69: Chapter 69 The Alliance Undergoes a Shocking Turn of Events

" Extraterrestrial demons? Is this 'the end'? "

" What on earth is Lin Wan talking about? Alarmist talk? "

Lin Wan's words were like a massive boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves at the Southern Region Alliance Meeting.

Cultivators from various Sects below the platform whispered to one another, discussing the matter.

Most of them wore expressions of doubt, confusion, and even disdain.

Things like "the end" and "concerning the survival of billions of living beings" sounded too ethereal and vague; it sounded more like a fabricated excuse by the Qingyun Sect to consolidate the Southern Region and establish authority.

On the Alliance platform, the big figures—True Monarch Xiaoyun of the Xuantian Sword Sect, Fairy Baihua of the Hundred Flowers Valley, and the Mountain Lord of Beast Taming Mountain—all furrowed their brows, their gazes filled with scrutiny as they looked at Lin Wan.

They knew more than ordinary Cultivators and had vaguely heard some scattered rumors about "extraterrestrial demons," but they had never possessed concrete or definitive information.

Since Lin Wan had brought it up so solemnly, they wanted to see exactly what evidence this "True Monarch Guixu" could produce.

" Everyone, please calm down. " Lin Wan's expression was calm; he was not surprised by the commotion below the platform.

With a thought, he raised his hand and lightly tapped the Void Realm in front of the Alliance platform.

" Hum—! "

A point of Chaos light bloomed from his fingertip, rapidly expanding to form a massive, slowly rotating light screen like a water mirror, over ten zhang in diameter and possessing a color of Chaos.

On the light screen, light and shadow swirled, and scene after scene of clear, realistic, yet chilling images began to emerge.

The first to appear was the scene of the "Blood Evil Core."

There was a massive, constantly pulsing "Giant Egg" condensed from viscous Blood Evil and resentful souls; surrounding it were twelve Five Elements Demon Suppressing Pillars soaked in tainted blood, extracting Blood Evil to inject into the Giant Egg; and there were piles of skeletons exuding unwilling resentment.

In particular, the evil, insane, and destructive will emanating from the Giant Egg, so thick it almost materialized, made countless Cultivators below the platform feel their minds sway and their breathing stifle even through the light screen; those with lower cultivation even turned pale, nearly retching.

" This is the scene I witnessed deep within the Heavenly Ruins, at an ancient battlefield ruin. " Lin Wan's voice sounded along with the images, calm yet carrying a heavy weight, " That Giant Egg is a 'breeding ground' used to hatch its minions, formed by the resentment and evil energy of countless war dead, mixed with corrupted Five Elements power, and catalyzed by the erosion of 'the end.' Those skeletons are the Five Elements Sect Cultivators who fell here in the past, as well as the living beings corrupted and rotted by it. "

The scene shifted, showing an "Apostle" probing the barrier and being killed by Lin Wan, followed by a "Hunters" squad attacking, and finally the appearance of "The End Hunter" and its fierce battle with Lin Wan.

Although the battle process was simulated by Lin Wan using the power of his Dao seed and was not a real recording, the "the end" minions displayed—with their bizarre, neither-human-nor-demon forms and the cold, deathly aura they exuded—as well as the strange Divine Abilities they unleashed that could devour energy, annihilate attacks, and even unfold an "End Domain," made everyone below the platform tremble with fear, their spines chilling.

In particular, the final image of "The End Hunter" being slain and completely annihilated by Lin Wan's "Heaven-Opening" sword strike deeply shocked everyone.

They finally intuitively felt what kind of bizarre and powerful enemy Lin Wan was facing, and they gained a deeper understanding of his strength, which he claimed to be "Nascent Soul Great Perfection" and "invincible below Soul Transformation."

The image finally froze at the moment "The End Hunter" completely dissipated, and the light screen slowly dimmed and vanished.

The entire Tianyun Platform was deathly silent. One could hear a pin drop.

Everyone was deeply shocked by the scenes displayed in the light screen and the desperate, evil, and terrifying aura contained within.

