Chapter 474: Heaven-Responding Celestial Venerable

Yuan Yao saw Xie Yan actually using such a desperate fighting style, and her heart startled.

She quickly condensed her mental power to attack the old man, disturbing him.

At the same time, Tian Xue also realized this was no moment to seek the truth; the battle situation changed in an instant, and a slight mistake would mean death and the disappearance of her Dao.

It let out a clear, dignified low roar, its body filled with intense chill, joining the battle like a white bolt of lightning.

"Roar——!"

A dragon's roar that could pierce metal and split stone echoed through heaven and earth; Responding Dragon's massive body swayed in the air, its scales flashing with golden divine light, its dragon claws carrying the force to rend wind and clouds as it lunged ferociously at the old man.

The Responding Dragon is one of the most noble true divine beasts between heaven and earth, its potential boundless, its strength limit immeasurable.

However, it has only recently descended into the world, its foundation not yet solid; the cultivation level it displays now is roughly equivalent to that of an early seventh‑stage spirit beast.

An early seventh‑stage spirit beast's combat power already equals that of an early Body Integration Realm expert among human cultivators.

And Tian Xue's cultivation also stands firmly at the threshold of the early seventh stage, likewise possessing the terrifying power of an early Body Integration Realm cultivator.

The two early Body Integration Realm powers, plus the life‑disregarding, fierce‑offensive Xie Yan, momentarily formed an encirclement.

But the old man's cultivation is actually mid Body Integration Realm!

This single‑character difference is a chasm like clouds versus mud; the power gap is as vast as a heavenly moat.

Although the old man was disturbed by Yuan Yao's mental power and then attacked from all sides by Xie Yan, the Responding Dragon, and Tian Xue, he still held his ground, his spiritual power surging.

At this moment, many strong cultivators have already arrived here.

However, they cannot enter the old man's domain space, nor can they see what is happening inside.

The black‑clothed phoenix‑eyed youth also arrived here; he felt a faint sense of unease and immediately used his identity token to send a message to Yuan Yao.

"Yao Yao, where are you?"

No reply.

"Yao Yao, answer me."

After a few seconds, there was still no reply.

At that moment, Ying Wuji caught sight of a torn hairband out of the corner of his eye; it was colorful.

He quickly walked over, picked it up, and pinched the hairband tightly between his fingertips.

His chest trembled.

Ying Wuji quickly messaged Eldest Senior Brother Song Yan: "Eldest Senior Brother, has Yao Yao returned to the private room?"

"No." Song Yan quickly replied: "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

Upon hearing this, Ying Wuji suddenly lifted his phoenix eyes; a fierce glare flashed in their depths, and his right hand trembled uncontrollably.

"This must be the spatial domain of a Body Integration Realm expert! What on earth happened?!" The surrounding powerhouses spoke up one after another.

"Could someone have provoked a Body Integration Realm expert?"

"We'd better stay farther away, lest we suffer disaster."

Ying Wuji took something out of his storage space and crushed it fiercely.

Crack——

At the same time, the immortal spirits all belong to the Ying family.

A white‑haired old man suddenly opened his eyes, swiftly rose, and tore open the void.

"Look quickly!" someone exclaimed.

Following the sound, they saw a void rift appear in the sky above the Floating Capital; a tall black silhouette emerged in mid‑air, white hair fluttering, as he looked down.

A terrifying pressure almost swept over the entire Floating Capital, making it hard for everyone to breathe.

All the big shots inside the Floating Capital were startled.

"Who is that?!"

"The Ying family's ancestor! The Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable!"

"Heavens! How did the Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable come here?!"

The Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable is one of the strongest celestials in the cultivation world, of exalted status and noble identity!

And the Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable is now a Great Perfection Realm powerhouse!

The various celestials within the Floating Capital all rushed toward this spot.

The Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable flashed over and instantly stood before Ying Wuji; upon seeing Ying Wuji unharmed, he slightly furrowed his brows, seeming somewhat puzzled.

Ying Wuji lifted his robe, half‑knelt, clasped his hands in salute, and said solemnly: "Please, ancestor, help me break open this spatial domain."

"Just this?" the Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable frowned; eleven years ago he had given Ying Wuji a life‑saving jade token.

In these eleven years he had never crushed it.

Now, though he is unharmed, he has crushed the life‑saving jade token.

Ying Wuji: "Please, ancestor, first break open the spatial domain!"

The Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable felt a bit disappointed, yet also sparked some curiosity.

Who exactly is he doing this for?!

The Heaven‑Responding Celestial Venerable focused his attention on the domain space emitting spiritual power fluctuations; he raised his hand, gathered tremendous force in his palm, and slammed a palm strike toward the domain.

With a booming explosion, the entire Floating Capital trembled.

At the instant the spatial domain was shattered, a spray of blood flew toward him.

Ying Wuji stared, his heart nearly stopping, but what lay before him was a masked head rolling to the ground, while the girl in pink‑white robes clutching a Phantom Spirit Sword had several blood droplets splashed onto her pale cheeks.

Beside her stood a white‑clothed youth, his white robes nearly dyed red by blood, suffering multiple severe sword wounds, blood streaming from his brows and eyes, his black eyes glinting with a chilling, murderous light.

His sword had already left his hand, clanging to the ground with a clang.

Besides them, there was also a golden giant dragon and a small snow beast.

They, too, had suffered serious injuries.

And in the next instant, they disappeared before everyone's eyes.

"This is……"

Everyone was shocked.

"Yao Yao!" Ying Wuji sprang to his feet, quickly stepped up to Yuan Yao's front, examined her thoroughly, and only relaxed after confirming she had no fatal injury.

"Youngest Senior Brother..." Yuan Yao called out in astonishment.

She naturally noticed at once that many strong cultivators had gathered around her, especially that black-robed white-haired old man.

Immediately after, her expression shifted slightly as she looked toward Xie Zixu's direction.

"Youngest Senior Brother, I encountered danger, and it was Daoist Friend Xie who came to my aid."

She had just finished speaking when a voice came from not far away.

"Zixu!"

"Junior Brother!"

Looking up, she saw that the ones who had just shouted were Bian Chen, Feng Xuanji, and others, who hurried over.

Xie Zixu raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, his expression already returned to calm and natural, he turned his head and met Yuan Yao's gaze.

Ying Wuji saw the two of them gazing at each other, his brows furrowed slightly, and a feeling of unease rose in his heart.

He stepped forward, without changing his expression, and separated their lines of sight.

Ying Wuji raised his hands in a salute and said to Xie Zixu, "Thank you, Daoist Friend Xie, for your assistance; I, Ying Wuji, will surely keep this favor in my heart."

Xie Zixu could sense the other's deep wariness, and he said lightly, "I helped her, not you."

Meanwhile, Bian Chen, Feng Xuanji, and the others who had just arrived heard this and were stunned for a moment.

Yuan Yao spoke up, "Thank you, Daoist Friend Xie."

Upon hearing that, Xie Zixu gave a soft 'en'.

Bian Chen first nodded at Yuan Yao and Ying Wuji, then turned to Xie Zixu and couldn't help asking, "Zixu, your injuries are severe—what exactly happened?"

At that moment, the Heaven-Responding Immortal Venerable had already plucked the mask from the rolling head with an invisible hand.