81: move place

Lin Xuan led over five million True Immortals and nearly a million Tribulation Transcenders, like a vast, dark cloud, pressing down outside the Immortal Alliance Headquarters.

Forget about fighting; the sheer pressure generated by the combined aura of over five million True Immortals was almost tangible, causing the protective grand formation of the Immortal Alliance Headquarters to creak and groan, its light barrier flickering wildly, on the verge of shattering.

Inside the Immortal Alliance, chaos had long since erupted.

Old Dog Xuan Gu now stood at the main hall's entrance, his face uglier than if his own father had died.

Around him, a considerable number of people had gathered, all with formidable auras; several Immortal Lords, and a multitude of True Immortals and Golden Immortals.

These were his core cronies, whom he had spent years manipulating, controlling, or binding through shared interests.

Their numbers were not small either, roughly estimated to be a few million.

But the problem was, their hearts were not united! Each fought for themselves.

Facing the Star Palace's over five million True Immortals—those were not five million cabbages!

True Immortals! In ordinary times, which one wasn't a minor expert in their own right? They could even land a mid-level position in the Immortal Alliance!

Now, they appeared in droves, as if wholesale, each with fierce eyes and strict discipline, clearly here to cause trouble!

Then look at their own side.

Although their numbers were also considerable, many were coerced or enticed by Xuan Gu, or simply followed him temporarily due to an unclear understanding of the situation.

When it truly came down to a life-and-death struggle, how many would genuinely fight to the death for Xuan Gu?

What's more, at the very front of the opposing force stood Alliance Master Bai Li, her cultivation restored and her face etched with frost!

"Acting Alliance Master, what should we do?" an Immortal Lord Elder who had sided with Xuan Gu asked, his voice trembling, "They... they are..."

Xuan Gu gnashed his teeth, cursing Lin Xuan's ancestors for eighteen generations in his heart.

He had calculated everything, but he never anticipated that Lin Xuan could conjure such a monstrous army in just over a decade!

This was no longer a sect; this was a mobile natural disaster!

Fight head-on? How could they fight?

A single volley from the over five million True Immortals on the other side could blast his headquarters into dust!

Even with the profound grand formation laid down by Daoist Immortal Venerable back then, how many volleys could it withstand?

Not to mention Lin Xuan, that Golden Immortal anomaly, Bai Li, that Immortal Lord peak, and an ancient Immortal Kun whose depth was unfathomable!

Just as Xuan Gu was caught in a dilemma, pondering whether to activate his final trump card for a desperate last stand, Lin Xuan spoke.

He didn't make a move; instead, he casually strolled forward two steps, shouldering that terrifying bronze battle axe.

His voice, though lazy, clearly resonated across the entire scene:

"Hey, everyone inside, listen up!"

"I'm not here to fight today, and I'm certainly not here to slaughter a city."

"Fighting and killing, how boring, and it hurts feelings."

Everyone inside the Immortal Alliance was stunned.

Not here to fight? Did he bring five million True Immortals for a tour?

Xuan Gu also frowned deeply, unsure what Lin Xuan was planning.

Lin Xuan continued, "I'm here to reason."

"The Immortal Alliance is everyone's Immortal Alliance, not Old Dog Xuan Gu's personal property! And it's certainly not his token of allegiance to curry favor with his Asura master!"

"Alliance Master Bai Li risked her life for the Immortal Realm for ten thousand years, almost killed by this Old Dog! How should this debt be settled?"

"This Old Dog falsely transmitted orders, opened the defense lines, and caused the deaths of how many brother sects? How should this debt be settled?"

His voice suddenly turned cold: "Today, I will act on behalf of heaven!

I will only punish the chief culprit, Xuan Gu, and his cronies!

As for others who were deceived or coerced, put down your weapons now and get out of the way! I will not pursue past grievances!

But if you remain obstinate and still wish to be buried with this Old Dog—"

Lin Xuan slammed his bronze battle axe onto the ground!

Boom! A terrifying wave of malevolent energy mixed with Golden Immortal pressure swept through the Immortal Alliance's grand formation like a storm!

"Then don't blame my axe for not recognizing its own kind!"

