The Legend of the Princess' Counterattack

Chapter 710 The mysterious shadow of Siming Palace

In the world of cultivation, there lies a place considered forbidden by all—the Siming Hall. Like a mysterious and ancient guardian, it stands quietly in the northernmost "Land of No Return," where year-round cold winds howl and dark clouds gather, seemingly shutting out even the sun. The hall's prestige hangs like a heavy pall, weighing heavily on the hearts of every cultivator, making them daunted. Within this hall, tens of millions of life lanterns hover, each one tightly linked to the fate of all living beings, as if controlling the most mysterious and inviolable power in the universe.

Yun Yao and Chu Mochen, like two moths darting against their flight, plunged relentlessly toward the forbidden flame. Their figures seemed thin in the biting cold wind, their sleeves rustling like battle flags in a struggle against the very nature of the universe. The moment they entered the palace, a decaying and mysterious aura washed over them, like a whisper from the ancient past, a sigh sealed for millennia. Before they could adjust to the oppressive atmosphere, countless dark figures, like a surging black tide, swiftly emerged from the life lanterns.

These shadowy figures, each with its own unique form and twisted, hideous features, were the enemies they had slain on their journeys to cultivation. Now, harnessing the mysterious power of the Siming Hall, these past souls transformed into "life-threatening illusions," attacking with rage and fury. For a moment, the hall erupted in the howling of ghosts and wolves, their shrill cries echoing through the empty hall, piercing the eardrums.

"Don't be fooled by illusions!" Chu Mochen's eyes were as firm as torches. He stretched out his large hand and tightly grasped Yun Yao's delicate hand. The warmth in his palm seemed to be the only source of heat in this gloomy place. With their fingers clasped together, they struggled to navigate the vast ocean of life lanterns. As he advanced, he shouted loudly, guiding Yun Yao: "The rule of the Siming Palace is to see the heart and understand the nature, and then you can move forward. Only by adhering to our original intentions and not being shaken by these false illusions can we have a chance to find a glimmer of hope and rewrite our destiny!"

Yun Yao gritted her teeth and nodded. Her eyes, sharp as torches, warily scanned the surrounding shadows that kept approaching. Just then, a familiar light, like a star in the dark night, suddenly caught her eye. She subconsciously paused, peering intently. She saw a life lamp emitting a soft and familiar halo. Within that halo, the flickering wick of the lamp was a picture of the modern world—

Inside the operating room, a pale, merciless light cast its shadow, the cold instruments reflecting a chilling radiance. On the hospital bed, a woman lay quietly, her face as pale as paper, devoid of any color. A tangled web of tubes, like cold vines, entwined her body, connected to instruments that emitted a monotonous beeping sound. And the electrocardiogram (ECG) curve gradually flattened, eventually becoming a despairing straight line...

Yun Yao's body trembled violently. The image was like a sharp hook, instantly drawing back long-buried memories. This was exactly the scene before her time travel, when she was on the verge of death! The fear, helplessness, and unwillingness of the past instantly overwhelmed her like a surging tide.

"Host, please note that the life lamp ahead is related to the origin of your time travel!" The system's mechanical yet timely voice rang out in her sea of consciousness, like a thunderclap, waking up Yun Yao who was immersed in a whirlpool of memories.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within her. In this perilous Siming Palace, any moment of distraction could bring catastrophic disaster. She suppressed her inner shock and stood shoulder to shoulder with Chu Mochen, her gaze growing more resolute as she continued to advance deeper into the palace.

As they progressed deeper, the scene within the Siming Hall grew increasingly eerie and unpredictable. The flickering lights of the Life Lanterns intertwined, creating a bizarre painting, constantly shifting shapes and colors. Ancient runes faintly emerged from the surrounding walls. These runes seemed to possess life, slowly flowing and emitting a mysterious glimmer, as if revealing secrets that had been buried for millennia.

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound came from behind. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen whipped around to see a group of dark shadows, swirling towards them like a black storm, carrying a thick layer of resentment. The shadows' forms became increasingly clear. Some were demon cultivators with ferocious expressions, wielding magical weapons that exuded a bloody aura; some were eerie spirits with eyes gleaming with bloodlust; and some were mysterious assassins clad in black robes, their figures ghostly and difficult to guard against.

Chu Mochen's eyes flashed, and he instantly unsheathed his longsword, its blade humming like a beast about to awaken. He spun, the sword swirling with him. A sharp sword energy, like a rainbow piercing the sun, instantly slashed at the incoming black shadow. Wherever the sword energy struck, the shadow was torn apart like fragile paper, dissipating into wisps of black smoke.

"Hmph, they are just some illusory things, yet you dare to act so presumptuously here!" Chu Mochen snorted coldly, his voice like a loud bell, echoing in the hall, shaking the surrounding life lamps slightly.

