197: Chapter 197 Ancient Immortal

Along the southeast route, Chi Wanhe and Xia Yingying led the Disciples of Chunxi Peak to set up resonance dao towers and world-suppressing monuments, clearing spatial cracks along the way until they reached the Chiyun Kingdom, a Rank 4 cultivation kingdom.

On the border of the Chiyun Kingdom, at the Fengyun Foothills.

Astral winds howled, kicking up clouds of dust. Seven or eight Cultivators dressed in the robes of various Sects were standing back-to-back in a formation, struggling to hold their ground. Most of them were at the Early or Middle Stage of the Foundation Establishment Stage, and at this moment, every one of them was wounded, their spiritual power dimming.

Their opponents were over twenty crimson-bodied, fanged Devil Kings at the Foundation Establishment Stage. These Flame Demons roared, spitting out scorching devilish flames as they relentlessly battered the crumbling defensive formation.

However, every time the devilish flames spat by the Flame Demons drew near, a strange astral wind would inexplicably blow through the mountains.

It was by relying on this occasionally appearing wind-attribute power, which weakened the devilish flames, that they had managed to hold on until now.

"This wind... it's here again!"

A young female Cultivator felt the arrival of the astral wind, and her spirits lifted.

Their leader was a middle-aged man whose left arm was charred black. He warned them sharply.

"Don't get distracted! The wind is unpredictable; we can't rely on it!"

The devilish flames slammed into the spiritual light shield, making a sizzling burning sound. The shield flickered uncertainly, looking as if it were about to shatter at any moment!

The middle-aged man gritted his teeth and roared, "Hold on! Just a little longer! The reinforcements are almost..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a violent burst of devilish flame smashed heavily in front of him. The shield distorted violently, and he let out a muffled groan, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth as his aura weakened further.

Despair began to spread through everyone's eyes.

The disparity in numbers was too great; their defeat and death were only a matter of time!

Just as the defensive formation was about to collapse, a clear and cold cry, as resonant as a phoenix's call, drifted down from the sky:

"Qinglan, help them clear the field!"

The moment the voice fell, a streak of green light descended upon the battlefield like a startling swan tearing through dark clouds.

Facing the surging horde of demons below, Ye Qinglan's cold face remained expressionless. She lightly raised her delicate hand, and a Flying Sword, emerald green and as slender as a bamboo leaf, the "Green Bamboo Sword," hovered before her.

"Green Wood as Prison, Dark Water as Chains! Bind!"

Ye Qinglan cried out softly, her hand changing sword incantations. Majestic wood-attribute spiritual power surged out from within her body.

Rumble—!

The earth shook! Countless thick and resilient giant bamboos erupted from the ground, instantly growing and intertwining wildly within the demon horde. They formed a massive bamboo forest prison, enveloping all twenty-odd Flame Demons within.

The Flame Demons let out angry roars, frantically spitting devilish flames and tearing with their claws, attempting to burn or rip open this green bamboo cage.

However, those jade-like bamboo stalks were exceptionally tough. When the devilish flames burned against them, they were unexpectedly and rapidly absorbed by the watery luster flowing over the bamboo's surface.

Ye Qinglan pointed her sword finger again!

"Condense!"

Within the bamboo forest prison, dense water vapor condensed out of thin air! Countless chains of deep blue, cold light shot out from the bamboo joints, accurately binding the limbs of every Flame Demon.

The Dark Water Chains not only restricted the Flame Demons' movements, but the spiritual power they contained also caused the demonic creatures to let out cries of agony.

Ye Qinglan made a light horizontal slash toward the center of the bamboo forest prison.

Countless bamboo leaves, as sharp as blades, detached from the emerald giant bamboos, transforming into a green storm of death.

In just a few breaths!

The wind stopped, the bamboo dispersed, and the water vanished.

In their place, only twenty-odd piles of charred demonic ash emitting thin trails of smoke remained, along with the faint, lingering fragrance of bamboo leaves and the pungent smell of burning in the air.

The few Cultivators from the Rank 3 Sects were all frozen in place, staring dumbfoundedly at this miracle-like scene. Over twenty fierce Foundation Establishment Flame Demons... just like that... gone?

The gaze they directed at Ye Qinglan was filled with shock and reverence.

Only then did Chi Wanhe's figure leisurely descend, her pink dress fluttering as she landed beside Ye Qinglan. She looked at the demonic ash covering the ground and nodded with satisfaction, then turned her gaze toward the still-shaken middle-aged Cultivator:

"You have all been startled. I am from the Moonshadow Sect. I noticed just now that you seemed able to use the astral winds of this place to hold your own?"

The middle-aged Cultivator suddenly snapped back to his senses and hurriedly led the others in a deep bow:

"Moonshadow Sect? A superior Sect?! Thank... thank you both, Fairies, for saving our lives! If not for your intervention, we would surely have died today!"

He took a deep breath to suppress the roiling emotions in his heart, a look of confusion appearing on his face:

"To answer the Fairy, this wind... it is quite strange! It is not a technique of our Sects. About three months ago, after spatial cracks appeared and demons began to pour out, this kind of astral wind containing a peculiar power began to blow frequently throughout the Chiyun Kingdom."

He paused, trying hard to recall:

"This wind... it seems naturally able to disrupt Devilish Qi, and its effect is especially pronounced against fire-type demonic creatures. We also discovered it by chance while being besieged by demons. We can only barely borrow its momentum to hold our own; we have no idea what its source is. However..."

He lowered his voice slightly, his tone carrying a hint of mystery:

"There have been legends in the Chiyun Kingdom since ancient times... that a certain great expert of the Wind Dao fell here in our Chiyun Kingdom during the ancient period. And this wind is caused by the dissipation of their remaining Origin power. But these are just groundless folk rumors, not to be taken seriously..."

Upon hearing this, a glint of interest flashed in Chi Wanhe's beautiful eyes:

"Oh? Only a rumor? Then I wonder how you borrow its momentum? Could you teach me?"

The middle-aged Cultivator hurriedly waved his hands. "I wouldn't dare use the word 'teach.' It is actually quite simple. When the astral wind appears, one only needs to quietly sense that unique rhythm within the wind and attempt to use one's own spiritual power to resonate with and draw it in. However..."

He gave a bitter smile. "Our cultivation is shallow, and our perception is vague. The drawing force we can exert is also minuscule; we can only passively receive a small amount of the wind's empowerment. Whether it succeeds or not depends entirely on luck."

"So that's how it is."

Chi Wanhe nodded.

Just then, an astral wind appeared.

Chi Wanhe closed her eyes and focused her mind. Her powerful Divine Thought spread out like mercury flowing over the ground, carefully capturing every trail of the wind in the air and the faint, almost imperceptible, strange rhythm contained within it. Her aura gradually merged with the surrounding environment.

The middle-aged Cultivator and the others held their breath, watching with tension and anticipation as this powerful Fairy attempted to draw that mysterious wind power.

A faint green glow began to appear at Chi Wanhe's fingertips, and it seemed as if a wisp of breeze was quietly gathering around her...