Chapter 2029: Not Easy

Unexpectedly, after such a long wait, Elder Pei's patience ran out, and he decided to strike here.

The Third Elder's eyes were bloodshot as he glared furiously at Elder Pei, as if he despised him to his core. With a furious roar, the pupils in the grey, ethereal eyes behind him suddenly dilated. The pupils almost entirely consumed the eyeballs, turning them black and emitting an eerie glow. Wherever his gaze fell, faint black lights suddenly emerged from the mist.

Initially tiny, these black wisps rapidly expanded and writhed in the void like countless maggots. These 'maggots' surprisingly devoured the surrounding mist and surged menacingly towards Elder Pei. The Third Elder's intention was to directly attack Elder Pei's true body while he was preoccupied with the Meditative Spirit.

The maggots swarmed overwhelmingly. The Abyssal Sun Boundless Array, which Elder Pei had mentioned, seemed unable to stop the maggots' advance. They effortlessly pierced through the dense fog and lunged towards Elder Pei.

A flicker of surprise crossed Elder Pei's face. It wasn't due to the 'maggots'' abilities, but rather the Third Elder's audacity in attacking a Void Refinement cultivator like himself. While some family members might stand together through thick and thin, it's more common for people to abandon ship when disaster strikes. Thanks to the previous patriarch's prestige and Young Lady Xin's diligent management, the Xin family's unity had yet to crumble – but only because they hadn't faced a true catastrophe. Had the Xin family's Grand Elder and Steward Luo been present, Elder Pei wouldn't have been so surprised. This Third Elder wasn't even at the late stage of Soul Transformation; his courage was simply commendable.

Elder Pei merely glanced indifferently at the Third Elder. The disdain and disregard in his eyes made the Third Elder's face flush crimson with extreme humiliation. Facing the attack of the black maggots, Elder Pei made no movement. The mist around him merely trembled, and layers of ripples spread out, forming a tide of fog. The aggressively advancing black maggots immediately stalled, and the front row was instantly swept away. Their ability to devour mist also failed at this moment. All the black maggots were effortlessly overwhelmed by the tide of fog. With a series of popping sounds, the maggots burst apart, leaving behind scattered wisps of black energy that vanished without a trace as soon as the mist surged over them.

The Third Elder was stunned, only then realizing the enormous disparity between himself and a Void Refinement cultivator.

As the Third Elder made his move, Young Lady Xin parted her lips, intending to explain something, but it was already too late to stop him; the Third Elder's attack had irrevocably escalated the situation.

Of course, even without the Third Elder's intervention, Elder Pei would not have shown mercy. The Meditative Spirit was already being overwhelmed by a deluge of fiery rings. The mist was stained red by the firelight. Countless fiery rings soared through the air, leaving trails of crimson. The flames emanated terrifying heat, making the three feel as if they were immersed in lava.

The Meditative Spirit shielded Young Lady Xin and the Third Elder beneath it, its body rapidly expanding. It transformed into an exceptionally massive black giant. The giant stood with its feet in the ocean and its head touching the sky, looking down at Elder Pei with immense grandeur. Furthermore, its body continued to grow, as if intending to burst through the grand array and rupture this very realm with its sheer mass!

Boom!Boom!As the Meditative Spirit grew wildly, endless vital energy of heaven and earth poured into it. Surpassing even mountains in size, the Meditative Spirit clenched its fists tightly and roared up at the sky.

"Roar!"The roar was deafening, like thunder, yet it could not escape the confines of the grand array. With a slight movement of its body, the Meditative Spirit swung its fist to strike. Its target was not Elder Pei, but, as the Third Elder had suggested, the grand array itself. If it could break through the array's seal and send out the fluctuations of their battle, it might draw in reinforcements.

