Chapter 261 Unstoppable Disaster

After returning from Seeker’s Island, Gu An didn’t tell Yang Jian about the mutual devouring ability of the Ancient Treasure Bodies, to spare him any unnecessary worry.

If there truly existed an Ancient Treasure Body that had transformed into a Divine Wraith, it would be beyond Yang Jian’s ability to handle. As his master, Gu An would naturally have to step in.

Since he would be taking action anyway, why let his disciple be burdened with anxiety?

Meanwhile, Taixuan Sect dispatched Grandmasters flying toward the Great Rift of the Broken Sea, and the news of an impending catastrophic tidal wave spread rapidly.

Gu An, however, continued his daily routine, feigning ignorance.

While the disciples of Medicine Valley were busy with their tasks and cultivation, the ocean had already fallen into chaos. From a high vantage point, one could see countless cultivators rushing toward the massive tide from all directions, forming a truly spectacular sight.

As Gu An inspected the herb garden, he noticed multiple Celestial Ascension cultivators flying toward the ocean—not just one, but several.

The tidal waves continued to surge higher. On the boundless sea, the waves swelled like a mountain range sweeping across the waters. Before this mountain-like tide, countless cultivators formed a defensive line, continuously casting spells in an attempt to halt it. Unfortunately, their divine arts could only stir up splashes, failing to break apart the waves.

The number of cultivators kept increasing, yet no matter how many gathered, they could not shake the tide.

Even Chi Jiuxiao of the Starsea Sect had arrived alongside his master, Chi Bei, to lend aid. He exerted himself to the utmost, yet he could not resist the force of the waves at all.

“Dmn it! Who the hll is behind this?!”

Chi Jiuxiao cursed in frustration, but none of the Starsea Sect cultivators around him answered. Everyone was tense.

Only those directly casting spells against the waves could truly sense the terrifying power contained within them.

From a distance, Chi Bei’s voice rang out, “No matter who is behind this, we must stop it! There are countless low-level cultivators and mortals on the continent behind us—Starsea Sect must protect them!”

Chi Jiuxiao understood this reasoning—he was only venting his frustration. His hands never stopped casting spells.

Suddenly!

A vast and overwhelming aura surged from behind him, causing even his own spiritual power to momentarily stagnate.

Whoosh—!

A violent wind roared through the sky, making countless cultivators instinctively turn to look.

Chi Jiuxiao also turned his gaze, his eyes widening in shock.

Thunderclouds churned above, revealing an enormous flag standing in the clouds—towering over ten thousand feet high, as if its peak had touched the firmament itself. Before this flag, all living beings seemed insignificant.

Chi Jiuxiao instantly recognized it.

The Starsea Primordial Flag!

A supreme treasure of the Immortal Dao, the Starsea Primordial Flag was unfurled. Its black fabric seemed to contain an endless starry sea, each twinkling star mesmerizing and pulling in the viewer. Just one glance could cause a person to become lost in its boundless depths.

With the emergence of this flag, the morale of the Starsea Sect cultivators soared. Even cultivators from other sects began inquiring about its origins. Upon learning that it was the legendary Starsea Primordial Flag, excitement spread among them all.

“This changes everything! That’s an Immortal Dao treasure!”

“The legendary Starsea Primordial Flag… Just looking at it sends chills down my spine.”

“With an Immortal Dao treasure in play, we’re sure to stop the tide!”

“Ever since the fall of the Seven Star Spirit Realm, Starsea Sect has been the true overlord of this sea. Their willingness to bring out an Immortal Dao treasure proves their commitment to defending the ocean—worthy of the righteous path’s name.”

Discussions broke out among the cultivators as they gazed at the towering flag with eyes filled with anticipation.

Suddenly, the Starsea Primordial Flag unleashed a terrifying shockwave, sweeping across the sky. The vast starry sea within its flag began to glow, releasing a downpour of celestial light—like a meteor shower cascading from the heavens—striking the immense tide below.

