Chapter 69 - Chapter 70: Confronting the Betrayal

The shockwaves of the dissipated black hole, the air thick with tension as Chen Jiuzhang stared at his 二叔,his eyes filled with a mix of disbelief and betrayal. "All this time... it was you?" His voice trembled, the crystal - key in his hand still warm from the battle.​His 二叔 sneered, his once - kind face now contorted into a mask of malice. "You were always so naive, Jiuzhang. The Heart of the Realm holds power beyond your wildest dreams. Power to reshape the world, to become a god. And I won't let you or anyone else stand in my way."​Su Nian stepped forward, her chains coiled menacingly at her side. "You're a monster. After everything Jiuzhang has been through, searching for you, believing you were a hero..."​"Hero?" His 二叔 let out a bark of laughter. "Heroes are fools who sacrifice everything for a false sense of justice. I saw the truth, the power that could be mine. And I'll do whatever it takes to claim it."​Shen Qingluan's golden barrier finally flickered out, and she leaned heavily on Zhang Chengying for support. "We don't have time for this. The Heart of the Realm is still unstable. If we don't do something soon, the entire Gui Xu Secret Realm could be destroyed."​Luna nodded, her starlight - woven gown barely hanging together. "There's an ancient ritual. It might be able to stabilize the Heart, but... it requires a great sacrifice."​Before anyone could respond, Chen Jiuzhang's 二叔 lunged forward, his staff crackling with dark energy. "You won't touch the Heart! It's mine!"​Zhang Chengying intercepted the attack, his broken peachwood sword clashing against the staff. The impact sent shockwaves through his arm, but he held his ground. "You'll have to go through us first!"​Wu Laogou, his hands shaking, threw a series of talismans. They exploded around Chen Jiuzhang's 二叔,creating a cloud of smoke that temporarily obscured his vision. "Jiuzhang, go! Do whatever you need to do to save the Realm!"​Chen Jiuzhang hesitated for a moment, his eyes locked on his 二叔. Memories of their happy times together flooded his mind, but he pushed them aside. He turned to Luna. "Tell me about this ritual. What kind of sacrifice are we talking about?"​Luna took a deep breath, her eyes filled with sorrow. "It requires the purest of hearts to channel their life force into the Heart of the Realm. It's a one - way journey. The person who performs the ritual... they won't survive."​The group fell silent, the weight of Luna's words hanging heavy in the air. As Chen Jiuzhang's 二叔 fought his way through the talismans' smoke, the decision loomed over them. Who would be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to save the Gui Xu Secret Realm? And could they stop Chen Jiuzhang's 二叔 before it was too late?