As the lone cultivator soared towards the crystal, the crowd erupted into chaos. The Frozen Sangfroid Temple monks sprang into action, launching a barrage of icy Qi blasts at the man. The Abyssal Night Sect members also released a volley of dark, shadowy tendrils, aiming to ensnare him.
Mira covered the area with her Soul Sense, taking in everything. She knew this was her chance. With everyone's attention diverted, she could make her move. But first, she had to navigate through the chaos that had broken out.
'If I just rush toward it now, it'll be too noticeable. If I'm going to be public enemy number one, I want to already have the treasure in my possession.' Mira thought as she slowly made her way to the back of the crowd.
The area was filled with energy as the various sects and factions unleashed their powers. Ice clashed with fire, lightning streaked across the sky, and the ground shook with the impact of earth-based techniques.
In the midst of this, Mira darted forward using her [Glacial Mirage Steps] to help keep her main body hidden. She activated the [Hidden World] technique and concealed her aura as much as possible.
Now, even if someone was looking at her, they might not be able to see her.
She weaved through the battling cultivators, ensuring she didn't get hit. Her goal was the crystal, but she had to be smart about it.
The lone cultivator that lept for the treasure struggled to fend off the relentless assaults. He managed to deflect a few attacks but was quickly becoming overwhelmed. "Back off! It's mine!" he roared, his aura flaring wildly.
Only for someone much stronger than him to get tired of his presence and smack him away like a bug with a giant ice hand.
Meanwhile, a group of mercenaries saw an opportunity and charged towards the crystal.
"I should be able to sell this for enough Contribution Points to buy that Dragon Bone Pill!" One of them exclaimed, while the other snorted.
"You? I'm gonna snatch that thing and buy the Elixir of the Golden Sun!"
"Heh~! What? Are your 13 wives sucking you dry every night? I didn't know a Soul Transformation Realm cultivator could become impotent! Hahahaha!"
"...Bastard. I'll fucking kill you…"
"What? Did I say something wrong? The only reason you'd need that is to improve your… you know."
"..."
BOOM!
The mercenary who wanted the Elixir of the Golden Sun unleashed a wave of golden fire toward his companions, nearly burning to a crisp.
"Think whatever you want, but that thing is mine!" He shouted before waving his sword and launching another attack. The men had to block his attacks, but by the time it was over, he was already halfway toward the crystal.
"That asshole!" They gritted their teeth and chased after him.
They brandished swords and spears, shouting war cries. But they were quickly intercepted by a contingent of Frozen Sangfroid Temple disciples, who formed a barrier of ice to block their path.
Mira rolled her eyes and continued her approach, her gaze locked on the crystal. She could feel its power slowly rising with every passing moment. It was drawing her in, calling to her.
Just as she was about to reach the crystal, a powerful blast of energy surged towards her. Reacting swiftly, Mira summoned a barrier of wind around herself, deflecting the attack.
She glanced back to see a group of Abyssal Night Sect members, their eyes filled with malice. "She's going for the crystal!" one of them shouted.
Mira didn't have time to waste. She accelerated, her [Paragon Wings] unfurling behind her, propelling her forward. She shot towards the crystal, her hand outstretched.
But just as she was about to grasp it, the crystal exploded in a burst of icy fire, sending a shockwave that knocked everyone back.
Mira was thrown to the ground, her illusion dispelled by the force of the blast. She quickly got to her feet, shaking her head to clear it.
'What the fuck was that?' Mira wondered as she didn't sense a thing before the attack hit her. With how sensitive she was to these kinds of things, especially after her 'evolution', that was something that almost never happened.
Hell, she could even sense Aelina's presence as long as the woman wasn't trying to hide, a feat that even many Mortal Shedding Realm elders would have a problem with.
The crowd was in disarray, everyone dazed and confused.
They all looked up and noticed that the fire inside the ice crystal was noticeably bigger, yet the outer layer was smaller–almost like it was shedding. It was still about the size of a small mountain but was at least 10% smaller.
'Kind of reminds me of Elenei.' Mira thought and figured this treasure would be perfect for the Frozen Ash Dracophoenix, but… 'I want the treasure.' Her blood-red eyes were ablaze with greed.
If this treasure was useful to her and she got it first, there was no way she was just going to give it away. Rather, even if she couldn't use it, she might not even give it away–not for free.
Suddenly, Mira felt the connection between her and Elenei shorten, causing her expression to change. At first, she thought it could've been a fluke, but then she sensed Elenei accelerate and knew that the woman was heading straight here.
'Fuck! She must've sensed the treasure!' Mira's eyes narrowed as she felt a sense of urgency. In the same Realm, Elenei wasn't any weaker than her. In fact, in some ways, she was more powerful.
Elenei's agility, raw power, and ability to fly were on par or superior to her. As soon as she got her hands on the Crystal, there likely wasn't anyone here who could stop her.
'Looks like I need to speed things up a bit. I probably have less than a minute before she arrives. If I don't have it in my grasp by then, while dealing with the rest of these people will be easier, taking the treasure for myself might not be possible anymore.' Mira thought as she started planning out a strategy.
Mira decided to abandon her disguise since she'd already been found out. It also took her a substantial amount of Qi to keep it up when she was around the crystal.
Her [Paragon Wings] unfurled majestically, this time much bigger, around 10 meters wide, and she leaped into the air with her scythe in hand.
Below her, the factions were still embroiled in a fierce battle. The Frozen Sangfroid Temple and Abyssal Night Sect clashed while also keeping the Unorthodox Factions at bay. The mercenaries and rogue cultivators, however, turned their attention towards Mira.
Mira clicked her tongue in annoyance but decided to meet them head-on. She dived into the melee and used her [Cyclone of the Frozen Moon] to keep up the momentum as she sliced through her opponents.
"Die, you damned beast!" One of the mercenaries shouted from behind, only for him to be bisected vertically and fall to the ground with a splat.
Mira never even spared the man a glance and continued on.
She moved so smoothly through the chaos that if she weren't cutting people into pieces, it would've looked quite beautiful.
"I won't let you take it!" a cultivator from the Frozen Sangfroid Temple shouted, lunging at Mira with a spear coated in frost.
Mira parried the spear with her scythe, twisting it out of the monk's hands. With a swift kick, she sent him sprawling to the ground and ignored him.
As she fought her way through the crowd, the crystal's aura grew stronger. The fire inside it blazed with increasing intensity, its light nearly blinding.
Mira was now mere meters away from the crystal. She extended her hand, ready to claim her prize, when suddenly, the sky darkened.
A massive ship, floating in the air, appeared overhead. It was a behemoth, its hull adorned with intricate runes and symbols. Mira's eyes narrowed as she failed to recognize who it belonged to, but it was likely a powerful sect or organization.
'Central Continent? Or someone else?' Mira wondered with narrowed eyes before she saw something that caused her to dash forward.
The ship fired a giant harpoon towards the crystal, attached to a net meant to ensnare it. Mira's heart raced. She couldn't let them take it! This was hers!
Just as the harpoon was about to hit the crystal, Elenei appeared in a flash of icy brilliance. "Dammit! That's mine!" she bellowed.
Together, Mira and Elenei created a massive ice barricade around the crystal, encasing it in a protective shell.
The harpoon and net collided with the ice, and their momentum halted. The ship's crew tried to pull back the harpoon, but the ice held firm.
Below, the factions ceased their fighting, staring up in awe and anger at the newcomer.
Mira and Elenei stood side by side, their eyes fixed on the ship. "They dare to challenge us? To take what's mine?" Mira growled, her aura flaring.
"What do you think? Whoever destroys the ship gets the loot?" Elenei asked with a slight grin.
"Deal!" Mira nodded and shot upward, creating a sonic boom.
