Purgatory Artist Chapter 51: Offed

(6 Chaptwers? maybe more? dont marinate it Read the whole thing)

"You save her?" the Sword Spirit asked skeptically.

Liu Ping replied calmly, "I can cure this poison—though it's going to be a bit troubleso."

The female voice emanating from the sword sounded doubtful. "I can see that you possess skills, but even if you can detoxify her, we don't have ti left."

" Not necessarily. As long as you assist , we'll manage." Liu Ping's tone carried quiet confidence.

He reached into his storage bag and pulled out a blank talisman.

The Sword Spirit sounded curious, almost perplexed. "What's that for?"

Liu Ping smirked. "This is one of my original creations: the face-painting talisman. It was quite popular in the past—I made a decent profit with it. Actually, forget it, there is no need to brag about my entrepreneurial success."

He continued, "The idea is simple. If soone, say a female cultivator, is particularly satisfied with their makeup on a certain day, this talisman can preserve that exact look. Later, when they're heading out and apply the talisman to their face, it'll restore their appearance to that mont."

With practiced ease, Liu Ping picked up a talisman brush and swiftly sketched a few lines on the talisman. Then, he carefully pressed it onto Senior Sister Li's face.

The Sword Spirit's voice grew more intrigued. "Can you truly save her? What do you need from ?"

"I'll hide her in a mont" Liu Ping explained, his expression focused. "Then, you'll follow . Simple as that."

"Hide her? Do you really think you can hide her from those people?" the Sword Spirit questioned skeptically.

"Of course." Liu Ping's voice was steady.

Without further explanation, Liu Ping removed the talisman from Senior Sister Li's face and wiped it across his own. Instantly, his features morphed, becoming an exact replica of hers.

"How do I look?" he asked with a smirk.

The Sword Spirit, montarily stunned, said, "Your face-painting skills are impressive, but your figure—"

"Oh, that's an easy fix," Liu Ping interrupted. "A little mundane skill can take care of that."

He glanced at Senior Sister Li a few more tis for reference, then shook his body swiftly. A series of cracking and shifting sounds echoed as his bones adjusted. In monts, his fra shrank and reford, becoming as delicate and slender as hers.

"Clothing?" the Sword Spirit probed.

"I'll just grab sothing from her storage bag," Liu Ping replied casually.

"But her storage bag is heavily protected" the Sword Spirit warned. "Without her explicit permission, you won't be able to open it."

"You must know how the ward is set up" Liu Ping said with a grin.

The Sword Spirit hesitated. "I... don't fully trust you yet. If you open her storage bag and take her things to run away, then—"

"Fine, I'll do it myself," Liu Ping interrupted.

He placed his hand on Senior Sister Li's storage bag and began rapidly forming seals with his free hand, a confident smile playing on his lips.

Snap!

The storage bag opened.

"Sword cultivators generally don't bother much with their storage bag restrictions. It's always the sa few patterns, so it's just a matter of trying them out" Liu Ping said as he began rummaging through the bag.

The Sword Spirit hovered nearby, watching with suspicion. "Your proficiency with this seems... suspiciously well-practiced."

Liu Ping ignored the comnt, pulling out a vibrant neon dress adorned with intricate embroidery and feathers. He shook his head. "Too fancy."

Stuffing the dress back, his hand brushed against another item. This ti, he pulled out a set of sect-style universal armor. Its size was small, suitable for female cultivators or younger male ones.

"This'll do," Liu Ping said, putting on the armor.

The Sword Spirit floated in front of Senior Sister Li, then circled Liu Ping a few tis before stopping.

"It's convincing enough, but your cultivation—"

"Easy fix."

Liu Ping grabbed his bamboo hat, placing it on his head. Imdiately, his spiritual fluctuations were concealed.

"How's this?" he asked.

The Sword Spirit hesitated. "The chest—"

"Oh."

Liu Ping glanced around, spotting so mud nearby. He mixed it with weeds, kneaded the material into two rough shapes, and tucked them into his chest before putting the armor back on.

"Problem solved," he said with a satisfied nod.

The Sword Spirit said nothing, but its silence spoke volus.

"How do I look? Gorgeous?" Liu Ping puffed out his chest and grinned at the sword.

"Well, yes, but... isn't this a bit blasphemous—" the Sword Spirit began, sounding dissatisfied.

