After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 138

The Nine Heavens Palace, once the sacred land of immortals, had now devolved into an Asura battlefield. Demonic energy and spiritual light intertwined, the roar of battle and the clash of weapons deafening. The Palace of the Dark Lady (Xuan Nü Gong), as the eye of the storm, bore the brunt of the fierce assault.

Breaking through the outer barrier formation, Ye Li’s figure was like a silver lightning bolt tearing through the dark night, heading straight for the Dark Lady Palace. Her spiritual sense had long locked onto the most powerful source of demonic energy in that area—the Ghost-Faced Man at the mid-stage of the Nirvana Realm, and the chilling fluctuation of the “Soul-Corroding Demonic Seal” that was entangled with Qin Yixuan’s weakening aura at the palace gate.

“Senior Yun Ying, leave Qing Xu to you! I’ll handle the Ghost-Faced Man!” Ye Li shouted clearly, her voice cutting through the chaotic battlefield with an unquestionable resolve. She didn’t even spare a glance for Yun Ying, her entire focus fixed on the Ghost-Faced Man.

Envoy Yun Ying was already at the end of her tether. A deep, bone-visible wound on her left arm was still profusely bleeding, but upon hearing Ye Li’s voice, her spirit was reignited. “Be careful, he is mid-stage Nirvana Realm!” she responded hoarsely. She then forced a surge of spiritual power, and her longsword blossomed into dazzling white lotus sword flowers, slicing down a demonic cultivator attempting a sneak attack. Her gaze then locked fiercely onto Elder Qing Xu, who was equally covered in blood but whose eyes were wilder and more savage. “Traitor, prepare to die!”

Infighting among comrades is often the most tragic. The two knew each other’s techniques, moves, and even fighting habits intimately. Their battle was now a deadly exchange, every strike lethal, and the spiritual power collision shockwaves ploughed deep furrows into the surrounding ground.

The Ghost-Faced Man watched Ye Li rushing toward him, and a cold, disdainful snort came from the shadow beneath his hood: “A late-stage Divine Power Realm dares to face this Venerable One directly? As expected of the Reincarnation Mirror’s host, utterly ignorant of your limits!” He did not move, merely slowly raised the pair of hands encased in jet-black ghost claws. The claws, forged from unknown material, were dull and lightless, as if they could absorb all light around them, and their tips shimmered with a heart-stopping cold glint.

“Netherworld Ghost Claw—Wailing of Ten Thousand Souls!”

He clawed the air, not directly at Ye Li, but violently tearing the space apart on both sides! In an instant, the area spanning a hundred zhang around him seemed to transform into the entrance to the Nine Hells! Innumerable ghastly soul shadows appeared out of thin air, emitting ear-splitting shrieks. These twisted, anguished souls carried a cold, demonic energy that corroded the soul, surging towards Ye Li like a tide. This was not just a physical attack, but a devastating blow directly aimed at the spiritual soul! A typical Divine Power Realm cultivator, if merely brushed by one of the soul shadows, would suffer severe soul trauma, or even have their soul instantly dispersed.

Yet, Ye Li’s eyes showed no change in the face of this terrifying spectacle. In her Sea of Consciousness, the four fragments of the Reincarnation Mirror vibrated simultaneously, emitting a gentle yet stabilizing white light, like a spiritual anchor, firmly protecting her soul. The agonizing soul shrieks and the corrupting demonic sounds, upon touching this white light, dissipated into nothingness, like ice meeting the sun.

Her steps did not halt. The Profound Ice Sword (Xuan Bing Jian) let out a clear, melodious chime. Upon the blade, there was no longer just pure chilling frost, but a mysterious and profound Intent began to flow.

“Six Paths of Reincarnation—Karma Slash!”

The sword light was not dazzling; instead, it appeared somewhat murky and distorted. It seemed to detach itself from the trajectory of reality, following the line of karma associated with the Ghost-Faced Man’s “Wailing of Ten Thousand Souls” move, and flowed against it! Wherever the sword light passed, the sky-full of wailing soul shadows were erased as if by an invisible rubber, vanishing in swaths. Even the suffocating scene of the Nine Hells surrounding them violently shook and became illusory.

“Hmm?!” The Ghost-Faced Man was finally moved, letting out a slight exclamation. His “Wailing of Ten Thousand Souls” move contained both soul attack and domain suppression, requiring even cultivators of the same rank to tread carefully. He had not expected it to be broken by a junior at the late-stage Divine Power Realm in such an uncanny manner. “Impressive, the fragments of the Reincarnation Mirror truly live up to their name. Unfortunately, you still don’t understand that the gap between realms is an insurmountable chasm that no external force can bridge!”

