Sentiment

Tap. Tap. The instant the Dao domain expanded outward, the rustling from the forest faded into utter silence. Xu Yuan walked toward Tianyan, his footsteps rustling softly. And with his movement, the sea of trees below seemed to undergo some horrific blight, sweeping and spreading outward in all directions with him at the epicenter. Blossoms withered and dried up, ancient trees crumbled into sand and collapsed, and countless birds and beasts silently turned into shriveled carcasses. The entire mountain range turned into a dead zone as its vitality was drained away, yet amidst this desolation, a vast and surging vitality was brewing. Xu Yuan walked at an unhurried pace, musing aloud as if making casual conversation: "A Dao domain named Life, yet what blooms from it is the flower of death... If I had a choice, I really wouldn't want to use this." Tianyan's golden pupils remained fixed on his every move, her voice cool and detached: "Because it makes you look like an inhuman monster?" "No." Xu Yuan shook his head and gave a faint smile. "I actually rather enjoy the feeling of being the center of attention as the villain. The only reason I was reluctant is that this is the Sword Sect's territory. Soiling the host's grounds is bound to provoke annoyance. But right now, all I can say is my apologies." Even as he spoke, His cloud-boots trod over splintered wood, the blood-red hem of his robe sweeping across the blackened earth and leaving behind a crimson smear. Blood seeped with every step. Tianyan's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight. Was this the aberrant ghosts' black death fungal carpet? They sprouted silently from the dead soil, multiplying at terrifying speed under the infusion of boundless vitality, spreading and devouring the surrounding mountains like a swarm of locusts, staining the dead forest an enchanting, seductive blood-red! Watching this transformation unfold, not a single person in the spectator seats spoke up to offer commentary. If the battle between the Saintess of the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion and the legitimate son of the Prime Minister's Manor had previously allowed them to maintain a shred of elder haughtiness—fantasizing that they might still hold a chance of victory if pitted against the pair—then the moment both of them unfurled their Dao domains, every scrap of arrogance in their hearts vanished like smoke. These were two monsters. As veterans who had long made their names across the realm, they could clearly discern that the strength of these two juniors had completely surpassed the Transcendent Realm. These were two monsters who, with Transcendent bodies, could go toe-to-toe with Saints. And what terrified them even more was that the alarming shift in the sea of blood beneath the Crown Prince of the Prime Minister's Manor did not stop there. Once the blood-brown fungal carpet reached a critical threshold, the earth suddenly began to tremble and hum. The densely packed black death fungal carpet burst from the ground, surging wildly toward the foot of Heaven Sword Peak, where it coalesced into twelve massive blood-colored steles encircling the mountain! Under the illumination of the sky, they looked like gigantic hands swaying and fluttering... Yet just as the onlookers were wondering about the function of these stone steles, the monoliths abruptly detonated with a deafening boom, pulverized into dust that returned to the world! Hummm— The shockwave of the explosions swept out, the pulverized dust transforming into an eerie mist that poured through the mountain forests. In mere breaths, it enveloped the entirety of Heaven Sword Peak, the fog so thick that it even blocked out the wheel of light shining down from the sky. Watching this scene, those who knew what it was drew sharp breaths of cold air. An intense sense of dread instantly washed over every spectator. Their gazes began to shift, settling upon the Sword Sect Master. The duel before them had completely exceeded the scope of the Grand Tournament. Whether out of the duty to exterminate wicked cultivators or from the stance of the Sect Alliance, they ought to surround and kill Xu Changtian without delay. For this was the Inter-Abyss of the aberrant ghosts. After ten thousand years, it had once again appeared beneath the firmament. The Calamity... Xu Changtian truly was the Eternal Night Calamity spoken of by the Overseeing Heaven Pavilion! Yet regrettably, Though Luo Wei's expression was sunken and grim, she showed no intention of intervening. She was waiting. Waiting for Tianyan's countermeasure, Waiting for the two beyond the Saint Realm to make