Chapter 811: Just Like a Jerk

The sky was filled with Dead Qi, seemingly driven by some force, becoming wildly agitated; some of the Dead Qi even turned into ghostly silhouettes that emitted eerie laughter!

From afar, the massive Jade Autumn Sect was shrouded in a layer of Black Mist, vitality dimmed, Dead Qi heavy, the once spirit‑rich, pristine land now resembled a Purgatory on earth!

What was most terrifying was the endless Dead Qi encircling Ye Qingran and the others, with the death spirit itself taking to the field, swirling around Ye Qingran and whipping up a vortex of Dead Qi.

"What is happening?!"

The sudden turn of events left everyone bewildered.

Why did the Dead Qi suddenly concentrate its hatred on Ye Qingran?

Could it be jealous of her talent?

Facing the Dead Qi's assault, the protectors surrounding Ye Qingran—including members of the Lingyun Team, Ji Rufeng, and Lu Shen—each acted, channeling Mysterious Force to form a shield that kept Ye Qingran in its center.

The Dead Qi battered the shield fiercely, producing a rapid, rain‑like clatter!

"Hahaha, truly heaven aids me!"

Ye Wen saw the scene and couldn't help laughing loudly, the smile full of schadenfreude.

He had just been worrying about how to deal with Ye Qingran, and didn't expect the Dead Qi to get ahead of him and target her.

"Ye Qingran, it looks like you'll certainly die today!"

Surrounded by so much Dead Qi, even with protectors, Ye Qingran could at most only delay her death.

"The scent of the primal life force?"

The death spirit's voice was especially shrill and unpleasant, carrying an ominous, unignorable dread.

Life and death are, after all, two extremes.

For the death spirit, life force—especially the primal life force—is its greatest enemy!

Sensing the threat, the death spirit must erase it at once!

"Turn it all into a part of death! Ha ha ha~"

The death spirit looked to the heavens and laughed; its sound waves solidified into a tangible attack that entered everyone's ears, like a demonic tone, making life feel worse than death!

The attacks grew ever more ferocious, and the Dead Qi grew ever denser!

The Mysterious Force barrier quivered under the endless Dead Qi assaults, seeming ready to shatter at any moment.

"Everyone, please buy me some more time, thank you!"

Ye Qingran's voice reached everyone's ears.

"Sister Qingran, do you have a way?" Qing Lan asked, a glimmer of expectation in their eyes.

Ye Qingran nodded, "Hmm. But I don't know if it will succeed."

At present, the only way to counter the Dead Qi is to make the Chaos Qing Lian Seed sprout and bloom.

But this Ancient Divine Object depends on timing; no one can be certain.

"Never mind, there's no better method anyway, so let's treat a dead horse as a living one!" Qing Lan said, spirit soaring.

"We believe in you!"

Learning that Ye Qingran had a method, even though success wasn't guaranteed, everyone still felt exhilarated.

At least, it was a glimpse of hope!

"Ye Qingran, rest assured, we will strive to buy you more time!"

"Thank you!"

As the Dead Qi attacks grew ever more fierce and dense, everyone inside the barrier clenched their teeth, crystalline sweat beading on their faces.

"I can't hold on any longer!"

Even Heavenly Pride like Ji Rufeng and Lu Shen were pale now, appearing small and fragile.

Ye Qingran still sat cross‑legged, eyes closed, blood continuously being drawn from her body.

Mysterious Force was constantly being consumed.

Within the Jiu Tian Xi Rang, the Chaos Qing Lian Seed emitted a flickering emerald glow, yet still showed no sign of sprouting.

"What exactly is still missing?"

Ye Qingran asked herself in her heart.

At this moment, the Chaos Qing Lian Seed resembled a total jerk, constantly demanding Mysterious Force and blood from her, yet giving her no response at all!

If this continues, she'll turn into a desiccated corpse!

Damn!

Boom~

Accompanied by a deafening blast, the barrier shattered.

With no barrier, the Dead Qi surged in like a frenzy.

"Quick, take the Life Pill!"

Heeding Qing Lan's reminder, everyone swallowed the Life Pill given by Ye Qingran; soon a faint green aura enveloped them, as if clad in thick armor, and any Dead Qi that touched this armor vanished into nothing.

Even so, none of them wore a relaxed expression.

After all, Dead Qi is endless and never wanes, while the pill's effect is temporary; over time, this is not a solution!

All they can do now is give their all to buy Ye Qingran more time!

"What on earth is Ye Qingran doing?"

At that moment, someone couldn't help asking.

The Dead Qi had already breached the barrier and was about to devour her, yet she still sat in meditation!

"Ye Qingran, aren't you being selfish? Having so many people guard you, protecting only you!"

Liu Chenyu asked from afar.

Many people, upon hearing this, nodded, feeling that Ye Qingran's actions were indeed inappropriate.

When a great calamity approaches, she, as a Heavenly Pride, ought to step forward and fight at the front.

"Is your own life a life, while everyone else's just weeds?"

"Everyone, look! This so‑called genius who can suppress a generation is actually a selfish, petty person!"

"She must be planning to let us perish with the Dead Qi and then make a getaway, right?"

Questioning voices kept coming from every corner.

If anyone listened closely, most of those voices would be from Suspended King Hall and Zhai Xing Pavilion!

"All of you, please speak carefully! We are willing of our own accord!"

After Qing Lan swung his sword to block the dead spirit's assault, his sharp gaze fell on Liu Chenyu.

"Indeed, we are all volunteers!"

"We all believe in her!"

For the Lingyun Team, they unconditionally trust Ye Qingran, since she is the captain of their Lingyun Team!

If they didn't trust her, who could they trust?

As for the others, some think that rather than passively await death, they'd rather fight for a sliver of hope!

Ye Qingran, as a top Heavenly Pride of the Floating Life Realm, possesses the power to suppress a generation and may also be able to lead them in eradicating the Dead Qi and ushering in dawn!

"Trust her? What can she possibly do?"

Liu Chenyu scoffed.

Ji Rufeng snorted, "Even if she truly has no means, she's still better than you, who only knows idle gossip!"

"You!"

Liu Chenyu stamped his foot in anger.

The dead spirit's attacks grew ever more intense.

People kept being invaded by Dead Qi, falling one after another; the 'shield' around Ye Qingran grew thinner and thinner, until only the Lingyun Team and a few of Ji Rufeng remained.

Their situation was no better; Mysterious Force was nearly exhausted, and they were burned by the dead spirit's Dead Qi, leaving blackened wounds.

Yet their gazes remained steadfast.

Qing Lan looked at Ye Qingran, a resolute glint flashing in his eyes.