Chapter 1159: Time River, Soul-Cutting Saint Slash

Sanctification?

To be honest, neither Huang Quan nor Mei Siren expected anyone to choose sanctification at this moment in True Brilliance Hall.

From a glance, the person was in such a wretched state. Her aura was weak, and she was clearly disheartened. Not only that, but even her Semi-Saint status was fake, replaced by a blood-red pearl.

Please!

This was a Holy Tribulation; could they please take it seriously?

This was not sanctification; it was closer to suicide!

Huang Quan was stunned. He never thought there existed a Void-tier practitioner in this world who would treat sanctification so lightly.

But soon, he perceived her true intention.

The Blood World Pearl, one of the Ten Great Anomalous Weapons, did, in a sense, possess the ability to substitute Semi-Saint status. It was possible that if this Void-tier practitioner was strong enough and in good enough condition, she might genuinely be able to break through the Semi-Saint barrier with the aid of the Blood World Pearl. After that, if she could find a true Semi-Saint status to replace it in a short period, there might indeed be a sliver of possibility for her to transition from a mad bid for sanctification to actual successful sanctification!

But that wasn't the immediate issue.

The immediate problem was that the person attempting sanctification was in no condition to succeed. She was destined to fail, yet she still adopted the insane idea of using the Blood World Pearl to replace her Semi-Saint status and undergo the Holy Tribulation. Her intention was nothing more than to use the Holy Tribulation to shatter Huang Quan's spatiotemporal confinement on Jiang Buyi.

—Under the Holy Tribulation, all worldly constraints are meaningless!

Huang Quan had not yet fully comprehended the profound truths of both time and space attributes, making it impossible for him to transcend.

It was an interesting idea. But was it necessary to sacrifice her life for it?

Huang Quan did not choose to confront the Holy Tribulation because he hadn't lost his mind. Mei Siren, like him, instantly withdrew, doing his best to shield his power to avoid being perceived by the Holy Tribulation. Both retreated extremely far, indicating that even a slight disturbance could trigger their own Holy Tribulation to descend prematurely.

The first crimson lightning bolt from the heavens struck. Sin Hall One was pierced, and True Brilliance Hall was likewise torn apart. The lightning struck Ye Xiao, who was beneath Jiang Buyi. The Blood World Pearl expanded, absorbing most of the power; the remnants naturally had to be borne by Ye Xiao.

A choked cry of anguish rang out. Ye Xiao was directly blasted into a deep pit underground. She was already in poor condition. But the purpose of this lightning strike was achieved!

A sharp crack echoed in the void, and the spatiotemporal predicament that had confined Jiang Buyi suddenly developed spiderweb-like cracks.

Excellent timing! Jiang Buyi was overjoyed, now exceptionally glad he had signed a contract with the Holy Divine Palace beforehand. Otherwise, given his previous disregard for Ye Xiao's life, she would never have risked her life to save him.

And with the Holy Divine Palace risking so much just to free him, Jiang Buyi, being an old fox, knew exactly what cooperation was expected of him at this moment, what actions he should take. He swiftly darted in front of Yu Lingdi. "Give it to me!"

Yu Lingdi had already prepared the Banishment Exemption Token in his hand, about to throw it, but his peripheral vision suddenly caught Huang Quan raising his hand from where he had retreated.

—Don't throw it!

In the face of time and space attributes, if that Banishment Exemption Token were thrown, Huang Quan had a thousand ways to intercept it before Jiang Buyi, even as a Semi-Saint, could get his hands on it.

Yu Lingdi opened his hand, and the Banishment Exemption Token, like a ripple in a lake, dissolved and merged into his right arm. He withdrew his hand.

Spatial Dislocation!

As expected, the next second, Huang Quan shifted his finger, and spatial cracks bloomed in front of Yu Lingdi amidst casual conversation. Those cracks were like sharp twin blades, gently misaligning at his arm.

Rip!

