Chapter 27: When Stars Fall to Earth

On the street, Chen Si finished giving orders and was about to return to Xixiang Tower.

But a servant hurried up, whispering, "Jin Langjun has news and is on his way back. He asks that you wait for him at Mud Plate Street."

Chen Si frowned. "Me? Go to Mud Plate Street?"

The servant looked apologetic. "Cloud Street is crowded with cultivators, noisy and chaotic. The young master said he was concerned—"

Chen Si cut him off with a cold laugh. "I think he just doesn't want to come to Cloud Street himself."

Knowing his temperament, the servant didn't dare say more.

Chen Si had never liked Mud Plate Street—not the people, not the smell, and especially not the mud that clung to his shoes, making him profoundly uncomfortable.

But criticism aside, Jin Buhuan had news.

He was eager to learn about the female cultivator, so he said nothing more and had the servant lead the way toward Mud Plate Street.

Little Sword City wasn't large, but its proximity to the Sword Gate Academy gave it a certain significance that drew powerful forces to establish footholds there.

Cloud Street possessed grandeur reminiscent of Zhongzhou's prosperous capital. But once past the central Vermilion Bird Road onto Mud Plate Street, the city's true nature revealed itself. Low-roofed buildings lined both sides, filthy mortals made ruckus in the streets, and beggars barely clothed and covered in dirt sprawled everywhere.

Chen Si's brow remained furrowed the entire way.

The servant led him through all of Mud Plate Street, stopping at an open space at the end. "Young Master Jin knows you dislike Mud Plate Street, so please wait here a moment."

Chen Si looked ahead.

This clearing was spacious, far enough from the main street that the noise barely reached them. Barren ground sprouted overgrown reeds, and the nearly full moon shone overhead. Ahead stood a dilapidated building—upon closer inspection, a mortuary.

Fortunately, cultivators didn't harbor such superstitions.

Chen Si muttered, "He certainly knows how to pick a place."

Since he was waiting anyway, he observed the mortuary for a moment, noticing an ever-burning lamp inside illuminating the indistinct faces of deities. Intrigued, he stepped inside.

The servant who'd led the way had already left. Chen Si's two remaining attendants waited outside, standing but not following.

Chen Si never expected that the moment he stepped into the mortuary, he'd hear the sharp whistle of an arrow slicing through air.

The attendant standing right of the entrance clutched his throat and collapsed.

A golden arrow was embedded there, its fire feathers still trembling. Chen Si was shocked, but the arrow looked familiar. "My arrow!"

The servant on the left reacted quickly, shouting "Ambush!" and pulling out a communication jade slip to send a message to the others in the city.

But just as he channeled spiritual energy into the slip, another golden arrow pierced through the air from the left, striking him in the head.

The communication jade slip fell with a crack and shattered.

Blood flowed from the man's head, his eyes wide with terror as he collapsed.

Two arrows. Two lives. Three breaths.

How could Chen Si have expected this?

A familiar yet more extreme sense of danger overwhelmed him instantly.

He didn't need to look at the golden arrows again. Almost as the second man fell, he leaped into the air and moved swiftly away from the doorway, simultaneously reaching out and grasping his bow.

His heart pounded. Long-awaited excitement rose from his limbs. Chen Si felt his whole body trembling.

Yet it was a wonderful thrill.

He drew bow and arrow, declaring loudly, "Since you're here, why hide?"

As he spoke, he turned swiftly, his hawk-like gaze sweeping in all directions. He couldn't see a trace of his opponent.

Then a soft laugh came from above. "Are you looking for me?"

In that instant, Chen Si retreated rapidly while pinpointing the source of the sound and firing an arrow toward it.

The golden arrow shot forward like lightning!

The female cultivator in black robes and veil stood on the dilapidated mortuary roof to the right, neither dodging nor avoiding. She merely turned her head slightly. As the golden arrow flew toward the corner of her eye, she flicked her finger.

Her slender finger twirled in the moonlight like a blooming lotus, yet its power in that instant was exceptionally fierce.

Clang!

Metal struck metal as her fingertip touched the arrow. The golden arrow, deflected by her finger, snapped back and fell heavily into the roof tiles.

Upon seeing her, Chen Si felt a chill run down his spine.

