Chapter 95: Passing with Age

The massive phoenix talon, as sharp as a blade, instantly pierced through Hua Wuhen’s body, sending blood gushing from the wounds. He felt as though the hand of death itself had seized his heart, filling him with endless fear and despair. He could clearly sense life rapidly draining from his body.

“Damn it, damn it, damn it!”

Hua Wuhen’s anguished roar shook violently from his lips; unwillingness churned within him. Donggong Qianxue was on the verge of dying of old age; there was only one flower of the Wheel of Years left. Yet, at the very last moment, Donggong Qianxue had burned her blood essence for a desperate gamble and seized him with one strike.

Around the Profound Ice Arena, silence reigned. Not even the faintest breath could be heard. Those from the Domain of the Baidan Holy Kingdom seemed struck by lightning, their bodies trembling before they fell utterly still.

“Donggong Qianxue, you wretched woman, let me go!”

Hua Wuhen’s eyes bulged. Terror and pain contorted his face into something fearsome. His body, riddled with gaping wounds from the phoenix’s claws, poured blood, his appearance wretched beyond compare.

But then, suddenly, he realized that the power gripping him had vanished. He glanced quickly and saw that the final flower on the Wheel of Years tree had quietly fallen.

Donggong Qianxue’s divine phoenix form dissolved into nothingness, revealing her true body.

With a thud, as the phoenix claws disappeared, Hua Wuhen’s body plummeted from the sky and crashed onto the icy platform. He was a pitiful sight, his body marred with several gaping holes.

He exhaled a long breath, his face ashen. “Thank goodness, thank goodness!” If that last flower had fallen even a second later, he would have died.

In the air, Donggong Qianxue’s true form did not fall, but remained standing, lifeless and motionless. Her figure was stooped, her hair snowy white. One arm was outstretched, still frozen in a grasping motion.

Amidst a crowd of a million, absolute silence prevailed. Time itself seemed frozen.

Everyone sat there in stupefied shock, mouths agape. Even Dantai Wushuang, seated atop her snowy beast in the heavens, was motionless, her exquisite face filled with horror.

Donggong Qianxue stood quietly in the air. Though her body was hunched and her features withered to the extreme, she still radiated an extraordinary aura, her white hair billowing in the wind. She seemed to have perished entirely, not a trace of life remaining.

The memory of her titanic battle against the four royal heirs replayed in everyone’s minds. The four most outstanding young champions of the Holy Kingdoms, armed with the greatest treasures—even the national heirlooms—had been utterly routed by her.

“Hahaha!”

Hua Wuhen rose from the arena and threw back his head in wild laughter, staring up at Donggong Qianxue. Though his appearance was wretched beyond measure, his spirit soared. “Donggong Qianxue, you wretched woman, I really thought you could contend with the national heirloom of our Baidan Holy Kingdom. Now, you’re finally dead for good!”

He still held the long-necked white jade vial. The Wheel of Years tree upon it was now devoid of flowers.

“Yes, marvelous!”

Within the Baidan Holy Kingdom’s ranks, the Holy Sovereign Hua Manlou laughed aloud. “Hahaha! The outcome is clear! Of the thirty-six Holy Kingdoms of the Eastern Domain, only the prince of Baidan is worthy to enter the Sacred Realm!”

“Haha, what a fine day this is! Our Baidan Holy Kingdom must hold a great banquet in celebration!”

“Splendid! Truly splendid!”

The champions accompanying the Baidan Holy Kingdom were beside themselves with excitement, their faces flushed, arms raised in exultation, feeling as though they were treading on clouds.

“Xue’er…”

Donggong Fu trembled violently, his face drained of all color, utterly lost. The Holy Empress beside him sat in stunned silence, her delicate form shaking, tears streaming from her eyes until her face was awash with grief.

All around them, the champions of the Chunqiu Holy Kingdom clenched their fists, teeth grinding nearly to shattering.

Chen Changsheng gripped Chen Die’er’s small hand tightly, sitting among the crowd, his expression grim. Donggong Qianxue had once served as Die’er’s maid for a month; his ties with her ran deep.

Now, he had watched Donggong Qianxue die of old age before his very eyes, undone by Hua Wuhen’s Wheel of Years, and it pained him deeply.

“The prince of Baidan only won by relying on the national heirloom; it’s nothing to boast of. In terms of strength, he is far inferior to the princess of Chunqiu Holy Kingdom!”

“Exactly! The princess of Chunqiu Holy Kingdom was clearly more suited to enter the Sacred Realm!”

“She didn’t lose to the prince of Baidan, but to the power of their ancestral relic!”

Around the arena, waves of murmurs rose. Clearly, most present wished Donggong Qianxue had won the right to enter the Sacred Realm. Anyone with eyes could see that Donggong Qianxue’s power alone was more than enough to crush Hua Wuhen.

“I know many of you are dissatisfied with the outcome of this duel,” the Holy Sovereign Hua Manlou called out, his voice imbued with profound energy that suppressed all clamor. “You are right—the prince of Baidan did win by relying on our national heirloom. However, the outcome remains: our prince is the victor!”

He looked up into the sky at Dantai Wushuang, seated atop her snowy beast, and addressed her respectfully. “Fairy Dantai, now that the victor of the Banquet of Splendor has emerged, does our prince of Baidan Holy Kingdom have the right to enter the Sacred Realm?”

Dantai Wushuang’s brows knit slightly. She, too, felt a pang of regret at the outcome. Of the last five contenders, Donggong Qianxue, with her divine phoenix bloodline, was undoubtedly the strongest. Yet, in the end, she had not prevailed.

After a moment’s pause, she finally nodded and spoke, “Since the rules of the Banquet of Splendor state that the victor earns entry to the Sacred Realm, the rules will not be changed. I now declare: among the princes and princesses of the thirty-six Eastern Holy Kingdoms, the final right to enter the Sacred Realm goes to the prince of Baidan Holy Kingdom—Hua Wuhen!”

“Excellent, wonderful!”

Hua Manlou and all the Baidan champions erupted in jubilation. As for Hua Wuhen himself, he was so elated he could scarcely keep from falling to the ground and kissing it.