Chapter 139 The Holy Maiden, Yun Qingyao!

However, just as Xiao Ming was leisurely enjoying the sight of his "maid" being forced to work, his powerful perception suddenly caught an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy from another direction, further away.

The fluctuation was cold, sharp, and carried a sense of aloof and lonely Sword Intent, completely different from the Aura of the Disciples training in the Twilight Forest.

A flash of brilliance crossed Xiao Ming's eyes, and he set down the wine pot in his hand. "This Sword Intent... is quite interesting," he praised with a chuckle.

His body remained still, but his perception spread like a tide in that direction. Soon, a scene clearly appeared before his "eyes"—

In a valley filled with dense Spiritual Qi not far away, a figure in white was engaged in a fierce battle with a "Frost Demon Dragon" that had a massive body, was covered in dark blue scales, had a single horn on its head, and wings on its back!

The woman had a slender figure, dressed in white as pristine as snow, her robes flapping in the surging Sword Qi and the cold wind whipped up by the Demon Dragon. Her skin was as clear and white as jade, and against the dark valley and the biting cold sword light, she seemed to carry her own radiance. However, what was most striking was not just this world-toppling beauty, but the lingering coldness between her brows and that seemingly innate, aloof Sword Qi. She was like a peerless named sword unsheathed—beautiful, yet radiating a sharpness and chill that kept people at a distance.

At this moment, the long sword in her hand, clear as autumn water, was unleashing waves of cold, moon-like sword light. Wherever the Sword Qi passed, the cold was biting, and frost condensed on the ground. Her sword technique was exquisite and peerless, carrying a beauty untainted by the mortal world, yet every strike aimed directly at the Demon Dragon's vital points, fiercely and effectively.

"It's her, the Wandao Sword Sect Saintess, Yun Qingyao." Xiao Ming raised an eyebrow, recognizing the figure. He had seen her from afar during the sect entrance ceremony; such grace was truly unforgettable. He just hadn't expected to see her at this freshman training site.

Yun Qingyao's situation was clearly not good right now. Although her sword technique was exquisite, her cultivation seemed to be only at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage. Facing the thick-skinned, immensely strong Frost Demon Dragon that could also spew extreme cold ice breath, she had already fallen into a disadvantage. Her snow-white robes were already stained with spots of striking blood, like red plum blossoms on snow, making her face appear even paler. Her Aura was also unstable, her breathing slightly rapid; clearly, her consumption of Spiritual Qi was immense, and she might even have suffered serious internal injuries. Every clash with the Demon Dragon made her delicate body tremble slightly, and her sword light fluctuated violently.

Xiao Ming rubbed his chin, a glimmer of interest flashing in his eyes. The prey has appeared...

His gaze swept across the darker forest on the other side of the valley, his powerful perception spreading silently like invisible tentacles. Soon, he "saw" two more powerful and violent Auras lurking—a "Shadow Demon Tiger" with a lithe body and dark green eyes hidden in the shadows, and a "Thorn Earth Dragon" lurking underground, covered in hideous bone spurs and resembling a small hill! The former's Aura had clearly reached the Peak Nascent Soul Stage, while the latter had even just entered the Spirit Severing Realm!

"Playing the hero to save the beauty? Have I been infected by the Child of Fortune?" Xiao Ming raised his eyebrows slightly. His fingertips flicked imperceptibly, and two strands of Aura, as thin as hair and containing pure provocation and enticing energy, drifted out, shooting precisely toward the direction of the two Vicious Beasts.

After doing all this, Xiao Ming continued to "observe" with composure. He was waiting, waiting for the best moment to play the hero saving the beauty.

The battle at the bottom of the valley became increasingly fierce and dangerous. Although Yun Qingyao's sword light remained cold and sharp, her stamina was clearly failing. Forced back step by step by the Frost Demon Dragon's violent attacks, she was in a precarious situation. In her cold eyes, the consistent calmness was finally replaced by a hint of gravity, and her cherry lips were pressed tighter.

Just at this moment!

"Awoo—!!!"

"Roar—!!!"

