Chapter 3275: Strong Condemnation
Yu Shi walked out of the divine temple, looked up at the dense black clouds in the sky, and muttered to herself, "They actually ignored even Master's warning—a bunch of self-righteous fools!"
She had said what needed to be said. She had given all the reminders necessary.
Over the past hundred thousand years, these beings had become increasingly arrogant, intoxicated by one victory after another in their clashes with the Heavenly Court. With the vast protective umbrella of the Darkness Temple shielding them, they had grown haughty, unruly, and defiant. It was only fitting that Zhang Ruochen teach them a harsh lesson.
Yu Shi donned a black cloak, grasped her withered wooden staff, and tore through the void, vanishing.
"Boom!"
Thunder rumbled as rain began to fall in dense sheets.
Inside the temple, a humanoid tree-like divine being gazed out at the downpour and remarked, "Hall Master Wu Yue might truly have meant well."
"Meant well? Do you all still remember where Li Xiao Great God, Shuangcheng Mo, Shidi, and Renpi Denglong fell? At least two of those Great Gods likely perished because of Zhang Ruochen. As for the deaths of the several Spirit Gods from the Spirit God Hall, Zhang Ruochen is hardly innocent. If he doesn't come, fine. But if he dares show his face, we'll make sure he dies without a burial place." Chi Xuan Ghost Lord's tone was fierce.
Zhenyun Great God added, "Hall Master Wu Yue is a spiritual power cultivator, so her perspective naturally differs from ours. To break through to the spiritual power realm of 'One Thought Determines Fate,' she undoubtedly needs guidance from a ninety-step master. Perhaps that's why she's set aside her grudges."
The tree deity spoke in a low voice, "Zhang Ruochen may not be a major threat, but don't forget about Huang Tian."
The mere mention of "Huang Tian" silenced the temple.
Rumor had it that Huang Tian had recently slain Xuan Yi, his reputation soaring to unprecedented heights. Who wouldn't fear him?
Chi Hun Ghost Lord cackled, "This lord has received secret intelligence—the Xuan Yi killed by Huang Tian was likely just a doppelganger. Huang Tian may not be as formidable as everyone imagines."
"Besides, even if Huang Tian's cultivation has surged to the point where he's unrivaled below the Infinite Realm, he's still just one person. Can one person shake the structure of the Hundred Clans Royal City? Even if a God King emerged, it might not be enough."
Zhenyun Great God said, "This god also has information: Huang Tian has gone to the Starry Sky Defense Line and won't be coming to the Hundred Clans Royal City anytime soon. So there's no need for such tension. Let's go to Xiongguan Star—Blazing Sun Heavenly Lord has been urging us again."
Huang Tian's combat prowess naturally made the gods of the Darkness Temple wary.
However, for a major power like the Darkness Temple, even with their Infinite Realm experts away on the northern campaign, they still retained killing moves capable of countering God Kings and God Venerables. They wouldn't stake everything on the watchers.
They were arrogant, yes, but not blindly so. They had the confidence to deal with any enemy.
...
Fengxu Ancestral Realm.
Mu Lingxi, clad in white robes, entered the grand hall where the gods of the Destiny Temple had gathered. The phoenix mark on her brow blazed like fire, and a faint divine majesty emanated from her.
The Buzhou Realm gods and false gods in the hall all rose to their feet.
"We pay homage to the Heavenly Lady!"
They bowed respectfully, some in awe, others cautious, none daring to underestimate her.
This half-human, half-phoenix woman had been personally appointed as "Heavenly Lady" by Feng Tian. Many speculated she would inherit Feng Tian's legacy and become the future master of the Death Divine Palace.
Mu Lingxi's physical body and divine soul had been nurtured for years by an Indestructible Infinite Heavenly God, undergoing a complete transformation. She had already reached a level that ordinary great gods could hardly attain. She only needed to elevate her cultivation insights to directly enter the great god realm.
Such an opportunity was rare across the ages, impossible to replicate.
Mu Lingxi could be called Feng Tian's heir, but in a sense, she could also be called Feng Tian's mother, bound by a deep karmic connection.
If not for Zhang Ruochen, Feng Tian would have killed Mu Lingxi upon emerging from her new shell, severing all ties and leaving no vulnerabilities.
Yan Ju accompanied Mu Lingxi, but despite his high cultivation, he walked behind her.
Mu Lingxi announced, "Feng Tian has decreed: Before the Starry Sky Defense Line is breached, no cultivator of the Destiny Temple shall attack the Hundred Clans Royal City. Consolidate the occupied major worlds and planets. If the Hundred Clans Royal City initiates an attack, you may counterattack and show no mercy."
"We obey the heavenly decree!"
Even the great gods rose and bowed, none daring to voice objections.
...
At the same time, the divine decree of Xue Jue War God reached the World Pasture where the Undying Blood Clan's army was gathered.
The envoy of Hun Qi arrived at Hanshi Ancestral Realm, not to order a retreat or a defensive stance, but to warn them to proceed with caution—the enemy was powerful.
The starry domain of the Hundred Clans Royal City was vast and resource-rich, holding immense strategic value. The major forces of the Hell Realm would not abandon it just because of a few powerful individuals like Zhang Ruochen and Huang Tian.
No matter how strong they were, they were still below the Infinite Realm, and their divine power had limits.
In an era where many Heavenly Gods coexisted, any Heavenly God could leave behind a killing move sufficient for them to slay their enemies.
...
Xiongguan Star was a seventh-level planet, dense with meteoric iron and structurally robust. The Blazing Sun Clan had turned it into a stellar fortress.
The star, a million miles in diameter, hung pitch-black in the void, not far from the Starry Prison Array.
