But how could she hold steady?
That gust of wind and waves surged forward, forming a destructive force that swept away all the scattered rocks and dead branches, leaving them in disarray.
Let alone others, Qiu Ci himself could not maintain his footing.
Seeing Mo Qi come to her rescue, Xin'er felt as if a fish, on the verge of death from thirst, had been thrown back into water. Her heart bloomed with joy, and with greatly increased confidence, her offensive power also surged.
The Haotian Hammer whistled back and forth, like a fierce wind and torrential rain, like rolling thunder, like meteors piercing the sky, continuous and heavy with pressure.
Qiu Ci had been relying on the full might of his army to resist, but now with the army in disarray, where was the might? He was immediately at a disadvantage, struggling to cope.
He grew flustered and wanted to break free and flee. With a sudden burst of power, he dashed to the side.
However, his exertion did not shake Xin'er in the slightest. Xin'er easily followed his escape direction with the Haotian Hammer, smashing him to pieces.
Qiu Ci's soul body emerged from his corpse, intending to slip away.
Mo Qi sent a ribbon-like divine sense, twisting it into fragments, and it vanished into thin air.
At this point, Gong Bing saw that the situation was dire. He seized an opening and fled into the distance, with Huo Chengfeng in hot pursuit, but it seemed he couldn't catch up.
Mo Qi flashed to give chase, only to hear Shi Siyao say, "Brother, I'll go."
As she spoke, she transformed into a streak of green light and departed.
Only then did Mo Qi stop. He suddenly noticed a white light flashing on the ground – the radiance emitted by the Haotian Mirror.
Seeing his eyes shining, Xin'er calmly said, "This is yours. I don't want it!"
Mo Qi coughed dryly, walked forward, picked it up, and placed it in his storage bag. "I'll keep it for you for now..."
The Demonic Army had won again, and the camp was filled with jubilation.
Since Mo Qi had led the uprising, they had been invincible, always victorious and never defeated, earning everyone's respect and affection.
But after this incident, everyone was even more impressed, bowing down in utter admiration.
This was simply divine strategy!
How did he know Qiu Ci would launch a surprise counterattack?
How did he know everyone would...?
How did he know Xin'er's northwest garrison would not be able to hold?
They couldn't figure it out, so they could only worship him, silently offering their admiration in their hearts.
From then on, whispers circulated in the army that Mo Qi could divine the future, knew the heavens and earth, and could foresee five thousand years into the past and five thousand years into the future.
For a time, they revered him as a deity.
In reality, the laws of heaven and earth in Mo Qi's mind would sometimes flash, and in a moment of inspiration, he would capture fragments that vanished as quickly as they appeared, whether he remembered them or not.
As for this matter, even he himself was unsure if he had received any divine revelation from the laws of heaven and earth.
In the Northern Territory of the Southern Continent, within the Zhenghe Sect, in an exquisitely decorated room, Xue Ying lay on the bed, her face haggard, coughing incessantly.
After completing her studies at the Heavenly Rank Academy, she had failed to complete her trial mission and was sent back.
Upon returning home, she spent her days sighing by the flowers, and soon after fell ill.
Xue Renkui watched her grow thinner and her condition worsen, with signs of her old illness recurring. He was extremely anxious.
He also knew that the one who tied the bell must be the one to untie it.
But where could he find the person who tied the bell?
He had inquired about Mo Qi's whereabouts through various channels, and the most reliable information he received was that Mo Qi had gone to the Northern Lu Continent for his trials.
His network was also extensive. According to those who had returned from the New Wilderness, Mo Qi had gone to the Demon Realm and then disappeared.
He believed that Mo Qi must have met a terrible end.
Going to the Demon Realm, a barren land, without a high cultivation level, would most likely mean death.
Therefore, he held no hope for Mo Qi.
However, he had not given up on Xue Ying and began searching for physicians and alchemists everywhere...
But all of them were rejected by Xue Ying.
Xue Ying's health deteriorated, and her spirits waned. She alternated between waking and sleeping, her mind hazy, perpetually caught between consciousness and slumber.
Images flickered before her eyes from time to time, sometimes Mo Qi, sometimes Xue Renkui. She could no longer distinguish between dreams and reality.
One day, she opened her eyes and saw herself.
She found it strange. Had someone placed a mirror in front of her bed?
But she soon realized it was not her. She herself would not have such fierce eyes.
Then who was she?
Her sister?
But she had never heard her father mention having a sister.
Or perhaps, it was an illusion?
She reached out to touch, and indeed, she felt it – a girl who looked exactly like her.
Her smiling face was beautiful, but it exuded an eerie aura that sent shivers down her spine.
"My poor sister, it's been many days since I last saw you. I never imagined you would be living such a desolate life," Lian Xin said with a tone full of pity, but her face remained smiling.
Sister? Xue Ying was bewildered.
She tried to sit up. Her body struggled for a moment, lifting her upper body slightly before collapsing back down in failure.
Lian Xin covered her mouth and chuckled, "I won't harm you. Just lie down and rest. You truly are my sister."
"I also know what you need. I heard you calling out for Shopkeeper Mo in your dreams. Is it Mo Qi?"
Xue Ying sat up abruptly. "You know Mo Qi?"
Lian Xin was startled. Was it that effective? This was too unbelievable.
What a karmic entanglement. They had a destined connection in a past life but were still entangled in this one.
This seemed rather amusing.
She remembered that in the New Wilderness, when Mo Qi first saw her, he had called out Xue Ying's name.
At the time, she didn't understand why. Later, she went to the underworld to investigate the past and present lives of Lian Xi and Li Fan.
She finally understood who Xue Ying was.
Back then, she knew these two would meet again in this lifetime.
However, what she hadn't anticipated was that Lian Xi seemed to have fallen even deeper this time.
Was this lovesickness leading to illness?
"Of course, I know him. I can take you to him," Lian Xin said with a smile.
Xue Ying suddenly changed from her previous despondency, her eyes becoming bright and spirited. "I don't know who you are, and I feel you haven't come to me with good intentions, but I hope you can take me to him."
"No one offers favors without ulterior motives; ancient sayings never lie."
Lian Xi was stunned and momentarily lost for words.
Was my malicious intent so obvious? Was it written on my face?
She couldn't help but wipe her face and smile, "I am absolutely well-intentioned. How can you suspect me of having bad intentions? I look exactly like you. If you suspect me, you're suspecting yourself."
Xue Ying finally remembered to ask about her identity. "Who exactly are you?"
"Your sister, Lian Xin. Your name is Lian Xi," Lian Xin said.
"Then who is Lian Min?" Xue Ying asked.
"Our elder brother."
Xue Ying almost fainted. There really was Lian Min!
Or perhaps, she was making it up?
"Miss, my father only has me as his daughter, and I can guarantee that he did not sow his wild oats elsewhere, so there couldn't be any illegitimate daughters," Xue Ying said earnestly.
"In your past life, you were my sister," Lian Xin said calmly.
Xue Ying was stunned, and at the same time, she quickly accepted Lian Xin's statement.