In the valley, Seventh Princess and Chu Chu had reached the end of their rope.
Jiang Xuan stared at them, laughing triumphantly. "What other tricks do you have? Show them all!"
The black iron puppet stepped to his side, red flames surging in its eyes as it fixed灼灼 (burning) gazes on Chu Chu and Seventh Princess.
Seventh Princess looked grave, turning to Chu Chu. "Go! Leave now!"
Chu Chu gritted her teeth and turned to rush out of the valley. Staying meant both falling into Jiang Xuan's hands; escaping was the only way to avenge Seventh Princess.
Seventh Princess's eyes were resolute, prepared to die. As a Great Han princess, she would never become Jiang Xuan's servant—only death could preserve her honor.
Jiang Xuan watched Chu Chu flee like a hunter eyeing prey. "Chase..."
The red flames in the puppet's eyes flickered, and it charged past Seventh Princess like a gale, blocking Chu Chu's path before she could even attempt to intercept.
"You can't escape!" Jiang Xuan flashed before Seventh Princess, grinning wildly. With a Myriad Manifestations puppet, they were trapped.
The puppet blocked Chu Chu, its palm descending like Mount Tai, black streamers blooming from its hand to cage her in.
Desperation filled Chu Chu's eyes. As a mere Xiantian warrior, she had no defense against a Myriad Manifestations puppet. Was she to be captured and used as that beast's cultivation cauldron?
As a Great Han princess, she refused such humiliation! Determination crossed her face.
"Farewell, Father, Mother, farewell, Third Uncle..." Chu Chu raised her sword to her neck, vowing to end her life before capture.
At that moment, a surge of immense spiritual energy burst from Chu Chu's dantian, forming a cyan wind sword intent that shot at the puppet. The black light from the puppet's palm was instantly severed, and the intent struck its chest.
A cyan light裹挟 (wrapped) the puppet, sending it flying dozens of zhang.
Bang!
The puppet crashed into the rock wall, its massive body embedded in the stone, chest nearly pierced. Golden light flowed from the sword wound. This strike seemed to severely wound the puppet, dimming the red flames in its eyes.
"Another wind sword intent?" Jiang Xuan's face turned livid. The black iron puppet was precious—only a few existed in Profound Heaven, and repairs were extremely difficult. Seeing it damaged, his eyes filled with killing intent.
Chu Chu, dazed by the sudden turn, recalled Lin Yu's gentle touch on her head before they parted. *Could the wind sword intent be Third Uncle's doing?*
"Chu Chu, go! Run!" Seventh Princess shouted, urging her to flee. Even if the wind intent disabled the puppet, Jiang Xuan still outmatched them—staying meant death.
*Crack!* As rocks crumbled, the puppet staggered from the wall. Though badly damaged, two wind intents hadn't destroyed it.
"Use all strength! Capture them!" Jiang Xuan roared wildly, brooking no more surprises.
The red flames in the puppet's eyes surged, releasing a formidable pressure that rippled outward. Chu Chu and Seventh Princess were sent flying, crashing to the ground and losing consciousness.
"Hmph! I told you—you can't escape me!" Jiang Xuan leered at the unconscious pair.
"Oh? Is that so?" A voice echoed in the valley.
"Who?" Jiang Xuan looked up to see Lin Yu appear.
Lin Yu exhaled at the unconscious Chu Chu and Seventh Princess. With many cultivators in Moyun Ridge, using sword flight would draw too much attention, so he'd come in person. Fortunately, he'd arrived in time.
"It's you?" Jiang Xuan sneered disdainfully. "I thought some mysterious expert—just a waste who hasn't reached Xiantian. You chased me here? To die for humiliating me at the banquet?"
"It was too crowded at the banquet. This place seems perfect for your burial." Lin Yu smiled. Jiang Xuan's actions deserved death; today would end the threat.
"Kill me?" Jiang Xuan laughed uproariously. "Killing a Xiantian Waste would soil my hands. Take him out!"
As he spoke, the red-flamed puppet marched toward Lin Yu, releasing a pressure like a mountain. Jiang Xuan grinned—Myriad Manifestationscoercion (pressure) alone would crush Lin Yu to powder.
Lin Yu shook his head, raising a hand. "Sword, come!"
A cyan streamer蜿蜒 (wound) from the forest, flying to Lin Yu's side and circling him, rippling cyan light. Sword intent肆虐 (raged), shattering the puppet's pressure.
"Imperial... imperial swordsmanship..." Jiang Xuan gaped, eyes filled with horror. This was imperial swordsmanship, mastered only by Profound Heaven's secluded ancestors. How could this "waste" Lin Yu wield such a profound sword art?
"So what if you're a sword cultivator? Black iron puppet, kill him!" Jiang Xuan raged—his Myriad Manifestations puppet was his ultimate trump card.
Golden light surged from the puppet, which charged at Lin Yu as a black幽光 (ghost light). Its fists,凝聚 (condensed) with black vortexes, swung like sledgehammers at Lin Yu's head. The black vortices spread, shattering rocks within dozens of zhang into powder under the恐怖 (terrifying) pressure. A direct hit would turn Lin Yu to pulp.
"Even if you hid your strength, even if you're a sword cultivator, you'll still die by the puppet's hand!" Jiang Xuan laughed wildly—Lin Yu couldn't survive a Myriad Manifestations puppet's strike.