Another upheaval arose before the Myriad Luminaries Rushing Stars Grand Formation, just as all sides had expected.
This formation was the sole barrier blocking Huanyang's return to the world, the key to determining the overall situation. Conflict was bound to erupt here frequently and in concentrated bursts.
Yet none of those watching the battle outside had seen what happened after Zhang Yu's avatar entered the screen of light. They only saw that the avatar had not returned; on the surface, it appeared to have fallen within.
But the battle soon sank into an eerie calm. Huanyang's side had not launched another attack for a long while, and no one knew what exactly had happened there.
Within Upper Firmament Heaven, although Solitary Yangzi and the other two found it difficult to discern the situation, they watched the flow of fortune upon the branches before them. The light representing Upper Firmament Heaven seemed to have brightened somewhat, though there was no fundamental change. Meanwhile, the branch representing Celestial Xia remained vigorous and magnificent, its radiance reflecting like stars.
This showed that the Vast Yang Sect on the other side was indeed exerting itself, but the situation remained perilous.
Tian Hong said with a hint of mockery, "Huanyang wanted sacrifices, so I gave him sacrifices. Yet even with sacrifices to an evil god, they still could not break through the blockade. Is that their incompetence, or is Celestial Xia simply too strong?"
Lingdu said then, half in lament and half in statement, "The Celestial Xia of more than three hundred years ago was not the Celestial Xia before our eyes. Yet the Vast Yang Sect of three hundred years ago remains the Vast Yang Sect of three hundred years ago."
Tian Hong snorted. "To have built such momentum in a mere three hundred