Though Duan Lang felt some apprehension in his heart, the arrow was already nocked and had to be released.
This was a perfect opportunity to eliminate Xiong Ba, the greatest threat in this world—he could not afford to back down.
So, Duan Lang stopped wasting words with Xiong Ba and said coldly,
“Xiong Ba, more words are meaningless. Today, you will die!”
As soon as he spoke, Duan Lang's figure flashed, streaking through the air like a bolt of red lightning.
The Fire-Scale Sword in his hand burst into brilliance, radiating intense crimson flames. Then, he suddenly slashed out, unleashing a heaven-shaking sword light wrapped in overwhelming pressure, striking straight at Xiong Ba.
As for Xiong Ba, his situation was dire.
He had been seriously wounded by Duan Lang earlier, and the injuries in his body had yet to heal. When he tried to channel his inner energy, his meridians screamed in pain.
Facing this ferocious strike from Duan Lang, he had no confidence in withstanding it.
From afar, Di Shitian observed the intense battle and couldn’t help but sigh.
“I truly didn’t expect that a genius like Xiong Ba would fall today at the hands of a nobody like Duan Lang.
This is vastly different from the fate I had foreseen. This Duan Lang… is truly a variable!”
The Divine Mother asked from the side.
“Master, do you plan to intervene?”
After a brief moment of thought, Di Shitian said,
“No rush. That technique Duan Lang used is none other than Wu Wudi’s True Xuanwu Art.
I truly didn’t expect him to have such a fortuitous encounter and even cultivate True Xuanwu Art to its peak level. This indeed surprises me.
Divine Mother, once Duan Lang kills Xiong Ba, I’ll make my move to capture him.
During that time, you must stop anyone else from interfering in the battle between me and Duan Lang.”
The Divine Mother nodded in response,
“Yes, Master.”
She had already sensed the auras of Wuming and the Sword Saint nearby and understood that they were likely the ones Di Shitian meant—those who might intervene.
These two possessed formidable strength, and if they suddenly struck, they could indeed change the tide of battle.
Seeing his strike about to land on the defenseless Xiong Ba, Duan Lang’s eyes gleamed with excitement as he silently exclaimed in his heart:
“Xiong Ba, today marks your death! The Child of Destiny in this world can only be me!”
However, just as Xiong Ba was about to perish beneath that terrifying sword light, an extraordinarily beautiful figure suddenly appeared.
With a wave of her right hand, a massive illusionary Tai Chi diagram materialized out of thin air.
The Tai Chi diagram expanded with the wind, instantly growing to several zhang in size. Like a colossal shield, it covered the sky and firmly blocked Duan Lang’s fierce strike.
Though Duan Lang’s sword light was powerful, it did not inflict the slightest damage upon Lu Xueqi’s Tai Chi diagram.
Seeing this, Duan Lang’s expression changed dramatically. He cried out in astonishment,
“How is this possible?!”
That had been a full-power attack just now—yet it had been blocked so effortlessly?
He looked up sharply, and the instant his eyes landed on Lu Xueqi, they widened in shock.
Though he didn’t recognize Lu Xueqi, her appearance was far too stunning.
She had emerged without a single sign, and despite his current strength, he hadn’t sensed even the slightest ripple—this set off alarm bells in his mind.
On instinct, Duan Lang’s figure flickered as he retreated rapidly.
Once he had put some distance between them, he stared at Lu Xueqi with a grave expression.
The woman before him was breathtakingly beautiful, dressed in a Daoist robe.
Beside her floated a long sword radiating a deep blue glow. Recalling that mystical Tai Chi diagram just now, a flash of insight struck Duan Lang, and he exclaimed in shock,
“You’re Lu Xueqi!”
Lu Xueqi was momentarily surprised to hear this. She hadn’t expected the man to recognize her.
But at her level, she had no intention of hiding her identity. She nodded and asked,
“You know me?”
Duan Lang’s face flushed red with excitement.
“Of course I know you!”
In his previous life, as a food delivery guy for a certain app, he often browsed Douyin during his free time, and had been deeply impressed by the famed Lu Xueqi on the platform.
Now, seeing the Daoist robe, the floating sword, and that iconic Tai Chi diagram—all these features confirmed her identity beyond doubt.
Once he was sure, he exclaimed,
“What are you doing here?!”
Lu Xueqi's expression remained calm.
“It seems you know quite a lot about me.”
Duan Lang nodded blankly, his heart now full of doubts.
At that moment, Lu Xueqi spoke again, her tone serene but carrying undeniable authority.
“The man beside you—Xiong Ba—you cannot kill him.”
Upon hearing this, Duan Lang’s eyes narrowed instantly as he examined Lu Xueqi from head to toe.
Considering the recent changes in Xiong Ba’s behavior, a bold theory surfaced in his mind.
Xiong Ba might not be a transmigrator at all—but a native of this world!
His sudden surge in strength and dramatic shift in personality made it highly likely that he had joined some mysterious force, perhaps something like a “chat group.”
This realization made Duan Lang's eyes widen. He hadn't expected Xiong Ba to encounter such fortune.
Once he confirmed that Xiong Ba wasn’t a transmigrator, Duan Lang’s thoughts began racing.
Lu Xueqi’s appearance forced him to reassess the balance of power between them.
He recalled the depiction of Lu Xueqi’s strength in the original novel, and as he examined the young girl before him—her face still youthful, appearing to be only in her teens—he guessed silently that her current cultivation was around the Seventh or Eighth Level of the Jade Purity Realm.
While that level of strength was indeed formidable, Duan Lang felt he wasn’t without a chance of victory.
By the standards of this world’s inner strength, his current power was equivalent to several hundred years of cultivation.
Though the technique he cultivated might not be as refined or rapid as the Tai Chi Profound Purity Dao, he believed it should be enough to handle the young Lu Xueqi—after all, she was just too young.
After assessing their respective strengths, Duan Lang’s eyes flashed with a trace of greed as he looked at Lu Xueqi’s stunning features.
Since his transmigration, he had seen many beautiful women in this world, each with her own unique charm.
But compared to the Lu Xueqi before him, those women all fell short.
He began scheming in his heart—since he had the strength to make Lu Xueqi stay, why not make her part of his harem?
With that thought, Duan Lang’s gaze grew increasingly fervent.
He said coldly,
“Since Miss Lu has spoken, I’ll give you that much face—I’ll spare Xiong Ba.
But he must cripple his own cultivation and destroy his meridians. And you… must stay with me.”
Lu Xueqi instantly grasped Duan Lang’s intent. Her face turned icy in a flash.
“Courting death? Then let’s settle this with our fists.”
With that, she waved her right hand, and the Tianyao Divine Sword appeared in her grip.
In the next instant, she unsheathed the sword with a sudden motion—an overwhelming sword intent burst forth, flooding the area in the blink of an eye as the void around them buzzed violently.
A piercing force spread in all directions, as though it would slice everything around them to ribbons. Even Duan Lang, who stood at a distance, couldn’t help but break out in a cold sweat.