Chapter 4123: Army Surrounds the Mountain, Campaign Against Hao Tian
Bao Yin Di Zang, standing behind Meng Huang'e, made the first move. His figure flickered, and a demon-subduing hand seal shot out.
An ambush, obviously, should prioritize speed above all else.
This palm strike from Bao Yin Di Zang carried overwhelming power, like a thunderclap rising from flat ground, denting even the Ancestral Order within the space, striving to inflict heavy damage on Meng Huang'e before she could release her protective divine light.
Even for a Heavenly Venerable-level existence, being struck solidly by an Indestructible Infinite mid-stage cultivator while completely off guard would be an extremely unpleasant experience.
"Boom!"
Bao Yin Di Zang's palm struck Meng Huang'e's back.
His eyes bulged wide with fury, his beard flying wildly as an endless torrent of Buddhist power surged from his palm.
Golden radiance blazed, dazzling to the extreme.
But, the moment his palm made contact with Meng Huang'e, Bao Yin Di Zang's expression changed drastically.
Logically, even if Meng Huang'e's cultivation was heaven-defying, she should not have been able to avoid this strike and would inevitably be injured.
Yet Bao Yin Di Zang felt as if he hadn't hit her at all. His hand seemed to have struck into the Void World, empty and hollow, with all his power vanishing like a stone sinking into the sea, disappearing without a trace.
"You think I truly trusted you completely? Killing Big Master wasn't because you were trustworthy, but because he deserved to die."
Meng Huang'e said coldly. Within her body, rings of Heavenly Venerable-level Rule Divine Marks and Divine Qi surged out, each ring a storm of power.
Without even turning to face Bao Yin Di Zang, the first ring of power storm sent him flying backward.
The second ring of power storm descended, and Bao Yin Di Zang, still mid-air, suffered internal organ damage and spat blood.
The third ring, the fourth ring...
In an instant, Bao Yin Di Zang was battered by dozens of rings of power storms, his body slamming violently against the stone wall, turning into a bloody pulp of flesh.
"Amitabha!"
Fan Chen formed a hand seal with one hand, and a dazzling golden light burst from his body, shattering the golden thread that had pierced his heart. His figure soared up like a white crane spreading its wings, and he pointed a finger at Meng Huang'e.
Meng Huang'e was momentarily surprised but quickly regained her composure. "So it turns out you, this monk, were the one hiding your true strength."
She struck out with the Bodhi Silver Flower Tree.
Silver-white radiance blossomed in the space between them. A towering tree grew forth, supporting a vast Buddhist realm.
The Bodhi Silver Flower Tree and the Buddhist realm space neutralized Fan Chen's finger strike, also creating distance between them.
Meng Huang'e sensed Fan Chen's formidable power. Being able to snap one of the golden threads of the divine artifact "Golden Thread Binding Dragon Rope" was no longer something an ordinary Heavenly Venerable could achieve.
She didn't want to clash head-on with such a powerful figure. She only needed to buy a little time, and Gandharva would naturally step in to suppress him.
As Meng Huang'e struck out with the Bodhi Silver Flower Tree, she also took out the Forget Love Demon-Subduing Staff and the Human Head Banner, holding one in each hand. Her gaze swept towards Tan Tuo Di Zang, Bao Zhu Di Zang, and Ci Hang Zun Zhe.
With Bao Yin Di Zang no longer controlling the Golden Thread Binding Dragon Rope, the suppression of the golden threads on the three Indestructible Infinite cultivators weakened. They all began circulating their Divine Qi and Rule Divine Marks, attempting to break free from the restraints.
"Boom!"
As Fan Chen's finger struck the Buddhist realm, a force like an avalanche or a tsunami erupted behind Meng Huang'e.
"How is this possible?"
Just as this thought surfaced in her mind, all her protective divine light was shattered. Two hand seals landed solidly on her body, sending her flying forward, crashing into the Buddhist realm.
It was none other than Sheng Si Daoist, his robes billowing, who had struck these two palms.
At this moment, Sheng Si Daoist's palms were one black and one white, and even his body was split into black and white, his Life and Death Qi pure and profound.
