Outside the light barrier, a tide of black fog continued to surge forward, carrying with it countless Dark Beings, all striving to break through the shattered crack and invade this side.
"Fall back…"
Elder Zhu roared angrily. His hunched figure suddenly straightened, and his murky eyes shot out divine light that stretched for thousands of miles. His body expanded, resembling a Divine King capable of swallowing the heavens and earth.
The Primordial Chaos Pearl radiated boundless light, ancient runes swirling around it, transforming into divine weapons, celestial blades, Dao Diagrams, and furnaces, blocking the crack and holding back the surging black fog.
All the Dark Beings screamed under the impact of the light beams, evaporating and turning to ash.
In the distance, the more terrifying Dark Beings seemed to notice this scene. Their cold eyes turned, casting their gaze downward.
Then, a massive claw wrapped in thick black fog descended, striking the light barrier once more. The cracks expanded further, as if the barrier would shatter at any moment.
"This is bad…"
The hearts of the people within the floating continent, which had just settled, were once again gripped with fear. Zhu Xuan wished he could rush forward to help his grandfather resist the Dark Beings.
"We can't just sit here and wait for death. Let's go help Elder Zhu. Even with the Primordial Chaos Pearl, he won't be able to hold on much longer."
"Once the Dark Beings break through, ordinary people won't be able to resist. There won't even be a chance to escape…"
The spokesperson of the Shangguan Family, Shangguan Qing, clad in a red dress and wielding a long whip, had a cold and solemn expression. As she spoke, she rushed forward, leading the experts of the Shangguan Family to assist.
"Fairy Qing is still in a critical phase of her cultivation. We must buy her more time."
Seeing this, members of the other major families gritted their teeth and followed, disregarding life and death as they prepared for a fierce battle.
Once the barrier left by the Sacred Ancestor shattered, it would mean everyone would be exposed to the black fog, with almost no chance of survival.
"Grandfather, I'm coming to help you!"
Zhu Xuan roared, his eyes bloodshot. A massive axe appeared in his hand, which he swung fiercely, charging toward the Dark Beings outside the light barrier.
Strands of blood light splattered outside the barrier. At this moment, many powerful figures from the floating continent roared and charged out, engaging in a bloody battle with the Dark Beings in the black fog.
However, the number of Dark Beings was simply too vast, seemingly endless.
In the deeper darkness, there were even more powerful beings that had yet to make their move. Their strength far surpassed ordinary Dao Realm existences, and their every movement contained the power to destroy heaven and earth, tearing apart all Dao Principles.
The first few Dark Beings that appeared, possessing intelligence, sneered as they charged forward. Their massive bone claws descended, and the divine light they emitted ravaged the world, resembling massive blood-red lightning bolts as thick as mountains. Many powerful figures within the floating continent coughed up blood and were sent flying.
However, the major families of the floating continent also had their own hidden experts. The moment they appeared, they clashed with those terrifying Dark Beings, splitting the battlefield. The chaotic spacetime sea outside began to boil, with various substances evaporating and scattering, as if the battle would tear through to the world beyond.
"Kill! Fight these Dark Beings to the death!"
"They've hunted us for countless years, never letting us go since the time of our ancestors…"
"This blood feud will never end. Today, we fight until the last drop of blood is spilled."
Roars echoed throughout the chaotic spacetime sea. Everywhere was filled with the light of blades and rain of blood, along with the shattered remains of Dark Beings.
Endless black fog continued to surge forward, crashing against the light barrier outside the floating continent, threatening to break through.
Elder Zhu stood alone outside the crack. Though facing thousands, he advanced alone. The Primordial Chaos Pearl hovered above his head, seemingly capable of stabilizing the storms of eternity, shooting out countless beams of divine light that evaporated the oncoming black fog.
Despite the terrifying power, it still couldn't hold back the endless tide of black fog. Elder Zhu's body trembled, clearly struggling to sustain the Primordial Chaos Pearl. His energy was being drained rapidly.
Dense particles of energy flew around him, which he quickly inhaled through his nose and mouth to replenish his energy. Yet, his body continued to wither at an alarming rate.
Then, his arms and legs began to burst open with bloody holes. Unnoticed by him, black fog seeped into his body through his breath, beginning to destroy him from within.
Strand by strand, black fog seeped out from the bloody holes, gradually covering Elder Zhu's body.
His aged face was now marked with terrifying black energy. His figure swayed, on the verge of collapse. Even the Primordial Chaos Pearl began to dim, losing its previous divine nature and power.
"Elder Zhu…"
"Grandfather…"
The people of the floating continent, as well as Zhu Xuan, who were battling the Dark Beings, all changed expressions, filled with worry.
Someone tried to rush over to help Elder Zhu, but a pitch-black arrow shot from the distance, piercing through space and time, instantly piercing through that person. They exploded into black fog, completely devoured in an instant.
