Forced to Love (GL) - Chapter 43

The five of them moved through the forest, with Lingxi leading the way. Tong Ningyun followed closely behind her, with Qin Tang and the other two bringing up the rear.

Few words were exchanged along the way. They had encountered several demons before, and as they advanced, the demons became stronger, making them harder to deal with. Everyone remained vigilant, knowing that the closer they got to their destination, the more cautious they needed to be.

Fortunately, the rest they had the night before had replenished their strength.

The path ahead seemed endless, and they had lost track of time. As Lingxi pushed aside a branch that blocked her vision and stepped through a thicket, a sudden gust of wind carried an unusual warmth, different from the forest air. She frowned slightly.

Noticing Lingxi’s hesitation, Tong Ningyun slowed her pace and asked, “Senior Sister, what’s wrong?”

Qin Tang, who had been observing their surroundings, also stopped, retracting his foot mid-step.

Lingxi took a long look ahead before moving aside, allowing the others to see what she had discovered.

At the edge of the forest, a vast desert suddenly appeared before them. The towering trees that once blocked the sky were gone, replaced by an open expanse under the blinding sun. The intense sunlight cast shimmering mirages across the golden sand.

Heat waves rose from the dunes, and the scorching wind immediately made Qin Tang feel parched.

“Ah!”

“What… what is this?”

“Weren’t we just in a forest? How is there a desert all of a sudden?”

The astonished voices of the group rang in Lingxi’s ears.

She unfolded an old map in her palm, scanning it quickly. Their current location was only a fingertip’s distance from their final destination, yet when she looked up, all she saw was an endless desert.

Even the map failed to indicate any direction—it simply led them into this desert.

“Could this be an illusion?” Qin Tang scratched his head.

“I don’t think so,” Tong Ningyun shook her head. “If it were an illusion, it would require an enormous amount of spiritual energy.”

“Senior Sister, what do you think?”

Lingxi didn’t respond. Instead, she raised her head, staring directly at the bright light in the sky, narrowing her eyes as if trying to discern something.

She maintained this posture for so long that the others instinctively followed her gaze.

Tong Ningyun squinted against the glare but saw nothing unusual. There were no clouds to block the sun, and the golden light burned down relentlessly.

Lingxi, however, studied it carefully. After a moment, she retracted the light from her palm and said, “Master possesses an immortal artifact called the Jinghong Scroll. It can change according to the wielder’s will.”

“Let’s go.”

Her tone remained calm, with little inflection, but her gaze stayed fixed on the sun. Despite the strain making her blink frequently, she did not look away.

“But aren’t we inside the trial grounds…”

Jing Yi hesitated, but when Lingxi started walking forward, Tong Ningyun and Qin Tang immediately followed. He had no choice but to sigh and catch up.

At the very back, a thin and reserved man, unnoticed by the others, subtly opened his palm. A faint glow flickered and then flowed silently back into the forest.

The crisp snap of twigs underfoot soon gave way to the soft, shifting sand. The scorching heat seeped into their soles as their feet sank slightly with each step.

The cool shade of the forest was swiftly replaced by the desert’s unbearable heat. The wind carried grains of sand, slipping into the gaps of their clothing.

The desert stretched endlessly before them. Even standing on the sand, they couldn’t determine direction, yet Lingxi walked steadily ahead without hesitation.

“Senior Sister, how do you know which way to go?”

Tong Ningyun looked around, unable to tell north from south.

Lingxi paused briefly before climbing to the top of a sand dune. From there, she gazed up at the golden sun and murmured, “Instinct.”

A sudden gust of wind howled across the dunes, drowning out her voice.

The fierce wind mixed with the sounds of shifting sand. Beyond the desert, a figure observed them, holding a teacup. A delicate hand rested on the lid, gently pushing aside the floating tea leaves. Xie Xisui took a small sip, his eyes glinting with interest.

Tong Ningyun, unable to hear Lingxi’s answer, was about to ask again when Lingxi’s map suddenly glowed with golden light. Within moments, they were enveloped by its radiance.

The wind continued to howl, but an even harsher sound came from behind them. As the golden light faded, Lingxi saw a massive Serpent Phantom Demon slithering toward them.

It raised its head, the sound of its scales rubbing together a clear warning.

Tong Ningyun gasped, covering her mouth to keep from screaming in shock.

Between its eyes was a single red mark, with faint crimson spots scattered across its back. It flicked its tongue, revealing sharp fangs. Compared to it, Lingxi and the others seemed insignificant, mere prey awaiting its strike.

Lingxi’s hand rested on her sword hilt as her eyes quickly scanned their surroundings. The terrain was mostly flat except for the dune they stood on.

Qin Tang, after a brief moment of surprise, stepped forward to shield Tong Ningyun.

Lingxi met their gazes and gave a slight nod before shouting, “Scatter!”

The group swiftly spread out, just as they had when fighting previous demons. Qin Tang protected Tong Ningyun at the back while Lingxi drew her sword, slashing at the Serpent Phantom Demon to draw its attention.

But the moment they left the dune, a stream of green venom spewed forth, sizzling as it corroded the sand.

Lingxi’s sword struck, but a sharp clang rang out. The serpent’s scales were too tough, causing her blade to vibrate in her grasp. Twisting her fingers, she quickly recalled the sword.

Jing Yi murmured an incantation, and from deep within the desert, thick vines erupted, coiling around the serpent, restraining its movements.

Above them, dark clouds gathered. The thin and quiet man clasped his hands together, summoning a bolt of lightning from the sky.