Before his words faded, the Ghost-Faced Man’s figure suddenly blurred. In the next instant, six identical “Ghost-Faced Men” appeared simultaneously, launching attacks at Ye Li from six directions—up, down, left, right, front, and back—at a speed surpassing visual capture! Every phantom was substantial and emitted a powerful demonic aura. The wielding ghost claws ripped through the air, creating black streaks like spatial fissures.

“Netherworld Illusionary Body—Six Paths Execution!”

This was the Ghost-Faced Man’s signature move. All six illusions possessed a portion of the main body’s attack power, making it hard to distinguish between real and fake, and their synchronized attacks formed a deadly killing formation. The immense power of a mid-stage Nirvana Realm cultivator was fully displayed, the terrifying pressure making some lower-ranked disciples fighting nearby almost unable to breathe.

Ye Li’s pupils contracted, sensing an unprecedented pressure. She executed her elusive movement technique to the extreme, while simultaneously fully activating the spatial power of the Reincarnation Mirror fragments. Her figure became ghost-like, flickering and darting through the siege of the six phantoms. The Profound Ice Sword transformed into streaks of icy arc light, constantly parrying and blocking.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The Profound Ice Sword and the Netherworld Ghost Claws collided at speeds invisible to the naked eye, the grating sound of metal clashing merging into one continuous din, sparks flying everywhere. With every collision, Ye Li felt a chilling, savage force surge through her arm, shaking her qi and blood, her internal organs feeling displaced. The hukou (area between the thumb and index finger) gripping the sword had long since split open, blood staining the hilt.

The gap in realms was like a massive gorge. She could hold off the Ghost-Faced Man because of the profundity of the Reincarnation Mirror, the combat awareness of her previous life as a Supreme Being, and a willingness to commit everything, but in terms of brute force, she was indeed at an absolute disadvantage.

“Cannot retreat! Absolutely cannot retreat!” Ye Li screamed internally, her gaze piercing through the heavy layers of demonic shadows, seemingly seeing the figure inside the Dark Lady Palace whose aura was constantly weakening. This belief sustained her, allowing her to repeatedly suppress the sweet taste of blood in her throat and push her Sword Intent to the absolute limit.

Under the immense pressure of life and death, her potential was continuously unlocked. Her utilization of the Reincarnation Mirror fragments’ spatial power became increasingly proficient, her movement technique more elusive. She could even predict a hint of crisis using the Reincarnation Mirror, allowing her to dodge in advance. Her comprehension of the Six Paths of Reincarnation Sword Intent also deepened rapidly; in the flow of her sword moves, she was no longer confined to the singular “Annihilation” or “Karma” and began attempting to merge and transform them.

On the other side, the battle between Yun Ying and Qing Xu had reached a fever pitch. Both were consumed by bloodlust, holding nothing back, engaging in a desperate, life-risking fight. Yun Ying, using the momentary strength boost gained by burning her life essence, barely maintained a draw with Qing Xu, but her injuries were worsening, and her aura began to destabilize.

“Yun Ying! Look at the Heavenly Palace you’re protecting! Look at these dead disciples! Is it worth it? Only by joining the Shadow Demon can we gain a glimmer of survival during this great calamity!” Elder Qing Xu tried to disturb Yun Ying’s state of mind while launching a ferocious attack.

“Bah! Abandoning the sect, harming comrades, consorting with demons, Qing Xu, you no longer deserve to be an elder of the Nine Heavens Palace! Today, I shall cleanse the sect for the Palace Master!” Yun Ying fiercely retorted, her sword momentum becoming even sharper, but as one move ran out of steam, Qing Xu seized the flaw, and a sinister palm strike landed heavily on her right shoulder.

Crack! The sound of bone breaking was clearly audible. Yun Ying groaned, flying backward and shattering a white jade pillar, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

“Martial Aunt!”

“Senior Yun Ying!”

The surrounding Heavenly Palace disciples, struggling to hold on, let out cries of grief and indignation.

Elder Qing Xu grinned menacingly, about to step forward to finish off Yun Ying, but several fearless Heavenly Palace disciples had already rushed up, roaring, using their bodies to block his path…

On the white jade plaza, blood gathered into streams, and severed limbs were scattered everywhere. People fell constantly, demonic cultivators, but more so the Heavenly Palace disciples who vowed to defend the Dark Lady Palace to the death. A tragic aura shot into the sky, dyeing the bright moonlight with a shade of blood red.

Ye Li and the Ghost-Faced Man’s battle also reached its most critical moment. She had sustained dozens of injuries; the most serious was a graze to her left rib by the ghost claw, which tore away a large chunk of flesh, exposing the pale-white ribs. The intense pain and massive blood loss rendered her face pale as paper, and her breathing became rapid. She was on the verge of fainting.

