Chapter 321: Return

“How can this be, didn’t you die?” The hundred thugs watched as Gu Xiqiao slowly made her way out from the whirlpool with surprise and shock clear in their voices. Their faces had changed, no longer looking smug and arrogant. As expected, they couldn’t underestimate her!

No wonder they were warned over and over before they had come here!

The hundred thugs looked at Gu Xiqiao before looking at each other, they couldn’t deny the fact that she was amazing. However, the Sky Destruction Formation was also not to be taken lightly.

Their powers surged up from within their bodies, and formed a line, attacking Gu Xiqiao as one. Their power increased even more as they joined their attack, and even those masters who were beyond the Enlightenment realm would be turned into minced meat by their move.

But, was Gu Xiqiao a vegetarian? Since she had said it was a Massacre Array, then it would definitely do what it was named for!

“Watch out, Miss Gu!” The priest and priestess couldn’t help shouting out a warning to her.

Compared to them, the Peacekeepers were still resisting the Sky Destruction Formation with their own defensive array calmly. Gu Xiqiao was facing off against hundreds of opponents, and they needed to take care of her back naturally. It wasn’t that they had complete faith in her, they only felt that she was an omnipotent being after all.

Looking back at all she had done, she had created Nine Heavens by herself, created a maelstrom in the Imperial Capital, changed the entire medical world, and created the Peace Squad, which caused the geniuses in the ancient martial arts world to falter! The mythical beasts reapers! Going all the way to the 80th floor in the Trial Tower in one go!

If a normal person were to do any one of these things, it was already shocking enough. What’s more, these were all done by a single person?

Therefore, in the eyes of the Peacekeepers, she was the only faith they had, the one and only omnipotent being!

“Activate!” The purple and gold dragon on Gu Xiqiao entangled with each other, a powerful energy spreading outwards, rushing towards those hundred thugs who were coming towards her.

Boom!

When the two forces collided, Gu Xiqiao’s figure didn’t move at all, but the hundred thugs were forced back a few steps. How was that possible?

They could feel the shock reverberating in their bones. Gu Xiqiao was just a little doll at Houtian level, how could the collision from the force be so strong?!

Also, how the heck had their Scarlet Soul Banner be swallowed by a guitar?

Oh my god! That was the Scarlet Soul Banner okay, the biggest, most bada*s skill they had up their sleeves, and it was devoured just like that? And by a guitar, no less?!

Was this an anime?

However…

They soon discovered that their shock had come way too early!

The power of thunder and lightning spread around her body, forming a huge thunder void!

F*ck, it was a thunder void?!

Where did she get such a terrible thing!

Their face paled, all blood draining from it. Because the horror dawned on them as they realized that this thunder void was something she had created by herself!

Where had this monster come from? Just where the h*ll did this monster come from?

Was she even human?!

The hundred thugs were already going crazy, trying to figure all these out, and Gu Xiqiao was the cause of this!

Obviously since there were at least a hundred of them, they should have been the ones to be beating her up, how did it turn around the other way just in an instant?

The Peacekeepers who were on ground resisting the Sky Destruction Formation also had strange expressions on their faces, has anyone seen such a battle scene before? Before the fight had started, the opponent had been delivered crippling mental blows to the point their spirit had wilted. Even the priest was looking at the scene with comically wide eyes, especially when he saw the golden light that was circling around Gu Xiqiao, his eyes widened further, almost falling out of the sockets. “The Rebirth Mantra?!”

Thinking of the mantra that he had recited before this, the priest couldn’t help the shocked gasp that escaped his mouth. “She had already been prepared so much earlier?!” Could it be possible, this was all within her calculations?

He took a deep breath to calm himself, this… this was just too incredible, right?

The hundred thugs gritted their teeth, their bodies trembling, unknown whether from fear or rage, and scattered across the skies once again. They condensed their chi into daggers in their hands. Instead of fighting against Gu Xiqiao, they would go after Yao Jiamu and the others, stabbing them in their heads with this!

It was one against one, and under the disparity in their strength, the Peacekeepers had no way of escaping!

Their death was inevitable, and the hundred thugs were elated when they thought about it. Go to h*ll!

Suddenly, a plain, slender figure appeared in front of each and every one of them. It was like she had teleported in an instant, appearing in front of all hundred of them at one go. Before they could react, all they saw was a fist coming to their faces.

Hundreds of Gu Xiqiao’s silhouettes all raised their fist at the same time, and the explosive power from this move was unstoppable.

Boom!

Boom!

All hundred thugs fell from the skies, onto the ground!

