The Six-Winged One merely flicked her large sleeves, and instantly a cascade of cold light surged forth, drawing the Ice Phoenix close. As the white, misty chill momentarily appeared, a luminous, round orb jetted out, then rolled gently on the ground, transforming into a white thread that pierced through the mountain’s body and vanished. Thus, the young man in black robes and the six-winged ice phoenix began to pursue and evade one another. Though their speeds differed vastly—especially when the phoenix employed her life-preserving flight spells—the young man in black robes always managed, within days, to catch up again no matter how far the phoenix pulled the distance. He seemed an ever-present shadow, or a cat playing with a mouse. The phoenix grew naturally alarmed and furious, yet upon thorough inspection of both her own body and the phoenix’s, she found no trace of any abnormality, realizing finally that she had underestimated the divine powers of the immortals of the celestial realm. With no choice, she had to continually expend the delicate, refined primordial yin qi she had just cultivated, carrying the ice phoenix on a continuous journey of escape. After three months, when the relentless pursuit began to strain her strength, the young man in black robes suddenly vanished silently from behind, and remained absent for several consecutive days. The phoenix and the ice phoenix naturally rejoiced, believing they had finally escaped the relentless pursuit, and hurried to seek out a secluded place where they could gradually restore their inner essence. But when, half a month later, the young cloaked figure reappeared in the vicinity, both Liuyi and Bingfeng were so startled that they could only sigh in frustration and once again set out on the run. ... In a secluded hall within the headquarters of the He Lan Trading Alliance on Xue Tian Continent, Bi Ying, the head of the Xue Tian division, sat behind a purplewood table, her expression grave as she studied a jade scroll just received. After a moment, she finished reading the entire scroll, set it down on the table, and then lightly tapped her palm with a crisp "snap." A faint figure was instantly swept by a gentle breeze and materialized before her, immediately bowing deeply to Bi Ying. "What's going on? Yunyu Brother has passed away, yet you've only now informed me after such a long delay," Bi Ying asked calmly. "Reported to the Esteemed Sir, the Senior Master Yunyu gathered two other senior masters of the Great Perfection rank before venturing deep into the Qi Yun Mountain Range to investigate the disappearance of populations across eight states and nineteen sects. It took several months before they finally sent word that they had located the suspected culprit's hidden abode—yet thereafter, there was no further communication. Subsequently, representatives from the Ming She clan and our alliance traveled into the Qi Yun Mountains once again, carrying the three senior masters' life-plates. However, as soon as they entered the mountains, the three life-plates shattered simultaneously. This revealed that the three masters had already perished, though their deaths had been concealed through some unknown means. This matter is of great significance, and the investigators dare not be hasty. Only after going out and returning, verifying all the information thoroughly, do they finally feel confident enough to deliver the message to the大人 here." The vague figure explained in a low, steady voice, as though fully aware of every detail. "It is indeed remarkable that someone could conceal the celestial mandate of one's own destiny—though the duration may not have been very long. At the very least, having lived as long as I have, I have never heard of anything similar. Though the three Smoke-Rain Monks are merely ordinary great transcendents, it is rare indeed that a single individual could simultaneously defeat all three. Among the renowned elders of the Blood Sky, such a feat should not exceed a handful. Among our own alliance, aside from myself, no other elder has ever accomplished this. It seems that the blood sacrifice of the eight nations and nineteen sects truly involves a world-class demon of exceptional ferocity." The green shadow stroked her chin, her eyes flashing with cold light as she spoke. "This fiend, if he had merely blood-sacrificed the various sects across the Qi Yun Mountain range, would have been sufficient. With his such formidable cultivation, even such a momentous act would likely leave most ordinary powers hesitant to take action against him. However, just recently, we've received another report: a month ago, he openly appeared within the Great Long State, manifesting an endless river of blood, which engulfed not only the entire population but also dozens of smaller and mid-sized sects throughout the nation—every living being transformed into blood, drawn into the river. Now, the major powers such as the Xue Gu Men can no longer remain passive. It seems that these powers have been in frequent contact recently, planning to assemble a coalition of senior cultivators—perhaps even dispatching several Grand Multiplication Elders—to form a dedicated alliance to besiege and eliminate this fiend. I have also received official correspondence from these powers, inviting our merchant alliance to join this effort." The vague shadow recounted everything in full detail. "A coalition of magi-slaying forces? At