The Zhong Family’s Vengeance

“Clap, clap, clap…”

Outside the courtyard gate, applause resounded. A voice declared, “Truly worthy of the sole rogue cultivator on the Daqi Heavenly Pride Rankings. To possess such a keen sense of vigilance is remarkable.”

The individual had been loitering beyond the courtyard gate for quite some time. Chi Qiu had observed them earlier but dismissed them as a mere passerby. Only moments ago, however, she detected a fleeting ripple of true qi, which solidified her suspicion that the person outside was a cultivator—and one of at least the Heart Scripture realm.

Peering through the sea of indigo flowers, Chi Qiu could discern the man’s features from beyond the gate. He was a middle-aged man, nearly eight chi tall, with a valiant bearing. He wore a pristine white brocade robe.

The white-robed man spoke once more. “A guest has arrived, Miss Chi. Will you not extend an invitation for me to step inside and rest?”

Chi Qiu remained silent, lost in thought. The man outside clearly possessed extensive knowledge of her identity, and with his intentions shrouded in mystery, she found herself hesitant to act.

“If you know me as Chi Qiu from the Heavenly Pride Rankings, why do you persist in calling me Miss Chi?” After a moment of contemplation, Chi Qiu probed, her voice steady.

“I am aware you were originally male; I sat among the spectators during your battle with Su Hanxing,” the white-robed man responded. “However, now that you have donned a skirt, what harm is there in referring to you as Miss Chi?”

Before his words had even faded, ripples shimmered across the courtyard gate. With a single stride, the white-robed man stepped forward, passing directly through the wooden door and entering the courtyard.

“My name is Zhong Jing. I have come today to gauge the abilities of Miss Chi Qiu, the seventh-ranked on the Daqi Heavenly Pride Rankings.” The white-robed man, Zhong Jing, extended his right hand, issuing a provocative beckoning gesture toward Chi Qiu. Behind him, three long halberds slowly ascended, hovering in the air with a faint tremor, all aimed squarely at Chi Qiu.

“Zhong… so you are from the Zhong family. What is your relation to Zhong Wen and Zhong Wu?” Upon hearing the white-robed man state his name, Chi Qiu immediately understood.

Zhong Wen and Zhong Wu were formidable opponents Chi Qiu had faced during a martial arts tournament. The two were twin brothers, both cultivators of the Spirit Nourishing realm. Each, in turn, had encountered Chi Qiu, only to be utterly defeated by her with a mere three punches and two kicks, leaving them in a state of extreme disarray.

Chi Qiu wouldn’t typically recall such minor figures. Yet, after their humiliating defeat, the twins had audaciously summoned a family elder to ambush her on her journey home. Alas, even this elder proved no match for Chi Qiu, who had achieved great mastery of her divine abilities. Ultimately, Chi Qiu left the brothers gravely wounded, on the verge of death, before allowing the trio to flee.

“Those two are my nephews. I never imagined Miss Chi would be so merciless. My nephews have been utterly broken ever since. But every dog has its day. You, Chi Qiu, were once glorious and formidable, yet now you present yourself as a delicate woman, do you not?” Zhong Jing’s lips curled into a sneering smile. “You are indeed stunningly beautiful. Today, I will cripple you, then take you back to my clan. There, you shall be given to my two nephews for their pleasure, to finally soothe the torment in their hearts.”

With that, Zhong Jing dropped all pretense. His true qi erupted, and in an instant, Chi Qiu’s residence was engulfed by a shimmering purplish-black light barrier.

“You certainly came well-prepared, even setting up a sealing array in advance. Are you not concerned the City Lord will arrive and cut you down?” Chi Qiu retreated steadily, her words flowing without pause. Zhong Jing’s cultivation realm was a tier above hers, making a direct confrontation unwinnable. Her only recourse was to stall for time, hoping the City Lord would detect the disturbance and intervene.

“Hmph, this sealing array of mine is imperceptible at night. By the time the City Lord of Sang City discovers it during the day, I will have already spirited you away from Sang City. Be sensible and cease your struggles; surrender, and you’ll spare yourself considerable pain. Should you resist, I’ll break both your legs. Do not delude yourself into thinking you are still the Chi Qiu of old.” Though Zhong Jing spoke of her surrender, his actions were relentless. With a sweeping gesture, the three halberds behind him instantly tore through the air, hurtling directly toward Chi Qiu.

