Ice

Mu Zi looked at the petite woman with exquisite features. Unmoved by her imposing aura, she said calmly:

"You've suppressed your strength to the Samsara Stage. That's somewhat unfair."

The Lord of Darkness's lips curved slightly as she looked at Mu Zi with amusement.

"Are you afraid?"

To her surprise, Mu Zi's gaze remained utterly calm, and her composed words made the Lord of Darkness's expression shift slightly.

"You may use the strength of the Reincarnation Realm."

The Lord of Darkness narrowed her eyes. As one of the Ancient Eight Lords and the original wielder of the Darkness Ancestral Symbol, this was the first time she had experienced being looked down upon.

Seemingly sensing the Lord of Darkness's feelings, Mu Zi's eyes flickered slightly as she spoke softly:

"The Darkness Ancestral Symbol is not here, yet I can draw upon the power of the Ice Ancestral Symbol. That is unfair to you."

Although the Ancient Eight Lords could wield the power of Ancestral Symbols through their own comprehension, without the support of the symbols themselves, their strength was ultimately diminished. Moreover, certain special techniques could only be unleashed with the aid of an Ancestral Symbol.

Thus, this so-called battle between equals was not truly fair.

Mu Zi's Yuan Power had already reached the Samsara Stage, and its purity far surpassed that level. Even compared with a Reincarnation Realm Peak expert like the Lord of Darkness, it was not inferior in the slightest.

Though the Lord of Darkness possessed an advantage in cultivation, after suppressing her strength to the Samsara Stage, she gained no advantage at all. Meanwhile, Mu Zi could borrow the power of the Ice Ancestral Symbol, making it seem as though she was bullying the young woman instead.

"Hehe."

The Lord of Darkness lifted the corners of her lips slightly and stared at the tall Mu Zi with great interest in her eyes.

Wielding a true Ancestral Symbol did indeed grant certain advantages, but such an advantage was nowhere near enough to bridge the immense gulf in power between the Samsara Stage and the Reincarnation Realm.

Even the most domineering Devouring Lord would not have made such a request. The younger generation truly was remarkable now.

That confident bearing made her see Mu Zi in a new light.

Though the Lord of Darkness had already developed a measure of appreciation for Mu Zi, she revealed none of it outwardly and remained as cold and aloof as ever.

"Very well. Let me see what gives you such confidence."

As her words fell, the Lord of Darkness rose from her throne. Her aura slowly climbed until it finally reached a level comparable to the Reincarnation Realm.

Buzz!

The icy-blue rune trembled lightly as piercing Cold Qi surged forth, instantly condensing into an Ice Lotus. Mu Zi raised her hand, and the Ice Lotus flew through the air, drifting lightly toward the Lord of Darkness.

"Not bad."

A trace of approval flashed through the Lord of Darkness's eyes. The power of this attack had already far surpassed that of an ordinary wielder of an Ancestral Symbol.

However, it posed little threat to her.

The Lord of Darkness swept down her jade hand, and monstrous black mist surged out. As it washed over the Ice Lotus, signs of corrosion immediately appeared upon it.

"Explode."

Mu Zi's red lips parted. In the next instant, an extreme chill erupted from within the Ice Lotus, as though it sought to freeze heaven and earth. Then, accompanied by a crisp sound, the black mist gradually solidified, faint ice crystals forming over it.

When the cold qi finally dispersed, the mist of darkness had frozen into an ice sculpture.

Whoosh!

With a thought from Mu Zi, the Ice Ancestral Symbol shot into the air and began spinning wildly. After a burst of dazzling light, it transformed into an Ice Phoenix ten thousand zhang in size.

The Ice Phoenix's body was covered in magnificent ice feathers, every pattern upon them clearly visible, like a masterfully carved work of art crafted by nature itself. Human-like light flickered in its eyes, as though it had truly come to life, wondrous beyond measure.

Screech!

Mu Zi pointed into the air with a jade finger. The Ice Phoenix suddenly beat its wings, then, carrying vast pressure, shrieked as it shot toward the Lord of Darkness. Wherever it passed, space itself froze.

"Ancestral Symbol Spirit!"

The Lord of Darkness looked at the enormous Ice Phoenix soaring through the air, surprise flashing in her eyes. Mu Zi's ability to summon an Ancestral Symbol Spirit did not surprise her, but this Ancestral Symbol Spirit before her was far too powerful, was it not?

In the Lord of Darkness's perception, the terrifying fluctuations emitted by the Ice Phoenix were enough to severely injure a Reincarnation Realm expert in an instant. This left her secretly astonished. Was an attack of this level truly something a Samsara Stage cultivator could unleash?

Even as she marveled, the Lord of Darkness responded. She raised her hand and clenched it fiercely. Darkness qi surged forth, condensing into a Black Python. Its jaws opened wide as it lunged at the Ice Phoenix.

Bang! Bang!

The two colossal creatures collided, and vast energy erupted. Raging currents swept outward in every direction, instantly shrouding the entire space in an ocean of energy.

"Aah!"

As the energy spread, it washed over the Demon Suppression Towers. Amid frenzied roars and wails, the imprisoned alien demons were obliterated one after another, turning into calamity ash before dissipating.

The intensity of this collision had already reached the level of a first Reincarnation Tribulation.

The Lord of Darkness's expression also grew solemn. Mu Zi's strength had exceeded her expectations. From this point on, she would have to get serious.

"Darkness Realm!"

Boundless darkness spread out in an instant, stripping away every ray of light. The entire world seemed to lose its color, becoming deep and obscure, like a realm of darkness.

Buzz buzz!

At that moment, an extremely sharp fluctuation emerged. A tiny crack seemed to tear open between Mu Zi's brows, where light gathered and formed a mysterious eye suffused with endless Cold Qi.

Incomparably dazzling icy-blue light burst from it. The radiance was so brilliant that even the boundless darkness could not conceal it.

"Ancestral Symbol Eye!"

The Lord of Darkness's expression finally changed completely. The Ancestral Symbol Eye could only be unleashed with a true Ancestral Symbol. For Mu Zi to invoke it meant she had mastered the power of the Ancestral Symbol to a considerable degree.

What moved the Lord of Darkness even more was that this Ancestral Symbol Eye had not been formed with difficulty—it had clearly reached a near-perfect state. Through those deep Ice Eyes, one could faintly glimpse an incomparably pure color, as though they contained the ultimate essence of ice.

This Ancestral Symbol Eye had already reached the pinnacle!

Whoosh!

An icy-blue beam shot from the Ice Eye like lightning tearing through the night sky. The darkness along its path instantly collapsed, shattering piece by piece like a mirror.

The icy-blue beam was unstoppable. The Darkness Realm could not withstand it; it smashed through every obstruction and appeared before the black-armored figure. In the final instant, all that could vaguely be seen was her raising one hand.

Boom!

After a thunderous roar, the ripples dispersed. The Lord of Darkness's palm remained outstretched, and the icy-blue beam vanished without a trace.

Though she had successfully received the Ancestral Symbol Eye's attack, the Lord of Darkness showed no trace of pride, because her aura at this moment had already far surpassed the Reincarnation Stage.

"You win."

The Lord of Darkness looked at Mu Zi and murmured, a trace of daze still lingering in her eyes.

Using only the elemental power of the Samsara Stage, she had unleashed an attack capable of killing a first-level Reincarnation Stage expert. Even Junior Sister from back then might not necessarily have been able to do that.