Retsu entered the small house—and immediately understood the gravity of the situation.
Yun Che stood within a layered barrier, its surface reinforced and immovable despite the violent battle raging outside. Inside, pink miasma churned thickly through the air like a living fog. Sweat traced down his brow as both of his hands pressed firmly against Xue Yin's abdomen, the space around them enclosed within a small cubic barrier of condensed energy.
The structure trembled—but did not break.
Even Nemu's earlier clash with the monks hadn't disrupted it.
"Ah. You're here," Yun Che said, exhaling slowly as he glanced up at Retsu. "Perfect timing."
Retsu approached and removed her veiled kasa hat, her expression instantly serious."Hai… I was helping Nemu just now. She was in quite a bit of trouble."
"That's one of the reasons I called you," Yun Che replied evenly. "If I had let go to help her, the miasma would've detonated. It's taken everything I have just to keep it suppressed." His gaze hardened. "I knew you'd arrive in time."
"Ufuu…" Retsu smiled faintly. "I arrived just as she unleashed her new signature technique. I watched for a bit—only stepped in when I realized that monk was still alive."
"Oh?" Yun Che raised a brow. "You were there that early?"
"Yes." Her smile softened. "I wanted to help sooner… but I also needed to let her grow. I'm proud of her." A pause. "…Even if it makes me a little sad knowing one day she won't depend on me."
"She still needs you, more than you know." Yun Che said without hesitation. "Don't worry about that."
Then his tone sharpened.
"Now—I need your help."
Retsu's posture straightened instantly. "Hai. What do you need me to do?"
"Do you remember when we extracted the parasite from Little Yue's father?" Yun Che asked.
Retsu's eyes narrowed in understanding.
"I need your assistance to kill the one inside Xue Yin," he continued. "I've managed to halt its spread and reconvert the corrupted miasma back into her profound energy—but the core is still alive."
The pink fog pulsed once, as if reacting to his words.
"I can't destroy it alone without risking her life."
He looked directly at Retsu.
"That's why I called you."
And in that confined space—sealed by barriers and trust alike—the next phase of the battle quietly began.
"How do I kill it?" Retsu asked, her voice steady.
"Cut her open," Yun Che replied without hesitation. "Below the abdomen. With your precision, you should be able to locate it in the arterial region beneath the liver. It's extremely small—embedded deep within the vessel wall."
His hands did not move from Xue Yin's body.
"I can't flush it out with Spirit Ki. If I do, I risk detonating her dantian." His eyes narrowed. "So this is the only option. I'll halt the blood flow for a few seconds. That's all the time you'll have—to find it, destroy it, and then close her up with healing Kidō."
Retsu nodded once.
"Hai. I understand."
Yun Che's tone dropped, grave and unyielding.
"We're dealing with a human nuclear bomb here, sweetie. One wrong move, and this entire place becomes ground zero."
"Hnn…" Retsu exhaled softly.
An dark sheen spread across her skin as she coated herself in Haki, forming an invisible barrier—standard procedure. Not just for combat, but for surgery. Absolute isolation. Absolute control.
She had performed several operations over the past few days—too many, given the chaos surrounding them. City people needed medical aid, diseases, shattered meridians, internal corruption. Mio had proven exceptional as a pharmacist, combining the Miracle of Life with modern pharmaceutical principles.
As for Retsu—
She had taken to surgery with frightening aptitude.
Energy Scalpel.
Ki.
Precision.
Her senses sharpened as Observation Haki spread inward rather than outward, piercing flesh, mapping veins, tracing flow. Her focus narrowed until the world consisted of nothing but Xue Yin's body and the silent threat hidden within.
"Use your Haki to locate it," Yun Che said quietly. "When I give the signal—end it. Then close her immediately."
The pink miasma pulsed once, violently restrained.
Yun Che drew a slow breath.
Time slowed.
Blood.
Ki.
Life.
It was no longer a battle of strength—
It was a race against seconds.
She extend her Haki through the blood vessels, extending to search the whole body.
"Yuu-kun… I found it."
Retsu's voice was calm, but her focus sharpened to a razor's edge. Through her Haki, she perceived it clearly—a worm-like parasite, unbelievably small, coiled within Xue Yin's bloodstream. Barely more than a thread.
And yet—
Retsu knew better than anyone that the smallest parasites were often the most dangerous.
This wasn't something from Yuuki's old world. This thing had lived inside Xue Yin for nearly twenty years, adapting, hiding, surviving—while ordinary parasites perished within days.
"Ready?" Yun Che asked.
"Hai…"
"I'm stopping the energy and blood flow now—"
"Shit!"
The moment he acted, the air exploded.
A violent surge of energy burst outward from Xue Yin's body, slamming into the barriers. They held—but only barely. The small wooden house screamed under the pressure, walls shaking violently as deep cracks split across the beams and floor.
Pink miasma roiled like a storm, lashing against the cubic barrier as if reacting in panic.
Retsu's eyes widened—not in fear, but urgency.
"The parasite's reacting," she said instantly. "It knows."
The countdown had begun.
The house creaked.
The barriers strained.
And somewhere within Xue Yin's veins, something ancient and desperate began to fight back.
==========================
[Warning, energy detected. Output is beyond what host could control.]
==========================
"What's happening?" Retsu demanded, her voice cutting through the rising pressure as she instinctively moved to suppress the surge.
"It knows we're after it," Yun Che replied grimly. "It's trying to detonate."
The energy flooding from Xue Yin intensified, violent and unstable. It wasn't just profound energy—it was raw, compressed power that had been sealed for far too long.
"This output—" Retsu hissed. "It's insane."
Her Fox Reiatsu Cloak manifested in full, crimson-gold energy wrapping around her form. Three spectral reiatsu arms extended from her back, bracing against the storm as she forcefully blocked and suppressed the overflowing power, locking it down layer by layer.
Still—
It wasn't enough.
Yun Che made a decision.
No hesitation.
His hair spiked upward, turning brilliant gold as his aura exploded outward. The air warped under the sudden pressure as he transformed, power surging to a new height—every vein, every cell screaming as he forced the energy back down.
The barrier shook violently—but held.
Even then, sweat poured from his face.
They were holding it together.
Barely.
Xue Yin's energy was on an entirely different scale.
For nearly twenty years, it had been suppressed—unused, unrefined, never circulated, never tempered. A massive reservoir of dormant power compressed to the brink of catastrophe.
Something far beyond what either of them should be able to contain.
Retsu grit her teeth, reiatsu arms digging in harder.
"She's on our level," she said through clenched focus.
Yun Che shook his head slightly.
"No," he corrected. "She was."
The energy roared again, straining against every restraint they had placed.
This wasn't just a parasite anymore.
They were trying to disarm a living bomb—one that had been ticking for two decades.
==========================
[Ding... Suppression required. Detonation in sixty seconds]
==========================
"Sixty seconds?!"
Yun Che's breath caught as the system warning flashed through his mind.
