247 - Elasia Saga
The scorching dragon flames surged instantly, but once it realized that power was the force of law, Mo Ling couldn't be bothered with too much thought and sprang out directly. "Whoosh..." Along with the rising dragon flames surrounding them, the air became blistering hot. The weakened Mo Ling felt as though its consciousness was scalded, but it had no path of retreat remaining. Seeing that it broke through the dragon flames with a reckless resolve to sacrifice greatly, Fu Juan quickly raised her eyes to keep a close watch on its movement. The next second, another dragon roar echoed from the forbidden ground. The Black Dragon, which had just re-emerged, swiftly flew out. To the weakened Mo Ling, escape was no match for the Black Dragon's speed. In just an instant, its enormous figure fell right in front of Mo Ling. As Mo Ling started to react, it felt a dizzying spin. Once its vision stabilized again, it realized its entire head was caught in the Black Dragon's rear claw. Mo Ling: "..." To make matters worse, with the current strength it possessed, Mo Ling couldn't even struggle and had to let the Black Dragon carry it, flying towards Fu Yan and her companions. Once a mighty sovereign, Mo Ling thought, it had already lost its original form. Now it found itself in this humiliating predicament, nothing could be more degrading. What a miserable Mo Ling, it thought, not that anyone would believe its story. Soon, the Black Dragon, with Mo Ling in its grasp, landed before Bai Yue Li and the others. She didn't rush because at that moment, the gazes of the three before her were inevitably drawn to Fu Yan's wrist, where a golden spell slowly emanated light. Upon sensing the golden spell on her wrist, the other self in Fu Yan's mental world swiftly emerged, radiating the same golden light. "What power is this? I've never seen such a thing before," Lu Xiao Wen said, observing the golden light. He could feel its extraordinary nature but couldn't discern its true essence. Given Lu Xiao Wen's thousands of years as a cultivator, his insights were profound, yet today's events defied all comprehension. Upon witnessing the golden light, Bai Yue Li's first instinct was to examine any potential threat. However, it now seemed like a special kind of power. "Sister," Fu Yan, having mostly recovered, called out to Bai Yue Li, prompting her to relax her hold. Once Fu Yan steadied herself, the golden spell on her wrist gradually dimmed until it vanished. Nonetheless, Fu Yan could still sense its presence; as her thoughts fully returned, she could guess the origin of the golden spell, yet couldn't easily explain it to the others. "Well, you've certainly turned misfortune into fortune this time," Lu Xiao Wen retracted his gaze naturally, commenting lightly without further questions. Bai Yue Li didn't avert her eyes, but her expression softened slightly. "Are you alright?" Fu Yan looked at her and truthfully shook her head. As Lu Xiao Wen had remarked, not only was she unharmed, but her strength had also taken a leap forward. Fu Yan even sensed that her second heavenly tribulation in the Mahayana stage was imminent. "Sorry for worrying you, Sister." Fu Yan gently tucked a strand of hair behind Bai Yue Li's ear with a particularly tender affection. Since the three of them were safe, the pressing issue now was Mo Ling. Sensing everyone's gaze suddenly fall upon itself, Mo Ling paused slightly but then quickly curled its lips, revealing an arrogant expression: "Why are you looking at me? You cannot annihilate me." Hearing this, their expressions shifted subtly. It was true. Mo Ling lacked a soul, making it difficult to completely annihilate it. For now, it was a troublesome matter for Fu Yan and her companions. "Besides, I've lost my original form and can't cause any catastrophic damage to the world," Mo Ling's head focused on the three, feeling that the humiliation it had been subjected to was momentarily alleviated. The three exchanged glances, seemingly pondering how to handle Mo Ling's head. After a while, Lu Xiao Wen sighed and said, "Mo Ling is indeed a supreme devil spirit born into this world. Even if it is merely a wisp of its original self, it still cannot be allowed to roam free." Fu Yan nodded, having no intention of letting Mo Ling loose. After a brief pause, she spoke, "If it can't be destroyed, we must put it into a deep slumber and find a place to permanently seal it." Faced with the manifestation of Mo Ling, not even a formidable Sword Immortal of