Among the high-ranking officials of the Three Great Holy Lands, while shocked, they were not entirely surprised, as Jun Mo Xie had previously fought an almost-stalemate battle against the peak expert Zhan Lunhui using just "this technique," relying solely on his own power.

Zhan Lunhui’s profound strength was immeasurable, almost exceeding the limits a human martial artist could achieve. Even the combined might of the Heavenly Sage Palace experts could not subdue him. Yet, Jun Mo Xie managed to intercept him single-handedly, even seizing the upper hand at the start of their duel. Such astonishing power was truly enough to shake the current age!

And this was precisely the basis for Gu Han’s judgment when making his recent choice!

Although the Heavenly Punishment lineage had won this single engagement, the cost was devastating: all eight Saint Venerables had perished, the Eagle King was sacrificed, and they had lost five thousand elite fighting forces. The depletion of Heavenly Punishment's combat power was too great!

Meanwhile, the strength possessed by those at the Duotian outpost was considerable, and they were truly their own people. If Jun Mo Xie had not previously displayed such formidable strength, Gu Han, even if he wouldn't side with Xia Changtian, would have merely sought mediation, never to have chosen this path.

Xia Changtian and Li Bowen were both brimming with grief and indignation as they attacked simultaneously! They shared the same thought: they had to subdue Jun Mo Xie quickly; only then could they rescue the forty brothers below! The longer they delayed success, the more perilous the situation for those beneath them would become.

The other three Saint Venerables and two Saint Emperors who had narrowly escaped earlier remained rooted to the spot, somewhat lost and uncertain of what to do.

They wished to join the fray, but whom should they fight?

Jun Mo Xie had shouldered the entire burden himself. In this moment, he represented the embodiment of seeking justice, venting his fury as retribution. From beginning to end, no one else from the Heavenly Punishment lineage had spoken a word.

Although they were fully aware that "this was precisely Jun Mo Xie's intent," they still could not lay a hand on Mei Xueyan and the others.

If they were to act, they knew they could not bear the consequences! They were not Saint Monarch experts; they lacked such transcendent status!

Even Xia Changtian might not dare. His previous display of ferocity had only been an empty threat; he didn't truly dare attack the Heavenly Punishment forces. This restraint wasn't due to Jun Mo Xie's threats, but rather because of the overall situation!

The root cause of this incident was their cold detachment and utter unwillingness to offer aid, which ultimately led to the near annihilation of the Heavenly Punishment and Fierce Beast coalition. Jun Mo Xie stepping forward as the leader to seek justice was entirely righteous; no one could fault it. Even someone like Gu Han could, at most, only attempt mediation, but absolutely could not speak out in exoneration. Even if Xia Changtian and the other died in this battle due to the outcome, it would be self-inflicted. No one could say otherwise.

But if the rest of them had swarmed forward to surround and attack Jun Mo Xie, the nature of the situation would change entirely. If that had happened, even Gu Han would not have permitted it!

“Elder Gu, even if Saint Monarch Xia and the others didn't offer aid... there was no need to resort to such a deadly confrontation, to the point of mutual destruction, right? Isn't Jun Mo Xie overreacting with this response? He’s completely disregarding the bigger picture!”

From the Three Great Holy Lands' side, a Saint Emperor expert cautiously said to Gu Han, his meaning clearly showing a tendency toward partiality.

“That’s not how you can put it,” it was Mo Wudao who spoke up this time. He sighed and said, “This refusal to aid, while seeming like a small matter, actually has far-reaching consequences.”

“Firstly, for the last hundred years or so, our three factions have collectively focused on suppressing Heavenly Punishment, nearly driving them into irrecoverable ruin. If Jun Mo Xie hadn't emerged, Heavenly Punishment would likely be utterly destroyed by now! You could say we personally revoked Heavenly Punishment’s status as an ally and a member of the coalition. Furthermore, the relationship between us has devolved into one of irreconcilable enmity! Given the current situation, no one could fault the Heavenly Punishment Beasts even if they hadn't come to this battlefield. After all, their Heavenly Punishment Forest is a place even the foreign races dare not enter! Coupled with the fact that they aren't human, they have absolutely no obligation to be judged by us!” Mo Wudao stated, “But they came, they came resolutely! For the sake of the common people, for the Xuan Xuan Continent, they set aside their past grievances with us—this in itself is an act of great benevolence and righteousness. That is the first point.”

Mo Wudao had deep contradictions and tangled feuds with Heavenly Punishment, and a blood feud with Jun Mo Xie—a relationship that demanded mutual destruction! Yet, this man still possessed the bearing of a leader. When faced with such a major issue, his commentary was balanced and impartial, speaking purely based on facts.

This point was commendable.

“The second point…” Gu Han continued with a chilling tone, “Heavenly Punishment came because the Three Great Holy Lands begged them! To put it crudely, it was only after we swallowed our pride, humbled ourselves, and pleaded with them that they agreed to provide support. From this perspective, regardless of Heavenly Punishment’s original intentions or stance, based on this alone, they owe the Three Great Holy Lands a massive debt of gratitude! Strategically, they are comrades-in-arms. On a deeper level, the severity of the current crisis is extreme; the Holy Lands had almost no chance of victory, facing imminent collapse and ruin. But the arrival of Heavenly Punishment as reinforcements was tantamount to saving the Three Great Holy Lands!”

“Xia Changtian and the others refusing to help was not just self-sabotage, but also repaying kindness with enmity!” Gu Han sighed; this was another reason he refused to step in and mediate. Gu Han was utterly enraged by Xia Changtian’s conduct!

