The lady in imperial attire suddenly threw a copper coin high into the air. In a flash of inspiration, it transformed into a copper basin about a foot in size, which then fell straight from the sky and landed precisely at the center of the stone platform. The basin was covered with intricate, unusual layers of script, and within it, a shimmering purple orb pulsed continuously, as though something was concealed inside—yet nothing could be made out clearly. The lady remained composed, her slender jade finger gently pointing in succession at the eight wooden figures surrounding her. Instantly, the previously motionless figures began to radiate an eerie black mist, which then solidified, revealing eight distinct, grim ghost faces. These ghostly faces roared with terror from behind the wooden figures, shaking and struggling, yet remained firmly bound, unable to move far from their posts. "Prepare the offerings," the lady said, completely unimpressed by the transformation, and issued a calm command. "Yes, mistress!" Hearing this, the heavily clad man immediately nodded and then flashed into position directly above the stone platform, suddenly slapping his palm against his waist. "Pffft!" A black, leather-like pouch, the size of a palm, shot out from his body, spun around, and expanded to a size of several zhang, then inverted itself gracefully above the purple bronze basin. The opening of the pouch instantly unfolded, and a stream of blood water gushed forth, pouring directly into the purple luminous orb within the basin. "These vital essences were obtained only after defeating ancient beasts at the Consolidation stage—they are hard to gather, so it's best to save some." The lady in the palace suddenly remarked, her brows furrowing. "Understood!" The black-armored man immediately raised one hand and gestured toward the leather sack in the air. Blood surged from the sack, then flashed with a brilliant light before abruptly halting, and the sack resumed its original size, soaring gracefully to the man's side. The lady in the palace gently inhaled, then pressed a hand seal. A shimmer of light passed behind her, and a colossal, translucent pink blossom tree materialized. The tree's branches bore large, vivid pink flowers, each releasing a delicate fragrance that instantly enchanted the senses, making one feel deeply entranced. Her form blurred slightly, then vanished from her original spot. Yet a moment later, she appeared directly above the tree, her bare feet—pure and luminous as jade—gently resting on the very topmost flower, steady and unmoving. The young woman flipped her hand once, and in her grasp emerged a bone knife of pure white, exquisitely thin and remarkably sharp. The lady in court attire maintained a composed expression, slowly lifting one arm from her long sleeve, revealing a section of her wrist as smooth and luminous as jade. With a slight motion of the bone knife, a thin white line flashed across her wrist. A thick, delicate silvery liquid then flowed down from her wrist, forming a silver thread that dripped onto the translucent flowering tree beneath, vanishing instantly into its petals. Only then did the dressed lady shift her gaze downward to the purple basin. With a single hand motion, her bone knife vanished, replaced by a black silk cloth, which she then tossed into the air. The sky within the water curtain dimmed instantly, and a dark, ink-black night幕 materialized, completely blocking out all light from outside—no trace of brightness could seep through. Lifting her foot slightly, she gently pressed the tip of her heel against the base of the flowering tree. "Boom!" The massive tree burst open as if it had been split by a force, sending out countless streaks of silver light shooting upward. Numerous silver stars appeared on the dark night幕, and, under the lady’s spell, began to rotate in a most intricate and mysterious pattern. Suddenly, the water curtain transformed into an entirely new realm. The lady’s eyes shimmered with clear silver light, her form blurred, then expanded—her body morphed into a long, ethereal, translucent silhouette stretching several times her original height. Elegant incantations resonated instantly in the void. The stars across the sky spun faster and faster, centered on a white ethereal form, occasionally evolving into intricate, enigmatic celestial maps. At the same time, the luminous orb within the bronze basin suddenly began to float gently and, beneath the vast expanse of stars, started to pulsate and coalesce irregularly. It would momentarily take on a certain pattern, then shift into clusters of strange, flowing characters, creating a dazzling, bewildering display. A golden compass appeared unexpectedly before the dressed lady, who now