Possession

"Is she waiting for that old fellow, or does she believe someone with even higher cultivation will come to her rescue?" The thought flashed through Qin Sang's mind, and he sneered inwardly. Previously, he had been unable to see the whole picture. After Old Man Yanshan and Situ Yu discovered the snow fox, Old Man Yanshan had remained alone in the Northern Barrens without even a single attendant disciple in his cave abode. Furthermore, the fact that he had hunted the snow fox multiple times proved he valued the cold crystal deeply, rather than viewing it as optional as he had claimed. For the enchantress and the old fellow outside to arrive so quickly, Luye could not be far from the snowfield. If Old Man Yanshan had known all along that Luye existed and yet dared to scheme after the snow fox right under Luye's nose, deliberately concealing this from Qin Sang, then he was definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface. Old Man Yanshan's motives were hard to fathom. And Luye was the Dao arena of a Deity Transformation cultivator. Caught in the middle, Qin Sang naturally had to guard against both sides to avoid being unwittingly used. Both his true body and incarnation held back some strength to deal with unforeseen variables. Had he not been intent on claiming the cold crystal, he likely would have withdrawn by now and let them fight it out first. Up to this point in the battle, Old Man Yanshan had done his utmost to intercept the enchantress. With the cold crystal safely in hand, Qin Sang's suspicions had lessened somewhat. He decided to save the man and leave this den of trouble as quickly as possible. *Swish!* A cold glint, even deeper and icier than the surging wave of light, shot forth from Qin Sang's palm, manifesting as a square seal. As the Fourfold Tengshe Seal materialized, a Tengshe broke free from the seal's knob. Its body ballooned, transforming in the blink of an eye into a peerless ferocious beast baring fangs and brandishing claws, glaring furiously at Lady Yue. *Roar!* The Tengshe let out a roar that struck straight at the soul, striking terror into the heart. Even if a Deity Transformation cultivator could refine their natal magic treasure to the level of a spirit treasure, forging additional spirit treasures was by no means an easy task, and they might not be willing to bestow one upon a disciple. Even an adopted son of a Deity Transformation cultivator might not possess a spirit treasure, let alone this woman. Though she possessed numerous treasures, how could any of them rival a spirit treasure? Qin Sang had thought that once the spirit treasure appeared, the enchantress would regain some sense. Unexpectedly, upon seeing the spirit treasure, Lady Yue raised her snow-white neck and stared fixedly at the Tengshe. Not only was there no fear on her seductive face, but a glimmer of ecstasy actually flashed deep within her eyes. She then swept a hand across her waist and drew a jade disc from her mustard seed pouch. The circular jade disc was slightly larger than Lady Yue's palm. Its surface was carved with dense, concentric rings of patterns; a single glance from an outsider was enough to cause dizziness. Between the lines, runes were densely packed, forming ghostly diagrams traced in blood. As she brought out the jade disc, Lady Yue used her spirit to guide her true essence. Spiritual light flickered between her eyebrows as she formed a talisman out of thin air—the technique of drawing talismans in midair. The illusory talisman glowed with a faint blood-red light, sinking into the center of the jade disc in a flash. The talisman was not complicated, nor was Lady Yue someone who specialized in the talismanic Dao. This talisman was actually a key used to activate the jade disc. The jade disc hummed and shook violently as a bizarre power circulated among the patterns, instantly lighting up all the blood-patterned ghostly diagrams. In an instant, talismanic light flashed, casting layers upon layers of phantom talismans. It turned out this treasure was a talisman plate engraved with countless talismans. These talismans were normally dormant, maintained in a certain equilibrium after being fashioned into a talisman plate. Once activated, the plate could immediately unleash formidable power. This kind of talisman plate was a type of talismanic treasure, differing from the secret talisman Dao of the Shangyuan Pure Tranquility Palace. The Dao of talismans was all-encompassing; even within talisman plates, this was not the only kind. This particular talisman plate was a single-use protective treasure that could be bestowed upon others and activated with a "key," akin to a disposable magic tool. Others could be used indefinitely to increase a cultivator's talisman-drawing