Nian Shi's Blade of Eternity descended with the weight of countless erased epochs behind it.
The void itself seemed to scream as the weapon carved through reality, leaving behind a trail of unraveling time.
Yue Yun met the strike head-on, her Moon Staff blazing with seven-colored radiance as she poured every ounce of her remaining strength into the defense.
The collision sent shockwaves rippling through the nothingness around them. Stars that had somehow survived their previous exchanges blinked out of existence entirely. The very fabric of space-time groaned under the strain, threatening to collapse entirely.
Yue Yun's arms trembled violently. Blood trickled from the corners of her lips, her silver-red aura flickering like a candle in the wind. The exhaustion from her battle with Yin's will was catching up to her now, her movements growing sluggish despite her immense power.
Nian Shi observed her struggle with detached interest. "Tiring already?" His voice carried neither mockery nor concern—just the clinical observation of an immortal who had witnessed countless battles. "What a shame. You're not at your peak."
Yue Yun wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. Her golden-tinged black eyes burned with unwavering determination as she tightened her grip on the Moon Staff. "It doesn't matter."
"Doesn't it?" Nian Shi tilted his head slightly. "Shall I give you time to recover? I can wait." A faint smile touched his lips. "Time is, after all, my domain."
Yue Yun didn't dignify his teasing with a response. Instead, she took a shuddering breath—and the silver-red flames around her erupted anew. The six divine beast projections roared back to life, their forms blazing with desperate intensity as she burned her life essence to fuel them.
Lin Xinyao, watching from the remnants of the barrier, took an involuntary step forward. "We have to help her—"
Yun Qianxue's hand clamped down on her wrist like iron. "Don't." Her ice-blue eyes were fixed on the battle, her voice low and urgent. "This isn't a fight we can interfere with… At least, not now."
She was right. The residual temporal energy alone would erase any True God who dared approach.
Nian Shi watched Yue Yun's desperate surge with mild interest. "How reckless." He raised his blade lazily. "Let's see how long you last."
The Blade of Eternity came down in a simple, inevitable arc—
Yue Yun barely raised her staff in time. The impact sent shockwaves rippling through the void, distorting the fabric of reality itself. Her knees buckled under the force, blood trickling from her nose as she struggled to hold her ground.
Nian Shi didn't press the advantage immediately. Instead, he studied her with something almost resembling respect. "You're burning your life away with every second," he observed calmly.
Yue Yun's only response was to push harder. The silver-red flames around her flared brighter, her divine beast projections lunging forward in a coordinated assault.
The Azure Dragon's claws tore at the fabric of time itself. The Vermilion Bird's flames scorched the edges of eternity. The Black Turtle's shell deflected temporal decay while the White Tiger's fangs sought Nian Shi's throat.
The God of Time sighed. "How stubborn."
With a flick of his wrist, he reversed the flow of time around them. Yue Yun's flames dimmed as her expended life force was forcibly returned to her body—not out of mercy, but to deny her the dignity of a glorious death.
"You don't get to die on your own terms," he said coolly. "Not against me."
Yue Yun staggered back, her breathing ragged. The sudden reversal had disrupted her rhythm, leaving her momentarily vulnerable.
Nian Shi pressed his advantage. The Blade of Eternity came down again—
This time, Yue Yun couldn't fully block it. The impact sent her skidding backward through the void, her boots leaving trails of collapsing spacetime in their wake. Blood sprayed from her lips as she struggled to remain upright.
Lin Xinyao's nails dug into her palms until they drew blood. Yun Qianxue's grip on her sword turned white-knuckled. But they could do nothing but watch as the daughter of their beloved fought a battle beyond mortal comprehension.
Yue Yun steadied herself with visible effort. The silver-red radiance around her was noticeably dimmer now, her divine beast projections flickering like candle flames in a storm. Yet her eyes remained fierce.
Nian Shi tilted his head. "Why keep struggling? You know how this ends."
"Because," Yue Yun spat out a mouthful of blood, "every second I buy them is another second for dad to return."
Nian Shi's laughter echoed through the void, a sound like shattering timelines. "I thought you weren't naive." His silver eyes gleamed with cold amusement. "It seems I overestimated you."
His voice turned glacial as he continued, "If you truly believe Yun Lintian can return in time, you're gravely mistaken." The Blade of Eternity pulsed in his grasp, its edge drinking in the surrounding light. "The trap I set for him is beautifully simple—he had no choice but to walk into it."
Yue Yun's grip tightened on her Moon Staff, her golden-tinged black eyes narrowing.
Nian Shi smiled. "Without the Seed of Time, he could never hope to face me, let alone Yin. But to obtain it..." His chuckle sent chills through the void. "He had to step exactly where I wanted him to."
The truth of his words settled like a death sentence. Yun Qianxue's ice-blue eyes met Lin Xinyao's silver ones—a silent understanding passing between them.
Yun Qianxue moved first.
The Chaos Goddess Sutra erupted from her body in a maelstrom of frost and destruction. Nine celestial heavens materialized behind her—each representing a different aspect of chaos, their power linking with every Misty Cloud Sect disciple present.
The female cultivators' auras merged into a singular, devastating formation. Space itself warped under the pressure, the combined might of years of cultivation focusing into one point.
Nian Shi glanced at the spectacle and chuckled. "The Chaos Goddess's technique—created to withstand the tides of chaos." His smile turned pitying. "How ironic that it will be erased here, before the final tide even arrives."
And the Misty Cloud Sect struck.
"KILL!!" Yun Qianxue roared as her sword descended.