Xu Linglong's gaze fell on Bai Xuanling and Chu Xingchen, their auras blazing fierce. She herself had miscalculated and ended up gravely wounded.
But for a Celestial Demon, this was only the beginning.
Xu Linglong's body churned. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth poured into her like it didn't care if it killed her. From her ruined half, black energy surged forth, rapidly restoring her.
In no time, Xu Linglong had recovered to about eighty percent and stood proudly once more between heaven and earth.
Bai Xuanling watched Xu Linglong's terrifying rate of recovery, a chill settling in her heart.
That exchange of wounds—and she'd recovered this quickly.
Moreover, Xu Linglong's aura hadn't weakened much despite the severe injuries.
It seemed her origin power hadn't even been harmed.
Bai Xuanling quickly lowered her gaze.
This was not good news at all.
Originally, as the side with reinforcements, they should have opted for a fighting retreat, stalling for time.
But now… how were they supposed to fight a Celestial Demon who could recover from grievous wounds so fast?
Chu Xingchen noticed Bai Xuanling's unease and said softly, "My strike just now was no light matter. But the Celestial Demon physique… I've never seen records on it. Is it extreme undying nature? Or overwhelming regenerative power?"
"Both," Bai Xuanling murmured. "We're in serious trouble."
Before, fighting four-on-one, Bai Xuanling might have held her own against Xu Linglong—even had the upper hand.
But now that Chu Xingchen could join the fight and help her, the situation had actually become more complicated.
Because Chu Xingchen was still only at the Integration stage. Whether he could help or not was secondary—the real problem was that his opponent was a Tribulation Transcendence peak Celestial Demon.
No matter how outstanding Chu Xingchen's talent or how extraordinary his techniques—
"Peak Tribulation Transcendence" was an uncrossable chasm. And this wasn't just any peak Tribulation Transcendence cultivator—it was a living fossil of one.
As Xu Linglong recovered, she spread her wings and stopped targeting Chu Xingchen's vitals for a kill. Instead, she bombarded them from range, arrow after arrow, the terrifying energy obliterating the old sect's remains entirely.
The ground had long vanished, leaving only a deep black abyss.
Chu Xingchen watched the overwhelming offensive and understood that Bai Xuanling had been careless.
His own miscalculation had made their situation even worse.
Originally, Bai Xuanling should have taken a wound or simply retreated decisively, stalling until reinforcements arrived. That was the correct way to fight.
But now Xu Linglong had dropped all her underhanded tactics. She no longer tried to close in and kill Chu Xingchen—instead she chose long-range bombardment.
This was exactly the fighting style that countered both of them most effectively.
If Bai Xuanling wanted to protect Chu Xingchen, she had to take these attacks head-on.
But her seal was still in place. She truly couldn't keep taking hits forever.
If she released the seal, Bai Xuanling could fight and retreat—but Chu Xingchen would be caught in the crossfire, gravely wounded or even killed.
So the best option now was—
Abandon Chu Xingchen. Let Bai Xuanling face Xu Linglong alone, to escape this forced beating.
But this scenario was precisely what Xu Linglong wanted most.
Thus, Bai Xuanling had no choice but to shield Chu Xingchen and endure wave after wave of attacks.
If she didn't shield him, a single casual strike from Xu Linglong would be enough to cripple Chu Xingchen.
If she did shield him, it was exactly like this.
In this situation, Bai Xuanling could only take the hits in silence, silently blocking attack after attack.
The furious collision of spiritual energy lit up the entire abyss with spiritual light.
Chu Xingchen stood in place, watching Bai Xuanling take the beating in silence, and something stirred in his heart.
How to put it?
It seemed no one was willing to take a beating like this for him.
Even Master Hongxiang, who said all the right things—the main reason he took hits was because Chu Xingchen had done wrong and needed to be taught a lesson.
But this—purely because Chu Xingchen had been a drag—someone else was taking the blows for him.
That said, Chu Xingchen wouldn't flatter himself or think he was being heroic.
He understood clearly that Bai Xuanling was willing to endure this mostly for their original plan, for the calculations that followed.
But beyond those reasons, there was also the emotional bond between people.