Compared to that day in Jiajin Valley, this mysterious female cultivator's methods were clearly more ruthless, leaving no room for retreat. Her cultivation also seemed more profound, especially the deep, quiet killing intent emanating from her.

The quieter she was, the more frightening she became.

Chen Si said, "It really was you. Using my arrows to kill my men!"

He gripped the dark green bamboo bow in his hand, its bowstring white as snow.

Zhou Man looked at him through the veil, eyes flashing with purple light. "I'm afraid it's not just that. If I could kill you with your own arrow, that would be 'returning the arrow to its rightful owner'—the arrow finding its proper place."

Chen Si sneered. "Such arrogance! I was just worried about searching high and low without success, but you've walked right into my trap!"

Zhou Man said calmly, "Last time in Jiajin Valley, I didn't kill anyone because we were strangers and I didn't want to create a blood feud over a bit of jade marrow. I left room for maneuver. But you didn't appreciate it and insisted on courting death. So I have no choice but to accept your fate and take your worthless life."

As soon as she finished speaking, the bow was drawn.

Chen Si reacted quickly, leaping onto the reeds beside him and soaring into the air, drawing his bow even faster than Zhou Man.

The Dushan Divine Jade inlaid in his boxwood bow emitted a hazy blue light.

A layer of sharpness immediately enveloped the golden arrow.

The Vermilion Bird Fire Feathers blazed brightly in an instant.

This arrow was perhaps the best he'd ever fired since taking up archery. He poured all his energy into it, making it incredibly smooth.

It was as if all his potential had been unleashed facing an opponent like this mysterious female cultivator.

Simply magnificent!

Regardless of the difference in cultivation level or quality of bow and arrow, Chen Si was confident he was superior. If this arrow flew true, there would be no reason to lose.

However, to his surprise, the female cultivator showed no intention of dodging.

Her newly crafted bamboo bow shimmered with verdant energy, and a golden arrow adorned with fire bird feathers was nocked on the string, held high in the same imposing manner as his.

One stood below, the other above. One held the bow high, the other looked down with arrow drawn.

At this moment, everything in the world seemed to stand still.

Neither wanted to retreat.

They released their bowstrings almost simultaneously.

With a whoosh, Chen Si heard the whistling sound of the golden arrow leaving the bowstring. The fire bird feathers burned in the wind, as if spreading wings and emitting a high-pitched cry.

A crimson rainbow of light crashed fiercely forward!

Upon seeing this, Chen Si thought: This female cultivator's archery skills haven't improved since Jiajin Valley. She's nothing special.

The two arrows collided mid-air and exploded instantly.

The fire bird feathers were even more powerful, spreading their wings to devour the rainbow of light. Though the arrows and shafts were extinguished, the blazing flames carried murderous intent as they surged forward.

A smile involuntarily appeared on Chen Si's lips.

But the next instant, a brighter flame pierced through the raging Vermilion Bird Fire Feather flames mid-air, hurtling toward him and extinguishing his smile.

It was the second arrow, following closely behind the first!

Its momentum was even faster and more powerful!

Repeated arrows!

A person's arm strength is limited. A cultivator's spiritual power is also limited. To draw a bow repeatedly in a very short time requires extremely high arm strength and consumes tremendous spiritual power.

Yet this female cultivator had drawn two bows in succession!

And when Chen Si saw the second arrow, she'd already swiftly and skillfully nocked the third!

Chen Si was greatly shocked. He now understood why she hadn't even tried to dodge his arrow that had been aimed so fiercely.

Because that was only the first arrow!

The bow forged from bitter bamboo was extremely tough, giving repeated arrows even more miraculous possibilities. Each vibration transmitted enormous tension through the bowstring to the arrow.

The second arrow was no longer pure rainbow light.

It shot forth like a burning thread of fire!

Chen Si retreated hastily, trying to nock another arrow and fire again to knock it down. But before he could even string the arrow, the burning arrow slammed into his bow.

A cracking sound rang out.

The sturdy boxwood bow shattered from the arrow's impact!

Chen Si's fingers throbbed with pain, blood instantly seeping from them.

At this moment, the third arrow had already soared into the air.

The golden arrow shimmered with iridescent light, its fire feathers finally unfurled.

A magnificent display of divine power!

