Chapter 243: Return to the Sea Concubine Palace
–Cangsheng Palace
With the Reclaiming War concluded, the assembled water spirit beasts dispersed.
Having been summoned by the Water Element’s aura, they weren’t affiliated with the Cangsheng Palace and now returned to their respective realms.
The Endless Swamp, the Heavy Rain Realm, the Empty Water Court, the Blood Sea Dragon Palace, even the Cold Waterfall Heavenly Gate, one of the Ten Sacred Domains – water spirit beasts from all these realms had traveled vast distances to pledge their allegiance to the mysterious Water Element.
And so, as the various water realms of the spirit world watched, something unexpected happened.
The Water Element’s original master had arrived, single-handedly defeating all the guardians and invaders, reclaiming her wayward spirit beast and taking Hong Xiaoqianyu and the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner, with her.
“???”
Anyone hearing this news would be understandably confused.
It was even said that the battle had involved the titled legendary being, the Snow Monarch…
The more powerful the realm, the greater the weight of the name “Snow Monarch.” This news had sent ripples of shock and fear through countless factions.
Compared to the Snow Monarch, both the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner, and Hong Xiaoqianyu were insignificant.
And yet, despite the Snow Monarch’s involvement, many still plotted and schemed, hoping to eliminate this threat before it grew too powerful.
After all, three legendary beings working together… If left unchecked, that woman would surely become an unstoppable monster, her power affecting dozens of war zones.
However, just then!!!
News spread that put a stop to their plans.
The area encompassing 170 realms, with the Heavy Rain Realm at its center, had been designated as the second impact zone for the Moon Calamity, temporarily classified as Disaster Zone 2.
The leader of the Six Calamities was about to awaken…
Cangsheng Palace
After the war, the First Saint Court began to rebuild. The damage wasn’t as extensive as they had feared. However, their legendary guardian, having abandoned them, was gone. They could no longer rely on its protection.
The Cangsheng Palace higher-ups, their faces grim, were likely worried about the Endless Swamp’s inevitable retaliation.
Having lost Hong Xiaoqianyu, they were like a rabbit with a broken leg, unable to fight or flee.
Strangely, the Endless Swamp remained silent, neither attacking nor gloating, but radiating an ominous, oppressive aura that both worried and confused them.
The Cangsheng Palace wasn’t privy to the news about Disaster Zone 2. Their ranking wasn’t high enough.
Their position had become even more precarious, and the Wind Realm army, having achieved nothing, returned home empty-handed.
Not only had they lost the Wind Realm Overlord, but the Six-Faced God had also defected. A double loss.
Rumors spread that some high-ranking officials in the Wind Realm were even proposing a marriage alliance with the Sorrowful Saintess, a desperate attempt at appeasement.
No one had gained anything from this reclaiming war, only suffered losses.
Except…
Gong Lianyue, the Sorrowful Saintess, returned to the Sea Region.
And she had brought back several wild Saint-ranks and two legendary beings. This news sent shockwaves throughout the Sea Region.
From Palace Masters to villagers, everyone knew. Two legendary beings were currently residing in the Sea Concubine Palace!!!
Hong Xiaoqianyu and the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner, brought back by the Sorrowful Saintess, were now openly parading through the Sea Concubine Palace!
Sea Region, Sea Concubine Palace
The Sorrowful Saintess had returned! The news spread like wildfire, and almost every member of the Sea Concubine Palace rushed out to greet her.
The coastal area of the Sea Concubine Palace was already packed with young Spirit Masters, along with countless spies and infiltrators from other factions, long before the Sorrowful Saintess even appeared.
They weren’t just here to see the Sorrowful Saintess, but also the two legendary beings.
A group of unusual spirit beasts slowly came into view.
A silver, liquid, female figure, its face a comical mask of terror, walked at the front, its eyes darting around nervously.
If it weren’t for the terrifying aura of despair radiating from it, that strange mask would make it seem like it was scared of the crowd.
Following the Six-Faced God was the beautiful swallow woman, the Libra Fighting Swallow, its black and white wings and tail feathers attracting admiring glances from the younger Spirit Masters, who then quickly blushed, ashamed of their… thoughts.
The spirit beast’s unique coloration and the angle of its feathers made it look like it was wearing a revealing black coat, its front… exposed… but a closer look revealed it was just its plumage.
Behind the Libra Fighting Swallow, a blue, water-based humanoid figure, its face a mask of sorrow, like a wronged wife, shuffled along. One might even think it had been forced into an unwanted marriage.
The Variant Water Emperor, accustomed to the pure, sweet spirit energy of the Heavy Rain Realm and the adoration of countless geniuses, had never been so humiliated.
It let out a soft whimper.
Behind it, the Water God Four Symbols, its tiger tail, bull horns, rabbit ears, and snake eyes, its expression impassive, occasionally swatted the Variant Water Emperor’s backside with its tail, urging it to move faster.
High above, unnoticed, the Watery Years drifted silently.
All Saint-ranks…
Sensing their auras, the Sea Concubine Palace members were stunned.
Such terrifying power… these were Saint-rank spirit beasts, beings said to be invincible? And so many of them, appearing one after another…
Just how many Saint-ranks had the Sorrowful Saintess brought back?!
And then, under the watchful eyes of all, the final three figures appeared.
