Elder Bloodfiend Xiao Xuesha staggered back in the explosion’s aftermath.

Charred marks on his chest still smoked and his left arm had gone completely numb.

He lifted his head, blood‑red eyes locked on Luo Bingning.

That icy killing intent made his spine go cold.

“Damn woman!”

Xiao Xuesha ground his teeth and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

The Blood‑Demon Berserk Pill’s effects were fading and waves of pain flooded his body.

He could clearly feel the world‑crushing might rolling off Luo Bingning.

There would be no walking away from today.

Luo Bingning held the Frostsnow Sword, its tip leveled at Xiao Xuesha.

Icy‑blue law power flowed along the blade and radiated extreme chill.

There was not the slightest mercy in her eyes, only pure killing intent.

“Xiao Xuesha, the game ends here.”

Luo Bingning’s voice was terrifyingly calm.

Every word bit with bone‑deep cold.

“You dared lay a hand on Xi’er, I’ll make you wish you were dead.”

Sensing death closing in, madness flashed in Xiao Xuesha’s eyes.

He roughly wiped the blood from his lips and threw back his head in a shrill laugh.

“Jie jie jie, Luo Bingning! You think I’ill sit and wait for death?”

His voice grew sharp and deranged.

“Even if I die today, I’ll drag you down with me!”

Hiding at the cave dwelling’s entrance, Lin Xi used the system to detect an abnormal change within Xiao Xuesha.

[Warning: Target is gathering all blood‑fiend power within the body]

[Forbidden secret‑art fluctuations detected]

[Danger level: Extreme]

A bad premonition surged in her chest.

What was this lunatic going to do?

Ignoring his wounds, Xiao Xuesha bit through the tip of his tongue.

A mouthful of essence blood sprayed out and in the air it formed eerie blood‑red runes.

The runes spiraled aloft, exuding a hair‑raising evil aura.

Blood Escape Secret Art!

Xiao Xuesha’s voice turned hoarse and crazed.

“Even if I die, I’ll take you all with me!”

The blood‑red runes sank into his body in an instant.

His body began to swell violently, veins bulging as a terrifying surge of energy poured off him.

This was one of the Blood Shadow Sect’s most wicked forbidden arts.

Using a cultivator’s essence blood as a primer, it forcibly burns life force and cultivation to achieve self‑detonation.

Its power could flatten a radius of five kilometers.

Luo Bingning’s face changed at once.

She felt the terrifying energy within Xiao Xuesha climb higher and higher.

The blast would be enough to level the entire cave dwelling.

Worse, Xi’er was still inside the cave.

“Xi’er, back!”

Luo Bingning shouted anxiously over her shoulder.

But it was already too late.

Xiao Xuesha’s body had swollen to the limit, blood‑red light wrapping him completely.

The terrifying energy waves twisted the space around him.

“Jie jie jie, let’s die together!”

Xiao Xuesha let loose a final crazed laugh.

His body shook violently and could explode at any second.

Luo Bingning did not hesitate for an instant.

She drew a deep breath and the Ice Phoenix bloodline within her fully awakened.

A terrifying cold burst from her body and the valley’s temperature plunged to freezing in an instant.

Ice Seals the Ages!

She rallied all the cold law power within her.

A towering ice wall condensed before her to compress the blast’s range to the minimum.

At the same time she spread her arms and used her own body to shield Lin Xi behind her.

“Boom!”

A heaven‑shaking detonation split the sky.

Blood‑red energy surged outward like a tsunami.

Cracks webbed across Luo Bingning’s ice wall under the terrifying impact.

But she clenched her jaw and kept pouring law power into the wall.

She would not let that force touch Xi’er.

The aftershock raged for a full ten breaths.

When all fell still, the valley had been scoured beyond recognition.

Boulders were ground to powder, ancient trees torn up by the roots and even the distant peaks were scored with fissures.

At last the ice wall gave way and crashed down.

Luo Bingning staggered back and a thread of blood welled at her lip.

She had suppressed the blast but had taken another minor wound herself.

Watching Luo Bingning take an injury to protect her, a violent surge of emotion welled up in Lin Xi’s heart.

‘This foolish woman, she could have dodged it herself. Why use her body to shield me?’

An unprecedented urge to protect rose within her.

[Current Points: 500]

[Detected intense host emotional fluctuation]

[Emergency: Advanced Shop access unlocked]

[Soul‑Shattering Talisman: Heaven‑tier high‑grade, directly attacks an enemy’s divine soul, ignores all defenses]

[Exchange Price: 3000 points]

[Overdraw to exchange?]

Lin Xi chose without hesitation.

“Exchange!”

[Current Points: −2500]

[Warning: Points deeply negative, system stability degraded]

A talisman glowing with golden light appeared in her hand.

Dense mysterious sigils covered it and it radiated a soul‑shaking pressure.

It was the strongest offensive item she could redeem right now.

Just then a sinister laugh drifted from the settling dust.

“Jie jie jie… surprised I’m still alive?”

A blurry blood shadow slowly rose from the ruins.

It was Xiao Xuesha’s remnant soul, his body destroyed by the self‑detonation but his divine soul surviving by a fluke.

