Blade of the Frost Soul · Moonlight's Clear Radiance

Outside the altar in the Immortal Vein Ruins, thick golden mist filled the world, and the breath of the spiritual veins surged like a tide. Broken stone pillars and collapsed palaces lay scattered across the wasteland in the distance, their ancient presence seeming to chant in a low voice. Just as Qin Yu, Yang Zheng, and Zhao Xinyu cautiously stepped onto a flight of shattered stairs, a roar that tore through heaven and earth suddenly rang out ahead.

Rumble-

With footsteps that shook the earth, a guardian demonic beast slowly emerged.

The beast was covered in pitch-black, ironlike scales, its eyes scarlet as blood. Its head resembled a wolf's but bore curved horns, and two tattered yet still fearsome wings sprouted from its back, each beat whipping up a violent storm of Spiritual Qi. Its limbs were as thick as a giant elephant's, and every step cracked the earth into deep, web-like fissures. Most striking of all, a demonic core resembling a heart of magma pulsed with blazing red light in its chest, spewing black-and-gold flames with each breath.

"It's... a guardian demonic beast at the middle stage of the Yuan Transformation Realm!" Zhao Xinyu's pretty face changed abruptly. The Spirit Frost Sword hummed in her hand, and a frosty presence instantly spread outward as she tried to resist the oppressive force rushing from the beast.

The beast roared and violently beat its wings. Its tattered wings stirred flames and storms across the sky, sweeping toward the three like a blazing hurricane. Thunder boomed within the flames, striking terror into their hearts as though an ancient formation had awakened.

Qin Yu's expression tightened. He raised his hand and gripped the Spear of Ashen Annihilation. Spiritual light flashed beneath his feet, and the spirit spear's presence erupted. Gray radiance and searing flames collided in midair with a thunderous crash, bursting into dazzling light.

Yang Zheng also shouted in fury. His longsword took on the force of a mountain as he unleashed "Heng Mountain Sword Art: Steady as a Mountain!" Sword Qi formed layer upon layer of barriers, forcibly blocking the beast's first assault.

Zhao Xinyu swept her sword backhanded, unleashing "Frost Radiance Sword Shadows!" Frosty sword light intertwined across the sky, tearing an opening through the flames.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Together, the three clashed thunderously with the middle-stage Yuan Transformation Realm beast before the ruins' shattered stone steps. Fire and frost intertwined, sword light and spear shadows swept in every direction, and heaven and earth seemed to split open with a world-shaking fissure at that moment.

Their very first clash outside the altar was already this harrowing.

The air was so heavy it was almost suffocating. Every step of the black-and-gold-scaled beast shook the earth, spreading cracks like a spiderweb. Cold sweat poured from Yang Zheng's forehead as he muttered through gritted teeth, "What a terrifying presence... this beast is probably a fearsome existence at the middle stage of the Yuan Transformation Realm!"

Qin Yu's gaze sharpened, and his grip slowly tightened around his battle spear. "Now that we're here, there's no retreat."

The beast roared, violently beating its tattered wings. Blazing flames intertwined with black winds, instantly gathering into a fiery hurricane that swept across dozens of zhang. The surrounding stone walls melted on the spot, and the air turned crimson, so scorching it seemed ready to burn them to ashes.

Qin Yu shouted in fury and leveled his battle spear. Gray spear shadows abruptly condensed into an enormous barrier, forcibly resisting the hurricane's impact. Spear shadows clashed with blazing flames, scattering firelight like exploding stars.

Yang Zheng abruptly stepped forward, and his Sword Qi erupted as he drove "Heng Mountain Sword Art: Steady as a Mountain!" to its limit. A sword force as massive as a mountain rose from the ground, condensing into a sword wall. The fiery hurricane crashed against it, making the void hum. The sword wall cracked, but ultimately held firm, blocking the fatal blow.

