Frozen Yang

Xie Wang had an evil plan created by him and his father for Bai Ningshuang.

He recalled the talk he had with his father. The latter told him that he needed to stop Bai Ningshuang from gaining any fame. The less known she was, the easier it would be to force or even abduct her.

"Get ready. We're going to teach that bitch to be obedient." Xie Wang transmitted to the other four emperors.

These four all came from second-rate and third-rate cities. All of them had above average strength but no hopes in contention for the top ten. With the connections and influence of the Radiant Yang Sect, recruiting them with enough promises, favors, and resources was a piece of cake.

The four made eye contact and unprecedented seriousness reflected in each other's eyes. They had seen the fate of the other recruits.

Some had been crippled mercilessly. However, they could not back down even if they wanted to.

The deal was done and they needed to fulfill their parts or else, the Radiant Yang Sect could harass and kill them. It might even implicate their families and sects.

The only way out of this mess for them was to fight.

Four domains of different elements suddenly enveloped a large part of the battlefield and broke the silence of the venue.

"It's here!"

"They are really targeting her!"

"Four emperors is too much. Damn it, cowards!"

Four emperor contestants didn't care about the opinions of the audience as they swung their weapons in an attempt to quickly finish Bai Ningshuang before she could react.

A lash from a whip imbued with heaviness, a slash from a fiery glowing scythe, a pair of molten short axes being hurled, and a simple polearm shining with its extreme sharpness.

The sudden multiple attacks created an overwhelming aura that made the nearest archmages retreat hurriedly to the sides. At the same time, the crowd collectively became silent after the initial uproar. They wanted to see the result of this development with bated breaths.

Unfortunately for the four attackers, Bai Ningshuang had been in alert state since she descended from the viewing platform.

Whoosh!

A swift and oppressing sword strike created images in its tract, tearing and draining the surrounding energies like a moving black hole. The colors of the surrounding area slightly lost its luster.

Before the four attackers could react, the sword strike tore their domains like a knife cutting through butter. Simultaneously, another slash brought invasive ice energies that swept throughout. It filled the battlefield and transformed it into a snowing tundra.

Feeling their bodies becoming sluggish, they roared and gushed out their own energies. This barely allowed them to retreat towards Xie Wang carelessly.

The audience erupted once again with these developments.

"Wow! She single-handedly destroyed their attacks and her origin energy is too thick."

"Oh no, it seems another four geniuses are going to be crippled."

"Did you see where the four retreated? It's the Young Lord of Radiant Yang Sect. Does it mean…"

"Tsk-tsk. It's getting interesting. So they are being targeted by the all-male sect. Did the five ladies catch their attention?"

The observant ones finally realized the mastermind behind the ganging up on certain contestants.

On the first viewing platform, Governor Cui looked seriously at the platform of Radiant Yang Sect. His fingers kept tapping rhythmically on the table in front of him.

"Governor Cui, is the Radiant Yang Sect here connected with Yin-Yang Valley Sect of Southern Prefecture?" One of the great emperors accompanying the Thirteenth Prince asked in confirmation.

"Yes. The Yin-Yang Valley Sect once helped the Radiant Yang Sect in their predicament."

"This case is hard." The great emperor shook his head. He was naturally not afraid of the sect he mentioned but based on the background of Ji Chen and his companions, he felt that even with the help of Governor Palace here, it would still be hard for them.

This was because he had some information about the Yin-Yang Valley Sect, the top sect in the whole Southern Prefecture. The sect had close ties with the current Southern Governor, an existence with strength equal to Governor Cui.

On the other hand, Governor Cui was more concerned about something. 'It will be fine if they are really backed by that lunatic woman. I just have to make sure they are safe in my city.'

Back in the battlefield, five emperors were facing a single emperor with slight fear written on their faces.

They never imagined this silver-haired lady could produce such an overpowered attack. It nullified four domains and even made the four of them to retreat.

Bai Ningshuang clicked her tongue seeing her two attacks were not enough.

"It seems I still lack some training." She muttered under her frosty breath.

Not wanting to waste her precious time, she dashed towards Xie Wang and his four helpers.

