Blade Venerable Zhou Lie Shatters the Array in a Single Strike! Lu Changsheng of the Holy Land Heavenly Sect Awes the Multitude!

Within the Haoxian Immortal Sect, several dozen Divine Ability realm ancestors and Golden Core True Persons had already assembled. Every single face was grave. "Reporting to the Sect Master and Elders! Six Divine Ability ancestors from the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect have arrived at the mountain gate!" a disciple came forward to report. "Good. Please invite the six ancestors in." The Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect paused for a moment before sighing with emotion. "The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect possesses only seven Divine Ability ancestors in total, and six of them have come, leaving behind just one ancestor to guard their mountain gate. It seems the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect sees the situation with great clarity." "This battle concerns the survival of the Ancient Region. We can only win—we cannot afford defeat!" Soon, the six ancestors of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect arrived, taking seats on either flank. Martial sects, such as the Huangtian Sect, had historically been at odds with the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect. Yet the Huangtian Sect had still dispatched several Divine Ability ancestors, essentially turning out in full force and holding nothing back. In the face of the Ancient Region's life-or-death crisis, past sectarian grudges paled into insignificance. "Everyone, the Black Light Chamber of Commerce possesses a master of greater divine ability named Ouyang You! This Ouyang You once single-handedly slaughtered thirteen Divine Ability ancestors, forging a fearsome and brutal reputation. Gathering so many experts here at the Haoxian Immortal Sect, our purpose is to ask the Haoxian Immortal Sect: can your mountain-protecting array withstand Ouyang You's greater divine ability?" a Divine Ability ancestor from the Huangtian Sect spoke up, addressing the Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect. Instantly, all eyes turned to the Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect. A master of greater divine ability! This was indeed the central concern for the assembled Divine Ability ancestors and Golden Core True Persons. If they could not endure Ouyang You's greater divine ability, all would be lost. "It can!" the Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect replied. "Ouyang You's greater divine ability is formidable indeed, but so long as we have sufficient spirit stones and Golden Core True Persons presiding over it, our Haoxian Immortal Sect's ancestral mountain-protecting array will have no trouble withstanding the bombardment of a master of greater divine ability! Furthermore, once the enemy fails to breach it after prolonged assault, the array can trap him—and that will be the moment for everyone to strike! As long as we join our forces and slay Ouyang You, our Ancient Region will be saved!" The Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect was not merely thinking of defending his sect. He intended to destroy Ouyang You! Though the Black Light Chamber of Commerce was exceptionally strong, if they lost a master of greater divine ability, they would surely reconsider whether continuing their brutal assault on the Ancient Region was worth the cost. Perhaps this was the Ancient Region's only hope. "Everyone, this is all we can do," the Sect Master said. "Now we must wait to see when the Black Light Chamber of Commerce arrives. We need only wait quietly..." Just as his words fell— *Hum.* Suddenly, an astonishing fluctuation of spiritual power rippled across the entirety of the Haoxian Immortal Sect. Simultaneously, a pillar of spiritual light surged into the sky above the sect, scattering the white clouds in the void. A terrifying, sharp wave of power swept out majestically in all directions. "What is going on?" "What happened?" "Could the people from the Black Light Chamber of Commerce have attacked the mountain gate already?" "That direction... it seems to be the direction of the super long-distance teleportation array!" Murmurs broke out among the Divine Ability ancestors and Golden Core True Persons below. *Swish.