40-45

Chapter 40: The First Drone Strike in the Cultivation World

The sky is so blue,

the cloud is so white.

The forest is so green,

the mountain is far away.

The bird is flying,

the horse is walking.

I am riding a carriage,

I am going to the big city.

A cheerful and happy song can be heard accompanying the Liu family caravan. Wang Lingxin leaned out of the carriage window, singing as she enjoyed the journey. With good weather, a gentle breeze, and beautiful scenery, passengers in other carriages and the guards also reveled in the cheerful song. Such a cute kid, they thought.

Together with Master,

I am starting my journey.

To eat delicious food,

To visit beautiful places,

To become a fairy.

The song continued, everybody listening with relaxed and happy faces, enjoying the joyful melody from an innocent kid who seems to have a big dream.

If I meet bad guys, I will punch them.

If I meet demons, I will beat them up.

If I meet dragons, I will kick them.

If I meet phoenixes, I will eat them.

If I meet immortals, I will slap them.

"Whoa, what a brave kid! Still young but already has a courageous heart," everybody commented. Some laughed, and others added, "At least she has a righteous heart and will beat up bad guys, ha ha ha."

"Ha ha ha, she even would beat up demons; she's sure to become a heroic figure in the future," some people commented. Others joined in with laughter, but they weren't taking the words sung by the kid seriously; they considered it as mere entertainment.

Wang Lingxin continued her song, but this time, everybody fell into silence. They didn't know how to respond because now, she boldly sang about dragons, phoenixes, and even immortals. She brazenly took it lightly, wanting to kick, eat, and slap these legendary figures? Presumptuous, everyone thought. What if these legendary beings heard what Wang Lingxin sang and appeared to punish her? Everyone also worries about being implicated. Worries spread as they looked at each other, speechless, listening to the still singing Wang Lingxin.

Together with Master,

New adventures every day, 

Having fun every day,

Together,

Forever.

Wang Lingxin finally finished her singing. She watched the beautiful scenery for a while, then closed the carriage window. Next, she grabbed a fruit from the table, deeming that she deserved a little treat after the singing session.

Orion sat beside Wang Lingxin, busily writing on paper with a clipboard all this time. Orion had been occupied with the blueprint for the house, simultaneously listening to Wang Lingxin singing but considering that there was nothing wrong, thus choosing to ignore it.

The carriage in which Wang Lingxin rode became quiet. Everybody remained rather uneasy, some looking toward the sky and distant horizon, checking for any figures, silhouettes, or objects. They were rather scared that phoenixes, dragons, or immortals might suddenly show up. After being sure that there was nothing out of the ordinary and after quite a while, everybody let out a relieved sigh.

"What a terrifying kid. Sigh, I thought she is just a simple and innocent kid," some people murmured. They decided to forget and not talk more about what just happened, changing the subject.

The leader of the guard sighed. Before their departure, he had been strictly ordered by his superior to take good care of the armored man and his disciple, to avoid offending and disturbing him. If necessary, he and his subordinates were to obey and follow the armored man's orders and instructions. It seemed that the armored man had an extraordinary background. Observing that the armored man didn't stop the girl from singing about dragons, phoenixes and immortals, he couldn't do anything and couldn't complain. All he could do was sigh.

After a while, the caravan returned to normal, and they conversed like usual. They silently agreed that nothing had happened, especially concerning phoenixes, dragons, and immortals. They decided to collectively have 'memory loss,' they have been engaging in conversation the entire time and they hadn't heard any kid singing at all.

As the sun set, the caravan entered a village to spend the night, making their way to an inn. In the most luxurious room, Orion and Wang Lingxin sat at a table.

"So, do you like the design for your room?" Orion asked, controlling the tablet wirelessly to display the 3D model of her future room when the house is finished.

"Oh... is this going to be my room in the future?" Wang Lingxin asked excitedly, holding the tablet. "It's good, I like it very much. It's beautiful and cute. Thank you, Master," she added.

"That's good that you like it. How about the design of the house?" Orion inquired.

"It's also good, Master. I like it. But, Master, make sure that there won't be snakes and foxes entering the house," Wang Lingxin expressed her concern.

"Huh... snakes and foxes? What about them?" Orion asked.

"I don't want them to eat you, Master," Wang Lingxin replied.

"Why would they eat me?" Orion questioned.

"Uhm... nothing," Wang Lingxin mumbled.

"You don't need to worry. Forget about normal snakes and foxes; even if it's a Rank-3 snakes and foxes spirit beast, I can deal with them easily." Orion assured, noticing that Wang Lingxin didn't want to elaborate further, and Orion dropped the subject.

Orion's combat power had increased tremendously. Orion believed that facing Rank-3 spirit beasts wouldn't be hard. Now, Orion wouldn't struggle so much if facing the Vermilion Clawed Bear again; just a single punch would be enough to kill the bear.

The night progressed, and now it's midnight, Orion sat at the table, diligently drawing the design for the houses on a paper. Several papers were already finished, detailing the specifics of the houses. Meanwhile, Wang Lingxin was already asleep.

"...emm... master... don't worry... I'll protect you... from the snakes... and foxes...mm..." Wang Lingxin sleep talked.

"Just what's with the snakes and foxes...." Orion mused, still busy with the brush and papers. Checking the time, Orion remarked, "Well, I think now it's the time."

In a forest about 500 meters from the village where the Liu family stayed, a group of people had gathered, setting up camp and lighting a firepit not far away. In the sky above them, without their knowledge, something resembling a dragonfly had been circling for a long time. Suddenly, it changed course and headed toward their camp.

As Orion left Yanjing, Orion noticed that there were apparently three groups of cultivators secretly following the Liu family caravan. It wasn't hard to discover them; Orion easily detected their radio signals, though Orion wasn't familiar with their radio signals and didn't know their identity. They followed from a rather far distance. When the caravan entered the village, they stayed in the nearby forest. Additionally, a familiar 'rat' from the Liu family, who had been tailing Orion around Yanjing city, was also present. This cultivator had been following the Liu family caravan from about 50 meters away and was currently somewhere in the village.

The groups of cultivators are probably from factions in Yanjing, and maybe the Chen family is also involved. As for the Liu family, it's unlikely. Orion concludes that there is a high possibility that their target is Orion itself. Orion doesn't like being followed around by unknown people from an unknown origin and plans to teach them a lesson.

Orion will attack them using the drone. Orion calculated the attack vector for the drone; the drone would drop explosives without any guidance system and would employ a dive-bombing technique. As the drone got close enough to the camp, it began to dive downwards. When about 100 meters above the ground, Orion controlled the drone to release explosives from the storage ring—several wooden barrels filled with explosive material commonly used for firecrackers, of which Orion had obtained a substantial quantity in Yanjing. Additionally, Orion had loaded the barrels with many small metallic balls, serving as shrapnel. After the drone executed the dive-bombing attack, it immediately changed direction and flew away, ensuring it wouldn't be discovered.

The barrels fell towards the camp, their fuses already lit before being stored in the storage ring. Now, as the barrels descended, the fuses continued burning. The barrels landed in the camp, some falling about 5 meters from the mysterious group of cultivators and the farthest about 20 meters away. Apparently, the cultivators noticed something falling at the last second and retreated. Also, because the barrels didn't immediately explode after hitting the ground, it gave the cultivators time to move rather far away.

When the fuses burned out, the barrels exploded with a deafening bang. The barrels exploded almost simultaneously, the explosions were rather strong, creating a series of explosions that obliterated the camp and the surrounding area. Small craters were formed by the explosion, and countless shrapnel flew in every direction, causing more damage to the surroundings. The forest, damp from rain a few days ago, fortunately didn't catch fire due to the explosion.

There were also other barrels filled not with shrapnel, but instead with a sticky flammable substance similar to napalm. However, considering the high risk of causing a forest fire, Orion chose not to use them.

Orion observed the situation with the drone. It's easy to spot them even in the darkness by using the thermal camera. Orion observed them. The attack failed to cause any damage to those cultivators, but it's more than enough to scare them away. They still ran away at full speed towards the distance.

Well, there is still a lot of room for improvement, Orion thought internally. There are aerodynamics issues, and the fuse is not good; I need to develop an impact fuze. And there are also other issues, Orion continued, still busy drawing the house design while multitasking, controlling the drone.

Orion then controlled the drone to head for another group of cultivators; there are still two more groups camping in the jungle. It's time to let them taste the attack from the drone. Then another series of loud explosions could be heard from the village, emanating from the direction of the forest, causing alarm. Most people and cultivators in the village thought that some cultivators were fighting in the forest. After a while, the series of explosions stopped, and the village returned to calm.

Serves you right, Orion thought internally as it monitored the situation via the drone. The surprise drone attack had successfully scattered the cultivators. If they dared to regroup or stop, Orion would then control the drone for another strike. Only after ensuring that the mysterious groups of cultivators had fled a significant distance did Orion halt the drone's attacks. Orion then directed the drone to return to the village and hover around, conducting surveillance and patrolling the surroundings.

Finally, it's done, Orion thought internally after finishing the last paper and placing it on the stack of papers. The detailed design for the house was complete. Orion used a DIY binder clip to hold the stack of papers together before storing it in the storage ring.

Hmm... it's still quite a while for the sun to rise, Orion contemplated internally, checking its internal clock. It then retrieved several items from the storage ring, internally planning to practice making a dress, starting with a simple design. Satisfied with the night's progress, having completed the house design, Orion dedicated the rest of the night to practicing dressmaking.

In a room in the Chen family estate, Chen Rongxin was seated when suddenly, a communication talisman in his pocket lit up. He retrieved it and received the message. After listening to the message, the communication talisman turned to dust. He then picked up another communication talisman to deliver his reply.

