C668 All Things Listen to the Advice

Ann Ziqing stood gracefully on the ground without her purple divine armor, her gaze fixed intently on the Fallen Star Eyes above.

Bathed in the sunlight, her skin shimmered with a gem-like luster.

As the reigning Goddess of the Colddeath Cult, her sudden appearance caught Liu Ying off guard, who failed to detect her presence through the Fallen Star Eyes, prompting a surge of vigilance within her.

With a resounding boom, the silver meteor suspended mid-air burst into light. Guided by Liu Ying's will, the stellar arrays within activated, casting a radiant glow from the Fallen Star Eyes that bathed Ann Ziqing in divine light.

Beneath this celestial illumination, Ann Ziqing's soul hovered above her head, seemingly ready to break free and soar thousands of miles away at any moment. The cosmic energy formations within the Fallen Star Eyes subtly mirrored the activity within Ann Ziqing's mind.

"How dare you!" bellowed a voice filled with rage from ten miles away.

The shout belonged to Han Ling of the Colddeath Sect.

Hearing the outcry, Yu Yuan's mind raced back to the time he and Yuan Lianyao were guests of Ann Ziqing on Acora Island, during their visit to the Sundering Isles. Their presence had triggered a disturbance in the island's Primal Blood Array, causing the Blood Wells to erupt with a potent aura of vitality.

It was Han Ling who had sought to end Yu Yuan's life at Colddeath, only to be thwarted by Ann Ziqing's intervention.

Later, Ann Ziqing led him to the heart of Acora Island, where the Blood Pool and Blood Wells, brimming with rich lifeblood and vitality, beckoned him to plunge in.

Ann Ziqing had discerned the nascent Altar of Rebirth within his little world, a recent and delicate creation.

The Colddeath Goddess earnestly expressed her hope that he would seize the chance to ascend to the Veil Breaking Realm.

Sensing danger on an instinctual level, Yu Yuan fiercely resisted the allure of the Altar of Rebirth. He struggled against the sanguine cravings of the Blood Pool and Blood Wells, making a desperate and disheveled escape from Acora Island.

In the days that followed, he was haunted by the ordeal, his soul shaken to its core.

Whenever he recalled that harrowing moment, he knew that a single misstep, a lapse in self-control, and a dive into the Blood Pool would have meant the end of Yu Yuan as he knew himself.

"Spirit Walk!"

Liu Ying inhaled sharply, her gaze fixed on Ann Ziqing as the latter's soul stirred under the glow of the Fallen Star Eyes, revealing her true realm. Even this esteemed daughter of the Starmoon Sect couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat.

It was through Yu Yuan that she had first learned of Ann Ziqing, and upon further investigation, she discovered Ann's true identity—the present-day goddess of Colddeath, the future leader of the Divine Cult!

They were all of similar age, yet while Liu Ying had not yet ascended to the Lunar Spirit Stage, Ann Ziqing had recently made the leap to the Spirit Walk Stage!

Ann Ziqing's remarkable realm had, for the first time, instilled a sense of urgency in Liu Ying, leading her to question whether she had squandered her own gifts.

Even Chen Qingyan, whose talent was renowned to surpass hers, was at a similar juncture, having only just begun to refine his Lunar Spirit.

How had Ann Ziqing managed to enter the Spirit Walk?

"Spirit Walk!"

Yu Yuan, too, was taken aback by her exclamation.

He watched Ann Ziqing intently, employing his psionic power from the Soul Forging through Enlightenment technique. With his Third Eye, he could see that Ann Ziqing's Mindscape was exceptionally well-cultivated, seemingly impervious to the fiercest winds and flames, capable of traversing the Everlands with ease.

To soar freely through the Everlands as a Lunar Spirit was to be in the Spirit Walk.

Since their departure from Acora Island, the goddess of Colddeath had broken through her limits and reached the Spirit Walk realm—a feat so rare in the history of the Everlands that it could be counted on one hand for someone her age!

"Don't be too surprised," Ann Ziqing said with a charming smile, gesturing for the Fallen Star Eyes to lower so they could converse more intimately.

Liu Ying considered that with her Master, Tan Junshan, stationed near the Scarlet Dunes, the Fallen Star Eyes would surely alert him at the first sign of trouble.

Unless the current leader of Colddeath intervened personally, no one could harm her under Tan Junshan's vigilant eye.

Confident in Tan Junshan's support, she had sent a signal to the artifact soul, prompting the Fallen Star Eyes to descend.

"Our Colddeath's cultivation pace is unparalleled across the Everlands, as you well know," Ann Ziqing explained openly to them. "Pursuing such extraordinary blood magic inevitably brings its share of challenges. Moreover, delving into spiritual spells that veer towards the extreme and esoteric may offer glimpses into the ultimate Way of Heaven, but the likelihood of attaining the primordial spirit remains quite remote."

