Chapter 389: Piercing Through the Saint Lord
In the Dragon Transformation Pool, Jiang Taixu lay motionless in the water, not rising, but the divine light in his eyes was terrifying, coldly staring at the thirteen Saint Lord-rank figures.
"Step," "step," "step"...
The thirteen great figures who ruled their respective domains continuously stepped backward, intimidated by that aura, involuntarily shivering as they retreated.
Jiang Taixu's offensive power was known throughout the world—who could match him in five thousand years? If he were reborn, even a Saint Lord would be beaten to death if they approached!
"The old Divine King has awakened, this is wonderful!"
"Ancestor, you have finally been reborn!"
"Heaven has opened its eyes, allowing our Jiang family's Peerless Divine King to return to the world!"
The Jiang family members were all shaken, overjoyed beyond measure, all shouting with intense excitement. Some even wept with joy.
When Jiang Taixu had disappeared, he was not old, yet now he was called ancestor. It was like a dream of several thousand years—the mortal world had risen and fallen, and everything had changed.
Almost everyone he knew was no longer in this world. The vast majority of his descendants had already surpassed the age he was when he disappeared. He would almost never see his contemporaries again.
The Divine King was reborn in the mortal world. He scanned everyone, carefully examining his descendants, without saying a word. No one knew what he was feeling at that moment.
Finally, when he saw Ye Fan, he showed the first trace of emotion, as if startled, then quickly returned to calm.
"Jiang Taixu, even if you have been reborn, so what? This is not four thousand years ago. This is no longer your era!" Not far from the Dragon Transformation Pool, a great figure shrouded in black mist spoke in a low voice, his pupils like abysses, coldly staring ahead.
At this moment, the other terrifying figures also calmed down. They were all extraordinary individuals and quickly regained their composure. No matter how great Jiang Taixu's reputation was, he was a hero at the end of his road. Sealed for four thousand years, his lifespan had long since dried up. It was already a miracle that he could awaken—could he still fight?
The Jiang family members felt as if cold water had been poured over their heads. They too suddenly thought of all this, their hearts filled with unwillingness.
"Unless he is a reincarnation of a Great Emperor, can he still rise and kill enemies?!" Another Saint Lord-rank figure shouted.
"Jiang Divine King, you were not born in the same era as us, yet we meet in your twilight years. I wonder whose regret this is. Today, so many of us are here to see you off. Rest in peace!"
The thirteen Saint Lord-rank figures stepped forward together, pressing in. The depths of the underground palace shook violently, and water splashed from the Dragon Transformation Pool.
"Execute the Divine King!"
These four words were like ten-thousand-jin hammers, striking everyone's hearts, containing endless killing intent, pressing down on the old Divine King.
At this moment, everyone in Divine City was shocked. They could clearly hear these words, and their minds trembled. Many overlords were truly about to make their move.
"How dare you!"
Jiang Yun stepped forward, an ancient tower suspended above his head, a black war halberd in hand, standing before the Dragon Transformation Pool, constantly vibrating his divine weapon to dissolve that shocking killing intent.
At the same time, many of the Jiang family's senior figures also made their move, blocking the killing intent of those four words, dispersing it in the air.
"Pfft," "pfft"...
Except for Jiang Yun, all the other elders coughed up large mouthfuls of blood. The killing intent shouted by the thirteen Saint Lord figures was enough to kill powerful cultivators; few could withstand it.
Many staggered backward, almost falling to the ground. The thirteen figures ahead were all overlords of their domains, impossible to contend with.
One of the great powers coldly stared at Jiang Yun and said, "The Jiang family's Saint Lord hasn't even come. Why must you seek death?"
"With so many of you, each dominating a region and ruling a domain, yet you join forces to kill a sorrowful old man. Don't you feel ashamed?!" Jiang Yun shouted.
"We came for the secrets of Emperor Wu Shi and the Battle Character Art of the Nine Secrets. Killing the Divine King is only third on the list."
"A generation's Divine King deserves so many great powers to see him off. It can be considered a form of respect. Otherwise, dying at the hands of a single person would be the tragedy of a final Divine King."
Jiang Yun sneered, "Well said. Everyone has their twilight years. Aren't you afraid of being treated the same way?"
"In eight hundred years, I welcome future generations to come and kill me." A voice laughed coldly, sweeping over the few remaining middle-aged and younger generations of the Jiang family, saying, "I'm afraid you won't live as long as I have!"
"Jiang Taixu, reveal the secrets of Purple Mountain and write down the Battle Saint Art, and we'll spare your descendants!"
"Everyone here is your direct descendant. You don't want to watch them be killed, do you?"
"Even the Eternal Universe Furnace has been blocked. Even if the entire Jiang family comes out in force, they can't save you! Besides, you're already at the end of your rope. Why are you still stubbornly holding on?"
The thirteen Saint Lord-rank figures once again emitted an icy, bone-piercing killing intent, piercing through the human wall toward the old Divine King Jiang.
"Pfft"
At this moment, even the great power Jiang Yun couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood. He was the only one on equal footing with these people—how could he withstand them alone?
"Jiang Yun, since you want to die, we'll grant your wish and then kill the Divine King!"
The thirteen great powers stepped forward together. The underground palace nearly collapsed. The terrifying pressure was like an ocean sweeping the sky, crushing all obstacles.
