Martial Peak - Rise Of The Human Emperor-Chapter 85 -Su Yan’s Wrath & Rescue

Some people managed to gain benefits, but many others weren't so lucky—they lost their lives.

The disciples from the three schools had banded together under the leadership of their top talents to deal with several powerful Monster Beasts. There were nine in total, each one a terrifying creature that had reached the Sixth-Order realm. Fortunately, these beasts had only recently awakened from their long slumber and were still in a weakened state. If they had been at full strength, the cost to subdue them would've been far greater... and the death toll even higher.

"Before we left, we managed to kill eight out of the nine Monster Beasts," Hu Jiao Er said with a casual smile, though a faint edge of concern lingered in her tone. "The last one... it's the strongest. Probably at the peak of the Sixth Order. For now, no one dares to approach it."

"Just for the treasures guarded by those beasts, many disciples went absolutely insane," she added, her voice laced with disbelief.

Hu Mei Er nodded sharply, her brows furrowing. "Yes. I never imagined so many people would risk everything—killing, stealing, even betraying allies—just to grab a few artifacts."

The three of them continued chatting while making their way out of the cave, their footsteps echoing softly along the stone walls. But as soon as they stepped outside, a bone-rattling roar tore through the air, shaking the very earth beneath their feet. Dust rose, pebbles danced—and all three halted in their tracks.

A heavy silence followed.

"...Which brave idiot went and provoked it?" Hu Jiao Er sighed, her expression darkening.

According to what she'd said earlier, the last Monster Beast was on par with a Peak Immortal Ascension Boundary cultivator. That wasn't something any ordinary disciple—or even a group of them—could handle.

When the top disciples had led the charge to defeat the first eight beasts, the cost had been enormous. Many had died. And now? If someone had truly provoked that final creature, the bloodshed would be far worse.

"I'm going to take a look," Yang Kai said, his voice low but resolute. Without waiting, he pushed off the ground and launched forward like an arrow.

The Hu sisters reacted a moment later and shot after him.

But very quickly, they began to fall behind.

Yang Kai turned his head mid-flight to glance back and was surprised to see the two girls not only keeping up—but breathing in perfect sync. He narrowed his eyes.

Just what kind of inheritance did they obtain? he wondered. They weren't this fast before...

His gaze lingered a bit too long on the woman to his left. Her face turned pink under his scrutiny.

"What are you staring at me for?" she huffed.

Yang Kai frowned. "Are you Jiao Er or Mei Er?"

He couldn't tell them apart anymore.

The girl gave a teasing chuckle. "I'm Mei Er."

"No, I'm Mei Er," the other one cut in. "Elder sister, please don't confuse him. This is not the time for mischief."

"What? Who are you calling elder sister?" The one on the left shot back, clearly agitated. "You're the elder sister!"

"Please, elder sister, don't lie. He really can't tell who's who."

"I'm not lying—stop misleading him, elder sister!"

Yang Kai's head spun.

He stared at them both, feeling more confused with each passing second. Their identical features, synchronized movements, and playful bickering were impossible to keep up with.

The sisters suddenly burst into laughter.

He was being toyed with.

"We were just joking. You're not mad, right?" one of them said, both of their voices overlapping like echoes in a canyon.

Yang Kai sighed and shook his head. "I'm not."

"Then why the long face?" one of them chimed again. "Give us a smile!"

He coughed awkwardly and looked away, choosing not to respond.

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Several kilometers later, after traversing rugged terrain at high speed, the trio finally neared the source of the roar. But when they arrived and caught sight of the Monster Beast, all three froze as if they'd been struck by a freezing gale.

Before them stood a titanic Giant Tortoise.

It was easily a hundred meters long, a living mountain covered in thick, jagged armor. With every step, the ground quaked as if in reverence—or fear. Its massive tail, thick as a tree trunk and tipped like a warhammer, swept behind it, smashing into rocks and trees without even trying. Though it moved slowly, each footfall took it great distances.

Its carapace gleamed under the sunlight, crisscrossed with ancient, rune-like patterns. There was no doubt—this was a creature that had existed for thousands of years.