Zhao Xinyu gave a sharp cry, her movements fierce as she swung her longsword and abruptly unleashed "Frost Radiance Sword Shadows!" Countless frosty sword shadows intertwined in the air like snowflakes filling the sky, shattering the flames' cutting edge and sharply weakening their fiery presence. Together, the three carved out a path to breathe within the sea of fire.

The beast's furious roar shook the heavens. It slammed both claws into the earth, its body turning into black-and-gold lightning as it lunged straight at them. The air compressed until it exploded, and its afterimage traced a black-and-gold streak. Yang Zheng roared and held his sword across its path. The blade abruptly cracked, the web of his hand split open, and blood streamed out. He was hurled several zhang backward, slamming heavily into a stone wall.

Qin Yu's gaze abruptly turned cold and fierce. Spiritual Qi boiled in his dantian as he raised his battle spear high and unleashed "Heaven-Guiding Strike!" The spear transformed into a long blade of lightning and slashed down with the force to destroy heaven and earth. Its edge cut through the void and struck the beast's shoulder. With a thunderous crash, its black-and-gold scales shattered, scattering flames and blood. The beast staggered, its furious roar tearing through the sky.

Zhao Xinyu's gaze turned cold. Seizing the moment when the beast was wounded, she flashed forward, frost gathering along her sword's edge as she unleashed "Frost-Defying Thrust!" Her sword light became a spear of frost that stabbed viciously into the beast's flank. Cold instantly spread, freezing large patches of scales before they shattered like brittle ice. The beast's movements abruptly faltered, and its pained roar shook heaven and earth.

The beast flew into an utter frenzy. The demonic core in its chest blazed fiercely, and a ring of fiery ripples exploded outward. The three had no time to defend and were blasted away. Qin Yu tumbled through the air, only steadying himself by driving his battle spear into the ground. Yang Zheng spat blood, while Zhao Xinyu's arm suffered a charred black burn, her presence rapidly falling into disorder.

"Combined attack!" Qin Yu shouted in a low voice. His nascent fate soul immediately unfurled, and he sensed the fluctuations of the beast's fate pattern, instantly catching its most vulnerable moment.

Yang Zheng's Sword Qi surged once more like a collapsing mountain. "Mountain Crushing the Summit!" crashed down, its sword force weighing a thousand jun and bearing down on the beast's mind. Refusing to be outdone, Zhao Xinyu unleashed "Ice Heart Snowfall!" Cold swords poured from the sky like a blizzard. Qin Yu's battle spear howled, its light stretching across heaven and earth like a rainbow.

The three forces struck the beast simultaneously. Firelight intertwined with frost, while sword force and spear shadows tore through the void. The beast's furious roar shattered the stone walls, its shoulder reduced to a bloody mess.

The beast threw back its head and roared. Its demonic core suddenly flared, and flames condensed into an immense claw that blotted out the sky, crashing down with the force to burn heaven and destroy earth. Qin Yu roared and drove his battle spear with all his strength. Gray spear shadows, like fissures in the world, surged upward to meet the flames!

Boom!!!

The flames collided with the gray spear, shaking heaven and earth. The violent force completely shattered the surrounding stone pillars and collapsed the ground several zhang deep. Blazing flames intertwined with gray light in a scene like the end of the world.

As the dust dispersed, the beast staggered backward more than ten zhang, blood gushing from its mangled shoulder. The three were breathing erratically, their clothes torn and their internal Spiritual Qi nearly exhausted, but they had finally driven back this terrifying middle-stage Yuan Transformation Realm beast!

The earth still trembled faintly, crisscrossed with fissures. The flames had not yet completely died out, and the air was filled with the smells of scorching and blood.

The Flame-Upholding Guardian Beast raised its head and let out one final deafening roar, its voice filled with unwillingness and fury. Then its enormous body crashed down, gouging out a deep pit. Its black-and-gold scales shattered as it collapsed, and the flames gradually died away. Yet at that moment, the demonic core in its chest suddenly burst with dazzling light.

A demonic core resembling a heart of flame slowly floated into the air. The surrounding air instantly warped, as though a blazing sun hung overhead. It was crimson all over, with black-and-gold patterns winding across its surface. Every pulse came with a rumble, as though it would ignite the entire altar.

