Unscaled

The painful memories of when Luqing was powerless reminded her how much she can't let both of her mates be harmed. 

Since stepping into the Transcendent Immortal realm, Luqing had regained her bestial form, albeit a colossal one. 

From afar, Qiuyue recalled her phoenix, transforming into her sturdy [Cryo Phoenix Armor]

Eyeing the behemoth of panther in the distance, Qiuyue took a forward stance with her Guandao, "Don't disappoint me now, kitty."

As the silver haired woman's wings unfurled, an ice storm raged, the dead trees became encased in ice, freezing the entire field and turning it into a desolate tundra found inside of her Inner realm. 

One realm away from Godhood, 'Transcendent Immortals' unconsciously manifest their inner realm simply by releasing their true cultivation power. 

But Qiuyue's opponent remained undaunted by her frozen world, after all, the Hellcat was a Transcendent as well…

The massive Hellcat's mouth didn't move, but the simple act of speech without doing so was easy for someone at the highest realm of cultivation. The Hellcat's voice was overflowed with rage, "I will tear you to shreds and consume your soul!" 

Luqing's rare qi was finally unleashed, freeing her from the constraints that bound all into the world, amplifying it to hamper her opponents. 

The floor along with the ice covering it shattered, unable to withstand 9 times the amount of normal gravity, the dead frozen trees collapsed. 

For a moment, Qiuyue nearly tripped due to the surprise. Evening her footing, such paltry weight was definitely something she could easily withstand. 

A fight to the death was now about to commence between near Godlike cultivators, the destruction they will leave will no doubt be on a tremendous scale. 

One that they won't be able to measure as Feng had arrived to retrieve her comrade. 

From up high, a great axe spun towards the floor. With a thunderous boom, lightning struck the axe embedded to the ground. The lightning faded to reveal Feng. 

The Hellcat trembled with rage at the sight. 

At long last she won't need to wait for Shangying's promise for the man she was hunting delivered himself in front of her! Luqing's current mates drifted out of her mind as she was bitterly reminded of her first companion's beheading. Luqing's focus shifted her attention from Qiuyue and into the man that  spoke…

"Qiuyue, the Phoenix king calls for us. 

"Hold on, let me just harvest this Hellcat's soul core so I can present it to him as a gift." 

Suddenly, a portal opened in front of Qiuyue, Bao stepping out of it, "You really think he would need aid from a measly Spirit Beast with a Divine Beast by his side? Go back to the court with Feng, Qiuyue. It is his order, not mine." 

"Fuck, just when I was so close to having master back!" The livid Qiuyue dispelled her Phoenix armor. Her loyalty to Heaven's overlord must be honored. "I'll be back for you, Xiao. Next time we meet, you won't be so lucky! Let's go, Feng." 

Before the two could step into the portal, Luging rushed to take revenge on his sworn enemy only to be stopped by the giant snake that Bao summoned from the snake's spirit core inside of his dantian. 

The Python spirit beast that emerged from the Spirit Core inside Bao was equal to the Hellcat in size. 

With one leap, Bao stood on top of his snake, staring down the wary Hellcat. 

"If you want to stop them then you will have to get past me, but be warned, I am stronger than Qiuyue and if that won't persuade you then look at the state of your companions." 

"Hah, dream on Bao!" Qiuyue chuckled as she stepped into the portal with Feng. 

Luqing witnessed as the near-death Xiao was cradled by Yanmei, her wounded tails used to shield them both against the onslaught of both ice and gravity. 

In Luqing's drive to protect them she had lost sight of what was important, their safety. They couldn't have survived the clash if She and Qiuyue went toe-to-toe with their real cultivation level. 

The Hellcat approached the two, "Ride on my back. I know a place where we can heal Xiao." 

While Yanmei carried Xiao on top of the giant panther, her thoughts even at the brink of death were of her master. 

"The…mask…get it…please." After her final words, Xiao completely lost consciousness. 

Bao didn't even bother giving chase, watching atop his snake as the giant panther ran at an incredible speed. The visage of a colossal Hellcat would no doubt give those that would witness it the fright of their life if they weren't headed deep into the forest. 

Bao's lips curved, a grin for the situation his friend found herself in…

"Hurry up and strengthen your vessel, Zhen, otherwise your former disciple might drag you back to the court." 

+++

Inside one of the Shadow Order's hidden underground base, Yanmei exited Xiao's room after finishing treating her wounds via healing pill and bandages. 

"How is Xiao?" Luqing sat at a table, pouring a cup of wine for the fox woman.

"She's stable and now resting. With her master back at her side, it won't take long before she recovers." 

"Thank goodness." Luqing sighed in relief. "Here, have a drink." Luqing offered a cup. 

After the crazy events of today, Yanmei felt like she could down a whole jar of wine. 

Taking the cup, Yanmei took the seat beside Yanmei. 

Yanmei smiled softly, "I always thought you were powerful, but it never occurred to me you are THAT powerful." 

After downing a cup, as if trying to drown out her sorrow, Luwing grinned wryly, "Yet, I failed to save you and Xiao from harm." 

Yanmei held the top of Luqing's hand, a simple gesture to tell her that she shouldn't put all the blame on herself.

"Stop blaming yourself, that Qiuyue was the root cause of it all. She would have already killed us both if you weren't there. You DID save us."

The touch of Yanmei's hand lifted some of the heaviness of Luqing's guilt. Yanmei is, after all, still alive. 

"Yanmei…thank you." 

Luqing was truly glad to have two wonderful mates by her side. 

+++

Come next morning…

<<How are you feeling, Xiao?>>

Xiao woke up to her master's voice, coming from the mask next to her bed and an unfamiliar room. The basic room had no decor whatsoever aside from the basic storage box and a bed. Its architecture is made out of stone. Where was she? 

"Like shit, master. Your previous disciple really did a number on me. By the way, where are we?"

<< We are in one of the Shadow Order's hidden bases. And Qiuyue, I agree, she can be quite the handful. >>

'Quite the handful' weren't the words Xiao would use to describe the woman that tried to murder her but Xiao didn't delve into that topic further.

It scared Xiao. 

What if what Qiuyue said was true? That Xiao's master was only raising her to take her body. Did her master give Xiao a second life only for her master to take it herself? 

Xiao stood from her bed, "Master, I…I'm going to take a walk for a bit." 

<<Is something bothering you?>>

"No master, nothing at all."

+++