C336 The Casualties Were Miserable

Yan Qiling's face shifted abruptly.

As Yu Yuan disclosed the origins of the white-haired crone, a surge of joy and a rush of exhilaration filled Yan Qiling's heart.

The awakening of the sword soul signaled that Yu Yuan's power-charged sword strike was imminent.

With that sword's release, the lingering intelligence and soul of the Dark Domain's Asura would be utterly obliterated, erasing any chance of resurrection.

If the Asura did not manifest in this world, the schemes of Shen Feiqing, Bai Shang, and the white-haired crone would fall to ruin.

As the sword soul stirred to life and the sword neared completion, Yu Yuan's arm burst forth with unceasing blood.

Yan Qiling was deeply concerned. If the sword soul released its full brilliance and intent now, Yu Yuan's spirit might shatter first, scattering his flesh to the winds.

Such a catastrophe would doom them in the Absence Relic, and the platinum-level Asura would surely descend.

"You need to find a way to lend him your strength. You're the only one I can think of!"

Yan Qiling shot a look at Yu Zhu and, without waiting for any reaction, he pulled at the fabric of space, bringing Bai Shang abruptly before him.

The area around Yan Qiling and Bai Shang erupted in a cascade of light as space crumbled into numerous grooves.

A mysterious celestial force roared from these spatial indentations.

Yan Qiling, a master of spatial forces, fragmented into myriad shadows, darting about as if crafting an intricate sealing array.

The Earth Demon Bai Shang stood isolated amidst the fractured space, clad in coarse linen, his shabby attire belied by the sharpness in his squinting eyes and the tilt of his head, as if anticipating something.

Then, a resplendent flash of gold burst forth.

Wong Jinlin, a disciple of the Spirit Void Sect, rode upon a broadsword forged with nether gold dragon scales, his face etched with terror.

"Junior Sister Liu!"

Upon drawing closer, the bewildered Wong Jinlin caught sight of Lau Ying and cried out in alarm.

Frozen in the void, Lau Ying's Fallen Star Eyes were poised for flight. Caught off guard by his sudden appearance, she paused, her voice tinged with confusion, "What brings you here?"

"I—I didn't want to come either. It was him!"

Wong Jinlin gestured toward the gleaming Nether Gold Spiritual Sword pinned under his foot.

Lau Ying was about to respond when she caught sight of the Earth Demon Bai Shang, who gave Wong Jinlin a dispassionate glance.

"Run!" Lau Ying warned him earnestly.

Wong Jinlin shuddered.

Without uttering a word, Bai Shang lifted his hand and reached out, seizing Wong Jinlin from afar.

Wong Jinlin's bones shattered, his once robust body collapsing limply onto the Nether Gold Spiritual Sword.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

His dantian burst open, his lifeblood's essence flowing into the Nether Gold.

In a flash, his forehead split open, and tiny characters emerged, transforming into a string of golden runes that flew out and were promptly crushed by Bai Shang's distant grasp.

With the destruction of the golden runes, Wong Jinlin's three souls were left unprotected. They burst forth like dazzling fireworks from his Niwan Palace.

Bai Shang, the target of Yan Qiling's attack, soared upward, transforming into a streak of light that raced toward the Nether Gold Sword.

Wong Jinlin's body, now a bloodied mass, tumbled toward the space sealed by Yan Qiling.

Upon entering, the body exploded, scattering bones and blood rain, the remnants imbued with the power of Taoist Chongxiao.

The already unstable space churned violently with the addition of the dead body.

Meanwhile, Bai Shang, clutching the Nether Gold Divine Sword, penetrated its defenses with his soul consciousness, dissolving the seals placed by Taoist Chongxiao. The sword's radiance intensified, shining tenfold brighter than before.

Lau Ying exhaled softly.

The overwhelming stellar energy from the Fallen Star Eyes surged into her, filling her being.

She could not afford to stay a moment longer. This girl, upon whom the Silver Moon Sect had pinned their hopes and who was being groomed as the future leader of the Star Sect, shone with acupoints twinkling like a constellation.

Transforming into a burst of starlight, she vanished into the Fallen Star Eyes, propelling the massive meteorite to ascend to even greater heights.

Only at an altitude unreachable by cultivators below the rank of Yang God could she ensure her safety.

With Wong Jinlin's demise, she realized that if she were to confront the formidable trolls surrounding the pit, her modest level of cultivation might lead to a fate similar to Wong Jinlin's—effortlessly crushed.

The beloved disciple of Taoist Chongxiao met his end at the hands of Bai Shang, all because of a Nether Gold sword that Bai Shang wielded with deadly skill.

To possess a treasure is to bear its curse.

Should she catch the attention of Shen Feiqing, Bai Shang, or that white-haired crone, would she not also be doomed to a similar fate?

"Wong Jinlin, just like that, he's gone?"

Aboard the Cloud Sail, Su Yan blinked, observing the turmoil below. In a voice tinged with disbelief, she whispered, "But he was the prized pupil of Taoist Chongxiao."

