I'm Lost

Boom—

Above the dilapidated temple, the destructive aura within the dark clouds had gathered to its peak, as if thunder would strike the next second.

The heavens seemed enraged.

Facing the wrath of the heavens, the young woman’s dark immortal robes fluttered violently. The lightning illuminated her serene eyes, yet failed to stir even a ripple of disturbance.

Crack—

A thunderbolt roared down from the sky, thick as a barrel.

Bathed in the lightning, Ying Bing’s furrowed brows relaxed slightly instead.

After being tempered by the heavenly tribulation, her already fair skin became even more lustrous, like pure ivory silk—soft to the touch yet capable of dissipating external force.

"The heavenly tribulation of the Tribulation Body Jade truly has an excellent effect on refining the body."

"It should work for him too..."

"I must strive to advance the Mingjing Fan Body to the second layer today."

After meditating briefly, Ying Bing lowered her gaze in contemplation before picking up the Tribulation Body Jade once more.

This time, two thunder patterns lit up simultaneously!

The pitch-black clouds churned like boiling ink. An ordinary person standing here would feel their scalp tingle, unsettled to the core.

Crack—

This time, the lightning did not grow thicker but instead thinned, its hue shifting to a violet-red as it descended like a celestial blade.

The thunderclap shook the earth, echoing far and wide.

Ying Bing did not retreat but advanced instead, enveloping herself in the radiant glow of Mingjing Fan Light.

The lightning flowed over her body, tempering every inch of her flesh that had already been refined by the power of the Lunar Yin, causing her meridians and acupoints to gleam faintly.

The Frost Fairy herself was unharmed, but the ruined temple behind her was not so fortunate.

The residual force of the heavenly tribulation struck the already crumbling structure, reducing it to rubble in an instant.

The commotion traveled far.

...

Imperial Capital, the royal palace.

Within an exceptionally grand and imposing mansion, guarded inside and out by armored soldiers, a plaque bearing the flamboyant characters "Qian Gong Residence" hung prominently.

The estate boasted artificial mountains, courtyards, and even a lake—though this lake was unlike any other. Its waters churned with dense lightning, forming a pool of liquidized thunder.

The master of the Heavenly Punishment Dao, a seventh-realm powerhouse and the emperor’s uncle, leisurely examined a dragon-scale-patterned longsword.

"This sword is well-made. It seems Du Wufeng hasn’t wasted his years."

Qian Gong flicked the blade lightly, producing a crisp ring.

"It was meant to be the most illustrious weapon at the Hidden Dragon Tournament."

Jiang Yu’s gaze on the Zunlong Sword no longer held the joy he had felt upon first acquiring it.

"Who would have thought the Frost Fairy could summon the Celestial Divine Sword and hand it to Li Mo?"

The Sky Patrol Commander, clad in an onyx-gold faceplate, spoke up.

"I’ve investigated. Though his swordsmanship talent is decent, it’s far from extraordinary—nowhere near his hammer techniques."

"But that is a divine weapon, her former blade."

Qian Gong shook his head, reminiscing. "Even in the hands of a child, it cannot be underestimated."

"At least it’s better than Ying Bing wielding it."

The masked man replied, "In Li Mo’s hands, the divine sword is wasted, unable to unleash even a fraction of its power. It may even become his downfall. When Your Highness faces him, you too shall wield a divine weapon."

"It’s too early to draw conclusions."

Jiang Yu’s expression relaxed.

True.

The Celestial Divine Sword in Li Mo’s possession was still preferable to it being in Ying Bing’s—or Chu Long’s—hands.

"By the way, the Blood Refining Hall of the Demon Summoning Sect has been quite active in the city lately. The authorities are handling it."

Before the masked man could finish—

Suddenly.

Qian Gong, clad in violet robes, stood abruptly, his hair and beard bristling as he stared toward the outskirts of the city.

"A heavenly tribulation?"

"Across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, who dares summon the power of tribulation without my permission?"

With a single step, he transformed into a streak of lightning, vanishing like a rainbow.

...

Meanwhile, at the ruined temple in the outskirts.

"A three-pattern heavenly tribulation should be my current limit."

"Now at two patterns..."

Amidst the agony of being ravaged by countless bolts of lightning, Ying Bing’s thoughts remained undisturbed. She even noticed that the temple’s collapse had revealed an entrance to an underground palace.

An underground chamber beneath a temple was not unusual.

Gripping the Taibai Sword, she activated the Tribulation Body Jade once more, causing a third thunder pattern to ignite.

She planned to refine her body first before investigating.

But then—

Her heart skipped a beat.

From the underground palace, she sensed a familiar sword intent.

The Celestial Divine Sword...

But the Celestial Divine Sword was supposed to be with him!

"......"

Ying Bing pressed her lips together.

At that moment, an even more terrifying bolt of lightning, laced with golden threads, roared down like a wrathful dragon of divine punishment.

Yet she hesitated not for a second.

In an instant, she made her choice.

Mounting the Taibai Sword, she transformed into a streak of sword light, tearing through the void at breakneck speed as she plunged into the underground palace.

...

Within the cavern, every inch of flesh pulsed with life, forming a grotesque forest of meat that exuded an eerie medicinal fragrance.

"The Divine Hammer Little Tyrant should stick to his hammers."

"Abandoning them for a sword is nothing but suicide!"

"Hahahaha..."

The old man’s laughter echoed from all directions.

As he cackled, the flesh forest erupted into frenzy. Blood gourds sprouted from the ground, each taking the form of the old man—some youthful, some aged.

The might of an Outer Realm expert was beyond mortal comprehension.

If unleashed outside, it would be nothing short of a calamity.

Swish—

A few strands of hair drifted down, transforming into perfect replicas of Li Mo, who clashed with the old man’s avatars.

The Celestial Divine Sword was peerlessly sharp—wherever its light passed, everything was cleaved in two.

Yet, it failed to harm the old man’s true essence.

"Why hasn’t the Divine Constable arrived yet? Did they not receive my message?"

Li Mo remained unperturbed, fluidly executing the sword techniques he had recently learned.

He refined and blended them seamlessly, following the principles of the Solitary Nine Swords.

Though he appeared to be in dire straits, he was as steady as an old dog, even using the battle to hone his swordsmanship.

At worst, he could always retreat into his pocket realm. If the old man dared follow him inside...

He would face the Heavenly Venerate!

Li Mo sighed softly. "If this sword were in the hands of that ice block, she’d probably slice through this Outer Realm in one stroke."

"Kekeke, still thinking of others at a time like this? How touching—"

"After all, this old fossil is a weakling among Outer Realm experts, barely clinging to life."

"......"

The old man’s laughter cut off abruptly.

Simultaneously, the fleshy walls constricted, pressing inward with increasing force.

Li Mo was about to retreat into his pocket realm.

The old man was ready to digest him.

Then—

Rip—

A figure descended, wreathed in lightning.