* The Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect rose abruptly to his feet. He knew that location all too well, and he knew that fluctuation just as intimately. It was the fluctuation of the super long-distance teleportation array activating. Yet no one was departing through the teleportation. Someone was being teleported here! Furthermore, this teleportation was clearly extraordinary. The more numerous and powerful the individuals being transported, the greater the tremors produced by the array. This disturbance was simply immense; whoever was arriving was undoubtedly exceptional. "The super long-distance teleportation array has activated. Someone is being teleported from the Holy Land to the Haoxian Immortal Sect. Fellow Daoists, why don't we go together and see who has returned from the Holy Land?" Numerous figures flashed through the Sect Master's mind, yet each seemed unlikely. Could it be True Person Cuixuan? Regardless, having someone return to the Haoxian Immortal Sect from the Holy Land at such a moment was naturally the best possible news. "Very well, let us go take a look together." And so, leading several dozen Divine Ability ancestors and Golden Core True Persons, the Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect arrived atop the mountain peak where the super long-distance array was situated. Upon the peak, the array could be seen in the midst of its transmission. A super long-distance teleportation array might seem instantaneous, but that applied only once transit began; initiating the array took a certain amount of time, and once activated, disturbances would manifest at both ends. Such was the case right now. Atop the peak, the array's radiance grew increasingly dazzling, and the void itself seemed to tremble faintly. "They are here!" The Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect understood the array better than anyone. Sensing the tremors in the void, he immediately knew the teleportation had commenced. Sure enough, as soon as his words fell, the void within the radiant glow of the array twisted, and multiple figures materialized. *Swish.* Every gaze instantly locked onto them. "Why are there so many people?" "There appear to be eleven of them!" "Just who are they?" "That person looks very familiar, he is..." Several Divine Ability ancestors and Golden Core True Persons caught sight of the eleven figures. In particular, the six ancestors of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect were filled with shock and bewilderment upon spotting a familiar face among them. "That's... Lu Changsheng!" "Yes, it is Lu Changsheng! Why has he returned?" "It has only been so long—why has Lu Changsheng come back to the Ancient Region?" "Wait, the aura on his body... Has he advanced to the Divine Ability realm?" The six ancestors were suddenly overwhelmed with boundless joy. The Divine Ability realm! Lu Changsheng had actually advanced to the Divine Ability realm? They knew he had condensed a divine ability Dao fruit. Yet they also knew that for his Dao fruit to fully transform into a divine ability, numerous drops of Heavenly Spirit Water were required. According to their past experiences venturing into the Holy Land, securing enough Heavenly Spirit Water to advance to the Divine Ability realm would take at least several years, if not over a decade. If luck was poor, it might even require several decades. They had never imagined that in just a few months—less than a single year—Lu Changsheng would already have stepped into the Divine Ability realm. It was simply... unbelievable! More importantly, the six ancestors knew that Lu Changsheng had condensed a golden divine ability Dao fruit. Gold... represented a boundless divine ability! Once Lu Changsheng advanced to the Divine Ability realm, he would wield a boundless divine ability, far surpassing any greater divine ability! "Lu Changsheng, you..." Overcome with excitement, the six ancestors were rendered practically incoherent, unable to find their words. How could they not be thrilled? A boundless divine ability! "Hmm?" Lu Changsheng raised his head and opened his eyes, feeling slightly taken aback. Had he not merely returned to the Ancient Region through the super long-distance teleportation array? Why were there so many people welcoming him? A quick sweep of his gaze revealed several dozen Divine Ability ancestors and Golden Core True Persons. Even the six Divine Ability ancestors from the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect were present. With so many gathering to greet him, could news of his deeds in the Holy Land have already reached the Ancient Region? Yet that seemed off. Sending a message from the Holy Land back to the Ancient Region required activating the super long-distance teleportation array. Running it once cost at least one hundred spirit crystals—roughly ten thousand spirit stones—enough to purchase a drop of Heavenly Spirit Water. Would True Person Cuixuan casually squander a drop of Heavenly Spirit Water just to activate the array? That was utterly impossible! "Is this the Ancient Region?" "Venerable Lu, the heaven and earth spiritual qi in the