The warm atmosphere in the cave dwelling was shattered by a sudden, urgent system alert.

Lin Xi was watching Luo Bingning practice a new movement technique, her motions growing ever more fluid, every shift carrying a lethal beauty.

Suddenly, the system panel flashed a blinding red in her field of vision.

[Warning! Detected a strong hostile lock-on!]

[Blood Shadow Sect high-level cultivators are secretly assembling, confirmed target: Luo Bingning!]

[Estimated enemy strength: three at late Core Formation, one at early Nascent Soul!]

[Recommendation: Host should immediately take defensive measures!]

Lin Xi’s expression turned grave in an instant.

‘So the Blood Shadow Sect had found us this quickly?’

And the lineup this time was far stronger than that Blood Shadow Elder from last time.

An early Nascent Soul cultivator was an existence that could crush Luo Bingning’s current realm.

Luo Bingning, who was practicing her movement technique, suddenly stopped, her brows faintly knitting as her ice-blue eyes looked toward a direction outside the cave dwelling.

“There is killing intent.”

Her voice was soft, yet carried a piercing chill.

“Very strong killing intent and from more than one person.”

Lin Xi’s heartbeat quickened.

Luo Bingning’s perception was indeed keen. The system’s warning had just sounded when she sensed the anomaly.

“Bingning-jie, are they from the Blood Shadow Sect?”

Lin Xi put on a tense look, her voice carrying just the right shade of concern.

Luo Bingning turned and upon seeing the unease on Lin Xi’s face, the killing intent in her eyes deepened.

“Most likely.”

She walked to Lin Xi’s side and drew her protectively behind her.

“So they finally couldn’t sit still.”

Luo Bingning’s aura began to change, the once gentle spiritual fluctuations now edged with a cutting intent to kill.

Her late Core Formation cultivation unfurled fully and the temperature throughout the cave dwelling plunged.

“Xi’er, hide in the deepest part of the cave dwelling.”

Her voice turned icy, completely devoid of the usual tenderness she showed Lin Xi.

“No matter what happens, do not come out.”

Looking at Luo Bingning now, Lin Xi felt both worry and a twinge of heartache.

The Empress who usually clung to her and acted cute had again become the decisive Frost Empress.

But she could not let Luo Bingning face this crisis alone.

Four high-level cultivators, with one at Nascent Soul—such a lineup could drive any Core Formation cultivator to despair.

“Bingning-jie, let’s think of a way together.”

Lin Xi gripped Luo Bingning’s hand, her voice firm.

“Your strength has recovered a lot, but they have the numbers. Forcing a head-on fight is too dangerous.”

Looking into Lin Xi’s clear eyes, Luo Bingning’s violent emotions eased slightly.

Yet her protective instinct would not allow any possibility of Lin Xi being placed in danger.

“Xi’er, this is not a battle you can take part in.”

Her hand gently stroked Lin Xi’s cheek, her tone brooking no argument.

“Trust me. I will deal with them.”

Lin Xi’s consciousness plunged swiftly into the system shop.

Current points: 700.

Not much, but they had to be spent where they mattered.

She quickly scanned the shop for items that could help in this crisis.

[Black Tortoise Defensive Array Disk: Profound-rank, high-grade array. Can establish a sturdy barrier within a radius of one hundred meters, capable of withstanding three full-power attacks from an early Nascent Soul cultivator. Price: 400 points.]

[Thunderburst Talisman: Profound-rank, high-grade talisman. Upon activation, unleashes a lightning strike equivalent to a blow from an early Nascent Soul cultivator. Price: 200 points.]

[Concealment Smoke Bomb: Earth-rank, low-grade item. Instantly creates a special mist over a range of one thousand meters that blocks divine sense probing. Price: 100 points.]

Lin Xi didn’t hesitate and redeemed them at once.

‘System, redeem the Black Tortoise Defensive Array Disk, the Thunderburst Talisman and the Concealment Smoke Bomb.’

[Ding! Redemption successful! Spent 700 points. Current remaining points: 0.]

