Southeastern Outer Mountains – Ruins of the Ancient Insect Hall.
Mists curled thickly about the mountains, jagged boulders jutted like shattered blades, and oppressive clouds loomed low across the heavens. Amid the ruins of the shattered stone temple, bones lay strewn in disarray, blood still fresh upon the rocks. An eerie chorus of insect chirps echoed like the wails of ten thousand souls, lingering faintly in the ears.
This place, once a forbidden ground of insect cultivation abandoned a thousand years prior by the Star Veil Sect, teemed with feral insect energies. Its spiritual veins ran chaotically, rendering the place fatal to mortals. Yet today, it was here that Wan Xiaochuan, Lin Qixian, Renee, and Jiang Lingshan had chosen to confront their foe. They relied not on safe ground, but on their own mastery—of Wind and Thunder Sword Arts, the arcane path of insect refinement, and the indomitable Golden Body Technique—all resonating deeply with the chaos of this cursed terrain.
Wan Xiaochuan sat cross-legged atop a broken slab of stone, beads of cold sweat dotting his brow. A dull ache throbbed within his arm bones—residual poison from his clash days ago with Sha Zhengxin, where he had suffered a strike from the Underworld Flame Finger. Today, he forcibly suppressed the venom with the third-tier body-forging essence of the Diamond Body True Art, barely keeping his vitality in check.
A faint golden-bronze hue shimmered across his skin, and within his chest flickered the shadow of six phantom arms—the nascent form of his Sixfold Mystic Vision. Unstable still, it hindered him from unleashing his full might.
Beside him sat Jiang Lingshan, the Frostfeather Spirit Sword resting across her knees. Her breath was faint but cold as deep winter. Her divine sense pulsed intermittently, the aftereffect of forcibly invoking the second stance of her Nine Forms of Frostfeather—imprint less Frozen Frost. She opened her eyes slightly, gaze soft yet tinged with worry as she looked upon Wan Xiaochuan.
"Xiaochuan... your aura is wavering. Do not force yourself too far," she whispered.
Wan Xiaochuan opened his eyes, voice resolute. "If we do not fight here with all we have, there will be no turning point. If we retreat now, the Star Veil Sect shall have no future."
Not far off, Renee leaned against a dead vine-wrapped pillar. The twin blades of wind and thunder rested silently beside her, faint arcs of electricity dancing slowly along their hilts. Her eyes were closed, mind focused inward. Sword qi surged and clashed within her, as she strove to fuse the sixth stance of her Twin Dances of Wind and Thunder—Storming Shadows and Lightning Veil—with the illusionary formation of the Phantom Blade Array, aiming to create a sword illusion that could disorient and divide the enemy's mind and soul.
"Hmph... If I'd known this forbidden ground would lead to such a battle, I should've sown more Wind-Thunder Seeds in my blade spirit beforehand... What a waste..." she murmured, eyes flickering with strange light as she cracked them open.
On the high platform stood Lin Qixian, the Danxia Flame Coffer rotating slowly in his palm. Firelight rippled within like the rising sun. His gaze was deep, spiritual sense delving into the coffer, where two insect shadows twined and merged—Qing Li and Qing Ren—locked in a devouring fusion, striving to break through the fifth-tier limit.
"Just one more step... and the King Form will be born. If this battle can trigger the array's intricacies, perhaps I can use the moment to ascend," he murmured to himself. Forming a hand seal, embers like crimson flowers bloomed faintly upon his skin.
Suddenly—
The air turned frigid. Spiritual energy stilled.
From the void emerged countless dark shadows—an endless swarm of poisonous butterflies descending like a curtain of silent death, gray mist bleeding across the sky. All looked up. A figure strode from illusion into reality.
A woman clads in flowing violet silk robes. Stunning in appearance, her eyes glinted like those of a serpent, her lips curled in a chilling smile. A single black-winged butterfly circled her finger.
"Vanessa... descendant of the Insect Cult, controller of the Seventh-Tier Insect Sovereign," Lin Qixian said lowly, voice heavy.
The woman laughed softly. "You little Foundation Realm gnats... dare stand in my way? I once erased an entire sect in the time it takes to finish a cup of tea. Today, you shall serve merely as testing mediums for my new breeds."
At her final word, the void split open.
Countless black-winged butterflies surged downward, their wings trembling with cries like mourning and lament. Venomous mist rolled like a flood, suffocating all before it.
