Chapter 40: Blocking the Path!

Yufan's sword tip quivered slightly, every stroke seeming to trace invisible trajectories in the air and stirring delicate ripples, much like a gentle breeze caressing the surface of water.

That flash of sword light, cold and swift, struck directly at the leading figure in the black robe.

The black-robed leader remained motionless, merely raising a single hand whose palm seemed to possess a suction force, effortlessly catching the fierce sword beam right in his grasp. The moment they met, a subtle yet dazzling micro-light burst forth, resembling the sudden blooming of the most inconspicuous star in the night sky.

Meanwhile, Fang Yu moved with fluid agility, like an elf weaving through the dark night. She held an object in each hand—seemingly delicate jade flutes, though they actually harbored hidden depths.

With a light leap, she landed on the outer perimeter of the black-robed figures' encirclement. Spinning her jade flutes, they transformed into two streams of light that respectively entangled the wrists of two black-robed men. Borrowing their momentum against them, she pulled them apart one by one, buying Yufan a precious moment to catch his breath.

The air was thick with tension and a murderous aura. The black robes fluttered violently in the night wind, intertwining with Fang Yu's ethereal figure and Yufan's resolute sword shadows to form a breathtaking spectacle.

Seeing this, a flash of determination crossed Yufan's eyes. Internal energy surged within him, causing his sword tip to vibrate once more. This time, gathering all his strength, the sword light surged drastically, transforming into a brilliant silver dragon shadow that roared as it lunged toward the black-robed leader.

Wherever the dragon shadow passed, the air seemed to be torn apart, leaving visible fissures in its wake with a heaven-destroying momentum.

The leader of the black robes changed expression slightly, yet his movements remained composed. With a slight flip of his palm, a profound black Qi gushed out from his hand, violently colliding with the silver dragon shadow. Where the two forces met, a brilliant radiance burst forth, turning the surroundings as bright as day and illuminating everything around them.

As for Fang Yu, her movements were ghostly. Her jade flutes had transformed into a pair of sharp short blades, weaving seamlessly among the black-robed men. Every strike was executed with absolute precision, whether thrusting or slicing. The enemies' attacks were neutralized one by one; some failed to dodge in time, resulting in their black robes being torn to reveal the cold armor beneath.

Like a dancer upon a battlefield, using her flutes as swords and her body as a shield, she protected Yufan while simultaneously carving out a precious opportunity for a counterattack.

The air grew heavy with the smell of blood and unyielding spirit as the battle reached its white-hot climax.

Yufan's sword tip traced a gorgeous arc in the air, resembling the very first ray of dawn piercing the morning sky, driving straight toward the black-robed leader with unstoppable sharpness. Wherever the sword light reached, the air seemed to ignite, erupting into layers of delicate ripples that spread outward at a speed difficult for the naked eye to catch.

A trace of surprise flickered in the leader's eyes before his hand closed like an iron clamp with pinpoint accuracy around the sword tip. The instant they touched, tiny blue-purple electric arcs leaped between the blade and his palm, releasing a series of crackling sounds that echoed like ancient lightning in the night sky.

A sneer crept up the corner of the leader's mouth as dark internal energy churned in his palm, intending to blast Yufan's sword away.

Yet, flames of unyielding defiance burned deep within Yufan's eyes, and his internal energy rushed like a surging river, continuously pouring into the blade.

The sword body actually trembled slightly under the leader's tight grip, emitting a series of deep hums, like a great dragon about to break free from its shackles.

The strength of the two reached a delicate equilibrium at that moment; the surrounding air seemed frozen by this clash, and time itself felt as though it had stopped.

Increasing the pressure of his iron clamp, the leader shouted, "Bang!"

Moving instantly and swiftly, he appeared right before Yufan, rapidly extended a hand, and knocked Yufan unconscious.

