Transmigrated as the Villainous Love Rival of the Abusive Novel's Heroine [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 28.2

Chapter 28.2: The Struggle

“Do it!”

While Xing Yan had no fellow disciples to discipline, the others didn’t even need to show their faces to beat those panicked, terrified wastrels on the first level half to death.

“Retreat! Hurry, retreat!” After having a chunk of flesh sliced away by a stray begonia petal, the Changxian Sect Leader’s face filled with horror as he led his people in a frantic charge outward.

“We can’t get out! The Zhou Tian Pavilion is sealed; we’re trapped!” A Spirit Severing cultivator who had been running at the front stumbled back trembling, his face ashen, his mental state wavering as heart-demons began to swarm.

Compared to the Nascent Soul cultivators who were pinned to the ground by terrifying pressure, unable to even lift their heads, and the many Golden Core cultivators who had been killed by the shockwaves, these Spirit Severing masters could still run and fly.

But they could not break through the pavilion’s barrier!

“If I had known this was a trap, we never would have come!” The elders of the Wanyang Sect had bloodshot eyes. Their ceremonial robes were tattered, and their skin was scored with numerous wounds deep enough to show bone.

“It’s all the Changxian Sect’s fault!” Others immediately turned their spears toward the instigator. Now that everyone was facing death, who cared about saving face? Tearing off the mask of civility was the only outcome.

The elders of Changxian looked grim, and the Sect Leader gnashed his teeth, his eyes so red they looked ready to drip blood.

Yun Qianxue! Yun Qianxue! It’s all that woman! If she hadn’t egged us on!

But they couldn’t say it. None of them had breathed a word about Yun Qianxue’s original suggestion. They had wanted to hoard all the glory of attacking the Zhou Tian Pavilion for themselves; seeing that Yun Qianxue was “sensible” enough not to compete or make a scene, they had grown so arrogant they didn’t even want to bring that sickly woman along. They feared she would be a drag, yet feared she would steal the credit.

Looking at it now, where was she being “sensible”? She was clearly watching the play!

“What is the use of saying this now!” Narrowly dodging a sharp attack aimed at his companion, the Changxian Sect Leader cast aside his usual gentle facade. He barked, “We’d better find a way to leave, fast!”

He raised his magical artifact. The other elders understood instantly, transmitting orders to the other Spirit Severing cultivators of Changxian to surround the group.

“Follow the Sect Leader’s orders! If anyone dares to run off alone, don’t blame my sword for being heartless!” Chang Muyang roared, his face covered in blood and his expression distorted. If he had to die, he would be the last one, and he would make sure these people were buried with him first.

Seeing this, the cultivators from other sects glared at them with fury, but hindered by the sharp attacks coming from the bottom of the pavilion and the Changxian Sect’s numerical advantage, they dared not leave on their own. They regretted their choices so much their intestines turned green. Why did they insist on participating in this demon-slaying war just to covet the treasures of the Zhou Tian Pavilion? Instead of gain, they had traded their own lives. It wasn’t worth it—not worth it at all…

“Eh? That person is a bit strange.” Among the Golden Core cultivators pinned to the ground, Pan Yang stood out like a sore thumb, hiding behind a tree and refusing to kneel because of his “noble identity” as the Son of Heaven’s Fate.

“It’s the Heavenly Dao.” Elder Xing Yan, who had noticed long ago, spoke the truth. Their attacks were all being blocked by a strange force. This power carried a sense of death and cruelty—one they had experienced when the Heavenly Gate was first destroyed.

“As expected. I said the Heavenly Gate wouldn’t be so easy to reopen.” Back then, the Heavenly Dao was determined to destroy the Gate completely. For some reason, it ended up split into four pieces—a stroke of luck that prevented this realm from being totally sealed off and saved all living beings from certain death a thousand years later under the Heavenly Dao’s unkindness.

