Chapter 487: Senior Brother, Immortals and Demons Companions
“Does Young Master Gu still remember Liang?”
A clear and cold voice entered Gu Mingxin’s ears. Her expression revealed a hint of confusion, but she also felt a bit more at ease. Gu Mingxin could tell that Ye Anping had not sold her to the Ghost Spirit Sect and it was likely part of his plan, expecting her cooperation. After a moment of silence, she asked, “Who are you?”
“Elder Liang Liu from the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect.”
“Pfft…”
Gu Mingxin seemed unable to hold back a giggle upon hearing the name, covering her mouth. However, she quickly offered an apologetic look. Ye Anping twitched the corner of his mouth and gestured for her to be serious. Chen Ruguo was still wary of him and stayed below, showing no intention of approaching. Since she was a ghost cultivator, Ye Anping estimated he had only one chance. In other words, if he couldn’t kill Chen Ruguo’s Nascent Soul with one sword strike, she would inevitably flee with Kong Huayuan once she reacted.
“Young Master Gu, I have orders to disregard life or death. Will you surrender, or…”
*Swish—*
A silver light shot out from a Storage Bag, transforming into a silver Spirit Sword that landed in Ye Anping’s right hand. Gu Mingxin was stunned for a moment, unsure whether to surrender or resist. However, the Xue E floating above her head pondered for a while and advised, “Minxin, Ye Anping knows you’re not the type to just give up, so he probably wants you to draw your sword against him…”
“…En.”
Gu Mingxin pouted and nodded, finally understanding. She blinked her crimson eyes filled with affection and slightly raised the Spirit Sword in her right hand.
*Clang—*
A piercing sword cry rang out in mid-air. Gu Mingxin transformed into a red light and crossed a hundred feet in an instant, arriving before Ye Anping. Blood Fiend Spiritual Energy emanated from her body as the Spirit Sword in her hand slashed through the air, aiming directly for Ye Anping’s neck. Ye Anping’s expression sharpened as he raised Bai Yue to parry. As he blocked Gu Mingxin’s strike, he felt as if his arm bore the weight of thousands of pounds, causing him to click his tongue.
“Tsk…”
*Does she really want to kill me?* Ye Anping mused, but he didn’t hesitate. He kicked out, striking her abdomen heavily, intending to force her back. Simultaneously, he shouted, “Elder Chen!!”
Seeing this from below, Chen Ruguo observed their back-and-forth exchange. She produced an incense burner from her sleeve and channeled her Killing Aura into it. Blood Spirit Energy radiated from the burner, instantly condensing into several giant skulls that lunged at Gu Mingxin, who had been kicked away, with their jaws agape. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Anping quickly flew down and landed behind Chen Ruguo.
“Elder Chen, stall her for five breaths…”
“En.”
Chen Ruguo glanced at Ye Anping, who had landed behind her. Seeing him take out a rather formidable-looking demonic cultivator Magical Artifact from his Storage Bag, she understood he was likely preparing to use some sort of profound treasure. At the same time, a bloody, crescent-shaped Sword Qi shot down from above, severing the ghost heads Chen Ruguo had summoned with the incense burner and the surrounding rock walls. Chen Ruguo immediately conjured a Spirit Wall in front of her, enclosing herself and Ye Anping within.
*Boom—*
The bloody Sword Qi collided with the Spirit Wall, shattering the surrounding rocks. Gu Mingxin’s crimson eyes widened slightly as she saw them. She transformed into a streak of spiritual light once more and charged directly toward Chen Ruguo, this time striking her Protective Spirit Shield with her Blood-colored Spiritual Sword.
*Dong dong—*
The muffled thuds caused a bead of cold sweat to appear on Chen Ruguo’s forehead. She had heard of Gu Mingxin’s capabilities, but only by hearsay. Now, after truly blocking her Blood Spirit Sword, Chen Ruguo couldn’t help but marvel at the younger generation’s prowess. Despite Gu Mingxin having only recently formed her Nascent Soul, each sword strike left a crack on her Protective Spirit Shield.
*Clang clang clang—*
The Blood-colored Spiritual Sword in Gu Mingxin’s hand did not stop, unleashing waves of bloody sword light around her. Chen Ruguo felt that if she continued to resist head-on, she wouldn’t hold out. She glared at Ye Anping behind her and said, “Elder Liang, five breaths are up…”
“Done,” Ye Anping replied with a smile. He held Bai Yue and swung it in a cross shape, then thrust it fiercely towards her back.
