Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 970 The Thin Line of Life and Death

He suddenly turned around and looked into the distance.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, nor any dazzling magical light.

Only a single, perfectly condensed stream of dark blue light, seemingly capable of cleaving through the void, shot upwards from below, soaring straight into the sky!
At the same time, a terrifying aura that had been dormant for a long time, enough to freeze the heavens and earth, suddenly erupted! Like an invisible tsunami of destruction, it instantly swept across the entire battlefield of the Three Immortal Valley, and its chilling pressure locked onto him in the high heavens with unparalleled precision.

Chen Mu's brow twitched suddenly, knowing that the most dangerous and crucial moment of this trip had arrived...

"Brother!"

On the Fusheng altar, Fu Danian cried out, his magical power surging forth, and his body trembled as if he were about to soar into the sky.

Yan Rongmu's expression also changed drastically, and his gaze quickly turned to Tao Fengbian.

Tao Feng's expression became extremely solemn. The fingers he had been rubbing together to ease the tension did not loosen; instead, they clenched into fists, his knuckles turning white. "Don't rush! Join forces!"

They had long been aware of Qi Yunsu's power.

Only if the three of them exert all their strength and join forces without reservation can they possibly delay that terrifying being for even a moment.

"Yes!"

Yan and Fu felt a chill run down their spines, forcibly suppressing their excessive anxiety.

However, just as a clear light suddenly appeared beneath the feet of the three, and their magical power was about to be unleashed—

A clear, calm, yet undeniably authoritative divine thought, like a piercing line of ice, simultaneously and precisely penetrated the consciousness of the three individuals.
"Ignore Chen and quickly seize the North and South Peaks!"

That voice belonged to Chen Mu!

Tao Feng and the other two suddenly froze, their eyes fixed on the sky.

What came into view was Chen Mu's expressionless face, and his eyes that conveyed an unquestionable determination.

Chen Mu knew perfectly well that even though he had killed several Dao Seeking cultivators in succession, the real key to the success or failure of this trip still rested on Qi Yunsu.

He was no match for Qi Yunsu.

Even with the Dao Fruit and the power to wield immortal techniques, the insurmountable chasm between realms is still beyond our current ability to cross.

Therefore, if we want to preserve any chance of survival for Fusheng Temple, we must seize the North and South Peaks and use the "Hun Yuan Zhen Yun Cong" to lure Tang Shangyuan.

This was his original goal.

Now that Qi Yunsu has set her sights on this matter, it's only right to entrust this important task to Tao Feng and his two companions...

Tao Feng's eyes flashed with lightning speed. In a split second, he grasped Chen Mu's profound meaning and the key to breaking the deadlock. Without the slightest hesitation, he almost roared:
"Walk--!"

The three streaks of light suddenly veered off course, like arrows released from a bow, abandoning the high-altitude battle and heading straight for the still unclaimed southern peak.

"Um?!"

This abrupt turn was instantly caught by Luo Feng and Wei Cangdong, who were on high alert.

Although they did not understand why the three from Fusheng Temple abandoned Chen Mu and attacked Gufeng instead, a strong sense of foreboding gripped their minds like a venomous snake.

At critical moments, any unforeseen variable can be a deadly sting!
"Stop them!"

Luo Feng let out a fierce roar, and almost simultaneously with Wei Cangdong, they transformed into two streaks of light that tore through the sky.

The spiritual pressure of the cultivator in the Inquiry Realm was no longer held back, and it erupted with a thunderous roar, like a tangible mountain crashing down, intending to intercept and kill the three people from Fusheng Temple halfway with overwhelming force.

Even more sinister was the fact that Nanlai Sanren, who had been terrified and fled in a sorry state by Chen Mu earlier, and Cui Dongbai, who was still in shock and huddled in the remnants of the restriction, now saw Qi Yunsu personally lock onto Chen Mu, and the situation seemed to be settled. Their greed and fear of the backlash from the magic contract instantly overwhelmed their cowardice.

"Where to go!"

