Through Dong Li, the Dong Clan members that were gathered by the teleportation portal learned what had happened in the Realm of Flame Heaven.

Immediately afterward, they fell into a clamor.

“The Realm of Flame Heaven?! Wu Ji?!”

“It’s hard to believe there’s such a figure in a place like the Realm of Flame Heaven!”

“He has actually mastered time power!”

“This master of Nie Tian’s is far beyond ordinary!”

The crowd of Dong Clan members were deeply shaken by the incredible power Wu Ji had displayed, and the fact that Wu Ji had slaughtered two seventh grade outsiders by himself.

Dong Qianqi, the clanmaster, then asked, “If Nie Tian possesses a puppet with middle Soul realm battle prowess, perhaps he’ll be able to help us turn the situation around.”

Dong Tengfei, who had been suggesting evacuation, chimed in, “It seems that a favorable turn has finally appeared!”

Many of the Dong Clan members looked at Dong Li with grateful looks in their eyes.

“You do have an eye for true talent,” Dong Qianqi said to Dong Li, a hint of a smile appearing at the corner of her mouth. “This Nie Tian person is not only the only successor chosen by the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, but he also has Wu Ji as his master. On top of that, he’s got a good heart. He must have known what he would face if he came to the Realm of a Hundred Battles, but he came anyways.”

Dong Tengfei sighed with admiration and said, “That young man is indeed beyond ordinary. It’ll be our clan’s fortune if we can maintain a close relationship with him.”

Dong Li bit her lower lip as she listened to the other Dong Clan members praise Nie Tian. Even her eyebrows rose with joy.

She was the reason why Nie Tian had come to the Dong Clan’s aid. It didn’t have much to do with his relationship with the Dong Clan.

She was deeply touched by the fact that Nie Tian had come to the Realm of a Hundred Battles despite all the danger and difficulty when he could have stayed safely in the Realm of Flame Heaven.

With a hearty smile, Dong Qianqi turned to Dong Li and said, “He seems to be rather reliable at crucial moments. If he can help us through this crisis, we’ll stand by him even if he decides to go to war with the Heaven Palace Sect and the Flame God Sect in the future!”

Many of the Dong Clan members seemed relaxed, knowing that Nie Tian had come to their aid with the Bone Blood Demon that possessed middle Soul realm strength.

However, Dong Wangling, the patriarch of the Dong Clan, was still frowning deeply.

He cleared his throat, and the thrilled Dong Clan members instantly fell silent, waiting for him to state his opinion.

Dong Wangling then analyzed, “The Water Moon Chamber of Commerce has already evacuated to the Realm of Endless Ice due to their close relationship with the Spirit Condor. Of the forces that have stayed in the Realm of a Hundred Battles, the Pill Pavilion Sect, the Gu Clan, and the Cao Clan each have one early Soul realm expert. Right now, we’re surrounded by two seventh grade outsiders, one at the early seventh grade, and the other at the middle seventh grade.

“The Pill Pavilion Sect, the Cao Clan, and the Gu Clan are each facing one seventh grade outsider. I’m not sure of their specific grade.

“If we decide to stay and fight the outsiders, we must communicate with the Pill Pavilion Sect, the Cao Clan, and the Gu Clan to make sure we’re on the same page.

“Then, adding that puppet of Nie Tian’s to our side, we might actually win this battle.

“However...”

With these words, Dong Wangling suddenly fell silent. After a short pause, he continued, “Once we step out of our grand spell formation to fight the outsiders to the death, we’ll be facing another problem.”

“What problem?” Dong Tengfei asked with an anxious expression.

Dong Wangling’s expression grew grim as he explained, “The seventh grade outsiders in the other realms might learn of our operation, and rush over unless Zhao Shanling agrees to help us seal the spatial rift that connects the Realm of a Hundred Battles and the Realm of Split Void. Only if Zhao Shanling agrees to help us will we have a chance at winning this battle.”

The crowd of Dong Clan members gasped upon hearing these words. “Zhao Shanling...”

Each and every one of them had a bitter expression on their face.

Everyone had heard of Zhao Shanling’s temperament and knew that it would be very difficult to persuade him to help seal the spatial rift in the Realm of a Hundred Battles.

The fact that the crisis in the Realm of Flame Heaven had been lifted was thanks to Wu Ji’s miraculous performance in battle, as well as the fact that Zhao Shanling had eliminated the possibility for reinforcements.

If Zhao Shanling didn’t cooperate, even if the Dong Clan, the Cao Clan, the Gu Clan, and the Pill Pavilion Sect charged out of their grand spell formations at the same time to fight the outsiders with the Bone Blood Demon’s assistance, their victory wouldn’t be guaranteed.

Dong Wangling took a glance at Dong Li and said, “I’ll communicate with the Cao Clan, the Gu Clan, and the Pill Pavilion Sect to inform them of Nie Tian’s arrival, and see what they think of this plan. You contact Nie Tian and see if he knows where Zhao Shanling is. I want to talk to him and find out what it will take for him to help us.”

“Okay!” Dong Li nodded and did as she was bid.

…

In the depths of cotton-like, thick clouds.

Li Langfeng watched Nie Tian communicate with Dong Li through his Sound Stone.

After some time, Nie Tian put his Sound Stone away and said with a frown, “It appears we need Zhao Shanling to help us again.”

Li Langfeng asked him why, and Nie Tian told him that the Dong Clan was apprehensive that outsiders would send reinforcements to the Realm of Hundred Battles, and thus they wanted Zhao Shanling to help them seal their spatial rift, just as he had sealed the one in the Realm of Flame Heaven.