“Elder Xing Yan, what do we do?” Faced with that bastard Heavenly Dao, the great masters present dared not move easily. It wasn’t fear of death, but fear of affecting Qing-qing’s attempt to open the Gate.

“No need to be so cautious.” Xing Yan shook his head. From the moment Yin Shaoqing resolved to go to the Vast Sea and obtained the Heaven-Soaking Dew, the Heavenly Dao had likely developed a killing intent toward her. Now that this cultivator had brought the Heavenly Dao into the Zhou Tian Pavilion, the Heavenly Dao would discover through their attacks that the people it once wanted to destroy were still alive.

“If the Heavens wish to destroy you, they will not hold back.” Xing Yan broke the shackles on his body. A pale blue formation stepped out from beneath his feet; one step shattered ten thousand bonds. The Immortal-Binding Locks on the thousand people in the abyss shattered simultaneously, and their suppressed cultivation surged upward.

The cultivators on the first level were like withered leaves on a vast sea, drifting amidst towering waves, facing the prospect of being torn apart and ground to dust at any moment.

“Warning the Son of Heaven’s Fate: to preserve your life, you must absorb the cultivation of a thousand Golden Core cultivators.”

Even with the mask of civility torn off, the Heavenly Dao could only find ways to preserve Pan Yang for its own survival. It didn’t understand what “frustration” was, but every time it helped Pan Yang block an attack, its data would experience a long period of chaotic flow.

Pan Yang had no objection. He was the Son of Heaven’s Fate; it was only right for these cultivators to sacrifice their lives for him. They should feel honored.

A transparent power filled with immense malice erupted from Pan Yang, covering the entire Zhou Tian Pavilion and rapidly plundering the cultivation and lives of the Golden Core cultivators. The feeling of being filled with power was intoxicating. Pan Yang held his head high, spreading his arms as he stood in this world, savoring the sensation of becoming stronger. He laughed wildly—he was the King! The Destiny! The Master!

BOOM!! A Seven-Star Ring Formation carrying vast killing power slammed directly into him, interrupting his nauseating laughter.

Amidst the rising dust, Pan Yang looked through the pavilion with displeasure and saw the thousand-plus people standing ready in the abyss. Scanning their cultivation, his heart skipped a beat.

“Why didn’t you tell me there were so many people hidden inside the Zhou Tian Pavilion?!” Pan Yang’s eyes were red with rage. This damned Heavenly Dao was never reliable!

The Heavenly Dao did not answer. It hadn’t known before; it only discovered them after Pan Yang entered the pavilion this time. However, whether to tell Pan Yang had become an invalid notification—either way, Pan Yang couldn’t escape with his current ability, so speaking or staying silent made no difference.

Receiving no answer, Pan Yang could only turn his gaze toward the Spirit Severing masters. He felt he could kill these hundred masters on his own, but with wolves and tigers watching from behind, he could only force them to help him break the Zhou Tian barrier and escape.

Following Xing Yan’s strike, the Heavenly Dao had already mobilized the power of heaven and earth to suppress them. As long as they remained within this world, they were its subjects and had to bow before it. How could a mere ant move the river or shake the tree?

“Use your full strength to attack that spot.” Straightening his back as he walked past the Wanyang elders, Pan Yang disdained to acknowledge these “commoners” anymore.

The elders, who had been excitedly wanting to reclaim this disciple, all darkened their faces. “Bah!” the Third Elder of Wanyang spat. What a piece of work. Just because he used a foul technique to boost his cultivation? Who knew if he would suffer backlash in a few days, bleeding from his orifices and having his soul extinguished, unable to even reincarnate? The corpses of the Golden Core cultivators he killed were still on the ground; what was he acting like a saint for!

The steady confidence that had only just returned to Pan Yang’s face shattered again. His expression distorted instantly into a mask of rage. He flicked his fingers, and the Third Elder was torn to shreds by a violent spiritual energy vortex before he could even scream. This scene terrified the others. Among them were those who were dissatisfied or indignant, but facing Pan Yang’s maniacal expression, every word stayed stuck in their throats.

