Tianshi'ao's expression didn't change; there wasn't the slightest hint of shock or terror. His face was cold as iron as he took a step back, creating space for his sword-swing.
At this extreme range, the Ten Grip Sword slashed down.
Ye Xueya's figure abruptly dissolved into illusion, allowing the Ten Grip Sword to pass through harmlessly, then solidified once more.
Truth and illusion as one: this was the Heart Moon Fox's signature skill. Just because she had advanced didn't mean she could no longer use it. However, as the Ten Grip Sword passed, the constellations above grew even more ethereal. Countless stars wobbled, on the verge of falling, and the North Dipper's light flickered and dimmed.
The sacred sword that had once slain the Giant Snake could not be so easily negated. Its divine destruction acted directly upon the Stigma, leaving a crack on Ye Xueya's newly advanced Stigma.
Both were wounded.
But Ye Xueya did not retreat; she advanced again. Between her outstretched fingers, the light of the North Dipper surged—Tian Shu, Tian Quan, Tian Xuan... Nine Stars, Seven Appears Two Hidden—converging as her fingers swept down again, forming a light so cold it pierced the Soul.
Instantly, layer upon layer of Fate converged at her fingertips. Amidst the shifting constellations, the blessing of destiny infused her most proficient ability, 'Can Shang,' causing a qualitative transformation.
Attired in triple purity, she spun the celestial axis and trod upon the nine stars!
This was the fundamental application of the North Dipper's Stigma, purely channeling her essence into her attack. A seemingly simple slash contained countless stacked effects—armor penetration, Must Hit, death curses, soul-jarring impacts... In the end, only one undeniable result remained: North Dipper's Death Notice!
Tianshi'ao was horrified.
Even with the Divine Imprint in hand, he didn't dare stand still and let Ye Xueya freely dictate his Fate. The Tengu Feathers quivered, and he vanished into thin air, reappearing ten paces away, a fresh 'Can Shang' slash mark already on his chest.
This time, the piercing starlight clung to the wound, refusing to dissipate. Wisps of blood continuously vaporized from it, a truly ghastly sight.
"You really are crazy..."
The Crow Tengu gasped heavily. Even with the Miracle Imprint at his disposal, Ye Xueya had driven him into a corner. But what he found even more unbelievable was Ye Xueya's resolve.
"You rushed your advancement; your foundation was already unstable. And now you dare to fight me? Aren't you afraid your Divine Nature will run rampant and turn you into a Solidifier?"
"I'm not afraid. Are you?"
Ye Xueya smiled, stepping forward, closing in.
This woman was completely insane.
No, who in their right mind would choose to advance right in front of an enemy? Such a crude advancement almost certainly meant she had severed her own future path!
After struggling for so many years, how could he not know Ye Xueya's depths? This path of sublimation seemed to reflect the constellations, but its essence had nothing to do with astrology; it corresponded directly to Fate. Each Stigma corresponded directly to a particular Fate. It was as if the moment she advanced to Heart Moon Fox, the Social Security Bureau had tossed her into the Border. The Heart Moon Fox was an omen of disaster and chaos; her specialty was inciting conflict. Wherever she went, she'd stir up trouble even when there was none. And indeed, this woman hadn't disappointed, wreaking havoc wherever she passed, causing countless incidents in the Border. Her destructive power was terrifying. It was just a pity that with no dragons in the world, her path of sublimation was effectively cut short. The Heart Moon Fox of the Shang Mansion, upon breaking through, should have become the Azure Dragon of the East. Otherwise, why would she have been stuck at the Third Stage for so long?
Sending her here to advance was a brilliant move, but wasn't it also born from the desperation of having no other path forward?
Relying on long-term accumulation of Source Substance and using her Soul Ability to forcibly unite Can Shang, she had impressively broken through the Third and Fourth Stages. However, once Tianshi'ao calmed down and considered it carefully, he realized this woman had completely run out of road.
Her path forward was severed. This road was even more desperate than that of the Heart Moon Fox.
Even setting aside her insufficient foundation, advancing beyond the North Dipper led to Zwei, which required supreme central authority, the status of an Emperor. In other words, for her to reach the Fifth Stage, either she would have to become the Emperor of Dongxia, or Xuan Niao would have to relinquish the position of Owner of the Genealogy to her. Even if Xuan Niao were willing, all the others would definitely not agree. In other words, in this lifetime, she was stuck at the Fourth Stage...
As if guessing his thoughts, a cold smirk touched Ye Xueya's lips.
"You see, this is the difference between us. Our perspectives are not the same."
Behind her, the star chart of the nine stars of the North Dipper reemerged. Starlight converged, transforming light into iron, forming a pitch-black Longsword in her hands. The spine of the sword reflected the Crow Tengu's astonished face, as if to draw him into this inescapable Fate.
"Some things, you cherish them to death..."
A chilling voice suddenly echoed beside Tianshi'ao's ear, laden with disdain from on high,
"—But I... don't give a damn."
The next moment, the Sword Blade plunged down.