The three items appeared in Lin Xi’s storage ring in an instant.

While Luo Bingning wasn’t looking, she quietly buried the defensive array disk beneath the cave dwelling’s floor and hid the talisman and smoke bomb up her sleeve.

Just then, a hoarse laugh sounded from outside the cave dwelling.

“Frost Empress Luo Bingning, so you really are alive.”

A cold voice came from afar, seething with malice.

“And your strength has recovered nicely too, to late Core Formation.”

Luo Bingning’s face went utterly cold.

She pushed open the stone door and stepped out.

Lin Xi followed close behind. Though she looked frightened on the surface, she was ready to support at any moment.

On the clearing outside, four figures stood waiting silently.

At their head was a pale middle-aged man exuding the powerful presence of early Nascent Soul.

His eyes were sinister, the corners of his mouth curled in a cruel smile.

“Elder Xue Wuhen of the Blood Shadow Sect.”

Luo Bingning recognized him, the killing intent in her voice almost becoming tangible.

“And the Blood Shadow Three Fiends. You really do think highly of me.”

Xue Wuhen’s laughter grew more pleased.

“We wouldn’t dare underestimate the Frost Empress’s fame. But after today, that fame will become history.”

His gaze slid past Luo Bingning and landed on Lin Xi behind her.

“So that’s the little girl said to have healed your wounds? Looks ordinary enough. But if the illustrious Frost Empress protects her this much, she must be special.”

Luo Bingning’s aura surged, the temperature around them plummeting sharply.

Frost raced across the ground and even the moisture in the air congealed into snowflakes.

“If you touch a single hair on Xi’er’s head, I will make the entire Blood Shadow Sect be buried with you.”

Her voice was terrifyingly calm, yet the killing intent within made everyone present feel a chill in their hearts.

Xue Wuhen narrowed his eyes.

“How affectionate. For a little girl, you’d throw your life away. But I’m very curious what she can do to captivate you so thoroughly.”

He flicked his hand and the three Blood Shadow Sect cultivators spread out at once, encircling the cave dwelling.

“Blood Shadow Three Fiends, seize the little girl for me. Remember, alive. I want to study her.”

A crazed light flashed in Luo Bingning’s eyes.

She didn’t hesitate at all and charged straight at Xue Wuhen.

“If you want to touch Xi’er, get through me first!”

At that moment, her Ice Phoenix bloodline fully awakened, a gigantic ice phoenix phantom rising behind her.

The phoenix’s cry rang through heaven and earth, the pressure shattering the surrounding rock.

Xue Wuhen’s expression shifted.

“So you can still awaken your bloodline power. Seems I underestimated you.”

He refused to be outdone. Bloodlight surged around him and a blood-red skull condensed behind his back.

They clashed in an instant, terrifying energy ripples blasting outward.

Boulders across the valley shattered and even distant peaks trembled under the aftershocks.

Meanwhile, the Blood Shadow Three Fiends seized the opportunity to rush Lin Xi.

“Little girl, come quietly or you’ll suffer.”

One of them grinned viciously, bloodlight pulsing in his hand with no intention of holding back.

A glint of cold flashed in Lin Xi’s eyes.

She pretended to retreat in fear, but her fingers had already brushed the Thunderburst Talisman hidden in her sleeve.

“Bingning-jie, save me!”

Her cry was shrill with terror.

Hearing it, Luo Bingning, locked in combat with Xue Wuhen, lost her reason in a heartbeat.

“If you harm Xi’er, you all die!”

She unleashed everything without regard for the cost, the Ice Phoenix bloodline burning completely.

A horrifying chill blanketed the battlefield in an instant and even Xue Wuhen was cowed by the frenzy of killing intent.

Just as the Blood Shadow Three Fiends thought they had her, Lin Xi’s lips curved in a sly smile.

“Come, thunder!”

She snapped the talisman to life.

A thick bolt of lightning dropped from the sky, striking the foremost Blood Shadow Sect cultivator dead on.