The remnant soul was translucent, dissipating like thin mist, like a layer of crystalline gauze.
This gauze fell upon Bai Yun.
Dongfang Jing and Cheng Lu exchanged glances, then both unleashed their life-bound spiritual artifacts, charging at Bai Yun and Nangong Huaitian regardless of the cost.
Bai Yun’s heart was pierced, but she remained standing.
Nangong Huaitian’s back sprouted wings, her phoenix blood beginning to boil, but before it could fully ignite, a black mist enveloped her.
The mist was thick as ink, seeping into every pore, extinguishing the nascent flames and trapping Nangong Huaitian within.
A black-clad woman wearing a bamboo hat appeared, slowly clenching her fist, intending to strike Nangong Zhen.
The Wine Immortal intervened in time, his wooden sword spewing dark golden Dao source, severing the inky mist. Nangong Huaitian was thus rescued, but in those few seconds, her limbs and core had been sealed by the ink, rendering her unable to use her powers, and consequently, to control the great formation.
Although clearing the mist would be simple, it would still require over ten breaths of time.
This time was enough for them to kill Bai Yun, and the others of the Nangong clan.
“Yun’er, do not blame your ancestor for his cruelty.”
Bai Ze’s expression turned indifferent as he flipped his palm, completely crushing Bai Yun’s heart. The surrounding flesh and blood were also frozen and shattered.
He had never liked Bai Yun.
Years ago, he had even announced the severing of the Bai family’s ties with Bai Yun. Only after Bai Yun became powerful did he welcome her back and make her the family head.
However, Bai Yun was a heartless individual. Despite her power, she had never brought the slightest benefit to the family.
So, killing her was only fitting.
So Bai Ze thought.
But he did not expect that Bai Yun, with her heart shattered, was still not dead.
Pain, regret, and killing intent intertwined in her cold eyes, forming two lines of tears that suddenly burst forth.
Subsequently, an astonishing aura emerged from heaven and earth.
The Wine Immortal raised his brow slightly.
Agudamu’s face grew serious.
Tianshui nodded subtly.
“In truth, I lost my heart long ago.”
Bai Yun said, crushing that wisp of light with her hand, then flicking it away. Ten thousand meters of ice crystals roared out, blocking all the approaching Domain Lords, and the spiritual artifacts of Dongfang Jing and Cheng Lu were also intercepted by the ice crystals, rendered immobile.
Bai Ze’s pupils widened in shock. He was frozen solid in an ice sculpture, its surface covered with myriad Dao rule patterns. No matter how hard he struggled, he could not break free.
The others were the same.
Bai Yun looked at them. A bright beam of morning light shone down upon her frost-covered face, like a beam of light strong enough to shatter armor, making this ruthless killer, who had taken countless lives, appear exceptionally beautiful.
Her face now held emotion.
More and more morning light began to shine upon her, melting the ice crystals. In the end, she became as dazzling as a sun hanging in the sky.
Great Dao laws condensed, reaching the heavens, and then slowly formed a white-robed Dharma Idol, resembling an immortal.
Bai Yun was at the heart of this Dharma Idol.
She had broken through.
“My heart, in fact, was cut out by my own hand when I broke through to the Domain Lord realm.”
Bai Yun said, her palm gently clenching. The Domain Lords, frozen by her, simultaneously felt a suffocating sensation, as if on the brink of death.
She cultivated the path of ruthlessness, thus needing no heart.
And now, she had become the heart herself.
Thus, Bai Yun broke through to the Half-step Human King realm, her Dharma Idol reaching the heavens.
“This is troublesome.”
Agudamu watched all this, his expression exceptionally grim. Bai Yun’s breakthrough to Half-step Human King, and her change of allegiance mid-battle, meant that their current siege of the Nangong clan would end in failure.
It was destined to fail due to the appearance of Nangong Yu.
Bai Yun stood high above, looking down upon the world, her eyes cold, yet not devoid of feeling.
Then, she slowly released her hand.
The ice crystals shattered, and countless Domain Lords, pale-faced, escaped. Dongfang Jing and Cheng Lu retreated to the heart of their clans, their faces ashen, their eyes filled with utter despair.
The attack on the Nangong clan had failed. They had paid a dire price. Worst of all, Bai Yun had broken through to Half-step Human King.
“I will not kill you.”
“Leave now.”
The Dharma Idol dissipated, and Bai Yun descended to mid-air, turning around and speaking calmly. She had actually let these people go.
Dongfang Jing and Cheng Lu exchanged glances, daring not to speak further. They quickly led their clan members to flee, and the smaller clans and sects also scrambled away. Soon, the allied forces of the three clans in the land were reduced to only those of the Bai clan.
The members of the Bai clan looked at each other. Their ancestor had attacked their family head, and their family head had subsequently broken through, freezing everyone.
Now, they did not know where to turn.
“From now on, I will still be the head of the Bai family.”
Bai Yun said, looking at Bai Ze:
“You have no objections, do you?”
Bai Ze’s expression shifted from shock to astonishment, then slowly returned to calm. He asked bitterly:
“You won’t kill me?”
Bai Yun did not answer, but instead asked:
“Do you have any objections?”
Bai Ze shook his head:
“Half-step Human Kings are few and far between in the entire Hundred Races territory. With you alone, you can lead the hundred races to prosperity. Naturally, I will not object to you being the family head.”
Bai Yun nodded, stating plainly:
“It would be useless if you objected.”
“From this day forward, you will be responsible for guarding the ancestral shrine of the Bai family. If you die, you will be buried there directly, and never come out again.”
Bai Ze looked at Bai Yun, his expression becoming incredibly complex. Finally, he bowed and clasped his hands, respectfully saying:
“Yes, Family Head.”
Bai Ze transformed into a stream of light and departed.
The people of the Bai clan also took their leave.
“You are not leaving yet?” Tianshui asked.
Agudamu’s expression was gloomy. He said nothing more, turned around, and stood with the black mage, slowly vanishing into space.
“The Pope’s prediction was indeed correct. I was too persistent, but it doesn’t matter. Your triumph will not last long.”
Agudamu’s figure slowly faded, leaving behind these two sentences that made Daoist Tianshui frown deeply.
But he had no time to ponder. His attention had to be on Bai Yun, as she was now an expert of his caliber.
And more so, because she had told everyone else to leave, yet she herself had not.
“I wish to go there and see.”
Bai Yun looked at the Nangong clan’s ancestral land, where faint crimson flames were rising, and spoke.
Nangong Maoguan’s expression was exceedingly grim upon hearing this. The ancestral land was akin to a forbidden zone even for the Nangong clan’s own kin, with only a select few having the right to enter. Now, Bai Yun wished to go in; how could this be?
But if not, who could stop her?
“What do you intend to do?”
Nangong Huaitian, holding the array eye staff, with faint flames burning around her, asked.
Bai Yun looked at her, then at the true phoenix phantom gradually forming above her head, her eyes complex.
“I bear no ill will.”
“I merely wish to see the place where he once resided.”
“Nothing more.”