Chapter 103: Surprise at the exit, sacrifice one's life to protect
The team raced across the vast snowy plains, eager to return, yet also treading on thin ice. Days of sleepless travel were a tremendous drain, even for the cultivators. The wounded needed stabilization, the captives needed guarding, and most importantly, a shadow hung heavy over everyone's mind—the shadow demon's revenge and the possibility of a trap within the sect.
Lay Buddhist Muyun and the elders of the Bishui Pavilion remained on high alert, extending their spiritual awareness as far as possible, detecting any unusual fluctuations. Ye Li and Qin Yixuan were assigned to the safest position in the center of the team, but they also dared not relax even a little. Having experienced the life and death of the Xuan Palace, they knew better than anyone the viciousness and strength of the enemy in the dark.
As Ye Li hurried on, she focused some of her attention on continuing to comprehend the "Ice Emperor Sealing Heaven Art" and familiarize herself with the new abilities of the Samsara Mirror. As her cultivation level improved, her control over her strength became more refined. She experimented with combining the sealing power of the "Frost Condensing Finger" with the "Universe Traceless Step," making her movements even more elusive and slowing down her opponent. At the same time, she began to consider how to integrate the "Ice Emperor Guardian" into her own defensive system.
Qin Yixuan silently comprehended the profound meaning of the first half of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Water Scripture. The complete version of the technique had brought her understanding of the Way of Water to a whole new level. Her spiritual energy flowed more smoothly and naturally, and her recovery speed increased significantly. She even faintly felt the threshold of transforming the power of water into life-nourishing energy, which would have miraculous effects on healing injuries. Occasionally, she would glance at Ye Li, who was lost in thought beside her, and the subtle connection forged in her heart by their shared experiences of life and death became increasingly clear.
That day, the team finally reached the edge of the Soul Burial Mountains. Only one last, treacherous Icewind Gorge remained before they could leave this desolate land of ice and snow. Once they crossed this gorge, they would reach the relatively safe northern plains.
Icewind Gorge, as its name suggests, is flanked by ten-thousand-foot-high ice cliffs, with only a narrow passage in the middle. Year-round, it's blasted by a razor-sharp wind. Those with weaker cultivation could be frozen to death or torn apart. The entrance to the gorge is a complex landscape of jagged rocks.
Standing at the canyon's entrance, Monk Muyun frowned and raised his hand to signal the group to halt. He keenly sensed something unusual about the atmosphere. The wind seemed sharper than he remembered, and the air was filled with a faint, almost intangible aura of menace.
"Everyone be careful, there may be an ambush in the canyon." Mr. Muyun said in a deep voice, and at the same time, he made a gesture with his hands, and an invisible detection ripple spread into the canyon.
The elder of the Bishui Pavilion also summoned a water mirror, shining the light into the canyon, trying to reflect the hidden crisis.
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan instantly entered combat mode, with spiritual power surging and weapons in hand.
However, just as the detection ripples and the light of the water mirror were about to penetrate deep into the canyon—
"boom!!!"
With a resounding bang, the ice cliffs on either side of the canyon entrance suddenly exploded! Countless massive ice blocks, packed with immense force, crashed down upon the group like a landslide! Simultaneously, dozens of pitch-black figures suddenly emerged from behind the shattered ice cliffs and from the snow on the ground, attacking! A thick aura of shadowy demons instantly filled the air, enveloping the entire canyon entrance!
"Enemy attack! Form a defensive formation!" Monk Muyun shouted fiercely, waving his sleeves. A vast spiritual energy barrier rose up, blocking most of the falling rocks. The elder of the Bishui Pavilion's water mirror also instantly enlarged, transforming into a flowing barrier, protecting the other side.
But the attackers were clearly well prepared and extremely powerful! The two leading them exuded an aura as terrifying as the abyss!
One of them was wearing a black cloak, with a sinister face and fierce eyes, and a violent fighting spirit and murderous aura surrounding him. He was none other than the leader of Zhan Kuang Peak - Situ Kuang!
The other was completely shrouded in twisted black shadows, his face invisible, only a pair of emotionless eyes visible. He had a cold and eerie aura, far more powerful than the Shadow Demon Messenger he had encountered in the Xuan Palace before! It turned out to be a Shadow Demon General who had reached the Yuan Dan realm!
"Situ Kuang! It's you!" When Mu Yun Jushi saw Situ Kuang, his eyes were filled with anger. "How dare you collude with the Shadow Demon and betray the sect!"
"Betrayal?" Situ Kuang laughed sinisterly, his voice like the friction of metal. "Old Muyun, he who understands the times is a hero! The Xuanyun Sect has been clinging to its old ways and has long been rotten! Only by following Lord Yingyu can you gain true power and supreme authority! Today is the day you die!"
