Gong Caiwei.

And together with Gong Caiwei was Leader Star Zhu Sha.

"Caiwei, why have you come here?" Queen Lady of Ice was startled.

At this time, the stone-like girl Zhu Sha"s expression changed. The Five Elements Weather Banner unfurled, releasing the Heaven Earth Five Elements to protect An Suwen.

Gong Caiwei"s actions actually did not make An Suwen feel surprised at all.

"You?"

"Master, please listen to Caiwei, stop!" Gong Caiwei gazed at that Longevity Stele without the slightest bit of interest.

Queen Lady of Ice wrinkled her brow. This was the first time she had seen the cold as ice Gong Caiwei show feelings like this. Queen Lady of Ice practiced the Ice Heart Chant, but she was not an emotionless person. Although she was especially tempted by the Longevity Stele, she also knew now that the coordination and determination of the Efficacious Star and Solitary Star already were unable to be shaken.

Tang Lianxin did not need a moment longer and took the Longevity Stele into her sack.

The Solitary Star was not as warm as An Suwen. She stared intently at Gong Caiwei. The expression of the Gold Coin Spotted Leopard was truly vigilant as a leopard"s.

"Caiwei, what are you doing!"

Queen Lady of Ice said in a low voice.

Actually, it was very simple why Gong Caiwei had come. From the moment Queen Lady of Ice borrowed the Aurora Bottle, Gong Caiwei sensed that matters were fishy, but the Ten Great Sects had concealed the information about their encirclement of the Purple Thunder Monster very thoroughly. Gong Caiwei did not find any clues at all, only that the place they were surrounding was the Bright Moon Longevity Palace.

This place was Prince Feng Wu"s – the domain of Gong Caiwei"s father.

A large flock of first-rate cultivators coming to this place naturally could not be concealed. Gong Caiwei therefore rushed over because of this. She had trained at the Heavenly Ice Holy Palace ever since she lost her mother when she was young, treating Queen Lady of Ice as a mother, and she also had confusing feelings for Purple Thunder Monster Su Xing. From the Flower Dragon Cave"s dragon incident to the Birth Treasure Outline and on through the life and death battle in Evil Smiting Hall, by all sorts of chance or perhaps by ill-fated coincidence, Su Xing had become the second person to have infiltrated her heart.

On one side was Queen Lady of Ice, who was like a mother to her, and on the other was a…close acquaintance??? Gong Caiwei did not want to either side hurt the other at all, and it was precisely because of this that after Queen Lady of Ice arrived at the third palace, Gong Caiwei had tailed her all this time, stepping forth now to intervene.

What had happened inside naturally was a long story short. Gong Caiwei did not answer Queen Lady of Ice"s inquiry at all, but she earnestly looked at her.

The warmth in the pupils of the ice and snow girl was her best reply.

Queen Lady of Ice slightly sighed.

"You will not regret this?" Queen Lady of Ice confirmed.

Gong Caiwei gently grunted, not saying another word.

"Very well." Queen Lady of Ice waved a white finger, the cold air in the hall suddenly abated, and the temperature returned to normal. The Aurora Bottle flew to Gong Caiwei. "Since this is yours, I will follow your decisions, but that Purple Thunder Monster has provoked the Most High Path. I fear things are extremely dangerous."

Gong Caiwei nodded. Zhu Sha recalled the Five Elements Weather Banner.

An Suwen and Tang Lianxin were astonished. They hastily ran out of the palace.

Queen Lady of Ice allowed the two young girls to brush past her. In the moment their shoulders pa.s.sed, that worried expression was clearly sincere, so genuine that this was not an expression a Star General ought to have.

Perhaps that Purple Thunder Monster truly can change these Star Duels.

But just who is he?

Queen Lady of Ice turned around, contemplating.

Outside the palace, a rainbow light suddenly flashed.

…

Fourth palace.

"Please put down the Longevity Stele!"

A beautiful maid unhurriedly walked over from the outside of the palace, her gait graceful as if she stepping on feathers, that was gentle and peaceful.

Yan Cao of the Divine Flame Sword Sect was currently breaking the Longevity Stele"s forbiddance. He turned his head to look at those copper-like pupils in front of him and could not help but be drawn in.

Her flower crown, maid clothes, exposed shoulder, her slender vermilion pupils.

She truly was a beauty.

