The Onyx Emperor and Onyx Empress exchanged a look. The two of them had been a couple for years, so they could communicate with each other instantly with just a glance. The Onyx Emperor frowned, “Yuwen Taiji, even if you’re willing to trust us and allow us into the barrier, the Onyx Sect can’t stay in your Grand-Orient Sect forever. This place isn’t suitable for our lifebound beasts, and there would definitely be tensions if we stayed together for long.”
“I never said that I’d be keeping you guys for long. Have you guys ever thought of eradicating the Cloudmist Sword Sect and dealing huge damage to Heaven’s Elysium, putting them on the same level as us? Or even killing the Elysian Emperor? As long as we succeed, the Onyx Sect won’t have to fear Heaven’s Elysium even without your barrier. At that time, you’ll have plenty of time to fix the barrier. This is the only way out for the Onyx Sect. Otherwise, you can only wait for death when Heaven’s Elysium unifies the Grand-Orient Realm,” said Yuwen Taiji.
His words had left the Onyx Emperor and Onyx Empress deeply shocked. They had never thought of this possibility because they felt there was no way the Grand-Orient Sect and Southsky Sect would allow them into their barriers. But right now, Yuwen Taiji was giving them another choice!
“Yuwen Taiji, you can only represent yourself. I don’t believe that the entire Grand-Orient Sect will take the risk with you!” said the Onyx Empress.
“That was before,” Yuwen Taiji sneered. Looking at the Grand-Orient Sword in his hand, he continued, “Right now, I’m their only hope. Furthermore, the Grand-Orient Sword represents the highest authority in the Grand-Orient Sect!”
“Alright.…” The Onyx Emperor and Onyx Empress exchanged another glance. In the past, they had never imagined that there would be someone like Yuwen Taiji in the Grand-Orient Sect. “Yuwen Taiji, there’s nothing for us to be afraid of as long as you’re not worried that we’ll stab you in the back. But I have to discuss this matter with the elders before coming to a decision. If we decide to accept your offer, we’ll find an opportunity to lure in the Cloudmist Sword School. With the two of our sects combined, and the Grand-Orient Barrier, it’ll be easy for us to slaughter them.”
“That’s fine with me. I need some time to convince those old fogeys as well. But you’re right. If we come to an agreement, we’ll need to prepare the best trap for them. We’ll have to take the Cloudmist Sword School out in a single attack!” Yuwen Taiji said as his eyes glowed.
“Then can I go back first?” The Onyx Empress gritted her teeth.
“Not now,” Yuwen Taiji replied. This was his basic requirement to allow the Onyx Sect into the Grand-Orient Barrier.
Feeling helpless, the Onyx Emperor retrieved the Onyx Empress’ arms and placed them in her spatial ring before requesting, “At the very least, fix her arms to show your sincerity in the alliance.”
“That’s fine with me.” Yuwen Taiji smiled. It wouldn’t take much effort for him to fix her arms. But if he didn’t show them his strength, how would they be obedient? Most people didn’t know about their conversation.
When they ended their talk, the Onyx Emperor retreated with the Onyx Legion and Yuwen Taiji returned with the Onyx Empress. When Yuwen Taiji stepped into the barrier with the elders, cheers erupted from within the barrier. Everyone who had looked down on him after the Prime Tower could only be impressed and convinced by his ability. Even Huangfu Fengyun and the other elders had come out to receive him emotionally. After this incident, none of them would think that Shangguan Jingshu had made the wrong choice.
For the time being, the battle in the Abyssal Battlefield was over. On the bloodsoaked battlefield, the guardians separated and opened a path for Yuwen Taiji straight toward the sacred mountain. All of them were looking at Yuwen Taiji and the Grand-Orient Sword with their eyes blazing. Only those who could stand out to save the sect in a time of life and death could be considered heroes.
“Sect Master Yuwen Taiji!” No one knew who yelled it first, but everyone began chanting it. Those four words expressed what everyone was feeling at this moment. They had only come to understand how terrifying a war was after experiencing it personally. Since Yuwen Taiji had turned the tables, he was naturally qualified to get what he wanted.
Looking at this scene, Yuwen Taiji finally smiled. He had finally achieved his dream at this moment. “It’s a pity that I can’t share this joy with Shendu and Shengcheng.” He recalled those two and how his name resounded through the Abyssal Battlefield at this moment.
“Taiji, the sect is still fighting with the Cloudmist Sword School on the other side…” Huangfu Fengyun said anxiously.
“Got it.” Yuwen Taiji handed the Onyx Empress to Yuwen Qintian and raised the Grand-Orient Sword, “Grand-Orient guardians! Follow me to slaughter our enemies!”
“Kill!”
