Yan Mingli's Fury Ignites, Hidden Edge in Desperate Straits
The voice had seemed a thousand miles away at first, but by the time the final word fell, it was right beside their ears!
Su Rui and Mu Xueyi's expressions changed drastically in unison. They had known Yan Mingli would come, but they hadn't expected her to arrive so swiftly, so abruptly!
Su Rui jerked his head up, his tyrannical divine sense exploding outward like a tidal wave, blanketing everything.
There, at the distant horizon, a brilliant cascade of moonlight streaked through the sky like a meteor chasing the moon, hurtling forward at a speed beyond mortal comprehension!
Within that moonlight, a figure of unparalleled elegance was faintly visible, standing atop a massive divine bird wreathed in holy flames—the sacred phoenix itself!
A thousand miles meant nothing to such a being.
In the blink of an eye, the moonlight crossed the heavens, carrying an overwhelming pressure that dimmed the very skies, and materialized high above the trio!
The moonlight dispersed, revealing Yan Mingli's true visage.
She still wore her ink-black gauze gown, her figure curvaceous and exquisite, her beauty otherworldly. She shared seven or eight points of resemblance with Yan Qingci, but carried the supreme allure of a mature woman, along with the awe-inspiring dignity of one long enthroned in power.
Yet now, those phoenix eyes deep as starry seas held no trace of their former laziness or detachment—only icy rage!
Her gaze first fell on Yan Qingci. Seeing her unharmed, merely weakened in aura, eased her heart.
Then her phoenix eyes turned to Su Rui, her voice devoid of emotion: “This divine sense of yours… this palace remembers it well. The little thief who spied on this palace and Ci'er during Mu Xueyi's Core Formation ceremony… that was you, wasn't it?”
Su Rui met her stare with an ambiguous smile.
“Mother!”
Yan Qingci, spotting her savior, pointed frantically at Mu Xueyi: “That woman… she's Mu Xueyi!!”
Yan Mingli's willow brows arched slightly at the words. Her gaze shifted to the veiled Mu Xueyi, her tone laced with scrutiny and surprise: “Fairy Mu? Why aren't you secluded in cultivation at Sword Sect? How did you end up in demonic territory, holding this palace's daughter hostage alongside this little thief with his pure demonic qi?”
Mu Xueyi sighed inwardly, knowing her identity was exposed—no more hiding now.
She curtsied slightly, her response neither humble nor arrogant: “Greetings, Palace Lord Yan. Xueyi has been traveling lately, seeking enlightenment from the heavens and earth. Unwittingly, I wandered into demonic lands—not by intent.”
She deftly sidestepped any explanation of her ties to Su Rui.
Yan Mingli's eyes remained icy: “Fairy Mu, you should know how sensitive your status is. This palace has held high expectations for you, even hoped to let you grow and see how far you'd go. But… colluding with others to abduct this palace's beloved daughter, and slaying this palace's Grand Elder to boot—this has crossed this palace's bottom line. Today, you must leave something behind to quench this palace's wrath.”
“Hey, hey, hey, Palace Lord Yan.”
Su Rui cut her off, stepping forward to subtly shield Mu Xueyi, a roguish grin on his face: “Don't make it sound like everything's stacked in your favor. Before we talk terms, shouldn't you get the lay of the land first? Don't forget—your precious daughter is still in laozi's hands.”
Yan Mingli's gaze snapped to Su Rui, bone-chilling and laden with terrifying pressure—far from the faint courtesy she'd shown Mu Xueyi.
“Brat, do you believe that the instant you dare inflict any real harm on Ci'er, this palace can reduce you to… utter annihilation, body and soul scattered to the winds?”
The half-god peak's horrifying pressure crashed down like a towering mountain range!
Su Rui grunted, black flames surging protectively within him, flickering wildly, yet his stance remained unbowed, his smile unchanged: “As expected of Palace Lord Yan, hailed as the strongest below God Transformation. What bearing, what might. But…”
He slowly raised his left hand. In his palm, half of Yan Qingci's nascent soul essence flickered faintly: “The moment laozi scatters to the winds, your precious daughter joins me… soul and all, obliterated!”
Yan Mingli's expression shifted subtly. She hadn't anticipated Su Rui extracting Yan Qingci's nascent soul—how had this brat managed it?
Su Rui chuckled wickedly, fingers lightly pinching the soul essence.
“!!”
Yan Qingci's vermilion lips parted involuntarily, a pitiful whimper escaping in a trembling voice: “Mother… Mother… save Ci'er… Ci'er is in so much pain…”
The cry wasn't her true intent—Su Rui had forced it through control of her nascent soul!
