Qingluan, Long Time No See!

Silence! The entire valley fell deathly quiet. A thick mist of blood filled the air. Around Lu Changsheng, not a single intact exotic beast remained. Every last one was dead. Whether they were high-rank exotic beasts or creatures rivaling nine-Dao Great Saints, none could withstand the crushing weight of Lu Changsheng's Illusory Realm. All of them had been reduced to clouds of bloody mist. With a wave of his hand, Lu Changsheng swept his Illusory Realm through the subterranean valley. The drifting blood mist was instantly drawn into the world and vanished without a trace. The world seemed to clear at once. Though darkness still shrouded the subterranean depths, high-rank Great Saints like Lu Changsheng and Lin Qingluan could see perfectly well with their vision. "Qingluan, long time no see." Lu Changsheng's gaze came to rest on Lin Qingluan. His voice echoed gently through the quiet valley. "Changsheng... is it really you? But... how could you..." Lin Qingluan felt dazed, as if caught in a dream. How much time had passed? Two thousand years? A little under three thousand, at most. How had Lu Changsheng grown to such a terrifying degree in that span? Even she had smoothly advanced to a nine-Dao Great Saint, and in due time, she would achieve complete perfection and reach the realm of a peak Great Saint. Yet even a peak Great Saint, when faced with such a horde of terrifying beasts, could never have slaughtered them as casually as taking a stroll in a garden. Yet Lu Changsheng had done it. He had done it without breaking a sweat. Just like that, an entire swarm of horrors had been annihilated with effortless ease. This was power transcending that of a peak Great Saint—surpassing it by leaps and bounds. An Emperor? No, it did not seem like an Emperor either. If not an Emperor, then what was he? Lu Changsheng offered a faint smile. With a mere thought, a resonant hum echoed behind him as a low rumble shook the air, and Great Daos began to manifest one after another. One, three, five, eight... Eight full Great Daos appeared behind him, exuding a staggering, terrifying pressure. The sheer weight of this aura made even Lin Qingluan feel an immense suffocation. She was now a full-fledged nine-Dao Great Saint. Although she had not yet reached absolute perfection and could not be considered a peak Great Saint, with just a bit more refinement and quiet seclusion, reaching that peak was only a matter of time. And what lay beyond a peak Great Saint? An Emperor! Yet Lu Changsheng was clearly not an Emperor; he was merely an eight-Dao Great Saint. How could he possess such dreadful power and prestige? "Changsheng, how did you cultivate so quickly?" "And why does it feel like you, an eight-Dao Great Saint, are stronger than even a peak Great Saint?" "Among those exotic beasts, quite a few were comparable to peak Great Saints, yet you wiped them out in a clean sweep..." Lin Qingluan's expression was profoundly complex. Before she went into seclusion, Lu Changsheng's cultivation had been negligible. But now, after more than two thousand years, while his cultivation realm had indeed not yet surpassed hers, his battle strength had completely outstripped her own. Furthermore, had Lu Changsheng not arrived in the nick of time, she would not have escaped this disaster. Even as a nine-Dao Great Saint, breaking out of that encirclement would have been nearly impossible. "Qingluan, you were in seclusion for over two thousand years. Everyone in the Tianyuan Holy Sect was worried about you, and so was I," Lu Changsheng explained calmly. "So I asked the Sect Master of the Tianyuan Holy Sect for the location of this secret realm and came specifically to look for you. Fortunately, I was not too late, and I found you..." "As for why I am merely an eight-Dao Great Saint yet possess such strength, the reason is simple. If every single one of my Great Daos rivals the Eternal Sword Dao, or is only marginally inferior to it, wouldn't my combined combat power reach an extraordinary level?" "Besides, such Great Saints are not unheard of in the history of the Dark Domain. They are simply known as Invincible Great Saints." An Invincible Great Saint! Realization dawned upon Lin Qingluan. Yes, the Dark Domain had indeed produced Invincible Great Saints in its long history. Though exceedingly