Chapter 126.1: Demon Realm Soul Seizure (Part 19)

At this critical juncture, the three of them naturally gave it their all.
Chu Linfeng threw the pitch-black sword into the sky. Moments later, three sword shadows, trailing light like meteors, rushed down towards Fu Shao’s back; You Yin drew out his soft sword, violet lightning rippling through the air; and Shen Suwei slightly pinched a hand seal, condensing the void into a sword, his hair lifting with the wind.

The mirage collapsed in large sections.
Fu Shao let out a sinister laugh and once again became a phantom in the distance. A cloud of mist appeared before everyone, and Chu Linfeng, being the most sensitive, coughed twice, a screeching sound emanating from his throat.

Fu Shao said, “Have you forgotten? I am of the Water Spirit Root. In my domain, you’d better be cautious.”

The mist thickened with poison, intensifying a thousand fold in an instant, merging with the sharp killing intent. When inhaled, it could rupture a cultivator’s veins.

In but a moment, the flowing mist froze in mid-air, turning into ice crystals.
The pavilions, towers, lake water, and plants were all instantly covered in frost.

Before You Yin could react, he and Chu Linfeng were both thrown backward by an unseen force.
Shen Suwei, with his eyes closed, sat on the ground, his hair flying wildly. Centered on him, the ground beneath was frozen in snow and frost, and above him, a vast gray mist covered the sky. The ice surface quickly spread out, extending far away, transforming the mirage into a world of snow and ice.

Fu Shao, also of the Water Spirit Root, looked at the ice and snow world before him, his expression grave. “The Infinite Domain…”

You Yin was astonished: Cultivators usually create domains within a small space, such as their spiritual palace; more powerful domains could cover several acres. This was the first time he had seen someone extend a domain into external space.

And according to Fu Shao, Shen Suwei’s supernatural power was the “Infinite Domain,” which meant that not only could he project his domain outward, but he could also expand it infinitely.

You Yin said, “Shen Suwei’s domain is clearly an ice-cold killing domain. Everything it covers becomes deadly. If he can truly expand his domain to encompass the entire world, wouldn’t that mean he has the power to destroy the world? How could such an extraordinary supernatural ability exist?”

“It won’t happen,” Chu Linfeng replied. “You clearly haven’t cultivated a domain. A domain needs spiritual energy to sustain it. The larger the domain, the more energy it consumes. He’s only a Nascent Soul cultivator, and it’s already pushing his limits to expand it this much. Even if he wanted to destroy the world, he’d need enough spiritual energy to sustain that. Unless he were a Daoist Lord, who doesn’t rely on spiritual energy to survive.”

Upon hearing this, You Yin immediately cast all of his spirit-gathering talismans onto Shen Suwei and redoubled his attacks on Fu Shao.

At this point, half of the mirage had frozen and shattered. Shen Suwei, his spiritual energy depleted, had already been forced to inhale poisoned spiritual energy. Though his posture remained unchanged, his lips slowly turned from red to dark purple. A blue spiritual butterfly flew out from his sleeve.

Shen Suwei’s consciousness blurred, unaware of what he had written. Once the spiritual butterfly flew away, he instantly became alert, feeling a deep sense of regret and fear.

The icy domain expanded once more, and Fu Shao’s phantom was half frozen again, pierced through by Chu Linfeng’s sword.

That half shattered with a snap, falling into the void.

The spiritual butterfly fluttered around Xu Qianyu.

In the heat of battle, Xu Qianyu could not spare a hand, so she tilted her neck slightly. The spiritual butterfly, as if with intelligence, obediently flew into her mustard seed golden pearl.

Su Mingyu fought fiercely in the front, while Yun Chu clung to the snake’s body, riding the undulating movements. He used his Heavenly Eye to locate the serpent’s weak spots. Perhaps due to his severe injuries, he was out of breath after speaking a few words: “Are you alright? If not, let me take over.”

Xu Qianyu, taking advantage of her small frame, hid behind Su Mingyu and struck several times with her sword, but the scales of the giant beast acted like armor. Not only did her strikes fail to harm it, but her sword almost flew out of her hand: “Stop talking, look for the next weak point!”

“To the right, just below its head… from above… the second black scale.”

Xu Qianyu carefully aimed, cutting across from Su Mingyu’s shoulder. The serpent’s scales flew off, and blood spurted out like a column. The giant serpent roared in pain.

Happy to have struck the serpent, Xu Qianyu did not hesitate to follow up with two more attacks. A black mist surged from the wound. The giant serpent, clearly enraged, suddenly abandoned Su Mingyu and lowered its head to strike at Xu Qianyu.

Xu Qianyu felt the hot, fishy air sweep across her face. Something passed overhead and crashed into the serpent’s mouth. The giant serpent was knocked back, its sharp fangs piercing through whatever had been thrown at it. The fragments fell to the ground.

Xu Qianyu caught a wooden arm. It turned out the thing that had saved her was the ugly doll.

She looked down to see Tu Zhuang standing below, pulling an empty silk thread, glaring at her: “If it weren’t for eating a few of Brother Su’s cakes, I wouldn’t have come to save you. It’s so annoying, my puppet.”

Xu Qianyu smiled brightly: “Thanks!”

“Quick, throw that arm to me!” Yu Chu pulled out a refining furnace from her mustard seed golden pearl, “I’ll help you refine a new puppet!”

Xu Qianyu tossed the wooden arm to Yu Chu and attacked again.
At this moment, Lin Shuyue also flew to the cave entrance. Seeing her fellow disciples ahead, she tried to enter but was blocked. She scrambled to her feet and tried to break through again, desperately striking at an invisible barrier: “What’s going on? Why can’t I get in?”

