Chapter 1769 Ancient True Immortal Great Demon

"Fellow Daoist, resisting foreign enemies is not a matter for one person or one realm; it concerns the survival of all living beings in this realm, as well as the dignity of the Ancient Demon Clan. I know that you awakened prematurely and your essence is depleted, urgently needing resources to replenish it. These three Immortal Essence Stones may help you stabilize your cultivation and slightly compensate for your losses. I earnestly request that you, for the sake of our shared lineage in the Nine Provinces and for the sake of our countless Ancient Demon Clan compatriots, lend a helping hand and join us in resisting foreign aggression! After this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, I and the Immortal Gourd Realm will forever remember your kindness, and in the future, if there is any need for our service, as long as it does not violate morality, we will do our utmost!"

A hint of emotion flashed in Jiao'er's eyes.

This immortal essence stone is indeed of great use to her current condition.

Zhang Xuan offered her the Immortal Essence Stone and even invoked the righteousness of his clan, essentially paving a perfect way for her to back down.

She glanced at the three immortal essence stones that shone with an alluring luster, then at the ancient demonic beasts around her who were staring at her expectantly, and finally her gaze settled on Zhang Xuan's seemingly sincere face.

After a long silence, a resolute glint flashed in her icy blue eyes.

She reached out and took the immortal essence stone, tucking it into her sleeve, and said in a cool, clear voice:

"Foreigners invade our territory, plunder our homeland, and bully our compatriots. This hatred is irreconcilable!"

"I... can make a move."

"However, there are three conditions: First, I will only deal with enemy forces of True Immortal level and above; I will not concern myself with ordinary cultivators or armies. Second, among the spoils of war, if there are any items that resonate with my icy essence or help to replenish the losses of time, I will have the right of first choice. Third, after this battle, this realm must designate a superior icy attribute secret realm for me to temporarily reside and cultivate in, and I shall not be disturbed."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuan was overjoyed and quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "What you say is reasonable and justified, and I agree on your behalf!"

Jiao'er nodded slightly, her cold aura receding, but the pressure of the True Immortal became even more solid.

"The Abyss of Primordial Demons... the Immortal Realm of the Three Pure Ones... let you barbarians know what the wrath of antiquity is, what... the inviolability of the Nine Provinces is!"

As she finished speaking, a powerful and earth-shaking aura of a true immortal soared into the sky, faintly echoing the auras of Zhang Xuan, You Wuyai, and the Heavenly Eclipse Ancestor.

The fourth True Immortal-level warrior from the Nine Divine Realms has joined the battle!

Inside the Secret Council Hall of the Imperial Palace.

Zhang Xuan, You Wuyai, Tian Shi Laozu, and the newly joined Jiao'er, four True Immortals, gathered together.

Jiao'er's addition was undoubtedly a shot in the arm, especially the pressure brought by her unfathomable Ice-Cold True Immortal cultivation and Ancient Bloodline, which made Zhang Xuan and the Heavenly Eclipse Ancestor secretly alarmed.

However, Zhang Xuan's brows remained furrowed.

Four True Immortals faced off against more than twenty True Immortals.

The gap remains huge!

Especially in the realm of high-end combat power, they are at a disadvantage of nearly one to five.

Although Jiao'er was strong, her opponent had four late-stage True Immortal deputy commanders, as well as that mysterious reincarnation of Wan Nie.

Zhang Xuan did not believe that Jiao'er alone could turn the tide.

He suddenly raised his head and looked at Jiao'er, saying, "Fellow Daoist Jiao'er, you just mentioned that you awoke from the Northern Sea Profound Ice Abyss, a place of slumber beneath the Qi Wells of the Chaotic Lands. As far as I know, there are hundreds of similar Qi Wells scattered throughout the Chaotic Lands!"

