Chapter 508: Absolute Disadvantage

In the outer-realm space, a place devoid of human life and riddled with spatial rifts and endless storms, long-awaited guests arrived; two white streaks of light sped through this darkness-infested expanse.

"Your injuries have only just healed; I advise you to conserve some strength, as we may still have a great battle to fight once we reach the Dou Qi Continent."

Xiao Han made no effort to hide his agitation, while Bing Di reminded him leisurely from the side.

Fortunately, Xiao Han took the words of comfort to heart, and the speed at which he had been traveling, which was nearly all-out, gradually slowed down.

Letting out a deep sigh, Xiao Han clenched his fists, his tone tinged with self-reproach.

"It was my lack of foresight; how could I have forgotten that variable!"

His initial plan had been to establish a solid foundation in the Da Qian World and wait for Xiao Yan and the others to arrive there on their own, but he had overlooked the accidents that might occur if the Dou Qi Continent were exposed to the eyes of the Outer Realm Evil Clan.

"Things have reached this point; wallowing in self-pity will do no good."

"You had better think about how to resolve the crisis on the Dou Qi Continent when the time comes."

Although Bing Di's expression was relaxed, the coldness in the depths of his eyes was undiminished; when it came down to it, his connection to the Dou Qi Continent was far closer than Xiao Han's.

Xiao Han merely originated from there; even if the Dou Qi Continent were destroyed, it would have no impact on him personally.

He, however, was different; having mastered a portion of the Dou Qi Continent's origin power, he and the continent were bound together in prosperity and ruin—if an accident befell the Dou Qi Continent, he would very likely suffer heavy damage.

The crisis on the Dou Qi Continent should have been guarded against, but the smooth sailing he had experienced since arriving in the Da Qian World had caused him to subconsciously ignore it.

However...

Bing Di turned to joy and set his mind at ease.

"Perhaps the situation is not yet too dire."

"Hmm? How so?"

"I have no problems at the moment, which shows that the Dou Qi Continent is still within a controllable range."

Bing Di pointed to his own heart and said in a light tone.

"I can feel that the current Dou Qi Continent is more active than ever before."

So active that the barrier within his body leading to the Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign had begun to loosen.

Dou Qi Continent, Allied Forces Headquarters.

A group of powerhouses at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi Continent, including Xiao Xuan, were filled with sorrow; no one had expected the war to reach such a difficult state.

Since countless warships tore through the sky of the Dou Qi Continent a month ago, the footsteps of the Outer Realm Evil Clan had never ceased; with every step of Demonic Qi invasion, the territory of the Dou Qi Continent fell inch by inch.

The decline of both high-end and mid-level combat power was evident; even though the Dou Qi Continent was united in hatred and purpose, it could not block the offensive of the enemies from beyond the sky.

"Everyone, if there is no other way, the Eastern Continent will be completely lost!"

The speaker was Gu Yuan, whose face was deathly pale, looking as if his serious injuries had yet to heal.

As the territory guarded primarily by the Ancient Clan, the Eastern Continent had unluckily become the first stop for the Outer Realm Evil Clan's offensive, and the Ancient Clan naturally bore the brunt of it, suffering heavy losses; even one-third of their Dou Sheng-level powerhouses had fallen, which could be described as a devastating blow to their foundations.

Even Gu Yuan himself had been severely wounded by two of the enemy's powerhouses joining forces three days ago; had it not been for the timely rescue by Xiao Xuan and the others, he would not even have had the chance to attend this meeting.

"What other way can there be now?" Zhu Kun said, feeling irritable.

"Where are we supposed to find other forces to use?"

These words were spoken with genuine sincerity and were by no means false.

The Eastern Continent now gathered the vast majority of the Dou Qi Continent's power; the Taixu Ancient Dragon's Dragon Emperor Imperial Guard, the Xiao Clan's Judgment Legion, and the Ancient Clan's Black Annihilation Army were all here, along with the elites of the Central Plains' super-factions and other Ancient Races—over two hundred Dou Shengs and three Dou Emperors sat in command, placing their bets on the table like gamblers.