Unfortunately, Elder Pei had already taken the initiative, striking first and anticipating this move; he wouldn't allow the Meditative Spirit to attack unchallenged. Even as the Meditative Spirit's body swelled, it was already surrounded by countless fiery rings, which then furiously slammed into it. Compared to the Meditative Spirit's colossal body, these fiery rings were the size of bracelets, yet they contained terrifying power.

Thump!Thump, thump, thump, thump...The fiery rings rained down like a storm, too numerous to count, assaulting from every direction. Young Lady Xin had initially intended for the Meditative Spirit to endure the fiery rings and focus all its power on breaking the array. However, the rings' power far exceeded expectations; each impact on the Meditative Spirit erupted in a flash of fire, quickly turning the area around it into a sea of flames. Under the fierce onslaught of the fiery rings, the Meditative Spirit's body shook incessantly. Its growth momentum was abruptly halted, forcing it to shrink its body and severely diminishing its imposing aura.

Sensing trouble, Young Lady Xin quickly commanded the Meditative Spirit to swing its left hand.

Shatter!Countless fiery rings were shattered by the force of the palm, but an endless stream of new rings continuously replaced them. Young Lady Xin and the Third Elder both knew this wasn't a sustainable strategy. Such a stalemate would only benefit Elder Pei and was extremely disadvantageous to them. Moreover, Young Lady Xin acutely noticed that after the fiery rings shattered, they didn't seem to fully dissipate.

A faint red glow had appeared around the Meditative Spirit's limbs, neck, and waist at some point. As more and more fiery rings shattered, the red glow became increasingly distinct, like shackles binding the Meditative Spirit. The Meditative Spirit's movements showed subtle signs of sluggishness. Once the shackles fully formed, the consequences would be unimaginable. Elder Pei had not been boasting; the Abyssal Sun Boundless Array truly could restrain the Meditative Spirit!

Young Lady Xin was greatly alarmed and hastily ordered the Meditative Spirit to attack.

Rumble!The Meditative Spirit fiercely swung its right arm, unleashing a powerful punch. The force of the punch stirred the grand array, scattering clouds and mist, turning heaven and earth upside down. Alas, as expected, it was utterly incapable of breaking through the Abyssal Sun Boundless Array.

Witnessing this, Young Lady Xin could only change her hand seals. The Meditative Spirit's body rapidly shrunk, becoming only two or three times a person's height. After shrinking, the Meditative Spirit lost its world-dominating presence. However, its body became more solid; it suddenly trembled, and a cloud of smoky qi rose from it, causing the shackles to dim slightly. This move alleviated the situation somewhat, but the crisis remained unresolved.

Young Lady Xin and the Third Elder quickly entered the Meditative Spirit's body. She sat cross-legged within the Meditative Spirit's core, her expression quickly calming, her mind serene and unruffled, merging completely with the Meditative Spirit as one.

At this moment, the Meditative Spirit suddenly grew quiet, slowly raising its head to face Elder Pei directly. Strangely, the Meditative Spirit's face was smooth as a mirror, devoid of any features. The instant it faced Elder Pei, its face began to ripple and undulate, gradually growing facial features. Initially, they were simple features, merely outlines of eyes, a nose, and a mouth, completely uncoordinated, askew, and incredibly ugly. But the features quickly sharpened, and its appearance startlingly resembled Elder Pei. Staring intently at Elder Pei, the Meditative Spirit's features continued to change, growing more and more alike. Ignoring the size difference, if someone were to claim it was Elder Pei's brother, no one would likely doubt it.

Elder Pei, who kept his true body hidden within his spiritual manifestation due to perceived insecurity in the surroundings, noticed a strange sensation in his own physical body. His expression grew grave, knowing this was another of the Meditative Spirit's bizarre divine abilities. Yet, he showed no panic. With a cold smile, he swiftly formed a hand seal and pressed his palm downwards.

Boom!The fiery rings ceased their assault and burst open simultaneously. Crimson flames descended, transforming the ground beneath the trio into an abyss of raging fire. Then, the intense flames converged, forming nine colossal fireballs, like nine great suns, yet instead of hanging in the sky, they sank into the fiery abyss. The nine 'suns' appeared, arranged in a peculiar formation.