A hundred phantoms were also a huge burden on Gu Xiqiao, and she couldn’t separate the power of her lightning in case she killed these hundred thugs. So she waited to pull in the phantoms, separating both abilities. But the profound energy in her body suddenly surged up, and it felt like all her meridians were on fire. There was so much pressure, she was going to advance again!

Ignoring everything else, she sat down cross-legged in the virtual space. Breaking through from Houtian to Enlightenment, it would require a long time to condense her chi and get it back under control. During this time, Gu Xiqiao couldn’t move her body nor use her powers freely.

“Protect Miss Gu!” Yao Jiamu had split everyone into two teams, one for controlling the Sky Destruction Formation, and the other to surround Gu Xiqiao.

Xixi and Jiji didn’t expect things to take a turn like this, and Xixi immediately enlarged itself, covering Gu Xiqiao under its massive wings. A faint blue glow covered its feathers, and Xixi turned its beady eyes towards the hundred thugs that had been smacked down by Gu Xiqiao.

The thugs had thought that their lives were over, but Gu Xiqiao had entered into her advancement at this time. She broke through? She actually did it at such an important time! The thugs couldn’t help but laugh, wasn’t this just the best time to kill her?! She was already insanely strong at only Houtian level, they couldn’t allow her to continue growing!

All hundred thugs broke past their own body limits, bringing out their strongest weapons in order to kill Gu Xiqiao. The energy that surged from within them was stronger than before, by who knows how many more times!

In the beginning, they had been more reserved because they still valued their lives. However, knowing that they had gotten another chance at surviving again, they were now putting all their efforts into killing Gu Xiqiao. It was either they won and returned, or they lost to her and died here.

It was the peak of the battle now, so long as Gu Xiqiao didn’t die and she managed to make it through her advancement, they wouldn’t be able to run anymore. If she didn’t die, then their souls would be the ones to scatter across the skies.

One hundred thugs at the Enlightenment level, the hundred Peacekeepers stood a chance against them! But they were occupied with holding back the Sky Destruction Formation! They were also distracted with protecting Gu Xiqiao, and they also needed to hold back the thugs’ attacks!

What a blood-soaked and hard-fought struggle this was going to be!

A large sword made out of pure chi of the hundred thugs suddenly came down in front of Xixi, the space in front of it shattering a little!

“Xixi!” Yao Jiamu turned around, shouting in horror.

“B*stards!” Wu Hongwen wiped the blood off his face, his eyes red from the blood that fell into it.

“Don’t think about it!” Xixi’s body keeps growing bigger. The bigger its body became, the stronger the energy it exuded. Blue flames poured out from its beak continuously.

“Xixi, stop!” Jiji’s face had changed. “You’ll die if you go on like this!” If Xixi couldn’t bear the energy that kept pouring out of it, its body would eventually break down and Xixi would wither away to ashes. Jiji was crystal clear on how the phoenix’s techniques were like.

It also naturally knew that Xixi was putting its life on the line here!

Xixi ignored the robot, its own body continuing to expand and grow. It knew what the consequences were going to be like, but it wasn’t afraid at all. The last time Gu Xiqiao had gone into the caves by herself, Xixi had not stopped blaming itself over and over since that time. This time, how could Xixi back down? “Master Jiang is not here, I must protect Beauty Qiao!”

Xixi’s life was something that had been picked up by Gu Xiqiao, if it wasn’t or her, Xixi would still be trapped within the malicious aura, and it would probably be a mindless puppet at this time.

It didn’t want to linger too long on thoughts of what may have happened if Gu Xiqiao hadn’t appeared.

But Beauty Qiao, Haha, Jiji, Master Jiang, Wu Hongwen, Xiao Yun, Hua Youlin…

The faces of each and every one of them were vividly clear in its mind, how could it just watch Gu Xiqiao die in front of itself?

“Are you afraid of death?” Yao Jiamu suddenly turned to Wu Hongwen.

Wu Hongwen knew what he was going to say, and didn’t bother replying to him. He took a step forward, in front of Xixi, the chi in his body surging up, spinning wildly!

He was using his actions to express his thoughts!

Who isn’t afraid of death? However, when this moment came, they suddenly felt that death wasn’t as scary as they thought it would be.

Yao Jiamu smiled, standing beside Wu Hongwen, a vortex forming on top of his head!

Every single Peacekeeper did the same as the two, standing in front of Xixi, their energies surging upwards as they used their bodies as a meat shield for Gu Xiqiao, all to buy time for her!

