Chapter 168
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Chapter 168: Stars Devour Cold
The ancient pavilion soared high into the sky, bathed in golden starlight that pierced through layers of swirling mist, creating an ever-shifting tapestry of clouds and shadows.
Within the pavilion, beneath the vast heavens, spiritual energy gathered in gentle ripples. Inside the black barrier that obscured sight and breath, a woman in a fiery red robe lay unconscious on the cold flagstone. Her face was pale, her body chilled to the bone, and her brow furrowed as she murmured faintly in her unconscious state. Her enchanting, bewitching aura was tinged with an air of delicate fragility.
Ming He stood outside the barrier, her gaze fixed on the scene before her. She sighed softly, her eyes shifting to Qin Chu Yi, who stood beside her, also clad in a bright red garment but exuding a different kind of grace. Ming He’s voice was gentle, though laced with a faint trace of exhaustion: “Senior Sister, you…”
You don’t have to stay here for me.
Before she could finish, Qin Chu Yi cut her off. The woman’s face bore the weariness of countless battles, yet her eyes burned with unyielding determination. “I will stay here,” she said firmly.
She would guard Ming He here.
The battlefield of the heavens had just witnessed a series of brutal clashes. Ming He had barely taken a healing pill and changed into clean blue clothes before she resolved to use her Star Power to dispel the bone-chilling cold that had overtaken Feng Xin, who lay unconscious and vulnerable.
Though the Star Lock was an ancient spiritual artifact, it was not omnipotent.
Ming He’s own injuries were severe, her meridians still trembling from the strain. The blood sacrifice techniques of sword cultivators and Nineteen’s cultivation blood sacrifice remained unresolved.
There was so much to do.
Yet, Feng Xin could not be left to suffer.
As the leader of the Phoenix Clan, Feng Xin had risked everything to save Ming He during a critical moment on the battlefield. Both out of duty and personal obligation, as the young leader of the human race, Ming He had no choice but to save her.
Qin Chu Yi felt powerless, unable to offer more than her presence. If Ming He were in danger, she could rely on her Spirit Contract and the inheritance from the Ancient Emperor’s Tomb to intervene.
If all else failed, she would share life and death with Ming He. That was the final bond they could face together.
With this resolve, Qin Chu Yi tightened her grip on the Chi Li sword, leaning against the barrier with unwavering determination.
Ming He could only sigh, reaching out to embrace Qin Chu Yi briefly. She inhaled the cool, familiar scent that seemed etched into her very soul, then released her, placing the Xuanyuan Sword into Qin Chu Yi’s hands. Her voice was low but steady: “Senior Sister, I will be fine.”
She turned and stepped through the barrier, approaching Feng Xin. Kneeling beside her, Ming He lifted the woman’s cold form, settling into a cross-legged position and placing her palms against Feng Xin’s icy back.
With a focused thought, she channeled her vast spiritual energy, feeling the dormant Star Lock grow warm within her chest. The surging Star Power flowed through her meridians, and despite the pain that wracked her body, she directed it into Feng Xin’s form.
“Hmm!”
Feng Xin shuddered, a faint sound escaping her lips. A hint of color returned to her pale face as her eyes fluttered open, filled with a complex mix of emotions. She sat up, cross-legged, summoning her Phoenix True Fire. The flames, guided by the Star Power, clashed against the bone-chilling cold that had plagued her for thousands of years. For the first time since her entrapment in the ice coffin, she felt warmth spreading through her body.
This warmth came from Ming He—the same Ming He she had once manipulated into swearing a Blood Oath with the Phoenix Fire Seed.
Her original plan had been to use Ming He, the recognized master of the Star Lock, to rid herself of the cold that had tormented her for millennia.
Though Ming He had reached the Wind Master realm and begun to grasp the power of heaven and earth, she was still too weak to achieve this alone. She had needed the aid of the wutong tree, a spiritual tree that grew only in Wutong Heaven, its value beyond measure.
Feng Xin had envisioned Ming He becoming the Phoenix Lord of the Phoenix Clan, ensuring the wutong tree’s existence remained a secret.
But now… now the wutong tree was no longer necessary.
The young leader of the human race!
Feng Xin closed her eyes, pushing aside her thoughts, and focused on dispelling the cold that had clung to her for so long.