"Cancel the mission and return immediately," Chen Rongxin said upon receiving the information. Apparently, the scouts he had sent to tail the Liu family caravan had been attacked. Was it the Liu family people, or other factions, or the armored man? Chen Rongxin pondered internally.

The same event occurred with several other factions in Yanjing City. Upon receiving the message about the attack via the communication talisman, they also ordered a retreat.

In this world, long-range communication is facilitated by rare artifacts, and a more common method involves using communication talismans. The range of voice transmissions using spiritual sense is limited, but it can be extended by using a communication talisman.

When a communication talisman is created, it is made on a single piece of paper with a sender part and a receiver part. After the talisman is created, it is cut into two parts for the sender and receiver, forming a pair that can only work with each other. It operates as a one-way, single-use communication talisman that can only send voice transmissions. Once the talisman is used, it turns to dust, making long-range communication a rather expensive endeavor.

Chen Rongxin remained seated and silent, contemplating how to gather more information about Orion. Simultaneously, other factions in Yanjing were pondering the same issue. Orion, a mysterious individual with an enigmatic background and a high cultivation level, always wore full-body armor; nobody even knew his face. While several people in Yanjing were still awake and engaged in strategic thinking, grappling with the challenge of formulating plans regarding Orion, the mysterious figure itself was currently struggling with the task of making a dress.

"It's not as easy as I previously thought," Orion internally noted, working on the dress. Orion looked at and compared the dress being worked on with the 3D model in its AI system. It seems that it will still take a long time for Orion to be able to create the dress that Wang Lingxin wants.

...

"Orion..." Chen Rongxin mumbled.

...

Hm... the dress... Orion internally noted.

...

"Mm... master... that fruit is mine..." Wang Lingxin sleep talked.

Chapter 41: Meeting Old Acquaintances

The Liu family caravan continued its journey without any noteworthy events in the past two days, and there are no longer groups of cultivators secretly following them. Currently, the caravan took a brief break. The sun shone brightly overhead as they stopped beside the road, seeking refuge under the shade of trees. Everyone enjoyed the refreshing breeze, took a break, and some relished lunch while others tended to the needs of the horses.

Orion and Wang Lingxin walked together towards the woods, disappearing from view after a while. However, the others had grown accustomed to this routine and didn't pay much attention. The armored man, who didn't speak much or interact with others and appeared to never eat or drink, followed the same pattern every morning, midday, and sunset. During breaks or when the caravan stopped, he always vanished into the woods. Nobody knew the purpose of his excursions—perhaps a call of nature?

Orion and Wang Lingxin continued walking until they reached a small clearing. Suddenly, something resembling a dragonfly flew toward them. Orion then controlled the SO-1 drone to descend slowly towards it, Orion then reached out to grab the drone.

"Master, let me touch it," Wang Lingxin requested.

"Sure," Orion replied, holding the drone for Wang Lingxin.

Wang Lingxin extended her hand and touched the drone. "Wow, Master, you are really awesome to make something like this and control it," Wang Lingxin said, very impressed, looking at the drone closely. Her master had already told her about the drone and its functions. She was genuinely surprised when she learned that she could see what the drone saw from above using her tablet—it was as if she herself were flying in the sky.

"Master, can this drone carry me and fly to the sky?" Wang Lingxin asked.

"No, the drone is too small. But don't worry, I will make a bigger one that can take you to fly in the sky," Orion assured.

"Really? Thank you, Master!" Wang Lingxin exclaimed.

The decision to create a larger drone wasn't just for Wang Lingxin; Orion also deemed it necessary. However, it would require a bigger dragonfly, a spirit beast, not just an ordinary one like the one currently used for the drone.

Orion then stored the drone in the storage ring and retrieved another fully charged SO-1 drone, controlling it to fly. The drone had limited battery life, requiring replacement every few hours. During the night, Orion would leave the drone outside the storage ring to allow the batteries to recharge.

"Let's return," Orion said.

Orion and Wang Lingxin returned to the caravan, and the caravan's journey resumed. In the carriage, Wang Lingxin watched the tablet, observing the caravan from above via the drone's camera to pass the time. Orion sat silently, reading books containing information about Fengxian and the surrounding area. Suddenly, Orion turned its head, opened the carriage window, and looked outside.

"Master, what is it?" Wang Lingxin inquired.

"Mmm... nothing," Orion replied, then closed the window and returned to reading.

Approximately 300 km from Orion's current location, a peculiar phenomenon occurred—a sea of clouds seemed to be slashed and parted, with the clouds roiling and turbulent. The Orbiter, coincidentally orbiting right above the area, captured and recorded the event, sending the footage to Orion. Orion attempted to zoom in with the camera but failed because it was too far away. It could be a natural phenomenon, but in the cultivation world, it's also possible that it was caused by some very high-level cultivator. Orion just hoped there wouldn't be any problems, fortunately, it was rather far away.

...

On a vast grassland, three beautiful girls adorned in elegant white cultivation robes stood, their hair gently swaying in the breeze as they gazed at the sky.

One of them spoke, "Stop hiding like a rat and show yourself."

"Hwa ha ha ha, well, well, well, what do we have here? What are the infamous Lord Crimson Rose doing in this kind of place?" a voice echoed. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the sky—a middle-aged man with long hair, carrying a saber at his waist, and with a rather wild appearance. His right hand held a wine gourd. "Oh, sorry, I mean Lord Snow Rose, my bad," showing a mischievous smile.

"Mad Saber..." replied Snow Rose flatly.

"What? Don't like meeting your old acquaintance?" Mad Saber drank wine from the jug.

"Just you?" the Snow Rose asked.

Then the sky rippled, and another four figures appeared and hovered in the sky. The girl looked at the four familiar faces that had just shown up.

"Greetings, Snow Rose! Long time no see; you just keep getting prettier and prettier," said a muscular and bald guy, one of the four figures, smiling.

"Absolute Diamond..." Snow Rose started, "and your head is getting shinier and shinier," she added with a smile.

"Mua ha ha, that's right, and it's really becoming a trouble," Absolute Diamond said as he touched his bald head.

"Maybe you are playing with girls too much, and your hairs don't have enough nutrients," Snow Rose teased.

"Ha ha ha, perhaps," Absolute Diamond chuckled.

Absolute Diamond is his Dao Title, and his real name is Zhan Lei. He is a cultivator from Heaven and Earth Union Sect, an unorthodox path cultivation sect, cultivating through dual cultivation with the opposite sex. He is a cultivator at the 4th stage of the Soul Ascendance realm.

"Snow Rose, after more than 1000 years cooped up in the sect, you're finally leaving the sect," said a female elf.

"Oh, Elena, you are also here... where is your sister?" Snow Rose inquired.

"She died about 700 years ago," replied Elena.

Elena Silverleaf, a cultivator at the 3rd stage of the Soul Ascendance realm from the Elven kingdom of Sylvan Haven, holds the Dao Title Silver Marionette. She is a puppet controller.

"Such a shame, I wish I could send her to the afterlife by my own hands," Snow Rose remarked.

"Snow Rose... cough... cough... it's time... for you... to die...cough," uttered a figure fully covered in a robe. Despite the incessant coughing, only his pale white face was visible, marked by numerous dark spots. The black blood vessels stood out prominently against the sickly, pale skin, creating a stark contrast. At a single glance, he looked like a very sickly person.

His name is Malachi, a Cerebran and his Dao Title is Noxious Viper. He is a 3rd stage of the Soul Ascendance realm cultivator from the evil path Venomous Shadows Sect, specializing in poison.

"..." Snow Rose didn't reply and just looked coldly at the sickly-looking figure.

The last person is an old man with a goatee, holding a spear, silent the entire time. His name is Wei Zhi, an itinerant cultivator at the 5th stage of the Soul Ascendance realm, and his Dao title is Roaring Thunder.

"Is it just the five of you?" inquired Snow Rose. "Tsk... tsk... tsk..." She shook her head in apparent disappointment. Snow Rose is Lin Xue's Dao Title. She is a cultivator at the 6th stage of the Soul Ascendance realm from the Serene Moonlight Sect, an orthodox cultivation sect.

"Hmph, stop looking down on us. We are more than enough to kill you!" Mad Saber shouted. His real name is Zheng Kai, a Cultivator at the 6th stage of the Soul Ascendance realm from the Sanguine Bloodbane Sect of the evil path.

"Well, the others are still busy with their own things, and only the five of us have some free time," Absolute Diamond explained.

The five figures hovered in the sky, emanating tremendous Qi pressure. The wind intensified, and the clouds around them roiled. They gazed down at the three girls on the grassland below.

"Martial aunt, what should we do?" the other girl asked, worry evident on her face. It seems they've been ambushed.

The two other girls accompanying Snow Rose are Xiu Hui and Yan Mei, her senior sister's disciples. Snow Rose still looked calm, took out her necklace, and gave it to Xiu Hui. The necklace is a Grade-6 defense artifact given by her late master. It is a very strong defense artifact capable of withstanding several full-powered attacks from cultivators in the late stage of the Soul Ascendance realm.

"Xiu Hui, take this necklace. It will protect you two. Activate it and stay; don't leave the protective barrier," said Snow Rose.

"But, Martial Aunt, will you be okay? You should use it for yourself," Xiu Hui expressed concern.

"There's no need," replied Snow Rose.

"Martial Aunt..." Yan Mei said, visibly worried, her eyes moist.

"You don't need to worry about me," Snow Rose said, smiling and patting Yan Mei's head. "You two stay here, understand?"

Snow Rose flew slowly towards the five figures in the sky.