Zhao Xinyu's gaze trembled slightly, and she exclaimed softly, "A middle-stage Yuan Transformation Realm demonic core... to think it's this pure. Its value is enough to make countless sects fight to the death!"

Yang Zheng's throat tightened slightly. His eyes remained fixed on the core, his breathing quickening. "This... this is a supreme treasure that can instantly raise someone's realm!"

Yet just as he instinctively moved to step forward, Qin Yu slowly reached out and stopped him.

"This demonic core isn't mine." Qin Yu's voice was low but firm. He slowly put away his battle spear and looked straight at Yang Zheng. "Brother Yang, we fought side by side, and you suffered the worst injuries. You only broke through recently, and your foundation isn't stable yet. Take this core. Once you refine it, your cultivation will surely improve steadily, and you won't fall behind me and Junior Sister Zhao anymore."

Yang Zheng froze, his pupils contracting sharply, his face filled with shock and hesitation. "Brother Yu! Have you gone mad? This is the core of a middle-stage Yuan Transformation Realm beast! You've only just reached initial entry into the Yuan Transformation Realm. If you refine it, you'll definitely stabilize your cultivation at initial entry into the Yuan Transformation Realm. How can you give it to me..."

Qin Yu's gaze darkened, his tone decisive enough to cleave nails and sever iron. "We're brothers, not strangers! Whoever a fortuitous opportunity ought to belong to should receive it. Say no more. Keep it safe."

As he spoke, he abruptly reached out. Gray light flickered in his palm as he seized the demonic core, then handed it to Yang Zheng without hesitation.

The instant the core touched his hand, Yang Zheng felt as though his entire body had been set aflame. Scorching power surged along his arm into his body. He was both shaken and moved, and even his eyes grew slightly red.

"Brother Yu..." His voice trembled faintly, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.

Qin Yu lightly patted his shoulder and smiled faintly. "Stop fussing. We still have a much longer road to walk side by side. This core is only the beginning."

Zhao Xinyu watched them with a gentle gaze and said with a soft smile, "...Yang Zheng, take it. Senior Brother Qin means well."

The firelight above the altar gradually dispersed, leaving only the demonic core that Yang Zheng carefully tucked into his storage pouch. Its radiance faded, yet it still faintly exuded a power that shook the heart.

Within the Immortal Vein Ruins, Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi churned through the air like an invisible torrent. Broken spiritual veins flickered beneath the ground with faint, intermittent light. Shattered ancient stone pillars and broken formation patterns lay scattered across the barren earth, as though recounting the glory and destruction of ancient times.

Qin Yu, Yang Zheng, and Zhao Xinyu followed the remnants of the stone steps deeper inside, continuing their patrol.

Before long, a Black-Armored Mastiff Beast at initial entry into the Qi Condensation Realm lunged from among the rocks, its fangs sharp, its eyes scarlet, and its presence savage. Before it could approach, the Spear of Ashen Annihilation trembled lightly in Qin Yu's hand. Spiritual Qi swirling at its tip abruptly became a platinum arc of light-"Spiritual Light Thrust!" instantly shot through the air. With a squelch, it pierced straight through the mastiff beast's chest, and the beast crashed to the ground, sending dust flying.

Spiritual light surged within Zhao Xinyu's sleeves as she formed hand seals, gathering spiritual power into an emerald curtain of light. Her "Clear Spirit Flower Rain Art!" scattered like petals filling the sky, instantly dispersing the bloody Sha Qi in the air while also revealing spiritual herbs hidden between the stones. Several stalks of Spirit-Concentrating Grass, glowing a dim blue, appeared beneath the cleansing flower rain. She smiled faintly, picked them, and placed them in her storage pouch.

Yang Zheng drew his sword as an Iron-Horned Demon Spirit at the middle stage of the Spirit Awakening Realm charged ferociously toward him. His body jolted, his footing steady as he unfurled his sword force, unleashing "Steady as a Mountain!" and "Balanced Force Break!" in succession. His sword light pressed down with the weight of a mountain, forcibly suppressing the demon spirit. With one final slash, its iron horn snapped, and the demon spirit crashed to the ground, dissolving into a mist of blood.

