Without the Nine-Aperture Life Origin Stone, Zong Shou could only rely on the power of elixirs, and even then, his body was riddled with injuries.

The internal wounds had hardly healed at all. Most of Zong Shou's focus had been spent battling Li Biexue's residual soul fragments, leaving no time to attend to anything else.

Consequently, countless surges of sharp, metallic Jing Qi remained latent within him, erupting periodically and leaving his physical form riddled with hidden trauma.

Fortunately, the fractured circulation meridians had mostly reconnected and were now largely unobstructed.

Whether casting spiritual techniques or wielding his swordplay, he wouldn't be significantly hampered.

However, without the protection of a sound physical body, these temporarily restored meridians were exceedingly fragile. A single slight blow could cause them to collapse once more.

Zong Shou paid little heed to his internal condition; upon regaining consciousness, his first gaze fell upon Su Xiaoxiao.

Thankfully, the worst scenario he feared had not materialized. Su Xiaoxiao's body remained cold; even sustained by the Nine-Aperture Life Origin Stone and the nine exotic treasures, there were no signs of improvement.

Yet, her heart meridian pulsed steadily—not getting better, but not worsening, which wasn't entirely dire.

At this moment, Chuxue knelt beside her, her expression deeply focused, entirely dedicated to watching over Su Xiaoxiao.

Only when she noticed Zong Shou had awakened did her eyes light up with pleasant surprise as she turned, "Young Master, you're awake?"

Then, a shade of worry crossed her features, "These Reincarnation Array Artifacts might not hold much longer. I don't know what we should do now—"

Zong Shou remained silent, understanding that Chuxue's worry about them not lasting was not due to the insufficiency of the exotic treasures like the Nine-Aperture Life Origin Stone, but rather the lack of ambient spiritual energy in this location to sustain the required output.

Though this thirty-zhang space was a self-contained domain, spiritual energy could not be generated from nothing. Once consumed, it was difficult to replenish.

"And Little Miss's primordial spirit seems to have recovered slightly."

Chuxue paused in her speech, hesitating for a moment before continuing, "But she seems to be in great pain, though I can't quite articulate it. It's as if she's being restrained by some kind of backlash curse—"

Zong Shou started, then looked closely again, seeing Su Xiaoxiao’s brow furrowed, as if she were desperately enduring something.

He then projected his divine sense and spiritual consciousness deep into Su Xiaoxiao’s primordial spirit.

After her self-inflicted severance, Su Xiaoxiao's Sea of Consciousness had begun to disintegrate, only held together by the nine exotic treasures preventing total dispersion. Now, he could effortlessly thread his spiritual tendrils in, leveraging the residual hidden prohibition he had previously embedded.

In just an instant, he had ascertained roughly seventy to eighty percent of the situation.

"The Seven Emotions Backlash, the Demon-Devouring Soul Refining Seal!"

The former was triggered by the dispersion attack of the Primordial Demon's Seven Emotions Art, causing Su Xiaoxiao to sink into the throes of desire and emotion.

While slightly troublesome and potentially rendering Su Xiaoxiao unable to cultivate further, it was not immediately critical.

The latter was a forbidden technique, the most vicious heart-and-soul restriction art in the demonic path.

It was specifically used to control disciples who had erred, serving as severe punishment.

Should any act of betrayal occur, the Demon-Devouring Purgatory Seal would naturally activate. At that time, the primordial spirit would feel as though it were trapped in a refining furnace, assailed by myriad inner demons, enduring every extreme pain known to existence.

At that point, even death would be unattainable. Liberation would only come with complete annihilation.

Su Xiaoxiao's primordial spirit showed signs of awakening and recovery, yet it was currently akin to being situated in an actual purgatory!

The superposition of the Demon-Devouring Purgatory Seal and the Seven Emotions Backlash meant that anyone with a slightly weaker will would likely go completely mad under such torment!

For her, living might well be worse than death!

Furthermore, it increased the difficulty of her revival and recovery by more than tenfold! Yet, even if this primordial restriction art were removed, she would go mad if her injuries were healed!

Li Biexue! Scarlet Robe! Demon Lotus!

The one who placed the restriction was undoubtedly Li Biexue. However, it required someone standing in close proximity to activate it!

At the moment Su Xiaoxiao initiated her self-severance, Li Biexue could no longer intervene. The only ones capable of triggering it were Scarlet Robe and Demon Lotus.

Zong Shou’s eyes snapped open again, a crimson scarlet hue appearing in his pupils. Veins bulged taut along his neck, making his appearance incredibly menacing. His gaze seemed ready to devour flesh, wild and terrifying.

A pallid flame burned, causing the thirty-zhang space to writhe under the scorching heat of this World-Burning Flame.

With a beckoning gesture, Zong Shou summoned the Azure Fire Profound Turtle, then carefully moved Su Xiaoxiao’s body onto the turtle's back. The spiritual turtle intuitively coalesced a thick layer of profound ice upon its shell.

It froze Su Xiaoxiao, along with the nine exotic treasures and the temporary array disk Zong Shou had fashioned, all within.

Zong Shou then grasped the Supreme Annihilation Scripture once more.

This domain was maintained by the Supreme Fate Response Chart. Its primary function was likely not to evade disaster, but to respond to calamity.

If a heavenly tribulation descended, entering this independent domain would allow one to prepare at leisure, blocking the disaster.

Beyond the thirty-zhang boundary, there was only darkness. Even Zong Shou's World-Burning Blood Pupils could not pierce that boundary layer.

But as Zong Shou’s hand touched the Fate Response Chart, his perception of the outside world returned.

He froze momentarily; though he could not see, he could perceive through the chart.

