Ha, Karma! – Chapter 92

Uh oh, this is bad.

Black mist formed a prison, obscuring the sky and sun.

Within the magic formation, only the car’s headlights were a source of light.

Chu Zhaoqiu stood alone, facing a host of demons and monsters, her fingers quietly tightening around her horsetail whisk.

She knew Ji Congyun would come, but she hadn’t known she would bring so many monsters.

“The few cannot defeat the many”—these four words were probably the human idiom Ji Congyun had learned best.

“You deliberately waited for me to leave Wuchang Mountain before showing yourself.”

“Of course. Your crappy place has so many magic formations set up, why would I walk into a trap?”

Ji Congyun slowly walked away from the front of the seven monsters and stood to the side, as if she didn’t intend to participate in this duel. “Rest assured, Young Head Chu. No one will come to this place either. You will definitely die without a sound.”

Her hands clasped behind her back, she appeared calm and composed. “Alright, let’s not waste any more time. Let the fight begin.”

The light, airy command fell, followed by the roars and snarls of the monsters. In the blink of an eye, they had all attacked the slender figure in unison!

The pure white horsetail whisk drew a semicircle in mid-air, then was smartly drawn back into the crook of Chu Zhaoqiu’s raised arm.

Chu Zhaoqiu brought two fingers together, level with the space between her eyebrows, and softly chanted an incantation.

The next second, her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, and a semicircular golden light shot out like a fierce wind!

Seeing this, the seven monsters leaped up to avoid it. Those too cumbersome to dodge in time were immediately knocked over by the golden light.

Just then, a stream of black qi rushed out, gently pushed its back, and steadily set it down on the ground.

“Go.”

The calm, emotionless words were like a secret art for controlling puppets.

The monsters once again surged towards Chu Zhaoqiu, one after another, as if determined to fight her to the death.

Ji Congyun withdrew her hand, a smile playing on her lips as she looked at the person surrounded by the monsters.

“Young Head Chu, do be careful now~ They haven’t eaten human flesh in a long time, and they’re all quite hungry right now~”

A solemn expression gradually emerged on her composed face.

Chu Zhaoqiu kept her eyes on all six paths and her ears open to all eight directions¹, constantly monitoring movement in every area, especially in Ji Congyun’s direction.

Just a moment ago, she had figured out Ji Congyun’s purpose in watching from the sidelines.

“You want them to wear me down.”

Her answer was an attack initiated first by a scythe-wielding monster.

A sinister, cold, sharp blade stabbed down fiercely. She lightly tapped her feet, flipped over, and leaped up, avoiding the fate of being pierced into a bloody mess.

Then, as a long-armed monster stretched out its arm to grab her, she quickly lashed out with her horsetail whisk, coiling it around its arm and yanking hard, causing its cumbersome body to uncontrollably fall towards the monster beside it.

Ji Congyun intervened again. With a calm expression, she helped the long-armed monster stabilize itself while simultaneously attacking Chu Zhaoqiu’s horsetail whisk, forcing her to retract it.

“That’s right. The few cannot defeat the many. I just love to bully the few with the many.”

Ji Congyun watched Chu Zhaoqiu land steadily, then glanced at the horsetail whisk in her hand. “A horsetail whisk is so soft and flimsy, not very useful, is it?”

“Soft and flimsy?”

Chu Zhaoqiu smiled, then suddenly struck out with the horsetail whisk in her hand.

With a “smack!”, a small monster that had just rushed towards her was whipped back. It grimaced and bared its teeth, clutching its hand, on which a fiery red welt was clearly visible on its wrist.

“Isn’t this quite painful too?”

“What are you all standing around dumbstruck for? Don’t you want to eat flesh anymore?” Ji Congyun issued another command. “Get her!”

The monsters charged at Chu Zhaoqiu again.

In this siege, there was another stream of black qi.

Attacks from eight directions made Chu Zhaoqiu’s situation even more tense.

Ji Congyun watched Chu Zhaoqiu’s pitiful figure completely surrounded by the monsters, watched her seriously dealing with attacks from all eight directions, and couldn’t help but laugh.

Just like this.

