The last traces of Reckless Savage true meaning faded into the snow.
The absolute ice battlefield became quiet again, but the quietness did not last.
The three qi cocoon around Hei Lou Lan pulsed steadily. Heaven qi, earth qi, and human qi twisted together, shrinking little by little as she absorbed them. Her body was still hidden inside, and at this stage she could not defend herself.
Fang Ming stood near the cocoon, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.
Fang Yuan's myriad self army was still spread across the icefield. Many strength path phantoms had dissipated during the true meaning hunt, but there were still enough to cover a large area. Tai Bai Yun Sheng and Fairy Li Shan remained hidden at the side, both watching the battlefield closely.
Suddenly, two streaks of light pierced through the snowstorm.
One black.
One white.
They descended from the sky and landed on the edge of the battlefield.
Hei Cheng.
Xue Song Zi.
Hei Cheng's gaze swept across the broken ice, the fading traces of true meaning, Fang Yuan's phantom army, and finally landed on the three qi cocoon.
His eyes narrowed.
"Hei Lou Lan, so you were here."
Xue Song Zi's gaze moved across the battlefield, and greed flashed in his eyes. "Reckless Savage true meaning… the rumor was actually true!"
He had arrived late.
But not too late to understand what had happened.
The broken battlefield, the strange aura, Fang Yuan's remaining strength path phantoms, and Fang Ming standing near the cocoon told him enough.
Hei Cheng did not look at Xue Song Zi. His attention remained on the cocoon.
Hei Lou Lan was at the most crucial stage.
If he interrupted her now, everything could still be reversed.
Fairy Li Shan stepped out.
Her aura was no longer concealed.
Rank seven.
Snow swirled around her as she stood before the cocoon, eyes cold.
"Hei Cheng, you came after all."
Hei Cheng smiled faintly. "Fairy Li Shan, I should be the one surprised. I did not expect the third leader of Snowy Mountain blessed land to interfere in the relationship between father and daughter."
Fairy Li Shan's expression did not change. "Do not use such disgusting words."
Hei Cheng opened his palm.
A Gu worm appeared, releasing an eerie blue light.
The aura of time path spread across the battlefield.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng's pupils shrank. The two time path Immortal Gu in his aperture trembled faintly.
Fairy Li Shan's voice became heavy. "Instant Pause."
Hei Cheng smiled.
"With Fixed Immortal Travel and that purple smoke movement method here, I naturally had to prepare something."
Fang Ming's gaze sharpened slightly.
Instant Pause Immortal Gu.
A time path method that could freeze a target's time for several moments.
Teleport Gu was powerful, but not invincible. If the activation process was interrupted by time path methods, even teleportation could fail.
Hei Cheng had learned from the last encounter.
This man was dangerous because he adjusted quickly.
Fairy Li Shan raised her hand.
The icefield trembled.
Roots tore through the frozen ground, thick and twisting like dragons. Pear trees rose one after another, spreading rapidly across the battlefield. White pear blossoms bloomed in the snowstorm, filling the air with a faint fragrance.
In only a few breaths, the barren icefield became a pear forest.
Hei Lou Lan's three qi cocoon was lifted and protected at the center of the battlefield, hidden among branches, roots, and flowers.
Battlefield killer move—
Pear Orchard.
Hei Cheng's dark eyes turned cold.
Xue Song Zi immediately moved to the side. "I cannot fight Fairy Li Shan directly. The Snowy Mountain alliance restrictions still exist."
Hei Cheng said calmly, "Then deal with the immortal zombie and Tai Bai Yun Sheng."
Xue Song Zi glanced at Fang Ming.
Then he looked away.
He was not blind.
He had seen Fang Ming repel Hei Cheng's Dark Arrows before. He had also seen traces of the destroyed Icefall Divine Ape on the battlefield. Unless he had no choice, he did not want to rush toward that strength path Gu Immortal.
Fang Yuan, on the other hand, was an immortal zombie.
Immortal zombies were usually weaker than living Gu Immortals.
At least, that was what most people believed.
Xue Song Zi's body turned into a streak of icy wind as he rushed toward Fang Yuan.
Fang Yuan laughed hoarsely.
"You chose me?"