"Descendants of the ancient sages, you've run for so many years. Today, we've finally found you."
"Where do you think you can run now?"
A figure clad in dark green armor and a mask, riding a ferocious Dark Being, emerged from the black fog not far away.
A pair of cold, emotionless green eyes stared at the many inhabitants of the floating continent.
He drew his bow and arrow, calm and unhurried, exuding the demeanor of a hunter. His tone was icy, sending chills down the spine.
Behind this figure, other terrifying silhouettes could be seen, towering like ancient demonic mountains, coldly overlooking everything. They did not reveal their true forms, nor did they make a move.
"The remnants of the Black Calamity, the masterminds behind this disaster? You've finally shown yourselves?"
The inhabitants of the floating continent glared at this figure with hatred and icy coldness, their eyes filled with deep-seated resentment.
The descendants of the ancient sages and the remnants of the Black Calamity shared a blood feud that would never end. Since ancient times, they had been hunted to the brink of extinction, forced to hide and flee, only to be found again today.
"By the order of our master, we are here to exterminate the descendants of the ancient sages. Today, we can finally fulfill our mission."
This terrifying Dark Being spoke coldly, ignoring the icy hatred of the floating continent's inhabitants. He continued to draw his bow, a dense aura of destruction gathering at the tip of the arrow.
Black fog surged forward, transforming into lightning-like arrows that shot out, tearing through space and time as if the very heavens were roaring.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
Each arrow carried an unstoppable force, like meteors falling to the earth, striking the already cracked light barrier. The barrier trembled violently, on the verge of complete collapse.
The faces of all the inhabitants turned pale. The powerful figures battling the Dark Beings were powerless to stop it, only able to watch as the light barrier twisted and neared total disintegration.
Elder Zhu, holding the Primordial Chaos Pearl, bore the brunt of the attack. He spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying from the crack. The Primordial Chaos Pearl nearly slipped from his grasp, unable to continue holding back the surging black fog.
"Do you really think you can resist us with just a single pearl?"
"After all these years, not a single Ancestral Dao Realm existence can be found here. What a waste of our time and effort."
The Dark Being's green eyes turned, still filled with cold disdain.
He sheathed his bow and drew a terrifying black blade from his waist. The blade was enveloped in an extremely dense dark aura, as if it could corrode the universe.
With a single swing, a cold, blinding blade light swept forward, as if it could annihilate all worlds. The already crumbling light barrier could no longer hold, and with a loud bang, a massive gap was torn open.
In an instant, endless black fog poured through the gap. The Dark Beings within let out excited roars, charging toward the floating continent with no one to stop them.
The faces of all the inhabitants were filled with shock, anger, and fear. Many of the weaker individuals didn't even have a chance to escape, instantly being enveloped by the black fog, devoured, and reduced to piles of bones.
"Grandfather!"
Zhu Xuan roared in worry for his grandfather's safety. A blade of light surrounded him, as if it could split heaven and earth, sweeping through and annihilating a large number of Dark Beings around him.
At the same time, his blood energy surged, and a terrifying radiance burst from every pore of his body, forming a blood-red mist that enveloped him like a cocoon.
His eyes bloodshot, he swung his massive axe like a war god, charging into the sea of Dark Beings. The blood-red mist he emitted was like a blazing sun, causing the Dark Beings to scream in pain as they were burned and evaporated.
Zhu Xuan quickly moved toward Elder Zhu, who had been knocked to the ground. At this moment, he had no time to care about anyone else.
As the black fog engulfed the floating continent, the battle grew increasingly brutal.
Everyone fought desperately. All the inhabitants of the floating continent were engaged in battle, using ancient artifacts and various techniques to resist the encroaching black fog.
The elders of the major families were covered in blood, their bodies battered and broken. Like mad demons, they joined forces to attack the terrifying Dark Being.
They fought with bloodied determination, already resolved to fight to the death.
Further back, outside the shattered light barrier, more Dark Beings poured in, including several extremely terrifying beings.
Among them was the vulture-like bone bird from before. Its wings spread wide, carrying countless corpses and severed heads as it soared through the sky. With each swipe of its claws, the earth split, and mountains and rivers crumbled. No one could resist its power.
At this moment, everyone felt a deep sense of despair and helplessness. Faced with such an endless tide of Dark Beings, there was no chance of victory.
Swoosh!
Suddenly, from a distant place, a brilliant, sacred blade light descended like a river of stars, vast and boundless, cutting through the darkness.
In that instant, the countless Dark Beings in its path were annihilated, clearing a path.
A figure wearing a bamboo hat appeared in the distance, wielding a snow-white long blade. With a single swing, the blade light, heavy as billions of hooks, caused the void to ripple violently, as if it could barely withstand the force.