As soon as these words were uttered, the Immortal Alliance instantly erupted into an uproar!

"Is what he said true?" "Only kill Xuan Gu and them?" "Alliance Master Bai Li has really returned!" "I've long disliked that old Xuan Gu!" "Brothers! Don't die for Xuan Gu! He's not worthy!"

Clatter!

Almost instantly, over seventy percent of the forces in the Immortal Alliance's camp unhesitatingly dropped their weapons and retreated to both sides like a tide, directly declaring their neutrality!

This even included several Immortal Lord Elders who had previously maintained an ambiguous stance!

Some of these people were Bai Li's old subordinates, constantly suppressed by Xuan Gu; some were neutralists who simply didn't want to get involved in this mess; and even more were forced by circumstances, now seeing a way out, they immediately defected!

In the blink of an eye, only less than a million loyal followers remained around Xuan Gu, along with those whose interests were too deeply intertwined with his, knowing that even surrender would not bring a good outcome.

Although still a powerful force, compared to the five million True Immortals on the other side, eyeing them like tigers, they were pitifully meager!

Xuan Gu trembled with rage, his face turning green!

He pointed at those who had retreated, his finger shaking: "You? You? Traitors! All traitors!"

"Traitors?" Bai Li finally spoke, her voice clear and cold, yet carrying an undeniable authority, "Xuan Gu, it is you who betrayed the Immortal Realm, betrayed your comrades, and invited wolves into the house!

Today, in the name of the Alliance Master, I shall cleanse the doors!"

She took a step forward, her Immortal Lord peak pressure unleashed without reservation, and behind her, the phantom of a Nine-tailed Celestial Fox seemed to emerge!

Lin Xuan grinned, shouldering his battle axe: "Hear that? The Alliance Master has spoken.

Old Dog, are you going to roll out yourself and die, or wait for me to go in and drag you out?"

Xuan Gu looked at his significantly dwindled forces, then at the terrifying, irresistible power of the opposing side, and finally considered Daoist Immortal Venerable, who might still be watching from the shadows.

His heart sank completely to the bottom.

He knew it was over.

The tide had turned.

Fighting head-on was a dead end.

"Good, good, good!" Xuan Gu uttered three 'goods' consecutively, his eyes filled with venom and madness, "Lin Xuan! Bai Li! Don't get too smug!

The humiliation of today, I have noted it down!

Immortal Alliance! Hmph, you want it? Then I'll give you an empty shell!"

He violently crushed a blood-red jade talisman!

"All those loyal to me! Activate the Blood Fiend Escape Array! We're leaving!"

Buzz—!

A massive blood-red light formation instantly lit up beneath him and his loyalists, a dense blood fiend aura shot into the sky, distorting space!

"Trying to run?" Lin Xuan's eyes sharpened, about to intervene.

"Daoist Lin, wait!" Bai Li stopped him, shaking her head with a sigh, "That's an ancient blood escape secret art.

It breaks through space by burning vital blood and soul, it cannot be stopped.

Moreover, forcibly intercepting it would cause the explosion's power to affect too many innocents."

With that brief delay, the blood-red light formation flashed violently, and Xuan Gu, along with his less than a million loyalists, instantly vanished without a trace, leaving behind only a massive charred crater and a pervasive smell of blood.

They ran.

Lin Xuan pouted: "That Old Dog sure runs fast."

He looked at Bai Li: "Now what? This mess."

Bai Li looked at the chaotic, panicking Immortal Alliance Headquarters below, then at the five million powerful Star Palace army behind her, a complex, bitter smile appearing on her face.

She took a deep breath, flew into the sky above the Immortal Alliance Headquarters, and her clear, cold voice echoed into every corner:

"All cultivators of the Immortal Alliance, heed my command!"

"Xuan Gu betrayed the Alliance and has been executed!

His cronies have also fled!"

"Effective immediately, I, Bai Li, shall resume leadership of the Immortal Alliance—"

Before she could finish, many of the recently neutral cultivators below had flickering eyes, and some even secretly transmitted divine sense, clearly harboring ulterior motives.

The Immortal Alliance was too vast, with too many factions.

Even if Xuan Gu fled, the remaining forces were not a united front.

