139 Chapter 138: Dine and Dash (2/2)

Even though Yan Qing Wu hated Zhu Jiao to the core, she had no choice but to acknowledge that he was much more superior to most of the male disciples that she had encountered. Probably because he was the bloody protagonist…and a fucking Mary Sue at that.

As the Golden Kirin Holy Blast dissipated, she dropped back to the ground and held out her saber cautiously.

”I can't be careless,” she murmured to herself, displeased. ”Just one hit from him and I'll be extremely injured.”

Not to mention, they were still inside the ancient tomb. She couldn't afford to be severely wounded, or it would affect her exploration of the interior later. While Yan Qing Wu had indeed found several spirit artifacts and elixirs, which made the journey a fruitful one, she wasn't satisfied. For an elite disciple like her, she had a much greater ambition and desire than other martial artists.

”…”

Zhu Jiao was perspiring. Despite his immense power, he had yet to land a clean hit on Yan Qing Wu. There were grazes and shallow injuries from close shaves, yes, but he needed just a single decisive blow to defeat her…or at least drive her away.

His techniques consumed too much qi, and he couldn't afford to recklessly expend his strength like this. Just like Yan Qing Wu, he wanted to conserve some energy to continue exploring the ancient tomb. He still needed to find the Ultimate Yin Dragon Saliva or a similarly yin-based elixir for his sister, Qing Tan.

Of course, he had no idea that I had already found that for him. On the other hand, that freed him up for more miraculous encounters where he would conveniently happen across treasures, artifacts and elixirs that would benefit him specifically. Typical of a xianxia protagonist.

For now, his priority was to survive this battle and hopefully to defeat Yan Qing Wu. Upon which, she would naturally fall for him because of his superior strength and become part of his harem. Harem member number four, if I counted correctly (since he already had Bai Ning Xue, Qing Xin Xia and Qing Tan).

Standing his ground, he slowly but surely made his inexorable advance, punching away whatever saber qi that Yan Qing Wu hurled at him. Even though the ability to unleash qi as a ranged attack was indeed terrifying, it was meaningless in the face of his formidable defense. His Golden Kirin Sacred Armor was enough to withstand whatever attacks she threw at him.

The only way for Yan Qing Wu to penetrate that defense (though it should be Zhu Jiao doing the penetrating, if you know what I mean *wink, wink*) was to execute an attack with overwhelming firepower, much like my Seismic Step.

”Damn it! If only my Black Moon Saber style has area-of-effect type of attacks!” Yan Qing Wu complained inwardly.

By area-of-effect attacks, Yan Qing Wu probably meant the ability to unleash many saber qi blasts from a single slash of her saber. Unfortunately for Yan Qing Wu, the Black Moon Saber style focused on overwhelming strength instead, condensing all of her qi into a single, ferocious attack. However, if she stopped to gather qi for that sort of powerful attack, Zhu Jiao would exploit that slight opening and attack her.

Therefore she couldn't stand still.

The two of them clashed again and sprang apart, both of them perspiring profusely and feeling their qi and energy reserves getting depleted after fighting for so long. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Zhu Jiao studied Yan Qing Wu, whose skin was glistening.

”Huff…”

”Hu…”

They both paused to recover their breath, having engaged in a ferocious exchange just seconds earlier. The intense duel was taxing their endurance and stamina to their limits, and the both of them were aware they couldn't afford to let it drag on for much longer.

The only reason why they were able to fight for so long, for what seemed like an hour, was because they were well-trained and disciplined martial artists. Otherwise they would have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.

”It irks me to have to do this, but you leave me no choice.”

Panting, Yan Qing Wu glared at Zhu Jiao, her silky fringe sticking to her forehead and perspiration glistened across her snow-white skin, emphasizing her beauty. Undoubtedly any guy who looked at her right now would have fallen head over heels in love with her.

Except Zhu Jiao, because he was the protagonist, and his lack of attraction to the most beautiful girl in the middle continent was precisely going to be what drew her to him, and in the most cliché scenario ever, convince her that she had to make him fall for her at all costs. Or some similar bullshit. Take your pick.

As I suspected, Zhu Jiao was not the least bit fazed by Yan Qing Wu's beauty. Or if he was, he didn't show it (though that lower part was bulging a little). In any case, he was disciplined enough to dismiss his sexual desire for her and braced himself for the next attack with an unyielding stance, gathering his qi about his body defensively.

Boom!

Yan Qing Wu's aura of qi blew up, swirling violently into a vortex at her hand before flowing forcefully into the black curved saber.

”Ho…a secret technique?” Qi Lin remarked, impressed. The ghost had hovered nearby, watching the entire battle without interfering. Without a physical body or tangible form, there was nothing he could do anyway.

