Chapter 45: There Must Be Some Reason You Don’t Dare to Use Your Spiritual Power

Just as Jiang Che was still pondering what Xu Yan’s words meant, Xu Yan’s gaze had already swept over to Xiao Xia, who was anxiously attending to her father’s injuries nearby.

Without any warning, he raised his hand and waved it!

Shii—!

A sharp sword intent instantly sliced through the air, precisely carving a deep, bone-exposing gash across Xiao Xia’s back!

“Ugh!”

Xiao Xia trembled violently, unable to speak, only managing to squeeze out a few stifled sobs from her throat before collapsing weakly into Tie Shu’s arms.

At that moment, Wan Yanfeng’s voice came through the Jade Slip: “Sigh, Shidi, since that’s the case, come back quickly. I’ll send people to deal with it.”

“Yes, Senior Brother. I’ll bring the two children back immediately.” Xu Yan’s voice was calm, as if the attack hadn’t come from him.

No sooner had he finished speaking than he bent down and swiftly scooped up the two still-crying children. With a swift movement, he soared into the sky on his Yu Jian.

……

At night, the dilapidated streets were deathly silent.

Jiang Che’s figure gradually appeared.

His expression was unreadable.

How much he wished he had misheard.

He staggered forward; his lips moved, but no words came out.

Finally, just as he was about to reach Xiao Xia, he collapsed to his knees, too exhausted even to feel the pain in them.

It was as if he couldn’t accept the reality. He was utterly drained.

Every day, he struggled to gather herbs in the forest, but he had never felt this tired.

It shouldn’t be like this!

He was no longer Jiang Che, disciple of the Shenxiao Sect. He was just an ordinary disabled child.

He never wanted to encounter such things. He had even started to like this world a little.

Just then, the corpse of Xie Xuan lying on the ground twitched faintly.

“Cough cough!”

Xie Xuan struggled to sit up, blood still flowing from his chest.

“Good, good, I stole a vial of Gui Xi San from Master! Damn it!

Just wait a few years, I’ll definitely reach Golden Core, maybe even Nascent Soul! I will kill that guy! Including those two bastards who took the money and ran!

Huh?”

Xie Xuan’s wrinkled face turned even paler and more lifeless as he struggled to rise, on the verge of death.

But then his eyes landed on Jiang Che kneeling before him, and the two corpses beside Jiang Che.

Though unclear about the connection between this brat and the two dead men, a twisted, ecstatic joy suddenly drowned out his fear of death.

His twisted lips uncontrollably curled into a ferocious grin, stretching the grim wrinkles on his face.

He greedily stared at the frail, helpless figure, his eyes bursting with cruel delight.

“Hehehe! Little beauty~ waiting for me here! My luck’s really good. Though I didn’t get those two kids, your body here… is even more to my liking!”

Jiang Che never uttered a sound, but two points of cherry-red slowly appeared on the cloth covering his eyes—like blood tears staining the fabric.

Xie Xuan’s raised grin didn’t fade because of Jiang Che’s silence. Instead, it looked like the fierce snarl of a beast licking its wounds.

“So obedient, little beauty… saving me a lot of effort.”

Though blood still poured from his chest, he still managed to lift one of the children.

“Ugh!” Jiang Che was forcibly hoisted into the air by him, feet dangling helplessly.

His body struggled slightly but showed no will to survive.

Seeing Jiang Che’s completely passive, resigned posture, Xie Xuan’s twisted joy grew even stronger.

“Though your body would be better as a furnace, your essence and blood alone are enough to sustain me from early to late Foundation Establishment Stage! Hehehe!

Heaven won’t let me die! After absorbing you and with a few more years, I’ll definitely reach Nascent Soul! Or even higher. Today’s grudge will be repaid a hundredfold!”

At that moment, Xie Xuan was already fantasizing about his future, continuing to find sacrifices to increase his cultivation and exact revenge.

But then—

“Uh… cough…”

A faint, blood-tinged cough sounded from the shadows beneath Xie Xuan’s feet.

Immediately, a cold little hand grabbed onto Xie Xuan’s ankle.

Xie Xuan looked down to see that the mute girl was still alive.

“Not dead yet… how about I start with you? A girl’s essence and blood will also benefit me greatly. First, I’ll heal this wound, then savor this brat properly.”

Xiao Xia’s vacant eyes clung to Xie Xuan’s foot, and Jiang Che’s heart jolted at the sound of her whimper.

Suddenly, Jiang Che bit down hard on Xie Xuan’s hand.

Xie Xuan howled in pain and threw Jiang Che to the ground.

Jiang Che didn’t hesitate; he quickly scooped Xiao Xia into his arms.

Xie Xuan, nursing the pain, shook his hand.

“Damn, biting’s in fashion now? First, I’ll kill this mute girl, then I’ll deal with you properly!”

Xie Xuan said, stepping forward, only to be met with a sudden surge of murderous intent.

That fierce killing intent felt like a sharp sword piercing through his chest.

The illusion was so strong that he instinctively took a step back.

Cold sweat broke out, but looking down at his chest, he found no new wounds.

“Shit! You scared the hell out of me!”

Startled by the intense illusion, Xie Xuan cursed loudly and glared at the little brat before him.

Jiang Che gritted his teeth fiercely, clutching Xiao Xia protectively in his arms.

The overwhelming emotions made Lin Yin within the illusion begin to panic.

At this moment, Jiang Che’s feelings were even angrier, tinged with despair.

“Still want to stay here? You clearly have the power to leave, to kill everyone who opposes you, to forcibly keep Jiang Che by your side.

What is this petty evil cultivator? Not even a fraction of your Spirit Power at your fingertips.”

Lin Yin’s fingers trembled slightly; she wanted to act, to keep Jiang Che by her side forever.

But she was afraid—afraid to explain, realizing she could no longer explain.

The black qi swirling around her body continued to assail her. The formation itself didn’t affect Lin Yin, but the one who set it had not expected it to awaken and even strengthen Lin Yin’s long-dormant Heart Demon.

“If you don’t act soon, your Che’er will be lost to you forever.”

This sentence struck Lin Yin’s most vulnerable spot like a hammer.

Lin Yin abruptly rose!

“No!”

Her fierce shout shattered the dark illusion that had imprisoned her mind like a glass struck by a hammer—“crack”—it shattered with a deafening crash!

Her cold, bone-piercing eyes blazed with violent cold light; deep within, the savage red glow raged like molten lava, surging and erupting!

Outside the space, the phantom trembled violently, its last outline flickering wildly like a candle in the wind.

The intense spiritual pressure made even it gasp for air.

“No! Lin Yin just refused to use her Spirit Power! What is this now?!”

……

Meanwhile.

Xie Xuan steadied himself; it must have been just an illusion earlier.

This kid was Lin Yin’s disciple. Maybe he even had some treasures on him!

Thinking this, Xie Xuan grew even more eager, stepping forward and reaching out his hand.

Suddenly, a pale blue light burst from Jiang Che’s abdomen.

In an instant, Xie Xuan’s right hand vanished.

Thud.

His severed right hand fell to the ground.