“Boom!” A thunderous crash echoed as the stone seal suspended in mid-air suddenly emitted overwhelming radiance. Countless multicolored rays filled the sky above, massive air currents rampaging in all directions. Qing Xia instantly felt enormous impact force strike from above, causing her blood to surge and her throat to suddenly taste of metallic sweetness.
Looking intently, she saw the old man’s skin pulsating all over his body, violent hurricanes blowing his skin to undulate like layers of ocean waves. His full head of white hair danced in the wind, his wide robes like a great bird, billowing and fluttering. Blood streamed from his seven orifices, and from the large hole in his chest, blood gushed like a spring.
Xi Linyu forcibly steadied himself and looked up, his face becoming increasingly pale, blood spots dotting his chest, falling on his snow-white clothes like plum blossoms in snow.
Tragic and desperate fierce roars echoed in everyone’s hearts, as if ancient fierce beasts had all awakened. The ancient mechanism creaked ominously with alarming presence.
With a thunderous crash that shook the heavens, bloody droplets filled the sky. Those parasitic insects that had lost Ousi Lanya’s control suddenly flew into mid-air, biting Zhu Qinghe’s face. The side of the old man’s face bitten by the insects revealed white bone beneath!
Suffocating chewing sounds continuously echoed in the air. Zhu Qinghe screamed wildly with fierce expression, showing no fear whatsoever. Suddenly throwing back his head in a long howl, he summoned divine power and actually opened his already damaged bloody mouth, swallowing all the flying parasitic insects in one gulp!
Massive screams resounded through heaven and earth. Even those fierce poisonous insects couldn’t help but feel afraid. Endless blood immediately shot skyward, raising waves of blood that all sprayed onto that crimson Heavenly Mechanism Lock!
Thunderous roar! Countless white radiances immediately filled heaven and earth, countless streaming lights instantly shrouded the entire stone chamber. Under the brilliant colors throughout the sky, the walls hard as iron suddenly trembled, large patches of dust immediately fell away, revealing the original white stone walls. Under golden radiance, those white stone walls transformed into dazzling colors, five lights flashing, like flowing clouds, fire-like burning heat filling the stone chamber. Qing Xia’s hair tips instantly curled. Looking carefully, she saw all clothing around Zhu Qinghe catch fire, large patches of skin on his body charred black, making him look as if wearing black clothes.
Multicolored radiance burst forth, enveloping the entire stone chamber as countless air waves surged wildly.
“Haha!” Hoarse laughter immediately rang out. Zhu Qinghe madly threw back his head in a long howl, laughing until tears flowed like springs, his breath like thunder, as if releasing resentment trapped for thirty years. The former graceful young master, Penglai’s favored disciple, now looked like a bloodthirsty demon filled with eerie, sinister deathly aura.
The old man’s eyes were blood-red as he roared thunderously: “Penglai! Seven Departments! Die together!”
His large hand pulled a massive gear. Qing Xia’s heart cried out in alarm. Just as she was about to rush out to stop this madman blinded by hatred, at this critical moment, suddenly a piercing whistle came through the air. A white radiance immediately broke through from the outer corridor, striking toward Zhu Qinghe swift as lightning!
“Clang!” A sharp, piercing stone cry suddenly exploded in the stone chamber. Qing Xia turned to look and saw a white radiance flying swiftly from the dark corridor. It was unmistakably a silver-white curved bow. The man had sharp eyes and brows, sword-like eyebrows extending to his temples, lips tightly pressed, wearing a black-gold long robe that made him appear even more unruly and extraordinary!
“In imperial games, what fault do common people bear? Even if the gentleman disregards fellowship bonds, would he also ignore the lives of all people?”
A resolute, cold voice suddenly rang out. Qing Xia’s entire body stiffened, the whole person instantly frozen in place, her heart a mixture of flavors rising and falling—sweet, sour, bitter, spicy all intermingled in indescribable taste. This thunder-like proud kingly aura, this ice-frost-like intimidating arrogant bearing—who else could it be but Southern Chu’s Great Emperor Chu Li?
The pain of traveling in darkness for three days, the repeated frustrations and fears—in this moment all transformed into a gaze of burning attention. She never knew Chu Li’s appearance could make her so joyful and excited, never knew Chu Li’s figure could make her feel so reliable and warm, never knew Chu Li’s voice could make her so emotionally stirred. She stared blankly at the man appearing before her like a descending deity, boldly appearing before her in this eerie, terrifying, besieged situation, disrupting the enemy’s entire deployment with thunderous momentum. Her voice nearly hoarse, she said deeply: “Chu Li.”
The pale, petite woman in green robes had no gorgeous decorations, her clothes even worn and dirty, covered in dust, with long black hair flowing behind her. Her autumn-water-like eyes were gentle as jade, elegant and holy, serene as flowers. Chu Li’s ice-snow-like countenance immediately softened, smiling deeply at Qing Xia: “I knew you’d be fine.”
