C17 You Are Xing Yun

"Indeed!" Xing Yun's face took on a grave expression.

He wasn't fearful, yet each appearance of the Sky Fiend Saintess had historically brought immense devastation to the Infinite Cosmos, necessitating his utmost caution.

"To think, the human race possesses such talent!"

The Sky Fiend Saintess had actually spoken!

Lee Xiao'er, deeply engrossed in absorbing spiritual energy, was profoundly shaken. Her Martial Spirit could speak—a secret she had guarded closely.

Martial cultivators believed that a Martial Spirit was entirely subservient to its master. Yet, Xiao'er's Martial Spirit defied her control, eroding her will and shunning battle, preferring instead to see her wounded to seize control.

Even her mother had been unable to address this issue, having never encountered the Sky Fiend Saintess herself.

"The Sky Fiend Clan is like a centipede that won't perish even when beheaded!" Xing Yun said icily.

"Human expert, you may suppress me temporarily, but you cannot halt my growth!" the Sky Fiend Saintess warned.

"Human expert?" Xiao'er thought, startled, yet she remained with her eyes firmly shut.

Considering the Sky Fiend Saintess had deemed her own mother 'worthless', it was surprising that she would acknowledge Xing Yun, a mere Profound Vein Realm cultivator, as an expert.

"What makes you so confident? Your ninth rank?" Xing Yun asked contemptuously.

The Sky Fiend Saintess, taken aback by his retort, responded angrily, "I am a ninth-rank Martial Spirit, blessed with the essence of creation from heaven and earth. What could you possibly do to me?"

Xing Yun allowed himself a slight smile before continuing to channel Astral Power into Xiao'er's back. "I will not only contain you, but one day, I'll ensure you lose your capacity to wreak havoc entirely!"

Xing Yun had only once before witnessed the havoc of a Sky Fiend Saintess, with earlier instances documented in ancient texts.

Now, with the growth of the Voidlands alongside him, even at his current Profound Vein Realm, Xing Yun saw no reason for fear.

"How presumptuous! You have no idea of the vastness of the heavens or the depth of the earth! The Sky Fiend shall rise and reign supreme over the Infinite Cosmos. Humanity will become nothing more than lowly slaves to the Sky Fiend!" The Sky Fiend Saintess declared with a cold laugh.

"Oh, really? Then show me the power that should make me, Xing Yun, tremble with fear," Xing Yun retorted with scorn.

"You're Xing Yun?"

The Sky Fiend Saintess screamed in terror, clutching her head in agony.

As a Martial Spirit, she was confined within Lee Xiao'er by her will, only aware of the outside world during brief moments of awakening.

She had attempted to seize control of Xiao'er's body while Xiao'er's will was weakened, but was injured by Xing Yun's Astral Power and forced to manifest herself.

Even as a Martial Spirit, the Sky Fiend Saintess inherited fragments of the Sky Fiend Clan's memories with each rebirth.

Xing Yun... such a hauntingly familiar name!

"What's the matter? Have you finally remembered the fear of being dominated by me, Xing Yun, that's etched into the very marrow of the Sky Fiend Clan?" he asked.

In response, the Sky Fiend Saintess seethed with rage, "I only recall this name with utter loathing. Once my divine power is fully realized, I will tear you to shreds!"

The Sky Fiend Saintess, in her Martial Spirit form, was the mightiest of the Sky Fiend Clan. Should she gain complete control over her host, she would reach her zenith, leaving a trail of devastation in her wake.

Lee Xiao'er was struck with awe at the revelation of Xing Yun's remarkable origins, no longer questioning him and concentrating with renewed intensity.

The vast Spiritual Qi from the heavens and earth, Xing Yun's Astral Power, and the dark energy of the Sky Fiend Saintess converged, vying for dominance.

The Saintess's face contorted with pain as she clenched her teeth and demanded, "What is this force that can suppress me so?"

