Linghu Chang clenched his fists so tightly his nails threatened to pierce his own flesh.
"Immortal Ruins..." Xiao Heng and the others murmured, their hearts filled with an even deeper, nameless terror.
"Will we... will this entire world be sucked up there?" Su Xiaomei asked somewhat dazedly.
Linghu Chang gave a cold laugh. “Back then, the Ten Immortal Dao Sects were constantly at each other's throats, with never-ending open conflicts and covert struggles. And then, from a certain moment, they became remarkably unified, speaking as one. I imagine the Xuanhuang World owes its survival, at least in part, to their efforts back then.”
Hearing this, Xiao Heng and the others felt a measure of relief.
Yet the unease that rose in their hearts from time to time was not so easily dispelled.
***
Just as Xiao Heng and the others finally became aware of the Xuanhuang World's true predicament, Li Fan, still ignorant of all this, had completed the final inspection of the Soul-Locking Array in the last province.
The universal implementation of the Tianxuan Soul-Locking Array was imminent. All the array masters who participated in their construction received invitations from the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters.
"Head to Tianling Province to watch the Soul-Locking Array's debut performance? What does this mean?"
Li Fan looked at the black-and-gold jade slip-like invitation in his hand and asked Huangfu Song.
"Perhaps it has something to do with the void in Tianling Province," Huangfu Song said quietly.
"Anyway, for some reason, it's almost guaranteed that the Five Elders Council is about to stir up war again. So the Alliance has decided to use the occasion of the Soul-Locking Array's unveiling to teach them a harsh lesson."
Hearing this, Li Fan nodded slowly.
Looking at this jade slip, a thread of unease suddenly welled up in his heart for some reason.
"Let's go. Quite a few people have already arrived. It wouldn't do to miss such a grand spectacle."
Huangfu Song piloted the Dust-Crossing Boat towards Yanghua Immortal City. Then, taking teleportation arrays, they hurried towards Tianling Province.
Midway, however, Li Fan suddenly stopped. "Senior Huangfu, you go on ahead. I have some business to attend to. I need to make a stop at the Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters first."
He gave a look that said, “you should understand.”
"The Myriad Immortals Alliance headquarters?" Huangfu Song was startled, but comprehension dawned quickly.
"Then allow me to offer my congratulations, Fellow Daoist!"
He looked at Li Fan with envy, then inwardly shook his head and departed first.
After Huangfu Song left, Li Fan's expression did not change.
Inwardly, however, he was replaying the message Lu Xuejing had just sent him.
"Danger."
It seems my earlier premonition was correct. Something bad will happen in Tianling Province.
Li Fan began to deliberate silently.