Love & Redemption
Chapter 54 - 14 Qu Ru’s Truth (1)

Chapter 54: Chapter 14 Qu Ru’s Truth (1)

Ugh, it looks like I don’t highlight my posts often enough each week. I can’t mark them all as featured for everyone.

I’m sorry...

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At that moment, the six of them flew towards Sea Bowl Mountain on their swords. Considering that last time they had rushed in recklessly without any preparation and had suffered greatly, this time all six of them brought everything they needed. They continued flying on their swords right to the back mountain and stopped there.

"It’s that smell again," Linglong covered her nose and frowned, "We killed so many yesterday, and yet there are still more today."

Yu Sifeng made a gesture to Xuanji, and she immediately understood. The six of them spread out to form a large circle in mid-air, each taking a stance, ready to start fighting at any moment. Xuanji pulled out some small firecrackers from her bosom, lit them, and threw them down.

There was another loud "bang," and the surrounding area lit up like daylight. Halfway up the mountain, countless black dots were writhing around, all of them three-headed Qu Ru Birds. Clearly, killing a large number yesterday had no effect, as they had gathered here again today.

The Qu Ru Birds, stimulated by the light, flapped their wings and rose into the air. As the six people were about to wait for the birds to fly higher and enjoy slaughtering them, they noticed that the birds were not attacking like they did yesterday. Instead, they circled in the low air, shrieking chaotically. After a while, they descended and quieted down.

"Oh, they know what’s formidable now!" Linglong joked.

Lu Yanran hummed a laugh nearby and said sweetly, "Yes, they’ve been scared away by the might of the Shaoyang Sect."

Linglong pretended not to hear. Seeing that the Qu Ru Birds were not coming up, Xuanji simply lit several more firecrackers and tossed them all down. After a series of crackling noises, a huge flapping sound erupted, and everyone felt a stench hit their faces as the birds indeed flew up again!

"Scatter!" Yu Sifeng yelled, and the six backed away in unison, surrounding the large flock of rising Qu Ru Birds in the center. Swords flashed chaotically for a moment, and it was like an iron net covered the sky above. Any Qu Ru Bird that carelessly crashed into it was either killed or wounded.

With the experience from the day before, Linglong was no longer afraid and was even reveling in the slaughter. Her broken gold sword seemed to respond to her excitement, emitting a clear ringing sound. Amid the sky full of sword light, only hers was the most splendid. As the golden arc of light swept out, a large number of bloody Qu Ru Birds fell.

Seeing her like this from a distance, Lu Yanran couldn’t help but laugh again, "Miss Linglong, why not take it easy? These birds are almost like hens; killing more of them is pointless. Be careful not to dirty your treasure sword."

Linglong, provoked by her repeatedly, was already full of ire and immediately shouted, "Shut up! If you’re afraid, go back to your master! Stop chirping here!"

"Hey, mind your language when you speak!" Lu Yanran also got angry, her pretty face becoming frosty.

"You should mind yours first!" Furious, Linglong swung her sword forcefully and the golden light, shattering dozens of Qu Ru Birds, flew straight towards Lu Yanran without dispersing.

Lu Yanran was unwilling to show weakness. She quickly formed a sword technique incantation and with a twist of her wrist, multiple beams of Sword Qi shot out, colliding with Linglong’s golden Sword Qi. Instantly, they created a vortex that swept up the bustling Qu Ru Birds around them. Seeing that both of them had made a move, they no longer held back. Ignoring the Qu Ru Birds, they exchanged blows with each other in the air, engaging in a battle of swordsmanship.

"Linglong! Do not complicate things unnecessarily!"

Zhong Minyan called out anxiously. Due to the sudden gaps in the circle formed by the six, the remaining four were now struggling to cope. They had to deal with the scrambling Qu Ru Birds and prevent the two from getting injured, which left them in a flurry.

Linglong performed a graceful flip in the air, dodging Lu Yanran’s Sword Qi. She said harshly, "You should be telling her not to complicate things unnecessarily! Lu Yanran, I’ve tolerated you for a long time already!"

