Chain Manipulation

Upon hearing the man, Qiaolian only shrugged her shoulder and shook her head. " Tsk... Fight against you? Hehehe... Taoist, do you know your name?"

It was such a simple question of the name but it seemed to confuse the man. He was not particularly angry or annoyed. But, the nasty expression on his face faded and was suddenly replaced with a conflicted look. He somehow lowered his gaze and blinked his eyes several times... as if he was trying to recall something?

Qiaolian curled her lips into a smile. "You are no doubt an expert on the Melody of Manipulation technique. But, you are not invincible against it. Taoist, you've lost your name, didn't you? Or should I say... you are a victim of Melody of Manipulation too?"

For some reason, Qiaolian's words seemed to awaken something in the man. His face contorted and in a flash, he simultaneously slashed the wooden staff in her direction.

"Two pawns... Even if you have hundred of pawns... It won't work. You have deceived me once, it won't happen again," Qiaolian muttered while dodging the attack of the man. Her words were obviously delivered to whoever was behind the strings of manipulations.

The man turned very aggressive and started stabbing Qiaolian's direction. But, his weapon could only touch the empty space as she easily evaded the attacks.

"Taoist... remember your name. You have a name. You are born with one. Reflect and wake up! You are stronger than the first siren I encountered. You can save yourself from the Melody of Manipulation!"

Chain of manipulations... Qiaolian understood that she was facing an unparalleled opponent. Linking one pawn to another using the Melody of Manipulation was something that she had never seen in any books. Such an experience was no doubt, an eye-opener for her. But, a question remained in her chest. What has really happened to this empire? And where is the Empress of the Open Sea?

"Alas! If only I have a musical instrument. The Songs of Calm Mind and Serenity could easily break the link of whoever is controlling this Taoist," Qiaolian sighed and hastened her movements to avoid the attacks. The water swirled and wherever the staff goes, it created turbulence around.

"Your inner force must have been used up?" the man suddenly spoke, trying to provoke Qiaolian.

"Indeed," she smoothly replied. And before the Taoist could react, her hand received the intensity of his attack and gripped the end of the wooden staff. Somehow she felt there was a strange hole on the weapon.

The force of the attack was really strong that Qiaolian winced a little bit as she felt the stinging sensation on her palm.

'This Taoist is really powerful!' She mentally noted and gathered all her force, all the experience she had gained from hunting beast... all of her energy moved towards her hand as she pulled the staff towards her direction.

The man tugged his weapon easily and with his force, Qiaolian lost her grip on the other end.

He is extremely powerful!

But, in terms of speed, Qiaolian had outpowered him. Thus, he could not hit her body other than the intentional pain she received while attempting to snatch his weapon away.

"This is your end, intruder. Your inner force is getting weaker," the man announced with a small smirk on his lips.

Qiaolian just stood straight and tucked a strand of hair in the side of her ear. She could only ignore the pain in her hand and pretend that she was not hurt.

When she looked the Taoist in the eye, a similar smirk is also carved on her face.

"Now... I am not worried about my inner force. In fact, it's you who should be worried! Didn't you say to me earlier that you can't swim? If this dark aura vanished, will you survive underwater?" Qiaolian chuckled, revealing a malicious expression on her face. "In the end, it's you who will be at disadvantage. It is better if you cooperate with me and remove the Hex Mile of Tears formation."

The man suddenly turned silent. He had just realized that the situation was indeed unfavorable for him too! "It's too late. The formation had already infected the people in other regions. Their souls will soon be collected and transported here."

"Oh? It's too late to remove the formation? Then, the only bargain that you have is to heal all infected people."

"HAHAHA... You sure are confident to speak of a bargain? Hehe... Why should I agree with an intruder like you? Just who do you think you are?"

"Then, here's the better deal. You've spoken of reviving the Empress of the Open Sea. I'll help you with the same expense. Heal the people infected by your formation and leave the Heng continent out of your goal. My time is limited. If you agree, I---"

Qiaolian suddenly closed her mouth and abruptly stopped talking. She sensed that the air around her drastically changed. A poison was placed in the seawater! The Taoist was actually spreading something earlier that she had not noticed!

'Not good!' Qiaolian held her breath and immediately blocked all her senses. She quickly took the vine out of her pocket and without wasting her time, she instantly triggered the space cultivation method infused on it.

In split second, Qiaolian's figure disappeared into the dark water and she emerged into a dim and silent room inside the Ningjing Mansion.

She felt her inner force was trying to make her vomit. She open her mouth to yell in frustration, yet, by coincidence, a familiar figure caught on her side view.

Qiaolian did not need to turn her head. The figure was too familiar that even just his shadow, she could recognize it directly.

But, she never expected that the vine actually opened the dimension of the room where Huan Xue was staying for his closed-door cultivation!

'Cough! T-This is Master Huan's cultivation room?' Qiaolian mentally spoke and covered her mouth with her palms.

Huan Xue was still sitting in a lotus position. His face looked calm but the beads of sweat on his forehead had trickled on his jawline until a few drops had fallen from his chin towards his garment.

She had no time to dwell on any thought as she felt the sudden urge to vomit. 'This is bad! That Taoist is really powerful!'