Chapter 1264: The Face Beyond the Mirror Inner Island Seal Broken

"Rao Jiansheng!"

"Wake up, Rao Jiansheng, this is no time for you to sleep!"

Shan Hai Ping had been shattered, and Rao Yao Yao was plummeting downwards, her mind a complete mess, unable to control herself, on the verge of being smashed to pieces at the bottom of Duo Yuan.

Yu Ling Di, however, had recovered from the state of near-exhaustion he was in after being thrown by Si Tu Yong Ren. He had managed to restore his energy and aura.

Now able to move again, he lunged forward and caught Rao Yao Yao in his arms, preventing the tragedy of the great sword saint being crushed to death.

The warmth in his embrace left no time for savoring.

In Yu Ling Di's eyes, this bloodied and broken figure bore no resemblance to the top beauty on the "First Sword Woman" list; she was simply a person on the brink of death.

"Rao Jiansheng, wake up!"

He patted her blood-streaked cheek, but the person in his arms remained unresponsive, causing Yu Ling Di's eyes to dart around in trembling anxiety.

Lifting his gaze, he saw that the energy attack from Mo Di Hei Long had been completely devoured by the spatial rift.

The entire Xu Kong Dao was trembling violently, as if some unknown catastrophe was about to unfold. Yu Ling Di's face turned pale with panic.

He could fully anticipate what was coming next!

At that moment, he was like a potential savior, or rather, someone holding the door that could lead to becoming one.

But he was still too weak to achieve it!

Slap! Slap!

After a few more slaps, she still didn't wake.

Yu Ling Di was almost certain of the severe injuries Rao Yao Yao had sustained from the destruction of Shan Hai Ping.

He quickly pulled out a gleaming golden "Shen Zhi Bi You" from his spatial ring and placed it into Rao Yao Yao's red lips.

"Mm..."

Without a doubt, this sacred pill, capable of bringing the dead back to life and healing flesh and bone, was extraordinarily potent. Rao Yao Yao let out a soft groan, furrowed her brow in pain, and slowly lifted her eyes, trembling as she asked, "What... happened..."

She didn't even need Yu Ling Di to explain.

In an instant, Rao Yao Yao remembered everything. She abruptly sat up from Yu Ling Di's arms. "Uh!"

But her injuries were too severe; she staggered and nearly fell on the spot.

Yu Ling Di reached out to steady her, preserving the sword saint's dignity, and spoke rapidly:

"Your Shan Hai Ping has been broken."

Those words made Rao Yao Yao's body shudder, nearly breaking her composure.

Yu Ling Di didn't notice these subtle details and continued on his own:

"The spatial rift opened by Ba Zun An Dong Lai's sword strike swallowed Mo Di Hei Long's energy attack."

"His goal is probably to open the inner island and release all the Gui Shou there!"

"I thought he had no chance, but I never expected he could still pull it off!"

Hearing this, Rao Yao Yao's pupils dilated in shock.

She remembered.

But in that brief moment of unconsciousness, so much had happened?

"Yan Wu Se..."

"He's still alive, don't worry!"

Yu Ling Di pointed to the figure above and then opened his palm to reveal the door-shaped sculpture, speaking urgently:

"My cultivation level is too low; I can only activate a fraction of the Ci Mian Zhi Men."

"This thing—I wanted to give it to Yan Wu Se back at Zui Yi Dian, but he... he..."

Yu Ling Di's face twisted in frustration, a mix of resentment and fear.

Back then, Yan Wu Se hadn't taken the Ci Mian Zhi Men!

If Yan Wu Se hadn't been so arrogant, none of this would have happened!

"In any case, the Ci Mian Zhi Men needs a Ban Sheng to activate it fully. With just my water-based mysteries, I can't muster much power or stop what's about to happen."

"Though you've achieved sainthood through ancient sword techniques, your Ling Lian realm isn't far off."

"Rao Jiansheng, stopping the inner island from breaking its seal depends entirely on you!"

Staring at the Ci Mian Zhi Men pressed into her hand, Rao Yao Yao was stunned.

After all the fighting, was she the one who had to become the savior?

But...

Even though Yu Ling Di trusted her completely, she knew her own limits.

Rao Yao Yao was newly ascended as a sword saint, and she wasn't renowned for her Ling Lian path. Now, with her severe injuries and depleted Sheng Yuan, she lacked the strength to activate the Ci Mian Zhi Men or prevent the inner island from unsealing.

It would be riskier to try than to pass this crucial item to someone else. There was another person here far more suited to contracting the Ci Mian Zhi Men...

The light of Ling Lian!

Also gravely wounded, Yan Wu Se, as a Ban Sheng-level Ling Lian master, could recover most of his Sheng Yuan with a single surge of Dao Ze energy.

He had the power to unleash the full might of the Ci Mian Zhi Men.

As for the time needed for the contract and any anomalies before the inner island unsealed...

Rao Yao Yao looked up at the resolute, weakened figure in the sky.

She wasn't the type to hide in the back.

She was someone who, even in dire straits, would fight with a single sword.

