"Perfect seventh layer!"

When Li Qingchan heard Bai Li and Qin Hai’s cries of surprise, her pretty face turned somewhat ugly. She had likewise not expected Yang Xuan, who was not very well-known in the Cangxuan Sect, to possess such strength.

If Yang Xuan was only at the advanced seventh layer, Bai Li and Qin Hai’s combined might may be able to match up to him. However, this seemingly tiny raise had now left the Bai Li duo with basically zero chance at victory.

Yang Xuan was obviously the Sacred Palace’s secret weapon for this mission!

"Zhao Zhu, let’s go." Said Li Qingchan in an icy voice. If she and Zhao Zhu did not interfere, Bai Li and the rest would soon be utterly defeated.

When that happened, even if the two of them managed to defend their allocated territories, it would only amount to two hundred miles in total, an amount that would be less than even the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace and the North Sea Dragon Subduing Hall.

This would undoubtedly be a substantial blow to the Cangxuan Sect’s reputation.

From the communication jade, Zhao Zhu’s acknowledged in a low voice.

Swish!

Their figures soared into the air, powerful Genesis Qi sweeping outwards as they turned towards the direction Bai Li and the rest were located.

However, mere moments after rising in the air, two figures appeared and stood in their way. It was Wang Chi and Cao Jinzhu of the Sacred Palace.

Cao Zhi grinned as he looked at the two of them, a dreadful heat pulsing from the red metal balls in his hand as he said, "Isn’t it rather inappropriate for people of your status to interfere?"

Li Qingchan’s eyes turned a little icier as she curtly said, "Wang Chi, scram!"

Wang Chi shook his head and smiled, "Chosens should face Chosens. If the two of you are itching for a fight, both of us will accompany you till the end. As for everyone else, let them decide things on their own."

Li Qingchan’s eyes turned increasingly frosty. She knew that the Wang Chi duo definitely was not going to move aside. Since this was the case, they could only resort to force.

She exchanged a look with Zhao Zhu. Both were expressionless as powerful Genesis Qi light pillars dashed out from the top of their heads. The light spread to cover the sky, as two earthshaking auras unfurled.

Rumble!

Two thousand feet wide Genesis Qi floods descended like meteors streaking across the night sky, thunder loudly rumbling in their wake

In response to Li Qingchan and Zhao Zhu’s decisiveness, Wang Chi and Cao Jinzhu’s eyes narrowed. Both of them immediately took a step forward, as Genesis Qi rapidly converged towards their palms, before ultimately transforming into two enormous Genesis Qi disks.

Boom boom!

Two Genesis Qi torrents smashed into the glowing Genesis Qi disks, causing devastating shockwaves to unfurl. The ground below crumbled, hill after hill obliterated to dust in an instant.

It could be said that this was an earth-shattering clash.

In the sky, Li Qingchan and Zhao Zhu faced off against Wang Chi and Cao Jinzhu. Vigorous Genesis Qi churned churned like a raging storm behind each individual, some scorching hot, some bitingly cold...

The disturbance was so great that it was even sensed by those from the far away Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace and North Sea Dragon Subduing Hall. Feng Ying and the Chosen from the North Sea Dragon Subduing Hall immediately moved, appearing some distance from the battle field.

"So they’ve really ended up fighting..." Feng Ying’s eyes widened a little. Normally speaking, since the Chosens from the various factions were able to easily defend their respective areas, no one would challenge them. It could be said to be an unspoken rules of sorts.

And yet, the Chosens from the Cangxuan Sect and the Sacred Palace had begun fighting.

The North Sea Dragon Subduing Hall Chosen approached Feng Ying and said in a low voice, "I’ve heard that the Sacred Palace mounted an attack on the territories guarded by the Cangxuan Sect, and have pushed them all the way to their last remaining territory."

Feng Ying frowned slightly. A deep grudge existed between the Cangxuan Sect and the Sacred Palace. Moreover, one was once the number sect in Cangxuan Heaven, while the other was the current number one sect. As such, there was naturally going to be a lot of friction between them.

In this battle for the essence flame vein, the Hundred Flowers Fairy Palace and the North Sea Dragon Subduing Hall had no plans of contesting for a larger portion due to how far away their headquarters were from this place. Hence, they were willing to take a step back, and naturally did not have too huge of a conflict of interest with the Sacred Palace.

However, the Cangxuan Sect had no intentions of giving in, while the Sacred Palace was usually very domineering due to always wanting the prime meat. Thus, there was sure to be conflict when these two factions met.

Though Feng Ying was on good terms with Li Qingchan, it was not appropriate for her to interfere in this matter. After all, it was already beginning to implicate on the grudge between two overlord sects.

"Wang Chi and Cao Jinzhu are clearly here to stop the Li Qingchan duo, preventing them from coming to the aid of their teammates. Now... we can only hope that the other Cangxuan Sect disciples will be able to defend against the Sacred Palace’s attacks."

She shook her head and sighed.

...

Bang!