Far away, at the Third Medicine Valley, Gu An looked up.

Brilliant rays of light filled the sky—he could tell at a glance that they were the result of an Immortal Dao treasure’s manifestation.

No wonder this flag was considered on par with the Seven Star Mirror!

Under Gu An’s watchful gaze, the unstoppable tidal wave was blasted apart by the Starsea Primordial Flag’s power. Countless cultivators were sent flying by the impact, while towering waves crashed toward the sky, forming a massive depression in the ocean’s surface—a breathtaking sight.

But at that very moment, Gu An sensed an eerie force surging from the depths of the Great Rift of the Broken Sea. It spread across the sea’s surface, stirring up an even greater tidal surge—one that seemed poised to swallow even the Starsea Primordial Flag itself.

The gathered cultivators were stunned. They hastily activated their spiritual power to defend themselves.

Gu An’s divine sense extended further.

Within the Great Rift of the Broken Sea, two tidal waves were rising in opposite directions. Just as one was met with fierce resistance, the other faced a similar struggle against countless cultivators. Yet despite their efforts, neither could be stopped.

As the waves surged forward, their range continued to expand.

At this rate… they could truly form a world-ending tidal catastrophe.

Gu An observed for a while before retracting his divine sense. More and more Grandmasters were gathering to counter the waves—this was a perfect chance to assess the hidden depths of Heavenly Great Realm’s power.

When he returned to his pavilion, he saw Nine-Fingered Divine Lord standing by the wooden railing, silently gazing northward.

Gu An approached and asked, “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing,” Nine-Fingered Divine Lord replied with a shake of his head. Naturally, his mind was occupied with the unfolding calamity at sea.

Since he didn’t wish to elaborate, Gu An didn’t press the matter. He simply nodded and walked away.

But just as he turned, Nine-Fingered Divine Lord suddenly asked, “Valley Master, if your closest loved one became a monstrous threat to the world, what would you do?”

Gu An paused and turned back to look at him. After thinking for a moment, he replied, “If they were truly my dearest, I wouldn’t shield them, but neither would I oppose them. If they tried to kill me, I would fight to the death.”

Hearing this, Nine-Fingered Divine Lord chuckled and said, “It’s not that simple. Your answer lacks hesitation.”

Gu An responded calmly, “Indeed, it’s not simple—but why dwell on it? The only thing a person can truly control is themselves, don’t you think?”

Did Nine-Fingered Divine Lord have a loved one who had turned into a Divine Wraith?

Judging by his long lifespan, there was undoubtedly a story behind him.

Nine-Fingered Divine Lord sighed. “You’re right. Even cultivators can only control themselves. The more one seeks to control, the further they stray from the Dao.”

The two continued chatting idly, though Nine-Fingered Divine Lord’s words carried a deep sorrow—yet he did not speak of his past. Soon, the conversation shifted to the game of Go.

—

Meanwhile, in the Sect’s Main City, within a secluded mansion…

Lu Lingjun sat across from Western Spirit Mother in a quiet courtyard. At this moment, Western Spirit Mother was frowning at a copper mirror on the table.

A hazy figure in the mirror seemed to be speaking.

Once the figure vanished, Western Spirit Mother tucked the mirror into her sleeve.

Lu Lingjun, though seated nearby, had not heard the words exchanged. She couldn’t help but ask, “Master, who were you speaking with?”

Western Spirit Mother took a deep breath and said, “An elder of mine. I asked about the course of this calamity, and he advised me to leave as soon as possible—to avoid the coming disaster.”

Lu Lingjun frowned.

Western Spirit Mother was already an extraordinary cultivator—perhaps not as powerful as the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path, but still one of the strongest cultivators she had ever encountered.

Yet even someone above her had warned them to flee…

This meant that the calamity was far beyond ordinary.

