The curse seals flowed like streaming light. The Holy Maiden Mingyi’s hand seals never ceased. She dissipated the attacks from the Holy Maiden Zhilan and Fan Boyu, while fending off Yue Honghai’s blade and whip, all the while remaining wary of Lu Zheng’s flying sword. It could truly be said she was divided in three directions.
Fortunately, her magical power was profound, and the jade flower in her hand was a first-rate magical treasure, allowing her to hold her ground.
At the same time, Fan Boyu, fully aware of the Holy Maiden Mingyi’s prowess, dared not approach closely. Yet Yue Honghai, whom the Holy Maiden Mingyi wished to ignore, pressed forward with mad and violent aggression.
The Pure Maiden Divine Blessing Method enhanced oneself through divine invocation techniques. Its combat arts mostly related to body and soul. Curses such as Divine Erosion, Bone Corrosion, Blood Sha, and Spirit Extinction stood in direct opposition to comprehensive self-enhancement.
Seeing Yue Honghai advance again, the Holy Maiden Mingyi pointed once more. The Blood Sha Curse activated silently and colourlessly, seeking to make all the blood in Yue Honghai’s body boil and explode.
Even though Yue Honghai had fallen for it before and was now prepared, he still felt his vital energy burning fiercely throughout his body, as if it would lift his cranial crown and burst skyward.
“Break!”
Yue Honghai roared loudly. His steel whip struck downward overhead, while his serrated blade slashed horizontally at the waist.
He had declared he would hold the front, and hold it he would.
After all, he was a demon with several centuries of cultivation. He spent his days eating, drinking, and merrymaking, but when it came to real combat, how could he possibly retreat?
The Holy Maiden Mingyi felt somewhat helpless. As a demon, Yue Honghai possessed an innately robust physique that weakened the Blood Sha Curse’s effect to some degree. If it had been Fan Boyu instead, he would likely already be gravely injured.
With a backhanded wave, the jade flower manifested an illusory bloom that instantly enlarged, resembling a great hammer grasped in the Holy Maiden Mingyi’s hand. She swung it fiercely towards Yue Honghai.
“Boom!”
A colossal clash of forces sent Yue Honghai flying back into the cloud qi and peach blossom killing mist once more.
Yet Yue Honghai had completed his task of holding the line. The curse seals from the Holy Maiden Zhilan and Fan Boyu closed in, adhering firmly to the surface of the Holy Maiden Mingyi’s protective radiance.
“Extinguish!”
Since they were fellow sect members, the Holy Maiden Mingyi easily dissipated and decomposed the curse seals. Of course, such dissipation required her to expend an additional thirty percent of her true qi.
“Whoosh!”
On the other side, the Silver Feather Cyan Radiance Sword descended like a meteor, having already thrust five or six times around the Holy Maiden Mingyi. Each strike shaved away large swathes of her protective divine light, forcing her to urgently reinforce it. She shifted her position, then spotting the sword’s trajectory, swung the giant hammer once more to block.
“Clang!”
“Slash!”
The giant hammer blocked the flying sword, but a chunk was also sliced off by it.
The Holy Maiden Mingyi’s eyes narrowed. The power of the Silver Feather Cyan Radiance Sword exceeded her expectations.
Yet she seized the momentary pause of the flying sword. The illusory flower instantly unfurled its petals in the void, resembling a great maw that swallowed the sword in reverse.
A trace of a smile touched the Holy Maiden Mingyi’s lips. The jade flower emitted a hazy cyan light, severing Lu Zheng’s connection to the flying sword.
“Mere sword cultivation. What is it worth mentioning?”
One must know that the Holy Maiden Mingyi’s strength surpassed even that of Zhilan. Her cultivation was profound and refined. She was unequivocally the strongest opponent Lu Zheng had encountered apart from the Black Heart Demon, and this was the first time his flying sword had been captured.
Having seized Lu Zheng’s flying sword, the Holy Maiden Mingyi breathed a sigh of relief. Then, taking advantage of the absence of Yue Honghai’s entanglement, she endured the attacks from the Holy Maiden Zhilan and Fan Boyu. With a backhanded sweep, she brushed the jade flower, aiming to knock down the jade ruyi hovering above Liu Qingyan’s head.