War fortresses and cities floated around Xiongguan Star, connected by dense formation inscriptions, impervious to the attacks of the Starry Prison Array.
The war had raged for a hundred years. The entire starry sky was occupied by the forces of the Hell Realm, except for the region protected by the Starry Prison Array, which remained unbreached.
Today's Xiongguan Assembly aimed to launch a divine tide to shatter the forward formation barrier.
Within the barrier, various major worlds radiated different atmospheric colors, tempting the gods of the Hell Realm. Once they broke through, countless resources would be theirs for the taking.
Beams of divine light flew in from all directions, converging on the Eastern Extreme Plateau of Xiongguan Star.
From the plateau, one could directly glimpse the Hundred Clans Royal City.
The Blazing Sun Clan, Ghost Clan, Death Clan, and Darkness Temple were the four main forces attacking the Hundred Clans Royal City. Their armies had arrived one after another, with gods hidden within their divine realm worlds, manifesting divine shadows on the plateau.
Additionally, the Shura Clan, Yaksha Clan, Stone Clan, Bone Clan, and others all had factions participating.
Over a hundred forces, large and small, each with gods stationed, could not compare to the four main forces but were not to be underestimated. The momentum was immense.
On the entire plateau, banners blotted out the sky, and the wind was high.
Drums thundered, war horns pierced the heavens.
Hundreds of gods revealed their divine shadow manifestations.
More than a dozen Tai Xu Great Gods, including Blazing Sun Heavenly Lord, Zhenyun Great God, and Ghost Lord, gathered by the banks of the Qi River, discussing the specifics of this divine tide in secret.
Other great gods manifested their divine shadows and listened on the sidelines.
"With so many gods gathered here, just the divine might radiating from us should be enough to scare the cultivators of those minor clans in the Hundred Clans Royal City."
"They're all stubborn minor clans. Once we break the formation, we'll exterminate them all."
"Extermination is wasteful. We can corral the Saint Realm beings—they have many uses."
...
As the gods debated, Ghost Lord, clad in flowing cloud robes, chuckled, "Something's off. Why haven't the gods of the Destiny Temple arrived yet?"
In truth, the Destiny Temple was one of the five main forces attacking the Hundred Clans Royal City.
"Not just the Destiny Temple—the gods of the Undying Blood Clan haven't shown up either," said Blazing Sun Heavenly Lord.
Zhenyun Great God remarked, "I'm not surprised the Undying Blood Clan gods haven't come. You should know that Xue Jue War God has emerged from seclusion, right? After Qingyun Que's defeat, Xue Jue War God has firmly secured his position as the heir to the Undying Blood Clan's patriarch. With his current cultivation, who in the clan dares defy his will?"
A disdainful snort rang out.
The Tai Xu Great Gods turned their gaze to a blood-jade serpent-headed god.
This god from the Stone Clan was an exception among the top experts of the Hell Realm. Either they had gone to the Starry Sky Defense Line or were guarding their clans' temples and divine cities.
His title was Yuman Jun, a peerless expert from the Stone Divine Temple, having reached the Heart-Stop Realm. Unknown before, he had risen to fame only in the past century.
Yuman Jun had never been defeated, his combat power unfathomable. Many gods believed his strength could rank in the top three of the Stone Clan, perhaps even first.
Yuman Jun said, "Personal feelings outweighing clan interests—Xue Jue War God will never ascend to the patriarch's seat. No one in the Undying Blood Clan will accept him."
"How strange. Logically, since Feng Tian has appeared in this starry sky, the Destiny Temple should be more proactive. Could it be that their absence is by Feng Tian's order?" Kong Can, a Tai Xu Great God of the Death Clan, spoke from within a sphere of divine light.
Blazing Sun Heavenly Lord replied, "Impossible! Feng Tian personally attacked the Starry Sky Defense Line earlier, showing such aggression. How could she turn conservative at such a critical point as the Hundred Clans Royal City?"
Ghost Lord laughed, "Everyone, stop overthinking. Zhang Ruochen's emergence and Huang Tian's breakthrough are variables, but they won't affect the overall situation. Today's battle must break the Starry Prison Array and take the Hundred Clans Royal City..."
"Oh? An uninvited guest has arrived!"
On the plateau, all the gods turned their gazes to the sky.
Yi Huang transformed into a pillar of light, piercing through the atmosphere and landing on the Eastern Extreme Plateau, shaking the ground.
Its skeletal frame was towering, its entire body radiant with divine light. "This emperor, by the order of Young Lord Zhang Ruochen, comes to advise you all: The myriad races of the cosmos should coexist peacefully. Oppose oppression, oppose slaughter, oppose aggression."
"You should immediately leave this starry domain!"
"Return all the major worlds and planets you've occupied. Immediately release all the beings of the Hundred Clans Royal City you've captured. Immediately return all the resources you've plundered."
"You have brought war, tears, and blood to the Hundred Clans. You have created starry domain conflicts and escalated tensions, acting as accomplices of the Quantity Organization. Our Young Lord expresses strong condemnation and solemn protest. If you ignore this advice and persist in your reckless path, you are undoubtedly seeking your own doom."
"Finally, let this be said: Do not say you were not warned!"
The assembled gods exchanged bewildered glances. What kind of act was Zhang Ruochen putting on?
"Haha! Zhang Ruochen overestimates himself. If Huang Tian had said this, it might carry some weight."
"That brat Zhang Ruochen is too arrogant. Let's teach him a lesson first. Yi Huang, since you've abandoned the light for the dark and acknowledged Zhang Ruochen as your Young Lord, don't think you're leaving today. This lord will behead you to consecrate the banner!"
...
I really had no inspiration today, so just one chapter!