lcionline Chapter 150 A Great Defeat to the Ice Phoenix
Chapter 150 A Great Defeat to the Ice Phoenix
On the summit of the frigid, snow-covered mountain, where the wind howled and ice shards flew, the tense atmosphere was like a taut bowstring, ready to snap at any moment. The fierce battle between Zhang Yifan and Bingfeng had entered a white-hot stage; both sides were giving their all, their lives hanging by a thread, and the situation could change in an instant.
In the previous exchange, Zhang Yifan, with his keen insight and decisive action, seized upon the weakness in the Ice Phoenix's spiritual energy defense at the joints of its claws during its attack, successfully delivering a heavy blow. The Ice Phoenix, in pain, let out a shrill cry, flapping its wings and soaring high in the sky. Its cold, majestic eyes were now filled with vigilance and anger as it stared intently at Zhang Yifan below, as if re-examining this seemingly insignificant human who had repeatedly caused it trouble.
Zhang Yifan, however, did not back down. He knew that this was the perfect opportunity to press his advantage. If he gave the Ice Phoenix a chance to catch its breath and readjust its state to launch an even more ferocious attack, he would be in even greater danger. Therefore, he unhesitatingly used the Xuanqing Sword Technique again. This time, he poured all the spiritual power in his body into the longsword in his hand. The sword shone brightly and hummed, as if it too was excited about the impending fatal blow.
His figure moved with lightning speed, his feet lightly touching the snow, using the momentum to propel himself into the air. He was like a black lightning bolt, rushing straight towards the ice phoenix high in the sky. The instant he approached the ice phoenix, his longsword trembled, his swordplay unpredictable. An incomparably sharp sword aura instantly shot out from the sword, like a roaring white dragon, carrying the power to split mountains and shatter rocks, swiftly slashing towards the ice phoenix's neck.
This sword strike embodied Zhang Yifan's profound understanding of swordsmanship, his exquisite control of ice spiritual power, and the indomitable fighting spirit he had honed on the brink of death. Its speed, power, and angle were all at the limits of his abilities. Sensing the deadly threat of this sword, the Ice Phoenix's eyes widened in terror as it frantically flapped its wings, attempting to dodge the fierce attack. However, Zhang Yifan's sword strike was so powerful; how could it be so easily avoided?
Despite the Ice Phoenix's desperate efforts, its body contorting in a twisting, mid-air maneuver to dodge, the sword energy still grazed its neck. With a soft "swoosh," a feather was sliced off from the Ice Phoenix's neck, leaving a deep gash. Blood gushed forth like a fountain, staining the surrounding ice and snow crimson. The Ice Phoenix howled in agony, its massive body trembling violently in the air. Losing its balance, it plummeted straight towards the ground.
With a deafening crash, Ice Phoenix slammed onto the snow, creating a huge crater and kicking up a cloud of snow dust. Zhang Yifan slid down smoothly, landing beside Ice Phoenix. He raised his longsword high, the tip aimed at Ice Phoenix's heart. A single, gentle thrust would be fatal. Ice Phoenix's eyes were filled with fear and despair. It struggled to rise, but its injuries were too severe; its body was beyond its control. It could only watch helplessly as Zhang Yifan's sword drew its blade, awaiting its death.
Just as Zhang Yifan was about to swing his sword and kill the Ice Phoenix, ending this thrilling battle, the Ice Phoenix suddenly let out a weak but urgent cry. This cry was filled with a pleading tone, a stark contrast to its previous arrogant and majestic demeanor. Zhang Yifan was slightly taken aback, his longsword involuntarily stopping in mid-air. Looking at the Ice Phoenix's pleading eyes, a ripple of emotion stirred within him.
