Chapter 175: A Different Yao Yue
The temperature kept dropping.
Each breath sent a dull pain through the trachea.
That freezing mist flowed in through nose and mouth, spreading cold from the inside out. If it were an ordinary person, they would likely fall into hypothermia in no time and perish.
Chu Yang felt the chill too, but the Qilin blood in his body began to boil furiously.
As someone who had once bathed in the blood of an entire Qilin, this kind of cold was nothing to him. His searing body was enough to melt snow and ice.
The Ice Mist Demon clearly hadn't expected Chu Yang to hold out so well. A flicker of surprise flashed in its eyes, followed quickly by fanatical hunger—this body brimming with terrifying blood essence was a supreme treasure in its eyes.
In just an instant, the Ice Mist Demon's rationality completely collapsed.
It opened its mouth and let out a strange, piercing screech—like a bitter wind shrieking through a dark night. Human faces writhed faintly within its body before flying out one after another.
Once outside the demon's body, those faces transformed into full human forms glowing with blue light. They floated amid the mist like clusters of blue jellyfish.
One of the blue phantoms darted toward Chu Yang at high speed, only to be crushed effortlessly in his hand. The moment it died, a memory not his own flashed through his mind.
A boy of about sixteen or seventeen, shivering from hunger and cold, walking across a barren field. The memory wasn't long, and it ended on the youth's face twisted in despair.
More and more of the glowing blue forms attacked Chu Yang, only to be destroyed. And with each one, more memories surfaced—scenes of people's final moments before death.
A group of homeless refugees, frozen to death on the open plains, their remains now nourishment for the demon.
Or perhaps, it was their deaths that had birthed the Ice Mist Demon in the first place.
In this world overrun by demons, human life was barely worth more than weeds.
The visions kept coming.
In Chu Yang's ears, maddening whispers mixed with the cries of the dead refugees. For a normal person, their sanity would've shattered long ago under such a barrage.
The Ice Mist Demon steadily crept closer, silently waiting for Chu Yang to go mad. It had used this method to kill many martial experts sleeping in desolate villages.
Minute by minute, time passed.
Yet even after erasing all of the glowing blue phantoms, Chu Yang remained clear-headed—unlike what the Ice Mist Demon had anticipated.
A primal instinct warned the demon of danger. Fear began to stir.
But it couldn't bring itself to give up Chu Yang's body full of vibrant essence. Greed steadily overpowered reason.
Chu Yang's cold gaze locked onto it. Behind his calm expression, murderous intent surged like a tidal wave.
The surrounding mist quickly retracted, turning into streams of white vapor that poured into the Ice Mist Demon's body. Its main form swelled rapidly, growing until it dwarfed the surrounding huts.
A colossal ice giant, dozens of meters tall, loomed before Chu Yang.
With the mist now gone, Li Gexiao and Jiang Feng's group located Chu Yang. Seeing him facing off against the ice giant, they halted and huddled beneath a thatched hut.
"It really is a demon... Should we go out and help Young Master Chu?" Jiang Feng asked gravely.
"Staying out of the way is the best help you can give. Focus on protecting your family," Li Gexiao replied, shaking his head. He was just about to step forward when something tugged at his robe.
Turning around, he saw the massive wolfdog looking up at him with a pleading gaze.
"You lazy mutt, sleeping like the dead. How come the demon didn't eat you?" Li Gexiao grumbled. Seeing the awkward expressions of those around him, he forced a laugh. "I was scolding the dog, not you all."
That only made things even more awkward...
Clicking his tongue, Li Gexiao quickly changed the subject. He patted the wolfdog's head and ordered, "Protect these people. If anything happens again, I'll throw you in a hot pot myself."
The wolfdog lowered its head and wagged its tail.
At the same moment, the ice giant launched its attack. Its towering body stomped down with full force, stirring up a violent shockwave that engulfed Chu Yang.
The surrounding huts collapsed into rubble from the impact.
Chu Yang formed a hand seal, and wild winds erupted around him. The gusts were even more intense than those summoned by the giant, not only neutralizing the force but pushing the monster backward, making it stagger.
Having refined the Five Demon Pearls into his body, Chu Yang had gained the ability to partially control the Five Elemental Forces. While not yet able to move mountains and fill seas with a wave, summoning wind and rain was now effortless.
Boom—!
The mountainous ice giant toppled, shaking the entire ruined village like an earthquake. Even Jiang Feng and the others hiding nearby felt the ground tremble beneath them.
Chu Yang formed another seal, and scarlet flames sprang to life, illuminating the village. A roaring sea of fire surged toward the ice giant, setting it ablaze. Its wails of agony echoed for miles.
Li Gexiao and the others clutched their heads, ears ringing.
Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu were busy covering their children's ears, unaware that blood had started streaming from their own noses and mouths.
Suddenly, the wolfdog let out a long howl. The sound seemed to ripple through the air itself, weakening the demon's roar.