rare, they truly existed. Such Invincible Great Saints possessed peerless combat might. Beneath the realm of an Emperor, none could stand against them. They were legends who suppressed entire eras! Figures of such dazzling brilliance could be counted on one's fingers across the history of the entire Dark Domain. Lin Qingluan knew she was exceptionally talented, someone with the potential to become an Emperor. She, too, could fight opponents of higher realms. Yet the further along she progressed, the more acutely she felt her own limitations. When it came to combat prowess, she could never sweep all before her unconditionally. She was not an Invincible Great Saint. She had never anticipated that Lu Changsheng would become one. And to become an Invincible Great Saint with the cultivation of merely an eight-Dao Great Saint... It was truly a wondrous surprise. Yet when she recalled Lu Changsheng's Eternal Sword Dao, her astonishment turned to understanding. She practiced the Sword Dao herself and was remarkably proficient in it. In the Dark Domain, countless Great Saints condensed the Sword Dao. Yet even among the most renowned Sword Saints of history, Lin Qingluan faintly suspected that their Sword Daos might not match Lu Changsheng's Eternal Sword Dao. The Eternal Sword Dao truly deserved to be called the foremost Sword Dao since time immemorial in the Dark Domain. For someone who could grasp such a Dao, his talent was beyond question. That he could stand as an Invincible Great Saint now seemed completely natural. "Qingluan, tell me what happened. Why did you end up in the Primordial Abyss?" Lu Changsheng asked. Lin Qingluan nodded and recounted everything that had transpired since she entered the Primordial Secret Realm. At first, she had simply cultivated in seclusion within the secret realm. However, she soon found herself unable to make further progress. Going from an eight-Dao Great Saint to a nine-Dao Great Saint was far from as simple as she had imagined. She knew that without a special opportunity, it might take an immense amount of time to achieve that breakthrough. But she was unwilling to wait so long. Thus, Lin Qingluan began roaming the Primordial Secret Realm, seeking out fortuitous encounters. She even founded the Qingluan Sect to aid in the search. In the end, she actually managed to find a Sky-Connecting Fruit. Regrettably, news of the fruit leaked out, drawing the four top factions. Four peak Great Saints joined forces to besiege the Qingluan Sect, reducing it to ruins and forcing Lin Qingluan to deploy a secret technique to flee. Originally, she had intended to leave the Primordial Secret Realm and return to the Dark Domain. But the eyes and ears of the four factions covered every corner of the Primordial Continent. The moment she showed herself, she would be hunted down. Before she could even reach the exit of the secret realm, the four peak Great Saints would surely intercept and slaughter her. Desperate, Lin Qingluan took a gamble and used an Abyss Token she had acquired by chance to venture into the Primordial Abyss. Though exotic beasts roamed the abyss, as long as she concealed her presence and avoided provoking them, she remained relatively safe. There, within the Primordial Abyss, she consumed the Sky-Connecting Fruit and cultivated diligently until she finally broke through to become a nine-Dao Great Saint. "Once we get out, I will definitely seek vengeance against those four factions," Lin Qingluan said, her tone cold. "Hmph, I haven't forgotten the hatred of seeing my sect destroyed!" Lin Qingluan was not an overly vindictive person by nature, but she could not simply swallow the bitter pill of having her sect wiped out. Previously, she might have had to endure in silence and slip away, waiting until she grew strong enough—or even achieved the realm of an Emperor—before returning to crush those four factions. Now, however, things were different. She had Lu Changsheng by her side. With combat power on par with an Invincible Great Saint, handling four peak Great Saints would pose no difficulty for him. "Vengeance?" Lu Changsheng smiled faintly. Masking the Black Light Pagoda with his Illusory Realm, he released three Qingluan Sect disciples from within. "Qingluan, see if you recognize these three." Swish. As Lu Changsheng spoke, three figures materialized