After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 52

“Boom—Rumble—!”

The resounding collapse of the legacy cave echoed like muffled thunder from deep underground. Even the crowd who had rushed out of the passage could feel the violent tremor of the earth beneath their feet. Crushed stones tumbled down, and dust filled the air.

Ye Li endured the surging qi and blood and the stinging pain from her meridians. She pushed the Universal Traceless Steps to its limits, her figure flashing a few times in the narrow and complex tunnel, quickly moving away from the center of the collapse. Her face was as pale as paper, with traces of dried blood at the corner of her mouth. The excessive consumption of spiritual energy and the internal injuries caused by taking Gao Sheng’s blow head-on had left her current state at rock bottom.

But she dared not pause for a single moment. Gao Sheng’s malevolent glare and the unconcealed greed in the eyes of the other survivors clung to her like a shadow, making her realize that the danger was far from over. Possessing a treasure was a crime—the legacy of Venerable Xuan Huan was enough to drive anyone mad.

Sure enough, just as she rounded a corner, trying to find a hidden spot to catch her breath, she heard the hurried sounds of rushing air and furious shouts filled with murderous intent from behind.

“Ye Li! Where do you think you’re going! Leave the legacy behind!”

“Don’t let her escape!”

Three figures chased after her like relentless phantoms. They were the two mid-stage Condensing Meridian rogue cultivators who had been most active in the earlier siege, and a disciple from a minor demonic sect, “Black Fiend Valley,” with sinister eyes. They were clearly unwilling to leave empty-handed, convinced that the heavily injured Ye Li was at the end of her rope and that now was the perfect time for murder and plunder.

Ye Li’s eyes flashed with coldness, and killing intent surged within her. These jackal-like wretches were truly persistent!

She spun around abruptly, choosing not to continue fleeing. In this complex environment, turning her back to the enemy would be foolish. Since avoidance was impossible, the only choice was to kill her way out!

“Since you’re courting death, I’ll grant your wish!” Ye Li’s voice was icy cold. Despite her weakened aura, the arrogance and ferocity belonging to Venerable Li suddenly erupted, causing the rogue cultivator charging at the front to flinch, and his movements involuntarily slowed down by half a second.

It was this momentary hesitation!

Ye Li moved! She did not use the costly Universal Traceless Steps or the Ice Soul Sealing Heaven Finger, but relied on the pure Shadowy Steps and the combat instincts accumulated in her previous life. Like a ghost, she skimmed along the ground. In her hand was a backup fine steel short sword.

“Swish!”

The sword light was like lightning, piercing straight at the rogue cultivator’s throat! It was simple, direct, yet unimaginably fast!

The cultivator was shocked, hastily raising his saber to block. However, Ye Li’s strike was merely a feint. Her wrist flicked, and the short sword traced an arc, bypassing the block and precisely slicing toward his wrist!

“Pfft!”

Blood splattered! The rogue cultivator screamed. The wrist holding the saber had been cut open with a wound deep enough to see bone, and the long saber fell from his grip. Ye Li pressed her advantage, delivering a fierce side-elbow strike that heavily impacted his chest!

“Crack!” A clear sound of bone breaking rang out. The cultivator spat out a mouthful of bloody foam, his eyes filled with disbelief and terror. He flew backward, hitting the stone wall, his life hanging in the balance.

One move, one person incapacitated!

The Black Fiend Valley disciple and the other rogue cultivator were both shocked and angered, but they had already committed. The Black Fiend Valley disciple quickly formed hand seals. A foul-smelling black qi transformed into a ghostly claw, grabbing at Ye Li’s face. The other rogue cultivator swung his heavy mace, smashing powerfully toward Ye Li’s waist.

Ye Li took a deep breath, suppressing her injuries. Her figure swayed like a willow catkin, narrowly dodging the ghostly claw. Simultaneously, she targeted the weak side of the mace with her short sword, trying to overcome strength with skill.

“Clang!”

Sparks flew! A massive force transmitted through the sword. Ye Li’s hand ached severely, the short sword nearly flying out of her grasp. She staggered backward, pulling at her internal injuries. Another mouthful of blood surged up her throat, which she forcibly swallowed. After all, her spiritual energy was heavily depleted, and her body was injured; a direct clash of strength was highly disadvantageous.

