Chapter 182 The Tower Prison The azure blue hue between her fingers instantly turned to ashes. ...
As night fell, all was quiet.
The bright moon hung high, its light illuminating the trees scattered among the peaks. Several boys, carrying lanterns, walked through the woods, searching the surrounding area, listening intently to the strange sounds beyond the rustling of the grass and the wind.
After walking for a while, one of the boys seemed a little sleepy and yawned: "Is it really necessary to patrol like this? It's only slightly warmer here than Frostblade Peak..."
After watching the competition all day, plus various other tasks, she was now quite sleepy—not only sleepy, but also cold, and even slightly hungry.
Xuanxu Peak is indeed located in the winter season. Although it lacks a protective barrier, it is still affected by Frostblade Peak, resulting in a cold climate. Withered branches cast shadows; not a single animal is to be seen, only boundless desolation.
In addition, the surrounding steep slopes and extreme elevation differences create a relatively enclosed and dark landscape. Even on a clear moonlit night, the mountain peaks remain shrouded in darkness.
So desolate, it was the perfect prison.
The summit was the prison tower, extending deep into the ground, with nine levels in total. The tower was isolated in this unique terrain, surrounded by deep ravines, making escape extremely difficult.
Ironically, only from the top of this tower can one see what is perhaps the brightest and closest view in the entire world—
The brightest moonlight.
Only the echoes of their footsteps remained. Soon, they returned to the vicinity of the tower, concluding their patrol. Mist swirled and billowed in the ravines, a chilling aura emanating from them, like a gaping maw ready to devour.
"The patrol is now over," the leading boy announced, turning around.
After the initial complaints, no one said anything more. She knew everyone in the group, so logically, some people should have been unable to bear the silence and continued to talk.
Was I too absorbed in some thoughts I wasn't even aware of to hear their conversation? Or were they simply too cold to talk?
It's quite bizarre.
She looked up and scanned the room to count the people, only to find that one person seemed to be missing. The boy, carrying a lantern, walked forward, intending to check carefully.
With a clang, the flames rolled to the ground, casting flickering, crisscrossing shadows.
A long sword pierced through the boy's chest. Blood splattered everywhere, and the silent crowd fell one after another, already lifeless.
Behind him, the youth's features gradually became clear as the black mist dissipated.
"Too late." The voice was light, almost mocking.
Luo You sheathed her sword. Seeing that the girl's face was still filled with shock, she kindly reached out to smooth her brow. Then she picked up the corpse and threw it into the cliff in front of her.
Not only are they high, but the bottoms of these ravines are also filled with broken halberds. The owners of these broken halberds harbored deep resentment, and the lingering hatred on their weapons was naturally sealed within Xuanxu Peak. Over time, the intertwined resentment soared to the heavens, enough to devour anything that fell into their depths.
In addition, the tower is surrounded by a barrier, making it no easy task to break in.
The boy fell into the abyss, and something silvery-white flew out from her waist and was caught in Luo You's palm.
Then, she stepped onto her sword and headed towards the tower prison.
As Luo You left, the figures of the other boys gradually disappeared, like a sand tower, rapidly collapsing and vanishing.
The barrier rippled out like water, and the token allowed Luo You to stand unimpeded before the tower prison door. Tu Sheng, who was guarding the prison, was about to question her identity when a cold fingertip lightly touched his forehead, causing his eyes to suddenly glaze over and he to make way for her.
The door lock clicked open.
Luo You calmly walked in, and the guards on the inside were not disturbed because of the token she held.
Following the familiar scent, like a dog with a keen sense of smell that can never forget its master's scent, she found the sword in the place where prisoners' belongings were stored. The blade was silver-white, with soft water patterns etched on the scabbard, and a pale blue tassel was tied to the hilt. It was clearly well protected by spiritual energy, and its surface gleamed with a vibrant luster.
The sword trembled slightly and emitted a low hum when it was touched, but was restrained by the powerful pressure. However, the sword spirit was very determined and refused to draw its blade no matter what.
Only its owner and those who approve of it are qualified to draw the sword, and clearly the person in front of him has long lost that qualification.
Luo You felt a surge of jealousy.
Unlike those whose souls were taken away, she was tormented by evil thoughts. Endless evil thoughts entangled her, filling every corner of her consciousness, so even the slightest displeasure would be magnified into intense hatred.
So now she wants to break the sword.
In her past life, Luo Yang didn't have a fixed sword. She once joked that swords didn't last long in her hands.
But once things are named, they acquire feelings and lifespans, so from a certain day onward, she stopped naming swords. Nameless swords, passing through her hands, died as quickly as smoke, leaving no trace of weight.
But the sword before her had been named by Qiao Yanshen himself and would accompany her for the rest of her life—Luo You had no doubt that if the sword were damaged, Qiao Yanshen would repair it rather than replace it with a new one.
She has really changed a lot.
