Chapter 4007: Revenge
The Ancient God Path was built along the tributaries of the Santu River, spreading like a spiderweb to connect various worlds and planets. It was now increasingly busy and lively, no longer exclusive to deities.
A team of sacred realm cultivators from the Stone Clan, transporting resources, advanced rapidly along the Ancient God Path.
The team consisted of over a hundred stone beasts, each the size of a small mountain.
On the backs of some stone beasts, traveling palaces were built, with banners planted.
"Swoosh!"
In the hazy and indistinct void, a gentle divine light of fate shone across the Santu River.
The fate rules of heaven and earth moved accordingly.
Moments later, Ice King, dressed in a cloud-sleeved white robe, stood upright, appearing before the team.
His invisible aura, like a wall, blocked all the stone beasts.
Inside the traveling palace on the back of a stone beast resembling a stone turtle, Second Elder sighed softly: "In the end, it was unavoidable."
He shed his Stone Clan disguise, returning to his true form.
He had a human-like body, appearing about fifty years old, with a tail and hair like writhing fleshy vines.
Walking out of the traveling palace, Second Elder first glanced at Ice King standing by the Santu River tributary, then looked at the Selfless Lamp suspended in the void, and said: "Since the Selfless Lamp is here, Imperial Dust must have come as well. Please show yourself!"
"Killing you doesn't require Imperial Dust's presence."
Ice King's tone was calm, but his voice was resolute.
The will and determination contained in the word "kill" transformed into endless cold, freezing sections of the Santu River, producing the sound of ice forming.
Second Elder remained fearless, sneering: "Xia Huangchao, just you alone?"
"One person is enough."
Ice King continued: "Wubian has been dead for many years. You should have gone to accompany him long ago. Back then, I watched helplessly as Ajiu died at your hands, unable to take revenge, and could only imprison myself on Ice King Star. Do you know what kind of feeling that is?"
Second Elder said: "The dead cannot be brought back to life. You should let it go."
The cold wind howled, the force of their auras colliding, pulling the wind.
The entire Ancient God Path trembled, many cracks appearing.
Ice King's emotions were unaffected, his hair dancing in the wind, and he said: "Actually, over the years, I have been constantly worried, worried that you would die at someone else's hands. Now it's good; I finally have the chance to kill you with my own hands."
"I am a Perfect Heaven-Repairing cultivator."
Second Elder had a certain confidence.
Because he could tell that Zhang Ruochen would indeed not personally come to kill him.
Whether it was Tiannan or Lady Shiji, they were absolute pillars of the Hell Realm's strength. If these two pillars fell, the Abyss of Darkness defense line would collapse, and then the entire Hell Realm would crumble under the assault of the Twelve Ancient Clans and the Immortals.
In that case, facing Xia Huangchao alone, he was truly unafraid.
Ice King's eyes showed a hint of disdain, saying: "So what if you are a Perfect Heaven-Repairing cultivator?"
"If we fight, it's hard to say who wins and who loses. But if I want to leave, you cannot stop me." Second Elder said.
"Try it."
As Ice King spoke these words, surging blood qi burst from his body.
He still looked handsome and elegant, but his spiritual demeanor changed instantly, like a world-dominating demon god standing in the starry sky.
Killing intent, divine patterns, blood qi, divine force... various powers converged into a patch of scarlet clouds, like claws, like teeth, surging toward Second Elder.
"Swoosh!"
Second Elder only felt Ice King's power filling the universe, shocking heaven and earth and terrifying the soul, leaving no room to dodge.
Ice King's true form crossed the rules before Second Elder, directly entering the traveling palace.
"Bang bang!"
All defensive measures were fragile.
They broke as he passed.
Space and time seemed to not exist before Ice King.
Seeing this, Second Elder abandoned the idea of fighting Ice King and directly activated the space teleportation array he had prepared long ago.
Dense array patterns emerged beneath his feet, and space trembled violently.
"Leaving?"
Ice King threw a punch, breaking through the light curtain of the space teleportation array. The space inside the array shattered and collapsed toward the center.
But Second Elder had already teleported away first.
Ice King's form flickered, following into the space.
"Shua!"
Moments later, Second Elder appeared in the starry sky, eighty trillion miles away.
He knew very well that such a teleportation distance could not shake off Ice King.
He had to completely seal his aura and heavenly secrets before Ice King arrived, hiding into the Void World. Only then would he truly escape.
"Eh!"
Second Elder sensed something was wrong and looked up.
He saw the Selfless Lamp still hanging above his head, shining with boundless light, as if it had arrived in this starry domain before him.
"Zhang Ruochen said you are an old acquaintance of his, and asked me to help illuminate your escape route, since your path ahead is completely dark." The Selfless Lamp said.
Second Elder was so angry his teeth itched, and he wanted to strike down the Selfless Lamp.
