Chapter 175: An Unusual Invitation to the Moon

175. Chapter 175: An Unusual Invitation to the Moon

The temperature kept dropping.

Each breath made his trachea ache faintly.

The icy mist slipped in through his mouth and nose, the cold spreading from inside outward; a normal person would quickly enter hypothermia and die.

Chu Yang also felt the chill, but the kirin blood in his body began to boil wildly.

Having bathed in the blood of an entire kirin, Chu Yang considered this low temperature trivial; his scorching body could melt ice and snow.

The Ice Fog Demon clearly hadn't expected Chu Yang to be so steadfast; a flash of surprise crossed its eyes, then only boundless fervor remained, seeing the blood‑charged body before it as an incomparable treasure.

In a single instant, the Ice Fog Demon's sanity dropped to zero.

It opened its mouth and let out a strange, mournful howl, sounding like a cold wind howling in the night, while faint human faces inside its body struggled to burst out.

Those faces, after escaping the Ice Fog Demon, formed complete human shapes, emitting a blue glow and floating in the mist like a solitary blue jellyfish.

One blue beam of light surged toward Chu Yang at breakneck speed, which he casually crushed, and then a memory not his own surfaced in his mind.

A boy of about sixteen or seventeen, starving and freezing, trudged through a wasteland of weeds; the scene was brief, ending on his desperate face.

As more and more blue beams attacked Chu Yang and he eliminated them, numerous similar visions appeared, each depicting the moment before these people's deaths.

A group of homeless refugees froze to death in the wilderness, becoming nourishment for the demon.

It might even be that they are the cause of the Ice Fog Demon's birth.

In this world where demons run rampant, a human life is worth little more than a blade of grass.

The visions multiplied.

Crazy ramblings echoed in Chu Yang's ears, mixed with the cries of the dead refugees; a normal person's SAN would soon be depleted in such a situation.

The Ice Fog Demon kept drawing near, silently awaiting the moment Chu Yang went mad; it had used this method to kill many martial masters who slept out in the ruined village.

Time ticked by second by second.

Until Chu Yang eliminated all the blue beams, he never slipped into madness as the Ice Fog Demon had expected.

Instinctively sensing danger, the Ice Fog Demon felt a desire to retreat.

But it could not abandon Chu Yang's body of Qi, blood, and essence; greed gradually overrode its reason.

His cold eyes stared at it; beneath Chu Yang's calm expression, murderous intent surged.

The surrounding mist quickly coalesced, turning into white streams that entered the Ice Fog Demon's body, while its true form swelled rapidly, eclipsing the nearby huts in an instant.

A towering ice‑snow giant, dozens of zhang tall, appeared before Chu Yang.

With no mist blocking the view, Li Ge Xiao and Jiang Feng's party found Chu Yang; seeing him confronting the ice‑snow giant, they halted and took cover beneath the huts.

"It really is a demon. Shall we go out and help Master Chu?" Jiang Feng asked gravely.

"Not causing trouble is the biggest help; you'd better look after your family," Li Ge Xiao shook his head, about to step out, when he suddenly felt something tug his clothes.

He turned back and saw a massive wolf‑dog looking at him with a pleading expression.

"You beast sleeps so soundly, why hasn't a demon eaten you yet!" Li Ge Xiao snapped, then saw the others' embarrassed faces, forced a dry laugh, and added, "I was scolding the dog, not you all."

The others grew even more embarrassed...

Li Ge Xiao smacked his lips, quickly changed the subject, patted the wolf‑dog's head and ordered, "Guard the people here; any more slip‑ups and I'll slaughter you for hot‑pot."

The wolf‑dog lowered its head and wagged its tail.

Meanwhile, the ice‑snow giant launched an attack on Chu Yang, its massive body dozens of zhang tall pressing down, raising a surging wave of air that engulfed him.

The surrounding huts were reduced to rubble by the blow.

Chu Yang formed a sealing sigil; a raging wind swirled around him, fiercer than the giant's wave, not only nullifying it but also blowing the ice‑snow giant backward repeatedly, unsteady on its feet.

Having fused the Five Demon Pearl into his body, Chu Yang gained a rudimentary command of the Five Spirits power; though not yet able to move mountains with a gesture, he could still summon wind and rain without trouble.

Boom—! As the mountain‑sized ice‑snow giant fell, the whole ruined village shook violently, making Jiang Feng and the others nearby feel as if an earthquake were raging.

Chu Yang formed another seal; Crimson Flame materialized out of thin air, illuminating the entire ruined village, a torrent of fire pouring onto the ice‑snow giant, scorching it into a terrifying roar that echoed for dozens of miles.

Li Ge Xiao and the others felt dizzy and nauseous, frantically covering their ears.

Jiang Feng and Hua Yue Nu were busy shielding two children's ears, unaware that blood was streaming from their own mouths and noses.

The wolf‑dog let out a long howl; as the void trembled, the demon's roar weakened.

