Treasure Blue Beaver Blessed Land, Competition Grounds
Zhao Min and his team managed to extricate themselves from the treacherous battlefield, bearing the marks of their harrowing encounter.
While Zhao Min suffered only minor injuries, Jin Ju and Yu Lingxin were not as fortunate, their bodies bearing the weight of wounds inflicted upon them.
Yet, it was Ye Jianhong who stood in the finest condition, a miraculous revival having been bestowed upon him through the power of the Yin Yang Rotation gu.
The quartet departed from the stage, their spirits awash with a bewildering mixture of shock and astonishment.
Never before had they borne witness to such an intense and perilous battle.
However, their departure did not transpire in the same manner as their fellow contestants. Instead, an aged man emerged before them, his countenance pallid and his frame gaunt. Yet, within his eyes gleamed an imposing sharpness that could not be denied.
"Steward Jie!" - The four of them exclaimed in their mind, recognizing the notable figure before them.
Steward Jie cleared his throat, his voice resonating in a low and commanding tone.
"Follow me."
Even as the words left his lips, the four of them found themselves ensnared by Steward Jie's power, their bodies no longer their own to control.
They trailed obediently behind the aged gu master, venturing away from the prying gazes of the grand event's spectators.
Eventually, Steward Jie halted and turned towards the team of four. With a wave of his hand, their injuries began to mend at a discernible pace.
His gaze lingered upon Ye Jianhong momentarily, yet he refrained from commenting upon the profound transformation that had befallen him, altering his very essence to that of a woman.
Then, in measured tones, Steward Jie commenced.
"This marks the end of my benevolence. You must flee! From this moment forth, you are branded as wanted criminals by the Bao clan!" - His words rang with a resolute simplicity.
"You may make your escape from the competition grounds through this very formation." - His weathered finger pointed towards the ground, whereupon a dazzling array of lights sprung forth.
Ye Jianhong gritted his teeth in a tumultuous fusion of anger and indignation, for the Bao clan had discarded them so callously, like pawns cast aside on a forsaken board.
Jin Ju cast his gaze upon the activated portal, yearning to seize the opportunity to flee. Yet, despite his fervent desire, he remained bound by Steward Jie's commanding influence.
Zhao Min, his eyes narrowed to mere slits, observed the scene with a dispassionate gaze, masking his true sentiments behind a veil of inscrutability.
Meanwhile, Yu Lingxin's countenance bore the complexities of mixed emotions, her hesitating voice finally breaking the silence that enveloped them.
"Why? Why do you aid us in our escape?" - She inquired, her words trembling with uncertainty.
But Steward Jie maintained a resolute silence, withholding the true intentions that swirled within his heart.
Upon Yu Lingxin's hesitant query, oh, how he wished he could divulge the truth, laying bare the secrets that had been etched within the ancient annals of time.
For she, like the others, had delved into the depths of the Three Demons' inheritance, her mind privy to the foreboding destiny that had beset those demonic gu masters.
She should have comprehended the indomitable power that drove them to the precipice of despair.
But Steward Jie knew better than to speak openly in this place, where the ever-watchful eyes of Bao clan's immortals lingered.
The truth was veiled, obscured by a shroud of silence, for to unravel it would divulge the very fabric of their scheme. And so, he remained taciturn, his response buried within the recesses of his thoughts.
Instead, Steward Jie heaved a weighty sigh, his aged features betraying a burdened heart.
With a flicker of remorse in his eyes, he directed his attention toward the four beleaguered souls standing before him.
"There are forces at play, inscrutable and far-reaching, that have set this path in motion... Do not stop when you arrive, and do not look for me, as I will be the one to send a group of pursuers after you slipped away today."
His words hung heavy in the air, suffused with both sadness and an unwavering determination.
Steward Jie had long resigned himself to the role of a mere instrument in a grand symphony, his actions governed by the orchestrations of higher powers.
Though his heart yearned to illuminate the truth, he knew that discretion was their only ally in this treacherous dance.
With a flick of his hand, Steward Jie beckoned the four adventurers toward the pulsating formation. Its ethereal glow bathed them in a warm embrace, promising sanctuary from the storm that brewed on the horizon.
"Go now." - He urged, his voice tinged with impatience.
And so, the lights enveloped them, their bodies vanishing from sight as they were whisked away to the Ancestral Grotto.
In truth, Steward Jie found himself but a mere servant, following the directives laid upon him. Despite his austere demeanor, he bore no desire to witness the four of them transform into wanted fugitives, their potential sullied by the fabrications of Bao clan.
Alas, he could only heave a resigned sigh within the depths of his being, resigned to the course he had been entrusted to fulfill.
When he opened his eyes again, the four of them were already gone, and his countenance returned to normal.
* * * * *
The relentless battle waged on the fighting stage, where the rank four gu masters clashed in a display of fierce determination.
Amidst the spectators, Hao Meng, consumed by worry and anxiety, perched upon the edge of his seat, his heart pounding with anticipation.
His gaze remained fixed upon Qinyang, still unconscious but clinging to her bitter existence.
Time stretched thin, each passing moment akin to an eternity in Hao Meng's restless mind.
