Chapter 5941 - 5950
“Report!”
A third urgent message came from the Heavenly Sword Pavilion. A sword light pierced the air, transforming into Dugu Ao’s cold voice:
“Kai, the situation has changed. The ‘Old Demon of Withered Bones’ in the northwest of the Twelfth Heaven, the ‘Old Ancestor of the Blood Sea’ in the southeast, and three reclusive old monsters… have all emerged from seclusion. Their target is the Evil Path Hall.”
These three urgent messages, like three heavy hammer blows, slammed into everyone’s hearts.
The atmosphere in the Five Elements Hall, which had just been invigorated by the unification of the Five Elements, had vanished. In its place was an oppressive, heavy atmosphere.
The five elders exchanged glances, hesitation flashing in their eyes. They had just resolved to form an alliance, and now they faced such a desperate situation…
Jin Buhuan looked at Kai, awaiting his reaction.
Crimson Cloud Demon Lord gritted his teeth: “Eternal life? Resurrection? Bullshit! We know the truth about the Gate of Reincarnation best; it’s a trap that devours souls!”
“We know, but they don’t,”
Earthfire Ancestor said slowly, “or rather… they don’t want to know. For someone whose lifespan is about to end, even a one in ten thousand chance is worth gambling everything on.”
Xuanwei True Person sighed: “Such is human nature. The lure of immortality, the promise of resurrection… this has seized upon the most vulnerable weakness of all cultivators.”
Kai remained silent.
He walked to the window of the main hall and looked towards the Plain of Resentful Souls. Although it was tens of thousands of miles away, he could almost see the terrifying power gathering there. What
kind of insane fighting power would those old monsters whose lifespans were about to end unleash for that sliver of life?
What kind of heinous things would the Nine Nether Palace, a demonic giant that had been dormant for ten thousand years, do for the so-called “eternal life”?
And Zhan E… this move was truly ruthless to the extreme.
No need for a direct confrontation; just release the bait, and countless people would rush to his aid.
Before the alliance was even formally formed, it was already facing a situation of morale collapse and being surrounded by powerful enemies.
“Young friend Kai…” Jin Buhuan hesitated.
Kai turned around, but his face did not show the panic or despair that everyone had expected.
Instead… there was a calm that seemed to have seen through everything.
“Sect Master Jin, Elders of the Five Veins,”
he said clearly, “if you want to withdraw from the alliance now, I won’t blame you. After all, the situation has changed, and if we continue to fight head-on, the Five Elements Sect may very well… be doomed.”
The Elders of the Five Veins trembled.
The Elder of the Gold Vein opened his mouth, but finally gritted his teeth and said, “Elder Kai, what do you take my Five Elements Sect for? A fence-sitter?! Since we have already performed the Five Elements Unity Ceremony and recognized you as our Protector Elder, then we share the same fate, and we share the same fate!”
“That’s right!”
The Elder of the Fire Vein slammed his hand on the table and stood up, “The nonsense of the Evil Path Hall might fool those cowardly old monsters! The disciples of my Five Elements Sect cultivate righteousness, how can we be accomplices to evil!”
The Elders of the Wood, Water, and Earth Veins also nodded in unison.
Jin Buhuan smiled, a resolute smile in his eyes: “Young friend, since the Five Elements Sect has made its decision, there’s no turning back. At worst… we’ll all perish together.”
Kai gave everyone a deep look, then cupped his hands in thanks: “Thank you.”
He walked back to the center of the main hall, his gaze sweeping over everyone: “Since that’s the case, let’s devise a plan to carve out a path to survival in this desperate situation.”
…
At the headquarters of the Evil Path Palace, before the Gate of Reincarnation.
Zhan E and Xue Youming stood facing each other, both wearing seemingly warm smiles, but their eyes concealed cold calculations.
Surrounding them were densely packed followers, gazing up at these two powerful figures standing atop the twelfth heaven, their eyes filled with awe and fervor.
“It is truly an honor for my Evil Path Palace that Fellow Daoist Xue Youming has personally led the Nine Nether Palace to join us,”
Zhan E said, his voice dry, but his smile widening. “With you joining us, those clowns of the Anti-Demon Alliance are nothing to worry about.”
Xue Youming’s dark pupils shifted slightly, glancing at the Gate of Reincarnation behind Zhan E before returning to Zhan E’s face: “Palace Master Zhan, you are too kind. The Gate of Reincarnation is infinitely mysterious; to receive the opportunity for eternal life from you is a blessing for my Nine Nether Palace.”
The two smiled at each other, raising their cups in a toast.
But the instant the wine glasses clinked
,
an unprecedentedly terrifying wave emanated from the depths of the Gate of Reincarnation!
It wasn’t the greedy suction of before, nor the deathly gray energy of reincarnation, but… a supreme aura seemingly from the very beginning of the universe, transcending all rules!
“Crack!”
The bone cup in Zhan E’s hand shattered, the wine evaporating into nothingness before it even hit the ground. He whirled around, his gray eyes fixed on the Gate of Reincarnation, a look of horror appearing on his face for the first time.
Xue Youming’s pupils also contracted sharply, his Nine Nether Demonic Qi surging uncontrollably around him, instinctively contracting his defenses as if encountering a natural enemy.
All those who had pledged allegiance felt their souls swept over by an invisible gaze—a gaze cold, indifferent, like the heavens looking down upon ants, devoid of any emotion, yet causing everyone to tremble from the depths of their souls.
“What’s going on?” someone asked, their voice trembling.
“The Gate of Reincarnation… is trembling!”
“A hundred times stronger than before!”
On the surface of the hundred-foot-tall, pitch-black bone gate, the greyish-white flames in the eye sockets of all the skulls simultaneously surged, erupting from their sockets and weaving into a gigantic and eerie pattern in the air: a humanoid silhouette with closed eyes, composed entirely of greyish-white flames, suspended high in the sky.
The next moment, the silhouette slowly opened its “eyes.”
They were eyes entirely composed of swirling greyish-white vortexes, without pupils, without whites, only endless emptiness and depth.
When those eyes opened, the sky over the entire Plain of Wraiths dimmed, as if all light had been swallowed by those eyes.
“I am… the Lord of Reincarnation.”
A voice resounded directly in the depths of everyone’s souls, a voice beyond description.
It was like the whispers of billions of living beings, yet also like the very rules of heaven and earth proclaiming—ancient, majestic, and unquestionable.
Zhan E knelt on one knee, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Although he had controlled the Gate of Reincarnation for many years, he had never truly seen the so-called “Lord of Reincarnation.”
He had always thought it was just a concept, a personified symbol of the rules of reincarnation, but now…
Xue Youming was completely stiff. He had lived for nearly 60,000 years, witnessed countless powerful figures, and even fought against a fourth-grade Upper Immortal without defeat.
But at this moment, facing those eyes, he couldn’t muster the slightest thought of resistance!
It was absolute suppression on a life level!
“What do you all seek by gathering here?”
The Lord of Reincarnation’s voice rang out again, his greyish-white vortex-like eyes sweeping over the tens of thousands of cultivators below.
After a brief silence, someone shouted first:
“Eternal life! We want eternal life!”
“Resurrection! Resurrect my loved ones!”
“Breakthrough! I want to break through my bottleneck!”
Frenzied shouts rose and fell, all those who had pledged allegiance kneeling and frantically kowtowing towards the fiery outline in the sky.
The Lord of Reincarnation remained silent for a moment.
A hint of…amusement seemed to flash in those greyish-white, swirling eyes.
“The request is simple,”
His voice remained indifferent, “but there’s a price.”
Before the words were finished, He raised a hand, an arm entirely composed of greyish-white flames, and gently waved it downwards.
There was no earth-shattering display, no world-destroying power.
But with that single wave…
“Buzz…”
The entire order of the Resentful Soul Plains was forcibly rewritten!
Countless greyish-white streams of energy surged from the Gate of Reincarnation, like billions of tiny tentacles, precisely piercing the brows of every person who had submitted!
“Ahhh!”
Painful roars instantly echoed through the heavens!
