98.1 - All Eyes Are On The Peasant Family’ Adorable Baby Girl

# Chapter 98: Loss of Speech Just as their hands crossed paths, Shen Su handed the storage ring to Wei Nan Yi, retaining only the remaining pills for herself. She knew that her life would end today, and thus, she wouldn't need any resources anymore. Shen Su was keenly aware that as long as Jie Hua and the others caught up, only Wei Nan Yi would have a chance to escape. The escape gate was wide open, but if any of the demonic beings seized the opportunity to cross it while they fled, both she and Wei Nan Yi would be unforgivably culpable. The demonic beings imprisoned here all possessed the power to wreak havoc. Even a madwoman like Jiang Rui Ping knew to lock the formation tight, ensuring none could escape. Although Shen Su was self-serving by nature, she knew what choice to make in the face of greater righteousness. Closing the gate might seem like a brief task, but for these omnipotent demonic beings, they could traverse it in droves, breaking into the outside world. She had to stop them, even if not for the greater good, then for Wei Nan Yi—any one of these demonic beings could easily crush her. Only if none escaped would Wei Nan Yi be truly safe. Wei Nan Yi currently possessed the strength of the fifth level of Qi Condensation, coupled with her adeptness in various arts, making her fearless even when facing an average Foundation Establishment cultivator. Moreover, Shen Su had just erased her presence from the storage ring, allowing Wei Nan Yi to claim it as her own. With the black fox at her side and the resources in the ring, Wei Nan Yi had everything she needed to survive and escape the Forbidden Valley. That was as far as Shen Su could plan for her. She needed to guard this passageway until the gate closed. The road ahead was one she could no longer accompany Wei Nan Yi on. There was nothing she couldn’t let go of. She had previously envisioned sacrificing her life for Wei Nan Yi’s in this very scenario. Now, that moment had come to pass. “Yuling, only I am the master. Lock heart, lock soul and go,” Shen Su chanted. Each recitation of the incantation drained her spiritual power and demonic essence severely. She swallowed the remaining True Essence Pills and demonic essence pills decisively, guarding the steadily closing light gate. In a matter of moments, she was already drenched in sweat, her breath slowing markedly. This technique had been bestowed upon her by Jiang Rui Ping. While Shen Su managed to sustain herself with the pills, the consumption was immense. The celestial-grade Soul Lock Technique could easily exhaust her body beyond endurance. The only consolation was that Jiang Rui Ping's methods were exceptionally potent. Chains wrapped around every demonic being attempting to approach the gate, ensnaring them tightly. None managed to escape Shen Su's grasp. She glanced at the now almost fully closed light gate and breathed a sigh of relief. Almost there. Shen Su glanced at her arm, where the greenish skin had nearly faded. The key that Jiang Rui Ping had left in her body was almost completely used up. Even if she survived, the demonic beings wouldn't be able to reopen the formation with her blood. She only needed to hold out until the gate closed. Shen Su felt somewhat relieved. All was not lost. Wei Nan Yi survived, and her current death was far more dignified and grander than in her previous life. As the gate left only a sliver, the greenish skin on Shen Su's arm completely vanished. Within the effective range of the Soul Lock Technique, Jie Hua scrambled beneath the golden chains, casting a contemplative glance at Shen Su and muttering, “You truly are a sentimental fool.” Jie Hua had assumed that Shen Su intended to stall them and leave at the last moment. She hadn't expected Shen Su to remain even as the gate was about to close. It dawned on Jie Hua that Shen Su never intended to survive; her sole plan from the beginning had been for Wei Nan Yi to be the only one to leave the Forbidden Valley alive. Song Yu, his arm tightly bound by a golden chain, screamed wildly at Jie Hua, “You fool! She’s closing the formation, and you’re here pondering whether she’s a sentimental fool?” Damn persistent! Damn persistent! Clearly, Jiang Rui Ping wasn’t here, yet Song Yu was still hindered by her technique, which angered and regretted him. He should have killed Jiang Rui Ping when she first arrived at Linxian Mountain, denying her the opportunity to cultivate the Nine Killings Severed Spirit Root. That would have been better for the world. Did Jie Hua not realize they could be