Seeing this, Yun Yao didn't dare slack off. She quickly formed seals with her hands, and rays of silver light flickered and swirled around her fingertips, like a spirit. She chanted a spell, and as she did, the silver light grew increasingly dazzling, eventually converging into a blooming silver lotus, hovering above her head. The lotus slowly spun, shedding rays of soft silver light like an indestructible shield, enveloping her and Chu Mochen.

As soon as the shadows touched the silver light, they felt as if they had collided with a blazing flame, uttering shrill cries and retreating in all directions. However, they did not give up, but instead circled around the silver shield, probing and searching for flaws.

Yun Yao and Chu Mochen stood back to back, watching their surroundings with vigilance. They knew that these illusions were merely appetizers for Siming Hall, and the real test was yet to come.

"Chu Mochen, we can't keep passively defending like this." Yun Yao said in a low voice with a firm look in her eyes, "These life lamps must be hiding the key to rewriting our destiny. We must find it!"

Chu Mochen nodded slightly, his eyes like torches, scanning the densely packed life lamps around him: "Yes, but there are tens of millions of these life lamps, like grains of sand in the vast ocean. It is not easy to find the key among them..."

Before he could finish his words, a sudden, violent tremor erupted from beneath his feet. The entire Siming Hall trembled madly like an enraged beast. The life lamps flickered, their light flickering, and the runes on the walls surged and twisted like ants out of control.

"What's going on?" Yun Yao's face changed, and an ominous premonition arose in her heart.

"Be careful!" Chu Mochen shouted and pulled Yun Yao behind him.

At that moment, a dazzling beam of light shot down from the temple's ceiling. Within the light, a figure slowly emerged. Clad in a magnificent purple robe, its face stern, its eyes brimming with majesty and murderous intent. In its hand, it held a shimmering scepter. Atop it rested a massive black gem, seemingly capable of swallowing all light.

"Saint Maiden Youyue!" Yun Yao and Chu Mochen exclaimed in unison.

The Holy Maiden Youyue looked down at them from above, a cruel sneer curling her lips. "Hmph, do you think this Siming Palace is a place where you can come and go as you please? Today will be your burial place!"

As she spoke, she swung the scepter in her hand violently, and a black light shot out like lightning, heading straight for Yun Yao and Chu Mochen. Wherever the light passed, space seemed to be torn apart, emitting bursts of piercing roars.

Chu Mochen's eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he protected Yun Yao behind him. The power of the Divine Son within him erupted, radiating a golden glow around him, like a dazzling sun. He gripped his sword tightly with both hands, facing the black light and striking with all his might.

The two powerful forces collided, like two stars colliding, with a deafening roar. The intense light instantly illuminated the entire Siming Hall, blinding anyone who could open their eyes. Yun Yao closed her eyes tightly, her hands tightly covering her ears. She felt a powerful impact bearing down on her, sending her body flying backwards involuntarily.

"Puff—" Chu Mochen spat out a mouthful of blood, and his body flew backwards like a kite with a broken string, slamming heavily into a stone pillar. The stone pillar broke with a loud bang, and debris flew everywhere.

"Chu Mochen!" Yun Yao exclaimed, her heart burning with anxiety. She disregarded her own safety and flashed to Chu Mochen's side in an instant.

"I'm fine..." Chu Mochen wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and struggled to stand up. His eyes were filled with resentment and determination: "This witch must not be allowed to succeed today!"

Upon seeing this, Saint Youyue burst into a shrill, wild laugh: "You are trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm. You are overestimating your own abilities! Your fate has long been controlled by me!"

As she spoke, she waved the scepter again, and black rays of light pounced towards Yun Yao and Chu Mochen like poisonous snakes.

Yun Yao's heart sank, knowing full well that this was a matter of life and death. She suddenly raised her head and gazed directly at Saint Youyue. There was no trace of fear in her eyes, only determination and resolve. She quickly formed seals with her hands, and the spiritual energy within her body surged wildly. The silver lotus above her head shone brightly, as if to challenge the darkness that filled the sky.

"Today is the day when you, this witch, will be destroyed!" Yun Yao shouted, her voice like a phoenix cry, echoing throughout the Siming Palace.

Just as the two forces were about to collide again, a mysterious force suddenly surged from the depths of Siming Palace. Like an invisible barrier, it instantly blocked and dissolved the black light of the Holy Maiden Youyue.

"This... how is it possible?" Saint Youyue's face changed, and a hint of panic appeared in her eyes.

Yun Yao and Chu Mochen were also slightly stunned. They took the opportunity to steady themselves and looked around vigilantly.

The life lanterns within the Siming Hall swayed as if summoned by some mysterious force, their lights flickering at an increasingly rapid rate. Rays of light shot out from the life lanterns, interweaving and converging in the air, ultimately forming a vast array of light.

The light array slowly rotated, emitting a dazzling glow, like a door leading to a mysterious world. Under the light, an ancient and mysterious figure gradually emerged...