Yunxi realized she could no longer get more information out of the evil cultivator. Without hesitation, she used the Thousand Shadows Riding the Wind technique to charge at him. Since there was no possibility of compromise between them, she chose to strike first.
With a resounding crash, the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff clashed against the dagger. Yunxi's strength, combined with the weapon's own heavy weight, forced the man to his knee. The ice beneath him cracked under the impact, showing just how much force she had used.
Though the man had managed to block the strike, he felt his insides churn violently. The taste of blood rose in his mouth, but he swallowed it back and immediately retreated into the mist.
Yunxi flashed forward in pursuit, but the man seemed to have some way of sensing her position, focusing only on evasion.
"Tsk, what are you running for?"
Clutching the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff, she charged after him. Neither of them noticed that the Tianquan Star carved into the staff's body emitted a faint glow. At the same time, a green light orb hovered behind Yunxi, seemingly wanting to approach her but hesitating.
While Yunxi hunted down her opponent, Han Lian also found herself facing a female evil cultivator. Upon discovering Han Lian's ice spiritual root, the woman's eyes flashed with jealousy, and a sinister smile curved her lips.
"Your spiritual root isn't bad. Perfect for me to use."
Han Lian's striking face was full of disdain as she answered coldly, "You'll need the strength to defeat me first."
She lunged forward, sword in hand. The woman's weapons were a pair of dual daggers, and the two quickly clashed in a whirlwind of steel.
Yun Chen Fózǐ also faced his opponent, a towering man with bulging muscles exposed under a sleeveless vest. The brute sneered when he saw the delicate Yun Chen and swung his massive fist at Yun Chen's head.
"Amitabha." Yun Chen raised a single finger to block the blow. "One Finger Zen!"
The man was knowledgeable, instantly identifying the technique as he pulled his fist back.
"Haha! Let me see for myself the famed indestructible body of a Buddhist cultivator. Let's see how long you last." He roared and attacked again, fists flying like hammers. Yun Chen met him head-on with the Arhat Subduing Tiger Fist, a balanced mix of softness and force, easily withstanding every strike.
Meanwhile, Xun Kun faced a flamboyant man. Upon seeing Xun Kun's delicate mask, the man rubbed his hands together and sneered.
"I'm curious what face hides under that mask. If it's pretty enough, perhaps I'll add it to my collection." Xun Kun's gaze turned icy, his thoughts sharp: No wonder he became an evil cultivator. With such a twisted hobby, how many people has he harmed?
His nose twitched, and he mocked, "Your own face is already rotting. Even with someone else's face, you can't hide your ugliness."
The words struck the man's heart like a blade, twisting his expression into a monstrous snarl. He lunged. Xun Kun had been waiting for this, thrusting his double-headed sword straight at the man's dantian.
Though the evil cultivator was provoked, he still retained caution. He dodged the thrust and swiped for Xun Kun's mask. Xun Kun tilted his head slightly, easily avoiding the grab. With a flick of his wrist, the sword's front blade retracted while the rear blade shot out, stabbing into the man's retreating hand.
All four fought their respective opponents with the intent to finish quickly. They knew that beyond these Divine Transformation opponents, at least six more of the same level awaited them. The Nascent Soul-level enemies they had slaughtered earlier barely counted in their eyes.
Meanwhile, the six Divine Transformation evil cultivators who hadn't run into Yunxi's group had all found what they believed to be the realm spirit's true form. One saw a snow fox, another a snow-covered tower, another an ice pillar, a plain stone, a snow pearl, and a glowing green orb.
Each believed they had found the real realm spirit and poured their strength into sealing it. But the "realm spirits" led them in endless circles through the mist, conveniently steering them far from the ongoing battles.
With the Thousand Shadows Riding the Wind technique, advanced body refinement, and the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff in hand, Yunxi finally pierced through her opponent. The Divine Transformation cultivator died with unwillingness in his eyes.
"Tsk, as expected of a Divine Transformation cultivator. That was tough," she muttered, plundering his belongings. These spoils might hold clues about the upper realm, so she stuffed everything into her storage pendant. She then drank a potion to restore her stamina, burned the corpse to ash, and prepared to move on.
Suddenly, a petite snow fox appeared before her, making her pause. She frowned at the creature sitting calmly on the ground, uncertain if this was a hallucination or reality.
Then the fox spoke. "Human cultivator, I am the one who invited you into this secret realm."
Yunxi raised a brow. "You're the spirit of the Misty Snow Domain."
It was not a question, but a statement.
"Yes."
"You brought us here to help you kill the evil cultivators."
"Yes. Alone, I cannot defeat them."
"There are fifth-rank snow beasts in this realm. Why not let them help you?"
"They are no match for the evil cultivators. Worse, they could be controlled and turned against me. This was my only option."
Yunxi considered it and reluctantly accepted the explanation. "Then why are you here now? We've already started killing them."
The fox's tail flicked. "The Misty Snow Domain has been marked by upper realm evil cultivators. To be rid of them completely, I must disappear along with this realm."
Yunxi rubbed her fingers thoughtfully. "You're hoping we'll tear through the realm while fighting them? That seems like such a waste."
The snow fox shifted its paws, its tone slightly exasperated. "If this realm is destroyed, I no longer have a reason to exist."
Yunxi's almond-shaped eyes narrowed. "What do you propose?"
The fox tilted its head. "I want to merge with your space and become a new realm spirit."
Yunxi only let out a dry laugh and didn't answer.
"Why refuse, human cultivator? Your space is just a space. It cannot grow into a minor world. If I merge with it, your space will give rise to rudimentary laws and eventually become a true world."
Yunxi shook her head. "I don't believe in free treasures falling from the sky. Even if they do, they'll hit someone's head before landing in my hand. What you're offering, I'll acquire one day anyway. It'll just take time. I have plenty of that and prefer steady growth."
The snow fox seemed surprised by her refusal. It lay down slowly. "My strength is nearly spent. Containing the evil cultivators at the center of this realm has drained too much energy. If you refuse, once you've killed them, I'll send you out.
But next time, it won't be you entering. It will be Out-of-Body stage evil cultivators. They'll shatter this realm and open a passage from Wuwang Ruins to the Weiyu Realm, flooding it with their kind."