"Do you want to save her or not?" Liu Ping interrupted, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but you're too—"

"In that case, cooperate with . Otherwise, I'll just leave her here and let her fend for herself. Your call."

The Sword Spirit hesitated, then relented. "Fine, I'll cooperate."

Liu Ping exhaled in relief, then carefully fed a healing pill into Senior Sister Li's mouth before stretching out his hand. "—Sword, co here."

The long sword flew obediently into Liu Ping's hand, where he held it snugly.

"Is this good?" he asked.

"No problem... but could you not hold so tightly?" the Sword Spirit grumbled.

"Sorry, I don't handle swords often" Liu Ping muttered, adjusting his grip.

"You're pretending to be her, but what about her?" the Sword Spirit asked.

"Relax. I have an array technique called Pervert's Clothing."

The Sword Spirit paused. "That na... it doesn't sound like a proper technique."

"Completely legitimate—and it's going to save her life."

With that, Liu Ping took out a formation plate, tied it securely around Senior Sister Li's waist, and began moving his hands in intricate gestures.

"Formation—activate!" he declared.

''Pervert's Clothing!''

A faint buzzing echoed from the array, and Senior Sister Li vanished instantly.

"She's hidden now," Liu Ping said with a nod. "If sothing happens to her, can you sense it?"

"Of course," the Sword Spirit replied solemnly. "I am connected to her mind and heart. If she's in danger, I'll know imdiately."

"Good. Then let's go."

"You're planning to confront those people?"

"Exactly."

The Sword Spirit hesitated. "I never thought that a random person she chose could actually save her..."

"Careful with your words," Liu Ping said, frowning. "I'm not so random person."

"But she didn't even know you" the Sword Spirit pointed out.

Liu Ping smirked. "Her sword heart is clear, able to sense a glimr of light in the darkest of tis. That's why she found ."

"So you're a good person?" the Sword Spirit asked skeptically.

"Not exactly," Liu Ping replied flatly. "If it were soone else, I wouldn't go to all this trouble. But sword cultivators... they don't have the temperant to master true swordsmanship, and yet they still try. It's admirable in its own way."

Shaking his head, Liu Ping adjusted his bamboo hat, stood up, and started running back the way he ca.

As he ran, he asked, "What's she like when dealing with others? Summarize it in four words."

The Sword Spirit answered without hesitation, "Cold outside, warm inside."

"I see. No wonder she touched my face back then—I felt sothing was off about her," Liu Ping said.

"What was wrong?"

"Cold on the outside, hot on the inside."

"That's poison."

"What would you know about it, being a sword spirit?" Liu Ping retorted.

After traveling a few more miles, he encountered four cultivators head-on.

When they saw Liu Ping unhard and composed, they were visibly startled.

"Those are her senior brothers," the Sword Spirit said via voice transmission.

Liu Ping nodded faintly. "Senior Brothers" he greeted flatly.

The group clasped their fists together respectfully. "Junior Sister Li."

Without breaking stride, Liu Ping galloped past them.

"Wait—Junior Sister—" one of them called out.

Liu Ping halted mid-step, turning with a sharp gaze.

The man hesitated before saying, "Where are you going? We heard you were injured and feared you might be in danger. We ca to assist."

"Injured?" Liu Ping's tone turned cold. "Do I look injured to you?"

'her' piercing stare bore into the man, making him shrink back instinctively. The uneasy silence thickened as the man took a few steps back, unsettled by the intensity of "Junior Sister Li's" gaze.

The others turned slightly pale.

How could she be injured if she could force a cultivator of the sa level to retreat with just her stare?

One of them hesitated, then offered a placating smile. "It's good to see that Junior Sister is safe. But where might Junior Sister be headed?"

Liu Ping glanced at the speaker coldly and disdainfully. "If you have the guts, follow . Let's see what happens" 'she' said icily.

With that, 'her' figure blurred, vanishing from the spot.

The group exchanged uneasy looks.

"Eldest Brother..." one of them addressed the man who had spoken.

The eldest brother smirked confidently. "Let's go. Follow her. She'll be my Daoist partner sooner or later. If sothing happens to her, it'll reflect poorly on ."

Nodding reluctantly, the group set off in pursuit.

They ran for so ti, watching as the mountains on either side began to recede, opening into a wide, desolate expanse. In the distance, a small town lay in ruins, its destruction ongoing.

Debris and objects fell from the sky, crashing into the already-devastated town below.

Ahead, their target stood silently, watching the scene unfold.

