Ye Huohuo was sealed in ice, her eyes vaguely able to see the situation outside, but she was powerless. She could only watch helplessly as Lu Yao struggled painfully in the flames. Now that her spiritual energy was also frozen, breaking through the seal was as difficult as ascending to heaven. She felt a twinge of regret; her momentary hesitation had led to her current predicament.
Just as she had been preparing to break the seal, she had instinctively thought of Li Mohan. For some reason, a voice seemed to tell her, "Wait a moment longer, perhaps there will be a turning point in the next second. But if you break the seal, you will surely die. Are you truly willing to be separated from Li Mohan, forever apart, living and dead?"
It was this sliver of difference in thought, this moment of hesitation, that caused her to falter at the most critical juncture, leading to the current situation.
While Ye Huohuo blamed herself, the cold air entered her blood vessels like countless fine needles, spreading from her limbs and spreading through her meridians towards her heart. Once the cold air enveloped her heart, even the most powerful immortal could do nothing.
Both Ye Huohuo and Lu Yao were facing their own death tribulations, inescapable.
At that moment, a snow-white figure darted forward. Miao Feng pushed her palms forward, and like before, one palm was ice, the other fire.
Whoever was struck by either of her hands would suffer a terrible fate.
Ye Huohuo couldn't clearly see who had arrived, but she had already predicted his death. Miao Feng was too powerful; no one could gain an advantage against her.
But to her surprise, the person did not confront Miao Feng directly. Instead, their figure, like a white ribbon, floated up lightly and gracefully, evading Miao Feng's palms. In mid-air, they unleashed two more palms.
However, these two palms were not aimed at Miao Feng, but at Ye Huohuo and Lu Yao.
It was strange. These two palms, while seemingly ordinary, stirred barely any wind as they were unleashed. They were ephemeral, like the person's movement, seemingly without force, as if a gust of wind could blow them away.
Yet, when these two palms struck Ye Huohuo and Lu Yao, a miracle happened.
The fire on Lu Yao's body was instantly extinguished, and even the ashes of her burnt clothes were blown into the air, vanishing without a trace. If not for the numerous large and small holes burnt into her clothes, the inferno she had just experienced would have seemed like it never happened.
Even stranger was Ye Huohuo's situation. The ice that had condensed around her body seemed to sublimate instantly, disappearing completely in the blink of an eye, leaving not a trace of cold air. The agonizing pain, as if ten thousand needles were piercing her heart, also vanished completely.
Ye Huohuo: "Lu Yao, are you okay!"
Lu Yao: "Ye Huohuo, you're not dead!"
Both of them had truly cheated death this time, their feet having already stepped into the gates of hell, only to be pulled back at the last moment. They were so relieved they could have hugged each other and wept tears of joy.
"Who saved us?" With the ice film gone, Ye Huohuo could finally see the person in white clearly.
"Little Martial Uncle!" Before Ye Huohuo could get a good look, Lu Yao had already cried out.
Hearing Lu Yao's cry, Ye Huohuo's heart skipped a beat. She looked closely at the person in white, and nearly bit her tongue.
Good heavens, it really was the Little Martial Uncle of the Maoshan Sect. She had only seen him once in passing years ago. Back then, he was a young man in white; now, he had grown into a suave and graceful gentleman.
Yet, his smile, as warm as a spring breeze, and his ethereal aura remained as they always were. Even if Lu Yao hadn't called out, Ye Huohuo would have recognized him quickly.
After all, in the entire Xuanmen, there was no one else as refined and gentle as jade.
Zuo Qingya wore a snow-white Daoist robe, his hair dark and slightly disheveled, each strand carrying a gentle aura. Seen from the side, his long eyelashes, like raven's wings, seemed to sweep across your heart's core as he blinked.
He looked like an immortal descended from a painting, his bearing imbued with the spirit of a Daoist. The male immortals portrayed in movies and television shows didn't possess even a fraction of the Little Martial Uncle's charm. Those actors were merely performing; he was naturally so, embodying the essence of what an immortal should be.
