“What’s going on?” Tianming was stunned when he sensed the changes in the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower.
“Tianming, you show promise.”
“Taking Grand-Orient as your life and Prime as your heart. There’s thousands of paths to becoming a sage, and you’ve already comprehended a part of one.”
Two illusory giants, one in golden robes and the other in white, appeared. They were the ones who spoke, and their voices resonated in Tianming’s ears.
“Seniors, may I know your identity?” Tianming was shocked deep in his soul.
“We’ll meet again if fate allows.”
“We’re gratified by your insight today, so we’ll help you.”
The two giants laughed and gradually disappeared. In the next moment, the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower suddenly appeared before Tianming. Time seemed to stop as dazzling black and gold light gushed out from the Grand-Orient Sword, while white light shone from the Prime Tower. The radiance began expanding, and split in two before further splitting into four. However, that wasn’t the end, as it continued separating and charging into the battlefield.
Tianming was stunned when he saw the scene. The white light nearest to him enveloped the citizens of Aquamarine, forming a globe that protected them within. However, that was only a very small portion of it.
In the eyes of the purifiers, sentinels, and defenders, the white and black and gold globes of light suddenly appeared on the battlefield and enveloped those innocent citizens, protecting them. In that split second, the entire battlefield lit up, leaving everyone dumbfounded. The battle came to a stop for a moment as everyone looked at the globes heading toward the Southsky Sect.
No one could stop them, and the citizens of Aquamarine were safely brought to Southsky Island. When three hundred thousand people suddenly appeared on the island, the scene left the Southsky disciples shocked.
“What’s going on…?”
“I think I saw the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower!”
“Don't they belong to Li Tianming?” Many people couldn’t find Tianming. However, they did know that the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower had turned the tide.
“These people seem to be saved.…”
“Yeah! They’re saved!”
“Even the two divine artifacts disdain Jun Shengxiao’s actions!”
“Oh my god! The divine artifacts manifested!”
“What did Tianming do?”
The entire Southsky Island was briefly stunned before everyone turned to joy. Even Weisheng Tianlan could only blankly look at the additional three hundred thousand people on the island. Raising his head to look at the source of the light, he knew that Tianming must be in that direction.
“Although I don’t know how he did it, he saved everyone,” said Weisheng Tianlan. The shock on his face couldn’t be concealed.
“Then what the hell are you still standing here for?! Quick, bring them in! Open the barrier!” Weisheng Cangyuan urged.
Weisheng Tianlan immediately rushed back. “Elders of the Southsky Sect, listen up! Come with me to power the Southsky Barrier!”
They had been waiting for this moment to fight back. Weisheng Tianlan had gone insane, and so did everyone else. The Southsky Sect had managed to hold on! Although the surprise came from Tianming, every single sentinel was willing to fight to their last breath.
“Brothers—” Weisheng Tianlan roared, “—KILLLLL!”
There was no longer any cannon fodder in the Southsky Barrier; only two forces that were fighting each other. At the same time, the Southsky Barrier finally showed its terrifying side. The ocean surged and the marks on the purifiers and defenders lit up, and in the next moment, the ocean came crashing down on them, crushing their internal organs from the impact.
Although the invaders were still fighting in the barrier, the Southsky Barrier had targeted them, and its power had reached the pinnacle. Under the protection of the Southsky Barrier, the sentinels began their counterattack. Their opponent might have twice their numbers, but they didn’t seem so terrifying anymore. They even seemed vulnerable, and this was the purifiers’ third nightmare.
“Even the gods want Heaven's Elysium annihilated!”
An unbelievable reversal had occurred. Everyone felt as if they were dreaming, and couldn’t believe their eyes. Just a moment ago, they’d had the upper hand and were just about to destroy the Southsky Sect. But in the next breath, the situation had turned against them.
“That’s the Grand-Orient Sword and the Prime Tower!” The truth started circulating on the battlefield. “The legendary artifacts are saving lives! That also means the Elysian Emperor will pay a great price for this slaughter! Those who help Heaven's Elysium will also face destruction, and perish!”
As the tables were turned, a fatalistic sense of defeat began spreading among the invaders. It was like a sharp weapon that caused the entire army to collapse. Li Wudi and the others were all spreading it. The purifiers and defenders who were devoured by the barrier were still suffering, and when they heard those words, their hearts began trembling. Who hadn’t hesitated in using hundreds of thousands of people as cannon fodder? But they were just executing their orders out of fear of being beheaded.