The Jiang couple slumped on the ground, their complexion gradually improving.

"That dog still has some bite!" Li Ge Xiao vigorously rubbed the dog's head, laughing broadly.

"Jiang here thanks Brother Dog!" Jiang Feng laughed, bowing.

The wolf‑dog let out a few triumphant yips, wagging its tail excitedly.

Bathed in a sky of red light, the extreme heat warped the void, cracking the ground; stones melted, countless huts turned to ash, and the ice‑snow giant's cries gradually faded.

"What a terrifying flame! It's just like the legendary Samadhi True Fire; Master Chu is truly formidable!"

Jiang Feng stared at the awe‑inspiring sight, his whole body shivering.

He was renowned worldwide for his generosity, having donated to the famed temples and Taoist sanctuaries of the Ming Empire, and befriended so‑called Taoist Immortals and Buddhist Vajras.

He had encountered Buddhist and Taoist secret arts before, so they weren't unfamiliar, but such terrifying techniques were exceedingly rare, usually only possessed by very senior abbots or sect heads.

"So young, it's truly baffling…" Jiang Feng muttered, puzzled.

Li Ge Xiao's expression was complex; back when Chu Yang was still the useless prince, the two often drank to a drunken stupor, living recklessly, and Li had never seen him diligently study any Daoist scriptures.

Even the Jingtao Palm taught by Lord Guo was practiced by Chu Yang only sporadically, three days fishing and two days sunbathing.

Was it innate talent or a long‑planned scheme? The furnace of flame returned the Ice Fog Demon to its original form, revealing a crystal‑clear body like glass; the extreme heat kept cracking it, and soon it would shatter completely.

Just as everyone thought the demon was about to be vanquished, the surrounding temperature dropped again, and a cold wind howled.

Under the moonlight, a breathtaking figure descended from the sky, landing in the sea of fire; the intense cold she brought instantly froze the flames.

Jiang Feng and his spouse trembled violently upon seeing the newcomer, their faces showing fear.

A voice as cold as a thousand‑year‑old ice rang out instantly.

Jiang Feng, Huayue Nu, come out and face death!

She is beautiful, ethereal in temperament, highly skilled in martial arts, and harbors such deep hatred toward Jiang Feng; few people in the world meet all these conditions.

Grand Palace Mistress of Yi Hua Palace.

Yao Yue.

Her voice is lively and ethereal, elusive. Though her tone is cold and merciless, sending shivers, it is also clear, gentle, and charming, captivating the soul.

This is the original wording from the book.

In Chu Yang's eyes, a few words suffice to describe Yao Yue.

Mature‑sounding loli.

Yao Yue's delicate, petite frame starkly contrasts with her terrifying aura, oddly cute, especially paired with that icy face, giving a sense of reverse charm.

Having mastered the orthodox internal cultivation pinnacle technique Mingyu Technique, Yao Yue not only grows ever younger, retaining perpetual youth, but also causes a jade‑like crystal glow to appear on her ice‑white, cold face.

It belongs to a humanoid figurine.

Chu Yang, interested, scrutinized Yao Yue, but failed to notice Jiang Feng and his spouse behind him, their faces ashen.

She actually chased after us…

Jiang Feng clenched Huayue Nu's hand, tightly cradling the infant in the swaddling cloth.

Jiang Lang, we may not escape death today.

Huayue Nu's eyes welled up, her voice choked with sobs.

Seeing them as if facing a great foe, Li Ge Xiao asked in puzzlement, "Who is this woman?"

Jiang Feng replied, "The Palace Mistress of Yi Hua Palace, Yao Yue."

Li Ge Xiao inhaled sharply, the name of the Yi Hua Palace Mistress echoing throughout the martial world; as a former Brocade Guard officer, how could he not know?

What truly catapulted Yao Yue's fame was the assault a great demon launched on Yi Hua Palace five years ago.

It began when a great demon coveted Yao Yue's beauty, seeking to make her his demon consort, but Yao Yue coldly rejected him and even berated him with words.

Anyone who can become a great demon is one in a million; how could they endure Yao Yue's humiliation?

The great demon returned to the Ten Thousand Demon Nation, allied with four great demons he was friendly with, and led a horde of spirit demons straight to Yi Hua Palace.

That battle left countless casualties at Yi Hua Palace…

Even more astonishing, Yao Yue's Mingyu Technique froze to death four of the five great demons; the one who boasted of taking Yao Yue as his consort had his demon core ripped out, reverting him to his original form.

It was this battle that made Yi Hua Palace's name resound across the martial world, establishing it as a top sect, and Yao Yue became a universally recognized top master.

Countless experts went to Yi Hua Palace to pay respects, hoping to glimpse the lady's grace, only to become ice sculptures before the palace gates.

Since then Yi Hua Palace has become a forbidden zone for men! Thinking of Yao Yue's angry demeanor, Li Ge Xiao looked at Jiang Feng and said with a knowing smile, "Your body is truly fine; you even managed to bewilder the Palace Mistress Yao Yue herself."

