Chapter 2121: Crisis

"Protect the Sect Master!" Han Jianqiu roared. Simultaneously, countless cultivators of Immortal Monarch rank and above from the four great sects and the ocean flew up, forming a human wall in front of Zhang Xuan.

"Mere riff-raff!" Master Kong snorted, gesturing behind him. With a whoosh, countless powerful figures emerged from the torn space. Among them were Bai Xuansheng, Sect Master of Xuanjing Gate, Gu Zhuiyun, Sect Master of Misty Immortal Sect, and experts from both major sects. The number of Immortal Monarchs alone reached several hundred, easily surpassing the combined forces of the four great sects and the oceanic alliance.

"It's the Immortal Monarchs from the Hall of Deities and the other two great sects..." The hearts of the onlookers tightened. The Hall of Deities had operated for millennia, boasting over twenty False Gods, and their Immortal Monarchs alone exceeded five hundred! With the addition of the remaining two great sects, their sheer numbers were staggering.

Ignoring Han Jianqiu and the defensive formation behind him, Master Kong turned to Zhang Xuan and smiled faintly, "So, you've already prepared the altar and are waiting for me?" To break through to the Divine realm, he intended to extract a certain essence from Zhang Xuan. While other methods could achieve this, they would incur significant losses; an altar simply made it easier.

"Han Jianqiu, lead cultivators of Immortal Monarch rank and above to resist! Everyone else, continue..." Knowing that once his opponent attacked, resistance would be difficult, Zhang Xuan shouted. He turned to the one hundred thousand True Immortals below and continued his lecture: "The Way of Martial Arts..." His voice remained unhurried, devoid of panic, instead exuding a calm demeanor that instantly soothed the agitated minds of those listening.

"How foolish!" Master Kong's face darkened when he saw Zhang Xuan ignoring him and continuing his lecture. He issued an order. *Boom!* Bai Xuansheng, Gu Zhuiyun, and others, accompanied by the remaining False Gods from the Hall of Deities, charged forward, and numerous Immortal Monarchs launched their attacks in unison.

"Protect the Sect Master!" Han Jianqiu roared, charging forward to meet them. Divine Sword Intent spread, and sword energy crisscrossed the sky. False Gods clashed with False Gods, Immortal Monarchs fought Immortal Monarchs; from the outset, it was a battle to the death.

Within mere breaths, Immortal Monarchs began to fall from the sky, their bodies plummeting like rain, one after another. These beings, once revered and mysterious, were now facing life-and-death trials, no different from ordinary mortals.

While the combined forces of the four great sects and the oceanic alliance did not rival the sheer numbers of the Hall of Deities, Xuanjing Gate, and Misty Immortal Sect, their individual combat strength was immense. The two sides quickly became locked in a stalemate, with neither able to secure victory in a short time.

"For the Sect Master! For the continent!" He Jingxuan, the top core disciple of Lingyun Sword Pavilion, soared into the fray. Ever since Bai Ruanqing surpassed him after becoming the Sect Master's disciple, he had cultivated desperately. Although still at the peak of the True Immortal realm, his strength now rivaled, or even exceeded, that of an ordinary Immortal Monarch.

"Killing one is no loss; killing two is a profit!" Another core disciple, Liu Yulian, emerged with a hearty laugh, proving that women are no less capable than men.

"For the Master of Kings!" Crabs, lobsters, and other marine creatures also surged forward. Although their combat strength was significantly reduced outside the ocean, their overwhelming numbers, hard shells, and formidable defenses compensated for this.

The great battle between the two sides ignited like a raging forest fire, instantly becoming impossible to contain.

"Now, it's our turn..." Ignoring the fierce combat, Master Kong stepped forward, traversing dozens of kilometers, to appear above Zhang Xuan. Even before he drew close, the grand formation, established with one hundred thousand formation flags, emitted a soft hum, forming a massive light barrier around the one hundred thousand True Immortals and Zhang Xuan.

This formation was designed not only to prevent spiritual energy from dissipating but also to provide robust defense, making it difficult even for False God experts to breach. With a gentle swipe, Master Kong created a massive rift in front of him and effortlessly stepped through. It was as if the grand formation simply ceased to exist, having no effect on him whatsoever.

Upon entering the formation, Master Kong turned to face the altar nearby. Without any overt action from him, Wu Chen immediately felt the altar slip from his control, throbbing incessantly as if it would fly towards Master Kong at any moment. Wu Chen bit his finger, and fresh blood spurted onto the altar. *Sizzle!* The violently shaking altar was instantly suppressed. Though it still trembled, it was far less intense than before.

"Palace Master Du, quickly come and help!" Wu Chen called out urgently, his face pale. Du Qingyuan rushed forward and also infused her power into the altar. Only then did the altar cease its trembling, hovering quietly in the air.

Taking no further action, Master Kong fixed his gaze on Zhang Xuan once more. "Will you strip it away yourself, or shall I do it? If I do, it won't be as simple for you..." *Whoosh!* Without any discernible movement, the space around Zhang Xuan instantly transformed into an impenetrable barrier, trapping him and making escape or breakthrough impossible.

Zhang Xuan did not reply; instead, he continued his lecture. From the moment Master Kong entered, intending to seize the altar and then attack him, Zhang Xuan's voice had not paused. The one hundred thousand True Immortals below remained deeply engrossed, seemingly oblivious to the encroaching danger.

