Volume 3, Chapter 189 – Could It Be She No Longer Needs Me to Act?

Cheng Hongling flicked her jade-like hand, and as her pink nails traced an enchanting arc, the Registry of Slaughter unfurled. The special fabric, like polished bronze, reflected a beam of sunlight directly onto the face of the short, elderly man.

“Ah! My eyes!”

The short old man hastily covered his blinded eyes, then roared in fury, “Youngsters these days have no martial integrity, resorting to sneak attacks! But do you think this will work? My divine sense isn’t just for show!”

“Sneak attack? Please. Against you, there’s no need.”

Cheng Hongling curled her lips disdainfully, then casually rolled up the Registry of Slaughter. After being used, the images of blades, spears, swords, and halberds on it had dimmed. To reactivate it, she would need to channel more Qi into it—but now was not the time for recklessness.

“Then why did you pull out a mirror to blind me? If you don’t explain yourself, even if we’re both under the Immortal Alliance, I’ll make sure you never forget this lesson!”

The short old man rubbed his eyes, his face twisted in humiliation, his movements comical, like a three-year-old throwing a tantrum.

“Hei the Dwarf… Hei the Dwarf… look up at the sky!”

At that moment, the tall man beside him spoke in a grave tone.

“Damn you, Cai the Pole! Don’t call me that!”

“Hei the Dwarf” grumbled but still looked up—only to see a massive mirage looming overhead. It was composed of countless lifelike weapons—blades, spears, swords, halberds—some even dripping with fresh blood. What was more terrifying was the overwhelming killing intent that suddenly radiated from it, instantly locking onto him.

Hei the Dwarf felt as if he had been targeted by a primordial beast. Fear gripped his heart, and his divine sense scattered. His body swayed unsteadily before plummeting downward.

Cheng Hongling took a step forward. Surging cold Qi rushed forth like a tidal wave, freezing everything in its path. A thick layer of Profound Ice instantly coated the ground.

The female disciples of Shuiyu Valley lost their footing and had to support each other.

Mu Ruoyi stared at Cheng Hongling in confusion. She didn’t understand why this young woman was acting so erratically—even harming her own allies.

“Just a brat showing off for no reason!”

“Cai the Pole” sneered.

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But at that moment, Cheng Hongling’s graceful figure shot into the air. Her Blue Scale Sword transformed into a bolt of lightning as she charged toward Hei the Dwarf. The speed was so fast that neither old man had anticipated it.

“You insolent whelp!”

Cai the Pole’s expression changed drastically. He immediately brandished his sword and rushed to intercept her.

Clang!

Their blades collided, unleashing a terrifying shockwave that distorted the surrounding space.

Crack!

The familiar sound of shattering metal rang out—Cai the Pole’s exquisitely crafted sword was once again cleaved in half without resistance.

Cheng Hongling had expected this. Without hesitation, she continued her slash toward his neck.

Cai the Pole’s strength was comparable to Elder Han’s, but his reflexes were slightly faster. At the last moment, he tilted his head, narrowly avoiding the lethal strike—though a few strands of his hair were shaved off.

The icy killing intent from Cheng Hongling’s blade froze the skin on his neck. For a moment, he couldn’t even tell if he had been cut. He frantically reached up to check.

Cheng Hongling didn’t bother confirming the result. Instead, she immediately dove toward Hei the Dwarf, who was still struggling to stabilize himself midair.

Under the influence of the killing intent, Hei the Dwarf couldn’t focus his divine sense to fly properly. He wobbled drunkenly as he fell.

Seeing Cheng Hongling charging at him, he panicked and shouted, “Doppelgänger! Come out!”

But without his divine sense, he couldn’t even activate the Soul Tether—his doppelgänger remained trapped in his Sea of Consciousness.

Cheng Hongling’s gaze was sharp, her figure streaking through the sky like a crimson meteor. The Blue Scale Sword in her hand radiated bone-chilling cold, thirsting for blood.

“Cai the Pole! Help!”

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Hei the Dwarf raised his sword in a desperate block.

Bang!

The two blades clashed. Without the support of his divine sense, Hei the Dwarf was instantly slashed downward.