"Are you requesting this of me?" Yan Cao flung his hand. A hundred Five Motifs True Fire¹ Flying Swords burned in the air. The man calmly smiled.

The maid stopped at a distance fifty meters away from the man, a.s.suming an attack stance. Her fists glowed with the profound light of Yin and Yang. The sole deficiency was one carp swimming about that was nevertheless missing its other half, and that swimming carp very quickly fade away.

"The Yin Yang Pisces Fists. The famous Skilful Star Wanderer. Your Servant did not expect to be have the fortune to meet you." Yan Cao nodded, muttering to himself. "For that man to be able to have so many first-rate Star Generals truly makes one unable to not be envious."

"If you want the Longevity Stele…" Yan Cao pointed to the Longevity Stele.

Before he could finish, there was a bang. Dust flew, and Yan Yizhen"s figure vanished.

The Five Motifs True Fire Flying Swords completely could not track her. Yan Cao already was sent flying by a punch.

"As a maid, you truly are very rude to guests." Yan Cao wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, climbing up as if nothing had happened.

Yan Yizhen was expressionless, her gaze glancing at her right hand.

There was still a burning flame.

Under that punch just now, she clearly felt a True Fire on that man"s body protect him, unexpectedly making her own punching force unable to break through.

This man was not simple!

"Your Servant has long wished to duel with a martial general." Yan Cao suddenly grinned.

The Five Motifs True Fire Flying Swords descended, entirely burning s.p.a.ce, agitating a foehn wind. Yan Cao formed a hand seal, and the surroundings were completely filled with resplendent red light. A bowl-sized red flame simultaneously bubbled forth.

Yan Yizhen"s figure swayed.

She advanced through the suffocating flames.

The maid"s swiftness made the Flying Swords miss each time. Yan Cao ceased his frivolity, and his expression became stern.He extended a hand, and the bowl-sized "Five Motifs Divine Flame" linked together into a line. Whatever this Five Motifs Divine Flame touched became ashes.

Immediately, Yan Cao turned around and flew towards the Longevity Stele.

The flames wailed.

Yan Cao turned his head back to look and inwardly cursed. A large hole had been torn out of the True Fire. The apathetic maid astonishingly rushed out of the gap.

The Four Star Yin Yang Pisces Fists had extinguished the Five Motifs Divine Flame with just one punch.

Yan Cao hastily retreated, the Flying Swords protecting him. He took out a magic weapon, raised it towards the sky, and a fire rope became a fire dragon that burned towards the Yan Yizhen pouncing at him.

This Ardent Dragon Rope was dragon muscle Yan Cao gathered from an Ardent Fire Dragon refined using True Fire. He used the Five Motifs Divine Flame to forge it, injected it with the Ardent Fire Dragon"s True Spirit, and it possessed practically psychic capabilities. It was the magic weapon that Yan Cao was most proud of.

It often showed its usefulness in every encounter with a dangerous foe.

The Ardent Dragon Rope manifested a Fire Dragon True Spirit that bit at Yan Yizhen. Yan Yizhen quickly evaded. This Ardent Dragon Rope did not require control from the cultivator and was capable of automatically tracking its target.

Any way Yan Yizhen dodged, it followed closely behind without losing her.

After several breaths, the Ardent Dragon Rope roared and thoroughly stopped Yan Yizhen. Not only was the rope capable of trapping her, the rope itself also released Five Motifs True Fire that burned.

"You have only this bit of ability? How mediocre."

Yan Cao saw that the Skilful Star was trapped by the Ardent Dragon Rope. He extended a hand, and the Five Motifs True Fire Flying Swords simultaneously slashed, the fire-light encircling Yan Yizhen, sword-light shooting everywhere.

Yan Cao"s pride did not continue for too long.

Suddenly, his eyes were dazzled. THe maid"s beautiful figure was inconceivably right in front of him.

So quick.

Yan Cao was stunned.

The Ardent Dragon Rope"s sole flaw was that it could not thoroughly lock down the opponent"s body, after all, this trap magic weapon was refined from dragon muscle. So long as some brilliant escape technique was used, most could escape, but what Yan Cao did not expect was for the Skilful Star to surprisingly have such excellent escape techniques.

Yan Yizhen"s eyes were ice-cold, and the fists of Yin and Yan followed suit.

Her boxing technique was unleashed.

