CRACK—!
The sound echoed across the battlefield as the barrier's fractures spread rapidly.
The beautiful Phoenix flames that had burned with such determination now flickered weakly, like candles in a storm.
The Black Turtle's defensive runes glowed red-hot, straining against the overwhelming pressure.
Inside, Long Qingxuan and the others watched solemnly as the protective dome began to fail.
"It's breaking!" she uttered.
Long Xi's hands moved in complex patterns as she reinforced their position with light energy. "Stand firm!"
But outside, Nian Shi had seen enough. With a roar of impatience, he raised his Blade of Eternity high above his head. The weapon glowed with terrifying intensity, gathering not just temporal energy but his own primordial essence.
"Break for me!" he thundered, and brought the blade down in a devastating arc.
