Chapter 5: Total Collapse of the Army

A large saber swung through the air, creating a gust of wind that rushed towards Lin Xiaoxiao

That group of people was unable to respond, yet their eyes were darting around, clearly having been incapacitated. The leader was even more shocked; he had only exchanged a few dozen moves with Lin Xiaoxiao, and there were at least a dozen of them on their side. How could they have been completely defeated? Moreover, they had been captured alive in such a manner

A few simple sentences outlined the other party's identity and purpose

The leader was taken aback and shouted, "Leizi, Dahua, what happened to you?"

The leader praised with a sound, and the broadsword transformed again, executing an extremely exquisite move. Lin Xiaoxiao sighed inwardly upon witnessing this, realizing that this person's martial arts were on par with hers, and for the time being, she was unable to extricate herself. She could only hope that the proud Young Master Aotian would protect Qingtou and retreat.

Lin Xiaoxiao was further enraged by the mockery and swung her sword in retaliation. The leader merely laughed heartily, his swordsmanship becoming increasingly fluid. After exchanging several moves, Lin Xiaoxiao fought while retreating, her swordplay gradually becoming somewhat disordered. She felt that her opponent's sword techniques were stronger with each move, and within ten exchanges, she might not be able to withstand them. Just as she was feeling flustered, she suddenly heard someone chuckle lightly and say, "The Wild Wind Sword Technique combines power and speed, but its intricate variations are somewhat lacking. You might as well try the Returning Wind and Willow Sword Technique."

Hey, someone really rushed in!

With a few moves, the group of black-clad individuals was momentarily unable to break through, prompting some to disperse in an attempt to circumvent the obstacle. Lin Xiaoxiao temporarily retreated, while one person guarded the main gap. Suddenly, the leader let out a long laugh and said: "Little girl, your opponent is me"

Birds of a feather flock together

She announced her name, and a few people in the crowd exclaimed, "Oh!" One of the apparent leaders among them said, "So it's you!" Clearly, Lin Xiaoxiao was not an unknown figure. However, after a moment of surprise, he glanced at the two people behind Lin Xiaoxiao, laughed heartily, and said, "Lin Xiaoxiao, you are the rising star of the Emei Sect, quite favored by your senior brother Bu Xingyan. But today you are all alone; can you withstand all of us?"

The leader, while launching an attack, praised: "The Extinction Sword Technique of the Emei Sect is indeed remarkable! To have practiced to this level is worthy of your reputation!"

The Returning Wind Caressing Willows Sword is also a technique of the Emei Swordplay. Both combatants were taken aback. Lin Xiaoxiao, who was already clever, immediately altered her sword technique upon this reminder, transforming from the heavy style of the Extinction Swordplay to the lightness of the Returning Wind Caressing Willows Sword, avoiding the heavy and striking lightly, thrusting a sword at an angle. The leader let out a sound of approval, saying: "Not bad!" Suddenly, he retracted his blade, using the force of his palm to push Lin Xiaoxiao away.

Lin Xiaoxiao let out a disdainful sound, wielding her sword to counterattack, maneuvering through the intricate techniques of the knife art, barely managing to defend her position. This Windstorm Knife Technique is a form of advanced martial arts, known for its exceptional speed and tremendous force. Although Lin Xiaoxiao's Extinction Sword Technique can withstand the attacks, breaking through the opponent's defenses proves to be quite challenging. The opponent's martial skills and internal energy are comparable to hers, if not superior. Under normal circumstances, Lin Xiaoxiao would relish facing such an opponent, but encountering them today is far from a fortunate event.

Little girl, today we have no enmity or grievances; I am merely doing a job for the sake of money. Encountering an opponent like you is a pleasant surprise. Rest assured, if you choose to abandon the task, we will not make things difficult for you

The other party is also a player. In the game, it is quite common to eliminate opponents in assassination missions to achieve one's own goals. The boss mentioned by the man in black is indeed formidable, as he can mobilize so many people. In comparison, Lin Xiaoxiao hiring a young master Ao Tian for assistance seems rather trivial.

