Chapter 42 : The Forest of Spirits
The Forest of Spirits
On the way to the Forest of Spirits, Yinhua once again stopped in her tracks.
"Aili, still haven't caught up yet?"
Yinhua asked worriedly.
"Your Highness, this is already the fourth time,"
Odin sighed.
"No matter what, this is just too slow,"
Zhixi remarked.
"We've already made it this far, do you really want to turn back now?"
Odin said.
"... But..."
Yinhua still looked very worried.
"Trust her, she might have been delayed by something,"
Zhixi said.
Yet Yinhua still gazed at her with a pitiful look.
"Uh... Even if you stare at me like that..."
"Wuu~~"
She looked like she was about to cry.
"Alright, alright, you guys go on ahead, I'll go back,"
Zhixi relented.
"Thank you, Zhixi-chan."
Yinhua hugged Zhixi tightly.
(一) 弍磷II I弍淋VII师芭
'You're scheming against me again!!'
...
"Yuexing Beichen, and Demonic Blade, are you representing Yuexing to declare war against us?"
Lingxian tried hard to remain calm, but from her tightly clenched fists, it was clear she could barely suppress her anger.
"Wanhua Lingxian, when your Wanhua sent people to assassinate us, hadn't you already prepared for war? My personal guards and my country's strategist all died at your hands, so what right do you have to accuse us of killing innocents? Are you saying my guards weren't innocent?"
Beichen said furiously. Although he had already learned from Demonic Blade that the attackers weren't from Wanhua, only by saying this could he put himself on the same footing as Lingxian from Wanhua.
"You accuse us of sending assassins? Utter nonsense. What proof do you have?"
"Proof? I was one of those attacked, and the culprit is that woman you're now protecting. Are you really going to say you don't know her?"
Upon hearing this, Lingxian turned her gaze to Aili; it was truly her first time meeting Aili (since Aili had never shown her real face while working as a maid in the palace), and only now did she learn there was actually a second Sage in the imperial capital.
"Even so, you have no right to come kill people in the capital of Wanhua."
"Enough nonsense. Hand over the woman behind you, and we'll compensate all your losses. Otherwise, don't blame me for what happens next."
"Such bravado. If you were really so capable, your sister wouldn't still be lying in a coma, would she?"
This line completely touched Beichen's reverse scale.
"Blade, kill that woman first."
Beichen knew that if he didn't strike now, it would only spell trouble later. Counting Shen Baixue and Shui Cangxuan, Wanhua essentially had three Sages residing in it. There were only seven known Sages in the world, and with Aili now unconscious, this was the perfect chance to end her life.
"Heh."
Demonic Blade stared at Shen Baixue for a moment before suddenly letting out a laugh, then leapt toward Aili, while the other "Demonic Blade" brandished his sword and charged at Shen Baixue.
"So you really underestimate me."
As Demonic Blade raised his sword, shen Baixue laughed at herself.
As Demonic Blade swung at Shen Baixue, shen Baixue threw her silver spear at the leaping Demonic Blade, then disappeared. The next instant, she appeared to the right of the sword-wielding Demonic Blade. Without any flashy moves, she simply raised her foot and stomped hard on Demonic Blade's sword. With a "boom," the ground half a meter around Demonic Blade caved in, and with a "crack,"
Demonic Blade's sword snapped clean in two.
"Ahhhhh!!"
After a cry, the "Demonic Blade" disintegrated into magical particles and drifted toward Demonic Blade.
"Given the current level of this sword spirit, well, it's not bad."
One of the two Demonic Blades was a sword spirit conjured by the weapon, imitating its master's appearance. With the blade broken by Shen Baixue, the sword spirit naturally vanished as well.
Shen Baixue's weapon—a silver spear—was flying toward Demonic Blade. Left with no choice, demonic Blade dodged, missing the opportunity to kill Aili.
Shen Baixue then stood in front of Aili, pulling her weapon from the ground.
Demonic Blade regained his footing, and the weapon appeared in his hand once again.
"You've killed Qianzong so many times, you really are ruthless, old friend."
"I'm long tired of your little tricks."
"When I was alive, you always stood in my way. Now I'm dead, and you're still blocking me."
"You... are evil."
"So that makes you the so-called good?!!"
