Xue Mei looked at the two of them, the cold in her eyes growing even more intense. She said coldly, "I'm curious as well. What wind brought Song Junwan here? Get out of my way!"

With that, she waved her hand, and the blood-red plum blossoms began to move again.

Song Junwan's smile suddenly turned icy. "Du Xuemei, this is the Middle Peak. Don't let your rashness get the better of you!" [1. This clarifies why it's Xue Mei, not Xue Mei, as Xue Mei is her first name, her surname is Du. As people might ask, yes, this Du character is the same as Du Lingfei's. Remember that sharing the same surname doesn't necessarily confirm a relation or connection. For example, Xu Xiaoshan and Xu Baocai share the same surname, but it doesn't mean they're from the same family.]

She waved her right hand, causing the spell that covered the area to suddenly erupt. Earlier, Xue Mei had barely forced part of it to work, but now, the whole thing was happening. The bloody plum blossoms shattered into a vast amount of Blood Qi. Most of it dispersed, though some of it was absorbed by Xue Mei.

Xue Mei lifted her chin and arrogantly said, "Mind your own business, since you're here!"

When she looked at Song Junwan, her expression was different from when she looked at others; it was a sneer, deliberate provocation.

"This is my business. I dare you to do something to Nightcrypt! Try it and see what happens!" Sneering, Song Junwan's right hand flashed with spell gestures, and she waved a hand at the ground. In an instant, the spell formation expanded, and all of the fingers were lit up in a blink. Song Junwan's gaze was as mocking and provocative as Xue Mei's.

Feeling moved, Yan Xiaobao stayed behind Song Junwan, hating Xue Mei.

Xue Mei took a step forward, her cultivation base erupting with power, transforming into nine swirling tornadoes reaching high into the sky. This was the formidable power of the Earthstring Foundation Establishment and the nine Tideflows. "I initially planned to simply teach him a lesson with my hands. But since you are now protecting him, I guess I'll end his life!"

Yan Xiaobao's eyes glittered; deep down, he despised Xue Mei even more. If he could reveal his Heavenly Dao Foundation, then his finger would leave her stunned in shock.

"Others may fear your identity, but not Song Junwan. I don't care. If you harm a single hair on Nightcrypt's head, I'll cut off one of your fingers!" Song Junwan also took a step forward, unleashing the power of her cultivation base. Although she didn't have nine swirling Tideflows, she was in the late Foundation Establishment stage; the quality of power she wielded couldn't compare to Xue Mei's, but the absolute quantity was overwhelming!

As the power of the two clashed, the sound of cracking echoed out. The plants and trees in the area were shredded as the shockwaves spread, causing the hearts of the Foundation cultivators to tremble.

It was clear that Xue Mei was not a match; after their initial clash, she staggered backward.

Yan Xiaobao was so shaken, not knowing what to do or say. He could hardly believe that this beautiful elder treated him so well. She offended Xue Mei, even putting herself at risk for his sake. Although Yan Xiaobao felt a single hair was more valuable than a finger, he was still deeply touched by this elder's kindness.

"She truly treats me well," he thought. "What should I do...?" Feeling a headache, he hovered behind Song Junwan, glaring sullenly at Xue Mei.

Xue Mei breathed a cold gust. She burned with fury, her eyes ablaze, and waved her right index finger, causing a beam of white light to shoot out from her pouch. It transformed into a small white bell, with a surface etched with a smiling face. However, upon closer examination, the face seemed almost to be crying. If used for too long, your scalp would start to tingle, your heart would fill with fear.

As soon as the bell appeared, a strange aura spread all around. When it merged into the nine Tideflow whirlpools, the Tideflow energy burst forth, filling the area with a great rumbling sound. Oddly, the bell's power seemed to fuse with the nine Tideflow whirlwinds.

In an instant, the area's energy surged, and the bell began to grow larger, until it was 30 meters tall. As it hovered in mid-air, it radiated infinite power and pressure.

Xue Mei's eyes glittered. Thanks to the assistance of this magical artifact, the power of her cultivation base continued to rise, until it was on par with Song Junwan's level!

Clearly, the bell's sound might affect the emotions of those who heard it. The faces of the onlookers flickered, and even Song Junwan's pupils contracted.

Obviously, this wasn't a magical artifact tailored for Foundation Establishment cultivators. Considering Xue Mei's status, everyone knew it was a precious treasure given to her by her homeless, unattached father.

One could only imagine how powerful a precious treasure a Clan Leader might give to his beloved daughter.

Song Junwan clenched her teeth. She had never gotten along with Xue Mei, and they were currently engaged in a broader power struggle. Despite their mutual dislike spanning many years without success, Song Junwan's current cultivation base was far stronger than Xue Mei's. However, the precious treasure provided by Patriarch Limitless was enough to fill her with dread.

Yet, Xue Mei's heart trembled with fear too. She might possess a valuable treasure, but in terms of cultivation base, she was no match for Song Junwan. Furthermore, she couldn't truly compete once official status was gained within the sect.