I tried to kill the heroines of destiny, but they ended up chasing after me.

"Hmph! Protect? Don't be ridiculous. This Tree of Time is of no use to our clan. In fact, it has caused us to suffer countless calamities. Why should our clan protect it?!" Zhang Shen said matter-of-factly.

"Tsk tsk tsk! You speak so righteously, but unfortunately, I have no interest in traitors, so I will not participate in this matter. Goodbye!" As soon as the Black Nether Venerable finished speaking, he walked lightly out of Emperor Sword Village.

The Black Nether Venerable had never been fond of the Emperor Sword Clan. If it weren't for the fact that her ancestors had a past relationship with the Emperor Sword Clan, she wouldn't have come at all. But she really didn't expect that the once-powerful Emperor Sword Clan had fallen to such a state, even betraying the Tree of Time, which represented the clan's faith. This truly made her sigh!

Therefore, she couldn't think of any reason to help the Emperor Sword Clan or Zhang Shen, so... she left.

Yan Tian and Dao San, who were left behind, watched the departure of the Black Nether Venerable, their expressions of inner turmoil seemingly deepening.

But at this moment, Zhu Yongri suddenly said to Yan Tian, ​​"Yan Tian! I know the hidden place of your clan, and I also know that you have suffered from a very strong fire poison. Every thirty-three days you will suffer unbearable pain. So if you agree to help us, we will also help you get rid of the fire poison!"

"Remove the fire poison?" Yan Tian's eyes flashed, clearly showing interest.

“Yes! With the medical skills of my Zhutian clan, it is not easy to achieve this, but it is possible.” Zhu Yongri nodded.

However, before Yan Tian could respond, Zhu Yongri said to Dao San, "Dao San! Your Dao Ling Clan now only has two people left. If your disciple cannot inherit the Dao Ling Soul of the Dao Ling Clan, then the Dao Ling Clan will surely disappear into the river of time. Therefore, I can promise you that if you return to the Void in the future, I am willing to use the power of the entire clan to assist your disciple so that she can become the next Dao Ling!"

This was a temptation, even greater than the temptation offered to Yan Tian. So the moment Dao San heard these words, her beautiful eyes narrowed sharply, and she subconsciously took a step back.

The Dao Ling Clan is unlike the other three clans. This clan is extremely special. Its population has never been large, with only about a hundred people at its peak. Therefore, it is quite normal for it to decline over time.

However, the cause of their decline was not war, but the Dao Spirit Soul within their clan. The so-called Dao Spirit Soul is actually the soul of the Dao Spirit Ancestor who created the Dao Spirit Clan. However, this soul has no consciousness whatsoever. As long as the body meets certain standards, one can use the power of this soul.

It... is a treasure of the Dao Ling Clan.

This soul's cultivation level in life was at the peak of the Heavenly Monarch realm, and even after death, it still possesses the strength of the late-stage Heavenly Monarch realm. Different people can unleash different powers when using it, but it can never surpass the late-stage Heavenly Monarch realm.

The conditions for using it are indeed extremely demanding. It does not care about bloodline or talent, but only about the compatibility of souls. From ancient times to the present, only the clan leaders of each generation have met the requirements, or rather, as long as the requirements are met, one can become the clan leader of the Daoling Clan.

This is why, in the history of the Daoling Clan, there have been even ten-year-old children and outsiders who have become clan leaders. However, this rule could not stabilize the hearts of the original Daoling Clan members, so the Daoling Clan gradually declined.

Because of their dissatisfaction, their resentment, and the fact that no one was willing to listen to outsiders or even children, the Dao Spirit Clan has been reduced to only one member, Dao San, who is currently the only person in the world capable of using the Dao Spirit Soul.

In fact, over the years, she had been wandering the True Profound Continent in search of a successor, traversing the Imperial Demon Realm and the Heavenly Profound Realm, before finally finding Xu Tianqin, the most suitable person, in the Endless Wasteland.

As the patriarch of the Daoling Clan and the last member of the clan, she naturally valued the clan's legacy more than her own life. Therefore, shortly after Zhu Yongri finished speaking, she nodded and agreed to his request.

Perhaps because Dao San had given his first nod, Yan Tian, ​​after much hesitation, finally agreed to Zhu Yongri's request. As a result, apart from the departing Black Nether Venerable, there were now four experts from the Heavenly Monarch.

This was Zhang Shen's purpose in inviting them to this so-called wedding: to counter the eventual showdown.

At first, Zhang Shen didn't think Jueyi would escape from the North District at all, but he really didn't expect that the facts would slap him in the face. As for why he knew about Jueyi's actions in advance, it was because of the cultivator who could make calculations that he had mentioned before.

