Chapter 368 - 367: Freeing Golden Immortal Beast, Leaving Sacred Grounds

The Rank 8 Golden Immortal Beast was inside.

Lin Yuan extended his hand and released a concentrated burst of golden-purple thunder. The lightning struck the black sphere, spreading through the demonic runes and attacking the structure that maintained the spatial prison.

Several runes resisted for an instant before their connections were severed, and the entire sphere shattered with a sharp, metallic sound. Fragments of black light scattered across the plaza before dissolving into the unstable air.

A majestic roar immediately followed.

The Rank 8 Golden Immortal Beast burst out of the collapsing prison, its enormous golden body emerging through the dissipating fragments.

Its Celestial Jade horn shone with a brilliant silver radiance, and its powerful limbs struck the ground hard enough to crack the remaining tiles. The beast shook its head furiously, clearly displeased by its imprisonment, before turning toward Lin Yuan and lowering its enormous head in a gesture of recognition.

Lin Yuan briefly inspected it, confirming that the demon had not inflicted any serious injuries. The beast’s aura was somewhat unstable after being trapped inside the sphere, but its foundation remained intact, and the Celestial Jade horn continued to release faint ripples that helped stabilize the space around its body. That was fortunate, because their immediate survival depended on its ability to navigate the collapsing dimension.

"Master Ku, Qingyue, mount the beast!" Lin Yuan ordered.

His voice cut through the deafening roar of the collapsing Sacred Grounds, leaving no room for hesitation. Ku Ming immediately moved toward the Golden Immortal Beast, while Bai Qingyue descended from the air with the Fortune Banner still firmly held in her hand.

The golden Yunqi aura surrounding her body spread outward, forming a protective layer that deflected the smaller fragments of spatial debris falling from above. Although the Realm of Fortune had dramatically increased her combat strength, she did not waste its power on unnecessary displays.

Ku Ming climbed onto the beast’s back and settled himself behind its shoulders, his expression still tense from the battle.

The monk then glanced once at the corpse of the Elephant Demon King before turning his attention toward the sky, where the cracks had grown so extensive that entire sections of the surrounding landscape appeared to be separating from the rest of the realm. He had witnessed powerful formations collapse before, but nothing he had seen could compare to the destruction of the Sacred Grounds.

Bai Qingyue followed, taking a position where she could maintain the Fortune Banner’s protective influence over herself and her companions. She glanced at Lin Yuan, and although she did not ask whether he was injured, the concern in her eyes was unmistakable.

Lin Yuan gave her a slight nod to reassure her before moving toward the beast’s neck, where he placed one hand against its golden scales and began channeling his spiritual Qi into its body.

"Tear a path out of this realm!" he commanded.

The Golden Immortal Beast immediately responded. Its Celestial Jade horn ignited with the transcendent silver light of the Immortal Cloud Step, and the surrounding space began to fold around its enormous body.

Rather than attempting to travel through the unstable pathways that had once connected the different regions of the Sacred Grounds, the beast directed its attention toward the weakest and most fractured section of the collapsing dimension.

Lin Yuan’s eyes narrowed as he followed the changes in the spatial currents. The Sacred Grounds were not merely experiencing an ordinary collapse caused by damaged formations.

Their entire spatial foundation was being subjected to an external force, and the resulting distortions were growing increasingly severe. The beast’s horn could create a passage through the damaged boundary, but the opening would have to be established quickly, before the surrounding space became too unstable for even its abilities to function.

"Now!" Lin Yuan shouted.

The Golden Immortal Beast reared back and thrust its horn forward.

A massive spatial fissure ripped open before them, releasing a wave of violent pressure that nearly swept the beast from its position. Silver light spread along the edges of the opening, holding the fractured space apart long enough for the passage to stabilize.

Beyond it lay the tumultuous atmosphere of the Nine Provinces, where the spiritual Qi appeared faint and disordered compared with the concentrated energy of the ancient Dongtian.

For a brief moment, everyone on the plaza stared at the opening.

Then a desperate cry rose from the ruins behind them.

"A passage! Someone has opened a passage!"

The surviving cultivators reacted immediately. Dozens of battered experts who had barely survived the demon incursions emerged from the shattered structures surrounding the plaza, their robes stained with blood and their spiritual Qi fluctuating wildly.

Some were Soul Transformation experts from the various continents, while others had been members of powerful sects that had entered the Sacred Grounds expecting to obtain treasures and opportunities.

Their expressions had changed completely since their arrival, and the arrogance they had once displayed had been replaced by the raw desperation of people who had finally realized that death was no longer a distant possibility.

They had witnessed the slaughter of their companions, watched powerful Demon Kings tear through cultivators who should have been able to protect themselves, and felt the foundations of the ancient Dongtian crumble beneath their feet.

Many had already abandoned their treasures in exchange for a chance to escape, while others had been forced to leave their injured companions behind when the spatial disturbances made rescue impossible. Now, the appearance of a stable passage offered them one final opportunity to survive.

No one questioned who had opened it.

No one demanded that Lin Yuan wait for them.

The surviving cultivators abandoned whatever remained of their pride and flew toward the fissure, pushing past the ruins and one another in their desperation to reach the opening before it collapsed.

A few glanced at the Golden Immortal Beast and recognized the aura of a Rank 8 existence, but none dared approach Lin Yuan to demand assistance. The scene unfolding around them had made one fact painfully clear: anyone who wished to survive would have to seize whatever opportunity remained within their reach.

Lin Yuan did not stop them. He had neither the time nor the obligation to rescue every cultivator still trapped inside the Sacred Grounds, and attempting to do so would only endanger Bai Qingyue and Ku Ming. He watched long enough to confirm that the fissure remained open, then directed the Golden Immortal Beast toward it.

The beast lowered its body and plunged through the threshold.