Annihilation

At the Tianquan Saint's warning, everyone's expression changed drastically.

In this open stretch of land, figures were scattered in twos and threes across dozens of miles, numbering over a hundred.

There were even several experts in the Four Extremes Realm.

At that moment, all of them were watching the group with ill intent.

Activating the sacred artifacts had consumed far too much energy. Their divine power had run dry.

After enduring the strange attacks that filled the sky, nearly all of them had suffered grievous internal injuries. Their organs were ruptured, and they kept coughing up blood.

Their bones were twisted, their skin covered in cracks.

If they were surrounded and attacked, they would fall even with sacred artifacts in hand.

Without hesitation, they sat cross-legged on the ground, holding source stones and circulating their Healing Arts, frantically absorbing vital essence to replenish themselves.

At the sight, some of those in the distance began itching to act.

The temptation of Saint Weapons was simply too great.

These were weapons of ancient saints. Each was suffused with Dao resonance and contained the ultimate truths of heaven and earth, making them truly extraordinary.

"They're exhausted and badly wounded. Kill them and seize their Saint Weapons!"

A cool female voice rang out from the crowd.

In an instant, it stirred the greed of quite a few people.

Those who had been itching to act finally lost their restraint and began slowly approaching.

Just then, the female voice rang out again. "That girl is only a mortal. There's nothing to fear."

"Even if they recover, you'll have nothing to worry about as long as you capture her!"

The girl did not have a single injury on her body.

Now that someone had pointed it out, everyone immediately realized that these people seemed to be protecting her.

If they captured the girl, they could indeed guarantee their own survival.

At those words, the Tianquan Saint, Tianxuan Saintess, and Yaoguang Holy Son, along with Yang Wuzheng and Yan Wushuang, all paled.

Their eyes fixed on the crowd.

Yet they could not find the speaker. All they saw were malicious gazes and approaching figures.

"Be careful!"

They looked at Li Qingyue and said solemnly, "Get behind us!"

Though they were severely depleted, the first people approaching were not particularly strong.

Once they recovered even a little divine power and strength, they would have nothing to fear.

These were people blinded by greed who had been extraordinarily lucky to land here.

Most were only in the Sea of Bitterness or Dao Palace Realm. Those who posed a real threat were still watching from afar.

But if they showed weakness, even more people would surely surround and attack them.

There might even be powerful experts who struck without regard for the consequences.

The temptation of Saint Weapons was simply too great.

Not everyone could withstand it.

At their words, Li Qingyue silently retreated behind them. Her expression was cold, her eyes locked on the approaching crowd, her fists clenched tight.

Suddenly-

"Kill them and seize the Saint Weapons!"

"With Saint Weapons, we'll definitely make it out alive!"

Boom!

Beams of divine light flared, enveloping figures as they charged straight toward them.

At the sight, the group's expressions changed drastically.

Hum!

At the very front, faint divine light shone around the Tianquan Saint. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, yet rose without hesitation.

He was the Tianquan Saint, an heir of the Seven Great Holy Land of the Eastern Wasteland. And now a pack of petty lackeys dared to humiliate him.

Even if it meant worsening his injuries and endangering his foundation, he would slaughter every last one of them.

Besides, once even one of the five recovered, they could deter the crowd.

What they needed was time.

Even the time it took to drink a cup of tea would be enough for them to recover.

But just as the Tianquan Saint rose, a petite figure charged out faster than him, and far more fiercely.

"Stop!"

"Don't!"

Everyone was horrified.

The one who had charged out was Li Qingyue.

Her eyes shone with murderous ferocity, her bearing decisive and cold. At a glance, she looked like a god of slaughter.

But they all knew Li Qingyue was only a mortal.

She had clearly charged out to buy them time.

The words Li Qingyue had once spoken suddenly surfaced in all their minds. "Aside from my brother, you're the people who've treated me best in this world."

"If I can do even something insignificant for you, I'll do it without hesitation."

"Even... if it means dying!"

At that moment, they all understood.

The girl had not merely been saying those words. She truly meant to live by them.

She would repay anyone who showed her kindness. Her love and hatred were clear-cut, and she never forgot a debt of gratitude.

She had clearly rushed out to use her own body to buy them time.

Even if it ended in death.

She had not hesitated in the slightest.

