Chapter 653 543: Palace-Wide Manhunt for Pei Yuhang

Fan Xuan gripped her Demon Blade tightly. Facing the Sect traitor, she hunched over slightly, like a leopard poised to strike.

Faced with that frigid, piercing glint, the corner of Senior Sister Jin's eye twitched.

She narrowed her alluring peach-blossom eyes, her red lips slowly curving into a perfect smile.

"Don't be so tense. I've already obtained the 'Passage Order.' We're all from the same Sect, so why are we trying to kill each other?"

Senior Sister Jin's voice was gentle, but unfortunately, the bodies of the two junior sisters at her feet were still warm, which made her words utterly unconvincing.

Fan Xuan was a woman of few words and vicious action. She suddenly erupted, and her Lifebound Demon Sword Purple Prison, nurtured by the Sword Demon, drew a dark violet arc through the air, filling it with the acrid smell of burning.

Seeing the scorching blade light flare before her eyes, Senior Sister Jin grit her teeth, raising a Jade Ruyi to summon a Dharma Shield in defense.

"Damn it, you bitch! You're heavily injured, yet you dare to attack me first!"

"Heh, it's still better than being ambushed by a venomous snake like you!"

Fan Xuan's every slash carried a do-or-die desperation. Blood gushed from her reopened wounds, spreading into dark stains on her black combat attire.

But her sword hand was steady as a rock. Her attacks were ferocious, and in their collision, she managed to hack a crack into the Dharma Shield.

Her wide, sweeping slashes forced Senior Sister Jin to retreat step by step.

She clearly hadn't expected the heavily injured Fan Xuan before her to be capable of suppressing her so aggressively.

If her opponent hadn't been injured, she would have probably been killed in a matter of breaths!

"But I'm not without a chance. Every time you swing that blade, your wounds tear open again. You bitch, you're at the end of your rope!"

Fan Xuan said nothing, simply continuing to slash with her blade. She had to end this quickly and not give her enemy the chance to wear her down.

However, while Senior Sister Jin's Cultivation wasn't strong, she was cunning and sharp. Amidst the overwhelming storm of blade light, she keenly spotted Fan Xuan's opening.

The moment the Jade Ruyi was shattered by the Sword Gang, Senior Sister Jin suddenly revealed a venomous smile.

With a twist of her waist, a cold glint flashed from her sleeve as a poisoned Willow Leaf Saber shot straight for Fan Xuan's heart.

"This strike will send you on your way!"

Faced with this vicious and cunning strike, Fan Xuan instead stood rooted to the spot, unmoving.

Senior Sister Jin scoffed internally, thinking the woman was scared stiff.

But in the next moment, a vicious gust of wind howled from behind her. A stream of pure white light spun rapidly, tearing through the air as it approached.

Senior Sister Jin was startled, not expecting her opponent to have help. In the nick of time, she still relied on instinct, swinging her saber to parry the Sword Qi from behind.

At the same time, a voice that seemed to come from Hell itself whispered beside her ear:

"Go to Hell and apologize to our junior sisters from the Sacred Land!"

"You…"

Senior Sister Jin would never get to finish that sentence. Fan Xuan drove her blade through her throat.

SPURT—

As Fan Xuan withdrew her blade, a spray of blood shot out three feet.

Weakened, she sank to one knee. Her body swayed, and she was about to collapse.

Just then, Lin Qianyan reached out and caught her.

"Yueqiu, this is bad! She's exhausted and about to pass out."

"I'll replenish her Spiritual Qi. You check her wounds."

Qing Yueqiu nodded. She gently tore open Fan Xuan's clothes, revealing a slender, delicate waist as smooth and pale as suet jade.

But upon this beautiful waist, a hideous, jet-black wound was particularly jarring.

"This is not good. It's Demonic Qi… She must have been caught in a fierce battle with a powerful expert from the Demon Race. That's how she was so heavily injured."

"But my Moonlight possesses a pure, purifying power. It should be able to heal this."

In her drowsy state, Fan Xuan heard the conversation between Lin Qianyan and Qing Yueqiu before her eyes closed completely and she lost consciousness.

...

After an unknown amount of time, Fan Xuan slowly opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a young woman with silver hair and red eyes. She was looking down at Fan Xuan intently, a few strands of snow-white hair falling beside her cheek, carrying a faint, cool fragrance.

"Sister Lin, she's awake."

Fan Xuan turned her head, her gaze traveling past the silver-haired girl to land on Lin Qianyan, who was standing to the side.

'She's also the rival the Holy Daughter always grits her teeth about… Pei Yuhang's "white moonlight"…'

"Saintess Lin, thank you for saving me."

Fan Xuan's voice was filled with complicated emotions. She never thought she would one day be saved by the woman her Holy Daughter hated most.

"You don't have to thank me. I was only helping where I could; it's not something that needs to be mentioned.

Besides, Miss Fan, your battle against the Demon Race was for the sake of the entire Human Race. I couldn't stand by and let a scoundrel harm you."

Lin Qianyan's voice was as gentle as water, carrying a softness that could calm one's heart.

This gave Fan Xuan pause. She felt an inexplicable warmth rise in her heart.

'Even though I serve the Holy Daughter, I have to admit that Lin Qianyan has a charismatic personality that truly puts one at ease.'

'Now I understand a little why the Holy Daughter would rather tolerate Ye Liyuan's existence, yet remains so wary of this woman.'

'Some people don't need to scheme or pretend. Just by standing there, they can inspire admiration and longing.'

'On this point, perhaps the Holy Daughter herself understands that she can't compare to Lin Qianyan…'

"Miss Fan, would you like to come with us? I have news on Shang Miaoyan's location.

However, the Inner Palace is currently guarded by a few of those old demons. It will be very difficult for us to get past them right now. We'll need to wait for an opportunity."

"Yes. Thank you for your trouble, Saintess Lin."

After speaking, Fan Xuan fell silent for a moment. Feeling she ought to contribute somehow, she looked at the three corpses around them and said softly: