Chapter 16: Different Paths End in Heartbreak

"Although a fox may have spirit, the path of cultivation is not easy; why must you resort to such hostility?" Lingxiang sighed.

"You and I were meant to stay out of each other's way, yet you insist on ruining my plans and delivering yourself to your death. Such hospitality—I must decline!" Liu Yaoyi said, using her claws as blades and charging at Lingxiang.

Seeing this, Lingxiang could not help but sneer. She pushed Long Qi aside and immediately pinched her fingers to form the Lianxin Sword Art.

"Ha! Though you are one realm higher than me, you are ultimately just a mountain spirit. As for who is superior in the Daoist arts, that remains to be seen!" Saying this, she used her fingers as a sword and met the attack.

Though she said this, she actually had little confidence. The reason she had spoken of witchcraft earlier was to stall for time, but since Liu Yaoyi clearly refused to be swayed, she had no choice but to bite the bullet and fight.

She saw her right hand fill with Qi to form a sword, gathered her strength, and leaped, arriving before Liu Yaoyi in a single bound, leaning in to thrust at her heart.

But Yao Yi was, after all, a demon of the Mei Realm. She transformed her Qi into wind to wrap around her left claw, flicked it lightly to deflect the Sword Technique, and instantly gathered Qi into fire, wrapping it around her right claw to strike directly at Lingxiang's face.

Lingxiang ducked to dodge, spun around, and swept at Yao Yi's lower body. At the same time, she formed a seal with her left hand, unleashing the Wave-sweeping Technique, and an invisible force of Qi immediately slammed into Yao Yi.

Yao Yi transformed her Qi into wind, wrapping herself in a wind shield to take the blow. Once the move was neutralized, she turned the wind shield into countless Wind Blades and shot them at Lingxiang.

Seeing this, Lingxiang retreated in a hurry, joining her hands to form the Bolan Buqing Jue to defend. But Yao Yi's Wind Blades shot out incessantly like falling beans; even with her hands forming the seal, she was forced to retreat continuously.

Seeing that her defense was about to break, two Yellow Talismans flew toward Yao Yi. Yao Yi hurriedly withdrew her strength to dodge, but one still stuck to the corner of her clothes. She was startled: Oh no! Yet, for a long time, the power of the Talisman did not take effect.

"Oops, it didn't work." Long Qi scratched his head and looked at the Talisman in his hand. "How can this be? It makes no sense!"

Lingxiang rolled her eyes at this: This idiot, do you think that is why I pulled you aside?

"I had forgotten about you." Yao Yi said, wind rising beneath her feet as she kicked toward Long Qi.

Although Long Qi's cultivation was shallow, he had practiced martial arts for several years. Seeing Yao Yi attack, he hurriedly dropped the Talisman and dodged.

Yao Yi turned and pursued him closely, but Long Qi was as agile as a rabbit; no matter how she chased, she could not catch him.

He must have developed good footwork from carrying water for a month, Lingxiang thought, feeling a sense of relief.

Yao Yi grew tired of the chase, used the Qi-swallowing River Technique to immobilize Long Qi, and once she was close, kicked him toward Lingxiang.

Lingxiang was just forming the Surging Sea Tide seal to seal Yao Yi's limbs. While concentrating, she did not anticipate Long Qi flying toward her. They collided against the corridor eaves together. Her internal energy, which had been forcibly suppressed, combined with the impact of the heavy blow, caused her to faint instantly.

Long Qi felt the world spinning and seemed to hit something. When he covered his pain and stood up, he saw Lingxiang bleeding from the corner of her mouth beside him. He hurriedly went forward to lift her, his thoughts becoming chaotic.

How could he be so incompetent...

Why was he so useless...

He did not want to be alone anymore!

The events of the past appeared vividly before his eyes, as if the old days were repeating themselves.

Blood covered the courtyard, and even the moon was stained red...

"Xiao Qi, hide here and don't make a sound..."

"Xiao Qi, no matter what, you must survive!"

His brother's exhortations still rang in his ears, but they were followed by screams that made him agitated and anxious.

Qi currents swirled around Long Qi, and Yao Yi could not help but feel a chill.

This is a breakthrough!

Although this greenhorn had little cultivation, his power would surge in the instant of a breakthrough; she could not let him succeed.

