The blood ritual roared, and the sky itself seemed to change color.
At the foot of the Great Wall, a sea of blood surged. The Rift of the Nether Abyss widened, and the massive black hand had already extended half an arm. Its fingertips sliced through the void, tearing space like fragile silk.
The air grew so heavy it was almost impossible to breathe. Every living soul felt their heart constricted, their lungs burning, and even their spirit trembling in terror.
"We can't delay any longer!" Fuyuan's bloodied figure trembled with urgency. His eyes fixed on the hovering void as he shouted hoarsely, "If that demonic hand reaches its full extension, all of Jiuzhou will fall!"
"But… the formation is too powerful!" Muxueyin bit her lip, drained of magic, her face pale. No matter how she fought, it was like striking a stone wall—utterly unable to halt the blood ritual.
Muchangfeng roared, swinging his sword in a relentless flurry, yet only drew more blood shadows upon them, the life force around him constantly devoured by the formation.
Amid the crimson light, the Bone Spirit Lord laughed triumphantly, as if he already glimpsed the approaching hell upon the human world.
"Futile resistance! Heroes' souls, the city itself—they are all sacrifices! You may delay for a moment, but destiny cannot be changed!"
Li Tianyuan panted, blood dripping from his sword, yet his gaze burned with unwavering resolve. He lifted his eyes, staring at the ancient altar drenched in blood.
A low, rhythmic drumming suddenly echoed in his ears. It wasn't the enemy's war drums—it was something older, deeper… a call from the past.
"Kill… protect the borders!"
The voices came from the wind, from beneath the bricks, from the spirits of countless fallen soldiers.
Li Tianyuan's heart jolted. He slammed his sword into the ground, kneeling before the wall's stones, and shouted with a voice that shook the heavens:
"Ancestors! Sages of the Great Wall! Today, demons approach, and the people face annihilation. If any soul refuses to yield, rise with me to guard this land!"
Thunder seemed to answer him. For a brief moment, all of creation fell silent.
Then—
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A thousand ancient war drums reverberated as if spanning a thousand years. Within the fissures of the Great Wall, the souls dragged by the blood ritual froze. Their contorted faces slowly cleared, transforming into the armored figures of fallen warriors.
One by one, the apparitions drew their swords, standing back to back against the Wall. Their eyes blazed, facing the Nether Abyss unflinchingly.
"We are…the Guarding Souls of the Great Wall!"
Their collective roar exploded across the battlefield.
The Bone Spirit Lord's face changed in shock. He bellowed, "Impossible! They should have been consumed by the ritual! How can it backfire?"
Yet the blood-red light trembled violently, forced open by the souls' defiance.
"Tianyuan!" Fuyuan cried in astonishment. "The souls of the Great Wall have answered you! They are willing to fight alongside you!"
Li Tianyuan's eyes blazed as he rose to his feet, sword raised high. "Good! Today, I will use my flesh and blood as a guide, linking with the Guarding Souls to seal the Nether Abyss!"
Boom!
His True Energy erupted like wildfire through his veins. The sword hummed with resonance, echoing the battle intent of the Guarding Souls.
The heroic spirits roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens, blending with Tianyuan's sword will.
In an instant, the Great Wall erupted in brilliant light. Countless sword shadows, spear strikes, and halberd arcs converged into a wall of martial spirits that spanned the sky, forming a barrier between the rift and the blood ritual.
"Kill!"
The Guarding Souls' collective shout shattered the crimson sky. Blood-shadowed monsters lunged, only to be crushed into mist by the martial spirit wall. The Bone Spirit Lord roared in fury, pushing his skeletal staff to amplify the blood ritual, attempting to suppress the souls by force.
"Crush them!"
Blood chains writhed violently. Dozens struck the spirit wall simultaneously, causing the apparitions to tremble. Many souls grimaced in pain, swaying as if they might disperse at any moment.
Li Tianyuan gritted his teeth, blood dripping from his sword onto the bricks.
Boom!
The bricks absorbed his blood, glowing with a warm light. The Guarding Souls gazed upon him, recognition and trust in their eyes.
"This one is worthy.""His blood carries our will; his soul guards the land!"
The spirits' collective roar merged into him, fusing with his body. In that instant, Tianyuan felt his chest burn like fire, blood surging through his veins like thunder. Every breath carried the cries of armies; every sword strike became an unstoppable military formation, crashing against the blood ritual.
Boom!
The blood ritual shattered, and the Rift of the Nether Abyss contracted slightly. The black hand was forced back half a span.
The Bone Spirit Lord raged, almost mad. "Impossible! How can a mere mortal resist the power of the Nether Abyss?!"
"Because behind me stand tens of thousands of soldiers!" Li Tianyuan roared. His sword blazed like the midday sun, striking the Bone Spirit Lord!
The lord raised his staff to block but was slammed back by the sword energy. Half his bone armor shattered, black blood spewed from his mouth.
"You…" His eyes widened, revealing fear for the first time.
"Return to the Nether Abyss!" Li Tianyuan shouted, sweeping his blade across the air.
Boom!
The blood ritual was torn open, and the Guarding Souls roared as one, a tide of light surging into the rift, forcing the demonic hand back.
The heavens shook violently. The fissure contracted, and the shadow of the Nether Abyss gradually faded.
"Arghhh!" The Bone Spirit Lord screamed, frantically attempting to rally the blood staff. Yet the combined power of the souls and Tianyuan devoured his strength. His staff cracked inch by inch before shattering entirely.
"Ahhh!" He howled as his body dissipated into black mist, fleeing in panic.
With his retreat, the blood ritual dimmed, and the world finally regained clarity.
Above the Great Wall, the heroic souls gazed at Li Tianyuan with solemnity.
"Young one, you have inherited our will. We have no regrets."
Their forms dissolved into points of light, returning to the stones and monuments of the Wall.
Kneeling on one knee, sword in hand, Li Tianyuan trembled, soaked in sweat and blood. Yet his gaze burned brighter than ever.
Fuyuan stepped forward, placing a hand heavily on his shoulder. "You did it, kid," he rasped.
Muxueyin's eyes glistened with tears. "If you hadn't called the Guarding Souls… today… the heavens and earth might have truly collapsed."
Muchangfeng laughed, bloodied but exhilarated. "Hahaha! Li Tianyuan, your feat today rivals the heroes of ancient times. It will be etched in history!"
Li Tianyuan lifted his gaze to the restored Great Wall. The wind blew, carrying the lingering scent of blood, yet within him surged a weighty, glorious power.
"This is not my victory alone," he whispered hoarsely. "It is the victory of the Great Wall, of countless guarding souls."
As night deepened and stars glimmered, the monuments atop the Wall remained silent, yet seemingly watchful.
The wind whispered as if telling a timeless truth:The Wall stands, and the hearts of its people endure.