Ancient Region is so thin! To think that such scarce spiritual qi could give birth to an existence like Venerable Lu... Truly incredible." "Indeed. In such sparse spiritual qi, practicing martial arts makes condensing laws exceedingly difficult. Even producing Dao Foundation martial artists would be an uphill battle, let alone the Divine Ability realm." "What is even more astounding is that immortal cultivators, who rely so heavily on heaven and earth spiritual qi, could actually produce Golden Core True Persons! I see more than one of them here." "The Ancient Region must have experienced great glory in the past; its foundation is quite profound..." The ten Divine Ability martial artists Lu Changsheng brought with him took in the scene before them, finding it all remarkably novel. Having grown up in the Holy Land, where had they ever seen a place with such feeble spiritual qi? They could hardly imagine how Lu Changsheng had condensed a boundless divine ability in such an environment, or how those Golden Core True Persons had formed their cores. However, as the ten members of the Holy Land Heavenly Sect spoke, they immediately drew the attention of the crowd from the Ancient Region. At first, everyone's gaze had been fixed on Lu Changsheng. After all, Lu Changsheng was no unknown figure in the Ancient Region, and they quickly recognized him. Yet the ten individuals behind him were by no means ordinary. With the keen eyes of the gathered experts, they could discern the depth of those ten figures at a single glance. "Divine Ability realm! All ten of them are Divine Ability martial artists?" "Why has Lu Changsheng brought ten Divine Ability martial artists with him?" "Did these ten martial artists all come from the Holy Land?" "What is Lu Changsheng's purpose in bringing them back to the Ancient Region?" For a moment, the expressions of the Ancient Region experts shifted slightly. Ten Divine Ability martial artists! Such a lineup might not be worth mentioning in the Holy Land, but in the Ancient Region, it was a completely different story. It was on par with any top martial sect. The Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, for instance, had only seven Divine Ability ancestors in total. If one added Lu Changsheng, his ten Divine Ability martial artists, and the sect's seven ancestors, that amounted to eighteen Divine Ability martial artists—a force capable of sweeping across the entire Ancient Region. It was little wonder the crowd grew so tense. "Lu Changsheng, who are these people...?" Ancestor Lu Tong of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect was the first to ask. He was well acquainted with Lu Changsheng. Lu Changsheng stepped out of the array with the ten Divine Ability martial artists and said calmly, "Ancestor Lu Tong, these are Supreme Elders of the Holy Land Heavenly Sect, a sect I established in the Holy Land. They can be considered of the same origin as our Ancient Region Heavenly Sect." "What? The Holy Land Heavenly Sect?" "And Supreme Elders at that?" "Lu Changsheng, you truly established a sect in the Holy Land and gained a firm foothold?" Lu Tong became intensely excited, his face flushing red. Establishing the Holy Land Heavenly Sect in the Holy Land! That was the cherished dream of countless ancestors throughout the history of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect, and now it had been realized through Lu Changsheng. Moreover, under the current circumstances, this was immensely advantageous for the sect. If the Ancient Region fell, they would at least have a retreat and could make their way to the Holy Land Heavenly Sect. "Haha! Lu Changsheng, you have returned at the perfect moment!" Lu Tong could not help but laugh heartily. The other sects, such as the Huangtian Sect and the Haoxian Immortal Sect, wore rather complex expressions. Who could have imagined that Lu Changsheng had secured a firm foothold in the Holy Land, let alone founded the Holy Land Heavenly Sect? "Ancestor Lu Tong, what exactly happened here?" Lu Changsheng asked. "Why are so many experts gathered at the Haoxian Immortal Sect?" Lu Changsheng had naturally sensed that something was amiss. These people had not assembled to welcome him; something else had drawn them all together. "Changsheng, it is like this. A group of uninvited guests calling themselves the Black Light Chamber of Commerce suddenly arrived in the Ancient Region..." Lu Tong recounted everything that had occurred recently in the Ancient Region without leaving out a single detail. "The Black Light Chamber of Commerce from Tianguang City?" "It's them?" "That is indeed troublesome. The Black Light Chamber of Commerce is backed by a Martial Saint, and their ranks are filled with