Chapter 858: Tongtian Also Appears
A bloody scent permeated the air above the Divine City. On the day before the battle, forty-one bloody incidents had occurred, with many dead and wounded—all stemming from the impending ultimate showdown.
"I wager a piece of Nine Heavens Divine Jade—a Red Jade King—on Yuangu's victory!"
The shocking gamble began. The Nine Heavens Divine Jade series were all divine materials, capable of forging legendary Saint weapons, rare beyond measure in the world, priceless treasures that would move even Saints.
"A piece of Great Luo Silver Essence!"
The monkey arrived, spending lavishly as he gambled against that Ancient Clan member, also offering a head-sized piece of this rare divine material, something rarely seen in many years.
"Are you betting on the Human Clan's Sacred Body to win, Holy Prince?" a powerful Ancient Clan member asked, somewhat displeased, but restrained himself due to the monkey's status.
"Is there a problem?" The monkey shot him a sidelong glare, very domineering. "Have all the ancient tribes submitted to the Primordial Lake Clan now?"
The shocking gamble was open to all. Of course, there were also private wagers between two individuals, betting on rare treasures that others couldn't match, because no one else could produce them.
On the other side of the gambling house, Dongfang Ye, Li Heishui, and Li Tian were each making their own bets, all wagering on Ye Fan's certain victory, that he would cut off Yuangu's head.
However, they could hardly arrange private bets like the monkey did, because divine materials were far too rare. Even if the Ancient Clan had many treasures, who would be willing to offer them up?
In another gambling house, the Celestial Prince appeared, making all cultivators tense up. He took out a crystalline pendant that didn't radiate brilliant light, yet it stirred everyone's hearts.
The heart of the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree!
When someone revealed the origin of this pendant, it immediately caused an uproar. Many were shocked—this was a priceless treasure that nothing could replace.
"It really is the core of the Enlightenment Tea Tree."
The gambling house instantly boiled over. What an heaven-defying treasure was this? Holding it while cultivating would speed things up greatly, aiding enlightenment—it was a dreamlike immortal treasure.
"Left behind by the Immortal Emperor..."
Soon, people recalled some ancient secrets. Back then, the Immortal Emperor had felled the Enlightenment Tree and refined it into a Dao coffin, burying himself with the pomp of a deity—unmatched throughout history.
Clearly, this heart of the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree was genuine, refined during that time and left to his descendants. There was no second one in the world—it was a dream-level immortal material.
The crystalline tree heart was no larger than a dragon's eye, warm and translucent, emitting strands of Dao ripples. Around it, mysterious and profound patterns interwove, naturally resonating with the Dao.
This gambling house erupted in chaos, and the news spread immediately. This pendant was far too precious, almost impossible to value.
"I wager that Yuangu will surely win, and the Human Clan's Sacred Body's blood will stain Qixia Plain." The Celestial Prince was as handsome as jade, speaking calmly. His black hair draped over his shoulders, more beautiful than a woman, his skin crystalline and nearly perfect—a flawless man.
Everyone in the Divine City knew, and many rushed toward that place.
"I'll bet against you!" An old Human Clan cultivator took out a damaged Saint weapon.
The Celestial Prince shook his head disdainfully. "Far from enough, not even qualified. If you want to bet with me, show your stake first—at the very least, a volume of an ancient Great Emperor's scripture."
"I'll bet with you!" Duan De appeared first, the tomb raider unable to stay calm. He took out two ancient Medicine Kings, immediately causing a huge uproar.
"Medicine Kings! One can extend life by centuries, and he pulls out two at once. What's this fat bastard's background?"
This was indeed shocking. Dried-up lifespan was a problem every cultivator faced in the end. A single Medicine King was hard to find in the world, let alone two at once.
Only a few knew Duan De's identity, warning those nearby: "Shh, keep your voice down. Don't slander him. This is a vengeful one—watch out for your ancestral graves being dug up."