Only one minute to locate and destroy the parasite.
The storm of energy howled louder, pressing against every barrier they had erected.
"Yuu-kun…" Retsu called out.
Despite the chaos, despite the blinding surge of power, Yun Che turned to her. His emerald eyes were steady—soft, even—anchored in absolute trust.
"We can do this, dear."
Retsu drew a slow breath and nodded.
"Hai."
Her focus snapped back into place, sharper than ever.
Just then, a familiar presence flared outside the barrier.
"Nee-sama! Yuu-sama!" Nemu's voice rang out, tight with worry. She could feel the outburst clearly now. "Let me help!"
"Nemu, stay back," Retsu said firmly, without raising her voice. "We've got this."
She knew her sister was stronger now—but not strong enough to enter the barrier without risking everything.
"But—" Nemu hesitated, torn.
"Focus on helping those two," Yun Che said calmly, without looking away from Xue Yin. "We'll handle this."
Nemu clenched her fists.
Then she nodded.
"…Hai..."
She leapt back, retreating to a safe distance, and redirected her focus. Her gauntlet lit up as she reestablished control over the VTOL, shifting its support to Qingyue and Chu Yueli.
Inside the barrier—
Two cultivators stood against a ticking countdown.
One holding back a living catastrophe.
The other poised to strike something no bigger than a thread.
Sixty seconds.
And no room for failure.
============================
The battlefield had already tilted beyond recovery.
What began as an organized assault by the Wu Clan Shadow Unit had turned into a slaughter.
Escorted by an Emperor Profound elder, the elite force had expected to overwhelm the defenders through numbers and brutality. Instead, they found themselves trapped between two Winter Fairies and a machine from the sky.
The VTOL hovered above the battlefield, its cannons roaring relentlessly. Streams of bullets rained down like metallic hail, tearing through formations and scattering the Shadow Unit's coordination.
Below, the winter wind answered the gunfire.
Two figures moved through the battlefield like spirits of frost.
The Wu Clan soldiers could not even approach them.
Meanwhile, Chu Yueli faced the elder directly.
Her body was wrapped in the pale aura of her Winter Fairy form—the ultimate evolution of the Frozen Cloud Arts. Frost gathered around every movement, the air itself crystallizing wherever her profound energy flowed.
The Wu elder was already struggling.
"Damn it!" he roared, unleashing another sequence of techniques. "Why are you Fairies interfering in our affairs?!"
Chu Yueli's answer was calm.
"No reason."
His palm techniques shattered against a wall of cold energy. Sword waves dissolved into drifting ice particles. Every attack he launched was deflected, redirected, or frozen apart before it could land.
He was fighting someone operating at an entirely different level.
Yet even this power carried a cost.
The Winter Fairy state burned profound energy rapidly—like pouring water from an open jar. The longer the battle dragged on, the more energy it consumed.
But at the moment, that weakness hardly mattered.
The elder was already being pushed back.
And around them, the battlefield continued collapsing as the Shadow Unit was methodically erased.
Yet Chu Yueli's situation was different now.
Since learning Haki, the strain of the Winter Fairy form had changed. Before, the technique devoured profound energy like water poured from an open jar. Maintaining it for long periods was impossible.
Now, she could sustain it with only a thin layer of Haki reinforcing her body and meridians. Instead of burning through her reserves, the power stabilized—like placing a lid over a leaking vessel.
A splinter of Haki was enough.
Because of that, her limit had extended far beyond what it once was.
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Xia Qingyue.
Qingyue was still surrounded by her own Winter Fairy aura, a blooming frost lotus radiating outward from her body. Cold mist spiraled through the battlefield, freezing the air itself.
Even before learning Haki, Qingyue could sustain this form for over an hour.
Now?
With Haki reinforcing her core…
Even Chu Yueli did not know how long she could maintain it.
The Shadow Units quickly discovered the answer the hard way.
Anyone who stepped into Qingyue's frost lotus domain froze instantly. Their limbs crystallized, their breath turned to ice, and their movements stopped mid-stride.
Those who stayed back to avoid the frost met a different fate.
The VTOL above them opened fire.
Heavy gunfire roared from the sky, shredding the frozen soldiers into fragments of ice and metal.
Then another explosion erupted across the battlefield.
One of the Wu Clan's smaller arks burst apart as the VTOL's cannons swept across the sky. Bullet storms ripped through the hull, igniting its internal arrays.
The ark detonated in midair.
Debris rained down—only to freeze as Qingyue's frost spread outward.
Moments later, the frozen wreckage shattered under another barrage of bullets.
Ice.
Metal.
And shattered bodies fell together across the battlefield.
What had been an invasion force was now collapsing under a coordinated storm of frost and steel.
Wu Chang finally stepped forward.
He had watched long enough. His Shadow Unit was being torn apart—soldiers frozen where they stood, others shredded by the relentless rain of bullets from the VTOL above. The battlefield had turned into a slaughter ground.
His Emperor Profound aura erupted outward like a storm. The ground cracked beneath his feet as dark profound energy surged through the air.
"Enough," he said coldly.
His gaze locked onto Chu Yueli, who hovered above the frozen battlefield like a spirit of winter. Frost spiraled around her body, the pale glow of the Winter Fairy form making her look distant and untouchable.
"Winter Fairy," Wu Chang growled, his voice heavy with killing intent. "Why are you interfering in the affairs of the Wu Clan?"
Chu Yueli's expression did not change.
"Like I said. No reason."
The answer only enraged him further.
Wu Chang raised his hand, gathering profound energy into a massive dark palm that blotted the air above him.
"Then die for that arrogance!"
The enormous palm slammed downward like a falling mountain. The ground exploded as the attack struck, ice and stone blasting apart in every direction.
But Chu Yueli was no longer there.
She moved like drifting snow—silent and sudden.
A flash of white appeared behind him, her sword already in motion. A crescent of freezing energy cut through the air toward his back.
Wu Chang reacted instantly, his forearm coated in dense profound energy as he blocked.
The impact rang out like metal colliding with metal. Frost and darkness exploded outward as their powers clashed.
Wu Chang's eyes narrowed.
She was fast—far faster than he expected.
Chu Yueli pressed forward without hesitation. Her sword moved in elegant arcs, each strike carrying the deadly chill of her Frozen Cloud Arts. Frost followed every movement of the blade, turning the battlefield into a storm of ice.
Wu Chang roared and countered with brutal force.
"Black Abyss Palm!"
Dozens of shadowy palm strikes burst through the air, each carrying crushing Emperor Profound energy. They tore toward her like a storm of darkness.
Chu Yueli did not retreat.
Her Winter Fairy aura expanded.
"Realm of Heavenly Snow Invocation."
The temperature around them dropped instantly. Snow and ice spiraled outward as if a blizzard had been born in the middle of the battlefield.
Every shadow palm that entered the domain slowed… then froze solid before shattering into fragments.
