Chapter 1844: Eternal Dark Blood and Soul (Part 2)
Following the direction Long Bai's palm pointed, Long Yi and Long San looked toward the Canglan King's Palace, their gazes simultaneously narrowing.
Even without Long Bai's reminder, after such a fierce battle, a slight shift of attention to it would reveal something amiss.
Long Yi and Long San immediately soared into the air, while two withered figures stirred the wind and clouds of the entire sky, a terrifying might capable of shattering stars and destroying moons pressing down from afar toward the Canglan King's Palace.
The massive shift in the battlefield's airflow instantly caught everyone's attention. Chi Wuyue pulled back and turned her head, her eyes gathered a chilling gloom, her heart sighing.
Finally, this moment had arrived.
If they had not desperately diverted the battlefield away from the Canglan King's Palace, the palace would surely have rapidly collapsed under the overwhelmingly powerful Divine Lord power, exposing the barrier within.
But even so, after a short time, when everything had been reduced to smoking ruins, the conspicuously intact palace at the center would have been far too conspicuous, inevitably arousing suspicion.
This was an inescapable situation. The former could only buy a little more time.
Drawing a breath, Chi Wuyue's demonic aura surged, unleashing the most thunderous and heart-shaking demonic command yet: "All forces, fall back and defend!!"
Chi Wuyue's shout stabbed deeply into the nerves of all Northern Domain profound practitioners, which had been taut for so long.
The palace barrier—that was their final line of defense, which they must protect at all costs, even if it meant using their corpses to block it.
The Withered Dragon Venerable was incredibly fast. Amidst the howling storm, they had already neared the sky above the Canglan King's Palace. They struck simultaneously, two terrifying dragon powers crashing down from the sky.
Boom!
At almost the same moment, the palace roof was violently torn open, and a streak of black light accompanied by a ferocious screech burst forth.
The moment Long Bai's dragon soul touched him, Yan Er had already been poised to strike. As he charged out, his withered hands tore ten Yan Mo black marks into the air, scattering Long Yi and Long San's power midair. Then, with another strange roar, his hands, cloaked in dark claw shadows, stabbed directly at the throats of the two Withered Dragon Venerables.
Long Yi and Long San thrust their arms out with casual ease, and simultaneously, gray-white dragon god claw shadows flashed on their arms.
Bang!!
A deafening crash, and space shattered into countless fragments. Under the collision of these three terrifyingly powerful forces, the palace, built from Canglan Divine Stone, instantly collapsed more than half, revealing the outermost barrier.
Seven layers of barriers, jointly constructed by the Three Yan Ancestors, Chi Wuyue, Qianye Ying'er, and the Yan Emperor using powerful dark profound force, with Yun Che further using Dark Eternal Calamity to erase their aura to the greatest extent. These seven barriers not only isolated aura and sound in one direction, but also blocked vision.
Thus, even though the barrier was exposed, no one could see what it protected.
No matter how strong Yan Er was, he could not single-handedly contend with two Withered Dragon Venerables. In this completely head-on clash of power, Yan Er's claw shadows shattered, his withered body recoiled, and he plunged headlong, crashing heavily into the barrier.
But the residual power of the Withered Dragon Venerables could not penetrate the barrier. It struck the outermost barrier heavily, cracking it open a zhang-long fissure.
Even the Canglan barrier could hardly withstand the might of the Withered Dragon Venerables, let alone this hastily constructed dark barrier.
But in the next instant, Yan Er burst out again, a Yan Mo shadow exploding behind him, carrying far more terrifying power and aura than before as he charged at Long Yi and Long San.
His orders were to guard the barrier to the death and protect Yun Che. If the invaders wanted to touch the Zhou Tian Pearl, they would have to step over his shattered corpse first!
With the barrier exposed, the wind and thunder on the battlefield shifted.
Vast swaths of dark profound light erupted in desperation. The dark blood of all Northern Domain profound practitioners surged to their heads in the same instant... They did not choose to flee, but instead stayed in Canglan with the resolve to die or survive, all to protect Yun Che and defend that last sliver of hope.
If the barrier was breached, that last sliver of hope would be utterly cut off. All their faith and perseverance would become nothing but emptiness, leaving only their meaningless deaths.
