Chapter 997

Even if it wasn't, this was still an extraordinary treasure.

Overjoyed, he prepared to tuck the thing into his robes.

"If I were you, I'd hand over that Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom."

Just then, on the other side of Xue Damo's statue, a person suddenly appeared.

This person wore foreign-style clothing, and Zhou Zhiruo recognized at a glance that he was not a Central Plains native.

"Who are you?"

Zhou Zhiruo found it strange—when had the Great Ming of the Nine Provinces ever had non-Central Plains martial artists?

"This Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom was obtained by the Mount Emei Sect.

If you want a Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom, you'd better look for another one!"

She had no desire to fight this person, so she invoked the name of the Mount Emei Sect.

In the Great Ming, though the Mount Emei Sect's fame could not match Wu Dangpai's, it was still one of the great orthodox sects.

Ordinary folk of the jianghu would have to show some face.

If this man were a Great Ming martial artist, he likely wouldn't dare press her too aggressively.

"Hah! Mount Emei Sect? Impressive, is it? Does this old man Watching Bi Xuan fear you?"

The newcomer gave his name—he was actually the Wu Zun of the Great Yuan, Bi Xuan!

After announcing his name, Bi Xuan flicked his palm, and a streak of flame shot out at once.

He was absolutely determined to have this Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom.

"Bi Xuan? You're a Yuan man—why are you here?"

Zhou Zhiruo was greatly shaken. This mission was clearly a Great Ming mission—why had a Great Yuan Wu Zun mixed in?

Though surprised in her heart, her feet were no slower for it.

She employed the Mount Emei body technique, dodging Bi Xuan's strike with an ethereal flourish.

But Bi Xuan was not only the Wu Zun of Great Yuan—he was also a leading figure among Great Yuan's enshrined experts.

In the last great battle of Tang Yuan, he had suffered a setback at Yanmen Pass—miserable beyond words.

Having taken on a mission again this time, he was truly determined to have it.

So how could this strike be so simple?

The streak of flame struck the spot where Zhou Zhiruo had just been standing.

Missing its mark, the flame suddenly scattered.

Like a heavenly maiden scattering flowers, one streak of flame split into countless smaller flames.

Each ball of flame shifted its form.

Some became claws, some became fingers, some became fists.

Some flames even transformed into the shape of swords.

Each ball of flame was executing a different Wu Gong.

They came at Zhou Zhiruo from every direction, blotting out the sky.

Zhou Zhiruo was utterly shocked—this was the first time she had seen just how terrifying the strength of a veteran Heavenly Being Realm expert truly was.

With nowhere to retreat, she could only draw the Heaven's Reliance Sword and flick her wrist.

With a single Heaven's Reliance Sword, she executed both Extinction Sword and Absolute Sword.

But she was currently suppressed by a mysterious power, unable to channel her Nine Yang and Nine Yin true qi as she wished.

So with this combined advance of Extinction Sword and Absolute Sword, she could only manage the form, not the substance.

"Heh heh! Little girl, are you injured?

Your sword moves carry so little true qi—what are you even resisting for?

Hand over the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom obediently, and I might spare your life."

Bi Xuan's eyes were sharp—he saw at once that Zhou Zhiruo's sword moves were all show, and could not resist mocking her.

Zhou Zhiruo was furious—if not for this mysterious power suppressing her, her strength would not have been so diminished.

In her full condition, with the Nine Yin, Nine Yang, and the Heaven's Reliance Sword,

taking on a single Bi Xuan wouldn't have been much, would it?

For now she could only let Bi Xuan mock her, while pushing her Extinction Sword and Absolute Sword techniques to their utmost.

Boom boom boom!

In the blink of an eye, her sword strikes met the sky full of flame clusters.

Bi Xuan was initially smug, fully confident that his all-out strike against this woman's showy swordplay would shatter it in one blow.

But who could have known that after the precious sword clashed with the flame clusters, it actually emitted a faint glow.

The flame clusters, which had taken on a myriad of forms, shattered the instant they touched this sword light.

Immediately after, Bi Xuan's move was naturally broken.

The flames scattered everywhere, instantly setting the already dim Wu Gong hall ablaze.

"What sword is this? Could it possibly be a Heaven-grade divine weapon?"

Bi Xuan saw at a glance that the woman's breaking of his technique was entirely thanks to the precious sword in her hand.

His first thought was that this was a rare Heaven-grade divine weapon.

Then he reconsidered—he had seen Heaven-grade divine weapons before, though not many.

But none of them could break his move so effortlessly.

"No—this is a Immortal-grade, even God-grade divine weapon!"

In an instant, Bi Xuan's eyes lit up.

He paid no heed to his own techniques being broken, which had even set the Damo Hall gradually ablaze.

Instead, he gazed greedily at the Heaven's Reliance Sword and said to Zhou Zhiruo,

"How about this! Hand over the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom and this divine weapon, and I will not only let you leave, but also heal the hidden wounds on your body. How about it?"

In Bi Xuan's mind, he had already shown extraordinary mercy.

After all, the Great Yuan's coming this time to vie for the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom did carry some undertones of undermining the Qinglong Society's stage.

Therefore, before coming, Wokuotai and the other Great Yuan higher-ups had actually given instructions long before.

Identity must not be exposed; once exposed, it must be covered up.

In other words, after Bi Xuan announced his own name, he would have to kill everyone present!

Yet for the sake of the divine weapon, he had gone against the higher-ups' order.

786 Old fool, you really think I'm afraid of you?

"Hmph!"

Zhou Zhiruo, however, said no more. She merely gave a cold snort and immediately ran toward the outside of the hall.

By now, she had already used the Heaven's Reliance Sword to break through Bi Xuan's encirclement.

But Bi Xuan's flames had already set part of the Damo Hall on fire.

Clearly, if this dragged on any longer, it was bound to cause quite a stir.

Once the people of Yunzhou Shaolin noticed, she truly would not be able to leave.

As for what Bi Xuan said—wasn't that just a dream?

She, Zhou Zhiruo, couldn't even unravel that miraculous power herself, and could only rely on the Heavenly Fragrance Cardamom to ease it slightly.

What virtue or ability do you, Bi Xuan, possess to heal my hidden wounds?

Who do you think you are?

The Great Dragon Head Ximen Wudi?

Zhou Zhiruo felt disdain in her heart, and naturally would not say much more to Bi Xuan.

Taking advantage of this opening, she employed the Mount Emei Sect's movement technique and fled rapidly toward the outside.

"Despicable! Not knowing what's good for you! Then stay behind!"

Bi Xuan watched as Zhou Zhiruo merely gave a cold snort and immediately fled, and flew into a towering rage.

He immediately let out a great shout and once again unleashed the Blazing Sun Marvelous Art, launching a fierce attack toward Zhou Zhiruo.

With every gesture, every punch and every kick of Bi Xuan carried a terrifying ball of flame.

Each ball of flame was even more scorching than the previous one.

By rights, an attack of this level, even an ordinary Heavenly Being Realm cultivator could not withstand.