"How long have I been in here?" Yuan mumbled to himself as his body continued to travel through the space rift, feeling like itâd been ages since he entered the portal.
However, in reality, itâd only been a few minutes since he entered.
"Wait a second⊠this might be an opportunity to train my Power of the VoidâŠ"
Realizing this, Yuan stopped thinking about the passage of time and focused solely on the void around him.
<Your understanding of Power of the Void has increased slightly>
With nothing to do but train his Power of the Void, Yuan focused entirely on it, eventually forgetting that he was in a space rift and traveling back to Earth.
Only an hour had passed since Heavenâs Mandate began their invasion, yet more than half of the Holy Dragon Clan had already fallen. The majority were young dragons and servantsâthose without the cultivation to survive such a brutal onslaught.
"Look around you! This is the result of your foolish defiance, Holy Dragon Emperor!" General Wang exclaimed with a vicious smile on his face. "Did you really think the Holy Dragon Clan could stop Heavenâs Mandate, the strongest army in the Nine Heavens?!"
"Of course not," the Dragon Emperor calmly replied.
"Then you mustâve believed your royal bloodline would make the Celestial Emperor hesitate! Unfortunately for you, that didnât work out either!"
"You wonât understand it even if I were to break it down for you."
"I donât need to understand it, nor do I want to!"
The clash between the Dragon Emperor and General Wangâtwo peak God Ascension powerhousesâwas so catastrophic that even the ripples from their blows carried enough force to instantly obliterate an Immortal upon contact.
To prevent their battle from decimating allies and enemies alike, they erected a barrier of Celestial Qi around themselves.
As for Xi Meili, she had managed to survive, though just barely, thanks to the protective treasures Yuan had given her. But mere survival was all she could manage. Against Immortals, her attacks were like droplets against stone, ineffective and easily brushed aside.
"Damn it all⊠theyâre too powerfulâŠ" she muttered through clenched teeth, frustration burning in her chest like fire. Her hands trembledânot from fear, but from the unbearable weight of her own powerlessness.
"If only I were a little stronger!" Xi Meili cried out inwardly, frustration and helplessness twisting in her chest.
But before the thought could fade, a wave of killing intent crashed over her like a cold tide.
"DIE!"
An Immortal soldier charged straight at her, blade gleaming with killing intent. Xi Meili turned weakly toward the threat, but her body refused to moveâtoo drained and battered. She couldnât even lift a finger to defend herself, much less avoid it.
âAh⊠Is this the end for me? Iâm sorry, Yuan, but this will be the end of my journey with you⊠It was funâŠââ
Xi Meili closed her eyes, having fully accepted her fate.
However, moments later, the death sheâd anticipated did not arrive, prompting her to open her eyes again.
"Huh? You areâŠ"
Just as the fatal blow was about to land, two figures appeared before Xi Meili like flashes of divine light. One stood firmly in front of her, effortlessly blocking the Immortalâs attack, while the other moved like a shadow, reappearing behind the soldier and striking him down in a single, precise motion.
These two were none other than Yin and Yang, elite members of the Evil Godâs Shadow Army.
"Sorry it took so long. We had to alert the others. Everything will be okay now. Reinforcements have arrived," said Yang.
In the very next moment, countless rifts tore open across the sky above Dragon Spiral Mountain, and from within them emerged several hundred figures, each cloaked in deep black robes that obscured their features. However, their aura was unmistakable and ominous, and their sudden appearance made the Heavenâs Mandate halt their advancement.
"T-The Shadow Army! The Evil Godâs Shadow Army has made an appearance!" Someone suddenly shouted.
"What?!" General Wang exclaimed. He halted his fight with the Dragon Emperor to confirm it for himself.
"Evil Godâs Shadow ArmyâŠ?" The Holy Dragon Emperor frowned, unaware whether this new force was friend or foe.
Suddenly, a cold voice thundered across the battlefield, "Shadow Army⊠slaughter Heavenâs Mandate and protect the Dragon Spiral Mountain!"
Following the command, the members of the Evil Godâs Shadow Army descended upon the soldiers of Heavenâs Mandate, instantly turning the tide against them.
Seeing this, General Wang retrieved another medallion and hastily activated it.
"Y-Your Majesty! We have an emergency! The Evil Godâs Shadow Army has shown up to defend the Dragon Spiral Mountain!"
The Celestial Emperor, who had just received this news, sighed, "As I figured, this was no coincidence."
Upon confirming Yuanâs involvement, the Celestial Emperor cast aside what little hesitation remained. With a swift motion, he retrieved a golden medallion etched with the words "Heavenâs Will."
Raising it high, his voice boomed with divine authority, "The Evil Godâs Shadow Army has revealed itself! Heavenâs MandateâThird Squad, assist the Seventh Squad immediately!"
A few minutes after the Celestial Emperorâs command, the skies above Dragon Spiral Mountain split once more. More portals tore through the heavens, and from them descended the Third Squad of Heavenâs Mandateâeach soldier a Golden Immortal at minimum, their auras blazing like falling stars as they rushed to reinforce the embattled Seventh Squad.
Meanwhile, Yuanâs eyes suddenly snapped open. In the vast expanse of the void ahead, a flicker of white light shimmered into view. Within moments, it expanded rapidly, growing brighter and closer as his body was irresistibly drawn toward it.
A few moments later, Yuanâs body was completely engulfed by the radiant light, his vision drowned in pure whiteness. But then, as the brilliance faded, he found himself suspended beneath a vast blue sky, surrounded by drifting clouds, and the silence of the void was gone, replaced by the gentle breath of the wind and the soft glow of sunlight.
With a smile on his face, Yuan announced out loud, "Iâm back!"