“I was just some small-time gangster in the beginning, and even my family wouldn’t acknowledge me anymore. If I hadn’t been picked to join the Peace Squad, I would probably still be wandering around somewhere. To be able to join the Peace Squad and create such miracles, my life in the past few months has been the best of my life. I don’t have any regrets even if I die here.

“If it wasn’t for Miss Gu, I would have been beaten to death a long time ago. This time, I finally have somewhere I belong.”

The hearts of these people were like iron, and even though they were up against such a huge offensive power, nothing would shake their resolve!

Murong Feiye and Mo Li were protecting Zhuge Yan, but Murong Feiye couldn’t just ignore what was happening in front of him, and he brushed aside Mo Li’s attempts at stopping him, rushing to the front of Gu Xiqiao.

The hundred thugs sneered at their actions. The energy swords contained a massive amount of murderous aura that could destroy the sky and earth, and it was slowly but surely chipping away at the space.

The first meat shield was a Peacekeeper, and the smile on his face didn’t fade all the way till the end.

The other fifty Peacekeepers that were holding back the Sky Destruction Formation could only watch with tears streaming down their eyes, glaring at the hundred thugs, imprinting their faces into their bones!

Boom!

Thunder surged above their heads, and Gu Xiqiao was still under the safety of Xixi’s wings. She was breaking through, but she had also left a small part of her mind outside, and everything was within her sight! Peace Squad! Peace Squad!

Her lips were bleeding from where she had bitten down on it, the drops of blood dripping onto the surface of the lake, fading away into the deep waters.

“Beauty Qiao!” As Gu Xiqiao’s system, Jiji already knew what she was planning to do, and couldn’t help the horrified shout that escaped its mechanical mouth!

During the breakthrough period, if you didn’t control the chi circulation in your body, you would end up being a useless person. That was also the reason why Yao Jiamu, Xixi, and everyone else were determined to protect Gu Xiqiao. However, Jiji discovered in horror that Gu Xiqiao had woken up.

But she wasn’t done with her advancement!

Boom!

Lightning struck down from the skies.

Gu Xiqiao came out from beneath Xixi’s wings, grabbing the lightning with one hand, her chi surging out uncontrollably. “Space, shatter.”

The power surrounding her body was strong, but everyone could feel the aura in her body getting weaker by the moment, like a candle that was about to go out. As long as someone blew at it softly, it would be snuffed out!

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion, the space around the hundred thugs cracking, breaking little by little.

Yao Jiamu and the others could only bite their lips as they watched the scene that unfolded in front of them. They would forever remember it, because Gu Xiqiao would risk becoming useless for them, coming out halfway through her advancement in order to fight for them.

Strong! They needed to be stronger!

The same thoughts ran through all the Peacekeeper’s minds at the same time.

During this time, above the Sky Destruction Formation, a white light shot out, coming straight towards Gu Xiqiao!

No one expected this sudden move, and it seemed like it had been planned. They had been waiting for this moment to kill off Gu Xiqiao.

Everyone was stunned, staring at the white light with shock on their faces as it broke through the Sky Destruction Formation, heading straight towards Gu Xiqiao.

The hundred thugs were also shouting in glee. “Big Boss, Big Boss has finally made his move!”

It was a pincer attack, Gu Xiqiao had no place to run!

And it looked like it was the end, everything had been calculated. Gu Xiqiao would fall to this, and there wouldn’t even be ashes left of her!

However…

The surrounding air suddenly became colder, snowflakes falling from the skies suddenly.

The white light that was rushing towards Gu Xiqiao was intercepted by a gigantic snowflake!

And the long sword made of energy by the hundred thugs were suddenly covered by snowflakes, and crushed to pieces!

The air beside Gu Xiqiao shifted, a gap splitting open soon after. A pair of strong, fair hands tore the gap apart, a lean figure stepping out of it.

Time seemed to have stopped for a moment.

The man was dressed in a crisp, white shirt which was buttoned all the way to the top. His head was lowered slightly, and no one could see his face clearly, only the cold outline of his silhouette.

His right hand reached out to hold the person next to him, his white hands wiping the blood from her lips before reaching out for the bolt of thunder in her hand, scattering it with a touch. Even the terrifying source of aura had disappeared, but the pressure in the air felt so much heavier and terrifying than before.

“Leave the rest to me.” He looked at her, his eyes flashing.

Gu Xiqiao’s face was already as pale as paper, all the blood had drained and the chi in her body was still fluctuating wildly. When she caught sight of him, her body relaxed, and her vision darkened, falling right into his arms.

