The battle had shifted from the peak of the Nangong clan's mountain gate to its interior.
Countless young disciples, following their prearranged plans, formed killing formations and activated traps, but they were unable to withstand the sheer number of domain lord allied forces.
Consequently, Nangong clan members fell one after another. The domain lords unleashed their attacks, crushing them like a swarm of migrating ants, casually slaughtering large groups.
Houses collapsed, blood flowed like rivers, and desperate cries for help echoed everywhere. The Nangong clan had become a living hell.
Dongfang Jing, following the troop, laughed heartily as he killed, and Cheng Lu was the same. They both believed there was no longer any suspense in this battle.
With White Cloud Taoist Temple not intervening, Medicine King Valley could not commit its full strength. No one could save the Nangong family now.
Even the Nangong clansmen, trapped in deep water and fire, on the brink of despair, did not believe a turning point would come.
The mountain protection formation was their only hope for a comeback, but Nangong Zhenyuan could no longer sustain it. The remaining Nangong members had diluted True Phoenix bloodlines; even combined, they might not be able to make the True Phoenix phantom flap its wings even once.
Meanwhile, the slaughter continued.
Watching their relatives and friends fall one by one, people began to reminisce about Nangong Yu of the past. His Heavenly Phoenix bloodline was the second purest in the Nangong clan's history, far superior to Nangong Zhenyuan's.
If he were still alive, the Nangong clan would surely not have suffered this calamity.
"If the Holy Son hadn't gone mad, the Nangong clan wouldn't have fallen to this state!"
Before the ancestral shrine, the powerful members of the Nangong clan took their positions. Relying on the pre-constructed defense formation, they were barely resisting the onslaught, but the formation was not stable and risked shattering at any moment.
At this moment, an elder sighed, mentioning the Nangong Holy Son.
At this, countless people wore complex expressions.
The previous Nangong Holy Son, in terms of bloodline talent, was even more powerful than Nangong Yu, as he was a direct descendant of Nangong Yu.
His bloodline concentration was so high that merely holding the formation's core staff would cause a True Phoenix phantom to land on his shoulder in the past.
Alas, after losing to Ji Chang, that Holy Son's Dao heart shattered, and he went mad, remaining in the ancestral land behind the mountain, keeping company with the tombstones, unseen and having lost all cultivation.
"If His Highness the Holy Son were here, he would surely snatch the formation's core staff and crush all external enemies."
"It's a pity the Holy Son has gone mad. We only have the Saintess now."
The elder, whose body was fundamentally injured and could no longer fight, looked at Nangong Huaitian with a complex expression. She was also a direct descendant of Nangong Yu and had just been crowned Supreme. Her talent was undeniable, but she had not awakened the True Phoenix bloodline.
This bloodline was normally awakened at the fourth stage, and Nangong Huaitian had only just broken through to the third stage, still far from it.
This meant she also could not control the True Phoenix.
"Huaitian, your grandfather watched you grow up. If this formation is broken later, you should escape from the forbidden zone of the ancestral land. There is a top-secret teleportation array there. You are the last hope of the Nangong clan, so you must live well," the elder said to Nangong Huaitian with a complicated expression.
The Nangong clan was sealed by external artifacts, and ordinary teleportation arrays could not be used. However, the array in the forbidden land could, as it was an ancient formation set up by the first ancestor, on par with the mountain protection formation.
"Let's forget it," Nangong Huaitian shook her head, a hint of resolve appearing on her beautiful face. "I said I would defend the Nangong clan to the death."
The elder was stunned and couldn't help but persuade her, "But staying here is a futile sacrifice. It's better to escape using the formation. There's still a sliver of hope. You can avenge us another day!"
Upon hearing this, countless people immediately agreed.
"Yes, Your Highness the Saintess, your life alone is more important than all of ours. White Cloud Taoist Temple and Medicine King Valley will not abandon you. Please escape using the formation and avenge us another day!"
"Please, Your Highness the Saintess, escape using the formation!"
In the somewhat crowded ancestral shrine, more and more wounded individuals who could not fight were being brought back. Amidst the bloody air, countless pairs of tragic yet resolute eyes stared fixedly at Nangong Huaitian.
They hoped Nangong Huaitian would live.
"None of you will survive, especially the descendants of Nangong Yu!"
At this moment, Bai Yun's voice echoed again. The external assault intensified, more people died, and countless cracks appeared on the dark golden defensive barrier of the formation, on the verge of being breached.
Just then, Nangong Maoguan retreated. He was spitting blood, holding the formation's core staff, his body engulfed in flames, his eyes filled with unwillingness.
"I'm sorry, everyone. My bloodline purity is insufficient; I cannot control the mountain protection formation."
"Huaitian, you should still leave. Go to Medicine King Valley, go to White Cloud Taoist Temple, or defect to that kid Xu Mu in the Mystical Night Domain. In short, you must survive."
Nangong Huaitian looked at Nangong Maoguan. Her beautiful face remained expressionless as she shook her head.
Nangong Maoguan became anxious and shouted sternly.
"Nangong Huaitian, if you still consider me your senior, hurry up and leave!"
Nangong Huaitian shook her head again.
"I will not leave."
"I do not want you to die."
Seeing that the formation was about to be broken, Nangong Maoguan's face turned pale, and he asked in near despair:
"If you are buried with us, who will avenge us in the future?"
"Your Highness the Saintess, go!"
"I will not go."
Nangong Huaitian shook her head again. She looked at the formation shattering outside, at Bai Yun, who was fighting the domain lords and rushing towards them with a crazed expression. She silently extended her right hand.
Then, the formation's core staff in Nangong Maoguan's hand suddenly flew into hers.
The formation's core staff was heavy, its surface inscribed with intricate and noble patterns. Nangong Huaitian's slender, boneless jade-like hand gripped it tightly.
Seeing this, Nangong Maoguan was stunned.
"What are you..."
"To protect you," Nangong Huaitian said, a blinding radiance emanating from her body, as if a saint had descended.
Upon seeing this, Nangong Maoguan understood what Nangong Huaitian intended to do and shouted,
"No, you don't have the True Phoenix bloodline! Using the formation will directly result in backlash and death!"
Nangong Huaitian was unfazed. From within and without, her blood ignited with pure white sacred fire, illuminating the spiritual tablets enshrined in the ancestral shrine.
"I may not have awakened my bloodline, but I am, after all, the Saintess of the Nangong clan."
"Great Elder, please believe me."
"This time, it is my turn to protect you."
As Nangong Huaitian spoke, the Supreme crown on her head also began to burn.
Then, with a clear phoenix cry, a crimson sacred radiance descended from the night sky, shining through the roof of the ancestral shrine onto Nangong Huaitian.
An ancient and mysterious energy exploded instantly.
Bai Yun, who had just rushed over, was forced back by this terrifying energy. Everyone stopped fighting and looked at Nangong Huaitian in shock.
Heavenly light shone, and sacred radiance was crimson.
Nangong Huaitian burned everything, then ascended into the air with the power of the crimson radiance, her face contorted in pain, leaving countless people stunned.
Bai Yun seemed to realize something, her expression changed drastically, and she tried to intervene, but it was too late.
For by this time, transparent wings had grown behind Nangong Huaitian.
She flew higher, evading Bai Yun's attack.
Her posture was exquisite, the sacred radiance pure white, like a legendary angel.
In the Nangong clan's mountain gate, countless clan members looked up, their eyes filled with shock and awe. Some even knelt on the ground, shedding tears of excitement and reverence, for they knew that the miracle they had long awaited had finally occurred.
Compared to an angel, Nangong Huaitian at this moment resembled a phoenix suspended in the heavens.
...