*Swish—*
Chen Ruguo felt a sharp pain in her back as the silver Spirit Sword pierced through her chest, drawing blood.
“Cough—”
She gritted her teeth and looked at Ye Anping behind her. Due to the mask, she couldn’t see his expression, but she immediately realized what had happened. “Elder Liang? You truly…”
Ye Anping didn’t give her a chance to speak. He withdrew Bai Yue and swung his sword again. Simultaneously, with a *whoosh*. Gu Mingxin shattered Chen Ruguo’s Spirit Wall and, in coordination with Ye Anping behind her, brought her Blood-colored Spiritual Sword down vertically.
*Swish—*
The sound of a sword entering flesh echoed. Chen Ruguo’s head, along with her severed hair, flew through the air from her neck. Gu Mingxin then split it vertically from her forehead with her Blood-colored Spiritual Sword. Ye Anping and Gu Mingxin, one behind the other, did not stop their Spirit Swords after shattering Chen Ruguo’s head.
Ye Anping shouted, “Continue! Don’t stop!”
*Swish swish swish—*
The silver and red Spirit Swords crisscrossed within Chen Ruguo’s headless body. Gu Mingxin and Ye Anping seemed to coordinate their sword paths perfectly, and despite the dizzying speed of their sword shadows, they never collided. Torn flesh and blood sprayed before them but was repelled by their Protective Spirit Energy. In just ten breaths, Chen Ruguo’s body was reduced to flying scraps of meat by their Spirit Swords.
Ye Anping immediately took out a stack of Fire Element Talismans from his Storage Bag, preparing to ignite the meat scraps. However, the moment he drew the talismans, a column of bloody spiritual energy shot up from the shattered remains. “Heh, fortunately, I was prepared. This body is yours…” Chen Ruguo seized the opportunity as Ye Anping drew the talismans, her Nascent Soul and spirit leaving her body and rapidly fleeing towards the horizon.
Watching Chen Ruguo’s spirit flee rapidly towards the horizon, Ye Anping couldn’t help but click his tongue. He had expected Chen Ruguo wouldn’t be easy to kill, but he hadn’t anticipated that after being chopped into meat scraps by him and Gu Mingxin, she could still escape by separating her spirit.
“Xiao Tian.”
Ye Anping murmured softly. A golden light flew out from his forehead, then grabbed the stack of Fire Element Talismans in his hand and soared rapidly in pursuit of the fleeing Chen Ruguo.
“Waaaaaah!!!!”
“Hm?” The Xue E floating above Gu Mingxin’s head stared blankly at Xiao Tian, who was flying upwards holding a stack of talismans.
Chen Ruguo, whose spirit had already reached a hundred feet high, turned to see Ye Anping throwing a stack of Fire Element Talismans at her and scoffed disdainfully, “Talismans? Heh…” Chen Ruguo formed a Sword Finger and flicked her wrist. Instantly, countless rays of bloody spiritual light materialized around her, shooting towards the stack of talismans flying up from below, seemingly intending to ignite them before they could reach her spirit.
But in the next moment, the stack of talismans acted as if alive, suddenly turning in mid-air and evading all her ghost techniques.
“?” Chen Ruguo was bewildered. In all her years, she had never seen talismans fly so nimbly. But seeing the pursuing talismans, she didn’t falter and turned to continue fleeing skyward, constantly using spirit arts to try and strike them down. However, the stack of talismans chasing her moved like mosquitos that had cultivated for hundreds of years, dodging her spirit arts with various nimble trajectories and sticking close behind her.
“Hiss—” Chen Ruguo began to panic. While ghost cultivators weren’t afraid of their bodies being dismembered, their spirits were still vulnerable once separated. If this stack of talismans stuck to her, it would at least obliterate half her Nascent Soul. Yet, no matter how she dodged in the air, the stack of talismans remained persistently behind her.
Xiao Tian furrowed its brow, holding the stack of talismans. Seeing that it had already reached Chen Ruguo’s side, it shouted, “Waaaaaah—!!” Then, with the talismans, it plunged directly into Chen Ruguo’s spirit, simultaneously channeling its spiritual energy into the stack of talismans.
*Boom—*
A white light illuminated the night sky, accompanied by an explosion. A sun-like fireball appeared above the valley. Ye Anping watched the fiery sphere in the sky, and after confirming that Chen Ruguo’s Nascent Soul had been reduced to ashes by the high-level talismans he had prepared at great expense, he breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Gu Mingxin.
