Unsheathed

Chen Ping’an swung his locust wood sword down at the woman in white standing on top of the stone tablet.

He didn’t utilize any sword technique or sword stance, and there was no spiritual glow on the locust wood sword capable of suppressing yin entities either.

The woman in white, whose face was covered by her thick hair, pursed her lips. Even though she looked down on her opponent, she was still unwilling to be too careless because the young boy had successfully suppressed the two clay statues of the martial god and the scholarly god just then.

She decided to play with him for a while. In any case, maintaining control of the city god pavilion would naturally be best, but losing control of it wouldn’t matter too much either. After all, there would always be more powerful allies to snatch it back.

She reached down and quickly ran her hand along her waist, retrieving a long sword that had no scabbard. The sword was blood-red, and it was filled with a repulsive aura. She had most likely concealed this sword using an illusion technique.

When she ran her bony palm across the sword, a trail of sparks flew into the air as she made contact with its blade. Not only that, but an emerald green bracelet also slipped off her wrist and started to rapidly circle around her. Its path was unpredictable, and it was so fast that it quickly became a blur, leaving an emerald-green trail behind it in the air.

For cultivators in the world, it was naturally the case that the more immortal treasures the better. This was the same concept as commoners wanting as much money as possible. No one would complain about having too much wealth. However, genuine spirit tools and immortal tools were far too rare and precious.

If a person was lucky enough to possess two, then they would try their utmost to have one for offense and have one for defense. One could be used to attack enemies and force them back, and one could be used to defend oneself and keep oneself safe. With an offensive treasure to attack and a defensive treasure to guard, this would naturally be a flawless combination.

For example, the Militarian armor pellet used by the tree spirit in the old residence. The armor pellet could transform into a suit of radiant armor, a top-notch defensive immortal treasure.

Right now, the woman in white was following this exact principle. She had a blood-red sword and an emerald green bracelet, and the former was used for offense while the latter was used for defense.

In fact, all of Chen Ping’an’s actions had taken place in but the blink of an eye — from forcefully suppressing the clay statues of the martial god and the scholarly god using strange and extremely high-quality talismans, to stepping on the scholarly god’s head, to finally lunging over and attacking with his locust wood sword.

The locust wood sword instantly arrived in front of the woman.

The woman in white quickly raised her sword and slashed sideways, causing a burst of blood-red sword qi to materialize above her head. If the young boy didn’t dodge in time, then this burst of sword qi would definitely hack him into two at the waist.

However, the young boy suddenly vanished from sight.

Inch movement talisman!

The woman in white knew that the situation was bad.

Clang!

The sound of steel striking stone suddenly reverberated around the square without any warning.

After that, a string of clanging sounds rang out as concentrated and rapid as raindrops from a torrential downpour striking a roof.

The expression of the woman in white changed slightly. She twisted her hips, and she quickly flew away from the top of the stone tablet. She circled the lush green cypress tree with her blood-red sword, and it was as if she were hiding from something. She also purposely distanced herself from the emerald green bracelet. There were approximately six meters between her and the bracelet, and this would allow her to freely control it while also avoiding any attacks.

It was a flying sword!

The young boy was actually a sword cultivator who could control a flying sword!

What wooden sword? What Eliminating Fiends? These were all covers used to trick people! His true killing blow was that cunning flying sword that was yet to reveal its true appearance.

He was young, yet his mind was truly meticulous and malicious! No wonder he had successfully become a sword cultivator, the most difficult cultivation path for Qi refiners.

The woman in white felt extremely pained as she listened to the ceaseless clanging sounds ringing around the square. No matter how much spiritual energy her bracelet possessed, it would still be unable to withstand such brutal bullying from the flying sword. This was no different from ruthlessly trampling a flower underfoot.

Her bracelet was called “Viscous Ice[1]”, a high-grade spirit tool that her old ancestor had personally bestowed upon her. It wasn’t known for its sturdiness, but it was rather adept at defending against surprise attacks from those so-called immortals who had attained the Dao. After all, her old ancestor had predicted long ago that their secret plan to steal the most valuable national treasure of Colorful Garment Nation would definitely result in a bloody battle with many casualties.

