The Western Holy Mother bore the name Chen Jinfeng, and her four personal attendants were all youthful beauties of exquisite grace. She had named them Peach Blossom, Plum Blossom, Peony, and Orchid. At this moment, the four maids were gently waving their fans to cool her, letting the soft breeze dispel the heat, allowing her to indulge in a moment of comfort and leisure.
Truly:
With but a single flutter, a gentle breeze arises;the Western Holy Mother stands serene, unmoving.
Before her, the followers of the Western Sacred Sect knelt in worship, loudly chanting their scripture:
"The world is void—who dares say it bears no suffering?The Holy Mother descends, manifest in the West!Heaven shelters, earth upholds,the Western Sacred Sect shall endure for a thousand autumns!The Western Sacred Sect shall flourish like wind and water!The Western Sacred Sect shall dominate the realm!The Holy Mother of the West shall bring salvation to the five lakes!The Holy Mother of the West hears cries and relieves suffering!"
When the chanting had been repeated thrice, the Western Holy Mother raised her hand slightly. Peach Blossom and Plum Blossom stepped forward and declared in clear voices:
"Rise!"
Hearing the disciples praise their sect and proclaim such phrases as "Heaven shelters without partiality, Earth bears without partiality," Wu Tong could not help but smile. A place that moments before seethed with murderous tension had somehow become a grand assembly of worshippers.
His temperament being what it was, he could not resist saying:
"Western Sacred Sect, such lofty titles! Beyond Holy King and Holy Lord, now there is even a Holy Mother?"
Who would have expected the Western Holy Lord, Cai Ji, to respond without shame, speaking grandly:
"The highest rank in the Western Sacred Sect is the Holy Mother, followed by the Holy Lord and Holy King! The Holy Mother of our sect is the most sacred under Heaven—wise and enlightened, blessed by sun and moon, nourished by frost and dew. All who possess spiritual wisdom naturally turn to our Western Sacred Sect!"
Liu Yun, upon hearing this, scoffed:
"Bah! Shameless wench! After doing such filthy deeds, she dares pretend to be noble!"
Ling Xian'er, seeing these so-called demons acting with such solemnity and self-importance, could not help but laugh:
"The world is vast indeed—there is no end to its curiosities! In ancient times, there was the Golden Mother of the Western Paradise; now a new Holy Mother of the Western Sect emerges out of nowhere. How marvelous!"
The attendant Orchid grew furious:
"You little girl! It is already outrageous that you do not kneel before the Holy Mother, yet you dare speak insolently!"
Before her voice had faded, she leapt forward, a fist striking toward Ling Xian'er. Ling Xian'er merely let out a cold laugh, twisted her body, and slipped aside. Orchid's fists flew like rain, her palms swirling, hammering toward ribs and chest. The two exchanged several rapid blows.
Suddenly, Ling Xian'er shifted, hearing the wind whistle behind her. With a swift pivot of her heel, her figure swayed, and she shot out a punch. Orchid turned pale with shock and dodged sideways—yet that punch had been a feint. In the same instant, Ling Xian'er's leg snapped upward. With a sharp bang, Orchid was sent flying and crashed to the ground.
The move—a false fist masking a true kick—was executed with astonishing precision. The entire Western Sacred Sect stiffened in alarm.
Ling Xian'er declared coldly:
"Parading as gods and ghosts, steeped in wickedness—Heaven has sent us today to sweep your Western Sacred Sect from the earth!"
Liu Yun clapped joyfully:
"Well done, little sister! All this mystical posturing—one would think their reinforcements made them invincible! And to think they fall apart with a single strike!"
Her words were, of course, meant to boost her sister's morale while seizing the chance to taunt the enemy and crush their spirit. On the battlefield, both sides relied on psychological tactics, seeking to intimidate their opponents and gain momentum.
Orchid had suffered a disastrous defeat, far beyond her expectations—her arrogance alone had led to such a swift downfall.
At that moment, the Western Holy Mother Chen Jinfeng cast a meaningful glance. Peach Blossom and Plum Blossom immediately leapt forth, their movements graceful as blossoms in spring. Smiling sweetly—yet with malice concealed behind their charm—they said:
"Girl, do not boast too soon! We, Peach Blossom and Plum Blossom, shall test your skill!"
The pair exchanged a look, tapped the ground with their toes, and soared into the air. In a blink, they circled Ling Xian'er like lightning, fists and palms striking in rapid succession—swift as flashing sparks.
Ling Xian'er did not dare treat them lightly.
"Good! Come then!"
Her figure darted, hands flashing as she combined agile footwork with fluid body movement. She wove through their attacks with graceful precision.
Though the two maids pressed their advantage, fighting two against one, their movements—however dazzling—were still rooted in the patterns of yin-yang and the Five Elements. After exchanging twenty-odd moves, Ling Xian'er had already discerned the essence of their style.
In an instant, she unleashed the technique "Fluttering Plumes." Exhausted from their earlier exertion, Peach Blossom and Plum Blossom could only defend under the ferocious assault.
Then came another technique—"Truth and Illusion Intertwined." A punch to the east toward Peach Blossom, another to the west toward Plum Blossom; feints and captures, pushes and pulls, bewildering in their variation.
The two women, tormented by the relentless assault, could no longer endure.
Ling Xian'er brought both palms down, then suddenly flipped them and thrust forward through a narrow opening.
Two heavy impacts sounded—peng! peng!—and both maids were sent flying backward…