Jiang Qingyi thrust her sword straight toward Xiao Jing's heart.
Xiao Han snorted coldly and threw a punch at the tip of Jiang Qingyi's sword.
The Grass Character Sword Intent was incredibly sharp, but even combined with the chill of the Profound Frost Longsword, it failed to pierce his fist.
The immense force of the punch sent Jiang Qingyi flying, and she crashed to the ground.
Jiang Qingyi wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her mouth.
As Jiang Qingyi got back on her feet, Xiao Han's fist came smashing down at her again. She could only retreat using the Cloud-Stepping Technique.
A deep crater had been blasted into the spot where Jiang Qingyi had just been standing.
Feeling the force of his punch, Jiang Qingyi's brows furrowed. She knew she couldn't underestimate him.
'This Double-Pupiled Golden Core Realm cultivator's quality is on par with mine, maybe even a little stronger.'
'It's just that this Double-Pupiled one has less experience in life-and-death combat.'
After creating some distance, Jiang Qingyi performed a flourish with her sword. Frost Sword Qi spread out around her, forming one longsword of ice after another.
"Fall!"
At Jiang Qingyi's command, the icy longswords rained down on Xiao Han.
"You dare cause trouble in my Prince Xiao's Mansion with such a petty trick?"
Xiao Han didn't take Jiang Qingyi seriously at all.
Or rather, ever since Xiao Han began cultivating, he had never taken anyone seriously.
He had never lost!
And the Fist Technique he cultivated, the Mountain-Shaking Fist, required that kind of youthful vigor.
The more he won, the more his vigor surged.
The more his vigor surged, the greater the power of his fists.
He threw a Mountain-Shaking Fist, and the Fist Gang shattered the ice swords into shards that floated in the air, reflecting the sunlight.
"Die!"
Xiao Han suddenly threw a punch.
A golden fist imprint shot toward Jiang Qingyi.
Jiang Qingyi dodged to the side and held her Profound Frost Longsword upright.
She cut her fingertip and smeared the blood on the blade of the sword.
Suddenly, Jiang Qingyi held the longsword in a reverse grip and plunged straight down from the air.
BOOM!
Jiang Qingyi plunged her longsword into the ground, and ripples of Spiritual Power spread out.
With the longsword at the center, the entire front courtyard of the Xiao Mansion was covered in a layer of ice.
But this ice was red, as if crushed red crystals had been mixed into the Profound Ice.
Red ice spikes shot up from the ground one after another, forcing Xiao Han to retreat continuously.
Wherever he stepped, an ice spike would emerge.
"Damn it!"
Suddenly, Xiao Han seemed to realize something, but it was too late.
Jiang Qingyi, who was already prepared, formed a hand seal for a Magic Formula. In an instant, several ice pillars erupted, trapping Xiao Han and restricting his movements.
On the other side, Xiao Jing was also bound by a cage of Profound Ice.
"Xiao Jing, I want you to watch your son die right before your eyes."
Jiang Qingyi threw her longsword. The Profound Frost Longsword transformed into a streak of white light and shot toward Xiao Han's heart.
But in that very instant, an old man wielding a large broadsword knocked Jiang Qingyi's Hundred-step Flying Sword aside with a single strike. The Profound Frost Longsword stabbed into the ground, humming.
With another strike, the old man shattered the Profound Ice cage binding Xiao Jing and Xiao Han.
Jiang Qingyi crooked her finger, and the Profound Frost Longsword, sensing her call, flew back into its master's hand.
"To lose your Sword Bone and still be able to cultivate to this level, you are truly remarkable." Xiao Jing walked to his son's side, patted the ice dust off his clothes, and spoke with a tone of deep emotion.
"Father, I..."
Xiao Han, who had just narrowly escaped death, wanted to explain himself.
But Xiao Jing shook his head. "It's fine. You're still young, only fourteen. You have little experience with life-and-death battles. Your strength is no less than hers, you just lack experience. Remember this battle today. No matter who your opponent is, you must never underestimate them."
