Yue Qingning found herself in a predicament, caught between a rock and a hard place.
She could indeed abandon Ye Ling and flee alone, but the cost would be more than just losing an ally.
Her alliance with Ye Ling to kill Bai Qing was a clear violation of the rules. If other Chaos Sovereigns and Great Dao Immortal Lords discovered this, they would surely not spare her!
Even if she successfully escaped the domain universe, once her actions on Earth reached the ears of the Remnant Evil Lord, she and her Tianqing Dao Palace would surely perish!
However, if she did not abandon Ye Ling, and waited for Bai Qing's reinforcements to arrive, with Bai Qing's terrifying healing abilities, her and Ye Ling's chances of killing Bai Qing would be as slim as a fantasy.
"What should I do..."
As Yue Qingning hesitated while looking at Ye Ling, whose eyes were closed, another powerful pressure descended from the heavens, piercing the barrier and bearing down on her!
"This is..."
Yue Qingning's eyes flickered as she felt the pressure. She immediately turned and looked, only to see an old man in yellow robes emerging from the void.
"The Pavilion Master of Tianxing Pavilion, Patriarch Miedao!"
Yue Qingning exclaimed, her heart growing even heavier. She never expected the person to be this formidable!
Patriarch Miedao was not only a Chaos Sovereign but also mastered the complete Great Dao of Space-Time. Among the strong cultivators who had entered the domain, his strength ranked in the upper-middle tier!
Even more grimly, Patriarch Miedao's attainments in barriers were no less than Yue Qingning's.
In other words, Patriarch Miedao's arrival meant the crushing of Yue Qingning's hope of escape!
Seeing Patriarch Miedao arrive, Bai Qing's face lit up with joy. He quickly said to Patriarch Miedao, "Patriarch Miedao, quickly reinforce my barrier and don't let Ye Ling and Yue Qingning escape!"
Patriarch Miedao descended beside Bai Qing, glanced at Ye Ling and Yue Qingning within the barrier, and then asked Bai Qing, "You haven't notified anyone else about Ye Ling being here, have you?"
Bai Qing replied, "I'm not that foolish. I've only notified you so far. According to our previous agreement, I'll give you Ye Ling's head, but in return, you must help me kill Yue Qingning. Her Chaos Heart will be mine. Furthermore, upon returning to the outer domain, your Tianxing Pavilion needs to help me conquer Tianqing Dao Palace, and all spoils of war will be mine."
"No problem," Patriarch Miedao agreed to Bai Qing's conditions without hesitation, and then quickly formed seals, helping Bai Qing reinforce the barrier.
Although Bai Qing's demands were very harsh, compared to Ye Ling's head, Bai Qing's demands were insignificant.
As long as he could exchange Ye Ling's head for the Great Dao Heart, he wouldn't mind even if it meant Tianxing Pavilion and Tianqing Dao Palace annihilated each other!
Seeing Patriarch Miedao reinforcing the barrier, a flicker of despair flashed in Yue Qingning's eyes.
In the moment of her hesitation, she had lost the best opportunity to escape.
She was now like a trapped beast in a cage, waiting for the butcher from outside to come and slaughter her!
Bai Qing put away the Tianxu Dao Lotus and walked into the barrier with Patriarch Miedao. He smiled at Yue Qingning and said, "Yue Qingning, I gave you a chance to escape just now, but you didn't cherish it. Now you have no chance to escape."
"Your Chaos Heart... I will gladly accept it."
Patriarch Miedao stood with his hands behind his back and said to Yue Qingning indifferently, "Yue Qingning, you are no match for me and Fairy Guyue. Give up your resistance. I promise to let you die without pain."
"Never!"
Although Yue Qingning was somewhat desperate, she did not intend to wait for death. She shattered the vines that were entwining her and stood alone in front of Ye Ling, preparing to fight both of them.
Escaping was now out of the question. Her only hope was to protect Ye Ling until he woke up.
If Ye Ling woke up, it would be two against two, and perhaps there would be a glimmer of hope for victory.
Seeing Yue Qingning blocking Ye Ling, Patriarch Miedao sneered, "How foolish. Fine... Let me see how strong the renowned Shadow Fairy truly is!"
As Patriarch Miedao's voice fell, he vanished from his spot!
The next moment, Yue Qingning felt a massive pressure coming from above. She quickly looked up and saw Patriarch Miedao descending from the sky, a giant golden palm striking down!
Seeing the giant palm coming, Yue Qingning was not to be outdone. Her spiritual energy surged wildly within her, and she lunged towards the golden giant palm!
However, just as Yue Qingning was preparing her attack, a large number of vines shot out from the ground again, entangling her feet!
Yue Qingning's attack was instantly disrupted, and she lost her balance in mid-air!
Bai Qing sneered, "Yue Qingning, your opponent is not just Patriarch Miedao!"
"Damn it!"
Yue Qingning quickly struggled to break free from the entangling vines, but it was too late to disrupt Patriarch Miedao's attack. She could only watch as the golden giant palm in the sky pressed down!
Boom!!!
The giant light palm fiercely pressed onto the ground, causing the earth to completely collapse. A deafening roar echoed within the barrier, and thick smoke and dust filled the surroundings, obscuring everyone's vision!
At this moment, a green light flashed, instantly dispelling the surrounding smoke and dust. A massive palm print appeared on the ground!
Bai Qing put away the Tianxu Dao Lotus again and walked to the edge of the palm print, looking into the center of the pit. He saw Yue Qingning lying on top of Ye Ling, her aura extremely weak.
Bai Qing dispelled Ye Ling's rune seal, retrieved his ancient zither, and said with a light smile, "The outcome is decided."
Patriarch Miedao stood in the void, looking down at Yue Qingning with a cold snort, "Truly foolish... To not defend against my attack, but instead use her own body to block the attack for Ye Ling!"
"Simply courting death!"
With that, Patriarch Miedao raised a hand, and a breath of chaos surged from his palm. An energy sphere condensed from chaotic power appeared and rapidly expanded!
Soon, a massive black energy sphere, comparable to the sun, floated above Patriarch Miedao's palm. The surrounding space collapsed due to the immense power!
Bai Qing looked at the energy sphere Patriarch Miedao was brewing, a flicker of obsession in his eyes. He murmured, "Such pure and beautiful power... With Patriarch Miedao's attack, Yue Qingning will likely be turned to ashes..."
Yue Qingning felt the terrifying pressure emanating from above her. She struggled to prop herself up, looking at Ye Ling, who lay unconscious beneath her. A trace of helplessness flashed in her eyes as she said, "Ye Ling... If you don't wake up soon, we'll truly have nowhere to die!"
As Yue Qingning whispered, Patriarch Miedao finished brewing his killing blow and threw the chaotic energy sphere in his hand down.
Rumble!
Wherever the chaotic energy sphere passed, space-time collapsed, and the already dilapidated ground shattered again!
If not for the barrier helping to stabilize it, the mere pressure of the energy sphere would have caused the entire domain universe to collapse!
Yue Qingning felt the terrifying energy surging from behind her, no longer able to resist. She could only embrace Ye Ling again, using her remaining strength to protect him, and said, "So be it... At least one of us will live..."
Buzz—!
Just as the chaotic energy sphere was about to crush Yue Qingning, a strange sound suddenly emanated from within Ye Ling!
A domain that had never existed before... spread out with Ye Ling at its center!