Chapter 257: The Grand Shadow Seal of Heaven and Earth

The Eight Extremes Skytail was heading straight towards them. Logic dictated that they should run, but Zhong Shan couldn't move.

Zhong Shan had performed the most thorough calculations and eliminations. If it wasn't him, if it were anyone else, they would surely die. Fengling City itself was a self-destructive grand array, drawing down the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning. The upcoming Nine Heavens Divine Lightning would likely be even more terrifying.

Was there something wrong with the Red Luan Pink Lotus? If there was, Zhong Shan was definitely doomed. Not only was the Eight Extremes Skytail intent on devouring the entire city, but the impending Nine Heavens Divine Lightning would be inescapable. So he would be dead for sure. Running away would only be a temporary reprieve; death would come eventually.

Now, Zhong Shan could only hope that the Red Luan Pink Lotus was still functioning properly, and he felt it was indeed fine. This meant he would absolutely come out of this unscathed. How would he remain safe?

If he were to be safe, then the Eight Extremes Skytail would certainly encounter some significant trouble—either it would die or undergo a drastic change in behavior.

So what was the difference between running and staying? Sooner or later, he would have to confront the Eight Extremes Skytail. Should he wait until the Nine Heavens Divine Lightning descended? That wouldn't work either; the outcome would be uncertain then. If he was safe facing the Eight Extremes Skytail now, he might as well see what was special about his situation that allowed him to avert danger.

Zhong Shan remained completely still, not even adjusting a loose button on his clothing. He had to maintain the current state of absolute safety. Feng Shui was a delicate balance, and any slight change, like tightening a button, might alter the situation that was keeping him safe. Even though it might sound exaggerated, Zhong Shan decided to keep things as they were. If the unknown could save him, then let it remain unknown.

"Yiya, yiya, yiya..."

From a considerable distance, Zhong Shan could already hear the Eight Extremes Skytail's cute yet ominous cries as it approached. The Skytail had overcome its psychological barrier and was no longer afraid of the Feng Shui fish or the place that once sealed it.

The Cold Absolute Crown Prince appeared in a dire state, with his clothes tattered in places and bloodstains covering his body like a second skin, testifying to the brutal battle he had just survived. In his desperate escape, he had lost track of his aides, the Left and Right Masters. He had no time to care about their fates; he was fighting for his own survival.

This Eight Extremes Skytail was a monstrous fiend that could devour anything. No poison, no matter how ancient, affected it. Weapons of immense destructive power, such as the 100,000 Soul-Piercing Arrows, were all swallowed without a trace. It could consume anything, from lethal toxins to formidable artifacts. Engaging it in combat was futile, as the fate of the first demon lord demonstrated; even Royal Realm experts were helpless against its voracious maw.

The Eight Extremes Skytail was getting closer to the Cold Absolute Crown Prince, who had hoped that reaching the canyon where the Skytail had been sealed might instill some fear in the beast. But the Skytail now feared nothing, charging forward with reckless abandon.

"Yiya, yiya..." it cried out excitedly, never relenting in its pursuit of the prince, eager to devour him.

The Cold Absolute Crown Prince was on the brink of despair when he spotted Zhong Shan, Princess Qianyou, Nian Youyou, Ah Da, and Ah Er on a mid-mountain platform. Zhong Shan stepped forward, calmly and resolutely, facing the approaching Eight Extremes Skytail, while the others watched from below.

Seeing this, the Cold Absolute Crown Prince felt a glimmer of hope.

He could divert disaster!

Three Royal Realm experts below were surely a more tempting target than just himself.

"Whoosh!"

The Cold Absolute Crown Prince, under the furious gaze of the others, veered off and landed near Zhong Shan. The Eight Extremes Skytail followed closely, diving down towards them.

The Cold Absolute Crown Prince made a swift maneuver, bypassing everyone and attempting to escape in another direction. He succeeded in redirecting the disaster—luring the Eight Extremes Skytail's attention away from himself and onto Zhong Shan and his group. The Skytail's eyes gleamed with unprecedented brightness as it shifted its focus from the prince to Zhong Shan and the three Royal Realm experts, Nian Youyou, Ah Da, and Ah Er.

"Yiya, yiya, yiya," the Skytail chirped excitedly as it dove towards them.

The Cold Absolute Crown Prince's successful redirection incited everyone's anger. They glared at him furiously, but there was little they could do. With no other choice, they turned their attention to the Eight Extremes Skytail, filled with fear and wanting to flee in all directions. Yet, no one moved. Zhong Shan didn't run, so Princess Qianyou stayed, and as long as she stayed, Ah Da and Ah Er wouldn't leave either. The four remained in place, and Nian Youyou, despite her worry, stopped and anxiously watched the approaching Skytail.

The Eight Extremes Skytail, in its gleeful descent, opened its mouth, generating a powerful suction force that seemed capable of drawing all five people from the mountainside into its maw. However, Zhong Shan smiled, for he had finally realized why he could avert this danger.

It was because he possessed a crucial treasure—a treasure he had nearly forgotten about!

The Black Jade Talisman!

