Chapter Fifty-Three: If Yu was born, why was Liang born as well?

Just imagine how sharp the talons of that phoenix must be—if it truly snatched at her head, then even if Xi Yan survived, her stunning beauty would likely be ruined forever. And for a maiden as lovely as a goddess, that fate would surely be even harder to bear than death itself.

Caw...

At the very instant the blue-green phoenix’s claws were about to reach the crown of Xi Yan’s head, the expected explosion of blood and bone did not occur. With a sharp, urgent cry, the phoenix performed a nimble turn in midair, then with a powerful beat of its wings, soared right over her. The forceful gust that swept from its wings sent the dumbstruck Xi Yan tumbling to the ground in a most undignified fashion.

Yet, in a roundabout way, this spared her the fate of a shattered skull—startling, but ultimately harmless.

Heaving a shaky sigh of relief, Xi Yan patted her chest to calm herself as she climbed to her feet. She glanced up once more at the blue-green phoenix wheeling overhead, then finally called out in frustration, “Qilin, come back! We’ve already lost!”

At that moment, Qilin and Ling Yan were locked in an intense battle, so engrossed that neither paid any heed to their master’s predicament. Xi Yan’s cry was swallowed up by the howling winds of combat, as insignificant as a single drop vanishing into the endless sea.

Earlier, Ling Yan had underestimated her opponent, and so Qilin was able to break the Shadow Flute Formation. The backlash from the shattered formation sent a wave of dizziness through her spirit. Fortunately, with Bai Mu’s timely intervention, she suffered no serious harm. Bai Mu also shielded her from Qilin’s assault, granting her a precious moment to recover her strength.

When Bai Mu was struck down and fell to the earth, coughing blood, Ling Yan snapped out of her daze. Seeing Qilin preparing to attack them again, she seized her Jade Cold Flute, leapt into the air, and met the beast head-on.

In terms of raw power, Qilin was perhaps on par with the Bifang Firebird, though their abilities lay in different domains. Bifang, renowned as one of the Four Great Fiends, was a fierce creature of flame. Legend held that wherever it appeared, calamity would follow, and never just a minor blaze. Every breath of its fire was imbued with primordial energy, intended to annihilate its enemy.

Thus, although Ling Yan’s strength could rival Bifang’s—perhaps even surpass it—she was still powerless to subdue the beast, and was instead forced back again and again.

But Qilin was another matter entirely.

Qilin was a spirit beast born with the world itself. Unlike Bifang’s savagery or Qiongqi’s might, Qilin was a rare auspicious creature, holding high status among the divine—much like Bai Ze, who had also been chosen by the Ancestor God as a disciple and so ascended to become a great deity of the ancient age.

Auspicious beasts shared a common trait: they did not kill without cause. Thus, though Ling Yan’s aura might have been slightly inferior to Qilin’s, she could attack and defend with composure, and quickly found herself evenly matched with her opponent.

Yet, for Ling Yan to actually defeat Qilin seemed all but impossible.

After a lengthy stalemate in midair, Qilin, frustrated at its inability to subdue this young girl, finally leapt back and landed firmly on a massive stone at the edge of the cliff. There, it began to gather its strength, light flashing in its eyes and its expression growing grave—it was clearly preparing to unleash its ultimate move.

Ling Yan, a veteran of countless battles, saw through Qilin’s intentions at once. As the beast retreated, she too landed on the earth, channeling all her spiritual power into her Jade Cold Flute, ready to risk everything on one decisive blow.

The tension on the field sharpened, the very air shimmering with power—perhaps a sign that Ling Yan was subtly drawing on the five elements around her. Bai Mu, watching from the side, felt his breath grow tight and uneasy.

Moments passed. The green flute, infused with spiritual energy, darkened to a shade tinged with black, and the chill that emanated from it grew even more intense, as if it threatened to freeze everything nearby.

Ling Yan’s face was grave. She knew this final strike would decide victory or defeat, glory or disgrace. Should she lose to Qilin, it would be tantamount to a defeat by Xi Yan.

She had already claimed victory so many times in their past encounters and should have been content. But as the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, pride and a sense of superiority were in her very blood—she could not bear to admit defeat. For this triumph, she would risk everything, even if it meant her life.

“Stop!”

Just as both girl and beast were about to unleash their full power, Xi Yan’s voice rang out from the cliff’s edge.

Caw...

The blue-green phoenix cried out and, in a flash, swooped to hover above Ling Yan, circling protectively—the very picture of a guardian, ready to assist its master against any foe.

The sudden change shattered the deadlock. Qilin, hearing its master’s call, turned in surprise, while Ling Yan swiftly withdrew her locked gaze, silently relieved. Had they truly clashed to the death a moment before, even if she forced a victory, she would likely be gravely wounded and left helpless before Xi Yan.

Of course, “helpless” might be too strong a word, for though they stood on opposite sides, the bond between Ling Yan and Xi Yan was more that of sisters—rivals born together in the same world, destined to challenge each other.

“Ling Yan, I’ve lost.”

Xi Yan forced a wry smile, then summoned her Remnant Snow Sword, recalling the bewildered Qilin back into its blade.

“The duel isn’t over yet—why yield so soon?” Ling Yan asked in confusion, glancing at Bai Mu as if seeking an explanation.

Bai Mu grinned and quickly said, “Your blue-green phoenix took Xi Yan completely by surprise and knocked her to the ground just now…”

“Oh…” Ling Yan nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “She isn’t hurt, is she?”

“I’m fine,” Xi Yan replied with a graceful smile. Her voice was cheerful as she admitted, “Ling Yan, I thought that with Qilin under my command, I would finally defeat you. I never imagined your father would help you tame the Kunlun Azure Bird. Using that bird of Kunlun’s icy mountains to counter my Remnant Snow Sword’s aura—truly, a most effective strategy!”