520: Quasi-saints gather

Days passed, and the Zizai Realm gradually expanded and solidified.

The mountains, rivers, plants, and even living beings of the Nirvana Realm began to be successively incorporated into the Zizai Realm, becoming a part of it.

Many powerhouses from the Immortal-Demon Realm hidden in the Nirvana Realm also found their Split Souls during this period, learning everything their Split Souls had known over the years.

Unfortunately, even if some people's Split Souls were born in the Central Immortal Domain, they still had no way of knowing how to leave the Nirvana Realm.

Of the Three Corpses of Yuan Gu, who were the only ones who knew how to leave, one died and two were captured.

Nirvana Realm, Central Immortal Domain, Lingxiao Immortal Palace.

This palace, once belonging to a native Quasi-Saint of the Nirvana Realm, had now become a temporary gathering place for the remaining powerhouses of the Immortal-Demon Realm. The atmosphere in the hall was so heavy it could almost drip water.

Including Emperor Hao Tian, thirty-two Quasi-Saints gathered here. This was almost the total number of all survivors who entered the Nirvana Realm this time, excluding Xiao Zhuo and Hao Duo.

Some of them had strong auras, while others clearly carried injuries and had weak auras, but without exception, their brows were clouded with an impenetrable gloom.

Fear, unwillingness, and a hint of desperation-induced madness intertwined in everyone's eyes.

"Everyone," Emperor Hao Tian sat in the main seat, his voice carrying an undisguised hoarseness and fatigue, "the situation is critical, a matter of life and death. Wang Xuan's true purpose is by no means merely to plunder resources or a saint position. What he wants is to devour the entire Nirvana Realm, turning us, along with the billions of living beings of this realm, into nourishment for the advancement of his inner world!"

The hall was dead silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Although they had suspected it for a long time, having it confirmed by Emperor Hao Tian himself still sent a chill from everyone's feet straight to their heads.

Devouring a Major Thousand Worlds—what a mad and horrifying method!

Even the legendary Saints rarely engaged in such actions!

"We are trapped in this realm, sealed by the realm barrier, like turtles in a jar. Once his inner world completely engulfs the Nirvana Realm, we will be like fish on a chopping block, our lives controlled by others!" Taoist Taixu lightly flicked his whisk, his tone heavy, "We must leave the Nirvana Realm before he succeeds!"

"How to leave?" a Quasi-Saint from the Yao Race roared in a low voice, "The realm barrier of this realm is reinforced by Saintly Dao and is incredibly solid. This Venerable, along with several Fellow Daoists, tried to break it earlier, but it was impossible to move it even a jot!"

"Not necessarily," a slightly effeminate voice sounded. Everyone looked over; it was the Bone-Corroding Demon Venerable from the Nine Nether Demon Domain.

He licked his lips, his eyes glinting with a dark light: "One of this Venerable's Split Souls fortunately was born in an ancient tribe on the edge of the Central Immortal Domain. The ancient sacrificial texts of that tribe once mentioned a secret—in the distant past, the realm barrier at the Myriad Year Profound Ice Plain in the extreme north of the Nirvana Realm experienced an abnormal fluctuation. It was suspected that an supreme existence from beyond the domain forcefully tore open the realm barrier with immense power, descended upon this realm, and battled with the Saints of this realm. That part of the realm barrier still frequently experiences abnormal fluctuations to this day, which might be our chance!"

"Abnormal fluctuations?" Everyone's spirits lifted.

"Is the information reliable?" the black-armored Quasi-Saint asked in a deep voice. His name was "Venerable Rock" (Venerable Adamant), known for his defense, but he had also suffered considerable injuries from the aftermath of Xiao Zhuo and Hao Duo's battle.

The Bone-Corroding Demon Venerable snorted coldly: "This Venerable has personally investigated it. Although it cannot be directly broken, the spatial structure there is indeed different from other places, faintly retaining a trace of violent destructive aura, and the surrounding realm barrier is not as stable as elsewhere. But with my strength, I still cannot break it. However, if you all join forces with me, there is great potential."