In addition to combat forces, various Alchemists from the Dou Qi Continent, led by the Yao Clan, Pill Hall, and Langya Pavilion's Pill Hall, served as logistics; the three strongest Alchemists of the present day—Yao Clan Leader Yao Dan, Heavenly Mansion's Yao Chen, and Langya Pavilion Vice Pavilion Master Yi Huang—had been refining Medicinal Pills for the allied powerhouses without sleep or rest since the war began.

The aforementioned powerhouses accounted for seventy percent of the Dou Qi Continent's resistance force, a proportion that was absolutely dangerous.

If they continued to draw away forces, once the Outer Realm Evil Clan suddenly changed the direction of their offensive, the territories in other directions would not even be able to put up the most basic resistance to hold out until reinforcements arrived.

"Should we abandon the Eastern Continent?"

Someone in the meeting cautiously suggested.

Things having reached this point, the fall of the Eastern Continent had become an indisputable fact; rather than letting powerhouses die in vain on the front lines with no hope, it would be better to actively consolidate their forces and preserve their strength to plan for a comeback.

"No!"

Unexpectedly, this proposal was met with stern rebukes from Xiao Xuan, Zhu Kun, and Gu Yuan.

"Whoever dares to bring up this suggestion again, do not blame this seat for being ruthless!"

Xiao Xuan smashed the table made of ten-thousand-year ironwood with one palm, his eyes fierce.

The person who made the suggestion felt a chill down their neck and shrank back.

Regarding this, even Gu Yuan, the party that had suffered the most severe losses, had no objections.

In the brief war, the aggressiveness of the Evil Clan had left a deep impression on Gu Yuan; their all-pervasive pollution and their tenacity, like maggots on rotting bones, meant that soil contaminated by Demonic Qi could not be restored by any means available to the Dou Qi Continent.

Once they retreated, even if they recaptured the land, they would only get a wasteland; to prevent the contaminated land from continuing to pollute other regions, they would even have to excise it from the Dou Qi Continent, seal it, and abandon it in the endless void.

This also meant that in the struggle against the Outer Realm Evil Clan, they had to fight for every inch of land; otherwise, even if they won the war later, the Dou Qi Continent would have no future at all.

"When will that brat Xiao Yan come out of seclusion?"

Zhu Kun rubbed his temples with a headache and asked.

"No one knows."

Xiao Xuan's bitter tone was mixed with deep confusion.

"Back then, he only had time to leave behind one sentence, saying that it would be fine once he came out of seclusion, and then he vanished without a trace; even I do not know where he is."

"Fortunately, the other side has not yet made a serious move!"

Zhu Kun shook his head, feeling fortunate.

The invaders who had already appeared included four who were at the same level as them, and because the power they used was a level above the Dou Qi Continent, they could barely hold them off with the help of Exotic Fire.

But the three of them knew well that this was only temporary; inside that massive, most majestic warship located in the high heavens, there was still a heart-palpitating aura hidden, like a man-eating abyss.

Once the owner of that aura made a move, the situation, which was currently only a steady retreat, would instantly collapse completely.

The only thing Xiao Xuan and the others could do was pray—pray that the other side would not make a move before Xiao Yan came out of seclusion.

"Has Ye Elder of Langya Pavilion come out of seclusion?" Gu Yuan asked again, unwilling to give up.

"Wait."

Behind this single word lay endless unwillingness and helplessness.

Two days before the Dou Qi Continent suffered the invasion, Ye Jianxin suddenly felt a premonition and immediately entered seclusion; upon emerging, he would certainly be One Venerable Imperial-level powerhouse, which was also one of the few remaining hopes for combat strength among the crowd.

"Fortunately, those beasts have no intention of attacking other places for the time being."

Gu Yuan said, trying to comfort himself.

As if his words carried the power of law, the moment his voice fell, someone walked in from outside with hurried footsteps and stood still.

"Reporting to the Alliance Leader, the Outer Realm Evil Clan has already begun to divide their forces to attack the South Continent and the North Continent."

"What!"