"Two Medicine Kings still aren't enough. You'd need to steal a Qilin divine medicine seed to compare." The Celestial Prince sneered repeatedly.
At this moment, people finally understood—he was specifically targeting the Immortal Pill on Ye Fan's person, setting up a gamble before the life-or-death battle.
"Woof!" Black Emperor growled low, secretly frustrated that he couldn't find Ye Fan's whereabouts. Otherwise, he would have gone all out, wanting to gamble big, his brass bell-like eyes fixed on the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree heart, unable to look away.
The monkey, Li Tian, Dongfang Ye, and others also arrived, staring at the Celestial Prince ahead. They forcibly restrained themselves, not charging over to fight, because he had a Dao Protector by his side.
Of course, the people around him also dared not act against them. As long as the Battle Victory Buddha existed in the world, all who opposed his clan had to tread carefully.
"Holy Prince, how about we gamble? If you don't have a suitable stake, pick one or two volumes of your father's scriptures." The Celestial Prince said.
"This bastard is provoking us." Black Emperor bared his teeth.
"Why don't we go fight at Qixia Plain too? If I die, you take my father's scriptures; if you die, I take the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree heart." The monkey countered sharply.
"What's there to argue about? We're all Imperial Clans surviving from ancient times; we should get along harmoniously." An old Ancient Clan member stepped in to mediate.
In response, both the monkey and the Celestial Prince snorted coldly. The ancient Imperial Clans were harmonious on the surface, but had they ever truly been at peace? Each ruled over some powerful tribes, rarely united against outsiders.
"I'll bet with you." At that moment, a young Daoist walked in, holding only a single page of scripture that flowed with traces of Dao patterns. Before people could see clearly, he put it away.
"Who are you, and what are you betting with me?" The Celestial Prince asked casually, though inwardly he was shaken—that page of scripture was definitely no ordinary item.
"I am Yuan Shi, and I wager a volume of the Primordial Beginning Scripture." The young Daoist revealed a mouthful of snow-white teeth, smiling confidently.
"Never heard of it. Does any random scripture compare to the Enlightenment Ancient Tea Tree heart?" A person beside the Celestial Prince sneered.
"Swish"
The page of scripture flickered again, nine mysterious ancient characters bursting with light, flashing and vanishing, leaving behind a Dao resonance that immediately shocked all the experts present.
"How about this? There are nine Emperor characters on it. Is the bet sufficient?" This Daoist was naturally Ye Fan. He had also come to the Divine City. His Source Art was now not far from the Origin Heavenly Master level, and even with Heavenly Eyes, no one could see through his true form.
"Fine, I'll bet with you!" A shocking gamble began.
...
Qixia Plain was an ancient battlefield, barren and vast, stretching endlessly. It had existed since ancient times, with countless legends surrounding it.
Ancient records from various clans stated that Primordial Emperor had slain his most powerful opponent here, embarking on the path of invincibility and ultimately attaining the Dao and becoming Emperor.
Yuangu chose this place for the decisive battle—the determination and meaning were obvious. He aspired to attain the Dao and walk his own supreme Imperial path!
At dawn, a ray of morning light pierced heaven and earth. The red sun rose above the horizon, its radiance spilling across the plain, bringing much vitality to the place.
At this moment, Qixia Plain was not quiet. It was already crowded with figures, densely packed, filled with countless cultivators who had crossed the void to come. And it continued—domain gates opened from time to time, all for this battle. People had been waiting for days.
This was originally a wilderness, but now it was a sea of people, stretching beyond sight, becoming a spectacle.
The Southern Ridge Barbarian King arrived, riding on the back of an Azure Dragon as he descended. Keen observers noticed a black toad on his head, and their hearts trembled.
"People from the Demon Emperor Hall have also come..." A group of ancient demons descended, including the Southern Demon and Qi Huoshui, unwilling to miss this battle.
