The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 230: Nine Lotus Seats

Nine Lotus Seats . . .

Xuan Bing's response to Xue Dan-Ru's insults was a chilling silence that spoke volumes. Her once serene countenance had transformed into a visage of seething anger. The calmness that had once graced her eyes had given way to an intense blaze of fury, the depths of which seemed boundless.

As this wrath welled up within her, the temperature in the vicinity dropped precipitously. It was as though her anger had the power to freeze the very air around her. The atmosphere grew tense, and an unsettling stillness descended upon the battleground.

In an awe-inspiring display of power, the myriad sword lights that had filled the sky converged, coalescing into a colossal flying dragon. This towering entity, a manifestation of Xuan Bing's formidable strength, surged forward with a deafening roar.

With a swiftness that belied her graceful appearance, Xuan Bing ascended into the air. Her voice, filled with a potent mix of determination and dread, pierced the silence as she unleashed a devastating technique.

"Nine Lotus Seats!"

The resonance of her proclamation reverberated through the battlefield. Her eyes gleamed with an almost otherworldly sharpness, reflecting the intensity of her intent. The Nine Lotus Seats, a renowned and dreaded technique in the Qing-Yun Realm, was known to be the pinnacle of destructive power.

At this moment, Xue Dan-Ru was gripped by a sense of foreboding. Though she valiantly defended herself with the formidable dragon formed from her sword, she also retreated rapidly, acutely aware of the dire situation.

The Nine Lotus Seats was a move infamous for its lethality, and it left no room for uncertainty—someone would meet their end when it was unleashed. Even Xue Dan-Ru, a masterful cultivator in her own right, couldn't be certain of her ability to withstand its devastating force.

A brief moment earlier, Xue Dan-Ru had taken her taunts to an extreme level, goading Xuan Bing into a murderous resolve. It was this resolve that drove Xuan Bing to employ such a high-risk, high-reward maneuver—one that might injure her as severely as it would her adversary.

However, as Xue Dan-Ru attempted to evade, her path was obstructed by dozens of the long dragon-like sword lights that had yet to merge with the colossal dragon. They encircled her like a constricting ring of living serpents, their presence a menacing threat.

While Xue Dan-Ru possessed the power to effortlessly dispel any individual sword light, doing so would expose her to the counterforce generated by the dragon. This momentary hesitation, even a fraction of a second's pause, could prove fatal in a battle between two grandmaster-level cultivators, where life and death hinged on the swiftest of actions.

Amidst their fierce aerial battle, Xue Dan-Ru found a moment to pause and address her adversary, Xuan Bing, with an air of condescension. Her words dripped with disdain as she continued to taunt her.

"There's one thing that truly baffles me," she began, seemingly ignoring Xuan Bing's reddened and frustrated countenance. "Why resort to such a brutal and underhanded approach to obtain him? Why not approach him directly, face to face? I believe that young, naive lad wouldn't stand a chance against Grandmaster Xuan's captivating allure. Instead, you chose this covert and violent method. It's truly the lowest of tactics..."

The disdain in her eyes remained unmasked as she pressed on, "Sister Xuan, how could you stoop so low to satisfy your carnal desires? I honestly can't fathom why you would engage in such a despicable act..."

Understanding that explanations would be futile and potentially revealing of her motives, Xuan Bing opted for silence. She understood that disclosing her true reasons for resorting to such actions was out of the question. In the midst of this epic battle, her only recourse was to fight with all her might.

Her lips sealed tightly, her gaze turned cold, and her attacks grew increasingly fierce.

"Sister Xuan, you seem rather eager," Xue Dan-Ru remarked playfully, a sly smile tugging at her lips. "Is it because you're in a hurry to conclude this skirmish so you can attend to that young man below? If your desires are that urgent, I'd be willing to step aside and give you some time. Let's say... six hours? Would that suffice?"

A teasing expression graced Xue Dan-Ru's face, and she continued in a whimsical tone, "Once you've finished your 'business' and satisfied your desires, we can resume our battle. I'm not entirely heartless."

Despite her audacious words, even Xue Dan-Ru herself couldn't help but blush slightly, her embarrassment contrasting sharply with the fiery battle unfolding in the sky.

However, Xuan Bing's patience had reached its limit. Her once icy composure crumbled, replaced by a furious scream. Her sword transformed into a magnificent silver dragon, its claws and teeth poised for a devastating attack.

But this was just the beginning of Xuan Bing's relentless assault. She swung her sword repeatedly, each stroke giving rise to flying dragons that descended upon Xue Dan-Ru with relentless intensity. The sheer force of her offensive sent shockwaves through the surrounding area.

Despite her best efforts to defend herself, Xue Dan-Ru struggled to withstand the onslaught. She gradually retreated, her vulnerability laid bare before her more powerful adversary. Yet, even in the midst of her retreat, she couldn't resist the urge to continue her taunting.

"Have I struck a chord, Sister Xuan?" she sneered, her voice dripping with mockery. "Are you in such a rush to end this battle so you can attend to that young man? Do you intend to defeat me before addressing your 'personal matters'?"