That mysterious person not only foresaw the day the Emperor Sword would be born, but also predicted that Zhang Shen would face this calamity today. Therefore, to be on the safe side, he chose to seek help from the various Heavenly Monarch cultivators of the True Profound Continent, because he knew Jue Yi's strength and knew that with his own power, he was simply no match for Jue Yi.

The reason he and Zhu Yongri succeeded last time was partly because Jueyi showed some old affection, and partly because of their sneak attack, which led to Jueyi's downfall. Even so, they couldn't kill Jueyi; at most, they could only imprison him. This time, however, Jueyi will definitely not show any old affection, and he will definitely not give them a chance to sneak attack. Therefore, the difficulty for them to defeat Jueyi again will be unimaginable.

Moreover, Zhang Shen was tired of living in constant fear. He wanted to settle things once and for all with Jue Yi this time. Either Jue Yi would die, or Zhang Shen would perish.

Zhu Yongri thought the same way, because he knew that after Jueyi escaped, he would not let go of him, his accomplice. So rather than letting his opponent come knocking on his door, he might as well plan an opportunity in advance.

“We have four people now. Jue Yi’s cultivation level is probably at the peak of the mid-stage Heavenly Monarch realm, or at most the late-stage Heavenly Monarch realm, so we still have a chance to win…” Zhang Shen said seriously.

“That’s right, but it would be unwise to fight them separately. I hope that everyone can step into this formation and gather all our strength to fight them…” Takenaga Ri interjected, and as he spoke, he stretched out his left hand and gently pointed to the small seats in front of him!

With this gesture, a circular array suddenly lit up on the ground. The array was emitting a blue light and had a diameter of about fifty meters. Within the array, eighteen scattered stars formed a circle, like a circle within a circle, which looked very beautiful.

But this is only part of it. The most eye-catching part is the six different colored stones surrounded by this circle within a circle. They are black, white, red, blue, yellow, and cyan. Their positions seem to have a pattern, as if they represent the six directions. They are arranged in the top, bottom, left, right, front, and back. The black stone is the highest, the white stone is on the bottom, and the red, blue, yellow, and cyan stones float in the array, pointing directly to the four directions!

"The Heaven and Earth Profound Formation?!" Upon seeing the formation, Yan Tian immediately called out its name, and the surprise in his tone was unmistakable.

“That’s right! It’s the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation, the great formation that Ancestor Zhenxuan used back then.” Zhang Shen admitted, a smile appearing on his lips.

"But I remember this formation requires six Heavenly Monarch cultivators to operate, right?" Dao San asked, puzzled. Yan Tian, ​​who had the same question, also turned his attention to Zhang Shen.

“That’s true, so at the beginning, I invited six Heavenly Monarch cultivators. But I didn’t expect that the Black Nether Venerable would be so ungrateful, and the other person…” Zhang Shen paused here, but a hint of resentment appeared in his eyes.

"It's alright!" At this moment, Zhu Yongri seemed to know something and suddenly interjected, "Actually, this formation only nominally requires six people. The four of us can activate it just as well, although it won't have the same power as when activated by six people. And I also believe that a mere late-stage Heavenly Monarch is not enough to make this formation unleash its full power!"

Upon hearing this, Dao San and Yan Tian remained silent, seemingly deep in thought. However, having already agreed to help Zhang Shen, they were determined not to back down easily. In just a few breaths, a resolute look appeared in their eyes.

In short, before the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had fully elapsed, the four of them, after reaching an agreement, flew directly towards the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation and stood on four of the six stones.

Zhang Shen Station is located in the east and its station is on a blue stone; Zhu Yong Ri Station is located in the west and its station is on a blue stone; Yan Tian Station is located in the south and its station is on a red stone; Dao San Station is located in the north and its station is on a yellow stone.

"No matter what, I thank you all in advance! After this battle is over, I, Zhang Shen, will definitely keep my promise!" As he spoke, Zhang Shen's eyes gradually flickered, and then he clasped his hands together, his aura bursting out and instantly captivating the entire formation.

He stands in the east position, at the head of this formation, so he will control it. The other three are merely assistants. Once they enter the formation and activate it, they will all briefly lose consciousness, and all the power will be concentrated on Zhang Shen.

The four of them working together as one made Zhang Shen's cultivation comparable to a half-step Heavenly Monarch. If there were six of them, Zhang Shen would probably be able to fight a true Heavenly Monarch. This was the best solution Zhang Shen could come up with to deal with the decisive battle.

