362: Each has their own destiny

After finishing all of this, Zhou Xiutong looked into the distance.

She saw a blue figure shakily getting up and bowing towards Zhou Xiutong's direction.

Wan Tianming's heart was a mix of shock and bitterness.

He had intended to use the time the two were fighting to recover from his injuries.

Then, depending on the situation, he would decide whether to help or escape.

However, not long after this thought emerged, he was accidentally injured by the aftermath of their battle.

This caused his already severe injuries to worsen.

The fact that he could still stand up at this point showed his extraordinary strength and deep foundation.

Looking at the calmly standing purple figure, Wan Tianming felt an indescribable disbelief.

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for saving me!"

Wan Tianming suppressed the shock in his heart and thanked her sincerely.

However, his heart was in turmoil, filled with unease.

After all, with the strength of that purple figure, even if he hadn't been injured, he might not have been her match.

If she harbored ill intentions towards him, he would truly have just escaped the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's mouth.

"There's no need for that, Fellow Daoist."

Zhou Xiutong had no intention of taking advantage of the situation.

She nodded, preparing to turn and leave.

"Fellow Daoist, this is a small token of my appreciation; please accept it."

Wan Tianming quickly called out, passing a jade plate towards Zhou Xiutong.

Zhou Xiutong paused, reaching out to grasp the jade plate.

"Prison Mountain Seal..."

A piece of information flowed from the jade plate into Zhou Xiutong's mind.

"This is the first move used by the Chongyi Venerable's phantom on the fourth floor..."

Zhou Xiutong's eyes lit up.

"Fourth-tier..."

Seeing the end, Zhou Xiutong murmured in her heart.

"Then I thank you, Fellow Daoist."

Zhou Xiutong did not decline, taking the jade plate and putting it into her Storage Pouch.

Seeing Zhou Xiutong accept it, Wan Tianming's heart relaxed, though he also felt a bit regretful.

But at least he was safe.

"Fellow Daoist, be careful of the Demon God Hall Cultivators..."

Wan Tianming called out to the departing Zhou Xiutong, then also turned and left, preparing to recover from his injuries before seeking further Opportunity.

In the distance, Zhou Xiutong nodded.

Having just killed a Demon God Hall Disciple, she would naturally be more careful... In the Xutuo Ancient Realm, Water Domain, on a tumultuous sea dotted with stars of varying sizes, a rather young figure dodged towering waves, staying suspended in the air.

Three long swords of different colors and styles encircled the young figure, emanating a faint might, dispelling the Yao Beasts of the sea from the abyss below, who coveted everything.

Zhou Leren furrowed his brow, his Divine Sense probing the bottomless tumultuous sea below.

The light blue three-foot-long peiyu sword around him trembled slightly, as if joyful.

"Below, then..."

Zhou Leren pondered for a moment.

He pointed his right hand, and the Vermillion Flame and Luya swords were retrieved into his body, leaving only the light blue peiyu sword.

"Go!"

Zhou Leren pointed downwards, and the peiyu sword transformed into a thin line, disappearing into the sea.

Zhou Leren moved, following closely behind, his magic power circulating.

Buzz~ Zhou Leren plunged into the sea, yet was not soaked by the seawater.

He continued downwards, the light growing dimmer.

Zhou Leren remained vigilant, letting the peiyu sword lead the way.

After a long while, the peiyu sword paused.

Zhou Leren's eyes lit up.

On the seabed, in the distance, a large, aquamarine orb emitted a faint glow in the dark depths.

"Fourth-tier Marrow Core Jade..."

"Heh heh, you are quite fortunate."

Zhou Leren chuckled at the peiyu sword in front of him.

Marrow Core Jade is an excellent Material for refining Magic Treasure.

With the acquisition of this Marrow Core Jade, and supplemented by other spiritual Materials, once he achieved a Nascent Soul Breakthrough, he could immediately upgrade his Lifebound Treasure, the peiyu sword, to the fourth-tier.

With the enhancement of the Marrow Core Jade, its quality would surely be extraordinary.

The peiyu sword trembled slightly.

Buzz~ At this moment, a Qi rose from beneath the aquamarine light.