In particular, those Nascent Soul Cultivators could sense, from the fighting style and energy fluctuations of those "the end" minions, a nature that was completely different from the cultivation system of this world—one that was colder, more "Advanced," and even more dangerous.

" Are... are these all real? " After a long time, True Monarch Xiaoyun of the Xuantian Sword Sect slowly spoke, his voice carrying a hint of dryness.

As a Sword Cultivator, his will was as firm as iron, but he too had been alarmed by the bizarreness of those "the end" minions and the terror of the "End Domain."

" Absolutely true. " Lin Wan said in a deep voice, " This was simulated and recreated by me using the power of my own Dao seed combined with my memories. Although the 'the end' aura was weakened significantly through simulation, you should all be able to perceive a bit of its essence. "

Fairy Baihua of the Hundred Flowers Valley had a look of gravity flash in her beautiful eyes: " Fellow Daoist Lin, in your opinion, what kind of existence is this 'the end'? What is its purpose? "

" According to what I know from the historical materials left behind by the Five Elements Sect, 'the end' is not a single living being, but a phenomenon similar to a 'natural disaster' or a 'concept.' Its source points to the depths of the Universe, to some indescribable and incomprehensible 'Ultimate Nothingness.' "

Lin Wan said slowly, selecting essential information he learned within the Five Elements Barrier to share, " Its purpose seems to be to erode, corrupt, and distort all 'existence,' bringing all things back to its so-called 'End' and 'Nothingness.'

In the ancient era, the Five Elements Sect was prosperous and ruled the heavens, but it was precisely because it resisted the erosion of 'the end' that it exhausted its Origin Qi and eventually declined.

Now, its tentacles seem to be reaching toward our world once again. "

" The Five Elements Sect... the ancient Five Elements Sect actually declined because of this? " The Mountain Lord of Beast Taming Mountain gasped.

The legend of the Five Elements Sect was no secret in the Southern Region; it was a behemoth that had once ruled the heavens! If even such an existence could decline because of "the end," the terror of this "the end" could be imagined.

" Does Fellow Daoist Lin mean that the threat of this 'the end' is already imminent? Could our Southern Region, and even the entire Tiannan Continent, face the same fate as the Five Elements Sect back then? " True Monarch Xiaoyun asked in pursuit, his expression extremely serious.

" Correct. " Lin Wan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the people below the platform, " What I encountered in the Heavenly Ruins was merely a probing and hunting squad sent by 'the end.' Behind it, there must be a larger, more rigorous organizational system, and... even more powerful existences.

Moreover, as far as I know, signs of 'the end' erosion are not limited to the Heavenly Ruins. In the Central Plains, or even other regions, scattered signs may have already appeared.

It is just that, perhaps, they have not yet attracted enough attention, or they have been deliberately covered up by certain forces. "

He paused, his voice becoming even more solemn: " When the nest is overturned, can any eggs remain intact? The calamity of 'the end' is not the affair of a single Family or Sect; it is the common enemy of all us Cultivators born and raised in this world.

If we cannot unite and prepare early, when the calamity arrives in the future, everyone present today, as well as the Sects, families, relatives, and Disciples of everyone present, will likely be unable to escape the fate of being eroded, corrupted, and returned to nothingness. "

These words made everyone below the platform feel heavy-hearted, and the faces of many had turned pale.

If what Lin Wan said was true, then the threat of this "the end" indeed far exceeded any enemy they had previously known, and it was even... a world-ending calamity!

" Amitabha. " Great Master Liao Chen spoke at the right moment, bringing his hands together with Buddha light faintly appearing, " Every word spoken by Fellow Daoist Lin is true.

This monk and Benefactor Han Lingtian have both witnessed it with our own eyes. The Vajra Temple of the Western Desert has decided to form an Alliance with the Qingyun Sect to resist this calamity together.

My Buddha is compassionate, but also roars like a lion. To protect the common people and sweep away demons, my Buddhist Sect is duty-bound. "

With the endorsement of Great Master Liao Chen, a high monk from the Western Desert, the weight of Lin Wan's words immediately increased by three points.

