Another figure burst out from the surging Pristine Water, hurtling after the spirit artifact. She wore a python-patterned robe and was short in stature. White light billowed around her as a triumphant smile spread across her face. Reaching out, she seized the dazzling white light firmly in her hand!

Zong Chang of Great Zhao!

Li Zhouwei's brows rose slightly as he thought, A Veiled Yin cultivator, one of the Buddhist cultivator faction... Daisi's disciple-niece... That puts her on the enemy side by default!

He silently added the woman to his list of enemies before turning his attention to the white light. As his golden eyes blinked, the brilliance gradually faded, revealing countless intricate patterns beneath. Understanding immediately settled in his heart, It's a restriction. There should be numerous treasures sealed within. Let me investigate with my ability to search the unseen.

Although joy was written across Zong Chang's face, she did not hesitate in the slightest. Immediately riding a surge of Yin Qi, she sped away, trailing a brilliant white plume behind her. At the same time, she turned and swept her sleeve viciously at those behind her.

A torrent of white qi poured forth, transforming into countless white crystalline rays. Though dazzling and colorful, they carried a chilling coldness. The man behind her wore a dark black-feathered robe and a jade gourd at his waist.

Standing atop hazy golden mist, he let out a cold laugh. "Zong Chang! You truly have no regard for the rules!"

As the crystalline rays rushed toward him, he immediately raised a hand. Surging Metal Qi spread outward, sweeping all the white light into itself and steadily eroding it away.

At that moment, the woman let out a charming laugh. "No regard for the rules? So what if I don't! You're just an outer-sea devil cultivator who managed to establish a foothold in Jiangbei through Golden Feather Sect's connections. How dare you lecture me about rules?!"

Metal Qi and Yin Qi collided, erupting into a dazzling display of radiant light across the sky. Yet another figure emerged from the chaos. Draped in gauzy robes, with an innocent and delicate face, she rode upon surging currents of Valley Water. The sight caused Li Zhouwei to pause in surprise.

It was Daoist Nun Xiangchun!

She was one of the earliest Purple Mansion Realm cultivators Li Zhouwei had ever met. As the mistress of Changliu Mountain and the woman of Bei Sea Dragon King Dongfang Lieyun, she was anything but an ordinary figure!

Daoist Nun Xiangchun stood in the air as a precious pearl appeared behind her, scattering rays of Valley Water light. At last, she said in a cool, detached voice, "Fellow Daoist, perhaps you should first see whether you actually have the ability to keep everything for yourself!"

Zong Chang's expression changed subtly. Rather than responding to her threat, she cast her a somewhat provocative glance and said, "So it's the Lady of the Bei Sea."

When it came to cutting insults, women truly knew how to wound one another. Daoist Master Changyun's expression shifted slightly upon hearing those words.

The observing Purple Mansion Realm cultivators secretly clicked their tongues in amazement, while Daoist Nun Xiangchun's face darkened even further as she said quietly, "You..."

Once cultivators reached the Purple Mansion Realm and refined divine abilities, their dharma bodies became manifestations of those powers and could be shaped as either male or female. Aside from the Mahas of the north, who delighted in shifting between genders and claimed it reflected their transcendence of physical appearances, most Purple Mansion Realm cultivators retained their original sex and appearance...

Even so, Dao companions at the Purple Mansion Realm remained uncommon, and most pairings occurred within the same sect. Relationships between humans and demons were rarely discussed openly, yet many still regarded them as somewhat taboo.

Moreover, the principal wife of the Bei Sea Dragon King was herself a dragon. Though she held no fief of her own, her status was unquestionable. Thus, the title 'Lady of the Bei Sea' struck precisely where it hurt. It was a perfect barb, leaving Xiangchun in an exceedingly awkward position!

Countless divine ability radiances collided in the air, but Zong Chang had clearly prepared for this long ago. Flipping up her sleeve, she released a thousand dazzling colors.

[Yin Vast Three Palaces Bewildering Light!]

The light was murky, sinister, and corrupted, like a crescent moon veiled behind dark clouds. Countless strands of cold baleful energy swirled within it. Faint visions of vegetation withering before its time and beasts mating in frenzied packs appeared. It was a maddening divine ability that disrupted mana flow, causing both opponents to falter for an instant.

But Changyun was no ordinary cultivator. Brilliant light burst from his eyes as the gourd at his waist rose gently into the air and tilted as though exhaling. A roaring golden wind erupted from within, violent enough to grind bones to dust and scatter ashes. The gale swept away the [Yin Vast Three Palaces Bewildering Light].

Daoist Nun Xiangchun was equally formidable. The treasure pearl behind her began to rotate, releasing a clear radiance that swept away the illusion.

Zong Chang knew full well how powerful the two were and had never imagined a single [Yin Vast Three Palaces Bewildering Light] would stop them. Taking advantage of the brief delay it created, she immediately activated another divine ability.

[Hall of Doubt]!

