Unstoppable Martial Arts: Starting with brother's wife and young sister Chapter 1014 517: The Nine Gates Mobilize! (Part 2)

Gu Pengyou, nestled in his arms, stirred awake the instant the avatar's message arrived. A worried frown creased her brow as she asked, "What shall we do?"

"Let me ponder this. Should we inform those on the other side?"

Chen Xuan himself was uncertain at this juncture, unsure how best to explain the origin of his intel.

"I shall send you back to the Primordial Realm first."

"Alright!"

Gu Pengyou nodded, acknowledging her own limitations; her meager strength would only serve as a distraction here.

Three days later.

Another message arrived from the avatar while Chen Xuan was in his study: Hong Zhisha had departed for the Sword Gate, and experts from the eighth realm were stationed at each of the other eight gates. Furthermore, the targets for these eight gates were now clarified.

"Fortuitously, Jiuyue Mansion is not among them," Chen Xuan exhaled in relief. Gu Pengyou had harbored significant anxieties about this very matter, and now at last, she could set her mind at ease.

However, the sheer number of eighth-realm experts within Hidden Kill was indeed formidable. Nine gates, each with an eighth-realm expert – it seemed this situation was far more complex than initially perceived.

The might of a single gate, bolstered by eighth-realm experts, was more than sufficient to lay waste to a mansion with terrifying ease.

The Great Yu dynasty would face a dire ordeal this time.

Chen Xuan's expression grew grim. Ultimately, he resolved to keep this information under wraps. Only the highest echelons of Hidden Kill were privy to this plan, particularly the identities of the nine mansions selected. Any leak regarding this could jeopardize the avatar's existence.

"Being able to safeguard even one mansion would be a testament to the Great Yu's efforts," Chen Xuan mused, before slowly closing his eyes to commence his cultivation.

The Stone Cave!

Within the grand hall of the Holy Land.

Shi the Third was seated cross-legged in mid-air. The colossal, original stone of the Holy Land had vanished. On his chest, a crystal stone, once cracked midway, was now whole, though its coloration on the left and right sides differed slightly.

He had, in essence, refined the Holy Land, absorbing it into his own crystal stone. In prior times, such an act would have been unthinkable, but with his Sacred Body teetering on the brink of collapse, he saw no other recourse but to absorb it.

"Boom!"

A terrifying aura burst forth from his very being, a power that far surpassed the late stage of the eighth realm.

Below, Eleven's brows twitched slightly as he observed Shi the Third with a grave expression. "Is he on the verge of a realm breakthrough?" He had not anticipated Shi the Third resorting to such drastic measures, directly refining the very essence of the Stone Race's Holy Land.

"The peak of the eighth realm... this will be a difficult ascent!" Especially considering Shi the Third's absorption of the Holy Land; his crystal stone and bloodline now faintly emanated the aura of the Stone Race's ancestor, indicating a formidable power even exceeding that of the Great Ancestor.

Suddenly!

The overwhelming aura receded as swiftly as it had appeared. Shi the Third's eyes slowly opened, and an immense pressure filled the great hall.

Even Eleven, a cultivator in the late stage of the eighth realm, felt a tremor ripple through him under this formidable pressure.

"Hoo—"

Shi the Third rose slowly, descending from the air step by step to stand directly before Eleven.

"Congratulations, Brother Shi, on successfully reaching the peak of the eighth realm!" Despite the oppressive aura, Eleven managed a strained smile and offered his felicitations.

"There is little to celebrate."

Despite attaining the peak of the eighth realm, Shi the Third's visage betrayed no hint of joy. The Holy Land was no more. Though he had acted out of necessity, it was akin to severing the future lineage of the Royal Family. Given a choice, he would have preferred to forgo this eighth-realm peak strength.

"Let us depart!"

Shi the Third declared indifferently, leading the way out of the great hall. Eleven, however, found his brow furrowed. The transformation in Shi the Third following his realm breakthrough was palpable, not merely stemming from the confidence of enhanced power but also tinged with an undeniable majesty that weighed heavily upon his heart.

"Could this be a consequence of integrating with the Holy Land?" he pondered inwardly, quickly dispelling the thought as his focus returned to the matter at hand. The impending events concerned their Ten Great Dangerous Lands, and any misstep was simply not an option.

His expression sharpened, and he followed Shi the Third out of the great hall.

The Imperial City!

Within the Three Judicial Departments.

Zhan Tian was engaged in tidying his modest courtyard. The clamor from Hidden Kill had finally subsided, affording him a much-needed respite.

Nearly all the golden-clad soldiers of the Three Judicial Departments had been deployed, and during this tumultuous period, he had been instrumental in quelling numerous disturbances, successfully restoring order.

Nonetheless, the Three Judicial Departments had sustained considerable losses. Directors from several mansions had perished at the hands of Hidden Kill operatives. In turn, he had also eliminated a significant number of Hidden Kill's experts, resulting in a somewhat balanced outcome.

"Damn insects, daring to nibble on the Spirit Rice I cultivated!"

Zhan Tian observed a tiny black bug on his thumb, a smirk on his face as he crushed it.

"Hmph!"

"Blind fools!"

Grinning, he felt most at ease in these tranquil moments.

"Elder Zhan!"

Suddenly, a figure rushed towards him, appearing exceedingly distressed.

It was Wu Yue!

After being unceremoniously removed from the Library Pavilion's ninth floor by Zhan Tian, he resumed managing all affairs for the Three Judicial Departments. Cai Kun, meanwhile, had taken over the duty of monitoring the situation within each manor.

"What troubles have arisen now?"

Zhan Tian, previously squatting on the ground, looked up with annoyance. Noticing the undisguised fear in Wu Yue's eyes, his own heart gave a jolt.

He immediately straightened up, inquiring with a grave tone, "What is it?"

"The clandestine operatives embedded within the nine gates of Hidden Kill have dispatched intelligence, indicating that Hidden Kill appears to be orchestrating a significant operation."

"Planning something again? Do they truly perceive the Great Yu as an easy target?"

Zhan Tian's eyes flared, and his indignation intensified.

The perilous regions had only just begun to stabilize, yet Hidden Kill had the audacity to instigate chaos! They were clearly courting disaster!

"This message came from within the nine gates. However, unlike previous instances, after transmitting the alert, all communication lines to our contacts within those gates have gone dead."

Wu Yue stated grimly.

This implied either the operatives had been neutralized, or the entirety of the nine gates had been comprehensively locked down.

But the former scenario was highly improbable!

Therefore, it had to be the latter!

This, in turn, signified that the unfolding situation was far from simple.

Upon hearing this revelation, Zhan Tian's demeanor shifted, his expression becoming considerably more solemn.