Still amidst the clouds three hundred li away, the Grand Daoist Tai Huang stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes alight with admiration.

"Almost single-handedly confronting the Sword Sect's Heaven-Shattering Spirit-Floating Sword Formation, nearly shaking its foundation—truly remarkable! Aside from the Compassion of Xiuguang, he is undoubtedly the foremost figure in the Cloud Realm!"

"This Sword Sect formation lacks the anchor of an Apex Realm master, so it's ultimately a step too short. Moreover, a large portion of its strength was expended disrupting Li Biexue's Yin Meridian Spirit Slaughter. The formation itself has little power left for self-defense. It's not difficult for Zhu Zi, commanding nearly ten thousand Grand Scholars and gathering vast Confucian Righteousness, to shake it."

Qing Xuan slightly shook his head, unimpressed. "If that Floating Spirit Divine Sword were wielded by any Apex Realm master, it wouldn't possess the momentum it has today. Ultimately, the key lies with the Yin Meridian Spirit Slaughter."

"The Divine Weapon the Daoist Brother of Compassion specially procured for the Sword Sect is naturally no small matter. It's a pity that despite his painstaking cultivation over seven millennia, the Sword Sect's seven branches still haven't matured. Only their Sovereign has the potential to achieve the Apex Realm within a century."

Grand Daoist Tai Huang nodded, affirming Qing Xuan's words, then chuckled. "In truth, I am more curious about what is happening inside the Fenghua Palace right now. Li Biexue setting up this Nine Heavens Ten Earth Yin Meridian Spirit Slaughter Array here was clearly not just to trap Zong Shou; it was aimed at you and me as well! I truly wonder what his intentions are—does he genuinely believe he can cast us aside and face the multitude of Saints from the Azure Path alone? Or is there something else he wishes to conceal?"

Since Zhu Zi made his move, engaging directly with the Sword Sect's Floating Spirit Sword Formation, Li Biexue gained precious leeway. The entire Epang Palace was once again veiled.

Even for those whose cultivation was profound beyond measure, like the two of them, the scene within the array could not be fully discerned.

"A guilty conscience!"

Qing Xuan let out a cold snort, filled with disdain and anger.

Qingming, behind them, remained silent. She surmised that Li Biexue had merely calculated that even if he were defeated today, Tai Huang and Qing Xuan would not simply stand by and let the Azure Path execute him. Thus, he acted without restraint—

At this moment, the alliance of the Daoist, Confucian, and Demonic sects could still contend against the Azure Path, the Sword Sect, and the Buddhists, maintaining a balance.

But if Li Biexue were to die today and be successfully suppressed by the Azure Path, the Confucian and Daoist sects would inevitably face increased pressure from the Azure Path.

She too found herself slightly curious now: what exactly was Li Biexue trying to hide? That he would risk so much just to leave the two Ancestors behind?

Suddenly, a spiritual sense connected. Qingming focused her gaze once more on the Imperial Capital city. Then, her eyes lit up.

"It's Wei Xu and Yuan Jing—they have entered the array—"

Their Apex Realm Saint auras were not something she could normally perceive. However, the moment these two collided with the Nine Heavens Ten Earth Yin Meridian Spirit Slaughter Array, the subtle fluctuation in the yuanqi instantly betrayed their presence.

And it wasn't just these two; simultaneously, on the East and West sides, two spiritual energy fluctuations, no weaker than the previous pair, occurred almost at the same instant.

"The one to the East should be the Azure Path's Divine Venerable, the Grand Emperor of Supreme Unity and Eastern Splendor. The other... why is it Xu Fu?"

A look of surprise and confusion crossed Qingming's eyes. She never imagined that Xu Fu, the Recluse of Penglai rumored to have left the Cloud Realm, would actually be involved.

And furthermore, fighting on Zong Shou's side—

It was said that this individual discerned fortune and misfortune clearly. During the Qin Dynasty, he used the excuse of seeking the Elixir of Immortality for the First Emperor to depart the Cloud Realm, thereby avoiding the doom of death.

Then why in the world would this foremost ancient mystic participate in this battle, risking such peril?

A subtle unease bloomed in her heart, yet Qingming noticed that Tai Huang's and Qing Xuan's expressions remained calm and self-possessed.

"His intervention is indeed quite unexpected. Is he perhaps hoping for a way to neutralize Ao Kun's existence?"

"If he wishes to break the Qin Emperor's Divine Seal, this might be the only path. However, as long as Ao Kun has not reached the Saint Realm, that possibility remains remote! Given his insight, he should know this likelihood is exceedingly small."

Qing Xuan pondered. "Also, this battle, from beginning to end, has been utterly bizarre. I find myself unable to read it clearly now—"

"Indeed. And Xiuguang still hasn't shown himself! One wonders where he is hiding. But now that Wei Xu and Yuan Jing have made their move, it must be time to decide the victor!"

Tai Huang smiled, his gaze sharp as a blade. "Senior Brother, what is your intention now?"

Hearing this, Qing Xuan burst into laughter. "If Xiuguang won't appear, then we must force him out! If we wait any longer, it will truly be too late. Waiting passively won't reveal what Li Biexue is plotting. However—"

Pausing, Qing Xuan turned his gaze once more toward the direction of the Imperial Capital.

"I suspect Yin Yu is about to deploy the Twelve Bronze Men of State Defense."

Inside Epang Palace, as the four powerful auras slammed into the vicinity from four directions, the bloody clouds engulfing the sky were once again torn open by several gaps.

The suffocating pressure in Zong Shou's chest immediately eased, allowing him to pull the masses of Spirit Slaughter Divine Light away from his Sea of Consciousness.

