Chapter 196: Sword Arrival

Elves, often seen in various films and TV series, are depicted as the kindest, most beautiful, and most elegant race in the world, the subject of countless fantasies for many male fans.

"What, is that not allowed?" Qiao Xueying glared at him, annoyed.

"It's not that it's not allowed, but why aren't your ears pointed?" Zu An asked curiously, brushing aside the long hair near her ear.

Qiao Xueying slapped his hand away, her expression displeased.

At that moment, Mi Li's voice chimed in, "Judging by her condition, she must be a half-elf—a child born of an elf and a human."

Qiao Xueying's face grew even paler. This was clearly her deepest pain, a secret that had made her unable to hold her head high since childhood.

To her surprise, Zu An chuckled. "Mixed-bloods are great! They're often the most beautiful, and their intelligence and aptitude combine the best traits of both parent races."

Qiao Xueying was stunned. Everyone who had ever learned her identity before had called her a mongrel. Hearing the term "mixed-blood" for the first time filled her with a sense of warmth and relief.

"Thank you," Qiao Xueying said softly. After so many years, he was the first person who hadn't discriminated against her; instead, he had found so many reasons to comfort her.

Zu An smiled. "Don't mention it. What do you think of me? How about we make do and have a mixed-blood baby? I guarantee the boys will be handsome and dashing, and the girls will be breathtaking beauties."

Qiao Xueying was speechless.

I take back my previous assessment; this guy is indeed as shameless as ever.

"If I'm not mistaken, the elven 'Mirror Flower Water Moon' allows the user to hide miles away, intended for escape. Yet you remained here. Was it for this shameless man?" Mi Li's playful voice echoed.

Zu An stared at Qiao Xueying in surprise, who instantly panicked. "How could it be for *him*! Of course, it's for Miss Chu, who is like a sister to me! Get out of her body right now, or I swear I'll make you suffer, even if it costs me my life!"

Hearing her outwardly fierce but inwardly timid threat, Mi Li burst into laughter, her mirth shaking the underground palace slightly. After a moment, she suddenly stopped laughing. "Just you?"

Qiao Xueying's face was pale. The laughter alone had been enough to tell her that Mi Li's power far exceeded her own; she had no chance of winning.

"And me!" Zu An stepped in front of her, gently taking her hand.

Perhaps facing death made her less guarded, or maybe it was a habit from when they held hands while breaking the three seals. This time, she didn't resist his touch; instead, she felt a sense of security.

Mi Li was speechless.

You're just a third-rank cultivator; what good is adding you?

Zu An, seizing the opportunity, whispered to Qiao Xueying, "Don't be afraid. Her power is greatly diminished because her soul is separated from her main body. And since that poison is so potent, maybe she'll be unable to sustain herself before we do."

Earlier, Qiao Xueying's Thorn Guard had been instantly destroyed by Zhang Han, but now it had managed to resist Mi Li's sword qi for a moment.

It was well known that at her peak, Zhang Han was virtually defenseless against Mi Li.

Qiao Xueying also realized this, and her spirits were immediately lifted.

Mi Li snorted. "No need for whispers; I can hear you. You're right, my power is indeed greatly diminished right now, but it's still more than enough to deal with both of you."

With a flick of her sleeve, sword qi shot forth.

This time, her sword qi wasn't as dense. They instinctively dodged, quickly becoming separated. Then, the scattered sword qi attacking Qiao Xueying suddenly converged into a massive crescent-shaped energy blade, striking her instantly.

Qiao Xueying screamed, a mouthful of fresh blood spraying as she crumpled to the ground.

Mi Li controlled her power perfectly, injuring her severely but not to the point of a mortal threat, ensuring Qiao Xueying wouldn't risk using her last precious "Mirror Flower Water Moon" to escape and reveal Mi Li's secret.

Qiao Xueying, as predicted, didn't use that last precious opportunity.

Mi Li sneered. Though each strike wasn't lethal, a few consecutive blows would be enough to send her to the underworld.

By the time Qiao Xueying realized, it was too late.

She couldn't move, nor could she even gather her vital energy to activate "Mirror Flower Water Moon." She could only watch helplessly as another massive arc of sword qi cleaved towards her.

Just then, a figure lunged onto her, shielding her from the blow.

The sword qi struck his back, and Zu An coughed up a mouthful of blood. Qiao Xueying stared blankly at the man on top of her, speechless for a moment.

"What a loving couple," Mi Li sneered. "Then die together."

Another sword strike followed, this time with an extremely high number of sword qi, clearly intending to hack both of them to death and resolve the matter completely.

"Run!" Qiao Xueying urged, panicking. She knew he couldn't save her by staying; they would both be cut into countless pieces.

"How can I abandon you now?" Zu An wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, a dashing smile on his face, though he wasn't as relaxed internally. While rapidly circulating his Primordial Chaos Scripture to protect his body, he secretly prayed that the "Rich Woman's Joy Ball" would work.

His biggest worry now was, if he were cut into countless pieces, could the "Rich Woman's Joy Ball" somehow put him back together?

