Outside the gates of Shushan Sword Sect, the fierce battle raged on. The violent clash of spiritual energy filled the air, leaving no time for anyone to consider matters beyond the battlefield. Amidst this life-and-death struggle, numerous cultivators fell on both sides, many of them Longevity Sages. Despite their efforts, Shushan Sword Sect found itself at a disadvantage.
The formation shielding the sect showed more and more cracks as the battle wore on. To bolster their defenses, Shushan's ancient resources gradually surfaced, revealing towering puppet soldiers from ancient times, divine artifacts capable of suppressing entire regions, and even several reclusive Longevity Sages who had stepped out to join the fray.
The battle had continued unabated for nearly an entire day, with various forces—from the other sects to opportunistic factions like the Demon Cult and the Hidden Assassins' Pavilion—encircling Shushan in a relentless assault. Meanwhile, the group of shaken Longevity Sages who had fled earlier finally regained their composure a thousand miles away, swiftly relaying their shocking discoveries back to the sect leaders coordinating the siege of Shushan.
"Shushan's mysterious powerhouse struck, resulting in the complete annihilation of all our Heavenly Gate Grand Elders!"
This news left the sect leaders dumbfounded, as though they had been meticulously preparing to reveal their trump cards, only to find those cards rendered worthless in an instant. This unforeseen catastrophe felt insurmountable.
Hearing that the mysterious powerhouse might possess power beyond the Heavenly Gate Stage and was now missing only deepened the sect leaders' dread. The higher echelons of the Demon-Suppressing Sect, Langya Sword Sect, Celestial Masters Pavilion, and others were visibly shaken. None of them had foreseen this kind of outcome. With every Heavenly Gate Elder lost, they found themselves stripped of their greatest advantage.
For the time being, the alliance still held the upper hand, but should even a single Heavenly Gate Elder from Shushan appear, the scales could tip disastrously. Worst of all was the uncertainty regarding Shushan's formidable hidden force, whose power surpassed the Heavenly Gate Stage. Were this mysterious figure to arrive now, what could they possibly do?
"Retreat!"
"Withdraw for now. We need to assess the situation before making our next move."
These sects were not foolish. Although they were reluctant to yield, pressing forward without recalculating the risks was a dangerous gamble. The consequences of a full assault on Shushan under these circumstances were too dire to contemplate.
In an unexpected turn, the forces that had moments ago appeared set on tearing down Shushan abruptly withdrew, retreating like the ebbing tide. This sudden retreat left the Shushan cultivators locked in fierce combat utterly bewildered.
"What happened? Why are the Demon-Suppressing Sect and the Demon Blade Valley retreating?"
"Could it be some sort of trap?"
Bathed in blood and on the brink of self-destruction, Ryan Xia looked around in confusion as three of the four Longevity Sages besieging him suddenly vanished, leaving him on edge. Even the ever-sagacious Grand Elder, maintaining his usual composure, sensed the strangeness of the situation.
"Stay vigilant," the Grand Elder ordered solemnly, guiding the remaining Shushan cultivators to repair the defensive formation and keeping a close watch on their surroundings. Caught in the heat of battle, these Shushan warriors were too focused on survival to have noticed the sudden shift in events.
"These forces have been scheming against us for a long time; they know Shushan's every vulnerability. In less than half an hour, our Ancestors will descend. It seems they don't want to incur unnecessary losses, which is why they've pulled back," the Grand Elder speculated, his seasoned gaze flickering with thoughts.
No matter how much he racked his mind, he couldn't fathom that all the Heavenly Gate Grand Elders of their enemies had already perished. With his only clue being the current strategic situation, he reached what seemed the most plausible conclusion.
"The real ordeal has just begun," he murmured. "I only hope that Sarah can bring enough of our Ancestors to aid us."
The Grand Elder watched the enemy forces ebbing away like a receding tide, turning his gaze towards the depths of Shushan. He knew well that Shushan's existence held immense significance in this realm. The Abyssal Gate below demanded their guardianship. Though the six major sects came in strength, they wouldn't dare risk Shushan's complete obliteration. Yet this understanding made him acutely aware that the Ancestors wouldn't leave their posts en masse.
The Grand Elder calculated grimly, knowing that the number of Ancestors Sarah could summon would determine how much Shushan's reserves would be plundered in the end.
A long, weary sigh echoed from within him, as though it had traveled a thousand miles to drift into the depths of Shushan.
In that secluded area, a kaleidoscopic sky shimmered with colors, under which a tall, graceful figure dressed in the black and gold robes of Shushan's Sect Leader stood in reverent silence. Before her floated the Sect Leader's insignia, pulsing like a miniature sun.
In the ever-shifting radiance of the sky, a massive tower gradually emerged from the colorful haze—the Demon-Suppressing Tower.
Sarah Qin fixed her gaze upon the imposing structure. The Demon-Suppressing Tower was one of Shushan's most powerful divine artifacts, a prison for boundless demonic creatures. Within its confines not only dwelled ferocious beasts but also many of Shushan's Heavenly Gate Ancestors.
"The message has been delivered. Now it all depends on how many Ancestors will answer the call," Sarah thought, her eyes filled with a hopeful determination.
As she stood watching, the tower gleamed with a brilliant light, and two figures, radiating immense power, stepped forward side by side.
"Two of Shushan's Ancestors!" Sarah's heart sank slightly. Two Heavenly Gate Grand Elders would not be enough to stabilize the situation.
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