The four searched for an exit in the air, while Xiao Man alone guarded the formation. As time passed, the undercurrent was nearing its end, and the others had still not found an exit.
"Have you found it?"
"Why the rush? Aren't we looking?"
"There's no time," Xiao Man warned them. "The undercurrent is about to pass. If we don't find an exit soon, we'll all be trapped here."
"If we can't find an exit, there's nothing we can do. If you're so capable, come up here and look yourself."
Xiao Man frowned slightly, her gaze fixed on the gradually calming sea. If an exit wasn't found before the sea completely calmed, they would have no chance of leaving.
In the blink of an eye, Xiao Man leaped up and shot towards the sky, actually going to search for an exit herself. The person who had spoken earlier was momentarily astonished to see Xiao Man actually ascend.
"You've come up, who will guard the formation?"
"I can't be bothered about the formation anymore," Xiao Man said coldly. "If we don't find an exit, we'll all die trapped here. It's better to fight for our lives."
The others were secretly annoyed, understanding Xiao Man was mocking them, yet they couldn't retort, for they truly couldn't find an exit. As soon as Xiao Man left the formation, the Heavenly Dao quickly discovered their actions. Several iron chains appeared and lunged towards them.
"We're finished, the Heavenly Dao has found us."
"So what if it has?" Xiao Man attacked the sky preemptively, intending to break this small world by brute force. The others were busy fending off the Heavenly Dao's attacks.
"What are you all standing around for? Concentrate all your strength on attacking one point, forcefully break this small world, and then escape together."
"I never imagined that trapped in a place like this, you would dare to cooperate with these heinous criminals to try and break this small world. Xiao Man, have you truly degenerated to the point of associating with these villains?"
"Ridiculous. Didn't you already lump me in with them?" Xiao Man sneered repeatedly. "From the moment you locked me in here, I knew you were no better. Today, I will not only associate with them, but I will also destroy this small world. Sooner or later, I will march to your lair and drag you out, you despicable and shameless old dog, to be whipped to death."
"Hahahaha." The old man listened and burst into laughter, leaning back. "Little girl, I'm growing to like your spirit more and more. You're the first to dare call the Heavenly Dao an old dog."
"Indeed, the Heavenly Dao is an old dog!" The four combined their attacks on the spot Xiao Man was attacking. If it were just Xiao Man alone, it would have been difficult to break this small world. However, the people imprisoned here were all powerhouses who could shake a continent. With the five of them joining forces, breaking this small world was not difficult.
"A bunch of sinners, presumptuously attempting to break their cage..." The Heavenly Dao was also enraged. He had imprisoned Xiao Man here to make her reflect on her actions. Who knew she wouldn't reflect at all, but instead colluded with the sinners in the prison to try and escape.
Before the Heavenly Dao could finish speaking, there was a crack. The previously indestructible cage actually showed a fissure, which then grew larger and larger. Xiao Man's face lit up.
"Thank you, elders. In the future, this junior will surely repay your kindness." Xiao Man instantly turned into an afterimage and plunged into the crack, attempting to escape.
"Let's go too."
Seeing Xiao Man escape, the Heavenly Dao, without the slightest regard for the remaining people, chased after Xiao Man. The old man saw this and quickly followed.
"Old dog, you're truly shameless in your old age," the old man intercepted the Heavenly Dao. "Chasing after a little girl without shame. When did you start learning from that lecher? You can't move your legs when you see a pretty young girl. It's a pity you're too old, and the girl doesn't like old dogs."
"Old fool, do you think you can oppose me with just yourself!"
"I don't need to oppose you. I just need to delay you for a moment, to let her escape."
"Escape?" The Heavenly Dao smiled. "She can't escape. Unless she can completely sever her worldly ties, she will never escape."
"Worldly ties..." The old man was stunned, seeming to grasp the Heavenly Dao's intention. "You want... You old dog, you have quite a plan. It's a pity that girl may not comply with your wishes. Not only will she not comply, but she might even overturn your doghouse and drag you out, you old dog, to be whipped to death!"
"Old fool, I think you've lived too long and are tired of living." The Heavenly Dao's voice echoed in his ears, but the old man paid no mind. Estimating that Xiao Man had fled far away, he instantly vanished.
The Heavenly Dao originally wanted to pursue, but thinking that Xiao Man was more important, he chased after Xiao Man.
Xiao Man thought she could escape by breaking that small world, but she was too naive. Even though she escaped that small world, she did not return to Cang Xuan but entered another completely unfamiliar small world.
"Where is this place?" Xiao Man looked at the small world in shock. There was only an ice field, nothing else!
"Xiao Man, you can't escape." The Heavenly Dao's voice rang out. "I didn't expect you to enter here yourself. That saves me some trouble."
"Damn old dog, what exactly do you want?"
"It's not what I want, but what you want." At this moment, a figure appeared before Xiao Man. This person was handsome and held a wolf-hair brush. "Yong'an Continent, because of your forceful intrusion, has already developed cracks. Cang Xuan Continent, due to the Heavenly Demon race's constant plundering of Cang Xuan's spiritual energy, and because you created countless Divine Transformation realm experts with secret arts, both these worlds are on the verge of collapse."
"As the Heavenly Dao, how can you allow these two worlds to be destroyed?"
"There are many small worlds in this heaven and earth. Yong'an and Cang Xuan are just one or two among countless small worlds," the Heavenly Dao said slowly. "Even if these two small worlds perish, it will be of no loss to me. But it is different for you, after all, the people you love are in these two worlds."
"You want to destroy these two small worlds!" Xiao Man asked in shock.
"Incorrect." The Heavenly Dao shook his head. "The one who will destroy these two small worlds is you, not me."
"Me?" Xiao Man sneered. "You allowed cultivators from Cang Xuan to enter Yong'an and wreak havoc, yet you didn't allow me to save them. You allowed the Heavenly Demon race to plunder Cang Xuan's spiritual energy and persecute Cang Xuan's cultivators, yet you didn't allow Cang Xuan's cultivators to resist. You are not the Heavenly Dao; you should be called an executioner!"
"Everything has its cause and effect. As the Heavenly Dao, I cannot interfere with cause and effect at will. Although I do not intervene, I also will not..."
"Absurd!" Xiao Man rebuked. "You are not intervening now, what are you doing? Are you just bored and want me to play with you?"