Qi refiners from powerful clans and forces might not be the most courageous when it came to fighting to the death, but they would definitely have countless mystical abilities and immortal treasures that had been passed down through the generations. These were things that they had to defend against.

The woman in white was temporarily unable to predict the movements of Chen Ping’an’s flying sword. However, she didn’t dare to retrieve her bracelet either. This infuriated her immensely, and she felt wrathful anger for the first time in a long while.

If her bracelet was shattered in this battle, then to say nothing of her allies, she would definitely lose more than she could gain in this trip to Colorful Garment Nation. Even if they succeeded in the end, the reward that she received for her contributions would most likely be insufficient to make up for the bracelet.

Her hair billowed wildly, revealing her true appearance.

She was surprisingly the woman in colorful robes who had been the first to perform on the tall stage in the middle of the lake that night. She had enchanted countless men from Blusher Prefecture that night, and these men had felt deep regret that they couldn’t pull her into their embrace and show her some love.

Judging from this, the old immortal who had the demeanor of a transcendent being was at least one of the main masterminds behind the trouble brewing in Blusher Prefecture.

However, these people were acting so openly and boldly, so how was there not a single cultivator from Colorful Garment Nation who had seen through them?

Standing in the square, Chen Ping’an faltered upon seeing the woman’s true appearance. His expression was solemn, and he placed the locust wood sword back in the wooden scabbard. He habitually grabbed his wine gourd and took a gulp of wine.

The woman in white laughed in anger when she saw that the young boy was still in the mood to drink. Her robes fluttered in the wind, revealing her wrists and feet. They were nothing but white bones. It could be envisioned that her slender body was much the same.

Only her face had flesh and skin. Not only that, but her appearance was also extremely beautiful.

As it turned out, she was a beautiful skeletal woman. No, she was a beautiful skeletal ghost.

The woman in white felt slightly more at ease after confirming that the flying sword couldn’t break through the defenses of her bracelet and soar over to attack her. That being the case, she would capture and kill the young boy first. He was seeking death, so he couldn’t blame anyone else for his miserable fate. She had initially wanted to toy with him for a little while, but who could have imagined that he was actually fairly powerful?

What did it matter that he was a sword cultivator? She and her allies could deal with him as long as he wasn’t a transcendent and ethereal great sword immortal. Even if he were a sword immortal at the upper end of the Middle Five Tiers, she and her allies would still be able to kill him if he dared to show himself in the prefectural city of Blusher Prefecture!

The small square in front of the city god hall was now divided into three battlefields. There were two gold-colored treasure pagoda demon-suppressing talismans slowly grinding away the demonic qi of two clay statues. Shards of clay shot into the surroundings, and plumes of smoke rose around the clay statues. The sound of cracking continued to echo around the square. The clay statues of the martial god and the scholarly god were unable to break free no matter how they roared and bellowed.

Arcs of lightning flashed inside the treasure pagodas formed by the demon-suppressing talismans, and it was as if Heavenly Lords from the Thunder Department were using whips of lightning to viciously strike evil beings. The two clay statues were firmly suppressed in the treasure pagodas.

The second battlefield involved First, the flying sword that Chen Ping’an had summoned just moments back. It finally hadn’t insisted on making a flashy entrance from the Sword Nurturing Gourd this time, instead opting to sneak in without alerting the woman in white. However, it was a pity that she possessed a defensive bracelet that had blocked that deadly strike for her, preventing her head from being separated from her body.

Perhaps First had become truly angry, or perhaps it was like a child who had found a new toy. It started to ignore Chen Ping’an’s thoughts, and it focused its attention on the emerald green bracelet. As if forging iron, it continued to strike the bracelet again and again. It purposely slowed down as well, and it controlled the region where the bracelet could travel.

