"Achoo --"
Chu Xuan rubbed his nose and complained, "This godforsaken place is as cold as Elder Ling's heart."
"Shut up." Ling Qingxue glanced at him, but her ears turned slightly red, and her fingers quietly made a gesture. A wisp of warmth passed through the cuffs of their hands.
"Hey, hey, hey, are you openly giving me extra?" Sumei 'er jeered from behind, the flame at the top of the amethyst staff deliberately hopped a couple of times, making the surrounding mist sizzle. "I want to warm myself up too."
"Hug yourself." Ye Zining carried the Demon Emperor sword, her red dress fluttered in the icy wind, "Don't disturb the young couple in love."
"Stop messing around." Chu Xuan turned back, just as he was about to say another word, his feet suddenly sank --
Click!
The ice cracked, and a white wave of cold air shot up into the sky, instantly reducing visibility to less than three zhang. The next second, a roar like that of a dragon or beast rolled through the valley, shaking everyone's eardrums.
"Here it comes!" Yaoji drank lightly, and the All-seeing Mirror flew out of her hand. The silver-white mirror 'ding' cast a huge shadow - the head of a dragon, the body of a elk, the body covered with scales, the hooves treading on ice, the tail like a steel whip, and wherever it passed, even the spiritual energy froze into ice slag.
"Ice Qilin?" Ling Qingxue's eyes narrowed, her palm involuntarily tightened Chu Xuan. "How could the mountain guardian beast of the Secret realm appear on the periphery?"
"Probably we sucked too much spirit energy and the landlord came out to collect rent." Chu Xuan smiled wryly, but his palm was already gathering grayish-white chaotic energy. "Fight or run?"
"Can't run away." " Ye Zining narrowed her demonic eyes slightly and fixed on the dark blue crystal nucleus on the forehead of the ice Qilin. "It locked our breath, never giving up until it died."
"Then let's fight." Chu Xuan grinned, revealing his white teeth. "Just use it to test the sword."
"Test your head." Ling Qingxue gave him a sideways glance, the Cold Moon sword was drawn half an inch, and the ice-blue sword qi split the air. "The ice Qilin is naturally capable of controlling fire and demonic attributes. Yaoji and I are the main attack, Mei 'er and Zining support, you are responsible --"
"Be responsible for capturing its attention and stealing its crystal core by the way." Chu Xuan picked up quickly, laughing with a face full of punchability, "Don't worry, I'm professional."
"Excuse me." Ling Qingxue snorted, but quietly wrote the word "ice" in the palm of his hand. A wisp of extremely cold sword intent rushed into Chu Xuan's meridians through their clasped hands, making him shiver with cold, and then a warm feeling in his heart - that was her Dao breath, to share with him voluntarily.
"Thanks, Sister Xue." Chu Xuan said in a low voice, for the first time not "Elder Ling", nor "Qingxue", but with more affectionate names. Ling Qingxue's eyelashes quivered and she did not retort, but her ear tips turned quietly red.
"Hey, can the flirtatious talk wait a moment?" Sumei 'er was angry. "It's coming!"
Rumble --
The ice unicorn's four hooves hit the ground with each step, leaving deep cracks on the ice, and its tail whip swept, flattening a small ice mound in an instant. It held its head high, its deep blue crystal nucleus shone with a blinding light, and it opened its mouth to shoot out a column of ice-blue light, and wherever it passed, even the air froze into glass shards.
"Disperse!" Chu Xuan shouted, with a sudden pull of his left hand, he pulled Ling Qingxue into his arms, and his right hand primordial gas shield spread out instantly --
Bang!
The beam of light crashed into the air shield, sending out a cloud of ice chips. Chu Xuan slid his feet into two deep gullies on the ice, his arms numb from the shock, but he managed to hold on.
"Chu Xuan!" Ling Qingxue was protected by him in front of her chest. For the first time, she did not break free. Instead, she held him around the waist with her back hand. The Cold Moon sword slid out against his back, and the tip of the sword raised an ice-blue moon arc. "Cold star, Moon wheel!"
The moon arc broke through the sky, soaring three zhang against the wind, and precisely slashed towards the horns of the ice Qilin dragon. At the same time, the primordial spirit of Yaoji turned into a silver-white ribbon, entwining the moon wheel, making it even more sharp --
Clang!
On the side of the ice unicorn's head, the moon wheel cuts at the base of the horn, sending up a string of sparks of ice and fire. It roars in pain, its scales stand on its neck, and its tail whip sweeps in, so fast that only a remnant remains.
"Demon Shadow, Flash!" Ye Zining's figure flickered, and the red shadow appeared as if teleportation beneath the tail whip. The Demon Emperor sword swung half a circle and struck the tail bone with great force --
Clang!
The metallic clanging was deafening, and the tail whip was flung three feet, brushing past Chu Xuan's shoulder, and the strong wind cut his cheek painfully.