The barrier rippled faintly with their breaths, mirroring the turmoil in Qin Chu Yi’s heart.
Through the transparent ripples, Qin Chu Yi watched Ming He. The woman’s blue clothes were drenched in sweat, her delicate face glistening with perspiration. Her peach blossom eyes were closed, their usual sparkle dimmed, and thin trails of blood stained her pale lips. The Star Lock burned fiercely, its heat searing Ming He’s heart meridian.
The Star Power clashed against the bone-chilling cold, not as the effortless resolution Feng Xin had anticipated, but as a fierce contest of strength against strength. It was a duel between the severely weakened Ming He, laden with injuries, and the Ice Phoenix, a creature that had battled Feng Xin millennia ago, resulting in a near mutual destruction that had sealed Feng Xin within an ice coffin. This Ice Phoenix, a descendant of the ancient fiends, blessed by the heavens and earth, was no ordinary foe.
The Stars Devouring Cold was, in essence, a battle of life and death.
This was why Qin Chu Yi was fraught with worry, her heart in turmoil.
“Whoosh!”
After an indeterminate period, a powerful surge of air erupted within the barrier, a tempest of wind and thunder dispersing in all directions, only to be contained by the barrier’s rippling force.
Qin Chu Yi’s body trembled slightly, her fingers pale as she gripped the hilt of the Xuanyuan Sword with all her might, barely restraining the urge to step into the barrier and hold Ming He close.
She could not enter now.
The Stars Devouring Cold must not be disturbed by the Spirit Contract.
Her presence would divert the Star Power to heal her own grievous wounds.
Inside the barrier, dust and debris swirled as the Star Power within Ming He collided with pure spiritual energy, creating a violent backlash that surged through her meridians. She coughed up a mist of blood, swaying unsteadily, only to be steadied by a warm embrace tinged with a cool touch.
A soft sigh reached her ears, the voice laden with emotion, a blend of tenderness and severity: “Why save me?”
Ming He opened her eyes to meet Feng Xin’s deep, dark phoenix eyes. The flame mark on her brow glowed fiercely, a clear sign that the bone-chilling cold had been refined by the Phoenix True Fire, and the injuries from the Tian Yan Tribe clan leader’s secret attack had vanished.
She tried to sit up, pulling away from Feng Xin’s embrace, but the pain in her meridians was unbearable. She swayed and fell back into the warm arms, her voice faint as she spoke: “Because you are the Phoenix Lord, the leader of the Phoenix Clan.”
And she was the young leader of the human race.
In the battle on the battlefield of the heavens, Feng Xin had allied with the human race, fighting alongside them against other races to protect the Tianwu Continent.
The ancient fiends, led by the Phoenix Clan, had to save her, for she was their clan leader.
“Is that so?” Feng Xin cradled Ming He’s body, her gaze lingering on the bloodstain at the corner of her lips, lost in thought. “Is it just because I am the Phoenix Lord?”
She whispered the question so softly that Ming He, even at such close proximity, could barely hear it, but she spoke with solemnity: “Moreover, the Phoenix Lord saved my life; it is only right that I save you.”
Ming He smiled faintly, still the righteous and clear figure that Feng Xin remembered: “To be honest, I owe the Phoenix Lord a promise.”
In the Donghua Realm, she had taken Feng Xin’s Phoenix Fire Seed and given it to Qin Chu Yi. The aid that the Phoenix Fire Seed provided to the human race on the battlefield of the heavens was beyond words, but Ming He had no intention of going to Wutong Heaven or becoming a Phoenix Lord, so—
“Since I saved you today, does that mean the Blood Oath is fulfilled?”
Ming He asked cautiously, a hint of anxiety in her demeanor.
She had known from the start that Feng Xin regarded her differently because of the Star Lock, but when she had saved her life on the battlefield earlier, it seemed to be more than that.
With those thoughts, Ming He hesitated to delve deeper, focusing instead on wanting to eliminate the Blood Oath.
Previously, she had been unaware, but later at the ceremony for appointing the young leader, she received the inheritance from Mu Chen and learned that while one could navigate through word traps concerning the Blood Oath, failure to fulfill it would restrict a cultivator’s breakthrough.