Outside, there were no fewer than fifteen Saint-tier Venerables alone.

And below the Saint realm, there were a staggering forty more—all possessing considerable strength, capable of retreating intact from the Tomb of the First Qin Emperor. After all, those with lower strength would only be useful for feeding the enemy if they came.

"Fifteen Saints? Heh!"

Zong Shou let out a cold laugh. He had no idea whose maneuvering had gathered so many Saint-tiers; it seemed all his enemies had converged here.

Their goal was undoubtedly to surround and kill him at this opportune moment.

But this situation was acceptable—

If Xiaoxiao perishes, who will accompany her to the grave?

With a mental command, he severed the infusion of soul consciousness and true qi. The Supreme Fate Response Chart could no longer sustain the domain.

The space shuddered, and the forcibly 'isolated' thirty-zhang area reconnected with the external world.

Chuxue’s expression instantly changed: "Young Master, your injuries haven't healed. In Xue'er's opinion, we should wait for my Master to arrive! If those several Saint Venerables realize—"

She was unaware of the precise situation outside, but she could surmise that Li Biexue, Demon Lotus, and the others, having expended such effort and paid such a heavy price in their meticulous planning, would absolutely not give up now.

If the Profound Heaven Law-Bearing Wings truly possessed the heaven-piercing power Su Xiaoxiao claimed, those outside would be even less likely to relent.

Zong Shou, however, shook his head slightly and stated plainly, "The artifact spirit of the Profound Heaven Law-Bearing Wings has been unsealed!"

Chuxue gasped, momentarily speechless. She had only sensed a strange fluctuation in Zong Shou's aura earlier but hadn't paid it much mind.

So, the artifact spirit had awakened?

Hadn't it been said that only a peak Saint Venerable like Li Biexue could forcibly unseal it?

Then, another thought struck her: since the spirit had awakened—this item could grant divine comprehension when used for swordsmanship, and allow one to reach the Supreme realm when used for spiritual techniques!

Thousands of years ago, Lü Wushuang swept across this world relying on this artifact; beneath his halberd, none were his match.

Chuxue’s thoughts flashed, but there was no time to dwell on them. As the boundary disappeared and the inner and outer spaces reconnected, dozens of figures materialized before Chuxue's eyes.

Su Chuxue’s expression instantly shifted slightly. There were already ten Saint-tiers present before her.

And the laughter of King Liao, Yin Han, vaguely drifted in from beyond the membrane that had not yet fully vanished.

"As expected, it couldn't hold! Just as Madam predicted. Great Qian Emperor, Yin Han is here and has been waiting a long time. I truly wish to know what methods the Emperor has left to escape this calamity—"

Demon Lotus stood behind the others, almost hidden in a dead corner, avoiding Zong Shou’s gaze.

She shook her head calmly, "One must credit Elder Yun's Myriad Blade Cloud Rolling Art. With his unhealed injuries and severed meridians, even the finest divine treasures or strongest divine abilities could hardly be sustained for a moment."

As she spoke, layers upon layers of restrictive formations unfolded in the surrounding void, completely locking down the spacetime in all directions.

Four Daoists in green robes stood at the four cardinal points.

Zong Shou recognized one of them; he had met him several times before, initially in the Primordial Lotus World.

At that time, he had apparently escaped the Grand Supreme Demon Slaying Minor Heavenly Cycle Sword Formation in the Sea of Origin only by relying on the desperate obstruction of his companions. His name was Cheng Xin.

Though only an early-stage Saint, his combat strength was not weak. Now, he stared over with eyes full of hatred.

The other three carried similar gazes.

The Daoist Sect disciples he had killed numbered not one thousand, but ten thousand.

Zong Shou was disinclined to pay them any mind. With a sweep of his wide sleeve, the seventy-two Silver Fire Ants gathered behind him in formation.

Though the power boost was minimal, it was better than nothing.

However, the membrane had not yet dissipated. The Saint-tier cultivator named Elder Yun then laughed, "Don't flatter me. This person is a disciple of Lin Xuanshuang and inherited the Origin Life Spirit Art. My Myriad Blade Cloud Rolling Art, though a Tenth-Grade Saint Spirit Grand Technique, could not affect this Emperor. The one who truly crippled him was the Primordial Demon Saint Venerable—"

"Regardless! It is still a meritorious deed!"

The person who interjected was a scholar. His face was rigidly severe, but his tone carried a note of grinding teeth.

"For such a tyrant to die here, to be buried alongside this Qin Emperor, is a fate well-deserved!"

Han Qing sneered coldly upon hearing this. Though silent, his smile held a trace of mockery.

However, the look he cast at Zong Shou was equally frigid, as if he wished to devour his flesh and blood.

"Stop the pointless talk!"

Scarlet Robe had been frowning continuously until the boundary barrier completely vanished. Her gaze suddenly sharpened, radiating piercing light.

"Send him on his way!"

Yin Han also nodded with a smile, "Precisely! This is the only chance, so I ask everyone to maintain unity—"

But just then, a sliver of blade light appeared on Zong Shou's fingertip. It was the Parent-Child Falling Leaf Dagger, but the gleaming blade seemed to be overlaid with the phantom shadow of a pair of silvery-white wings.

Then, the blade light flashed, tearing through the void. The thirty-zhang distance was crossed in the blink of an eye.

Before the crowd could react, the blade light had already pierced through Yin Han's glabella.

Six Gods Control Saber, the blade that seals destiny!

"You are the first to accompany Xiaoxiao to the grave!"

A thin trickle of blood immediately seeped from Yin Han’s brow, his eyes wide with bewildered shock.