speed and the power with which they commanded talismans; their functions varied widely. Activating the talisman plate took only an instant. The talisman plate in Lady Yue's palm reverted to its original state, the ghostly blood diagrams vanishing as its power was exhausted. A blood-red diagram formation cast its light over Lady Yue, enveloping her in exceptionally intricate runes. Qin Sang harbored no tender feelings for the fairer sex. Unleashing the full power of the spirit treasure without reservation, the Tengshe moved like a phantom and struck like lightning, carving a trail of cold flame through the air as it lunged to swallow Lady Yue whole. To Qin Sang's surprise, even at this stage, Lady Yue still put up a desperate resistance. The thunder bead soared high, bursting into a pink sphere of light as countless lightning bolts poured down amid deafening thunderclaps. Lightning fell like rain. With overwhelming momentum, the Tengshe plunged headlong into the interwoven web of lightning. Cold flames surged wildly, tearing the electric net to shreds in an instant as it crashed straight toward the thunder bead. Seeing this, Lady Yue gritted her silver teeth, making no move to pull the thunder bead away. *Boom!* The Tengshe collided with it. Spinning rapidly, the thunder bead suddenly blazed with blinding brilliance, shining as fiercely as a star, before detonating on impact. Violent thunderous force erupted, generating a terrifying thunderstorm in midair. *Rumble...* The thunderstorm engulfed the Tengshe in return. At that moment, pink lightning illuminated the entire ice cavern, merging with the spirit treasure's cold flames and the surging blue waves of light to create a dreamlike spectacle. Following the light veil, inner armor, butterfly tattoo, and talisman plate, this was the fifth treasure Lady Yue had destroyed. Even Qin Sang could not help marveling inwardly. Worthy indeed of someone from Luye, worthy of being the adopted son of a Deity Transformation cultivator—that fellow not only had a plethora of treasures, but he was also truly generous to his beloved concubine. Unfortunately, the thunder bead's true strength lay in its bizarre corrosive power; its raw might could not match genuine divine thunder. Even exploding it could not halt the Tengshe; buying a sliver of time was the absolute limit. As the thunderstorm raged at its zenith, a speck of cold light suddenly ignited at its center. Through the gaps, one could see the gaping maw of the Tengshe and a dark sun gathering in its throat. *Boom!* Merging into the cold flames, the Tengshe burst straight through the thunderstorm! Lady Yue's watery eyes mirrored the reflection of the cold flames, a resolute look flashing within them. She neither dodged nor hid. The blood moon between her brows turned deep crimson. Rather than retreating, she surged forward, throwing herself toward the cold flames along with the blood-red diagram formation, a seductive smile lingering at the corners of her mouth! This enchantress's suicidal rush like a moth to a flame was something Qin Sang had never anticipated under any circumstances. "Does she truly believe a mere talisman plate can withstand a spirit treasure?" Qin Sang's expression darkened, and he snorted coldly in his heart. Naturally, he would not let this opportunity slip by. As she wished, he would grant her a swift death! In an instant, the cold flames descended upon her. Bearing the brunt was the blood-red diagram formation. Wherever the cold flames passed, one talisman phantom after another was rapidly extinguished. The blood-red glow dimmed at terrifying speed, forcibly gouged open by the cold flames. In that instant, the terrifying pressure brought by the cold flames nearly suffocated Lady Yue. Lady Yue's smile deformed, her expression twisting into something grotesque and horrific, yet the blood moon between her brows grew even more vivid. Immediately after, green light flickered between her eyes, and the illusory projection of her Nascent Soul emerged. True to her nature, Lady Yue's Nascent Soul was petite and lovely. Though its eyes were tightly shut, it seemed to wear a charming smile at all times, an innate coquettish allure radiating between its brows. The Nascent Soul hovered on the verge of leaving the body. Between the Nascent Soul's brows, there was also a blood moon seal! Old Demon Lu's Dark Moon Seal controlled the physical body, the Nascent Soul, and the divine soul, exceptionally venomous—the Dark Moon Guards remained slaves for their entire lives! The two blood moons merged. *Swish!* The eyes of Lady Yue's physical body and her Nascent Soul opened simultaneously. At the same time, the cold flames pierced straight through the blood diagram and pounced head-on! The light of the cold flames illuminated Lady Yue's contorted face. Lady Yue tilted her head slightly, offering no resistance whatsoever, but the blood moon between her brows became blindingly brilliant. *Boom!