Chapter 644: The Final Choice

Within Congyun Immortal City, the cultivators erupted into clamor at the sight.

Fortunately, since the last time the Myriad Immortals Island was raided and seized by the Five Elders Council, the rebuilt Congyun City's defensive rating was far higher than that of ordinary provincial immortal cities, matching the standards of the central provinces. Light rippled across the surface of the grand protection array, and the fissure vanished in the blink of an eye.

Before anyone could catch their breath, a second meteor slammed into the protective light shield. The impact this time was even more violent. The city in the clouds trembled slightly, as if it might plummet from the sky at any moment.

What chilled the cultivators even more was that this black meteor did not vanish completely after exploding. Instead, it left behind a sticky, rubbery substance that writhed and corroded the protective array. Even from a great distance, the hissing and sizzling sounds from the array's periphery were clearly audible.

Congyun City’s Heavenly Vitality Transformation Array, strong as it is, won’t hold for much longer. As an array master, Li Fan made his judgment quickly.

As the array struggled in a stalemate against the sticky black substance, countless more streams of black light smashed toward Congyun Immortal City one after another. Though beams of purple light from the Heavenly Venerable's statue struck some of the falling meteors down, the majority still hammered the city unimpeded.

In an instant, Congyun Immortal City truly seemed like a leaf tossed in a storm, teetering on the brink of collapse.

It was at this moment that Immortal Eminence Hong Xi finally demonstrated the decisiveness worthy of a provincial lord.

Transforming into a giant whose head touched the heavens and feet tread the earth, he intercepted countless black meteors with a sweep of his hand. At the same time, he commanded in a cold voice, "Activate the Vitality Transformation Array of the entire Congyun Sea. Fully drain the essential qi from all surrounding nodes. Ensure Congyun City remains in optimal condition!"

As he spoke, he formed a seal and sent it hurtling toward the highest peak of Congyun City.

At these words, Congyun City fell abruptly silent for a moment. Most cultivators did not understand the meaning behind Immortal Eminence Hong Xi's words, but the few who grasped the implication instantly turned pale.

Li Fan narrowed his eyes. Watching Hong Xi's resolute expression, he silently praised him. What boldness and nerve!

Having arduously studied arrays for several lifetimes, Li Fan understood the general defense system of the Myriad Immortals Alliance quite clearly. Every guarded city was constructed with a protective array. Within a single province, with the central floating immortal city as the core, these hundreds of small protective arrays combined to form a medium-sized array spanning the entire province.

And within the Myriad Immortals Alliance's territory, all these provincial medium-sized arrays could unite into a monstrous array so vast it covered nearly half of the Xuanhuang World.

Comprised of layer upon layer of arrays, its power was limitless.

The types of defensive arrays used by the Myriad Immortals Alliance changed every five hundred years. Previously, it had been the Myriad Li Mountain River Array, as seen from the submerged island. But now, the Alliance used the Heavenly Vitality Transformation Array.

Though its defensive capability was somewhat weaker than the Myriad Li Mountain River Array, it possessed an irreplaceable function: it could absorb the essential qi of living beings within the array, strengthening the array's effectiveness.

Thus, Immortal Eminence Hong Xi's meaning was clear: in order to maintain Congyun Immortal City's array, they were to fully activate the Heavenly Vitality Transformation Array, draining the essential qi of the surviving beings on the various islands of the Congyun Sea.

Logically, this choice was sound. In the face of this calamity, Congyun City alone could barely offer any resistance. All other islands were fated to turn to ash in an instant. Using the lives of those doomed to die as fuel for the array might secure a narrow chance of survival for the cultivators within Congyun City.

But being slaughtered by a Soul Arbiter of heaven and earth was a very different thing from being killed by fellow members of the Myriad Immortals Alliance.

Not everyone could make such a cold-hearted decision, treating the lives of their brethren as nothing.

So, even as Immortal Eminence Hong Xi's words echoed through the air, the cultivators of the Strategy Array Hall remained silent, making no move.

And Hong Xi himself seemed to lack the courage to repeat the order. His face dark, he stared at the protective barrier that was on the verge of shattering, but he gave no second command.

"Let me give you a hand."

A sharp glint flashed in Li Fan's eyes. His avatar shot into the air, and he bellowed as well, "What are you waiting for? At this moment of life and death, just follow the order! Immortal Eminence Hong Xi and I will bear any consequences!"

Hong Xi cast a somewhat surprised glance at Li Fan.

The cultivators of the Strategy Array Hall exchanged looks, bit their lips, and, ultimately, were forced to make up their minds.

One by one, seals flew to the nodes of the Heavenly Vitality Transformation Array. The light that made up the protective barrier suddenly blazed with renewed brilliance.

It was as if time had been frozen for an instant. Then, in the next moment, an endless stream of essential qi seemed to surge in from every direction. The violet light shield seemed to solidify in the span of a breath. It easily repelled the impact of the black meteorites.

There were no more violent tremors, only a continuous, muffled thudding.

The crisis was temporarily resolved. But there was little joy on the faces of the surviving cultivators in Congyun City, because accompanying the massive enhancement of the Heavenly Vitality Transformation Array were the wails and curses emitted through the light screen, along with the faintly visible, horrifying sight of human forms having all their essential qi drained in an instant, turning into desiccated skeletons.

It was truly hell on earth, chilling the heart and terrifying the mind.

"Though this can buy us a moment of safety, it is no long-term solution. All contact with headquarters has been severed. Staying here is the same as waiting to die.

"I intend to go out and meet this Soul Arbiter of heaven and earth. I leave this place to you!" Immortal Eminence Hong Xi sent a sound transmission to Li Fan, ignoring the terrifying spectacle filling the sky.

Then, gazing into the distance where the black meteors were falling, he took a single step.

His form flickered, and in a blink, he had vanished from sight.

The departure of Immortal Eminence Hong Xi sent a fresh tremor of unease through the cultivators, who had only just begun to settle. Fortunately, the Secretary-Envoy was still present, enough for them to hold on to a sliver of reassurance.

Li Fan's face was cold as he stared intently at the center of the Congyun Sea.

Time passed slowly. After the first wave of black meteors was fully withstood, the world-ending crisis seemed to ease. The waves of the Congyun Sea gradually calmed. Only the still-viscous black gelatin clinging to the protective barrier remained, a silent testament to the calamity that had just been.

But the stillness that followed was unnatural. The atmosphere felt heavy, like the held breath before a storm breaks.

Li Fan felt it too. Something was wrong.

Black Flame isn’t there?

Sensing Immortal Eminence Hong Xi's aura rapidly returning, Li Fan swept his gaze across the sky, then down into the deep sea.

Something terrible was brewing in the depths.

Pop.

A single bubble appeared on the surface. Then the body of a fish floated up, belly-up, as if it had been boiled alive.

And then, in an instant, the entire Congyun Sea seemed to come to a boil.

Countless bubbles surged and churned across the surface, accompanied by the endless carcasses of sea creatures rising from below.