The myriad self army moved.
At the same time, Hei Cheng attacked.
Three black arrows shot out silently.
Dark Arrow Immortal Gu.
The arrows moved like ghosts, piercing through the snowstorm toward Fairy Li Shan's hidden body inside Pear Orchard.
The pear forest surged.
Roots rose like thick pythons, twisting around the arrows. White petals filled the air. A huge man-eating flower burst out from the ground and swallowed one Dark Arrow directly.
The flower shrank at once, trembling violently.
Another man-eating flower swallowed the first.
Then another swallowed the second.
Layer by layer, the Dark Arrow was buried.
Hei Cheng's expression remained calm.
The second Dark Arrow pierced through the flowers, but countless white specks of light clung to it as it flew. Its speed slowed, its aura weakened, and before it reached the center of the pear orchard, a tree trunk split open and released thick amber-like nectar.
The arrow sank into the nectar and was sealed.
The third arrow vanished from sight.
Fairy Li Shan's expression tightened.
Hei Cheng was not someone who would waste attacks.
Fang Ming raised his hand.
Tyrannical Repulse.
The air near the cocoon distorted.
A hidden black streak was forced out from the void. It had been approaching from an unexpected angle, bypassing the outer layers of Pear Orchard.
The repelling field struck it head-on.
The Dark Arrow trembled violently, then was blasted aside, piercing into the distant ice.
Hei Cheng's eyes narrowed.
Fang Ming lowered his hand slowly.
"Dark Arrow is troublesome," Fang Ming said calmly. "But not unstoppable."
Hei Cheng looked at him for the first time since arriving.
"You again."
Fang Ming did not answer.
Hei Cheng's lips curled faintly. "A Rank 6 strength path Gu Immortal interfering in Rank 7 matters. Do you think repelling my Dark Arrow once means you understand me?"
Fang Ming said, "No."
A pause.
"But as long as I stand here, your Dark Arrow will not easily reach Hei Lou Lan."
The pear blossoms drifted silently.
Fairy Li Shan's eyes flashed.
With Fang Ming guarding the cocoon, her pressure reduced greatly. She still had to stop Hei Cheng, but she no longer needed to divide all her attention between attack, defense, concealment, and protecting Hei Lou Lan from every hidden arrow.
Hei Cheng snorted.
A dark veil spread around him, covering half the sky.
Black balls rained down from the veil, forming dark vortexes wherever they landed. The vortexes corroded pear trees, roots, flowers, and even the icy ground.
Fairy Li Shan responded immediately.
Pear blossoms gathered into streams of light. Sunflower-like lotuses bloomed within the pear orchard, releasing burning beams that pierced into Hei Cheng's dark veil.
The two Rank 7 Gu Immortals clashed fiercely.
Darkness and flowers collided.
Roots were destroyed.
Vortexes were burned apart.
The pear orchard shook, but did not collapse.
At this moment, Hei Cheng opened his palm again.
A black pearl appeared.
Inside the translucent darkness, a boar-shaped beast slept.
Fairy Li Shan's face changed. "Dark Prison."
Hei Cheng's voice was calm. "Hei tribe's Rank 6 Immortal Gu House. It should be enough to break this orchard."
The sharp tusk boar inside Dark Prison stirred.
Ancient desolate beast aura leaked out.
Fang Ming's gaze moved to it.
If the sharp tusk boar was released, Pear Orchard would suffer greatly. The battlefield killer move was excellent at concealment, restraint, and countering Dark Arrow, but an ancient desolate beast charging through the forest could tear open its structure physically.
Hei Cheng was indeed difficult.
Even when one method was countered, he still had another.
Fang Ming raised his hand slightly.
Tyrannical Grab was ready.
If that boar appeared, he would intercept it before it reached the cocoon.
Hei Cheng noticed his movement.
His expression darkened slightly.
This was exactly the problem.
Dark Prison could pressure Fairy Li Shan.
But if the sharp tusk boar was released and Fang Ming restrained it with those strange strength path methods, the advantage might be wasted.
At the other side of the battlefield, Xue Song Zi had already attacked Fang Yuan.
Snow filled the sky.
Ice mountain awls descended.
Snow sparrows screamed through the wind.
