### Chapter 9: Exile (5)
In his self-congratulatory afterglow of victory, just as excitement blossomed on his face, it was immediately crushed by a series of screams bursting forth around him.
Not just “Mediterranean,” but the entire crowd stared in shock, instinctively touching their own shoulder blades, afraid they might be hit next like the poor disciples from the Heavenly Sword Sect.
Fortunately, it appeared that only the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect were affected.
The precision of this horror felt almost magical, sending chills through the onlookers.
Before anyone could grasp what was happening, the injured girl suddenly burst into a delighted, mischievous laugh, her hand over her mouth.
It was like someone scraping their fingernails across a chalkboard, producing a shrill, jarring sound that made everyone’s hearts leap.
Ling Xiaozu suddenly shouted, “Not good!”
He seemed to sense something, ready to take action, but felt a sudden, intense pain in his right hand gripping the sword.
The protective barrier instinctively wrapped around his hand, suppressing the force, but even so, his middle finger still throbbed with pain.
Could it be…
“Ahhhh…”
The members of the Heavenly Sword Sect screamed in unison, many of them crying out with noses and tears streaming down their faces, transforming their expressions into a mess of horror.
The “Mediterranean” looked at the giggling girl in front of him, then glanced back at his fellow disciples who were screaming for their mothers, and quickly raised his hands, saying, “I didn’t do anything! I swear!”
But at that moment, the girl revealed her hands, which had been hidden behind her.
It turned out she had just broken her own middle finger in half! The pain painted her eyes crimson, but rather than despair, it left her unusually exhilarated.
“Hehe… What’s next?”
A thin blade suddenly appeared between her left index and middle fingers.
Before the horrified “Mediterranean” could react, she sliced open her own forehead. bl**d poured down, drenching her like a character in a horror movie.
“Ahhh…”
Around her, the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect howled again, sounding like a pack of wild banshees.
The atmosphere was bizarre, with everyone regarding the girl as if she were a terrible ghost.
“Holy cr*p! So this is the power of an Extermination of Immortals expert!”
“Wound yourself before wounding others! Man, this is surreal!”
“It’s terrifying! This is the most epic area-of-effect damage ever! You can’t dodge it, and fighting back is out of the question! Look at that Mediterranean guy, his face is turning red, but he’s too scared to move!”
“That girl is so brutal to herself!
She was just laughing when she broke her finger! This is next-level creepy!”
“As expected, you can’t underestimate anyone from the Extermination of Immortals.”
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Strong Brother hid behind the Demon-Slaying Squad, watching the bandage-wrapped girl not far away who had taken down the entire Heavenly Sword Sect by herself.
With such a glorious record, shouldn’t everyone cheer her on?
To his surprise, the members of the Extermination of Immortals surrounding the Cold Moon Witch mostly wore calm expressions, as if what they saw was just another day, not needing any special praise.
“Hey dude, who’s that senior?” one of the Demon-Slaying Squad members whispered to Strong Brother.
“That is Mu Xunqing, one of the Four Pillars.”
Oh, that makes sense.
She’s one of the Eight Great Guardians; no wonder she’s so amazing.
With her area-of-effect attack and the rest of the Extermination members crashing in, the Heavenly Sword Sect would probably be wiped out in no time.
However, the Princess Witch didn’t choose to attack, presumably because she wasn’t a bloodthirsty person and didn’t want to make enemies out of every sect in the Asking Dao Continent.
What a grand, benevolent leader she is.
If it weren’t for her character, how could Extermination of Immortals have attracted so many powerful allies and talented weirdos?
And here he was, Strong Brother, feeling pressure as the weakest member of Extermination of Immortals. If one day he tarnished their name, how would he ever face Little Musashi again?
He had to double down on his efforts to be worthy of the title “Demon-Slaying Squad Member.”
Just as the onlookers were gasping at Mu Xunqing’s antics, the two heavyweights of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Ling Xiaozu and Luo Ying, suddenly took to the skies.
The girl’s self-infliction had also hurt Luo Ying; though her right hand still functioned, her forehead bore a shallow wound, while her middle finger felt like it was about to snap off, wracked with pain.
But who cared about fairness now?
Since the girl had spread her tentacles wide, if they didn’t quietly dismantle the formation she had set, the Heavenly Sword Sect could genuinely face total annihilation.
She and her master, Ling Xiaozu, exchanged a glance, instantly understanding each other’s thoughts.
They had both sensed the formation’s core.
“Zha zha…”
In an instant, eight larks fluttering above their heads were blasted into clouds of bl**d by Ling Xiaozu and Luo Ying.
But this attack couldn’t immediately heal the injuries inflicted on their comrades; the few healers in the squad were out of magical energy and could do nothing.
Seeing their sect leader and Master Sister had solved the immediate problem, the Mediterranean couldn’t help but cry out, wanting to take a shot at the girl’s life.
Suddenly, Cold Moon scoffed, “What? You dare attack? Does your conscience not bother you at all?”
Her voice was not loud, yet it rang like a war drum in his heart.
The Mediterranean froze in place, his sword point just an inch away from the bl**d-soaked, grinning Mu Xunqing.
Although the Cold Moon Witch hadn’t lifted a finger, her voice froze him like the chill of a thousand icebergs.
Is this what pressure from a superior feels like?
“Crack crack crack…”
He could almost hear his joints click, and his body instinctively resisted his own commands.
Thud…
The long sword fell heavily to the ground, leaving the Mediterranean as pale as a ghost.
Faced with an overwhelming foe, he found himself unable to hold onto his weapon; his sword heart seemed to have died.
Tears of agony streamed down his face.
He felt as if he would never be able to wield a sword again in his life.
All because of one sentence from the Cold Moon Witch, which utterly shattered his sword heart.
He could never cultivate again.
Mu Xunqing was laughing so hard she could hardly stand, her sharp laughter striking the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect like a barrage of slaps.
Ling Xiaozu wore a grim expression, and Luo Ying looked serious.
Was there any punishment more cruel than killing someone’s sword heart?
And all the Cold Moon Witch had sacrificed was a single line.
In that moment, the members of the Heavenly Sword Sect went pale, glancing fearfully at the enemy boss leaning against the wing of the Dark Feather Crane, their terror growing.
At that moment, Ling Xiaozu finally realized,
they had lost—that they had lost completely.
…
P.S.: “Mu Xunqing” is designed by community member “Su Yue,” special thanks!
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