Everyone felt their souls invaded by some icy force, that force raging within their bodies, tearing apart meridians, burning flesh and blood, reshaping their foundations… The excruciating pain was like a thousand ants gnawing at their hearts, causing some lower-level cultivators to faint on the spot.
But just as the pain reached its peak…
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
“Boom!”
One after another, breakthrough auras soared into the sky!
“I…I broke through! Eighth Rank of Celestial Immortal Realm! The bottleneck I’d been stuck on for three thousand years is finally broken!” A white-haired old man roared to the sky, tears streaming down his face.
“Me too! I broke through directly from the peak of the fifth Rank of Celestial Immortal Realm to the seventh Rank!”
“My hidden injuries…the Dao injuries I sustained three hundred years ago, are completely healed!”
“Lifespan! I feel my lifespan has increased by at least five hundred years!”
Exclamations of surprise, cries of joy, and sobs rose and fell.
Those old monsters who were originally nearing the end of their lifespan and decaying in their auras now had all their decay swept away, their withered skin regained its plumpness, their gray hair turned jet black, and they looked as if they had been rejuvenated!
Even more astonishing were those old monsters at the peak of the ninth Rank of Celestial Immortal Realm.
“Boom!!!”
An unprecedentedly terrifying aura erupted from Xue Youming’s body!
His bottleneck at the peak of the third Rank of Upper Immortal Realm, which had been stuck for nearly ten thousand years, shattered at this moment…! Fourth Rank of the Upper Immortal Realm!
And not just the initial entry, but a direct mid-stage of the fourth rank!
Xue Youming looked down at his hands, his dark pupils filled with disbelief.
He tried to circulate the Nine Nether Demon Art and discovered that not only had his realm broken through, but the speed of his technique’s circulation, the purity of his demonic energy, and his understanding of the rules of heaven and earth… had all increased to a whole new level!
“This… how is this possible…”
he murmured to himself, his voice trembling.
As for the other old monsters at the peak of the ninth rank of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, although they hadn’t broken through to the Upper Immortal Realm, they had all reached the half-step Upper Immortal Realm, just one step away from the true Upper Immortal Realm!
With just a wave of his hand!
Tens of thousands of cultivators broke through collectively!
At this moment, all doubts, all hesitations, all calculations… vanished into thin air.
“Thump!”
Xue Youming was the first to kneel, his forehead slamming heavily against the cold ground. His voice was filled with unprecedented piety and fervor:
“Lord of Reincarnation above! Xue Youming of the Nine Nether Palace is willing to serve you forever, even unto death!”
“Thump! Thump! Thump!”
Like toppled dominoes, tens of thousands of followers knelt down in unison, the sound of their kowtows like a tsunami:
“We are willing to serve you forever, Lord of Reincarnation!”
“We are willing to go through fire and water, even unto death!”
“Long live the Lord of Reincarnation!”
The fervent shouts almost shook the sky.
Zhan E also knelt on the ground, but unlike the fervor of the others, his eyes flashed with deep apprehension and…fear.
This power…was beyond his comprehension.
With a wave of his hand, he rewrote the cultivation realm of tens of thousands of people. This was something even the legendary Golden Immortals might not be able to do!
Just how powerful was the Lord of Reincarnation?
What shocked Zhan E even more was that he sensed a familiar aura in the Lord of Reincarnation’s wave of his hand just now.
That was the aura of the three gray-white humanoid figures from the Land of Reincarnation, but countless times more powerful, profound, and terrifying!
Could there be an even more terrifying existence above those three “Guardians of the Pool”?
The Lord of Reincarnation’s gray-white vortex-like eyes slowly swept over the kneeling masses below, finally… landing on Zhan E.
Just one glance.
Zhan E felt his soul almost frozen; all his secrets, all his thoughts, all his memories… were laid bare before that one look.
“You… did well.”
The Lord of Reincarnation’s voice resounded deep within his soul, “Continue collecting souls. When the time is right… I will grant you true immortality.”
After saying this, the fiery outline in the sky slowly dissipated.
Those gray-white vortex-like eyes took one last look at this world before closing.
The tremors of the Gate of Reincarnation gradually subsided, and the flames in the skull’s eye sockets returned to normal.
But the entire Evil Path Palace had completely changed.
Tens of thousands of cultivators knelt on the ground, unwilling to rise for a long time.
They felt the new power within their bodies, looked at their youthful skin, and were all moved to tears. ”The Lord of Reincarnation… is real!”
“With a wave of his hand, he can change the world! This is a true god!”
“We’ve chosen the right person! We’ve chosen the right person!”
Xue Youming slowly rose, his dark pupils devoid of any doubt or mockery, only absolute piety remained.
He turned to Zhan E, solemnly clasping his hands in a fist salute:
“Palace Master Zhan, from this day forward, the entire Nine Nether Palace will obey only the Lord of Reincarnation’s command. If there is any order, we will go through fire and water without hesitation!”
The other newly-broken old monsters also expressed their agreement, their attitudes as respectful as if facing their teachers.
Zhan E suppressed the shock and unease in his heart, a smile returning to his face: “Fellow Daoists, you flatter me. Now that we’ve entered Reincarnation, we’re all family. Next… it’s time to let those who don’t know what’s good for them witness the power of Reincarnation.”
He gazed towards the Five Elements Mountains, a cold light flashing in his gray-white eyes.
“Order the army to march and crush the Anti-Demon Alliance!”
“Crush the Anti-Demon Alliance!”
“Crush the Anti-Demon Alliance!”
The shouts, like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami, echoed through the sky.
Meanwhile, deep within the Gate of Reincarnation,
in that desolate, gray-white expanse, three gray-white human figures knelt before a towering, impenetrable gray-white bone tower, their demeanor utterly respectful.
At the top of the tower, a blurry figure slowly withdrew its gaze from the gate, letting out a faint sigh:
“The aura of chaos… is growing stronger.”
“That variable… is growing faster than expected.”
“It seems the plan needs to be moved forward.”
The middle figure among the gray-white human figures mechanically responded: “Master, should we intervene?”
The blurry figure remained silent for a moment, then slowly shook its head:
“It’s not time yet.”
“Let the ants outside… tear each other apart first.”
“When chaos matures… it will be time to reap the rewards.”
Gray-white energy flowed slowly around the bone tower, like a venomous snake waiting for its prey.
Meanwhile, in the Five Elements Mountains, Kai suddenly opened his eyes.
Just a moment ago, the primordial star in his dantian trembled violently, its chaotic immortal power spontaneously circulating, as if sensing some extreme threat.
He looked towards the Plain of Wraiths, the five-colored patterns on the back of his hand slightly burning.
“That aura just now…” he murmured to himself, “Was that the true master of the Gate of Reincarnation?”
Behind him, Jin Buhuan and the others also felt that aura that changed the very fabric of the world, their faces turning pale.
“Kai… that was just now…” Li Baichuan’s voice was hoarse.
Kai took a deep breath, suppressing the tremor in his heart.
“Our time… is running out.”
He gripped the Dragon-Slaying Sword tightly, a resolute glint in his eyes.
“Order the entire alliance to prepare for battle immediately!” ”The army of the Evil Path Palace… is coming.”
“They should arrive within three days.”
The real decisive battle is imminent.
Three days is but a fleeting moment.
But for the Anti-Demon Alliance in the Five Elements Mountains, these three days feel like three centuries.
Li Baichuan brought all the demonic beasts he could muster from the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts: three thousand Ironback Earth Dragons, five thousand Gale Wolves, eight hundred Thunderwing Golden Eagles, and hundreds of other rare demonic beasts, forming an army of nearly ten thousand.
These demonic beasts were divided into ten battle groups, led by the most elite beast tamers, and stationed in the valleys surrounding the Five Elements Mountains.
Dugu Ao personally led nine hundred sword cultivators from the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, setting up the “Nine Heavens Sword Formation” atop the five peaks of the Five Elements Mountains.
Nine hundred flying swords hovered in the air, their sword light intertwining into a net, enveloping the entire mountain range. The sword energy soared to the heavens, unstoppable.
Jin Buhuan mobilized all disciples of the Five Elements Sect, with the five elders at the core, to bury 3,600 “Five Elements Origin Stones” beneath the Five Elements Mountains.
