Chapter 336: Rivals Entrusting Lives to Each Other

Cang Jing changed into a new set of clothes.

The light yellow fabric clung to her body, outlining the unique, robust figure of the Yellow Dragon Clan—broad shoulders that weren’t too wide, a slender but powerful waist, and long limbs, every line brimming with a sense of strength.

“Let’s go.” Jiang Huai carried Ao Yao on his back.

Cang Jing nodded and focused her mind.

Those amber eyes narrowed slightly. Her delicate hands transformed into powerful dragon claws and slashed violently at the void.

The dragon claws cut through the air, producing a sharp whistling sound. Wherever they passed, space shattered inch by inch.

The environment shook.

The earth trembled, the soil and rocks beneath their feet rolling like living things.

After waking from the illusion realm, Cang Jing could voluntarily leave the secret realm.

The dragon claws swiped, and space broke apart.

Jiang Huai, carrying Ao Yao, felt his vision blur.

All the scenes twisted and collapsed.

When he opened his eyes again, they were back in the place they had been before.

That strange tree stood not far away, countless tendrils gently swaying in the air.

The crystal exploded, emitting a dense series of “bang, bang, bang, bang.” Fragments scattered in all directions, turning into fine powder.

Jiang Huai and the others landed steadily and turned to look.

That strange tree was quite astonished.

Its tendrils, which had been gently swaying, all stiffened in midair simultaneously. Its voice changed pitch, trembling with panic:

“You… you actually managed to save her?”

In theory, it was impossible for anyone to get out of there. No one ever had.

Its root system had trapped an entire world’s worth of living beings.

There were those with strong wills and those with high cultivation, but among that sea of creatures, not a single one had ever escaped.

Yet this person had actually brought someone out.

Jiang Huai ignored the strange tree. He turned his gaze to the crystal holding Cang Ling.

It was still pitch black—no trace of light, no hint of transparency.

It hung silently beneath the tree roots, mixed in with the other crystals, exactly the same.

No sign of revival at all.

Jiang Huai’s heart sank.

Then he looked to where Qin Qingyue’s crystal was. His pupils abruptly contracted, and he casually placed his hand on the sword hilt.

“What are you doing?!”

Ao Yao quickly pressed down on his hand, her small palm covering the back of his hand. She gritted her teeth and said:

“Why do you keep trying to draw the sword? I’m still maintaining it!”

“You always draw it out…” My body can’t take it either…”

As she spoke, she followed Jiang Huai’s gaze.

Qin Qingyue’s crystal had originally been mostly transparent.

But now only a fingernail-sized piece of transparency remained, struggling desperately within the thick darkness, flickering dimly as if it might go out at any moment.

Above the Immortal Realm.

Wasteland.

Endless wasteland.

The sky was leaden gray, no clouds, no light, only a deathly silence.

Qin Qingyue held a spear, clad in battle armor.

Beneath the helmet, her stunning face was stained with blood—some her own, some from Heavenly Demons.

She was back-to-back with another woman in white, fighting against a sea of extraterrestrial demons.

The demons surged from all directions—some emerged from cracks in the ground, some fell from the sky, some materialized out of the void.

They had no fixed form.

Some looked like humans, some like beasts, and some were shapeless—just squirming, twisted black shadows.

Their numbers were overwhelming, too many to see the edge, as if the entire wasteland was filled with them.

Wu Zhaohua’s immortal sword danced in her hand.

The sword light was like silk, like a thread, like a waterfall, like a rainbow. It wove an impenetrable net around her.

Every swing sent a sharp sword qi shooting out—slicing the oncoming demons in half, into pieces, into ashes.

The surrounding extraterrestrial demons were all cut down by her.

But there were too many. Kill one wave, and another came. Slash through one group, and another followed.

Endless, never stopping.

Qin Qingyue occasionally transformed into a black dragon, her tail sweeping across the enemy horde. That thick, powerful tail, with every swing, crushed a large group of demons into dust.

Then she returned to Wu Zhaohua’s side.

Her dragon body shrank, turning back into human form. Spear in hand, she stood back-to-back with Wu Zhaohua.

