The Demon Venerable's face also began to turn pale. He was already injured, and then he had hastily learned this complicated sealing technique and forced it to activate, causing his demonic energy to be consumed extremely quickly. But he gritted his teeth and persevered, his right hand's movements not slowing down in the slightest.
The 25th floor, the 26th floor, the 27th floor...
Snow Empress's vision began to blur again. Although the Spiritual Power from the jade pendant was replenishing her energy, her body was too severely depleted to be replenished in a short time. She felt as if she were walking on clouds, her feet unsteady, and each seal she formed felt like she was struggling against a mountain.
On the 28th floor, a trickle of dark red blood seeped from the Demon Venerable's lips. On the 29th floor, golden blood gushed from the Snow Empress's nose. On the 30th floor, both of their hands trembled violently, but neither of them let go.
Thirty-first floor. Thirty-second floor.
The final sealing seal – the thirty-third layer.
With the last ounce of her strength, the Snow Empress imprinted the most crucial sealing rune onto the very center of the Source of Chaos. At the same instant, the Demon Venerable covered it with his own dark golden rune. The two beams of light overlapped and merged, transforming into a complete circle of golden light that completely sealed the pitch-black stone.
The Power of Chaos surging within the stone suddenly quieted down, and the gray sheen flowing across its surface completely disappeared, turning it into an ordinary black stone. It was about the size of a palm, cool to the touch, and exuded no energy.
It's done.
Snow Empress released her grip and fell backward.
The Demon Venerable reacted swiftly, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back. Her body was as light as a Yezi as she fell into the Demon Venerable's arms, her eyes tightly closed, her breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.
The Demon Venerable looked down at her. Her face was still covered in blood, and her complexion was almost transparently white, but the corners of her mouth were slightly curved, as if she had made a satisfied expression before fainting.
"Fool." The Demon Venerable muttered. Then he carefully put the sealed Source of Chaos into his arms, and bent down to pick up the Snow Empress in his arms.
The wind was still blowing on the barren mountain. A sliver of dawn was breaking on the horizon. Daylight was approaching.
The Demon Venerable carried the Snow Empress into the sky and flew towards the Ziwei Sect. His black robe, which was torn in many places and stained with blood, fluttered in the morning breeze, but his posture in carrying her was very steady. One hand supported her shoulder and back, and the other hand supported her knees, as if he was afraid of waking her up.
Snow Empress stirred in his arms, her eyelashes fluttering slightly, the curved smile on her lips still lingering.
The Demon Venerable glanced down at her, a slight smile playing on his lips. Then he quickened his pace, flying towards the dawn on the horizon.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds, inch by inch, bathing the newly awakened earth in a pale gold hue. The main peak of the Ziwei Sect emerged in the morning light, and the copper bells on the eaves jingled in the morning breeze, startling several blue-feathered sparrows that were roosting beneath them.
The Demon Venerable carried the Snow Emperor's Fall a courtyard behind the main peak. It was the Snow Empress's residence in the Ziwei Sect. The courtyard gate was tightly closed, and a thin layer of frost covered the bluestone steps. He kicked the gate open, walked straight through the courtyard, and pushed open the door of the main room. The furnishings inside were extremely simple: a couch, a table, a chair, and a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall with the four characters "The Great Way is Simple" written in vigorous strokes.
He gently placed Snow Empress on the couch and reached out to check her pulse—it was thin and weak, like a candle flickering in the wind, ready to be extinguished at any moment. Even with the Spiritual Power of Perfected Qingxuan's jade pendant supporting her, the essence and source power she had consumed in forcibly completing the thirty-three layers of seals was still far too heavy. The Demon Venerable frowned, took out the black stone Source of Chaos from his robes and placed it on the table, then took a dark red pill and put it into Snow Empress's mouth. It was a heart-protecting pill that he always carried with him; although it could not replenish his source power, it could at least keep his heart meridian intact.
After finishing, he straightened up and looked around the room. Dust had accumulated on the windowsill, and half a cup of cold tea remained in the teacup on the table. The bedding was neatly folded, and a faded safety amulet lay beside the pillow. He walked over, picked up the amulet, and examined it. It was engraved with extremely fine runes, meant for protection, but its Spiritual Power had long since dissipated, leaving only an empty shell. He wondered when she had put it on; perhaps it was a gift from someone very important to her many years ago. The Demon Venerable put it back in its place without touching it again.
He walked to the window and opened it. The bamboo forest behind the mountain rustled in the morning breeze, and in the distance, he could hear the sound of disciples flying by on their swords, as well as the faint chanting of scriptures coming from the lecture hall. Everything at the Ziwei Sect was as usual, as if the thrilling confrontation of the previous night had never happened. The Demon Venerable leaned against the window frame, his gaze fixed on the gradually brightening band of light on the distant horizon, a very faint smile appearing on his lips. He had suffered serious injuries, and most of his demonic energy had been consumed. Leaning against the window, he felt a chill, but a strange sense of clarity filled his heart.
He turned his head and glanced at the Snow Empress, who was fast asleep on the bed. Her breathing was a little more steady than before, though still weak, but at least it wasn't continuing to decline. The Demon Venerable sat down at the table, closed his eyes, and began to regulate his breathing and heal his injuries. The room was very quiet, with only the faint breathing of the two people rising and falling, like some kind of strange resonance.
When Snow Empress woke up, it was already afternoon. Sunlight slanted in through the windowpane, casting a bright rectangular patch of light on the floor. She opened her eyes, her vision blurry, and it took her a few breaths to focus. She saw the familiar plain-colored canopy above her. Her body ached as if it had been crushed and pieced back together, her meridians felt empty, and she could barely feel the flow of Spiritual Power. She moved her fingers, her fingertips touching the soft fabric of the bedding.
"Woke up?"
A deep voice came from the side. Snow Empress turned her head and saw the Demon Venerable sitting at the table, holding a teacup in his hand, looking at her. Sunlight fell on his profile, making his pale face look slightly better, but there was still a trace of dried blood at the corner of his mouth, and his black robe was torn in several places, revealing deep wounds that exposed bone.
Snow Empress tried to sit up by supporting herself on her elbows, but found that she couldn't get any strength in her arms and fell back onto the tatami.
"Don't move." The Demon Venerable put down his teacup, stood up, and walked over, looking down at her. "Seventy percent of your meridians are empty, and you've lost over thirty percent of your vital essence. If you stand up and take a few steps now, you'll fall flat on your face and break your nose."
Snow Empress blinked, her voice hoarse as she asked, "Where is the Source of Chaos?"
"It's sealed tight, I've got it tucked away in my pocket." The Demon Venerable patted his chest. "Don't worry, it won't run away."
Snow Empress breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes to catch her breath. After a while, she opened her eyes again, her gaze falling on the wounds on the Demon Venerable's body. "Your wounds..."