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Xiao Ge snorted coldly: "You?"

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be standing here right now,” Shen Yuran sneered.

If he hadn't managed to separate the battlefield in time, Xiao Ge would have been seriously injured long ago.

Xiao Ge clearly knew this too; his lips twitched a few times, but he didn't say anything.

Luo Feng glanced at Xiao Ge, his eyes flashing with a fierce light: "Join forces?"

"Where is Huangfu Lin?" Xiao Ge asked, looking down at him.

"What's it to you? Are you going to do it or not?!" Luo Feng said irritably.

Xiao Ge chuckled twice for no apparent reason.

"...They started chatting right across from us?" Miao Kaijie was even a little incredulous.

Chen Mo: ...

Chen Mo glanced at Mo Hanyu and saw that his expression was gloomy and his eyes were cold and sharp, clearly indicating that his mood had reached a low point.

Qin Xiao noticed Mo Hanyu's unusual behavior, exchanged a glance with him, and saw what he was thinking, so he couldn't help but frown slightly.

"Are you sure you want to use it now?" Qin Xiao didn't quite agree with his idea. "There's no benefit in revealing it now, and besides... isn't this your trump card?"

“…What kind of trump card is this?” Mo Hanyu chuckled, his eyes growing increasingly gloomy.

Seeing this, Qin Xiao said nothing more: "It's good that you've thought it through."

Mo Hanyu tapped his chin slightly, glanced at Xiao Ge and the others who were still arguing with each other as if no one else was around, and exchanged a glance with Miao Kaijie and Chen Mo.

"Get ready." Mo Hanyu raised his hand, palm down, took a deep breath, lowered his eyelids, exhaled and gathered his energy, and when he looked up again, the icy blue light was boundless. "Let's finish this quickly."

Miao Kaijie composed himself. Chen Mo remained silent.

I already said—

Shen Yuran was about to say something when the chill suddenly intensified, causing his expression to change and him to look sharply at Mo Hanyu.

"Take care of him first." Xiao Ge reacted quickly. Mo Hanyu's sudden outburst had startled him, and he decisively summoned his attribute.

It was a six-stringed zither, its entire body smooth and lustrous like jade, its surface as soft as water, shimmering with a clear, refreshing blue hue. The strings were as fine as silver threads hanging from the sky, flickering in and out of sight, and with each pluck of the fingers, one could imagine the most beautiful music that would be produced.

However, instead of music, several wind blades flew rapidly toward Mo Hanyu and his companions with a light pluck, exuding murderous intent.

Surprisingly, neither Miao Kaijie nor Chen Mo retaliated, simply watching the attack draw ever closer.

Just as the wind blade was less than an inch away from Mo Hanyu, Mo Hanyu finally made a move—

He slowly raised his eyes, parted his lips slightly, and exhaled a breath of cold air.

There was no earth-shattering noise, only a chilling, absolute silence.

A touch of snowy white quietly spread from Mo Hanyu's toes, like thick ink dripping into clear water, instantly engulfing the entire colorful world!

The scene changed abruptly!

Caught off guard, the group was suddenly pulled from the battlefield. Their vision went white, replaced by an endless expanse of desolation.

The world was vast and boundless, like the chaos before creation. Heavy snow fell silently, densely covering every inch of land, burying all paths and destinations.

The chill seeped into my bones.

Extreme low temperatures swept in with a storm; it wasn't ordinary cold, but a chilling, soul-cold desolation. The air seemed to be frozen into tiny ice crystals, and inhaling it felt like being cut by a knife.

His hair and beard instantly turned to white frost, his vital energy flow was blocked, and it was as if his blood was about to freeze in this pure white wasteland.

Shen Yuran's knuckles were tinged with a pale blue, and his fingertips were shimmering with the faint light of spatial rifts. He stood on the boundless snowfield, under the leaden sky, where scattered ice crystals fell and instantly froze into a thin layer of ice on his shoulders.

He tried to cleave through space, but his fingertips only touched a bone-chilling cold; even the bone dragon seemed about to be swallowed by this whiteness. It seemed as if only his own aura remained in the world, mixed with ice particles that stung his cheeks with a burning pain. He turned and looked around, but there wasn't a soul in sight; it was as if he were the only person left in the vast world.

“…This is troublesome.” Shen Yuran exhaled a puff of white breath and squinted slightly.

Xiao Ge's zither shimmered with light, its six strings appearing and disappearing, carrying a sharp, gust of wind. He stood in the snow, a thin layer of ice already forming on the six-stringed zither. His fingertips plucked the strings, but before the wind blades could even take shape, they were scattered by the falling snow.

Xiao Ge knew this was just the beginning, so he held his breath and focused his mind, circulating his vital energy within his body.

The girl stood in the snow, her skirt already soaked through and clinging to her legs from the cold. Her cultivation level was far inferior to the others, yet she refused to admit defeat, and could only grit her teeth and swallow a few pills to ward off the cold.

Luo Feng took a half step back, revealing a hint of ferocity and wariness. He wanted to crack the earth, but the "ground" beneath the snow was as hard as frozen iron, unable to even produce a crack. His pride and joy, his power capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, could now not even create a ripple in this icy wasteland.