He was not like Bao Yin Di Zang. He struck faster, his palm force more vigorous. No matter how high Meng Huang'e's cultivation or how strong her vigilance, she was bound to be severely injured.
The fact that her physical body wasn't torn apart by the force of these two palms was already due to Meng Huang'e's exceptionally deep cultivation.
"Haha! I, this Daoist, have had the ability to break through the stone armor ever since entering Gui Yi Ju. I was just waiting for the right opportunity!"
Zhang Ruochen laughed heartily, stroking his beard, but did not pursue into the Buddhist realm to strike again.
Because Tan Tuo Di Zang, Bao Zhu Di Zang, and Ci Hang Zun Zhe had all broken free from the golden threads and pursued into the Buddhist realm.
This also included Huang Tian, who had flown out from Bao Yin Di Zang's body.
"Ten Thousand Buddhas Illuminate Heaven and Earth!"
Within the Buddhist realm, Fan Chen unleashed his self-created great divine ability, a single technique to decide the outcome. How could the heavily injured Meng Huang'e withstand it?
Under the siege of the five, she was quickly defeated and suppressed beneath a dense web of Rule Divine Marks, her body unable to move.
"Strange, why didn't Gandharva make a move?"
Zhang Ruochen had been on high alert the entire time. Only after Meng Huang'e was completely suppressed did he walk into the Buddhist realm supported by the Bodhi Silver Flower Tree.
With this Buddhist realm present, even if Gandharva mobilized the Ancestral Order, they would still have the power to resist. Of course, this was on the condition that Gandharva's true body was being held back by the Fourth Confucian Ancestor.
Retrieving the Forget Love Demon-Subduing Staff and the Human Head Banner, Zhang Ruochen looked at Meng Huang'e.
Meng Huang'e was in a sorry state, her face covered in blood and grime, her long hair disheveled. She exerted all her strength to resist the Rule Divine Marks of the four experts, her eyes filled with resentment. "Fine, fine, Sheng Si. I trusted you so much, and you attacked me from behind. And you still prattle on about love."
This was her nature. Even in a desperate situation, she could still jest and curse like Zhang Ruochen had done earlier.
Most importantly, Meng Huang'e was well aware that killing her would not be an easy task for these people.
Within Gandharva's Ancestral Order field, the situation could change in an instant.
Zhang Ruochen let out a long sigh. "I, this Daoist, didn't want to either. Ah, in this world, how can one have both the fish and the bear's paw? How can one be true to the precious pearl and true to you?"
"What, has the Love Decoction already taken effect?"
Not far away, Bao Zhu Di Zang was in an excellent mood, speaking with a hint of a smile.
Of course she was happy. Not only had she not drunk the Clear Decoction, but she had also successfully escaped.
More importantly:
Sheng Si Daoist had drunk it!
Bao Zhu Di Zang didn't believe for a second that the Love Decoction was completely useless against Sheng Si Daoist.
For an existence like Gandharva, if she didn't have a certain degree of confidence, why would she go to all the trouble of brewing this cauldron of decoction?
Zhang Ruochen smiled faintly, ignoring her. "Let's seal Meng Huang'e first. Gandharva is the truly terrifying existence."
As for the method of sealing, Fan Chen wasn't skilled at it, and Tan Tuo Di Zang wasn't familiar with it either.
Therefore, Huang Tian, Bao Zhu Di Zang, and Ci Hang Zun Zhe took action. Each used their own methods, setting up three layers of restraints on Meng Huang'e, suppressing her Divine Sea, Spiritual Power, Divine Soul, and physical body.
Zhang Ruochen walked a circle around Meng Huang'e and punched the void, shaking out her Divine Realm World.
The hundreds of thousands of cultivators on the Tianlong were all trapped within her Divine Realm World.
Among them were Meng Huang Ni and Meng Er Shi Ba.
"Sheng Si, you old Daoist, for breaking my Divine Realm World today, be careful that one day I don't drain all the blood from your body." Meng Huang'e was extremely furious.
"If you hadn't mentioned it, I, this Daoist, would have almost forgotten. You've absorbed so much of my blood; now it's time to give it back."
