When Earth Awakened, I Became a Sword Saintess

Chapter 196 : The Genius of the Li Su

196: The Genius of the Li Su

Boom!

The moment Yuyin leaped away, the giant boulder behind her exploded into fragments.

"What a powerful sword technique!" Yuyin’s heart trembled. This woman in white emitted the aura fluctuations of the Void Truth Realm, but her presence was incredibly strong, far surpassing Nan Zhou or the white-haired old man Yuyin had fought before. She was even more powerful than the golden-armored general from earlier. What was her true strength? Even one at the Perfection Stage of the Void Truth Realm wouldn’t be this powerful.

"Hm?" Bai Ruowei landed lightly on a stone stalagmite. "Where did this white-clad woman come from? Could she be the Xia woman those others were talking about?"

Bai Ruowei had heard from the Li Su adventurers upon entering the tomb that besides the Ghost Clan, there was also a mysterious white-clad Xia woman who was unharmed by the mechanisms and guards. Some even suspected she was the spirit of Rain Concubine returned. Bai Ruowei didn’t believe this. If a truly ancient demon goddess had manifested, how could her power be so limited?

"Xia woman, we have no quarrel, but since you have come here, you must be prepared for the consequences." Bai Ruowei leaped into the air, her graceful figure flying toward Yuyin and the Ghost Princess.

Although the Ghost Princess’s body was strong, she was injured in several places and hadn’t yet recovered. Yuyin helped her up with one hand while flicking her long sleeve with the other. The long, white, slender silk scarf flew out like a long white whip toward Bai Ruowei.

This flick, though it was a silk scarf, was incredibly heavy, capable of sending thousand-jun boulders flying.

Smack!

Unexpectedly, Bai Ruowei, timing it perfectly in mid-air, actually caught the scarf. She landed, and she and Yuyin pulled on opposite ends of the scarf, stretching it taut.

The scarf carried a faint, intoxicating fragrance from Yuyin, mixed with a trace of its original scent. The dark embroidery on the scarf made Bai Ruowei’s ice-cold eyes flash.

"This is my Feathered Orchid Scarf. Why is it with you?"

"You? How do you know the name of this scarf?" Yuyin gripped her corner of the scarf tightly, not letting go.

"This is the scarf I lost in the Prison Abyss. Of course I would know it," Bai Ruowei said, her gaze icy as she looked at Yuyin, the other white-clad Xia woman. She couldn’t help but take a deep, subtle breath.

This Xia woman… she was so beautiful. Even as an enemy, one couldn’t deny this beauty.

She wore the same color white, was similarly tall, but her figure was even more enchanting. Her breasts were larger, the curves of her waist and hips even more exaggerated… Her white dress had a daringly high slit, yet it revealed a kind of noble, arrogant beauty, as if she were commanding the four directions with her glamour, reigning over the world. Bai Ruowei was very sensitive. Beyond the raw feminine attraction, she could see something deeper in Yuyin.

But Bai Ruowei’s heart was firm and cold. She immediately dispelled such thoughts. What empress of the heavens? Stop overthinking. Perhaps she was just a bewitching woman underneath it all!

"My scarf?" Yuyin recalled that the scarf had been nameless until a high-minded artist from Lingdu’s literary and art world had named it. Could it be that the Source Spirit fluctuations within the scarf had hinted at its original name to that old artist? This meant the scarf was more extraordinary than she had imagined.

"Now, it belongs to me," Yuyin said, tightening her grip on the scarf. She cherished a scarf, but this one could attack from a distance, could bind enemies, could transform. It was a treasure she loved to use.

"Hmph, is that so? It doesn’t matter. Soon, you will be mine as well…"

"My captive!" Bai Ruowei suddenly let go of the scarf and accelerated, turning into a phantom and instantly appearing before Yuyin.

"So fast!" Even Yuyin’s sharp senses could barely track her.

Bai Ruowei struck with her sword. It was too fast! Yuyin parried with her sword on pure instinct.

Clang!

The two swords collided, the shockwave rippling outward.

"What immense strength!" Bai Ruowei was also shocked. Her opponent’s aura was clearly weaker than hers, but she was not at a disadvantage in terms of pure power or judgment. However, Bai Ruowei’s specialty was not power. She had defeated many whose strength was equal to, or even several times greater than, her own.

"Xia Yuyin, be careful! You are no match for her!" the Ghost Princess said, clutching her lower abdomen and struggling to her feet.

Crack!

Bai Ruowei’s slender, graceful sword, the Purple Snow, suddenly erupted with a blinding purple lightning. The current traveled along Yuyin’s sword and instantly invaded her body.

No matter how fast Yuyin was, she was faster than lightning. Caught completely off guard, her entire body was assaulted by the current. For a moment, she went numb with pain and a host of other sensations.

Bai Ruowei seized the opportunity and spun, delivering a kick.

Bang!

Yuyin’s body was numb and in pain, unable to react in time. She was sent flying by Bai Ruowei’s kick, crashing to the ground a dozen meters away.

"This lightning… impossible to defend against…" Yuyin got to her feet. Her white dress was wrinkled but not damaged by the lightning. Still, her body ached.

However, Bai Ruowei was also stunned. She took my purple lightning and was unharmed?

This was purple lightning, more powerful than the white lightning she had used before.

Swish!

Before Yuyin had fully recovered, Bai Ruowei flew at her again, thrusting her sword. Yuyin’s body still hadn’t fully recovered. She could only put all her power into a single parry.