Two even more violent and terrifying beast roars erupted from the dense forests on both sides of the valley! Immediately after, a huge figure as fast as black lightning, and a behemoth covered in hideous bone spurs that burst from the ground, charged into the battlefield with monstrous, ferocious Aura and extreme violence!

Their sudden arrival made the already precarious situation even worse! The Frost Demon Dragon's offensive was interrupted, and it looked at these two uninvited guests in shock and anger. As for the Shadow Demon Tiger and the Thorn Earth Dragon, they were provoked by the Aura Xiao Ming had deliberately guided, their gazes locked firmly onto the only Human Race in the field—Yun Qingyao!

The three Vicious Beasts formed a strange tacit understanding at this moment, charging simultaneously from three directions, carrying destructive Auras, toward the lone white figure in the center!

In front was the extreme ice breath from the Frost Demon Dragon blocking the path, behind was the Shadow Demon Tiger tearing through the Void Realm with its claws, and beneath her feet were deadly earth spikes from the Thorn Earth Dragon bursting from the ground! There was no way to heaven, no door to enter the earth!

There was no trace of fear on Yun Qingyao's beautiful face, only ice-cold calmness. She took a deep breath, and the Spiritual Qi in her body circulated wildly along an arcane trajectory. Her Aura suddenly climbed, and the originally cold Sword Intent abruptly became extremely sharp and filled with destructive intent. The autumn water long sword in her hand emitted a clear hum, and a layer of gray brilliance faintly appeared on the blade!

Her body seemed to transform into three afterimages that were hard to distinguish between real and fake, attacking the three Vicious Beasts separately!

Pfft! Pfft! Swish!

A burst of blood exploded from the Shadow Demon Tiger's neck, the light in its dark green eyes dimmed rapidly, and it let out a cry of unwillingness before crashing to the ground! The Thorn Earth Dragon's strongest back armor was also slashed open with a deep wound that reached the bone, dark green juice spraying wildly. It let out a painful hiss, its massive body twisting violently, smashing the ground until it cracked! And the strongest Frost Demon Dragon in the front, although it avoided its vital point, had one of its wings sliced off at the root by the gray sword light, blood flowing like a waterfall!

One sword, severely wounding three powerful Vicious Beasts! Among them, the Peak Nascent Soul Stage Shadow Demon Tiger was even killed outright!

However, the price for unleashing such a secret sword was extremely heavy. Yun Qingyao's pretty face turned paper-white instantly, devoid of any blood, and her delicate body swayed violently, barely standing firm by leaning on her sword. There was more blood on her white robes, even more vivid, clearly indicating she had suffered a serious backlash herself, and even the hand holding the sword was trembling slightly.

Although the Thorn Earth Dragon and the wingless Frost Demon Dragon were injured, their ferocity was completely ignited. Especially the Thorn Earth Dragon, which was more heavily injured and dying, let out a heaven-shaking roar. Its bone spurs stood upright, flashing with a dark light, and it recklessly charged toward Yun Qingyao, wanting to perish together with her! The Frost Demon Dragon also endured the pain of its broken wing, opened its mouth, and spewed its final, wide-range extreme cold breath, sealing off all space for evasion!

A trace of powerlessness finally flashed in Yun Qingyao's eyes. She was now at the end of her rope, finding it extremely difficult to even move. How could she deal with these two desperate attacks simultaneously? She gripped the sword hilt tightly, her fingertips turning white from the force, and a flash of determination appeared in her cold eyes, as if she were about to use some final trump card at a greater cost...

Just at this critical moment!

A figure appeared silently beside Yun Qingyao like a ghost. A slender and powerful hand gently rested on the wrist holding her sword. A gentle, mellow, yet vast-as-the-sea Spiritual Qi instantly poured into her nearly exhausted Meridians, not only forcibly stabilizing the backlash of the secret technique that was about to explode but also suppressing the surging blood in her body.

At the same time, a calm, ripple-free voice sounded, like brushing away dust.

The Thorn Earth Dragon that was charging with the momentum of mutual destruction, and the extreme cold breath that could freeze all things, collided with an invisible and absolutely impassable barrier when they were still a zhang away from the two, and disintegrated with a bang! The Thorn Earth Dragon's hideous bone spurs snapped one by one, and its massive body was sent flying back at an even faster speed, slamming heavily into the cliff wall and becoming embedded in it. It let out a painful hiss, but could no longer crawl out. The Frost Demon Dragon's breath was directly dissipated into nothingness, failing to even approach with a trace of cold air.