Sensing their approach, 'she' turned 'her' head, her bright and piercing eyes sweeping over the group.

Each of them felt the sa thought flash through their minds:

"She's looking at ."

The senior brother paused, then asked with a smile, "The place is where the Skyfall fell... Is Junior Sister here to seek an opportunity?"

"Of course," the woman replied softly. "I'm going to explore this place—and perhaps find my dual cultivation partner along the way."

Her words brought an awkward silence among the group.

"Rumors say Junior Sister has chosen a mortal as her Daoist companion. Is that true?" the senior brother asked cautiously.

"Do you think so lowly of ?" she replied coldly, her gaze sharp and dismissive.

The senior brother hesitated, searching for the right words. "Then—"

"My ideal partner must be an unrivaled hero" she interrupted, her tone laced with faint disdain. "Soone who dares to step into the land of falling skies with , facing danger to seek fortune. If he doesn't even have the courage for that, what kind of practitioner is he? How could he ever dream of being my Daoist companion?"

She raised her chin, her posture exuding pride, like a regal swan surveying the unworthy. After a few asured breaths, she turned away and began to stride confidently toward the ruins of the town.

The group stood frozen in place, her words weighing heavily in the air.

The senior brother frowned, muttering, "It's too dangerous there..."

Suddenly, a sneer broke the silence behind them.

A cultivator stepped forward, shaking his head. "Eldest Brother, you are our example, but when it cos to courting a Daoist companion, even the elders have said it's up to our abilities. If you can't keep up, don't hold the rest of us back."

With that, the cultivator rushed in the direction of the town, his eyes gleaming with determination.

Another man stepped forward. "There's only one Daoist partner for her. This is my best chance. I won't lose to anyone."

Without waiting for a reply, he sprinted after the first cultivator.

The remaining disciples exchanged uneasy glances, the tension rising. It wasn't long before their hesitation gave way, and they, too, began chasing after her, driven by ambition and desire.

Before anyone else arrived, the male cultivators were already on the move.

"I need to find Junior Sister Li before they get to her" one said urgently.

"You're right. There are several strong competitors, but fortunately, none of them have located her yet."

They took off one after another, flying toward the town.

The eldest brother remained behind, standing still with a thoughtful expression. After a mont, he shook his head and muttered, "This unexpected turn of events changes nothing. I've prepared for this day. No matter what, I must take her"

Before he could finish his thoughts, his figure blurred and disappeared into the air.

In the town, chaos reigned under the choking veil of smoke and dust.

"Junior Sister Li, where are you?" a male cultivator shouted, his voice echoing through the ruins.

A clear female voice erged from the haze. "I'm here."

His heart leaped with joy as he darted toward the source of her voice. Through the swirling clouds, he finally spotted her figure standing calmly amidst the destruction, inspecting sothing on the ground.

"Junior Sister, let help you!" he offered, stepping forward with eagerness.

Without turning around, she handed him a talisman. "Hold this Explosive Talisman. If anything goes wrong, use it imdiately."

The male cultivator took the talisman, scanning it with his divine sense to confirm its potency. Indeed, it was a powerful Explosive Talisman.

"Don't worry, Junior Sister," he said confidently. "I'll stay behind you, ready to act at any mont."

As he spoke, she turned to him with a serene smile before abruptly spinning back, sword drawn, and dashed deeper into the smoke.

The male cultivator was left clutching the talisman, startled by her sudden departure. "Junior Sister!" he called after her, but her silhouette had already vanished into the chaos ahead.

She rushed ahead too quickly.

"Junior Sister, wait for !" the male cultivator called out urgently, his voice edged with concern.

But then, he felt sothing was wrong.

Looking down, he saw that the talisman in his hand was glowing faintly.

It was a familiar sight, nothing to be alard about—just the talisman activating.

However, his heart skipped a beat.

In a panic, he quickly tossed the talisman, launching it with all his strength. But for so inexplicable reason, his hand trembled, causing the talisman to veer off course, floating helplessly above his head.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rocked the air, sending shockwaves rippling through the town.

Not far off, Liu Ping stood still, listening to the chaos. His expression hardened, eyes turning cold as the sound of the blast echoed through the air.

"One down .... three to go" he muttered under his breath, a faint trace of satisfaction apparent in his tone.

With a final glance at the carnage, his figure lded into the smoke, disappearing as quickly as he had appeared.