Chapter 128: On a Knife’s Edge

At the very brink, just as disaster was about to strike, a streak of blue light shot out from the void and landed on Xie Jinxuan’s body, which was moments from exploding.

It stopped the self-destruction in its tracks.

Feeling the sudden change, Xie Jinxuan let out a powerless roar. “Who are you? Who stopped me? I won’t accept this!”

His swollen body collapsed in an instant, like a balloon losing air, and his vision went black as he lost consciousness altogether.

Mo Yi was overjoyed. “Hahaha! Wonderful! Even the heavens are on my side!”

He glanced down at Xie Jinxuan and gave him a hard kick, grinning as he burst into song and dance right there.

“No, wait, something’s wrong!” Mo Yi suddenly caught on, halting his celebration as he looked around warily.

A sweet, melodious woman’s voice came out of thin air.

“Oh? So you finally noticed?”

Qiao Ling’er and Li Zai’an appeared overhead, blocking Mo Yi’s escape and regarding him with icy eyes.

“Who are you? Give me your names!”

Mo Yi looked up in fear at the newcomers, sensing the overwhelming pressure. He couldn’t stop himself from taking a few steps back.

Qiao Ling’er and Li Zai’an exchanged glances, nodded, and their eyes turned cold. “The ones here to kill you. Enough talk. Hand over your life!”

With a swift twist, both drew their swords and dove down, streaking toward Mo Yi like meteors.

“Cowards! Ganging up on me!” Mo Yi ground his teeth, but with no choice, grabbed his massive axe, let out a furious roar, and charged up as a meteor to meet them.

The void erupted as sword and axe clashed, a shower of sparks lighting up the sky that was once clear and bright.

Now thick clouds rolled in, thunder rumbled, and Mo Yi’s angry roars echoed again and again.

“Demon Axe, Annihilation Strike!” Mo Yi bellowed.

“Loveless Sword Technique, Cutting Water!” declared Li Zai’an.

“Hundred Blossom Whip, Bind!” Qiao Ling’er called out.

A giant axe wrapped in black energy appeared down from the void. Countless swords, like a torrential river, and a storm of roses burst into existence alongside it.

The three unleashed their techniques, attacks twisting together in a fierce struggle. Mo Yi held his own two-against-one, the massive axe forever at his side.

Seeing that neither opponent could break through, Mo Yi scoffed. “Pathetic tricks, humans. Enough of your nonsense. Die!”

The colossal axe next to Mo Yi suddenly grew larger, the black shroud circling it thickening, radiating unending dread.

“Demon Axe, Samsara Destruction!”

A cruel smile crept onto his lips as he grasped the axe and leapt forward, surging with violent fury as he swung it at his foes.

This was the strongest move of his life, and his confidence soared as he pictured the finishing blow landing.

“Ha! Big oaf finally bought it. All that acting wasn’t a waste, it really is time to finish this!” Qiao Ling’er laughed.

She and Li Zai’an exchanged a quick smile, then their sword and whip suddenly surged with incredible power.

They charged headlong at the massive axe. Mo Yi’s previously smug face twisted into shock and fear.

A tidal wave of roses engulfed Mo Yi’s gigantic form, pinning him tight. Then tens of thousands of swords, formed from drops of water, followed.

They pierced through Mo Yi’s body utterly, leaving him stunned and breathless.

As the roses scattered, Mo Yi stared down at his ruined body, blood pouring from his lips as disbelief filled his eyes.

He reached out to them with his last strength, voice broken with rage. “Damn it! How could I lose to two despicable humans? I can’t accept this!”

His gaze faded away, his body drained of its last ounce of strength. His life ended.

He fell like a meteor from the void, slamming into the earth below with a deafening crash, leaving a massive crater. Thick smoke billowed from the pit.

“That brute’s finally dead. Tough as nails, too. Took some doing,” Qiao Ling’er said, relieved to see the deep crater he left behind.

“Alright Ling’er, save the complaints. Let’s go check on the princess and the others,” Li Zai’an said, gently patting her shoulder.

Qiao Ling’er broke into a smile. “Let’s go, Zai’an. Let’s check on them.”

In a blink, the two dazzling figures vanished and reappeared at Xie Jinxuan’s side.

Li Zai’an looked at the battered Xie Jinxuan and frowned, lifting him up and stopping the bleeding, then turned to Qiao Ling’er with grim concern.

“Ling’er, His Highness is badly injured. I’ve stopped the bleeding, but anything else is beyond me.”

“Zai’an, now’s not the time for games. Hurry up and save His Highness!” Qiao Ling’er, exasperated, smacked him hard on the head.

Li Zai’an just grinned. “Aiya, Ling’er, you caught me quick. Alright, alright, I’ll get him patched up!”

He pulled a fragrant pill from his robes, pried open Xie Jinxuan’s mouth, and fed it to him.

Almost instantly, color returned to Xie Jinxuan’s face.

Li Zai’an breathed a sigh of relief. “That’s it. His Highness will be fine now.”

Qiao Ling’er suddenly noticed something, and rushed to Xie Wanyi’s side. Frowning at the protective shield surrounding her, she then spotted the tear-streaked, battered princess. As a fellow woman, her heart ached.

She banged on the shield and called out, “Princess, are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Hearing the voice, Xie Wanyi’s glassy eyes slowly regained focus. She looked at Qiao Ling’er.

“Can you check on my brother—for me?” Xie Wanyi said weakly, pointing toward him.

Qiao Ling’er smiled. “Don’t worry, Princess. His Highness is out of danger. What about you? Are you okay?”

Xie Wanyi shook her head, barely smiling. “That’s good. As long as my brother’s alright… I’ll be fine.”

“It’s alright, Princess. I’ll break this barrier and get you out right away!” Qiao Ling’er studied the shield for a second, then lashed it hard with her whip.

Despite her efforts, the shield didn’t show the slightest crack. Qiao Ling’er was a bit stunned—she hadn’t expected it to be that tough.

With no give at all, frustration crept in. She bit her lip, then doubled down, striking harder and harder.

Smoke rose around the shield, catching Qiao Ling’er off guard and making her cough violently. Still, she felt confident that, after that hit, the shield would finally fail.

But as the smoke cleared, she froze in disbelief—the barrier was as flawless as ever.

Qiao Ling’er’s patience snapped. She began whipping the barrier again and again in a frenzy, until suddenly she paused.

To her shock, her cultivation level had dropped by an entire major realm. The string of setbacks finally overwhelmed her and she broke out cursing.

“Damn it, what is this thing? Not only is it bizarrely strong, it actually saps my cultivation just for hitting it?!”

Worried, Xie Wanyi spoke up. “Please, maybe just stop. This is the Heaven and Earth Shield. Not only is it incredibly tough, but anyone who strikes it loses an entire major realm of cultivation.”

“Aside from my brother, no one can take it down. There’s no other way,” Xie Wanyi added.

Qiao Ling’er was dumbstruck, stamping her feet in frustration. Suddenly, a lightbulb went on in her head. She spun around and called, “Zai’an, come over here and help! See if you can break this shield!”

Hearing his name, Li Zai’an gently set down Xie Jinxuan and strode over toward Qiao Ling’er.