Just as Meng Tianxuan was lost in thought, a cold, sinister voice came from behind him.
"Did the three of them resist, Senior Brother?"
The sudden voice was hoarse and grating, like the caw of a dark crow.
But Meng Tianxuan didnât turn around. He frowned in disgust. "Junior Brother, canât you give me a heads-up with a sound transmission first? Do you have to speak so damn creepily every time?"
As he finished speaking,
a mass of deep black fog materialized.
"Hmph. I canât help how I am."
The Nine Celestial Venerables sneered from within the black fog. After revealing his form, he slowly floated to Meng Tianxuanâs side. "Our Beast God Sect paid a hefty price for your little plan."
"The Ten Fierce Array doesnât come cheap. If this fails, the consequences..."
"You donât need to worry about that."
Meng Tianxuan, standing on the hill, cut him off. "The Venerable Alliance is standing guard. Weâve arranged everything. You provide the Ten Fierce Array, we provide the manpower. Itâs a win-win."
As he spoke,
he shot a sideways glance at the Nine Celestial Venerables.
"Iâm more concerned about your preparations, Junior Brother. If I recall, your array is incomplete, isnât it...?"
As his voice fell,
"Hm? Senior Brother, are you questioning the legacy of the Beast God Sect?"
The Nine Celestial Venerablesâ face darkened. He turned his palm over, gazing at the projection of the array within it with a pained expression.
"The Ten Fierce Array may be incomplete, but itâs still a supreme treasure the Beast God brought from the Upper Realm. An Immortal Grade artifact that has fallen to the mortal plane may gather dust, but some damaged array lines are hardly a major issue."
"Itâs more than enough to deal with a few Venerables!"
"I hope youâre right."
Meng Tianxuan turned his head to look at the rippling forest in the distance.
âThe Beast God.â
âHe was the mighty figure who descended from the Upper Realm through the black hole all those years ago. The founder of the sect, his name was legendary.â
âAnd this Ten Fierce Array was the legacy he left to his successors. Its array lines were incomplete, damaged in the world-shaking war five hundred years ago, but it was still ranked as a Divine Weapon.â
âMore than enough to slay a Venerable.â
âBut activating it even once required an enormous price!â
"You donât think the Heaven-Blasting Gang will chicken out and not show up, do you?"
The Nine Celestial Venerables withdrew the projection. "Especially that little brat surnamed Qin. Heâs a slippery oneâincredibly sneaky. He really did a number on you last time."
"You donât need to worry about that, Junior Brother."
Meng Tianxuan crossed his arms and snorted. "Knowing the Heaven-Blasting Gangâs temperament, with their disciples kidnapped, theyâll definitely..."
He trailed off.
Suddenly, both men fell silent. As if on cue, they raised their heads and looked toward the southeast.
The sea of trees below them rippled.
A vast, imposing pressure rolled in from the distance.
Brilliant golden light stained the clouds, making them look like a molten sun.
RUMBLEâ
The violent thunder was deafening!
"What was I just saying, Junior Brother?"
Meng Tianxuanâs expression flickered, but he forced a calm facade. "See? Theyâre here."
In the distance, numerous figures emerged, tearing through the void. They rode bronze chariots through the sea of clouds, their passage setting half the sky ablaze. Every one of them was dressed in black robes and vermilion skirts, shining like gods.
GULP.
Seeing this, the Nine Celestial Venerables silently counted their numbers and couldnât help but swallow hard. His scalp instantly tingled with dread...
More than a dozen Venerables had come in person!
âAs I thought!â
âThe pressure from seeing them up close is completely different from watching from a distance!â
A terrifying pressure bore down.
âItâs insane that Meng Tianxuan managed to withstand a bombardment from them back then!â
But then, the Nine Celestial Venerables glanced down at his palm. The phantom of the profound array pulsed, contained within the small space between his fingers. He instantly felt much more at ease.
