Nine Evolutions of the True Spirit
Chapter 253: Underestimated

“Sword Unity!”

Hong Shi-Kui was shocked as the magnificent golden sword light slashed the two rings of fire-and-ice into pieces. At the same time, the golden sword light also shattered into many pieces of sword lights that flew towards Hong Shi-Kui.

Hong Shi-Kui’s expression turned gloomy. The Ice Jade Ring in his left hand flew above his head and created a wall of ice in front of him. The spiritual sword lights were blocked by the ice wall, but the ice wall also shattered shortly after.

“Who are you? Why are you interfering with Crystal Palace’s mission? That woman is Chilian Ying, a cultivator wanted by Crystal Palace. If you leave now, Crystal Palace will let this slide.”

A cultivator was seen flying atop a white cloud, with a golden sword playfully flying above him. However, the cultivator’s figure was blurred, as if it was covered by a piece of mosaic fabric.

Hong Shi-Kui’s words clearly didn’t scare the cultivator away. Instead, the cultivator casually made a hand sign causing the golden flying sword above him to enlarge.

Then, the cultivator pointed his finger at Hong Shi-Kui and the giant golden sword stabbed straight towards Hong Shi-Kui’s throat.

“This… this is a mystic treasure, you’re an Enlightened Master!” Hong Shi-Kui exclaimed in shock, but quickly, he denied his claims, and said, “No, that’s not right. You still have arcane energy, it hasn’t transcended into true energy yet, so you’ve clearly not advanced to the Core Forging Realm. But that’s impossible, how can you cast a mystic treasure with just arcane energy?”

Hong Shi-Kui was shocked and puzzled. As an Enlightened Master, he naturally knew the strength of mystic treasures. He had just advanced to the Core Forging Realm, and his cultivation base had yet to be consolidated. As a result, he couldn’t unleash the full strength of an Enlightened Master just yet.

When he saw the giant flying sword coming towards him, he had no choice but to evade.

Lu Ping’s intervention saved Chilian Ying from her death. Just as she opened her mouth, wanting to scold Hong Shi-Kui, her face suddenly turned red and she spat out a mouthful of blood. She was already wounded by Hong Shi-Kui’s surprise attack, but forcibly held it in because she couldn’t show her weakness to him in battle.

However, after Lu Ping came to help, she could no longer suppress her injury and her aura immediately faltered greatly. Her attacks lost their strength and momentum, she was only able to support Lu Ping by impeding Hong Shi-Kui’s movements.

“Who are you?”

Hong Shi-Kui had been depressed ever since his defeat in the North Ocean. Crystal Palace relegated him to a secondary role in the missions in the Northern League. It was only after his breakthrough to the Core Forging Realm that Crystal Palace started to recognize him again, reappointing him to more important roles.

But his luck didn’t seem to just stop there. He ran into Chilian Ying, who was wanted by Crystal Palace, during his mission to deliver a piece of intelligence.

Chilian Ying didn’t know who he was, which gave him the chance to get close enough to deliver a surprise attack. Chilian Ying was wounded and lost her chance to escape; it was only a matter of time before she was defeated. Hong Shi-Kui could already foresee Crystal Palace rewarding him heavily for his meritorious deed.

However, Lu Ping’s intervention was a heavy blow to him. Hong Shi-Kui never thought that even after he advanced to the Core Forging Realm, he would still feel helpless against a Blood Condensation Realm cultivator.

Additionally, Chilian Ying was also still there fighting. Although she was seriously injured, she still had some strength left. Hong Shi-Kui’s situation had started to become precarious against these two Peak Blood Condensation Realm cultivators.

This is not possible!

Hong Shi-Kui looked at the cultivator in front of him. Hong Shi-Kui’s divine revelation was stopped by a layer of divine sense – or divine revelation, whenever he tried to uncover the cultivator’s identity. Furthermore, the cultivator’s aura was fluctuating nonstop, it was extremely strange and unidentifiable.

He must be an Enlightened Master! A strong one at that! He only covered his cultivation base and identity with some secret techniques. There is no way a Blood Condensation Realm cultivator can stop my divine revelation’s detection and force me into such a helpless situation.

Hong Shi-Kui looked at the cultivator. Suddenly, he felt a sense of familiarity that he couldn’t figure out. After a few moments, he recalled his time as Ocean Overturning Gang’s Furious Sea Division Master in the North Ocean.