Demonic Blade attacked suddenly, and Shen Baixue blocked with her spear.
Divine ice energy wound around Shen Baixue, coating the still-standing houses in ice, and even lowering the temperature around them.
This energy wrapped around her silver spear, forming an icy dragon that made the sound of water freezing solid.
The runes on Demonic Blade Qianzong began to glow, forming the image of a demonic face on half the blade, giving off a low and chilling growl.
The surface of Qianzong was pitch black, with only the runes glowing green, the ghostly face on it seeming to grin.
"If you really represent good, then why did you start that war?"
"You ask me to let go of hate—what about the Demon King's death? Am I to pretend it never happened?"
"What about my people who died by your hands? Who will answer for that?"
"Gods and demons are two races, but who gave you the right to judge us?"
Faced with this barrage of questions, shen Baixue made no answer, but instead silently gathered power for her next attack.
"Ice Soul Silver Spear."
"Rongyan Ruin."
Shen Baixue versus Demonic Blade.
Divine Lord versus Demon Sovereign.
Divine power versus demonic power.
God and demon.
Simultaneously, each unleashed their most powerful strike.
High-density divine and demonic energies clashed.
The force was so great that it shook the very earth, making it impossible for Lingxian and Beichen to stand steadily; they quickly deployed defensive items or scrolls in front of themselves. And next to the unconscious Aili, a water shield appeared.
This duel was on a completely different dimension from ordinary people.
Yet the ending was unexpected: the combined forces did not explode as imagined, but instead elegantly dissipated.
"A draw?"
Lingxian dismissed the unnecessary defense barrier she had cast.
Demonic Blade, panting heavily, jumped back to Beichen's side. Then, as if sensing something, he grabbed Beichen's hands and said, "Now, we should retreat first."
Then, like vanishing into darkness, they disappeared.
"Baixue!"
Lingxian hurriedly searched for Shen Baixue.
"I'm fine."
Although she was not fatally injured, from her dusty face and tattered clothes, it was clear she looked quite disheveled.
"Looks like I missed the battle."
As she spoke, Shui Cangxuan appeared in everyone's line of sight.
"Rain Spirit Spring."
A water-type spell enveloped Shen Baixue, healing some of her injuries.
"Thank you,"
Shen Baixue replied coldly.
"It's nothing; we're on the same side after all,"
Shui Cangxuan said indifferently.
"Hmph."
Shen Baixue hated liars.
"Sage."
Lingxian valued ability—her attitude towards Yinhua had already shown as much—so she was respectful towards Shui Cangxuan.
At this moment, Aili, who had fainted, gradually opened her eyes. She looked at the three standing before her, seeming to be pondering something.
"You're awake?"
Shui Cangxuan stepped up to Aili.
She tried to escape, but found herself barely able to stand.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you. You are the key to awakening that child."
"For my long-cherished wish, I'll have to ask you to make a sacrifice."
"Sage, do you know her?"
"Of course. She's one of those three from that night."
"Is that so?"
Lingxian had no memory of seeing this woman in person that night, though there was a masked woman whose figure resembled her.
"So, whose maid are you?"
Lingxian asked.
Aili remained silent.
"Forget it, I'll ask you later. Anyway, you'll come back with us for now."
Aili held a black spear in her right hand, seeming unwilling to comply.
Shen Baixue looked at the spear, her eyes widening slightly.
"Seems like you don't agree. Then, we'll just be violent—it won't matter if we're a bit rough. As long as your heart keeps beating, we can heal you."
If someone cannot be used, then destroy them. That was Lingxian's thought.
Shen Baixue approached Aili, formed her hand into a knife-hand, and swung down hard. Severely wounded, Aili had no strength to resist.
With a 'bang', a snow-white hand blocked the blow.
"What's this? Aren't you about to die? You really are in a miserable state."
A red-haired girl appeared in everyone's field of vision.
...
"Up ahead is the Forest of Spirits, Your Highness,"
Odin said.
"Then let's go in quickly,"
Yinhua said.
"Wait."
Odin stopped Yinhua in her tracks.
"The spirits have some rather unique ways of receiving guests."
After a while, some sounds came from the forest.
"The Forest of Spirits prohibits all outsiders from entering. No matter your business, please turn back."
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to? I think you'd better mind your words,"
Odin said with a sinister smile.