Zhang Ruochen grabbed Meng Huang'e's wrist, ready to cut it open and let the blood flow.
Huang Tian, who had gone to investigate the exit, returned. "The exit is sealed shut. I cannot break it open with my strength alone. Something must have happened outside. Now is the best time for us to escape Love Mountain. We can't delay any longer."
"What about her? Although she's sealed, our cultivations are far inferior to hers. She will definitely break through the three layers of seals soon. The threat is too great!" Bao Zhu Di Zang said.
Bao Yin Di Zang, whose physical body had healed, said in a sinister tone, "Since we can't kill her quickly, how about dismembering her? Each of us carries a piece."
Earlier, Huang Tian had used the Great Yan Qian Kun Divine Path to hide inside Bao Yin Di Zang's Divine Source, so Meng Huang'e hadn't noticed anything amiss in Bao Yin Di Zang's body.
Meng Huang'e's face turned completely dark, her killing intent thick. It was easy to imagine that once she escaped, she would grind Bao Yin Di Zang's bones to dust and scatter his ashes.
Meng Huang Ni's eyes showed worry, and she was extremely reluctant.
But she knew her words carried little weight and she couldn't plead for her sister. She also couldn't find any reason to plead for her. Even Sheng Si Daoist was using an invisible force to suppress her, preventing her from speaking.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Who can break her Dao in a short time? If we can't break her Dao, we can't find the exact location of her Divine Sea and Divine Source. The Divine Sea and Divine Source are the source of her Heavenly Venerable-level power. If each of us carries a piece of her flesh, she will actually escape more easily. The one carrying the piece containing her Divine Source and Divine Sea will most likely die."
Tan Tuo Di Zang glanced at the distant Six Desires Divine Furnace. "Then let's lock her in the furnace first, add another layer of confinement, and have Sheng Si Daoist personally suppress it."
As he said it, he acted decisively, grabbing Meng Huang'e's wrist and throwing her into the furnace.
He pressed down the furnace lid.
Standing on the furnace lid, Tan Tuo Di Zang said, "Who will set up a layer of sealing on the Six Desires Divine Furnace? Why are you all looking at me, this poor monk, like that?"
Zhang Ruochen sighed. "Don't you know? The Six Desires Divine Furnace is locked by the Ancestral Order and cannot be moved at all. No one can take it out of this space."
Bao Zhu Di Zang laughed. "The most crucial point is that this whole cauldron of Love Decoction, only Sheng Si Daoist drank one bowl. The rest will probably all be refined into Meng Huang'e's body. Not bad, Uncle Master, you are truly a man of great wisdom!"
Tan Tuo Di Zang realized he had made a mistake. He immediately opened the furnace lid and extended his perception into the furnace to search.
But all his perceptions vanished without a trace, disappearing completely.
The Six Desires Divine Furnace was like a demonic pot that devoured everything.
Under such circumstances, who would dare enter the Six Desires Divine Furnace?
"Let it be. Seal her in the Six Desires Divine Furnace for now."
Huang Tian flew over, bit his index finger, and used his Divine Blood to draw sealing inscriptions.
Zhang Ruochen stared at the blazing Brahma Fire burning beneath the Six Desires Divine Furnace, a very bad premonition rising in his heart. He and Bao Zhu Di Zang had only used a single drop of blood for this cauldron of Love Decoction.
But Meng Huang'e had absorbed nearly a tenth of his blood. Refining it like this would lead to big trouble.
"She's a Heavenly Venerable. A mere cauldron of decoction shouldn't be able to do anything to her," Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
Although he had drunk a bowl of Love Decoction, he truly felt nothing at all.
There was absolutely no fluctuation in his spirit or emotions.
...
Shang Tian and San Ying Tian waited at the entrance of the inn, not entering.
Shang Tian was extremely experienced and could naturally see that Love Mountain was extraordinary, being an Ancestral Order field, which showed Gandharva's high Spiritual Power.
Below the Ancestor, none surpassed her.
One was the number one in martial arts below the Ancestor, the other was the number one in Spiritual Power below the Ancestor.
