Chapter 396: Dark Night Monarch
The ancient fiend had lived for over four thousand years, truly a peerless figure. As he himself said, how many of his generation still remained in this world?
Yet at this moment, he begged the Divine King for mercy. To survive, he cast aside everything, not hesitating to kneel and kowtow.
"Colorful Cloud..." Jiang Taixu called softly, lowering his head to gaze at the woman in his arms. His expression was infinitely tender, as if afraid of waking her.
"Brother Taixu, spare me. In this mortal world, only you and I remain from our generation." The ancient fiend's voice trembled as he again begged for his life.
The Divine King suddenly raised his head. His eyes blazed with divine lightning, boundless killing intent surging forth as he coldly fixed his gaze on the ancient fiend. The war spear in his hand spat purple light.
The ancient fiend's face turned pale. He knew the other's killing intent was set, that there would be no mercy. "Let's die together!" he said grimly.
Divine fire erupted from his head like an immortal furnace burning, transforming into boundless flames that swept toward Jiang Taixu. He sought to shatter his own origin and severely wound the Divine King.
"Ha!"
The Divine King let out a clear shout, and the boundless terrifying fluctuations instantly calmed. The peerless ancient fiend was pinned in the void like a scroll painting.
This was a supreme technique evolved from the Battle Saint Art, transforming the great Dao's heavenly sound into a single syllable, suppressing all tangible and intangible killing thoughts.
"Pfft!"
The Divine King thrust his purple war spear forward, piercing through the ancient fiend's brow. Black mist drifted out, thick with the aura of death.
"Chi!"
Jiang Taixu lightly shook the war spear. Purple divine flames surged, burning everything to ashes. The peerless ancient fiend was utterly annihilated, body and spirit destroyed.
At this moment, eight Saint Lord-rank figures remained. Every one of them changed color, each feeling endangered. In such a situation, how could they continue fighting?
Within the Divine King's Pure Land, Jiang Taixu ruled all. United with the Ancient Devouring Demon Jar, he was impossible to oppose, like a living deity!
Jiang Taixu held the purple war spear, sweeping his gaze over everyone. Still silent, he embraced the Colorful Cloud Immortal Maiden as she dissolved into a rain of flowers, stepping forward to close in on the eight supreme experts.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, vast divine might descended, tearing open the Divine King's Pure Land and creating a path of escape.
Extreme Dao pressure!
Someone had seized control of a revived Great Emperor's sacred weapon, opening a path that connected the Pure Land to the outside world. The eight Saint Lord-rank figures, as if granted amnesty, shot into the sky.
"Pfft!"
Jiang Taixu struck out. The purple war spear pierced one person, shattering them into pieces. Flesh and blood splattered across the Pure Land, becoming a wisp of a ghost. Another great figure had their soul scattered.
"Swoosh"
The beautiful Pure Land vanished. The Colorful Cloud Immortal Maiden was also gone. The Divine King, with the Ancient Devouring Demon Jar above his head and the purple war spear in hand, stood in the arena.
"Divine King Ancestor..."
Before the Dragon Transformation Pool, the Jiang family members cried out. They felt the Extreme Dao pressure. Was the most terrifying figure in the shadows finally about to strike?
"Boom!"
Like tidal waves surging, like thousands of troops and horses galloping, the sound was so immense that many cultivators could not bear it, nearly collapsing into the dust.
High in the sky, a crimson-gold divine phoenix transformed into a dazzling streak of light, diving down and merging into Jiang Taixu's body. His aura instantly soared to an unattainable height.
In that moment, he was no different from a deity. Black hair danced, white robes were immaculate, his flesh radiated crystalline auspicious light. His gaze swept past, suffocating all.
"Jiang Taixu, you are so close to the Eternal Universe Furnace, possessing a natural connection with it!" A voice like a night owl came from the shadows.
In the underground cavern, the sacred furnace forged from Phoenix Blood Red Gold blazed with boundless light, impossible to look at directly. No one could see its true form.
The divine phoenix had just rushed out from this furnace, merging into the Divine King's body.
"It was you who killed Colorful Cloud..." Jiang Taixu's words were calm, but they contained infinite sorrow.
"Four thousand years ago, when you killed my elder brother, did you ever think this day would come?" The night owl-like voice said coldly.
Jiang Taixu's expression shifted, as if recalling distant memories. After a moment's thought, he said, "The Twin Kings of Central Province?"
"Your memory is not bad. Over four thousand years have passed, and you still remember us!" The voice in the darkness grew even colder.
In the distance, the Jiang family members all changed color. They had not expected the hidden great enemy to have such a background.
Over four thousand years ago, the Twin Kings of Central Province shook the world. The elder brother was called the Sun Monarch, the younger brother the Dark Night Monarch. They were twin brothers.
The two brothers emerged together, sweeping across the world, unstoppable. They were truly peerless dual talents, facing no equal.
Divine King Jiang encountered countless enemies in his life, but only the battle with the Sun Monarch was the most perilous, truly shaking heaven and earth and moving gods and spirits!
They fought with devastating force, shattering countless mountain ranges. Only after an entire night of battle did the Divine King, with a world-shaking strike, annihilate the Sun Monarch, body and spirit, erasing him from the world forever.
"Jiang Taixu, four thousand years ago, did you use the Eternal Universe Divine Furnace to kill my elder brother?" the Dark Night Monarch coldly shouted.
"I never used the sacred furnace." After saying this, Jiang Taixu soared into the air and arrived on the surface.
The light emitted by the Eternal Universe Sacred Furnace was crimson like blood, brilliant like sunset clouds, more dazzling than the sun. But unfortunately, aside from Jiang Taixu, no one could see its form.
At this moment, two Extreme Dao sacred weapons restrained each other, still locked in opposition.