Xi Linyu frowned, his eyes immediately showing enormous cold light and hatred. Sneering once, he stood tall, blocking in front of Zhu Qinghe, coldly laughing: “The senior was already kicked out by Penglai thirty years ago—what fellowship bonds exist? His Majesty the Great Emperor comes uninvited, not to reminisce here, but truly so impatient he wants to come deliver his life?”
Chu Li snorted coldly, raising an eyebrow, anger flashing in his eyes. Just as he was about to step forward, Qing Xia suddenly frowned lightly, stepped forward to grasp his hand, gently shaking her head, then turned to Zhu Qinghe saying: “Penglai indeed owes the gentleman, but wrongs have perpetrators and debts have debtors. How can you be incited by evil people to disregard all people under heaven?”
Wild winds raged around, fierce fires burned high. Zhu Qinghe seemed unable to hear, not even glancing this way.
Xi Linyu sneered coldly: “Heaven’s road you won’t take, hell’s gate you break into. Since you’ve delivered yourself, don’t blame me for showing no mercy. New grievances and old hatreds—today we’ll settle them all!”
Having said this, a mass of black blade shadows immediately shot skyward. The entire person like a giant hawk, form inverting, spinning like a top to whip up great whirlwinds, rushing urgently toward Chu Li…
Chu Li sneered coldly, his hand techniques instantly like great rivers, like rhinoceros horns hanging, surging and roaring as he met the attack.
Xi Linyu snorted coldly, his hand suddenly forming a black radiance over a zhang long, breath surging. Halfway through, he changed direction, carrying world-destroying momentum as he suddenly swung down toward Qing Xia’s head!
Qing Xia suddenly raised her head. The fierce, violent hurricane blew her flower-like face painfully, long hair flying, robes billowing. The massive gale seemed ready to lift her entire body, her eyes almost unable to open, her face completely pale. Energy around her body surged, wanting to dissolve that offensive, but before touching the edge, her whole body shook, meridians immediately painful, throat sweet, a mouthful of fresh blood immediately surged up. Her lips parted slightly, spilling bright red plum blossoms all over her body.
Her steps staggered as if unable to stand steady. She had focused all her attention on how to stop Zhu Qinghe, never expecting Xi Linyu to suddenly change moves and attack herself. Since meeting, although the two had clearly different positions, Xi Linyu had never attacked her. Now it was too late to change moves. Hand covering her chest, her heart anxious as burning fire.
In the moment between life and death, she didn’t care about her own survival at all, only worrying about the consequences of opening the Heavenly Mechanism Lock. Thousands of li of Penglai holy land would become ruins, the entire Bailu Plain would be flooded, countless people would die miserably in torrents, Chu Li and Qin Zhiyan’s strength would greatly diminish, Qi’an would inevitably take the opportunity to launch surprise attacks…
In that instant between life and death, two handsome faces suddenly appeared before her eyes. She had trained in military departments since childhood, with resilient mind and ruthless methods. Though she’d had many men, all were for missions and various purposes. She could kill while chatting and laughing, but in recognizing her own feelings, she was like a primary school student without experience. She struggled to guard her emotions, but was helplessly drawn repeatedly into turmoil. Time passed hazily like flowing wind, she remained confused, one person’s flowers blooming, one person’s flowers falling, no one caring, heart like still water. Before this, the entire world seemed so illusory and meaningless to her. She only remembered her responsibilities, what she should and shouldn’t do, slowly passing those long, lonely years.
But now, she had finally completely lost that detachment and freedom. During this period, she repeatedly asked herself: which one do you actually like, or love? Yet she could never find a definitive answer. How could this be her? How could she have such a weak, indecisive, hesitant character? Fine then, just die here like this, no need to think about those entanglements anymore, no need to make difficult choices. Just die here in this ten-thousand-zhang deep cavern, without sorrow, without pain—that would also be a kind of release.
Xi Linyu’s blade struck horizontally and vertically, massive black air waves rising again, fierce momentum instantly covering Qing Xia! Just then, a howl firm as wrought iron suddenly thundered forth. A figure suddenly rushed up rapidly, lightning flashing, like a thunderbolt exploding across the sky. A spear hard as black iron flashed down like a dragon, startling bright dazzling light!
The newcomer moved like lightning, rising on wind, hand techniques alarming, instantly passing Xi Linyu’s side with graceful, agile moves that decisively blocked Xi Linyu’s offensive.
Behind him, Chu Li, unable to catch up in time, shot arrows from his bent bow densely toward Xi Linyu’s direction like flying locusts. His offensive swift as great rivers, movements like fierce tigers and leopards, whole body carrying enormous explosive power. Being simultaneously attacked by two masters, Xi Linyu was startled and quickly retreated.
The white-clothed man swept Qing Xia up in his arms and retreated like a whirlwind. All three masters simultaneously withdrew their hands. Dust in the stone chamber gradually settled, countless smoke and dust hanging between them. After a long while, it finally cleared.