Chapter 902: Chapter 625: Tenfold Killing Intent
"There are no signs of life, but the decay of his flesh has improved somewhat. Through my spiritual perception I can sense a faint thread of consciousness lingering somewhere, but I can’t break through his spiritual defenses."
Emperor Shitian smiled bitterly.
"There’s nothing I can do. I’ll keep searching on the Eighth Layer. If I still find nothing, I’ll try a circle around the outskirts of the Ninth Layer. If I gain nothing, I’ll have to turn back. I picked up an exploration journal left by a Second Step powerhouse; he once ventured deep into the Ninth Layer, and it was a place of absolute terror. If I go too deep, I’ll never come back."
"Your safety comes first. I think as long as you give Lu Chenzhou some time, he may recover on his own."
"Mm, what we lack now is time. The Eye of Truth has spread news of the Military Leader’s fall, and the Divine Alliance has been probing us for a year—they’ll make their move soon. The direction of the coming conflict is up to you and the Priest. Our people and the Land Army Master must be the top priority. If need be, abandon the mine—at worst we can wander the Star Dome Sea, guerilla style, and wait for the Military Leader to awaken."
The projection ended, and Emperor Shitian recalled everyone to the Aurora Palace—even the miners withdrew from the mine. A great war was inevitable. Without Seventh Realm cultivation, even the aftermath would kill swathes of people.
Outside the Aurora Palace.
Lu Chenzhou had been placed here, lying quietly amid toxic mist as the surrounding space corroded. The curse was too terrifying; even Emperor Shitian dared not approach, much less place Lu Chenzhou inside the Aurora Palace. He could only use a Spiritual Barrier to isolate Lu Chenzhou.
During this time—
The Yaochi Immortal and Wang Changming kept constant watch nearby, and Emperor Shitian’s telekinesis also perpetually sensed the area.
"Little Wang, have you noticed the toxic mist around the Military Leader growing fainter?" asked the Yaochi Immortal.
Wang Changming’s eyes lit up: "It seems so! Has the Five Poison Heavenly Doctor’s Gu begun to take effect?"
Both their spirits lifted.
At present, it was nearly impossible to find Blood Cleansing Grass within a year. The Eternal Immortal had scoured most perilous and treasured spots across the first seven layers, with no results.
As for the Eighth and Ninth Layers?
Too dangerous! The Eternal Immortal was vital to human civilization; sending him on a wild pursuit of a mythical antidote into Tiger Mountain would make no sense.
So Lu Chenzhou would have to save himself.
"The Eternal Immortal has gone to the Eighth Layer."
Emperor Shitian’s voice came through.
"What?"
Old Wang’s expression changed drastically.
Both anxious and excited.
"The President’s Great Power Blade Technique is well cultivated—he can hold out against Second Step powerhouses for a time. As long as he’s cautious and doesn’t enter the Ninth Layer, it should be fine."
Emperor Shitian explained.
"That’s good... Don’t let saving the Military Leader cost the President his life," said Old Wang.
The Yaochi Immortal gazed at Lu Chenzhou,
Hope flickering anew within.
She murmured to herself: "Hang in there. You even survived the Heavenly Gu Illusion Realm—this is nothing for you."
...
"Judging from Tianxia’s performance, Lu Chenzhou is all but finished. To be safe, Wang Yue, don’t rest—continue preparing the sacrificial ritual. Strike with a second curse while Lu Chenzhou is weak. Just in case, keep one curse in reserve: should Lu Chenzhou make it through this ordeal, hit him with it when he breaks through to the Eighth Realm."
"Understood."
For such mighty Divine Skills curses, Wangyue Demon Saint needed to consume a vast amount of Essence Blood; each casting required a long recovery, so within a hundred years at most they could cast three times—every shot must count.
...
"Achilles, the Divine Alliance will soon begin their encirclement of Tianxia. Hide in the shadows with your Shadow Dao—for the contingency that the Divine Alliance fails to kill Lu Chenzhou, you are our second move. Deliver a killing blow to Lu Chenzhou—this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
The Witch Master’s projection appeared in the air.
Achilles flashed a bloodthirsty grin.
"Lu Chenzhou, have you finally fallen? Being too exceptional itself is a burden. What I, Achilles, have lost, I’ll make you repay double."
...
Wan Shui Realm.
"What? The Land Army Master was attacked by a mysterious powerhouse, and his life or death is unknown?" Wan Shui Venerable Sovereign murmured, conflicted within. "Could it be that I’ve bet on the wrong side? So be it—since I’ve already chosen, I can only see it through to the end. To regret now would satisfy neither side."
