Chapter 176: Eternal Red (6)

Chapter 176: Eternal Red (6)

A stream of sparks shoots into the air as Lan Xiaohui draws me from my sheath and slashes into the swell of snowflakes heading in her direction. These snowflakes are so charged with sword qi that they are as though fractals made of swords.

Even plummeting toward the ground, from hundreds of steps into the air, Lan Xiaohui and Wu Yulan have the presence of mind to deal with the immediate problem of their situation: the rampaging sword energy contained within the wind, snow, hail, and atmosphere!

But Lan Xiaohuis active defense is not enough. Though she manages to deflect some of the snow particles, my vessel simply passes through the force of the wind, able to only redirect it slightly.

Blood bursts into the air as the sword qi, snow, and wind cut into Lan Xiaohuis body and inflict multiple lacerations on her skin and dress. Shreds of silk fly away from her as she spins in mid-air, blown away by the impact.

Another spray of blood and torn clothes joins the air as Wu Yulan suffers a similar result as Lan Xiaohui, her sword unable to deflect the wind.

Xuelian! Wu Yulan shouts, even in this situation thinking of my owner first, before her own safety and health.

Dont say anything! Lan Xiaohui shouts back as her body drifts closer to Wu Yulan and she reaches out with her free hand to grab Wu Yulans wrist.

What are you Before Wu Yulan can finish her question, Lan Xiaohui tugs Wu Yulans arm, swinging her body around herself for one full revolution, before letting go and throwing the other girl toward the ground.

Wu Yulans body erupts with sparks as her protective sword qi intersects with the sword qi of the environment, soon to be joined with more blood and more strips of silk rent off her body.

Then, the girl disappears into the fog and snowy haze below.

Lan Xiaohui presses her finger into my vessel, and drags it across the black jade fuller, erupting with black and red energy. Soon enough, my entire vessel bursts with Lan Xiaohuis qi and sword intent and becomes shrouded in sword energy.

Still reeling from the recoil of throwing Wu Yulan to the ground and potentially safety Lan Xiaohui turns into the direction of her trajectory and meets the howling wind head-on.

She raises my vessel over her head and gathers her energy. This is the first time that Lan Xiaohui had the opportunity to use [Empty Moon Prana] in a combat scenario if this could be called combat.

Her gold core pulses with latent energy, but it is unlike before. It is slower than before, yet more powerful. It is steady, like the beating of Lan Xiaohuis heart which has now calmed down to beat a slow, heavy tempo.

[Empty Moon Prana] is such an art that takes in the qi, similar to how [Emptiness Prana] accomplishes this, and then compresses it down to reduce her aura and magnify her strength. Like a bright, full moon that quickly blackens and becomes invisible; yet, even invisible, it still exerts its force and might.

As per my advice, rather than resisting the force, she gives in to the current, trying to exhaust its force before it can inflict extreme damage to her body.

For the most part, she succeeds in the most dangerous gamble with her life to date. For the most part. Just as the force is about to pass by her without inflicting too much damage, the wounded shoulder kept maneuverable through her Qi fails her, and her grip on the invisible sword force slips.

The moment she loses her grip, even slightly, the snow and sword force digs into the skin of her left arm, cutting through flesh and ligaments, and, even more worryingly, her spiritual veins and meridians.

Lan Xiaohui cries out in pain but still remains present enough to take this opportunity to force her inner energy into motion once again.

She angles her body and uses the remainder of the force against her body to launch off of it like it is a springboard, and with the help of Liminality Steps, to fall toward the ground like a comet.

In the span of only a few seconds, Lan Xiaohui reaches the ground and crashes into it, her protective qi dispersing after absorbing most of the impact.

She tumbles like a broken doll, rolling on the ground with her useless arm flailing in the air. She comes to a stop, staring at the vast white expanse of swirling death above her head.

Wu Yulan rushes to her side from within the fog, eyes wide in alarm.

Xuelian! she shouts and picks my owner up by the strips of the ruined dress on her shoulders, and slowly drags her to the side, toward a tree.

Im Im fine, Lan Xiaohui grunts, her expression warped in pain. You have to run leave me here and run!

No! Wu Yulan shouts. Dont speak nonsense! We are leaving together or not at all!

Wu Yulan looks much better off than Lan Xiaohui. Her dress is ruined and there are some serious cuts on her eyebrow, neck, and arms, but nothing too threatening.

Wu Yulan drags Lan Xiaohui into the embrace of the exposed roots of the large tree and hugs her body as if to shield her from the wind and snow.

However, as the moments drag on and the wind fails to reach them here, and even the snow no longer contains such an unbearable sword force, they relax as they realize that they are, at least for the moment, safe here.

Neither one of them speaks or comments on the situation. They are already well aware of everything they need to know.

This place is death.