The duel between these two was absolutely rare in ancient and modern times.
But, Hao Tian taking the initiative to enter Gandharva's Ancestral Order field undoubtedly meant losing the advantage of time and place. In a clash between top-tier experts, this was a very taboo thing.
Therefore, Shang Tian, who was usually full of confidence in Hao Tian, chose to wait outside the inn this time, just in case.
Hao Tian walked towards the first table on the right side of the main hall.
Gandharva's clone, meanwhile, walked down from the second floor step by step.
"Whoosh!"
Hao Tian's long sleeve swept out, and a clear light scattered.
Instantly, the true scene in the main hall, which had been concealed by Spiritual Power, was revealed. Gandharva, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor, Hun Mu, and Bore were sitting around the table.
Gandharva's clone stopped halfway down the stairs, snorting. "No wonder, after the death of the Sixth Patriarch, the world honors you as the number one under heaven."
Gandharva claimed to be invincible below the Ancestor. The fact that Hao Tian could see through the true scene within the Ancestral Order field still surprised her slightly.
Zhang Ruochen could see through it because the Fourth Confucian Ancestor had manifested a painting brush.
Hao Tian, on the other hand, relied purely on perception to see through all illusions.
This showed that Hao Tian's Divine Soul strength was definitely capable of contending with her Spiritual Power.
"Rustle, rustle!"
Gandharva's clone flew out and merged with her true body. Instantly, the Absolute Self-Time Dominance Seal dissipated, and the four people around the table regained their ability to move simultaneously.
Hun Mu, who had been pointing a finger at the Fourth Confucian Ancestor's brow, was unable to stop her momentum and continued forward due to inertia.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor spat out a mouthful of Hao Ran Zheng Qi. Billions of characters surged out together with the Hao Ran Zheng Qi, converging into a single "Wa" sound.
This sound was the first sound a human makes after birth, and also the foundation of all human speech.
"Boom!"
All of Hun Mu's finger force was neutralized. Her body seemed to fall into a sea of literature. The "Wa" sound shook her mind, causing her Sea of Consciousness to churn.
Fortunately, she was at the Half-Ancestor realm and was proficient in soul-suppressing, soul-capturing, and soul-nurturing techniques. Her Half-Ancestor Divine Soul was powerful, so she managed to withstand it.
If it were any other Half-Ancestor, being roared at by the Fourth Confucian Ancestor from such a close distance would definitely have injured their Divine Soul and consciousness.
After Hun Mu steadied her mind, she found that she had already left her seat. She had been roared back three steps. Her understanding of the Fourth Confucian Ancestor's combat power deepened.
Combining Spiritual Power and Hao Ran Zheng Qi, the Fourth Confucian Ancestor could definitely contend with a peak Half-Ancestor. No wonder Gandharva had such a hard time dealing with him.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor remained firmly seated on his chair. He raised the painting brush in his hand and looked at Gandharva opposite him, sighing. "In terms of Spiritual Power, besides Zhen Zai, you should be the number one in the world today. Even those few Ancestors cannot compare."
Hao Tian's gaze locked onto Hun Mu. "Bi Luo Pass and the Heavenly Court Universe have always been non-aggressive. Stealing the Suo Po World and capturing Ci Hang Zun Zhe is your provocation first. Hand it over. Hand it over, and I will leave."
Hun Mu still wore a purple gauze hat. Beneath her feet was the Space Order. She seemed close at hand to the Fourth Confucian Ancestor and Hao Tian, but in reality, they were separated by at least billions of miles.
She naturally didn't want these two to see her true form. Otherwise, the identity of Lady Shi Ji and the cause of Zhang Ruochen's death would be impossible to conceal.
It was precisely for this reason that Hun Mu had been avoiding battle against the Fourth Confucian Ancestor all along.
Fighting would definitely expose her identity.
Gandharva said, "Xuan Yuan Tai Hao, this is Grey Sea. I am in charge here. I advise you to leave now. I can pretend nothing happened. If you don't know when to stop, don't blame me, this old woman, for being rude!"
