Chapter 123: The Mysterious and Miraculous Art of Incarnation

Unfortunately for her, the person she encountered today was Bai Mu, and the sword he wielded was the Canglong, the supreme holy blade of the Savage Realm. No matter how formidable her ice-silk ribbons were, they could not withstand a casual strike from the Canglong Sword.

After the six blades of the Canglong shattered all of her water-sleeve ribbons, their momentum remained unabated. They flew in perfect formation, darting toward the hovering Chunyu Ji from six different directions, leaving her with absolutely nowhere to hide.

However, having cultivated for many years and enjoying a prestigious reputation in the Southern Wilderness, Chunyu Ji was not about to be defeated by the Canglong Sword so easily. As the six ancient swords whistled through the air toward her, she remained calm, twisting her waist with grace and vanishing into thin air, escaping the encirclement of sword energy amidst a faint, lingering fragrance.

The six swords struck empty space with a deafening metallic clash before merging back into one, returning the Canglong Sword to its original form. As for Chunyu Ji, who had been suspended in the air just moments before, she had vanished without a trace; apart from a lingering scent, there was no sign of her enchanting silhouette.

Bai Mu, however, paid no mind to her escape. He stood his ground, calm and composed, eyes closed like a statue. After a brief silence, he suddenly leaped from his spot, dashing toward the grass on the southwest side. He extended his left leg and kicked into the empty air, followed immediately by a sharp cry of agony.

Chunyu Ji, who had been hiding in the air, was sent flying by the kick and slammed heavily onto the ground. Because Bai Mu had gathered his strength and infused the blow with sixty percent of his cultivation, the strike left her severely injured.

Having succeeded with one blow, Bai Mu did not press his advantage. Instead, he stood calmly, brushed the dust off his clothes, and gestured to the air, causing the floating Canglong Sword to fly back into his palm. His aura was powerful, and his movements were so composed that he resembled a god of war reborn. Even Ghost Song, who was watching from the sidelines, began to feel a sense of genuine admiration.

Before their duel began, Ghost Song’s divine sense had vaguely perceived that Bai Mu’s cultivation was on par with his own. After their clash, having been beaten black and blue within a few rounds, Ghost Song’s perception changed; yet, he had still convinced himself that his defeat was merely due to his inferior weapon. Only now, seeing Chunyu Ji—a master of stealth, ambush, and poisonous arts—so easily struck down by Bai Mu, did he truly realize the vast gap between them. His reverence for the young Bai Mu grew instinctively.

Bai Mu’s state of mind, however, was quite different from Ghost Song’s. Although he had defeated two experts of the Evil Clan, he felt no joy, only mounting worry. From his encounters with both Ghost Song and Chunyu Ji, he knew his victories relied entirely on the power of the Canglong Sword, not his own true strength. If he were to encounter an opponent who also possessed a holy artifact, he would surely be in grave danger.

Chunyu Ji, lying on the ground and coughing up blood, had lost her enchanting allure, replaced by a look of utter defeat and disarray. Whether out of resentment for her failure or fear of the Evil King’s punishment, her delicate face remained shadowed and unreadable.

"Well? Do you yield now?" Bai Mu asked, standing two meters away, holding the Canglong Sword.

"I admit defeat." Chunyu Ji shook her head with difficulty, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and asked in surprise, "I wish to know, how did you see through my Avatar Technique?"

"Avatar Technique?" Bai Mu muttered to himself, thinking, *So this vanishing art of hers is called the Avatar Technique; it is truly marvelous.*

Despite his internal doubts, Bai Mu replied with feigned composure, "It is quite simple. No matter how powerful your Avatar Technique is, it cannot be executed without a trace. Although you concealed your form in the air, you could not escape the detection of my divine sense. Furthermore, the divine sense I cultivate is different from that of ordinary people; no matter how you hide, the moment there is the slightest trace, I can find the flaw."

"It seems you are indeed clever. To use your divine sense to fight in such a dangerous moment, achieving unity of mind and spirit on the battlefield—truly remarkable!" Chunyu Ji gave him a thumbs-up while speaking, adding, "A great teacher produces great students. I have no complaints about losing to a disciple of Bai Ze today. Do as you will—kill me or carve me up."

"Why would I kill you?" Bai Mu shrugged with a faint smile. "We have no past grudges or recent enmity; there is no need for us to fight to the death. Furthermore, I can tell you clearly that the Fuxi Tooth is no longer in Fuxi Village. Even if you guard this place for a hundred years, it will be useless. If you have even a shred of conscience left, please let the villagers go and restore their peace."

"Fine, I agree!" Chunyu Ji’s expression shifted, and she nodded, an act that was truly rare. "Bai Mu, since you have spared us, I owe you a favor. You say the Fuxi Tooth is not in the village; I will believe you for once."

With that, she leaned on the ground, intending to stand up and leave. Unfortunately, because Bai Mu’s kick had been so powerful, she had suffered severe internal injuries, including several broken ribs. As she moved, she was hit with waves of piercing pain, causing her to cry out.

"Sigh..." Looking at the pale, enchanting woman on the ground, Bai Mu’s heart softened. He sighed, stepped forward, and reached out to help her up.

Just as his fingers touched her jade-white arm, his heart skipped a beat, and a sudden sense of danger surged within him. Before he could react, a small green snake darted out from the clothing beneath her arm and bit into his palm without hesitation.

Bai Mu was still leaning over, and it was too late to dodge. In his haste, he gathered all his Canglong sword energy into his palm, hoping to block the venomous bite.

"Ah..." Before the sword energy could fully coalesce, a sharp sting pierced the muscle on the back of his hand. The small green snake’s sharp, slender fangs had already embedded themselves into his flesh, biting down with abandon.