World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 413: Golden Bones and Hands

Under normal circumstances, a Grand Immortal-Ascension Realm cultivator could reduce over a hundred Golden Core Realm cultivators to ashes before they could even get close. The gap in their cultivation was simply too vast.

Nevertheless, the Golden Core Realm cultivators threw themselves at Xi Lian without hesitation. Using their fragile Dao Bodies, they formed layers of obstruction that momentarily drew Xi Lian's attention away. Completely consumed by devilish qi, Xi Lian faltered for just an instant.

The two ancient cultivators seized the opportunity like a pardon from death. Retreating with all their strength, they turned into two beams of light and vanished beyond the horizon.

The remaining cultivators along the lakeshore scattered like startled birds, vanishing into the night from every direction. Only a dozen or so revealed their auras as they flew toward the town at the foot of the mountain. They then stopped midway and waited in silence.

Overhead, the air kept bursting into clouds of blood mist. The Golden Core Realm cultivators fearlessly charged at Xi Lian again, allowing her to slaughter them freely just so they could delay her.

Amid the chaos, a dark figure slipped into the lake and, moments later, emerged on the far side. With Xiaomiao on their shoulder, they vanished into the darkness. The timing was flawless. Barely had they disappeared when the ancient cultivators sent powerful waves of spiritual perception across the lakebed, searching for Xiaomiao.

The two ancient cultivators hadn't gone far. They merely concealed themselves and hid nearby.

As if tired of the endless killing, Xi Lian spread her three fox tails wide, and her crimson light illuminated the lake. The fox fiend who had once rampaged at the Ziyan Temple revealed her true form once again. Rolling tides of devilish qi surged into the skies, spreading in every direction.

From the shadows, the ancient cultivator issued another order. The remaining "puppets" rushed toward the town below.

The blood-colored fox fiend followed closely behind.

In the nearby woods, a man in monk robes softly intoned Buddha's name. Carrying Xiaomiao on his back, he looked up at Xi Lian with worry, then looked at the distance.

The faint crimson glow from above fell across Huai Jing's gentle features. "Amitabha... How should we deal with this situation?"

"The Shu Sword Sect..." Xiaomiao weakly muttered from his shoulder. She coughed twice before adding, "Buddhist Master, just leave me here and go to the Shu Sword Sect. Ask their sword spirit... to suppress Big Sister..."

"Mm? The Shu Sword Sect?" Huai Jing blinked, then understood.

He gently set Xiaomiao down but kept a hand pressed on her shoulder. He had used a Buddhist technique to conceal their presence and aura, even from the spiritual perception of the two Tribulation Realm cultivators.

Trembling slightly, Xiaomiao struggled to stand. In her left hand, the sarira bead glowed faintly, easing some of the terror that gnawed at her heart.

"Buddhist Master..."

"We'll have to make our way over slowly," Huai Jing whispered. "Those two ancient cultivators are still searching nearby. I used a secret technique to deceive their perception for now, but the senses of Tribulation Realm cultivators have an enormous range. We'll have to endure it for a while."

Xiaomiao's face dimmed, but she quickly turned to him again. "Don't you have the contact details of anyone from the Shu Sword Sect in your phone, Buddhist Master?"

Huai Jing froze, then chuckled helplessly. He took out his phone and replied, "All signals within a hundred li have been cut off, even in the town below. I don't even know how those people managed to prepare so much right under the authorities' noses. Someone seems to have been setting this game up for a long time."

Xiaomiao's expression turned grim.

Overhead, the fox flew slowly across the sky, chasing the panicked and fleeing Golden Core Realm cultivators.

Xiaomiao then heard aircraft engines echoing through the air, sending chills up her spine. Looking up, she saw faint lights flickering across the night sky as transport planes rushed past, releasing probing drones. Her legs gave out, making her fall onto the damp grass.

Huai Jing crouched beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder. Softly, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Dazed, Xiaomiao replied in a trembling voice, "The authorities' drones... won't have records of the earlier battle, only the part where Big Sister revealed her true form after turning into a devil. My prediction was right. The Special Investigation Unit's advanced surveillance satellites were hacked. Now, the enemy will use this incident to pressure the authorities into freeing those ancient cultivators.

"The Shu Sword Sect's sword spirit is our only hope now, but if the leadership of the Special Affairs Unit adds fuel to the fire, those criminals' release would be inevitable. The sword spirit will surely be wary of acting. What should we do..."

Before she realized it, tears had slid down her cheeks. Her tone turned softer and uncertain until she finally covered her face with both hands, stifling her sobs.

"Well... Amitabha." Huai Jing sighed. "Even if the authorities don't lift the seals, those people have already escaped. Don't blame yourself, Xiaomiao. None of this is your fault. You were simply caught in the middle."

Xiaomiao steadied her emotions and looked up. "Buddhist Master, if my brother were here, what would he do?"

Huai Jing smiled bitterly. "He'd rush in and fight. Most of the time, he wins through sheer will, but we don't have that kind of luck." 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Xiaomiao held out the sarira bead. "This should be the key to waking Big Sister. When the time comes—"

Huai Jing shook his head and pushed the sarira back to her.

