C12 I Have a Secret(1)

"Junior sister!" The cultivator, known for his high offense but low defense, had just unleashed a tail attack that shattered Xiaoyin's bones and dislocated her meridians. Incapable of even defending herself, how could she possibly save another? Powerless, she could do nothing but watch in horror as her companion faced certain doom.

"Senior sister, save me! I don't want to die!" Xiaoyin's strength had waned; she could no longer wield her sword as the dragon leopard's gaping maw loomed ominously close. Desperately, she mustered what little true essence remained within her.

Xiaoyin faced a dire choice: use the last of her true essence to flee with her sword, leaving Xiaoming to a gruesome fate, or grant them both a swift end, to be devoured together. As she aimed her sword at Xiaoming, she hesitated, her moral compass spinning back to square one. She refused to accept such a disgraceful end.

But the monstrous beast wouldn't wait for deliberation. Its fetid breath was upon them as Xiaoyin closed her eyes in despair, still torn by indecision.

"Perfect Back Sweeping Slash!"

In the midst of her hesitation, Xiaoming, with a voice cracking from exertion, finally caught up. His hook, sharp as a bone spike, plunged into the dragon leopard's eye sockets. The beast's agony was palpable as it clenched its eyes shut, the rope pulled taut, further aggravating its pain.

In its torment, the dragon leopard thrashed wildly, desperate to rid itself of the blinding intrusion.

Seizing the moment, Xiaoming vaulted into the air, the winch retracting the rope. His gaze locked onto the dragon leopard's head, time seemed to stand still. Then, with a fluid motion, he swept his dual blades along the creature's spine, from head to tail, as effortlessly as a yo-yo. Blood and scales splattered the surrounding trees.

By the time the dragon leopard realized the extent of its wounds, it was too late. Its spine compromised, its limbs failing to respond, the once fearsome beast lay prostrate, emitting only pitiful cries of anguish.

Both Xiaoyin and Xiaoming exhaled in relief. Shu Er, trembling, retrieved a vial from her robes, biting off the red cloth stopper to down the medicinal pill within. She focused her true essence to assimilate its healing power.

As she tended to her injuries, she assessed the situation. The man's motives were a mystery, but for the moment, they were spared a grisly end. Better to face death with dignity than to be devoured. Xiaoming, sprawled on the ground with eyes aflame with passion, knew that his beloved was destined for someone extraordinary.

At that moment, Xiaoming had no time to ponder the internal drama of the two individuals.

"Try running now, haha!" Xiaoming stood atop its head, cackling maniacally. His twin blades morphed into a stream of water, coalescing into a massive hammer that struck the earth, forming a large crater in the ground, which was just a tad softer than stone, revealing the hammer's considerable heft.

He leapt from the dragon leopard's head and sauntered over to the hammer. Grasping the handle, he eyed the dragon leopard before him and was struck by a whimsical idea. Approaching the beast, each step he took was punctuated by a forceful thud of the hammerhead against the ground.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

History has a way of repeating itself in astonishing ways. The moment the hammer struck, it signaled the final note of the requiem.

Oh, the terror in the dragon leopard's eyes as it gazed upon Xiaoming's sinister smile! Steam rose from its wounds, which were so deep they once revealed bone, yet now they were rapidly healing. The dragon leopard, with a fierce glint in its eyes, struggled to its feet as its blood reignited with fury.

This time, however, its body had significantly diminished in size, and its once dark scales showed hints of yellowing.

"Oh? Are you fighting for your life?" Xiaoming thought, eyeing the emaciated form of the dragon leopard. Ding Fu's supply of Leopard Whip Wine was in jeopardy; he had to intervene.

Transmigrators, though capable of reaching the ranks of Earthly Immortal or even Holy Spirit, still suffer from human frailties due to their physical makeup. Ding Fu, afflicted with rheumatism in his right hand, had tried all sorts of medical treatments to no avail. Xiaoming, therefore, decided to give local remedies a shot.

Boom!

