Qi Xuan’er swallowed a medicinal pill, yet she still felt a chill pervading her entire body.
Since entering the secret realm, she had not encountered any of her companions. However, she hadn't faced much danger either, so she wasn't in a hurry to regroup. Instead, she traveled alone, waiting for a chance encounter while following the flow of events.
At first, Qi Xuan’er had been timid when facing demonic beasts alone. But after forcing herself through several skirmishes, she discovered that Heaven-rank beasts were not as difficult to deal with as she had imagined. If she encountered a Spirit-rank beast, she would decisively mount her flying sword and flee. After several months of this, her combat experience had grown significantly, and she had remained largely unscathed.
But just a moment ago, her heart began to race with unease. After confirming several times, she realized this chill was not caused by the swirling wind and snow, but was a premonition rising from within.
"Could it be... Sister..."
Qi Xuan’er suddenly gripped her bracelet. It was a pair of bracelets her Senior Brother had gifted to her and Qi Miaohan. Although she had heard that these items could create a subtle resonance through their bloodline connection, they were ultimately ordinary magical treasures intended more for decoration. Neither of them had felt anything from them before, treating them merely as ornaments.
She looked around blankly but found no immediate danger. Carrying her restless anxiety, she continued forward, feeling the chill grow increasingly severe.
In the center of the Hot Spring Valley.
"Three against one—how utterly shameless! If you have the guts, Duan Mingyu, you little bitch, come out and fight me one-on-one!"
Duan Mingyu flinched. He had never been insulted like this before; his originally pale face flushed red with anger.
"It was clearly you who attacked me first and insulted me with such words. They are only afraid I might get hurt..."
Qi Miaohan stood opposite the three of them, panting for breath. She let out a contemptuous snort. "I said you’re a shameless whore. So what? Was I wrong?"
Duan Mingyu bit his lip, looking so aggrieved it seemed he might burst into tears at any second. "You’re a girl; how can you bring yourself to say... say such things?"
Qi Miaohan didn't care to waste her breath bickering with him. She focused all her strength on fending off the attacks of the other two, her eyes darting around as she tried to find a gap to escape.
Earlier, Qi Miaohan had discovered this spiritual spring, only to find Rong Lü, Duan Mingyu’s lackey, occupying the area. The two had clashed once during the Great Cultivation Tournament and took an immediate dislike to each other. Qi Miaohan had provoked him with a taunt along the lines of, "Did your master not favor you today?" Rong Lü, who was still indignant over his accidental loss to her last time, immediately engaged her in combat.
Initially, they were evenly matched. However, after fighting for half a day, Duan Mingyu and Xu Yehua both arrived. Qi Miaohan cursed and tried to retreat instantly, but she was intercepted by one of Xu Yehua’s moves and could not break free.
"Heh, what is the meaning of this, you two dogs?" Qi Miaohan sneered, her gaze unfriendly as she looked at Duan Mingyu standing behind them.
Duan Mingyu said indignantly, "If you want to curse, curse me! You aren't allowed to talk about them like that!"
"Oh, then I’ll curse you. You little bitch who only knows how to play the victim—piss off," Qi Miaohan said coldly.
"You..." Duan Mingyu didn't know how to swear and could only stare at Qi Miaohan blankly.
Hearing Qi Miaohan insult Duan Mingyu so, Rong Lü could no longer sit still. He immediately manipulated his beloved sword to charge forward. Qi Miaohan had been trading blows with him for half the day and already knew how to handle him, but Xu Yehua took the opportunity to strike as well. Struggling to block, Qi Miaohan had no choice but to summon her Frost Ice Sword to cope with them both.
Xu Yehua looked at the Frost Ice Sword and narrowed his eyes. "Hey, I remember your name is Qi Miaohan, right? I see your wind root doesn't quite harmonize with that sword. Why not give it to someone more suitable?"
"...We can buy it with spirit stones," Rong Lü glanced at Xu Yehua and muttered.
"Eh? For—forget it, I don't need it..." Duan Mingyu was somewhat surprised, but after a moment's thought, he still offered a quiet protest.
"What a massive joke. You’re telling me to give the Frost Ice Sword to him?" Qi Miaohan’s eyes widened, and she laughed several times as if she had heard a fairy tale. "I would sooner snap this sword in half right now than give it to this bitch!"
Provoked, she intentionally manipulated the Frost Ice Sword to pierce toward the center of Duan Mingyu’s forehead. Duan Mingyu was startled and hastily retreated, summoning his Ethereal Void Fan for defense. Rong Lü quickly moved to the rear, shielding Duan Mingyu.
Qi Miaohan’s subsequent attacks were all blocked by Rong Lü. Within a few moves, Xu Yehua intervened again, taking the initiative to attack her. Seeing Qi Miaohan’s disheveled state and her refusal to admit defeat, he thought to himself that the so-called champion of the Great Cultivation Tournament was nothing more than this. He wondered how that coward Zhai Bairong had somehow managed to lose to a mere woman.
He still remembered that Qi Miaohan had once been infatuated with him, but at the time, he was passionately involved with Duan Mingyu and had rejected her publicly. Hearing that this woman had turned around and become close with Nie Shiyun and the others from the Cloud Clear Pavilion, and was now a rising star in her sect, Xu Yehua couldn't help but feel a bit of regret. Had he known, he shouldn't have been so absolute back then; otherwise, she might have been useful now.
"Yehua, forget it. Miss Qi is simply acting out because her love turned to hatred. If I were in her position back then, perhaps I would also harbor a grudge," Duan Mingyu broke away from Rong Lü’s protective arm and rushed forward to grab one of Xu Yehua’s sleeves.
