Chapter 1017

At this moment, Zhebie, hidden in the shadows, could no longer stay concealed.

He could only slowly reveal himself, glaring discontentedly at Bi Xuan.

After being glared at by Zhebie, Bi Xuan had no anger left—only fear.

He lowered his head, stammering,

"General…"

Though Zhebie held the rank of Thirteen Wings, he preferred his subordinates to call him General.

"Enough!"

Watching a legendary master act so disgracefully, Zhebie truly had no desire to speak further with him.

He casually silenced whatever words Bi Xuan was about to speak, then turned to Zhou Zhiruo and said,

"Since Miss Zhou has already guessed, we shall not conceal it any longer!

I am Zhebie, and I have come here specifically for this sword.

I assume you know this sword is tied to the secret of the Heaven-Defying and Dragon-Slaying—something beyond the retention of a mere Heavenly Being Realm cultivator.

Hand it over to us, and I am willing to offer a corresponding price in exchange."

In truth, among the three Great Yuan present—Bi Xuan, Meng Chixing—both were infinitely close to the Supreme Mythical Realm.

Zhebie himself was a Heaven's Dao Golden List-level expert.

To forcibly seize the Heaven-Defying Sword was truly no great difficulty.

Yet Zhebie and his companions ultimately had many reservations.

Moreover, Zhebie himself possessed a gentlemanly demeanor and disliked bullying the weak.

"A corresponding price? What is it?"

Zhou Zhiruo, sensing Zhebie's noble bearing and hearing his willingness to trade a price, asked directly.

"How about this? One Heaven-level Wu Gong, plus a thousand-year spiritual herb—what do you think, Miss?"

Zhebie said.

A Heaven-level Wu Gong could serve as the Mount Emei Sect's foundational divine art.

A thousand-year spiritual herb was something even the Great Ming Imperial Court barely possessed.

To Zhou Zhiruo, these two items seemed extraordinarily precious.

Yet upon closer examination, one would realize they were both useless.

First, the Heaven-level Wu Gong—whether the Nine Yang Divine Art, the Nine Yin True Scripture, or even the Great Subduing Demon Heavenly Cycle Divine Sword—all were Heaven-level Wu Gong.

Zhou Zhiruo's arsenal of supreme techniques was far from lacking.

Whether she gained one more Heaven-level Wu Gong or lost one made little difference to her or the Mount Emei Sect.

As for the thousand-year spiritual herb, it was even less useful.

Though with the herb, Zhou Zhiruo might accelerate her progress somewhat,

the herb was ultimately consumed in a single use.

In contrast, the Heaven-Defying Sword not only enhanced Zhou Zhiruo's combat power, allowing her to fight beyond her realm,

but also contained the secret of the Heaven-Defying and Dragon-Slaying—the secret ordained by Heaven's Dao!

Was such a secret worth only a Heaven-level Wu Gong and a single thousand-year spiritual herb?

Yet Zhou Zhiruo understood this was Zhebie offering her a face-saving exit.

They could have simply seized it by force, yet still gave her a shred of dignity.

Thinking of this, Zhou Zhiruo couldn't help but smile.

"General Zhebie, I regret that I cannot accept these terms."

Zhou Zhiruo was outwardly gentle but inwardly resolute; she would never yield or surrender unless utterly cornered.

"You insolent wench! Refuse grace? Then die!"

Bi Xuan, already seething with shame and rage, rejoiced at Zhou Zhiruo's refusal.

Seeing Zhebie's expression darken upon hearing this,

he immediately guessed Zhebie's thoughts and roared aloud.

He moved with his voice, unleashing his full might of the Flame Yang Marvel Art toward Zhou Zhiruo.

805

Earlier, in the Darma Hall, Bi Xuan had unleashed his strongest strike.

With the Flame Yang Marvel Art, he stirred the heavenly and earthly primordial energy into a fiery field that engulfed Zhou Zhiruo.

Several strikes left Zhou Zhiruo unable to endure.

