96: Mysterious Woman's True Form

"Guixu — — Ice Ruins Burial!"

Ye Chen slashed out with his sword, and his sword qi was no longer a pure chaotic color, but instead presented a strange sight with Chaos as the base and ice-blue as the edge!

Wherever the sword qi passed, space seemed to be frozen into a crystalline trajectory, yet the edges of this trajectory were constantly annihilating and returning to nothingness!

This sword strike fused his newly comprehended Law of Extreme Cold and Death with the true meaning of the Guixu Annihilation, its power far exceeding what it was before!

The female figure within the mass of dim light seemed to move slightly.

Facing this sudden counterattack, she did not meet it head-on, but instead drifted backward as if weightless, while simultaneously extending a slender, jade-like finger formed from dark profound ice, gently tapping at the incoming sword qi.

"Freeze."

As the cold word was uttered, Ye Chen's terrifying sword qi, which had fused the extreme cold and annihilation, suddenly seemed to fall into an invisible quagmire when it was still a zhang away from that jade finger.

Its speed plummeted, and the ice-blue light on the surface of the sword qi dimmed rapidly, as if the "Extreme Cold" Law within it had been forcibly stripped away and suppressed by some higher-level power!

In the end, three feet from the jade finger, the sword qi completely solidified and disintegrated, turning into ice crystals and chaotic air currents that filled the sky before vanishing without a trace.

With a mere flick, she had neutralized Ye Chen's strongest strike, which contained his new insights!

Ye Chen's pupils constricted, his heart filled with awe.

As expected of the Nether Prison Profound Maiden; even if it was just a wisp of her will Clone, her control over the Law of Extreme Cold was far beyond what he, a beginner who had just caught a glimpse of the path, could compare to!

"Interesting... to think you could initially fuse with my intent of Profound Ice."

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden's blurry figure seemed to become slightly clearer.

She examined Ye Chen with great interest. There was no killing intent in her icy eyes, only a sense of exploration, as if she were studying a novel toy.

"Your potential is even greater than I anticipated. Hand over your Sword Dao Legacy and that Chaos Origin, and I may spare your life and take you as a servant."

Her voice remained cold, yet it carried an unquestionable allure, as if it could directly shake a person's will.

"Take me as a servant?" Ye Chen sneered, pointing his guixu sword diagonally at her.

"Are you even worthy?"

He stopped wasting words, pushing his Grand Void Roaming Dragon Steps to the limit.

His figure transformed into countless afterimages, indistinguishable between real and fake, attacking the Nether Prison Profound Maiden from all directions simultaneously!

Each afterimage slashed out a sword qi fused with the Ice Ruins Concept.

For a moment, the sky was filled with chaotic, ice-blue sword light, completely enveloping that dim figure!

"Mere parlor tricks."

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden said indifferently, not even moving from her spot; the dim light around her body merely rippled slightly.

In an instant, with her as the center, the temperature within a hundred-zhang radius plummeted to an unimaginable level!

Even space itself seemed to be frozen, emitting crisp "crackling" sounds!

Ye Chen's sword qi afterimages that filled the sky, within this absolute Domain of extreme cold, were like insects trapped in amber; their speed became incredibly slow, and the Sword Intent and energy upon them were rapidly being frozen and disintegrated!

"Absolute Zero Domain? The existence of this Domain is mysterious and unfathomable, inspiring awe."

Ye Chen's true body appeared, his expression grave.

The opponent's application of the Law of Extreme Cold had already reached a terrifying level that could affect space and freeze the rules!

"Have you seen the gap between you and me?"

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden's voice carried a hint of indifferent superiority.

"Give up your futile resistance; this is your only path to survival."

Ye Chen took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

The gap did indeed exist, but he would never yield!

"The gap? It is meant to be broken!"

A trace of madness flashed in his eyes.

Holding nothing back, he injected the Protective Aura of the Earth Fiend Realm that he had just barely recovered, along with the pure Origin surging from the chaos primordial fetus in his Sea of Consciousness, and the wisp of Sword Venerable true spirit power from the depths of his Soul, madly into the guixu sword once again!

He was going to unleash the "Three Origins Ruin Return" again!

Even if the consumption was immense, even if it might damage his Origin, he had to give it a shot!

