Chapter 164 Shark King's Ambushes, Sword and Moon United

Cold, sinister laughter echoed like poisoned icicles within the empty Sea God Hall, causing the jade beads on the ceiling to rattle and rustle.

Three dark figures stepped slowly from behind the temple pillars. The leader, clad in black-scaled battle armor with a hideous face, bared sharp fangs as he grinned. It was Ao Lie, the Sect Head of the Sea Shark Cult. His Late Golden Core Stage pressure bore down like a mountain, causing the air to stagnate.

Two Sea Shark Cult Elders followed behind him, both at the Early Golden Core Stage. Salty, fishy water vapor swirled around them as they gripped cold-glinting harpoons, their eyes greedily fixed on the sea god bead floating on the high platform.

“Ao Lie! Your Sea Shark Cult has occupied the East Sea for years, yet you dare covet the Sea God's Legacy!” Zhang Luoyan's moon crystal wheel instantly surged in size as the cold Qi of her Lunar Spirit Body spread, clashing with Ao Lie's pressure and stirring up gusts of air. She had long-standing grievances with the Sea Shark Cult; back when Kunlun Sect Disciples trained in the East Sea, many had fallen at their hands.

Ao Lie sneered, the scales on his black-scaled battle armor standing on end and emitting an eerie blue light. “The Sea God's Legacy belongs to the virtuous! Lin Yue, brat, you are merely at the Early Golden Core Stage. Do you think you're worthy of touching such an Opportunity? Hand over the sea god bead and the three secret keys, and this venerable one might spare your lives!”

Before his voice could fade, the two Sea Shark Cult Elders attacked. Their harpoons whistled through the air, lunging straight for Lin Yue and Ye Qingcheng. The harpoons were coated in thick water poison, leaving a faint green mist in their wake—clearly a lethal poison that kills upon contact.

“Silver-Armored Puppet, block them!” Ye Qingcheng formed a hand seal with her fingertips, and the Silver-Armored Puppet instantly stood before her. Its sword-wings swept out, knocking the two harpoons away. Silver blades popped out from the Puppet's joints, pressing toward the two Elders. Its mechanism patterns lit up with armor-piercing power, forcing the Elders to retreat and defend.

Lin Yue held the sea-suppressing bead before him, its glowing blue light forming a protective shield that enveloped both Saintess Zhang and himself. “Saintess Zhang, you focus on attacking Ao Lie. I will support you, and Ye Qingcheng will keep the Elders busy!”

“Alright!” Zhang Luoyan leaped up in response. The moon crystal wheel transformed into a streak of pure white light, and her Taiyin Sword Qi condensed into several sword shadows that lunged straight for Ao Lie's face. The purification power of the Lunar Spirit Body was a natural counter to the Sea Shark Cult's water poison; wherever the sword shadows passed, the green mist instantly dissipated.

Ao Lie snorted in disdain and waved his hand, condensing a massive water curtain that blocked the Taiyin Sword Qi. With a flicker of his body, he turned into a dark blur. Holding a dark iron giant axe with the power to split mountains and shatter stones, he swung it toward Zhang Luoyan. The water poison and Evil Qi on the axe intertwined, forming a black axe-gang of terrifying power.

Zhang Luoyan's gaze sharpened as the moon crystal wheel spun rapidly to form a defensive barrier. However, Ao Lie was at the Late Golden Core Stage after all, and his strength far exceeded the Early Stage. The barrier was instantly covered in cracks, and Zhang Luoyan was knocked back repeatedly, a trace of blood leaking from the corner of her mouth.

“Saintess, be careful!” Seeing this, Lin Yue's heart tightened. The sea-suppressing bead transformed into a glowing blue Sword Gang that slashed toward Ao Lie's back. Simultaneously, he tossed the sea soul bead into the air, letting its Soul aura permeate the area to interfere with Ao Lie's Divine Sense.

Sensing the killing intent from behind, Ao Lie was forced to turn and defend. The dark iron giant axe collided with the glowing blue Sword Gang, producing an earth-shattering boom. He was knocked back several steps by the force of the Sword Gang, a flash of surprise in his eyes. “This brat's power is actually comparable to the Middle Stage!”

Zhang Luoyan took the Opportunity to stabilize herself. The moon crystal wheel surged again as her Taiyin Sword Qi condensed into a sword rainbow dozens of feet long, slashing toward Ao Lie. Lin Yue also exerted his full power; his Azure Profound Sword Intent merged with the power of the sea-suppressing bead to form a blue-green Sword Gang. It joined with Zhang Luoyan's sword rainbow to form a Yin and Yang Sword Gang, its power doubling.

“Damn it! You dare to join forces!” Ao Lie's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly mobilized all his spiritual power, and his black-scaled battle armor glowed intensely to form a sturdy defense. But the Yin and Yang Sword Gang was too powerful; it instantly tore through the defense. The black-scaled armor on Ao Lie's chest shattered as he was struck by the Sword Gang, spitting out a large mouthful of blood.

Seeing this, the two Sea Shark Cult Elders tried to step forward to support him, but they were pinned down by Ye Qingcheng's Silver-Armored Puppet. The Puppet's sword-wings carried bone-corroding poison needles. The Elders struggled to cope, and with several wounds already on their bodies, they were gradually losing ground.

Ao Lie became even more frenzied after being injured. He suddenly opened his mouth wide and spat out a thick cloud of black poisonous mist, filled with countless tiny shark teeth, which enveloped the three of them. “If I can't have it, none of you will! This ‘Soul-Devouring Shark Mist’ will ensure your Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!”

