Xun Liuxian was cultivating inside his home to prepare himself for the upcoming Treasured Plains. Xun was pissed after seeing Tang Wuying’s battle against his senior and seeing him come out on top. He knew that he stood no chance against Tang with that strange spirit weapon on him. His Ancient Immortal’s Lung that fused with his lungs were powerful and granted him several benefits but it still wasn’t enough to thoroughly humiliate Tang and kill him. The most optimistic outcome Xun could see from challenging Tang right now was a pyrrhic victory with them both dying.
But even that wasn’t something Xun was sure to happen if they fought right now. His master couldn’t even identify the rank of Tang’s spirit weapon during the battle. That means it had to be higher than earth rank. Master Zhong also said that he wasn’t gifted that weapon by his master either. So, Tang must have had a lucky encounter during one of his tasks outside the sect.
The only way Xun could try and compete with Tang now was if he had his own spirit weapon or tool at the sky rank. And his only chance at stumbling upon one of those was in the Treasured Plains. His deep-seated grudge against Tang Wuying has ran into a few issues but he has time. His talent will continue to increase the longer the Ancient God’s Lungs stay within his body. His talent was low when he first joined but as of now it's already able to compete with the geniuses from renowned clans!
But that bastard also had great talent, it would be a while before his speed in cultivation completely outclasses Tang’s. Xun’s main goal right now was to find a sky-ranked spirit weapon or tool that could aid him in combat. Once he finds that, he could finally match Tang in combat strength. His master isn’t any lesser than Tang’s own. Their battle will come... and Xun will get his revenge on Tang for getting him killed back then and then he will move on to annihilate his entire lineage to prevent any further troubles that arises afterwards.
“Brother Liuxian, are you home?” He heard a familiar voice softly ask from outside his door.
Xun opened the door to see Xiao Hong standing outside of it.
“Yes, I am. Do you need something?” He asked expressionlessly.
It must be known that Xiao Hong wasn’t just any average cultivator! Xiao Hong was a genius! Someone far above Xun Liuxian in terms of popularity, talent, and background! If anyone saw him treating her like a normal person and not someone to be praised and admired by all, they would say he has shit for brains and deserves to be crippled for his lack of respect! This was Xiao Hong, the Ice Queen of the Golden Serpent Sect! One of the top ten beauties within the sect and a very talented cultivator. She even unlocked a part of her bloodline, the Ice Giant bloodline!
Everyone in the Hong family that has unlocked their bloodline are guaranteed to become someone significant throughout the continent! No matter if they were male or female! The Hong family has become a great force because of this powerful bloodline of theirs and no one dares disrespects any member of the Hong family! Or they would be courting death by ice!
“I wish to spar with you to test my current skills. Is that fine with you?” She asked quietly with a faint red blush on her face.
“That’s fine with me, Sister Xiao. I must ask though, why did you choose me as your sparring partner?” Xun asked curiously.
Her cheeks got redder.
“You are strong Martial Brother Liuxian and I know you won’t go easy on me just because of who I am.”
Xun looked at the ground with a faint smile before saying, “I’m not strong at all...” He looked back up at Xiao and told her to follow him into his yard. Since it was just a friendly spar there was no need to head to the rings. A spar is mostly used to test one's martial art techniques and see how your opponent will respond to them. Most will respond back with their own martial arts but if they don’t and are forced to dodge or take it head on, then the spar will conclude after one side cannot keep up or both show everything, they are willing to show.
Xiao and Xun stood an equal distance from each other.
“I shall be going first if you don’t mind Martial Brother.” She did a small bow and Xun watched her as she floated towards him on frozen snowflakes.
She stepped on the air by using the self-made snowflakes as platforms. It was an interesting movement art in Xun’s opinion. It would be hard for one to chase after her when she was using that at full speed. She could run all the way in the air and the only way for anyone to touch her would be with a bow or a spirit tool that could hit from far away. And not many cultivators use ranged weapons or are lucky enough to find spirit tools that can be used offensively at a distance.
