Chen Ping's Sword

"It’s nothing, cough, I’m fine..."

Hearing Han Xiaoru wailing as if she had lost both parents, Sima Rou almost lost her balance and fell headfirst from the tree.

What were you thinking?

Did you really mistake that "big cat" for your mother?

"Silly girl..."

She massaged her forehead and smiled bitterly, forcing her inner qi to descend from the tree gracefully.

It was evident that in the recent battle, she had indeed expended too much, her spirit was traumatized, and now her face was quite pale, with beads of sweat the size of beans rolling down her forehead.

"Mother, you’re okay, haha."

Han Xiaoru picked up her mother in a hug and spun around.

Tears hadn’t dried yet, but her eyes and eyebrows were all bent in a smile.

"You really are a silly girl."

Sima Rou reached out, but this time she tapped lightly on Han Xiaoru’s head.

She wondered if she had hit her too much and too hard in the past, making the child a bit not-so-smart.

"Don’t worry, that snake, it’s more injured than I am."

She was naturally not talking about the horned white snake, but the Jade Spirit Snake Princess.

"Hehe, the Celestial Witchcraft Sect believes all things have spirit, and under the Divine Master Duran’s line, they’re best at controlling foxes, wolves, snakes, rats, bears, and tigers, evoking their spirituality, as if they’re mythical creatures.

But in the end, they succeed because of spirituality, and fail because of spirituality. See, they suffered, didn’t they?"

"What do you mean? Isn’t spirituality a good thing? That white snake we saw earlier seemed to understand human nature, and knew commands and tactics, its moves were quite formidable."

Han Xiaoru was a bit puzzled.

"This is exactly the issue. These beasts do not develop spirituality by themselves, but are nurtured through the power of beings who cultivate the spirit of millions.

Just like the Jade Spirit Snake Princess, how much effort must have gone into cultivating this lifebound spirit snake, not only are their hearts connected, but their spirits are linked, prospering and suffering together."

"I understand now, despite how easily the Jade Spirit Snake Princess controls the snakes, once the snake gets injured, it’ll backfire on her, making her too hurt to pursue further."

Han Xiaoru got it immediately.

"You’re quick to react," Sima Rou said, half laughing, half crying.

But she didn’t tell her daughter that she herself wasn’t lightly injured either.

Even though she kept criticizing the Celestial Witchcraft Sect’s secret techniques, believing the opponent’s methods of employing spirit objects have innate flaws.

But on second thought, any secret technique with a fatal flaw often possesses unique advantages.

The snake’s attack and defense power, along with various unique abilities, are much harder to deal with than martial artists of the same realm.

Even top experts with perfected opened extraordinary meridians wouldn’t last a few rounds before this white snake.

Her interception earlier was actually quite risky.

There was no absolute guarantee of defeating the opponent.

Luckily, the opponent did not have a mindset to fight to the death.

Otherwise, by triggering the lifebound spirit blood, even to the point of worsening injuries and possibly dying, it could drag her down too.

Perish together.

"Is mother alright?"

Once Han Xiaoru let out a sigh of relief, she became worried about her own mother again.

She knew, despite how gentle her mother seemed, when it came to fighting for one’s life, it was truly relentless.

More reckless than father.

Thinking of the earlier battle between the panther and the snake, Han Xiaoru couldn’t help but feel her heart race.

Especially the blood at the corner of her mother’s mouth, which was really alarming.

"The problem isn’t too big." Sima Rou shook her head.

After this battle, the Jade Spirit Snake Princess’s lifebound spirit snake was severely wounded, her strength greatly diminished, and to re-establish her foundation would take a long time, perhaps months, perhaps years.

While she relied on the Daoist family’s secret techniques.

Draining her spirit.

Although her spirit was injured and couldn’t fight anymore, it wouldn’t take too long to recuperate...

As long as she doesn’t exert herself in the coming days, and has a good sleep for three days and nights, she could get through the danger.

Daoist arts excel in borrowing the power of heaven and earth, seizing the creation of the heavens, and leveraging all things to benefit oneself.

The "Profound Yin Ghost-Slaying Technique" naturally followed this path.

That lynx died quite tragically.

More tragic than the white snake.

But that creature was originally a fierce beast from the depths of Youx Mountain, slaughtering without measure, fearing neither man nor beast.

Dead is dead, and it’s not a pity.

It didn’t cause any harm to herself anyway.

This is the difference between beast taming and lifebound spirit objects.

Each has its strengths and weaknesses, and it’s really not about which is superior or inferior.

It depends on the cultivator’s own application.

"He’s coming."

As they were speaking, Sima Rou suddenly looked up at the side of the forest, sensing something, and smiled: "Xiaoru, you were right, not to mention anything else, this apprentice of mine who hasn’t even entered yet, really is full of ingenuity, always finding a way out.

In such a short time, he figured out that heading towards Youling Ridge is the way to survive."

"Sadly, I can’t help him now, he has to rely on his own luck."

Sima Rou shook her head and sighed.

If my painstakingly researched "Sword and Qi Unity" can break through the critical points, the situation tonight would be different.

