141: Chapter 141 Situ E begins his attack, Xiao Nianyin remains a cold observer.

Time is like sand that cannot be grasped, passing quietly and silently.

Outside the gates of Hehuan Sect, three hundred Cultivators from Jile Sect have been stationed for three days.

During these three days, Situ E launched a fierce attack on the Mountain Protection Array every day at the hours of Chen, Wu, and You.

Each attack was more violent and ruthless than the last.

The Mountain Protection Array, under the guidance of the Grand Elder, the Third Elder Yun Xuzi, and the Fifth Elder Hua Xunhuan, and relying on the ice soul ningyin hairpin as the Formation Eye, was tottering but had not yet broken.

Inside the formation hub cave, the atmosphere was so oppressive it was almost frozen.

The Grand Elder sat cross-legged in front of the central profound ice pillar, his face pale as paper, his robes stained with dried blood.

He formed seals with both hands, continuously injecting his True Qi into the ice soul ningyin hairpin, maintaining the last bit of stability for the array.

Yun Xuzi stood by the left profound ice pillar, his Daoist robes tattered and blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, yet he still gritted his teeth and persisted.

The "Qingxu Dao Technique" he cultivated was the most neutral and peaceful; it was not suited for this kind of head-on confrontation, and after three days, his Foundation had already been damaged.

Hua Xunhuan's situation was slightly better.

She stood by the right profound ice pillar, her goose-yellow dress still neat, though her face was frighteningly pale, with fine cold sweat seeping from her forehead.

The Cultivation Technique she practiced was soft, seductive, and sinister, putting her at a great disadvantage in this kind of direct confrontation, but she had a deep Foundation and could still hold on.

"Today is the third day."

The Grand Elder spoke slowly, his voice as hoarse as a broken bellows:

"The Sect Master said she would come out of seclusion after three days... I hope she keeps her word."

Hua Xunhuan forced a smile, but that smile was uglier than crying:

"Grand Elder, do you think the Sect Master... could she have really met with an accident?"

She paused, lowering her voice:

"Otherwise, with her personality, how could she tolerate Situ E shouting insults outside the mountain gate for three days?"

The Grand Elder remained silent.

He had the same suspicion in his heart.

Who was Xiao Nianyin?

Three hundred years ago, when she first entered the Saint Realm, she dared to single-handedly slaughter her way to the Jile Sect's main altar, publicly severely wounding and humiliating Situ E, who was already at the Mid-Stage Saint Realm at the time.

That battle established her position as the Sect Master of Hehuan Sect and made the name "Ice Soul Mystic Maiden" ring throughout the Demonic Path.

How could such a proud, powerful woman who could not tolerate sand in her eyes tolerate Situ E shouting insults outside the mountain gate for three days without appearing?

Unless... she really could not appear.

"Regardless of what happens to the Sect Master, we only need to do our duty."

The Grand Elder only said this one sentence in the end, then closed his eyes and said no more.

Hua Xunhuan sighed and also stopped speaking.

In the cave, only the low hum of True Qi circulating remained, along with the increasingly violent sounds of Situ E's attacks coming from outside the mountain gate.

The hour of Wu had passed.

The hour of Wei was approaching.

Outside the mountain gate, Situ E slowly stood up.

He looked up at the ice-blue light curtain before him, the blood-red light in his eyes intensifying.

Three days already.

That bitch Xiao Nianyin had not shown her face yet.

"It seems... you really have met with an accident."

Situ E muttered to himself, a ferocious smile curling the corners of his mouth:

"Very well. Since you won't come out, then I will go in and personally 'invite' you out!"

His blood-evil True Qi erupted from his body, and the blood-red lotus tattoo on his forehead bloomed with blinding red light, making him look like an evil ghost crawling out of a sea of blood.

"Jile Sect disciples, listen to my order!"

Situ E's voice boomed like thunder:

"Break the array for me!"

"Yes!!!"

Three hundred Jile Sect Cultivators responded in unison, their Evil Qi soaring into the sky, turning into rolling black clouds that enveloped the entire Hehuan Sect mountain gate.

The next moment, three hundred blood-red, black, and gray attacks bombarded the Mountain Protection Array like a rainstorm!

And Situ E himself clasped his palms together, the terrifying True Qi of his Late Stage Saint Realm surging madly within his body, condensing into a hundred-foot-large blood-colored palm print—the palm print was as solid as blood jade, the palm lines clearly visible, emitting a heart-palpitating aura of destruction.

"Sea of Blood—Heavenly Overturning!"

Situ E roared, and the blood-colored palm print, carrying the power to destroy heaven and earth, slammed fiercely into the Mountain Protection Array!

"Boom—!!!"

