Above the clouds, the four figures spectating the clash between the two started to speculate about its outcome.
“That little sneak has a bit of talent afterall.” Shui Bolin, the man with a wild temperament and wearing black robes, curiously observed. “The jade-faced youth is in trouble. The black jade spider is hard to deal with on its own and coupled with that formation, it would be hard for him to escape.”
“The lightness skill and archery the youth displayed earlier are both top notch.” Mu Renshu, the man who has the comely demeanor of a scholar and wearing azure robes, interjected. “If the youth decides to fight from a distance and use his skills wisely, he might have a chance at winning.”
Usually, the four guardians would not care about a scuffle between two Core Formation Stage cultivators. But since the frost dragon refused to move, they were forced to spectate.
At first, Zhou Xue Xian battled as Mu Renshu predicted. She used her archery and lightness skills to fend off Song Ye and his soul avatar. Her agile movements and accurate arrows were mesmerizing to watch. But these skills were not enough to trump the duo.
Song Ye was, originally, not an easy opponent. Perhaps he’d been wary of Zhou Xue Xian and has been giving his all from the beginning of the battle. It didn’t take long for him to realize what Zhou Xue Xian intended to do. Song Ye immediately separated from his soul avatar and gave it a command to commence a pincer attack. Zhou Xue Xian managed to evade being trapped, at first, but was captured soon after.
In order to match the two, Zhou Xue Xian shifted from bow to swords. She wielded her double swords with great efficiency and parried the attacks from both sides with the precision of a master. But no matter how skilled she was, Zhou Xue Xian could not defeat a cultivator who was on a higher realm and had the advantage of a soul avatar with a restrictive formation in place.
“Why isn’t the youth summoning his soul avatar?” Huo Shuang asked, confused. Zhou Xue Xian was slowly falling into dire straits. The youth was extremely gifted in martial arts and her cultivation realm was not to be sneered at as well. But without the use of a soul avatar, he would not be able to win against the duo.
“Because she doesn’t know how to summon it!” Jin Bai, who had his eyes trained on the jade-faced youth the entire time, growled angrily. Jin Bai finally realized why the Holy Sage dispatched the four of them to the Lower Regions and even tasked him to take out the frost dragon. But from the reactions of the other three, only he seemed to realize the truth.
Jin Bai should be celebrating and crowing to the heavens about this sudden development. He waited for a long time and wanted nothing more than this to happen. But instead, Jin Bai was unreconciled. He clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked and turned white. His whole focus was on the youth fighting desperately below.
‘Am I going to die in this place?’ Zhou Xue Xian thought miserably. She was unwilling to accept such a sad reality. It’s not that she was afraid of death but it was because she set off and left Hai Shan Valley hoping to accomplish something great. Now, it seems her road would be prematurely cut!
Zhou Xue Xian frantically waved her double swords, executing a series of swift and complicated movements, in order to block the incoming attacks and launch a proper counter. Her body was riddled with bloody wounds but Zhou Xue Xian refused to give in.
Zhou Xue Xian was waiting for an opportunity, a slight opening that she could exploit. Song Ye is bound to get careless at some point, she only needs to be patient and endure. Even if Zhou Xue Xian cannot defeat Song Ye and his soul avatar, she was confident in breaking the formation and making an escape once that sliver of opportunity presents itself.
But Song Ye must have sensed Zhou Xue Xian’s unyielding thoughts. He redoubled his efforts to dominate her. He and his soul avatar incessantly attacked, leaving no room for Zhou Xue Xian to retaliate. Song Ye didn’t dare slack, not for a moment. Even when he felt Zhou Xue Xian’s resistance growing weaker, he restrained himself from getting carried away. How could he afford to commit mistakes now when it’s clear the end is near?
Zhou Xue Xian grew more aggrieved with Song Ye’s single-minded determination to subdue her. As time wore on, she could barely deflect the attacks from her two assailants. But just when she thought it was the end, out of nowhere, a voice sounded in her head.
“One leaf, one world… One grass, one heaven…” Upon hearing these words, Zhou Xue Xian’s mind was miraculously cleared.
Life is a cycle of the simple and the complex. A drop of water can cause ripples to a calm lake. The same is true with a blade of grass and a dying forest. As long as there is life, there is hope. Nothing and nobody starts big and strong. Everyone is born small and weak. Everything changes and we as creatures with life, eventually, grow.
Facing tribulation is an inevitable part of life. How far one could go or how high one could fly would depend on strength, will and choices made. Everything is linked in one cycle…
The insight Zhou Xue Xian had been missing has finally revealed itself. Her mind was freed from its restrictions and her heart was unburdened. Achieving a breakthrough during a fierce battle is not uncommon or unheard of. But going through it is extremely dangerous. Still, Zhou Xue Xian continued to follow the stream of thought that flowed continuously through her consciousness. She knew that if she missed the opportunity now, she would likely lose the thread and fail to break through.
Song Ye was stunned when Zhou Xue Xian suddenly showed signs of advancing to a higher realm. But he remained focused on his task and recollected himself. He swiftly launched a full-force attack, holding nothing back. If he allowed Zhou Xue Xian to step to a higher realm, his chances of defeating her would surely disappear.
But before Song Ye’s nine-section whip and soul avatar reached Zhou Xue Xian, a ball of blinding light flew out from her chest. The ball of light rapidly expanded and enveloped her body in a protective barrier. In response, Zhou Xue Xian’s body emitted a golden glow that pulsated in rhythm with the blinding light.
At this moment, the clouds parted and a mystical ray encompassed Zhou Xue Xian’s golden body. it was as if she was receiving a baptism from the heavens. An inconspicuous blade of grass slowly materialized in front of Zhou Xue Xian’s chest and wildly spun in place.
Song Ye knew Zhou Xue Xian’s soul avatar was nameless grass that no one recognized or even heard of. Everyone thought the grass soul avatar was an extremely weak immortal spirit beast that rarely manifests and attaches itself on cultivators.
But watching the spinning blade of grass, as it violently sucked the natural energy of heaven and earth within the vicinity to aid Zhou Xue Xian’s breakthrough, Song Ye felt immense pressure and utter terror.
When Xue Xian’s breakthrough finally came to an end, she opened her eyes and tilted her head to look at the clouds above. The harsh expression on her face became gentle as she flashed a serene smile to nothing and no one in particular. And after the fleeting moment, Zhou Xue Xian turned back to face Song Ye.
Without a word, Zhou Xue Xian lightly flicked the spinning blade of grass. Another flash of blinding light followed as the grass transformed into pure sword energy. The sword energy congealed and broke apart into countless lotus bodhis that were filled with the energy of heaven and earth.
The sight was both beautiful and terrifying. And with a thought, the countless lotus bodhis flew towards Song Ye and viciously ripped him apart.
