Sect of Blossoming Joy

Among the many techniques at Pang Yue’s disposal, the speed of the Bridge of Forgetfulness was not the fastest, yet it was the most suited to the present situation.

He stood upon the bridge, nestled within boundless emptiness, passing silently through the swirling snow, his figure as insubstantial as a dream.

He had not traveled far when, all at once, a surge of rich spiritual energy billowed upwards from below, rising like a column of smoke between heaven and earth.

Pang Yue activated his nameless ocular art, fixing his gaze intently.

There, nestled in a snow-covered hollow of the great mountain below, a dozen or so silver snow lotuses bloomed brilliantly amid the snow!

Celestial light swirled around the snow lotuses, their aura extraordinary, releasing a startling spiritual energy.

“Ice Soul Snow Lotus!”

Pang Yue’s eyes brightened.

The Ice Soul Snow Lotus was a rare treasure of the Polar Ice Domain, containing spiritual energy of unrivaled purity. Each blossom could save a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage three years of arduous cultivation!

Not only did it nourish magical power and cultivation, it was also a supreme delicacy, beloved even by those of the Golden Core stage.

Many famous spiritual wines were brewed from it, earning renown throughout the Eastern Sea’s cultivation world.

A single Ice Soul Snow Lotus was worth at least three thousand spirit stones!

Pang Yue halted his flight, drifting gently down above the snowy hollow.

Yet before he could reach out to seize the lotuses, a flash of cold light shot from beneath the snow, hurtling straight toward him!

Pang Yue did not move a muscle, letting the cold light pass straight through his body, vanishing into the sky.

A bellow resounded!

From the hollow, a monstrous beast covered in long white fur, shaped like a giant ape, sprang forth, placing itself before the snow lotuses.

“A Frost Demon?”

Pang Yue gazed down at the beast with interest.

This creature’s aura was frigid to the extreme, embodying the purest yin and cold; its spiritual power was no less than that of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator of the outside world.

It brandished its arms, conjuring razor-thin, radiant blades of frost in midair, sending them shooting toward Pang Yue.

With casual indifference, Pang Yue struck out with his palm.

A series of crisp snaps echoed as dozens of icy blades were shattered in an instant.

The palm print, wreathed in flames, was clear and coldly serene as it landed upon the Frost Demon.

With a bang, the demon was enveloped in azure ice light, resisting for only a few heartbeats before the flaming seal smashed its body into pulp.

In a flash, the corpse was ignited by a faint blue fire, burning fiercely in the snow.

This palm of Pang Yue’s held not a trace of mortal heat, yet it was savagely intense, suffused with demonic intent.

It was the Infernal Demon Great Palm Seal, one of the seven great divine powers of the Flame Demon Hall.

Pang Yue gathered up the snow lotuses from the ground and was about to leave, when a chorus of shrill cries arose from the hollow. Over twenty Frost Demons sprang into the air, scrambling over each other as they charged toward him.

In the blink of an eye, the distance between them shrank to less than a hundred yards.

Hundreds upon hundreds of icy blades, thin as cicada wings, tore through the void, stabbing toward Pang Yue.

He tapped his foot lightly.

The Bridge of Forgetfulness unfurled its glow, extending forward in an instant and carrying Pang Yue into the midst of the Frost Demon horde.

The razor-sharp blades passed harmlessly through him as if striking emptiness.

Standing atop the bridge, Pang Yue flicked his fingers, sending dozens of shadowy strikes that landed precisely atop the demons’ heads.

Suddenly, all the Frost Demons froze, locked in place!

The next moment—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A rapid series of explosions echoed through the hollow.

One by one, the Frost Demons’ heads burst apart, tiny flames flickering from each neck, swaying eerily.

They stood like over twenty blazing torches planted in the snow, a scene of uncanny strangeness.

The long, white bridge arched across the sky like a rainbow, gliding serenely from the hollow and soaring into the distance.

——

A tremendous clap of thunder erupted overhead.

Ferocious currents of force swept outward, cleansing the heavens, banishing the wind and snow, and leaving a vast expanse of emptiness.