losing their last chance? Jie Hua chuckled at Song Yu and the demonic beings but then smiled oddly, “You can't escape, but I can.” In an instant, Jie Hua’s body emitted a peachy mist that enveloped Shen Su. Her aura began to blend with Shen Su's. Covered in Shen Su's essence, the golden chains ceased to attack her, allowing her to dash towards the still partially open gate. This was the method of the Hehuan Sect's ancestor—she could easily merge her essence with another. “Damn it,” cursed Shen Su, lunging to grab Jie Hua's leg. Jie Hua kicked Shen Su in the chest, but she didn't let go. Jie Hua sneered, “If you have the guts, come out with me.” The gate was reduced to a thin slit. Logically, Jie Hua shouldn’t be able to pass through. However, Shen Su didn’t dare take chances. Jie Hua did possess her tricks. As she approached the gate, her body transformed into a delicate cicada wing, squeezing through the slit immediately. The powerful force of the closing gate crushed Shen Su's fingers. She had failed. She couldn’t stop Jie Hua. But now that Jie Hua had escaped, what about those unfortunate people outside? Would Wei Nan Yi be taken as a furnace by her? “Madam,” Shen Su's almost completely crushed hand weakly pounded against the light gate. Her body pressed against the gate, her helpless voice tinged with despair. She couldn't leave Wei Nan Yi to face Jie Hua alone, but with the gate's current size, not even Song Yu could get out. Shen Su’s left hand, crushed by the gate, clung on with only a layer of thin skin, not severed nor withdrawn. She attempted to squeeze through. Suddenly, an azure blue water light enveloped her, transforming her living body into tiny, crystalline water droplets. The glistening droplets clung to the gate, then flowed through the pinhole-thin slit. Song Yu growled in dismay at the scene before him, “What is that?” In the end, he was the only one left behind. Jie Hua was a venomous woman, and Shen Su was a malicious girl. They had all plotted, only leaving him foolishly abandoned. Forget avenging Jiang Rui Ping; he couldn’t even handle a young girl. Shen Su had better never appear before him again, or he would kill her instantly. Shen Su truly hadn’t planned for her own survival. But Jie Hua’s escape had spurred Shen Su. At this moment, her Jingqin bloodline was pushed to the extreme, transforming her entire body into spiritual water for the first time. Beyond the gate lay endless darkness. Without a solid form, she drifted with the wind, until a voice whispered beside her ear, “So you escaped too. Seems you’re not just a sentimental fool, but far more skillful than me.” In the darkness, she couldn’t see Jie Hua but could hear her voice. Jie Hua sensing her presence wasn’t surprising. The awareness of someone in the Nascent Soul stage naturally surpassed hers, especially since Jie Hua had just integrated part of her essence. Locating Shen Su was now even easier. Silently, Shen Su noted Jie Hua's position in her mind but didn’t respond. Instead, Jie Hua seemed eager to continue talking, her voice echoing in the dark, “Why did you try to stop me? Considering Miss Shen’s regard, I wouldn’t make things too difficult for you. If you call me ‘Master’s Wife,’ I might even treat you well.” “I must leave the Forbidden Valley. Though Miss Shen is no more, I should at least visit her grave. Truthfully, I hate her. She claimed to disdain women, yet she found a female disciple. I loved her so deeply.” “” Every word seemed earnest, as though she were the most sentimental person in the world. Shen Su couldn’t bear to listen, and coldly interjected, “Jie Hua, after loving Master Shen, did you stop capturing male and female cultivators to drain their Yang and Yin energy?” An eerie silence fell in the darkness. Shen Su knew she had likely struck a nerve, highlighting why Jie Hua couldn’t be allowed to leave. Jie Hua, this woman, always professed her love, but she practiced the Way of Hehuan, which indulged in excess and spontaneity. Its beauty was deceitful, for it was inherently predatory, draining others to fuel her desires and causing innocent lives to perish. Her visit to Linxian Mountain might not be to pay respects to Shen Yunxue’s grave but perhaps to finish off Jiang Rui Ping. Releasing her would cause untold harm, including to Jiang Rui Ping. Jie Hua remained silent for a long time. Upon seeing a sliver of light, she suddenly declared, "Once I'm out of here, I'll kill you first." Shen Su wasn’t surprised by Jie Hua’s reaction. Her embarrassment only confirmed that Shen Su’s guesses were correct—such scum should be eternally