Chapter 1725. Exceptional Protection Offered: Sister Xian’er of Xieyue Mountain

The old man finished speaking and, without waiting for a response from the lady in white, floated away. Ripples of space-time spread around him, and then quickly settled back into calm.

The lady in white remained standing quietly, not attempting to stop the old man. She knew that if he dared to appear like this, he must have some reliance or means to escape unharmed—he was not afraid of her intervention.

“Is it unavoidable?”

She repeated the words, a trace of thoughtfulness in her eyes. After hesitating for a moment, she waved her hand, tore open a space-time portal, and stepped in with her long, graceful legs. Soon, she disappeared as well.

From what she knew, although the Tianzhong (Heavenly Assembly) and the Bazongzhong (Eight-Fold Assembly) originated from the same sect—the former Fatian Alliance—after the head of Fatian was sealed and vanished from the realms, the organization collapsed. It split into the Tianzhong and the Bazongzhong, whose relations could only be described as bitterly hostile.

In theory, the old man who claimed to come from the Tian Shuai Assembly should never have come seeking them voluntarily. After all, the Bazongzhong had been hunted and purged by the Tianzhong for years, like rats hiding in the sewers—they would never appear openly.

When the Fatian Alliance fell, the Bazongzhong had carried away most of its treasures and legacies. Those priceless artifacts, Dao devices, and rare innate treasures from the primordial period had largely been seized. The Tianzhong, claiming themselves the legitimate heirs of Fatian, intended to restore the organization and retrieve all those relics. They could not allow them to fall into the hands of the Bazongzhong.

The sacrificial figure standing behind the lady in white held an astonishing status within the current Tianzhong, and could trace his origins back to the dark era when the Fatian Alliance ruled the realms. Yet, according to the old man’s words, this figure behind her seemed to have other plans, hidden motives.

Had he already opened his eyes, coldly watching them?

Was he the very person she had imagined?

The lady in white soon disappeared into the depths of space-time. Meanwhile, the lurking dark creatures showed no signs of retreat; instead, they surged forward like tidal waves, advancing towards distant great realms and universes.

The boundless dark mist surged like a black ocean, cold and deep, sweeping down from the depths of the heavens. Fragments of shattered universes were entangled within it, striking outward.

In the far-off great realms, all supreme beings sensed the approach. Faint, ephemeral images appeared like foam, rising rapidly, illuminating the borders of the sky with ghostly transparency.

The dark mist advanced swiftly, engulfing shattered universes, descending upon this great realm. From the mist, the dark creatures emerged en masse, striking like waves crashing from the sky.

Darkness covered the land; stars trembled under the overwhelming divine power, falling to the earth.

A terrifying battle erupted abruptly, without any warning. The arrival of dark creatures never brought forewarning.

“Kill!”

“I’ll fight you to the end!”

A supreme being of this great realm appeared—an entity nearly reaching the Dao Realm. He roared with anger and unwillingness, radiating light, with streams of colored glow flowing from his brow, every drop of energy burning. He resolved to fight the dark creatures to the death.

Yet, a huge red-haired hand emerged from the black mist, striking forward.

Pfft!

In an instant, the supreme being exploded, his body shattered into countless fragments and blood mist, annihilated utterly.

Endless grief and sorrow spread across heaven and earth; all living beings wailed in despair. The supreme being’s descendants shook violently, blacking out, unable to accept the sight.

Blood splattered everywhere, while from the mist, towering dark creatures stood, chanting ancient sacrificial incantations. Black Dao runes flew outward, intertwining to construct a colossal altar that rose before them.

Around it, endless blood shot into the sky, enclosing the great realm like a cage, preventing anyone from escaping. It was a scene of utter despair, as if the end of the world had arrived; all faces were etched with fear and helplessness.

