So, let me repeat this for everyone: if you're not a top-tier martial artist, don't go showing off with fancy aerial moves.
And just as I said that, a real expert showed up.
Suddenly, from another courtyard, where everything felt eerily empty, a surge of living energy appeared. A gray shadow burst through the roof and shot into the sky, heading straight for us. This shadow radiated terrifying power—a once-in-a-lifetime martial arts master. Using finger technique, they jabbed through the air, their energy blanketing the area so intensely that dodging seemed impossible.
The swordsman got a brief moment to catch his breath, then jumped right back into the fray, sword in hand, joining the attack on Jill Young.
Jill Young’s eyes narrowed. With finger force like that, even her Eggshell defense wouldn’t hold. If she got grazed, the external force would invade internally, leaving her badly compromised. Jill’s spirit surged, her stance solid, muscles tensed, and she focused all her mental energy on reading every move of her attacker.
She hadn’t expected such a master to be hiding in this little courtyard. If she’d come alone, she’d have to rely on her unfinished Limit Break technique to survive.
But she wasn’t alone.
Suddenly, a fierce shout rang out overhead—the usually reserved Joan finally unleashed her power. She shot through the air, looking like a fairy, and launched a palm strike from afar. Boom! Her hand was delicate, but the sound was thunderous, as if it came from the heavens. She struck so fast, her attack landed before the gray shadow could even react.
The gray shadow had no choice but to counter with another finger jab, meeting Joan’s palm force head-on. Long-range palm strikes are never as strong as close-range ones, but with a pop, the air twisted—and the gray shadow was knocked back!
Whoosh—the gray shadow landed on the nearby rooftop, took two steadying steps, and stood firm.
“Impressive internal strength!” The gray-robed figure finally spoke, his voice ancient and raspy. During the fight, everyone had been too focused on exchanging blows to notice his face, but now it was clear he was an old monk. “You’re obviously a master. Why do evil?”
“Hmph, what nonsense.” You guys threw the first punch and now you’re calling us evil? Joan couldn’t be bothered to argue, so she followed up her attack with another heavy strike. Her skirt fluttered, sleeves whipped, and a golden-red palm print shot out, glowing as it zoomed toward the gray-robed monk. He tried to dodge with his impressive lightness skill, but the golden-red palm print locked on and wouldn’t let go.
With no other choice, the gray-robed monk whipped out a Nine-Ring Monk Staff and unleashed his full power to block—clang! The staff’s tip twisted and exploded, the nine rings scattering like shrapnel. The force sent a gale through the courtyard, and the old monk’s energy wavered.
Stunned and off-balance, he was wide open for a combo attack.
“Amitabha!” came a Buddhist chant from another building, as a red-robed elder monk soared up to help his comrade. This red-robed monk was no pushover—golden light shimmered around him, probably some high-level protective technique. His power had to be at least a century in the making.
Who’d have thought this unremarkable courtyard was hiding so many top-tier martial artists?
But then again, if all these experts are hiding out in such a remote place, something fishy’s definitely going on. There must be some dirty secret here. Joan’s mind raced, and her dislike for these people deepened.
“Hmph, even if you all come at me, what’s there to fear?” Joan looked like a goddess descending, floating midair. She waved her sleeves, stirring up clouds and wind, and with a sweep of her arm, knocked the red-robed monk off balance, breaking their attack formation.
With a grab of her left hand, she snatched the little kid hiding in the corner, pulling him into her arms. One look—he was unconscious. Joan was instantly furious: “Do all monks like to steal kids? You evil monks are truly despicable! You deserve to be punished!”
Murderous intent flared as Joan’s right hand grabbed as well. Fueled by her rage, she unleashed her true power, and the whole courtyard’s energy seemed to freeze. The area plunged into darkness, and the red and gray figures moved as if trapped in mud.
“Whoa!” The red-robed figure couldn’t help but yell, “She’s a true master!”
“A kid?” The gray shadow was surprised when he saw the little one, then quickly called out, “Wait! Senior, there might be a misunderstanding—”
“Too late to beg!” Joan snapped, letting go and slamming her palm down. After freezing everything, she unleashed an explosive burst.
Her true energy, mixed with spiritual energy, crashed down like giant dragons from the sky. The power split and merged, twisted and tangled, striking multiple targets at once. The gray and red masters did their best to defend, but couldn’t keep up. Boom! The shockwave swept through, collapsing buildings and sending tiles flying. The old walls couldn’t take it—they cracked and fell, as if Joan’s palm had blown up the whole courtyard.
