Chapter 78: The Spirit of Jade Peak, A Maiden’s Transformation
Hua Shuya’s heart pounded with alarm.
The woman before her wore a daringly revealing outfit – a thin black veil that barely concealed her curves, her ample bosom and long, slender legs exposed, her figure alluring and flawless.
But…
Her expression was cold and distant, her blue-violet eyes empty and indifferent, like a deity looking down upon mortals.
Just a glance from her sent shivers down Hua Shuya’s spine. This woman seemed devoid of any emotion, as cold as ice.
“Who are you?”
Hua Shuya’s voice was low and steady as she placed her hand on her sword hilt, her guard raised.
The terrifying chill she had felt a moment ago was no illusion. This woman, despite her beauty, stood unfazed by the icy wind. She was clearly no ordinary being.
And those souls on the mountainside had warned her about a woman… She had to be cautious!
“You broke the barrier—”
The woman in black gauze spoke, her voice soft and ethereal, yet her words sent a chill through Hua Shuya’s heart.
“You… will die.”
Hua Shuya didn’t hesitate. She drew her sword.
But in a flash, a blinding light erupted before her eyes. Instinctively, she raised her sword to block.
Crack!
Her sword shattered, and her body was thrown back through the air.
Such a difference in strength?!
Hua Shuya tasted blood in her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
She had managed to protect herself, but…
She glanced back, and her face paled.
“Oh, no!”
Splash!
She fell into the lake, a spray of water erupting around her.
…
The jade pendant hovered over the diamond-shaped ore, greedily absorbing its strange energy and the vast amount of Yin energy within it. The lake water churned, forming a whirlpool, and the ore’s glow dimmed.
Looking around, Lin Tianlu saw dozens of white skeletons scattered around the lakebed, their owners long dead.
He frowned thoughtfully.
“It seems many have tried to claim this treasure. And they all met their end.”
“But this jade pendant is truly indiscriminate. It absorbs any energy it can find. But it led me here… could it be that this ore has a special purpose for it?”
Judging by the rate of absorption, it should be finished soon.
He was curious to see what would happen to the pendant once it was done.
He waited patiently, noticing that the Yin energy in the lake water was dissipating. He could even breathe normally now.
Splash!
A sudden sound made him turn around.
His eyes widened in shock.
“Miss Hua?!”
He quickly swam over and caught her in his arms. Her face was contorted in pain, her clothes dissolving rapidly, her body turning blue and purple as it froze.
Was the Yin energy in the lake water too strong for her?
Lin Tianlu’s mind raced, and he was about to carry her out of the lake.
But at that moment, the jade pendant at the bottom of the lake seemed to have finished absorbing the ore’s energy. It spun around and flew towards them.
Then, to Lin Tianlu’s astonishment…
It burrowed into Hua Shuya’s body!
“Hey?!”
He cried out, reaching out to retrieve it, but his hand passed through her skin. The pendant was gone.
“How did the pendant… Wait…”
He frowned, noticing that Hua Shuya’s injuries were healing rapidly, her breathing becoming steady and strong. Her aura was changing.
Was this… Yin energy?!
Suddenly, the girl let out a soft moan, and her black hair turned white. A surge of Yin energy erupted from her body, weaving itself into a beautiful, flowing robe, like that of a celestial maiden. The ribbons converged at her neck, forming a collar-like ornament.
She opened her eyes, her once brown eyes now shining with a blue-violet light.
Lin Tianlu’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t hesitate. He kicked off the lakebed and leaped out of the water, carrying Hua Shuya in his arms.
Splash—
As they landed on the shore, Lin Tianlu noticed that the girl’s transformation was even more drastic than he had realized.
Her already toned and athletic figure seemed to have matured, her curves more pronounced, her features now subtly alluring under the influence of the Yin energy. Her dissolved clothes had been replaced by a beautiful silk robe, its delicate embroidery clinging to her wet skin, accentuating her figure.