"Amitabha." A Buddhist chant rang out as several Golden Body Arhats appeared, followed by over a dozen young monks. Each had a Buddha halo behind their heads, forming wheels—mysterious and powerful.
"These are people from the Great Thunderclap Monastery!" Many exclaimed. There were many ancient temples in the Western Desert, but all originated from Mount Sumeru. This lineage had arrived.
Suddenly, noise erupted in the distance. The people of Primordial Lake had arrived, a dark mass of over a thousand. Among them were no fewer than a hundred Imperial Clan members, including Ancestral Kings!
Not to mention anything else, this momentum alone was enough to intimidate any opponent. With Ancestral Kings overseeing the battle, who wouldn't be alarmed? On the contrary, Yuangu would surely be even more domineering.
"Can Ye Fan win?" Ji Ziyue was full of worry, her lively big eyes searching. Ye Fan had not yet arrived. She stood beside Ji Haoyue, accompanied by many old-timers. The Ji Family had also come.
"What right does the Sacred Body have to contend with an ancient Imperial bloodline? Making such a big fuss—I could kill him myself!"
On the Primordial Lake side, a thousand people gathered. Many radical young disciples were discussing, refusing to accept the Sacred Body, believing that Yuangu's intervention was unnecessary—they were enough.
Immediately, many from neighboring Ancient Clan tribes responded. For a time, the atmosphere here reached its peak. Even before Yuangu appeared, the place was nearly boiling over.
"Where is the Human Clan's Sacred Body?" A young Ancient Clan man stepped forward, standing tall with cold eyes. "You think you can fight an ancient Imperial bloodline? I see no need at all—I'll kill you myself!"
This was a young man from a Royal Clan, one of the eight great royal lineages under Primordial Lake. His cultivation had reached the great perfection of the Immortal Platform Second Layer, close to severing the Dao.
Everyone's heart tightened. This was clearly arranged deliberately—on one hand, building up Yuangu's momentum, on the other, suppressing the Human Clan's Sacred Body, constantly weakening his presence before the battle.
It might not have been the Imperial Clan of Primordial Lake doing this, but rather the powerful tribes under their rule acting on their own.
"That's right, what is the Human Clan's Sacred Body? What right does he have to fight an ancient Imperial bloodline? I think I'll go kill him first!" Another young Ancient Clan strongman stepped forward.
"A bunch of filthy scoundrels. I, the Daoist, will kill you all." At that moment, a tall, imposing figure strode forward.
"Who are you?"
"I am Tongtian, here to slaughter you rotten logs. Don't interfere with the real battle." This young Daoist, calling himself Tongtian, stepped into the arena.
"Since you dare to come, this is a life-or-death battle." The few Ancient Clan members who had been shouting stepped forward, grinning as they approached.
"I, Tongtian, will send you all on your way together!" The young Daoist roared, striking at all of them simultaneously.
In an instant, all kinds of light flew. The few were all swept in, engaging in a life-or-death struggle.
However, the battle didn't last long. Soon, blood splattered as the Ancient Clan members were successively split in half, their blood staining the earth red.
A dragon sparrow soared across the sky. The great demonic powers of the Eastern Wasteland had arrived—Red Dragon Daoist, Yao Yuekong, the successor of the Heavenly Demon Palace, and a group of others descended. Among them was a woman like a Nine Heavens Mysterious Maiden descending to the world, peerlessly beautiful, city-toppling and nation-ruining—she was Yan Ruyu, the descendant of the Green Emperor.
On the other side, a domain gate opened wide. The Holy Son of Yaoguang appeared as a successor, bearing an indescribable aura. Many old-timers guarded him, showing deference.
"Ancestral King Nine Phoenixes has arrived!"
In the distance, nine terrifying ancient ferocious beasts pulled a chariot. An ancient divine carriage appeared in the void. No one expected this battle to alarm such a peerless figure.
"No one is to cause trouble. Let the Human Clan's Sacred Body and Yuangu duel." A cold voice came from within the carriage.