The illusory flaming phoenix circled high in the sky.
It raised its proud head and let out a resounding cry that pierced the heavens and souls alike.
This was the overwhelming pressure of a divine beast from ancient legends, offering the most fervent celebration for its master who was about to be reborn through flames!
At the Mistveil Pavilion residence, Pei Ruanyan had already been restless and anxious.
The moment she heard that cry, it felt as if all the bones had been pulled from her body.
With a thud, she collapsed powerlessly onto the wooden chair.
Cold sweat drenched Pei Ruanyan’s pretty face.
She trembled uncontrollably, her teeth chattering with an ear-piercing clack.
“It’s over… it’s all over… Yan Qingge actually broke through successfully… Why didn’t she die! Why didn’t she just die!”
Pei Ruanyan’s eyes widened fiercely, her features twisting into a hideous expression.
Her fingers dug into the armrest so hard that her nails cracked and bled.
“We’re all going to die! We’re all going to die! Hahahaha!”
Her shrill, ghost-like wail rang through Mistveil Pavilion like a death knell.
Unlike the madness inside the Mistveil Pavilion residence, inside the secret chamber on Yao Furnace Peak, an earth-shaking battle that could decide life and death was finally drawing to a close.
“Break for me!!!”
Bai Qingran let out a hoarse, desperate roar.
His voice had become extremely raspy, yet it carried an unquestionable resolve.
In the final moment before the breakthrough, at the last second that would decide Yan Qingge’s life or death, Bai Qingran exhausted the very last thread of his divine sense and finally purged the poison that had been entangled throughout Yan Qingge’s meridians.
Although the poison was removed, what followed was a soul-crushing backlash of pain that surged like a tidal wave.
Bai Qingran felt as if a red-hot iron rod had been stabbed into his brain and was stirring violently.
In an instant, he lost all control over his body.
The final breath he had been holding onto finally gave out the moment he confirmed Yan Qingge was safe.
“Thank goodness… you’re okay…”
A relieved, satisfied smile bloomed on Bai Qingran’s paper-white face.
Like a withering white flower, he collapsed powerlessly onto the cold ground.
Shock that could not be concealed filled Lin Rou’s beautiful eyes.
As the person with the highest medical skill in Xuan Phoenix Sacred Sect, she understood better than anyone how dangerous the situation had been.
She had already mentally pronounced Yan Qingge dead, yet…
A person who had been hovering at death’s door had been dragged back to life by the man before her.
This was not only mastery of medicine, but an almost self-destructive level of obsession toward Yan Qingge.
But why?
Lin Rou licked her dry, pale lips as curiosity grew like wild weeds in her heart.
Why would a fox demon who had been tortured and abused by others still harbor such pure goodwill toward someone else?
Before she could find an answer to that question, the fire phoenix phantom above Yao Furnace Peak moved.
It transformed into a streak of crimson light and shot toward the secret chamber with the momentum to burn mountains and boil seas.
In a single breath, the powerful figures hovering in the sky all locked their divine senses onto this location at once.
Boom!
An overwhelmingly powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted from above the secret chamber.
A massive hole was blasted through the sturdy dome.
The phoenix cried out as it crashed into Yan Qingge’s arms amid flying dust and flames.
The breakthrough was complete—first layer of Spirit Venerable Stage.
Having broken through with perfect great completion, Yan Qingge was now wreathed in crimson divine fire.
She slowly opened her eyes.
Within her golden pupils, phoenix flames burned faintly.
The ground beneath Yan Qingge’s feet cracked under the divine beast pressure radiating from her body.
The ancient, oppressive aura made the surrounding air feel scorching and thin.
She no longer showed any trace of the weakness caused by the poison.
The current Yan Qingge could easily fight above her realm!
However, she showed no joy at this earth-shaking increase in power.
Yan Qingge turned her head, and her gaze instantly fell on the snow-white figure lying on the ground.
The sight of Bai Qingran collapsed on the floor made Yan Qingge’s heart clench violently.
The sound of a rattle drum suddenly echoed in her divine sense.
The memories from the Heart-Questioning Gu Devouring flooded back like a tide.
Miraculously, Yan Qingge had not lost the memories from the illusion.
In that cold, despairing hell before the breakthrough, she clearly remembered a warm power—like a pair of gentle hands—pulling her out of hell without regard for the consequences.
The person who had promised her in the darkness, “This time, I will save you,” was right there.
In this world, only Bai Qingran could save her, and he had willingly gone to his death for her sake.
“Brother Qingran…”
Yan Qingge’s voice trembled with overflowing love.
She wanted to reach out and embrace the figure that haunted her dreams, but a jet-black sword qi suddenly cut in.
Clang!
The Mo Yuan Sword stabbed diagonally into the ground, its blade vibrating.
The killing intent it emitted forcefully halted Yan Qingge’s movement.
In the next instant, Chu Mo’s figure descended silently.
As close friends for many years, Chu Mo knew Yan Qingge too well.