The Vajra Temple of the Western Desert was a behemoth not inferior to the top forces of the Central Plains, and its stance was enough to influence the judgment of many people.

On the Alliance platform, True Monarch Xiaoyun, Fairy Baihua, the Mountain Lord, and others exchanged glances, all seeing the gravity and determination in each other's eyes.

They knew that Lin Wan had no need to fabricate such a shocking yet detailed lie to deceive them.

Moreover, with Lin Wan's current strength and status, if he really wanted to forcibly consolidate the Southern Region, he could simply use force to suppress them without needing such trouble.

Since he chose to reveal the truth and seek an Alliance, it showed that the threat of "the end" might indeed be real and imminent.

" Fellow Daoist Lin. " True Monarch Xiaoyun took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, " If what you say is true, this calamity of 'the end' is indeed our life-and-death enemy.

My Xuantian Sword Sect is willing to form an Alliance with the Qingyun Sect to investigate and deal with this calamity together! "

" The Hundred Flowers Valley is also willing to join the Alliance and contribute our strength. " Fairy Baihua also said solemnly.

" Beast Taming Mountain counts as one too! " The Mountain Lord chimed in with a muffled voice.

With the three top-tier Sects expressing their stance, other small and medium-sized forces below the platform also reacted one after another.

If even the Xuantian Sword Sect, the Hundred Flowers Valley, and Beast Taming Mountain believed it, what else did they have to doubt?

Moreover, this concerned their own survival; it was better to believe it existed than to believe it did not!

" My 'Liuyun Pavilion' is willing to join the Alliance! " " My 'Zhao Family' is willing to follow in your footsteps! " " My 'Loose Cultivator Alliance' is willing to await orders! "

For a time, responders gathered like clouds.

Most of the forces that came to attend the meeting expressed their willingness to join the Southern Region Alliance led by the Qingyun Sect to resist "the end."

A glimmer of satisfaction flashed in Lin Wan's eyes. This first step had been successfully taken.

" Good! " He said loudly, " Since you, Fellow Daoists, are righteous and willing to resist this great calamity with my Qingyun Sect, I, on behalf of the Qingyun Sect, thank you all first! "

He paused and continued: " Since we are an Alliance, there must naturally be a covenant.

I propose that this Alliance be named the 'Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance.' All Sects within the Alliance will have equal status, but we must elect a 'Leader' to oversee the overall situation, coordinate all parties, and deal with the threat of 'the end.'

Under the Leader, an 'Elder Council' will be established, composed of representatives sent by each member Sect to discuss important matters together.

Resources and information within the Alliance must be shared to a certain extent. When facing the threat of 'the end,' we must obey the unified command of the Leader and the Elder Council to resist the enemy together. What do you all think? "

Establishing a Leader, unified command, resource sharing... these terms would undoubtedly weaken the independence of each Sect and strengthen the dominance of the Qingyun Sect (or rather, Lin Wan).

But in the face of a world-ending enemy like "the end," concentrating power and unified command seemed to be an inevitable choice.

Moreover, Lin Wan's strength, reputation, the information he possessed regarding "the end," and the legacy of the Five Elements Sect all made him the most suitable, and perhaps even the only, candidate for Leader.

True Monarch Xiaoyun, Fairy Baihua, the Mountain Lord, and others exchanged glances again.

They understood that once they agreed, the landscape of the Southern Region would change completely, and the Qingyun Sect would become the undisputed leader.

But, oppose? With what would they oppose? In terms of strength, Lin Wan alone could suppress them; in terms of righteousness, resisting "the end" was a matter of life and death; in terms of public sentiment, most of the forces below the platform had already leaned towards the Qingyun Sect.

" My Xuantian Sword Sect agrees to Fellow Daoist Lin's proposal and nominates Fellow Daoist Lin to be the first Leader of our 'Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance'! " True Monarch Xiaoyun was the first to express his stance, being very straightforward.

Since they could not resist, it was better to actively cooperate, which would also allow them to occupy a more favorable position in the future Alliance.

" The Hundred Flowers Valley seconds this! " " Beast Taming Mountain seconds this! " The three major Sects took the lead again, and other forces followed suit one after another.