That’s the kind of power you’d expect from a Sacred Origin Realm master.
The two old monks were knocked out of the sky, landing in the dirt, looking totally pathetic.
“Nice!” Thanks to Joan’s expert moves, Jill Young wasn’t affected at all. The wild wind and flying debris didn’t touch her—she glowed with a hint of dark gold. She reached out, her fingers aiming for the swordsman in the shadows. From what the gray-robed guy said, maybe there was some secret here. But it could just as easily be a trick to buy time for something sneaky.
So, whatever the case, it’s best to beat them down first, tie them up, and then talk!
I, the Eternal Night Queen, never waste words on anyone until I’ve got the upper hand!
The swordsman in the darkness wasn’t as strong internally and got hit even harder by Joan’s palm. He fought back, unleashing a torrent of sword light—like a waterfall of blades pouring toward Jill Young. The sword’s path was so bizarre, it didn’t look humanly possible. But Jill just reached out with both arms, meeting the attack head-on.
Crackling and sparking, golden sparks shot from Jill Young’s fingers and palms, but all they did was light up her razor-sharp grin. Her hands moved like blurs, lightning fast and ruthless. No matter how the sword light rained down like shooting stars, it never broke free from her grasp—like noisy birds caught in a giant net.
To a regular person, it looked like Jill was gripping a giant wheel made of dazzling sword light—except now it spun in her hands like a steering wheel. Wherever Jill turned it, the swordsman in the dark had to follow. Attack and defense, offense and defense, had totally flipped.
Jill had completely woven the Celestial Dragnet technique of the Tomb Sect into her palm strikes.
“Huh?!” A surprised female voice came from the darkness. The sword light slowed, and Jill’s eyes cleared—she finally saw the swordsman was a woman. She wasn’t holding the sword directly but controlled it with a long cord. No wonder Jill’s wrist strength hadn’t knocked her away. To use a cord to control a sword with such speed and skill—now that was impressive.
But no matter how she struggled, this was the end of the line!
Jill clapped her hands together, unleashing the Wild Dragon Unleashed technique. With a twist and a flick, the ‘sword wheel’ spun backward toward the swordswoman. Sword energy reversed, sword light exploded, and the woman was thrown into chaos. The cord was whipped far away, leaving her wide open. Just as she tried to recover, she suddenly felt something thread-like wrap around her!
Jill burst out laughing, gripping her left hand. A golden-red supreme force shot along a thin thread—sure enough, a fine silk had wrapped the swordswoman up tight. She tried to break free, but the thread held fast. No matter how hard she struggled, she was stuck.
This was the Wushang Silk Thread from Wind Wushang. Jill had slipped it into her palm strike, and it worked perfectly. Without Wind Wushang’s special energy, it wasn’t razor-sharp—but it was still tough enough to shrug off blows from legendary weapons.
“Get over here!” With a yank of her left arm, Jill’s strength exploded, and the swordswoman was dragged over, screaming.
“Stop—!”
“Wait—!”
The gray and red monks shouted in shock, but Joan swept her sleeve and blocked them both. Jill Young showed no mercy—her right fist clenched, Dragon Force coiling around her arm. An enemy is an enemy; beat them down first, ask questions later!
Take this—catch my move!
Boom! Her punch shattered the air, moving faster than anyone could react, and in a blink, landed squarely on the swordswoman’s stomach.
The punch sent the swordswoman’s clothes and hair flying. Her face, revealed, was stunningly beautiful—but now pale as death, full of despair.
But Jill suddenly frowned and stopped her next move.
The whole scene froze.
“Nooooo—!” From a crumbling building nearby, a voice screamed in grief and rage. The shout shook the air, making heads spin. Boom—ruins exploded and a wild figure charged out, eyes burning with hatred.
The roar came fast, but the Iron Palm was even faster—like a furious sea crashing in waves. The attack changed the whole atmosphere. Joan’s expression shifted; she couldn’t block this desperate move.
“Give—me—your—life!”
But Jill Young, targeted by this earth-shattering strike, didn’t even look at the attacker. She opened her right fist, turning it into a regular palm, and gently felt the swordswoman’s stomach. Then, laughing and crying at once, she spoke: “Lydia Drake?”