As the battle raged on in the skies, Xue Dan-Ru's provocative words hung in the air like a lingering challenge. Xuan Bing's lips tightened in response, her icy gaze fixed on her foe. She had grown weary of Xue Dan-Ru's taunts and was determined to put an end to the battle swiftly.

Her attacks intensified, becoming more ferocious with each passing moment. The once graceful and calculated combatants had descended into a whirlwind of frenzied swordplay. Xuan Bing, her face now a mask of anger, screamed with fury as she unleashed the full might of her power.

Her sword transformed into a magnificent silver dragon, its sinuous form twisting and coiling as it soared through the sky. With each swipe of her blade, the dragon's claws and teeth struck at Xue Dan-Ru, creating shockwaves that reverberated through the entire area. The very atmosphere seemed to tremble under the weight of her onslaught.

But this was merely the beginning of Xuan Bing's relentless assault. She swung her sword again and again, each motion giving rise to new flying dragons. These celestial beasts, formed of pure energy, descended upon Xue Dan-Ru with unrelenting force. The battle had reached an unprecedented level of intensity.

As Xue Dan-Ru struggled to defend herself against the overwhelming barrage, she couldn't resist the urge to continue her taunting. Her voice, though strained, maintained a tone of disdain.

"Have I struck a chord, Sister Xuan?" she jeered, her words a sharp contrast to the chaos of their battle. "Are you in such a rush to end this skirmish so you can attend to that young man? Do you intend to defeat me before addressing your... personal matters?"

Xuan Bing's response was silence, her anger palpable. She no longer had the patience for words. Her only response was to unleash her fury upon her opponent with even greater intensity. The battle between these two formidable cultivators had entered a critical phase, with neither willing to yield.

Xue Dan-Ru found herself in a perilous predicament, trapped between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Her only viable recourse was to simultaneously vanquish the multitude of dragon-like sword lights that encircled her. It was a daunting task that seemed her sole path to survival.

The prospect of dealing with this confluence of threats was a Herculean challenge in itself. Among them, a gargantuan dragon of unparalleled proportions soared menacingly in the skies, demanding her full attention and formidable prowess to subdue.

The gravity of her situation weighed heavily upon her. Retreat spelled certain doom, while launching an attack was equally fraught with peril.

High above, Xuan Bing's lithe form hung in the expanse of the heavens. Her graceful posture resembled that of a meditating sage, her crossed legs suspended in the ethereal realm. Her dainty hands, initially forming a lotus-like configuration, abruptly parted with a swift flourish.

A resounding poof echoed through the air, a precursor to the awe-inspiring spectacle that followed. Nine colossal Lotus Seats materialized with breathtaking suddenness, each hovering gracefully in the boundless sky. Their emergence was accompanied by an intoxicating fragrance, carried gently on the breeze, infusing the atmosphere with an aura of serene beauty.

Seated upon each of these magnificent lotus thrones was a lady draped in black, her posture upright and composed. With lowered eyelids, they exuded an air of sophistication and purity, akin to pristine jade sculpted to perfection. Their very presence emanated an aura of unapproachable, untouchable elegance and grace.

As these ethereal figures graced the heavens, they seemed as though celestial beings descended from a realm of purest refinement and enchantment. The tableau they painted against the canvas of the sky was nothing short of mesmerizing—a testament to the indomitable power wielded by Xuan Bing.

The nine lotus seats initiated a gentle, deliberate rotation, and in their wake, the world itself seemed to acquiesce to their commanding presence. An eerie stillness settled upon the land, as if the very fabric of reality had momentarily paused at their behest. It was an uncanny silence that engulfed everything, an eerie calm that hinted at the omnipotent control the Nine Lotus Seats wielded over their surroundings.

In the shadow of these celestial thrones, escape was a notion that had been rendered utterly futile. The inexorable force that emanated from the lotus seats held sway over all, transcending the limits of the mortal realm.

While Xuan Bing harnessed the immense power of the Nine Lotus Seats, Xue Dan-Ru leveraged her own formidable capabilities to the utmost. She engaged in a relentless struggle against the encircling dragons, systematically dismantling the formidable defenses erected by Xuan Bing. Her fervent assault even culminated in the annihilation of the colossal dragon that had been poised to deliver Xuan Bing's deadliest blow. Yet, in the wake of her victories, a disconcerting realization washed over her—an irrefutable truth that her predicament had not improved. In fact, the situation had grown exponentially worse. The very air that enveloped her thickened to the consistency of molasses, each movement demanding an exertion of monumental effort.

As the sands of time continued to trickle away, the lotus seats increased their rotational velocity, petals unfurling with an almost musical rhythm. The fragrance of the lotus blossoms permeated the atmosphere, growing richer and denser with each passing moment, until it saturated every inch of the heavens.

In a desperate bid to counter this enigmatic force, Xue Dan-Ru's quick-witted instincts took command. She issued a resounding cry that echoed through the heavens, channeling her cultivation prowess to the extreme. Her slender form commenced a rapid, counter-clockwise spin that strained the limits of her physique, her supple waist twisting with an almost bone-cracking intensity.