" We nominate 'True Monarch Guixu' as Leader! " " We respectfully obey the Leader's orders! " The sound wave rose again; this time, it carried a sense of submission and anticipation.

Lin Wan swept his gaze across the audience, seeing awe, seeing expectation, and also seeing a few furtive gazes hidden deep within the crowd that still flickered with hesitation. But he did not care. The grand trend had been established; a few petty villains could not stir up any waves.

"Since I have been trusted by you, Fellow Daoists, and elected as the Alliance Leader, I, Lin, shall do my utmost and not fail your expectations!" Lin Wan stepped forward, his voice resonant and firm. "Today marks the founding day of our 'Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance'! May we, the fellow Cultivators of the Southern Region, work together with one heart to resist foreign insults and protect our homeland!"

"Work together with one heart, resist foreign insults, and protect our homeland!"

Below the platform, a tsunami-like roar of agreement erupted, shaking the very clouds.

However, just as the atmosphere of the meeting reached its peak and everyone's hearts were surging with excitement—a sudden change occurred!

"Hehehe… What a 'work together with one heart, resist foreign insults'! What a 'Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance'!"

A cold, hoarse, and weird laughter, filled with malice and mockery like the cry of a night owl, suddenly came from the distant horizon, instantly drowning out the cheers of the entire audience!

Immediately after, several beams of light of various colors, all exuding dense Evil Qi, Death Qi, and poison, shot over from the horizon like ghosts. In the blink of an eye, they appeared above the Tianyun Platform, hovering and facing the Alliance platform from afar.

The beams of light faded, revealing the figures within.

The leader was a man wearing a wide robe of colorful, yet eerie luster, with a withered face, sunken eye sockets, and green poison light flickering in his eyes. His whole body was permeated with a nauseating, fishy-sweet aura. He was the infamous Evil Path magnate of the Southern Region—the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult, True Monarch Poison Gu! A Nascent Soul Late Stage Cultivator!

To his left was a tall figure shrouded in pitch-black corpse qi, whose face could not be seen, with only two points of scarlet ghost fire flickering in the eye sockets. His body was dense with Death Qi, as if he had just crawled out of a grave. It was the Sect Master of the Yin Corpse Sect, True Monarch Corpse Demon! Also at the Nascent Soul Late Stage!

On the right were two old men wearing the robes of Elders from the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect, but their auras were even colder and more malicious. Both were at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, clearly the diehard remnants of the two Sects.

Behind these four followed more than ten Cultivators in various attires, all exuding eerie auras. Their cultivation levels ranged from the Golden Core to the Nascent Soul Early Stage, clearly the elites from the remnants of the Ten Thousand Poisons Cult, Yin Corpse Sect, Ice Soul Palace, and Xuanming Sect.

"Ten Thousand Poisons Cult! Yin Corpse Sect! And the remnants of the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect!"

"They really came! And they have colluded with each other!"

The crowd below was instantly in an uproar, with many showing looks of fear. The Ten Thousand Poisons Cult and Yin Corpse Sect had always acted in a secretive and ruthless manner, often having friction with the Sects of the Righteous Path, and their strength could not be underestimated. Now, colluding with the remnants of the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect to cause trouble at this critical moment of the Alliance meeting, they clearly came with ill intent.

On the Alliance platform, True Monarch Xiaoyun, Fairy Baihua, Shanjun, and others all had their expressions darken, their auras rising as they prepared for a fight.

Lin Wan's expression did not change; he only looked indifferently at True Monarch Poison Gu, who was leading in the air, and said calmly, "Poison Gu, Corpse Demon, you came uninvited to disturb my Alliance meeting. What is your intention?"

"What is our intention?" True Monarch Poison Gu let out a harsh, weird laugh, his green eyes staring fixedly at Lin Wan, filled with malice and greed. "Lin Wan, you little bastard! You killed the Elders of my cult, stole my cult's poison scriptures (pure slander), and even attempted to integrate the Southern Region, excluding my Ten Thousand Poisons Cult and Yin Corpse Sect, trying to wipe us out! Today, we have come to seek justice! And by the way… tear down this damn 'Anti-Calamity Alliance' of yours!"

