Chapter 699: The Pure Land Sect's Hour of Crisis

The massive azure dragon coiled through the skies of the Pure Land Sect, nine lightning vortexes swirling around him as he descended.

One of his claws, crackling with blinding lightning and sharp enough to tear through the sky itself, crashed down toward the radiant barrier of glazed light shielding the Pure Land Sect.

Streaks of radiant light rained down, interwoven with bolts of lightning and earth-shaking thunderclaps. Where the lightning struck, trees within the forest withered, and weaker creatures perished.

The glazed light covering the nine secluded valleys and the more than a dozen mountain ranges shimmered beneath Long Xiao's claw, glowing with the brilliance of gemstones and fine jade. That brilliance solidified into flowing forms that resembled water or jade.

The dreamy glow of the Glazed Purification Divine Array was enchanting. Even the terrified cultivators below could not help but marvel at the beauty of the array amidst the chaos.

Serene scenes took shape within the radiance.

Birds and beasts coexisted peacefully along bodies of water, soaring freely beneath blue skies like drifting white clouds.

An elderly scholar, aged and hunched, held an ancient book in his hands as he taught a group of young children.

Cultivators from different sects and kingdoms gathered together, smiling as they sat in harmony, engaging in discussions of the Heavenly Dao.

Deep in the mountains, trees bore heavy fruit, while the fields and rivers brimmed with abundant harvests.

Cranes cried out joyfully, playing alongside handsome youths and graceful maidens.

There was no hatred among people. Humans lived in peace with birds and beasts. All beings coexisted in harmony, supporting one another as they grew.

The Pure Land Sect's highest ideal manifested within the light of the Glazed Purification Divine Array. It was a vision that its True Gods had long yearned for, a place where peace could truly exist.

They called it the Pure Land, and their hope was that one day, its reach would spread across the entire Abyss.

The power of this ancient land, accumulated over thousands of years, had carved that vision into the array in the form of Dao Seals.

As Long Xiao summoned the might of his bloodline and sent a barrage of lightning crashing down, the radiant glow of the array rose to meet it, blocking the lightning before it could breach the Pure Land Sect.

The ancient Thunder Dragon bared his fangs in a savage grin, channeling the power of the nine lightning vortexes to conjure wave after wave of terrifying lightning.

"The Pure Land?" he sneered. "It's nothing but a facade, a hollow name used to parade virtue."

The domineering azure dragon coiled through the churning lightning vortexes, a mocking scorn filling his eyes.

"Su Wanrou ascended to godhood through the Dao of Poison. What right does the Pure Land Sect have to call itself pure when someone like her is the Sect Master? The Pure Land Sect will never be pure for as long as she draws breath.

"You want a harmonious coexistence with the younger generation of my Fey Race? How many Spirit Beasts and Vicious Beasts have died at the hands of the members of the Pure Land Sect?

"In the past, the Pure Land Sect even denied us a continent to call our own. You speak of alliance, but all you ever do is take us for fools!"

Massive lightning spheres shook loose from between Long Xiao's scales, streaking down like shooting stars and slamming into the Glazed Purification Divine Array, steadily eroding its strength.

The rivers in the deep valleys of the Pure Land Sect started to fracture and run dry. The mountain ranges holding up the array trembled, their cliffs cracking open, sending boulders tumbling down the slopes.

The Glazed Purification Divine Array was intricately bound to the valleys, mountain ranges, and the spirit vein that ran beneath the continent. They acted as the foundations of the array.

Two True Gods, Su Wanrou and Lin Qiyang, once guarded the Pure Land Sect. In the past, as long as even one of them remained to oversee the array, their divine power would allow the array to endure.

Even this savage assault from the ancient Thunder Dragon would not have been able to breach the array, forcing him to retreat empty-handed.

Only a True God could fully unleash the power of an array of this scale. Unfortunately, Fire God Yan Lie killed Lin Qiyang in a previous battle, and Su Wanrou was still in the Fifth World, yet to return.

Even Li Yuanli, a longtime ally of the Pure Land Sect, capable of stepping in to help oversee the array in a time of crisis, had recently perished. His soul lamp had gone out not long ago.

Without a True God at the helm, the Glazed Purification Divine Array could only rely on its residual strength. While that strength could buy time against the tyrannical Thunder Dragon, it was not enough to hold out to the end.

***

Within one of the secluded valleys, Wang Beihong, an elder at the Immortal Realm, clutched a glowing communication token.

"Have all the messages been sent? Has Li Wang responded? What about Pei Yishan and Dong Shangqing?" Wang Beihong questioned in a mess of nerves, voice hoarse with frustration. He barked at another elder nearby, "Huang Yun! You're the sect's link to the outside world. What have you been doing all this time?!"

Huang Yun looked to be in her early thirties with fair, youthful skin, but she carried the unmistakable marks of age within her eyes. The weight of time seemed to shine within them.

Ornaments that chimed softly with every movement adorned her body, and the sound of their ringing filled the air.

Her mind had never once paused, and the stream of messages she sent out continued without end. Despite this, replies remained few and far between.

"Senior Brother Wang, I told you that Li Wang has descended into the Fifth World! Li Wang, Zhu Ji, Gui Mu, Wanderer Tian Du, Yin Ji, Li Yuanli, and Jiang Fan have all gone to the Fifth World to fight the foreign races to the death.

"Liu Fu is dead, leaving only two True Gods still in the upper worlds, Pei Yishan and Dong Shangqing.