So, now, Yan Wu Se's position was one she should take!

"Yan Wu Se!"

Rao Yao Yao gripped her Xuan Cang Shen Jian, her pale face now stern and cold. She stood up and shouted:

"I'll buy you time—you contract the Ci Mian Zhi Men!"

"Ba Zun An Dong Lai's scheme absolutely cannot succeed!"

Boom!

The tremors on Xu Kong Dao grew more intense.

Countless ancient buildings in the Giant Kingdom cracked with ferocious black fissures; some collapsed, others shattered.

Within the Blood Realm, the vast blood sea churned with waves, the seven tree shadows swayed without wind, space collapsed, and bones disintegrated.

Above Qing Nu, the ground caved in, energy chaotic...

In Miracle Forest, the jungle was torn apart, mountains wailed...

Mo Di Hei Long's attack energy had been consumed without destroying Xu Kong Dao, but it affected the entire outer island.

This impact echoed across the nine great forbidden zones and all seemingly safe areas.

No one escaped the disaster!

At the Zui Yi Dian ruins, countless stones rolled down, the solid ground fracturing.

Massive rifts tore open like earth dragons rampaging, ripping through the core of the world, forming gaping maws ready to swallow people whole.

This was the most crowded spot on Xu Kong Dao.

But Zhan Dao and Tai Xu could move mountains easily; resisting a heavenly catastrophe was another story.

"It's over, everything's over!"

"How did it come to this?"

"Didn't the Eighth Sword Immortal intervene? He saved us all—why the sudden earthquake? Is some rare treasure about to emerge?"

"Rare treasure? Are you out of your mind wanting a Feng Sheng Dao Ji? This doesn't look right at all!"

"Wake up, buddy."

"Your so-called Eighth Sword Immortal wasn't saving you."

"Didn't you see this all started after that spatial rift swallowed Mo Di Hei Long's energy? He was just trying to do something!"

"Do something?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't know, so why are you babbling? Dare to badmouth my Eighth Sword Immortal, and I'll cut you down with my sword!"

Amid the catastrophe, chaos erupted.

Some fled, some hid, others seized the opportunity to strike at their companions, killing for treasures...

Bloodshed spread across the island, not just from the disaster, but from human nature!

High in the sky, Xu Xiao Shou felt the spatial chaos, the world shaking, and panic set in.

The situation had escalated beyond his comprehension!

The shock was even greater than when Ba Zun An Dong Lai had said, "Do you think I'm a god?" and actually summoned Xu Kong Dao.

In fact, it was worse!

Perched on Mo Di Hei Long, he had a clearer view, almost seeing half of Xu Kong Dao collapsing.

It wasn't an illusion—it was real!

And it was all because something was about to emerge...

"Roar—"

Amid the island's panic, a terrifying beast roar echoed, laced with ferocious Sheng Li, sweeping everything.

Smack!

Smack, smack, smack...

In an instant, eardrums burst across Xu Kong Dao for every Ling Lian master.

This roar wasn't as restrained as those from Yan Wu Se, Rao Jiansheng, or even Mo Di Hei Long during their rational attacks.

It was pure venting, hatred, targeted at everyone who heard it!

"Beast roar?"

Some realized something, their faces turning ashen, legs trembling as if they'd touched a taboo.

"This..."

"That's a Gui Shou roar!!"

"What's going on? How could a Ban Sheng-level Gui Shou suddenly roar like this? Ah!"

"Something's wrong! Where did that sound come from?"

"I didn't see anyone... no! I didn't see any Gui Shou at all!"

Panic spread among everyone, whether Zhan Dao or Tai Xu.

Gui Shou!

On Sheng Shen Continent, they'd heard of them but rarely encountered them.

Their experiences in survival and cultivation taught them one thing: stay away from Gui Shou to stay alive.

They thought they'd seen one on Tian Kong Zhi Cheng—a large white weasel with ice attributes, wings formed from Gui Shou power, at Ban Sheng level.

But it hadn't shown any harmful nature, nor was it as vicious as the legends.

Instead, it had been beaten by Yan Lao, tied up with light and ridden like a mount.

This made everyone underestimate the power of Gui Shou.

As for Mo Di Hei Long, in their eyes, it was just a mighty dragon clan, not related to Gui Shou.

Now, this roar symbolizing Gui Shou's beastification—a Ban Sheng-level one—came from an unknown source, assaulting their mental worlds.

It ignited the deep-seated fear in their memories.

"Roar!!"

When another Gui Shou roar followed, everyone knew it wasn't a dream.

They looked around frantically, searching everywhere, but couldn't find the source.

Yet the sound seemed right beside their ears, sending chills down their spines!

At that moment, on Duo Yuan, Rao Yao Yao had taken Yan Wu Se's place.

She stood alone in the air, and upon hearing the roar, the hatred in her bloodline was activated.

"You petty fiends, how dare you play tricks!"

"As the Hong Yi Zhi Dao Zhu Zai who slays, I'll kill all you filthy creatures—come out and die!"

