447 Life-Consuming Pursui

This was a magnificent city wall that snaked for dozens of kilometers. This city wall was hundreds of meters tall, and there were all kinds of vital energy cannons set up along its perimeter.

As the cannons roared, huge craters were blown into the ground in the distance. Countless invading snow maidens were ripped to shreds by the shockwaves of the explosions.

At the same time, tens of thousands of snow maidens drew upon the bone-chilling power of extreme cold and condensed the wind and snow into sharp blades. They rushed at the magnificent city wall and relentlessly attacked the defending cultivators.

Plumes of bloody snow blossomed on the city wall.

This city was called Xiangqing City, and it was one of the ten largest cities of Wind Plain State. As it neighbored the Holy Glacial Lands, small-scale battles with the snow maidens often broke out.

Although battles were frequent, they weren't severe enough to rock the city's foundations.

For some unknown reason, however, the snow maidens recently started to attack them recklessly and with no regard for casualties. It was as though they were agitated by something. They attacked the city frenziedly, and it seemed as though they wouldn't give up until they seized the city.

This city wasn't alone in experiencing this kind of reckless attack. All the cities of Wind Plain State that bordered the Holy Glacial Lands were subject to such kinds of fierce assaults. Some cities had already fallen.

Countless ice blades and snow cyclones howled toward this mighty city. Then, they bloomed into burning clouds of flames and vapor as they crashed into the flaming arrows and fearsome artillery fire. This was a mesmerizing sight.

Gradually, a section of the wall started to sink into enemy hands.

A snow maiden general of the Soul Formation Stage—who possessed an ice crystal domain—charged through the rain of artillery fire and dashed onto the city wall. Then, she took the lives of numerous human generals.

A breach was opened, and this section of the city wall was reduced into an icy hell.

Countless soldiers were either frozen into ice statues or sliced into two by the sweeping ice blades.

"Hold firm! Delay the advance of the snow maidens! The commander is almost here!" a general named Zhong Ye yelled at the top of his lungs.

Hearing this, the soldiers cast innumerable spell techniques and threw them toward the snow maidens who had charged onto the city wall. However, the defense of the snow maiden general was too powerful, and their attacks were all ineffective against her. Not only that, but she was also able to provide cover for the snow maidens who fought alongside her. Her ice crystal barrier blocked out most of the spell techniques cast by the soldiers.

This was the frightening power of Soul Formation Stage cultivators. A single person was able to massacre the soldiers along one section of the city wall. Blood flowed along the city wall like a crimson stream as thousands of soldiers lost their lives.

A look of despair fell across the faces of many soldiers.

They weren't afraid of dying in battle. However, battling with this snow maiden was akin to seeking a pointless death.

"Don't retreat! As long as we keep attacking, we'll be able to drain this snow maiden of all her energy! At that time, we'll definitely be able to slaughter her!" General Zhong Ye continued yelling in encouragement.

The Soul Formation Stage snow maiden shifted her gaze to Zhong Ye, who stood hundreds of meters away from her. "You spew so much nonsense…" Her voice was bone-chilling and full of killing intent.

Boom!

The snow maiden's speed exceeded Mach 2 as she covered the distance between them in less than a second. The ice sword in her hand drew out a deadly arc.

Zhong Ye was only of the Spirit Nurturing Intermediate Stage. Seeing the snow maiden's terrifying speed, he knew that death was inescapable. However, his expression wasn't one of fear or terror. Instead, he gritted his teeth and decided to stab the snow maiden before he died.

As the snow maiden's sword descended, Zhong Ye's saber also cut upward ferociously.

In that instant, the snow maiden laughed scornfully. Her other hand slapped down lightly, and an indescribable power froze General Zhong Ye's slash in mid-air.

Zhong Ye's face was full of resentment. At this moment, he finally realized that the gulf in their powers was too huge to traverse. Even if he sacrificed his life, he still wouldn't be able to injure even a single hair on the enemy opposite him.

The snow maiden's sword slashed down. What awaited him was death.

Being able to battle to the death on this city wall, Zhong Ye wasn't feeling regretful or disappointed. He simply hoped that this city wall wouldn't crumble under the relentless assaults of the enemy. If this city wall held firm, then his wife and son would be able to live on peacefully inside the city.

Clang!

The snow maiden's sword snapped as it flashed past Zhong Ye's face.

The snow maiden general's eyes widened in shock. She looked to her side. There was a white-clothed male standing there, and he held a black sword in his hand. A wisp of wind dispersed from within the sword.

"You…" Before she could finish speaking, the snow maiden detected that her ice-crystal domain had already been shattered. Even her body had been separated into two.

Blue blood sprayed through the air. Zhong Ye and the soldiers all stared at this sight in shock and amazement. That fearsome snow maiden general… was slain by the white-clothed male just like that?

