'Beautiful, I am the worst person in this world for you to fight. Even if I weren't stronger than you, and I am, you'd still not be able to defeat my flag. Why bother to put yourself in such pain?'
'He...wants me to fight. So...I must fight.'
'Hanxing? Really? Did the Golden Lotus demand that you serve him for a lifetime? No, if it gave you a soul, even an embryonic one, it was so that on your own, you'd find a way to become a fully-fledged person. You are free if you so desire it.'
'He...needs me.'
'Incorrect. Otherwise, why would he not practice the Yin-Yang Sword Array with such a perfect partner? I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to get rid of you more than once. Can he even look you in the eyes? You remind him of Lady Ziyun and are therefore an eyesore. No one needs eyesores on their side. Hanxing is now a Divine Transformation expert. You are a liability, and given the opportunity, he will dispose of you.' Xinzi's words were verbal daggers that moved past the Ziyun Puppet's physical defenses, going straight for her heart.
By now, Xinzi realized that, while the opponent's battle-prowess was nothing to scoff at, her mental fitness was catastrophic at best. She still carried the demons buried in the late Lady Ziyun's heart, demons that, with the right words, our monk could exploit. More importantly, Xinzi recognized the Ziyun Puppet's constitution: the Good Fortune Sacred Body.
Divine, Infernal and Holy Constitutions were the highest-ranking constitutions in the Four Realms of existence. The Star-Glazed Yin Physique that Xinzi helped the Night Flowers refine belonged to the divine category, where it ranked at the top of yin-based constitutions. The Good Fortune Sacred Body, however, was one of the top Holy Dual Cultivation Physiques.
It increased the owner and their dual cultivation partner's luck, cleansed the partner's souls of disruptive emotions, gathered all the Spiritual Qi across 100 miles during each dual cultivation session, pacified conflicting forces, and improved both the partner's constitution and Dao Foundation.
To not have noticed the perks of this physique, Hanxing was either ignorant or an inbred idiot. Xinzi couldn't let it go to waste, especially when he already was in desperate need of the perks this body offered.
Also...
Our monk's eyes darted between Hanxing and neo-Ziyun, and a dastardly idea formed in his mind.
'You're not Ziyun, don't even have her Holy Beast Descendant bloodline. Appearance is the only thing you have in common. I feel for you, so first, let me give you a name. Let's call you...Zi Feng. Zi Feng, by the end of this day, I guarantee that you will have a new master. In the meantime...' As he faced Zi Feng, Xinzi put one hand at his back and aimed at the White Immortal Sect's treasury.
In one loud bang, the Swallowing Skill kicked in, collapsing the treasury's walls as it battered the arrays inside and sucked all of the White Immortal Sect's resources. Five silver coffers flew towards Xinzi's back, with the words "Plants," "Pills," "Artifacts," "Materials," and "Spirit Stones," written on the related coffer.
Unlike what the size suggested, each coffer carried a tremendous quantity of resources, enough to build a large sect from scratch.
"STOP!" Alarmed, Lord Hanxing threw caution to the wind and fired at will. Minuscule stars formed above the seven colossal swords, the blades turned into whirling starlight, conjuring a myriad of starlight daggers that blotted out the sun.
Zi Feng snapped out of her stupor, and shrugging off the Fen Spirit names, chopped at Xinzi with her elongated ribbons. Little did she expect that Lord Hanxing's blow wouldn't take her into consideration. Friendly fire didn't join the chat, and before the tens of thousands of starlight daggers even reached Xinzi, they threatened to hack Zi Feng into pieces first.
Lord Hanxing assumed that, since so far Zi Feng could resist all his attempts at destroying her without a scratch, she could resist the seven swords as well. He wasn't incorrect. The Good Fortune Sacred Body granted its owner quasi invulnerability plus phenomenal healing powers, so Zi Feng would indeed not suffer from this fake Big Dipper Sword Array. But did this fact—that Hanxing didn't even know for sure—give him the right to use his partner as bait to unleash such a murderous blow?
Inwardly, Xinzi sneered, wondering how badly Hanxing wanted to help him snatch this Good Fortune Sacred Body. The Thousand Soul Immolation Flag flew out of Xinzi's hands, whirling like a spinning top. The hoist extended towards the ground, the flag towards the heavens, and the red silk fabric rolled out, casting a hill-sized blood barrier that sheltered both Zi Feng and Xinzi.
In a rapid succession of ear-splitting blasts, the myriad daggers clashed with Xinzi's barrier, failing to leave a dent.
"Impossible! A Big Dipper Sword Array assembling the might of the entire sect cannot even dent his flag? Even a mid-stage Divine Transformation level expert shouldn't be able to resist, much less escape scratch-free! I refuse to believe that you can maintain this barrier!" Nerves pulsed on Lord Hanxing's temple, and in desperation, he released another salvo. Unfortunately for him, no matter how many starry daggers he sent Xinzi's way, the Thousand Soul Immolation Flag wouldn't flinch.
"I said it before, your Big Dipper Sword Array is fake. I'm not afraid of it. With that said, even a fake Big Dipper Sword Array shouldn't exist in this tiny place. Gotta thank your ancestors for being so lucky," ever the poised invader, Xinzi said, and stocked the treasury coffers in a storage ring stolen on the scene.
Lord Hanxing couldn't believe that the invader came without a storage ring, fully prepared to use the sect's rings for loot-caching purposes. Little did he know that, by now, Xinzi had mastered the Dao of robbing the enemy and making them pay for it. For a hooligan of his level, this was all due process.
"Damn it! You're pissing me off!" Lord Hanxing's heart thumped erratically, making him clutch at his chest and lose his grip on the Big Dipper Sword Array.
"AAAARGH!" The 10,000 powering the seven colossal swords all spurted blood, some falling face-first, while others fell on one knee.
"Hateful freak, what are you waiting for? Attack!" His eyes red from rage, Lord Hanxing barked at Zi Feng, but as if she couldn't hear him, she hovered in the air, trembling as she clutched at her ribbons. Initially, even without Hanxing's urging, Zi Feng planned to attack with full force, and do her best for her master's sake.
But seeing how indifferent he was to her life and death, how he dared to unleash a sword barrage that even he had no hope to survive at her just to slay his opponent, she realized that in this life, the best she could do was to become a useful puppet.
The Cold Star Lord's heart would never offer more than betrayal, exploitation and trickery. Her eyes turned moist, and as her ears turned deaf to Hanxing's relentless screams, tears streamed down Zi Feng's porcelain cheeks.
Sensing his opportunity, Xinzi stepped forward, leaving the Blood Beast's back, and gliding across the air to stand before Zi Feng.
"They say that people of one mind only need an instant to build 1,000 years of kinship. Zi Feng, I have only met you now, but when I see you shedding tears, my heart aches for you," Xinzi said, and as if forgetting the battle and purpose that brought him to the White Immortal Sect in the first place, stretched his arms out.
The quiet cries became loud sobs and Zi Feng threw herself into Xinzi's arms, sobbing in the comfort of his arms.
