C675 Ann Ziqing's Trap

The streak of bloody light was none other than Ann Jieshan, who had fled from the Moonfall Sanctuary. The blood light subtly morphed into a blood shadow hovering above Dedsend Lake.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a deluge of blood rained down from the blood shadow, causing the strands of Soulsear Bolt that veiled Dedsend Lake's surface to twist and writhe violently.

"Long time no see."

The blood shadow, which was Ann Jieshan, turned towards Yu Yuan. Observing Yu Yuan's struggle to maneuver the Crucible of Evil, only to be thwarted by a crimson barrier, he reassured, "Don't worry, that girl won't harm you."

"Why would I ever hurt the young master?" Ann Ziqing said with a sweet smile.

Qi Yunhong and Xie Bin watched as Ann Jieshan made his entrance, effortlessly slaughtering the Otherkin guests on the lake, their faces clouded with concern.

Ann Jieshan, a contemporary of Colddeath's original founder, had been notoriously difficult to handle during his time in the Moonfall Sanctuary. Once free, he returned to Colddeath and meticulously refined the cult's sophisticated spells, excising several heinous blood magic practices that relied on living beings for power, steering Colddeath in a more orthodox direction.

His return breathed new life into Colddeath, an organization previously unrecognized by the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep. Rumor had it that both factions had begun to regard Colddeath with newfound respect and were considering its inclusion.

Upon his return to Colddeath, Ann Jieshan swiftly regained his formidable strength. His appearance made Yu Yuan, along with Qi Yunhong and Xie Bin, realize a stark truth—this was an elaborate trap set by Ann Ziqing.

"Did you show up at the Obsidian Thunder Sect's training hall to seek me out, or were you after Xie Bin?" Yu Yuan, standing firm on the Crucible of Evil with a sword sheath in hand, inquired of Ann Ziqing with an icy tone. "Did you already know that the Soulsear Bolt could be contained by the Glacial Storm Seal? Did you predict that Qi Yunhong would sniff out the location of the Soulsear Bolt and home in on the Obsidian Thunder Sect's training hall, then use the Illusion Orb to extract us all?"

"Afnetalos has its own rules and is shielded by a powerful formation. You wouldn't dare to cause trouble there, so you had to wait until we were outside the city. Is that when it became convenient for The Hon. to make a move?"

Yu Yuan pieced together the situation in his mind.

He quickly realized that the current predicament was orchestrated by Ann Ziqing. She had feigned unconsciousness to draw him and Xie Bin into her trap, setting the stage for what was unfolding before them.

"The Young Master remains as astute as ever."

Ann Ziqing, with a sly smile, gestured towards Xie Bin. "The Glacial Storm Seal is of use to us. We'll discuss it once we've secured it."

Whoosh!

Ann Jieshan's blood shadow plummeted from above.

Like a canopy of gore, birthed from a blood sacrifice magic circle, it swiftly engulfed Xie Bin and the Glacial Storm Seal.

A colossal hand, wrought from immense vitality, reached through the bloody veil to grasp the Glacial Storm Seal that Xie Bin had released into the air.

Ice strands and sparks of lightning erupted from the Glacial Storm Seal, riddling the sanguine hand with holes.

Yet, within a mere second, the hand mended itself and resumed its firm grip on the Glacial Storm Seal.

The remnant soul within the Glacial Storm Seal, belonging to Xie Bin, was gradually expelled by the violent and fierce power of blood that permeated from the hand's grasp.

Whoosh!

The hand seized the Glacial Storm Seal and brought it before Ann Ziqing, who, clad in her purple divine armor, stowed it away in her Cosmos Ring.

"Ensure all the 'Soulsear Bolts' are gathered," Ann Ziqing instructed with a light smile.

Qi Yunhong's expression turned grim as he sent the Illusion Orb tumbling toward Dedsend Lake.

His intention was clear: to collect all the scarlet lightning blanketing the lake with the Illusion Orb before making a move against Ann Jieshan and Ann Ziqing.

But before he could act, Qi Yunhong noticed that each drop of blood raining onto the lake encapsulated minuscule strands of Soulsear Bolt.

The Soulsear Bolts, brought by visitors from the extraterrestrial realms for Qi Yunhong's cultivation and the Qi family's use, were swiftly claimed by the droplets of blood.

The droplets reversed their course, rushing upwards and converging towards Ann Jieshan.

"Qi Yunhong, you have betrayed the Everlands and inflicted grave injuries upon me," Ann Ziqing stated with serene confidence. "It is only right that I reclaim the Soulsear Bolts from the extraterrestrial. And should I wish for your demise, you would not stand a chance at life."

Qi Yunhong, a notable figure within both the Songbird Empire and the Thunder Sect, was at a loss for words.

His temperament was usually wild, but in the presence of Ann Jieshan, the constant sense of a deathly threat kept him lucid and cautious.

After all, Ann Jieshan's power and level were far beyond what Qi Yunhong could contend with.

"Young Master, I've secured the item I wanted," Ann Ziqing said with a slight smile to Yu Yuan. "As for the lives of Xie Bin and Qi Yunhong, I've decided to spare them."

With her declaration, the blood-red wall that had trapped Yu Yuan vanished.

"Qi Yunhong, Senior Xie Bin, please go ahead and leave."

Ann Ziqing issued a dismissal, indicating she wished to speak privately with her young master.

"There's nothing left to discuss," Yu Yuan responded, his demeanor icy. He commandeered the Crucible of Evil and set a direct course for Afnetalos.

Ann Ziqing had exploited her own abilities to bait Xie Bin and arrange a meeting with Qi Yunhong, seizing the Obsidian Thunder Sect's prized Glacial Storm Seal. This act had pushed Yu Yuan to his limit.

Yu Yuan saw Ann Ziqing's repeated transgressions as a breach of trust, and regardless of any future dealings with the Colddeath Sect, he could no longer place his faith in her.

Xie Bin's eyes fixed on Ann Ziqing, "What use do you have for the Glacial Storm Seal?"

"I'm not the one who desires the Glacial Storm Seal," Ann Ziqing clarified with a furrowed brow. "I merely needed to secure it first to trade for something else."

"The Thunder Sect, isn't it?" Xie Bin remarked with a huff.

Ann Ziqing remained silent.

"Mr. Xie, you're free to go," Ann Jieshan spoke with a neutral tone.

Taking a deep breath, Xie Bin nodded, "Once my Solar Spirit is fully formed, I will seek justice from the Colddeath."

Leaving those words behind, he quickly pursued Yu Yuan.

Deep down, he was acutely aware that he stood no chance against Ann Jieshan and reclaiming the Glacial Storm Seal would be futile. It was prudent to make a swift exit while Ann Ziqing and Ann Jieshan were still of the same mind.

The moment he made a move, he realized Qi Yunhong had already taken off at an even greater speed.

In the blink of an eye, Ann Ziqing and Ann Jieshan were the only ones left on the shores of Dedsend Lake.

"Girl, by doing this, Yu Yuan might never trust you again," Ann Jieshan, now a blood shadow, hovered in the air and remarked. "There's some history between the Yu family and our Ann family."

Upon returning to the Divine Cult, Ann Jieshan learned from Ann Wen that the Yu family descended from the Evil King, Yu Xi.

Yu Xi and Ann Wen were once as close as brothers, their bond unbreakable.

"It's okay," Ann Ziqing said, her smile unwavering. "As long as he's alive, that's what matters. A little pressure will only hasten his breakthroughs. The current ties between the Yu family and our Ann family will depend on how far Yu Yuan can advance on his cultivation journey."

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