This arrow finally completely burned away the rainbow light, resembling a massive fallen star covered in blazing flames, descending upon the world.

Piercing a rainbow is swift and light, but a falling star is heavy and violent!

A human with a mortal body standing before it is as insignificant as a speck of dust.

Who can stop a falling star?

The blazing flames magnified rapidly in Chen Si's pupils before striking him and engulfing him.

A clear sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the void.

When the meteor-like flames dissipated, Chen Si lay among the reeds, blood gushing from his mouth, a golden arrow embedded in his chest, a spark still burning on its fletching.

Zhou Man stood holding her longbow, unmoved from beginning to end.

The third arrow of the Divine Archer Technique: Meteor Fall.

This was a rapid-fire arrow technique, requiring a bitter bamboo bow to withstand its power. The arrows shot like falling meteors, continuous and unbroken.

In her previous life, she'd once fired fifteen arrows in a row with her Golden Core cultivation, killing a Nascent Soul stage opponent in a desperate situation.

Chen Si had been confident in his recovery and considerable cultivation, along with his new bow. He was unaware of Zhou Man's significant advancement. Zhou Man had not only taken his golden arrows but also crafted a new Bitter Bamboo Bow and possessed the Divine Archer Technique. Her strength was many times greater than it had been that day in Jiajin Valley.

From the beginning, this was not a duel between two sides, but a one-sided hunt.

Zhou Man watched him fall to the ground, blood gushing like a spring, feeling no pity. To be cautious, she moved swiftly, intending to deliver another arrow to his brow to eliminate any future threat.

Unexpectedly, just as she drew her bow, a snow-white jade plate flew in from the side!

Zhou Man instantly changed direction and shot an arrow at the jade plate.

The meteor-like arrow crashed into the plate, but the jade plate, upon impact, spontaneously split from the center outward!

With a series of shattering sounds, the jade plate broke into eight sharp pieces, perfectly avoiding the arrow.

Then the jade petals converged again—no longer in the shape of a jade plate, but in the form of a blooming lotus flower.

Each jade petal was crystal clear, yet it held deep killing intent.

This transformation from jade plate to jade lotus happened in an instant. Even Zhou Man hadn't anticipated it. Before she could lower her bow, the eight-petaled jade lotus was already hurtling toward her face.

Her newly made bitter bamboo bow could easily have blocked it with a simple swing.

But Zhou Man cherished her new bow and couldn't bear to damage it in the slightest. In that split second, she pressed down on the new bow in her hand, raised her right hand, and with fingers like a knife, swiftly pointed at the eight-petaled jade lotus.

Clang clang clang!

Her skillful hand shattered the lotus flower, and the petals flew away!

However, the opponent was a superior magical artifact with eight petals. Even if Zhou Man's skillful hand could steal the will of heaven, how could she react perfectly in such a hasty manner?

In the end, one petal still grazed the back of her hand, leaving a bloody mark before piercing her right shoulder, causing blood to splatter.

Zhou Man frowned instantly but stopped and looked ahead.

Jin Buhuan stood tall at the other end of the mortuary's roof, his hand gesturing slightly. The eight jade lotus petals Zhou Man had knocked away flew back to him, hovering mid-air. Even the one that had pierced Zhou Man's shoulder was now stained with blood, a vibrant crimson.

He glanced down and knew Chen Si was barely clinging to life—likely dead this time.

At that moment, the two stood facing each other on the mortuary roof, the bright moon overhead shining like frost, reeds swirling like snow around them.

Zhou Man, separated by the veil, eyes filled with murderous intent, remained silent.

Jin Buhuan, however, had a grave expression, his long eyebrows slightly furrowed. He recognized her as the female cultivator from Jiajin Valley that day. "You really shouldn't have made your move on Mud Plate Street."

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Thoughts:

After Chen Si sealed off Little Sword City to search for her, Zhou Man decided to take the offensive rather than hide, setting up an ambush at a mortuary on the desolate outskirts of Mud Plate Street.

The chapter showcases Zhou Man's superior archery skills through the "Meteor Fall" technique—the third arrow of the Divine Archer Technique (Yi Shen Jue). This rapid-fire method requires the special bitter bamboo bow she just crafted and demonstrates her significant advancement since her previous encounter with Chen Si in Jiajin Valley.