From within the Demon-Suppressing Tower, two towering figures emanating an aura of the Heavenly Gate stepped forward. These were two of Shushan's Heavenly Gate Great Elders—one a man, tall and brshouldered, with a mark of lightning on his brow; the other, an elderly woman, her lined face bearing traces of her youthful beauty.
Yet their auras were even more formidable than those of typical Heavenly Gate Great Elders, both having likely attained the Third Layer of the Heavenly Gate Stage at minimum.
"You are the Sect Leader of this generation? With the Supreme Yin Sword Body at the Golden Core Stage…" said the man with the lightning mark, his gaze falling approvingly upon Sarah Qin. "You're doing well."
"Are you Caspian's daughter?" the woman asked, a soft smile adding warmth to her gaze. The man nodded, showing respect rather than dismissal, even though Sarah's cultivation level was lower. Both gazes radiated approval and admiration.
"Sarah Qin, the forty-first Sect Leader, greets the Rainbow-Clad Elder and the Thunderous Elder," Sarah said, bowing respectfully before the two venerable ancestors whose portraits she had seen before.
However, her posture was slightly leaned forward, her eyes flickering toward Shushan's gates, betraying a trace of urgency.
"Time is of the essence; no need for formalities. Let's go," said the Thunderous Elder with a wave, his straightforward nature evident as he beckoned Sarah to lead the way.
"Tell us the details of the situation as we proceed," added the Rainbow-Clad Elder with a nod.
"Demon-Suppressing Sect, Langya Sword Sect, and Celestial Masters Pavilion have each deployed at least eighteen Longevity Sages and a hundred Golden Core Sages…" Sarah recounted as they moved, providing all the information she had received.
The faces of the Rainbow-Clad and Thunderous Elders grew increasingly grave.
"These fools should be guarding the Abyss, yet they choose instead to attack Shushan? Are they mad?" The Rainbow-Clad Elder's voice carried a sharp edge of anger.
"It's a precarious situation. The repeated attempts to suppress the Abyss have taken a toll on these sects. With a wave of unrest looming, they're likely trying to shift the burden onto us," the Thunderous Elder said coldly, hinting at hidden motives behind the assault.
"Hmph!" the Rainbow-Clad Elder huffed. "Shushan has already shouldered more than its share, with the Demon-Suppressing Tower's unrest. Do they think it's been easy for us? A pack of ingrates!" She turned to Sarah, her expression softening with sympathy. "Little Sarah, this may disappoint you. It seems we're up against multiple Heavenly Gate Great Elders, and we may struggle to prevail."
Sarah's heart sank at these words. From the moment she saw only two Great Elders emerge from the Demon-Suppressing Tower, she had realized Shushan's chances were slim. Now, with the Elders' confirmation of her fears, she felt a heavy weight press upon her.
The Abyss… on the verge of an uprising… The implication of the words struck her like a blow, and she suddenly understood the Elders' prolonged absence. They had been readying themselves for this disaster, with some likely even having quietly perished in the preparation. The situation was far more dire than she had anticipated. In comparison, the Six Sects' siege of Shushan was but a minor threat.
The two Heavenly Gate Great Elders and Sarah sped across Shushan's terrain with lightning speed, each of their strides covering immense distances. Within moments, they had reached Shushan's gates.
Contrary to what they expected, the entrance was quiet, almost deserted. Aside from the protective formation glimmering in the air above, there was not a single trace of the enemy—no hidden assassins, no malevolent forces lingering in ambush. Even the opportunistic Demon Cults and Hidden Assassins' Pavilion seemed to have fled.
"No signs of ambush, no enemy presence," said the Thunderous Elder, his daring nature compelling him to step beyond the protection of the formation. Scanning the surroundings, he detected nothing.
"This is odd. What's going on?" The Rainbow-Clad Elder turned toward the Grand Elder, her gaze laced with confusion. Emerging from the Demon-Suppressing Tower, they had prepared themselves for a grueling battle. But this scene bore no resemblance to the disaster they had anticipated. If not for the lingering scent of blood and scattered, broken artifacts, one might have thought the threat to Shushan was nothing but an elaborate hoax.
"Grand Elder, what exactly is happening here?" asked Sarah, her face filled with bewilderment as she turned to her master.
The Grand Elder appeared equally perplexed. He had anticipated a trap by the Demon-Suppressing Sect and Langya Sword Sect. But now that Shushan's Heavenly Gate Great Elders had arrived, the enemy seemed to have vanished entirely. Something was amiss.
"I've sent out scouts to investigate; we should have answers soon," he replied with a sigh. Despite his cautious speculations, he dispatched Shushan's stealth experts to confirm their suspicions.
They waited in tense silence, each of them casting vigilant gazes around the silent battlefield, their minds swirling with unanswered questions.
After half an hour, a figure robed in Shushan's garb darted in through the gate.
"Julian Zhao! What's the situation?" the Grand Elder asked upon seeing the Seventh Elder return, looking battered and blood-stained but with a triumphant grin spreading across his face.
"Good news!" Julian Zhao exclaimed, his voice brimming with excitement. "I've discovered the reason behind the Six Sects' retreat! A mysterious powerhouse from Shushan annihilated eight Heavenly Gate Great Elders, forcing them to flee!"
Eight Heavenly Gate Great Elders slain! The announcement reverberated like a thunderclap, shocking everyone into stunned silence.
"Did I hear that correctly?" Thunderous Elder's eyes widened in disbelief. "A Shushan powerhouse single-handedly killed eight Heavenly Gate Great Elders?"
Heavenly Gate Great Elders possessed powers defying death itself, capable of regeneration from a single drop of blood. Killing even one was an almost insurmountable task, requiring either relentless attrition or the strength of an entire higher realm. He and the Rainbow-Clad Elder had both emerged from the Demon-Suppressing Tower, filled with worries of their own survival in this encounter.
Now they were being told that someone had wiped out eight Heavenly Gate Great Elders with ease?
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