Change of Strategy, Besieging Fuxi

The Qinghua Imperial Palace's starry river was tranquil, and the war in the Northern Wilderness had finally settled completely.

Tianpeng watched Kuafu depart. With the Jade Capital crisis resolved, the boulder weighing on his heart finally fell away.

He turned and solemnly bowed toward the West Heavenly Gate, his tone sincere and earnest:

"Today, I thank Your Majesty for stepping in to mediate, preserving the Jade Capital's old faction and freeing me from this burden. Tianpeng will remember this kindness."

Before the West Heavenly Gate, Xuan Shuo's gaze was calm and detached. He gave a slight nod but said nothing more.

To him, protecting the Jade Capital and stabilizing Tianpeng had always been a necessary balancing move in the Chess Game. It prevented Tianpeng from being driven into a desperate last stand and exposing all his cards too soon, while also keeping the Buddhist Sect's schemes from succeeding completely and preserving the delicate balance among the powers involved in the great calamity.

Having dealt with the Variables on the Northern Wilderness's side branch, Xuan Shuo turned his attention back to the main battlefield beyond the West Heavenly Gate.

Purple Sun True Fire blazed around him once more, and the spiritual radiance of the Pure Yang Imperial Sword illuminated the heavens. The somewhat relaxed offense and defense tightened again as he resumed his supreme clash with Changxi.

The starry river flowed backward, and yin and yang churned.

Changxi wielded the He Tu Luo Shu to evolve the Primordial He Luo Great Formation, held the Moon Golden Wheel for devastating slaughter, and bore the Myriad Dragons Atlas above her head to suppress the heavens. Three peerless spirit treasures empowered her body.

With cultivation a notch below his, she held back Xuan Shuo, who stood at the peak of the Third Heaven of