As vast amounts of cultivation energy surged out of the Great Elder’s body, even his eyebrows and hair were tinted red by the golden light!
Following that, his figure started to age visibly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
One hour, two hours...
By the time the fifth hour arrived, the frame of the Great Elder was already trembling like a bundle, his face gaunt and skeletal.
"Great Elder, please come down, let me take over!" A fellow elder cried out in sorrow.
Yet a relieved smile appeared on the face of the Great Elder. He shook his head, then strained to open his dim eyes, looking towards the gathering black clouds in the sky and whispered, "My disciples are unworthy, this is the only thing I can do now!"
After speaking, he slowly closed his eyes, and a magnificent golden light burst forth from the top of his head into the heavens.
At this scene, everyone present was shaken.
An elder looked up and murmured in a stunned voice, "The Great Elder is... about to self-destruct his soul!"
No sooner had the voice fallen.
The body of the Great Elder abruptly disintegrated, releasing a vast golden light, which coalesced into a huge talisman spell in the sky and struck directly at the dark clouds on the horizon.
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, the vast black clouds were vaporized by the talisman spell.
And within it, a scream of agony from a demon ghost could be heard.
"Dammit, are all you inheritors of the Taoist lineage insane? Why do you always self-destruct your souls at the drop of a hat?"
Following this furious roar, everyone from the Golden Cauldron Pavilion, from top to bottom, bowed their heads and cried out with choked voices, "Farewell, Great Elder!"
Soon after, another elder promptly took the place of the former Great Elder without hesitation.
The standoff continued!
The dark clouds gathered once again, revealing the figure of the demon ghost, who snickered coldly after taking a look at the scene inside Golden Cauldron Pavilion.
"Tsk tsk, such admirable courage, indeed, maintaining the Mountain Protection Array with the cost of human lives! Very well, let’s see just how many lives you have to spare!"
His words were filled with arrogance and triumph.
No one paid any attention to his provocation.
All within Golden Cauldron Pavilion remained silent.
The demon ghost let out a few embarrassed laughs, about to spout more provoking words, when suddenly, from the distant horizon, several streaks of sword light appeared.
The sword lights approached with extreme speed. In just a moment they had slashed through layers of black mist, reaching close proximity.
The demon ghost trembled, exclaiming in shock, "Sword Cultivator?"
As he turned to flee,
But at that moment, a cold shout came from the leading sword light.
"Evil spirit, where do you think you’re running to!"
With that shout, a dazzling sword light slashed across, penetrating the figure of the demon ghost in an instant.
The demon ghost let out a heaven-shattering wail, split in half by the attack.
However, the two halves of the demon ghost then attempted to flee to the left and right.
Nian Xuexin gave a light rebuke, "Sword Intent like Snow!"
Boom!
Innumerable fine sword glints spread out like snowflakes, completely enveloping the demon ghost.
"Mingxin Palace, you group of sword lunatics, weren’t you trapped by the Heaven’s Lock? How could you escape?" the demon ghost let out an anguished wail of resentment.
"Greetings, Second Elder. I am Tian Yuanqing, the chief disciple under Mingxin Palace. I was sent by my master to investigate the situation of this great calamity. However, on our way here, the other several sects have all been obliterated. It is fortunate that your sect still stands!"
Upon hearing the crowd’s intentions, Tian Yuanqing was initially startled, then also nodded solemnly.
He was very aware that although he and his fellow senior brothers and sisters were strong, what kind of enemies lay ahead was completely unknown.
Although the strength of these elders from the Golden Cauldron Pavilion was not the highest, the more people, the greater the strength!
Especially at this time of crisis, it was best to work together sincerely.
"Alright then, let us set off immediately!" Tian Yuanqing declared in a deep voice.
For a time, the Golden Cauldron Pavilion was awash with radiant lights.
Since the Golden Light Realm was temporarily safe, only a portion was left to guard the place, with the rest soaring into the air, following Tian Yuanqing and his group straight to the Lovesick Courtyard.
Because the journey was long and the Golden Cauldron Pavilion was not skilled in traveling quickly by Daoist methods, Tian Yuanqing also attached a Sword Intent to each person to assist them on their way.
Within the Lovesick Courtyard...
Bai Han, who had aged significantly, spat out another mouthful of fresh blood.
This was as the demon ghosts were attempting to breach the Mountain Protection Array, yet under her control, it stubbornly held on once again.
During this period, Bai Han had become the backbone of the entire Lovesick Courtyard.
Without her strenuous efforts, the courtyard would have likely been breached by the demon ghosts already.
But this also came at a great cost to Bai Han.
Such as her present appearance, which looked like that of a middle-aged woman in her forties or fifties.
This was the result of overextending her Cultivation Level, causing damage to her vital essence.
Yet, at this moment, Bai Han could hardly care about that. She wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, spat out a bloody saliva, and then laughed at herself cynically.
"Who would have thought that one day I would get used to spitting blood!"

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