However, at the very moment he was about to trigger the three Origin powers, the Nether Prison Profound Maiden seemed to perceive his intent, and for the first time, a trace of gravity flashed in her icy eyes.

"Obstinate."

She no longer held back.

That slender jade finger tapped out once more; this time, the target was directed straight at the center of Ye Chen's brow!

At the tip of her finger, a point of extreme, dim light condensed, as if it had concentrated a starry sky of death.

The icy cold and deathly silence contained within it made even Ye Chen's Soul tremble!

This finger strike transcended the scope of the Earth Fiend Realm and had already touched the edge of the Tiangang Realm!

Nowhere to hide!

Impossible to block!

The shadow of death enveloped him once again!

At this critical moment, Ye Chen had a flash of inspiration.

He did not choose to meet it head-on, nor did he forcibly unleash the "Three Origins Ruin Return", but instead made a move that left even the Nether Prison Profound Maiden stunned — —

He abandoned all defenses, abandoned all attacks, and even ceased operating his Cultivation Technique, simply standing there quietly and closing his eyes.

His mind sank completely into the chaos primordial fetus in his Sea of Consciousness, sinking into that Chaos Origin which encompassed everything and evolved all Laws.

He no longer viewed the Nether Prison Profound Maiden's power as an enemy, as an object that needed to be resisted or devoured, but rather viewed it as a "phenomenon" in this world, an embodiment of a "Law".

He emptied himself, using the chaos primordial fetus as a medium to "feel" that incoming point of dim finger light, and to "understand" the extreme icy cold and deathly silence contained within it.

"Chaos... encompasses all things, makes no distinction between good and evil, does not differentiate between Yin and Yang..."

The Profound Maiden's finger light arrived in an instant, tapping onto the center of Ye Chen's brow!

There was no exploding head, nor any shattering ice.

That terrifying finger strike, which was enough to annihilate the Divine Soul of an Earth Fiend Realm Peak expert, at the moment it touched the center of Ye Chen's brow, actually became like a clay ox entering the sea, being encompassed and dispelled by an invisible, intangible, yet vast and boundless chaotic aura!

Ye Chen's body shuddered slightly, and a tiny ice-blue mark appeared at the center of his brow, which then quickly faded, merging into his own chaotic air currents.

He opened his eyes abruptly, the color of Chaos swirling within them, as if countless worlds were being born and dying!

Not only was he not killed by this finger strike, but by utilizing the encompassing nature of the chaos primordial fetus, as well as his own Epiphany born from facing death, he forcibly "absorbed" a portion of the most pure true meaning of the Law of Extreme Cold from this finger strike!

At this moment, his aura actually began to climb in reverse!

The barrier of the Earth Fiend Realm Second Layer Peak shook and loosened!

"What?! You actually..."

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden uttered a sound of disbelief for the first time!

She could not understand why her own finger strike, which contained a wisp of Origin power, had sunk like a stone into the ocean, and instead became the opportunity for the opponent to break through?!

"I must thank you for this finger strike."

Ye Chen felt the surging power within his body that was about to break through the Bottleneck, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"It helped me completely refine that wisp of Profound Ice Intent, allowing me to master it thoroughly!"

He no longer needed to forcibly unleash the "Three Origins Ruin Return".

At this moment, his Fusion of "Guixu" and "Extreme Cold" had already reached a new height, falling into place naturally!

"Earth Fiend Realm, Third Layer... Break!"

With a low shout, an even more majestic and vast Protective Aura surged from his Dantian, flowing throughout his entire body!

His cultivation had forcefully stepped into the Earth Fiend Realm Third Layer!

Moreover, because he had fused with the Nether Prison Profound Maiden's Extreme Cold Origin, the quality of his Protective Aura had once again improved, carrying a terrifying Concept of Ice Ruins Annihilation!

The guixu sword in his hand saw the dark red patterns and ice-blue flowing light on its blade completely merge, transforming into a deep, dark blue, as if it were carrying a frozen sea of Guixu stars!

"Now, it is my turn."

Ye Chen stood with his sword, his gaze locked onto the Nether Prison Profound Maiden.

A Sword Intent, far more terrifying and unfathomable than before, soared into the sky, drawing upon the chaotic energy that had not yet completely settled, transforming it into storms of chaotic, ice-blue Sword Qi!

