Chapter 887 - 322: Breaking into the Demon Tomb, Blessings Upon the Princess (Second Update)
The ones surrounding her were here to kill her!
When Mu Qingge sensed the murderous intent emanating from them, she understood this.
"Mu Qingge." The leader spoke, directly calling out her name. This indicated that their target was clear; they were here for Mu Qingge, not anyone else.
His voice was somewhat strange, as if deliberately hiding his original tone, sounding harsh and dry.
"Who are you?" Mu Qingge narrowed her eyes, asking coldly.
The leader, however, arrogantly ignored her question and simply said, "You’ve been too disobedient. Today, I’ll teach you the ways of the world."
Mu Qingge furrowed her brows, a sharp gleam flashing in her eyes.
She suddenly laughed mockingly, "People from the Divine Hall." This wasn’t a question but a statement.
In fact, the answer was already obvious.
Who else would go to such lengths to trouble her? Besides the Divine Hall, there was no other option. Moreover, the veiled threats from the Divine Venerable that day were quite evident.
"I won’t answer any of your questions. If you hand over the item now, I might spare your life," the leader said.
’As expected, they’re here for the Heaven-Burning Furnace!’ Mu Qingge sneered inwardly.
"What if I don’t hand it over?" She smiled playfully, her demeanor calm, showing no trace of anxiety.
"Don’t hand it over?" The leader sneered, taking a step forward, exuding an imposing aura: "In the Divine Tomb, anything can happen. Even if you’re a genius, it’s hard to control your life and death. It’s normal for people to die or go missing. If you don’t cooperate, I’ll have to take you away and torture you slowly until you hand over the item. Your subordinates, friends, and relatives will just assume you’ve died in the Divine Tomb, without any suspicion."
"The Divine Hall truly has no shame! Outwardly pure and holy, but filthy inside," Mu Qingge retorted mockingly.
The leader remained unaffected, saying, "Sometimes, to preserve better things, some must sacrifice, live in darkness, and use evil to combat evil."
Mu Qingge sneered inwardly.
The assassins before her were thoroughly brainwashed by the Divine Hall. They were used as killing tools, doing dirty and evil deeds for the Hall’s interests, unaware, thinking they were noble sacrificers who believed, ’If I don’t go to Hell, who will?’
There’s no point in reasoning with the brainwashed.
Mu Qingge’s right hand made a slight grasping motion, and the Linglong Spear materialized into her steady grip.
She was set for battle, unwilling to waste any more words with these people.
However, the leader, standing across from her, showed no preparation due to her actions. His gaze fell on the Linglong Spear, and he remarked, "Is that your Holy Artifact? It’s indeed a treasure. Once I’ve captured you, I’ll help you safeguard this spear temporarily."
Mu Qingge’s lips curled into a mocking smile as she raised an eyebrow, "If you have the ability, come and take it."
The leader shook his head slowly, his tone filled with disdain, "Arrogance is not a good habit. Do you think you’re strong?" As he finished speaking, his presence kept rising, growing ever stronger.
Not only him, but the assassins standing behind him also raised their auras, with the weakest reaching the Golden Realm Fifth Layer!
And the leader was even more powerful.
This aura seemed similar to that of the Old Monster of Southern Dipper and the Three-legged Golden Crow.
’An old monster with two Heavenly Tribulations!’ Mu Qingge’s heart sank.
She managed to kill the Old Monster of Southern Dipper because the Three-legged Golden Crow held him off, and he underestimated her, giving her the chance to successfully launch a sneak attack.
The same method couldn’t be used a second time.
The person before her was clearly tougher than the Old Monster of Southern Dipper. Not because of cultivation, but because he knew her well!
Moreover, he brought so many assassins.
’This will be a tough battle!’ Mu Qingge said to herself.
Even given the disparity in strength, she would never compromise.
"Mu Qingge, I’ll give you one last chance. Hand over the item, spare your life! If you persist in your ways, you’ll only bring suffering upon yourself," the leader said again.
Mu Qingge sneered coldly, her eyes filled with mockery. With a twist of her right wrist, the Linglong Spear spun into a flourish. She looked up and said, "If you want to fight, then fight, no need for more words."
The leader’s gaze darkened, muttering under his breath, "Stubborn fool."
His figure flickered and disappeared from view.
The assassins surrounding Mu Qingge also simultaneously launched their attack on her.
Mu Qingge’s eyes narrowed, her full attention on the surrounding movements.
A formidable presence suddenly appeared to her right side, and she quickly used the Star Beginning Step to move to the other side, her Linglong Spear already stabbing in that direction.
As the Linglong Spear thrust forward, a figure emerged there.
The spear’s tip successfully pierced into the figure’s body. Yet, Mu Qingge’s eyes darkened, her own figure disappearing and reappearing in another position, swinging her spear to fend off other assassins’ attacks.
That last strike felt like plunging into emptiness.
Sure enough, as she moved away, the leader appeared in the spot she had just been standing.
Seeing his attack miss, he sneered at Mu Qingge, "Quick reflexes, but just reflexes are not enough!"
Just as he finished, Mu Qingge’s Linglong Spear pierced through the throat of an assassin at the Golden Realm Sixth Layer, the spearhead twisting to sever his head, letting it roll to the ground.