True Monarch Corpse Demon also let out a hoarse voice, like two pieces of bone rubbing against each other: "Lin Wan, you rely on your cultivation to act tyrannically, destroying Sects; your actions deserve death! Today is your death day! Fellow Daoists of the Southern Region, do not be deceived by this fiend! His so-called 'the end' is nothing but a lie he fabricated to annex Sects and satisfy his own selfish desires! If you follow him, you will surely bring about your own destruction!"

The Elder remnants of the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect also echoed him sternly, slandering Lin Wan and inciting the crowd.

Obviously, they had calculated that the Alliance had just been established, people's hearts were not yet stable, and Lin Wan had just experienced a great battle (or so they thought), so they wanted to take the opportunity to cause trouble. If they could defeat or even kill Lin Wan in public, not only could they take revenge, but they could also dismantle this newly established Alliance and even profit from it.

"Amitabha, how dare you evil heretics spout such nonsense here and slander the Righteous Path?" Liao Chen stepped forward, Buddha light shining upon him, glaring with anger.

"Why waste words with them? Just slaughter them directly!" Han Lingtian held his heavy sword horizontally, his Killing Intent soaring to the heavens.

Many factions below were also stirred up by this sudden change and the words of True Monarch Poison Gu, True Monarch Corpse Demon, and others, feeling somewhat uneasy and doubtful.

Lin Wan waved his hand, stopping Liao Chen and Han Lingtian. He still looked at the four people in the air calmly, as if he were looking at a few clowns.

"Poison Gu, Corpse Demon, this seat will ask you one last time." Lin Wan spoke slowly, his voice still calm but carrying a trace of cold Killing Intent. "Did you come here today to deliberately cause trouble, or… were you seduced by 'the end', willing to be its vanguard and come here to die?"

The last sentence exploded like a thunderclap in the hearts of True Monarch Poison Gu, True Monarch Corpse Demon, and the others! A trace of imperceptible panic and suspicion flashed in both their eyes. They had indeed had contact with 'the end' and received some promises and 'benefits,' which was why they dared to come so unscrupulously. But this matter was extremely secretive; how did Lin Wan know?

"Non… Nonsense! What 'the end'? We don't know!" True Monarch Poison Gu roared, his tone fierce but his inner confidence already lacking.

"You don't know?" The corner of Lin Wan's mouth curled into a cold arc. "The faint, nauseating aura of 'the end' eroding your bodies—I can smell it even from this far away. It seems you have chosen to treat with tigers for their skins, willingly degenerating and associating with those world-destroying evil monsters."

"Since that is the case…" Lin Wan slowly raised his right hand, and the guixu sword appeared silently in his palm. The chaotic-colored sword body flowed with a radiance that seemed capable of ending everything.

"Then there is nothing more to say."

"Colluding with 'the end' and causing Chaos in the Southern Region—your crimes… deserve death."

The moment his words fell, Lin Wan moved.

There was no grand momentum, no earth-shattering fluctuation of Spiritual Qi.

He simply swung his sword lightly towards the four people—True Monarch Poison Gu, True Monarch Corpse Demon, and the others who were on high alert and connected by auras—as well as the ten-plus Evil Path elites behind them.

"Five Elements Returning to Ruins—Slay the Evil."

A void sword scar, only a zhang long, chaotic in color, containing the birth and death of nebulae, and seemingly capable of severing Karma and breaking through delusions, extended quietly from the guixu sword. It instantly swept across the void and leisurely slashed towards True Monarch Poison Gu and the others.

The speed of the sword scar seemed slow, but it felt as if it had transcended the limits of space, ignoring distance. True Monarch Poison Gu and the others roared, frantically driving their protective poison miasma, corpse qi, and evil arts, attempting to block or dodge.

However, all defenses were as fragile as paper in front of that chaotic sword scar.

"Chi, chi, chi…" Soft sounds, like cloth being torn, rang out one after another.