"It is the power that could obliterate your Sky Fiend Clan for all eternity!" Xing Yun proclaimed, channeling the might of the Voidlands relentlessly.

The immense Astral Power began to assert its dominance in the struggle, causing the Saintess's apparition to fade and her expression to twist in ever greater torment.

"How infuriating! I was so close! You'll never fully suppress me. We have a long road ahead!"

After uttering these harsh words, the Sky Fiend Saintess struggled painfully before retreating back into Lee Xiao'er's body.

With the onslaught of Astral Power, the dark aura within Lee Xiao'er's crown was gradually expelled, and the Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth furiously rushed into her, forming new Spiritual Qi.

Xing Yun then removed his hands and stated solemnly, "Proceed with a normal breakthrough."

A bead of cold sweat trickled down Lee Xiao'er's forehead, yet her heart swelled with happiness.

The mysterious fear that had long plagued her heart had significantly diminished, and the dark aura had temporarily vanished. Her body was now filled with the normal Spiritual Qi of the world!

This meant she could use the true peak of the Awakened Soul Realm to advance into the Azure Paragon Realm!

And the one who had afforded her this chance was the very person she had sought to kill!

This Xing Yun... he wasn't as disagreeable as she thought.

Lee Xiao'er nearly let her thoughts spiral, which would have thrown the Spiritual Qi within her into disarray. Xing Yun chastised her, "Is this how you repay my efforts, with distraction?"

Upon hearing this, Lee Xiao'er firmly focused her consciousness and dedicated herself to the breakthrough.

The Spiritual Qi of the world swirled around her like a vortex, ceaselessly infusing her with energy.

Moments later, Lee Xiao'er opened her eyes, her aura expanding and causing the nearby Spiritual Qi to shake intensely!

She had indeed ascended to the Azure Paragon Realm!

Tears streamed down Lee Xiao'er's cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, slowly opened her eyes, and rose to look back at Xing Yun.

"Why are you helping me like this? I came to kill you..." Lee Xiao'er's gaze was complex as she whispered to herself.

In her mind, it was one thing for Xing Yun to spare her life, but to assist her in reaching the Azure Paragon Realm? It was like shooting himself in the foot.

Xing Yun replied with gravity, "I've already declared our feud settled, so to me, you're just another stranger. I would have extended a helping hand to any stranger in need. You may not yet understand, but if the Martial Spirit within you takes full control of your consciousness, it will wreak havoc across the entire Infinite Cosmos, bringing calamity to all living beings."

"Ah?"

Lee Xiao'er was taken aback, a notion seemingly dawning on her. She pressed on, "You had your own reasons for what you did to the saintess, didn't you?"

Xing Yun shook his head, "My actions toward the saintess are driven by reasons other than desire. Whether you believe that is up to you. I simply don't want to witness the calamity that the Heavenly Demon Saintess could unleash upon the world."

"The Heavenly Demon Saintess is my Martial Spirit, isn't she?" Lee Xiao'er mumbled to herself.

"You know nothing about her, which suggests she isn't your true Martial Spirit. It's possible that your Martial Spirit has been consumed by her already," Xing Yun clarified.

"You're saying that if she were to control me, I'd bring about a catastrophic disaster. Are you certain of that?" Lee Xiao'er asked, puzzled.

She was merely at the Azure Paragon level; how could the Heavenly Demon Saintess control her and cause such a disaster?

Xing Yun affirmed, "She will exploit your body to gradually cultivate and ultimately ascend to Exalted status. You must understand the implications of becoming an Exalted. If you stay with me, I can help you gradually mitigate this risk."

Lee Xiao'er shook her head, "So in the end, you're trying to convince me to side with you. I'm sorry, but I can't fully trust you. You've been branded as a heretic by the Order of the Celestial Veil, and it's only their mercy that has spared you from trouble. I will return and consult with my mother and the sect master; they surely won't deceive me!"

