Su Qingxun was quite good-looking and was a demonic path demoness who had just killed many people. They probably had no psychological burden using her to breed Beauty Gu.

But now had she walked right into their trap?

Su Zhuyi had seen that flash of vicious light in Hua Yining’s eyes just now.

“You broke the sword formation?” Walking at the front was a cultivator from the Miao Gu Village. His skin was dark, his face covered with wrinkles, the creases seeming to accumulate black mud, as if he had worked in the fields all day, sweated profusely, and hadn’t washed his face.

His hair was disheveled, and on his head he wore not a silver band like Miaoshe Shiqi’s, but a dark blue headband tied around his forehead. In the center of the headband was also a golden cicada gu, but its golden cicada gu was brilliantly golden and extremely dazzling. The gu insect’s eyes were also green gemstones—a ghostly green like beasts lurking in the night, staring at you fixedly. Once you showed any weakness, it would surely bite through your throat.

The golden cicada ornament on his headband alone could exert spiritual pressure.

Was this person the Miao Gu Village’s High Priest Gu King?

She remembered that in her previous life, Miaoshe Shiqi had said the Gu King would never leave the Miao Gu Village in his lifetime. This person wasn’t the Gu King, but he should be an elder of the Miao Gu Village—his cultivation was at the Nascent Soul stage, and the gu insects on him were probably extremely formidable. What should she do now?

“Yes.” Su Zhuyi nodded. “I am Su Zhuyi of the Gujian Sect, a direct disciple of Luo Ying. I wonder what guidance the senior has for me?”

The Miao Gu Village elder’s expression darkened. After looking at her once, he said, “Young lady, despite your youth, your cultivation is extraordinary to be able to break this formation. This old man truly admires you.” He raised his hand, pointing to the jade bottle beside the female corpse’s left hand. “This item is a treasure of our Miao Gu Village, stolen by that demoness. We have been tracking it for a long time, only recently learning she perished here. Unfortunately, her resting place was protected by formations that we couldn’t enter, which is why we requested sword dao experts from the Yunxiao Sect to assist us. We never expected that this formation would be broken by a fellow Daoist.”

“She stole a Miao Gu Village treasure?” Su Zhuyi’s face showed slight surprise. “After breaking the formation, junior was injured and has been regulating his breath. I haven’t yet examined the items beside her.” She stepped aside. “If it truly is a lost treasure of the Miao Gu Village, it should rightfully be reclaimed by you.”

The Miao Gu Village’s alliance with Hua Yining was merely one of mutual benefit. As long as the Miao Gu Village people didn’t attack, she would at least have one more chance of victory.

That jade bottle should contain gu insects. Su Zhuyi generously yielded it to show her position.

The Miao Gu Village elder glanced at Su Zhuyi, then signaled for several villagers behind him to approach the female corpse. He seemed to have no intention of interfering in their grievances, focusing on retrieving the village’s secret treasure.

At this moment, Hua Yining sneered coldly. “Su Zhuyi, I never expected to encounter you here.”

“After wearing out iron shoes in a fruitless search, it comes without effort.”

Hua Yining stood behind her father. To her left was Qi Hua—Su Zhuyi had some impression of this female cultivator. She was the one who had run out to question Qin Chuan when he lost the sword competition to her, and she also harbored romantic feelings for Qin Chuan.

Behind Hua Yining were three more Yunxiao Sect disciples, all at the late Golden Core stage.

In other words, the opposing side had six people: one late Nascent Soul elder, three late Golden Core cultivators, one early Golden Core, and one Foundation Establishment stage, plus Su Qingxun, who had lost her ability to move.

Meanwhile, Su Zhuyi was currently at late Golden Core cultivation with a Nascent Soul stage primordial spirit, but she was injured and not yet fully recovered.

However, would they dare to kill her?

This wasn’t the Sword Tomb. If they killed her here, with her status, she had a soul lamp, which would expose the killer’s identity.

“So it’s fellow daoists from the Yunxiao Sect. Pill Elder, I’ve long admired your reputation.” The Pill Elder didn’t speak, completely ignoring Su Zhuyi’s attempt at cordiality. At this moment, Su Zhuyi discovered that a concealment barrier had been placed above her head. The purpose of this barrier was to isolate her from outside communication, preventing her from making any sound.