Immediately after, an intensely hot and incredibly powerful suction force erupted from the depths of the fiery abyss. Caught off guard, the Meditative Spirit's body suddenly sank, plummeting hundreds of feet in an instant. It was forced to stretch and deform, on the verge of being consumed by the fiery abyss. Young Lady Xin hastily manipulated the Meditative Spirit to counterattack. Its right foot heavily stamped down, releasing a burst of black light that ultimately transformed into a long blade. The long blade streaked across the sky with a sky-shattering momentum, cleaving directly towards the fiery abyss!

As the long blade struck, the suction force significantly weakened. However, the cost was that the Meditative Spirit's already distinct facial features became distorted once more. Young Lady Xin wanted to seize every second to complete her secret art. But then, a strange phenomenon occurred. As the long blade cleaved into the fiery abyss, the firelight below suddenly vanished, and the nine 'suns' disappeared, only to be replaced by a scorching heat above her head. A similar suction force erupted, but this time it came from above. At some unknown moment, heaven and earth inverted, and the nine 'suns' hung high above. Before the Meditative Spirit could stabilize itself, it was violently pulled upwards again. It was forced to change its technique, causing Young Lady Xin's secret art to be interrupted once more.

Subsequently, the nine 'suns' continuously shifted positions, and Elder Pei appeared and vanished unpredictably. It was as if this entire realm was under Elder Pei's control, turning heaven with a flip of his hand and earth with a reverse! Such seemingly simple moves, however, were precisely what could disrupt the Meditative Spirit's secret art. During this process, the shackles were quietly tightening.

Young Lady Xin's vital essence was greatly depleted, and her weakening state could no longer be concealed. The Meditative Spirit's counterattacks grew progressively weaker. They had little time left. Unless Young Lady Xin had other trump cards, they would soon be at Elder Pei's mercy.

The Third Elder was consumed by anxiety. Elder Pei was too powerful; they had been completely outmaneuvered. Had Elder Pei not intended to capture them alive, their situation might have been even worse. A mutually destructive outcome was no longer possible. His fear was that they had already lost, and Daoist Zhong Liang had not yet arrived, leaving them with nothing but failure.

At this very moment, the shackles on the Meditative Spirit were strikingly visible—six restraints binding its body. Young Lady Xin successively attempted various secret arts, but Elder Pei countered each one. Yet, she did not beg for mercy, stubbornly persevering.

Just then, the void suddenly trembled. The tremor was very faint, hard for the intensely battling parties to notice. But as the tremor occurred, a figure suddenly materialized in the void at the edge of the battlefield. The figure, now visible, was precisely the old man who had previously appeared at the tomb's entrance. The old man's face registered astonishment; he clearly hadn't expected to be suddenly exposed. He had believed himself perfectly concealed, intending to wait patiently for a while longer for a surprise attack that would make him the day's ultimate winner. The exposure came without warning, and it was too late to attempt concealment again.

In his haste, the old man had no time to ponder why the void had trembled and exposed him. He reacted with extreme speed, shaking his sleeve, and a golden light flashed forth. It was a dagger-sized golden sword, its hilt adorned with various precious gems, resembling an exquisite work of art.

Whoosh!The moment the golden sword appeared, it instantly unleashed a heaven-shaking murderous aura and terrifying speed, transforming into a bolt of golden lightning. The sword light, swift as lightning, like a golden dragon, fiercely tore through the sea of mist and plunged straight towards the back of Elder Pei's heart. If pierced by the golden sword, even a Void Refinement cultivator's spiritual manifestation would instantly shatter, all the more so for Elder Pei, whose true body was hidden within his spiritual manifestation. This was a killing blow the old man had prepared long ago, intended for a more opportune moment.

