In the vast, seemingly endless forest, hidden by concealment formation a golden towering structure stood imposingly—a sight that seemed out of place in the Land of Pillar Foundation. At the top of the tower, several disciples of the Golden Sword Sect were gathered, their faces tense as they performed a solemn ritual. The golden sword embedded in the ground at the center of the ritual glimmered faintly, radiating an otherworldly presence. Outside the ritual area, another group of disciples clad in golden robes watched in silence, their serious expressions mirroring the heavy atmosphere around them.
"It has been a month since we entered the secret land, and the air grows heavier with each passing day," Jian Zixuan said, his voice breaking the oppressive silence. His sharp gaze scanned the forest horizon, as though the weight of their mission bore down on him physically.
"That's right, Senior Brother Jian," another disciple replied, his voice cold and tinged with unease. "This time is particularly bad. The seal is weakening. If this continues, I fear we’ll have no choice but to fight its spawn earlier than expected."
Jian Zixuan’s jaw tightened as he nodded grimly. His thoughts turned to the mission their sect had entrusted them with. The elders, unable to enter this land during the seal enforcement phase, focused the sealing power entirely on suppressing the "otherworldly demon god." escape attempt once every thousand years, This restriction rendered the Land of Pillar Foundation inaccessible to anyone above the Qi Gathering Realm and left the outer rim seal formation vulnerable to external threats—demon beasts, god spawns, and even natural disasters—due to the absence of protective seal power.
Unlike other sects and clans that had sent their younger generation into the secret land to seek treasures and opportunities, the Golden Sword Sect had a different purpose. Their mission was to maintain and protect the ancient seal, ensuring the "otherworldly demon god" it restrained could never escape.
However, time had not been kind to the seal. It had faithfully performed its duty since the creation of the Five Pillar Realm, standing strong for countless years. Yet, millions of years ago, signs of its deterioration began to emerge. The task of protecting the seal had grown increasingly arduous. Now, they had no choice but to invite "bait" into their land—outsiders meant to divert the attention of the god spawn. It was a risky strategy, but one that bought them the more time needed to fulfill their duty.
Jian Zixuan’s voice broke the tense silence again. "Are the other four stationed properly?" His tone was calm, but the furrow in his brows betrayed his concern.
"Yes, Brother Jian," the disciple replied, though there was hesitation in his voice. "We spoke yesterday. They seem fine, but like us, the seal is consuming more Spirit Stones than expected." He paused, his expression darkening. "And… it seems someone is trying to cross the formation the elders set."
Jian Zixuan’s expression turned grim, and anger flashed in his eyes. "A traitor again, is it?" he growled, his fists clenching tightly at his sides. What fools! he thought, his mind racing with frustration. He recalled the countless times traitors, lured by the lies of the evil god, had sabotaged their sect’s mission. Yet none had ever succeeded—or left this land alive.
Boom!
"Ahhh!"
The deafening explosion shook the ritual site, snapping Jian Zixuan out of his thoughts. Chaos erupted as the site destabilized. Before anyone could react, a junior brother was sent flying by the sudden burst of Qi. Jian Zixuan moved in an instant, catching the injured disciple before he hit the ground. His voice was sharp as he demanded, "What happened? What went wrong with the ritual?"
The injured disciple coughed, his face pale as he stammered, "S-Senior brother… we didn’t do anything wrong… but the water seal… it suddenly vanished. That’s what caused the instability."
Hearing this, Jian Zixuan’s expression darkened. He shouted urgently, "Feng Tianye! Contact the water seal station now and check on them!"
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Without hesitation, Feng Tianye pulled out a communication talisman. He channeled his Qi into it, his face growing increasingly pale as he listened. Moments later, he turned to Jian Zixuan, his voice trembling with alarm. "Brother Jian, this is bad! The water seal is under attack! There are more than a hundred traitors, and they’ve even used an Immortal Talisman to strike the seal. It’s collapsing—we have to hurry and help them!"