* The moment the blood moon collided with the cold flames, Lady Yue suddenly moved. She did not attempt to resist the cold flames; instead, she assaulted the Dark Moon Seal from within her body! Besieged from within and without, the blood-red light dimmed. *Crack!* The Dark Moon Seal was swallowed by the cold flames on the spot. With the cold flames inches away, Lady Yue's divine soul was nearly frozen solid. In the final moment before death descended, Lady Yue exhausted all her strength, drawing the power of the Dark Moon Guard inside her toward the space between her brows. *Bang!* The cold flames swept through. Lady Yue's head burst apart, leaving behind a headless corpse that was frozen into a block of ice and hurled far away, ultimately torn to shreds by the tide of light until not a trace of bone remained. Only a battered Nascent Soul remained, already on the verge of death. Qin Sang furrowed his brows. At the very last moment, he had sensed something amiss and forcibly reined in some of his power. Otherwise, before Lady Yue's Nascent Soul could even attempt teleportation, it would have been obliterated along with her body. "You!" Qin Sang stared at Lady Yue's damaged Nascent Soul, faintly guessing something. "*Cough, cough...*" The damaged Nascent Soul's aura was feeble, yet it still maintained that trace of a seductive smile. "Thank you, Young Master, for using your spirit treasure to help me escape the devil's clutches." "Why go to such lengths?" Qin Sang shook his head, still somewhat puzzled. Anxious to rescue the man, he spoke while flashing toward the pillar of light. "Better to fight for a chance at life than be refined into a corpse soul." The damaged Nascent Soul's aura drained away rapidly as it murmured words that seemed disjointed. She was Su Zinan's Lady Yue—the highest in cultivation, the most stunning in beauty, and the most favored of all his concubines. When the other concubines saw her, they had to respectfully address her as "Elder Sister." Yet she saw through it clearly: to Su Zinan, she was merely a plaything. Being merely a plaything, she was actually quite content, having long grown accustomed to pleasing men. The numerous treasures of Luye were hers for the taking, which she treated simply as trading her body for cultivation resources. However, Su Zinan was fickle and cold by nature, loving the new and loathing the old. How could he ever remain devoted to a single woman? Yet with his temperament, he regarded her as his exclusive possession; even if he grew tired of her, he would never let her leave alive. The other concubines had all ended up thrown into the snake pit. The only reason Su Zinan had kept her around was that she still held utility. He was waiting for the Three Corpses God-Perishing Banner to be completed! The Dark Moon Seal was Old Demon Lu's signature divine ability, the most terrifying shackle in the world. Life and death hung entirely on the master's whim; she had no power to resist. For more years than she could remember, she had racked her brains searching for a way to break this seal, yet found only despair. Bound to Luye, even on the rare occasions she accompanied Su Zinan outside, she was required to never leave his side. Not until today—when someone broke into the Master of Water Aspect's cenotaph that Su Zinan coveted, Old Wu and the others happened to be away, and Su Zinan was cultivating in the medicinal pool—did she obtain a brief opportunity. The Dark Moon Seal was exceptionally venomous. Her plan was to do everything possible to concentrate the power of the Dark Moon Seal within her body, using immense external pressure to suppress the seal, and seize that moment to sever a portion of her divine soul to take over a new body and be reborn. Yet the timing had to be grasped with absolute precision. The external force could neither be too weak nor too strong; otherwise, it would end in death and the destruction of her Dao. Even more despairing was that even this would not completely free her from the Dark Moon Seal; it could only weaken the Dark Moon imprint in her severed soul as much as possible, preventing Su Zinan from sensing it directly, so that she could slowly find a way later. She had left a physical body behind in the snow layer—a pitiable woman who should have been cast into the snake pit, whom she had secretly rescued. Meanwhile, she herself had descended to seek death. After entering the ice cavern, she had secretly set up a talisman formation to transfer her severed soul and actively courted death. When Su Zinan finished his cultivation and arrived, what he