Although he was in this completely unfamiliar territory, due to his attributes, his movements were not as restricted as the others in the short term.

The wind, carrying shards of ice, rushed into his collar. He raised his hand to wipe the snow off his face, his complexion growing increasingly worse.

The four were each trapped in a vast expanse, some waiting and some searching. Their first thought was that they were hallucinating, but after verification, they denied this possibility.

They all knew this was just the beginning.

Those outside the arena could only see a flash of light at Mo Hanyu's fingertips, as a cold, icy blue beam of light covered the area where the group had been standing, slowly shrinking until it finally coalesced into a thin, translucent blue ice flower taller than a person.

The ice flower branches shimmered with beautiful patterns, and Qin Xiao and the others, who were very close, could sense the presence of the missing people from them.

"How is this possible?!" Ruan Tao exclaimed in shock. "This is—"

Lan Xinci's expression was solemn, and he remained silent.

"A domain? How is that possible? How could someone in the Profound Realm possibly form their own domain?!"

The commentator fell silent, speechless for a moment, before saying, "This contestant from the jade realm has clearly used a skill similar to a domain. Let me explain: a domain is a unique, self-defined space of absolute rules that only those at the Earth Realm or above can possess."

"In this space, the owner of the domain has absolute control. He is the creator of the domain and the rule-maker within it. His power will increase exponentially, while those who trespass into this domain will be severely suppressed."

"A domain is not only a strategic advantage, but also a symbol of power—but please note that the deployment of a domain consumes a great deal of vital energy, and judging from the personnel and their levels that this contestant has brought in, there will probably be extremely strict time limits, so we must finish this battle quickly!"

Xiao Ge and the others were not much different from Mo Hanyu in terms of cultivation level. It was still somewhat difficult for Mo Hanyu to trap four people at once, three of whom were at the same level as him.

But enough is enough.

As the group disappeared from sight, Mo Hanyu placed his hands on Miao Kaijie and Chen Mo's shoulders respectively. With a flash of light, the two vanished.

"I'll be quick." Mo Hanyu turned around to say something to Qin Xiao, but Qin Xiao unexpectedly patted his head.

"Don't rush, just focus." Qin Xiao touched the mask. "Did you forget you left this for me? Everything will be alright."

Perhaps Qin Xiao's reassurance had worked, because Mo Hanyu stared at him for a few seconds and said nothing more: "Wait for me."

As he spoke, his figure flashed and disappeared into the ice flowers.

"Furthermore, that patch of ice flowers is the gateway to its domain. No one would be foolish enough to casually trespass into another's domain, unless—"

"In the current situation, the master of the domain has to trap several opponents of the same level as him at the same time."

When Mo Hanyu sent Chen Mo and Miao Kaijie inside, he loosened the restraints on both sides to allow them to act freely, which also saved him some effort.

As Mo Hanyu pondered, he slightly turned his head to dodge the sudden wind blade. His blue eyes flickered as he glanced at Xiao Ge not far away.

Xiao Ge stared intently at him, her fingers resting on the strings, her vigilance at its peak.

Mo Hanyu had no intention of exchanging pleasantries with him and decisively attacked, causing frost and ice to rise from the sky.

"They actually made me fight this guy..." Miao Kaijie's lips twitched, somewhat helpless.

Not far away, Luo Feng stood up, his eyes sharp. Seeing Miao Kaijie's expression, he couldn't help but mock, "What, scared?"

"Look at what you're saying..."

Miao Kaijie laughed heartily. Suddenly, a large number of snow-white threads surged from the ground, intertwining and gradually forming a huge and bizarre creature.

"—Why don't you try and see?"

Miao Kaijie smiled warmly, but his eyes were cold and devoid of warmth.

Shen Yuran suddenly opened her eyes. The originally desolate white was now covered by shadows, and the coldness around her body suddenly lessened, obviously because the person had relaxed their suppression.

The shadows coiled and slithered like a giant python, and no sign of the approaching figure could be seen for a long time.

Shen Yuran tightened her fingers and slowly narrowed her eyes.

Outside the domain, Qin Xiao gazed at the slowly rotating ice flowers before him, a jet-black longsword appearing in his hand. He suddenly struck out, unleashing a slash in a certain direction.

Amidst the raging winds and destroyed trees, a figure slowly emerged.

Qin Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly, held the knife at an angle, and coldly sized him up.

The young man stood still like a pine tree, his tall and slender figure accentuated by a black outfit. The fabric clung to his body, perfectly outlining the smooth lines of his broad shoulders and narrow waist.

Dark gold metal ornaments, like hidden glimmers of light, are perfectly set in the shoulder line, waist belt, and hem, like a glimmer of light occasionally flowing through the calm black, adding a touch of understated nobility and solemnity.

The hem of her dress fell just to mid-calf, swaying slightly in the wind and revealing black trousers that tightly hugged her long, straight legs.

The boy slowly stepped forward, his movements rhythmic and silent, revealing his appearance to Qin Xiao.

