Chapter 1495: Bitter Battle (4k)

Luli kept her eyes tightly shut.

Tong Lingyu had deduced that Luli could affect Yin Changsheng's control over the Four-Phase Winged Serpent Seal, but it was merely a theory. Unable to offer further specific guidance, she left Luli to figure it out on her own.

In an instant, Luli activated the Spirit Treasure Art, and indeed felt a connection between herself and the spirit treasure. This feeling was several times clearer than it had been before her Ice Soul Divine Light — one of the top divine abilities of the Ice Dao — reached its peak. The Four-Phase Winged Serpent Seal was also a spirit treasure of this kind. Subconsciously, Luli seemed to sense a joyful spiritual essence within the spirit treasure.

At this moment, the true form of the Four-Phase Winged Serpent Seal vanished from everyone's sight. In its place, a faint, ethereal blue light enveloped the area above. The thirteen ice mirrors of the Netherfall Divine Restriction were completely overshadowed by the Seal's glow. The ethereal blue light flickered and wavered, appearing somewhat elusive and fluctuating, incredibly illusory, like a flame dancing above a sea of fire, pulsating with a dreamlike quality. To the naked eye, it resembled a mesmerizing, tragically beautiful cold flame, exceptionally pure and captivating. Danger, however, lurked within this beautiful scene.

The roars of the winged serpents emanated from within the cold flame, rising and falling. Their piercing, sharp sounds seemed to come from the mouths of true ancient mythical beasts, echoing through countless ages and piercing the opponent's mind. Hearing this sound would awaken a primal fear. Within the layers of cold flame, a massive figure would occasionally emerge: sometimes a long tail covered in scales, sometimes a huge head with bell-like eyes radiating fierce light. The winged serpents slithered within the cold flame, never revealing themselves for long, each time flashing briefly before immediately disappearing into its depths. A fleeting glimpse only intensified the opponent's fear.

Some legends revered winged serpents as fire gods. Although this wasn't spiritual fire or true cold flame, but rather a phenomenon formed from extreme cold, and the winged serpents were merely manifestations of the spirit treasure, this sight was hardly different from the legends. The might of the spirit treasure was fully unleashed!

Under the influence of the cold flame, the entire grotto became intensely frigid, with the cold energy solidifying, turning the grotto into a vast expanse of white. Strangely, the Blood Yin Pool showed no signs of freezing; instead, the blood within it became even more vibrant, and the spread of blood threads accelerated.

"Hiss... hiss..." The roars grew increasingly rapid.

Qin Sang's expression became extremely solemn. A sword light leaped from his fingertips. The Golden Sinking Sword flew out of the Qianjun Ring, its blade flashing, hovering above Qin Sang's head, pointing towards Yin Changsheng. It seemed to sense the pressure from the spirit treasure, its blade trembling slightly and emitting faint sword cries.

Qin Sang glanced at Luli out of the corner of his eye, seeing her eyes tightly shut, concentrating on activating the Spirit Treasure Art to control the spirit treasure. She had even retracted her Ice Soul Divine Light, indicating she wouldn't be able to divert her attention anytime soon. He knew too little about the spirit treasure and felt uncertain, unsure how long Luli would need to prepare or how much influence she could exert on Yin Changsheng.

Just then, an extremely piercing shriek echoed in mid-air, and it wasn't just one sound! At the same time, the cold flame furiously condensed inward, revealing two thick, long serpent shadows. The two winged serpents intertwined, their fierce eyes flickering with cold flame, revealing blatant killing intent as they stared at Qin Sang. Bathed in the cold flame, using it as wings, their slender bodies suddenly lashed out.

"Whoosh!" A biting cold wind blew directly at them. The cold wind struck the grotto's stone walls, emitting a series of 'bangs', and the walls instantly became covered in glistening frost. In an instant, the two winged serpents vanished into thin air. Through the Sky-Eyed Butterfly, Qin Sang saw the ethereal figures of the winged serpents moving with the fire, rushing towards him with astonishing speed.