The three coordinated with ever greater harmony, barely pausing at all. Any demonic beasts or demon spirits that appeared, whether at initial entry into the Qi Condensation Realm or the middle and late stages of the Spirit Awakening Realm, were easily slain.

By the end of this stretch of their patrol, their storage pouches held a considerable harvest:

One Iron-Horned Demon Spirit core, emitting a dark red glow;

More than a dozen spiritual herbs, including spirit bone grass, azure spirit vine, and yuan-restoring fruit;

More unexpectedly still, they discovered a half-person-tall Purple Fire Flower beside a shattered spiritual pool. This was an extremely rare immortal herb that could help temper the soul and meridians.

As Zhao Xinyu put away the spiritual herbs, her eyes shone, and she said softly, "If the three of us hadn't been so careful and thorough, these herbs would probably have been concealed by the miasma in the ruins. We wouldn't have found them at all."

Yang Zheng laughed heartily. "With Brother Yu clearing the way ahead and you hunting treasure behind, all I have to do is cut things down. Haha, truly a match made in heaven!"

Qin Yu smiled faintly, but his gaze remained steady as it swept over the surrounding broken formation patterns and the thunder-rumbling sky. He silently grew alert. There's no way these are the only beasts here... the deeper we go, the danger will multiply.

The three exchanged glances, already sharing an understanding. Without another word, they continued their patrol deeper into the Immortal Vein Ruins.

As they continued slaying beasts and gathering herbs, the ground beneath their feet gradually became unusual. The scattered fragments of stone steps vanished, replaced by a fissure-covered spiritual-vein road. Pale purple radiance surged from its cracks, like a sleeping dragon stretching through the depths of the earth.

Suddenly-

"Boom-!"

A deafening roar rang out from afar. All of heaven and earth seemed shaken by it, and space tore apart in layers, rippling like the surface of water. The distant mountain walls cracked amid the rumbling, stone fragments tumbled down, and even the Spiritual Qi in the air fell into disorder.

Qin Yu's brow abruptly furrowed. Far along the horizon, pitch-black demonic mist surged out, shooting straight into the nine heavens. An enormous shadow faintly writhed within it, every movement carrying a force that oppressed heaven and earth. Its presence far surpassed that of the earlier beast, terrifying as a mountain crushing down upon them. It had actually reached major accomplishment of the Yuan Transformation Realm!

Zhao Xinyu's face instantly turned white, and she cried softly, "This is bad... that's a beast at major accomplishment of the Yuan Transformation Realm!" Spiritual light flickered rapidly in her eyes. An overwhelming sense of pressure rose within her, and even her soul trembled faintly.

Yang Zheng's sword hand had grown somewhat stiff, his trembling blade humming incessantly. "Brother Yu, this... this presence is more terrifying than any beast we saw in the Shadow Woods!"

Before his words faded, the earth abruptly collapsed. Several immortal herbs instantly turned to ash beneath the impact of that terrifying presence. The sky rumbled, thunder rolled, and black clouds churned, as though the entire ruins were answering the beast's fury.

Qin Yu's eyes were fixed like cold stars as he stared intently at the distant cloud of demonic mist. "Something's wrong. This beast's presence isn't merely powerful... it seems to be driven by some kind of force, making it this violent. Otherwise, the Immortal Vein Ruins would have been shattered long ago."

Zhao Xinyu raised her head in surprise. "You mean... this beast might be a guardian?"

Qin Yu did not answer immediately. Instead, he slowly raised the Spear of Ashen Annihilation, the cold glint at its tip like a streak of light cutting through the night. He murmured, "Guardian or not, we must be careful today... because everything that comes next is the true beginning."

The air grew increasingly heavy, and Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi churned like an ocean. The spiritual-vein road beneath their feet seemed to be guided by an unseen force, leading them step by step toward the rolling demonic mist.

