Chu Wanqing ascended into the air and looked down at Yu Chuan, "It seems the single sword strike I cultivated for ten years is still not sharp enough."
Just as Yu Chuan was about to move, he felt his body become incredibly heavy upon taking a step. As he was about to collapse, Yu Chuan supported himself with one hand on the ground, stabilizing his form while kneeling halfway.
It was evident that although Chu Wanqing's single sword strike over the past ten years hadn't directly taken Yu Chuan's life, it had inflicted severe damage upon him.
"Junior Martial Sister Liuli has been slow to appear; are you waiting for me and you to fight until both sides are wounded before delivering the fatal blow?"
Yu Chuan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and slowly stood up, "It's a pity that even in my current state, she, being only at the Fourth Realm, cannot cause me any harm whatsoever."
As he spoke, a Phantom Image of a Bronze Tripod manifested above Yu Chuan's head. This was the Origin Power he comprehended after reaching the Enlightenment Realm, and it was precisely this Tripod that blocked Buzang's strike just now.
Yu Chuan raised his right hand toward the sky, and the Bronze Tripod slowly grew massive in response. He then violently swung his arm downward, sending the Bronze Tripod crashing straight toward Chu Wanqing in the air.
Chu Wanqing quickly raised Buzang to defend himself upon seeing this, but he knew that in his current condition, he couldn't withstand this move.
Just as the Bronze Tripod was about to smash down, Chu Wanqing suddenly vanished from his spot. The location where Chu Wanqing had just been collapsed due to the impact of the Bronze Tripod.
Yu Chuan seemed to sense something and asked doubtfully, "How can there be another wave of Origin Power?"
"Junior Martial Sister Liuli, you broke through to the Fifth Realm during these ten years."
The scene shifted to Xia Liuli supporting Chu Wanqing as they stood on the street outside a house, staring at Chu Wanqing with a face full of worry.
"I'm sorry, Liuli, I overestimated this single sword strike of mine. The original plan cannot be executed. I will do my best to hold him off; you must leave quickly."
"I have already set up a Barrier for Yuan'er. No matter what happens outside, he won't sense it, and Yu Chuan won't be able to detect his existence either."
"You go first. Wait until I hold off Yu Chuan, and once everything is safe, you can come back for Yuan'er..."
Before Chu Wanqing could finish speaking, Xia Liuli immediately cried out, "What about you? What will you do? Yuan'er is safe, and I am safe, but what will you use to hold him off? You will die."
As Xia Liuli spoke, she suddenly choked up, "I won't abandon you."
Chu Wanqing managed to force out a faint smile upon hearing this.
"Liuli! Yuan'er is still young; he cannot be without someone to care for him. Trust me, I will act according to the situation."
"You know how much I cherish my life. Besides, I'm still waiting to give Yuan'er a little sister."
Xia Liuli pinched Chu Wanqing with annoyance, "It's already this time, and you're still fooling around."
Yu Chuan turned around and walked toward the pair, "Hey, hey, Junior Martial Brother and Junior Martial Sister have been chatting for so long; Senior Martial Brother is getting impatient."
"Junior Martial Sister truly has extraordinary talent to cultivate to the Fifth Realm in such a remote place. That's why I said, why did you have to do something so foolish?"
Chu Wanqing tightly gripped Buzang with his left hand, "Go!"
Xia Liuli, with tears in her eyes, turned and quickly departed. Along the way, she dared not look back at Wan Qing. She didn't even know which direction she was heading; she only knew she had to run as far away as possible.
"Trying to stall me to buy her a sliver of life? You think too highly of yourself, Junior Martial Brother."
Yu Chuan summoned the Bronze Tripod once more, smashing it down toward Chu Wanqing's head from the sky.
Chu Wanqing expended the last trace of Spiritual Power he possessed, barely activating the Black Tortoise's Return to Void ability. However, this only caused the Bronze Tripod to pause for an instant before it continued smashing down toward Chu Wanqing.
Chu Wanqing had no time to dodge and met it head-on, holding Buzang. A loud explosion erupted, and a figure flew out.
Chu Wanqing was seen slumped against the wall, leaning on the ground. Buzang had fallen nearby, and a large amount of blood seeped out beneath him. Chu Wanqing looked down at his severed left arm and shook his head with a bitter smile.
Yu Chuan advanced step by step toward Chu Wanqing and kicked the severed left arm away with one foot.
