BOOM!
The colossal waves swept around the Ancient Year Monkey, closing in from every direction, and crashed directly onto Huang Shi Shangren.
Huang Shi Shangren's heart went ice-cold in that instant.
He was a Gu Immortal of the Heavenly Court, an elite among Eighth Transformation powerhouses. In that moment, he finally understood.
"So Fang Yuan and the others really can control this stretch of the River?!"
His shock was overwhelming.
This meant the Ancient Year Monkey's apparent entrapment in the Domain of Blades and Swords had been nothing but a trap — and he had charged straight into it. During the previous battle, he'd been kept completely in the dark, falling into a scheme without the slightest awareness!
For Huang Shi Shangren, this was nothing short of an insult!
"But how is this possible? Fang Yuan can actually control a section of the River of Time? Even if he inherited Heifan's True Inheritance, that shouldn't be enough! This was supposed to be Ziwei's calculation."
As the initial shock subsided, waves of doubt surged through his mind.
In the fleeting moments before the waves struck, his thoughts spun endlessly.
"This must be the power of the Red Lotus True Inheritance."
"Only someone like the Red Lotus Demon Venerable could possess such means — the ability to command a section of the River of Time."
Seeing the towering waves bearing down on him, already close at hand, a look of grim resolve appeared on Huang Shi Shangren's face.
"Fine!"
"Then let me show you the true might of Huang Shi Shangren!"
"GRAAAGH!" Huang Shi Shangren threw his head back and roared. Countless Gu insect auras surged from his body in an instant, and rings of yellow light shimmered ceaselessly across his form.
His bald head gleamed brilliantly.
The massive earthy-yellow boulder above his head swelled violently, expanding to the size of a small hill, pressing down upon the waters of the River of Time.
His aura became unfathomably deep, and wherever his gaze fell, the temporal waves returned to their original state.
At the same time, patches of Temporal Aurora leapt from his body, drifting toward Bai Ningbing and the others — they appeared slow, but were actually terrifyingly fast!
Huang Shi Shangren was caught between fury and despair, cornered into a desperate situation, and unleashed a hundred percent of his combat power!
"Terrifying — in a single instant, he used at least four Immortal-level killer moves." Even Fang Yuan's heart skipped a beat at the sight.
The fact that Huang Shi Shangren had earned Ziwei's trust and been sent alone into the River of Time to intercept Fang Yuan meant he possessed real strength.
Now, unleashing his full power, he not only withstood the temporal waves and secured his own safety but also launched a vicious counterattack toward Bai Ningbing and the others.
Bai Ningbing and her companions all changed color — they were trapped within the brownish-yellow dust, unable to break free.
Even the Ancient Year Monkey struggled more frantically, its roars tinged with panic.
The power of the Temporal Aurora was random and unpredictable, but its terror was known throughout the world. Even Feng Jiuge wouldn't dare touch it carelessly, let alone Bai Ningbing and the others.
"He's trying to force me out," Fang Yuan murmured, his gaze drifting toward You Hun's will beside him.
He had used Bai Ningbing and the others as bait. If they were sacrificed now, it would be a tremendous loss.
However, among them was Ying Wuxie, who carried a fragment of You Hun's divided soul. Fang Yuan had deliberately arranged this, naturally because he feared You Hun's will might harbor other intentions.
You Hun's will burst into hearty laughter. "Don't worry, Fang Yuan! This Stone Lotus Island was built by the Red Lotus Demon Venerable himself. Huang Shi Shangren may be able to resist the waves of the River of Time, but hidden within are the supreme killer moves of the Daos of Blade and Sword!"
"Look — this move is none other than Dao Jiulang's most powerful offensive technique, called the Nine-Nine Reincarnation Blade Edge. Once activated, it attacks ceaselessly, endlessly. If one layer of blade light is destroyed, another remains — nine layers in total, each capable of slaying gods and ghosts. After the blade light descends, it circles back to strike again. Each layer attacks nine times, and nine layers together make nine times nine — eighty-one strikes. This move is extraordinarily powerful. Dao Jiulang only used it three times in his entire life, and each use cost him a hundred years of lifespan! The version I'm activating now is the very one he unleashed during his battle against Xi Yuan — his absolute masterpiece at the peak of his power!"
As You Hun's will explained, Fang Yuan watched as blade light indeed burst forth from the suppressed temporal waves.
The blade light was blindingly brilliant, like fragments of the sun, radiantly dazzling. Even viewing it through the image, Fang Yuan squinted, feeling a sharp pain in his eyes.