would see was her corpse lying here. That way, Su Zinan would not immediately discover her subtle move, granting her severed soul time to flee. Lady Yue had to act convincingly enough that Su Zinan would see no flaw. Though an adopted son of a Deity Transformation cultivator, aside from being lustful, he was not in the least arrogant; he was meticulous and scheming. If Su Zinan grew suspicious, channeled his profound arts, and sensed for the Dark Moon Seal, he would detect the existence of the severed soul. All her efforts would be undone, and her fate could well be imagined. It was precisely for this reason that after entering the ice cavern, Lady Yue had attacked Qin Sang and Old Man Yanshan without a word, fighting for the cold crystal. In truth, she had no interest in the cold crystal. She had only wanted to infuriate Old Man Yanshan and Qin Sang, forcing out their killing moves to help sever her soul. To this end, she had deliberately concealed the Dark Moon Seal lest her identity be recognized and they dare not make a move. Unexpectedly, Qin Sang had only eyes for the cold crystal; after striking a single blow, he ignored her completely, focusing entirely on breaking the formation. Old Man Yanshan, on the other hand, had adopted a defensive posture. With Su Zinan likely to arrive at any moment, she had been unable to die even when wishing for it. What Lady Yue did not know was that her luck had truly been poor: Old Wu had returned right on time and arrived early, only to be blocked by Qin Sang's true body. When the killing array erupted, its power was sufficient to shatter the Dark Moon Seal, but it occurred so suddenly that Lady Yue had no time to prepare and could only dodge. Afterward, she recklessly attacked Qin Sang until she finally forced out the spirit treasure, which at last fulfilled her goal. "The old demon is no longer of this world, so there is no need for Young Master to fear him. However, Su Zinan is on the verge of completing the Three Corpses God-Perishing Banner; you must be careful in the future." With her severed soul having successfully escaped, Lady Yue's damaged Nascent Soul had been meant to die anyway. Smiling like a flower, she mustered her remaining strength to look at Qin Sang. "As a token of gratitude, let me give Young Master a word of warning. This place is the tomb of the Master of Water Aspect from the Wuxiang Immortal Sect. That companion of yours is the successor of the Water Aspect. We have had our eyes on him for a long time; he will not die so easily. Looking at Young Master, you must still be kept in the dark..." With the Fourfold Tengshe Seal suspended above his head, Qin Sang appeared beside the pillar of light. The Heavenly Eye Butterfly pushed its divine ability to the limit. Inside the pillar of light, aside from wave upon wave of dense surging light, it was completely empty—where was there any trace of a human figure? The One-Origin Heavy Water on the ground had also vanished into thin air. Hearing Lady Yue's words, Qin Sang's expression changed abruptly. Turning his head back, he saw her Nascent Soul dissipating, her profound cultivation draining away into nothingness. Outside the snowfield. Hidden within the snow layer lay an ice coffin. A beautiful young maiden lay quietly inside, her chest faintly rising and falling. Her breath still lingered; she was not dead. The ice coffin was carved with blood-red runes, evidently an extraordinary treasure as well, functioning to conceal the maiden's aura. Suddenly, a white silhouette flew into the ice coffin and threw itself into the maiden's body. The maiden's eyes flew wide open. Her breathing turned ragged, and deep terror and agony showed in her eyes. She wanted to struggle and call for help, but her own right hand clamped tightly over her mouth, muffling any sound. The space inside the ice coffin was cramped. As though wrestling with an invisible evil ghost, blue veins bulged on her swan neck, and her entire body spasmed. After struggling violently a few times, her strength finally gave out. Her eyes closed powerlessly, falling as silent as death. A moment later, the maiden's eyes opened once more, but the look in them was entirely different. The corners of her mouth unconsciously curled upward into the exact same seductive smile as Lady Yue's. "What a pity for a lifetime of cultivation..." The maiden sighed silently, yet her expression was one of profound relief. Fumbling inside her robes, she produced a mustard seed pouch, took out several bottles of medicinal pills, and gulped them down all at once. Without even rising, she directed the ice coffin to shuttle through the snow layer, heading in the direction opposite to Luye. At first, it moved slowly and cautiously, but its speed grew faster and faster.