Chapter Fifty: The Struggle for the Lightning Beast (Part Five)

Although Mu Baiyun severed Wei Jiu’s iron claw with a single sword strike, he himself was gravely injured. Wei Jiu was, after all, an eleventh-tier Qi cultivator with extraordinary battle experience. That black claw seemed to harbor an endless murderous aura; when Mu Baiyun met it head-on, the ferocity pressed against his spirit, and in the moment his heart trembled, the rebound from the claw injured his heart veins, forcing him to stagger back seven or eight steps.

Wei Jiu, seasoned in combat, seized the instant Mu Baiyun’s spirit faltered and charged forward like a whirlwind. Meanwhile, a perfectly intact black claw appeared in his hand, emitting mournful cries as he lunged at Mu Baiyun. As the claw moved, Mu Baiyun felt the sky above his head darken, and countless vengeful spirits seemed to wail all around him.

His breath caught, blood seemed to freeze in his veins, and his body was paralyzed. Yet Mu Baiyun’s reputation as a genius was not undeserved. In this critical moment, he let out an angry roar. The Rainbow-Cutting Sword blazed with light, and the elusive sword intent suddenly surged forth.

A resonant hum echoed as the Rainbow-Cutting Sword released a blinding radiance. The surrounding darkness and spirits were swept away by the sword’s energy, vanishing instantly, leaving only a single dazzling beam that cleaved straight down on Wei Jiu.

“No! Ah!” Wei Jiu’s cry was shrill and resentful as he was sliced cleanly in half.

Mu Baiyun, having slain Wei Jiu in one stroke, tasted blood in his mouth and could no longer restrain it, spitting out a mouthful of crimson. His legs weakened, nearly causing him to collapse, but he managed a muffled groan, reversed his grip on the Rainbow-Cutting Sword, and thrust it into the ground, steadying his shaky frame.

Those blocking Zhao Hu and Wei Qiu had initially tested their strength with a couple of attacks, soon realizing the two youths were far less formidable than Ji Mo. Elated, they prepared to finish them off, but Wei Jiu’s agonized scream startled them. They instinctively turned to look and were stunned by what they saw. Wei Qiu seized the opportunity, unleashing a bolt of lightning that struck his opponent and sent him flying.

Zhao Hu was not foolish enough to miss his own chance. He gathered all his strength and punched his opponent’s chest. Though he was only an eleventh-tier post-natal cultivator—nearly unmatched in the outer academy—his sneak attack against an eighth-tier Qi cultivator only managed to push the man back several steps, failing to inflict serious harm.

The man, jolted by Zhao Hu’s punch, was furious at being forced back by a mere post-natal body cultivator. His eyes flashed with malice as he gripped his iron ruler and lunged at Zhao Hu.

Wei Jiu’s scream had unsettled not only those attacking Zhao Hu and Wei Qiu, but also Yao Fei and the scarred man tangled with Ji Mo. They glanced over, equally stunned. Ji Mo seized the moment, her White Jade Flood Dragon Whip flashing repeatedly. In their distraction, Yao Fei and the scarred man were struck squarely, deep whip marks appearing on their bodies.

Enraged, the two abandoned Mu Baiyun and turned to attack Ji Mo with renewed fury. The White Jade Flood Dragon Whip was not easy to endure; one took a blow to his left shoulder, the other to his right. As they turned to fight again, the pain from the whip wounds slowed their attacks considerably.

Ji Mo, whose battle prowess was astonishing, quickly reversed the disadvantage. But Zhao Hu was not so lucky. Being a body cultivator, he could hold his own against third or fourth-tier Qi cultivators, but his opponent, now striking with all his power, pinned Zhao Hu in place with his aura, rendering him immobile.

Seeing this, the man’s lips curled into a cruel smile as he brought the iron ruler down on Zhao Hu’s head. Unable to move, Zhao Hu watched helplessly as the weapon threatened to split his skull, closing his eyes in despair. Not far away, Wei Qiu was shocked and tried to rush to his aid, but was intercepted and knocked aside by a twelfth-tier cultivator.

From a distance, Ji Mo saw the scene and was horrified. She ignored Yao Fei and the scarred man, tossing her White Jade Flood Dragon Whip, which transformed into a silver dragon and wrapped itself around the iron ruler above Zhao Hu’s head.

Zhao Hu’s family had raised Ji Mo, and in her heart, Zhao Hu was like an elder brother. Zhao Changfeng and Aunt Jiang held the place of parents to her; she could not bear to watch Zhao Hu die before her eyes.

With a whoosh, the Flood Dragon Whip coiled around the iron ruler, and with a resounding snap, it broke the weapon in two. The shockwave from the clash knocked Zhao Hu unconscious, but his life was spared from the brink of death.

Ji Mo, after breaking the iron ruler, sped toward the man like lightning, reaching him in less than a breath. She caught the falling whip, and before he could react, its shadow coiled around his neck like a venomous serpent.

This man, an eighth-tier Qi cultivator, was no match for Ji Mo. Against Zhao Hu, he was dominant, but Ji Mo’s strength was leagues above his. Before he could mount any resistance, the whip tightened, and Ji Mo twisted with force, severing his head. His attempt to kill Zhao Hu had crossed Ji Mo’s bottom line.

Ji Mo vented her fury, forgetting the two formidable enemies she still faced. Yao Fei and the scarred man, enraged that she had not only wounded them but also killed Tong Kang right under their noses, attacked in tandem, their anger overpowering the pain from their whip wounds. As Ji Mo twisted Tong Kang’s neck, a black iron hammer and a red spear struck her back simultaneously.

Ji Mo managed to dodge the scarred man’s spear by shifting right, but Yao Fei’s hammer landed heavily on her back, sending her flying like a kite with a broken string.

The Lightning Beast, which had been perched on her shoulder watching the chaos, was also caught unawares and sent flying alongside her. Enraged, it let out a piercing cry, about to charge at the two cultivators, but at that moment, Ji Mo spat out an arrow of blood, some of which unfortunately entered the Lightning Beast’s open mouth.

A shrill, agonized screech echoed from the Lightning Beast, shaking everyone present. Mu Baiyun, barely able to stand thanks to the Rainbow-Cutting Sword, collapsed with a thud. The cultivator who had just struck Wei Qiu and was about to finish him off was also startled, involuntarily looking up, as did Yao Fei, the scarred man, and two other onlookers.

As the sound faded, the Lightning Beast appeared, leaping onto Ji Mo who had been knocked to the ground. It clawed at her furiously, caught in a frenzy. Those vying for the Lightning Beast felt a chill; with its wild temperament, would signing a blood contract with it truly be wise?

“Cough, cough, what are you doing, get out of my way!” Ji Mo coughed twice, spitting out another mouthful of blood. Yao Fei’s hammer had done considerable damage. After two more coughs, Ji Mo managed to regain her senses and slapped the Lightning Beast, sending it flying.

The Lightning Beast was stunned for a moment, then immediately bounced back, leaping onto Ji Mo again. Its furious voice echoed in her mind: “You, you wretch! You just signed a beast contract with me, and now you treat me like this? I’ll kill you, I’ll kill you! Ah! Ah! Ah!”