Translator: CinderTL
Jin Xun's natal flying sword, radiating a dazzling blade light, pierced the ice wall.
The moment the sword's tip struck the ice, a piercing screech echoed, sending shards of ice flying in all directions.
Cracks spiderwebbed across the ice wall from the point of impact, spreading rapidly like a network of fissures.
Yet the ice wall didn't shatter. Instead, an eerie chill seeped from the cracks, as if the ice were alive, slowly repairing itself.
However, the flying sword remained embedded in the ice, spinning relentlessly and sending countless ice fragments scattering.
Gradually, the sword burrowed deeper into the ice wall.
The cracks abruptly ceased their self-repair and resumed spreading in all directions, the fissures widening with each rotation.
Crack—crack—
Subtle cracking sounds emanated from within the ice wall.
Then, with a thunderous roar, the entire ice sphere shattered.
Large and small ice crystals plummeted toward the lake's surface like falling stars.
Splash, splash, splash...
The vast lake erupted in towering waves.
The extreme cold trapped within the ice crystals was instantly released, blanketing the lake with layers of white mist that rapidly froze into thick sheets of ice.
Seeing the ice sphere shattered, Jin Xun didn't hesitate. With a swift movement, he shot upward into the sky.
However, he had barely ascended a few miles when a muffled thud echoed through the air.
Jin Xun felt as if he had slammed into an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron.
A powerful backlash struck him, forcing him to plummet dozens of feet.
He focused his gaze upward and realized that a translucent black barrier had materialized above him. Its surface shimmered with dark runes, radiating an intense Corpse Qi.
Outside the barrier, Mi Hai stood suspended in mid-air, an array disk the size of a washbasin floating before him. He continuously channeled magic seals into the disk.
Only then did Jin Xun realize that during his struggle to break free from the ice sphere, it had carried him down to within a few dozen miles of the island below.
The hemispherical black barrier now inverted over the island, enveloping the entire landmass—hundreds of miles wide—and the hundred-mile stretch of sky above it.
Mi Hai had activated this formation while Jin Xun was entangled in combat with Ye Bing.
At that moment, Jin Xun felt the chilling breath of death upon him.
The Corpse Dao formation before him exuded an overwhelming sense of dread.
But Jin Xun wasn't about to sit and wait for death.
With a mental command, his flying sword emitted a cold, piercing light as it shot toward the formation barrier overhead.
At that moment, the barrier released a dense surge of Corpse Qi.
The Corpse Qi rapidly coalesced into nine massive black chains, each as thick as a mountain, and lashed out at Jin Xun.
Seeing this, Jin Xun had no choice but to redirect his flying sword to intercept the chains.
Against the nine mountain-sized chains, the flying sword appeared as insignificant as a needle, yet it carried an indomitable, razor-sharp momentum.
Clang!
The sword clashed with the chains, its blade slicing through the chains with a resounding strike.
The nine chains shattered one after another, their black Corpse Qi dispersing like a receding tide, transforming into a sky-filling black mist.
However, in an instant, the chains reformed and surged toward Jin Xun once more.
Jin Xun's expression grew increasingly grim. For every chain he shattered, a new one materialized, giving him no respite.
If this continued, even if he avoided being struck by the chains, he would eventually be defeated by the depletion of his spiritual power.
"Fellow cultivators," Jin Xun called out, desperately parrying the relentless chains, "the Azure Scale Wood is already in your hands. Why must you pursue this to the bitter end?"
Just moments ago, Song Wen had launched a surprise attack, leaving Jin Xun no time to retrieve the Azure Scale Wood. The precious wood now lay in Song Wen's hands.
"Jin Xun, you're trapped like a rat in a cage. If you know what's good for you, end your own life. Perhaps this humble monk might grant you a chance at reincarnation," Song Wen declared.
"So, you two weren't after the Azure Scale Wood after all," Jin Xun said, a flicker of realization in his eyes. "You must be seeking the Spirit Herbs to refine the Void Convergence Primordial Essence Pill, am I right?"
Without waiting for Song Wen and Ye Bing to reply, he continued, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I haven't gathered all the Spirit Herbs yet. I'm still missing the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass."
Ye Bing's delicate brows furrowed slightly at this news.
She currently lacked three Spirit Herbs: Purple Spirit Ginseng, Celestial Star Grass, and Earthfrost Vine.
This meant that even if they killed Jin Xun, they would only obtain the Earthfrost Vine. This was a far cry from their earlier assumption that killing Jin Xun would secure all the necessary ingredients.
"Immortal Maiden, don't worry," Song Wen said, sensing Ye Bing's hesitation. "Now that we've come this far, whether he has the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass or not, he must die today."
Just then, Jin Xun spoke again.
"Fellow Daoists, killing me would bring you no benefit. On the contrary, it would offend the Jin Family. I possess information about the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass. If you spare me, I'm willing to share this intelligence and collaborate with you to obtain these two Spirit Herbs."
Ye Bing's expression softened slightly at these words, and she turned to Song Wen, clearly awaiting his opinion.
After a moment's contemplation, Song Wen asked, "Jin Xun, how can you prove your claims are true?"
Jin Xun removed the storage ring from his right index finger and tossed it into the air.
"I carry all the Spirit Herbs needed to refine the Void Convergence Primordial Essence Pill on my person. You may inspect my storage ring to verify the presence of the Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass."
Song Wen's hand shifted slightly, forming a new magic seal. A narrow slit, just wide enough for the storage ring to pass through, suddenly appeared in the dome of the formation barrier.
The storage ring slipped through the opening, which instantly sealed shut behind it.
Neither Song Wen nor Ye Bing reached for the ring. Instead, Ye Bing channeled spiritual power to levitate it into the air ten miles away.
Jin Xun had already deactivated the Restriction on the storage ring, allowing their divine senses to easily penetrate its contents.
After meticulously examining the storage ring, Ye Bing and Song Wen confirmed that Jin Xun's claims were true.
The ring contained various Spirit Herbs required to refine the Void Convergence Primordial Essence Pill, lacking only Purple Spirit Ginseng and Celestial Star Grass.
"Gou Jun, what's our next move?" Ye Bing asked.
Song Wen gazed at Jin Xun within the Nether Corpse Purgatory Formation, pondering for a moment before declaring, "Enter the formation!"
As he spoke, a three-meter-wide fissure tore open in the formation barrier.
Song Wen charged forward, leading the way into the formation.
At the same time, he casually snatched Jin Xun's storage ring.
Song Wen was careful to conceal any techniques related to the Divine Blood Gate, fearing it would attract their attention and invite trouble.
Throughout the battle, he had only used common Corpse Dao methods and ordinary Spirit Treasures. His most potent attacks—the Blood Sea Seal, thunder magic, and Divine Eye of Annihilation—remained unused.
The earlier skirmish had given him a rough estimate of Jin Xun's strength. He was confident that, with these three techniques, he could kill Jin Xun.
Thus, he entered the formation without hesitation.
Ye Bing followed closely behind, entering the formation without delay.
(End of the Chapter)
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