Chapter 1612: Great Battle

Amidst angry screams, Princess Zijiang gradually calmed, her eyes quickly becoming vacant.

Soon, she looked around blankly, like a newborn, curious about everything.

Jiang Fan released her. The coldness on his face receded, replaced by a trace of a smile.

"Zijiang, are your injuries healed?"

Princess Zijiang looked at Jiang Fan in surprise. She opened her mouth and only after a while regained her ability to speak.

"Who am I?"

Jiang Fan replied, "I am Jiang Fan, and you are Princess Zijiang of the Celestial Realm. We met in the Celestial Realm..." He spun a detailed tale. "The Giant Kings on the ground are here to hunt you. You were injured and lost your memory."

Princess Zijiang frowned slightly, saying nothing. Even intelligent people remain vigilant when they lose their memory. She reserved judgment on Jiang Fan's words.

Jiang Fan produced a letter. "This is a distress letter you once wrote to me," he said.

Princess Zijiang took the letter and calmly read it through.

"Any more questions?" Jiang Fan asked.

Princess Zijiang smiled brightly and said, "No, Brother Jiang Fan."

"Thank you for saving me."

Jiang Fan smiled. "You've also helped me greatly," he said. "From now on, stay by my side."

Princess Zijiang nodded her enormous head. Behind her back, she subtly wrote a character in the air on the ground. Then, comparing it to the handwriting on the letter, she quietly tried to identify it.

Just then, a massive rift suddenly appeared in the sky. It was the Sage's spatial fluctuations, tearing open the world barrier!

Amidst a terrifying roar, the ancient voice of the Grand Libationer resonated:

"Hun Yuan Province is in distress!"

"Giant armies from all corners of the Celestial Realm are converging on Hun Yuan Province!"

"The decisive battle is about to begin!"

Then, a light screen was projected above Taicang Province. It displayed the real-time battle situations of various provinces. Tian Province, however, remained unreachable, and its display was blurry. The situations in the other eight provinces were perfectly clear.

Among them, Taicang Province, Dahang Province, Dan Province, Divine Arms Province, and Sacred Spirit Province had all achieved major victories. All invading ancient giants had been vanquished. Hun Yuan Province, Myriad Demon Province, and Gui Xu Province were still in fierce battles. Myriad Demon Province was in a stalemate, its situation not critical. With the Grand Libationer's assistance, only remnants were now being encircled in Gui Xu Province, with victory in sight.

Notably, only the half of the continent inhabited by humans was fiercely resisting the ancient giants. The other half of the continent, belonging to Tianyi City, was calm and peaceful, showing no signs of ancient giant invasion. The half-giants also showed no intention of assisting Qunxing Mountain, watching as it fought the giants alone.

Jiang Fan gazed deeply at Tianyi City for a moment, then hurriedly checked the situation in Hun Yuan Province. They hadn't realized the extent until they saw it; everyone was stunned. The flames of war in Hun Yuan Province had already spread to every corner. They failed to block the initial attack, allowing the ancient giants to spread throughout the entire province. Even through the screen, Jiang Fan could imagine how many had tragically died in the ancient giants' hunts. It was just like the Great Celestial Hunt, when a Shura tribe was invaded by ancient giants.

"These beasts, they won't even spare infants!"

"After all, one province has still fallen!" the Heart Demon Venerable sighed in a low voice.

Bodhisattva Pingtian pressed his palms together, compassion emanating from his eyes: "Amitābha."

Even King Shura Mingye observed a moment of silence. Having witnessed the tragic state of the various Shura strongholds, he understood exactly what Hun Yuan Province had endured. That was definitely a living hell.

Jiang Wuya's voice trembled: "These demons!" The Divine Stele vibrated with his emotions, releasing powerful misfortune.

The Red Demon Great Venerable sighed softly. "Blame our generation," he said, "for exhausting the resources of the Central Earth, only to fail at the cusp of success and bring disaster upon future generations."

Jiang Fan gazed at Hun Yuan Province, feeling an unspeakable oppression in his heart. It was as if countless furies surged within his chest, threatening to tear him apart.

"Ancient Giants!" He clenched his fists and growled, "Go!"

"To Hun Yuan Province!"

"We'll fight these beasts to the death!"

At the same time, strong spatial fluctuations emanated from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. The provincial-level teleportation array leading to Hun Yuan Province had opened! People from all provinces would now travel to Hun Yuan Province to engage in the final decisive battle against the ancient giant army!

Jiang Fan instantly teleported towards the Imperial Astronomical Bureau. Everyone followed suit.

