Chapter 258: Chapter 255: Great Battle and Visitors from Great Zhou

「The eastern part of the Land of the Far North.」

In a desolate ice valley, a dozen or so Yeti Race Cultivators were cautiously besieging a worm-like Demon Beast that was several meters long.

Aside from four rather elderly Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators, who appeared to be elders of the Yeti Race, the rest were all young people in their twenties with Middle-stage Qi Refining Cultivation.

The four Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators didn’t attack, but merely positioned themselves to block the Demon Beast’s escape.

In reality, the youngsters were the ones putting on a show, serving as Spirit Binders for various Dharma Artifacts to fight the Demon Beast. It seemed they were Low-tier Cultivators from some Yeti Tribe, specifically sent out to hunt a Demon Beast as part of a trial or something similar.

The four older Cultivators, meanwhile, were the elders responsible for protecting them.

Seeing the Tier One Demon Beast bleeding profusely and on the verge of death under the siege of their tribe’s juniors, the four elderly Yeti Race Cultivators all breathed a sigh of relief.

They began to exchange interested voice transmissions with one another.

"Little Seven’s skill as a Spirit Binder for his Flying Sword is quite good. It looks like he’s not far from breaking through to Late-stage Qi Refining."

"That Tier One Upper Grade Dharma Artifact of his..."

...

As they were discussing, a rumbling sound suddenly filled their ears. They all looked up, but when they saw the situation in the sky clearly, their faces filled with terror.

"This is bad! Run!"

But before they could do anything else—

BANG!

A black, shadowy mass smashed directly into their valley. In that instant, the very earth seemed to shatter. With the valley as the epicenter, the snowy ground for several miles around cracked apart under the impact, revealing one bottomless fissure after another.

As for the Yeti Race Qi Refining Cultivators, they had been turned to dust in the very first moment.

BUZZ~

Amidst a high-pitched hum, the black shadow shot up from the ground and flew into the sky, finally circling around a bald man in a green robe. A closer look would reveal that the black shadow was, in fact, a seven-story, pagoda-shaped Magical Treasure.

Lu Laomo glanced at the massive crater his Magical Treasure had created below, a hint of doubt in his eyes. He seemed to have sensed the presence of life there a moment before.

But that no longer mattered. His gaze whipped toward the pale-faced, red-robed young woman in the sky. "Fellow Daoist Xiao, if you would be so kind as to hand over the Sword Artifact you brought out of the secret realm to this venerable one."

Having dodged the strike from Lu Laomo’s Magical Treasure, Xiao Yunzhi stood poised in midair. Two curved wheels, one crimson and one snow-white, floated before her, protecting her.

Several years ago, she had sought out an Artifact Refining Master in Yong’an City and commissioned him to forge the ten-thousand-year-old Ice Jade into the Cold Flame Wheel. With that, her Sun and Moon Ring Magical Treasure was complete.

But to her surprise, just days ago, as she was preparing to return to Flying Snow City, she had unexpectedly run into her mortal enemy, Lu Laomo!

Upon seeing her, Lu Laomo had been overjoyed and attacked immediately, intending to capture her.

Xiao Yunzhi, as expected, was at a disadvantage and could only choose to flee. The two had been locked in a running battle for days, and she had already fled for thousands of miles.

Now, hearing Lu Laomo’s words, a strange expression appeared on her face. ’Lu Laomo’s strength... doesn’t seem as great as the rumors say.’

After her own ancestor died at Lu Laomo’s hands, Lu Laomo proclaimed himself the number one Cultivator in the Western Wilderness.

Xiao Yunzhi had originally thought that as an Early-stage Core Formation Cultivator facing this fiend, she would have no choice but to surrender. To her surprise, however, during the prolonged chase, she was only at a disadvantage, not completely powerless to fight back.

This was partly due to the sharpness of her Sun and Moon Ring, her Lifebound Magical Treasure, but more importantly, Lu Laomo was not as terrifying as she had imagined.

