Chapter 535 - 177: If I Were to Be Celestial Emperor, the Turmoil of Immortal Ascension Island, Complete Betrayal (Part 4)

With one side weakening as the other grew stronger, and without their pillars of strength to hold down the fort, the Gongsun Family was a much easier target than the Tantai Family.

The Tantai Family was constrained by that Demon God’s power and found it difficult to intervene. Wouldn’t the legacy accumulated by the Elder Pavilion, including the Ancestral Artifact jointly forged by the three ancestors, eventually fall into the Helian Family’s hands?

At this thought, the eyes of many family members lit up with fervent desire.

The other two ancestors of the Helian Family also nodded and said, "Very well."

They quickly finalized the plan and immediately gave the order: open the Little World and let the people of the Gongsun Family enter.

At the same time, the ancestor who had spoken flickered and vanished from the main hall. To ensure a one-hit kill and leave nothing to chance, he planned to wield the power of the Little World. If Gongsun Long survived that first strike, he would use the Clan Artifact.

"Old Ancestor..."

"The Helian Family still hasn’t responded. I’m afraid something is truly wrong. Shouldn’t we just leave?"

While the rest of Immortal Ascension Island was plunged into chaos, filled with the sounds of battle and cries of agony.

The area before the Helian World’s Little World remained a scene of peace and tranquility, completely untouched by the turmoil. The scenery was exquisite, with vast mountains and sprawling lakes. A gentle breeze rippled across the water’s surface, making it glitter—a truly magnificent landscape.

Gongsun Long hovered in the air with a solemn expression, followed by many members of the Gongsun Family. But at this moment, they were all worried; the Helian Family’s rapacious ambition, their betrayal of the ancestral precepts, and their collusion with the Demon Race were all but certain.

’Asking them for an explanation now... isn’t this walking right into the tiger’s den? Here on the Helian Family’s own territory, even with our Old Ancestor present, we feel deeply uneasy. This is extremely dangerous.’

"The Helian Family is ruthlessly ambitious, it’s true, but I’ve always felt they wouldn’t dare collude with the Demon Race."

"I worry there’s more to this than meets the eye—that an unseen hand is manipulating everything. That’s why I had to take the risk and come..."

"If the Helian Family truly harbors such intentions..."

As Gongsun Long said this, his expression grew heavy, and he didn’t know how to continue.

’If only the three great Guardian Families could cast aside their past grievances and misunderstandings right now. If we worked together to face this situation, we could still prevent the disaster from escalating, stop it from affecting more innocent people, and cut our losses.’

’But if the Helian Family is truly as the rumors say...’

He sighed inwardly.

Just then, a light shimmered outside the Helian Family’s Little World like ripples on water as a voice called out, "Gongsun Long, for you to come in person... please forgive our recent discourtesy. The family was discussing how to handle this urgent situation, which necessitated this."

"Please..."

Gongsun Long recognized the voice. It belonged to an ancestor of the Helian Family, Helian Rujian, who had once been a peerless Celestial Pride of his generation with a formidable reputation.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Judging by Helian Rujian’s attitude, it seemed there was still room for a peaceful resolution.

The ripples before the Little World spread, and a brilliant silver portal materialized. As Gongsun Long led his family members forward, a sudden, ominous feeling washed over him.

His expression changed. A mix of shock and fury, he didn’t even have time to react properly. With a sweep of his voluminous robes, he wrapped up the family members behind him and flung them away.

"Go!"

Gongsun Long roared, his hair and beard bristling, his eyes wide with fury like an enraged old lion. His once-gaunt frame suddenly swelled, and he stood rooted to the spot like a wooden stake, blocking the terrifying torrent that surged toward him.

"Old Ancestor...!"

The members of the Gongsun Family were flung far into the distance, their faces etched with grief and sorrow, their eyes nearly splitting with rage.

All they could see was a terrifying silver light that blotted out the sky, submerging the area. The power was far beyond human imagination, like a piece of the heavens falling to earth, enough to crush anything and everything to dust.

Gongsun Long’s gaunt figure stood firm, blocking the entirety of the cascading aftershock. Blood and cracks immediately covered his entire body.

Drenched in blood and on the verge of collapse, he still glared furiously at the figure emerging from the Little World.

"Gongsun Long, you really are something. To withstand a blow powered by the Little World and not explode into a mist of blood."

Helian Rujian’s expression was indifferent, tinged with a hint of mockery.

Gongsun Long coughed up blood nonstop, his body looking as if it might shatter at any moment. "You have betrayed our ancestors... betrayed our ancestors!" he roared in fury.

"Our ancestors performed countless meritorious deeds for the Human Race! All of posterity praises and reveres them, yet you align yourselves with the Demon Race..."

"Have you no shame? How can you face the ancestors who shed their last drop of blood for the Human Race?"

Helian Rujian’s expression remained indifferent. "Only the living have the right to speak of such things," he said. "It was you who forced the Helian Family to this point."

With that, Sword Qi flowed from his hand, coalescing into what looked like an invisible Divine Sword. Its edge was terrifyingly sharp, and the very Void seemed to blur as if being sliced apart.

Gongsun Long said with a tragic smile, "And to think I believed there was still hope for you, that I thought I could salvage this situation... I was wrong..."

Helian Rujian paid him no mind, slashing with his sword to take his head.

But at that very moment, a soft sigh echoed from the Void. A fair, radiant hand appeared, a great star seemingly rising and falling in its palm. Boundless purple light surged from it, pressing down to block Helian Rujian’s attack.

"Gongsun Ziwei..." Helian Rujian’s face darkened.

"The Helian Family... truly is beyond saving."

The owner of the fair hand did not reveal herself, only offering that single sigh. Then, with a beckoning gesture, the hand swept up Gongsun Long and the other family members, carrying them away.

Watching this scene, Helian Rujian’s expression turned exceedingly grim.

He hadn’t expected Gongsun Ziwei’s power to be so far beyond what it once was. Her strike just now had possessed a profound and unfathomable quality, leaving no trace behind.