Within the thunderous light, two figures clashed, their battle so fierce its aftermath shattered the mountain below and triggered a roaring avalanche.

The combatants—a man and a woman—were both body cultivators, their fighting styles ferocious and relentless.

The man wore a blue robe, his spiritual power surging with the strength of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. With every gesture, orbs of water-thunder accompanied his movements, his power immense and awe-inspiring.

The woman was alluring and seductive, clad in a form-fitting suit of silver armor that accentuated her curves, lending her both a sensual air and a touch of martial valor.

She wielded a long saber, its blade pure black and strange. Darting left and right, her evasive movements left the man on the defensive.

Lingering at the edge of the battlefield, Pang Yue passed by quietly…

“That man seems to be a disciple of the Heavenly Sea Sect, and the woman of the Pleasure Sect?”

Pang Yue’s divine sense swept across the two, analyzing their backgrounds.

Heavenly Sea Sect cultivators were known for their vast and boundless spiritual power, often ten times greater than their peers.

As for the Pleasure Sect, Pang Yue had encountered them before and could recognize their traits.

Yet this woman seemed to defy his previous understanding of the sect.

Suddenly, both combatants broke off at once, turning cold gazes toward Pang Yue.

“Please, carry on. I am merely passing through…” Pang Yue smiled, preparing to leave.

But the Heavenly Sea Sect cultivator abruptly raised his hand, hurling a water-thunder bomb the size of a house straight at Pang Yue!

The surging blue lightning roiled ominously, radiating a heart-stopping terror.

“Filthy scum of the Demon Sigil Sect, how dare a mere mid-stage Foundation Establishment brat spy upon me? You must have grown tired of living.”

The man’s voice was icy, his gaze at Pang Yue as if looking at a dead man.

By contrast, the Pleasure Sect woman’s eyes flashed with intrigue; her brows knit, her expression faintly grave.

“How tiresome…” Pang Yue shook his head and sighed softly. With a flick of his finger, a crimson-gold talisman sword shot forth, cleaving the water-thunder bomb in two and detonating it.

Lightning danced across the sky!

The talisman sword, ethereal as a swimming fish, darted nimbly through the storm of thunder, suddenly appearing before the Heavenly Sea Sect cultivator.

“Vile thief!”

The man roared, throwing a punch at the sword’s radiance.

His spiritual power was vast, protective light enveloping him, bolstered by the force of water-thunder to shatter the talisman sword.

But strangely, his punch felt like striking cotton—hollow and unsatisfying!

The crimson-gold sword coiled like a spirit snake around his arm.

In the blink of an eye, the sword-light circled his arm a hundred times.

A screeching, grating sound split the air as the sword abruptly severed the man’s right arm, then, with a twist, burrowed into his wound.

In a flash, the man’s expression changed dramatically, panic overtaking him.

“Don’t kill—”

Before he could finish, a streak of crimson-gold light burst from his mouth.

His head, whole a moment before, was sliced cleanly upward from his jaw, the sword-light carving through him.

His eyes remained wide open, filled with shock, confusion, and regret as his body crashed to earth like a falling stone.

With a flash, the sword-light swept up the man’s storage pouch and returned to Pang Yue’s side.

On the other side—

The instant the Heavenly Sea Sect cultivator was slain, the Pleasure Sect woman darted away like a startled hare, fleeing swiftly into the distance.

“Fellow Daoist, please wait!”

Recalling the instructions from Luo Qingyuan and the others before entering the secret realm, Pang Yue set off in pursuit atop the Bridge of Forgetfulness.

The Pleasure Sect woman moved with astonishing speed, a streak of black lightning racing through the snowy wind.

As she flew, she called out, “Fellow Daoist, do not chase me—I could never endure another round with your sword-light.”

Pang Yue followed at a measured pace, replying calmly, “I merely found you pleasing to the eye, and could not help wishing to discuss your sect’s Yin-Yang Mysteries of Returning to Truth technique.”

The woman laughed charmingly, teasing, “You Demon Sigil Sect cultivators are all so falsely upright. If you swear a Dao oath not to kill me, I wouldn’t mind accompanying you for a few days. I guarantee you’ll find yourself lost between ecstasy and despair…”