# Chapter 1368: A Thousand Holes and a Hundred Wounds
“Whoosh”
Just as the blood-red handprint descended, a brilliant sword light pierced through the handprint, transforming into a beam of light that shot straight into the sky.
When the beam of light came to a halt, it once again condensed into Empress Chi Yao's peerlessly elegant divine silhouette.
Empress Chi Yao stood in the void, her jet-black long hair fluttering in the wind. Countless inscription patterns interwove across the Blood-Dripping Sword in her hand, while her beautiful yet icy eyes released an aura of invincibility.
The blood-red handprint below, after striking the ground, shattered apart and once again transformed into boiling blood.
Like countless blood-red rivers spreading across the earth, the sight was truly shocking.
“Rustle, rustle.”
Blood continued to surge out from the Hell Gate.
At the same time, a vast and profound voice came from another world, appearing above Chi Yao's head: “A hundred thousand years ago, weren't all the gods of the Kunlun Realm already fallen? Even the Heavenly Earth Spiritual Root was severed. How could a new god be born?”
Empress Chi Yao's eyelashes lifted slightly, her expression exceptionally cold as she spoke to it: “Since I, the Empress, have become a god, it means the Kunlun Realm is about to revive.”
“Revive?”
The voice from the other world carried a hint of laughter: “As early as a hundred thousand years ago, the Kunlun Realm was already riddled with a thousand holes and a hundred wounds. If not for that bald monk Xumi exhausting all his divine power to seal those world holes, the Kunlun Realm would have long become part of the Hell Realm, a territory of the Undying Blood Clan. How could it have allowed you to drag out a miserable existence until now?”
“To be honest, you have absolutely no hope. Why bother struggling?”
“However, for you to be able to cultivate to the Divine Realm under such depleted conditions in the Kunlun Realm shows that your talent and temperament are still acceptable. Why not submit to me, work for the Undying Blood Clan, and at least preserve your life.”
Empress Chi Yao's divine body flickered with divine light, sword energy surging as she sneered: “You can't even break through the residual power of Xumi Saint Monk, yet you want me, the Empress, to submit to you?”
“Do you think that by cultivating to godhood, you can look down upon everything between heaven and earth? That only shows you are nothing more than a frog at the bottom of a well trapped in the Kunlun Realm. I have cultivated for one hundred and thirty-four thousand years, and still have reverence in my heart. How many years have you cultivated?”
Empress Chi Yao's expression remained unchanged, without a trace of fear. She merely gently smoothed her long hair with her fingers and said: “The longer one cultivates, the stronger they are not necessarily.”
The voice from the other world turned sharp, letting out a deep snort: “Do you truly believe I cannot descend into the Kunlun Realm? A hundred thousand years have passed, and that bald monk Xumi's residual power has already dissipated by ninety percent, becoming extremely fragile. Today, I shall descend into the Kunlun Realm, first slay you, then destroy Kunlun.”
“Rumble.”
The Hell Gate shook violently once more, rings of divine power rippling outward. Then, a blood-red giant hand extended from within.
Unlike before, this giant hand was not formed from coagulated blood, but was a real hand.
It was the divine hand of a god from the Undying Blood Clan, reaching from the Hell Realm all the way to the Kunlun Realm.
The divine power emanating from just the divine hand alone shook Manji Island violently, the earth rumbled, and the entire North Sea raised water waves dozens of feet high.
“The residual power of Xumi Saint Monk can no longer protect the Kunlun Realm after all. Has this day come too early?”
Empress Chi Yao's red lips parted slightly as she sighed. Then, her gaze turned extremely sharp. Lifting the Blood-Dripping Sword, she resolutely walked toward the Hell Gate and swung her sword.
As the Blood-Dripping Sword was unleashed, blood energy surged for three thousand miles, the sword wind pierced through the heavens beyond the heavens, and the might it unleashed was in no way inferior to that divine hand.
“Foolish. With your cultivation level, contending with me is nothing more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot.”
Within the Hell Gate, that blood-red giant hand erupted with surging divine power, meeting the Blood-Dripping Sword, intending to suppress and kill this newly emerged human god.
“Boom.”
A surge of divine power burst forth from Empress Chi Yao's body, merging with the Blood-Dripping Sword. The power of her slash actually managed to block that blood-colored giant hand.
The two divine powers clashed fiercely, neither side yielding.
“What does it matter if you've cultivated for one hundred and thirty-four thousand years? It's just one hand. If it reaches where it shouldn't, it deserves to be severed.”
Empress Chi Yao's graceful divine body, as if carved from seven-colored divine jade, dragged the Blood-Dripping Sword across the blood-colored giant hand, tearing open a long bloody gash, with copious amounts of divine blood flowing out.
Though she failed to sever the divine hand, she had still wounded it.
“Arrogant! Today, I shall show you what true divine power is. You still have a long way to go.”
The Hell Gate shook once more, rings of divine power rippling like a storm, causing the waters of the North Sea to boil even more fiercely.
The next moment, a second blood-red giant hand extended from within the Hell Gate.
With both blood hands extended simultaneously, the power they unleashed instantly doubled.
The divine power surging from Manji Island turned the entire sky of the North Sea blood-red, and the creatures within the sea grew even more terrified and restless.
“Crack.”
“Snap.”
...
The space near the Hell Gate began to shatter, and the residual divine power of Xumi Saint Monk rapidly dissipated.
“The battle from a hundred thousand years ago—today, it should finally come to an end.”