Ruo Yu was also busy persuading Lu Yanran. "Miss Lu! Dealing with demons is the top priority right now; we mustn’t lose the big picture over something trivial..."

"You all saw it, she is the one being aggressive! The Shaoyang Sect has such a grand reputation! Do you really think I’d be afraid?"

Lu Yanran remained unwilling to compromise.

While the situation was in turmoil here, over there, Xuanji and Yu Sifeng were still busy dealing with the increasingly numerous Qu Ru Birds, gradually becoming overrun. Xuanji’s movements became more cumbersome, feeling the wound on her back that had been torn open became further aggravated, inadvertently causing her wrist to weaken, nearly dropping her sword. Seeing several more Qu Ru Birds flying towards her from behind, she gritted her teeth to strike back while secretly gathering her True Qi, trying to unleash Immortal Law.

The Qu Ru Birds, fluttering chaotically below, suddenly caught the scent of her blood, instantly becoming excited. No longer scattering in other directions, they converged together, intending to envelop Xuanji like the night before.

Seeing the situation turning grim, she made a quick decision to drop her treasure sword and began forming the hand seals to cast Immortal Law.

From the opposite side, Yu Sifeng suddenly began whistling, three long and one short, followed by a burst of silver light that leaped from his sleeve, growing as it caught the wind, darting across the backs of the Qu Ru Birds like a ghost. A touch from it caused the Qu Ru Birds to lose strength and fall.

Yu Sifeng whistled a strange tune, controlling the movements of Little Silver Flower while he launched into the air. With a flourish of his robe, he shot out countless trails of faint blue hidden weapon, presumably still coated with poison. The Qu Ru Birds circling Xuanji were thrown into disarray by this move, revealing an opening. He soared in, grabbing Xuanji’s hand, and lifted her behind him.

"Si Feng..." she called out. Regrettably, the commotion from the Qu Ru Birds was too loud, and it’s likely he couldn’t hear what she said.

Yu Sifeng was in front of her, and he firmly squeezed her hand from behind, "Do you see Little Silver Flower?" he asked loudly.

Xuanji was startled for a moment, then quickly nodded, "I see it! But... it’s not clear."

The Qu Ru Birds continued to swarm all around them, clawing and biting, with only his treasure sword to fend them off, moving with precise offense and defense. Despite struggling to fight off the many demon birds, he found the energy to jest with her, "In a bit, you’ll be able to see it clearly!"

Xuanji saw his breathing become more labored; dealing with so many Qu Ru Birds was indeed taxing for one person. But she had thrown her sword away earlier, and her True Qi wasn’t gathering now, leaving her unable to help him. Suddenly, she heard him grunt, his left arm was viciously clawed, skin and flesh torn off, his clothes quickly soaked with blood.

She felt a buzzing in her ears, her heart thrown into utmost chaos, feeling both helpless and blank. Aunt Hong’s words suddenly resurfaced in her mind, what she had said that day: Xuanji couldn’t be a burden all the time, if her loved ones and friends faced danger because of her one day, could she bear to watch them die?

Of course, she couldn’t bear it!

Four years ago, after descending the mountain and having a massive drunk, she finally understood what she was seeking amidst many years of aimlessness.

So many people said she lacked heart, lacked goals, but she wished for them all to be happy.

She didn’t like seeing them sad, didn’t like seeing them get hurt and bleed.

What she disliked most was being separated from them, no matter the reason. She preferred to be a small backdrop of happiness, rather than being abandoned, or... forced to part.

A faint silver light suddenly appeared before her eyes, perhaps it was the moonlight, or perhaps it was the glow from Si Feng’s sword, she wasn’t sure. The scattered True Qi in her chest suddenly converged, as if thousands of rivers were finally flowing into the sea.

She closed her eyes, forming incantations with her hands, her right hand reached out, her fingers slightly curled as if a lan flower was about to bloom, her fingertips as if coated with a layer of silver sand, shimmering brightly.

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