imprisoned in the formation by Jiang Rui Ping, suffering forever to atone for the lives she had taken. But how could Shen Su kill someone in the Nascent Soul stage? Without the power of Jiang Rui Ping, it seemed almost impossible. Rumbling thunder suddenly pierced Shen Su’s ears, and a glimmer of hope shone in her dim eyes. Her water-like body began to coalesce, and as she was expelled from the darkness, she instinctively bit at the position she had marked earlier. Her body transformed into a fox, its sharp teeth burying deep into Jie Hua’s flesh, with fine spiritual water seeping into her. Though Jie Hua hadn't felt the outside air for a long time, a fox had bit into her thigh before she could savor it. Crying out, her body dropped, her back landing in a clammy, damp environment. An indescribable stench filled Jie Hua’s nostrils, making her realize the fox had trapped her in a swamp. The dark, moist place filled her with disgust. She fiercely broke free of Shen Su’s grip, even knocking out two of the fox’s sharp teeth in the process. “You dare to harm me?” After being flung away, Shen Su regained her human form, spat out blood mixed with saliva, and wiped her mouth with a light smile. “Of course, I can’t hurt you.” She wasn’t naïve enough to think a single bite would kill Jie Hua. The thunder roared above, and dense storm clouds enveloped the sky where Shen Su and Jie Hua stood. Jie Hua was momentarily stunned before realizing this was the tribulation lightning for Shen Su's breakthrough to the Golden Core stage. The Forbidden Valley was a place abandoned by the Heavenly Dao—bereft of spiritual energy and immune to tribulation lightning. Shen Su, having broken through to the Golden Core stage within the valley, was now facing her accumulated tribulation lightning upon exiting. Jie Hua smirked with a touch of condescension. “You’re just a junior. I won’t kill you, but you’ll die under your own tribulation lightning.” She grabbed Shen Su, sealing most of her meridians in a few swift moves, intending for Shen Su to die under the lightning strikes without resistance. She didn’t notice Shen Su’s increasingly peculiar smile as she did so. When the first bolt of tribulation lightning struck, Shen Su’s lips curled, and she asked, “Senior Jie Hua, are you afraid of tribulation lightning?” Both human and demon cultivators feared tribulation lightning, but since this wasn't her tribulation, there was nothing for her to fear. Jie Hua coldly dismissed her, “No, I am not.” “Good to hear.” Shen Su stood in the swamp, looking up at Jie Hua with an enigmatic smile. Before Jie Hua could react, she was struck by a bolt of lightning. Her once sleek black hair became a frizzled mess, resembling a broom. Shen Su’s eyes sparkled with a fox’s cunning as she whispered softly. Most of the lightning bolts targeted Jie Hua while only a few struck Shen Su. Upon regaining composure, Jie Hua sneered, “What did you do?” “You should ask yourself that; didn’t you merge with my essence?” “Nonsense, I clearly separated...” Jie Hua’s words trailed off as the pain in her leg reminded her of something, startling her. “Was it then? Have you gone mad?” Shen Su hadn’t gone mad. Tribulation lightning tests the cultivator, identifying them through their essence. Jie Hua wasn’t a fool—she had separated Shen Su’s essence early on. However, Lin Qing Huai had consumed so much of Shen Su’s blood that it was deeply embedded in his system. When Shen Su bit Jie Hua, it activated the essence within him. No, now it was Jie Hua. This tribulation lightning was originally meant for Shen Su, but after Jie Hua sealed most of her meridians, the essence within Jie Hua was denser. Hence, Jie Hua was now bearing the brunt of the tribulation. But the Heavenly Dao wasn’t foolish—others had tried to use similar methods to shield themselves from tribulation. When the test-taker changed, the tribulation would adapt to the new individual's strength. This meant that what started as a Golden Core tribulation would soon become one for the Nascent Soul stage. This realization was why Jie Hua thought Shen Su was insane. How could this be madness? She was merely determined not to let Jie Hua leave. An immoral cultivator like Jie Hua, perpetually plundering and exploiting, naturally faced fiercer tribulation lightning than others. She had used countless spiritual pills, artifacts, and even the lives of disciples to barely survive her initial Nascent Soul tribulation. Facing it again, even Jie Hua felt a twinge of fear, though she maintained a façade of composure. “Petty tricks. You think I’d be afraid?” Jie Hua shattered