Chapter 352: Time's Up

Seventh Elder's expression turned extremely grim, as if shrouded in a layer of cold frost; she clenched her teeth tightly and forced two words out between her teeth: "I'm sorry!"

Meanwhile, Master Qu was still being crushed to the ground by that massive black dragon, unable to move. His face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color; large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, mixing with the snow and making him look a mess.

His palm was still nailed to the ground by Cang Li's long spear.

"S…orry…" Master Qu managed to utter those words, sounding so weak as if he could collapse at any moment.

"What?! I didn't hear you!" Cang Li looked at Master Qu.

Master Qu's expression was indignant; he gritted his teeth and shouted, "I'm sorry!"

Cang Li showed a satisfied smile, "I heard you."

He turned his head toward the others.

"Did you all hear that?"

No one dared to speak.

Hua Chengyan gave a faint smile and timely shifted the topic: "Everyone, we must quickly break through this seal barrier."

Uncle Jiu, standing beside Hua Chengyan, saw that the two elders of Heaven One Sect had been humbled by Yuan Yao and her companions, and instantly felt a chill of fear.

He recalled how, over the past days, he had mocked them with cold sarcasm…

They hadn't struck him at all; it seemed they spared him out of respect for their own young master.

In his heart, he grew a few more degrees of caution and awe toward Yuan Yao and her group.

He thought to himself that the prestige of the Thousand Mountain Immortal Lord was indeed highly influential, and that the Six Sons of Thousand Mountain truly possessed outstanding strength.

A mid-stage Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator not yet seventeen years old.

An early-stage Golden Core cultivator, yet able to match the Spirit Transformation Realm.

A late-stage peak Golden Core cultivator, yet has contracted a mid-stage fifth-grade black dragon.

Combined, their combat power is astonishing.

Uncle Jiu again thought of Song Yan, Xiao Lingwei, Xue Jin…

Compared with their own young master, they are also not inferior.

Seventh Elder inhaled deeply, quickly readjusted her mindset, and said, "We have less than a quarter of an hour left; after a quarter hour passes, all the snow beasts will launch an attack on us."

"Hong Zhengqing." Second Elder looked at the young disciple who had just awakened.

"Continue the bloodletting."

He said coldly.

Hong Zhengqing swallowed, his lips ashen, and softly agreed.

"Yes."

At this moment, the outer disciples of Heaven One Sect were, imperceptibly, pulling away from Lu Xiangxiang.

Lu Xiangxiang said nothing, appearing very calm.

As if all the previous remarks had nothing to do with her.

Yuan Yao, seeing Lu Xiangxiang's demeanor, thought silently: the heroine's emotions seemed to have become more freely regulated.

Lu Xiangxiang sensed Yuan Yao watching her and gently pursed her lips. During the period right after her rebirth, she had relied too much on information from her past life and was overly confident in her actions, causing repeated failures.

Now, she has understood.

Stabilize her mindset, steady her steps, and she can walk the path she desires.

As for the opinions of those outer disciples and even the elders, she didn't care much.

Because she knew that people's thoughts and public opinion could change easily.

The truth of all matters is written by the victors.

And she would certainly be the final victor.

Suddenly, Lu Xiangxiang felt a strong murderous intent; when she followed its source, it was Ying Wuji.

Ying Wuji stared at her coldly.

In that instant, Lu Xiangxiang seemed to return to the moment in her previous life when she faced Ying Wuji, and her heart leapt.

In her past life, Ying Wuji had chased her and Yan Zhi countless times.

But each time, she escaped death.

Just as Lu Xiangxiang began to doubt, Ying Wuji withdrew his gaze.

At this moment—

Hong Zhengqing bled again.

And his action once more triggered a round of mechanical traps.

The others hurriedly raised their weapons to defend.

Yuan Yao drew her sword to block the trap's attack, then looked up at the seal barrier before her; she discovered that, with Hong Zhengqing's bloodline power activated, the entire barrier's rune patterns became clearly visible.

She examined the seal barrier.

In the time to come, she would fend off the mechanical traps while observing the seal barrier.

A "seal" is a rule-bound or energy field constructed by cultivators using spiritual energy, spiritual consciousness, or runes, also the natural law of the caster's space, primarily used to restrict certain actions, protect areas or items, and to launch attacks.

The difference between arrays and seals is that arrays require mediums such as spiritual materials or earth veins to be cast.

Both arrays and seals have weak points, commonly called array eyes.

Although Yuan Yao had never practiced seal barrier techniques, she felt that arrays and seals were similarly effective.

She silently overlaid her own spiritual power and consciousness onto the seal barrier, then pursued the direction of its rune pattern.

Meanwhile, Hong Zhengqing continued to force the bloodletting.

His whole body grew cold, trembling uncontrollably.

His ashen lips quivered, and he was extremely weak.

"Brother Hong, hold on." A female disciple showed a worried expression; she supported Hong Zhengqing while raising her sword to block the trap's attack.

Second Elder Wang Yangbo saw the surrounding snow beasts beginning to stir, his face darkening as he said, "Less than half a quarter‑hour remains, hurry!"

Hong Zhengqing heard this and felt his head extremely heavy, as if he would fall at any moment.

As his whole body grew weak and he could not keep his hands pressed against the seal barrier, the severely wounded Instructor Qu suddenly seized his wrist and forced his palms onto the barrier.

Instructor Qu said, "Zhengqing, we are close to success; you must hold on!"

Hong Zhengqing's consciousness was already muddled, and he could no longer hear what was being said.

Cang Li saw the scene, furrowed his brows, and shouted, "Hey! Do you intend to kill him? Hurry and treat him, or he may die here in less than half a quarter‑hour!"

The female disciple beside Hong Zhengqing heard this, her face showing anxiety; she immediately looked pleadingly at Instructor Qu and asked, "Instructor Qu, why not treat Brother Hong first?"

"Treatment?" Instructor Qu replied gravely, "We have no time to waste! After half a quarter‑hour, if we still cannot break this seal barrier, more will die!"

The female disciple heard this and felt her heart instantly chill halfway.

Cang Li had originally intended to step in and treat Hong Zhengqing, but upon hearing Instructor Qu's words, his gaze grew colder.

The other side knows that continuing the disciple's bloodletting will cause death, yet still forces them to endure.

Is this truly the proper conduct of a sect instructor?

His impression of the Heaven One Sect dropped straight to the bottom.

Cang Li understood that Hong Zhengqing was a member of the Heaven One Sect, so it was not his place to meddle in their internal affairs.

As time passed.

The power of the seal barrier was indeed gradually weakening, but it was still far from enough.

"Roar!"

Suddenly, a earth‑shattering roar echoed.

Everyone's hearts startled; following the sound, they saw all the surrounding snow beasts rise, their eyes blood‑thirsty as they stared at them.

The appointed time had arrived.