Like a falling meteor, he crashed into the ground. It should have been an earth-shattering impact, but thanks to the layer of Profound Ice, he bounced back up like a rubber ball.

Crack! Crack!

A series of crisp fractures echoed—not just from the ice, but from multiple bones in Hei the Dwarf’s body.

“Pfft—!”

He had assumed his sturdy physique could withstand the impact. Never did he expect the ground to be this hard. Caught off guard, he vomited a mouthful of blood.

“So that’s it! She planned this from the start—the ice wasn’t for show, but to harden the ground!”

Cai the Pole finally realized what had happened and flew into a rage.

Cheng Hongling pressed her advantage, lunging toward Hei the Dwarf to subdue him. With a hostage, she could force their surrender.

“Hmph! You think you’re faster than divine sense?”

Cai the Pole remained calm. His divine sense materialized into a giant hand, snatching Hei the Dwarf away before Cheng Hongling could reach him.

But Cheng Hongling wasn’t about to let him succeed. She also unleashed her divine sense, seizing Cai the Pole’s wrist. The two engaged in a fierce tug-of-war.

Cai the Pole had higher cultivation, but Cheng Hongling’s divine sense was exceptional. For a moment, neither could gain the upper hand.

“Did you forget about me, the elder of Shuiyu Valley?”

Zhao Li shot into the sky, her sword aimed at Cai the Pole.

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“Doppelgänger!”

Cai the Pole roared, and a shadowy figure emerged in front of him, intercepting Zhao Li.

“You think you’re the only one with a doppelgänger?”

Zhao Li smirked and summoned her own doppelgänger to engage his. Unhindered, she continued forward, her sword releasing a massive ice blade over ten meters long, sweeping toward Cai the Pole.

Cornered, Cai the Pole gritted his teeth and countered with a flame sword Qi.

“Daring to split your focus against me?”

Cheng Hongling sneered. She intensified her divine sense and yanked the heavily injured Hei the Dwarf back, pressing her sword against his throat.

“You’ve lost!”

“Tch!”

Cai the Pole recalled his doppelgänger and sighed in resignation. “After a hundred years of cultivation, I’ve been defeated by a little girl like you. How pathetic. Tell me—which super sect’s genius are you? You can’t be from our Western Radiance Dynasty, right?”

“Your memory’s failing. I already told you—I’m Cheng Hongling, disciple of the Honghua Sect from Huangtian County.”

She frowned, then slid her Blue Scale Sword slightly, drawing a thin line of blood on Hei the Dwarf’s neck. Profound Ice Qi seeped into his body.

“Don’t! I remember now! I remember! To think a phoenix truly emerged from a backwater like Huangtian County… The entire Western Radiance Dynasty—no, the entire cultivation world—will have to reconsider its opinion!”

Cai the Pole hastily pleaded.

“Good. Make sure you spread the word when you leave. Give me a proper reputation!”

Cheng Hongling withdrew her sword, then added, “And don’t think about retaliation. I’ve injected Profound Ice Qi into him. It won’t dissipate for days. I can make him hemorrhage internally at any time.”

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“Y-Yes! Cough… Fairy Cheng… look at me! Even without your ice Qi, I’m already coughing blood! I’m done for!”

Hei the Dwarf begged pitifully, blood still gushing from his mouth.

“Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.”

Cheng Hongling sheathed her sword.

The two old men exchanged bitter glances but didn’t dare resist further. They staggered away, glancing back every few steps.

“Now… only the final hurdle remains!”

Cheng Hongling lifted her gaze toward the mountain peak, her eyes as sharp as a sword cleaving through the heavens.

Meanwhile, in Huatian Village, Qi Huang received the news.

“She’s already fought her way to the gates of the Yuxiao Sect… Does this mean I’ve lost my stage to act?”

Qi Huang felt a pang of frustration. Acting was addictive—going a day without it made her feel like ants were crawling under her skin.

“The final hurdle you speak of… is it us?”

But just then, a familiar voice echoed across the land.

It belonged to none other than Elder Zhou of the Huxiao Sect.