"Soul-Devouring Abyssal Butterflies..." Jiang Lingshan whispered in dread. "An ancient forbidden species—they feast on divine sense and living souls alike!"
Wan Xiaochuan roared and drew his sword. storm break of Thunder and Wind! Lightning and gale twisted into serpentine arcs, sweeping aside a swath of the venomous swarm.
Lin Qixian changed his seals, and from the Flame Coffer burst streams of alchemical fire, transforming into a host of flame-wrought insects that clashed head-on with the butterflies.
Yet within ten breaths, the flame insects were consumed. The toxic swarm surged forward.
"Lingshan! Renee! Form the defense!" Wan Xiaochuan barked.
Renee's twin blades flashed, a dance of thunder and wind splitting three waves of the butterfly swarm. Jiang Lingshan activated Mirror Frost Reflection, sword aura of icy frost coalescing around her, repelling the venom mist.
"Prolonging this... is defeat!" Lin Qixian shouted grimly. "Xiaochuan! Can Qing Li fight?!"
Wan Xiaochuan clenched his teeth, flicked his wrist, and a streak of blue-golden light burst from his sleeve, exploding into millions of green locusts wreathed in lightning, wind howling from their wings.
"Qing Li—form up!"
Lin Qixian too formed a hand seal. "Qing Ren—Insect King's Shadow!"
The twin spirit insects erupted into twin tidal forces—lightning and flame cascading as they crashed into the venomous tide like an ancient battlefield reborn.
Within the insect war, Qing Li led its swarm in Wind-Thunder War Array, shifting nine columns through eighteen variations to manifest the formation: Soul-Cleaving Wind-Thunder Array. Qing Ren conjured the Seven Rings of Alchemical Flame, entombing the enemy within fire.
Vanessa sneered, stroking the butterfly at her fingertip. She suddenly chanted in a forgotten tongue.
"Born of shadow... dance, O wretched swarm... Nightmare Butterfly Sovereign, awaken!"
The myriad butterflies suddenly converged, transforming into a three-hundred feet-long pitch-black Butterfly King. Its wings unfurled wide, blood-red patterns twisting into wrathful human-like faces; as it spread its wings, a tremor passed through ten thousand insects.
Vanessa's figure twisted and mutated like a monstrous insect, her carapace bursting apart to reveal blood-soaked flesh. Each of her lashes carried a shockwave forceful enough to fracture bone. With a furious roar, she struck out—black insect threads whipped like venomous snakes, wrapping around Jiang Lingshan's legs and nearly toppling her to the ground.
Jiang Lingshan grit her teeth through the searing pain, right hand clutching her Frostfeather Spirit Sword as she struggled to sever the threads. The icy sword energy, tinged with blood, managed to slice through part of them, but the pain that pierced her skin was like blades shredding her lungs and heart. She braced herself, barely managing to stay upright, though the qi within her churned violently—her spirit was wounded, her thoughts in disarray.
At that moment, Wan Xiaochuan was already soaked in blood, the agony of multiple fractures in his right arm burning like fire. Sweat mixed with blood dripped from his forehead. He forced his qi into motion, activating the Wind and Thunder True Art. His sword became a storm in hand, slicing through poisonous insect spikes with gusting wind and roaring thunder. Bolts of lightning and wind blades struck Vanessa's insect armor one after another.
But Vanessa moved with deadly speed. Darting and flickering, she repeatedly used insect-shadow stealth to force Wan Xiaochuan into danger. The stinger in her palm lashed out like a serpent, slicing through the air and driving deep into his shoulder. Hot blood gushed forth; the agony of flesh tearing from bone nearly made him lose consciousness.
Renee gripped her Wind-Thunder Twin Blades tightly, her movements alternating between sudden bursts and ghostlike shifts. She poured her strength into creating sword mirages of wind and thunder to disrupt Vanessa's senses. Yet her opponent's insect-spirit consciousness was overwhelming, the shifting insect array constantly dispersing her sword aura attacks.
Suddenly, an invisible venomous insect sank its fangs into Renee's left arm. Pus and blood oozed from the wound as the toxin spread rapidly. Her body convulsed in pain, yet she stubbornly pressed on with her swordplay, eyes bloodshot.
Lin Qixian's gaze was grave. His Danxia Flame Box spewed fire repeatedly, scorching the surrounding insect spirits. Flames collided violently with the insect tide, sparks and thick smoke filling the air. A stinger, hard as steel, pierced through his right arm, blood gushing from the wound. He endured the pain, intensifying the Danfire's blaze, determined to burn away Vanessa's insect formation.
