“Leaving now would be too early. We can withdraw once those demonic creatures reach the city gates!” A burly man with a face full of curly whiskers voiced his disagreement.
“By then, it might already be too late!” countered a pale-faced elder, his vitality clearly diminished, his tone calm but clearly siding with the beautiful woman.
“Hmph! Has Senior Brother Wang already become a startled bird after just one battle with these demons?” The whiskered man snorted coldly, his words laced with sarcasm.
“Junior Brother Tong, what do you know? You haven’t witnessed the might of the Ten Thousand Demon Banner firsthand. Though it’s merely a replica of a spiritual treasure, its power likely rivals that of the ancient Heavenly Demon Banner. Thankfully, it wasn’t the true form of Elder Che who arrived this time. Otherwise, even if the Palace Master and we joined forces, we’d stand no chance against him,” the pale-faced elder replied evenly, unruffled.
“Is it truly that formidable? Even so, breaking through our final layers of restrictions won’t be easy for them! I still find it improper to hastily retreat without fully utilizing our defenses!” The whiskered man wore a skeptical expression but shook his head nonetheless.
The beautiful woman frowned at this, sweeping her gaze over the others before speaking slowly, “Elders, let us not forget—the enemy has already reached our city’s outskirts. If not for Junior Sister Bai and Junior Brother Ye luring that Frost Phoenix into the Illusory Light Profound Heaven Formation, temporarily trapping it, we wouldn’t even be able to discuss this safely! That Frost Phoenix is a pure descendant of a celestial beast. Though only a tenth-grade demon, it possesses abilities nearly comparable to a mid-stage Deity Transformation cultivator, far beyond what a late-stage Nascent Soul human can match. Even with two elders personally controlling the formation, we won’t be able to restrain it for long. Under these circumstances, it’s best we prepare for withdrawal early. However, Elder Tong’s words aren’t without merit. Here’s my proposal: let the low-ranking disciples take shelter in the Void Spirit Hall first, while we and the high-ranking disciples use the remaining restrictions to strike the enemy hard, thinning their numbers before retreating without delay. Remember, our primary goal is to preserve the palace’s strength, not to annihilate the demons!” Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement.
Under the woman’s orders, the group dispersed to summon their disciples and prepare for the final battle and retreat.
The beautiful woman remained alone in the hall, seated in contemplation, a trace of worry flickering between her brows.
“What’s troubling you? Do you sense something amiss?” Though she sat motionless, a faint voice suddenly echoed in her mind—a stranger’s voice.
“Yellow Springs Ghost Mother, if you wish to avoid the agony of soul-piercing, stay silent!” The woman’s expression remained unchanged, but her mental reply was icy, clearly familiar with the other’s identity.
“Tsk, if you fear the Ten Thousand Demon Banner, why not let me handle it? Release my restraints, and together, that measly banner will be nothing!” The voice chuckled darkly, brimming with arrogance.
“Release you? Keep dreaming!” the woman sneered.
“I’m only thinking of your sake. If you won’t accept my help, so be it! Those demons clearly have another objective this time—why else would they mobilize so heavily? Hiding in the Void Spirit Hall won’t guarantee safety. The Small Extreme Palace may not escape this calamity,” the ghostly voice taunted.
“Even if you spin the most convincing tale, I won’t release you. A ghost cultivator of your level, unleashed, would wreak havoc! Stay sealed in the Nether Ghost Token!” The woman remained unmoved.
“Have you forgotten? Without my aid, how could you reach late-stage Nascent Soul in just five or six hundred years? And how many times have I saved your life? Without me, you’d never have become the Palace Master!” the voice shrieked, now furious.
“True, but don’t forget—I was the one who retrieved the Nether Ghost Token from the ten-thousand-year Profound Ice. You helped me advance only because you wanted me to break the Lifebound Curse. Saving me was saving yourself!” the woman replied coolly.
“You promised to free me!” the ghostly voice roared.
“I did, but then I discovered a secret technique that allows me to cultivate faster using your Nether Yin ghost energy. If you help me reach Deity Transformation, the curse will lift, and you may leave freely!”
“Deity Transformation? Do you take me for a celestial immortal or a reincarnated Spirit Realm sovereign? If I could reach Deity Transformation, why would I have turned to ghost cultivation?” the voice spat.
“If you can’t help me, I’ll reseal you before my death,” the woman stated flatly.
“Hmph! You may not even survive this ordeal, and your soul stones are exhausted! Without them, you can’t force me to obey!” the voice hissed.
“I have no soul stones left, but your earlier words are mere speculation. Do you truly believe these demons can breach the Void Spirit Hall? We don’t need your help—the Small Extreme Palace can handle this!” The woman’s expression darkened as she formed a hand seal, silencing the ghostly voice.
Two days later, after most low-ranking disciples had withdrawn, the demonic horde surged toward the ice city.
The Small Extreme Palace cultivators, relying on their final layers of restrictions, prepared for a fierce battle.
Elder Che’s avatar, the child, fully recovered from earlier injuries, led the charge alongside the old man and other shape-shifted demons.
The battle was brutal, with casualties on both sides, but the demons ultimately gained the upper hand. The child, wielding the Ten Thousand Demon Banner, devoured two palace elders, forcing the beautiful woman to retreat with her forces behind the last defenses.
Seizing the opportunity, Elder Che unleashed the banner’s full power, summoning countless demonic avatars to assault the final barrier.
The palace cultivators withdrew into the Coldflame Secret Realm, entering the Void Spirit Hall. At the woman’s command, the realm’s restrictions activated.
The three halls, arranged in a triangular formation, trembled violently as the ground split open, revealing a colossal array encircling them. The array, embedded with thousands of spirit stones—many mid-grade and even a dozen rare high-grade ones—hummed with profound energy.
A silver radiance coalesced above, forming a vast canopy of light. The three halls emitted faint glows before shooting massive beams into the radiance.
A thunderous roar echoed as spatial distortions rippled through the light. A white arc, hundreds of feet long, slowly emerged, stirring violent winds that toppled structures and disrupted spiritual energy.
As the spatial rift expanded, silver mist enveloped the halls. One by one, they rose and vanished into the rift.
Just as the third hall ascended, a snow-white Frost Phoenix materialized elsewhere in the realm. Its emerald eyes flickered with surprise before it shot a white beam toward the vanishing hall.
The beast watched coldly as the final hall disappeared into the rift, making no move to stop it.
With all three halls gone, the rift closed, and the realm’s anomalies ceased.
The Frost Phoenix let out a clear cry before vanishing in a flash of light.
Moments later, a deafening tremor shook the mountain as the demons breached the last barrier. The old man and the child charged toward the peak.
Meanwhile, at the depths of the Profound Jade Cave, Frost Li the Transcendent reached the final stage of his breakthrough.
Within the formation, Han Li, having ceased his Purple Apex Flames, stared in astonishment at the scene before him.
The old woman, Bai Mengxin, and the others were equally stunned, their eyes fixed on the massive stone at the formation’s center.
The radiant sphere had vanished, replaced by a milky-white lotus. Frost Li sat within it, wreathed in tendrils of cold mist.
On his forehead, a six-colored lotus mark flickered erratically. Stranger still, a faint fragrance—reminiscent of sandalwood and medicinal herbs, yet tinged with a metallic tang—emanated from his body.
It was utterly unfathomable.
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