After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 44

The unexpected encounter and the brief but intense skirmish with Qin Yixuan gave Ye Li a deeper understanding of the dangers within the Secret Realm. It wasn’t just the environment and the demonic beasts; the talented disciples from other sects were also formidable rivals in her pursuit of opportunities.

She consumed a common Qi Recovery Pill, quickly stabilizing her depleted spiritual power, while carefully storing the newly acquired Glacial Soul Spirit Fruit. This item contained pure and immense energy and needed to be refined in a safe place.

The terrifying vibrations from underground had subsided, but the fearsome aura, a blend of scorching heat and deadly silence, still left her unsettled. She dared not linger and accelerated her pace, plunging deeper into the ruins of the ancient city.

The deeper she went, the taller and more ancient the surrounding architectural remnants became, with peculiar styles. Unintelligible patterns and characters were carved on the broken walls, exuding the vicissitudes of time. The mist here seemed to be restrained by some force, becoming much thinner, though visibility remained low.

Relying on the map provided by Lin Feng and her own keen senses, she avoided several dangerously energy-turbulent areas. Along the way, she was also fortunate to discover several “Phantom Soul Stones” imbued with yin-cold energy, which were materials for refining certain special formations and talismans.

Just as she was cautiously passing through the corridor of a half-collapsed palace, a sudden alarm surged in her heart!

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Several fierce sounds of air breaking unexpectedly attacked her from the side and back! The forceful wind was sharp, aiming directly for her back, neck, and other vital points!

An ambush!

Without a second thought, Ye Li instantly activated her Shadow Step, her body sliding forward as if boneless. Simultaneously, she twisted sharply, and her short sword was already unsheathed, weaving a cold curtain of steel behind her!

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Several poisoned, black darts were deflected by the sword curtain, lodging into a stone pillar nearby, emitting sizzling corrosive sounds!

“Your reaction is quite fast!” a cold voice rang out from the mist.

Appearing on the ruined palace wall behind her were four figures! The leader wore the inner-sect robes of the Profound Cloud Sect, his face sinister, his eyes filled with malice and murderous intent. It was precisely Li Hao, with whom Ye Li had old grudges!

Trailing behind Li Hao were three other disciples with formidable auras: two at the initial stage of Core Condensation and one at the peak of the Spirit Awakening Realm. All of them locked onto Ye Li with malevolent gazes, subtly forming a cordon.

Ye Li’s eyes instantly turned frigid. Li Hao, a veteran inner-sect genius in the Core Condensation Mid-Stage, held a grudge because his clansman had been defeated and humiliated by Ye Li in a previous arena battle. He had not hesitated to spread rumors about her within the sect. Unexpectedly, he had also entered the Secret Realm and set up an ambush here!

“Li Hao, what are you trying to do?” Ye Li’s voice was icy. She secretly operated her cultivation technique at full power, vigilant of her surroundings. Her opponents were prepared and had the advantage in numbers; the situation was dire.

“What am I trying to do?” Li Hao sneered, stepping down from the wall, “Ye Li, relying on a bit of luck and your looks, you’ve been arrogant and provoked so many people in the sect. Don’t you realize it? This Cloud Mist Secret Realm, with its high mountains and thick fog, is the perfect place to clean house!”

A tall, skinny disciple behind him chimed in with a scoff, “Brother Hao, why waste words with her! Quickly capture her! She must have good stuff on her! That blue light just now was probably some kind of treasure!”

Another short, muscular disciple licked his lips, his gaze lewd as he swept over Ye Li: “Heh heh, after we capture her, let the brothers ‘interrogate’ her properly…”

Their vulgar words made no attempt to hide their malice.

Murderous intent surged in Ye Li’s heart, but her expression became even calmer. Facing four opponents, Li Hao in the Core Condensation Mid-Stage was the biggest threat, and the other two Core Condensation Initial-Stage disciples and one Spirit Awakening Peak disciple were not to be underestimated. A head-on fight was definitely not the best strategy.

“Just you lot?” Ye Li deliberately let out a scornful cold laugh, trying to provoke them, “A bunch of weaklings, daring to block my path?”

“You’re courting death!” Li Hao was indeed provoked, roaring as he took a step forward, “Form the array! Trap her! Don’t let her run!”

