Volume 1, Chapter 166: You're Still Far from Fighting Me

"Haha!" 

The demon cultivators burst into raucous laughter. 

The为首的 (leading) Ninth Elder leered at the Seventh Princess, gloating, "Your talent is lacking, but you're pretty. You can join this little miss as my chamber maid—I'll spare your lives." 

"What do you want? Do you covet our heavenly materials and earthly treasures?" 

Chu Chu exchanged a glance with the Seventh Princess, both sensing something amiss. 

The Ninth Elder's eyes dripped with mockery. "Your treasures might appeal to others, but they don't catch my eye." He paused, then said gravely, "I'm here to invite you to join the Netherworld Cult." 

"Netherworld Cult?" 

The two women shared a confused look—they'd never heard the name. But the devil qi emanating from these figures made it clear: the Netherworld Cult was no good. 

"We have no interest in joining a demon cult!" 

"Hmph! We're descendants of the Great Han Royal Family—how could we collude with demon cultivators?" 

"Hehe! Demons妄想 (delude themselves) into making us submit? Impossible!" 

Before Chu Chu or the princess could speak, the royal warriors behind them shouted out. 

"Hehe! Great Han Royal descendants? You dare refuse an invitation to the Netherworld Cult?" 

A chill flashed in the Ninth Elder's eyes as Myriad Manifestation Realm pressure surged toward them. The other Myriad Manifestation Realm demon cultivators released their威压 too. 

Multiple layers of pressure overlapped, battering Chu Chu and the others. 

She and the princess barely held on, but the royal warriors behind them crumbled, forced to their knees, their spines bending under the恐怖的 (terrifying) weight. 

"Will you submit now and join the Netherworld Cult?" The Ninth Elder nodded in satisfaction, laughing wildly. 

"Remember—when I strike, you might get a chance to escape." Chu Chu turned to the royal warriors and the princess, whispering, "Flee and tell Third Uncle what happened. He'll avenge us and raze the Netherworld Cult." 

"Chu Chu..." The Seventh Princess saw the resolve in Chu Chu's eyes and couldn't finish her sentence. 

Since entering Spirit Mountain, nourished by treasures and guided by the Soul Enlightenment Lamp, Chu Chu had advanced to Purple Mansion Realm Level 3. Her cultivation soared—advancing to Myriad Manifestation Realm was all but certain if she survived. 

Chu Chu's expression hardened. She quietly drew her sword from her Sumeru Ring, her aura freezing as she slashed at the Ninth Elder. 

Icy spiritual energy condensed into a sword light, aiming for his forehead. Though she'd just touched the threshold of Sword Intent, this strike hinted at the true power of Ice Sword Intent to come. 

"Hehe! Still defiant." The Ninth Elder shook his head, pinching his index and middle fingers together to catch the freezing qi. The Mystic Ice Sword Light stalled—no matter how Chu Chu pushed, it couldn't break free. 

A trace of frost lingered on his fingers. Her full-powered strike had done little more than that. 

"Hehe! You're still far from fighting me." The Ninth Elder grinned, crushing the sword light to powder. Then he waved, sending streams of devil qi to bind the Great Han warriors behind Chu Chu and the princess. 

"I suggest you two behave and come with me. Otherwise, they die." The Ninth Elder smiled, channeling devil qi that made the warriors behind them groan in pain. Though they clenched their teeth, the qi ravaged their meridians and organs, twisting their faces in agony. 

Chu Chu's eyes filled with不忍 (compassion). She sheathed her sword with a sigh. "We'll come with you—let them go." 

"Now that's smart." The Ninth Elder smiled triumphantly, sending two streams of devil qi toward the women. They didn't resist, letting the qi wrap around them like ropes. 

But as the devil qi tightened, a surge of immense spiritual energy woke from slumber within Chu Chu and the princess. Like dragons breaking free, the energy burst out, annihilating the devil qi. 

"Eh!" The Ninth Elder froze as the devil qi dissipated. Before he could react, two sharp Wind Sword Intents erupted from the women, shooting toward the demon cultivators. 

The Wind Intents carried a terrifying might to sweep away all. The Ninth Elder's face paled. He unleashed a torrent of devil qi to form a barrier, shouting to the other Myriad Manifestation Realm cultivators, "Help me now!" 

The others snapped back to reality, channeling devil qi into the black barrier. The Ninth Elder held out hope—though the Wind Intents were fierce, perhaps so many Myriad Manifestation Realm warriors could withstand them. 

"It's Third Uncle!" 

"It's Third Brother!" 

Seeing the spiritual energy transform into Wind Sword Intent, Chu Chu and the princess realized Lin Yu was behind it. 

Boom! 

The two Wind Intents struck the black barrier simultaneously, cracking and shattering it. They swept through the Ninth Elder and his men. 

Sword qi howled through the valley, crisscrossing青色的 (cyan) intent. Black figures were hurled away, crashing to the ground—their fates unknown. 

When the Sword Intent faded, all demon cultivators lay fallen. The Ninth Elder had a sword mark between his brows, his spiritual soul annihilated. He died unable to believe two Purple Mansion Realm girls held such terrifying intent. 

The other demon cultivators were also slain. Lin Yu's two Sword Intents had been overkill for these Myriad Manifestation Realm Level 7 foes. 

With the Ninth Elder dead, the devil qi binding the royal warriors dissipated, freeing them at last.