Hearing her daughter's piteous plea, knowing it was coerced and thus highlighting her dire straits, made Yan Mingli's massive bosom heave with rage at its peak!
Frost veiled her peerless face, murderous intent nearly spilling from her phoenix eyes. She stared at Su Rui, enunciating each word: “Brat… you've successfully enraged this palace.”
She drew a deep breath, suppressing the urge to tear Su Rui limb from limb, her voice regaining icy calm: “Speak. What do you want?”
Su Rui met her fury-restrained gaze with a toothy grin: “Palace Lord Yan is sharp, knowing laozi has demands. Simple—I want that sacred phoenix under your feet.”
Yan Mingli's eyes chilled, flicking to Mu Xueyi: “Fairy Mu, during our clash that day, you inquired about the sacred phoenix. This palace found it odd then. Now it seems you two have been scheming for this palace's divine beast since.”
Mu Xueyi fell silent. She'd only asked under Su Rui's coercion, clueless to his plans.
But aligned with him now, any excuse rang hollow—she simply said nothing.
Yet… her gaze drifted back to Su Rui unbidden.
She'd long known this bastard was unrestrained, a thorough scoundrel. But she'd never imagined him this vile—especially forcing Yan Qingci to beg her mother so wretchedly. Even she felt a pang, nearly drawing her sword to cleave the scum.
Su Rui paid it no mind, continuing his mockery: “What? Palace Lord Yan wouldn't value that mount of yours over your one-of-a-kind, blood-and-heart poured-into treasure of a daughter, would you?”
Yan Mingli's brows furrowed tightly. The sacred phoenix had accompanied her for centuries, weathering storms together—their bond transcended master and servant, rivaling even her love for her daughter in depth.
Just then, the phoenix beneath her tilted its head slightly. A gentle voice echoed directly in Yan Mingli's mind: “Mingli, grant his demand. Hand me over.”
Yan Mingli's eyes flickered; in an instant, she grasped her old friend's unspoken intent.
Centuries together meant no words were needed for understanding.
She transmitted back: “Then I leave it to you, Feng Xi.”
She turned to Su Rui, voice frigid: “This palace can give you the sacred phoenix—but you must return Ci'er's nascent soul immediately!”
Su Rui barked a laugh, as if hearing the world's greatest joke: “What, does Eternal Night Palace think everyone's a three-year-old to fool? You don't know 'one hand washes the other'? Hand it over now, and laozi walks out of this wasteland alive?”
His tone shifted, eyes glinting slyly: “But… laozi can return half first—as a show of good faith. The rest, once laozi's safely back at Sword Sect. Send an envoy then. Deal?”
Yan Mingli's phoenix eyes narrowed, weighing him.
Moments later, she nodded slowly: “Very well. But if you renege, or Ci'er's soul suffers the slightest damage, this palace swears here and now: Eternal Night Palace will raze Sword Sect's gates! Then we'll see if that God Transformation ancestor of yours shields you… unto death with me, Yan Mingli!”
Mu Xueyi's heart chilled at the vow. She knew Sword Sect's sole God Transformation cultivator—Chi Xiao Lao Zu—remained in eternal seclusion, ignoring worldly affairs.
Forget Su Rui's surface-level “Foundation Establishment” facade; even exposing his Nascent Soul cultivation, that pure demonic art would brand him a traitor. Sword Sect would purge him first, no protection offered.
This move forced him into opposition with both righteous and demonic paths—no foothold left in the Cultivation World!
What did he want with the sacred phoenix, to corner himself so utterly?
Mu Xueyi's mind raced, probing for truth behind his roguish grin—but it was like peering through mist; this man remained opaque.
Su Rui dismissed the threat with a laugh: “Rest easy, Palace Lord Yan. Laozi only takes what he needs and delivers. No tricks from you, and I guarantee the Saintess's soul returns intact.”
Yan Mingli said no more. Her graceful form drifted from the phoenix's back.
The massive sacred phoenix let out a clear, resonant cry. Its holy flames retracted, shrinking to a streak of light that vanished into an exquisite spirit beast pouch that had appeared in Yan Mingli's hand.
With a flick of her fair wrist, she tossed the pouch to Su Rui.
He caught it with his right hand, slamming a black demonic rune onto its surface—instantly layering it with seals to prevent the Nascent Soul late-stage beast from bursting free.
That done, the soul essence in his left palm quivered, splitting in half and shooting as a beam into Yan Qingci's brow.
Yan Qingci instantly felt part of her forcibly severed nascent soul return, a comfort blooming deep in her soul—though the soul-search weakness lingered.
“There, back to mommy's arms, oh exalted Saintess.” Su Rui waved her off like he'd done a favor.