"I've already sent a stream of transmissions to the Forsaken Expanse Sect and the Ancient Law Sect. What more do you want from me?

"Those two True Gods aren't in the Northern Ruin, but they're definitely on their way! Senior Brother Wang, I've done everything I can. I haven't been slacking off!"

Huang Yun's voice rose, tinged with grievance and sharp with anger.

"Then why aren't they here yet?" Wang Beihong snapped, ignoring her frustrations. "Our Pure Land Sect's teleportation arrays are still intact. What about reinforcements from the other sects?"

"Reinforcements..." Huang Yun glanced toward the teleportation array with a bitter laugh. "The one attacking our Pure Land Sect is that tyrannical Thunder Dragon. No True Gods besides Zhu Ji, Gui Mu, and our Sect Master can stand against him. Who would willingly come here just to die?

"That ancient Thunder Dragon has clearly gone mad. Who would dare step into the Pure Land Sect and throw their life away with us? Even if the other True Gods were still here, I doubt they'd come. They know they can't beat him."

Huang Yun's voice was hoarse with despair.

***

The Pure Land Sect's teleportation array lay several dozen li away, deep within another valley.

Pang Lin, Wu Sujin, and several other elders of the Pure Land Sect stared at it intently, unwilling to look away.

At last, three Immortal Realm elders, Liu Junhong, Guang He, and Wang Ce, stepped through together.

Wu Sujin bowed deeply. "We humbly thank the Sword Pavilion for coming to our aid!"

"We've brought the Sword Pavilion with us," Liu Junhong said grimly. "But with the Pavilion Master absent, I can't guarantee it will be enough to hold the line."

A miniature version of the Sword Pavilion slipped out of Guang He's hand, compact and unassuming in appearance.

Like the Glazed Purification Divine Array, the Sword Pavilion was one of the most powerful arrays of the great sects and was long regarded as the foundation of the Sword Pavilion's might.

In the Pure Land Sect's hour of crisis, Guang He and the others had arrived with the Sword Pavilion in hand. This was the greatest show of support the Pure Land Sect could have received from them.

"That ancient Thunder Dragon bears a deep grudge against your Sword Pavilion as well," one of the Pure Land Sect elders said anxiously. "What if he suddenly changes course and attacks the Heaven Awakening Continent instead of the Pure Land Sect?"

The stoic Guang He gave a rare twitch of a smile, though cold and sharp. "Rest assured, as long as our Pavilion Master still draws breath and Pang Jian still lives, every act of destruction Long Xiao commits will be repaid in full using the blood of the dragons in his Dragon Lair Sect."

***

Also located on the Western Loam was the Divine Treasure Sect.

Brilliant streams of flame and radiant light erupted from the volcanic peaks where the sect's master artifact refiners resided. Li Jie emerged from the cascade of multicolored fire and summoned the Qilin Bell.

"That damned ancient Thunder Dragon again!" Li Jie ranted, his tall but noticeably plump figure gesticulating wildly from atop the Qilin Bell. "Back on the Demon Abyss Continent, he sent a Flame Dragon to ambush me in secret! If I hadn't crossed paths with Pang Jian, that Rank Eight Flame Dragon would have killed me.

"Elder Liu! Elder Hong! Elder Guo! Our fates are tied to the Pure Land Sect. If they fall, we're next! We've been allies for years. Are you all really going to sit back and do nothing?"

The three elders, each appearing more ancient than the last, poked their heads out from different volcanic craters with grave expressions.

"Li Jie, this isn't the time for your nonsense!" Liu Changlong barked, his eyes sharp with anger. "Your father's fate is still unknown, and your sister's whereabouts remain a mystery. The Divine Treasure Sect simply doesn't have the strength to confront that ancient Thunder Dragon at this point!"

"You're the future of our sect, the most gifted refiner we've ever seen. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment!" Elder Hong snapped.

"Li Jie, don't go provoking that Thunder Dragon and drag our sect into his fury," Elder Guo reasoned, opting for a gentler approach. "Pei Yishan already said that the ancient Thunder Dragon is likely just venting his anger before leaving the Abyss. At most, he'll destroy the Pure Land Sect's protective array and kill a few elders before departing."

"Su Wanrou's Poison Scourge pushed him to this. He's lost too many of the ancient Fey Race to just stay quiet."

"You stay out of this!"

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The three Immortal Realm elders of the Divine Treasure Sect alternated between pleading and scolding Li Jie, each urging him not to act recklessly.

"You can keep hiding if you want, but I'm going to have a look for myself!" Li Jie declared, paying no heed to their warnings. Riding the Qilin Bell, he shot out of the Divine Treasure Sect, flying straight for the Pure Land Sect.

"Li Jie!"

"You little brat, get back here right now!"

The elders of the Divine Treasure Sect and the Li Family shouted after him in furious panic.

***

Dong Shangqing appeared in the outer reaches of the Western Loam in his Dharma Idol form, wreathed in glowing talismans. As he flew at full speed, he transmitted a message to Pei Yishan. "You're really not coming?!"

"The guardian of the Resolute Expanse said that there's no need for either of us to act," Pei Yishan replied calmly.

Dong Shangqing's voice rose in anger. "So we just sit by and watch the Pure Land Sect be overrun? Watch its people being slaughtered?"

"Relax," Pei Yishan said coolly. "He's just venting his rage. The Dragon Lair Sect still stands, and his descendants are still alive. He won't dare to kill indiscriminately until he understands the full situation in the Fifth World."