So he was left alone, stuck in the memories of the past.
This is not fair.
Luo You was also unwilling. Luo Yang could be reincarnated, change her name, change her eyes to something no longer gentle, forget her past life, and live a new life, surrounded by new people again—but why should she be so happy? Was it because she felt she owed no one anything, or because the River Styx could wash away all the past?
And what about them? All those who once followed her were banished because of her, never to be free again! Did she never think that she had wronged them?
And why did you forget her?
He clearly stated that as a teacher, he would protect his students for life.
After a long while, Luo You finally put down Yu Feng, but then grabbed the tassel on the hilt and ripped it off forcefully.
The azure blue turned to ashes in an instant between her fingers.
This is an ancient custom, which presumably still continues today. The swordsman first receives her sword, followed by the sword tassel. This tassel is often a gift from her teacher, close friend, or relative, and carries significant symbolic meaning. The tassel's bright color is enough to show that Qiao Yanshen cherishes it greatly; it must have been a gift from someone else.
A sword can be repaired, but a sword tassel can only be one.
Luo You put down her sword and searched through her belongings, finally finding Qiao Yanshen's token. This token, engraved with a snowflake pattern, should allow her to enter Frostblade Peak and break through the most secure protective array.
-
“Students were sent to guard the foot of the mountain and between the peaks.”
Shen Lixia opened her eyes. The brilliant spiritual energy transformed into ripples, slowly returning to her hand that was pressed to the ground.
They are now hiding behind a grove of trees in front of the peak.
"The highest level is the early stage of Nascent Soul, and the lowest is the middle stage of Golden Core." She stood up. "Just as I thought, it's impossible to force your way in."
Tang Huairou asked curiously, "Didn't they notice?" Spiritual energy detection usually attracts the attention of the other party, especially Nascent Soul cultivators with keen senses.
“My senior sister taught me another method,” Shen Lixia wiped the sweat from her forehead, “but it requires extreme care. Shall we proceed according to the original plan?”
The two distracted the others while keeping watch on the rear among the mountain peaks.
Having spent so many years in the sect, these disciples knew the habits of the Immortal Venerables—there must be arrays on Xuanxu Peak, and more than one, since it was a place for imprisoning prisoners, and naturally, danger was the best policy. Therefore, Lin Yuxian would inevitably accompany Shen Lixia to the tower prison to break the arrays before attracting attention.
However, the Frostblade Peak token only allows Shen Lixia to enter, so all of this requires the help of others to cover for her.
She had learned that the patrol team on the peak had the freedom to enter and leave the tower and the mountain, but after scanning the area, Shen Lixia did not find anyone with a special aura, perhaps they had deliberately concealed their tracks.
"I'll stay with Fellow Daoist Xi at the foot of the mountain," Tang Huairou said, raising her hand. "Her dream array can trap some people."
Lu Changqing immediately said, "Then Xiao Wu and I will go around those people on the mountain. What do you think, Xiao Wu?"
Wu Zhuyue nodded. Although the two of them had only reached the Golden Core stage, their movement techniques were quite excellent among their peers, especially Lu Changqing. It was most appropriate to leave the restraint to them.
The group quickly dispersed, while Shen Lixia and Lin Yuxian remained in place, waiting quietly.
A thick fog suddenly rose, cutting off the bright moonlight and engulfing the area below the mountain. This fog was particularly eerie, accompanied by a persistent, chilling sandalwood scent, which quickly alerted the guards at the foot of the mountain, who scattered to search for the source of the strange phenomenon.
In the silence, one could hear a pin drop. Suddenly, a silver token appeared from the mist, and Lin Yuxian raised her hand and took it into her palm.
She exchanged a glance with Shen Lixia, nodded, and ran towards the summit.
The forest was desolate, the shadows of the trees casting a scattered pattern across the mountain path. At first, they simply moved through the woods, using branches as stepping stones, disappearing into the night. There wasn't a single bird in sight, only the soft rustling of the leaves.
When they were about a hundred miles from the tower, they heard footsteps in the distance. Shen Lixia judged that the guards were coming aggressively, so she and Lin Yuxian stopped what they were doing.
She spun around, and just then Lin Yuqian leaned in that direction as well. Their shoulders collided solidly, and the dull pain almost brought tears to their eyes. But they couldn't care less about that right now; they just felt a sudden tension creep over them, like vines binding them so tightly they couldn't move.
Thump, thump.
With their hearts pounding, Lin Yuxian felt the boy beside her trembling slightly.
“Spiritual energy fluctuations…” The leader frowned. “Over here? Strange, it’s not intense. Is the main force elsewhere…?”
She crouched down, carefully examined the footprints, then made a gesture to inspect the trees.
Shen Lixia leaned against a tree, hearing the uncontrollable, violent sounds coming from her chest. She desperately circulated her inner energy, hoping to give her unruly heart a moment's rest.
