Everyone present froze at Di Jun's words.
Hong Yun was especially stunned. He stared at Di Jun's back in disbelief.
Before, Di Jun had merely lent him a hand. Now, he was putting the entire Ancient Heavenly Court on the line to protect him.
"Di Jun... why are you doing this?" Hong Yun asked through the pain.
Di Jun glanced back at him and gave a four-word answer: "The Time Dao Venerable."
Hong Yun froze. Then something struck him, and he hurriedly looked within himself.
Only then did he discover that the drop of Divine Blood had somehow merged into his body. A faint divine glow shimmered from head to toe.
He could feel that he was cultivating at least ten thousand times faster than before.
"Thank you..." Hong Yun said quietly, then gave a bitter smile.
"But you can't change anything. You don't understand what's happening, and in the end... you can't change how this ends."
Di Jun did not answer. He simply watched Dijiang and the others ahead of him.
"Dijiang, have you made up your mind?"
"The Twelve Ancestral Witches have yet to assemble. If I fight to the death, none of you will walk away unscathed today."
The full pressure of a Sage rolled out from him. The Heavenly Stellar Array was already humming and trembling.
"Your Majesty! You mustn't!" Kunpeng and the other Demon Saints cried out in alarm, rushing to dissuade him.
Di Jun waved them to silence and kept his gaze fixed on the other side.
Dijiang and the other Ancestral Witches exchanged uncertain looks.
Had Di Jun gone mad? He was willing to go this far for Hong Yun? But they were Ancestral Witches, and they represented the Netherworld. They could hardly bring themselves to admit defeat to the Ancient Heavenly Court.