Zhuge Yi Shi, clad entirely in white, soared into the sky just like that. He understood that facing a powerhouse like Xuanyuan Ruo Xing, even if Yao Yao and the others had reached the Martial God realm, their presence would be utterly useless; staying there would only invite death. Unless Ye Jing Yu returned, they were absolutely destined for annihilation.

He had held his ground for so long; he had fulfilled his duty. All he could do now was hold him off for a little while longer.

“Zhuge Yi Shi, do you truly believe you can stop me?” Seeing Zhuge Yi Shi, his white robes fluttering, his expression resolute, a faint smile played on Xuanyuan Ruo Xing’s face—a smile laced with disdain, arrogance, and utter conceit.

His power had reached the Immortal Realm, his inherent strength already surpassing that of ordinary Venerable-level experts. Coupled with the Haotian Tower, the Haotian Bead, and a peerless, ferocious sword in hand, let alone Zhuge Yi Shi being merely a Six Tribulation True Immortal, even if he himself had reached the Immortal Realm, Xuanyuan Ruo Xing was confident he could defeat him.

“A man in this world knows what he must do and what he must not. Xuanyuan Ruo Xing, you can forget about me surrendering; it’s better if you give up that notion!” Zhuge Yi Shi spoke calmly. Even knowing he couldn't withstand Xuanyuan Ruo Xing, he still chose to fight—it was what a man ought to do.

“Hahahaha, Zhuge Yi Shi, you overestimate yourself too much. If it weren't for your elder sister, I, this Emperor, wouldn't have given you such an opportunity. But since you insist on courting death, don't blame me for being impolite!” Xuanyuan Ruo Xing laughed heartily, then suddenly pointed forward. A bolt of heavenly lightning, as thick as flowing water, descended directly from the sky, striking fiercely towards Zhuge Yi Shi.

That was an attack from the Immortal Realm. Even though Zhuge Yi Shi had reached the Six Tribulation True Immortal realm, he had no means to withstand such a blow. He certainly wouldn't try to meet it head-on. With a wave of one hand, a black banner materialized in his grip. With a gentle shake, streams of black light surged out from the banner, enveloping him completely. That lightning, powerful enough to shatter experts of the Nine Heavens, seemed to plunge into a vast ocean, instantly nullified by the black radiance.

Upon seeing the black banner in Zhuge Yi Shi’s hand, Xuanyuan Ruo Xing’s eyes immediately lit up. This was indeed an Innate Supreme Treasure, and one of no low grade either. It seemed his luck was good; to encounter such a magical artifact again, he wouldn't hold back!

Thinking this, Xuanyuan Ruo Xing chanted an incantation once more. Instantly, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and gusts of chilling wind swept by. Without anyone noticing when, vast swathes of dark clouds pressed down in the sky, and a gigantic piece of hail slowly began to form within those clouds—a colossal hailstone the size of a football field.

“Today, I want to see just how formidable your magical artifact is!” Xuanyuan Ruo Xing coldly snorted, then pointed a finger. That enormous hailstone shot directly toward Zhuge Yi Shi.

Like a meteor, it instantly arrived above Zhuge Yi Shi’s head. Sensing the immense power contained within the hail, Zhuge Yi Shi dared not be careless. Soul Power surged from within him, and the black light emanating from the great black banner flared brilliantly again, wrapping around him tightly.

Crack… Like a stone dropping into a pond, the sound echoed as the hail shattered entirely. However, the black light rippled violently, appearing as if it could break apart at any moment.

A trace of blood seeped from the corner of Zhuge Yi Shi’s mouth; he had clearly been injured by the shockwave. But at this moment, more and more hailstones began to fall. Though none were as large as the first, their sheer number descended like machine-gun fire, sweeping over the Zhuge Yi Shi enveloped in the black light.

Even though the artifact in Zhuge Yi Shi’s hand was potent, his own strength was still too lacking. Though the black light did not shatter, blood continuously poured from his mouth, and his control over the banner weakened with every passing moment.

Yet, he could not give up, nor could he flee. With that banner in hand, if he truly ran, even Xuanyuan Ruo Xing would have no way to stop him. But he was a man; how could he flee at this juncture? Even knowing that death awaited him, he had to persevere, solely to buy enough time for Nangong Shang and the others below.

Xuanyuan Ruo Xing also seemed curious to gauge the true might of the great black banner and refrained from using his own artifacts, relying solely on Soul Arts to attack Zhuge Yi Shi—hail, wind blades, fire—all were hurled ceaselessly. This continued for a full half an hour.

By this time, Zhuge Yi Shi’s Soul Power was nearly exhausted. His long black hair had turned completely snow-white, and his face was riddled with wrinkles, utterly devoid of the dashing handsomeness he possessed earlier.

The black light emitted by the banner had also dimmed considerably, appearing dangerously close to dissipation.

This was the gap between the Immortal Realm and the True Immortal realm; even without utilizing magical artifacts, relying purely on immense Soul Power was enough to grind Zhuge Yi Shi down to nothing.

Seeing Zhuge Yi Shi in such a state, Xuanyuan Ruo Xing sneered. He suddenly pointed a single finger, and the mountain peak, thousands of feet tall, outside Yun Jing City let out a thunderous roar. Under the horrified gazes of the millions below, the mountain actually lifted itself from the ground.

Is this the power of an Immortal? Moving mountains and draining seas—was it truly that simple? Watching the peak, towering thousands of feet high, being ripped upward by Xuanyuan Ruo Xing, the adoration of the Tian Yuan Empire’s soldiers for their Emperor reached an unprecedented peak. Such a ruler, such a Majesty, was truly the sovereign of all under heaven.

This power had entirely transcended the mortal realm. Under His Majesty’s command, conquering not just the Nine Provinces, but unifying the entire Dou Hun Continent, would be a simple matter.

Gazing upon the colossal mountain peak, despair surfaced in Zhuge Yi Shi’s eyes. He looked south, murmuring softly, “Jing Yu, I truly did my utmost!”

The moment the words fell, Zhuge Yi Shi wrapped his body with the great black banner. His entire form erupted in dazzling black light, shooting directly towards Xuanyuan Ruo Xing.

“Attempting mutual annihilation with me? Heh, Zhuge Yi Shi, you overestimate yourself far too much! Today I will show you what true helplessness means…” Xuanyuan Ruo Xing laughed heartily, yet he pointed a finger at Zhuge Yi Shi. Instantly, the massive mountain peak hurtled down towards Zhuge Yi Shi.