"Elder Xu, we're leaving," Gu Chenyuan said decisively.
Xu Wen was even faster.
Before Gu Chenyuan could finish his command, Xu Wen had already activated a Teleportation Talisman.
But something went wrong.
Suddenly, the spiritual energy within Xu Wen surged out of control, wild and untamable.
It was the unmistakable sign of a breakthrough.
He had devoured a Spirit-Eater Beast yesterday and consumed Dao Comprehension Tea. Though he hadn't broken through at the time, the accumulated spiritual energy had been lingering in his meridians. Now, without warning, it had been triggered.
Above his head, dark clouds rapidly gathered—signaling the arrival of a tribulation.
With heavenly lightning about to strike, Xu Wen could no longer activate the teleportation talisman.
The abrupt change left everyone at the scene momentarily stunned.
"You injure my disciple, and now you want to leave?" The soul projection of the Grand Elder of Tianyi Sect glared coldly at Gu Chenyuan and the others.
As he spoke, the massive soul shadow raised a gigantic glowing hand, slamming it down toward them.
The full, unrestrained might of a Saint-level cultivator was coming down like divine judgment.
Gu Chenyuan clenched his jaw, ready to risk everything to block the attack.
But before he could act, Xiao Huohuo soared skyward, charging straight toward the descending hand of light.
"Foolish," the soul projection sneered.
In his eyes, a mere Domain Realm cultivator couldn't withstand even the flick of his finger.
Letting her die under his palm would be doing her a favor, sending her off with honor.
At the same moment—
On the Ninth Peak of Star-Moon Sect, Tara York was studying the mysterious Body-Refining Waterfall when Xiao San's voice rang out in her mind.
"Xu Wen and the others are in danger."
Tara didn't need to ask—Xiao San immediately recounted the events that had unfolded so far.
"There's a protective strike from me stored in each of their sect tokens," Tara said calmly. "A mere Saint-level? No problem."
"But if Xu Wen's breakthrough is disturbed, he may never reach the Spirit-Sage Realm," Xiao San warned. "He's the first Outer Sect elder you've accepted, Host."
"Shall I tear space and go there myself?" Tara asked.
"No," Xiao San immediately vetoed. "The world's barriers are already thinning. If you attempt long-range teleportation again, it could accelerate the collapse."
Of course, given Tara's current cultivation, she feared no consequences. But Xiao San wasn't ready to gamble yet.
"Fortunately, I have a perfect solution," he continued."All you need to do is channel the strike stored in Xiao Huohuo's token, and add a sentence to dispel the tribulation. I'll handle the rest—just like yesterday."
"This way, not only will the enemy retreat, but Xu Wen's breakthrough will succeed. Once he's stabilized, he can use the teleportation talisman again."
"Alright," Tara nodded.
In Heng City, Central Continent—
Xiao Huohuo charged forward, fearless, toward the incoming giant hand of light.
At the final moment, the token hanging from her waist suddenly burst into searing brilliance.
The massive light hand shattered in an instant.
The soul projection stumbled backward in disbelief, his gaze locked on the glowing token at Xiao Huohuo's waist.
The next second, a sharp, commanding female voice boomed from the token:
"How dare a mere tribulation act up? Begone!"
It was a scene Gu Chenyuan and the others had seen before.
The thunderclouds trembled, letting out two reluctant groans, like a bullied wife holding back tears.
Then, slowly, they dissipated.
A moment later, a radiant five-colored cloud condensed in the sky, transforming into five streams of light that surged into Xu Wen's body.
Xu Wen's aura began to climb rapidly.
Eventually, it settled at the mid-stage of the second level of the Spirit-Sage Realm.
"Many thanks, Sect Master," Xu Wen said excitedly, bowing in the direction of Beiqian Continent.
The face of the soul projection darkened in alarm. "Who… who are you people?"
To drive back a heavenly tribulation with a single command? It was beyond comprehension.
Just then, another chilling voice rang out from Xiao Huohuo's token:
"And a lowly Saint dares to act up?"
At the sound of the disdainful snort, the soul projection shuddered violently—then disintegrated into nothingness.
The surrounding members of the Song Clan and the Yue Family stared in horror, eyes wide with disbelief.
Gu Chenyuan stepped up to Yue Dekong and slammed a palm into his chest.
Yue Dekong coughed up a mouthful of blood on the spot.
His spiritual energy immediately became unstable, fluctuating chaotically—an unmistakable sign of an impending cultivation drop.
"No… no…" Yue Dekong tried desperately to suppress it, but could only watch helplessly as his cultivation plummeted from the General-Immortal Realm down to the eighth stage of the Spirit-Sage Realm.
"This is your punishment for bullying my friend," Gu Chenyuan said coldly. "If it happens again, it won't just be a drop in realm."
"W-Who exactly are you people?" Yue Dekong asked, clutching his chest, his voice shaky.
"What? Still planning revenge?" Gu Chenyuan narrowed his eyes.
"N-no, I wouldn't dare!" Yue Dekong shook his head frantically.
"You're not worthy of knowing," Gu Chenyuan said flatly, then kicked Yue Dekong aside without even sparing a glance at Song Jue. He strolled over to Xu Wen. "Elder Xu, shall we?"
"Let's," Xu Wen replied, activating the teleportation talisman once more.
A shimmer of distortion passed through the air.
In the next moment, the group appeared before the grand gates of Star-Moon Sect.
"Holy shit!" Shao Fei exclaimed, stunned as he gazed at the magnificent entrance.
"Where… are we?" asked Er Pang, his deep voice confused.
"This is the Star-Moon Sect of Wanjue Mountain, in the Beiqian Continent," Xu Wen replied.
"B-Beiqian Continent?!" Da Pang pinched his chubby cheeks in disbelief. "Weren't we just in the Central Continent a moment ago?"
"This is Wanjue Mountain?" Shao Fei's eyes widened. "You've got to be kidding."
"I told you, the Sect Master remodeled the entire mountain," Xu Wen said smugly, patting Shao Fei on the shoulder. "Don't be so surprised."
With that, he pressed a hand against a nearby green stone tablet and led the group through the gate.
"Old Xu," Lin Danhua couldn't hold back his curiosity. "Yesterday, Lady Jiang pressed that same stone. Now you're doing it. What's that for?"
He had been itching to ask since yesterday.
"The elder's token says it's the Sect's entry ward. It verifies spiritual patterns," Xu Wen explained.
"What are spiritual patterns?" Lin Danhua asked.
"No idea. The token didn't explain—just said mine has been recorded," Xu Wen shrugged.
"Sounds powerful," Lin Danhua said with bright eyes.
"Well, of course it is. If the Sect Master made it, it's got to be amazing," Xu Wen boasted proudly.
Meanwhile, Shao Fei and his two disciples were still gawking, their eyes darting from side to side in awe.
They looked like their eyeballs might pop out at any second.
Xu Wen chuckled to himself—then remembered how he'd acted the first time he came here and suddenly lost the urge to laugh.
"Let's go. We're heading to the Sect Master's Peak," Xu Wen said, clearing his throat.
Just then, Tara York's voice rang out from the void:
"Come to the Ninth Peak."
"Yes, Sect Master," Xu Wen nodded and immediately redirected the group toward the Ninth Peak.
They arrived quickly.
Following Tara's guidance, Xu Wen led them along a winding path.
On the way, they passed the entrance to a hidden realm.
Though they didn't stop, Gu Chenyuan felt a strange sense of familiarity.
It was as if he'd seen this secret realm somewhere before.
But he quickly shook his head.
This was his first time visiting the Ninth Peak of Star-Moon Sect.
There was no way he could have seen it before.
After all, in his understanding, secret realms were natural phenomena—unmovable.
Otherwise, with the Central Continent's tyrannical powers, the other four continents would have long since been stripped bare.