C656 Liu Ying's Choice!!

"Mo Yan! Devil Palace's Mo Yan!"

Liu Ying cried out, her exquisite face etched with horror and disbelief. "Brother Qu, as Lingxu's hand-chosen disciple, I can't fathom you associating with Mo Yan!"

Mo Yan had emerged from the Crucible of Evil during the trials in the Embers Sea, effortlessly rallying Hou Tianzhao, Lin Yue, Qi Nandou, Chi Yin, and other nefarious talents to his cause. Together, they slew Tang Cen, leading to the demise of Ebon Star's Lu Baichan and numerous other trial-takers from Euwrea.

Liu Ying's impression of Mo Yan was indelibly marked.

Upon her return to the Starmoon Sect after the trials, she had inquired about Mo Yan's origins and discovered that this enigmatic figure was the progeny of Zhu Zhenlin, the Devil Palace's number two.

Zhu Zhenlin, a cultivator of the primordial spirit, had a son worthy of such stature within the Devil Palace.

Yet, with Mo Yan hailing from the Devil Palace and Qu Jing as Lingxu's hand-chosen disciple, how could the two be acquainted, let alone involved with one another?

"We share a history of exploring the Mysterious Realm together."

Qu Jing, standing beneath the Spectral Umbrella like a master of the Cosmic Order, spoke matter-of-factly. "With Yu Yuan gone and the Crucible of Evil in my possession, it's only logical that I wouldn't keep such a devilish artifact. My intent was simply to offer the cauldron to Mo Yan for a fair price."

Qu Jing's demeanor exuded confidence, as if the Crucible of Evil was already his for the taking.

As if Yu Yuan was nothing more than a memory.

"Hahaha! To think you've even made plans for the artifact I hold," Yu Yuan laughed, his smile widening as Qu Jing approached. With a subtle thought, he summoned with his heart's voice, "Frost Queen."

An ice-blue shadow glided gracefully from the Crucible of Evil and came to a halt beside him.

With the arrival of the Frost Queen, the little world instantly transformed into a realm of bitter cold.

The Frost Queen, once a woman of icy pride now in the form of a scorpion, fixed her crystalline gaze upon Qu Jing. With a chilling hiss, she wielded her frosty remnant soul like a stream of ice, bearing down upon Qu Jing's spirit.

"Bane!"

Liu Ying, wielding the Fallen Star Eyes, was momentarily taken aback at the sight of the Frost Queen's arrival, a vague sense of familiarity washing over her.

"Since you've managed to refine the Crucible of Evil, it's no surprise to me that you would eventually summon the Bane," Qu Jing remarked as he extended a finger to press against his forehead.

The Frost Spirit remnant soul that the Frost Queen had been secretly cultivating was thwarted by his single finger.

"How could you possibly harm me within my Spirit Mirage?"

Qu Jing, with his other hand, gestured towards the heavens before directing his command towards Yu Yuan and the Crucible of Evil, "Go!"

Beneath the Spectral Umbrella, a silver mountain range and a torrential river, both conjured from wisps of spiritual energy, surged towards Yu Yuan and the Crucible of Evil.

The cosmic order subtly shifted, transforming the space occupied by the Frost Queen and Yu Yuan into an inferno far surpassing the heat of the Scarlet Dunes.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The descending silver mountains instantly became a fiery range, their bellies thundering as they spewed forth magma and flames.

The once-rushing river turned a deep crimson, its waters igniting into a stream of molten goldsteel.

In the instant the Spectral Umbrella was deployed, the Spirit Mirage within supplanted the original cosmos. As the master of the Spectral Umbrella, Qu Jing had the power to rewrite the rules of this miniature realm.

A searing expanse of flames, a violent volcano, and a river of flowing fire were all designed to target the Frost Queen.

The Frost Queen, with her ice attribute, found herself at the mercy of the altered rules. The ice energy within her was forcefully suppressed, and the penetrating heat caused her icy form to steam.

Yu Yuan, the master of the Crucible of Evil and a cultivator of spiritual sense, could sense her growing terror and unease.

Qu Jing's manipulation of the world's structure had birthed a fiery domain that inherently subdued her, leaving her bound and unable to wield her formidable powers.

A rising white mist signaled the dissolution of her ice energy as she fought against the fiery onslaught.

An iridescent shield of ice enveloped both her and Yu Yuan.

The fiery mountain and the river ablaze with flames lightly grazed the icy barrier, rapidly depleting her strength and leaving her in a state of helpless torment.