Xiao used her bloodline ability and materialized a flawless sword made of ice. She then dove straight down towards Xun with the frosty blade. Xun breathed in the air around him and blew it onto his fists. The air seemingly solidified onto his hands into a pair of gloves and with a single strike from his punch, he could contend with Xiao’s ice sword! Xiao wasn’t shocked as she expected this much out of the boy who caught her attention but could he react to her next move!?
Xiao’s sword suddenly grew an icicle from its center and it lengthened in size before heading straight for Xun’s heart! An icicle of that size going at that speed would be able to skewer nearly anything! What a fierce sneaky attack! However, the calm look on Xun Liuxian’s face didn’t change in the slightest despite the sharp blade seemingly about to pierce right through him. He used the back of his fist with his other hand and shattered the icicle into pieces before thrusting his palm out at Xiao.
A strong blast of wind shot out of his palm and knocked right into Xiao’s figure. This caused her to shatter into pieces!?
“Huh?” Xun reacted slightly surprised.
Another Xiao appeared right behind the air weaver and grabbed onto him from behind with a freezing embrace! Ice began to form on Xun’s body and if he didn’t somehow free himself from his opponent’s grip, he would become an ice statue!
‘That was an impressive move she pulled off.’ Xun complimented.
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He was totally fooled! He didn’t even know when she made that ice clone and thought it was the real her the entire time. She must have been training hard. But this spar wasn’t over yet, he still had a couple more moves to show. The ice has spread all the way down to his legs to his chest. He started to suck in a large amount of air before blowing it out into the air and forming a giant fist made of air that headed straight for him and Xiao.
Xiao retreated in the face of that technique and Xun allowed himself to be hit by his own move. The ice that was freezing him immediately broke apart from the power of his fist and he could move freely again. The chill of the ice on his skin was biting but now it was time to show off his moves in this spar. The wind cultivator stomped the ground beneath him, creating a small gust of wind that spun around him. Xiao prepared herself for whatever attack he was about to do and nearly let out a gasp as he stepped onto the gust of wind and starting riding it towards her!
She almost couldn’t defend herself from Liuxian’s attack because of how fast it came! Her ice sword shattered from his punch, forcing her to cover herself in her own ice to defend against his attacks! Xiao could feel the ice protecting her, shattering from every punch from Brother Liuxian. If things continued this way, it would quickly lead to her defeat!
Xiao channeled her ice qi into her hands. She took one of Liuxian’s powerful punches as a way to escape into the air. It was painful but it was her only way out of his attacks! No one else would allow her to feel that much pain within the sect due to her background. They were too afraid but Liuxian didn’t care at all who she was! Even when they first met, he treated her no differently than he would treat someone else. It was the first time someone has treated her like a normal person...
Her cheeks flushed again as she fired a beam of ice qi towards the air manipulator. If anyone else saw this sight, it would only reinforce Xiao Hong’s image as a genius! She has yet to step into the Qi Consolidation realm yet she can use qi attacks from a distance! Only those at the Qi Consolidation realm and above can attack with ranged qi techniques!
The air around Xun started to freeze and solidify, quickly taking away how much air he could use to move around. It wouldn’t be long till that beam caught up to him and froze him as well! He used some of the stored qi-infused air within his lungs and shot off towards Xiao in a spiral! His fist was outstretched and posed like a drill ready to bore straight through Xiao! Xiao couldn’t hope to react to a move as fast as this! He blew air out of his mouth with such strength that he was sent flying towards Xiao with speed that was hard to track!
Xiao concentrated her ice beam into one point just as Liuxian’s fist was about to drill right through her. The ice qi channeling in her hands exploded with great force, unleashing a powerful flash freezing ice shockwave that spread out enveloping both of them. A bright white flash appeared from Xiao’s attack and temporarily blinded the secret viewer of this little spar.
“My eyes!!! I can’t see!” The little watcher cried out in pain.
He stumbled off while rubbing his eyes to report this situation to Tang Wuying without seeing the aftermath. He’s already saw enough and could safely tell Tang about Xun’s courting of his woman behind his back. He was also a little frightened if he continued to watch their spar, he would somehow get hit by one of their stray martial art moves. Reporting back to Tang Wuying was important but his life was even more important!
