"Will we be back?" Bàolì Hua inquired softly and Heng Xīnyán hummed, "If time allows."
Bàolì Hua's furrowed brows straightened.
As they walked the dark spiritual energy slowly got thinner and their surroundings got brighter. Heng Xīnyán mused, "Guess we're almost out of the forest."
Bàolì Hua stayed silent but her eyes slowly brightened.
Soon, they exited the forest. Bright sunlight shone down on their faces. Feeling the warmth of the sun once again, Heng Xīnyán's lips curved into a smile and she looked around the vast green pasture.
"So, this is how the outside the forest looks," Bàolì Hua muttered, releasing Heng Xīnyán's hand from her arm. She slowly approached the vast green pasture with gentle steps. Heng Xīnyán followed her silently, relaxed.
However, their peace was ruined by a hoarse-sounding voice. It interrupted their peaceful walk and their faces snapped in the direction where they heard the voice.
"Ahhhh, such beauties!" He exclaimed, "One is seductive and fierce," His greedy beady eyes watched Heng Xīnyán's face with fascination then he turned to Bàolì Hua. "And the other pure and cold."
Both females frowned as they watched the male who stood on an old rock altar near the forest, his lips curved into a sinister smile. "But one thing… why did you come out of the Enchanted Rose Forest that is filled with evil spiritual energy?" His eyes narrowed on them as he stood with a straight back, in his hand was a long sword flashing faint silver. Indicating that its owner was feeding it spiritual energy.
Ready for battle.
Heng Xīnyán narrowed her eyes at him as she gathered spiritual energy to defend herself as well as kill this man… because he saw them come out of the forest. And the way he mentioned it, it seems that was impossible for cultivators to even touch the entrance.
"But beauty, we don't have to fight," he chuckled, yet his hand rose with the sword in his hand. "You don't mind being my dual cultivation partner, right?" He rattled on, "I wouldn't tell your secret." He licked his lips and fed up with his nonsense, Heng Xīnyán attacked first.
"Red Fog Transformation: Daggers!" Her voice was low as she muttered the spell. Adding force to her steps, Heng Xīnyán launched herself into the air. Her Hanfu flowed in the wind gracefully as her palms formed the red fog into sharp daggers, sending them to the male dressed in silver Hanfu.
However, the male arrogantly waved his sword, the silver spiritual energy blocked all her daggers and they disappeared as quickly as they were formed. Yet, Heng Xīnyán continuously formed daggers with her fog that stretched over the green pasture that they were fighting in.
The male looked at Heng Xīnyán with a smirk, "Such petty trick, I wouldn't hold back, now then!" He roared, waving his sword fiercely, his spiritual energy was compatible with the metal ions in the soil. Hence, as his silver spiritual energy attacked her, metal particles clung onto her legs, trying to pull her into the range of the male's attack.
Heng Xīnyán sneered and with a ruthless wave of her hand, the red fog from above them came down with force. Forming into countless needles, the male was stunned yet he reacted quickly. He moved his sword, blocking all the needles from reaching his head.
Heng Xīnyán's eyes flashed as she muttered, "Red Fog Transformation: Katanas!" The spell changed the shape of the red fog into sharp katanas. As she lowered herself from the air that she suspended in with spiritual energy, the male battled with the countless katanas. Expecting him to die, Heng Xīnyán watched in surprise as the male roared, "Countless Silver Swords!"
Heng Xīnyán had a bad feeling and she backed away lightly to see a bright silver light covering the male's entire body. As the name suggested, countless silver swords exited his body and he watched Heng Xīnyán with a dark glare.
"My name is Ding Zixin!" His voice was low as he watched the katanas made by the red fog be destroyed by his countless silver swords.
"Inner disciple of the Ding Sect and you have just offended me!" His arrogant voice sounded. Heng Xīnyán watched him quietly as she knew that the male was stronger than her. Yet, she found this opportunity good to test the full potential of her spiritual powers.
As Ding Zixin destroyed her red fog, she had a slight backlash of her spiritual powers, making blood flow from her lips. Upon seeing this, Ding Zixin scoffed, "A mere Spiritual Cleansing Realm at the third level dares to challenge me?"
He raised his sword, "I'll send you to meet, King Yan Wang in Diyu!"
Heng Xīnyán snorted, "Quite arrogant of you!" She sneered.
"Red Fog Transformation: Sword!" She watched Ding Zixin with a dark gaze as the red fog formed a long sword in her right hand. She then laughed, "Now, let's see who will meet King Yan!"
Being a cultivator in the Ghost Realm did not depend on the amount of spiritual energy a soul has. It's more like the more you fight the stronger your mentality (soul force) and powers grow. This method was what most demonic cultivators use, instead of meditating and collecting spiritual energy from the surroundings, they just fight other cultivators once their cultivation is higher.
Hence, in every challenge faced, no demonic cultivator in Ghost Cult backs down because they know they might miss a chance to improve their aura which can be filled with murderous intent.
Being a demonic cultivator herself, Heng Xīnyán held the red sword. Her eyes watched the male named Ding Zixin like prey as her red lips curled into an excited smirk.
They stood meters apart on the green pasture. The air between them was tense as lightning clashed theoretically from their eyes. Heng Xīnyán's black silky hair moved in the light wind as her heart pumped fast in excitement. She lived on the edge of death in the mortal realm and as a dead soul of her former arrogant self what did she have to fear?
Her red lips let out an eerie chuckle as she launched herself in the air, defying gravity when she flew in the male's direction with her sword in front of her. Ding Zixin stood on defence as their sword clashed with a loud spark. Their spiritual powers collided with a white blinding light.
Heng Xīnyán grinned. Her beautiful face was right in front of Ding Zixin's eyes and he gulped yet he applied pressure to his sword as he let his aura of a Spiritual Cleansing Realm cultivator of the 9th level.
Under his pressure that was above hers. Heng Xīnyán coughed up black blood as the male's aura sent her flying miles away, leading her to crash into a nearby hill that crumbled into dust under her weight.
Coughing up blood, Heng Xīnyán let the red fog sword diffuse into the air. Knowing she couldn't win with a weapon she had no experience fighting with.
"Red Fog Transformation: Scythe!" Red fog rebelled and in the air, a scythe was formed, and Heng Xīnyán collected it. She grinned, looking at the male with bright eyes.