Take another look at Tantai Qiong Hua and the others, who were still fighting for the Celestial Spirit Fruit.
Xiao Lan and the three other ladies, along with several of Tantai Qiong Hua’s sisters and her living wives, surrounded Tantai Qiong Hua.
The Yin-Yang Purple Qi Bottle hovered above their heads, releasing a dazzling purple-gold radiance.
The light shielded the members of the Tantai Family, fending off the attacks from the surrounding powerful enemies.
An Imperial Weapon was an Imperial Weapon.
Even without being fully awakened, it allowed a single peak Unitary Realm expert to stand against several enemies of the same realm.
“Goddess Qiong Hua, why bother with this? The Celestial Spirit Fruit is a treasure of heaven and earth, not something intended for a single person or clan. Although your Tantai Family is powerful, do you really intend to fight us to the death for a single fruit?”
The Barbarian Tribe expert asked in a heavy voice.
Their goal was the fruit.
Unless it was absolutely necessary, they did not want to form a blood feud with the Tantai Family.
“Hmph! Old Ghost Tianman, enough talk! My Tantai Family is determined to obtain this fruit. If you have the ability, come and take it yourself!”
Tantai Qiong Hua’s silver hair danced in the wind.
Her golden eyes released a thick, murderous aura.
As soon as she finished speaking, the red-robed man from the Flame Tribe, who was controlling the Flaming Imperial Tower, let out a cold laugh.
“Tantai Qiong Hua, do you really think we’re afraid of you? The Yin-Yang Purple Qi Bottle is strong, but how long can you sustain it? If we join forces, we can grind you down until you die.”
With that, the experts of the various races exerted their strength simultaneously.
*Boom!*
A terrifying surge of energy slammed into the purple-gold light barrier, stirring up ripples across the sky.
The Yin-Yang Purple Qi Bottle vibrated violently, the runes on its surface flickering between bright and dim.
It was clearly under immense pressure.
The Imperial Weapon certainly would not be destroyed by them, but the power of an unawakened Imperial Weapon came mostly from its user.
The weapon could endure, but Tantai Qiong Hua could not.
Sure enough, Tantai Qiong Hua’s face turned pale, and a trace of blood leaked from the corner of her mouth.
Although she was at the peak of the Unitary Realm and only one step away from the Ascension Realm, facing so many Unitary Realm experts while distracted by maintaining the Imperial Weapon to protect those around her placed an unimaginable pressure on her.
“Husband, are you…?”
Xiao Lan saw that Tantai Qiong Hua’s injuries were worsening, and a flash of anxiety crossed her eyes.
“It is no matter. As long as we hold on for a moment longer, reinforcements will arrive,” Tantai Qiong Hua said, wiping the blood from her lip with a determined gaze.
However, what Tantai Qiong Hua did not realize was that several allied powers related to the Tantai Family by marriage had already arrived in the distance.
They simply did not dare to approach.
If they stepped forward now, they wouldn’t be able to make a difference anyway.
Meanwhile, the experts surrounding Tantai Qiong Hua clearly had no intention of giving them a chance to breathe.
The Barbarian Tribe expert let out a wild laugh.
“Hahaha! Trying to stall for time while waiting for rescue? I don’t think you’ll be able to wait that long. Break for me!”
He raised his hand, and the giant axe in his grip condensed into the phantom of a hideous barbarian beast, which slammed ferociously into the purple-gold light barrier.
The other attackers also released their techniques at the same time.
*Crack!*
A crack finally appeared on the purple-gold light barrier.
“Now is the chance!”
A sharp light flashed in the Flame Tribe expert’s eyes.
He manipulated the Flaming Imperial Tower, and a pillar of blood-red flame, condensed to the extreme, blasted through the crack.
*Cough!*
Tantai Qiong Hua bore the brunt of it.
Hit directly by the flame pillar, her body shook violently.
She spat out a large mouthful of blood, and her aura instantly withered.
The light of the Yin-Yang Purple Qi Bottle dimmed significantly as it tottered unsteadily.
“Husband!”
Xiao Lan and the others cried out, rushing forward recklessly to support her.
Without Tantai Qiong Hua’s leadership, the defense of the Yin-Yang Purple Qi Bottle collapsed instantly.
The experts of the various races released their power at once, surrounding them.
Xiao Lan and the others tried to resist, but they were no match for the onslaught and were wounded one after another.
“It is useless. Your defeat is certain. Hand over the Celestial Spirit Fruit!”
The Barbarian Tribe expert laughed wildly.
The experts of the other races prepared to deliver the final, fatal blow to Tantai Qiong Hua and her companions.
They had held back before, but now, they had to finish the job.
After all, the Tantai Family would surely seek revenge later.
Tantai Qiong Hua and the others watched the incoming attacks, each showing an expression of resignation.