The final battlefield was naturally the one where the deadly battle between Chen Ping’an and the woman in white was taking place. The woman was determined to kill this young “sword cultivator” first.

She charged over with her blood-red sword, and she roared at the two halls honoring the god of wealth and the Tai Sui at the same time. The yin entities and female ghosts itching for action immediately surged out and transformed into black smoke, blotting out heaven and earth as they rushed toward Chen Ping’an who was standing alone in the square.

The young girl with silver bells on her wrists and feet initially wanted to rush over to help Chen Ping’an, but the young boy looked at her and warned her not to become involved with his eyes.

The young girl didn’t act rashly, and obediently stayed put in the first battlefield. However, she gently moved her arms and feet, causing her silver bells to continuously emit ethereal rings. She used her full strength to send the faint golden flowers out from under the eaves of the main hall, and she insisted on helping Chen Ping’an exterminate the female ghosts even though her face was already deathly pale.

To Chen Ping’an, the young girl’s willingness to help him was already enough.

He forcefully swung his arms, causing a turbulent and dazzling fist aura to flow over them. This was none other than the Rain Evaporation Technique that Cui Chan’s grandfather had taught him. His abundant aura instantly burst outward, slamming into the dozen or so female ghosts who had rushed out from the side halls and were viciously charging toward him.

They were already being scorched and severely wounded by the scattered rays of sunshine, and Chen Ping’an’s punch was also a domineering one that had the aura of a formidable warrior. This wounded them even further, and their sharp fingernails which were as long as fingers were unable to get within three meters of Chen Ping’an.

Chen Ping’an was far more capable than just throwing a single punch. He leaned backward, and he instantly retreated several meters with a tap of his feet. He dodged the sword strike of the woman in white, yet the beautiful female bone ghost was like a parasite that wouldn’t let go of him. Her feet didn’t touch the ground, and she simply dashed across the air as she chased after Chen Ping’an. She thrust her sword forward.

However, Chen Ping’an also took this opportunity to assume a fist stance filled with an ancient flavor and throw another two punches. A full dozen ghosts chaotically running around were instantly obliterated.

The beautiful ghost in white started to run through the air quicker and quicker, and her hair billowed in the wind as she roared, “You truly deserve to die!”

The tip of her long sword was only a few inches away from piercing through Chen Ping’an’s heart.

Chen Ping’an twisted his feet, and he emulated what Ma Kuxuan had done during their fight on the street. He started to spin around like a spinning top. Not only was he able to dodge the woman in white’s sword strike, but he was even able to seize this opportunity to close the distance between them and throw a punch at her face.

However, the beautiful ghost in white surprisingly transformed into a cloud of white mist and dispersed into the surroundings. She reappeared more than teb meters away. She made a dragging motion with her hand, and the blood-red sword that she had left behind spun a half circle and slashed down at Chen Ping’an’s elbow.

Chen Ping’an didn’t hesitate to use his last inch movement talisman. He appeared beside the beautiful ghost again, and the abundant fist aura enveloping his body made him seem like the scorching sun. The beautiful bone ghost shrieked in pain, and it no longer had the time or effort to control the blood-red sword in the distance. It used the same technique as just then, and it transformed into a cloud of white mist that quickly dispersed into the surroundings.

There was a solemn and determined expression on Chen Ping’an’s face, and he quietly said in his mind, “First!”

Even though it was unwilling, the flying sword still left its current battleground and shot through the air, directly stabbing at the beautiful female bone ghost who had only just reappeared. The emerald green bracelet and the blood-red sword faltered momentarily the instant that she disappeared for the second time, and it was as if they were hesitating because they had lost contact with their owner.

The beautiful ghost finally became panicked and flustered when she noticed the flying sword shooting toward her glabella. She covered her face with her hands, and her hair also furiously curled around to protect her face.

The exquisite and snow-white flying sword quietly came to a hovering stop in front of her. It didn’t continue to shoot forward.

However…

A cold sensation spread across the back of her head.

1. Refers to 冰糯, a type of jade. ?