"Am I not doing this for your own good?" Xu Yehua snapped back. His demeanor was not as relaxed and doting as usual, and Duan Mingyu was momentarily stunned.
Qi Miaohan had already realized that fighting three-on-one was unwise, especially since the late-stage Golden Core Xu Yehua put considerable pressure on her. She had intended to retreat temporarily. But hearing this self-righteous dialogue from the other side, she felt an immediate wave of nausea. A stifled rage found no outlet, and she wielded her whip with even greater ferocity, missing her best opportunity to flee.
No matter what, she could not defeat three Golden Core cultivators and gradually fell into a disadvantage. By the time she realized the situation was dire and tried to escape again, she found Xu Yehua and Rong Lü pressing her at every step, clearly unwilling to let her leave.
Qi Miaohan couldn't even find an opening to consume a Spirit Recovery Pill. Her delicate skin was already marked with numerous bloody gashes from the opposing attacks.
"Damn it..."
Carefully holding her breath, Qi Xuan’er poked her head over the edge of the valley. Seeing the intense battle below, her entire body trembled with fear.
From a distance, she had noticed several cultivators hurriedly fleeing in the opposite direction. Her premonition grew worse, and she quickly stopped one to ask. Seeing that she looked harmless and had a cultivation level similar to his own, the cultivator kindly advised her to leave immediately.
"There are four Golden Core cultivators in the middle and late stages fighting in the Hot Spring Valley! I advise you, miss, not to go there for now. The secret realm will last for several more years; it won't be too late to go later! If you lose your life now out of greed, it really won't be worth it."
Qi Xuan’er’s body shuddered. After thanking him, she rushed straight toward the valley.
"Hey, fellow cultivator! Wait..." The cultivator muttered about people not recognizing good intentions. Seeing his calls were ignored, he turned and fled for his life.
"It really is Sister..." Qi Xuan’er cautiously climbed the ridge. After looking into the valley, she murmured to herself.
Xu Yehua suddenly looked up toward her direction. Qi Xuan’er instinctively flattened herself against the ground, not daring to breathe. The other party quickly withdrew his divine sense without taking action. Qi Xuan’er felt she must have been discovered, but perhaps because her cultivation was too low, those people didn't even consider her a threat.
Qi Xuan’er suppressed the instinctive fear caused by the gap in their cultivation. She thought calmly: if she rushed down now, could she win an opportunity for Qi Miaohan to escape?
Qi Miaohan was becoming increasingly unable to hold her ground, her eyes turning red. She vaguely sensed a feeling of worry and panic through the bracelet, guessing that Qi Xuan’er might have arrived nearby.
*Don't come.*
Qi Miaohan shouted in her heart.
She could still barely manage for a while, but if Qi Xuan’er, who was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, came down, she might lose her composure instead.
Qi Xuan’er’s heart pounded so hard it nearly leaped from her chest. After a long moment, she hurriedly turned and ran back the way she came. At the same time, she pulled out several Message Transmission Crystals, forcing herself to remain calm as she sent out calls for help to her Senior Brother Nie Shiyun and to Du Zhi.
The Message Transmission Crystals turned to powder and scattered in the wind and snow after use.
After a short while, Du Zhi actually replied immediately, saying he seemed to be not far from some Hot Spring Valley and was turning back to rush over.
Although Senior Brother Nie Shiyun had not responded for the time being, this news was like rain after a long drought. Qi Xuan’er was overjoyed, and a light returned to her eyes.
She paced back and forth below the valley ridge, unable to stop wondering why her sister was fighting to the death with those three. After waiting for half an hour, Qi Xuan’er began to worry whether Qi Miaohan could hold out until Du Zhi arrived. Since Senior Brother Nie Shiyun still hadn't responded, she decided she couldn't wait any longer. She resolved that if no one arrived after a little more time, she would have to rush down and fight with everything she had.
She summoned her Jade Sword, only to find her hand shaking uncontrollably. Qi Xuan’er used her other hand to firmly grip her wrist.
"Senior Sister Xuan’er!"
Du Zhi arrived at high speed on his flying sword, spotting Qi Xuan’er pacing in circles from a distance. Although he had hoped to regroup earlier, this was definitely not the situation he had imagined.
"...!" Qi Xuan’er snapped her head up, her heart filled with a mix of emotions. She couldn't help but thank the heavens; this secret realm was so vast, yet Du Zhi happened to be wandering nearby.
"What's wrong? You said your sister is in danger? Where?"
"Follow me, quickly!" At this moment, Qi Xuan’er couldn't care less about propriety between men and women. She grabbed Du Zhi’s arm and hurriedly pulled him toward the valley ridge.
"Whoa, ah, okay, I get it..." Du Zhi swallowed hard, telling himself to focus on the situation and forcing himself to ignore the soft sensation on his arm.
The two crossed the ridge and dove straight into the valley on their flying swords.
"Xuan’er! Don't come here...!" Qi Miaohan felt Qi Xuan’er’s aura approaching after all and shouted in frustration.
"Don't worry, Sister, Du Zhi is here too!" As soon as Qi Xuan’er landed, she stepped forward to block a strike for Qi Miaohan, though she didn't charge further. She knew full well that once she was caught in the melee, she would be a burden, so she was exceptionally careful.
"Sis—er, Senior Qi, don't worry! Are these the people hurting you?" In his haste, Du Zhi nearly bit his tongue and quickly corrected himself.
"Three against one—how utterly shameless!" Qi Miaohan didn't try to act tough and immediately began cursing.
***
Enjoying the story? Rate this novel:
Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 72 | Crisis at the Hot Spring | Novela.app | Novela.app
