Chapter 61: So It Was Her
Shi Hao took Xu Xiaoyan’s hand and cautiously circled the carriage, approaching from the rear.
He channeled the Severing Meridian Burning Heart Finger, a flame flickering at his fingertip.
He sliced open the canvas at the back of the carriage. They each grabbed a handle of the crate and lifted it out.
The doll still sat motionless in the driver’s seat, its back to them.
Shi Hao retrieved his sword and their discarded black outfits. They turned and ran, carrying the crate, glancing back occasionally to see if the doll was following them.
They naturally wouldn’t go back to the mass grave.
After running for two li, they changed direction, crossing the abandoned fields and entering the forest.
They continued glancing back, but the doll didn’t appear.
“That thing is creepy!” Xu Xiaoyan said, “Was it alive or not?”
Shi Hao pondered, “Hard to say. After all, there are living swords and talking foxes in this world. A living doll wouldn’t be that surprising.”
“Oh!” Xu Xiaoyan covered her slightly crooked mouth with her hand, “I revealed that fox’s secret. If she finds out, I’m doomed.”
She stuck out her tongue, a playful look on her face.
Although she was still disguised, her expression was strangely endearing.
They carried the crate through the mountains. Suddenly, they felt a rush of wind and, knowing something was wrong, broke into a run, the sound of pursuit growing louder, shadowy figures flickering on either side.
Two surges of energy erupted ahead of them.
They stopped. Two men stepped out of the forest, blocking their path.
Numerous martial artists, dressed as woodcutters, scholars, and other commoners, but all radiating a strange aura, surrounded them.
The two men before them, one tall and thin with a black headband and a spear, the other short and stocky with a large axe, stared at them.
The tall, thin man snorted, “You’re both in disguise. Who are you?”
Xu Xiaoyan suddenly smiled, “So it’s the Black Lotus Realm.”
Shi Hao was surprised that their disguises had been so easily seen through.
But now that he knew these were members of the Black Lotus Realm, it wasn’t that strange.
He had learned from Xu Xiaoyan that after the Night Charm Demonic scriptures were divided, the Evil Shadow Disguise Technique became a secret of the Moon Lotus Pavilion.
However, the Black Lotus Realm and the Mirror Flower Water Moon Pavilion, both originating from the Evil Lotus Sect, weren’t completely unfamiliar with the technique.
If Shi Hao were a woman, like Xu Xiaoyan, they would have assumed they were from the Moon Lotus Pavilion.
But since he was a man, they hesitated… because the Moon Lotus Pavilion didn’t accept male disciples.
The stocky man with the axe looked at Xu Xiaoyan and suddenly said, “I recognize you. You’re that brat Xiao Yan, the former Pavilion Lord’s illegitimate daughter.”
Xu Xiaoyan smiled, “I also know you two: Xiang Zhong, the ‘Tyrant Spear,’ and Ban Hou, the ‘Serpent Axe,’ both seventh-rank experts of the Black Lotus Realm. I heard the Ghost Extreme Sect is causing you trouble. You have time to bother with us?”
Xiang Zhong, the “Tyrant Spear,” glared, “Hand over the Emerald Beauty!”
“Emerald Beauty?” Xu Xiaoyan’s voice rose in surprise, “The legendary Emerald Beauty of the demonic sects? How could we possibly have such a thing?”
Ban Hou, the “Serpent Axe,” gritted his teeth, “Denial is useless. The Ghost Extreme Sect made up a story about a young man with a hooked nose, claiming he’s one of ours, trying to break the demonic pact and steal… a hooked nose?”
He looked at Shi Hao.
Shi Hao’s expression remained unchanged… Why are you looking at me?
“It’s you, isn’t it, kid?” Ban Hou raised his axe, his voice filled with hatred, “Disguising yourself as one of ours, provoking the Ghost Extreme Sect, trying to start a war between us so you can steal the Emerald Beauty?”
Shi Hao’s expression remained impassive, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Xiang Zhong shouted, “There’s definitely something wrong with these two. Capture them!”
The crate suddenly flew towards them.
Shi Hao and Xu Xiaoyan, acting in perfect unison, had decided to strike first.
The crate slammed towards Xiang Zhong and Ban Hou, who quickly dodged.
Shi Hao drew his sword, his figure a blur, and slashed at Ban Hou.
His strike seemed ordinary, almost clumsy, not even a proper sword technique, just a simple, direct slash.
Ban Hou sneered, his axe flashing.
Despite its size and weight, the axe moved like a snake in his hands, its movements unpredictable.
His skill with such a heavy weapon was truly impressive, living up to his name, the “Serpent Axe.”
Shi Hao’s sword suddenly twisted slightly. Ban Hou, expecting him to avoid a direct clash with his axe, wasn’t surprised by the change in trajectory. He was even prepared to capitalize on the opening and split the young man’s skull.