Thus, for this final line of defense and hope, even if it meant buying only a single breath or instant, they would not hesitate to fight to the death.
Under the madly erupting dark radiance, all Northern Domain profound practitioners shook off their opponents without regard for cost, and with all their strength rushed toward the central Canglan King's Palace. Amid the brief stupefaction of the Western Domain profound practitioners, they quickly laid down a ring of defense formed by blood-stained dark bodies.
Long Bai raised his hand, his imperial command shaking hearts: "All forces, listen! Release all current targets and focus all power on breaking that barrier!"
This command undoubtedly sent the hearts of all Northern Domain profound practitioners plummeting.
The tide of battle turned sharply. Torrents of world-destroying storms surged toward the direction of the palace.
The bones of the Northern Domain profound practitioners creaked loudly, their faces twisted in ferocity.
In direct combat, they could attack and defend. Even against enemies far superior in strength or numbers, they could retreat and maneuver, delaying the opponent for a time.
But guarding the barrier meant they had to use their own power and bodies, head-on from the most direct front, to withstand all the enemy's power!
Even if it meant their bodies were shattered, they could not let the enemy's power strike the barrier.
The already brutal battle, after shifting to the Canglan King's Palace, became several times more horrific.
Yan Yi and Yan San simultaneously shook off their opponents and charged straight for the palace.
But Mu Xuanyin and Chi Wuyue's opponents were the two Withered Dragon Venerables; breaking away was not so easy. Just as they tried to forcibly turn back, two overlapping terrifying dragon domains sealed off a large area of space around them, trapping both sides within.
Mu Xuanyin made a snap decision, using Moon-Breaking Shadow Flick to abruptly twist her body, her sword like an ice rainbow, stabbing straight at the two Withered Dragons... Holding back these two Withered Dragons also removed two great threats to the palace barrier.
"Yan Ancestor guards the west, Yan Emperor Jiexin and Jieling guard the north, all Realm Kings..."
Boom!!
Chi Wuyue's sound transmission was cut off by Long Si. She turned back and focused her mind, her entire body surging with a murderous aura that chilled Long Si's heart. Her dark demonic silk ribbon danced, blooming nightmare black lotuses that devoured the dragon domain, leaving pitch-black holes one after another.
She did not continue transmitting... Because at this moment, demonic commands were no longer needed. What sustained everyone was only final hope and faith.
And what could determine the outcome was only fate.
The thousand-li space around the Canglan King's Palace shook and twisted violently. At this moment, it became the focal point of the battlefield, and also the most terrifying and brutal place in the history of the Divine Realm.
Yan Mo, Burning Moon, and Soul Plunder had all withdrawn to their utmost to defend. The Primordial Dragon Clan also flew down to guard one side. When both sides' forces were concentrated on one point, the battlefield instantly became a scene of utter horror.
Withered Dragons, Dragon Gods, Dragon Lords, Chi Dragons, Hui Dragons, Azure Dragons, All-Reaching, Qilins... When they all pressed in like a dark mass, it could no longer be described by the word "despair" alone.
Boom!
Boom!
Two Yan Mo joined forces, barely blocking the power of four Dragon Lords, at the cost of their arms cracking with dozens of shocking fissures. But immediately, the Dragon Lords' power struck again. The two Yan Mo's eyes were like ferocious ghosts, as if all sense of pain and fear had vanished from their wills. With blood-spurting arms, they released blood-stained Yan Mo power.
Bang!
The two Yan Mo were sent flying violently, but they twisted in midair, and instead of using the momentum to evade the four Dragon Lords' power, they used their own bodies to directly block it from the front, using their flesh and blood to absorb the power aimed at the barrier.
Boom!!
Blood mist scattered through the air. When the four Dragon Lords' power struck the barrier, only thirty percent remained.
In the east, those Northern Domain Divine Sovereigns unqualified to enter the battlefield and had been retreating with all their might now charged forward with roars, using their power—and more so their bodies—to block the forces crashing toward the barrier.
But their Divine Sovereign bodies, though beyond mortal reach, were far too fragile against Divine Lord power. In moments, their shattered corpses littered the ground before the barrier.
"Hold... hold to the death!!"