The owner of the two blood-red giant hands had even more massive divine power surging out from the gate. Clearly, he would soon fully descend into the Kunlun Realm.
Meanwhile, other places in the Kunlun Realm were also undergoing earth-shattering upheavals.
Northern Domain.
Deep within Xianji Mountain, the residual divine power of Xumi Saint Monk also shattered, with deathly evil qi surging out, covering that entire region.
Eastern Domain.
Within the Fallen God Tomb Forest, the Corpse River that spanned between the yin and yang realms suddenly shook violently.
Originally, Qiangu Nüdi had left a stone talisman standing in the Corpse River, sealing the passage between the underworld and the mortal world. But in the underworld, a divine power surged forth, actually striking the stone talisman and causing cracks to form.
Strands of ghostly qi seeped out, spreading across the entire Eastern Domain.
Besides the North Sea, Northern Domain, and Eastern Domain, the same phenomena appeared in the Southern Domain, Western Domain, Central Domain, the Desolate Wilderness Secret Realm... and even in some of the ruined realms surrounding the Kunlun Realm.
Blood qi, deathly evil qi, ghostly qi, Shura killing intent... streams of power from the Hell Realm seeped in through the world holes, as if intending to tear the entire Kunlun Realm apart.
“My clansmen in the Hell Realm are already starving with hunger. The Kunlun Realm is nothing but a granary, raising nothing but livestock and food. Sixth Son, Underworld King, where are you? Why not come out and join your father god in battle?”
From within the Hell Gate, the divine voice of that Undying Blood Clan god resounded, as if trying to awaken the slumbering Underworld King.
On the palms of the two blood-red divine hands, two blood qi demon wheels, each ten thousand zhang in diameter, condensed and blasted toward Empress Chi Yao, as if the entire world would be torn apart by these demon wheels.
Empress Chi Yao swung her sword once more. A sword energy ten thousand miles long flew out, shattering one of the blood qi demon wheels.
However, the other blood qi demon wheel crashed into her body. Her seven-colored divine body developed dense cracks, as if it were about to shatter.
Empress Chi Yao knelt on one knee, sliding backward for several thousand miles, divine blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
“Why bother struggling? You cannot stop this. Submit to me, and I will allow you to continue ruling the Kunlun Realm as its sovereign, watching over this pastureland for me.” The god's voice drew closer.
“Who... did you call livestock?”
Empress Chi Yao stood up once more. The battle intent within her had not diminished in the slightest; instead, her gaze grew even sharper. Her body automatically lifted off the ground as she spoke four words: “Return to Origin, One Sword.”
The Blood-Dripping Sword in her hand traced a circle.
Instantly, the entire world turned pitch black and dim. Above her head, the full starry sky manifested.
“Whoosh”
This sword gathered all her divine power, and she swung it with all her might.
The two blood-red divine hands erupted with full force, condensing an even larger blood qi demon wheel that blasted upward.
“Boom.”
“Pfft.”
Empress Chi Yao was struck by the blood qi demon wheel once more. Her entire body was a mess of blood and flesh, her divine body battered and broken as she fell to the ground, smashing a massive crater.
However, the Blood-Dripping Sword, after being swung out, also severed the two divine hands.
From the other side of the Hell Gate, an enraged roar sounded: “You cannot stop this. Today, the Kunlun Realm will surely fall.”
“It will not fall!”
Empress Chi Yao stood up again, raising the Blood-Dripping Sword with both hands. Divine blood from within her body streamed out endlessly, transforming into rivers of blood qi that rushed toward various directions of the Kunlun Realm.
“After so many years of preparation, it is time to activate the Heaven and Earth Altars.”
One blood river flew to the Liangyi Sect, charging into the Heaven and Earth Altar there.
Another blood river flew out of the Kunlun Realm, entering the Wood Essence Ruins Realm, also charging into a Heaven and Earth Altar.
...
All the Heaven and Earth Altars were activated.
From each altar, a beam of light flew out. All the beams interwove together, protecting the entire Kunlun Realm.
The Corpse River, Xianji Mountain, Manji Island... these holes connecting to the Hell Realm were sealed once more.
From within the Hell Gate, a deep voice sounded: “So you were prepared all along. But these mere Heaven and Earth Altars won't hold for long. Continue to drag out your miserable existence. The next time I descend in person, it will not end like this today...”
The voice gradually faded away, finally disappearing completely.
Empress Chi Yao's divine body swayed slightly. Unable to support herself any longer, she nearly fell to the ground.
However, she ultimately propped herself up with her long sword, refusing to let herself fall, because there was an even more important matter that required her personal attention.
“All saints of the imperial court, hear my command. I, the Empress, am about to leave the Kunlun Realm. During this period, Huang Yanchen shall temporarily oversee all government affairs of the First Central Empire. The rest must do their utmost to assist. Anyone who disobeys orders, I will kill them all one by one upon my return.”
“Second, the Heavenly Earth Spiritual Root, the Parasol Divine Tree, has already revived. If it has any needs, the imperial court must provide maximum support.”
“Third...”
...
She issued over a dozen commands in succession, all transmitted through divine thought. Only then did Empress Chi Yao begin to caress the Blood-Dripping Sword in her hand once more, her gaze somewhat complex as she said: “Time, oh time. Time is so urgent and precious! Killing, oh killing. I must continue killing! To achieve true unification, before I leave, I must yet again bathe the Kunlun Realm in blood.”