Brutal Handling

Miao Ying chuckled at the look of terror etched upon Min Nue's face. Then, in a movement too swift for the mortal eye to follow, he exploded forward, the earth shattering beneath his feet. 

His lightning-wreathed spirit sword cleaved the air in a brilliant arc, angled straight for Min Nue's temple.

Empowered by his Thousand Shadow Sword technique and Speed As Supremacy art, Miao Ying moved with a speed that defied comprehension. His blade seemed to split into a dizzying array of after-images, each one a lethal strike in its own right. 

The Thousand Shadow Sword allowed him to achieve a level of swordplay that bordered on the realm of illusion, each slash leaving behind a tangible shadow that cut like the sharpest of blades.

Combined with the lightning essence of his Qi Seed, channeled through the Speed As Supremacy art, Miao Ying's physical speed reached heights that left half-step Houtian cultivators scrambling to keep up. 

He became a blur of motion, his form flickering in and out of existence as he closed the distance to his target.

Min Nue frantically thrust her flaming spirit sword forward, pouring every ounce of her strength into a desperate defense. 

Sparks flew as the two blades clashed, the air between them warping from the sheer heat and energy unleashed. For a single, breathless moment, it seemed as though Min Nue's sword might hold - that she might somehow weather this storm of blades and qi.

Then, with a sickening crack, her sword shattered like a pane of glass.

'Chi!'

The almost musical sound of breaking jade rang out like a death knell. Min Nue's spirit sword spun away in a shower of glittering shards, the precious gems adorning its hilt scattering across the earth. 

In the same instant, Miao Ying's blade swept through the space her sword had occupied a mere heartbeat ago, its razor edge slicing through the veil of searing flames as though they were nothing more than wisps of silk.

Min Nue screamed. Or rather, she tried to scream. No sound escaped her lips, for in the next instant, Miao Ying's sword came to rest a hairsbreadth from her throat, the crackle of lightning dancing along its length. 

The smell of ozone filled the air, mingling with the acrid tang of fear-sweat.

A deathly silence fell, broken only by the thundering of Min Nue's heartbeat in her own ears. She stood frozen, not daring to so much as breathe lest the slightest movement cause that terrifying blade to open her throat. 

Her cultivation, her treasured spirit sword, her years of painstaking effort - all of it had been swept aside in an instant, as easily as one might swat an insect.

Miao Ying smiled, a cold, cruel thing that held no warmth. He let the silence stretch, savoring the raw terror etched upon Min Nue's face, the way her body trembled like a leaf in the wind. 

This was the true face of the Blazing Sun Sect's proud geniuses, stripped of all pretense and arrogance - nothing more than frightened children huddling before the specter of death.

"Now then," Miao Ying said, his voice as soft as a whisper and yet carrying the weight of an executioner's blade. "Fuck off. I would suggest you and that Chentian brat focus on your cultivation, rather than wasting time on games you cannot win."

He withdrew his sword and stepped back, the oppressive weight of his aura fading like a passing storm. 

Min Nue collapsed to her knees, her legs no longer able to support her weight. Tears streamed down her face, carving tracks through the dust and grime that caked her skin. Never in her life had she felt so utterly humiliated, so completely and thoroughly defeated.

Born into a relatively powerful minor noble family with talents far exceeding her peers, when had she ever experienced such a crushing defeat and utter humiliation? 

Men, no matter who, had always desired her - desired her body, desired her cold yet regal personality, desired to conquer her in every way.

And yet, this Miao Ying had swatted her aside like an insect, humiliating every aspect of her being. He mocked her cultivation as if all the years she had dedicated were nothing. 

A seed of anger took root in Min Nue's soul, but it was overwhelmed by a tidal wave of fear - fear of this monstrous genius who, by all rights, should have been nothing more than a tamed puppy following orders.

Faced with Miao Ying's callous dismissal, what could Min Nue even do? 

Nothing. 

She didn't even have the courage to meet his gaze as he turned his back on her. The shame, the humiliation, the fear - it was too much for someone who had rarely, if ever, experienced true setbacks.

With a desperate, animal cry, Min Nue staggered to her feet and fled, her broken sword left forgotten on the ground behind her. She ran as though all the demons of hell were snapping at her heels, heedless of the stares and whispers that followed in her wake. 

All that mattered was putting as much distance as possible between herself and Miao Ying, the monster in human skin who had so effortlessly shattered her world.

The sight of the scrambling half-step Houtian disciple left the other geniuses at a complete loss for words.

"This- he..." The 9th stage disciples couldn't even form complete sentences. 

Miao Ying's cruel treatment of Min Nue made his spar against Xue Qingcheng seem gentle in comparison. Though Min Nue was arrogant, there was still an expectation of etiquette and class during friendly matches, especially when facing a beautiful woman. Most male cultivators would have held back, if only to avoid scarring a pretty face.

But Miao Ying clearly did not care. His actions made it abundantly clear that any who stood against him, regardless of status or appearance, would feel the merciless bite of his blade. 

The 9th stage disciples and other half-step Houtian talents were unsettled by his ruthlessness, viewing him almost as a ticking time bomb despite his overwhelming talent.

Xue Qingcheng, however, seemed to feel no such trepidation. If anything, the light in her eyes only grew brighter as she watched Miao Ying, her gaze filled with a fierce, almost hungry intensity. 

Here was a kindred spirit, she thought - someone who embodied the very essence of the sword, in all its sharp, unyielding glory.

"Junior Brother Miao," she called out, her voice carrying clear and strong across the square. "Would you care for some company on your journey? I must confess, I did not make it past the Sword Puppet myself."

Miao Ying glanced back at her, one eyebrow arched in mild surprise. "Is that so? It seems your understanding of the sword is still lacking, if you could not perceive its weak points."

He shrugged, a casual roll of his shoulders that belied the aura of danger still clinging to him like a second skin. "But if you wish to tag along, I won't stop you."

With that, he turned and strode off, his bearing as casual as if he were merely out for an afternoon stroll. 

Xue Qingcheng's face split into a grin, sharp and bright as the edge of a blade. Turning to her companion, Jue, she tilted her head in a silent question.

Jue hesitated, feeling torn. Part of her balked at the idea of spending any more time in Miao Ying's company than strictly necessary - not after witnessing the ruthless way he had dealt with Min Nue. 

And yet, she couldn't quite bring herself to abandon Xue Qingcheng, not when her friend seemed so intent on pursuing this path.

"I suppose I can't let you go off alone with him," Jue said at last, her smile only slightly strained. "Who knows what trouble you might get into?"

Xue Qingcheng laughed, a sound as clear and bright as the ringing of a sword being drawn from its sheath. "Trouble? Perish the thought. I'm merely interested in expanding my understanding of the sword - and I have a feeling our junior brother might be able to help with that."

Jue nodded, calming herself and putting on a natural smile. "Yes, let's get going. Will you two be joining us?"

The two 9th stage disciples blanched. 

"We're leaving!" they blurted out, flashing strained smiles. 

After being thrashed by Miao Ying and witnessing his brutal handling of Min Nue, neither had any desire to remain within a hundred feet of him. They quickly turned tail and fled.