Chapter 23: Radiant Armor

Shen Chang'an and Li Qingqing surveyed the blood-drenched grounds without betraying any emotion. Both were seasoned veterans who had seen their fair share of conflict; though the scene was unexpected, it was not enough to rattle them.

"Let’s go inside and take a look."

As Shen Chang'an led Li Qingqing inside, the metallic stench of blood grew stifling within a few paces.

"It sounds like there’s fighting going on," he remarked. Having cultivated supernatural senses, Shen Chang'an possessed keen sight and hearing. While not as refined as the "nose god" of legend, the commotion of battle was loud enough for him to discern.

Li Qingqing quickly grabbed his arm. "Taoist, there’s a well over there. Let me get a drink of water first."

Shen Chang'an nodded. "Very well. I’ll go ahead and check things out."

Li Qingqing clung to him tightly. "No, no! If something jumps out at me, I won't be able to defend myself—I’ll be dead in an instant."

Shen Chang'an frowned slightly, but eventually sighed in resignation. "Fine, I’ll accompany you to find water first." He understood her intent: she was stalling for time, hoping the conflict inside would conclude so she could drag him away. However, Shen Chang'an was determined to uncover what had caused such a massacre.

When they reached the well, Li Qingqing turned pale. A corpse hung over the edge, its blood trickling into the water, turning it into a pool of gore. Worse, the body was covered in festering sores and its skin was a dark, purplish-black—a clear sign of poisoning. Li Qingqing refused to drink from it.

Shen Chang'an sighed. "A manor this large must have more than one well. There will be water jars in the kitchen; you’ll find water there."

Reluctantly, Li Qingqing nodded and followed him deeper into the manor. As they progressed, the stench of blood intensified, accompanied by an insidious, overwhelming demonic aura that made Shen Chang'an frown.

"What on earth is happening in this manor? What kind of monster have they provoked?"

Apprehensive, Shen Chang'an gathered Li Qingqing into his arms and surged forward at top speed. As he reached the inner courtyard, the reek of blood seemed to rise to the heavens, and the nauseating demonic miasma made him gag. He quickly suppressed his sense of smell and kicked open the inner gate.

Inside, he saw a group of people with skin turned purplish-black, dancing and shrieking in a delirious state, occasionally tearing at one another. Amidst them stood a figure clad in armor, wielding a broadsword and slaughtering the crazed crowd. The blade was drenched in blood, which dripped onto the figure's armor, lending them a terrifying, savage appearance.

"What… is going on here?"

Even with his senses dampened, Shen Chang'an could clearly detect the demonic aura radiating from the people. He glanced at the armored figure and gasped, "Yu Qingxian?"

He never expected to encounter her here. She was encased in "Bright Light Armor," its shimmering surface obscuring her form, and her helmet hid her features. He recognized her only by the divine sword at her waist.

When the four divine swords had fallen from the heavens, two had belonged to Xue Lie, yet for some reason, Yu Qingxian had been able to wield one of them. When Shen Chang'an had clashed with Xue Lie over the blades, he had barely escaped having his hands severed by the sword qi, whereas Yu Qingxian had drawn hers with ease. Xue Lie had left the blade with her rather than reclaiming it.

Because of that bizarre event, the sword had left a deep impression on him. It was entwined with a dragon, making it look more like a staff than a blade; the scabbard was the dragon itself, and drawing the sword felt as if it were being extracted from the dragon’s body.

Recognizing the weapon, he knew it was her. Yet, Yu Qingxian remained indifferent to his arrival, her broadsword rising and falling as heads tumbled to the ground with every step.

"Do you know her?" Li Qingqing asked from behind.

Shen Chang'an nodded, gesturing toward the kitchen. "Go inside, find some water, and hide."

Li Qingqing didn't hesitate and hurried toward the kitchen. Shen Chang'an shouted, "Yu Qingxian! Don’t you remember me?"

*Slash!*

The broadsword moved again, and another circle of heads fell. One head flew through the air due to the sheer force of her strike. Shen Chang'an realized then how the bodies outside had come to be—she had been slaughtering her way to the inner courtyard. But how had she bypassed them to enter the manor? It made no sense.

Seeing the victims, he realized they were not transformed into demons, but merely corrupted by the aura. Since she was effectively massacring helpless people, he could not stand by. He kicked a stone toward her blade.

*Clang!*

The broadsword struck the stone, leaving a notch in the metal. Shen Chang'an felt a jolt; his kick had been powerful enough to shatter ordinary weapons. This blade was clearly no mere steel.

Blocked, Yu Qingxian finally looked toward him. That gaze sent a chill down his spine. A lethal killing intent surged toward him, triggering his survival instincts.

*Hum!*

He swung his alloy staff in an arc, colliding with the charging Yu Qingxian.

*Bang!*

She staggered, steadied herself, and lunged at him again. Shen Chang'an felt his scalp tingle. He had put his full strength into that blow, fearing he might hurt her, yet she had ignored his brute force entirely.

"That armor... Damn it, is this how everyone in the Demon Suppression Bureau fights?"

He recalled the first member of the Bureau he had met—a flag officer who had relied on impenetrable armor to rampage through the White Lotus Society's markets. Yu Qingxian’s armor was clearly far superior; his strongest strike hadn't even left a scratch.

"Yu Qingxian, wake up!"

She ignored him, discarded her notched broadsword, and threw a punch at his face. Shen Chang'an attempted to use his telekinesis to intercept the blow, but the moment his power touched the Bright Light Armor, it shattered.

"Damn it! It's gear that can disrupt telekinesis!"

Before he could react, her fist connected. The impact was immense; he was sent flying through a wall and crashed heavily to the ground.

*Cough!*

He spat out blood, his limbs feeling as though they were shattering. It was his first time experiencing the terror of being completely suppressed by someone stronger. There was no opening, no path to victory—only despair. The most hopeless aspect of her armor was its defense; while he had to rely on technique and speed, she could simply stand there and let him strike her, all while one counter-attack could cost him his life.

As he struggled to breathe, Yu Qingxian pursued him. Realizing he could no longer hold back, he drew the Deadwood Sword.

"Come!"

He slashed, and a crescent of sword qi erupted. Simultaneously, Yu Qingxian sensed the danger; the dragon-entwined sword at her waist let out a roar like a real dragon, flew into her hand, and she met his strike with a thrust of her own.

*BOOM!*

The colliding forces blew them both backward. When she landed, her helmet fell off, and Shen Chang'an looked up to see her face—she was weeping.