“A disciple from the Lone Goose Palace… why would they come all the way to the Heavenly Spring Sect’s territory for a fight?” Zhou Kai muttered to himself, his gaze also drawn to the white-clad woman’s figure and swordsmanship.

“Top-grade Metal Spirit Root… a natural-born sword vessel…” Of course, Zhou Kai had heard of this Sword Fairy.

Rumors said that this generation of the Lone Goose Palace had produced an exceptionally talented female disciple, precisely this Shen Hanyi.

It was said she was naturally attuned to the sword and possessed extraordinary comprehension, able to master any sword technique at a glance and perfect it with practice. The Lone Goose Palace regarded her as their future pillar, treasuring her immensely.

But Zhou Kai didn’t believe it!

How could the Lone Goose Palace let a genius who hadn’t fully matured venture into the world so openly and ostentatiously?

Yet seeing her today, she truly lived up to her reputation.

With the Sword Control seventh-layer cultivation and severe injuries, she could still fight so fiercely against two Heavenly Spring Sect disciples of the same level. This level of strength was truly terrifying.

The two Heavenly Spring Sect disciples coordinated seamlessly.

The long-faced disciple took the offensive, his crimson gourd continuously spewing surging flames, tongues of fire like pythons; the burly disciple supported with a cyan flying sword, cunning and vicious, specifically targeting gaps in Shen Hanyi’s defense.

The flames from the crimson gourd coalesced into a ferocious firebird. Shen Hanyi’s eyes narrowed, and instead of retreating, she advanced.

Little did she know, the cyan flying sword transformed into a streak of light, ambushing her from behind at her heart.

Her long sword hummed. Sword aura refined to its utmost erupted abruptly, striking with pinpoint accuracy toward the burly disciple.

This sword was too fast.

The burly disciple clearly hadn’t expected Shen Hanyi, under such a pincer attack, to dare choose such an aggressive tactic, even partially abandoning her defense against the flames.

He only had time to recall his cyan flying sword to block while simultaneously activating his defensive magical artifact. A faint yellow light shield appeared.

This sword was too sharp.

The faint yellow shield shattered like an eggshell.

Immediately after, the golden-white sword aura sliced through the cyan flying sword without any resistance. Its remaining momentum undiminished, it instantly swept past the burly disciple’s neck.

“Urk…” The burly disciple’s eyes bulged wide in disbelief as he watched his body separate from his head. Just like that, he died.

“Junior Brother!” The long-faced disciple’s eyes nearly burst with rage; he hadn’t expected to lose one person in just one exchange.

But his reaction was also extremely swift. Seizing the moment when Shen Hanyi’s figure froze for an instant after killing the burly disciple, he rapidly formed hand seals. The firebird lunging at Shen Hanyi suddenly accelerated and slammed hard into Shen Hanyi’s back!

“Pfft!”

Shen Hanyi’s body shook violently. Clearly, taking this firebird attack head-on worsened her injuries further.

“Shen Hanyi!” The long-faced disciple’s eyes turned blood-red. He frantically channeled all his spiritual power into the crimson gourd. The flames spewing from the gourd’s mouth almost turned dark red, surging forth once again.

Far from showing fear, Shen Hanyi faced the flames with a resolute look in her eyes.

Though injured, that sharpness belonging to a sword cultivator burned even more fiercely within her.

The golden-white long sword’s radiance surged violently. “Die!”

The sword light left her hand, shooting straight toward that man.

The long-faced disciple’s pupils constricted sharply. He wanted to dodge but could only watch helplessly as that golden-white sword light pierced through his brow.

The dark red sea of flames also struck Shen Hanyi’s body squarely.

Shen Hanyi was thrown backward, landing heavily on the ground several zhang away, kicking up a cloud of dust. Unable to hold on any longer, she fainted.

The golden-white long sword in her hand also flew out, embedding itself diagonally in the ground not far away.

Zhou Kai’s heart pounded wildly.

Thrilling! So thrilling!

The Sword Fairy trading injury for life, forcefully killing two people while herself severely wounded and near death… this was practically a plot straight out of a storybook!

His gaze fell upon the two corpses of the Heavenly Spring Sect disciples, then swept over the fallen Shen Hanyi. His eyes grew fervent.

Zhou Kai used to be a Bandit Cultivator; if not now for looting corpses, then when?

Even if their Storage Bags were full of junk, that gourd was a rare treasure not easily found. And that sword Shen Hanyi used looked quite extraordinary, too.

“Fortune is sought amidst danger!” Zhou Kai whispered to himself and hesitated no longer.

He quickly stepped forward and began searching skillfully.

Two Storage Bags. An intact flame gourd.

Up close now, he could see more clearly Shen Hanyi’s half-exposed fragrant shoulder.

Ethereal and unworldly; her brows and eyes filled with stubbornness.

Seeing her deathly pale complexion and faint breath that seemed on the verge of disappearing, Zhou Kai thought, Seems she’s truly at death’s door.

He reached out to untie the cord of the Storage Bag at her waist…

Suddenly and without warning, Shen Hanyi’s tightly closed eyes snapped wide open!

Not good! She wasn’t unconscious!

Alarm bells blared in Zhou Kai’s mind; a chill shot instantly from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head!

Without thinking—almost instinctively—he yanked himself backward in retreat.

But it was too late!

A silvery cold light shot out from Shen Hanyi’s sleeve like a viper striking!

It was a silver shortsword less than one chi long; its blade thin as a cicada’s wing; its speed extreme!

Zhou Kai only felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder. Looking down, he saw that silver shortsword had already plunged deep into his shoulder blade!

“She faked it! This woman was waiting for me all along!”

Zhou Kai was scared out of his wits. He no longer cared about any Storage Bag; he didn’t even have time to pull out the shortsword from his shoulder. Exploding with all his spiritual power, he turned and ran at what felt like the fastest speed of his life!

“I shouldn’t have been so greedy! After all these years as a Bandit Cultivator, I actually forgot to finish off my target! Done in! Totally done in!”

Behind him came the sound of rushing wind in close pursuit. Glancing back briefly revealed Shen Hanyi chasing after him while dragging her severely injured body along, desperately trying to keep pace.