Within the Crescent Moon Sect, the atmosphere was one of mourning and despair.
After news spread that the Alliance of Righteous Unity had decided to abandon the border defenses, everyone was first filled with anger, then despair and helplessness.
At this moment, there was no way to resist the encroaching Dark Beings.
The Alliance of Righteous Unity had abandoned them, leaving them with no support. Apart from certain death, there was almost no other choice.
Upon receiving the news, many elders immediately summoned the disciples back and began making arrangements to send them away in batches.
Within just a few days, the Crescent Moon Sect was half-empty. Many of its immortal mountains and islands had been stripped bare, and the spiritual springs and Dao treasures hidden deep within the earth veins had been taken away.
Even the ancient scriptures, records, and other foundational texts had been removed. The once-bustling halls and pavilions were now cold and empty.
On the ancient battle platform, light flickered, and spatial energy surged as yet another group of disciples was sent away.
Each group was led by an elder, but where they would ultimately flee to and what dangers lay ahead remained unknown.
After being brought back to the Crescent Moon Sect, Gu Xian'er, Lan Xin, and the others packed their belongings, their hearts heavy.
It was estimated that within a few days, the Dark Beings would break through the embankments and walls, sweeping into the heart of the territory.
The surrounding star systems, universes, and civilizations would not be spared. Other factions and forces were also making arrangements to preserve their legacy, sending their disciples away as early as possible.
The Crescent Moon Sect was no exception. Many disciples and elders had already perished in the recent battles. Those who survived were undoubtedly the elite.
Late at night, the moonlight was like water, and the air was filled with the intoxicating aroma of wine.
In an empty pavilion, a final banquet was held. The remaining disciples of the Crescent Moon Sect were all present, some silent, others drinking heartily, trying to forget everything.
They had chosen not to be sent away but to stay. Many of them had been born and raised in the Crescent Moon Sect, treating it as their home.
Thus, even knowing that death was certain, they chose to remain.
Gu Xian'er was also present. She had initially felt indifferent about the banquet, but Lan Xin had insisted, and she couldn't refuse.
To her surprise, Song Yu, who had concealed his identity and had an extraordinary background, was still here, having not left the Crescent Moon Sect.
It seemed he was still unwilling to give up on finding the Nine Restraints of Heaven.
However, he had a Ancestral Dao Realm expert protecting him, which would be more than enough to help him escape at a critical moment.
Song Yu also noticed Gu Xian'er. His expression was slightly unnatural, but he quickly recovered and turned to drink with the other disciples.
As Gu Xian'er had guessed, Song Yu was still unwilling to give up on the Nine Restraints of Heaven of the Restraint Heaven Sect.
This calamity had come suddenly, and he had no time to prepare. Originally, he had planned to take his time, but now there was little time left.
Thus, he decided to stay until the Crescent Moon Sect fell, quietly taking away all the relics related to the Restraint Heaven Sect.
Alternatively, he could have Uncle Lan refine the entire Crescent Moon Mountain, taking everything with him to study later.
"Hahaha... how ridiculous. We were holding the frontlines, but the Alliance of Righteous Unity secretly colluded with the Dark Beings, abandoning us."
"It's just a pity for our master. He fought desperately against the Dark Beings to ensure our survival, but now even his remains are lost."
"I hate this. I hate the cold-blooded cruelty of the Dark Beings, the despicable treachery of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, and my own weakness and helplessness."
In the pavilion, many were drunk, holding jars of wine and drinking heavily, then looking up and wailing, their faces streaked with tears.
Others remained silent, drinking continuously, their bodies radiating deep sorrow and pain.
With the calamity approaching and life hanging in the balance, this night of revelry might be their last.
Gu Xian'er also sat silently, drinking with Lan Xin.
She was not a true disciple of the Crescent Moon Sect. Strictly speaking, she had no sense of belonging to the sect. She had come here entirely because of the mad old woman.
But seeing this scene, her emotions were deeply stirred, and she felt a sense of sadness and helplessness.
The image of Elder Zhou charging forward without regard for his life still lingered in her mind.
Perhaps the current Crescent Moon Sect was like the Dao Prosperity True World when it faced external enemies.
"Junior Sister Xian'er, I must apologize for my previous offenses. I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold it against me."
"On the embankment, if it weren't for your intervention, my fellow disciples and I would have perished in the Dark Tide."
Someone approached, holding a cup of wine, his face filled with gratitude and guilt.
Gu Xian'er was slightly puzzled. She didn't recognize this disciple.
However, during the battle, she had indeed saved many people.
"Senior Brother, you're too kind. In times of calamity, it's only right to help fellow disciples in danger," she said softly, shaking her head.
After the fierce battles, many of the younger disciples of the Crescent Moon Sect had come to accept Gu Xian'er, no longer harboring the initial resistance toward her.
In these precarious times, few cared whether she was tainted by misfortune.