"There are so many people seeking death today, and now another young Daoist. However, your martial arts are much stronger than those two girls, but you are still no match for me," Miao Feng said, her chin slightly raised in arrogance. "It's a true pity that all three of you are rare talents in the Xuanmen. Killing you is a great loss, but for the Prince, I must resort to such measures."
"Senior, one mistake should not lead to another. It is always good to correct mistakes when realized. This humble Daoist admits that with my current cultivation, I am not your match. However, though your Daoist arts are profound, your body is already at its limit, unable to withstand the enhancement of your powerful spiritual energy. If you wish to defeat me in a battle, you must expend a significant amount of spiritual energy. Do you believe your body can still endure it?"
"If I've guessed correctly, even without tonight's events, your time is drawing near. You wouldn't want to perish together with us, would you?"
Zuo Qingya's voice, much like his person, was like a clear mountain spring that could nourish the soul. Even the most agitated heart could find peace upon hearing his voice. Ye Huohuo and the others felt this way. Moreover, he had said "us," clearly including Ye Huohuo and Lu Yao, which warmed their hearts.
However, Zuo Qingya's words made Miao Feng's expression darken further.
"Are you threatening me? As you said, I have only a few days left to live. If I use these few days to exchange for your combined lifetimes of at least a hundred years, am I not gaining? What does it matter if we perish together? Let me tell you, young man, threats are what I fear the least."
"Do you know what happened to the last person who threatened me? Why don't you ask these two girls how the taste of freezing and burning felt?" Miao Feng's eyes emanated a thick killing intent. She wore a smile, but it was like that of a demon crawling from hell, as if she could devour human flesh and drink human blood at any moment.
"Little Martial Uncle, be careful!" Ye Huohuo instinctively pulled Zuo Qingya.
Zuo Qingya turned his head to look at her, his dark eyes filled with a gentle light. "Ye Huohuo, don't worry! I know what I'm doing."
"You... you recognize me?" Ye Huohuo was greatly surprised. They had only met once over a decade ago, and at that time, she and Lu Yao were covered in mud, looking so dishevelled that she couldn't see his face clearly. It was normal for Zuo Qingya to recognize Lu Yao, as they were both from the Maoshan Sect, sharing the same lineage. But Ye Huohuo was different. To Zuo Qingya, she was merely an unknown junior in the entire Xuanmen. How could he possibly recognize her?
It was like a fan recognizing a celebrity with millions of followers – that was inevitable. But for that celebrity to recognize you among millions of fans… that was something else entirely.
At this moment, Ye Huohuo felt as if countless doves of peace were flying through her heart, and simultaneously, countless fireworks were blooming in her sky. Her feelings were indescribable. If not for her injuries, and if the occasion were different, she truly could have cheered with joy.
Seeing Ye Huohuo with her mouth agape, looking somewhat dazed, a hint of a smile flickered in Zuo Qingya's eyes. "You and Lu Yao were those two little mud monkeys from back then. Of course, I recognize you."
Ye Huohuo's cheeks flushed at his words. She took several deep breaths in secret to calm her fan-like heart. "Senior Miao Feng, we can understand your feelings. As I said just now, I will find a way to help you. The current situation is that with Little Martial Uncle here, as he said, given your physical condition, even if you kill us, you won't survive today.
You may not care about your own life, but what about Li Ke? How will he live in this world if you die? If I've guessed correctly, your plan is to let him absorb enough Yin energy from the Blood-robed Ghost, and then send it to the ice cave in Baitou Mountain to continue its hibernation, isn't it?"
Miao Feng froze for a moment, her hand unconsciously reaching into her pocket, where she still kept the thousand-year-old green vine snake.
"I cannot die, and you cannot live!" she declared, placing her hands on the large coffin. Suddenly, her entire body emitted golden light. In this dim environment, such strong light could instantly blind people. Even cultivators like Ye Huohuo and the others were still flesh and blood, and their eyes had always been a weakness for those who practiced the Dao.
Ye Huohuo felt a white blindness, unable to see anything. Her ears also buzzed. When she managed to open her eyes again, what she saw shocked her.