56: revolving lantern

The Ink Dragon broke through the ice, its fierce power even greater than before, and the violent Demonic Qi almost solidified, making it difficult for people to breathe.

Nangong Wan's heart sank; this was a matter of life and death, with no room for luck.

She bit her silver teeth, raised her delicate hand, and the only two Blizzard Talismans left in her Storage Pouch were already clutched between her fingers.

"Go!"

Two ice-blue Talismans shot out like lightning.

The Ink Dragon had suffered once from being frozen, so its vigilance was greatly increased now.

A fierce glint flashed in its lantern-like giant eyes, and it didn't dodge, instead opening its large, fan-like mouth wide.

"Puff! Puff!"

Two streams of inky black, foul-smelling liquid spewed from its mouth, carrying a strong corrosive aura, and accurately intercepted the two Blizzard Talismans in mid-air.

"Chiii chiii––"

Before the Talismans could fully unleash their power, they were enveloped by the black water, their spiritual light rapidly dimmed, and they turned into two wisps of green smoke, dissipating.

"Not good!" Nangong Wan's heart tightened; this Ink Dragon was so cunning!

Seeing her strongest mid-tier Talismans fail, she didn't have time to think much, taking out all the remaining dozens of low-tier Talismans from her Storage Pouch.

"Ice Wall Talisman!"

"Ice Cone Talisman!"

"Ice Rain Talisman!"

Nangong Wan's jade fingers flicked continuously, and streaks of spiritual light shot out.

In an instant, the stone hall was filled with an intense chill.

Several crystalline ice walls rose from the ground, attempting to block the Ink Dragon's advance.

Dense ice cones and ice rain whistled like arrows, shooting towards the Ink Dragon's massive body.

For a time, ice chips flew, and cold light flickered, creating an alarming momentum.

Nangong Wan saw that these low-tier Talismans, which she usually didn't think much of, could now display such power, and she once again thought highly of Mo Fengwu's Talisman-making talent.

Her hands didn't stop; she continued to channel her magical power, activating the Talismans in her hands one by one, trying to buy a moment of respite for the Disciples behind her.

"Clang! Clang!"

"Puff! Puff! Puff!"

Countless ice cones and ice rain struck the Ink Dragon's hard scales, producing sounds like metal clashing, but mostly only splashing bits of cold light, unable to cause substantial damage.

The thick ice walls also shattered like paper under the Ink Dragon's brutal charge.

These endless icy attacks, though unable to severely injure the Ink Dragon, greatly annoyed it.

Constantly harassed by these ant-like attacks, the Ink Dragon became completely enraged.

"Roar—!!!"

A deafening roar echoed throughout the stone hall, and the Ink Dragon's massive body suddenly coiled up, like a fully drawn giant bow.

The next moment, it suddenly stretched out!

"Buzz—!"

A visible greenish-black shockwave, centered on the Ink Dragon, suddenly spread outwards!

Wherever the shockwave passed, the air violently twisted.

The newly formed ice cones, ice rain, and ice walls, in the face of this overwhelming power, instantly melted and disintegrated like ice and snow in the sunlight, turning into a sky full of water vapor.

"Puff!"

"Pfft!"

...

How could the Yanyue Sect Disciples, who were maintaining their formation and had already expended a great deal of spiritual power, withstand such an impact?

They only felt a huge force strike their chests, their protective spiritual light instantly shattered, blood gushed from their mouths, and their bodies were thrown backward like broken kites, crashing heavily against the stone wall, then falling limply to the ground, unconscious.

With just one strike, all the Qi Refinement Stage Disciples, except for Nangong Wan, were severely injured and unconscious!

Nangong Wan, relying on her Divine Sense far exceeding the Qi Refinement Stage and her keen perception of danger, forcibly channeled the little remaining spiritual power in her body the moment the shockwave hit, rapidly retreating several feet, while the Vermillion Bird Ring flashed red and blocked in front of her.

Even so, she was shaken, her Qi and blood churning, her throat sweetened, and a trace of blood oozed from the corner of her mouth.

She stabilized herself, her gaze sweeping over the Disciples lying haphazardly on the ground, each with bloodstains at the corners of their mouths and weak auras, clearly having no strength left to fight.

And the Ink Dragon, apart from its slightly heavy breathing, was still fiercely powerful, its scales shimmering with a cold, ghostly light in the dim light, seemingly unharmed.

Nangong Wan's heart sank little by little.

Spiritual power exhausted, all means used.

The Disciples were completely wiped out.

The second-tier Yao Beast in front of her was still full of vigor.

A deep sense of powerlessness and bitterness welled up in her heart.

"Roar!"

The Ink Dragon clearly had no intention of giving her any chance to breathe; its thick tail, with a tearing whistle of air, swept towards Nangong Wan like a black giant whip.

Nangong Wan's pupils constricted; at this moment, her body was empty of spiritual power, and even activating the Vermillion Bird Ring felt strenuous.

She tried her best to dodge sideways but was still a moment too slow.

"Bang!"

The giant tail solidly struck her left shoulder.

"Crack!" A faint sound of bone cracking rang out.

Nangong Wan grunted, her petite body was once again sent flying, crashing heavily against the distant stone wall, then rolling to the ground.

"Puff—"

A large mouthful of blood spewed out, staining the front of her robe.

Intense pain came from her left shoulder, making her almost faint.

She struggled to get up but found that her left arm was completely useless, her whole body felt like it was falling apart, and her vision kept blurring.

This time, she really couldn't get up.

The Ink Dragon approached step by step with heavy strides.

Its blood-red beast eyes flickered with cruel and playful light, as if enjoying the dying struggles of its prey.

It stopped a few feet away from Nangong Wan, its huge head slightly lowered, its gaping maw open, and a greenish-black Demonic Qi began to condense in its throat, clearly preparing for the next fatal attack.

Nangong Wan laboriously raised her head, looking at the ferocious Yao Beast, feeling death approaching step by step.

Everything was over...

Her heart was filled with desolation.

Several figures involuntarily appeared in her mind.

Her Disciple, Mo Fengwu, who had only been under her tutelage for two and a half years, not only possessed astonishing talent in Cultivation but now also displayed astonishing talent in Talisman-making, always obediently calling her "Master."

If she knew that her Master had fallen here, how sad she would be...

And the Senior Sister in the Sect who always liked to set her up with Wei Lichen of the Huayi Sect...

Finally, she remembered the young man from several years ago, who, at the Ascension Gathering in Tai Nan Valley, had earnestly entrusted her to "be sure to take good care of Phoenix Dance"...

She, after all, had broken her promise.

"Phoenix Dance... this Master... I'm sorry..."

Nangong Wan closed her eyes, a desolate, bitter smile appearing at the corner of her mouth, and a line of clear tears slipped from her eyes, preparing to embrace the final outcome.

Just as her mind completely sank, waiting for death to descend, at that very instant.

A slightly playful, yet incredibly familiar voice, clearly rang in her ear:

"Senior, long time no see!"