"To be frank, with your Subtlety-level cultivation and wielding the Crucible of Evil, you've managed to conjure quite the Bane," Qu Jing said, standing with his hands clasped behind his back, offering an objective assessment. "Had your opponent been anyone other than myself, another disciple of the Ethereal Void Sect without the Spectral Umbrella, you might indeed have had the upper hand."

The Spectral Umbrella and the Crucible of Evil are comparable in rank, and in this day and age, the former even holds a slight edge.

Qu Jing's cultivation was a whole major realm above Yu Yuan's. It was only with this advantage that he could confidently ensure Yu Yuan's defeat, keeping him firmly within his grasp.

"Senior Brother Qu, could you please spare me this one time and not be so harsh?" Liu Ying pleaded, her brows knitted in concern. Watching Yu Yuan struggle to maintain his ground with only the Frost Queen's chilling power against Qu Jing's might, she, for the first time in her life, found herself asking for mercy. Speaking those words felt unnatural to her, challenging her pride.

Who was Liu Ying? She was the esteemed daughter of the Starmoon Sect, the anointed future Sect Master! The heavens' darling, whose birth made the stars twinkle in unison, whose radiance illuminated the Sunblessed Empire, stirring the hearts of all cultivators within it. Without rigorous cultivation, she had effortlessly reached the late stages of Subtlety and was on the cusp of condensing her Lunar Spirit. In terms of innate talent for cultivation, there were at most two or three in the entire Everlands who could surpass her.

Qu Jing was known for his perseverance and diligence, traits she admitted she couldn't match. But when it came to natural ability, she had unwavering confidence!

Always the center of attention, always protected, she had never had to beg anyone for anything. Yet today, for Yu Yuan's sake, she found herself imploring Qu Jing.

"Liu Ying..." Qu Jing responded, his face etched with surprise. "We know each other, even if we haven't interacted much. I'm aware that you've never been one to bow down to anyone. And as for Qi Jinghai, he and I are like brothers. Surely, you're aware of his feelings for you?"

"I know," Liu Ying said.

Qi Jinghai of the Thunder Sect is likely to become the next leader of the sect. Over the years, the Thunder Sect has maintained a close relationship with the Ethereal Void Sect, with both sects encouraging interactions among their future heirs.

Qu Jing and Qi Jinghai have fought side by side on numerous occasions, forging a deep bond through many life-and-death battles. They have come to recognize and support each other, becoming the best of friends.

"Since you're aware of this, let's try this approach," Qu Jing suggested.

With a mere thought, he redirected the torrent of flames away from the icy barrier, instantly halving the pressure on the Frost Queen.

"I don't want to coerce you into pairing with Jinghai," Qu Jing said after some consideration. "All you need to do is cut a strand of your hair and wrap it around the Skystone Amulet on your neck, then present it to Jinghai. If you do this, I'll spare Yu Yuan today and overlook his offense of injuring my sect's disciples."

Liu Ying's neck was adorned with a diamond-shaped pendant, a creation of her master from the extraterrestrial Star River. This amulet not only aided her cultivation but also brought tranquility to her soul. Having worn it since childhood, it held extraordinary significance to her.

Traditionally, a woman giving a lock of her hair to a man signifies affection. By wrapping her hair around her most personal possession, the Skystone Amulet, and offering it to Qi Jinghai, the gesture implied a union, even without explicit words. Moreover, it would be Liu Ying initiating this token of affection.

"I..." Liu Ying murmured, her gaze dropping to the Skystone Amulet that had been her companion for many years. As she watched the soft starlight emanating from it, her expressive eyes seemed to lose their usual luster.

She was heartbroken, finding it hard to part with the amulet, and felt deeply aggrieved. Although the amulet no longer significantly contributed to her cultivation, its sentimental value was priceless. Qu Jing's request for her to give it away, entwined with her hair, to the man from the Thunder Sect who adored her, was a sacrifice she had never anticipated, especially since she harbored no romantic feelings for him.

She felt that if she went through with it, both her master and the entire Starmoon Sect would hold her accountable.

"You refuse, and Yu Yuan will die," Qu Jing barked.

Liu Ying's body quivered. Her delicate, pale hand reached for the Skystone Amulet, her fingers trembling uncontrollably as she grasped it. She attempted to remove it, but the overwhelming emotions made even this simple action impossible for her.

Beneath the icy luminescent shield, Yu Yuan's eyes were profoundly cold, seemingly even more frigid than the Frost Queen's.

"Stop!"

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