"Senior Sister, is there something that we can do to help Martial Aunt?" Yan Mei asked.

Xiu Hui sighed, "There is nothing we can do. Let's just hope that Martial Aunt will be fine," Yan Mei said, looking at her martial aunt with worry.

Both Xiu Hui and Yan Mei are just Golden Core realm cultivators, not qualified to get involved. The five figures and their Martial Aunt are all in the Soul Ascendance realm. Compared to them, Xiu Hui and Yan Mei are just like ants. Just a snort from any of those five figures would be more than enough to kill both of them.

The difference is three major realms. After Golden Core realm, there is Nascent Soul realm. After a cultivator reaches Nascent Soul realm, they will receive a Dao title, choosing a title of their preference and becoming something like an alias in the cultivation world. They will be addressed as lords by those of the same or lower cultivation level to show respect. After Nascent Soul, there is Soul Transformation realm, and after that is Soul Ascendance realm.

Snow Rose hovered in front of the five figures and scanned them one by one. "So, how do you guys know that I am leaving the sect?" Snow Rose asked.

"Of course, I will know. After all, my feelings towards you are so deep. It's like I can feel where you are," Absolute Diamond said, smacking his chest confidently.

"That's creepy," Snow Rose remarked.

"Um, cough cough. Anyway, Snow Rose, do you want to be my Dao companion?" Absolute Diamond blurted out, seemingly out of nowhere. The others didn't seem to be surprised or affected by the surprise curveball.

"My answer is still the same," Snow Rose replied.

"Well, that's a shame," Absolute Diamond said, dropping his shoulders and looking sad. It seems that he is rejected yet again.

"It's not important how we know that you are leaving the sect. By the way, who are those brats?" Silver Marionette asked, taking a glance at Xiu Hui and Yan Mei.

Xiu Hui and Yan Mei felt frightened and got goosebumps when being looked at by Silver Marionette.

"They are my senior sister's disciples," Snow Rose replied.

"Oh... Thousands Icicles disciples?" Silver Marionette inquired.

"Hey, Snow Rose, is Thousands Icicles still single?" Absolute Diamond asked, apparently getting spirited up after getting rejected.

"Yes, but I don't think you have any chances," Snow Rose replied.

"Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean by that? You don't know anything about me. Hmph, I can easily make your senior sister fall head over heels for me. Hua ha ha," Absolute Diamond boasted.

"So, are we just gonna talk or fight?" Snow Rose inquired.

Mad Saber drank the wine from the jug and emptied it. Then, he smashed it with his palm. "Very good, you never change," Mad Saber grinned, wine trailing from his mouth. He wiped it away. "That's what I like about you," Mad Saber remarked.

The situation changed abruptly. The faces of the five figures grew serious, and their killing intent flooded out, accompanied by thick bloodlust. They emanated strong and oppressive Qi pressures, causing the wind to intensify, and their momentum is surging.

Despite this, Snow Rose's expression remained unchanged – calm, tranquil, and serene as ever. She also emanated a strong Qi pressure, not losing to any of the other five.

On the other hand, Xiu Hui and Yan Mei suffered from the tremendous Qi pressure and the overwhelming killing intent, kneeling on the ground and gasping for breath. Cold sweat drenched them, and Xiu Hui immediately activated the defensive artifact necklace given by her martial aunt. A defensive energy barrier surrounded and protected them, shielding from the Qi pressure. Once no longer affected, they both could breathe normally again, still sitting on the ground.

"It's finally beginning," Xiu Hui exclaimed.

"Martial Aunt... please be okay," Yan Mei pleaded.

Xiu Hui and Yan Mei looked up towards the sky with worry, where six figures hovered. Clouds churned around them. The Qi pressure from the six of them clashed, creating vibrations in the air. The ground below cracked, the grass shook, and small rocks, pebbles, sand, and dust started floating slowly toward the sky. Fallen dried leaves scattered chaotically in the air. A great battle was about to start.

Chapter 42: The First to Fall

In a sprawling valley, encircled by mist-draped mountains, verdant forests flourished. A crystal-clear river meandered through the heart of the valley. Amidst this natural splendor, a cultivation sect resided in the middle of the valley, with tall wooden buildings and pavilions interspersed among vibrant flower gardens and parks. The air was imbued with the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers, enticing butterflies to dance in colorful swirls around the abundant flora.

In the heart of the valley, the cultivation sect formed a circular city, its center situated atop a hill. Here, the most majestic building stood tall, commanding attention with its grandeur. Despite its city-like formation and bustling population, the surroundings remained refreshingly green, adorned with plentiful trees and green spaces enveloping the city. Numerous small compounds and village-like structures dotted the landscape around the city, adding to the serene charm.

About tens of thousands of people resided in this valley, comprising both cultivators and mortals. However, what stood out most prominently was the striking fact that everyone was female, each one remarkably beautiful, lending an air of enchantment to the entire scene.

This sect is known as the Serene Moonlight Sect—an all-female cultivation sect and one of the top 10 cultivation sects in the Luoshan continent. In the main hall of the sect, a female figure, the sect master of the Serene Moonlight Sect, sat alone in the main seat, holding a communication talisman in her hand.

"Senior sister, currently I am with Zheng Kai, Zhan Lei, Elena, Malachi, and Wei Zhi. Don't worry about Xiu Hui and Yan Mei. Also, you don't need to make a move. I don't want to involve the sect; I am the one who caused all of this, and I will deal with it," a voice transmission echoed from the communication talisman.

With a solemn expression, the sect master watched as the communication talisman crumbled to dust in her palm. She clenched her hand into a tight fist, understanding the significance of the short message she had received.

"Junior sister, be careful," she uttered slowly. "Hmp! If something were to happen to you, I will slaughter my way to their sect if necessary," she said, slamming the armrest, her expression fraught with anger. An intense Qi pressure suddenly emanated from the main hall, startling the disciples nearby.

"Please remember your position. You are the sect master; you can't just cause problems as you please. If you start killing left and right, it will cause war," a voice transmission echoed in the main hall, but the figure remained unseen.

"I'll just resign from being the sect master! Then there is no problem, right?!" the sect master declared.

"Sigh...." came the exasperated response over the voice transmission, as the speaker seemed to have a headache dealing with the sect master.

...

Six figures hovered in the sky, each exuding tremendous Qi pressure, their bloodlust and killing intent filled the air as they prepared for battle.

"Let's not involve the juniors," Snow Rose declared, after secretly using a communication talisman to send a message to her senior sister.

"Why would I care about those brats? I am only here for you," Mad Saber retorted, drawing his saber and pointing it towards Snow Rose.

"Don't worry, we won't touch them," Absolute Diamond chimed in, cracking his knuckles. The others remained silent.

"Cough... Snow Rose, it's time for you to pay for... cough... thousands of years ago... I will kill you... cough... don't worry... you won't die easily... cough... I will make sure... that you die... cough... a slow and painful death..." Noxious Viper's voice rasped through the air, accompanied by fits of coughing. As a cultivator specialized in poisons, he's been exposed to various kinds of poisons that have affected his health.

"Kill me? You are not qualified... Oh, I also have some debt from that time that needs to be settled with you," Snow Rose retorted.

"Good, let's end it here. Cough... Let's see who would stand the last," Noxious Viper declared. He raised both his arms high in the air, dark, thick poisonous gas emerged from his body, swirling and surrounding him in a dark sphere.

"Rise, [Dudao Hei Yan Zhao - Poisonous Path of the Black Smoke Swamp]! Time to bring despair!" Noxious Viper commanded.

Suddenly, a black semi-corporeal being emerged from the dark sphere—a giant white skull with many long black tentacles. The eyes of the skull shone bright red, while the black fog surrounded the semi-corporeal being. Faintly visible inside it was Noxious Viper himself.

The semi-corporeal being emitted a continuous creepy sound, "kakakakakaka," echoing ominously through the air, accompanied by hissing and whistling noises from the black poisonous gas that kept producing from the tentacles of the being.

"Se... Senior sister, is that...?" Yan Mei watched the terrifying being in fear.

"It's a Soul Manifestation," Xiu Hui explained, swallowing as her mouth felt dry from the tension in the air.

In the Dantian of Qi Condensation realm cultivators, Qi exists in a misty or vaporous form. Qi condensation realm cultivators need to condense and transform all of the Qi in mist form into liquid form to achieve a breakthrough and reach the Foundation Establishment realm.

In the Foundation Establishment realm, cultivators need to gather all the liquid Qi and solidify it into a core. When the cultivators successfully transform all the liquid Qi into a core and solidify it, the core will transform into a 'Golden Core', and the cultivators will advance to the Golden Core Realm.

In the Golden Core realm, cultivators need to nurture their Golden Core. After the Golden Core is fully nurtured, to advance to the Nascent Soul realm, cultivators need to crack it open to release the Qi within, which has manifested into a being akin to a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The Qi that has manifested is called Soul Manifestation.

Cultivators can activate the Soul Manifestation by calling its name, causing it to emerge into the outside world and take a semi-corporeal form, thereby boosting combat capabilities and granting unique abilities. However, because the Soul Manifestation uses Qi to take form in the outside world, it consumes a significant amount of Qi to use.

"What a nasty-looking Soul Manifestation," Yan Mei remarked, feeling goosebumps as she gazed upon the terrifying and creepy being.

Snow Rose looks very small in front of Noxious Viper's Soul Manifestation, yet her demeanor remained composed as if the colossal semi-corporeal being before her was unworthy of concern. Retrieving a sword from her storage ring, she slowly unsheathed it, her movements deliberate and unhurried.

