Firmament Sword

At this moment, from every direction within the Small World, countless people began flying toward the enormous rift in the sky.

Whether or not they had found their own opportunities in the Small World, the time had now come to leave.

Although the great figures were tight-lipped about opening the Small World, people could still draw some conclusions from Xushan’s brief remarks.

The Small World could not be opened at will!

On this matter, Xu Qing directly told Xu Luo the real inside story.

”The Small World isn’t as easy to open as you’d think. Every time we entered before, we had to consume several ancestral artifacts. The passages opened this way are also very unstable. We paid a heavy price, but the Jade Balance Sect’s power alone is nowhere near enough to explore the entire Small World.”

Xu Qing didn’t hide anything from Xu Luo, stating frankly, ”That’s exactly why my uncle thought of using the sect assembly to unite with other sects and explore the Small World together. It was also meant to be a training opportunity for the younger generation.”

”Then what about the timing for opening and closing it?” Although Xu Luo was in awe of the Small World’s independent and powerful laws, he hadn’t thought it looked particularly difficult for Xushan and the other great figures to open it.

”The timing for opening and closing... I’ve only heard my uncle say that the Small World’s capacity is limited. And the rule here is that each time it’s opened, the next time requires double the power...”

Xu Qing’s face reddened slightly as she said, a little embarrassed, ”As you know, we didn’t want to publicize this Small World at first, so we explored it a bit too frequently. By the time we discovered this pattern, it was... already a little too late.”

”So...” Xu Luo’s mouth twitched.

Xu Qing nodded. ”Yes. So this time, not only did my uncle and his group expend a huge amount of power, but they also consumed six ancestral artifacts!”

Xu Luo felt his scalp tingle slightly. So many great figures, on top of six ancestral artifacts—items that surpass Magical Artifacts and are second only to Spirit-Connected Magical Artifacts...

He finally understood why Xushan had said what he did.

It wasn’t just the sect disciples who had come for training who wanted to leave the Small World; there were also many of the Small World’s natives!

Those tyrannical giant beasts with the blood of Holy Beasts flowing through their veins!

The Small World had abundant Spiritual Qi, was a self-contained system with its own independent laws, and was an excellent place for cultivation. But for those tyrannical giant beasts, they had no desire to be trapped in this world forever.

The more real world outside was clearly more appealing to them.

Thus, a war to seize the exit erupted—sudden, yet not entirely surprising.

A large number of sect disciples perished near the enormous fissure in the sky, watching the blue sky and sunlight outside as they lost their lives.

They were swept from the sky in droves by the giant beasts that had suddenly gone on a killing spree!

Blood rained down!

Countless sect disciples screamed in terror, while those knocked from the high heavens let out roars of defiance.

At the same time, the great figures outside, responsible for holding the Small World open, were utterly enraged!

A giant, leopard-like beast, covered in golden scales, was not particularly large compared to the other giant beasts, but it was still several hundred meters long.

This creature was the most ferocious of all. Positioned at the mouth of the rift, it seemed in no hurry to exit, instead charging left and right, slaughtering countless people!

Like a gatekeeper god, it blocked the exit, a low, cold roar constantly rumbling from its throat.

”This is bad...” Xu Qing said, her face pale. ”I finally understand why it was so peaceful when we entered the Small World this time...”

”You mean the truly powerful beings were holding back this whole time? And they only made their move when we were about to leave?” Xu Luo raised his eyebrows slightly, a chill running down his spine.

’If that’s true, then the creatures in this Small World are far too terrifying. Their intelligence is chilling!’

’I’d thought they were frightened by the sheer number of sect disciples and had all gone into hiding. Now I understand—they weren’t frightened at all! It’s clear they were determined to keep every last human who dared to invade their territory trapped here!’

Not only that, but dozens of tyrannical beasts had gathered near the rift high in the sky. They not only blocked the humans’ return but were also merciless toward the ”traitors” among their own kind who tried to leave through the rift!

Xu Luo watched as a great gray bird, its wingspan thousands of meters wide, blotted out the sun like a gray cloud. It shot forward as fast as lightning, trying to slip through the rift.

But it was intercepted by the gold-scaled leopard and a giant black bird and was torn to shreds in an instant!

Blood and feathers filled the sky!

”What do we do?” Xu Qing glanced at Xu Luo. ”Are we really going to be trapped here until we die?”

Xu Luo smiled. ”It won’t come to that. Even if we can’t get out this time, I’m sure your uncle and the others will figure something out. They won’t give up so easily.”