before Lin Qingluan. "This..." Lin Qingluan's eyes widened. At the same time, the three green-robed women froze, then immediately fell to their knees. "Greetings, Master!" "Master, you're safe! That's wonderful... We thought we would never see you again in this life..." "Master, the Qingluan Sect is gone..." Seeing Lin Qingluan, the three women's eyes turned red, and they choked back sobs. "It's you three?" Lin Qingluan was delighted. She had never imagined she would see these disciples again. In truth, she had an impression of them. Their talents were quite good. Although it seemed she took in many disciples, she had kept a close eye on these three. They were not the invisible nobodies they believed themselves to be; they simply had not realized that their master had been watching over them. "Rest assured. Once I leave the Primordial Abyss, I will avenge our sect and all our fallen disciples!" Lin Qingluan declared solemnly. Seeing these three disciples did not soften her resentment; if anything, it intensified her desire for vengeance. After all, so many of her disciples had perished. "Avenge?" The three women blinked, quickly grasping the situation. "Master, do you not know?" "Know what?" "The revenge you speak of... Three of the four factions have already been wiped off the face of the continent, and three of the peak Great Saints are dead! Only the Primordial Dao remains, and that is only because the Primordial Dao Ancestor deduced that you were in the Primordial Abyss, earning him mercy from Senior Lu." Lu Changsheng added, "If that still doesn't satisfy you, we can go and exterminate the Primordial Dao as well. There is no need for hesitation." His words made Lin Qingluan pause as the reality set in. Three major sects had been crushed by Lu Changsheng alone? Only the Primordial Dao remained, and they had barely survived by begging for their lives and providing information on her whereabouts? For a moment, Lin Qingluan felt as though Lu Changsheng had become a stranger. Was this still the Dao companion she had chosen? She had once sworn that she would protect Lu Changsheng well. But looking at it now, did Lu Changsheng need her protection? Clearly, it was she who needed his. In fact, if Lu Changsheng was no longer willing to be her Dao companion, neither she nor the Tianyuan Holy Sect could do anything to stop him. After all, when she had chosen him in the beginning, she had done so because of his Eternal Sword Dao, hoping he could help her strive for the realm of a ten-Dao Great Saint and grant her the foundation to become an Emperor. In the end, her motives had not been entirely pure. Now, Lu Changsheng was immensely powerful—so strong that neither the Tianyuan Holy Sect nor the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect could compel him to do anything. Whether he still wanted her as his Dao companion was entirely up to him. "If you are unwilling..." Lin Qingluan felt a twinge of unease. Lu Changsheng shook his head, cutting off her words. He sighed softly. "If I were unwilling, why would I have come to the Primordial Secret Realm? Back then, you spared no effort in announcing that we were Dao companions, and you hurried off to the Primordial Secret Realm out of fear that you wouldn't be able to protect me. You pushed yourself to become a nine-Dao Great Saint and eventually an Emperor precisely so you could shield me, didn't you?" Lu Changsheng said no more. Some things only needed to be understood between the two of them. Whether Lin Qingluan's heart was sincere was something Lu Changsheng could easily discern. With his analytical prowess and unmatched comprehension, what could escape his notice? A smile blossomed across Lin Qingluan's face. The heavy boulder pressing down on her heart seemed to crumble away, leaving her feeling incomparably light. "Come, let us leave the Primordial Abyss first." Lu Changsheng led the four of them out of the abyss, encountering no trouble along the way. Once they emerged into the Primordial Secret Realm, Lin Qingluan pondered for a moment and said, "I'd like to visit the ruins of the Qingluan Sect." "Very well," Lu Changsheng agreed with a nod. It was hardly an imposition. The Primordial Secret Realm no longer held any threat to them. Thus, the group of five flew openly toward the Qingluan Sect. Before long, they arrived. The