“She’s finished! Hurry and capture her!” The Black Fiend Valley disciple was delighted to see this, urging the ghostly claw to pursue relentlessly.

The other rogue cultivator grinned sinisterly and swung his mace again.

Just as Ye Li was about to fall into a desperate situation, a ruthless glint flashed in her eyes. A talisman she had been clutching in her left palm was instantly activated—it wasn’t the immensely powerful but time-consuming Profound Yin Malevolent Thunder Talisman, but a Tier 2 mid-grade Earth Spike Talisman!

“Puff, puff, puff!”

Several sharp stone spikes rose unexpectedly from under the rogue cultivator’s feet! His attention was entirely focused on Ye Li, and he never anticipated the sudden change beneath him. He was instantly impaled through his feet and shins, letting out a terrible shriek and collapsing to the ground.

The pressure was halved!

Ye Li seized the opportunity. Facing the incoming ghostly claw, she neither dodged nor retreated but moved forward! The moment the ghostly claw was about to strike, her body twisted at an unbelievable angle, skimming past the claw. Simultaneously, she poured the last of her spiritual energy into her short sword, executing a simple yet vicious straight thrust that pierced through the black qi, aiming directly for the Black Fiend Valley disciple’s heart!

The disciple had not expected Ye Li to be so reckless and unafraid of death, nor had he anticipated her bizarre movement technique. In a rush, he only managed to slightly turn his body.

“Sssshhh!”

Although the short sword did not hit his heart, it pierced through his left shoulder blade, and the sword qi, mixed with cold energy, invaded his body. The Black Fiend Valley disciple grunted, and his ghostly claw technique instantly dissipated. A look of horror appeared on his face. He clutched his wound and repeatedly retreated, no longer daring to advance.

Ye Li stood, sword in hand, the tip dripping blood. Her chest heaved violently, and her breathing was ragged. After repeated fierce fighting, her spiritual energy was nearly exhausted, and her injuries were even more severe. But her gaze remained cold and sharp, sweeping over the retreating Black Fiend Valley disciple as if looking at a dead man.

The disciple felt a chill in his heart from that gaze, and he couldn’t muster the courage to fight again. He gritted his teeth and said, “You win this one!” With that, he turned and fled in a panic.

Silence temporarily returned to the passage, broken only by the moans of the two heavily injured individuals and Ye Li’s heavy breathing. She dared not delay. She quickly searched the two incapacitated rogue cultivators, finding two bottles of mediocre healing pills and dozens of low-grade spirit stones. Without taking time to examine them closely, she swallowed the pills, held the spirit stones, and, while absorbing a tiny amount of spiritual energy, continued to retreat deeper into the passage.

She knew a greater danger lay ahead. Gao Sheng would never let this go.

…

Meanwhile, in another exit tunnel, Gao Sheng’s face was ashen. He was traveling quickly with Shi Feng (whose wounds had been roughly treated, but his right arm was still unusable) and two other Battle Mania Peak disciples. When the cave collapsed, they had chosen a different exit from Ye Li.

“Senior Brother Gao, are we just going to let that wench go?” Shi Feng was filled with resentment. The hatred over his severed arm made him utterly despise Ye Li.

“Let her go?” Gao Sheng sneered, his eyes filled with killing intent. “How is that possible! She is severely injured and her spiritual energy is depleted; she won’t get far! The passages in this secret realm are intricate, but they all eventually lead to a few fixed exit areas. We just need to rush to the nearest exit and wait, or send out a signal for the other fellow disciples to intercept her. She can’t escape!”

He took out a special communication jade talisman and injected a strand of divine sense into it: “All Xuan Yun Sect disciples, pay attention: Yun Dan Peak disciple Ye Li is suspected of obtaining the core legacy of the secret realm, but she is practicing demonic arts and harming fellow disciples (Shi Feng). She has now defected! Any who encounter her should capture her collaboratively, regardless of life or death! Report her whereabouts for a heavy reward!”

