Host, take it easy.
The light curtain of the sacred mountain's secret realm slowly closed, isolating it from the bloodshed and malevolent energy of the outside world.
The group staggered to the ground, most of them injured and breathing heavily.
Master Qingxuan's face was as pale as paper, and there was still blood at the corner of his mouth. The damage to his essence made him sway even when he was standing.
Shen Yunzhou was unconscious and was being carefully carried on Ji Bailie's back. He was still unconsciously clutching the broken "Frost Chant" sword in his hand, the cracks on the blade were grotesque.
Ji Qianqiu's steps were unsteady, his face was sallow, and his depleted essence and blood made him almost unable to stand. He relied entirely on Ji Kuangshi for support.
Fang Li was placed next to the spring with the most abundant spiritual energy in the valley, but she remained unconscious.
Her face was deathly pale, her aura was chaotic and disordered, and her Dao foundation was fluctuating like a candle in the wind, as if it would completely collapse and dissipate at any moment.
An old priest stood guard beside her, constantly channeling the gentle power of the secret realm's origin into her body, barely sustaining her life.
Xie Chen, barely managing to stay afloat, directed the medical treatment. His once gentle eyes were now bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse: "Yun Fan, focus on protecting Senior Brother Chen's heart meridian! Mo Yun, Ling Shuang, continue drawing mind-calming talismans to stabilize their consciousness!"
Chu Yunfan's forehead was covered in fine sweat. Silver needles fell like butterflies flitting among flowers, accurately piercing the vital points of each injured person. He then used his true energy to dissolve the medicinal power and carefully fed the medicine to them.
Mo Yun and Ling Shuang's fingertips shone continuously, generating talismans that transformed into soft halos that enveloped the wounded, stabilizing their collapsing physical condition.
Several old priests of the sacred mountain chanted ancient and obscure prayers, communicating with the source of the secret realm, drawing down wisps of shimmering white light that, like sweet dew, seeped into the wounded's bodies.
For the time being, only the sounds of prayers, heavy breathing, and the faint hum of spiritual energy could be heard in the valley.
The relief of surviving the ordeal had long been replaced by severe injuries and deep anxiety about the future.
The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
Suddenly, the chanting of the eldest priest at the head of the group came to an abrupt halt.
He suddenly opened his eyes and looked into the spiritual sea deep within the secret realm. His aged face instantly drained of color, and his voice trembled with extreme panic: "Immortal Venerable! No...no good! The Origin...the Origin is showing signs of disturbance!"
Everyone's hearts sank, and they forced themselves to look in the direction of the sound, despite their pain.
The once calm and tranquil spiritual sea, which was slowly flowing with chaotic light, now had several tiny whirlpools appearing silently on its surface!
At the center of the vortex, strands of pure primordial energy were being forcibly extracted by an invisible yet domineering force and flowed into the depths of the secret realm.
Just then, a faint groan came from the spring.
Fang Li's eyelashes trembled, and she opened her eyes with difficulty.
The intense pain and weakness washed over her like a tidal wave, but she immediately sensed the abnormal loss of her vital essence.
Before she could even see her surroundings clearly, she struggled to sit up.
"Junior Sister! You mustn't!" Chu Yunfan hurriedly dissuaded her, "Your foundation is on the verge of collapse, you absolutely cannot act rashly!"
Fang Li shook her head, her voice weak but undeniable: "The origin... is the foundation..." She pushed away Chu Yunfan's hand, forced herself to sit cross-legged, closed her eyes, and immediately entered a state of seclusion.
She forcefully gathered her remaining divine sense, summoned the Glazed Chaos Fire, and carefully circulated it within her body, attempting to temper and repair the dense cracks on her Dao foundation.
At the same time, she diverted a wisp of her mind to communicate with her spiritual sea, trying to capture the energy that had been forcibly extracted and trace its source in reverse.
This process was extremely dangerous.
Her foundation was as fragile as a spider web; the Glazed Fire could shatter completely if it got out of control even slightly.
The extracted energy, though subtle, possessed a ruthless, devouring quality, its backlash causing her soul to tremble. Her body trembled slightly, fine beads of cold sweat appeared on her forehead, and her face constantly shifted between pale and flushed.
The system kept reminding her intermittently in her mind: "Host... take it easy... I... haven't fixed it yet..." Then it went completely silent.
Time passed in a tense atmosphere. Nourished by the essence of the secret realm, everyone recovered faster than expected.
After Shen Yunzhou woke up, he silently picked up the broken sword and walked alone to the ruins of the War God Temple at the edge of the secret realm.
The broken sword hovered in front of him. He closed his eyes and concentrated, sensing the indomitable sword intent from his life-or-death battle with the Holy Envoy. The shattered sword blade actually healed and reforged itself under the nourishment of the secret realm's energy. The sword hummed, and the newly formed sword intent gained a rock-solid tenacity and determination. The barrier of his cultivation realm quietly loosened.
Ji Qianqiu lies dormant beneath the massive remains of the ancient tree of life.
Although the ancient tree was mostly dead, its remaining vitality was still immense. Like an infant returning to the womb, he greedily absorbed this pure life force, and his depleted essence was replenished at a visible speed.
When he awoke, his eyes shone brightly, his blood surged like a river, and the ancient and vigorous patterns on the life battle axe in his hand seemed to come alive, radiating an even stronger fighting spirit. The axe blade gleamed with a cold light, its power surpassing that of the past.
Xie Chen found a quiet corner, where the tattered phantom of the star map floated in front of him.
Combining the insights he retained from the Starry Sky Observatory, he continuously calculated and deduced with his hands, his eyes flashing with runic light. Gradually, a phantom compass composed of countless tiny star runes slowly condensed in his palm. Although it was only in its rudimentary form, it already exuded a profound aura of divination.
While tending the alchemy furnace and refining the holy medicine for healing, Master Qingxuan was also glaring at everyone's recovery progress, constantly scolding, "You brats, get your act together! There's plenty of medicine, and if anyone slacks off, I'll chop them up!" Under his high-pressure supervision, everyone recovered rapidly.
However, the brief period of calm did not last long.
Outside the barrier of the sacred mountain, a subtle ripple suddenly appeared in the void.
Three figures clad in dark gold armor, their faces shrouded in a halo of light, silently appeared.
Their auras were even more profound and terrifying than the previous holy envoy, and their gazes were firmly fixed on the secret realm below, which was shrouded in a barrier of light.
The leader slowly raised his hand, dark gold law runes flowing at his fingertips, and said indifferently: "Remnants of Chaos... hiding here. Form the 'Heavenly Patrol Spirit Locking Array,' break the boundary! Annihilate them."
The three of them simultaneously formed hand seals, and a vast power of laws began to converge. A sinister formation aimed at locking the spirit and breaking the boundary quickly took shape, and the terrifying pressure caused the entire secret realm to tremble slightly!
Meanwhile, deep within her spiritual sea, Fang Li suddenly opened her eyes! The chaotic spiritual light in her pupils flickered intensely!
She finally pinpointed the source of the energy loss to the sealed area deep within the secret realm.
From beneath the seal came violent roars, as if a ferocious beast from ancient times was awakening!
Almost at the same instant!
Boom—!!!
The entire Holy Mountain Secret Realm trembled violently, and the sturdy protective barrier in the sky above shimmered wildly! A piercing "crack" sound rang out.
A hideous crack suddenly appeared on the huge barrier of light!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
