Boom!
The portal of light leading to the first layer, the Domain of Immortal Spirits, instantly blazed with blinding radiance.
In the blink of an eye, the portal stretched and tore open a hundred-zhang rift!
Immediately following it, several more light portals manifested out of thin air.
Six colossal rift portals stood suspended in the void.
At once, all the cultivators present felt an inexplicable, chilling aura of slaughter spread across the area.
Long Hou's face turned icy as he barked in a deep voice, "Everyone, hear my command!"
"The Six Domains, the Ancient Clan, the Misty Immortal Domain... nearly fifty clans and powers have assembled, intending to forcefully break through the boundary!"
"A massive wave of immortals has descended upon the battlefields of the fifth, sixth, and seventh layers to pin down our side's powerhouses."
"Our forces alone are insufficient to stop them all."
"Therefore, we must dispatch roughly two hundred people to various regions to halt their efforts!"
At these words, everyone could not help but suck in a sharp breath.
Everyone knew that the Eight Generals' primary duty was to prevent others from breaking through their realms and ascending. Many of those present had been personally dissuaded by the Eight Generals, so they understood all too well how grave this situation was!
Word had already reached their ears concerning the massacre of the Liao clan in the Misty Immortal Domain.
None of them had expected that tragedy to provoke so many cultivators to this extent—that they would go so far as to oppose the Seventh Domain in this manner!
Li Guanqi's face went slightly pale. It was hard to imagine the state of the outside world if what Long Hou said was true. Outside, total chaos must have erupted by now...
Moreover, the Immortal Realm would surely sense these movements and launch a full-scale offensive against the Seventh Domain!
Strands of blue flame drifted around Cao Yan as he frowned. "I'm afraid the entire world is plunging into chaos this time..."
Li Guanqi's brow furrowed as a thought suddenly struck him. Sending a secret voice transmission to Long Hou, he asked solemnly, "Uncle Long, what if someone among those dispatched seizes the opportunity to ascend?"
Beneath the golden armor, the man's pupils contracted sharply.
He cast a subtle glance toward Li Guanqi, suddenly realizing how valid the concern was!
If any of the people sent out reached their destination and, instead of stopping the ascension, used the chaos to ascend themselves...
That would be an utter catastrophe for the entire Mortal Spirit Realm!
Long Hou pondered in silence for a long moment before replying in a heavy voice, "I understand."
Soon, specific individuals were assigned particular tasks.
Li Guanqi and his companions were almost entirely split up. When they exchanged subtle glances, alarm flashed in their eyes.
"If anyone attempts to ascend, kill without mercy!"
Evidently, that order applied not only to outside cultivators, but to those from the Seventh Domain as well!
Meng Wanshu was assigned to the Shenbao Domain, while Li Guanqi was dispatched to the Great Xia Domain!
As the group parted ways, they did not bring Tang Ru along this time. Ye Feng handed him a batch of pills and chuckled softly.
"Stay at home and cultivate diligently. Strive to break through to the Mahayana realm by the time we return!"
Hearing this, Ji Yuchuan laughed. "Then I'll accompany Pavilion Master Li. It just so happens I can drop by Guanyun Pavilion."
Li Guanqi nodded, his gaze sweeping across his companions as he said in a heavy tone, "Stay safe."
"And... under no circumstances show any softness of heart!"
Ye Feng nodded; his destination was the Taiqing Domain.
The teams were quickly assembled. Nearly sixty Mahayana realm cultivators were assigned to the Misty Immortal Domain alone, led by two elderly Tribulation Transcending realm experts whom no one had ever seen before.
Roughly fifty to sixty cultivators were also dispatched to the Ancient Clan.
Among those heading to the Ancient Clan, Li Guanqi even caught sight of Ye Xuan, Qin Xiao, and Meng Jiangchu.
Meng Jiangchu sent a voice transmission: "Be careful! Not only of those attempting to ascend, but of the people right beside you!"
