A cry of surprise echoed, leaving everyone bewildered. The few Saint Realm figures present only changed expression moments later, revealing looks of profound shock.
From not far away, a loud laugh boomed: “You only realize it now? It’s too late!”
A streak of rainbow light arrived with the sound. Its imposing aura blanketed the heavens and earth, sweeping over like a surging torrent, overwhelmingly majestic and absolute.
Behind the airship, all the cultivators in the God and Immortal Realms instantly felt their hearts tremble with fear.
Fortunately, the target of that rainbow aura was not them. It was aimed instead at the woman who had just been manipulating a Nine-Dragon colored ribbon.
The latter’s delicate eyebrows furrowed, and she immediately abandoned Zong Shou, recalling the ribbon with a flick of her wrist.
Red shadows fluttered, shielding her back.
Then came a solid peng impact, and the void of that spirit river instantly swelled outward.
The Nine-Dragon ribbon also shattered from within, drifting in all directions.
The woman sneered, silver light swirling rapidly around her hands; a pair of short halberds suddenly materialized there. They spun and flew out again, like twin swallows, carving a graceful trajectory through the void, heading to clash with Ao Kun’s kinetic energy.
Yet, the moment she attacked, her expression shifted slightly.
During the previous exchange, she had felt as if something had been taken from her.
She felt something was wrong but couldn't quite recall what. Now, as the pair of short halberds flew out, the foundation of that feeling became significantly clearer.
She remembered that Ao Kun controlled the Dao of Existence and Annihilation!
The Dao Foundation was damaged! It really was Ao Kun!
The instant this thought crossed her mind, the will to retreat arose.
But then the laughter grew clearer and more heroic. Another fist shadow struck across from the opposing side.
The blood-red ribbon Ao Kun had used shattered in response. The pair of short halberds couldn't even approach him by an inch.
At the same time, anxious cries of alarm spread from the surroundings.
“Bai Daozi, retreat quickly, this person is Ao Kun!”
“Ao Kun, how dare you!”
“Insolent! Stop this at once!”
Beams of soul-sense and killing intent successively descended. By this time, there were already seven Immortal Treasures being hurled toward the fray.
Several powerful kinetic energies were rapidly closing in.
Yet, they still couldn't restrain or stop this single punch!
Ignoring everything, Ao Kun’s fist shadow continued its strike across the sky.
Bai Daozi didn't even have time to process the situation before being struck head-on by the overwhelming fist aura.
Upon the slightest contact, she knew it was a method of destruction. However, at this moment, more of the aura surged into her body.
A force she normally wouldn't mind and could easily resist was now tearing through her defenses like a bamboo split open, completely shattering her vital energy and internal breath. Every single meridian and Qi passage was pulverized.
Boom!
Following a dull thud, Bai Daozi’s delicate form instantly disintegrated, flesh and blood scattering as she violently exploded.
But at the last possible moment, Ao Kun caused the spacetime around him to collapse instantly. With a flicker, he was several God Realm dashes away.
He specialized in the instantaneous movement lineage. Although he cultivated the Law of Cause and Effect, his innate mastery over parts of time and space within instant transmission was also profound.
In this regard, he was in no way inferior to Zong Shou, who simultaneously controlled the Zhou Ji Ming Shi Shu and the Three Thousand Star Falls.
With just two blows, Ao Kun had instantly executed Bai Daozi, and he immediately vanished a thousand li away.
After instantly traversing to this location, the few Saint Realm Venerables who perceived him found themselves outside the range of their divine senses locking on.
When he reappeared, he erupted into a fit of tearing coughs, his face ashen white as paper.
After finally managing to stop, Ao Kun forced a self-deprecating smile. “This is the downside of the Dao of Existence and Annihilation; to harm another, one must first harm oneself. Killing a Bai Daozi is simple, but without rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures, I will need to recuperate for several years.”
No one present dared to laugh.
It was true that Ao Kun was injured, but that Bai Daozi had been forcibly dragged down from the Saint Realm by this man!
Her Dao Foundation was damaged, a crucial part erased, and then the second punch executed her on the spot!
From the looks of it now, her spirit and soul were utterly extinguished, nothing remaining. Unless she possessed other life-saving measures, her fate was sealed in death.
Even though this person was injured, those present dared not view him lightly; rather, their vigilance intensified.
To engage this person in combat before his strength was exhausted meant certain doom.
It was fortunate that he was only in the mid-Saint Realm. If he had stepped into the Ultimate Realm, what then?
Liu Jue’s facial muscles tightened, his expression gloomy as deep water.
To have a Saint Realm figure perish on the very first exchange today—even for the Yuanlian Realm, this was a loss that outweighed the gain!
And since Ao Kun was present, then the other person, who was said to be deeply devoted to him—
Looking into the distance, a white-clothed woman was seen strolling slowly through the void.
Everywhere she passed became a kingdom of ice.
The Boundary River had no water; what was utterly frozen were the laws themselves, the very structure of heaven and earth!
The entire Boundary River had ceased its flow, and the materialized spiritual energy had all ‘congealed’ and stopped moving.
It was Ao Yi!
Ao Yi, at the Half-Step Ultimate Realm!
Cheng Xin’s pupils contracted unnaturally.
He had long heard that this woman was one of the most promising candidates, besides Wei Xu and Kun Ming, in the Cloud Realm to reach the Ultimate Realm.
But only now did he realize he had still underestimated her.
The chill of her power radiated out, enveloping the area. Within thirty God Realm dashes, everything was covered by her cold energy.
She was clearly only one step away from the state where all things freeze!
Cross that step, and she would be an Ultimate Realm Venerable.
