Chapter 1217: Divine Thought Descends

He paused briefly, then continued: "First, we are in the dark, they are in the light. Yan Buji is now trapped by the backlash of the Swallow Desire Pot, temporarily unable to act; this is our best opportunity. Second, our goals are aligned—we fight for survival, our belief is steadfast. Third…"

His gaze swept over the cultivators of Heavenly Craft Sect and Hundred Herb Valley: "We have Elder Lu, a master of array formation, we have Hundred Herb Valley companions proficient in medical Dao, and we have Xun Wind Valley companions skilled in evasion arts. Direct melee is not the only path; we can weaken them by destroying their resource points, rescuing captured cultivators, disrupting their array operations, and so on, then finally strike the Yellow Dragon!"

Han Wuxian's clear analysis gradually brightened everyone's eyes. Indeed, there is more than just brute force!

"Senior Han's words are absolutely correct!" Elder Liu Ling replied, "We disciples of Xun Wind Valley may not dare speak much, but we can certainly handle scouting, relaying information, and harassment to restrain them!"

"Our Heavenly Craft Sect can take charge of analyzing the weak points of the Shadow Pavilion's various stronghold arrays, and forging array‑breaking devices!" Elder Lu also sparked fighting spirit.

"Hundred Herb Valley is willing to provide healing pills and will try to neutralize the various poisons used by the Shadow Pavilion!" an elderly woman of Hundred Herb Valley said gravely.

For a moment, morale surged; the previously somewhat scattered hearts were reconsolidated by Han Wuxian's words!

Seeing the opportunity ripe, Han Wuxian said: "Since everyone is of one mind, we shall establish a 'Demon‑slaying Alliance Covenant' to jointly oppose the Shadow Pavilion! Our immediate priority is to ascertain the current defenses of Mist‑hidden Ghost Market and Yan Buji's exact condition."

He looked at Liu Ling and several cultivators adept at evasion: "The scouting matters, please trouble Elder Liu and the fellow cultivators."

Then he looked at Elder Lu: "Analyzing arrays and forging array‑breaking devices will require Elder Lu's effort."

Finally he addressed Wang Tie and the Hundred Herb Valley elder: "Treating the wounded and producing Detox Pills, leave that to Brother Wang and Su Po Po."

Everyone took the orders in unison, each assigned tasks, efficiency was extremely high.

Han Wuxian then led Xiao Ran, Qing Lin, and Zhao Qian to a side.

"Elder Zhao, do you know which forces or hidden masters in Zhong Tian Zhi Yu, besides us, might bear a grudge against the Shadow Pavilion or be willing to help?" Han Wuxian asked. He knew well that to confront Yan Buji, more power must be gathered.

Zhao Qian pondered briefly, then said: "Answering senior, as far as I know, the Profound Heaven Sect holds a deep enmity with the Shadow Pavilion, but its sect is far away and seems restrained by strong foes, so it cannot currently dispatch many forces. Moreover, the Demon‑Quelling Hall has long been dissatisfied with the Shadow Pavilion's deeds, yet they remain neutral and do not intervene in power struggles… There is also a wandering senior called the Wine Sword Immortal, whose cultivation is profound and whose whereabouts are unknown; if we could find him…"

Han Wuxian recorded this information. Profound Heaven Sect, Demon‑Quelling Hall, Wine Sword Immortal… these are potential aids.

Just as the Demon‑slaying Alliance began to take shape, preparations hurriedly commenced.

Deep within Mist‑hidden Ghost Market, within the gray mist space.

After several days of full‑scale suppression, the uprising of the Swallow Desire Pot finally began to subside. The pot's glow dimmed, yet the seven‑colored flowing light grew deeper and more uncanny.

Yan Buji's divine thought avatar slowly opened its eyes, no longer showing anger, only an ancient‑ice coldness and murderous intent.

He spread his palm; within the palm a faint, gray energy bearing Han Wuxian's unique aura slowly spiraled—this is the power sample of Han Wuxian stripped from the lingering imprint of the Golden Killing Demon Lord.

"Early Dao integration… already broken through?" Yan Buji's mouth curved into an extremely cold arc, "Very good… now, Devour it will be even more valuable."

His divine thought instantly surged everywhere, no longer searching, but directly and forcefully locking onto the direction of Soul‑Cutting Cliff!

"Found you, little mouse."

In the next instant, a vast, boundless terror pressure imbued with the will of "I desire" descended like the heavens, crossing ten thousand miles of void, booming onto Soul‑Cutting Cliff!

"Han Wuxian… I have arrived."

The icy voice, like a death god's proclamation, exploded in every member of the Demon‑slaying Alliance's heart!

Yan Buji, in such a short time, forcibly suppressed the backlash and even… personally descended his divine thought!

At the Stone Forest of Soul‑Cutting Cliff, the freshly kindled blood and resolve of the Demon‑slaying Alliance were instantly frozen by this sudden, sky‑overturning terror pressure!

It was not a material manifestation, merely a single strong divine thought of Yan Buji carrying the "I desire" will across the void, yet its might made all cultivators below the Refining Void stage turn pale, struggle to breathe, their primordial spirits pierced by countless ice needles; those slightly weaker even collapsed on the ground, blood oozing from the seven orifices!

"It is Yan Buji!" Xiao Ran shouted hoarsely, sword intent soaring to the heavens, trying to repel that all‑penetrating will erosion, but like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, his sword domain instantly filled with cracks!

Wang Tie grunted, his silver needle nearly fell from his hand; the healer's benevolence seemed so fragile before such pure evil and tyranny.

Qing Lin planted his spear on the ground, unleashing the full force of verdant life energy into a light shield protecting the few nearby, yet the shield flickered violently under the pressure.

The cultivators of Flowing Cloud Alliance, Xun Wind Valley, Heavenly Craft Sect, and Hundred Herb Valley were thrown into chaos, their defensive formation crumbling like paper, screams rising in waves!

Only Han Wuxian stood firm before everyone. Chaotic primordial qi naturally flowed around him, forming a grayish barrier that blocked most of the overwhelming pressure. He looked to the sky; in his chaotic eyes reflected the sky twisted by the unseen force, his gaze heavy to the extreme.

Yan Buji's divine thought arrived faster and stronger than he had expected.

"Ants gather and dare to shake the heavens?" The cold, contemptuous voice rang directly in everyone's mind sea, with a mocking tone, "I shall let you know what… despair is!"

Before the words fell, the descending terrifying divine thought suddenly coalesced, not forming a material attack but invoking the law of desire in the void!

In an instant, an anomaly erupted within Soul‑Cutting Cliff!

A Flowing Cloud Alliance cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage suddenly had blood‑red eyes, let out a beast‑like roar, and swung his blade at a fellow disciple! His inner greed for power was magnified Infinity, plunging him into madness!

A female cultivator of Hundred Herb Valley let out a mournful wail, pink mist swirled around her, her eyes dazed, dancing wildly, sinking into an illusory love nightmare!

Even worse, some were driven by their deepest fears, curling up with heads in their hands, trembling, their Dao Heart on the brink of collapse!

Desire drove them, causing mutual slaughter!

The entire stone forest instantly fell into chaos! Allies became enemies, reason devoured by desire! Screams, battle cries, maniacal laughter, and sobs intertwined like a human hellforge!

"Steady your mind! It's Illusion Art!" Han Wuxian shouted sharply, his voice like thunder, trying to awaken everyone. At the same time, he formed a seal with both hands, expanding the primordial return field to its limit, attempting to forcibly erase the ever‑present power of the desire law!