Chap 5 - Unfolding the True Strength

As the surrounding Qi was drawn into her body, a potent energy surged within her, and a subtle hint of a sword's silhouette emerged from beneath her, thrusting menacingly towards Xia Wei.

Her countenance twisted into an expression of utter disgust and grotesqueness, accentuated by a wicked grin that stretched across her cherry lips.

"Behold, Illusionary Attack I!" she proclaimed, her voice dripping with malevolence. Even as her words resonated, the ethereal sword shadow multiplied, now a quintet of blades assaulting him simultaneously.

Meanwhile, Xia Wei, seemingly unperturbed by the impending onslaught, maintained an unwavering calmness. Lips pursed and his gaze filled with disdain, he retorted, "To possess eyes yet fail to recognize Mount Tai!"

They stood in close proximity, and just as the swords neared Xia Wei's very nose, a colossal shadow materialized, obliterating the blades with a single, sweeping motion.

"Flood Dragon Raging Claws!" The room quaked and splintered, its once-intact table now split in half.

Miss Bai, who had distanced herself from Xia Wei, stood agape, her eyes fixated on the scene before her. All of her attacks had been deflected, her swords reduced to mere fragments, vanishing into oblivion.

Simultaneously, her widened eyes reflected the enigmatic nature of Xia Wei's martial prowess, solidifying her belief that he hailed from the celestial realm.

Though it appeared as if he had merely extended his hands toward her, aiming to seize her, a monstrous claw-shaped shadow trailed closely behind.

Relentlessly advancing, it tore through every inch of the building, leaving a trail of devastation that sent shivers down her spine.

Despite being a Core Formation cultivator, she had always been sheltered by her father's constant deployment of numerous guards for her protection during their travels.

This had fostered an illusion of mental fortitude and outward strength, masking her vulnerability within.

Her legs trembled involuntarily, rendering her body immobile, as if her very essence had been drained by this fearsome assault. She sensed that this attack could either inflict severe injuries upon her or even claim her life.

"What? This...aura, the pinnacle of the Core Formation realm!" she exclaimed, moments before the dragon claw extinguished her existence.

Her features contorted in sheer shock, her previous smile and repulsion replaced by a ghastly pallor, her eyes resembling those of lifeless fish, devoid of vitality, in the instant before her demise.

The battle scarcely lasted for more than two minutes, yet the gigantic shadow of the dragon's claws rent her body asunder, gradually dissipating into nothingness.

All that remained were her shattered remains and a pool of crimson that stained the very spot she had stood upon. The once stunningly beautiful Miss Bai had vanished, leaving behind only a grotesque display of disarrayed flesh.

A few remnants of silk clung to her lifeless form, the final vestiges of her once-intact Hanfu attire.

A thick, pungent scent of blood pervaded the room, mingling with the metallic tang that hung in the air. Strands of ebony hair were strewn about haphazardly, bearing testament to the ferocity of the battle.

The aftermath had rent the wooden walls and bamboo roof asunder, exposing the interior to the outside world, leaving only half of the chamber intact.

The chasm between their strengths was insurmountable; one had just entered the Core Formation Realm, while the other had achieved mastery, condensing more than eight cores within their being.

Suddenly, small bursts of Qi erupted from each severed piece of flesh, shooting skyward in ethereal streams. As the Qi dispersed into the night, Xia Wei's perceptive gaze caught sight of distant rooms springing to life, their illumination accompanied by the bustling sounds of people.

In that moment, a ray of light sliced through the empty air, hurtling toward Xia Wei's exposed neck as his attention remained fixed on the unfolding scenery.

Clang!

Simultaneously, a figure cloaked in a thick robe materialized beside him, brandishing a longsword resembling razor-sharp fangs. The blade, intended to impale Xia Wei's vulnerable neck, met an impenetrable barrier and rebounded upon collision.

"I never cast my gaze upon Miss Bai, yet your murderous intent toward me remains glaringly evident," Xia Wei retorted, his voice laced with nonchalance, as he casually extended his neck to reveal the shimmering white scales that had encased his skin.

Slowly turning his head, his eyes locked onto the robed assailant, revealing a young man clad in the same patterned Hanfu—plain white fabric adorned with shoulder stripes and an emblem of flying blades on the front.

The attacker, still stupefied by his failed assault, found himself swiftly ensnared as Xia Wei seized his throat, peering into his eyes with his slitted pupils.

In that moment, Xia Wei discerned the shock in the assailant's gaze, accompanied by the rhythmic thumping of his accelerated heartbeat. Simultaneously, a translucent floating screen materialized within Xia Wei's field of view.

[ Name: Lin Jie

Age: 18

Cultivation Base: Late-Stage of Foundation Establishment realm]

One of Xia Wei's eyebrows arched, a mocking smile dancing upon his lips as he perused Lin Jie's revealed details. "How intriguing..." he murmured.

With a mischievous giggle, Xia Wei abruptly released his grip on Lin Jie's body and snatched the sword that had been poised to pierce his abdomen. "Quite audacious of you, using her as a scapegoat to accuse me, ha!"

Lin Jie found himself squatting on the ground, his sword embedded in the wooden floor, supporting his weight.

His face flushed crimson, his breaths coming in ragged gasps. He glanced at the blade's tip, noticing cracks that had formed due to their earlier collision.

Now devoid of his robe, his true countenance was exposed. His deep, obsidian eyes narrowed as they fixated on Xia Wei's neck, observing the gradual peeling away of the white scales.

"Incredible, isn't it?" Xia Wei remarked, catching Lin Jie's gaze on his neck. Meeting the assailant's eyes, Xia Wei observed the crimson hue seeping into them, his teeth grinding against each other, his visage brimming with a potent blend of hatred and malice.

Lin Jie remained steadfast, refusing to blink even as blood trickled down his neck from Xia Wei's previous grip.

"You murdered Bai Pengfei, and her father shall undoubtedly seek vengeance for her demise!" Lin Jie spoke with a tone infused with sorrow and loathin.

His gaze shifting between Xia Wei and the spot where Bai Pengfei had been reduced to minuscule shreds, ever watchful of Xia Wei's every move.

"You're referring to Miss Bai? Hold on... I fail to comprehend the issue here. It was you all who made the initial attempt on my life," Xia Wei interjected, his words laced with a hint of confusion.

But as he spoke, his form mere feet away from Lin Jie dissipated into nothingness, only to materialize beside him in the blink of an eye.

In a swift and unforeseen move, Xia Wei seized Lin Jie's head while he remained caught off guard, applying an intense pressure that caused blood to trickle from both of Lin Jie's ears.