one lightning bolt with a single slap and moved to seal her own meridians, yet the tribulation continued to target her. Shen Su pursed her lips, feeling the light tremors of electricity within her, and mockingly said, “Senior Jie Hua, you only sealed Lin Qing Huai's essence, not mine.” The essence Shen Su had left in Lin Qing Huai was residual and not fully absorbed by his meridians and spiritual roots. Sealing his meridians didn’t nullify its presence. Instead, it merely reduced Jie Hua’s ability to resist the tribulation. Unless Shen Su actively suppressed the essence, Jie Hua’s only option would be to bleed out all of Shen Su’s essence. But with tribulation strikes falling, there was no time for such a procedure. Infuriated by the mockery of a junior, Jie Hua growled, "I am in the Nascent Soul stage, and you’re at the Golden Core stage. Do you think you can survive a tribulation that I can't?" Shen Su remained calm, “I never intended to survive.” Her plan was to drag Jie Hua down with her. The tribulation was her only hope against Jie Hua. Furious, Jie Hua lunged at Shen Su, releasing the seals on her meridians, and sneered menacingly, “Fine, let’s face the tribulation together. I’ve survived once; I’ll survive again. But you... you will die.” The next wave of tribulation lightning was considerably fiercer. Shen Su transformed into her fox form, her charred paw raised defiantly. “Jie Hua, did you know I’m a half-demon? Half-demons face double tribulations.” Of course, Jie Hua didn’t know. In her arrogant disregard for half-demons, she had never bothered to understand them. The eternal conflict between humans and demons doomed their mixed offspring to universal scorn and suffering. No one would invest time in understanding half-demons; they were either killed or crafted into pills and artifacts. Shen Su had calculated that a Golden Core human faced seven bolts, while a demon faced nine. A half-demon, enduring the demon’s tribulation, would face fourteen—the first seven for the Golden Core stage, the latter seven adapting to the Nascent Soul stage. With a full bottle of True Essence Pills and dozens of demon pills consumed, even with substantial depletion from the Soul Lock Technique, Shen Su remained confident for the first seven bolts. The latter seven, however, would be as Jie Hua taunted: even if she had double the demon essence, survival was uncertain. Death itself did not scare Shen Su, but the prospect of Jie Hua surviving did. Jiang Rui Ping had entrusted her with the key not to unleash someone like Jie Hua. Jie Hua had to die. With steely resolve, Shen Su stopped dodging the tribulation strikes. Raising her uncrushed hand slightly, she let the rain begin to fall. Azure droplets quickly coalesced, enveloping an unprepared Jie Hua entirely. The lightning struck the water, amplifying the electrical discharge. Jie Hua frantically broke free from the water, her eyes blazing, "What are you doing?" Shen Su’s lips curved into a feral smile, her fox instincts clear in her eyes. "Ensuring you don't leave here alive." As the lightning intensified, Jie Hua’s struggles became more desperate. Her cruel intentions, her predatory needs—everything she had lived for now turned against her in a savage dance of elemental fury. Shen Su’s strategy was simple yet ingenious, transforming their confrontation into a cosmic retribution, ensuring that Jie Hua could not escape the justice meted out by the Heavenly Dao. By directing the water vapor, Shen Su's back was split open by a bolt of lightning, causing her to stumble forward with a faint groan, and she muttered resolutely, "Kill you." Water conducts electricity, making Jie Hua's soaked clothing amplify the power and persistence of each strike. Despite this, Shen Su wasn't entirely sure she could kill Jie Hua, though it was her best attempt. If Jie Hua survived, Shen Su would die with regrets for Wei Nan Yi and feel she had failed Jiang Rui Ping. Enraged by the continual plotting of a lowly half-demon, Jie Hua lunged at Shen Su, intending to deal with her before focusing on the tribulation. She had never been merciful, and there was no need to maintain her façade of false kindness. Shen Su did not dodge, letting Jie Hua tear open her abdomen. She laughed softly, then seized Jie Hua’s wrist and called her in a lowered voice, “Senior Jie Hua.” Reaching out, Jie Hua’s hands felt no real contact with skin but instead sank into a watery expanse, each pore engulfed by water. Gazing at Shen Su’s torn clothing, Jie Hua saw no bloodied flesh, just flowing azure water. Shock gripped Jie Hua. Before she could retract