Chapter 26: The Twin Witches
"Ka! Ka!" Yun Xi was burying Ashen with a shovel. Nobody would be able to see any remnants of the human corpse - Ashen - that was buried in the place which the green hippo had fallen.
Actually, he had no intention to kill Ashen, but fighting the green hippo gave him no choice - it was either he died or the other died. He didn't have any other choice.
When he noticed that the green hippo and Ashen had an unusual relationship, he had long been aware that there was no medicine that could possibly rescue him.
"Ashen, when you reincarnate, I know that you'll certainly hate me. But I must say one thing, you are truly mistaken."
Having filled the soil, Yun Xi plugged it with several branches. Putting the village's "once in a lifetime" genius who had unfortunately fallen astray - Ashen, into eternal slumber in the corner of a small forest.
"Goodbye, Ashen."
Nobody would have known that in this place there had been a soul-stirring battle of life and death.
After walking quite far, Yun Xi didn't notice that the pool of blood left by the dead green hippo vanished in the wilderness as soon as a blue light flashed.
****
White mist slowly filled the air in the warm spring water as the exhausted Yun Xi collapsed in the spring, unable to even move a finger.
"That guy Ashen really got a strong 'girl'." Lying down in the familiar hot spring, the deathmatch struggle a moment ago reappeared in Yun Xi's mind once again.
Only by recalling the last three moves he used to solve the green hippo did he see that the moves had contained a transition movement, route lines, as well as the limit use of the blade's edge.
Hua Huo, you are way too strong.
Without having experienced an actual battle by himself, Yun Xi was simply unable to imagine how scary his childhood sweetheart Hua Huo was in the Sword Arts Realm.
Ashen was in fact, not weak. That green hippo had a roller compaction move which could overwhelm all under the 3rd-ranked powerhouse.
But in Hua Huo's eyes, this green hippo was not that different than a piece of meat on the chopping block; so long as there was a knife, it would fall in seconds easily.
To think that between people a gap this big of a degree existed.
While his whole body was immersed in the hot spring, Yun Xi unconsciously used the breathing practice technique he got from Hua Huo.
Until now, he didn't know the name of this Secret Breathing Technique. According to Hua Huo, this technique was seemingly as simple as the basic Breathing Practice method.
But Yun Xi also knew even before he learned his half-baked Breathing Practice method from Hua Huo, that this was absolutely very extraordinary.
Not only was this breathing practice method amazing for a beginner, but his Novice Iron Sword was also the same. When he recalled vividly in mind the green hippo's moves, even if he wished to kill that green hippo, it was absolutely impossible for him to do so.
"Hua Huo, in the end, you..." Yun Xi was very sure that there was no one in the village's school that could teach this kind of thing.
Neither in the Heavenly Sword God's Domain nor the Western God's Domain, this kind of secret technique's level belonged only to the richest and powerful aristocrat family and had never been passed on to unauthorized people.
Even a half-completed Breathing Practice method was so powerful, and through Hua Huo's Seed, he could learn the complete edition of this Breathing Practice method. For Yun Xi, it had opened a new door.
Regarding Mortal Grade cultivators, a formidable Breathing Practice method was the most important foundation. The reason for Yun Xi's, was that he easily accepted Hua Huo's Seed and had the highest compatibility since Hua Huo had laid the foundation for him to have lasting achievements.
"Originally... I had received such care..." With every breath he took, Yun Xi could clearly feel that his body was changing.
Unlike the absorption of the hippo's soul that gave quick results and eruption-like changes, this seed was silently and smoothly promoting the most fundamental part of his physical quality.
"Exhale... inhale..." While practicing the secret Breathing Practice technique from Hua Huo, Yun Xi's heart slowly became tranquil.
The sound of the surrounding water, the wind blowing from the distant trees, and his heartbeat were slowly connected together. Forming one kind of special rhythm.
This was breathing, the most important vital activity for mortal life. It was also the beginning point for secret techniques practiced by all sects.
Hua Huo's secret technique was absolutely that of the highest-level. It tempered the most basic part to quench the body into perfection and laid the most perfect foundation for all steps taken in the future.
In many people's eyes, even geniuses such as Ashen when they were in Mortal Grade, they would pursue pure battle efficiency only. And for this reason, they didn't even hesitate to do dishonest things.
These kinds of so-called geniuses nearly had no hope to enter the 4th Rank - the Hero Rank. Even if they used some method to overdraft their future potential and barely broke through the grade, their advancement would still be stopped at the 4th Rank. After they entered old age, their vitality would become so weak that they would step back and regress into the Mortal Rank again.
They were lacking something, which was the basic physical quenching that was offered through a Breathing Practice method to temper their body to perfection. They were too obsessed and eager to cross the threshold for quick success and immediate gain. Forgetting about their foundation.
Hua Huo's foundation was unknown, how many times better was it compared to Ashen's? Their future achievement would've been worlds apart.
"Therefore, Ashen, how would you even possibly pursue Hua Huo."
"Moreover, Hua Huo and I..." Thinking about that incomparably tragic future, Yun Xi couldn't help but sigh.
Regardless of everything, had that 7th-ranked Apostle come here, she was strong enough to sweep away the entire White Lotus Sword Domain, but that was a problem for later.
"Inhale... Haaah..." Though he was feeling hazy, Yun Xi still practiced Hua Huo's secret breathing technique and maintained this state as most of his body sank into the hot spring, leaving only his nose and mouth above the water's surface.
Getting immersed in this state of ecstasy meant that he had successfully practiced this secret breathing technique, as he then quickly sat in meditation and forgot everything.
Having experienced a deathmatch with the green hippo, Yun Xi became aware of his cultivation path advancement as he finally started to transform himself to enter this world.
Meditating coupled with the aid of this hot spring really helped his blood circulation. He continued to remain in this state for quite a long time, even Yun Xi was unaware that the sky had darkened.
At a nearby river where he was chased down and had killed the green hippo, a troop from afar was camping. One after another, white lotus-shaped lanterns were hung up in midair as layers of formation then formed, which even birds were unable to enter.
"Welcome, Her Highness White Lotus Witch!"
"Welcome, Her Highness Red Lotus Witch!"
If Yun Xi was here, he could see that the mayor was kneeling down on the ground and sweating profusely with an anxious expression fully drawn on his face.
They had already reminded that kid - Ashen - countless times that he must by all means rush here before tonight to greet the Sword Palace's messenger. That was also ordered by the emperor personally because these two witches were the White Lotus Sword Domain's next successors!
They were not only well known as geniuses of the millennium in the whole White Lotus Sword Domain, but their souls were also interlinked. Their titles were "White Lotus Witch" and "Red Lotus Witch".
"Enough with the ceremony, we are only passing through here and will only select disciples for the Sword Palace; we don't want to enter the village and disturb the inhabitants."
"..."
Beads of sweats were streaming down from the Mayor's bald forehead.
The heavens might have taken a pity on this small village since this village was the most ordinary frontier region in the White Lotus Sword Domain with a population of tens of thousands people. So how would they have the opportunity to greet such a great VIP like the White Lotus Witch?
And these two had already stepped into the Hero Rank, they were peerless powerhouses.
Moreover, it was said that they were only 14-years-old!
