193: The imperial formation collapsed, and the endgame began

“Boom!”

The complete explosion of the core array eye of the Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation was like lighting the fuse of a chain reaction! The entire massive evil array, covering tens of thousands of miles, let out a final earth-shattering wail and began an irreversible, complete collapse!

The countless skeletal altars supporting the array crumbled like sandcastles whose foundations had been removed, turning into a sky full of bone dust! The flowing sea of blood instantly evaporated, leaving behind only a scorched earth! The crisscrossing destiny runes and vengeful spirit chains shattered inch by inch, dissipating into nothingness! The thick mist of destiny and the dark clouds of death qi that enveloped the Soul Burial Mountain Range receded rapidly, like thin gauze blown away by a strong wind! The long-lost light of day finally… pierced through this land that had been ruled by darkness for too long!

The energy backlash caused by the array's collapse swept through the entire core area like a destructive tsunami! Space collapsed in large sections, forming black holes that swallowed everything! Violent energy currents surged chaotically, washing over everything! The remaining Heavenly Secret Pavilion members and Soul Hall puppets who couldn't escape were easily torn apart and annihilated like ants in the face of this world-ending catastrophe! Screams, explosions, and the sound of collapsing space… intertwined into a tragic elegy of the apocalypse!

“No—!!! My Emperor Body!!! My ten-thousand-year plan—!!!”

At the center of the energy storm, the shattered starlight body of the Pavilion Master Tianji let out a distorted, mournful roar! He watched helplessly as the Emperor Array, which he had painstakingly constructed with countless efforts and the sacrifice of billions of lives, disintegrated before his eyes! The destiny Emperor Body that was about to take shape also… vanished into thin air! Extreme rage, unwillingness, and venom almost consumed his soul!

“Xiao Chen!!! It’s all you!!! You ruined everything!!! This Venerable… will never rest until you are dead!!!” He frantically mobilized his remaining destiny power, trying to lock onto Xiao Chen, who was falling in the explosion, and tear him to pieces! But the power of the array's backlash was too violent, and he himself suffered unimaginable heavy injuries, his starlight body becoming even more ethereal, making it extremely difficult to even maintain his form!

“Master! Hurry! The array's backlash is too strong! If we don’t leave now, it will be too late!” Several loyal Heavenly Secret Pavilion Elders, despite their own severe injuries, desperately rushed over, protected the Pavilion Master Tianji’s broken body, tore open a temporary spatial rift, and fled in a panic! They didn't even have time to take any remnants of their forces!

At this moment, the source of all this—Xiao Chen—was falling from the center of the explosion like a withered leaf. His body was covered in terrifying cracks, his blood almost drained, his aura extremely weak, and his soul fire… flickered precariously, as if it could extinguish at any moment. That final blow, which detonated the Emperor Origin Crystal, had almost exhausted all of his life force and soul origin.

“Chen’er—!!!”

“Saint Xiao—!!!”

Just then, Xuan Kongzi, Flame Heart, Venerable Feng, and other powerhouses of the Anti-Alliance finally broke through the layers of obstacles on the periphery of the array and bravely charged into this core area, which had become a ruin! When they saw Xiao Chen falling like a broken doll, everyone’s hearts instantly… sank to the bottom!

“Brother Chen!” Flame Heart let out a heart-wrenching cry of grief, transforming into a streak of fire, and rushed forward without hesitation, tightly embracing Xiao Chen's cold body! Feeling Xiao Chen's almost imperceptible pulse and faint breathing, her tears flowed like a bursting dam!

“Quick! Pills! The best healing holy medicine! Give them to him quickly!” Xuan Kongzi’s old eyes were filled with tears, his voice trembling as he roared, fumbling to take out various treasured life-saving pills from his storage ring and stuffing them all towards Xiao Chen’s mouth. Venerable Feng, Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect, and others also gathered around, pouring their pure Dou Qi into Xiao Chen’s body without reservation, attempting to stabilize his collapsing vitality.

“It’s no use… Brother Chen… his life origin… is overdrawn too severely… and his soul also…” Flame Heart sensed the riddled condition within Xiao Chen’s body, her voice filled with despair. Ordinary pills simply couldn’t salvage injuries of this magnitude!

“No! There must be a way! There must be!” Xuan Kongzi’s eyes were bloodshot, and he tightly gripped Xiao Chen’s hand, as if wanting to transfer his own life force to him. “Chen’er! Hold on! You can’t die! The Anti-Alliance… the continent… cannot be without you!”

Perhaps everyone’s calls had an effect, or perhaps Xiao Chen’s tenacious will was still holding on, his tightly closed eyes, his eyelashes trembled slightly, and a very faint groan escaped his throat.

“Xin…er… Teacher…” His voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet it invigorated everyone!

“Brother Chen! I’m here! I’m right here!” Flame Heart cried tears of joy, tightly gripping his hand.

“The… array… is it broken… Pavilion Master Tianji…” Xiao Chen struggled to open a slit, his blurry vision sweeping over the chaotic ruins around him.

“It’s broken! The Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation… is completely broken! The Pavilion Master Tianji was heavily injured and fled! Chen’er, you… you did it!” Xuan Kongzi said excitedly.

Hearing this news, a faint curve seemed to appear at the corner of Xiao Chen’s mouth, then his eyes unfocused again, his head tilted, and he completely… fainted. But this time, his breathing seemed… a tiny bit more stable.

“Quick! Immediately take Saint Xiao back to the Pill Tower! At all costs, we must save him!” Venerable Feng made a decisive decision, instructing everyone to carefully lift Xiao Chen, preparing to evacuate this dangerous area still filled with spatial rifts and energy currents.

And just as they were about to leave, another anomaly occurred!

“Buzz—!”

The dim xiao clan tribal mark on Xiao Chen’s forehead suddenly lit up again! An extremely faint, yet ancient and tragic ripple of thought spread out! At the same time, from the collapsing altar ruins in the distance, a barely perceptible dark red light, as if summoned, quietly… flew towards Xiao Chen, silently and imperceptibly… merging into the clan mark on his forehead!

That was… Soul Heaven Emperor’s Emperor Origin Crystal… the last trace… of its origin fragment?!

This scene happened so secretly that even Xuan Kongzi and Flame Heart, who were so close, did not notice!

“Just now… what was that fluctuation?” Xuan Kongzi frowned slightly, his soul perception sweeping over, but he found nothing.

“Perhaps it’s residual energy fluctuations from the array. This place is not suitable for staying long, let’s go!” Venerable Feng urged.

Everyone no longer hesitated, guarding the unconscious Xiao Chen, transforming into several streaks of light, and swiftly fleeing towards the direction of the Pill Tower Holy Domain.

Behind them was the Soul Burial Mountain Range, which had completely turned into a dead ruin, and… a situation that had been forcefully reversed, yet still had undercurrents surging… a lingering aftermath.

The Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation was broken, the Pavilion Master Tianji was heavily injured and fled far away, and the greatest crisis seemed to be temporarily resolved. But everyone knew that things… were far from over. The madness and Weird of the Pavilion Master Tianji, the possible remaining trump cards of Soul Heaven Emperor, and… Xiao Chen’s almost irreparable severe injuries… all of this indicated that the true storm, perhaps… had just begun.

And at this moment, unknown to anyone, in the depths of the endlessly distant Chaos Sea, a pair of cold eyes that seemed to have slept for eons, seemed… to tremble slightly… due to some fluctuation.