"I’ll handle the black monster," Elder Qin said grimly. "Sect Leader, you should be able to hold off that Demonized Source Beast. And as for the spatial rift, Elder Mo, that leaves it to you!"

At his words, Chen Yu took a deep breath and retrieved a crimson elixir from his Storage Ring, tossing it directly into his mouth. The moment it entered, the elixir dissolved into a stream of pure energy that surged through him. Instantly, Chen Yu’s entire body turned bright red as wisps of Spiritual Power mist rose from his skin. All the Bone Spikes on his back were forced out, and the wounds shrouded in black qi began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye!

"Sect Leader, you..." Both Elder Qin and Elder Mo were stunned by the sight. The elixir Chen Yu had just taken was a Life-Devouring Pill, a type of elixir that allowed a Martial Artist to gain immense power by consuming their own Life Force. To gain this power, Chen Yu was actually sacrificing his very life.

"This is a matter of life and death for our Sect. I ask you two Elders to give it your all!" Chen Yu said grimly, completely ignoring the consequences of the Life-Devouring Pill as he stared intently at the black monster.

"Rest assured, Sect Leader. We will stake our lives on this fight. If the Sect lives, we live! If the Sect falls, we fall!" Elder Qin and Elder Mo declared in unison. Then, two heaven-shaking auras erupted from the two elders, and the very space around them began to tremble under the terrifying pressure.

"’If the Sect lives, so do its people. If the Sect falls, so do its people.’ What a touching scene. So moving, so tragic!" the black monster mocked, its mouth splitting into a wide grin.

"But you are all destined to become my food. So you can just disappear from this world, right along with your precious Sect!" In the next instant, the black monster’s aura shifted, and an even greater power erupted from it, strong enough to contend with Elder Qin and Elder Mo combined. In just a few short days, the monster’s strength had surged once again!

"ROAR!" At the black monster’s feet, the Demonized Level Seven Primordial Beast let out a furious roar and charged forward first. Its colossal body was like a giant siege ram, causing the very earth to tremble. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

The Level Seven Primordial Beast’s charge ignited the battle. Chen Yu and the two elders flickered, shooting straight for the black monster!

"BOOM!"

A thunderous explosion echoed out. The power of these combatants had reached a terrifying level. The very instant they clashed, they unleashed a horrific storm of Spiritual Power that leveled the surrounding mountain peaks. In the next moment, a world-shaking battle erupted!

While this battle began, disciples from every hall within the Sect started to gather. Those whose minds had been corrupted by the black qi were all knocked unconscious and bound. Elder Huo, leading Long Mo and Long Zhen, joined the ranks of Linglong Hall.

"She Hall Master, you’ll be in command this time!" Elder Huo said grimly, standing behind the Hall Master.

She Hall Master gazed at the army of Demonized Source Beasts gathered within the Sect. He slammed his cane on the ground and shouted coldly, "All disciples, hear my order! Drive these bastards that have slaughtered our people out of our Sect! Let them know the price for invading our home is death!"

"KILL!" The moment She Hall Master finished speaking, the disciples behind him erupted in a heaven-shaking, furious roar!

These disciples had been like flowers in a greenhouse. When had they ever witnessed such a cruel and bloody scene? But now they saw their own brothers and sisters being torn apart and devoured by the Demonized Source Beasts, their home trampled underfoot. As hot-blooded young men, if they cowered now, how were they any different from cowards? She Hall Master’s speech ignited the fire in their blood. ’Anyone who attacks our Sect must be slain!’ Not a single one of these Demonized Source Beasts would be spared!

"ROAR!"

As if sensing the disciples’ fighting spirit, the army of Primordial Beasts also let out a furious roar. They transformed into a raging torrent, charging toward the disciples and demolishing every building in their path.

In the next moment, the remaining disciples crashed headlong into the army of Primordial Beasts, and a brutal battle instantly erupted. This time, every disciple gave it their all, fighting back-to-back and supporting one another. Even those who normally held grudges now entrusted their lives to each other without hesitation. When the Sect’s very survival was at stake, petty feuds and minor resentments were utterly meaningless.

The fires of war engulfed the Five Elements Sect. The air was filled with roars, blood was everywhere, and the ground was dyed crimson. The Sect, which once had tens of thousands of disciples, now had less than half remaining.

The battle raged on, and the ferocity of the Five Elements Sect’s disciples was fully unleashed. ’Even if we can’t beat these Primordial Beasts, we’ll take one down with us when we die! Killing one means we break even; killing two is a profit!’

...

While war raged throughout the Sect, inside a cave within the Secret Realm, Shen Haoran still slumbered within a golden cocoon of light.

Elder Yan paced anxiously back and forth inside the cave, his brow tightly furrowed as he watched Shen Haoran, who still showed no sign of waking.

"It’s been half a month. The Level Eight Source Pill has been completely absorbed, so why isn’t he awake yet? If you don’t wake up soon, you’re going to witness the end of the Five Elements Sect!" Elder Yan muttered, staring at the golden cocoon.

CRACK... CRACK...

Just as Elder Yan finished speaking, a faint cracking sound came from the previously still golden cocoon. A sharp glint flashed in Elder Yan’s eyes!

’Is he finally waking up?’ Elder Yan thought, watching the golden cocoon with anticipation.

The previously quiet golden cocoon suddenly flared with brilliant golden light, illuminating the entire cave as if it were daytime. A tiny crack appeared, then spread rapidly like a spiderweb, covering the entire cocoon in the blink of an eye.

CRACKLE... CRACK...

A moment later, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the cave. Then, a heaven-shaking aura erupted from within the golden cocoon. Under this pressure, the cocoon instantly shattered!

"BOOM!"

Countless golden shards shot outwards. Before they could fly far, a violent suction force erupted from the center. The shards reversed course, flying back toward Shen Haoran at an even greater speed. The sharp, Powerful Qi they carried seemed to tear space itself apart!

However, the golden shards posed no threat to Shen Haoran. As they struck him, they simply melted into his body, turning him into a glowing, golden figure.

When the last of the golden shards had merged into his body, Shen Haoran’s tightly shut eyes snapped open. Two tangible beams of golden light shot forth, piercing straight through the cave wall before him!

"ROAR!"

A heaven-shaking roar erupted from Shen Haoran’s throat as a terrifying aura instantly exploded outwards. The surrounding cave walls could not withstand the force of this Energy and collapsed with a deafening crash. Any rubble that flew near Shen Haoran was instantly pulverized into dust and scattered to the winds. Just like that, the aura erupting from Shen Haoran’s body had completely destroyed the cave...