Eventually, Zhou Zhiruo swallowed the Heavenly Fragrant Bean-Curd, restored her true origin, and with the aid of the Heaven-Defying Sword, the Nine Yang and Nine Yin divine arts, she defeated Bi Xuan.

This triggered a great fire that consumed the Darma Hall entirely.

Yet though Bi Xuan had suffered a minor defeat, he still believed it was not his fault.

After all, Zhou Zhiruo was only Heavenly Being Realm, while he himself neared the Supreme Mythical Realm—there was a vast gap.

If he could not subdue Zhou Zhiruo, would his title as Great Yuan's Imperial Advisor not be a hollow sham?

Now Bi Xuan unleashed that supreme technique once more, boundless flames surging outward.

He swiftly drew in the surrounding heavenly and earthly primordial energy, forming an invisible field that instantly enveloped Zhou Zhiruo.

Zhebie, seeing Bi Xuan strike, said nothing further.

After all, Zhou Zhiruo refused the cup of wine and chose the cup of punishment—let Bi Xuan and Meng Chixing teach her a lesson.

Zhou Zhiruo, seeing Bi Xuan attack and Zhebie merely watching from the sidelines, immediately understood.

Watching the flames merge with heavenly and earthly energy, gradually stirring concentric ripples.

Bi Xuan's strike was about to take shape.

Zhou Zhiruo unhurriedly drew the Heaven's Reliance Sword with a sharp clang, set Abbess Extinction aside, and said to General Zhebie,

"General Zhebie, what you want is nothing but this Heaven's Reliance Sword.

Then how about coming to take it by your own ability?

None of this concerns my Master — could you show some mercy?"

If Zhou Zhiruo had to fight Bi Xuan while carrying Abbess Extinction, she wouldn't dare claim certain victory.

So she could only rely on Zhebie's decent character and deliberately provoke him with words.

She didn't expect Zhebie to merely give a cold laugh without responding.

In truth, although Zhebie was a man of the Weirenzheng Sect, he was no pedant.

Bi Xuan had already lost once before, which clearly showed Zhou Zhiruo was not that simple.

Now that Bi Xuan was striking again, if he opened his mouth and told him to let Abbess Extinction go, it would be no different than putting shackles on Bi Xuan.

Without the burden of Abbess Extinction, Bi Xuan had already lost once.

If he let Bi Xuan bypass Abbess Extinction again, wouldn't that only increase Zhou Zhiruo's odds of winning?

Zhebie would never agree to such a foolish thing.

"Hehehe… little girl, in a life-and-death battle you still expect me to spare this old nun?"

Hearing Zhou Zhiruo's words, Bi Xuan's hand slowed by half a beat and he unconsciously glanced at Zhebie.

Catching Zhebie's look, he immediately understood.

Thrilled, he said wildly.

In his excitement, the speed at which his hand gathered strength quickened several degrees more.

Those blazing flames finally burst open, sweeping toward Zhou Zhiruo and her companion like a tidal wave.

"Hmph! If I could defeat you once, I can defeat you a second time!"

Seeing negotiation was hopeless, Zhou Zhiruo immediately brandished the Heaven's Reliance Sword and directly unleashed the Great Demon-Subduing Heaven-Wandering Divine Sword.

This Great Demon-Subduing Heaven-Wandering Divine Sword was created by a master based on the positions of the stars across the sky.

This time, to defeat Bi Xuan quickly, Zhou Zhiruo directly employed the most exquisite move of this sword art.

The moment she activated it, the clear sky for ten thousand miles suddenly revealed scattered stars.

Under the mutual radiance of the stars, a wisp of invisible starlight power descended from the heavens and poured into the Heaven's Reliance Sword.

Then the blade of the Heaven's Reliance Sword blazed with intense sword-light.

"What sword art is this? It can actually summon the stars — not bad at all."

In truth, this was not the first time Zhebie had seen the Great Demon-Subduing Heaven-Wandering Divine Sword unleashed; he had once watched it in secret at Yunzhou Shaolin before.