Pan Yang’s gaze was full of the contempt they were familiar with, and a cold indifference that made them shiver. This man did not care for their lives, just as they hadn’t cared for the dead Golden Core cultivators. A traveler does not care about the ants beneath his feet.

These masters, who had always been high and mighty, felt a rush of blood to their faces—a humiliating experience of being forced to obey him. It felt wonderful to Pan Yang. He raised his hand to straighten his collar; he would open the barrier, and then wait here for his beloved Little Junior Sister. Here, he would welcome her home.

With the Heavenly Dao suppressing Xuan Ziwen and the others, the pavilion array they upheld had largely failed. The remaining part was what Yin Shaoqing had arranged. Having plundered the cultivation of a thousand Golden Core cultivators, Pan Yang had leaped into the Spirit Severing stage. In reality, he felt his actual strength should be at the Void Refining stage.

Yet even his Void Refining strength, combined with a hundred Spirit Severing experts, could not break that interlocking, array-over-array barrier. Pan Yang was enraged and tried to smash the pillars supporting the pavilion, only to find after a long time that it was futile. Those pillars were inscribed with Heaven-rank arrays by Yin Shaoqing. Unless the sea rocks at the bottom of the celestial sea vanished completely, the pillars would rapidly repair themselves after being damaged. Pan Yang’s speed of destruction could not match the speed of the pillars’ restoration.

“There’s no time.” Pan Yang looked around the pavilion anxiously. By his Little Junior Sister’s pace, she would arrive within half a day. If they were still trapped like monkeys in a cage by then, wouldn’t he lose all face?

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Pan Yang’s eyes. Almost simultaneously, the dark, murderous power of the Heavenly Dao erupted, sweeping over all the Nascent Soul cultivators.

“What are you doing!” Among those Nascent Soul cultivators were the disciples and even blood relatives of the Spirit Severing masters. Now, their friends and students were dying before their eyes, and they could only watch helplessly.

They watched with wide eyes, unable to do a thing. Because the moment one man asked the question, he was sliced in two by Pan Yang, and his cultivation was plundered entirely. They were all Spirit Severing cultivators, yet Pan Yang killed them with a wave of his hand. They were struggling just to save their own lives; where would they find the ability to protect others? Do not blame them for being cold-hearted; they were powerless and forced into a corner.

Like a jar of venomous insects, Pan Yang ultimately became the King of the Zhou Tian jar. Leading the fewer than a hundred Spirit Severing masters he hadn’t killed in his rage, he broke the Zhou Tian Pavilion barrier.

The moment the barrier broke, Yun Qianxue arrived. Simultaneously, the returning Yin Shaoqing sensed it too.

Traveling ten thousand miles with every step, it would still take half a day to reach the pavilion. Yin Shaoqing had never felt the distance between the Vast Sea and Zhou Tian to be so vast.

“Host, stay calm. The Female Lead is not in danger.” The fat cat sat on Yin Shaoqing’s shoulder, tilting its head to rub against her cheek as a comfort. The one truly in danger should be the Heavenly Dao.

The moment Yun Qianxue appeared, the Heavenly Dao Curse tightened abruptly, and she felt a searing pain in her soul. Likely, the Heavenly Dao wanted her to clear the path for retreat and let Pan Yang pass.

But was the Zhou Tian Pavilion a place where people like them could come and go as they pleased?

The remaining Spirit Severing masters, their mental states shaken and heart-demons hidden after being tormented by Pan Yang, were powerless to settle scores with Yun Qianxue. Only Pan Yang walked forward with a gentle, spring-like smile. With a flick of his fingers, a high-quality green spirit jade appeared in his palm. Pan Yang knew his Little Junior Sister liked green spirit jade, so he had specifically taken it from a woman in a flower house. This piece was carved into the shape of a lotus. Pan Yang believed his Little Junior Sister only needed one look to understand his devotion.