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden's blurry figure swayed slightly, and for the first time, a look of gravity and... a hint of dread appeared in her icy eyes.

This youth was too bizarre!

His growth speed and that eerie ability to encompass all Laws made even her feel threatened.

"This child... must not be left alive!"

Her killing intent surged, and no longer caring about the consumption of this wisp of her will Clone, she formed a complex ice seal with her hands in front of her chest!

"Nether Prison Descends... Profound Ice... Buries the World!"

Boom!

The temperature of the entire Black Nightmare Mountain Range plummeted once again!

In the sky, endless dark, cold air gathered, transforming into spears of profound ice as huge as mountains.

The tips of the spears locked onto Ye Chen, and with a deathly will to bury the world, they crashed down!

At the same time, within the ruins of the altar beneath her feet, the dark red crystal that was on the verge of shattering suddenly exploded, turning into a beam of blood light that merged into her phantom, causing her figure to instantly solidify by several degrees, and her aura to surge by a significant margin!

She was going to spare no cost, even if it meant consuming this wisp of her will Origin, just to completely slay Ye Chen here!

Facing this world-destroying attack, Ye Chen's eyes were as sharp as swords.

Instead of retreating, he took the initiative to meet it head-on!

Wielding his transformed guixu sword, he pushed his robust Protective Aura of the Earth Fiend Realm Third Layer and the Origin power of the chaos primordial fetus to the limit, his Sword Intent drawing upon the surrounding heaven and earth!

"Then let this sky full of profound ice bury this wisp of your will!"

"guixu sword Domain — — Ice Ruins... Ten Thousand Worlds Annihilated!"

He swung his sword toward the sky, and a dark blue sword light, like the primordial light that opened up Chaos, soared into the sky!

It was not just one sword light, but in the process of ascending, it split into ten, ten into a hundred, a hundred into thousands... finally transforming into a dark blue Sword Domain that covered the entire battlefield!

Within the Sword Domain, it was no longer a chaotic nebula, but countless miniature phantoms of worlds that were moving toward freezing and annihilation!

Each world phantom was a Sword Qi of Ice Ruins, condensed to the extreme!

The thousands of Ice Ruins worlds clashed violently with the sky-filling, falling spears of profound ice!

"Boom boom boom boom — —!!!"

The dense, rain-like explosions resounded through heaven and earth!

Every shattering of a profound ice giant spear was accompanied by the annihilation of an Ice Ruins world phantom!

The destructive energy storm swept in all directions, leveling the Peaks of the entire Black Nightmare Mountain Range by several layers!

This was the ultimate confrontation of Laws and will!

Ye Chen, situated in the center of the Sword Domain, was pale, blood seeping from his seven orifices, yet his eyes remained firm as he madly drove his power.

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden's will Clone was also swaying violently, its light flickering uncertainly.

Finally, amidst a thunderous roar that sounded as if two worlds were collapsing simultaneously, the sky-filling profound ice giant spears and the thousands of Ice Ruins Sword Domains, simultaneously... returned to annihilation!

The energy storm slowly subsided.

Ye Chen knelt on one knee, leaning on his sword, his aura withered; it was clear the consumption had been immense.

And that will Clone of the Nether Prison Profound Maiden had also become nearly transparent, as if it would dissipate at any moment.

She took a deep look at Ye Chen, her cold voice carrying a hint of unwillingness and resentment: "Ye Chen... I have remembered you. When my true form descends, I will surely take your life and seize your fortune!"

Before her words had finished, her figure completely dissipated into the air, leaving behind only a wisp of extremely pure Profound Ice Origin aura, which was subconsciously absorbed by Ye Chen's guixu sword.

The battle had finally ended.

Ye Chen stood up with difficulty, looking at the desolate, ravaged mountain range that looked as if it had been plowed, and let out a long breath of turbid air mixed with ice shards.

Although he had repelled the Nether Prison Profound Maiden's will, he knew that the real trouble had only just begun.

The Nether Prison Profound Maiden's true body, the Moon-Erosion Demon Venerable, and the entire Dark Hall... would all be even more terrifying enemies.

He had to return to the academy as soon as possible to digest what he had gained this time and prepare to welcome... the final storm!