Chapter 1321: Heavenly Soldiers Fall

With a booming sound, the battle monument magnified, reaching a thousand zhang tall. Its aura was immense, like an ancient peak, exuding a heart-palpitating presence. Threads of Dao patterns flowed across its surface, giving it an ancient and grand appearance.

This monument seemed like a god reawakening, possessing its own life force. Then, battle energy surged, and phantom images of gods and demons, along with heroic spirits, emerged as if they were real.

A tremendous pressure swept across the eight directions, and the battle monument shook heaven and earth!

Unfortunately, this impressive display didn't last long. The twelve Saints lacked coordination, and their battle formation went out of control, making them unable to wield the monument. They scattered in all directions.

Boom!

The ancient monument crashed down, unleashing a powerful shockwave.

"Ouch... howl..."

The Dragon Horse screamed miserably, taking the brunt of the impact. It was almost flattened into a pancake, pinned beneath the ancient monument, with only one leg exposed, twitching continuously.

The others exchanged glances, instantly teleporting dozens of miles away, fearing its wrath if it were to retaliate against them.

Ye Fan frowned. The twelve Saints were individually powerful, but it was difficult for them to work together. They were all unruly individuals, and expecting them to unite was like asking a golden lion to become a vegetarian.

The Dragon Horse cursed repeatedly as it crawled out from under the stone monument, berating the Black Bear, Nine-Tailed Alligator Dragon, and Heavenly Scorpion for their lack of loyalty, leaving it to be suppressed alone and almost breaking its bones.

Fortunately, the pressure from the divine monument dissipated at the last moment and did not directly hit it, otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

They made a second attempt, arranging themselves according to an ancient battle formation, moving together to control the stone monument, hoping to unleash world-destroying power. Unfortunately, they failed again.

"Ow..."

This time, the unfortunate Black Bear Saint was suppressed. Its massive, mountain-like body was pinned to the ground by the battle monument. It immediately shrank, becoming a mini-bear about a foot long, and crawled out. Its large eyes blinked, teary, as it accused the others of being disloyal and using it as a shield.

"Stop playing the victim! You colossal brute, bigger than a mountain, just moments ago you sat on my back with your rear, almost crushing me to death!" the Dragon Horse said indignantly.

Ye Fan felt a wave of helplessness. It was impossible to expect these individuals to cooperate wholeheartedly in a short time; they would need to be tempered through a series of life-and-death battles to finally come together.

The most crucial aspect of activating this monument was not their cultivation or realm, but their resolve and courage, and their ability to act as one without any other distractions.

Each of the twelve Saints possessed the mindset of a mountain bandit king, none of them were easy to deal with. It was exceedingly difficult to make them restrain themselves and adhere to discipline.

The battle monument was an unparalleled "great artifact" with an astonishing origin, but not just anyone could activate it. It was suitable for a seasoned army, not this unruly group.

Ye Fan led his group back to the Lin Clan, where the situation had grown even more tense, with a strong sense of impending battle and an atmosphere of war on the verge of breaking out.

Ancient demons from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, powerful human experts, and even overlords from the sea realms were present. The Gu Family's activities in recent days had indeed achieved remarkable results.

Ye Fan taking away the Gu Family's stone monument was akin to slapping them in the face. Now, they had reached a point of open hostility, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

"The old Saint King from the He Family has arrived. The Pangolin Sacred Beast King from the Primordial Mountains is here, the Arctic Azure Wolf has manifested, and the Shark Saint King from the West Sea has also appeared. Most importantly, the Gu Family's Old Ancestor has emerged from seclusion. Currently, several Saint Kings are planning."

Wang Ziwen explained the situation with some concern. His father-in-law was powerful, but he hadn't yet taken that final step. If a conflict broke out, how could he face so many old adversaries alone?

Ye Fan paused, saying, "Isn't the elder about to become a Great Saint? Why has there been another unforeseen delay?"

Wang Ziwen smiled bitterly and replied, "He wants to ponder for a few more days; he feels it's necessary to perfect his Dao tradition."

Ye Fan was deeply surprised. Those who could become Great Saints were undoubtedly exceptionally talented individuals. This old Saint of the Lin Clan was indeed extraordinary, managing to remain composed under such circumstances.

