NOVEL NEXT Chapter 403: Desperation
Chapter 403: Desperation
No matter how hard Xu Lian slashed with the Sword of Destruction, the stone chopsticks refused to let go of the Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation. Step by step, they dragged the formation closer to the Crimson Vortex. Obviously, the “monster” inside the vortex had been thoroughly enraged.
As they were about to be pulled into the vortex, the thirty-five Supremes forming the Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation alongside Xu Lian were filled with terror.
“The Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation can’t hold out much longer! Hurry, increase the flow of spiritual energy!”
“Don’t hold back – burn part of your life force to maximize your energy output!”
“I’ll count to three, and we’ll all ignite our life force together in one explosive push! One, two, three… one, two, three…”
However, Xu Lian did not burn his life force. He focused on controlling the Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation to resist as best he could.
Realizing that slashing was useless against the indestructible crimson vortex and the stone chopsticks, he sheathed the Sword of Destruction . Instead, he used the hands and feet of the formation to brace himself against the edge of the vortex, desperately trying to prevent being dragged in.
The resistance only made the pull of the stone chopsticks more terrifying.
Xu Lian and the thirty-five Supremes gritted their teeth, pushing the thirty-six Heavenly War God Battle Formation to its limits in an effort to resist the inexorable drag.
Thus, the situation turned into a fierce tug-of-war.
On one side was the foundation left behind by Huangpu Daoyan, the first ancestor of the Qian Dynasty, a fearsome existence that was supposed to safeguard the dynasty’s fortune.
On the other side was the Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation , composed of thirty-six Supremes wielding peak Ninth Stage Supreme power.
For now, it seemed that neither side could overpower the other. The Qian Dynasty Foundation couldn’t easily drag in the Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation, nor could Xu Lian and his allies break free.
The powerful figures from the various top-tier factions watched intently, their faces shifting between hope and fear. Their emotions were complex – they both hoped and feared that Xu Lian and the thirty-five Supremes would be dragged into the vortex.
Why such conflicting feelings?
If Xu Lian and the thirty-five Supremes were pulled in, it would undoubtedly deal a heavy blow to the Nine Heavens Scared Land and the factions those Supremes represented, weakening their strength. Of course, this result would please their rivals.
However, if Xu Lian and the thirty-five Supremes perished without resolving the Qian Dynasty Foundation’s calamity, the Foundation would continue to capture others…
At that point, the Great Wheel of Calamity would be reopened, and they themselves might be selected. This possibility left them torn between hope and fear.
At the ancestral ground of the Divine Race, Bai Luohe, He Changfeng, and Meng Hao clenched their fists and shouted words of encouragement to Xu Lian.
“Xiao Xu, hold on!”
“You can do it!”…
Although Time Supreme remained calm outwardly, her beautiful eyes were fixed intently on Xu Lian, betraying her concern.
Upon learning of Xu Lian’s dire situation, the women anxiously rushed to Time Supreme’s side.
“Time Supreme, is my husband in mortal danger?”
“Time Supreme, I beg you-use the hidden trump cards of the Nine Heavens Scared Land to save my husband’s life!”
“My husband has already reached Sage-level cultivation and mastered the laws of the Divine Kingdom. He possesses the strength to contend with Supremes, and his future potential is limitless. He may very well become a Great Supreme just like you. Surely the Nine Heavens Scared Land wouldn’t abandon someone with such promise?”
“The Nine Heavens Scared Land has invested so many resources in my husband’s cultivation. If he were to perish, the sect’s loss would be immense. Even if it means using the sect’s hidden trump cards, it would be worth it.”…
Pei Zhaoxi went even further and blurted out, “If you save my husband, I’ll willingly give up my position as the main wife to you.”
Time Supreme glanced at her, but said nothing.
The three Supremes who had been cheering for Xu Lian immediately panicked, as if they’d been stepped on. They strongly objected.
“The Hidden Trump Cards are the foundation of every major faction! How can they be used lightly? If the trump cards of the Nine Heavens Scared Land were exposed, we’d end up in the same desperate situation as the Qian Dynasty.
These trump cards exist only to protect the Nine Heavens Scared Land-they cannot be used for the sake of a single individual. Not even Xu Lian, not even the Nine Heavens Supreme, not even us-if we were in peril, we still couldn’t use them!”