Vanessa let out a bone-chilling laugh. Amid the insect swarm's ripples, a massive egg behind her split open, releasing dozens of poisonous larvae that lunged at the four of them. Though small, each larva carried a deadly toxin, and every bite brought searing pain and blood poisoning.
The four shouted to one another, fighting to suppress the larval onslaught. Gritting his teeth, Wan Xiaochuan channeled all his power into a single slash, cutting down a wave of larvae—his blade stained with blood. Jiang Lingshan's grip tightened on her sword; cold air froze the surrounding space, killing many larvae in an instant. But poison had already seeped into her veins, turning her skin a sickly blue-purple.
Renee staggered, pale and breathless as toxins coursed through her, but she continued her deadly sword dance, slaying wave after wave of venomous insects.
Lin Qixian unleashed a Danfire explosion, reducing swarms to ash. Yet the worsening wound in his right arm turned his complexion deathly pale.
— Clash Ignites: Qingli vs. Underworld Butterfly —
Wan Xiaochuan rose from his seated posture, his cloak billowing in the wind. The thunder-silver, dark-cyan sword was already resting in his palm. Three feet and seven inches long, the blade was etched with wind and lightning sigils that surged and raced across it. Twin sword chimes on either side jingled non-stop, as if sensing the imminent killing intent. The sword trembled, threads of wind-thunder qi snaking along its spine like coiled dragons and serpents, emitting a deep rumble.
His brows knit tightly. A metallic tang rose in his throat—he couldn't suppress a low cough, and blood seeped from the corner of his lips.
"Xiaochuan, the demonic energy in your body hasn't fully dispersed… don't push yourself." Jiang Lingshan flew to his side, eyes full of worry, her robes fluttering like frost-touched moon feathers. She wore a silver-blue robe embroidered with frost and moon patterns, an icy-crane jade pendant at her waist. The Frostfeather Spirit Sword lay across her fingers, its blade resonating with a crystalline chime like a celestial chill, cold enough to pierce the soul.
"It's fine… I can still hold on," Wan Xiaochuan said with a bitter smile, though his eyes were sharp as blades. "The four of us—none can retreat."
"Such noble words," came a cold, elegant voice from above the stone dais. Vanessa, clad in a flowing violet robe embroidered with silver butterflies, moved her sleeves with a flick. Her tone was laced with madness. "For mere half-blood ants, you do have a bit of spine."
Though her appearance was graceful, her aura was chilling. Her dress shimmered with the sheen of Heavenly Silk; its hem woven with the silk of a hundred venomous insects. A soft breeze stirred it, giving it a life of its own. Her dark violet eyes gleamed under a sigil-like mark between her brows: a reverse butterfly crest that shimmered like a dream—and froze the heart.
Around her fluttered a dozen strange butterflies, each the length of a grown man's arm. Their wings gleamed with a blue-black sheen, bladed like knives, their abdomens tipped with venomous spikes.
Wan Xiaochuan said nothing. With a flick of his hand, the Wind-Thunder Sword surged with lightning. A slash of Thunderwind Rift Cutter split the air, slicing three attacking soul-butterflies in half. Their black blood sprayed like ink.
Spotting another butterfly streaking toward Jiang Lingshan from the side, he darted across her flank, intercepting the strike. His blade shattered the insect's wings, but the impact rocked his chest, churning his blood.
"Xiaochuan!" Jiang Lingshan's eyes narrowed, frosty mist rising from her blade. With a sweeping arc of her Frostfeather Spirit Sword, she unleashed "Feather Moonlight Arc", sending a whirling blizzard of icy feathers to seal the breach.
Standing at his side, her voice was cold as the night: "Don't be reckless. Those butterfly blades carry soul-gnawing venom. Even a graze can pierce your mind."
He nodded, but his gaze had already locked onto Vanessa, who hovered midair like a cruel queen. "She's trying to wear us down with her soul-insects. Once our spirits are weakened, she'll strike and capture us."
"Exactly." A calm voice responded. Renee smiled faintly. Before her words finished, she spread her hands—her Twin Wind-Thunder Swords flaring into dozens of mirrored afterimages. The swords spun in a whirlwind, forming a "Storm Mirage Array" that blasted open the eastern encirclement.
"Fall back half a step. I'll take the left flank!"
