Chapter 193: The Change of Withering, “Luo Xue” Appears
Luo Xue looked at Nangong Ling, who looked back at her. Beside them, Nangong Wan’er looked puzzled.
“What do you mean… possess you?” Luo Xue’s eyelid twitched.
Did they really think she was a ghost…
“The Shadow of Withering spreads the will of withering, which is extremely dangerous. If you don’t want to be suspended in mid-air, you can only possess me.”
Nangong Ling explained seriously, “I control a portion of the will of immortality and can temporarily resist the erosion of withering—considering your strength, this ‘temporary’ should be quite a long time.”
In the Blood Sea Secret Realm, Luo Xue had thought that Nangong Mian’s will of immortality came from the Desolate Extinction Scripture, but it was actually the Nangong clan’s bloodline inheritance.
All Nangong clan members inherited a portion of the incomplete will of immortality.
The reason the Sacred Soul’s phantom ignored Nangong Mian was that it sensed the will of immortality within her, recognizing her as an ally.
The other cultivators who entered the secret realm weren’t so lucky and were all turned into immortal zombies.
“Ling’er, are you sure you want to do this?” Before Luo Xue could agree, Nangong Wan’er interrupted.
She frowned and continued, “Do you know that doing this is like placing a ticking time bomb within your body?”
“I trust this Miss Luo Xue,” Nangong Ling said faintly, “because our ancestor chose her as a vessel for her consciousness. This was the Sacred Soul’s decision.”
She hadn’t used this method to contain the Shadow of Withering before because the Shadow of Withering was uncontrollable and could erupt at any moment.
Resisting the emanating will of withering wasn’t difficult for Nangong Ling, with her Nangong clan inheritance. The difficulty lay in the sudden bursts of the will of withering.
If she was careless, even she risked her life.
“Let’s do it.”
Nangong Ling pushed her wheelchair, walking on the surface of the Blood Sea as if it were solid ground, and stopped beneath the suspended Luo Xue, looking up at her with a determined gaze.
These words were for both Luo Xue and Nangong Wan’er.
Nangong Wan’er hesitated for a moment, then sighed and released the spatial confinement on the Sacred Soul.
“…”
Luo Xue slowly descended, like a falling leaf. She wasn’t used to this soul form and flailed slightly in the air.
Nangong Ling raised her hands and caught Luo Xue.
The ethereal Sacred Soul’s body felt slightly cold, and the moment she met the Sacred Soul’s gaze, she saw not only Luo Xue’s spirit, but also a hint of the Sacred Soul’s relief.
They had taken the most crucial step.
The illusory soul body melted like ice and snow, and Luo Xue’s consciousness felt a momentary darkness before brightening again.
When she opened her eyes again, Luo Xue saw a different world, everything clearly visible, filled with chaotic information that almost overwhelmed her mind.
“Ugh…”
Luo Xue groaned in pain.
“Sorry, sorry,” Nangong Ling quickly closed her eyes. “You’re probably not used to the vision of a Tribulation Immortal. I’ll adjust it.”
Whether it was the soul form or the memories, even if they came from Nangong, who was almost at the Great Emperor Realm, they were still essentially inanimate, and Luo Xue had been using her own consciousness.
But Nangong Ling was a living Tribulation Immortal… and one at the peak of the realm.
Besides her legs, which had been conceptually severed by an otherworldly demon, she had no other injuries that affected her strength, and she was almost invincible even among Tribulation Immortals.
Her vision wasn’t something a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator could withstand… The reason Luo Xue’s soul hadn’t been annihilated was because of the Sacred Soul.
When Nangong Ling opened her eyes again, Luo Xue could finally see the outside world normally.
“Now, what should I do?”
Luo Xue asked nervously. She hadn’t had a clear understanding of Nangong Ling’s strength before, but she did now.
Before such a powerful being, what could she do…
“Just observe for now, and try your best to prevent the Shadow of Withering from erupting within me.” Nangong Ling replied, then immediately focused her mind, entering a certain state.
“Previously, because of the Sacred Soul, we couldn’t use many of our methods. Now, with you containing the Sacred Soul, dealing with this separate dimension… isn’t a problem.”