A vine-like tendril pierced through the dark seawater, coiling towards Zhou Leren's location.

"It seems it's not that simple..."

Zhou Leren's smile faded as he reached out and grasped the peiyu sword in front of him... At the other end of the Water Domain, on an island shrouded in a thick fog that blocked Divine Sense detection, a simple, ancient palace emitting a faint glow stood in the center of the island.

In front of the palace, a gentle woman in her thirties stood quietly, her face clearly showing joy.

Zhou Liyue looked at the palace before her with considerable delight.

At this moment, the originally complex and ever-changing Formation had lost its secrets in her eyes.

During this period of comprehension, Zhou Liyue had nearly grasped the mysteries of this Formation.

If Zhou Liyue wished, she could easily break the Formation and enter at this very moment.

However, Zhou Liyue did not immediately do so.

With a wave of her hand, she retrieved the Formation Plate floating behind her.

She formed hand seals, and Formation Flags returned.

The thick fog shrouding the island began to dissipate.

After doing all of this, Zhou Liyue looked at the faint glow in front of her and sighed softly.

The purpose of comprehending the Formation was to break it.

After a moment of hesitation, Zhou Liyue stepped forward, preparing to break the Formation and enter.

At this moment, the light in front of the palace trembled slightly, slowly transforming to form a passageway.

Zhou Liyue's movements paused, her expression solemn.

Her Divine Sense spread out, but she found no signs of anything amiss.

Zhou Liyue took out a Formation Plate and walked towards the passageway.

As she proceeded, Zhou Liyue's worries did not materialize.

Before long, she passed through the Great Formation and arrived in front of the ancient palace.

The palace was majestic but devoid of life.

Above the massive palace gate hung a plaque with four characters: "Formation Inquires Longevity..."

Zhou Liyue's heart became solemn.

Pushing the door open, the scene before Zhou Liyue shifted as if the world had changed.

Before her was an unfamiliar land of towering peaks.

"Can heaven and earth form a Formation?"

An old voice echoed in Zhou Liyue's ears.

As the words fell, the peaks before Zhou Liyue began to sway, growing, shifting, colliding... They were actually forming a Formation with this land of peaks!

Zhou Liyue's heart was greatly shaken.

Disregarding her current location, she concentrated on the various changes before her, absorbing different Formation knowledge... In the Xutuo Ancient Realm, Fire Domain, within an underground lava cave, an eternal flame burned unceasingly.

A young figure with a long sword hanging at his waist, holding a sword with one hand, looked at a giant fiery red lotus in front of him.

Upon closer inspection, it was not a real lotus, but a red flame flower formed by converging flames.

In front of the red flame flower stood a Yao Beast, human-height and strangely shaped.

The strange Yao Beast had two sharp, blade-like stingers that gleamed with cold light.

"Quenching Flame Mantis Beast..."

Zhou Xiuyuan continuously recalled, finally remembering a similar strange Yao Beast described in an ancient text in the Clan's Cultivation Manual Tower, though he was somewhat uncertain.

The Quenching Flame Mantis Beast, born from quenching fierce flames, wields sharp twin stingers; it is extremely fast, powerful, and sharp... Zhou Xiuyuan's heart grew heavy.

He slowly drew the one heart sword hanging at his waist.

He would not retreat; he wanted to temper his one heart sword with that materialized flame lotus.

Zhou Xiuyuan stood with his sword, a chilling intent slowly emanating from him.

Ice flowers condensed but were quickly melted by the continuously burning eternal flame.

"Buzz~" In front of the materialized red flame lotus, the Quenching Flame Mantis Beast disappeared.

"So fast!"

Zhou Xiuyuan raised his sword to block.

Boom! Two sharp stingers, gleaming with cold light, struck the one heart sword.

Zhou Xiuyuan flew backward, his heart growing even heavier.

The constantly burning flames greatly suppressed him.

Although it could temper his Sword Intent, it also limited his strength.

Zhou Xiuyuan thought no more, stopping his movement and charging forward.

Within the flames, two afterimages continuously collided and shifted, with specks of ice flowers scattering only to quickly disappear, and the clang of metal against metal echoed continuously within the underground lava cave.