Translator: CinderTL
As Gui Ni finished speaking, the ground within a hundred miles began to churn violently. Gold-Eating Ants, one after another, burst through the surface.
These Gold-Eating Ants were generally weak, mostly at the First-Tier level, with only a few reaching Second-Tier. However, their numbers were staggering, swarming everywhere in a dense mass of tens of thousands.
Years ago, the Ant Queen had used her innate Spirit Sense Secret Technique to control Gui Ni, escaping the Divine Blood Hall. Afterward, she turned to the Human Race for blood food, allowing her clan to flourish.
Later, Gui Ni stole the Rainbow Skirt Grass from the Silver Wolf Clan, turning the tables and controlling the Ant Queen. Leveraging the Ant Queen's innate bloodline suppression, he gained control over the entire Gold-Eating Ant Swarm.
The loyalty of the Gold-Eating Ant Swarm far surpassed that of the disciples and disciples of the Profound Yin Sect.
Therefore, Gui Ni had not hindered the growth of the Gold-Eating Ant Clan, continuing to use the Human Race as blood food to fuel their proliferation.
It was impossible to imagine how many humans had perished at the jaws of these Gold-Eating Ants over the years.
The Ant Queen's plump, glistening form emerged amidst the swarm.
Beside her stood a Fourth-Tier Peak Ant King.
The Ant Queen unleashed a torrent of yellow Poison Mist from her mouth. The mist was so dense that it coalesced into a Poison Qi Flood Dragon, which charged toward Lan Chen.
The lower-tier Gold-Eating Ants also opened their mandibles, spewing out streams of Poison Mist.
Guided by some unknown force, the Poison Mist all merged into the Poison Qi Flood Dragon, making it even more robust and its toxicity even more potent.
Lan Chen's waist was wrapped with a fiery red silk ribbon.
The Red Silk floated up gracefully, continuously lengthening and expanding. It then wrapped around Lan Chen, forming a cocoon-like shield.
The Poison Qi Flood Dragon slammed into the Red Silk shield, sending Lan Chen and her shield flying backward.
But she wouldn't go down without a fight.
Holding a Jade Ruyi, she infused it with her Spiritual Power. The Jade Ruyi emitted a wisp of pink smoke that drifted toward Gui Ni.
Strike the leader first!
The Gold-Eating Ant Swarm was controlled by Gui Ni. If he were killed, they would naturally retreat, ceasing to be a threat.
Suddenly, a bone appeared before Gui Ni. It was barely two feet long, covered in dense rune patterns, and entirely gray-white.
It was a High-Grade Soul Defense Magical Item he had obtained from Xue Cangqiong's relics.
The bone emitted a pale white light, enveloping a ten-yard radius around Gui Ni.
The pink smoke pierced into the white light, instantly becoming mired as if sinking into quicksand. Its speed plummeted, and its power gradually dissipated.
Just as Gui Ni was fully focused on resisting Lan Chen's Spirit Sense Secret Technique, Mo Yexue's flying sword suddenly struck.
In a desperate attempt to defend himself, Gui Ni hastily summoned his Natal Magic Treasure—the Yin Soul Banner.
The Yin Soul Banner swelled in the wind, growing to a towering thirty meters tall.
The banner's folds swirled, completely enveloping Gui Ni within its embrace.
Simultaneously, a green flame erupted from the banner with a soft "puff."
The green fire surged upward, washing over Mo Yexue's flying sword.
Under the relentless assault of the green flames, the flying sword's momentum waned, gradually showing signs of fatigue.
Though the flying sword ultimately pierced through the flames and struck the banner, its power was too weak to pose any real threat to Gui Ni.
Lan Chen's pink smoke met a similar fate. Blocked by the white light emanating from the bone, it thinned considerably. While it eventually seeped into Gui Ni's Sea of Consciousness, it failed to disrupt his will as intended.
Seeing that neither her nor Lan Chen's attacks could harm Gui Ni, Mo Yexue formed a Sword Incantation with her hands, summoning eighteen High-Grade Magic Treasure flying swords in a single file.
Gui Ni's eyes narrowed. Having clashed with Mo Yexue many times, he knew she was preparing to deploy the Evil Extermination Sword Formation.
When Mo Yexue activated this formation, she substituted the original Thunder Magic from the sword formation's Cultivation Technique with Primal Luminary True Fire.
Yet the formation's power remained undiminished.
Primal Luminary True Fire, being the purest form of yang energy, contained a potent, radiant heavenly might. It was the most effective counter to evil spirits and demonic entities, second only to Thunder Magic.
Gui Ni dared not allow the sword formation to trap him. He urgently activated the Yin Soul Banner.
The Yin Soul Banner released a stream of Yin Energy, which enveloped Gui Ni and transformed him into a black streak of light that swiftly escaped the encirclement of the eighteen flying swords.
Mo Yexue sighed inwardly. While the sword formation was powerful, it took time to set up. Against Gui Ni, a Peak Nascent Soul cultivator skilled in escape techniques, successfully deploying the formation wouldn't be easy.
Yet she refused to give up. The eighteen flying swords pursued Gui Ni relentlessly, forcing him to dodge and weave through the sky and earth.
Gui Ni, of course, wouldn't simply flee. Under his command, the Fourth-Tier Peak Ant King charged fiercely at Mo Yexue.
Mo Yexue, multitasking, controlled her Natal Magic Treasure flying sword to strike at the Ant King. Though she couldn't immediately pierce its carapace, she prevented it from getting close.
Meanwhile, the Ant Queen was held back by Lan Chen and couldn't come to Gui Ni's aid. After being chased for so long, Gui Ni's fury seemed to have reached a boiling point.
He activated the Yin Soul Banner, unleashing a torrent of Ghost Qi.
The Ghost Qi blotted out the sun and clouds, its density as thick as ink, plunging the entire area into instant darkness.
Then, he changed direction and charged directly at Mo Yexue.
Mo Yexue was now caught in a pincer attack. On her left was the raging Ant King, its flames reaching the heavens, and on her right, the menacing Gui Ni.
With the eighteen flying swords still trailing behind Gui Ni, her only means of threatening him and the Ant King was her Natal Magic Treasure flying sword.
Without a moment's hesitation, Mo Yexue made her decision.
She turned her Natal flying sword and charged toward Gui Ni.
At the same time, a shield materialized beside her, clearly intended to withstand the Ant King's attack head-on.
To her surprise, however, her Natal flying sword decapitated Gui Ni in a single strike.
The next moment, Gui Ni's form dissolved into nothingness, leaving only a wisp of pale blue flame.
The flame was swept away by the Sword Qi emanating from her Natal flying sword, returning to nothingness.
Mo Yexue immediately realized she had fallen into Gui Ni's trap.
Gui Ni had deliberately feigned rage, releasing a torrent of Ghost Qi to conceal his movements and using Illusion Technique to mislead her.
By the time she understood, it was already too late.
The Ant King had closed the distance and slammed into her shield with brutal force.
The immense impact sent the shield spiraling out of control, crashing heavily into Mo Yexue's body.
She was sent flying backward, shield and all, a trickle of blood staining her lips.
Yet, her face remained calm, not a trace of panic visible. Instead, a flicker of joy crossed her features.
Xue Mei had finally revealed herself!
(End of the Chapter)
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