These origin stones are connected to the earth’s veins; once activated, they can form a “Five Elements Heaven-Sealing Barrier” covering an area of 500 li. Within the barrier, the Five Elements Laws are amplified a hundredfold, exerting immense suppression on non-Five Elements cultivators.
Kai stood on the central peak, overlooking this mountain range that was about to become a battlefield of Asuras.
He had barely slept for the past three days.
The primordial star in his dantian rotated ceaselessly day and night, the chaotic immortal power and the power of the Five Elements merging and evolving, flowing in the five-colored pattern on the back of his hand.
He could feel his understanding of the Great Dao of Chaos deepening rapidly, especially after the Five Elements returned to oneness, his balanced control over the two extreme powers of “creation” and “return to nothingness” had reached an unprecedented level.
But it was still not enough.
The terrifying power of the Lord of Reincarnation’s wave of his hand, capable of changing the world, loomed over his heart like a shadow.
“Report…”
Master Xuanwei arrived on his sword, landing beside Kai with a solemn expression. “The scouts report that the Evil Path Palace’s army is approaching. The vanguard consists of three thousand Soul Hunters, personally commanded by the Soul Devouring Puppet. The central army is three thousand disciples of the Nine Nether Palace, with Xue Youming in command. The rear guard is a coalition of forces from various allied factions, numbering… over twenty thousand. Zhan E is bringing up the rear.” ”
Twenty thousand…” Kai closed his eyes for a moment. “And what about our side?” ”
Nine thousand demonic beasts from the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts, nine hundred sword cultivators from the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, three thousand disciples from the Five Elements Sect, plus the scattered cultivators coming to their aid… totaling fifteen thousand.”
Master Xuanwei’s voice was low. “Although the numbers are not much different, the enemy has six Upper Immortals, while we only have three. The gap in high-end combat power… is enormous.”
Kai opened his eyes and looked towards the eastern horizon.
There, the sky had already darkened.
Not that it was dark, but… a dark mass of people, obscuring the light.
“What is destined to come will come.” He turned around, his voice echoing throughout the five peaks. “Everyone, do you still remember why we are fighting?”
After a brief silence.
“For the truth!” the disciples of the Five Elements Sect shouted in unison.
“For justice!” the swordsmen of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion pointed their swords to the heavens
. “For life and death!” the demonic beasts of the Ten Thousand Beast Valley roared to the sky.
Kai nodded, drew his Dragon-Slaying Sword, its blade reflecting the rising sun, shimmering with a golden-red light.
“Then… let’s fight!” At noon, the army of the Evil Path Palace arrived at the outer edge of the Five Elements Mountain Range.
The massive, dark mass of people swept through like locusts, withering vegetation and extinguishing all life in their wake. A
cacophony of resentment, death, and demonic energy stained the sky a murky gray-black.
At the forefront of the army, the Soul-Devouring Puppet hovered in the air, his gray-white eyes coldly surveying the Five Elements Mountain Range ahead.
Behind him, three thousand Soul Hunters formed the “Soul-Capturing Array,” their gray-white energy surging like a tide.
To the left, Blood Netherworld sat atop a black chariot pulled by a nine-headed demonic dragon, flanked by three Ghost Kings and nine Netherworld Envoys. Three thousand disciples of the Nine Nether Palace formed the “Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs Array,” accompanied by howling winds and wailing ghosts.
To the right was an allied force composed of various allied powers, a mixed bag, but also including many experts. Five reclusive old monsters, such as the Bone Demon and the Blood Sea Ancestor, were among them, each exuding a terrifying aura, clearly having benefited greatly from the Lord of Reincarnation’s attack.
In the center of the army, Zhan E sat high atop a bone chariot, surrounded by nine elders with eerie auras.
He toyed with a grayish-white bone bead in his hand, his eyes flashing with a cold light.
“Kai, you brat, come out and answer me!” Zhan
E’s voice, like rolling thunder, echoed throughout the entire Five Elements Mountain Range.
At the summit of Golden Peak, Kai rose into the air, followed by the Earth Fire Ancestor, Crimson Cloud Demon Lord, Li Baichuan, Dugu Ao, Jin Buhuan, and other high-ranking members of the alliance.
The two armies clashed, their killing intent soaring to the heavens.
“Zhan E, you have bewitched people with lies, devoured lives with the Gate of Reincarnation, your crimes are countless and unforgivable.”
Kai’s voice was calm, yet clearly reached everyone’s ears. “Today is the day you are executed.”
“Hahaha…”
Zhan E laughed loudly, his laughter full of disdain. “You little brat, how dare you speak of the principles of Heaven? Do you know that the Lord of Reincarnation has bestowed a miracle, and tens of thousands of my fellow Daoists have all broken through to new heights. This is the will of Heaven! You are going against Heaven, and that is your own destruction!”
He surveyed the Five Elements Mountains, his voice suddenly turning fierce: “Five Elements Sect, Heavenly Sword Pavilion, Ten Thousand Beast Valley, I will give you one last chance! Surrender now, hand over Kai, and the Lord of Reincarnation will forgive your past transgressions and even grant you the chance for eternal life! If you remain obstinate…”
He paused, his eyes flashing with cold light: “After today, the three major sects will be wiped out!”
A brief silence followed.
Then, Jin Buhuan was the first to laugh out loud.
The laughter started low, then grew louder and louder, finally bursting into a hearty roar: “Hahaha, Blood Netherworld! Did you hear that? Your master is trying to recruit us! How about trying to persuade me to become a dog too?”
A flash of killing intent crossed Blood Netherworld’s dark pupils, but it quickly turned into indifference: “Jin Buhuan, you’re about to die and you’re still spouting nonsense. How could you possibly fathom the divine might of the Lord of Reincarnation?”
“Divine might?”
Li Baichuan sneered, “He’s just a coward hiding behind the door! If he’s got the guts, let him come out and fight me for real!”
Dugu Ao didn’t speak, but slowly drew his iron sword from his waist.
The sword was drawn three inches, and the sword energy soared into the sky!
“It seems… you’re determined to die.”
Zhan E slowly stood up, his gray eyes revealing a murderous intent, “In that case… then kill!”
“Kill!!!”
A battle cry like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami tearing through the sky!
The great battle erupted!
The first to move was the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts. Li Baichuan roared to the sky, his voice like a lion’s roar: “Disciples of the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts, heed my command! Beast tide, charge! Break through their vanguard!”
“Roar!!!”
A deafening roar erupted from the valleys surrounding the Five Elements Mountains!
Nine thousand demonic beasts surged forth from all directions like a burst dam, sweeping towards the vanguard of the Evil Path Hall, the three thousand Soul Hunters!
The Iron-Backed Earth Dragons charged at the forefront, their massive bodies like small mountains, covered in thick rocky armor. Their charge shook the earth, shattering the Soul Hunters’ formation.
The Gale Wolves transformed into azure whirlwinds, weaving across the battlefield, their claws tearing through soul armor, their fangs snapping throats.
The Thunderwing Golden Eagles swooped down from the sky, golden lightning raining down like a storm, each bolt capable of piercing the defenses of several Soul Hunters.
The demonic beast army’s charge instantly tore several gaps in the battlefield!
But the Soul Hunters, being elites of the Evil Path Hall, quickly regained their footing after the initial chaos.
Three thousand Soul Hunters simultaneously waved their Soul-Capturing Banners, unleashing a deafening sonic boom that swept towards the beast tide like invisible blades!
“Roar!”
Many demonic beasts, affected by the sonic booms, had bloodshot eyes and began tearing at each other!
Seeing this, Li Baichuan roared, “Lion King!”
The three-headed Flame Lion King beside him roared to the sky, its three heads simultaneously spewing forth flames, ice, and lightning. The three powers merged in the air, transforming into a three-colored pillar of light that slammed into the Soul Hunter formation!
“Boom!!!”
Wherever the pillar of light passed, the Soul-Capturing Banners shattered, and dozens of Soul Hunters were instantly vaporized!
But the Soul-Devouring Puppet moved.
Its greyish-white eyes locked onto the three-headed Flame Lion King, and with a flick of its greyish-white spear, it transformed into a blur, stabbing straight at the Lion King’s brow!
