Chapter 81
Chapter 81: Golden Core Stage Puppets? Slain with One Sword
***
Su Wanqing’s figure transformed into a streak of light, speeding through the clouds.
Lin Muyu in her arms was as light as a feather, yet with each breath she took, her heart felt heavy as lead.
Golden Core stage spiritual energy surged through her meridians, the generated wind pressure cutting painfully across her cheeks.
But she didn’t even furrow her brow, all her attention focused on the pale face of the person in her arms.
“Hold on… just hold on a little longer…”
She whispered softly, her voice choked with emotion, warm tears streaming down her cheeks.
The tears dripped onto Lin Muyu’s cold neck, but couldn’t elicit even the slightest response.
Meanwhile, on the path that was the only route back to the sect, Ye Fan was pacing anxiously.
The stones at his feet had been kicked around repeatedly, his face full of impatience as he occasionally looked up toward the direction of Qinglan Sect, his eyes mixed with unease and a trace of hope.
“It’s been three days already, and I haven’t seen a single soul. Could she really have died in an accident?”
For these three days, he’d been like a frightened bird, both fearing Su Wanqing would suddenly appear for revenge.
And fearing she would return safely to the sect and expose him. That feeling of being suspended in mid-air was more unbearable than death itself.
“Maybe… I should return to the sect first?”
Ye Fan gritted his teeth, his heart wavering toward retreat.
This time he had specifically prepared 2 initial stage Golden Core puppets, planning to use them to entangle Su Wanqing while he launched a sneak attack from the side, certain he could capture her.
After all, though puppets weren’t as flexible as real cultivators, the gap between Golden Core stage and Foundation Establishment stage was like heaven and earth. He didn’t believe Su Wanqing could handle 2 such puppets simultaneously.
Just as Ye Fan was hesitating, a familiar figure suddenly came speeding from the clouds, so fast it left only an afterimage.
He focused his gaze and saw the figure seemed to be holding someone in her arms.
Between the fluttering robes, the exposed profile was cold and resolute, it was Su Wanqing!
“Well, well, Su Wanqing? What perfect timing!”
A flash of viciousness crossed Ye Fan’s eyes as he instantly cast aside all hesitation.
He suddenly raised his hand, and 2 puppets shrouded in black robes responded, their joints making “crack crack” sounds as they emanated Golden Core stage pressure, blocking the path from left and right.
“Get lost.”
As Su Wanqing swept past him, she didn’t even spare him an extra glance, only coldly spitting out two words.
Then her wrist turned, the Frost Sword humming as it left its sheath, a sharp sword light cutting out like white silk, carrying world-destroying fury.
“Heh, Golden Core stage puppets aren’t so easily damaged, you know?”
Ye Fan sneered, about to control his puppets to block her path.
He had complete confidence in these 2 puppets, they were treasures he’d spent countless efforts to obtain.
But the next second, the smile froze on his face.
That sword light fell like cutting through tofu, and the 2 puppets were instantly split in half.
Ice crystal-like cold air flickered at the cut surfaces, parts scattered across the ground, and even the core spirit stones were frozen to powder.
“How… how is this possible?”
Ye Fan stumbled back half a step in shock, his pupils contracting sharply.
Only then did he notice a detail he’d overlooked:
Su Wanqing wasn’t sword-riding at all, nor did she have any magical artifact beneath her feet, she was flying through the air using her own power alone.
That was the unique mark of a Golden Core stage cultivator!
With Su Wanqing’s talent, after breaking through to Golden Core stage, dealing with 2 puppets of the same realm that lacked intelligence and only operated on commands was naturally as easy as turning her hand.
“How could this be… after using Blood Burning technique, instead of declining, her cultivation actually increased?”
Ye Fan’s mouth fell open, his face full of disbelief.
Blood Burning technique was a forbidden art that used life force as the price, historically only resulting in cultivation regression or even complete foundation destruction.