If Tang’s henchman stayed around a bit longer, he would’ve saw something even more incriminating than before. Something that would’ve sent Tang Wuying off in such a rage that he would’ve marched straight to Xun’s home to kill him himself! He would’ve saw Xiao Hong embracing Xun Liuxian as a mystical fall of snow rained around them both. Her face was blushed a deep red and Xun’s own face was slightly red at such a dangerous position. The two stayed silent as their bodies warmed one another's and their hearts slowly grew closer.
“Sorry...! I should get up now...” Xiao apologized softly.
Xun wrapped his arm around her back to stop her.
“I don’t mind... if you don’t, Xiao.” Xun suddenly whispered. Letting his emotions run wild. Emotions that have been suppressed and buried by his overwhelming hatred and lust for revenge against Tang Wuying.
That whisper was like a lightning strike to Xiao’s heart. Should she stay like this a little longer? Brother Liuxian was fine with it and she wanted to embrace him even more than this. No, no, no this isn’t good for her heart. Xiao’s heart felt like it was going to explode if this continued any longer, she shot up from Liuxian’s amazing muscled chest and abs then stood up to dust off her outfit.
“Thank you for the spar Martial Brother Liuxian! I will be going now!” She dashed off with the speed of a Pigmy Tailed Hog.
Xun stayed on the ground in the same position from earlier. His thoughts were all over the place. He hasn’t really given much thought to anything else besides getting stronger and killing Tang Wuying. Ever since he came back from the dead in that forest, those were the only two things on his mind. But... that moment just now with Xiao has caused him to think about just more than his two goals. Maybe after he deals with the Wuying family, he could perhaps find another reason to keep living...
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“Have you killed him yet?” Elder Suyin asked.
“No Ma’am. We would need to hire an assassin that’s vastly stronger than Hu Tao.” A cultivator bowed.
“Aunt Suyin... There’s no need to hire an assassin... I’ll get stronger on my own and avenge Shen with my own power. I’m going to start taking my training seriously and kill Hu Tao with my own hands.” Meili promised with all her heart.
Suyin was surprised as she looked into the eyes of her niece. Those eyes were completely unlike the carefree and innocent eyes she’s had before. If she was being honest, she would say Meili is a completely different girl now. Despite how much hate her niece has for this Hu Tao character, Suyin was actually quite thankful towards him... Now with this change she went through, Meili is fit to be seen as the patriarch's daughter and with a little more guidance from herself, she’ll be able to lead their glorious clan into prosperity!
“I’m here for you every step of the way Meili.” She rubbed her head.
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Bo Fai was pacing back and forth through his house. Everything is changing! The past isn’t going the same way it was last time!
‘Is it because I’ve taken the heaven-ranked spirit tool, Phoenix’s core? Is that why everything is spiraling out of control? My knowledge of the future is quickly waning. There never was a Hu Tao in my past. Did he die before his prime? Then how is it that he’s alive now? I would’ve known of such a terrible and powerful cultivator if he was alive in my past.’
Bo calmed himself down. He almost died when he was just reincarnated into his past self! Who knows if he could ever get a chance like this a second time? He wasn’t going to ruin that by dying to sudden and hidden threats like Hu Tao ever again. The opening of the Treasured Plains is something he can’t afford to miss out on. Too many cultivators rose to prominence from gaining sky-ranked and heaven-ranked objects from this formation. Now it will be his chance to gain those valuable martial arts and magical treasures for himself.
An Earthly Immortal like himself is already indebted to someone. How embarrassing is this... It might not have been long since he’s reincarnated but a person of his realm should not have lost to someone like that! Bo was deeply ashamed of himself for losing to Hu Tao, an upstart brat that wasn’t even done weening milk from his mother! His body might not be able to handle his sky-ranked martial arts yet but he still shouldn’t have been overtaken by that brat!
Just what was that power hidden in those chains? Bo Fai has never seen anything like that in his thousands of years of living. He has seen various lightning spirit tools and martial arts but none of them could dare compete with the spirit weapon held by that boy. It was like the god of lightning was hiding within those chains. He would have to kill that scum before he understands just how powerful that weapon is and take it for himself. Bo Fai has a lot to do during the opening of the Treasured Plains...