"Immortal... an immortal!" In stark contrast to the other's disdain, the people below were staring at the figure in the sky with shining eyes. "Are you an immortal from the celestial mountain?"
"An immortal?" The man glanced at the speaker and chuckled lightly. "Indeed, I am an immortal destined to ascend."
At these words, the crowd grew even more excited.
"It really is an immortal!"
"Wonderful, the immortal has finally come!"
"Is the immortal here to take us away?"
"We can go to the celestial mountain now!"
Everyone chattered eagerly, their faces alight with excitement.
"Take you away?" The man in the sky laughed even more heartily, nodding. "Yes, indeed, I am here to take you away." His gaze swept coldly over the people below—though he wore a smile, there was not a trace of warmth in it. Suddenly, he raised his hand, and a flash of light revealed a folding fan in his palm. He unfolded it leisurely. "You'd better be prepared."
Shi Xia, however, felt an ominous premonition. The others, lost in their excitement about entering the celestial mountain, only grew more impatient, with many urging him on.
"Please, Immortal, work your magic and help us."
The man's smile narrowed into a slit as he raised his fan. "Since you've gathered here, you must be disciples seeking to join the Tianchen Sect. I’ll be generous and reunite you with your sect’s ancestors—let me send you all to meet them."
Shi Xia’s heart sank. These words didn’t sound right. "Wait—"
Before she could finish, the man swung his arm and declared loudly, "I’ll reunite you underground!"
A flood of black mist erupted from his fan, surging toward the crowd like a tidal wave. In an instant, it engulfed the entire meadow. Shi Xia barely had time to react before she saw the people around her collapsing one after another.
The previously noisy crowd fell deathly silent—no resistance, not even a chance to speak.
"Hahahaha!" The man’s laughter grew wilder, his face twisting into a grotesque mask of glee. "Don’t blame me for being ruthless. You brought this upon yourselves by choosing the Tianchen Sect. As long as I, Hei Sha, live, no disciple of Tianchen shall survive. Since you dared to join—"
His words cut off abruptly as his eyes bulged in shock. He stared at Shi Xia as if seeing a ghost. "You... why are you still standing?"
"Uh..." Shi Xia stiffened. "Should I... lie down too?"
The man’s face darkened with fury. "You dare mock me?"
I didn’t! Would you believe me if I said I’m just used to smog?
He didn’t give her a chance to explain. With another flick of his fan, razor-sharp black wind blades shot toward her.
Shi Xia instinctively rolled aside just as the ground where she’d stood exploded into a half-meter-deep trench.
"Holy crap!" Her heart nearly leaped out of her chest. This guy was seriously trying to kill her.
Before she could even get up, another wind blade came hurtling toward her face. This is it—I’m about to be sliced in half. She squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the pain—but it never came. Instead, a gust of wind rushed past her, followed by a familiar roar.
When she opened her eyes, a massive yellow figure stood protectively in front of her.
"Da Miao!" Wasn’t that the monster from before? Why was it here?
The giant cat glanced back at her, its earlier ferocity gone, replaced by a friendly "meow" before turning to snarl threateningly at the man in the sky.
It was... protecting her?
Did a bag of dried fish really forge this friendship?
So touching. The feline community is truly kind!
"So, the guardian beast of the mountain," the man sneered, narrowing his eyes. "No wonder you resisted my Soul-Devouring Mist." His voice dripped with contempt. "Hmph, what can a mere fifth-tier spirit beast do against me?"
He unleashed another volley of wind blades. Da Miao swiped its massive paw, shattering them midair, then spread its wings and lunged at him. The black-robed man dodged effortlessly, countering with more wind blades. The battle raged fiercely above.
Shi Xia watched nervously, silently cheering for her feline ally. Seizing the moment, she checked the fallen people—they were still breathing, but weakly, likely due to the black mist.
As she pondered how to help, a pained yowl echoed from above. She looked up to see Da Miao bleeding from a deep gash. Her heart clenched—it was losing.
Though strong enough to deflect the wind blades, Da Miao couldn’t keep up with the man’s agility. The relentless attacks took their toll, and now, wounded, it couldn’t evade a massive black blade aimed at its belly.