Wu Chang's expression hardened. He forced his way through the freezing storm, his fist wrapped in violent profound energy.
"Do you think cold tricks can stop a Throne?!"
His punch tore toward her chest with terrifying speed.
Chu Yueli's eyes sharpened.
A thin layer of Haki spread across her body, reinforcing her already formidable defense. Her Tachikaze sword shifted slightly, moving with precise control.
The blade flashed.
A clean arc of frost cut across Wu Chang's arm.
Blood sprayed into the air as the sword sliced through his sleeve and flesh.
Wu Chang immediately leapt backward, shock flashing across his face. The wound on his arm began freezing instantly, frost creeping along the edges of the cut.
He stared at her in disbelief.
She wasn't breathing heavily.
The Winter Fairy form should have drained enormous amounts of profound energy by now.
Yet Chu Yueli stood there calmly, her aura steady and controlled.
Above them, the sky thundered again.
The VTOL roared across the battlefield, unleashing another devastating barrage. Bullets rained down, tearing through the remaining Wu Clan soldiers who tried to regroup. One of their smaller arks exploded midair, its frozen wreckage shattering as it fell.
Wu Chang clenched his teeth as chaos unfolded around him.
"You think that infernal thing and numbers will save you?" he snarled.
His aura surged violently once more as he gathered his power.
"Then I'll kill you first!"
He launched forward like a meteor.
Chu Yueli raised her sword again, frost gathering along the blade until it shone like a frozen moon.
Their powers collided once more—darkness against winter—as the battlefield trembled under the force of their clash.
Wu Chang attacked again and again, his strikes growing heavier, more desperate. Shadow palms crashed like falling meteors, dark energy roaring across the frozen battlefield.
Yet none of it changed the outcome.
Chu Yueli did not even bother using any of the deeper Frozen Cloud Arts.
She simply fought.
Her blade—Tachikaze—moved with quiet precision. Every swing of the sword cut through Wu Chang's techniques as if they were mist. His palm strikes were split apart before they could reach her. His dark energy dispersed whenever her blade passed through it.
The sword itself seemed unnaturally sharp.
Even his Emperor Profound defenses could not withstand it completely. Each clash left another thin cut across his arms and shoulders. Frost spread through his wounds, numbing his movements.
Wu Chang's breathing grew heavier.
This woman was not fighting seriously.
That realization made his anger boil.
He forced Chu Yueli back with a violent burst of profound energy and leapt away, creating distance between them.
For the first time since the battle began, his eyes moved elsewhere.
They landed on Xia Qingyue.
She stood across the battlefield within her Frost Lotus aura, the cold domain freezing any Shadow Unit that dared approach. The surviving soldiers kept their distance, terrified of entering the freezing field around her.
Compared to Chu Yueli, she looked… less threatening.
Younger.
Less experienced.
Wu Chang's lips twisted.
A weaker target.
Without warning, he shot across the battlefield like a black comet.
His speed exploded to its limit as he lunged directly toward Qingyue, gathering dark profound energy into a devastating strike meant to crush her instantly.
"Die!"
The attack roared toward her like a falling star.
But Chu Yueli's eyes narrowed.
The moment Wu Chang shifted his target—
She moved.
The snow beneath her feet exploded as she vanished, her figure turning into a streak of white lightning cutting across the battlefield.
Wu Chang had barely closed half the distance when a cold voice sounded beside him.
"You chose the wrong target."
His eyes widened.
Tachikaze flashed.
A crescent of pure frost cut across the air—fast enough to split the wind itself.
Wu Chang twisted desperately to block, but the blade still carved across his shoulder, sending him crashing violently into the frozen ground.
Ice shattered beneath the impact.
Chu Yueli landed between him and Qingyue, her sword lowered calmly.
Behind her, Xia Qingyue remained unmoved.
Her frost lotus continued to bloom silently across the battlefield as if nothing had happened.
Wu Chang roared and launched himself again toward Xia Qingyue, determined to break through.
His speed exploded as dark profound energy gathered around his fists. The attack carried the full power of an Emperor Profound Realm cultivator, enough to crush mountains.
But this time, neither woman moved.
Chu Yueli did not step forward.
Xia Qingyue did not even turn her head.
Wu Chang's fist shot directly toward Qingyue's chest—
—and passed straight through her body.
For a split second, confusion replaced his rage.
The Winter Fairy form shimmered like mist.
The cold aura around Qingyue distorted space itself. Reinforced by Haki, her presence had become something he could not physically grasp. His attack phased through her frozen silhouette as if striking an illusion made of winter.
Chu Yueli appeared and shot a palm strike on him. Sending him a distant away.
The Wu Clan's remaining fighters gathered their courage and rushed Xia Qingyue in a final desperate wave. Their shouts echoed across the frozen battlefield as they tried to overwhelm her through sheer numbers.
Qingyue did not retreat.
Her Snowflower Sword moved like flowing water, the ribbon attached to its hilt dancing through the air with every swing. What once seemed like an elegant ornament had become part of the weapon itself. The ribbon redirected attacks, wrapped around incoming weapons, and guided the blade into precise angles.
Every movement was controlled.
Every strike was fatal.
One soldier lunged forward only to have his spear caught by the ribbon. With a small turn of Qingyue's wrist, the spear was dragged aside, leaving his chest open. The Snowflower Sword flashed once.
Another Wu Clan cultivator fell, frozen before he even hit the ground.
Again and again, the attackers collapsed before they could even touch her.
The sword Yun Che had gifted her was more than a weapon—it had become an extension of her cultivation and will. After months of practice, Qingyue had completely mastered its balance and rhythm.
Then Wu Chang appeared.
The Emperor Profound elder burst through the battlefield like a storm of black energy, his killing intent locking onto Qingyue as he rushed toward her.
Qingyue's eyes sharpened.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward.
Her sword lowered.
"Starry Tear."
Her body moved.
Four consecutive thrusts erupted from the blade, each one faster than the last. The strikes landed almost simultaneously—piercing Wu Chang's defenses before he could even fully react.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four.
Each stab struck his chest, breaking through his profound protection with terrifying precision.
Before he could recover, Qingyue delivered the final strike.
The last thrust exploded with power, launching Wu Chang backward across the frozen battlefield like a broken meteor.
He crashed through the air—
Only to stop abruptly.
Wu Chang's eyes widened.
"What—"
A cold wind passed behind him.
He slowly looked down.
A blade had pierced through his chest.
Tachikaze.
The sword emerged cleanly from his heart, its edge gleaming with frost.
Chu Yueli stood behind him, calm as falling snow.
He had not even sensed her move.
Wu Chang staggered forward, blood freezing before it could fall. Despair flooded his eyes as the cold spread rapidly through his body.
His limbs stiffened.
His voice died in his throat.
Within seconds, the Emperor Profound elder became nothing more than a statue of ice standing in the middle of the battlefield.
Then the frozen body shattered.
