Luo Jinxiao was pushed with such force that she almost fell, but her nimble steps allowed her to regain her balance in front of Qu Weiyin.
Qu Weiyin’s lips twitched slightly, but her expression quickly turned cold as she motioned for Luo Jinxiao to step aside. “You’ll go last. Watch carefully.”
Luo Jinxiao scratched her head, standing behind Qu Weiyin, unsure of her intentions.
The next to step forward was a timid girl, blushing and unsure of where to place her hands. After some trembling, she began to channel her spiritual power.
Everyone held their breath, but the center of the hall remained empty. Disappointed, the girl began to cry. Qu Weiyin looked impatient, and Chang Siyu motioned for her to step aside.
“Yan Ying, you’re next,” Chang Siyu said.
Yan Ying strode forward confidently. Her talent was impressive, and soon a formation took shape. As spiritual power poured in, a gusty wind arose.
Everyone except Qu Weiyin and Chang Siyu was blown off balance. Qu Weiyin, in particular, remained unmoved, not a strand of her hair fluttering.
Luo Jinxiao, standing behind Qu Weiyin, was also spared, stepping back only slightly.
“Is it a spirit beast? A bird?” the crowd exclaimed. “A peacock, it’s a peacock!”
Yan Ying’s eyes widened with joy. According to legend, the phoenix birthed nine chicks, and the peacock, being the sixth, is fierce. Though not a true divine beast, it was nearly there. Summoning such a beast was a great stroke of luck.
Even Chang Siyu was impressed, offering praise repeatedly.
The newly summoned peacock, still a chick, perched on Yan Ying’s shoulder and fell asleep. She returned to the crowd, beaming, sparking a commotion.
“Next,” Qu Weiyin said, seemingly unaffected.
The following summoners were less remarkable, mostly summoning ordinary spirit beasts. Nonetheless, everyone was satisfied. Lu Fanzhi stood out by summoning a massive, yellow, fat cat, which simply fell asleep and required several people to carry it aside. Luo Jinxiao laughed heartily at the sight.
Her laughter was cut short when Qu Weiyin glanced at her. “You, step forward.”
Luo Jinxiao swallowed her smile and approached the center of the hall with seriousness.
Whispers surrounded her, anticipating her failure, but she paid no mind. She focused intently on the formation in front of her.
When Luo Jinxiao was serious, her eyes held a subtle gleam. Her profile was like a painting, each stroke and angle perfectly balanced. Her smile was sweet, and her unsmiling expression serene.
Qu Weiyin found herself momentarily captivated by Luo Jinxiao and quickly averted her gaze, clearing her throat softly.
Luo Jinxiao skillfully prepared herself, extending her right hand as spiritual power gathered slowly before pouring into the formation. She was grateful for her recent training, which allowed her to complete the formation.
As expected, there was no movement, and Luo Jinxiao was not disappointed. She was about to withdraw her spiritual power when suddenly, the previously calm formation darkened. Shadows rose into the air and expanded rapidly, casting everyone aside with screams echoing through the hall.
Qu Weiyin instinctively cast a seal, enveloping the disciples in a protective golden barrier. She frowned as she approached to assist Luo Jinxiao but stopped when Luo Jinxiao shouted, “Don’t move!”
She halted immediately.
Luo Jinxiao was drenched in sweat, sensing that what she was about to summon was not something good. She tried desperately to suppress it, but the entity within the formation was determined to break free.
Grinding her teeth in concentration, Luo Jinxiao summoned every ounce of her spiritual power to contain the terrifying presence within the formation.
Yet, her spiritual power was too weak to handle such a formidable creature, and the taste of blood filled her throat as she nearly fainted.
Qu Weiyin watched coldly from her spot, her expression unchanging, though her palms were slick with sweat.
Luo Jinxiao, now oblivious to everything else, recited a mantra in an attempt to use the seal to prevent the creature from emerging. It was futile; soon, a massive head appeared in the center of the hall.
The beast, finally seeing the light of day, shook its head and tail excitedly, unwilling to be controlled. It opened its mouth to roar, and its foul breath swept over Luo Jinxiao, causing her to stagger.
Forcing her eyes open, Luo Jinxiao could barely make out the enormous head, several times larger than her arm. It looked ferocious, with red eyes and golden fur marked with stripes.
