Chapter 39: Shen Qingxue’s Fight

The iron boar snorted violently, its heavy hooves digging into the dirt as it charged like a runaway battering ram, its razor-sharp tusks aimed straight at her midsection.

Shen Qingxue didn’t blink, nor did she retreat. She stood her ground until the massive beast was barely five paces away. Then, with explosive agility born of her peak Body Strengthening physique, she dropped her hips, executing the fluid footwork of the foundational movement art I had taught her. She pivoted on her left heel, letting the boar’s deadly tusks graze her traveling tunic by a hair’s breadth.

SHING!

Her steel longsword flashed in the sunlight. She didn’t possess spiritual qi yet, but the pure physical leverage behind her strike was terrifying. Channelling the rotational force from her hips through her shoulder, her blade struck with clinical, cold-blooded precision, finding the tiny, unarmored gap beneath the boar’s ear.

Squelch!

The steel sank three inches deep into the beast’s skull. The massive Tier 1 boar let out a strangled shriek, its heavy momentum carrying it through the mud before it collapsed heavily onto its side, twitching violently a few times before falling completely still.

Shen Qingxue stood over the dead beast, completely untouched. She smoothly flicked her wrist, snapping the blood from the blade, and sheathed the sword with a crisp, steady click.

Watching from the tree, a proud, satisfied grin spread across my face.

Her comprehension was monstrous, her combat instincts were lethal, and whenever steel was drawn, she entered her absolute prime.

I pushed off the tree trunk, casually clapping my hands as I strolled into the clearing. "Clean, decisive, and zero wasted motion. Truly worthy of my first disciple."

Shen Qingxue turned around, and in the span of a single breath, that terrifying, lethal aura melted away like morning mist, replaced by a radiant, blooming smile as she hurried toward me.

"It was all thanks to Master’s teachings," she said softly, her dark eyes shining with pure joy.

"Your footwork on the pivot was sharp, but you dropped your left shoulder by half an inch when executing that upward thrust," I said, pointing out the subtle misstep while stepping over to the boar’s carcass. "Against a mindless beast, raw speed makes up for the leak. Against a trained cultivator with divine sense, leaving your upper ribs exposed like that is basically begging for a spear to the lung."

Shen Qingxue listened intently, her brow furrowed in concentration. Without waiting for another word, she immediately stepped back, planted her boots into the dirt, and cycled through the movement again, adjusting her shoulder, squaring her hips, and driving the thrust with a clean, flawless snap.

"Much better." I nodded, thoroughly satisfied with how quickly her mind adapted. "Now, harvest the core. Never leave good spirit stones rotting in the brush."

Qingxue drew her small dagger, skillfully slicing into the beast’s skull to retrieve the marble-sized, cloudy Tier 1 core. She wiped it clean on a broad leaf and slipped it neatly into her pouch before turning back to our horses.

Mounting our Iron-Hoof Blood Stallions once more, we urged them into a swift gallop, heading straight for the border crossing separating the Great Wu Kingdom from the untamed wilderness.

With my Late-Stage Golden Core perception, slipping over a mundane border checkpoint without alerting a single soul would have been as simple as flicking a fly from my sleeve. But as our horses crested the final limestone ridge, a squad of heavily armored border patrol officers on horned mortal steeds emerged from the tree line, fanning out across the rocky path with drawn iron spears.

"Halt! State your identity and business at the frontier!" the lead officer barked, his eyes darting cautiously between our imposing warhorses and our dust-covered traveling cloaks.

Before the soldiers could work themselves into a panic, I reached into my robes and casually pulled out a palm-sized pendant carved from deep azure spirit jade.

The lead officer’s face drained of all color in a fraction of a second.

"M-Mystic Cloud Sect... an Immortal Elder?!"

Clang!

The officer practically threw his spear into the dirt, leaping off his mount and dropping to one knee, with the rest of his patrol frantically following suit, trembling violently in their iron armor. "Forgive our blind eyes! This lowly officer did not know an exalted master of the immortal mountain was gracing our humble border! Please, forgive our offense!"

I casually waved my hand, letting out a relaxed chuckle as I reined in my stallion. "Stand up. You were merely doing your duty. We don’t belong to the demonic blood cults, why would an upright elder take offense at mortal sentries guarding their kingdom’s gates?"

Hearing that, the patrol officer let out a massive, shuddering breath of pure relief. "Thank you for your magnanimity, Immortal Elder! If the master wishes to cross into the outer territories, this officer will personally guide your party through the imperial gatehouse with full clearance, with zero tolls or inspection."

"No need to waste your time with gates," I said with a smile, pointing my riding crop toward the vast, jagged wilderness sprawling beyond the towering timber barricade fifty paces away. "I’m heading out into those rough wilds to let my companion stretch her legs. We’ll take the direct route."

Before the flustered officer could process my words, I tightened my grip on the reins and kicked my heels into the stallion’s ribs.

"Hyah!"

Both Tier 2 Iron-Hoof Blood Stallions exploded forward like unleashed black thunder. Their iron-shod hooves tore through the dirt, picking up terrifying speed in the span of three heartbeats. When they reached the twenty-foot-tall spiked wooden wall marking the border, I channeled a gentle wave of wind-attribute qi beneath their hooves.

WHOOSH!

The two colossal warhorses launched into the air, soaring effortlessly over the jagged palisade like black dragons riding the wind, before landing smoothly on the rocky terrain of the outer frontier with a thunderous, echoing gallop.

I chuckled, glancing back at the dumbstruck officers who couldn’t believe their eyes. Waving hand at them, I turned towards the wilderness.

Only two nations remaind to cross.