Boom!
A black spell crashed down violently, striking the thick snow and ice.
Snow sprayed in all directions.
The shield in Fang Shouyi’s hand shuddered violently, forcing him several steps backward across the snow.
Gritting his teeth, he steadied himself, his expression turning grave.
“Miss, they’re demonic cultivators!”
“What?”
She looked ahead.
The two cultivators who had been smiling moments ago now radiated a completely altered aura—sinister and chilling.
Within their spiritual energy even lingered a faint, nauseating scent of blood.
Without a word, the pair raised their hands once more.
Pitch-black spiritual energy gathered between their palms, forming two vicious beams of black light.
Fang Shouyi’s face shifted slightly.
“Miss, run!”
Shen Wanwan didn’t hesitate; she could see the gap in cultivation at a glance.
Both of them were at least late Foundation Establishment.
The aura of one even faintly touched Golden Core.
In a real fight, two early Foundation Establishment cultivators like them stood no chance at all.
“Run?”
Shen Wanwan gritted her teeth.
Of course she wanted to run, but the two men had clearly locked onto them.
If they just turned and fled, they would undoubtedly be pursued and overtaken.
What could she do?
Shen Wanwan’s gaze darted around as she reached for the storage bag at her waist.
In the next instant, a palm-sized silver plate appeared in her hand.
Its edges were carved with intricate scarlet patterns, and three dark-red spirit stones were set into its center.
The moment Fang Shouyi saw it, he realized what she meant to do.
“Miss?”
“Step back,” Shen Wanwan barked softly.
Without asking questions, Fang Shouyi immediately retreated.
Shen Wanwan pressed her finger onto the plate.
“Click.”
All three spirit stones flared to life simultaneously.
In the next breath, a ring of scarlet light burst outward from the plate.
The snow within a radius of dozens of zhang shook in unison.
Countless scarlet spirit patterns surfaced from beneath the snow, weaving into a massive formation net.
The expressions of the two demonic cultivators shifted drastically.
“This is...”
“A Spirit Binding Plate!”
Just as one of them realized what it was, the spirit patterns beneath their feet tightened abruptly.
Scarlet chains coalesced out of thin air, instantly binding their legs, waists, and arms.
“Go!”
Shen Wanwan spun around and bolted, and Fang Shouyi immediately followed.
Neither lingered for a moment, disappearing into the vast snowfield in the blink of an eye.
“Damn it!”
One of the demonic cultivators behind them roared in fury and slammed a black palm imprint forward, causing the scarlet chains to tremble violently.
“Don’t let them get away!”
...
Only after fleeing a great distance did Shen Wanwan finally halt.
Resting her hands on her knees, she caught her breath, then glanced back to confirm there were no pursuers before breathing a sigh of relief.
“We should have shaken them off.”
Fang Shouyi stopped as well.
He looked back, then turned toward Shen Wanwan.
“Third Miss.”
“What is it?”
“Why didn’t we just kill them back there?”
Shen Wanwan looked up.
“Are you stupid?”
“My Spirit Binding Plate can only restrict them for a short time; it’s not like it completely immobilizes them.”
“Even though they’re trapped, they can still cast spells.”
She glared at Fang Shouyi in exasperation.
“If we’d really stayed to fight, the best outcome would have been mutual destruction.”
“And if either of us took a hit, neither would even be able to run.”
Fang Shouyi nodded earnestly. “I see.”
“...”
Shen Wanwan suddenly felt deeply exhausted.
“There’s one more thing.”
Fang Shouyi surveyed their surroundings, his brow furrowing.
“This should be the heartland of the orthodox Dao.”
“Reasonably speaking, how could demonic cultivators appear here?”
Shen Wanwan’s expression darkened as well.
“How should I know?”
She stared out over the vast, snow-covered expanse in the distance.
Any relief from having just escaped had completely vanished.
The presence of demonic cultivators here was inherently abnormal.
What was more, those two had clearly not just been passing by by chance.
When she asked for directions earlier, they hadn’t answered at all, moving to attack immediately.
“Never mind that for now.”
Shen Wanwan withdrew her gaze.
“Let’s find the way back as fast as we can.”
“We need to report this to the sect.”
Fang Shouyi nodded at once. “Understood.”
...
Meanwhile, on the other side.
By the time Gu Yanqing exited the secret realm, the sky had grown completely dark.
Fine snowflakes still drifted from the sky.
Compared to before he entered the realm, the snowfall had eased considerably.
He glanced up at the sky and didn’t linger.
Though he hadn’t found what he initially came for on this trip, the harvest had far exceeded his expectations.
The following day.
At the market.
