As if to confirm Chu Yang's words, blood-red patterns suddenly appeared on the ground, spreading like a spiderweb with the center point where Liu Chen stood.
Everyone's expression changed drastically, and they all retreated a few steps.
The main force of their combat power, Bai Nianchen's "Four Symbols Heaven-Destroying Array," had vanished because the old Taoist could no longer maintain it.
Moreover, Li Qingyun was not much better off. After unleashing a powerful move, his face was now pale with weakness.
There was no need to mention Qin Xiaoxiao; her side effects after her power surge were more severe than others', and she wouldn't be able to provide much combat power in a short period.
Luo Xiaowei, at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, without the help of the Four Symbols Array Spirits, couldn't play much of a role.
Everyone's heart sank: "This is bad, we're all in critical condition!"
A chilling wind howled, and Liu Chen, riddled with holes, emerged from the center of the explosion.
He was visibly much more disheveled than before, his aura weak. The body that had been inflated by the [Bloodthirsty Pill] had shriveled up again, looking more like a zombie than a zombie.
He was dying. Seeing him like this, everyone had this thought.
Indeed, his life was already at its end, and such a fierce battle had depleted what little life force he had left.
The collision just now had been a complete defeat for him; he had been grazed by sword energy and hit by the green lotus, sustaining many gruesome and terrifying wounds.
No blood flowed from the wounds, only thick black mist continuously emerged…
However, despite his disheveled state, Liu Chen let out a sharp laugh, like a madman.
"Hehehehehe… Son of the Great Dao! Innate Dao Body! Ice Phoenix Sacred Body! And a strange sword cultivator! How terrifying, hahahaha! I, Liu Chen, am actually meeting so many genius-level prodigies at once, to be used as stepping stones!"
Luo Xiaowei's face stiffened slightly. What the hell was a strange sword cultivator? If you can't describe it, don't describe it!
"To break through to Return to Void, I've abandoned my humanity! Why should you geniuses break through realms that we've poured our entire lives into without success, so easily? I am not reconciled!"
"I, Liu Chen! Am the thirteenth Sect Master of the Li Huo Palace. Did you think I had already lost? I was already making plans before I retired! Why could I have wiped out the entire Li Huo Palace overnight? Gahaha!"
"This great array that opened the seal here actually only needs a catalyst, which is the Blood Fiend Soul Sacrifice Array! And I am that catalyst!"
After speaking, Liu Chen's entire body was once again covered in black smoke, and terrifying power surged within him.
At the same time, all the points that Bai Nianchen and the others had lit up instantly turned blood-red.
A red barrier enveloped the entire Li Huo Palace, and all those cultivating felt a wave of dizziness.
Meng Zibin, who was in seclusion, suddenly woke up, a sense of crisis surging in his heart.
"What's going on? It feels like something is… pulling at my soul…"
Wang Teng almost went berserk. He stared with blood-red eyes at the world outside, which had turned completely blood-red.
"Damn it! What kind of demon or monster is trying to snatch my soul?"
Those with higher cultivation were fine, but others felt splitting headaches, clutching their heads and crying out in pain on the ground.
"Damn it! What the hell is this?"
"What exactly happened? Wasn't it said that this place was very safe?"
"Damn it, I'm suffocating! I feel like my soul doesn't belong to me anymore!"
"..."
Bai Nianchen and the others' faces instantly turned extremely grim!
Li Qingyun's [Chaos Divine Lotus] automatically generated a domain, clearing away the discomfort of the soul-tearing sensation.
"Come to me! The Chaos Divine Lotus can protect our souls!"
Everyone gathered around Li Qingyun. Under the shroud of the five-colored divine light, the discomfort disappeared, but their expressions did not improve much.
Bai Nianchen's lips trembled slightly as he said, "This humble Taoist, have I caused trouble?"
He had failed to see the hidden aspect of this array. If, due to his mistake, everyone who entered the Time Secret Realm died, he would never forgive himself, even in death!
The others' faces were ashen, devoid of any color.
Qin Xiaoxiao trembled all over. She tightly gripped Luo Xiaowei's arm, but the thought that people outside would die because of their incompetence filled her with dread, tears welling up in her eyes.
Li Qingyun gritted his teeth and said, "We can't just stand here like this! Let's give it one last push! He's already at his limit; we charge!"
Without waiting for everyone's agreement, the soul of the Enlightenment Tree within him emitted a strong light, and his vigorous life force began to burn.
Luo Xiaowei released Qin Xiaoxiao's hand from his arm and said, "We have to go too. We must stop him, even if it costs us our lives. This is our responsibility!"
Everyone roared in unison. Even though they had little strength left, they still followed Li Qingyun and charged forward madly!
Liu Chen laughed wildly, flailing his arms. He no longer cared about living.
Because even if he absorbed all their souls, his body was too weak to devour them. Thus, he was using all his cultivation as a catalyst to forcibly activate this great array.
If he died, so be it. Taking these geniuses down with him, he felt it was absolutely worth it!
His body had absorbed nearly a hundred thousand souls. Now, after dispersing his cultivation, all the wronged souls drilled out of his body.
Liu Chen's cultivation plummeted from Nascent Soul to Golden Core, then to Foundation Establishment, and finally to Qi Refining…
Countless ferocious ghosts, sensing the aura of flesh and blood before them, instinctively rushed forward.
The four-person team gritted their teeth and advanced with difficulty.
Li Qingyun madly urged the Chaos Divine Lotus within him, pushing forward and shielding the others from the soul-tearing power.
Luo Xiaowei wielded his sword, hacking at these evil spirits tirelessly.
Qin Xiaoxiao, holding Luo Xiaowei's Azure Water Flying Sword, her face pale but her movements numb, swung it like a club, smashing forward frantically!
It seemed to be some kind of will that made her no longer fear these terrifying ghosts.
Bai Nianchen's hands gathered black and white energy into a grinding disc, violently crushing these ghosts.
Everyone was doing their utmost, trying to stop this disaster, but the sheer number of these ghosts was overwhelming; they were inexhaustible. Their progress was so arduous!
Chu Yang watched them and sighed softly. He took a step and vanished from his original spot.
He appeared within the range of the Li Huo Palace and kicked away a formation flag at his feet.
Then, the oppressive aura abruptly ceased, and the Blood Fiend Soul Sacrifice Array was directly disrupted.
"Oh dear? Who put a flag on the ground? It tripped me! I accidentally kicked this flag over. Oh well, I'm not playing favorites; I'm an emotionless immortal brother! They're really lucky; it was purely an accident…"