Chapter 67: Fighting the Core Formation Realm!

Wei Dao also realized this.

"My young friend's senior sister is at the late Foundation Establishment stage and possesses the Immaculate Sword Heart. If they were to truly fight, even I would have to keep my distance. Someone who makes her treat them as a formidable enemy can only be..."

The two words—"Core Formation"—slowly surfaced in the minds of both Wei Dao and Yao Lian.

Silence fell upon the spot immediately, but Xiao Lin's voice broke it in the next second.

"The plan remains unchanged."

"Only I cannot go. I must trouble you, Senior, to go with Yao Lian to the other battlefields and end those fights swiftly."

As he spoke, Xiao Lin turned his head to look south, seemingly intending to head to the central lake alone.

"What good is it for you to go there?" Yao Lian suddenly asked. "Even at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, you are inferior to me. Facing a Core Formation expert is purely seeking death. It would be better to eliminate the other evil cultivators first and have everyone go together; perhaps there would still be a sliver of a chance of survival."

The reply to Yao Lian was Xiao Lin's calm statement: "Proceed according to the plan."

Yao Lian was shocked: "You..."

"I know what I mean to the two of you, senior brother and junior sister."

"However, you can rest assured. I care far more about my own life than I do about your so-called opportunity to attain the Dao."

Wei Dao gazed at Xiao Lin for a moment: "Young friend, was this also within your expectations?"

Xiao Lin was silent for a moment: "Yes."

"Very well, then we will listen to the young friend and proceed according to the plan."

With that, Wei Dao immediately set off for the other battlefields, forcing Yao Lian to secretly grind her teeth and follow closely behind.

It seemed Xiao Lin had chosen the more dangerous battlefield.

Yet if he failed, the others would likewise die beneath this cage and be buried in Wanxun City.

Was this not also entrusting one's own life to Xiao Lin?

The next moment, Xiao Lin also transformed into a streak of light, heading straight for the central lake.

A mere moment later, he arrived in an instant.

The battle he had imagined had not yet broken out, which made Xiao Lin secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

With just a single glance, he locked onto the uninvited guest.

For while he could see her with his naked eyes, when his spiritual sense swept across the area, nothing was there at all.

Such a method could only belong to the Core Formation stage.

Zhu Ya'er looked at Gu Jianyao, who stood before her as ethereal as an immortal, a trace of jealousy flashing in her eyes: "Tsk tsk, this outfit was bought by your little lover, wasn't it? How could the Immaculate Sword Heart know how to dress herself up? But you have good eyes; this pretty little face and curvaceous figure—which man wouldn't love them upon seeing them?"

"It's just such a pity for this body. For over twenty years, you haven't even tasted the most wonderful thing in the world; it is truly a waste. Why not come back with me? There are plenty of men in our sect who can..."

Hum!

Without even turning her head, Zhu Ya'er raised her slender hand and tightly grabbed a flying sword.

Only then did she turn to look, smiling seductively: "Oh, what a handsome little fellow. Are you this Immaculate Sword Heart's little lover? Did you see me flirting with her and get angry? You are truly eager to protect your wife. How about this? You come back with me, and I'll let her go."

Ignoring her entirely, Xiao Lin landed beside Gu Jianyao and Gong Yunxuan: "Senior Sister, are you alright?"

Gu Jianyao shook her head, her expression grave as she said softly, "Junior Brother, step back. I will fight her."

This was not a battle that her junior brother could interfere in.

"Oh..."

"Oh, your mother, shut up!" Xiao Lin turned to glance at Zhu Ya'er, forcing her words right back down her throat. "An old witch who has lived for decades or a century, having dual-cultivated with who knows how many people just to barely breakthrough to the Core Formation stage, standing here putting on seductive airs—who are you trying to disgust?"

"Courting death!"

Zhu Ya'er's expression instantly turned gloomy. She threw Xianmie back the exact same way Xiao Lin had hurled it, yet its might was vastly different. Xianmie seemed to have birthed a sword spirit, sweeping over with a razor-sharp wave of sword Qi!

