C1728 Breaking the Array
Zu Ann gazed toward the Bloodbrawlers' stronghold in the Land of Quiescence.
Clearly, he was aware that Xuanli had long been yearning for a seat among the Supreme Gods.
For someone like Xuanli, who had previously ascended to such heights, it would be far easier to reclaim the Supreme God status after his powers returned to their former glory, leveraging his past experience to make another bid for the celestial throne.
In essence, should Wei Zhuo fall to Yu Yuan, with the essence of his divine seat scattered, Xuanli could effortlessly claim it.
With the assistance of the Root of the Lunar Meridian and the support of the God of Ghosts, Youyu, Xuanli was poised to usurp Wei Zhuo's place.
Wei Zhuo, barely escaping the shattered remnants of the Thunder Sect, found most of his godly form submerged in the Thunder Pool. He had intended to make a beeline for the Ebon Star, but Zu Ann's words had stopped him cold.
Wei Zhuo's face was a mask of shifting emotions, his eyes betraying uncertainty.
At that moment, he learned through the sect elders' spiritual treasures that the disciples he had sent to assault the Terror Claws had suffered devastating losses.
Qi Jinghai was dead, Lu Ji was dead, and several Unbound cultivators had been massacred by Youqian and Hei Xun.
It appeared that the Thunder Sect had run out of formidable cultivators to call upon.
The Thunder Sect, having only recently ascended to upper sect status, hadn't had the chance to flourish before it was reduced to just Wei Zhuo, standing alone. All the talented and skilled disciples and elders had become casualties of war.
Casualties of Han Miaoyuan's war!
Far off, Yu Yuan stood atop the Dragon Slaying Stage, with towering Dark Deities and supreme beings materializing behind him, each unleashing their intricate magic arts in a relentless assault on the Nine Palaces Array.
Countless ancient Grand Sword Immortals wielded dazzling beams of sword light, weaving them into a colossal sphere of radiance, threatening to obliterate the Ebon Star.
Beneath the cascading veils of spiritual energy, even the divine effigy of Han Miaoyuan strained under the weight of the Exquisite Pagoda.
In such a dire situation, could he truly alter the course of the battle by joining forces with Han Miaoyuan?
And if victory were his, what would be his reward?
Han Miaoyuan's approval and admiration?
A deep sense of remorse welled up in Wei Zhuo's heart.
At that moment, from the depths of the Thunder Pool enveloping his body, a will that had been tempting him resurfaced.
It implored him to venture to the Stormwracked Wastes beyond the stars and unleash the wondrous object that would transform the Thunder Pool and aid in his ascension to godhood.
The will persistently informed Wei Zhuo that due to the presence and seal of the Demon God Bertain, it had never dared to dream of escape.
But now, with Bertain suddenly departing for the Abyss, it saw a rare and perfect opportunity!
If only Wei Zhuo would assist it, it promised substantial rewards later, pledging to grant him greater power to erase the shame of this day.
The beguiling whispers of the remnant soul surfaced in waves, leaving Wei Zhuo torn and indecisive.
"Wei Zhuo, heed my advice—flee the Everlands, this land of strife, and the farther, the better," Zu Ann urged, as he manifested mountains from divine power. He appeared to understand Wei Zhuo's hesitation and struggle, speaking earnestly, "You bear no ill will towards the Terror Claws, so why orchestrate an ambush against them? Sects like Starmoon, Forgeroses, and Colddeath are mere subordinates to Boulderdawn, but the Terror Claws stand for Yu Yuan!"
"He's using you and the Thunder Sect as pawns to gauge Boulderdawn's response, sending you to the front lines!"
"Can you not see the outcome now?"
Zu Ann's advice, though seemingly well-intentioned, was laced with attempts to incite defection, aiming to outmaneuver Wei Zhuo without spilling blood. This would lighten his own burden and allow him to concentrate on other matters.
And he had succeeded!
With a crackle, Wei Zhuo transformed into a streak of dark green lightning. Accompanied by the roar of thunder, he shattered the barrier of the Everlands. Amidst the astonished stares of Zhou Cangmin, Zhang Guanyu, and the other Unbound cultivators, he bolted toward the starry expanse beyond our world.
Qin Luo was absent, and with no other Supreme beings to oversee the Extraterrestrial, no one had the power to stop or even attempt to persuade him otherwise.
All they could do was watch helplessly as Wei Zhuo departed.
"He's just leaving like that?"
An Unbound cultivator from Winter's Bite sect rubbed his eyes, hardly able to believe what he was witnessing.
Wei Zhuo, once the center of attention and greatly esteemed by Han Miaoyuan, had seen his Thunder Sect rise to the ranks of the upper sects only to be dealt a catastrophic blow. Yet, instead of seeking immediate revenge, Wei Zhuo had been convinced by Zu Ann to leave the Everlands.
Who would have thought it possible?
Who could have predicted the turn of events would reach this point?
Zu Ann's intervention in Qin Luo's return, the sealing of Wei Zhuo, and his successful persuasion efforts had everyone seeing him in a new light.
Zu Ann, who had spent years at Skyreach Peak, using the Mirror of Fates to spy on the world, had been unshackled by the loss of the Origin Gate's balance. He had unexpectedly unleashed his true potential, playing a crucial role in the internal conflict of the Everlands.
"Zu Ann is more than meets the eye!"
"Who knew Zu Ann had such a trick up his sleeve!"
The crowd was abuzz with admiration and surprise, discussing the events both in the Extraterrestrial and across the Everlands.
...
"Zu Ann really can't mind his own business!"