sect was supposed to be a stretch of barren ruins. But now, it was entirely different. Clusters of grand buildings had risen anew upon the rubble, almost identical to how the sect had once looked. "This..." Lin Qingluan and her three disciples were filled with both surprise and confusion. The Qingluan Sect had been rebuilt? Who could have done this? "Let's go have a look," Lu Changsheng said, narrowing his eyes. He already had a guess in mind, though he was not entirely certain. Going over would make everything clear. The group flew straight toward the sect's mountain gate. Outside the gates, several cultivators stood guard. However, their garments did not belong to the Qingluan Sect; they wore the robes of the Primordial Dao. "Why are disciples of the Primordial Dao at the Qingluan Sect?" Lin Qingluan's gaze turned frosty. She had not forgotten that while the Heaven Mending Dao had physically razed her sect, it was a collective decision made by all four factions. The Primordial Dao Ancestor had personally joined the siege against her. Naturally, she felt no goodwill toward them. Lu Changsheng smiled faintly. "I have a rough idea of what is happening. Come, let's head inside." When the Primordial Dao cultivators caught sight of Lu Changsheng, they instantly bowed and greeted him with utmost deference: "Greetings, Great Saint Changsheng! We were ordered to rebuild the mountain gate of the Qingluan Sect and remain here to guard it." Lu Changsheng nodded, just as he had deduced. "Where is the Primordial Dao Ancestor?" "He is currently inside the sect grounds." Lu Changsheng asked no further questions. The five entered the Qingluan Sect. Looking at the familiar sights around them, Lin Qingluan and the three disciples felt as though yesterday had returned. It truly had been rebuilt. Although there were minor differences from the original, over ninety percent of it had been faithfully restored. The Primordial Dao Ancestor had certainly gone to great lengths. Soon, the Primordial Dao Ancestor rushed forward to greet Lu Changsheng in person. Seeing Lin Qingluan standing beside him, his heart leaped in fright, but he bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Fairy Qingluan, Great Saint Changsheng." Lin Qingluan said nothing, regarding him with cold eyes. Lu Changsheng asked, "Did you rebuild the Qingluan Sect?" The Primordial Dao Ancestor nodded. "Indeed. I had my subordinates reconstruct it. Did Great Saint Changsheng not instruct me to search for surviving Qingluan Sect disciples? The Primordial Dao spread word across the entire Primordial Continent and managed to locate some of them. Though not many—only around thirty or so—they have all been brought here. Guided by their memories, I oversaw the reconstruction of the sect, hoping to make amends to Fairy Qingluan." For the Primordial Dao Ancestor to undertake such an endeavor and exhaust so much effort to rebuild the sect was no small feat; it had undoubtedly cost him dearly. What was his goal? Was it not simply to preserve his own life and protect the legacy of the Primordial Dao? Look at the other three top factions. Even without Lu Changsheng issuing an explicit order, the Primordial Dao Ancestor had already moved against them on his own initiative, all to curry favor with Lu Changsheng. To ensure his lineage survived, the Primordial Dao Ancestor was pulling out all the stops. The last thing he wanted was to make an enemy of Lu Changsheng. That previous battle had utterly shattered his courage. "Qingluan, what do you think?" Lu Changsheng asked, deferring to her judgment. The Primordial Dao Ancestor held his breath, his nerves stretched taut. He knew this was a matter of life and death. A single word from Lin Qingluan would spell his doom. Whether he lived or died depended entirely on her. Lin Qingluan glanced at the newly rebuilt sect, then turned her gaze to the Primordial Dao Ancestor. With a cold snort, she said, "You certainly know how to be attentive. Still, seeing that you went to the trouble of rebuilding the sect's mountain gate and gathering our surviving disciples, I shall spare your life this time." "Thank you, Fairy Qingluan! Thank you, Great Saint Changsheng!" The Primordial Dao Ancestor was overjoyed, immensely relieved to have survived. "If there is nothing else, I shall take my leave." Lu Changsheng