This collision was more violent than any before!

The ice-blue light curtain of the Mountain Protection Array, like glass struck by a heavy hammer, was instantly covered in spiderweb-like cracks!

The cracks spread wildly in all directions with the point of impact as the center, and wherever they passed, runes shattered and spiritual light dissipated!

Inside the formation hub cave, the Grand Elder spat out a large mouthful of blood, flying backward and slamming heavily against the cave wall!

Yun Xuzi and Hua Xunhuan also groaned at the same time, spitting out blood and stumbling backward.

On the central profound ice pillar, the ice soul ningyin hairpin shook madly, fine cracks appearing on its body as if it would shatter at any moment.

"It... it can't hold on anymore..."

Hua Xunhuan leaned against the profound ice pillar, barely standing steady, her voice filled with despair:

"Grand Elder, what do we do?"

The Grand Elder struggled to stand up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a flash of determination crossed his eyes:

"What else can we do? Hold the line!"

He took a deep breath, and the remaining True Qi in his body was injected into the ice soul ningyin hairpin:

"As long as there is still a breath left, we cannot let this Devil Head step into the mountain gate!"

"But..."

Yun Xuzi looked at the jade hairpin on the profound ice pillar that was about to shatter, wanting to say something but stopping.

"No buts!"

The Grand Elder said sternly, the last light burning in his eyes:

"The Hehuan Sect can exist without us old bones, but it cannot exist without the Sect Master! As long as the Sect Master is still here, the Hehuan Sect will not fall!"

As he finished speaking, he changed his hand seals again, actually intending to burn his Lifespan to forcibly drive the ice soul ningyin hairpin!

"Grand Elder!"

Yun Xuzi and Hua Xunhuan exclaimed at the same time.

But it was too late.

A pale golden flame ignited on the Grand Elder's body—that was the sign of Lifespan burning.

The flame spread along his arm to the ice soul ningyin hairpin, and the jade hairpin that was about to shatter actually stabilized at this moment, the cracks slowly healing, and the light shining again.

Outside the mountain gate, the light curtain of the Mountain Protection Array also temporarily stabilized, and the cracks stopped spreading.

"Hmph, struggling in vain!"

Situ E sneered, the blood light in his eyes growing even stronger:

"I want to see how long you can hold on!"

He no longer held back, his blood-evil True Qi surging wildly, and the blood-red lotus tattoo on his forehead actually slowly detached from his skin, hovering in the air and turning into a real, incomparably demonic blood-red lotus!

"Blood Lotus—World Annihilation!"

Situ E held his hands out, and the blood-red lotus slowly rotated, expanding with every rotation.

After three rotations, the lotus had expanded to ten feet in size, with viscous blood, as if alive, flowing on its petals.

In the center of the lotus, a point of black light condensed, emitting a terrifying aura that destroyed everything.

"Go!"

Situ E pushed with both hands, and the blood-red lotus, carrying the destructive black light, flew slowly towards the Mountain Protection Array.

This strike contained all the cultivation of his Late Stage Saint Realm, as well as the essence of the Blood Lotus secret technique!

If it hit, the Mountain Protection Array would definitely be broken!

Inside the formation hub cave, the Grand Elder looked at the slowly flying blood-red lotus in the mirror, a flash of despair crossing his eyes.

He knew that this time, it really couldn't hold on.

"Sect Master..."

The Grand Elder muttered to himself, his voice full of unwillingness:

"Where... exactly are you?"

Deep within the Ningyin Hall, in an ice-sealed secret chamber.

Xiao Nianyin was still sitting cross-legged on the profound ice cushion, her eyes slightly closed, her breath steady and long.

The ice mirror floating in front of her clearly reflected everything outside the mountain gate—Situ E's violent attacks, the tottering Mountain Protection Array, the Grand Elder's determination to burn his Lifespan, and that slowly flying, world-destroying blood-red lotus.

She saw it all.

But she did not move.

She did not even lift an eyelid.

It was as if the crisis outside that concerned the survival of the Hehuan Sect had nothing to do with her.

The "Mystic Maidens Sun-Stealing Art" circulated slowly within her body, and the ice and fire intertwined True Qi flowed through her Meridians, and with every cycle, her cultivation stabilized a bit more, and her Foundation became a bit more solid.

Three days was enough for her to completely stabilize her regained cultivation.

At this moment, she was a true Mid-Stage Saint Realm Cultivator, and her cultivation was even three points more refined than in her prime three hundred years ago.

As long as she was willing, she could strike now, kill Situ E with one sword, and end this farce.

But she did not.

She was waiting.

Waiting for an opportunity.

And also waiting... for the people who should jump out to all jump out.