The disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect discussed the matter extensively, eventually reaching a unanimous decision: they would engage in battle. To them, hiding and waiting for others to fight while hoping for a slim chance of survival was a foolish gamble.
Gu An admired the boldness of the Tai Xuan Sect disciples. In such circumstances, choosing to hide could easily lead to total defeat. Unity was indeed the best course of action.
With this resolve, the group of several dozen disciples flew toward the nearest battlefield.
By this time, Li Ya had already concluded his battle. With the overwhelming power of Mysterious Divine City, his victory had been effortless. In fact, he hadn't needed to lift a finger; the divine spirits within the city had fought on his behalf.
An incense stick's worth of time later, Gu An and the others joined in the battle against the Heavenly Demons. Under Ye Lan's careful arrangement, Gu An was stationed at the outermost perimeter, responsible for long-range attacks.
Gu An gripped the Pen of Destiny, putting on an appearance of exertion. However, his divine sense was already scanning the entire Realm of Nine Abysses, observing the battlefield on a macro level.
As more living beings clashed with the Heavenly Demons, the entire realm was consumed by chaotic combat.
Gu An quietly began taking advantage of the situation, sniping the finishing blows. Whenever a Heavenly Demon was on the verge of death, his divine sense would deliver a decisive strike.
System prompts flickered before his eyes, bringing him a surge of satisfaction.
Suddenly, he detected the aura of a Free Immortal Realm cultivator. The individual was concealing themselves skillfully, but they couldn't escape Gu An's divine sense.
It had to be the one who created the Realm of Nine Abysses.
This person was masquerading as an ally of Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven, even fighting against the Heavenly Demons alongside them.
What was their purpose?
Gu An couldn't decipher it, so he decided not to dwell on it.
Instead, he continued maintaining balance on the battlefield. If the Heavenly Demons gained an overwhelming advantage, he would discreetly suppress them, providing the beings of Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven an opportunity to grow stronger.
Every individual dragged into the Realm of Nine Abysses was far from ordinary. In time, many of them would undoubtedly become the pillars of Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven.
Gu An's goal was to ensure that too many of these geniuses didn't perish, while also ensuring that this trial became a catalyst for their transformation.
In the cosmos, more and more cultivators gathered around the massive black sphere created by the Dread Emperor of Calamity. Their faces were filled with anxiety as they stared at it.
"Damn it! Are we really just going to stand here and watch?"
"Our sect lost hundreds of disciples to this—those were the future of our sect!"
"And ours as well! What kind of technique is this?"
"Step aside! I refuse to believe this thing is truly unbreakable!"
"Even the Sacred Court can't handle this?"
The gathered elders and powerful cultivators of various factions erupted into heated discussions. Some even launched attacks on the massive black sphere in an attempt to destroy it. However, no matter what spells or divine abilities they unleashed, the black sphere remained unshaken.
From a vantage point above, the Ancient Immortal Emperor and the Sacred Ancestor frowned as they watched the futile attempts.
A golden-robed middle-aged man wielding a jade ruler suddenly appeared behind them. His expression was solemn, his demeanor authoritative.
"Sacred Ancestor, is there truly no solution?" the golden-robed man asked.
He was the Sacred Minister of the Sacred Court, his brow furrowed with worry.
Without turning around, the Sacred Ancestor replied, "I can sense that the Sacred Court's fortunes have not diminished, which means that the younger generation trapped inside has not suffered heavy casualties yet. For now, seal off this space entirely."
The Sacred Minister hesitated briefly before nodding and departing to carry out the order.
The Ancient Immortal Emperor took a deep breath and said, "I sense that his goal isn't to slaughter the younger generation of Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven. He seems to be searching for something."
The Sacred Ancestor responded, "I share the same sentiment. However, countless external beings have infiltrated Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven throughout history. For now, I can't deduce what the Dread Emperor of Calamity is looking for."
