Chapter Seventeen: Desperation
“Hm?” The demonic realm expert still did not reveal himself, but sneered, “Your cultivation is low, yet you’re slippery indeed. Not bad! Hm? And you possess the Seven Orifices Qi Condensation—today truly is a day of fortune for me. One is of the Ice Phoenix Physique, the other has condensed Qi in seven orifices—if I seize both your bodies, my divine skill will be perfected. Ha ha!”
The blue-robed youth who had fallen to the ground now stood up once more, a flash of venom flickering through his eyes—especially when he saw Long Yun holding the slender waist of the white-robed young woman. Jealousy flared so fiercely in his eyes that they nearly spat fire.
One must know, his junior martial sister was called the sect’s foremost genius, unmatched in both talent and beauty. Many male disciples in Phoenix Pavilion regarded her as a goddess—one to be revered from afar, never to be tainted.
He himself was deeply enamored with her, but she was cold as frost, completely focused on her cultivation, paying not the slightest heed to his ardor. He had never even touched the tip of her finger.
Yet now, the junior sister—pure as a holy maiden—was being embraced at the waist by a mere disciple from a minor sect, and she had not struck him down with her sword.
This drove the blue-robed youth wild with jealousy. With a flicker, he interposed himself between Long Yun and the white-robed woman, frowning at Long Yun: “With your feeble cultivation, have you come here to seek death?”
Long Yun, long aware of his feelings, paid it no mind and replied in a steady voice, “Senior brother, with such a formidable enemy before us, we should be discussing how to face him together!”
“You—!” The blue-robed youth ran headlong into this rebuff, his murderous intent surging. But with the white-robed woman right beside him, he dared not reprimand Long Yun directly. He could only nod, sneering, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. My junior sister and I already struggle to fend for ourselves. We have no strength to spare for you. If there is a chance, we will escape this place; as for you, you’ll have to fend for yourself!”
“That’s hardly your concern, senior brother!” Long Yun frowned, inwardly scorning the blue-robed youth’s narrow mind, when the demonic realm expert’s voice echoed again.
“None of you will escape today. All of you, stay!” With that, a pitch-black giant hand appeared once more, sweeping toward the three of them in a sudden grasp!
“Junior sister, this is our last move—let’s give it our all!” the blue-robed youth roared. His sword flew from his hand, whirling through the air, transforming in a flash into a blue phoenix!
The white-robed woman was not a whit slower—her sword likewise turned into a snowy-white ice phoenix, larger and more powerful than the blue one!
The two phoenixes—one blue, one white—intertwined in flight, their mighty wings sending out shockwaves that exploded in the air, raising countless cyclones and a wild tumult of chaotic currents!
Buffeted by these twin torrents, the demonic hand began to show signs of being torn apart—cracks appeared between the giant fingers.
“Boy, my junior sister and I have disrupted the giant hand—hurry, attack from within and destroy it!” the blue-robed youth called to Long Yun.
In truth, Long Yun had already noticed the opportunity. Though his strength was lacking, his sword intent was vast, and the sacred aura it held could restrain demonic energy. If he unleashed it now, he might indeed be able to shatter the unstable giant hand.
With this in mind, he stamped down with his right foot and shot into the air, diving straight into the largest of the fractures.
His sword trembled, multiplying into countless shadows; stars appeared out of nowhere, each one exuding a deadly aura.
One of the five ultimate sword techniques—the Star Annihilation Sword—was now unleashed by Long Yun. The sword energy raged wildly, and the stars began to turn, following a mysterious celestial trajectory.
This movement was drawn forth by Long Yun’s peerless sword intent—the astral turbulence merged completely into the core of the black demonic hand.
Rays of golden light burst from within the hand, like the sun breaking through clouds. With the two phoenixes attacking from without, the black hand could endure no longer and exploded in a thunderous blast!
Long Yun’s success made the blue-robed youth frown. He had expected Long Yun to be crushed by the demonic hand and thus be rid of him, never imagining that the boy’s cultivation would be so formidable.
Not only had he survived, but he had shattered the demonic hand outright. A chilling realization dawned: given time, this youth would become his greatest rival in life.
He must die! the blue-robed youth vowed silently.
As he brooded, the demonic realm expert’s surprised voice rang out, “Not bad—the three of you combined for such a strike. Especially you, boy—your true energy carries a sacred aura, able to destroy my demonic hand. But... this is only the beginning!”
As the words fell, another giant hand surged forth—this one inscribed with black runes, intricate and unfathomable, its power doubled from before.
“Junior sister, run!” As the colossal hand clenched into a black vortex, a powerful suction whirled toward them.
The blue-robed youth shouted to the white-robed woman, reaching to seize her, but she eluded him, and his face turned ashen.
Faced with such a vortex, there was no way to resist—they would be torn to pieces. Worse, the youth was still suspended in the air, and would be the first to be caught.
Yet this also granted them a fleeting chance—a narrow window. Not daring to hesitate, the blue-robed youth retreated dozens of yards, glanced at the white-robed woman’s graceful figure, then gritted his teeth and fled at full speed in the direction from which they had come.
Long Yun’s body drifted slowly downward. Staring at the looming vortex above, he said to the white-robed woman, “Senior sister, though this attack is fierce, I can give you an opening to escape—make sure you seize it!”
With that, his mind entered the serene realm of the sword, his features set, his sword raised heavenward. This time, he did not use any of the five ultimate sword techniques.
A sharp aura flashed in his eyes—the very essence of the sword. At this moment, Long Yun seemed to become one with his weapon—a sword drawn from its sheath, man and blade united!
A golden halo rippled out from his body; man and sword fused into a single, colossal sword of light, golden radiance swirling as boundless sword intent surged forth.
“The true meaning of the sword!” Long Yun bellowed, and the great golden sword flew straight into the vortex, like a moth plunging into a flame—undaunted, even in death!
With a thunderous crash, Long Yun poured every ounce of his bloodline power into this attack. The sacred aura merged with his vast sword intent and erupted in a blazing torrent.
In the roar of the blast, the golden sword shattered, the blade of true energy in his hands crumbling into fragments that scattered like snow.
Now, Long Yun was like a lone boat on tempestuous seas, battered and adrift, on the verge of being swallowed up.
Beneath her veil, the white-robed woman’s beautiful eyes shimmered with an emotion none could read. Her slender figure soared skyward, transforming in an instant into a massive phoenix, forty or fifty yards from crest to tail, her vast aura radiating wildly.
“What a pure Ice Phoenix Physique—she carries the bloodline of the ancient phoenix! Heaven favors me, heaven favors me indeed!” the demonic realm expert laughed heartily.
At the same time, demonic energy churned in the heavens, and a great shadow materialized—ten yards tall, shrouded in surging darkness.
Beneath its feet, a huge pool of blood boiled, countless vengeful spirits within it howling in torment.
As the shadow appeared, the temperature of the world plummeted, the stench of blood filled the air, and a nauseating miasma swept toward them. Even Long Yun nearly lost consciousness.
His immense sword intent guarded his mind, fending off the sinister energy, while the ice phoenix raised its head in a long, wary cry.
“Come to me!” the black shadow gestured, and countless threads shot from its palm, weaving into a net that swiftly closed around the ice phoenix.