“Oh my, how did a barrier appear above my head?” Her gaze focused as she smiled lightly. “I was just excitedly telling my master and senior brother that I encountered fellow righteous path cultivators in the Miao frontier.”

“You…”

The Pill Elder’s gaze finally fell on Su Zhuyi. “With late Golden Core cultivation, you can sense the barrier?”

“Yes, because I’m Luo Ying’s disciple and Qinghe’s junior sister.” Su Zhuyi still wore a smile. “My senior brother, though he appears to be at the Golden Core stage, could destroy the Dong Fushang Sect master’s immortal treasure with one sword. Tsk tsk, as his junior sister, I naturally can’t be too weak, lest I bring shame to my master and senior brother’s reputation. Don’t you think so, Pill Elder?”

I have a master and senior brother backing me—do you dare kill me?

My senior brother could destroy the Dong Fushang Sect master’s immortal treasure with one sword—do you dare kill me? As fellow renowned righteous path sword cultivators, if you kill me, how will you explain to the Gujian Sect and all under heaven?

Su Zhuyi appeared calm on the surface, but felt somewhat uncertain inside. If Hua Yining was truly blinded by hatred and wanted to kill her, how would she escape? Thinking of this, Su Zhuyi tightened her palm and asked the Broken Sword with her divine sense: “Sword Ancestor, if they attack, whether I live or die depends entirely on you.”

The Broken Sword gave a light snort, and from its tone, it seemed somewhat arrogant.

Though it was just a light snort, it made Su Zhuyi feel much more at ease.

“Su Zhuyi, even if your senior brother were here today, I would still kill you!” Hua Yining removed the veil from her face, revealing an extremely horrifying visage.

“You harmed me so—I absolutely cannot let you continue living in this world!”

“You could kill the most outstanding disciple of the Dong Fushang Sect, so why can’t I kill you?”

“Do you think our Yunxiao Sect would fear your Gujian Sect?”

She raised her hand, and her flying sword whistled softly as it settled in her palm. “Today, I will carve ten thousand cuts on your face!”

In her previous life, Su Zhuyi had disfigured two women. Now, someone wanted to use the same method against her.

Qi Hua, beside her, suddenly spoke up: “Junior Sister Hua, we could use her to breed Beauty Gu.”

“Nonsense! If junior sister’s face ends up resembling hers somewhat in the future, how would we explain that?” said a late Golden Core cultivator behind them.

“At most it would be sixty percent similar, and this face…” She was stared at coldly and didn’t dare continue speaking.

This face—Qin Chuan would probably like it, wouldn’t he? Hua Yining looked at that beautiful face before her and squeezed words through gritted teeth: “Elder Cang, what do you think about using her to breed Beauty Gu?”

There was also a formation beside the female corpse—a gu formation. He was currently watching his subordinates break the formation. Turning his head to glance at Hua Yining, he said, “Just looking at her appearance, the gu insects would like her.” But she was a disciple of Luo Ying from the Gujian Sect—he didn’t plan to wade into these murky waters.

Hua Yining suddenly said, “The Jade Cicada Gu we agreed on previously, plus that Gu-Controlling Flute—use her to breed the gu.”

“Yining!” Pill Elder frowned and scolded in displeasure.

“So the relics of our village’s disappointing child are indeed in your possession. Hehe.” Elder Cang laughed, his eyes narrowing to slits. His gaze was sharp and intimidating. Being stared at by him, Hua Yining felt as if she were being watched by a venomous snake.

The Pill Elder raised his hand and waved it lightly, as if brushing away the tension that had instantly risen. He looked at Elder Cang with a kind smile. “I am an alchemist and enjoy collecting all sorts of rare and strange things. When someone offered them in exchange for medicine, I naturally accepted them. I didn’t present both items together previously because I didn’t want Elder Cang to misunderstand.”

Cultivators from the Miao Gu Village rarely came out, but one had emerged before and ultimately perished outside. A very powerful gu insect and an immortal treasure for controlling gu on his body had disappeared without a trace. At that time, several strong practitioners from the Miao Gu Village had come out seeking revenge while trying to retrieve the gu insect and magical treasure, but all returned empty-handed. Now, however, they had surfaced from the Pill Elder’s hands.