Across the battlefield, the remaining Wu Clan Shadow Unit saw their elder fall.
Fear broke their discipline instantly.
"Retreat!"
"Run!"
The surviving soldiers turned and fled in every direction, abandoning the battlefield as the VTOL roared overhead and winter continued to spread across the ground.
The invasion force had collapsed.
What had arrived as ten thousand soldiers now scattered like frightened animals before two silent figures standing in the snow.
A handful of Wu Clan fighters still found the courage to charge.
Desperation drove them forward, shouting as they rushed Xia Qingyue and Chu Yueli in a last attempt to break through the frozen battlefield.
But they never reached her.
Qingyue's Snowflower sword moved with quiet precision. The blade, joined with its flowing ribbon, became a deadly extension of her will. Each motion of her wrist sent the ribbon sweeping through the air like a living serpent, redirecting attacks and guiding the blade into perfect arcs.
The combination was overwhelming.
A ribbon flicked aside a spear.
The sword followed.
A thin flash of steel.
Another Wu Clan cultivator collapsed as frost spread across his body.
Another lunged from the side—only for the ribbon to wrap briefly around his weapon and yank him off balance before the blade cut cleanly through his defense.
Against the calm, controlled elegance of the technique, their desperation meant nothing.
Within moments, the last attackers fell.
The remaining Wu Clan members finally broke. Panic spread through their ranks as they abandoned the battlefield and fled toward the coast.
Seeing the enemy scatter, Qingyue slowly lowered her sword.
The raging snowstorm around her faded.
The Winter Fairy aura receded as she and Chu Yueli hovered quietly above the frozen ground. The frost-covered battlefield fell silent except for the distant rumble of the VTOL engines overhead.
Below them, the disciples of the Lunar Blossom Sect watched in stunned silence.
Then, as if moved by a single thought, they bowed deeply toward the two fairies.
Gratitude.
Reverence.
Relief.
Above them, the VTOL shifted into a holding pattern, its weapons finally falling silent now that the enemy had fled. The Wu Clan's once-feared Shadow Unit had been utterly broken.
Their confidence—shattered.
Chu Yueli and Qingyue slowly withdrew their power. The brilliant frost of the Winter Fairy form dissolved, revealing their veiled appearances once more.
As the battlefield fell silent and the last of the Wu Clan soldiers fled, Xia Qingyue remained standing among the frost she had created.
Her Snowflower sword lowered slowly.
The fight had ended—but the feeling in her chest had not yet settled.
Taking down Wu Clan cultivators was not something she would easily forget. She had fought before, defended herself before, but this battle had been different. These were not simple exchanges between cultivators.
These were lives she had taken.
It was necessary. A matter of life and death. Either she stood firm, or the people behind them would fall.
Still, the weight of it lingered.
Chu Yueli stood nearby, calm and steady.
As for Qingyue, her master had said nothing during the fight, yet she felt the quiet support all the same. There had been no hesitation in her teacher's presence—only trust.
Then Qingyue felt the familiar warmth against her chest.
TheHeart of the Crystal Dream and The Heart of Snow Glazed Glass resting there.
The connection steadied her breathing almost instantly. The faint warmth pulsing through them calmed the turbulence in her mind, like a quiet reassurance reaching her from afar.
And with that warmth came a simple realization.
Yun Che had trusted her with this battle.
No—
Yuuki had trusted her.
The name still felt unfamiliar, yet strangely fitting. The man she thought she knew had finally revealed his true name.
The thought made her gaze soften slightly.
When they returned… she wanted to know more about him.
Not just the strategist.
Not just the man who gave her the Snowflower sword.
But the real person behind the name Yuuki.
Even without the transformation, the two women stood in quiet stillness, their presence calm and distant.
Unreachable.
Unrevealed.
"I believe this is the first time I maintained this form for so long," Chu Yueli said quietly.
Qingyue nodded slightly. "I admit, master… it is quite taxing."
Chu Yueli's gaze drifted downward.
Below them, the sect disciples were still kneeling across the snow-covered ground. Their heads remained lowered in deep gratitude as the raging snowstorm that had once threatened to bury them slowly faded away.
The massive hovering ark above them cast a long shadow across the white mountainside.
Chu Yueli and Xia Qingyue gently descended through the thinning snow, their robes swaying softly in the cold wind. Their feet touched down lightly on the deck of the grand craft.
The disciples immediately bowed even deeper.
"Thank you for saving our lives!" one of them called out.
Several dared to look up slightly, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
Their mysterious saviors wore veiled kasa hats, their faces hidden beneath flowing silk veils. Even so, their elegance and bearing were unmistakable.
One disciple whispered excitedly to the others.
"We should build statues of them! So future generations will remember this moment!"
Before the idea could spread further, Xia Qingyue calmly raised a hand.
"No," she said gently. "Please refrain from doing so."
Her voice was soft—but firm enough to silence the group instantly.
"We are merely humans, not deities."
The disciples quickly lowered their heads again in embarrassment.
Qingyue's tone softened slightly. "If you wish to remember us, then keep us in your memories when you tell this story."
Chu Yueli released a quiet sigh beside her. "Yes… let us leave before they start worshipping us as deity."
A faint hint of amusement slipped into her voice.
Neither of them sought praise, monuments, or songs.
They had only done what needed to be done.
Now they simply wished to return home.
Moments later, both women rose gently into the air and ascended toward the hovering VTOL.
They stepped through the open hatch and into the passenger cabin.
Once inside, they removed their veiled kasa hats, setting them aside as they took their seats.
The aircraft had no pilot. It had been remotely dispatched by Nemu, sent to assist them.
Outside, the hatch closed. The engines hummed softly as the grand craft prepared to depart the quiet, snow-covered mountains.
Chu Yueli turned slightly toward Xia Qingyue as the aircraft glided smoothly through the sky. With the battle now behind them, she finally had the chance to observe her disciple properly. After a brief moment of silence, she spoke calmly.
"It seems that your strength has increased."
Qingyue nodded gently. "I refined the treasures Yun Che, Sister Retsu, and Sister Yue won during the tournament last night. Including my own… and Yuanba's." Her voice was composed, but there was a quiet satisfaction behind it. "That was enough for me to break through to the First Level Emperor Profound Realm."
She paused briefly before continuing. "After that, I consumed the pill Yun Che gave me. With its help… I managed to reach the Sixth Level Emperor Profound Realm."
However, Qingyue's attention soon shifted back to Chu Yueli. There was still a hint of disbelief in her eyes. "But Master… your strength…" She had heard about it earlier from Little Fairy, yet seeing it personally was something else entirely. "When you struck that elder… the aura you released… it was the Peak Emperor Profound Realm."
Chu Yueli gave a soft, almost nostalgic smile. "A gift," she said quietly. "From the person who changed my life." Her hand lightly rested on the sword beside her seat. "He saved my life and allowed me the chance to see my sister again. And… he gave me this sword as well."
Her fingers brushed along the weapon's hilt as her expression softened.