Chi Qiu instantly drew her sword and struck. A discordant clang of metal echoed as the three halberds were effortlessly repelled. Then, Chi Qiu channeled the Lunar spiritual energy within her, her Azure Frost Sword adopting the opening stance of the Moonlit Sky Sword Art. She ceased her retreat, instead advancing steadily toward Zhong Jing.

“Overestimating yourself,” Zhong Jing scoffed. A ring on his hand shimmered, and two short halberds materialized in his grip. Their tips gleamed with a chilling light, unmistakably indicating they were no ordinary weapons.

Wielding his short halberds, Zhong Jing channeled true qi and slashed forward. Two potent blades of condensed true qi flashed out, aimed directly at Chi Qiu’s legs. It became clear that Zhong Jing’s earlier words were not idle threats; he genuinely intended to capture Chi Qiu and drag her back to the Zhong family.

Chi Qiu rolled to the right, narrowly evading the true qi blades. As she moved to stand, two more blades were already hurtling toward her face. With no time to dodge, Chi Qiu could only thrust her sword horizontally before her.

With a sharp ding, the true qi blade was deflected by the Azure Frost Sword. The overflowing true qi carved several lacerations into Chi Qiu’s sword-wielding hand. Blood streamed down her arm, tracing a path to the sword’s tip, before dripping onto the indigo flower sea below.

This was the sheer suppressive force of a Heart Scripture realm cultivator over one in the Spirit Nourishing realm. Once spiritual energy was refined into true qi, it could be used to control artifacts or unleashed from the body for devastating long-range attacks. Most Spirit Nourishing realm cultivators couldn’t even approach, let alone pose a genuine threat.

At this moment, Zhong Jing, armed with only two short halberds and rudimentary true qi blade techniques, had Chi Qiu teetering on the brink of disaster. Fortunately, Chi Qiu’s Azure Frost Sword was of exceptionally high grade; its very blade was capable of deflecting numerous true qi blades, enabling her to steadily close the distance to Zhong Jing.

“Your longsword is quite a remarkable artifact, capable of shattering my true qi blades with its innate properties. What a shame, a pearl cast before swine, for you haven’t even cultivated true qi and thus cannot harness its true might.” Witnessing Chi Qiu deflect two true qi blades—attacks that should have grievously wounded her—with her Azure Frost Sword, Zhong Jing’s expression twisted with avarice.

Chi Qiu remained impassive, completely unswayed by Zhong Jing’s taunts. She narrowly evaded another true qi blade, once more closing the distance. Now, she stood a mere five paces from him.

“You wish to engage me in close quarters combat? You court death!” Zhong Jing scoffed with disdain. He ceased projecting true qi blades, instead channeling his true qi to reinforce his head, chest, and other vital areas. In a flash, a rudimentary true qi armor encased his form.

Zhong Jing brimmed with confidence. His true qi armor safeguarded all vital points, rendering it impenetrable to Chi Qiu. Furthermore, by concentrating the armor solely on critical areas, he conserved a substantial amount of true qi. Once their battle commenced, he would infuse his short halberds with true qi; a single strike would undoubtedly incapacitate Chi Qiu, leaving her utterly at his mercy.

Clang, clang, clang…

The moment Zhong Jing finished conjuring his true qi armor, Chi Qiu had already closed in, launching the Moonlit Sky Sword Art. In a single, fluid motion, she unleashed three strikes: a precise thrust, a sweeping slash, and a powerful cut, aimed successively at his eyes, neck, and thighs.

Zhong Jing had utterly failed to anticipate such incredible speed from Chi Qiu. In his panicked scramble, he could only manage to raise his twin halberds to shield his eyes. His true qi armor bore the brunt of the sword strike aimed at his neck. Then, a sudden chill enveloped his thigh, followed by an agonizing, searing pain.

Zhong Jing knew this was no moment to dwell on his injuries. He lowered one short halberd, positioning it defensively before his thigh, while the other remained angled in front of him. In this stance, his entire form was rendered nearly impregnable. But then… where was Chi Qiu?

Chi Qiu’s figure had vanished from his immediate view. Zhong Jing instantly whipped his head around, searching. At that precise moment, another searing pain flared in his back leg. While Zhong Jing had been occupied shielding his eyes with his halberds, Chi Qiu, having completed her trio of strikes, had immediately sidestepped to the right, vanishing into his blind spot, and then launched yet another sword attack.

