Chapter 153: Palace Mistress Jiu Lan Vs White Devil Bone Queen
A bloodthirsty roar echoed through the desolate landscape as Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, a vision of white and gold, led the charge against the unsuspecting White Bone Sect camp. The beautiful disciples of the Jade Lotus Palace followed suit, their usually serene faces twisted in righteous anger. The night sky was illuminated by a cascade of light as swords, fans, and instruments of various shapes erupted from their sleeves.
The White Bone Sect, a motley crew of robed figures with menacing bone tattoos etched across their foreheads, were caught completely off guard. Panic erupted in their ranks as screams echoed through the camp. Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, a whirlwind of fury, cleaved through them with her signature weapon, the Emerald Willow Blade. It sang a deadly song as it sliced through flesh and bone, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake.
Her focus, however, remained on the Nascent Soul Realm cultivators. With a flick of her wrist, she unleashed a barrage of jade green energy blasts infused with the potent wood attribute. The blasts detonated amongst the enemy ranks, sending shockwaves that ripped apart formations and flung lesser disciples like ragdolls.
Liu Xue, a shining star amongst the core disciples, danced through the chaotic battlefield. Her movements were a blur of white and lavender, mirroring the elegant grace of a crane. Her twin swords, ‘Morning Dew’ and ‘Evening Mist,’ sang a deadly harmony as they reaped a bloody harvest amongst the White Bone Sect disciples.
Elder Ning Changying, known for her lightning-fast strikes, spearheaded a group of Jade Lotus Palace elders, their coordinated attacks dismantling the resistance of the White Bone Sect elders. Elder Jin, a master of illusions, disrupted their formations with mesmerizing illusions, while Elder Feng, a renowned alchemist, unleashed a torrent of potent potions that weakened and disoriented their opponents.
The slaughter, however, came to a halt when a figure emerged from the heart of the White Bone Sect camp. A woman, tall and imposing, with piercing crimson eyes and a crown of bone adorning her skull, descended upon the battlefield.
“Jiu Lan,” the White Devil Bone Queen, Baimo Zunzhe, snarled, her voice dripping with venom. “What madness is this? Have you finally lost all sanity to attack my camp in broad daylight?”
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan, her blade dripping crimson, stood tall. “Madness?” she retorted, her voice as cold as the winter wind. “I merely fulfill my duty as leader of the Jade Lotus Palace. Your demonic sect has stained this land with enough blood. Today, your reign of terror ends!”
Baimo Zunzhe sneered. “Naive fool! You think you can take me down with this rabble?”
With a flourish, she unleashed three layered formations.
Bone spikes erupted from the ground, encasing her White Bone Sect disciples in a protective aura, while a sinister green light bathed their bodies, bolstering their strength.
A savage grin spread across the Bone Queen’s face as she unleashed her demonic cultivation technique.
Her unorthodox cultivation technique, the “Bone Forging Arts”, allowed her to manipulate her own skeletal structure.
Claws erupted from her fingertips, her arms morphing into grotesque bone blades. With a guttural roar, she launched herself at Palace Mistress Jiu Lan.
The Jade Lotus Palace leader moved with the grace of a willow in a storm. Her Emerald Willow Blade, infused with the verdant power of the wood attribute, clashed against the bone blades. Sparks flew as the two weapons met in a resounding clang.
Whereas the White Bone Sect’s cultivation path focused on strengthening their bone structure and body through unorthodox and often brutal methods, the Jade Lotus Palace cultivated a more balanced approach, mastering various elemental attributes alongside physical combat.
Jiu Lan unleashed a powerful technique called “Emerald Gale,” conjuring a swirling vortex of jade green wind. It roared towards Baimo Zunzhe, forcing her back with the sheer power of the elemental attack.
However, the Queen along with many of her disciples were protected by the three-layered formations. It was these formations which absorbed most of the impact for the White Devil Bone Queen.
The battle raged on. The clash of bone against jade, the screams of the wounded, and the roar of unleashed techniques filled the night air. Initially, the fight seemed evenly matched.
The White Bone Sect’s enhanced strength and resilience, courtesy of the White Devil Bone Queen’s formations, helped them hold their own.
But as the fight progressed, a subtle shift began to occur.
Palace Mistress Jiu Lan’s mastery of the elements, coupled with her superior swordsmanship, began to wear down the demonic Queen.
The Jade Lotus Palace leader’s attacks, a graceful storm of wind and wood, slowly chipped away at the White Bone Queen’s defenses, while the augmented strength of the White Bone Sect disciples proved fleeting, their energies drained by the constant activation of the formations.