“Your opponent is me!”
Li Baichuan leaped into the air, a massive beast bone battle axe appearing in his hand, and cleaved the spear in two!
“Clang!!!”
The battle axe clashed with the spear, unleashing a deafening roar.
Li Baichuan’s tiger’s mouth split open, blood gushing out, and he was sent flying backward, crashing into half a mountainside.
But he immediately rolled to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth, his eyes blazing with even greater fighting spirit: “Peak First Grade Immortal Realm… truly formidable!”
He charged forward again, engaging the Soul-Devouring Puppet in
fierce combat. The battle between the beast tide and the Soul Hunters reached its climax.
At the same time, the Heavenly Sword Pavilion moved.
Dugu Ao rose into the air, his iron sword fully drawn.
“Heavenly Sword Pavilion disciples, heed my command! Nine Heavens Sword Formation, Slay the Demon!”
“Yes, sir!”
Nine hundred sword cultivators responded in unison, their flying swords pointing simultaneously to the sky! ”Buzz!!!”
The Nine Heavens Sword Formation was fully activated!
Nine hundred flying swords intertwined in the air, forming a sword net covering a hundred miles. Within the net, countless sword energies transformed into a tangible rain of swords, pouring down upon the Nine Nether Palace camp!
“A mere trick.”
Xue Youming sneered, raising his hand and waving, “Nine Nether Yellow Springs Formation, activate!”
Three thousand Nine Nether Palace disciples simultaneously formed hand seals, and eerie ghostly energy soared into the sky, condensing into a massive black palace phantom.
The palace gates swung open, and endless vengeful spirits and ghosts surged out, colliding with the sword rain!
“Sizzle sizzle sizzle…”
The sword rain and vengeful spirits clashed fiercely, and continuous explosions erupted in the sky.
A flash of sword light appeared in Dugu Ao’s eyes, and his figure suddenly disappeared.
When he reappeared, he was already ten feet in front of Xue Youming’s chariot!
“Xue Youming, take my sword!”
The iron sword slashed horizontally, without any frills, only pure and ultimate sword intent—the pinnacle of “man and sword as one”!
A trace of solemnity flashed in Xue Youming’s dark pupils, and he finally stood up.
He extended his withered, bony finger and lightly tapped the air.
“Nine Netherworlds – Yellow Springs Finger.”
One finger against one sword.
Space seemed to freeze at that moment.
The instant the iron sword tip clashed with the fingertip, there was no sound, no impact, only a thin, hair-like black line silently appearing at the point of impact—the mark of space being completely torn apart!
Three breaths later.
“Boom!!!”
A terrifying shockwave erupted from the two of them!
Dugu Ao was sent flying a hundred feet backward, his iron sword trembling, a tiny crack appearing on its blade. Blood
trickled from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes burned with fighting spirit: “Fourth-grade Upper Immortal Realm… is this all!”
Xue Youming coldly stared at Dugu Ao, his eyes filled with shock. He hadn’t expected Dugu Ao to be able to withstand his attack.
After receiving guidance from Kai, Dugu Ao’s sword intent had also risen sharply. Although not as strong as Xue Youming’s, he could still withstand a blow!
“Sword cultivators… are indeed troublesome,” Xue Youming said.
But before he finished speaking, Dugu Ao had already attacked again!
The two fought fiercely high in the sky, their sword light and demonic energy clashing violently, each impact shattering a piece of the heavens.
Gu Du Ao unleashed his full power from the very first strike, burning his life essence.
He knew that without fighting desperately, he wouldn’t be able to withstand even a few moves from Xue
Youming. On the ground, the battle within the Five Elements Sect was equally intense.
Jin Buhuan sat in the center of the Five Elements Mountain Range, the five elders guarding the five peaks, and three thousand disciples each holding their positions.
“Five Elements Sealing Heaven Barrier, activate!”
Jin Buhuan shouted in a deep voice, his hands forming a seal.
“Activate!” the five elders responded simultaneously.
The three thousand six hundred Five Elements Origin Stones buried underground lit up at the same time!
Five-colored pillars of light—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—soared from the peaks of the five mountains, weaving together in the air to form a massive five-colored light shield, enveloping the entire Five Elements Mountain Range.
Within the barrier, the Five Elements Laws were amplified to their extreme.
Within the Evil Path Palace’s allied forces, those cultivators not belonging to the Five Elements system immediately felt unwell. Their demonic energy flowed sluggishly, their soul power was suppressed, and even flying became difficult.
Meanwhile, the disciples of the Five Elements Sect thrived, their Five Elements spells becoming twice as powerful!
“Metal lineage disciples, form the ‘Geng Metal Sword Formation’!” the Metal lineage elder shouted sternly. Three hundred disciples of the Gold Clan simultaneously unleashed their natal flying swords, which converged in the air to transform into a gigantic Gengjin sword a hundred feet long, slashing towards the allied forces!
“Wood Clan disciples, ‘Azure Wood Prison’!” The Wood Clan elder formed a hand seal.
Countless thick azure vines sprouted from the ground, binding the allied cultivators like living creatures. Once entangled, the vines would frantically drain their life force.
The Water, Fire, and Earth Clans also unleashed their ultimate techniques.
In an instant, the outer perimeter of the Five Elements Mountains transformed into a Five Elements Purgatory, causing heavy casualties among the allied forces.
“Hmph, a mere Five Elements Barrier, yet you dare to act so arrogantly?”
Zhan E finally made his move.
He stepped out of his bone chariot, his hands forming a strange hand seal in front of his chest.
“Reincarnation – Law Breaker!”
Grayish-white reincarnation energy surged from his body, condensing in the air into a gigantic grayish-white palm, slamming down fiercely towards the Five Elements Barrier!
Wherever the palm passed, the Five Elements Laws were forcibly distorted and disintegrated!
“Not good!” Jin Buhuan’s expression changed, and he activated the barrier with all his might.
The five-colored light shield trembled violently, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on its surface.
“Sect Master Jin, I’m here to help you!”
The Earth Fire Ancestor rose into the air, his hands outstretched, and a crimson-gold fire lotus bloomed in his palms.
“Earth Fire True Flame – Burning Heaven!”
Endless Earth Fire True Flame erupted from the fire lotus, transforming into nine crimson-gold fire dragons, meeting the gray-white palm!
The flames and the Qi of Reincarnation clashed wildly, the sky half crimson-gold and half gray-white, a bizarre and magnificent sight.
“Earth Fire Ancestor… you’re old.”
Zhan E sneered, his other hand also forming a seal and striking out, “Reincarnation – Soul Devouring!”
A second gray-white palm formed, rushing straight at the Earth Fire Ancestor!
The Earth Fire Ancestor grunted, his body swaying slightly, but he gritted his teeth and persevered, the fire lotus shining even brighter.
The two were locked in a stalemate in the air, the Qi of Reincarnation and the Earth Fire True Flame colliding wildly, each collision shattering the mountains below.
And at this moment, what was Kai doing?
He didn’t immediately join the battle, but instead closed his eyes and concentrated, standing atop the golden peak, as if waiting for something.
The five-colored patterns on the back of his hand were slightly warm, and the primordial star in his dantian was spinning faster and faster.
He was sensing, sensing the energy flow of the entire battlefield, sensing the changes in the aura of every powerful figure, sensing… the turning point of the battle.
“Now.”
Kai suddenly opened his eyes, the five colors swirling within them before finally settling into a chaotic gray.
He saw it.
Although the Soul-Devouring Puppet suppressed Li Baichuan, the rigidity of his fighting instincts made his moves inflexible, with extremely subtle energy precursors before each attack.
Xue Youming and Dugu Ao were locked in fierce combat, but the Nine Nether Demon Art was insidious and unpredictable. Although Dugu Ao’s Pure Yang Sword Intent could restrain it, it was difficult to sustain for long, at most lasting ten more moves.
The Earth Fire Ancestor and Zhan E were locked in a battle of attrition. Although the Earth Fire True Flame was strong, Zhan E’s Cycle Qi was inexhaustible, and a prolonged battle would inevitably lead to defeat.