“Jun Shengxiao will surely die!” the sentinels roared, and the azure dragon pulse appeared. Ninety-nine spirit hazards took the form of dragons and charged into the battlefield. “Those who surrender will be spared!”
The battlefield plunged into chaos once again. On one side was the sentinels, and the other side was comprised of defenders and purifiers who had lost their morale due to the actions of the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower. Reality proved that morale was the key to victory in a war with unequal numbers. As the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower had created a miracle, it had become the guiding light of the Southsky sentinels at this moment. On the other hand, it was a nightmare for the invading army.
Slaughter was still taking place on the battlefield, but there were already purifiers and defenders who surrendered. It was especially so for the purifiers, as Jun Niancang’s words were still resonating in their ears. Not everyone was wicked; they were just forced by the ones who ordered them. Now that the tide of the war had turned in the Southsky Sect’s favor, anyone who could see the situation clearly knew what to choose. After all, who would want to be together with Jun Shengxiao, becoming someone that would be condemned for years to come? Perhaps the Jun Clan didn’t care about that, but there were definitely others who did.
“I surrender! I also look down on Jun Shengxiao! Today, Heaven’s Elysium will be defeated!” Many purifiers ripped their armor apart and joined the sentinels, creating a domino effect.
Right at that moment, Li Wudi finally found Jun Shengxiao. He was outside the barrier, together with Yuan Hun. The two sects had sent practically all of their men in, but they had remained outside.
The green flames still burned in Yuan Hun’s eyes. When he saw Li Wudi, he couldn’t help but take a step back, as he was intimidated by Li Wudi’s crimson eyes. Beside him, Jun Shengxiao held his hands behind him, and his hair fluttered in the wind. His eyes were also crimson, just like Li Wudi’s. When he saw the Grand-Orient Sword and Prime Tower along with the Southsky Sect’s counterattack, his face was even more distorted than Li Wudi’s. With the defeatism spreading, it was equivalent to countless swords stabbing him.
“Jun Shengxiao, you’re really unlucky. I’ll be taking my leave first!” Yuan Hun cursed with an unsightly face. He turned to the defenders in the barrier and yelled, “Earthorigin defenders, listen up! Retreat immediately!”
For Heaven’s Elysium, the Earthorigin Sect’s retreat dealt another blow to their morale. But the moment Yuan Hun spoke, Li Wudi charged out of the barrier in their direction.
“Yuan Hun, why don’t you give it another chance? I’m in a fourth-level Sky Saint, while you’re in the third. We still have a chance of taking down Li Wudi, or even killing him. After all, he’s courting death by leaving the barrier himself!” Jun Shengxiao smiled an eerie smile.
He killed Yuwen Taiji three months ago, and he’s probably in the first level of Sky Saint stage—or maybe the second, at most. Furthermore, he’s arrogant enough to not use the Grand-Orient Sword! Yuan Hun fell into deep thought. Honestly speaking, he wasn’t willing to lose in this manner, and was only retreating because he couldn’t see a chance at victory. But just when he wanted to leave, he’d never expected that Li Wudi would come after them all by himself. Perhaps this was their last chance to turn the tables in their favor.
“Why are you guys leaving after coming so far? Let’s sit down and talk. Let me drink your blood!” Li Wudi laughed rampantly.
“Li Wudi, I’ll leave with the Earthorigin Sect, and I promise that I’ll not step into the Grand-Orient Realm for a decade. What do you think?” Yuan Hun proposed, but the Grand-Orient Realm he mentioned naturally didn’t include the former territory of the Cloudmist Sword School.
“Nope. The defenders can leave, but you have to stay.” Li Wudi smiled.
“Why?” Yuan Hun squinted his eyes with a grim look.
“That’s because I want your Earthorigin Sect to tremble when they hear my name! I’ll make it so that none of you dare step into the Grand-Orient Realm in the future! And that includes the Cloudmist Sword School’s territory. Only death awaits if you return!” Li Wudi pulled out his Crimsonblood Saber.
“How naive. The Cloudmist Sword School’s territory is now within the Earthorigin Realm, and we’ve already starting establishing a presence there!” Yuan Hun sneered.
“I know about that. So you guys can do as you wish. Once I’m done with Heaven’s Elysium, I’ll go after the Cloudmist Sword School,” said Li Wudi.
As Yuan Hun and Jun Shengxiao exchanged glances, their eyes glowed with murderous intent. Yuan Hun initially didn’t want to stay here, as the death toll would increase for the Earthorigin defenders with every moment that passed. But now, he had resolved to gang up on Lu Wudi together with Jun Shengxiao!