C9 Annihilation

Huah Yunfei immediately gave chase, with Xie Yu, panting and exhausted, following close behind him.

Xie Feiyu was having a tough time against six opponents who were beneath her in strength.

For Xie Feiyu, Huah Yunfei and Xie Yu's departure from the fray was certainly a stroke of luck.

"Miss, we've come to assist you!" Xie Yu called out in desperation.

The assailants encircling Xie Feiyu seethed with anger as they watched their defeated comrade slink back.

"Is there a problem with his sword? What's going on?" The elder was puzzled by the returning fighter's words and quickly inquired.

"Whenever his sword makes contact with our Spirit Weapon, it shatters instantly—without fail!"

"How can that be!" The elder's brow furrowed upon hearing this. "His Spirit Weapon doesn't look impressive. How can it possess such force?"

"I have no idea! But it's the truth!" The man was clueless about the cause, yet he was certain of what had transpired.

Apart from this, he was at a loss. If Huah Yunfei's abilities surpassed his own, he might attribute it to Huah Yunfei's superior skill. But Huah Yunfei clearly lacked such prowess, leading him to suspect the peculiar weapon in his hand, which resembled both a sword and a knife.

"I'll handle him!" The elder's frown deepened, and he swiftly withdrew from his battle with Xie Feiyu, signaling his recently returned ally to engage Xie Yu. "You take on the young lady!"

Relieved, the man who had just fled breathed a sigh of relief and split up with the elder, advancing toward Huah Yunfei and Xie Yu.

Xie Yu's anxiety was evident in her furrowed brow. She knew the strength of her opponent and doubted her ability to withstand him.

She had no chance to seek Huah Yunfei's aid, as he was already embroiled in a confrontation with the elder.

"Kid, I want to see what you're made of!" the elder bellowed, his long knife streaking through the air like a bolt of lightning, leaving a trail of phantoms.

Huah Yunfei's frown tightened. He couldn't even get a word out to the elder before he found himself facing a barrage of slashing blades.

The opponent's strength was overwhelming, quickly overpowering Huah Yunfei as soon as the battle commenced.

Huah Yunfei scrutinized the situation and instantly spotted a vulnerability. The several afterimages contained only traces of Spiritual Energy, while the actual blade brimmed with it.

It was at this precise moment that Huah Yunfei identified the flaw in the elder's Spirit Weapon.

"Boom!"

A thunderous noise erupted, and Huah Yunfei's arm felt as though it would snap. He targeted the weakness in the old man's Spirit Weapon and struck fiercely.

His hand throbbed with pain as the flesh tore, sending a jolt through his body, causing Huah Yunfei to stagger backward.

The old man burst into laughter at the sight: "Haha! Kid, you don't seem to have any real skill! That worthless thing made you out to be much more formidable!"

However, his laughter abruptly ceased as he stared in disbelief at the Spirit Weapon in his hand, now broken in half.

Huah Yunfei was inwardly astonished, his mind racing with surprise. He had clearly landed the Sword Breaking Style on the Spirit Weapon's weak spot, yet it had not inflicted the catastrophic damage he expected.

"What's going on! Boy, what's the origin of your Spirit Weapon?" The old man was genuinely rattled.

He had assumed Huah Yunfei lacked skill after withstanding his initial attack, but in an instant, he witnessed his Spirit Weapon's ruinous state, leaving him utterly astounded.

Huah Yunfei offered a wry smile, "Nothing special. It's just a tad tougher than your Spirit Weapon."

The elder was seething with frustration but found himself at a loss for words. His Spirit Weapon lay in pieces, while Huah Yunfei's sword remained unscathed, not even marred by a single scratch.

This undeniable proof signaled to the old man that the sword in Huah Yunfei's possession was far from ordinary.

Meanwhile, Xie Yu was exhausted, struggling to defend herself and unable to counterattack. She was quickly losing ground, her life hanging by a thread.

On the other hand, thanks to Huah Yunfei, the number of assailants surrounding Xie Feiyu had dwindled from eight to four. She, who had been relentlessly oppressed, finally saw an opportunity to strike back.

"We can't hold out much longer!"

Confronted with Xie Feiyu's suddenly intensified assault, the four could hardly fend her off. The disparity in their abilities was the most telling proof.

The elder's face was ashen, a stark contrast to his usual color. He was caught off guard by the turn of events.

He had assumed that together they could easily eliminate these three adversaries, but instead, they found themselves sinking deeper into the mire of defeat.

"You're still concerned about others? You'd better take care of yourself first!" Huah Yunfei bellowed, his long sword aimed straight at the elder's heart.

He was acutely aware that there was no time to waste, especially with Xie Yu on the brink of being cornered.

The elder was at a loss, unable to block or evade as the long sword thrust toward him. Faced with Huah Yunfei's enigmatic Spirit Weapon, he was at a complete loss.