experts. Their strength far exceeds that of the Li Chamber of Commerce." "I know of that Ouyang You—he is a master of greater divine ability within the Black Light Chamber of Commerce. It is said he is second only to a Martial Venerable, and had he not lost to a true Martial Venerable in the past, he would have gained the title of Martial Venerable long ago." "Furthermore, there is a genuine Martial Venerable within the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, someone even stronger than Ouyang You..." Upon hearing the name of the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, the ten Divine Ability Supreme Elders of the Holy Land Heavenly Sect looked slightly grim as they shared what they knew. If it truly was the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, the situation was exceedingly thorny. "What? The Black Light Chamber of Commerce is that powerful?" "We had only heard of them as a massive faction from Tianguang City, but we never expected them to be so formidable. If they have martial artists even stronger than Ouyang You, how can we resist?" "Ouyang You isn't even their strongest Divine Ability martial artist? Then even if we block Ouyang You this time, what meaning does it hold?" "No, it still holds meaning. At the very least, it will let the Black Light Chamber of Commerce know that our Ancient Region is no soft persimmon to be chewed on easily, and that taking us will cost them dearly! But that is only if we can withstand Ouyang You first." Just then, a disciple of the Haoxian Immortal Sect rushed forward to deliver a report. "Reporting to the Sect Master! A hundred li from our sect, a large group of unfamiliar martial artists—suspected to be Divine Ability experts from the Black Light Chamber of Commerce—is heading straight for our mountain gate!" Hearing the disciple's report, everyone's heart gave a jolt. "They've arrived so quickly?" "The Black Light Chamber of Commerce knew we were gathering at the Haoxian Immortal Sect, yet made no move to stop us earlier. Did they intend to wipe us all out in one fell swoop?" "They didn't come earlier or later, but chose to strike just when we had all assembled at the Haoxian Immortal Sect. Clearly, this was deliberate on their part—to corral us together and resolve the Ancient Region once and for all." "Hmph! Since they are here, let us fight with everything we have! Slay Ouyang You first, and see if the Black Light Chamber of Commerce really dares send someone stronger!" Discussions erupted among the crowd. They were not particularly terrified; they had gathered so many experts at the Haoxian Immortal Sect precisely to intercept Ouyang You, and they were already mentally prepared. "Let us go." The Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect immediately led the group to the mountain gate to take command of the mountain-protecting array and defend the sect. At this moment, Lu Tong could not resist asking, "Changsheng, your Dao fruit..." Lu Changsheng knew what Lu Tong wanted to ask, but shook his head. "Now is not the time to discuss this. With a formidable enemy before us, we must first deal with the Black Light Chamber of Commerce's assault." Lu Tong nodded. He had a vague inkling that Lu Changsheng was exceptionally powerful now—after all, that was a boundless divine ability. Yet only the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect knew about Lu Changsheng's boundless divine ability. If Lu Changsheng did not speak of it himself, they would not volunteer the information either. Were they supposed to push Lu Changsheng forward to take the brunt of the Black Light Chamber of Commerce? That was out of the question; they were not that foolish. For now, they would observe the situation. In contrast, the ten Divine Ability martial artists from the Holy Land Heavenly Sect were not worried in the slightest. They had witnessed firsthand the battle between Lu Changsheng and Sword Venerable Chen Peng. Lu Changsheng had killed Chen Peng with a single divine ability strike. The might of a boundless divine ability was terrifying beyond measure. Aside from their Martial Saint, who in the Black Light Chamber of Commerce could stand as Lu Changsheng's match? Neither Ouyang You nor a Martial Venerable stronger than Ouyang You could! Thus, with Lu Changsheng present, they felt thoroughly at ease. "Venerable Lu, with just a word from you, we shall take action as well!" the elders of the Holy Land Heavenly Sect murmured softly. They were all Divine Ability realm martial artists. Though none had condensed a greater divine ability, their strength was by no means negligible. Compared to the Divine Ability ancestors of the Ancient Region, the ten of them held a distinct advantage. "No rush. Let us watch first," Lu Changsheng replied placidly. If the Haoxian Immortal Sect could handle the Black Light Chamber of Commerce on its own, Lu Changsheng would not meddle. Moreover, this was an opportunity to see how much foundation the Ancient Region truly possessed. The Haoxian Immortal Sect was particularly mysterious; perhaps the Black Light Chamber of Commerce could force out its full hand! *Whoosh.