The soul fragment tried to dodge Yunxi's Mystic Thunder Violet Flame, but it could not break through the Hong energy shield. It could only roar for Yunxi to stop. Those ghostly blue eyes grew more chilling as they locked on her, as if looks alone could slice her into a thousand pieces.
Yunxi met its stare without flinching and sent a voice transmission to Zi Yan. "Zi Yan, time for your trial. Help your master remove this calamity. Otherwise, even if I ascend, there will be no peace."
"Be at ease, Master. If this were the main body, it would take some work. Since it is only a soul fragment, Zi Yan will help you cut off future trouble. I will need a full supply of spiritual power."
Even as Zi Yan spoke with her, the violet flame slipped into the fragment's body to unleash its might. While burning the enemy's soul, Zi Yan sensed the fragment's unusual origin and warned that it would need ample power.
Yunxi arched a brow. She had known this would not be simple. Fortunately the fragment was split from the main body, which made it the perfect moment to strike. She answered crisply, "Zi Yan, you will have all the power you need. I have only one demand. Reduce him to ash and annihilate him."
"At your command."
Given that promise, Zi Yan flared higher. Heat surged hard enough that even Xun Kun leaned back on instinct. He glanced over. "Ran Xi, do you need me to act?"
He turned his palm. A clump of black demonic fire bloomed in his hand.
Yunxi shook her head. "No need. He came for me. I should end it. My Mystic Thunder Violet Flame is the bane of evil cultivators."
The two stepped out of the Hong energy shield and, through the glowing barrier, watched the fragment roll and writhe, spewing threats and curses. In the end it even burned soul force to strike back, trying to snuff out the violet flame.
But Zi Yan, determined to excel with the master's order, only burned more fiercely. From a small flame it streamed into flowing violet fire ribbons, threading through the fragment's limbs and bones until the faint soul turned into a man of purple fire.
Calm-faced, Yunxi watched the shield while gauging the drain on her own power. In the next breath a high-grade spirit vein lay in her hand. She poured its ceaseless spiritual power into Zi Yan.
At her side, Xun Kun said nothing and stood guard.
Two full hours later, the soul fragment finally scattered with unwilling rage. Even at the moment of dissolution those venomous eyes stayed fixed on Yunxi, like a beast about to bite.
Yunxi remained tranquil from beginning to end, her cool gaze never wavering. At the last instant the man's voice roared, "Xi, I will never let you—"
Zi Yan bristled at the nerve of a dying fragment shouting at its master. The violet flame lunged, severed the final word, and burned the fragment to nothing.
Only then did Zi Yan shrink back into a tiny flame and drift into Yunxi's palm. "Master, mission accomplished. I have burned it completely clean."
Yunxi turned her hand and sent Zi Yan back into her dantian, withdrew the Hong energy shield, and turned to thank Xun Kun.
Xun Kun waved it off, seated her, then spoke after a moment's thought. "Before locking the fragment in the Soul-Confining Mirror, I wanted to soul-search it, but I could not. I had to use the soul bell and formations to erase only a hundred years of memories. From what we saw, he knew you, and you alone could erase him."
Yunxi sighed and laid out her guesses about the fragment. Since Xun Kun had risked holding a fragment that sought to return to its main body, she saw no reason to hide it. Concealing too much would only invite danger to him. Better to make things clear from the start.
Xun Kun's fingers stroked the black soul bell at his waist. After digesting her words, he said, "Ran Xi, I think the main body of this fragment is in the Spirit Realm, perhaps even the Immortal Realm. Only those above can pull off something like this. My failure to soul-search was likely due to an unseen suppression. Your enemy is strong.
From another angle, though, if your enemy sends a fragment down just to suppress you, it proves you are someone they fear. Whether you came down to face tribulation or to re-cultivate, once you stand atop the peak again, you will face them. With the enemy hidden and us exposed, you must store strength and ascend steadily.
Now that you have erased the fragment, at least for a time the main body will not know what happened in the Weiyu Realm. That time is yours. The rest is up to you."
Yunxi nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. "Xun Kun, after your analysis, I suppose I do have a bit of strength."
Xun Kun's mouth quirked. "A Divine Transformation cultivator under a hundred is already a legend in the Weiyu Realm. You have proven yourself. You have crossed blades with high-level evil cultivators many times and walked away. Do I need to say more?"
Yunxi chuckled. "I never tire of praise. Besides, if I am outstanding, my friends are no less so. You are also a genius who reached Divine Transformation by a hundred."
Xun Kun's mouth twitched. "One hundred and three hundred are not exactly the same thing."
"Come on. Anyone who steps into Divine Transformation anywhere between ninety-nine and under a thousand still gets called a prodigy in the 'within-a-century' club. And you dropped from Out-of-Body back to Divine Transformation and are re-climbing. When you return, you will be the peerless genius who broke through Out-of-Body within that same hundred-year window."
With business settled, their talk grew lighter. Yunxi even laid it on thick with a round of commercial flattery, which put Xun Kun in excellent spirits.
Half a day later, Yunxi took her leave and headed for the Northern Region to see Han Lian. Having watched Yunxi end the hidden danger of the fragment, Xun Kun returned to seclusion and left Wutong Zūnzhě outside his cave.
Northern Region, Jihan Gate
Yunxi arrived without a sound. Outside Jihan Gate she sent Han Lian a transmission and hid her presence to wait. Moments later Han Lian appeared at her side with a smile. "Ran Xi, you finally left seclusion."
Yunxi smiled back. "Mm. I knew you were worried, so I came to see an old friend and ease your mind, to report I am safe."
"Come to my cave. Your transmission eased me, but only seeing you settles my heart." Genuine joy softened Han Lian's heroic features.
The two figures vanished from the sect gate without disturbing anyone.
Inside Han Lian's cave, everything was white. Every furnishing was shaped from cold ice. The dense ice spiritual energy made Yunxi's pores open.
They had only just sat and traded a few words when a transmission talisman flew to Han Lian. A flash of impatience crossed her eyes before she lifted a hand to receive it.