Three mortal killer moves were used together, showing Xue Song Zi's skill and experience.
Fang Yuan did not retreat.
Myriad Self surged forward.
The strength path phantom army roared, drowning the snow sparrows. Ice mountain awls were shattered by countless fists. The drifting snowstorm was torn apart by the tide of phantoms.
Xue Song Zi's expression changed.
"This is an immortal killer move!"
Too late.
The phantom army surrounded him.
Xue Song Zi quickly activated a defensive battlefield killer move. Snow domain spread out, pine trees rose, and icy hair dragons formed around his body.
But Myriad Self pressed forward like a flood.
Trees shattered.
Ice dragons broke.
The snow domain cracked.
Xue Song Zi's confidence vanished, replaced by alarm.
He had underestimated this immortal zombie.
Fang Yuan stood behind the army, red eyes cold and mocking.
"You came to kill me with this?"
The phantom army surged again.
Xue Song Zi retreated rapidly.
He tried to heal a fractured arm, but the pressure gave him no time. Strength path phantoms struck from all sides. His defenses were repeatedly broken. His robe was torn, his hair cut apart, blood flowing from several wounds.
Hei Cheng glanced toward him and frowned.
Xue Song Zi was losing too quickly.
Worse, Fang Yuan was not only suppressing him.
A portion of the phantom army had separated and was moving toward Hei Cheng.
Hei Cheng waved his sleeve.
Dark fire spread.
Black wind swept out.
Demonic shadows formed and rushed at the phantom army.
But the army crushed forward.
Fang Yuan's strength path phantoms were destroyed in large numbers, but more filled the gaps. Against mortal killer moves, the army's sheer scale was oppressive.
Hei Cheng's expression finally became more serious.
Fang Ming saw this and acted.
Tyrannical Push.
A long-range invisible force struck from near the cocoon, slamming into the edge of Hei Cheng's dark veil. The dark veil shook violently, and one section tore open.
Fairy Li Shan immediately seized the opening.
Pear blossoms gathered into a white stream and pierced into the broken veil.
Hei Cheng's body shifted, avoiding the attack, but his brows tightened.
He was being pressured from three sides.
Fairy Li Shan's Pear Orchard restrained him.
Fang Yuan's Myriad Self harassed him.
Fang Ming's long-range strength path attacks blocked his decisive methods.
Even if Hei Cheng was stronger than Fairy Li Shan alone, this was no longer a duel.
A hidden Dark Arrow formed again, trying to curve toward Hei Lou Lan's cocoon through a gap in the pear trees.
Fang Ming's gaze moved.
Tyrannical Repulse.
The arrow was forced out and blasted away again.
Hei Cheng's eyes turned cold.
Dark Arrow Immortal Gu was his famous method.
But against Fang Ming, its value had fallen sharply.
It could still threaten Fairy Li Shan if used cleverly. It could still force reactions. But as long as Fang Ming watched the cocoon, Hei Cheng could not use it to decide the battle in one strike.
Suddenly, a Dark Arrow vanished inside the pear orchard.
Fairy Li Shan's expression changed.
It appeared behind her.
Too close.
Even Fang Ming's repulse field could not cover every hidden route at once while also guarding the cocoon.
The arrow pierced toward Fairy Li Shan's chest.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng moved.
Immortal Gu aura flashed.
Man as Before.
The arrow still struck Fairy Li Shan, tearing through her body and making blood splash across the white blossoms.
But the next moment, light covered her.
Her wound reversed.
Her body returned to its previous state.
Fairy Li Shan breathed heavily, but she was alive.
Hei Cheng's face sank.
His successful strike had been undone.
He looked toward Xue Song Zi.
At that side, Xue Song Zi was in an even worse state.
Fang Yuan's phantom army had surrounded him completely. His snow domain was broken. His icy hair dragon defense was torn apart. One of his arms hung unnaturally, and blood stained his pale face.
"Xue Song Zi!" Hei Cheng shouted coldly.
Xue Song Zi gritted his teeth, but he could not answer.
He was in mortal danger.
If he delayed longer, he might truly die under Fang Yuan's army.
At this moment, the three qi cocoon pulsed violently.