But at that instant, the Holy Maiden Mingyi suddenly felt a palpitation of the heart. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, as if great peril loomed.
Her pupils contracted. Without hesitation, she recalled the jade flower to protect herself.
“Boom!”
In the next moment, ferocious thunderbolts suddenly crashed down from the heavens. Five in succession, each more savage and domineering than the last, akin to heavenly wrath.
The Grand Unity Five Thunders! All five unleashed together!
It was the Grand Unity Five Thunders Curse that Lu Zheng had condensed at the very start of the battle, concealed by the formation.
Had the Holy Maiden Mingyi been even slightly careless, it could have gravely wounded her before she could protect herself with the jade flower.
Even so, unable to evade in time, she took a direct hit from the Grand Unity Five Thunders Curse. The protective radiance of the jade flower flickered and dimmed.
An invisible and formless Divine Erosion Curse closed in instantly, shooting straight at the Holy Maiden Mingyi’s heart.
“Thunder arts!?”
The Holy Maiden Mingyi’s face paled. Seeing the Divine Erosion Curse pierce through the jade flower’s defence, she could only point with her right hand, directing the curse to strike her fingertip.
Excruciating pain caused her to grimace involuntarily. Then true qi surged, using proximity to overcome distance as she dissipated it.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Three silent and colourless Cave Light Hidden Thunders quietly approached, then suddenly detonated.
The Holy Maiden Mingyi’s delicate frame shuddered. A trace of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. At last, she was injured.
At the same moment, seemingly insignificant specks of starfire drifted lightly from the north, carried on a gentle breeze.
It was precisely because the Holy Maiden Mingyi was injured and temporarily unable to break out that Shen Ying, now freed up, waved her round fan once more to launch another assault.
“Such audacity!”
The starfire appeared minuscule, but the Holy Maiden Mingyi knew its power well. She dared not underestimate it and hurriedly swung the jade flower, brushing out a cyan light to bar the path of the starfire.
Yet…
Another profound light arose from nowhere, striking with full force and carving a breach in the cyan light.
Grand Origin Profound Light. One must know that Shen Ying cultivated the Grand Origin Profound Scripture. This profound light, capable of both attack and defence, sealing foes or breaking restrictions, was her signature technique.
Exerted with full power, it opened a gap in the jade flower’s cyan light. Over a dozen points of phoenix starfire closed in on the Holy Maiden Mingyi, igniting abruptly.
Then over a dozen strands of golden flame illuminated the night sky, drilling uniformly towards her body.
“Phoenix divine fire!?”
The Holy Maiden Mingyi cried out in shock, hurriedly waving her hand to fend it off. In alarm, she asked, “What is your connection to the Phoenix Divine Maiden?”
“Phoenix Divine Maiden? Si Lingxi?” Lu Zheng chuckled. “I did not expect you to be so knowledgeable as to recognise her.”
The Holy Maiden Mingyi was utterly shocked. On the other side, the Holy Maiden Zhilan’s gaze towards Shen Ying was filled with astonishment. “Miss Shen knows Palace Master Si?”
Shen Ying smiled faintly and offered no reply, merely continuing to wave her hand. More specks of phoenix divine fire drifted on the wind, floating straight towards the Holy Maiden Mingyi.
“If Palace Master Si were here in person, I would naturally surrender without resistance. But do you think a mere fan is enough to subdue me?”
The Holy Maiden Mingyi’s eyes hardened with ruthlessness. She gently shook the jade flower in her hand. Though clearly an artificial bloom, its swaying in the breeze carried the grace of a real flower, enchanting and captivating.
“Hiss hiss hiss—”
The strands of phoenix divine fire extinguished in the void. A spiritual curse followed, but Liu Qingyan blocked it with her jade ruyi.
At that moment, Yue Honghai finally suppressed the roiling blood in his heart, regathering his spirit. Steel whip in his right hand and serrated blade in his left, he shot forward like a cannonball. “Demoness, come fight another three hundred rounds with old Yue!”
The Holy Maiden Mingyi’s willow-like brows inverted in anger. She could not help clenching her fist, then swung the jade flower once more, smashing downward. “If not for them, this palace could end your life in a single move! Ignorant fool seeking death. Very well! This palace shall start with you!”