Listening to the man's warning, Li Guanqi gave a silent nod.
Two members of the Eight Generals were also assigned to each major region.
Li Guanqi took a deep breath and said gravely, "Let's move."
"This will likely stir up considerable panic. Stay safe, everyone!"
Then he turned toward Gu Li and whispered via voice transmission, "Did you prepare inscribed talismans for all of them?"
Gu Li nodded, a sharp light gleaming in his eyes as he replied in a low voice, "Rest assured, I've prepared a storage ring filled with every kind of inscribed talisman for each of them."
Only then did Li Guanqi feel slightly relieved.
The cultivators nodded to one another and set out for their assigned domains!
Beyond their duty to dissuade ascension, they had also been granted the authority to enforce the law!
Setting foot on the road back to the Great Xia Domain once more, Li Guanqi was overcome by a wave of emotion.
He glanced back toward the Seventh Domain, then froze slightly.
"Uh... returning to the Great Xia Domain like this, I forgot to bring the sect master back with us..."
Ji Yuchuan could not help but laugh. "Sect Master Lu is currently at a critical stage of breaking through to the Mahayana realm. Even if you wanted to bring him along, you couldn't."
Ji Yuchuan felt a surge of excitement. He had never imagined that one day he would leave the Seventh Domain and return to the Great Xia Domain as an independent individual.
Li Guanqi swept his divine sense over the cultivators behind them. Ji Yuchuan rapidly transmitted his voice: "Counting you and me, eleven of us are heading to the Great Xia Domain."
"Senior Long Hou and Senior Hong Zhi are overseeing the Great Xia Domain, but unless absolutely necessary, they will not intervene."
"We must watch everyone closely for any suspicious behavior, just in case!"
Li Guanqi nodded silently, his fingers twitching faintly inside his sleeve.
Silent, imperceptible inscribed talismans instantly adhered to the hems of everyone's robes!
Li Guanqi remained completely impassive, showing neither emotional ripples nor the slightest abnormality.
Gu Li's spatial inscribed talismans were all layered three folds deep, fully capable of attaching themselves without anyone noticing.
Scenes of the entire Liao clan marching willingly to their deaths involuntarily resurfaced in Li Guanqi's mind.
A complex sigh slipped past his lips.
Perhaps discerning Li Guanqi's misgivings, Ji Yuchuan kept his eyes forward and transmitted softly, "Trust me. If immortals descend to the lower realm... the consequences will be far more catastrophic than you imagine."
"So you must not harbor even a shred of pity."
The entire party traveled toward the Great Xia Domain in silence.
Buzz!
A massive rift over thirty zhang wide tore across the vault of heaven!
The overwhelming pressure of ten Mahayana realm cultivators caused the sky and clouds to violently churn.
Across the outside firmament of the Great Xia Domain, the sky hung dim and gloomy as twilight gathered.
This oppressive atmosphere made Li Guanqi frown faintly.
Looking up, he realized they had emerged right above Lingxu Continent, adjacent to Qingyun Continent.
And beneath their feet, the ruined, yin-drenched ground was none other than the Southern Domain's Mingchuan from years past.
Sensing the aura of Mingchuan, where wandering spirits were gradually coalescing, Li Guanqi was gripped by a swell of emotion. When he had first set foot in Mingchuan all those years ago, he had only been a Soul Formation Realm cultivator. In just over a decade, he had risen to the very pinnacle of cultivation in this world.
Li Guanqi closed his eyes slightly, sending his divine sense spreading out like an encroaching tide. Soon, several powerful auras appeared within his perception.
Three distinct signatures...
Ji Yuchuan said in a heavy voice, "There are two more over on Qingyun Continent!"
Li Guanqi furrowed his brows, looked back, and said gravely, "I'll head toward Qingyun Continent. I'm more familiar with that place."
The others nodded in agreement. Then, a burly man stepped forward.
"Brother Li, we'll go with you."
Chapter 1195