The Ji Clan struck back harder.
More assassins came.
More battles were fought.
Qing'er's strength grew, her sword sharper with each fight. But Yao Yan knew it wasn't enough, so he pushed her beyond her limits. He had her fight against him directly, forcing her to adapt.
He even duplicated himself, creating an identical version to attack her from two sides at once.
Qing'er suffered.
She bled.
She collapsed from exhaustion.
But she never quit.
And when the next wave of Ji Clan elites came—she didn't just fight. She slaughtered.
Her blade danced through the battlefield, cutting down opponents like a raging storm. Yao Yan watched from the sidelines, a proud smirk on his lips.
This was the Qing'er he wanted to see.
The one who wouldn't need his protection forever.
The one who could stand beside him as an equal.