Wangchen Village, shrouded in mountain mist.
Shou Lao stood at the village entrance, his expression as heavy as molten iron, and said in a low voice, "Su Hongye has arrived."
His tone carried an unspeakable weight.
"Even you can't get out?" Old Village Chief leaned on his staff, his brows tightly furrowed.
"Beyond the valley, it's completely surrounded by dense Jiang Clan powerhouses. Not even a fly can escape. Even for you, a forced breakthrough is impossible."
Shou Lao's robes were tattered, the corners still bearing a scorched scent, clearly indicating he had encountered considerable resistance when attempting to break through earlier.
His voice was low, and a hint of disbelief flickered in his eyes, "I didn't expect... they would find this place, and come so swiftly."
"It's too strange," Mo Beixuan said coldly, his tone laced with suspicion and fear, "After Ye Qingyun and Li Guangrui returned, we each investigated, and there were no tracking methods attached. How did they know about this place?"
A white-bearded elder whispered, "Granny Yun's life tablet was almost completely shattered just now. I'm afraid she has been soul-searched by Su Hongye herself. The details of us old fellows have probably been thoroughly investigated..."
"That Granny Yun, alas..." Old Village Chief's eyelids trembled slightly, but he ultimately said no more.
Everyone fell silent.
Suddenly, Mo Beixuan looked towards the sky, his voice cold: "Su Hongye is stationed in Zhongzhou. Her personal arrival is clearly not just to kill us, but also for the innate immortal liquid."
"That woman is ruthless and insatiably greedy. How could she let go of such an Immortal Opportunity?"
Li Shou frowned and said, "I tried to contact that person from the Ancient Immortal Court earlier..."
"They originally said they were prepared to help us, but ever since Su Hongye stepped into the Ancient Immortal Domain, all means of contact from them have been cut off. Clearly, they fear the Jiang Clan's might and intend to abandon us..."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Chaoxian slowly closed his eyes.
A vast and boundless aura slowly rose within him. Although he was plagued by Dao injuries, he still exuded the majesty of a great emperor of his generation: "Unfortunately, we old fellows still underestimated that woman."
"With Su Hongye's methods and cunning, since she dared to appear in the Ancient Immortal Domain, she must have something to rely on and be fully prepared."
The elder surnamed Mo sneered, his tone filled with despair as he said, "As things stand, we can barely protect ourselves. We can only wait for the conflict in the Ancient Immortal Domain to begin. We'll seize that Opportunity to escape the Ancient Immortal Domain with the Ye Qingyun boy and then seek another path..."
"We can't let this child, Ye Qingyun, hide in this sunless mountain village his entire life."
Everyone nodded in agreement, knowing that this place had become a cage, and staying longer would only lead to certain death.
Old Village Chief hesitated for a moment, then finally made up his mind: "The few of you go set up and reinforce the village's protective Formations. I will personally unseal the 'Sealing Spirit Fire Lotus Grand Formation.'"
"Even if Su Hongye comes herself, she will have to pay a great price to break this Formation."
But before they could move, the distant mountain forest suddenly shook violently, and a faint hum could be heard, as if Heaven and Earth were resonating.
Zhang Chaoxian suddenly looked up, his face changing drastically: "Not good!"
A grey-black ripple, barely visible to the naked eye, spread out from outside the village, like Hellfire burning Heaven and Earth. The Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence instantly became chaotic, and the originally abundant Spiritual Qi was rapidly drained, as if Heaven and Earth were being devoured by an invisible giant mouth!
"It's the Ten Annihilation Spirit Devouring Grand Formation!" Mo Beixuan exclaimed.
Old Village Chief's face sank: "The Jiang Clan... they actually possess such a forbidden Formation?"
"This is a Formation that disappeared in the ancient era! The Jiang Clan... they hide truly deeply!"
The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi rapidly withered, and everyone felt their cultivation plummeting uncontrollably. Their expressions all changed instantly.
"Under this Formation, if we can't break through in time, it will be difficult for us to even protect ourselves." The white-bearded elder's face was ashen: "The Grand Formations in Wangchen Village won't last much longer!"
Mo Beixuan snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with a chilling light: "The Jiang Clan has been immensely powerful since the beginning of Heaven and Earth. They have countless hidden reserves, far beyond what ordinary people can imagine."
"This Ten Annihilation Spirit Devouring Grand Formation, perhaps they obtained it by devouring several ancient imperial Dao lineages!"
"From ancient times to the present, the Jiang Clan has been a group of ruthless bandits. Even if they pull out something even more terrifying, I wouldn't be surprised!"
Zhang Chaoxian sighed, slowly shaking his head.
Elder Mo was the one among them most deeply entangled with Su Hongye, having the deepest resentment towards her.
It could be said that besides Shou Lao, he harbored the most profound hatred for Su Hongye. In those years, Su Hongye's actions were ruthless, and it was Mo Beixuan who led the suppression against her. Eventually, the enmity between the two sides reached an almost irreconcilable point.
"More words are useless. This calamity, I'm afraid none of us can escape it," Zhang Chaoxian said solemnly.
Everyone's expressions changed, but no one wavered.
Old Village Chief Zhang Chaoxian then looked at Shou Lao beside him and said in a deep voice, "Li Shou, you take the Ye Qingyun boy and go. We will do our best to draw the Jiang Clan's firepower... Among us, you are the most resourceful. With Ye Qingyun following you, we can be more at ease."
Upon hearing this, Shou Lao's eyes were steady, but hidden deep within his heart was an endless complexity and heaviness.
His gaze was complex as he looked at these brothers who had walked alongside him for most of his life.
He knew very well.
This breakthrough attempt was definitely fraught with peril.
Even he himself could not guarantee that he could safely leave with Ye Qingyun.
This parting, he feared, would be without return.
He nodded gently, his heart filled with unspoken bitterness.
The situation was urgent, and the changes occurred too strangely and swiftly, leaving him completely unprepared.
Shou Lao had originally thought that with his years of planning and strategizing, he might be able to help Ye Qingyun obtain the Opportunity of the Ancient Immortal Domain, rise through the ranks, and truly possess the strength to threaten the Jiang Clan.
But as things stood, being able to preserve their lives and escape this calamity was probably already a blessing.
"I understand."
Everyone said no more, parting ways to make their preparations.
Ye Qingyun and Li Guangrui had already awakened from their recuperation in the Heavenly Profound Pool. Seeing the somber atmosphere and chaotic Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence in the village, a sense of unease immediately surged in their hearts.
"What happened?" Li Guangrui asked in a low voice.
Shou Lao and Old Village Chief came before them together and briefly explained the external situation.
After listening, Ye Qingyun's face changed drastically.
"I cannot let all of you Seniors fall into despair because of me!"
He felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his heart filled with immense grief.
"To say that is to be insensible."
Mo Beixuan walked in from the side, patting his shoulder, "If you die, the blood we shed back then would have been in vain."
"Ye Qingyun," Old Village Chief's voice was low, "We don't have much longer to live. What we wanted to do, it's too late."
"But you can. You carry our last hope. Do not be soft-hearted again."
Ye Qingyun's eyes were bloodshot, his heart aching as if cut by a knife.
He looked at these elders who had accompanied him through his growth, his heart feeling as if it were torn apart. Those past memories, the warmth of yesteryear, surged in his mind like a tide.
"I understand," he said in a low voice, yet firm as iron.
"Village Chief Grandpa, all Seniors, I, Ye Qingyun, hereby swear that if I can one day wield the Great Dao, I will surely annihilate the Jiang Clan and reclaim everything they owe, a hundredfold, a thousandfold, to avenge today's grievance!"