The three disciples behind him immediately responded, quickly shifting positions, each casting out several array flags. Instantly, a simple containment array lit up, covering a radius of dozens of feet! Although it was the lowest-tier containment array, it was enough to restrict Ye Li’s movement technique and prevent her from escaping with speed!

“Capture her for me!” Li Hao waved his hand but did not immediately advance, clearly intending to let his subordinates deplete Ye Li’s strength first.

The two Core Condensation Initial-Stage disciples and the Spirit Awakening Peak disciple immediately rushed forward with sinister grins! Flashes of blades and shadows of swords, carrying sharp, forceful winds, attacked Ye Li from three different directions!

With the crisis upon her, Ye Li’s eyes remained as calm as water. She executed the Shadow Step to its limit, dodging and weaving within the limited space of the containment array like a butterfly flitting among flowers, narrowly avoiding attack after attack. At the same time, her short sword darted out like a venomous snake, each precise strike deflecting the most lethal attacks.

However, she was fighting one against three, and her cultivation was at a disadvantage. She immediately fell into a defensive position, barely holding on and constantly facing peril.

“Hahaha! Let’s see how long you can hide!” Li Hao laughed triumphantly from the outside, seemingly already envisioning Ye Li’s capture.

Long defense leads to eventual loss! A flash of a blade grazed Ye Li’s shoulder, severing a lock of hair and drawing a thread of blood!

A burning pain came, and Ye Li’s eyes narrowed dangerously!

She couldn’t continue like this!

While dodging with difficulty, she quickly surveyed her surroundings. The containment array’s light barrier flickered, the ground was covered in broken flagstones, and surrounding her were broken architectural ruins…

Got it!

She deliberately exposed a flaw, her body staggering, and she lunged towards the Core Condensation Initial-Stage disciple on her left!

The disciple was overjoyed, bringing his blade down viciously towards Ye Li’s seemingly exposed chest!

However, just as the blade was about to hit, Ye Li’s figure twisted like a ghost, narrowly avoiding the blade by a hair’s breadth. Simultaneously, her left hand flicked a finger!

An inconspicuous pebble accurately struck a loose flagstone beneath the feet of the Core Condensation Initial-Stage disciple on her right!

That disciple was attacking with full force but suddenly slipped, losing his center of gravity and disrupting his move!

At this moment, Ye Li’s short sword erupted with astonishing speed and unparalleled coldness, stabbing straight for the throat of the Spirit Awakening Peak disciple!

Besieging Wei to rescue Zhao (Attacking the enemy’s ally to draw them away)! Attacking where the enemy must defend!

The Spirit Awakening disciple was terrified and hastily brought his blade back to save himself!

But Ye Li’s strike was a feint! Mid-thrust, the sword’s momentum bent strangely, and her body, using the force of the collision, slipped out of the gap that instantly appeared between the two like a nimble fish!

Her direction was precisely towards—the Core Condensation disciple whose foot had slipped and whose move was in disarray!

“Be careful!” Li Hao, watching from the outside, shouted in alarm, lunging forward at the same time!

But it was too late!

Ye Li’s speed was faster than imagination! The instantaneous burst of power from the Shadow Step combined with the Phantom Heaven Emperor Scripture made her appear before the unsteady Core Condensation disciple like a teleportation!

“Profound Ice Blast Talisman!”

She instantly activated a spirit talisman, slapping it directly onto the opponent’s face!

At such close range, there was no way to dodge!

Boom!

A violent ice blast instantly engulfed the Core Condensation disciple! Extreme cold mixed with violent energy exploded!

The disciple let out a miserable shriek; his protective spiritual barrier shattered instantly, and he was blasted backward, covered in frost and bloody, crashing heavily against the containment array’s light barrier, his fate unknown!

Having succeeded with one strike, Ye Li did not stop, not even glancing at the result, and immediately retreated again!

Li Hao’s enraged palm strike landed exactly where she had just stood, blasting a large pit in the ground!

In a flash, Ye Li not only escaped the predicament but also instantly incapacitated one of her opponents!

The remaining Core Condensation disciple and the Spirit Awakening Realm disciple paled with fear, their offense momentarily stalling.