Only that way would they be able to charge out of their grand spell formation with those from the Pill Pavilion Sect, the Gu Clan, and the Cao Clan and fight the outsiders to the death without scruples.

However, Zhao Shanling had already made it very clear that his part of their deals was finished.

It was even hard to say if Zhao Shanling was still in the Realm of a Hundred Battles.

“Let’s go find Zhao Shanling!” Nie Tian said with great determination. Without the slightest hesitation, he commanded the Bone Blood Demon to turn around and head back towards Zhao Shanling’s teleportation portal.

As the Bone Blood Demon traveled through the air at full speed, hellish images once again entered Nie Tian’s sight.

Face grim, Nie Tian decided that he would persuade Zhao Shanling to help him no matter the cost.

Upon his arrival, Nie Tian saw Zhao Shanling sitting there immediately.

Slightly relieved, he jumped off the Bone Blood Demon and stood in front of Zhao Shanling. “Senior Zhao...”

“Why are you back?” Zhao Shanling asked, looking surprised.

“Umm, would you please help me seal the spatial rift that connects the Realm of a Hundred Battles and the Realm of Split Void?” Nie Tian asked in a soft voice.

“I’ve already delivered my part of our deals. I won’t help you again.” Zhao Shanling snorted coldly and added, “Do you think it’s very easy to seal a spatial rift? I’ll have to consume a large amount of power to seal one.”

“But the patriarch of the Dong Clan said he wants to talk to you directly, and he’s willing to pay any price, as long as you agree to help them!” Nie Tian said anxiously.

“The Dong Clan?” Zhao Shanling smiled, his eyes filled with disdain. “Even the Dong Clan, the Cao Clan, the Gu Clan, and the Pill Pavilion Sect combined won’t have anything that’ll be worth me doing this for them. They think they can interest me with some spirit stones and cultivation materials?”

“The people in the Realm of a Hundred Battles are already in a world of misery and suffering,” Nie Tian said. “If things don’t change soon, even more will die. Would you please help us, considering that we’re the same, Senior Zhao?”

“Are we?” Zhao Shanling shook his head. “Everyone cheered when I was banished from the Domain of the Falling Stars and rotted in a remote space disruption zone. Who would feel sad if I died? My master might be the only one who did, but he’s gone now...”

Then, before Nie Tian could say anything, he continued, “Nie Tian, you let yourself be bound by too many scruples. It’s not good for you. My advice is that you should take care of yourself, and don’t concern yourself with anything else. Do you know how many humans are in this endless starry river? Do you know how many die every day?

“Every time a war breaks out between different races, millions will die. Some minor races may even be wiped out from this world.

“If you spend too much time helping others, you might as well not cultivate at all.

“The reason why I was able to rise to my current cultivation base was because I cultivated wholeheartedly, and didn’t concern myself with the business of others. And only in this way can you make greater achievements on this cruel cultivation path.”

Nie Tian had wanted to persuade Zhao Shanling, but he ended up receiving a lesson from Zhao Shanling instead.

From the look of it, he didn’t even care what the Dong Clan had to offer, and he didn’t have the slightest intention of saving the Realm of a Hundred Battles.

Nie Tian finally gritted his teeth and roared, “Senior! If you don’t agree to help us, I’ll go help them myself! If I get killed by the outsiders, you can forget about the deals we’ve made! All that you’ve done will be in vain! And you’ll have to wait till you enter the Void domain to leave the Domain of the Falling Stars!”

Zhao Shanling’s face split into a grin. “Are you threatening me with your life? You’re still too green, Nie Tian. Do you think I’ll let you die? Why do you think I haven’t left the Realm of a Hundred Battles? You can try if you like, but rest assured. I’ll take you out of the battlefield before you die.

“I never make losing deals. Even if you want to seek death, you’ll have to do it after you deliver your part of our deals!”

Nie Tian was at a loss for words.

Zhao Shanling, however, took his time to continue, “Also, if you kill yourself, I’ll return to the Realm of Flame Heaven and kill every one of your family and friends. You’d better think very carefully.”

Nie Tian was completely flabbergasted.

Gazing at Zhao Shanling, who couldn’t be swayed in the slightest, he was at his wit’s end.

“On what condition will you agree to help us, Senior?! You name it!” Nie Tian bellowed.

“You can have my senior martial brother kneel before me, say that he was wrong and I was right, and make me the sectmaster of the Tool Sect,” Zhao Shanling said.

“What?!” Nie Tian went blank. “What I’m asking has nothing to do with the Tool Sect. How do you expect me to be able to persuade him to do that?”

With a cunning laugh, Zhao Shanling said, “It has nothing to do with the Tool Sect? You’re a fool indeed! If I help you seal the spatial rift in the Realm of a Hundred Battles, the Dong Clan, the Pill Pavilion Sect, the Cao Clan, the Gu Clan, and your Bone Blood Demon will be enough to kill all of the seventh grade outsiders that have invaded the Realm of a Hundred Battles.

“Your master has already killed two seventh grade outsiders. If you manage to kill the seventh grade outsiders here, the outsiders’ overall strength will suffer a serious setback.

“Dong Wangling and the other three are all at the Soul realm. If they can finish the outsiders here, then they’ll be able to go help those in the other realms.

“That way, they won’t even need to wait for the patriarch of the Heaven Palace Sect to enter the Void domain to lift the crisis in the Domain of the Falling Stars.

“My decision will determine the destiny of the Domain of the Falling Stars. So you tell me if it’s worth it for Qi Bailu to kneel before me and admit that he was wrong?”