4 Sudden turn of events

[Updated, rewritten]

This is gonna be a long chapter...

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Luo Li was proving to be the most troublesome opponent, as she was using a bow and her arrows were especially dangerous for a cultivator without their spirit power. The white fog around the bridge only added to Rong Yuan's disadvantage. He could only deflect the arrows thanks to his keen hearing and the abilities of a Spirit Emperor Stage cultivator, but it was still an incredibly difficult fight.

Despite his best efforts, a combination of attacks from different sides caused Rong Yuan to sustain an injury. He was unable to block one of Luo Li's arrows, and it hit him in the back. Rong Yuan quickly removed the arrow, but his back was bleeding and the pain was intense. He knew he had to overcome this quickly, or else the situation would become dire for him.

To make matters worse, the arrow that hit Rong Yuan was also poisoned.

Thinking quickly, Rong Yuan took out three Spirit Supporting pills and Poison detoxifying pills and consumed them all at once. Almost instantly, he could feel the power of his spirit surging within him. He prepared to launch a powerful attack, using all of his spirit power to turn the tide of the battle in his favor.

"Wind Spirit Sword Technique: Wind Hurricane Strike!" he decided, recalling forth the name of his technique. With this move, he could cause a lot of damage by wielding his sword like a wheel around himself, striking all opponents within reach.

Although this technique was useful when facing multiple opponents in close combat, its drawback was that it consumed a third of his entire spirit power. In this situation, however, Rong Yuan knew he would need to use all of his spirit power to turn the tide of the battle in his favor.

With his back still bleeding from the poisonous arrow, Rong Yuan knew he had to end the fight quickly. He gathered all of his strength and infused his sword with a massive amount of spirit power. The wind around him began to pick up, growing stronger and stronger with each passing moment.

Then, with a mighty swing of his sword, he unleashed the "Wind Spirit Sword Technique: Wind Hurricane." A powerful gust of wind erupted from his sword, growing larger and more powerful with each passing moment. The wind blades sliced through the air, creating a vortex of cutting wind that grew stronger and more intense by the second.

The members of the White Lotus Sect were caught off guard by the sudden attack, and they struggled to keep their footing as the wind hurricane battered them from all sides. Despite their best efforts, they were unable to withstand the force of Rong Yuan's attack.

The hurricane continued to rage, growing stronger and more intense with each passing moment. The wind blades were now razor-sharp, slicing through anything in their path. The members of the White Lotus Sect were completely overwhelmed, and they fell one by one as the wind hurricane raged on.

Finally, with a final burst of energy, Rong Yuan released the last remnants of his spirit power into the wind hurricane. The vortex grew even stronger, and the wind blades became even more deadly. The members of the White Lotus Sect were completely decimated, and Rong Yuan emerged victorious.

Panting heavily, Rong Yuan sheathed his sword and looked around at the destruction he had wrought. But he had failed to take one person into account.

"SWISH"

An arrow was coming towards him at an alarming speed.

"CLANG"

"Yichen, do you think I forgot about you?" Yuan spoke, his voice filled with contempt. "You've been hiding and waiting for an opportunity to strike since Luo Li and the others arrived." 

"Tch, you are really smart, Yuan, not to forget about me. But unfortunately, there was another person you forgot," Yichen retorted, his annoyance palpable as he spoke.

As soon as Yichen stopped speaking, Yuan's sixth sense kicked in, and he sensed another arrow coming from behind. He quickly turned around, just in time to deflect it with his own sword.

"You're too predictable, little Luo. I knew you were able to escape from the attack." Yuan said, his voice was cold and determined.

"Don't think I was defeated, Yuan!" Another voice shouted, her voice filled with rage.

Yuan turned around instantly, but he knew he was too exhausted to stop another attack. He braced himself for impact, knowing that this could be the end.

"Goodbye, Yuan..." Xiaoling's voice trailed off, and Yuan lifted his sword, welcoming the final blow. But his hand grew weak and suddenly something happened to his mind which made him close his eyes in pain.

{Oh, no!}

"Noooo!" An angry voice echoed before them.

"Huh!" A surprised voice sounded from Xiaoling.

But then, something unexpected happened. A loud "SWISH!" was followed by a "THUD!" and a "CLANG!" The attack had been intercepted at the last moment.

After waiting for a few seconds, he opened his eyes and saw his two unconscious disciples earlier were now standing in front of him blocking the Xiaoling's attack.

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~~FLASHBACK~~

Two disciples of Rong Yuan had been rendered unconscious during a battle with the members of the White Lotus Sect. When they regained consciousness, they immediately set out to find their master, but they soon heard Xiaoling's voice and headed toward it.

When they arrived at the scene, they saw their master was about to be killed. Without hesitation, they sprinted toward Xiaoling, attempting to block her attack.

When Naer shouted "NOOO!", it caused Xiaoling to lose focus for just a moment, and that was all Yuer had needed to block her attack and save their master's life.

~~FLASHBACK END~~

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"Master, we'll save you!", spoke Yuer.

"Yes, we won't let you die by 'her' hands!", said Naer emphasizing 'her' which sounded a bit weird.

Yuan could only shake his head confused at this unexpected situation.

"You two can't win against me, adding you are already injured." She said with a mocking gaze. "Surrender immediately and I'll spare your lives for the sake of Yichen!"

Xiaoling had been asked by Yichen not to interfere with Rong Yuan's disciples, as he had wanted to handle them himself.

"We will never surrender, we'll save our master!" said Yuan's disciples in unison.