At least in Xiao Yunzhi’s eyes, someone with Lu Laomo’s level of strength could never have been her ancestor’s opponent, let alone have killed him.

’He hasn’t summoned his spirit flood dragon. Is he not using his full strength yet?’ Xiao Yunzhi wondered.

Meanwhile, seeing that Xiao Yunzhi was ignoring him, Lu Laomo snorted coldly. "Hmph! You refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. Since you won’t hand over the Sword Artifact, this venerable one will take it himself!"

BUZZ~

A sharp hum rang out as the black pagoda hovering above his head began to spin rapidly and hurtle toward Xiao Yunzhi.

Not daring to be careless, Xiao Yunzhi pointed a single hand. The Red Flame Wheel shot out to collide with the black pagoda, while the Cold Flame Wheel faintly shielded her.

Under the force of the collision, the Red Flame Wheel could only barely hold its ground.

The shockwave of Magical Power made Xiao Yunzhi’s face turn even paler.

’Even though Lu Laomo isn’t as strong as I imagined, I still can’t deal with him,’ Xiao Yunzhi thought frantically. ’He’s after the Three Yin Soul-Slaying Sword, but that Sword Artifact isn’t on me. It’s with Brother Li.’

’I can’t let him find out, or Brother Li will be in danger. And I can’t go back to Flying Snow City!’

At this thought, Xiao Yunzhi bit her Silver Fang, formed a hand seal, and began to chant. The two flying wheels in the air erupted with a blinding spiritual light.

Lu Laomo thought she was about to risk it all and grew more vigilant.

The next moment—

BOOM!

The two wheels, one crimson and one snow-white, suddenly flew to Xiao Yunzhi’s side, their ends connecting to form a single flying ring. One side of the ring burned with Crimson Flame, while the other coalesced with a surging, snow-colored Cold Flame.

Distinct yet perfectly unified—the Magical Treasure, the Sun and Moon Ring!

The moment the Sun and Moon Ring took form, an astonishing Spiritual Pressure rose from it without reservation, spreading out in all directions like a tidal wave.

"What is this?" The terrifying power of the Sun and Moon Ring moved even Lu Laomo. He knew that Xiao Yunzhi’s next attack would be earth-shattering!

BUZZ~

As he poured all his Magical Power into it, the black pagoda swelled in the air, instantly transforming into a behemoth hundreds of meters tall that shielded him from behind.

However, just as Lu Laomo finished his preparations and the Spiritual Pressure from the Sun and Moon Ring reached its peak—

WHOOSH!

Xiao Yunzhi didn’t attack. Instead, she instantly transformed into a ball of red and white spiritual light and shot westward at a terrifying speed, disappearing over the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Her speed was simply unheard of, far surpassing that of an ordinary Core Formation Cultivator!

"She fled? Do you think you can escape?" Seeing this, a flash of anger crossed Lu Laomo’s eyes. He also transformed into a green Escape Light and chased after her.

The direction they were heading was precisely toward Great Zhou.

Xiao Yunzhi was enveloped in a red and white Shield, and with every flicker, she crossed dozens of meters in an instant. She was using the escape Secret Technique that came with her Sun and Moon Ring Magical Treasure.

If this had happened before she met Li Ping, even knowing she was no match, Xiao Yunzhi would have chosen to fight Lu Laomo to the death!

But through Li Ping’s words and example, she understood very well: a moment of hot-headedness is worth nothing. The most important thing is to stay alive. As long as you live, the possibilities are endless.

’Lu Laomo, once my Cultivation reaches Late-stage Core Formation, I will definitely kill you to avenge my ancestor!’

...

Far away in Flying Snow City, Li Ping had no idea that Xiao Yunzhi had been pursued to the Land of the Far North by Lu Laomo.

Nor did he know that for his safety, Xiao Yunzhi had deliberately fled toward Great Zhou, leading Lu Laomo away with her.

