"Judging by the direction, it should be... the one before our eyes."
As those words came clearly through their earphones, Durant and Fantner looked toward Chen Chuan in the distance in unison.
From the direction he had arrived from, as well as the prowess he had just displayed, this assessment was likely correct.
In other words, on his way here, this man had already intercepted and slain a Throne martial artist who had been slated to join their battle.
At this moment, they did not yet know that Crossal had been utterly obliterated and could never return to the battlefield, but there was no doubt that Chen Chuan posed a threat to their entire operation.
Durant said in a deep voice, "The unstable variable must be eliminated, and the Tianji fish must be seized from him as soon as possible."
He had originally assumed Crossal would be enough to deal with Chen Chuan. After all, Crossal held the advantage in head-on combat. But the unexpected turn of events just now made him realize his misjudgment, and he would not make the same mistake again.
Regardless of how strong Chen Chuan's combat power was, united together, they would be more than enough to eliminate him.
Speaking into the communication channel to Irose, Merton, and Drakholm, he commanded:
"We will watch the fissure. The three of you, find a way to go up and finish him off."
A smile appeared on Merton's face, though a glint of wariness and greed hid beneath his eyes.
He felt that using Chen Chuan's body as his mental vessel would be ideal. Yet when he had seen that wisp of Mystic Void Fire earlier, a tremor of dread had inexplicably run through his body and mind.
And the entity that had crawled out of the fissure beside him was urging him repeatedly right now to eliminate Chen Chuan quickly.
In truth, it was not just him. Even the others present felt an inexplicable urge arise in their hearts to destroy Chen Chuan. This, in fact, stemmed from an instinctual response after their spiritual vitality or the mutated tissue within their bodies sensed a threat.
They themselves were not yet certain what it was, but their spiritual vitality and mutated tissue had perceived the danger a step ahead of them.
Merton fixed his gaze on Chen Chuan and said to Irose, "Pontiff Irose, when the time comes, can you leave him to me? I will trade two second-class relics with you for him."
"Very well."
Irose had no objection.
He knew this Archbishop of the Primitive Sect seemed capable of utilizing martial artists' bodies. He would accept two relics with a clear conscience; as for anyone else, that had nothing to do with him.
As for whether they could win, there was no doubt.
Although the strength and speed of the Visage of Man were formidable, beyond that, the Visage of Man lacked extraordinary variations. With several of them besieging him, as long as they coordinated with appropriate techniques, countering him would be very straightforward. The only thing they needed to watch out for was that bizarre flame.
Just thinking about it filled him with severe discomfort.
Drakholm, for his part, had no intention of communicating with them. He was also a Visage of Man martial artist, so he only needed to charge in and trade blows with Chen Chuan; there was no need to overthink anything else.
As for Drakholm, Merton and Irose had zero doubts about his ability to pin Chen Chuan down in frontal combat, as he was likely on par with Crossal. The severe breaches inflicted upon the colossal spiritual visage earlier had all been delivered by him.
Just as they were about to move forward, a beam of brilliance suddenly flew toward them, and Igor emerged from within it, landing beside them.
The airship brought by the Noros Theocracy was stocked with ample high-energy nutrients and equipped with an auxiliary relic, allowing him to recover rapidly.
Standing beside the three, his eyes were locked onto Chen Chuan's silhouette. Though he said nothing, he clearly intended to join this siege.
The trio had no intention of turning him down either. One more person meant an even higher chance of victory, which was a good thing; even if their coordination was lacking, it hardly mattered, given the sheer advantage in numbers.
Durant observed the scene. With four people stepping forward, the outcome should be beyond doubt.
He glanced at the Tianji fish circling outside Chen Chuan and said to Field and the others, "Once the fighting begins, go and secure the Tianji fish."
Inside the fissure, Long Xian and Gaoxu could faintly see the situation outside through the grand rainbow bridging into the mortal world.
Seeing Merton and the other three about to advance and besiege Chen Chuan, Long Xian could not help but stand up. He said, "Senior Brother used the Tianji Ferrying Technique and later transformed into the golden rainbow. All favorable variables must be converging upon this esteemed guest who has come to our aid! Now, alone against them, a single pillar cannot support the roof—we need to lend him a hand!"
Gaoxu was far calmer. Reaching out to pull Long Xian back, he said seriously, "Junior Brother, we absolutely cannot move right now, or chaos will inevitably erupt here!"
Without the connection between the Tianji Plate and the constellation esoteric ritual, the energy for the ritual here was entirely supplied from outside. They had to sit here and comb through it to harmonize it; otherwise, the esoteric ritual could very easily become corrupted.
Furthermore, with the aid of the Pufang Mirror, they had no fear of outside enemies infiltrating, but the moment they stepped outside, the enemy might take advantage of the opening.
