Translator: CinderTL
The bronze mace, which had attacked Ye Bing alongside the wolf python, also failed to do any damage.
Jiang He realized that within the Icebound Domain, Ye Bing's spells had undergone a significant enhancement. Both her offensive and defensive capabilities were now far stronger than before.
Jiang He knew he couldn't withstand her.
His only hope now was to reunite with Jiang Yushan, which might offer a slim chance of survival.
With a flicker of movement, he flew toward Song Wen and the others.
Meanwhile, on Song Wen's side:
When Ye Bing unleashed the Icebound Domain, freezing a thousand miles in every direction and plunging the area into extreme cold, the two cultivators and their Nascent Soul companion immediately felt intense discomfort and pressure.
Jiang Yushan, with his lower cultivation level and sheltered upbringing, had never faced a true life-or-death situation before, making the ordeal particularly unbearable for him.
He summoned a bronze bell, conjuring a golden Phantom Shadow of the bell that enveloped his entire body, providing some relief.
This bronze bell was the Nine Imperial Bell, a Supreme-Grade defensive magical artifact mentioned in the intelligence Ye Bing had given Song Wen.
Song Wen also summoned the Dark Scale Shield, putting on a show of preparedness.
Afterward, Jiang Yushan and Song Wen, led by Jiang Shi's nascent soul, arrived at the edge of the frozen lands.
Jiang Yushan summoned a flying sword and slashed at the ice net.
However, the ice net proved extraordinarily resilient, remaining completely unscathed.
Seeing this, Jiang Shi prepared to channel the remaining Spiritual Power from his nascent soul to attack the net.
Suddenly, ice spikes erupted from the net, extending rapidly toward the trio.
Simultaneously, ice pillars shot up from the frozen ground below, hurtling toward them.
Unable to withstand the assault, the three hastily dodged.
Just then, Jiang He, who had been defeated by Ye Bing, soared through the air to join them.
Ye Bing followed closely behind.
Realizing escape was impossible, Jiang Yushan quickly spoke up.
"Aunt Ye, I have always held you in the highest regard. Why are you being so ruthless toward me?"
With her prey cornered, Ye Bing didn't rush her attack. She sneered coldly.
"Jiang Yushan, don't think I don't know you were deeply involved in my son Jiang Hu's death. It was you who revealed to Jiang Chao that my son possessed the Profound Spirit Creation Pill, necessary for Divine Transformation, leading to his unjust demise."
Upon hearing this, a flicker of panic flashed through Jiang Yushan's eyes, but he quickly masked it.
He forced a smile onto his face.
"Aunt Ye, you must have been deceived by malicious individuals. My cousin Jiang Hu and I are as close as brothers—how could I possibly plot to harm him?"
Ye Bing flipped her hand and produced a Soul Bottle. She released the Restriction, and Jiang Chao's divine soul immediately materialized.
"Jiang Yushan, what excuses do you have now?"
The moment Jiang Yushan saw Jiang Chao's divine soul, his face drained of color.
He suddenly understood why Ye Bing had agreed so readily when he visited her two days earlier, claiming to be searching for Jiang Chao's divine soul and inviting her to the Rotting Miasma Ridge. He also realized why she had accepted his absurd request to split up outside the city without hesitation.
Jiang Yushan had even arrogantly speculated that Ye Bing might harbor feelings for him and was deliberately seeking his company.
In truth, she had known the truth all along and was simply playing along with his scheme.
Just as Jiang Yushan was sinking into despair, Jiang He's voice suddenly rang out.
"Second young master, we still have a chance to survive."
Jiang Yushan's eyes lit up instantly, a fierce desire for survival blazing in his gaze.
In the next moment, a golden-yellow light erupted from his body.
Jiang He activated a Thick Earth Talisman, conjuring a golden-yellow shield around him.
"Jiang Shi, you defend. I'll break through the blockade," Jiang He instructed.
Jiang Shi glanced at Jiang Yushan.
"Second young master, this subordinate will ensure your safe passage to Demon Subduing City. But please, young master, find me a suitable physical body afterward."
Without hesitation, Jiang Shi channeled all the Spiritual Power from his nascent soul into the black umbrella.
The umbrella expanded instantly, growing to a height of three meters, and emitted a dark light that gradually solidified into a semi-transparent black shield.
Just as the black shield was about to fully form...
Thwack!
Jiang Yushan suddenly kicked Song Wen hard in the lower back, sending him flying out of the shield's protection.
"Yang Yu, this young master has treated you well. Now is the time to repay my kindness. Go and hold off Ye Bing."
Song Wen glanced at the fully formed shield and Jiang Yushan inside. Without a word, he slowly retreated.
At that moment, the safest place was far away from Jiang Yushan.
Jiang Yushan naturally didn't expect Song Wen to actually stop Ye Bing. He simply considered Song Wen a burden.
"Second Young Master, well done," Jiang He said. "With one less person, our chances of survival increase."
With that, Jiang He channeled all his power into the bronze mace, unleashing a devastating strike toward the edge of the Icebound Domain.
Simultaneously, he unleashed a surge of Spiritual Power, enveloping Jiang Yushan and Jiang Shi, pulling them along in the mace's wake.
"Heh, trying to escape? Wishful thinking!" Ye Bing sneered contemptuously.
With a violent wave of her plum blossom fan, countless ice spikes erupted from the ice net above and the frozen ground below.
The spikes grew rapidly, forming a dense, overwhelming barrage that converged on Jiang Yushan and his companions from all directions.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of thunderous explosions echoed through the domain.
Initially, the bronze mace cleaved through the ice spikes with unstoppable force, carving a path to freedom for the trio.
However, as the number of surrounding spikes multiplied exponentially, the mace's momentum faltered. The pace of clearing the path slowed dramatically, and the trio's escape speed dwindled accordingly.
Even more troublesome was that the ice spikes, originally shattered by the bronze mace, began to regenerate. Before the trio could escape, they suddenly surged forward, crashing into them with renewed force.
The ice spikes relentlessly bombarded the shield. Though the shield didn't shatter immediately, the immense force behind each strike sent the three of them reeling through the air like leaves caught in a storm, tossed up and down, completely out of control.
"Jiang He, do you have any countermeasures? I can't hold out much longer!" Jiang Shi shouted.
The Spiritual Power within his nascent soul was like water without a source—every drop spent diminished his reserves. His nascent soul had already begun to flicker, losing its earlier solidity, a clear sign of extreme Spiritual Power depletion.
"Second young master, do you have any other life-saving Mystic Treasures?" Jiang He, equally helpless, could only pin his hopes on Jiang Yushan.
Jiang Yushan shook his head dejectedly.
If Jiang Shi hadn't fallen for Ye Bing's trap, been ambushed by the wolf python, and lost his physical body, the combined might of Jiang Shi and Jiang He—one focused on defense, the other on offense—would have been enough to withstand the attacks of any Divine Transformation Stage cultivator.
The Jiang Family's provision of additional life-saving Mystic Treasures for Jiang Yushan would have been redundant.
After all, no matter how many defensive magical artifacts Jiang Yushan possessed, he could never hope to escape unscathed from a Void Refinement Stage cultivator.
(End of the Chapter)
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