As Great Emperor Xuantian's phantom dissipated, the entire secret realm began to tremble violently. The edges of the floating island crumbled continuously, and shattered rocks plunged into the sea of clouds like meteors. Lin Wudao tucked the fused black jade fragment into his robes and held the Chaos Sword across his chest, scanning his surroundings warily. The experts from the other factions looked equally grave. Their brief cooperation vanished like smoke the instant the restrictions were lifted, and the air once again bristled with drawn swords and taut bowstrings.
"Young friend Lin, this black jade fragment is a matter of great importance. Why not entrust it to the Heavenly Mysteries Sect for safekeeping?" Tianxuzi stroked his white beard, his seemingly gentle tone concealing a threat. "You are all alone. How could you possibly protect such a secret treasure?"
Youmingzi scoffed, black mist churning around him. "The Heavenly Mysteries Sect certainly knows how to dream! Do you think the likes of you are worthy?" Several black chains suddenly shot from his sleeve, coiling like venomous snakes toward the Storage Bag at Lin Wudao's waist.
Lin Wudao shot backward, the Chaos Sword tracing a half-circle of black light and severing every chain. "If you want the fragment, come and take it!" He knew full well that yielding now meant certain death. He circulated the Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction, gathering the lightning around him into a protective barrier. Just as the two sides were about to clash again, an earth-shaking roar suddenly came from deep within the island. The entire island shook violently. Unable to keep their footing, everyone brought out their Law Treasures to steady themselves.
An ink-black figure burst from the earth. It was a giant a full thousand feet tall, its entire body covered in scales, with a dark red crystal embedded in its forehead. The giant opened its mouth and spewed a cloud of poisonous mist. Wherever it passed, even space rippled. "That's... the Ancient Clan's guardian beast!" A cultivator recognized the giant, his voice filled with fear. "Even Great Emperor Xuantian couldn't kill it completely back then!"
Tianxuzi's expression changed sharply, and he hurriedly ordered the Heavenly Mysteries Sect disciples into a defensive formation. "No wonder the secret realm has been experiencing so many disturbances. This vile beast was trying to break through its seal!" A trace of greed flashed through Youmingzi's eyes, however. He secretly directed his skeletal general behind the giant, attempting a sneak attack to seize the crystal in its forehead.
Lin Wudao felt the black jade fragment growing hot inside his robes. Patterns resembling those on the crystal in the giant's forehead appeared on its surface. The system prompt sounded just then: "Residual consciousness of the Ancient Clan's guardian beast detected. The black jade fragment can temporarily suppress its rampage, but requires assistance from three kinds of origin power." His gaze swept over the surrounding experts, and he shouted, "If this beast loses control, everyone will die! Let's suppress it together first, then discuss who gets it!"
After a brief silence, the various factions finally reached a tacit understanding once more. Tianxuzi brought out the Xuantian Mirror, which fired a golden pillar of light that temporarily restricted the giant's movements; Youmingzi commanded his skeletal general to entangle the giant's limbs; Lin Wudao seized the opportunity to toss the black jade fragment into the air and channel all his spiritual power into it. The fragment blazed with light, resonating with the crystal in the giant's forehead. Cracks began to appear across the dark red crystal's surface.
However, just as the situation began to improve, Youmingzi suddenly launched a sneak attack on Lin Wudao. A black ghost claw pierced through the chaos, heading straight for the center of his back. Lin Wudao hastily twisted aside, and the ghost claw scraped across his shoulder, leaving a wound deep enough to expose bone. "Despicable!" he roared, redirecting the Chaos Sword and slashing at Youmingzi.
That delay allowed the giant to break free of its restraints. It threw back its head and roared furiously, green venom seeping from beneath the scales all over its body. Wherever it dripped, it instantly corroded bottomless pits into the ground. Worse still, the island's seal collapsed completely. Countless restrictions from High Antiquity turned into streaks of light and sank into the giant's body, multiplying the strength of its presence several times over.
"Quick! Concentrate your attacks on its crystal!" Tianxuzi's forehead streamed with sweat from his anxiety. Everyone unleashed their strongest attacks. For a time, the radiance of all manner of techniques interwove, painting the sky in dazzling colors. Enduring the pain of his wound, Lin Wudao poured the last of his spiritual power into the Chaos Sword. "Mystic Heaven Creation Instruction-Myriad Lightning Tribulation!" Countless bolts of purple lightning suddenly descended from the sky, striking the giant like a torrential downpour.
Under everyone's combined assault, the crystal in the giant's forehead finally shattered. It let out a roar of unwillingness, and its enormous body crashed down, turning into a mass of black mist that dispersed into the air. However, the battle was not over. Taking advantage of everyone's depleted spiritual power, Youmingzi suddenly snatched the black jade fragment and laughed. "Thank you all for your help! This fragment belongs to my Netherworld Sect now!"
He was just about to tear through the air and leave when a golden strand of Sword Qi slashed down from the clouds, cutting off his escape. A mysterious person dressed in white approached at a leisurely pace, a faint, elusive Immortal Qi lingering around him as he gently waved a folding fan. "Youmingzi, it isn't nice to keep the whole feast to yourself." His presence was restrained, yet he made everyone present feel their hearts tremble. Even Tianxuzi could not help retreating half a step.
Youmingzi's expression darkened. "The Jade Void Palace is getting involved too?" Though unwilling to concede, he knew full well how terrifying the Jade Void Palace was. After a moment's hesitation, he tossed the black jade fragment toward Lin Wudao. "He was the one who obtained this fragment in the first place. My Netherworld Sect won't contest it with the Jade Void Palace." With that, he hurried away with his subordinates.
The mysterious person from the Jade Void Palace gave Lin Wudao a long look and smiled meaningfully. "Interesting, little fellow. We'll meet again." With those words, he turned into a streak of light and vanished.
Seeing that the tide had turned against him, Tianxuzi snorted coldly and left with the Heavenly Mysteries Sect members as well. Lin Wudao slumped to the ground, looking at the black jade fragment in his robes, a hundred emotions mingling in his heart. On this journey into the secret realm, he had not only uncovered the secrets of Great Emperor Xuantian and the Ancient Clan, but also offended two major factions, the Heavenly Mysteries Sect and the Netherworld Sect, and drawn the attention of the mysterious Jade Void Palace. Yet his gaze remained resolute as he tightened his grip on the Chaos Sword. "No matter how many hardships and dangers lie ahead, I, Lin Wudao, will keep going!"
He slowly rose to his feet and walked toward the secret realm's exit. At that moment, he had yet to notice that a trace of consciousness remaining within the black jade fragment was quietly awakening, while an even greater conspiracy slowly unfolded in the shadows...