Old Chen bowed his head and murmured, "The unmatched Sword Fairy, transcendent and otherworldly. We mere mortals can only gaze upward. Before us lies the pinnacle of the Immortal Path, with no predecessors in sight—only the sword's aura overshadowing the ages!" As he spoke, he wiped the cold sweat from his brow and hastily discarded the black sword.
Qingmu's eyes widened. If his master hadn't tossed the sword, he might have believed those words. Now, it looked like a desperate act of self-preservation. He quickly realized this was the same immortal who had nearly struck his master down—now making a reappearance and scaring him to death.
Wang Xuan felt frustrated, glancing at his older colleague. At his age, why was he spouting such nonsense? He chided, "Old Chen, stay calm; don't interrupt!"
Old Chen ignored him, kicking the black sword out of sight, finally breathing easier. Although he had suffered greatly before, it seemed the Sword Fairy was indeed showing restraint—merely venting her frustrations on him and Wang Xuan. Otherwise, they would have been reduced to mere flesh.
In the depths of the inner realm, the Sword Fairy in her moon-white dress descended gracefully, exuding an ethereal aura, approaching the curtain with utmost poise. Wang Xuan, Old Chen, and Qingmu fell silent, tension palpable as they watched.
The red-clad woman was both mysterious and intimidating, her elegance and charm shadowed by an air of danger. If even her pet had ascended to immortality, one could only imagine the depths of her power.
As mysterious substances drifted down from unknown sources, the red-clad woman smiled softly, extending her hand toward the Sword Fairy, as if to touch her face. This audacious move sent a chill through the onlookers, her demeanor flirtatious, with the oil-paper umbrella enhancing her allure.
With a swift motion, the Sword Fairy's gleaming long sword erupted with brilliance, thrusting toward the intruding hand like a cascade of stars. A thunderous crash reverberated through the inner realm, the mysterious substance swirling chaotically, though the veil held firm.
The white hand and the silver sword collided with a force that sent tremors through the surroundings. The red-clad woman, unfazed by the violent reaction, calmly withdrew her hand, fixing her hair while smiling softly, uttering words Wang Xuan couldn't comprehend.
Old Chen furrowed his brow. "That's ancient Jiangnan dialect from two to three thousand years ago."
Qingmu wasn't surprised; Old Chen often studied such ancient languages.
With a soft, melodic voice, the red-clad woman spoke, her words resonating beautifully yet lost on Wang Xuan, who felt the archaic Wu dialect flow through the air.
"She's essentially saying, ‘Little girl, have you heard my legend? How proud!'" Old Chen translated quietly, wary of potentially offending her.
Wang Xuan's heart raced; the red-clad woman had the audacity to tease the transcendent Sword Fairy! The "little girl" was clearly incensed, lifting her chin defiantly, aiming her sword at the red woman's brow, releasing a radiant burst of light.
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However, the barrier held strong, the sword's energy rippling without penetrating through.
Coldness flashed in the red woman's eyes, a chilling aura emerging as she sensed the disrespect. She dropped her softness, raising her white palm and striking forward to confront the radiant sword.
Boom! The inner realm seemed to shatter, the mysterious essence boiling, throwing Wang Xuan, Old Chen, and Qingmu around like driftwood in a storm.
"Is this… the real deal?" Qingmu stammered, feeling overwhelmed by the chaos. He was witnessing the terrifying side of the inner realm for the first time, still bloodied and nearly devoured.
The Sword Fairy stood firm, her sword angled defensively, exuding pride. Despite the red woman's formidable strike almost piercing the barrier, the sword remained intact.
Energy crackled violently, the mysterious essence surged, causing the Sword Fairy's dress to ripple, her long hair whipping back, yet she remained steadfast.
The red-clad woman smirked, one hand still holding the oil-paper umbrella, pushing forward with confidence and ease, edging closer to the Sword Fairy while launching another blow.
The inner realm quaked again, a true tempest threatening to toss the trio into chaos, making Wang Xuan realize how perilous it was to venture unprepared into the unknown depths.
Fortunately, this was the White Tiger Demon's domain; the red-clad woman seemed to exist in a unique state, not quite like an ordinary ascendant.
"She's unfathomably powerful! Where does her strength come from?!" Wang Xuan pondered, yearning for answers.
The Sword Fairy, aware of the threat but unwilling to engage directly, soared into the air, maintaining distance. She kept her chin high, a challenge radiating from her as she faced the approaching red woman.
"Is she truly an immortal demon?" Qingmu murmured, realizing that the red-clad woman, with her white tiger as a pet, must be an unparalleled demon fairy.
Wang Xuan whispered to Old Chen, "She's from over two thousand years ago. Isn't that the age of the philosophers? There were many formidable figures then. Are there any renowned women from that era who could match her?"
"If it's a human, we can look into it later, but if it's a demon, that's beyond my understanding," Old Chen said. No matter how you look at it, the red-clad demoness was incredibly terrifying, and it wasn't without reason that even the Buddhist sect feared her.
The red-clad woman had a cold expression, still using her fists to clear the way, her arms as white as jade. Each strike caused the inner realm to tremble, almost knocking Qingmu off his feet. She advanced step by step, pushing against the curtain, gradually closing the distance to the sword fairy.
The sword fairy, however, showed a relaxed demeanor, smiling as she held her sword and floated backward, seemingly unconcerned. Wang Xuan and Old Chen exchanged uneasy glances, and the sword fairy immediately suppressed her smile, turning cold and serious in response to the red-clad woman's provocation.
"She can't really want to break through the curtain and come over, right?" Old Chen thought, feeling a chill. He realized that the red-clad demoness might possess the ability to intervene in reality, and if she truly broke through, the consequences would be dire.
Bang! With a loud sound, a crack appeared on the curtain, and the power of the red-clad demoness was truly alarming, as if she could break through at any moment.
"What kind of person is this?" Old Chen felt uneasy, his scalp tingling. Even the sword fairy's expression grew serious; she had heard of the red-clad woman's legend, and the current situation exceeded all expectations.
"Qingmu, how about I send you out to invite the female cultivator?" Wang Xuan suggested, wanting to bring that three-thousand-year-old female expert to negotiate with the red-clad woman.
"Old Wang, don't meddle!" Qingmu firmly refused, fearing the situation would become even more complicated.
"What's there to be afraid of? I believe the female cultivator would side with us!" Wang Xuan said confidently, eager to invite the female cultivator to talk to the red-clad demoness.