Everyone's attention shifted.
The cocoon shrank.
Then shrank again.
Heaven qi, earth qi, and human qi fused completely into Hei Lou Lan's body.
A powerful immortal aura erupted outward.
The cocoon cracked open.
Hei Lou Lan appeared.
Her black hair flowed in the wind. Her body had been cleansed and transformed by the three qi. The blood and injuries from before had vanished. Even her ruined eyes had recovered, though there were still faint traces of luck path dao marks in their depths.
She had crossed the threshold.
Hei Lou Lan had become a Gu Immortal.
Fairy Li Shan's face showed joy.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng let out a long breath.
Fang Yuan's eyes flashed.
Fang Ming looked at Hei Lou Lan and nodded slightly.
His investment had survived.
More than that, the hidden tracking method should have been cleansed by the three qi washing.
Hei Cheng's expression finally changed.
The moment Hei Lou Lan completed ascension, his greatest chance had passed.
Hei Lou Lan looked toward him.
Her gaze was cold, filled with hatred and newly born immortal pressure.
"Hei Cheng."
Hei Cheng stared at her for a moment.
Then he looked at Fairy Li Shan, Fang Yuan, Tai Bai Yun Sheng, and finally Fang Ming.
The situation had changed completely.
Xue Song Zi was nearly defeated.
Fairy Li Shan still held Pear Orchard.
Tai Bai Yun Sheng could reverse injuries.
Fang Yuan's Myriad Self army filled the battlefield.
Fang Ming guarded the center, his Tyrannical Repulse suppressing Dark Arrow's threat and his long-range strength path attacks ready at any time.
Hei Cheng still had trump cards.
Dark Prison had not truly been unleashed.
Instant Pause remained.
Hei tribe methods were not limited to what he had shown.
But continuing now would not guarantee success.
And the cost might become too high.
Hei Cheng gave a cold laugh.
"Good. Very good."
He turned slightly. "Xue Song Zi, leave."
Xue Song Zi did not hesitate.
He broke away desperately, using several methods at once to escape the phantom army's encirclement. His body turned into icy wind and retreated rapidly.
Fang Yuan's army pursued for a short distance, but Fang Yuan did not chase too far.
Hei Cheng withdrew Dark Prison.
The dark veil shrank around him.
Fairy Li Shan did not pursue.
Fang Ming did not move either.
Hei Lou Lan clenched her fists, hatred surging in her eyes, but she also did not chase.
She had just ascended.
Her foundation had not stabilized.
This was not the time.
Hei Cheng looked back one last time.
His gaze lingered briefly on Fang Ming.
"Strength path Gu Immortal… I will remember you."
Fang Ming replied calmly, "You already said that once."
Hei Cheng's eyes turned colder.
Then he left.
The black light vanished into the distance, following Xue Song Zi's retreat.
The battlefield finally quieted.
The pear orchard slowly dissolved.
Roots withdrew.
Pear blossoms scattered into the snow.
Fairy Li Shan's body swayed slightly, and Tai Bai Yun Sheng quickly moved closer to support her.
Fang Yuan dismissed part of the myriad self army, but kept some phantoms standing at the edge of the battlefield.
Fang Ming remained where he was, watching the direction Hei Cheng had left.
They had won.
But they had not killed Hei Cheng.
That was fine.
Their goal had never been to kill him.
The goal had been to protect Hei Lou Lan's ascension.
And they had succeeded.
Hei Lou Lan stood in the snow, feeling the immortal aperture newly formed within her body. The hatred in her eyes did not fade, but beneath it was something stronger than before.
She was no longer mortal.
Fang Ming looked at her and felt the result clearly.
Steel Body Strength Gu had not been wasted.
His investment had borne fruit.
But the enemy had also learned more.
Hei Cheng now knew about Fang Yuan's Myriad Self.
He knew more about Fang Ming's Tyrannical methods.
He knew Hei Lou Lan had successfully ascended.
The conflict was not over.
It had only entered a new stage.
Snow continued falling over the ruined battlefield.
For a moment, none of them spoke.
Then Fang Ming turned away from the direction Hei Cheng had retreated.
"Leave first," he said. "There is no benefit in staying."
No one objected.