Even without a warning, Chen Chuan remained on constant alert at all times.
He had not forgotten that aside from Yuan Congye and his group, several others from the former imperial house had yet to show themselves. So the moment he spotted that wisp of light, he did not get careless; without hesitation, he channeled his second self.
Once that ray of light crossed into his field, it traced swiftly back toward its source and slammed violently against him, instantly dispersing into a haze of scattered luminous mist that enveloped him completely.
It felt as if a surging ocean wave had crashed into an immovable reef, then cascaded down over its crest.
He could distinctly sense an extraordinarily powerful spiritual deluge swirling rapidly back and forth around his perimeter, seemingly probing for an opening through which it might breach his field and spirit.
Yet it could achieve nothing. Both his spirit and his field were seamless and impenetrable, forcing the luminous haze to remain hovering on the outside.
Nor did his second self show the slightest hint of blurring or dissipation; it appeared this attack possessed no corruptive or eroding power either.
He did not attempt to dispel it, sensing that doing nothing at this moment was better than taking action.
His judgment proved accurate. After persisting for several breaths, the layer of luminous mist seemed to lose its source, gradually thinning out before slowly dispersing until it vanished altogether.
Once it was truly gone without a trace, he reflected on what had occurred. Judging by the feel of it, the spiritual power contained within the luminous mist had been staggering, carrying an intense, burning obsession.
However, the potency imbued within it seemed to require a specific target and designated focal point to trigger. For reasons unknown, the direction it aimed toward—or perhaps the intended target—had drifted off course, preventing it from achieving its ultimate purpose.
In truth, Shen Xian's earlier move had indeed glimpsed a flaw in Chen Chuan. The reason Shen Xian himself could not be certain was that he had observed Chen Chuan in a single static moment. Yet once Chen Chuan went into motion, stirring everything—including his spirit and field—into activity, that flaw ceased to be a flaw.
Perhaps if he had unleashed the secret art at the exact instant Chen Chuan stood still, he might have seized upon that fleeting flaw. Even then, doing so would have required extensive preparation and a far longer period of observation.
Ultimately, it was Jiang and Mu finding him and forcing his hand in haste that caused him to release the secret art before driving it to its peak. As for whether the technique's true potency could have achieved what he hoped, there would likely never be an answer.
After confirming there were no lingering effects, Chen Chuan received a concerned mental inquiry from Jiang and Mu. He sent a brief reply, letting them know he was unharmed.
He looked up toward the sky above, where the scattered Mystic Void Fire still burned.
When he had defeated foes in the past, the Mystic Void Fire had never burned for so long. This was clear proof of just how solid his opponent's foundation was; only a remarkably formidable physique and spirit could have produced such resilience.
Having completely incinerated the physical body, the flames naturally followed the spirit upward into the higher celestial realms.
Yet right at that moment, he could clearly sense a surge of power pulling away from the spirit.
His gaze narrowed slightly. Anything capable of withdrawing from beneath the Mystic Void Fire was bound to be a power from the upper stratum.
The entity backing the former imperial house was very likely an ancient deity, and whatever had fused into Yuan Congye's spirit might well be the object of his visualization.
Could it be the Great Xuantian Demon God?
He could not help watching it, discerning within that retreating power a fierce, tyrannical aura driven by an unyielding will to fight on.
This was undoubtedly that demon god.
It was indeed a renowned ancient god, yet there was no need to fear it overly much right now; it was merely a faint wisp of aura originally attached to Yuan Congye. If such a demon god were ever to truly manifest in this world, forces from the upper stratum would naturally deal with it.
He also thought to himself that once he reached the upper stratum, if this entity was still there, he might take the opportunity to face it in person.
Meanwhile, far to the rear inside the concealed airship of the former imperial house, Mizhu-zi glanced at the two jade plaques that had shattered one after another upon the altar and said, "General of Chariots and Cavalry Yuan and Attendant Shen have fallen."
Chu Xianyun stood not far away, his expression solemn and grave.
With the battle reaching this point, the remaining combat forces able to take the field—aside from himself and that person whose arrival remained uncertain—consisted only of Tie Rugan and Yuan Zhao, both of whom were still recovering.
Yet he knew that even if those two returned to the fray, there would be no way to reverse the defeat.
He felt a touch of regret. If Yuan Congye's aberrant power had fully played out, it might truly have countered Chen Chuan, but in the end, it had still failed. Nor had he anticipated that Shen Xian would be tracked down.
Had he not possessed a far more critical task at hand, he would have stepped forward earlier to cover for Shen Xian.
Mizhu-zi glanced outside. "Envoy Chu, they have tracked you down here as well."
Chu Xianyun frowned. "High Master Mizhu, is there truly no way to sever the inner demon clinging to me?"
Mizhu-zi shook his head. "Nothing can be done in haste."
To sever this parasitic link, the inner demon had to be destroyed. There was a simple method: obliterate the anchor ground down below.
Yet in his view, whoever had arranged this aberrant inner demon was exceedingly crafty, intentionally expanding the anchored area. Even if no one from Great Shun came to interfere, destroying the entire area in a short span was impossible.