Blood splattered. Yu Lingdi's right arm, which had just swallowed the Banishment Exemption Token, was severed on the spot!

Pain assaulted him, and Yu Lingdi groaned. Huang Quan's attack was too powerful! Just as Saint Slave Wu Xiu had said before, in the face of absolute power, his Water Element Profound Truth at the Dao Severing realm still seemed somewhat feeble and couldn't withstand Huang Quan's damage! Moreover, Yu Lingdi was not in optimal condition at this moment. The pain of his severed arm seemed to aggravate the mental damage he had yet to recover from the God-Demon Eye's attack, causing a chain reaction. Yu Lingdi convulsed, his head feeling as if it were exploding, and even his movements became sluggish.

Good opportunity! Huang Quan's eyes flashed with fierce intent. He had thought that the two severely injured individuals lying in True Brilliance Hall—a pale youth covered in blood and a bird—couldn't stir up any trouble, and that Jiang Buyi was the crucial one. Only upon making his move did he realize that one was Yu Lingdi, the Chief of the Spirit Department, and the other was Ye Xiao, the Chief of the Dark Department.

How miserable! How did they end up in such a state? But regardless of what these two had suffered before, as soon as Yu Lingdi's arm was severed, Huang Quan immediately sought to finish him off.

Just then, another bolt of lightning struck from the heavens. Huang Quan's attack was originally hidden in a second layer of space, which could avoid detection by the lightning tribulation. But if he wanted Yu Lingdi's head, he would have to reveal himself. Doing so, however, would be tantamount to defying the Holy Tribulation and provoking the path of sainthood. Therefore, when the sound of the Holy Tribulation resonated again, Huang Quan deliberated for a moment, then came to his senses, choosing to pull back and re-enter the anomalous space.

Jiang Buyi dared not leak his Semi-Saint aura, so his speed was very slow. For him, a dignified Semi-Saint, to swagger under the Holy Tribulation was like a fat rat crossing the street in broad daylight—a pure act of courting death. This was why Lord Han dared not resist when Rao Yaoyao pursued him during her Holy Tribulation; he was simply too easy to be struck by lightning!

But for the Banishment Exemption Token, Jiang Buyi risked it all. Although his speed was slow, he stubbornly reached for Yu Lingdi's hand, which Huang Quan had severed.

"Get it!" This wasn't the deep sea. Once his strength returned, Huang Quan would surely die!

It was within reach! Jiang Buyi exerted himself, grasping at Yu Lingdi's severed arm, which contained the longed-for Banishment Exemption Token.

Clang—

The sound of a sword ringing.

Swish, swish, swish!

Sword qi shot forth, arriving faster than expected. It bypassed Jiang Buyi, slicing the severed arm into countless fragments!

"This..." Jiang Buyi's pupils trembled. He turned back in a daze, his old face filled with disbelief.

He... he made a move?

He himself didn't even dare to leak his aura. Under the Holy Tribulation, Mei Siren, how could you dare to draw your sword right then?

Huang Quan was also startled by his companion. He hadn't provided Mei Siren with any defense! Under the Holy Tribulation, if the old sword immortal truly made a move, he would surely be targeted by the Holy Tribulation... Had he decided to brave the Holy Tribulation?

Sure enough, the heavenly lightning tribulation raged, expanding explosively. The tribulation's aura locked onto the brazen Mei Siren, treating his actions as a provocation!

Mei Siren held his folding fan, gazing up at the sky, his eyes showing no fear. He calmly spoke:

"Holy Tribulation, I will handle it."

"Jiang Buyi, you go for the kill."

"There's no need to worry about being targeted by the Holy Tribulation anymore. As long as I don't die, you won't be affected... But there isn't much time. You should resolve the problem quickly, lest something unexpected happens!"

With that, Mei Siren leaped, soaring into the heavens.

