The first instinct of everyone present was survival. Both the forces of the Gu Sect and the Golden Star Kingdom immediately ceased their fighting, redirecting their focus to the towering Golden Lake Avatar that had emerged before them. They weren't allies—far from it—but they understood that continuing their battle in the presence of such a colossal threat would be suicidal.
Yet, the uneasy ceasefire didn't mean they were truly working together. Each faction moved independently, racing toward the dome of molten plasma that encased them, hoping to break through its walls. Even though Cain's earlier attempt had failed, the cultivators believed that if enough of them combined their power, they might create an opening to escape.
But the Golden Lake Avatar had no intention of letting them leave.
