The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace-Chapter 88: Fearless in the face of danger

"Brother Yantian, you’re amazing!"

From her vantage point above the gorge, Yun Yanshuang’s face was flushed with excitement as she watched the battle unfold below.

She hadn’t expected that the arduous training alongside her brother—painstakingly honing the techniques taught by their master—would lead to such remarkable progress. Despite Lan Cai’er being at least at the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breath Realm, her Brother Yantian, steady in the fourth stage, managed to hold his ground. It was nothing short of extraordinary.

Of course, she understood that Lan Cai’er’s weakness in close combat was a significant factor.

"Brother Yantian’s Silver Dragon Spear Technique and Treading Snow Without a Trace are both Yellow-Grade Tier 3 techniques," Yun Yanshuang mused to herself, her excitement giving way to concern. "With his current cultivation, the spiritual energy drain from prolonged use must be immense. Prolonged combat like this will undoubtedly take a toll."

She wanted to leap into action and aid her brother in subduing Lan Cai’er. But her brother’s words echoed in her mind—stay vigilant for other Gu Sect disciples potentially hiding in the shadows.

"Not yet," she muttered, clenching her fists. "Brother Yantian hasn’t faltered. I’ll wait until he truly needs me."

Boom!

Another thunderous explosion echoed through the gorge.

Yun Yantian’s spear struck the ground where Lan Cai’er had stood moments ago, sending debris flying in all directions. Yet, the woman remained unscathed, her figure darting gracefully away. She landed lightly atop a boulder in the distance, her ruby-like eyes glinting mischievously as she gazed at Yun Yantian.

"I wonder how long you can keep this up," she taunted, her lips curling into a smirk. "I hope your spiritual energy is endless because the moment your attacks falter, I’ll claim your life without hesitation."

"Annoying," Yun Yantian muttered, his irritation evident. He swung his short spear in a wide arc.

A crescent-shaped wind blade shot forth, cutting through the air toward Lan Cai’er.

Boom!

The boulder beneath her feet shattered in two, the sharp wind blade cleaving cleanly through it. But Lan Cai’er was already in motion, her figure retreating gracefully.

"What’s the matter? Running low on spiritual energy already?" she teased, her tone dripping with mockery. "Your attacks lack the ferocity they had earlier."

Yun Yantian ignored her provocations, standing motionless as he activated Three Purities Meditation, quietly replenishing his spiritual reserves.

"This prolonged skirmish must have drained her as well," he thought, his sharp eyes studying her movements. "But where are the other Gu Sect disciples? Could she truly be acting alone, or is she playing the same waiting game we are?"

"Not attacking anymore?" Lan Cai’er called out, raising an eyebrow. "If you’re done, then it’s my turn!"

From the pouch at her waist, two golden Gu worms zipped out, wriggling midair before burrowing into the corpses of fallen soldiers. The once lifeless bodies stirred, animating into snarling corpses that lunged toward Yun Yantian.

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With a sweep of his spear, Yun Yantian unleashed a blade of wind, severing the undead attackers in half. Another swift strike dispatched the Gu worms as they emerged from the dismembered bodies.

He sighed in relief, believing the danger to be neutralized, but his confidence was short-lived.

As his spear pierced the Gu worms, their bodies exploded, releasing a dense, greenish-purple mist. On closer inspection, the "mist" wasn’t smoke at all but a swarm of minuscule Gu worms, surging toward him like a wave.

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"What?" Yun Yantian recoiled, attempting to retreat, but the swarm enveloped him with startling speed, burrowing into his body through his ears, nostrils, and mouth.

"Now you’re finished," Lan Cai’er said, her voice as sweet as a melody. "This is my Sound Gu, one of my most prized creations. Once inside you, they’ll feast on your spiritual energy and devour your internal organs. Of course, it’s not fun unless I control them."

She withdrew a small, intricately crafted drum made of human skin from her pouch. A sinister smile played on her lips as she struck the drum.

Dong!

The eerie sound echoed through the gorge, its vibrations reverberating in Yun Yantian’s chest.

Pain erupted within him like wildfire.

His knees buckled, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his abdomen. Sweat poured from his forehead as he writhed in agony, gasping for breath.

Inside him, the Gu worms stirred violently, gnawing at his spiritual core and organs.

"The harder I strike, the more painful it becomes," Lan Cai’er said with a light laugh. She struck the drum again, the sharp sound slicing through the air.

