Chapter 95: Chapter Ninety-Five: Seal

Shi Ran saw He Yuan fully reveal his demonic shadow, and instead she breathed a sigh of relief; if the demonic shadow is here, it proves that at least others are safe and worry‑free—now all she must do is trap it… even, seal him again!

Time waits for no one; Shi Ran quickly bit her fingertip, flicked the blood bead toward the Ice Stream Sword; the Ice Stream Sword instantly burst with blinding golden light, illuminating the entire cave; the falling icicles suspended in the light, forming a strange ice‑crystal barrier.

"Hahaha!" He Yuan let out a manic laugh: "You little fool, do you think provoking me will activate the Demon‑Sealing Seal? Pure fantasy...."

Before his words faded, Shi Ran suddenly thrust her bloody finger toward her forehead, droplets of blood tracing from her fingertip to the Seven‑Colored Fire Lotus, startling He Yuan's demonic shadow into a dazed twist: "What are you doing… you...."

The lotus mark on Shi Ran's forehead suddenly appeared, blood‑red veins spreading like living things, intertwining with the Ice Stream Sword's golden light into a net; for a moment, the cave blazed with light.

At the same instant, Shi Ran's body seemed seized by a mighty force, continuously drawing her blood; she gritted her teeth, though her strength alone could not seal He Yuan, but together with this Seven‑Colored Fire Lotus it surely could!

Indeed, He Yuan's demonic shadow thrashed violently within the golden‑and‑blood net, emitting a piercing shriek; he struggled madly, his mist‑like form repeatedly striking the barrier, yet never breaking through.

Shi Ran's face turned as pale as paper, a trickle of blood at the corner of her mouth, yet her gaze was unwavering; the lotus on her forehead blossomed petal by petal, against her pallid cheeks the lotus blazed like fire and blood.

"Are you mad?!" He Yuan's voice finally tinged with fear: "Using the soul as a guide, blood as an offering—even if the ancient holy artifact Seven‑Colored Fire Lotus acknowledges you as master, you will still have your soul scattered and spirit dissipated!"

Shi Ran snorted coldly, "Soul scattered and spirit dissipated? Perfect!" She could finally go home, sparing herself the precarious existence in this cultivation world; thinking of that, she ignored the pain in her body, waiting for the lotus to fully bloom, then suddenly spat a mouthful of blood.

He Yuan kept slamming into the golden net, his hatred sky‑high; the last time he was sealed, it was the Supreme God Chuyin himself serving as the array's eye, combined with the power of the Seven‑Colored Fire Lotus, together with a few single‑minded cultivators, suppressing him for centuries.

But this time, that damned girl actually thinks she can, by herself, recklessly restart the Demon‑Sealing Seal to re‑seal him—utter delusion! If she succeeds, what will his centuries of humiliation amount to?

The more he thought, the angrier he grew! He Yuan's demonic shadow surged wildly within the golden‑blood net, black mist exploding like boiling water; each impact made the cave tremble, ice crystals scattering down. He roared hoarsely: "Trivial ants, dare to dream of trapping me?!"

Shi Ran's consciousness was fading, a buzzing in her ears; only the searing pain of the fire lotus on her forehead kept her awake. She fixed her gaze on He Yuan, her blood‑stained lips curling into a resolute smile: "But… you… seem unable to escape…"

He Yuan kept swelling, his surging demonic qi cutting into her body like blades; though she could have dodged, she now wielded a sword in one hand and formed a seal with the Seven‑Colored Fire Lotus in the other, unable to split herself, forced to endure the arrogant demonic qi ravaging her flesh.

But just as she collapsed from exhaustion, a fierce sword light tore through the void! The dragon's roar shook the cave; Ling Xiao arrived on his sword, his moon‑white robes billowing like clouds, his spiritual power surging, instantly slashing away the black mist assailing Shi Ran.

He grabbed the swaying Shi Ran, his palm touching the sticky blood on her back, his heart clenching. The person in his arms was deathly pale, yet the fire lotus on her forehead blazed like fire; her breath was so faint it seemed it would vanish any moment.

"You… are utterly reckless!" Ling Xiao hissed, his voice trembling imperceptibly. He swiftly poured spiritual power into her meridians, shielding her collapsing heart, then lifted his gaze to He Yuan, eyes like chilled ice.

He Yuan's demonic shadow stalled, then issued a cold, sinister chuckle: "Another one come to die? You… the Dragon Roar Sword!? You're Ling Xiao, right? Perfect timing! Not wasting your little disciple's day‑and‑night longing for you—I'll have you master and pupil both lose soul and spirit, a pair of ghostly lovebirds!"

"Just you?" Ling Xiao sneered, the Dragon Roar Sword ringing free from its sheath, the blade wrapped in blinding lightning like a roaring golden dragon; he formed a seal with one hand, and suddenly a massive diagram appeared on the cave ceiling, countless runes falling like chains, merging with the blood net Shi Ran had laid earlier, actually forming a grim prison!

He Yuan finally changed color: "Nine Heavens Demon‑Sealing Formation?! You know the Nine Heavens Demon‑Sealing Seal? You actually… you don't need to restart the Demon‑Sealing Seal?! You!!"

He Yuan did not know that everyone had been trapped in a nightmare; Chuyin, to break the cycle, sacrificed himself, his body and soul annihilated, vanished from heaven and earth; the eye of the Demon‑Sealing Seal disappeared, and though the people regained their senses, they had also completely released He Yuan.

Though no one could find He Yuan, they saw Ling Xiao, who had just arrived, turn his sword and head toward a darker cavern—just in time to witness that foolish disciple overreaching, attempting to restart the Demon‑Sealing Seal.

Fortunately he arrived in time—just a step shy, just a step shy, and Shi Ran could have restarted the Demon‑Sealing Seal; then she would have become the eye of the array, forever bound to accompany that demon in the lightless Abyss of Accumulated Snow.

Fortunately!

Ling Xiao stared at He Yuan opposite him, his expression shifting; this demon harms mankind—better to slay him swiftly.

He Yuan couldn't read Ling Xiao's expression, but knowing the Nine Heavens Demon‑Sealing Seal, he turned to flee—only to see Ling Xiao already strike down with a sword. Thunderbolts wrapped in murderous intent came crashing down; the demonic shadow emitted a wretched howl, black mist torn apart inch by inch by the lightning. He Yuan struggled wildly, yet saw Ling Xiao bite his fingertip, using blood as ink to draw an ancient sigil in the void.

"With my blood, the Nine Heavens united in hatred, all things heed my command—seal!"

The sigil turned into crimson‑gold chains, tightly binding the demonic shadow. He Yuan's rage gradually twisted into a resentful whimper, and he was finally pressed completely into the Ice Stream Sword. The sword hummed for a moment, then fell silent.

Dust settled in the cave. Ling Xiao staggered a step, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he had no time to recover, rushing to check on Shi Ran. The fire lotus mark on her brow had fully bloomed, signifying the lotus was devouring her essence; her vitality was like a candle in the wind.

"Master…" Shi Ran suddenly opened her eyes weakly, her voice barely audible: "I… am I… allowed to go home…"

Ling Xiao caught his breath. He had long known her soul was special, yet never imagined she would seek death so earnestly. Seeing her pupils scatter, he suddenly gripped her wrist, almost ferociously snarling: "Don't even think about it! As your master, I forbid you to die!"

Having said that, he violently pressed his palm against the fire lotus on her forehead, pouring immense spiritual power without reserve. Shi Ran's whole body shuddered, her consciousness sinking into darkness before she heard only a hoarse sigh—

"Foolish disciple, your home… is right here."