“Though the Blood Escape Secret Art destroyed my flesh, my soul is undying!”

The blood shadow chortled in triumph.

“As long as I find a suitable body, I’ll be reborn!”

Luo Bingning’s expression went dark.

She had not expected Xiao Xuesha’s soul to endure such a horrific blast.

Worse, her own injuries had worsened and dealing with a Nascent Soul‑realm remnant would not be easy.

“What’s more, I already have a perfect target.”

The remnant soul suddenly turned toward Lin Xi.

“That little girl’s body seems fine indeed, perfect for me to seize!”

The blood shadow lunged for Lin Xi.

Soul attacks are impossible to guard against and even Luo Bingning could not stop it in time.

Despair flashed through Luo Bingning’s eyes.

Her body was still recovering from the blast’s aftershocks and she could not save her in time.

“Xi’er!”

Her cry tore from her chest.

But the instant before the blood shadow could touch Lin Xi, Lin Xi lifted her head.

There was not a trace of fear in her eyes, only a thread of icy killing intent.

“You are courting death.”

She spoke softly and triggered the Soul‑Shattering Talisman in her hand.

Golden light burst forth and became a beam of pure soul power.

This force countered all evil souls and its might was terrifying.

“What?!”

Xiao Xuesha’s remnant soul screamed in panic.

He had not expected the gentle‑looking girl to bring out such a dreadful attack.

Golden radiance wrapped the blood shadow in an instant.

Under that pure power Xiao Xuesha’s remnant began to dissolve and his screams turned piercing.

“No, impossible! You’re just a little girl in Foundation Establishment! How could you wield such terrifying soul power!”

His voice was choked with terror and unwillingness.

But the golden light was merciless and kept eating away at his soul.

“I can’t accept this!”

Xiao Xuesha roared one last time.

“The Blood Shadow Sect will not spare you! The Sect Master will avenge me!”

Before the words had fully fallen his remnant soul dissipated completely in the golden light.

An elder of the Blood Shadow Sect, gone to utter nothingness.

Luo Bingning stared blankly at the scene, shock filling her eyes.

The power Xi’er had just revealed was beyond anything she understood.

Even she felt her heart quake at that pure soul force.

What chilled her more was Xi’er’s expression while she used it.

That cold, resolute look was nothing like a gentle girl.

Watching Xiao Xuesha vanish, a complicated tide of feeling rose in Lin Xi’s heart.

She turned to Luo Bingning.

Warmth returned to those clear eyes.

“Bingning-jie, are you okay?”

Her voice turned gentle again as if nothing had happened.

Snapping back to herself, Luo Bingning strode to Lin Xi’s side.

She cupped Lin Xi’s cheek with a tender gaze.

“Xi’er, just now you…”

“I’m fine.”

Lin Xi softly cut her off.

“I only used a rather special talisman.”

It sounded reasonable but Luo Bingning felt there was more to it.

This was not the time to dig deeper.

Xiao Xuesha was dead but the Blood Shadow Sect still had other experts.

This assault was only the beginning.

“Xi’er, we have to leave.”

Luo Bingning looked around, the whole valley wrecked by the blast.

“The Blood Shadow Sect will send stronger ones soon.”

Lin Xi nodded.

She knew this place was no longer safe.

And the system points were deeply overdrawn, she could not redeem more powerful items for a while.

They had to find a safe place to recover fast.

[Task complete: Slay Elder Bloodfiend Xiao Xuesha]

[Received 5000 points]

[Current Points: 2500]

[Luo Bingning loyalty +5, current: 100/100 (Maxed)]

[Luo Bingning affection +10, current: 100/100 (Maxed)]

[Detected strong curiosity and dependence from Luo Bingning toward host]

[Growth progress +15%, current: 85%]

The prompts let Lin Xi breathe a little easier.

They had finally weathered the crisis.

And Luo Bingning’s growth progress was almost complete.

Just a bit more effort and more system functions would unlock.

“Bingning-jie, where are we going?”

Lin Xi feigned a touch of confusion.

Luo Bingning thought for a moment and resolve flashed in her eyes.

“Deep in the Qingyun Mountain Range there is an ancient cave dwelling. It is warded by a powerful formation, the Blood Shadow Sect will not find us.”

She took Lin Xi’s hand.

“Xi’er, come with me.”

Their figures vanished into the night.

The ruined valley fell quiet again.

Only the sea of rubble spoke of the battle that had just shaken the heart.

* * *

Far away at the Blood Shadow Sect’s main altar, a blood‑red mirror suddenly shattered.

Sect Master Xue Wuyá’s eyes snapped open.

“Xiao Xuesha is dead.”

His voice was terrifyingly cold.

“It seems that Frost Empress’s strength has recovered faster than expected.”

A black‑robed elder at his side said respectfully, “Sect Master, shall we dispatch stronger forces?”

Xue Wuyá shook his head.

“No rush.”

A sliver of vicious cunning flashed in his eyes.

“Let them run for a while. When they relax their guard, I’ll act personally. Luo Bingning’s Ice Phoenix bloodline and that mysterious girl. They will both be mine.”