CHAPTER 55: CHAPTER 55: JUST A SERIOUS INJURY, NOT WORTH MENTIONING!_1

The next second, the burly figure was sent flying backward, spewing a mouthful of blood as he hurtled straight toward Li Longyou.

"Eldest Brother, be careful!"

Li Longyou quickly extended his right hand, forming a seal. In an instant, pure mana coalesced at his fingertips into a vast phantasm of a Yin-Yang Taiji Diagram. The burly man smashed heavily against it, and as the diagram spun rapidly, the force of the impact was steadily dissipated.

One rotation...

Two rotations...

Three rotations...

Four rotations...

...

Ten rotations...

...

"Stop spinning, Longyou! I’m going to hurl!"

After spinning more than thirty times, Li Longhao was finally lowered to the ground by Li Longyou. The world spun around him, his eyes seeing stars.

"A few more spins would have dissipated the force more cleanly," Li Longyou remarked. He took out the Jade Bottle from his robes and poured out a dozen healing pills. "Brother, take these pills!"

Pills? What pills?

Li Longhao snorted coldly. "A mere scratch. It’s hardly worth mentioning! It’s all because of that accursed scourge. She has no martial honor, launching a sneak attack like that. Otherwise, how could she have possibly injured me!"

With that, Li Longhao shouted angrily, once again shouldering his heavy sword. An overwhelmingly majestic sword Qi radiated from him as he rushed back into the courtyard.

"Fiend, face my sword!"

PING! PONG! CLANG! BOOM!

In just a few seconds, the courtyard once again erupted with the sounds of intense combat. Then, the burly body was sent flying out once more, this time collapsing a courtyard wall and vomiting even more blood than before.

"Eldest Brother, are you alright?" Li Longyou asked, supporting the still-unconscious Li Longji as he offered the healing pills with a face full of concern. "Want some?"

I don’t need them!

Li Longhao spat out a mouthful of bloody phlegm and picked up his heavy sword again. "A minor internal injury is nothing to speak of. Today, I, Li Longhao, vow to slay this fiend!"

He charged into the courtyard again, his sword Qi reaching a new level, seemingly adopting a stance of ’the harder I’m hit, the fiercer I attack.’

Li Longyou sighed. Those who cultivate the *Wrathful Heaven Sword Scripture* really are all blockheads. Why would anyone try to fight one-on-one in someone else’s Ghost Domain? He’s just asking for a beating!

"Second Brother. Second Brother, wake up."

Li Longyou set Li Longji down from his shoulder, delivered a sharp slap to his face, and followed it with a backhand. Instantly, Li Longji came to his senses. Rubbing his swollen cheek, he gave Li Longyou a resentful look before drawing the flexible sword from his waist and charging into the courtyard.

Finally, we can fight as a team.

Li Longyou drew the twin swords from his back and followed closely behind, stepping carefully into the courtyard. His expression immediately turned grave.

In the backyard, a thick ghostly fog had enshrouded the entire garden, yet it didn’t hinder visibility. The moon on the thirteenth of February was already full and bright, its rich power cascading down toward the Zhao Residence like a waterfall, converging into a massive, silver-white column of light.

Within the light column floated a red-gowned figure, shrouded in black Yin Qi, Sha Qi, and Demonic Qi that obscured her face. However, judging from the aura she emitted, her Cultivation Level had clearly reached above the Fifth Heaven of the Core Formation Stage. Furthermore, this was the Zhao Residence, a place she had long ago refined into her personal Ghost Domain. Her combat power was greatly enhanced here, to the point where even cultivators at the Seventh or Eighth Heaven of the Core Formation Stage might not gain an advantage.

As expected of a Nine Yin Earth-bound Spirit. With all her buffs stacked, she was truly formidable.

