The original stone palm, which had been closed, suddenly shattered into countless pieces, sending shards flying in all directions and kicking up a thick cloud of smoke.
Then, from within the smoke, a sharp sound of metal friction could be heard.
Caught off guard, four chains shot out from inside.
In an instant, they bound Nalan Wuxia's hands and feet.
"What's going on?! This trash is still alive?!!"
Nalan Wuxia's mind couldn't process it.
A mere half-step Profound Realm cultivator had managed to surprise him again and again.
He hadn't felt this exasperated even when fighting top ten figures on the Heavenly Ranking.
Nalan Wuxia struggled fiercely to break free from the chains, only to find that the Cross Locks had returned to the same uncanny strength that Xin Ci used with his secret arts.
No, even stronger than after using the secret art.
Because from the smoke, he could sense spiritual energy beyond the peak of the Earth Realm.
At this moment, Nalan Wuxia could only curse internally: Damn it, is this kid unkillable?
Once or twice, it had already been difficult enough to deal with this kid's sudden surge to the half-step Earth Realm.
Now, with a cheat-like increase to the peak of the Earth Realm, what chance did he have to fight?
As the smoke cleared, a beautiful maiden with stunning looks appeared.
Upon witnessing this unexpected scene, Elder Han and Nalan Wuxia reacted with the same astonishment.
Holy crap! Where did Xin Ci go?
And who is this beautiful girl?!!
All sorts of questions and surprise flooded their minds.
Nalan Wuxia had forgotten that his hands and feet were still entangled by the Cross Locks.
However, Mu Qingqing ignored their stunned gazes, tightened her grip on the Cross Locks, and the chains immediately contracted.
Feeling the sudden pull, Nalan Wuxia finally realized he was still under the chains' control.
He frantically condensed his spiritual energy to shatter the Cross Locks, but it was in vain.
He was then pulled in front of Mu Qingqing.
At such close proximity, Nalan Wuxia observed that the woman was even more beautiful up close.
However, a trace of fear in his heart overcame his infatuation with her, and he quickly regained his composure.
He only heard the woman's cold and melodious voice.
"Glad to bully my male lead, aren't you? Now let me play with you properly."
Before Nalan Wuxia could understand Mu Qingqing's words, a tearing pain swept through his right arm.
The next second, his entire right arm was forcibly torn off by the woman in front of him and thrown into the air.
Blood continuously gushed from the severed limb.
"Ughhhh!!!" Nalan Wuxia cried out in agony.
He fell to the ground, his body twisting like a worm, convulsing uncontrollably.
Nalan Wuxia's terrified gaze met Mu Qingqing's, who stood above him, looking down.
He could even sense an unprecedented fear from her smile that wasn't quite a smile.
A powerful oppressive aura washed over him, and at that moment, Nalan Wuxia thought.
This woman is definitely a devil!
"Who are you? Why are Xin Ci's Cross Locks in your hands?!"
Nalan Wuxia's astonished question echoed Elder Han's own inner query.
When he saw the girl's fair neck adorned with a blue crystal pendant.
And holding Xin Ci's weapon, the Cross Locks, in her hand.
Coupled with Xin Ci's disappearance and this girl's sudden appearance.
Elder Han immediately made a rather improbable deduction.
"You... could it be... you're Xin Ci?!"
Mu Qingqing turned her head towards him, smiled charmingly, and said playfully, "Yes, Elder Han."
Nalan Wuxia, who had stopped wailing on the ground, saw the woman inexplicably speaking to the air about Elder Han.
His conviction grew: this woman was a monster, he must have encountered a ghost or something.
Elder Han was so shocked his jaw nearly dropped to the floor, his tongue stammering, "It-it-it really... really is you! Xin Ci?!"
He had only guessed, because he could sense it through his soul.
Although Xin Ci's body had transformed into this maiden's form, his soul origin remained unchanged.
It's just... the way she speaks doesn't quite feel like Xin Ci, is it because she's a girl now?
Mu Qingqing saw his doubt at a glance and gave a peculiar explanation: "I am Xin Ci, and I am not Xin Ci."
What did she mean?
This made Elder Han even more confused.
In truth, Mu Qingqing was merely the second personality possessing half of Xin Ci's soul.
But she didn't have time to explain to Elder Han; dealing with Nalan Wuxia was more important.
Mu Qingqing looked at the severed-armed Nalan Wuxia on the ground and slightly raised her finger.
Ten Cross Locks emerged from the ground, their pointed tips aimed squarely at Nalan Wuxia's body.
Without a hint of hesitation, they plunged downwards.
But with a clang, the Cross Locks did not pierce Nalan Wuxia's body.
Instead, they struck a metal object as hard as gold and stone.
"This is... a robot?"
Mu Qingqing blinked as she looked at the suddenly appearing object that resembled a magnified toy mechanism she had seen on Earth.
Elder Han reminded her from the side, "No, it's a puppet!"
Nalan Wuxia, lying on the ground, burst into wild laughter.
"Idiot, this is my Nalan family's Heaven-tier Battle Puppet, its strength is equivalent to a Heaven Realm expert, you can't kill me, hahaha!!"
Then, with a *crack*,
When he saw Mu Qingqing rip off an arm of the Heaven-tier Battle Puppet with her bare hands.
Nalan Wuxia's mind went blank.
"I..."
Nalan Wuxia's throat felt as if something was choking it.
This was a puppet comparable to the Heaven Realm, and you just casually ripped its arm off?!
Mu Qingqing toyed with the puppet arm, a hint of disdain on her face.
If it were a Heaven Realm expert, she might have felt a bit troubled, but a mere puppet was not worth mentioning.
With the formidable power of her Stellar Wheel Eyes, she could easily discern the puppet's power core and its connection points.
"Alright, I'm bored now."
Mu Qingqing casually tossed the puppet arm aside and was about to strike to end Nalan Wuxia's life.
But at that moment, the ground around them began to shake violently for some unknown reason.
After a barrage of flying stones, a pillar of orange-red fire shot up into the sky.
From that pillar of fire emerged a spiritual bird, its body shimmering with golden flames.
While Mu Qingqing was distracted by the demonic beast, Nalan Wuxia seized the moment, quickly pulling out a rune from his Spatial Ring.
He activated the teleportation rune and vanished from the spot.
"Damn, I let this guy escape." Mu Qingqing came to her senses only to find that Nalan Wuxia had fled.
First a Heaven-tier Battle Puppet, then a teleportation rune, this Nalan Wuxia possessed so many treasures.
It was a pity to let him escape.
However, she now faced even greater crises.
A loud phoenix cry resounded through the sky, the sound of the spiritual bird from before.
"That's a Fire Phoenix!"