“Although Xu Lian has already mastered the laws of the Divine Kingdom and holds immense potential for the future, when compared to the sect’s hidden trump cards, those trump cards are far more important. We cannot jeopardize the Nine Heavens Scared Land for the sake of one person, especially in such chaotic times when our foundation is critical!”
“We can only offer Xu Lian words of encouragement. Hoping that he can turn the tide on his own is all we can do. Using the sect’s hidden trump cards is out of the question-absolutely not!”
The Three Supremes’ words were harsh, yet they carried a deep sense of loyalty to the Nine Heavens Scared Land. As they had said, even if they themselves were in mortal peril, they would rather die than allow the sect to use its hidden trump cards.
Time Supreme closed her eyes, seemingly deliberating with great difficulty.
After a long moment, she opened her beautiful eyes and glanced at Pei Zhaoxi and the other women. “What my junior uncle and senior brother said is true. The hidden trump cards of the Nine Heavens Scared Land belong to no single individual, nor can they be used for any one person unless it is a matter of life and death for the sect itself.”
With that, she turned and walked into the depths of the thick mist, vanishing from sight.
The three Supremes shook their heads and sighed, casting helpless glances at Pei Zhaoxi and the others before disappearing as well.
Pei Zhaoxi and the other women were deeply disappointed. This was the nature of a holy sect-everything was subordinate to the interests of the sect, which took precedence above all else. Unlike family factions, which might maintain some semblance of warmth, holy sects operated with cold pragmatism.
While holy sects might occasionally show warmth, it was always conditional upon not compromising their core interests. Once those interests were threatened, any semblance of warmth vanished.
Even though Pei Zhaoxi and the others understood this, they couldn’t just sit idly by while Xu Lian faced certain doom. They urgently began to discuss among themselves.
“It seems that there’s no way the Nine Heavens Scared Land will use its hidden trump cards for Husband. Sisters, is there any other way we can save him?”
“Everyone, think of something quickly! Husband has always taken care of us. Now that he’s in trouble, we must find a way to save him.”
Pei Zhaoxi spoke up. “We women from Pingyang County all come from humble backgrounds. Our families have no power or connections. It’s up to you sisters from other places. Xianyu, Yunyan, Xin’er – can your influential families help us?”
Jiang Yunyan helplessly replied, “Even though my Jiang family is one of the thirteen great clans, we’ve long fallen from grace. The strongest member, the previous patriarch, was only at the Origin Tracing Realm. We don’t even have a Sage. I’m afraid we can’t help you.”
Huo Xin’er hesitated. “Our Huo Clan’s strongest members are only Sages, not Supremes. How could we possibly save Master? Besides, given the current situation, even an ordinary Supreme wouldn’t be enough. Otherwise, Time Supreme and the Three Elders wouldn’t stand idly by”.
After much discussion, the women reached a startling conclusion: only an existence surpassing a Supreme could save Xu Lian!
But Xu Lian, wielding the Thirty-Six Heavenly War God Battle Formation and possessing peak Ninth-Level Supreme strength-the strongest under heaven-was already unmatched. Where could they find an existence surpassing a Supreme?
At that moment, Lin Bufeng, who had been cultivating nearby, rushed over. “Sister-in-law, I know of two places where beings surpassing Supremes might exist.
“One is the deepest part of Skyfall Forest, where it’s rumored that a demon emperor resides.
“The other is my ancestor, the Heavenly Serpent, who has survived since the Primordial Era and should still be alive.
“The Demon Emperor of Skyfall Forest hasn’t appeared in two eras. It’s unlikely that we could summon him.
“However, as my cultivation has grown and my bloodline has been purified, I’ve begun to sense my ancestor, the Heavenly Serpent, in a vague, intangible way. Maybe I can find them.”
Lin Bufeng, now a powerhouse in his own right, knew far more than the average cultivator.
Pei Zhaoxi urged, “Then hurry up and find them! What are you waiting for?”
Lin Bufeng responded, “Yes,” and immediately teleported away, rushing off in search of his ancestor.”
The women continued their discussion, remembering the Yin Dynasty. If the Yin Dynasty were willing to use its hidden trump cards, there might still be hope to save Xu Lian. With that, Yang Chan’er left for the Yin Dynasty.
Meanwhile, in an isolated place deep within the thick mist, Time Supreme was no longer in the ancestral grounds of the Divine Race. She had appeared in Green Bamboo Town, standing by the old well in the house where Xu Lian once lived.