Chapter 7: Wine Bubbles, Swords Resonate: Slaying the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King! Zhu Zhuqing in Peril

Deep within the valley, a swarm of Sword-Tail Scorpions lay slumbering upon the ground. Perched atop a flat, monumental boulder sat the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King, its three bladed tails swaying unconsciously.

Suddenly—*thud, thud*—a barrage of stone fragments rained down upon the swarm, jolting them all awake.

"Come on, chase me!" Zhu Zhuqing gripped the bamboo tube, her palms slick with sweat. Seeing the scorpions raise their bladed tails and hiss as they surged toward her, she turned and bolted.

"One minute!" she exhorted herself. "I can definitely do this! Li Zhexian, the rest is up to you!"

...

Seeing its subordinates rush off to pursue the enemy, the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King remained sluggish and unmoved. Such weak prey was not worth its effort. However, just as it was about to return to its slumber, the sound of rapid, approaching footsteps echoed through the valley.

*Whoosh—!*

The mist in the depths of the valley was disturbed. A figure suddenly burst forth, a purple soul ring rising beneath his feet, and a flash of cyan-green sword light erupted with terrifying sharpness.

"Azure Blade Sever!"

The newcomer was none other than Li Zhexian. Daring not to waste a second, he unleashed his soul skill the moment he charged into the valley. The Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King, caught off guard by the presence of another enemy, sensed the threat of the sword light and let out an angry hiss. Its three bladed tails lashed out ferociously, shimmering with a bronze-colored cold light that set the air humming with vibration.

The Azure Lotus Sword collided violently with the three tails. *Clang—!* A piercing sound of metal striking metal exploded in the air! The Scorpion King was knocked off its stone platform, while Li Zhexian was sent reeling backward. He dug his heels into the earth, carving deep furrows, and only managed to steady his disheveled frame after plunging his sword into the ground to halt his momentum.

"What terrifying strength!" Li Zhexian’s right hand, which gripped the sword, trembled uncontrollably. But he dared not stop.

"One minute! Only one minute!" Through locks of hair matted with sweat, Li Zhexian’s eyes glowed a faint crimson. "My sword and spirit wine complement each other perfectly! Today, let the wine boil and the sword sing!"

The Clear Spring wine gourd floated before his eyes. Li Zhexian snatched it, pulled the stopper, and tilted his head back to drink. The moment the fiery liquor rolled down his throat, a surge of overwhelming energy erupted from within him. The Azure Lotus Sword hummed and vibrated, its cyan glow extending by three inches.

Just then, the Scorpion King’s bladed tail struck like lightning, shattering the air as it aimed for his head. Li Zhexian rolled to the side. The tail slammed into the ground beside him, carving a trench and sending spiderweb cracks spreading across the earth.

"Azure Blade Sever!" Li Zhexian leaped into the air, the surging cyan radiance imbuing the Azure Lotus Sword with a razor-sharp edge that neared its limit.

*Slash—!*

One of the bladed tails was severed on impact. Bronze-colored blood sprayed like a waterfall. Before Li Zhexian could celebrate, the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King let out a pained hiss. Its remaining two tails coiled into a spiral, and with a piercing sonic boom, they struck directly at his chest.

Li Zhexian hastily twisted to deliver a horizontal slash. The blade collided with the tails, sending out a shower of sparks. The strength of the Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King was too immense; Li Zhexian was smashed into the rock wall, blood and broken stone spilling from his mouth.

It wasn't over yet. The Scorpion King pounced, its two entangled tails separating to pierce deep into Li Zhexian’s shoulders from left and right. Li Zhexian gave a muffled grunt as a thick stream of blood trickled from the corner of his lips. He slowly raised his head, locking eyes with the Scorpion King’s malevolent compound eyes.

At first glance, the clash between man and beast seemed to be a defeat for Li Zhexian. But suddenly, he smiled. The Azure Lotus Sword and the Clear Spring wine gourd swept around him.

