Chapter 1220: Saint's Fall

San Di, Yan Wuse!

A single figure entered, and all movement ceased.

Every eye turned upward, gazing at the golden-robed elder bathed in brilliant light, as if he were as tall as the heavens.

"Don't move."

"Control your heartbeat even more carefully; don't let it beat."

Mei Si Ren transmitted his words with gravity, and Xu Xiao Shou had already sensed the anomaly in his surroundings, not daring to stir even an inch.

The fierce sun hung high, and rumbling thunder echoed from the nine heavens, followed by four waves of Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation descending.

Yet this time, Jiang Buyi didn't even make a move.

The purple-red Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation, mid-descent, seemed to be sliced by countless invisible rays, breaking apart into fine thunder lines that shot out in all directions.

These scattered thunder lines were then cut into thunder rain. The thunder rain droplets were sliced into thunder mist.

The thunder mist was further cut, dissipating into points of light, and finally vanishing into nothingness. Such a massive strike of the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation was completely dissipated after layers of weakening.

"Startled, Passive Value +1."

Through his "Perception," Xu Xiao Shou caught sight of details in the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation that he couldn't detect before its descent.

Due to the impact of the thunder tribulation, the interior of Sin One Hall revealed a network of fine, pervasive rays filling this world.

These nearly imperceptible rays, as they permeated every corner, clearly pierced through everything present.

Including people, walls, the grand hall... they formed an invisible yet magnificent grid world of light.

Mei Si Ren, Huang Quan, Jiang Buyi, and even Xu Xiao Shou himself—all had their physical bodies pierced by these rays without exception.

One wrong move, and they might end up like the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation, instantly shredded into fragments.

This was why everyone suddenly froze the moment the light appeared.

This scene felt familiar!

Xu Xiao Shou recalled the battle in the Eight Palaces.

Back then, under Gou Wu Yue's command, there was a light-attribute Sword Slayer in white robes named Chang Yi.

He had used a technique called "Light Line Rhythm," controlling the entire field.

Anyone who dared to move would be instantly shredded by the fine rays permeating the world.

Xu Xiao Shou still remembered that as the moment he gained the highest Passive Value at once, reaching the limit of "9999."

In an instant, he suffered over ten thousand instances of damage!

Now, Yan Wuse's ability was exactly like Chang Yi's technique... no, even more so.

Was there a connection between the two?

Chang Yi was merely a Sword Slayer, while Yan Wuse was a peak Semi-Saint, the Light of Refining Spirits!

Before he even entered the scene, the entire Sin One Hall had already fallen under his control, as if it were enclosed in his domain?

But how could such a powerful domain exist?

"This is 'Light Energy World,' Yan Wuse's domain. It's one of the most powerful domains in the Refining Spirit Realm."

Mei Si Ren transmitted his message.

It really was a domain?

Xu Xiao Shou nearly widened his eyes but controlled himself in time.

So, it wasn't that Refining Spirit masters were weak, or that domains couldn't keep up with combat power at the Taixu level.

It was just that the Refining Spirit masters he had seen before rarely cultivated their domains to match their own cultivation realm.

Of course...

Among peers below Semi-Saint, most Refining Spirit masters were overshadowed by ancient sword cultivators, rarely shining brightly.

But Yan Wuse was an exception. He was the Light of Refining Spirits, the overlord of the Refining Spirit Realm. All his abilities reached heights that could suppress ancient sword cultivators of the same realm.

"How large is this Light Energy World?" Xu Xiao Shou asked via transmission, not moving his mouth or even daring to swallow.

His "Perception" covered ten thousand li, yet he found that the entire ten thousand li was filled with the Light Energy World!

He could imagine that perhaps the whole Sin One Hall had been penetrated by these invisible rays.

Without a doubt, Xu Xiao Shou's transmission was intercepted by the Semi-Saints present. Spontaneously, Huang Quan, Tian Ren Wu Shui, Jiang Buyi, and Han Ye all glanced toward Xu Xiao Shou's direction.