waved his hand dismissively. The Primordial Dao Ancestor hastily led his people away from the mountain gate. Unless strictly necessary, he would never dare set foot in the Qingluan Sect again. If Lin Qingluan were ever reminded of past grievances, he would face catastrophic consequences. Watching the Primordial Dao Ancestor scurry away in disgrace, Lin Qingluan could not help but sigh with emotion. "The Primordial Dao Ancestor is a renowned peak Great Saint, and the Primordial Dao is comparable to a holy sect. Yet before Changsheng, he doesn't even dare harbor a shred of defiance..." Only now did she truly grasp the profound weight of the title 'Invincible Great Saint.' "Greetings, Master!" "Greetings, Ancestor!" "Greetings, Sect Master..." As Lin Qingluan met with the surviving members of the Qingluan Sect, various forms of address rang out. Formerly, she had been their Sect Master, their Ancestor, and the personal master of many disciples. Among those gathered by the Primordial Dao were not only disciples, but also elders, hence the diverse salutations. Yet whether elders or disciples, their numbers were pitifully small. Once, the Qingluan Sect had been a major power thousands of members strong. And now? Barely several dozen people remained. Even occupying such a vast mountain gate, they could no longer sustain the grandeur of a great sect. "Qingluan, what do you plan to do with them?" Lu Changsheng asked. Lin Qingluan knew he was referring to the surviving cultivators. She was destined to leave the Primordial Secret Realm. How should she handle them? "Changsheng, what do you think I should do?" Lin Qingluan asked in return. Dealing with these people was indeed a dilemma she had not yet considered in depth. Should she leave them here, or take them all out? Either choice would drastically alter the course of their lives. Lu Changsheng looked around and let out a gentle sigh. "To us, this is merely a secret realm, but to them, it is their entire world." "The sky outside is vast, but the outside world is far from safe. You must decide whether to bring them along." "If you do, you should consider it from the perspective of the Tianyuan Holy Sect. This Primordial Secret Realm is ultimately an asset belonging to the sect. If its resources are put to good use, the strength of the Tianyuan Holy Sect could improve rapidly." Lu Changsheng said no more, waiting quietly. In truth, he already knew what choice she would make. The situation was plain to see. In the past, the Tianyuan Holy Sect could not have managed such an enormous secret realm, nor could it have controlled the numerous powerhouses within. Now, however, things were different—or rather, they would be different in the future. Once the Tianyuan Holy Sect produced an Emperor, everything would change. At that point, the sect would be fully capable of reigning over the entire Primordial Secret Realm! "I understand. The Primordial Secret Realm is too small after all; they should be brought out to witness a broader world," Lin Qingluan said slowly. "However, not right now. Only when I become an Emperor will the time be ripe to integrate the Primordial Secret Realm fully into the Tianyuan Holy Sect..." Lu Changsheng smiled. It seemed Lin Qingluan remained clearheaded and had made the right decision. "What shall we do now?" "Once I finish settling the affairs of the Qingluan Sect, we will return to the Tianyuan Holy Sect." Lu Changsheng nodded. He felt a faint trace of concern, suspecting that major upheavals had already occurred in the Dark Domain. After all, Ancestor Qingchi had predicted that within a thousand years, the Dark Domain would collide with chaos, giving rise to countless spatial passages. More than twelve hundred years had passed since then. Having spent all this time inside the Primordial Secret Realm, Lu Changsheng had been cut off from external events. However, clashes between the Dark Domain and chaos had most likely begun. It was best to return as soon as possible to ascertain the situation. True to her resolute nature, Lin Qingluan spent a few days putting the affairs of the Qingluan Sect in order. "Everything is arranged. Let us depart." Accompanied by Lu Changsheng, Lin Qingluan left the Primordial Secret Realm alone. Yet she was confident that it would not be long before she returned. When that day came, the