With that, she dashed into the swarm like a streak of lightning. Her twin blades danced, wind and thunder roaring with every slash. Each sword arc cleaved wind, every spin burst with thunder. She moved like a war dancer in a storm, fearless and unyielding.
"She's overexerting again…" Jiang Lingshan muttered, but now wasn't the time to scold. She silently focused her breath, preparing the next strike.
Meanwhile, Lin Qixian sat cross-legged beside the Flame Coffer, eyes closed, murmuring a fire incantation under his breath.
"Refine… Alchemic Flame: Soulform Detonation—Flame Spirit, arise!"
Boom!
A surge of crimson fire burst from the coffer, coalescing into a massive flame warrior over ten feet tall. Its arms were twin flame-hammers, a six-point alchemy formation glowing on its chest, blazing with internal power.
"Guard the southeast! Clear the field!"
With a roar, the fire spirit smashed into the swarm, its hammers obliterating butterflies. Flames spread across the stone steps, purging the poisonous purple mist in a wave of heat.
"Xiaochuan! Now!"
Wan Xiaochuan got the signal. He bit his fingertip, a drop of golden blood falling onto the sword's tip. The blade pulsed, golden thunder exploding from it.
"Unity of Wind and Thunder—World-Shattering Slash!"
"With my Vajra blood, I shatter your vile domain!"
He roared, the storm within him erupting. Wind howled; thunder cracked. The ancient Insect Hall twisted in light, lightning streaked like dragons, ascending into the sky.
Vanessa's expression darkened. She waved her sleeve, summoning her butterflies back while retreating a hundred yards.
How amusing… then witness the true swarm—
Soul-Devouring Plague!"
She clenched her hand. The void behind her exploded. A colossal insect, like a mountain of flesh, writhed into view. Its countless eyes opened in unison, oozing violet-black ichor.
The ground shook. From the cracks of the ancient hall poured forth thousands upon thousands of ghost bugs, soul-maggots, bone-spined silkworms, and spectral fire mantises—an apocalyptic insect tide.
"Hold formation!" Wan Xiaochuan shouted. "Close ranks!"
"Qing Li! Swarm Formation—Cyclonic Devouring!"
In a flash, a million spirit locusts rallied, swirling together into a sky-spanning vortex. The air thundered with slicing wind and crackling lightning, the storm crashing into the tide of darkness—
(To be continued…)
Wan Xiaochuan's figure shot upward like a bolt, leaping into the high air, whereupon he unleashed the Wind-Thunder Sword in a rapid three-strike sequence—"Wind Weaving Thunder Cage"!
His arms swung with fierce precision, summoning a dozen wind blades that intertwined like rings and nets, interlaced with crackling thunderlight to form a dense, inescapable barrier spanning five hundred feet ahead. In an instant, this storm of wind and lightning ensnared and shredded dozens of the spectral Devouring Nether Butterflies. Black-purple ichor rained down from above, corroding the earth into pits inches deep.
"She commands these Nether Butterflies with consciousness; they evade mere sharp edges!" Jiang Lingshan's voice cut coldly through the air, her sword slicing out the third form of the "Frost Feather Seven Moves"— "Misty Cold Soul Strangle."
Swordlight poured like a silver waterfall, swiftly forming triple overlapping shadows before her, frost crystals hovering midair. The approaching swarm of over ten Nether Butterflies was instantly frozen into icy statues, shattering upon impact. Yet a sinister wisp of purple energy still leaked from the broken corpses, racing toward her dantian!
Her expression flickered; she retreated three rapid steps, swiftly sealing her qi sea with icy spiritual energy, shouting, "Beware! That purple mist has soul-seizing power!"
Renee's sharp retort cut in: "I'll block it!" Like a streak of verdant lightning, her figure darted through the three, twin swords weaving a dance of wind and thunder that sent out rippling waves of repulsion, scattering the encroaching purple mist.
"Devouring Insects of Soul... so your aim is to seize our divine souls to forge your own spiritual insect throne!" Lin Qixian's voice grew cold and furious.
Vanessa laughed softly, her jade-like fingers curling lightly.
"Exactly. If you perish, Qingli returns to my master. The Devouring Insect Soul Array can once again walk the world!"
Before her words faded, the purple mist twisted again—above, the "Devouring Nether Butterfly Queen" suddenly opened her mouth, spitting a spectral purple soul light directly at Lin Qixian!
