High above Tianji Peak, people aboard the airships craned their necks to watch below, their eyes filled with utter shock.
The rolling tremors of battle reverberated in their ears like colossal war drums. Many aboard would likely never witness such a spectacle again in their lifetimes; even if they could not discern every detail, they stared unblinkingly.
Yet they could sense that the relentless din had subsided somewhat. Those with seasoned judgment deduced immediately that unless both sides had deliberately paused to converse, the battle had likely reached its conclusion.
Just as this thought crossed their minds, a beam of light soared up from below, streaking straight toward the Firmament Behemoth, the largest airship in the sky.
In the flash of an eye, the light arrived before the airship. As it dispersed to reveal Chen Chuan's figure, they finally knew who had emerged victorious.
A momentary hush stunned the onlookers before waves of excitement and thrill washed over their faces. Many began madly snapping photographs and recording footage, swiftly transmitting the news outward.
Chen Chuan's appearance proved Durant had been defeated. Durant was nowhere to be seen now, making it hard to tell whether he had been slain. But regardless, if the Federation had no intention of pursuing further action, it meant their entire operation had ended in failure.
In truth, continuing the operation was practically out of the question anyway. Word had just arrived from the Federation Capital that the head of the International Investigation Delegation was negotiating with the Federation, and rumors suggested the Federation might make concessions.
Although the news remained suspect, even if it were false, assembling an expeditionary force of comparable scale in such a short window was impossible. Before long, the Tianji Sect's Celestial Master would return; anyone with eyes could see that the Federation had lost its chance.
Meanwhile, perched above and possessing the cinnabar bird, Valchi wheeled and spun through the air, exhilarated beyond measure, letting out whoops and hollers overhead.
He had watched this battle from beginning to end—it had been an absolute thrill.
While he was thoroughly entertained, Fantner, tasked with keeping watch on him the entire time, was left utterly exasperated.
Earlier, Fantner had been responsible for keeping him in check, during which he had attempted to pinpoint where the man's true spiritual presence lay, yet had failed to grasp it. Whenever he made a move to depart, Valchi immediately showed signs of intervening in the fight. Though Fantner knew this thrill-seeker was likely bluffing, he never dared risk the possibility, leaving him pinned in place and unable to accomplish a thing.
And now...
Watching Chen Chuan glide over toward him, he realized there was no longer any need to overthink things.
Chen Chuan stopped before him. Rather than striking right away, he regarded the opponent he had crossed paths with before and said, "Mr. Fantner, you should be the highest-ranking Federation official present, correct?"
Fantner glanced downward. Durant still lay sprawled below, life or death uncertain. He promptly conceded, "If you mean those who are still conscious, Mr. Chen, then indeed, it is only me."
Chen Chuan said, "Mr. Fantner, your operation can no longer be sustained. I hope you will withdraw."
Fantner felt a pang of helplessness. But having witnessed the preceding battle, he knew he was no match for Chen Chuan; fighting any further was pointless.
In truth, the only combatants left capable of fighting were himself and Ming. Ming had to keep watch over the fissure and could not move either, so he had to admit Chen Chuan was right.
He said earnestly, "Mr. Chen, please understand that given my clearance, I cannot officially make that call right now. However, I can tell you that the Administration gave us a one-hour window. If we fail to achieve our operational objectives by then, the mission will be formally declared a failure."
This was an indirect way of stating that the moment the time was up, they would leave immediately.
Chen Chuan nodded and wasted no more breath on Fantner, turning to head toward Ming.
Fantner considered for a moment, sighed, and contacted Cassian over the comms. "Dispatch a rescue team down there to retrieve Mr. Durant."
"Is Mr. Durant still alive?" Cassian's voice came through the channel.
Fantner said, "He should still be breathing."
Cassian asked again, "Mr. Fantner, what about our operation—"
Fantner was unwilling to voice any opinion on the matter. He was the one who most hoped Durant survived, so someone else would shoulder the blame for the mission's failure.
He glanced toward Ming and saw the man still standing before the fissure, seemingly unaffected by the battle. Sensing instinctively that something was amiss there, he said, "Let's wait and see."
Inside the fissure, Long Xian and Gao Xu watched Chen Chuan finish speaking with the Federation representative and make his way over. Both rose to their feet, their faces lit with undisguised joy.
As things stood, Ming could not enter the fissure, and the Federation had chosen to hold back. The battle had essentially run its course; all that remained was to await the Celestial Master's return.
Chen Chuan arrived before the floating Ming, with the narrow, luminescent fissure beside them.
He glanced inside the fissure, then turned back to Ming, whose face remained impassive.
Chen Chuan said, "The Federation won't be making any more moves. What is your choice? If you choose to wait here, I assume you and the Tianji Sect can settle your own affairs."