"Keep it. I already have one." He reached into his pocket and took out a pure-gold skeletal hand. He then smiled. "This item is far more useful than Buddhist Master Santong's sarira."

Xiaomiao was momentarily stunned. "Is there really no way to save Big Sister?"

"There is, but the cost would be too great," Huai Jing said calmly as he met her eyes. "If I act now, I would only create more variables and draw a furious counterattack from those ancient cultivators. The situation will ultimately spiral out of control. As you said, the Shu Sword Sect's sword spirit would definitely be wary—and I would be, too. With the Buddhist sect in decline, I can't afford to make us new enemies."

"Doesn't the Buddhist sect preach compassion? Would a Buddhist master ignore the more than a hundred thousand mortals below?"

"Amitabha." Huai Jing's gaze showed hesitation for a moment. He then nodded slowly. "We can only let them be."

"Buddhist Master..."

"The authorities have already launched probing drones. The town below has a well-developed transport network that'll ensure the residents can evacuate quickly.

"The casualties won't be catastrophic. If I act rashly now, though, I fear I'd just endanger millions of lives. Though you're clever enough to weigh the pros and cons, Xiaomiao, I possess a secret method that grants me some foreknowledge of what is to come."

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Xiaomiao wiped her tears and sat quietly, watching the bloody fox's silhouette on the horizon.

A piercing alarm cut through the night, reaching even Xiaomiao and Huai Jing.

"By the way, Xiaomiao, you said the sword spirit would have concerns. What would those be?"

Xiaomiao fell silent for a few seconds. She then softly answered, "The sword spirit's power is fixed. Cultivators keep growing, and those ancient cultivators represent, to some degree, the influence of their heritages.

"A Daoist heritage that has ancient cultivators would not necessarily want them to remain trapped. If those people break free, their heritage gains a huge advantage over those without ancient cultivators, bringing them more influence and cultivation resources.

"From a perspective of pure interest, ancient cultivators and their sects are intertwined. If the sword spirit exterminates the ancient cultivators, he'll also be creating more than a dozen powerful enemies for the Shu Sword Sect. When he's no longer strong enough to act as a deterrent, his sect's position will become extremely awkward. Sadly, those are the only things I can think of right now. My mind is still in chaos."

Huai Jing scratched his head and stared hard at her, as if trying to see her past.

"What is it, Buddhist Master?"

"I was wondering whether you might be the reincarnation of a certain crafty female immortal."

Xiaomiao smiled bitterly. "I wouldn't mind a past life. If I had one, I wouldn't be so useless now."

"How many years have you even cultivated? This isn't something that can be changed without the power of an immortal," Huai Jing whispered. "Come on, let's move. If we stay here too long, we could get exposed. Haaaa. The sect master of the Hidden Earth Sect has truly lost his mind."

"Mm. I will definitely demand an explanation from the Hidden Earth Sect after all this."

Xiaomiao slowly got up, clutching the small sarira. Huai Jing kept his hand on her shoulder as they moved away from the blood-colored fox fiend.

They had gone only a few steps when a series of explosions rang out, and flames seemingly suppressed the spreading blood light.

"Don't worry. Modern firearms can't harm Big Sister," Huai Jing said. "Though sparsely populated, some people still live in this area. They can't use unconventional weapons. For now, she's relatively safe."

Xiaomiao nodded slightly and took a deep breath, forcing herself not to cry.

More warplanes flew across the sky, intensifying the flames on the horizon. The massive blood fox threw back its head and howled, and devilish qi roiled around it.

The night had descended into complete chaos.

***

At the Special Investigation Unit's headquarters, a video conference was underway in the top-level office. Fifteen projections were right in front of Chi Ling.

—Attacks are ineffective. Evacuating residents will take time.

—Order the military to use stronger weapons!

—Who are those cultivators fighting Xi Lian? Where did they come from? Did they provoke Xi Lian into turning into a devil?

—They're driving Xi Lian toward the town. From the bases that were attacked, they appear to be corrupt cultivators from the southern border. This is revenge. The Special Investigation Unit has to explain how those corrupt cultivators got their hands on intel as critical as her location!

—We have to make a decision before this leads to massive casualties. Accountabilities can be settled once the crisis is contained.

Chi Ling remained standing. The projection screen beside her displayed the fierce battle erupting around the blood-red fox.

Qin Yishen, who had not spoken, sighed deeply.

—I have a question. Where is Daoist Master Fei Yu? He can destroy that fiend.

Chi Ling's eyes flashed with anger for a moment. However, she swiftly suppressed it and replied in a hushed tone, "We've spent a lot of time searching for Fei Yu and Bu Yu, but we couldn't find any traces of them. They probably went into seclusion to seek a breakthrough. They've likely gone into seclusion to seek a breakthrough."

A man in a military uniform quickly barked his dismay.

—We need a plan, not the whereabouts of one or two cultivators!

Qin Yishen slowly raised his hand and calmly delivered a suggestion.

—I propose activating Plan Sixty-Eight. We have no choice now but to use our last resort.