"I don't know who will stand the last," she declared, pointing her sword towards Noxious Viper. "But you will be the first to fall [Qingxue Bishi Zhiyou - Gentle Snow Concealing the Shadow of Death]." Her words were delivered calmly and deliberately.

Snow Rose's body glowed brightly before dimming, and a semi-corporeal being appeared, slightly larger than Snow Rose herself. Unlike Noxious Viper's terrifying and creepy Soul Manifestation, Snow Rose's Soul Manifestation resembled her, beautiful and graceful, adorned in a stunning white cultivation robe as if it originated from the immortal realm. The being had a complexion as white as snow.

Her Soul Manifestation fully encapsulated her, surrounding her entirely like armor. Snowflakes began to form around her and gently fall, continuously lowering the temperature in her vicinity. Gradually, the area around Snow Rose where snowflakes formed widened, encompassing a larger space.

Mad Saber, Absolute Diamond, Silver Marionette, and Roaring Thunder immediately grew cautious, distancing themselves from both Snow Rose and Noxious Viper. They prepared themselves in case they were attacked by Snow Rose. Additionally, knowing that they were fighting alongside a cultivator who used poisons, they needed to be careful, even if they were on the same side.

"Take this! [Seven Breaths of Bone Dissolution Poison]!" Noxious Viper exclaimed.

His Soul Manifestation, the giant skull, opened its mouth and exhaled black gas towards Snow Rose. Even if Snow Rose is exposed to just a small amount of it, her body will weaken. After the seventh breath, her bones will be completely dissolved, causing excruciating pain.

Noxious Viper wasted no time, unleashing his Soul Manifestation and one of his strongest poison attacks right from the start. Confident in his ability to either kill Snow Rose or, at the very least, weaken and injure her with his poison attack.

"[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Frost Moon Slash]!" Snow Rose's sword glowed as she delivered a vertical slash toward Noxious Viper, unleashing a crescent-shaped sword attack that streaked towards him.

"[Dianlong Wu Yun Hai - Dance of the Lightning Dragon on the Sea of Clouds]!!! [Descent of the Azure Lightning]!!!" Roaring Thunder immediately summoned his Soul Manifestation, which took the form of a being similar to him and clad in lightning armor.

While Snow Rose was focused on attacking Noxious Viper, Roaring Thunder seized the opportunity to strike. Black swirling clouds appeared above Snow Rose, with azure-colored lightning slithering within them. Roaring Thunder raised his spear and slashed downward, directing the lightning to strike Snow Rose.

From the center of the black cloud, a thick azure-colored lightning bolt descended upon Snow Rose, striking her cleanly. The intense brightness of the lightning illuminated the area, accompanied by a loud clap of thunder. As the lightning surged through her body, it emitted a loud crackling sound.

"Did I get her?" Roaring Thunder questioned, his Soul Manifestation enveloping him, lightning crackling around his body as he gazed warily at Snow Rose.

Snow Rose's crescent-shaped sword attack swiftly soared towards Noxious Viper, slicing the black poisonous gas exhaled by the giant skull into two.

"Hmph!" Noxious Viper exclaimed upon seeing the incoming attack. Swiftly, he controlled his Soul Manifestation to shield himself, directing the skull's many tentacles to intercept the attack. He also activated multiple defense artifacts, a smug grin spreading across his face as he felt confident in his defenses.

He also remained confident in his attack, convinced that even if it were to be sliced apart, it would still reach Snow Rose, ensuring the outcome of this exchange would be in his favor. Moreover, Roaring Thunder also launched an attack towards Snow Rose and managed to strike her.

The skull's many tentacles produced a dark, gooey poisonous liquid that enveloped them, the tentacles weaving and moving in an attempt to block the incoming attack. Noxious Viper's body, encased within the skull, was also surrounded by several layers of defensive energy barriers.

The crescent-shaped sword attack struck the tentacles, slicing through one, two, three, and more. It continued its trajectory towards Noxious Viper, effortlessly cutting through the tentacles as if they were nothing. Finally, it penetrated the skull, then pierced through the multiple layers of defensive energy barriers one by one. Slashing past Noxious Viper's body, the sword attack continued onward, streaking towards the distant horizon, cutting through the ocean of clouds for kilometers and parting them in two.

Noxious Viper's smug grin had vanished, replaced by a look of horror as a bright line appeared on his body where the sword attack had passed. His body was bisected vertically into two, yet it remained held together by the wound, which slowly froze. The freezing gradually spread from the wound, accompanied by the sound of ice crackling. His body started to crumble bit by bit into ice which then disintegrated into snowflakes. His high vitality as a Soul Ascendance Realm cultivator allowed him to barely stay alive, but he was already doomed as his life force diminished bit by bit.

"No... No..." Noxious Viper muttered, his soul manifestation screaming loudly, "KKKKAAAAAAA!!!" The sword attack had severed many of its tentacles and slashed through its body, causing it to crack and crumble into many pieces before completely disappearing, leaving only thick black poisonous gas in its wake.

Meanwhile, the poisonous attack from Noxious Viper, which had been sliced in two previously, rejoined and finally reached Snow Rose, who was still being continuously bombarded by the relentless azure lightning. Snow Rose's figure became fully enveloped by the black poisonous gas. Suddenly, Snow Rose's body disintegrated into countless snowflakes, dispersing in all directions.

"?!" Roaring Thunder exclaimed.

Then, in front of Noxious Viper, countless snowflakes gathered and formed a snow figure of Snow Rose.

"Tch!" Roaring Thunder grunted, realizing that his attack hadn't affected Snow Rose much.

"Damn it... cough... I will take you down with me... cough..." Noxious Viper, his body almost entirely frozen, muttered hoarsely. Thick black poisonous gas billowed from his mouth, with additional streams emanating from his other facial orifices. He didn't know where Snow Rose's real body was hiding. He is planning to blow up his body and cover the area with poisonous gas.

"No need to struggle, just die... [Eternal Icy Prison]," Snow Rose's voice emanated from the snow figure as it declared. Countless snowflakes formed around it, swirling in a whirlwind as they moved toward Noxious Viper, attempting to trap him.

"Nooo... Snow Rose!!! Curse You!!!" Noxious Viper's voice grew smaller as he was fully covered in a large snowball, which slowly turned black from the poisons. The snow figure used its palm strike to send the black snowball flying into the distance.

"Bloom..." uttered the snow figure.

The black snowball, propelled into the distance, disintegrated into countless black snowflakes, scattering in all directions like a blooming firework. With it, Noxious Viper met his demise.

The snow figure also dissipated into countless snowflakes, and Snow Rose's figure was nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, snowflakes continued to form in the area.

Roaring Thunder, Silver Marionette, Absolute Diamond, and Mad Saber wore bitter expressions but remained relatively calm. Roaring Thunder then glanced towards Mad Saber.

"Just stick to the plan," Mad Saber sent a voice transmission using his spiritual sense to Roaring Thunder, Silver Marionette, and Absolute Diamond.

Roaring Thunder nodded in response, his body surrounded by crackling electricity, and his soul manifestation enveloping him.

Silver Marionette retrieved two puppets made of silver, both closely resembling her. She controlled the puppets using Qi threads, positioning them on either side of herself preparing to defend from any attack.

Absolute Diamond, a body refinement cultivator, utilizes his strong and sturdy body as his weapon. He is ready to launch fist and palm attacks.

Mad Saber gripped his saber tightly, prepared to attack at a moment's notice.

They all utilized their senses, including sight, hearing, and even smell, while also scanning their surroundings using their spiritual sense, but to no avail.

Where is she? they wondered internally.

Chapter 43: Real Face?

The gentle wind carried the countless snowflakes, which slowly descended, blanketing the grassland in a pristine white layer.

"Senior sister, where is Martial Aunt?! Is she okay?" Yan Mei asked anxiously.

"I... I don't know," Xiu Hui replied, attempting to use her spiritual sense to locate their Martial Aunt.

Suddenly, Yan Mei and Xiu Hui heard a voice transmission from their Martial Aunt. "Watch the battle carefully; it may benefit you later," the voice echoed faintly before disappearing. Yan Mei and Xiu Hui couldn't determine the source of the transmission.

"Martial Aunt!" Yan Mei exclaimed, her worry evident in her voice.

Mad Saber's eyes darted around as he tried to locate Snow Rose. Suddenly, his spiritual sense detected a figure appearing behind him. From a gently falling snowflake behind him emerged a human figure. Reacting swiftly, Mad Saber swung his saber backward, slicing the figure in two. It crumbled into countless snowflakes.

"Tch!" Mad Saber grunted. "Snow Rose, come out and show yourself! Aren't you the one hiding like a rat now?" he taunted.

"As you wish," Snow Rose's voice echoed.

Then, four snow figures resembling Snow Rose, each holding a sword, appeared right behind Mad Saber, Roaring Thunder, Silver Marionette, and Absolute Diamond, attacking towards their exposed backs.

"This cheap trick won't work on me!" Mad Saber declared, swiftly turning his body to block the incoming sword slash. After successfully blocking it, he engaged in close confrontation with the snow figure.

Roaring Thunder, Silver Marionette, and Absolute Diamond also confronted the snow figures. Roaring Thunder utilized his lightning-infused spear to fight the snow figure, gaining an advantage with the assistance of his Soul Manifestation.

Silver Marionette controlled her puppet to engage the snow figure, while her other puppet stood by her side, ready to protect her.

Absolute Diamond endured relentless attacks from the snow figure, but his sturdy body remained unscathed. Because of his slower speed, he struggled to land a hit as the snow figure deftly dodged his attacks.

The four of them locked in fierce battle with the snow figures, exchanging blows non-stop.