He fixed his gaze on Ye Li with greed and resentment. "You little bitch! You've repeatedly ruined my plans and even killed my disciple Gao Sheng (he thought Gao Sheng was dead). Today, I'm going to extract your soul and refine your spirit to vent my hatred! And hand over the fragments of the Samsara Mirror you have on you as well!"
Before he finished speaking, Situ Kuang had already made his move! His body suddenly grew in size, and he punched out with one punch. The violent fist energy condensed into a roaring blood-red giant tiger, tearing through the air and rushing straight towards Muyun Jushi! He had to get rid of this biggest obstacle first!
The Shadow Demon General at the Yuandan Realm let out a piercing scream and vanished like a ghost. The next moment, he reappeared in the center of the group, his sights fixed squarely on Ye Li! A massive claw, condensed from pure shadow, clutched down with terrifying power capable of corroding the soul and freezing spiritual energy! The speed was so swift that it far exceeded the reaction limits of a cultivator at the Lingfu Realm!
"Ye Li, be careful!" Mr. Mu Yun was entangled tightly by Situ Kuang and had no time to spare, so he could only shout anxiously.
The elder of the Bishui Pavilion was also besieged by several other powerful Shadow Demon masters and was unable to provide assistance for the time being.
Other disciples from Xuanyun Sect and Bishui Pavilion also started fighting with the Shadow Demon Monk that appeared, and the scene instantly fell into extreme chaos!
The breath of death instantly enveloped Ye Li!
Facing the fatal blow from the Yuandan Realm Shadow Demon General, Ye Li felt an unprecedented threat of death! The sheer disparity in their cultivation made even dodging extremely difficult! Her pupils constricted, her spiritual energy flaring furiously. She activated her "Universe Traceless Step" to its fullest potential, attempting a violent retreat. Simultaneously, she blocked herself with the Mysterious Ice Sword. The "Ice Emperor Sealing Heaven Art" defensive ability, "Ice Emperor Guardian," instantly activated, and a thick, ice crystal shield, etched with forbidden runes, appeared before her!
However, the gap between the Yuandan Realm and the Lingfu Realm was too great! Even before the shadowy claws reached him, the terrifying pressure had already caused the ice crystal shield to shatter under the weight! Ye Li even felt as if his soul was about to be frozen by the cold aura!
At this critical moment!
"Don't even think about hurting her!"
A cold and delicate cry rang out! A blue figure stood in front of Ye Li without hesitation!
It’s Qin Yixiuan!
She didn't even have time to cast any complicated spells. She just instinctively gathered the power of the "Nine Heavens Mysterious Water Sutra" that she had just comprehended in her body, along with the dormant divine origin and the entire might of the Cang Hai Ming Yue Pearl, and transformed it into a water wave mirror that looked weak but contained the true meaning of the softest and most resilient water!
"The Mysterious Water Mirror reflects everything!"
This is an extremely advanced defensive magical power recorded in the first half of the "Nine Heavens Mysterious Water Classic". She has not even fully mastered it yet. At this moment, she is relying entirely on a belief in protection to forcibly perform it!
"boom--!!!"
The shadow's giant claws grabbed the water wave mirror fiercely!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a tooth-aching sound of twisting and corroding! The water-wave mirror trembled violently, and cracks instantly covered the mirror surface! Qin Yixuan was struck hard, and blood spurted from her mouth like water, staining the white snow in front of her red. Her face instantly turned as pale as paper, and her breath rapidly withered like a candle in the wind!
However, the giant shadow claw, powerful enough to instantly kill a peak Spiritual Mansion Realm cultivator, was actually blocked by this hastily condensed light mirror. The remaining force penetrated the light mirror and bombarded Qin Yixuan, sending her flying like a kite with a broken string. She landed heavily in the snowy field far away, her life or death unknown!
"Senior Sister Qin!!!"
Ye Li watched helplessly as Qin Yixuan endured a blow from a Yuan Dan realm expert in order to save her. At that moment, her heart felt as if it were being gripped by an invisible hand, nearly stopping! An unprecedented surge of rage, heartache, and overwhelming murderous intent erupted from her heart like a volcanic eruption!
In her past life, she was betrayed by her best friend and died. In this life, she finally met someone she could trust and whose heart throbbed. But now she had to watch helplessly as she was seriously injured while trying to protect him?!
No! Never!
"ah--!!!"
Ye Li let out a heart-wrenching howl, his eyes instantly turning crimson! The fragments of the Samsara Mirror in his sea of consciousness sensed his master's extreme emotional fluctuations and erupted with an unprecedented brilliant blue light!
"You! All! Deserve! Death!"
