“’Understand what, you ghost!’” Bai Zhiqiu scoffed. “’Who could possibly grasp what you’re saying? Speak in plain terms!’”
“’It’s actually quite simple,’” Yin explained. “’Couldn’t you just use Pangsang to slice open the surface of that orb and retrieve Yun Paopao directly from within?’”
Having delivered her straightforward solution, Yin clutched her forehead with a pained expression. A faint redness and swelling were visible, a clear mark of Bai Zhiqiu’s recent flick.
“’You hit me again!’” Yin protested, a hint of indignation in her voice. “’I just told you the answer!’”
“’But will Yun Paopao not be harmed by such an action?’” Bai Zhiqiu questioned, a flicker of concern in her eyes.
“’Don’t worry!’” Yin reassured her with a wave of her hand. “’The outer layer of this fleshy orb is merely a protective cocoon for Yun Paopao. The true Yun Paopao is perfectly safe within!’”
“’As soon as you cut it open, you can extract Yun Paopao instantly! Hurry and begin! We’re running out of time! I’ll keep An occupied for the others first!’”
With a swift motion, a crimson light flared in Yin’s hand, coalescing into three blood-red orbs of energy. These projectiles detonated upon impact, obliterating three Shadow Apostles who had attempted to breach the altar.
“’With me standing guard, you will find no opportunity to interfere with her!’” Yin declared, her voice firm.
A moment later, a blood-colored bell materialized in Yin’s grasp. With a casual flick of her wrist, she conjured a crimson barrier, enclosing the four of them and deflecting An’s sudden sneak attack on Yan Qingzhu and Jasmine.
“’Impressive, Yin!’” An’s voice dripped with venom as she hovered in the air, glaring furiously at Yin. “’I never imagined you’d resort to using the Blood Clan’s sacred artifact! Are you truly unafraid of the Cloud Star collapsing because of this?’”
“’So what if the Cloud Star collapses?’” Yin retorted with a dismissive shrug. “’I’m not in the Spirit Realm right now, so it’s hardly my concern! That headache belongs to you, and those decrepit old fools!’”
Yin, unperturbed, waved the bell once more. The Blood God Bell chimed with an eerily melodic sound, manifesting a crimson crescent blade. It pierced through the barrier, cleanly bisecting a Shadow Apostle standing beside An.
The still-warm blood splattered across An’s form.
“’Excellent! You are truly excellent!’” An seethed, the murder of her subordinate before her very eyes a blatant provocation.
“’How many times must I tell you?’” Yin chirped, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “’I *am* excellent! Thank you for the compliment!’”
Yin tilted her head back, her small face radiating satisfaction as she gleefully accepted An’s “praise.”
Whether An was genuinely enraged or merely frustrated was of no consequence to her. Yin simply did not care.
“’What’s the matter?’” Yin goaded, her voice laced with challenge. “’Are you displeased that I’m wielding the Blood God Bell? If you’re so capable, why don’t you bring out your own sacred artifact, or perhaps the one you plundered from the Cloud Whale clan?’”
“’Still too cowardly to reveal it, I see!’”
Having gained the advantage, Yin relentlessly bombarded An with a continuous volley of taunts and verbal jabs.
Meanwhile, having been temporarily freed from An’s assault by Yin’s use of the Blood Clan’s sacred artifact, the four individuals regrouped.
“’Quickly, devise a way to awaken her!’” Yin urged, her voice strained. “’My barrier cannot hold much longer!’”
Under An’s relentless onslaught, Yin’s crimson shield grew increasingly translucent. Even the Blood God Bell, suspended in the air, began to waver precariously.
“’Almost there!’” Bai Zhiqiu murmured, her concentration absolute.
She meticulously guided Pangsang. Due to the weapon’s ‘Indestructible’ property, it could slice through anything with the ease of cutting paper. Thus, extreme caution was paramount, lest she accidentally injure Yun Paopao and jeopardize everything.
“’It’s almost done! Almost!’”
Before long, Bai Zhiqiu completed the intricate cut on the fleshy orb with Pangsang. With their combined efforts, the orb split into two halves, finally revealing Yun Paopao within.
Yun Paopao’s face was contorted in agony. Countless tentacles coiled around her, some of the more audacious ones even attempting to probe towards several mysterious points on her body. Yet, a faint, dark crimson glow held them at bay.
Her Bucui lay dormant by the girl’s hand.
More strikingly, a single, alluring Higanbana bloomed upon the girl’s forehead.
“’Higanbana?’” Bai Zhiqiu gasped.
At the sight of the flower, her eyes widened like saucers. She had never even met Yun Paopao before, so how was this possible?