The leading black-robed figure flashed like a ghost in the night, instantaneously crossing the space to appear right in front of Fang Yu. He delivered a fierce roundhouse kick in mid-air, carrying a whistling wind straight toward her back.

Fang Yu faltered slightly, but immediately displayed astonishing reaction speed. Leaning forward abruptly like a fallen leaf touching water, she plunged the short blade in her right hand directly into the ground and bounced off it with a rebound, propelling her entire body skyward like an arrow released from a bow, tracing an graceful arc through the air.

As she spun in mid-air, the short blade in her left hand flashed with a cold glint under the moonlight, striking out at an unimaginable angle with its tip aimed straight at the leader's brow.

However, the leader's movement technique was equally bizarre and unpredictable. With a mere sway of his body, he ghost-like effortlessly evaded this fatal sword beam. That flash of chill merely left a faint cutting sound by his cheek, failing to inflict the slightest injury.

Beneath his black hood, his eyes gleamed with a cruel light, as though this battle were nothing more than a game to him.

Fang Yu thrust a sword toward the leader's direction, but as she aimed, he simply swayed and dodged it.

The leader merely chuckled ominously and said, "Interesting. Come on! The real battle is only just beginning."

Before her feet touched the ground, Fang Yu leveraged her momentum to flip in mid-air, her toes lightly tapping the empty air as if treading on an invisible staircase, instantly closing the distance between herself and the black-robed leader.

Her eyes burned like torches, locked onto the eyes hidden within the darkness, while the short blade in her hand shone with resolute brilliance under the moonlight.

"Then let me see what is so different about your so-called 'real battle'!" Fang Yu shouted softly, her internal energy surging as her entire body was enveloped in a faint layer of silver radiance—the ultimate manifestation of her cultivation.

A playful smile curved the corner of the leader's mouth. Slowly raising both hands, black Qi gathered in his palms, gradually forming two rotating black mists that devoured the surrounding light like the deepest whirlpools in the night sky.

"Break..." uttered the black-robed leader.

Bang... Under this impact, the surrounding wild grass bowed slightly...

The sky hung heavy with a tense atmosphere...

Xingchenzi, carrying a heavy, bulging pack, panted as he hurried through the night-shrouded dense forest. Every step felt exceptionally heavy, yet an undying resolve and brilliance flickered deep within his eyes.

Starlight filtered through sparse leaves, casting mottled patterns upon his resolute face. Sweat trickled down his forehead, dripping onto the soil below, where it was instantly swallowed by the night.

"Hoo—ha—" He breathed heavily, chanting silently in his heart: "I am Xingchenzi, bearing the mission of the stars; how can I be halted by mere fatigue?" Adjusting his breathing, he tried to fumble for a bottle of medicinal pills from his backpack. His fingers were slightly clumsy from trembling, but at last, he successfully retrieved a single pill and swallowed it without hesitation.

The pill melted upon contact with his tongue, and a surge of warmth instantly flooded his entire body, causing the exhaustion to lift slightly.

Yet, looking back, Fang Yu and the leader were locked in fierce combat...

Fang Yu's figure trembled violently. Like a withered leaf caught in a tempest, she collapsed weakly to her knees, blood spilling from the corner of her lips to stain her collar.

Her left hand pressed tightly against her chest, where a scorching fire seemed to burn; every breath was accompanied by a tearing pain.

The tip of her sword plunged deep into the soil, trembling as if whispering its master's defiance and helplessness.

The black-robed leader slowly paced toward her, the eyes hidden within the darkness flashing with a cruel light. He waved his right hand gently, as if directing a play whose ending was long since written. "Take her." His voice was low and powerful, allowing no room for dissent.

Instantly, black-robed figures emerged from the shadows like ghosts. Moving swiftly and in tacit coordination, they formed an invisible net that tightly encircled Fang Yu.

Two of them stepped forward, grabbing her arms from left to right. Too weak to struggle, her body hung limp, leaving her at their mercy as they dragged her away.