*Splash—!*

The Clear Spring wine gourd tipped slowly, pouring the crisp, fragrant liquor onto the Azure Lotus Sword. As the amber liquid soaked the blade, the Azure Lotus Sword, originally glowing with cyan light, turned a deep, molten red. Petals of flame bloomed along the blade! The wine boiled, and the sword shrieked! This was "Wine Boils, Sword Sings!"

The Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King felt a sense of dread. It tried to retract its two tails, but it was too late. The crimson sword energy surged forth like a blood dragon rising from the abyss, and the Azure Lotus Sword erupted with a sharp, blood-red radiance, slicing down across the two tails.

The Three-Tailed Sword Scorpion King let out a shrill, mournful howl. Sensing the tails embedded in his shoulders lose their strength, Li Zhexian gritted his teeth and pulled himself up. He gripped the Azure Lotus Sword, its handle searing hot to the touch. Burning through his final sliver of soul power, he leaped upward. The sword in his hand fell like a meteor, piercing the retreating Scorpion King from above.

*Squelch—!*

The blade entered the flesh. The two severed tails writhed frantically on the ground. Li Zhexian leaned on the sword, which was now buried in the Scorpion King’s head, and knelt, gasping for breath. At that moment, a purple soul ring slowly rose from the corpse of the Scorpion King.

...

Zhu Zhuqing ran headlong, the Sword-Tail Scorpions in hot pursuit, only five or six meters behind her.

"One minute! One minute! Only... ten seconds have passed!" Zhu Zhuqing gritted her teeth, her smooth forehead beaded with sweat. A sound of air being torn apart suddenly erupted beside her. She pushed off with her toes, leaping onto the branch of a giant tree. Where she had just been standing, a bladed tail shattered the ground. Zhu Zhuqing’s elegant brows furrowed as she hurriedly continued her flight.

Her long, dark hair was windblown and tangled, sticking to her cheeks. Her black tight-fitting outfit had been shredded in several places during the chase. Zhu Zhuqing felt like crying. Raised in luxury since childhood, she had never been in such a pathetic state.

"Li Zhexian! You definitely owe me a favor! I’ve paid too high a price!" she thought to herself, picking up the bamboo tube and taking a gulp. She didn't understand why Li Zhexian had told her to drink while fleeing, but she obeyed.

The moment the liquid hit her throat, a gentle yet potent energy spread through her body. Her legs, previously aching and weak, regained their vitality, and even the soul power within her began to boil.

"Huh?!" Zhu Zhuqing widened her beautiful eyes, staring at the bamboo tube in shock. "This wine..."

She leaped onto a giant boulder, narrowly dodging another tail strike, and tried taking another gulp. The same refreshing sensation flowed through her entire body. Her speed suddenly increased by thirty percent, instantly widening the gap between her and the scorpions by several meters.

"Good wine, truly good wine!" Zhu Zhuqing thought with a happy, flushed face, "No wonder that guy Li Zhexian never lets the wine leave his hand! His wine is actually this good!"

Just like that, taking a sip from time to time, Zhu Zhuqing found that although she was still being chased, she was now moving with ease.

Until... two thousand-year-old Sword-Tail Scorpions joined the pursuit!

"Damn it!" Glancing at the two rapidly approaching thousand-year-old scorpions, the flush on Zhu Zhuqing’s face turned pale. "Where did these thousand-year-old scorpions come from? Weren't they supposed to be foraging?!"

Zhu Zhuqing panicked and drank more frantically, but the bamboo tube was soon empty. Then, the two thousand-year-old scorpions leaped into the air, appearing directly in front of her and blocking her path. The swarm of scorpions hissed as they surrounded her completely.

Zhu Zhuqing had nowhere left to run, and she fell into a state of total panic. After all, she was only a twelve-year-old girl. Seeing so many ferocious scorpions up close, her eyes began to redden.

*Hiss—!*

One of the thousand-year-old scorpions lunged at her. Exhausted, Zhu Zhuqing had no time to dodge. She closed her eyes in despair, thinking, "Li Zhexian! A minute has passed, where are you!"