Jiang Feng heard this, his expression turning terrified, "Li the Hero, watch your words!"

Yao Yue's hearing is superb; no wind or rustle within a hundred zhang escapes her, and Li Ge Xiao's teasing naturally reaches her ears.

An ice spear materialized above her head, then shot straight at Li Ge Xiao.

A whooshing crack rang beside his ear; sensing danger, Li Ge Xiao swiftly raised his Embroidered Spring Blade to block, and the ice spear exploded before him.

Li Ge Xiao thought he was doomed, but warmth suddenly surged forward; a fire‑red light shield protected him, melting the ice shards produced by the shattered spear.

Yao Yue coldly stared at Chu Yang, "How dare you block me?"

Chu Yang tugged his ear, speechless, "You're not my mother; what's with daring or not daring?"

Yao Yue's expression darkened, yet she did not act rashly; Chu Yang's earlier move had already demonstrated his strength.

Li Ge Xiao pounded his chest, still shaken, "That woman's temper is outrageous; what did I say wrong to make her so angry?"

Huayue Nu forced a wry smile and explained, "The Grand Palace Mistress has no feelings for Jiang Lang; actually the Second Palace Mistress is infatuated with him, but he rejected her, leaving her melancholy. The Grand and Second Palace Mistresses share deep sisterly bonds, and on top of that I eloped with Jiang Lang, defecting from Yi Hua Palace, which is why she is so furious."

Li Ge Xiao then realized, "So you're from Yi Hua Palace; the dignified Second Palace Mistress had her husband snatched by a junior maid—no wonder she's this angry; spreading that would bring huge shame!"

Jiang Feng grew urgent, "Li the Hero, I told you to watch your words!"

Another gust of cold wind howled as Chu Yang again shielded Li Ge Xiao from Yao Yue's killing strike, grumbling, "Can you stop deliberately provoking her? One more time and I won't block you! Let this drunkard freeze into an ice sculpture, that's all."

"No, sir, I'm no match for the Palace Mistress Yao Yue." Li Ge Xiao licked his face and chuckled, "With you here, may I try what it's like to borrow the tiger's might?"

Chu Yang was too lazy to reply, turned his gaze to Yao Yue, and found she differed greatly from his impression; not to mention everything else, the fact she doesn't like Jiang Feng makes a world of difference.

This is a typical operation in a merged world; strange as it is, Chu Yang wasn't overly surprised, but from Huayue Nu's words, Yao Yue seems to be a sister‑complex, which is rather interesting.

"What exactly is your relationship with Jiang Feng? Why block my killing him? Are you hired mercenaries he paid for? To hire a Daoist Immortal like you must have cost him a lot, right?"

Yao Yue glared with bright, piercing eyes, her voice unusually cold.

Facing Yao Yue's triple‑question, Chu Yang answered simply, "We met halfway; with my standing, even if I spent my whole fortune I couldn't afford to hire you."

"Met halfway?" Yao Yue sneered, "Nonsense. If we only met briefly, would you oppose Yi Hua Palace for a mere stranger?"

"Are you ill?" Chu Yang retorted, pointing at Li Ge Xiao, "You just tried to kill, clearly my man."

Rude scoundrel!

I will smash your mouth to pieces! Yao Yue, furious, wanted to clash with Chu Yang directly, but before that she intended to eliminate the ungrateful Jiang Feng; thinking of her sister Lian Xing weeping all day made her seethe.

Yao Yue gathered icy power in her palm and, from a distance, struck at Jiang Feng and his spouse; provided that meddling pest stayed out, the strike could kill both.

The next second.

Chu Yang snapped his fingers; a fierce sword aura shattered the icy palm force.

Yao Yue's eyes widened!

He grinned, "Now you finally count as my obstruction."

Yao Yue erupted in fury, veins bulging at the corners of her eyes; her anger toward Chu Yang far surpassed that of the great demon who five years ago claimed he would take her as a consort!

"I will kill you, you little thief!"

Yao Yue let out a scream, her delicate figure slowly levitating; as the Mingyu Technique activated, the entire desolate village was blanketed by swirling snow, and simultaneously an inexplicable, powerful suction aimed straight at Chu Yang.

When the Mingyu Technique reaches its ninth level, it not only grants perpetual youth and increasing beauty, but also generates astonishing icy true essence and a massive vortex suction; whatever the target, it will be drawn to Yao Yue.

Compared to sucking things, I've never been afraid of anyone.

Chu Yang, after swallowing the Divine Fruit, has chakra that has already reached an unimaginable level; whatever ninjutsu he wields now is entirely different from before.

The terrifying suction generated by the Myriad Phenomena Heavenly Pull is far beyond what the Bright Jade Technique can achieve.

Not long after, Yao Yue found that her body was completely out of control, and the distance between her and Chu Yang kept drawing nearer; terrified, she let out a sharp, explosive screech.

Don't come over!!!

(End of Chapter)