Huang Quan, however, stood frozen in place. Was this rashness? Was this the temperament of ancient sword cultivators? Shouldn't Mister Siren's words be full of affinity? This is completely different from the path of enlightenment he took at the Abandoned Dimension Hall... No, it seems there's a connection after all?

—If something cannot be enlightened, then just kill it?

"You want to achieve sanctification?" Huang Quan still couldn't resist his curiosity.

Mei Siren didn't turn his head. "There's no need. Just blocking this bird's Holy Tribulation will suffice. Although doing so will draw out my own Holy Tribulation, this Holy Tribulation... I should be able to suppress it when the time comes."

"Suppress... suppress it?"

Not just Huang Quan, but Jiang Buyi and Yu Lingdi were dumbfounded. Was it because ancient sword cultivators and Spirit Refiners followed different paths? Why did what he say sound so incomprehensible to them? If the Holy Tribulation truly descended, could it actually be suppressed?

The heavenly lightning tribulation did not hesitate, striking down as soon as it was called, splitting into two paths: one striking Ye Xiao, the other turning toward Mei Siren. At this moment, the air fell silent. Huang Quan forgot to move, Jiang Buyi's mind was blank, and Yu Lingdi looked up with them.

"Weak..." they vaguely heard him murmur.

Mei Siren, in mid-air, squinted, holding his folding fan. He suddenly understood. His hunch was correct. Using the Blood World Pearl to replace Semi-Saint status could indeed summon a Holy Tribulation. That was because the Ten Great Anomalous Weapons were of sufficient rank to serve as substitutes. But true is true, and false is false.

The Holy Tribulation summoned by Ye Xiao's method was not just a little weaker than a true Holy Tribulation; it was about three parts weaker. This was precisely the basis for Mei Siren's confidence in making a move. He had suppressed his own Holy Tribulation several times, and its intensity was nowhere near this one. Hence, he conjectured that under such a weak Holy Tribulation, he might be able to land three sword strikes. If that still didn't resolve the situation, then he would have to run. Because by then, his own Holy Tribulation should also be forced out due to his intervention.

The crimson lightning tribulation arrived in an instant, right before his eyes. Mei Siren's squinted eyes suddenly snapped open. He flicked his folding fan, sweeping it upwards. A faint sword light sliced into the crimson lightning tribulation, like a stone sinking into a raging tide, seemingly without effect. But the next second...

Behind Mei Siren, a deafening roar erupted as a formidable sword apparition—with the Ten Hall Ghost Kings underfoot and ten thousand swords paying homage hovering above his head—suddenly descended! Like a furious Vajra, it held the colossal Qingwu Twin Swords, simultaneously sweeping them upwards in a cross-slash!

Boom, boom, boom, boom...

A cross-shaped sword light tore from bottom to top, slicing the crimson lightning tribulation into four strips of lightning. It ripped through the air with devastating force, blasting through True Brilliance Hall, shattering Sin Hall One, and slicing into the heart of the Holy Tribulation on Void Island. At this moment, those observing the Holy Tribulation on Void Island watched in horror as a flash of sword light streaked past. Then, the heavenly Holy Tribulation suddenly expanded, with a portion of it sliced away.

How could this be?! This scene utterly astonished all observers. Was the tribulation-taker a sword cultivator? What kind of sword cultivator could cleave through lightning with one strike, even biting off a piece of the Holy Tribulation itself? It was truly shocking!

A choked cry—

Inside True Brilliance Hall, the true tribulation-taker was blasted into spatial currents under the now even more terrifying Holy Tribulation, barely escaping with half her life. Ye Xiao was practically going mad. Her tribulation was already brutal and hard to overcome. Why did someone have to interfere, provoking the Holy Tribulation and causing its intensity to escalate further?

"I'm the one suffering!" Ye Xiao nearly screamed. "Yu Lingdi, I can't hold on. If all else fails, you'll have to use the Sub-Plane Gate. I must get to Underworld Ghost City! If I don't consume something soon, I'll die under this Holy Tribulation!"