"One day," she said calmly, "I intend to repay that life by not wasting it."
Qingyue nodded slowly. "I see…"
For a moment, only the quiet hum of the ark's engines filled the cabin. Snow clouds drifted past the windows as the craft carried them away from the battlefield.
Chu Yueli then glanced at her again, curiosity appearing in her voice. "You seemed rather unwilling to let those disciples build statues of you."
A faint smile appeared on Qingyue's lips.
"Yun Che changed my perception of statues."
Chu Yueli raised an eyebrow slightly. "Do tell."
Qingyue leaned back gently in her seat as she recalled the memory. "During one of our… dates… we walked through the Imperial City. There were statues standing along the streets and plazas." Her gaze drifted toward the window as she remembered Yun Che's explanation.
"He told me those statues were originally meant as decorations. Symbols to commemorate people or events. But as time passes, people begin worshipping them."
Her voice became quieter, more thoughtful.
"They slowly stop seeing them as symbols… and start treating them as deities."
Chu Yueli listened without interruption.
"Yun Che said he dislikes that," Qingyue continued. "He said people should worship the Heavens, not statues." She folded her hands neatly in her lap. "If I allowed them to build statues of me… one day people might mistake me for a deity."
She shook her head gently.
"I am no deity."
Chu Yueli studied her for a moment before smiling faintly.
"That is an impressive perspective, Qingyue. It seems Yun Che has changed you."
Qingyue's small smile lingered.
"Yes… he has."
Outside the window, the Lunar Blossom Grand Ark continued its steady flight through the sky. The snowstorm had faded behind them, and the danger had passed.
============================
"Soru!"
Cang Yue's voice rang across the battlefield as her figure vanished in a burst of speed. In the next instant she reappeared several meters away, her blade already cutting through another enemy formation. The battlefield had descended into full chaos, and this was no longer a situation that words or negotiation could resolve.
This was war.
Spears suddenly thrust toward her from multiple directions. Cang Yue's body bent with impossible flexibility as she activated Kamie, her form becoming light and fluid like paper. The spearheads grazed past her robes without touching her as she twisted through the attack.
Arrows rained down from above.
This time she didn't evade.
Her body hardened as she activated Tekkai, the arrows striking her like sparks against steel before bouncing away harmlessly.
Before the tournament, Cang Yue had only mastered three of the six Rokushiki Arts. The techniques had been difficult, each demanding extreme control over the body. Yet through relentless effort—and Yun Che's guidance—she had finally crossed another threshold.
She had mastered a fourth.
Despite possessing wings and a profound flying technique, Cang Yue wanted something more—something she could use purely with her own body, without relying on flight.
Her foot struck the empty air.
"Geppo — (Moonwalk!)"
With a powerful kick, she launched herself upward.
Geppo allowed the user to kick the air itself with tremendous force, creating footholds in midair. By chaining these kicks together, one could move through the sky as if stepping across invisible platforms.
To the soldiers below, it looked as if Cang Yue was running through the sky.
Her figure blurred across the battlefield, stepping through the air again and again as she changed direction instantly.
From above, she swung her sword.
A blazing arc of profound energy erupted from the blade.
The Phoenix Cannon Sword Slash roared across the battlefield, tearing through enemy ranks and scattering soldiers like leaves in a storm.
Cang Yue landed on another invisible step in the sky, immediately kicking off again with another Geppo.
To those watching from below, it seemed as though she was leaping across the air itself—appearing and disappearing across the battlefield while raining down devastating sword strikes.
Then Cang Yue reached behind her waist.
With a swift motion, she drew her second sword.
A heartbeat later—
The third.
Gasps spread through the soldiers. None of them had ever witnessed such a style before.
Cang Yue lowered her stance midair, her three blades spreading outward as her aura surged.
Three Sword Style.
With a sudden burst of motion, she spun.
"Tatsumaki!"
A violent tornado of blades erupted around her. The spinning sword storm tore through the enemy formation, steel flashing in every direction as soldiers were thrown aside by the relentless vortex.
Before the survivors could react, Cang Yue kicked the air again.
"Hyokindama — (Leopard Koto Orb!)"
Her body curled inward as she launched herself forward.
The three swords spun around her like a deadly sphere of steel. As she rotated through the battlefield, the spinning blades deflected incoming attacks while slicing through anyone unfortunate enough to stand in her path.
Spears shattered.
Shields split.
Soldiers fell one after another as the spinning orb tore through their ranks.
Then Cang Yue suddenly stopped.
Her body twisted midair as she spread all three blades outward.
Her aura flared brilliantly.
"Hyakuhachi Pound Ho!"
Three massive sword arcs erupted simultaneously.
The slashes surged forward like roaring waves, sweeping across the battlefield and cutting down dozens of soldiers in a single devastating strike.
When the energy finally dissipated, the battlefield ahead of her had been completely cleared.
"Yue'er! Switch with me! I want to destroy them as well!"
The excited voice suddenly rang inside Cang Yue's mind.
Cang Yue frowned slightly as she landed lightly on an invisible step of air created by Geppo, her three swords still humming with energy.
"Hey," she replied mentally, her tone firm, "let me fight these men by myself first."
Inside her consciousness, Shin Yue clicked her tongue in disappointment.
Cang Yue knew exactly why she was so eager.
If Shin Yue were released right now, the battlefield would turn into something far more terrifying. The Dark Empress would likely tear through the enemy ranks while laughing like a maniac.
Cang Yue was not eager to introduce that side of herself—especially not in front of people like Zhong Chuke, Jin Zhuo, Tian Xi, and Yao Yao.
For now, it was better to keep Shin Yue sealed away.
Below her, Jin Zhuo and Zhong Chuke were already staring in open disbelief.
They had heard rumors about Cang Yue's Three Sword Style, but witnessing it firsthand was an entirely different matter.
She was holding the battlefield almost entirely by herself.
"Remarkable…" Zhong Chuke muttered as he deflected a spear thrust.
Jin Zhuo gave a short laugh despite the chaos around them.
"So the rumors weren't exaggerated after all."
Even so, they weren't idle.
The two men fought side by side, fending off waves of soldiers rushing toward them. Their coordination was smooth, each covering the other as they pushed back the attackers.
A protective charm shimmered faintly around them, deflecting attacks from enemies whose cultivation was far lower than theirs.
But numbers were still numbers.
Even if the attacks could not seriously harm them, the constant flood of soldiers was still exhausting to deal with.
"Still," Zhong Chuke grumbled as he knocked another soldier aside with a heavy strike, "these numbers are getting annoying."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Tian Xi and Yao Yao, who were once again unleashing far more power than necessary.
He sighed inwardly.
Both of his disciples had awakened tremendous strength recently, but they clearly lacked control. If this continued, he would need to spend time properly guiding them on managing their output.
Above the battlefield, Cang Yue kicked the air once more.
"Geppo!"