What timing is this? You're worrying about that now?

The next second... "Snap, snap, snap, snap!"

The four Semi-Saints—Huang Quan, Tian Ren Wu Shui, Jiang Buyi, and Han Ye—had blood splatter from their eyes as their pupils were shredded by countless rays.

The flying blood splatters were cut into blood mist in mid-air; as it fell, it was cut again, dissipating into nothing.

"Abhorred, Passive Value +4." "Locked on, Passive Value +4."

With one sentence, four Semi-Saints went blind for me? Xu Xiao Shou's eyelids twitched.

The next second, his right eye was also shredded, briefly covered in blood, and only when the blood was cut away did the world before him brighten again.

"Attacked, Passive Value +9999."

Yan Wuse looked over with a faint smile and replied casually:

"The Light Energy World can spread as far as the light it touches. Is this answer satisfactory?"

In other words, if this old man wanted, he could control the entire Void Island?

Xu Xiao Shou was shocked but didn't dare nod in response.

Mei Si Ren transmitted: "If the Light Energy World moves again, use the Swordless Technique, right when the next wave of Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation arrives."

Would that allow them to escape?

Xu Xiao Shou quickly recalled the methods of using the Swordless Technique in his mind. Fortunately, Mr. Mei Si Ren had demonstrated the first realm of each of the eight sword techniques for him earlier.

Otherwise, at this point, Xu Xiao Shou would only have the Disappearance Technique left to use. But performing a complete disappearance in front of so many Semi-Saints would make him the most conspicuous one.

He might be the first to die if he tried that.

"Got it. I'll remember." Xu Xiao Shou deliberately transmitted.

Tian Ren Wu Shui's eyeball burst again.

He couldn't help but tilt his head but stopped the motion in time, yet his entire head was still shredded.

"Cursed, Passive Value +1."

Xu Xiao Shou almost burst out laughing. Everyone else has adapted, so why are you, Tian Ren, still focused on me?

Wait!

A curse from Tian Ren Wu Shui? Xu Xiao Shou's expression suddenly froze.

In the Kingdom of Time, Number Two wasn't trapped like Yao Yao, unable to free himself from the emotional turmoil of time's power.

For him, the disrupted time was merely a chance to reshape his past.

Even if the information in his knowledge base was chaotic and looping back and forth, Number Two's powerful information processing ability still allowed him to control everything in his mind.

As long as it wasn't physical degeneration, the power of time couldn't continuously control this Tianji Divine Envoy.

The Kingdom of Time of Huang Quan was strong, but for Number Two, it only provided spatial confinement, exerting a slightly prolonged control.

He drew his sword and slashed!

The spacetime principles around him shattered, and Number Two walked out of the Kingdom of Time.

In his liberated state, the Tianji Divine Envoy's powerful environmental processing ability allowed Number Two to step forward calmly.

With each step, his body subtly split apart before the rays could cut him, passing through the rays and reforming afterward.

Splitting and merging, he walked through the Light Energy World as if it were empty space, completely unaffected.

"Yan Lao."

He nodded first to Yan Wuse, then emotionlessly laid out all the intelligence he had gathered:

"Night Owl has fallen and was devoured by Tian Ren Wu Shui. Tian Ren used the Blood World Pearl to seal his sainthood successfully and urgently needs to replace the Semi-Saint position."

"Yao Yao's sword intent and Huang Quan's spacetime power went in the same direction, likely to the Blood Realm. Now Huang Quan has returned, but Yao Yao is missing. It's speculated she was affected by the Blood Realm environment and the power of time... If we kill Huang Quan's true body here, Yao Yao should be freed."

"Jiang Buyi has three Three Tribulations Eyes; one is on Xu Xiao Shou, and the others, along with the last Three Aversion Pupils, are on Huang Quan and Tian Ren. His Semi-Saint position was seized by Tian Ren Wu Shui, so he's beyond saving."

