Amidst the Sword Gall Iron Ore Mountain, Yang Hong stopped to rest again.
The turmoil of the spiritual energy was becoming more severe. To speed up digging the tunnel, he had been constantly using the "Clear Wind Body Forging Technique," resulting in his entire body being covered in bloody gashes.
These were the scars left by ruptured fine meridians and blood vessels!
In this area of spiritual energy turmoil, he couldn't even heal himself.
This was the most desperate he had ever felt since cultivating immortality!
Even when he was trapped in spatial rifts and his skin was torn and scraped by spatial forces, it hadn't felt this dangerous, this hopeless.
Looking at the women beside him, Yang Hong's despair deepened.
He even doubted whether bringing them to escape from Empress Puji's seal was the right decision.
If they hadn't left that seal, perhaps they would be enjoying hot pot amidst falling snowflakes right now.
"Husband, we have no regrets. As long as we can be by your side, we, we have no regrets!"
Seeing Yang Hong's guilty expression, as if guessing his thoughts, Zhu Yuyan held his hand, gently comforting him while wiping his bloodstains with a handkerchief.
"Mmm~ It's truly wonderful to have you all by my side."
Yang Hong temporarily put away his wandering thoughts, returning Zhu Yuyan's gentle smile.
However, Yang Hong's handsome face was now scarred, making his smile appear somewhat ferocious,
and causing those who saw it immense heartache.
Even Yang Hong himself hadn't expected that simply digging a tunnel would cause all his tiny blood vessels to burst, including those on his face and the top of his head.
At this moment, he looked as if he had been immersed in blood.
"Mmm~ We, will be together."
Li Lizhi and the others also crowded closer, tightly gripping Yang Hong's hand, tears welling up in their eyes, but they dared not let them fall.
"Alright~ Don't worry, I only look tragic. In reality, as long as I enter a normal range of spiritual energy, I can heal my injuries in the time it takes to brew a cup of tea."
"Moreover, after this minor injury, the seal on my cultivation has loosened slightly. I believe I can break this cultivation seal once the injury heals."
Seeing his wives' worried expressions, Yang Hong smiled and spoke again to reassure them.
"Mmm~ Mmm~ Husband is the most amazing, I believe you will recover soon."
Zhou Fengzhi, who had squeezed into the crowd, also took out a handkerchief to wipe the bloodstains from Yang Hong's face.
"Alright, no need to worry anymore. We should be safe now. No gravel has shot in for over an hour, so this depth should be safe."
Yang Hong's blood-stained face wore a smile, a smile of relief.
All injuries were worth it for the sake of escaping with their lives.
Now, he could barely lift a finger; he was truly exhausted and drained.
"It was all exchanged with husband's life. Indeed, no sand has shot in at this depth for over an hour.
By the way, husband, I collected a lot of the sand that shot in. I found that this sand consists of various spirit iron ores, such as Jun Iron, Geng Gold, Cloud Buddha Essence Gold, and even Sword Heart Iron. The lowest quality sand is Grade Seven Spirit Iron, and its purity is already very high."
After resting for a while, Li Lizhi suddenly handed a storage ring to Yang Hong.
"Grade Seven Spirit Iron?
That makes sense! To penetrate over ten miles of Grade Six Sword Gall Iron Ore Mountain, only Grade Seven spirit iron and above could do it.
Hiss~~"
As he spoke, Yang Hong's expression suddenly changed, and he gasped in surprise!
"What's wrong? Is there a problem? Did we hurt you?"
Seeing Yang Hong's sudden change in expression, Zhu Yuyan, who was wiping his bloodstains, immediately stopped in concern.
"Grade Nine Spirit Iron, Essence of Geng Gold!"
As he spoke, a sesame-seed-sized golden grain of sand appeared before Yang Hong.
This seemingly inconspicuous grain of sand exuded a sharp metallic aura!
This was not Geng Gold, but the refined essence of Geng Gold after tempering. It was a Grade Nine Spirit Gold, the Essence of Geng Gold!
"Hiss~"
"Hiss~"
Everyone present was an old cultivator who had cultivated for two hundred years. They understood basic knowledge of spiritual items. Even if they weren't proficient in artifact forging, the knowledge of the five elements' essences:
Jia-Yi Wood, Bing-Ding Fire, Ren-Gui Water, Wu-Ji Earth, and Geng-Xin Gold, was fundamental knowledge they were bound to know.
Geng Gold and Xin Gold were generally Grade Seven Spirit Iron. Although rare, they could still be found in ore veins.