When Chu Zhaoqiu was exhausted, when Chu Zhaoqiu could no longer defend, her chance would come.

At that time, she would control her body, drain her cultivation power dry, and welcome a new world—just thinking about it excited her!

“Struggle, struggle with all your might! No one will come to save you this time! Hahaha—”

---

Fu Lianxue looked at the message on her phone, simply unable to believe it.

So that was Ji Congyun’s mask! So Ji Congyun had wanted to kill Chu Zhaoqiu all along!

Then wasn’t her girlfriend in grave danger right now?!

Fu Lianxue hurriedly picked up her phone to call Chu Zhaoqiu. She wanted to ask where she was, wanted to tell her to be careful, wanted to go to her side right now.

But Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t answer.

No matter how many times she called, there was only a cold female voice informing her: “The number you have dialed cannot be reached at the moment, please try again later…”

She had called Chu Zhaoqiu’s phone so many times, but this was the first time she had encountered such a situation.

She had no choice but to find Chu Sining and ask if Chu Zhaoqiu had returned to the Chu family home.

Chu Sining said she hadn’t.

She remembered the Demon Hunting Association² and quickly asked Chu Sining to go to them and find out Zhaoqiu’s whereabouts.

Chu Sining could tell from the phone call that she was very anxious, so she didn’t ask why and immediately went to find her grandmother.

Soon, Chu Sining returned with news.

“The Demon Hunting Association said my older sister went to Wuchang Mountain with them tonight, but everyone has already returned. The demon hunters who went back to Wuchang Mountain to check also said they didn’t see my older sister.”

It was as if… she had disappeared.

Fu Lianxue held her phone, her heart suddenly jolting.

The situation instantly became incredibly urgent.

“I understand. I’m hanging up now!”

As she put away her phone and walked out, she happened to run into Cheng Hanxi who was returning. So she grabbed her and said quickly, “Zhaoqiu might be in trouble! I have to find her now. Can you help me manage work matters? I’ll apologize to the partners later!”

The moment she thought Chu Zhaoqiu might be in trouble, she completely lost any mind for work.

Compared to Chu Zhaoqiu’s life, what did this bit of work matter right now?!

Hearing this, Cheng Hanxi didn’t dare to delay and nodded seriously. “Okay, you go quickly. I’ve got things here. But you also need to be careful and protect yourself.”

“Mm!”

A fierce wind swept past, sword gleams flashing.

The seven monsters coordinated seamlessly—as one retreated, another advanced—their moves vicious and sharp. Every one of them opened its mouth to bite her, eager to tear a piece of flesh from her body.

Ji Congyun’s attacks followed closely behind.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s horsetail whisk was caught off guard, and half of its pure white strands were suddenly cut off.

She retreated, cupped the remaining half of the whisk’s white strands, and looked at it again and again. Suddenly, Ji Congyun’s grating laughter reached her ears.

“I told you this thing was soft and flimsy and not very useful.

“I say, Chu Zhaoqiu, why aren’t you using your sword anymore?”

Ji Congyun crossed her arms, looking at her with blatant arrogance.

“Is it because you have some trauma, and don’t dare to use it, hmm?”

Hearing this, Chu Zhaoqiu froze for a moment, then understood almost instantly. “The monster from that night was indeed you!”

At this point, Ji Congyun no longer bothered to pretend.

In any case, Chu Zhaoqiu wouldn’t get out alive with the truth.

“Yes, it was me,” she said, shaking her head as if deeply regretful. “It’s truly a pity I couldn’t kill both of you back then.”

When Fu Lianxue and Miaomiao were talking about Elder Tianxuan wanting Chu Zhaoqiu to deal with her, Ji Congyun happened to be there too.

She was hiding in the shadows and heard everything they said clearly.

An exciting scheme was born from this.

Since she had heard it all, it would be too boring not to do something.

Besides, she couldn’t ask for anything better than to cause trouble for Fu Lianxue.

“It really wasn’t easy to get into your sect. I had to transform into so many people, it really tired me out,” Ji Congyun said, then suddenly laughed excitedly, cupping her cheeks in recollection, as if somewhat nostalgic for that time. “But it was very exciting. I like it.”

Excitement and control—the two things she loved most in this life.

