C251 Dragon Bone Condensing Sword!
Wu Xiting snapped awake and immediately his gaze fell on Yu Yuan, with a burning desire to eliminate him swiftly.
He harbored a deep-seated dread of Yu Yuan, a primal fear that he couldn't shake off.
Chilly Wind Valley was teeming with formidable figures like Mei Qiurong, Loong Tianxiao, Kuan Xianyun of the Ghoul Glyph Sect, and that tiny girl whose very being was laced with poison.
Yet, none of these individuals sparked a hint of fear in him.
Only in Yu Yuan's presence did Wu Xiting feel a pervasive unease, a discomfort that seemed to follow him everywhere.
Upon reflection, Wu Xiting pinpointed the source of his anxiety — Yu Yuan was an enigma to him!
He could gauge the strength and background of others like Chen Qingyan and Mei Qiurong, no matter how powerful or prestigious they were, giving him the confidence to face them head-on.
But Yu Yuan, a name previously unheard of from Darkmoon, was wrapped in an impenetrable mist, his "true face" forever obscured from view.
Moreover, the more Wu Xiting interacted with him, the more intense this sense of mystery became!
Yu Yuan had mastered the Evil Body Refining Skill and the Glorious Heavenly Wheel, wielded the Yin Wind with ease, and could draw the short spear. In the depths of the cave, he had even harnessed the dragon bone of the Nether Flood Dragon to unleash a frigid dragon breath that could freeze him in an instant.
What was the story behind this enigmatic youth?
According to the elder, he and the ancestor were already well-acquainted?
The ancestor, who had recently broken free from the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and was now concealed within the Jade Peak, was a figure of immense respect within the sect. Even in his fragmented state, transformed into a non-human entity, he remained a formidable presence in the world.
How did Yu Yuan come to know the ancestor?
Wu Xiting's mind buzzed with questions. After voicing his intent to swiftly dispatch Yu Yuan, he suddenly realized that Ann Jieshan's blood shadow seemed utterly oblivious to his declaration.
His expression became distant as he scrutinized the faceless blood shadow of Ann Jieshan.
Ann Jieshan, faceless as he was, exuded an air of grave solemnity at that moment.
He didn't spare Yu Yuan a glance, instead turning his full attention to Chen Qingyan.
Caught off guard, Wu Xiting's eyes narrowed, a stern look taking hold.
He turned his gaze to Chen Qingyan and the snakeskin scabbard she held. His previously sluggish body and mind, numbed by the freezing of his soul and flesh, now snapped back to life with renewed vigor.
"The scabbard!"
Wu Xiting narrowed his eyes at the enigmatic snakeskin scabbard, then shut them completely.
He ceased using his eyes for observation, choosing instead to perceive with his Yin God.
Through the senses of the Yin God, the snakeskin scabbard in Chen Qingyan's grasp transformed from an inanimate object into a Nether Flood Dragon exuding an icy breath.
For over three hundred years, the dragon thought to be dormant in the depths of the Cold Abyss now seemed to coil around Chen Qingyan's arm!
A chilling, fierce aura, one that could only be cultivated in the Nether Abyss, rose from the scabbard, emanating from Chen Qingyan's hand that clutched it.
An eerie green flame appeared to sprout silently from within her, burning brightly yet exuding a bone-chilling terror.
In an instant, the temperature within the Dragon Cave plummeted.
Thick fog, as if released from within Chen Qingyan herself, was so cold it threatened to freeze one's very marrow, compelling anyone to flee the Dragon Cave as fast and far as they could.
The green flame did not originate from the snakeskin scabbard, nor from the cold dragon—
It stemmed from Chen Qingyan's own body!
The snakeskin scabbard, with its icy electric energy escaping from the dragon's bones, seemed merely a catalyst, a spark that ignited the hidden green flame within Chen Qingyan.
Holding the scabbard, Chen Qingyan wore an expression of astonishment, as if caught in some surreal dream.
Her brow furrowed slightly in a mix of pain and anxious unease.
The thin, dark-haired girl standing behind her watched and then quietly retreated several steps.
It was as if the relentless cold mist and the unseen green flame emanating from Chen Qingyan made even the girl feel uneasy.
"So that's it."
Yu Yuan, positioned at the heart of the coiled dragon bones, gazed at Chen Qingyan, lost in thought before murmuring softly to himself.
"Crack!"
The sound echoed from the dragon's skeletal joints at the center.
One by one, more bones began to resonate with the noise.
He watched as the Dragon Bone beneath his gaze engaged in a bizarre dance, enveloped by streams of flowing light. It contracted quietly, transforming in an intricately complex manner.
Eventually, the Dragon Bone diminished and morphed into a dazzling, translucent, and finely-crafted rapier.
The chill emanating from the rapier was unmistakably the essence of the Nether Abyss!
Indeed, the rapier was forged from the Dragon Bone of the Nether Flood Dragon!
The snakeskin scabbard in Chen Qingyan's grasp, treasured as a protective amulet, appeared to be specially crafted to house this very rapier.
The rapier, with a blade as wide as two fingers and roughly a meter in length, resembled a pristine green stream at first glance.
Yet the coldness radiating from the rapier was disconcerting to all; merely gazing upon it sent a shiver through one's soul.
In a mere moment, Yu Yuan realized that the Dragon Bone of the Nether Flood Dragon had vanished without a trace.
