Chapter 1763: Seeing the Grand Celestial Realm Again
Lord Shang’s injuries were extremely severe. Jiang Baigui’s Unease divine ability was not perfect. In the urgency of the moment just now, Jiang Baigui had struck him almost simultaneously with the Joy Hall Master, plunging him into a state of unease.
Also trapped in that state of unease alongside Lord Shang was the final blow dealt by the Joy Hall Master before her death, which made Lord Shang’s wounds exceedingly troublesome.
Lord Shang was repeating the process of being killed by the Joy Hall Master over and over again, causing Jiang Baigui to frown deeply.
“This matter requires my second senior brother to intervene before it can be resolved.” He said to the Moon Venerable.
The Moon Venerable was also at a loss regarding Lord Shang’s injuries. “If the Ling Venerable were here, it would be much easier to handle…”
She thought of the Ling Venerable and could not help but feel a pang of sorrow.
The Ling Venerable had disappeared for a very long time. She had asked Qin Mu, who told her that the Ling Venerable had gone to the universe of the past, though she did not know whether Qin Mu was lying.
Qin Mu had also once said that his lame grandfather had gone to the universe of the past, and that the Cloud Venerable and his wife had gone into seclusion. In truth, everyone knew they had already passed away.
Qin Mu also claimed that the Founding Emperor Qin Ye was not actually dead and would surely appear on the Golden Ship in forty-two years. This news had inspired many people, but now the forty-two-year deadline was approaching, and the Founding Emperor Qin Ye had yet to appear.
“Ling, are you still alive…”
The Moon Venerable composed herself, activated her divine ability to conceal Lord Shang deep within space, and charged alongside Jiang Baigui toward the Heavenly Emperor Hao.
Both she and Jiang Baigui were severely wounded. Before Lord Shang’s arrival, it was they who had held back the Joy Hall Master. The power of a Hall Master of the Miluo Palace needed no elaboration; they had both suffered heavy damage.
But now the dawn of victory was in sight. As long as they eliminated the Heavenly Emperor Hao, no one would be able to preside over the descent of the Miluo Palace’s accomplished ones!
Just as they were rushing toward the Heavenly Emperor Hao’s location, a faint, obscure fluctuation suddenly spread out. The Moon Venerable and Jiang Baigui’s eyelids twitched violently as they traced the source of that fluctuation.
In the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court, the first accomplished one had descended.
Outside the Jade Capital City, near the battlefield where they were fighting, other accomplished ones were still descending, but they would need a few more days to fully manifest.
They had been focusing all along on the descent events outside the Jade Capital City, never expecting the Miluo Palace to steal a march on them.
Moreover, judging by the fluctuation and the radiance of the Dao light, it should be a Hall Master of the Miluo Palace!
Because behind that light stood an immensely vast Dao Tree, upon which hung three Dao Fruits!
“There is still a chance!”
The Moon Venerable immediately surged forward, but suddenly Jiang Baigui blocked her, shaking his head. “Moon Venerable, withdraw the troops.”
She looked at him, a puzzled expression on her face.
Jiang Baigui shook his head again. “It’s too late. The Miluo Palace used the Joy Hall Master, the Heavenly Emperor Hao, and the Empress to guard the city, while other accomplished ones descended outside the city, deliberately confusing us into thinking that no descent could occur inside the Jade Capital City, thus keeping us here. The Joy Hall Master, the Heavenly Emperor Hao, and the Empress were merely sacrificial pawns. If my guess is correct, the descent of the Hall Masters inside the Jade Capital City happened even earlier than the ones outside, and this time, more than one Hall Master has come.”
As his words fell, another obscure fluctuation spread out, and beams of Dao light shot into the sky, churning the heavens of the Ancestral Court and causing the stars to reel!
The second Hall Master had descended.
Xu Shenghua and Lan Yutian had already entered the Jade Capital City. Seeing this, they quickly halted, looking up at those beams of light. Lan Yutian’s face turned ashen, while even Xu Shenghua showed a look of despair.
They had originally planned to help the Netherworld Venerable and the others slay the Heavenly Emperor Hao. But upon seeing the first Hall Master descend, the two immediately turned and rushed into the Ancestral Court’s Jade Capital City, intending to fight that Hall Master to the death.
However, the descent of the second Hall Master made them realize that all their efforts were futile.
“Let’s go.” Xu Shenghua turned and walked out of the Jade Capital City.
