With the Zero-Point Blade pulsating in his hand, Lu Chen stood atop the highest spire of the Sword Pavilion. Beside him, Yue Xiao channeled her frost energy into seven scrolls of ancient jade. Using a drop of his own blood and the resonance of the "World Will," Lu Chen inscribed his message.
With a flick of his wrist, the scrolls streaked across the sky like shooting stars, destined for the seven corners of the Azure Sky Continent.
The Reactions:
1. The Heavenly Thunder Sect (The Prideful):
The Sect Master, a giant of a man surrounded by crackling lightning, crushed the jade scroll in his hand. "A Rank 5 brat telling me how to survive? Preposterous!" But then, he looked up at the burning countdown in the sky. His lightning flickered with a hint of fear. "Prepare the war-carriages. If this 'Zero-Point' exists, I must see it."
2. The Divine Medicine Valley (The Terrified):
The Elders of the Valley were already seeing their herbs wither under the black mist of the Void. Upon reading the letter, the Valley Master wept. "He knows... he knows the Patriarch is cooking us. We have no choice. Pack the divine cauldrons. We go to the Sword Pavilion."
3. The Shadow Assassins (The Opportunists):
In a darkened cave, a figure shrouded in mist stared at the glowing message. "A weapon that collapses space? If Lu Chen fails, we take the blade. If he succeeds, we are on the winning side. Move out."
4. The Palace of Eternal Flow (The Hesitant):
The Grand Matriarch looked at the North, sensing Yue Xiao's presence. "The Saintess has joined him? Then the rumors of a future memory must be true. The river of time has changed its course. We sail for the Pavilion."
As the news spread, the continent began to hum with a frantic, desperate energy. From every direction, thousands of martial artists began their pilgrimage toward the Sword Pavilion.
High above, Fang Yuan watched the scrolls fly. He sipped his soul-wine, his eyes reflecting the seven streaks of light. "The ants are gathering," he whispered, a thin, cruel smile playing on his lips. "They think they are building a shield. They don't realize they are just concentrating all the world's nutrients into one single, convenient basket for me to pick."