Nanlai Sanren reacted the fastest, knowing that this was the perfect opportunity to "redeem himself" and save face.

With a ghostly sway, he skillfully blocked Yan Rongmu's path as he rushed towards the southern mountain peak.

Immediately afterwards, a red light flashed at his waist, and the crimson gourd that spewed flames was summoned again. The flames surged at the gourd's mouth, instantly transforming into several smaller but more cunning and ruthless fire snakes, spitting out scorching venomous tongues, coiling and tearing at him.

Cui Dongbai peeked out from the barrier of light on the broken peak. Seeing that Chen Mu was firmly locked by Qi Yunsu's deep and mysterious light and seemed to be too busy to take care of himself, his courage suddenly swelled.

"The remnants of Fusheng Temple, are they still trying to make a last-ditch effort?!"

He let out a sharp shriek, suppressing his injuries and the disheveled state of his destroyed magic weapon. He forcefully surged his magic power and rushed out of the ruined peak, aiming directly at Fu Danian, the weakest of the three, hoping to form a pincer attack with Wei Cangdong, who was rushing towards him.

Seeing that this person dared to court death, Fu Danian was instantly enraged. His inner magical power erupted like a volcano, and a roar carrying immense spiritual pressure burst forth:

"roll--!"

The spiritual pressure, like a tangible raging torrent, surged forward with a deafening roar, shattering the clouds and silencing the gale wherever it passed!
"puff!"

Cui Dongbai was the first to be hit, as if struck in the chest by a giant hammer. He spat out several mouthfuls of blood and flew backward like a kite with a broken string, instantly clearing the path that was about to be blocked.

However, the joy on Fu Danian's face had not yet appeared—

A more refined and colder figure appeared before him in an instant, like a ghost.

Wei Cangdong!
"Brother Fu..."

That deep voice still carried the familiar address, but anyone could see the chilling killing intent frozen in those eyes...

"Master Tao, I'm here to help you!"

At this critical moment, Xu Rong and the others finally seized the opportunity and stepped forward.

Although they dared not easily approach the core battle circle of experts like Luo Feng who were at the mid-stage of the Dao Inquiry Realm, they all unleashed their magic treasures, either transforming into streams of light to block them or drawing in and disrupting their energy, greatly relieving the pressure on Tao Fengbian.

But even they were caught up in the battle, and in an instant, the entire sky above the Three Immortal Valley became completely noisy. Escape lights crisscrossed, magical treasures roared and collided, and spiritual pressure clashed wildly, weaving together into a chaotic vortex of battle...

High in the sky, where wind and clouds gather.

Qi Yunsu's figure appeared silently. He stood with his hands behind his back, his Mountain and River Daoist robes remaining motionless in the gale, as if he were one with the world, or as if he were above all things.

Those cold, sharp eyes, as deep as an icy pool, were fixed on the figure in white robes ahead without any emotion. A silent, vast, and suffocating pressure, like an invisible tide, crashed against Chen Mu's mind and protective aura wave after wave.

This is not a deliberate display of power, but rather the natural sense of pressure emanating from the life essence of someone who has perfected the Dao and is only one step away from the supreme Dao realm.

Chen Mu's pupils contracted slightly, and the golden light of the Twelve Dragon Sparrows instantly receded, coiling tightly around his body like protective serpents. The illusory image of the Ze Ding hummed behind him, and the clear, misty water light tried its best to create a domain to resist the omnipresent sense of oppression.

His internal magical power circulated rapidly, and the Spiritual Pivot Pure Source True Water was poised to be unleashed. However, his deeper thoughts had already quietly connected with the illusory bright moon deep within his Purple Mansion.

"The pursuit of enlightenment has reached its culmination..."

Chen Mu felt a chill run down his spine. He knew the difference in skill between the two and that he had no chance of winning in a direct confrontation. The only option was to use cunning to maneuver.

Of all the techniques he possesses, besides the Ze Ding Dao Fruit, only the "Moon in the Water" technique allows him to contend with it...

