful! She's both a sword cultivator and a body cultivator!" one sharp-eyed man shouted, revealing the truth.
The very next instant, Jian Dan blurred forward. Her sword slashed down. The man tried to block, but his blade snapped like kindling, and he coughed up blood as he collapsed.
The squad froze for a heartbeat in shock. Jian Dan didn't give them time to recover. Her attacks came in a relentless storm. Her sword grew faster and heavier, the Mò Xī Jiàn greedily drawing in the Xianyuan energy around them. Each strike carved beams of condensed light, felling two opponents at once. Her body moved so swiftly that she was little more than an afterimage, weaving death through their ranks.
"Boss—!" one man tried to cry out, but his voice was cut short as Jian Dan's blade split him in two.
She danced through them with her "Shadow-Tracking Step," and in moments, four more were on the ground, lifeless.
The survivors panicked. Realizing they weren't her match, they backed away. Two even turned to flee, only to be skewered mid-run, their bodies tossed aside like ragdolls.
Across the battlefield, Fu Hu finally noticed the disaster. He looked up, saw half his squad already fallen, and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. That moment's distraction was all Xiao Yue needed. The wolf's claws smashed across his waist, sending him flying sideways.
Fu Hu knew he'd kicked an iron wall this time. He twisted midair, saving his life, but his armor cracked, his robe tore open, and blood poured from the wound. He didn't dare hesitate. He plunged into the grass and yanked out a thunderbomb the size of a quail egg from his storage pouch. If he threw it, he might buy time to escape.
Xiao Yue let out a bone-shaking howl that drilled straight into Fu Hu's sea of consciousness. His mind reeled, his vision spun, and the thunderbomb slipped from his fingers.
The next instant, a deafening boom lit up the battlefield.