Xu Qing shook her head gently. ”To open the Small World again... unless my uncle and his group can all break through to a higher realm, otherwise...”

The other three female disciples from the Jade Balance Sect also walked over, watching the situation in the sky with worried expressions. The pretty young woman said, ”If we’d known, we would have rushed out with the first group. It seems like only they’ve succeeded so far!”

The woman who looked to be around twenty said, ”Some are still succeeding now. The giant beasts don’t seem to dare get too close to the rift, but not everyone has the courage to try.”

”Let’s wait and see. The people in here represent nearly the entire elite younger generation from all the sects on the Central Plains Star Continent. I’m sure they won’t give up,” Xu Luo said.

”I hope so,” Xu Qing sighed softly.

As expected, the people outside soon discovered the anomaly within and were filled with a mixture of shock and rage.

Xushan’s cold voice came through the rift, ”Clear the exit! Otherwise, I’ll risk everything, even destroying this Small World, to wipe every last one of you out!”

”What a boast!” the gold-scaled leopard spoke in a human tongue, its voice cold. ”A swarm of weak crawlers, like a plague of locusts, you’ve thrown this once-beautiful and peaceful Small World into chaos. You think you can just leave after causing all this trouble? There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world!”

”That’s right! They will all stay here. No one is leaving!” a giant black eagle, exuding a regal aura and an astonishing presence, stated coldly.

”Get out of the way!” A furious roar suddenly came from outside, followed by a giant hand slapping fiercely toward the black eagle!

”Heavens! Which great power is this, to be able to reach their hand into the Small World?” the pretty young woman couldn’t help but exclaim.

At the same time, similar cries of astonishment rose from all over the Small World.

The giant black eagle swung its wing, lashing out at the massive hand!

RUMBLE!

A series of deafening booms echoed from high in the sky. The massive rift flickered in and out of sight, as if greatly affected.

”Sect Leader Xiang, don’t be rash!”

Xushan’s voice came from outside. ”These beasts are just trying to bait you into attacking.”

”Hmph! A bunch of damned beasts, daring to threaten us!”

”I know who attacked!” Xu Qing said softly. ”It’s the Sect Leader of the Dubhe Sect, Xiang Wentian!”

”So it was him. No wonder he’s so aggressive,” the female disciples of the Jade Balance Sect said, their faces showing sudden understanding.

The Dubhe Sect was a super-sect, a top-tier power on the Central Plains Star Continent. Its Sect Leader, Xiang Wentian, though not arrogant, had a fiery temper and was easily provoked.

After trading a direct blow with the giant hand Xiang Wentian had extended, the black eagle was somewhat injured. A large patch of its iron-hard feathers had been blasted away.

It was as if a black rain had started to fall from the sky.

The blow also enraged it. It let out a sharp roar, ”Humans! None of you will leave! You will all die here!”

”I don’t wish to provoke you, but I hope you won’t go too far! You have already killed many of our finest disciples. You’ve had your satisfaction, haven’t you? Now, clear the exit.” Xushan’s voice was calm, but it held a powerful undercurrent of rage.

”Hahaha! And what if I don’t? If you’ve got the guts, come and hit me!” the black eagle mocked with a shrill laugh.

”Really? You asked for this yourself. Senior Holy Beast, you heard it too. It’s asking for death!” Xushan’s words left countless people confused.

’I can’t believe Xushan knew there was a Holy Beast in this Small World... Could it be that he held back this whole time because he was wary of that Holy Beast?’

The moment Xushan’s voice fell, a giant hand glowing with cyan light appeared. It didn’t feel like a hand, but rather a huge, blooming cyan lotus!

Wielding the power of a mighty law, it struck, instantly suppressing the screeching black eagle. It seized the eagle fiercely by the neck and then... lifted it high into the air.

Xushan’s voice came again, ”Senior Holy Beast, do you still not wish to intervene?”

The giant beasts blocking the rift in the sky all seemed stunned. They hadn’t imagined that the human outside was so tyrannical.

”Alas...”

Just then, a soft sigh suddenly echoed from within the Small World.

It was just a single sigh, yet it reached the ears of everyone in the Small World as if whispered right beside them!

This caused many of the sect disciples in the Small World to break out in a cold sweat, looking around suspiciously.

”Little ones, you’ve made enough trouble. Come back now.” A plain, simple voice rang out from within the Small World, creating the illusion that the speaker was a kind and amiable old man from next door.

But only the powerful great figures outside could sense the terrifying power contained within that sigh and that single sentence.

Outside the Small World, the Dubhe Sect’s Sect Leader, Xiang Wentian, had a rather grim expression on his face.