The lands split apart, mountains shattered, cities and villages destroyed in an instant by the black mist, leaving nothing but pale bones. Humans, non-humans, and beasts alike lay in heaps. The white skeletons accumulated like snow, soon obscured by the flowing mist, leaving only desolation and silence.

“Heaven, please open your eyes—do we still have a way out? Is all life to perish? Are there no survivors, no hope?”

“Can anyone stop this?”

Countless beings wailed and shouted at the heavens in anger and despair. This great realm was vast, teeming with countless sentient races, and in its prime, even Dao-level beings had resided here. Yet now, even the sects that had produced Dao-level entities had no power to resist; in an instant, they collapsed into ruins, leaving nothing but wasteland.

“Father…”

On an endless expanse, amid countless cities and vast mountains, a young girl in a long dress stood on the city wall, trembling and sobbing, her eyes red from crying, like a bloodied fledgling, her face full of grief and longing.

In the deep heavens, divine light surged, interlacing with crimson clouds, and a majestic, godlike figure stood tall—he was the last emperor of this realm.

Before him, black mist roared like an endless sea, threatening to engulf everything. The sky and earth fell into darkness, the sun obscured, the land pitch black. He stood alone, eyes cold, wearing a crown and battle robes, holding the Imperial Sword. Billions of strands of dragon-line energy converged upon him.

“I am Emperor Zhou. I shall protect the realm and safeguard the people.”

He glared at the boundless dark creatures and, without turning back, strode forward like a streak of light, tearing through the endless darkness.

“Your Majesty…”

On the city wall, everyone wailed in sorrow and grief.

“Father…”

The girl’s cry became hoarse; her frail body trembled like a leaf in autumn wind, nearly suffocated by the overwhelming sadness and pain. She reached out, attempting to grasp her father’s final image—the man who had always watched over her with patience and affection.

“It seems we arrived too late. The dark creatures came too quickly.”

Suddenly, a gentle and elegant voice sounded in her ear, and she felt a warm, soft hand on her shoulder. Startled, she turned and saw a woman in a blue dress, her eyes gentle as water, graceful and beautiful, standing beside her.

“Do not worry, your father will be fine,” the blue-dressed woman said with a soft smile. Her voice had a peculiar charm that calmed the girl’s despair.

Rubbing her eyes and wiping away her tears, the girl asked, “Who are you?”

She then noticed many figures appearing around the city wall—men and women, mostly young, with a few older ones whose eyes radiated vast depth, cloaked in misty chaos.

“We are from Xieyue Mountain. You may not have heard of it, but know this—we are here to help you resist the dark creatures.”

The woman in blue smiled gently.

“Xieyue Mountain?”

The girl still seemed stunned, but she saw the blue-clad woman bow slightly to a middle-aged man behind her.

“The dark creatures attacking this realm are not as strong as we imagined. Still, we must trouble Master Zhou to take action.”

The middle-aged man in gray robes nodded, expression calm.

“I have scouted them. The strongest among the dark creatures is only at the Xu Dao level; handling them is easy.”

“I thought a major force would appear, but they sensed our presence and fled prematurely?”

Speaking, the middle-aged man spat out a three-foot-long elegant sword. It flew like flowing light, crystal white as jade, imbued with Dao energy, surrounded by interlacing Dao runes.

With a flick of his finger, the sword expanded in midair. He leapt onto it, riding it like a divine rainbow across the sky, disappearing instantly.

“Master Zhou has undergone five Celestial Tribulations to reach true Dao Realm. With him acting, the dark creatures cannot escape death.”

“We tracked the exhausted, destroyed great realm. I expected a substantial force, but it seems the dark creatures are not reckless. They fled upon sensing Master Zhou.”

“Hmph, consider yourselves lucky. Next time, luck may not favor you.”

“Against Master Zhou, these dark creatures are mere chicks, only daring to bully realms without Dao-level guardians.”

The young men and women murmured in admiration and respect.

The rest of the city dwellers, realizing the situation, approached to express their gratitude. They could tell that these young people were extraordinary and accompanied by such a powerful figure—truly no ordinary origin.