After transmitting her message, Ye Xiao spread her wings, facing the Holy Tribulation, and began to shift her tribulation venue.

Yu Lingdi's expression hardened. He understood Ye Xiao's words. This Chief of the Dark Department, who commanded the power of the God of Death, could only have a chance to survive the Holy Tribulation by going to Underworld Ghost City, where souls were abundant, and consuming some to recover her energy.

Underworld Ghost City... wasn't that the burial ground she had mentioned when under the control of the Five Signs of Decay?

"Beware the Five Signs of Decay!" Yu Lingdi, unable to stop Ye Xiao's only method of self-preservation, could only transmit a warning.

The Five Signs of Decay... Although he didn't know what he would do, under the Holy Tribulation, even Semi-Saints dared not act rashly. He couldn't possibly interfere, could he? At most, he could only watch Ye Xiao undergo sanctification from afar and perhaps employ some tactics after she succeeded? If Ye Xiao were prepared beforehand, perhaps she could even consume him instead?

There was no response. After Yu Lingdi finished speaking, Ye Xiao's figure flickered and vanished into a spatial crack.

Huang Quan finally retracted his gaze, confirming that Mei Siren wasn't bluffing. His profound divine sense... this old sword immortal's sword apparition attack had truly shaken him.

Under the Holy Tribulation's fury, even after Ye Xiao shifted her location, the lightning tribulation split in two. One part pursued Ye Xiao, while the other tried to bury the provocateur Mei Siren within True Brilliance Hall. But that was all it was. Huang Quan understood that since Mei Siren was confident in confronting the Holy Tribulation, he no longer needed to worry. His summoned companion had, by himself, blocked all obstacles to his actions. So, next, he could act freely, without needing to hide. After all, if the sky fell, the reckless... the ancient sword cultivator would hold it up!

Like Huang Quan, Jiang Buyi also lost his worries. Mei Siren had indeed blocked obstacles for Huang Quan, but this also meant Jiang Buyi could act without reservation. However, whether he could act depended on whether the Banishment Exemption Token was truly hidden and shattered within Yu Lingdi's recently severed arm, or if Yu Lingdi had a trick up his sleeve.

Jiang Buyi turned his gaze to Yu Lingdi. The moment their eyes met, he understood that this young man was indeed worthy of being the Chief of the Spirit Department; he hadn't disappointed him.

Inside True Brilliance Hall, a water element profound truth array suddenly unfurled. A blood-water arm suddenly extended from Jiang Buyi's forehead. In its palm, it clutched a Banishment Exemption Token, fiercely slapping it towards Jiang Buyi's glabella.

When did it transfer? Huang Quan's eyes showed curiosity, but no urgency. He felt that at that moment, his move was the fastest. Normally, with the absolute power of Spatial Dislocation, a tiny Dao Severing realm cultivator like Yu Lingdi wouldn't have time to transfer the Banishment Exemption Token from a severed arm.

Yet he still managed to transfer it! Is this the power of profound truths? Truly enviable! Huang Quan thought of that shorty with space profound truth. Back then, if not for suppressing him with cultivation realm and restricting him with the power of time, even he couldn't have stopped that white-haired shorty's escape technique.

Space profound truth... Water element profound truth...

Talent emerges in every generation! What a pity, if he could also master profound truths, then everything would be perfect.

"Hurry!" Jiang Buyi's eyes were almost crossed, staring fixedly at the blood hand growing from his forehead, even actively moving his glabella to meet it.

A slap! A release! Semi-Saint combat power, fully unleashed!

But how could Huang Quan let Jiang Buyi's beautiful dream come true?

Time froze. An ethereal shadow swept past. After a soft hum, True Brilliance Hall instantly fell silent! The sound of the lightning tribulation halted in mid-air, Mei Siren's paper fan stopped rotating in his hand, Jiang Buyi's upward gaze instantly froze, and the look of horror in Yu Lingdi's eyes paused on the spot.