The sight sent violent tremors through their hearts, leaving them choked with emotion.

Boom!

As everyone cried out in alarm, five-colored light swirled in Li Qingyue's palm, and an enormous Five-Colored Mountain appeared within it.

A terrifying suppressive force surged forth in an instant.

With ferocity in her eyes and an icy expression, Li Qingyue struck without hesitation.

Her small palm and slender fingers seemed to become five great mountains pressing down.

The cultivator in the Other Shore Realm at the very front raised his palm to meet hers. Streams of divine power flared, turning into chains that sought to bind this mortal girl.

"Die!"

Li Qingyue shouted coldly, slamming her palm down.

Boom!

A thunderous roar erupted.

The next instant, the body of the Other Shore Realm cultivator before Li Qingyue exploded outright.

Blood and flesh splattered everywhere, staining the black rocks red.

The stench of blood spread through the air.

The sight jolted everyone awake.

Even the Tianxuan Saintess, Tianquan Saint, and Yaoguang Holy Son were stunned.

That was a cultivator in the Other Shore Realm, the fourth stage of the Sea of Bitterness Realm, yet the girl had slapped him dead.

As though she were swatting a fly.

"Impossible! How could that happen?"

"Is she really a mortal?"

Everyone approaching from the surrounding area stopped short, countless streams of spiritual perception sweeping over Li Qingyue.

"There's no fluctuation of divine power. She hasn't opened a bitter sea. She... really is a mortal!"

After sensing the peculiarities of Li Qingyue's body, everyone was shaken.

A mortal killing an Other Shore Realm cultivator with a single slap was utterly impossible.

It was the greatest absurdity under heaven!

Yet it had played out before their eyes with absolute clarity.

Even some powerful experts sitting in recovery far away turned toward them, divine light shining in their eyes as they watched.

Li Qingyue stood before the group. At that moment, her frail body seemed incomparably tall, becoming a city wall before them.

Her white dress fluttered. Coldness radiated from her as she stared fiercely at the shocked faces surrounding her.

With her physical strength and the Five Elements Mountain manifested from the Five Elements Emperor Script, her offensive power was far from weak.

"She's a mortal. Don't be afraid!"

"Only Saint Weapons can keep us alive!"

"Even mighty experts have spilled their blood on this mountain. Without Saint Weapons, death is certain!"

The female voice sounded from the crowd again, striking directly at what concerned them most and making those who had just considered retreating stand their ground once more.

To stay alive, no one would care about anything else.

They might even become hysterical.

Yet no one could see the person sowing discord.

Even her voice seemed to have been altered with divine power, preventing anyone from identifying the speaker.

Only the Tianxuan Saintess frowned slightly, looking thoughtful.

Could it be them?

Several days earlier, at the restaurant belonging to Tianquan Holy Land, those fairies and saintesses had fought with Li Qingyue, only to be angrily rebuked by the holy sons through voice transmission.

Yes, it must be them!

The Tianxuan Saintess became certain in an instant.

She knew all too well that those so-called fairies and saintesses were actually impostors.

Otherwise, saintesses and holy sons held equal status as heirs of their Holy Lands. They would never accept a reprimand without resisting.

Moreover, the saintesses of Holy Lands stood high above others and had endless resources.

They would never act this way merely to compete with a mortal girl as insignificant as an ant.

They're substitutes! Substitutes for the true saintesses and divine maidens hidden away, meant to deceive the outside world!

Understanding dawned on the Tianxuan Saintess.

Nearly every great Holy Land and great clan did such things.

On the surface, they sent out substitutes for their holy sons and saintesses, while secretly devoting their efforts to nurturing certain geniuses and concealing all traces.

Until those geniuses reached a certain level, they would never emerge into the world.

Once they did, it would herald the struggle of a great age.

Of course, if a substitute grew powerful enough, they might well replace the true holy son or saintess.

That was also why those fairies and saintesses had competed with a mortal girl.

They, too, needed opportunities and strength. More than that, they needed resources and connections, the support and favor of people from other great powers.

None of them wanted to become a stepping stone for the true saintess behind her.

This was a contest for future survival and ascendance.

To survive and grow stronger, what else was worth sparing?

Suddenly, a figure flashed past, charging straight toward them.

Dao Palace Realm divine power surged forth in a raging torrent.

"Kill!"

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