The Shadow King was entirely concealed beneath a pitch-black cloak, even his face completely covered. He resembled a strange, dark silhouette, unfathomable and secretive.
Though his expression was hidden, his noticeably flagging aura betrayed his mood.
Yu Zhen and Li Dan were right. The righteous path had outmaneuvered them and seized the initiative. Their plan to awaken the venerables would likely die in its cradle.
Even if they successfully awakened the venerables, without a period of adjustment, they might not be able to wield their rightful strength in this era.
Dealing with these supreme powerhouses from the great sects was simply too difficult.
After a long silence, he finally said, "This time, we have indeed failed."
Li Dan asked, "In that case, why keep resisting?"
The Shadow King said, "Because we, too, have reasons to resist. In this world, the victor is crowned king and the loser branded a bandit. Without a struggle, how can we know who will rule over its rise and fall?"
Li Dan scoffed. "And what do you intend to do now?"
The Shadow King answered with a question of his own. "You both hail from great sects. Surely you know that the current situation is hardly favorable to your sects either?"
He was alluding to Fang Qianyuan's fusion with the Heavenly Dao, which had raised his cultivation and strength far beyond anyone's imagination.
Even Heaven-Tier Powerhouses like them were beginning to find him unfathomable, much less predict what heights his next step would take him to.
If he truly plucked the immortality and imperishability Dao Fruit, the entire righteous path would have to follow his lead forever.
This was absolutely not something the other sects wished to see. Even the other leading figures of the Azure Cloud Sect did not want it.
The righteous path