Lan Yutian called out to him, his voice tinged with confusion: “Brother Xu, where are we going?”
Xu Shenghua had already regained his usual composure. “Back to the Primordial Realm. The descent of the Miluo Palace can no longer be stopped. We have no chance of winning this battle. If we return to the Primordial Realm now and relocate the Yan’kang civilization into chaotic space, there may still be an opportunity to rise again.”
“Is there really a chance to rise again?”
Lan Yutian shouted, “Put your hand on your conscience and tell me—do you truly believe that?”
Xu Shenghua fell silent.
Suddenly, another beam of Dao light shot straight into the heavens beyond the sky.
Xu Shenghua strode away without looking back. “All I know is that staying here offers no chance at all. Lan Yutian, come with me. At the very least, we can preserve Yan’kang!”
Lan Yutian hesitated for a moment, then followed him. The two rushed straight toward the place where the Heavenly Emperor Hao had achieved Dao. Xu Shenghua called out loudly, “Netherworld Venerable, Lang Wan, Black Tortoise and White Tiger Emperors, the situation is lost! Return to Yan’kang!”
The Netherworld Venerable was stunned. “The situation is lost?”
A surge of nameless rage rose in his chest, and he roared angrily, “Who says the situation is lost? How many of our people have died to gain this advantage, to storm the Heavenly Court, to reach the Jade Capital City? We are only one step away from complete victory! How can the situation be lost?”
Suddenly, from within the Heavenly Emperor Hao’s brow, three treasure halls flew out. He said coldly, “Netherworld, can’t you see? The Hall Masters have descended. Your situation is indeed lost.”
Those three treasure halls suddenly radiated the full might of Dao power, pressing down upon the Netherworld Venerable, Lang Wan, and the Black Tortoise and White Tiger Emperors!
When the treasure halls were in the hands of the Heavenly Emperor Hao, their power, though formidable, could only be considered decent weapons, far from unleashing the might they now displayed!
Now, the three treasure halls stood like indestructible, majestic deities, standing firm amidst the great calamity of destruction, eternal and unyielding.
The power of the treasure halls erupted, and before it even landed on them, it had already caused them to vomit blood repeatedly!
Within the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court, three towering figures strode forward. Those three halls were the supreme achievements of their Dao!
The Moon Venerable, Jiang Baigui, Xu Shenghua, and Lan Yutian quickly intervened, each rescuing one person and retreating.
The three Hall Masters had rings of radiance swirling behind their heads, and the treasure halls flew toward them. Everyone immediately felt the space around them completely solidify—even the Moon Venerable could not warp space with her Ultimate Void!
They were all wounded and could barely withstand these three Hall Masters!
Helplessly, everyone was drawn into the rings of radiance behind the three Hall Masters’ heads.
The Moon Venerable struggled desperately, trying to activate her divine abilities to help the group break free, but the Hall Masters’ divine power directly suppressed her abilities, filling her heart with a deep sense of powerlessness and despair.
One Hall Master, they could handle. But with three appearing at once, they could only be suppressed!
“Daoist Hao, you have done well.”
One of the Hall Masters fixed his gaze on the Heavenly Emperor Hao and nodded. “You drew their attention, making our descent much easier.”
The Heavenly Emperor Hao continued imprinting the void, bowing respectfully. “I dare not claim credit. In this battle, all my forces have been destroyed, and even my mother fell. If there is any merit, it belongs to them and the Joy Hall Master.”
Another Hall Master said with a sigh, “Has the Joy Hall Master also met her calamity?”
“There is no need for grief.”
The third Hall Master spoke slowly, “Sacrificing for the Miluo Palace, giving one’s life for the teacher’s ideals—it is worthwhile. The Joy Daoist knows that the great plan has succeeded; she must be very joyful. With us here, the Young Master can descend.”
“But we need more sacrifices.”
The three Hall Masters looked up in unison at the Moon Venerable, Xu Shenghua, and the others, who were still struggling.
The descent of the Young Master was no trivial matter. The energy required for mass-energy conversion was terrifying. In the past, the Boundless Elder had secretly siphoned off blood sacrifice energy, making it difficult even for ordinary accomplished ones to descend, let alone the Young Master.
Fortunately, the Heavenly Court’s campaign against the Primordial Realm had led to frequent battles, allowing the three Hall Masters—Joy, Chu Ge, and Chang Feng—to descend, only for two of them to be eliminated by Qin Mu and Lord Shang.