However, Li Biexue opposite him seemed unwilling to grant him even a moment to breathe.

Since the previous invisible giant hand had failed, he now abruptly flickered, appearing right before Zong Shou, his fingers spread wide, snatching fiercely toward Zong Shou's face.

Zong Shou's pupils instantly contracted. His body retreated backward along an exceedingly strange trajectory, without reservation.

Li Biexue's fundamental technique was the 'Void Origin and Illusionary Spirit Art,' a Level Twelve World-Ending Divine Ability.

According to Xiuguang's evaluation, if this peerless Primordial Devil could achieve reversal in 'Creating Something from Nothing' and simultaneously master the Dao of Existence and Non-Existence, he could immediately step into the Half-Step True Realm, and his divine ability would ascend to the Supreme Realm. It was even conceivable that he could derive and create new divine arts from the techniques of non-existence.

This demonstrated that his potential was, in fact, no less than Zhu Zi's.

Li Biexue's 'Void Origin and Illusionary Spirit Art' could forcibly convert everything it touched, regardless of its nature, into nothingness.

And this was exactly what happened now. The Heavenly Tribulation might that Zong Shou had borrowed via the Azure Path Sword Formation was effortlessly dissolved by Li Biexue's power of Nihility.

Zong Shou knew well that if this hand closed within three feet of his body, without even direct contact, his physical form would be forcibly reduced to nothingness by the Supreme Primordial Devil's Void Origin and Illusionary Spirit Art.

Without hesitation, the second Death-Life Epiphyllum bloomed. Its power of Vitality surged, allowing Zong Shou to restore his injuries. Then, just as the transition from life to death occurred and the power of Profound Death poured out from the flower, he suddenly thrust out another sword strike!

With a light clang like striking metal on stone, the tip of the Primordial One Soul Sword pierced directly through the ethereal and unfathomable power of Nihility, penetrating inward.

Even the Supreme Primordial Devil Li Biexue looked solemn. He retracted his hand, changed it into a fist, and struck fiercely against Zong Shou's Primordial One Soul Sword.

The power of Death erupted. Li Biexue remained stationary, but around him, it seemed as though the gates of the Underworld had been flung open, and countless streams of Profound Death power surged out.

And at this moment, Li Biexue’s entire right hand turned ashen gray.

This entire right hand, from the wrist down, had been utterly 'slain' by Zong Shou's Styx River Death Omen Sword!

The previous strike was merely the residual force of Zong Shou's Profound Death Sword, so it had only wounded one of his fingers.

But at this precise moment, Zong Shou had concentrated the entire power of the Life-Death Nether Bloom into this single sword strike.

The resulting injury was ten times more severe! It affected Li Biexue's entire wrist.

Zong Shou also violently retreated a full thousand zhang. Although slightly better than his previous recoil, blood was still trickling from his seven orifices, and his expression was grim.

However, Zong Shou showed no sign of pain; instead, he let out a light laugh.

Several auras behind him stirred, restless—those Saints who, seeing him wounded, were already entertaining thoughts of surrounding him for the kill.

Zong Shou hesitated not at all, sending three more silver blade shadows flying swiftly from his sleeve.

Instantly, one person had their brow pierced through.

His Child-Mother Falling Leaf Blades were completely exhausted. What he was using now were top-tier magic treasures he had only cultivated for four days. Thus, three consecutive strikes were required to execute this person!

With this man dead, the others temporarily held back their intention to strike.

Zong Shou stood up again, isolated and proud.

It was done! His Primordial Spirit power had truly entered the core essence of the Twelve Bronze Men.

He only required another ten to twenty breaths of time to complete the imprint of his divine sense.

In fact, he could already command the Twelve Bronze Men of State Defense using the Imperial Seal of the State.

However, there was no guarantee; Yin Yu could still contend with him using the Qin Emperor's true spirit.

A tiny fraction of his soul power combined with the Imperial Seal might not be enough to defeat Yin Yu, and worse, it might give the opponent time to react and adapt.

An incomplete set of the State Defense Bronze Men would also fail to suppress Li Biexue, risking the alarm being raised.

Li Biexue glanced indifferently at his left hand, then dismissed it with a cold snort.

This Supreme Divine Ability-level swordsmanship was indeed extraordinary, ignoring rank. But that was all; a superficial ailment could not harm his foundation.

He did not attack Zong Shou again, because a wave of Paramagnetic force had already enveloped the area.

A powerful repulsive force saturated the space before Zong Shou, locking down the area and preventing Li Biexue from advancing further.

Among the four Apex Masters, Xu Fu was the last to launch his attack but arrived first, reaching this spot ahead of the other three.

Besides the repulsive barrier, countless waves of Paramagnetic energy tore toward Li Biexue. Furthermore, a gravity tens of thousands of times normal slammed down, causing Li Biexue's body to suddenly sink.

Then, a sword shadow the color of dead ash simultaneously pierced through the void, aiming straight for Yin Yu in the Imperial Study—precisely where Li Biexue was compelled to save him!

This sword strike, too, was imbued with boundless power of Death, almost indistinguishable from Zong Shou's earlier strike—

Li Biexue's expression was surprised, yet he showed no hesitation, flashing back into the Imperial Study.

At this moment, Zong Shou's eyes also flickered with astonishment.

The Styx River Death Omen! Whether in the nature of the power, the spirit, or the trajectory of the sword path, it was exactly the same as his own strike moments ago—as if it were his mirror, yet stronger!

Immediately, Zong Shou understood: this was Wei Xu. The technique of mirroring—he had almost perfectly replicated Zong Shou’s previous Styx River Death Omen Sword strike—