Wang Ziwen said, "We can only delay for a few days. For now, only strong deterrence will keep them guessing our true strength and allow us to maintain the initiative."

Ye Fan nodded and discussed with him for a long time. In recent days, the Lin Clan had also allied with some powerful figures, such as the South Sea Dragon King and the Central Yue Saint King.

"Bang!"

Outside the Lin Clan's territory, a spiritual mountain was shattered, and powerful fluctuations surged, reaching their location.

This was a provocation, testing the Lin Clan's true strength. A major battle could erupt at any moment, and they wanted to see if the Lin Clan had other powerful reinforcements besides the twelve Saints.

"Lin Clan, why do you insist on this? Your ambition is too great! Colluding with outer-domain devils and attempting to eradicate the major legacies on my Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star is unforgivable!"

An ancient voice boomed from a distance, rumbling closer, intimidating this pure land. A Saint King had arrived.

"It's the Saint King from the He Family," Wang Ziwen said. This was a formidable expert; the last time He Kun and He Qingyang dared to aggressively attack, it was because this individual was guarding their clan.

Various declarations were heard, along with conciliatory advice, claiming that if the Lin Clan surrendered the outer-domain devils, the matter would be resolved, and no further action would be taken.

Over the next two days, the region became extremely tense. Several peak Saint Kings arrived, and continuous clamor filled the air.

"Surrender the outer-domain devils and return peace to my Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star!"

"Eliminate the invaders, bring them to justice, and restore harmony and tranquility to the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star!"

Large numbers of cultivators arrived to exert pressure, all disciples from the major factions. They created a tremendous uproar, portraying Ye Fan as a heinous arch-devil.

These individuals couldn't openly reveal their ulterior motives of targeting Lin Han and seizing the Nine-Revolving Immortal Pill. Instead, they invoked a righteous cause, calling upon all powerful cultivators of the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star to unite and eliminate the outer-domain invaders.

Naturally, they also grandiosely declared that if the Lin Clan would see the error of their ways and help them slay the devils, it would be a great service.

The only person these individuals feared was Lin Han; they were unsure of his current status. He was an old adversary who filled them with dread, and they worried this might be a trap he set, waiting for them to fall into it.

"Protect our Heavenly Soldier Star, defend our lands, and surrender the ringleader!" a group shouted, urging the Lin Clan to understand the greater good and prioritize the overall situation.

"The situation is quite unfavorable," Wang Ziwen said, frowning. Some individuals were secretly active, trying to persuade one of the three Great Saints to act against the Lin Clan.

Both sides were stalling for time, neither daring to make a rash move.

"These people are truly shameless! They came for the Nine-Revolving Immortal Pill, yet they invoke some righteous cause, wanting to use the entire ancient star's power to eradicate us," the Dragon Horse and others indignantly remarked.

During this period, Wang Ziwen and others naturally did a great deal of work, organizing significant forces to expose the true motives of the Gu Family, He Family, and others.

Undercurrents surged in this region!

"It's nothing serious," Ye Fan said. He gathered the Dragon Horse, Golden Lion, Black Bear Saint, and others, instructing them to mobilize and focus all their strength on eliminating the relatively weaker He Family with decisive force, thereby deterring everyone else.

The next day, a huge uproar occurred. The He Family came under attack, and despite being protected by an ancient magic array, they were severely crippled, almost completely uprooted.

As soon as this news spread, the entire ancient star was shaken. Everyone knew it must be the Lin Clan's counterattack, having taken the initiative to strike again.

At the same time, Ye Fan breached the Arctic Azure Wolf's cave dwelling, causing a scene of wailing ghosts and gods, with corpses strewn everywhere. The world was shaken once more. The Azure Wolf Saint Beast King was a formidable and dangerous figure, who usually held sway over the north, unchallenged by anyone. Now, his dwelling had been breached, which was truly astonishing.

Currently, the Azure Wolf Saint Beast King had aligned with the Gu Family, raising the banner of righteousness, which left many feeling helpless.

At this moment, while people were shocked, they were also secretly excited, thinking it would be good if more such formidable villains were slain.

