STNS: Chapter 481 (Patreon)

Wu Meiying dashed forward. Mei Qi narrowed her eyes as she unsheathed her own sword, raised it above her head, and channeled her chi. Waves of energy were drawn into the blade, which glowed with an otherworldly light like the dawning of a new day.

[Heaven’s Divide]

She swung. The powerful energies created a massive arc that split the air, capable of cleaving through any and all spiritual defenses. Even the atmosphere seemed to part before her technique.

But Wu Meiying wasn’t there.

All Mei Qi hit was air.

Wu Meiying appeared behind Mei Qi as though she had teleported and swung her sword, but it was blocked when her opponent whirled around and raised her blade. Sparks clashed between them before Wu Meiying leapt back and eyed the blade.

“That’s a beautiful sword,” she murmured.

“Isn’t it? It’s called Mirror of Celestial Grace.”

Mei Qi smiled as she held up the weapon, a blade of unparalleled beauty, crafted from a rare celestial alloy that captured the ethereal glow of the moon and stars. The blade itself was forged to have a mirror-like finish that reflected the world around it with perfect clarity. The hilt, meanwhile, was encrusted with fine jewels that represented the constellations, each gem carefully selected for its depth of color and brilliance.

More importantly, the blade was powerful. Wu Meiying could feel the chi wafting from it. This was a weapon that significantly enhanced the power of its wielder.

“That’s a profound spirit weapon… Heaven rank?”

“You have a discerning eye.” Mei Qi smiled as she eyed the blade like a mother might her child. “Yes, this is a heaven-rank profound spirit weapon. It belonged to my sister… and now it’s mine.”

“You killed her for it,” Wu Meiying declared.

“Saw that, did you? Do you enjoy looking into people’s pasts?”

“One thing I can say for certain is that I did not enjoy looking into your past. You make me sick.”

“That makes two of us!”

[Celestial Step]

Mei Qi focused chi into her feet. Wu Meiying could feel the shifting within the atmosphere as the woman before her suddenly blurred, then vanished altogether. A slash suddenly appeared on Wu Meiying’s left side. Then another appeared on her right. Several cuts tore into her flesh. Blood spurted from the wounds and dripped down her body as her clothing was shredded.

Wu Meiying tried to defend herself, but she was too slow. Every attempt at defense was a second too late. The woman’s sword wasn’t helping matters. Its luminous edge emitted a soft trail that mesmerized opponents and distracted them, making it hard to focus.

“I’ve always hated you!” Mei Qi snarled. “Ever since you came to this sect, you’ve been a nuisance!”

A gash opened on Wu Meiying’s torso, fresh blood pouring from the wound like a waterfall.

“I should be the one that everyone adores!”

Another wound opened on her back. Ichor like a crimson river poured forth.

“I should be the one who caught Zhe Fēnglì’s eye!”

This time a wound appeared on Wu Meiying’s chest. She didn’t wear breast bindings, so as the clothes were cut and blood spilled, her ruqun hanfu came undone and bored her skin to Mei Qi, which only seemed to upset her more.

“I should be the most beautiful one here! The one everybody loves! But all they ever talk about is you! All they ever care about is your approval!”

Finally appearing behind Wu Meiying, Mei Qi thrust her sword forward and pierced her back, heart, and emerged from her chest.

“I hate you!!” Mei Qi snarled. “I wish you’d never come here! I wish you’d never been born!”

Time seemed to stand still as the two stood there. Mei Qi breathed heavily as Wu Meiying remained motionless. Taking a deep breath as though to calm herself, Mei Qi removed her sword from Wu Meiying’s body--or she attempted to. Her eyes bulged when Wu Meiying lifted a hand and grabbed the sword, more blood gushing from a new slit in her palm.

“What--how are you still alive?!”

“You’re a fool,” muttered Wu Meiying.

One of the seven brilliantly glowing orbs shattered and two things happened simultaneously. The Wu Meiying that had been impaled upon Mei Qi’s sword vanished, and Mei Qi’s left arm went flying away in a spray of gore. The injured woman gnashed her teeth together as she leapt away from Wu Meiying, who had appeared behind her without warning. She clutched her arm to her chest. Now bereft of her weapon, she could do little more than glare at Wu Meiying with unbridled hatred.

“Is that… one of your time techniques?” asked Mei Qi.

Wu Meiying snorted. “Hmph. So you know about those. I guess the Zhou Clan informed you of my powers, then.”

Chronos Orbs was an original technique that Wu Meiying had created a long time ago. Each orb encapsulated a fragment of Wu Meiying’s life force intertwined with the temporal energy of her chi. These orbs were the manifestation of her Heavenly Time Embodiment constitution, created through an intricate technique that bound her essence with the cosmic fabric of time.

By using a portion of her chi, combined with her deep mastery over time, she created seven orbs. Each one acted as an anchor in time. They were invisibly linked to specific moments, typically just before a significant threat or potential death scenario that Wu Meiying saw with her clairvoyance. Whenever Wu Meiying faced mortal injury or death, the orb linked to the nearest point in time before that event would automatically activate, shattering and releasing a powerful temporal wave that reversed time for Wu Meiying alone.

At the height of her power, Wu Meiying could create several hundred of these orbs, but seven was all she could create right now.

“Do you not see the difference between us now?” asked Wu Meiying. “You might have a higher cultivation than me, but you are not stronger than me.”