Each winged serpent was smaller than when Tong Lingyu had controlled them, yet Qin Sang felt an intense sense of danger. "Two of them!" Qin Sang's pupils constricted, his gaze solemn. He had a premonition that if he used the Seven Soul Killing Array to resist head-on, even if he managed to save his own life, Luli would undoubtedly die.

He made a decisive choice! A flash of lightning erupted behind Qin Sang, his phoenix wings spread wide. His arm swiftly wrapped around Luli's slender waist, having no time to appreciate the softness, and his figure instantly transformed into a bolt of lightning, abruptly shooting out.

The moment Qin Sang activated his Lightning Escape art, the void twisted, and the heads of the two winged serpents suddenly shot out, mouths full of fangs. In the nick of time, Luli's eyelids trembled slightly. A hint of confusion suddenly appeared in the eyes of one of the winged serpents. Its head stiffened slightly, and its movements were thus half a beat slower. However, the other winged serpent remained unaffected, fierce and malevolent, opening its gaping maw and fiercely pouncing towards the bolt of lightning that was Qin Sang's escape light.

"Bang!" "Crack!" The lightning flashed, bright and dim, tearing through the air. The next moment, Qin Sang's figure appeared on the other side of the grotto, his feet landing on the ground, his body staggering slightly, nearly colliding with the stone wall. His face was pale, his eyes filled with a hint of horror, as he quickly scanned the protective aura around him. Just being grazed by the winged serpent had caused cracks to appear in the aura from his Ruyi Orb.

"Hehe, a decent escape art..." Yin Changsheng's sneer came from within the ice coffin. Having missed his attack, Yin Changsheng was not angered; instead, his tone carried a sense of pleasure from toying with his opponent. At this point, Qin Sang could finally confirm that Yin Changsheng's mind had definitely been corrupted by dark arts. A formidable figure like him wouldn't entertain such thoughts, nor display them so openly, at such a critical juncture when his plans were about to succeed. However, this wasn't enough to improve their current situation.

"Whoosh!" Qin Sang felt waves of cold and saw the two winged serpents appear out of thin air on either side, blocking their retreat, one to the left and one to the right. Frigid winds surged through the grotto. The two winged serpents glared menacingly, cold flames surging, and an endless chill condensed towards Qin Sang's position. An invisible pressure enveloped his entire body. Qin Sang cursed inwardly, his expression drastically changed, just as he was about to move.

Just then, one of the winged serpents suddenly raised its head, emitted a piercing shriek, its body spasmed, and it fell into a state of confusion. "It worked!" Qin Sang felt a surge of joy. He looked down to see Luli's face flushed and her breathing rapid. Without hesitation, he immediately took Luli and fled.

"Seeking death!" Yin Changsheng attempted to dispel Luli's interference but found he couldn't do so immediately. He then promptly activated the other winged serpent, sending it in pursuit. Affected by Luli, the power of the Four-Phase Winged Serpent Seal was greatly reduced, yet it remained astonishing. At the same time, Qin Sang noticed another issue: as time passed, under the influence of the spirit treasure, the grotto's temperature continued to drop, and the void seemed to be freezing. If not for Luli's assistance, he would be frozen stiff and severely restricted within a short time!

"Hiss... hiss..." The winged serpent's cry came from behind. Qin Sang had no time to ponder; he silently activated his sword art. The Golden Sinking Sword trembled, its blade reversing, and a beam of sword light swiftly slashed out. Simultaneously, the Golden Sinking Sword proliferated into thousands, sparkling like stars, then vanished into thin air, and the Seven Soul Killing Array reappeared.