"Watch out!" Wan Xiaochuan roared, instantly intercepting before Lin, his palms exploding forth with the "Adamantine Iron Arms"!
The thunderous strike met the purple soul light with a booming clash; the entire altar suddenly caved inward by half a chi. At the collision point of bronze-like force and soul energy, a ripple akin to a bell wave burst forth, sending over a hundred spiritual locusts flying and forcing back the spectral attack.
Cracks appeared inch by inch across Wan Xiaochuan's forearms, blood mixed with thunderlight streaming down. Gritting his teeth, he bellowed, sealing his meridians with true qi: "This woman… dares to break my true body with divine soul—truly ruthless."
"We cannot hold any longer!" Lin Qixian's eyes darkened as he formed hand seals, shouting, "Qingli, open—Insect Array: Five Souls Devouring!"
Suddenly, the Vermilion Flame Spirit Box exploded, a burning sun hung suspended above, tens of thousands of spiritual locusts bursting into multicolored soul insects, circling the four corners of the altar.
Speed of the Wind Insect Lord, power of the Thunder Insect Lord, poison of the Venom Insect Lord, control of the Illusion Insect Lord, and death from the Explosion Insect Lord!
Five insect streams merged, weaving into a spiraling thunder pillar that surged violently toward the Queen in midair.
"Do you think that can break my array?" Vanessa's lips curled slightly. With a palm pressed into the void, the previously shattered butterfly wings reformed, larger than before, their purple patterns flickering like whispered spirits.
"Buzz buzz—!"
Accompanied by the crack of the heavens, a giant insect covered in black markings and purple flames erupted from underground, ten hundred feet in length—the "Devouring Nether Emperor"—her prime soul-refining insect king!
Upon its appearance, all the myriad insects screamed and trembled; even Qingli's swarm showed signs of retreat.
Renee's face changed: "No good, it actually suppresses Qingli's spirits!"
"To break its kingly might, only by joining swords with Xiaochuan—" She darted to Wan Xiaochuan's side, whispering, "Receive my true qi!"
Wan Xiaochuan nodded. Their palms clasped, the Wind-Thunder Mother and Child Swords and the Wind-Thunder Sword ringing out as their energies merged. Surging true qi between the two caused a continuous roar of wind and thunder in the air.
"Wind and Thunder, unified—World-Destruction Style!"
At the intersection of their blades, heaven and earth seemed to lose hue and sound; a sword qi woven of purple-gold wind and thunder shot straight at the Nether Emperor. The air shattered along its path, and the altar crumbled inch by inch!
The Nether Emperor roared furiously, glowing spectral light erupting as it spat out a protective shield of ten thousand butterflies. One by one, they shattered beneath the sword qi until—
"BOOM—!!!"
Thunder light exploded; the entire altar was blasted into a deep crater, dust and firestorm mixed, purple qi broken, soul power collapsing!
Vanessa's figure swayed in the smoke, blood dripping from her lips, yet she sneered coldly: "You... are still one step short."
Her robes suddenly billowed, shattering her prime soul imprint and detonating all remaining Nether Butterflies in midair!
Wan Xiaochuan's face twisted: "No—she's going for mutual destruction!"
Lin Qixian shouted: "Seal the defense spirit array—quick!"
Jiang Lingshan wasted no words, spreading her Frost Feather Sword, swiftly condensing a wall of ice with biting chill. Renee spun her child sword, stirring ten thousand wind shields, while Wan Xiaochuan braced frontally with the "Adamantine True Body Technique"!
The Nether Butterflies exploded like a million stars scattering, shaking the outer mountain as earth and sky trembled—
Wan Xiaochuan's expression unchanged, hands forming seals as sword qi burst forth in the "Wind-Thunder Weaving Net" technique, the third ultimate move suddenly unleashed.
His long sword darted, wind swift as silk, thunder sharp as threads, weaving a silver-blue thunder net to block a wave of butterfly blades. In a flash of lightning, he shifted to Jiang Lingshan's side, slicing with his sword to shield her from a torrent of violet light.
"Lingshan, fall back and focus on setting the Cold Moon Array!"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Jiang Lingshan's eyes, but she bowed her head slightly, silver sword sweeping as frost petals drifted. She retreated to the southeast corner, palms forming seals, frost spreading beneath her feet.
"With the moon as heart, frost as blade, condense—'Frost Blossom Shadow-Gathering Array'!"