"Who down there would fear Taoist Chongxiao?" Yang Yinquan's face was etched with grave concern. "General Lee!"

Startled from his reverie, Lee Yuchan uttered a confused "Ah?" and turned to him with wide eyes.

"The Cloud Sail is under the Silvermoon Empire's flag. It was the Lee family elder who orchestrated our presence here," Yang Yinquan said, his voice laced with anxiety. "If you're unaware of the full picture, I implore you to have the Cloud Sail's navigator steer us clear of this place at once!"

Currently, the ship was mostly occupied by the elite of the Silvermoon Empire and members of the Taiyuan Sect, including Yang Yinquan.

Lee Yuangui had brought them here and traded Wei Feng to Bai Shang, who had just demonstrated his animosity towards the Human Race by slaying Wong Jinlin. If Wei Feng was brought for her unique blood essence, what did that mean for the rest of them?

A thread of soulful communication from the White-robed Imperial Advisor pierced the air, "The Asura of the Dark Domain gathers the souls of the deceased for its resurgence. Your lives are spared only because the Asura's remnant soul has yet to escape its ocular prison."

Yang Yinquan's eyes widened in horror.

Zhou Cangmin, clad in white, plunged into the suspended purple silk ribbon, his soul's radiant column leading the charge to seek out Shen Feiqing.

His warning to Shen Feiqing was his final act of conscience before entering.

"Leave this place immediately!"

Upon receiving the message, Yang Yinquan could no longer afford to waver. With an urgent bellow, he pressed Lee Yuchan, "If you can just prove that your sister's actions are unrelated to the Lee family, you can distance yourselves from this calamity and ensure your family's survival!"

Lee Yuchan was at a complete loss, uncertain of how to proceed.

"The Silvermoon Empire must not fall!" Yuan Lianyao declared emphatically.

The others joined in, each trying to sway Lee Yuchan.

The Cloud Sail was under the stewardship of the Lee family. A member of the Lee family was always present on its voyages; without one, the Empress would never be at peace.

With Lee Yuangui's death, Lee Yuchan was the sole person capable of steering the Cloud Sail, and she was also the Empress's sister.

"I understand."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Lee Yuchan gave a slight nod and made her way to a corner of the ship. She applied a secret method to the helm, setting the long-stationary Cloud Sail back into motion.

"Where to?" she inquired.

"To the Divine Might Empire! Since your sister has joined forces with Bai Shang, there must be additional plans in play within the Silvermoon Empire!" Yang Yinquan commanded.

"Understood," Lee Yuchan acknowledged.

Boom!

A barrage of radiant beams burst forth from beneath, striking the Cloud Sail as it began its ascent.

The Cloud Sail, a costly creation of the Silvermoon Empire, met the same fate as the gilding treasure ship, teetering on the brink of collapse and slowly descending into the abyss.

Inside the Cloud Sail, panic ensued as everyone screamed and hurled curses.

Hidden among the dense forest, on the unyielding earth, stood several crossbows, once mounted on the gilding treasure ship.

After the treasure ship's downfall, these crossbows had been salvaged and secreted away in the forest, aimed at the Cloud Sail. As the ship took flight, they unleashed a vicious assault.

Wai Wujiang of the Divine Might Empire's Wai family, now a direct disciple of the Thunder Sect's Sect Master, was at the mercy of Lih Baixiong.

The once haughty and proud young man was now ashen-faced, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

Lih Baixiong of the Tusk Troops forced his head down onto a crossbow, compelling him to load Spirit Stones and fire upon the Cloud Sail.

Any attempt at protest was met with swift retribution from Lih Baixiong, leaving Wai Wujiang's cheeks fractured and bruised.

Surrounding them, the Tusk Troops—harboring no love for the Divine Might Empire or the Wai family—were seething with murderous intent. Beneath their masks, their eyes glinted with a savage cruelty akin to that of wild beasts.

"The commander has issued a covert directive: every soul aboard the Cloud Sail is to be slain, regardless of gender, status, or affiliation!"

With a ferocious sweep of his hand, Lih Baixiong's palm, sharp as a blade, sliced through Wei Wujiang's neck. Wei Wujiang, now devoid of any further use, was beheaded in a swift stroke. "After this battle, the commander shall ascend to divinity! With the prowess of a Yang God and your exceptional talents, you are destined to cleanse this disgrace and exact a fitting retribution from the Divine Might Empire and the Ancient Desolate Sect!"

The Tusk Troops' warriors roared in unison, their fervor ablaze.

Devout followers of Shen Feiqing, they revered him as a deity, obeying his every command. Life or death at Shen Feiqing's behest, they would embrace their fate without a moment's hesitation.

At Lih Baixiong's command, they mounted their Tusk Beasts and turned to ruthlessly pursue every last survivor within the Cloud Sail.

No questions asked, no distinction between right and wrong.

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