Yan Cao circulated his cultivation method, and his body turned a thorough red, like red hot iron. Bearing Yan Yizhen"s Swallowflash Samsara, this Yan Cao was one of the Divine Flame Sword Sect"s first-rate Ancestral Masters. He trained in the "Nine Yang True Chant."² This cultivation method trained to its limit could temper the user"s body to be as solid as iron. It was because of this that Yan Cao could be so calm and unhurried facing the famous Skilful Star"s boxing arts.

The two of them attacked for several breaths without disengaging. Yan Cao was chopped several times by Yan Yizhen"s attacks when he finally spotted a gap. He chanted, and the Flying Swords burst with flame, suddenly pervasive. The fire"s power magnified, and Yan Cao only thoughts were on making things difficult for this detached maid. He circulated his Divine Fire powers to burn Yan Yizhen"s clothing.

Yan Yizhen flipped backwards and sent a punch behind her. The wind from her fist was chilly, like a wild gust blowing, dispersing the flames. This protected the clothes on her body.

"What a pity." Yan Cao clicked his tongue. He chuckled. "If you allow Your Servant to see your naked body, Your Servant will not mind giving this Longevity Stele to you."

Yan Yizhen recoiled backwards, expressionlessly facing his provocation.

"If you will not consider it, then that is your loss." Yan Cao"s seemingly frivolous grin hid a grave feeling. His hands formed a hand seal, and he read an incantation. SUddenly, the hundred Five Motifs True Fire Flying Swords spun in a clump, changing into a sword array.

"Ten Sided Execution Fire Sword Array!!"³

There was an intense blaze and rolling smoke, filling the skies and covering the earth. The Flying Swords flashed continuously, scarlet light dancing in Yan Yizhen"s surroundings that encircled her from all directions, leaving only Yan Yizhen in the middle. In all directions, there were only flames and smoke. They simultaneously threw themselves at Yan Yizhen, leaving her with no place to hide.

Yan Yizhen saw the sword array attack. Without any fear, she coldly snorted. Her fists clenched and waved up and down, as if she was drawing the Taiji. A Yin and Yang pattern appeared on her fists.

The flames were intense, black clouds rolled, and this practically completely enveloped Yan Yizhen.

Yan Cao could not see any movements inside and worried that Yan Yizhen was counterattacking. He fished out countless Heavenly Thunderbolts⁴ from his Astral Bag and threw them. Suddenly, he saw the flaming sword array explode with a thundercrack, seemingly rumbling like thunder.

This Heavenly Thunderbolt was one of thirteen items that low level cultivators often used to kill high level cultivators. In fact, up until Supercl.u.s.ter Late Stage, the Heavenly Thunderbolts were already completely harmless in Yan Cao"s perspective, but Yan Cao had always successfully and smoothly killed people using the Heavenly THunderbolts ever since he had begun cultivating. Even after he had become an Ancestral Master of the Divine Flame Sword Sect, he still carried them around. He unexpectedly had a thousand of them.

For a thousand Heavenly Thunderbolts to smash down, this was no small matter. Even a Supercl.u.s.ter Cultivator would find it hard to avoid difficulty facing this.

Countless thunderclaps struck like a string of pearls, exploding upon her, deafening. The explosions were such that the flames were about to be extinguished.

The Yin Yang Light rocketed into the sky. THere was a bang as if something had cracked.

Yan Cao was stunned.

The giant array of fire that covered the sky retreated. The maid stood in the middle without batting an eyelid. Let alone any wounds, her clothes were unexpectedly completely intact, and on Yan Yizhen"s hands astonishingly appeared the swimming Yin Yang Carps.

The thousand Heavenly Thunderbolts and the Ten Sided Execution Fire Sword Array were unexpectedly broken.

"How is this possible, to surprisingly be not harmed in the slightest?" Yan Cao"s smile suddenly froze. He did not hesitate to bite open his fingertip, using his blood to write something in the air. Afterwards, he took out two crimson talismans.

The two crimson talismans shredded, becoming two scarlet ribbons that rolled towards Yan Yizhen,. The ribbons resonated with a loud sound, endlessly pouring into the ears.

The Ardent Dragon Rope also followed.

In spite of the clap of thunder, Yan Yizhen changed her boxing technique. Her stance was calm and tranquil, gentle and light would be an understatement in describing it. Red light flashed on her hand, and then she grabbed.