“’Yin, what is the meaning of this?’” Bai Zhiqiu turned her head sharply, her gaze fixed on Yin.
“’You ask me? Who am I supposed to ask?’” Yin retorted with a huff. “’How could I possibly know? I’m not Yun Paopao, after all!’”
“’Is that so?’” Bai Zhiqiu murmured, her suspicion growing.
For some inexplicable reason, Yin now struck her as immensely suspicious. This little one undoubtedly possessed a wealth of insider knowledge. Perhaps she even knew why the Higanbana had appeared here, but it seemed she was deliberately withholding information.
Realizing Yin’s reluctance to speak, Bai Zhiqiu refrained from pressing the matter further.
She reached for her sword, only for the weapon to resist her command. Instead of coming to her hand, it wrenched itself free and remained suspended in place, leaving Bai Zhiqiu utterly perplexed.
“’What should we do now?’” Jasmine asked, looking around.
“’First, we must remove these tentacles from her body!’” Bai Zhiqiu declared.
With a decisive swing of Pangsang, Bai Zhiqiu precisely severed the tentacles, casting them aside. Only then did the agony on Yun Paopao’s face begin to subside.
“’We should now—’”
Before Bai Zhiqiu could complete her thought, a violent plume of smoke erupted. Yin’s barrier shattered, and the Blood God Bell drifted back into her hand.
“’This is bad! We must leave, quickly!’” Yin exclaimed, urgency lacing her tone.
She immediately prepared to usher Bai Zhiqiu away from the scene.
“’Wait!’” Bai Zhiqiu interjected, her eyes suddenly alight. “’I believe I have a solution!’”
“’Hm?’”
At Bai Zhiqiu’s words, everyone’s ears perked up. Even Yin paused, rooted to the spot. She, too, was eager to hear Bai Zhiqiu’s assessment of their predicament, or perhaps, with a hint of anticipation, to discover if she had truly uncovered something profound.
“’Perhaps we can attempt to awaken Yun Paopao!’” Bai Zhiqiu declared. “’Using the Higanbana!’”
As she spoke, a single branch of Higanbana materialized in her hand.
“’We might be able to resonate with her!’” Bai Zhiqiu continued, her voice filled with conviction. “’And pull her back to reality!’”
“’No! I forbid it!’” Yin exclaimed, stepping forward. “’To directly enter another’s consciousness is incredibly perilous; you could easily be lost within! And this is Yun Paopao we’re talking about!’”
“’Are we not aware of the immense suffering she has endured? If you empathize with her, and if you cannot withstand it, the sheer volume of pain will instantly shatter your consciousness!’”
“’Even so, I must go!’” Bai Zhiqiu declared resolutely.
“’No!’” Yin pleaded, gripping Bai Zhiqiu’s hand tightly. “’Let’s just consider another approach, Zhiqiu, please! I don’t want you to leave!’”
“’But this is our most viable option right now!’” Bai Zhiqiu countered, her gaze unwavering. “’You and I both know that if we fail to find a better solution swiftly, and An succeeds in her schemes, what fate awaits us then?’”
With a gentle squeeze of Yin’s hand, Bai Zhiqiu passed the Higanbana she held into Yin’s palm.
“’Be good, alright?’” she whispered, a faint smile gracing her lips. “’If I truly cannot return… then please, keep this as a memento.’ ”
Having spoken, Bai Zhiqiu gently pushed Yin aside. She then focused all her magical power, initiating a profound resonance with the Higanbana that hovered above Yun Paopao’s head.
The process of resonance was agonizing.
A torrent of memories, emotions, and destinies, none of them her own, violently collided with her spiritual consciousness. The two forces clashed, annihilated each other, and then intermingled, coalescing into fragmented, unfamiliar memories.
“’I am Yun… Zhiqiu… No! No! I am… Bai Paopao? No, that’s not right either!’”
The resonance had barely begun before Bai Zhiqiu’s mind started to unravel, her sanity slipping away.
“’What an idiot!’”
Yin stomped her foot, clad in small black leather shoes, heavily on the ground. She once again activated the Blood God Bell, channeling its protective power towards Bai Zhiqiu.
“’Idiot! No wonder you’ve survived such deadly situations; it’s always been because of me! Idiot! If I had known this, I never would have gotten so close to you!’”
The Blood God Bell, renowned as one of the Five Sacred Artifacts of the Spirit Realm, inherently possessed the ability to safeguard both body and soul.
“’Idiot! Just hurry up and resolve all of this!’”
With that desperate plea, Yin poured nearly all of her spiritual power into the bell, dedicating herself to ensuring Bai Zhiqiu’s success.