Mad Saber easily overwhelmed the snow figure, landing multiple hits without receiving any in return. "[Saber Killing Slash]!" he exclaimed, delivering a swift saber strike towards the snow figure, which failed to react in time. The attack cleaved it in two, causing it to disperse into snowflakes.

"This is getting annoying!" Mad Saber bit his tongue, then sprayed his blood. A thick mist of blood quickly emerged from his technique, covering a large area. "[Crimson Veil]!" he declared.

The blood mist enveloped a wide area, covering the space where snowflakes formed. Using his skill, Mad Saber was able to sense the surroundings via the blood mist. He could clearly perceive all the falling snowflakes and the snow figures.

"Right there!!!" he exclaimed, immediately flying towards a particular snowflake falling not far away from him. He slashed towards it. Before his attack landed, the snowflake transformed into Snow Rose's real body.

"Got you!" Mad Saber grinned as his saber closed in on Snow Rose, who emerged from the snowflake.

Clang!

Snow Rose barely managed to block the saber attack using her sword, the clash ringing out loudly as sparks flew.

"[Azure Lightning Flash]!!!" Roaring Thunder launched a stabbing attack towards the snow figure. His body was bathed in lightning as he swiftly moved toward it, spear held in a forward stabbing position. At the spear tip, a vortex of lightning crackled with energy.

The snow figure, unable to evade or defend, was pierced through and dispersed into snowflakes. Without hesitation, Roaring Thunder, now aligned with Snow Rose, continued his lightning-fast assault. Like a streak of lightning, he surged towards her, intent on delivering a decisive blow.

Snow Rose felt the imminent danger from Roaring Thunder's attack. Using her sword, she pushed Mad Saber, who was also attempting to block and push back with his saber. With the assistance of her Soul Manifestation, she managed to overpower him and send him flying backward. Snow Rose intended to evade Roaring Thunder's attack, but she found herself hindered by the blood mist, which affected her movements, slowing her down and attempting to stop her. She felt as though she were trapped in quicksand. With no other choice, Snow Rose prepared to defend against Roaring Thunder's incoming lightning attack.

"[Xueshi Yulu Wu - Dancing Saber in the Rain of Blood]!!!" Mad Saber shouted as he was sent flying, activating his Soul Manifestation. A semi-corporeal being of a man appeared, wearing a helmet, breastplate, and a flowing cape. Blood fully drenched the being's helmet, body, and breastplate, continuously dripping from them as the being fully enveloped Mad Saber.

"Hmp! You're not the only one who can play tricks! Why don't you taste your own medicine? [Blood Phantom]!" Mad Saber shouted.

About ten figures resembling Mad Saber, each armed with a saber, emerged from the blood mist and converged around Snow Rose, launching simultaneous attacks on her. Unable to run, Snow Rose was forced to face the simultaneous combined attack from the ten blood figures.

"[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Lunar Sanctuary]," Snow Rose muttered as she began to spin rapidly. Her sword started to glow as her movements became unpredictable and wild. She controlled her sword with erratic movements of her wrists and hands, adding further variation to her attacks.

Her body spun quickly, bending and moving with agility as she provided complete 360-degree coverage. The sword techniques enveloped her in a sphere of fast-moving slashes, the sphere shining brightly as if it were the moon itself.

It provided protection to Snow Rose with countless sword slashes and rapidly rotating Sword Qi. Snow Rose not only managed to defend against the attack from the ten blood figures but also inflicted significant damage upon them. Some were completely chopped up into many bits, which then froze and disintegrated into snowflakes. Others had their limbs chopped off, with the wounds freezing and the frost spreading slowly.

Unfortunately, Snow Rose's technique failed to defend against Roaring Thunder's attack, which pierced straight through the sphere, cutting through her Soul Manifestation, and impaling Snow Rose's body. Although she managed to dodge slightly to the side, her left abdomen was pierced, leaving a gaping wound with chunks of flesh torn off. Roaring Thunder came to a stop about a hundred meters away from Snow Rose, who is falling downward, coughing up blood.

"[Crimson Shift]" Mad Saber, who was sent flying by Snow Rose, activates his movement technique. Instantly, he emerges from the blood mist close to Snow Rose. "[Double Saber Killing Slash]!" Mad Saber launches two slashes with his saber so fast that they seem like a single slash. His Soul Manifestation envelops not just his body, but also his saber, strengthening his attack manyfold.

Clang!

A resounding clash echoed as Snow Rose, falling upside down, used her sword to block the attack. With her right hand gripping the hilt and her left arm pressed against the flat side of the blade, she absorbed the impact. However, she still felt rather numb from Roaring Thunder's previous attack, unable to exert her full power. The force of the collision made her cough up blood as she was sent hurtling downward at rapid speed.

"NOOO!!!" Yan Mei cried out, tears streaming down her face.

"MARTIAL AUNT!!!" Xiu Hui exclaimed; her voice filled with anguish.

Snow Rose's body crashed to the ground, creating craters as the earth cracked like spiderwebs. Dust billowed up, obscuring the sight, and Snow Rose's body vanished from view.

"HUA HA HA," Mad Saber laughed heartily, "How was it? Did you like our attacks?! Surely the infamous and mighty Lord Snow Rose won't be this weak, right?" he taunted, still hovering in the sky.

"Fuuhhh..." Roaring Thunder exhaled heavily as he dispelled his Soul Manifestation, the semi-corporeal being bathed in lightning slowly vanished. He had used more than half of his Qi reserves. Floating closer to Mad Saber, he spoke, "Unfortunately, we failed to finish her off," Roaring Thunder said, his tone tinged with disappointment. They had failed to kill Snow Rose with their combined attack and only managed to injure her.

Dust still billowed, covering the spot where Snow Rose had fallen, then a figure could faintly be seen slowly standing up from the ground.

"Fufufufu, for a bunch of trash, you guys are not bad," Snow Rose said via voice transmission. Then, an intense wind accompanied by Qi pressure blasted from Snow Rose, clearing the dust around her.

"Hmph!" Roaring Thunder grunted upon hearing Snow Rose's insult.

Mad Saber just chuckled at her remark.

Snow Rose stood in the middle of the small crater, her gaping wound on her abdomen already healed. She had consumed medical pills and used her blood essence to mend her injury as if she had never been wounded. However, the torn robe and blood-drenched parts of her attire indicated otherwise.

Xiu Hui and Yan Mei sighed with relief a little when they saw their Martial Aunt looking fine, but the situation still appeared dire, and worry continued to grip their hearts.

Snow Rose's Soul Manifestation still enveloped her but had dimmed significantly, and the semi-corporeal being bore many cracks on its body. Snow Rose dispelled her Soul Manifestation, causing the semi-corporeal being that resembled her to slowly disappear. Simultaneously, the remaining snow figures engaged in battle with Absolute Diamond and Silver Marionette disintegrated into snowflakes.

"Phew... finally," Absolute Diamond sighed in relief as he watched the disintegrating snow figure. Although he had failed to land a hit on the snow figure, he also hadn't been putting in much effort. He then floated towards Mad Saber.

Silver Marionette also moved to Mad Saber's side after the snow figure she was engaging disappeared.

"You looked miserable," Silver Marionette said, smiling mockingly as she looked down at Snow Rose on the ground.

"Snow Rose, how come you got beaten this bad? I still haven't shown off yet. You better start getting serious," Absolute Diamond remarked.

Roaring Thunder remained silent as he retrieved a Spirit Stone, holding it in his palm. The stone was rather big, around the size of his own head, a Superior Grade Spirit Stone. He absorbed the Qi within to restore the Qi in his Dantian.

"I was expecting more from you, but if you only have this much, you will die. I will kill you to avenge all the cultivators you've killed thousands of years ago," Mad Saber proclaimed.

"Avenge them? Ha ha ha, that sounds too grand for someone like you," Snow Rose retorted using voice transmission.

"I've been waiting for a long time for you to leave the sect. Now that you are here, you won't be able to return to your sect alive!" Mad Saber declared, his Qi pressure soaring. The semi-corporeal figure of his Soul Manifestation stared fiercely at Snow Rose and growled.

"Don't blame us; you've caused all of this. You can only reap what you sow. You've killed so many cultivators from various factions, including from my kingdom, and many want you dead. You deserve to die. Moreover, you've blocked our cultivation path," Silver Marionette stated firmly.

The more she advanced in her cultivation, the harder it became for her to progress further, and she knew the reason well. There was a knot in her heart caused by Snow Rose in the past, and the same was true for many other cultivators from their generation across various factions, whether from orthodox, unorthodox, or evil paths. Snow Rose had left a mark on their hearts. The way to deal with it is either by killing Snow Rose or by overcoming the knot in their heart.

"Thats right, you even killed my senior brothers; you should've let them go. Back then, when I returned to the sect to deliver the news, my master was so furious that he beat me up. Sigh," Absolute Diamond added.

"If you guys want to kill me, then just come. There's no need to talk about the past. I will send you to the underworld to accompany Malachi," Snow Rose stated using voice transmission, her expression turning dangerous for the first time, no longer reflecting her usual calm and gentle demeanor, as a glint flashed in her eyes.

Snow Rose stabbed her sword into the ground and clasped both her arms. "[Frost Wind]!" Cold chilling wind started to blow around the area from Snow Rose, encompassing a large area.

"?!" Mad Saber felt that he slowly lost control of the blood mist.

The blood mist surrounding the area started to slowly condense and form droplets of blood. After a while, they all turned into blood-colored snowflakes. The remaining blood figures froze and turned to ice, which then disintegrated into blood-colored snowflakes.

"Disperse!" Snow Rose exclaimed. Then, all the blood-colored snowflakes slowly dispersed and disappeared.

