Staying in the sect, controlling beasts and cultivating immortals

"You beast! Get out of here!"

Yu Changsheng's eyes were bloodshot with rage. The phantom of the Eternal Night Evil Beast roared and emerged from behind him, its dense power of dark laws surging out, attempting to erode and neutralize the amethyst domain.

Darkness and amethyst collided and annihilated violently in mid-air! Taking advantage of the brief moment when the domain was disrupted by the power of darkness, Yu Changsheng recklessly activated his magic power, and the phantom of the Purple Spirit Emperor Sword condensed in his palm. However, before he could unleash it, a cold voice rang out beside him:

"Hehe, Brother Yu, I'll lend you a hand!"

Feng Yin, who had been hovering nearby like a ghost, suddenly moved! He did not directly attack Meng Silan's head, but instead transformed the real Purple Spirit Emperor Sword in his hand into a cunning venomous snake, aiming directly at the depths of the huge wound on Meng Silan's abdomen, which had been corroded by poison!

At the same time, he flicked his free left hand, and a thin, almost imperceptible dark green wisp of smoke, like a living thing, silently burrowed into the gap in the wound opened by the Purple Spirit Emperor Sword!
"Feng Yin! You...!" Yu Changsheng instantly realized something was wrong, but it was too late!

"Aaaaaah—!!!" Monslan let out an unprecedented, extremely painful scream!
The highly toxic smoke that had seeped into its core crystal suddenly erupted! This poison wasn't fatal, but it acted like the most vicious catalyst, instantly igniting the already chaotic and violent amethyst energy within its body, caused by severe injury and the devouring of its own kind! It also caused all the toxins that Feng Yin had been suppressing and injecting into the wound to completely explode out of control!
Boom! !

Monslan's massive body suddenly expanded and contracted, its hard carapace shattering inch by inch, revealing a violently surging, almost out-of-control flow of purplish-black energy beneath!

Its triangular crystal core flickered wildly, its light chaotic, sometimes as bright as the sun, sometimes as dim as a candle flame! A destructive and extremely unstable terrifying aura swept through the entire Ironwall Fortress like a tsunami!
"Oh no! The crystal core is about to go out of control and go berserk!"

Yu Changsheng's expression changed drastically.

At this moment, Monslan was like a volcano with its fuse lit, about to erupt! It had completely lost its mind, its triangular eyes filled only with madness and destruction. Its massive body, like a runaway star, charged towards Yu Changsheng and Chen Xueqing behind him with overwhelming force, indiscriminately attacking them! Its speed and power far exceeded that of its prime!
"Get away!"

Yu Changsheng roared, and without hesitation poured all his magical power into the dark domain of the Eternal Night Evil Beast, layering it in front of him!
He knew that in Monslan's current state, any attack could trigger a chain reaction of explosions from the berserk energy within him! He had no choice but to withstand it!
At this critical moment!
Boom——! ! !
At the edge of Ironwall Fortress, at an inconspicuous array node, a violent explosion occurred!
A large hole was blasted in the adamantite wall, and the purplish-black light shield flickered violently, showing obvious cracks and instability!

It was Huang Xiren and Lin Hao's elite squad that pierced through like a sharp knife and successfully destroyed one of the key array points!
The crack in the Iron Wall Fortress formation served as a signal.

Whoosh!Whoosh!Whoosh!
Several black shadows, as fast as lightning and like venomous snakes tearing through the night, shot in through the crack in the great formation. Their target was not the berserk Monsilan, but Yu Changsheng, who was defending with all his might and carrying his heavily injured Daoist partner! The leader, with an aura as cold as ice, was none other than a top expert among the Qingzhou Shadow Guards!

The lead shadow guard's blade gleamed with a chilling blue light, aiming straight for Yu Changsheng's back! A strange black cord, like a venomous python, coiled towards the unconscious Chen Xueqing behind him! The timing was viciously precise, precisely when Yu Changsheng was completely exhausted from defending against Monslan's suicidal attack, his old strength depleted and new strength yet to be generated!

"The Huangpu family head has ordered—Fellow Daoist Yu, please go to your death! This woman will be 'taken care of' by my Qingzhou!" The Shadow Guard leader's icy voice, like a chilling wind from the depths of hell, swept across the battlefield!

First came the catastrophic disaster of Monslan's uncontrolled self-destruction of its crystal core!

