"But how are we supposed to save them?"
Shen Zhaochi fell into thought.
Their opponents were two Saints.
Venerable Yuanshi and Grand Supreme Elder Laozi.
With his current strength, he was still nowhere near a match for a Saint.
Although he commanded the Investiture of the Gods and could appoint deities and draw upon the power of the Divine Dao, the Divine Dao had only just been established, and its foundations were still shallow. The power he could wield was ultimately limited.
A head-on clash would be like throwing an egg at a rock.
"We can't force our way through. We'll have to outsmart them."
Shen Zhaochi's fingers lightly tapped the armrest of the Divine Seat.
His mind raced.
First, he couldn't reveal his identity.
His status as the master of the Investiture of the Gods was his greatest trump card. If it was exposed, he would immediately become the enemy of every Saint. Then, forget saving anyone—he himself would be doomed.
So he couldn't get personally involved.
Second, he needed a force powerful enough to hold off the two Saints and create an opportunity for Sanxiao to escape.
Where could he find such a force?
Sect Master Tongtian?
No. If Sect Master Tongtian acted, it would mean the Saints of the Three Religions had torn off all pretenses. The Great Tribulation of Investiture of the Gods would immediately escalate into a battle between Saints. The entire Primordial Era would be shattered, and all living beings would suffer. That would not serve his interests.
The Two Saints of the West?
That was an option he could use.
Zhunti was currently hunting Randeng across the world and was already furious. If he could find a way to direct that fury at Venerable Yuanshi...
For instance, he could have Randeng "happen" to flee to Venerable Yuanshi for protection at the most crucial moment.
Then Zhunti and Yuanshi could fight like two dogs over a bone.
That might hold Venerable Yuanshi back.
But there was still Grand Supreme Elder Laozi.
The leader of the Human Sect seemed to do nothing, but in truth, he was more shrewd and powerful than anyone. His Taiji Diagram was peerless in defense and could also be used to attack. Saving anyone from under his nose would be harder than reaching the heavens.
"I've got it!"
A flash of inspiration struck Shen Zhaochi.
He thought of someone.
No, he thought of a faction.
Empress Nuwa!
The Saint Nuwa was the leader of the Demon Sect. Back then, the demons had suffered a crushing defeat in the War of the Liches. Di Jun and Tai Yi had fallen, and the demons' fortune had plummeted. Although Empress Nuwa was a Saint, she couldn't stand alone against everyone. She could only withdraw to Wa Huang Palace and avoid worldly affairs.
But was she truly content with that?
Did she really not want to restore the demons to their former glory?
Interception Sect was known as the gathering place of ten thousand immortals, and nine out of ten of its disciples were of demonic origins.
In a sense, Interception Sect was the demons' last hope.
If Interception Sect fell, the demons would truly have no chance of rising again.
Empress Nuwa knew this better than anyone.
In the original Investiture of the Gods, she had not intervened to help Interception Sect for two reasons. First, fate had decreed it. Second, there had been no benefit great enough to spur her to oppose the other Saints.
But now, Shen Zhaochi could offer her that benefit!
"Zhao Gongming is dead, and the position of God of Wealth is vacant. In the name of the master of the Investiture of the Gods, I'll appoint him as the God of Wealth, in charge of the world's fortune."
"That's only the beginning."
"There are three hundred and sixty-five righteous deities on the Investiture of the Gods, and countless divine positions remain vacant. Haotian of the Heavenly Court wants a host of obedient slaves. I want a prosperous Divine Dao Heavenly Court that can provide me with endless incense and faith!"
"The demons have a vast population. If I promise Empress Nuwa that the demons will have a place in the Divine Dao Heavenly Court of the future—even important divine positions..."
Shen Zhaochi's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
"Would she be tempted?"
"Would she be willing to step in once at the crucial moment, hold off Grand Supreme Elder Laozi for me, and do both me and Interception Sect a favor?"
The plan had an excellent chance of working!
Empress Nuwa was the only Saint without a sectarian rivalry, with a relatively neutral stance, and with deep ties to Interception Sect.
She was the key to breaking the deadlock!
"Good! That's what I'll do!"
Shen Zhaochi made up his mind.
All he had to do was find the right moment and the right way to discuss this bargain with Empress Nuwa.
For now, he only needed to wait quietly.
Wait for the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation to be completed.
Wait for the Golden Immortals of the Sect of Explanation to enter the formation and face their tribulation.
Wait for Venerable Yuanshi and Grand Supreme Elder Laozi to intervene in person.
That would be the day he began to shift the balance of power across the entire Primordial Era!
Mount Qi.
The mountain stood three hundred miles east of Xi Qi City. Its peaks stretched into the distance like a coiled dragon, and a great river wound through the mountains. It was called the Yellow River.
This was where Yun Xiao had chosen to set up the formation.
Atop the mountain, the three sisters, Yun Xiao, Qiong Xiao, and Bi Xiao, stood facing the wind.
The ground beneath their feet was no longer ordinary rock.
Over the past few days, the three sisters had worked together, moving mountains and filling seas, reshaping the Earth Veins. They had forcibly transformed the land within a hundred-mile radius into the rudiments of a massive formation.
They drew down the astral winds from the highest heavens and wove them into the formation, turning them into steel blades that could shave bone.
They summoned the turbid energy from deep underground and poured it into the formation, turning it into poisonous mists that corroded the heart.
They diverted the waters of the Yellow River and refined them with their immense power until they grew so murky that they could defile magical treasures and corrode immortal bodies.
The entire formation followed the course of the Nine Bends Yellow River, secretly aligning with the numbers of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. Within it were arts to bewilder immortals and techniques to seal them away, along with the secrets of the primordial and the ingenuity of the acquired.
Killing intent lurked at every step.
Danger was woven into every layer.
"Eldest Sister, the foundations of the formation are ready. We just need to take the final step."
Qiong Xiao looked down at the formation, which had begun to take shape but had yet to be fully activated, and spoke to Yun Xiao. Her face held a trace of anticipation and a barely restrained killing intent.
For the past few days, the three sisters had worked without rest, turning all their grief and rage into the strength to build the formation.
With every layer of killing intent they added, it seemed they could vent a little more of their hatred.
Bi Xiao was even rubbing her hands together, eager to get started. "Eldest Sister, what are we waiting for? Hurry up and send out the Primordial Golden Dou! Once the formation is complete, I'll go challenge them outside the city! I'd like to see whether those cowards from the Sect of Explanation dare come out and die!"
Yun Xiao looked at her two impatient younger sisters, then at the formation below, into which they had poured all their effort and hatred. Slowly, she nodded.
Her eyes remained cold, but now they held a trace of resolve.
"Good."
She said nothing more, only quietly uttered that single word.
Then she slowly cast the golden, bowl-shaped magical treasure in her hand toward the center of the formation below.
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