"Tch!" Mad Saber looked at the disappearing blood-colored snowflakes. The blood mist was created using his blood essence, and now it was just gone like that.

"No matter how many trashes gather, trash will always be trash! Want to kill me? I will kill you instead!" Snow Rose exclaimed using voice transmission, her momentum rising as she prepared for another round.

"Her tongue is as sharp as ever," Absolute Diamond remarked.

"Why keep using voice transmission? Don't want your junior to see your real face?" Silver Marionette taunted.

"Real face? What real face? This is just the face I show to my enemy," Snow Rose retorted, still using voice transmission. "And they always end up dead after that," she added, showing a cold smile that gave off a dangerous vibe.

Snow Rose's Qi pressure kept getting stronger, surpassing that of any of them. Dark clouds began to gather, accompanied by intense rain and thunder.

"Uhh... now she's getting really serious. Be careful, guys," Absolute Diamond cautioned.

Chapter 44: One of the Geniuses of their Generation

The once beautiful vast grassland lay in ruins, with many craters of varying sizes scattered across it. Numerous ravines marred the landscape, the largest stretching hundreds of meters in length, several meters wide, and dozens of meters deep. Some parts of the grassland were frozen, while others smoldered from fires. Dark clouds swirled ominously overhead, accompanied by relentless lightning and rumbling thunder. Five figures could be seen locked in combat amidst the turbulent clouds. The battle had been ongoing for hours, and now night had fallen, shrouding the scene in darkness. Lightning and thunder still occasionally flashed across the sky, briefly illuminating the fighters in stark silhouette.

Xiu Hui and Yan Mei watched the battle from afar, having moved to the top of a hill after the grassland where they had previously observed the fight was ravaged.

"[Wujie Zuanjing Zhi Di - Indestructible Diamond from the Depth of the Earth]!" Absolute Diamond summoned his Soul Manifestation, a rather large semi-corporeal figure resembling a humanoid made of diamond. It emerged and slowly shrank before being absorbed into Absolute Diamond's body, merging with him. His body glowed slightly, the Soul Manifestation granting him increased power and defense.

"Take this [Diamond Shattering Palm]!!!" With both palms clapping in front of his chest, Absolute Diamond then raised them above his head before swiftly moving them to his side and beside his hip. His palms glowed as he launched a palm attack towards Snow Rose. Two streaks of palm energy shot towards Snow Rose, who was currently busy fighting against Silver Marionette's puppet.

"[Snow Drift]!" Snow Rose utilized her movement technique, her body moving wildly, erratically, and unpredictably, easily evading Absolute Diamond's palm energy attack.

The attack continued until it struck a distant mountain, destroying its top half with a loud explosion. Dust, small stones, and boulders scattered in all directions, thick dust and volcanic ash rising in columns.

"Tch!" Silver Marionette exclaimed, frustration evident in her tone. "You are really slippery, just like an eel."

"And you are just a coward, only daring to fight from a distance," Snow Rose replied, while gasping for breath slightly. Despite facing four opponents, she was not at a disadvantage.

"Hmph! We Puppet Controllers have our own way of fighting!" Silver Marionette retorted. All this time, she engaged Snow Rose by controlling one of her puppets from a distance, using it to confront Snow Rose, while another puppet stood nearby, ready to protect her.

"Hah... hah... hah...," Absolute Diamond gasped for breath. His body bore numerous cuts and was bloodied, but fortunately, with his sturdy physique, all the wounds inflicted by Snow Rose were shallow; otherwise, he would have already met Malachi in the afterlife. Now, with the addition of his soul manifestation, his defense became even stronger.

"I will stop her, Baldie! Make sure to kill her later, understand?!" Silver Marionette instructed Absolute Diamond via Voice Transmission.

"Who are you calling Baldie, damn it?!" Absolute Diamond responded angrily via Voice Transmission.

Silver Marionette controlled the puppet that had previously been confronting Snow Rose to return to her side.

"[Yinyin Baijin Xiu - Shining Elegance of Silver]," Silver Marionette activated her Soul Manifestation, her body shining brightly as a semi-corporeal being that resembled her appeared. The being was then absorbed by Silver Marionette's body, causing her to slowly turn to silver.

Gradually, she began to resemble the silver puppet. Now, along with her two other puppets, it appeared that there were three similar puppets made of silver that resembled Silver Marionette, and all three of them were glowing, their bodies covered in semi-corporeal armor.

"You want me to fight you directly? As you wish, here I come!" the three silver puppets spoke simultaneously as they moved towards Snow Rose.

"Tch!" Snow Rose then retrieved five hiltless swords from her storage ring and controlled them—a flying sword that required spiritual sense to control. The swords hovered around her as she observed the three silver puppets, each bearing the appearance of Silver Marionette. Snow Rose was familiar with Silver Marionette's Soul Manifestation, and now, the three silver puppets had become Silver Marionette's real body. Snow Rose understood that she needed to kill all three puppets to kill Silver Marionette.

Mad Saber and Roaring Thunder watched from the sidelines, their bodies marred with many wounds and bloodied. They observed as they took the opportunity to recover, consuming medicinal pills and restoring their Qi by using Superior Grade Spirit Stones.

They fought Snow Rose in turns; Roaring Thunder paired with Mad Saber, and Absolute Diamond with Silver Marionette. Each pair would confront Snow Rose while the other rested and recovered. Meanwhile, Snow Rose continued to battle without rest, having no time to recover at all.

"What a monster, even when fighting nonstop against the four of us, she still lasts this long," Roaring Thunder remarked.

"Hmph! It will end soon," Mad Saber added.

In the past, they had witnessed firsthand how strong Snow Rose was. Her sword skills were deadly, her Soul Manifestation was powerful and granted many unique abilities, and her Qi reserves were massive. Her attacks and movements were precise and effective, truly deserving the title of one of the geniuses of their generation. Mad Saber, Roaring Thunder, Absolute Diamond, and Silver Marionette had no other choice but to confront Snow Rose in turn.

A low rumbling sound suddenly could be heard, and the earth began to shake, trembling with increasing intensity. Not long after, the mountain that had been smashed by Absolute Diamond erupted with a deafening explosion. A thick, towering column of volcanic ash spewed from the volcano, rising for several kilometers into the sky. Volcanic Lightning crackled within the ash cloud.

Ashes, sands, small stones, and boulders were hurled into the air, raining down along with glowing red lava ejected into the atmosphere. More molten lava spilled from the volcano, flowing down its slopes. The fiery red glow provided an additional source of light in the dark night, along with occasional lightning and thunder. However, the eruption did not affect the ongoing fight in the sky.

...

At the riverside of the Anliu Baihe River lies the prosperous Liyu Village, the once small settlement has now developed significantly, just like a small town. The village thrives due to its strategic location near the riverbank of the Anliu Baihe river, profiting from the traffic on the waterway. Those traveling from Yanjing to Fengxian often board boats from here.

The Liu family caravan stayed in one of the inns in the village for the night, and the next day they will depart by boat to continue their journey.

In one of the rooms on the second floor of the inn, Orion is busy at the table. Meanwhile, Wang Lingxin has already fallen asleep. Currently, Orion is dissecting an insect on the table after finishing preparations for the boat journey tomorrow. The insect resembles a bombardier beetle from Earth but is much larger, almost the size of a cat.

Previously, Orion had finished making a DIY life vest for Wang Lingxin, using animal skin stuffed with natural fiber similar to kapok fiber from Earth.

As for Orion, a life jacket alone wouldn't suffice, given that Orion is mostly made of metal and would sink straight to the bottom. Fortunately, Orion had many empty wooden barrels. Orion made simple adjustments to the barrels and attached ropes to them, intending to use them as floating devices in case of emergency.

Additionally, Orion had constructed a simple raft using many wooden barrels attached together and stored it in the storage ring.

Hm? An eruption? Orion ponders internally as it continues its work on the insect's body parts, simultaneously receiving new data and video from the Orbiter showing an erupting volcano. Does the previous cloud phenomenon relate to the eruption?

Previously, there was a phenomenon where a sea of clouds split in two, not far away from the location of the erupting volcano. On Earth, there are myths about mysterious phenomena preceding major natural disasters, such as bright lights before earthquakes or mysterious clouds before volcanic eruptions. Although unproven, Orion wonders if there are also such myths in this world as well.

"Orbiter, how is your preparation? Is everything ready?" Orion asked via radio.

"Almost there. Still need to run some simulations and work on a few calculations. Tomorrow, will be ready to execute the plan immediately," Orbiter replied over the radio.

"Copy that, Orbiter," Orion acknowledged.

...

"[Silver Thread]! Bind!" one of the silver puppets engaging Snow Rose utilized its combat technique. Numerous silver threads emerged from the silver puppet's body and headed towards Snow Rose.

"Got you now!!!" declared the silver puppet as the silver threads successfully wrapped around Snow Rose's body and limbs, restraining her. Another silver puppet took the opportunity and flew towards Snow Rose with its long, sharp silver claws extended, poised to attack.

Meanwhile, another silver puppet observed from a distance, bearing numerous swords strikes on its body, with one of its arms severed. Holding the severed arm with its other arm, the silver puppet's body slowly began to repair itself, and the severed arm gradually started to mend.

Snow Rose struggled to break free from the silver threads, but their sharp edges cut into her flesh as she fought against them. Despite her efforts, she remained unable to break loose.

"[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Lunar Sword Wheel]!" Snow Rose exclaimed. The five flying swords surrounded her and began to rotate in a circular motion with her as the center like a wheel. Snow Rose controlled them, directing their movement to cut through all the silver threads binding her.

