Lin Qian's words caused 'Yun Hu,' hovering in the air, to narrow his eyes, his expression growing dark as he stared down at Lin Qian aboard the Huaxia Imperial Vessel, remaining silent.
Everyone present felt a growing tension as they observed the situation unfold.
It was evident that the figure in midair was no longer truly Yun Hu. His appearance and the way he spoke made it clear to everyone that something was terribly wrong.
The Deathly Aura, as the figure had described it earlier, had indeed caused immense pressure on them, filling their hearts with an overwhelming fear as if they were facing death itself. However, when Lin Qian's own aura enveloped them, that deathly presence vanished completely—a truly miraculous feat.
Just as the figure had said, Lin Qian's cultivation level was far from the Entering Saint Realm. Even Yun Rong couldn't remain calm under the Deathly Aura, yet Lin Qian stood there, calm and collected, as if unaffected. Furthermore, he was able to shield them all—something that defied logic.
"It's been a long time since anyone has dared speak to me like that," 'Yun Hu' said after a moment, his voice filled with amusement as though Lin Qian's words were the punchline of a grand joke. "A mere insect in the Transcendence Realm dares to boast so brazenly."
He chuckled coldly. "But I commend your bravery. In light of that, I'll allow you to choose how you die. So, tell me, how would you like to meet your end?"
"If you want to take my grandson's life, you'll have to get through me first!" Yun Rong's voice rang out as she leaped into the air, charging toward 'Yun Hu' from the Huaxia Imperial Vessel.
Prime Artifact Armed!
In an instant, a long sword of ice appeared in Yun Rong's hand. The atmosphere around her changed as a violent snowstorm swirled to life, and the land below was swiftly transformed into a vast, frozen landscape.
At the same time, the natural spiritual energy of the heavens and earth responded to Yun Rong's power, amplifying her soul force.
In moments, the surrounding area became a world of ice and snow. Such was the power of someone in the Entering Saint Realm—with a mere gesture, they could command the forces of nature.
"Oh?" 'Yun Hu' let out a surprised hum as he observed Yun Rong, now standing like the queen of ice. "How unexpected. Even with such diluted Cold Dragon Clan blood, you're still able to wield such a powerful innate ability, perfectly merged with the human race's Soul Force. Truly a talented individual."
Hearing this, Lin Qian narrowed his eyes.
Cold Dragon Clan? The name of this race stuck in Lin Qian's mind. So, the mysterious bloodline within the Yun family originated from the Cold Dragon Clan. It seemed that the results of Zhuge Ming's research had been accurate—their bloodline indeed carried the power of dragons.
Whoosh!
As the icy winds howled, 'Yun Hu' spread his hands, black mist swirling around him as his crimson eyes fixated on Yun Rong. "Come then, show me your strength."
A cold smile appeared on Yun Rong's face as she raised her ice sword and swung it toward him.
Boom!
The freezing winds gathered, following the tip of Yun Rong's sword as they surged forward. Along with the icy gusts, the sound of crackling ice filled the air as countless ice shards materialized, forming a torrential barrage aimed straight at the figure cloaked in black mist.
The overwhelming wave of icy sword energy rained down like a storm, engulfing 'Yun Hu' in an unrelenting downpour of frozen blades.
Yet, even as he was surrounded by the torrent of ice swords, 'Yun Hu' remained unflinching. Instead, a sly grin spread across his face, and the black mist swirling around him grew even denser, expanding outward.
"Ice Lotus Sword!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
At that moment, the icy sword energy collided with the black mist, exploding into a magnificent ice lotus bloom. The chilling aura spread rapidly, freezing everything in its path, turning the land for miles around into a frozen wasteland. Even the Floating Warships were covered in thick layers of frost.
The Huaxia Imperial Vessel was no exception.
"Did it work?" Yun Qingfeng asked curiously, watching the billowing ice fog in the distance.
Lin Qian's expression suddenly changed. "Grandmother, be careful!"
As soon as he spoke, a mass of black mist materialized behind Yun Rong, and 'Yun Hu' appeared from within it, his face twisted with malevolence as he kicked her in the back.
But Yun Rong reacted swiftly. She spun around, thrusting her ice sword toward her attacker. "Not so fast!"
Swish!
The ice sword pierced through 'Yun Hu's' form, but there was no sensation of cutting flesh—only air. The figure before her was nothing more than an illusion, a phantom with no physical substance.
Bang!
A powerful blow struck Yun Rong's back, sending her flying through the air. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she tumbled back toward the Huaxia Imperial Vessel.
"Rong'er!" Yun Fan shouted, rushing forward to catch his wife. The force of her impact knocked him to the deck, causing the entire vessel to shake violently.
Yun Rong's back was marred with four deep wounds, while 'Yun Hu's' right hand was stained with blood, the sharpness of his fingers clearly visible.
"What happened? She should've..." Yun Yunyan muttered, looking up in confusion at the figure in the air.
"It's an illusion," Lin Di said gravely. "His Soul Art must allow him to hide his true body while projecting illusions to confuse his enemies."
Yun Rong, meanwhile, was showing signs of blackening around her wounds, the poison spreading through her system like a toxin.
Lin Qian rushed forward, handing an elixir to his grandfather, urging him to give it to Yun Rong.
"Unfortunately, compared to me, you're still lacking," 'Yun Hu' said with a mocking tone. "My Black Mist Illusion Form is nearly impossible to see through, even for those stronger than me. What hope do you have?"
"Since you can't even see through my movements, stop wasting your energy and choose a way to die. My patience is limited."
"Can't see through it?" Lin Qian sneered as he rose from the deck, floating into the air to meet 'Yun Hu's' gaze. "You're far too confident. I'm sorry to tell you, but one of my trusted subordinates has an ability that completely counters yours."
"Royal Authority!" Lin Qian closed his eyes, summoning the power of the Nine Dragon Seal in his hand. With this, he borrowed the power of a specific ability from one of the Huaxia Empire's revered guardians.
When Lin Qian opened his eyes again, his pupils gleamed like molten gold, blazing with intense flames.
"Fire Eyes of Truth!"