The tremors, like a dragon turning over, became insignificant after transmitting through two hundred miles. Under the shrouded fog, the lower-ranking soldiers couldn’t see that far, but just because the junior soldiers couldn’t see, it didn’t mean Zong Qingsheng and Hua Hong couldn’t sense it.

Even constrained by the Fog Array of the Sword Sect, they could still perceive that a Qi Flow Sea had formed almost instantly near the heart of the Sword Sect.

The tumultuous Origin Qi turbulence disrupted all probing methods there, yet the most superficial visual observation could still vaguely discern it.

The sky was dim,

The fog was hazy,

A mysterious towering object swayed around the main peak.

Seeing this scene,

Hua Hong froze, unable to speak.

Zong Qingsheng’s face remained stern, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.

After a moment, Zong Qingsheng slowly glanced back:

"Hua Hong, this is why I didn’t stop the young master; he has long reached a point where he doesn’t need you or me to worry."

Hua Hong snapped back to reality, looked at the other, took a deep breath, and neither confirmed nor denied:

"Let’s hope so."

Zong Qingsheng ignored the other’s attitude and directly dismissed him:

"The young master has severed the connection between Tianyuan Main Peak and the outside world. The Sword Sect army on the periphery will inevitably fall into chaos, and the opportunity for battle is fleeting, so forgive me for not accompanying you."

With that, Zong Qingsheng instantly disappeared.

Hua Hong still stared at the tentacles created by Xu Yuan.

Perhaps, indeed, it was his own unfounded worry.

The young master had grown up and didn’t need these old folks to worry about him.

Yet,

He still didn’t believe his doubts about Zong Qingsheng were baseless.

Looking towards the direction Zong Qingsheng had left, Hua Hong’s eyes were deep.

Zong Qingsheng, what exactly do you intend to do?

...

...

...

At Tianyuan Main Peak, the tremors and rumbling of the mountain had not ceased.

After completing all this, Xu Yuan’s breath was somewhat faint. Absorbing all the Life and Death Dao Charm from the battlefield, and achieving this step with the aid of the Military Formation’s great power was still quite arduous, but it was all worth it to awaken those individuals in the hall completely.

The thought was motivated by heart.

Under his control.

Four giant tentacles composed of the Black Death Mycelial Mat slowly entwined, their veins gnarled like living sinews, emitting an ominous faint glow. Countless strands of black tendrils extended from the giant arms, writhing like a swarm of snakes, inching towards the formation’s heavenly canopy that guarded the Sword Sect, emanating a faint blue glow.

And just as countless Sword Sect Disciples on the square before the mountain gate turned ashen with despair,

The protective heavenly canopy of the Sword Sect suddenly blazed with intense light.

A brilliantly dazzling beam rapidly condensed, bright as daylight, shot out without any warning from the top of Tianyuan Main Hall, sweeping towards one of the towering tentacles.

The brilliant beam sliced through like an invincible sword blade, severing the mountain ridges along its path smoothly, like a mirror, while the shattered earth was melted into glass by the high temperature. In an instant, the formation’s beam cut off the two tentacles encircling the east and south of the main peak from the base!

Rumble————

The sound of the giant object’s collapse was deafening, almost drowning out everything on the battlefield. The impact wave from its fall turned into a visible white air wave, even dispersing the endless blood-red fog that filled the mountains for a moment, revealing the somber sky dome.

Xu Yuan was not surprised by this; he stood in the void, his clothes rustling in the storm, his expression calm and unperturbed.

If the Mountain Protection Array of the Sword Sect were so easily breached, Zong Qingsheng wouldn’t have waited this long. But likewise, if this blood-red giant hand were so easily severed, he wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to shape it.

Only to see that on the cross-section where the giant hand was severed, countless writhing scarlet buds rapidly grew from both ends, like a horde of twisted little snakes frantically spreading towards one another, interlacing, sticking together, and entangling amidst a teeth-grating "sizzling" sound, trying to mend the "wound" slashed by the brilliant light...

"Han King, continue casting spells. The formation’s next target won’t be these tentacles."

A cold voice abruptly came from the direction of Tianyuan Main Hall, resonating among the mountain peaks.

Simultaneously,

Above the heavenly canopy,

The splendor flowed, automatically revolving open a gap about half a meter wide.

"If you have any intention to negotiate, please stop everything you’re doing now."

Xu Yuan’s voice, augmented by the Military Formation, became deep and resonant:

"To avoid some of your minds remaining unclear, this is a necessary process."

The voice paused for a moment, then said:

"If you’re so wary, why bother coming to negotiate?"

"Wary...."

Xu Yuan softly murmured, his eyelids lowered, casting a shadow with his long lashes under his eyes, and said gently:

"Indeed wary, but not of you being able to kill me, rather of you blocking your only path of survival."

Speaking thus,

Xu Yuan glanced sideways at Ran Qingmo and the others, signaling them to follow immediately. Then, as he descended towards the revolving gap of light, he murmured:

"If unnecessary.... I don’t wish to slaughter the Sword Sect."

"...."

The voice said no more, seemingly acquiescing.

...

...

...

At the Sword Sect’s mountain gate.

The conversation at the top was unshielded, echoing clearly over the main peak shrouded in fog. Those who heard were surprised by the impending negotiations, but more felt the naked disdain, sparking anger.

Not everyone could accept negotiations, even knowing they were outmatched.

From the lower perspective looking up, they couldn’t comprehend much about national interests; they hoped to live, but the memories of friends and family tragically killed under the Imperial Court’s iron hoof, those scenes of blood and severed limbs, were clearer.

Attack.

Take the chance to kill Xu Yuan as he leaves the Military Formation.

Kill this culprit who instigated the war.

People’s understanding of loyalty may be flawed, thus some began to stir at this moment.