Suddenly, Qin Qingyue froze.

“Wu Zhaohua…”

She panted, her voice hoarse and urgent.

“I… I have something to do… Can you hold them off for a while?”

Wu Zhaohua slashed out with her sword.

The sword light was like a rainbow, cleaving several charging demons in two.

A look of surprise appeared on her beautiful face. She frowned and said irritably:

“Are you joking with me at a time like this, Qin Qingyue?”

“You want me to resist so many extraterrestrial demons alone?”

If they hadn’t been fighting side by side for a while, Wu Zhaohua would have turned around and slashed at Qin Qingyue. Wasn’t she trying to set her up?

Qin Qingyue swung her spear, the tip sweeping across again, taking down another extraterrestrial demon. Her voice carried a hint of helplessness:

“Would I joke with you in such a critical moment?”

“Last time, I bound myself to a junior in the Black Dragon Clan.”

“I sensed… her energy was off…”

Her voice lowered:

“It seems… she’s about to die.”

Wu Zhaohua didn’t answer her.

She simply kept swinging her sword to fend off the enemy. Her white robes fluttered, the female sword immortal’s heroic bearing on full display.

The sword light swirled around her, like moonlight, like flowing clouds, like the Milky Way pouring down from the nine heavens.

The sword qi surged through the nine heavens. Wherever it passed, the demons were swept up, torn apart, and crushed like dead leaves.

Qin Qingyue took a deep breath.

Seeing that she still wasn’t responding, Qin Qingyue spoke again, her voice urgent:

“I know what you’re thinking. A mere junior. Under normal circumstances, do you think I’d take such a risk for a junior at a time like this?”

Hearing this, Wu Zhaohua couldn’t help but nod.

That was true.

In the past, if Qin Qingyue encountered a member of the Black Dragon Clan, she’d consider it a good day if she didn’t chase them down to beat them. Why would she ever help them?

“But…”

Qin Qingyue’s voice turned serious:

“This is the only way for the two of us to communicate with the Five Provinces.”

“That junior from the Black Dragon Clan isn’t important.”

“But Jiang Huai is, isn’t he?”

Wu Zhaohua’s sword momentum paused slightly.

“Through this junior, my divine sense can descend to the lower realm.”

Qin Qingyue continued, her words coming faster:

“If something urgent happens in the Five Provinces, I can go back and help him. Isn’t that right?”

Wu Zhaohua frowned slightly.

She finally spoke, her voice cold and clear:

“Does it have to be now?”

At present, they didn’t know if they had stumbled into some nest of extraterrestrial demons. Demons kept surging toward them in endless waves. No one knew how long they’d have to keep killing.

Wave after wave, swarm after swarm.

“Yes.”

Qin Qingyue replied, her voice resolute:

“If I don’t go back now, I’m afraid it’ll be too late.”

Wu Zhaohua swung her sword fiercely again. The sword light was like a waterfall, cutting down another wave of oncoming demons.

She shifted her stance, moving like a butterfly through flowers, and circled in front of Qin Qingyue, creating a barrier of sword light.

That barrier, like a curtain of water, enveloped the two of them.

The sword light flowed, the sword qi surged, blocking all the charging demons outside.

She said calmly, her voice as cold as ever:

“You’d better make it quick.”

“Otherwise, come back and prepare your own funeral.”

“If things go bad, I won’t look after you.”

Qin Qingyue clasped her hands to Wu Zhaohua in a quick gesture of gratitude. Then she immediately sat down to meditate.

Her spear lay across her knees. Her battle armor was still on, the blood still wet.

She closed her eyes. Her breathing grew long and deep. She focused her mind. Her divine sense, like an invisible thread, pierced through the void, through the realm walls, and extended downward to the lower realm.

Wu Zhaohua stood alone before her.

White robes fluttering.

Sword light like a rainbow.

The extraterrestrial demons surged like a black tide, wave after wave, swarm after swarm.

They screamed, roared, twisted, and charged from all directions, like an endless darkness trying to swallow that faint glimmer of sword light.

Wu Zhaohua looked at them, a headache coming on. She tightened her grip on the sword hilt, and the sword light blazed even brighter.