After walking along the passage for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the path suddenly opened up, revealing a vast valley. Within the valley, the spiritual energy was so dense it was almost condensed into droplets of water. Exotic flowers and herbs grew everywhere, emitting a refreshing fragrance, a stark contrast to the eerie atmosphere outside the passage. In the center of the valley stood a massive stone platform, upon which floated a palm-sized purple fragment. Purple light swirled around the fragment, radiating an awe-inspiring imperial power—the very fragment of the Emperor Bell that the Snow Empress had been searching for.
Snow Empress was overjoyed and quickly walked towards the stone platform. But just as she was still several feet away from the platform, a dark figure suddenly darted out from the forest on both sides of the valley and blocked her way. The figure was dressed in a black robe, with his face covered by a hood, revealing only a pair of eerie green eyes. He exuded a strong aura of yin and evil, and his cultivation had actually reached the Third Transformation of Dragon Transformation Realm, which was even higher than Snow Empress's.
" Saintess Snow Empress, how have you been?" The black-robed man's voice was hoarse and cold, tinged with a hint of mockery. "The Lord has ordered me to take you back and hand over the Emperor Bell Emperor Bell its fragments, and perhaps then I might spare your life."
The Snow Empress's expression hardened, and the purple light around her surged instantly, the aura of the Emperor Bell faintly emerging. "People from the Underworld? It seems you arrived quite quickly."
"Enough with the nonsense!" The man in black robes sneered, raising his right hand to conjure a jet-black whip. The whip Entanglement dense death energy, its blade covered in sharp spikes, radiating a chilling aura. "Since you refuse to surrender, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Before the words were even finished, the man in black robes lashed out with his long whip, aiming for the Snow Empress. The whip whistled through the air, carrying a chilling aura of death, and arrived before Snow Empress in an instant. The Snow Empress's eyes sharpened, and she nimbly dodged the whip's attack with a swift movement. At the same time, she raised her right hand, and the Emperor Bell flew out from her dantian, hovering above her head, emitting a clear chime. Purple light poured down, forming a solid barrier that blocked the remaining force of the whip.
" The Ziwei Emperor Bell? It truly lives up to its name." A glint of greed flashed in the black- Snow Empress's barrier.
"Boom!" The long whip collided with the barrier, producing a deafening roar. Purple light and black fire intertwined and eroded each other, causing the spiritual energy in the valley to fluctuate violently. The surrounding exotic flowers and plants were instantly affected and turned to ashes. Snow Empress felt a tightness in her chest and her blood surged. She involuntarily took two steps back—the strength of the Third Transformation of Dragon Transformation was indeed well-deserved. Coupled with the evil weapon in her opponent's hand, it would not be easy for her to win.
But the Snow Empress did not back down. She took a deep breath, suppressed her inner turmoil, formed hand seals, and silently recited the incantation of the Ziwei Sect. Under her control, the Emperor Bell slowly rotated, the purple light on its body growing increasingly intense, and its imperial might becoming increasingly fierce. Waves of purple light emanated from the Emperor Bell, bombarding the black-robed man. At the same time, she flashed forward, holding the Emperor Bell, and charged towards the black-robed man, the bell carrying a dazzling purple light, smashing towards his chest.
A hint of surprise flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. He clearly hadn't expected the Snow Empress to be so valiant, daring to attack even though her cultivation was inferior to his own. He dared not be careless and quickly swung his long whip, Entanglement the Emperor Bell Emperor Bell an attempt to block it. However, the Ziwei Power on the Emperor Bell was the nemesis of Yin and evil energy. As soon as the long whip touched the Emperor Bell, it emitted a "sizzling" sound. The death energy on the whip was instantly corroded by the purple light, and the black flames gradually died out.
"Impossible!" the black-robed man exclaimed, trying to retract his whip, but the suction force from the Emperor Bell grew stronger, holding the whip firmly in place. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pull it back. A fierce glint flashed in the Snow Empress's eyes. Seizing the opportunity, she unleashed her power, sending the Emperor Bell crashing down on the black-robed man with tremendous force. The black-robed man's expression changed drastically. He hurriedly released his whip and retreated rapidly, but he was still a step too slow. The edge of the Emperor Bell grazed his shoulder, and the purple light instantly pierced through his body, purifying a portion of the death energy within him.
"Ah!" The man in black robes screamed in agony, black blood gushing from the wound on his shoulder, his aura weakening. A sinister glint flashed in his eyes, and with a flick of his left hand, a black token appeared out of thin air. The token was inscribed with strange runes and emanated a terrifying, malevolent aura. "Since you refuse to listen to reason, then let you taste the power of the Yin Sha Token!"
As he spoke, the man in black robes poured all the remaining death energy in his body into the Yin Sha Token. The token instantly lit up with a dark light, and countless Yin spirits surged out of the token, rushing towards the Snow Empress. Those Yin spirits had ferocious faces, let out shrill screams, and exuded a dense death energy. Wherever they passed, the spiritual energy in the air was polluted and became turbid.
Snow Empress's expression was solemn. She could sense that these vengeful spirits were not ordinary evil beings, but rather were refined by the Underworld using special methods, making them extremely corrosive. Once possessed by these spirits, one's cultivation would be damaged at best, and at worst, one's soul would be eroded, turning one into a walking corpse. Without the slightest hesitation, she formed hand seals again, and the Emperor Bell emitted a deafening chime, its purple light surging forth to form a massive pillar of light that blasted towards the vengeful spirits.
"Boom!" The pillar of light collided with the Yin spirits. Countless Yin spirits, corroded by the purple light, let out shrill screams and instantly turned into ashes. But the number of Yin spirits was simply too great. Before one wave was extinguished, another rose up, continuously pouring out from the Yin Sha Token and gradually surrounding the Snow Empress. The Snow Empress's aura began to weaken, and the purple light of the Emperor Bell gradually dimmed—after a long battle, coupled with the consumption of cultivation during the previous battle with the Earth Venerable, her physical strength and Spiritual Power were almost exhausted.
The man in black robes looked at the Snow Empress, who was surrounded by ghostly spirits, and a smug smile appeared on his face, " Saintess Snow Empress, you should just surrender. You have no strength left; any further resistance will only cause you unnecessary suffering."
Snow Empress gritted her teeth, a glint of defiance flashing in her eyes. She knew she couldn't fall here. The fragment of the Emperor Bell hadn't been obtained yet, the Ziwei Sect's legacy still needed her to revive, and the world's people still needed her to protect them. She took a deep breath, her mind racing through the Ziwei Sect's inherited techniques. Suddenly, she remembered the Ziwei Sect's forbidden martial art— the Ziwei Heaven-Burning Art. This martial art was incredibly powerful, capable of transforming Ziwei Power into blazing Lie Yan that could burn away all evil and yin things, but the price was also extremely high, consuming a large amount of cultivation and potentially damaging one's foundation.
At this moment, the Snow Empress had no choice. She closed her eyes, her hands forming complex hand seals, and silently chanted the incantation of the Ziwei Heaven-Burning Art. Within her dantian, the Ziwei Power surged wildly, and the Emperor Bell also vibrated violently. The purple light on the bell instantly transformed into a blazing flame, within which was mixed a faint golden light, the original power of the Ziwei Sect. The Snow Empress opened her eyes, her pupils blazing with fire. She raised her hand and waved, and the Emperor Bell, carrying the blazing Lie Yan, slammed towards the black-robed man. At the same time, the flames spread out, engulfing all the surrounding Yin spirits.