“Little Junior Sister, you’ve finally returned. I’ve waited for you for so long. Look—this is the green spirit jade I found specifically for you. Do you like it?”

How could someone be this disgusting? Fickle and a complete scumbag through and through?

Yun Qianxue’s brow furrowed slightly as she took half a step back. The scent of rouge and powder on Pan Yang was stiflingly thick. Although he hadn’t been able to land another capable woman, he still frequented places like flower houses.

“Junior Sister, come here.” Yun Qianxue made no effort to hide her disgust, and Pan Yang’s expression darkened instantly, his tone turning dangerous.

Yun Qianxue let out a cold laugh. “What kind of thing are you to dare command me?”

There was only one person in this world who could command her and expect her absolute obedience.

Why? Why, now that he had become strong, did Little Junior Sister still refuse to look at him?

Pan Yang crushed the jade with one hand and raised the other high. Since he couldn’t have her smile, he would destroy this face and this person completely!

“Roar!” The Black Tiger on Yun Qianxue’s shoulder had long been wary of this dandy. It leaped up, its claws sharp enough to cut metal and jade, slashing toward Pan Yang’s heart!

Pan Yang didn’t even dodge, confident the Heavenly Dao would block for him. Sure enough, the Heavenly Dao threw the tiger back with immense force. The Black Tiger, which had been arrogant for a thousand years, was humiliated for the first time—this strike from the Heavenly Dao actually left it with a limp.

“Sister, I didn’t know you’d started keeping such animals.” Pan Yang’s gloomy gaze swept over the tiger. He gave a dangerous smile, his eyes full of madness, as he flicked the robes over his chest and smiled gently: “I know a bit of beast-taming; since this little thing is so unruly, why not hand it to me to be… trained?”

Look at him—speaking as if he and Yun Qianxue were still on good terms. Even when they were at their most ambiguous, Pan Yang hadn’t spoken like this.

“Whatever you’re planning, I advise you to crawl back into the pavilion and stay there quietly.” Yun Qianxue crushed the restriction. Her Golden Core cultivation surged abruptly.

Pan Yang watched as Yun Qianxue broke through from Golden Core to Void Refining, and then shifted into a terrifying pressure that transcended the world—the aura of an Immortal. With a wave of her long sleeve, the Spirit Severing masters were struck directly back into the pavilion. Even Pan Yang was blown back several hundred feet; if not for the Heavenly Dao’s protection, he would have been heavily injured.

Pan Yang scrambled up somewhat disheveled, his lips twitching, wanting to speak but unable to. He clearly sensed a mysterious aura from Yun Qianxue, like a celestial goddess of the Nine Heavens or an ancient deity. These things fanned the flames in his heart and piqued his desire to conquer. Only a Junior Sister like this was worthy of being with him.

With the Heavenly Dao’s support, Yun Qianxue couldn’t heavily injure Pan Yang, and Pan Yang likewise could do nothing to her. Ultimately, Pan Yang had only absorbed the cultivation of those Golden Core and Nascent Soul cultivators, while the luck determined by the laws of their bodies was plundered by the Heavenly Dao to replenish itself.

Another Heaven-rank formation shattered, and both Pan Yang and Yun Qianxue retreated a hundred steps. Unable to take her down, Pan Yang grew violent. He flicked his sleeves, setting his sights on the Spirit Severing masters behind him.

Yun Qianxue’s expression was also poor; the Heavenly Dao Curse was incessantly tearing at her soul. It was no easy feat to fight Pan Yang to a draw while in such agony. An Immortal who hadn’t been baptized by heavenly lightning was ultimately a bit lacking; furthermore, the Heavenly Dao was suppressing her cultivation—the Void Refining stage was a threshold. You could reveal power stronger than Void Refining, but you absolutely could not openly raise your realm to Immortal, or the Heavenly Dao would destroy you directly. This was a rule written with most of the Heavenly Dao’s laws to make it easier to plunder the luck of living beings and prevent them from becoming strong enough to resist.

