Chapter 110: Doubt

Xu Haoran’s stiff face finally slowly relaxed, showing complete numbness. At that moment, he didn’t know what he felt inside, so he simply stopped thinking about it. He stood up, lowered his head, and slowly knelt down.

Behind the screen, Xu Haoliang closed his eyes painfully. Xu Ziyan held her breath, remaining completely still. She couldn’t make any decisions right then. After all, if the Taixuan Sect had truly abandoned the Mortal World, then relying solely on a Mortal World family to fight against an entire sect would be like throwing an egg against a stone. Especially since that sect was a major one in the Northern Region. In her heart, she knew that the Clan Leader’s bowing his head was an act of helplessness, a move with no other choice. This wasn’t just about him alone; it concerned the entire Xu Family Clan, thousands of people.

“Heh heh heh…” Brother Tang laughed arrogantly. Then he slightly lowered his head, looked down at Xu Haoran, and said mockingly:

“Family Head Xu, this time our Huayang Sect unified the Northern Region. In the Cultivation World, we wiped out the Taixuan Sect, showing the entire Cultivation World of the Northern Region the strength of our Huayang Sect as the number one sect. This serves as a warning to all those small and medium-sized sects who still have improper thoughts, who still think the Taixuan Sect can be their support. We let them know that from now on, there is only one sect in the Northern Region, and that is the Huayang Sect.

Similarly, in the Mortal World, we also need a target to establish our authority. Unfortunately, we chose your Xu Clan. So… ha ha ha… even if you kneel to me, it’s useless. The destruction of your Xu Clan is inevitable! Ha ha ha…”

Xu Haoran suddenly stood up from the ground, glared angrily at Brother Tang, and shouted sharply: “Are you playing with me?”

“Correct! I am playing with you, and what can you do about it?” Brother Tang said disdainfully.

Xu Haoran glared at Brother Tang with reddened eyes, then slowly swept his gaze over Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui. When the three saw Xu Haoran looking over, expressions of schadenfreude appeared on their faces. Xu Haoran slowly stepped back and sat down again in his seat. Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui saw that Brother Tang wasn’t moving, so they didn’t move either. Brother Tang just watched Xu Haoran with great interest, as if appreciating the final struggles of a person on the brink of death.

Xu Haoran’s mental state, however, was surprisingly very calm at that moment. When the outcome was already decided, he no longer had other messy thoughts. His mind was only focused on activating the Talisman Array. If he could kill even one, it would be a gain. He simply formed a Hand Seal. Inside the Main Hall, it was as if the space suddenly changed. In the eyes and perceptions of Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, Han Kui, and Brother Tang, a vast desert appeared, the ground suddenly sank, and their bodies involuntarily sank into it, unable to free themselves. Dense Flying Swords in the sky chopped down towards them urgently. In an instant, Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui were injured. Although they continuously used Sword Flight to block and kept releasing Spells, they still couldn’t withstand the sky-full of Flying Swords, their bodies covered in wounds.

Only Brother Tang let out a long whistle, shook his arms, and floated in the air. Although a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, he wasn’t panicked. He flipped his hands, and eight bone needles, crafted from some unknown Monster Beast bones, appeared in his hands. Each was about the size of a little finger.

Brother Tang threw the eight bone needles into the air. Instantly, the eight bone needles grew wildly in the wind, each becoming over a meter long. Brother Tang’s gaze swept across the vast Inner Space, a mocking smile flickering at the corner of his mouth as he said coldly:

“Heh, Xu Haoran, I must say, this array of yours is quite good. If other fellow disciples had come, even if they eventually broke your array, they would probably have been made quite embarrassed by you. But, unfortunately for you, I specialize in Formations in the Huayang Sect. Your Talisman Array is just a petty trick in my eyes!”

As he finished speaking, Brother Tang suddenly thrust his hands towards the eight bone needles floating in the air and shouted:

“Break for me!”

The eight bone needles whistled as they shot out in eight different directions. The space resounded with a Heaven-shaking, Earth-shattering roar. The vast desert and the sky-full of Flying Swords immediately disappeared. The Council Hall appeared once again before everyone.

Looking at the broken Talisman Array, Xu Haoran sat dejectedly in his chair. But when he saw Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui covered in wounds, he felt a sense of pleasure again, and a bit of light returned to his eyes. Brother Tang stared fixedly at Xu Haoran sitting in his seat and said grimly:

“Tell me, who set up this Talisman Array for your Xu Clan?”

Before Xu Haoran could even think of how to respond, a low voice came from behind the huge screen behind him. Although the voice deliberately lowered its tone, Xu Haoran immediately recognized it as Xu Ziyan’s voice. His facial expression tried its best to remain unchanged, but inwardly he was lamenting bitterly:

“Who brought her in here?”

The faint, utterly disdainful voice of Xu Ziyan drifted past his ear: “Of course it was our Taixuan Sect who set it up. Junior, This Venerable One has been watching your performance for a long time. You are very arrogant!”