Upon hearing that, Liu Ying's spirits lifted slightly. "That's right," she acknowledged.

"It's been quite some time since we parted ways on Acora Island," Yu Yuan said, flashing a smile. He was on high alert around this former maid, fearing another one of her schemes. One misstep and he could descend into wickedness, becoming a bloodthirsty demon at the mercy of the Colddeath Cult.

"This time, I'm here because Lin Yue sent for me to lend assistance in the Scarlet Dunes," Ann Ziqing explained with a composed demeanor. "As you've heard, I've brought others with me. When I saw you through the Fallen Star Eyes, I simply wanted to greet you."

"Just to say hello?" Yu Yuan squinted skeptically.

Ann Ziqing's inscrutable eyes occasionally paused on Yu Yuan's middle elixir field at the Profound Gate acupoint, betraying a persistent curiosity about the secrets of his vitality's little world. "Yes, just a greeting. Young Master, I extend a heartfelt invitation for you to reconsider joining our Colddeath Cult."

Her face was the picture of sincerity as she continued, "I'm convinced that our Colddeath spells are the most effective for enhancing your cultivation!"

As she emphasized her point, her gaze never wavered from the enigmatic core of Yu Yuan's being.

At that moment, Yu Yuan was absolutely certain that this Colddeath Goddess was aware of the Altar of Rebirth, crafted from the Sunsorrow.

"I have no intention of joining any sects at this time," Yu Yuan declined.

"Ungrateful!" Han Ling's voice rang out coldly from a distance. "Our Goddess has extended her invitation repeatedly, and yet you dare to refuse time and again! You're rejecting an honor!"

"Silence!" Ann Ziqing chided sharply.

With a sullen expression, Han Ling clamped his mouth shut.

"If I may ask, what realm has that individual reached?" Yu Yuan inquired abruptly.

"He's in the late period of the Spirit Walk," Ann Ziqing answered.

"Is he the strongest among you?" Yu Yuan pressed.

After a brief pause, Ann Ziqing responded, "Yes, he has the highest realm. Why do you ask?"

Yu Yuan's lips curled into a half-smile. "A word of advice: the forces your Colddeath Cult has brought to the Scarlet Dunes are likely insufficient. Once you're inside and have located Lin Yue and your fellow disciples, it would be wise to leave promptly. Lingering there could prove dangerous."

Ann Ziqing's expression shifted subtly. "Young Master, what exactly are you aware of?"

"I'm not privy to anything."

Yu Yuan flashed a smile. "Considering you once gave me the Bracelet of Holding in the Embers Sea and entrusted me with an emblem, I'll offer you a piece of advice. Whether you heed it or not is up to you."

"Liu Ying, we're heading back to Afnetalos."

With those words, Liu Ying, clearly impatient, spurred the Fallen Star Eyes into motion and soared towards Afnetalos.

"Young Master! Please wait for me!"

Ann Ziqing's calls from below went deliberately unheard, as if they were lost in the wind.

As the Fallen Star Eyes continued its flight, a streak of golden light emerged from deep underground.

The source of the light was the Golden Carriage, and Chen Langzhi of the Chen family emerged with a beaming smile, greeting Ann Ziqing with a respectful gesture. "Miss Ann, our Chen family and Colddeath have enjoyed many years of mutually satisfactory cooperation. With that in mind, I strongly advise against venturing into the Scarlet Dunes at this time."

Whoosh!

Han Ling of Colddeath arrived in a flash of light, coming to a steady halt.

"The young master said as much, and now you echo his words..."

With a grave look, Ann Ziqing murmured to herself before addressing Chen Langzhi, "What's happening in the Scarlet Dunes? Is the situation there dire?"

"Tell Lin Yue from your sect to get out while he can," Chen Langzhi advised without answering her question directly. "Right now, you and that young man, Lin Yue, can still communicate using your sect's mystique. Send a message quickly. If you wait any longer, you won't be able to get a single thought through."

At these words, Han Ling, who had just arrived, visibly paled.

He could dismiss Yu Yuan's warning due to Yu Yuan's lower cultivation level and lack of a formidable background. But Chen Langzhi from the Chen family was someone he had dealt with before; he knew the significance of his words.

"Miss?" Han Ling pressed, urgency in his voice.

"It's wise to heed good advice," Chen Langzhi added.

Taking a deep breath, Ann Ziqing gazed toward the Scarlet Dunes with a complex expression and nodded. "I understand. I'll send a message to Lin Yue right away, instructing him to lead his followers out without delay."

"Elder Han, head to the Scarlet Dunes to rendezvous with Lin Yue and his team. I'm off to Afnetalos to search for the young master!"

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