entire Primordial Secret Realm would be hers to command, thoroughly merged into the Tianyuan Holy Sect. *** Within the Tianyuan Holy Sect, the elders wore grim expressions, and a heavy, suffocating atmosphere filled the grand hall. "Has another massive rift appeared?" "It is more than just a rift—a direct passage has formed! And this interworld passage is located far too close to our Tianyuan Holy Sect, falling squarely within our territory." "Several chaos lifeforms have already appeared near the passage. According to the arrangements made by the Emperors of the Dark Domain, any top faction must take responsibility for passages appearing within its domain. Therefore, our Tianyuan Holy Sect alone must deal with this interworld passage." "Ever since the first interworld passage opened two hundred years ago, more and more have emerged. Even if our sect wished to stay out of it, we no longer have that luxury." "Indeed. Even if we wanted to avoid it, the chaos lifeforms would never give us the chance..." Many elders spoke with heavy hearts. In truth, the Tianyuan Holy Sect had zero desire to become entangled in this war between two worlds. Their paramount objective was to foster a secure cultivation environment for Lin Qingluan, waiting patiently until she achieved the realm of an Emperor. That was the eternal foundation of the Tianyuan Holy Sect! Fighting and slaughtering chaos lifeforms held no appeal for them. It was a thankless, grueling task. Could battling chaos produce an Emperor for their sect? As for why the Emperors actively promoted the war against chaos, it was likely because they needed certain things from it. Historically, every major conflict between the Dark Domain and chaos had been driven by the Emperors. The members of the Tianyuan Holy Sect were unaware of the specific reasons; perhaps only the Emperors themselves understood. However, when chaos initiated an invasion, matters were different. The Tianyuan Holy Sect had no choice but to fight. Previously, when no spatial passages lay within their territory, the Tianyuan Holy Sect had shown little enthusiasm for the interworld war. Even when answering the Emperors' summons, they had merely dispatched expendable cultivators to fulfill their basic obligations. Now that an interworld passage had opened directly in their domain, everything changed. "Is there still no word from Holy Maiden Qingluan?" an elder asked. The Sect Master of the Tianyuan Holy Sect shook his head. He knew for certain that Lin Qingluan was alive. Lu Changsheng had even gone into the Primordial Secret Realm to find her. But neither had emerged yet, meaning they had surely been delayed by something. Fretful as he was, worrying served no purpose. "Enough. Our Tianyuan Holy Sect must handle this on our own." "An interworld passage of this magnitude is extraordinary. Even if an Emperor cannot pass through, Great Saints certainly can." "If powerful chaos lifeforms cross over, our sect will be in dire peril. We must dispatch high-rank Great Saints to guard the vicinity of the passage. The moment any chaos lifeforms enter the Dark Domain, eliminate them immediately—show no mercy!" The Sect Master issued his command. Soon, squads of cultivators were deployed toward the interworld passage. Nearly all were Great Saints, led by high-rank Great Saints. Yet despite their caution and vigilance, disaster struck. Chaos lifeforms began emerging from the interworld passage, including exceptionally powerful high-rank chaos lifeforms. The vanguard was led by beings that had undergone nine life leaps. The Tianyuan Holy Sect was horrified. Even their Supreme Elder was forced to intervene personally to hold off that nine-leap chaos lifeform, plunging the battle into a bitter stalemate. By capturing several chaos lifeforms, the Tianyuan Holy Sect managed to extract vital intelligence. The force advancing through the passage was a faction known as the Panyuan Realm, boasting multiple powerhouses of nine life leaps. As for why these chaos lifeforms were so desperate to invade the Dark Domain, it was reportedly to seize providential destiny! Yes, destiny. According to the chaos lifeforms, anyone who performed outstandingly in the interworld war could amass great providential destiny. And destiny could aid in breaking through bottlenecks. Put simply, a chaos lifeform of nine