This message, transmitted via the jade talisman, rapidly spread to all Xuan Yun Sect disciples in the secret realm who possessed the same talisman. Instantly, many Xuan Yun Sect disciples who were exploring other parts of the secret realm received this message, full of provocation and temptation.

“Core legacy?”

“Harming fellow disciples? Defection?”

“Regardless of life or death, heavy reward!”

Various thoughts arose in the minds of the disciples who received the message. The disciples of Battle Mania Peak naturally rolled up their sleeves, but disciples from other peaks were also tempted. Ye Li’s name instantly became a moving treasure trove and source of merit in the secret realm.

…

Ye Li struggled through the labyrinthine passages. The spiritual energy provided by the pills and spirit stones was negligible, only barely suppressing her injuries. She had to find a safe place to heal as soon as possible, or she might collapse from her injuries before Gao Sheng could even act.

However, misfortune never came alone. Just as she passed a fork in the road, four figures suddenly appeared ahead, blocking her path. Judging by their attire, they were two Xuan Yun Sect Battle Mania Peak disciples and two young masters from minor families who were affiliated with Battle Mania Peak. They had clearly received Gao Sheng’s communication and were setting up an ambush here!

“Ye Li! It really is you!” The leading Battle Mania Peak disciple sneered, “Senior Brother Gao has ordered you to surrender and you may keep a whole corpse!”

Ye Li’s heart sank. Blocked in front, potential pursuers behind, and her own state was extremely poor—this was an almost unsolvable deadly trap!

She tightly gripped the short sword in her hand, her eyes resolute. Even if she died, she would take a few with her!

Just as the tension was reaching a peak, a clear and cold voice suddenly came from a cave opening on the upper side:

“Heh, Battle Mania Peak is truly showing off its might. Is it acceptable to arbitrarily decide the life and death of fellow disciples within this secret realm?”

Everyone was startled and looked up. They saw Qin Yixuan appearing there unexpectedly, dressed in white, exquisitely beautiful, looking down faintly at the scene below. Beside her were two female disciples from Azure Water Pavilion.

“Qin Yixuan!” The Battle Mania Peak disciples’ expressions changed. “This is an internal affair of my Xuan Yun Sect and has nothing to do with your Azure Water Pavilion! Please do not interfere!”

Qin Yixuan descended lightly, standing between Ye Li and the four disciples. Her tone was calm but carried an air of absolute authority: “In other places, I naturally wouldn’t bother. But this passage is narrow, and your fighting here is blocking my path. Either step aside, or… I’ll help you clear the way.”

Her words carried no trace of anger, but the powerful aura of a true successor disciple, combined with the reputation of Azure Water Pavilion, put immense pressure on the four disciples. They exchanged glances, not daring to act rashly.

Qin Yixuan’s appearance was not solely to save Ye Li; at least on the surface, it was due to the “blocked path.” But this perfectly timed “block” undoubtedly gave Ye Li a precious moment of respite.

Ye Li gave Qin Yixuan a deep look, but said no words of thanks. She understood that Qin Yixuan’s action was more out of a strong person’s “maintenance” of an interesting opponent, or perhaps a disdain for Gao Sheng and the others’ behavior of ganging up, rather than pure goodwill. She would remember this favor.

Seizing the moment when the four disciples were deterred by Qin Yixuan, Ye Li did not hesitate. She forcibly gathered her last reserves of strength, her figure flashing as she sped past the gap beside Qin Yixuan and rushed into the passage ahead.

“You!” The Battle Mania Peak disciples were furious and tried to stop her.

Qin Yixuan slightly shifted her body, and a soft but resilient water screen silently appeared, blocking their path.

“I said, those who block the path will be cleared.”

With just that moment of delay, Ye Li’s figure disappeared around the corner of the passage.

“Qin Yixuan! You dare to harbor a sectarian traitor!” The Battle Mania Peak disciple’s face was livid with anger.

Qin Yixuan glanced at them calmly: “Traitor? Based solely on Gao Sheng’s one-sided word? Where is the evidence? Moreover, even if she is a traitor, it should be the judgment of your sect’s Enforcement Hall, not for you to set up an execution here privately. If you don’t step aside now, don’t blame my Azure Water Pavilion for being impolite.”