Back then, the Autumn Cloud Island’s Qiu Clan had told him about a special type of mystic instrument known as a Mirage Robe forged by the Hai Yan Sect. When cultivators wore it, their figure and aura would become indistinct and hard to identify. This was exactly the same situation as the cultivator in front of him right now!

This cultivator… he is from the North Ocean’s Hai Yan Sect!

Hong Shi-Kui was confident of his guess. However, he didn’t dare to expose the cultivator’s identity. Whilst Hong Shi-Kui had just broken through and hadn’t mastered the Core Forging Realm yet, he was still confident he could escape from another Enlightened Master’s pursuit.

However, if he exposed the cultivator’s identity, the cultivator would certainly fight him to the death and kill him here. The reason behind this was that the cultivator was afraid if Crystal Palace knew Hai Yan Sect’s Enlightened Master had interfered with Crystal Palace’s mission, it would exact revenge on Hai Yan Sect.

But little did you know, I’ve already seen through your cover! Hmph, Hai Yan Sect? You are just a mid­-tier sect in the East Ocean, how dare you go against our Crystal Palace!

Hong Shi-Kui’s divine revelation spread out. He was looking for an opportunity to escape while dealing with their attacks.

After I return to the sect, I will report this to higher-ups. We will have the Ocean Overturning Gang retaliate against Hai Yan Sect. Even though the Ocean Overturning Gang was mysteriously hit by the monster tide and suffered heavy losses, it’s still a powerful organization that the North Ocean sects wouldn’t want to deal with.

The heavy losses referred to the deaths of two of the Ocean Overturning Gang’s four Enlightened Masters, with another Enlightened Master being severely wounded.

Finally, Hong Shi-Kui saw the perfect opportunity. He stepped to the side to evade Lu Ping’s Golden Scale Sword, then struck his two jade rings together.

Ding—

A loud crisp sound could be heard. A tide of snow and a sea of fire erupted from the jade rings, rushing towards Chilian Ying. Chilian Ying’s expression changed. She hurriedly dodged out of the way, but unexpectedly the snow tide and sea fire suddenly collided with each other and exploded with great power.

Chilian Ying quickly waved her sleeves to defend herself, while a protective barrier also emerged from her blouse. The barrier was the same color as that of her dress; mostly green with a hint of red.

The explosion released a burst of steam that created fog everywhere, blocking Chilian Ying’s vision, making her lose sight of Hong Shi-Kui.

Chilian Ying quickly swung her sleeves in a circular motion and dispersed the fog away. As the fog cleared, she saw Hong Shi-Kui fleeing in the other direction. It was too late for Chilian Ying to catch up to him.

“We mustn’t let him escape!” Chilian Ying shouted in a hurry. However, she quickly realized that Lu Ping was not her subordinate, and worried that her commanding tone would offend him.

Chilian Ying looked at Lu Ping with an apologetic and pleading gaze, but found that Lu Ping didn’t show any displeasure. However, he also didn’t answer her call, so she was a little disappointed.

Hong Shi-Kui’s intention naturally failed to escape Lu Ping’s eyes.

Suddenly, the fleeing Hong Shi-Kui paused and drastically tilted his head to the side, as if he was dodging an attack.

An invisible flying sword had appeared out of nowhere in front of Hong Shi-Kui, glimmering with a cold, ghostly light, stabbing towards Hong Shi-Kui’s neck.

It was the [Shapeless Sword Art]!

The attack took Hong Shi-Kui by surprise. Although he managed to evade the attack, one of his ears was cut off by the invisible flying sword.

Hong Shi-Kui screamed in pain, while Chilian Ying happily and recklessly rushed towards him. Her sleeves flung out straight towards Hong Shi-Kui’s vitals. Her attacks were fierce and deadly, as if she had to kill him even if it would cost her life.

Although Lu Ping didn’t know why Chilian Ying wanted Hong Shi-Kui dead so badly, he knew that it was impossible for them to kill an Enlightened Master. Unless of course he used his Nascent Life Primordial Stars.

But for Lu Ping to step in and save Chilian Ying from Hong Shi-Kui, he naturally had his own plans, so he wasn’t planning to let her be in danger again.

The Golden Scale Sword made a circle and dived into the sea, and Lu Ping thought, Perhaps she still has some hidden tricks up her sleeve.

——