Then, the Qingzhou Shadow Guards took advantage of the chaos to launch a deadly attack and attempt to kidnap Chen Xueqing!
Beside him, the old ghost Fengyin greedily coveted and watched with predatory eyes!
Yu Changsheng was attacked from both sides and instantly fell into a desperate situation with no chance of survival! He let out a roar of unwillingness, and the magic power in his body burned wildly and recklessly. The dark domain of the Eternal Night Evil Beast was compressed and condensed to the extreme, forming a solid dark giant shield in front of him. At the same time, he tried his best to turn to the side to protect Chen Xueqing on his back! He didn't even have time to think about the Shadow Guard's attack!

boom--! ! ! ! ! ! !
A deafening explosion rang out! It wasn't an attack from the Shadow Guards, but rather the complete shattering of Monslan's out-of-control crystal core! A devastating storm of purplish-black energy, like a raging sea, instantly swept through the entire interior of Ironwall Fortress! Light devoured everything! The sturdy adamantite walls twisted and deformed under the shockwave! Countless Abyss Clan members who couldn't escape in time were reduced to ashes in the light!
At the heart of the energy storm, the massive dark shield that Yu Changsheng had condensed shattered like paper! The violent energy slammed into him! He clearly heard the sound of his bones breaking!
Blood gushed out! But in the last moment before his consciousness completely faded, he mustered his last bit of willpower and strength, using all his protective aura, remaining magic power, and his own body to desperately shield Chen Xueqing on his back! The enormous impact sent the two of them flying like kites with broken strings!
In the midst of this destructive, purplish-black storm, in the chaotic moment when everyone was unable to open their eyes due to the impact.

A ghostly figure, like water flowing into the shadows, traversed the turbulent energy currents with incredible speed. Feng Yin! His old face was filled with ecstatic joy and greed, his target precise: at the epicenter of the Mons Blue Crystal Core's self-destruction, the fist-sized, irregularly shaped purple crystal, though riddled with cracks, still brimming with astonishing energy and life essence; and the Purple Spirit Emperor Sword, flung from his grasp by the shockwave and now embedded in the nearby ground, its light slightly dimmed!

"Hahaha! God help me too!"

Feng Yin laughed wildly in his heart, and his withered claws shot out like lightning, grabbing the amethyst shard!
He didn't even glance at Yu Changsheng and Chen Xueqing, who had been blown away. With a flicker, he transformed into a wisp of almost invisible black smoke, following the crack in the Iron Wall Fortress that Huang Xiren and the others had blown open, and instantly vanished into the vast night outside, disappearing without a trace!
Pfft!
Covered in blood and with countless broken bones, Yu Changsheng crashed heavily onto the cold pile of rocks. His consciousness was already blurred, but only his remaining instincts kept him tightly protecting the person in his arms.

Chen Xueqing was shielded by Yu Changsheng, thus avoiding the direct impact of the explosion. However, the scalding blood sprayed by Yu Changsheng stained her clothes, making her already weak breath even more faint.

The leader of the Qingzhou Shadow Guards, slightly disheveled from the impact of the explosion, steadied himself, his eyes beneath the mask incredibly sinister. He glanced in the direction where Feng Yin had disappeared, then looked at Yu Changsheng and Chen Xueqing, whose fates were unknown not far away, a cruel sneer curling at the corner of his lips.

He walked step by step toward the pile of rubble, raising the dark blue blade in his hand once more. His icy voice was like a declaration: "Yu Changsheng, your mission is over. This woman is your pledge of allegiance to the Huangpu family head! Rest in peace!"

The massive Iron Wall Fortress, a symbol of Qingzhou's authority, groaned in the aftershocks of Monsilan's self-destruction. The distant shouts of battle from Luoxia Pass could be faintly heard. In the heart of these ruins, only the Shadow Guard leader's raised butcher's knife remained, along with a suffocating despair.

However, just as the Shadow Guard leader's blade was about to fall—

No one noticed that several shimmering, emerald-green fragments, which had been blown off the broken antlers of the Rainbow Star Deer, were drawn by the blast wave and landed silently on Chen Xueqing's blood-stained chest.

laugh--!
Like a red-hot iron meeting ice, the fragments melted instantly, turning into wisps of vibrant green light that seeped into Chen Xueqing's skin without hindrance, disappearing deep into her heart!

While unconscious, Chen Xueqing furrowed her brow almost imperceptibly. The Shadow Guard leader looked down at Yu Changsheng, his dark blue blade gleaming with a deathly light, coldly locking onto Yu's unsuspecting back.

The cruel smile on his lips widened, as if he could already see the Huangpu family head's satisfied reward. In his eyes, the critically injured and dying Yu Changsheng and the unconscious Chen Xueqing were nothing more than two "mission items" that were about to be completed.

However, just as the blade was about to touch the tattered robes at the critical moment...

A sudden change occurred!

Those few emerald fragments of the broken star-shaped deer antlers that had merged into Chen Xueqing's heart suddenly burst forth with unprecedented brilliance!
This radiance did not spread outwards, but rather, like a warm and powerful torrent of life, swept over Chen Xueqing's broken body from the inside out in an instant!
"Ugh..." Chen Xueqing, still unconscious, let out a very weak but clearly audible groan of pain. On her paper-white cheeks, a faint trace of color appeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.

