With a dull bang, the Out-of-Body evil cultivator's soul detonated. His body pitched to the ground. Even as he fell, a talisman was clenched in his hand. He had been gathering power for a killing counterstroke at Yunxi.
Han Lian's face was cold. "Not a single heartbeat of relaxation allowed, or he would have slipped through."
"Amitabha. He intended to scheme against Ran Xi and was then dragged into the domain. Had he truly wished to flee, with the four of us not yet at our peak, he could have escaped easily." Yun Chen spoke plainly.
Xun Kun added, "If Yunxi had not driven soul thunder into him, this would have dragged on. He was careless, and Ran Xi was cautious, feigning weakness to buy us time. Without that, the outcome would be uncertain."
"I say he failed to profit from Ran Xi twice and instead suffered soul thunder wounds, so all he wanted was revenge. He struck while we were drained, only to be pulled into her domain and thwarted. Timing is everything." Han Lian concluded.
The four grew solemn. Whether that evil cultivator's claims were true or not, Weiling Realm was clearly in turmoil, and from the sound of it, mid-war. No wonder there was no attention to the lower realm. Huaxian Gate's situation was worse still. It had already been occupied by evil cultivators, which explained how they could force open the teleportation array at Huaxian Gate in Weiyu Realm.
"Do we inform Hua Yu and the others that Huaxian Gate in the Upper Realm has been occupied?" Han Lian asked.
"Amitabha. We should. If they still harbor unrealistic hopes of an easy road upward, what then?" Yun Chen said.
Xun Kun nodded. "Yun Chen is right. We must tell Hua Yu. Let them try to contact Huaxian Gate in the Upper Realm. We might get accurate information about the righteous versus evil war in Weiling Realm, instead of relying on one evil cultivator's words."
Yunxi nodded, agreeing with Xun Kun. Some matters had to be laid on the table to draw sufficient attention.
All four were in accord, but Han Lian still frowned. "From what that Divine Transformation evil cultivator implied, aside from the Huaxian Gate array, there are other channels for Upper Realm evil cultivators to descend. How do we guard against that?"
Yunxi rubbed her temple. "We move one step at a time. If other evil cultivators enter Weiyu Realm and try to break the seal on the Evil God's body, the commotion will not be small. We act according to the situation then."
"Amitabha. That is all we can do." They were indeed on the back foot.
Xun Kun stroked the soul bell at his waist. "If we want to keep the seal on the Evil God's body from being broken, we must assemble a complete Heavenly Gang Big Dipper Demon-Execution Grand Array. Without it, we can only watch the Evil God's body break free and leave Weiyu Realm."
Han Lian sighed. "That means at least three more Out-of-Body cultivators. But once they undergo the Out-of-Body tribulation, they will ascend. How do we stop that? It is not like our case back then."
Yunxi sighed, allowing herself a fanciful thought. "If only we could find the sealed site ahead of the evil cultivators. We could arrange for late Divine Transformation cultivators to break through right above the seal, taking tribulation there. Let the heavenly thunder scour the entire sealed ground. I refuse to believe it would not suppress the Evil God's body."
"Amitabha. It is a line of thought," Yun Chen said, ever supportive, even if the idea seemed impractical.
Xun Kun was more pragmatic. After a moment, he said, "What if the thunder splits the seal open instead? That would help the evil cultivators. Without proof, best not to try it."
Han Lian spread her hands. "I have no better plan."
The Snow Wolf King pair and Bai Feng were only listening in, offering nothing of use.
Yunxi had to say, "Then we return to our sects and speak with the Ancestors. Let everyone put their heads together for a workable plan.
Once the Central Region is fully cleaned up, we gather the top figures from all regions and see if a solution can be found. For now, that is all we can do."
By then the evil cultivator's body had been burned to ash by Zi Yan. The violet flame happily returned to Yunxi's dantian. Yunxi dispersed the Wind and Snow Domain, and the four emerged into view.
They exchanged a look and returned to their respective sect formations. On the way, Yunxi sent a direct transmission to Hua Yu Zūnzhě.
"I just crossed blades with an Out-of-Body evil cultivator from the Upper Realm. He admitted that Huaxian Gate in Weiling Realm has been occupied by evil cultivators. It is their territory now.
So from this point on, whether someone from the Upper Realm contacts you or tries to rebuild a channel to bring you up, do not trust it lightly. We will not always arrive in time."
Hearing the transmission, Hua Yu Zūnzhě stiffened for an instant, then replied politely, "Many thanks for the warning, Ran Xi Zūnzhě. I will remember."
He then signaled to the disciples behind him. Their sect's land would have to be reclaimed by their own hands.
Yunxi gave Hao Yan a brief explanation and then tore open space with the Snow Wolf King pair, leaving the Central Region. She was anxious to see Master Yu Ling and Ancestor Hao Yi.
Han Lian, Yun Chen, and Xun Kun did the same and vanished from the Central Region.
Hidden evil cultivators could only watch, not daring to show themselves. None wished to end like Bi Sheng, dead before success with not even scraps left behind. The four righteous cultivators appeared too abruptly and too neatly, their arts perfectly countering them, leaving no chance to flee.
Some even suspected the simultaneous departures were a trap to lure them out, so they slunk off to distant refuges instead of striking.
In truth, they were scaring themselves. The four had truly left. But given the four's ferocious record, the evil cultivators chose caution. None dared to stir.
Western Region, Haoran Sect.
When Yunxi stepped out of space before the sect gates, the two gate guards lit up and hurried forward to salute. "Welcome back to the sect, Ancestor Ran Xi."
As they bowed, the two on-duty Golden Core disciples could not keep their eyes from darting to the two snow-white, majestic Snow Wolf Kings at Yunxi's side, their envy plain to see.
Yunxi knew her standing had risen another step. Being called Ancestor felt odd, but she smiled and nodded in return, then led the Snow Wolf King pair straight toward Haoran Sect's back mountain.
Hao Yi was reading the latest report delivered from the Hive. A pulse of spatial fluctuation made her set the jade slip down. She smiled. "Ran Xi, you are back."
"Yes, Ancestor. I returned safe and sound."