The man in the brown robe finally snapped to attention, barking, "Everyone, attack! Kill that bastard!"
Immediately, three or four dozen people rushed out from the crowd by the lake—clearly all subordinates of the man in the brown robe.
Yana Rain also snapped to attention. She had no idea how Nina Di had suddenly become so formidable, but when dozens of people charged out at once, she knew that no matter how strong Nina was, she couldn’t possibly win alone. She called out urgently, "These people are just using us to help them attack the stone gate at the bottom of the lake. They never intended to let us leave! Once they’ve killed us, none of us will be able to escape, let alone get a share of the loot..."
Yana Rain’s intention was to rally everyone to fight together; she believed she wasn’t the only one who saw through the man in the brown robe’s scheme. But her hopes were too optimistic. When the others saw the conflict breaking out, they did join in—but not to attack the man in the brown robe and his group. Instead, they swarmed out of the area in a rush.
Although the man in the brown robe had many people on his side, with so many trying to escape at once, even his numbers couldn’t stop everyone from fleeing together.
This made the man in the brown robe turn his rage onto Nina Di and her companions. He bellowed, "Chop these scum into mincemeat!"
Nina Di had long forgotten that she was no match for these people. If they wanted to kill her, she had to fight back—her grandfather had always taught her that.
Before the group could reach her, Nina’s curved blade swept out once again, sending two arcs of razor-sharp light slicing toward the two men at the front. He was certain Nina Di's cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, perhaps even late Foundation Establishment.
"Squelch! Squelch!" Two jets of blood burst forth—the two men at the front were slain instantly by Nina Di’s curved blade, unable to put up any resistance at all. How could such a powerful cultivator appear in Torrent Springs Forest, and even be friends with two nobodies?
Nina Di was momentarily stunned. What was happening?
"Slash!" In that brief instant of distraction, a blade of light tore across her shoulder, drawing a vivid line of blood.
Joe Di sighed. He had deliberately allowed Nina Di to be wounded—how could anyone afford to space out in the midst of battle? No matter how strange the circumstances, you must kill all your enemies first before pondering the reasons.
Only such a lesson, paid in blood, would leave a lasting impression on Nina Di. Her skills were entirely honed through wild skirmishes—brutal and fierce, relying on sheer momentum.
Seeing Nina Di injured, Yana Rain quickly drew her curved blade and charged forward. Axel, lying on the ground, tried to struggle up to help, but his wounds were too severe—he simply couldn’t get to his feet.
That slash finally woke Nina Di from her daze—this was no time to be distracted. Her curved blade kept swinging, again and again.
In just a dozen breaths, she had slain more than twenty men, and the rest hadn’t even managed to get close.
The man in the brown robe stared at Nina Di in terror. He was certain her cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, perhaps even late Foundation Establishment—otherwise, how could she be so formidable?
How could such a powerful cultivator appear in Torrent Springs Forest, and even be friends with two nobodies?
I need to get out of here quickly. If I stay any longer, I won’t even know how I died.
But just as that thought crossed his mind, a blade of light split down from his brow. A chill ran through him, panic rising as he instinctively clutched his forehead—but the torrent of blood was unstoppable.
After the man in the brown robe fell, the rest were even more terrified. The people who had just rushed out of the lake saw the carnage outside and didn’t ask a single question—they simply fled.
Many of the gravely wounded had been driven into the lake by the man in the brown robe, forced to attack the stone gate. None of them were fools—they knew he was using their lives as fodder. But with so many people around him, they hadn’t dared resist. Now that there was a chance to escape, only an idiot would stay.
"Nina Di, how did you get so strong?" With everyone gone, Yana Rain stared in shock at the bodies strewn across the ground, her gaze fixed on Nina Di.
Nina Di also stared blankly at the corpses, then looked down at the curved blade in her hand, murmuring, "I don’t know either. Grandpa said if someone tries to kill me, I must strike back..."
"Grandpa?" Yana Rain frowned. "You mean the one from the Ning Clan...?"
She was puzzled. Both she and Axel knew Nina Di’s origins—abandoned by the Ning Clan in a filthy ditch. Leaving a seven-year-old girl to drown was clearly meant to kill her. They hadn’t known at the time that Nina Di was from the Ning Clan; they had simply saved her. Later, when they learned the truth, they hadn’t dared stay where they were and had fled to Torrent Springs Mountains with Nina Di.