The only one still moving in the hall was a lightly smiling Huang Quan.

"Why resist? It's never going to succeed, Semi-Saint Jiang!" He slowly stepped forward, leisurely, walking to Jiang Buyi's side, reaching out to pick up the Banishment Exemption Token.

"Get lost, you bastard!" Jiang Buyi's eyes were bloodshot, finally unable to suppress the frantic urge within him. His Saint power exploded, and his Saint body burst into swirling, ethereal clouds.

Others might be controlled by Huang Quan's time power. But Jiang Buyi was a Semi-Saint, not an ant! As long as he didn't want to endure, he could act at any moment! As long as he forgot that damn banishment countdown!

Devouring Cloud Art!

The ethereal clouds expanded to such an enormous size that even the entire True Brilliance Hall could barely contain them. The crimson lightning tribulation, which had struck from the heavens towards Mei Siren, was engulfed by Jiang Buyi's unleashed Saint body before the sword apparition could even cleave it.

Rumble!

Jiang Buyi's vast, unfurling ethereal clouds were instantly filled with the crimson tribulation aura, with thunder rumbling within. His Saint body seemed to transform into a second Holy Tribulation.

"Die, you bastard!" The crimson ethereal clouds swelled, then, like an alpaca spitting, a thick crimson lightning bolt, resembling a sky-supporting pillar, shot out from within.

Bang, bang, bang! The void shattered layer by layer. Shockwaves pushed outwards in waves. The crimson lightning bolt, propelled by this Saint power, fully demonstrated the concept of violent aesthetics. After shattering the temporal order that had frozen the scene, it struck down upon Huang Quan's head.

"Truly worthy of a Semi-Saint." Huang Quan smiled, raising his hands, quickly forming seals, then clasping his palms together.

"Three Thousand Worlds!" He leaned his head back, and spatial aura diffused from his body, turning tangible. Although he was only inches away from the crimson lightning tribulation, at this moment, accompanied by thudding sounds, the two seemed to be infinitely far apart, with layer upon layer of spatiotemporal worlds forming between them.

Bang, bang, bang! These newly formed spatiotemporal worlds clearly couldn't withstand the impact of the Saint power. They were penetrated at a speed of dozens to hundreds per instant. Yet, Semi-Saint Jiang's full-force strike, fueled by rage, was not weakened in the slightest by Huang Quan's defensive maneuver!

The power of a Semi-Saint was truly terrifying. Huang Quan was still smiling! Just as the Three Thousand Worlds were about to be completely shattered, he slapped his chest. A drop of golden holy blood burst from his lips beneath his mask. Huang Quan, with palms clasped, used his four fingers to sacrifice the golden holy blood before his chest, offering it into the void. The power of the holy blood was instantly absorbed by him. Huang Quan spoke, his voice ethereal and untraceable.

"Time Reversal!"

Snap—

The gears of time, at this moment, reversed their rotation with the power of the holy blood. Huang Quan's fate of being obliterated under the crimson lightning tribulation was also twisted, returning to its proper course.

In a flash of light and shadow, everyone present felt a blurring before their eyes, as if they had experienced something, yet also as if they had experienced nothing at all?

"Get lost, you bastard!" Jiang Buyi watched Huang Quan slowly walk from his side, about to take the Banishment Exemption Token from his forehead, and finally, unable to bear it, his eyes turned bloodshot. He decided to disregard the banishment countdown and make a move. If this strike could kill Huang Quan, even if his remaining three days on the countdown were instantly cleared, as long as he obtained the Banishment Exemption Token from Yu Lingdi afterward, he could still avoid the fate of banishment. Thus, he activated his Sea of Qi's Saint power, preparing to unleash his Saint body.

