The old man’s hands surged with spiritual energy as he struck Xiao Guizi’s right leg heavily.
With a "crack," Xiao Guizi’s right leg was completely fractured.
Xiao Guizi grunted, holding back his screams of pain, and shouted to Xu Zimei, "Senior brother, don’t worry about me. In the next life, I’ll still be by your side."
"Good, rest assured, for the pain he has inflicted on you, I will seek vengeance a thousandfold, ten thousandfold," Xu Zimei nodded and replied.
"Don’t come any closer, or else I will break his other leg," the old man backed away a few steps in a panic, warily eyeing Xu Zimei.
"What does it matter to me if you break his leg?" Xu Zimei asked curiously.
"Aren’t you brothers? You don’t care if he lives or dies?" the old man asked in surprise. "I don’t intend to kill him. Just let me go, and I will spare him."
"What of it if we’re brothers? There’s a saying, ’Would rather let fellow Tao perish than the poor Tao.’ " Xu Zimei shook his head and stepped toward the old man.
A majestic aura enveloped him; the blade of Tyrant Shadow crackled with thunder, mixed with fierce flames that popped and crackled through space.
Xu Zimei looked at the old man and chuckled, "Have you ever experienced the feeling of death, especially the kind where you can neither live nor die?"
As the knife light in Xu Zimei’s hand grew brighter, terror spread across the old man’s face, and he stammered, "Do you truly not care about his life or death?"
No sooner had the old man finished speaking than the sharp blade light burst into a dazzling glow in midair and descended from the edge of the heavens.
"Madman," the old man’s face turned pale, the blade light was incredibly fast; he had no time to dodge.
At that moment, the old man hurriedly positioned Xiao Guizi in front of himself, hoping to use him as a shield against the sharp blade light.
As the blade light was about to strike Xiao Guizi, a dragon’s roar echoed in the sky.
"Way of Inquiry, the seventh form, Wind and Cloud Transforming Dragon."
In midair, the blade light instantly morphed into the shape of a dragon, its roar firmament-shaking.
Endless spiritual energy surged around, and like a sentient being, the dragon deliberately avoided Xiao Guizi, heading straight for the old man.
The old man’s own spiritual energy boiled over; with no time to turn around, one hand shielded Xiao Guizi while the other conjured a bear of spiritual energy.
The bear and the dragon collided with a deafening "boom" echoing all around.
But within moments, the bear’s image was utterly destroyed.
As the dragon rushed towards the old man, Xu Zimei took a step into the air, slicing down with Tyrant Shadow, concentrating endless spiritual energy on the blade, severing the old man’s left arm that held Xiao Guizi.
He threw Xiao Guizi aside, and on the other side, the dragon, having shattered the bear’s image, charged forward with indomitable momentum towards the old man.
The dragon’s roaring echoed nearby, unending waves and storms spreading all around the old man.
As the old man’s screams pierced the air, a "boom" exploded, with bits of flesh scattering in the air.
Xu Zimei turned to look at Xiao Guizi; the dragon’s assault had severely wounded him.
His body was a blur of blood and flesh, his breath hanging on by a final thread.
If Xu Zimei hadn’t pulled him away in time, he would have likely met the same grisly end as the old man.
Xu Zimei shook his head slightly and took out a pill from his Storage Ring, placing it into Xiao Guizi’s mouth.
His healing pills were numerous beyond count, both high and low tier.
As the pill entered his mouth, Xiao Guizi’s blurred flesh visibly started to regenerate.
The pill not only restored Xiao Guizi’s exterior, but his inner body was also rapidly healing.
Xiao Guizi slowly opened his eyes, the excruciating pain that had enveloped his body now gone.
He even felt as though he was filled with strength, more invigorated than before.
"Senior brother," Xiao Guizi looked at Xu Zimei and promptly greeted him.
"Do you resent me for striking without regard just now?" Xu Zimei asked.
"No," Xiao Guizi shook his head and replied. "Although I, Xiao Guizi, haven’t achieved much in life, I am very clear about my own position.
I know that senior brother would never compromise because of anyone.
From the day I started following you, I knew.
My role is to handle some unnecessary troubles for senior brother, to put it simply, running errands.
In return, senior brother can bring me some unimaginable benefits, like the Great Emperor’s Technique I am cultivating now.
Without senior brother, I’d probably still be just an ordinary Inner Sect Disciple within the Sect Gate."
"Do you still remember the first time we met?" Xu Zimei asked.
"I remember, that was when senior brother went to the mission hall to accept a quest," Xiao Guizi nodded and replied.
Xu Zimei smiled, his gaze deep as he looked towards the horizon and spoke faintly, "Everyone who comes into this world will leave something behind.
Family, love, friendship.
Sometimes, I wonder if I am too cold-hearted and should open my heart, letting others into my world."
As he said this, Xu Zimei let out a soft laugh, then fell silent for a while before he continued, "But I always have this premonition inside my heart.
An inexplicable premonition that even I don’t understand.
It tells me that in my life,
I am destined to be alone,
To play the battle song of solitude,
To embark on a one-way journey,
Until the darkness ends, and the world is destroyed.
This premonition has become especially strong since I unlocked the Prison-Suppressing Divine Body.
It’s as if something in the dark is summoning me, calling out to me.
To step onto the distant hymn of the heavens, I am fated to walk a path unlike any other."
Upon hearing Xu Zimei’s words, Xiao Guizi also fell silent for a moment, then said, "Senior brother, don’t overthink it, no matter what, I will follow you."
"Let’s go, I hope I’m just being overly concerned," Xu Zimei smiled.
The sun gently shone on the Hundred Thousand Mountains, this range with its ancient history now serene in the deserted tranquility.
With autumn playing its final chapter, accompanying the last festivity of the season.
Even as the gentle sunlight shined down, the weather remained somewhat chilly.
The howling north wind swept through the entrance of the mountain range, and the bleak branches stood solitary.
All these scenes seemed to be preparing for the arrival of winter.
Xu Zimei and Xiao Guizi set out midway through the Hundred Thousand Mountains, with the Dark Heaven Tiger and Green Jiao Horse sprinting towards the distance.
The two figures disappeared into the dusty expanse.
There are many stories about the Great Emperor of the Three Blades and his bearing of Destiny.
Even though every generation’s Great Emperor is awe-inspiring, the way each Great Emperor shoulders Destiny is carved from a bloody path through blood and fire.