"Chu Xingchen," Bai Xuanling finally spoke after a stretch of silence, her voice no longer carrying its initial composure—it betrayed a hint of exhaustion.
Chu Xingchen answered softly, "Mm. I'm listening."
Bai Xuanling spoke gently: "We can't win. I'll carry you to the rift in space, then use everything I have to send you out."
"After that, you just need to tell your disciple and Yuyang to handle the aftermath. Don't come back for me. And don't blame yourself—I miscalculated Xu Linglong and misjudged the situation."
"Only in these final moments, I want to ask you to let me leave in peace, without anyone disturbing me."
Hearing these words, Chu Xingchen knew exactly what Bai Xuanling was planning.
She intended to burn her body to forcibly send him out—and leave herself behind.
A living Tribulation Transcendence cultivator who truly wanted to escape would still have some means.
And those means all shared a single name—self-sacrifice.
Giving up everything to buy a companion's escape.
Chu Xingchen had seen this before. Many times, in fact.
Each time, it felt like something had struck him in the chest.
He thought: probably because this life of his had been bought with someone else's.
But whose life was truly light?
Chu Xingchen exhaled softly and said, "I'm not running. I still have a technique I haven't used."
Bai Xuanling didn't respond.
In her view, Chu Xingchen was only stalling.
What other technique could possibly bridge two full major realms?
Chu Xingchen said, "I have a sword strike. I just need some time to activate it."
Bai Xuanling's eyes flickered, but she still didn't reply to Chu Xingchen.
She didn't even want Chu Xingchen to know she'd turned back to glance at him.
She feared that once she used everything she had to send him away, she'd never remember his face again.
"Do you remember when we first met?"
Chu Xingchen's tone suddenly turned light, taking on the voice he'd used just a few years ago when he'd first transmigrated: "You were on the bridge above. I was below. You were high above, looking down. I was a wretched mess."
Bai Xuanling heard this, and the faintest smile touched her lips. "I remember."
"That look on your face like you thought I was going to kill you—thinking back on it now, it was funny."
"My thoughts back then were simple. I just wanted to figure out how to survive."
"I never imagined that in the end, I'd be willing to die for someone I'd 'never met' and barely knew—someone I'd had 'a bit of a connection' with. Honestly, it surprises me. But these words carry our own happiness and resonance."
Chu Xingchen's voice was soft as he tightened his grip on the sword.
"I have a sword strike—the strongest one I've ever comprehended. Let me try."
Chu Xingchen closed his eyes slightly. The spiritual energy around him began to boil and surge.
The system's cooldown had long since finished.
Because of the Immortal Realm characters, he couldn't speak of it—but this was his final life-saving gambit.
Bai Xuanling felt the terrifying fluctuations of spiritual energy around Chu Xingchen, and her heart trembled.
She wanted to speak, to stop him, but it was already too late.
From afar, Xu Linglong also sensed Chu Xingchen's terrifying aura. Her expression turned grave, and she instantly closed the distance, ready to intercept him.
But Chu Xingchen was faster. His figure appeared before Xu Linglong in an instant.
He raised the sword. All sound in heaven and earth fell silent, turning gray-white.
The sword intent of Wanban converged into a single point of cold light and thrust forward.
This sword pierced the heart.
It passed through Xu Linglong's body, through the space that Bai Xuanling had torn open, and through the very rules of this world.
Heaven and earth turned entirely gray-white. Time and space froze, then reversed.
A vast sword formation materialized, enveloping all of Yuzhou City—and the entire Southern Nanzhou Continent.
Every person looked up at that streak of sword light that pierced through heaven and earth, blindingly brilliant.
Everyone felt it—that world-destroying aura, carrying an irresistible force, erasing all traces of existence.
The gray-white faded.
Color returned to heaven and earth.
Xu Linglong looked down at the sword wound in her chest. Terrifying sword intent lingered there, continuing to erode her life force, preventing her from recovering for some time.
Chu Xingchen's legs buckled at that moment, and he collapsed.
Bai Xuanling swept forward and caught him firmly, looking at his pale, bloodless face. Her heart shook.
"Well then…"
Bai Xuanling looked at the gravely wounded Xu Linglong and spoke softly: "Now it's your turn."
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