The blades met, and both were forced back a few steps.

Yuyin saw an opportunity and struck down, but Bai Ruowei countered with an impossibly fast upward slash, imbued with purple lightning.

Clang! Electric light scattered, soul-burying petals fluttered down.

To Yuyin’s shock, she found her sword parried aside by Bai Ruowei’s strike. Her body staggered backward, her defenses wide open. This was the first time since she had begun practicing martial arts that someone had knocked her weapon away.

Humiliation. A shame like never before.

Bai Ruowei was incredibly fast. Yuyin’s coordination and recovery were almost instantaneous, but Bai Ruowei had seized that single moment of opportunity. Her sword swept out in a flash, slashing across Yuyin’s slender waist.

"Yuyin!!" the Ghost Princess cried out in alarm, seeing Yuyin struck across the waist.

"Apologies, girl… This is a war between clans… My strike should not take your life, but it should be enough to destroy all your cultivation… How!?"

Bai Ruowei was shocked to see Yuyin stagger back several steps. Yet, on her waist, above her white dress and sash, there was only a faint mark. Her clothes weren’t even cut.

Yuyin was also terrified. She thought she would be dead or severely injured, but while it felt as if she’d been whipped hard, she looked down and seemed… fine? Her clothes weren’t even torn?

Bai Ruowei’s eyes narrowed. My purple lightning couldn’t damage her dress. And now, my sword couldn’t even cut through her thin blouse? This dress was absolutely no ordinary treasure! Even among the Li Su, very few possessed such a garment, let alone one worn by a person of this strength. This Xia woman’s identity was definitely not ordinary!

Yuyin had worn this dress when she came to the Prison Abyss. Relying on her own movement and parrying, she had never endured a truly powerful attack and had never discovered this.

She treated this dress like a wedding gown, wearing it since coming from the Other Shore. Yuyin’s chest heaved. Today, this dress had almost saved her life. Who would have thought that this fairy maiden’s dress possessed such powerful defensive abilities?

"White gauze dress, its silk gleaming like starlight… Could it be, the legendary Heavenly Silkworm Silk?" Bai Ruowei thought to herself. "Very good. You use my scarf and wear such a treasure. Today, I will capture you alive and strip this precious dress from you!"

Bai Ruowei’s gaze turned cold. Soul-burying petals fluttered around her, and her aura became even more fierce.

Yuyin felt an immense threat. This was bad. Was this woman still not using her full power? Although she had received the inheritance of Rain, she still lacked practice. And the inheritance alone could not bridge the gap between them.

This white-clad woman of the Li Su was not only a major realm higher than her, but her talent, treasures, and secret arts were all exceptionally strong. This woman was no ordinary Void Truth Realm powerhouse. She was a genius female cultivator of the Li Su.

If they were at the same realm, Yuyin would not fear her. But facing a true genius of the Li Su who was a major realm higher, this was truly a fight she could not win. Even with the dress’s strong defenses, it couldn’t cover her entire body. Once the other party knew, they would have a way to counter it. This opponent was not the type to be a self-proclaimed genius; she was a true combat genius who could create miracles. Yuyin felt with chilling clarity that she could not win now.

Bang!

The massive Green Ghost, Pang Shan, suddenly leaped in front of the Ghost Princess. His mountainous body was covered in wounds, many of them ghastly to behold. He hoisted the Ghost Princess onto his shoulder. "Xia woman, we can’t hold them! Protect the Princess! Go!"

"What are you doing? Let go of me, Pang Shan!" the Ghost Princess struggled and shouted.

"Shut up!" Pang Shan clamped the Ghost Princess under his arm and roared at her fiercely. "Xia woman, let’s go!"

"Your Highness the Ghost Princess!"

"Your Highness the Ghost Princess!"

"Damn it! Let’s fight it out with these bastards!"

The other Ghosts, all heavily wounded, unleashed a sky-high wave of bestial ferocity and savagery, charging recklessly at the many Jingyuan School cultivators. For a moment, the cultivators were intimidated and fell back.

Pang Shan, carrying the Ghost Princess, sprinted with great strides toward the depths of the cavern. Yuyin, who had been looking for an opportunity to help the Ghost Princess escape, immediately turned and fled.

A Green Ghost in the middle of being besieged by cultivators suddenly counter-charged wildly. Bai Ruowei, leading several powerful green-robed cultivators, was the first to pursue.

Ahead, many wandering mechanical guards blocked the path.

"Get out of the way!" Yuyin ran in front of Pang Shan, drawing her silk scarf and knocking the blocking statues aside one by one. The statues did not resist. Some, with their hazy, faint consciousness, seemed to understand and actively made way for her.

But Bai Ruowei and her group behind did not have it so easy. The mechanical guards continuously attacked them. The guards weren’t overwhelmingly strong, but they were very durable. Even for Bai Ruowei, defeating so many of them would take considerable time.

Behind them, the auras of the mighty Ghost warriors vanished one after another in a final, desperate burst. Pang Shan gritted his teeth.

Yuyin and Pang Shan, carrying the Ghost Princess, ran all the way to the end of the cavern. Ahead was an ancient stone wall. In the center of the wall was a heavy stone door carved with images of rain, lotuses, and serpents.

Pang Shan, a powerful warrior at the Late-Stage of Void Truth Realm, tried to push the door open, but it didn’t budge.

Words were carved on the side of the door.

"Only one who has received my inheritance may open this door."