The colorful poison miasma on True Monarch Poison Gu's body surface, as if encountering a nemesis, quickly dissolved and annihilated. The dense corpse qi of True Monarch Corpse Demon also rapidly dissipated, like ice and snow encountering the sun. The ice and ghost qi of the Elders from the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect were instantly disintegrated.

The sword scar silently swept past the four people's bodies and also passed through the ten-plus Evil Path elites behind them.

Everyone's movements suddenly stopped.

The ferocious grin on True Monarch Poison Gu's face, the scarlet ghost fire in True Monarch Corpse Demon's eyes, the malicious gazes of the Ice Soul Palace and Xuanming Sect Elders, and the terrified expressions of those Evil Path elites all froze.

The next moment.

"Pu, pu, pu, pu…" Like balloons being pricked, the four Nascent Soul Cultivators including True Monarch Poison Gu and True Monarch Corpse Demon, along with the ten-plus Golden Core and Early Stage Nascent Soul Evil Path elites behind them, all shook violently. Then, like sand sculptures blown away by the wind, they disintegrated and collapsed inch by inch, turning into ashes of various colors filled with strong corrosive and deathly auras. Then, swept up by the chaotic guixu sword power remaining in the sword scar, they were completely annihilated and turned into nothingness, leaving not even a trace of residue or a flicker of Divine Soul fluctuation.

One sword, slaying four Nascent Soul Late Stage and Middle Stage Evil Path magnates, along with over ten Evil Path elites—all exterminated, both body and soul scattered!

The entire Tianyun Platform once again fell into a deathly silence.

This silence was more thorough and more… heart-palpitating than any before.

Everyone stared blankly into the air at the last bit of ash that represented the existence of True Monarch Poison Gu and the others, which was slowly dissipating. They then slowly turned their heads to look at the Alliance platform, at the figure in green robes who had already sheathed his sword and stood there, his expression still calm, as if he had just casually brushed off a few specks of dust.

One sword… just one sword…

Four Evil Path magnates, whose ferocious reputations made countless Righteous Path Cultivators turn pale, along with their subordinates—just like that… gone?

Is this the true strength of "True Monarch Guixu"? Nascent Soul Great Perfection, it is actually this terrifying?!

No, this could no longer be explained by Nascent Soul Great Perfection alone! That kind of Sword Intent that seemed capable of ending everything and returning all things to nothingness, that absolute control over power… is this really still Nascent Soul?

Endless shock, fear, and awe, like a tide, submerged everyone's minds.

On the Alliance platform, True Monarch Xiaoyun, Fairy Baihua, Shanjun, and others all swallowed hard, their backs already soaked with cold sweat. They asked themselves, if they were to face that sword just now, they would probably… have absolutely no chance of survival! The strength of this "True Monarch Guixu" had already exceeded their scope of understanding!

Lin Wan slowly sheathed his sword and swept his gaze across the crowd below again. This time, no one dared to meet his eyes; everyone lowered their heads, their eyes filled with the deepest awe and submission.

He knew that after this sword, there was no longer any suspense for the Southern Region Alliance Meeting. The Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance would be thoroughly established with his supreme authority. Any faction that dared to question, oppose, or even just harbor dissatisfaction would be completely annihilated in the face of this absolute force.

"Everyone." Lin Wan's calm voice sounded again, breaking the deathly silence. "The petty villains have been removed; the Alliance meeting continues."

"From this day on, the 'Southern Region Anti-Calamity Alliance' is officially established. I, Lin Wan, shall serve as the first Alliance Leader. I am willing to join hands with you all, Fellow Daoists, to sweep away the evil demons, resist 'the end' together, and protect our Southern Region for thousands of generations!"

"Alliance Leader is mighty! Sweep away evil demons, resist 'the end' together, and protect the Southern Region!"

The tsunami-like shouts resounded through the Tianyun Platform again. Within the waves of sound, there was no longer any trace of doubt or noise, leaving only the purest awe, worship, and infinite expectation for the future.

The situation in the Southern Region was completely settled from this day on. And the prestige of True Monarch Guixu, Lin Wan, would spread throughout the five great regions, shaking the heavens, along with this earth-shattering sword.