The two Free Immortals fell silent, their gazes never straying from the ominous black sphere.
Time flowed swiftly.
Half a day had passed since the Realm of Nine Abysses had ensnared its victims. Inside, every corner was now a battlefield, with clashes breaking out endlessly.
Thanks to Gu An's subtle interventions, the morale of Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven's forces continued to rise. The more Heavenly Demons fell, the greater their advantage became.
Within these few hours, Gu An had already amassed over thirty million years of lifespan, pushing his total lifespan past the one-billion-year mark.
Not a single Tai Xuan Sect disciple had perished. Their confidence soared, and even Ye Lan began to loosen her strict vigilance over Gu An, occasionally allowing him to take on challenges for experience.
The Realm of Nine Abysses appeared to lack the distinction of day and night. The blood-red sky remained ominously still, with only clouds shifting overhead.
Gu An, gripping the Pen of Destiny and standing on the Heavenly Solemn Sword, followed the main group. Beside him, An Xin walked, animatedly chatting with Long Qing about their earlier battles.
Gu An's attention, however, was focused on Wu Jue at the front.
Wu Jue and Xuan Tianyi had become the linchpins of the Tai Xuan Sect disciples. Watching Wu Jue's calm and capable demeanor, Gu An couldn't help but recall the timid youth he once knew. It was a poignant reminder of how much people could grow.
If possible, Gu An wouldn't mind seeing this trial last a few more days. But the Free Immortal Heavenly Demon in the shadows wouldn't be able to hold back for much longer.
In just half a day, a third of the Heavenly Demons had been slain.
Ten thousand miles away.
On the cliff, a man dressed in black stood with a frown. This man was none other than the Dread Emperor of Calamity in disguise.
"What's going on? The living beings of Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven shouldn't be this strong…" The Dread Emperor was filled with confusion.
From his perspective, although Heavenly Spirit Grand Heaven had a numerical advantage, they shouldn't have achieved their current performance. The Heavenly Demons were clearly stronger.
The more he thought about it, the more uneasy he became. He suspected that an unknown entity might have infiltrated the Realm of Nine Abysses.
Even he, a cultivator at the Free Immortal Realm, couldn't discern who or what it was?
His first thought went to Divine Sovereign of the Sacred Court. He had already known about Divine Sovereign's reincarnation. Could Divine Sovereign have been dragged into the realm as well and was now intervening in secret?
The Dread Emperor grew increasingly convinced of this possibility.
Without hesitation, he vanished from the cliff.
Wu Jue flew over to Gu An and said, "According to the intelligence we've received, the other battlefields are also gaining the upper hand. You don't need to worry too much."
Gu An replied helplessly, "Why would I be worried? You're the ones charging into battle; I'm in no danger at all."
Wu Jue chuckled. "This is your first time leaving Tai Xuan Sect to go on an adventure. I'm just concerned you might feel anxious."
Standing nearby, An Xin covered her mouth and laughed softly. Wu Jue assumed she was laughing at Gu An and paid her no mind.
Behind Gu An, Long Qing poked his head out, his excitement evident. "Elder Wu, when will the next battle start?"
In the previous fight, Long Qing had taken part, and his impressive physique had shocked many disciples of Tai Xuan Sect. Despite lacking any spiritual power, his physical strength was overwhelming, which was nothing short of astonishing.
Wu Jue glanced at him and smiled. "It shouldn't be long now."
Having killed several Heavenly Demons in succession, Wu Jue had started to underestimate them, thinking they weren't as terrifying as he had initially imagined.
Wu Jue was about to continue speaking when Long Qing suddenly widened his eyes and stared nervously at the sky. Instinctively, Wu Jue turned to look and saw a pair of enormous blood-red eyes appear in the scarlet sky. They were the eyes of the Dread Emperor of Calamity.
The Dread Emperor seemed to be searching for something, his gaze shifting rapidly. Except for Gu An, anyone who made eye contact with the Dread Emperor's eyes felt a wave of panic.