The two Crimson Fire Ribbons were grabbed in Yan Yizhen"s hands like lengths of rope. She twisted and pulled, reeling them in and then ripped apart the ribbons.

Yan Cao stared dumbstruck.

His "First Heavenly Execution Fire Talisman" was surprisingly destroyed so easily, but what was even more surprising came after. The Ardent Dragon Rope turned into a fire dragon that once again constricted Yan Yizhen. This time, the maid caught the fire dragon with both hands without even looking. Pulling and tearing, with Yin and Yan, she unexpectedly ripped the Ardent Dragon Rope in half.

Bang, just like severed bowstring.

Yan Yizhen was like a monster as she drew near him. This was her Dark Rank Technique – Snapped Bowstring Magnolia Lily Ballad.

Snapped Bowstring Magnolia Lily Ballad could terminate the opponent"s technique. To tear apart something like this with the Extreme Realm of the Yin Yang Carps naturally was easily done.

"f.u.c.k."

Yan Cao was shocked, as if he had seen a ghost. He hastily circulated the Nine Yang True Chant to resist.

Yan Cao was slammed repeatedly backwards by Yan Yizhen"s boxing. The Four Star Destined Weapon"s boxing made Yan Cao nearly vomit blood, "Do not look down on Your Servant." Yan Cao was infuriated, his eyes completely red. Flames rushed beside the two, obscuring the fight within the flames, which was simply fast to the point of astonishing.

Although Yan Cao looked like the difference between his and the Skilful Star"s martial prowess was considerably vast, it was hard to imagine the two unexpectedly could trade blows for more than ten bouts.

"Conflagration Five Prairie Fires."

Yan Cao"s punch struck, using a Conflagration Sky Nine Chapters.⁵

The Conflagration Sky Nine Chapters was a punching art cultivation method, slightly able to contend against Yan Yizhen. How could the Ancestral Master of the Divine Flame Sword Sect concede defeat. He punched, piercing s.p.a.ce like a sword.

Before Yan Cao"s shock could end, suddenly, Yan Yizhen hooked his arm. The maid"s seemingly gentle fist connected a punch with Yan Cao"s chest. The power of cold Yin penetrated his body, making Yan Cao"s brow contort.

But Yan Cao"s Nine Yang True Chant"s power made Yan Yizhen"s expression change.

When she landed this punch, Yan Cao unexpectedly did not move at all.

Hè!

"Conflagration Six Blazes Destruction."⁶

Yan Cao"s right fist pounded. This punch"s speed was beyond normal, booming towards Yan Yizhen"s head. The maid blocked with her left hand, immediately withdrew her foot and quickly left his attack range.

The maid"s slender pupils released the presence of danger, the Yin Yang fists stirring menacingly.

"Dammit!!!" Yan Cao was alarmed.

Another Conflagration Six Blazes Destruction.

His punch"s flames were like a blade, cutting everything.

I was waiting for this.

Yan Yizhen"s eyes showed faint light. The Skilful Star of brilliant techniques faced the cultivator"s punch, and the latter was undoubtedly an amateur in front of an expert.

The distance of a dozen meters between them was crossed in a single step. Yan Yizhen avoided the flame blade, and then she drew near Yan Cao"s flank.

Yan Cao was already too late to use a Flying Sword, so he promptly withdrew.

A magic weapon flew out.

Yan Yizhen leaned, swiftly moving close against the ground, avoiding the Flying Swords and flames, scuttling in front of Yan Cao like a snake, as if she had foreseen Yan Cao"s reactions. One punch landed on his chest.

The ripping pain made Yan Cao"s expression twist. His red hand was just about to use the Conflagration Eight Burns Heaven in compet.i.tion.

But the flames ended before they even began.

Yan Yizhen"s fists suddenly shaped like blades, directly sticking into a person"s weakest spot, the armpits. The maid"s hands came together, quick to the extreme. Yan Cao hurt practically into unconsciousness as his underarms were shattered.

The two lights of cold and warmth stuck into his body, leaving him in so much pain he wished to die.

Yin Yang Palm!

1. 五昧真火, a bit difficult to explain. 五昧 can mean several things. Five apertures, five colors, five… ↩
2. 九陽真訣 ↩
3. 十方殛火劍陣 ↩
4. 天雷子 ↩
5. Looks to be another chapter from the book Su Xing gave to Tuoba Yan long ago. ↩
6. 燹六熾滅 ↩