After all, it was a vow birthed from the heavens and earth, and to break through to the Earth Emperor Realm, she could not avoid this heavy burden.
Feng Xin, watching her demeanor, couldn’t help but smile slightly. She opened her mouth to say something, but when she sensed the turbulence of energy within Ming He’s meridians, she sighed again, realizing that Ming He had truly gambled her life by using the Star Lock to save her. She nodded: “The Blood Oath is fulfilled.”
Thus, there was no other connection between her and Ming He.
Feng Xin lowered her eyes to hide the unusual expression in them and waved her hand to summon a small flicker of crimson flame, sending it into Ming He’s body: “I never owe anyone a favor; consider this Phoenix Fire a reward for the young leader.”
She laughed heartily, gazing deeply at Ming He, then reached out to wipe the blood from her lips. Meeting Qin Chu Yi’s shadowy gaze from outside the barrier, she released Ming He to stabilize herself, stood up to brush off the dust from her robe, and strode confidently out of the barrier. As she brushed past Qin Chu Yi, a hint of melancholy flickered through her eyes.
Ming He felt a start as she realized that the moment the red flame entered her body, she became enveloped in starlight. The chaotic currents around her seemed to freeze and become entangled, as if a more powerful force was guiding the Star Power and pure spiritual energy back to their rightful places.
Her eyes held a slightly complex expression as she shifted her gaze to another black figure within the barrier. It was Nineteen, sitting cross-legged, sustained by the Four-direction Compass, which kept her life force intact.
In the critical moment of battle, Nineteen had sacrificed her cultivation to empower the array flags, forcibly suppressing the overwhelming force of the Absolute Formation of Mist. Though the Four-direction Compass had preserved her last breath, her cultivation in the Spiritual Path had vanished entirely.
Nineteen, whose sword once cast a cold light across nineteen states, was a human cultivator who had abandoned the path of the sword to master formations. She was the disciple of the Sword Master, Li Fusheng.
Ming He sat cross-legged behind her, the Sea of Souls churning as she manipulated the Four-direction Compass to hover closely above Nineteen’s head. At that moment, the majestic aura of the mysteries of the Great Path descended as if summoned.
Ming He bit her lip and let a drop of blood fall into the center of the Four-direction Compass. She guided the golden droplet toward Nineteen’s forehead, where it shimmered briefly before disappearing.
The air around Nineteen stirred, and Ming He, wielding her Soul Sword, deftly sliced a fingertip from Nineteen and placed it at the center of the Four-direction Compass. Closing her eyes, she softly chanted strange, mystical syllables, which formed black droplets in the air. These droplets flew to Nineteen’s head and merged into her.
Ming He’s face grew paler, while Nineteen’s complexion gradually regained its rosy hue.
This was the ritual of transferring ownership of the Four-direction Compass—not a vile act of killing for treasures, but a sacred ceremony where a spiritual artifact recognized its new master through the offering of blood.
The Four-direction Compass was an imperial artifact crafted by the Clan Ancestor of the Qin Clan, designed to gather fortune and righteousness from the human realm, naturally opposing all that was evil and dark.
Though Nineteen’s cultivation had been reduced to nothing, she remained the master of the Ancient Formation of Heaven, inherently opposed to the Absolute Formation of Mist. Thus, only by granting her the Four-direction Compass could she survive.
Yet, this act meant Ming He would endure the excruciating pain of severing her bond with the imperial artifact. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead as she opened her eyes to meet Nineteen’s stunned gaze. Ming He smiled gently and spoke first: “No need to thank me.”
“In the ancient cave dwelling, you gave me the Sword Breaking Talisman. Now, I gift you the Four-direction Compass. Both are treasures meant to preserve life, and their value is irrelevant.”
Nineteen chuckled softly, lowering her head to hide the moisture in her eyes. She reached out to support Ming He, using her mastery of formations to ease her pain. Her voice was light and teasing: “Young leader, you have such thick skin. I never said I was going to thank you.”
She raised an eyebrow, her eyes sparkling like starlight under the clear sunlight filtering through the barrier. There was no trace of sorrow over her lost cultivation. “In life and death, standing side by side as comrades—that’s how it should be!”
“Indeed,” Ming He replied with a soft laugh, the weight in her heart lifting. “It should be this way. I was being narrow-minded.”
