Once everyone understood Heavenly Sword Sect's intentions, Juqiao City fell into deathly silence. A dense despair surged in like the tide, choking every one of them by the throat.
After a long silence, clutching at his last shred of hope, Xie Yunchi stammered, "Senior Shentu, y-you... why haven't you acted yet?"
"Enough! What are you still counting on him for?!"
True Person Xuancheng shouted, "Fellow Daoists, our only way to live is to immediately break the formation, then scatter and flee!"
Only then did everyone finally come to their senses.
They all gathered beside the altar and cast their spells in perfect unison, pouring their mana into the incense burner. The waterfall of Buddhist light blazed brilliantly, continuously tearing at the barrier overhead.
But at that very moment, Wang Shouzhi and the others from Heavenly Sword Sect moved.
Stationed near the gap in the formation, each of them held a talisman and muttered incantations. They transformed into streaks of crimson light that landed upon the damaged formation.
Those streaks of light were like needle and thread, sewing up the Inverted Great Formation, riddled with holes. Its cracks closed one after another until it was restored to its original state.
Rumble—
No matter how the Buddhist light shot into the heavens, it could no longer do the formation the slightest harm.
"Shentu Hai!"
"You are one of the Three Great Heavenly Sects! You occupy countless spirit veins and resources across Tianshui Continent—what more could you possibly want? What can you gain by cooperating with the demonic path?!"
The elders of the various sects began pointing at the sky and cursing furiously.
"We bear you neither grudge nor grievance. Why must you be so ruthless?!"
"If you kill us, can your sword heart truly remain clear and bright? Aren't you afraid of