Hao Tian walked over.
Each step caused the space to tremble, leaving footprints on the ground that did not dissipate.
These steps, one by one, pushed back Gandharva's Ancestral Order and Hun Mu's Space Order, inch by inch.
Finally, he sat down in the seat Hun Mu had just occupied. "Since I am here, how can I return empty-handed? I sensed the energy tide on Grey Sea. The armies of the Eight Divisions Followers are converging."
"Since you know, do you still dare to stay here?"
Gandharva raised her arm, her finger slashing diagonally, splitting the square table into two triangles.
On this side of the triangle were her and Bore.
On the other side were Hao Tian and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor.
This line turned into a wide river, dividing the two sides.
"Crack!"
Space shattered like a mirror. Hao Tian and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor fell downward, flew upward, and flipped to the right... Countless versions of Hao Tian and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor appeared.
Gandharva had combined time and formations, sending Hao Tian and the Fourth Confucian Ancestor flying into hundreds of time dimensions. In just one breath, it extended to thousands of time dimensions.
Hao Tian's voice clearly reached the initial time dimension. "I've long heard that Meng Wei Yang's formations were unparalleled. Seeing them today, they are indeed extraordinary. Unfortunately, you spend all your time on Grey Sea Love Mountain, lacking experience in fighting against experts. You don't know what it means to go all out. If you wanted to trap us in time fragments, you should have also fragmented the space. You are not facing the Nine-Headed Hound or Gu Bone. You are facing a Half-Ancestor. You have rarely fought against Half-Ancestors, have you?"
"Whoosh!"
Hao Tian was the first to return, all the time fragments around him disappearing.
The Fourth Confucian Ancestor also returned, still sitting in his original position, laughing. "If both time and space were fragmented, and formations were arranged in each fragment, I really wouldn't be able to return in a short time."
The diagonal line on the square table gradually faded.
With Gandharva's Spiritual Power, she could naturally achieve the arrangement the Fourth Confucian Ancestor mentioned. But, as Hao Tian said, she had almost never fought against Half-Ancestors in recent years.
No matter how powerful the opponent, she would suppress them directly with a single thought.
When encountering an evenly matched existence like Hao Tian, her methods seemed somewhat weak, not sharp enough, not tempered enough.
A rope can tie up an ox or a horse, but not a tiger or an elephant.
In recent years, Gandharva hadn't even had the opportunity to use that rope.
In her view, with a rope in hand, she could tie up everything.
In reality, if she could truly see the future and knew that Hao Tian would descend on Love Mountain today, she would have started setting up killing formations and talisman patterns years ago.
Then, not to mention entering the inn at the mountaintop, no one below the Ancestor, including Hao Tian, would dare to easily enter Love Mountain.
Because, Gandharva would no longer just hold a single rope, but would have woven a net.
A net that could potentially catch a tiger or an elephant!
Hao Tian took out the Refining God Tower and placed it on the table.
The square tabletop immediately transformed into a square ocean.
"Xuan Yuan Tai Hao, when the Nether Ancestor emerges from the world, that will be your day of death." The cold voice of the Ghost Crowd Chief, "Nine-Headed Hound," came from within the Refining God Tower.
The voice of the Jia Luo Luo Chief, "Gu Bone," followed: "The humiliation of today will be repaid in full to the Xuan Yuan Clan in the future."
Hao Tian glanced indifferently at the Refining God Tower. "Two Chiefs, plus San Ying Tian, my bargaining chips are sufficient, aren't they? I want not only the Suo Po World, but also the Ultimate Bliss World."
Gandharva gently shook her head. "You have no idea what the Suo Po World and the Ultimate Bliss World mean. Do you think it's me, this old woman, who wants these two things?"
"Then please tell me first, what is the purpose of you taking the Suo Po World, the Ultimate Bliss World, and the Book of Life and Death?" Hao Tian finally stated his true purpose.
From the very beginning, he had never thought he could retrieve the Suo Po World and the Ultimate Bliss World without bloodshed.
What he wanted to know was the purpose of the Eight Divisions Followers.