* At last, the crowd arrived before the mountain gate. Outside, over a dozen streaks of light flashed and arrived in an instant. These dozen-odd figures stood suspended in the void. Most were Divine Ability martial artists, but there were also Golden Core True Persons—not just one, but two! Golden Core True Persons were figures of immense prestige in the Holy Land, dripping with wealth. It was unexpected that the Black Light Chamber of Commerce commanded so many of them. Yet these dozen-odd experts simply hovered outside the mountain gate without rushing to attack. Leading them was none other than Ouyang You, a master of greater divine ability renowned throughout the Holy Land! Standing in the void, Ouyang You looked down haughtily upon the Haoxian Immortal Sect's mountain gate and the dozens of Divine Ability martial artists and Golden Core True Persons within. In an arrogant, icy tone, he remarked, "These people must be the strongest in the Ancient Region. Seventy to eighty percent of their top experts are probably gathered here. Once the Haoxian Immortal Sect is broken, the entire Ancient Region will essentially be ours for the taking! True Person Wuxu, do you have any ideas regarding the Haoxian Immortal Sect's mountain-protecting array down there?" True Person Wuxu, who had been addressed, had already been studying the array to find a way to break it. However, time had been too short. As an array master, he had recognized the array's formidable nature at a single glance. "To breach an array like this, it must either be unmanned or shattered by brute force; there is no other way," True Person Wuxu said in a deep voice. "Currently, Golden Core True Persons are presiding over it, so our only option is to break it with force." Many arrays had no flaws to exploit, leaving even grandmasters of arrays with no clever shortcuts. "Break it with force, is it? Fine, then force it shall be!" Ouyang You stepped forward, sneering coldly. "Did you truly think you could stop our Black Light Chamber of Commerce behind this tortoise shell? Ignorant fools! You have no comprehension of the mighty power of a greater divine ability!" Ouyang You did not bother issuing threats; there was no point. If they had intended to surrender to the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, they would have done so already. Those gathered here clearly still harbored unrealistic hopes and delusions. In that case, he would shatter their illusions. *Boom!* The next instant, Ouyang You unleashed his divine ability. A terrifying tempest materialized in the void, blotting out the sky and sun across several li as if stirring up heaven and earth itself. A dreadful aura bore down. A greater divine ability! This was the might of a greater divine ability—an earth-shattering power far beyond anything a lesser divine ability could rival. "Activate the mountain-protecting array!" the Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect commanded at once. The Golden Core True Persons of the sect joined together to channel the array, intent on meeting Ouyang You's greater divine ability head-on with its power. "Greater divine ability—Hurricane!" Ouyang You roared. A terrifying hurricane swept forth with unstoppable momentum. Anything in its path, even a mountain peak, would have been blown away. Nothing seemed capable of withstanding its wrath. *Rumble!* The hurricane crashed violently against the Haoxian Immortal Sect's array. The array shuddered violently, and the Golden Core True Persons felt an immense pressure bear down upon them. The light of the mountain-protecting array flickered erratically, appearing on the verge of total collapse. Yet this array had been refined by the Haoxian Immortal Sect over countless years, thoroughly fused with the very foundation of the sect. Sustained by several Golden Core True Persons channeling their power in a seamless, unbroken stream, it actually managed to hold firm against Ouyang You's greater divine ability. "It held! Haha, it truly held!" "Even a greater divine ability cannot breach the Haoxian Immortal Sect's mountain-protecting array! As expected of the number-one immortal sect in our Ancient Region!" "The Haoxian Immortal Sect's lineage is extraordinary, and its protective array is immensely powerful. Ouyang You thought he could crush our sect's array with ease—what a fantasy!" "Once Ouyang You exhausts himself or drains too much energy, our opportunity will come. For now, let us wait..." Many in the crowd cheered excitedly. They had held the line after all. *Damn it, how could it withstand my greater divine ability?