"Yes, Father!" Xiao Han nodded in acknowledgment.
After soothing his son's Dao Heart, Xiao Jing turned to face Jiang Qingyi. "Indeed, killing you is the right choice. Perhaps I should have done it sooner, but it's not too late now."
"Elder Ye, I'll have to trouble you to act." Xiao Jing remained as composed as ever.
"Rest assured, Prince."
Ye Sandao, the Jade Realm Tributor of the Xiao Mansion, took a step forward, leaving a deep crater in the ground.
Jiang Qingyi didn't even see him move before a broadsword came slashing down at her.
CLANG! Jiang Qingyi blocked with her sword held horizontally.
The force of the strike traveled from the web of Jiang Qingyi's thumb, up her arm, and through her entire body.
Jiang Qingyi felt as if her bones were about to shatter.
BANG!
Jiang Qingyi was sent flying into a wall, which immediately collapsed, sending rubble tumbling down.
"Ptoo!"
Jiang Qingyi spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered to her feet.
'Is this a Jade Realm cultivator?'
'I don't even think he used his full strength.'
"Little girl, this old man will give you a quick death!"
Ye Sandao's Blade Qi surged, climbing higher and higher.
Ye Sandao swung his broadsword, a strike that seemed powerful enough to cleave a mountain in two.
Jiang Qingyi frowned. She knew she couldn't dodge this attack.
Using all the Spiritual Power in her body, Jiang Qingyi unleashed her strongest sword strike, the final move of the Grass Character Sword Intent—the Void-Breaking Technique.
Where the Sword Qi passed, only phantoms of the void remained.
The Sword Qi and Blade Qi collided, and a violent storm of Spiritual Power swept through the courtyard.
But the difference in their Realms was simply too great.
Jiang Qingyi's Sword Qi only managed to block him for half a breath's time.
The Sword Qi shattered, and the Blade Qi slashed violently toward the center of Jiang Qingyi's brow.
Jiang Qingyi knew she was going to die.
And yet, in her heart, she felt a sense of release.
But just as Jiang Qingyi closed her eyes, calmly awaiting death...
A loud crash echoed from not far in front of her.
The pain never came.
The young woman slowly opened her eyes. What she saw was a familiar longsword.
And holding the hilt of that longsword was a familiar back.
Xiao Jing squinted at the man who had descended from the sky.
Ye Sandao, on the other hand, just smiled. "Young Master, it's been a long time."
Xiao Mo shook his head. "Elder Ye, I haven't been the young master of the Xiao Mansion for a long time. But it seems you've been well, Elder Ye."
"Well enough, well enough." Ye Sandao shouldered his broadsword. "Has the Young Master returned this time to visit the master?"
"Ahem, ahem..." Xiao Mo coughed a few times. "My disciple was insensible and acted rashly toward you, Elder Ye. I apologize on her behalf. I hope you can be the bigger person and overlook her offense. I will be sure to take her back and discipline her properly."
Ye Sandao sighed. "Young Master, you'll have to take that up with our Prince. It's no use telling me."
Xiao Mo turned his head, looked at Prince Jing Xiao, and bowed with his hands clasped. "I wonder if the Prince could do me a favor?"
Xiao Jing looked at this son who had long since severed ties with him. "Xiao Mo, she has killed many people in my Xiao Mansion."
"Twenty-some years ago, the Prince also killed many people in the Qingyi Mansion," Xiao Mo stated calmly.
"Yes." Xiao Jing nodded. "I also killed her parents and her younger brother. So, do you think she won't try to kill me in the future?"
Xiao Mo's brows furrowed.
Xiao Jing waved his hand and gave the order:
"Elder Ye, kill them all. And bring me the Sword Bone."
"Prince, the Young Master is in the Nascent Soul Realm. His Sword Bone has already fused with his Divine Soul. If we try to forcibly remove it, I'm afraid his soul will scatter and disperse," Elder Ye said.
Xiao Jing gave Elder Ye a faint glance. "And so what?"