Clang.

Gu Jianyao made her move. Lige tapped against Xianmie, her jade feet retreating several steps in the air, her right hand dancing in a flurry of sword flowers to dissipate the sword Qi.

Xiao Lin retrieved Xianmie.

And this was merely because Zhu Ya'er was not proficient in the Dao of the Sword, yet a casual flick of her wrist carried such might. If she were to hold nothing back and attack with her full strength...

Xiao Lin took a deep breath and suddenly said, "Senior Sister, Brother Yunxuan."

The two looked at him.

"Senior Sister, go to the skies and lend a hand to the Diviner; he cannot hold on much longer. But remain vigilant; he will fight the Fallen Sword Immortal. It seems he foresaw that I would be of help to his Dao path in the future, but ultimately he does this to seek the Dao, so he will inevitably hold back three parts of his strength. He can be assisted, but he cannot be trusted."

"Brother Yunxuan, continue filling the lake and building the path here."

"No."

To his surprise, Gu Jianyao refused Xiao Lin without the slightest hesitation, causing him to be slightly startled: "Senior Sister, now is not the time to throw a little temper..."

Gong Yunxuan's eyelids twitched frantically, thinking to himself: *Who on earth is the one throwing temper tantrums here?*

Foundation Establishment fighting Core Formation—you dare to fight, but I don't even dare to watch.

No matter how unstable Zhu Ya'er's cultivation realm was, the moment she stepped into this stage, she was a genuine Core Formation expert.

If the three of them joined forces, they would only have a sliver of a chance of winning, let alone Xiao Lin facing her alone?

Gu Jianyao did not argue further with Xiao Lin, only saying, "You are not her match."

Just as she finished speaking, a thunderous explosion erupted from the sky, drawing everyone's gaze upward. A figure had been blasted out from the billowing clouds; the Diviner was already outmatched.

Xiao Lin gazed deeply into Gu Jianyao's eyes: "Senior Sister, trust me. Everything is within Junior Brother's plan, so you must act according to the plan."

"But..."

Xiao Lin smiled gently: "Senior Sister, have you forgotten? You and I still have a sparring match to finish when we return. How could Junior Brother break his promise?"

Gu Jianyao was silent for a moment: "If you cannot defeat her, I will come to your aid."

"Alright."

Gu Jianyao and Gong Yunxuan departed separately.

Only then did Xiao Lin raise his eyes once more to look at Zhu Ya'er.

The latter had returned to her enchanting appearance where every glance and smile held boundless allure, yet the words coming from her mouth made one's blood run cold: "Since your mouth is so disobedient, when the time comes, Your Ladyship will break your limbs, sew your mouth shut, and keep you by my side to cherish you properly..."

She had not stopped Gu Jianyao and the others.

She had merely promised the Fallen Sword Immortal that she would make a move; as for to what extent...

That meager reward was simply not enough to make her go all out.

"A fine way to die."

Hearing this, Xiao Lin grinned: "I will break your limbs, tear apart your mouth, and let you die just as you wish."

Zhu Ya'er's smile faded: "I've changed my mind. This Palace will make your life worse than death!"

She finally made her move. Xiao Lin's spiritual sense was operating at full capacity, yet he failed to capture even a sliver of her movement. Relying purely on instinct, he transformed his righteousness into armor, but the Shura Armor shattered in an instant, scattering into wisps of black Qi.

"Puff!"

Xiao Lin spat a mouthful of blood, for the first time unable to check his momentum as he flew backward a great distance, slamming heavily against the barrier of air before finally coming to a halt.

An indescribable, agonizing pain coursed through his entire body. This was by far the heaviest injury he had ever sustained in his life.

Yet Xiao Lin still managed to smile.

He looked at Zhu Ya'er, who was slowly walking toward him with a completely expressionless face, as if she were executing judgment upon him. Spitting out a bloody foam, he chuckled softly: "Though winning will be somewhat scruffy, slaying a Core Formation expert across three minor realms... I suppose it's barely acceptable..."