194: friend

Li Xiangyun propped himself up with his broken sword, and Netherworld Darkfire suddenly gushed from his wound, interweaving with the black and white blood flowing from his shoulder to form a river of flames.

The Yin and Yang sword shadow behind him abruptly shattered, transforming into black and white specks of light that merged into the Sword Tomb fragments, while the Law of Ice spread like a spiderweb in the Void Realm, freezing all the specks of light into sword embryos shimmering with a faint blue, icy glow.

Against that terrifying blow, Li Xiangyun had also unleashed the strongest attack of his life.

"One Sword to Sever Yin and Yang!"

The sword embryo rapidly expanded a thousand zhang amidst a roar, its black and white blade entwined with tongues of Netherworld Darkfire, yet its spine was congealed with ten-thousand-year-old Profound Ice.

Three Dao Intents and the Law of Ice wildly clashed on the sword body before abruptly merging into one, and the moment it struck, even the Chaos turbulence was forcefully split in two.

The instant the gray Star Core collided with the Sword of Severed Yin and Yang, there was no earth-shattering roar, only a dead silence.

The Star Core's power of devouring and the Sword of Severed Yin and Yang's power of division wrestled in the Void Realm, with gray energy continuously eroding the cold flames on the sword body.

Meanwhile, the Law of Ice flowed upward along the silver patterns on the Star Core's surface, freezing the intertwining Dao Intents.

Lin Ye suddenly grunted, as the silver patterns on the Star Core's surface were frozen for half an inch by the ice, causing the circulation of his Space Dao Intent to become sluggish.

It was this momentary delay that allowed the Sword of Severed Yin and Yang to cleave open the Star Core's outer shell, and black and white Sword Qi surged in through the crack, severing the Star Dao Intent within.

The End Star Core exploded with a roar, and Lin Ye was struck as if by lightning, the fresh blood he spat out freezing into ice crystals in the air.

He looked in disbelief at the penetrating wound on his chest; the Star power at the wound was being frozen by the Law of Ice, and even his Space Dao Intent couldn't repair it.

Li Xiangyun knelt on the ground, propping himself up with the completely shattered sword shadow; the Netherworld Darkfire and the Law of Ice simultaneously backfired, half his body covered in frost, while the other half burned with an inextinguishable fire.

He looked at Lin Ye's falling figure and spoke hoarsely, "You lost."

Lin Ye's lips curled into a bitter smile, "Yes, I lost!"

"So this is what losing feels like?"

Lin Ye muttered to himself, then gave Li Xiangyun a deep look before his body plummeted downwards.

Before his consciousness dissipated, he only saw a wisp of black and white Sword Qi severing the last trace of Star Dao Intent on the ice-sealed wound.

"Lin Ye!"

"Boss!"

Big Dipper Star Region and Tang Fu both exclaimed simultaneously.

Although Lin Ye was severely injured and his consciousness was dissipating, Li Xiangyun's condition was also not good; he was swaying precariously, his steps unsteady, as if he might fall in the next second.

Everyone present held their breath watching this scene, somehow feeling a bit of anticipation.

Fortunately, at the critical moment, Cang Lanzi made his move.

He merely raised his hand and lightly waved it, and a pale green Qi flow surged from his sleeve like a spring breeze brushing over a lake, first coiling around Lin Ye's body.

The wounds frozen by the ice instantly melted, Star Dao Intent and Space Dao Intent recirculated within the green light, and even his scattered consciousness was gently supported.

Lin Ye's downward momentum abruptly stopped, and as he slowly descended with the green light, the moment his feet touched the ground.

He blinked blankly; the penetrating wound on his chest was smooth as new, with only the residual sensation of Dao Intent clashes reminding him of the life-and-death moment he had just experienced.

Another wisp of green light coiled around Li Xiangyun in the air, the backlash of the Law of Ice was smoothed by the green light, and the restlessness of the Netherworld Darkfire gradually subsided.

