Ye Tiansheng, eavesdropping on the discussion of the Ten Yama Kings, unexpectedly caught the mention of a familiar name—Master Yuanyuan, the very leader of the righteous path. This instantly plunged him into a predicament from which there was no escape.
The Ten Yama Kings, their true faces revealed, were none other than the top ten experts of the Deification Stage from the righteous faction. The leaders were especially those from the Buddhist, Daoist, and Confucian schools. Master Yuanyuan, True Man Qanyang, and Mr. Yan Haoran!
“You… why are you all…”
Ye Tiansheng’s mind spun into chaos; he forgot even to flee. The ten great masters exchanged glances, their expressions heavy with sorrow, yet they moved with thunderous force, apprehending Ye Tiansheng in one swift action.
Though Ye Tiansheng’s cultivation was high, he was ultimately only at the Nascent Soul stage, utterly incapable of resisting the combined might of ten Deification experts. He was immediately captured, his Nascent Soul seized, and he was imprisoned within a bronze vat.
“Only later did I discover that this bronze enclosure held countless other Nascent Soul masters…”
He sighed, gazing toward the seemingly endless stretch of the bronze wall.
“Such a thing could happen?”
Feng Zikang’s face changed drastically, disbelief etched upon it. Luo Lianxin’s beautiful countenance drained of color, as if she might collapse. Huo Zhongguang was utterly stunned, struck dumb, unable to utter a word.
Who could have imagined that the ten supreme masters of the righteous path, holding such high positions, were plotting such insidious schemes in secret? The mystery of the missing Nascent Soul masters three hundred years ago was their doing as well.
Though Feng Zikang had long been at odds with these individuals, he never expected such a profound conspiracy brewing beneath the surface. Based on Ye Tiansheng’s account, it seemed the current turmoil shaking the Main Profound Realm was also part of their plan. This suggested that the earlier act of handing him the Investiture of the Gods tablet must have held a hidden agenda…
“Sometime later, I encountered an old fellow who had been trapped for many years, and only then did I learn the full truth…”
It turned out the root of the Deification experts’ grand scheme was simply that there were too many cultivators in the Main Profound Realm.
“Too many…”
Ye Tiansheng sighed, his eyes unfocused.
In the Main Profound Realm, the resources capable of nurturing immortals were severely lacking. This was not like the Primordial Lands, which could sustain countless True Immortals.
Even if they explored the Profound Realm themselves, it was merely a stopgap measure that ultimately led only to chaos.
The ten Deification masters, through centuries of painstaking effort, finally devised two solutions.
The first was to reduce the number of cultivators. This led to the Great Tribulation of the Nascent Soul stage three hundred years prior. Unexpectedly, General Lu broke through at that time, and since the Deification masters couldn't deal with him directly, they trapped him using a Tribulation of Affection, causing his eventual demise through that very emotion.
The second solution was to rebuild the Primordial Era. These Deification masters spent centuries adjusting the structure of the heavens and earth within the Profound Realm, intending to destroy most of the existing realm and revert it to a primordial state. Then, after the great paragons recast the elements of earth, water, fire, and wind, a new Primordial Era could be forged.
Thus, their ambition was far-reaching, distinct from the petty squabbles over worldly authority among the leaders of the Three Teachings and the myriad schools.
“So that’s how it is?”
Feng Zikang let out a bitter laugh. He had always believed the Formless Heavenly Demon to be a world-destroying fiend, but compared to these righteous Deification masters, it was far inferior; they were the ones harboring thoughts of true annihilation…
“Now… you must leave quickly, before they realize, hurry and go…”
Ye Tiansheng suddenly snapped back to awareness and urged them urgently.
If they could depart before the Ten Great Deification Experts noticed, there might still be a chance to escape, to cling to life for a few more days at least.
Just then, a tremendous roar echoed from the distance, followed by Sun Su’s mournful cry, and the sounds of chaotic fighting erupted nearby.
“Master!”
Sun Su’s anguished shout carried far on the wind.
Feng Zikang smiled bitterly. “It’s too late…”
Sun Su had already engaged the ten masters in battle!
The Deification-stage divine senses permeated the entire Hall of Yama. There was no hiding place for them now.
“Since it has come to this, then we must fight!”
Before them stood ten supreme masters of immeasurable power, but with no retreat available, they had no choice but to contend fiercely. Moreover, they had a powerful ally in Sun Su; the fight might not be a certain loss.
“Junior Sister, Zhu San, stay here and take care of Master. I’ll be right back!”
Feng Zikang leaped up, knowing the other two had low combat strength and could offer little help. Guarding their Master was the righteous course of action.
Ye Tiansheng raised a hand, attempting to stop him, but realizing he could do nothing, could only sigh, watching Feng Zikang depart.
Feng Zikang soared toward the location of Sun Su’s distressed cries. After flying a short distance, he saw Sun Su, hair unbound in fury, wielding a massive club, standing in tense opposition to the Ten Deification Experts.
“Brother Sun, what happened?”
He stood beside Sun Su and asked.
“They… they harmed my Master!”
Sun Su’s fierce eyes were filled with tears, his teeth clenched. Feng Zikang followed his gaze and saw an old monk sitting slumped over, withered and dead.
“They deceived my Master, claiming they would ferry all souls through hell for rebirth. In reality, they were using his cultivation to patch the flaws in their scheme, suppressing the captured Nascent Soul masters to break through the Profound Realm and reconstruct the Primordial Era! They deserve death! My Master actually believed them!”
Master Yuanyuan suddenly opened his eyes and rebuked, “Sun Su, you undisciplined disciple, speaking such nonsense! This is the way of the Heavenly Dao, what can be done? Brother Sanzang understood the Dharma profoundly and offered himself willingly. How can you not grasp the Buddhist principle of the Buddha cutting flesh to feed the eagle?”
“Nonsense!”
Sun Su stomped his club, shaking the heavens and earth, and roared in fury.
“Keep that twisted logic to fool those village bumpkins! If you think you can deceive this old monkey, you’re far too green! Today, I will smash every last one of you into meat paste to comfort my Master’s spirit in heaven!”
True Man Qanyang and Mr. Yan Haoran looked embarrassed and kept their heads down, but a woman among the masters poked her head out and sneered, “Sun Su, do you think you are the divine being you once were? Since you accepted the Buddhist precepts, your cultivation can never surpass that of your Master, Master Sanzang. Now that Master Sanzang has passed into nirvana, you are merely a mortal. What arrogance are you showing?”
Feng Zikang recognized the woman as the one who had uttered malicious words when he was taking over General Lu’s body. Anger flared, and he was about to intervene, but he heard Sun Su erupt in a wild laugh.
“Ignorant woman, prepare to die!”
He lightly swung his massive club; it moved with the speed of lightning. With that single blow, the woman, unable to evade, released a magical artifact to defend herself, but it was shattered by the club. In one strike, a Deification master was turned into a smear of red pulp!
“Be careful!”
Master Yuanyuan shouted loudly, “Everyone scatter!”
No one could have anticipated that the now powerless Sun Su possessed such destructive force. The Deification experts panicked, dodging wildly, looking utterly disorganized.
“This Sun Su is transformed from a Vajra Giant Ape; he possesses innate divine strength. Although his cultivation is gone now, his innate divine abilities remain. He has decided to risk his life. That last strike against Madam Huarong expended much of his vital essence. Don’t meet his strikes head-on; once his essence is depleted, he will naturally die!”
Master Yuanyuan saw the situation clearly and shouted a warning.
Sun Su laughed maniacally, never pausing his club as he smashed it toward the assembly of Deification experts!