C1363 Confusion Battle
Yu Yuan was taken aback by Ji Ningshuang's actions. Alonso's display of extraordinary and fierce battle power, coupled with Ji Ningshuang's evident injuries, made Yu Yuan eager to leave the area as quickly as possible. The plan was to wait for reinforcements from the Boulderdawn and the Skyreach Consortium before settling scores with Alonso. He believed Ji Ningshuang had grasped his intentions...
Swoosh! Swoosh!
The delicate sword light continued to navigate within the Earth-Tethered Cage, meticulously dismantling the cage that the Shura had crafted from numerous rare magic items. Remarkably, it seemed to have barely taxed Ji Ningshuang's sword power.
After being confined in the Earth-Tethered Cage for an extended period, she appeared to have deciphered the intricacies of this holy weapon. With a precise and subtle application of her secret sword power, she targeted and disrupted the intricate blood patterns hidden within the cage, neutralizing Alonso's unique vital energy.
"Amazing, truly amazing!" Zhou You exclaimed in admiration. He was impressed by the Stardust Blade's swordsmanship, which had evidently reached a transcendent level, capable of inflicting such severe damage on the Shura's holy weapon.
Whoosh!
Ji Ningshuang wielded the Stardust Blade, transforming into a streaking rainbow that soared toward the Frozen World where Du Yuan and Yue Mu were located. Contrary to Yu Yuan's expectations, she did not cease her efforts after escaping the Shattered Star.
She was determined to rescue Du Yuan and Yue Mu!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Amidst the swirling cold fog, a River of Swords materialized, emitting peculiar sounds from its depths. Alonso, who had just issued threats, became stern upon hearing the sounds from deep within the River of Swords. He refrained from pursuing Ji Ningshuang.
Instead, he peered into the thick cold fog, speaking in the ancient Shura language, inaudible to Yu Yuan and the majority of the Shura people.
"Hmm?"
Upon relocating to the Dragon Slaying Stage, Zhou You, now alongside Yu Yuan, sensed something amiss. He observed, "The residual power within the River of Swords is gradually diminishing the Sword Sect's suppressive force."
"Du Yuan and Yue Mu, being in close proximity, have had their strength limited."
"The presence of the River of Swords has diminished their sword might by at least 30%, preventing them from fully displaying their capabilities. Moreover, they were already wounded, with Du Yuan having been bombarded by seven sword lights, which only worsened their dire straits."
"Now..."
Zhou You appeared quite perplexed.
He couldn't determine if the weakening of the River of Swords' suppression on the Sword Sect was the work of the 'Dire Bear,' Ji Ningshuang, or perhaps... the real body of Yu Yuan, situated far away in the Star River?
Yu Yuan's real body, along with the sword sheath, might possess such capabilities.
"Roar!"
From within the thick cold fog, the enraged roar of the snow bear echoed, filled with fury.
The angry bellow made it clear to many Shura present, including Yu Yuan and Zhou You, that it was not the culprit.
'It's not him!'
The mysterious snow bear was not the one influencing the River of Swords and reducing the constraints on the Sword Sect.
"Nor is it me."
Yu Yuan responded nonchalantly, his gaze fixed on the Stardust Blade as he sensed the ice power of the Glimmerdrift Nebula converging from all around, infusing both the sword and Ji Ningshuang's severely injured form.
To his amazement, Ji Ningshuang's wounds were healing at an astonishing rate!
The prodigy of the Sword Sect had been gravely injured when she shattered the Earth-Tethered Cage, so much so that she could barely wield her sword again.
She had been forced to stand by helplessly as her senior sister perished.
Who would have imagined that in such a short time, she would not only damage the Earth-Tethered Cage but also wield the Stardust Blade to rescue Du Yuan and Yue Mu?
She even tapped into the latent psionic power of the River of Swords, gradually releasing the legacy of Nie Qingtian's power that had been restraining the Sword Sect!
"Incredible, truly incredible."
Alonso, too, was stunned upon receiving the Dire Bear's response. Then, a drop of golden blood emerged on his palm.
The bead of golden blood, no larger than a fingertip, radiated in the sacred golden glow, generating a suction force that drew the Earth-Tethered Cage into it.