Chapter 244: The Legendary Blade Stolen
Under the watchful eyes of the Sea Concubine Palace members, the final three members of the Sorrowful Saintess’s entourage appeared.
Hong Xiaoqianyu, the alluring flower woman in a fiery red lotus dress, her crimson hair and eyebrows accentuating her smooth, white skin.
Although she suppressed her aura, the moment she appeared, the Sea Concubine Palace Spirit Masters lost their connection to their spirit beasts, none daring to act out.
The terrifying, invisible pressure of a legendary being swept through the Sea Concubine Palace, the higher-ups, observing from the shadows, their faces grim.
No one knew why Hong Xiaoqianyu was following the Sorrowful Saintess. There had been no communication between them, just… a silent companionship.
Behind Hong Xiaoqianyu, the beautiful, young, white-haired Desireless Saintess, cradling the demonic blade in her arms, her eyes vacant, walked forward, seemingly oblivious to the crowd.
If Hong Xiaoqianyu’s presence evoked awe, then this black, shadowy blade, its curved surface etched with intricate patterns, evoked terror.
A chilling, oppressive aura, a primal dread, like a creeping shadow, their scalps tingling.
The Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner!
The true form of the once-feared Wind Realm Overlord, revealed in public.
And the white-haired girl holding it… wasn’t that the Desireless Saintess of the Winter Floating Sky? Anyone who had witnessed the Water Heart Stage Ranking Battle would recognize her.
But now, it seemed both Hong Xiaoqianyu and the Desireless Saintess, along with the Shadowlurking Blade, were following the Sorrowful Saintess.
Swish—
A black, shadowy figure flashed past.
Its speed was like a thunderclap, moving between the two legendary beings undetected.
Before the Desireless Saintess could react, the blade was gone from her arms, its weight, its presence, vanished.
The next second, a black blur slid across the ground, stopping after more than ten meters.
A black-haired cat woman with a watery tail turned, the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner, now wrapped around her tail, a smug, triumphant grin on her face.
A Saint-rank spirit beast, the Black Mansion Enchantress.
“The Nether Gate!!!”
Seeing the black cat woman, the Sea Concubine Palace members cried out in alarm, the crowd quickly backing away.
The Nether Gate, a splinter group formed by disgruntled members of the Pool of Hidden Secrets after the Nether Empress You Xinchan’s disappearance, dedicated to disrupting and sabotaging the Sea Region.
The various Sea Region factions, respecting the Pool of Hidden Secrets’ surrender, and considering the Nether Gate’s actions to be minor nuisances, hadn’t retaliated.
They hadn’t expected them to be so bold as to steal a legendary being’s weapon!
Boom!!!!
The next second, the Black Mansion Enchantress leaped into the air, a reverse-burning meteor streaking across the sky, the resulting shockwave sending the Sea Concubine Palace members tumbling, taking advantage of the chaos to escape with the Shadowlurking Blade.
The black cat woman soared through the sky, a flash of light, a triumphant grin on its face.
It hadn’t expected the Sorrowful Saintess to be so careless, her guard so low. Such an easy target!
The Black Mansion Enchantress was only a Nether Traverse Stage spirit beast, but with the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner, even Sun and Moon Realm experts would hesitate to approach before it exhausted its energy!
With the demonic blade, the Nether Gate could challenge the entire Sea Region!
Clang—
Suddenly, time seemed to freeze, the surrounding clouds blurring.
One moment, the Black Mansion Enchantress was soaring triumphantly through the sky, the next, it was standing on the ground.
It looked around in confusion, the Sea Concubine Palace members’ shocked cries echoing, its mind reeling.
The Shadowlurking Blade was still wrapped around its tail. What was going on?
Had it been teleported? Or had time reversed?
Whose power was this…?
Thud!
A soft footstep, and the cat woman froze, her eyes widening in terror as she turned around.
A woman with blue hair and white clothes stood behind her, her face adorned with striking makeup, her beauty breathtaking.
Downcast eyes, teardrop markings, hair like flowing water… this woman… was undoubtedly the Sorrowful Saintess!
But her aura and appearance were completely different from the one they had seen during the Ranking Battle, a transformation that radiated an almost overwhelming pressure.
After staring at the Sorrowful Saintess’s cold, indifferent, teary face for a few seconds, the Black Mansion Enchantress’s face began to twitch.
This woman… wasn’t even looking at it!
It had caused such chaos during her grand return, even stealing the Shadowlurking Blade, Night’s Executioner. She should be furious.
But her expression was one of casual disdain, as if it were about to walk right past it.
As if certain it couldn’t escape the Sea Concubine Palace’s territory…
Boom!!!!
The next second, a terrifying aura converged on the Shadowlurking Blade, the ground shaking for several kilometers around the Sea Concubine Palace.
The Black Mansion Enchantress, the blade still wrapped around its tail, swung, a crescent moon slash, its spirit energy rapidly depleting, a crazed grin on its face.
“Hahaha, incredible! My spirit energy is instantly drained! Such power!”
“I can even destroy the entire Sea Concubine Palace with a single strike now!!”
A shadowy aura, expanding rapidly, caused the Sea Concubine Palace members to scream and flee, but Gong Lianyue, her expression unchanged, simply walked forward.
Seeing this, the enraged Black Mansion Enchantress’s fur stood on end, and it lashed out with its tail, a shadowy slash aimed at the blue-haired girl.
Darkness erupted, despair spread.