This was meant both for Ming and for the two zhenren within the fissure.
Watching the Tianji fish swim and dart around Chen Chuan, Ming let out a low chuckle. "Did you truly think you had won?"
His voice sounded normal at first, but by the final words, it deepened into something hollow and eerie. Wisps of grayish-black mist began drifting out from his body.
Chen Chuan's gaze narrowed slightly. He saw his second self beginning to show signs of ephemeral blurriness.
Ming's body began to shift, as if something were boring out from within—or more precisely, as if something were replacing what he originally was.
"Ming, this is—"
Gao Xu and Long Xian stiffened.
Long Xian sensed something. Calculating rapidly, his eyes snapped open in sudden realization, and he blurted out, "I knew Senior Brother wouldn't suddenly become that! It turns out he's been possessed by that fiend!"
Gao Xu frowned, shaking his head. "Ming must have sensed something from beyond during his cultivation. This matter..." He shook his head again. "He likely did this willingly."
Long Xian's expression wrestled with conflict before slumping into a dejected sigh.
After absorbing numerous secret arts and esoteric techniques from East Continent's Xuan Sect, the Tianji Sect's cultivation methods had become exceedingly orthodox. Supported by numerous esoteric rituals throughout practice, deviations were practically impossible. Anyone prone to going astray could never have become a zhenren in the first place.
He knew this deep down; he simply instinctively resisted the idea that his fellow disciple would have chosen this path of his own accord.
Noticing the transformation in Ming, Chen Chuan reached out. The Xuejun Saber drifted into his grip.
Looking at the figure across from him, it seemed another fight was inevitable. But as a member of the Purist Faction, dealing with this sort of entity happened to be his forte.
He gripped the scabbard, and with a flash of cold light, drew the Xuejun Saber.
Normally, entities like this relied on fissures to sustain their strength. The only fissure in the vicinity was held by the two Tianji Sect zhenren; under ordinary circumstances, it would hardly be able to exert much power.
However, he learned from the Tianji fish that despite having no fissure, Ming held the Tianji Plate and could still draw power through the esoteric rituals laid out below.
Ming's transformation was complete in an instant. He no longer resembled a Xuanist; his features had turned delicately refined and androgynous, with a dot of cinnabar between his brows. His gaze was cast downward with a tranquil countenance, surrounded above and below by drifting clouds and mist.
He wore a tall topknot and was draped in splendid silk robes. Most striking of all, sixteen slender arms sprouted from his back, each forming a distinct hand seal.
Though long and draped in sheer ribbons, appearing graceful and supple, from a distance they looked unsettlingly like the splayed legs of some giant insect.
Gao Xu and Long Xian watched, their hearts jolting.
"Is this... Lord Anshi?"
Gao Xu nodded and said solemnly, "So Ming sought out this one. No wonder."
Lord Anshi could be considered an ancient god. According to descriptions from both the Xuan and Chan sects, he was likely an entity that had crossed over from the opposite world in antiquity, yet his ways differed from the other entities.
He had even received investitures from both the Xuan and Chan sects. Throughout the river of time, he had appeared in various guises as both benevolent and malevolent deity, yet because he remained detached from the old faiths, he was never counted among the orthodox gods.
Reflecting on this, both men felt a stir of intuition, as though grasping at an idea they could not quite piece together.
Long Xian had no time to dwell on that now and immediately sent a message to Chen Chuan via the Tianji fish: "Honored Guest, Ming must have drawn upon the Tianji Plate to borrow the visage of Lord Anshi. Please exercise utmost caution; we will find a way to support you."
Chen Chuan heard it at once. The Tianji fish even relayed thoughts Long Xian had left unsaid.
In short, Lord Anshi's status was comparable to the Heavenly Lords upon whom the four zhenren anchored themselves. However, because Lord Anshi had dwelled in this world for so long, his power had likely been suppressed, preventing him from ascending to greater heights.
Yet unlike the Heavenly Lords, he had a concrete, tangible presence. If Ming had been completely supplanted by him, he would prove an exceptionally formidable foe.
Chen Chuan gazed at Ming—or rather, Lord Anshi. He did not overthink matters. Since this was an otherworldly entity, he would show no mercy.
He unleashed the Grand Radiant Light Forms directly, radiating outward toward his opponent. Yet the moment the radiance reached Ming, it was intercepted by a gentle luminescence like moonlight, unable to advance any further.
Unperturbed, Chen Chuan stepped forward with saber in hand. Closing the distance, he swept the blade in a horizontal slash. A streak of Mystic Void Fire trailed along the edge, scattering sparks that instantly engulfed the figure!
Chapter 1325