The Shura's holy weapon, now miniaturized, was immersed in his drop of golden blood.
The golden blood flowed back into his body from his palm, where he stored it internally to warm and nurture the Earth-Tethered Cage, slowly mending the holy weapon.
"Yu Yuan, you can't blame me for this. She was the one looking for trouble," Alonso said as he hefted his silver lance and vanished into the sky, hurtling toward the stars where Du Yuan and Yue Mu were.
As soon as he moved, Yu Yuan and Zhou You were ready to teleport at a moment's notice, wary of the cunning and venomous Shura commander who might appear out of nowhere and strike with his spear.
Thankfully, Alonso's true target seemed to be that very star.
Alonso intended to eliminate Du Yuan, Yue Mu, and Ji Ningshuang in one fell swoop.
"Shall we follow?" Zhou You asked with a wry smile, glancing unintentionally at Xi Quan's skeletal remains and the shattered Withered Sword. "You've witnessed Alonso's terrifying combat strength. Without the intervention of the Sword Sect's two primordial spirits, President Lyi, or several God-Kings, there's little we can do..."
He trailed off, shaking his head.
"Attack!"
Lollar, along with the platinum Shura resembling a bizarre fish, burst forth from the fractured earth.
Boom! The deep, thunderous roar of the warships filled the air as the starships, anchored for so long, charged into the void. Hundreds of eighth and seventh level Shura warriors manned these vessels.
Yet, to Yu Yuan and Zhou You's surprise, neither Lollar nor the starships seemed to be targeting them.
Meanwhile, a grayish-white sword light as thick as two fingers emerged from Xi Quan's lifeless body, carrying with it an aura of desolation as it soared toward the celestial River of Swords.
The sword light was imbued with the essence of the sword's will, yet it lacked Xi Quan's soul imprint.
Xi Quan had perished, but the sword spell of withering she had mastered did not vanish. Instead, it was being absorbed by the River of Swords!
"Xi Quan and that other person both turned their backs on the Sword Sect. Could it be that their betrayal is what made them accepted by the River of Swords?" Yu Yuan mused, his expression distant.
From the vantage point of the Dragon Slaying Stage, Ji Ningshuang's figure came into view, as she had officially entered the enigmatic Frozen World.
Du Yuan and Yue Mu's spirits were lifted at her arrival.
Alonso, wielding a silver lance, charged ahead, poised to enter the icy realm and confront the three Grand Sword Immortals of the Sword Sect.
Lollar, alongside the Platinum Shura and the fleet of starships, set course for the opposite direction. From there, the sound of a crane's cry echoed, laden with the essence of slaughter and madness, as if the very power of death resonated within its call.
"The Death Crane! Jun Chen has arrived!"
A gleam sparked in Zhou You's eyes, the cultivator adept in space magic sneered, "Xi Quan carries the Skyreach Consortium's unique token. Her demise sends a potent signal that the Consortium will detect! Xi Quan's death will surely exact a heavy toll on the Shura!"
On the Dragon Slaying Stage, Yu Yuan heard the crane's cry but did not see the Death Crane itself. Nor did he see what the Skyreach Consortium's premier counselor relied on for his arrival, or where he was concealed.
However, he was aware that Alonso had keenly sensed the arrival of Jun Chen and the Death Crane, perhaps through the crystal ball in his possession or by communicating with the snow bear.
"With Jun Chen here, even Alonso won't find victory easily!"
Zhou You appeared to have immense faith in the counselor. Upon hearing the crane's cry, he was instantly reassured, "Yu Yuan, prepare yourself for a spectacle."
"First, we take down Alonso and those Platinum Shura!" Yu Yuan commanded.
"Rest assured, the Shura are a mutual foe!" Zhou You replied, his expression steely.
Meanwhile, in the concealed depths of the Frozen Wastes at Wintermaw, an unexpected visitor had arrived, unnoticed at first by the vigilant snow bear.
With a thunderous roar, the snow bear sensed the intrusion. It swiftly returned from beyond the wall to the inner world, to the snow-capped mountain where Yu Yuan was seated.