âAs long as I have the array.â
âThe situation is still under my control!â
âSo what if the Heaven-Blasting Gangâs Venerables are powerful? Once they fall into the Ten Fierce Array, it wonât matter how many there are. None of them will leave alive!â
âCome on. Itâs time to show you lot from the Heaven-Blasting Gang a thing or two.â
The Nine Celestial Venerables gazed at the approaching Qin Yang, holding up the Star Force projection in his hand. âFeel the pressure of the Divine Venerable Realm, of an Immortal Grade treasure from the Upper Realm!â
As he mused,
the golden light on the horizon drew near, surging forward like the tide.
The Venerables from the Heaven-Blasting Gang were closing in. Dressed in Golden Threaded Jade Robes, they made the sky look as if the gates of the Immortal Court had opened. Amidst the spreading twilight glow, their figures stood high among the clouds.
....
"This is the place."
Qin Yang, leading the group, raised a hand to signal for the others to stop. Releasing his Spiritual Power, he could already make out Meng Tianxuanâs silhouette.
Just then.
DING!!
A system notification sound suddenly rang out!
"Warning! Host!"
"Hostility from a Divine Venerable Realm expert detected! Please retreat immediately, do not continue to linger here!"
"Hm?"
The urgent, unexpected system prompt echoed in his ears. Qin Yang froze for a second, not quite processing it.
âWhatâs going on!?â
âThe systemâs alert triggered again?â
âWait a minute...â
Qin Yang frowned. He scanned the area, searching for the source of the warning, and his gaze finally settled on the figure beside Meng Tianxuan.
He saw the Nine Celestial Venerables, draped in a black robe that hid his face. Black fog swirled around him, making it impossible to see his true form, and his aura was profound and unfathomable.
âAnother Divine Venerable Realm expert?â
Qin Yang mused, secretly delighted.
âWell, well, well!â
âLooks like thereâs more loot to be had!â
âOkay, stay calm.â
Qin Yang suppressed his glee. The situation was still uncertain. He put on a stern expression and led everyone as they slowly floated forward.
RUSTLE! RUSTLE!
Other Venerables who had been lying in wait throughout the Da Li Mountain Range revealed themselves and gathered. The two groups, one in the sky and one on the ground, faced off. The atmosphere instantly dropped to a freezing point.
With all the Venerables gathered in the mountain range, the Laws themselves began to twist. Ripples in space, visible to the naked eye, spread outward. The atmosphere grew oppressive and silent.
"Everyone, I trust youâve been well."
Meng Tianxuan was the first to break the stalemate. "You came to keep our appointment after all," he said in a clear voice.
"Pah!"
The words had barely left his mouth when Liu Wushuang, unable to hold back any longer, cursed from the sky, "Meng Tianxuan, you sanctimonious hypocrite!"
Then,
Liu Wushuang pointed at the Nine Celestial Venerables. "Spreading rumors about me in the Alliance was bad enough, but now youâre actually colluding with the Beast God Sect! Youâre shameless!"
"Heh. And didnât you force my hand?"
Meng Tianxuan shook his head, ignoring Liu Wushuang. He stretched out a hand, pointing at Li Zixuan and the others tied to a tree trunk, and addressed Qin Yang.
"Young Master Qin, if not for your refusal back then, why would I have had to resort to such a tactic? Cooperation would have made everything perfect. We never would have ended up here!"
Then, Meng Tianxuan raised his palm and aimed it at Xia He.
"Iâm giving you one last chance... cooperate, or your disciples will be sacrificed? The choice is yours!"
"Are you threatening me?"
Qin Yangâs expression remained calm. "If you think thatâs a threat, youâre gravely mistaken."
"Hm?"
Hearing this, Meng Tianxuan and the Nine Celestial Venerables both froze, baffled.
âThis isnât the reaction we expected.â
âSomethingâs wrong!â
Suddenly, a sense of unease rose in their hearts. Just then, Qin Yangâs voice drifted over again.
"They are all members of the Heaven-Blasting Gang. The moment they joined, they were prepared to face death. They are ready to self-destruct at a momentâs notice... To sacrifice themselves for Jianghai would be a worthy death for them!"
Silence fell.
The entire scene became deathly still.
"???"
Meng Tianxuan was stunned, completely dumbfounded.
âWait...â
âYou have to be ready to die just to join the Heaven-Blasting Gang?â
âAre you people insane?!â