Beneath the figure, a pure white True Howler exhaled pure, blazing flames, pushing back the black fog and clearing a path as it swiftly approached the floating continent.
"What?"
"Is this someone coming to help us?"
This scene stunned the inhabitants of the floating continent. They had no idea where this figure had come from.
Could it be a powerful figure from another civilization beyond the chaotic spacetime sea?
But there was no time to think. Faced with so many Dark Beings, they were already struggling to protect themselves, let alone ponder other matters.
The figure wearing the bamboo hat was clearly immensely powerful. Seated atop the True Howler, they cut through the black fog with a single blade light, clearing a wide area. The True Howler itself was also formidable, its flames capable of repelling the black fog.
"Dark Beings, all of you, die!"
The True Howler spoke in a human voice, transforming into a white streak of light in the darkness. Its speed was so fast that even the powerful Dark Beings couldn't stop it. It carried the figure wielding the blade light closer and closer to the floating continent.
At this moment, Zhu Xuan was in a perilous situation, surrounded by several Dark Beings far surpassing the Immortal King level. He was covered in blood.
His grandfather, Elder Zhu, was extremely weak, his face covered in black energy, half-conscious. Zhu Xuan could barely protect himself, let alone his grandfather.
As Zhu Xuan roared in despair, a blade light descended, instantly annihilating the Dark Beings surrounding him.
"Fall back inside the barrier…"
A cold, slightly hoarse voice echoed in Zhu Xuan's ears. In his shock, he saw the figure seated atop the True Howler had already arrived outside the floating continent. Beneath their wide robe, a slender, snow-white wrist swung the blade, sweeping away large swathes of Dark Beings and creating a vacuum.
Some of the inhabitants of the floating continent, aided by this figure, managed to escape and quickly retreated back into the floating continent.
"Who are you?"
Zhu Xuan, recovering from his shock, wanted to ask, but the figure had already moved away from him, charging toward another area, seemingly intent on clearing a safe zone for them.
Gritting his teeth, Zhu Xuan quickly carried his semi-conscious grandfather back inside the barrier. By now, the floating continent was already flooded with Dark Beings, an endless tide that couldn't be stopped.
"Those who step into this place shall die."
Outside the barrier, the mysterious figure spoke with absolute calm. They swung their blade once more, and a dazzling blade light cut through the heavens and earth, sweeping across all directions, aiming to annihilate the figure seated atop the Dark Being.
"Who are you, daring to stand in our way?"
However, the Dark Being was no ordinary foe. Clearly shaken, it quickly swung its dark blade to block. A dense dark aura surged into the sky, threatening to disrupt space and time.
Yet, in the face of absolute power, the Dark Being trembled violently, unable to resist. In an instant, its armor shattered into countless pieces, and the blade in its hand was engulfed by the blade light, reduced to ash.
"Daring to interfere? You're courting death. Wherever the darkness descends, it becomes our domain."
"Are you challenging the authority of the Heaven-Warring Organization?"
From the depths of the surging black fog, the towering figures that had remained motionless finally stirred. A terrifying pressure, like mountains and seas, descended, suffocating all in its path.
Each figure was immense, like towering mountains. There were ancient giants with three heads and six arms, each hand wielding a different weapon—swords, towers, wheels, or ribbons. There were also beings with human heads and deer bodies, black horns on their foreheads, and ancient blue vertical eyes that flickered with scenes of destruction.
They advanced together, their oppressive presence threatening to tear apart the chaotic spacetime. If they appeared in the outer universe, even a wisp of their aura could cause a world to collapse, plunging countless beings into despair.
From the darkness, a massive claw shrouded in an immortal aura reached out, aiming to tear apart the already shattered light barrier.
At this moment, from the depths of the floating continent, a brilliant light shot into the sky. An ancient portal opened, and the Sacred Ancestor Mountain suddenly manifested.
Swoosh!
A dazzling green sword light swept across the heavens and earth, accompanied by countless sword shadows, instantly annihilating the Dark Beings that had been slaughtering indiscriminately, reducing them to ash.
Then, this terrifying sword light, like a divine sword awakening, severed the massive claw that had reached out. The scattered sword light continued to sweep forward, causing the Dark Being in the darkness to explode and perish on the spot.
On the back of a bright-feathered white crane stood a woman in a green gauze dress.
She wore a veil, her figure slender and tall, her skin as white as snow, and her eyes radiant. Her long black hair was tied into an intricate bun, secured with a green bamboo hairpin. A hair ornament swayed gently as she moved. Her eyebrows were unpainted, and her expression was calm.
In her slender hand, a clear, water-like sword hummed softly. The pure sword light continuously devoured everything, surrounded by terrifying rules of destruction, as if even the Great Dao was being ground to nothingness within its light.