Real Man Long Xian said anxiously, "Are we just supposed to watch?"
Real Man Gaoxu said with earnest gravity, "Junior Brother, have faith in Senior Brother's Tianji Ferrying Technique. Senior Brother has already done everything he needed to do. By remaining still and holding the fissure, we are offering the best possible support."
Long Xian sighed and sat back down, silently chanting the name of the Mysterious Ancestor.
Aboard one of the nearby airships, Lily and Briggs were also watching, Lily's expression exceptionally tense.
Seeing the group of four advance together, Briggs said with utter conviction, "It's over."
Lily asked, "Uncle Briggs, do you mean Chen won't be able to handle it this time?"
Briggs's tone was resolute: "That is beyond doubt. Perhaps one-on-one he could win, but one against four—" He shook his head. "The disparity is too great. There is simply no such possibility."
Watching the four men closing in on him, Chen Chuan also felt an intense oppressive force.
Yet it was precisely this pressure that stimulated the mutated tissue in his body to stir restlessly. The activity was so fierce that he felt the barrier obstructing him faintly swelling open.
He subtly adjusted his breathing and looked ahead.
However, this alone was not enough. He needed to harness the force from these individuals and combine it with his own power, applying pressure from both inside and outside, before he could hope to break through the obstacles holding him back.
Yet just as the clash was on the verge of erupting, everyone seemed to sense something and turned to look toward the east.
In the distant sky, a flash of light flickered. Immediately after, an incisive beam spanning several kilometers swept silently toward them.
The Federation personnel were all startled, for they felt a fierce sense of danger, as if this sharp light had locked onto them. The spiritual light across everyone burst forth in full force.
The sharp light arrived in the blink of an eye. Upon drawing near, it abruptly fractured, crashing into each of the Federation's combatants. Merton and the other three seemed to receive special attention; as dazzling radiance erupted, they were instantly forced backward by the fierce impact.
Only Durant did not yield a single step. Blocking with his fist, radiant light flared across his body, and the faint outline of a figure flickered around him, keeping the sharp light at bay.
Lowering his fist, his sharp gaze swept toward the direction the light had originated from, only to see a man standing beneath the sun.
The man wore a magnificent crown and rose holy robes. In his left hand, he held a Spiral Cruciform Holy Staff, and in his right, a cruciform longsword. The eagle spreading its wings at the center of his crown seemed to look down upon all living beings.
Emperor of East Yono, Calliopates I!
Durant frowned.
Ever since this emperor escaped from Vea State, there had been no news of him. It was thought he had already left Federation territory or ventured into a convergence zone, yet unexpectedly, he had appeared here.
While the Federation personnel were merely wary and on guard, those hailing from the Yono Continent, regardless of rank, instantly erupted into excitement. They rushed to the portholes and observation decks, gazing with fervent admiration at the majestic bearing of this emperor from a bygone era.
Calliopates I was regarded as a legendary emperor in the histories passed down across the Yono Continent, holding a uniquely prestigious status and enjoying enduringly high popularity there.
Even though he had been imprisoned, many followers and admirers still remained on the Yono Continent to this day.
Lily was cheerfully snapping photo after photo, and seeing her actions, others hurriedly began recording that figure as well.
His Imperial Majesty did not seem to mind this. Maintaining an elegant, composed bearing, he first smiled and nodded toward Chen Chuan, then turned his gaze upon Merton and the other three, pointing his longsword at them:
"Distinguished gentlemen, I can see that this is a noble duel. But before an outcome is reached, I ask that the rest of you halt your steps here and refrain from interfering."
Durant said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty Capa, this matter has nothing to do with you."
"Nothing to do with me?"
Capa gave a gentle chuckle. "Back then, I had the honor of receiving the Federation's generous hospitality, listening to the grievances and misfortunes of your people. My apologies, but I have every reason to stop you. If you disagree, I respect your opinion, but we may also prove ourselves through a noble duel."
Durant's thick brows knitted tightly. He knew this man was troublesome, especially with the vestments and armaments he bore, which significantly augmented his combat power.
Back then, several martial artists had made meticulous preparations and used favorable terrain in a coordinated siege just to take him down.
Although he had no desire to wage battle with this man now, the Federation's mission was paramount; no one was permitted to stand in their way.
He said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty Capa, your era has long passed. A prison in Vea State is where you belong."
Removing his gloves, he faced Capa's direction and signaled for Field and Fantner to encircle the man with him shortly.
Yet right when they were about to make a move, a heavy shadow suddenly descended from above. Everyone looked up to see a colossal six-legged, two-headed cinnabar bird appearing overhead, nearly blotting out the sunlight, while a voice drifted down from above:
"Woah! Something this fun—why didn't you count me in?"
Chapter 1308