Volume 11, Chapter 729 – Battle Against the Sect Leader (Part 1)

Qi Huang was flying north when she suddenly felt a sharp pain pierce her heart, and immediately her whole body seemed to fall apart, nearly causing her to drop from the sky.

Struggling to catch her breath, Qi Huang’s chest tightened violently. She knew this was Soul Resonance, which meant that her main body was in extreme danger. At the same time, it also suggested that Cheng Hongling had most likely regained consciousness. Without hesitation, Qi Huang transmitted her thoughts, attempting to connect with her. As long as the main body summoned her over, she could immediately render assistance.

Even an ant clings desperately to life, when Cheng Hongling heard Qi Huang’s voice, she sobbed. As long as the doppelgänger actively contacted her, no matter the distance, even across hundreds of thousands of li, she could summon her instantly.

Suppressing the heart-wrenching pain, Cheng Hongling strained to release the Soul Tether, wanting to summon the doppelgänger.

The Sect Leader of the Severed Immortal Sect immediately sensed Cheng Hongling’s move. But this time, he did not stop her. Instead, his lips curved into a mocking smile. The reason was simple: his true target was the assimilation power on Qi Huang. Cheng Hongling was merely bait.

As the Soul Tether stretched out and then rebounded, Qi Huang’s figure appeared inside the mining pit. Her Divine Sense swept the surroundings, and she immediately understood what had happened. Rage shook her entire body.

She had no time for revenge. Ignoring the two men nearby, her Divine Sense surged forth like a rainbow piercing the sun, sweeping into the collapsed cavern. The rubble was shattered and swirled into fragments, then transformed into a giant hand that carefully lifted the main body out.

Qi Huang hurriedly examined her. At this moment, Cheng Hongling resembled a discarded ragdoll, her dress torn to rags, soaked in blood and grime, deep and horrific wounds gaping open, her body twisted in several places, a sight that was nothing short of terrifying. Such injuries would be extremely grave even for a Divine Realm cultivator.

Qi Huang closed her eyes in anguish. When she opened them again, tears were brimming in her eyes. Her pupils trembled as she apologized: “I’m sorry, I came too late!”

“I’m… I’m sorry… It’s me… It’s my useless body… my fault… I dragged you down…”

Cheng Hongling used all the strength left in her body to apologize. Normally, such wounds would not be fatal, but the strange shard lodged in her heart was like an incurable parasite. She had no way of mobilizing her True Qi to stabilize her injuries, and could only watch helplessly as her life ebbed away.

Qi Huang’s Divine Sense scanned her main body, and instantly detected the eerie “heart” shard that radiated dead blood and sinister yin energy. Shocked, she asked, “How did that shard end up inside your body?”

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“I… I don’t know… it slipped into my wound on its own.”

Cheng Hongling explained with difficulty, blood spilling again from the corner of her mouth.

“It’s okay, it’s okay! We have the Heaven-Mending Crystal!”

Qi Huang quickly pulled out the Heaven-Mending Crystal and stuffed it directly into Cheng Hongling’s mouth. With this sacred medicine, even one who stood at death’s door could be pulled back.

The Sect Leader of the Severed Immortal Sect watched Qi Huang with amusement, making no move to stop her. His goal was not only to seize the assimilation power but also to learn how such an item was used. Naturally, he would not kill Cheng Hongling yet.

Swallowing the Heaven-Mending Crystal with blood, Cheng Hongling felt its reputation was well deserved. Immediately, vast qi surged inside her, quickly repairing her horrific wounds.

Her body’s burden eased, and at last she managed to focus, summoning her True Qi to resist the sinister shard in her heart.

At this time, countless disciples of the Severed Immortal Sect emerged from the mining tunnels. They stood at the entrances, peering toward the scene, densely packed like a colony of ants ready to relocate.

“You go into the spatial ring and heal first. Leave the rest to me.”

Qi Huang gave her instructions before finally turning her attention to the two middle-aged men. To her surprise, one of them, the bearded one, could not be probed with Divine Sense. Clearly, he had used Heaven-Deceiving Water.

“Be careful, that bearded one is the Sect Leader of the Severed Immortal Sect. At least at the early, perhaps even mid-stage, of the Mythic Realm.”

Cheng Hongling hastily warned.