After being cut, the silver threads fell away from her body and crumbled to silver dust, leaving Snow Rose bloodied, her robe drenched in her own blood. Snow Rose then directed the spinning flying swords towards the incoming silver puppet while simultaneously delivering an attack toward another silver puppet.

"[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Crescent Frost]!" Snow Rose exclaimed as a crescent-shaped sword slash headed toward one of the silver puppets.

"Damn it!" exclaimed the silver puppet moving towards Snow Rose, using both hands to block the spinning flying swords attack but sent flying backward with both arms cut and suffering a huge gash on its body.

"Disengage!" commanded Snow Rose. The rotating flying swords then broke formation, and Snow Rose controlled them to stab at the silver puppet, piercing its head and body. The silver puppet stopped moving and fell to the ground, crashing and creating a small crater.

The other silver puppet also failed to dodge or defend from Snow Rose's sword slash due to being too close. The puppet was cut in two and then frozen, enveloped in ice before falling to the ground.

"Damn it!" exclaimed the last silver puppet.

"Hah... hah... hah...." Snow Rose breathed heavily, gasping for breath, her Soul Manifestation enveloping her, barely visible and almost disappearing. "Only one left," she muttered, looking at the last silver puppet.

"We are not done yet," Mad Saber's voice echoed. A blood figure suddenly appeared near Snow Rose's side from a blood mist, attacking with a saber slash.

Snow Rose responded swiftly, ducking to evade the saber slash and stabbing the blood mist. However, before her sword could hit the blood figure, it exploded into a thick blood mist, enveloping Snow Rose and hindering her movement.

"[Cloud Stride]!" Absolute Diamond immediately utilized his movement technique and arrived near Snow Rose, surprising her. Snow Rose attempted to deliver a horizontal slash towards him, but he dodged it and grabbed her left arm.

Simultaneously, he delivered a strong side kick using his right leg to Snow Rose's left abdomen, simultaneously yanking her arm. The force tore her arm from her body, causing blood to spray, further staining her already blood-drenched robe. Snow Rose's Soul Manifestation also lost its left arm, causing it to become even fainter.

The force of Absolute Diamond's kick sent her flying into the distance.

"Haaah...." Absolute Diamond exhaled, "Ha ha ha, how was my attack? Are you surprised that I can also move fast? Ha ha ha ha," he boasted, satisfied that he had finally managed to inflict serious injury on Snow Rose.

"Wow... you are indeed very beautiful. Your skin is so smooth and soft," Absolute Diamond nodded to himself as he muttered, scrutinizing Snow Rose's severed arm that he held, admiring its smooth and flawless complexion.

"Stop it, you creep! It seems that you're asking for a terrible death, huh?!" Snow Rose uttered in a cold, dangerous tone, her expression turning fierce and intimidating.

"Uh... uhmm, yeah, so... sorry about that," Absolute Diamond stammered, releasing Snow Rose's severed arm as he rubbed his head in embarrassment.

"It's okay," Snow Rose retorted coldly, "you can pay for it with your life."

Snow Rose's severed arm fell, and she used her Spiritual Sense to control it. It disintegrated into snowflakes and disappeared. Then, Snow Rose's left shoulder glowed bright green as a new arm began to grow. As a Soul Ascendance realm cultivator, Snow Rose possessed high regenerative ability. While she could wait for a few days for her severed arm to grow naturally, in a fight like this, she resorted to using her Blood Essence and Qi to quickly regenerate her severed arm.

Sorry, master, but I need to use forbidden technique, Snow Rose thought to herself. "[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Sword Blizzard]," she muttered under her breath.

Chapter 45: Triple Kill

A fierce gust of wind swept through the area, bringing with it an intense cold that chilled to the bone. Under the cover of night, the blizzard formed, filling the air with countless snowflakes that danced in the darkness. Dark clouds rolled overhead, obscuring visibility and plunging the atmosphere into deeper darkness and biting cold as the blizzard intensified, covering a vast area.

However, this was no ordinary blizzard. Each snowflake carried Sword Qi, imbuing it with a sharpness akin to a sword. The relentless wind carried these razor-sharp snowflakes, ensnaring Mad Saber, Roaring Thunder, Silver Marionette, and Absolute Diamond within its grasp. They found themselves bombarded by the relentless onslaught of these razor-sharp snowflakes, unable to escape their icy embrace.

"[Eight-sided Silver Shield]!" The last silver puppet emitted silvery wisps from its body, which coalesced into an octahedral shield shimmering with silver light. The shield enveloped the silver puppet within, effectively deflecting the onslaught of sharp snowflakes. A clanking sound reverberated as the countless snowflakes collided with the silver shield.

"[Diamond Armor]!" Absolute Diamond's skin transformed into a diamond-like substance, forming a protective layer that, coupled with his Soul Manifestation, increased his defense further against the incoming snowflakes. The relentless assault resulted in a continuous clanking sound as the snowflakes struck his hardened body.

"[Xueshi Yulu Wu - Dancing Saber in the Rain of Blood]! [Sanguine Saber Storm]!" Mad Saber summoned his Soul Manifestation and unleashed his combat technique, summoning a tempest of sharp, blood-like projectiles resembling sabers. He enveloped himself within this crimson storm, which clashed fiercely with the onslaught of razor-sharp snowflakes. 

"[Dianlong Wu Yun Hai - Dance of the Lightning Dragon on the Sea of Clouds]! [Lightning Storm Sphere]!" Roaring Thunder invoked his Soul Manifestation and executed his combat technique, summoning a sphere of crackling lightning that surrounded him. The lightning sphere pulverized the incoming snowflakes, protecting him from their relentless assault.

Countless snowflakes continued to assault the four of them, but Absolute Diamond bore the brunt of the attack, with the majority of the snowflakes homing in on him.

"Urgh!!!" Absolute Diamond grunted in pain as blood trickled from his mouth. Despite his formidable defense, the relentless onslaught of snowflakes proved overwhelming. His diamond-like skin began to bear the marks of countless cuts, with blood flowing freely from the wounds.

"HEYAAAA!!!" With a fierce cry, Absolute Diamond summoned every ounce of his strength, pushing his Soul Manifestation and combat technique to their limits. Pouring more and more Qi from his Dantian, he bolstered his defense, causing his diamond-like skin to glow with renewed intensity.

"No need to struggle, just accept your death," Snow Rose's voice echoed ominously. She was nowhere to be found, having disappeared amidst the darkness and countless snowflakes and intense wind.

"Hmph! Do you think that I'll just let you kill me that easily?!" Absolute Diamond retorted. It seemed that Snow Rose was truly angered by what he had done previously.

"If it's just like this, it's still not enough to kill me! Ha ha ha," Absolute Diamond provoked.

"Is that so? Then have more of it," Snow Rose declared.

The blizzard intensified as more snowflakes appeared, growing sharper with each passing moment. Countless snowflakes surged toward Absolute Diamond, increasing in both quantity and ferocity.

"Damn it! HEA!!!" Absolute Diamond exclaimed, enduring the increased intensity and sharpness of the relentless snowflake barrage. He pumped more and more Qi from his Dantian, his entire body covered in diamond-like armor shining brighter with each passing moment. Sparks flew from the collisions, and cuts began to appear, only to heal immediately and persist in the onslaught.

The silver puppet, Mad Saber, and Roaring Thunder each struggled to defend themselves. They also utilized their spiritual senses to observe how Absolute Diamond was being battered by the relentless assault. Fortunately, they were not the focused targets of the attack.

Clang!

A flying sword slash suddenly struck the octahedral silver shield out of nowhere, causing a loud clang accompanied by sparks and creating a gap in the defense. Through the opening, snowflakes streamed in, merging and coalescing to form Snow Rose's body, as she emerged holding her sword ready to attack.

"Oh no," exclaimed the silver puppet, caught off guard as it used its right arm to defend against the oncoming assault. It had assumed that Snow Rose would only focus on attacking Absolute Diamond.

Snow Rose swiftly thrust her sword, piercing the silver puppet's right arm and driving it straight into its head. The silver puppet no longer moved and went limp, like a puppet whose strings had been cut, and the octahedral silver shield crumbled into silver powder and scattered.

"Fuuh..." Snow Rose exhaled, withdrawing her sword from the silver puppet's head, then the silver puppet fell to the ground.

Stab!

"Suddenly, a long sharp claw emerged from Snow Rose's forehead, piercing through her Soul Manifestation and the back of her head, causing blood to drip down her face. She wore a look of surprise. "Wha... what?"

"Surprised? Fu fu fu," Silver Marionette's voice taunted. A silver puppet materialized behind Snow Rose from the scattered silver powder, its index finger claw stabbing into the back of her head. "Who said I can only control two puppets? Now I can control three puppets, and along with my original body, giving me four real bodies. Even if you kill three, there's still one left."

Mad Saber, Roaring Thunder, and Absolute Diamond also noticed the turn of events.

"Hmph! Finally got her!" exclaimed Mad Saber.

"Not bad," remarked Roaring Thunder.

"Damn, about time. I can barely hold on much longer," grunted Absolute Diamond, his body in terrible condition, with numerous cuts and blood dripping from his wounds, still bombarded by the relentless snowflakes.

"You are thinking too highly of yourself. Do you really believe you can face all four of us and emerge victorious? Fat chance!" Silver Marionette sneered. "Indeed, you are strong, but it only took one mistake in a crucial moment to decide your death. Ha ha ha, who's the trash now?"

Stab!

"Indeed, it only took one mistake in a crucial moment to decide your death," Snow Rose's voice suddenly echoed from behind Silver Marionette.

Mad Saber, Absolute Diamond, and Roaring Thunder looked on in surprise, unable to intervene as they were occupied with their own defenses. Suddenly, Snow Rose's body emerged from a snowflake hurtling behind Silver Marionette and Snow Rose immediately plunged her sword through the back of the silver puppet's head.

