Chapter 2478: The Variable Arrives
"Boom!"
Wu Yue Ming Huang's pupils erupted with pillars of flame, striking toward the Nether Ghost Ship.
The temperature of the flames was dozens of times more intense than the Emperor Flame-level Purifying Divine Fire Zhang Ruochen had cultivated.
Zhang Ruochen's Purifying Divine Fire was at most ten thousand levels, comparable to the surface temperature of a star. The flames surging from Wu Yue Ming Huang's pupils reached over three hundred thousand levels.
It could be said that under flames of this magnitude, any Great Saint below the Supreme Realm would be instantly reduced to ashes.
It wasn't that Zhang Ruochen's Purifying Divine Fire was weak, but that Wu Yue Ming Huang's cultivation surpassed his by countless times. Within Wu Yue Ming Huang's body, the rules of the Fire Path alone exceeded a hundred billion, ten times more than all of Zhang Ruochen's Sacred Dao rules combined.
On the Nether Ghost Ship, the thirty-six Yin Banners blazed with intense light.
The formation inscriptions on the banners emitted brilliant radiance, intertwining to form a defensive barrier a thousand miles in diameter.
"Boom."
The two pillars of flame struck the defensive barrier, causing space to tremble violently and show signs of distortion.
The Nether Ghost Ship swayed slightly.
Standing at the bow, Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor let out laughter that shook heaven and earth: "So this is the famed First Life Emperor of Destiny Temple? I, the Alliance Master, will claim those Void-Devouring Flame Eyes of yours in advance!"
Beneath his thousand-mile-long hair, two ghost eyes opened, also emitting pillars of flame.
The difference was that the flames from Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor's eyes were Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame, extremely cold, supremely yin and evil, appearing azure-green.
Even standing ten thousand miles away, all the Spiritual Power Saint Masters could feel the chilling cold of the Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame, their bodies trembling slightly.
Yu Huang cultivated the Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame, but compared to Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor, it was like a candle flame against a sea of fire.
Yet Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor's two Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame pillars, when clashing with the flame pillars from Wu Yue Ming Huang's eyes, were instantly routed. Forced to do so, Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor had to open a third ghost eye, a fourth ghost eye...
Only after opening seven ghost eyes did the energy unleashed by the Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame finally reach a balanced stalemate with Wu Yue Ming Huang.
Shang Yue's gaze was solemn, and she exclaimed in awe, "Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor's nine ghost eyes were cultivated using the Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame and nine Divine Throne Planets. Yet unexpectedly, Wu Yue Ming Huang is so powerful that Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor needs to use seven eyes to contend with him."
To Shang Yue, Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor, the Alliance Master of the Ghost Ship Alliance and a top-tier titan among the dark powers, was like a towering mountain she could only look up to.
Duan Lingfeng sneered, "What you know of Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor's strength is only the surface. His Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame has long reached the Ninth Heaven. After refining the nine Divine Throne Planets into eyeballs, he can borrow the divine power contained within them, elevating the Netherworld Soul-Devouring Flame to the level of a Divine Ability."
"There are not many Saint-level cultivators in the Heavenly Court and Hell who can withstand his nine eyes."
Shang Yue asked, "It is said that the nine Divine Throne Planets he refined came from the complete Star Soul Divine Throne of a deity?"
Duan Lingfeng nodded, "Exactly. It is precisely because the nine Divine Throne Planets share the same origin that Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor is so powerful."
"Then isn't Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor comparable to a False God?" Shang Yue exclaimed in shock.
Duan Lingfeng shook his head, "The divine power within the nine Star Soul Divine Thrones has already been depleted. Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor only activates them through formations, Divine Stones, and his profound cultivation. Moreover, since he hasn't refined the deity's Star Soul belonging to those nine Divine Throne Planets, he naturally isn't a False God."
"What is the gap between a Supreme Realm Great Saint and a False God?" Shang Yue asked curiously.
Duan Lingfeng thought carefully, then said, "In heaven and earth, those who can fight against False Gods at the Supreme Saint Realm can each be considered a representative figure of an Eon."
"As far as I know, throughout the entire Heavenly Court and Hell, only Wuma Jiuxing barely reaches that level. As for Yuan Qianmo and the Heavenly Court's Donghua Emperor, though they are extremely famous, their achievements are far less glorious than Wuma Jiuxing's. It's hard to judge their actual strength."
"You only need to know that even a powerhouse like the Ten Netherworld Executioners cannot withstand a single slash from Wuma Jiuxing. So, with your current cultivation, peering into the realm of False Gods is like an ant gazing at the sky—unreachable and unattainable."
Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor opened all nine ghost eyes simultaneously. Within the nine eyes, star seas rose and fell, suns and moons revolved, unleashing a might that repelled Wu Yue Ming Huang.
"Fate Halberd."
Wu Yue Ming Huang summoned the inherited Supreme Sacred Artifact of the Fate Department, drawing forth the Supreme Power within the war halberd. Instantly, the heaven and earth energy within tens of thousands of miles converged toward him.