At the chest, a mysterious emerald green rune, condensed from the pure laws of life, flashed by.

This sudden surge of life was like throwing a boulder into a still, deep pool!
"Roar--!!!"

The Eternal Night Evil Beast, which had been guarding Yu Changsheng and whose aura had also weakened due to the explosion, seemed to be completely ignited by this life energy that shared the same origin, was warm yet carried a protective will!
The ferocity and rage hidden within it, belonging to an ancient evil spirit, erupted suddenly under the dual stimulation of its master's impending death and its companion's mutation!

The dense darkness was no longer just a domain, but had transformed into a tangible, viscous black tide, as thick as ink! The black tide surged and instantly swallowed the Shadow Guard leader and the eerie black rope that was pulling him toward Chen Xueqing!

Countless sharp, vengeful spirits, seemingly emanating from the abyss, howled within the black tide, frantically tearing at the Shadow Guard leader's protective aura and that vicious magical artifact.

"What the hell?!" The Shadow Guard leader was shocked and furious. He felt as if his consciousness was trapped in an icy cave or swamp, and his movements were greatly slowed down.

The piercing howls of the vengeful spirits assaulted his very soul, causing him excruciating headaches. He had no choice but to unleash the full power of his azure dagger, slashing out streaks of cold light in an attempt to tear apart the sudden, viscous darkness.

This obstacle bought Huang Xiren and Lin Hao crucial time!
"Chang Sheng! Xue Qing!"

Huang Xiren's thunderous roar exploded!

He and Lin Hao's elite squad, after destroying the array's foundation, desperately rushed towards the epicenter of the explosion. They witnessed the Shadow Guard leader raise his sword just as he did!
Seeing Yu Changsheng, his body mangled and barely breathing, protecting Chen Xueqing, while Chen Xueqing was undergoing a strange and fragile resurgence, Huang Xiren's eyes instantly turned bloodshot!
"You Qingzhou scum! Get the hell out of my way!"

Ignoring the warnings of severe injury and depleted mana, Huang Xiren infused the nearly destroyed giant hammer in his hand with the last remaining power of his origin. Like a burning meteor, carrying boundless rage, he smashed it hard into the back of the Shadow Guard leader who was entangled by the Eternal Night Black Tide!
Lin Hao's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He rushed towards the pile of rubble without regard for anything else, unleashing sharp sword energy with his longsword. He didn't seek to kill the enemy, but only to force back the Shadow Guard leader. At the same time, several golden talismans covered with defensive runes flew out of his hands, transforming into several tough golden light screens that enveloped Yu Changsheng and Chen Xueqing in layers.

"Oh!"

Huang Xiren's enraged strike landed squarely on the Shadow Guard leader's hastily retreating dagger! The violent force sent him staggering back several steps, his blood churning, and a sweet taste rising in his throat. What terrified him even more was that the eerie black tide, as if possessed, intensified its tearing force in sync with Huang Xiren's attack!
"Retreat!" The Shadow Guard leader made a decisive decision.

The mission objective has changed beyond our control. Although Yu Changsheng is seriously injured and on the verge of death, he is not yet dead. The violent mutation of the Eternal Night Evil Beast and the timely arrival of Huang Xiren and others mean that the risk of killing him has increased dramatically.

Although the head of the Huangpu family was ruthless, the lives of his shadow guards were also lives, especially for a leader of his rank.

Without hesitation, he let out a sharp whistle, his figure blurring as he vanished like a gecko disappearing into the shadows behind the ruins of Ironwall Fortress in a few blinks. The other shadow guards, upon hearing the order, also fled instantly.

"Don't chase!" Huang Xiren forcefully suppressed the urge to pursue, sternly stopping Lin Hao and the others who wanted to give chase. He knew that saving lives was the most important thing at this moment!

He immediately rushed to the pile of rubble and, together with Lin Hao, carefully moved Yu Changsheng, who was covered in blood and whose bones were broken in countless places, to reveal Chen Xueqing beneath him, whose breath was still weak, but whose heart was radiating a soft, resilient, emerald green light.

At this moment, Chen Xueqing's state was extremely strange. Her life force was still as weak as a candle in the wind, as if it would be extinguished at any moment, but the emerald green vitality originating from her heart was extremely tenacious in protecting the core of her soul, and was repairing the terrible damage caused by the Soul Burning Secret Technique very slowly and bit by bit.

She did not wake up; her brows furrowed and relaxed intermittently, as if she were enduring immense pain or merging with some kind of power.

At the broken antlers of the colorful star deer, the light completely dimmed.

It lay weakly beside Chen Xueqing, pressing its small head against her arm, emitting a barely audible whimper, as if calling out and protecting her in its own way.

To save Chen Xueqing's life, it sacrificed a fragment of its own primordial antlers at the last moment, its own life force extinguished. (End of Chapter)