”Huh?” Zhu Jiao responded, giving his master a quick glance.

”In order to enhance one's ability instantly, if you aren't consuming a spirit pill, then you must be using a secret technique. You know…just like your Golden Kirin Sacred Beast technique that I taught you. Since she obviously didn't take any spirit pills, then it can't be anything other than a secret technique. Make sure you activate Golden Kirin Sacred Beast technique now.”

Zhu Jiao swallowed, but he did not question his master. Qi Lin explained it anyway, with a wide smile.

”Or you might die.”

”Black Moon Shine.”

”!!!”

It was the same move as previously, but this time the power of the technique was magnified by several times. This single strike was so powerful that it produced a blinding black light that engulfed everything within ten meters from the blade. The black, crescent-shaped qi blast arced forward with unimaginable destructive power and lethal effect.

”Golden Kirin Sacred Beast technique! Golden Kirin Sacred Armor, max level!”

Instantly recognizing the danger, Zhu Jiao quickly activated his strongest defense. Even without Qi Lin telling him, he was instinctively aware that if he didn't block this blade, he would definitely suffer a serious injury.

A golden Kirin surged up from his body as he hardened his Golden Kirin Sacred Armor and boosted it with his Golden Kirin Sacred Beast technique. Golden flames, made visible by the dense yang qi that surrounded him like a conflagration, scorched the rock around him. The gauntlets shone brightly as Zhu Jiao brought them up to parry the saber.

Bang!

Kaboom!

As the saber met the gauntlets, two craters materialized on the ground on either side of Zhu Jiao, scars left behind by the slash.

Despite mustering his strongest defense, Zhu Jiao was no Hei Wu Gui, and his Golden Kirin Sacred Armor was not as impenetrable as the latter's Unbreakable Shell. Even so, this attack was enough to shatter the Black Tortoise Sect's supposedly impervious Unbreakable Shell technique, never mind Zhu Jiao's attack.

Zhu Jiao was sent hurtling several meters backward, his feet digging in firmly and leaving twin trails of charred rock in the ground as he struggled to halt his momentum. Coughing out some blood as he finally came to a stop, he glared up at his opponent.

”What fearsome power…!”

Yan Qing Wu's saber blast was just too strong. Even though he succeeded in splitting it in two with his Golden Kirin techniques, it still packed enough power to gouge huge chunks of stone out of the ground.

If he hadn't defended against that with everything he had, he shuddered to imagine what would have happened…

”Golden Kirin techniques are indeed formidable!”

Yan Qing Wu's eyes widened in shock. Even though she had executed her secret technique, the Divine Solar Gathering Palm, which allowed her to gather extreme amounts of qi into her palm for her to infuse her saber with it, she still wasn't able to slay her foe.

Admittedly, this was the first time she had executed the Divine Solar Gathering Palm in actual combat, so she didn't perform it perfectly. Otherwise, she might possibly be able to strengthen that previous saber blast further.

”But it's over. I've finally broken through your defenses!”

Yan Qing Wu leveled her saber at the wounded Zhu Jiao, getting ready to use her boosted Black Moon Shine for the second time.

”!!!”

Zhu Jiao gritted his teeth as he pulled together what was left of his qi to put together a hasty defense.

”I've no choice but to fight to the end!”

Just before the two of them could clash again, there was a scrape at the end of the tunnel, causing both of them to freeze.

”!!”

Yan Qing Wu spun around, shifting the aim of her saber. Similarly, Zhu Jiao backed off a few steps, his eyes turning warily in the direction of the tunnel where he came from.

”Oh, hey!” I called out as I waved toward the both of them. Catching sight of Zhu Jiao, I grinned in relief. ”Zhu Jiao! I've finally found you!”

”Uh…Wu, now isn't a good time.”

”Hmm?” as I stepped into the corridor, I caught sight of Yan Qing Wu, who was pointing her saber in my general direction. It didn't take a genius to understand what was going on, so I stopped dead in my tracks. ”Oh, I already know.”

Even though I hadn't been physically present, I had sensed their conflicting qi from such a distance away. Hell, it was precisely because both of them were unleashing such powerful attacks and emanating such potent qi auras that I was able to track down and locate Zhu Jiao in the first place despite being separated.

”Huh?” Zhu Jiao stared at me blankly for a moment. I shrugged.

”That's why I'm here. To help you out.”

”Your comrade, huh?” Yan Qing Wu's eyes narrowed murderously. ”It makes no difference. I'll kill both of you.”

I smiled at her, the expression ominously flickering across my face. ”You're welcome to try.”