A storm of activity buzzed in the air. Over a hundred disciples from various factions were airborne, unleashing a relentless barrage of Martial Skills against the beast. Blades of wind, bursts of fire, icy spears—they struck again and again, lighting up the battlefield with power and desperation.

But the Giant Tortoise didn't flinch.

It stood firm, weathering the assault like a mountain against rain. Each roar it let out sent waves of dread through the crowd, and with every counterattack—swinging its tail or stomping the ground—disciples were sent flying, screaming as they crashed into the earth.

Even from afar, Yang Kai, Hu Jiao Er, and Hu Mei Er could feel the pressure. Their hearts pounded as they watched the hopeless struggle unfold before them.

When Yang Kai looked up into the sky, his eyes immediately caught sight of familiar figures soaring through the clouds.

Su Yan, Xie Hongchen, Lan Chudie, and many other recognizable faces were grouped together mid-air. Each one was a disciple of the High Heaven Pavilion.

Down below, the disciples of the Blood Battle Gang and Storm House stood at the sidelines, watching the unfolding chaos with gleeful expressions, clearly relishing the misfortune of their rivals.

Though Su Yan was undoubtedly the strongest among the High Heaven Pavilion disciples, even her icy Cold Yin Yuan Qi was only capable of slowing the rampaging Monster Beast. She danced in the air, leaving a trail of frost in her wake, but her attacks could barely hinder the beast's advance.

She was doing all she could to limit casualties among her sect members, holding the line with pure determination.

But the creature was a nightmare made real—its body armored in a natural tortoise shell as tough as any Defensive Sacred Treasure, its thick hide virtually impervious to ordinary attacks.

It was sluggish, yes, but its power was overwhelming. Unless one had reached the Immortal Ascension Boundary, they had no hope of even scratching it.

All around, the ground was littered with corpses. The bloodied robes and shattered limbs made it clear—they were disciples of the High Heaven Pavilion.

"To think they actually dared to provoke that thing," Hu Jiao Er muttered with a furrowed brow.

"But it couldn't have been Su Yan. She's not the type to act so recklessly."

As she spoke, a youth dashed toward their group, his expression flickering with affection—until his gaze landed on Yang Kai. His steps faltered, and his expression darkened.

"Jiao Er?" he called out, scanning the trio for her familiar face.

The real Hu Jiao Er stepped forward. "Long Jun. What happened here?"

Long Jun didn't hide the pleasure in his voice as he delivered the report, clearly enjoying the High Heaven Pavilion's plight.

"That fool Xie Hongchen tried to sneak in and steal the treasure that beast was guarding while it slept. He even brought a group with him. They thought they could get away with it—now look."

Yang Kai narrowed his eyes. "What did Xie Hongchen steal?"

If he hadn't taken anything, why would the Monster Beast chase him down with such relentless fury?

Long Jun looked Yang Kai up and down, his tone instantly turning condescending. "And who are you supposed to be?"

Hu Jiao Er rolled her eyes. "Just answer the question. I'm curious too."

Tamping down his ego, Long Jun shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure what he took. He claims he has nothing."

Hu Jiao Er scoffed in disbelief. "That's nonsense! The beast is clearly after him. It wouldn't chase someone so furiously for no reason."

Long Jun gave a slight nod. "I agree. But since he won't admit it, High Heaven Pavilion is stuck dealing with the fallout. If Su Yan weren't holding it off, most of them would already be dead."

Mei Er snorted coldly. "Hiding behind a woman like that—how shameless."

"I couldn't agree more," Long Jun added, nodding.

"Fang Zi Ji and I wanted to help, truly, but supporting someone like Xie Hongchen is... distasteful."

Of course, neither he nor Fang Zi Ji had any intention of risking themselves. Su Yan's power could only slow the beast, not stop it. If even she was struggling, how could they possibly contribute meaningfully?

Besides, why should they help Xie Hongchen protect something he stole? It was his mess. Let him clean it up.

No, they would bide their time. Once High Heaven Pavilion was desperate enough, Xie Hongchen would have no choice but to offer up what he'd stolen. That was when the other sects would swoop in to claim their share.

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Yang Kai's eyes remained locked on Su Yan.

