141 - I’m Really Not an NPC

Yue Ling forced herself to stabilize her consciousness, and her blurred vision cleared slightly. The waters of the Bi Bo pool had fused into a terrifyingly large demon god, its indifferent gaze fixed upon her. The demon god held a sword in both hands and slowly lifted it. The grass debris, already scattered on the ground, began to swirl and formed a green tornado around the huge sword. Yue Ling bit her lip lightly. The slight pain brought her some clarity. In her fogged mind, a skill she was intimately familiar with surfaced. "Sword Formation: Yao Guang!" The sword formation, which had been hidden and not fully activated, now revealed itself entirely. The brilliant sea of stars left everyone in awe. "What sort of technique is this?" "A sword style? No, it resembles a formation made by sword energy. But doesn't that require many sword cultivators to arrange?" Suddenly, a voice filled with urgency echoed in her mind—Qing You: "Master, the Sword Control Technique!" Understanding dawned on Yue Ling: "Got it!" The Chu Xue sword suddenly left her hand, flying up on its own, emitting an extraordinary white light. Simultaneously, Yue Ling drew the Xuan Tie sword from its sheath in reverse grip and coldly declared, "Sword Momentum: Thousand Stars Shatter!" Almost simultaneously, a serious and solemn voice from Qing You echoed in her mind: "Sword Momentum: Dream Return!" In an instant, four Chu Xue swords appeared out of thin air around the demon god, blocking all paths of retreat. "What!" The crowd was stunned. "The Chu Xue sword is executing a sword technique by itself? Could it be..." "A sword spirit! It's actually an immortal sword!" The Immortal Sword Chu Xue! The eyes of all the demon clans were filled with deep longing and greed as they gazed intently at the beautiful, radiant sword. Such a sword must be at least an SS-grade weapon, and if things go as expected, it's likely an SSS-grade legendary immortal sword. If only they could get their hands on it... However, before their thoughts could continue, the demon god roared and its ten-meter giant sword came crashing down towards Yue Ling. At the same time, the Xuan Tie sword in Yue Ling's hand shot out, soaring into the distant sky. The onlookers were puzzled: "What is she doing? Has she given up?" In the sky, the Xuan Tie sword unfurled like the end of a scroll, using the heavens as its table, spreading open a vast canvas of stars! On the canvas appeared a glittering, vast starry sky. Shi Fang's expression changed drastically, his fists tightened as he murmured in astonishment, "Art made real? It truly exists!" In a flash, the brilliant stars within the scroll fell, descending in a magnificent, awe-inspiring meteor shower. Beyond the Lingquan Valley, stars fell, shattering into a thousand pieces! The level 20 Chu Xue's sword technique, displayed to the world for the first time! The players of Star Fantasy gazed mesmerized at the breathtaking scene, murmuring to themselves, "Yue Ling, you must win!" A sea of green light, a hundred shattered stars, countless ribbons of white, blue, and green light tangled together, painting the sky in a chaotic array. Under the endless light, no one noticed the countless fragments of green light that broke through the starry pieces, crossing the vast spaces, and shot densely towards Yue Ling. In Yue Ling's clear eyes, the green light was reflected, and her hands tensed slightly as she struggled to muster the depleted spiritual energy within her. "Manifold Realm: Snow Domain!" A faint chill emerged around her, but only for a moment before Yue Ling felt a sting in every meridian of her body, a sign of completely depleted spiritual energy. Yue Ling's heart was gripped with panic—this was bad... The dense green lights were mostly blocked by the chill, but a few managed to penetrate the supposedly impenetrable defense and seep into Yue Ling's body from all directions. Her face turned pale instantly, feeling as though numerous icy needles were piercing through her, and a tyrannical energy rampaged inside. With her spiritual energy completely drained, she could only watch helplessly as the domineering energy wreaked havoc within her. Pain! Such excruciating discomfort... Yue Ling bit down hard on her teeth, desperately maintaining her composure and forcing herself to keep her eyes open, determined not to let any sign of distress show. Otherwise, she would surely die! Gazing at the now vanished pool of green light, Shi Fang's expression was grim. Although this was only the ninth sword, in reality, it was the strongest among the Shattered Dream Ten Swords. The last sword was actually meant for escape. If nine swords couldn't kill, escape was the only option with no hesitation! Yet this time, he hesitated. He looked up reluctantly and saw that the young human girl still stood proudly, like an undefeated warrior maiden. Even though her attire was slightly disheveled, she remained calm and indifferent, her expression giving nothing away. Shi Fang couldn't believe it. "How is she completely unharmed?" His mind was plagued with doubt. "According to the information, she shouldn't be able to withstand beyond six moves. So how did she endure my full Shattered Dream Ten Swords unscathed?" "Could the information be wrong?" This thought horrified him. "Was that anonymous message a trap set by that person?" Shi Fang's mind was a tumult of uncertainty, feeling more and more that something was off. He couldn't shake off the thought of retreating. If ten moves couldn't take her down, the embarrassment would be a minor concern. But if letting him exhaust all ten moves was her plan, wouldn't she then retaliate fiercely? The more advanced the cultivation, the longer one's lifespan, the more they learned caution. Making his decision, Shi Fang subtly raised his head and offered Yue Ling a courteous smile, showing admiration and respect as he said, "Miss Yue Ling, your mastery of swordsmanship is unparalleled. It would be a pity if you were to fall today. Why not join me in the Shi Fang Realm? I assure you safety." Saying this, he watched her intently, ready to strike the moment she showed any interest, to end her existence right then and there! Yet Yue Ling's expression remained unchanged. She gazed coldly at him as if looking at a dead man. This is bad! If she were feigning calm, hearing his words should have stirred some reaction. But she showed none! Shi Fang's anxiety peaked. It must be that person's plot! Forcing a smile, he lamented, "If Miss Yue Ling does not wish for it, I won't insist." "Ah, what a shame." Shi Fang shook his head, resigning, "Indeed, among sword-wielders of this world, few reach Miss Yue Ling's level. I genuinely don't wish to lose someone of your caliber." "Shall we call it a truce?" What made him nervous was Yue Ling's indifferent demeanor. Her body trembled slightly, as though mocking him with a sneer, before she gently closed her eyes. Shi Fang's face paled in shock. Was she rejecting his offer? Forget about it. Let the embarrassment fall where it may, his life was more important! Without another thought, he hurriedly summoned a beam of green light and rushed to flee into the distance, not forgetting to warn the other demon clans as he left, "You're no match for her, withdraw!" The demons watched Shi Fang's rapid retreat in stunned confusion. "What happened to the esteemed demon lord?" "Why is this happening? Why did Lord Shi Fang spare Yue Ling?" "She poses a significant threat to our demon race. If we don’t eliminate her now, we might never get such an opportunity again!" "But what can we do? If even Shi Fang couldn't, you think we can kill her?" "The spatial seal is broken; we can't kill Yue Ling now." "Ah, let's withdraw!" Just as the demons were preparing to retreat, a system notification echoed simultaneously in their minds. [Attention! BOSS Yue Ling has entered a weakened state, seize the opportunity.]