"Mei Si Ren can't make a move and can only swing one more sword. It's speculated his exile countdown is just one or two days left."

"Han Tian Zhi Yu's combat strength isn't high. You should know that, Yan Lao."

"Xu Xiao Shou's state is strange. He hasn't used the Immunity Decree, should have died by the rules already, but he's still alive. The reason is unknown... He entered a special immobile state before, possibly related to the Void Island Spirit, with a forty percent probability."

"The Door of the Next Realm has been passed from Yu Ling Di to Huang Quan. Its authenticity is unclear. Yu Ling Di is there and hasn't died yet, so it can be verified."

Number Two pointed with a finger, and Yan Wuse turned his head accordingly.

Though he said Yu Ling Di hadn't died, if Number Two hadn't pointed it out, Yan Wuse really wouldn't have recognized that mangled, headless body in the bronze cauldron as the Spirit Department Head Yu Ling Di.

He remembered that this young man was clearly a young man.

After listening to Number Two's analysis, Xu Xiao Shou felt a chill run down his spine.

This Tianji Divine Envoy was terrifying, like installing an ultra-powerful computing brain on the battlefield.

In such a chaotic battle, he could still sort out all the information inside and outside the field so clearly.

Fighting someone like this, you might not even realize you're dead until it's too late!

"So many troubles. Can't you tell me one at a time for me to handle?" Yan Wuse rubbed his temples, looking a bit headache-ridden.

He recalled everything and found he had almost forgotten the earlier points, but Yu Ling Di's impression was the strongest.

So, his first action was to reach out, summon the bronze cauldron, and drip golden saint blood onto the headless body.

Everyone watched in silence, making no moves.

"They're all interconnected; if I say them one by one, you'll end up scolding me later." Number Two shook his head in response.

Yan Wuse wasn't really bothered by that. He glanced at a certain Sword Saint beside him and sneered: "You couldn't beat Mei Si Ren?"

"An accident." Number Two replied calmly. "If we fought again, the outcome could go either way."

Xu Xiao Shou thought to himself: You've probably recorded all of Mr. Mei Si Ren's sword moves by now?

But watching Yu Ling Di slowly recover, he grew anxious and wanted to transmit to Mr. Mei Si Ren, yet feared interception.

"Don't move."

Mei Si Ren transmitted a timely reminder.

Xu Xiao Shou suppressed his impatience and vaguely sensed some hidden scheme.

Of course, why wasn't anyone moving?

Huang Quan could endure the pain and use his spacetime attributes to shift, and the Light Energy World shouldn't affect him and Tian Ren Wu Shui anymore, right?

Were they all giving Yan Wuse that much face? How big was his face!

Were they just waiting step by step for this old man to settle accounts later?

The others could wait, but Jiang Buyi couldn't. Seeing the two Semi-Saints finish their discussion, he finally found an opening to interject, trembling as he said:

"Yan Wuse, save me!"

"I'm one of yours now; I signed a contract with Yu Ling Di!"

Yan Wuse turned to look at Number Two. Seeing Number Two nod, he then lifted his gaze toward the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation on the horizon.

Another wave of thunder tribulation was brewing and about to fall.

The Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation grew stronger with each wave. The Light Energy World had unexpectedly blocked one for Jiang Buyi, which was already a huge help.

From now on, even Yan Wuse didn't dare to act, or he'd be targeted by the tribulation too!

"Tsk." Yan Wuse said: "Don't say I didn't try, Dao boy. Even if he came, he couldn't save you. What were you thinking, trying to pass the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation here?"

"It's all to save Yu Ling Di and your Tianji Divine Envoy!" Jiang Buyi's eyes turned red with anger, demonic energy swirling around him, but he didn't dare move. "I was forced into this!"

Seeing his miserable state, Yan Wuse felt a twinge of pity, as they had known each other for years. He looked at Number Two: "Is there a way?"

"I said, he's beyond saving." Number Two replied.

