Chapter Seventy: Counter-Annihilation

Li Mu steered the cloud, descending rapidly.

The two swords weren’t of particularly high grade, but their repeated use left him somewhat distracted. The flying shuttle, however, moved sluggishly atop the cloud, and he could not maneuver it deftly.

Ye Da discerned Li Mu’s thoughts and followed him down, intending to intercept him.

The swords wheeled in the sky, whistling as they slashed toward Li Mu. His heart tightened; disregarding the fact that he was still dozens of meters from the ground, he leapt straight off the cloud.

Several sharp sounds rang out as the cloud was sliced apart by the swords, scattering into fragments that fell beside him.

Just as he was about to land, two shields appeared under his feet, cushioning his fall and allowing him to touch down smoothly.

Xu Yi and Ye Da descended one after the other, blocking Li Mu’s path.

Li Mu said little. He immediately cast Earth Armor, sitting cross-legged within its shell, unmoving.

The two stared at the Earth Armor technique, stunned.

Li Mu’s Earth Armor had been displayed at the Jade-Iron Society; even cultivators adept at body refinement had been powerless before it. They knew well enough that they couldn’t find a way to break through.

“Damn it, if only you’d come quickly and set up the forbidden formation, we could’ve captured him ages ago,” Ye Da said, seething with resentment.

“Shut up!”

Xu Yi’s eyes flashed coldly as he snapped, “I came with you not to watch you give orders, and even less for some brotherhood nonsense. I’ll do whatever I please. I only want the gourd, so don’t bother me.”

After witnessing Li Mu’s prowess, he had grown fond of the gourd and had come here mainly for it, more than to kill Li Mu.

Seeing that Ye Da and the other disciples could not break free, Ye Da quickly closed his mouth. “Well said, Brother Xu. What now?”

“Hmm, even if a turtle hides its head, I don’t believe he can stay there forever! Let’s keep waiting,” Xu Yi said, standing with his silver-white sword spinning beside him.

After some time had passed, Ye Da grew impatient. “Fine, I’ll go fetch Brother Wang to set the forbidden formation. We’ll exhaust his spiritual energy and then have our fun!”

Xu Yi pondered for a moment. “That’s a sensible plan. I’ll hold the line here alone. Brother Wang should be done with things over there; hurry back.”

Ye Da flew off in his shuttle, vanishing into the sky. Suddenly, Li Mu’s Earth Armor dissipated.

A nameless mist emerged, enveloping Xu Yi in an instant.

“What’s going on? Can you set a forbidden formation alone? Are you a talisman array master, or do you have formation tools?” Xu Yi wondered, his expression shifting within the fog.

Li Mu shouldn’t be a talisman array master, but Wang Qi had placed many simple formation tools in his residence. These tools, mostly Wang Qi’s experimental pieces, couldn’t handle two opponents, but to trap one, they sufficed.

Ye Da, riding his shuttle, soon returned to where he had left.

“Brother Wang, let me help you.”

---

“Hurry, this woman is tough,” Wang Fu’s black hair was disheveled, his face marred by wounds, and he looked quite the worse for wear.

He had expected some easy gains and excitement, but instead found himself injured.

Shen Bingxue stood calmly, a jade-colored medicine staff swirling beside her. She bore no wounds, and seemed to have the upper hand, though sweat glistened on her brow.

Li Ying watched from a distance, worriedly keeping an eye on Shen Bingxue. Sun Qi and Sun Sanjiu stood beside her, furious and helpless. In a battle between mid-stage cultivators, they could hardly interfere. Their anger grew, along with the wish to quickly strengthen their abilities so they might protect the women; presently, they felt utterly powerless.

Shen Bingxue, seeing newcomers, guessed Li Mu was in trouble. Her brows knit as she called out, “Where is Li Mu?”

“He’s been destroyed,” Ye Da spat, his hand flickering with light as he attacked Shen Bingxue.

Sun Qi and Sun Sanjiu gasped, nearly fainting. Li Mu meant everything to them; upon hearing this, they lost all composure, their grief and fury reaching the extreme.

“We’ll fight you to the death!” they cried, kicking toward Ye Da, hatred burning in their eyes, intent on killing him.

Just as they stepped forward, Li Ying shouted for them to stop.

“He’s lying—Big Brother is absolutely fine!”

Li Ying’s voice rang clear and loud, heard by all. She had no doubt; in her childhood, she had always believed her brother could never come to harm, and would always be with her.

Ye Da’s expression soured, realizing his oversight. He growled under his breath, “Soon enough you’ll all die.”

Crack!

The medicine staff struck his head hard, instantly raising a lump.

Shen Bingxue had seized her chance to attack. Though highly skilled, her focus was always on medicine; she rarely practiced combat techniques. Her treasures—staff, cauldron, furnace—offered excellent defense, but less striking power compared to others of similar grade.

“Damn it, you witch!” Ye Da cursed, rallying himself and fighting back with all his strength.

With the two men’s help, Shen Bingxue struggled, barely holding her own despite her fine equipment.

Suddenly, a sword slashed past her, cutting a strand of hair.

“Big Sister, leave quickly! We can’t let anything happen to you!” Li Ying cried urgently.

Shen Bingxue’s face was resolute, stubborn anger showing as she replied, “Stand there and behave—I will be fine.”

Abandoning them to escape? That, Shen Bingxue could never do, nor would she wish to.

“Wood Armor!”

Dozens of wooden poles sprang up before her, wrapping her in their protection.

---

Wood Armor was a special defensive spell, similar to Earth Armor. She had learned it precisely because her cultivation was of the wood element, making it easy to wield.

But as she cast it, her heart felt uneasy. The spell was taught to her by Steward Li of the Flower Forest Sect, but Steward Li had been slain by Wang Qi. The memory stung.

Her two adversaries were amazed.

Ye Da, dodging the medicine staff, gritted his teeth. “Brother Wang, you fight her. I’ll capture those others and force her hand!”

Shen Bingxue’s reaction was swift and furious. “How cruel—you dare call yourself righteous?”

“Ah, as long as I win, who cares what I do?”

Ye Da sneered shamelessly, lunging toward Li Ying.

Shen Bingxue could not bear such a person; flustered, she dismissed her Wood Armor, wielding staff and cauldron and attacking Ye Da like a headless fly.

But before she could close half the distance, Wang Fu’s sword blocked her path. “If you want to save them, you’ll have to go through me.”

At that desperate moment, a flash of yellow light streaked through the air.

No one saw it; it was the flying shuttle of Mingyu Valley.

Ye Da and Wang Fu’s faces lit up with joy. “Brother Xu, have you dealt with Li Mu?”

“Dealt with him,” came the reply.

“What? What now?”

Their elation turned instantly to rage, for the one answering was Li Mu himself!

Li Mu stood atop the shuttle, calm and composed. He seized the moment of their surprise, and his Asura Sword struck, pinning Ye Da to the ground.

“No… How can this be!” Ye Da writhed briefly, then curled up, lifeless.

“Well done, Big Brother!” Li Ying cheered from the ground, jumping up, her excitement beyond words.

“One left—wait a moment,” Li Mu said, stepping off the shuttle and facing Wang Fu. “Now it’s your turn.”