Despite her composed expression, she was clearly worn out—her face pale, her breaths shallow.

She had expended a great deal of her Yuan Qi, yet there was not a trace of retreat in her stance.

With so many High Heaven Pavilion disciples fighting at her side, how could she possibly abandon them?

Doing so would mean certain death for dozens of her fellow sect members.

The only reason some of them were still alive was because of her.

Graceful as a butterfly in flight, Su Yan danced through the battlefield.

With each elegant movement, the air around her turned frigid. Ice blossomed from her fingertips, conjured out of thin air, and bloomed into crystalline flowers that shot toward the massive Monster Beast.

Wherever they struck, frost spread rapidly across its thick hide, forming patches of jagged ice that bit into its flesh and slowed its movements even further.

The frigid aura she exuded blanketed the battlefield, making the very air feel heavy and brittle with cold.

Meanwhile, cultivators on the ground launched a relentless barrage of fireballs at the giant tortoise's shell.

Fiery explosions rippled across its armored back, but they left no mark—each blast dissipated uselessly against its seemingly invulnerable carapace.

"Xie Hong Chen! I'll ask you one last time—what did you take?"

Su Yan's voice was like frost scraping across glass—clear, sharp, and biting. Her beautiful eyes remained fixed on the monstrous tortoise, unwavering in focus. Even as she spoke, she didn't allow her concentration to slip.

One moment of carelessness could cost lives.

Her aura was cold, not just in temperature but in intent—icy enough to make even her allies shiver.

But it was the name she called out that sent a wave of dread through the battlefield.

Xie Hong Chen, who stood not far behind, felt his heart seize.

Beads of sweat dripped from his forehead despite the freezing air around him. He had thought he could get away with it. He had assumed Su Yan wouldn't notice amidst the chaos. But now—

She knew.

And worse, she was angry.

He trembled slightly, his face losing color. Even the blazing battlefield and the roaring tortoise couldn't distract him from the cold dread settling in his gut.

He had never seen Su Yan like this—so furious, yet so terrifyingly calm.

"She's enraged..." he whispered to himself, as if saying it out loud would make it any less true.

Su Yan never lost her temper.

That was a truth known to all who had ever crossed paths with her—a woman as distant and untouchable as the moon above.

Graceful, composed, always in control. No matter the chaos, no matter the threat, her expression rarely changed.

She wielded her Ice Attribute Martial Skills with chilling elegance, never allowing emotion to disturb her calm.

But this time... was different.

Before her lay the mangled bodies of numerous High Heaven Pavilion disciples, blood soaking the earth in scarlet pools.

Their deaths had been senseless, cruel, and unnecessary. Many of them had followed her lead into battle, believing that with Su Yan at the front, victory—or at least survival—was assured.

And they had still died.

Because someone had made a selfish choice. Because someone had triggered the wrath of a beast they could not hope to defeat.

Her pale lips pressed into a thin line, and her clenched fists trembled. She, who was always unmoved—was angry.

As the most senior apprentice of High Heaven Pavilion, Su Yan carried a responsibility greater than any other disciple.

She was the face of the sect's next generation, a symbol of pride and power. She had never failed that burden... until now.

How could she remain indifferent when her juniors had perished before her very eyes?

How could she stand idle when their deaths had been caused not by the monster they fought—but by the greed of one of their own?

Her gaze turned to Xie Hong Chen once more. The temperature dropped sharply.

Xie Hong Chen hesitated.

His face twisted in fear and panic, his eyes darting about as if searching for an escape that didn't exist. The sharp chill in the air, the glimmering frost slowly creeping along the ground—it all warned him that Su Yan was only moments away from unleashing a storm.

But he quickly composed himself, forcing a bitter smile onto his face. "Su Yan," he said, voice shaking slightly.

"Why do you also suspect me? If I did take anything... how could I possibly hide it from you?"

He spread his arms dramatically, trying to appear sincere, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of guilt.

Su Yan's beautiful features contorted with icy rage. She burned—not with fire, but with hatred and loathing colder than winter's edge.

"Enough," she snapped, her voice like a blade slicing through the howling winds.

"High Heaven Pavilion disciples, fall back!"

