Chapter 101: Lu Xueruo is Shocked

Boom.

At that moment, the stone blocking the cave entrance shot outward, striking a crawling beast with immense force and sending it flying. Li Taixing and Lu Xueruo quickly exited the cave and immediately encountered a massive swarm of flying beasts.

"Junior Brother Li, be careful!" Lu Xueruo warned, feeling her pulse quicken at the sight of the menacing creatures.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister," Li Taixing replied with a calm smile, "just watch."

In an instant, numerous Douling Swords materialized around him, whirling into a formidable sword storm. Lu Xueruo's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"Are those... Douling Swords?" she muttered, astonished by the sheer number of them. "So many?"

As the hurricane of Douling Swords swept through the air, the surrounding beasts were instantly shredded into countless pieces, their remains falling into the abyss below. Sensing the disturbance, more beasts converged on them, undeterred and seemingly fearless. Li Taixing merely lifted his hand, and the Douling Swords reformed into a tightly organized matrix, creating a vast and terrifying sword formation.

The formation moved with precision, slicing through the beasts with merciless efficiency. With each pass, the creatures were reduced to mere fragments, scattered and lost in the depths of the abyss.

Lu Xueruo, who had initially thought they would face this danger together, stood motionless, completely stunned by what she was witnessing.

'Who am I? Where am I? What am I even doing here?' she thought, almost dazed. This junior brother, who she had believed needed her protection, was unleashing such devastating power that even their sect master might not compare.

Li Taixing, observing the influx of beasts from other directions, split the Douling Sword Formation into three smaller matrices, unleashing them with surgical precision. In seconds, tens of thousands of beasts were slaughtered, their remains scattered across the cliffside.

For him, controlling this many swords—a number reaching 70,000 to 80,000—was trivial, as he was primarily directing just three Douling Swords. The rest, amplified to act in unison, consumed only minimal energy.

'Perhaps I need even stronger weapons soon,' he thought as he retracted the Douling Swords, leaving a pristine scene behind him where cliffs were polished smooth, and every trace of the beasts had vanished.

Turning back to Lu Xueruo, he noticed her transfixed expression and called out, "Senior Sister? Senior Sister Lu?" Receiving no response, he grinned mischievously and took a step forward, holding his hands up as if about to touch her shoulders.

"Senior Sister Lu, you're not injured again, are you?" he teased, wiggling his fingers playfully as he pretended to reach toward her chest.

"Ah!" Lu Xueruo snapped back to reality, alarmed by his antics. She quickly covered her chest with her arms, face flushed with embarrassment.

"Junior Brother Li, what are you doing?!"

"Ahem." Li Taixing awkwardly cleared his throat, retracting his hands. "I'm sorry, Senior Sister. You looked completely spaced out, so I just wanted to... well, bring you back to reality."

"Hmph! I'm not talking to you anymore," she retorted, still blushing, as she flew away in a fluster.

"Wait, Senior Sister Lu! It was only a joke!" Li Taixing called after her, scrambling to catch up.

Despite her apparent irritation, Lu Xueruo's cheeks reddened further as he drew near. Her thoughts swirled in confusion. Should I even stay close to him? It's dangerous to my Dao heart. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, she couldn't bring herself to dislike the feeling.

Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the distance. Startled, Lu Xueruo tensed, fear flashing across her face as the memory of her last encounter with such a beast surfaced. She instinctively raised her hands, preparing to defend herself.

Before she could react, Li Taixing stepped protectively in front of her, blocking her from the beast's line of sight.

"Tai Chi Array!"

This time, Li Taixing had anticipated the creature's spiritual attack. A wave of spiritual power hurtled toward them, but the Tai Chi Array intercepted it, dispersing part of the energy while Li Taixing absorbed the remainder.

Thanks to his intervention, Lu Xueruo avoided being struck again, sparing her the potential shattering of her spiritual sea. She let out a soft sigh of relief, watching him with a mixture of gratitude and admiration.

"Junior Brother Li, are you alright?" she asked, concerned.

Li Taixing winced, clutching his side dramatically. "Ah, it... it hurts."

Panic set in as she reached out, steadying him with her hands. "Hold on, Junior Brother! Are you hurt badly?" Her eyes brimmed with worry, a hint of tears gathering at the edges.

"I… I'll manage," he said weakly, forcing a smile as guilt briefly washed over him. Despite her genuine concern, he realized he might have taken the joke a bit far.

"Are you sure?" Lu Xueruo's eyes searched his face. She was visibly unsettled, clearly recalling the trauma of her own near-death experience.

Still feigning pain, Li Taixing reassured her, "Yes, Senior Sister. Just a bit of discomfort—it'll pass."

She frowned, still uncertain, then said firmly, "Let's find a safe place for you to recover!" Her voice held no room for protest, and she immediately supported him, determined to help.

Li Taixing leaned against her, feeling her warmth as she helped him move. The softness of her embrace caused his thoughts to drift, and he couldn't help but savor the closeness between them.