A circle of ice crystals like a cold moon appeared on the ground, sword shadows like feathers multiplied into nine layers, halting dozens of Devouring Nether Butterflies outside, their wings frozen solid.
Renee snorted coldly; the Wind-Thunder Mother and Child Swords flew together, two sword lights darting like swallows through the forest, sword momentum shifting into the fourth form: "Swift Wind Thunder Dance!"
She soared like a swallow, flashing lightning, leaving multiple afterimages as she sliced through the butterfly swarm. Each strike echoed with bursts of wind and thunder, shattering several Nether Butterflies on impact.
"Brother Lin, empower with your Dan Soul—fight alongside me!"
Wan Xiaochuan shouted, rushing to Lin Qixian's side, standing back to back.
Lin Qixian's face was already aflame with burning qi as the Vermilion Flame Spirit Box suddenly burst open: "Six-Hole Dan Bomb—Activate!"
The fire spirit pills inside ignited instantly, six blazing wheels shooting from the box's holes like suns devouring the void. They intertwined with the thunder insects controlled by Qingli, forming a swirling vortex of wind, fire, and thunder!
"Xiaochuan, lend me your wind and thunder true qi to guide—
Wan Xiaochuan's figure darted swiftly upward, leaping into the high air, executing three consecutive strikes of the Wind-Thunder Sword Technique — "Wind Weaves Thunder Cage"!
His arms swung with rapid motion, dozens of wind blades swirling like rings and nets, woven tightly with flashes of lightning, instantly sealing off a five-hundred feet space directly ahead. Dozens of dark-devouring ghost butterflies were shredded in one sweep. Black-purple ichor dripped from the sky, instantly corroding the ground into pits an inch deep.
"They have spirit awareness; they dodge the sharp edges!" Jiang Lingshan's voice was cold as she swung her sword, releasing the third form of her "Frost Feather Seven Forms" — "Misty Cold Soul Twist."
Sword light poured like a moonlit waterfall, instantly forming three overlapping shadows before her. Frost crystals floated midair, freezing more than ten incoming ghost butterflies into ice sculptures, which shattered on the ground. Yet an eerie purple mist still escaped from the shattered corpses, attempting to infiltrate her dantian!
Her expression shifted slightly as she retreated three steps in quick succession, swiftly sealing her qi sea with ice spirit energy, shouting, "Be careful! That purple mist steals souls!"
Renee sharply called out, "I'll block it!" Her figure blurred like a streak of green lightning darting among the three, twin swords dancing, wind and thunder clashing, radiating shockwaves that pushed back the advancing purple mist.
"Devouring Myriad Souls... So you want to steal our divine souls to forge your spirit insect throne!" Lin Qixian growled coldly.
Vanessa laughed lightly, her jade-like finger gently flicking.
"Indeed, if you die, Qingli will return to me. The Devouring Myriad Souls Array can then reemerge in the world!"
Before her words ended, the purple mist in midair shifted again — the "Dark-Devouring Ghost Butterfly Queen" suddenly opened its mouth, spitting a strand of ghostly purple soul light, directly striking at Lin Qixian!
"Watch out!" Wan Xiaochuan shouted, instantly blocking it before Lin, both palms bursting forth with "Vajra Iron Arm"!
A thunderous strike met the purple soul light, causing a roaring explosion as the sacrificial platform suddenly dented half a chi. The mingling of bronzed force and soul energy unleashed shockwaves like the tolling of a great bell, tossing over a hundred spirit locusts into the air and forcing back the ghostly spirit.
Cracks spread inch by inch across the skin on Wan Xiaochuan's arm, blood mixed with lightning flowing down. Gritting his teeth, he roared, forcibly gathering true qi to seal his meridians, coldly saying, "This woman... dares to break my true body with soul force — ruthless indeed."
"We can't just defend anymore!" Lin Qixian's gaze darkened, hands forming seals as he shouted, "Qingli, open — Insect Array: Five Souls Devour Doom!"
The Crimson Flame Spirit Box suddenly exploded open, a blazing sun of flames hanging in the air. Tens of thousands of spirit locusts burst simultaneously, transforming into five-colored soul insects, swirling at the four corners of the platform.
The five Insect Lords: Wind lord swiftness, Thunder lord strike, Poison lord disruption, Illusion lord control, Explosion lord killing!
The five insect streams merged into one, weaving a spiraling thunder pillar that violently surged towards the queen in midair.