"Good luck..." Chu Xuan panted low, but his palm did not stop. The chaotic energy swirled up along the tail whip, like greyish-white vines, instantly covering the hind legs of the ice qilin. "Lock!"
Click!
The chaos lock tightened, the ice kirin staggered, knelt on the front leg, and the ice was smashed with a cobweb-like crack.
"Hellfire Liansheng!" Su Mei 'er seized the gap, the amethyst staff touched the ground, crimson golden fire lotus bloomed layer upon layer, the tongue of fire rolled up the relatively soft scale crevice beneath the belly of the ice unicorn, water and fire met, and a large white mist burst out.
Roar --
The ice Qilin was furious, and the light of the crystal nucleus in its forehead soared, and a circle of ice-blue shock waves roared around it --
"Ice Realm, Mirror Wall!" Ling Qingxue pushed Chu Xuan backward with her backhand, and the Cold Moon sword pierced the ground. Instantly, the ice-blue sword qi rose up, forming an arc-shaped ice mirror that forcefully refracted the shock wave back.
Bang!
The shockwave crashed into the mirror wall and bounced back against the ice Kirin itself, sending it back several steps and blue blood beads seeping from the gaps of its scales.
"Beautiful!" Chu Xuan's eyes lit up, he stretched out his left hand and held Ling Qingxue's right hand again, their palms touching, the breath of the Dao naturally intersected, and a wonderful resonance burst in his chest --
"Resonance of the Dao heart?" " Ling Qingxue's eyes quivered, and before she could speak, Chu Xuan had already pulled her up into the sky --
"Combo Skill - Ice and Fire Chaos Blade!"
The greyish-white chaotic energy entwined the ice-blue sword energy and instantly condensed into a hundred-foot giant blade, half icy cold and half crimson golden flames, blending ice and fire, there was no rejection, but rather the power was multiplied under the chaos harmonization --
"Slash!"
The giant blade slashed down, the world turned pale, the ice qilin looked up and roared, but only had time to shoot out half an icicle before being struck by the giant blade on the head --
Rumble!
A bottomless crack was split in the ice, and the huge body of the ice qilin was shaken dozens of feet, crashing heavily into the ice wall, its scales cracked, and blue blood drops fell like rain.
"Yes, yes?" Chu Xuan landed, panting like an ox, but there was a slight tremor from Ling Qingxue in the palm - for the first time she had taken the initiative to hold his fingers tightly, the fingertips cold but with an unnoticeable heat.
"Don't let go." She said in a low voice, so soft that only two could hear her, "the breath of the Dao has not yet subsided. Add another sword."
"All right." Chu Xuan grinned, the primordial energy rose again, merged with her sword intent, and the ice and Fire giant blade condensed again --
"Again!"
The ice qilin smashed half of the cliff, and the dark blue blood drops fell like a drizzle on the ice with a tinkling sound.
The beast struggled to rise, but the wound on its chest, a mixture of ice and fire, rolled up, and the chaotic energy, like a leech drilling through its bones, continued to tear at its demonic power. It growled, but could no longer breathe cold air, and finally showed its intention to retreat into Chu Xuan's copper bell eyes.
"While it's sick --" Ye Zining carried the sword, and his red coat was dotted with blue flowers by the blood rain.
"-- To kill it?" Chu Xuan scratched his hair and turned his head to look at Ling Qingxue. "Sister Xue, do you want to add a knife?"
Ling Qingxue did not answer, her palm still tightly clasped with him, and a wisp of ice-blue sword intent circulated along the place where they clasped, cold and painful, but the pain was solid. She took a light breath and, for the first time in a near-consultative tone, said, "Can we not kill?"
"TSK, feeling heartbroken?" " Su Mei 'er raised her eyebrows, her fingertips dancing with flames.
"No." Ling Qingxue shook her head. "It has guarded the mountain for a thousand years, without any grudges or grievances, just fulfilling its duties. We are in the wrong first to take the spirit energy."
Chu Xuan hummed and looked at the giant beast, his eyes pale and gray as if weighing. For a moment, he raised his hand, and the chaos chain loosened with a "clattering" but did not completely disperse.
"Two options for you." He spoke loudly, his voice mixed with spiritual power, rolling through the ice valley, "One, accept the planting, give up the lair, stay with brother later, food and accommodation provided; Two, keep fighting, I'll cut off your horns, scale you, and make soup with your nuclei!"
The ice qilin, knowing human language, growls at the sound, its tail whip slutts the ground with impatience, and ice flakes fly everywhere. It looked towards the lair deep in the canyon, then towards the mass of chaos in Chu Xuan's palm, and its dark green pupils struggled.
"Hurry up, I'll count to three!" Chu Xuan stretched out three fingers, the greyish-white airflow condensed into sharp blade tips, and aimed them at the nucleus of the forehead.
"One --"
The ice unicorn's front hooves hit the ground, and the ice cracked.