The four disciples were furious but dared not challenge her. In the end, they could only grit their teeth and move aside. Only then did Qin Yixuan lead her fellow disciples forward unhurriedly. However, her direction deviated slightly from Ye Li’s, clearly indicating she was not pursuing her.

…

Ye Li pushed herself to the limit, running for an unknown distance, until she finally found an extremely hidden stone crevice in the depths of a remote underground cave filled with stalactites. She carefully squeezed in. Only after confirming her temporary safety did her taut nerves relax slightly, and a powerful wave of weakness and dizziness instantly washed over her.

She leaned against the cold stone wall, panting heavily. She immediately took out all her healing pills, regardless of quality, swallowing them all at once. Simultaneously, she held a spirit stone in each hand, fully circulating the Subtle Universe Emperor Scripture, guiding the medicinal power and spiritual energy to repair her damaged meridians and internal organs.

The fragment of the Wheel of Reincarnation Mirror also emitted a gentle, clear light, nourishing her nearly dried-up Sea of Consciousness and exhausted soul.

Time passed slowly. Occasionally, the sounds of distant cultivators passing by or the roars of demonic beasts from outside the cave sent shivers down Ye Li’s spine. She was currently extremely vulnerable; any Condensing Meridian Realm cultivator or a Tier 2 demonic beast could easily take her life.

After an unknown period, the pills finally took effect, and her spiritual energy recovered by one or two tenths. Her injuries were temporarily suppressed. She slowly opened her eyes, which were still tired, but she had at least regained some mobility.

She had to leave the secret realm as soon as possible! Gao Sheng must have set up an inescapable trap at the exit.

She checked her supplies: her short sword was broken, her talismans were exhausted, and her pills were nearly gone. Only the three precious drops of Stellar Source Essence, the Profound Huan Token, the Void Divine Crystal, and other core treasures remained untouched. These were her trump cards and could not be used lightly.

“It seems I have no choice but to use that…” A flicker of pain, but more of determination, crossed Ye Li’s eyes. She took out a seemingly ancient, obscurely powerful talisman—the Disguise and Aura Concealment Talisman. This was one of the most successful life-saving talismans she had previously refined. It could change her appearance and figure and conceal her aura for two hours. Unless a cultivator was an entire major realm higher than her and examined her carefully, it would be difficult to see through.

This was the last retreat she had prepared for herself.

Without hesitation, she immediately activated the Disguise and Aura Concealment Talisman. A faint light flashed. Her appearance became ordinary, her figure slightly bloated, and her aura was suppressed to the level of a mere Spirit Awakening Tier 3 or 4 cultivator. She looked like an ordinary rogue cultivator who had survived the secret realm by luck but gained nothing.

She changed her bloodied clothes and disposed of all traces that might expose her identity before carefully emerging from her hiding spot.

For the rest of the journey, she became even more cautious, choosing routes that were rarely traveled and topographically complex. Along the way, she indeed sensed several groups of Xuan Yun Sect disciples searching around and even saw Gao Sheng and his group guarding a main exit.

But relying on her disguise and caution, she avoided all searches without mishap, eventually quietly leaving the Cloud Mist Secret Realm through a relatively remote exit that required passing through a dangerous toxic swamp.

Only when the warm sunlight shone on her body again and she breathed the fresh air outside the secret realm did Ye Li truly relax. But she knew that the crisis had not been resolved; it had merely shifted from within the secret realm to the wider sect and spiritual world.

Gao Sheng’s slander, the coveting brought by the leaked legacy, and the potential internal struggles within the sect… all of this would lead to a greater storm upon her return to the Xuan Yun Sect.

She looked back at the slowly closing secret realm entrance, her eyes cold and resolute.

“Gao Sheng, Battle Mania Peak… and those enemies hiding in the dark… This debt, I, Ye Li, have remembered!”

With a flash of her figure, she merged into the forest, speeding toward the Xuan Yun Sect. The road ahead was destined to be filled with thorns, but she was fearless.