Cultivation of immortality begins with an eighty-year-old eunuch.

Chapter 422 Tianxiangzi Protects the Great Abyss! The Old Eunuch Has Arrived!

The entire city was deathly silent.

The people held their breath, gazing at the bright yellow figure in the sky. Soldiers gripped their swords tightly, cultivators clutched their magical artifacts, and everyone awaited an answer.

Xiao Quan stood in mid-air, the autumn wind blowing his dragon robe.

He turned around and looked towards the city.

On the streets, children trembled in their mothers' arms, old people knelt in prayer, and young men's eyes were filled with resentment. Inside the palace, the empress held the crown prince, gazing at him with tears in her eyes.

These are his people, his country.

"Qingyun Sect".

Xiao Quan slowly turned around, his voice calm yet resonating in every corner: "You cultivators, instead of protecting the common people, commit acts of slaughter, which is inhumane; you break your promises and attack mortals, which is unjust; you bully the weak and oppress others with your power, which is uncivilized."

With each word he spoke, his voice rose a notch.

"Such an inhuman, unjust, and uncivilized person, does he even deserve to call himself a celestial sect? Does he even deserve my kneeling welcome?"

Xiao Quan suddenly raised his head, his eyes no longer showing fear: "Today, I will tell you all! In Dayuan, we will die in battle, but we will never live on our knees!"

"His Majesty!"

"Long live Your Majesty!"

In the city, the people wept, the soldiers raised their swords, and the cultivators shouted in unison.

The Green Lotus Daoist's face turned completely gloomy.

"Very well, a fine line about dying in battle rather than living on your knees." His voice was as cold as iron. "Then I will grant your wish! Fellow Daoist Zhou, break the formation with all your might!"

"Just what I wanted." Zhou Shan nodded, and the bronze seal rose again.

The two no longer held back, unleashing their full Nascent Soul power.

The Azure Lotus Sword Dragon and the Bronze Seal bombarded each other simultaneously. The light shield finally gave way, the cracks widened rapidly, and fragments fell like rain.

"The formation is about to break!" a cultivator cried out in despair.

But at that moment, a pink streak of light shot into the sky from somewhere in the city!

The light fell inside the light shield and transformed into a beautiful figure, wearing a pink dress like the sunset and a light veil on her face. It was Tianxiangzi!

"Senior Tianxiangzi!" Xiao Quan exclaimed in surprise.

Tian Xiangzi did not turn around, but stared at the two Nascent Soul cultivators outside the formation, his voice cold: "Qingyun Sect, you have crossed the line."

"Who are you?" Daoist Qinglian narrowed his eyes. "Early Nascent Soul stage? I've never seen you before!"

"Da Yuan and I have a past, and I'm determined to handle this matter today." Tian Xiangzi raised his hand, and a pink short sword appeared in his palm. "If you want to break the formation and slaughter the city, you'll have to get past me first."

Zhou Shan sized her up for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Early Nascent Soul stage? Little girl, your courage is commendable, but unfortunately... you overestimate yourself."

Before he finished speaking, he had already made his move.

The bronze seal transformed into a phantom mountain, pressing down upon them. This attack, though not at full strength, was still beyond the capabilities of an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.

Tianxiangzi, however, did not back down.

She bit her tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the short sword. The sword shone brightly with a pink light, transforming into a long rainbow that clashed head-on with the illusory mountain shadow!

boom!

With a loud bang, Tianxiangzi staggered back three steps, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, but he ultimately withstood the attack.

"Hmm?" Zhou Shan was slightly surprised. "You've got some skills."

Qinglian Daoist grew impatient: "Fellow Daoist Zhou, don't waste time, attack together."

The two joined forces again.

This time, there's nothing left to hold back.

The Azure Lotus Sword Dragon and the Bronze Mountain, two deadly attacks, simultaneously struck the same spot on the light barrier. The light barrier, already on the verge of shattering, finally reached its limit.

Click!

A piercing cracking sound rang out.

The protective barrier completely collapsed, and golden fragments exploded like fireworks, dissipating into the air. The Zhou Tian Grand Array was broken.

"The formation has been broken, massacre the city!" Qinglian Daoist coldly shouted.

Thousands of Qingyun Sect disciples pounced on the imperial city like hungry wolves.

But Tianxiangzi stood in front of the city.