But Xieyue Mountain? None had even heard the name.

“The purpose of confronting the dark creatures is not for you to grow arrogant. Many ancient realms, even supreme realms, have been devastated and sacrificed to the dark creatures recently,” the woman in blue continued.

“Today’s dark creatures were weaker, but that is no reason for pride. Only with Master Zhou’s protection were you safe.”

“If you do not face life-and-death battles with the dark creatures, you will never grow. Future battles will be harsher, and who will protect you then?”

The woman gently chided her disciples. The young men and women fell silent, respectful. She shook her head, a little helpless. She could not know whether allowing her disciples to train in this chaotic time was wise or foolish. They had grown up in sheltered environments, never truly experiencing battle, underestimating the dark creatures—a source of disbelief.

If only they were as calm and prudent as Sister Xian’er. Her gaze fell on a slender figure at the back: a snow-white clad girl with an ancient sword on her back. Her black hair was tied with a red cord into a ponytail, revealing a delicate, serene face with painterly features.

Tall and slender, her skin flawless like creamy jade, with a simple white jade pendant at her waist. No other adornments, yet naturally exquisite, radiating elegance.

“During this journey, Sister Xian’er performed excellently—calm under pressure, decisive in battle, with abundant combat experience. Against the dark creatures, she was cautious yet resolute, killing decisively without hesitation…” The woman’s eyes reflected appreciation.

But then, she shook her head, slightly helpless. “It’s a pity…”

In the distant heavens, sword energy sliced through the world, terrifying waves sweeping the universe, black blood splattering, accompanied by a low roar of anger and unwillingness.

The tide of dark mist receded, masses of dark creatures perishing under the slicing sword energy, continuously disintegrating.

Billions of sword lights covered the sky, forming an infinite sword sea, piercing through the universe.

It was the ultimate manifestation of the Dao of the Sword—every object in heaven and earth transformed into a sword; fallen stars became divine swords, interweaving colors: clear, red, purple, and myriad others, like a majestic flood, powerful beyond measure.

The brilliant light illuminated the darkness; sword shadows crisscrossed the heavens.

Dark creatures roared in defiance, their massive bodies pierced by countless divine swords, retreating with black blood into the depths.

On the city wall, the white-clad girl watched in fascination. Her ancient sword resonated with her spirit, producing a clear metallic hum. Behind her, a vague vision of an ancient sword pool appeared. Countless swords protruded from rugged cliffs, humming as if ready to fly out and roar across the sky.

A bone-chilling coldness spread, as if the sword blades were brushing faces, making hair stand on end.

“A promising disciple indeed, entering a Dao comprehension moment at such a time.”

The terrifying scene in the heavens soon vanished. As the vast dark mist receded, the middle-aged man returned, carrying a blood-stained figure, flying on his sword. His gaze lingered briefly on the girl, slightly surprised, then nodded with admiration.

The young men and women displayed a mix of envy, jealousy, and disdain.

“Sister Xian’er’s talent is unquestionable. Even the sect master personally praised her, amazed that she came from such a remote, fledgling realm,” the woman in blue said with a smile.

The middle-aged man nodded but did not comment further, withdrawing his gaze.

“The leading dark creature has been severely wounded and fled. I did not pursue, fearing a trap. The dark creatures are unlikely to attack this realm again soon.”

“But for your realm’s sake, you should still relocate. Though Xieyue Mountain has little interest in this realm, under special circumstances, we can exceptionally allow you to rely on us, offering protection.”

He looked at the figure he carried and gently placed her on the city wall, speaking indifferently.

“Thank you, senior, for your aid. Surviving this calamity, escaping destruction, all thanks to your protection.”

The man in imperial robes bowed, full of gratitude. Though a ruler, he fully understood the terrifying power of this middle-aged man, capable of safeguarding an entire great realm.

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