Welcome to Ability Store

"It actually flew!" Honglian exclaimed in astonishment. "Nice going, Chen Xuan, you really made this plan work! By the way, does it need fuel?"

"The Wind Song doesn’t require refueling, as it uses fusion engines and plasma jet engines as its main power sources, and can operate continuously for more than 25 days without medium replenishment."

The one answering her was the spacecraft AI.

"It’s just like your Lv..." Chen Xuan mused, "The future of artificial intelligence is indeed convenient."

"I am an AI from the past, probably outdated compared to today’s standards, but you needn’t worry. The system will automatically update during the next maintenance."

"It’s still not as good as Lv." Lin Qing pouted. "Its creation was at the peak of mechanical achievement."

"What is Lv?" The AI asked in return. "The database couldn’t find a matching AI model."

"Alright, you don’t need to know." Chen Xuan coughed twice. "I’m going to commence visual flight now, prepare for auxiliary operations."

"Understood."

The spaceship’s operation was quite simple, with a small joystick on either side of the captain’s chair armrest that controlled the spacecraft’s direction, pitch, and speed. It’s basically no different from piloting a drone. With the assistance level three, the AI had a high degree of intervention, allowing it to adjust his control at any time to keep the spacecraft stable. In this mode, even if he wanted to crash into the ground or fly blindly with closed eyes, the spaceship wouldn’t crash.

Chen Xuan adjusted the direction of the Wind Song to the east, then pushed the joystick forward.

The wing engines immediately switched from vertical downward to backward propulsion.

The spacecraft jolted, and a powerful recoil pressed the three of them into their seats. Pushed by the dazzling blue tail flame, it rapidly flew eastward.

...

Below Zhangwei City.

The Luo Kingdom’s vanguard troops had already gathered on the west and north thoroughfares, less than two miles away from the city. This force was less than five thousand in number, and by common logic, it was difficult to form a siege. But what they planned was to slaughter Zhangwei utterly.

"Immortal Master Lord, I think that Bandit Liu will likely not dare to confront us head-on soon," a spirited young man wearing a jade crown and brocade robe said. "After all, even if she managed to obtain those gold and iron Dharma Artifacts from who knows where, she is ultimately just a lone warrior abandoned by the kingdom she supported."

The Immortal Master he referred to was the Lotus Cloud Sect disciple Lan Qin.

Just shortly before, a fierce battle broke out between the two sides — Liu Shuyue actually led a small group far smaller than the vanguard troops in a surprise attack under the cover of an Invisibility Talisman.

Lan Qin even had to admire her junior sister’s courage.

If it were a worldly army, they would likely have been thrown into confusion and inevitably overrun. But the troops she commanded were all cultivators, the weakest equivalent to a decade-long Loose Cultivator, far from comparable to ordinary people.

Not to mention, just by employing the Purifying Heart Technique, they could suppress fear and fight to the death.

The result was casualties on both sides, the vanguard troops lost about three hundred, while the other side left behind at least fifty bodies.

"Hmph, can a lone warrior obtain such powerful Dharma Artifacts?" Lan Qin glared at him with disdain. "Ji Ran, if your vision is just this little, you can forget about surpassing Immortal Master Jiang forever."

"He’s just one of your puppets propped up, how could he be a real Immortal Master?" The other party showed a displeased expression. "Is my talent really not enough? I mastered all those Sect’s authentic Techniques you taught me on first try."

Puppet? She dared not say such words in front of Jiang Ning.

But now that Martial Uncle Jiang wasn’t here, she liked watching these handsome men vie for her affection.

Ji Ran was the one Lan Qin privately admired the most.

He was not only attractive but also exceptionally talented. If he were born in the Lotus Cloud Sect, not only herself, but even Liu Shuyue might not compare.

"Indeed, but now we’re facing no puppet, but a genuine Lotus Cloud Sect disciple, so put away your contempt, understand?" Lan Qin intentionally spoke coldly, "I don’t want you to die at her hands."

"Don’t worry, she will be the one to die today." Ji Ran confidently said. "The array we set up is about to take effect. When it does, even if she has immense skills, she won’t escape this Inferno Scorch City. I just don’t understand... Bandit Liu can clearly understand our Array, why doesn’t she run?"

"..." Lan Qin’s face suddenly darkened, and after a moment she spat out three words, "I don’t know."

Liu Shuyue should know she can’t win, the brief fight earlier clearly showcased the strength of cultivator armies.

They may come from the secular world, but they are essentially different from those Loose Cultivators. In a sense, they are disciples of the Lotus Cloud Sect. Even if they never leave the mountain gate, never receive recognition for life, they are cultivators who have received Sect inheritance. They know both the Purifying Heart Technique and Talisman Technique and possess cohesion comparable to gentry disciples, decisive and merciless in execution.

Moreover, some Arrays Jiang Ning passed on to her further enhanced the troop’s advantages.

For instance, the seemingly mundane Qi Sword Array... when two or three people use it, it has no power. But once a hundred people inject Spiritual Qi, it can make the Flying Sword versatile in offense and defense, autonomously defending against enemies within fifty zhang. If five hundred... then even Liu Shuyue’s gold and iron Dharma Artifacts can hardly approach them.

This is the power of numbers.

And it’s also Liu Shuyue’s greatest weakness.

She can teach disciples, and so can Lan Qin, even before she could take this step, Lan Qin had already firmly controlled Prince Luo.

Liu Shuyue can only attempt to break the stalemate through raidings, but the results of the encounters indicate her subordinates cannot withstand such losses. Even trading one for ten, she ultimately loses.

Someone should opt for retreat, right?

What’s the use of stubbornly holding a city of mortals? It’s not even the capital; merely a plain little city in Qing State.

If she uses the Wind Riding Talisman to escape now, the vanguard troops can’t possibly stop her.

However, once the Scorch City Array is complete, she’ll be trapped, unable to escape.

Lan Qin couldn’t understand.

Or... she actually could understand.

Even now, Liu Shuyue still upholds the teachings of the Lotus Cloud Sect, treating protecting and nurturing the people as her mission.

She remains the big disciple true to her original intentions.

But the more she acts like this, the more Lan Qin feels the outrage.

If Liu Shuyue is a Lotus Cloud Sect disciple, then what is she, who completely betrays the sect’s teachings?

Only by killing her junior sister so she can no longer speak could she feel at ease.

"Immortal Master Lord, the city gate is open!" Ji Ran’s brow suddenly lifted. "The person walking out... is it Bandit Liu?"

Lan Qin squinted to look, discovering that Liu Shuyue had actually walked out of the west gate alone.

She carried a sword on her back, clad in a plain white robe, with blood staining the hem.

"Senior Sister Lan Qin, let’s talk." Her voice crossed the entire countryside, everyone heard her call, "Sect disputes shouldn’t involve innocent civilians. The residents of Zhangwei City are blameless."

"Is she trying to challenge you to a duel?" Ji Ran laughed. "We have an absolute advantage now, there’s no need to pay heed to her."

Yet Lan Qin’s heart stirred.

Junior Sister Liu is forthright, but she is not the same.

The formation needs more time to take shape, giving the opponent a chance to escape. If now she could lure her junior sister over to be eliminated, wouldn’t that ease the worry of unforeseen issues?