They're getting closer.
One more step...
Her hand rested on the hilt of the sword at her waist. A chill emanated from her fingertips, sharper than ever, as if urging Shen Lixia to act quickly.
It was also through repeated attempts to make her realize—
She did not want to harm her fellow disciples because of her own selfish desires.
Even if the scales in her heart have tipped in favor of her lover, that doesn't mean either of them should sacrifice themselves for him. Once a fight breaks out, the situation will probably be beyond her control.
what to do……
Before he knew it, their breaths were close, a warm touch flowed from the corner of his lips, and a salty smell floated on the tip of his nose, like a vast ocean surging in, engulfing the boy in a tide of unease.
Just then, a bright light suddenly appeared in the distance.
Immediately following was a fierce attack imbued with immense spiritual power, which cleaved down from the other side of the mountain, splitting the entire dense forest in two!
Amidst the golden light, several fine beams of light sliced off large swathes of branches and leaves, creating a cacophony of sounds.
Shen Lixia's heart tightened, but then she suddenly relaxed.
It's Wu Zhuyue and the others!
As expected, the approaching guards stopped in their tracks, their attention drawn by the startling commotion, and their expressions changed:
"Oh no, this is a feint! Everyone, follow me over there now!"
The hurried footsteps followed closely behind the flash of the blade, and in the blink of an eye, only Shen Lixia and Lin Yuxian remained, along with a desolate forest all around. Dense golden spiritual energy hissed and clung to the vegetation before quickly dissipating.
At this moment, everyone was focused on finding the source of the disturbance, so they no longer paid attention to other unusual movements.
However, for Wu Zhuyue and Lu Changqing, it will undoubtedly be a difficult chase. With her spiritual energy exposed, Wu Zhuyue will be unable to use any other techniques, otherwise she will be discovered…
We must get into the tower prison as soon as possible!
Shen Lixia summoned Liu Huo, stepped onto her sword, and headed towards the towering tower. Lin Yuxian followed closely beside her, noticing the unusual situation and feeling slightly worried.
Senior Sister Shen bit her lip until it bled...
I imagine you're feeling really bad. So much has happened these past few days; it's been quite unsettling.
They moved extremely fast, like two shooting stars, until they stopped at the edge of the cliff.
"Don't go in."
The black longsword paused.
Lin Yuxian raised her hand, and spiritual energy emanated from her palm, transforming into threads that gently extended. The invisible barrier was thus outlined, and although it looked very thin, the power it transmitted was as solid as a rock.
“There’s a barrier.” She gazed at the translucent, eggshell-like barrier. “So it was set up here… I thought it would be near the tower.”
Before she knew it, the boy had slowly approached and begun preparing to break the formation. She was always focused on these things and soon reached the barrier, completely unaware that there was a bottomless abyss below.
Just as her spiritual energy slowly seeped in, a sudden, icy pain pierced her consciousness through the newly established connection. Lin Yuxian groaned and swayed.
The sword began to act out of control, tilting her to one side as if she were about to be thrown into the surging airflow.
Shen Lixia was startled and quickly helped her up. The warm spiritual energy dispelled the unpleasant stinging pain. Lin Yuxian took a deep breath, regained her senses, and pressed her chest in lingering fear.
She didn't wait long; before she had fully recovered, she said to Shen Lixia, "It's ready. Senior sister, hurry up."
"Aren't you coming in with me?" Shen Lixia frowned. "It's too dangerous for me to stay here alone..."
Moreover, if the situation were to repeat itself, Lin Yuxian would have to rely on herself to resist. This was not a regular sparring match; a moment's carelessness could send her tumbling into the ravine below.
The abyss roared silently, emanating a terrifying aura capable of pulverizing everything.
In case something happens...
Lin Yuxian blinked. "Someone has to keep watch. If we go together, what if we get locked up in the tower when we come out? If I stay here, I can keep in touch with Senior Sister Chen."
Moreover, the formation has only just opened a small enough entrance for people to enter, and it is not yet strong enough to sustain the formation.
Her hand pressed against the barrier, and spiritual energy was weaving a fine net, disintegrating the array behind it along with the array plate in her arms.
"Moreover, I've wanted to try this for a long time." A hint of fervor and anticipation flickered in the boy's eyes. "Setting up these kinds of protective arrays takes a lot of effort, and there aren't many opportunities to break them on a regular basis."
"So, let me give it a try. Aren't Senior Sister Tang and Junior Sister Lu working hard too? Just leave it to me without worry. Don't keep Senior Sister Qiao waiting too long."
As she spoke, she smiled slightly and raised her eyebrows. At the same time, the barrier suddenly took shape, and a crack gradually appeared in the middle, as if fine snow were melting.
"Now!"
Shen Lixia turned and entered the barrier. Without further hesitation, she followed the familiar aura and rushed towards the top of the tower.
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