But he knew that this divine lamp left by the Fate Ancestor possessed combat power stronger than his own as a Perfect Heaven-Repairing cultivator. It was already a blessing that it did not help Ice King surround and kill him.
But with it shining on him like this, how could he escape?
Before Second Elder could think of a countermeasure, Ice King arrived holding the Azure Cloud Banner. Still tens of millions of miles away, the war banner had already slashed down.
The azure banner surface split the void.
Second Elder released his spiritual power, and countless talisman patterns appeared in the starry sky, like a rain of light, dazzling and blazing.
"How can he be so strong? Could it be... could it be that he has already broken through to the middle stage of Indestructible Infinite?"
This thought had just flashed through Second Elder's mind when the Azure Cloud Banner broke through the sky full of talisman patterns and landed on his head.
Second Elder barely dodged away, and divine talisman patterns of a higher level appeared on his legs. His state of mind was no longer so calm; he only wanted to escape immediately.
Even if Ice King was only at the initial stage of Indestructible Infinite, Second Elder had little chance of winning.
Let alone the middle stage of Indestructible Infinite?
"Where are you going?"
Ice King's divine voice came from behind.
While fleeing at high speed, Second Elder clearly saw wisps of blood mist, like great rivers, converging from all directions, more and more, until his vision was filled with blood mist.
His speed was greatly hindered.
"Fifty percent of the Blood Sea Heavenly Dao Esoterica, worthy of the Undying Divine Temple's Hall Master."
Second Elder gritted his teeth, turned his head to stare at Ice King, his fleshy vine hair burning, emitting an eerie light, and roared: "Sweep the courtyard and kill at every step!"
The death thought technique "Courtyard Sweeping Killing Art" was the strongest attack technique Second Elder had mastered, capable of crossing defensive rules and directly cutting into a cultivator's spirit and soul.
Ice King's body radiated blood light for ten thousand zhang, moving through the death thought power, reaching Second Elder, and heavily striking down with a palm.
Even burning his spiritual power, Second Elder could not block this strike. Ice King's palm hit him, breaking through the space boundary, sending him falling into Lihentian, flying out for who knows how many billions of miles.
His talisman robe was extraordinary. Although dozens of bones were broken and his internal organs were shattered, his physical body did not collapse.
"Tiannan's Half-Ancestor Silver Radiance Talisman Robe, even such a treasure was given to you. Qingtian truly treats you disciples well, protecting you no matter how great the mistake. I admire that."
Ice King chased into Lihentian, directly activating the power of the undying bone within him, intending to finish the battle quickly.
...
Underworld Clan.
Third Elder appeared outside the temple of Gong Xuanzang, one of the Twenty Heavens of the Hell Realm, seeking his help.
A deep divine voice came from within the temple: "Although the Upper Three Clans are now strategic allies, advancing and retreating together, the Hell Realm is also a whole. Xia Huangchao and Second Elder have a personal grudge; the Underworld Clan finds it difficult to intervene."
Third Elder said: "The Hell Realm cannot fall into chaos, nor can it engage in internal strife. Tiannan is willing to offer all the treasures it can to compensate Ice King. We only ask that Gong Tian represent the Underworld Clan in mediating, turning a big matter into a small one, so that the Hell Realm can return to a stable situation."
Gong Xuanzang knew this matter was not to be touched and did not reveal his true form, saying: "Xia Huangchao represents not only the Undying Blood Clan but also the Lower Three Clans. If I mediate, then what was originally a personal grudge will escalate into a confrontation between the Lower Three Clans and the Upper Three Clans, further expanding the situation."
"Understood. Farewell."
Third Elder was naturally resentful, knowing that Gong Xuanzang feared Zhang Ruochen and Heavenly Mother, which is why he gave these high-sounding reasons.
But what could he do? Could he force Gong Xuanzang?
...
Stone Clan.
"Please, Stone Heaven, mediate and save my second senior brother. Tiannan will remember this kindness." Seventh Elder knelt directly outside the temple, kowtowing heavily.
This sincerity was naturally far greater than Third Elder's.
"Xiaoqi, why must you go this far? Get up."
Stone Heaven's form and dharma appeared above the temple, using invisible force to lift Seventh Elder, then said: "You are the most reasonable among Tiannan's younger generation. You should know that I absolutely cannot step in. Once I do, the Lower Three Clans and the Upper Three Clans will inevitably confront each other. Second Elder's greatest enemy is not Xia Huangchao, but the Rakshasa Clan."
Seventh Elder said: "Heavenly Mother is a cultivator with great breadth of mind and has never mentioned this matter."
"Heavenly Mother may not act, but other Rakshasa cultivators will definitely act. Moreover, it is not only the Rakshasa Clan that has a deep hatred for the Quantity Organization, but also Fengdu Ghost City." Stone Heaven said.
Seventh Elder fell into thought.