Princess Zijiang compared the characters to the letter, and then to the many characters she had written, murmuring softly: "The handwriting is indeed mine."

"But why would I betray the ancient giants and serve Brother Jiang Fan?"

After a moment's thought, she erased the characters on the ground and leaped to catch up with Jiang Fan.

Imperial Astronomical Bureau.

The teleportation arrays leading to the various sects flashed urgently. Batch after batch of Nascent Soul cultivators from various sects streamed out of the teleportation hall. They also saw the Grand Libationer's announcement and witnessed the living hell of Hun Yuan Province. Without being summoned, they all spontaneously gathered at the Imperial Astronomical Bureau to embark on an expedition to Hun Yuan Province.

Upon seeing Jiang Fan's arrival, a graceful figure in an emerald silk dress came to greet him. It was Xu Youran. She studied Jiang Fan's grave expression, seeing the guilt he couldn't hide. She silently embraced him and said:

"My husband, don't blame yourself."

"The fall of Hun Yuan Province is not your fault. You were fighting the Immaculate Great Venerable to rescue the Star Abyss Great Venerable."

"No one will blame you."

Jiang Fan's self-reproach only deepened. A large reason why Hun Yuan Province fell to such a state was that the Grand Libationer had intervened prematurely and was targeted by the Nine-Sun Giant Emperor. Consequently, unlike other provinces, they couldn't have the Grand Libationer clear out most of the enemy forces for them.

Fairy Yunshang also gently comforted him. "Jiang Lang, you have already done enough for the Central Earth," she said. "There's no need to blame yourself."

Liu Qingxian also rushed over and patted his shoulder: "If it weren't for you, Taicang Province would have followed in Hun Yuan Province's footsteps."

"The location of the decisive battle would also be our Taicang Province."

"You haven't done anything wrong."

Yes, Jiang Fan also knew that no one would blame him. But he still blamed himself. If his strength had been a little greater then, and he had dealt with the Immaculate Great Venerable himself, it wouldn't have led to the Grand Libationer's intervention. And Hun Yuan Province wouldn't have ended up in its current state.

The Red Demon Great Venerable, hands clasped behind his back, said in a deep voice, "Boy, if you truly feel ashamed for Hun Yuan Province, then go and fight."

"Slay the ancient giants until not one is left; make them pay with their lives for what they did to Hun Yuan Province!"

Jiang Fan gritted his teeth. Yes, what was the use of self-pity? What needed to be done was to make these ancient giants pay the price!

His battle intent soared. He gently released Xu Youran and looked around at the dense crowd of over a thousand Nascent Soul cultivators. They were the only remaining Nascent Soul cultivators of Taicang Province. Many still bore unhealed wounds.

Jiang Fan said, "All of you, go back."

"This battle only needs those of us in the Divine Transformation Realm!"

The decisive battle's true scale rests with those in the Sage and Divine Transformation Realms. Unless they determine the victor, the wins and losses at the Nascent Soul Realm level will be meaningless.

The Myriad Tribulations Hall Master said forcefully, "Go!"

"All of us from Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall will go!"

"The survival of the Central Earth is not just the concern of you Divine Transformation seniors; it's our concern as Nascent Soul cultivators too!"

"Members of Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall, follow me!"

The Dao Leader of Sanqing Mountain let out a long cry. "Venerable Xinghuo," he said, "our Sanqing Mountain's performance in the Taicang Province battle must have impressed you, didn't it?"

"But that's not enough!"

"Our Sanqing Mountain will also charge into Hun Yuan Province to show you our true colors!"

"Disciples of Sanqing Mountain, march with me!"

Feng Yuanzong of the Great Yin Sect, his eyes red, said: "My Great Yin Sect has no cowards either!"

"Bring your coffins; if we must die, we will die in Hun Yuan Province!"

"Let's go!"

White Horse Temple. Abbot Puguang gazed at Bodhisattva Pingtian, a mix of sadness and laughter on his face: "Bodhisattva Tianting has a successor, so we monks have no more worries."

"Monks of White Horse Temple, follow this humble monk to vanquish the demons!"

Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, Jiangshan Yipin Tower, Myriad Phenomena Empty Realm... The remaining sects of Taicang Province, and all their remaining Nascent Soul cultivators, had all set out for battle.

Jiang Fan watched their mighty procession, unafraid of death, rushing towards the decisive battle. His blood boiled in his chest, and his eyes welled with emotion: "With such brave warriors in the Central Earth, how can we fail to win this battle?"

"Let's go!"

"To Hun Yuan! Annihilate the giants!"