Xuanli of the Bloodbrawlers was the least pleased. Seething with anger, he was tempted to confront Zu Ann on the Euwrea continent and fight to the bitter end. "Why not let Wei Zhuo and Yu Yuan battle it out? Without Wei Zhuo's divine seat shattering, where's my opportunity? Zu Ann deserves to die for this. He hid away on Skyreach Peak like a coward for thousands of years. Why didn't he just continue?"
"He wasn't hiding; he's always been aiding the Everlands, vigilantly watching over the Origin Gate," Yuan Qingxi interjected softly.
Yuan Qingxi couldn't help but admire Zu Ann for his selfless contributions to the Everlands, despite never receiving compensation for his divine seat. Sometimes he felt that Zu Ann deserved more recognition.
Even though Yuan Qingxi held Xuanli in high regard, he couldn't let such slander against Zu Ann go unchallenged.
"The Nine Palaces Array is on the verge of collapse."
The God of Ghosts, Youyu, caught everyone off guard with his sudden remark. At that moment, his focus abruptly shifted from the Ebon Star to the earth beneath his feet.
"What are your thoughts?" he inquired of the Root of the Lunar Meridian.
The Root of the Lunar Meridian remained silent.
...
Yu Yuan, the focus of everyone's attention, stood upon the expansive river of light. The Crucible of Evil floated behind him, with the Bane coalescing into various gods and demons.
Throughout the Everlands, all the notable figures, those who were privy to the battle, were stunned by Yu Yuan's actions, engaging in fervent discussions.
No one had anticipated that Yu Yuan, a young member of the Boulderdawn, could push Han Miaoyuan to such a state of disarray!
Yu Yuan's eyes snapped open.
Boom!
Dense beams of vital energy burst forth from the Dragon Slaying Stage below, as his real body soared, unveiling a colossal Divine Visage, deep red like blood.
Upon the appearance of the Divine Visage, ancient evilkind from across the Everlands howled uncontrollably.
On Dragon Island, lesser giant dragons, not privileged enough to soar into the extraterrestrial, prostrated themselves on the ground as if in reverence.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The hearts of the cultivators and spirit animals with profound cultivation levels began to race.
A natural oppression emanated from the blood, making those with powerful flesh feel increasingly uneasy.
It was as though a hand had seized the hearts of the Everlands' mightiest and was gradually tightening its grip.
The humans and followers of the Colddeath felt this most acutely, as if their hearts were on the brink of bursting, threatening to obliterate them.
"Nine Celestial Slashes!"
Yu Yuan, having manifested his Divine Visage, hoisted the now-mightier Divine Sword and casually drew forth a crimson sword light. With a hearty laugh, he swung his sword down towards the Nine Palaces Array below.
In an instant, a scarlet river of swords, once used to slay the soul fragment of the Origin Deity, coalesced.
The River of Swords solidified into translucent red crystal before shattering explosively.
Countless tiny red crystals transformed into myriad sword lights, steered by his remnant soul, and merged into a small orb of light that descended upon the Nine Palaces Array.
"Heaven-Opening Sword Array!"
"That's the Heaven-Opening Sword Array!"
"It's actually the Heaven-Opening Sword Array!"
The diminutive sphere of sword light radiated a sword's will that was even more refined and pure. The paths it wove and the sword force it exuded were the true essence of the "Heaven-Opening Sword Array."
Puff!
The compact orb of sword light, designed to pierce through surfaces, struck the layered spiritual energy shields.
Rip! Sizzle! Rip! Rip!
The spiritual energy barrier, amassed by the Nine Palaces Array, was as if corroded by the tiny sphere of sword light, swiftly forming a breach.
The spiritual energy arrays concealed within the nine suspended palaces began to collapse in succession.
Cao Jiaze, who had integrated his remnant soul, spiritual energy, and vitality with the Nine Palaces Array and wielded the nine Mark of the Celestials, suddenly coughed up blood.
The brilliance in Cao Jiaze's eyes faded markedly, and his acupoints and meridians suffered severe damage.
He had merged with the Nine Palaces Array, where the nine Mark of the Celestials served merely as the lynchpins. Should any part of this seventh-level protective circle break, he would experience the pain as if it were his own.
The wounds would manifest simultaneously in both his flesh and soul.
"Brother Cao, don't hold it against me for not dwelling on old ties. You shouldn't have merged with the Nine Palaces Array, nor should you have become Han Miaoyuan's shield," Yu Yuan said with a sigh.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sword lights and wraiths streaked through the opening.
They brandished their swords against the walls of the nine palaces, shattering the Sunsilver-hard barriers and dismantling the arcane circles of the Nine Palaces Array.
Cao Jiaze's chest was torn open, blood flowing from his entire body. His mastery of the Unbound Realm was plummeting rapidly.
With the array's collapse, his realm was on the brink of vanishing.
Crack! Rumble!
The lands of the Ebon Star Sect split apart, valleys gaping as if on the verge of total collapse.
Countless individuals who had lived in the vicinity of the Ebon Star Sect for generations watched their towns crumble. Some knelt, praying fervently, pleading for the conflict not to spread to them.
"Stop, please no more killing! Yu Yuan, if you must fight, take it elsewhere! I'm begging you!"
Cao Jiaze, bleeding profusely, lay in a pool of his own blood. Powerlessly, he gazed up at the sky, observing the increasingly fractured light screen and the stirrings of the Demon Gods, pleading incessantly for help.
"Very well!"
Yu Yuan, whose Divine Visage had astounded the world, ascended the Dragon Slaying Stage at a leisurely pace.
Beyond the wall, the Unbound cultivators tasked with guarding the Everlands and thwarting any schemes from extraterrestrial invaders took to the skies, heading toward the moon upon realizing that Yu Yuan was on the verge of emerging.
Even Zhang Guanyu withdrew.
Zhou Cangmin, a lone Hellbreed, remained outside the wall, watching Yu Yuan with a complex mix of emotions.