His own turn loomed near, when the rank five experts would join the tumultuous dance, and it was then that he would seize the opportunity to rescue his beloved Qinyang from her perilous state.
Ding! The resounding chime reverberated through the air, signaling the commencement of the final stage of the grueling contest.
In an instant, Hao Meng sprang forth from his position, like an icy comet.
"No! You cannot partake!" - Cried Wen Hao Jiong, her voice laced with dismay as she reached out in vain to halt her son's path.
Alas, the rules bound the hands of even a rank six immortal such as her, leaving her naught but a helpless observer as her son braved the dangers that awaited him.
"How did it come to this?" - Wen Hao Jiong cursed silently, her thoughts filled with resentment.
"All because of that wretched woman! Why does she still draw breath?" - Her eyes flickered with animosity as they fell upon the motionless form of Qinyang, ensnared within the encroaching ice of her own making.
A young man, short in stature yet radiating an air of authority, stepped onto the battlefield on the side of the Wen clan. His obsidian-like hair, pulled tightly into a ponytail, billowed behind him like a banner of war, a testament to his indomitable spirit.
"Qinyang!" - Hao Meng's voice resounded, his cry piercing the cacophony of battle as he unleashed his techniques without any restraint, sweeping aside any who dared impede his path to his beloved.
In this moment, nothing else mattered to him. He would wager his very life, traversing through the flames of adversity and the icy grip of danger if necessary, all in the name of rescuing his cherished one.
The rank four gu masters, unable to hinder his inexorable advance retreated behind their lines.
Hao Meng soon found himself confronted by the formidable opposition of the Bao clan's rank five experts.
Yet, even they were taken aback by the unyielding might that emanated from Hao Meng. His cultivation of an ice path inheritance was of an immortal origin, it far that surpassed his peers. While his primeval essence surged forth in abundance, a testament to his Blazing Glory Lightning Brilliance Physique.
His power had ascended to the very peak of the mortal realm!
And thus, in the crucible of battle, amidst a maelstrom of clashing forces, Hao Meng pressed onward, driven by a love that knew no bounds.
The world around him blurred, his focus narrowed to a singular purpose. For he would not be deterred, not by the rank four masters nor by the rank five adversaries.
He would carve a path with his very being, defying all obstacles, until he held Qinyang in his arms once more.
As Hao Meng reached Qinyang's side, his heart filled with both relief and trepidation. The fabric of his being felt as though it would unravel, torn by conflicting emotions of joy and sorrow.
His gaze fell upon her, and his brows furrowed in concern as he beheld her peculiar state. For even in her stupor, her flawless features still betrayed the torment that she held deep within her mind.
Her eyes, wide open, mirrored the terror of one who had borne witness to the most harrowing sights imaginable.
An icy chill had claimed her body, its frosty tendrils encroaching upon her fragile form.
Shallow breaths rasped through her chest, and her veins pulsed an eerie blue, like a raging river underneath her snow-white skin.
"Qinyang, I'm here. I'm finally here, and I'll do everything I can to protect you." - He vowed, a solemn expression adorning his countenance as he carefully placed his hands upon her shoulders.
Determined to protect both himself and his beloved, Hao Meng invoked his defensive killer move in time, summoning a formidable shell of ice to enshroud his being.
The assaulting icicles met their demise, their futile attempts leaving naught but marks upon his icy fortress.
He paid no mind to Qinyang's unconscious yet wayward attacks, her strikes aimed at those around her.
With gentle care, Hao Meng lifted her delicate frame and laid her upon an ethereal cloud of ice, which bore her away, drifting towards a haven of safety.
Victory in his rescue mission seemed within grasp, yet an ominous sense of foreboding clawed at his heart, its grip seizing his attention once more.
His gaze, sharp and alert, fixed upon the ranks of the Bao clan's gu masters again. For among them, he noticed a presence even he could not see through.
There stood a figure with an unassuming aura, garbed in robes as pure as freshly fallen snow. His hands were folded behind his back, and an air of assured calmness surrounded him.
Broad shoulders accentuated his imposing stature, while his countenance bore the mark of distinction.
A square face, chiseled features, and a prominent jawline spoke of strength and resolve. Eyes of piercing blue, akin to gleaming diamonds, surveyed the world with an aura of serene wisdom. The very essence of regality emanated from him, his bearing unwavering, his posture poised and commanding.
Clad in a robe of pristine white, its fabric cascading around him with a grace reminiscent of a snow-laden waterfall, he stood as a paragon of elegance. His dark hair, neatly bound in a topknot secured by a golden hairpin.
Though his skin bore the weathered testament of countless battles and ventures, a testament to the years he had traversed, his movements belied his age.
Each step, his movements were graceful and fluid, he seemed to glide across the ground rather than tread upon it.
His mere presence instilled a sense of awe and admiration in those around him.
Hao Meng recognized the man before him at once, an elder of the Bao branch of the Academy, an inheritor similar to himself.
The immortals of the Bao clan, who had been spectating from their vantage point, could not conceal the sly smile that crept across their faces.
In this pivotal moment, the culmination of their carefully laid plans had arrived.
Their eyes gleamed with a gleeful anticipation, for the time of reckoning was at hand.
Because the person was none other than Bao Li Mu himself!
* * * * *