used her ten slender fingers, swiftly or gently, to tap it continuously, causing bursts of seven-colored light to radiate from within the compass. Her fingers moved with graceful ease, and the actions seemed effortless—yet each tap caused her complexion to grow paler, and the silver and cold gleam in her eyes steadily intensified. The eight ghost heads behind the eight wooden figures at the four corners of Shitai began to shoot out thick beams of light toward the sky at an unknown moment, as if eight colossal pillars were supporting this vast, dark and misty expanse... The magical guards naturally gasped, stepping back and each striking their flying fish魔兽 upon the ground. The魔兽 roared, then opened their mouths to emit a shimmering blue-green glow, forming concentric layers of silvery light shields that enveloped their bodies. When the massive wave surged down, these shields flashed and parted the water, allowing it to pass through. Though the guards were momentarily disoriented and hurried, none sustained actual injuries. Yet their hearts were filled with both astonishment and fury; most immediately drew their weapons and stared in bewilderment toward the vortex. The blue vortex shrank rapidly beneath the thunderous roar and eventually dissolved, revealing two figures—precisely the white-dressed lady and the black-armored man. However, the lady now held the golden compass in one hand, pale as a sheet, her eyes blazing with a brilliant silver light. Her expression, however, was strangely complex—full of disbelief, wonder, and hesitation, as though she could not quite believe what was happening. The tall, black-armored man stared blankly around him, his eyes filled with astonishment. The leading magus-level guardian from the magical race, after briefly scanning both of them with his spiritual awareness, was instantly taken aback. Neither the court-dressed woman nor the black-armored man could sense any presence at all—yet the pure, unadulterated magical aura emanating from the black-armored man was unmistakable and fully exposed. Overcome with awe, the senior magical guardian swiftly leapt down from the beast, bowed respectfully to the two figures, and asked with care, "My name is Shishuo of the Bo Mo clan. Might I ask, esteemed elders, which of your clans are you from? Is there any way I may assist you?" The lady in imperial attire lowered her head, gazing at the compass in her hands, and issued a single command without lifting her eyes. Her voice was emotionless, as if the surrounding暴魔族 people were merely insects to her. Upon hearing this, the black-armored man did not show any surprise; instead, a flash of fierce determination passed through his eyes, and he promptly nodded in agreement. Then, he turned to face the暴魔族 people, his face now filled with a fierce, bloodthirsty expression. "Not good! Get out!" The leading化神魔族 proved particularly alert. As soon as he heard the words of the lady and the black-armored man, a chill ran through him. He immediately launched himself into a swift retreat, shouting aloud, while raising his hand to send a pearl-sized orb soaring from his palm. At the same time, a flash of light beneath his feet revealed a massive black blade, and with body and blade united, he surged forward as a streak of dark light, racing toward the coral archipelago. The other暴魔族 guards, seeing this clear resolve, were startled and quickly scattered in all directions, fleeing in panic. The black-armored giant burst into wild laughter, raised both arms, and a surge of black mist shot forth from his sleeves, sweeping outward in all directions. A sharp hissing sound echoed within the mist, where various strange insect-like creatures shimmered faintly, now and then emerging and vanishing. With a single sweeping motion, the mist engulfed all the magian guards attempting to flee. A series of cries of terror followed instantly. The giant glanced toward the distant, fading glow of dark light that had stretched hundreds of paces away, his lips tightening with a grim expression. His form blurred slightly, then swiftly transformed into a swirling gust of black wind, racing off. A short while later, a mournful cry echoed from afar, and the giant returned, now holding a blood-soaked head in his hands. He tossed the head into the mist and stood silently beside the woman, regaining his original respectful demeanor. At that moment, the cries of pain from within the mist ceased entirely. As the mist rolled once more, it completely vanished into the giant’s body, leaving not a trace. Throughout, the lady in court attire never raised her eyes to gaze upon any one, merely using a few fingers to stroke the golden compass in her hands, her jade-faced expression ever shifting between calm and troubled.