Momentarily, Luo Jinxiao could not identify it until murmurs of fear erupted around her. The beast’s body broke free, standing tall with tiger-like paws and pillar-like legs, an imposing presence.
With a whoosh, crimson wings unfurled from its back, shaking the air and pushing Luo Jinxiao back a few steps.
“What is that? It looks like a tiger, but why does it have wings?” someone asked, their voice trembling.
Luo Jinxiao realized what it was without needing an answer and was equally shocked.
It was the ancient ferocious beast, Qiongqi!
The Qiongqi was still young, but according to ancient texts, it resembled a tiger with bird-like wings, a creature to be eradicated as it was a man-eater.
If Luo Jinxiao remembered correctly, in her past life, Qu Weiyin, after becoming a demon lord, often used a fierce Qiongqi as her mount.
No time to ponder, the beast grew restless, seeking to break free and wreak havoc in the hall. Luo Jinxiao struggled to hold on, her shoulder skewed as the beast tugged fiercely.
With a shrill cry, the Qiongqi spewed a foul breath, causing Luo Jinxiao to flinch, trying to dodge.
In the blink of an eye, Qu Weiyin, who had been standing still, moved. Her figure suddenly appeared beside Luo Jinxiao, pulling her behind as she unleashed her powerful spiritual energy throughout the hall.
Her palm emitted a golden light that enveloped the beast tightly. The Qiongqi, bound, grew angrier, its eyes burning as if on fire.
“It’s getting angry. Chang Siyu, get everyone out!” Qu Weiyin shouted sternly.
Chang Siyu, snapping out of his daze, quickly hurried to the sides of the hall, pulling the bewildered disciples outside.
After ensuring their safety, Chang Siyu, worried about Qu Weiyin, rushed back in, only to be swatted against the wall by the Qiongqi, falling unconscious.
“Why are you standing there? Get out if you want to live!” Qu Weiyin shouted, one hand guarding Luo Jinxiao while restraining the Qiongqi.
The hall was filled with fierce winds and blinding light, casting Qu Weiyin’s profile in a hazy silhouette, her hair flowing like golden and silver strands, ethereal as a celestial being.
Luo Jinxiao hesitated for a moment before heeding her words and moving aside.
Qu Weiyin, no longer looking at her, stood alone in the hall’s center. Her robes fluttered, her stance tall and slender, embodying the graceful curves of a woman. Her red lips were pursed, and her phoenix eyes focused intently on the beast.
Dazzling yet solitary.
Luo Jinxiao had not taken many steps before instinctively turning back, dodging the gust from the Qiongqi’s wings.
Though young, the Qiongqi was an ancient beast, and Qu Weiyin, not yet the demon lord she would become, could not fully control it. She felt overwhelmed, her mind turning to killing intent. Raising her right hand, the Remnant Moon and Star Sword appeared, floating in the air, its sheath opening to unleash a crimson glow that subdued the Qiongqi.
“To hold emptiness and stand firm, all things come together,” Qu Weiyin murmured, her eyes shimmering with determination, attempting to subdue the Qiongqi by force.
The Qiongqi, knowing Qu Weiyin was not easy to deal with, suddenly turned its attention to Luo Jinxiao, intending to bite her head off with its gaping maw.
Before Luo Jinxiao could react, a soft arm wrapped around her waist from behind, pulling her into a warm, fragrant embrace, shielding her completely.
Her heart clenched as if gripped tightly, her cheeks flushing.
Qu Weiyin, unbeknownst to her, was suddenly by her side again, protecting her without hesitation, whispering harshly in her ear, “Useless.”
Luo Jinxiao never expected Qu Weiyin to save her, and in her stunned state, she noticed a trace of blood at the corner of Qu Weiyin’s mouth, staining her lips.
The scent of blood drove the Qiongqi further into madness, uncontrollable, and with Qu Weiyin injured from protecting her, she struggled to maintain control, yet her hold on Luo Jinxiao remained firm.
Luo Jinxiao felt a surge of self-loathing for being someone who needed protection.
A thought crossed her mind, and she whispered a mantra.
Instantly, another chilling spiritual force filled the hall, colder and more intense than before, turning the summer air to frost, piercingly cold.
“Be careful,” she whispered apologetically in Qu Weiyin’s ear.
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