They had little longevity left, so they were not afraid of death; they just could not let go of the Tantai Family’s future.
She prepared to cast a spell to send the Celestial Spirit Fruit away.
—
At that critical moment, far away in Meng Hua Zhou, the massive family portrait hanging in the Zichen Hall of the Tantai Family suddenly erupted with a brilliant, nine-colored radiance without any warning.
On the scroll, the images of Tantai Qiong Hua’s deceased concubines seemed to come to life.
“Sisters, our Husband is in trouble. How can we sit by and do nothing?”
“She is still waiting for us. Let’s go.”
Five gentle voices echoed through the Zichen Hall.
In the next moment, five ethereal and beautiful women slowly stepped out of the painting.
They were Tantai Qiong Hua’s five wives who had long since passed away: Lady Yun, Lady Zhi, Lady Rong, Lady Lan, and Lady Shuang.
Although their figures were illusory, they emitted an aura no weaker than the early 4th layer of the Sendai Realm.
The five of them looked at each other and, without any hesitation, turned into five streaks of light.
They tore through space itself and vanished from the Zichen Hall.
Back at the battlefield, the void suddenly split open.
A surge of nine-colored radiance erupted from within, striking toward the experts of the various races.
This sudden attack forced them to dodge, halting their offensive.
“Who is it?”
The experts looked at the rift with suspicion and alarm.
“Who dares hurt our Husband?”
Five cold, sharp voices accompanied five figures as they stepped out of the rift.
Faint spiritual light swirled around them; they were the five ladies who had returned from the painting.
“Are these… soul bodies?”
A flash of astonishment appeared in the eyes of the crowd.
“Impossible! The laws of the Myriad Races Secret Realm are strict. How could mere soul bodies forcibly break in?”
Tantai Qiong Hua and the others had already closed their eyes in despair, but when she saw those five familiar figures, her eyes filled with unbelievable shock.
“Yun’er, Zhi’er, Rong’er, Lan’er, Shuang’er… You… How can this be?”
Xiao Lan and the other living concubines were also dumbfounded, and then hot tears instantly blurred their vision.
“Big Sister, Husband, we are late,” Lady Yun spoke first, her voice carrying a hint of a sob.
The soul bodies of the five deceased wives ignored the presence of the various experts and floated directly to Tantai Qiong Hua’s side.
“You all…”
Tantai Qiong Hua was so moved she was incoherent, her tears falling uncontrollably.
She did not understand what was happening at all.
“Husband, it won’t be too late to talk once we deal with the enemies,” Lady Yun said before turning to look at Xiao Lan and the three other living sisters.
“Sisters, there is no time to lose. Form the formation!”
Xiao Lan and the others understood immediately.
“Alright!”
The other three ladies, though they had not yet fully recovered from their shock, knew exactly what Lady Yun meant thanks to their years of unspoken chemistry.
Xiao Lan and the three living wives took their positions at the east, south, west, and north of Tantai Qiong Hua.
Lady Yun and the four other soul bodies occupied the remaining positions.
The nine ladies formed a mysterious and profound formation.
“This is bad! Is this the legendary Nine Yin Facing the Sun Formation of the Tantai Family?”
The faces of some experts who knew of the Tantai Family changed drastically.
Those with quick reactions immediately began to retreat.
This formation was created by an ancestor of the Tantai Family.
It required nine lovers who were of one mind to perform it together.
It could manifest the power of nine people onto one person, allowing them to explode with power far beyond their own realm for a short time.
Every woman of the Tantai Family’s Yang Vein knew this formation, which was why the ancestral teachings dictated that every Yang Vein woman must marry nine wives or concubines.
Normally, it would have been impossible to perform.
But now, with Xiao Lan and the three other living wives joined by Lady Yun and the four other returned souls, it could be executed.
“Nine Yin Facing the Sun, help our Husband ascend to Heaven!”
The nine ladies quickly moved their hands into seals and spoke in unison, their voices echoing through the world.
Nine streaks of purple Pure Yin power erupted from them.
For a moment, the entire Myriad Races Secret Realm was stirred by this power.
The violent spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered from all directions, carrying the Pure Yin Qi of the nine women as it poured into Tantai Qiong Hua’s body.
‘A long-awaited feeling…’
Tantai Qiong Hua could clearly feel the love and power coming from her nine wives.
Her injuries healed at a rapid pace, and the barrier of the peak Unitary Realm was shattered at that very moment.
An aura countless times stronger than before soared into the sky from within Tantai Qiong Hua.
This was the power fluctuation of the 5th layer of the Sendai Realm—the Ascension Realm.
With the combined help of her nine wives, she had temporarily entered the Ascension Realm.
“How is this possible?”
The faces of the experts from various races changed violently, their eyes filled with terror.
The Ascension Realm was a level sufficient to sweep away everyone present.