"This attack was just a probe?"

Hearing what Chu Fengmian said, Han Yueli, Luo Xi, and Old Yun were all stunned. Then their faces grew incomparably grave, and a trace of horror surfaced in their eyes.

An attack this fierce was actually just a probe?

You had to know, if Chu Fengmian hadn’t rushed back in time this time, the Sword Dao Sect might not have been able to withstand it at all, and it would likely have been a sect-destroying calamity.

If even this was only a probe, then just how terrifying was the true strength of the seven great Sects?

Whether it was Han Yueli or Luo Xi, neither of them knew the true strength of the seven great Sects.

After all, in this era, the seven great Sects were already far from as powerful as they had once been.

But when it came to true experts, the seven great Sects were not lacking; ten thousand years was nothing for an Emperor Realm existence. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

In ten thousand years’ Time, many of the former experts of the seven great Sects were probably still alive in this world. These people were the real trouble.

Chu Fengmian was someone from ten thousand years ago. Naturally he knew how terrifying the seven great Sects had been back then—let alone existences at the Peak of the Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor Realm like Pan Shi and the Pure Sword Elder.

There might not even be a lack of half-step Heavenly Human Realm figures within the seven great Sects.

"The true strength of the seven great Sects right now is probably over a hundred Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperors in total, and as for experts not inferior to Pan Shi and the others, there are at least more than twenty."

Chu Fengmian furrowed his brows and said coldly.

"There might even be experts at the half-step Heavenly Human Realm level."

What Chu Fengmian spoke of was already the best-case scenario, because in Tu Renjian’s memories, the six new Venerable Masters of the Six Paths Demon Sect all had true strength on par with Tu Renjian’s.

This proved that within just the Six Paths Demon Sect alone, there were as many as five experts comparable to the invincible among Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperors.

And that was only the strength on the surface. In the shadows, every great power would have some old monsters that outsiders rarely knew about.

If you factored in the trump cards of the seven great Sects, the old monsters they’d hidden away, the number of experts would be double what Chu Fengmian had just said.

"That strong?"

Luo Xi and Han Yueli exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief in each other’s eyes.

Hundreds of Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperors—this was simply far more than even the Saint Dragon Secret Territory had, and there were still dozens of figures like Pan Shi.

A starved camel is still bigger than a horse.

The Nine Domains, no matter what, had once been one of the Sacred Domains. Even if it had fallen, it still had treasure secret lands like Returning Ruins Heaven and Ten Thousand Treasures Heaven.

Just by obtaining the Inheritance of the former Nine Domains experts, they could give rise to large batches of powerful figures.

Although their overall strength might not compare to the Da Luo Heavenly Star Territory, the total number of experts currently in the Nine Domains might not be fewer than in the Da Luo Heavenly Star Territory, and could even be stronger.

Nor was this the worst of it. In Tu Renjian’s memories, Chu Fengmian actually discovered that people from the Saint Dragon Secret Territory were in contact with the seven great Sects.

It seemed this was how Chu Fengmian’s identity had been completely exposed.

There were countless people within the Saint Dragon Secret Territory who wanted to kill Chu Fengmian. If experts from the Saint Dragon Secret Territory joined in as well, things would become even more troublesome.

"With this kind of strength, we don’t stand a chance in a direct clash. Then what if we run?"

Han Yueli’s expression changed several times before she finally chose to believe Chu Fengmian’s words. Although she did not know Chu Fengmian’s origins, judging from the attitude of the seven great Sects, his background was definitely anything but ordinary.

His understanding of the seven great Sects was far greater than hers.

If they couldn’t win head-on, then there was only one path left—to retreat.

"Once we leave, the Sword Dao Sect will be destroyed. And once the Sword Dao Sect is destroyed, it will be almost impossible to rebuild it."

Chu Fengmian shook his head when he heard Han Yueli’s words.

"Moreover, leaving the Nine Domains doesn’t mean the trouble will vanish. You can’t run forever."

"This battle is not without hope. I need to go into seclusion for a few days. As long as I can step into the Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor Realm, even if there are half-step Heavenly Human Realm experts, I’ll still have the confidence to fight!"

Chu Fengmian’s tone was incomparably icy. Only if he became strong enough could he clash head-on with the seven great Sects.

"But the seven great Sects’ next attack will come within these next few days. Yue Li, Luo Xi, after I enter seclusion, when the seven great Sects come to attack, it’ll be up to you two to buy Time. Emperor Yan, Qing Meng, will lend you a hand."

Chu Fengmian spoke calmly.

Entering seclusion to break through to Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor could no longer be delayed.

Only after stepping into Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor would Chu Fengmian truly have the capital to fight a half-step Heavenly Human Realm expert.

This time, Chu Fengmian had taken action and, with thunderous force, slain Pan Shi, the Pure Sword Elder, and the others. The seven great Sects would definitely learn of this.

So next time, once the seven great Sects came to attack the Sword Dao Sect, a half-step Heavenly Human Realm expert would very likely make a move.

Before Chu Fengmian stepped into the Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor Realm, when facing a half-step Heavenly Human Realm expert, at most he could only protect himself and delay them.

If he truly wanted to defeat a half-step Heavenly Human Realm expert, Chu Fengmian would only have a chance after stepping into the Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor Realm.

Right now, Chu Fengmian was confident he could definitely step into Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor.

But as for exactly how much Time it would take, even Chu Fengmian himself wasn’t sure.

After all, for Chu Fengmian, breaking through One Realm was much harder than for other Martial Artists—tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of times harder than for those of the same Realm.

And during that period, once the seven great Sects came to attack, Chu Fengmian would not be able to split his focus. The price of a failed breakthrough was something he could not afford.

So he could only rely on Han Yueli, Luo Xi, and the others to hold the line.

Just now Chu Fengmian had hastily condensed the Mountain Protection Array, reforged the Sword Dao Sect’s gates, and strengthened the Sword Dao Sect’s defenses precisely for this reason—to use the Mountain Protection Array to buy some Time.

"Don’t worry, leave everything to us."

Han Yueli and Luo Xi both nodded. They also knew that once Chu Fengmian reached the critical moment of his breakthrough, they absolutely could not disturb him no matter what.

"Old Fan, if there’s a crisis, I’ll have to ask you to lend a hand as well."

In his mind, Chu Fengmian suddenly spoke, and the figure of an old man appeared out of nowhere, manifesting in front of Chu Fengmian.

"This is Old Fan. If a half-step Heavenly Human Realm expert appears, I’ll have to ask Old Fan to step in and help."

With the大量圣品 Spirit Stone Chu Fengmian had given him, Old Fan had already recovered quite a bit of his strength.

This time Chu Fengmian was going into seclusion to break through, to impact the Nine Tribulations Ancient Emperor Realm. He absolutely could not allow anyone to disturb him, so he could only ask Old Fan to sit in town and guard.