A sharp glint flashed in Emperor Hao Tian's eyes: "Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, it is worth a try! Sitting idly by and waiting for death is not what we should do!" He surveyed the crowd, his tone resolute, "Gathering the power of our thirty-two Quasi-Saints and concentrating our attack on one point, we might be able to tear open a passage back to the Immortal-Demon Realm in that realm barrier!"

"The Emperor's words are absolutely correct!" Several Quasi-Saints immediately echoed.

They were all existences who were revered and held supreme power in the Immortal-Demon Realm; how could they be willing to entrust their fate to an unknown and terrifying existence?

At this moment, a voice with a hint of hesitation sounded: "It's just... Wang Xuan and we are, after all, from the same Immortal-Demon Realm. How can everyone be so certain that he will make things difficult for us..."

Everyone looked over; it was Saintly Venerable Hao Yun.

He had some acquaintance with Xiao Zhuo and could tell that Xiao Zhuo was not the kind of person who would kill indiscriminately.

However, his words were cut short by a cold laugh.

"Fellow Daoist Hao Yun, could it be that even now, you still harbor a sliver of hope?" A female Quasi-Saint, draped in a seven-colored cloud robe, named "Primordial Sovereign Ni Chang," spoke with a cold tone, "From the same Immortal-Demon Realm? He and Hao Duo caused such a catastrophe, almost destroying one-third of the Nirvana Realm! The strength he now displays is beyond our ability to contend with. Staying means we can only live at his mercy! Furthermore, if he becomes a Saint, who can say he won't annex the entire Immortal-Demon Realm? Only by returning to the Immortal-Demon Realm and making these changes public, asking the various Holy Lands and Dao lineages to discuss together, and even... finding a way to welcome back our Immortal-Demon Saints, can we deal with this fiend and save the Immortal-Demon Realm from potential future destruction!"

Primordial Sovereign Ni Chang's words resonated with most people.

The strength Xiao Zhuo displayed was too terrifying. Devouring a Nirvana Realm, would the next step be the Immortal-Demon Realm?

They dared not gamble.

They had to return to the Immortal-Demon Realm and gather strength before Xiao Zhuo became a Saint!

Saintly Venerable Hao Yun opened his mouth, but it ultimately turned into a silent sigh, and he said no more.

He knew that Primordial Sovereign Ni Chang was speaking the truth.

In the face of absolute self-interest and survival, that meager past acquaintance was not worth mentioning.

"Since that is the case, let us vote then," Emperor Hao Tian said in a deep voice, "Those who agree to go to that realm barrier and jointly break it, please indicate."

Whoosh—

Almost without any hesitation, except for Saintly Venerable Hao Yun who hesitated for a moment and finally nodded silently, all the Quasi-Saints agreed.

Survival is an instinct of living beings, especially for these top existences of a realm who had endured countless tribulations to reach where they were today.

"Good!" Emperor Hao Tian suddenly rose, a long-lost heroic aura seeming to return to him, "There's no time to lose. Wang Xuan has been refining the realm source for some time now; we must act quickly! Depart immediately for the extreme northern Profound Ice Plain!"

The next moment, thirty-two incomparably brilliant streaks of light shot up from Lingxiao Immortal Palace, tearing through the Void Realm and disappearing.

During their transits along the way, they could see mountains, rivers, forests, grasslands, and even some towns and villages, gradually becoming illusory at a slow but irreversible speed, as if merging into another overlapping space-time.

That was a sign that the Zizai Realm was eroding and assimilating the Nirvana Realm.

This sight further weighed heavily on everyone's hearts, making them tear through the Void Realm even faster.

After more than a dozen consecutive Transmigrations through the Void Realm, the scenery below gradually changed from lush to desolate, finally becoming an endless, bitterly cold ice plain.

The temperature here was terrifyingly low, as if even space itself would freeze. An ordinary True Immortal here would probably turn into an ice sculpture instantly.

"It's just ahead!" The Bone-Corroding Demon Venerable pointed the way.

Soon, everyone arrived at their destination.

Before them was an ice plain that looked no different from other places. The sky was an eternal grayish-white, and the cold wind was like a blade.