116 His worst moods were always the quiet ones (1/2)

”What in the world…” Hui Moxiang said in both wonder and fright.

Meanwhile, Liu Sumeng had seen these beings in his previous life already and was not so surprised. And though he masked his terror with collected composure, it was not as if he was unaffected by the Fallen God's presence.

The Fallen Goddess was uninterested in both the Ivory Sword Saint or Hui Moxiang and stared only at Yuan Xuelan.

”Watch out, Xuelan.” Liu Sumeng said, ”Don't let her unnerve you.”

Yuan Xuelan did not want to admit to being unnerved, ”I'm fine. I can handle this,” he said with a grimace. The Fallen Goddess's visage did not change as she raised a hand and held it in front of her chest as though in prayer.

A shock wave pressed out around her, making the three of them jump up to avoid the crushing force that rippled the stone ground beneath their feet. She took a step, slow but heavy.

The ground sank beneath her feet, creating a deep impression of her step.

”The talismans,” Liu Sumeng called as he rushed toward the Fallen Goddess with his pointed sword.

For some reason, there was something about her features that struck him as familiar. Liu Sumeng thought that perhaps he had fought the same Fallen Goddess in his previous life.

But he did not have time to ponder his assumptions. A hand came up and easily caught Mingshui in long slender blue fingertips. Her neck turned slowly as those black scleras peered at him.

There was that humming sound that rang in the air with a voice that was definitely female but not so definitely human.

”I know!” Yuan Xuelan shouted, ”Sumeng be careful!” He pulled out the essence replicating talismans and guided them toward the Fallen Goddess's outstretched arm.

They stuck to her arm and Liu Sumeng tried to take this moment to wedge his blade free, but he couldn't. The Fallen Goddess was still and unmoving but her strength did not abide.

Did it not work?

Yuan Xuelan cursed and rushed in, using Silei to cleave the arm that held Liu Sumeng captive.

His sword edge was coming down at the Goddess, moving at a speed that could not be easily followed by the eyes. But all it took was her index and a thumb, pinching the sacred blade by the edge, to stop it. Her tranquil face slowly turned to face him.

She flicked her wrist and shot him backward.

Liu Sumeng, alarmed, angled his blade and expelled a flow of spiritual energy with pinpoint precision. He could tell that the talismans that hugged the length of her arm had very little effect on her, but that didn't mean they were completely useless.

Her muscles twitched by the minutest bit, but it was enough for him to slide Mingshui free and cut at the hand that occupied his attention. But even with skill as expert as his own, he barely made a dent in her skin. Her fingers only suffered a minor cut.

It was enough to win her attention. She turned, and though her movements appeared languid, they were anything but. A punishing fist raised.

Liu Sumeng dodged out of the way as it came down, the ground caved, debris thrown about.

Yuan Xuelan rolled, gaining his balance with expert speed and dashed to Liu Sumeng's side without a second thought. That large blue-black fist raised again, almost knocking into Silei's red-orange body. Yuan Xuelan grimaced at the sheer force made his bones creak and strain.

The Ivory Sword Saint was suddenly taken aback, ”What are you doing?” His calm voice broke with impatience. It wasn't like he was struggling so why did Yuan Xuelan throw himself into harm's way like that?

Hui Moxiang cursed as he watched. He plucked the hairpin out of his hair and summoned his staff. But Hui Moxiang was incredibly uneasy and not so willing to approach the Fallen Goddess with abandon.

So instead he wound up and threw his staff as though a javelin. A dark demonic force enveloped the weapon, forming a barbed point at the tip.

The Fallen Goddess seemed to flinch, its movements impossible to follow. But Hui Moxiang felt his blood curdle, imminent death made him jolt, his legs making him leap without even time to process the thought.

And it was fortunate that he did, for his staff-turned-spear crashed into the ground where he just stood, piercing deep into the earth. Cold sweat coated his neck, and he realized with dark dread that the Fallen Goddess was already turned toward him.

Yuan Xuelan ignored Liu Sumeng's question and reached into his robes for more of those useless talismans. They frustrated him, and he cursed his own inadequacy for producing defective products. He unleashed them all on the Goddess at once, wrapping her up in flimsy constraints, like trying to stop an elephant with a few strands of thread.

”Get your head on your shoulders!”

Suddenly, Liu Sumeng's voice was right in his ear, causing him to snap backward at the Ivory Sword Saint with surprise.

”W-What?”

”Focus on the enemy. And calm your heart.”

Ashamed, Xuelan looked away. ”I know.”

Liu Sumeng pulled out a block of peach tree wood, sharpened into a stake, ”This will work. Be careful.”

Yuan Xuelan stared at the makeshift spear, lips pulled down into a frown. Taking it felt like admitting defeat. He didn't like admitting defeat, ”But…”

Liu Sumeng did not give him a choice and shoved it to his chest, ”Take it.” And left no room for argument.

”I don't know what you guys are talking about but…some help would be amazing right now!” Hui Moxiang yelped as the Goddess lunged for him.

Instantly, he transformed into a raven once more, flapping desperately to get away.

Liu Sumeng already had Mingshui sheathed and held a long peach wood spear in his hand. Although he would claim no mastery over the spear, he was still skilled enough to hurl it at the Goddess with pinpoint precision.