Jiang Feng and his wife collapsed to the ground, pale but slowly recovering.
"This mutt's actually got some bite!" Li Gexiao laughed, rubbing the dog's head vigorously.
"My thanks, Brother Dog," Jiang Feng added with a cupped-fist salute and a smile.
The wolfdog barked proudly and wagged its tail with excitement.
Under the glow of the scarlet fire, the intense heat warped the air. The ground cracked, stones melted, and what remained of the huts turned to ash. The ice giant's screams grew faint.
"What terrifying flames! It's almost like the legendary Samadhi True Fire. Young Master Chu is truly formidable!"
Jiang Feng was shaken to the core by the sight.
Known throughout the land for his benevolence, he had donated to many of the Ming Dynasty's most renowned temples and monasteries and had met so-called Daoist Immortals and Buddhist Vajras.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the secret arts of Daoism and Buddhism—but something this powerful was extremely rare. Only the most senior abbots or sect leaders could wield such force.
"So young… it's unbelievable…" Jiang Feng muttered, confused.
Li Gexiao looked conflicted. Back in the days when Chu Yang was still the useless prince, they often got drunk together, living wild and carefree. He had never seen Chu Yang study Daoist texts, much less train hard.
Even Lord Guo's Surging Waves Palm technique, Chu Yang had practiced half-heartedly.
So was he simply a natural genius? Or had he been hiding his strength all along?
As the fire continued to burn, the Ice Mist Demon reverted to its original form—a body clear and crystalline like glass. The intense heat caused cracks to spread across its surface. It would shatter completely before long.
Just when everyone thought the demon was about to be destroyed, the temperature around them plummeted again. A howling wind surged up.
Under the moonlight, a stunning figure descended from the sky, landing amidst the fire. The icy aura she brought with her instantly froze the flames solid.
Jiang Feng and Hua Yuenu trembled violently when they saw her, faces filled with dread.
A voice rang out, cold as millennia-old ice.
"Jiang Feng, Hua Yuenu—come out and meet your deaths!"
A woman of breathtaking beauty, otherworldly grace, and terrifying strength—and one who bore a deep hatred for Jiang Feng. There weren't many who fit that description.
The Grand Mistress of the Yihua Palace (Palace of Shifting Flowers).
Yao Yue.
Her voice was ethereal and elusive, impossible to pin down.
Though cold and merciless in tone, it carried a delicate, enchanting lilt that stirred the soul.
As Chu Yang saw it, only a few words were needed to describe her:
Big-sister voice, little-girl body.
Yao Yue's petite, dainty frame contrasted sharply with her overwhelming aura. There was something oddly charming about it—especially that frosty expression of hers. It gave her a sort of unexpected, gap-moe appeal.
Because she had mastered the peerless inner technique Mingyu Art, Yao Yue not only retained a youthful appearance, but her snowy-pale face also glowed with the soft radiance of jade.
A living, breathing anime figurine, basically.
Chu Yang eyed her with interest, completely unaware of the despair on Jiang Feng and his wife's faces behind him.
"She really chased us all the way here…"
Jiang Feng gripped Hua Yuenu's hand tightly, holding the swaddled baby close.
"My love, I fear we won't live past today," Hua Yuenu whispered, her voice trembling with tears.
Seeing how frightened they were, Li Gexiao asked curiously, "Who is this woman?"
Jiang Feng replied, "The Palace Mistress of Yihua Palace—Yao Yue."
Li Gexiao sucked in a breath. As a former high-ranking Embroidered Uniform Guard, he knew full well the weight that name carried.
What had truly made Yao Yue's name known throughout the martial world was an incident five years ago, when a great demon launched an assault on Yihua Palace.
It started when the demon, lusting after Yao Yue's beauty, attempted to force her into becoming his concubine. She coldly refused—and even mocked him to his face.
Such a humiliation was unbearable for a being of that status.
He returned to the Demon Nation and joined forces with four other great demons he was on good terms with. Together with a horde of spirit demons, they stormed Yihua Palace.
The battle left the palace soaked in blood…
And yet, even more shocking was what followed—Yao Yue used Mingyu Art to freeze four of the five demons to death. The last one, the one who had tried to marry her, had his demon core torn out and was beaten back to his original form.
That battle made Yihua Palace famous across the land, elevating it to one of the top sects. And Yao Yue became known as one of the most fearsome martial experts alive.
Countless masters visited her sect, hoping to catch a glimpse of her beauty—only to end up as ice sculptures before her gate.
From that day on, Yihua Palace became a forbidden land for men.
Recalling her fearsome temper, Li Gexiao gave Jiang Feng a meaningful smile. "You really are something… to have turned even Mistress Yao Yue into a lovesick wreck."
Jiang Feng's expression turned to panic. "Careful what you say, Brother Li!"
