Chapter 1134: The Battle of Celestial Venerables (Fourth Update)
Emperor Kai approached the Jade Pool Palace step by step, his aura growing stronger with each stride. The sword energy radiating from him seemed capable of splitting the Heavenly Court in two!
He had already arrived beneath the Jade Pool Palace, his sword still sheathed, yet his very being was an incomparably sharp blade.
The supreme sword path, trampling through the celestial gates to meet the Heavenly Emperor!
Even if the Ancient God Heavenly Emperor did not emerge, he would storm into the Jade Pool Palace and take the Emperor's head!
The Heavenly Court fell into chaos. Countless gods and demons scurried about like headless flies—some rushing toward the Jade Capital's Jade Pool Hall, others seizing the chaos to flee the court, and still others looting and plundering treasures.
Those gods and demons serving as officials in the Heavenly Court hid in their homes, their beautiful wives and concubines trembling in fear. One divine official comforted them, saying, "No matter. Whoever becomes the Heavenly Emperor, it makes no difference. As long as the Emperor wants to rule the myriad realms, he must use us. Even if Emperor Kai kills the Heavenly Emperor, he won't kill us."
Because of Emperor Kai's arrival, the Heavenly Court—which had once seemed as orderly and tightly bound as iron chains and celestial laws—plunged into turmoil. On this day, its gleaming exterior was torn away, revealing beneath it a rotten, foul-smelling decay.
Whoosh—
A flash of light streaked by. Heavenly Venerable Hao stood before the Jade Pool Hall, his face dark. He stepped forward, looking down at the approaching Emperor Kai, and said coldly, "Qin Ye, you go too far!"
Emperor Kai held the Carefree Sword in his hand, his tone leisurely: "Heavenly Venerable Hao, you plotted against the Heavenly Emperor, usurped authority, and placed a fake Emperor on the throne. Who is going too far—me or you?"
Heavenly Venerable Hao's aura erupted. One celestial palace after another leaped out from the halo behind his head, filling the Heavenly Court behind him. He said calmly, "Six Celestial Venerables have gone to the Great Void, leaving the court empty, but four still remain to hold it. Qin Ye, you are truly seeking death."
"Four Celestial Venerables remain?"
Emperor Kai pressed his hand on his sword hilt, speaking lazily: "Actually, that many aren't needed. A battle between you and me alone would be enough to destroy the entire Dragon Han Heavenly Court!"
"Not quite."
Heavenly Venerable Xiao walked up from behind him, a file in his hand as he trimmed his nails, smiling faintly. "Daoist Qin, it's really not quite."
"It is quite."
A massive claw descended, and an enormous Void Beast appeared in the Heavenly Emperor's rear palace. Heavenly King Lang Wan stood atop the bone mountain behind the beast's head, speaking calmly: "Now that there are four Celestial Venerables, this battle will shatter the Heavenly Court entirely—no question about it."
Heavenly Venerable Xiao's eyelid twitched. Suddenly, Heavenly Consort Qiang's voice rang out, laughing lazily: "As the Heavenly Consort, it's inconvenient for me to show my face, so I didn't go to the Great Void. I never expected to encounter Celestial Venerable Qin here in the Heavenly Court. And this elder sister is?"
Heavenly King Lang Wan stood high above, her robes fluttering, but she said nothing.
Emperor Kai's hand moved slightly, drawing the Carefree Sword half an inch from its sheath, and said calmly: "It seems the Heavenly Duke and the Earth Lord have found their opportunity."
Heavenly Venerable Qiang, Heavenly Venerable Xiao, and Heavenly Venerable Hao felt a chill in their hearts, instantly grasping the meaning behind his words!
If the number of Celestial Venerables in the Heavenly Court fell below three, those two Ancient Gods would act, erasing the Celestial Venerables!
Now, there were four Celestial Venerables in the court: Hao, Xiao, Qiang, and another, Heavenly Consort Yan, in the rear palace. If just two of them moved to block Emperor Kai and Heavenly King Lang Wan, the Heavenly Duke and Earth Lord would seize the perfect opportunity!
Eliminating four Celestial Venerables would leave the remaining six facing a dire disadvantage.
Remember, Emperor Kai Qin Ye was a natural ally of the Ancient Gods. In his era, he was raised up by them!