Although the Five Elements Barrier had temporarily held off the allied forces, it was already teetering on the brink of collapse under the combined attacks of old monsters like the Bone Demon and the Blood Sea Ancestor.
The entire battle, seemingly deadlocked, was actually fraught with peril for the allied side.
A breakthrough was imperative.
And the key to breaking the deadlock… lay with the Soul-Devouring Puppet.
Kai moved.
He took a step forward, his figure transforming into a hazy gray streak of light, rushing straight towards the battle between the Soul-Devouring Puppet and Li Baichuan!
“Young friend Kai, be careful!”
Li Baichuan exclaimed.
The Soul-Devouring Puppet’s gray-white eyes suddenly turned to Kai, its spear trembling as it abandoned Li Baichuan and thrust straight at Kai’s brow!
This thrust was fast, accurate, and ruthless, devoid of any fancy moves—pure killing technique.
But this was the very spear Kai was waiting for.
“Chaos Evolution – Five Elements Return to Nothingness,”
he murmured, his Dragon-Slaying Sword remaining sheathed. Instead, his hands formed an extremely complex hand seal in front of his chest.
Five colors of light—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—surged from his body, converging and merging within the hand seal, ultimately transforming into a hazy gray bead.
It was the Five Elements Return to Nothingness Bead!
The instant the bead appeared, the Soul-Devouring Puppet’s thrusting spear abruptly halted!
The spear tip was only three inches from Kai’s brow, yet it could advance no further, for the cyclical energy flowing within the spear was being frantically devoured and assimilated by the Five Elements Return to Nothingness Bead!
“Your power… originates from reincarnation.”
Kai calmly looked into the Soul-Devouring Puppet’s empty, grayish-white eyes. “But reincarnation… also originates from chaos.”
He raised his hand, his five fingers forming a fist.
The Five Elements Unity Pearl exploded, transforming into five-colored streams of energy that bound the Soul-Devouring Puppet’s limbs, neck, and abdomen like chains!
“Chaos… peel away.”
As the four words were uttered, the reincarnation patterns on the Soul-Devouring Puppet’s grayish-white scales began to flicker violently, as if struggling and wailing.
Then, a scene that left everyone dumbfounded appeared.
A phantom light screen slowly unfolded between the Soul-Devouring Puppet’s brows.
Within the light screen, the entire process of the Soul-Devouring Venerable being thrown into the Gate of Reincarnation and being refined into a puppet by three grayish-white human figures was displayed!
The cruel scenes of soul refining, consciousness stripping, and body reconstruction were clearly shown before everyone!
“No… don’t look!”
Zhan E’s expression changed drastically, trying to stop it, but he was held back tightly by the Earth Fire Ancestor.
The light screen continued to play.
After refining, the Soul-Devouring Puppet was thrown into the Reincarnation Pool for “nourishment,” where countless similar puppets floated and sank.
Finally, it was handed over to Zhan E, becoming a killing tool devoid of consciousness, driven only by combat instinct.
The entire process contained no “immortality,” no “resurrection,” only the most cruel stripping and transformation.
As the scene finished playing, the gray-white vortex in the Soul-Devouring Puppet’s eyes spun violently, revealing a faint…pain?
It was a fragment of memory sealed deep within its soul, briefly awakened by the stimulation of chaotic power.
But it was only for a moment before being suppressed again by the rules of reincarnation.
But that moment was enough.
On the battlefield, all the cultivators who had pledged allegiance to the Evil Path Hall witnessed this scene.
After a brief silence,
“That…that’s the Soul-Devouring Venerable?!”
“He’s been refined into a puppet?!”
“So-called immortality…is turning us into this kind of thing?!”
Panic began to spread.
Those who had been fanatical allies now had doubt, fear, and even…anger in their eyes.
“He’s lying to us!” someone screamed. “The Gate of Reincarnation can’t grant eternal life! It’s a trap!”
“We’ve been deceived!” The unrest spread rapidly through the allied forces like a plague.
“Hold on! Hold on!” the withered old demon shouted, but it was too late.
Many cultivators began to flee, some even turning their spears to attack the Soul Hunters beside them.
The allied forces were thrown into chaos!
“Now!” Kai shouted, “Counterattack!”
“Counterattack!!!”
The morale of the allied forces soared!
Li Baichuan seized the opportunity; the three-headed Flaming Lion King spewed out a three-colored beam of light, temporarily repelling the Soul Devouring Puppet. He then turned and charged into the Soul Hunter ranks, his beast-bone battle axe
scattering blood and flesh wherever it passed. Dugu Ao’s sword intent surged again, his iron sword transforming into thousands of sword shadows, forcing Xue Youming to retreat repeatedly.
Jin Buhuan fully activated the Five Elements Barrier, the five-colored light shield shining brightly, enveloping all the fleeing allied cultivators, and five-element spells poured down like a torrential rain.
Even at the cost of injury, the Earth Fire Ancestor unleashed a deafening fire lotus, blasting Zhan E back a hundred feet. Then, the nine fire dragons merged into a thousand-foot-long fire dragon, wreaking havoc among the allied forces.
As for Kai…
he didn’t pursue the Soul-Devouring Puppet, but turned to look at another battlefield high in the sky.
There, the Crimson Cloud Demon Lord was locked in fierce combat with the “Chi Ghost King,” one of the three Ghost Kings of the Nine Nether Palace.
Although the Crimson Cloud Demon Lord was brave, fighting against a Celestial Realm expert was already showing signs of fatigue.
He was wounded in several places, his demonic flames dimming, clearly unable to hold on much longer.
“Senior Crimson Cloud, step back.” Kai’s voice reached the Crimson Cloud Demon Lord’s ears.
The Crimson Cloud Demon Lord was startled, then gritted his teeth: “Boy, these three old ghosts are not easy to deal with…”
“Leave them to me.”
Kai took a step forward, already in the center of the battlefield.
He looked at the Chi Ghost King, a two-foot-tall ghost with a blue face and fangs, wielding a giant white bone hammer, exuding a ferocious aura.
“Another one sent to die.” The Demon King sneered, and his giant hammer crashed down.
Kai didn’t draw his sword.
He simply raised his right hand, the five-colored patterns on the back of his hand lighting up, and the Five Elements Unity Pearl condensed again in his palm.
But this time, a trace of hazy, chaotic energy appeared inside the pearl.
“Five Elements Return to Nothingness… Second Level.”
He spoke softly, gently flicking the pearl.
The pearl traced a five-colored trajectory in the air, crashing into the bone hammer.
There was no explosion, no impact.
The moment the bone hammer touched the pearl, it began to… melt away.
Like ice and snow meeting fire, the hammer, starting from the head, rapidly turned to ashes. The speed of melting was astonishing, spreading to the Demon King’s arm in the blink of an eye.
“No!!!” The Demon King screamed in terror, trying to let go, but it was too late.
The Five Elements Unity Pearl, like a malignant tumor, spread up his arm, and wherever it passed, the ghostly body disintegrated inch by inch.
Three breaths later, the mighty Demon King, a first-rank Immortal… vanished into thin air.
Not even a soul remained.
Silence.
A brief silence fell over the battlefield.
Everyone looked at Kai, at the Five Elements Unity Pearl slowly rotating in his hand. ”What…what kind of divine power is this?!” For the first time, horror appeared in Xue Youming’s dark pupils.
Zhan E’s face was even more ashen: “Chaotic Immortal Power…it can actually suppress the Qi of Reincarnation to this extent?”
Kai put away the bead and looked at the remaining two Ghost Kings.
The two Ghost Kings trembled and, in unison…retreated.
“Useless!” Xue Youming roared, about to make a move himself.
“Xue Youming, your opponent is me.” Dugu Ao’s sword blocked his way again.
Kai had already turned around and looked at the other side of the battlefield.
There, the Old Demon of Withered Bones and the Ancestor of the Blood Sea were attacking the Five Elements Barrier together, and the barrier was already on the verge of collapse.
“It’s time to end this.”
Kai took a deep breath, and the primordial star in his body spun to its limit.
Chaotic Immortal Power, Five Elements Power, Golden Dragon Bloodline, Earth Fire True Flame, all the power completely merged at this moment.
He slowly raised his hands and formed an unprecedentedly complex hand seal in front of his chest.
