Batian Martial Soul

Her gaze was calm and undisturbed, as if Ling Xiao were nothing more than an insignificant ant in her eyes, yet it also seemed to contain endless profound meaning, making it impossible to fathom.

The woman floated silently in the space where violent energy intertwined, her figure like a black lotus blooming proudly in a storm, mysterious and dangerous.

When her gaze fell upon Ling Xiao, especially when she keenly sensed the unique aura emanating from him—a mixture of violence and evil that seemed almost tangible—a subtle hint of surprise flashed across her eyes.

That surprise was like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, fleeting in an instant, yet Ling Xiao still managed to keenly capture it.

She didn't speak; in this eerie and dangerous space, words might reveal too much information.

She closed her eyes slightly, and a clear, cold, yet strangely penetrating thought, like an invisible but sharp arrow, resounded directly in the depths of Ling Xiao's consciousness: "Tianyuan Sanctuary...Hound?"

The voice was icy cold, devoid of any emotion, as if it came from a distant ice cellar, carrying a chilling indifference that kept people at a distance.

Upon hearing this telepathic message, Ling Xiao's lips instantly curled into a playful smile, a smile that carried a hint of disdain and mockery.

He responded in kind, his voice echoing in his consciousness, carrying undisguised sarcasm: "Likewise."

"Judging from the 'Netherworld' aura you're wearing... are you here for the 'profits' of the Great Town Dynasty too?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "profit," and the sarcasm spread as if it were a tangible mockery, as if he were laughing at the woman's greed and impure motives.

The woman's deep gaze lingered on Ling Xiao for a moment, her eyes like two sharp daggers, seemingly trying to pierce through Ling Xiao's nonchalant facade and explore the secrets deep within his heart.

Her eyes gleamed with a thoughtful light, as if she were weighing something.

Immediately, her thoughts returned, this time carrying a subtle but palpable gravity, like an undercurrent surging beneath a calm lake: "Is someone breaking through here?"

Although her voice was still cold, the seriousness in it made Ling Xiao realize that she was not entirely without fear of the situation before her.

"It's obvious."

Ling Xiao shrugged, his movements nonchalant and casual, as if he didn't care about the woman's presence at all.

The bloodthirsty blade in his hand gleamed with an eerie red light as he lazily swung it. The runes on the blade seemed to come alive, flowing slowly and exuding a bloodthirsty aura.

He said in a provocative tone, "What, trying to take advantage of someone in distress?"

"Or would you rather observe and learn?"

"If it's the former, I won't stand idly by; if it's the latter..."

The words were like sharp blades, piercing straight at the woman, trying to provoke her and see what she was planning.

The woman floated silently in the space raging with violent energy, like a cold and unapproachable statue.

She ignored Ling Xiao's provocative words, her gaze like a deep, cold pool, slowly wandering over the flickering aura around him.

Those halos, like mysterious runes, drew in the shattered fragments of laws around them, as if establishing a strange connection between Lingxiao and this desolate place.

Her gaze lingered on that strange sight for a long time, as if trying to etch it all into her mind.

After a long while, that cool and clear thought flowed slowly into the depths of Ling Xiao's consciousness like a gentle spring: "So pure... the origin."

"It is actually possible to trigger a resonance of the laws in such a desperate situation."

The voice carried a barely perceptible hint of amazement, as if the power Ling Xiao displayed exceeded her previous understanding.

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao's lips curled up slightly, revealing a playful smile.

He didn't directly respond to the woman's sentiments, but instead asked a question with a hint of mockery in his eyes: "Are you going to head back home, or continue to make your fortune in the Great Town Dynasty?"

As he spoke, he deliberately pointed in the direction the woman had come from, as if to suggest to her that it was still not too late to turn back.

The woman withdrew her probing gaze from Ling Xiao and looked at his face again. Her eyes were calm and still, like stars in a cold night, cold and desolate.

The thought, still steady, came through: "Go to the Great Town Dynasty."

His tone was firm, without the slightest hesitation.

Ling Xiao's face immediately showed that familiar, somewhat exaggerated expression. First, he "suddenly" widened his eyes, and then he "worriedly" frowned. The change in expression was so fast that it was like a wonderful performance.

He shouted, "Go rob someone?"

"Take my advice and turn back now!"

"That place is now dirt poor and extremely dangerous."

"It's said that a mysterious force has recently stirred up a lot of trouble there, with experts from all sides gathering there. Going there might mean losing everything, and you might even lose your life!"

As he spoke, he shook his head dramatically, as if he could already foresee the woman's tragic end.

The woman's eyes, hidden beneath her mask, seemed to flicker slightly, like a shooting star streaking across the night sky. Though brief, it was keenly observed by Ling Xiao.

With a barely perceptible fluctuation in her thoughts, she slowly said, "It was not robbery."

The voice was still cold and clear, but it carried a hint of explanation.

Upon hearing this, a hint of curiosity flashed in Ling Xiao's eyes. He leaned forward slightly, as if he were very interested in the woman's purpose, and deliberately asked in a teasing tone, "Then what are you going to that lousy place for?"

"Sightseeing tourism?"

"Should we go visit relatives and friends?"

"Could it be that the Great Zhen Dynasty still has your old flame?"

His words were full of mockery and disdain, as he tried to extract more information from the woman.

The woman was silent for a moment, a brief silence that seemed like the calm before the storm.

Then, her thoughts remained cold and detached, like the winter wind, devoid of any emotion: "Curiosity, tracing back to the source."

"No?"

Those few simple words revealed her firm determination and unquestionable attitude.

"of course can!"

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao immediately transformed, his face instantly plastered with an "enthusiastic" smile. He nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice, his radiant expression making it seem as if the Great Town Dynasty was his own private property, and he was warmly welcoming a distinguished guest from afar.

He raised his voice and shouted, "The Great Town Dynasty welcomes guests from all directions!"

"No matter where you come from, once you're here, you're family!"

However, his enthusiasm didn't last more than two seconds before he abruptly changed his tone, like a sharp dagger suddenly drawn from its sheath.

He held up one finger, pointed casually at himself, and a playful smile curved his lips as he said, "However... we're going to 'sightsee' at the Heavenly Abyss Sanctuary's lair, to properly appreciate the scenery of that legendary, mysterious place." (End of Chapter)