Chapter 126: Do You Think I’m Someone You Can Push Around?

After this battle, the power of the Black Banner was undoubtedly greatly diminished; a demotion was not out of the question, and the culprit was that damned mosquito.

Fortunately, in the end, it still died. The black-clad elder did not believe Xiao Wenzi could come back to life again.

After all, even if the opponent was some ancient hybrid beast with the innate gift of immortality, such a resurrection required sufficient demonic energy and vital essence.

The mosquito before him was too low in cultivation; to revive once was already a miracle. If it could revive again, that would truly be supernatural.

However, having learned from his junior brother’s previous experience, the black-clad elder dared not relax his vigilance.

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, staring fixedly at the spot where Xiao Wenzi had self-destructed, while simultaneously controlling a mid-grade flying sword, ready to strike with full force.

Suddenly, before Xiao Wenzi appeared, the elder seemed to have a realization. He looked up toward the dissipating vortex of spiritual energy in the sky, murmuring with a complex expression, “She has broken through.”

Before he finished speaking, the cavern’s great door rumbled open, and a slender, graceful girl with a cherubic face hurried out.

Chu Xiner had just entered the Foundation Establishment stage. Unable to stabilize her realm, she had hurriedly ended her cultivation, sensing the violent explosions outside and knowing that Xiao Wenzi was struggling fiercely.

But once she rushed out and saw the scene clearly, astonishment flashed across her face.

The black-clad elder was clearly somewhat stronger than her, a consummate early Foundation Establishment cultivator, but his aura was somewhat unstable, likely wounded.

The other figure, with the right arm missing at the root, a sunken chest, and a cracked lower abdomen, covered in blood and flesh, with an uncertain life status, was no weakling either.

She truly did not know how Xiao Wenzi had pushed them to such a dire state. Wait, where was Xiao Wenzi?

Only now did Chu Xiner realize there was no sign of Xiao Wenzi outside the cavern, not even a trace of his aura.

Had something happened to him? Just as anxious light flickered in her beautiful eyes, not far ahead beneath the elder’s flying sword, Xiao Wenzi’s figure suddenly materialized out of thin air.

“Truly immortal… how is this possible?”

The black-clad elder’s face changed drastically upon seeing Xiao Wenzi revive again after self-destruction. Gritting his teeth, he acted without hesitation, flicking his fingers to strike fiercely with the mid-grade flying sword.

“Old bastard, if you dare harm Xiao Wenzi, then die!”

Chu Xiner stood nearby, hardly one to watch idly. With a coquettish snort, she unleashed both the Vajra Sword and the Willow Leaf Blade—one darting swiftly to intercept the elder’s flying sword in defense of Xiao Wenzi, the other rushing straight at his body.

Amidst the clash of refined iron, Xiao Wenzi, now a shadowy figure, successfully evaded the elder’s sword attack. He sent a congratulatory greeting to Chu Xiner on her breakthrough before flapping his wings to unleash a flurry of razor-sharp wing blades.

The elder’s expression darkened as the attack not only failed to eliminate the detestable mosquito but also threatened his own body.

He flicked sword energy from his right hand to meet the Willow Leaf Blade and shook the Black Banner with his left. The remaining malevolent ghosts inside surged forth—not targeting Xiao Wenzi, but the cherubic-faced girl at the cavern entrance.

The black-clad elder’s intent was clear: Chu Xiner had just broken through, and her realm was unstable. If he could eliminate her first, then with their master-servant contract, no matter how cunning the mosquito was, it would surely suffer fatal backlash.

“Hmph, do you think I’m easy prey?”

Though Chu Xiner’s cultivation was not as solid as the elder’s, her combat experience was far from lacking. Facing those grim, howling evil spirits, she snorted coldly and suddenly produced a thick stack of talismans in her hand.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Ten or so talismans, all mid-grade ones purchased from the Lingfu Shop in Yunfeng Market, were simultaneously activated. Flames, thunderfire, sword qi, wind blades, ice spears—all surged in an overwhelming barrage.

The force was so fierce that even the black-clad elder took notice. The average low-level evil spirits were still ferocious and fearless, but the strongest fierce ghosts showed almost human-like fear.

Previously, the Black Banner had been severely damaged by Xiao Wenzi’s self-explosion, rendering most fierce ghosts unable to form. Now, swept by the talismans’ power, the evil wind ghosts were nearly annihilated.

After the explosion, seeing the Black Banner utterly devoid of spiritual energy—unable to be used without collecting soul remnants—the elder retreated to a distance, his eyes blazing with fury as he spoke coldly:

“You insolent girl! Do you know I am a disciple of the Extreme Demon Sect? Surrender quickly, or your end will be miserable…”

The black-clad elder’s tone was threatening, but as a disciple of the most powerful evil sect in the Northern Region of Pingzhou, he was qualified to say so.

Chu Xiner remained outwardly calm, continuing to control her two magical weapons in attack, but inwardly she sighed.

How unlucky she was—breaking through in this remote valley without spiritual veins, yet attracting such formidable enemies. The Extreme Demon Sect was said to have not only multiple Nascent Soul experts but even an Ancient Divine phase patriarch.

No, she could not let this man escape. He must be killed here and now, to prevent endless future pursuit.

Resolute, Chu Xiner unconsciously quickened her assault.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

With Xiao Wenzi’s support—his cultivation comparable to a thirteenth-layer disciple—and with more mid-grade magical weapons than him, the elder was clumsy and awkward, unable to wield the Hundred Souls Banner.

Clang! The two mid-grade longswords clashed in midair. The Willow Leaf Blade effortlessly shattered the elder’s spell-forged sword energy, its momentum unbroken as it struck the protective aura surrounding him.

At the same time, Xiao Wenzi’s wing blade slashes also landed on the aura.

Having reached the Foundation Establishment stage, Chu Xiner could nearly unleash the full power of her Willow Leaf Blade and Vajra Sword. Coupled with Xiao Wenzi’s attacks, the elder’s protective spiritual light trembled violently.

An unstable protective aura meant a risk of death if it broke. The black-clad elder would not sit idle; his hands danced, conjuring sword energies that slashed toward both Xiao Wenzi and Chu Xiner’s Willow Leaf Blade.

Boom! Boom! The Willow Leaf Blade was temporarily blocked by the sword energies, and Xiao Wenzi, unable to withstand Foundation Establishment attacks physically, used his Shadow Technique to evade, defusing the immediate threat.

Nevertheless, Xiao Wenzi soon fled to the other side and launched another barrage of wing blade slashes at him. Chu Xiner, exerting her full control, shattered the sword energy again and struck once more.

With no other choice, the elder continued to parry, but by now, realizing he could not win, he began to entertain thoughts of retreat.

“Master, I will self-destruct to blast open his defenses soon. Seize the opportunity to kill him,” Xiao Wenzi transmitted telepathically.

Noticing the elder’s eyes flickering and his intensified attacks pushing back Chu Xiner’s golden sword, Xiao Wenzi knew he had lost the will to fight.

Ordinarily, such an enemy would flee. At worst, they would abandon this cavern and escape.

But this old fellow had the backing of a colossal force like the Extreme Demon Sect. If they carelessly drew out a Golden Core expert, escape would be impossible.

Like Chu Xiner, Xiao Wenzi intended to kill the black-clad elder outright to eliminate future threats.

With that resolve, he immediately sent a telepathic message to Chu Xiner and charged toward the elder at top speed.