last, the great sects like Xue Gu Men are stepping in. Clearly, this matter has now escalated significantly." That’s fine—our alliance need not dive too deeply into this matter just yet, but we can’t completely remain silent either. How about this: afterward, have Master Jun Yi-Meng make a visit and join the Murloc Alliance, but make sure not to directly oppose that fierce demon; prioritize preserving his life. Our alliance has already lost Master Yunyu—this is a significant loss. After some thought, Master Bi Ying finally made her decision. "Yes, I’ll promptly inform Master Jun Yi-Meng of this." The faint shadow showed no hesitation in carrying out Master Bi Ying’s instructions, bowing and agreeing. "Also, the time for the Great Battle of the Strong has arrived—we can now begin gathering personnel and preparing all necessary arrangements. Hmph. If it weren’t for the fact that I must remain here at the alliance headquarters, and that the Great Battle directly involves such a major interest at the level of a small world, I’d actually like to personally meet this demon who has sacrificed so many lives through blood sacrifices." Master Bi Ying paused, then added with a cold smile. "I’ll make sure everything is arranged properly." But as for those who have joined the battle, aside from the elders and Wenxin Feng, the only others are here—Lai, who has already entered Xue Tian and is currently in temporary seclusion at the branch office. As reported by members of our alliance along the way, Han Li's party seems to be lingering near the Falling Tide Grassland, still searching for several ancient altars in the vicinity. The only issue is with Xuesha—the elder. Since breaking through the boundary and entering the famed thousand-tier maze a year ago, he has not returned. Unlike others, he hasn't been trapped within it, has he? After nodding, the blurry figure hesitated slightly. "Rest assured. Xuesha's powers are no less than mine. Moreover, by nature, he would never enter the maze without being fully confident in his ability to enter and exit. If the agreed time comes, he will surely appear on time." The green shadow replied without hesitation. "With the elder saying that, I believe Xuesha will indeed arrive punctually. Then I'll immediately send messages to Mr. Lei and Mr. Han, arranging for their team to directly transport them to the outposts in the smaller world." Shadow said. "Agreed. Let's proceed that way." Bi Ying naturally had no objections, merely nodded slightly. As the ripples on the wooden table settled again, the slightly blurred figure inclined slightly and then vanished. At that moment, Bi Ying casually lifted her hand and reached for a pile of jade scrolls placed at one end of the table. But suddenly, a soft, muffled sound of "crack" issued from her body. Bi Ying's face instantly paled—her hand, which had been reaching out, now froze mid-air, suspended. After a moment, she took a deep breath and swiftly drew her hand back, pressing it against her waist. A wave of green light surged forth, and a jade box, lush and vibrant with emerald hue, shot out and hovered before Bi Ying. The jade case is inscribed with a dense network of spiritual patterns, and its surface is adorned with several feet of pale golden characters, gently shimmering with a soft glow. Bi Ying's expression darkened as she moved her arms swiftly, rapidly pressing a series of hand seals with both hands, then swiftly flicking her fingers, all converging toward the jade case. The case trembled, and several golden characters drifted down automatically. The lid then flashed and opened by itself, revealing within a peculiar flat circular disc. This disc was as pure and white as jade, with a faint red, blood-like pattern subtly engraved in the center, and within that center, a faint black-and-white Taiji symbol emerged, creating an eerie sensation that seemed to draw the observer's spirit completely into the disc, as if it were being pulled into another realm. Bi Ying gazed at the disc for a long time before finally biting her lip and extending her fingers, reaching into the case with a firm grasp. A deep, resonant "puff" sounded. At the very instant her fingers made contact, the vivid red pattern within the disc cracked into several fine fissures, and the central black-and-white Taiji symbol shattered completely. "The celestial mechanism has broken—indeed, it has broken. I never thought the rumor would come true. Since my initial attainment of the Great Way, I've continuously sacrificed my vital essence to refine this treasure, hoping for a contingency. Yet here it is—clear signs have manifested. Could it be that the upcoming clash among the powerful has unforeseen complications, or is this truly my destined great calamity unfolding?"碧影 solemnly gazed at the disc for a long while, then murmured to herself in a low tone. "Hmph. My fate lies in my own hands, not in heaven's. Even if this treasure truly proves as miraculous as the tales claim, there remains a glimmer of hope. But my original preparations are utterly insufficient—I must now make additional contingency plans." Her expression shifted between clouded and resolute several times before she coldly added, "Hmph," and with a flick of her sleeve, a cascade of green light surged forth from the jade box. After a loud crash, the jade box remained undamaged, but the white array disc inside instantly turned to powder and vanished completely.