Her figure shot forward as if stepping on invisible platforms in the sky, flashing across the battlefield while her three swords glinted beneath the storm-dark clouds.
She cut through groups of enemies with ruthless efficiency.
Yet even as she fought, one troubling thought lingered in her mind.
Who in the world has the detonator?
=====================
Not far from the center of the battlefield, Tian Xi and Yao Yao fought side by side.
Both of them had only recently broken through to the First Level Emperor Profound Realm, and the sudden surge of power still felt unfamiliar in their bodies.
Every movement felt heavier.
Every strike felt stronger than they intended.
A group of soldiers charged toward them.
Tian Xi swung her weapon.
The strike released a surge of profound energy far stronger than she had planned.
The shockwave blasted through the soldiers, sending several of them flying violently across the battlefield.
"Yao'er! Control your power!" Tian Xi shouted.
"Hey, try that yourself!" Yao Yao shouted back.
But at the same time—
Yao Yao released her own attack.
Her blade flashed.
A massive burst of energy erupted outward, tearing through the incoming soldiers and leaving a deep scar across the snow-covered ground.
For a moment—
Both girls froze.
Their attacks had been far too powerful.
They had overshot their strength again.
Yao Yao's hands trembled slightly as she looked at the fallen soldiers.
"…I can't control it," she said quietly.
Tian Xi clenched her teeth. "Neither can I."
This was the first time either of them had truly fought in a battlefield like this.
The first time they had used their power against real people.
Both of them steadied themselves, forcing their breathing to calm.
They had never taken a life before.
But they understood the truth of the battlefield.
If they hesitated—
It would be them who died instead.
Nearby, their master Zhong Chuke was also fighting.
But his movements were noticeably different.
He wasn't recklessly attacking.
Instead, he focused on intercepting enemies before they could reach his disciples, knocking soldiers aside and breaking their formation.
His eyes constantly moved between Tian Xi and Yao Yao.
These two were not just his disciples.
They were the future of the Lunar Blossom Sect.
And he would not allow that future to fall on this battlefield.
=====================
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Jin Zhuo continued fighting among the scattered soldiers.
His movements were steady and disciplined, every strike of his weapon precise as he cut through the remaining enemies pressing toward the watchkeep.
Unlike the younger fighters around him, there was no hesitation in his actions.
He understood the weight of this battle better than anyone.
If he fell here—
The Jin Family would fall with him.
And if the Jin Family collapsed, the entire province they protected would soon follow.
This was a war that the outside world did not even know existed.
No banners would commemorate it.
No historians would write about it.
Yet here he stood, fighting with everything he had to ensure that his family—and the countless people living under their protection—would survive another day.
Jin Zhuo tightened his grip on his weapon and stepped forward again, striking down another soldier who tried to break past the defenses.
For him, retreat was never an option.
Because behind him—
Was everything he had sworn to protect.
=====================
"Damn you!" King Alugang roared. "You're just as arrogant as your sister!"
"I begged her on my knees to be mine and she pushed me away!"
King Alugang roared and swung his massive hammer again.
The weapon crashed down with terrifying force, shattering the ground where Xue Ling had been standing only a moment earlier.
But she had already moved.
Between her and the king stood a dense wall of soldiers, rushing in to block her path.
Xue Ling slipped past the hammer strike with cold precision, her expression completely silent.
Without a word—
She drew Yubashiri.
"Dilute Mist — First Form: Faint."
Her figure vanished in a blur.
She dashed forward like a streak of mist cutting through the battlefield, delivering a swift horizontal slash across the soldiers in front of her. The movement was so fast it looked like she had simply passed through them.
As she moved, the attack instinctively sought the most dangerous targets in her path.
In the next moment—
Sheathing her sword, she slid past them.
Shink.
The cut followed.
Soldiers froze.
Then collapsed.
But more soldiers rushed her immediately, attempting to overwhelm her from both sides.
Xue Ling's hand returned to her blade.
Her sword flashed again.
"Dilute Mist — Second Form: Spring."
The blade cut through the air.
A powerful arc of sword energy burst outward like a rushing gale, sweeping through the approaching soldiers and sending dozens flying through the air in a single strike.
Armor cracked.
Bodies were thrown backward across the battlefield.
Those who had been charging her moments ago suddenly stopped.
Several soldiers began retreating instead, fear creeping into their eyes.
They had realized something terrifying.
Against this woman—
Their numbers meant nothing.
She was a Throne-level cultivator.
Long-range attacks were useless as well.
Every arrow and projectile that came near her was deflected or nullified by the Quincy charms Yun Che had given them earlier.
Against someone like her—
Most of these soldiers had no chance at all.
King Alugang roared as his aura erupted violently.
"Enough!"
His profound energy surged outward as he activated his domain, the surrounding battlefield instantly warping under its oppressive pressure. The air grew heavy, and the ground beneath them trembled as blazing energy spread across the area.
The power within his massive hammer surged in response, its destructive force multiplying as the domain fed into it.
Xue Ling's eyes flickered slightly as she felt the domain closing around her.
The space itself seemed to bend to King Alugang's will.
But she didn't react.
Not even a step back.
"Take this and scram!" King Alugang bellowed.
He raised the hammer high above his head before bringing it crashing down with overwhelming force.
The weapon smashed toward the ground with enough power to crush stone into dust.
But—
Xue Ling was already gone.
Her figure flickered like a shadow slipping through the wind.
The hammer struck empty ground.
King Alugang's domain swallowed the battlefield like a storm.
The air warped under crushing pressure as waves of violent energy rippled outward from him. The ground cracked, and the surrounding soldiers quickly retreated, unable to endure the suffocating aura of a domain-level battlefield.
Inside it, everything belonged to him.
Flames and violent winds surged around the massive hammer in his hands, its power multiplying as the domain fed it endless energy.
King Alugang's eyes burned with rage. "You think you can ignore me?!"
He swung his hammer again. The weapon roared through the air like a falling meteor.
Xue Ling moved.
Her body slid aside with calm precision, the massive hammer smashing into the ground beside her. The impact shattered stone and sent debris exploding across the battlefield.
But before the shockwave could reach her—
She was already moving again.
Her blade Yubashiri flashed like silver lightning.
CLANG!
The sword struck King Alugang's hammer with perfect timing, redirecting the next swing and sending sparks scattering across the domain.
King Alugang's eyes widened.
He had expected fear.
Instead—
She fought him with complete calm.
"You arrogant woman!" he roared.
The domain surged violently as he poured more power into it.
The flames surrounding him erupted like a tidal wave, converging into the hammer as he raised it high again.
The entire domain trembled. "This is the power of my domain!"
He brought the hammer down with both hands.
The blow carried the weight of a collapsing mountain.
Xue Ling stepped forward.
Instead of retreating—
She entered the attack.
Her body twisted gracefully as Yubashiri carved through the air in a precise arc.
FLASH.
The hammer struck the ground.
But Xue Ling was already behind him.