She no longer held back! Her cultivation, at the peak of the mid-stage Spiritual Realm, erupted in full force! The powers of the "Emperor's Scripture of the Dark World" and the "Ice Emperor's Sealing Heaven Art" forcibly merged in an unprecedented manner! A faint blue chill intertwined with the aura of stellar annihilation on the Mysterious Ice Sword, and golden runes belonging to the Samsara Mirror's origin emerged!
"Time and space... are frozen!"
She burned her soul essence recklessly, forcibly unleashing this forbidden power once again! Although the range was still limited to a few feet around her, this time, due to the fusion of the Samsara Mirror fragments and the extreme emotional stimulation, the effect was slightly stronger than last time!
The Yuan Dan Realm Shadow Demon General was about to attack again to completely destroy Ye Li, but suddenly felt the space around him become extremely sticky, and his movements were actually slowed down by half a beat! Although this stagnation was extremely short for him, and he was almost instantly broken free by his powerful strength, this momentary delay was enough!
"Xingji—Ice Emperor Sealing Heaven Slash!"
Ye Li and her sword merged into one, transforming into an icy blue meteor that pierced the heavens and earth! This single strike condensed all her strength, all her rage, all her murderous intent! Wherever the sword energy passed, space seemed to freeze, and fine black cracks appeared! Within the sword's light, a vague, icy figure wearing an imperial crown emerged, emanating a majesty that could freeze the ages!
The Shadow Demon General had just broken free from the stagnation of time and space when he saw this stunning sword strike, which contained a hint of the Emperor's will. For the first time, a look of horror appeared in his eyes! He hurriedly gathered the power of shadow to resist!
"laugh--!"
The icy blue sword light and the shadow shield collided violently! This time, it was no longer an even match! Containing the essence of the Samsara Mirror and Ye Li's ultimate killing intent, the sword ripped through the Shadow Demon General's defense like a hot knife through butter, fiercely slashing at his shadowy body!
"Ugh!" The Shadow Demon General groaned in pain. A huge gap was cut into his shadow body, and a thick demonic energy escaped! He was seriously injured!
Although he failed to kill it, but with his cultivation at the peak of the middle stage of Lingfu Realm, he injured the Shadow Demon General of Yuandan Realm. This was a record that was enough to shock the entire spiritual world!
"The Samsara Mirror... truly is formidable! Retreat!" The Shadow Demon General, shocked and furious, cast a deep glance at Ye Li, as if to engrave her image into his soul. He knew there was no way out today. Situ Kuang was also being held at bay by Lay Buddhist Mu Yun, desperately. If the situation dragged on, he'd be stranded by the arrival of reinforcements from other sects. He acted decisively, transforming into a puff of black smoke, sweeping up several of his men before instantly disappearing into the void.
Seeing the Shadow Demon retreating and Ye Li's terrifying aura that seemed to destroy everything, Situ Kuang felt a chill in his heart. Although he was strong, facing Mu Yun Jushi and Ye Li's potential outburst alone would not end well.
"Muyun! Yeli! Just wait for me! This matter is not over yet!" Situ Kuang said a harsh word, forced Muyun Jushi back with a punch, and turned into a streak of blood and fled in a panic.
The leader was defeated, and the remaining shadow demon monks scattered like monkeys when the tree fell. They were soon wiped out or captured by the disciples of Xuanyun Sect and Bishui Pavilion.
After the battle, the entrance to the canyon was in a mess and covered in blood.
But Ye Li didn't care about all this. She flashed and instantly came to the place where Qin Yixuan fell, holding her in her arms tremblingly.
Qin Yixuan's breath was extremely weak at this moment. Her face was transparently pale, blood continuously oozing from the corner of her mouth, and her body was icy cold. Even though her magical power had mostly neutralized the attack from the Yuandan realm, the remaining force had nearly destroyed her life force.
"Senior Sister Qin... Qin Yixuan! Wake up! You are not allowed to die!" Ye Li's voice was filled with unprecedented panic and sobbing. She tried her best to input her pure spiritual power into Qin Yixuan's body, but found that it was like a drop in the ocean. The strange power of the shadow demon was still eroding her heart and soul.
Mr. Muyun and the elders of Bishui Pavilion also rushed over. When they saw Qin Yixuan's injuries, their faces looked extremely ugly.
"What a vicious power of the shadow demon! It almost cuts off your life!" The elder of the Bishui Pavilion's voice trembled. He hurriedly took out the best healing pill and gave it to Qin Yixuan to take, but it had little effect.
Ye Li looked at Qin Yixuan, who was barely breathing in her arms, and her heart ached. She suddenly raised her head, her eyes flashing with a crazy and determined light: "There must be a way! Master, Elders, no matter what the cost, I must save her!"
She thought of the Samsara Mirror, those mysterious runes, and some descriptions of seals and life in "Ice Emperor Sealing Heaven Art"... A bold and dangerous idea arose in her heart.
No matter what, she would never let Qin Yixuan die because of her! Never!
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