Meanwhile, in a dimly lit space in an impossible to locate area of the Eternal Jade Heavens Immortal Realm.
The Immortal Lord, a wisely man with long white hair and beard, sweated profusely while shaking like a leaf. He sat in a lotus position, with his eyes closed and in full concentration mode. Around him in this dark space were eight other figures, all of whom were even worse expressions as they circulated their Immortal Energy, making use of a seemingly unlimited number of Immortal World Lines.
"Do you actually believe that you bunch can hold me off forever?" mocked a sinister-looking figure trapped in an illusory Golden birdcage. "Your efforts will all be for naught in the end. Why bother? Just give up now and let your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your Immortal Realm pave the way for the destined rise of my Nine Evil Yin Immortal Realm!"
The Immortal Lord's labored breaths filled the dark space as the tension between the nine defenders and the Nine Evil Yin Sovereign's astral projection mounted. The birdcage shimmered faintly, its intricate golden bars etched with the combined seals of the Eternal Jade Heavens' most ancient powerhouses. Yet, despite its brilliance, the cage trembled, cracks spreading ever so slightly with each pulse of the Sovereign's overwhelming energy.
The Sovereign smirked, his sinister form lounging against the edges of his confinement as though he had all the time in the world. His voice slithered through the air like an unwelcome whisper. "Oh, how amusing you are, clinging to the remnants of a once-mighty realm. Tell me, Immortal Lord—how much longer can you pretend this cage will hold?"
The Immortal Lord opened his eyes, their depths blazing with an unyielding light despite his exhaustion. His voice was steady, commanding, a stark contrast to his physical condition. "It will hold as long as it needs to. You will not set one foot in this realm as long as I draw breath."
The Sovereign's laughter boomed, rattling the very fabric of the birdcage. "Such arrogance. Do you not feel it, Immortal Lord? The cracks in your realm's foundation? The dwindling resolve of your people? Even now, your precious Eternal Jade Heavens teeters on the edge of collapse, and your 'champion,' Azmodeus, plays the fool in a futile bid to delay the inevitable. A pity. I thought you were wiser."
One of the eight figures surrounding the Immortal Lord faltered, his energy wavering for a fraction of a second. The Sovereign's eyes gleamed with malice, and he leaned forward, his presence pressing against the cage like a tide of darkness. "Ah, there it is—the first sign of weakness. How long before the rest of you follow? How long before this prison becomes my throne?"
"You're pushing yourself too hard," she said, her tone both accusatory and concerned. "If you keep fighting like this, you'll burn yourself out before the real battle begins."
Azmodeus snorted, shouldering the cleaver as he walked past her. "And what would you have me do? Sit around and wait for your brother to kill us all? No thanks. I'd rather go down swinging."
Ming Chao grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop. "This isn't just about you, Azmodeus. We need a strategy. If we keep fighting blindly, we'll only weaken ourselves before the Nine Evil Yin Sovereign makes his move. We can't afford that."
Azmodeus shrugged her off, his gaze hard. "A strategy won't mean jack if we're dead before we can use it. Every cultist I kill now is one less we'll have to deal with later."
Ming Chao opened her mouth to argue, but the words caught in her throat. She knew he wasn't entirely wrong, yet the recklessness of his approach terrified her. She looked into his eyes, searching for something—anything—that might hint at a deeper plan. But all she saw was a burning resolve, unyielding and all-consuming. Stay updated through мѵʟ
"Fine," she said quietly, stepping back. "But if you die before we reach the end of this, I'll kill you myself."
Azmodeus smirked, the faintest glimmer of amusement flickering across his face. "Deal."
...