In the world of cultivation, the law of the jungle prevails, and enemies are usually exterminated to prevent future troubles. However, Zhang Yifan was not a cold-blooded, bloodthirsty person. He knew that every living being had a survival instinct. Although the ice phoenix before him had launched a deadly attack, its helpless appearance now made Zhang Yifan feel a pang of pity. Moreover, he also considered that as one of the overlords of the Cold Light Snow Mountain, the ice phoenix might have a deeper understanding of the secrets of this snow mountain. If he could spare its life, he might be able to obtain some useful information about the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus from it.
After a brief moment of thought, Zhang Yifan slowly lowered his longsword, took a deep breath, and said, "I will spare your life today, but you must answer a few questions for me. If you utter even the slightest lie, I will not spare you!" The Ice Phoenix seemed to understand Zhang Yifan's words. A hint of surprise flashed in its eyes, and it nodded repeatedly, indicating its willingness to cooperate.
Zhang Yifan sheathed his longsword, watching the Ice Phoenix warily, and asked, "Do you know the whereabouts of the thousand-year-old snow lotus in this Cold Light Snow Mountain?" The Ice Phoenix blinked, pondered for a moment, and then used its unique spiritual energy fluctuations to transmit an image. In the image, a steep mountain peak appeared before Zhang Yifan, its summit covered with thick ice and snow. Faintly visible was a snow lotus radiating a mysterious light—the very thousand-year-old snow lotus he had been searching for.
Zhang Yifan was overjoyed; he had finally obtained a crucial clue about the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus. However, before he could ask any further questions, the Ice Phoenix transmitted another image. In the image, a group of mysterious figures dressed in black robes appeared in the snow-capped mountains. Their aura was sinister and powerful, as if they were searching for something. Zhang Yifan was startled. Who were these mysterious figures? Why were they here? Were they also here for the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus?
Zhang Yifan stared intently at Bingfeng and asked, "Who are these people? What are they doing here in the Cold Light Snow Mountain?" Bingfeng shook her head, indicating that she didn't know their identities or purposes either. Zhang Yifan frowned, a sense of unease creeping into his heart. He knew that his search for the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus would likely not be smooth sailing; he would not only have to face the numerous dangers within the snow mountain but also be wary of the appearance of these mysterious people.
Just then, the Ice Phoenix suddenly struggled to its feet, a hint of anxiety in its eyes. Zhang Yifan instinctively gripped his longsword, asking warily, "What's wrong?" The Ice Phoenix didn't answer, but instead looked up at the sky, letting out a low cry. Zhang Yifan followed the Ice Phoenix's gaze and saw a dark cloud suddenly appear in the sky, with lightning flashing and thunder roaring within, and a powerful and evil aura emanating from it.
Zhang Yifan inwardly cried out in alarm, sensing an unprecedented crisis looming. Before he could react, a bolt of black lightning suddenly struck down from the dark clouds, heading straight for him and Bingfeng. Zhang Yifan quickly dodged to the side, but Bingfeng, due to her severe injuries and slowed movements, was unable to completely evade the lightning's attack and was struck on one wing.
"Awooo—" The Ice Phoenix let out a painful scream, its body collapsing to the ground once more. Zhang Yifan was anxious; he knew that both he and the Ice Phoenix were in extreme danger in the face of this unknown and powerful enemy. Without thinking twice, he immediately channeled his spiritual power and ran towards the Ice Phoenix, trying to help it up and face the crisis together.
However, just as he was about to approach the Ice Phoenix, the surrounding snow suddenly trembled violently, and countless ice spikes burst forth from the ground, instantly enveloping him and the Ice Phoenix. Zhang Yifan swung his longsword, severing the surrounding ice spikes, but more and more ice spikes continued to grow, keeping him constantly on his toes. At the same time, the dark clouds in the sky grew lower and lower, and the evil aura grew stronger and stronger, as if an invisible hand was shrouding the entire world in darkness.
Zhang Yifan knew in his heart that an even more severe test was about to begin, and whether he and Bingfeng could survive this crisis was still unknown. But he did not back down in the slightest. His eyes revealed a firm determination. He gripped his long sword tightly, ready to engage in a life-or-death struggle with this unknown enemy.