When she saw the blazing possessiveness and greed in Yan Qingge’s eyes as she looked at Bai Qingran, the fire in Yan Qingge’s gaze ignited something inside Chu Mo as well.
Like an elegant yet dangerous black butterfly, Chu Mo glided through the air and reached Bai Qingran before Yan Qingge could.
She gathered the cold, fragile body of the little fox into her arms.
She glanced down at the unconscious little fox in her embrace, then looked up at Yan Qingge.
The corner of Chu Mo’s mouth curved into a mocking arc, her eyes as cold as ice.
“Qingge, congratulations on achieving great completion in your breakthrough.
From now on, there won’t be many people in this world who can stand against you.”
Chu Mo paused for a moment, her tone instantly turning provocative.
“However, let’s skip the part where you try to steal the person by my side.
Even though we’re sisters, that would be against the rules.”
Yan Qingge’s golden pupils contracted slightly from rage.
She stared fixedly at Chu Mo’s hand resting on Bai Qingran’s waist and said through gritted teeth, “Chu Mo, you don’t know what happened between us in the illusion.
Let go of him.”
“Let go?”
Chu Mo spoke as if she had heard the most ridiculous thing in the world.
Her fingers gently stroked Bai Qingran’s pale cheek with chilling tenderness.
“He is my friend.
In terms of closeness, I am far more ‘intimate’ with him than you are.
Besides, Qingge, didn’t you only like pretty girls?
How come—after surviving the poison and breaking through—your tastes have changed?
You’re interested in men now?”
“I said—let go of him!!!”
Yan Qingge’s eyes nearly split with fury.
The violence in her heart erupted like blazing flames.
The Crimson Phoenix Plume let out a clear cry as phoenix flames surged like raging waves, slashing viciously toward Chu Mo.
“Hmph.”
Chu Mo let out a cold snort.
The Mo Yuan Sword flew into her hand.
With a simple, indifferent wave, sword qi crashed down like an iron curtain, forcefully severing the ferocious wave of fire.
After all, Chu Mo was still the number one among their generation.
Even with Yan Qingge’s current momentum, completely defeating Chu Mo would still be extremely difficult.
“He is mine!”
Yan Qingge let out a beast-like growl.
Bai Qingran was the light in her illusion, the benefactor who had saved her at the cost of his own life.
She would never allow him to fall into anyone else’s hands!
“Crimson Phoenix Plume! Shatter!”
Following Yan Qingge’s cold command, the Crimson Phoenix Plume in her hand actually shattered, transforming into countless sharp fragments glowing with golden-red firelight.
Thousands upon thousands of fragments drew strange arcs through the air, locking onto Chu Mo from every direction.
“Overestimating yourself!”
Rage exploded in Chu Mo’s eyes.
The Xuan Phoenix Emperor Scripture circulated wildly inside her body as a spatial-stifling spiritual power suddenly erupted.
Sizzle—sizzle— Harsh, grating sounds exploded between the two.
The fragments of the Crimson Phoenix Plume seemed to crash into an invisible iron wall.
No matter how the phoenix flames on them danced, they could not advance even an inch.
Just as the atmosphere grew tense and the two True Disciples were about to fight to the death, the powerful figures in the sky could no longer stand by.
They watched the scene with strange expressions, completely unable to understand why these two good sisters—who had always been so close they might as well have worn the same pants—were suddenly attacking each other as if they were mortal enemies.
“Both of you, stop right now!”
Su Yunluo’s explosive shout, laced with Spirit Sovereign Stage pressure, rolled down like heavenly thunder and instantly shattered the clashing sword qi and phoenix flames into dust.
Immediately after, several powerful auras descended.
The elders from Red Sun Phoenix Heaven Sect rushed toward Yan Qingge.
Their faces bloomed with joy.
After confirming that their beloved disciple was not only safe but had even turned misfortune into fortune, their delighted voices nearly shook the secret chamber apart.
Chu Mo gave the crowd surrounding Yan Qingge a cold glance.
The black in her eyes grew shockingly deep.
Without saying a word, she picked up Bai Qingran and disappeared into the shadows, quietly leaving the scene.
In her arms, Bai Qingran’s jade-like hands hung limply.
His fingertips were slightly curled, pointing in the direction of Yan Qingge, who was staring over in despair from the center of the crowd.
“Give… Bai Qingran… back to me…”
Yan Qingge’s voice was drowned out and broken apart by the pushing crowd.
The cheers and concerned voices completely swallowed the last traces of her words.
In a dark corner where light could not reach, Lin Rou gently licked her fingertips that had touched Bai Qingran’s jade-like hand.
“So his name is Bai Qingran…”
Lin Rou stared in the direction Chu Mo had left, the corner of her mouth curving into a playful arc.
“Senior Sister Chu, such a precious treasure… you may not be able to hold onto him after all…”
A nearly invisible, extremely fine silver needle flashed at Lin Rou’s fingertip before vanishing.
A faint medicinal fragrance that only she could detect drifted from it.
The storm had only just begun.