Chapter 90: She is Bamboo
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Orchid, Plum, and Bamboo were each trapped in different illusions, unable to escape their own nightmares. To Yu Zhao’s surprise, the only one who maintained clarity and broke through the illusions was Chrysanthemum, the most hot-tempered and impulsive of the four.
Chrysanthemum was drenched in sweat, as if she had just been pulled out of water. Her eyes shone with a sharp brightness. It took her a moment to shake off the negative emotions the illusion had inflicted upon her. Looking around, she saw Bamboo, Orchid, and Plum standing with their eyes closed, their faces filled with fear, bodies trembling slightly.
Fury ignited in Chrysanthemum’s eyes. Freshly free from her own terrifying illusion, she knew too well the horrors that the others were experiencing—nightmares too painful to revisit.
“Yu Zhao! You deserve to die!” she shouted, her voice piercing the air. With a swift motion, she brandished her sword and charged at Yu Zhao. Chrysanthemum believed that by killing Yu Zhao, the illusions would shatter.
Yu Zhao, quick on her feet, leaped back, evading Chrysanthemum’s attack. But Chrysanthemum was relentless, chasing after her without pause. Seeing that she couldn’t close the distance, Chrysanthemum suddenly halted, her energy spiking. Her robe fluttered as her power surged. Holding her sword with both hands, she slashed downward, unleashing a fierce wave of sword energy, teeming with killing intent, aimed straight at Yu Zhao.
The sword energy roared through the air, creating a series of sonic booms. A chill ran down Yu Zhao’s spine, every nerve in her body screaming danger.
“Illusions!” she muttered, rapidly forming hand seals. In an instant, a shadow identical to Yu Zhao split from her body, followed by another, then another, until fifteen identical figures surrounded her.
The sixteen “Yu Zhaos” scattered in different directions.
Chrysanthemum was stunned. Even with her spiritual sense, she couldn’t discern which one was the real Yu Zhao. The powerful strike had drained half of her spiritual energy. If she couldn’t seriously injure Yu Zhao, the battle would turn against her.
“Split!” Chrysanthemum shouted, clenching her fist. The sword energy halted mid-flight, then split into sixteen smaller waves, each chasing after one of the Yu Zhao shadows.
Completing the maneuver left Chrysanthemum flushed and her lips pale. It was a desperate move, straining her mind and body. If not for her determination to end Yu Zhao quickly, she wouldn’t have risked such a costly attack. Yet, seeing Yu Zhao frantically dodging the incoming attacks brought her a twisted sense of satisfaction.
One of the sword waves caught up with a shadow and pierced through it, but with a puff, the figure dissipated into smoke—it was just an illusion. Chrysanthemum’s heart sank with disappointment but she knew that finding the real Yu Zhao among the illusions wouldn’t be easy. The mysterious and unpredictable nature of Yu Zhao’s techniques filled her with dread. If she couldn’t kill Yu Zhao now, she would be haunted by the nightmare of Yu Zhao for the rest of her life.
One by one, the illusions dissipated. Chrysanthemum gripped her sword tighter, her hope waning. At last, only one figure remained, dodging the relentless pursuit. “Found you!” Chrysanthemum cried out in joy. She poured her remaining energy into her sword and unleashed another strike.
The sword energy was swift, faster than the eye could follow. It seemed to catch Yu Zhao, slicing through her form. But to Chrysanthemum’s horror, the figure burst apart—another illusion!
“Impossible!” Chrysanthemum gasped, stunned. If none of the illusions were real, then where was Yu Zhao? Just as the thought crossed her mind, a cold voice echoed from behind her, “Looking for me?”
Chrysanthemum’s expression shifted to panic as she swung her sword backward. The blade barely missed Yu Zhao, only grazing her robe. Yu Zhao stood calmly, flicking a finger, sending a flash of spiritual light into Chrysanthemum’s body.
Chrysanthemum’s vision subtly changed, but she didn’t notice. She turned around, still wary, and saw three Yu Zhao illusions standing in the distance. Gritting her teeth, Chrysanthemum ran her fingers along her sword, leaving a bloody smear. The blade absorbed the blood, releasing a dense aura of malice, a faint scent of blood permeating the air.
Grinning viciously, Chrysanthemum shouted, “Die!” Sword lights crisscrossed the air, threatening to tear the world apart.
A scream rang out, followed by the splatter of blood. The scent of iron grew stronger. Chrysanthemum stared at the figure collapsing in a pool of blood, believing it was Yu Zhao. She laughed maniacally, “Yu Zhao, no matter what tricks you use, you can’t escape death!”
Yu Zhao’s voice came from behind, calm and cold, “Oh? Then look closely at who you’ve just killed.”
A chill ran through Chrysanthemum. She hesitated but forced herself to look. As the illusion faded, the scene before her cleared, and what she saw filled her with horror. Bamboo, Orchid, and Plum lay on the ground, barely breathing, their bodies riddled with wounds. The sight was gruesome; there wasn’t an inch of unscarred flesh.
“No! No! NO!” Chrysanthemum screamed, shaking her head in disbelief. She couldn’t accept the reality before her. In her desperation to kill Yu Zhao, she had been blinded by an illusion and attacked her closest companions.
The power of a sword cultivator is unparalleled among those of the same level, and with Bamboo, Orchid, and Plum trapped in their illusions, they had no defense against Chrysanthemum’s assault. Orchid and Plum were already dead, and Bamboo was hanging on by a thread.
An hour ago, the Four Gentlemen stood tall and proud, but now only Chrysanthemum remained standing, the rest fallen.
Despair consumed Chrysanthemum. She clutched her head and screamed, the weight of her actions crashing down on her. She had murdered her closest friends! She was a sinner, her soul burdened by the guilt of their deaths.
This novel is translated and hosted only on bcatranslation.
The spiritual and emotional toll was too much. Chrysanthemum’s mind shattered. In her final act of despair, she chose to end her life by driving her sword through her own heart.
As her body fell, a single thought lingered in her mind: Never again would she want to face a cultivator of illusions.
With a final thud, Chrysanthemum’s life ended. Yu Zhao walked past her lifeless body, approaching the barely breathing Bamboo.
Bamboo struggled to open her eyes, using the last of her strength to ask, “Am I… am I Bamboo… or just little Bamboo…”
Yu Zhao paused, then softly replied, “You are Bamboo.”
Bamboo’s eyes filled with a brief moment of peace. She smiled, blood trickling from her mouth. She was not the helpless little girl trapped in a house, but Bamboo, a feared female assassin in the cultivation world. With a faint smile, her eyes slowly closed, her life slipping away.