The former excited her; the latter not only excited her but also allowed her to be high and mighty, to become the king of others.

Who wouldn’t like the feeling of ruling supreme?

So she infiltrated the Taxian Sect and found Chu Zhaoqiu one step ahead of Fu Lianxue.

This little disciple was so stupid. She actually didn’t recognize her at first glance and was even completely unguarded against her—oh no, that’s not right, it should be said she was completely unguarded against Fu Lianxue.

Precisely because of this, she had the chance for possession, as if even Heaven was on her side.

She wanted to use Chu Zhaoqiu’s hand to make Fu Lianxue remember the lesson—humans are bad, humans will harm yaoguai.

Everything she said was right; no rebuttals allowed.

She hated things that opposed her the most!

It was just that she hadn’t expected Chu Zhaoqiu to be so difficult to deal with at the time.

She actually used her life to keep her there and even severely injured her, forcing her to use her own Longevity Flower to sustain her life in the end!

Thinking of this, anger surged from within her!

Since they had met again now, she absolutely had to kill her with her own hands this time, to avenge her Longevity Flower!

“And you must die now, and so must she!”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s hand tightened on the horsetail whisk, her gaze fixed intently on her. “Ji Congyun, I truly don’t understand. Lianxue is of the same race as you and has never offended you. Why must you seek to kill her?”

“Why?” Ji Congyun looked at her, unable to understand. “Haven’t I already told you the reason?”

Chu Zhaoqiu frowned. “Just because her ideals are different from yours? Just because you don’t like her?”

Ji Congyun said in surprise, “Isn’t that enough?”

“Disliking someone is already the biggest reason for me, ei.³

“Besides, in your human world, isn’t it very common to wish death upon someone you hate? Otherwise, where do all your curses come from?

“It’s just that you humans are too incompetent, dark and timid, unlike me. I do what I say.”

Ji Congyun looked at the human before her, whose anger was visibly rising, with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

“Rest assured, after I kill you, I’ll kill Fu Lianxue too, and send you both to reunite on the Yellow Springs Road—”

“Clang—”

In an instant, blades clashed.

Ji Congyun raised a dagger to block in front of her, her eyes fixed on Chu Zhaoqiu who had suddenly flashed over to attack.

The horsetail whisk vanished. Chu Zhaoqiu now held a three-foot green-edged sword⁴, her gaze resolute.

Ever since Fu Lianxue had spoken to her about the sword, she had picked it up again.

She had to overcome her trauma, wield the sword to protect her lover, her family, to protect everyone she wanted to protect, and keep them from harm.

And now was the time for her sword to see the light of day again, to once more slay yao and eliminate devils.

“Ji Congyun, as long as I’m here, don’t even think about harming Lianxue in the slightest.”

She now understood completely.

Ji Congyun was an absolute antisocial personality.

She was self-centered: those who obeyed her prospered, those who defied her perished. As long as someone displeased her, even one of her own kind had to die.

Therefore, she had to kill her.

What she couldn’t do back then, she could definitely do now.

For Fu Lianxue, for more humans and monsters, Ji Congyun had to die!

Ji Congyun was surprised to see she actually had a second magical weapon and to glimpse the killing intent in her eyes, but she was also very happy.

She loved it most when her prey struggled.

Outnumbered as she was, she refused to believe Chu Zhaoqiu could defeat so many of their monsters!

“Just you?” Her smile twisted, and she deliberately provoked her further.

“Yes, just me.”

Chu Zhaoqiu’s answer was still the same.

Swords clashed, the clangorous sounds echoing incessantly⁵.

The two sides exchanged blows, fighting so intensely and closely that onlookers had no room to intervene.

Ji Congyun was seen swinging her blade towards Chu Zhaoqiu’s neck.

Chu Zhaoqiu raised her sword to parry. In her peripheral vision, she saw the ferocious monsters suddenly pounce towards her. She immediately tapped her foot and leaped backward.

No, this was too troublesome.

To kill Ji Congyun, she had to kill them first, but before that, she would definitely be entangled until she was utterly exhausted.

In that case… it would be better to kill them all together!

