Chapter 280 The Hunter Who Killed Immortals (31)

(Mount Xilean- Fifth Peak)

"Disgusting freak," Lei Ying spat out as she tossed Xu Lu to the ground. The saintess landed on the floor with a heavy thump.

She gasped for breath as her injured ribs felt as though they were going to crack. Lei Ying kicked the mask on the ground in her direction.

"Put it on," Lei Ying hissed darkly.

"Put it on right now so that I do not have to look at you."

Xu Lu's body moved automatically as her fingers grabbed the edge of the mask before hurriedly placing it back on her face.

The original Xu Lu was just too traumatised about her appearance.

Xu Lu was unable to control this body's emotions whenever the mask was removed from her face.

It was something that would need to work on otherwise it could become a serious weakness in the future.

"Go to the back of the mountain and cultivate for the next year. I don't want you to step outside this mountain peak without my permission," Lei Ying sternly warned.

"Maybe if you disappear from the sight of the other disciples then they may forget what a complete and utter failure you are."

"Do you understand?"

Xu Lu pursed her lips together into a thin line and refused to answer her master's words.

It was a stupid decision, but she did not want her master to get the satisfaction of her easily following her orders like a loyal dog.

Lei Ying approached the fallen girl and kicked her in her stomach without saying a word. Xu Lu curled up into a ball and tried her best not to vomit out the contents of her stomach.

It hurt... it really hurt...

She gasped for breath and saw Lei Ying leaning over her body with the hint of a sadistic smile playing around her lips.

"Do. You. Understand." Lei Ying asked one more time.

​ "I welcome... a year... away... from... you..." Xu Lu whispered while struggling to prevent the pain that she was feeling from leaking out in her voice.

Lei Ying kicked her body for a second time and then walked out of the shack.

Xu Lu struggled to her feet and was forced to lean against the wall to prevent herself from collapsing.

She dug around in her storage ring and pulled out a small healing pill. She popped the medicine in her mouth and a warm current began to flow throughout her body.

She needed to leave this place.

While Xu Lu was not thrilled about the original Xu Lu's request to join the demonic path, she agreed that she eventually needed to leave the Holy Sword Sect.

The hierarchy of the cultivation world especially in the righteous sects was extremely strict. An apprentice could not go against the words of their master.

Even if she was to complain to one of the clan elders or the sect head himself... there was little that would be done.

Lei Ying could simply claim that it was a form of temperament training in order for her to strength her disciple's Dao heart and that would be the end of the matter.

Xu Lu took in a few deep breaths and then waited patiently as her injuries began to heal.

When she no longer felt any pain, she slowly took one step forward and walked out of the door.

At least she would hopefully get one year of peace.

Xu Lu let out a heavy sigh under her breath and looked up at the sky. Despite her unpleasant mood, the sun was shining brightly, and white fluffy clouds travelled across the horizon.

It was a beautiful day.

The saintess walked towards the edge of the plain and entered the forest that surrounded the top of the fifth peak.

It took around fifteen to twenty minutes for her to finally arrive at the roaring river at the back of the mountain.

She could have been quicker, but Xu Lu enjoyed the long scenic walk. Being in nature always helped to calm her mind.

There was just something special about being surrounded by trees, grass and furry animals that made her feel at home.

Xu Lu waded into the shallow part of the river and could see tiny white fishes swimming around the sandy bottom.

It was the perfect place to use the Frozen Hell Art.

Speaking of which...

Xu Lu glanced at the opposite side of the shore and saw a small hill made of monster cores that were glowing with frosty ice qi.

Her master had left the stack of cores for her to practise her qi gathering technique. Xu Lu clicked her tongue as she just could not understand Lei Ying.

It was evident by her words and actions that she greatly detested her apprentice but then why was she so diligent and forceful when it came to raising her disciple's cultivation level.

Was there a hidden reason why Lei Ying wanted the original Xu Lu's cultivation to constantly improve?

Xu Lu frowned slightly as a few bad thoughts came to mind.

Still without all of the memories of the original Xu Lu, she would have to solve this mystery by herself.

The saintess dove underwater and swam towards the opposite side of the shore. She enjoyed the cold refreshing sensation of the water as it washed over her skin.

Xu Lu reached the edge of the riverbank and stretched out her hand to pick up five of the monster cores.

The cores were cold to the touch and frost began to creep up along the edges of her fingertips.

The Frozen Hell Art was not for the fainthearted. Even with an Ice Yin Root, Xu Lu found the process incredibly painful.

It involved extracting the ice qi inside the monster cores and taking that frosty energy inside one's own body.

Obviously human qi and monster qi had significant differences so it took a great deal of concentration to maintain the flow.

Xu Lu closed her eyes and mentally counted to ten in her mind.

She needed to get stronger and this was a method that would allow her to reach even greater cultivation heights.

One day... one day she would pay her master back for all the abuse that she had endured over the years.

The saintess flung the five stones into the water and ice began to spread out from where the stones landed.

Xu Lu swam in the middle of the five stones and closed her eyes. Her body trembled involuntarily as the cold chill entered her meridians.

She focused on the qi circulating in her dantian and made it move in a certain pattern that would attract the ice energy from the monster cores.

Agony.

Xu Lu gritted her teeth as thousands of icy needles stabbed into her flesh and when they entered her body it felt as though each one ignited into a burst of flames.

Freezing cold and scorching heart.

Two sensations that were the polar opposites and yet Xu Lu was forced to endure both.