The colossal hammer charged and struck the ground, sending visible ripples through the air from its epicenter. The soil surged like a tidal wave, sweeping away towering trees. Xiao Qin mustered all her True Essence to deflect the debris with her sword, shielding her companions, only to be pinned down by a hurtling tree trunk.

The dragon leopard, its rampage abruptly halted, entered a state of semi-frenzy. The hammer in its hand writhed and transformed into the shape of a long sword.

With a swift motion, Xiaoming stepped back, narrowly evading the dragon leopard's swipe. He lunged forward, delivering a diagonal slash that left a deep, bone-exposing gash on the creature's paw, which quickly healed amid a hiss of steam.

Gripping his sword firmly, Xiaoming braced the blade's spine against his forearm, gathering strength. He stepped forward with his right foot and thrust directly at the dragon leopard's front paw. Capitalizing on his forward momentum, he used the sword like a pole, impaling it into the beast's paw.

With two agile leaps, Xiaoming withdrew his sword and, while suspended in midair, he spun and cleaved through the dragon leopard's head, striking the ground. He smoothly sheathed his sword, and behind him, the dragon leopard's body burst into a spray of blood.

As if its time had run out, the dragon leopard collapsed lifelessly to the ground. Xiaoming was about to sever the prized whip when he was interrupted.

"Hold, young hero," came the voice of Qu Ke from behind.

"What now?" Xiaoming, clearly annoyed at being interrupted, turned to see Qu Ke, the fool, had hurried over.

"Young hero, about this beast soul..." Qu Ke's demeanor was now more restrained compared to his earlier arrogance. He watched Xiaoming's face carefully, wary of causing further offense—a testament to the power of a chain of suspicion.

"You go ahead," Xiaoming said tersely, his expression sour as he slung his sword across his waist. Anyone would be in a foul mood after such an ordeal—fighting fiercely only to have someone else try to claim a share of the spoils. It was only Xiaoming's Earthly composure that kept him from lashing out.

"I apologize for the intrusion," Qu Ke said as he retrieved a jade stone from his storage ring and aimed it at the barely alive dragon leopard. A mist began to seep from the creature's head.

The dragon leopard struggled weakly, tears streaming from its eyes and onto the ground as it lay at the mercy of its captors. It had resigned itself to its fate; all creatures have a spirit, and to be born a demon meant to be hunted by cultivators was its destiny.

With the final wisp of mist extracted, the dragon leopard lay still. Qu Ke bowed to Xiaoming, signaling the completion of his task.

Was he out of his mind? Xiaoming shot Qu Ke a glance, drew his long sword, and was about to sever the leopard whip from Long Bao. He paused for a moment, then decided to store the leopard whip in his wristwatch—after all, it might still be useful.

"Now that you've had your skirmish with the demon beasts, there's no further reason to linger here."

"I shall lead my men out immediately." Qu Ke took a couple of steps, then surveyed the clearing that had been created. "Young Hero, have you perchance seen my two junior sisters?"

"Oh, they're—"

"Senior Brother, we're here!" Duo Er, no longer in grave danger, leapt down from the tree with Xiao Qin's assistance.

"Duo Er, you... this..." Qu Ke's heart ached at the sight of Duo Er covered in blood. He quickly retrieved a jade box from his storage ring. "Take this Rejuvenation Pill quickly." Despite Xiaoming being in a relationship, he couldn't help feeling a bit irked by the overt display of affection.

"Senior Brother, I'm already well," Duo Er insisted, handing the pill back to Qu Ke. She then turned to Xiaoming and gave a respectful bow. "Thank you for saving my life, Young Hero. In my next life, I am bound to repay this debt."

"Enough, enough. If you're alright, then let's not delay any further."

"Young Hero, might I inquire your name? In the future..." Qu Ke's request was abruptly cut off by an exclamation.

"Senior Brother, good news!" Qin Han came running up from behind, his voice booming upon seeing everyone. Qin Che was right on his heels, but his face shifted subtly when he noticed Xiaoming, leaving others to wonder what was on his mind.