“Hoo…” Ye Anping let out a soft breath and raised his left hand, grabbing and pulling off the mask on his face. Seeing that Gu Mingxin had also reached Nascent Soul stage, he said, “Agou, congratulations on your Nascent Soul formation.”
Gu Mingxin looked at Ye Anping before her, silently retracting the Blood-colored Spiritual Sword into her spirit realm. She walked step by step towards him, puffing out her cheeks and complaining, “Ye Anping, you’re so mean.”
“Heh…” Ye Anping chuckled. He noticed Gu Mingxin moisten her lips with the tip of her tongue and narrowed his eyes, becoming slightly vigilant. Just as she intended, Gu Mingxin suddenly closed the distance in the next second and lunged to kiss his face. He hadn’t reacted last time at the Taibai Sect, but this time he was prepared and caught her face with his hand.
“Eh?”
“I won’t fall for the same trick twice.”
Gu Mingxin bit her lip slightly and clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction: “Tch—”
Ye Anping didn’t dwell on it. He turned aside and tugged at the pillar of light that was maintaining the formation above the valley. He had previously instructed Feng Yu Die to follow Kong Huayuan and find an opportunity to strike down his Nascent Soul when he was setting up the formation. He was still wondering why the formation in the valley was still active when the light pillar maintaining it suddenly dissipated.
Not long after, Feng Yu Die flew towards him, using her spirit energy to carry Kong Huayuan’s severed head and body, which she had beheaded with a sword. Seeing Gu Mingxin beside Ye Anping, Feng Yu Die’s golden spirit eyes beneath her mask clearly showed a hint of hostility. However, since Ye Anping had told her not to make a fuss when they met, she didn’t react. She landed her flying sword beside Ye Anping and threw Kong Huayuan’s body and head to the ground.
“Young Master Ye, I’m done.”
“En…” Ye Anping nodded and glanced at the head, which wore an expression of “How did I die?” He sighed slightly, squatted down, and took Kong Huayuan’s Storage Bag, rummaging through its contents. Gu Mingxin and Feng Yu Die didn’t disturb him, standing by silently. Feng Yu Die glared at Gu Mingxin with vigilance, while Gu Mingxin looked at Feng Yu Die indifferently. Where their gazes met, sparks seemed to fly.
After examining the contents of Kong Huayuan’s Storage Bag for a while, Ye Anping, who was carrying Xiao Tian, who had self-destructed with a stack of talismans, also drifted down. Seeing Xue E standing with her arms crossed on Gu Mingxin’s forehead, Xiao Tian landed on Feng Yu Die’s forehead and stood similarly. Xue E glanced at Xiao Tian, then noticed a sword scar on its left eye, and its brow twitched slightly: “Golden idiot, what’s that on your eye? Did you do it yourself?”
“Hmph! What business is it of yours, you darkie?!”
“Tsk…” Xue E clicked its tongue slightly. It didn’t know why, but even though Xiao Tian had no intention of fighting, it felt an inexplicable irritation, and its hand unconsciously moved towards the hilt of the wooden sword behind it. “… …” Seeing Xue E reaching for the sword hilt, Xiao Tian immediately clenched its fists, its face full of vigilance as they eyed each other.
After inspecting everything in Kong Huayuan’s Storage Bag, Ye Anping looked back at the two girls, one white and one black, glaring at each other, and their respective artifact spirits. He felt inexplicably weary. Ye Anping felt that if he left now, they would likely start fighting immediately.
“Agou.”
Hearing Ye Anping call her, Gu Mingxin withdrew her gaze, her eyes lighting up. She quickly walked to Ye Anping’s side and asked, “Ye Anping, how should I…?”
“Help me skin this person and make a human skin mask.”
“You’re really good at ordering people around…” Gu Mingxin tugged at Kong Huayuan’s face, which looked as if he couldn’t believe he was dead, and pouted slightly. “This person is the son of the Ghost Spirit Sect’s Grand Elder, right? I remember him…”
“En.”
“A human skin mask will at most fool low-level cultivators. Kong Xiangmo could see through it with a single glance.”
“I know.” Ye Anping nodded, threw Kong Huayuan’s head into Gu Mingxin’s hand, then wrapped Kong Huayuan’s body in a burial shroud and slung it over his shoulder. “Let’s return to Qu Long Village first. Agou, there are some things I need to tell you.”
“Okay~”
… …