Before the Dragon Transformation Pool, the Jiang family members looked solemn. They felt the situation was very unfavorable.
The Dark Night Monarch was absolutely a match for the Divine King. If a true battle erupted, who would be stronger and who weaker was hard to say!
Moreover, who had lent the ancient Great Emperor's sacred weapon to the Dark Night Monarch? Although his origins were mysterious, he could never possess an Extreme Dao weapon.
The Dark Night Monarch had great ambitions. He wanted to seize the Eternal Universe Furnace and had been trying all along, not giving up even now.
At this moment, Ye Fan quietly reflected on the Divine King's techniques, cross-referencing them with his own understanding of the Battle Saint Art, gaining much insight.
"Boom!"
Suddenly, the battle between the Dark Night Monarch and the peerless Divine King erupted. They soared into the clouds, displaying infinite techniques.
The Eternal Universe Furnace and another mysterious Extreme Dao sacred weapon were trapped within the incomplete Great Emperor array patterns, entangled with each other, not dragged into the battle.
This battle was unseen by anyone. The two sides walked through shattered void, engaging in a confrontation of the Dao, countless times more dangerous than the previous duel.
"Hum!"
The Divine City trembled. Everyone felt a chill, sensing the great Dao of heaven and earth pressing down. Many trembled in fear, directly collapsing to the ground.
The Dark Night Monarch was absolutely a terrifying existence, countless times stronger than the three ancient fiends. He had survived to this day by his own power.
It was not like the three ancient fiends, who relied on the effects of yin-dark herbs to maintain immortality. The Dark Night Monarch's own lifespan was not exhausted. His divine power was endless, his flesh and divine sense terrifying to the extreme.
His understanding of the Dao was unmatched by few in this era, reaching a hair-raising level.
One could imagine, if the Sun Monarch of old were still alive, and the Twin Kings joined hands to walk the world, what terrifying might they would possess!
This battle was destined to be recorded in cultivation history. Two peerless kings clashing—how many years had it been since such a thing occurred?
Yet regrettably, no one could witness the process of their battle. The two engaged in a Dao confrontation high in the sky. Unless one was a peer opponent, it was impossible to glimpse.
"Kill!"
The seven Saint Lord-rank figures who had fled returned, attacking the Jiang family members. They wanted to disturb the Divine King's mind, indirectly helping the Dark Night Monarch kill him.
They did not want to stay, but the Divine City was sealed. As long as the Eternal Universe Divine Furnace was not withdrawn, they could not escape. If Jiang Taixu won, everyone would die. Not a single person could survive.
"Thud!"
Heaven and earth were pierced through. The Ancient Devouring Demon Jar descended, blocking the group of Saint Lord-rank figures outside the Dragon Transformation Pool, spewing endless killing intent.
Jiang Yi, the Ninth Great Bandit, stepped forward and shouted, "You rats hiding in the shadows!"
Jiang Yun also stepped forward, coldly staring at the seven supreme experts. Their malice was so great, forcing the Divine King to send back half an Extreme Dao weapon to protect them, filling him with fury.
"Divine King Ancestor, do not worry about us! As long as you win, everything can be reversed!" the Jiang family members shouted.
"Hahaha..." The seven Saint Lord-rank figures laughed loudly.
"Jiang Taixu is dead for sure!" They soared into the air, moving far away, afraid the peerless Divine King would suddenly return.
"Thud!"
Suddenly, the Eternal Universe Sacred Furnace shook, as if about to break through the air, causing the entire Divine City to tremble.
"What happened?!" The Jiang family members were shocked.
"Not good! The Great Emperor array patterns carved by the Dark Night Monarch have activated, combining with the other sacred weapon to take away the divine furnace!" The Jiang family strongman controlling the Sun Sacred Furnace shouted in alarm.
"Damn it!" Jiang Yun roared. He finally understood—the Dark Night Monarch's killing of the Divine King was secondary. His main goal was to seize the sacred furnace.
"Boom!"
Terrifying pressure came from the sky. The two peerless kings seemed to be approaching the ground.
"Jiang Taixu, the Eternal Universe Sacred Furnace will be mine. You are powerless to turn things around!" the Dark Night Monarch sneered, channeling the Dao to intercept Jiang Taixu, preventing him from returning to the ground.
"Strike out the fire furnace on you, let it approach the sacred furnace!" Suddenly, Jiang Taixu's voice rang in Ye Fan's mind.
Ye Fan's heart shook. He immediately thought of the Li Fire Divine Furnace. Could it really have some connection with the Jiang family's sacred furnace?
This was not the time for hesitation. Ye Fan was very decisive. He struck out the Li Fire Divine Furnace, turning it into a streak of firelight flying toward the Eternal Universe Sacred Furnace.
"Boom!"
Heaven and earth shook. The Eternal Universe Furnace blazed with great light. The sacred radiance of Phoenix Blood Red Gold instantly flooded the entire Divine City. Everyone in the city was stunned.
What happened?
Then, nearly half the people knelt down, unable to withstand the sudden vast pressure!
The Eternal Universe Sacred Furnace stabilized. Even though the other sacred weapon combined with the Great Emperor array patterns to oppose it, it was now at a complete disadvantage.
In the sky, the Dark Night Monarch exclaimed in shock, "What fire furnace is that? It contains Great Emperor Dao patterns, breaking the array patterns I carved!"
"Thud!"
Heavenly Dao sounds rang out from the clouds, like the ancient Heavenly Court descending to the mortal world, shaking out unparalleled Dao divine power, flooding the entire Divine City.
The Dark Night Monarch let out a muffled groan. "Jiang Taixu, you... were sealed in Purple Mountain, your lifespan nearly dried up. How could you break through to this level?!"