Chapter Twenty-One: Is This Still Human?

The woman's calm demeanor left Chen Xiang, who was watching from afar, quite surprised.

The seven guards unleashed their techniques and charged, each attacking with full force. They had been instructed that the outcome of the sacrifice was of no consequence, whether she lived or died. As a result, they held nothing back.

The woman raised her hand lightly, and a surge of bone-chilling spiritual power burst forth from within her, sweeping across heaven and earth until even the surrounding air seemed to freeze.

The seven Core Formation cultivators shivered involuntarily, but showed no fear.

Powerful techniques assailed her from all directions.

She dared not be careless; after all, she was only at the seventh level of Core Formation.

Forming a strange hand seal, she whispered, "Frost Mark."

A sword, two feet three inches long, with a blade as white as snow and exuding a biting cold, appeared out of thin air. Grasping the hilt, she traced a few arcs of white light through the air.

Then, with the sword pointed at the incoming attacks, she released streams of frigid sword energy, neutralizing every assault.

She lowered her sword gently, a breeze lifting her skirt. An aura of ethereal grace radiated from her, as if she were a fairy from the ninth heaven.

At that moment, her presence seemed to overshadow the seven Core Formation cultivators facing her.

Upon seeing her summon the sword, the cultivators' expressions grew grave; the Sixth Elder was not surprised.

"Be cautious, everyone. That is the Frost Mark Sword, a third-grade Earth-tier spiritual weapon. In her hands, it can unleash the power of a Nascent Soul cultivator!" the Sixth Elder intoned in a deep voice.

The seven guards exchanged glances and nodded to one another before each produced a weapon from their storage pouches.

Instantly, the aura of seven spiritual weapons pressed down upon the woman.

Judging by the spiritual energy fluctuations, all seven weapons were Profound-tier, none lower than fifth grade.

The Sixth Elder was taken aback by this display, then sighed in resignation. These guards had been sent by the family head, and he had no idea they were so well-equipped. Clearly, the family head was determined to bring the young lady back—or rather, to bring back her remains.

The woman's expression grew solemn. Before, she might have had confidence in breaking through the encirclement and escaping, but faced with so many Profound-tier weapons, she now held no hope. She hadn't expected her second uncle to be prepared even for her Earth-tier weapon.

The seven guards charged forward, and the woman met them head-on.

Though an Earth-tier weapon outclassed a Profound-tier one, sheer numbers could compensate for the gap. Her innate spiritual roots, further enhanced and refined by the Heart of Heaven's Yin Meridian, granted her the strength to contend with even tenth-level Core Formation cultivators. Yet, beset by seven opponents, all above the fifth level of Core Formation, the pressure was immense.

Barely managing to fend off attacks from all sides, she began to fall behind. And this was with the Sixth Elder yet to intervene.

Chen Xiang watched the martial spectacle across the mountain with idle amusement.

"Heh, I'll wait until she's truly at her limit before stepping in. Still, this woman is remarkable! Daring to take on seven or eight cultivators of equal rank head-to-head—she's almost caught up to me! Seems I'd better not slack off; I have to keep cultivating!" Chen Xiang muttered.

If the Five Sects heard his words, they would surely curse him: You’re only at the tenth level of Foundation Establishment, and you dare challenge Nascent Soul cultivators? Now you’re at the third level of Core Formation and you still hesitate to take one head-on?

Chen Xiang was ready.

He saw the woman clearly losing ground.

Her white robes were torn in several places, exposing pale skin with a few shallow wounds. Forced onto the defensive, she could only strike back occasionally, leaving herself exposed elsewhere.

As the saying goes, even the best defense has its lapse. The seven guards noticed her attacks weakening and were visibly delighted.

"Come on, everyone, we’re almost there! She can’t hold out much longer!" one of them shouted.

The Sixth Elder also sensed her exhaustion and sighed inwardly. Withstanding the assault of seven cultivators of the same realm was draining; though her strength rivaled a Nascent Soul expert, she was not truly at that stage.

Knowing she couldn't endure much longer, the woman parried a barrage of attacks and retreated from the group.

Clutching the Frost Mark Sword, she gazed at them calmly through her veil.

Suddenly, the spiritual energy of the world seemed to stir, undulating violently.

"What’s happening?"

"Why is the energy of heaven and earth in turmoil?"

The seven cultivators sensed something amiss.

"Be careful, everyone! The young lady has activated the Heart of Heaven’s Yin Meridian!" the Sixth Elder shouted. Having watched her grow up, he was familiar with her techniques.

The woman raised her sword high, unleashing a torrent of icy spiritual power that poured into the blade. For miles around, snow began to fall, swirling in the air.

A thin layer of frost spread outward from her feet, rapidly expanding.

The cultivators grew tense; such a display surpassed even the power of a Nascent Soul master.

They dared not underestimate her any longer; a desperate counterattack from a powerful opponent was a fearsome thing.

Each readied their strongest technique.

Behind the woman, a spectral figure took shape—a faint, indistinct outline of a woman, her features obscured.

"Broken Dream... Frost Mark!"

Her lips parted, uttering the words.

She brought the sword down in a single, sweeping stroke, and the snow for miles seemed to surge forward at her command, converging upon the cultivators.

The seven Core Formation experts' techniques collided with her sword strike.

A thunderous explosion shook heaven and earth, snowflakes swirling in a blizzard so dense the cliff became a scene of utter chaos.

The Sixth Elder soared into the sky on his sword, watching the scene below with rapt attention.

Even Chen Xiang, from several miles away atop another peak, was dumbfounded.

Incredible—her sword strike had exceeded even his Sea-Turning Seal!

Again, a thunderous crash. A long scar appeared across the cliff, and the ground began to slide downward.

The cliff had been severed!

From the heart of the blizzard, a figure burst forth. Her robes were in tatters, exposing her pale skin, and her bamboo hat was gone, revealing a face drained of color.

Chen Xiang gasped, his breath catching in his throat. Was she even human? How could anyone look like this?

Her features were rough, marked with freckles, a hooked nose, a dark red birthmark on her right cheek, and a cherry-like mouth. He could only describe her as the very embodiment of 'ugliness'!

He nearly retched. Was she some kind of demon beast in disguise?

The Sixth Elder was not surprised to see her emerge and swiftly appeared behind her, determined not to let her escape.

Already exhausted from the battle and having expended all her strength on that last, desperate sword strike, she could no longer muster even a fraction of her power—she could not withstand the Sixth Elder’s attack. She closed her eyes in resignation.

He struck her back with his palm; blood spurted from her lips as she crumpled to the ground like a broken kite.

Unlike the seven Core Formation cultivators, the Sixth Elder, seeing her spent, had used only thirty percent of his strength.

At that moment, the seven cultivators emerged from the base of the cliff, their bodies coated in frost. Evidently, they had withstood her sword strike.

Seeing her captured, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now that the young lady is found, let’s return and report," the Sixth Elder said calmly, casting a cool glance at the seven guards.

"Yes, sir!" Though the guards had been ordered by their master to keep the Sixth Elder in the dark, none dared defy him.

They turned to leave, but a voice rang out from the distant sky.

"Wait a moment. Would you all grant me a favor and release this young woman?"

To be continued...