The poisonous mist spread extremely fast, covering more than half the palace in an instant. Ye Qingcheng's Silver-Armored Puppet was corroded by the mist, its movements becoming sluggish as the spiritual light on its sword-wings dimmed. Seeing this, Lin Yue immediately pushed the power of the sea-suppressing bead and sea soul bead to their limits. The glowing blue light and Soul aura intertwined to form a massive purification shield, protecting the three of them.

“Saintess Zhang, use your Lunar Spirit Body to purify the mist!” Lin Yue shouted. He could feel the shield's light growing dimmer under the mist's corrosion; they had to break the situation quickly.

Zhang Luoyan nodded, and the light of her Lunar Spirit Body surged like a bright, clear moon. As the moon crystal wheel spun, it emitted a clear hum, shooting out rays of moonlight Sword Qi into the poisonous mist. The Taiyin Power clashed with the mist with a sizzling sound; the mist dissipated like snow under the sun.

But at that moment, Ao Lie suddenly lunged out of the mist. His dark iron giant axe, trailing the remaining poisonous mist, struck toward Zhang Luoyan's back. He had calculated that her defense would be weak while she was focusing on her spirit body, intending to deliver a fatal blow.

“Watch out!” Lin Yue's pupils constricted, and without hesitation, he threw himself in front of Zhang Luoyan. He used the sea-suppressing bead to shield his back while circulating his Golden Core Dao Body, his entire form glowing with a faint golden spiritual light.

“Bang!” The dark iron giant axe slammed heavily into the sea-suppressing bead. Ao Lie's power and the poisonous mist invaded simultaneously. Lin Yue felt a massive force surge through his back, causing his Meridians to vibrate violently. He spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto Zhang Luoyan's moon-white dress, looking exceptionally jarring.

“Lin Yue!” Zhang Luoyan cried out, her eyes filled with shock and anxiety. She hadn't expected Lin Yue to take such a fatal blow for her. A warm current she had never felt before surged into her heart. Her previous wariness and misunderstandings toward Lin Yue vanished completely at this moment, replaced only by deep concern and guilt.

[System Hint: Detected Zhang Luoyan's Favorability +20 (Current: 95 points). Deeply rooted affection, Dual Cultivation conditions met!]

Lin Yue wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gave Zhang Luoyan a forced smile. “I'm fine... quick... take the chance to finish him!”

A flash of determination crossed Zhang Luoyan's eyes. The power of her Lunar Spirit Body erupted completely as the moon crystal wheel turned into a streak of light. With world-destroying might, it slashed straight for Ao Lie's Dantian. Her aura became sharper than ever before, with only one thought in her mind: avenge Lin Yue!

Ao Lie hadn't expected Zhang Luoyan's explosive power to be so terrifying. It was too late to dodge, so he could only mobilize his remaining spiritual power to defend. But the Taiyin Sword Qi of the moon crystal wheel, carrying her endless fury, instantly tore through his defense and struck his Dantian hard.

“No—!” Ao Lie let out a shrill scream as his Golden Core was shattered. His black-scaled battle armor broke into pieces, and his body slumped over, his life force completely extinguished.

Seeing their leader killed, the two Sea Shark Cult Elders were terrified, their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering. They tried to flee but were caught by Ye Qingcheng's Silver-Armored Puppet. Its sword-wings swept out, decapitating both of them.

The battle ended, and peace returned to the palace. Lin Yue staggered back two steps, the wound on his back throbbing with pain as the poisonous mist in his Meridians continued to corrode him. Zhang Luoyan hurried forward to support his arm. The light of the moon crystal wheel softened as Taiyin Power flowed from her arm into Lin Yue's body, purifying the poison and Evil Qi within him.

“Thank you, Lin Yue.” Zhang Luoyan's voice carried a hint of a sob, her gaze tender yet firm. “If not for you, I would have died today.”

“We are allies; we should look out for each other.” Lin Yue felt the gentle Taiyin Power in his body, and as his injuries eased, his heart felt warm. He looked at Zhang Luoyan's beautiful face, his eyes full of sincerity. “Besides, I never wanted to see you get hurt.”

Ye Qingcheng stepped forward, controlling the Silver-Armored Puppet to check the palace's surroundings. She smiled and said, “It seems the misunderstanding between you two is completely resolved. Now, let's look at the sea god bead first; that's the purpose of our trip.”

The three of them looked up at the sea god bead on the high platform. The pearl was golden all over, radiating a thick Legacy power, with a faint golden light swirling around it, pulsing as if it were alive. Just then, the sea god bead suddenly lit up with a blinding light, and a majestic voice echoed in the palace: “To obtain the Sea God's Legacy, one must pass three trials of the Dao Heart. Only those with one heart can succeed.”

As the bright light faded, three light screens appeared in the palace, one for each of them. In Lin Yue's screen, the figures of Liu Qingyan, Su Qingyuan, and others appeared, surrounded by the power of the external chaos, their expressions anxious. In Zhang Luoyan's screen, the Kunlun Sect's gates were destroyed, the Sect Head and Elders were dead, and she faced a massive horde of demonic cultivators alone. In Ye Qingcheng's screen, her life-bound Puppet ‘Silver Moon’ was destroyed, and the Mechanism Sect was annihilated by powerful enemies.

“This is a Dao Heart trial, testing what we care about most. If we sink into it, we will be backlashed by the Legacy power.” Ye Qingcheng's expression was grave. “We must maintain our true selves and wake each other up to pass the trial.”

Lin Yue nodded and looked at Zhang Luoyan. “Saintess Zhang, let's look out for each other. We must not be deluded by the illusions.”

Zhang Luoyan took a deep breath, her eyes firm. “Alright, I trust you.” Her gaze met Lin Yue's without any hesitation, only complete trust.