Meng Qingqiu was also trembling: "I… I think…"

Ling said in a deep voice, "I don't want to know what you think. I want you to tell me, did you replace Yun Ya and Xiang Yunshang without reporting it?"

"Yes!" Meng Qingqiu said tremulously, "I…"

"No need to explain!" Ling said decisively, "Go and cast a curse on Xiang Yunshang. Do it yourself. I want to see if the Yun family will protect their last descendant."

While Meng Qingqiu was hesitating, my Nine-Ring Soul Severing Blade suddenly unsheathed. The nine rings on the blade vibrated wildly like a roar, and the blade's light was like the moon as it slashed madly towards Ling.

The latter calmly raised her hands to meet the blade's edge. When the heavy blade collided with her slender hands, it actually emitted a metallic resonance.

My long blade was pushed into the air, and Ling also took a step back.

When I regained my footing, I realized that Ling was wearing a pair of gold-threaded gloves.

Those gloves were no ordinary items; otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to withstand a Dharma artifact refined by Hei Wuchang (Black Impermanence).

Ling's voice turned cold as she sternly shouted, "Li Po, do you not want the opportunity I'm giving you?"

"I promised to protect Xiang Yunshang!" As I spoke, the blade rose again. The Soul Severing Blade howled, and the blade's shadow resembled white waves, layering upon each other as they pressed down madly on my opponent.

Although I had never given Xiang Yunshang a formal promise, during the time I spent with her, I had said more than once: With me here, nothing will happen.

A warlock's promise is worth a thousand pieces of gold.

Moreover, Xiang Yunshang was my first employer for a real task. The commission Yun Ya gave me all came from Xiang Yunshang's account. When an employer is in trouble, a warlock must not stand idly by; this is an iron rule of the warlock's path.

Ling's figure was like a swallow, shuttling back and forth in the violent waves of blade light, holding me in place while she also said in a deep voice, "Li Po! It's not too late to stop now."

The blade light in my hand was like fire, and I roared as I swept across the sky, "It's not too late for you to surrender now either!"

"You don't know how to appreciate favors!" Ling's hands flew up amidst her angry shout, meeting my blade energy without any deviation. Blade light and palm shadows collided in the air in a chaotic clash, and the sounds of metal clashing were as dense as a rainstorm. Neither of us gained the upper hand.

While we were in a stalemate, I glanced sideways in Ye Yang's direction.

At this time, Ye Yang stood on the ground with his feet shoulder-width apart and his right hand lightly pressing on the hilt of his sword. His eyes looked towards the distant mountain wall, and the soil beneath his feet was also vibrating slightly.

He was gathering power!

Swordsmen's duels emphasize a fatal blow, a sword strike with no return.

Ye Yang must have run into a swordsman of roughly the same level as him; otherwise, he wouldn't have been locked down by his opponent.

They must both be waiting for the moment to strike.

With Ye Yang restrained by his opponent, Ling began to take advantage of the situation to counterattack. Her body was as elusive as a ghost, and the gale brought up by her palms was like knives and axes, cutting at me from all directions.

The Nine-Ring Soul Severing Blade in my hand roared as it swept up a strong wind. Countless light rings suddenly shook out from the blade, overlapping each other. Between the blade lights, the sounds of wind and thunder faintly moved, falling directly towards the top of my opponent's head.

"Six Paths of Life and Death Blade!" Ling exclaimed in surprise and finally revealed her weapon.

The fact that she could call out "Six Paths of Life and Death Blade" in one breath meant that she understood the dangers of this blade.

The six rings I swung symbolized the Six Paths of Reincarnation. Each blade light represented a life-or-death gamble; wherever the blade fell, one of us would fall into reincarnation.

In an instant, the soft sword that Ling drew from her body seemed to transform into a flying dragon, its silver scales flashing in the air, scattering thousands of rays of light.

For a time, circles of light arcs swirled and howled, and streams of cold light intertwined and flew.

The terrifying silver-white formed by the two weapons and the two cold lights was like a curtain of light scattered by the Grim Reaper's scythe, interweaving in the boiling true energy.

In just an instant, a rain of blood flew up from my body, followed by a second, and then a third.

In the blink of an eye, my body was stained with blood, becoming scarlet and dazzling.

However, the Nine-Ring Soul Severing Blade in my hand became even more violent.

As I gritted my teeth and launched a rapid attack, Ling, who was fighting me, chuckled and said, "Your Six Paths of Reincarnation can kill the living and banish ghosts, but it's useless against me because I am a demon. Demons can avoid reincarnation."

I kept silent and attacked fiercely. Suddenly, two piercing sword howls came from afar.

The sharp howls that seemed to tear through space rose up in opposition to each other, but merged together in unison, condensing into a roar of gods and demons.

Ye Yang had drawn his sword!

I wanted to see the result of that sword, but Ling blocked my view.

"You want to see Ye Yang's fate? I won't let you get your wish!" Ling's cold laughter was like a mountain collapsing, crushing towards me. Her figure was like thousands of falling leaves, seemingly elusive, but no matter where I turned, I saw my opponent's sneering face.

Is this a leaf obscuring the eyes?

The ultimate realm of illusion.

As cold sweat dripped from my forehead, Ling's voice came again: "Not only will you not see Ye Yang's life or death, but the sound of the sword's howl will also never stop in your ears. You will never hear who won or lost."

Ling was deliberately trying to confuse me!