However, in this four-person unity, if Zhang Shen is seriously injured in this battle, then they will also be seriously injured. Simply put, they are all in the same boat, and they will all suffer the same fate!

Everyone present understood this point perfectly, but fortune favors the bold. Whether it was Dao San, Yan Tian, ​​or Zhu Yongri, they all knew that as long as they could get through this period, everything would be fine.

And so, the time it takes to drink a cup of tea passed...

The figure of an old man dressed in blue slowly emerged from the dark sky in front of the four.

Without a doubt, he was giving Zhang Shen and the others time for the decisive battle.

"Oh? It's actually the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation... Hehehe, what a grand gesture!" Jue Yi, who had arrived here, did not try to stop the formation from operating, seemingly completely unconcerned, and simply focused his gaze on Zhang Shen in the east.

At the same time, Zhang Shen opened his eyes and looked at Jue Yi. Soon, he walked out of the Heaven and Earth Profound Array with indifference.

Surprisingly, after Zhang Shen completely left the formation, there was another Zhang Shen in the eastern position. It was as if Zhang Shen had used some kind of secret technique to create another version of himself, which added a strange feeling to the situation.

This naturally has little to do with Zhang Shen himself; it's all because of the Heaven and Earth Without Mysterious Array that two Zhang Shen were created.

The Zhang Shen outside is the real Zhang Shen, and the Zhang Shen inside the formation is also the real Zhang Shen; it's just that these two Zhang Shen are revealed in different forms.

In short, Zhang Shen has now merged with the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation. The formation was broken and Zhang Shen was seriously injured. The reverse is also true. However, the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation is not so easy to break. If you want to break it, you need to be at least a Heavenly Monarch level. Even if you are at the Heavenly Monarch level, it is not something you can do easily.

"To be honest, when I learned that you had escaped from prison, I really wanted to pursue you immediately. However, I was afraid that if we fought to the death, these treacherous people from the four clans would take advantage of the situation. So I let you go. But I didn't expect you to come back again. I really regret it!" Zhang Shen said coldly as he looked at Jue Yi.

"Regret? Heh! Come on! You selfish guy, I believe others will regret it, but to say you yourself will regret it, you really have a thick skin!" Jue Yi said dismissively, as if he didn't take Zhang Shen's words seriously at all.

"Alright, alright! There's no point in talking to you like this. I know we're locked in a life-or-death struggle today, but before that, I want to ask you a question: If you win against me, what will you use to lead the Emperor Sword Clan? Just a few pairs of eyes around us?" As he said this, Zhang Shen glanced around at some hidden places, seemingly having already discovered something.

He was actually referring to a nominal position. According to the rules of the Emperor Sword Clan, a clan leader who hasn't nominally caused significant harm to the clan can absolutely not be removed from office. Although Zhang Shen had colluded with outsiders to harm his own clansmen, that happened a long time ago, and there's absolutely no evidence now, only Zhang Jueyi's words.

In order to find help in a legitimate way, Zhang Shen also took advantage of the clan's rules, namely Zhang Jian's wedding. So if the history of the Emperor Sword Clan were to be written, it would only be written at the wedding ceremony of Zhang Shen's son, where the second branch leader Zhang Jueyi betrayed the Emperor Sword Clan and launched an attack to exterminate the clan leader.

Zhang Shen was a very cautious person. He knew that with the power of the Heaven and Earth Profound Formation, he might be able to win against Jue Yi, but he would be quite willing to force Jue Yi to retreat without lifting a finger.

"In name only?" Jue asked, getting straight to the point.

"Hehehe! That's right, it's all about pretext! You have absolutely no pretext to attack me, and if you make a move now, you'll be a traitor to the Emperor Sword Clan!" Zhang Shen sneered, as if adding another layer of protection.

"Traitor? You're quite the smooth talker, aren't you, the real traitor! But do you really think I came here unprepared? You're underestimating me far too much!" Jue Yi said, his tone unchanged.

"Oh? Is that so? Then let me see how you seize the title?" Zhang Shen asked, somewhat skeptical.

“You’re right. If I were to attack you like this, I would definitely become a sinner of the Emperor Sword Clan, which is not what I want to see. Your feeling is also correct. There are indeed several other lineage leaders lurking around, but the purpose of me calling them here is not to fight alongside me, but simply to have them serve as witnesses.”

"Witness?" Zhang Shen raised an eyebrow, seemingly puzzled.

“That’s right, it’s about witnessing, witnessing how I defeat you, witnessing the truth that those who do many evil deeds will surely perish,” Jueyi said earnestly.