Zhong Ye, who had escaped from the clutches of death, sucked in a deep breath. He saluted at the white-clothed male respectfully. "Senior, thank you for your assistance. The soldiers of Xiangqing City are forever indebted to you!"

"No need to thank me. Answer me, have you seen a female in a jade dress fly past this city on her sword today?"

This male was none other than An Lin. He gazed at Zhong Ye intently as he asked this question.

Zhong Ye was slightly surprised by this question. Then, he sifted through his memory carefully. After a moment, he shook his head apologetically. "Xiangqing City has been defending against the snow maidens' fierce attacks this entire day. I didn't detect any female flying over our city wall. Why don't I ask the soldiers on other sections of the wall for you after this battle has ended?"

An Lin shook his head. "No need, there's no time for that…"

With the passing of time, the trails of Xu Xiaolan's path would also slowly dissipate and vanish. If he wasted too much time, there was a possibility that he would lose track of her path.

Divine Simulation Technique!

Countless galaxies flashed across his eyes. Eventually, the realm that he was in flashed into his eyes.

The Divine Simulation Technique could be used a maximum of one time every month. Otherwise, it would damage one's body or perhaps even consume their lifespan.

However, this was the least of An Lin's worries right now. He didn't have time to hesitate! Time was of the essence!

In this instance, a colorless wave rippled out hundreds of miles.

Every minuscule detail of this expanse of heaven and earth flooded into his mind. The deducing of truth also started at this moment.

Zhong Ye glanced at An Lin curiously. He didn't know what this male was doing right now.

However, he noticed that a few strands of An Lin's healthy and lustrous hair had suddenly turned white.

"Senior, you…" Zhong Ye's eyes widened in shock. He detected that An Lin's aura was rapidly withering away.

An Lin didn't reply. He shifted his gaze toward some direction and immediately flew off on his brick.

…

Night gradually descended.

In the suburbs of Thunder State's Yundong City, thunderclouds stretched for hundreds of miles. Vital energy raged furiously, and arcs of explosive electricity caused this heaven and earth to become unstable and tumultuous.

An Lin became lost in this swirling and chaotic land. There was almost nothing left of Xu Xiaolan's trace. After using his Divine Simulation Technique, he was still unable to determine the direction of her travel.

However, he didn't give up. He used the Divine Simulation Technique numerous times, each time in a different location. Eventually, he managed to determine the direction that she had traveled in.

He flew past the Myriad Star Heavenly Lake and saw the reflection of the sky rippling up from its mirror-like surface. It was a beautiful sight.

He flew past the Thousand-Year Chong Mountain and witnessed the lofty mountains which soared tens of thousands of feet into the sky. He was able to feel the sense of grandeur and magnificence emanating from this majestic range.

…

Rays of sunshine peeked over the horizon and announced the arrival of a new day.

He flew past the Green Divine Sea and saw a vast expanse of spectacular forestry. The plain stretched for thousands of kilometers, and the lush green trees covered thousands of kilometers. The gentle sway of green extended for as far as the eye could see. As it stretched into the horizon, the lush green of the trees met with the soft blue of the sky. It was a breathtaking spectacle.

He used the Divine Simulation Technique time and time again, and his body was unable to stand the severe burden. He could only rely on spirit pills and immortal pills to keep himself going.

He finally left Thunder State and arrived at Gem State. This was a large state located in the south-western corner of the Kingdom of the Nine States.

Amid a sea of fragrant flowers which stretched for hundreds of kilometers, An Lin used his Divine Simulation Technique again.

Half of his hair had already turned white.

The reflection of heaven and earth glimmered in An Lin's eyes. His body shuddered as he activated the Divine Simulation Technique, and he spat out another mouthful of blood.

Bright red blood splattered across the pure white flowers. The contrasting colors appeared especially glaring.

He covered his mouth and fell into a burst of violent coughing. His body trembled under intense strain and burden.

The speed at which vital energy drained away, the trajectory of flying pollen grains, the traces of dirt disturbed by strong winds…

"Xiaolan, your cultivation base has already fallen to the Spirit Nurturing Initial Stage! Why are you still fleeing so quickly? Why don't you wait for me? Don't you know how taxing it is for me to chase after you?"

An Lin became more and more feeble as he continuously used the Divine Simulation Technique. His body was already showing signs of breaking down.

He was complaining, yet he understood that this was his one and only chance. He definitely couldn't give up here.

"I'm so glad that you didn't use any teleportation spell formations. Otherwise, I really would've been stumped…

"But I also understand why you chose to flee like this.

"Because I passed a lot of beautiful places while chasing after you… You want to witness more of the beauties of this world before you turn into a mortal being, am I correct? You're so silly… You can just tell me where you want to go!"

An Lin glanced at the distant sky. He had never been this determined in his life.

He wiped away the blood seeping from the corners of his mouth and flew off on his brick once more.