Zilin Ling sneered, "Indeed, that's a good way to shift blame! But you can only shift it to me if I'm willing to take it, can't you?"
The man in the black robe chuckled coldly, "What? You're not planning to?"
"Why should I?" Zilin Ling smiled contemptuously. "Are your lives precious, and mine like worthless weeds?"
Before the man in the black robe could respond, she continued, "I apologize, I'm not suffering from depression and have no desire to commit suicide. Furthermore, my life is far more valuable than yours, so anyone who tries to take my life will find me returning the favor without hesitation!"
"Very well!"
The man in the black robe gave Zilin Ling a cold glance, then shifted his gaze to Xiao Shan. "What? Is your Hehuan Sect not going to give the Poison Master's Association an explanation either?"
"An explanation? Hahahaha..."
Xiao Shan threw his head back and laughed. "Our Hehuan Sect's Holy Son died in your Qingcheng. Who will give our Hehuan Sect an explanation? I was gravely injured while pursuing the killer. Who will give me an explanation?"
He cast a disdainful look at the man in the black robe and continued, "Hmph! The Poison Master's Association? Others may fear you, but we Hehuan Sect are not afraid! Come! Let this humble Xiao Shan experience the prowess of you poison masters!"
Zhao Yunfei's eyes narrowed sharply, and he said coldly, "Originally, I intended to give you both a clean death. Since you refuse to be reasonable, then let me, Zhao Yunfei, test how hard your bones truly are!"
As Zhao Yunfei's words fell, murmurs erupted around them.
"Zhao Yunfei? Isn't that the president of the Qingcheng Poison Master's Association?"
"It's said his poison techniques have reached a divine level. Even cultivators in the Great God Realm must avoid hisιθ!"
"Xiao Shan? The Hehuan Sect? Is he possibly the Grand Elder of the Hehuan Sect?"
"He must be. I wonder who would prevail, the Grand Elder of the Hehuan Sect or the president of the Poison Master's Association."
"That woman is truly unlucky. She's offended two individuals, neither of whom are to be trifled with. It seems she's doomed!"
"That might not be the case. Didn't you see she managed to cripple the Grand Elder of the Hehuan Sect, Xiao Shan?"
"That's true! When she killed the Hehuan Sect's Holy Son, she didn't hesitate at all, as if she didn't take the Hehuan Sect seriously."
"You may say that, but in this situation, it seems she's in grave danger."
"That woman is really quite unfortunate. She did nothing wrong, yet she was targeted by the Hehuan Sect's Holy Son, Nie Rufeng, and inexplicably made two powerful enemies."
"More than two enemies! There are two behemoths behind them too!"
"Alas, it's all because the woman is too beautiful, didn't know how to conceal herself, and didn't understand discretion. That's what brought on this great calamity!"
"Isn't that right? Why else do they say beauty is a curse?"
"..."
Amidst the widespread discussion, a sliver of sympathy for Zilin Ling inevitably arose.
But sympathy aside, no one would step forward to confront the Hehuan Sect and the Poison Master's Association, two colossal powers, on her behalf.
In their eyes, Zilin Ling was as good as dead.
However, Zilin Ling remained composed. "Zhao Yunfei, is it? By all accounts, there's a first come, first served basis. I should have dealt with this old curmudgeon from the Hehuan Sect first before engaging you in a fight to the death. But now it seems impossible for you to stand by idly. In that case, come at me together!"
"Ignorant!"
"Arrogant!"
Two voices sounded simultaneously.
The former came from Xiao Shan, with a hint of apprehension in his voice.
The latter was Zhao Yunfei's, his arrogant tone laced with disdain.
"Ignorant? Arrogant? We'll know once we try!"
As Zilin Ling's voice faded, a multicolored sphere of spiritual energy appeared before her.
Facing two opponents, she decided to strike first.
"Five Spirits Burst!"
Zilin Ling didn't hold back, unleashing a powerful attack right from the start.
Having been injured once, Xiao Shan was not about to fall for the same trick.
He quickly swallowed a Sheng Sheng Bu Xi Dan, recovering fifty percent of his injuries.
Then, using his own spiritual energy as a guide and his sword as a conduit, he rapidly drew upon the surrounding spiritual energy.
"Sever the Seven Emotions, Break the Six Desires, Taishang Wangqing Second Sword!"
Zhao Yunfei had initially been dismissive, intending to toy with his prey.
But when he sensed the terrifying energy fluctuations emanating from the two of them, he dared not be careless any longer.
He channeled his dual wood and fire spiritual energies, drawing a circle in the air and then dividing it in two, yet keeping the ends connected, achieving a peculiar balance between the wood and fire energies through their symbiotic and conflicting natures.
"Wood-Fire Dual Dragon Slash!"
The onlookers, who had already been affected by the previous attacks from Zilin Ling and Xiao Shan, turned pale once more at the sight of even more potent energy fluctuations.
"Run!"
Before anyone could issue a warning, the spectators retreated another hundred zhang.
"Boom!"
The three attacks collided, their impact deafening everyone.
The immense energy radiated outwards in concentric circles from the point of impact.
Everywhere the energy wave touched, buildings and objects alike turned to dust, leaving behind a wasteland.
Zilin Ling, Xiao Shan, and Zhao Yunfei all spat out a mouthful of blood simultaneously, their bodies propelled backward like cannonballs.
Each of them had targeted the other two, meaning each bore the brunt of two attacks.
After the initial exchange, Zilin Ling's hairstyle became even more disheveled.
Xiao Shan's injuries worsened; if not for the lingering effects of the Sheng Sheng Bu Xi Dan, he might not have been able to stand.
Zhao Yunfei's black robe was ripped in over a dozen places, and a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
His already grim expression turned even more displeasing. His earlier boasts still echoed in his ears, and the backlash was swift.
He said with chilling intensity, "You have truly angered me!"
Zilin Ling sneered, "We're just getting started! So, does it hurt?"
"Pfft!"
Xiao Shan was amused by her remark.
However, as soon as a smile touched his lips, he coughed up another mouthful of blood, but he still couldn't resist adding, "Indeed! It would be strange if it didn't hurt!"
Humans were peculiar creatures.
If Xiao Shan were the only one facing humiliation, he would have been enraged.
But now, with someone sharing his fate, he felt less angry and even managed to cast a sidelong glance at the other's predicament.
"Hmph! Since you refuse to yield, then bear the brunt of my wrath!"
Zhao Yunfei's face contorted with malice. "Enjoy the fruits of my latest research together!"
"Drunken Life, Dreamy Death!"
He waved his hand, and a peculiar fragrance immediately permeated the air.
Xiao Shan's face drained of color.
Already grievously wounded, if he were to be further poisoned, his death would be certain.