"Heavenly Impartation, profound insights... truly capable of swaying hearts and commanding loyalty. This is your most adept technique, and you're quite skilled at it! Unfortunately, it's too late to employ it now..." With a faint smile, Master Kong raised his palm and struck at Zhang Xuan.

"Protect the Sect Master..." Just as Wu Chen and Du Qingyuan prepared to rush to Zhang Xuan's defense, a dozen beams of light shot up from below, instantly forming a shield. "If you wish to harm our teacher, you'll have to step over our corpses!" Over a dozen young men and women attacked simultaneously, causing the very heavens and earth to seemingly crack open.

They were Zhao Ya, Zheng Yang, and the others! Zhang Xuan's eleven direct disciples had all reached the False God realm and had even refined the False God realm weapons bestowed by their teacher. Each possessed formidable combat power, and when the eleven united, Master Kong's palm was astonishingly unable to advance even an inch.

"Wu Chen, begin the sacrifice!" Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. With a flick of his finger, the gaseous substance obtained from the City of Falling Emptiness landed directly on the altar. "Great Deity, I, Wu Chen (and Du Qingyuan), perform this sacrifice, offering the sincere loyalty and trust of one hundred thousand True Immortals in exchange for the purest divine qi..." Two chants resonated simultaneously as Du Qingyuan and Wu Chen stood on either side of the altar, each pointing towards the heavens. As their blood fell upon the altar, a ray of light burst forth, and potent spiritual energy instantly enveloped the one hundred thousand True Immortals.

*Whoosh!* A pale yellow flame suddenly ignited above the altar. Black gaseous energy swirled within it, yet remained unchanged.

"The one hundred thousand True Immortals haven't fully opened their hearts yet..." Du Qingyuan's face fell. "The flame must turn golden yellow to completely burn away the corrupting qi within this energy!" Having learned the sacrificial method, she naturally understood the conditions for its success.

Only when all one hundred thousand True Immortals were truly united in heart and mind would the altar produce a golden-yellow flame. The pale yellow indicated that only about half of them were completely loyal!

"The lecture time was still too short..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. Of the one hundred thousand True Immortals, only fifty thousand were truly loyal, and forty thousand of those had advanced earlier. It wasn't that his lecture was ineffective, but rather that the time was simply too short.

All forms of trust are cultivated over time. Even between parents and children, despite blood ties, deep affection cannot form without significant shared time. The same holds true for the bond between teacher and student.

While a teacher's lectures, student learning, and the profound insights of Heavenly Impartation can accelerate the process, even with such advantages, time is still essential; trust cannot be forged instantly! This is precisely what Zhang Xuan currently lacked most. Even another half an hour would have prevented such a passive situation.

"This is... the Divine Qi from the City of Falling Emptiness! You actually managed to obtain it? That skeleton *gave* it to you? Why? Why?!" Master Kong, who was battling Zhao Ya and the others, finally grasped their objective, and his eyes turned bloodshot. Du Qingyuan knew the secrets of the City of Falling Emptiness, but Master Kong, having lived for millennia, understood them far more profoundly.

He had even entered the city himself, obtained a plant, and experienced certain events there. He had visited twice, encountering the skeleton each time. Yet, that ruthless creature would attack without a word, inflicting severe injuries and almost killing him, let alone giving him anything. He had gained nothing on his own, which forced him to scheme against Zhang Xuan to obtain the Divine Qi... So why was Zhang Xuan able to acquire it? This was unfair!

Amidst his roar, his palm struck down once more. This attack carried more than double the power of his previous one. The entire formation shuddered, and space itself seemed to buckle, threatening to shatter at any moment.

"Hold him!" Zhao Ya shouted. Her long sword danced, and streams of sword energy converged, forming pillars that seemed to support the heavens and earth. Zheng Yang also advanced, his long spear whirling, and the space, poised to collapse at any moment, steadfastly held firm under the spear's piercing might.

Wei Ruyan, Kong Shiyao, Liu Yang, Wang Ying, Shan Xiaotian, Lu Chong, Bai Ruanqing, Zhang Jiuxiao, Yuan Tao... These eleven direct disciples, fearless in the face of danger, simultaneously channeled their power to its utmost. Though space teetered on the brink of collapse, it stubbornly held firm, sustained by their combined might.

"They won't last long; continue..." Noticing Wu Chen and the others pausing in surprise, Zhang Xuan instructed them, knowing what was most critical at that moment, and resumed his lecture. As more content was explained through his Heavenly Impartation, the pale yellow flame on the altar deepened in color, gradually shifting towards a golden hue.

"Sect Master, it will take at least another fifteen minutes for the one hundred thousand True Immortals to become completely united in purpose. I fear... they won't be able to hold out!" Wu Chen remarked, unable to suppress his concern, observing that while the flame's color change was rapid, it still required accumulated time. Although Zhao Ya and the others were immensely powerful and fearless in the face of death, they could perhaps hold off Master Kong, who had reached the Divine realm, for a few dozen breaths. But a full fifteen minutes... It was too difficult! Absolutely impossible to achieve!

"I know," Zhang Xuan nodded, "but hold on for as long as you possibly can..." His lecture continued without interruption, his voice resonating through the air. Below, the engrossed crowd seemed utterly oblivious to the unfolding drama above, their immortal power circulating ceaselessly in sync with his words.