great talent could permanently suppress it. However, as Mo Ling now existed only as a faint entity, with its powers greatly diminished, it could indeed be sealed indefinitely. At present, this seemed the best course of action. Bai Yue Li remained silent, focused on regaining her strength. She had poured her attention into Fu Yan earlier, and only now had the opportunity to slowly recover. Having spoken, Fu Yan cast a glance at her. The next moment, Fu Yan retrieved a Yin Yang Flower from her storage spirit ring and handed it to Bai Yue Li. Since they exited the secret realm, Fu Yan hadn't yet had the chance to refine the Yin Yang Flower into Yin Yang Pills, keeping it with her. Bai Yue Li hesitated momentarily but accepted it, eating it right away. The raw medicinal power was not as effective as when refined, but it still greatly surpassed other medicines. Almost immediately after ingestion, Bai Yue Li's aura began to stabilize. "No way." Watching them openly discuss how to deal with it, Mo Ling's head felt a surge of panic. Having been sealed for two thousand years, it was unwilling to so easily succumb once again. "Since emerging, I've merely sought to protect myself and have done nothing; you cannot just seal me!' Yet no one paid it any mind after those words. Mo Ling: "..." Once Bai Yue Li's aura had largely recovered, Fu Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief, turning her gaze back to Lu Xiao Wen. "Alright." Lu Xiao Wen nodded, contemplating something. "The snow mountain beneath Frost Flower Palace, with its eternal snows and three-foot-deep frost underground, seems an apt place to seal Mo Ling beneath." "Wait!" Completely ignored, Mo Ling was incensed. It started shouting under the grip of the Black Dragon: "Let me tell you, I'm not just some ordinary spirit to be dealt with as you wish." "I know." Fu Yan finally looked at the head, her tone serious and firm. "Precisely for that reason, we absolutely cannot allow you the chance to reemerge." Beside her, Lu Xiao Wen addressed the Black Dragon: "Let's head out." He seemed ready to reopen the sealed Frost Flower Palace ruins. "Never!" At this, Mo Ling's eyes fixed intensely on the three before it. Understanding there would be no alternative outcome, it displayed a sinister smile: "In that case, let's all perish here together!" Turning away, Mo Ling suddenly unleashed a devouring force from its head. It was preparing for self-destruction! If Mo Ling were to self-destruct, the terrifying force might engulf the entire space, causing it to collapse. Without a doubt, they would likely all face a mutual demise. "Chirp chirp…" Just as Fu Yan and the others were filled with astonishment, a white figure darted out from behind her, fluttering its small wings as it flew straight towards the Black Dragon. It was the Little Medicine Dumpling. In the tense moments of their standoff, the Little Medicine Dumpling swiftly landed before Mo Ling's head, pecking lightly at its brow like a dragonfly skimming water. Fu Yan, coming to her senses and noticing the white medicine dumpling daringly approach Mo Ling's brow, was momentarily alarmed and quickly leapt, landing below the Black Dragon. Seeing the Little Medicine Dumpling peck directly at Mo Ling's brow, as Fu Yan prepared to take the creature back, she suddenly realized that Mo Ling's self-destruction had been forcibly halted. "This..." For an instant, Fu Yan was taken aback, wondering if Mo Ling had abandoned its action rather than being stopped by the Little Medicine Dumpling. "Chirp chirp…" After pecking once, the Little Medicine Dumpling deftly returned to Fu Yan's side, calmly settling into her palm. It gazed up at Fu Yan's eyes and chirped softly: "Chirp chirp!" Suddenly, Fu Yan understood. Having its self-destruction abruptly interrupted, Mo Ling hadn't fully grasped the situation. Once it did, it found Fu Yan extending her hand toward it. In the next moment, Fu Yan harnessed her power, once more swiftly perceiving the golden spell's location. With a buzzing sound, the dim spell lit up again. With a thought, the golden spell on Fu Yan's wrist circled around, spiraling into Mo Ling's head. With this, Mo Ling's eyes widened in disbelief, letting out an involuntary cry: "No..." Instantly, the golden spell wrapped around like a chain, encircling Mo Ling's entire head in rings of energy. Almost simultaneously, all its power was confined by the force of law. The force of law, representing the world's laws, brooked no defiance. As the golden light