Now I am no longer capable of fighting, and even if we join forces, it would just be adding two burdens; it would be better for me to run faster alone.

I must say, sending Princess Mingyue to Ling Mountain County was the best way to break the deadlock.

Otherwise, no matter where we stay, we will face continuous and endless ambushes.

Because, that Northern Zhou Prince, what he used was originally a strategy of sowing discord...

Starting from manipulating people’s hearts, it’s the hardest to guard against.

This is not a war of offense and defense; winning a battle or two won’t solve the problem.

...

’It seems to be Han Xiaoru’s voice.’

Chen Ping headed south all the way, feeling a little more at ease after turning.

Obviously, the Hua Lian’er on his back also let out a long breath, and his heart was not beating as fast.

As he quickly moved in a serpentine, scurrying path, he heard the crashing of the trees ahead and the howling of fierce beasts, shaking the heart deeply.

Even the ground rumbling and trembling.

In the dim moonlight, although he couldn’t see clearly what was happening to the side ahead, he still saw that there were experts in combat.

The sharp murderous intent in the clash of Qi Mechanisms, he could feel it even from several miles away.

The pores on his body slightly contracted, and hairs stood up like needles.

Why he still headed toward the direction where martial experts were fighting.

It was not because Chen Ping wanted to join in.

It was because he found that as he got closer, the Primordial Technique Iron Body Technique he practiced had already reacted, raising strands of black lines.

Truly a Daoist Sect Profound Skill.

Practitioners of the same cultivation technique can sense the other’s crisis and despair when not far apart.

Could it be that Han Xiaoru is in danger?

Chen Ping’s heart skipped a beat.

This is troublesome.

Han Xiaoru going to Youx Mountain surely wasn’t by coincidence, and it couldn’t possibly be on her own... Having just gone through dangers, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to dare come alone to help.

Moreover, she hasn’t healed yet.

Thinking like this.

Chen Ping did not stop, speeding up towards the direction of disturbance in the mountains, passing through thorns and woods, approaching rapidly.

"Consider yourself kind-hearted."

While running, Chen Ping suddenly heard a gentle female voice, inexplicably sensing a hint of teasing in it.

"Don’t come over, the Jade Spirit Snake Princess has already retreated and won’t hunt you down for a short while.

As for the Sword Elder from the Ten Thousand Swords Manor behind you? You’ll have to shake him off yourself, another one, and I really can’t bear it.

However, you still have a chance to escape, as that person lacks a strong pursuit method; at least, in the dark forest, he can’t do anything to you."

The voice gradually faded until it was no longer audible.

Chen Ping could hear a trace of weakness in it, knowing that perhaps the speaker was injured, and guessing her identity wasn’t difficult; it should be a reinforcer for Han Xiaoru, either her mother or a senior from her sect.

Did Han Wushang not come?

Or did something happen?

Chen Ping silently stopped and no longer advanced.

Take advice, fill your stomach.

Since the other side was safe, there was no need to get closer. According to the original plan, cross the Youling Ridge and continue south.

The Hua Lian’er on his back, surprisingly, hadn’t heard this sudden transmission at all.

He just looked at Chen Ping quizzically, puzzled about why he stopped but then turned around to run once more.

"Xiaoyue, have you heard of the Jade Spirit Snake Princess?"

Chen Ping, knowing little about Jianghu figures, couldn’t guess this female voice’s identity.

But he could guess.

Among the experts chasing behind, the Jade Spirit Snake Princess might be a very famous figure; otherwise, that female voice wouldn’t have specifically mentioned her.

"One of the Six Divine Envoys of the Heavenly Witch Sect?"

Indeed, upon hearing this name, Hua Lian’er’s face changed drastically.

"Did she also come chasing? Yes, the Heavenly Witch Sect, a famous sect Beyond the Pass, has countless ties with the Beizhou Dynasty. Many disciples serve in Beizhou, so if the Jade Spirit Snake Princess came south with the Hu emissaries, it makes sense."

"How is her strength?"

"A top expert, at least having penetrated the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, achieving Perfection. The problem isn’t just in cultivation realm, the disciples of the Heavenly Witch Sect excel at controlling beasts, believing all things have spirits. The powerful ones can even communicate with plants, trees, bamboos, and stones.

The Jade Spirit Snake Princess is one of the Six Great Divine Envoys of one of the three branches, Beast God Path, of the Heavenly Witch Sect. Her means of controlling snakes is extremely formidable. If she follows under the cover of night, in the forest, she is trickier than the eagle in the sky."

Hua Lian’er spoke with concern.

Though she found the Seventh Brother to be quite formidable already, she wasn’t blindly believing he was already strong enough to face off against the peak masters in Jianghu.

The time spent in cultivation is still too short.

Perhaps, after a few more years, the situation would be entirely different.

"She can’t catch up now; an expert has stopped her, heavily injuring that Jade Spirit Snake Princess."

Chen Ping didn’t witness the battle firsthand, but he pretty much deduced the result.

"It’s the Sword Elder from the Ten Thousand Swords Manor who’s still tailing us closely and needs to be shaken off."

"Sword Slave, well, that’s a relief."

Hua Lian’er was startled at first, then relaxed, exhaling deeply.