Divine Replication System

“Once this individual has perished, do you believe you can take control of the entire sect?” Lin Xuan inquired further.    

“Elder, I am confident I can,” Wei Zhengzhen responded with a series of affirmative nods.    

It dawned on him then. Lin Xuan had no intention of annihilating the sect as the Devil Cloud Sect had done. Rather, he sought to transform it into an entity under his control. If Sun Yan would not comply, then someone more amenable would take his place. To Lin Xuan, it mattered little who was in charge of the East Saint Sect, as long as he had a compliant subordinate. This was a far more favorable outcome than Wei Zhengzhen had initially feared, and he stood to gain substantially. Naturally, he was not about to decline such an opportunity.    

Whether other Emperor Level Martial Cultivators opposed this was inconsequential. Aside from Sun Yan, few within the East Saint Sect were even noteworthy in his eyes. Lin Xuan was an insurmountable force for them, and this held true for other Emperor Level Martial Cultivators and those of even lesser skill. There was no need for further consideration; he alone could make this decision.    

Down below, Sun Yan was left speechless by these words. He had not anticipated Lin Xuan's rigid stance, the complete absence of any chance for negotiation. This turn of events had surpassed all his calculations. In just a moment, Lin Xuan had managed to bring Wei Zhengzhen to heel and erect a new puppet. All of Sun Yan's strategies had been upended.    

“Elder, I—” Sun Yan began, but Lin Xuan was no longer granting him the time to speak.    

In an instant, a burst of light signaled Lin Xuan's movement. He appeared before the sect's grand protective array as if traversing through space itself. His fist, glowing with a soft golden hue, descended upon the shield. It lacked any grandiose display, but Sun Yan knew better than to belittle its power. The circulating rumors and reports had all attested to Lin Xuan's formidable might. Without further ado, Sun Yan ceased his attempts to communicate. After all, he was the leader of the East Saint Sect.    

The grand array that protected the East Saint Sect was under his control. He exerted all his might to activate the grand array, pushing the protective shield's defensive capabilities to their absolute limit in hopes of withstanding the assault. If he could hold off the attack, perhaps negotiations could even continue.    

A thought crossed Sun Yan's mind. He was well aware of the grand array's defensive prowess; it was impervious to the combined efforts of several peak Emperor Level Martial Cultivators. Yet, the individual before him was in a league far beyond any Emperor Level. The devastating downfall of the Devil Cloud Sect also loomed in his memory, leaving him unable to gauge the situation.    

With no other options, Sun Yan steeled himself for the confrontation. The outcome became apparent to him all too quickly—and it was the worst possible scenario.    

Boom!    

A thunderous explosion reverberated. The protective shield shook with extreme violence, as if struck by a massive meteorite. A colossal dent formed at the point of impact. Sun Yan, the controller, looked as though he had been dealt a severe blow; his complexion turned a deep shade of red.    

Puchi!    

Blood spurted from his mouth, and his energy waned significantly. He had sustained minor injuries, and that was merely from collateral damage. A direct hit would have likely been fatal.    

Sun Yan's face was etched with shock and fear. How could someone be so incredibly powerful? How could such a formidable being exist on the Dongyuan Continent? He struggled to accept the reality before him, yet as the one who had felt it firsthand, he could not deny it. Despite the rumors and prior warnings, the reality far exceeded his expectations and was more than he could bear.    

But it wasn't over. The shield's violent tremors showed no signs of abating; instead, they intensified.    

Crack crack...    

The grating sound of fracturing made it impossible for Sun Yan to keep his composure. "This is bad!" His face, now a picture of disbelief and terror, registered the most unbearable turn of events.    

He witnessed it—the spot where Lin Xuan's punch had landed.    

The protective shield could no longer hold up; it began to crack under the strain.    

Visible fissures spread before our eyes.    

Such an event had not occurred since the founding of the East Saint Sect, following the establishment of their grand protective formation.    

Sun Yan found it hard to believe.    

Yet, the unfolding events paid no heed to his disbelief.    

The cracks, once formed, did not diminish or fade away.    

Despite the East Saint Sect's protective formation possessing a formidable self-healing capability, the force surging within was overwhelming, far surpassing any restorative effects.    

The fissures rapidly widened, grew larger, and branched out in every direction, resembling an ever-expanding spiderweb.    

In just a moment's breath.    

The white protective barrier that had enveloped the entire East Saint Sect was riddled with cracks, large and small, presenting a harrowing sight.    

Bang! Bang! Bang!    

In an instant.    

A series of explosive sounds erupted, deafening and reverberating through the heavens and earth.    

The barrier that had safeguarded the East Saint Sect for countless years finally shattered.    

Fragments scattered in all directions.    

The earth near the barrier split open, buildings and mountains tumbled down in ruin.    

Many of the lower and middle-tier martial cultivators perished in the chaos.    

Sun Yan, as the master of the protective formation, was also caught in the backlash, sent flying backward, spitting blood, his face ashen, his injuries severe.    

Behind him.    

Wei Zhengzhen, Cang Shuiyue, Elemental Spirit, and other Emperor Level Martial Cultivators stood aghast.    

Even though they had witnessed a similar destruction at the Devil Cloud Sect, the shock was no less profound upon a second encounter.    

With a single punch, the protective barrier of the East Saint Sect's formation was obliterated.    

As with the Devil Cloud Sect, it took only one strike.    

The sheer magnitude of such power was enough to drive one to despair.    

Such might was only spoken of in the ancient texts and ruins from before the Middle Ages.    

In this era, with fractured laws and the density of spiritual energy greatly diminished, the emergence of such a formidable being seemed impossible.    

It defied all logic, all reason!    

As Sun Yan felt waves of pain coursing through his body, he came to a stark realization.    

The backlash from the breach in the protective formation had aggravated his injuries, which were far more serious than mere flesh wounds.    

The warm sunlight bathed him, and a gentle breeze wafted by.    

Yet, he could not feel even a trace of warmth.    

His heart and his entire being were engulfed in an unshakable chill, frigid to the core.    

A sense of dread permeated his being as cold sweat streamed down his back.    

He had never anticipated, nor could he have imagined, such a scenario.    

The rumors and messages that had reached him were not only true.    

He had grossly underestimated Lin Xuan.    

Lin Xuan was far more fearsome than he had ever conceived.    

The protective formation that had guarded the East Saint Sect for countless years had been shattered by a single punch.    

It was gone, just like that.    

How could he come to terms with this reality?    

He had never considered that his stubbornness would lead to such a dire situation.    

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