She blinked, sensing the pure energy of formations within her and feeling a flicker of confusion. “Huh?”
Hadn’t her cultivation vanished completely? How could she still wield the power of formations?
Nineteen noticed her puzzlement and smiled, her pride evident. “Among the three thousand Great Paths, the Spiritual Path, Soul Path, Sword Path, and Formation Path are all independent. The Spiritual Path is merely the foundation. Having it is a blessing, but losing it is no cause for regret.”
“The path I cultivate is the Formation Path. Even without spiritual energy, I am still myself.”
“Just as your essence lies in being a sword cultivator.”
Ming He nodded thoughtfully. Seeing that Nineteen seemed stable, she prepared to leave, but the woman in black clothes swiftly grabbed her arm. “Ming He, your Senior Sister has broken through to the Earth Emperor Realm!”
“So?” Ming He replied, puzzled. Seeing Nineteen struggling to pull her sleeve, she felt a pang of sympathy and slowly crouched down, ignoring Qin Chu Yi’s ambiguous gaze from outside the barrier.
“So, you need to be cautious around your Senior Sister,” Nineteen whispered, her tone conspiratorial.
Ming He frowned, pretending to listen attentively, though her mind wandered to her Senior Sister’s behavior during the battle.
“Don’t you know that breaking through from the Human King stage to the Earth Emperor Realm involves the Trial of the Heart?” Nineteen asked, surprised. Then, recalling Ming He’s background and the celestial game at the Imperial Palace, she continued, “The Trial of the Heart is an obstacle imposed by the laws of heaven and earth before one can ascend to the Earth Emperor Realm.”
“To break through, one must overcome their inner demons.”
“Every Earth Emperor cultivator faces different inner demons during their breakthrough, but these demons are always tied to the most significant aspects of their life.”
“Are you saying my Senior Sister’s inner demon is me?” Ming He frowned, her confusion deepening.
Between her and her Senior Sister, their hearts had always been connected. There had never been misunderstandings or grievances.
Her resolve had always been unwavering, centered on her Senior Sister. How could there be inner demons?
Ming He’s thoughts drifted to tales of love and hate, of killing and being killed, her gaze locking onto Nineteen as her confusion peaked.
Nineteen, sensing her misdirection, explained plainly, “Inner demons are the fears and anxieties that weigh on the heart.”
“They can be real events, opposing falsehoods, or even baseless fabrications. The Trial of the Heart ranges from superficial struggles to profound battles. Each time a cultivator breaks through a minor realm in the Earth Emperor stage, they face a small Trial of the Heart.”
“After overcoming nine Trials of the Heart, a cultivator comprehends the mysteries of the Great Path, clarifies their purest desires, and breaks free from obsessions, thus certifying the Emperor realm.”
Nineteen continued, observing Ming He’s contemplative expression. “For example, if you once faced a world that turned against you, your future Trial of the Heart will surely relate to that, along with the loss of your tendons and the shattering of your Sword Path.”
As she spoke, her gaze grew solemn. Deep down, she disapproved of the actions of the Imperial Palace and Fu Yao.
But without that celestial game, they might not have been able to protect the battlefield of the heavens during the bloody war against the other races. The Tianwu Continent could have been destroyed, leaving no future at all.
Are the mysteries of the Great Path truly determined by circumstances?
She lifted her head, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “Your Senior Sister is now at the third level of the Earth Emperor Realm, meaning she has undergone three Trials of the Heart.”
“The inheritance from the Ancient Emperor’s Tomb is extraordinary, so her Trials of the Heart are likely different from those of other Earth Emperor predecessors. I’ve met Young Master Qin before; he doesn’t seem to share her temperament.”
She shrank slightly under Qin Chu Yi’s penetrating gaze outside the barrier. “Your Senior Sister’s temperament must have been affected.”
“When she first arrived on the battlefield, her aura was unstable, and her power was uncontrolled. Her loose robes suggest she rushed to break through her cultivation to save you. Her cultivation aura is still unsettled; she might face further complications.”
“You both need to be cautious.”
Having said this, Nineteen closed her eyes, focusing intently on studying the Four-direction Compass. Ming He remained crouched, her brow furrowed in deep thought.