Yao Yue's hearing was razor-sharp—nothing within a hundred meters escaped her notice. Li Gexiao's teasing, of course, didn't go unheard.
An ice spear condensed above her head and shot straight at him.
The sound of it tearing through the air exploded in his ears. Sensing danger, Li Gexiao reflexively raised his embroidered spring blade to block. The spear burst apart just before impact.
He thought he was done for—but then felt a sudden warmth. A crimson shield had appeared before him, melting the ice fragments from the explosion.
Yao Yue fixed her icy gaze on Chu Yang. "You dare stand in my way?"
Chu Yang nonchalantly picked at his ear and replied, "You're not my mother—why wouldn't I?"
Yao Yue's expression darkened, but she didn't strike. Chu Yang's earlier display had already shown her he was not to be taken lightly.
Li Gexiao patted his chest, still shaken. "That woman's temper is out of control! What did I even say wrong to make her that mad?"
Hua Yuenu gave a bitter smile and explained, "The Head Palace Mistress has no interest in Jiang Lang (Jiang Feng) whatsoever. Actually, it's the Second Palace Mistress who's in love with him, but he turned her down. She's been heartbroken ever since. The two mistresses are deeply bonded as sisters, and now that I've eloped with Jiang Lang and betrayed Yihua Palace, of course she's furious."
Li Gexiao finally understood. "So you're from Yihua Palace. No wonder she's pissed—her little maid ran off with the man the Second Palace Mistress liked. That's beyond embarrassing if word gets out!"
Jiang Feng panicked. "Sir Li, please—watch what you say!"
Another gust of cold wind howled by. Chu Yang once again intercepted Yao Yue's deadly strike for Li Gexiao and snapped, "Could you stop provoking her on purpose? One more time and I'm not blocking for you again! I'll let that drunkard carcass of yours freeze into an ice sculpture!"
"Don't, young master! I can't fight Palace Mistress Yao Yue." Li Gexiao grinned shamelessly. "But with you here, I thought I'd give this whole 'fox assuming the tiger's majesty' thing a try."
Chu Yang couldn't be bothered to respond. He turned back to look at Yao Yue. She wasn't quite as he remembered. Most notably, she didn't like Jiang Feng—just that alone made her vastly different from the version he recalled.
But then, this was par for the course in these fusion worlds. Strange, yes, but nothing to be too surprised about. Still, from what Hua Yuenu had said, Yao Yue seemed to be quite the sister complex type—that part was rather amusing.
"What exactly is your relationship with Jiang Feng? Why are you protecting him from me? Did he hire you with money? You, a genuine Daoist master—he must've paid a fortune."
Yao Yue's eyes were sharp and bright, her voice especially frosty.
Facing her rapid-fire interrogation, Chu Yang replied plainly, "We met on the road. Given my worth, even if he sold everything he owns, he couldn't afford me."
"Met on the road?" Yao Yue sneered. "Nonsense. If that's all it was, you wouldn't go against Yihua Palace for someone you just met!"
"Are you stupid or something? When did I ever stop you from killing him?" Chu Yang pointed helplessly at Li Gexiao. "The one you just tried to kill was clearly my guy."
Insolent bastard!
I'm going to smash that mouth of yours!
Yao Yue was so angry she wanted to go straight for Chu Yang, but first, she still had to get rid of Jiang Feng—the heartless scoundrel. Just thinking of how her sister Lian Xing cried herself to sleep every night made her blood boil.
She gathered her icy power in her palm and launched a strike toward Jiang Feng and his wife from afar. Without that annoying meddler in the way, this one move would be enough to kill them both.
In the next instant—
Chu Yang flicked his finger, and a blast of fierce sword energy shattered the ice strike completely.
Yao Yue's eyes widened in disbelief!
He grinned. "Now that counts as me stopping you."
Yao Yue flew into a rage. The veins around her eyes bulged as her fury toward Chu Yang surpassed even what she'd felt five years ago for that demon who dared say he wanted to marry her.
"I'm going to kill you, you little bastard!"
She let out a shrill scream. Her slender figure slowly floated into the air. As the Mingyu Art activated, snow and wind engulfed the desolate village, and a mysterious suction force locked onto Chu Yang.
At the ninth level of the Mingyu Art, not only does one gain eternal youth and beauty, but also chilling internal energy and a powerful vortex-like suction. No matter the target, it would be dragged right in front of her.
"I've never lost when it comes to pulling things toward me."
After swallowing the Divine Tree Fruit, Chu Yang's chakra had reached unimaginable levels. Any ninjutsu performed by him was on a whole different scale than before.
The terrifying pull of Universal Pull completely eclipsed the Mingyu Art.
It wasn't long before Yao Yue realized she'd lost all control of her body, and the distance between her and Chu Yang was rapidly shrinking. Panic-stricken, she let out a sharp, shrieking cry—
"Don't come any closer!!!"