At this point, no one was inclined to play any petty tricks. Everyone understood that under the current circumstances, expecting the Eternal Sacred Land to single-handedly turn the tide was simply unrealistic.
Pooling their collective efforts was the only viable path.
However, this eerie light barrier had left even the ten great ancestors at a loss after lengthy observation.
By their understanding, this strange barrier had already far exceeded their expectations.
Several of the more defiant ancestors had launched repeated attacks against it, but no matter how they struck, that layer of light remained stubbornly resilient, refusing to yield.
As more and more people witnessed this unsettling scene, an air of growing unease began to settle over the crowd.
Even the Divine Path ancestors were powerless to do anything, and everyone's spirits plummeted.
The ten great sacred lands of Myriad Abyss Island were led by Divine Path ancestors whose levels of cultivation were roughly comparable, as was their depth of knowledge. Even with all ten of them gathered together, they were no closer to finding a solution.
Jiang Chen, on the other hand, had not stopped observing the strange barrier for a single moment.
Almost unconsciously, people's gazes began to gravitate toward him. If anyone still held even a sliver of hope at this point, that hope undoubtedly rested on Jiang Chen's shoulders.
Truth be told, Jiang Chen's own mind was tangled in a web of questions. This barrier stirred something in his memory, but his past life's recollections were so vast that pinpointing the right answer from that mental archive was no easy task.
"Holy Ancestor, I'm afraid this barrier cannot be broken by brute force. Brute force alone is unlikely to succeed. We need to find its weaknesses and vulnerabilities."
Though Jiang Chen couldn't offer an immediate, concrete solution, his instinct told him that this barrier was an extraordinarily sophisticated formation. Such a formation would not be the kind that could simply be battered through.
Perhaps brute force was theoretically an option, but the current strength of Myriad Abyss Island's Divine Path ancestors was clearly insufficient for the task.
The Eternal Ancestor, at this point, no longer cared whether Jiang Chen was stealing his thunder. He asked in a deep voice, "Jiang Chen, what is your assessment of this barrier?"
"This should be a formation — and a long-premeditated one at that. Once activated, it was designed with the clear intention of trapping us here. I believe this formation probably has little offensive capability. Its purpose is to keep us locked in place."
Jiang Chen offered his speculation.
No one dared dismiss Jiang Chen's words lightly anymore. The ten great ancestors exchanged glances, each face betraying a hint of worry.
It was Lu Mingye of the Hundred Sacred Lands who couldn't help but mutter, "Saying all this is pointless. Everyone already knows it's a trapping formation. What we need is a way to deal with it."
Jiang Chen's expression remained composed. His gaze shot toward Lu Mingye like a bolt of lightning, and he let out a cold chuckle. "If Fellow Daoist Lu has a solution, by all means, do share."
Lu Mingye's face turned ashen. He snorted coldly, "If I had a solution, would the position of Alliance Leader still be up for grabs by you people from the Eternal Sacred Land?"
The moment these words left his mouth, even the ancestors from the Hundred Sacred Land snapped, "Shut your mouth! Show some respect!"
The rest of the group was thoroughly displeased. At a time like this, Lu Mingye still couldn't let go of the rivalry between factions — it was truly disheartening.
Jiang Chen smiled faintly. "Since you don't have a solution, then you might as well keep quiet. I was just getting somewhere, and now, thanks to your outburst, I'll have to reorganize my train of thought all over again."
The most devastating counterattack was to use one's opponent's force against them.
Jiang Chen's words contained not a single profanity, yet they made Lu Mingye's entire body break out in goosebumps. Countless angry gazes were now fixed squarely upon him.