a move, Waiting for Xu Changtian's true trump card. And soon enough, Tianyan's countermeasure came into Luo Wei's view. The wheel of light in the heavens and the sea of blood on the earth mirrored each other, seeming to split the entire world into two opposing halves. Whoosh— The mist across the ground suddenly surged, and from within the crimson fog, a colossal tentacle of flesh and blood hundreds of feet long abruptly lunged out, whipping toward the white-robed maiden in the sky! Faced with this, Tianyan did not retreat; instead, she pressed forward. A Heaven-Severing thread pierced the air, cleaving the towering tentacle of flesh in two in an instant. Yet shockingly, the severed tentacle did not lose its vitality. Instead, it split along the cut, dividing into a multitude of lethal tendrils that continued to coil toward her petite frame. Yet Tianyan seemed capable of discerning their lightning-fast trajectories. Like an ethereal spirit, she flitted through the gaps between the tendrils, plunging straight into the blood mist that blocked all outside perception! Has she gone mad? Luo Wei's pupils constricted slightly. Her eyes followed Tianyan, but the moment the girl plunged into the sea of mist, she lost her target. The Inter-Abyss of the aberrant ghosts blocked all outside probing. She could have utilized the might of the dual formations to forcibly breach the Inter-Abyss and inspect its interior, but doing so would undoubtedly constitute intervening in the duel between the two below. Tightening her grip on her sword, Luo Wei ultimately chose not to intervene by force. Instead, she raised her eyes to look toward where Wen Xinyun and Tianye stood, her gaze heavy and cold as ice. Are you two still not going to make a move? Unlike the chaos of the distant battlefield, inside the frozen space, time flowed undisturbed and peaceful. Glancing at the blood mist shrouding Heaven Sword Peak in the distance, Wen Xinyun asked in a faint voice: "Were my stance not opposed to your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion, seeing this scene before us might have actually convinced me of the Eternal Night Calamity." Hearing this, Tianye gave a soft humph and murmured: "Even I did not expect Xu Yuan to be able to recreate the calamity of ten thousand years ago in such a manner." Wen Xinyun pondered for a moment before saying: "There must be some connection between the Dao charm of Life and the aberrant ghosts. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that Xu Changtian is indeed a monster. As a byproduct of the aberrant ghosts, the Inter-Abyss should be able to counter your 'Tianyan Dao Method' to some extent." Tianye arched an eyebrow at this, casting a sidelong glance at the woman beside her: "Oh? You seem to understand the Inter-Abyss quite well." Wen Xinyun did not hide it, answering straightforwardly: "To deal with that thing, a millennium of time couldn't very well be wasted." Tianye narrowed her eyes and warned: "Be careful not to play with fire and burn yourself. Aberrant ghosts must never reappear in this world." "Thank you for the reminder, but I have no inclination toward destroying the world." Wen Xinyun's voice was gentle and unhurried. "Besides, I gave up on that path long ago. The Inter-Abyss is not something I can control; forcing it would only bring harm to myself. But aren't you worried that your Saintess might truly die in that Inter-Abyss?" "Tianyan will not die," Tianye stated with certainty. Wen Xinyun frowned and asked: "Is this another of your Overseeing Heaven Pavilion's karmic claims?" Tianye shook her head, a smile curving her red lips: "No. Because I know Xu Changtian. He will never kill Tianyan." "..." A sudden silence fell. After remaining quiet for a moment, Wen Xinyun spoke, her tone half-teasing and half-wistful: "It is difficult to imagine that you, Pavilion Master, would place your bets on something as uncertain as personal feelings." "Feelings are indeed fickle, but the fact that Xu Yuan ventured deep into enemy territory on the brink of war already speaks volumes." Tianye did not refute Wen Xinyun, continuing along her train of thought: "That he is willing to risk his life to come to the Sword Sect means he must have other objectives, but among those objectives, there must surely be one born of affection." Wen Xinyun asked in a low voice: "If Xu Changtian came for affection, can that worldly-ignorant first disciple of the Sword Sect truly bring herself to strike against him? Her Dao charm should be the most crucial link in your plan." Tianye took a deep breath and said: "Of course she won't be able to strike. But Xu Yuan will help her."