Rao Yao Yao's tattered blood-red skirt fluttered wildly in the chaotic wind.

Her pale, beautiful face was full of cold intent; with her killing aura unleashed, she was like autumn sword chrysanthemums blooming with a hundred deaths.

"Rao Jiansheng!"

"Yes, Rao Jiansheng is the Hong Yi Zhi Dao Zhu Zai—she slays Gui Shou!"

"Brothers, what are we afraid of?"

"When the sky falls, Rao Jiansheng will hold it up. She's killed more Gui Shou in her life than salt we've eaten!"

"Ha ha ha, rough words but true. Gui Shou? Come out and die!"

Under the Gui Shou's oppression, everyone was forced to the same side.

But seeing Rao Yao Yao, it was like swallowing a calming pill; they felt secure and no longer chaotic.

However...

They thought there was only one Gui Shou.

Little did they know, that first roar was just the beginning.

As soon as the bold words were spoken, roars erupted from the nine great forbidden zones, from all directions, sky and earth, spirit and soul...

Everywhere, overlapping, vicious, hate-filled Gui Shou roars shattered the heavens:

"Roar roar roar! Roar roar roar!"

"Guji! Guji!"

"Piercing cry—"

"Yii xi! Yii xi!"

"Gou! Gou! Gou!"

"Yahuu yahuu yahuu! I see it, this saint sees it, yahuu yahuu! Humans! Delicious! Humans, yahuu!!"

The ear-piercing, shrill Gui Shou cries made everyone who heard them bleed from their seven orifices, stagger, and collapse in silence.

"This..."

Everyone's faces turned purple, lips quivering, unable to speak.

Just now...

If they hadn't misheard...

That must have been dozens, even hundreds of Gui Shou roaring!

Among them, at least a dozen carried Ban Sheng power!

And, moreover...

Human words!

Mixed in were human-like speech!

If the hundred Gui Shou roars had completely disrupted their minds...

Then that final "Humans! Delicious!" utterly shattered everyone's psychological defenses.

"Did they see us?"

"They said they saw us?"

"Where? Where did they see us from?"

In a panic, everyone swallowed pills and scanned around with wide eyes.

At that moment, the fear from the unseen was more terrifying than the sky collapsing!

Even Rao Yao Yao on Duo Yuan was disoriented by the barrage of roars.

There were too many!

If she had to face that number alone, she'd likely be torn to pieces in no time.

Remembering she was the Hong Yi Zhi Dao Zhu Zai...

When everyone else fell, she couldn't.

So, Rao Yao Yao forced herself to calm down, raised her eyes, and scanned all directions, trying to pierce through the illusions first.

Boom!

As Xu Kong Dao erupted with another massive rumble and shook violently, the space shifted. Rao Yao Yao's pupils contracted, her body tensing like stone.

Everyone on Xu Kong Dao who looked up was equally stunned!

"Gou! Gou! Gou!"

"Shh la la la, I see it too! Move aside! Let me see!"

"Yoh ji ji! Adorable humans..."

They saw the sky transform into a hemispherical dome over Xu Kong Dao, like a mirror that quickly faded to near transparency.

Outside this mirror world, hideous, massive Gui Shou were gathered.

Some had three heads and six arms, others lion heads with spider bodies, some six red eyes, or held knives and clubs... All Gui Shou were in their most primal forms, filling the entire sky!

Without exception, each pressed their heads against the mirror, faces distorting from the pressure, denting the mirror world.

All the Gui Shou faces were pressed almost cheek-to-cheek against the Xu Kong Dao inhabitants they craved.

It was as if, with just a little more force, a tiny bit more...

The thin membrane between the two worlds would break!

They could rush in and feast!

"Sliiurp"

"So fragrant! So fragrant ahhh!"

"This one has smelled it—let me out, let me out ahhh!!"

At Zui Yi Dian, hundreds of people were licked by a massive green tongue, over three hundred zhang long, suddenly emerging from countless grotesque Gui Shou faces.

The sticky fluid even dripped in the space opposite, flowing down!

In that instant, though separated by the thin film of the heterospace, everyone felt as if their mental will, souls, and everything else had been licked away.

"Ah—"

"Damn it! What the hell!"

"Get away, get the hell away from me, you disgusting thing!"

"Rao Jiansheng, save me, Rao Jiansheng..."

"Ahhh, spiders, I hate spiders the most!"

In a flash, Xu Kong Dao descended into madness.

Nearly everyone lost it, skin crawling with goosebumps as they sat on their behinds and scrambled backward, wishing they could bury themselves in a hole.

On Duo Yuan, Rao Yao Yao instinctively stepped back, her foot shattering space from the force.

She almost got dragged away by that green tongue that extended from Zui Yi Dian to Duo Yuan... Her eyes went blank!

Her hand gripping Xuan Cang Shen Jian bled from the strain!

Her body trembled, her red lips twitched!

These things...

These perverts...

Were they really Gui Shou?

Were they the same species as the creatures she'd slain in Hong Yi, which were barely different from mutated spirit beasts?