Li Longhao’s cultivation had reached the Sixth Heaven of the Core Formation Stage, and his mastery of the Sword Dao was exquisite, normally allowing him to fight those at the Seventh or Eighth Heaven without issue. Unfortunately, the *Wrathful Heaven Sword Scripture* he practiced was a heavy sword art meant to overpower foes with brute force. It was advantageous against massive Devil Beasts but lacking when facing an agile Malicious Ghost.

At that moment, the Malicious Ghost in the moonlight formed hand seals. Instantly, sheets of white paper shot out, transforming into humanoid figures. The aura from each paper figure was considerably strong; bolstered by the Yin Sha Qi, they were powerful enough to threaten a Core Formation Stage cultivator, forcing Li Longhao to take them seriously.

BOOM! BOOM!

The heavy sword was edgeless; its power was in its unrefined simplicity. Li Longhao’s heavy sword swept out, instantly shattering many of the paper figures. However, the remaining figures closed in, their delicate little fists pounding relentlessly against his chest.

THUD! THUD! THUD!

"Get away from me!" Li Longhao bellowed, an overwhelming aura bursting forth from his body. In the blink of an eye, his mighty sword Qi raged outward, obliterating all the surrounding paper figures into shreds.

The shattered paper figures, however, did not dissipate. Under the control of the red-gowned Malicious Ghost, they regrouped into a single, gigantic paper figure several yards tall, wielding a huge paper mallet.

BOOM!

The mallet fell. Li Longhao was sent flying once more, his heavy sword knocked from his grasp, nearly decapitating Li Longji in the process.

HISS!

Li Longji, who had still been half-asleep, was jolted wide awake. He channeled mana into his flexible sword, which instantly became rigid and let off a fiercely sharp aura from its tip. In a flash, Li Longji vanished, his afterimages flickering all over the courtyard. The paper giant swung its massive mallet down at him but couldn’t even touch his shadow.

CLANG!

A silvery sword light erupted like fireworks, instantly multiplying into thousands of streaks. The next second, Li Longji reappeared in the courtyard with his flexible sword already sheathed, panting heavily as if he had overexerted himself.

Meanwhile, the giant paper figure began to crumble inch by inch—no, it was being annihilated, turned to ash from its very mana source.

"Insignificant puppets," Li Longji sneered, a roguish smile on his lips. He was about to close his eyes and doze off again when his expression suddenly changed.

BOOM!

The ground split open, and crimson ribbons shot out like blood serpents, cocooning Li Longji completely and suspending him in mid-air. It had to be said, this ghost had been dead for only seven days, yet she had already mastered so many bizarre arts. She was truly a talent.

"Immortal Masters," the woman shrouded in moonlight and yin energy suddenly spoke in a faint voice, just as Li Longhao and Li Longyou were about to draw their swords to save their brother. "May we pause for a moment, so that this humble lady might say a word?"

Her last words?

Li Longhao scoffed coldly, "Spare me your ghostly nonsense! I’ll kill you first!"

He grabbed his heavy sword, ready to charge, but the less impulsive Li Longyou stopped him. "Eldest Brother, calm down! Second Brother is still in her hands!"

Li Longhao grunted, "So what? Does that fiend think we disciples of the Sanqing Immortal Sect are afraid of death? Today, even if it costs my brothers’ lives, I swear to eliminate this scourge!"

Li Longji was speechless.

CLANG!

Innumerable rays of sword light burst from within the crimson ribbons, shredding them to pieces. Li Longji’s body merged with the sword light, allowing him to break free and rejoin his brothers, though his face was a bit pale. He had clearly expended a great deal of energy... and was even starting to yawn again.

He glanced at Li Longhao. "Eldest Brother, can you still fight?"

Li Longhao touched his ribs, which had been broken by the paper mallet. After a moment of silence, his face flushed with exertion as he scoffed, "A serious injury like this? It’s nothing!"

THUMP.

The next second, Li Longhao was kicked into the air by Li Longji, sent flying toward the red-gowned Malicious Ghost.

Forcing himself to stay awake, Li Longji erupted with endless sword light. "Today, even if it costs my brother’s life, I swear to eradicate this scourge!"