Chapter 131: Misfortunes Never Come Singly

Long Yun gritted his teeth, stealing a glance at Yan Qingqing’s cold, stern expression. A bitter taste surged in his heart; talk about misfortune never coming singly!

"Draw!" The bolt of lightning shattered the fire phoenix hovering above Yan Qingqing’s head and, with momentum still unspent, dove straight toward her slender, delicate frame.

There was not a hint of fear on Yan Qingqing’s lovely face. Her fair hands, soft as boneless lotus flowers, drifted out and actually brushed against the lightning bolt itself.

Though her body trembled violently under the influence of that terrifying force, she clenched her teeth and gave a fierce tug with her arms. The seemingly unstoppable lightning was actually diverted from its path.

"Beautiful! A perfect display of using a thousand pounds to deflect four!" Long Yun couldn't help but brighten up, exclaiming in genuine admiration.

Yan Qingqing’s lithe form spun rapidly like a fairy from the nine heavens. She caught the heavenly tribulation lightning in her palms, and with the momentum of her rotation, it began to swirl around her body.

*Whoosh!* With her speed pushed to the limit, the tribulation lightning in her hands became like a fluttering ribbon, circling her body and falling entirely under her control.

Suddenly, Yan Qingqing let out a sharp cry. The protective true fire surrounding her body erupted, and the tribulation lightning, losing all control, completely enveloped her.

"Body tempering? This girl has nerves of steel!" Long Yun broke into a cold sweat for her, while simultaneously admiring her decisiveness in daring to use the power of the tribulation to temper her own body.

Although the fire phoenix had weakened the lightning, its power remained an overwhelming, god-like force that should have been impossible for her to withstand.

"You’re not slow, catching up to us here. If we hadn't spotted the tribulation clouds, you might have actually slipped away!" A faint, cold sneer drifted over, causing Long Yun’s expression to shift.

He looked toward the distance and saw five figures. They were precisely the five experts of the Blood Origin Sect. Leading them were the brothers Xue Wuying and Xue Wuxing, while the remaining three were all masters at the seventh stage of the Innate Realm, the Zhou Tian stage.

Long Yun frowned. Judging by their words, they had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to emerge. These fellows were clearly after the Samsara Mirror.

The overwhelming power the Samsara Mirror had displayed while countering the Blood Demon Token had made the Blood Origin Sect experts deeply wary. To realize their plans, their first priority was to seize the mirror.

They had dispatched disciples to monitor the Jade Sword Sect, and as soon as Long Yun left with Yan Qingqing, the scouts had immediately relayed the news to the sect’s high command. The fact that the two brothers, Xue Wuying and Xue Wuxing, had appeared in person showed just how much they valued both the mirror and Long Yun.

Long Yun’s brow furrowed. Yan Qingqing was currently tempering her body with the power of the tribulation. Only one bolt had passed, and two more were yet to descend; she could not complete her tribulation in such a short time.

He had to hold off these Blood Origin Sect men before she finished, or they would inevitably disrupt her progress.

"Want the Samsara Mirror? Follow me!" Long Yun narrowed his eyes, cast one last deep look at Yan Qingqing, and with a flash of his figure, fled into the distance.

Xue Wuying and his brother glanced at Yan Qingqing for a moment before turning to the three elders behind them. "You three stay here. Once she finishes her tribulation, she will be extremely weak—capture her and bring her back!"

With that, they took off in pursuit of Long Yun.

Long Yun pushed his movement technique to the limit. After running for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, he stopped in an open clearing and turned back, eyes burning, to face the approaching brothers.

With his own cultivation at the Innate Bingqi stage, he was no match for the two experts at the early Yin-Yang stage. He stood no chance in a direct confrontation; if he tried to fight them head-on, he wouldn't last a single move.

"Hand over the Samsara Mirror, and perhaps we’ll spare your life," Xue Wuying said, his eyes flickering.

Long Yun smiled slightly, a hint of disdain curling his lips. "In your dreams! If you want the mirror, kill me first, otherwise, don't bother talking!"

"Good!" Xue Wuying couldn't help but sneer. "An ant at the Innate Bingqi stage, yet so stubborn. I don't know if you’re too foolish or just too naive!"

"Whatever I am, I'm better than you lot!" Long Yun let out a cold snort. The Qinghe Bladeless Sword unsheathed with a violent hum, manifesting three distinct sword auras. Two struck toward Xue Wuying, and two toward Xue Wuxing. Vast sword intent, like churning ocean waves, poured into the blade.

Driven by this intent, the power of Long Yun’s strike reached the third stage of the Innate Realm, the Tongtian stage—and this was without even using any high-load techniques.

The brothers sensed the unusual nature of the attack, but the gap in their cultivation levels was absolute. Though the strike was extraordinary, it posed no threat to them. They simply raised their protective true energy and easily blocked it.

Long Yun’s gaze sharpened. He quietly opened the Samsara Space, skillfully and stealthily enveloping both men within it.

Back when he and the other disciples had participated in the hunting gala, the sect elders had controlled the mirror to shroud everyone in this space. Now, facing such powerful enemies, he remembered this tactic. He had baited them with a powerful attack, tricking them into playing along and relying solely on their protective auras.

The moment their protective energy shield covered their bodies, their physical forms were momentarily cut off from the outside world.

Long Yun had chosen that exact instant to expand the Samsara Space, trapping them both. By the time they realized something was wrong, it was already too late.

"Not good!" Xue Wuying felt it first, his face changing instantly. He exchanged a glance with his brother and saw the same panic in his eyes.

"Two seniors, stay here for a while! Someone will be sure to entertain you properly!" Long Yun laughed loudly. In the blink of an eye, he was floating high in the sky.

In the Samsara Space, he was the heavens, the master. The laws of this realm obeyed him alone; no one could escape his control, not even Xue Wuying and his brother.

"You bastard! How despicable! Die!" Xue Wuying roared, shooting into the air to launch a killing blow at Long Yun.

"Pigs can't fly. Get down!" Long Yun said with a faint smile, gesturing downward. An imperceptible ripple spread out.

Xue Wuying had barely risen ten yards before he felt an immense pressure crashing down on him. Unable to control his body, he fell to the ground in a heap, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Xue Wuying’s eyes were filled with disbelief. Xue Wuxing hurriedly helped his brother up, murmuring in shock, "Brother... how is that brat so powerful?"

"Second brother, this space is incredibly strange. We must find a way out. We are no match for him here!" Xue Wuying whispered.

But how could he escape Long Yun’s ears? Long Yun looked down from above and laughed, "Stay here in peace. I won't kill you just yet, but as for leaving, I’m afraid you won't have a chance!"

Xue Wuying’s expression changed. For the first time, he felt the terror of Long Yun—or rather, the strangeness of this space. The power filling it was vaguely similar to the aura of the Samsara Mirror.

Xue Wuying was clever; he naturally guessed the connection. While he coveted the mirror, he was also filled with dread, fearing that escape was nothing more than a pipe dream.

Long Yun cast one final look at them before moving to exit the Samsara Space.

What Long Yun did not know was that in the short time he had been delayed, Yan Qingqing had already weathered the second bolt of the tribulation. Her body was soaked in blood—her own—but after enduring two strikes, her gaze had only become more resolute.