"Leader, you are the master of our sect. How can you act so rashly?" Yin Lingzi advised.

Di Nü Feng said seriously, "Li Xuanxiao asked me to accompany him, so why shouldn't I go?"

"Leader, this man is a disciple of Mount Shushan. Surely he cannot be trusted?"

Di Nü Feng declared with absolute confidence, "Li Xuanxiao would never lie to me."

Yin Lingzi felt utterly helpless inside.

Though he also thought Di Nü Feng was easily fooled.

But never had he seen someone this gullible.

"You all handle sect affairs first."

After speaking, Di Nü Feng placed both hands on the armrests of her throne and suddenly leaped up, landing gracefully on the ground.

Yin Lingzi could only bow in acknowledgment.

".........."

After leaving Tian Sha Hall, Di Nü Feng walked with Li Xuanxiao through the Yellow Sand Valley.

"Li Xuanxiao, where are we going?" Di Nü Feng asked.

Suddenly remembering the handsome man who had given him unfriendly looks, Li Xuanxiao inquired:

"Who was that young man by your side earlier?"

Di Nü Feng replied, "Yin Lingzi, one of my newly recruited Four Guardian Vajras! He was previously imprisoned in Mount Shushan's Demon Subduing Pagoda. Quite talented and eloquent, so I recruited him."

At the mention of the Demon Subduing Pagoda, Li Xuanxiao's expression shifted slightly.

Di Nü Feng continued chattering away.

She remained exactly the same.

No matter how the world changed, Di Nü Feng would always be Di Nü Feng.

Never changing.

Li Xuanxiao suddenly wished he could be as carefree as Di Nü Feng.

Two days later.

Atop a mountain peak.

Qingcheng Taoist Temple.

The gatekeeper disciple was dozing off.

Two figures approached the temple gate in the twilight.

The drowsy disciple woke with a start, immediately alert upon seeing the pair.

These two were clearly no ordinary people.

The man had silver hair cascading like a waterfall, dressed simply yet elegantly in a refined black robe of excellent material and perfect fit.

The woman was stunningly beautiful, breathtaking at first glance.

Her delicate skin glowed faintly in the sunlight.

She wore an exquisite brocade gown of the finest craftsmanship.

The temple disciple didn't dare be careless, offering a Taoist salute.

"You two..."

Before he could finish, the disciple felt a sudden shudder through his body.

Blood gushed from his chest like a spring.

The disciple looked down in disbelief at his wound, then collapsed with a thud.

Li Xuanxiao had pierced the disciple's chest with his sword.

Di Nü Feng was startled by Li Xuanxiao's sudden action.

Throughout their journey, Di Nü Feng had simply followed Li Xuanxiao.

Li Xuanxiao hadn't told her their purpose.

Di Nü Feng hadn't asked, showing no curiosity.

She treated it as a casual outing.

Walking and sightseeing, occasionally having Li Xuanxiao take her picture with a projection stone.

Then they arrived at this temple.

Di Nü Feng looked up to see the characters "Qingcheng Temple" above the gate.

Unfamiliar with this place, she was just wondering about it when she noticed some particularly tempting persimmons on a nearby tree.

Then Li Xuanxiao struck, killing the gatekeeper.

Di Nü Feng stared at Li Xuanxiao in shock.

"Li Xuanxiao?"

Li Xuanxiao kicked open the temple gates.

Several disciples rushed forward, drawing their swords to form a sword formation.

Li Xuanxiao broke through with a single blade.

Eighteen disciples arrived, stepping into the Big Dipper formation.

Their swords became white rainbows piercing the sun, while others blocked escape routes.

The true killing move came from behind, a sword poised to strike.

Li Xuanxiao gently pushed his sword hilt with his right thumb.

"Who dares invade Qingcheng Temple!!"

The sword net suddenly contracted rapidly, like a blooming lotus closing its petals.

In an instant, the wide formation tightened around Li Xuanxiao.

Faced with encirclement, Li Xuanxiao remained perfectly calm.

A faint smile played on his lips.

For him, this was an excellent opportunity to test his abilities.

After all, everything Li Xuanxiao had now was essentially starting from scratch.

Only through the Myriad Soul Banner had he forcibly elevated his cultivation.

But truly assimilating this power required considerable time.

And sword duels were undoubtedly excellent practice.

Better for sensing changes in one's own strength.

As sword winds blew, bronze bells beneath the temple eaves suddenly chimed in unison.

The clear ringing echoed through the air, as if cheering for the coming battle.

Then within the formation, the clang of metal erupted simultaneously.

Li Xuanxiao struck ruthlessly, deflecting an opponent's blade.

His sword descended like cutting through mud, precisely splitting a disciple's skull.

Before the victim could feel pain, half his cranium flew away with the sword's momentum.

Li Xuanxiao's footwork disrupted formation nodes.

Two disciples attacked from behind.

Another flying sword shot from Li Xuanxiao's dantian, intercepting them—cold steel precisely piercing both assailants' throats.

"Change formation!!" a disciple shouted.

Li Xuanxiao smirked coldly, raising his bloodied sword.

Droplets rolled down the silver blade onto his wrist.

In one motion, he teleported and cleaved through a disciple's body.

The muffled sound of penetration mixed with cracking bones.

Once-smooth stone bricks were now drenched crimson.

Li Xuanxiao sheathed his sword expressionlessly.

As he did, the last disciple in the formation collapsed like a marionette with cut strings.

Qingcheng Temple had been solemn and reverent, filled with pious worshippers.

Now witnessing this bloodbath, all stood frozen in terror.

Over a dozen mutilated disciple corpses littered the ground.

Fear spread like plague, faces turning deathly pale as people fled in panic.

More disciples arrived.

Suddenly, a brilliant sword light flashed from the mountain pass.

Li Xuanxiao immediately raised his blade horizontally.

The light reached him instantly—

A deafening crash as steel met steel!

Li Xuanxiao was sent flying back, feet carving deep grooves in the ground.

"Who dares slaughter our disciples?!"

The impact knocked Li Xuanxiao's sword away, sending him tumbling across the ground.