Moreover, during the recent battles, Gu Xian'er's strength had shocked many.
She had even saved several fellow disciples, causing those who had once despised and avoided her to feel ashamed and guilty, unable to face her.
Subsequently, many more disciples came forward to toast her in gratitude.
Lan Xin watched this scene with some relief. These disciples were reasonable and knew how to repay kindness. Unfortunately, they had realized this too late.
If they had understood earlier, Gu Xian'er might have gotten along with them naturally.
"I never expected that in the end, this girl would stay."
"With her talent, she should have left..."
"Back then, it was our Crescent Moon Sect that wronged her."
On a distant mountain peak, many elders watched this scene in silence, their emotions complex.
They too had chosen not to leave, staying with the Crescent Moon Sect until the end, guarding the land they had poured their hearts into, regardless of the outcome.
The sect master and several ancestral figures of the Crescent Moon Sect also watched this scene.
As the calamity approached, the night was unusually quiet.
"The ancient foundation of our Crescent Moon Sect is now on the brink of collapse, facing disintegration..." one of the ancestral figures sighed.
He was only a step away from the Ancestral Dao Realm, making him one of the top figures in the Crescent Moon Sect. Yet, in the face of such a calamity, he was no different from an ordinary Dao Realm being.
"Our Crescent Moon Sect cannot be destroyed like this. Sect Master, you must take these disciples and flee tomorrow. We will guard the sect's final legacy."
Another ancestral figure, his gaze deep, looked toward the distant mountains and spoke solemnly.
The sect master remained silent, looking at the increasingly desolate and silent sect, his heart filled with sorrow.
"I have wronged Elder Chen Yi..."
He shook his head, suddenly looking much older, utterly dejected. He thought of the day he had agreed to the Alliance of Righteous Unity's demands, sending Elder Chen Yi to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, effectively sending her to her death.
Now, the Crescent Moon Sect was facing calamity. This was the cycle of karma, retribution for their actions.
"As long as the flame remains, it may one day become a raging fire. All of you must leave."
Deep within the Crescent Moon Sect, in a silent expanse of land, a sigh suddenly echoed.
Amidst the rising mist of seven-colored light, a faint figure appeared.
It was a blurry, indistinct figure, surrounded by fragments of time and space, the void twisting around it as if it had existed since the beginning of creation.
Its face was unclear, but its aura was overwhelming, with divine halos circling behind its head.
The elders and disciples of the Crescent Moon Sect were stunned. Several of the oldest ancestral figures widened their eyes, scrutinizing the figure, then trembled with excitement, about to kneel in worship.
"Are you... the Founder?"
The ancestral figure who had spoken earlier trembled as he spoke.
The other elders and disciples also stared at the figure that had suddenly appeared.
"I am but a wisp of his lingering will, awakened only when the Crescent Moon Sect faces calamity. I possess only a tenth of his peak strength," the figure said calmly.
Hearing this, the elders and disciples were stunned. Their excitement gradually subsided, replaced by a deep sense of loss.
The Founder was a figure from an ancient era. No matter how powerful he had been, how could he still be alive today?
Not everyone could be like the founder of the Imperial Immortal Palace, who still lived to this day.
In another part of the Crescent Moon Sect, amidst ruins and relics, a disheveled old woman sat on a stone, her head tilted as she looked toward this area.
Her previously vacant eyes seemed to flicker with something, like a flash of lightning, fleeting yet heart-stopping.
But soon, she returned to her dazed state, sitting there as if nothing had happened.
The lingering will of the Crescent Moon Sect's Founder seemed to sense something and glanced toward the ruins, but said nothing, only shaking his head.
The elders and disciples felt even heavier in their hearts. Even the Founder's lingering will had appeared, but what could it change?
What was destined to fall would still fall. In the face of such a calamity, the power of a single individual could not alter the outcome.
As the night deepened and the banquet ended, Gu Xian'er returned to her cave dwelling.
She had already informed the Crimson Bird and the white-robed woman about the Crescent Moon Sect's situation. She had chosen to flee with the sect's elders.
Relying on her own strength, she stood almost no chance of survival against the Dark Tide.
During her time in the Crescent Moon Sect, the white-robed woman had shown no signs of recovering her memories. She spent most of her time in the cave, rarely venturing out.
Even now, Gu Xian'er did not know her origins or identity, but she had grown accustomed to it and didn't mind much.
"Tomorrow morning, the elders of the Crescent Moon Sect will evacuate. Senior, will you come with us?" Gu Xian'er asked the white-robed woman.
"I still can't remember who I am. I'll continue to follow you," the white-robed woman replied, her clear eyes and flawless jade-like face glowing softly.
Gu Xian'er had packed everything in the cave, including the spiritual plants and trees outside, transplanting them into her small world.
The Crescent Moon Sect had been largely emptied. If there had been more time, Gu Xian'er would have taken the ruins with her, as they contained secrets related to the Nine Restraints of Heaven.