At this moment, the illusion here became vastly different from elsewhere. The vast white cold mist was dispelled by the sword array, turning the area dim and shadowy. Invisible sword threads coiled and surged rapidly towards the winged serpent. "Bang!" That beam of sword light was shattered on the spot. The winged serpent roared and charged out, squarely colliding with the sword array. In an instant, the sword array and the power of the spirit treasure clashed with earth-shattering force.

The sword threads were endless and dense, forming numerous sword nets, extremely sharp and swift, strangling the winged serpent. The winged serpent remained fierce, refusing to retreat. Its body merged with the cold flame, surging forward like a tide, layer upon layer, as the sword nets were extinguished within the cold flame. The residual impact spread, striking the ancient restriction. The grotto shook repeatedly.

Qin Sang halted his Lightning Escape, staring intently at the center of the clash. He calmed his rapid breathing, not daring to hesitate, and fully activated the sword array. Faced with such a terrifying impact, the sword array wobbled precariously but did not directly collapse. Although the Seven Soul Killing Array was no match for the Four-Phase Winged Serpent Seal, it now had the power to resist!

The winged serpent, blocked by the killing array, let out an angry roar. It suddenly ceased its attack, raised its head high, its large eyes radiating fierce light, locking firmly onto Qin Sang. Its mouth opened wide, and the cold flames from its entire body began to gather within it. Seeing this, a strong warning signal arose in Qin Sang's heart.

The winged serpent's movements were incredibly swift. The cold flame rapidly condensed into a huge fireball in its mouth. Its body dissipated with the wind, merging with the cold flame, and then shot out amidst a roar! "Sizzle!" This mass of cold flame directly surged into the Seven Soul Killing Array. The sword threads would melt upon contact with the cold flame. An astonishing sight unfolded: the cold flame actually carved a path through the sword array, shooting directly towards Qin Sang. Fortunately, the sword array was not entirely without resistance; it weakened the cold flame's power and slowed its speed.

Without hesitation, Qin Sang embraced Luli and flashed away from his spot. "Boom!" Cold mist billowed. The grotto shook violently, as if a subterranean dragon was turning over. The ground was directly blasted into a deep crater by the cold flame, covered with thick ice shards. The scattered cold flames visibly converged in the large pit, forming the outline of a winged serpent.

Qin Sang reappeared not far away. The Golden Sinking Sword closely followed its master. Its main body was unharmed. Qin Sang took a deep breath and once again deployed the sword array, positioning it in front of him, ready for battle. He thought to himself, "If Luli can keep the spirit treasure entangled, I can indeed hold out."

Luli's breathing grew more rapid, yet her vital essence wasn't being consumed so fiercely, making it difficult to directly assess her condition. Her struggle with Yin Changsheng over the spirit treasure seemed to be a contest on a different level. He just didn't know how long Luli could maintain this, facing an opponent two cultivation realms above her.

No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than the winged serpent attacked again. Qin Sang skillfully maneuvered the sword array to entangle the winged serpent, moving around the grotto.

Seeing that he couldn't defeat Qin Sang in a short time, Yin Changsheng finally grew impatient and let out an angry snort. What seemed like an ordinary grunt sounded like thunder to Qin Sang, causing his expression to change instantly. He vaguely sensed an inexplicable danger. Without hesitation, his divine sense surged out, forming a thick barrier of divine sense in front of Luli. The instant the barrier formed, the void in front of Luli twisted, and a transparent, sharp cone appeared out of thin air. The fluctuations emanating from the sharp cone were distinctly different from other Daoist arts and divine abilities; they were pure spiritual sense fluctuations, arriving in an instant, intangible and imperceptible, making them impossible to guard against. If Qin Sang hadn't reacted swiftly, Luli's primordial spirit would have been severely damaged by now.