The words of the Emei heroine have never been pure, and her swordsmanship grows increasingly fierce

It is just three people. The brothers should achieve their accomplishments! Kill them and seek a reward from the boss!

At this point, it was no longer possible for both sides to play amicably. Lin Xiaoxiao swiftly drew her long sword and positioned it in front of Qing Tou, her expression cold as she asked, "Who exactly sent you?"

Lin Xiaoxiao was furious and said, "Shut your mouth! If I were to face off against you on Mount Emei, I would have already stabbed you with a dozen holes!"

The boss is quite right!

The implication was already quite clear. The female hero was taken aback and took a step back, pulling Qing Tou with her. It seemed that Young Master Ao Tian's ominous words had taken effect, as suddenly, a group of over a dozen players in black emerged from a few meters ahead, brandishing long swords and forming an arc, standing under the tree and coldly watching them.

Lin Xiaoxiao let out a cold laugh and said: "It seems that this cannot be resolved amicably! I am Lin Xiaoxiao from Emei, and today I must have a match with all of you!"

The sounds of battle have already erupted outside, and other players have begun to engage in fierce combat, with intermittent cries of agony echoing. Lin Xiaoxiao felt a bit anxious and pulled Qingtou deeper into the area, as if going deeper would ensure greater safety

The leader merely clicked his tongue and said, "Martial arts is one aspect, but one's mood and performance are also crucial. If you remain so restless and impatient, it is likely that you will find it difficult to make greater progress..."

The two engaged in a back-and-forth exchange in the dense forest. Lin Xiaoxiao's swordsmanship was outstanding, and her internal skills were commendable, but the opponent's mastery of knife techniques was also formidable, even subtly overshadowing her in terms of momentum. Lin Xiaoxiao had encountered numerous knife techniques, yet she could not discern the principles behind this person's style, completely unaware of its origin or school, and could only cautiously counter each move. After more than ten exchanges, the situation remained evenly matched.

"Fart, fart!"

"However, considering that you are a lady, as long as you kill the target or make the target commit suicide, we will not take any further action, how does that sound?" Another player coughed lightly, took a step forward, and spoke gently.

As he spoke, his knife technique suddenly changed dramatically, each move becoming faster, with every strike aimed directly at the vital points. Lin Xiaoxiao received a few blows, her hands going numb, yet she said, "The Wild Wind Knife Technique, is this the technique of that lecherous thief Tian Boguang?"

The leader chuckled and said, "Young lady, you have a keen eye. However, do not misunderstand; I have merely learned the swordsmanship of Tian Boguang, and I am not a lecherous thief."

The leader laughed heartily and said, "What a generous Emei heroine! I find myself appreciating you even more. Come, let’s see if you can withstand my Gale Blade Technique!"

The Emei heroine was blown aside by the gust of wind from the palm strike, her heart racing. She understood that she was no match for her opponent. The leader sheathed his sword and stood still, glancing over in that direction. This glance was not inconsequential; even such a skilled master could not help but be startled, for he saw a player in black leisurely leaning against a tree, cradling a black-handled long sword and smiling as he looked this way. Beside him stood a pale-faced youth, his expression tense as he watched Lin Xiaoxiao.

The heroine held her brother's hand tightly, still perplexed, and said: "What’s wrong with being quiet? Being quiet is even better!"

Originally, she brought Qingtou along for this task without any particular expectations. The initial purpose was to allow her younger brother to experience the excitement, and later it became a matter of personal resolve. Now it seems that the task of the Solitary Nine Swords is indeed not so easy to participate in. If they were to fail, that would be one thing, but she is concerned that the somewhat introverted Qingtou might be killed, which could leave him with some psychological trauma

Young Master Aotian could no longer bear to watch and reminded from a distance: "The forest is suitable for ambushes, be cautious and vigilant."