Yan Qingci endured her body's malaise, shooting Su Rui a venomous glare—bone-chilling, brimming with hatred and killing intent.
But this wasn't the time for heroics. She urged her sluggish spirit power, darting toward Yan Mingli.
The instant Yan Qingci moved out of Su Rui's reach—
“Feng Xi!!”
Chill light flashed in Yan Mingli's phoenix eyes, her cold rebuke exploding!
The spirit beast pouch in Su Rui's hand shuddered violently. The seals on its mouth dimmed and shattered in a heartbeat!
Whoosh—!
A blazing white figure tore from the pouch like rending space itself!
A tall, graceful woman cloaked in hazy holy radiance, her beauty transcendent and ethereal with inhuman nobility—the human form of the sacred phoenix, Feng Xi!
Su Rui froze for a split second. Though he reacted in a flash, Feng Xi was swifter, her timing impeccable. She snatched the soul essence from his palm and pulled away.
“Fuck, you feathered beast!!”
Su Rui cursed explosively. He hadn't expected her to shatter his seals!
In fury, demonic flames erupted within him. The fourth layer of Heavenly Extreme Demonic Flame Art, “Demonic God Descent”, activated instantly!
A pitch-black demonic god phantom dozens of zhang tall coalesced behind him. Its demonic palm, ripping through void, lunged at Feng Xi, who wavered after reclaiming the soul!
Feng Xi glanced back; the sky-obscuring black palm filled her crimson pupils. No strength left to dodge—she'd paid dearly to break the seals.
Yet her phoenix eyes held no fear. Her master was there to catch her!
Yan Mingli appeared like teleportation, shielding Feng Xi as her jade hand rose. A solid purple barrier formed, silver runes swirling across it, radiating vast spirit power!
BOOM—!!!
The demonic palm slammed the barrier, unleashing a deafening roar! The savage shockwave flattened and buried the dunes below in a ring!
“What?”
Shock flickered in Yan Mingli's phoenix eyes. Her barrier, which could withstand a Nascent Soul late-stage full-force strike, trembled violently under the demonic palm's terror. Cracks spiderwebbed, then crack—it shattered!
Residual force surged. Yan Mingli grunted, shoved back several zhang, skirts fluttering wildly before she stabilized.
She whipped her head up, her peerless face showing undisguised shock for the first time, staring at Su Rui: “You… you're truly only early Nascent Soul?!”
That palm's raw, domineering power had reached late Nascent Soul, even brushing peak! No early Nascent Soul cultivator wielded such might!
By now, Feng Xi had reached Yan Qingci, swiftly reintegrating the soul and shielding her.
With her full nascent soul restored, Yan Qingci stabilized somewhat. She pointed at Su Rui, voice cracking with sobs and venomous hate: “Mother! Grand Elder Hui… she was killed by him!”
Yan Mingli's phoenix eyes blazed fiercer. Her gaze swept Mu Xueyi, then locked on Su Rui: “Fairy Mu… it seems the true pinnacle genius of this realm is neither you nor this palace—but this cunning brat!”
Mu Xueyi had long gripped Ming Lan tight, its blade shimmering with clear light, warily eyeing Yan Mingli opposite.
She felt the abyss-like, unfathomable half-god pressure from Yan Mingli, her heart sinking. Subconsciously, she transmitted to Su Rui, a hint of unintended reliance in her tone: “What now? Run?”
The realm gap was a chasm; she saw no path to victory.
Even same-realm, her holy land-tempered Illusion-Breaking Sword might not fell Yan Mingli.
Yet Su Rui showed no panic, instead flashing a eerie smile as he replied: “Don't rush, good wife. We still have… one card left to play.”
Yan Mingli's divine sense was razor-sharp; she'd caught their transmission.
“Brat, still spouting bravado at this point? Face reality—you're in a dead end! Think you can escape this palace unscathed?”
Before her words faded, the half-god terror erupted unrestrained, a tangible tsunami sweeping out. Space within ten li froze, air thickening to suffocation.
Mu Xueyi's brows knit, a colossal mountain crushing her heart, starkly revealing their hopeless power gulf.
Even Su Rui sweated coldly—but his circulating spirit power evaporated it instantly.
He wasn't naive enough to think repelling Yan Mingli once meant he could fight her.
His demonic arts naturally suppressed the demonic cultivators of this realm, but the gap was vast.
Especially after soul-searching Yan Qingci—he knew her trump cards were endless. Her clash with Mu Xueyi at the Core Formation ceremony was mere tip of the iceberg.
Yet, as he'd said—
He held one final ace.
Victory hung in the balance!