The deep, bone-visible wound on his shoulder healed at a visible speed, and even his fractured Sword Origin was reorganized.

Li Xiangyun only felt a gentle yet irresistible force supporting his body, and his swaying figure gradually stabilized.

He looked down at his perfectly intact palm, then at the awakened Lin Ye on the ground, and finally cast his gaze towards the green figure.

"Thank you, Senior Cang Lanzi, for saving us!" Li Xiangyun and Lin Ye both spoke at the same time to express their gratitude.

Cang Lanzi stood in the Void Realm with his hands behind his back, his robes unmoving amidst the energy turbulence.

He looked at the two confronting figures, his voice calm yet carrying a power that penetrated everything: "Is there anyone else who wishes to step forward?"

Everyone exchanged glances, then ultimately chose silence.

They had witnessed the battle just now, and without a doubt, Lin Ye was the strongest among them.

Now that even Lin Ye had been defeated, they could not think of anyone else at the Middle Stage Nascent Soul cultivation level who could defeat Li Xiangyun.

Seeing this, Cang Lanzi said with satisfaction, "Since that is the case, then the competition for the spiritual fire ends here!"

"You may all leave."

"Senior, we shall take our leave!"

With that, everyone began to leave one after another. There wasn't too much unwillingness.

After all, with Cang Lanzi's strength, he could have directly seized the fire, so giving them an opportunity was already quite generous.

It was simply that they were not skilled enough.

"Let's go..."

Among the Big Dipper Star Region's team, Lin Ye glanced at Li Xiangyun, then turned and left with a crestfallen look.

"Lin Ye, you..." Someone felt a bit unwilling, but after some struggle, he still followed.

"Brother Lin, please wait!" From high in the sky, Li Xiangyun descended. He ignored Tang Fu and the other two who came to meet him, instead chasing in Lin Ye's direction.

Hearing the voice, Lin Ye stopped, but he didn't turn around until Li Xiangyun was close, then he turned, forcing a smile and saying, "What is it, Brother Li? You won, are you perhaps going to mock me?"

"How dare I, little brother!" Li Xiangyun heard the emotion in Lin Ye's words and quickly apologized, "I don't know, Brother Lin, why you so desperately want the Netherworld Darkfire."

"But I think my Origin Divided Fire should also be able to achieve Brother Lin's goal."

As he spoke, Li Xiangyun's face suddenly turned ashen white. He gritted his teeth, cold sweat instantly soaked his robes, and a faint purple flame gradually seeped from between his fingers.

"This is..." Lin Ye's pupils constricted. He raised his finger, seemingly wanting to stop him, but for some reason, he paused in mid-air.

Because, just as Li Xiangyun said, he truly needed this spiritual fire.

A moment later, the Nine Netherworld Divided Fire was completely extracted by Li Xiangyun, and the faint purple flame gently pulsed in his palm, like a vibrant heart.

Then, Li Xiangyun pushed the flame towards Lin Ye, his fingertips trembling slightly from the pain.

Lin Ye looked at his pale face, first stunneding, then suddenly smiled.

His smile was more genuine than ever before.

"Thanks." Lin Ye reached out to take it, and then pressed a Star Core, circulating with a starlight halo, against Li Xiangyun's chest, "A Star Marrow Core, it can stabilize your Domain."

Before his words finished, Lin Ye reached out and embraced Li Xiangyun. This hug was brief but firm, completely erasing the sharpness of their recent duel.

Then, Lin Ye released Li Xiangyun, turned around, and said with a hearty laugh, "Brother Lin, I hope for the day we meet again."

"It was truly a pleasure fighting with you!"

With that, Lin Ye's figure gradually disappeared.

Li Xiangyun looked in Lin Ye's direction, then lowered his head to look at the Star-circulating core in his palm, and suddenly chuckled softly.

Exchanging a Nine Netherworld Divided Fire for a friend was a great deal!