Everything happened too suddenly, and too understatedly. It was as if the desperate attacks of those two Vicious Beasts were nothing more than a breeze brushing past.

The violent Spiritual Qi in Yun Qingyao's body was forcibly smoothed out by that gentle yet irresistible external force. The backlash of the secret technique was contained, but the huge consumption and injuries still made her vision go black, her delicate body going soft, almost unable to stand.

Xiao Ming's hand, which had originally rested on her wrist, fell along the way, steadily supporting her arm, with a gentle force holding her up. The warm touch came through the thin sleeves, carrying a reassuring, steady strength.

"Miss, be careful."

A gentle and unfamiliar voice sounded in her ear, carrying just the right amount of concern, yet without the slightest hint of frivolity.

Yun Qingyao endured the dizziness and weakness, forcing herself to look up. What entered her vision was the face of an unfamiliar young man, with sword-like eyebrows and star-like eyes, quite handsome, and a calm and composed temperament. He seemed out of place in this dangerous battlefield, yet inexplicably reassuring. His eyes were clear and open, containing only concern for a fellow Disciple in danger, with no other Impurities.

"You..." Yun Qingyao's cherry lips parted slightly, her voice hoarse and weak from serious injury, a hint of confusion and vigilance flashing in her cold eyes. Who was this person? Among the Inner Sect Disciples, she seemed to have never seen him! Just that one hand earlier, which easily resolved the desperate offensive of two Vicious Beasts, yet his cultivation was only at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage—this person was truly unfathomable!

"Oh, I am a newly promoted Disciple of Earth Sword Peak, Mu Changge, a Core Disciple of Elder Di Jian." Xiao Ming (Mu Changge) smiled slightly, taking the initiative to state his name, while simultaneously channeling a strand of pure and gentle Spiritual Qi to help her stabilize her heart Meridians and alleviate her injuries. "I was training nearby and sensed intense spiritual energy fluctuations and beast roars here, so I came to check. Seeing you in danger, as a fellow Disciple, I naturally had to step in to help."

His tone was sincere, his explanation reasonable, and his hand movements were proper; he was only supporting her, without the slightest impropriety.

A newly joined Disciple? Earth Sword Peak? Doubts arose in Yun Qingyao's heart. Could a new Disciple have such strength? But the fact that he saved her life was true, and his conduct was appropriate; she couldn't dwell on it now. Feeling that the gentle Spiritual Qi in my body was rapidly repairing her damaged Meridians, her heart settled slightly. She forced herself to take a breath and said in a low voice: "Thank you... for saving me, Junior Brother Mu. I am the Saintess of Heavenly Sword Peak, Yun Qingyao."

She stated her identity, which was both a thank you and a subtle indication of her status, while secretly observing the other party's reaction to see if he had any other motives.

"So you are the Saintess of Heavenly Sword Peak, I have long heard of you." Xiao Ming revealed a perfectly timed look of realization and a hint of "I see" admiration.

His gaze swept across the messy battlefield, and he frowned slightly. "The smell of blood here is too heavy, it is not suitable to stay for long. Senior Sister's injuries are not light, you need to find a place to heal as soon as possible!"

After speaking, Xiao Ming helped her to lean against a relatively clean large rock, then turned around, merely pointing his fingers like a sword, and tapped lightly into the air toward the two beasts.

The action was casual, as if he were just shooing away mosquitoes.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Two strands of extremely condensed, almost imperceptible pale golden Sword Qi broke through the air, faster than the eye could catch.

A thumb-sized blood hole appeared on the heads of the Thorn Earth Dragon and the Frost Demon Dragon respectively. The wounds were smooth, with no blood spraying, as if the flesh and bone at that spot had been completely annihilated in an instant.

The ferocious light in the eyes of the two beasts dimmed and extinguished rapidly, and their massive bodies crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust, completely losing their vitality.