But the next second, he seemed to snap back to reality and decisively stopped his action. As if by a sudden inspiration, Jiang Buyi vaguely saw the scene where, after unleashing his Saint body and using Devouring Cloud Art, his Saint body assimilated the Holy Tribulation in an attempt to blast Huang Quan to death, only for it to be "Time Reversal'ed."

Wait! This wasn't a sudden inspiration! Was this a memory? Had this just happened?

Jiang Buyi was dumbfounded. He had already made a move once, but Huang Quan had twisted time, reverting him to his state before the move? He remembered because he was a Semi-Saint. What about the others?

Jiang Buyi swept with his Saint sense, and indeed, Yu Lingdi and Mei Siren were slightly dazed, clearly not yet fully reacting to what had just transpired. At this moment, however, Huang Quan smoothly grasped the Banishment Exemption Token, extracting it from the blood-water arm on Jiang Buyi's forehead.

"You're forcing me to act?!" Jiang Buyi finally realized something, despair filling his heart. He checked the banishment countdown in his mind: only one day left! Time had been reversed, but the fact that he had acted once was recorded! So, Huang Quan's plan, from beginning to end, was to force Jiang Buyi to act, clearing the remaining time on his banishment countdown? That's why he walked so slowly, giving him ample time to struggle with his thoughts and decide to make a move?

Jiang Buyi's eyes widened in fury. He hadn't expected the time attribute to be so bizarre. And clearly, he had been played, like a huge fool, only now realizing this point.

Huang Quan smiled. He held the Banishment Exemption Token in his hand. Even being so close to Jiang Buyi, this tiger, he showed no fear; instead, he seemed to anticipate Jiang Buyi's second move.

"How can one be impatient when fighting a Semi-Saint? But you, Semi-Saint Jiang, why are you so impatient? Didn't I tell you, my plan is to obliterate you with the Void Island's power of spatial banishment the moment you are banished!" This maddeningly mocking tone made Jiang Buyi desperate to cast aside all reservations and bury Huang Quan's dog life in True Brilliance Hall.

But... he hadn't moved yet.

Huang Quan's eyes narrowed in a smile. With a slight squeeze of his fingers, he crushed the Banishment Exemption Token.

"No—" At this moment, Jiang Buyi's eyes lost their light. Even True Brilliance Hall seemed to completely plunge into darkness.

Banishment Countdown: One Day!

This glaring "One Day" now filled all the empty spaces in Jiang Buyi's mental world, like a heavy hammer about to fall, suffocating his heart and lungs.

But the next second, the shattered Banishment Exemption Token transformed into golden liquid, all seeping into Huang Quan's fingertips and flesh! The water element profound truth array within True Brilliance Hall vanished. Beneath Huang Quan's feet, a second water element profound truth array lit up!

This turn of events apparently even surprised Huang Quan himself. His attention had been entirely on Jiang Buyi, seemingly calm and constantly provoking, but in reality, always on guard. After all, this was a Semi-Saint who could take one's life with a single misstep! Who would have thought that a moment of oversight would lead him to fall for the trick of another young one present?

As his pupils constricted, Huang Quan instinctively took a step back, opening his mouth, "Time..."

But at the same time, another voice came from his mouth:

"Spirit Dissipation Marsh!"

With two thuds, two blood-water hands extended from Huang Quan's arms, quickly forming seals on his chest, then fiercely striking his Dantian area. Spirit mist emanated. As soon as the seal was complete, Huang Quan was horrified to find that all the spiritual energy in his body had diffused from every pore. Not a single drop remained! It had transformed into a spiritual mist marsh hovering within True Brilliance Hall!

What kind of technique was this? If it were space profound truth, Huang Quan could still rely on his own spatial attribute to figure out some of its capabilities, thereby restricting Ye Xiaotian's movements. But water element profound truth was different. Huang Quan could never have imagined that a junior at the Dao Severing realm could be so disgusting! He had only just been parasitized by the marsh, and all his Sea of Qi spiritual energy was gone. How could he fight? How could a Spirit Refiner, devoid of spiritual energy, fight a Semi-Saint, or counter the water element profound truth?

