The great hall was deathly silent.
Everyone understood what buying time meant.
Buying time against the main forces of the Seven Great Domains was no different from marching to their deaths.
"I'll go!"
A hoarse voice rang out.
It was Ancestor Xue Ku.
He licked his cracked lips, a crazed gleam flickering in his eyes.
"This wretched life isn't worth much anyway. If I can drag a few of them down with me, I'll come out ahead."
"I'll go too." Fankong stepped forward, his expression calm.
"Lord Liu Yuan, take the others and leave. We'll cover the retreat."
"No."
Liu Yuan refused flatly.
"You're at peak Hunyuan Wuji. You're the core of our future strength. We cannot lose you here."
His gaze passed over Fankong and Ancestor Xue Ku to the ordinary Hunyuan Wuji Realm cultivators behind them.
"In this battle, nine out of ten will die."
Liu Yuan's voice echoed through the great hall.
"But I can promise you this: everyone willing to stay behind will receive the greatest protection and compensation the Senior can offer for your Dao realms and your descendants."
"I still have talismans bestowed by the Senior."
Liu Yuan waved his hand, and more than a dozen dark-gold jade talismans floated in the air.
"I don't need you to defeat them. I only need you to hold them back, at any cost."
They looked at the jade talismans radiating terrifying auras, then at Liu Yuan's calm face.
The crowd fell silent for a moment.
At last, a cultivator at late Hunyuan Wuji stepped forward.
"Lord Liu Yuan, count me in."
He bowed deeply to Liu Yuan.
"The population of my Lanke Dao Realm has dwindled. I've long had little left to hold me here. Giving this old life in loyal service to the Senior would