Baimo Zunzhe realized this with growing desperation. These righteous fools were stronger than she anticipated.
From a concealed vantage point, Wang Li watched the battle unfold with a growing sense of unease. The tide had turned far too quickly in favor of the Jade Lotus Palace. He hadn’t anticipated Palace Mistress Jiu Lan’s devastating power, nor the sheer effectiveness of her coordinated disciples. This wasn’t ideal.
The complete eradication of the White Bone Sect wasn’t part of his plan.
With a frustrated sigh, he tapped his chin thoughtfully. Direct intervention was out of the question. Interfering in that fight between Palace Mistress Jiu Lan and the White Devil Bone Queen would be suicidal at best. But he needed a way to shift the balance, even slightly.
A mischievous glint sparked in his eyes. He couldn’t weaken Palace Mistress Jiu Lan directly, but he could distract her.
He spotted Liu Xue, her graceful form weaving through a pack of White Bone Sect disciples. A plan rapidly formed in his mind.
With a silent chuckle, he used his spiritual sense to contact Liu Xue. “Xue’er,” he whispered, “listen closely. Here’s what we’ll do. When I give the word, activate a defensive talisman. At the same time, I’ll unleash a series of explosive talismans around you. It will injure a few disciples of the White Bone Sect who are attacking you and will also rattle them successfully, giving you the perfect opportunity to finish them off.”
Intrigued by his plan, Liu Xue readily agreed. “I understand, Li. Just let me know when.”
Wang Li grinned. With a flick of his wrist, he materialized dozens of explosive talismans, each crackling with potent elemental energy. “Now, Xue’er, activate your defenses!”
Liu Xue, without hesitation, activated a shimmering light barrier around herself. In the same instant, Wang Li launched the volley of explosive talismans. They detonated with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves that rattled the entire battlefield. A thick cloud of dust enveloped the area around Liu Xue, obscuring her from view.
The unexpected explosion shook the entire battlefield. Both Jiu Lan and Baimo Zunzhe momentarily paused, their gazes drawn towards the sudden commotion.
Jiu Lan’s heart skipped a beat. The dust cloud materialized around Liu Xue, her most prized disciple! A wave of worry washed over her. “Xue’er!” she cried out, momentarily breaking focus from her battle.
Sensing an opportunity, Baimo Zunzhe seized the moment. With a feral roar, she unleashed a forbidden technique – “Bone Dragon’s Claw.” Her skeletal hand morphed into a grotesque, razor-sharp claw, emanating an aura of dark energy. She lunged at Jiu Lan with unimaginable speed.
Jiu Lan, momentarily distracted by the explosion and caught off guard by the sudden change in momentum, barely had time to react. She raised her Emerald Willow Blade in a desperate block, but the Bone Dragon’s Claw tore through the weapon’s defenses, leaving a bloody gash on her shoulder.
A gasp escaped Jiu Lan’s lips, her face paling with shock and pain. The momentary lapse in concentration allowed Baimo Zunzhe to press the attack. With a series of brutal strikes, titled “Carnage of the Bone King,” the White Devil Bone Queen rained blows upon Jiu Lan, forcing her back on the defensive.
The battle raged on, but the power shift was undeniable. Jiu Lan, injured and distracted, fought with a diminished ferocity. The dust settled around Liu Xue, revealing a perfectly unharmed figure within the shimmering barrier.
Relief washed over Jiu Lan momentarily as she cast a glance at her disciple, ensuring her safety. Then, with a steely glint in her eyes, she focused back on the battle, pushing back against Baimo Zunzhe’s unrelenting assault.
Despite the pain, Jiu Lan wasn’t about to give in. She countered Baimo Zunzhe’s flurry with a powerful technique of her own, “Emerald Typhoon.”
A swirling vortex of jade green wind erupted from her blade, forcing the White Devil Bone Queen back a few steps.
“You think a measly injury will stop me, Baimo Zunzhe?” Jiu Lan roared, her voice laced with fury. “The White Bone Sect’s reign of terror ends today!”
The battle resumed, a relentless dance of death between two powerful cultivators.
“Jade Lotus Bloom!” Jiu Lan shouted, conjuring a radiant lotus flower made of pure wood essence that showered the Queen with emerald light.
The Queen, however, roared in defiance as she unleashed “Bone Serpent Strike.” A skeletal serpent materialized from her arm, its sharp fangs dripping with a potent bone-dissolving venom. It lunged towards the Jade Lotus Bloom, attempting to devour it.
The battle raged on, a spectacle of power and fury. Wang Li watched intently, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. He had achieved his goal – a balanced fight between the two leaders.
