The battle situation took a sudden turn for the worse, like a small boat in a storm that could capsize at any moment. Under the demonic entity fragment's enhancement, Xu Zhan's spear technique became increasingly violent and sharp. The crimson spear danced, demonic energy surged like the heavens, tearing apart Mu Qingfeng's water-attack defenses layer by layer, continuously pushing back Liu Yun's fierce sword curtain. Xiaoqi barely managed to evade by relying on his footwork, but his left shoulder and right leg injuries severely affected his speed. He narrowly escaped death several times, his robes already thoroughly soaked with blood.
The three of them were completely suppressed, only able tobarely held on. It seemed defeat and death could occur at any moment. The demonic entity fragment's malicious mockery was like a lingering bone poison, ceaselessly eroding their will. Particularly targeting Xiaoqi, it repeatedly stimulated him with the fact that Xu Zhan was being controlled, attempting to make him lose his composure.
"Look, is this what your father looks like now? A perfect killing tool. All your efforts, all your persistence, are just jokes before absolute power and control."
Xiaoqi gritted his teeth until his gums bled. He stared fixedly at his father's hollow eyes, trying to find even a trace of response within them. But what responded to him was only even more violent spear shadows and cold killing intent.
Just as Xiaoqi, due to the sharp pain in his leg, stumbled and barely avoided a cunning spear shadow aimed at his throat, with Liu Yun sacrificing herself to swing it away, though she was knocked flying and spitting blood by the spear force. At this critical moment of danger.
Aunt Su, who had been drifting on the edge of the battle circle, seemingly searching for something, also seemingly enduring tremendous internal torment, finally acted.
In those eyes of hers gazing through the silver mask at Xu Zhan's figure, a resolute and unspeakably agonized light flashed. She knew that if this continued, everyone would die here. Xiaoqi would not even have an opportunity to get close to the Soul-Controlling Jade.
She must create an opportunity. Even if it cost her life.
"Xu Zhan."
A mournful cry, filled with a hundred years of longing, infinite guilt, and final hope, burst explosively from Aunt Su's mouth. This sound was not an ordinary shout but contained all her spiritual power and soul force, exploding like thunder in this hall filled with wailing souls and moans, even momentarily suppressing the demonic entity fragment's sinister laughter and the clashing sounds of weapons.
At the same time, her hands formed an ancient and bizarre seal at a speed surpassing all limits. Silver light blazed brilliantly around her. That glow was not a defense but carried a kind of desperate, self-sacrificial, self-offering atmosphere.
"Soul-Sealing Blood-Burning Seal."
She spat out a mouthful of her life-bound essential blood, fusing it into that brilliant silver light. The silver light instantly transformed into countless fine as hair, yet incomparably tough silver chains. Like living things, they ignored the violent spear shadows and demonic energy. At a speed almost like space traversal, they instantly wound around Xu Zhan's body.
These silver chains were not physical attacks but directly attacked the soul and qi-blood. They were like red-hot branding irons, searing the demonic energy coursing within Xu Zhan's body. More importantly, they frantically impacted and sealed the soul control nodes tightly connected to the Soul-Controlling Jade.
"Ugh ah."
Xu Zhan, who had been acting like a killing machine with absolutely no reaction, suddenly had his movements freeze. The countless spear shadows dissolved instantly. He let out a low roar mixing pain and rage. His body trembled violently, as if two forces within him were fighting desperately. Within those hollow scarlet eyes, an extremely brief, extremely faint, human emotional spark of struggle and confusion actually flickered.
Aunt Su's sudden, life-costing forbidden technique had actually momentarily disrupted the demonic entity fragment's absolute control over Xu Zhan.
"This is the moment. Xiaoqi." Aunt Su maintained the seal. Her body trembled violently from the tremendous backlash and life-force burning. The color beneath her silver mask instantly turned deathly pale, her spiritual energy declined rapidly. But she still used her last strength to scream hoarsely, "Go quickly, to the Soul-Controlling Jade."
This brief pause, which might only last a breath or two, was Xiaoqi's only chance.
"Auntie." Xiaoqi's eyes nearly split with anguish. He saw the silver light around Aunt Su rapidly dimming, her life energy like a flickering candle in the wind. He knew this was an opportunity bought by Aunt Su with her life.
There was no time to hesitate, no time to grieve.
"Die."
Above the altar, the demonic entity fragment let out a sky-shaking roar of extreme fury. The Soul-Controlling Jade upon which it relied flashed with black light, and the fuzzy black shadow intensely. A terrifying soul impact, vastly more powerful and ice-cold than anything before, like a destructive tsunami, directly blasted toward Aunt Su who was maintaining the forbidden technique, already at her last strength.
It absolutely would not allow anyone to interfere with its control over Xu Zhan.
"Pui."
Aunt Su took the full brunt. Her protective spiritual light shattered like paper. The silver chains shattered and dissolved inch by inch under the terrifying soul impact. Her entire person was sent flying backward like a severed kite, blood spraying profusely from her mouth. She drew a tragically beautiful arc through the air, heavily crashing into a stone pillar in the distance that imprisoned countless souls. She slid softly to the ground, her life or death uncertain. That exquisite silver mask also shattered from the impact, revealing a pale yet carrying a hint of relief and anticipation beautiful face.
"Auntie." Xiaoqi let out a heartrending cry of grief. His heart felt as if it had been torn apart in an instant.
Meanwhile, having lost the restraint of the silver chains, the demonic energy within Xu Zhan erupted like a volcano under the demonic entity fragment's frantic urging. That brief spark of struggle and confusion was thoroughly buried by an even more concentrated scarlet and violent rage.
"Roar."
He let out a terrifying roar even more frightening than before. The crimson spear was raised again, demonic might even more powerful. But perhaps because of Aunt Su's cry carrying special emotion and the brief interference of the forbidden technique, this time he did not immediately attack Xiaoqi. Instead, there was an extremely brief, target-indefinite hesitation.
This was the dual opportunity created by Aunt Su's sacrifice, fleeting as a moment.
The confusion from external interference, and the subtle disorder in Xu Zhan's own control.
"Xiaoqi. Go." Mu Qingfeng endured deep sorrow. He thrust both palms forward forcefully, summoning a majestic water dragon scroll not to attack Xu Zhan but to fiercely smash toward the direction of the altar, attempting to clear a temporary passage for Xiaoqi.
Liu Yun was even more human and sword united, transforming into a white shooting star that charged directly toward Xu Zhan who had just broken free from restraint and whose spiritual energy had not yet fully stabilized. She intended to use herself as bait, forcibly tying down this most dangerous enemy.
Xiaoqi's eyes were crimson red, tears and blood mixed together streaming down. He clenched his lips until his teeth nearly shattered. He transformed all his grief, fury, and resolution into a single burst of strength. He stomped hard, ignoring the piercing pain from his left shoulder and right leg, pushing the Swimming Dragon Nine Turns to its extreme. Like a moth drawn to flames, he fearlessly charged toward that crimson blood pool altar, toward that floating Soul-Controlling Jade radiating black light.
Aunt Su had lit this final flame of hope for him with her life. He absolutely could not let her sacrifice be in vain.