As the demonic mist completely dispersed, heaven and earth abruptly fell silent, and a mountainlike black shadow slowly emerged.

A pitch-black dragon lay at the end of the fractured spiritual vein. Its enormous body stretched a full hundred zhang, and covering its scales were black dragon scales that looked forged from black iron. Every scale emitted a cold, eerie glow, as though devouring all light. Between those scales, scarlet runes faintly flowed, like an ancient curse burning within its bloodline.

Its two horns were curved and sharp, resembling long sabers raised against the heavens, radiating an intense will to slaughter. Its dragon eyes glowed a deep red, like two fiercely burning masses of blood-flame. A single glance made their souls tremble, as though an eternal abyss were staring at them.

With each breath, thick black mist rolled from the dragon, becoming pitch-black chains that hung suspended in the air, as though seeking to lock heaven and earth in place. Its chest rose and fell, every breath accompanied by thunderous booms. Under this oppressive force, the spiritual vein beneath it split into countless gullies.

The raised spines along its back resembled pitch-black mountain peaks, incomparably sharp, as though a slight sweep could tear apart the sky. Its claws resembled enormous masses of obsidian, their five talons glittering coldly. When they gripped the ground, five bottomless pits were instantly pressed into the earth, and even the Spiritual Qi was annihilated at once.

On the mountain wall behind it was a naturally formed cave. Broken immortal formation patterns circled its entrance, constantly flashing with the light of ancient runes. Though already ruined, they still radiated a vast immortal presence, as though an incomparably precious secret treasure lay sealed within.

The black dragon coiled before the cave entrance, like a guardian born to its duty. Its tail swept across the earth, leaving deep fissures, and the air filled with a scorching, destructive presence.

Watching from afar, Qin Yu, Yang Zheng, and Zhao Xinyu felt an invisible pressure rush toward them. It was as though a giant mountain pressed against their chests, almost stopping their breathing. Zhao Xinyu's pretty face lost its color, and she murmured, "This... this black dragon's presence... it's probably an existence approaching the Soul Foundation Realm..."

The black dragon abruptly raised its head. The scarlet blood-flames in its eyes suddenly swelled as it fixed its gaze on the three. That single glance made the Spiritual Qi in their bodies flow backward, as though their defenses had been torn open directly and their entire bodies would be ripped apart!

Rumble-

The black dragon roared, its sound waves becoming a towering shock wave that swept through heaven and earth. Wind and thunder instantly surged across the sky, black clouds rolled, and the entire Immortal Vein Ruins seemed to tremble at its roar!

Deep within the cave, pale golden light flickered in the darkness, as though beckoning, yet also as though mocking every living creature that approached.

Facing this black dragon, the three immediately understood that confronting it head-on would simply be seeking death. Even though Qin Yu had now reached initial entry into the Yuan Transformation Realm and possessed both the Spear of Ashen Annihilation and the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art, he remained as insignificant as dust before this demonic dragon.

Zhao Xinyu's face was pale as she quietly transmitted her voice. "Brother Yu, this black dragon's presence is too powerful. We're no match for it at all..."

Yang Zheng also tightened his grip on his sword hilt, cold sweat streaming down his forehead, yet he remained firmly at Qin Yu's side. "If we fight, I won't retreat!"

Qin Yu drew a deep breath, his gaze icy. Then he said in a low voice:

"Fighting means certain death. What it's guarding in that cave must be a peerless fortuitous opportunity. This black dragon won't leave easily. But it's still a demonic beast in the end. Its instincts outweigh its reason. If we skillfully provoke its anger and make it leave the cave for a moment, we'll have a chance."

Zhao Xinyu was startled. "You mean... lure it away?"

Qin Yu nodded. "Right! I'll provoke it and lure it away. You two seize the chance to rush into the cave and take the opportunity inside! I'll find a way to come back alive."

Yang Zheng was so anxious he almost shouted, "No! Brother Yu, you're trading your life for an opportunity!"