Nangong Wan’er explained to Luo Xue, looking at Nangong Ling with worry. “In short, Luo Xue, you… must not let the Shadow of Withering erupt.”
“I can guarantee that.” Luo Xue transmitted her voice.
The will of withering, she was very familiar with it. Controlling it was as easy as breathing.
“But… you should know the consequences of contacting the will of withering.” Nangong Wan’er hesitated, then said.
“Of course,” Luo Xue smiled. “But there’s no other way, is there?”
“…”
Nangong Wan’er was silent for a moment, then said, “The Nangong clan will remember your sacrifice.”
“There’s no need to be so pessimistic…”
“It’s coming.” Nangong Ling said in a deep voice. “The demonic remains…”
…
Meanwhile, within the Blood Sea Secret Realm.
Nangong Mian had brought the raft back to shore. Luo Xue lay flat, her eyes closed, her hands crossed over her chest, a gentle smile on her lips.
Seven small flames, arranged in the pattern of the Big Dipper, flickered around her, their weak light hazy in the thickening mist.
Nangong Mian continued praying softly, occasionally opening her eyes to check on Luo Xue.
But… not long after, a demonic wind suddenly swept across the Blood Sea, even dispelling some of the mist.
“What’s going on?”
Nangong Mian was startled and stood up, looking around in confusion.
Fortunately, the small flames were inextinguishable, and a mere demonic wind couldn’t put them out.
However…
Nangong Mian discovered that her blocked Divine Sense seemed to be returning.
But before she could feel relieved, the mist dissipated even faster, and what was even more terrifying was that the Blood Sea began to churn, its waves crashing against the shore.
“Damn it, what’s happening?”
Nangong Mian quickly rushed forward, wanting to pull Luo Xue, who was still lying on the raft, back to safety.
But… it was too late.
A sudden surge of tide washed over them, directly extinguishing the seven star lamps.
“My soul-returning technique!”
Nangong Mian almost jumped up, wanting to use her spiritual power to dispel the seawater.
However, seawater containing the will of immortality couldn’t be so easily dispelled.
The will of immortality instantly invaded Nangong Mian’s spiritual power, even spreading through her meridians.
Nangong Mian was so scared that she immediately stopped, and the tide surged forward, submerging Luo Xue’s body.
“Luo Xue…”
Nangong Mian quickly rushed over, the blood-red seawater reaching her knees.
Enduring the erosion of the will of immortality, she pulled Luo Xue out of the water.
As for the seven star soul-returning lamps, they were all extinguished.
Ordinary seawater and wind naturally couldn’t extinguish the inextinguishable flames, but the Blood Sea, with its stronger will of immortality, could easily do so.
“Will… Luo Xue not be able to come back?”
Nangong Mian looked at Luo Xue, who seemed to be sleeping soundly, a troubled expression on her face.
She could only carry Luo Xue on her back.
“You better be reliable, Big Sister…”
The surrounding mist was rapidly dissipating, and Nangong Mian’s Divine Sense gradually returned, but another problem arose.
In her perception, countless auras were approaching.
“Could it be…”
Nangong Mian thought of a bad possibility.
Soon, this possibility became reality.
In the dissipating mist, countless pairs of eyes, burning with the flames of immortality, appeared, staring intently at Nangong Mian.
“Damn, with the mist gone, their Divine Sense has returned!”
Nangong Mian jumped up, trying to find a weak point in the encirclement to break through.
These immortal beings, without consciousness, their actions were slow and driven by instinct.
However… due to their sheer number, Nangong Mian couldn’t find a way out.
The ones who had trapped her and Luo Xue outside the main house before were just a small portion, yet they had already been difficult to deal with.
And now, almost all the immortal zombies on the island were approaching Nangong Mian, and Luo Xue was unconscious, unable to help.
The only living being not corrupted by “immortality,” with her Divine Sense restored, was as conspicuous as a beacon.
“Even if there’s no way… I’ll have to fight my way out!”
Nangong Mian gritted her teeth, secured Luo Xue on her back, chose a random direction, and charged.