her hand, lightning struck Shen Su, traveling through the water and into Jie Hua’s body. She felt her body go numb and fell to her knees in a panic. Before hitting the ground, she snapped out of it and broke free of Shen Su's grip with greater strength. Shen Su had used her own body as a conduit to channel lightning into Jie Hua. This meant Shen Su was also bearing the full brunt of the lightning’s power. She’s just as crazy as Jiang Rui Ping. After Jie Hua freed herself, Shen Su’s skin reformed, leaving behind a pale, untouched surface. Silently, Jie Hua struck Shen Su’s chest with a punch. Yet, before contact, Shen Su’s body disintegrated into countless water droplets, dodging the attack and reappearing behind Jie Hua. Shen Su struck her back swiftly. Though the attack was negligible to Jie Hua, it left her momentarily stunned. She pulled away, “I understand why Black Bear called you ‘Jinghu Water.’ Your entire body can turn to water, and you have double demon forms. You better not die; you'd make a fine furnace.” Jie Hua’s malicious intent was clear, as expected. Previously, Shen Su couldn’t control her body with such speed, nor had she fully grasped the power of her Jingqin bloodline or attained a complete demon form. Her breakthrough to the Golden Core stage, combined with her haste in pursuing Jie Hua, seemed to have inadvertently awakened her complete Jingqin demon form. All this improved her controlling ability over her body. But the lightning strikes were overwhelming. Her tongue felt numb, making speech difficult. Fortunately, Jie Hua no longer wanted her dead immediately, which was somewhat good news. Though her body could morph in many ways, Jie Hua’s Nascent Soul stage abilities posed a significant threat. Shen Su wouldn’t always be lucky enough to dodge effectively. Moreover, in this concentrated lightning area, her water form wasn’t ideal. Seeing Jie Hua’s shift in focus, Shen Su cautiously distanced herself, sealing half her meridians. If left unsealed, she would endure the same tribulation as Jie Hua, but this wasn’t feasible. By sealing half, she could channel most of the tribulation’s power to Jie Hua while conserving some strength for herself. Fully sealing her meridians was also not an option; the lingering essence would ensure she remained a target for the Heavenly Dao. Sharing the burden was the best strategy. Jie Hua, still burdened with Shen Su’s spiritual water, would need time to dry off—time the tribulation wouldn’t grant. Hopefully, it would be Jie Hua who could not withstand it. Thinking of Wei Nan Yi, Shen Su heard her voice, “Xiao Su.” After so long, the familiar voice reached her ears again. Shen Su quickly looked towards the sound. At the edge of the swamp, Wei Nan Yi stood, holding the storage ring in one hand and the black fox beside her. Shen Su clearly remembered Wei Nan Yi not being there earlier; she must have arrived sometime since. Wei Nan Yi hadn’t left. As expected. If she faced danger head-on, Wei Nan Yi wouldn’t simply walk away. That wouldn’t be Wei Nan Yi. Yet, Shen Su desperately wished she had. Standing so close to the tribulation area, Wei Nan Yi risked being caught in its impact. The power of a Nascent Soul tribulation was something even Shen Su couldn’t measure. Glaring at the black fox, Shen Su urged, “Take the lady and leave, quickly!” The incongruous sound of jingling bells amidst the thunder indicated Wei Nan Yi commanded the black fox to stay put. With a deep, earnest look at Shen Su, she said, “Xiao Su, I will leave.” Shen Su was surprised but relieved. Wei Nan Yi wasn't planning on staying. As Shen Su continued urging her, Wei Nan Yi pulled out her Qinghuo Twin Blades and Mingfeng Furnace, placing them on the swamp's edge. Then she left with the black fox in tow. Smart. Among the ring’s contents, only the Qinghuo Twin Blades and the Mingfeng Furnace were bound to their master. Shen Su hadn’t yet had time to erase her imprint from these treasures. If Wei Nan Yi left anything else, Jie Hua could claim it. But these high-grade spiritual tools—albeit without souls—couldn’t be taken by anyone else as long as she was alive. These would indeed offer her some aid. With a mental command, Shen Su summoned the Qinghuo Twin Blades and the Mingfeng Furnace. The two high-grade spiritual tools shielded her from another lightning bolt. But upon touching the Mingfeng Furnace, Shen Su sensed something amiss. Opening its lid, she found it filled with various pills, including Jade Essence and Liribro Beads—along with other items with strong attack capabilities. Wei Nan Yi had loaded the furnace with