Voices echoed out on the horizon. Only a few people needed to remain behind to keep track of the Onyx Sect. With the Onyx Empress in their hands, Yuwen Taiji was confident that the Onyx Sect wouldn’t attack them again. So that meant he could shift most of the guardians to the Yellowflame continent, enough so that most of the elders and chiefs could head over as well!
……
“Kill!” Along with hundreds of spirit hazards bombarding enemies within the barrier, the battle between the keepers and guardians had reached a climax. As the Cloudmist Sword School didn’t have any wildbeasts to lead their charge, they had naturally suffered more casualties than the Onyx Sect. Then again, the guardians had suffered great losses as well.
Corpses littered the ground within the white fog, and both sects had their eyes bloodshot from the battle. Sikong Jiansheng and the Cloudmist elders formed the sharpest blade on the battlefield, slaughtering the guardians in their path. From their position, they could roughly see the threads on the mountains.
“The Grand-Orient Sect no longer has any masters. We just need to get through the barrier and destroy the nucleus!” Sikong Jiansheng said as he slaughtered, drenched in his enemies’ blood.
“Got it!”
“The Grand-Orient Sect can’t even defend against our attack on this side, let alone the Abyssal Battlefield. I guess the brothers from the Onyx Sect are about to break the barrier soon!” said Sikong Jiansheng.
“Sect master, I thought you just had to destroy the barrier on one side? If we break the barrier on both sides, wouldn’t the Grand-Orient Sect be gone?”
“Then we can hold off on breaking the nucleus and slaughter their disciples first!” Sikong Jiansheng laughed.
“Sect master, we’ve also suffered great losses, and our casualties are probably two times that of the guardians.…”
“Is that so? Then come with me and kill their disciples to take revenge!” They had to satisfy Heaven’s Elysium in the first battle. Wouldn’t they be happy when they learn that all the disciples of the Grand-Orient Sect were slaughtered?
“Let’s hope Li Tianming is also inside.” Sikong Jiansheng knew it would be a great contribution if he could capture Tianming. So with him in the lead, and several elders around him, no one could stop this small group.
“We’re exiting soon!” Sikong Jiansheng could practically see the disciples gathered on the mountains, pouring their beast ki into the threads along with their lifebound beasts.
“Such impudence! Becoming a disciple of the Grand-Orient Sect is the greatest mistake you guys made in your lives!” As he spoke, Sikong Jiansheng stepped into the Grand-Orient Sect.
“Dieee!” Along with his lifebound beast, the Six-Winged Phoenix, he shot forth with the Cloudmist Sacred Sword, pointing at the Azure Dragon Sword Mountain. Yuan Huntian, Gu Yu, and the others were all standing on the Azure Dragon Sword Mountain. When the blazing heat wave spread out from the phoenix, the outer disciples who were in his way were all dumbfounded as they looked at the flames. In the next moment, the Grand-Orient Sect was thrown into a commotion. Fear shrouded all of the disciples, and many of them fell to the ground.
Just then, a group of people suddenly came out from the bottomless hole, with a man wearing black and white holding on to a gold and black sword. When he came out, he locked onto Sikong Jiansheng right away.
“Who is it?!” Sikong Jiansheng couldn’t see the attacker clearly. “You’re courting death!” Sikong Jiansheng immediately swung his sword, unleashing his sword ki. Then he finally took a clear look at the attacker—it was Yuwen Taiji, holding the Grand-Orient Sword!
“The Grand-Orient Sword is with you?” Sikong Jiansheng was dumbfounded. He was still under the impression that Yuwen Taiji had fallen out with the elders. But the only thing that answered him was a sword strike from Yuwen Taiji!
The collision between their swords created a huge explosion as the two separated, then Sikong Jiansheng was blown away by the attack. He had practically crashed onto his lifebound beast, the Six-winged Phoenix.
“So powerful?!” He never expected that he would be on the weaker end in his first clash with someone from the Grand-Orient Sect and immediately flew into a rage. But then he saw over twenty thousand guardians charging out from the bottomless hole.
“What’s going on?! Did the Onyx Sect succeed, and the Grand-Orient Sect is deciding to give up on the Abyssal Battlefield?” Then again, it didn’t make sense that the Grand-Orient Sect had lost, if they still had so many guardians alive. But he didn’t have the luxury of time to think about it because Yuwen Taiji had already charged over with the guardians. He only had a few elders around him, so how could he face an entire army?
In the end, Sikong Jiansheng trembled and quickly summoned the Six-Winged Phoenix to make his escape. He was dumbfounded. With so many reinforcements, there was a high possibility that the keepers wouldn’t be able to withstand it!
It didn’t take long for his fears to come true. When reinforcements had come from the Abyssal Battlefield, it instantly boosted the entire Grand-Orient Sect’s morale. The saints on the barrier nucleus gathered their power and threw it into the barrier, increasing the spirit hazards’ power to the next level. At the same time, the Grand-Orient Sect launched their counterattack!