Chapter 102: Breakthrough Failed

When the Great Elder left the family, he was only at the spiritual level. It seemed impossible that he could have ascended to the rank of Great Emperor within just a few months. But could this all be just a coincidence? Two people with the same names as their family elders had appeared on the Heavenly Dao Golden List consecutively!

"Is this mere chance?" whispered one of the bystanders.

Suddenly, an angry voice pierced the air. "Junior! How dare you challenge me? Spirit Partitioning, today you die!"

An old man, brimming with fury, stepped into the void. With a flick of his hand, six enormous formations appeared, encircling Xian Zhan from all directions. These formations hummed with energy, their sheer power causing the space around them to tremble violently.

Xian Zhan, unfazed, looked at the old man with a calm demeanor. "So, you came prepared, huh?"

The old man sneered, "Enough with your arrogance! You killed so many of my sect's core disciples—did you think you would go unpunished?"

Xian Zhan laughed coldly. "Punished? Your disciples overestimated their strength. They thought they could contend with destiny, with me, and when they lost, they called for your sect to suppress me. You think because your Jade Cauldron Sect is one of the twelve overlords of the Southern Domain that I, Xian Zhan, should be afraid of you? I don't care about your status at all."

In his hand, Xian Zhan held a bloodstained long sword. He stood at the heart of the formations, completely unfazed by the old man or the formations surrounding him.

"You dare disrespect my Jade Cauldron Sect? Fine! Let's see how bold you really are!"

As the old man's voice echoed through the air, several figures emerged, their appearances heralded by towering manifestations of laws and power. Some carried immense trees behind them, others commanded beasts of legend, and some wielded long knives that shimmered with deadly energy. These were the symbols of cultivators who had reached the Law Manifestation Realm.

These elders and leaders of the Jade Cauldron Sect had decided to intervene personally. Xian Zhan's actions were too egregious—he had nearly wiped out an entire generation of core disciples. For the sect, the loss was immeasurable. Each of those disciples had unique physiques, and replacing them was no small feat.

If they didn't take their revenge today, how could the Jade Cauldron Sect maintain its prestige in the Southern Domain? How would they face ridicule from the other eleven sects?

Now, the leaders stood tall, each positioned at a key point of the six-path formation. Energy surged from their bodies into the formation like torrents of a wild river. The six-path formation began to glow, and its sheer force became overwhelming.

From one formation, a colossal silver sword materialized, shimmering with destructive energy. From another, waves of sword energy rippled out like rivers, and golden light exploded from yet another formation, accompanied by powerful fist seals. The combined attack surged towards Xian Zhan, drowning him in light and energy.

"He may be powerful, but even he cannot survive the combined might of six Sixth-Grade formations," muttered a slightly overweight middle-aged man coldly, staring at the place where Xian Zhan had disappeared beneath the wave of energy.

Each formation was powered by cultivators at the Body Integration Realm, and their combined strength could rival the power of a Saint Realm expert. How could any opponent survive such an assault?

But as the crowd began to celebrate what they thought was their assured victory, a sharp red sword light suddenly tore through the dense energy. With one clean stroke, the formations collapsed, and Xian Zhan stood in the aftermath, completely unharmed. Not a hair on his head was out of place.

"You're too arrogant," Xian Zhan said coldly, his eyes flashing with disdain.

With a simple sweep of his long sword, red sword light filled the sky, and the Law Manifestation Realm monks fell like helpless chickens before his overwhelming might. They had underestimated him; Xian Zhan had possessed the power to kill Body Integration Realm cultivators even when he was only in the Nascent Realm. Now that he had broken through to the Soul Formation Realm, eliminating them was child's play. He could even challenge the Saint Realm if he wished.

Sheathing his sword, Xian Zhan turned and flew towards the Jade Cauldron Sect's headquarters. With the sect leaders and elders dead, the sect's immense resources were now ripe for the taking. After all, a sect that had thrived for tens of thousands of years surely had a vast wealth of treasures and knowledge.

The next day, news swept across the Southern Domain, leaving everyone in shock. The Jade Cauldron Sect, one of the twelve overlords of the Southern Domain, had collapsed overnight. Word spread that all of its top leaders had been wiped out.

The entire region was abuzz with speculation. What kind of force could have brought such a mighty sect to its knees so swiftly? Who had they provoked to suffer such a devastating blow?

Meanwhile, back in the Xian family's estate, members of the family gathered outside the Great Elder's courtyard. Everyone was anxious, eager to know whether the person who had appeared on the Heavenly Dao Golden List was their Great Elder.

After a few tense moments, the Great Elder finally emerged, looking pale and weak.

"Great Elder, what happened?" Xian Yin asked, her voice full of concern.

The Great Elder sighed. "Nothing serious. I was attempting to break through to the Soul Formation but failed. I've suffered some internal injuries as a result."

Blood trickled from the corner of the Great Elder's mouth as he spoke. Xian Lang, standing nearby, quickly produced a healing elixir and handed it to him.

"We thought the Great Emperor who appeared on the Heavenly Dao Golden List was you," Xian Lang said with a sigh, "but now it seems that's not the case."

The Great Elder's face showed confusion. "Great Emperor of the Great Way? What Great Emperor of the Great Way? I've been in seclusion for the past few days and have no idea what's been going on."

After hearing the full explanation, the Great Elder was taken aback. "Another powerful figure with the same name as someone from our Xian family? Isn't this a cruel joke? People might even start to believe our family has produced two Great Emperors!"

The Second Elder, Xian Yuanshan, a bald man standing behind the group, rubbed his head and sighed. "Yes, it's such a strange coincidence. If this rumor spreads, we might attract countless powerful individuals to our doorstep, putting our family in grave danger."

The elders exchanged nervous glances. While they knew the truth of the situation, they couldn't let it be known publicly. If they revealed the truth, their family's reputation might suffer a severe blow.

"So, what's important now," Xian Yuanshan continued, "is that you all focus on your cultivation. You need to grow stronger, faster. One day, you must be able to stand on your own, to protect the family from any threats."

Xian Yin and the others nodded solemnly. "We won't slack off, Second Elder."

"Good," said the Second Elder, his voice firm. "The future of our family rests with you all. The patriarch has been watching your progress closely, and he's gone to great lengths to acquire a special treasure for you—a treasure with the power to accelerate time."

At this, everyone's eyes widened in excitement. A treasure that could speed up their cultivation? That was invaluable!

"Where is it, Second Elder?" Xian Lang asked eagerly.

"It's in the family's training area," the Second Elder replied. "Go see it for yourselves. There are elders there who will teach you how to use it."

Without another word, the young cultivators rushed towards the training area, their minds buzzing with excitement. If this treasure could truly accelerate their training, then perhaps the gap between them and the mighty figures on the Heavenly Dao Golden List would not seem so insurmountable after all.

As they ran, the future of the Xian family seemed brighter than ever.