* Ouyang You's face darkened. Ever since coming to the Ancient Region from the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, he had been utterly invincible and swept all before him. Now, encountering an array that he could not even break left the proud Ouyang You thoroughly exasperated. He was the one leading this expedition; if he failed to sweep the Ancient Region, he would become a laughingstock. Worse still, he would be mocked by that man... "Again!" Unwilling to concede defeat, Ouyang You unleashed all his divine abilities. Yet it was futile. Once an array proved unbreakable, repeating the attempt changed nothing; no matter how many divine abilities he unleashed, the result remained the same. Competing in endurance on the home turf of the Haoxian Immortal Sect was something the Golden Core True Persons had no fear of. With the sect's profound foundation, they could easily outlast Ouyang You without any issue. "Attack together!" Ouyang You bellowed. The dozen-odd Divine Ability martial artists behind him struck at once. Even the Golden Core True Persons unleashed their magic treasures, hurling them toward the Haoxian Immortal Sect like a torrential deluge. *Rumble!* The Haoxian Immortal Sect's protective array proved truly extraordinary. Despite the collective bombardment from Ouyang You and his retinue, it showed no sign of crumbling. Even the ten Divine Ability elders from the Holy Land Heavenly Sect could not help but voice their praise. "The Ancient Region is barren, yet who would have thought it held such a grand immortal sect as the Haoxian Immortal Sect? Their mountain-protecting array is remarkably robust. Ouyang You is no weakling, yet he cannot crack it." "It seems the Haoxian Immortal Sect's lineage is far from ordinary. An array capable of withstanding a greater divine ability and a joint bombardment of this scale without faltering is no common defense." "Just what kind of heritage does the Haoxian Immortal Sect possess? Could it be a Nascent Soul lineage?" Lu Changsheng did not speak. He merely watched a figure standing behind Ouyang You in silence. Among Ouyang You's party of a dozen or so, nearly everyone had struck out, save for a single black-robed martial artist. He stood quietly in the void, watching with cold detachment, seemingly having no intention of intervening. But this man was by no means simple! "Halt!" Finally, Ouyang You stopped, his expression exceedingly grim. Yet what could he do? If he could not break it, he could not break it; even a coordinated strike from the entire group had achieved nothing. "Very well. Stand down," the black-robed man suddenly spoke. The moment he spoke, the others retreated immediately, revealing his lofty status. Even Ouyang You, despite his lingering frustration, stepped back a few paces. "Zhou Lie, I've made a fool of myself before you," Ouyang You said through gritted teeth. "This is my first time leading a team, yet to think I cannot even breach the protective array of a mere immortal sect... How laughable." Ouyang You was deeply resentful. The target he had spent years trying to surpass was the black-robed man standing before him: the sole Martial Venerable of the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, Blade Venerable Zhou Lie! "Hmm?" "He is..." "Zhou Lie! It must be Blade Venerable Zhou Lie of the Black Light Chamber of Commerce!" "What a terrifying aura! He is like a sheathed blade that was concealed before and has now stepped forward. What frightening presence!" "Blade Venerable Zhou Lie—a genuine Martial Venerable! I recall that Sword Venerable Chen Peng fought over a hundred battles, large and small, without a single defeat. Yet from beginning to end, Chen Peng never challenged Blade Venerable Zhou Lie." "Some say Zhou Lie's greater blade divine ability is even more dreadful than Chen Peng's greater sword divine ability." "To think Zhou Lie came as well, hidden within Ouyang You's ranks..." The Supreme Elders of the Holy Land Heavenly Sect behind Lu Changsheng blanched. They had never seen Blade Venerable Zhou Lie in person; otherwise, they would have recognized him earlier. Yet they knew of his greater blade divine ability, and that overbearing aura was unmistakable. Without being a Martial Venerable, one could not possess such terrifying presence—it far surpassed Ouyang You's earlier display. Combined with his presence among the Black Light Chamber of Commerce's forces, his identity was not difficult