Holding the Sword to Carry Away Senior Sister (Transmigration) - Chapter 36

Fu Yan’s calm acceptance of the task momentarily dazed Shui Liuqing. Had she already found a way to deal with the Erosion Bees?

The thought flickered through Shui Liuqing’s mind before being swiftly dismissed. Everyone had witnessed the terrifying nature of the bees; even experts like Wang Qingyang and Bai Yueli couldn’t guarantee a safe return. How could a mere Middle Opening Light cultivator like Fu Yan stand against them?

Shui Liuqing sneered inwardly. Looking at Fu Yan’s smiling face, she concluded that the girl was simply “a duck driven onto a perch”—forced into a corner. The more calm she appeared on the outside, the more panicked she must be within.

“Then we shall trouble Junior Sister Fu.” Since Fu Yan had taken the bait, the situation was exactly what Shui Liuqing had hoped for.

Shui Liuqing reached into her storage ring and produced a small glass bottle decorated with simple patterns and sealed with a delicate wooden stopper. The liquid inside was a thick, golden-yellow substance, appearing much like ordinary honey. However, no one present believed it was truly that simple.

As curious eyes watched, Shui Liuqing uncorked the bottle. Instantly, a peculiar fragrance permeated the air.

“Is this really honey that attracts Erosion Bees? It doesn’t smell like anything special; just like common flowers,” a guard remarked.

As soon as he finished speaking, the True Essence barrier vibrated violently. The black swarm of bees suddenly became frenzied, attacking the barrier with renewed ferocity as they desperately tried to reach the scent.

With the validity of the honey proven, Shui Liuqing resealed the bottle but made a tiny scratch on the glass, allowing a faint, persistent trail of scent to leak out. Everyone’s gaze shifted back to Fu Yan. The mission was a suicide run, and they feared she might back out.

“Fellow Daoist Fu Yan, since you have decided, I sincerely thank you on behalf of Luanjin Fort. We believe you will return safely, and we shall reward you handsomely!” Han Shangzhi promised solemnly. Fu Yan merely nodded. She moved her gaze to Shui Liuqing and said concisely, “Give me the honey.”

Shui Liuqing smiled sweetly, a look of feigned sincerity on her face. “Junior Sister Fu, be careful out there.” She tossed the bottle without hesitation.

Clack.

The bottle was caught firmly in mid-air—but not by Fu Yan. Shui Liuqing’s face soured instantly. “Senior Sister Bai?”

Everyone looked at Bai Yueli in confusion. She ignored their stares, turned to Fu Yan, and explained calmly, “I should be the one to lure them. Your movement technique is good, but shaking them off will be troublesome.”

Bai Yueli simply looked at the big picture. With her speed, she could lead the bees away and retreat safely with much less risk. She reached for a True Qi pill, preparing to move.

Fu Yan shook her head helplessly. It wasn’t that she wanted to be a hero; she just had a bold idea that required her to be the one in the swarm. If it worked, her life-saving capabilities would skyrocket. Plus, she didn’t want Bai Yueli to take the risk on her behalf.

Fu Yan activated Wind-Shadow Steps. Like a gust of wind, she blurred past Bai Yueli and easily snatched the bottle from her hand.

Before Bai Yueli could react, Fu Yan had already lunged out of the barrier into the black swarm. A serious voice drifted back: “Don’t worry, Senior Sister. Leave this task to me!”

Surrounded by the dense swarm, Fu Yan didn’t dare take chances. She erupted her True Essence into a total body shield. Her Wind-Shadow Steps reached their peak, turning her into a streak of light as she broke through the swarm and into the forest.

The scent of the honey trailed behind her. The Erosion Bees, frenzied by the fragrance, abandoned the convoy and pursued her without hesitation. Within heartbeats, the area around the carriages was silent and clear.

Fu Yan wove through the trees with the swarm on her heels. Her speed was high, but her True Essence was draining fast. To avoid running into other cultivators, she headed toward the deeper parts of the forest.

She flew for an unknown amount of time until she felt she was in a remote enough area. Looking back, the black mass was still tirelessly following her. Even Level 3 beasts along the way scurried out of the swarm’s path.