Western Spirit Mother sighed and said, “The cause and effect hidden within the Great Rift of the Broken Sea are beyond even the reach of my elders. Perhaps we truly should leave. The world is vast—there must be a place where we can avoid this catastrophe.”

Lu Lingjun hesitated before responding, “Taixuan Sect has the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path. It may not be impossible to overcome this tribulation.”

Since joining Taixuan Sect, she had personally experienced the Demonic Calamity, and she had also heard how the Seven Star Spirit Realm was wiped out by the Sword Sovereign alone. Her confidence in him was unwavering.

However, Western Spirit Mother remained troubled. “It’s hard to say.”

She had come to Taixuan Sect in the first place to seek shelter under the Sword Sovereign’s might. But now, after what she had just learned, she knew that the catastrophe had already changed—a greater variable had emerged. Even her own sect no longer dared to interfere.

Not all sects in the world adhered to the righteous path. Most cared only about preserving their own legacies.

At that moment, within Taixuan Sect, the Grandmasters from the oceanic regions were gathered, discussing the crisis.

These foreign cultivators not only surpassed the local Taixuan disciples in cultivation but also had access to far more intelligence. They had already confirmed the tidal wave’s trajectory—heading straight for the continent. Naturally, they were deeply concerned.

And the first person they thought of… was the Sword Sovereign of the Righteous Path!

If the oceanic cultivators failed to stop the waves, and they reached the continent, could the Sword Sovereign truly stand against them?

Some cultivators were already choosing to flee, unwilling to gamble on the Sword Sovereign’s strength.

—

Boom—!

The heavens rumbled with thunder as dark storm clouds rolled across the sky.

Under the relentless storm, a monstrous tidal wave over fifteen hundred feet high surged forward, carrying the terrifying momentum of swallowing all existence. From a distance, it seemed as though the entire ocean had risen into the sky—an unstoppable force of destruction.

Underneath this immense wave, even powerful cultivators and fearsome demons appeared pitifully small.

Chi Jiuxiao stood in the torrential rain, his armor drenched, stepping backward step by step with a grave expression.

He turned his head instinctively and could already see the distant silhouette of the continent.

At this rate, countless lives would be swallowed by the tide.

And this was no ordinary seawater—something eerie and immensely powerful lurked within it. Some cultivators had already been consumed by the waves and transformed into Divine Wraiths.

Just imagining an entire continent turning into Divine Wraiths made Chi Jiuxiao’s scalp go numb.

His eyes turned forward again.

Twelve figures stood against the tide.

The overwhelming pressure they exuded surpassed all the cultivators behind them. But even with their immense power, they could only slow down the tide—they had no means to suppress it.

These twelve were all Celestial Ascension cultivators, either founding ancestors of great sects or elders of Starsea Sect. But at this moment, none of them could stop the impending disaster.

The Starsea Primordial Flag had managed to disperse the first tidal wave, but before they could recover, another surge had risen—this time, even stronger.

And worse… the Starsea Primordial Flag had been tainted by the eerie power hidden within the sea, forcing Starsea Sect to recall their treasured artifact.

Just then, Chi Jiuxiao’s pupils contracted. His face twisted in shock.

In the darkened waves, a massive silhouette loomed.

A figure over a thousand feet tall.

It only became visible in the flashes of lightning, an indistinct shadow hidden within the tides.

He wasn’t the only one to see it. More and more cultivators caught sight of it, and each one felt a suffocating weight settle upon their chests.

By now, over one hundred thousand cultivators had gathered to stop the tide. Even the weakest among them was at the Profound Mind Realm, and there were over ten thousand Immortal Dao cultivators among them.

Yet even with such overwhelming numbers, they could not move the tide.

Despair spread like wildfire.

More and more cultivators began to hesitate.

Seeing that colossal shadow within the waves, many felt their courage waver—some even considered fleeing on the spot.

Their instincts screamed at them:

This was not something mortals could contend with.

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