When Lady Meng Po saw Xuan Yan, her expression shifted slightly before curiosity flickered in her eyes.
A sentient demonic creature? Now that was rare.
But Xuan Yan's cold, unapproachable aura quickly made her drop the thought. So she kept her curiosity to herself and instead chatted casually with Song Wanníng.
When Song Wanníng asked what had made her change her mind, Lady Meng Po looked a little embarrassed.
"To tell you the truth, I'm searching for my benefactor. He ascended to the Immortal Realm many years ago."
Her answer was vague, but it was enough.
Song Wanníng nodded knowingly and didn't press further. Everyone had their own secrets.
Xuan Yan, however, gave Lady Meng Po a longer look than usual.
Time passed quickly, and soon Song Wanníng and Lady Meng Po arrived outside Xuan Yan's tomb. The others hadn't arrived yet, so they waited at the entrance.
A month later, the rest finally gathered.
The Demon King came with Baili Shang, while Yun Yangzi and the Patriarch of the Cao Mu Clan arrived alone.
When Baili Shang saw Song Wanníng, his heart leapt, but the moment his gaze landed on Xuan Yan, his expression changed slightly. Since when had there been a demonic creature at her side?
"Everyone's worked hard," Song Wanníng greeted politely when they arrived.
"The place we're heading to is right inside."
She pointed at Xuan Yan's tomb, then led them in.
As they descended deeper, the air grew thick with demonic energy. Everyone exchanged looks, and their gazes inevitably turned toward Xuan Yan.
Song Wanníng didn't hide anything. She introduced Xuan Yan's identity briefly, though she left out the story of his past grudges.
When they realized who he was, their expressions changed subtly. Anyone capable of forging Immortal artifacts wasn't someone ordinary.
Once they entered the cavern where the coffin rested, Song Wanníng gestured for everyone to sit on the meditation mats. She pulled out a dagger, just like Mo Yang Xiānzūn once had, and began explaining the map and the procedure.
Then she laid everything out clearly, step by step.
"Xuan Yan and I will handle the monsters and protect you all," she said. "Meanwhile, Mo Yang Xiānjūn will observe the situation from the upper realm. If the seal falters or shows any sign of instability, he'll shut it down immediately. That means we've failed."
She swept her gaze over them, her tone turning grave. "And once we start activating the formation, anything could happen. If anyone wants to back out, now's your last chance."
Even if someone quit, she wouldn't blame them. This wasn't something to force.
But no one moved.
Since they'd come this far, retreat wasn't an option.
"Alright, if everyone's decided, let's go over the plan again and rehearse once more. We can't afford even the smallest mistake."
From that moment, they practiced tirelessly, repeating each step until not a single flaw remained.
When the time finally came, Song Wanníng lit the Realm-Piercing Incense and sent word to Mo Yang Xiānzūn that everything was ready.
"Good. Go on, then," came his calm reply. "And be careful."
This time, he couldn't join them. His duty was to guard the upper seal.
The rest would depend entirely on them.
"Got it. Don't worry, Xiānjūn," Song Wanníng answered, her voice firm.
She and Xuan Yan took the lead, guiding the others toward the passage.
The moment they saw countless monsters surging from the depths, everyone's expressions hardened.
"So this is the monsters' nest?"
Yun Yangzi's face paled. He'd thought he'd already wiped them out, but it turned out he'd barely scratched the surface.
"Stay sharp," Song Wanníng warned. "Xuan Yan and I will hold them off. You just focus on activating the formation according to plan!"
With that, she charged straight into the horde.
Xuan Yan and Baili Shang followed close behind.
The three of them would clear the way and protect the others.
"Roar!"
The monsters bellowed furiously, swarming toward them in a frenzy.
Baili Shang's face tightened. He'd never fought so many of these vicious things before, and his attacks quickened instinctively.
Out of the corner of his eye, Song Wanníng and Xuan Yan moved like it was nothing new. Each strike cut down swaths of monsters cleanly and decisively. Seeing that, he gritted his teeth and threw himself in harder.
But before long, Song Wanníng shouted, "Baili Shang, don't burn through all your spiritual power! This is gonna be a long fight!"
He paused for a moment, then understood. His attacks became sharper yet more measured.
While they held the monsters back, Yun Yangzi and the others advanced toward the storm zone where the formation was anchored. Thanks to Song Wanníng's group blocking the horde, they reached the array safely.
"Stay alert!" Yun Yangzi called.
They exchanged quick nods, then stepped into their assigned positions. Everyone knew what was coming. Each had filled their storage rings with pills and spirit stones to replenish energy when needed.
At first, the uncertainty had made them uneasy. But now that they stood here, courage surged in their chests.
There was no turning back.
They had to succeed.
Their eyes blazed with resolve as they placed their palms forward, channeling their spiritual power into the array.
Streams of different-colored light intertwined at the center, merging into a brilliant vortex.
In that instant, the formation came alive, glowing brighter as it began to draw power from their bodies.
Their faces tensed, and they carefully controlled the flow of energy.
Meanwhile, Song Wanníng darted through the monster horde, cutting down any that tried to rush toward the array.
The monsters were cunning. They seemed to sense what was happening and began charging straight for the formation's core, determined to stop it.
Song Wanníng let out a cold snort, her spiritual power flaring. Even the little one beside her fought harder than usual.
Tonight, there would be no retreat. None of them would yield.
Far above, in the Immortal Realm, Mo Yang Xiānzūn stood before the great seal, his eyes fixed on it without blinking.
No one else knew what was happening below. The secret was his alone. If the seal failed, the entire Immortal Realm would face unimaginable disaster. He couldn't let that happen.
A faint tremor rippled through the seal.
"They've started," he thought.
It wouldn't take long now. Once the array activated and the transfer completed, the seal would be successfully relocated.
That would mark the reformation of the two realms.
At that very moment, strange phenomena erupted across both the upper and lower realms.
The skies darkened, and two worlds fell into shadow at once.