But the young man’s simple slash somehow redirected his axe.
“What…?” Ban Hou exclaimed. His axe, now out of his control, was heading straight for Xiang Zhong.
“What are you doing?!” Xiang Zhong was forced to dodge, his spear deflecting the axe with a clang.
Xu Xiaoyan’s attack arrived. A thin, long whip shot out from her sleeve, coiling around Xiang Zhong’s neck.
At the same time, Shi Hao’s sword thrust towards Ban Hou’s chest.
The two, startled, dropped their weapons and rolled to the side, narrowly escaping.
Shi Hao and Xu Xiaoyan leaped into the air, caught the falling crate, and ran.
The other martial artists pursued them, but they hadn’t expected the “Tyrant Spear” and the “Serpent Axe,” two skilled experts, to be defeated so easily. Despite their numbers, they couldn’t catch up.
And the two thieves, carrying a large crate, were incredibly fast, quickly leaving them behind.
Xiang Zhong glared at Ban Hou, “Are you working with them? Did you deliberately attack me?!”
Ban Hou, knowing they had escaped so easily because he had been manipulated by the young man, quickly defended himself, “How could I be working with them? It’s that kid! He used… he used…”
“The Violet Vortex Blade Technique? You used the Violet Vortex Blade Technique?” Xu Xiaoyan, as they ran, looked back at him incredulously.
Shi Hao, using the Sacred Heart Clear Mirror Technique to maintain his composure, said calmly, “Is that so surprising?”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “It’s not just surprising, it’s impossible. No one in this world should know the true Violet Vortex Blade Technique.”
Shi Hao looked at her, “Why is that?”
Xu Xiaoyan said, “Didn’t I tell you? The Night Charm Demonic scriptures were divided into three parts. The Violet Vortex Blade Technique requires the Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art, but the Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art is in the portion held by the Moon Lotus Pavilion, while the Violet Vortex Blade Technique is in the Black Lotus Realm’s portion.
“The Moon Lotus Pavilion has the energy cultivation method but not the corresponding blade technique, while the Black Lotus Realm has the technique but not the method. The Black Lotus Realm has tried using other techniques to replicate the Violet Vortex Blade Technique, but the results are far inferior, only suitable for low-level, ninth-rank martial artists.
“But your technique just now, without any warning, without any visible demonic energy, created an invisible vortex that disrupted the enemy’s internal energy flow. That’s the true Violet Vortex Blade Technique, something no one else can achieve.”
Shi Hao now understood why she had said it was impossible for anyone to know the true Violet Vortex Blade Technique.
Having learned it himself, he understood its intricacies.
The Gathering Essence Flowing Pearl Technique, taught by the Holy Jade Immortal, allowed him to manifest his true energy externally.
The Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art, taught by Su Mei, created an internal vortex, containing the energy within his body, making it invisible.
Because there was no external manifestation of energy, it was impossible to detect.
That’s why Ban Hou, the Serpent Axe, hadn’t been able to defend himself. And this internal vortex could change in size and direction during combat, making it unpredictable.
The Violet Vortex Blade Technique was truly a unique and powerful martial art.
Using other cultivation methods to force the Violet Vortex Blade Technique would inevitably result in energy leakage, revealing the flow of internal energy, allowing the opponent to anticipate and counter the attack.
This significantly reduced the technique’s effectiveness.
Without the Unfettered Demon’s Boundless Art, the Violet Vortex Blade Technique was just an empty shell.
The division of the Night Charm Demonic scriptures had indeed severely weakened the Evil Lotus Sect.
No wonder the once-powerful sect, capable of rivaling the Taisu Immortal Pavilion three hundred years ago, had splintered into hidden factions, now being bullied by the Ghost Extreme Sect.
Shi Hao looked at Xu Xiaoyan, “What is this ‘Emerald Beauty’? Why are the Ghost Extreme Sect and the Black Lotus Realm fighting over it? And why were you so surprised when you heard the name?”
Xu Xiaoyan’s eyes sparkled, “The Emerald Beauty is a legend among the demonic sects.”
“Do you know that three hundred years ago, a remarkable woman emerged from the demonic sects? She was the greatest genius in the history of the Evil Lotus Sect, and one of the few who united the demonic sects, a legendary figure.
“Not only did she unite the demonic sects, but she also successfully led the entire dark path. Even Lie Zunyi, the Supreme Emperor of the barbarian court, was defeated by her. As long as she lived, he didn’t dare set foot in the Central Plains. Her name was ‘Enchanting Fire Witch.’ She was revered as the ‘Demon Empress’ by the demonic sects, a mythical figure who stood at the peak of the demonic path.”
Shi Hao nodded slightly… So it was her…
I slept with her!
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