"Splash"
The sound of water came from the Dragon Transformation Pool. That withered body slowly sat up, then gradually stood. The divine light in his eyes became even more brilliant, enough to pierce through a person's body.
Jiang Taixu stepped onto the shore step by step. He was still skin and bones, appearing extremely thin, but his movements were firm and powerful.
"Ancestor!"
"Divine King Ancestor!"
"What's wrong with you? What are you going to do?"
The Jiang family members cried out in alarm. They hadn't expected Jiang Taixu to be able to stand up, let alone walk ashore alone and stride straight toward the thirteen great powers.
At this moment, with every step he took, a pulsing sound resonated through heaven and earth. It wasn't heavy, nor did it shake the underground palace.
But this rhythm was like the divine drums of the ancient Heavenly Court sounding again after being silent for ten thousand years, striking people's hearts. Even the hearts of the great powers contracted.
"Thump," "thump," "thump"...
This was an indescribably terrifying rhythm, as if the Great Dao of the primordial was echoing. The Jiang family members involuntarily made way for him, all acting subconsciously.
"Hmph!"
A Saint Lord-rank figure snorted, trying to break this terrifying rhythm, but failed to stop it. Instead, it became even more heart-pounding.
"A man about to enter the grave—what's there to fear!" A great power stepped forward and directly attacked, charging like a black bolt of lightning.
Jiang Yun raised his war halberd to block, but two other great powers acted together, stopping him and giving him no chance to intervene.
"Jiang Divine King, I'll see you off!"
That person rushed forward in an instant, raised his large hand, and slapped down. This was not just a palm but also a rule of heaven and earth.
Vaguely, one could even see Dao patterns interweaving, forming a net of order, displaying tangible laws of power!
The Jiang family members' hearts were about to crack. They wanted to block it but couldn't. This was an overlord—no one except Jiang Yun could stop him.
But Jiang Taixu remained fearless, walking forward step by step. The rhythm of his footsteps never wavered.
Suddenly, two rays of crimson light shot from his eyes, the same color as Phoenix Blood Red Gold, becoming the only brilliance between heaven and earth, resplendent and eternal, as if the Eternal Universe Furnace had burst forth!
"Ah..."
That great power screamed. The hand he had slapped down was pierced through by the gaze. The order and laws he had woven were instantly destroyed, and the crimson light surged forward like smoke.
"Pfft"
Blood splattered. The great power's eyes were pierced through by the crimson light, which exited from the back of his head, bringing a spray of blood. He screamed and flew backward.
"What?"
"How is this possible?"
"Can the twilight-aged Jiang Taixu still fight!?"
Behind him, the other Saint Lord-rank figures were all shocked. A dying old Divine King still possessed such divine might!
"Ancestor!"
"Divine King Ancestor..."
The Jiang family was shaken, a mix of shock and joy. They had never imagined that Jiang Taixu, just awakened, could still have such combat power.
Thinking back, what kind of might must Jiang Taixu have had four thousand years ago? He must have been majestic and heroic, with boundless grace!
That great power's eyes were pierced through, and the light went through his brain, but he didn't die. At this level of cultivation, limbs could regenerate, making him hard to kill. However, he had suffered severe injuries and lost his combat ability.
"I, Jiang Taixu, have roamed the world all my life, and no one has ever forced me like this."
Jiang Divine King finally spoke, his voice like a divine bell ringing, echoing through the underground palace and reaching every corner of Divine City.
"Heavens, Jiang Taixu has revived and regained his combat power!"
Within Divine City, many cultivators heard his voice and were all shocked.
"This is Jiang Taixu speaking, an old Divine King nearly five thousand years old... Wasn't he at the end of his rope? How is he so powerful just after waking up?!"
The people in Divine City were stunned, almost unable to believe it. Many Saint Lords had gone to kill the Divine King, only to end up reviving him instead.
In the underground palace, Jiang Taixu continued to step forward, his rhythm unchanged, the cadence becoming even more terrifying.
"Not good!" The great power at the front cried out in alarm. His heart ached violently, nearly bursting, and he quickly retreated.
"Bang!"
Jiang Taixu's final step landed with immense weight. The underground palace nearly collapsed. That great power let out a loud cry, spitting a mouthful of blood.
The thirteen Saint Lord-rank figures were truly intimidated. They all flew back, instantly distancing themselves from the Dragon Transformation Pool, staring at the old Divine King with uncertainty.
Jiang Taixu stood there like a green pine, upright and unmoving. Then, with a soft shout, he pressed his hands against the void and traced patterns.
"Great Emperor's array patterns!"
Everyone was shocked. Between Jiang Taixu's hands, laws and order manifested, imprinting into the void. Mysterious runes were carved out, shining with starlight.
All this happened too quickly. The old Divine King instantly restored the patterns Jiang Yun had carved, then continuously evolved and developed them, making the array patterns even more terrifying and unfathomable.
But at that moment, his body suddenly stiffened. A trace of black blood seeped from his mouth, and he fell straight backward.
"Ancestor!"
"Divine King Ancestor!"
The Jiang family members were horrified. They rushed forward to support him, then carried him into the Dragon Transformation Pool.
Jiang Taixu had no blood to cough up; only a trace of thick black blood hung at the corner of his mouth. He was nearly at the end of his rope. If not for the nine small dragons swimming within his body, his life force would have already been extinguished.