“Ao Yi!”
Liu Mu Chen clenched his fists tightly, then slowly released them.
With Ao Yi’s arrival, her Half-Step Ultimate Realm soul-sense pressed down upon this region of the void.
Not only were the cultivators in the God and Immortal Realms finding it increasingly strenuous, but even the few Saints couldn't help but slightly retract their energies.
Though there were nine Venerables here, only a mere two had reached the mid-Saint stage; the rest were all early-stage Saints.
The only one who could contend with this woman was him. He needed to pool the strength of all the armies here, the might of an entire nation, just to match her.
It was a pity that they were not in their true native domain; otherwise, suppressing this woman wouldn't be impossible!
It became painfully clear then that Zong Shou’s provocative words from a month and a half ago were nothing more than a trap!
Bitterness filled his heart. If Gu Le had been slightly careless and arrogant, directly refusing the call to action instead of petitioning the Immortal Court—
This battle might not have forced their Jiudu Immortal Court into such a predicament—
He suddenly clenched his fist again, the fingertips digging deeply into his flesh. Liu Mu Chen’s gaze, however, remained calm.
“I wonder if the words the Sovereign King spoke earlier—about yielding thirty minor myriad worlds—still count now?”
As long as their core strength could be preserved for a retreat, those thirty minor myriad worlds could be reclaimed at any time.
And even washing away today’s humiliation wouldn't be impossible.
Zong Shou nodded at the words, unwilling to push too far.
“They certainly count. However, the subsequent conditions must also be met by the Emperor Lord.”
The subsequent conditions required kneeling and apologizing, and the self-crippling of his Saint Realm cultivation!
If he could meet them, then Liu Mu Chen, and the Jiudu Immortal Court as it was, posed no threat to him. Letting them go wouldn't be out of the question.
How should he put it? He was also thinking of this man; if this matter wasn't concluded now, when the Fen Kong Lu Family sought redress, this Emperor Lord’s situation would only become worse.
Within Liu Mu Chen’s pupils, a fierce glint reappeared. Veins swelled on his neck.
This time, it was only for a moment before he forcefully suppressed it, letting out a cold sneer.
“With these two present, it’s no wonder the Sovereign King is so confident! But the Sovereign King is perhaps too self-assured! Since there is no sincerity, Liu Mu Chen has no choice but to fight to the death!”
Shaking his head, Liu Mu Chen turned his head. “Brother Ji, Brother Han, Brother Xu! You three must understand the principle of 'when the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.' I ask that you lend me your full strength later. Ao Kun will be handled by me; the rest is entrusted to you all.”
Ji Ming and Han Tao said nothing, merely nodding gravely.
Only the man surnamed Xu, whom the others—the only one being Lu Wubing—did not know the name of, laughed nonchalantly. “Emperor Lord, rest assured, I, Xu Xun, certainly understand the stakes! In this battle, I will naturally exert my full effort.”
As long as he wasn't facing Ao Kun, even if his opponent was the white-clothed woman at the Half-Step Ultimate Realm before him, he was confident enough to fight her. If he couldn't win, there was still a chance to flee. There would be no danger of falling in realm, damaging his Dao Foundation, or perishing.
In the eyes of men like him, this Ao Kun was far more terrifying than Ao Yi.
Liu Mu Chen was visibly slightly relieved, then looked toward the Dao Sect members. “Palace Master Qing Ming, your Dao Sect is an ancient enemy of this person. If I, Liu Mu Chen, fall here, this Blood Sword Demon Lord probably won't let you off easily either. Conversely, if we join forces, there might be a slight chance of victory. Working together, it might not be impossible to turn the tables.”
Including the two Saints from the Dao Sect whose combat prowess was not weak, the total number of Saint Realm Venerables here reached eleven!
Cheng Xin listened and felt a bitter taste in his mouth.
There were indeed eleven Saints, but this Jiudu Emperor Lord seemed to have forgotten two others.
Yuan Wu Shang’s Jade Puppet alone could rival one of them.
And besides that, there was Ye Xuan, once famous throughout the world two centuries ago—the Carefree Xuan Dao Xiaoyao who challenged three Saint Realm Venerables with only God Realm strength.
Qing Ming’s expression was cold, showing no surprise.
“We will naturally do our utmost—”
Meaning, do our utmost to flee. Since they couldn't be persuaded, and the course was set, perhaps by fighting with their full strength, these individuals could delay Zong Shou for a brief moment—
All they needed right now was a brief moment.
Liu Juechen suddenly laughed loudly and flashed out of the Jade Chariot.
Appearing above Ao Kun, he held the Heaven-Supporting Bell and brought it crashing down below.
Ao Kun reacted instantly, teleporting away from his original spot.
Their kinetic energies brushed for an instant, and Ao Kun paused slightly. This person’s true power was tightly compressed, his Dao Foundation solidified as if cast in unbreakable steel, seemingly without a single flaw throughout his body. He seemed to have given Ao Kun nowhere to strike.
Then Ao Kun sneered; under such circumstances, seven-tenths of this person's strength was used to stabilize himself—how much fighting power could he truly possess?
He threw another punch, meeting the great bell head-on.
Following a loud clang of the bell ringing, it was Liu Mu Chen, whose cultivation was several levels higher, who retreated in disarray.
Meanwhile, beside the airship, those few Saint Realm Venerables also made their moves.
Liu Jue, Guan Zhong, and the wild, unattached trio charged straight for Zong Shou.
Ji Ming and Han Tao froze for a moment upon seeing this, then suddenly realized: to shoot the rider, one must first shoot the horse; to capture the king, one must first capture the commander. Their only chance of survival now was to seize Zong Shou first!