Stone Heaven said: "Heavenly Mother and Fengdu Dadi, out of self-respect and for the sake of the overall situation, will certainly not act. But Zhang Ruochen's actions are precisely the result they hope to see? Second Elder brought this upon himself and deserves to die; he is certainly beyond saving. You should go find Lady Shiji quickly and try to save your master."
Seventh Elder's heart shook.
What did Stone Heaven mean? Could Zhang Ruochen alone threaten his master's life?
After Seventh Elder left, Desolate Heaven spoke from within the temple: "Actually, you could have gone to save him. You represent the Stone Clan. Fengdu Dadi and Heavenly Mother would have to give you some face. You fear offending Ice King. Ice King is young and has already broken through to the middle stage of Indestructible Infinite, cultivating too fast. If you stop him from taking revenge today, you will become his enemy."
Stone Heaven smiled noncommittally: "And you? Do you think you can keep up with his pace?"
"At most, give me one more eon, and I will not lose to him, even if he has already broken through to the peak of Indestructible Infinite by then. And after one eon... he will not be able to keep up with my pace."
Desolate Heaven's eyes were steady, neither arrogant nor proud, but his tone was full of confidence.
Stone Heaven said: "Since the Stone Clan has you, why should I fear Ice King?"
"I am me, and you are you."
Desolate Heaven strode out of the temple like a dragon or tiger, standing proudly outside, his gaze crossing the boundless space, looking toward the battle in Lihentian.
In this world, there were not many cultivators he held in high regard, but Ice King was certainly one of them.
Ice King, Dragon Lord, and others were the next peaks he had to cross.
Everyone was advancing rapidly; he had to cultivate faster.
Desolate Heaven let out a long breath. Suddenly, his two blade-like thick eyebrows stiffened. His right arm shot out like lightning, and a finger struck forward.
Before him, space shattered, forming a hole dozens of zhang in diameter.
A divine staff thrust out from the space hole, with infinite power. The murderous and cold energy activated all the formations around the temple.
"Boom!"
The tip of Desolate Heaven's finger clashed with the divine staff, and destructive energy continuously spread outward.
Without even looking, Desolate Heaven knew who had launched this attack.
Bai Qinger retreated, holding the Green Mountain Divine Staff, her spiritual power and divine qi fully released. From the divine realm world behind her, four more divine staffs flew out.
Zhang Ruochen had taken the Annihilation Bell from her, but he had also helped her gather the five divine staffs of the Inverse God Clan.
The Green Mountain Divine Staff, the Red Flood Dragon Divine Staff, the Black Water Divine Staff, the Golden Cicada Divine Staff, and the Yellow Stone Divine Staff. The five staffs inserted into the ground, forming a battle formation, emitting five-colored light.
Desolate Heaven's eyes were complex and melancholic, but in an instant, they returned to indifference, and he said: "You are still no match for me."
"Whether I am or not is not for you to decide."
Bai Qinger cultivated both martial arts and spiritual power, using both methods simultaneously, attacking again.
Defeating Desolate Heaven was the vow she had made from the day she began her cultivation path.
Years had passed, and the hatred in Bai Qinger's heart was no longer as strong as before. She could also understand Desolate Heaven's helplessness back then, but the will to "challenge Desolate Heaven and defeat Desolate Heaven" had never changed.
...
Qishier Pin Lian stood on a fourth-level life planet located in the desert region of the universe, peering into Lihentian, and said: "What does Di Zu think of Xia Huangchao?"
Di, his body like a mountain, holding a stone knife with both hands, was refining it with divine fire, and said: "His future achievements will not be inferior to mine."
Qishier Pin Lian said: "Then he must be added to the first wave of the death list to be cleaned up."
Behind Qishier Pin Lian, an ancient hall master, looking like a seven- or eight-year-old child, took out a silver-threaded booklet, picked up a pen, and wrote the name "Xia Huangchao" on it.
The booklet contained not only the current Half-Ancestors but also the names of the younger generation, such as Zhang Ruochen, Yan Wushen, Xue Jue, and Desolate Heaven.
Once the Dark Lord's remnant body was successfully fused, these people must be eliminated immediately.
Threats must be cleared before they mature.
"Roar!"
A roar filled with pain and anger came from underground.
The ground shook.
In the darkness, mountain after mountain exploded.
Crimson magma surged from underground, the heat wave covering the sky and earth, rushing straight into the clouds.
Qishier Pin Lian, Di, Lao Mo, and the surviving ancient hall masters all looked into the magma. Some cultivators could not withstand the soul pressure, their divine bodies trembling incessantly.
"We pay homage to the Dark Lord!" Everyone said in unison.
A majestic and sacred dark shadow appeared in the magma, exuding a heavy aura like heaven and earth itself, its tone containing coldness: "That being in the Divine Realm arranged extremely hidden power within the Dark Hand, ambushing me. This fusion of the remnant body has failed utterly."
(Chapter End)