The Moonlit Sky Sword Art boasted not only agile and cunning sword techniques, but also incredibly practical footwork. A deceptively simple maneuver—obscuring his vision before attacking from an unexpected angle—had nearly crippled one of Zhong Jing’s legs.

It was only a pity that this sword art sacrificed the power of individual strikes for blistering speed. Consequently, these two swift cuts, though painful, did not entirely cripple Zhong Jing’s thigh.

Having sustained two consecutive sword strikes, Zhong Jing realized his planned defensive counter-attack strategy would prove ineffective against the exceptionally agile Chi Qiu. He opted instead for an aggressive approach, swinging a halberd toward his injured thigh, hoping to force Chi Qiu to retreat.

Chi Qiu leaped backward, evading the attack, only to see a true qi blade hurtling directly toward her face. Still airborne, she had no means of dodging and could only brace herself, raising her sword horizontally to block.

Bang!

Though she successfully shattered the true qi blade, the scattered true qi still grazed Chi Qiu’s brow bone. Blood welled forth instantly, some of it streaming into her eye. Chi Qiu’s vision was consumed by a crimson blur, rendering her unable to see anything clearly.

Zhong Jing offered Chi Qiu no reprieve. He pursued her, wielding both halberds. Seeing Chi Qiu’s face smeared with blood, her eyes barely open, only fueled his excitement. He swung a short halberd in a wide arc, aiming to smash into Chi Qiu’s shoulder.

Chi Qiu struggled to open her other eye, the one not obscured by blood. As the short halberd descended, she lunged to the right, narrowly evading the blow. Before she could even scramble to her feet, the other halberd, imbued with true qi, swept down in a diagonal slash, threatening to cleave Chi Qiu in two.

Left with no alternative, Chi Qiu could only meet the strike with her sword.

Clang!

The instant their weapons clashed, Chi Qiu’s hands went numb. The Azure Frost Sword was violently knocked back, striking her chest. The blow carried immense force; even though the halberd’s edge was blocked by her sword, the sheer impact sent Chi Qiu flying.

Chi Qiu landed, an unbearable agony erupting in her chest. Breathing, at this moment, became the most torturous form of punishment. Every rise and fall of her chest brought a searing, needle-like pain.

Zhong Jing, of course, did not let this opportunity slip. While Chi Qiu struggled even to stand, he unleashed a flurry of halberd swings, sending several true qi blades hurtling toward her one remaining functional eye.

Chi Qiu gritted her teeth, watching the true qi blades approach. She knew that even if she used her Azure Frost Sword to shatter them, the turbulent true qi fragments would still lacerate her eye. With no other option, she could only gamble that the chaotic true qi wouldn’t blind her.

Bang, bang, bang!

Chi Qiu’s eyes widened, attempting to discern the trajectory of the true qi blades. Zhong Jing, it turned out, was even more cunning than she’d imagined. To prevent Chi Qiu from simply closing her eyes and blocking with her sword, his final true qi blade veered slightly, targeting her calf. Seeing this, Chi Qiu exerted force from her core, shifting her entire lower body just enough to barely evade the blade.

Had Chi Qiu closed her eyes, she would have been unable to dodge this particular true qi blade. With a severed calf, Chi Qiu would have been nothing more than a fish on a chopping block, utterly at his mercy.

But now…

Screech—

Accompanied by a sound like tearing silk, a wisp of errant true qi sliced across Chi Qiu’s icy blue eye. Instantly, Chi Qiu’s world plunged into darkness.

Chi Qiu frantically reached up, trying to wipe the blood from her other eye, but the true qi had cut more than just that one. The more she wiped, the more blood she found, utterly unable to clear her vision.

“Hahahahahaha… What does it matter if you’re seventh on the Daqi Heavenly Pride Rankings? You’ve still been blinded by me, to be kneaded as I please! Don’t worry, I won’t kill you. Life is long, and I’ll make sure you wish you were dead.” Seeing Chi Qiu’s disheveled state, unable to regain her sight no matter how much she wiped, Zhong Jing burst into laughter. He had intended to slowly approach Chi Qiu for a close-range humiliation, but the two sword wounds on his thigh were too painful, forcing him to abandon the idea.

“b*tch! You slashed me twice; I’ll sever both your legs.” The agonizing pain in his thigh became unbearable for Zhong Jing. He raised his short halberd high, ready to unleash a true qi blade.

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his thigh. Zhong Jing quickly looked down, only to see a green vine, which had emerged from the earth unnoticed, now firmly entwined around his legs. The vine slowly rubbed against the wounds on his thigh, driving Zhong Jing to the brink of madness.

