Chapter 156 - Killing Intent at Fallen Moon

As the two maintained their standoff, a voice suddenly called out from behind Xue Qiming.

"

Uh

... Who are you?"

Xue Qiming was startled by the voice. He had completely focused his attention on Tang Jinnian who was hiding in the hut, so he hadn’t noticed anyone approaching him from behind. He silently berated himself for being off his game today.

This was the second time his vigilance had seriously slipped. Quickly turning around, he was stunned by what he saw. A beautiful woman with bright eyes and white teeth stood not far from him.

She was holding a heavy cloth sack in her right hand with ease, clearly indicating some level of martial prowess. However, what left Xue Qiming speechless was the little girl who held her other hand... Who else could it be but Xue Niang?

Xue Niang happily held onto the beautiful woman’s hand, and her other hand held a green onion pancake wrapped in oil paper. When she noticed Xue Qiming looking over, she gave him a playful wink.

"Xue, Xue Niang?" Xue Qiming swallowed.

Xue Niang tilted her head quizzically. "

Hmm

?"

The woman looked down at the girl by her side and smiled. "So, your name is Xue Niang?"

Little Xue Niang nodded.

Xue Qiming took a deep breath and, calming his voice as much as he could, said, "Xue Niang, come here, over to me."

Xue Niang looked at Xue Qiming, then up at the woman. The woman smiled, nodded at her, and let go of her hand.

Seeing the strange woman wasn’t stopping her, Xue Niang started walking toward him. Xue Qiming let out a breath of relief, just as he was about to relax... everything changed!

A huge shadow descended from above, casting the area into darkness as a sudden gust of wind whipped up, scattering sand and stones across the ground.

Before Xue Qiming could even look up to see what was happening, Tang Jinnian’s voice came from behind him, "Well, isn’t this rare... the ruthless Unbound Bodhisattva Xue Qiming, is now trembling over a little girl. Xue Niang,

huh

? She shares your surname? Xue Qiming... could she be your daughter?"

Xue Qiming turned around and saw that Forsaken Phoenix Tang Jinnian had come out of the hut at some point and was standing in the doorway with a mocking smile.

The wind had grown so strong it was nearly impossible to keep one’s eyes open. Xue Qiming had no time to respond to Tang Jinnian. He turned back to protect Xue Niang, but the sight before him made him lose his wits entirely.

A gigantic monstrous bird flapped its wings wildly as it swooped down from the sky, creating powerful gusts as it dove straight at Xue Niang!

The bird spread its wings wide, blocking out the sun, its enormous shadow engulfing everyone on the shore. Its speed was astonishing, seeming to cover the distance from sky to ground in an instant.

Xue Qiming had barely reached Xue Niang’s side, and just as he reached out to hold her, his vision blurred, the roaring wind filling his ears. When he looked again, Xue Niang was gone.

"

Ahhhhh

!"

Xue Niang’s scream came from above. Xue Qiming looked up, and half of the green onion pancake she had been eating fell from the sky, landing right on his forehead.

"You bastard!"

Xue Qiming’s face twisted in fury, his eyes bloodshot. There wasn't a moment to be wasted. Seeing Xue Niang being carried higher and higher by the monstrous bird, he tossed his gourd to the side without hesitation, taking a few quick steps forward. His leg muscles tensed, nearly bursting through his pants as he stomped the ground with immense force!

Boom!

The ground seemed to shake, and Xue Qiming catapulted toward the giant bird flying away in the sky!

Tang Jinnian’s brow was tightly furrowed as the fingers on his right hand rapidly shifted positions. The giant bird flapped its wings in sync with his movements, trying to climb higher into the air to put more distance between it and the large man shooting toward it.

Xue Qiming was incredibly fast, but without wings, his ascent was slowing down. It looked like he was just a step short.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Tang Jinnian’s mouth. He was confident in his victory.

"What are you doing?!"

Just as Tang Jinnian thought he had everything under control, an angry voice sounded in his ear. He turned and saw Flowerless Butterfly Rao Shuang running toward him in fury.

Before Tang Jinnian could react, she gave him a shove, causing him to stumble and momentarily lose focus. When he regained his senses and looked up, he saw Xue Qiming had already grabbed hold of one of the giant bird’s claws midair.

"Get down for me!"

Xue Qiming’s furious shout thundered like a bolt from the blue. Rao Shuang’s heart skipped a beat until she turned to see Xue Niang already cradled in Xue Qiming’s arms.

The giant bird, flung down with Xue Qiming’s full strength, fell to the ground not like a broken kite, that comparison would be too gentle, but rather like a meteor plummeting to the ground, carrying a force that could shake the earth!

Boom!

Dust and sand flew in all directions, along with scattered pieces falling from the giant bird’s frame.

Tang Jinnian was furious, but now was not the time to scold Rao Shuang. He pushed her aside and dashed toward where Xue Qiming had thrown down his gourd.

𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Thud!

Xue Qiming landed with Xue Niang in his arms, his knees slightly bent to absorb the impact, standing firm. His landing scattered the dust that had been swirling around the oasis.

Tang Jinnian was still some distance from the gourd. Taking a quick glance up, he saw Xue Qiming kicking the bird’s mechanical remains aside. As if sensing Tang Jinnian’s gaze, Xue Qiming turned to look at him, expressionless, yet his eyes revealed an unmistakable killing intent that pricked Tang Jinnian’s skin like needles.

Tang Jinnian gritted his teeth, but he knew that there was no turning back now. With the gourd forged from deep-sea profound iron right before him, he was determined to succeed or die trying.

He quickened his pace and lunged toward the gourd. Although lightness arts weren't his forte, his speed was impressive, and he was clearly closer to the gourd than Xue Qiming was. Tang Jinnian was willing to take his chances.

In moments, he was only a few steps away from the gourd.

Looking up at Xue Qiming again, he could see that Xue had understood his goal and was rushing toward him with the little girl in his arms. But judging by the distance... it was clear he wouldn’t make it in time.

Anticipation shone in Tang Jinnian’s eyes. He could almost see himself refining the Transcendence Stone, creating the perfect puppet he had always dreamed of.

His fingers touched the slightly rough surface of the gourd and felt the chill radiating from it, a confirmation of a unique property of deep-sea profound iron. Grabbing the iron chain attached to the gourd, he pulled with all his might!

"

Huh

?!"

The gourd didn’t budge.

Tang Jinnian was stunned. He knew deep-sea profound iron was exceptionally heavy, but he hadn’t expected it to be this heavy.

Tang Jinnian pulled again, using all his strength to tug at the chain. This time, the gourd finally started to move, scraping across the ground toward him, leaving a deep groove in its wake.

Yet the gourd moved no more than two steps before stopping again.

Tang Jinnian looked closer and saw a foot pressed firmly on the gourd. He looked up to meet the eyes of Unbound Bodhisattva Xue Qiming, who was staring at him, head tilted, gaze filled with a chilling killing intent.

"What do you think you’re doing?"