Boom!
Suddenly, a deafening roar shook the entire Crescent Moon Sect.
At the distant horizon, dark clouds loomed, and rolling black mist churned. The sky seemed to have been torn open by a giant hand, with countless lightning bolts crackling and illuminating the dark void, as if a cataclysmic disaster had descended.
Countless Dark Beings stood there, their cold eyes fixed on the Crescent Moon Sect.
"The Dark Beings are here..."
An elder was the first to notice, his voice filled with panic and anger, echoing across the mountains of the Crescent Moon Sect.
Everyone was stunned. No one had expected the Dark Beings to arrive so quickly. They had thought they could hold out a little longer, but now it seemed the embankments had fallen.
"Fight the Dark Beings to the death!"
A disciple roared, drawing his sword and charging into the sky, facing the countless Dark Beings pressing in from the distance.
At this moment, the world was plunged into absolute darkness. The moon and stars were blotted out.
Mist drifted, thunder roared, and black mist surged. Rain poured down as if the sky had been breached, flooding the earth.
The lingering will of the Crescent Moon Sect's Founder calmly watched this scene. With a wave of his hand, the entire Crescent Moon Mountain, which had been silent, seemed to come alive. Ancient symbols surged from the earth veins and mountain ranges, glowing brilliantly, dazzling and radiant.
In the dark night, it was as if multiple suns had risen, driving away the darkness and bringing light.
"Everyone, leave now."
He spoke calmly, stepping forward, surrounded by dense Dao laws and mist.
However, before he could act, a terrifying hand reached out from the distant horizon, domineering and unstoppable. The surrounding star systems trembled and crumbled under its pressure, as if it intended to wipe out the Crescent Moon Sect with a single strike.
In the black mist, the gentle woman under the oil-paper umbrella smiled softly and said, "Wu Yang, don't destroy the ruins. The young lady specifically requested them."
"Understood, High Priestess Li Shuang."
The figure who had extended his hand was none other than Wu Yang. Hearing this, he slightly restrained his power but still casually struck out.
Even ordinary Ancestral Dao Realm beings were no match for him. What could the Crescent Moon Sect, now reduced to a handful of weaklings, do to resist him?
The gentle woman's face was always adorned with a smile, giving off an infinitely tender and beautiful aura. Yet, even someone as powerful as Wu Yang dared not show her any disrespect.
The role of a High Priestess was different from that of an ordinary priestess. High Priestesses were personally selected by the Grand High Priestess and were her most trusted confidants.
During major sacrificial rituals, at least one High Priestess had to preside.
Of course, in terms of status, High Priestesses, being the Grand High Priestess's confidants, were regarded more highly than ordinary priestesses in the eyes of the Heavenly Faction's followers.
However, this was not the case when compared to figures like the First Priestess and the Second Priestess.
As Wu Yang struck, the lingering will of the Crescent Moon Sect's Founder also extended a hand to meet the attack.
Boom!
The collision unleashed a terrifying surge of energy, as if two worlds had collided. Ripples of time spread, and Dao laws scattered.
This was the aftermath of a battle between Ancestral Dao Realm beings, where Dao techniques had been pushed to their limits.
The disciples and elders of the Crescent Moon Sect roared in fury and charged forward. Rain poured down, black mist churned, and a chaotic battle abruptly erupted.
At the same time, as the Alliance of Righteous Unity's embankments fell one after another and news of their abandonment spread, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's armies also advanced like a hot knife through butter, breaking through the Alliance of Righteous Unity's defenses and pushing into its heartland.
Ancient warships crossed the cosmos, and figures like Ling Yuling and Chu Heng stood at the prows, overlooking the vast universe filled with war and devastation.
"It seems the Alliance Leader anticipated the Alliance of Righteous Unity's actions and specifically ordered us to attack from the border defenses," someone said, gazing at the emptied universes. "Only the weak clans and factions remain. Those capable of traversing spatial tunnels have already fled to the Alliance of Righteous Unity's central regions."
The current state of the universes and star systems could only be described as filled with the old, weak, sick, and disabled.
Once the Dark Beings arrived, these universes and star systems would become fodder for their corruption and consumption, with no hope of resistance.
"The world fears my Heaven-Slaying Alliance like a fierce tiger or venomous scorpion, yet in the end, it is my Heaven-Slaying Alliance that they must rely on for protection."
"How laughable this is," someone sneered.
The vast army of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance swept across the cosmos, crushing everything in its path, yet it did not disturb the weak factions left behind.
These doomed factions could only stand there in a daze, eyes wide with disbelief, unable to comprehend what was unfolding before them.
Ancient warships sailed past their star territories, and the boundless Heaven-Slaying Alliance forces surged forward with unstoppable momentum, thundering into the distance. Their destination—
The very direction from which the dark mist was drifting in.