Expecting them to immediately obey Bai Li? Difficult!

Bai Li clearly understood this.

She paused, glanced at Lin Xuan beside her, a look of resolve flashing in her eyes, and continued:

"However, after this great upheaval, the Immortal Alliance is riddled with holes, its people disheartened, and it is difficult to restore it to its former glory."

"I, Bai Li, am neither capable nor willing to maintain this loose alliance any longer."

The crowd below erupted in an uproar! The Alliance Master was going to disband the Immortal Alliance?

"I have decided," Bai Li's voice suddenly rose, "Effective immediately, the Immortal Alliance is disbanded!"

"Those who wish to follow me, Bai Li, to resist the Asura Clan and revitalize the Immortal Realm, may immediately pack their belongings and accompany me to the Star Palace!"

"Those who do not wish to, may leave on their own or form other forces, and take care of yourselves!"

Disband the Immortal Alliance!

Everyone was stunned by Bai Li's sudden decision! The Immortal Alliance, which had been passed down for tens of thousands of years, was just gone?

But upon closer thought, this might be the best solution.

The Immortal Alliance had long been rotten to its core, with factional infighting and ineffective commands; keeping it would only be a burden.

It was better to break it down and rebuild!

Immediately, the crowd below stirred again.

Most of Bai Li's old subordinates and cultivators genuinely concerned for the Immortal Realm unhesitatingly chose to follow Bai Li, and began to quickly gather.

But there were also some faction leaders and elders whose eyes flickered, and they quietly retreated with their own forces, clearly intending to establish their own power.

Still others were in a state of observation and hesitation.

Bai Li didn't force anyone, just watched in silence.

Lin Xuan was even more indifferent; he wished Bai Li would clean up the mess and travel light.

Soon, the cultivators willing to follow Bai Li gathered, numbering about one to two million, but their cultivation levels varied, ranging from Nascent Soul to Immortal Lord, far less elite and pure than the Star Palace.

"Let's go," Bai Li said to Lin Xuan, her eyes a bit weary, but also with a hint of relief.

Lin Xuan nodded, waving his hand: "Star Palace! Lead the way! Home!"

Thus, the mighty procession set off again.

In front were the Star Palace elites, led by over five million True Immortals; in the middle were the one to two million former Immortal Alliance cultivators led by Bai Li; and behind them was the Demon Clan army, watching the spectacle.

This formation didn't look like a victorious return from battle; it looked more like a super-large-scale strategic relocation! A moving house!

Just as this enormous procession had just left the old site of the Immortal Alliance Headquarters, and hadn't gone far yet—

Whoosh!

From the Immortal Realm's frontier, at the breach in the defense line that Xuan Gu had previously opened and Daoist Immortal Venerable had later barely sealed, a shrill alarm suddenly rang out!

Immediately followed by terrifying energy explosions and sounds of battle!

An urgent message shot over like a stream of light, snatched by Su Yuan.

He swept his divine sense over it, and his face instantly changed dramatically!

"Master! Alliance Master Bai! It's bad! The Asura Clan! The Asura Clan is launching a massive attack! The breach has been completely torn open!

Countless Asuras and Insectoids are pouring in!

The front line! The front line has collapsed!"

Everyone's faces changed drastically!

Lin Xuan suddenly turned his head, looking towards the war-torn frontier, his eyes cold.

"Damn it! I knew it wouldn't be that easy!"

Xuan Gu just ran, and the Asura Clan immediately arrived? Such precise timing? Who would believe there was no trickery?

Bai Li's beautiful face was also frosty: "Quick! All forces accelerate! Retreat to the Star Palace's dao field! Rely on defenses and hold firm!"

Now the procession was unwieldy, with mixed personnel, making it impossible to organize effective resistance on the spot!

They could only shrink back first!

Lin Xuan spat: "Go! Let's go home first! Close the doors, then settle the score with these scumbags!"

The massive procession accelerated again, like a startled long dragon, rapidly retreating towards the Flowing Fire Desert.

And behind them, the dark red tide, representing destruction and death, was spreading towards the heart of the Immortal Realm at an even faster speed.

The Immortal Realm, having just undergone immense upheaval, once again faced an even greater crisis!