to deduce. Clad in black robes, Zhou Lie was as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice. Step by step, he walked toward the mountain gate of the Haoxian Immortal Sect, slowly wrapping his fingers around the hilt of his blade. This blade had accompanied him for a century. Zhou Lie had risen to fame long ago, and over the past hundred years, the number of times he had drawn his weapon could practically be counted on one hand. Yet this time, he had to act. If he did not, Ouyang You would remain powerless against the array. "Everyone, be on your guard! He is Blade Venerable Zhou Lie, even more powerful than Ouyang You—the strongest Martial Venerable beneath the Martial Saints!" the Sect Master of the Haoxian Immortal Sect called out solemnly. His expression was exceedingly grim. At a moment like this, others were of little help. If the array fell, how could they hope to resist two terrifying masters of greater divine abilities? Facing Ouyang You alone, they might still have fought with their lives, but with Blade Venerable Zhou Lie added to the fray, what hope did the Ancient Region have? Once the array shattered, the Haoxian Immortal Sect would be finished—and so would the Ancient Region. They had to hold! Zhou Lie said nothing. His hand gripped the hilt, and then he drew his blade in a single, fluid motion. *Clang!* Zhou Lie drew the blade. Blade light flared, and all else in the void seemed to lose its color, leaving only that dazzling arc of light. This was no mere blade light—it was imbued with a greater blade divine ability. Pure and unadulterated, it contained only quintessential sharpness: overbearing, destructive, and razor-sharp! It was indeed sharper than Sword Venerable Chen Peng's blade had been! *Boom!* The strike slashed fiercely into the Haoxian Immortal Sect's mountain-protecting array. Instantly, the array shuddered violently, its radiance flashing frantically. Then, in an instant— *Tear!* The radiance of the array was extinguished in a flash. It broke! The Haoxian Immortal Sect's mountain-protecting array had been cleaved open! The Golden Core True Persons jolted violently, their faces instantly turning as pale as paper. With the array shattered, they suffered severe backlash. Yet that minor injury was nothing compared to the shock gripping their minds—a shock brought on by Zhou Lie! With the array gone, how could they possibly hope to stop him? "It's over... Even the protective array couldn't withstand Zhou Lie. The Haoxian Immortal Sect is finished, and our Ancient Region is finished..." Despair washed over countless faces. The bold proclamations from earlier vanished without a trace, replaced only by a profound sense of helplessness. They had all witnessed Zhou Lie's strike. That horrific might was simply insurmountable! No matter how many of them there were, facing that blade head-on meant certain death! This was a Martial Venerable—an overlord standing above all Divine Ability martial artists, second only to the Martial Saints. Even a master of greater divine ability like Ouyang You fell short of a true Martial Venerable. Zhou Lie sheathed his blade. Looking down on everyone within the Haoxian Immortal Sect, he spoke in a voice as cold as ice, chilling the Divine Ability martial artists and Golden Core True Persons to the marrow of their bones. "I give you two choices. Submit, or die!" Die or submit—did they even have a choice? "Alas, this is our Ancient Region's catastrophe. Even if we perish together with the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, we will not harm them in the slightest..." many martial artists thought with bitter helplessness. "Changsheng, we..." Ancestor Lu Tong of the Ancient Region Heavenly Sect could no longer hold back and spoke up. Before he could finish, Lu Changsheng raised a hand to stop him. "Ancestor Lu Tong, be calm," Lu Changsheng said. "No matter what happens, it does not matter. Because I will take action!" With that, Lu Changsheng stepped forward. As if ascending invisible stairs, he walked calmly into the void, confronting Blade Venerable Zhou Lie from across the distance. "Who are you?" Zhou Lie asked coldly. Lu Changsheng looked impassive. Clasping his hands behind his back, he replied placidly, "Holy Land Heavenly Sect, Lu Changsheng!" The moment those words were spoken, Zhou Lie's pupils shrank violently as he fixed his gaze unwaveringly on Lu Changsheng. "The Holy Land Heavenly Sect..." As a Martial Venerable of the Black Light Chamber of Commerce, Zhou Lie was privy to well-informed intelligence. A particular piece of news surfaced in his mind at once. "Could you be Venerable Lu of Tiansheng City?" For the first time, a tremor of emotion rippled through Zhou Lie's voice.