Though the Ghost-Faced Man held the upper hand, the prolonged battle made him increasingly anxious. He hadn’t expected Ye Li to be so difficult to deal with, like an unkillable cockroach with astonishing resilience. What shocked him more was that his opponent seemed to be continuously improving during the fight, her utilization of that uncanny Sword Intent becoming more proficient.

“I can’t drag this out any longer!” A savage glint flashed in the Ghost-Faced Man’s eyes; he decided to use his killing move. His six phantoms abruptly merged into one, and a monstrous demonic energy condensed onto his claws, his entire presence becoming incredibly dangerous.

It was precisely under the pressure of this life-or-death moment that inspiration struck Ye Li. Something in her mind suddenly clicked open. She had previously fixated on the “end” and “connection” of reincarnation but had neglected that reincarnation itself is a form of “bearing” or “carrying.” All things in heaven and earth—life and death, withering and flourishing, love and hatred—are all within the cycle of reincarnation, being borne, digested, and transformed by it.

A profound, ancient, and all-encompassing Intent arose from her. The Profound Ice Sword in her hand also seemed to grow heavy. The sword momentum was no longer a sharp offense but transformed into a rounded, defensive posture.

“Six Paths of Reincarnation Sword—Pure Land Sustaining Dao!”

With a sweep of the sword, the Sword Intent did not spread outwards but manifested around her body, evolving into a nascent, ethereal, and hazy world—a Pure Land. This Pure Land seemed fragile, yet it appeared capable of sustaining and bearing all attacks, digesting all power.

The Ghost-Faced Man’s attack, which condensed all his demonic power—”Netherworld Realm-Shattering Kill!”—slammed down! The jet-black demonic light was like a destructive torrent, heavily impacting the illusory Pure Land world.

The expected earth-shattering explosion did not occur. The destructive torrent of demonic light, upon touching the Pure Land world, was absorbed as if a mud ox had entered the sea. Its speed drastically reduced, its power being weakened, decomposed, and borne layer by layer! Although the Pure Land world violently shook, flickering on and off as if it could collapse at any moment, it undeniably stopped the killing blow!

“What?!” The Ghost-Faced Man’s pupils contracted. A momentary, subtle tremor and an expression of disbelief appeared in his mind.

And it was this one moment of flaw!

The long-awaited opportunity for Ye Li finally arrived!

“Reincarnation Suppression!”

She forcibly gathered her nearly depleted soul power, triggering the deepest spiritual coercion from the Reincarnation Mirror fragments, transforming it into an invisible mental shock that pierced directly into the Ghost-Faced Man’s soul, which was momentarily fractured by shock!

“Aah!” The Ghost-Faced Man let out a short, miserable cry. He seemed to see fragments of countless past reincarnations flashing before his eyes, seeing his ultimate demise under a chaotic light. His soul was struck as if by a heavy hammer, falling into a brief moment of stiffness and confusion.

For peak experts, this instant of confusion already sealed their fate!

“Annihilation Asura Path!”

Ye Li became one with her sword, pouring all her power, all her will, and all her concern and protective resolve for Qin Yixuan into this single strike. She turned into a streak of ultimate gray sword light. This sword light was no longer dazzling; instead, it carried the deathly stillness of all things ending, seemingly arriving from the terminus of reincarnation. It pierced through the distance of space, flashing past the Ghost-Faced Man just before he regained his senses.

Time seemed to freeze for an instant.

The Ghost-Faced Man remained stiff, maintaining his charging posture. He looked down at his chest in disbelief. There was no obvious wound there, but he could feel a cold, deathly still, all-ending Sword Intent that had already erupted within him, fiercely devouring his life force and annihilating his demonic soul.

“Impossible” He struggled to utter a few words, the light in his eyes rapidly dimming. The surging demonic energy around him rapidly dissipated like a burst balloon. Finally, his tall body crashed heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Mid-stage Nirvana Realm, Shadow Demon Elder, the Ghost-Faced Man, has fallen!

Pfft—

Forcibly killing a powerful enemy who transcended her realm, Ye Li also paid a huge price. She knelt on one knee, supporting her body with the Profound Ice Sword, and violently spat out several mouthfuls of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. Her aura instantly plummeted to the extreme, her vision blurring, on the verge of fainting.

But she fiercely bit down on her tongue, using the intense pain to force herself to stay conscious. With the Ghost-Faced Man’s death, she immediately sensed a subtle, yet crucial, change: the fluctuation of the “Soul-Corroding Demonic Seal” entangling Qin Yixuan inside the Dark Lady Palace, although still present, seemed to have lost a key driving force. Its operation was clearly a fraction slower and more chaotic!

“Indeed… even if he wasn’t the caster, he must have been crucial…” Ye Li’s spirit lifted. She forced a surge of spiritual power, struggled to her feet, her gaze fixed on the gate of the Dark Lady Palace, which was close at hand yet seemed separated by a chasm.