Yao Yi charged with wind-enveloped claws, but it was too late. Just as she was about to strike Long Qi, a powerful force pushed her away!

Long Qi had stepped into Qi Refining!

But he seemed abnormal, ignoring everything and punching straight at Yao Yi.

"Ha! Though you broke through, you still don't understand the methods of Daoist formulas. The gap between us is vast, yet you dare to dream of fighting me? Ridiculous!"

Yao Yi beat Long Qi back without any effort, but whether he was knocked down or his body was cut by Wind Blades, he seemed to feel no pain, standing up again and again to charge at her like a wild beast.

Just as Long Qi stood up to charge again, a Clear Heart Talisman was stuck to his back. It was Lingxiang!

She had woken up when Long Qi was breaking through, but she was injured and unable to move. If he had stepped into Qi Refining on a normal day, it would be a good thing, but now that his mind was traumatized and he was forcing a breakthrough, she feared he would suffer Qi Deviation and damage his foundation.

After he was covered in blood and beaten back several times, Lingxiang finally gathered enough strength to stand up and stick the Clear Heart Talisman onto Long Qi's back.

What had made him lose himself? Lingxiang realized for the first time that she did not truly understand him, and he was not as frivolous as he appeared on a daily basis.

The Curse Seal on the Talisman flashed with spiritual light. Long Qi instantly regained his senses, felt a sharp pain throughout his body, and collapsed, unsteady.

Only then did he notice Lingxiang behind him, leaning against his back as if she had lost all strength.

She was still alive!

That's good!

She was still alive!

Huh? Why was he so nervous about her?

What had happened just now?

Long Qi grimaced in pain, but his heart was full of confusion.

"Hmph! You bunch of stinking Daoists are always meddling in other people's business! I had no intention of taking lives, but now that you know everything about me, I have no choice but to take yours!" Yao Yi said, raising her claws to kill them both.

Long Qi intended to dodge, but he thought that if he did, Lingxiang would be in danger, so he turned and hugged her without hesitation. Afterward, he was surprised by why he would protect her like this.

Lingxiang was also puzzled. Could it be that Long Qi's feelings for her as his master were so deep, or did he truly want to acknowledge her as a mother?

Just as Yao Yi was about to strike the two, a figure rushed out, blocking them, and was pierced through the heart by her!

Not seeing Yao Yi attack, Long Qi looked back and saw that it was Zhuang Wei who had taken the blow for them!

Yao Yi, on the other hand, was struck as if by a thunderbolt, unable to recover for a long time.

"Yaoyi... Yaoyi..." Zhuang Wei called her name softly, his body slowly collapsing.

Liu Yaoyi hurriedly stepped forward to hold him, still wearing a look of disbelief, tears and snot streaming down her face.

"Yaoyi... Yaoyi..." Zhuang Wei endured the excruciating pain, his hand trembling as he reached out to touch her face.

Just as his blood-stained hand touched her, she grasped his hand as if startled and cried out in shock:

"Husband!"

Her hand, transformed into a demon claw, pressed frantically against the hole that was constantly gushing blood, but it was in vain. Zhuang Wei's blood continued to spill, staining the stone path of the small courtyard red, staining Yao Yi's clothes red, and staining her eyes red.

"Husband... Husband... do not leave me... Husband!"

Yao Yi's face was full of grief as she continuously stroked Wei Zhuang's face.

"Yao Yi... listen to me..." Wei Zhuang's complexion was deathly pale, and his strength was completely spent, "To be able to take you as my wife in this life, my heart is content. I know you did what you did because of me, but do not commit any more acts that harm others. It is only hard on you, having to be left all alone from here on out..." Wei Zhuang wanted so much to look at Yao Yi a few more times, but he did not even have the strength to lift his eyes.

Ah! His wife was still as beautiful as ever, just like the day they first met, her eyes clear and pure...

Seeing Wei Zhuang close his eyes, Yao Yi's face was filled with sorrow.

"Husband! Husband!"

She cried out incessantly, but the body of Wei Zhuang in her arms gradually grew cold, devoid of all life.

When Lu Ying arrived, he only saw Yao Yi sitting slumped on the ground, expressionless, holding Wei Zhuang, while Lingxiang was being protected by Long Qi, sitting not far away to the side.

Lingxiang had asked him to go find Mr. Zhuang and tell him the truth, but she had not expected things to turn out like this.