After sensing danger or receiving warnings from the Saint-grade Heavenly Treasures, Chi Xue, Ling Tian, and the others didn't act immediately. They waited patiently, wanting to see whether any cultivators could break free of the Lord of the Universe's restraints. They could act after confirming that; at the very least, they still had considerable confidence that they could escape the universe and reach the extraterrestrial realm. So they suppressed their excitement and continued to wait.
It wasn't just Ling Tian and Chi Xue. Nearly all the cultivators in their tribulation-crossing group held back and continued observing. Of course, while they watched, they didn't forget to keep attacking the hole. They took care to avoid the cultivators and strike only its edges, which would preserve it as much as possible and, at the very least, buy them more time.
Seeing so many cultivators fall to attacks from "their own people," many realized the danger. They began talking to those around them—not to ask them to stop attacking, but to urge them to strike the edges of the hole. That way, they could avoid hitting the cultivators trying to escape, making things safer for them.
Everyone came to the same realization. From then on, they stopped attacking the center of the hole and focused on its edges. Some even stopped attacking altogether, leaving a safe zone in the center. From there, cultivators could still easily break free of the Lord of the Universe's restraints.
Once the cultivators' attacks fell into a tacit rhythm, more of them sprang into action. They rushed outward from the center of the hole, avoiding most of the arrow attacks. At the very least, many cultivators had a chance to reach the opening.
The first cultivator to reach it was a peak Near-Saint Nineteenth Heaven expert. His strength