She knew she wasn’t as resourceful as Luo Xue. Her only advantage was her overwhelming strength, although limited to the Foundation Establishment Realm.
And now… perhaps, overwhelming strength was also a way out.
As Nangong Mian approached the immortal zombies, dozens of techniques and abilities came at her, almost all aimed at her and Luo Xue’s vital points.
Nangong Mian twisted her body mid-air, changing direction, dodging most of the attacks.
She endured the remaining attacks directly, even those aimed at Luo Xue, raising her hand to block them.
“…It still hurts…”
Nangong Mian shook her hand and continued charging.
A few immortal zombies, who seemed to be body cultivators during their lives, reached out to grab her. Enhanced by the will of immortality, their advantage as body cultivators was amplified.
Any injuries would instantly heal.
If they were still alive, Nangong Mian could have easily defeated them with a single slap.
But now, although Nangong Mian smashed their hands with her fists, she was still blocked, unable to break through.
“Damn it…”
Nangong Mian protected Luo Xue while searching for an opening.
Such opportunities were fleeting, but Nangong Mian couldn’t seize them. The encirclement was shrinking, and she had to face more and more opponents.
Her body was exhausted, and her spirit, already near its breaking point after days of constant vigilance, could barely hold on.
In a moment of distraction, she failed to protect Luo Xue.
An immortal zombie punched Luo Xue’s arm.
“Ah!”
Nangong Mian instantly snapped back to reality, burst forth with power, killed several immortal zombies, and created some breathing room.
She quickly checked Luo Xue’s arm and, seeing that it was unharmed, breathed a sigh of relief.
“It seems Luo Xue is also a body cultivator… such an attack didn’t even leave a mark.” Nangong Mian said with emotion, then she noticed something else.
“Wait, Luo Xue’s arm… why is it turning black?”
Nangong Mian became anxious and quickly sent her Divine Sense into Luo Xue’s arm, intending to check for any hidden injuries.
But the moment her Divine Sense touched Luo Xue’s skin, a strong sense of danger assaulted her, making her instinctively retract her Divine Sense and assume a defensive posture.
However… the immortal zombies around her weren’t close enough to attack.
On the contrary, Nangong Mian was shocked to find that these immortal zombies, who had shown no emotions whatsoever, were slowly retreating, as if afraid of something.
More precisely, they were avoiding something…
Nangong Mian’s gaze fell on the only two corpses on the beach. Two immortal zombies whose heads she had smashed couldn’t get up again, their bodies turning a strange black.
The same as Luo Xue’s.
“Is this… the will of withering?”
Nangong Mian shuddered and quickly put Luo Xue down.
Just as she had thought, Luo Xue’s face was incredibly pale, although the faint smile hadn’t faded, only adding to the eerieness.
Luo Xue had told her about immortality and withering before, mentioning that their ancestor had used the will of withering.
So, the current situation… was obvious. Luo Xue’s body had been invaded by the will of withering.
Immortality and withering were opposing ultimate laws. As long as one was stronger than the other, it would result in complete dominance.
Because of this, after coming into contact with Luo Xue’s will of withering, these immortal zombies were no longer “immortal,” but easily destroyed monsters.
How terrifying…
Before Nangong Mian could fully process this, the Blood Sea Secret Realm changed again.
Everything seemed to have a double image, as if overlapping with another place.
A strong wave of dizziness hit Nangong Mian, and in a daze, she seemed to see a world.
And a silent figure.
“Who… is she?”
“…She seems to be… Big Sister?”
…
“The demonic remains suppressed by the Nangong clan seem to be getting out of control.”
An almost world-covering figure stood on the mountain peak, looking at the distant flames, their eyes narrowed slightly.
“I originally wanted to call for help, but it seems the Nangong clan doesn’t want others to interfere. So be it.” A cold, calm female voice rang out.
A white-haired girl sat on the shoulders of the hulking figure, fiddling with some complicated devices.
“The Immortal Emperor will be here soon, aren’t you going to prepare?”
“What’s there to prepare?” The white-haired girl shrugged. “It’s just a southern tour, let him tour.”
“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” The hulking figure’s booming voice was like rumbling thunder. “I’ll do as you say, Luo Xue.”
