"This... sigh..."
Liu Wanxu sighed.
The sigh wasn't loud, but it seemed to release the last bit of strength from the body; even without fighting, the person was already exhausted.
Chi Yuan has lost all will to fight; what else can the rest of them do?
That's about it.
We were ready to fight to the death, why did Your Majesty surrender first?
Liu Wanxu knew better than anyone that the so-called "traitor" was nothing more than a psychological comfort, an excuse that allowed them to barely stand after a series of failures.
Just like those ordinary gamblers who, after losing everything, always curse themselves with "bad luck" to save face.
But if we really investigate, what could Han Xuanji possibly use to turn them against their cause?
Every one of these people was a close confidant of Chi Yuan; otherwise, how could they have been brought into the Ten Directions Immortal Hall?
Not to mention that the core restrictions of this Twelve Thunder Beast Formation were personally set up by Chi Yuan, and even he had no chance to tamper with the formation.
The so-called "traitor" was simply Chi Yuan's unwillingness to admit that he was less skilled than others.
But at this point, the truth is no longer important.
The Ten Thousand Immortals Association was defeated, utterly defeated.
Chi Yuan also lost, not only on the battlefield, but also in his mind.
Liu Wanxu banished the last vestige of hope from his heart, took a deep breath, slowly raised his head, and solemnly cupped his hands towards Han Xuanji, his tone calm and composed:
" Han Xuanji, you are Divine Ability and your methods are superb. I admire you."
You have won this battle for the Ten Directions Sacred Domain, and the inheritance of the Ten Directions Holy Lord is rightfully yours.
After he finished speaking, his gaze swept over Zhou Yuan, Lan Miao, and Li Fu, intentionally or unintentionally. His voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone in the hall to hear clearly:
"However, success or failure is not determined in a short time. Today, we are inferior in skill and are willing to admit defeat."
But you all shouldn't be too happy yet. Fellow Daoist Han's strength is unparalleled among his peers, and his mind is unfathomable. If he wants to take this inheritance, you will probably only be there to accompany him."
These words were spoken frankly, sounding like the genuine admiration of a loser, but Han Xuanji sensed a hidden provocation in them.
Even in this dire situation, Liu Wanxu remained composed, subtly sowing discord, intending to inform Li Fu and Lan Miao.
Han Xuanji is so powerful, if you follow him, you'll only end up as supporting characters.
Upon hearing this, Han Xuanji did not respond, but merely glanced at Liu Wanxu, his gaze containing both a hint of appreciation and a subtle, almost imperceptible, coldness.
He doesn't dislike smart people, but smart losers are often the most troublesome.
This person is so shrewd that even when defeat is inevitable, he doesn't waste a single moment.
Upon hearing Liu Wanxu's words, Chi Yuan slowly closed his eyes.
This was also said to him, Chi Yuan.
Success or failure cannot be judged in a single moment.
Losing this time doesn't mean we can't win in the future.
A moment later, he opened his eyes again, his gaze now clear, but beneath that clarity lay a layer of coldness that had been crushed and then solidified again.
He bowed slightly to Han Xuanji, his voice steady, the hysteria from before completely gone:
" Han Xuanji, I will remember your defeat today. I will personally avenge you next time we meet."
I, Chi Yuan, am withdrawing from the Ten Directions Sacred Domain, but this does not mean I have lost this grand game. See you on the path to sainthood.
Chi Yuan has clearly adjusted his mindset, and his previous momentary lapse in composure doesn't mean anything.
However, he had no intention of fighting Han Xuanji anymore. He took out the token, transformed into a white stream of light, and his figure disappeared on the spot, voluntarily withdrawing from the trial.
They left decisively, without any hesitation.
Rather than being humiliated by Han Xuanji's departure from the Immortal Palace, he chose to leave on his own, at least retaining some dignity.
"Alright."
Liu Wanxu gazed in the direction where Chi Yuan had vanished, gently closed his eyes, and then crushed the token without hesitation.
He actually felt there was no need to continue fighting. He already had little chance of winning against Han Xuanji and the others, and now that the formation had changed hands, he had virtually no chance of victory.
A flash of white light, and another person was gone from the hall.
Wan Kun and the other two cultivators stared blankly as the two leaders left one after the other, their eyes filled with resentment.
But Chi Yuan is right. The tide has turned, and if they struggle any longer, they will only become background figures. Rather than getting beaten up for no reason, it's better to suffer a short, sharp pain.
Wan Kun gritted his teeth, then transformed into a beam of white light and withdrew from the Immortal Palace. (The remaining text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated.)
The two men exchanged a glance, gave a wry smile, and then activated their tokens one after the other.
Five beams of white light appeared and disappeared in the main hall in quick succession, coming and going just as abruptly.
In the blink of an eye, only Han Xuanji and his three companions remained in the hall, along with the illusory thunder beasts that, having lost control, were still circling aimlessly in mid-air.
With no enemy, the twelve thunder beasts had no use for their skills, since they couldn't be taken away anyway. They gradually transformed into the purest Thunder Spiritual Qi, receding like a tide back into the thunder patterns on the four walls, and the hall returned to silence.
Zhou Yuan stared blankly at the spot where Chi Yuan and the others had disappeared. It took him a long time to come back to his senses, and he murmured:
"This... he's leaving already? A disciple of the Saint Venerable, the leader of the Ten Thousand Immortals Association Gathering, just like that, he's resigned?"
He had imagined many possible endings in his mind, and was even prepared to risk serious injury to keep Chi Yuan alive, but he never expected that this battle would end in such a dramatic way.
Han Xuanji didn't even have to exert much effort, and the other party essentially surrendered.
"As expected of Brother Han."
Zhou Yuan swallowed hard, his gaze towards Han Xuanji incredibly complex—a mixture of admiration, astonishment, and a hint of fear he himself wasn't even aware of.
"Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy, achieving victory without bloodshed."
Someone like Chi Yuan is one thing if he gets defeated head-on, but to not even have a chance to make a move like this is unacceptable.
This move was even more ruthless than killing him; no one would believe it if word got out.
"Absolutely."
Lan Miao also looked on with emotion, shaking her head and smiling:
"I originally wanted to have a real fight with Chi Yuan, but it seems that's not necessary now."
Li Fu stared at Han Xuanji for a long while, his expression similar to Zhou Yuan's.
"Brother Han, I, Li Fu, have never submitted to anyone in my life."
Today, I'm truly convinced.
Han Xuanji smiled, offering no explanation, nor bothering to explain further.
To be honest, he didn't know why Chi Yuan suddenly broke down.
He really didn't plant a mole!
But it's no use saying anything now; Chi Yuan himself has already said it.
If you think about it carefully, if there really was a mole, those people wouldn't have left so easily.
Han Xuanji was able to guess some of the things.
It's likely that the markings on it were tampered with beforehand, and combined with the effect of the Thunder Dragon Mother Pearl, this is something no one could have predicted.
He walked into the hall and collected all five Dragon Pearl that Chi Yuan and the others had failed to take. Just as he had expected, these five were enough for them to activate the teleportation array to go to the Second Heaven, and there were even two left over.
After all, Li Fu still had one left.
"This matter is settled. Let's proceed to the next realm."
Han Xuanji said something indifferently and left the main hall.
The remaining three followed Han Xuanji like lackeys.
Compared to before, this time Li Fu and Lan Miao were completely convinced, and even unconsciously began to follow Han Xuanji's pace and rhythm, a detail that neither of them realized.