Though the Pill Elder was smiling, his imposing aura was not weak. After staring at him for a moment, Elder Cang from the Miao Gu Village said, “Then I’ll accept this Spirit-Controlling Flute. As for using her to refine gu, I only breed gu—I know nothing else.”

This was distancing himself from the matter. He didn’t know what Su Zhuyi’s identity was—he only knew this was a beauty they had delivered. He was just someone who bred gu; these matters had nothing to do with him. The affairs between the Gujian Sect and Yunxiao Sect were none of the Miao Gu Village’s business.

In other words, if she died, they would use her to refine Beauty Gu, but they wouldn’t help the Yunxiao Sect kill anyone.

Understanding this point, Su Zhuyi felt somewhat more at ease.

“Last time in the Sword Tomb, you attacked me while I was undergoing tribulation. I didn’t want to pursue the matter, but I never expected that you, a sword cultivator from a righteous path sect, would have such malicious thoughts. You slaughter fellow righteous path cultivators—aren’t you afraid of damaging the sword dao?”

“It’s merely revenge—what’s wrong with that?” Hua Yining sneered coldly as she drew her sword.

Her flying sword left its sheath, its sword light like willow or bamboo—it was a soft sword that appeared before Su Zhuyi like a spirit snake.

Having just experienced the bamboo grove sword formation, Su Zhuyi found Hua Yining’s soft sword to be like child’s play. She held the Broken Sword and struck out with one slash, only to see the Pill Elder’s flying sword thrust out obliquely. His cultivation far exceeded Su Zhuyi’s, and this strike carried too much force, numbing the tiger’s mouth of Su Zhuyi’s sword-holding hand and causing her to retreat three steps.

“Father!” Hua Yining frowned, somewhat displeased with the Pill Elder’s interference.

“You’re no match for her.” That sword clash just now would have shattered Hua Yining’s sword.

“To possess such swordsmanship at such a young age is truly remarkable.” Pill Elder looked at Su Zhuyi. “Since things have come to this, I’ll send you on your way and let you die with dignity.”

This matter could no longer be reversed. Even if they let her go, the grudge was already formed. He didn’t quite believe she had already transmitted a message out, because as soon as he arrived, he had sealed off this area with his divine sense. He felt Su Zhuyi was bluffing.

He was an alchemist. Keeping her alive and placing a gu on her could also take her life, or he could directly throw her into a spirit beast’s belly. At that time, the soul lamp wouldn’t show that they had killed her. At worst, there was a ready-made person nearby who could act.

A female assassin from the Xueluo Sect—the Xueluo Sect happened to have quite a few death warriors. His gaze fell on Su Qingxun from the Xueluo Sect, and the Pill Elder already had a plan in mind.

The Yunxiao Sect was also a sword sect, and he was actually a sword cultivator too. At this moment, his flying sword emerged with a long cry, cold light directly entering Su Zhuyi’s eyes, aiming straight for her brow.

He thought his imposing aura could completely suppress her, but unexpectedly, that late Golden Core Su Zhuyi, who was also injured, could raise her sword against him—and it was a strange broken sword at that. Hadn’t she obtained an immortal sword called Songfeng Sword from the Sword Tomb?

She was a good prospect—under such powerful pressure, she could still rise in resistance, embodying the sword dao’s unyielding spirit.

Unfortunately, she was destined to die young!

…

The killing intent seemed to lock onto her brow. Su Zhuyi’s Songfeng sword qi flew out from her heart, splitting the Pill Elder’s sword qi. The Pill Elder was slightly startled, then said, “Someone of great skill is protecting you, but unfortunately, it’s merely sword qi.”

He struck with his sword again, and at this moment, Hua Yining and Qi Hua also simultaneously drew their swords.

“Let me see how many swords that sword qi of yours can block for you!”

Su Zhuyi’s palms sweated.

She sneered coldly: “I have one sword that can block ten thousand swords!”

My lord’s Broken Sword is the ancestor of ten thousand swords!

Ancestor, you absolutely must hold on!

Su Zhuyi raised the Broken Sword in her hand. The moment she lifted it, the Broken Sword left her grip, flew into the air, and traced an azure gleam.

The next moment, the Broken Sword vibrated slightly and let out a sword cry.

Other people’s sword cries were like dragon roars and phoenix calls—loud sounds like long whistles.

But the Broken Sword—it snorted in the air.

Hmph!