"Did you hear that? You're beyond saving." Yan Wuse repeated with a sympathetic expression, as if that made him benevolent enough.

Jiang Buyi was furious, his body trembling, only to be cut into a bloodied figure by the Light Energy World. He quickly stopped moving.

He was in despair. Unable to move. Unable to resist. He could only wait quietly for death.

Had the light of hope never shone on his future fate?

"Save me..." Jiang Buyi murmured soundlessly, and even his jaw shattered, blood streaming everywhere.

Boom!

The Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation arrived as scheduled.

Yan Wuse narrowed his eyes and waved his sleeve.

The fine rays around Jiang Buyi and the connected space of the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation vanished completely.

This was both respect for the tribulation and granting Jiang Buyi his final dignity.

"Ha ha ha ha..."

Jiang Buyi laughed maniacally in relief, his form turning into blood mist as he charged forward, choosing to face the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation head-on.

He still had one unfinished Semi-Saint incarnation in the Pu Xuan Jiang Clan of the Northern Domain.

But against the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation, it wouldn't make much difference.

If he faked his death and returned his spirit to the Sacred God Continent to reborn in the Northern Domain, that act would still be seen as provoking the tribulation, drawing it again.

And whether that fake death method would even work was uncertain... Jiang Buyi had given up on survival!

In his final moments, he didn't want the entire Pu Xuan Jiang Clan of the Northern Domain to perish with him.

Let him be himself!

Passing through Sin One Hall, he overlooked Void Island.

Along the way, Jiang Buyi exhausted his last bit of energy, washing away the blood from his body and liberating his true form into the most magnificent immortal rainbow clouds.

This beauty was like the day he achieved the Dao, when rainbows scattered across the Northern Domain and sacred sounds echoed everywhere.

When the tribulation descended, Jiang Buyi was too weak to even coalesce his form.

Yet the immortal rainbow clouds gathered and outlined a shadowy figure of a saint reclining in the sky.

He held an upside-down wine pot, his posture carefree, laughing as the tribulation arrived.

"A saint cannot be humiliated."

The serene sacred sound spread across Void Island, startling all the Refining Spirit masters on the island to look up.

Boom!

The purple-red Emperor Tribulation fell, scattering the rainbow clouds, with points of sacred light sprinkling over Void Island.

"Woo..."

The Great Dao wailed, and all things mourned.

The Refining Spirit masters on Void Island couldn't help but feel sorrow.

Even if ninety-nine percent of them had never experienced such an event, they could still glimpse the truth from the Great Dao at this moment.

A saint had fallen!

Just now, under the Emperor Tribulation.

One true Semi-Saint had failed the tribulation and perished completely.

In an instant, almost everyone's minds flashed with similar information they had learned before entering the island:

"The Sky City has the foundation for sealing sainthood."

"Yet, one general's success comes from ten thousand bleached bones; this place can bury Taixu and Semi-Saints in various ways."

Xu Xiao Shou didn't know how to describe the complexity in his heart.

He had witnessed a saint's fall—from his initial struggles with Jiang Buyi to now seeing his death.

Could it be said that he brought it on himself? No!

Jiang Buyi had been scheming from the start, just a bit too hasty.

But the calculations he displayed were something ordinary people couldn't withstand.

His fall could only be blamed on the fact that everyone else in this game was more cunning and more patient than him.

Whether it was Dao Qiong Cang, who never showed his face but always controlled the Sacred God Hall's actions.

Or that elusive old Eighth, who must have targeted him since he provoked the water ghost.

And most importantly, Huang Quan and Tian Ren Wu Shui, who directly opposed him.

In the end...

All his schemes led to his own demise.

This sigh didn't last long, for his own life and death were still uncertain.

Just before Jiang Buyi's fall, as the last wave of the Ancestral Source Emperor Tribulation descended, at the critical moment Mr. Mei Si Ren mentioned...

Xu Xiao Shou hadn't even used the Swordless Technique when he clearly saw someone move in the battlefield.

The first to move was Huang Quan!