almost every offensive item available. Yet the once pristine Liribro Bead was stained with red frost, resembling blood. But why blood? There wasn’t time to ponder, as the thunderclouds in the sky suddenly darkened, turning to a deep purple. The Nascent Soul tribulation had arrived. The black-purple lightning descended with overwhelming force, targeting both Shen Su and Jie Hua. Shen Su, bearing less than a quarter of the strike’s power, remained vigilant. She maneuvered the Qinghuo Twin Blades above her, weaving the blue blade into a defensive wall and sending the red blade to meet the lightning. The red blade dissipated the strike’s energy before shattering. The remaining lightning struck the blue blade’s wall, which disintegrated layer by layer. Before the wall fully dissipated, a second bolt struck. The combined force obliterated the barrier. Shen Su quickly raised the golden sword to her chest, which was smashed to pieces by the lightning. She discarded the broken hilt and ran across the swamp, her body transforming into a fox to endure the now weakened dual thunderbolts. “Ah!” Shen Su screamed and collapsed. She had never felt such pain before. Electric currents constricted her heart, her fur singed to black dust, and her skin charred, with a faint smell of burnt flesh wafting. The electrical shocks reverted her back to human form, leaving her exhausted and curling up on the swamp's surface, body gradually sinking. Jie Hua wasn't faring much better than Shen Su. Having only recently possessed Lin Qing Huai's body, her strength was still of the Nascent Soul stage, but years of torment under Jiang Rui Ping had weakened her. Worse, she had forgotten some of her techniques and wasn’t yet adept with this new body. After just two lightning bolts, she had already pulled out her spiritual tool, the White Bone, and her left hand was shattered. Even a significant portion of her hair was burned. The only difference was that Shen Su's charred skin was quickly healing. This rapid recovery was partly due to the stronger regenerative abilities of demonkin and the lingering effects of the healing pills in her system. She couldn't compete with Jie Hua’s strength, but her healing ability greatly surpassed Jie Hua's. The hand crushed when exiting the formation was nearly healed. Despite many considering Jiang Rui Ping a natural-born villain, her improved Condensation Pills were the best and most effective healing elixirs. Jie Hua’s eyes gleamed with amusement as she noticed Shen Su’s rapidly healing body. She chuckled, “Seems you’re hard to kill, little water furnace.” Spit. She wasn't her furnace. Didn’t these Hehuan Path cultivators see everyone as a potential furnace? Luckily, Jie Hua hadn’t noticed the Cyan Lotus Bead planted by Lin Qing Huai still in Shen Su’s body; otherwise, she might have exploited it. Judging by Jie Hua’s character, Shen Su couldn’t hold her to any standard of honor. By all reasons, Jie Hua must die today. Here it comes again. The dark sky, heavy with the pressure from the Heavenly Dao, unleashed the third and fourth lightning bolts together. The powerful split aimed at Jie Hua, while Shen Su fused the Qinghuo Twin Blades, forming a massive disc to intercept the tribulation. The third bolt was barely deflected, sending the Blades flying. Shen Su quickly raised the Mingfeng Furnace to her chest. The furnace withstood the fourth bolt but was knocked from her grasp. With half her meridians sealed, controlling spiritual tools was difficult. If not for Jiang Rui Ping's high-grade tools, she wouldn’t have withstood even these two bolts. Shen Su prepared herself for the next attack, relying now only on her demon form. She prayed her dual demon forms were sturdy. Yet deep down, she felt uncertain; her fox form had been charred black from the first lightning bolt. It seemed inevitable—death. Nevertheless, seeing the similarly ragged Jie Hua in her peripheral vision, Shen Su gritted her teeth, ready to face the unavoidable lightning. “Szzz,” came an unusual sound. The white bead she used to suppress her demonic essence surfaced halfway. The moment it appeared, a blue barrier coated Shen Su, forcefully blocking the fifth lightning bolt. Still in shock, Shen Su saw the white bead retract back into her body, letting the sixth bolt pierce her chest. A massive hole appeared where her heart should be, burned so quickly that no blood spilled. The surrounding flesh turned black, even the bones. It seemed her heart had stopped. Was she really going to die? Without seeing Jie Hua meet her end? Shen Su expected excruciating pain, yet all sensation