138: Chapter 138 The Divine Power of the Yang Sword

"As expected, it's still not enough."

The female cultivator's desperate strike had exhausted all her mana, and a trace of misery flickered across her calm, beautiful face.

She thought in pain, "Mother, your daughter has failed you. In the next life, I still want to be your daughter."

However, just as she slowly closed her eyes, a movement nearby caught her attention.

Turning her head, she saw a strange scene.

She saw that Xu Changsheng had somehow already set up an earth-attribute Formation in the surroundings, with pure Earth-type Spiritual Qi continuously flowing from the rocky soil beneath the ice.

"Sinking Mud Entrapment Formation, Bind."

While the female cultivator was attacking and not paying attention to him, Xu Changsheng had used illusions to hide his movements and set up this Formation using Star Patterns.

Although it was only Second Level Low Grade, Earth overcomes Water in the Five Elements, and the crab had already lost one of its pincers.

He felt there was still a good chance to kill this Yao Beast here.

His sharp eyes noticed a faint blue light emanating from the edge of the severed pincer; he couldn't rule out the possibility of it being reattached.

If it really were reattached, he would truly have to flee at the first sign of trouble. After several rounds of combat, he confirmed that he did not yet have the strength to face a quasi-Rank Three Yao Beast.

"It's the only chance; I must try."

While he was thinking.

The ground beneath the Frost Macropod Crab's feet had already turned into a muddy mess, making every step difficult; it seemed truly trapped in place.

The female cultivator showed no joy, saying calmly, "Fellow Daoist, a Second Level Low Grade Formation won't be able to trap it."

Xu Changsheng chuckled. "So, the Fairy can actually speak in full sentences. I thought you were a stutterer."

There was no response; the female cultivator sank back into her pain.

A voice reached her ears again: "I never intended to truly trap this demon; I only need to slow its movements slightly."

The female cultivator still didn't care, watching Xu Changsheng's hands constantly forming hand seals, dismissing it as a deathbed struggle.

"Don't waste your energy. Since you didn't leave at the start, you won't be able to leave now."

"Is that so? I want to see if this beast is truly that capable—whether it can still block this move of mine after losing a pincer."

In the next moment.

With a stir of his Dantian, a gold and red longsword suddenly appeared in mid-air.

Fiery light flowed along the blade, with a line of dazzling golden light at the edge.

Xu Changsheng tapped lightly in the Void Realm with his right hand.

The tip of the divine wood two principles sword changed direction, pointing at the Frost Macropod Crab. All the golden flames condensed at the tip, and the brilliant golden light instantly illuminated the somewhat deep cavern.

"It's also a Top Grade Spiritual Artifact, and a Fire-type one that counters Ice-type Spirit Beasts at that."

The female cultivator murmured to herself, her eyes—usually as still as an ancient well frozen for ten thousand years—rippling slightly under the golden light.

Naturally, the Frost Macropod Crab could not ignore the attack from above.

Its mouthparts began blowing bubbles again, and its eight blade-like legs struggled to lift and set down in the sludge.

It was delayed for a moment after all.

The divine wood two principles sword stabbed downward, striking the carapace fiercely.

"Clang!"

As before, the sword tip only left a puncture mark on the thick blue carapace.

Seeing this.

A trace of regret, which even she didn't notice, flashed in the depths of the female cultivator's eyes.

The Frost Macropod Crab waved its remaining pincer in a show of triumph.

However, in the next moment.

A bizarre scene occurred.

The crab began to twist its eight legs and its pincer in agony.

"This is...?"

The female cultivator stared blankly at the crab pacing back and forth in the mud, unsure of what had happened.

"Whoosh!"

Golden flames began to seep out from the crab's mouth, eyes, and the gaps in its shell.

Then, the carapace turned from its original deep blue to a vivid red.

Following that, a faint aroma of cooked crab meat wafted through the air.

Xu Changsheng narrowed his eyes. "It seems to have worked."

The previous stab had just been a feint.

Besides distracting the demon crab, its main purpose was to open a hole in the carapace to blast a beam of True Solar Fire from the Yang Sword into the crab's body.

But in the next moment.

Something hard to believe happened.

As deep blue light flickered on the Frost Macropod Crab, it regained its ability to move.

"How is that possible?"

After having True Solar Fire enter its body and nearly being roasted into a crab stick, the Frost Macropod Crab actually managed to recover.

However, he noticed that the aura of the Frost Macropod Crab had weakened; its Demonic Qi was now only at the Second Level Middle Stage.

So, although it could move again, its steps within the Sinking Mud Entrapment Formation were even more arduous.

Feeling a surge of joy, his smile widened.

"If once isn't enough, then twice it is."

Soon.

He repeated the same attack, then controlled the divine wood two principles sword to tap on the left and stab on the right of the demon crab.

He positioned the Black Turtle Bone Shield in front of him and cast several Thick Earth Profound Armor Talismans and Green Wood Spirit Shield Talismans to ensure nothing went wrong.

...

The next day.

Repeating the process over and over.

Even with the body of a Rank Three Yao Beast, it could not withstand the onslaught and finally collapsed to the ground with a loud boom.

Ink Shadow rushed forward impatiently, pried open the roasted red crab shell, and began devouring the meat.

At that moment.

A deep blue orb slowly floated into the air.

Xu Changsheng smiled and reached out to grab it. "Is this the Monster Core that only Rank Three Yao Beasts have? I guess I got lucky."

He played with it in his hand, overjoyed.

Just then.

The female cultivator slowly stood up and shuffled toward him step by step.

Still with a deadpan expression, she said, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist, for saving my life."

He waved his hand. "If the Fairy hadn't first sliced off one of the crab's arms with your sword, it wouldn't have been so easy for me to deal with it."

As soon as he finished speaking.

Both of their gazes turned toward the Profound Nether Cold Iron deeply embedded in the ice crevice.

They both noticed each other's gaze.

The beautiful cultivator's lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.

Xu Changsheng gave a wry smile. "The Fairy also wants this Profound Nether Cold Iron?"

"Yes, I only need an ounce or two; it's for medicine."

"That's fine."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist." The female cultivator cupped her fists in gratitude, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Noticing this, Xu Changsheng smiled knowingly and walked toward the cold iron.

He reached the cold iron.

He reached out to touch the hard ice surrounding the iron.

A voice came from behind: "Fellow Daoist, I have a medicinal liquid specifically for melting hard ice. With your strength, I'm afraid..."

Her voice stopped abruptly.

"Drip."

Xu Changsheng's broad palm glowed with intense golden light, and the seemingly indestructible ice began to melt.

Ridiculous.

No matter how solid the ten-thousand-year-old ice was, it was ultimately just an unranked spiritual material; how could it withstand the high temperatures of the True Solar Fire?

...

Fifteen minutes later.

Xu Changsheng gave two ounces of cold iron to the female cultivator and put away the Frost Macropod Crab's carapace for future refining into a Spiritual Artifact or Magic Treasure.

The two of them walked out of the ice cave together.

They stepped onto Ink Shadow's back and continued their journey toward Three Realms Mountain.

Before leaving, he sent a Divine Sense transmission to the female cultivator: "When the Fairy smiles, you look just like a Fairy from the Nine Heavens. It's better to smile more in the future."

Hearing this, the female cultivator was slightly taken aback, and her icy expression seemed to begin to melt.

Weighing the cold iron in her hand, her smile gradually brightened, as warm as a spring breeze.