Luo Yunxi was stunned for a long moment. She then ran downstairs and shut all the doors and windows, both inside and out. Finally, ignoring the bodies on the floor, she picked up two iron rods and held them in her hands.
Although she didn't know what Feng Moxi planned to do, she was certain the girl wasn't leaving tonight.
The sky gradually darkened, and from time to time, the roars of monsters echoed in the distance.
The eerie night was far from calm.
A shiver ran down Luo Yunxi's spine. She quickly ran upstairs and settled into the room across from Feng Moxi's.
'Since Xiao Xi said the Water Ability is useless, I have to be like her and train this "useless" superpower. I'd better work on my physical fitness, too. That way I won't hold anyone back when we have to escape.'
Feng Moxi was unaware of Luo Yunxi's new resolve. Once in her room, she centered herself and eagerly extended her Divine Sense into her space.
'After a night of arduous Cultivation, a day of difficult battles, and my decent Gold Ability... maybe that broken sword won't reject me anymore.'
She looked at the broken sword, still suspended in mid-air, and slowly reached out, her hand closing around the hilt.
'No rejection.'
A jolt of joy went through Feng Moxi. She yanked hard on the broken sword, but the blade only swayed slightly before settling, still firmly fixed in mid-air.
It was like a stubborn, persistent gatekeeper.
'Sigh, still not enough,' she sighed to herself.
She then slowly withdrew from the space, sat cross-legged, and began her Cultivation of Inner Strength.
Feng Moxi didn't dare to slack off in the slightest. As she continued her Cultivation, she could feel the Dark Force inside her gradually growing stronger. It was different from the strength-based mutation she'd had before.
It felt vaster, more profound, flowing slowly through her meridians.
This sensation filled her with confidence in her Cultivation.
According to the texts, to become a Sword Cultivator, one's Inner Strength had to first break through to the Innate Realm, and from there, the Postnatal Realm. Only upon reaching the Postnatal Realm...
...could one truly begin Cultivation with a sword and condense the so-called Sword Qi.
Therefore, developing Inner Strength and breaking through to the Innate Realm was of the utmost urgency.
A warm current began to course through her body, instantly making her feel relaxed. The energy flowed up and down her meridians, repeatedly battering against the partially blocked passages.
It slowly followed the flow of her blood and finally settled in her Dantian. Then, a new power began to build unceasingly, enveloping Feng Moxi's entire body in a warm, gentle cycle.
Again and again.
An unknown amount of time passed. Feng Moxi was once again drenched in sweat, a smell made even more foul by the stuffy, putrid air.
She flexed her fingers. After a night of Cultivation, she found that the Gold Ability she had recently awakened seemed more stable, and her limbs felt more agile.
She gripped an iron rod and gave it a few casual swings, immediately throwing the room into disarray.
And a smile slowly crept onto her lips.
'So this is the power of a superpower!'
「The night passed peacefully.」
Feng Moxi found a backpack in the room, packed all the food she had brought in, and, gnawing on a steamed bun, opened the door to find Luo Yunxi looking at her with an eager gaze.
"You haven't left?"
Luo Yunxi shook her head, raised the iron rod in her hand, and said firmly, "I'm going with you."
Feng Moxi didn't say anything, just walked silently downstairs and out the courtyard gate. Outside, three vehicles were parked. One was a bus, covered in bloodstains, all its windows shattered.
One was a Ford Kuga, the other a Hummer. Judging by the collision cracks on their frames, they had likely been commandeered during the chaos.
Three monsters were still wandering in front of the cars. At their feet were two mangled corpses which, from their appearance, belonged to the two girls who had fled yesterday.
Luo Yunxi's eyes darkened. 'Of the ten of us who were alive... besides the two of us here, two died horribly in the living room, and two are lying on the ground now. The other four who ran are still out there... I don't know if they're alive or dead.'
Sorrow filled her heart.
Upon seeing the two girls, the monsters began to shamble toward them.
Feng Moxi was just about to raise her iron rod and attack when she saw a fire light up in Luo Yunxi's eyes. The girl charged forward, brandishing her own heavy iron rod.
The iron rod whistled through the air as she swung it straight at the monster's head.
As if venting all her frustration.
Feng Moxi gave a slight nod. 'She's teachable. This girl is so much stronger than my own past self. At least she dares to fight.'
She dispatched the other two monsters with ease and watched as Luo Yunxi battled the last one.
With her superpower, Luo Yunxi's movements were much more nimble. Coupled with a full night of physical training, she was actually fighting the low-level monster to a stalemate.
"Careful, avoid its claws. As long as you don't get scratched, you'll live."
"Yes." Luo Yunxi continuously used her iron rod to bat away the grasping claws. Seeing an opening, she swung with all her might, landing a solid blow right on the monster's head.
Her strength was limited, however, and the monster's skull was unusually tough. The blow only stunned it; it wasn't fatal.
THWACK! THWACK! THWACK! After the first hit, Luo Yunxi followed up with a series of blows to its head. At last, the monster's skull cracked, and it collapsed to the ground.
Its body still twitched, its claws swiping toward her.
Without hesitation, Luo Yunxi rained blows down on the monster's wrists with her iron rod. When its arms stopped flailing, she finally brought the rod down on its head.
Smashing it to a pulp.
Tears welled up in Luo Yunxi's eyes. She immediately looked toward the other girl. Only after Feng Moxi nodded did Luo Yunxi's tears of joy finally fall.
'I've finally taken the first step. I can kill monsters, too!'
Feng Moxi had already gotten the car keys while clearing out the rooms. She pulled open the Hummer's door and sat inside. Luo Yunxi said in surprise, "You can drive?"
After all, they were just sixteen or seventeen-year-old girls. It was unlikely either of them would normally know how to drive.
But then she remembered the man from before saying Feng Moxi's background was not simple, and it made sense.
Feng Moxi tilted her head. "Aren't you getting in?"
"Coming, I'm coming." Having earned Feng Moxi's approval, Luo Yunxi wiped her tears and sat happily in the passenger seat. She then smiled sincerely and said, "Thank you for accepting me."
"Don't thank me. The only one who can help you is yourself."
"..."
Feng Moxi said nothing more. She started the engine, released the handbrake, and with a sharp turn, sped down the bumpy road.
The road was narrow, clearly a rural dirt path. The sparse houses on both sides were in a state of ruin and collapse. This area had been hit hard by the original earthquake and its aftershocks.
It was clear that the few villages in this area were all but destroyed.
There were likely very few survivors left.
The four girls who had escaped earlier were also nowhere in sight; there was no telling where they had hidden.
As they took in the scenery, a heavy mood fell over them both, and they lapsed into silence.