Haven't Been a Senior Sister for Many Years - Chapter 44

At the highest point of the city wall, the Wuyou Sword stood impaled into the stone, silently telling everyone present that its owner had perished. This brutal truth continually eroded the morale of the cultivator sects.

Another day passed.

The weather was gloomy and stifling. The smell of gunpowder mixed with the stench of rotting corpses filled the air—so pungent it made one’s head throb and ears ring.

Led by Su Yan, the leaders of the major sects gathered. Today, they planned to shatter the city’s protective barrier.

Dingzhou City’s formation barrier was originally designed to ward off demonic cultivators. It was jointly constructed by the major sects and could only be activated by the city lord’s lineage. Once activated, destroying it from the outside was nearly impossible.

Over this period, Su Yan and her allies had tried attacking the barrier, but every time they attempted a combined strike, the demonic cultivators watching from the shadows would find ways to scatter their formation. They hadn’t even managed to crack it.

Today, they planned to split into two groups—one to draw the enemy’s fire, while a smaller squad would attempt a stealth assault from another direction.

They had already poured too much time and energy into Dingzhou City. It was time to see results. Otherwise, all of Jiuzhou would mock them, saying the new generation paled in comparison to the old—that each generation was weaker than the last.

Even though those on the front lines had paid a heavy price, they still couldn’t silence public opinion.

“This operation must succeed. We’ve delayed too long. We don’t even know what’s happening inside the city. If we stall any longer, we might reclaim nothing but an empty shell.”

“How do we split the teams?”

“Senior Liu and Senior Chu Yu will handle the formation breaking. They’re from the same sect and have worked together for years. That makes them far more suited to the sneak attack than our hastily assembled team. The rest of us will draw as much attention and firepower as possible to distract the demonic cultivators.”

“Alright, that’s our best bet.”

The coalition of sects subtly revolved around Su Yan as their center. Liu Rushuang and Chu Yu weren’t interested in leading this thankless mission, while the rest simply couldn’t overpower Su Yan. And Su Yan wasn’t about to let anyone less capable take charge. So, no one pointed it out—she remained the de facto leader.

Liu Rushuang and Chu Yu had no objection. After confirming the finer points of the plan, they concealed their presence and slipped into the crowd, awaiting their moment.

Su Yan, meanwhile, stood at the front as usual, boldly leading her squad into battle and harvesting the heads of demonic cultivators.

The clash between both sides grew fierce—enemies meeting with bl00d-red eyes.

Liu Rushuang and Chu Yu silently moved away from the heart of the battle. They crept toward the wall, eventually hiding behind a massive stone hurled earlier by demonic cultivators, scouting for an opportunity.

“There’s another big rock at ten o’clock ahead. Let’s try to get there. It’s closer to the barrier.”

“Mm. When do we strike?”

“We wait. Once Su Yan’s group reaches the gate and draws enough fire, we move.”

“Alright.”

The two took advantage of a moment of inattention and shifted to another hiding spot.

Chu Yu turned her head to watch Su Yan’s situation.

She was fighting more savagely than ever, her moves wild and unguarded—attacking without defense. Wherever she passed, limbs flew; the battlefield looked like a meat grinder.

Inspired by her, the others cast off their usual facades, unleashing years of pent-up dissatisfaction with their sects and hatred toward the demonic cultivators. They fought like madmen, clearing a swath of ground. No one dared approach.

Atop the city wall, the demon lords who had planned to wait until the cultivators were exhausted before swooping in now grew restless.

Though they had numbers, they couldn’t afford this level of attrition. If they let it go on, forget the demon sovereign—even the demon lords wouldn’t accept it.

Once the cannon fodder died off, who would serve them?

“Tch, I’ll handle them myself!” Lin Zixiao swung his meteor hammer and flew at Su Yan. Though the weapon looked heavy, he wielded it with terrifying precision. Just as he was about to smash her head in, a Yanling Blade blocked the blow with a thunderous clash.

“Good!” Lin Zixiao’s eyes lit up with fighting spirit, and he laughed wildly as he engaged Su Yan. The other demon lords picked their targets and joined the fray.

Chu Yu turned back. Locking eyes with Liu Rushuang, they knew—this was their moment.

As they attacked, they scanned for weaknesses in the formation.

No one noticed that the Wuyou Sword embedded at the top of the city wall began to hum. It sensed its master drawing near, whispering her name.

Closer.

Closer still.

Its master was coming.

With a clear sword cry, the Wuyou Sword spun in the air and hurled itself into the barrier.

Crack.

The barrier that had plagued the cultivators for so long now had a hole.