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“The Sect Leader of the Severed Immortal Sect? Perfect! Perfect! Truly, ‘search high and low only to find him without effort.’ Today, old debts and new will all be settled together.”

Qi Huang froze for a moment, then a delighted smile spread across her face. She swiftly stored her main body inside the spatial ring.

“Settle debts? I’m afraid you lack the ability. You’re nothing more than a crippled cultivator.”

The Sect Leader’s face showed disdain. Although this “gender-changed one” before him had impressive Divine Sense, in the end she was still a crippled cultivator, posing little real threat to him.

“Crippled? Heh. To deal with scum like you, this Immortal has no need for legs at all.”

Qi Huang’s eyes glinted with killing intent.

“Such arrogance. Just a little doppelgänger, one of my fingers is enough to crush you, woman…”

Qiu Guang stepped forward, hoping to show off in front of the Sect Leader.

Murderous intent erupted in Qi Huang’s eyes. With a flick of her Divine Sense, the Cicada Wing Sword flashed into her hand and shot toward Qiu Guang. Its speed was so great that it sliced through the air like a blade through tofu, leaving a scar across space itself. Silent, deathly, like the soul-hooking chain of the underworld’s wardens.

Qi Huang unleashed this strike with the Divine Sense of the sixth layer of the Heavenly Tribulation Realm, holding back only two layers. She fully intended to kill him with a single blow. Anyone who harmed Cheng Hongling would find no mercy from her.

Clang!

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A metallic collision resounded.

Qi Huang’s face showed shock. Following the sound, she saw that the Sect Leader of the Severed Immortal Sect had extended his thick right hand and casually caught the Cicada Wing Sword.

As the two forces met, a faint wave of space rippled outward.

Though subtle in appearance, spatial ripples were among the most terrifying destructive forces in existence.

Caught unprepared, Qiu Guang was struck by the ripple. His large frame flew back like a torn sack, slamming into the mine’s stone wall.

Boom!

A huge section of the wall collapsed, and like Cheng Hongling before, Qiu Guang was buried deep within the rubble. Though not dead, he left a trail of blood, his state miserable beyond words.

Qi Huang’s face finally grew grave. For the man to so easily block her strike, his strength had to be at least mid-Mythic Realm. And coupled with his…

The Sect Leader of the Severed Immortal Sect calmly held the Cicada Wing Sword and asked: “Only using the sixth layer of Heavenly Tribulation Realm Divine Sense? What, were you planning to hold back?”

Qi Huang frowned slightly. Did he know the exact measure of her Divine Sense? Still, she did not dwell on it. Her Divine Sense tugged at the sword, trying to wrench it free.

Crack!

The Sect Leader made no effort to contest her. Instead, his palm closed slightly, and the Cicada Wing Sword was easily crushed into pieces. In a mocking tone, he said: “Do you know what you remind me of? My own useless sons. Each of them with their little secrets, thinking they’re clever, but I’ve long since known them inside and out. That’s what they mean by ‘no one knows a son better than his father.’”

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“You dare mock me!”

Furious, Qi Huang condensed her Divine Sense, enveloping the fragments of the Cicada Wing Sword and hurling them toward the Sect Leader. This time, she drew upon the seventh layer of the Heavenly Tribulation Realm.

The Sect Leader did not dodge. His muscles swelled like inflated balloons, ripping his robe apart. Veins coiled like dragons over his bronze-colored skin, gleaming like forged steel.

Bang bang bang…

The fragments stabbed into his flesh with dull, solid sounds, sinking in only half an inch.

“What’s this? Still refusing to go all out?”

He sneered, shaking his head. Relaxing his muscles, the sword fragments fell off with soft clinks. His skin bore not even a mark.

‘How can he be this strong?’

For the first time, Qi Huang’s face grew solemn. The seventh layer of the Heavenly Tribulation Realm’s Divine Sense, combined with the Cicada Wing Sword’s sharpness, had failed to pierce his defense. Either his strength had already reached the late-Mythic Realm, or he had cultivated some heaven-defying body art.

“I already gave you a chance. Since you don’t cherish it, it’s time for me to move.”

The Sect Leader’s gaze sharpened. His thick right foot stomped forward, releasing faint spatial ripples. Using their force, he vanished from sight. Wherever he passed, ripples spread like rings on water.