With a swift move, Mu Qingge executed a backthrust, stabbing into the dantian of an assassin behind her, lifting his entire body, and hurling him hard at the others, clearing the area before her.
"You’ve actually entered the Transcendence Tribulation Stage!" the leader exclaimed in shock.
According to the information he received, Mu Qingge was only at the Golden Realm Sixth Layer! How could she have advanced so quickly to the Transcendence Tribulation Stage?
’This woman’s talent is truly monstrous! If she isn’t eliminated early, she might become a major threat to my Divine Hall in the future!’ the leader thought to himself.
At this moment, the killing intent in his eyes was growing stronger and stronger.
The shadow of Mu Qingge’s spear was ever-changing, making it impossible for the assassins to get close to her. Even Golden Realm assassins couldn’t last a few moves against her. This was the difference between the Golden Realm and the Transcendence Tribulation Stage!
Hōu’s cultivation was limited, and even he could only defend passively in front of Mu Qingge now.
"Everyone, fall back!" With more and more bodies piling up around Mu Qingge, the leader couldn’t hold back any longer and spoke up.
At his command, the assassins retreated, merely surrounding Mu Qingge.
Mu Qingge glanced back at him and sneered, "What? Going to do it yourself now?"
The leader showed a ferocious expression and said coldly, "Mu Qingge, I underestimated you. But your luck ends here."
"Saying too much will make it hurt more when you’re proved wrong," Mu Qingge mocked.
"Sharp-tongued," the leader said coldly, raising his hand. A beam of golden light appeared in his palm, falling towards Mu Qingge like lightning.
In that golden light, Mu Qingge sensed the Power of Destruction.
She didn’t dare underestimate it, using the Star Beginning Step to narrowly avoid it. The golden light grazed past her, crashing into the ground where she had stood, creating a deep pit.
Mu Qingge pursed her lips, focusing on the pit, her gaze heavy.
If she hadn’t moved in time, even if she survived, she’d likely be severely injured, with no strength to fight back.
Her recovery ability, no matter how strong, still required time.
The more formidable the opponent, the less she could afford to get injured easily—victory or defeat comes in a blink of an eye between masters!
"Quick movements, but how long can you keep evading?" the leader sneered. Once again, the golden light fell from his hand.
It seemed he was toying with Mu Qingge, watching her dodge the golden light, amusement visible in his eyes.
’If only someone could team up with me now, I could take his life!’ Mu Qingge cursed inwardly.
Then, as if misfortunes never come singly, it happened.
The voice of the Three-legged Golden Crow boomed like thunder, "You brat! I finally found you! Keep running if you can!"
His sudden appearance pushed Mu Qingge into a dire situation.
Yet, in that desperate moment, she sensed a glimmer of hope.
The sudden arrival of the Three-legged Golden Crow surprised not only Mu Qingge but also the leader. Unwilling to let the situation escalate further, his gaze darkened, and he ordered his subordinates, "Stop him!"
Half of the assassins diverted their attack towards the descending Three-legged Golden Crow.
But how could they be a match for the Three-legged Golden Crow?
Amidst the chaos, Mu Qingge’s eyes shifted. The moment the leader was distracted by the Three-legged Golden Crow, she seized the opportunity, summoning a move to slay several assassins, carving a bloody path and escaping through the breach.
With Mu Qingge’s escape, the leader reacted immediately, his eyes nearly spitting fire.
He looked towards the direction Mu Qingge fled and said to the others, "Chase with me—!" Before the words fully left his mouth, he was already pursuing her.
The other assassins followed him and left as well.
After killing one more person, the Three-legged Golden Crow stood there. Seeing the "prey" escape once more, he coldly snorted, "Hmph, escape? In this Divine Tomb, where can you run? No matter where you go, your Fire Spirit Root is mine! Your person is mine too!"
After saying that, his figure vanished, also chasing after Mu Qingge.
...
Mu Qingge dashed through the Divine Tomb, long since losing her sense of direction, her primary aim to shake off her pursuers. Her speed was such that even the leader, despite undergoing two Heavenly Tribulations, found it difficult to catch up.
This time, she fled with all her might...
Suddenly, the sky and earth spun within the Divine Tomb, as if the entire space had been inverted.
Mu Qingge nearly tumbled down, as did those chasing after her.
Struggling to steady herself, Mu Qingge saw a place ahead shrouded in colorful clouds and mist. Clenching her teeth, she charged in.
Within the mist, she couldn’t discern her bearings, fumbling around for some time.
The feeling of being relentlessly pursued never faded, constantly looming behind her. This kept her on edge, forcing her to continue forward.
Finally, she burst out of the mist, into a fantastical land.
Here, towering trees soared skyward, massive and ancient, as if they had been growing for thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, of years. The trunks emitted a faint purple glow, while the extraordinary flora appeared exceedingly splendid and beautiful.
This place bore no resemblance to the Divine Tomb.
Mu Qingge was stunned, unsure of where she had stumbled into.
Just then, a crowd suddenly approached. She turned to look at them, and they fell to their knees upon seeing her, exclaiming in unison, "Princess!"