Inside the city, the woman maintaining the formation coughed up bl00d. But she dared not stop—the demon cultivators had forced her to activate it by threatening everyone inside. Any misstep, and they’d slaughter the entire city.

The array’s core desperately tried to mend the breach.

Outside, the clash paused as everyone looked up. The Wuyou Sword had pierced the barrier and now flew into the distance.

It stopped in the palm of a slender hand—calm and powerful, like a well-behaved child returning to its mother.

The one holding the sword wore plain robes. Her long hair was tied with a simple cord, revealing a beautiful, refined face.

She was the long-missing Chu Zhiqin.

“Look! It’s Chu Zhiqin!”

“She’s alive! I knew the Sword Immortal would never abandon us!”

“Damn it! They lied! I told you it was a demonic scheme, and you didn’t believe me!”

People who recognized her erupted in joy, as if they’d found their backbone.

Liu Rushuang lowered her hand, eyes complex as she gazed at Chu Zhiqin high above.

She had lost—once again.

Beside her, Chu Yu patted her shoulder in silent comfort.

Su Yan smiled.

She knew it. Chu Zhiqin was too tenacious to die before they had truly settled their score.

Revitalized by her return, the cultivators surged forward, their morale sky-high. They cut through the demon forces like a tidal wave.

Chu Zhiqin floated above them all. With a single sword strike, the heavens dimmed, and the barrier—once considered unbreakable—shattered. The woman maintaining it inside collapsed, vomiting bl00d repeatedly.

The crowd roared. With their leader back, the cultivators were transformed. Their once-pale faces glowed with strength as they unleashed the hatred and humiliation they had bottled for days.

Those who had fought her before were shocked to discover that Chu Zhiqin’s strength had grown yet again—now just one step from the Fusion Stage.

Her talent was terrifying.

Lin Zixiao grinned savagely. “Nice swordplay! Let me test you!”

But before he could even reach her, Su Yan kicked him into the wall with such force that he was embedded inside.

“Do you think I’m invisible? Try this!” she yelled, chasing after him with her blade.

Lin Zixiao spat bl00d and glared at her like a beast. He looked ready to devour her alive.

Chu Zhiqin didn’t even spare them a second glance.

“Bring out your Demon Sovereign,” she said coldly.

The demon cultivators jeered.

“Ha! You? A loser calling out our sovereign? As if!”

“Brothers! Kill this brat! Let this so-called Sword Immortal see what we’re made of!”

They were so used to suppressing cultivators that they had forgotten the terror Chu Zhiqin once commanded. Only a few still retained their sense, and quietly slipped away, terrified she might notice them.

Chu Zhiqin ignored the jeers.

“I said—bring out your sovereign.”

“I’ll give you the time of one incense stick. If she doesn’t show, you all die.”

“Kill her! She’s alone! We have numbers—spit on her and she’ll drown!”

A sea of figures rushed toward her, intending to overwhelm her with sheer volume.

Some cultivators wanted to help, but the elders held them back.

Before Chu Zhiqin became known as the Sword Immortal of Jiuzhou, she had another name—Mad Dog.

It had simply been too long. Few remembered.

But now, something was off about her. The way she stood, the way she moved—it reminded those who’d seen her old self of the terror she once inspired.

They held their tongues. If they were right, she was now beyond reason—indiscriminately deadly.

Moments passed. Then, rain began to fall.

Those on the ground and in the air reached out to catch it—only to realize it wasn’t rain at all. It was bl00d.

The demon cultivators who had tried to surround her had been reduced to pieces in midair. Their bl00d rained down warm and wet.

One of the survivors touched his cheek and froze.

Then came the scream.

“AAAAH—!!”

Run!

Run!

His mind screamed, but his body wouldn’t obey. He could only watch as Wuyou Sword lopped off his head.

It rolled across the ground, eyes wide with confusion, as if still wondering how it all happened.

The carnage chilled even veteran soldiers.

Chu Zhiqin, however, remained calm. She gave her sword a slight flick, sending bl00d flying off the blade.

“She’s a maniac! Run!” someone screamed.

The surviving demon cultivators didn’t hesitate—they bolted toward the city, terrified of being the next victim of her wrath.

The demon lords, watching their forces decimated, could no longer hold back their fury. One by one, they drew their weapons, eyes murderous.

“Stop.”

A deep voice called out.

A green-robed figure had appeared in the sky. Her face was hidden behind a metal mask, her emotions unreadable.

Chu Zhiqin locked eyes with her.

“You finally showed up,” she said.

“It’s time we settled this.”