"Zhong Liang!"Elder Pei's furious roar, laden with boundless rage, echoed from within the mist. The newcomer was indeed Daoist Zhong Liang. After the former Xin family patriarch passed away, he had harbored designs on the Xin family. Furthermore, he was a mid-stage Void Refinement cultivator, one step higher in power than Elder Pei. Only by combining forces could the Xin family and Elder Pei hope to contend with him.

Daoist Zhong Liang's sudden appearance was entirely unexpected by Elder Pei. Just as he was about to achieve his goal, an unforeseen complication arose; how could Elder Pei not be enraged? He and Daoist Zhong Liang had been rivals for many years and knew his rival's strength well. At this moment, he felt immensely grateful that he had been dedicating a significant portion of his attention to guarding against Elder Qin while dealing with the Meditative Spirit. Unexpectedly, by a fortunate coincidence, instead of Elder Qin, it was Daoist Zhong Liang who arrived.

Simultaneously with the golden sword's approach, a fiery banner slowly rose from within his spiritual manifestation. The fiery banner unfurled, flapping loudly. As the long banner unfurled, a mighty torrent of flames surged forth in an instant. With a soft 'whoosh,' the golden sword plunged into the fiery torrent. A long river of flames stretched horizontally behind Elder Pei. The golden sword, persistent, could be clearly seen flashing gold within the fiery river. Daoist Zhong Liang's sneak attack was undeniably fierce, but Elder Pei's reaction was swift enough. Even if the golden sword could eventually pierce through the river of flames, the fiery banner's obstruction bought Elder Pei a crucial moment to catch his breath.

"Hahaha..."Daoist Zhong Liang's laughter echoed into the array. The Third Elder was overjoyed internally but showed no outward sign. He glanced at Young Lady Xin's profile, a subtle flicker in his eyes.

Boom!A fissure was blasted open in the mist from the outside. Daoist Zhong Liang soared in, a nine-story pagoda hovering before him—it was this pagoda that had breached the grand array. He knew that the golden sword wouldn't be enough to kill Elder Pei. Taking advantage of Elder Pei's distraction, he headed straight for the Meditative Spirit.

"Little girl, do you see now how cunning and treacherous that old devil Pei is? Collaborating with him is like bargaining with a tiger; the Xin family will end up with nothing but scraps!'"

As he spoke, Daoist Zhong Liang and the Third Elder exchanged a glance. The Third Elder hesitated. He had indeed allied himself with Daoist Zhong Liang, but he hadn't betrayed the Xin family. In his view, given the Xin family's current strength, this path was unsustainable, and it would be better to align with a stronger power. He had practically watched Young Lady Xin grow up. Even if he harbored thoughts of replacing her, he found it truly difficult to act against her himself. However, the current situation left no room for his hesitation.

Just then, the Third Elder suddenly saw Young Lady Xin raise her head, her expression surprisingly calm. For some reason, the Third Elder's heart sank, and an ominous premonition arose within him.

"Senior Zhong Liang, Senior Pei."Young Lady Xin's voice was as calm as her expression, as if she didn't grasp her current predicament. "Given your intellects, it was truly difficult to lure both of you here. After all, this junior only had this one chance."

At her words, the expressions of both Daoist Zhong Liang and Elder Pei changed, and they simultaneously looked at the seemingly frail woman. Without the Meditative Spirit, they could have crushed Young Lady Xin with one hand. Now, with her vital essence depleted and herself weakened, and the Meditative Spirit's power severely diminished, they sensed a growing unease, which intensified with each passing moment.

"And I must thank the Third Elder for helping me draw Senior Zhong Liang here," Young Lady Xin said, turning to sincerely thank the Third Elder.

"Xin Sheng, you..."The Third Elder suddenly saw Young Lady Xin seemingly crush something, and her figure abruptly became ethereal. At this very moment, the entire grand array outside, along with countless island-mountains, violently trembled.

"Seize her!"Daoist Zhong Liang and Elder Pei roared in unison.