Rolling waves of cold Yin qi surged behind her, as a mysterious palace chamber emerged from nothingness. It possessed side halls and flanking wings, eastern and western rooms, seats arranged between doors and windows, and a courtyard before the main hall. At the very center stood an ancient sundial.

The woman dove into the depths of the palace as though plunging into endless darkness. In the next moment, both she and the [Hall of Doubt] vanished completely, disappearing without a trace into the surging waters of Pristine Water.

Changyun merely sneered. With a flick of his hand, a profound mirror slipped from his sleeve. "Where do you think you're going?!"

The mirror released layer upon layer of brilliant light. Sixteen beams in total swept rapidly through the torrential rain like chains of white light searching in all directions. Suddenly, one of them trembled in the distance and revealed a streak of Veiled Yin white light.

Before either of them could react, Zong Chang suddenly lifted her head and shouted sharply, "Who's there?!"

The Rain of Clear Dusk, of Pristine Water, parted violently to either side. A golden halberd tore through the air, drawing heavenly light and multicolored clouds in its wake. It struck the Veiled Yin white light before anyone else could make a move.

Boom!

Zong Chang reacted with astonishing speed. A pair of long shuttles had already appeared in her hands. Each was roughly thirty centimeters long, slender and narrow like silver daggers. She instantly crossed them together in front of her!

[Veiled Yin] and [Bright Yang] naturally complemented and opposed one another. In an instant, pure and impure energies split apart. The waters of Pristine Water churned violently as blazing radiance illuminated Zong Chang's face, causing her to grit her teeth in fury.

"Li... Zhou... Wei!"

Clang!

Da Sheng spun sharply as white smoke billowed from the long shuttles in Zong Chang's hands. Having enjoyed years of support and nourishment from the Zhao court, her cultivation art was extraordinary and her strength formidable. She had actually managed to block Da Sheng, releasing streams of white qi from the crossed shuttles.

But before the white qi could transform, the power of [Effect Attachment] activated without warning. Golden light surged forward as the halberd swept through the white qi and thrust straight toward her eyes!

"Hah!"

Zong Chang let out a sharp cry. The flesh on her face split apart, transforming into hundreds upon hundreds of hollow openings from which chaotic streams of white qi burst forth. Bone appeared beneath her beautiful skin as all the flesh on her body transformed into swarms of white bees that scattered into the wind.

A storm of golden sand swept in. Daoist Master Changyun had already arrived before her.

Changyun now possessed two divine abilities, while Xiangchun was a mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. Although Xiangchun's Dao lineage was not particularly adept at combat, she was a troublesome opponent. Zong Chang had initially intended to keep everything for herself, relying on the remarkable mobility granted by her divine ability. Yet with so many opponents present, the plan was beginning to resemble playing with fire.

Now there was also Li Zhouwei, the White Qilin with two divine abilities. Zong Chang knew that even if she managed to prevail, the result would likely be mutual destruction. Thus, without the slightest hesitation, she gathered her divine ability and casually flicked her hand, hurling the mass of white light toward the charging Changyun!

Changyun's expression remained cold. Among the three of them, his cultivation was only slightly higher than Li Zhouwei's. Yet when he seriously considered the matter, he could not confidently claim victory over the White Qilin before him.

In fact, he secretly analysed, He is the White Qilin of the mortal world. It wouldn't be unreasonable to treat him as the equivalent of a cultivator with three divine abilities... Xiangchun isn't skilled in direct combat. In a one-on-one fight, without using the trump cards granted by the dragons, she might genuinely be unable to defeat him!

Changyun certainly possessed hidden trump cards, but who among them did not? In terms of true strength, he might even rank last among the group. Faced with the priceless treasure thrown toward him, he showed neither greed nor hesitation. The surging golden wind swept forward mercilessly.

A trace of regret flashed through Zong Chang's eyes as she thought, So cautious. It seems there truly is no chance of keeping everything for myself!

Boom!

A blinding burst of white light erupted outward. Even the surrounding Rain of Clear Dusk formed from Pristine Water could not suppress it. Clouds and mist were blasted away. Cultivators throughout the area turned to look, while the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators hidden nearby quietly revealed themselves, their eyes gleaming with greed.

Clang!

As expected, several streaks of multicolored light shot out from within. Each was brimming with spirituality and trailed a colorful tail of flame as it sped in a different direction. The expressions of the four closest cultivators all changed as they immediately took flight, each pursuing a different treasure.

Li Zhouwei appeared to choose at random as he rose into the air atop heavenly light, but his gaze had long since landed upon one particular treasure.

The object shimmered with shifting colors. At one moment it resembled flowing water, at another molten gold. Rolling through the air like a rainbow, it continuously changed form. Faint traces of cinnabar and liquid mercury emerged within it, intertwining and transforming endlessly, as though embodying the very principles of transformation themselves. It was impossible to look away.

It was none other than a [Whole Pill] spirit item, a treasure that had become exceedingly rare in the present world.