Chapter 187: Chapter 169: Cold Rhinoceros Dragon Elephant Jade, Star Spirit Breakthrough!
Within the grand hall of Extreme Yin Island, beside the Jade Altar, there silently stood a spectral figure of a monkey with jade hair and golden eyes.
Demonic power diffused through the monkey’s hand, raising a clear stream of water before it.
The stream condensed, and a figure slowly emerged from it.
The Jade Altar trembled incessantly, array patterns in the light screen shimmering brightly, seemingly trying to block it, yet the figure in the water stream transformed from illusion to reality, returning to the hall.
This figure was none other than Gu Yuan.
He willingly entered the Jade Altar because it could not trap him.
The Azure Roaming Heaven-Evading Seal was almost a pure silver opportunity, enough to alter destiny, left behind by a deceased Golden Core Ascendant’s Golden Seal. Although a portion of its gold attribute was severed, greatly weakening its power, it could still not be obstructed by ordinary arrays and spiritual artifacts.
Gu Yuan did not know the grade of the Spirit-Devouring Heaven-Earth Altar, but the damaged "Soul Refining Pure Yang Array" within it could never trap him.
Escaping enemies is merely a basic use of the Azure Roaming Heaven-Evading Seal; its true essence lies in turning streams and escaping to the heavens in dire straits, a profound mysterious power worthy of a Golden Core Cultivator infusing their gold attribute into it.
On that day on Xiaolang Island, if it weren’t for the sudden gleam of the Three-Heart Gold Seal and Gu Yuan’s intuitive judgment of the Old Turtle’s position, critically wounding it, along with the Old Turtle’s weakened foundation unable to fully refine the seal, Gu Yuan could never have caught up with him with his strength.
Gu Yuan relied on this seal, emboldened to venture deep into the unknown Extreme Yin Island with Cen Qingqing.
The only surprise was the presence of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, setting a trap within the Jade Altar to entrap the enemy.
That black-faced man, unknown to which sect he belonged, practiced the Mountain-moving Spirit Seal and Four-Not-Like Seal, both powerful, especially the Mountain-moving Spirit Seal, with mana as vast as a mountain, capturing even Gu Yuan’s Boundless Sword Seal.
Moreover, he also possessed a high-grade spiritual artifact.
Gu Yuan suspected that this black-faced man, like the Cen family father and daughter, was a remnant disciple of some sect, having obtained part of the legacy, hence his difficulty to deal with.
For an average mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator, Gu Yuan’s vast mana from cultivating three methods might have been enough for a fight, but he had only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment, with little in the way of lethal techniques aside from the Sword Seal.
The Dragon-Binding Truth-Sealing Seal from the Cyan Ginseng Dao Foundation, while powerful, was simply an imprisonment technique.
The Vast Ocean Dao Foundation’s innate water control could condense Profound Nether Heavy Water with potent slaughtering power, but Gu Yuan had only managed to condense half a drop.
The Little Giant God Seal, formidable in the Qi Refining Stage, was merely a Qi Refining Seal, unable to enhance Gu Yuan’s combat power after his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment.
The Secret Essence Command Arrow was much the same.
Within the Jade Altar, Gu Yuan had exhausted all his Dharma Seals, yet still could not kill the black-faced man, instead becoming entangled in a stalemate.
Facing a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Cultivator with a legacy, Gu Yuan’s methods were becoming inadequate.
"However, with the Azure Roaming Heaven-Evading Seal and this spirit ore in hand, there’s still a chance to turn the tables..."
Gu Yuan looked at the spirit ore in his palm, surrounded by cold air, and with a thought, no longer suppressed the Star Spirit’s desire for it.
"Hoo!"
The ice-blue miniature elephant let out a cry, swiftly flying out from the tattoo on Gu Yuan’s back, landing on the spirit ore.
"Chomp chomp!"
Using both mouth and nose, the Star Spirit gnawed out a small hole in the indestructible spirit ore, then its entire body burrowed into the ore, voraciously devouring the icy, bone-chilling strange jade stone within.
This spirit ore was the ideal spiritual object for nourishing the Cold Rhinoceros Dragon Elephant Star Spirit, the Ice Soul Cold Rhinoceros Jade!
It was the ’Spirit’ among the many opportunities of "Dharma, Spirit, Body, Artifact" revealed by Stone Liquid.
Upon the first activation of the Spirit-Devouring Heaven-Earth Altar, the Star Spirit sensed the existence of the Ice Soul Cold Rhinoceros Jade, urging Gu Yuan to retrieve it, which was why Gu Yuan personally entered the fray.
On-the-spot breakthroughs were not to Gu Yuan’s liking due to their inherent uncertainties.
Yet, given the circumstances, there was no other way.
No matter what, possessing the Azure Roaming Heaven-Evading Seal already assured his invincibility.
As for... whether the Cen family father and daughter could survive this calamity until his return, it would depend on their fortune.
His mana was not infinite; he could not continuously use the Azure Roaming Heaven-Evading Seal within the Jade Altar, waiting for the Star Spirit’s evolution.
Though born of the Outer Realm, the Star Spirit’s mysterious nature allowed rapid growth with the corresponding spiritual food, yet this breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment realm would still take at least half a day.
It would depend on whether the Cen family father and daughter could hold out for that half-day, waiting for his return to the Jade Altar.
Or whether the black-faced man would kill both, break the altar, and emerge, would rely on Cen Qingqing’s own skills.
Having only casually met Cen Qingqing, how could he place the safety of others above his own?
Outside Extreme Yin Island, with its many Demon Beasts and vast blue sea, was the best place to endure this half-day.
"You stay here, guard the Jade Altar!"
Gu Yuan instructed the essence of the Jade Water Fire-Eyed Ape, then his figure transformed into a stream of water, holding the jade ore, and vanished from the grand hall.
The Jade Water Fire-Eyed Ape’s essence, after transformation, lost much spiritual wisdom, but retained some spiritual nature, capable of performing simple tasks.
Moreover, with the Seven-Phase Exquisite Jade Tower in hand, Gu Yuan could sense the state of the essence and monitor the altar.
...
...
In the altar.
After Gu Yuan left, the situation rapidly deteriorated.
Cen Qingqing was utterly powerless to withstand the attacks of the black-faced man.
Yet at this moment, a familiar voice entered her ears.
"Calm your mind, gather your mana!"
This voice was too familiar; from her babbling first words, she had heard it throughout her life, deep into her bones, becoming a permanent memory.
"Father..."
Cen Qingqing looked up, finding that the "bug shadow" in the middle-aged Daoist’s eyes had quietly disappeared, replaced by clarity and kindness.
The eyes are the window to the heart.
Clearly the same appearance, yet the middle-aged Daoist earlier exuded a cold, deceitful aura, but now appeared gentle and elegant, otherworldly and handsome.
"Fear not, my daughter!"
The middle-aged Daoist said with a smile, then waved a hand, a strange ice-blue light suddenly enveloping Cen Qingqing.
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Cen Qingqing teared up, but obediently withdrew her mana, striving to calm her mind, just like during countless rushed escapes in her childhood.
"Crack!"
The light, with a chilling coldness, instantly condensed into a translucent ice coffin encasing Cen Qingqing within.
Tears seemed to linger at Cen Qingqing’s eye corners, but her entire being was completely frozen by the ice coffin, devoid of any breath, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep.
After this change, the bug shadow in the middle-aged Daoist’s eyes returned, even more hideous than before, occupying almost his entire pupils.
"Cen Yuan, you still had a hidden card!"
From within the Jade Altar came the furious voice of the black-faced man.
