The Collar

"Grab the map fragment!"

Duanmu Rui lay sprawled on the ground, coughing up several mouthfuls of blood. Seeing the map fragment lying nearby, he roared, his eyes nearly splitting with rage.

Whoosh!

Before his voice faded, a figure had already shot forward!

It was the Duanmu Family elder, Duanmu Li! His Eighth-Rank Martial Venerable aura erupted as he streaked toward the map fragment like lightning. His five fingers reached out like eagle talons, about to snatch it up.

"Not a chance!"

A cool voice rang out. Murong Taxue's white hair fluttered as she moved with ethereal grace, like a fairy amid ice and snow. Though she started later, she arrived first. With a light tap of her toes, she drifted over like a snowflake and scooped the map fragment into her delicate hand.

"You're courting death!"

Duanmu Li's expression darkened, a trace of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Boom!

He unleashed his Eighth-Rank Martial Venerable spiritual power without restraint and thrust out his palm. A black palm imprint charged toward Murong Taxue's back, carrying savage force! If it landed squarely, even a Seventh-Rank Martial Venerable would be gravely injured!

"Hmph."

Murong Taxue snorted coldly, neither dodging nor retreating.

The ice lotus mark between her brows suddenly lit up!

Hummm!

Azure cold surged from her body, forming a thick barrier of ice around her. Its crystals were translucent, as though carved from glass, and radiated an utterly freezing chill.

Bang!

Duanmu Li's palm imprint slammed viciously into the ice barrier.

With a muffled boom, the barrier shuddered violently but remained firmly in place. Not even a single crack appeared!

Instead—

Crack... crack...

Terrifying cold spread wildly along Duanmu Li's palm, freezing its way upward at a visible speed!

"What?!"

Duanmu Li's expression changed drastically, alarm bells ringing in his mind.