As Yu Ji's spiritual energy waned, the massive vortex of black energy shrank and faltered. The spectral shadows it released grew fewer and weaker.
"You think you can block me? Laughable!" Li Xun sneered, pouring another surge of spiritual energy into the Buddhist bead. The bead shone with renewed brilliance, its radiant light dispelling the remaining shadows in an instant.
Snap!
The vortex quaked violently before shattering and dissipating. Yu Ji's energy plummeted, and her figure became even more translucent, on the verge of vanishing altogether.
The Buddhist bead, glowing fiercely, hovered above her head, casting its purifying light. Yu Ji grimaced in pain as streams of dark energy rose from her body, the holy light eating away at her form.
Li Xun smirked, satisfied. "Without this Buddhist treasure, subduing you would've been quite a hassle. Now, with no one to stop me, it's time to reap the spoils."
He formed a hand seal, sending his fiery dagger hurtling toward Xiao Chen. The blade flashed like a streak of crimson lightning, heading straight for its target.
Li Xun's grin widened. He could almost see Xiao Chen's head tumbling to the ground, blood spurting from his neck.
But then, his smile froze.
The flaming dagger halted three feet from Xiao Chen as if caught by an invisible hand. In that moment, Xiao Chen's eyes opened slowly, glinting with a cold, piercing light. A massive wave of spiritual energy erupted from his body, coiling like a slumbering beast awakening from its lair.
"Escape!" Li Xun's face drained of color. He turned on his heel, frantically fleeing while slapping several mobility talismans onto his legs, boosting his speed further.
Behind him, Xiao Chen's icy voice rang out. "You cannot escape."
Panic surged through Li Xun as he sped away. Suddenly, a searing pain exploded in his chest. He coughed up blood, his face paling further. His spiritual connection to the fiery dagger had been severed—his divine sense within the weapon obliterated.
"This power... His divine sense is at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage! He's too strong. I can't win. I must get away!" Li Xun's terror spurred him on, but before he could flee far, Xiao Chen's shadow appeared before him, blocking his path.
"Wait! This is all a misunderstanding!" Li Xun blurted, his tone pleading. "I only came to help. I saw you unconscious and feared the ghost by your side was trying to harm you. My intentions were pure—please, hear me out!"
Xiao Chen's lips curled into a cold smile. "Are you finished?"
Li Xun froze, his face ashen. Before he could react, his body stiffened, and a crimson dot appeared on his forehead. His life force extinguished in an instant, and his lifeless body crumpled to the ground.
Xiao Chen staggered, blood spurting from his mouth as his spiritual pressure receded like a tide. His face turned deathly pale, his injuries worsened by the forced exertion.
The delicate needle-like flying treasure shimmered briefly before vanishing back into his body. Within his dantian, the Danbao—a treasure crafted from an advanced talisman—grew dimmer, its power nearly depleted.
Shaking his head, Xiao Chen swallowed several pills and steadied his breathing. As his strength returned slightly, he crouched to retrieve Li Xun's storage pouches. Securing them, he turned to Yu Ji.
"Thank you for holding him off," Xiao Chen said earnestly, bowing slightly. Had she not bought him precious time, he might not have survived.
Yu Ji's gaze lingered on Xiao Chen with a mix of curiosity and complexity. The Buddhist bead, its light now dim, floated silently beside her.
"I have a question for you," she said after a pause. "You didn't need to act so recklessly. If you had waited and fortified yourself with a spiritual barrier, your injuries would have healed enough to fight. Why risk everything?"
Xiao Chen hesitated, then replied earnestly, "You risked everything to protect me. How could I not do the same for you? I owe my life to you. If I survive this ordeal, I will do everything in my power to help you fulfill your wishes."
Yu Ji's lips curved into a faint smile, as radiant as a spring garden in bloom. "Oh, little brother, you really know how to flatter a woman. You almost had me moved to tears! Very well, since you're so sincere, let me give you a gift. This Buddhist bead is no ordinary trinket. That fool didn't know how to harness its true power, but you might find it useful. Refine it with the blood-refining technique I showed you, and you won't be disappointed."
With a wave of her hand, the bead floated before Xiao Chen. Chuckling softly, Yu Ji's figure merged into his body and vanished.
Still marveling at her parting words, Xiao Chen carefully retrieved a jade box from his storage pouch. He sealed the bead within, adding layers of talismans for good measure, before tucking it away.
Meanwhile...
At the cave where Xiao Chen had left her, Li Xiaoyi sat anxiously. Days had passed since Xiao Chen left, and worry etched itself on her face. Though she had purged the poison from her body, her spiritual power remained depleted, and she was still weak. Every so often, she would glance toward the cave entrance, hoping for a familiar silhouette.
Unable to shake her unease, she sank back onto the stone platform, her thoughts clouded by conflicting emotions. Memories of her first encounter with Xiao Chen replayed in her mind. Initially drawn to him by the faint fluctuations of his concealed power, her curiosity had deepened with each interaction.
When she succumbed to the effects of the Lust Pearl, her instincts had led her to seek Xiao Chen's protection. Though her memories were hazy, she recalled fragments of his efforts to save her, even risking his life in battle against formidable foes.
A strange warmth stirred in her heart. Could someone truly be so selfless?