Hu Qinling soared through the sky at breakneck speed, her eyes blazing with hatred as they locked onto the unperturbed figure of BaiShe striding towards the sect.
"That cowardly bastard's running away! He knows he's not safe anywhere but within the sect!"
She clenched her teeth, the bitter taste of rage rising in her throat. BaiShe didn't deserve sanctuary. Not after what he'd done. He had to pay, here and now.
In the distance, she spotted him.
"BaiShe!"
Without hesitation, she drew her sword, a sacred artifact pulsating with energy. Its silver aura illuminated the sky as she darted through the air in pursuit.
A few cultivators passing by halted, captivated by the confrontation.
"That's Qinling, isn't it?"
"She's going to kill BaiShe!?"
"An internal clash within an ancestral family… Interesting."
Some onlookers lurked in the shadows, influential figures eagerly awaiting the Hu family's downfall.
A murmur rippled through the crowd as Qinling's sword energy intensified.
"That sword…"
"It's a sacred artifact. Only three levels above it: supreme, mystic, and transcendent."
"Even if she can't harness its full power, she could easily destroy an Early Soul cultivator."
"Shit."
A chill ran through the spectators.
"We need to get away—the explosion could make us collateral damage."
"These ancestral families… They wield treasures like it's nothing!"
But everyone knew one thing: BaiShe was finished. He'd lost his position, and now his own family hunted him like a stray dog.
"Who'll be the next heir, then?"
Qinling paid no mind to the whispers. Her Qi grew more dazzling, her black hair billowing in the air under the pressure of her energy. She raised her sword, ready to strike.
And then, against all odds, a Qi barrier suddenly appeared before BaiShe, blocking the attack with a force that shook the air.
Shocked silence fell over the area.
"What?"
"BaiShe's not a waste anymore?"
Wild lightning crackled across the barrier's surface, seeking to shatter it, but it held firm. BaiShe, who until now had continued walking as if nothing mattered, stopped and turned his head.
His gaze was condescending.
"So among them, it's you who made the first move?"
His voice was calm, almost disinterested.
Qinling felt her rage intensify.
"Stop acting high and mighty, BaiShe! You're just using a protective artifact! Looks like Matriarch Hu Sijin hasn't completely abandoned you yet."
A murmur rippled through the crowd.
"Ah, so that's it…"
"What did you expect? A waste becoming a talent overnight?"
"No matter the lineage, a waste is always a waste."
BaiShe remained silent, his eyes lightening slightly, as if probing something unseen.
[Hu Qinling
Six Spiritual Roots
Early Soul: 2 stars
YinVoid Divine Physique]
BaiShe narrowed his eyes.
"Yin Void? What kind of physique is that…"
He had no time to analyze further. Qinling recalled her sword and, without hesitation, struck the barrier violently.
*Boom!*
The impact echoed like thunder, sending shockwaves rippling outward. But the barrier held.
"You bastard, BaiShe!" she screamed. "Why did you drag her into your mess?!"
She struck again, and again, each blow releasing a wave of fury. Her Qi raged around her, illuminating the sky like a golden storm.
BaiShe sighed and spread his arms, as if preparing to attack or surrender?
"Ah, so that's it."
Qinling clenched her teeth, gathered a colossal amount of Qi at her sword's tip, and struck one final time.
The blade cleaved the air.
But to everyone's dismay, it met no resistance.
The barrier… had vanished.
The sword pierced BaiShe's flesh, sinking deep into his chest. Dead silence fell over the scene, frozen in absolute stupefaction. Every cultivator, witness to this unreal moment, held their breath.
Even Qinling stood frozen. Her gaze followed the trail of blood slowly trickling down the blade in her hand, staining BaiShe's robe a deep crimson. This wasn't what she'd imagined. He should have countered. He'd dropped his barrier at the last moment.
Why?
Her hand trembled slightly on the hilt. Her heart raced wildly, torn between satisfaction at striking him and a dull fear of the consequences. If BaiShe died here… her mother would never let her get away with it.
But a gentle sensation interrupted her tormented thoughts.
A warm hand slowly rested on her head, brushing her hair with unexpected tenderness.
"Let it out. It's okay to cry."
The words resonated within her with uncontrollable force.
Qinling felt a wave of emotions overwhelm her—anger, fear, sadness… Her body tensed first, then yielded. Without understanding how or why, she clung to him, holding him tightly. Tears flowed, uncontrollable, soaking the blood-drenched fabric.
"He's dead!" she sobbed, her voice broken with pain.
Her fingers clutched his robe as if seeking a grip to keep from collapsing.
"And you caused this!"
Blood slowly trickled from BaiShe's lips, mingling with the pain on his face. He was pale but eerily calm.
"It's true," he whispered. "I'm guilty."
The murmurs swelled around them. The scene was surreal: Qinling, so ruthless, weeping in the arms of the one she'd meant to kill, and BaiShe, pierced by a blade, comforting her as if none of it mattered.
Strangely, the man she'd tried to kill was one of the few who could understand her. Xuan Shen was the only friend BaiShe had ever had.
But she snapped back to reality abruptly. Her body stiffened, and in a brutal motion, she shoved him away violently.
"What the hell are you doing, you pervert!?"
She furiously wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve, feeling heat rise to her cheeks in shame. BaiShe sighed and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, still serene.
"I did cause his death," he said simply. "It's good that you want revenge. But you need power."
Qinling glared at him.
"What are you talking about? You've gone mad?" He was the waste, yet she needed power?
"For now, focus on your cultivation. Increase your strength and ambush me in the Eternal Ruins. But don't unnecessarily endanger yourself against my mother… and stop putting on such a disgraceful show for those old foxes watching us in the shadows."
With a fluid motion, he pulled the sword from his chest and threw it toward her. She caught it, its luster dimmed by blood.
"Until then, don't do anything stupid."
He turned his back and walked away without a backward glance.
Qinling stood frozen, fists clenched, breathing erratically.
"How dare he give her advice?"
'How dare he talk to her like she's an ignorant child? In front of everyone.'
Her jaw tightened.
'I swear, next time, I'll kill you.'
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain composure. As she turned, a tear in the air formed a few steps away, and a familiar figure emerged.
"Ahh…" sighed a voice. "Why are you so reckless?"
Hu Zhen approached, arms crossed, an exasperated expression on his face.
Qinling frowned and turned away.
"Tsk. Leave me alone… Next time, he won't escape."
Hu Zhen stared at her for a long moment, then his gaze fell on BaiShe's disappearing figure.
"You should be careful, little sister," he said finally, his voice graver than usual. "He doesn't seem as simple as you think. Or rather… his aura has completely changed. I'm afraid that—"
"Him?" Qinling scoffed coldly. "He's just a waste, Zhen. After gutting him, I'll deal with the Devourer."