As the Eight Extremes Skytail opened its mouth, the Black Jade Talisman finally reacted for the first time. Amidst everyone's panic, as they struggled against the suction force and tried to escape, Zhong Shan remained unmoved because he no longer felt any fear. The Black Jade Talisman, sensing the Skytail's suction, suddenly emitted a shadowy figure from its surface.

The figure of the Black Jade Talisman began to grow larger and larger, enveloping Zhong Shan's body in an instant, and then expanding exponentially.

In a flash, the shadow grew to an astronomical size, transforming into a colossal Black Jade Talisman.

A massive Black Jade Talisman suddenly appeared, and after expanding a billion-fold, it exploded into a peculiar black light that radiated in all directions.

"Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..."

Zhong Shan felt a slight tremor, and in his mind's eye, the Black Jade Talisman in his Purple Palace vibrated gently, bringing him a sense of clarity as if he had awakened from a dream. At that moment of awakening, Zhong Shan's mouth fell open in utter disbelief.

Was this really happening? Was it even possible?

Zhong Shan could hardly believe his eyes or comprehend the enormity of what he was witnessing, all caused by the Black Jade Talisman. Everywhere touched by the black light was now adorned with talismans.

On the foreheads of Princess Qianyou, Ah Da, Ah Er, and Nian Youyou, there appeared semi-real, semi-illusory talismans like those used to ward off evil spirits. Each of them had one affixed to their foreheads, and they stood utterly motionless, eyes wide open.

On the ground below, at intervals, there were talismans as well, and in the distance, the Cold Absolute Crown Prince, who had been fleeing, now had a similar talisman on his forehead, frozen in mid-air, unable to move.

Directly in front of Zhong Shan, the Eight Extremes Skytail, with its mouth still open wide, also had a talisman affixed to its head. It, too, was immobilized.

But what truly shocked Zhong Shan wasn't this sight; it was what he saw in the sky.

The once thunderous heavens, filled with countless purple lightning bolts and the cacophony of booming thunder, now fell silent. The oppressive noise had disappeared completely.

In the sky, amidst the purple lightning, a gigantic, shadowy talisman loomed, sealing the very lightning itself. The colossal talisman had immobilized the sky, stopping the lightning in its tracks.

It seemed as if the entire world had come to a standstill.

Zhong Shan felt like the only living being, with everything else frozen in place by a single talisman's automatic reaction.

Zhongshan stood in awe, mouth agape, as he gently ascended into the air. Hovering high above the city, he noticed that the dense fog enveloping it seemed to be influenced by the talisman, gradually thinning and dissipating. It appeared to be sealed off, and throughout the city, countless individuals were frozen in place, immobilized by a single talisman. Even numerous celestial foxes, known as Tianwei, were subdued by the talisman's power.

Was he the only one in the entire Fengling City left unscathed?

Descending back to the terrace, Zhongshan examined the spectral talisman shadow on Princess Qianyou's face. Although she was immobilized, the shadow was slowly fading.

Could this mean the seal has a time limit?

The thought struck Zhongshan with urgency. He quickly turned his attention to the eight-tailed Tianwei. Despite its endearing appearance, he had to deal with it before the seal broke. If it survived, he and everyone in the city would surely perish.

How could he resolve this?

Killing it? No, that wasn't the answer!

Suddenly, Zhongshan's eyes sparkled with an unusual gleam as a wild idea took root in his mind.

Gently, he lifted the eight-tailed Tianwei and flew down into a nearby valley. He placed the creature on the ground and took a deep breath. His eyes shone with a mix of madness and anticipation.

From within his sleeve, Zhongshan produced an item, a treasure he had been prepared to forsake—the Pure World Snow Lotus.

Although incredibly rare, there were still three such lotuses in existence. The eight-tailed Tianwei, however, was unique and immensely powerful.

Zhongshan's plan involved cultivating, breaking through to the sixth level of the Golden Core stage, and condensing his spiritual consciousness in the Niwan Palace. The Pure World Snow Lotus was known for purifying extraordinary heavenly materials and treasures, essential for creating a root spiritual consciousness.

Typically, the Pure World Snow Lotus was used to purify plants or spiritual treasures, but never a living creature. The reason being, it was believed to be impossible.

Yet now, with the eight-tailed Tianwei sealed, Zhongshan was determined to attempt the impossible: to purify the Tianwei and convert it into his root spiritual consciousness. Even if he failed, he would have no regrets.

Sitting cross-legged, he followed the method taught by Princess Qianyou and gently activated the Pure World Snow Lotus.

The lotus expanded rapidly, its platform growing to a width of three zhang in an instant.

Cradling the eight-tailed Tianwei, Zhongshan gently sat upon the lotus platform.

Seated within the lotus, he followed Princess Qianyou's method, gradually urging the lotus to emit a faint white glow. Slowly, the petals of the lotus began to close around him.

The petals closed gradually, forming a lotus bud that started to rotate slowly.

The lotus bud spun for an entire day and night. Throughout the city, people remained sealed in place. As the lotus bud ceased its rotation, its initial white glow started to fade. The outermost layer of petals seemed to be losing moisture, gradually withering and turning yellow.

An hour later, with a soft "crack," the outermost petal fell to the ground, followed by the second and third petals. The Pure World Snow Lotus, one of only three in existence, was slowly withering, its spiritual essence seemingly being drained away.