Within that hand seal, a scene of creation seemed to emerge, a cycle of birth and death of all things.
“Chaos… Creation.”
With these four words uttered, the rules of heaven and earth across the entire battlefield were forcibly altered.
Not the kind of rewriting granted by the Lord of Reincarnation, but… a more fundamental “reshaping” of the rules.
Centered on Kai, within a hundred miles, all forces not belonging to the chaotic system—the Qi of Reincarnation, the Nine Netherworld Demonic Qi, Soul Power, Death Qi…—began to disintegrate, collapse, and return to nothingness.
Meanwhile, the forces of the Five Elements, Sword Intent, Beast Soul Power, and other orthodox forces received unprecedented strengthening.
“This is impossible!”
Zhan E exclaimed in shock. “You’re only at the Celestial Immortal Realm, how could you possibly achieve this?!”
“The Celestial Immortal Realm… is merely an appearance.” Kai’s voice was calm, tinged with weariness. “True power originates from the understanding of the ‘Dao.'”
He looked at Zhan E, his eyes swirling with five colors: “And you, Xue Youming, and these pitiful worms who have submitted to the Gate of Reincarnation… your Dao is false.”
“It is a castle in the air built upon lies and plunder.”
“Today, I will show you…”
“What is the true—Dao!”
As the last word fell, Kai’s hands slammed together in a hand seal!
“Boom—!!!”
The heavens and earth changed color!
The instant Kai’s hands closed in a hand seal, a deafening roar resounded throughout the world!
It was not an explosion, but… like the sound of creation at the beginning of the world, the differentiation of chaos, coming from the deepest part of the universe, carrying the ancient will of creation, shaking the souls of all living beings within a thousand miles.
Centered on him, the space within a hundred miles began to violently distort and reconstruct.
The void, like dough being kneaded by an invisible hand, developed countless shocking cracks. From these cracks surged a
hazy, chaotic current—the most primordial, fundamental energy of heaven and earth, containing the ultimate mysteries of the birth and death of all things. This chaotic current was drastically different from the grayish-white energy of reincarnation; it was as thick as lead and mercury, as viscous as slurry, and its flow produced a thunderous roar like a surging river.
Wherever this current passed, time seemed to slow down, light was distorted and swallowed, and the entire battlefield was shrouded in an apocalyptic, chaotic mist.
All the evil cultivators of the Evil Path Hall touched by this chaotic current felt a fear originating from their very life force. Their power rapidly dissipated and collapsed.
The energy of reincarnation melted like snow meeting the blazing sun, the demonic energy of the Nine Netherworlds evaporated like boiling water poured on snow, and all kinds of soul power, death energy, evil arts… all non-righteous energy systems were as fragile as castles on a sandy beach before this chaotic current.
“Not good! Retreat!”
The Bone Demon let out a scream that sounded inhuman. His withered body exploded, turning into countless tiny white bone fragments, each carrying a wisp of remnant soul, scattering in all directions.
This was his forbidden life-saving technique, “Thousand Incarnations of White Bones,” which cost him a hundred years of cultivation for each lost clone, but he couldn’t care less at this moment.
The Blood Sea Ancestor was even more decisive, directly exploding half of his body, transforming into a crimson blood mist a hundred feet in diameter.
The blood mist churned, emanating the wails of countless vengeful souls. He had actually used his own blood essence and the vengeful souls he had collected over the years to unleash the forbidden blood escape technique, “Blood Sea Raging Escape,” instantly disappearing from his spot, leaving only a foul-smelling blood trail in the void.
But those cultivators with lower cultivation levels and slower reactions were not so lucky.
Thousands of Soul Hunters were the first to be hit. The soul armor formed from the energy of reincarnation on their bodies began to peel away and dissolve the moment it came into contact with the chaotic energy.
The flesh beneath the armor withered and weathered at a visible speed, eventually turning into handfuls of grayish-white dust that drifted away in the wind. Many didn’t even have time to scream before being completely erased from the world.
The disciples of the Nine Nether Palace suffered the same fate. The Nine Nether Demonic Energy they cultivated was inherently yin and evil, naturally incompatible with the chaotic energy.
Many disciples, the moment their demonic energy was stripped away, experienced an imbalance of yin and yang within their bodies, their meridians ruptured inch by inch, and they died spitting blood from their seven orifices.
Even worse, due to the backlash of
their cultivation techniques, their entire bodies were engulfed in eerie black flames from the inside out, burning to a crisp within a few breaths. The rogue cultivators and small sect cultivators in the allied forces suffered even heavier casualties. Lacking systematic inheritance, their cultivation techniques were chaotic and disordered, and under the impact of the chaotic energy, they couldn’t even maintain their basic protective true essence.
In an instant, the battlefield was filled with screams of agony, blood and flesh flew everywhere, and severed limbs rained down.
With just one strike, the Evil Path Palace allied forces lost nearly 30%!
A full five or six thousand cultivators perished on the spot, and the rest were all wounded, their morale completely shattered.
“This… what kind of power is this?!”
For the first time, undisguised horror appeared in Xue Youming’s dark pupils.
The Nine Nether Demonic Qi around him surged violently under the impact of the chaotic current, and spiderweb-like cracks appeared on the surface of the originally solid demonic Qi shield.
He could clearly feel that the foundation of his Nine Nether Demonic Art, which he had painstakingly cultivated for tens of thousands of years, was beginning to shake under the impact of this power!
This was simply unbelievable!
He, Xue Youming, had traversed the Twelve Heavens for tens of thousands of years, what storms hadn’t he weathered?
Even when he fought to the death with a fourth-grade Upper Immortal, he had never felt such a foundation being shaken.
This chaotic current… it seemed to be able to fundamentally dismantle his Dao foundation!
Zhan E’s face was ashen, like that of a dead man.
His withered hands gripped the armrests of the bone carriage tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
As the controller of the Gate of Reincarnation, he knew better than anyone the terror of this power—a fundamental suppression of the rules of reincarnation!
Just as water can overcome fire, and yang can overcome yin, the power of chaos seemed to be inherently opposed to the power of reincarnation, and at a higher level!
“Chaotic immortal power… truly the natural enemy of the power of reincarnation!”
He gritted his teeth, his voice trembling with extreme rage. “Xue Youming, stop holding back! If we don’t join forces to kill him today, and let him truly grow stronger, then you and I… no, the entire Twelve Heavens will never have peace!”
A struggle flashed in Xue Youming’s eyes, but it was ultimately replaced by resolve.
He had lived for nearly 60,000 years, his lifespan nearing its end, and he had placed all his hopes on the Gate of Reincarnation.
If Kai were to leave alive today, then his so-called hope of “eternal life” would become nothing but a mirage.
“Good!”
He nodded emphatically, his dark pupils blazing with killing intent. “Then… annihilate this brat completely!”
For the first time, two peak Immortal Realm experts truly joined forces against a common foe.
Xue Youming struck first.
He formed an extremely complex ancient hand seal in front of his chest, uttering a cryptic syllable with each seal.
The syllable seemed to emanate from the depths of the Nine Netherworlds, carrying endless resentment and deathly silence, sending chills down one’s spine.
“Nine Netherworlds… Yellow Springs… Open!”
As the last syllable fell, the void behind Xue Youming exploded with a deafening roar, revealing a bottomless, pitch-black rift.
From within the rift came the wails of countless vengeful souls, and dense Nine Netherworld demonic energy surged forth like a volcanic eruption, rapidly condensing and shaping in the air.
One, two, three… a full nine ferocious demonic dragons manifested!
Each demonic dragon was hundreds of feet long, its entire body as black as ink, its scales gleaming with a metallic sheen.
The dragons were ferocious, their fangs bared, and their eye sockets burned with eerie green flames.
Most terrifyingly, these demonic dragons were not inanimate objects, but possessed independent consciousness. They were the natal demonic dragons forged by Xue Youming from the fragmentation of his own demonic soul, fused with the deathly energy of the Nine Netherworlds. Each one possessed combat power comparable to a ninth-grade Celestial Immortal, and they were in perfect harmony with him.
“Nine Netherworld Demonic Dragons – Devouring Heaven!” Xue Youming roared fiercely.
