A Feisty One

The woman was a lethal vision in crimson, her voluminous battle robes snapping around a lithe, shapely figure as she wove between the shattered stalagmites. 

A flowing mane of glossy black hair fanned out behind her like a war banner, framing delicate features set in a mask of focus. Her pale jade hands danced in hypnotic patterns, conducting the flashing steel of her saber in a deadly waltz.

For all her sublime grace and skill, Miao Ying could see she was floundering. Her darting attacks skittered off the bear's shaggy pelt, tracing only faint lines of blood. 

In return, each ponderous swipe of its scythe-like claws carved the frigid air with waves of bone-chilling Qi, the crushing force pulverizing stone with every near-miss. She was one misstep from annihilation.

Indeed, the monstrous bear seemed more amused than threatened, cruel intelligence glinting in its pinprick eyes as it toyed with the gnat harrying it. Even with one forelimb a ruined mess of charred flesh and splintered bone, it showed no fear or pain, idly batting at her like swatting a fly.

The young woman hazarded a glance at Miao Ying as she tumbled to a crouch, saber poised. Her mesmerizing eyes flashed as they took in his 1st stage Qi Establishment aura. Full lips curved into a faint smirk.

"Trying to play hero, little boy?" she called, her husky voice edged with mocking scorn. "I don't need-"

A thunderous roar drowned out her words as the bear stomped over, making the cavern tremble with its footfalls. Two blazing stars of malice locked onto the young cultivators as the beast rose to its full height, fangs dripping with freezing spittle.

Even a powerful Class 1 Demonic Beast could feel out cultivation levels. To a mighty Spirit Tier monster with the acute spiritual awareness equivalent to the Qi Establishment realm, identifying a true threat was child's play. 

The beauty tensed as that baleful glare fell upon her.

"Since you're here, any bright id-"

'BOOM!' 

The rest of her words vanished as an earsplitting shockwave ripped through the cavern. Howling gales smashed into the quaking walls, sending cracks spiderwebbing through the ice. Thunder boomed and stone shattered, all drowned out by the piercing keen of a blade rending air.

An unfathomable pressure engulfed the cave, saturating the air with crackling ozone and the electrifying weight of immense power. 

The maiden gasped as it constricted her chest, squeezing the breath from her lungs.

"You!?" She wheeled on Miao Ying. Her eyes went wide.

The calm youth was transformed. Dazzling arcs of lightning danced along his blade, painting the cavern in actinic strobes. Swirling tides of Qi raged from his body, blasting away the rubble at his feet.

Miao Ying vanished. A crack of thunder and he reappeared before the Ice Demonic Bear, lightning-wreathed sword scything towards the beast's skull faster than astonished eyes could track.

"Rwaaaa!" 

The bear's bellow shook the cavern as it reared back. Glacial energies surged through its body, condensing into glowing Ice Runes on its paws. 

With speed belying its bulk, it hammered down in a crushing double swipe.

A sneer flashed across Miao Ying's face for a split-second. He knew he could overpower this beast - its demonic Qi was at most equivalent to 6th stage Qi Establishment. 

But demonic beasts had their advantages in brute strength, tenacious vitality, and nigh-impenetrable defenses. Simply overpowering one was different than overpowering a human cultivator.

Miao Ying thrust out his left hand, the inky rune branded upon his palm flaring to life. Black waves of essence condensed around it, exuding a horrific aura of absolute cold that chilled to the bone. 

The young woman froze, the terrifying miasma nearly stopping her heart. She couldn't see the Devourer Rune, so she could only assume the aura came solely from Miao Ying himself. Genuine dread filled her widening eyes.

At the same time, the Ice Demonic Bear shuddered as an irresistible force latched onto it, a ravenous void hungrily siphoning away its Qi. 

Streams of essence visibly drained from the beast, flowing into Miao Ying's rune and vanishing into its bottomless depths. 