Qi Yunsu gave him a deep look, but unexpectedly remained silent, simply raising her right hand indifferently.

The yin and yang energies in his palm circulated, instantly transforming into an ancient "yin-yang mirror." The mirror was not a solid object, but rather composed of pure black and white energies. It slowly rotated, emitting a terrifying suction force that could attract the magnetic field of heaven and earth and reverse the order of things.

"Photography!"

With a low shout, the Yin-Yang Mirror shone brightly.

Chen Mu felt the space around him violently distort, and an immense, unstoppable, invisible force capable of tearing apart mountains came wildly from all directions.

The illusory image of Ze Ding trembled violently, the clear, misty water light was being frantically torn apart and devoured, the protective spiritual light flickered erratically, and the twelve dragon sparrows emitted sharp, ringing cries, as if they were about to be forcibly taken away by the mirror light.

Chen Mu immediately let out a muffled groan, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

This is not a brute force crushing, but the power of spatial rules invoked by the Yin-Yang Dao.

He dared not hesitate for a moment, and with a jolt, the "moon in the water" in his mind suddenly began to shimmer.

Instead of directly confronting the terrifying tearing force, Chen Mu's figure suddenly became ethereal and elusive, like a reflection in water with a pebble thrown in, causing ripples to spread outwards.

His body and the surrounding space were in a strange dislocation. Most of the Yin-Yang Mirror's domineering and unparalleled grasping power seemed to have pierced through the illusory moonlight and landed in empty space.

Using this moment of "etherealization," his figure miraculously slipped away from the core of the tearing force field like a swimming fish, appearing dozens of feet away, though his face had paled even more.

Although the immortal techniques are wonderful, forcibly distorting the rules of space to fight against the domain of a perfected Daoist master consumes an enormous amount of energy.

"Huh? Spatial teleportation?"

A glint flashed in Qi Yunsu's eyes as she looked directly at Chen Mu once more.

He could tell that this was no simple escape technique, but a profound method involving the origin of space, and even carried a trace of... immortal charm?
However, the gap between different levels of understanding cannot be bridged by a single magical technique.

"The cycle of Yin and Yang continues, and all things return to nothingness!"

Qi Yunsu changed her hand gesture, and the Yin-Yang Mirror suddenly collapsed, transforming into two huge Yin-Yang fish, one black and one white, connected head to tail, forming a huge Tai Chi diagram covering a hundred feet, which crashed down on Chen Mu.

The Tai Chi diagram flickered incessantly. The black fish emitted an extremely cold Yin energy that could freeze the soul, while the white fish contained pure Yang fire that could burn away all things. As Yin and Yang flowed, a terrifying domain was formed that could obliterate all laws and dissolve all things.

Although both are "All Laws Return to Nothingness", the way he performed them was very different from Wei Cangdong's in terms of both momentum and form.

Or, one could say that this is the true ultimate skill of the Yin-Yang Observation, pushing the Yin and Yang energies to their extreme, transforming the power of birth and death to obliterate all laws, and creating the Realm of Return to Nothingness.

Chen Mu felt a chill run down his spine, instantly sensing a deadly crisis.

The next moment, the water light of Ze Ding and the golden light of Long Que disappeared rapidly in front of this Yin-Yang millstone, like ice and snow melting away.

He had no doubt that if he were to be drawn into it, his foundation would crumble and his body and soul would perish in an instant.

After a moment's thought, his expression turned solemn, and he frantically poured his powerful magic into the Purple Mansion Immortal Seed. The space around him twisted and folded violently, as if countless shattered mirrors had appeared out of thin air.

The enormous Yin-Yang Taiji diagram pressed down, but strangely passed through most of the illusory images in the "lens," with only the chilling Yin and the fiery Yang at the edges brushing against Chen Mu's protective spiritual light.

Sizzle! Boom!

His Taoist robe was instantly frozen and torn in one piece, and then a corner was burned by the Pure Yang True Fire. Chen Mu was struck hard, and he spat out blood and flew backward again, leaving terrifying wounds of ice and fire on his body. His aura rapidly weakened.