The nine demonic dragons roared in unison, their sound waves materializing into tangible sonic waves that caused the mountains below to collapse.
They pounced on Kai from nine different directions, their dragon claws tearing through the void, their dragon breath spewing poisonous flames, sealing off all escape routes, and even faintly forming a profound “Nine Netherworld Locking Heaven Array,” intending to trap and kill Kai completely.
At the same time, Zhan E also unleashed his trump card.
He didn’t form hand seals, but instead bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of his natal blood essence.
The blood essence was dark red, almost black, and exuded an intense, almost impenetrable aura of death, clearly caused by years of contact with the Gate of Reincarnation, which had eroded it.
Previous ChapterReturn to Table of Contents The essence of blood twisted and deformed rapidly in the air, transforming into a palm-sized, crimson rune covered in eerie patterns.
The moment the rune took shape, the cyclical energy of the entire battlefield boiled, converging on it as if paying homage to a king.
“With my blood, I summon the Gate of Reincarnation… to suppress souls and annihilate spirits!” Zhan E’s voice was hoarse as he slammed the crimson rune into the void.
“Boom!!!”
A gigantic bone gate, three hundred feet tall, slowly materialized above the battlefield!
The phantom was more solid and terrifying than the real Gate of Reincarnation.
The gate was entirely pieced together from the skulls of countless living beings, each skull’s eye socket burning with greyish-white soul fire.
Thick chains wrapped around the door frame, binding countless twisted and struggling soul shadows at their ends—the powerful cultivators’ souls, devoured by the Gate of Reincarnation but not yet fully refined!
The bone gate slowly opened a crack.
Behind the door, instead of the previously displayed “fairyland” illusion, lay… a pure, profound darkness that seemed capable of swallowing everything.
From within this darkness, countless pale arms stretched out like a tide.
These arms varied in size, some as thick as pillars, others as slender as branches, but all exuded a nauseating aura of death.
The arms clawed and scratched wildly, producing a piercing sound as nails scraped against bone, spreading towards Kai’s location—the final obsessions and resentment of the countless souls forcibly controlled by Zhan E!
Two deadly attacks, one utterly yin and evil, the other utterly deathly still, descended simultaneously.
Kai stood in the void, his face as calm as a still well.
The Earth Fire Ancestor and the others exchanged glances and attacked simultaneously, several streams of energy striking Kai.
The righteous energy within Kai began to rise rapidly, even his physical body visibly expanding.
It was utterly impossible for Kai alone to fight against Xue Youming and Zhan E.
Therefore, the Earth Fire Ancestor and the others had to do everything in their power to support Kai, relying on his chaotic immortal energy to suppress these evil paths.
Kai slowly raised his right hand, and the five-colored pattern on the back of his hand suddenly shone with a dazzling light.
The five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—flowed wildly within the pattern, finally converging in his palm and transforming into a bead the size of a pigeon’s egg.
But this bead was different from before.
It was no longer clearly five-colored, but had completely transformed into a chaotic gray.
Fine patterns flowed on the surface of the bead, and upon closer inspection, those patterns were actually evolving scenes of the creation of heaven and earth, the birth and death of stars, and the cycle of all things.
An ancient aura originating from the beginning of the universe emanated from the bead. ”Chaos… Return to the Void, Second Level: All Things Return to Their Origin.”
Kai spoke softly, gently pushing the bead out.
The bead left his hand, tracing a hazy gray path in the air. Its speed seemed slow, yet it appeared to transcend the limitations of time and space, instantly meeting the nine attacking demonic dragons and the countless pale arms.
What happened next was unforgettable for all the spectators.
The instant the bead touched the nine demonic dragons, time seemed to freeze.
The dragons’ ferocious attack abruptly stopped in mid-air, like a painting paused on a pause button.
Then, starting from their tails, the dragons’ bodies began to disintegrate and dissolve inch by inch, transforming into the most basic demonic energy particles.
The disintegration process was silent, yet carried a chilling inevitability, as if this wasn’t a battle, but… some higher-level “rule” forcibly forcing these things that shouldn’t exist to “return to their rightful place.”
“Roar!!!”
The demonic dragons roared in pain, the ghostly fire in their dragon eyes flickering wildly, trying to struggle.
But all was in vain. Their struggles only accelerated their disintegration. In just three breaths, the nine hundred-zhang-long demonic dragons were completely reduced to countless black specks of light, ultimately dissipating into the chaotic currents.
At the same time, the pale arms extending from the phantom of the Gate of Reincarnation met the same fate.
The moment the arms touched the chaotic currents, they melted and evaporated rapidly, like snow under the sun.
Even more bizarrely, what remained after the arms melted was not water vapor, but wisps of grayish-white mist—the forcibly stripped “marks of reincarnation,” the last trace of true spirit left after the souls were refined.
These wisps of mist drifted in the air for a moment, then converged towards the Chaos Returning Void Pearl in Kai’s palm, being absorbed and assimilated by the pearl.
With each wisp of mist absorbed, the pearl’s light brightened, while the phantom of the Gate of Reincarnation dimmed.
“No!!!”
Blood Netherworld’s eyes widened in horror, letting out an extremely shrill roar.
Those nine demonic dragons were not only his killing move, but also his natal demonic creatures, crafted from fragments of his own demonic soul over tens of thousands of years.
With each dragon destroyed, his soul suffered a severe blow. The simultaneous destruction of all nine was practically equivalent to stabbing nine bloody holes into his soul!
The pain was excruciating! Indescribable pain!
Xue Youming felt his consciousness being torn apart; black blood gushed from all seven orifices, his demonic energy violently turbulent, and his aura instantly weakened by more than thirty percent.
Zhan E was in no better shape.
The phantom of the Gate of Reincarnation was closely connected to his soul, and now, as the phantom was eroded by the power of chaos, the feedback to him was the excruciating pain of his soul being torn apart.
What terrified him even more was that after the stripped “Reincarnation Marks” were absorbed by the Chaos Returning Void Pearl, he felt his control over the Gate of Reincarnation… being weakened!
“This is impossible… Only the Lord of Reincarnation can strip the Reincarnation Marks… How could he…” A storm raged within Zhan E.
However, Kai’s current condition was equally worrying.
Using the second level of Chaos Return to Nothingness had taken a toll on him far beyond his expectations.
He could clearly feel the primordial star in his dantian, which had only recently been lit, dimming at an alarming rate.
Fine cracks had even appeared on the star’s surface—signs of overexertion and damage to its origin.
Even more terrifying was the backlash.
In the process of forcibly stripping away and absorbing the marks of reincarnation, the Chaos Returning Void Pearl also absorbed the last resentments, death energy, and obsessions of those departed souls.
Although these negative energies were suppressed and transformed by the power of chaos, the transformation process consumed a great deal of Kai’s mental energy and immortal power.
At this moment, his face was as pale as paper, the veins on his forehead bulged like earthworms, and blood was constantly oozing from the corners of his mouth, eyes, and ears.
His internal organs felt as if they were being roasted on a raging fire, and every breath was accompanied by tearing pain.
His right hand, which was holding the Dragon-Slaying Sword, trembled slightly, and the tiger’s mouth had already split open, with blood dripping down the hilt of the sword.
Although he had the support of the power of the Earth Fire Ancestor and others, and had withstood the attack from Xue Youming and Zhan E, his physical body and source power were suffering from the backlash.
Even though his physical body was already strong enough, it was still close to the brink of collapse.
But he gritted his teeth and persevered.
Because he knew that this attack… he had to hold on.
This was the only chance to break the stalemate and reverse the situation!
“Now…counterattack!!!”
Kai roared with his last ounce of strength, his voice distorted by extreme pain, yet still clearly echoing across the entire battlefield.
While the alliance was also affected by the chaotic energy flow, Kai had intentionally controlled it, focusing the main impact on the Evil Path Hall’s forces.
Hearing Kai’s command, everyone’s morale soared, and their long-suppressed anger and grief erupted!
“Disciples of the Valley of Ten Thousand Beasts, heed my command! Surround them with the beast tide and annihilate the remaining enemies! Avenge our fallen comrades!!!”