Furthermore, anchors might be buried within, placed with meticulous precision in various spots. In other words, even if the terrain below were completely destroyed, it might still fail to achieve the desired effect. A thorough assessment had to be made first, and that required time. Breaking it within half an hour was utterly impossible.
This was not because his abilities fell short of his opponent's. The other side had set this up precisely to complicate matters and stall for time. When unraveling such mechanisms without the ability to shatter them by brute force, one had no choice but to take it step by step.
Seeing that nothing could be done, Chu Xianyun pressed no further. Cupping his hands in a formal bow, he said solemnly, "In that case, I can only ask the High Master to provide some cover for me."
Mizhu-zi replied, "Envoy Chu, go outside first. Return to me after twenty breaths, and I can ensure your safety."
Chu Xianyun did not ask why. Without another word, he leaped straight out, transforming into a streak of gaseous light as he shot away from the vessel.
After disposing of Shen Xian's remains and destroying the airship he had occupied, Jiang Linghuai and Mu Xiaoren followed the anomaly's guidance, pursuing toward the next location that resonated with their senses.
Before they even drew close, however, a beam of light flew out of its own accord from the concealed airspace, streaking into the distance as if fleeing for its life.
Seeing this, they could not help suspecting whether the enemy was intentionally baiting them into pursuit to conceal something far more important.
Yet Mu Xiaoren could sense nothing from the area the figure had just emerged from. Either there was truly nothing left in that hiding spot, or the enemy had concealed it exceptionally well.
Yet if they stopped to search and found nothing after all, they might let the fugitive slip away. After a rapid mental exchange, Mu Xiaoren—who could resonate with anomalies—remained behind, while Jiang Linghuai set off in pursuit of Chu Xianyun.
Meanwhile, in another field space, Yuan Zhao and Tie Rugan emerged once again.
Thanks to the vast quantities of high-energy nutrients they had brought from the imperial court, barely over two minutes had elapsed from the moment their bodies were shattered to their full recovery. Such a speed of regeneration was exceptionally swift.
Yet at this very moment, they received grim tidings: Yuan Congye had already been defeated and slain.
In both aberrant power and overall strength, Yuan Congye stood more than a cut above them. If even he could not hold out for this brief span, charging forward would be nothing short of throwing their lives away.
If they acted rationally, they ought to choose retreat to preserve precious strength for the former imperial house. Yet before departing, they had sworn a military oath never to return until the enemy was vanquished. Thus, halting here was out of the question.
Yuan Zhao spoke with a solemn expression, "If this great enemy is not eliminated, our Yuan clan will surely perish. As a member of the imperial clan, though the disparity in strength is vast, I shall never back down. General Tie, what say you?"
Tie Rugan replied without hesitation, "My Tie family has received imperial grace for generations. How could I drag out an ignoble existence? Today is merely a matter of laying down my life to repay my sovereign!"
"Good!"
Yuan Zhao said, "As a member of the imperial clan, I shall take the vanguard this time."
Tie Rugan knew that among the imperial clansmen, Yuan Rong and Yuan Zhao were the most fiercely loyal to the imperial house; as for the rest, the less said, the better.
If both of them died, the imperial house would likely lose all influence over the rest of the clan. Yet matters had progressed to the point where the arrow was notched on the bowstring—there was no turning back.
He said, "Your Highness Prince Yu, as General of the Guard, it is my duty to fight on the front lines. Furthermore, with Your Highness's abilities, you can serve as my shield and support."
Seeing his resolute stance and recognizing that it was indeed more appropriate for the general to spearhead the assault, Yuan Zhao did not press the matter.
Having settled their plan, they focused their thoughts and unleashed their external visages in advance.
For they knew that unless they brought their full strength to its absolute pinnacle, they might well be slain by Chen Chuan the instant they met.
What Tie Rugan visualized was the Phoenix Feather Mystic General, one of the Four Mystic Generals of the Heavenly Gate, who was said in legend to possess powers of interrogation, trial, and capture. At this moment, as his external visage unfolded, a divine general manifested: crowned with an avian helm and clad in scarlet armor, he dragged a long chain in one hand and gripped a ring-bound staff in the other, radiating an imposing, martial splendor.
On Yuan Zhao's side, he transformed into a colossal armored white ape that nonetheless gave off an impression of extraordinary cunning. His Visage of the Aberrant was the "Ape in the Strings," also known as the Ghost-Stealing Ape.
This species of ape could swallow the vital essence of others. In combat against him, an opponent's essence, qi, and spirit would be relentlessly siphoned away. However, his power could likewise be transferred to another.
Thus, he suddenly exhaled a breath that settled directly upon Tie Rugan, immediately leaving his own countenance withered and drained.
Tie Rugan, on the other hand, felt as though he had ingested some potent tonic. The strength and spiritual flames across his frame surged up an entire tier, even showing faint signs of eclipsing Yuan Congye's former might.
Yet such a state could only last for a fleeting moment. Even so, they knew that without doing this, they might not survive even a fraction of an instant before Chen Chuan.
Once prepared, each summoned his mount and charged out from their hiding place.
Chapter 1409