Mei Qi’s ugly snarl was a sight to behold. Wu Meiying wondered if this woman knew how ugly she looked right now. The woman held out her only remaining hand, summoning her sword into it, the weapon’s hilt slapping her palm before she clenched it tight.

[Celestial Step]

Mei Qi once more used her movement technique to close the distance between them. She appeared before Wu Meiying as though she had teleported and leapt into the air.

[Starfall Cascade]

The woman unleashed a flurry of rapid, downward strikes that mimicked the appearance of falling stars. Each hit felt like it resonated with the power of celestial bodies.

[Foresight]

Wu Meiying fended off her attacks. Her eyes glowed with power as she fended off each of this woman’s attacks. They were easier than before. Mei Qi was injured and unable to bring out her full strength. She was also losing strength the longer she bled.

When her attack ended, Mei Qi landed on the ground, leapt away, and swung her sword in intricate patterns. Several spectral blades appeared, orbiting around her. Each one glowed a bright silver.

[Harmony of Blades]

She attacked Wu Meiying again. This time, Wu Meiying was unable to defend against her incredible assault. There were simply too many blades for her to fend off, and she was sliced apart.

Another orb shattered.

Wu Meiying was restored.

Having learned her lesson, Mei Qi leapt away to avoid being struck from behind, but unfortunately for her, Wu Meiying had also predicted what she’d do and appeared within her blade spot. The woman gasped in pain as a sword tore into her torso. She dropped her sword and clutched her side as she fell to a knee.

Wu Meiying eyed her coldly. “Is that all you have?”

Mei Qi snarled. “Absolutely not!”

The battle resumed again and the two continued to attack, defend, and counterattack. Mei Qi had long since lost her grace and struck at Wu Meiying with the relentless ferocity of a woman enraged. An ugly look marred her face as she tried to brutalize the younger woman. In contrast, Wu Meiying was the picture of calm. She fended off Mei Qi’s attacks with poise and grace, though she did lose another orb in the process.

Breathing heavily, Mei Qi glared at Wu Meiying. “Haaaaaah… haaaaah… d-damn you… why… why are you so strong? Why can’t… haaah… I kill you?”

“You are ten thousand years too young to kill me,” Wu Meiying said coldly. 

Mei Qi stomped her foot. “Dammit! I won’t lose here! Not to you! I refuse to lose to you!”

“You don’t have a choice--oh?” Wu Meiying raised an eyebrow when Mei Qi discarded her sword and pulled out a dagger. “Is that the weapon coated in the poison of the Azure Sovereign Serpent?” Her smile seeped condescension. “Do you think that will work on me?”

“Shut up!”

With madness in her eyes, Mei Qi raced forward. She was so incensed that she didn’t even use her movement technique anymore. The idea probably hadn’t even occurred to her. Wu Meiying would have sighed if she cared enough.

“This battle is over.”

[Time Barrier]

Using her knowledge and control over the Dao of Time, Wu Meiying wove a barrier that condensed time into a shield to protect her from attacks. Few things could make it through this shield. Mei Qi thrust her arm forward and, as it merged with the shield, her entire body seemed to halt as though she had been frozen in time.

“Mei Ling?” said Wu Meiying.

“What? Mei--urk?!”

Mei Qi was unable to react in time as Mei Ling fell from the sky. She plummeted, her blade angled downward, and impaled the woman through the back. The force of her landing was so powerful that Mei Qi was slammed into her hard ground. Her legs snapped under the force, though that was secondary to the way she had been pinned to the ground by Mei Ling’s sword. The astonished woman stared at her niece with shock in her eyes.

“Mei… Ling… why? After all… I had done for… you…”

“All you’ve done for me?!” Mei Ling had tears in her eyes as she glared at the woman. “You killed my mom! You killed my family! The only reason you took me in was because you thought I would be a useful pawn to you! How dare you act like you’ve been doing me a favor this whole time!”

Mei Ling had been here since the very beginning. After she had spoken with Wu Meiying at the cafe, she had followed Wu Meiying’s instructions and discovered the evidence that Mei Qi had not managed to get rid of. She became Wu Meiying’s ally after that. Of course, she had still been worried that she was being played, so Wu Meiying had Mei Ling hide within the leyline tree and provoked Mei Qi into revealing what she had done to the young woman’s sister.

“Damn… you… I… I…”

“…”

“…”

Mei Qi’s mouth moved several more times, though no sounds emerged, before the movement eventually stopped. The light in her eyes died and the muscles in her body completely relaxed. Wu Meiying knelt down and reached out, grabbing the necklace hidden underneath the woman’s robes and yanking it off. She stared at the necklace, which was similar to her own but slightly different. Feelings of disgust emerged from her as she clenched her fist and shattered the necklace.

“You’ve avenged your mother,” Wu Meiying said. “How do you feel?”

“Better,” Mei Ling admitted. She glanced at her hand, which had been holding the weapon that she impaled Mei Qi with. “I know killing this woman won’t bring my mom back, but knowing Mei Qi is dead means I can rest easy.”

“Indeed. However, we cannot afford to rest yet,” Wu Meiying said as she scooped up the dagger. “I need you to send a message to Zhe Dāozhe. You’ll find him in the Ming Province near the border closest to the Xia Dynasty. Tell him to hurry back.”

“Of course.” Mei Ling paused. “What will you do?”

Wu Meiying wore a grim smile as she answered. “I need to find and save my beloved future husband.”