The Sea Dominating Royal Family’s experts were riddled with anxiety.
Many complained privately that the Venerable Sovereign was too hasty in taking sides without waiting a bit longer.
Now look, Tianxia seemed about to collapse at any moment, and the Sea Dominator Family had completely offended the Divine Alliance.
...
On the other side—
The same went for the other three neutral Divine Races; all doubted their chosen stance. Many had begun discussing how to repair their relationship with the Divine Alliance and were reconsidering their attitude toward Tianxia.
"Everyone, this is the worst time for wavering. Since we’ve already offended the Divine Alliance, why not wait a bit longer? If the Land Army Master comes through, the relationship we worked so hard to build with Tianxia will be for nothing. I suggest our four clans secretly form an alliance—no matter whether the Divine Alliance or Tianxia wins, we’ll be able to resist together."
Wan Shui Venerable Sovereign spoke up to dissuade them, restoring some confidence among the other three Venerable Sovereigns.
...
Three days later.
[Severe Poison: Sixth Rank (1%)]
"I once thought Severe Poison was a minor path, but only through true mastery did I realize I was limiting myself. Poison is just the appearance. The true Poison Dao is not merely about corrupting flesh or mind, but about warping existing rules. At the highest point, Poison Dao can disrupt the order of heaven and earth. In essence, it destroys the stable structures of all things—turning good to bad, and evil to worse."
"Any Dao that can nurture Divines is no weakling. The enemy in the shadows taught me a trick; if I combine Poison Dao with Causality Dao, I can strike a hidden, deadly blow from a distance."
He gained new insight.
Within his mind, he constructed the embryonic form of a new Cultivation Technique, continuously evolving it within darkness.
Cultivation, in which years slip by unnoticed.
...
In front of the Aurora Palace, Emperor Shitian’s illusory figure sat cross-legged, gazing up at the heights of heaven.
"They’re here."
BOOM—crack! The sky shattered like glass, revealing a surging tide of thunder and a sea of fire.
"Emperor Shitian, we meet again."
Thunder Realm Venerable, leaning on his Purple Beard, smiled.
"So this is humanity’s number one Heart Cultivator?"
Fang Xingyu’s long legs strode atop the sea of fire—
Blazing with self-confidence, like the Goddess of Fire incarnate.
Behind the two Venerable Sovereigns stood sixteen presences, each radiating power between the early and late stages of the Seventh Realm.
This time, the Mystic Sky Realm’s Divine Alliance had brought their full might, ignoring the Eastern Extreme Border Tower. As long as they could destroy Tianxia’s core force and enslave Lu Chenzhou, the Boundary Tower would still be theirs—for only the Void Dao could open its gates.
Beyond them, over a thousand Sixth Realm Divine Generals and tens of thousands of Divine Race experts pressed against the city.
"Heh, this setup’s like the Heavenly Soldiers and Generals besieging the Monkey Great Saint—does the Divine Alliance hope to finish this in one strike?"
The Yaochi Immortal looked up, a cold smile on her lips.
Behind Old Wang, blades, swords, and spears materialized. "If you wish to harm Wang Changming’s disciple, you’ll have to pass the three weapons in my hand first."
Prince Northern Guardian, Li Xiuying, Heart Dream Emperor, Alcohol King, Xuanwu Daoist, Hui Kong... Da Xia’s side had fourteen Seventh Realm powerhouses in total, Qi soaring through the heavens.
Everything was said without words.
Fang Bifan smiled as he looked at Lu Chenzhou, sealed in the void and soaked in a sea of poison beneath the Aurora Palace.
"Lu Chenzhou, it’s good that you’re dead."
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?"
Wang Changming scowled, cursing. This brat looked at his disciple as if there was some deep grudge between them.
Fang Bifan just laughed to himself. "Too bad he won’t live to witness my revenge."
"Clown. Can’t beat your peers, so you can only go home bawling and have your elders fight for you."
The Yaochi Immortal sneered.
"Influence is also a form of strength. You’re surrounded. Surrender. As I understand it, the Eternal Immortal is likely in the Divine Prison Realm. The Cangtian Dragon King isn’t in Mystic Sky either. Among the Eighth Realm you can use, only Emperor Shitian remains—oh, that’s right, there’s one more, isn’t there? How much longer is the Priest planning to stay hidden?"
Fang Bifan looked toward a patch of void.
The void split open; a tall, slender middle-aged man in a Divine Robe strode out elegantly.
