Heaven on Earth (人间天堂)

Chapter 3

When Bai Xuyi arrived at the scene, she was met with the sight of a beast depicted perceptibly by that drunkard's mother.

Except when that woman described the creature to only be 8 chi tall, now, its calamitous ability was like a single cow hair amongst nine ox hides to the one standing before Bai Xuyi. It was not that the lady was mistaken, it's just that this mo was an entirely new life-form---it truly fit the image of an Abi'xue. It seemed, the creature who slaughtered Pei'er's wife, had yet to reveal its true physique.

And this was that exact veracious form.

At the height in which it angular and lanky stature stood at, it could likely rival the Fusang tree. But, of course, when the evergreen reached the heavens and Three Springs of the Earth, how could a creature molded from the flames of hell ever measure up to it? Saying it was capable of competing with the divine tree's magnificence was like insulting the Tree of Life altogether.

At first, because of its blazing skin, Bai Xuyi always thought you couldn't possibly draw blood from Abi'xues. As it is never solid, how could one hope to identify where its weak spots rested?

Yet her presumption, was again wrong.

The Abi'xue in front of her let out a shrill howl as lucent, blue fluid leaked from its figure. Trickling down, the cerulean blood became one with the creature's inky flames, pooling a murky puddle beneath. The sound emitted from both liquid emerging was like splashing drops of water into fire---unpleasant hisses that did not help muffle the Abi'xue's cries.

This aversion trapped Bai Xuyi into a trance of horror. One that she only exited out of upon noticing that the creature began moving towards two certain people.

She whipped her head to see who they were, and as soon as her eyes settled on them, her pupils shrunk.

Qiu Jiao and Zhao Yihai; cornered by the enemy. The former reclined upon the tree behind them as she leaned against the latter, who had his sword pointed towards the enemy with a deadly glare. They were by no means unscathed. Though the girl still more so than the other, both were decorated with bloody and burned wounds all over. It was a miracle no fatal injuries inflicted them.

However, Bai Xuyi was not so sure that would remain the case if she did not act.

She immediately concentrated her internal energy into one region. Recalling back on the hand-seals her Master taught her, she performed them herself, as steadily, droplets of water began to arise from her fingertips.

This particular set of incantation gesture is nothing special---the basic technique to summon water (the phase which Guihuo Manor specializes in channeling). But how damaging the force or how precise it is, depends on the mastery and accuracy the user possesses. Cultivators rely mostly on this fundamental technique because it can be angled to unimaginable shapes and used for a variety of tasks. However, there are some setbacks. For instance, if one is a beginner and there is not enough qi in one's base, they will not be able to utilize it to such lengths as it requires an immense amount of qi.

Therefore numerous offense and defense movements are created. They're mainly derived techniques from the foundations; some capable of bending waters to devastating waves while others are utilized for everyday chores with little qi compared to the primary method of conjuration. This also applies to all elements present in the world---wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, in addition to many more subsidiary elements

In the present, Bai Xuyi had stirred a tidal flood, which while airborne, stretched out like a large net ready for its seasonal harvest, encompassing such a wide area it was baffling as to how its instigator still held her ground. Especially because her Spiritual Roots did not favor water, but fire, it made it all the more impressive.