faded. The white bead within her shattered, and her chest rapidly healed, not leaving a single trace of injury. Mysterious blue patterns briefly appeared on her body before vanishing. Damn it, the bead shattered. If the tribulation didn’t kill her, the demonic essence would explode within her. Shen Su cursed internally. Yet nothing happened—the essence was still suppressed without the bead. Before she could fathom why, the final lightning bolt descended. The jade essence at her chest emerged, meeting the bolt head-on. The essence shattered into fragments, each glinting like tiny stars before melting into her body, alleviating the pain from the excessive elixir intake, even providing comforting warmth. From the peak of the Golden Core initial stage, her cultivation was surging to the middle stage. Her jade essence shattered, but she had survived the tribulation. Yet her cultivation spike risked destabilizing her foundation. Would she lapse into Qi deviation now? Before she could consider this, her peripheral vision caught sight of Jie Hua staggering from the tribulation, having emerged even worse-off. Her aura was disrupted, her strength depleted, yet she lived. Without hesitation, Shen Su lunged for the Qinghuo Twin Blades, aiming for Jie Hua’s vulnerable nape with an outstretched blade. Jie Hua didn’t move. Despite her disheveled state, a Nascent Soul cultivator could instinctively summon a protective aura, repelling Shen Su’s attack and hurling her back. Jie Hua spat blood and touched her singed hair, agitatedly shouting, “Get away!” Women inherently cherish beauty. Jie Hua, with her newly possessed youthful body now burnt and hairless thanks to Shen Su, was understandably enraged. Shen Su was equally displeased. Jie Hua was proving incredibly hard to kill. Determined, Shen Su retrieved the Liribro Bead from the Mingfeng Furnace, muttering, “Jie Hua, you’re not getting out of this.” “Ha,” Jie Hua scoffed, eyeing Shen Su as nothing more than a potential furnace. She dismissed Shen Su’s threat, brimming with disdain. Shen Su offered no rebuttal. Tiny droplets began to fall from the sky, turning to frost upon contact with clothing, sending shivers through the skin. Jie Hua brushed the frost from her body, inwardly dismissing such trivial effects. However, it wasn’t the external cold that alarmed Jie Hua but an internal chill, insidious and impossible to resist with spiritual energy. Realizing the danger, she tried to move towards Shen Su, but her feet were now frozen to the swampy ground. For the first time, true panic emerged in Jie Hua’s eyes. “What did you do?” Shen Su hadn’t anticipated that her ultimate countermeasure for Lin Qing Huai would now ensnare Jie Hua. Jie Hua couldn’t perceive the issue. She didn’t know how much of Shen Su’s blood Lin Qing Huai had consumed, or how much spiritual water she had surreptitiously infused into him. It had always been lethal enough to kill Lin Qing Huai. Shen Su recalled the conversation with Wei Nan Yi when she killed Xing Yu. “Xiao Su, if they only have your power and Liribro Bead, without Cold Lady’s strength, wouldn’t you be trapped and frozen with them?” “Yes, I would die.” Today, with only her power within Jie Hua, without Cold Ru’s assistance, the Liribro Bead would indeed be fatal. As Jie Hua froze completely, Shen Su would also be trapped and frozen to death. Yet Shen Su felt no sadness—only relief. She had prepared thoroughly, ensuring Jie Hua couldn’t escape to wreak havoc. And providence timed the tribulation perfectly, weakening Jie Hua significantly. Without the Liribro Bead’s help, Shen Su might never have contained her. Let it be. Let her and Jie Hua turn to eternal ice. As long as Wei Nan Yi was safe. Gazing skyward, Shen Su felt the frost encase her, the intense cold numbing her senses. Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings caught her attention, and she spotted a white streak flying erratically toward her. A white parrot, wounded on its left wing with its pristine feathers stained red with blood. Shen Su’s dulled pupils focused. She recognized the white parrot immediately. How had it gotten hurt? Why hadn’t it left? The icy mist rising from Shen Su's throat stifled any sounds she wished to utter. She could do nothing but watch the trembling white parrot as it slowly flapped its way towards her, ultimately perching on her shoulder. Despite landing on her shoulder, the parrot turned its head to the side, seemingly sulking. Shen Su, unable to speak, could only gaze at the white parrot with wide eyes, catching faint whiffs of its scent carried by the chilling wind. Madam...