"You think that can break the array?" Vanessa's lips curled slightly as she pressed her palm against the void. The previously dispersed butterfly wings reformed, larger than before, purple patterns flickering like living whispers.
"Buzz buzz buzz—!"
With a sound like the sky cracking, a giant insect covered in black patterns and purple flames erupted from underground, ten hundred feet long — the "Dark-Devouring Ghost Emperor," her true soul-forging insect king!
Its appearance caused all myriad insects to howl and tremble simultaneously, even Qingli's swarm showing signs of retreat.
Renee's face changed: "Not good, it can suppress Qingli's swarm!"
"To break its king's might, it must be our dual sword strike —" she darted to Wan Xiaochuan's side, whispering softly, "Receive my true qi!"
Wan Xiaochuan nodded. Their palms locked together, the Wind-Thunder Twin Swords and Wind-Thunder Sword rang out in unison, their energies merged, stirring howling winds and crackling thunder in the air.
"Wind and Thunder United — Realm Annihilation Form!"
Where their swords met, the heavens and earth lost color and sound. A streak of purple-gold wind and thunder sword qi shot directly at the Ghost Emperor, the air along its path cracking explosively, the platform crumbling inch by inch!
The Ghost Emperor roared fiercely, ghostly light flaring, opening its mouth to spew a shield of tens of thousands of butterflies. Yet the sword qi shattered them one by one, until finally—
"BOOM!!!"
Thunder radiance exploded, the entire platform blasted into a deep crater, dust flying, fire and lightning mingled, purple qi flickering and soul power collapsing!
Vanessa's figure swayed in the smoke, blood spilling from her lips, yet she still sneered coldly, "You... are still one step short."
Her robe suddenly fluttered violently. She shattered her own soul mark, detonating all remaining ghost butterflies in midair!
Wan Xiaochuan's face darkened sharply: "No — she wants to perish together!"
Lin Qixian roared, "Form the defensive spirit array — quickly!"
Jiang Lingshan spoke no more, frost feathers spread wide, quickly condensing an ice shield wall. Renee's twin swords spun rapidly, raising ten thousand wind shields. Wan Xiaochuan steadfastly endured the frontal assault with his "Vajra True Body Technique"!
The myriad butterflies exploded like millions of shattered stars, the entire outer mountain trembling violently—
Wan Xiaochuan's expression unchanged, hands forming seals, Wind-Thunder Sword qi burst forth with "Wind-Thunder Weaving Net!" releasing the third supreme technique.
His long sword streaked rapidly, wind like silk and thunder like threads interwoven, forming a silver-blue thunder net, blocking the wave of butterfly blades ahead. Lightning crackled as he swiftly sidestepped, sweeping before Jiang Lingshan, his sword slashing to shield her from a waterfall of purple light.
"Lingshan, retreat and focus on setting the Frost Moon Array!"
A flicker of hesitation crossed Jiang Lingshan's eyes, but she bowed her head slightly, silver sword sweeping, ice petals scattering as she withdrew to the southeast corner. Palms formed seals, frost spreading beneath her feet.
"Using the moon as heart, frost as blade, condense—'Frost Splendor Concealing Shadow Array'!"
A circle of ice crystal spiritual array, like a cold moon, appeared on the ground. Sword shadows fluttered like feathers, forming nine overlapping shadows, blocking dozens of ghost-devouring butterflies outside, freezing their wings.
Renee snorted coldly. The Wind-Thunder Twin Swords flew in tandem, sword lights like swallows threading through woods, sword momentum shifting sharply into the fourth form: "Swift Wind Thunder Dance!"
Like a swift swallow flying through thunder, she created multiple afterimages, slashing through the butterfly swarm. Each sword stroke was accompanied by booming wind and thunder, several ghost butterflies shattered on the spot.
"Brother Lin, with your Dan soul support, fight alongside me!"
Wan Xiaochuan shouted, rushing to Lin Qixian's side, standing back to back.
poison had already seeped into her veins, turning her skin a sickly blue-purple.
blazed with red flame energy. The Crimson Flame Spirit Box suddenly exploded, "Six-Hole Dan Bomb — activate!"
Fiery spirit pills within the box ignited instantly, six fiery wheels shot out from the box's holes like blazing suns devouring the sky, intertwining with the thunder insects controlled by Qingli, forming a whirlpool of wind, fire, and thunder arrays!
"Xiaochuan, lend me some Wind-Thunder true qi to lead —"
"Alright!" Wan Xiaochuan pressed his left palm against Lin Qixian's back, sending wind and thunder true qi to flow backward, resonating with the fire spirit inside his body.