Dong!

The pain intensified. Yun Yantian’s vision blurred as the Gu worms wreaked havoc within him. Yet, even in his desperate state, a flicker of resolve remained in his eyes.

Would this be the end?

"Now you’re under my control. Only I can remove the Sound Gu."

Lan Cai’er smirked, satisfaction evident on her face as she struck the human-skin drum a few more times, sending waves of agony through Yun Yantian. Once she saw him collapse, rendered utterly powerless, she stopped playing and hooked the drum back onto her waist. Step by step, she approached him, her ruby-like eyes gleaming with victory.

Before she could close the distance, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

A flurry of shimmering silver rings shot through the air, catching Lan Cai’er off guard.

Five enchanted rings locked around her wrists, ankles, and neck, pinning her tightly to the gorge’s rocky wall.

"What?! Someone else?!" Lan Cai’er’s expression darkened as she scanned her surroundings, her gaze soon landing on a young girl—no older than eight—leaping gracefully from above.

"Brother Yantian!"

Yun Yanshuang landed beside Yun Yantian, her face filled with concern as she noticed his labored breathing and the beads of sweat pouring from his forehead.

"While that demoness is bound by your spiritual weapon, seize the drum quickly. Together, we’ll subdue her," Yun Yantian urged, his voice strained but resolute.

"But... what about the possibility of other Gu Sect members in hiding?"

"Unlikely. Their absence so far suggests she’s working alone. Now’s our chance—don’t hesitate!"

"I understand!"

Nodding firmly, Yun Yanshuang dashed toward Lan Cai’er.

"You think you can just take my drum?!" Lan Cai’er’s eyes turned cold, and an explosive surge of spiritual energy burst forth. With a sharp snap, she broke free of the restraining rings and tried to retreat.

But Yun Yanshuang was prepared.

The little girl’s cultivation—on the verge of breaking into the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breath Realm—was not far below Lan Cai’er’s own. As the latter attempted to escape, Yun Yanshuang seized the opportunity to snatch the drum from her waist.

"My drum! Give it back!" Lan Cai’er shouted, her composure breaking for the first time.

The human-skin drum, crafted from the hide of a first-stage cultivator, was her most prized spiritual weapon. Without it, her ability to control the Sound Gu was crippled, significantly weakening her combat power.

"I won’t!" Yun Yanshuang replied with a defiant pout, tucking the drum securely into her storage pouch.

"You wretched child! I’ll kill you for this!"

Lan Cai’er’s fury boiled over as she lunged at Yun Yanshuang, her movements swift and deadly.

"Thousand Shadows of the Blade!"

Unfazed, Yun Yanshuang brandished her Qingshuang Sword, unleashing a flurry of sword shadows that weaved into a dense net of light.

The technique—fast and precise—stalled Lan Cai’er’s advance, forcing her into a clumsy retreat.

"Brother Yantian is formidable, but his sister is on another level!"

At the gorge’s mouth, Sun Fenglin observed the battle with a mixture of awe and bitterness. The strength of the Yun siblings had far exceeded his expectations, highlighting the ever-growing gap between the Sun and Yun families.

"Brother, should we intervene?" asked Sun Fengxuan, his expression uncertain.

"No," Sun Fenglin replied, his voice cold. "Let them handle it. The Yun siblings chose not to aid us earlier. Why should we help them now? Besides, they’re clearly capable of defeating her on their own."

Meanwhile, Yun Yanshui, who had been lying in wait, silently assessed the situation.

"Seems like Brother Yantian and Yanshuang don’t need me after all," he murmured to himself, a smirk playing on his lips. Watching Lan Cai’er struggle to fend off the siblings’ relentless attacks, he was certain of her imminent defeat.

Dusting himself off, he prepared to leave.

Just as he turned, a feral growl sounded from the forest.

Emerging from the shadows, a massive tiger with striking striped fur locked its predatory gaze onto him.

"Really? You think I’m an easy target?" Yun Yanshui scoffed, patting the quiver on his waist. Drawing his Wuqing Warbow, he nocked an arrow and let it fly.

The arrow found its mark with deadly precision, piercing the tiger’s skull. The beast crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

"If I can’t kill that Lan Cai’er, at least I can take down a tiger."

Satisfied, Yun Yanshui slung his bow over his shoulder and strolled back toward the gorge, whistling a merry tune.