Within two exchanges, Huah Yunfei had the elder stumbling backward in retreat.

With no ground left to give, the elder had no choice but to brace for Huah Yunfei's impending strike.

At that moment, the remnants of his Spirit Weapon crumbled to dust in his grasp.

Overwhelmed with horror and resignation, the elder realized he was no match for Huah Yunfei.

A desperate idea sparked in his mind, and he abruptly turned to flee.

Huah Yunfei wasn't about to let him escape. With a powerful leap, he soared through the air, his blade targeting the fleeing elder's back.

The elder's cry echoed as Huah Yunfei's sword impaled him, blood gushing forth. His eyes, wide with defiance, stared ahead.

Huah Yunfei withdrew his sword, allowing the elder's body to slump to the ground. He then turned and dashed toward Xie Yu.

The enemy's linchpin was gone, and their ranks were thrown into chaos. The four, already on the back foot against Xie Feiyu, descended into disarray, their vulnerabilities increasingly exposed.

"Save me!"

Xie Yu was outmatched and had no defense left against her stronger enemy. As she faced imminent death, she cried out in desperation.

Clang! In the nick of time, Huah Yunfei's long sword clashed with the blade aimed at her, shattering the long blade that was a mere inch from Xie Yu into pieces.

"Remember, I've saved you once again!" Huah Yunfei declared with a smile, positioning himself protectively in front of Xie Yu to confront the assailant.

The man, witnessing his Spirit Weapon crumble, realized instantly that his leader was dead.

Without a second thought, he turned tail and ran, aware that he was no match for Huah Yunfei.

Huah Yunfei had anticipated the man's flight, much like the old man before him. As the man spun around, Huah Yunfei's sword swiftly sliced through his neck, sending his head flying, eyes wide with terror.

Exhausted from the fierce battle, Huah Yunfei had no time to check on Xie Yu; he hurried towards Xie Feiyu.

Upon his arrival, Xie Feiyu had already ended the fight.

The four adversaries stood no chance against Xie Feiyu, all having been slain by his hand.

"Whew!" Xie Feiyu exhaled, glancing at the pair. "Are you two alright?"

"Miss, I nearly met my end!" Xie Yu exclaimed, patting her chest with relief.

Huah Yunfei offered a slight smile and a shake of his head, "I'm alright, but it seems Xie Yu could use some rest."

"Hmph!" Xie Yu huffed, irked by his comment. Yet, recalling that Huah Yunfei had saved her life twice, she felt a twinge of embarrassment. After a brief pause, she said, "Thank you for saving me just now."

"As friends, it's only right to help each other out. Don't worry about it," Huah Yunfei replied, unfazed by Xie Yu's earlier demeanor. Her quirky spirit amused him.

"We've been ambushed here, which means your father must have been brought here as well. We shouldn't waste any more time; let's find your father as soon as possible," Xie Feiyu said, his thoughts still on Huah Yunfei's father.

If she failed to rescue Huah Yunfei's father, she would be deeply troubled. The entire ordeal had begun with her request; had she not asked Huah Yunfei to assist her in Wu County for the Golden Stone Token, he wouldn't have found himself in such peril.

Huah Yunfei swept his gaze over the four individuals Xie Feiyu had slain and furrowed his brow, "The one we're looking for isn't among them! He's the real master here. We need to be on our guard."

Despite the ambush, these were not the horse-faced assassin they had encountered in the auction house's VIP room. That assassin's blade work was mesmerizing, his strikes lightning-fast, far surpassing the old man they had just faced.

Huah Yunfei couldn't help but wonder what his odds would be in a direct confrontation with such an adversary.

"With the trail gone cold, how are we supposed to follow them?" Xie Yu lamented, her lips pursed in frustration as she overheard the men's exchange.

She was right; the Blood Immortal Insect had vanished without a trace, and without any survivors to interrogate, their pursuit seemed futile.

Then, an idea struck Huah Yunfei. "Hold on, Ghost Cry Cave is not far from here. They might be using it as a hideout."

Though uncertain, this gave them a potential lead to chase.

Without further delay, the trio set off toward Ghost Cry Cave. Upon arrival, a sense of melancholy washed over Huah Yunfei as he gazed upon the site where the body's original owner had met his end.

Despite the inherent dangers, they pressed on. Huah Yunfei led the way into the cave, with Xie Feiyu close behind and Xie Yu bringing up the rear.

As they delved deeper, a bone-chilling cold enveloped them. The cave lived up to its name, with eerie sounds of wailing ghosts and howling wolves echoing through the caverns, sending shivers down their spines.

"Back up! It's not safe!"

Huah Yunfei, leading the way, had been vigilantly scanning the area around him. Out of nowhere, he caught a glimmer of light piercing the darkness ahead, racing swiftly in his direction.