Aaargh, I caught a cold. It's absolutely miserable.
...
"Heh."
Yang Kai glanced left and right, then spoke in a tone that brooked no argument. "Two options. I chop you both to death in one swing, or I chop you to death one piece at a time. Pick whichever you like."
As he spoke, he slowly raised the Soul-Slaying Blade overhead. Divine sense surged through it, and the blade's edge flickered in and out of visibility like a viper tasting the air with its tongue.
Both Xuan Bing and Bei Limo's expressions shifted slightly. Neither woman had ever expected that after fighting each other tooth and nail to the bitter end, Yang Kai would be the one to reap the rewards.
Without any hesitation, Bei Limo looked to Xuan Bing. "I'll count to three. We both pull back at the same time!" Only by reaching a temporary truce and withdrawing simultaneously would there be any chance of escaping this crisis. Otherwise, if Yang Kai really started swinging that blade piece by piece, even as a Demon Saint she would die here.
Without waiting for anyone's permission, she began counting.
Yang Kai sneered coldly from the side, the aura radiating from the Soul-Slaying Blade growing ever more dangerous.
Before Bei Limo could even reach three, the Soul-Slaying Blade had already roared toward her with a devastating slash, showing absolutely no mercy.
To Yang Kai, Bei Limo was undoubtedly far more dangerous than Xuan Bing. If he was going to kill someone, it would be this Demon Saint first. Xuan Bing's soul form was already semi-transparent and half-ethereal — she posed no threat whatsoever.
As the blade light descended, Bei Limo's face drained of color. She prepared to pull back regardless of the damage to herself.
"Wait!" Xuan Bing suddenly called out. "I have something to say!"
The blade's edge froze just above Bei Limo's head. The razor-sharp qi had already carved into the female Demon Saint's soul form, sending a bone-piercing pain through her that left her ashen-faced, her soul trembling violently.
Yang Kai tilted his head toward Xuan Bing. "Save the empty words. I don't have the patience for them."
Xuan Bing spoke without any pretense. "Do you want a Demon Saint who will obey your every command and serve you faithfully? If so, you'd best hear what I have to say."
"What?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely surprised. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said."
Yang Kai pondered for a moment, then turned to glance at Bei Limo before coldly saying: "Don't tell me you can help me subdue her." To subdue someone, one either planted one's own soul imprint within the other's Sea of Consciousness, or forced them to hand over their soul seal — thus gaining absolute control over their life and death in a single thought.
Yang Kai had done this more than once, but the prerequisite was that his own soul cultivation had to be superior to the target's, so he could break through their soul defenses. Bei Limo was a Demon Saint. Yang Kai had no confidence in being able to control her life and death.
Xuan Bing let out a derisive laugh. "You two are so vastly different in strength — even with my help, how could you possibly subdue her!" She paused, then the corner of her lips curled upward. "However, this palace has its own clever methods."
Yang Kai narrowed his eyes and considered for a moment. "Let's assume for the sake of argument that you can. But what do you gain from this?"
"Nothing, of course!" Xuan Bing laughed coldly. "Not only is there no benefit — there are countless downsides. But as I said, even if it kills me, I will not let this wretched woman have it easy!"
Bei Limo spoke gravely: "Boy, this woman is full of schemes. Don't you dare fall into her trap."
Yang Kai immediately pressed the blade down a fraction and pointed his chin at her. "Until I give you permission to speak, if you utter a single word more, I'll cleave you in half!"
Bei Limo shook with fury, her eyes brimming with venomous hatred.
Seeing her quiet down, Yang Kai turned back to Xuan Bing. "Explain in detail how you plan to help me." He had to admit — Xuan Bing's words held tremendous appeal. Between killing a Demon Saint and subduing one, killing certainly wasn't bad, but the benefits were far too limited.
"By planting a soul imprint, naturally."
"Are you joking with me?" Yang Kai's face darkened instantly. The feeling of being deceived put him in a very foul mood.
Xuan Bing chuckled lightly. "I'm hardly joking. I know what you're worried about — that this wretched woman's soul cultivation surpasses yours and you can't break through her soul defenses. But what if someone cooperated willingly?"
Yang Kai's expression turned even uglier. "Is she an idiot? Why would she cooperate with something like that!" His patience was clearly running out, and the aura around him grew dangerous.
"She wouldn't, of course. But I would cooperate," Xuan Bing laughed, a manic, unhinged gleam spreading across her face.