Her cry echoed across the battlefield, crisp and commanding.

There was no point in continuing the siege. No amount of fireballs or ice flowers could pierce the thick, armored shell of the tortoise-like Monster Beast, and with so many already dead, staying longer would only mean more casualties.

None could say whether the beast would pursue them—but one truth was certain: their chances of surviving would increase drastically if they escaped now.

Her decision came not out of fear, but clarity.

As a leader, she had to value the lives of those who still remained. And if that meant swallowing her fury for now, so be it.

With a final glance at the unmoving beast and a seething glare at Xie Hong Chen, Su Yan turned, her icy aura flaring as she led the retreat.

With Su Yan's resolute command, the battlefield broke into chaos.

High Heaven Pavilion disciples, bloodied and pale, scattered in all directions, desperation etched into their faces.

The earlier unity had dissolved into a frantic scramble for survival.

The monstrous aura of the tortoise had not weakened—it had merely been restrained by Su Yan's power. Now, with her order to retreat, fear took hold of the others like wildfire.

The sky, once alight with streaks of Yuan Qi attacks and elemental fury, gradually dimmed as fewer disciples remained. The clamor of battle faded, replaced by the pounding of footsteps and the ragged gasps of the fleeing.

Yet a few brave or stubborn ones stayed behind, gritting their teeth as they tried to hold the line.

"Go! Now!" Su Yan shouted again, her voice cracking like thunder through the frozen air.

The ground rumbled ominously.

Then it happened.

The thick, frosty coating that had trapped the Monster Beast began to crack—splinters raced across its surface like lightning.

In the next breath, with a booming roar and a violent tremor, the ice shell shattered into countless shards, exploding outward in a burst of glacial energy.

The freed tortoise let out a guttural bellow, its giant limbs shifting, regaining mobility. Even if only partially restored, the little bit of regained speed was enough to spell doom for those who remained within its range.

Su Yan's heart dropped. The last chains had broken.

The situation was spiraling—fast.

The air cracked and hissed as Su Yan summoned forth her icy might.

The Monster Beast's thunderous roar still echoed in the valley, its massive form bulldozing past trees and stone alike, charging directly toward her with a murderous glare in its primal eyes.

Its tail, having just decimated several of her sectmates, now twitched with a dangerous rhythm, ready to strike again.

Blood mist lingered in the air where disciples had fallen.

Su Yan stood firm. Though pale and fatigued, her spirit was unyielding. She was a pillar to those behind her—a symbol of High Heaven Pavilion's dignity and pride. And if she had to die here to protect that pride, so be it.

With graceful yet swift movements, her fingers flowed through a series of hand seals—each sharper and more refined than the last.

The surrounding temperature plummeted. Frost slithered across the battlefield like living serpents, devouring all warmth. The sky above churned, and heavy grey clouds began to condense unnaturally.

Snow began to fall—not gentle, feathery flakes, but razor-sharp shards of ice that slashed as they descended. The trees creaked and groaned, their limbs cracking from the sudden cold.

A dome of glacial might formed around Su Yan, encasing her in an ethereal blue light.

The ground beneath the tortoise became slick, its claws scraping as it lost traction. Its charge slowed, each step becoming heavier, its limbs visibly stiffening under the sudden cold.

But even so, the beast roared in defiance.

Its eyes were fixed on her—its hatred locked. The source of its suffering stood right before it, and it would not stop until she was trampled beneath its weight.

Su Yan's long hair danced in the wind, and her delicate lips parted. "You want me, don't you?" she whispered, her voice carried only by the wind, "Then come."

Even the heavens seemed to pause for a heartbeat.

The enormous illusion behind Su Yan shimmered with a divine glow, like a goddess of ice made manifest. Its long, trailing robes fluttered without wind, and its presence exuded an ancient, noble chill—one that commanded awe and reverence. As it fully materialized, even the Monster Beast's charge slowed for a breath, its primal instincts warning it of an overwhelming threat.

The ethereal Su Yan raised her hand in perfect synchrony with the real one. Snowflakes crystallized midair and formed into thousands of razor-sharp blades of frost, orbiting her like a storm of swords.

