As soon as the words fell, the figures of the Heartless Demon Emperor, Qing He Demon Emperor, and Demon Emperor Li Yezhu were all drawn into the painting.
Looking again at the Deity-Summoning Formation where Pang Zhong stood within the painting, three more figures had unmistakably appeared.
Without question, these three figures were those three from the Nine Abysses.
Looking at Jiang Xuanfeng's ashen face, Xu Taiping suddenly asked Dongfang Yuejian beside him with some curiosity:
"Yuejian, do you know what grudge Old Palace Master Jiang has against the Heartless Demon Emperor?"
Dongfang Yuejian sighed and said:
"Rumor has it that Old Palace Master Jiang's eldest Senior Brother, Xu Song, was tortured to death by the Heartless Demon Emperor on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield back then."
"And supposedly, Xu Song's talent far surpassed Old Palace Master Jiang's. Had he not died on the Heaven-Demon Battlefield, the Profound Elixir Palace would likely have reopened the passage to the Upper Realm's Purple Jade Alchemy Chamber and restored its former glory by now."
After hearing Dongfang Yuejian's explanation, Xu Taiping nodded and said:
"No wonder Old Palace Master Jiang lost his composure like that."
If things truly were as Dongfang Yuejian had said, then the Heartless Demon Emperor had effectively knocked the Profound Elixir Palace back down into the Lower Realm just as it was about to return to the Upper Realm.
This was more than a personal grudge.
At that moment, after steadying his emotions a little, Old Palace Master Jiang Xuanfeng looked at Xu Taiping and said:
"Daoist Taiping, it is your turn."
Xu Taiping rose and gave Jiang Xuanfeng a slight nod, then stepped forward with Dongfang Yuejian and Master Xuanzhi.
With an exceedingly solemn expression, Old Palace Master Jiang Xuanfeng said to Xu Taiping:
"Among the remaining eighteen are people