"Divine sense attack secret art!" A sharp glint flashed in Qin Sang's eyes. His divine sense far surpassed cultivators of the same realm, but unfortunately, he lacked such secret arts, thus unable to unleash a crushing effect. If he were to create one himself, without any reference, it would undoubtedly consume enormous energy and time. Indeed, late Nascent Soul grand cultivators rarely had weaknesses; Yin Changsheng was even proficient in divine sense secret arts. Fortunately, Qin Sang had anticipated this and had been keeping an eye on Luli while controlling the sword array. He knew Luli was the breakthrough point, and Yin Changsheng certainly wouldn't let that opportunity pass.

The sharp cone was blocked by Qin Sang's divine sense barrier. Qin Sang embraced Luli and swiftly retreated. Strangely, his divine sense felt no pain. Although Qin Sang's divine sense was not weak, such a simple and crude defensive method surely couldn't compare to Yin Changsheng's divine sense secret art. Just then, an unexpected change occurred. A transparent, fine needle suddenly appeared at Qin Sang's glabella, flashing and disappearing instantly. Yin Changsheng's true target was actually Qin Sang! However, if Qin Sang hadn't chosen to protect Luli, the sharp cone would have taken advantage of the moment to solidify and severely injure Luli. No matter what Qin Sang did, one of them would be injured.

"Thump!" Qin Sang's body swayed, he let out a muffled groan, blood vessels appeared in all seven orifices, his eyes turned bloodshot, and his breathing became rapid. This, of course, was Qin Sang's deliberate disguise. No matter how powerful Yin Changsheng's divine sense secret art was, it couldn't harm his primordial spirit. Having cultivated to this point, Qin Sang was already extremely skilled at such matters, possessing exceptional acting abilities. The Jade Buddha absolutely could not be exposed; it might be the key to turning the tide. With this thought in mind, Qin Sang persisted with all his might from beginning to end, enduring several perilous situations and narrowly avoiding unleashing his external incarnation and the Sun Divine Tree, forcing himself to hold back. Because the pressure from Yin Changsheng was too immense, he had not found an opportunity to counterattack.

During the exchange, Qin Sang multitasked, collaborating with the Sky-Eyed Butterfly to observe the ancient restriction. His greatest hope was naturally to leave the grotto, but analysis revealed that the grotto's ceiling was not only sealed by ancient restrictions but also covered by thirteen ice mirrors formed by the Netherfall Divine Restriction. These were double obstacles. Yin Changsheng was bound to frantically prevent their escape. Qin Sang could at most break through one layer, after which they would fall into a passive position. For now, the plan was either to follow Tong Lingyu's advice and stall as much as possible, but Yin Changsheng was unfathomable, and Qin Sang worried about other unforeseen variables. Alternatively, he could attack the Blood Yin Pool or Yin Changsheng himself. Yin Changsheng's state of mind was unstable; destroying the Blood Yin Pool and shattering his hope of apotheosis would provoke a furious, more dangerous retaliation, but it would also expose his weaknesses. However, such an opportunity wouldn't appear so easily.

Yin Changsheng remained glued to the Blood Yin Pool. Tong Lingyu and Luo Yun's figures had already vanished. The ice platform had dragged them down to the bottom of the blood pool, their ultimate fate unknown. Qin Sang noticed that despite the intense battle, the blood in the Blood Yin Pool had remained undisturbed, indicating some power was definitely protecting it. Yet, Qin Sang searched repeatedly but found no obvious defensive spirit array. He subtly realized that the Blood Yin Pool's energy seemed directly linked to Yin Changsheng himself. If Yin Changsheng was the so-called 'array core,' then things would be troublesome.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Qin Sang retreated continuously. The Golden Sinking Sword trembled, and the sword array revealed a flaw. Qin Sang's eyes were wide open, as if he were resisting the effects of his primordial spirit injury with stubborn willpower, forcefully maintaining the sword array from collapsing while fending off the rapidly attacking winged serpent. Yin Changsheng had no doubts, laughing heartily. He had suddenly attacked while Qin Sang was deploying his sword array and had enticed Qin Sang to divert his attention to protect Luli, so he didn't believe there was any chance of him missing.