Chapter 00176: The Terrifying Halberd
# The Terrifying Halberd
Chapter 176
Novel: Abandon The Universe
Chapter 176: The Terrifying Halberd
Indeed, after the Spirit Refining Technique was activated, Lan Xiaobu felt a significant reduction in pressure.
He accelerated his pace, but deep down, he was contemplating that in this place, not just any Earth Immortal, even an Innate Realm expert, would struggle to approach if they had not mastered the Spirit Refining Technique or cultivated their body.
At this moment, Lan Xiaobu felt a sense of gratitude towards Liu Li.
If it weren't for her, he wouldn't have the Jia Lan Pill.
Without the Jia Lan Pill, even if he had arrived here, he wouldn't have been able to concentrate fully on the Spirit Refining Technique.
As Lan Xiaobu closed in on the massive halberd, he felt the intensity of the attacks on him grow stronger, and he could see that the ground around him was littered with bones.
One could only imagine how many lives had been lost over the years for this halberd.
Puff puff! When two blade-like energies struck him, causing a spray of blood mist, Lan Xiaobu finally realized that coming closer to the halberd brought not only soul attacks but also tangible killing intent.
These blade-like energies were formed from the murderous aura surrounding the halberd, eventually manifesting as a solidified intent to kill.
As he approached within several feet of the halberd, the murderous aura intensified, and as several blade-like energies tore through Lan Xiaobu’s skin, he was hit by two soul attacks that struck his Primordial Spirit.
His body shuddered, and his consciousness almost faltered.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Lan Xiaobu managed to hold on to his consciousness while gathering his genuine energy, stepping forward repeatedly and then without hesitation, grasping the halberd tightly.
A chilling aura surged towards him, and before he could even pull the halberd out, he felt as though his body had been struck by a powerful electric shock.
Following that, the killing aura transformed into a fierce beast that roared, lunging toward Lan Xiaobu’s Primordial Spirit, as if it aimed to obliterate the entire universe.
The terrifying roar reverberated within his sea of consciousness.
Without thinking, Lan Xiaobu launched attack after attack with spirit thorns towards this beast, and erected spirit shields one after another.
In that moment, he sensed the chilling breath of death.
Vital energy was being frantically siphoned away by the giant halberd, the power attacking his sea of consciousness amplified many times over.
Not only that, the murderous intent on the halberd was ruthlessly tearing at Lan Xiaobu’s flesh, and in a very short period, he became a person drenched in blood.
Yet, Lan Xiaobu did not let go.
He knew very well that if he released his grip, he might have a slim chance of escaping, but more likely, he wouldn't be able to let go at all.
Once he attempted to let go and found himself unable, he would lose the initiative and would find it nearly impossible to re-immerse his consciousness into the halberd for refinement.
It may seem trivial not to extract the halberd, but he also vaguely sensed that he would not be able to escape the range of its murderous aura.
Either way, it was a death sentence; since that was the case, he might as well fight with all his might.
If he were to let go now, the horrifying intent surrounding the halberd would prevent even a wispy thought from penetrating into the halberd.
However, relying on the momentum from his previous rush, even though he was being assaulted by the halberd’s killing intent, a trace of his consciousness managed to penetrate into it.
Lan Xiaobu operated the Spirit Refining Technique madly to temper his Primordial Spirit while simultaneously employing the Undying Technique to refine his body, channeling all his energy into the refinement of the halberd.
Despite relentless refining of his spirit and body, the murderous aura wafting around the halberd was too overpowering and dense, constantly tearing at Lan Xiaobu’s spirit and flesh.
At this point, Lan Xiaobu was acutely aware of his dire situation.
He had to absorb all the murderous aura from the halberd to refine his spirit and body; if he absorbed too little, his spirit and flesh would continue to suffer damage.
However, Lan Xiaobu’s cultivation was still somewhat too weak.
Even though he exerted all his strength, his spirit and body continued to be harmed without respite.
He understood that once this damage reached a critical point, he would no longer be able to endure, and his body would shatter, leaving him no different from the others who had perished, becoming yet another skeleton near the halberd.
But that wasn’t the worst part; the most terrifying possibility was if someone were to come at that moment, they could easily approach the halberd and eliminate him.
Because at this point, all the killing intent from the halberd would have been absorbed by him, ceasing to pose any threat to anyone else.
Time slowly slipped away as Lan Xiaobu, gripping the massive halberd, turned into a figure drenched in blood, standing rigidly like a sculpture, upright in the ground.
Anxiousness filled Lan Xiaobu’s heart, the scales were tipping towards the halberd, and he couldn’t even call for help from the ancient pathways within the Cosmic Dimension Matrix.
...
Across the vast region of the western part of the Yuan Continent, desolation prevailed.
Only a low-tier flying vessel skimmed over this barren land, moving towards the far western wastelands at a slow pace.
On this flying vessel stood a somewhat haggard young woman, her appearance reflecting the toll of her journey, perhaps due to exhaustion or perhaps from having seen through everything.
Her eyes shone with clarity, embodying the serene beauty akin to tranquil mountains, devoid of any trace of dust or filth.
The woman standing on the flying vessel was Liu Li, who had recently departed from Dark Bay Swamp.