Xu Ziyan’s words nearly caused Xu Haoliang, who had been sitting beside her all along, to faint on the spot. He reflexively wanted to reach out and cover Xu Ziyan’s mouth, but in an instant, he lost his freedom of movement. Because at that moment, from Xu Ziyan’s body, an Aura Pressure spread out, flooding every corner of the hall, its Mighty Pressure countless times greater than what Brother Tang had released earlier. It turned out Xu Ziyan had activated the Illusory Realm Talisman inside her body – a Talisman that could release the power of the Core Formation Stage.

Inside the hall, except for Brother Tang who could barely maintain his composure, everyone else, including Xu Haoran, was covered in cold sweat, trembling uncontrollably, shaking like sieves, completely losing their freedom of movement. Brother Tang’s face drastically changed color now. He didn’t know how, under his Huayang Sect’s siege, someone from the Taixuan Sect could have escaped, and moreover, an Elder at the Core Formation Stage. Not only did they set up a Formation for the Xu Clan, but they were also personally stationed here. Could the Xu Clan be so important to the Taixuan Sect? Even with their sect under siege, they still had to protect the Xu Clan?

While he was stunned, Xu Ziyan over there was feeling very anxious, because she knew the Talisman inside her could only last for eighteen breaths. Now, more than half of that time had quickly passed. Anxious, she couldn’t help but let out another cold snort.

This cold snort snapped the dazed Brother Tang back to attention. His heart shook violently: “Could it be that the operation to besiege the Taixuan Sect failed?” So, he hurriedly bowed respectfully towards the screen and said:

“This junior pays respects to the Senior!”

“Hmph!” An impatient snort came from behind the screen.

Brother Tang’s heart jumped. His expression became even more respectful as he asked softly: “Could this junior know the Senior’s esteemed name?”

“Are you worthy?” Xu Ziyan’s tone grew even colder, but inwardly she was extremely anxious, because there were only two breaths of time left for the Illusory Realm Talisman…

“Then… could the Senior inform this junior about the outcome of the battle between the Taixuan Sect and the Huayang Sect?”

Only one breath of time remained for the Illusory Realm Talisman. Xu Ziyan had no choice but to pretend to place her hand near her Storage Pouch, while actually retrieving a Low-grade Spirit Stone from the Kunpeng’s Heart, holding it in her hand. Spirit Stones could replenish the Spiritual Power of a Talisman and extend its duration, but it caused serious harm to the user. Therefore, Xu Ziyan would not do this unless it was absolutely necessary. Now that they were at a critical juncture of life and death, Xu Ziyan had no choice but to risk injuring herself and take the gamble.

The Spiritual Power within the Spirit Stone was rapidly drawn out, surging into that Illusory Realm Talisman. Because the Illusory Realm Talisman absorbed the Spiritual Power too quickly, Xu Ziyan’s Meridians endured tremendous pressure and were on the verge of rupturing. But the overwhelming, majestic Mighty Pressure grew even stronger. Brother Tang thought his question had angered the other party and hurriedly spoke:

“Senior, this junior is just someone who runs errands and does odd jobs in the Huayang Sect. Killing me would probably dirty your hands. Please, venerable one, spare this junior!” As soon as he finished speaking, Brother Tang fell to his knees with a ‘thud’, instantly crying and pleading.

“Take them and get out! Go back and tell your Family Patriarch: this debt, the Taixuan Sect will settle with you sooner or later!”

“Yes! Thank you, Senior! Thank you, Senior!”

Brother Tang got up from the ground, turned his head, and hissed at Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui, who were still lying on the floor:

“Aren’t you going to scram quickly? Waiting here to die?”

Expressions of sudden joy and surprise appeared on the three men’s faces. Suddenly, they felt their bodies filled with strength. Trembling, they stood up from the ground and shakily shuffled towards the door. Seeing the three men dawdling, Brother Tang, afraid of angering the Core Formation Stage Senior inside, hissed again:

“Hurry up! What are you dawdling for?”

The three men managed to give Brother Tang a pained, bitter smile, thinking in their hearts: “Damn it, who doesn’t want to go faster! It’s just that our legs won’t obey!”

Seeing their bitter smiles, Brother Tang immediately understood their situation. He then turned back and bowed deeply towards the screen, saying:

“Senior, please forgive this junior’s recklessness!”

“Get out, now!” An impatient cold shout came from behind the screen, as if if they delayed another moment, she would come out and kill them.

“Yes! Yes! We’ll leave right away!”

Brother Tang went behind Yang Rui, Zhou Ba, and Han Kui and kicked out three times in succession, sending the three flying. They flew straight out of the Council Hall’s main door and fell sprawled on the ground. They flipped over and got up from the ground, bowing to Brother Tang and thanking him:

“Thank you, Senior Brother Tang!”

Once outside the Main Hall, the Core Formation Stage Mighty Pressure had already vanished. A trace of doubt flashed in Brother Tang’s eyes.