Finding Life in the Jaws of Death, Breaking the Firmament
Foul-smelling, violent winds carrying shattered rocks whipped around Lu Yao as she concentrated hard, trying to sense the origin of that familiar power.
She closed her eyes tightly and furrowed her brow, cutting herself off from the outside world.
The formidable suction around her was like an invisible giant hand tearing at her clothes, her precarious body seemingly on the verge of being swallowed by the abyss the very next second.
Quick as lightning, Ma Lin grabbed her hand; the warmth and strength radiating from his palm gave Lu Yao a foothold of reliance amidst the chaotic storm.
Just as everyone thought they were about to be devoured by the rift, Lu Yao abruptly snapped her eyes open, her pupils flashing with resolute brilliance.
Lu Yao knew full well that this journey was fraught with danger, but an indomitable spirit burned within her. Always looked down upon as weak since childhood, she was forever eager to prove herself.
Xuanjizi's teachings echoed in her ears, and those once-contemptuous gazes fueled her forward momentum, so she leaped without hesitation into the depths of the rift.
"Yaoyao!" Suyi's heart-rending cry was torn to shreds by the fierce wind. Lin Yue covered her mouth, watching in disbelief as everything unfolded before her eyes.
Lu Yao plunged into the depths of the rift, her figure streaking like a resolute shooting star across the gazes of the onlookers in a desperate arc.
Suyi's shout seemed frozen in the air, Lin Yue covered her mouth with tears welling in her eyes, and Ma Lin's outstretched hand remained suspended in mid-air. In that instant, the entire world seemed to stand still, leaving only Lu Yao's figure continuously plunging downwards.
Deep within the rift, it was not the endless darkness they had imagined.
Stabilizing her posture, Lu Yao found herself in a bizarre space.
A powerful surge of dark energy rolled in like a tidal wave, gradually coalescing into a humanoid monster in mid-air that emitted a spine-chilling roar.
Wielding sharp claws and an earth-shattering momentum, the monster attacked Lu Yao.
Not daring to lower her guard, Lu Yao channeled her spiritual power to the utmost and engaged the monster in fierce combat.
Her spiritual power wrapped around her like nimble flames, and each collision with the monster's claws sparked dazzling brilliance.
Seemingly ferocious, the monster's attacks were skillfully dismantled one by one by Lu Yao. Darting like a nimble swallow through the gaps in the monster's onslaught and seizing the right moment, she rapidly formed hand seals and chanted incantations. A dazzling radiance erupted from her hands, piercing straight into the monster's chest like the dawn of a new day, carrying endless power.
The monster let out a shrill screech, its massive body crashing heavily to the ground as the surrounding dark energy dissipated with it.
Staggering back a few steps and looking at the fallen monster, Lu Yao let out a slight sigh of relief.
"You dare come out and stir up trouble with this little trick?" Lu Yao wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and sneered.
However, before she even had a chance to catch her breath, she noticed the black mist on the monster's body rapidly dispersing...
"What..."
"This thing can even pull off a corpse-revival stunt?" Lu Yao arched an eyebrow at the continuously dissipating black mist, her inner alarm bells ringing wildly.
She was no saintly fool waiting for a boss to fully recover its health bar—striking while the enemy is down was the golden rule!
Tipping her toes, her figure shot toward the black mist like an arrow released from a bow. Her fists whistled through the air, every blow landing precisely on the weakest point of the mist.
"Stop playing dead! Take my Rozan Shoryuha!"
Lu Yao's fist rained down like a storm, each strike imbued with biting murderous intent.
Dodging left and right, the black mist could not shake off Lu Yao's onslaught and let out waves of shrill wails.
Finally, under Lu Yao's barrage of "storm-vacuum" style fierce attacks, the black mist completely disintegrated into nothingness. The suction of the once-rampant rift began to wane, and tiny points of starlight started appearing all around. Like fireflies, they gently enveloped Lu Yao before slowly merging into her body.
"Holy crap! What is this situation?" Lu Yao felt a warm current surging within her, her power skyrocketing as if turbocharged.
"Could this be the legendary blessing in disguise, a full health bar with extra buffs thrown in?" She couldn't help clenching her fists in excitement, feeling as though she could now kill an ox with a single punch!
At that moment, a dazzling light appeared above the rift, and Lu Yao knew it was time to leave.
Tipping her toes, her light body flew toward the exit.
"Yaoyao!" The moment she emerged from the rift, she saw Ma Lin fly toward her and pull her tightly into his embrace.
Flashing through Ma Lin's mind were all the moments spent with Lu Yao—from their very first encounter to the days of cultivating together, he had long since regarded her as the most important person in his life. Holding her now, he truly felt his heart return to its rightful place; the sensation of recovering what was nearly lost made him hold her even tighter.
"Are you alright? You scared me to death!" A trace of trembling laced Ma Lin's voice as he clutched Lu Yao tightly, as though wanting to press her into his very bones and blood, his eyes filled with lingering fear and affection.
Though squeezed hard enough to find breathing a little difficult, Lu Yao felt sweet inside.
"Didn't I come out just fine? Plus, I even leveled up!" She looked up at Ma Lin, her cheeks flushed slightly, and the surrounding air seemed saturated with sweetness.
"That's great, Yaoyao, you are amazing!" Suyi and Lin Yue flew over as well, surrounding Lu Yao excitedly and chattering away.
"That light just now was so cool! I thought you were unleashing an ultimate move."
"Obviously! Look whose friend I am!" Lu Yao proudly tilted her chin up, feeling immensely pleased.
However, just as everyone was immersed in joy, an icy voice shattered the peace.
"Well, well, ruining my plans—you people truly deserve to die!"
Looking toward the source of the voice, the group saw a mysterious figure in a black robe suspended in the air, a ferocious smile plastered across his face. "My meticulously arranged plan was actually ruined by a bunch of little brats like you! Today, I'll make you pay the price!"
"Pfft, old man, who do you think you are talking so big?" Lu Yao curled her lip in disdain. "You must be daydreaming in broad daylight! Just you?"
"Hmph, ignorant brats! It seems if I don't teach you a lesson today, you'll never know the immensity of heaven and earth!" The mysterious deity roared, black mist surging all over his body as a powerful evil force instantly erupted, seeming to warp the surrounding space.
"Everyone, be careful!" Ma Lin's face darkened as he immediately pulled Lu Yao behind him while setting up a defensive formation alongside the others.
Yet the mysterious figure's power was simply too overwhelming; they gradually felt themselves buckling under the pressure.
Just as they were on the verge of collapsing, an aged yet majestic voice rang out: "Stop!"
Lifting their heads, the group saw an elderly man with white hair slowly descending, radiating a mighty aura capable of suppressing all evil.
It was none other than Xuanjizi!
Why would he appear at this moment?
Could he help Lu Yao and the others escape their predicament?
Hope filled everyone's hearts, alongside a heightened sense of tension.
A tense atmosphere permeated the air, and an even fiercer battle was about to erupt.