In the Earth Immortal Realm, cracks spread across the firmament at a speed visible to the naked eye, like rice paper torn apart by an invisible giant hand. Dark gray embers of law seeped from their edges.
Those embers fell toward the earth, taking root and sprouting along its veins, spawning new vortices of calamity qi.
The spiritual veins of the mountains and rivers, which had finally settled, grew restless again. Murky undercurrents churned in the rivers, and even the clouds and mist over the immortal mountains took on a faint gray tint.
Lü Dongbin stood before the High Heaven Hall, his Pure Yang Sword already unsheathed. Starlight power bestowed by Imperial Lord Ziwei flowed along its blade.
His gaze swept over the expanding cracks above the Earth Immortal Realm, and his voice was steady, yet urgent with command.
"Iron Crutch Li will guard the cracks in Southern Jambudvipa. Zhongli Quan will handle those in the Eastern Victory Divine Continent. Zhang Guolao will lead a team to the Northern Julu Continent, while Han Xiangzi and He Xiangu will seal off the Western Ox Continent together.
"Lan Caihe, Cao Guojiu, you two will remain at the Heavenly Court to prevent calamity qi from surging back through the earth's veins into the High Heaven Hall."
The Eight Immortals answered in unison, each transforming into a streak of light and racing toward the four extremes of the Earth Immortal Realm.
Iron Crutch Li landed on a fractured mountain ridge in Southern Jambudvipa and slammed his iron crutch into the ground. A crimson formation rose from the earth's veins, attempting to seal out the seeping embers of calamity qi.
But the tenacity of the calamity qi far exceeded his expectations. Like living creatures, the embers prowled along the formation's edges, seeking every tiny gap