Chapter 317: Driving Away Guihua with Cizhu Again

It was as if a hole had been torn in the sky; black clouds swirled and gathered, resembling a funnel. Monsters flew down, covering the sky and earth, like evil ghosts suddenly descending upon the human world.

Yet at this very moment, a Dharma Array suddenly expanded, isolating the monsters outside. The swarms of monsters were like things crashing into an invisible wall, piling up and sliding down in mid-air.

Watching this scene, Maidong, who was possessed by Guihua, furrowed her brows. By all accounts, the only person in the Yuanqing Sect capable of casting such an array was Zhaoming. Now that Zhaoming had died by her hand, who else could achieve such a feat? Could it be...

"It's you!" Looking at Lingxiang before her, Guihua was momentarily confused.

This little girl had only the cultivation of a mere Foundation Establishment; what ability did she have to open such a Dharma Array?

Lingxiang, however, remained silent. With a flick of her fingers, she cast a Water Art, and ice cones instantly shot toward Guihua.

Seeing this, Guihua sneered, "Overestimating yourself!" She then dodged and weaved a few times, easily avoiding Lingxiang's witchcraft.

With the first strike failing, Lingxiang flipped her hand seals again to cast the Fire Character True Formula, but Guihua did not give her the chance. Guihua leaped into mid-air and then struck a palm toward Lingxiang.

Seeing this palm about to land, Lingxiang could almost feel the heavy force of Maidong's palm, yet at that very moment, Lingxiang spun her body, her skirt fluttering, and dodged the blow.

Seeing this, Guihua was about to turn and kick, but unexpectedly found herself unable to move. Looking down, she realized she had stepped into a Dharma Array.

When did this little girl set up this array!?

Guihua was startled, unable to help but think of the previous times she had fallen into Lingxiang's hands. Though this little girl's cultivation was shallow, her methods of tormenting people were bizarre and varied, and she had suffered at her hands more than once. Fortunately, she had not revealed her true form, so she figured this dead girl couldn't do anything to her. Besides, this body was a Yuanqing Sect Member; surely she wouldn't be able to bring herself to strike hard?

In truth, these Dharma Arrays were not the work of Lingxiang, but had been set up by Zhaoming Zhenren. Though Zhaoming Zhenren was usually blunt and outspoken, he was actually the most thorough in his considerations.

Although the entire Yuanqing Sect had a Mountain Guarding Array, the Soul-Splitting Technique was no trivial matter. For the sake of safety, Zhaoming Zhenren had not only set up a Dharma Array in Wuji Hall but also scattered Weapon Formula Dharma Arrays throughout the courtyard.

Aside from Lingxiang and the other Elders, only the Head Disciple who accompanied the Elders into the hall and the guardian disciples outside the hall knew of this.

Once Lingxiang learned that Maidong was possessed by Guihua, she began calculating step by step, luring Guihua into the Immobilization Array so that she could perform the Demon Extraction Technique to rescue Maidong.

Guihua was struggling to break free from the restraints while remaining vigilant of Lingxiang. Just then, she saw Lingxiang's expression turn grim as she slowly took a green leaf from the Pouch at her waist—it was none other than a leaf from the Cizhu Sword. Seeing this, Guihua was terrified, and her movements to break free became even more desperate.

Lingxiang chanted incantations, and instantly, a ghostly blue Spirit Qi wrapped around her. Her clothes fluttered without wind, and the bamboo leaf in her hand began to glow with golden light.

Seeing this, Guihua was struck with terror. This scene before her looked familiar—was it not exactly the same as the last time she had infiltrated the Yuanqing Sect!

"Little girl, you'd better think this through. The one I'm possessing now is your Yuanqing disciple. If you cast your technique so recklessly, there's no guarantee this body won't be harmed!"

Yet Lingxiang scoffed at this: "If a festering sore is not removed, it will continue to rot. Since there is a source of infection, it must naturally be eradicated."

Seeing Lingxiang walking toward her without stopping and without any hesitation, Guihua suddenly panicked.

Now that Guihua was trapped by this Immobilization Array, she could neither move nor leave Maidong's body. Seeing Lingxiang already close at hand, Guihua's eyes darted, and she immediately laughed.

"Do you truly intend to drive me out of this body?"

"Why not?" Lingxiang said, raising her hand to pierce the Cizhu Leaf into the space between Guihua's collarbones.

"This little girl has already remembered her past, and her consciousness has long since suffered a Collapse. If I leave her body now, I fear I won't end up in a good state either."

The Cizhu Leaf was already pressed against Guihua's throat; she could even feel the pain, yet Lingxiang stopped at this moment.

Sure enough, this dead girl still cared about this body.

Guihua wore a smug expression: "Don't blame me for not warning you. This little girl's sea of consciousness is currently in Chaos. If I hadn't seized her body, I fear she would have long since..."

She did not finish the sentence; the words seemed stuck in her throat. Before the smugness on Guihua's face could fade, it was replaced by eyes full of disbelief.

"In the end, it is her own Karma. How she overcomes this Dao Tribulation is her own business; it is not for a filthy wretch like you to meddle!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Lingxiang exerted force with her fingers, ruthlessly stabbing the Cizhu Sword into Guihua's throat, then chanted incantations.

With a shout of "Jiji Ru Lüling," a golden light enveloped Maidong's body. As Lingxiang abruptly pulled out the Cizhu Leaf, Maidong collapsed to the ground.

Looking at the motionless Maidong, Lingxiang's heart was in turmoil. She did not know how to face Maidong; after all, Zhaoming Zhenren's death had come at Maidong's hands.

Although Lingxiang knew deeply that everything was because of Guihua and had nothing to do with Maidong, she simply could not get past that hurdle.

"If she had just stayed obediently at Qiuyun Peak, nothing would have happened. Why did she have to be so disobedient, why so willful!" Thinking this, Lingxiang clenched her fists.

Yet, in the end, reason conquered all. Lingxiang let out a long sigh, calmed her chaotic thoughts, and then slowly crouched down.

Lingxiang checked Maidong's pulse; it rose and fell, appearing and disappearing, like a fish in water.

It was the Fish Soaring Pulse!

Lingxiang was startled and hurriedly took a pill from the small bag at her waist, pinching Maidong's mouth to force it inside.

What Guihua had said just now about Maidong's consciousness suffering a Collapse was likely not groundless. It seemed Maidong really had remembered the past, and coupled with the fact that she had killed Zhaoming Zhenren today, it was possible that... it was possible that...

Lingxiang looked anxious, carefully listening to Maidong's pulse. Fortunately, after the pill was taken, Maidong's pulse gradually steadied, and Lingxiang finally felt relieved.

But at this moment, Maidong's eyes suddenly flew open. She stared fixedly at Lingxiang for a long time, then raised her hand and struck a palm toward Lingxiang's shoulder.

"Crack!"

A sound of bones shattering rang out. Lingxiang felt excruciating pain in her right shoulder, and her body was sent flying, rolling several times on the ground.

"Mai... Maidong..."

Lingxiang struggled to prop herself up and look at Maidong, only to see her staring with wide, vacant eyes. Maidong then picked up a long sword belonging to some unknown disciple nearby and walked unsteadily toward Lingxiang.

"Kill you all, kill you all..."

Maidong was delirious and ignored all of Lingxiang's calls, dragging the sword as she approached Lingxiang step by step. The long sword scraped against the ground, emitting a series of harsh, buzzing sounds.

She is...

She has suffered Qi Deviation!