Jian Zixuan’s voice rang out sharply, his tone laced with urgency and determination. "Wait! If they have those numbers and an Immortal Talisman, it means they have an immortal backing them from outside—and they must have planned this attack! we can't act recklessly and leave this place vulnerable Contact the water seal station immediately and tell them to retreat with the core formation and tell other stations to be aware of potential attack. We must regroup and strike them together! Also, contact the elders outside. If an immortal cultivator has turned traitor, we must let the elder know quickly!"
His words sent a shockwave through the disciples nearby. Their faces turned pale, fear flickering in their eyes. None of them had expected to face a crisis of this magnitude. The Golden Sword Sect had always prided itself on its vigilance, ensuring no traitor influenced by the god ever escaped this land alive. The thought that someone had slipped away, risen to the ranks of immortality, and now dared to attack them shook their very foundation.
A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the murmurs of disbelief and anxiety among the disciples. For the first time in countless generations, the Golden Sword Sect disciples found themselves staring into the abyss of a crisis unlike any they had ever imagined.
Today is the beginning of the greatest crisis, everyone in this realm will face a calamity none had dared to hope would ever come.
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Hengsheng’s POV
Shing! Shing! The sharp clash of swords against the spear-like metal limbs of a demon rang out, echoing across the battlefield. Before the Lan clan members stood an army of Ant Royal Guards, their towering forms ferociously protecting the massive Ant Queen who loomed at the back, watching helplessly as her soldiers fell one by one to the human assault. Her mournful roar resonated through the chaos, filled with sadness and despair.
At the rear of the battlefield, Hengsheng observed the scene with a calm but calculating gaze. "It’ll be over soon," he murmured.
For a month, they had fought relentlessly, whittling down the ant army little by little. Now, having breached the heart of the colony, only a few hundred of the ants remained—a manageable number for the Lan clan warriors.
As his eyes landed on the Ant Queen, her pitiful state stirred something deep within him. A pang of regret flickered in his heart. She’s just trying to protect her kind. But Hengsheng shook his head, pushing the sentiment aside. This is the way of the world. I can’t change that truth. Even so, he resolved to end it quickly, sparing them from prolonged suffering.
Taking a deep breath, he steadied himself and began channeling his strongest technique. His hands moved gracefully, forming the symbol of Yin and Yang. Spiritual Qi surged around him, converging into his fists until they glowed with a radiant, seven-colored light.
Noticing the brilliant glow emanating from behind, the Lan clan members instinctively retreated, their eyes wide with awe and apprehension. Hengsheng didn’t hesitate. With a single, decisive motion, he thrust his glowing fist forward. The concentrated Qi burst forth, transforming into a massive projection of Heaven’s Pulse Fist. The enormous, radiant strike barreled through the colony, annihilating everything in its path with devastating precision. The sheer force obliterated the remaining Royal Guards and slammed directly into the Ant Queen.
DOOOOOOM!
The explosion sent shockwaves across the battlefield, kicking up clouds of dust and debris. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. As the dust settled, the once-bustling colony was revealed to be a scene of utter carnage—a gruesome expanse of blood and gore. Not a single ant remained alive.
The Lan clan members stood frozen, staring at the aftermath with a mixture of fear and awe. The destruction Hengsheng had unleashed was far beyond what anyone at the Qi Gathering Realm should have been capable of. It was power on par with the Spiritual Foundation Realm.
Hengsheng’s voice cut through the silence, sharp and commanding. "What are you all staring at? Start looting now!"
The clan members snapped out of their daze, hurriedly moving to scavenge the battlefield. Despite his firm tone, Hengsheng’s heart was heavy. Killing mindless ants had been one thing, but the Ant Queen… she was different. Her intelligence reminded him of Yunsu’s, and the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.
But it was already too late. Their paths had crossed, and the karmic cycle had been set into motion. They had taken each other’s friends and family. There was no turning back now.
Let this karma end here, he thought, clenching his fists as he turned away from the scene.