Chapter 1455 - 55: You Are the Sword, I Am the Bait
"As you said, it truly is a narrow path for enemies. We are quite unfortunately squeezed onto a single wooden bridge at the same time... Now that you want me dead, all I can do is drag you to die together."
After speaking those words.
The suspended Sword Qi in the temple did not fall.
Cheng Er’s expression remained unchanged, though she let out a long breath in her heart.
She was, of course, afraid of death.
With Xie Xuanyi’s achievements in the Demon Country over the past two years, no matter how severely injured, it was beyond her ability to provoke. The Sword Qi in this Buddhist Temple was definitely enough to kill her several times over... Fortunately, this Sword Palace Master wasn’t the kind to ignore reason.
Her purpose this time had a "provocative" undertone.
But the real goal was not to fight until both sides were dead.
"Whirr whirr whirr..."
As the ancient temple doors closed, the wind and snow outside gradually calmed down, and the Sword Qi hanging above the temple gradually dissipated.
"So you’ve come to find me just to say this?"
Xie Xuanyi withdrew the Sword Qi and spoke calmly.
"..."
The killing intent in Ao Ying’s eyes was unstoppable.
If it weren’t for Xie Xuanyi’s Divine Thought resting on her shoulder, signaling her not to act rashly, she would have already acted to tear apart this "arrogant and domineering" woman in green. She didn’t understand why Xie Xuanyi was hesitating to act—was he truly going to let this woman in green leave without a scratch?
"Naturally... not."
Cheng Er exhaled a deep breath.
She spoke very seriously: "Since we are on the same ship, why fight until we’re both bleeding, and make it easier for Heavenly Phoenix Palace?"
Upon hearing this, Xie Xuanyi couldn’t help but laugh aloud.
Indeed.
Just as he had expected.
Cheng Er had come with the intention of negotiation and collaboration. This Paperman Dao strategist pinpointed his position through Heavenly Mechanism Divination... Two clusters of fireflies unable to be seen in the darkness now met face to face. They could either burn together destructively or embrace the light as one.
The ancient temple fell into a brief silence.
Seeing Xie Xuanyi not outright refuse, Ao Ying’s expression became strangely complex.
She was certainly aware that Xie Xuanyi and the Paperman Sect were on extremely bad terms, almost to the point of fighting until the bitter end. But now both sides were facing the same enemy—"Heavenly Phoenix Palace," which was stronger and more difficult to deal with than the Paperman Sect... Perhaps she had guessed Xie Xuanyi’s intentions wrongly from the start, and this guy released the Secret Box just to force Cheng Er to appear.
"How do you propose we collaborate?"
Xie Xuanyi lowered his eyes, tapping his fingers lightly on the back of the chair.
"What you gave to Chi Fu, the ’Path of Destruction,’ will cause Xuan Jin’s Cause and Effect aura to leak."
Cheng Er spoke quickly: "Though I have the means to shield Heavenly Secret, finding Xuan Jin is already the third most important matter for Heavenly Phoenix Palace. They will never give up no matter what. If Chi Fu’s [Great Calculation] fails this time, he will ask the Great Palace Master for help..."
No doubt.
Once the Great Palace Master is involved, things will become troublesome—
These words seem to highlight the situation.
But Cheng Er has another layer of meaning.
Though placed at a disadvantage by Xie Xuanyi, she was not entirely without the ability to fight back.
If pushed too hard, she would pull the Great Palace Master into the fray!
"And then?"
Xie Xuanyi showed no reaction, continuing to tap his fingers, signaling Cheng Er to keep speaking.
"Heavenly Phoenix Palace wants to kill you."
"You... surely also want to kill them."
Cheng Er’s expression grew serious, gazing into Xie Xuanyi’s eyes, trying to ascertain his thoughts.
It’s known across the land.
Xie Xuanyi is one to repay any grudge with vengeance.
At least in the Da Chu Dynasty, this has been proven... Ten years ago, those who wanted to kill Xie Xuanyi are now all dead.
White Ghost, Yin Mountain, South Border Three Great Sects, Prince Jiangning... Even the Yang God Tenth Layer Heaven’s Holy Empress is no exception...
And now, Heavenly Phoenix Palace rallies its entire sect to eliminate Xie Xuanyi within the Demon Country’s territory.
How would this Xie let Heavenly Phoenix Palace go?
"Heh."
Xie Xuanyi merely chuckled softly, withholding comment.
Cheng Er’s eyes were intense: "Though you’ve been injured, you should still have some strength left, right?"
The words were getting quite frank.
Even Ao Ying understood Cheng Er’s intent.
Since the cause and effect were destined to leak.
Then... might as well appear directly!
Heavenly Phoenix Palace would never expect Xie Xuanyi and Cheng Er to meet here, to join forces now, to proactively set a trap and lure Chi Fu Dragon Lord into the snare!
Cheng Er intended to use herself as bait to fish out Heavenly Phoenix Palace’s big catch!
"What a clever move to use a borrowed sword to kill."
Xie Xuanyi spoke indifferently: "You want to use my hand to eliminate Chi Fu Dragon Lord?"
"It’s to use a borrowed sword to kill."
Cheng Er replied calmly: "Master Xie’s Sword Qi is so sharp, it would be a pity not to use it on the right people..."
Cheng Er is a dangerous figure.
Not only in divination but also quite skillful in persuasion.
After hearing these words, Ao Ying could not suppress plotting the success rate of cooperation despite her persistent killing intent.
As Cheng Er said.
Both sides were nearly cornered into a desperate situation, and at this moment, cooperation was indeed a wise move.
"Killing is easy, escaping is hard."
Xie Xuanyi shook his head, saying: "After killing Heavenly Phoenix Palace’s big fish, how do you plan to leave... you should know, the [Star Gate] is almost spread across the whole Demon Country, right?"
To eliminate Chi Fu Dragon Lord is easier said than done?
Besides the strength of this Yang God Great Venerable.
In mere moments.
The Great Palace Master can cross the void and arrive!
This is not the [Ruins], where the Great Palace Master needs significant effort to reach, and this Lushui Cave Heaven is a critical Blessed Land under Heavenly Phoenix Palace. If even a trace of Divine Thought from Chi Fu Dragon Lord gets transmitted successfully, the whole plan will shatter in an instant.
Even if the killing succeeds, escaping afterward would be a major hassle.
"The [Star Gate] may be numerous, but it’s not omnipresent."
Cheng Er smiled: "After all, the Demon Country doesn’t only have the Holy Land of Heavenly Phoenix Palace... this point, Master Xie should also be quite aware of?"
"..."
Xie Xuanyi narrowed his eyes slightly.
For the past year, he had been hiding in the territory of Great Ape Mountain.
The reason is simple.
No matter how strong the Great Palace Master is, they ultimately have opponents. Heavenly Phoenix Palace’s [Star Gate] cannot be installed in the territory of Great Ape Mountain, Cheng Er’s meaning was clear, after the kill, escape to Great Ape Mountain.
"You borrow my sword, aren’t you afraid of being cut down yourself."
Xie Xuanyi gazed at the woman in green.
The snow-white gauze under that veil hat fluttered lightly in the breeze, revealing a porcelain-white face like jade.
"As bait, I do not fear dying."
Cheng Er smiled sweetly: "Master Xie, just wield your sword..."
At this point.
She paused.
She looked up, the majestic Buddha statue in the temple reflected with countless dazzling sword lights.
From the first moment she stepped into the ancient temple, she faced Xie Xuanyi’s countless sword fires.
In a certain sense.
The trap using herself as bait had already begun.
"You are the sword, I am the bait."
Cheng Er spoke word by word: "This is very fair."