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Chapter 8: Second Spirit Ability - Three Swords' Splendor! The Young Man and Woman Under the Moonlight
"Li Dixian!"
"It's been over a minute, where are you?!"
Zhu Qing closed her eyes in despair, even smelling the 腥風 of the approaching Sword Tail Scorpion.
However.
After a few breaths.
There was no imagined pain of being attacked by the Sword Tail Scorpion.
Zhu Qing's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she slowly opened her eyes.
What greeted her eyes was the white shirt, stained with blood.
"Li Dixian?!"
Zhu Qing quickly widened her beautiful eyes, exclaiming in surprise, her eyes teary.
Li Dixian tilted his head slightly, a smile gracing his pale cheek.
"Sorry, Zhuqing-jie (Sister Zhuqing), I was a few seconds late."
Zhu Qing scanned Li Dixian up and down, and when she saw his shoulders pierced through, her eyes trembled.
"Li Dixian, you…"
"Now is not the time for talking. I'll deal with these Sword Tail Scorpions first."
Li Dixian held his sword in his right hand.
The blade rested against the sword tail of the thousand-year-old Sword Tail Scorpion in front of him.
"Just in time to practice moves on you."
Under Zhu Qing's shocked gaze.
Two purple Soul Rings rose from beneath Li Dixian's feet.
"Second Spirit Ability - Three Swords' Splendor!"
"First Spirit Ability - Green Edge Severance!"
Three Sword Splendor: The next sword strike increases sword speed by 300% and sharpness by 300%.
On the Azure Lotus Sword, a green glow shone, and lotus patterns bloomed, a peerless sharp aura bursting forth.
Zhu Qing didn't even see it clearly.
She only saw a flash of sword light.
The sword tail of that thousand-year-old Sword Tail Scorpion was severed.
And that wasn't all; the green sword light continued its momentum, sweeping through the bodies of several more Sword Tail Scorpions before slowly dissipating into the jungle.
"Hmm?!"
Looking at the Sword Tail Scorpions scurrying away, seemingly unharmed, a trace of doubt flashed across Zhu Qing's pale, pretty face.
However.
The next second.
Zhu Qing's pupils suddenly constricted.
Those few Sword Tail Scorpions suddenly split in two from the middle, large gushes of green blood mixed with organs spilling onto the ground. They crawled a few more steps before collapsing, lifeless.
Zhu Qing swallowed with difficulty, stammering:
"Li Dixian, you… did you really obtain the Soul Ring of the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King?"
Li Dixian's sword had become even more terrifying.
That sharpness and speed sent shivers down one's spine.
"Cough, cough!"
Li Dixian suddenly knelt down, gripping his sword hilt and leaning on the ground.
"Li Dixian, what's wrong?!"
Zhu Qing's expression changed, and she quickly stepped forward to support Li Dixian.
The moment her hand touched Li Dixian's arm.
A warm stickiness.
It was then that Zhu Qing realized Li Dixian was too severely injured.
The penetrating wounds on his shoulders had reopened, and his skin was covered in cracks caused by Soul Power, blood flowing like a stream.
Zhu Qing's hands trembled as she frantically tried to cover Li Dixian's wounds.
Her vision blurred, and tears streamed down her face.
She knew how terrifying the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion was.
And the young man collapsing in her arms had killed it and absorbed its Soul Ring in just one minute.
Zhu Qing could imagine how desperately Li Dixian had fought, just to fulfill his one-minute promise to her.
There was too much blood.
No matter how she tried to cover it, it wouldn't stop.
"Li Dixian… you… don't scare me…"
"Cough, cough!"
Li Dixian struggled to open his eyes, speaking with difficulty:
"Why are you crying? I'm not dead."
"Zhuqing-jie (Sister Zhuqing), help me leave."
Zhu Qing burst into a smile through her tears.
"Okay, okay."
Outer perimeter of the Star Dou Great Forest.
A warm bonfire illuminated an area of three meters.