This purpose must be extremely shocking. Because even Chiefs like the Nine-Headed Hound and Gu Bone only had a partial understanding of it.
Hao Tian had his suspicions, but he needed further confirmation from Gandharva.
Suddenly, from the grey void outside the inn, dense sounds of war horns and war drums came.
The armies of the Eight Divisions Followers arrived from eight different directions, surrounding Love Mountain completely.
War banners flickered in and out of sight within the grey mist.
Each tribe's army was massive, a sea of people, with formidable strength. They had formed battle formations, setting up a heaven-encompassing net.
Within the armies, gods gathered, activating formations and divine artifact war weapons.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
...
A divine artifact-level war drum was beaten by an Infinite Realm Jia Luo Luo God Venerable.
The drumbeats caused the Grey Sea to churn with towering waves.
Leading the Jin Na Luo tribe was Bing Shi Tuo.
Bing Shi Tuo was originally the Hall Master of the Corpse God Temple in the Hell Realm. Legend said his lifespan was running out, so he was in seclusion all year round. Zhang Ruochen had never seen him during his many years of cultivation in the Hell Realm.
It was the Nether Ancestor who helped him break through to the next realm when his lifespan was about to end, and gradually helped him reach his current Indestructible Infinite peak.
He had no reason to refuse the position of Jin Na Luo Chief. Dying for the Nether Ancestor was only natural.
The Chief of the A Xiu Luo was Qing Lu Shen Wang.
He had participated in the battle outside Wang Chuan against Hao Tian.
Qing Lu Shen Wang stood at the very front of the A Xiu Luo army, behind him were several Infinite Realm men and women, all burning with battle intent, with blood-red slaughter clouds condensing above their heads.
He really didn't want to fight Hao Tian, and he also didn't want to join the Nether Ancestor's camp.
Whoever wanted to be this Chief could be it.
But he had no other choice!
The Nether Ancestor hadn't given him a second choice.
Qing Lu Shen Wang let out a long sigh, looking at the vast A Xiu Luo army behind him, secretly lamenting the power of the Eight Divisions Followers.
Compared to the Shura clan of the Shura Star Pillar Realm, these A Xiu Luo cultivators all carried a strong curse power, their mental state more frenzied and extreme.
"Shua! Shua! Shua!"
The three bodies of Er Jun Tian flew out from the Tian Zhong, Yan Luo Zhong, and Gui Zhong armies respectively, landing on the peak of Love Mountain. The three bodies merged, erupting with a majestic divine might that could pierce through the past and the future.
He wore golden armor, with Qilin beasts cast on his shoulders, and held the Kai Tian Yue in his hand.
The space outside the inn twisted for him.
This suit of armor and the Yue in his hand were heavier than a starry sky combined.
"Uncle Jun!"
Shang Tian bowed respectfully.
San Ying Tian said in a low voice, "Second Brother!"
Er Jun Tian glanced coldly at them. He didn't suppress Shang Tian, nor did he rescue San Ying Tian. He strode into the inn.
He had only one opponent, Xuan Yuan Tai Hao.
"You want to know the answer? I can tell you, but you have to defeat me first!"
Er Jun Tian was majestic and imposing, walking to the very center of the main hall, standing like a heavenly pillar. "Boom!" The Kai Tian Yue struck the ground heavily. In the space, all the Ancestral Order was forced to manifest.
Each strand of Ancestral Order was like a Heavenly River. Countless trillions of Heavenly Rivers converged in this space.
The golden light on Er Jun Tian's body illuminated all the Heavenly Rivers into gold. The entire world changed, turning into a boundless universe.
The Ancestral Order field itself was a nascent universe.
"Just relying on this suit of armor? This Yue?" Hao Tian's voice was very calm.
Outside Wang Chuan, Er Jun Tian, Qing Lu Shen Wang, the Nine-Headed Hound, and Gu Bone had joined forces to intercept Hao Tian. Not only did they fail, but two of the Chiefs were captured.
It could be called a disastrous defeat.
Er Jun Tian had the aura of a ruler over the world and the courage to campaign against an Ancestor. How could he accept such a defeat?
(Chapter End)