"I'll deal with her in front. You four assist at both sides." Xie Wang ordered the four emperors before his figure glowed with golden light.

A heat more intense than the one created by the combination attack of four peak-tier archmages earlier radiated from his body. Yang and fire energy intertwined to produce a scorching heat that instantly evaporated the moist air.

A golden bull materialized in front of Xie Wang. The burning bull stomped the scorched ground, thrust up its horns, before charging towards Bai Ningshuang.

'Emperor Absolution'

Bai Ningshuang changed her stance and stabbed her sword straight to the charging bull. A pinpoint counterattack streaked across the field before slamming at its target.

Boom!

A collision that seemed like a star meeting a black hole exploded in the sky.

How could a star resist the endless devouring power of a black hole?

The bull phantom instantly lost its solid figure and became transparent. The sky turned gray momentarily, shocking the spectators and even Governor Cui who became increasingly convinced of his guesses.

Looking to her left and right, Bai Ningshuang noticed her vulnerable position. Two emperors on both sides tried to pincer her as they used their domains and art manuals.

At the same time, Xie Wang made another larger bull and executed a sword slash that seemed to melt everything on its track.

"Too weak." Bai Ningshuang uttered. She didn't even have to use her trump card. Gripping her icy sword firmly, she drew circles in the air.

Multiple transparent barriers materialized to her left and right. It was her only defensive sword art, the Inescapable Sword Screen Art.

She still used the third move of the Tri-absolution Sword Art to deal with the attacks coming from the front. She merely used half of her full strength on her last attack and did not even use her elemental energy.

Her consumption of Spirit Fruits and its higher variants made her origin energy denser compared to her peers. The One-Thousand-Year-Mantri Blue Ice Slab made her ice energy colder and resistant to fire by a certain degree. With her activated Natural Yin Body strengthened with the vial of Pristine Yin Pond Water, her ice element just got more terrifying.

She was literally riding the cheat train of Ji Chen.

With her experiences in the Ancient White Pagoda, Grand North Mountain Range, and Myriad Beast Sect, she perfectly maneuvered combatting five emperors.

Four bodies lay unconscious on the ground after five exchanges. They were exactly the four helpers of Xie Wang. All of them were encapsulated with a layer of glistening frost. One missing an arm, another a foot. The remaining two had their innards frozen and parts of their meridians shattered.

Bai Ningshuang exploited the lack of rules regarding crippling the opponents. She would never show pity to anyone trying to target her and her master regardless if they were forced or not.

She knew the plight of these people, afraid that their loved ones might get implicated if they didn't follow the order given to them. Still, she didn't care.

It was her hypocrisy and she embraced it wholly.

Moreover, it was more likely that these four unconscious emperors got lured by promises and rewards and they agreed to participate in this shameful activity.

They made a decision and they must face its consequences. Unfortunately for them, the consequences this time were too heavy. Regrowing a limb could only be done by a 3rd-tier body refiner and curing destroyed meridians takes a hundred of years at the very least.

"Arghh!" Several minutes later, a shrill cry reverberated throughout the venue as Xie Wang desperately tried to eliminate the ice energy rampaging through his lower body. His eyes had already turned bloodshot while looking at Bai Ningshuang with pure hatred.

A figure suddenly rushed from a viewing platform towards the battlefield.

However, Governor Cui personally moved this time and blocked the figure.

"Stop! This is a competition organized by the kingdom. Do you want to rebel?"

A confrontation between a peak-stage great emperor and a late-stage great emperor instantly made the matter into a higher level.

"That is my son!" The figure squeezed through his gritting teeth.

The locals in the crowd were startled seeing the Sect Master of the Radiant Yang Sect trembling with fury.

Governor Cui didn't care about relationships and said in a monotonous tone, "As long as he doesn't surrender or become unconscious, no one can help him."

"Wang, concede now!" shouted to Xie Wang.

"I, I concede! I concede! Aghh!"

Bai Ningshuang did not feel any guilt or sympathy as she sat on her ice throne amidst the chaos. With regards to the consequences of her actions, she knew her master would help her with it.