Her sword moved again.
SHING—
A thin line appeared across King Alugang's armor.
Blood followed a moment later.
King Alugang staggered.
Impossible.
Even within his domain…
She had slipped past his attacks.
"Damn you!" he roared, spinning around and swinging his hammer in a wide arc meant to crush everything around him.
The domain reacted with him.
Shockwaves exploded outward as the hammer swept across the battlefield.
Xue Ling leapt upward.
Her body twisted through the violent wind currents, her white robes fluttering like snow caught in a storm.
Then she descended.
Her blade flashed again.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Three precise strikes collided with the hammer in rapid succession.
Each strike forced King Alugang's weapon lower.
Each strike broke his momentum further.
His domain trembled.
"You—!"
King Alugang roared as he tried to push back.
But Xue Ling's eyes remained cold.
Calm.
Unmoved.
Her sword danced like falling snow.
Every movement was precise.
Every strike targeted a weakness.
Her body flowed through the battlefield like a phantom, her blade carving through the overwhelming power of the domain as if it barely existed.
King Alugang finally realized the truth.
Even inside his own domain—
He was being outclassed.
The hammer crashed down again.
Xue Ling vanished from its path.
Then she appeared directly before him.
Yubashiri moved.
A single flash of silver.
SHRING.
King Alugang's hammer arm froze.
A deep cut spread across his chest as blood spilled into the burning air of the domain.
His domain flickered violently.
The pressure that had dominated the battlefield began to collapse.
Xue Ling stood calmly before him, her sword resting lightly at her side.
Seeing the calm in her eyes, King Alugang's fury only grew.
"Attack!!!" he roared to the surrounding soldiers.
Dozens of warriors rushed forward at once, their weapons raised as they attempted to overwhelm her through sheer numbers.
Xue Ling lowered her stance slightly.
Her hand tightened around Yubashiri.
Then—
She moved.
Her figure burst forward at lightning speed, disappearing from where she stood. The soldiers barely had time to react before her blade began to flash among them.
Slash—!
Slash—!
Slash—!
Her sword cut through the air in rapid succession, striking from multiple directions at once as she weaved through the formation like a phantom. Each movement was precise, each strike controlled.
The force of her slashes created spiraling currents of energy.
Those currents began pulling the soldiers inward.
The more she moved, the stronger the vortex became.
One by one, the attacking soldiers were dragged toward the center of the storm of blades.
Xue Ling's eyes sharpened.
"Dilute Mist Sixth Form:Wild Scent Butterfly."
Her blade spun in a final sweeping arc.
Then she drove the sword upward in a powerful rising slash.
SHRING—!
The energy erupted beneath the gathered soldiers.
The entire cluster of enemies was launched high into the air, their bodies scattering like leaves caught in a violent gust.
It was a technique she had learned from Cang Yue.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment as the soldiers crashed back down around them.
And in the center of it all—
Xue Ling stood unmoved, her blade gleaming softly under the stormy sky.
Xue Ling did not stop after scattering the soldiers with Wild Scent Butterfly.
As the fallen warriors struggled to regain their footing, she stepped forward again, her blade already gathering power.
Ever since training under Cang Yue, she had begun studying the fundamentals of Cang Yue's sword techniques. However, she could not yet replicate the overwhelming power of Cang Yue's Thirty-Six Pound Phoenix Cannon, the attack that unleashed a devastating kirin-shaped blast of energy.
But Xue Ling was not merely copying.
She had observed Mihawk's swordsmanship as well.
Combining the foundations she had learned from Cang Yue with Mihawk's principles of cutting power, she began shaping a technique of her own.
Her profound energy flowed into Yubashiri, gathering along the blade like condensed wind.
The sword began to glow with a deep green radiance.
Xue Ling exhaled softly—
Then swung her sword in a wide horizontal arc.
SHRING—
A massive crescent of green energy burst forward, slicing through the battlefield like a rising moon.
The arc surged across the ground, swallowing the soldiers rushing toward King Alugang.
Those caught in its path were thrown backward violently as the power of a Throne-level cultivator flooded the attack.
Armor shattered.
Weapons snapped.
The soldiers had no way to resist.
The energy wave continued forward, pushing through the formation like an unstoppable tide until the entire line of soldiers collapsed beneath its force.
By the time the green arc faded—
The battlefield before King Alugang had been completely cleared.
Even Cang Yue paused midair when she saw the power Xue Ling had just unleashed.
From above the battlefield, the green sword wave reminded her of something familiar.
It was similar to the kind of sword energy Yun Che could release with a casual swing.
But this—
This had not been taught by Yun Che.
Xue Ling had created it herself.
Cang Yue's eyes narrowed with interest.
"Damn you!" King Alugang roared. His profound energy surged violently as he poured everything he had left into his weapon. The massive hammer in his hands began glowing with terrifying force.
This would be his final strike.
Even if their cultivation differed—
He would stake everything on killing this woman here and now.
"Take this!" He raised the hammer high above his head before bringing it down with devastating force.
But Xue Ling didn't move.
She didn't even flinch.
Instead—
She closed her eyes.
Suddenly, flower petals began drifting through the battlefield around her.
Her breathing slowed.
Her hand rested calmly on the hilt of Yubashiri as she began drawing the blade slowly.
From the air, Cang Yue's eyes widened slightly. "This is…"
She recognized the stance immediately.
The Dilute Mist Arts.
Cang Yue had originally intended to pass those techniques to Xue Ling after she herself began focusing on Three Sword Style.
She had already seen Xue Ling execute First Form: Faint and Second Form: Spring.
But now—
She realized something astonishing. Xue Ling had already reached far beyond that. Even the Sixth Form had appeared earlier during the battle.
And now—
She was attempting something even more difficult.
Cang Yue knew this technique. But she had never personally learned it.
Because it was too difficult.
It was the strongest strike in the entire Dilute Mist Arts.
Meanwhile below—
Xue Ling steadied her breathing. Learning this technique had not been easy.
Unlike the other forms, this one was a standalone special skill.
The most powerful among the Dilute Mist Arts. Her very own ultimate skill that she didn't gain from the Heavenly Sword Villa.
The hammer descended toward her.
Xue Ling's blade continued to slide free.
Then—
She moved.
Her body spun once, petals scattering around her as she completed the draw and brought the blade down across her shoulder in a powerful arc.
"Dilute Mist — Tenth Form: Thousand Origin."
King Alugang roared as his hammer crashed down.
"ARRRGGHHHH!!!"
The two weapons collided.
BOOM.
The impact exploded across the battlefield.
The force of the strike was so overwhelming that the hammer shattered instantly, fragments of metal exploding outward.
The shockwave tore through the surrounding space.
King Alugang's domain cracked like glass—
And shattered.
The oppressive field collapsed completely.
The power of the strike alone could have wiped out entire groups of enemies.
But Xue Ling wasn't finished.
In the moment King Alugang's eyes widened in terror—
She had already moved again.
