Chapter 20: Chapter 20 Hunting Demonic Beasts with Junior Sister
Editor: Henyee Translations
No matter the dynasty, the working environment inside mines has always been quite harsh.
Even for the Orthodox Sect of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, their affiliated Spirit Stone mines are no better.
All around are irregularly hewn rock walls, which show an iron-blue hue in the permafrost environment.
At intervals, wooden structures support the rock walls, with an oil lamp hanging above, casting a faint glow in the dim mountain surroundings.
Hu Haozhi walked at the forefront. As an elder disciple at the Qi Refining Rank, he had been with Kunlun for thirty years and had done countless tasks of hunting Demonic Beasts.
Before entering the cave, he handed out Silencing Charms to everyone, asking them to stick them on the backs of their boots, which could prevent making sound that would disturb the Demonic Beasts.
As for Miss Xu Yinglian, she was naturally given special attention by Hu Haozhi, who not only gave her two extra Silencing Charms but also had her walk behind him for easier protection.
“These people are so annoying!” Xu Yinglian coldly refused, turning her head to quietly complain to Qiu Changtian, “Do they really think I’m a defenseless lady?”
Qiu Changtian gave a slight smile and made a sharp retort:
“The Phoenix flies over the North Sea, why bother with the caw of a crow?”
Xu Yinglian:……
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Of course, she understood the meaning of this retort:
“Crow” refers to birds that eat carrion, with a call like a “scare,” harsh and unpleasant to hear.
The “Phoenix,” a kind of colorful phoenix, possesses a noble nature, perches only on the Parasol Tree, drinks only from the sweetest springs.
The meaning of this phrase is, “A gentleman need not pay mind to the clamor of the petty.”
However, Senior Brother knew that the outside world praised me as the “Phoenix Immortal,” but he just compared himself to the “Phoenix,” what did that mean?
A veiled confession?
Xu Yinglian felt somewhat agitated; Senior Brother’s words seemed like a confession but not quite, leaving her unsure how to respond for a moment.
Qiu Changtian on his part, after waiting for a long time and not seeing the success prompt of the Kunlun Mirror, felt puzzled, and continued:
“You must be careful, Demonic Beasts not only discern people by sound but also light, scent, wind direction, even vibrations from the ground…”
“Of course, I will not be careless,” Xu Yinglian said coldly.
With the physique of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, she quickly regained her composure.
Talking about confessions is too far-fetched, it was only a play on words after all.
On the surface, it seems like comparing oneself to a Phoenix, but the implied subject is actually me, reminding me not to care too much about other people’s comments.
Hmph, befitting of Senior Brother, playing such a deft game of words, and yet it was unraveled by me.
[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.]
Qiu Changtian: ?
Hearing the belated prompt from the Kunlun Mirror, he became even more puzzled.
What’s going on with Junior Sister Xu? Is her brain lagging?
The group continued deeper for dozens of meters when they noticed a cold wind blowing out from within, mixed with a rotten stench.
Clearly, a Demonic Beast lay ahead, and everyone drew their Flying Swords in unison, ready to strike.
Shortly after, indeed a strange beast pounced out of the darkness, stirring up a pungent evil wind.
The crowd, intimidated by its ferocious aura and dizzied by the offensive odor, actually didn’t react for a moment.
Hu Haozhi, being the most experienced at the front, instinctively bit his tongue, and instantly woke from the sharp pain. Just as he was about to forcefully command his Flying Sword in the nick of time, he saw two flashes of light shoot past him from behind!
One jade-colored and one red, they were just a hair’s breadth apart, but as they reached the Demonic Beast, the red Flying Sword, which had a slight edge in speed, struck first. It sliced into the beast’s neck and made a full cut, sending the beast’s head rolling to the ground, with blood gushing from the severed neck like a fountain.
In the span of a rabbit rising and a falcon falling, the Demonic Beast was swiftly vanquished, and the remaining disciples had not even had time to react.
Xu Yinglian withdrew her Feather Jia Sword, flicked it to shed the blood droplets, and said coldly:
“Just an ordinary Demonic Beast, nothing more.”
Qiu Changtian: ?
“Junior Sister, the act you’ve put on does possess seven parts of my charm. However, you don’t need to maintain the ‘Mirror Flower Water Moon,’ so what’s with the pretense?”
Having retracted his Jade Smoke Flying Sword, he caught Xu Yinglian tilting her head to look over, her mouth corners almost imperceptibly curving into a smirk.
“Hmph, Senior Brother, this time I’ve won.”