Jiang Buyi watched, almost in a daze, as Huang Quan, in a brief instant, plummeted from being in control of everything to hitting rock bottom. Just as Huang Quan hadn't paid attention to Yu Lingdi, Jiang Buyi, from beginning to end, hadn't believed Yu Lingdi could be of any use in this battle. Water element profound truth was strong, but Dao Severing was too weak. In their eyes, Yu Lingdi, this young man, was just someone to skim by on the battlefield, not to be relied upon.

But now, this character who was supposed to be just an extra, exploited Huang Quan's oversight and controlled his body. In one move, he dissipated the most crucial thing for a Spirit Refiner—spiritual energy!

The heavenly lightning tribulation struck again. This time, however, it illuminated the darkness within True Brilliance Hall. Jiang Buyi stared blankly as an invisible blood-water hand extended from beneath Huang Quan's mask. That hand, clutching the Banishment Exemption Token, gently patted his glabella.

"Jiang Buyi, what are you waiting for?" Yu Lingdi's voice came from Huang Quan's body.

A soft sound. The Banishment Exemption Token transformed into a stream of light and vanished. Jiang Buyi checked his mental banishment countdown—it was gone! At this moment, the world lit up. The world that should have become dark suddenly returned to daytime!

Jiang Buyi felt as if he had been struck by happiness. Just a moment ago, he had fallen from heaven to hell. But now, he utterly loved this young man!

"Yu Lingdi, I owe you a favor! Hahahaha!" Jiang Buyi soared into the air, radiant, his aura surging. His cloud-attributed Saint power gathered in his right palm, ready to strike Huang Quan's mask, aiming for a fatal blow.

"Jiang Buyi, are you stupid?!" Water mist exploded from Huang Quan's body. Yu Lingdi, his face pale, emerged, shouting loudly: "Just take me and run! I told you, there's only one Banishment Exemption Token left. If you kill one Huang Quan, there's still a Mei Siren behind him!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Buyi suddenly realized he had been blinded by hatred. If he, a Semi-Saint, acted too excessively, he would once again be targeted by the Void Island Spirit and accrue a banishment countdown. As for Huang Quan? He didn't even need to use powerful ultimate moves. He only needed to slightly use spatiotemporal restrictions and escape, and the possibility of being targeted by the Void Island Spirit and gaining a countdown would be extremely low, yet his abilities were incredibly annoying.

This... was not worth it!

Jiang Buyi instantly grasped the key point. He grabbed Yu Lingdi, who was too weak to move after controlling Huang Quan, and fled towards the outside of True Brilliance Hall.

"Can you escape?" Huang Quan's voice suddenly echoed.

Just then, the heavens abruptly unleashed a silver light. A River of Time descended from the sky, blocking Jiang Buyi and Yu Lingdi's path. It was an extremely peculiar sight. Within the River of Time, which traversed the entire True Brilliance Hall, quietly flowed scenes that had just occurred in this place—like Ye Xiao undergoing tribulation, Yu Lingdi's arm being severed, Mei Siren's fan cleaving the Holy Tribulation, Huang Quan being parasitized by Yu Lingdi... Various scenes unfolded, time witnessed everything.

In Huang Quan's palm, another drop of holy blood dissolved. He slowly stepped into the River of Time, reaching out and directly crushing the image of the Holy Tribulation that was currently splitting above Mei Siren's head.

Mei Siren, who was enduring the Holy Tribulation in mid-air and feeling like he was about to collapse, was stunned. Above his head, the Holy Tribulation suddenly vanished!

Huang Quan leisurely walked through the River of Time, his palm once again digesting a drop of holy blood. He grasped a moment before the great battle, a version of himself still in peak condition, and threw it out. One Huang Quan flew out into reality. The Huang Quan whose spiritual energy had been dissipated by Yu Lingdi then voluntarily stepped into the River of Time, filling the void of that instantaneous identity swap.