Spiritual items like the Essence of Geng Gold could only be obtained by refining large amounts of Geng Gold, or they had a very small chance of forming in underground molten ore veins.
Regardless of the possibility, it meant that a Geng Gold ore vein had appeared.
It also meant that this "Black Despair" could destroy that Geng Gold ore vein.
To be able to destroy a Geng Gold ore vein, and still blow in the continuously tempering wind, how terrifying must that be.
"Husband, give me the shovel, I'll dig a bit deeper."
"Give me some too, I'll dig as well!"
Thinking of the terror of the Black Despair, Li Lizhi and Zhu Yuyan couldn't sit still. Yang Hong didn't refuse, and took out seven crescent shovels from his storage ring using his divine sense.
Geng Gold was a Grade Seven spirit iron, harder and more solid than Grade Six Sword Gall Iron. If Black Despair could destroy a Geng Gold mine, then a Sword Gall Iron mine would be even less of a challenge.
"Crrunch~ Crrunch~"
As Zhu Yuyan and the other seven were digging vigorously, Yang Hong heard a crisp crunching sound.
He looked up in surprise, his divine sense instantly locating the spot where Mu Xiuhui had died.
A Grade Seven kasaya, with a red face, golden base, and purple patterns, was shattering!
And on the surface of the kasaya, there was a small red grain of sand exuding a scorching aura!
His divine sense continued outwards. His divine sense, which was previously unable to penetrate the mountain, could now see the outside world.
In the darkness, countless dark red sand grains were moving at incredible speeds. In just a few breaths, Yang Hong's divine sense felt as if it were being burned.
"4 li! There are only 4 li of mountain body left, and it's rapidly decreasing."
Yang Hong's expression changed drastically again. He forced himself to stand up.
However...
"Bang~"
He had just stood up when he fell to the ground.
He truly had no strength left to stand, even forcibly channeling his vital energy couldn't get him to his feet.
"Husband~ We will be alright."
The seven women who were still digging paused. Then, Li Xuefeng stopped digging, walked over to Yang Hong, held his body, and said gently.
"Should~ perhaps."
Yang Hong didn't mention the situation outside. His face, stained anew with blood, showed a helpless, wry smile.
"Husband, you'll be alright."
Li Xuefeng smiled gently, warmly, but in her eyes, a resolute determination flickered. As she spoke, she took out all her magical artifacts and used her divine sense to systematically block the tunnel behind them.
Yang Hong naturally noticed this action and could only shake his head helplessly.
The 4 li of mountain body was not an obstacle for Li Xuefeng and the others, who had cultivated to the sixth stage of the Nascent Soul realm, Divine Transformation early stage, with the "Great Five Elements True Scripture." They could also see the situation outside.
"Black Despair~ Black Despair~ So, this is Black Despair. Black Despair with no hope of survival."
Suddenly, Yang Hong understood why the sandstorm in the Xīguài region of the Purple Kun Mountains was called Black Despair.
Truly, once the sandstorm descended, all living beings within the covered area could only face endless despair.
"Husband~ You must live well."
Suddenly, Li Xuefeng smiled gently and said.
Yang Hong was first stunned, then looked at Li Xuefeng's right leg.
There was a thumb-sized puncture!
It had been hit by sand accelerated by the "Black Despair."
"No~ Don't! Quickly move aside!"
Yang Hong suddenly roared!
His divine sense detected more sand grains approaching.
In response to Yang Hong's shout, Li Xuefeng just smiled and shook her head, not moving.
"Your Highness, Sixth Highness, Husband, Xuefeng was originally just a victim of court struggles, a weak woman about to be beheaded. But I was fortunate enough to be favored by Husband and escape with my life."
"In the Pavilion of Deliberate Neglect, Xuefeng met Husband and began to be exposed to martial arts, and then learned to cultivate immortality. Originally, a mortal ant with a lifespan of no more than a hundred years, I have lived for 245 years. Xuefeng is content."
"In this life, Xuefeng has seen countless scenes that ordinary mortals and even ordinary cultivators cannot witness. Xuefeng is content."
"Xuefeng was fortunate to receive Husband's affection, but I could not bear him a son or daughter. This is the regret in Xuefeng's heart. I hope in the next life, Xuefeng will be Husband's wife..."
Warm words of affection flowed from Li Xuefeng's lips.
Yang Hong tried desperately to stand up, but he was already powerless.
"Husband~ Live on!"
With infinite lingering affection, Li Xuefeng bid farewell to Yang Hong one last time. Her Nascent Soul separated from her broken body, contracted inwards, and finally disappeared as a brilliant golden light.
Li Xuefeng, perished!