Her real body remained steady, graceful like a swan drifting over a frozen lake. But the power gathering behind her made the air crackle and wail.

The earth trembled under the Tortoise's steps, its final dash like a crashing wave. But Su Yan's presence stood tall, like a mountain of ice unmoved by the tide.

She finally whispered—words so quiet, they were almost lost in the blizzard.

"Heavenly Ice Jade Maiden Form."

At that moment, time shattered.

The image behind her unleashed a wave of destructive frost.

It was not a mere attack—it was the embodiment of cold itself. The world turned white.

Snow, ice, frost, wind—everything surged forward, slamming into the Monster Beast like the wrath of a winter god.

The tortoise howled in pain as its limbs began to freeze, layer by layer, its thick shell cracking as frost forced its way into every crevice. Steam hissed as its internal fire fought back, but it was being overwhelmed. This was no ordinary ice—this was divine cold, borne from the deepest comprehension of Ice Attribute Martial Skills.

The Monster Beast's enormous bulk loomed like a falling mountain, its momentum still carrying it toward Su Yan even in its frozen state. Her eyes, heavy-lidded from exhaustion, fluttered open—just in time to see a red light racing toward her through the blur of snow.

She recognized him.

"Yang Kai..." she whispered, her voice lost in the wind.

In the next heartbeat, he was there.

He caught her.

One arm wrapped tightly around her waist, the other flaring behind him as he poured all his Yuan Qi into Divine Dragon's Wings—two blazing arcs of golden-red light burst out from his back, slicing the air behind him. The wings beat once, sending them hurtling sideways just in time as the Monster Beast's frozen body crashed into the ground beneath them with a thunderous quake that split the earth.

BOOOOM!

Shards of shattered ice shot in every direction. A towering column of mist and frost surged up from the impact site. But the red light had already vanished from danger, reappearing a hundred meters away in the sky—Yang Kai cradling Su Yan in his arms.

She looked up at him, her face pale, lips red with blood, hair tousled from wind and battle.

Around them, the battlefield had gone still. The icy tempest faded. The roaring winds dispersed. The once-unstoppable Monster Beast lay frozen, unmoving. And above it, bathed in the golden-red glow of Yang Kai's wings, hovered a young man and a woman—the flame and the frost.

A moment passed. Then another.

And then, cheers erupted.

From the High Heaven Pavilion disciples, from the scattered cultivators who had survived, from even the skeptical outsiders. They all shouted and cheered as if witnessing the birth of a legend. Because they were.

In that single moment, Yang Kai was no longer just some young disciple.

He was the man who raced into the heart of a battlefield, defied a Monster Beast's death charge, and caught an ice goddess as she fell from the sky.

And Su Yan?

For the first time in many years, she felt something warm flicker within her cold, sealed heart.

Something that no frost could ever freeze.

He knelt, cradling Su Yan gently in his arms like the most fragile treasure in the world. Her long silver-blue hair cascaded over his shoulder as her body rested lightly against his chest, ice crystals still clinging to her robes. His heart pounded violently, not from fear—but from the sheer weight of the moment.

Su Yan's cold fingers twitched slightly as her eyes slowly opened, her vision blurry and flickering. The warmth enveloping her was unfamiliar... comforting. Her gaze found his—Yang Kai's face, flushed with heat and strain, eyes filled with worry and unwavering resolve.

"You..." she murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Yang Kai gave a wry smile, his chest heaving. "I'll take that as a thank you."

Su Yan coughed weakly, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of her lips.

Yang Kai, still holding her, clenched his jaw and infused a bit of his Yuan Qi into her body, not to heal, but to stabilize her meridians—offering her his warmth.

"Save your strength," he said softly. "I'm here now."

Su Yan's eyelids fluttered as she looked up at him—her normally frosty eyes trembling with rare emotion.

Her lips parted, but whatever words she wanted to say caught in her throat. Instead, she let her head rest gently against his shoulder, her icy defenses melting—just a little.

And in that silent moment, beneath the ashes of battle and the frozen beast, fire embraced ice.

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The battlefield had many witnesses that day. But not one would forget the image of the youth carrying the frozen goddess in his arms, walking away from the jaws of death like a hero from legend.