"Two --"
Chu Xuan flipped his palm, and the Chaos Blade shone brightly, his murderous intent unmasked.
"Three --"
Before the words were finished, the giant beast rumbled down, knelt on its front legs, lowered its dragon head, rolled its tail whip aside obediently, and let out a deep SOB, as if admitting defeat.
"Clever!" Chu Xuan snapped his fingers, and the chaotic chains turned into light spots and dissipated. He stepped forward, pressed his palm against the cold dragon's head, and injected a wisp of chaotic energy to smooth the meridians torn apart by ice and fire. For a moment, the blood congealed and the breath was steady.
Ling Qingxue followed, the Cold Moon sword returned to its scabbard, and the ice-blue light on her fingertips was flashing as she applied a layer of cold frost ointment to the giant beast to stop the bleeding and relieve the pain. Her profile was serious, her long eyelashes quivered, like butterfly wings in the snow.
"Snow sister, I've seen you so gentle for the first time." Chu Xuan teased in a low voice.
"Don't talk." Ling Qingxue's ears turned slightly red, but her hands kept moving. "It hurts."
At the back, Su Mei 'er collected the fire lotus and stretched. "Alright, I'll collect another big cat." Let it out in the next fight and save me the elixir."
Ye Zining, carrying the Demon Emperor sword, added with a smile, "Don't waste cat hair. It can be used as armor."
Ice Qilin understood and shivered, looking pitifully at Chu Xuan. Chu Xuan laughed and kicked Ye Zining at the heel of her boot: "Don't scare it, new brother."
"Brother?" Yao Ji came, the primordial spirit turned into light rain, falling on the beast's wound. "It's mother."
"Uh..." Chu Xuan scratched his head. "That's the new sister!"
The ice Qilin hummed as if responding, its huge body slowly rose, its tail whip swept lightly, opening a passage for everyone to the deepest part of the canyon. It lowered its head, gesturing for people to sit on their backs.
"Good pay." Chu Xuan was not polite either. He leaped onto the dragon's head first and reached out to pull Ling Qingxue. "Sister Xue, come, the front row for the view!"
Ling Qingxue hesitated for a moment, but still reached out and sat beside him on the dragon's head. The ice qilin trudged on the ice, steady and even. The cold wind was deliberately restrained by it, leaving only a cool breeze on its face.
Su Mei 'er, Yao Ji and Ye Zining then leapt onto their backs, sitting or standing, their fiery red, purple robes and white skirts dragging out long bands of color on the ice field, like a painting in bold ink.
The ice Qilin was extremely fast, reaching a hundred feet in the blink of an eye. At the end of the canyon, a natural ice cave emerged, ten feet high, with ice ridges hanging down like a thousand swords in the air. A deep blue light flickered inside the cave, and the spiritual energy was so intense that it almost dripped water.
"The lair is here." Chu Xuan leapt down from the dragon's head, his gaze drawn to the cave wall - where a tattered ancient scroll was embedded, covered with ice crystals and still faintly visible.
Yao Ji raised her hand, her innate spirit transformed into a light blade, carefully cutting off the ice, and the scroll dropped and was taken into Chu Xuan's palm. He opened his eyes, his pupils slightly constricted --
[Dao Qi is not alone; it requires the strength of the four camps to be complete. If one is missing, Qi Qi will be broken and the world will be in chaos.]
The handwriting is ancient, but the brushstrokes are vigorous, like a sword pointing straight to the heart.
"The four camps..." Ling Qingxue repeated softly, her gaze sweeping over the four present - the Righteous Path, the Demon Realm, the Ancient, and the Demon Realm - exactly all present.
"It turns out we've been tied to the same rope all along." Su Mei 'er curled her lips and laughed seducently, "Someone has to marry even if they don't?"
"Marry, marry, marry! Pack everything up!" " Chu Xuan laughed, but in his heart there was a tinge of solemnness -- what the scroll said was both a reminder and a warning. The four camps have come together because of him. If one link is missing, the bond of the Dao will collapse and the three realms will be in chaos.
"Then no one can run away." He raised his hand, and the greyish-white chaos vaporized into four streaked rays of light, sinking into the eyebrows of the four girls. "From now on, life and death are together, mountains and rivers are together."
The four girls looked into each other's eyes, and there was light in them, some gentle, some haughty, some domineering, some ethereal, but without exception, with determination.
The ice Qilin bent down and touched Chu Xuan's shoulder with its dragon head, as if witnessing. Outside the cave, the wind and snow stopped suddenly, and the moonlight fell, draping the canyon in a layer of silver veil.
"Let's go." Chu Xuan folded up the scroll, turned and looked out into the vast secret realm outside the cave, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit. "Next stop, Dragon Head Vein, Taotie Seal!"
Everyone leapt onto the dragon's back, the ice Qilin howled, its hooves treading on ice, carrying the five most core members of the Dao Qi Alliance, speeding towards the deeper part of the secret realm.