Although the magic saved his life again, the backlash from forcibly distorting such a powerful Yin-Yang domain still caused his soul to tremble violently, and the "Moon in the Water" immortal seed in his Purple Mansion became blurred.

The gap can never be bridged.

Qi Yunsu's understanding of the Yin-Yang Dao and her level of power clearly far surpassed his.

The immortal technique "Moon in the Water" is a surprise move and a trump card, but it is not omnipotent. Under the suppression of absolute power and realm, each use comes at a huge cost, and the effect diminishes over time.

"You are the first person to survive two rounds of Qi's 'Yin-Yang Grinding' and reach the initial stage of the Dao Inquiry Realm."

Qi Yunsu's voice remained calm, yet it carried a hint of recognition for the resilience of ants, and a cold indifference to end everything: "Unfortunately, it should end here."

He gave Chen Mu no chance to catch his breath, and with his hands outstretched, a more condensed and terrifying miniature yin-yang vortex instantly formed in his palms.

Although the cyclone was small, the destructive energy it contained made everyone fighting below feel uneasy.

"This is……"

"Yin Yang Annihilation Seal!"

The unique Taoist arts passed down within the Liangyi Temple...

The tiny vortex transformed into an extremely condensed gray-white light, ignoring spatial distance, and instantly shot towards the unsteady Chen Mu.

This radiance contained the ultimate mystery of reversing yin and yang and annihilating life force, locking onto Chen Mu's aura and leaving him with no way to escape.

Chen Mu's brows were already furrowed tightly. Faced with this terrifying Dao technique that could kill him, he could only forcefully activate the immortal seed within his body once again.

However, if we managed to avoid it this time, what about next time? And the time after that?
The cold reality was piercingly harsh; his defeat was inevitable. The crucial factor in the success or failure of this mission had quietly shifted to another battleground…

Fortunately, Tao Fengbian knew that the situation was critical, so he held nothing back from the start. His Xuanhuang aura surged like an angry dragon, and the overwhelming power forced Luo Feng to retreat in fear.

In the remaining battles, Fusheng Temple gradually gained the upper hand, showing that Qi Yunsu was being held back by Chen Mu, and the numerical advantage was finally being demonstrated.

In a short while, Cui Dongbai and Nanlai Sanren met a tragic end, one dying and the other fleeing, under the siege of the crowd. Xu Rong and the others were freed up, and the battle situation instantly became clear.

Xu Rong, still catching her breath, subconsciously looked back at the sky and her expression suddenly changed drastically. It was clear that Chen Mu's location was in grave danger and on the verge of death.

He dared not delay for the slightest and immediately ordered everyone to rush towards Luo Feng: "Master Tao! We'll hold this man back, you go and do your work quickly!"

Tao Feng nodded emphatically, then flicked his sleeve, sending out a crystal-clear glass bead with mysterious auspicious patterns.

The spirit pearl swelled in the wind and instantly transformed into a magnificent unicorn beast.

Its muscles were bulging and its four hooves were like clouds and wind, carrying the momentum of thunder, and it crashed into Luo Feng, arriving in front of him in an instant.

Luo Feng was forced to retreat again. By the time he regained his footing and tried to step forward to stop them again, Xu Rong and the others had already formed an iron wall between him and Tao Fengbian.

"Thank you all!"

Tao Feng hurriedly uttered a few words, and his figure shot to the top of the South Peak like lightning. Finally, he laid down the token of the Abbot of Fusheng Temple without hesitation.

hum!
A dazzling golden light shot into the sky in an instant, like an inverted golden bell, firmly enveloping the entire South Peak. Its aura flowed seamlessly, becoming one with the three connected flying islands, without any difference.

"One more is needed..."

Without pausing for a moment, he gritted his teeth and prepared to launch another burst of light towards the North Peak.

However, just as he was about to move——

"Hahaha! Abbot Luo, we have come to your aid as promised!"

A loud, arrogant laugh suddenly tore through the distant clouds like a thunderclap!
……

(End of this chapter)