Li Baichuan was covered in blood, his left arm severed at the shoulder, the white bone exposed at the wound.
But he seemed oblivious to the pain, his eyes bloodshot, his right hand wielding a massive, door-sized beast-bone battle axe, roaring like a wild beast.
Beside him, the three-headed Flame Lion King was also badly wounded; two of the three lion heads had half their cheeks sliced off, revealing their stark white skulls.
But this ferocious beast was instead unleashed its most primal wildness, roaring deafeningly to the sky. The sound waves materialized into tangible sonic waves, causing dozens of Soul Hunters in front of it to bleed from their seven orifices.
“Roar!!!”
Led by the Lion King, the remaining five thousand-plus demonic beasts roared furiously, transforming once again into a surging torrent, sweeping towards the scattered Evil Path Palace allied forces.
This charge was even more ferocious and reckless than before.
The Ironback Earth Dragons disregarded their own defenses, directly ramming their massive bodies into the “Soul-Sealing Array” formed by the Soul Hunters.
Each impact shook the earth. Although the earth dragons were shattered and mangled by the backlash of the array, they used their lives to create an opening for the subsequent beast tide.
The Gale Wolf Pack transformed into streaks of azure lightning, frantically weaving through the enemy ranks.
They no longer sought to kill with a single blow, but instead used their sharp claws to tear through the enemy’s protective true energy, and their fangs to sever the tendons and veins of their limbs, creating chaos and casualties in the most primitive and cruel way.
The flock of Thunderwing Golden Eagles swooped down from the sky; this time, they did not unleash lightning, but instead used their sharp talons to grab their enemies, fly them high into the air, and then slam them down.
In an instant, a “rain of people” fell from the sky, and screams of agony filled the air. ”Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion, heed my command! Nine Heavens Sword Formation, slay demons and destroy evil! As long as the sword lives, so shall we live; if the sword dies, so shall we live!!!”
Dugu Ao’s voice was as cold as ice, yet contained a volcanic killing intent.
This usually aloof sword
fanatic was now bloodthirsty. The mottled iron sword in his hand was already stained dark red with the blood of his enemies.
The blade was covered with fine cracks, scars left from his fierce battle with Xue Youming, but the sword remained sharp and deadly.
“As long as the sword lives, so shall we live; if the sword dies, so shall we live!!!” Nine hundred sword cultivators responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
They no longer maintained a complete sword formation, but instead broke into smaller groups of three or five, forming small “Demon-Slaying Sword Formations,” precisely cutting into the weak points of the enemy formation like surgical scalpels.
Sword light flashed, blood blossomed.
The sword cultivators of the Heavenly Sword Pavilion were already known for their offensive power, and now, with a death wish, the combat power they unleashed was even more terrifying.
Often, a single thrust of the sword would either pierce the enemy’s brow or sever their neck, swift and decisive, showing no mercy.
“Disciples of the Five Elements Sect, heed my command! The Five Elements Seal the Heavens, suppress all laws! Today… it’s a fight to the death!!!”
Jin Buhuan’s voice was hoarse from excessive shouting. This usually tactful Five Elements Sect Master now only had resolute determination in his eyes.
He bit his tongue, spitting three mouthfuls of his life essence blood onto the core of the Five Elements Barrier.
The essence blood merged, and the Five Elements Barrier erupted with dazzling five-colored light!
The barrier, which had already begun to crumble, instantly stabilized, and its range expanded again, enveloping even more cultivators from the Evil Path Hall.
Within the barrier, the Five Elements Laws were amplified to their extreme.
The disciples of the Metal Clan manipulated countless metal-attribute magical artifacts, transforming them into a metallic storm that swept across the enemy ranks;
the disciples of the Wood Clan cultivated vines that not only entangled the enemy but also released paralyzing toxins; the disciples of the Water Clan
condensed a raging flood, with countless ice spikes hidden within the water;
the disciples of the Fire Clan summoned blazing flames, the flames interspersed with explosive runes;
and the disciples of the Earth Clan manipulated the earth, causing the ground to continuously collapse and rise, creating death traps.
The combined forces of the three major sects, coupled with the shock and chaos caused by Kai’s creation of chaos, instantly reversed the battlefield situation!
The Evil Path Palace’s allied forces, already demoralized by the impact of the chaotic energy, were now completely thrown into disarray by such a fierce counterattack.
Those old monsters who had surrendered, seeing the dire situation, no longer cared about any promises of “eternal life” and scrambled to escape.
The Bone Demon, the most cunning of all, had already secretly laid dozens of “bone escape tunnels” underground.
Seeing that the situation was hopeless, it exploded its remaining half of its body, turning into countless bone fragments that burrowed into the ground and vanished without a trace.
The Blood Sea Ancestor was even more ruthless; he grabbed two disciples of the Nine Nether Palace beside him, using a secret technique to drain their life essence to replenish his own depleted resources. Then, he once again used the Blood Escape Technique, transforming into a streak of blood and fleeing thousands of miles away.
The other reclusive old monsters also displayed their unique abilities: some vanished into the breeze, some exploded their magical treasures to create chaos, and some even burned their lifespans to use forbidden techniques to escape.
When the tree falls, the monkeys scatter!
In just half an incense stick’s time, the Evil Path Palace’s forces had suffered more than half their losses!
The allied army, originally numbering over 20,000, now numbered less than 10,000, all wounded and devoid of fighting spirit.
But just then…”Boom!!!”
A deafening roar echoed from the center of the battlefield.
It was the Chaos Returning to Nothingness Pearl… finally unable to withstand the pressure.
Kai groaned, his body flying hundreds of feet backward as if struck by an invisible giant hammer, blood gushing from his mouth.
The Chaos Returning to Nothingness Pearl in his hand, after forcibly absorbing too many reincarnation imprints and negative energy, had finally reached its limit.
Spiderweb-like cracks covered the pearl’s surface, from which blinding gray light shot forth, and then… it exploded!
The instant the pearl shattered, terrifying chaotic turbulence swept across the area like a burst dam.
It wasn’t a conscious attack, but a pure, uncontrolled rampage of chaotic energy.
Wherever the turbulence passed, all matter, energy, and even space itself were pulverized into the most basic particles.
Within a ten-mile radius, it seemed as if an invisible hand had completely wiped it out.
The hundreds of Alliance cultivators and Evil Path Hall cultivators who were originally fighting in this area didn’t even have time to react before they were reduced to nothingness in the chaotic turbulence. It wasn’t death, but complete non-existence, leaving not even a speck of dust behind.
The earth was flattened by ten zhang, revealing the scorched rock layers below.
The air was completely sucked out, forming a brief vacuum.
Light twisted and fractured in the turbulence, and the entire area presented a bizarre and surreal scene.
“Pfft…”
Kai crashed heavily into the rock wall of a mountain peak, smashing a three-zhang-deep human-shaped crater into the hard rock.
He struggled to climb out of the crater, and with each movement, his bones creaked under the strain.
The wound on his chest, caused by the backlash from the chaotic turbulence, had now expanded to the size of a palm, deep enough to expose the bone.
The flesh around the wound was a strange grayish-white, a trace of the residual power of chaos, constantly eroding his life force.
Blood flowed like a stream, staining half of his body red.
Even more serious were the internal injuries.
All his internal organs had shifted, multiple meridians were severed, and the primordial starlight in his dantian had dimmed to an extreme degree, its surface riddled with cracks, as if it would shatter completely at any moment.
His chaotic immortal power was almost completely depleted, making even basic flight impossible.
“Young friend Kai!” the Earth Fire Ancestor exclaimed, wanting to break free from the battle to rescue him.
But he was held back by Zhan E.
Although Zhan E was also seriously injured, he was in much better condition than Kai.
He seized the opportunity when Kai was exhausted, his eyes blazing with killing intent: “Blood Netherworld, don’t give him a chance to breathe! If this boy isn’t eliminated today, he will surely become a major threat in the future!”
Blood Netherworld wiped the black blood from the corner of his mouth, his dark pupils also boiling with killing intent. With his
nine natal demonic dragons destroyed, his divine soul severely damaged, his cultivation dropping by at least 30%.
This blood feud could only be repaid with Kai’s life!