"Junior Martial Brother, hand over the Blazing Flame Lotus Dragon Pill to me."
Chu Wanqing snorted coldly, "If you want it, go find it yourself. Even if you kill me, if you fail to bring the Blazing Flame Lotus Dragon Pill back, you will still be punished, right?"
Yu Chuan unleashed his divine sense to investigate and found that the Blazing Flame Lotus Dragon Pill was indeed not on Chu Wanqing, so he decided not to waste any more time on him.
"Since that is the case, I will send Junior Martial Brother on his way first, and then I'll have Junior Martial Sister accompany you."
Yu Chuan struck Chu Wanqing's left chest with one palm, causing Chu Wanqing to immediately spit out a mouthful of blood.
Chu Wanqing slowly lowered his head, feeling reluctance in his heart, "Li'er, just consider me scouting the path ahead for you. Yuan'er... Father... I'm sorry..."
Immediately after, Chu Wanqing closed his eyes forever.
After surveying the surroundings and finding nothing suspicious, Yu Chuan hurriedly chased after the direction Xia Liuli had fled.
At this moment, Xia Liuli had not relaxed at all and maintained full speed. But even with Chu Wanqing buying her time, Yu Chuan caught up to her not long after.
"Junior Martial Sister, why bother? Wouldn't it be easier if I just gave you a quick death?"
Xia Liuli trembled upon hearing this. She knew that Yu Chuan's appearance meant Chu Wanqing was already...
Xia Liuli stopped moving and turned to face Yu Chuan, who was getting closer and closer.
She knew she couldn't escape, so she decided to risk it all: "Yuan'er, don't resent Mother and Father. Mother didn't mean to leave you."
Xia Liuli immediately summoned her Origin Power, and a Jiliang manifested behind her. Its mane resembled a rooster's tail, its eyes flashed with Golden Light, its fur was snow-white, and its speed was astonishingly fast.
Yu Chuan sent several strikes in succession, but Xia Liuli dodged them all. Relying on the speed advantage brought by the Jiliang, Xia Liuli continued to counterattack, though the effect was minimal.
"Bronze Tripod, suppress!"
Yu Chuan stopped holding back and summoned his own Origin Power. Xia Liuli tried to use her speed advantage to escape the coverage range of the Bronze Tripod.
But the Bronze Tripod seemed to possess consciousness; no matter how Xia Liuli shook it off, she couldn't get rid of it.
With a "boom," the Bronze Tripod smashed down, sending yellow sand and dust flying everywhere. Just as Yu Chuan thought he had successfully dealt with Xia Liuli, he saw that familiar sword—too familiar to be anything else.
The Xuan Sword Buzang stood upright above Xia Liuli's head, its blade fiercely grinding against the Bronze Tripod.
Looking at Buzang, Xia Liuli's eyes grew moist, and memories flooded her mind.
"I am a slow-witted person and easily get into trouble. If one day I encounter danger, will you come to save me?"
"Of course. I will use this Buzang of mine to clear away all obstacles for you."
"I have already deposited a trace of soul power within Buzang. If something happens to me, it will protect you completely on my behalf."
"If you want to touch her, you must get past Buzang first."
A spirited young man held a Long Sword, gazing up at the starry sky.
The Young Girl standing beside him covered her mouth with a light laugh, which made her bright eyes and white teeth stand out even more. The young man, stealing a glance at her, unconsciously blushed.
"Wanqing..."
Xia Liuli grasped Buzang, and Buzang immediately emitted a roaring sound.
The Bronze Tripod was directly shaken back to Yu Chuan's side. Yu Chuan stared at Xia Liuli and Buzang with great interest.
"I killed Junior Martial Brother once; I can kill him countless times. This time, I'll let you two die together!"
Yu Chuan circulated Spiritual Power with both hands and struck directly toward Xia Liuli: "Confining Demon Hand."
This move was created by Yu Chuan fusing the Blood Demon Hand technique of the Blood Demon Sect with his own palm style; a single strike could shatter mountains.
Xia Liuli held Buzang in her right hand, with the Jiliang manifesting behind her. Empowered by the Jiliang's Origin Power, Xia Liuli unleashed dozens of dazzling Sword Qi strikes in one second.
A tear slid down the corner of Xia Liuli's eye.
The clear mirror reflects Wan Qing's purity; Liuli reflects Wan Qing.