Under the tranquil moonlight, the young man and woman sat around the bonfire.
Li Dixian occasionally took a sip of wine, lazily flipping the roasted rabbit skewered on a branch.
Grease dripped down, making a sizzling sound, and the aroma of char filled the air.
Zhu Qing was grilling fish.
She clearly hadn't done this before.
The fish she grilled was very uneven; some parts were burnt black, while others were still raw.
Zhu Qing's small face was flushed.
She didn't know if it was from the bonfire or if she was just embarrassed.
"Li Dixian, your injuries are fine now, right?"
"Yes."
Li Dixian nodded.
"After two sips of wine, it's already scabbed over."
Zhu Qing had drunk his wine before and knew its effects.
However, she still didn't know that wine was his Second Spirit.
"Tsk, tsk…"
Zhu Qing smacked her lips, staring intently at Li Dixian's wine flask.
Li Dixian found it amusing and tossed the flask over.
"Drink up."
"Thank you."
Zhu Qing felt a little awkward drinking directly from the flask after him.
But seeing Li Dixian's openness, she could only blush and take a sip from the spout.
"Li Dixian, your wine is really good!"
The wine's fumes rushed to her face, making Zhu Qing's small face even redder.
She smiled at Li Dixian; the usually aloof young woman looked surprisingly sweet at this moment.
Li Dixian shook his head and laughed:
"You're just a young girl, can you really appreciate wine?"
"Don't look down on me, you act like you're so much older."
Zhu Qing, in front of Li Dixian, unfastened the belt around her slender waist.
Under Li Dixian's surprised gaze, Zhu Qing actually pulled out a small, exquisite bottle about an inch long.
"This is my wine!"
"You really drink wine?"
Li Dixian, this old wine addict, wanted to taste it as soon as he saw wine.
"Let me have a sip of yours."
Zhu Qing tossed the wine over.
After Li Dixian caught it, he impatiently opened the bottle and tilted his head back to take a gulp.
Zhu Qing opened her mouth.
This small wine bottle had been her personal item for several years.
With Li Dixian drinking like this…
Didn't they just indirectly kiss again?
But seeing that Li Dixian had already finished drinking, she could only ask with shyness:
"How is it?"
"Is my wine good?"
"Hiccup~~~"
Li Dixian let out a hiccup and nodded repeatedly.
"Not bad, not bad!"
"This is fruit wine, right? Mellow, lingering, tsk, tsk…"
Li Dixian smacked his lips and savored it twice, then exclaimed in surprise:
"It even carries a faint, ethereal floral fragrance!"
Zhu Qing lowered her head, her pretty face burning hot.
What floral fragrance?!
Where was there any floral fragrance?!
That… that was the taste left from her drinking directly from the bottle for a long time!
Li Dixian didn't notice Zhu Qing's unusual reaction. He shook the wine flask and asked curiously:
"Speaking of which, Zhuqing-jie (Sister Zhuqing), seeing your extraordinary temperament, you must not come from an ordinary family."
"Why do you drink wine? Are you trying to drown your sorrows?"
Hearing this, Zhu Qing blinked. She hugged her knees and stared blankly at the bonfire, lost in thought.
Yes.
What troubles did she have?
Born into the noble Zhu family, she was betrothed to a Star Luo prince from birth.
Her life seemed to be a smooth path, so why would she have troubles?
Zhu Qing raised her swan-like neck and took a sip of Li Dixian's wine.
She was simply unwilling to accept her fate.
What kind of damned Star Luo prince?
She hadn't even met him.
She didn't want to marry him.
Looking at the young woman's sorrowful expression, Li Dixian thought for a moment and smiled:
"Zhuqing-jie (Sister Zhuqing), I told you, I owe you a favor."
"If you ever need help in the future, I, Li Dixian, will definitely assist you."
Zhu Qing raised her beautiful eyes, looked at the seriousness on Li Dixian's face, and smiled, a breathtakingly beautiful sight.
"Okay."