What’s more… if he were to forcibly intervene and stop this, Gu Han knew he didn't have enough face, even in front of Jun Mo Xie…

If he spoke, the most likely outcome was that the remaining forces would also be lost. While the strength of Jun Mo Xie and the Duotian contingent was unknown to others, wasn't he aware of it?!

More critically… Jun Mo Xie, this person, was even more monstrous than Zhan Kuang—truly an unkillable entity!

“If two nations are at war, and allied forces from both sides are fighting, with one side trapped in desperation while the other watches coldly without acting, that is treason! The crime of betraying one's country!” Mo Wudao gave a wry smile, “It’s even equivalent to rebellion! An unforgivable sin!”

“Therefore, no matter how you look at it, Saint Monarch Xia’s actions this time are gravely mistaken, more so than a mistake. On a small scale, it is forgetting righteousness and ingratitude, repaying kindness with enmity,” Mo Wudao stated. “Looking at the broader picture, this stand-aside approach means the probability of a complete schism between the two sides is over eighty percent, no matter who the leader of Heavenly Punishment is! Such actions utterly disregard the safety of the world, treating the welfare of the populace as child's play; it can be called an atrocious crime, utterly insane!”

Gu Han sighed deeply.

The questioning Saint Emperor looked somewhat taken aback. “Sect Master Mo, you… how could you…”

Mo Wudao gave a wry smile. “Admittedly, I have never held favorable opinions toward the Heavenly Punishment lineage, the Evil Monarch’s Mansion, or Jun Mo Xie himself—that is a fact. Whether it was before or will be in the future, I will still maintain my opposition to Heavenly Punishment. However, when facing such a monumental issue of right versus wrong, I, Mo Wudao, am not so petty as to let personal grudges eclipse righteousness. We opposed Heavenly Punishment only when we were certain the foreign races could not invade and that we had absolute confidence in the Battle for Heaven Seizing. Even annihilating Heavenly Punishment would have been an internal matter for the continent. But if the foreign races gain the upper hand, I would never instigate internal conflict.” He sighed deeply, “If I had known what would happen today, I would have made peace with Heavenly Punishment at any cost; at the very least, I would have ensured victory in this battle before discussing anything else. I would never have rashly ordered an attack against Heavenly Punishment!”

“The world changes, times shift, it is truly dizzying! Who would have thought that the Pillar of Heaven Mountain, which stood majestically for ten thousand years as if eternally unshakeable, would collapse at such a critical juncture…” Xi Ruochen sighed deeply, then gritted his teeth and cursed, “Damn Zhan Lunhui! Damn Zhan Kuang!”

“Then, regarding this battle between Saint Monarch Xia and Jun Mo Xie, can we truly just stand by and watch? What about the lives of those forty brothers—do we abandon them too?” the Saint Emperor asked with some reluctance.

“That is the price Jun Mo Xie has come to claim! And Jun Mo Xie has the power to claim this price, so we can only watch! Especially now… in this delicate situation where pulling one thread might unravel the entire tapestry, we cannot move! Any rash action will bring far-reaching disaster!”

Gu Han’s eyes shone with sorrow. “Today’s consequences are the cause of yesterday. If you sow the wind, you reap the whirlwind—who can we blame? Must we still insist on twisting right and wrong, and launch an attack against Heavenly Punishment and the Evil Monarch’s Mansion first? Allowing the foreign races to profit?”

Qu Wuhui, standing right behind Gu Han, couldn't help but let out a long sigh upon hearing this.

Suddenly, Gu Han’s pupils contracted, his face filled with alarm, and he stamped his foot with a long sigh, “It’s bad! It seems I still underestimated Jun Mo Xie’s true strength… Perhaps it’s not just those forty brothers who are in danger… even Xia Changtian might be facing utter annihilation…”

Saying this, even Gu Han himself was startled and stunned by his own words and the facts before him!

Did Jun Mo Xie possess such terrifying, heaven-defying strength?

Everyone was greatly shocked and turned their gaze toward the scene.

The sight was so unbelievable that everyone’s mouths dropped open, unable to close again.

Before the battle, everyone had speculated on how it would unfold, but they could never have imagined it would turn out like this!

Jun Mo Xie was indeed the Evil Monarch, possessing extraordinary cultivation, and he had a previous victory where he curbed Zhan Lunhui’s momentum. However, he was still a rising star; his progress was already terrifying, but he currently remained stuck at the Saint Venerable realm, seemingly not having broken through to the Saint Monarch level… whereas Xia Changtian possessed genuine Saint Monarch cultivation!

And he was a third-tier one!

So, everyone naturally assumed that Xia Changtian would have the upper hand in the field, and even Gu Han believed this. Then, once the battle reached a certain point and the outcome became clear, Gu Han would step in to mediate, and the matter would simply conclude…

But as the two sides engaged, Xia Changtian in the arena was at an absolute disadvantage! A decline that could not be reversed!

This outcome was something no one could have dreamed of! For a moment, everyone was slack-jawed and dumbfounded!

Jun Mo Xie let out a cry like weeping, his movements swift as the wind. The dark, eerie blade flashed through myriad strange maneuvers like surging clouds and rolling mist. His profound technique roared like a crashing, terrifying wave, surging endlessly. That slender Nine Nether Cold Blade actually merged in the air into a vast expanse—a single, dark cloud!

Heaven and Earth darkened!

With just the single Nine Nether Cold Blade, the myriad sword shadows it conjured spanned the distance between heaven and earth, as if the winds and clouds of the Nine Nethers had suddenly descended upon this tragic battlefield, swirling thickly, obscuring the sky and covering the land! (To be continued)