"OWOOOO—!"
The strike landed squarely. Da Miao crashed to the ground, unable to rise, blood pouring from its wound.
"Da Miao!" Shi Xia’s heart twisted. She rushed over, finding a palm-long gash on its belly, blood gushing unstoppably.
Rage ignited inside her, burning away all fear. "You bastard! How dare you hurt a cat? Don’t you know I’m a member of the Animal Protection Association? I’ll end you!"
Snatching a wooden stick from the ground, she charged recklessly at the man.
"Seeking death!" He sneered, forming a hand seal. A fiery magic circle flared before him, conjuring a fireball that swelled taller than a person. With a flick of his fan, he hurled it at her.
Blistering heat rushed at her face. Gripping the stick, Shi Xia felt no fear—whether dying for people or for a cat, she’d go down fighting!
When the fireball was mere centimeters away, leaving no time to reflect on her short life, a streak of white light struck it from above. Instead of being engulfed in flames, she was smothered in soot.
The fireball vanished.
Embedded in the ground beside her was a translucent sword of light.
The once-arrogant Hei Sha paled, panic flashing in his eyes. He turned to flee on his sword but was crushed midair, crashing down in a bloody heap, unable to move.
Huh? What just happened?
The previously dim sky suddenly brightened with a blinding white light. Looking up, Shi Xia saw a massive circular formation, as large as a sports field, covering the entire meadow above. It emitted a radiant glow, with a ring of swords—identical to the one at her feet—floating around its edges.
The black mist vanished without a trace.
Above the formation, a faint white figure flickered in and out of view. The light was so intense that Shi Xia had to squint, unable to make out any details.
Had this person saved her?
"Hei Sha, you demon! Let’s see where you run now." A teenage boy flew in from the right, charging straight toward the black-clad man coughing up blood nearby.
Shi Xia let out a sigh of relief. Well, seeing you in white robes puts my mind at ease.
The boy quickly bound Hei Sha tightly like a dumpling before turning to the sky and bowing respectfully. "I never expected to meet the Grand Patriarch here. Thank you for your assistance."
There was no response from the figure in the sky, who remained motionless amidst the glowing swords, nothing more than a distant silhouette in snow-white robes. Shi Xia muttered under her breath, "Show-offs get struck by lightning."
The boy, however, seemed accustomed to this and instead looked at Shi Xia in surprise. "Huh?"
"Hi there, good guy," Shi Xia greeted with a wave.
"After being exposed to that poisonous mist, how is anyone still conscious?" The boy quickly approached, studying her closely. "How did you manage that?"
What if I said it was because of my good looks—would you believe me? "I don’t know… Oh! Miao!" She suddenly remembered her feline companion and turned to see Da Miao lying in an expanding pool of blood, letting out occasional pained whimpers.
"Da Miao…" Shi Xia’s heart ached. It had gotten hurt trying to protect her. She gently stroked its head before turning to the boy. "Judging by your uniform, you must be a decent immortal. Can you save Da Miao?"
Uniform? The boy’s lip twitched, but he stepped forward to examine the cat. "This… isn’t this the guardian spirit beast of Tianchen Sect? Why is it here? Unless…" He whipped his head toward the bound Hei Sha.
"Hahahaha!" Hei Sha laughed maniacally. "Too bad you’re too late. Tianchen Sect no longer exists in this world."
"You… you actually wiped out the entire Tianchen Sect! You monster!" The boy’s face flushed with rage, his eyes burning with fury. He muttered something under his breath, and Hei Sha coughed up more blood.
Unfazed, the demon continued taunting, "Killing me now won’t change anything."
"You’re utterly deranged!" The boy raised a hand, ready to strike.
Shi Xia grabbed his arm. "Enough, oh great immortal! Stop bickering and save the cat first! A life is at stake—it’s losing too much blood!"
The boy hesitated, guilt flashing across his face. "Miss, this is a spirit beast. I’m not skilled in beast taming… Even if I wanted to help, I can’t."
"Then what do we do?" Where was she supposed to find a vet now?