“What in the blazes is this? Is this your doing?” Zhong Jing swung his halberds at the green vine, but only managed to carve a shallow notch, less than an inch deep. He looked in horror toward where Chi Qiu had fallen and struggled, seeing only a patch of flattened indigo flowers.

“Is this Night Ling Vine tenacious enough?”

The voice came from not far from Zhong Jing. Chi Qiu’s eyes were tightly shut, two trails of bloody tears streaming from their corners. She held the Azure Frost Sword, treading across the indigo flower sea, slowly approaching Zhong Jing.

The Night Ling Vine had already coiled around Zhong Jing’s upper body, preventing him from extending his arms to swing his halberds. He tried to circulate his true qi, but the piercing pain in his thighs caused him to fail repeatedly. He could only watch Chi Qiu draw closer with each step.

“Why… why can you still see?” Zhong Jing’s voice trembled.

Chi Qiu did not reply. She paused, facing Zhong Jing, and asked, “You’ve set traps around here?”

Zhong Jing’s heart jolted. He had indeed set up a small array within a ten-chi radius around himself. His boots were a low-grade artifact, with an array diagram carved into their soles. By infusing true qi, he could instantly activate the array. What Zhong Jing couldn’t comprehend was how Chi Qiu had detected it, even if she could see. Moreover, he had deliberately feigned difficulty in gathering true qi. How had she still discovered it?

However, since Chi Qiu had already found out, Zhong Jing no longer pretended. Array patterns glowed on the ground around him, and several horrifying white needles emerged from beneath the earth.

“I truly don’t know how you discovered it. You’re right, I’ve set up a killing array. Anyone who steps within ten chi of me will be impaled by ten thousand needles.” Zhong Jing no longer showed signs of unbearable pain, clearly having faked his previous inability to gather true qi.

“If you’re smart, you’ll leave now. As a Spirit Nourishing realm cultivator, you have no long-range attack methods. Are you planning to throw your artifact at me?” Zhong Jing continued, though his tone softened considerably.

Chi Qiu, hearing this, lowered her sword-wielding right hand and tilted her head slightly, ‘looking’ toward Zhong Jing, who was bound and helpless within the Night Ling Vine.

Zhong Jing was unsure what Chi Qiu intended, neither advancing nor retreating, and prepared to continue persuading her. “Don’t you dare…” He had only uttered three words when a tickling sensation suddenly struck his ear. Zhong Jing twisted his head—the only part of his body he could move—and saw a pale purple Night Ling flower, emitting a faint fragrance.

Zhong Jing breathed a sigh of relief, turning back to Chi Qiu to continue his persuasion. However, he saw Chi Qiu wielding her sword and beginning to dance. This bizarre spectacle left Zhong Jing momentarily speechless.

Chi Qiu brandished the Azure Frost Sword, her posture light and graceful. Her face was pale, her eyes tightly shut, and blood occasionally dripped from her wounds. Despite this, Chi Qiu did not stop. When the dance concluded, she sheathed her sword at her waist.

Zhong Jing seemed about to speak, but Chi Qiu, without waiting for him, unleashed a single sword strike.

The Lunar spiritual energy within the courtyard was drawn to this strike, converging to form a crescent-moon-shaped sword energy. This sword energy was incredibly slow, perhaps not even as fast as Chi Qiu’s walking pace. Yet, in Zhong Jing’s eyes, this sword energy was as terrifying as a headsman’s blade.

“How can you harness the spiritual energy of heaven and earth? How can you possibly harness the spiritual energy of heaven and earth?!” The seemingly composed Zhong Jing finally broke. He unleashed all his strength, desperately trying to break free from the Night Ling Vine’s embrace. The Night Ling Vine creaked and groaned but remained as tenacious as ever.

The sword energy slowly advanced toward Zhong Jing. He finally succumbed to the pressure and began to beg for mercy. “I never intended to kill you! Think about it, if I had gone all out from the start, how could you have lasted this long?”

Chi Qiu remained coldly silent, simply watching Zhong Jing transition from cursing to begging, and finally to madness. The courtyard grew quiet only after the crescent moon sword energy sliced through him.

With its master’s death, the purplish-black light barrier dissipated. Chi Qiu’s legs buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground.

The moonlight remained brilliant, and a late evening breeze swept through, dispelling the scent of blood and rustling through the indigo flower sea.