*Thud, thud, thud!*

Soon, all the sword qi landed on him, causing numerous blood flowers to bloom. Qiao Xueying's eyes welled with tears, but just as she was about to sob, she froze. She realized that even though he had become a bloody mess, his body was remarkably intact, not dismembered as she had imagined.

Mi Li's eyes widened too. The scene before her made her doubt herself. Had her power truly diminished to this extent? She couldn't even kill a third-rank cultivator?

Zu An felt his body desperately absorbing the Primordial Chaos Qi from his surroundings. The location of this underground palace must have excellent feng shui, coupled with various formation enhancements and millennia of accumulation, making the Primordial Chaos Qi far denser than outside. Otherwise, it wouldn't be able to support the healing of such severe injuries.

Seeing him cough up blood again, Qiao Xueying quickly wiped the blood from his face. "You're bleeding again. How do you feel now?"

"It's fine, I'm used to throwing up blood now," Zu An said, putting on the most nonchalant smile. He wouldn't be himself if he didn't seize such a serious injury as an opportunity to show off.

Qiao Xueying's lips curved slightly. She used to dislike his unserious nature, but now she felt an extraordinary sense of security. No matter the predicament, this guy was always so optimistic.

Feeling the Primordial Chaos Qi continuously mending his injuries, Zu An shakily climbed to his feet. He knew that passively enduring attacks wasn't the solution.

No matter how powerful the Rich Woman's Joy Ball was, he dared not gamble that it could constantly protect him from being hacked to pieces. He still had to fight back.

As if sensing his fighting will, Mi Li couldn't help but be slightly moved. "I have to admit, although your power is weak, your willpower is truly formidable, so formidable that I admire it. No wonder you were able to break the Heaven, Earth, and Human seals."

Zu An spat, a bloody foam escaping his lips. "You remember I broke the Heaven, Earth, and Human seals? Is this how you repay your savior?"

Mi Li sighed. "I didn't intend to kill you, but then I was poisoned by 'Consort Xiang's Red Tears' and had to possess your wife's body. And then you did something unforgivable to me. How could I possibly let you live?"

As she spoke the last part, her cheeks flushed, whether from anger or embarrassment was unclear.

Zu An loudly declared his innocence. "I was clearly being intimate with my own wife, a perfectly natural thing! You're the one who secretly sneaked in, and now you're blaming me?!"

"You gained an enormous advantage; in a way, it repays your life-saving grace. You can die content." Mi Li was secretly annoyed. She, the Empress of the Great Qin Empire, the empire's foremost beauty, second only to one person and above ten thousand—how many men would have gladly paid with their lives just to catch a whiff of her skirt? And this guy, after gaining such an advantage, was still not satisfied?

Mi Li's Rage: +999!

Only then did Zu An understand why this woman always acted so mercilessly—it was because she couldn't accept that he had taken advantage of her.

He also felt wronged! If he had been intimate with Mi Li's actual body, he might have accepted being chased down. But it was clearly his wife Chu Yan's body!

What a colossal loss!

He took a deep breath and said coldly, "Do you think I broke the Heaven, Earth, and Human seals without having some hidden abilities up my sleeve?"

Mi Li raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'd certainly like to see."

She was indeed curious how this guy had broken the Heaven, Earth, and Human seals; she wasn't entirely clear on it. She also wanted to see what he relied on to accomplish such a miracle with his low cultivation.

Zu An stood there, covered in blood. Though his body trembled as if he might collapse at any moment, he still held his head high and stated calmly, "Since Tai'e has recognized me as its master, then let us slay demons and monsters together and restore the divine glory of your past mighty blade!"

After speaking, he reached out and beckoned towards the distant stone wall, roaring, "Sword, come!"

Earlier, Zhang Han had been impaled to the wall by the Tai'e Sword. Zhang Han was long gone, but the Tai'e Sword remained embedded in the stone wall.

Mi Li was startled. She knew very well the power of the Tai'e Sword. If he truly merged with the sword, it would be quite troublesome for her in her current state.

She quickly gathered her vital energy to prepare for defense, but soon froze. The Tai'e Sword remained embedded in the stone wall, completely unresponsive, not moving an inch!

Zu An, at this moment, was utterly mortified. Why did other people just say "Sword, come!" and the sword would appear, looking incredibly cool? Did he really not have the protagonist's aura?

Still unwilling to give up, he immediately shouted again, "Sword, come again!"

As he shouted, he also tried to send out a wisp of vital energy to pull the Tai'e Sword from afar, but alas, he was only a third-rank cultivator, far from reaching the level where his vital energy could leave his body. The vital energy scattered not long after it was released.

The Tai'e Sword on the stone wall remained still.

Even Zu An, whose face was thicker than a city wall, found it hard to maintain his composure now. "Sword, come one more time!"

He finally understood the despair Chu Zhongtian must have felt when naming his daughters.

Yet, the Tai'e Sword remained quietly embedded there.

Even Qiao Xueying, standing beside him, couldn't bear to watch and covered her face with her hand. It was simply too embarrassing.

"Hahaha," Mi Li's unrestrained laughter rang out. "You know you can't kill me, so you're trying to make me die of laughter?"