"But... how?" Silver Marionette's voice echoed, disbelief evident as the sword emerged from the silver puppet's forehead, piercing through the back of its head.

Then, the Snow Rose figure that had been stabbed by the silver puppet's claw slowly transformed into a snow figure, still enveloped by Snow Rose's soul manifestation. Eventually, the Soul Manifestation cracked and disappeared, the snow figure then also disintegrates into snowflakes, which were then blown away by the wind.

"You... you used your Soul Manifestation on your snow figure?!" Silver Marionette exclaimed.

"That's right. Now Die! Trash!" Snow Rose declared as cold energy burst forth from her sword, slowly freezing the silver puppet.

"No! Nooooooooooooooooooo!" Silver Marionette cried out as the silver puppet was gradually encased in ice and Silver Marionette's life force slowly extinguished.

Snow Rose then withdrew her sword from the frozen silver puppet, which plummeted to the ground with a crash.

"Cough... cough... hah... hah... hah..." Snow Rose coughed and spat blood, breathing heavily as she struggled to regain her composure.

She had utilized her snow figure to deliver the final blow to Silver Marionette, enhancing it with her Soul Manifestation and infusing a significant amount of her own Qi to mimic her real body. Meanwhile, her real body remained hidden, poised to launch a surprise attack on Mad Saber, Absolute Diamond, or Roaring Thunder after dealing with Silver Marionette. However, to her surprise, Silver Marionette still possessed one hidden silver puppet that launched an attack on her snow figure. With no other choice, Snow Rose revealed her real body to confront and kill Silver Marionette's last remaining puppet to completely kill Silver Marionette.

Snow Rose had sustained numerous serious injuries throughout the entire fight and had depleted a large portion of her Qi reserves. Furthermore, her Soul Manifestation was severely damaged, rendering her unable to summon it again for some time. The use of the forbidden technique had consumed a significant amount of her Qi, vitality, and life force, putting great strain on her body. As a result, she was left weakened and continuously coughing up blood.

The blizzard gradually died down and eventually disappeared, accompanied by the dispersal of the dark clouds. Simultaneously, the sun began to rise, casting an orange hue across the eastern sky. The four figures remained hovering in the sky, their appearances grim, bloodied, and marked by numerous injuries. They gasped for breath, their bodies battered and weary, yet their fighting spirit remained unyielding, still emanating tremendous Qi pressure and thick killing intent.

"Haaah... hah... only three left..." Snow Rose panted, her voice strained with exhaustion.

"Hah... hah..., hmp! With your condition, do you think you still have any chance?" Mad Saber gasped for breath as he dispelled his Soul Manifestation. He suffered some cuts caused by the snowflakes. As for his Soul Manifestation, it bore many cuts and cracks from the snowflakes' attacks before slowly disappearing.

"Hah... haah... hahhh... that's right, your condition is worse than the three of us. You have no chance," Absolute Diamond asserted before his Soul Manifestation and diamond-like skin gradually vanished. His body was drenched in blood from countless cuts inflicted by the snowflakes, though they began to heal, albeit at a slower pace than before.

Roaring Thunder remained silent, merely observing Snow Rose while gasping for breath. He, too, suffered some cuts, despite most of the snowflakes being pulverized by his combat technique. His Soul Manifestation also gradually dissipated, and Roaring Thunder found himself nearly depleted of Qi in his Dantian.

"[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Frost Sword]!" Snow Rose exclaimed. She extended her right hand, and snowflakes began to gather, shining brightly. Slowly, the snowflakes transformed into a sword, crystal clear and emitting a chilling aura. Holding the sword, her momentum rising, she prepared for another round of combat.

"What?! You're already able to control Nature Qi?" Mad Saber exclaimed in surprise. He was astonished that Snow Rose had reached this level of mastery. Usually, only cultivators who had reached the Void Insight Realm and above and mastered Domain abilities could control Nature Qi like this.

Snow Rose utilized the Nature Qi, specifically Ice attribute Qi from the surrounding environment, to form her sword, rather than using her own Qi from her Dantian. With this technique, the Nature Qi that could be gentle became destructive, and the sword is imbued with this destructive power, enabling Snow Rose to deliver attacks no weaker than those of a Void Insight Realm cultivator.

"Damn it, we should've brought more people to confront her!" Absolute Diamond exclaimed.

Snow Rose then flew towards Mad Saber, Roaring Thunder, and Absolute Diamond. The trio prepared for another round of combat.

...

Two hours had passed, and this time Snow Rose had the absolute advantage, beating Mad Saber, Absolute Diamond, and Roaring Thunder badly in turns. Suddenly, a figure streaked down to the ground, crashing loudly and creating a crater. Roaring Thunder's upper body was stuck in the ground, with only his hips and legs visible.

Snow Rose then moved toward Absolute Diamond, who pushed his Soul Manifestation to its limit. His skin transformed into a diamond-like substance, they clashed, exchanging blows with intense ferocity. Absolute Diamond found himself at a total disadvantage, accumulating injuries with each exchange.

"[Sword Dance of the Moonlight, Frost Moon Slash]!" Snow Rose exclaimed, delivering four slashes towards Absolute Diamond.

"Guagh!!!" Absolute Diamond cried out in agony. His diamond armor failed to defend against Snow Rose's attack. The sword slashes severed both of his arms and legs cleanly, causing them to fall to the ground. The wounds then froze over, the ice slowly spreading across his body.

"Ha ha ha," Absolute Diamond laughed bitterly as he surveyed his maimed body. It appeared that Snow Rose had taken revenge on him for previously ripping off her arm; now, she had cut off all four of his limbs. It seemed that it was all over for him; the cold energy infiltrated his body, and he didn't have enough energy or Qi to fight it off and regrow his limbs.

Snow Rose rested her sword near Absolute Diamond's neck, its cold aura slowly freezing his skin as the ice spread.

"Are you okay with this? Being used by others for their own gain?" Snow Rose questioned. "You must know you're just being used to test me and figure out my current strength."

"Ha ha ha, it's fine," replied Absolute Diamond. "I'm no genius like you. I know it's hard for me to advance far in the cultivation path. If I can kill you, then great, I might advance a little further. But if not, it's fine to just end it. Even if I die, there will still be many others who will come for you. Hopefully, my death will contribute something, and they can kill you."

"Hmph! Sorry, but you'll be disappointed," Snow Rose retorted. "I'll send those coming for me to the afterlife to accompany you."

"Hmm... that's also possible," conceded Absolute Diamond.

On the ground, Roaring Thunder stood up from the hole he was in, holding his spear. His face was drenched in blood, and he looked furious as he gazed up at the sky where Snow Rose and Absolute Diamond were located.

"[Dianlong Wu Yun Hai - Dance of the Lightning Dragon on the Sea of Clouds]!" Roaring Thunder summoned his Soul Manifestation, a semi-corporeal figure bathed in lightning appearing and enveloping him. His body was also covered in lightning, his eyes glowing red as he lost his rationality, consumed by fury and the desire to kill Snow Rose.

"[Azure Lightning of Annihilation]!" Roaring Thunder unleashed his forbidden technique. His body became fully covered in azure lightning, forming a sphere of lightning and rendering him invisible. The ground cracked around him, forming a spider web of fissures, accompanied by the loud crackling sound of lightning.

Snow Rose looked down at Roaring Thunder on the ground, then turned back toward Absolute Diamond. "Any last words?" she asked.

"He he he, I love you. I've always admired you, even since the first time we met," Absolute Diamond said with a smile.

"I know," Snow Rose replied. With a swift motion, she swung her sword across Absolute Diamond's neck, beheading him. She then grabbed his head and exerted pressure with her fingers, causing them to penetrate through the skull. Next, she channeled cold energy into her palm and fingers, slowly freezing Absolute Diamond's head.

Cultivators of the Soul Ascendance Realm possess high regenerative abilities and vitality. Even if beheaded, they can survive, rejoin their bodies, or even regenerate their bodies. However, the only way to kill them permanently is to deliver a fatal blow to the head. Snow Rose intended to slowly kill Absolute Diamond in this manner.

"HEYAAA! Take this!" Roaring Thunder leaped towards the sky with such force that the ground beneath him cracked and trembled, thrusting his spear upward with lightning enveloping it, resembling an azure-colored lightning arrow streaking swiftly towards Snow Rose.

Snow Rose swiftly kicked Absolute Diamond's body towards the incoming attack. As Absolute Diamond's body made contact with the attack, it immediately pulverized. However, Roaring Thunder's attack continued unabated towards Snow Rose.

Snow Rose watched the incoming Roaring Thunder, her eyes briefly glowing blue.

Roaring Thunder noticed his body gradually freezing, slowing down his attack. Visual Technique?! he pondered internally, but he continued his assault towards Snow Rose.

"[Snow Drift]," Snow Rose exclaimed, utilizing her Movement Technique. With Roaring Thunder slowed down and her own Movement Technique combined, she managed to dodge his attack. But it wasn't over yet. She aimed her sword towards Roaring Thunder and extended it, ice growing towards him. Caught off guard and still in the midst of his attack, Roaring Thunder failed to defend or dodge as the ice penetrated his head and froze it. The long ice then shattered as Roaring Thunder continued streaking through the air, a sharp ice fragment embedded in his head. His Soul Manifestation slowly dissipated, and his technique was broken. The lightning no longer enveloped his body. After flying a distance, Roaring Thunder's body crashed to the ground, motionless.

Now, only two figures remain hovering in the sky, Snow Rose and Mad Saber watched each other from a distance.