Chapter 269: The Strongest Defensive Artifact

Feng Xiu was in great distress at this moment.

His confidence had been severely shaken, and his body was deeply tormented. He never dreamed that Feng Xiu, the Sword God of Northern Jin, would be ravaged to such an extent by a mere glow-grass.

Of course, it wasn't the glow-grass itself that defeated him, but Xu Yang's profound Dao cultivation, which transformed the ordinary into something miraculous.

To claim he hadn't grown from this battle would mean fighting in vain and enduring suffering for nothing.

Yet, if he were to concede, it would be tantamount to openly admitting his inferiority.

Those who could reach the Tribulation Transcending Realm were all supreme figures in the world. Their proud disposition and distinguished demeanor were crucial pillars that had supported them on their journey.

Once they openly acknowledged inferiority, their Dao Heart might become clouded, preventing them from ever reaching the pinnacle of cultivation in this lifetime.

For Feng Xiu, while he could be stubborn with words, the gap between them was insurmountable, no matter what he said.

Just as a bewildered and helpless expression flickered in his eyes, Xu Yang's thoughts stirred, withdrawing the glow-grass's Dao power. Realizing Xu Yang's intention, the plant immediately released its branches from Feng Xiu. By then, Feng Xiu was covered in blood and in a sorry state, having lost all the grandeur of a grandmaster.

"You may leave."

Feng Xiu looked at Xu Yang in shock. He had been utterly defeated in this battle, losing to Xu Yang's higher realm without any room for argument. Feng Xiu had initially even thought Xu Yang would seize the opportunity to kill him, but the other party had so calmly relinquished it.

"Xu Yang! Are you humiliating me? Or do you mean that, in your eyes, I, Feng Xiu, was never a threat to you?"

Xu Yang chuckled softly. He wanted to tell Feng Xiu directly that his assumption was correct.

In Xu Yang's mind, Feng Xiu was truly no match, as Feng Xiu was the type of person whose limits Xu Yang could see at a glance.

Looking across the entire continent now, there were truly few left who could make Xu Yang feel apprehension.

"Don't overthink it. This was a promise between us; I agreed to let you go once, and I will not break my word. As for whether you can break into the Seventh Realm before encountering me again, or successfully enter Mount Qilin, that will depend on your fortune..."

With a sweeping, illusory palm strike out of thin air, Feng Xiu was instantly carried tens of thousands of miles away by an indiscernible force, completely isolated from the vicinity of the mountain range.

With the threat from the Nine-Petaled Skyward Plant completely resolved, Xu Yang gracefully descended, facing the three women of the Skyward Plant.

"This immortal blossom has been nurtured for hundreds of thousands of years. By our seniority, we are all your juniors. Since we've met by chance, how about we converse as equals? May I ask for your name, young lady?"

The little girl with intelligent eyes glanced at Xu Yang.

"Just call me Xiao Tian. You, young man, possess a heart close to the Dao; you are indeed extraordinary!"

Xu Yang was also surprised. At this moment, he showed no fluctuations in his aura, yet the Skyward Plant had seen through his true essence with a single glance.

"To trap an entire mountain range in a frozen illusion for hundreds of thousands of years with your soul power... compared to that, my meager foundation is truly insignificant."

What Xu Yang said was entirely true. If he were to fight the Skyward Plant, Xu Yang had a hundred ways to easily destroy her.

But if they were to truly compare spiritual power, the Skyward Plant possessed terrifying influence.

"Miss Xiao Tian, the crisis has been temporarily resolved. Now that the illusionary realm of the Ice Mountain Range has vanished, to the outside world, it will appear as if the ice and snow melted overnight. Moreover, both Feng Xiu and the Northern Jin Alliance are aware of this matter, so it won't be long before countless people flock to your Daoist sanctuary. The safest way to protect you now is to stay by our side."

Xu Yang's sincerity was evident in his eyes, and Xiao Tian could feel it; these people were not treating her this way merely to reach Mount Qilin.

More importantly, with the Saint Lotus's aura accompanying them, the Skyward Plant seemed very happy.

In fact, the moment she witnessed Xu Yang's ultimate manifestation of the Dao, she had already decided to join their team.

"Now that I have taken human form, no one else in the world knows I am the Nine-Petaled Skyward Plant except for you. Traveling with you will be safer. However, there's one thing I must make clear: Firstly, unless absolutely necessary, I will not assist you in reaching Mount Qilin without good reason. Secondly, I will not actively fight for you unless someone threatens the Saint Lotus or this girl."

Xu Yang chuckled, "These are your freedoms, and we naturally have no right to interfere. As long as we can successfully eliminate Tuoba Yun and his group from Northern Jin and avenge the destruction of the Thousand Cloud Sect, Mount Qilin holds no significance for us."

Xiao Tian sensed the integrity of Xu Yang and his companions, and she seemed to have grown fond of their team. Finally, under their guidance, she returned to the spirit ship and left the Ice Mountain Range.

With her departure, all lingering ice-attributed aura completely vanished from the mountain range. The land vibrated with renewed vitality, and all flora and fauna within the mountains finally escaped the protection of the illusion, truly embracing nature for the first time.

"Perhaps, for them, this is a different kind of rebirth."

Bai Lianxue watched the quickly fading mountain contours outside, feeling all the lingering beauty in the air with Xiao Tian, as they embarked on a new journey.

"Carefree Dao Sect, Nine-Colored Cosmic Bell? I've never heard of it..."

The young girl, Xiao Tian, shook her head, propping her chin. Surrounding her were Long Kun and a dozen other team members, none of whom showed excessive surprise upon learning that she was the Nine-Petaled Skyward Plant.

At the same time, the little girl Xiaotuan seemed particularly close to Xiao Tian, becoming her most cherished companion besides Bai Lianxue.

"Boss! While the location of the Carefree Dao Sect isn't hard to find, we know nothing about this lineage. Tuoba Yun and his people have probably already made a move. If they succeed, wouldn't we be at a great disadvantage?"

Xu Yang shook his head. "Don't worry. That old fox Tuoba Yun, once he decides to act, will surely have made thorough preparations. Even if they truly launch a full-scale assault on the Carefree Dao Sect, he himself might not personally intervene. The saying 'a cunning rabbit has three burrows' applies here! As an emperor, even while sleeping, he can never completely relax his innate vigilance towards everyone around him."

Xu Yang's meaning was clear: even if Feng Xiu was sent tens of thousands of miles away and couldn't immediately notify Tuoba Yun, given the old man's forbearance and cautious nature, he certainly wouldn't rashly lead his core team directly to attack the Carefree Dao Sect. Most likely, he would try to stir up trouble within the sect rather than engage in a direct confrontation.

This, in turn, would create more time for Xu Yang's team to act.

"In the past, I only heard from the former emperor of the Cold Moon lineage that within the Three Thousand Dao States, there are countless top-tier immortal treasures in terms of attack power! But when it comes to pure defensive top-tier supreme treasures, if the Nine-Colored Cosmic Bell claims to be first, no one dares to object! Because that treasure once withstood the Dragon Tribulation that threatened to destroy this lineage."

"What?!"