Fu Yan spotted a small river up ahead where the spiritual energy was particularly abundant. She landed on the bank and watched the swarm bear down on her. This time, she didn’t dodge.

As the cloud of bees reached her, Fu Yan summoned her new treasure: the Xu You Jade Seal!

She rose into the air, the jade seal glowing with a milky-white light above her. “Here goes nothing. Success or death!” She took her remaining True Essence—minus her shield—and poured it all into the seal.

A blinding light erupted. In an instant, every Erosion Bee that touched the light vanished. Within a few breaths, the terrifying swarm was gone.

Fu Yan landed, her vision clear once more. She smiled. Her gamble had paid off: she had sucked the entire swarm into the illusion world within the Xu You Jade Seal.

Because she hadn’t fully refined the seal, the illusion alone couldn’t stop a Hedo-stage expert. But now, the illusion world was home to thousands of lethal Erosion Bees. Even a Hedo cultivator would likely lose a layer of skin trying to fight their way out.

Just as she prepared to stow the seal, she froze. She sensed an aura nearby. Someone had seen everything—and they were much stronger than her, otherwise she would have noticed them sooner.

She recalled her broken sword and lashed out. “Who’s there?”

Her blade was deflected with ease. Fu Yan’s heart sank, but then a white figure stepped out from across the river.

“…” It was Bai Yueli!

Fu Yan felt a wave of sheepishness. In her excitement, she hadn’t recognized Bai Yueli’s aura. She also felt a bit of chagrin at having attacked her.

“Senior Sister Bai.”

Fu Yan landed on the bank. She was confused; Bai Yueli should have been with the convoy. Bai Yueli gazed at her from across the water with a look Fu Yan couldn’t decipher. The air was thick with awkward silence.

“Were you… worried about me?” Fu Yan asked finally.

Bai Yueli nodded honestly, her eyes returning to their usual calm. “Since you are fine, we should head back and regroup.”

“Alright,” Fu Yan chirped. Neither spoke of the jade seal. Bai Yueli didn’t pry, and Fu Yan didn’t lie.

As Fu Yan prepared to leap across the river, the water suddenly erupted in bubbles. A massive figure crashed out of the river, standing tall in the center.

Fu Yan performed a mid-air flip to avoid crashing into it, landing back on the bank. It was a Red-Eyed Great Bear—a Level 3 beast equivalent to an Early Hedo stage cultivator. It seemed her previous commotion had disturbed its bath, and it was furious.

“Run!” Bai Yueli’s voice came from the other side.

The two fled along the riverbank toward the outskirts, but the bear was relentless. Despite its size, its strides covered massive distances, keeping it right on Fu Yan’s heels. The noise soon disturbed other beasts in the deep forest.

Realizing they couldn’t outrun a Level 3 beast forever, the two exchanged a glance and stopped to fight.

“Phantom Shadow Sword!”

“Lotus Step!”

Their combined strikes hit the bear, but its hide was too thick. One of Fu Yan’s blades drew a thin line on its arm, which only served to enrage it further. The bear roared, its paws trembling the air with every strike.

They exchanged a dozen moves, neither gaining the upper hand. Fu Yan knew the situation was her fault for leading them into the deep forest. As the bear swung at Bai Yueli, Fu Yan pulled out her only Hedo Talisman.

The talisman burned, delivering a strike equivalent to a Hedo stage powerhouse into the bear’s back. The bear stumbled and crashed to the ground.

As they turned to flee, the spiritual energy around Bai Yueli suddenly began to boil like a cauldron.

It was the sign of a breakthrough.

Bai Yueli had been stuck at the Late Opening Light stage for a long time; her journey down the mountain was specifically to find this opportunity. Now that it was here, she couldn’t abandon it.

Fu Yan spotted a small cave nearby. “Senior Sister, over there!” She grabbed Bai Yueli’s arm and rushed her into the cave. Bai Yueli immediately sat in meditation to begin her breakthrough to the Great Circle.

“Give me half a stick of incense,” Bai Yueli said before closing her eyes.

Fu Yan smiled and said nothing. She stepped out of the cave and faced the Red-Eyed Great Bear, which was already climbing back to its feet.

Fu Yan gripped her sword with a steady hand. She stood before the cave entrance, her back to her Senior Sister.