"Three Qi Formation Ring, Dan Soul Shaping — 'Exploding Spirit Transformation: Flame Insect God General!'"
With a roar, Qingli transformed from a spiritual swarm into a giant spirit insect statue about ten feet tall, its entire body fused with wind, thunder, and red flames. Six wings fluttered, insect blades rained like knives behind, and its arms morphed into a sharp wind axe and a thunder-fire shield!
"Kill!"
"Screech—!"
"Rumble—!"
A direct clash: the Flame Insect God General smashed through the butterfly formation with its fiery shield, and its thunder axe spun, shattering more than a dozen dark butterflies!
Vanessa's eyes flashed with surprise, her lips curling into a colder sneer, "Not bad... but still not enough!"
She spread her hands wide; purple energy surged, and above her head appeared a moon inscribed with demonic runes. A complete phantom of the "Soul Devouring Insect Emperor" manifested, nine pairs of illusionary wings unfurled, shaking the space itself!
Wan Xiaochuan's face changed drastically, "No good, she's summoning her soulbound insect!"
"Lingshan, immediately activate the formation, freeze the spiritual veins!"
Jiang Lingshan's fingers flew as nine points of the Cold Moon Formation lit up simultaneously, frost piercing the earth veins in an attempt to sever Vanessa's spiritual resonance with the land. But she only sneered coldly, releasing a purple crystal beetle from her sleeve that absorbed the frost energy and reversed it into nether soul power.
"Her insect evolution path... actually devours spirits to retaliate?" Lin Qixian frowned deeply.
"She's feeding the nether butterflies with our attacks..."
Renee gritted her teeth, "This battle can't drag on. I'll break the formation!"
Before she finished, she suddenly raised her sword qi, crossing her twin swords before her chest, and shouted—
"Wind and Thunder Dual Dance, Ninth Form—'Phantom Nine Absolutes!'"
Nine afterimages of wind and thunder slashed out simultaneously; the sword qi danced like butterflies in overlapping shadows, each strike bypassing enemy blades to target the core spirit formation!
An explosion echoed from within the formation; the spirit butterflies behind Vanessa trembled, their purple glow dimming!
"Seize the chance, Xiaochuan!"
Wan Xiaochuan's pupils contracted; his dantian's qi whirl spun at the limit. Thunder patterns appeared on his forehead again, wind and thunder exploded around him. He surged into the air, the wind-thunder sword suspended in his palm, golden thunder and azure wind merging as one!
"Eighth Form—Wind and Thunder Return to One: World Annihilation Strike!"
His sword momentum descended like a thunder waterfall, piercing the purple moon. The void cracked suddenly; a sonic boom roared like fury!
Vanessa's expression shifted suddenly; she shouted angrily: "Nether Soul Feather Transformation—Blood Sacrifice Protective Shell!"
Purple butterflies surged like a tide, forming a blood-purple cocoon armor around her body. But the thunder-wind slash had already pierced it; cracks appeared on the purple cocoon!
"Not over yet!"
The Flame Insect God General roared simultaneously, a fist resonating with thunder and fire struck Vanessa's abdomen fiercely; dan qi exploded!
"Boom—!"
A massive shockwave shattered the purple light midair. Vanessa fell like a broken butterfly, spitting a mouthful of dark insect blood, barely holding onto a thread of soul power but was still doomed to die, dissipating into the mist...
The battlefield fell silent for several breaths.
The setting sun dyed the blood-soaked scene, rocks shattered, the ground was covered with scorch marks and broken butterfly wings. Most of Qingli's spiritual swarm was also routed, their phantoms fading, and the flame patterns in the Danxia Flame Box dimmed.
Wan Xiaochuan panted heavily, sword tip plunged into the ground, left hand supporting his knee, forcing himself to stand.
Jiang Lingshan approached, placing both palms on his back, ice spirit qi pouring in like a spring, "Stabilize the Qi Sea first, then repair the spiritual veins... don't push yourself."
Renee's breath remained steady, she sheathed the paired swords, a slight smile at her lips: "Hmph, finally didn't let you stinky men die in vain."
Lin Qixian wiped sweat from his brow, sitting cross-legged: "Cough... that woman really was tough..."
Wan Xiaochuan nodded, his gaze deepening.
"We need to immediately set defenses and find out who exactly... is plotting behind this battle..."