Boom!
This palm strike plunged into the boundless darkness, accompanied by a terrifying roar. The immense black energy surged like endless waves, boiling and rolling back into the sky, as if to cleanse the universe.
However, in the next moment, deep within the Imperial Immortal Palace, the storm seemed to subside, and the commotion quickly dissipated.
All the fluctuations, along with the blood-red passage that had pierced through the heavens and earth, twisted and blurred before shattering into pieces, vanishing like smoke in an instant.
The altar, which had nearly solidified, was struck by that palm and exploded with a loud bang, scattering into countless fragments.
On the other side of the blood-red passage, it seemed as though some terrifying being had been trying to descend. But with the passage severed and collapsing, it let out a heaven-shaking roar, filled with rage.
It extended two terrifying hands, covered in white bones and adorned with various horrifying corpses, as if trying to tear through the fabric of space and time to forcefully descend into this realm.
The originally dark sky now seemed unable to contain its presence.
The mere shadow of this terrifying being filled the heavens, making even the stars appear as insignificant as dust before it.
What was most chilling was that atop its head rested an ancient, decaying carriage, hazy and indistinct, exuding an aura of eternal antiquity.
Behind the beaded curtain of the carriage, a figure clad in a silver sacrificial robe seemed to be seated.
It was this figure that had intended to descend into the Prime-Origin Civilization through the altar to conduct the grand sacrificial ritual.
But now, with the summoning passage destroyed and the altar shattered by that palm strike, the figure quickly twisted and distorted.
The surrounding space-time field collapsed and twisted like a black hole, shrinking and being gradually swallowed.
A gaze of disbelief seemed to emanate from behind the beaded curtain, but it was soon engulfed by the collapsing spatial rift, disappearing into the depths of some distant, unknown dimension.
"The High Priest has been blocked…"
"The grand sacrificial ritual has been interrupted. He cannot descend into this realm."
Deep within the darkness, the Dark Beings witnessing this scene let out roars of fury and disbelief.
No one had expected the ritual to summon the High Priest to be interrupted, with both the passage and the altar destroyed.
"This…"
Wu Yang suddenly rose from the darkness, his face, hidden behind an iron mask, filled with shock and disbelief.
His deep, greenish eyes revealed profound horror and incredulity.
"How is this possible…"
He raised his eyes, as if trying to see the origin of that palm strike, but all he felt was deep dread and fear.
Although the palm strike had not been directed at him, he still felt as though he might collapse and perish under its force.
This unimaginable terror and fear seemed innate, rooted deep within his soul.
With a mere wave of his hand, the other party could annihilate him in an instant.
Such power was vast and boundless, transcending techniques, laws, order, and Dao principles, beyond description.
The last time he had felt such an aura was when he had witnessed the Grand High Priest punishing those who had disrespected the Master.
But even that time had not been as direct or profound as this.
Wu Yang even had the illusion that the other party had only intended to destroy the altar and the summoning passage, not to annihilate them. Otherwise, that palm strike could have easily changed direction and wiped them all out.
"Who was it that just took action?"
"The Prime-Origin Civilization truly lives up to its reputation as a land protected by the treasures of the first civilization. No wonder the Heavenly Faction has always been reluctant to provoke it."
"Could it be the mysterious leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance?"
Fear welled up in Wu Yang's heart, an emotion he had not felt in many years.
"Even the grand sacrificial ritual was interrupted…"
Countless Dark Beings were also trembling with fear, having witnessed that palm strike descend, stirring up boundless black energy, capable of destroying heaven and earth. They had even felt the breath of death.
They had never imagined that even a being like the High Priest could be blocked, with the summoning passage destroyed by a single palm strike.
For them, this was an earth-shattering event.
In the eyes of ordinary Dark Beings, the High Priest was an supreme existence, possessing unimaginable power.
They were blessed by the Dark Source, acting as its emissaries, the most devout believers of the Master, and under the Master's protection, their true souls were immortal and indestructible.
After a brief uproar, the surging dark energy quickly receded.
The rolling black mist that had spread to distant star domains also retreated like a tide, and the endless hordes of Dark Beings withdrew back into the Chaotic Spacetime Sea.
A large number of Dark Beings disappeared there, choosing to retreat.
What had just happened was too shocking and unbelievable, filling all the Dark Beings with trembling fear.
They had thought they could summon the High Priest and begin the grand sacrificial ritual, but the summoning passage had been destroyed by a single palm strike, and the altar they had built was shattered.
For the time being, it would be impossible to hold another summoning ritual or rebuild the altar.
"The Dark Beings have retreated…"
The various clans and sects, which had been stunned and trembling, erupted into cheers after a moment of silence.
The experts guarding the barrier formations were also shocked and awed.
They had been prepared to fight the Dark Beings, but that palm strike had destroyed the summoning passage and shattered the altar, forcing the Dark Beings to retreat.
"The direction that palm strike came from…"
"It must have been the Alliance Leader who took action."
At this moment, in a hidden void unseen by the experts stationed at the Imperial Immortal Palace.
A dozen or so Dao Realm experts sat cross-legged, their figures hazy, surrounded by fragments of space-time, exuding powerful auras.
Various terrifying Dao artifacts floated around them—charts, furnaces, divine cauldrons, heavenly swords… They had all been prepared to fight the Dark Beings, but they had never expected such a dramatic turn of events.
The Dark Beings had been frightened into retreating, quickly withdrawing from the depths of the Imperial Immortal Palace.
"The Alliance Leader's strength is truly unimaginable."
"With him guarding the Prime-Origin Civilization, why should we fear the invasion of the Dark Beings?"
"For the time being, the Dark Beings won't dare to attack again…"
Having witnessed this scene, the Dao Realm experts all breathed a sigh of relief, their faces breaking into smiles.
Throughout the Prime-Origin Civilization, cheers erupted like a tidal wave.
Countless beings and cultivators, who had been trembling and pale with fear, now fervently bowed and kowtowed toward the territory of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
"What was that just now?"
On the cloud vessel speeding through the cosmic tunnel, the people from the Floating Continent were also stunned.
Zhu Xuan's eyes widened, filled with shock and awe, still unable to process the world-shaking event he had just witnessed.
"It was the Alliance Leader who took action."
Ling Yuling's voice came through.
Her figure descended from the void, the armor pieces that had appeared earlier now retracted. She had been prepared to take action herself, but she had not expected Gu Changge to intervene.
But since he had acted, it meant there was no need for her to worry.
At least for the time being, the Dark Beings would not dare to set foot in the Prime-Origin Civilization again.
"So… so powerful…"
The people from the Floating Continent finally came to their senses, their eyes filled with admiration and awe.
Although they had not yet met the Alliance Leader, they could already imagine how vast and profound his existence must be.
That single palm strike had left them with an indescribable sense of power.
"If such a powerful being had been present on the Floating Continent, we wouldn't have had to flee our homes and wander far away…"
"Qing Xianzi wouldn't have had to…"
Many people's faces darkened as they thought of this.
"Just how powerful is the Alliance Leader?"
Zhu Xuan, now fully awake, was filled with admiration and reverence, his eyes shining with undisguised longing.
If he had such power, he could protect his people and avenge his family and master, Qing Xianzi.
Ling Yuling, seeing the reactions of Zhu Xuan and the others, couldn't help but smile slightly.
She shook her head gently. "His strength is immense. As long as he remains in the Prime-Origin Civilization, you need not fear the invasion of the Dark Beings—provided he is willing to act."
Hearing this, Zhu Xuan and the others grew even more curious about the enigmatic leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Even Ling Yuling, who had once been an ally of their Sacred Ancestor, spoke of him with such sincerity.
Did this mean the Alliance Leader's power surpassed even their Sacred Ancestor at his peak?
"A… A'Li…"
Not far away, the snow-white Zhen Hao, which had been dozing near a rock, suddenly bristled.
Its bell-like eyes widened, and its tail tucked tightly between its legs, its voice trembling slightly.
"How… how is this possible?"
A'Li, who had been leaning against a pavilion, dozing off, now seemed frozen like a statue.
She tried to steady the bamboo hat on her head, but her hands trembled so much that she couldn't manage it.
"Did we… did we see that correctly? The altar was destroyed just like that?"
"Maybe we should stay in the Imperial Immortal Palace and not go any further. That leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance… he's a bit too terrifying."
The snow-white Zhen Hao spoke in a low voice, its head bowed low.
A'Li took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't return to her previous state of tranquility.
What she had just witnessed had shaken her to the core, making her doubt her own eyes.
The summoning passage for the High Priest had been destroyed, and the altar shattered?
"In the current vast expanse, a being capable of destroying the altar with a single palm strike—even the High Priest himself would be no match."
The snow-white Zhen Hao continued to mutter, its eyes filled with deep fear and trepidation.
"No, we've come this far. We can't turn back now. Perhaps the rumors about the Heaven-Slaying Alliance Leader being able to purify Dark Matter are true…"
A'Li shook her head, her face beneath the hat showing a nearly obsessive determination. "Fortune favors the bold. If we can help the High Priests eliminate this obstacle, the benefits we could reap… I don't need to spell it out, do I? At that time, even…"
She didn't finish her sentence.
The snow-white Zhen Hao fell silent. It understood A'Li's meaning, but the risks were immense.
Although she had her methods, facing such an unknown and terrifying existence carried a high risk of death.
"I understand. I'll help you, A'Li."
After a moment of silence, it finally spoke.
A'Li glanced at its still tightly tucked tail and suddenly chuckled. "You're so scared, yet you're still willing to help me. You're so good, A'Hao."
"Who said we're partners… bah… who said you saved my life back then?"
"Don't worry too much. As long as we're careful and don't reveal our true forms, we might not be discovered."
A'Li adjusted her hat, her tone unusually gentle.
"You'd better be careful. Don't forget the task the lady gave you…" The snow-white Zhen Hao couldn't help but nag.
The news of the Dark Beings' retreat quickly spread throughout the Prime-Origin Civilization, causing celebrations in countless regions and universes.
Under the watchful eyes of numerous sects and powers, the Dark Beings that had sought to descend upon the Prime-Origin Civilization and bring dark calamity had finally retreated back into the Chaotic Spacetime Sea.
The Ancient Imperial Dao Formation left by Ling Yuling still stood, though it would likely be ineffective for some time. Nevertheless, many powerful experts from various sects remained stationed there, closely monitoring the movements in the Chaotic Spacetime Sea.
The surrounding civilizations and regions also felt a surge of excitement and relief upon hearing that the Dark Beings had retreated from the Prime-Origin Civilization.
This was the first news of the Dark Beings retreating in a long time.
While other True Worlds were still struggling to resist, the Prime-Origin Civilization had already forced the Dark Beings to retreat.
Such news was undoubtedly uplifting, giving countless cultivators and beings hope that they could resist the Dark Beings and survive this calamity.
Of course, many True Worlds also understood that the Prime-Origin Civilization had been able to repel the Dark Beings because of the presence of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and its leader.
On that day, a massive hand had emerged from the headquarters of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, trailing brilliant divine light, piercing through the cosmos, and with a single strike, severed the Dark Beings' summoning passage and shattered the grand sacrificial altar.
Thus, countless Dark Beings had retreated in fear back into the Chaotic Spacetime Sea.
This news spread across various regions, eliciting a range of reactions—awe, admiration, reverence, fervor, and shock… The prestige of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance reached new heights.
Compared to the civilizations and nations that had already fallen to the Black Mist, in this chaotic and turbulent era, only the Heaven-Slaying Alliance could resist the Dark Beings and protect its followers.
More and more Heaven-Slaying shrines sprang up like mushrooms after rain, far surpassing previous numbers.
Once labeled a "demonic sect" by many cultivators and beings, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance now saw many fearful sects and powers abandoning their prejudices and joining its ranks in search of "protection."
The ancient civilizations surrounding the Prime-Origin Civilization also had no choice but to seek refuge and submit to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, hoping for a sliver of peace.
At the same time, some civilizations and nations attempted to band together and form alliances to find a way out.
These civilizations were unwilling to submit to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and instead sought to unite with neighboring True Worlds, hoping to recreate the alliances that had once resisted the Black Calamity.
The situation in the vast expanse had become a chaotic mess due to the resurgence of the Black Calamity, with various groups forming to resist the impending doom.
Meanwhile, Zhu Xuan and the others from the Floating Continent, having arrived at the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, waited anxiously outside the grand hall for Ling Yuling's response.
The majestic ancient palace complex stretched endlessly, resembling a divine abode, shrouded in clouds and mist. The guards, clad in armor and wielding heavenly blades, exuded a powerful aura, their bodies radiating golden light.
"The Alliance Leader, out of respect for your Sacred Ancestor's efforts in resisting the Black Calamity, has agreed to meet you once."
Finally, Ling Yuling emerged from the hall, a slight smile on her face.
"Great…"
"Thank you, Senior Ling Yuling."
Zhu Xuan and the others breathed a sigh of relief, their faces lighting up with joy. After coming all this way, they had been worried the Alliance Leader would refuse to see them.
"No need to thank me."
Ling Yuling nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over Zhu Xuan and the others. "The Alliance Leader is not here at the moment. I will take you to his secluded residence."
As soon as she finished speaking, she waved her sleeve, and the void before them blurred, revealing a golden, radiant passage.