Li Hao’s face turned livid with rage. He hadn’t expected Ye Li to be so slippery and ruthless, daring to counter-kill someone right under his nose!

“Useless!” he cursed, no longer bothering to conserve his strength. The powerful aura of a Core Condensation Mid-Stage cultivator exploded as he personally took action! A long saber burning with fierce flames appeared in his hand, bringing with it terrifying high temperatures as he slashed towards Ye Li!

“Blazing Flame Chop!”

Before the saber arrived, a scorching heat wave had already struck her face, evaporating the surrounding mist!

Ye Li dared not meet the attack head-on. She executed the Shadow Step again, rapidly retreating towards a more ruinous area filled with collapsed palaces and huge stone pillars!

“Where do you think you’re going!” Li Hao roared, relentlessly giving chase. The other two also reacted, grit their teeth, and followed.

Ye Li’s figure swiftly shuttled through the broken walls, constantly using the complex terrain to evade Li Hao’s frenzied attacks. The Blazing Flame Saber aura cut down stone pillars and split the ground, yet it always missed her by a fraction.

She wasn’t fleeing blindly. While escaping, her hands were secretly and incredibly subtly flicking out tiny, fragmented jade pieces inscribed with simple runes. These were failed pieces or scraps from her daily array practice, which now proved useful.

She didn’t set up any profound array, nor did she have the time. She was merely using these fragments to slightly alter the energy flow of the surrounding environment, creating subtle misdirections and obstructions.

For instance, causing Li Hao’s saber aura to be slightly perturbed by a trace of extreme cold energy when passing through a certain area, slightly throwing off its accuracy; making the two disciples chasing behind feel like the mist was thicker in a certain direction, subconsciously making a detour, thus widening the distance between them and Li Hao…

These were minor tricks, totally incapable of harming the enemy. But in this high-speed pursuit and tense battle, their cumulative effect successfully disrupted the rhythm and coordination of Li Hao’s trio!

Li Hao grew increasingly frustrated with the chase. He felt that his attacks were always just short, and Ye Li was as elusive as a mudfish! Meanwhile, his two subordinates were being left farther and farther behind!

“You two trash! Hurry up!” Li Hao swore angrily.

Just then, Ye Li abruptly darted into a half-collapsed palace ruin that resembled a maze!

Li Hao charged in immediately without a second thought!

The palace interior was dim, with a complex structure, and everywhere were collapsed walls and obstacles.

Not long after chasing inside, Li Hao lost sight of Ye Li!

“Get out here!” Li Hao roared, wildly hacking with his saber, shattering the surrounding broken walls and ruins!

However, what responded to him were cunning, cold finger winds and invisible energy venom needles (Invisibility Needle Talismans) shot from different directions!

These attacks lacked the power to seriously wound him, but they were extremely annoying, forcing him to divert his attention to defense and further slowing his speed.

He felt as if he had fallen into an invisible quagmire, full of strength but with nowhere to vent it!

“Damn it! If you have the guts, come out and fight me head-on!” Li Hao was so angry he nearly spat blood.

In a dark corner, Ye Li moved calmly like a hunter in the dark night, each strike perfectly timed. She used her familiarity with the terrain (having roughly scanned it with her spiritual sense beforehand) and the subtle interferences she had set up, successfully luring Li Hao into this battlefield advantageous to her.

She was wearing him down, delaying.

Waiting for an opportunity for a killing strike, or… a complete escape.

Outside the palace, the other two disciples finally caught up, panting, looking somewhat lost at Li Hao, who was spinning in place and attacking randomly like a mad tiger.

“Brother Hao! Where is that woman?”

Li Hao sharply turned back, his eyes bloodshot: “Nonsense! Hurry up and split up to search! She must be hiding nearby!”

However, just as his voice fell—

Rumble!

The entire palace ruin began to vibrate violently again! Even more fiercely than the previous time!

It was as if the terrifying entity underground had been disturbed by Li Hao’s frenzied attacks and was reawakening!

“Not good!” Li Hao’s face drastically changed!

Ye Li’s heart also tightened!

The next moment, the ground beneath their feet collapsed with a crash! A scorching aura mixed with the deathly roar spewed out from the ground!

The real danger had arrived!