Rong Yuan was slightly touched by their words. But it wasn't time for this. He needed to take action immediately.

"You are injured. Stay behind me, I will fight them myself." Yuan spoke as he slowly stood up.

"I may be injured, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve," Yuan said, his words surprising his disciples and causing Xiaoling to become alert.

As they watched in wonder, Yuan's disciples exchanged a knowing look. They remembered something important, and a wry smile spread across their faces.

"It's good we came to the rescue, but if we didn't..." one of them muttered, trailing off.

But before they could finish their thought, Yuan interrupted them with a gentle smile.

"I appreciate your help. If you hadn't come, I would have been severely injured. I am proud to have such disciples," he said, his voice filled with gratitude and admiration for his loyal disciples.

As he faced Xiaoling, he was smiling wryly. Because he didn't have any other ways to save himself so he would have died if not for their help. He said these words because he just wanted to reassure his disciples. Yes, there wasn't any other intention...

But did his disciples really think as he imagined?

Xiaoling's voice cut through the air like a sharp blade, causing Yuan to shift his focus from his disciples to his enemies.

"Stop chatting with your disciples and fight with me!" she demanded, her eyes blazing with fury.

Yichen was also quick to speak up, his voice filled with confidence. "No, with us!" he countered, his body showing signs of recovery.

Luo Li added her support, coming to stand by Yichen. "All three of us!" she exclaimed, her voice steady and determined. Unlike Yichen, she had received minimal injuries from Yuan's spirit technique.

The air around them grew tense as everyone prepared for another life-and-death battle. Hearts pounded with anxiety as they braced themselves for what was to come.

For a moment, there was silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing. 

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

The tap of footsteps echoed through the area, drawing the attention of those engaged in battle.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

"It seems we came at the right time," a smooth, confident voice rang out, causing heads to turn toward the source of the sound.

Emerging from the thick fog was a beautiful figure, her presence commanding and powerful. It was none other than Ruoer, the grandmaster alchemist and fiance of Rong Yuan.

As she stepped forward, her eyes swept over the scene, taking in the chaos and destruction. She had arrived just in time to witness the intense battle between Rong Yuan and his enemies.

A voice rang out, causing Rong Yuan's head to turn towards the newcomer. It was one of his youngest disciples, and she had arrived with Ruoer, just as he had instructed.

"Master, I came with Aunt Ruoer as you said!" the girl exclaimed, panting slightly from the run.

Ruoer's mouth twitched slightly at the mention of "Aunt Ruoer," but she didn't say anything, instead focusing on the battle ahead.

Rong Yuan felt a sense of relief wash over him as help arrived from his side. He knew that their arrival would turn the tide of the battle in their favor.

"Yuan, I'm sorry we came late!" Ruoer came in front of him, her eyes filled with concern. "You have to take this Superior Saint Healing Pill. I concocted this pill after several failures. It can heal any injuries fast, be it internal or external. Also, take these two Superior Grade Spirit Supporting Pills!"

Ruoer's gentle voice rang out as she handed Rong Yuan two Spirit Supporting pills and another Superior grade pill. The pills shone brightly, even in the midst of the fog, emanating a healing and calming aura. It was the new pill that Ruoer had concocted, the Spirit Saint Healing Pill.

"Thank you, Ruoer!" Rong Yuan said gratefully, touched by her thoughtfulness.

"You can thank me later. For now, eat these pills quickly!" Ruoer urged him, her eagerness palpable.

Without hesitation, Rong Yuan took the pills and swallowed them. As he did, he felt his injuries start to heal, and he could feel the power of the spirit energy emanating from the two Spirit Supporting pills.

{Is this the blessing of having a grandmaster alchemist as a fiancé?} thought Yuan.

Unfortunately, his thoughts didn't last long.

Because the atmosphere changed drastically.

___ __ _ _

The tension in the air was broken by Yichen's voice, which echoed throughout the area. "Well, our plan is finished, so you can stop your acting," he declared, his words causing confusion among the gathered fighters.

Xiaoling joined in, her annoyance palpable. "Yes, I'm tired of it, really! Was all of this necessary?" she questioned, before hugging Yichen from behind.

Luo Li added her agreement, standing by Yichen's side. "I agree with my master!" she exclaimed, her frustration evident.

"We were tired of pretending to be unconscious the whole time," Yuer chimed in, running to Yichen and hugging his right arm. "And you, witch! Stop hugging Yichen?!" she directed at Xiaoling, her tone accusatory.

Naer, who had been standing quietly beside Rong Yuan, suddenly spoke up, sounding jealous. "Yes, she is right. Stop it!" she said, timidly hugging Yichen's left arm.

Rong Yuan was completely bewildered by the scene unfolding before him. He couldn't believe that his disciples, who had been severely injured, were now hugging and acting lovey-dovey with their enemy, Yichen. He was beyond confused, and couldn't believe his eyes.

"Hmph, I was the one who finished the plan but I'm not receiving any treatment. Yichen!" Ruoer said frustrated turning her head away from Yichen who was hugging girls.

As Ruoer expressed her frustration at not receiving any treatment, Yichen made a suggestive remark, causing Ruoer to blush. Rong Yuan couldn't believe the intimate and flirtatious nature of their conversation.

Yichen noticed Rong Yuan's confusion and laughed, speaking up to explain the situation. "Hey, Rong Yuan, didn't you already get it? Or are you really that dense and stupid?" he taunted.

"In that case, I'll tell you what's happening... Well, you're dying, Rong Yuan!" he declared, his tone filled with amusement.

Yuan thought he was hallucinating!