Drawn to the snakeskin scabbard, the green rapier transformed into a ribbon of emerald light, soaring toward Chen Qingyan like a dragon diving into the ocean, eagerly seeking its sheath.
As the rapier slid into the scabbard, the once-renowned Cold Dragon of the Boundless Land, born of the Nether Abyss, seemed to unite with it as one.
"Chi!"
A verdant flame sprang from Chen Qingyan's palm, engulfing the scabbard and burrowing within.
It appeared she was using the green flame to refine the rapier.
With her eyes closed and her consciousness adrift, Chen Qingyan's movements were purely instinctual.
As the Cold Dragon faded from sight, Yu Yuan stood in solitude, watching Chen Qingyan with a composed gaze.
Whoosh!
A shadow streaked by, and the slender girl alighted next to Yu Yuan.
Droplets of rain scattered as she passed, falling upon the fallen form of Mei Qiurong.
Suddenly, the long-silent guest from the Profound Sky Sect erupted in thick smoke.
Mei Qiurong's flesh dissolved into a puddle of blood amidst the smoke.
Ann Jieshan, now a blood shadow, glanced at Mei Qiurong's liquefied remains but took no action.
Wu Xiting paused thoughtfully before uttering a soft chant. The Elemental Fire Mirror, which should have been elsewhere, heeded his call and arrived in a flash, streaking through the air like a scarlet flame. He directed the mirror's gaze upon Mei Qiurong's lifeless body, and her three souls—of heaven, earth, and humanity—emerged from their mortal shell. Drawn into the Elemental Fire Mirror, they were either purified or subdued and imprisoned at Wu Xiting's whim.
"Heaven Palace Seal!" Wu Xiting inhaled deeply and reached out with his empty hand. The masterless Heaven Palace Seal, released upon Mei Qiurong's death, swiftly descended into Wu Xiting's grasp. "Boom!" A sphere of crimson light blossomed in his palm, enveloping the enigmatic seal.
Meanwhile, Chen Qingyan remained with her eyes closed, her grip firm on the snakeskin scabbard, now housing a blade. A verdant flame surged within her, cleansing and refining the rapier, newly transformed from the bones of the cold dragon.
Ann Jieshan, ever watchful, chose not to interrupt her, aware of her formidable nature.
With the Heaven Palace Seal in hand, Wu Xiting noticed Chen Qingyan's meditative state and a sinister thought crossed his mind. He ventured cautiously, "Old Ancestor?" The blood shadow that was Ann Jieshan quivered like a flickering red flame, his soul consciousness snapping into existence in that moment. Yet Wu Xiting failed to grasp its meaning right away.
Chen Qingyan, still focused on the sword, instinctively sensed Wu Xiting's ill intent. Without opening her eyes, she pointed a finger at him, holding the snakeskin scabbard. A jade-green sword light burst forth from within.
The chill mist that shrouded the Dragon Cave was instantly absorbed by the sword light.
Wu Xiting's complexion drained of color as he shot upwards. The jade-green sword light flashed by, slicing through his waist. The chilling force from the deepest reaches of the Nether Abyss flared within him.
"Crack!" This was no ordinary cold like that of the Nether Flood Dragon's breath—it was a cold that shattered.
"Crack! Crack!" The flesh and blood at Wu Xiting's waist, pierced by the jade-green sword light, shattered explosively after freezing solid.
He let out a wail and spat out an insult, "You little wench!" Just as he was about to unleash a soul secret art, he was shocked to find the Yin Stellar Wind eerily manifesting in his sea of consciousness.
Feeling the chilling Yin Stellar Wind brush against him, his once placid sea of consciousness was now tumultuous with fiery waves.
His unique flesh and blood body had an innate resistance to the Yin Stellar Wind, unafraid of its invasive force.
But now, his body, pierced by that streak of green sword light, was vulnerable. The Yin Stellar Wind, lurking within the Stellar Wind, took advantage of the cold power that was freezing his flesh, and surged into his sea of consciousness.
With just a flick of Chen Qingyan's finger and that green sword light, carrying both the frigid force and the Yin Stellar Wind, he was grievously wounded.
Wu Xiting shuddered, staring at his abdomen as chunks of flesh burst open from the freeze. The violent upheaval in his sea of consciousness filled him with dread as he looked toward Chen Qingyan.
Chen Qingyan, eyes still closed, remained oblivious to the unfolding chaos.
Ann Jieshan, now a blood shadow, sent a soulful warning to Wu Xiting. Realizing Wu Xiting's failure to grasp the severity, he braced for the worst.
As Chen Qingyan, guided by instinct, directed her sword at Wu Xiting, harboring malevolent thoughts, Ann Jieshan understood that Wu Xiting, ignorant of his own good, was about to face misfortune.
Ann Jieshan gave Chen Qingyan another look before turning away once more.
He turned his attention to Yu Yuan, sending a subtle message through his soul.
Yu Yuan's brow furrowed slightly. Before he could speak, he saw the blood shadow envelop Wu Xiting like a crimson cloud, whisking him away into the sky.
"Huff! Huff!"
Outside the valley, the miasma clouds roiled wildly, seemingly intent on interception.
Yu Yuan paused, then decided, "Let it be."
The miasma clouds calmed immediately.
The petite, dark-haired girl blinked in bewilderment.
"Ann Jieshan is formidable; we can't hold him back. To try might mean we end up worse off," Yu Yuan explained. "As for Wu Xiting of the Blood God Cult, I've taken note. His days are numbered."
The young girl gave a gentle nod, no longer persisting.