"Since you were able to awaken from this, are there other ancient demon race elites like you slumbering beneath the other Qi wells? Or even... not just demon race? If we can awaken them as well, even just a portion of them, and gather hundreds of ancient true immortals, what would we have to fear, let alone the second advance team from the Abyss of Beginning Demons, or even the second advance teams from the Abyss of Beginning Demons and the Three Pure Immortal Realms arriving together?"

This idea spread like wildfire in Zhang Xuan's mind.

Hundreds of gas wells, each possibly harboring an ancient and mighty demon!

If it can truly be awakened, it will be a terrifying power capable of sweeping across the heavens!

The crisis in the Nine Divine Realms can be resolved in an instant!

Upon hearing this, You Wuyai and Tian Shi Lao Zu were also shocked, and looked intently at Jiao'er.

If that were truly the case, then the current predicament would be utterly insignificant.

However, facing Zhang Xuan's eager gaze, Jiao'er slowly shook her head, her icy blue eyes showing no ripples, only an undeniable rejection.

"I understand your idea. But it's not feasible." Jiao'er's voice remained cold and resolute.

"Why?" Zhang Xuan pressed urgently. "The fact that you, fellow Daoist, can awaken proves that the protective layer is not absolutely impossible to open. Since there is a way to open it, why can't you awaken other fellow Daoists? This is a battle concerning the survival of this world, and also a battle to defend the dignity of the ancient times. Isn't it only natural that they should awaken and participate in the battle?"

Jiao'er glanced at Zhang Xuan, then extended three jade-carved fingers and slowly stated three reasons:

"First, I am confident that, together with the three of you, we can deal with this so-called second advance team. Although I dare not say that we will definitely win, we can still fight back and protect the core of this world."

"Although my origin is slightly damaged due to my early awakening, my True Immortal realm is already stable. The innate divine abilities and ancient battle techniques of the Ice Dragon Clan are far superior to those of ordinary True Immortals. That reincarnated Demon Lord may be troublesome, but my bloodline has its own way of restraining evil power and calamity."

"Why resort to such a radical and fundamental measure if we haven't reached a dead end?"

Her words carried the unique pride of an ancient immortal, not blind arrogance, but a clear understanding of her own strength.

Zhang Xuan opened his mouth, wanting to retort, but seeing Jiao'er's calm yet absolutely confident eyes, he swallowed his words.

He realized that, in the eyes of someone like Jiao'er who had lived for countless years, the current crisis might not have reached the point where it was necessary to use the ultimate trump card.

"Secondly," Jiao'er lowered her second finger, her tone becoming serious and profound, "these creatures slumbering beneath the Qi Wells are not ordinary demonic beasts. They are the seeds of fire that our demon race, and even some other powerful ancient races, sealed and preserved at great cost during the late ancient period. Their mission is by no means to deal with any current inter-realm conflict."

Her gaze seemed to pierce through the palace ceiling and reach into the endless void: "Their existence is for the ultimate war—the final catastrophe that may determine the ultimate fate of all living beings in all eras of the myriad worlds, and the struggle for the true dominance of the Great Dao."

"Only at that moment will they be awakened to make a final stand for their respective peoples and for the continuation of their era."

"To awaken them now and have them participate in the local war between this realm and the two immortal realms is tantamount to using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, and it would also disrupt the plans of our ancient ancestors and severely weaken our strength in the ultimate battle of the future."

"This is putting the cart before the horse and losing the horse for the sake of the small. My early awakening was already an accident. We must not drag more people into danger and waste our time on battlefields that are not our mission."

Jiao'er's tone carried an unquestionable resolve, reflecting a broader perspective concerning the survival of her race and even the era, far exceeding the scope of a single realm's demise.

Zhang Xuan, You Wuyai, and Tian Shi Lao Zu all fell silent.

They also knew about the ultimate battle, which was the final reckoning spanning four eras: the ancient gods, the ancient saints, the ancient wilderness, and the present.

Only one era can prevail!

In comparison, the struggle between the Nine Divine Realms and the Abyss of Primordial Demons and the Three Pure Immortal Realms does indeed resemble a localized conflict.