The small dragon turned its face in Fu Lingsha’s arms, looking at the unfamiliar woman outside, and said solemnly, “Give it up. The seal on this sword tomb was set by my mother. Anyone she doesn’t like gets blocked.”

“Why doesn’t she like me? She doesn’t even know me.” Lin Shuyue stood outside, her voice urgent. “How can I get her to like me? I need to get in and help my fellow disciples; please tell me.”

The small dragon innocently replied, “My mother once said she hates insincere and indifferent people the most.”

Lin Shuyue froze, her face drained of color.

“Forget it, just stay out there. What if you anger the Dragon Lady and this place collapses on us?” Tu Zhuang, who had been waiting by Yu Chu for her new puppet, continued with a mocking tone, “On the ship, I saw you meeting three or four male cultivators from Tianshan at once. Sigh, don’t you know that the male cultivators from Tianshan value chastity above all? If they suffer emotional wounds, you’ll ruin them.”

A moment later, the small dragon turned its head back and curiously looked at Lin Shuyue.
The woman outside the cave was crying.

“That’s right, I am that kind of person—indifferent, insincere.” Lin Shuyue lowered her eyes, wiped away a tear, but her eyes still gleamed with emotion and a trace of determination. “So what? Have you ever been deceived, loving someone with all your heart, sacrificing your cultivation to help them transcend their tribulations, only to have that person discard you for their own future? It doesn’t feel good. At that moment, I swore: rather than betrayed, I’d betray others first!”

But what did Tu Zhuang mean by saying that this would harm the male cultivators of Tianshan?
The figure of You Yin flashed in her mind, but it was fleeting. The sounds of swords clashing ahead reached her ears, and she immediately made a hand seal, forcibly breaking through the barrier: “This is who I am, so what? Do you think I will feel guilty or regretful? Why should I? I don’t regret it, nor do I feel guilty. I will save my fellow disciples. If I can’t get in, I’ll force my way in!”

Tu Zhuang stared at her for a long time, then said, “You’re right.”

He stretched out his hand, and from his fingertip, puppet silk threads shot out, pulling her inside.
Lin Shuyue screamed as her face was slashed by the threads, leaving painful cuts. But she didn’t care about the pain. With a quick push of her feet, she rushed toward Xu Qianyu.

The giant serpent had deep wounds visible to the bone, and blood poured out like a dark rain. It became more frantic, roaring loudly. Xu Qianyu had been forced to retreat, but Lin Shuyue caught up with her from behind: “I’m here!”

Yun Chu’s face had already gone pale, his body half-laying on the serpent, but he still managed to raise his eyes: “Above… red scales, three parts down. Xu Qianyu… I can’t go on.” After speaking, his eyes closed.

Xu Qianyu’s heart sank; a mix of grief and anger surged within her, and she gripped the sword hilt with renewed strength: “Shuyue, form the formation!”

Lin Shuyue formed a seal with her hands and closed her eyes, activating her supernatural power:

“Light Array!”

A dazzling light spread from her palm, and wherever it touched, time and space seemed to freeze. The wind stood still, and the serpent’s open mouth froze in midair.

Everything became extremely still. Xu Qianyu flew forward, aiming for the serpent’s head, and struck down with a thunderous crash.

The giant serpent’s skin was torn open.

One of the serpent’s vertical pupils, as large as a person, froze in midair, coldly staring at Xu Qianyu.

Xu Qianyu felt a tearing pain spread throughout her body, as though she might burst apart and scatter into the air.

How strange.

Why did it feel like being watched by the Dragon Lady on the ship again?

Her breathing became heavier, an ominous fear creeping up her spine. At that moment, she felt her spiritual energy drain quickly, followed by a flash of golden light in her inner palace. A new inscription appeared above her soul.

Xu Qianyu cursed under her breath. She hadn’t intended to gain a new supernatural power at this moment. Life and death were at stake, and she had no time to figure out how to use this new ability.

The new ability drained her remaining spiritual energy.
The Light Array’s effect had expired!
Time resumed its normal flow.

The giant serpent’s head moved. Although Xu Qianyu’s strike had hit its vital point, it was not enough to kill the serpent. The Demon Domain itself lacked spiritual energy, and her spiritual energy was exhausted. She could no longer attack, leaving her exposed in front of the serpent.

The giant serpent opened its massive mouth.
Xu Qianyu swiftly lashed out with her soul-taking whip, wrapping it around the serpent’s body. Her wooden sword pointed to the sky, slowly drawing a vortex in the air.

The onlookers widened their eyes.

The chaotic clouds in the sky above the Demon Realm were stirred by her sword, swirling into the shape of a giant funnel. With the sky as her canvas and the sword as her brush, she drew a gathering spirit talisman. In an instant, a tremendous surge of spiritual energy poured down, flooding into the girl’s shoulders!

A white light surrounded Xu Qianyu. She closed her eyes, raised her sword, and, just like when she struck at the giant dragon over Taize Lake, she focused her sword intent and swung it to break the air.

To everyone’s surprise, the giant serpent did not dodge, remaining frozen in place with its head held high.

Its vertical pupils suddenly shifted into round, human-like eyes, reflecting the vortex-shaped clouds in the sky.

From those eyes, a tear trickled down.

It moved its mouth and spoke in a woman’s voice, “This spirit gathering talisman… was taught to… Little Umbrella by me.”

A young dragon’s innocent voice rang out clearly in the silence: “Mother!”