Lingxi focused her energy, and her sword floated midair, multiplying into thousands, all aiming for the serpent’s eyes.

Lightning flashed, the vines tightened, and the swords rained down!

A deafening screech echoed as flames erupted. However, when the fire met the serpent’s scales, no cracks appeared!

The serpent thrashed, sending sand flying and forcing the swords to halt mid-air.

Lingxi narrowed her eyes. Her main sword remained among the thousands, glowing red-hot from the heat. Using the vines for support, she leaped forward, aiming directly for the red mark between the serpent’s eyes.

Her sword pierced the mark.

The serpent roared, writhing violently. It struggled against its bindings, spewing venom that turned Tong Ningyun’s protective barrier into mist.

Lingxi gripped her sword tightly, pressing in further. But in that instant, the serpent’s tongue lashed out, striking toward her like a poisoned dagger.

Sensing danger, she pulled her sword free and leaped upward…

In the air, she flipped, and the sword in her hand grew several times larger. It floated beneath her feet, carrying Ling Xi through the snake tongue’s continuous attacks.

Ling Xi pressed her index and middle fingers together slightly. With a sharp sweep, her inner energy turned into a second, invisible sword.

Yellow sand filled the sky, and sharp screeches pierced the air, as if a sandstorm was about to sweep across the entire desert. The wind carried sand and tossed strands of her hair, but Ling Xi flew past on her sword with a focused expression.

Outside the scroll of *Jinghong*, a figure’s sleeve fluttered in the wind.

The sect’s minor trial had only lasted a year, but now Lang Yue could already handle many things on her own.

Xie Xisui lightly tapped her teacup with her fingertip, her gaze following the flashes of sword light within the *Jinghong* scroll.

The sword twisted and charged forward. Though venom passed just overhead and the snake tongue struck near her neck, she reacted calmly, keeping control of the situation.

“Pshh!”

As thoughts flew through her mind, inside the scroll, Ling Xi’s sword struck with full force. Empowered with spiritual energy, it sliced through the gap between the forced-open scales. Countless blades seemed to rain down in unison. In an instant, bl00d sprayed out, and the snake let out a deafening roar.

Its body writhed, struggling, then slowly sank to the ground.

“Is it dead?”

“Senior Sister, are you okay?”

Several people stepped forward to check. Among them, the short, quiet man in the middle was actually half a step behind the others.

No one noticed the purple petals in his hand turning to dust. The wind carried the powder, mixing it with the sand, and within moments, it drifted toward the snake’s head.

Ling Xi felt the snake’s struggle ease slightly, and she loosened her grip a bit.

“It’s okay, it seems—”

But before she could finish her sentence, the snake’s body suddenly jerked violently. At the same moment, its tail swept across, and the vines barely holding it back snapped one by one.

Ling Xi’s pupils contracted. Her body wavered just as a strong wind rushed at her from behind.

“Senior Sister, look out!”

The sword hilt vibrated and shone with golden light. With a clang, Ling Xi was already flying in the air, standing on her sword.

The red dot between the snake’s eyes, where it had bled from her earlier attack, now appeared purple-red. The vertical pupils on each side were now bl00d-colored, extremely eerie.

Ling Xi stared at it for only a few seconds, but suddenly, an image appeared before her—Xie Xisui in a red robe walking slowly toward her.

“Master?”

Ling Xi’s lips parted slightly, her voice soft.

“Xie Xisui” suddenly reached out a hand toward her, the red robe brushing past, carrying a strong, strange scent.

Ling Xi’s brows moved slightly, but her eyes couldn’t leave the figure.

That pale hand, so white it lacked any trace of bl00d, was about to touch her cheek. Just then, the sword beneath her feet trembled, and a sharp sword cry echoed.

The sound was long and piercing. Ling Xi flipped backward, took a few steps back, and fell to one knee in the sand, coughing up a mouthful of black, dirty bl00d.

“Don’t look at the snake’s eyes!”

Ling Xi coughed a few times and turned to warn the others. But no one replied. When she looked again, she realized they had all fallen into the illusion of the snake’s gaze.

Qin Tang spun in midair, stabbing himself with one hand while trying to block with the other.

Tong Ningyun crouched on the edge of the sand, clutching her head and muttering, “It’s not me, it’s not me… I tried! I couldn’t save you!”

Jing Yize was like a madman, punching himself with full force.

The short, quiet man was lying on the ground, convulsing, with foam at his mouth.

Yellow sand filled the air. The golden sun that should have hung above now looked like a bl00d-red moon, staring at them with a terrifying glare.

Ling Xi forced herself to calm down. Using her sword as support, she made her way to them and tore open the talismans they carried for emergencies during trials. A white light flashed, and their figures disappeared in an instant.

The noise around her faded. The sky grew darker. The “hiss hiss” in front of her came with a moist, bloody smell. Something wet splashed across Ling Xi’s cheek.

She lowered her head slightly and wiped the bl00d from the corner of her lips. Then she tore a piece of white cloth from the hem of her robe, folded it twice, and tied it over her eyes.

Darkness covered her vision. Not seeing the snake’s bloody eyes made her feel a bit more at ease, and even her racing heart slowed slightly.

Ling Xi rose with her sword, standing tall in the dim wind and sand. Her back was straight as she charged toward the snake’s head and engaged it once more.

“Hiss!”

Once again, Ling Xi was knocked back several meters. The sand under her feet shifted with a soft rustling sound.

Frowning slightly, Ling Xi held her sword horizontally across her palm. Just as she was about to bring it down, a warm hand suddenly covered hers.

“Can you still tell who I am?”