Chapter Thirty-Eight: Huo Tianqing Accompanies Xie Yingying

Gritting her teeth, Xie Yingying answered each word with difficulty, "It's a long story... Master, you need to pull yourself together and deal with Bai Qirui first."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Bai Shengyun vanished in the blink of an eye and appeared in a flash, striking.

"Your lightness skill is impressive," Huo Tianqing’s eyes brimmed with admiration, his fighting spirit surging. Dressed in black, his robe billowed though there was no wind. "In that case, let me test your skills myself. How about it?"

As he spoke, Bai Shengyun had already appeared before them. He reached past Huo Tianqing, grasping straight for Xie Yingying’s shoulder.

On reflex, Xie Yingying dodged to the side. Huo Tianqing blocked Bai Shengyun with a single hand, a startling red gleam flashing in his eyes.

Seeing Huo Tianqing stand in his way, Bai Shengyun gave a cold snort. Points of starlight gathered in his palm, forming a spiritual sword that swept out in an instant.

The blade was cold and keen, but Huo Tianqing caught it between two fingers, the sword letting out a faint, ringing hum.

"If you’re going to use a spiritual sword, I can't let myself fall behind, can I?" Huo Tianqing chuckled softly.

With a flick of his sleeve, dark clouds rolled across the sky, blocking out all light. In the blink of an eye, myriad mimosa blossoms burst into bloom across the land. Wisps of green smoke curled from their stamens, and as moments passed, dozens of seductive spirits emerged, each in a different pose, their beguiling laughter echoing in the air.

All those present, except for Bai Shengyun, Huo Tianqing, and Xie Yingying, were utterly entranced by these spirits, their eyes gleaming with lust, transformed into lecherous fools.

At that moment, pale hands broke through the earth, waving gently, their sharp talons enough to chill the blood at a glance. Yet these people seemed oblivious, staring fixedly at the alluring spirits.

The ghostly hands seized their ankles, drawing long bloody scratches with their claws, as though intent on dragging them into the earth and burying them alive, to sleep forever underground.

A bloodstained skeletal hand reached out, clutching Bai Shengyun’s boot and tightening its grip.

A strange, eerie laughter arose on the wind, its source unknowable.

Bai Shengyun’s expression was cold. He kicked the skeletal hand to pieces with one foot, then crushed the bones with another.

A mournful scream echoed from below, but Bai Shengyun merely responded with a disdainful snort.

In an instant, everyone present awoke as if from a dream, realizing their perilous predicament. Some found themselves half-buried in earth and scrambled desperately to escape, dragging the ghostly hands out with them.

The seductive spirits before them, seeing their targets recover so quickly, wore faces full of discontent. A few even spat at them, and a woman in blazing red rolled her eyes in annoyance, exclaiming, "Are we really so unappealing?"

Huo Tianqing clapped lightly. "As expected of the Fox Emperor’s heir."

The applause was soft, yet it made everyone’s head throb with pain. Suddenly, rain began to pour without warning, the drops striking like needles and forcing them to hastily raise spirit shields.

But Bai Shengyun merely clasped his hands behind him, watching Huo Tianqing coldly as the rain seemed to avoid him of its own accord.

Golden light glimmered in his eyes; as his spiritual sword dissipated, the rain in midair turned to frost, and soon snow began to fall, easing the suffering of the others.

Yet Xie Yingying was not so lucky; she shivered violently from the cold.

Huo Tianqing, however, remained composed. He gently patted Xie Yingying, transferring a flow of powerful spiritual energy into her, quickly warming her.

Xie Yingying relaxed a little, breathing a sigh of relief. Watching the two men match each other blow for blow, and seeing the bloodied figures all around, she thought in shock: When masters duel, innocents suffer!

Just then, Bai Shengyun activated the primordial energy within Xie Yingying, sending pain so intense she collapsed to the ground, her face deathly pale.

"Master... let’s go, we have to go..." she managed through gritted teeth.

Seeing her in such agony, Huo Tianqing felt a pang of pity. Besides, if Xie Yingying was in this state, he couldn’t fight Bai Shengyun properly. He scooped her up in his arms, tapped his toe lightly, and in a few steps had put a great distance between them and their pursuer.

Bai Shengyun narrowed his eyes and followed close behind, quickly catching sight of Huo Tianqing’s retreating figure.

Huo Tianqing’s senses remained alert; when he noticed Bai Shengyun catching up, his irritation flared. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.

Bai Shengyun, undeterred, continued to launch spiritual attacks at him.

"This Bai Shengyun is truly persistent," Huo Tianqing said irritably. Still, he had the presence of mind to tease Xie Yingying, "Disciple, what did you do to him? He’s so obsessed with you."

Xie Yingying was about to answer when a fresh wave of pain wracked her body. She clutched Huo Tianqing’s shoulder, cold sweat streaming down her face, unable to utter a single word.

Huo Tianqing’s brow furrowed deeply. "What can I do to help you?"

"Get... away... from... here..." Xie Yingying was on the verge of fainting from the pain.

"Alright!"

No sooner had he spoken than his speed increased once more, the scenery blurring past them.

Bai Shengyun suddenly halted, manifesting another spiritual sword in his hand and hurling it straight at Huo Tianqing’s back.

Huo Tianqing leaned aside, dodging the sword, but it unexpectedly spun in midair, its dazzling light forcing him to stop.

The guards, already warned by Bai Shengyun, leapt down at that moment, their prepared formation disks interfacing with the strong light.

As the formation closed around them, Huo Tianqing’s playful air vanished, replaced by icy seriousness. Holding the suffering Xie Yingying, he turned to face Bai Shengyun, murderous intent in his eyes.

Bai Shengyun was utterly unafraid. "Xie Yingying is mine now. How can I just let you take her away?"

Huo Tianqing arched an eyebrow and sneered, "Bai Shengyun, since when did my disciple become yours? Even if you claim you’re married, you need the elders’ approval. When did I ever agree to it?"

"The marriage is complete. We’ve bowed to heaven and earth, served tea to our elders. What business is it of yours now?"

"Oh, your words are amusing," Huo Tianqing laughed heartily. "She’s my disciple. Without my consent, your marriage is invalid! Besides, if you two really are married, by seniority, shouldn’t you call me Master as well? Oh, right—‘Master is as father.’ You might as well call me Father, no?"

Bai Shengyun unleashed a spiritual attack, his voice deep and cold: "You think you deserve that title?"

Huo Tianqing dodged aside, retorting, "Such disrespect! No sense of propriety at all!"

With that, a deadly aura surged from Huo Tianqing, cracking the formation that trapped him and Xie Yingying.

The guards maintaining the formation suddenly felt searing pain throughout their bodies; the backlash destabilized the array and caused them to spit blood and collapse.

Bai Shengyun’s expression remained cold and emotionless as he advanced, intent on blocking Huo Tianqing’s way.

Suddenly, a figure in white appeared before Bai Shengyun, preventing him from advancing further.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Huo Tianqing raised his eyebrows slightly. His spiritual power erupted, shattering the formation completely, and from his sleeve he drew a talisman, channeling the last of his strength to activate it at once.