"Come on! If you have a reason to attack me, just say it. If not... if you still want to fight, I'm not afraid of you. You're at most a late-stage Heavenly Monarch, while I've already reached the half-step True Profound realm. Even with formations, I'm stronger than you!" Zhang Shen said with great confidence.

"Alright! Since you want a reason, I'll give you one! I've found the Emperor Sword, is that reason... enough?!" Jue Yi said, his eyes flashing.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Shen was stunned for a moment, then his expression changed slightly, as if he didn't quite believe what Jue Yi said. His eyes narrowed, and he suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha! You found the Emperor Sword?! What are you talking about? The Emperor Sword has been missing for many years. None of the previous clan leaders have ever found it. How could you possibly find it? Or is it that the Emperor Sword chose you?"

"Of course, I wasn't chosen by the Emperor Sword. You're right. Strictly speaking, I didn't find the Emperor Sword, but that doesn't mean I can't possess it," Jue Yi said meaningfully.

"What do you mean?!" Zhang Shensheng asked, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

"Hmph! It means exactly what it says, you should understand it! I remember you once received a cultivator who was good at divination, didn't he tell you that the Emperor Sword would appear in the next few years?" Jue Yi narrowed his eyes and asked in return.

"That's impossible! That person did indeed perform a calculation, but he was talking about my son!" Zhang Shen exclaimed.

"Your son? What makes you think he's your son? That person wouldn't reveal his name directly, would they? After all, the more they reveal, the less the laws of the True Profound Continent will allow it. I don't believe that person would violate the laws of the True Profound Continent for your sake," Jue Yi continued to press.

"Tch! Of all the requirements that person mentioned, only my son fully meets them, so who else could it be but my son?!" As he spoke, Zhang Shen seemed to gain a bit of confidence.

“Alright! It seems you’re not quite clear about that person’s so-called requirements! That’s true, those who are good at deduction often give people a false impression, and I believe you are no exception. But I’m not lying to you, the Emperor Sword has indeed been found, and the person who found it is definitely not your son!” Jue Yi said solemnly.

This made Zhang Shen's mind startle, and he subconsciously took a step back.

"Who is he?!" Zhang Shen suddenly asked, somewhat agitated.

"Hehehe! Want to know? Sure! Defeat me! And I'll tell you!" Jue Yi sneered.

……

On the other hand, outside the Emperor Sword Clan, within the Emperor Sword Town.

Inside the inn where Huang Quan was before.

Unlike the people from the four clans who were watching the spectacle outside Emperor Sword Village, Huang Quan had already returned to his room, except that there were two other people there as well.

There was no suspense; the two people were Zhang Jian and Liu Xiyao.

Taking advantage of the chaos in Emperor Sword Village, Zhang Jian and Huang Quan split up. Zhang Jian managed to deceive some of his clansmen and successfully took Liu Xiyao away. This is why he did not return to the Qingge Grand Seat; he had been hiding and waiting for the best opportunity.

Huang Quan chose to wait outside, since Zhang Jian was the eldest son of the Emperor Sword Clan, making it easier for him to act.

At this moment, Liu Xiyao was hugging Huang Quan's left arm without any hesitation, her face beaming with happiness.

Although Zhang Jian didn't pay too much attention to this situation, he still managed a wry smile.

After all, nominally speaking, Liu Xiyao, who is holding him now, is his fiancée!

The clanswoman was clearly a little unhappy, but fortunately she wasn't the kind of person to make trouble unreasonably, and she gradually quieted down.

“Now that such a big thing has happened to the Emperor Sword Clan, if we want to leave, we can only do so now,” Zhang Jian said, his eyes flickering slightly.

"Do you have any ideas?" Huang Quan asked after thinking for a moment.

“Hmm.” Zhang Jian nodded, then continued, “The Emperor Sword Clan has two exits. The first is the invisible barrier you entered through, but that exit is quite obvious and would easily attract the attention of the Emperor Sword Clan, so we can’t go through there for now. The second exit is a secret passage…”

"A secret passage?" Huang Quan looked slightly doubtful.

“That’s right! It’s the secret passage! When members of the Emperor Sword Clan need to leave the clan to handle some clandestine matters, they can’t use the main entrance, so they leave through that secret passage…”

“And back then… I was abandoned by my father in that secret passage.” As he said this, Zhang Jian’s tone was filled with hatred.

Chapter 220 Formation

The Emperor Sword Clan, Emperor Sword Village, before the Green Pavilion in the East District.

The battle between the two has begun.

The deafening roar was deafening, and the dark sky was instantly filled with the aftershocks of the powerful force.