While the other disciples were still in shock, Hu Haozhi was the first to recognize her, his eyes widening in utter astonishment, he exclaimed incredulously:
“What a swift sword! Crimson radiance, a startling swoop, with a vermilion phoenix carving on the hilt—could it be the Xu Family of Southern Heaven’s heirloom Immortal Sword, Feather Jia?”
Xu Yinglian didn’t bother to look at him and continued to gaze at the corpse of the demonic beast with a cold expression.
“I never expected you to truly be Junior Sister Xu Yinglian!” Hu Haozhi switched to an enthusiastic smile, fawningly asking, “Why has Junior Sister found the time to take on missions?”
Xu Yinglian then laughed coldly, “A sect mission, why can’t I take it on?”
“Cough, indeed, it’s the blindness of your Junior Brother here, not recognizing you at the start.” Hu Haozhi theatrically slapped his own face, then resumed with an apologetic smile, “Junior Sister be careful, I’ll go check on that demonic beast.”
Lu Zheng, Liu Daoran, Wen Qin, and Liu Yiyi standing nearby were all stupefied by now.
It must be noted that this Senior Brother Hu Haozhi had been putting on airs of a superior from the start, either silent or hastening others when he did speak.
Now, upon recognizing Xu Yinglian’s true identity, he didn’t just throw away his airs completely but even willingly abandoned the seniority, adopting the position of Junior Brother.
Such a stark contrast between his previous arrogance and present obsequiousness was truly an eye-opener for all.
Wen Qin’s face alternated between pale and flushed. After all, she had previously mocked Xu Yinglian under her breath, and the thought of the possible retaliation filled her with dread, her legs wobbly with fear.
Liu Daoran’s expression was not much different. Knowing that if this was indeed Xu Yinglian, then the handsome young man acquainted with her must truly be…
Thinking any further was too terrifying for everyone to contemplate.
This was akin to immortals descending to mingle with us mortals in our cultivation!
However, none of them possessed the “flexibility” to yield and assert themselves like Hu Haozhi, so they barely managed to force smiles, pretending as if nothing had happened before.
After inspecting the corpse, Hu Haozhi came back and respectfully said:
“Junior Sister Xu, Senior Brother Qiu, that dirt beetle is thoroughly dead.”
“The corpse is yours to take if you want,” Qiu Changtian said genially, “However, that steward mentioned blood light appearing deep in the mine; there might not only be this dirt beetle around. We should remain cautious and ensure there’s no other threat.”
“Indeed, indeed.” The outer sect disciples nodded vigorously, even Liu Daoran, who had been the most antagonistic before, now concurred respectfully, “Senior Brother Qiu’s insight is profound, we will certainly be cautious.”
“Heh.” A mocking laugh suddenly came from the cave, “Opportunistic and obsequious, is this the true face of disciples from a reputable orthodox sect?”
With a steely look, Hu Haozhi hastily unleashed his Flying Sword into the darkness, which then fell silent.
The next second, his expression changed drastically, and he shouted:
“My Flying Sword has lost its connection!”
As everyone’s expressions turned grim, a gaunt figure emerged from the darkness ahead, his hair in disarray and face emaciated, barely recognizable as a young man.
Of course, in the world of Cultivating Immortality, appearances were not indicative of age nor a reliable measure of one’s cultivation level. But observing the green Daoist robes enveloping the figure, giving off a sinister and nefarious aura, it was evident he was a disciple from the Demonic Path.
Xu Yinglian’s eyes narrowed slightly, the Feather Jia Sword trembling in the air as she watched Qiu Changtian out of the corner of her eye, ready to coordinate an attack.
Fighting against a demonic cultivator and hunting demonic beasts were wholly different matters. Though she was competitive, she wouldn’t gamble with her life out of stubborn pride.
Since Xu Yinglian didn’t make a move and with Hu Haozhi’s precedent, the other Kunlun disciples naturally hesitated to attack, only drawing their Flying Swords to hover in front of them, their expressions tense, ready for confrontation.
The demonic cultivator walked into the light of the oil lamp and tossed something onto the ground.
Qiu Changtian could clearly see that it was indeed Hu Haozhi’s Flying Sword.
Yet, for some reason, the surface of the sword had become dull, its spiritual essence completely dissipated, like scrap metal.
“The current Chief Disciple of the Kunlun Sect, Qiu Changtian with Daoist Heart Clarity?” The demonic cultivator’s desiccated eyes moved slightly, examining Qiu Changtian’s visage before turning to Xu Yinglian, his gaze lingering on her crimson Flying Sword.
“Mount Beimang, Nether Ghost Path?” Qiu Changtian asked emotionlessly.
Both parties paused briefly before almost simultaneously unleashing their Flying Swords!