She had the intention to retreat, but the opponent seemed to have seen through her thoughts, pressing forward with one move after another, unwilling to give her a chance. The change in her state of mind also affected Lin Xiaoxiao's martial arts performance, and gradually she found herself at a disadvantage. The leader laughed and said, "Little girl, if you do not exert your full strength soon, you might be defeated!"

Lin Xiaoxiao angrily said: "Whether it can be stopped or not, we will talk about it after we fight!"

These two individuals are not strangers; they are the two male players who came with Lin Xiaoxiao. The leader, filled with suspicion, thought to himself that it had been quite a while, yet his brothers had not killed these two. Just as he was about to shout a greeting, he suddenly noticed something out of the corner of his eye and was horrified to discover a group of people lying haphazardly on the ground not far away. Some were lying down, some were sitting, and one was leaning against a tree, motionless. Each of them was stiff and huddled there, their eyes wide open; it was indeed his group of brothers.

Pah, what are you pretending to be a master for! Do not come here to critique my martial arts!

She was worried about the safety of Qingtou, yet unable to distract herself, she could only focus on preparing for battle, hoping to eliminate the opponent as soon as possible. However, she also understood in her heart that this was likely to be somewhat difficult; the longer the opponent delayed her, the less safe Qingtou would be.

The female hero is clearly hot-tempered, yet the man laughed and said: "Then I shall come to meet you! I have heard that you recently fought with the skilled Kuxiaoguo from Emei for a hundred moves, and it ended in a draw. Although Kuxiaoguo is not a top-tier expert, she is still an elite of the Emei sect. It seems that you, a little girl, also possess considerable skills... Other brothers, this Lin Xiaoxiao is a woman and cannot take on this task, so she is not the main task bearer. I will keep her occupied while you are responsible for eliminating those two men. As long as they are taken out, the task will be dropped.

Good

In the game, important martial arts tasks default to dropping upon the player's death, which is common knowledge in the martial world. The group of black-clad individuals shouted in unison, drawing their swords and weapons as they surged forward. Lin Xiaoxiao furrowed her brow, pulling Qingtou behind her, and whispered to Young Master Aotian, "You protect Qingtou and retreat!" With that, she swung her long sword and took the initiative to confront the group. Her Extinction Sword Technique is considered a unique skill in the martial world; while the group attacked with their swords, she wielded her long sword, effortlessly blocking the black-clad individuals in front of her with a series of precise movements, leaving no openings.

Hey, the girl really knows how to joke. How could we possibly reveal the boss's identity at this time!" one of them laughed

After being reminded several times, Lin Xiaoxiao finally paused in surprise and looked around, saying: "It can't be possible, how could these people be so clever?"

Young Master Aotian secretly sighed that although this female hero's martial arts were decent, she lacked experience in the martial world. The forest here is too dense, making it particularly easy to be ambushed. Even without an ambush, while they can indeed hide for a time by remaining still, if the enemy were to clear the outside, would they easily let this area go?

He looked around, suddenly frowned, and sighed: "Have you noticed how quiet it is in the forest"

This move was powerful and forceful, and Lin Xiaoxiao did not dare to be careless, quickly sidestepping to avoid it. However, the opponent changed their attack with remarkable speed; instead of completing the downward strike, they altered their move mid-air and swept horizontally towards Lin Xiaoxiao's slender waist. Lin Xiaoxiao's eyes widened as she accurately assessed the technique, thrusting her long sword to strike against the back of the opponent's blade, and with that momentum, she skillfully retreated, narrowly evading the attack.

Young Master Aotian helplessly explained: "This game is quite realistic; there are usually some birds and beasts roaming in the mountains and forests. If it is so quiet that not even a bird is chirping, then that would be strange!" As he spoke, a peculiar expression appeared on his face, and then he pointed to the long sword at the waist of the female knight.