life leaps stood a great chance of shattering its shackles and advancing to become a source lifeform! Similarly, if a nine-Dao Great Saint of the Dark Domain distinguished themselves in the war, they would have a greater hope of becoming an Emperor. This was precisely why every war between the two worlds was so brutal and drew in so many formidable experts. The reason was simple: they were all fighting for a chance at a breakthrough! This time, however, the Panyuan Realm seemed to hold the upper hand. Three nine-leap chaos lifeforms struck in unison, routing the Tianyuan Holy Sect with overwhelming force and marching steadily toward their mountain gate. Without question, the ultimate goal of the Panyuan Sect was to eradicate the Tianyuan Holy Sect entirely. Yet the Tianyuan Holy Sect possessed only a single nine-Dao Great Saint—their Supreme Elder. He was far from a match for three nine-leap chaos lifeforms. They had no choice but to turtle up, retreating behind their mountain gates in hopes that the mountain-protecting array could shelter the sect and withstand the onslaught of the Panyuan Realm's powerhouses. At this moment, outside the mountain gate of the Tianyuan Holy Sect, dense swarms of chaos lifeforms completely surrounded the perimeter. The three leading chaos lifeforms possessed colossal bodies standing tens of thousands of zhang tall. Striding across the void, they looked down upon the mountain gate like fearsome deities. Each chaos lifeform resembled a terrifying demon god, inspiring dread in all who beheld them—to say nothing of the three nine-leap behemoths at the fore. "Hahaha, Eldest Brother, our Panyuan Realm's luck is truly splendid! An interworld passage opens, and it directly connects to such a weak sect!" "This Tianyuan Holy Sect is no weakling; it is a top-tier faction with a nine-Dao Great Saint on par with our nine-leap lifeforms. Only by annihilating a faction of this caliber can we harvest a tremendous bounty of providential destiny to propel our Panyuan Sect into producing a source lifeform." "Birthing a source lifeform will not be easy, but destroying the Tianyuan Holy Sect will certainly cause our sect's destiny to surge..." "No more delay. Attack!" With that, the three nine-leap chaos lifeforms unleashed their assault. Their colossal bodies struck out, every blow shaking heaven and earth. The mountain-protecting array of the Tianyuan Holy Sect was formidable, said to be capable of holding off even an Emperor for a time. The three chaos lifeforms could not shatter it immediately. Yet it was not merely three chaos lifeforms attacking—it was the entire host of the Panyuan Sect. They did not expect to break through in a single day. Instead, they maintained a ceaseless barrage over days, weeks, and months. Even the strongest barrier would eventually buckle under such continuous bombardment. Days slipped by. The defensive array remained standing, but anyone could see that this could not go on indefinitely. With interworld passages opening across the Dark Domain, no reinforcements would come to their aid. Word had it that even the Dao Comprehension Holy Sect could barely protect itself. "We cannot just sit and wait for death! We must sally forth and crush their leaders in open combat!" "Crush them? The Panyuan Sect has three experts rivaling nine-Dao Great Saints! How are we supposed to defeat them?" "Indeed, we have only one Supreme Elder at that level!" "Wait, there is another way! If Holy Maiden Qingluan were here, she would count as a nine-Dao Great Saint!" In truth, few knew that Lu Changsheng was equally formidable. Yet both of them were still inside the Primordial Secret Realm. With the sect teetering on the brink of survival, all eyes turned to the Sect Master of the Tianyuan Holy Sect. "Enough! Matters have reached this point. Follow me to the Primordial Secret Realm to find Holy Maiden Qingluan!" The Sect Master made his decision. A large contingent set out toward the entrance of the Primordial Secret Realm, including the nine-Dao Great Saint Supreme Elder. The Tianyuan Holy Sect had mobilized in full force. They had to find Holy Maiden Qingluan at all costs. Hum. Just as they approached, a faint ripple spread across the entrance of the Primordial Secret Realm. Space twisted and warped, and two figures abruptly materialized before everyone's eyes.