She stood in mid-air, her pink dress fluttering in the autumn wind, showing no intention of retreating in the face of two Nascent Soul cultivators and thousands of other cultivators.

"If you want to massacre the city, kill me first."

The voice was calm, yet resolute.

A murderous glint flashed in the Green Lotus Daoist's eyes: "Since you're courting death, I'll grant your wish! Kill!"

The Azure Lotus Sword slashed down, its sword energy like a rainbow.

Zhou Shan also made a move at the same time, smashing down the bronze seal.

The combined attack of two Nascent Soul cultivators would be something even a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator would avoid. But Tian Xiangzi did not dodge.

She formed a hand seal, and a burst of pink light emanated from her body.

"The Secret Technique of a Hundred Flowers! Soul Burning!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a pink flower mark appeared between her brows. The flower mark bloomed, and her divine soul power burned like flames, instantly boosting her cultivation to the mid-Nascent Soul stage!

"Soul-Burning Technique?" Zhou Shan's expression changed slightly. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Tianxiangzi did not answer, and drew her short sword again.

This sword strike was as brilliant as the rising sun, its sword energy stretching three hundred feet, actually blocking both the Azure Lotus Sword Dragon and the Bronze Mountain at the same time!

Rumble!

The deafening roar shook the heavens, and the aftershocks swept through like a raging storm. Several sections of the imperial city wall collapsed, houses within the city crumbled in droves, and countless civilians were killed or injured.

But Tianxiangzi ultimately blocked the attack.

She stood in mid-air, her face as pale as paper, blood oozing from all seven orifices. The Soul-Burning Technique uses the soul as fuel; with each fraction burned, the soul weakens further until it is completely annihilated.

"Senior!" Xiao Quan cried, tears streaming down his face.

Tianxiangzi turned around, glanced at him, and a hint of tenderness flashed in her eyes.

"Young Emperor... take your men and retreat... I don't have much time left..."

Before he could finish speaking, the Green Lotus Taoist had already charged in.

"So what if it burns with its soul? It's ultimately at its last gasp!"

The Azure Lotus Sword pierced straight into his heart.

Tianxiangzi raised her sword to parry, and the two swords clashed, unleashing a blinding light. She used the force to retreat, but was no longer able to fight!

The backlash from the Soul Burning Technique began to manifest; the soul flickered like a candle flame, on the verge of being extinguished.

Zhou Shan has also arrived.

The bronze seal slammed into her back.

Caught in a pincer movement, in a desperate situation.

Tianxiangzi closed her eyes, and a final thought flashed through her mind!

"Chen Fan... I'm sorry... I can't wait for you anymore..."

But at that very moment...

A familiar figure appeared out of nowhere in front of her.

The figure was not tall, and even somewhat unremarkable.

But the moment he appeared, the whole world seemed to fall silent for a moment.

A straw hat and a mask—it was Chen Fan!

His eyes, as bright as cold stars, swept over Qinglian Daoist and Zhou Shan as if they were dead.

"you……"

Chen Fan spoke, his voice calm, yet it sent a chill down the spines of both Qinglian Daoist and Zhou Shan.

"Did you hurt her?"

He looked down at Tianxiangzi in his arms.

Tianxiangzi had fallen into a semi-comatose state, her spirit as weak as a candle flickering in the wind, her breath hanging by a thread.

The backlash from the Soul Burning Technique, coupled with the combined attack from the two Nascent Soul cultivators, had pushed her to the brink of exhaustion.

For the first time, a genuine killing intent appeared in Chen Fan's eyes.

The killing intent was so real that it caused the temperature within a thousand feet to drop sharply, and autumn frost to form.

"Chen Fan...you've finally...come..." Tian Xiangzi barely opened her eyes, a slight smile appearing on her face. "I...didn't let you down, did I..."

"No," Chen Fan shook his head, his voice gentle. "You did a great job. Now, leave it to us."

He channeled a stream of pure spiritual energy into Tianxiangzi's body, stabilizing her soul which was on the verge of collapse. Then, with a wave of his hand, he sent her deep into the palace.

"Xiao Quan, take good care of her."

"Yes, Master!" Xiao Quan, with tears streaming down his face, caught Tian Xiangzi and retreated into the palace.

Chen Fan then turned around and looked at Qinglian Daoist and Zhou Shan.