He’d never heard of anyone being able to break through realms because of it!
He was about to turn and flee when he met Su Wanqing’s gaze.
Those eyes were ice-cold and piercing, without the slightest warmth, as if looking at a corpse.
Ye Fan felt his entire body stiffen, like being targeted by a venomous snake, finding it difficult even to move.
But Su Wanqing didn’t linger, that cold gaze only swept across his face for an instant.
Then she transformed into a streak of light, flying toward Qinglan Sect even faster than when she’d arrived, clearly unwilling to delay even a moment.
It wasn’t until that figure completely disappeared into the horizon that Ye Fan collapsed to the ground as if all his strength had been drained, gasping heavily.
“Did you forget about Lin Muyu’s constitution?”
Elder Feng’s ghostly voice came from his sleeve, carrying a hint of contemplation.
Only then did Ye Fan wake up as if from a dream, slapping his thigh:
“Right! Lin Muyu!”
Both of them had unconsciously overlooked this possibility. After all, they were senior and junior sisters.
Who would have thought… Su Wanqing would actually do such a thing to her own junior sister.
“So what do we do now?”
Ye Fan gnashed his teeth in hatred, his nails digging deep into his palms.
If he’d known Su Wanqing would do this to Lin Muyu, he never would have let Lin Muyu come in the first place.
Now that Su Wanqing had advanced to Golden Core stage, she was completely beyond his ability to contend with, not to mention the crime of attacking fellow sect members waiting for him.
“Hehe, originally there wasn’t much we could do, but since they’ve done such a thing, this old man has an idea.”
Elder Feng’s voice was sinister, clearly brewing another scheme, his tone carrying confident satisfaction.
“What brilliant plan does Elder Feng have?”
Ye Fan grabbed onto this like a lifeline, urgently pressing for details.
Though this old man’s recent schemes had repeatedly failed, he was now in a desperate situation and could only try anything.
“Didn’t you see Lin Muyu in her arms?”
Elder Feng’s voice carried a hint of lewd suggestion.
“Tormented into that state, we just need to make an issue of their relationship, and they wouldn’t dare speak out.”
Ye Fan’s eyes immediately lit up:
“You mean, use their relationship to threaten them so they won’t dare expose us?”
He stroked his chin thoughtfully, finding the plan increasingly feasible.
“Would they agree?”
“Not agree? Lin Muyu is hard to say, but with Su Wanqing’s personality, she definitely wouldn’t dare let her Master know she did such things to her junior sister.”
Elder Feng said with certainty.
“What about Lin Muyu?”
Ye Fan still had concerns, that little girl might look soft and gentle, but her character was quite stubborn.
“Don’t worry, without Su Wanqing as witness, who would believe the words of a Qi Refining stage minor cultivator?”
Elder Feng scoffed.
“She’d probably just be considered a madwoman slandering her senior sister out of jealousy.”
“Elder Feng’s brilliant plan!”
Ye Fan finally breathed a sigh of relief. The three days of fear had nearly exhausted his spirit, and now he seemed to see a ray of hope.
“Time is of the essence, let’s go block her path now!”
…
Qinglan Sect, Xianyi Hall Pharmacy.
“Senior Sister Qingyao, how is she?”
Su Wanqing burst into the pharmacy carrying Lin Muyu, her voice trembling with a quiver she could hardly suppress.
The pharmacy was filled with rich medicinal fragrance, but it couldn’t suppress the faint bloody scent and aura of despair surrounding her.
Qingyao was sitting at her desk grinding medicine when she heard the voice and looked up. When she saw clearly who was in Su Wanqing’s arms, the pestle in her hand fell into the mortar with a “thud.”
She looked at Lin Muyu, who had been tormented beyond recognition.
Disheveled hair stuck to her pale face, her torn clothes barely concealing bruises underneath, her breathing so weak it seemed it might stop at any moment.
Qingyao’s brow instantly furrowed into a knot.