The Azure Wolf Saint King was enraged and immediately returned to the Arctic. Upon learning that his most beloved young son had been captured and that he had been warned to behave recently, he roared, shattering mountains, and headed south, demanding that the Gu Family and others launch a full-scale assault on the Lin Clan to completely eliminate their enemies.

However, the Pangolin Saint King, the West Sea Shark Saint King, and others became wary. They quickly departed, fearing their own cave dwellings might be targeted and their backyards raided.

In these few days, Wang Ziwen was overwhelmed with anxiety. He personally visited the other two elder Great Saints, besides the Fire Crow Great Saint, fearing they might be persuaded to join the opposing side.

Ye Fan's side, employing both direct attacks and feints, struck forcefully, truly terrifying some individuals.

"Kill!"

The Gu Family's Old Saint King, the Azure Wolf Saint Beast King, the He Family's Old Ancestor, the West Sea Shark Saint King, the Pangolin Venerable from the Primordial Mountains, and others finally made their move.

Ancient magic arrays flickered and were continuously breached. Then, lines of Source Heaven patterns emerged, transforming the landscape and obstructing the attacks of the ancestors.

This was a bloody battle. Ye Fan, overseeing the situation, used the carefully arranged Source Heaven pattern array to trap several major experts.

The Lin Clan, the Wang Family, and reinforcements like the South Sea Dragon King and the Central Yue Saint King all took action, ambushing powerful enemies within the formation. They fought fiercely, to the point where the sun and moon lost their light and the heavens and earth paled.

"Puff!"

Ye Fan let out a long cry. To the disbelief of many, he used his Saint Body to cleave the Gu Family's second-in-command, a Saint King, into two, thus slaying a peerless expert.

A rain of blood splattered across the sky, staining the ground red. The Dragon Horse, Golden Lion, and others also joined the fray, battling in all directions, turning the area into a frenzy.

Finally, an immense pressure emerged, descending from beyond the domain. Lin Han appeared, having successfully transcended the Great Saint tribulation. He was like an ancient god, his body enveloped in traces of the Grand Dao, possessing world-shaking divine power and an overwhelming aura.

All suspense vanished. The Gu Family, He Family, Arctic Azure Wolf, Shark Saint King, Pangolin Venerable, and others all perished, turning into a rain of blood. Before a Great Saint, their former adversaries were utterly insignificant.

As the saying goes, the victors become kings and the defeated become villains. Moreover, the Gu Family, He Family, and others harbored malicious intentions, attempting to obstruct Lin Han from becoming a Great Saint and starting a major conflict over the Nine-Revolving Immortal Pill. After their crushing defeat, they were denounced by all sides.

War is never merciful. A period of cleansing naturally followed, with some major powers rising while others became relics of the past, buried in the dust of history.

The title of "outer-domain arch-devil" disappeared, and Ye Fan and his companions became honored guests of various factions on the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star. They stayed for a month, comprehending the Grand Dao and understanding the extraordinary nature of this ancient star, confirming it was a training ground and troop-rearing site for the ancient Heavenly Court.

With all the Saints from the Gu Family and He Family eradicated, the entire ancient star returned to peace. Four Great Saints now presided over it, ushering in an era of tranquility.

"Take care!" Ye Fan turned, strode away, and embarked on his journey once more.

Wang Ziwen silently saw them off, watching them depart from the Heavenly Soldier Ancient Star.

The Nine Dragons pulling the coffin had altered their life paths, leading them to vastly different lives. They did not know where their true home was, nor if they would ever reunite.

"The starry sky is vast. Even a Great Emperor can only shine for a fleeting moment in the long river of time, briefly illuminating the universe. Who can achieve immortality?" Wang Ziwen sighed. His path was different from Ye Fan's; their personal choices varied.

"Father, do you also wish to ascend the path to heaven, travel while singing, contend in the depths of the universe, witness a prosperous era, and welcome the arrival of a golden mythical age?" Wang Chen asked.

"That is not my path," Wang Ziwen replied. "With you all, I don't wish to be buried in an outer domain. In my eyes, this place is the most prosperous, and it is my great era."

"Father, someday we'll visit your homeland," Wang Xi said cheerfully.

"Alright!" Wang Ziwen nodded, but a sense of profound loss lingered in his heart.

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