Xuan Yan wasn't doing great either, but his Primordial Soul was far stronger than Song Wanníng's, so he looked a little better off.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn noticed their condition but didn't rush them. Setting up a formation like this wasn't something that could be done in a short time. They'd already done their best. To give them a better chance to work, he raised his sword and cut down the monsters swarming toward them one after another.
But the creatures kept pouring out from the rift without end. They looked almost frenzied, as if they wanted to swallow them whole.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn narrowed his eyes. Combined with the insults Song Wanníng had hurled earlier, he could already guess what was hiding behind that rift. That thought shocked him. Once the rules of a Heavenly Dao were completely destroyed, it could no longer sustain itself.
Even constant invasion and plunder wouldn't help. It seemed the one behind the rift had already reached a dead end. And if that was the case, he had to stay vigilant. A desperate Heavenly Dao was the most dangerous of all.
…
More than ten days passed, and even Mo Yang Xiānzūn was beginning to tire. There were simply too many monsters. No matter how many he killed, there was no end to them. One by one, the corpses were sucked into the storm, turning into dust in an instant.
Meanwhile, Song Wanníng and Xuan Yan had both reached their limits. Finally, just as they were about to collapse, the array node before them flickered with a brief light, then vanished again.
They'd done it.
Song Wanníng's eyes widened in delight, tears almost spilling out.
Heavens, only she knew how her head had been splitting with pain day after day, as if someone had been hammering away inside her skull nonstop.
But now, it'd all paid off.
"Move!"
She shouted softly, then threw herself into the spatial storm without hesitation.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn followed behind, covering the rear.
When they finally returned to the cave, Xuan Yan was so exhausted he couldn't even speak. He dropped straight to the ground.
Song Wanníng wasn't any better. The mental exhaustion and pain they'd endured couldn't even compare to physical wounds. She found a corner, sat down, and gasped for air. Her face was pale, but a faint smile curved her lips.
They'd completed the first step.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn also sat down. In the small cave, no one had the strength left to speak.
A few days later, they set out again, returning to the storm's edge to arrange the next formation. When the second array finally succeeded, an entire month had passed.
Everything was ready now. Only the final step remained.
Mo Yang Xiānzūn went over the key points again, and Song Wanníng memorized every word carefully.
Then she said goodbye to him and left the passage with Xuan Yan. Once they returned to the tomb, both let out a long breath. The endless tide of monsters had been suffocating.
"Do you have anything left to handle? We're about to leave, and next time we come back, others will be joining us."
Song Wanníng turned to ask.
This was where Xuan Yan had been trapped for hundreds of thousands of years. Coming back again might mean watching it destroyed for good.
He stood silent for a moment, then vanished without a word.
She didn't press him and instead started planning her next steps.
This time, they'd need the strongest cultivators from several races—those at the peak of the Mahayana Stage. Her own body had reached Mahayana, but her cultivation still fell short of the peak. She didn't meet the requirement.
So she had to look elsewhere.
Thinking it through, there was really only one candidate from the human side—the Ancestor of the Guhan Sect.
As for the demon race, she'd need Baili Shang to convince his father to join.
The beast race was easier. She could ask the Patriarch of the Cao Mu Clan.
She'd helped them once before, so they'd probably agree.
And for the Underworld, there was only one option—the King Yama.
All of them had some connection to her, but asking them to risk their lives for the seal transfer might be too much.
Song Wanníng frowned. For now, all she could do was try to persuade them. If her guess was right, helping to break the old seal and restore the Heavenly Dao would surely bring blessings down upon everyone involved.
They'd all gain something from it.
But that was only her assumption. Whether they'd be tempted or not was another story. It was a tough situation, but she knew there was no turning back. Once the bridge came, she'd cross it.
Before long, Xuan Yan returned.
"Let's go."
He jerked his chin toward the tomb's exit and started walking.
Song Wanníng quickly followed. They passed through the tunnel and stepped out once more.
Facing the outside world again, Xuan Yan took a deep breath before pushing the door open. Fresh air rushed in. The familiar yet distant feeling made him feel like he'd been reborn after an eternity. As he looked at the vibrant world beyond, a shadow flickered in his eyes.
Soon. He'd see those people again soon. Hopefully, they wouldn't be too shocked.
Song Wanníng glanced at him. With a goal in his heart, Xuan Yan looked alive again—so different from the grim, brooding man she'd first met. She hoped that one day, he'd take his revenge with his own hands.
"Come on, I'll take you out."
She'd already told him before, he'd be safer staying inside her internal world. After all, he was a demonic creature. In the outside world, everyone would attack him on sight.
"Alright."
He nodded, and the next instant, she pulled him into her internal world. He expected a cramped space, but instead found a vast world inside, complete with a Bodhi Tree and even a ghost cultivator.
Xuan Yan was stunned. He'd clearly underestimated her. With this kind of power, Song Wanníng's future was limitless. He decided to maintain this alliance well. Who knew what surprises it might bring him later?
…
Once she left the tomb, Song Wanníng's first move was to contact Luo Hantian and explain the situation briefly.
Luo Hantian finally relaxed after hearing from her, but his relief didn't last long before tension replaced it.
The Cultivation Realm had been filled with strange phenomena lately, and now she was talking about unsealing something. That alone was a lot to take in.
And if the Ancestor—the stabilizing pillar of the Guhan Sect—was drawn into danger, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Still, Song Wanníng wasn't someone who acted recklessly. Since she was serious about it, he'd pass the message along.
If the Ancestor was interested, he'd arrange a meeting.
"Alright. If the Ancestor refuses, that's fine. I'll think of another way," she said.
She didn't want to pressure the sect either. Truth be told, she wasn't even sure how this would all turn out.
After ending the call, she started contacting others.
The Patriarch of the Cao Mu Clan responded almost instantly and agreed without hesitation.
"Song Daoyou, just tell me the time and place. I've said it before, if you ever need me, I'll be there without question! Even if it costs me my life, I won't back down!"
Their resolute voice echoed through the message talisman. Song Wanníng pressed her lips together, feeling a surge of responsibility rise in her chest.
===
We're almost caught up with the raw serialization, so if there are a few days gap between my future updates, that's why.