Yan Tianxiao howled, violently repelling the power and bodies of three Divine Lord Chi Dragons back, allowing the wounds Long Bai had left on him to split open even further.
Boom... The dark profound formation shattered. Yu Wu and Chan Yi were both injured, crashing heavily to the ground. Demon Butterfly and Green Firefly instantly shifted positions to replace them.
Including Jiexin and Jieling, all nine Demonesses were wounded... Especially Jiexin and Jieling, who were directly facing the two Dragon Gods Su Xin and Zi Li head-on. Half their bodies were stained with blood, their pupils dull, only the blades in their hands still wielded gleaming light that refused to dim.
Long Bai raised his arm, his palm facing the distant Primordial Dragon Emperor.
A dull thud, and space twisted in succession. The supreme dragon aura from the Dragon Emperor struck the Primordial Dragon Emperor from a hundred li away, sending the latter flying a hundred li. Then the dragon aura rolled back, bringing the Gray Dragon God back.
The Primordial Dragon Emperor rose with a roar, issuing a command for all Primordial Dragons to guard the Canglan King's Palace with all their might, but it did not approach itself. Because for it, protecting Cai Zhi was the most important thing.
Now that Cai Zhi was exhausted and unconscious, it would not actively seek out opponents, nor would it step into dangerous territory willingly.
Under the gray light, the Gray Dragon God returned to human form. Nearly half of the dragon bones in his body were broken, his skull was covered in cracks, and his face was a bloody blur. But the terrifying body and vitality of a Dragon God allowed him to stand upright even with his spine shattered, and his voice came out clearly: "Dragon Emperor... Gray... is useless..."
Long Bai did not respond, his dragon eyes gazing indifferently at the distant Canglan King's Palace.
Bang!
A thunderous crash shook the hearts of all present. The first layer of the barrier shattered amidst a cloud of blood mist.
"Yun Che is definitely inside," the Gray Dragon God said in a low voice.
This, of course, needed no reminder from the Gray Dragon God.
Knowing of their arrival in advance, the Northern Domain demons had not fled but instead stood in formation... It was not at all about buying time for Yun Che to escape back to the Northern Divine Realm, but to defend this barrier to the death!
And the only thing that could make these Northern Domain demons act like this was their "Demon Lord" Yun Che!
As for why Yun Che had not left but was instead inside this barrier... the only explanation was that he was likely in some kind of closed cultivation state that could not be interrupted.
In the south, Qianye Wugu fought alone against Long Yi. Though slightly wounded, he was not about to be defeated quickly, effectively holding back one of the greatest threats.
Qianye Bingzhu gazed into the distance at the Canglan barrier, then teleported repeatedly, trying to forcefully shake off the five Qilins.
"Ah," the Qilin Emperor sighed softly, lowering his voice, "It's better if you don't think about breaking away. As things are, you can still openly hold back the five of us. If you return to defend, the five of us will have no choice but to attack with full force, which will only harm you."
As the leading Divine Emperor below the Dragon God Realm of the Western Divine Domain, the Qilin Emperor's cultivation was not far behind Qianye Bingzhu's. Adding the four Ink Qilins with the might of Tenth-rank Divine Lords, had they truly exerted their full power, they would have already defeated Qianye Bingzhu.
Qianye Bingzhu shot a deep look at the Qilin Emperor, said nothing, and stopped trying to retreat. Instead, his Brahma radiance blazed brilliantly as he released all his power, directly attacking the Qilin Emperor.
The bodies of the Primordial Dragons were massive and formidable. They guarded the north, forming a barrier of dragon bodies. This barrier should have been unshakeable to the point of despair, but unfortunately, those striking against it were among the most powerful forces in the Western Divine Domain, and even the entire world.
Dragon blood spilled and splashed endlessly. The blood mist above was as thick as dark clouds pressing down on the city.
Bang!
A mournful cry. As three Primordial Dragons' bodies were brutally severed, the second barrier also shattered with a thunderous crash.
The bones underfoot and the pungent blood mist fully awakened the bestial nature dormant in everyone's blood. Facing the death-defying Northern Domain demons, the fear of death among the Western Domain Divine Lords had long been twisted... Killing and being killed gradually became the only thought in everyone's mind on the battlefield.