On the red land, three streams of Genesis Qi violently collided. A patch of ground immediately collapsed as a shockwave that could be seen with the naked eye unfurled, sweeping up dirt and rocks.

Urgh!

Two groans were heard as the shockwave spread. Soon after, two figures were flung backwards, their feet leaving long and deep marks on the ground. Any boulders they briefly touched was immediately shattered to pieces by a tremendous force.

The two figures forcibly stabilized their bodies. It was Bai Li and Qin Hai.

However, these two individuals currently sported rather dishevelled looks. Their expressions were quite pale, while blood dripping from their fingers. The Genesis Qi around their bodies had also turned somewhat chaotic.

A figure in white slowly walked out from the dust. Yang Xuan gazed at the two Cangxuan Sect disciples and said with a faint smile, "Hehe, I told you that you guys have no chance of victory. Why insist on being so stubborn?"

Genesis Qi rose around him like thick smoke, heavy, solid and concentrated.

"Obediently scram from this essence flame vein. Your Cangxuan Sect cannot compete with us this time." There was a disdainful smile hanging from the corners of Yang Xuan’s mouth.

"In your dreams!"

However, he was answered with a furious surge of Genesis Qi from Bai Li and Qin Hai that rapidly cumulated into a powerful attack that blasted towards Yang Xuan like a storm.

"Reckless fools."

Yang Xuan shook his head as a tremendous amount of Genesis Qi slowly rose from his hands.

"Since neither of you has any common sense, I’ll just have to break your legs and throw you out..."

...

At the entrance of the essence flame vein.

Atop a hill, elder Wu was watching the two floating Genesis Qi mirrors before him. One of them depicted the face off between the Li Qingchan duo and the Wang Chi duo.

In the other mirror was the scene of Yang Xuan easily suppressing Bai Li and Qin Hai.

From the looks of it, Bai Li and Qin Hai would not last much longer.

Elder Wu’s expression was extremely ugly. In accordance to his original evaluation the Sacred Palace disciples, he had tasked Li Qingchan and her team to take over at least six hundred miles of the richest vein.

However, he never imagined that the Sacred Palace would play such a dirty trick by sending a disciple who had sealed his strength. This had disrupted all of elder Wu’s plans.

From the looks of it, the Sacred Palace intended on taking all of the territories the Cangxuan Sect was currently occupying.

This was too much!

Rage churned in elder Wu’s eyes as he looked towards the nearby Sacred Palace elder. The latter merely responded with a disdainful smile.

Around the mouth of the volcano, the other factions began to break out into hushed whispers. They also had Genesis Qi mirrors, and were naturally able to view the situation in the essence flame vein.

From the gazes they continuously cast towards elder Wu, it was obvious that they too knew of the Cangxuan Sect’s current predicament.

This battle may appear to be a contest for the essence flame vein on the surface, but in reality, it was a clash between the two titans, the Sacred Palace and the Cangxuan Sect. From the looks of it, the Sacred Palace had taken the absolute upper hand.

If so, the Cangxuan Sect would end up being knocked down a peg by the Sacred Palace this time.

...

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Thump! Thud!

The intense battle on the red land continued. Wave after wave of berserk Genesis Qi exploded, the aftershocks of the fight turning the entire area into a mess.

Huu!

Bai Li and Qin Hai tightly gritted their teeth, bitterly persisting as sweat dripped down their faces.

The Genesis Qi around them was already growing weaker and weaker.

Their gazes looked towards the front where a figure in white was slowly walking towards then. However, they did not cower but instead gritted their teeth again as their figures shot forth like lightning with an explosion of Genesis Qi.

Boom!

However, their figures were soon sent flying once again.

At the mouth of the volcano, the various factions softly sighed. These Cangxuan Sect disciples were tenacious, but unfortunately, tenacity was not enough to fill the gap between them and their opponent.

Elder Wu’s hands were tightly clenched, veins popping up on his arms. Murder surged in his eyes as he stared at the Sacred Palace elder.

...

Outside the core essence flame region.

Zhou Yuan was seated under a giant flag with his gaze slightly lowered. He made no noise, merely listening to Bai Li and Qin Hai’s voices from the communication jade grow weaker and weaker.

The situation was anything but encouraging.

There was clearly no longer any hope to be seen for Bai Li and the rest in the core region.

He lifted his face, his eyes narrowing slightly as he peered into the distance. His fingers gently tapped his knee as he fell into a long moment of silence. In the end, he raised his head to the sky and let out a deep breath.

"God damnit..."

"You guys are going to make me fail this mission..."

If all their territory was snatched away by the Sacred Palace, the mission would undoubtedly be evaluated as a failure. When that happened, it would no longer be possible to obtain a Heaven Credit.

He sighed. Though he did not really have any complaints with regards to elder Wu and the others neglecting him, for the sake of his Heaven Credit, he could no longer sit by and do nothing.

Thus, Zhou Yuan’s lips curled a little as he slowly stood up.

The individual that had been ’exiled’ to the outer region and basically forgotten, was finally going to get involved.