The slit in her skirt revealed her long, slender legs, wrapped in smooth silk, golden threads and jade patterns twirling around them from her feet to her thighs.
“Miss Hua, are you feeling unwell?”
“I… I’m fine?”
Hua Shuya opened her eyes, her gaze dazed.
But her expression quickly changed. “Senior, there’s something strange about this Jade Peak Mountain! Just now—”
“I saw it.”
Lin Tianlu gently set her down, his eyes fixed on a figure in the distance.
The woman in black gauze stood motionless, her gaze fixed on him.
Although she was breathtakingly beautiful, her attire daringly revealing, her aura was unsettling.
It was different from the ghosts and demons he had encountered before, unlike the Crimson Beast. It was something else entirely… a unique presence.
But the most surprising thing was that this woman in black gauze resembled Hua Shuya?
Their eye color, their cold and aloof aura, they seemed to be cut from the same cloth. Even the Yin energy swirling around them was almost identical.
Lin Tianlu stood up, his voice deep. “Who are you?”
“I have no name.”
“What’s your connection to this lake?”
“The ‘Mountain Spirit Jade Stone’ buried at the bottom is a part of me.” The woman said coldly. “The girl beside you absorbed the Essence of Yin within the stone, that’s why your auras are similar.”
Essence of Yin?
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned thoughtful.
This woman’s identity…
“You’re not human.”
The woman in black gauze said indifferently. “Return the rest of the Essence of Yin, and I’ll let you go.”
She turned her gaze towards Hua Shuya. “But this girl stays. She absorbed part of the Essence of Yin. She will be my sacrifice.”
Lin Tianlu stepped in front of Hua Shuya, shielding her protectively. “What are you trying to do?”
“Break through to the next realm.”
The woman’s voice was emotionless. “She’s a perfect vessel, her body brimming with Yin energy, perfectly compatible with the Essence of Yin. She’s very valuable to me.”
Her blunt words made Lin Tianlu’s mind race.
“You… you’re not a ghost.”
“Of course not.”
The woman took a step forward, her beautiful legs revealed beneath her black gauze. “I am ‘Jade Peak Mountain’.”
Lin Tianlu’s eyes narrowed.
At that moment, a strong blood-red aura emanated from the woman, and the strange energy, the Essence of Yin, surged outwards, transforming into a powerful wind that swept through the area.
Following the trail of energy, he realized that it extended throughout the entire mountain. Countless strands of Yin energy and even spiritual energy were flowing from the soil and the plants, converging towards the woman…
It was as if she was the embodiment of Jade Peak Mountain itself!
“I see. I was wrong from the start.”
Lin Tianlu narrowed his eyes. “This Jade Peak Mountain isn’t an ordinary mountain. It’s a sentient mountain, a… demonic mountain!”
The blood-red aura was incredibly strong.
Combined with what the villagers had said, it was clear that… this Jade Peak Mountain had been actively killing people!
The woman’s eyes flickered, and she raised her hand. A long, green blade emerged from the churning earth beneath her feet.
“You refuse to retreat.”
She said coldly. “Then you’ll never leave this place. I’ll turn you into nourishment for my Mountain Spirit Jade Stone.”
As soon as she finished speaking, dark clouds gathered above the mountain, the wind howling, an oppressive aura enveloping the peak.
“This is my first time encountering a real mountain spirit. And such a malicious one.”
Lin Tianlu sneered, about to attack, but someone suddenly grabbed his arm.
He turned around, surprised.
“Miss Hua?”
Hua Shuya stood tall, her white hair and robes billowing in the wind, her beautiful face now mature and resolute.
“Please, let me try, Senior.”
Lin Tianlu was taken aback, surprised by her sudden determination.
“She almost killed me just now, and she’s caused you so much trouble, Senior. Let me handle this.” Hua Shuya took a deep breath, clenching her fists. “And I feel… different.”
An unprecedented power surged within her, cold and fierce, igniting a burning desire to fight!
Her eyes sparkled with a newfound strength. She just wanted to… settle the score with this woman!
Leave a Reply