The Heavenly Palace only had 800 warriors left, and its own cultivation level had fallen to the second rank of the Golden Immortal. The two families together still had 1,300 elite soldiers.
However reluctant he was, he could only endure it.
He turned around and led the remnants of the Heavenly Palace into the depths of the barren land.
His back was bent, his steps staggered, and the golden blood left a winding trail behind him, a stark contrast to the gray sand of the barren land.
The remaining eight hundred soldiers followed behind him. Nobody spoke; only chaotic footsteps and occasional coughs could be heard.
Sometimes, a person will fall and never get up again. Others would only speed up their steps in silence, not daring to look back.
Venerable Xuanbing watched the remnants of the Heavenly Palace army disappear towards the edge of the barren land, his smile fading.
He turned around and came face to face with Venerable Holy Light.
“Now,” said Venerable Xuanbing, his voice as cold as ancient ice, “it’s our turn.”
Venerable Holy Light nodded, a smile still crooked on his lips, but it was no longer a gentle smile; it was the smile of a hunter looking at his prey.
“The Heavenly Palace has exhausted most of the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge’s combat power on us, and they themselves are also exhausted. Although David is strong, he can’t fight against so many opponents. Moreover, the woman from Qingqiu has also consumed a lot of energy, and I can feel that her aura is much weaker than before the battle.”
He paused, then added, “But that kid named David is a bit strange. What do you think, Pavilion Master Xuanbing?”
“What do you think, Venerable Xuanbing? No matter how evil he is, I don’t think he can stop our two families from joining forces. Let’s try diplomacy first, and then use force.”
Both of them gave the order at the same time.
The 1,300 elite cultivators from Shenyuan Pavilion and Tiansheng Palace began to form ranks.
The ice blue robes and white armor looked different yet perfectly coordinated, forming a line hundreds of feet long on the barren land.
The Shenyuan Pavilion disciples led the way, their combined ice power freezing the sand and soil into solid ice, causing the air temperature to plummet.
The Tian Sheng Palace disciples followed behind, their holy light power converging into several light pillars, within which faint shadows of dancing angels appeared.
Flags fluttered, swords and spears stood tall like a forest, and ice crystals and holy light shone together, forming an encirclement that was even stricter and cruel than the Heavenly Palace.
Venerable Xuanbing spurred the Xuanbing Chariot forward and arrived at the gate of Wanyao Ridge in a few breaths.
The floating altar of the Holy Light Venerable followed closely, with ninety-nine Bright Stones lighting up simultaneously, illuminating the plaza in front of the mountain gate with holy light that revealed every detail.
The white light shone on the corpses and pools of blood scattered on the ground, making the twisted faces and broken limbs look even more terrifying.
“David.”
Venerable Xuanbing’s voice was not loud, but it clearly resounded throughout the gate of Ten Thousand Demon Hills: “You do have some skills. That fool, Venerable Tianji, deserves to fall into your hands. But don’t be too happy yet.”
He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the defense line in front of the mountain gate. The Guiyuan Sect’s sword formation was incomplete, the Qingyun Sword Sect’s flying sword was more than half destroyed, and the Wanfa Sect’s restrictions were cracked everywhere.
Although the cultivators on Wan Yao Ridge were still standing, they were exhausted, many of them were injured, and their spiritual energy had been mostly depleted.
“Look at those people behind you. They’ve been fighting all day, more than half of them are dead or injured, and their spiritual energy is completely depleted. How much strength do they have left? How many more waves of attacks can they withstand?”
Venerable Xuanbing spoke calmly, as if he was doing calculations, “I have 1,300 elite troops behind me, not a single arrow shot, not a single sword drawn. That is more than enough to deal with your defeated army.”
David stood before the mountain gate, his blue robe stained with blood, some from his enemies and some from himself.
After exchanging tens of blows with a Heavenly Venerate, his spiritual energy was greatly drained, but he still stood tall, his figure as steady as a javelin.
“What do you want to say?” David’s voice sounded calm.
“I’ll give you three choices.”
Venerable Xuanbing raised three fingers. “First, take your people and withdraw from Wan Yao Ridge, abandoning the entire territory and resources of Wan Yao Ridge.”
Second, surrender the treasures within your body. I know what it is—a talisman of Daoist heritage, right? Hand it over, and maybe I’ll spare your lives.
Third, if you don’t agree, then this sect leader will have no choice but to invade. At that time, not a single soul would survive on Ten Thousand Demon Hill.
A moment of silence enveloped the square.
The cultivators of the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge gripped their weapons tightly, their eyes filled with vigilance.
Guiyuanzi straightened his body, Qingyunzi gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, and the Great Elder of the Thousand Laws Sect silently activated the runes of the last few layers of restrictions.
David didn’t answer.
He raised the Dragon Slayer Sword, and the chaotic purple flames on the blade reignited.
The fire was small, but it formed a purple defensive line in front of the mountain gate.
The flames reflected in his purple eyes, turning them dark purple.
He answered Venerable Xuanbing’s question with his actions: if you want the Thousand Demon Ridge, you must first get past the sword.
Just when David was about to make a move, a white figure came out from inside the mountain gate.
FAQ NovelQ: What is the significance of the “Three Choices” mentioned in the chapter title?A: While not explicitly detailed in this excerpt, the title ‘Bab 6531 Tiga Pilihan’ suggests a critical juncture where characters, likely Tianji, face consequential decisions with potentially far-reaching outcomes.Q: What is the nature of the ‘Devil’s Ridge Army’ and their role in this conflict?A: The Devil’s Ridge Army appears to be the adversary that defeated Tianji’s forces. Their exhaustion is noted as a potential opening for other factions, indicating they are a formidable and actively engaged enemy.The air is thick with betrayal and anticipation as a new phase of this epic conflict is poised to begin.
FAQ Novel
Q: Why did Venerable Xuanbing and Shengguang not assist Venerable Tianji’s forces?
A: Venerable Xuanbing and Shengguang deliberately withheld their forces, observing Tianji’s army being annihilated, citing an agreement that Tianji would lead the initial attack and later suggesting it was a strategic move to strike when the enemy was tired.
Q: What was Venerable Tianji’s primary emotion during his confrontation with Xuanbing?
A: Tianji’s primary emotion was profound shame, rather than anger, after witnessing the devastating loss of his twelve hundred Heavenly Pole Palace disciples while his supposed allies stood idly by.
Share your predictions on how Venerable Tianji will respond to this brazen betrayal and the unfolding power dynamics among the factions!