Chapter 317: Black Clouds Press the Formation (6/15, Autumn Subscription)

"Pity, I promised them I'd wait for them at the Extreme Ice Sect—I doubt I'll get the chance now."

Tail felt a faint pang of regret, but that was all; even Ni Dongmei was sweating and hopping in agitation—what could someone who hadn't even entered the Martial Dao possibly do?

Let fate decide.

As Tail thought this, Ni Dongmei suddenly leapt down in ecstatic delight.

"Got word! Come on, Tail, we leave the village right now!"

"But that black cloud outside…"

"That's not a black cloud—that's the Lang Wu tribe! An ancient curse, even among the eerie, one of the most terrifying existences."

Lang Wu tribe?!

That's just…

"Don't think—come with me now, or we won't even make it out of the village!"

Grabbing Tail, Ni Dongmei turned into a frozen gale and shot out, not even bidding farewell to Lang Wu, the Chief Captain, or the others.

Just as she had arrived abruptly, she departed just as suddenly.

…

The wind was blowing.

The howling wind carried Ma Ling'er'er's gleeful laughter.

Her bell-like voice made the surrounding face-kites sway, as if drunk.

"Miss, stop laughing—you'll disrupt the formation!"

One of the face-kites nearby couldn't help but speak up.

But it was already too late.

The once-tight, massive Black Cloud slowly tore open a small gap.

Inside, over a dozen face-kites could be seen gliding within the Black Cloud.

Their direction—clearly—was Mo Cun.

The bone-kite carved with Ma Ling'er'er's face finally slowed its laughter.

"I've returned… Ma Ling'er'er… has returned!!"

"We… the Lang Wu tribe… have returned!"

"Yese Liming, Mo Cun, Gu Yue Cun, Lord Han… everyone will die!!"

Ma Ling'er'er bared a grotesque grin, her eyes locked fiercely on Mo Cun in the distance.

Yet they failed to notice that beneath their massive Black Cloud, a group rode ice-crystal horses, advancing swiftly as if walking on flat ground.

Occasionally, those riding the ice-crystal horses would glance up at the Black Cloud above, their faces filled with shock and awe.

"So many Lang Wu… Mo Cun is finished!"

"Hurry faster! The Pillar of Fortune is in Mo Cun—I've already sent the Ninth Elder to escort her out to meet us! This calamity is meant for the Pillar of Fortune; Mo Cun is merely taking our place!"

"Yes!"

Their speed surged abruptly—they became a single icy gale, swiftly crossing the distance while carefully suppressing their qi leakage.

But that sudden burst of speed was like a dark ink dot slashed across a blank sheet of paper—immediately drawing the attention of the bone-kites on the Black Cloud.

"Those people… aren't ordinary." A weathered bone-kite beside her frowned slightly.

"Chen Lao, they're not my target. Send someone to deal with them casually." Ma Ling'er'er said at once.

"Those few aren't something you can casually dispose of… I'll go down myself."

"Good."

From within the massive Black Cloud, several dark specks broke off and dove downward.

"Damn! The Lang Wu have spotted us!"

"Don't retreat! You all go ahead—meet the Ninth Elder. I'll hold them off!"

"Master Uncle?!"

The other Elders' expressions shifted, but seeing their Master Uncle's firm resolve, they gritted their teeth and pressed forward.

The Master Uncle was an old man in flowing white robes; he looked up at the dozen bone-kites diving toward him, expression unchanged, bent his knees slightly, pushed off—and shot skyward with a whoosh!

Whirr!!

Mid-air, shadowy ice swords circled him, his aura blazing like a storm!

"Below the Immortal Rank, all are ants! You dare insult me?!"

Chen Lao narrowed his eyes; mid-air, the kites swelled—growing like bone overgrowth, expanding until they engulfed the Master Uncle.

"You're wrong. The Great One's exact words were—Below the Immortal Rank, all are mortals. The world knows the first half, but not the second: Until the Rain Rank emerges, all beneath heaven contend!"

Until the Rain Rank emerges, all beneath heaven contend!

Chen Lao hesitated for a fraction, then twisted his face into a monstrous snarl.

"So you're the brat of that one!"

Whoosh—

"Today, I'll end your entire bloodline!"

Bone kites surged, blotting out the sky, wrapping the white-robed Master Uncle and the pursuing bone-kites into a colossal bone sphere!

"Master Uncle!!"

Everyone turned back and couldn't help crying out in shock.

Several even wanted to rush back to rescue him—but held themselves back.

Right now, their only task was one: bring back Tail, bring back the Pillar of Fortune to the Extreme Ice Sect—or everything was meaningless!

As these thoughts crossed their minds, a violent gust of ice wind shot past from afar.

"It's Elder Nine!"

"Sister Nine!"

Several rushed forward to greet her; by the time Bing Feng arrived, Ni Dongmei had already resumed her human form.

"Brothers, my clone's power is spent—rest is up to you!"

She handed her tail to the Elders, then pressed her palm against her chest.

Dudu, dudu.

As if activating something, a frost-like jade pendant mark slowly emerged on her chest, nearly identical to the Flame Sect's jade pendant mark—only one glowed blazing red, the other icy blue.

As if the mark had reached its limit, the frost mark grew sharper, radiating chilling energy; waves of freezing aura burst from her body, turning the ground beneath her feet and surrounding weeds into ice!

"Sister Nine?! Stop! Doing this is equivalent to destroying most of your cultivation! Even a clone will affect your true body—cutting off your path to cultivation forever!"

Everyone's expressions changed; they cried out urgently.

But Ni Dongmei's expression remained unchanged.

"I've always admired our Master. His heroic figure when he saved me still lingers deep in my memory."

I've wondered every moment: when will I have the chance to sacrifice myself for the Sect, for others, to save the situation? Now, the opportunity is before me—I must consider whether this is my final chance in this life!"

"This clone has drained its power repeatedly; even if remnants remain, my true body can no longer restore cultivation. Better to use it here… With my body, forge my ultimate ice glory!!"

This time, before anyone could speak, bang—she leapt upward, transforming into Bing Feng midair, hurtling toward the massive bone sphere ahead.

"Go! Go now!!"

"Sister Nine!!"

Amid the collective shouts of all present, Ni Dongmei, her frost mark burning, slammed into the massive bone sphere.

Boom—a deafening crash—the bone sphere shuddered violently, encased in layers of ultimate ice!

Ice erupted—the bone sphere froze solid!

Whether the uncle inside or the dozen terrifying Wu Yu clan aberrations, all were briefly trapped within the bone sphere!

"Go… let's go!!"

The other Elders, seeing the situation had turned this way, gritted their teeth and fled wildly with the tail.

They moved at their utmost speed, soon leaving Black Cloud and the frozen bone sphere far behind.

(End of Chapter)