Qin Yu glanced back at him, his gaze resolute. "Remember, if we want to establish ourselves in the White Cloud Sect, we need trump cards that truly belong to us. If we don't even dare face danger, where will our opportunities come from?"

Just then, the black dragon seemed to understand their whispers. Its enormous head abruptly thrust down, its blood-flame dragon eyes widening as it slammed down a claw.

Boom!!!

The earth shattered, Spiritual Qi exploded, and the three were almost flung away! That single claw strike set alarm bells ringing in Qin Yu's heart. We can't delay any longer!

Qin Yu abruptly raised his battle spear. Spiritual Qi surged wildly, and fighting spirit erupted throughout his body. He suddenly executed Light Spirit Step, turning into an afterimage as he shot into the sky, charging straight at the black dragon's brow!

"Beast! You've guarded this cave for ten thousand years without leaving. Today, I, Qin Yu, want to see whether you can keep it safe!"

The black dragon roared and opened its jaws, spewing pitch-black dragon flames. Heaven and earth instantly burned into a black sea of fire. Qin Yu swung his battle spear, forcibly cleaving an opening, then fled into the distance like lightning!

Completely enraged, the black dragon let out a furious roar. Its enormous body rose into the air and chased after Qin Yu!

The entire mountain range cracked beneath its wingbeats, and black flames swept across the horizon like a tsunami.

Zhao Xinyu's face was pale, but she abruptly gritted her teeth. "Go! This is the chance Brother Yu risked his life to win for us!"

Tears glimmered in Yang Zheng's eyes, but in the end, he followed closely behind her. The two became streaks of spiritual light and rushed deep into the cave!

Inside the cave, ancient runes and formation patterns flickered with lingering golden light, as though guarding some tremendous secret. As the two entered, overwhelmingly dense Spiritual Qi and immortal presence rushed toward them. For a moment, they could barely breathe.

Deeper within the cave, the golden radiance grew ever more brilliant, faintly illuminating an ancient stone platform. Upon it, some heaven-defying immortal artifact seemed to slumber quietly...

Meanwhile, the black dragon remained firmly locked onto Qin Yu. Its presence surged like an ocean, and its fury almost set heaven and earth ablaze. Qin Yu frantically circulated the Mystic Origin Body Tempering Art and the Spirit Spear Heaven-Guiding Art, rapidly burning through the Spiritual Qi within him. He knew that if he slowed by even a single step, he would undoubtedly die!

But he also knew that if he could hold on for an incense stick's worth of time, Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng would obtain that opportunity!

Qin Yu clenched his teeth, fearless light bursting from his eyes as he roared:

"Come on! Today, even if I, Qin Yu, expend my last drop of blood, I'll still contend with the heavens!"

Deep within the cave, the air grew increasingly cold. Zhao Xinyu and Yang Zheng held their breath, carefully stepping across the broken immortal formation. The whispers left by endless years seemed to echo in their ears.

When they finally approached the ancient stone platform, both froze.

Above the platform floated a divine sword, ice-blue from end to end.

The sword was not embedded in the stone platform but suspended in the air. Its blade was slender and long, like a shadow cut from a crescent moon, as though all the moonlight between heaven and earth had condensed into this single edge. The translucent blade emitted a cold, clear radiance, its edges sparkling with flecks of silver like a falling river of stars. Its hilt was carved from warm, lustrous white jade, inlaid with a crystal-clear Moon Soul Pearl. Within the pearl, the faint image of a crescent moon appeared, sending out gentle ripples as the blade trembled lightly.

The sword light illuminated the entire cave, as though transforming it into a patch of ice-blue night sky. Even the ancient spiritual patterns remaining on the stone walls lit up again beneath its radiance, as though bowing in worship to a supreme treasure of bygone days.

Zhao Xinyu's heart trembled slightly at the sight, and she murmured, "This... is this a legendary divine weapon? Its presence... feels as though it can annihilate souls..."