In an instant, the bear's strength had plummeted by 30%, the once-inexorable monster now weak and faltering.

Miao Ying shuddered as the bear's stolen power flooded his meridians, filling him to bursting with icy Qi that melded seamlessly with his own lightning essence. His cultivation soared to new heights as his body adapted, tempering itself with the beast's energies.

His lightning-limned sword flared sun-bright as he lunged forth with a mighty shout. 

'Bang!'

A clap of thunder split the air, and the bear went sprawling back, its paws reduced to tattered meat. Rivers of static arced along its body, dancing through its fur and scorching its hide.

Maddened with pain and rage, the bear roared in frenzy. Crystalline spiderwebs raced through its Core as it forcibly expelled every last drop of its Qi. 

The bear's maw yawned wide, unleashing a torrential blast of absolute cold, a glacial lance to still the world eternal.

Miao Ying sneered. The stolen energy still electrified his body, charging his sword to untold heights of power. He danced around the onrushing ice, the Devourer Rune drinking deep of its frigid Qi. 

His speed redoubled as he lunged, an unstoppable thunderbolt.

'Chi!'

Sword punctured skull, Miao Ying's searing Qi flooding the bear's head in a flash, frying gray matter to a blackened ruin. 

The beast toppled like a felled mountain, crashing to earth in a spray of steaming blood. And it moved no more.

Miao Ying surveyed his kill with a pleased smile, his rune humming with stolen strength. He estimated only Qi Establishment experts at the 8th stage and above would pose a challenge now. Not even 9th stage masters could be certain of victory. 

But shelving that for later, he made to claim his trophies.

"Hey, you!" a sultry voice rang out. Miao Ying turned to regard the mysterious beauty behind him.

She was trying for a brave front, but he could see the slight tremble in her stance, the sweat upon her brow, and the unnatural pallor of her skin. 

Still, a bright smile curved her lips as she said, "So. More than just a wannabe hero, huh? Gotta say, that was pretty damn impressive. Guess you're the real deal."

"Nice robes. Quality weapon. The crass way you talk." Miao Ying cut her off, his voice mild as milk. "You're not from any orthodox sect, are you? In fact...I'd bet my next breakthrough you hail from a demonic sect."

The young woman froze, her smile turning brittle. In a blink, her aura went from warm to glacial, a bone-numbing chill that raised goosebumps on the skin.

"Well, well. Guess a genius like you would sniff me out." She crossed her arms, stance wary despite the tremors still wracking her body. "So? Gonna drag me before your righteous masters? Slay the wicked demon where she stands? Seems to be the usual M.O. for you holier-than-thou types."

She wasn't wrong. Demonic cultivators were reviled among the orthodox sects, seen by the world as selfish fiends who banded together solely to seize power and prey upon the innocent. 

Miao Ying had heard the propaganda a thousand times - demonic sects evil, righteous sects just and good, and so on. But he knew the truth. When the chips were down, when the battle for resources reached a fever pitch...there was little difference in conduct between the two. 

Killing was killing.

"Just calling it like I see it. Keep your 'mysterious beauty' act for the gullible." Miao Ying shrugged. "Demonic, orthodox...it's all the same to me. So long as you're not planning to contest my claim on this beast's core and pelt, we've got no problem. Are you?"

The maiden blinked, taken aback by his bluntness. Suspicion warred with surprise in her eyes. Given his obvious power, if this was a trick, it was a strange one. Slowly, a guarded smile crept back onto her face.

"No, no, it's yours. Earned it fair and square by saving my behind. I know better than to rob a man of his hard-won spoils." She smirked. "Especially one who could squash me like a bug if he wanted."

Miao Ying nodded, striding over to the bear to begin the messy work of harvesting. He focused on his gruesome task, keenly aware of her intense gaze upon his back. He figured she'd slink away once she determined he was no threat.

"Mei Xianxue."

Miao Ying paused, glancing over to where the young woman still stood, arms crossed, and a sour look on her face.