Time was still flowing. —It had not been disrupted!

Jiang Buyi's pupils constricted. Yu Lingdi's face lost all color in horror. What kind of bizarre technique was this? Mei Siren, in the air, also looked down, shocked to see the newly emerged Huang Quan continue to step forward, walking towards a specific moment involving Jiang Buyi. The scene frozen in the River of Time was Yu Lingdi parasitizing Huang Quan, with the blood-water hand extending, clutching the Banishment Exemption Token, and slapping Jiang Buyi's forehead.

Huang Quan reached out. Spiritual energy surged, flowing to two fingers. He intended to crush the Banishment Exemption Token of that moment!

"Stop him!" Jiang Buyi's eyes instantly turned crimson. He threw Yu Lingdi aside and charged towards Huang Quan like a madman, wanting to stop his action. He had guessed something! Did Huang Quan possess the power to rewrite history? If he crushed that Banishment Exemption Token from a previous time, would it mean that his banishment countdown would return? Because history would be rewritten, it would be as if Yu Lingdi had not slapped the Banishment Exemption Token onto him at that time. His Banishment Exemption Token would be shattered. He would have slapped only air! In that case, all his current freedom would cease to exist!

Saint power surged from Jiang Buyi's body, and a cloud of Saint-slaying light descended from the sky, blasting towards Huang Quan, attempting to force Huang Quan to stop crushing the Banishment Exemption Token.

At this very instant! Huang Quan suddenly turned! His movements seemed to have been accelerated by time, so fast that they left a series of afterimages of different actions. Correspondingly, on the River of Time, Huang Quan's subsequent actions also appeared in advance: reaching for a blade, bandages falling off, crouching down, dodging an attack, rushing forward, a blade slicing across a throat... Until Huang Quan held Soul-Severing Blade reversed, stopping behind Jiang Buyi, only then did the acceleration of time return to normal.

Jiang Buyi had no time to react at all! His time had been slowed down, while Huang Quan's time had been accelerated. With this ebb and flow, his reaction speed was like a turtle's crawl!

"My apologies, I do not possess the ability to rewrite that moment of history, because you are a Semi-Saint." Huang Quan smiled, slowly sliding the thin, cicada-wing-like blade back into his back. "But my Soul-Severing Blade can cleave through all soul defenses in the world. I imagine even you, Semi-Saint Jiang, cannot guard against that, can you?"

Jiang Buyi was unable to turn around. A black line appeared on his neck. From his Saint sense, Huang Quan's thin blade, once free from its binding, was transparent. This was a soul artifact! This was the strongest soul artifact!

Soul-Severing Blade... Jiang Buyi felt his thoughts slow. He knew that name. One of the Nine Supreme Divine Artifacts, on par with the Sinful Bow of Loving All Beings. Its ability was to sever all soul defenses; as long as it hit, almost nothing could remain unsevered. And in that instant of Huang Quan's attack, Jiang Buyi hadn't even had time to react. The soul artifacts that automatically protected him were slowed down, and the soul artifacts that instantly appeared were all cut in half by the sharpness of the Soul-Severing Blade. Jiang Buyi choked, his head feeling chaotic and immensely uncomfortable. He was not skilled in the way of souls, so he had invested heavily in soul-defending Saint artifacts. But compared to the Soul-Severing Blade, one of the Nine Supreme Divine Artifacts, they were like trash.

In mid-air, Mei Siren, now without the Holy Tribulation as an opponent, looked down silently, his eyes showing a sense of premonition. Just now, even he hadn't reacted to Huang Quan's true intention to draw his blade under the acceleration of time! But now, he saw it clearly. With the black line at Jiang Buyi's neck as the boundary, his soul body, after being cut by the Soul-Severing Blade, was severed in two, head from body, with no possibility of recovery.

The demise of a Semi-Saint?