Yang Zheng also stared blankly, a trace of longing unexpectedly rising within him. Yet when he took one step closer, the crescent moon's image within the Moon Soul Pearl suddenly flickered. A chill pierced straight into his soul, almost freezing it. He retreated in horror, breathing rapidly. "How terrifying... this sword doesn't belong to me..."

Zhao Xinyu, by contrast, was clearly at a lower realm than Qin Yu, yet when she raised her hand, the blade actually trembled lightly and gave a clear, resonant hum. Its ice-blue radiance formed the image of a moon, slowly enveloping her.

In an instant, Zhao Xinyu's presence became ethereal and pure, as though she shone alongside the moonlight.

Yang Zheng was so shocked he could barely speak. "Junior Sister Zhao... it's acknowledging you as its master!"

Dazed, Zhao Xinyu extended both hands. The instant her fingertips touched the hilt, the icy blade showed no rejection at all. Instead, it released gentle moonlight that became a protective barrier of spiritual light, enveloping her entirely. Its crisp hum echoed through the cave, as though its heart were connected to hers.

At that moment, her eyes reflected the moon's image within the sword, as though her figure overlapped with that of the legendary Moonlight Fairy.

Zhao Xinyu murmured, "Moon-Congealing Frost... from this day onward, you and I are one."

Moonlight suddenly blazed, and Sword Qi shot into the heavens, piercing through the cave's ceiling and tearing straight through the night! Even the world outside the cave trembled. Far away, Qin Yu, who was entangled in battle with the black dragon, could faintly sense this cold and resolute sword intent!

Yang Zheng stood to one side, deeply shaken, yet a flicker of relief and pride passed through his eyes-Zhao Xinyu finally had a true supreme treasure of her own.

The moment the Moon-Congealing Frost fully acknowledged its master, cool moonlight enveloped Zhao Xinyu. Her long hair drifted gently as sword intent circulated, and her presence underwent a qualitative transformation. Her originally gentle spiritual power now carried a measure of fierceness and an inviolable sharpness.

Zhao Xinyu slowly raised the sword. Spiritual patterns flickered across its blade, and the crescent moon's faint image within the Moon Soul Pearl suddenly blazed with light.

"Let's try it..." she murmured, her gaze firm. Spiritual Qi surged within her, flowing through her meridians into the Moon-Congealing Frost.

Boom!

In an instant, the blade erupted with ten thousand rays of clear radiance, like a bright moon swallowing heaven and earth! A brilliant streak of ice-blue Sword Qi suddenly slashed out like a moon falling from the sky, charging straight at the cave wall with bone-piercing cold.

A tremendous crack- rang out, and a ten-zhang-long fissure was actually sliced cleanly into the cave's thick rock wall! Cold filled the fissure, and a layer of crystalline frost covered the stone, as though time itself had instantly frozen.

Yang Zheng was left dumbstruck by the sight. His mouth hung open, and for a long moment he could not speak. "This... this sword's might... it's several times stronger than my Heng Mountain Sword Art at full power!"

The Moon-Congealing Frost still hummed in Zhao Xinyu's hand, sword light flowing across it as though answering its master's wishes. Her heart also pounded wildly. She could not help drawing a sharp breath, her gaze complicated and excited. "This is the power of a divine weapon... this is my sword..."

As the Sword Qi dispersed, silence filled the cave. Zhao Xinyu gently stroked the blade, a resolute light gleaming in her eyes.

With you, I, Zhao Xinyu, will never again be a woman who depends on others from behind their backs, she silently vowed.

Yang Zheng stepped forward, his eyes filled with both shock and relief. He said softly, "Junior Sister Zhao, congratulations... with the Moon-Congealing Frost acknowledging you as its master, you'll certainly reach a higher realm in the future."

Zhao Xinyu tightened her grip on the hilt and smiled faintly, her expression carrying a measure of unprecedented confidence and resolve.

At that very moment, Qin Yu, fighting the black dragon far outside the cave, abruptly sensed a fierce strand of moonlight sword intent cut through the air. His heart jolted, and he murmured, "Xinyu... she's obtained the opportunity."