Under this oppressive gaze, even the most gifted beings instinctively trembled.
The entire Realm of Nine Abysses fell silent as every living being looked up at the Dread Emperor's eyes.
On the edge of a forest, Zhu Xi raised her head to stare at the Dread Emperor, her expression full of worry. Above the trees, cultivators and monsters alike were equally tense.
"Oh heavens, please let me survive this ordeal…" Zhu Xi prayed silently. Although she had participated in the battles earlier, she had stayed far from the Heavenly Demons, only providing support from the periphery.
With the appearance of the Dread Emperor's eyes, the fervor in everyone's hearts was extinguished.
Even if they could defeat the Heavenly Demons, so what?
Escaping alive seemed impossible with those demonic eyes above.
Suddenly!
The Dread Emperor's eyes opened wide, and his pupils, devoid of irises, emitted a sinister red light. Every living being's expression changed as they fell into a trance-like state.
Those in the sky descended, landing across the land and mountains. Yet, the Heavenly Demons retreated as if they had received an order, refraining from taking advantage of the situation.
Gu An noticed that the consciousness of those around him had been enveloped in some form of illusion.
Everyone was confronting their deepest fears.
Pretending to comply, Gu An allowed himself to be shrouded in the illusion, descending with Long Qing to a hillside.
The Dread Emperor's gaze shifted to Ji Xiaoya, his expression becoming peculiar. After a brief glance, he moved his eyes to Long Qing.
Every living being remained trapped in their pain and fear, but Long Qing alone stood unaffected.
For him, the illusion was a bright, sunny world where he was joyfully running around, calling out to Gu An and An Xin.
"Could he be the reincarnation of Long Qing the Great?" the Dread Emperor wondered, his eyes glinting with a strange light. Raising his hand, he reached out to touch Long Qing's forehead.
Snap!
Suddenly!
A hand seized the Dread Emperor's wrist, making his expression shift. Startled, he looked at Gu An standing beside Long Qing.
"Divine Sovereign?" the Dread Emperor muttered, frowning. "Surely you can tell I have no intention of slaughtering everyone. I only wish to find Long Qing the Great. Don't you have a grudge against the Dragon Clan of the War Court?"
It turned out the Dread Emperor not only feared the power of Heavenly Spirit's fate but also Divine Sovereign.
[Dread Emperor of Calamity (Free Immortal Realm, Fifth Layer): 37,902,765/100,000,000/200,000,000]
Such a long lifespan!
It would be a waste not to kill him!
Gu An calmly asked, "What makes you think I am Divine Sovereign?"
At those words, the Dread Emperor's expression changed dramatically. Instinctively, he tried to teleport away, only to find himself frozen, unable to move.
Impossible!
The Dread Emperor activated the power of karma, yet it failed to shake Gu An's control. Panic consumed him.
"Who… are you?" The Dread Emperor's voice trembled as he stared at Gu An, unable to hide his fear.
Gu An asked, "Why are you looking for Long Qing?"
The Dread Emperor's face fell into despair as he muttered, "So the Dragon Clan was hiding such a powerful figure…"
When he refused to answer, Gu An lost patience. Directing his divine sense, he launched a spiritual assault on the Dread Emperor's soul.
Grand Immortal Soul Imprisonment Art!
Memory Search!
In mere moments, Gu An withdrew his divine sense. With a simple twist of his hand, the Dread Emperor disintegrated into ashes. A blood-red Dao Seed floated in front of him.
Gu An's gaze hardened as he unleashed an overwhelming force of karma, crushing the Dao Seed into powder in an instant.
[You successfully claimed 6,230,567 years of lifespan from the Dread Emperor of Calamity (Free Immortal Realm, Fifth Layer)]
Over six million years of lifespan!
Gu An's face lit up with joy. As expected of a Free Immortal!