A thousand cold lotus petals, each carrying a killing intent—Yun Qianxue prepared a hidden killing move, a look of indifferent coldness flashing in the depths of her eyes. She truly wanted to kill Pan Yang. That bone-chilling killing intent didn’t even need the Heavenly Dao’s warning; Pan Yang instantly pounced on the Spirit Severing masters in the pavilion. He looked monstrous, like an un-evolved beast, devouring their cultivation and luck.

Yun Qianxue roared, “A Thousand Lotuses emerge, breaking evil and purifying the hundred filth!”

Under the Heavenly Dao’s control, Pan Yang pushed his palms forward. A viscous, grey-black spiritual energy ball surged toward Yun Qianxue as she stood in mid-air. That spiritual energy, mixed with the sorrow, wailing, and indignation of plundered life, catalyzed heart-demons and collaborated with the Heavenly Dao Curse to strike Yun Qianxue a heavy blow. Her formation barrier failed to stop the grey energy, which clung like a maggot in bone; the overwhelming darkness of the emotions felt like a mountain pressing down on her.

Her throat felt sweet, and she coughed up a mouthful of blood. The Heavenly Dao took the opportunity to control the now-crazed Pan Yang to fly upward, his hands forming claws to ruthlessly strike at Yun Qianxue’s skull!

BOOM—

Celestial light broke through the dark clouds! Tiangang, cloaked in stars and thunderous rage, crossed mountains and seas to break the Heavenly Dao with a single sword strike!

“Seeking death!” A clear, furious cry rang out from the junction of sky and sea.

With every step covering ten thousand miles, before Pan Yang could be pierced by Tiangang through the pavilion and nailed to the seabed, and while Yun Qianxue’s thin body was swaying and unable to stand, a scent of peach blossoms arrived with the dust of travel. Powerful arms pulled her into an embrace, warm and reliable.

With a splitting headache and red eyes, Yun Qianxue instinctively buried her face in the person’s embrace. Like a kitten’s soft whimper, she whispered with a low sob: “Why are you only back now?”

Her head throbbed, her body ached, and her soul was in agony.

The Black Tiger’s eyes widened as it watched this black-hearted, “wicked” woman hide in the embrace of another tall, cold woman. Curled up, acting spoiled, wanting hugs and kisses.

Black Tiger: “…” Just destroy it! My eyes are going blind! In broad daylight, in the bright world, two people acting all clingy—how is this proper?!

“Kiss later! Host, the Heavenly Dao is getting back up!” The fat cat, at its limit, kicked Yin Shaoqing in the face.

The Tiangang Sword couldn’t pin Pan Yang forever; a huge rift had already been smashed into the seabed. Sea water poured in. Amidst the roar, Pan Yang charged out, covered in salty sea water.

The Tiangang Sword transformed into flowing light and returned to her hand. With one arm, Yin Shaoqing circled Yun Qianxue’s slender waist and placed her on the back of the enlarged Black Tiger. In her haste, she didn’t forget to kiss her forehead. Her long, powerful fingers, calloused from years of holding Tiangang, smoothed the hair by Yun Qianxue’s ear.

Yin Shaoqing’s eyes held a smile, instantly warming the biting frost and dazzling like distant falling peach blossoms. She placed the divine power crystal into Yun Qianxue’s palm, her red lips parting to comfort her: “Rest easy. Wait for me.”

Then, Tiangang drew a circle. She turned and left; no matter how powerful the Heavenly Dao was, she would ensure Qianxue remained safe.

Lying on the Black Tiger’s back, Yun Qianxue closed her palm, watching the retreating back—the black clothes fluttering, tall and slender, yet so reliable.

The heavens were collapsing, and the line between loyal and treacherous was blurred, but she could rely on Tiangang to save the essence. No matter how the wind and rain poured down, she would remain as steady as a mountain.