Over a thousand bolts of lightning wove around the Fate Halberd.
With a single thrust of the halberd, all the lightning followed.
With a thunderous roar, the defensive formation of the Nether Ghost Ship was pierced. Wu Yue Ming Huang spread his arms, his cloak flying, and charged straight at Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor.
Duan Lingfeng frowned, "Not good. The Nether Ghost Ship's defense is broken. Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor is no match for Wu Yue Ming Huang."
"How is that possible? I saw Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor always on the upper hand. The power of nine eyes is just one of his techniques. Besides, the Ghost Ship Alliance must have brought a Supreme Sacred Artifact as well," Shang Yue said, somewhat puzzled.
Duan Lingfeng shook his head, "You underestimate Wu Yue Ming Huang too much. As far as I know, his Supreme Dharma Body is formed from twelve trillion Sacred Dao rules. Coupled with his many years of cultivation at the Supreme Realm, his accumulation has reached a level unimaginable to ordinary Supreme Realm Great Saints. Otherwise, why would he be called the First among the Ten Life Emperors?"
Shang Yue's cultivation had reached the Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm, and she had begun to understand the mysteries of the Supreme Dharma Body.
As far as she knew, a Ten Thousand Deaths One Life Realm Great Saint only needed to cultivate one trillion Sacred Dao rules to condense a Supreme Dharma Body and break through to the Supreme Realm. A cultivator who cultivated twelve trillion Sacred Dao rules to condense a Supreme Dharma Body was something she had only seen in legends and ancient texts.
Thinking that Wu Yue Ming Huang was such a legendary existence, her heart couldn't help but tremble—a reverence for the strong.
Yun Huan Iron Blood King stood not far away, his expression somewhat desolate.
The Sacred Dao rules he had cultivated within his body had long exceeded one trillion. He was once a member of the Nether Hall's "Iron Blood Nether Riders." Unfortunately, on the Merit Battlefield, he had suffered an incurable injury, leaving him forever unable to condense a Supreme Dharma Body and never able to step into the Supreme Realm.
Perhaps only by finding the Origin Divine Temple would he have a chance to recover.
As expected, after exchanging dozens of rounds with Wu Yue Ming Huang, Nine-Eyed Ghost Emperor immediately retreated and fled, barely able to contend with Wu Yue Ming Huang only by relying on the formations of the Nether Ghost Ship.
...
Below the battlefield, by the furnace fire.
Gong Nanfeng opened a pair of clear eyes and said solemnly, "Indeed, after recalculating once more, a variable has appeared."
"What variable?" Bore asked.
Gong Nanfeng shook his head, "An extremely powerful existence has obscured the heavenly secrets. I cannot deduce it; I can only vaguely see a trace of a Fate trajectory."
"To be able to obscure the calculations of the Fate Department Minister, an ordinary deity couldn't do it," Bore said.
Gong Nanfeng sighed deeply, "I said it long ago—I am too weak. This time, Xu Rulai should have come; he is stronger."
Fulu Great Priest, who had been squinting all along, suddenly seemed to wake up, saying, "I just performed a calculation as well and discovered that something has gone wrong at Divine Maiden City."
His gaze fixed on Death Great Priest, and he smiled, "Your people don't seem to be reliable."
Nutian Great Priest snorted heavily, expressing great dissatisfaction, "The dignified Destiny Temple cooperating with the Goddess Twelve Pavilions is itself a laughable matter. From the very beginning, we should have listened to me and directly dispatched a large army to crush them by force. Who would dare to contend with Destiny Temple for the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals?"
"This is Ice King Star. Dispatching a large army here by Destiny Temple would be disregarding the dignity of the elder Bing Huang, wouldn't it?"
Death Great Priest said coldly, then asked, "What exactly has gone wrong?"
"Someone has used a Divine Talisman. Divine Maiden City has been reduced to ashes," Fulu Great Priest said.
Death Great Priest's pupils flickered with Death Qi as he suppressed the malice in his heart and asked calmly, "Who did it?"
"Suspected to be Paradise Realm," Fulu Great Priest said.
Death Great Priest asked, "And Zhang Ruochen? The top-grade Origin Divine Crystals?"
Fulu Great Priest shook his head gently, a cold expression appearing on his face, "Zhang Ruochen is a young talent valued by the God Venerable, being groomed as the future pillar of the Hell Realm. He is also the most crucial link in the relationship between the Hell Realm and the Ancient Divine Nest. If he falls, you bear an undeniable responsibility."
Nutian Great Priest spoke again, "Entrusting such a major matter as the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals to the Goddess Twelve Pavilions was itself a grave mistake."
Death Great Priest said, "Wasn't Zhuo Yunong stationed at Divine Maiden City enough? When the plan was formulated, all of you agreed to it."
"At that time, you swore an oath that Destiny Temple would seize all the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals while also wiping out the top experts of the Ten Dark Powers in one fell swoop. But now? Divine Maiden City is destroyed, and Zhang Ruochen has likely fallen. All of this is because you trusted that woman of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions too much and because you were too arrogant yourself," Nutian Great Priest said.