At this very moment, he was receiving a special guest.

This was a gentle and refined young scholar dressed in a cyan robe, with handsome features.

Though he seemed plainly dressed, his Cultivation had shockingly reached the Core Formation realm, so Li Ping dared not be neglectful.

The one who brought this young scholar was Shi Yutong. She smiled and explained to Li Ping, "Brother Li, this is Senior Lu of the Great Zhou Confucian Sect. He has been entrusted by the Immortal Alliance to investigate the destruction of Silver Moon City."

Li Ping was shocked by the man’s extraordinary background and quickly bowed respectfully. "This junior pays his respects to Senior Lu."

"Fellow Daoist, there’s no need for such formalities." Senior Lu was very approachable.

Waiting for Li Ping to rise, he then asked with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Li, is Fairy Xiao who was with you not here? This humble scholar has a few questions for her."

"Looking for Xiao Yunzhi?" Li Ping feigned confusion and looked at Shi Yutong.

Shi Yutong explained, "Back then, Senior Xiao accepted this little sister’s request to travel north and investigate my father’s death. After she returned, she told me that she suspected a Nascent Soul Cultivator was involved in his demise. Senior Lu wishes to learn more detailed information."

Li Ping came to a sudden realization. "I see."

But then he gave a wry smile. "To be honest with you, Senior Lu, after my sworn sister reached Core Formation, she left Flying Snow City to have her Lifebound Magical Treasure refined. As for where she went, even I do not know."

"She left Flying Snow City to have a Magical Treasure refined." Senior Lu was a bit taken aback upon hearing this.

After a moment of contemplation, he asked gently, "Fellow Daoist Li, do you know when Fairy Xiao might return?"

Li Ping shook his head. "I do not."

In truth, he really didn’t know.

If Xiao Yunzhi had gone to Yong’an City, she might return within a few years. But if she had gone back to the Western Wilderness, she might never come back at all.

"Is that so." Senior Lu’s brow furrowed slightly.

However, despite not getting the information he wanted, Senior Lu did not make things difficult for Li Ping. Instead, he smiled, bid his farewell, and left.

Before leaving, he also asked Li Ping to help pass on a message to Xiao Yunzhi.

If Xiao Yunzhi returned, he hoped to have a meeting with her.

Li Ping agreed.

Before he departed, Li Ping learned from Senior Lu that his real name was Lu Chang’an.

...

As he watched Lu Chang’an and Shi Yutong leave, Li Ping couldn’t help but fall into thought.

He knew that Great Zhou and the Land of the Far North actually had a connection. If the Human Race in the Land of the Far North faced a great disaster, Cultivators from Great Zhou would come to their aid.

For example, a thousand years ago, an Ice Flood Dragon destroyed the Celestial Skill Sect.

A Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator from Great Zhou had attacked in a rage, nearly skinning the Ice Flood Dragon alive and pulling out its tendons.

Now that Silver Moon City had suffered a similar fate, it was only natural for Great Zhou to send Lu Chang’an to investigate.

’As for why Shi Yutong is so enthusiastic about Lu Chang’an’s investigation?’

Shi Yutong’s father, Mu Yun Master, had died in the fall of Silver Moon City. With her own strength, she couldn’t avenge him.

Now that Lu Chang’an had appeared, if she could help him uncover the truth, she might be able to use the power of the Immortal Alliance behind him to slay her powerful enemy and avenge her father.

So it was no surprise that she was being so unusually enthusiastic and helpful.

Li Ping felt her actions were perfectly understandable.

But he didn’t want Xiao Yunzhi to get too involved in this matter.

After all, the incident seemed to involve a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

’How could mere ants like them provoke such a lofty figure, a Land Immortal?’

If Xiao Yunzhi got too deeply involved, she would be courting death.

Li Ping whispered to himself, "Lu Chang’an..."

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