The monsters roared and turned back to find Chu Zhaoqiu, as if tireless.

Then, they saw Chu Zhaoqiu suddenly raise her sword and plunge it into the ground.

Chu Zhaoqiu circulated her entire body’s spiritual power and slammed her palm onto the sword hilt. A dazzling golden magic formation abruptly materialized beneath her sword. Countless golden lights surged upwards, brilliant and eye-catching. Then, with a swift flip of her palms, they instantly transformed into innumerable golden longswords, suspended majestically in the air, their tips aimed directly at the monsters and Ji Congyun, their aura imposing and inviolably proud.

This technique was—Myriad Swords Clear the Path⁶.

Ji Congyun looked at the sword tips aimed at her, her eyes widening slightly.

“Uh oh, this is bad.”

She never ever would have thought that she actually knew this technique!

---

Fu Lianxue went to every place they usually frequented.

But there was no sign of Chu Zhaoqiu anywhere.

Not at her home, not at the Chu family home, not on Wuchang Mountain, not at Tingfeng Cliff either—where on earth had Chu Zhaoqiu gone!

The most critical thing was, Chu Zhaoqiu’s phone remained unreachable.

She was afraid that Chu Zhaoqiu was currently in a place where she couldn’t even call for help from the outside world.

Fu Lianxue angrily kicked a stone at her feet.

The thought that Chu Zhaoqiu might be in trouble and she still couldn’t find her made her incredibly agitated.

Back then, she hadn’t known. Now, could it be that she still couldn’t lend her a hand?!

No, she couldn’t just stand here foolishly. Sulking was useless; she still had to search.

She had searched for several thousand years; she refused to believe she couldn’t find Chu Zhaoqiu this time!

---

Within the black formation, dust filled the air. Countless golden longswords were embedded in the ground and in the corpses of the monsters.

Chu Zhaoqiu, who had activated the formation, stood within it, her breathing shallow, a drop of sweat trickling down her forehead.

This technique had immense destructive power; wherever it passed, not even a blade of grass would grow. The spiritual power it consumed was naturally substantial, and fatigue was inevitable after activating the formation.

But as long as all evil demons were annihilated, what did this bit of tiredness count for?

As long as she could execute Ji Congyun, anything was worth it.

Chu Zhaoqiu leaned on her sword, her gaze sweeping over the monsters lying in the billowing dust and smoke.

Amidst the strange bloodstains covering the ground, all signs of their life were severed; they could no longer obey Ji Congyun’s commands.

At this moment, she suddenly saw a figure still standing tall.

This figure was very tall and was not Ji Congyun.

Her brow furrowed, and she raised two fingers.

But after the dust and smoke dispersed, she discovered that the monster had several longswords embedded in its body. It was vomiting blood, its head lolling to one side; it was already dead.

Her tense heart immediately relaxed again.

The next second, however, that monster moved.

It slowly knelt like a rag doll, then crashed to the ground.

The monster hidden behind it also revealed her true face.

Ji Congyun’s cheeks were taut. She held up her right hand, a transparent black qi shield conspicuously blocking in front of her, her expression anything but relaxed.

She had not only used the shield but had also used her subordinate’s body as a human shield, making double preparations.

The others weren’t important; she only cared about her own survival.

The aggressively advancing Myriad Swords formation had subsided. She lowered her hand, and the qi shield dissipated.

Then, she slowly hid her right hand behind her back. She didn’t take the initiative to attack but stood her ground, looking mockingly at the astonished Chu Zhaoqiu, and provoked, “Chu Zhaoqiu, you didn’t think one Myriad Swords Clear the Path could kill me, did you?”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “…”

She was actually a bit hard to kill.

---

Fu Lianxue searched all around but still couldn’t find Chu Zhaoqiu.

She decided to go to the Chu family home to find Chu Zhaohua.

The old woman was omniscient and all-knowing, very mysterious and formidable; perhaps she would have a way to find Chu Zhaoqiu.

Since it concerned a relative, she believed Chu Zhaohua definitely wouldn’t stand by and do nothing.

She immediately set off for the Chu family home.

Just as she was about to reach the Chu family home, a red shadow unexpectedly appeared, suddenly blocking her path.

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