Traveling through the shifting, prism-like spatial passage, Liu Xi frowned slightly.
'To cut off the Sacred Abyss Continent in a single move… There must be several Heavenly Demon Emperors involved. There's no point fighting a group of Demon Emperors head-on. The priority is to find a way to get Qin Tian back…'
He already knew the general course of the story, so he understood that the purpose of this attack wasn't to invade the Great Thousand World.
They were planting a seed.
A seed that would, at the most critical moment, shatter the Great Thousand Seal and free the Heavenly Evil Monarch.
Originally, that "seed" had been placed on Qin Tian.
And now? There was no way Liu Xi would allow Qin Tian to be used as a tool by the extraterritorial fiends.
Once the Heavenly Evil Monarch was released, even Liu Xi would be in direct danger. He was not about to gamble on whether the future would still follow the "original plot"—whether the Chosen Son would ascend to the Ruler Stage and slay the Heavenly Evil Monarch.
Liu Xi's personality was simple.
Any threat must be crushed in its cradle.
Only then could he peacefully pursue the mysteries of transcendence across an endless lifespan.
As for the Heavenly Evil Monarch?
The best outcome was always.
The Heavenly Evil Monarch should die.
Only a dead Heavenly Evil Monarch was a good Heavenly Evil Monarch.
Let the Great Thousand Demon-Subduing Formation left behind by the Immortal Emperor erase every trace of its life force. Thoroughly.
Allowing the Heavenly Evil Monarch to rampage, then relying on the Firmament Board's reaction or some convoluted plan involving the Five Primordial Bodies at the moment of crisis?
Too unstable.
Too risky.
Absolutely unacceptable.
With that conclusion, Liu Xi didn't even need to summon golden radiance—his figure simply transformed into a blazing streak of gold and shot across the space tunnel.
---
Great Thousand World, Far Western Region
This was the very edge of the Great Thousand World.
The sky had shattered, torn open into yawning chasms tens of thousands of meters long, like the maws of ancient abyssal beasts. From within, sinister Demonic Energy surged and withdrew like venomous serpent tongues.
The earth was split by endless ravines, each thousands of meters long, their depths impossible to see. Violent Demonic Energy surged from the darkness, transforming the entire region into a barren death-zone.
No living being from the Great Thousand World could survive in such an environment.
The passage that once connected to the Sacred Abyss Continent was now engulfed by dense, raging Demonic Energy—writhing and shifting like a colossal demon beast, hundreds of thousands of meters tall, clawing and roaring at the Great Thousand World.
Anyone who saw it felt their blood run cold.
The Demonic Energy was inching forward, devouring heaven and earth. Even the local Spiritual Energy had been pushed down to a dangerously thin level.
Yet, just outside that hellish passage, countless powerhouses of the Great Thousand World had gathered in the sky, tens of thousands of meters away.
Some from the Great Thousand Palace.
Some from the Five Ancient Clans.
Some from the Three Saint Sects, Grand Spirit Mountain, and other peak powers.
One Sovereign aura after another erupted outward—each containing Spiritual Energy as vast as oceans—forming gigantic storms tens of thousands of meters tall.
Together, they created a thick barrier of power, holding back the encroaching Demonic Energy beast.
A powerhouse's voice boomed.
"The Sacred Abyss Continent has been lost for ten days. Even with the Heavenly Array Elder's formation and over a dozen Heavenly Sovereigns defending it…"
"If the extraterritorial fiends launched an all-out assault, the continent may already have fallen completely. We must confirm the situation and decide how many forces to deploy!"
Another powerhouse spoke up, voice heavy with worry.
"This attack came too suddenly. Heavenly Demon Emperors must be involved. If the scout is too weak, they'll die before returning…"
"If they're too strong, they'll attract multiple Demon Emperors— even a Saint Grade Heavenly Sovereign would struggle to escape!"
Then a loud, impatient voice roared—its sound alone making the space tremble.
"Everything is a problem! The Sacred Abyss Continent is far too important. Why don't we just send a massive army and crush our way through?!"
A calm expert immediately countered.
"That is unwise. The Sacred Abyss Continent originated from a lower plane—its spatial structure is unstable. If we all enter at once, the space may collapse outright…"
"If we get lost in spatial turbulence, we can wander our way back. But if we're swept into the Abyss Domain… that's certain death!"
At those words, all the gathered powerhouses felt dread.
Today's Great Thousand World only existed because the Immortal Emperor sacrificed his life to seal the Heavenly Evil Monarch—while countless ancient experts held back the fiends.
That sacrifice allowed the current peace.
And yet, even with all that, half the Great Thousand World had already been devoured and corrupted, forming the dreaded Abyss Domain.
Peace had simply lasted too long.
Perhaps an invasion would unite these powerhouses once more.
…but volunteering to enter the Abyss Domain?
No one was willing to risk their lives like that.
When you stay high above the world for too long… who wants to die?
Silence stretched on.
Until—
"I'll go!"
A clear voice thundered from the Ninth Heaven, shaking the clouds as a tidal wave of Spiritual Energy rushed forward.
All eyes turned.
Space twisted—and Qin Tian stepped out!
His expression was solemn, his robes fluttering as his imposing aura surged outward. A heroic, unwavering figure.
Looking at the raging Demonic Energy barrier, guilt flashed across his eyes. He should have still been defending the Sacred Abyss Continent…
"It's Qin Tian!"
"Our Demon Slaying King is here!"
"Qin Tian truly holds righteousness above all! He is the model of our generation!"
Praise erupted instantly.
A Great Thousand Palace elder stepped forward—a seemingly old man, but his aura was deep and vast.
Another Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign.
"Elder Qin Tian, your heart is enough. But you're too young—you have a brilliant future. Let this nine-deaths-one-life task be handled by my old bones."
Qin Tian was the Palace's most promising seed—an Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign who would almost certainly reach Saint Grade in the future.
Three more elders stood out. Judging by their auras, they were Spiritual Grade Heavenly Sovereigns.
"Elder Yang Jin is right. Elder Qin Tian, you should not go. Leave this dangerous scouting mission to us old fossils."
But Qin Tian turned toward them, cupped his fists, and spoke firmly.
"Thank you for your kindness. But the responsibility lies with me. Sacred Abyss Continent fell on my watch—how could I ignore it?"
"So—please allow me to go!"
The crowd exchanged looks.
Moments ago, this mission had been a burning hot potato.
Now everyone was fighting over it.
And then—
Two youthful voices echoed across heaven and earth.
"And us!"
(End of Chapter)
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