Seeing the slender jade hand that suddenly emerged, Wei Yi froze for a moment, his eyes widening in disbelief.
It was the exact expression Zhao Yuanji and the others had worn when he and Li Hanlun had made their sudden appearance.
Utterly unexpected.
At this moment, a familiar proverb surfaced unbidden in Wei Yi's mind: "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind."
The Black Tiger Society and their men were the cicada.
He and Li Hanlun were the stalking mantis.
And now, the owner of this delicate hand was undoubtedly the hidden oriole waiting to swoop in.
"Damn it!"
Realization struck, and fury surged within Wei Yi, blazing like an inferno.
They had schemed and struggled, only to deliver the spoils to another.
How could he possibly stomach such humiliation?
"Not bad,"
At that moment, the newcomer lifted the manual and let out a soft, amused remark.
Her face veiled by a silk scarf, her features obscured in the night, but her figure and voice made it clear—she was a young woman.
No sooner had she spoken than she began to tuck the manual away and prepare to leave.
But just then, a blinding arc of sword light swept towards her.
Her expression shifted slightly.
She quickly darted backward.
Looking up, she found Wei Yi already upon her, sword in hand.
"Are you forcing my hand?"
The woman's gaze was icy as she stared at him, her chest heaving with restrained anger.
"Hand over the manual, or you're not leaving this place."
Wei Yi's voice was laced with menace, his eyes devoid of pity or gentleness.
One could hardly blame him. By his estimation, the most valuable treasure among all these spoils was that very manual—perhaps even worth more than everything else combined. It was, after all, the signature martial art of the tomb's owner.
Now that it had fallen into someone else's hands, how could Wei Yi remain courteous?
In truth, he was seething with the urge to flay this presumptuous woman alive.
"Arrogant fool."
Her eyes shimmered with contempt.
With a glance at the encircling members of the Black Tiger Society, she didn't waste another word. Her figure flickered and vanished in retreat.
But how could Wei Yi allow her to escape so easily?
He had anticipated her flight and had already prepared. Activating his Blackwater Footwork at full power, he instantly intercepted her path.
Without a single word, he brandished his Hero Sword in a furious assault.
Sword light cascaded like a waterfall, sealing off every possible escape.
He had initially refrained from drawing his sword, using instead the Seven Kill Fist, to avoid revealing his identity to the Black Tiger Society. But now, in order to reclaim the manual, he could no longer afford such restraint.
These days spent grinding within the Beast Soul Pagoda had paid off—his Thirteen Fatal Swords had reached level 18, approaching mastery. Its might had ascended to an entirely new level.
As the fearsome sword aura surged forth, the woman's expression finally shifted.
"If you insist on forcing me, then don't blame me for what happens next."
A chill flickered in her eyes, tinged with a rare flash of ire.
She had only intended to snatch a prize and depart, not to engage in battle. But now, with Wei Yi pressing her so hard, she could no longer suppress her fire.
Swish—
A sword appeared in her hand, its blade thin and shimmering with an icy blue gleam. A frosty aura spilled outward.
Clearly, this was also a formidable and rare treasure.
With a sharp crack through the air, her sword sliced downward like drifting snowflakes—light and graceful in appearance, yet hiding terrifying force beneath its elegance.
Brilliant sword qi exploded, and with uncanny precision, she shattered Wei Yi's encircling strikes.
In that same moment, she seized the opening and retreated several steps.
Out of danger.
Yet the way she looked at Wei Yi was far from friendly.
"Impressive swordsmanship."
"You're clearly no ordinary figure."
Wei Yi narrowed his eyes and sneered coldly.
"You talk too much."
The woman's face darkened.
With a flick of her wrist, her sword dissolved into countless streaks of light that shot toward Wei Yi like a sudden storm.
Wei Yi let out a cold snort and met her head-on with unwavering resolve. Hero Sword danced in his grip.
At level 18, the Thirteen Fatal Swords were devastating. Each slash followed the last with relentless intensity.
Streaks of sword qi erupted in a brilliant storm, and the Hero Sword's power was fully unleashed.
But to Wei Yi's dismay, the woman before him blocked every strike. Even his most lethal combinations from the Thirteen Fatal Swords failed to faze her. She stood firm, a rock in a raging sea, unshaken and composed.
Wei Yi was finally convinced—her swordsmanship was no weaker than his. In fact, it might even surpass his own.
The only advantage he held was her unfamiliarity with the Thirteen Fatal Swords—a mysterious art born from the game system.
"Who the hell is she? Her swordplay is unbelievable…"
"Could she be an outer disciple of the Tyrant Sect as well?"
A storm of doubt raged in Wei Yi's heart.
He had thought that level 18 Thirteen Fatal Swords would be more than enough to overwhelm her. But every variation he launched was neutralized. No matter what he tried, she countered with infuriating ease.
"I have no choice… I must use that move."
His eyes turned steely.
In an instant, the rhythm of his sword changed dramatically.
"The Thirteenth Sword!"
The deadliest technique of the Thirteen Fatal Swords.
Until now, he had never once unleashed it. Not because he hadn't mastered it—but because he had reserved it as a hidden trump card. No enemy had ever warranted its use.
And now, this strange woman had forced his hand.
Swish—
The sword struck like a hornless deer vanishing into the wild—elusive, unknowable, sublime.
A flicker of surprise danced across the woman's eyes.
Not fear—rather, a flicker of excitement.
Whoosh—
The sword qi split the air.
She raised her weapon to block, unleashing a barrier of radiant light.
But it was futile.
The shield shattered.
Her expression shifted in shock as she crushed a jade talisman, summoning an energy shield to protect her vitals.
The cold blade's tip came to rest just before her chest—not to pierce, but to flick the manual tucked at her waist into the air.
"This is what I want."
Wei Yi's lips curled in a grin as he reached out to seize it.
Wounding her was secondary; reclaiming the manual was paramount.
"You—"
Her face flushed with fury and humiliation.
She darted forward to snatch the manual as well.
Each of them caught one end, locking eyes in mutual defiance.
Neither would let go.
Riiip—
The sound tore through the night like thunder.
Everyone nearby stared, dumbfounded.
Wei Yi and the woman widened their eyes in stunned silence.
The manual… had been torn in half.