Her sword slid back into its sheath.
Her body accelerated forward with incredible speed.
"Dilute Mist — Ninth Form: Cutting Timely Rain."
In a single motion—
She passed him.
The blade flashed.
The draw was so fast it was nearly invisible.
Xue Ling ended the strike behind him, both hands holding the sword overhead, the blade resting parallel along her back.
A moment later—
King Alugang's armor shattered.
A deep cut tore across his body as the remnants of his weapon split apart.
He collapsed onto the snow.
Defeated.
King Alugang collapsed onto the snow, his shattered armor and broken hammer scattered beside him.
The battlefield fell silent for a brief moment.
Then panic spread.
The soldiers who had witnessed their king's defeat began to scatter in fear, their formation collapsing as they fled in different directions.
Xue Ling stood quietly among the fallen bodies, her sword still in its finishing stance before she slowly lowered it.
Her gaze swept across the battlefield.
Above, Cang Yue was still flashing through the sky, cutting through enemies with her three blades.
Nearby, the newly advanced Thrones Tian Xi and Yao Yao were still fighting alongside their master Zhong Chuke.
Further away, Jin Zhuo continued battling the remaining forces.
The war was not yet over.
These soldiers would not stop just because their king had fallen.
Xue Ling reached into the folds of her robe.
Her hand pulled out a small object.
The missing detonator.
She had carried it the entire time.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked around once more.
She didn't want any more of them getting hurt. The fighting has to end.
The mad king was already defeated.
And she had no intention of letting him live.
Without hesitation—
Xue Ling pressed the button.
============================
Nemu was conflicted. She wanted to help but knew her level was still too low. Even if she help, she might just be in the way. She prayed that everyone is safe. At least on the bright side. She managed to help Qingyue and Chu Yueli repel the Wu Clan attack, saved the Lunar Blossom Sect disciples, One day, she swore she would help her sister and future husband. But, to help them as equals in power. She barely completed her Chidori. There's no way she can hold a power that devastating in her current level. All she can do is support them.
Nemu stood at a distance, fists clenched.
Every instinct in her body screamed at her to rush in. To stand beside them. To share the burden.
But she knew the truth.
Her level was still too low.
Even if she forced her way into the barrier, she wouldn't be helping—she would only become another variable, another risk in a situation that allowed none. Against something that could detonate like a human bomb, hesitation or miscalculation meant annihilation.
She lowered her gaze.
At least… she had done something.
She had supported Qingyue and Chu Yueli.
She had helped repel the Hutu Mountain monks, Wu Clan assault on three different location.
She had saved people of the Jin Family and the disciples of the Lunar Blossom Sect.
The battlefield would have been far worse without her.
Still—
It wasn't enough.
One day, she swore to herself, she would stand beside her sister and her future husband—not as someone protected, not as someone catching up—
But as their equal.
She had only just completed her Chidori. Even that nearly tore her apart. There was no way she could currently withstand or suppress a power as devastating as the one raging inside that barrier.
Not yet.
Her fingers tightened around her gauntlet controls.
For now—
All she could do…
Was support them.
And grow stronger.
The VTOL carrying Chu Yueli and Qingyue is now above her attempting to make a landing.
Nemu exhaled slowly, forcing her heartbeat to steady—
Then—
Boom.
Her head snapped toward the mountains.
Another explosion followed.
And another.
The detonations weren't random. They were deliberate—precisely spaced along the mountain ridge.
Her blood ran cold.
Those weren't stray attacks.
They were the planted charges Yun Che had prepared. Planted by Qingyue, Cang Yue, Tian Xi and Yao Yao.
Which meant—
Someone had pressed the trigger.
Her eyes widened as the upper ridges fractured. Snow that had rested undisturbed for years shuddered violently. Cracks spiderwebbed across the white expanse.
Then the mountain moved.
A deep, thunderous roar rolled across the basin as the snow shelf collapsed.
An avalanche.
Massive. Relentless. Inevitable.
From the artificial windows of the VTOL, Chu Yueli and Qingyue watched in stunned silence as the mountains surrounding the basin fractured all at once. Snowfields collapsed inward from every direction, converging toward a single deadly point.
Their eyes widened.
At the center of that convergence—
Their friends.
Entire walls of snow tore free and cascaded downward, devouring forests, stone outcrops, shattered arks—everything in their path. What had once been a battlefield was about to become a burial ground.
"It's been triggered…" Nemu whispered.
The white torrent roared like an ocean falling from the sky.
This wasn't strategy.
This wasn't maneuver.
This was annihilation.
And she hadn't pressed the button.
The detonator had been entrusted to Cang Yue. Maybe she had triggered it as a last resort. Maybe she had no choice.
But she was still in the center.
Nemu's gaze flicked toward the distant barrier where Yun Che and Retsu were still operating on Xue Yin. The pink miasma shimmered faintly even from afar.
They couldn't move.
They were locked in place.
Which meant—
This was on her.
No hesitation.
Her gauntlet flared as she leapt into the VTOL from behind, sealing the cargo bay in one fluid motion before sprinting toward the cockpit.
She was immediately met by Chu Yueli's tense expression.
"Nemu—the avalanche!"
Qingyue stood silent, but her knuckles were white against the armrest.
"We're going to rescue them," Nemu said, voice steady despite the thunder shaking the sky. "Hang tight."
She slid into the pilot's seat.
"Course correction—mountain basin. Maximum velocity."
The VTOL obeyed instantly.
It banked so sharply that gravity seemed to shift sideways. Engines screamed as the craft tore through the air, angling straight toward the collapsing basin where the avalanche surged like an approaching apocalypse.
Below, the red flare still burned faintly.
A small defiance against a falling mountain.
And Nemu dove straight toward it.
"Yue-sama…" Nemu whispered.
Her mind moved faster than the aircraft—calculating descent vectors, snow density, impact timing, escape trajectories.
The avalanche wasn't minutes away.
It was seconds.
Below—
Cang Yue.
Xue Ling.
Jin Zhuo.
Tian Xi and Yao Yao.
Zhong Chuke.
All of them directly in the path of a collapsing mountain.
A white wall of death surged downward, devouring trees, stone, and air alike. The red flare still burned at the basin's center—small, defiant, and terrifyingly fragile against the descending flood.
Landing was impossible.
If she touched down, they'd be buried before the VTOL could lift again.
Her jaw tightened.
Then the answer crystallized.
"If we can't land…" she muttered, fingers flying across the interface, "we extract them."
Hover-drop. Rapid tether deployment. High-speed lift.
Dangerous.
Imperfect.
Their only chance.
The VTOL's undercarriage shifted as reinforced grappling lines armed themselves.
"I can't stop it," Nemu said firmly. "But I can pull them out in one move."
Below, the avalanche roared louder—closer—inevitable.
She swallowed once.
Please… just a few seconds more.
The VTOL dove toward the basin, engines howling, racing against a collapsing mountain.