Yun Qingyao leaned against the large rock, seeing this scene clearly, and the shock in her cold eyes was hard to conceal. The power of such methods was definitely not something an ordinary Disciple could possess! This Mu Changge could not be underestimated!

Xiao Ming acted as if he had only done a trivial thing, waving his hand to collect the crystal cores from the three Vicious Beasts with skilled movements. Then he walked back to Yun Qingyao's side, looked at her pale face, and asked with concern: "Senior Sister Yun, how are you feeling?"

Yun Qingyao suppressed the shock and suspicion in her heart, feeling the blood still surging in her body and the stinging pain from her Meridians, and said in a low voice: "Spiritual energy backlash, damaged Meridians, I need to find a quiet place to regulate my breathing as soon as possible."

Her voice was still cold, but less distant than usual, and carried more of the weakness following a serious injury.

Xiao Ming nodded, his gaze quickly scanning the surroundings, then he looked at Yun Qingyao's paper-white face and slightly trembling body, his brows furrowed slightly. "Senior Sister's Aura is floating, and your Meridians are damaged, so I am afraid it is not suitable to move. There seems to be a natural cave not far ahead, quite hidden, where you can temporarily avoid danger and heal. It is just... I hope Senior Sister will forgive me for a moment, but allow me to carry you there, is that alright?"

He spoke openly and naturally, his gaze clear, and his tone contained only concern for a fellow Disciple's injuries and the most pragmatic consideration for the current situation, without the slightest hint of lewdness.

"Carry... carry me?" Hearing this, Yun Qingyao's cold cheeks flushed slightly in a way that was hard to detect. Since she was young, she had been exceptionally talented and held a high status; when had she ever had such close contact with a man? Let alone such an intimate action. Even with that equally brilliant and talented childhood sweetheart, the Saint of Heavenly Sword Peak, Jian Wushuang, interactions were limited to occasional exchanges during sparring and discussions on the Dao.

However, she knew her own condition best, and what the other party said was indeed the safest choice for now.

She lifted her eyelids and met Xiao Ming's calm, open eyes that contained no Impurities. Those eyes were deep and bright, and at this moment, they held only pure concern and the patience to wait for her decision. For some reason, this gaze made the instinctive resistance she felt due to the approach of a strange man fade a little.

Weighing the pros and cons took only an instant; Yun Qingyao was not a rigid person. She turned her head slightly, avoiding Xiao Ming's direct gaze, her cold voice dropping a few degrees lower than usual, carrying a hint of embarrassment that was almost imperceptible: "Then... then I will have to trouble Junior Brother Mu."

"Senior Sister, please do not mind, desperate times call for desperate measures." Having received consent, Xiao Ming did not delay further. He walked in front of Yun Qingyao, bent down slightly, and said in a gentle tone: "Senior Sister, please."

Yun Qingyao looked at the broad and straight back of the man in front of her, bit her lower lip, and finally reached out a slender hand, resting it gently on Xiao Ming's shoulder.

Xiao Ming waited for her to steady herself, then moved his arms backward, and with a domineering yet stable force, gently supported her legs and carried her on his back.

With her body suddenly suspended in the air, carried on the back of a strange man, Yun Qingyao subconsciously stiffened for a moment. The scent lingering at the tip of her nose was no longer the smell of grass and mud from the forest, nor was it the cold ice fragrance on her own body, but a clean and crisp masculine scent; it was not strong, but it inexplicably burrowed into her heart.

She could clearly feel the warmth coming from his back. This intimate contact made Yun Qingyao, who had never been so close to a member of the opposite sex, feel her earlobes heating up uncontrollably. She could even "hear" the steady and powerful heartbeat of the other party, one beat after another, with a stable rhythm, as if it contained some kind of unique vitality, which strangely made her somewhat chaotic thoughts calm down a bit.

Xiao Ming seemed completely unaware of the waves in her heart, just steadily carrying her, his footsteps light and swift as he moved through the Twilight Forest. His figure was like a ghost, cleverly avoiding some hidden dangerous Auras and complex terrain.

The journey was silent, with only the rustling of the wind through the treetops and the occasional beast roar from afar. Both of them remained silent, and a subtle quietness flowed in the air.