Xing Yun burst into hearty laughter, "I think, upon your return, you should really scrutinize what you consider to be virtuous!"

Silent for a moment, Lee Xiao'er then asked, "Do you still expect me to attempt to assassinate you?"

"Are you scared?" she inquired impulsively.

Xing Yun scoffed, "I've allowed you to reach the Azure Paragon level without fear. So, from now on, feel free to try and assassinate me every single day!"

Lee Xiao'er gazed at Xing Yun, her expression a mix of bewilderment and disbelief, "Have you lost your mind?"

He had not only aided her in reaching the Azure Paragon level but was now inviting her to attempt his assassination daily!

"Let me share another secret with you," Xing Yun said with a laugh he couldn't contain.

"What is it?" Lee Xiao'er inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"Every girl who's ever called me crazy ended up falling hopelessly in love with me," Xing Yun chuckled heartily.

He left out the rest of the story: those girls who had fallen for him could only watch from a distance as he ascended to the pinnacle of success.

Lee Xiao'er's embarrassment quickly turned to anger. "In your dreams! How shameless! You've done me a favor, so I don't wish to assassinate you, but I fear new orders may come from above. The best I can offer is to spare your life if I ever get the chance to kill you..."

As she spoke, Lee Xiao'er felt a twinge of guilt and hastily added, "Once isn't enough... Let's make it three times."

Xing Yun grinned. "You're quite adorable, you know?"

"What's so amusing? Farewell!" Lee Xiao'er snapped, turning to storm off, but her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground.

"You're too weak. Rest a bit before you go," Xing Yun suggested, moving to help Lee Xiao'er up.

But Lee Xiao'er brushed off Xing Yun's hand and sat on the ground, turning her back to him without a word.

She was well aware that the interference from the Heavenly Demon Saintess had advanced her to the Azure Paragon level, but at the cost of leaving her body severely weakened. She would need several days of rest to fully recover.

Xing Yun decided to leave her be, and silence fell between them.

Meanwhile, in the Voidlands, Ling Ji had been closely monitoring the entire exchange, stunned beyond words.

The Heavenly Demon Saintess!

The legendary warrior whose appearance was said to leave a trail of a million corpses had been subdued by Xing Yun to a mere Martial Spirit state!

She surmised that Xing Yun's intervention might mitigate the Heavenly Demon Saintess's corrosive influence on Lee Xiao'er.

If Lee Xiao'er regularly sought Xing Yun's help to keep the Saintess at bay, there was a chance he could neutralize the threat. That must be why Xing Yun had reversed his stance and invited Lee Xiao'er to attempt his assassination.

After much contemplation, Ling Ji finally spoke up, "I never would have guessed you're quite the charmer."

Xing Yun's brow quivered as he responded in the Voidlands, "I'm speaking the truth. If you believe it in your heart, then that's that. Why so haughty?"

Ling Ji huffed, "Not at all! By allowing him to advance to the Azure Paragon level, aren't we just nurturing a future threat? Plus, you're suggesting he be subjected to daily assassination attempts..."

"Exactly, isn't there a thrill in experiencing the excitement that beauties bring every day?" Xing Yun retorted without a second thought.

"You're insane..."

Ling Ji couldn't help but let the word 'insane' slip out, but recalling Xing Yun's previous remark, she quickly covered her lips, holding back the rest of her words, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink.

Moments later, Lee Xiao'er rose to her feet, glanced at Xing Yun, and said, "Until next time!" She then set off toward the north.

Xing Yun, assured of her sufficient self-defense capabilities, stood up, ready to venture deeper into the mountains, when he suddenly exclaimed, "Oh no! You're directionally challenged!"

It turned out that the north led deep into the Demonic Spine, whereas Xiao'er had initially arrived from the east!

Xiao'er's face turned red with embarrassment as she defended herself, "I was just... distracted."

As she was about to depart to the east, a beast's roar suddenly echoed through the dense forest, followed by a violent trembling of the earth.