Nina Di shook her head and said, "No. Grandpa said the Ning Clan abandoned me and told me to change my surname to Di. Now I’m called Nina Di."
"Your grandfather? You found your grandfather?" Yana Rain was well aware of Nina Di’s background—Nina had already told her everything.
Nina Di nodded, "Yes. Last time, I never imagined the person I saved would turn out to be my grandfather."
"Congratulations, Nina Di," Axel said, though he suspected Nina’s sudden strength was likely related to her grandfather.
"Brother Axel, Sister Yana, let’s leave here first. I’ll take you to meet my grandfather. After this, I expect I’ll be leaving soon." Nina Di knew she would have to go with her grandfather, but Axel and Yana Rain were her dearest family.
"Alright, let’s get out first," Axel nodded.
Both he and Yana Rain had guessed that Nina Di’s sudden strength must have something to do with her grandfather.
"Grandpa, I brought my friends!" Nina Di’s voice trembled with excitement. She also suspected her newfound power was linked to her grandfather.
"Come in, all of you." Joe Di was quite pleased with Nina Di’s two friends. His divine sense had been following Nina Di all along, and when trouble arose, Yana Rain’s first thought wasn’t to run, but to help.
"Axel, Yana Rain, greetings, Senior!" Axel and Yana Rain entered and immediately knelt.
Axel was still severely wounded, and kneeling on the ground was a struggle.
Joe Di took out a pill and handed it to Axel. "Take this first, then sit down and let’s talk."
Since Joe Di was Nina Di’s grandfather, Axel didn’t hesitate—he swallowed the pill immediately. To his astonishment, he soon stood up; in mere moments, all his severe wounds vanished. Even some old internal injuries disappeared, and impurities seeped from his skin. What kind of pill was this? Could it be a True Spirit Pill?
"Axel, you’re better?" Yana Rain looked at Axel in delight—she knew exactly how badly he’d been hurt, since she’d carried him back herself.
"That pill is incredible..." Axel’s voice trembled. He and Yana Rain both realized it was a top-tier True Spirit Pill for healing.
They remembered Nina Di once said her grandmother was at the Transforming True Stage—could her grandfather be one too? They’d only heard rumors of such powerful people; they’d never met one themselves.
"Senior..." Axel wanted to thank him again.
Nina Di was overjoyed, standing beside Joe Di. She was now certain her grandfather was no ordinary man.
Joe Di gestured for Axel not to thank him and had him and Yana Rain sit to the side. Then he said, "Soon, I’ll be leaving with Nina Di. From what I see, you two have only practiced some basic Qi Refining techniques—barely considered true cultivation..."
Axel and Yana Rain both lowered their heads. They’d been orphans from the start; Yana Rain’s situation was a bit better, but Axel didn’t even have a proper name, let alone a complete cultivation technique.
Joe Di continued, "It wouldn’t be convenient for me to take you with me right now, but if you’re willing, I can accept you as disciples and stay here to teach you cultivation techniques. Once you have the ability to protect yourselves, I’ll move on."
"Grandpa, thank you!" Nina Di blurted out, her voice trembling with excitement. Now she was certain her strength came from her grandfather, but what made her happiest was that he was willing to accept her two closest friends as disciples—that was her greatest joy.
"Master, we’re willing!" Axel and Yana Rain were so excited they could hardly contain themselves. If they’d been qualified to join an immortal sect, they would have done so long ago. Their talent was terrible—truly the worst—and they had no background, which was why they’d struggled to survive outside Torrent Springs Mountains.
Joe Di nodded, his tone growing solemn. "I haven’t founded my own sect yet, but I have already created my own cultivation technique. Ours is called the Starspace Technique. Once you master it, your cultivation will be fully connected with the laws of heaven and earth. Your talent may not be great, but that’s all right—mine was just as poor when I started..."
Nina Di, Axel, and Yana Rain were all swept up in excitement. Their new master wasn’t just going to teach them cultivation—he would also forge their Starspace Meridians.
Soon, they would finally step into the world of cultivation they had always dreamed of.