At this moment, she had removed her disguise; this was the far west of the Yuan Continent, a place devoid of cultivators.
Walking for millions of miles in the farthest western part of the Yuan Continent, one might not see a single living soul.
Liu Li was heading to the location of Falling Halberd Valley in the extreme west.
She wanted to see Lan Xiaobu one last time; perhaps she subconsciously didn't want to die so soon, or perhaps she considered him her only friend.
Logically, if she wished to see Lan Xiaobu, she should have ventured to Mubei Immortal City, not Falling Halberd Valley.
Lan Xiaobu was the city lord of Mubei; he could only be found there.
Or perhaps, Mubei was simply too far from Dark Bay Swamp that trying to reach it with a low-tier flying tool would mean she might succumb during the journey before even arriving.
Her cultivation had already fallen to the Essence Gathering Stage, making each day a countdown to her life.
Or perhaps, deep down, she didn't want to see Lan Xiaobu in Mubei Immortal City but rather the Lan Xiaobu in Falling Halberd Valley.
No matter how far the journey, it must come to an end.
Liu Li stowed away her flying tool and trekked for half a month until she finally stood before Falling Halberd Valley.
Gazing at the mist-shrouded valley, she felt a sense of disconnection.
She had been here once before, brought by her master, right after she had successfully entered the Essence Gathering Stage.
Back then, she was full of ambition; not only was she the pride of the Western Kunlun Sect, but she was also someone many cultivators in the Yuan Continent envied.
It was as if history was repeating itself as she returned here still in the Essence Gathering Stage.
The difference was that she had once arrived as the beloved daughter of the Western Kunlun Sect, shining with the prospects of becoming the next holy maiden.
Yet now, she was a desperate, wandering cultivator on the brink of death, arriving here in solitude.
When she first came, it was to explore the vast Yuan Continent with her master and expand her horizons.
Now, she was here to meet her only friend before facing death.
No, rather, it was the only friend she believed she had.
She was very clear on what the mist swirling before her was; it was poison mist.
Not only her but even her master would likely struggle to pass through this poison mist unharmed.
Liu Li stared blankly at the poison mist; she should probably wait for Lan Xiaobu here.
As long as he came to Falling Halberd Valley, he would definitely have to pass through this place.
Liu Li sat down, staring blankly at the poison mist.
As time slowly passed, she didn’t know how long it had been before she stood up again.
She found herself to be quite funny; Lan Xiaobu wouldn’t come here unless he had reached the Earth Immortal or even later periods of the Void God Realm, and here she was, about to die.
Rather than dying outside the poison mist, it was better to embrace it.
Lan Xiaobu had said he could heal her; that was just a casual comfort.
Perhaps in the future, he might recognize her bones and give them a proper burial.
If she had owed a debt before, consider it an additional one.
Once she let go of all her obsessions, Liu Li resolutely stepped into the poison mist.
A wave of pain tore through her skin, yet Liu Li felt an even greater calm wash over her, and she quickened her pace.
She knew very well that if she didn’t speed up, she might die within the poison mist.
Even if Lan Xiaobu were to come later, he might not know that his friend had been here, for her remains would be concealed by the poison mist.
As Liu Li traversed the poison mist without being assaulted by killing intent, she secretly sighed, speculating that Lan Xiaobu must have taken the halberd by now.
Otherwise, if she stepped out from the poison mist, she would have been immediately afflicted by the terrifying aura.
Liu Li did not look back, but instead continued towards the halberd.
Soon, Liu Li was frozen in place; she saw the halberd and a blood-drenched figure beneath it.
The blood-soaked person appeared to be lifeless.
Yet Liu Li knew very well that he was not dead, for occasional bursts of blood mist erupted from him.
Lan Xiaobu? Liu Li immediately realized it was certainly Lan Xiaobu; she wouldn’t mistake him.
Exerting her entire essence, Liu Li dashed towards Lan Xiaobu and seized the halberd without the slightest hesitation.
Liu Li understood this halberd far better than Lan Xiaobu did.
She knew full well that the halberd's killing aura was exceptionally strong.
At that moment, since Lan Xiaobu was still gripping the halberd, it undoubtedly meant he was desperately fighting against its murderous energy.
Pulling him away now would not help Solstice; it would instead endanger him.
Therefore, she desperately sought to assist Lan Xiaobu in removing the halberd; that was the only way to avoid harming him.
Puff! A burst of blood light erupted around Liu Li.
Even though Lan Xiaobu had absorbed ninety-nine percent of the halberd's killing aura, the remaining one percent of the murderous energy was still beyond Liu Li’s capacity to withstand.
In an instant, Liu Li was bathed in blood, yet she showed no sign of letting go; instead, she frantically infused her essence, attempting to pull out the halberd.
Even though Liu Li endeavored to help Lan Xiaobu with all her might, her efforts were merely a drop in the bucket compared to the overwhelming killing aura of the halberd.
Sometimes, the scales of victory can be tipped by the slightest margin; Lan Xiaobu and the halberd’s murderous aura were at a stalemate, and Liu Li’s insignificant support became a deciding factor in Lan Xiaobu's struggle against the killing energy.
Feeling that her essence could suppress the killing aura, Lan Xiaobu frenziedly refined the halberd.
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(End of Chapter)