The Ancient Gods cultivated Emperor Kai to set him against the Heavenly Court.
Emperor Kai Qin Ye, plus Heavenly King Lang Wan, plus the Heavenly Duke, Earth Lord, Heavenly Venerable You, and the Three Ancient God Emperors—and if they added the reclusive Heavenly Venerable Yue—the balance of power would instantly reverse!
Although the Heavenly Duke and Earth Lord would be bound by the great dao of their respective worlds when they acted, it would still be enough to severely wound them!
In that moment of distraction, Emperor Kai fiercely drew his sword. The Carefree Sword left its sheath, thrusting toward Heavenly Venerable Hao!
This was the moment he wanted!
He had not come to the Heavenly Court to compromise or to jest with the Celestial Venerables.
He had come to destroy!
He had come to strike the Heavenly Court until it bled, until the Celestial Venerables dared not rush headlong into the Great Void!
His first move was his most powerful sword path—the Thirty-Four Heavens Sword Dao, built upon the foundation of the Twenty Sword Forms!
His sword domain expanded, erupted, and surged forward without hesitation. As the unparalleled overlord who had opened an era, even setting aside his strength, his sheer momentum and spirit were rare in the past million years!
In the distance, Qin Mu's spirits soared as he witnessed this sword strike, and he cheered loudly.
This was the Emperor Kai he wanted to see—strong, confident, believing that no obstacle could stop him, that any difficulty would be cleaved apart by his sword!
But the next moment, Qin Mu's face changed drastically. He urgently slapped Dragon Qilin and shouted, "This is too high! Beware of the sword energy!"
The moment his words fell, Heavenly Venerable Hao raised his palm, reaching out to meet Emperor Kai's Thirty-Four Heavens Sword Dao.
He was like a lofty emperor, controlling all the great dao of the world. With one hand extended, the myriad daos of heaven and earth were in his grasp.
Behind him, celestial palaces stacked layer upon layer, radiating brilliant light. The halo behind his head shone dazzlingly bright. In his hand, the great dao converged, the myriad daos merging into one.
That was pure innate dao, with no trace of any acquired dao.
As the son of the Heavenly Emperor and Yuan Mu, Heavenly Venerable Hao possessed unparalleled pride and the capital to back it up.
His talent was extraordinary, and as the one who had opened the Divine Hidden Realm, the only thing that made him feel inferior was that the Heavenly Emperor had reincarnated as a human to bear him, giving him half-human bloodline.
This was the greatest stain on his life.
But judging by the strength displayed by all the Celestial Venerables, he was the strongest. Due to his bloodline, he was naturally closer to the dao than the others, easier to cultivate, and quicker to comprehend the essence of the great dao.
Thus, he mastered the most innate daos.
Emperor Kai's sword pierced into his palm. The sword domain clashed with the myriad dao domain. Their divine abilities erupted, and Heavenly Venerable Hao's cultivation was astonishingly profound, far surpassing Emperor Kai's, and even exceeding that of Heavenly Venerable Fire, who had absorbed the Southern Emperor's dao.
His magical power was immense—not only from his bloodline's talent but also from his diligent cultivation and hard training.
Behind him stood twenty-eight celestial palaces, the most among the Ten Celestial Venerables who had integrated celestial palaces. For comparison, Heavenly Venerable Void had only twenty, and Heavenly Venerable Lang a mere eighteen.
Though it was possible they were hiding their true strength, on the surface, Heavenly Venerable Hao's twenty-eight palaces made his Great Heavenly Court technique the most complete.
He had one foot already across the threshold of the legendary Heavenly Court realm!
Yet, terrifyingly, as the sword domain and myriad dao domain collided, Emperor Kai's sword cut through the waves like a splitting bamboo, breaking through the myriad dao domain. With a sharp *chi* sound, Heavenly Venerable Hao saw the sword tip emerge from the back of his hand.
At the same time, Emperor Kai's body shook violently. His sword domain collapsed, and the out-of-control Thirty-Four Heavens Sword Dao shot out in all directions!
The Jade Pool Hall seemed to be swept by a terrifying sword storm, originating from that point and expanding outward, devouring everything in its path!
It wasn't just the sword domain—the ever-expanding myriad dao domain was also there!
Heavenly Venerable Hao's myriad dao domain, built up over time, only now revealed its unparalleled power and might!