dissipated, Mo Ling felt a deep sense of despair. Now completely under Fu Yan's control, it realized there was little difference between this state and being eternally suppressed or destroyed. Simultaneously, Fu Yan suddenly sensed her dominance over Mo Ling. Should she command it westward, it would never dare to go east. "This is..." Fu Yan stared at the golden spell that had vanished from her wrist, struck by a revelation and filled with disbelief: "... the force of law!" Never had Fu Yan imagined that the golden spell was the legendary force of law. Possessing the force of law meant that even against the continent's strongest, Fu Yan could absolutely confine their power. However, she only had one instance of such power, and she'd just used it... Caught in the whirlwind of emotions—excitement, joy, regret, and surprise—Fu Yan wasn't sure how to express her feelings. Mo Ling's eyes welled with tears, believing it to be the unluckiest spirit ever. Not only had it lost its physical form and world-shaping power, but it was now entirely under human control. This fate was even harder to accept than annihilation. Soon, the Black Dragon reverted to human form, and Bai Yue Li and Lu Xiao Wen flew over, puzzled by the scene before them. "What just happened?" Having returned to her senses, Fu Yan feigned calm as she explained, "It's nothing. Mo Ling's power has been completely neutralized. It no longer has any strength." Given the gravity of the situation involving the force of law, Fu Yan withheld further details, especially since it wasn't just her and Bai Yue Li present. "What?" Lu Xiao Wen was taken aback. Yet, upon probing Mo Ling's head, he confirmed it was entirely devoid of power. At this moment, Lu Xiao Wen felt he might never fully understand Fu Yan. Despite her apparent status as a mere ordinary cultivator in the Mahayana stage, she was shrouded in unparalleled mystery. Of course, given Fu Yan's reluctance to elaborate, he did not push further. After all, the secrets of a cultivator are sacred boundaries. "And Mo Ling..." Fu Yan declared, "I will take it with me personally." "No way." Bai Yue Li reflexively objected, aware that Mo Ling was perpetually a hidden threat. She didn't want Fu Yan to suffer any more harm. In response, Fu Yan turned to clasp Bai Yue Li's hand, earnestly assuring her, "Don't worry, Sister. I can guarantee there's absolutely no danger. Trust me." As she spoke, Fu Yan secretly conveyed to Bai Yue Li, "Mo Ling is under the control of the force of law. It poses no further threat." While Fu Yan didn't delve into details about the force of law, Bai Yue Li, recalling the golden spell, quickly surmised the truth, finding herself quite amazed. Fu Yan gave her a reassuring nod. "Chirp chirp..." The Little Medicine Dumpling, upon noticing Fu Juan after a long absence, flitted over with cheerful excitement. Mo Ling, eyeing the white figure, belatedly realized it had taught Fu Yan how to harness the force of law. It was about to lash out in frustration when— "Whack!" The next moment, powerless Mo Ling was casually swatted away by Fu Juan. "Chirp?" The Little Medicine Dumpling turned back, intrigued by Mo Ling's head streaking through the air like a meteor. Mo Ling: "..." Regardless, the daunting crisis had finally reached a conclusion, and everyone present breathed a collective sigh of relief. Still holding Bai Yue Li's hand, Fu Yan turned to Lu Xiao Wen, suggesting, "Let's not rush to reopen the Frost Flower Palace just yet. I want to know if there's a way to restore its ample spiritual energy." Ample spiritual energy underpins a sect's strength. Without its restoration, reconstructing the Frost Flower Palace would be impossible here, necessitating relocation. Hearing this, Lu Xiao Wen looked around the barren area and sighed, eventually admitting, "There is." The prospect of restoration eased Fu Yan's mind, but just as a smile began to form, her expression suddenly grew solemn. "What is it?" Bai Yue Li noticed the sudden change. Raising her eyes slowly to the sky, Fu Yan calmly declared, "My second heavenly tribulation...has come." "Heavenly tribulation?" Lu Xiao Wen paused, but after some thought, realized it wasn't entirely unexpected. After all, the formidable power Fu Yan had just absorbed warranted her second Mahayana tribulation. Yet, he gazed up at the calm sky, perplexed. "Why aren't there thunderclouds or heavenly lightning if you're undergoing the tribulation?" A sudden shift overcame the three's expressions at his words.