The entire area was quiet, all eyes on the figure that had suddenly made an appearance. The man finally raised his head, revealing graceful features that were as elegant as a painting. He should be someone that had a brilliant temperament, but at this moment, there was only one word everyone here could use to describe him—terrifying.

Those pitch-black eyes looked towards the people that were opposite him, his face expressionless, and you could even say he was completely devoid of any emotions or desires at this moment in time. But it made the hundred thugs tremble in fear as they saw where his gaze was directed at.

The energy that had been swirling up in around Murong Feiye was calmed immediately, and his eyes landed on the girl in Jiang Shuxuan’s arms, emotions flashing in his eyes as he finally smiled wickedly. “You really came right on the dot, huh?”

Then his figure blurred and disappeared, leaving the area. He knew that any big problems weren’t even problems anymore, now that Jiang Shuxuan was back.

“Jiang Shuxuan, he’s finally back.” Yao Jiamu and everyone else finally managed to react after receiving a shock from his appearance.

Mo Li, who was guarding Zhuge Yan stared blankly at him. “He… how did he suddenly appear there?”

Jiang Shuxuan, the man who had been by Gu Xiqiao’s side from the beginning. He was only at the 70th level of the Trial Tower, even Yao Jiamu and the other had been second-guessing his strength. However in this moment, they realized something… you couldn’t gauge the limits of this person’s strength at all.

Their hearts were heavy, extremely heavy as they recalled the scene that had just happened in front of them. The bloodied struggle would follow them for the remainder of their life. In conclusion, they were just weak, too weak!

If the people in the ancient martial arts world came to know what the Peacekeepers were thinking, they would probably feel like dying, right?

Jiang Shuxuan’s face was hard, a hint of cold steel in his eyes as he looked to the group of people, raising his hands. “All of you should just go to h*ll.”

The faces of the hundred thugs were instantly filled with panic.

The surge of power that broke out from Jiang Shuxuan was monumental, the hundred thugs immediately turning into ice sculptures!

And in the next moment!

The ice shattered into thousands of pieces, falling to the ground. He didn’t give them any chance to defend themselves, crushing them mercilessly.

However, the pressure on the field was still extremely heavy. Jiang Shuxuan looked up at the white light above their heads, the one that had wanted to kill Gu Xiqiao, and his eyes narrowed, the dark pools resembling an endless abyss.

The Seven-Frosted Blade glowed brightly as it split the sky violently, stuffing the white light into the crack that he had torn open not long ago!

Deep beneath the earth, a figure spat out a mouthful of blood.

Everything was calm.

The entire area had descended into complete silence!

Whether it was the Peacekeepers, or the two masters, everyone watched in a daze as Jiang Shuxuan left the area after that!

At the same time, the entire China felt the land shaking violently, and countless people stayed awake from fear the entire night!

The next day, Gu Xiqiao opened her eyes, finding that she was laying in a bed, and was met with a familiar face and temperament. He was still the same as the image engraved in her mind as he sat beside the bed, but he wasn’t reading books like he usually did. He was looking at her instead, his coal, black eyes that seemingly endless was looking at her unwaveringly.

“Brother Jiang.” Gu Xiqiao sat up, a smile on her face, realizing that the fluctuation chi within her body had also calmed down, and she felt much better.

“Hm.” Jiang Shuxuan looked at her, answering in a soft voice. He looked at her for a long time, not saying a word, before he finally reached out to pull her into his arms.

Feeling the warmth of the person in his arms, and seeing the healthy flush on her face, his arms tightened around her as he recalled the paleness of her face when he had held her in his arms yesterday night. His voice held a hint of a quiver as he spoke, “You almost scared me to death, Baby Gu.”

Gu Xiqiao felt that Jiang Shuxuan was acting slightly strange, reaching both arms around his waist to return the embrace, saying in a reassuring voice, “It’s alright now, Brother Jiang. Fortunately, you came back.”

Everything had been under her control, the only unexpected thing that happened was her advancement at such a crucial moment!

But she had been calmed, her chi contained enough vitality that she knew she wouldn’t die, but it was Wu Hongwen and the others that she feared would die, hence why she had rushed out so desperately.

“Miss Gu, the elders are waiting for Big Boss.” Yi Bing informed her through the door as he knocked on it.

Jiang Shuxuan narrowed his eyes, his brows furrowing tightly. He looked frustrated, and very impatient.

“Miss Gu.” Yi Bing was insistent.

Gu Xiqiao glanced at Jiang Shuxuan. “Go on, Brother Jiang. I’m fine now.”

Jiang Shuxuan pursed his lips, holding onto Gu Xiqiao even tighter as he said, “No, I don’t want to. I don’t know who that is.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep