Inside the Six Paths Yuan Destruction Great Array, which was on the verge of erupting.
As the cloth bag was opened, golden spiritual sand flew out, transforming into a vast yellow desert that enveloped the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant.
The bright yellow sand energy released by this yellow desert caused the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant's expression to change drastically. He blurted out, "[Fanluo Bitter Sand]! How could such a Spiritual Material exist in the Human Realm!"
Under the influence of this bright yellow sand energy, the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant's face contorted in pain, and the Spiritual Power he was emitting became unstable.
His Heaven-Piercing Spirit Treasure, the Heaven Measuring Ruler, also dimmed, and the pressure it exerted on the other Heaven-Piercing Spirit Treasure, the Yingxuan Ring, greatly reduced.
Gradually, the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant's figure was swallowed by the yellow desert.
Witnessing this scene, even Ning Fa's heart skipped a beat, and an bone-chilling coldness enveloped him.
The opponent was too well-prepared. They had actually devised a method to counter the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant, a top expert who had roamed the world for countless years.
Could their objective be to kill him?
A figure quickly flashed through Ning Fa's mind: Gu Zun.
Among the major powers, he was the only one with a grievance against Ning Fa.
Was he truly willing to go this far for Gu Ying?
Had he actually colluded with the Nine Immortals Association and the Tianshu Alliance to trap and kill both Ning Fa and the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant?
Ning Fa realized that Venerable Jizhao must have been aware of this.
Ning Fa swept his Spiritual Sense across the area. He saw that Huangfu Jin, Zhu Yan, the Ancestral Beast Huan Yu in the other Array Eyes, and a Human Race Spirit Transformation Cultivator named Fang Can were all in a panic. They were relentlessly attacking the black light barrier in front of them, not holding back and using their life-saving Divine Abilities without hesitation.
Only Venerable Jizhao, at the main Array Eye, appeared calm, showing no signs of struggle. He merely looked at the other five with a hint of helplessness.
Finally, Venerable Jizhao's gaze settled on Ning Fa's side, and he softly said, "Daoist Ning, I apologize."
At this moment, Ning Fa's hatred for Venerable Jizhao and the others surged like an ocean.
He had dedicated himself wholeheartedly to his clan over the years, expending an immeasurable amount of Origin Points that could trace back countless precious items. He had even faced life-threatening dangers multiple times.
Yet, the strongest powers of the Human Race had colluded to conspire against him, filling him with uncontrollable rage.
However, he suppressed the volcanic anger within him, knowing that he could only rely on himself now.
He immediately activated his True Form Imprint, restoring his condition to its peak. Then, he activated his Divine Firmament Manifestation, intending to draw upon the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy for a powerful strike. But he discovered that the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy within the black light barrier had been sealed.
Ning Fa could only frantically mobilize his Five Elements Divine Thunder Origin, channeling it into the Heaven-Shattering Sword and slashing out fiercely. However, the black light barrier before him didn't even waver.
Clearly, Ning Fa's attack was far from breaking through this confinement.
A look of anxiety appeared in his eyes as he realized that the defensive power of the black light barrier was intrinsically linked to the Great Array.
Let alone him, even a Mid Spirit Transformation Cultivator would find it difficult to break through.
Ning Fa flipped his right hand, and a fist-sized white orb appeared. Runes flickered on its surface, making it appear extraordinary. It was an Immortal Extermination Bead.
Ning Fa originally had two, but he had used one during a critical situation in the previous eight-year war. Now, it was clearly time to use the remaining one.
Ning Fa threw it out without hesitation.
To Ning Fa's despair, with a loud bang, even this Immortal Extermination Bead only managed to create a dozen faint cracks on the black light barrier, which quickly vanished.
At this moment, the Six Paths Yuan Destruction Great Array vibrated even more violently. Black spots began to appear on its surface and spread rapidly.
By the time the array's surface turned completely black, signaling its imminent eruption, the Spiritual Pressure it emitted had reached a level that even Spirit Transformation Cultivators feared.
With two loud bangs, Kailandir and the enchanting Sea Race woman finally broke free from the restraints of the Spirit Trapping Lock and the Illusion Palace Talisman. However, upon seeing the current scene, their faces were filled with despair.
"It's over, the inter-realm passage can't be saved..."
The enchanting woman's voluptuous body trembled, and she said with a pale, ashen face.
They could tell at a glance that this Great Array was beyond their ability to destroy.
Kailandir clenched his fists until they bled, took a deep breath, and said urgently, "Let's quickly escape through the secret passage! Even though the inter-realm passage is destroyed, we two must stay alive to serve our clan!"
Before his words even fell, he had already turned and flown downwards.
The enchanting woman finally reacted, a spark of life appearing in her eyes as she followed him.
The situation was clear: once the inter-realm passage was destroyed, they would no longer receive support from the Sea Origin Realm, making every Sea Race Spirit Transformation Cultivator's combat power invaluable.
Meanwhile, Ning Fa's aura surged. A mysterious Five-Colored Thunder Rune Pattern appeared on his forehead, symbolizing his Five Elements Divine Thunder.
Then, the imprint representing his innate Divine Ability, Chaos Divine Thunder, lit up. Immediately, a special five-colored lightning bolt shot out from Ning Fa's clasped hands – it was Chaos Divine Thunder.
"Boom—"
With a deafening roar, the previously unmoving black light barrier was instantly covered in deep cracks under the bombardment of this Divine Thunder, far larger than those caused by the Immortal Extermination Bead.
However, it was still short of shattering, and the cracks were even slowly disappearing.
Ning Fa's heart hardened. Chaos Divine Thunder wasn't a one-time use ability for every realm. As long as he was willing to expend his Divine Thunder Origin, he could still activate it again.
Although the consumed Divine Thunder Origin could be restored through his True Form Imprint, the amount of Origin Points required would be absolutely terrifying.
But he couldn't afford to worry about that anymore. Soon, the second bolt of Chaos Divine Thunder shot out.
This time, with a cracking sound, the black light barrier finally shattered completely.
With a whoosh, Ning Fa flew out from within, letting out a long sigh of relief.
He immediately used the True Form Imprint to recover himself, but this time, the cost was a staggering 1,500 Third-Tier Origin Points.
With only 300 points remaining, he could no longer use the True Form Imprint again, but at least he had managed to escape the Array Eye.
Ning Fa looked towards the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant, enveloped by the yellow sand sea not far away. He tried to communicate via Spiritual Sense Transmission but received no response.
Ning Fa swung the Heaven-Shattering Sword and unleashed a fierce slash, sending countless lightning sword qi surging towards the yellow sand sea. However, the attack was like a clay ox entering the sea, with no reaction whatsoever.
As Ning Fa approached, intending to use another method, the yellow sand sea suddenly surged and swept him into its depths.
A short while later, a bolt of purple lightning shot out from within, revealing a shaken Ning Fa.
This yellow sand sea could plunge his Divine Soul into a state of extreme dizziness; even his powerful Divine Soul couldn't withstand it.
If its power hadn't been primarily focused on dealing with the Heavenly Treasure Immortal Merchant, it would have been very difficult for him to escape.
Ning Fa's heart was filled with turmoil, but he could only sigh inwardly. This yellow sand sea was beyond his ability to resolve. Without further hesitation, he immediately flew upwards.
At the same time, the Mana within his body surged towards the Heaven-Shattering Sword.
The next moment, a colossal sky-piercing sword, over a hundred zhang in size, slashed violently towards the Great Array above, which had almost turned completely black.
However, not only did it fail to break through, but a powerful repulsive force struck him, sending Ning Fa flying backward.
Ning Fa spat out a mouthful of blood, a flicker of despair flashing in his eyes.
The defensive capabilities of the outer shell of the Six Paths Yuan Destruction Great Array were even stronger than the black light shield of the Array Eye.
Venerable Jizhao, located at the main Array Eye, couldn't help but show surprise upon seeing Ning Fa fly out of it. He then shook his head with what seemed like pity and sighed softly:
"Daoist Ning, give up your struggle. I am sorry to you. I hope to repay you in the next life."
Ning Fa glared at him with intense hatred, secretly vowing that if he could escape this ordeal, he would uproot the Tianshu Alliance, followed by the Qianyuan Merchant Alliance and the Nine Immortals Association – he would spare none of them!
His heart hardened, and he decided to disregard the cost, forcefully activating the Chaos Divine Thunder once more.
However, this time, his Third-Tier Origin Points were insufficient for recovery. This meant he would have to accept the consequence of his Five Elements Divine Thunder's grade decreasing.
Furthermore, if he couldn't replenish enough Origin Points within a month, the origins within these True Form Imprints would automatically dissipate.
This would mean the reduction in his Five Elements Divine Thunder's grade would be permanent, and he would have to cultivate it anew.
But he couldn't afford to worry about that now.
Just then, two crisp cracking sounds echoed, followed by two streaks of escaping light that flashed past and arrived beside Ning Fa, revealing two figures.
One was the Ancestral Beast Huan Yu. It looked incredibly battered, its pair of curved horns on its head gone, leaving only two bloody holes.
The third eye, closed in the center of its forehead, was also bleeding golden-yellow blood.
"Damn it! I was actually tricked by you humans!" it roared in a low voice, its beastly face contorted with ferocious hatred as it glared at Venerable Jizhao in the distance.
The other was Huangfu Jin. His form had drastically changed; his body had grown to several zhang in size, and his skin was covered in black scales the size of copper coins.
While his face still retained a semblance of his original appearance, it now resembled a ferocious dragon's head. The aura he exuded had reached the Mid Spirit Transformation stage, even slightly stronger than that of an ordinary mid-stage cultivator.
However, Huangfu Jin spat out a mouthful of black blood, his body trembling uncontrollably. It was clear that forcefully activating this state to break through the Array Eye's barrier had come at a significant cost.
His face was filled with anxiety as he spoke rapidly, "Only by combining our strength now can we possibly break this array. Don't hold back; unleash your strongest attack!"
Before he finished speaking, he unhesitatingly formed his right hand into a blade shape and directly severed his left arm.
With a flash of black light, the severed arm transformed into a black bone saber, and Huangfu Jin's vital essence surged into it.
The Ancestral Beast Huan Yu also acted without a word. The third eye on its forehead suddenly opened, emitting a golden radiance that contained terrifying Spiritual Pressure.
Ning Fa also took a deep breath, unhesitatingly channeling the origin of the Five Elements Divine Thunder within his body, beginning to brew a third Chaos Divine Thunder.
Three breaths later, Huangfu Jin's bone saber shot out first, slashing violently towards a section of the Six Paths Yuan Destruction Great Array's outer shell, unleashing hurricane-like black saber shadows.
The attacked section of the shell immediately showed cracks, but it was still far from completely shattering.
Just then, a beam of shimmering golden light shot out, striking the same spot. It was the attack from the Ancestral Beast Huan Yu's third eye.
Although this attack appeared less spectacular than the black bone saber, it caused dozens more cracks to appear on the shell's surface, inflicting greater damage. However, it was still not enough to break it.
But at that moment, a bolt of five-colored lightning shot out, striking the center of those existing wounds.
As the fierce power of the five-colored lightning erupted, the shell on this side finally couldn't withstand it. It cracked and shattered with a kaka sound, revealing an opening about a zhang in size.
Ning Fa and the other two rejoiced, using the fastest speed they had ever possessed to charge towards the opening.
Venerable Jizhao's face at the main Array Eye first showed a hint of surprise, then he shook his head and sighed, "Too late, a pity."
As soon as he finished speaking, a look of desolation crossed his aged face. Then, his entire body seemed to be drained, turning directly into a dried corpse, his aura completely vanishing.
Immediately after, the black light at his location, the main Array Eye, flashed wildly. The next moment, it transformed into a black halo that swept outwards like a tsunami.
The other five Array Eyes also transformed into black halos simultaneously, connecting into a single expanse in the blink of an eye. A world-ending, terrifying Spiritual Pressure erupted from the barrier at this moment.
At this point, Ning Fa and the other two were only fifty zhang away from the opening, but the surging, violent black energy was already sweeping towards them. A mere sensation of it filled their hearts with despair.
"Damn it! Damn it! I will never forget this hatred!"
The Ancestral Beast Huan Yu roared madly. As it spoke, it gouged out the third eye on its forehead, slammed it, and transformed it into a golden-yellow oval light shield that enveloped itself.
Huangfu Jin's expression, however, became calm.
Flipping his right hand, he produced a purple great seal carved with dragon patterns, his entire vital essence pouring into it without regard for the cost.
At the same time, his calm voice reached Ning Fa's ears.
"Kid Ning, I'll help you one last time. If you can escape this ordeal, I hope you will acknowledge your identity as a member of the Ziyin Clan in the future."
As the words fell, Huangfu Jin's entire body transformed into a stream of light, completely merging into the great seal.
His aura also completely disappeared.
The seal was now fully activated. The dragon patterns on its surface seemed to come alive, transforming into nine purple dragons that coiled around Ning Fa. In an instant, they connected, forming a nine-dragon shield that exuded an aura of invincibility.
Ning Fa's body trembled, his expression filled with pain, his hands clenched so hard they drew blood.
But now was not the time to dwell on it. He slapped his hands together, and dozens of treasures of various colors shot out, all activated and placed in front of him as a shield.
Simultaneously, Ning Fa struck his Spirit Beast Bag, and a green spirit bird about a foot in size appeared. It was Ying Xiao.
It had now recovered to the peak of the Fourth-grade realm. Ning Fa intended to use it as a blood pack.
The next moment, a tidal wave of black light swept over, engulfing Ning Fa.
However, the nine-dragon shield was exceptionally sturdy. It held firm against the surging black tide of energy, even slowly moving towards the opening.
When it was still twenty feet from the opening, the nine-dragon shield finally couldn't hold on and shattered with a cracking sound.
Ning Fa advanced another three feet. By this point, the dozens of top-tier magic treasures around him had all melted away in the black light, including the Zhou Tian Yan Lei Mirror.
Even though Ying Xiao was filled with terror, it still transformed into a several-foot-long green spirit bird under Ning Fa's command, shielding him within.
After advancing another two feet, Ying Xiao also melted away.
There were still ten feet left to the opening, but it felt like an insurmountable chasm.
Even if Ning Fa used his Natal Magic Treasures, the Heaven-Shattering Sword and the Heavenly Flame Candle, these two remaining treasures would absolutely not be enough to hold out.
Ning Fa's expression turned ferocious, and he let out a roar. The Five Elements Thunder Rune Pattern reappeared on his forehead, and his body surface erupted with dazzling five-colored lightning, forming a solidified lightning shield that resisted the terrifying black energy surrounding him.
It was Ning Fa once again activating the Chaos Divine Thunder.
In a short period, he had activated the Chaos Divine Thunder four times. The last two activations had come at the cost of drastically depleting his Five Elements Divine Thunder Origin.
His aura plummeted.
The Supreme Metal Divine Thunder and Supreme Wood Divine Thunder both dropped from the peak of Fourth-grade to the High-grade of Second-grade.
The Supreme Fire Divine Thunder dropped from Mid-tier of Fourth-grade to Low-rank of Second-grade.
Furthermore, the Supreme Water Divine Thunder and Supreme Earth Divine Thunder both dropped to First-grade.
However, the shield formed by this activation of the Chaos Divine Thunder finally allowed Ning Fa to cover the last ten feet.
He transformed into a bolt of lightning and flew out of the opening. The lightning shield finally shattered in response.
Ning Fa's body trembled violently, unable to even maintain his flight. He plummeted dozens of feet before barely stopping himself.
His face was ashen, his aura faint, like a withered tree.
After all, the Five Elements Divine Thunder Origin was his foundation. Its severe depletion had left his body extremely depleted, in a state of unprecedented weakness and severe injury.
At this moment, Ning Fa's blood-stained face radiated immense hatred.
He struggled to retrieve a handful of pills from his Storage Ring and stuffed them all into his mouth. At the same time, he released Hei Yu, and with a faint breath, said:
"Hei Yu, hurry and leave!..."