Gu Yanqing found an open stall and laid out the spirit herbs and demon beast materials gathered in the secret realm.
Before long, they were sold off one after another.
When he finally took stock of his storage bag, he had gained several hundred spirit stones.
It was enough.
He then went through the market to purchase all the auxiliary materials needed to accompany the Scarlet Flame Crystal Marrow.
Only then did he ride his flying sword back to the Yunxiao Sect.
From here on, he only needed to continue cultivating the 《Black Iron Body》.
...
Cold Water Valley.
Wind and snow persisted, and the snow in the valley had grown noticeably thicker.
Behind a wall of ice, Lin Zhixue sat cross-legged beside the cold spring.
Her eyes were closed as spiritual energy circulated slowly through her body.
With each breath, a faint trace of frigid chill entered through her nose and mouth, refined into spiritual energy.
In the distance.
Su Qinglian stood behind a boulder; she had already been standing there for a long time.
Watching the motionless young woman before her, her expression gradually turned strange.
Late Foundation Establishment.
She almost doubted her own eyes.
When she first met Lin Zhixue, the girl had clearly only just broken through to Foundation Establishment.
Yet how much time had passed since then? A little over two months.
From early Foundation Establishment all the way to late Foundation Establishment.
And it wasn’t from forcefully boosting her cultivation through some secret art. She had watched with her own eyes as Lin Zhixue cultivated every day, practiced her swordplay, and absorbed the Cold Marrow Spirit Liquid.
Every step had been taken with utter solidity... which made it all the harder to comprehend.
Su Qinglian fell silent for a moment.
At this rate...
In another two or three months, would she already be preparing for Core Formation?
The moment the thought surfaced, she found it absurd.
Since arriving here, she had seen plenty of remarkably talented cultivators.
But speed like Lin Zhixue’s was truly something she had never witnessed before.
“Could she really be the reincarnation of an immortal?” she muttered softly to herself.
Then she shook her head.
Whatever.
She lingered no longer, turning and retreating into the shadows behind the ice wall.
...
“Phew—”
A wisp of white mist drifted past.
Xiaoyu emerged from the jade pendant.
It stretched lazily.
“Ahhh!”
“Finally had a full sleep!”
Lately, Lin Zhixue had spent practically all of her time cultivating.
When she wasn’t meditating, she was practicing the sword.
When she wasn’t practicing the sword, she was meditating again.
To the point that Xiaoyu felt it was practically turning into a genuine sleeping spirit beast.
It floated before Lin Zhixue, sizing her up carefully for a moment.
Then its eyes snapped wide open.
“Zhixue!”
“You’re already at late Foundation Establishment?!”
Lin Zhixue didn’t answer.
Xiaoyu, however, was already brimming with excitement.
“I knew it!”
“I really didn’t misjudge you!”
“See? I told you before, you’re definitely a genius!”
It circled around Lin Zhixue, looking more pleased by the second.
Soon, though, it felt that this wasn’t so surprising after all.
A single spirit root.
In itself, it granted astounding cultivation speed.
Its own assistance had played a huge role as well.
On top of that were all the opportunities Lin Zhixue had obtained before.
The stalk of Cold Marrow Grass, the Spirit Gathering Powder, and those spirit herbs and spirit stones.
Plus the items Gu Yanqing had spent over six hundred spirit stones to buy for her.
Followed by the Guilan Sword and the 《Autumn Water Sword Technique》 acquired later.
These things had suited her exceptionally well to begin with.
And now she was here in Cold Water Valley.
The environment here was already ideal for a water spirit root cultivator.
Not to mention the Cold Marrow Spirit Liquid.
And Lin Zhixue herself had been cultivating non-stop since arriving.
With so many factors combined, rapid cultivation speed actually made sense.
“Hmm...”
Xiaoyu rubbed its chin, pondering for a moment.
“Thinking about it like that, it seems pretty normal after all.”
“Zhixue, are you about to break through to Golden Core soon?”
This time, Lin Zhixue finally opened her eyes.
Her gaze clear, she glanced at Xiaoyu.
“Xiaoyu.”
“Hm?”
“Today, we continue practicing the third form.”
Xiaoyu paused.
Then it giggled and floated over to her side.
“Alright!”
“But Zhixue, you’re at late Foundation Establishment now.”
“The third form is much harder than the first two.”
Lin Zhixue gripped the Guilan Sword.
“I know.”
The blade slid slowly from its scabbard.
A wisp of aqua-blue sword light quietly ignited amidst the drifting wind and snow.
“That’s why I have to keep practicing.”
Xiaoyu blinked.
In the next moment, the girl stepped out into the snow, the sword light rising with her.
Rate on N.U.