When the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals appeared, the high-ranking members of Destiny Temple had held a meeting.
At that time, Death Great Priest had proposed using the power of the Goddess Twelve Pavilions to seize all the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals. He also planned to use the Celestial Pivot Needle to lure out the top experts of the Ten Dark Powers and the Heavenly Court's cultivators lurking in the Hell Realm, annihilating them in one move.
Death Great Priest said, "The Boundless Pavilion killed the previous Goddess in the Fate Divine Domain. The Qiankun Yiqitang's Wuma Jiuxing made a grand show of defeating the Temple's number one expert, Zhuo Yunong, and then beheaded five of the Nether Executioners in succession. Destiny Temple's prestige has suffered an unprecedented blow."
"If we don't destroy the Ten Dark Powers, won't Destiny Temple become a laughingstock for the Heavenly Court Myriad Realms?"
"If we don't cooperate with the Goddess Twelve Pavilions, how can we lure out the experts of the Ten Dark Powers?"
Bore said, "Everyone, arguing at this moment is meaningless. In my opinion, we should go all out to end the battle here and rush to Divine Maiden City quickly. Destroying the Ten Dark Powers is certainly imperative, but the top-grade Origin Divine Crystals are even more important."
As the newly appointed Goddess, Bore's cultivation was still very weak, but her status and position made it impossible for anyone to ignore her words.
Xionghai Great Priest, who had been silent all along, suddenly stood up and looked in a certain direction, saying, "I sense someone spying from the shadows. Are they trying to play the role of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?"
The several Great Priests stopped arguing and became alert.
Knowing that the top experts of Destiny Temple and the Ten Dark Powers were here, yet daring to approach and spy, the intruder was certainly no weakling.
"Could it be cultivators from the Heavenly Court lurking in the Hell Realm?" Fulu Great Priest said.
Xionghai Great Priest formed finger seals with both hands, tracing a mysterious finger technique. Instantly, the space before him split open, and a ghost mask flew out. Behind the ghost mask, dense Yin-Sha Qi surged, condensing into a three-hundred-zhang-tall giant ghost general.
"The Ghost Deity Mask—Xionghai God Venerable has actually bestowed this treasure upon him."
All the cultivators present showed expressions of caution.
"The Ghost Deity Mask was originally intended to deal with Wuma Jiuxing. Now, I can only test its power in advance."
Xionghai Great Priest smiled, mobilizing his Spiritual Power to its fullest. The giant ghost general wearing the ghost mask charged into the sky, pressing a palm toward the pitch-black clouds.
At that moment, all the top-tier Great Saints engaged in battle could sense the terrifying might erupting from the giant ghost general, feeling an indescribable shock.
Just as everyone expected the clouds to be pierced through, the originally pitch-black clouds suddenly turned into a riot of seven colors, dazzlingly brilliant, like a divine flower blooming.
A faint fragrance of crabapple flowers spread across tens of thousands of miles.
It was the scent of crabapple.
Standing on the back of the Xuanwu Divine Corpse, Zhang Ruochen revealed a shocked expression, "This is... how is it possible..."
Not only him, but countless cultivators present were stunned.
Xionghai God Venerable found it hard to believe. The giant ghost general had failed to pierce through the clouds, blocked by a seven-colored light.
Who was it?
Who possessed such power?
"Whoosh"
A dazzling sword light, like a nine-day star river, slashed down from beyond the sky.
The clouds spanning tens of thousands of miles were split open by a single sword strike, forming a sword path a hundred thousand miles long.
The giant ghost general and the Ghost Deity Mask were struck by the sword, falling from the sky and crashing heavily to the ground.
A crimson stone sword over twenty thousand meters long pierced through its chest and abdomen, pinning it beneath the blade.
The land beneath the sword rumbled as it sank.
The top-tier Great Saints who had been fighting all stopped in shock, curious about which faction's expert had arrived.
Seeing the stone sword, as massive as a mountain peak, Zhang Ruochen's heart nearly leaped out of his chest, "The Wordless Sword Manual."
The Wordless Sword Manual was stored on the seventh floor of the Sword Pavilion. It was not a book but a stone sword, as enormous as a mountain peak.
Who could activate it?
The dust dispersed.
Everyone finally saw clearly. At the top of the twenty-thousand-meter stone sword stood a human-headed, serpent-bodied, long-haired man radiating silver light. Evil Qi swirled around him, and his gaze seemed to look down upon heaven and earth.
Zhang Ruochen's throat went dry, "Blood Spirit Immortal."
The seven-colored cloud in the sky dispersed. An old woman in red robes with white hair stood in midair, hunched and stooped. She exuded a thick aura of strength and ancient charm, as if she had lived for endless ages, more ancient than the gods themselves.
As she appeared, crabapple petals drifted down from the sky, turning into a rain of flowers.
"Crabapple Granny."
Zhang Ruochen understood. He understood why Blood Spirit Immortal could activate the Wordless Sword Manual as a battle weapon!