"Sect Leader Zhan, your sect's discipline is lacking, allowing your elders to injure others. Now you speak such high-sounding words, do you feel no shame?"
Jing Qiu blamed the entire Huofou Sect.
In her eyes, the Huofou Sect was just a minor sect daring to treat her with such disregard. She assumed they had long harbored ill will towards Mingyue Pavilion.
For Jing Qiu, insulting Mingyue Pavilion was even more infuriating than insulting her personally.
Even if it cost her life, she would make these people pay the price.
Even a clay figurine has its temper. Zhan Fei, as a sect leader, couldn't maintain his composure when being scolded directly.
However, he couldn't bring himself to join Xu Yi in a two-on-one fight. He could only cast an encouraging glance at Xu Yi and then silently retreat several steps, clearing a wider area for Xu Yi.
Xu Yi couldn't help but scoff, shaking her head. "Now I finally understand why that guy surnamed Wang is so deserving of a beating. It turns out the rot starts from the top."
What was initially a simple matter was made to seem like an irreconcilable feud by Jing Qiu.
Xu Yi, noticing Jing Qiu's emphasis on reputation, deliberately added, "It seems Mingyue Pavilion is nothing special either."
This was a strike at the heart.
Upon hearing this, Jing Qiu's eyes erupted with intense killing intent, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Xu Yi dared to insult Mingyue Pavilion in public!
She deserved to die!
Jing Qiu slammed her right hand onto her storage bag, her voice chilling as she said, "Summon the supreme treasure!"
Xu Yi watched Jing Qiu with amusement as a ten-zhang tall alchemical cauldron suddenly appeared before her. The cauldron was adorned with nine golden dragons, which seemed to writhe and move as if alive under the sunlight.
The moment Xu Yi saw the cauldron, her heart rate quickened.
With a single glance, she recognized it as a rare supreme treasure.
She had been refining alchemy for years but still lacked a suitable cauldron.
Perhaps...
"Anoint the cauldron!"
Jing Qiu, who had positioned herself behind the cauldron at some point, shouted and unhesitatingly struck her own chest.
"Pfft!"
Her vital blood, imbued with dense spiritual energy, fell onto the cauldron and was quickly absorbed by its body.
The nine golden dragons on the cauldron's surface suddenly opened their blood-red eyes, unleashing a surge of chilling energy that swept outwards.
Xu Yi felt a piercing coldness, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
The stronger this alchemical cauldron was, the happier she became.
Jing Qiu took a deep breath, formed a hand seal, and looked at Xu Yi with a frosty expression. "If you apologize for your previous arrogance, I can spare your life."
Xu Yi's expression showed a hint of panic.
Before Jing Qiu could sneer, she heard Xu Yi say earnestly, "Don't, please don't hold back. Make sure I witness the true power of this alchemical cauldron."
Jing Qiu's heart clenched, finding Xu Yi even more repulsive.
Without another word, she channeled a hand seal towards the cauldron. The nine golden dragons on its surface suddenly raised their heads, and to everyone's astonishment, they roared and flew out of the cauldron one after another, coiling and circling in the air.
The nine golden dragons obscured half the sky, casting it into a dim and unclear state, exuding an immense sense of pressure.
Jing Qiu struck her chest again, "Anoint the Nine Dragons!"
The nine golden dragons simultaneously roared, their deafening dragon cries resonating through heaven and earth.
The disciples of the Huofou Sect were shaken to their core, their faces instantly turning pale. Fortunately, Zhan Fei intervened in time, shielding them from the remaining sonic attacks.
Zhan Fei looked up at the golden dragons overhead with a grave expression, marveling at how much richer Mingyue Pavilion's resources were compared to the Huofou Sect, possessing such a mysterious supreme treasure.
Wang Biyun raised her head, her eyes fixed with fervent longing on the alchemical cauldron before Jing Qiu. This was the Nine Dragon Cauldron, Mingyue Pavilion's supreme treasure!
If she could become the Sect Leader of Mingyue Pavilion, this Nine Dragon Cauldron would be hers, making her even more formidable.
As Wang Biyun indulged in unrealistic fantasies, Xu Yi's thoughts were quite similar.
It was a shame to use such an alchemical cauldron as an offensive artifact; its true efficacy would only be realized through alchemy.
Xu Yi drew out her Chastisement Ruler in return, her eyes showing a determined look.
"Go!"
The nine golden dragons roared and charged towards Xu Yi.
Xu Yi's internal spiritual energy was rapidly drawn out and injected into the Chastisement Ruler. A wisp of ethereal blue light suddenly appeared on the ink-black ruler.
As the nine golden dragons closed in, Xu Yi grunted, bringing the Chastisement Ruler down with a forceful slash.
The violent black energy, laced with scorching heat, collided with the nine golden dragons like a storm.
A colossal spiritual energy fluctuation instantly swept outwards.
The thunderous collisions, intertwined with dragon cries, made the earth tremble. The ground was scoured away, with over a zhang of soil and debris flying everywhere.
Even Zhan Fei, who was prepared, changed his expression and once again enveloped all the disciples in spiritual energy, retreating rapidly.
However, this time, whether due to carelessness or some ulterior motive, he left Wang Biyun alone amidst the crowd.
Wang Biyun, with her cultivation only at the Nascent Soul stage, had no resistance against the aftermath of a Combined Body realm battle. Before she could escape, she was instantly flung away, disappearing from sight in an instant.
Yet, no one paid attention to her whereabouts at that moment. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the dim expanse ahead, their hearts filled with both anticipation and dread.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Suddenly, a heart-wrenching cough came from within. The Huofou Sect members' faces relaxed; it was Jing Qiu's voice.
Indeed, as the dust slowly dispersed, a weakened Jing Qiu emerged from behind the cauldron.
She leaned on the Nine Dragon Cauldron with one hand, her hair disheveled and falling onto her shoulders. The hairpin on her head was gone, her chest stained with blood, making her appear ten years older in an instant.
She glared resentfully at the front, her eyes filled with unwillingness and humiliation.
She had lost, lost to a cultivator who had just broken through to the Combined Body stage.
She had disgraced the entire Mingyue Pavilion.
The overwhelming shame seized her mind, causing her to cough up another mouthful of blood.
"Not bad, a good treasure. This belongs to me now."
On the other side of the Nine Dragon Cauldron, Xu Yi withdrew her hand from it with great interest. She began to envelop the Nine Dragon Cauldron with spiritual energy, expelling the energy Jing Qiu had infused into it.
"Xu Yi, you dare..."
Sensing Xu Yi's actions, Jing Qiu's eyes widened in fury. She tried to stop her, but she was already inferior to Xu Yi, and now injured, she could only hold on for a few breaths before Xu Yi forcibly severed her connection with the Nine Dragon Cauldron.
The Nine Dragon Cauldron visibly shrank and, under everyone's watchful eyes, was directly pocketed by Xu Yi into her storage ring.
"Xu Yi!"
Jing Qiu collapsed to the ground, letting out a weak roar. She stared intently at Xu Yi, as if wanting to devour her alive.
Xu Yi took a few steps forward, standing before her and looking down at her from a superior position, stating calmly, "You are outmatched. Should you not accept defeat gracefully?"
"Xu Yi, Xu Yi..."
Jing Qiu repeated Xu Yi's name, the blood in her eyes growing heavier. Her aura gradually became erratic, showing signs of demonic transformation.
Xu Yi frowned. This person was truly obstinate.