"Who exactly is he? Just a mere Sixth Realm yet commands so much information." The Priest was puzzled inside.
He had originally planned to remain hidden, letting Emperor Shitian contain the two Venerable Sovereigns while he struck the Divine Alliance by surprise, hoping to severely wound an Eighth Realm. But the Divine Alliance had already predicted his arrival.
This Fang Bifan seemed like a frivolous wastrel, but clearly there was an expert guiding him.
Four Eighth Realm auras clashed and collided—on one side, a sea of thunder and fire; on the other, heart and time storms, stirring the heavens and earth for thousands of miles.
"Interesting. So this Eighth Realm is of the Time Dao? Is this your trump card to stand against the Divine Alliance?"
Thunder Realm Venerable scrutinized the Priest.
"Enough talk. With us here, you won’t lay a finger on the Land Army Master." The Priest didn’t hesitate, launching the first strike with a punch. High in the sky, a phantom of Heaven itself solidified.
Under this attack, Thunder Realm Venerable and Fang Xingyu both changed expression. An Invisible, colorless Domain of rules had already, silently, spread over everything.
"Time Domain?"
Their actions involuntarily slowed, as time itself was warped around them.
"Heaven Creation Fist!"
The Priest weaved through the River of Time like a fish, appearing silently behind Fang Xingyu, delivering a punch that brought a whole Heaven with it.
BOOM!
The flames around Fang Xingyu erupted, the explosion blasting the Priest away, who used the momentum to evade that punch.
Heaven turned to Hell, swallowing all.
Even time itself was twisted.
"That was close..."
Fang Xingyu’s heart raced with lingering fear.
"Give it your all. The Time Dao is a nightmare in battle, and the Priest is even stronger than Emperor Shitian. Feel with your soul—don’t let Time Dao Essence cloud your senses." Thunder Realm Venerable’s experience showed.
He went to assist Fang Xingyu.
"Thunder Skill·God Destruction!" A claw of thunder, ghostly and fierce, suddenly struck at the Priest.
"Spiritual Shock!" Emperor Shitian countered, blocking Thunder Realm Venerable. He hadn’t thought the Priest would be so strong. It seemed that as long as he kept Thunder Realm Venerable busy, the Priest alone stood a real chance of gravely injuring Fang Xingyu.
"Yaochi Immortal, Wang Changming, E Xian, you protect the Land Army Master—defense only, don’t leave. When the Priest and I gain the upper hand... The rest of you, center on the Aurora Palace, hold defensive formation. If necessary, link to the Supreme Martial Realm and call down projections of the Heavenly Spirits or array treasures."
Emperor Shitian transmitted messages to all.
All this had been discussed beforehand.
"Understood."
"Kill! If I fall back even half a step, I’m no warrior!"
"If you’re hurt, retreat to the Aurora Palace and let the Heavenly Doctor treat you. The Aurora Palace’s defensive protocol is activated—the Eighth Rank defensive array is running at full power."
Prince Northern Guardian reminded them.
In an instant, both sides’ powerhouses had clashed. Though Tianxia’s Seventh Realm numbers were fewer, the Aurora Palace, a fortress for war, fortified their defense with its array and gave them the advantage.
Such is the might of palace-type treasures.
The attackers launched wave after wave, all repelled with ease—the Divine Race warriors fell like rain, while Tianxia’s casualties were less than a fifth of the Divine Alliance’s.
"This Aurora Palace really is troublesome."
The two Venerable Sovereigns’ faces were grim.
Time passed.
Emperor Shitian and the Priest fought more and more fluently, and both felt something was off. This was all the Divine Alliance could bring? Did they think Tianxia, without Lu Chenzhou, had become a mewling kitten?
"Hahaha! The Divine Alliance is nothing after all."
"Slaughtering them feels great!"
"These Divine offshoots are so damn useless!"
Tianxia’s army’s morale soared.
They kept trash-talking, rattling the Divine Race’s state of mind.
Thunder Realm Venerable glanced somewhere and sent a voice transmission:
"If not now, when?"
Buzz! A strange cry of birds rang out. Clouds across the sky were swept aside, as a majestic mutant beast with the head of an eagle and body of a tiger, wings spanning a hundred miles, tore open the heights of heaven and descended upon Mystic Sky.
A surge of energy spread, instantly sweeping over thousands of miles, nearly engulfing the entire mining area.
"Seeking Heaven’s power in defiance—all is but a dream in the end. This humble Daoist, the Heavenly Gu, invites you all into the dream!"