Now, the Boundless Elder had suffered severe damage, and no one was siphoning off the blood sacrifice energy. Tai Yi was also gravely wounded, and no one could stop the descent of the Miluo Palace’s Young Master!
Once the two Young Masters descended, they could directly pull the entire Miluo Palace into this universe!
Just as the three Hall Masters were about to strike down the Moon Venerable and the others, suddenly the Salvation Golden Ship flew over and was also caught in their radiance.
The three Hall Masters frowned.
They naturally recognized the Salvation Golden Ship. Though they had never boarded it, the ship had always been docked outside the Miluo Palace, battered and worn. Whenever they passed by, they could not help but take a few extra glances.
Now, the Golden Ship was gleaming and new, no longer showing its former dilapidation. If it were sacrificed, it would surely provide an immense amount of energy. However, the Salvation Golden Ship was a treasure of the Miluo Palace’s master, so they dared not lay a hand on it.
“Put the Golden Ship away.”
The Phoenix Hall Master said, “This ship was taken away by the Seventh Young Master. It is time for it to return to the Miluo Palace.”
The Zhaoyang Hall Master beside him raised his hand, and the Dao Fruit behind him flew out, hovering over the Salvation Golden Ship. Chains of Dao extended from the fruit, locking the ship and pulling it toward the Dao Tree.
The roots of the Zhaoyang Hall Master’s Dao Tree danced like chains, binding the Salvation Golden Ship beside the tree.
“Two senior brothers, preside over the blood sacrifice ceremony,” the Zhaoyang Hall Master said.
The Phoenix Hall Master and the Harmony Hall Master exchanged glances, then addressed the Moon Venerable and the others: “Fellow Daoists, it is not that we are bloodthirsty, but that we have no choice. Our Miluo Palace’s descent is not meant to destroy the Seventeenth Epoch, but to save more people. By blocking us, you will cause the Seventeenth Epoch to be utterly destroyed when the calamity of destruction erupts.”
The Moon Venerable gritted her teeth, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, and sneered, “The Seventeenth Epoch does not need you to save it! We can save ourselves! How many calamities have you brought upon the Seventeenth Epoch for the sake of your descent? How many people have died?”
“These are necessary sacrifices.”
The Phoenix Hall Master said somberly, “For the sake of more people surviving in the future, these sacrifices must be made.”
Lan Yutian struggled with all his might, laughing bitterly, “What if the Miluo Palace cannot save the Seventeenth Epoch?”
“Then we will go to the Eighteenth Epoch.”
The Zhaoyang Hall Master said solemnly, “Sooner or later, we will find a way to save everyone.”
“Decadent fools!” the Netherworld Venerable spat.
The Zhaoyang Hall Master paid him no heed. Feeling that the Salvation Golden Ship was beginning to resist him, and that the resistance was growing stronger, he quickly said, “Two senior brothers, there is no need to waste words with them. They are stubborn and deluded. Let us just perform the blood sacrifice and be done with it!”
The Salvation Golden Ship’s resistance grew even fiercer, making him uneasy.
The Harmony Hall Master and the Phoenix Hall Master quickly activated their own Dao Fruits. The Dao chains from their fruits intertwined, forming a blood sacrifice array. The two Hall Masters jointly activated the array, and the blood sacrifice began!
The Heavenly Emperor Hao watched with a surge of satisfaction: “These rebels are finally about to be wiped out in one fell swoop. A pity that the Shepherd Venerable escaped. But he won’t last much longer!”
Suddenly, a world-shaking sword light shot out from the Salvation Golden Ship, piercing through the Zhaoyang Hall Master’s brow!
The sword light exited from the back of the Zhaoyang Hall Master’s head, then in the next moment, it tore through the Dao Fruits of the Harmony Hall Master and the Phoenix Hall Master, shattering the blood sacrifice array in one go!
On the Salvation Golden Ship, a blurry figure walked forward, gradually becoming clear, as if stepping from illusion into reality.
“The Seventh Young Master told me that the Miluo Palace has long been decayed.”
The figure’s face grew clearer, and his voice grew stronger: “The Seventeenth Epoch does not need the decayed!”
A jingling sound of sword chimes rang out, and a beam of sword light landed in his palm.
“Grand Celestial Realm, arise!”
Boom!
In the sky, the Ultimate Void materialized, and the Sword Dao Grand Celestial Realm was reborn, descending from the heavens!