The boy's dark ponytail hung neatly to his waist, swaying slightly with his movements. A few strands of hair on his forehead fluttered in the wind, but they did not disturb the focus in his calm eyes.

He stared silently at Qin Xiao.

The boy's aura was restrained, like a sword sheathed. Although his appearance still had the unique handsomeness of a young man, he revealed a composure that did not match his age. It was as if he was shrouded in a faint sense of aloofness, as if strangers should not approach him. Only the dark gold trim occasionally revealed a hidden sharpness.

Their eyes met, both indifferent.

Seeing that he didn't speak, Qin Xiao could tell that he was strong and hadn't relaxed his guard, even though he didn't sense any hostility from him. He turned his head to look at Qingyi, but found that the latter had already retreated several miles away and was sitting in the air with an umbrella, looking as if he was afraid of being caught in the crossfire.

Qin Xiao: ...

Qin Xiao could only turn his head and look at the boy again.

"A heretical cultivator?" In the end, it was the young man who spoke first, slowly raising his eyebrows, a hint of amusement suddenly appearing in his eyes, a stark contrast to his previous demeanor.

Qin Xiao did not answer.

Upon seeing this, the young man smiled, slowly raised his hand, clasped his hands in a salute, and said, "Xuantian Sect, Huangfu Lin."

"It's Huangfu Lin! It seems the contestant from Jade Stone is in trouble! As we all know, Huangfu Lin was the undisputed number one on the individual leaderboard in the last competition. His attributes and combat skills have left a very deep impression on us."

"This contestant from the Jade Stone competition is probably in trouble. Although his strength is considerable, he was seriously injured earlier, and it is not a wise choice for him to fight now. But if he retreats, Huangfu Lin will definitely enter his companion's territory. If that happens, then they will have absolutely no chance of winning!"

"What will he choose next?"

"Aren't you going to give your name?" Huangfu Lin tilted his head slightly, his reserved and composed demeanor vanishing as he smiled.

"Why should I say it?" Qin Xiao didn't understand. "There's no need for it."

Huangfu Lin paused slightly, seemingly surprised by his tone: "Do you know who I am?"

"Didn't you already tell me your name?" Qin Xiao asked, puzzled.

"..."

Seeing Huangfu Lin's expression, Qin Xiao understood something: "Oh, that..."

"It does sound familiar." Qin Xiao said honestly. He seemed to have heard of it before, and the person from the Qin Sect had even asked about the name earlier, so it seemed to be somewhat important.

"so what?"

Seeing the boy's indifferent expression, Huangfu Lin was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and said, "No, it's nothing."

Qin Xiao stared at him intently, and just as Huangfu Lin was about to make the first move, he suddenly spoke up: "Oh, I remember now."

Huangfu Lin:?

"You were the champion in the last competition." Qin Xiao vaguely remembered Mo Hanyu emphasizing this to him before the competition.

Huangfu Lin:......

Huangfu Lin was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and chuckled: "You... are really interesting."

"Can you tell me your name?" Huangfu Lin said with a smile. "It seems you're not planning to run away. Since we're going to fight, you should at least know who your opponent is, right?"

"You don't need to know," Qin Xiao said coldly. "So, you're the strongest here?"

"I dare not accept such praise. I only won first place last time by sheer luck. It was only because everyone gave me face," Huangfu Lin said modestly.

Qin Xiao looked him up and down, narrowing his eyes slightly, and noticed that there were no signs of combat on his body.

Huangfu Lin's journey has indeed been quite smooth. Whether out of fear or something else, people who see him will choose to avoid or run away at the first opportunity. They have no intention of confronting him head-on. Even those who dare to launch a sneak attack are extremely rare, let alone face him directly.

Huangfu Lin found the journey rather dull, so after noticing the terrifying explosion, he rushed over, expecting it to be someone from Leiting or Wangqiu, but it turned out to be that evil cultivation academy.

Huangfu Lin certainly knew Qin Xiao's name. Gathering information on opponents before a competition was perfectly normal, especially since a plan to ambush them had been agreed upon. He had thoroughly investigated the identities and attributes of several evil cultivators from the Jade Stone Academy participating, but he had rarely seen them in action, making it impossible to estimate their true strength.

The only people who arranged a training match with him were from Yu Hua's side, but unfortunately they weren't familiar with Yu Hua.

Huangfu Lin had assumed that the people from the Jade Stone would also investigate them and would naturally know who he was, but he was surprised to see Qin Xiao's attitude and couldn't help but wonder—did they know nothing at all?

However, Qin Xiao showed no intention of running away, which pleased Huangfu Lin greatly. After all, the feeling of itching for a fight but being unable to vent was too unbearable. He had thought he would run into Liu Huangli or a few others to test his skills, but he didn't even see a shadow of them.

Huangfu Lin noticed the wounds on Qin Xiao's body, including the hideous scar on his shoulder, and paused slightly: "Are you sure you want to fight me?"

Qin Xiao did not answer, but slowly tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, with the slowly rotating gate of the domain behind him.