Facing the streaking Sky City, Ye Jingyu merely sneered and brought down his blade. Yet, the moment the Heavenly Sovereign Saber moved, he sensed something amiss. He felt as though he had sunk into a mire; every movement now demanded a hundred times the usual exertion. Before he could even raise the weapon halfway, the Sky God Seal crashed down heavily upon his shoulder. With a resounding crack, his bone shattered under the impact, collapsing inward as vast swathes of flesh sprayed outward.

His body was hammered straight down, plummeting downward, but he fell past the Golden Bridge and into the embrace of the Taiji Diagram. An immense sea of fire instantly engulfed Ye Jingyu.

Countless arcs of lightning flickered, leaping toward Ye Jingyu like tigers loosed from their cage. The current, measuring at least a hundred billion volts, struck his body without mercy, even as massive icebergs rained down upon him. Faced with the searing flames, Ye Jingyu's Chaos Body revealed its formidable nature; no matter how high the fire, it felt like mere residual heat. The lightning, conversely, became his finest nourishment. It was the icebergs, however, striking him repeatedly, that caused genuine discomfort, akin to a mortal being pelted by stones.

At this moment, Xuanyuan Jing flicked the Xuanyuan Sword in his hand, sending it forth. It transformed into a colossal longsword crackling with purple lightning, plunging down from the heavens directly toward the crown of Ye Jingyu’s head. Having just dodged an iceberg attack, Ye Jingyu suddenly saw the massive Xuanyuan Sword aimed at him. His form flickered, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow, but the sword plunged into his left shoulder, scoring a long, bloody gash across his body. Crimson blood spurted forth continuously, revealing the stark white bone beneath...

Not only that, but Xuanyuan Jing brought his hands together, mumbling an incantation. The Sky City, transformed from the Sky God Seal, hovered in mid-air. The Five Divine Banners spun rapidly, and the golden pagoda within the city emitted beams of golden light. Seizing the moment Ye Jingyu was wounded by the Xuanyuan Sword, the entire structure descended directly upon him. Ye Jingyu’s eyes showed a flicker of surprise as his body was heavily pinned beneath the Sky City. He felt the power of the Five Elements converging, ultimately trapping him within that golden pagoda...

This pagoda was the Primordial Grand Supreme Elder Lord's Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda, the sect-guarding treasure upon which he founded his teachings. Its might, arguably, was even more terrifying than the Taiji Diagram. Now fused with the Five Divine Banners to form the Sky God Seal, its power had increased manifold—by more than a hundred times! Even though Ye Jingyu’s strength far surpassed Xuanyuan Jing’s, facing the Taiji Diagram, the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda, and the Five Directions Divine Banners—three sets of Innate Supreme Treasures—simultaneously, he was completely suppressed within the pagoda. Only Ye Jingyu's current physique could withstand such pressure from three supreme artifacts; any other person, even Liang Xiaoke, would likely have been instantly pulverized.

Seeing Ye Jingyu trapped within the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda, Liang Xiaoke’s expression shifted drastically, and he prepared to intervene, only to see the entire Sky City begin to shake violently... “Xuanyuan Jing, I told you, you are not the Primordial Grand Supreme Elder Lord. With your current cultivation, you cannot possibly wield the true power of these three supreme artifacts. You cannot hold me!” Ye Jingyu’s resonant voice boomed from within the pagoda.

“Is that so?” Xuanyuan Jing snorted coldly. The lightning-flashing Xuanyuan Sword then fell from the sky and embedded itself directly into the body of the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda. The Taiji Diagram, in turn, morphed into a Taiji symbol, inlaid into the pagoda’s structure. Immediately, tens of thousands of sword qi streams, combined with the primordial forces of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind, surged into the pagoda. The Five Directions Divine Banners continued to sway, and the power of the Five Elements poured in like a tide. Under the pagoda’s might, these forces multiplied several times over. Ye Jingyu, trapped inside, felt as if the entire world was arrayed against him. The primordial forces of the Four Elements, the power of the Five Elements, and the sword qi—all were terrifyingly immense. Even with his Chaos Body, even though his physique could absorb all energy, he felt agonizingly stretched, as if on the verge of bursting. Facing the combined might of four supreme divine artifacts, even with the user not being at the Saint realm, the resulting power was enough to annihilate high-tier cultivators.

Even Yang Jian, were he present, would likely be reduced to ash. Only Ye Jingyu could withstand such destructive force. The colossal energy surged and battered him relentlessly. The wounds on Ye Jingyu’s body couldn't even begin to heal before the pressure forced them to burst open anew. His bones emitted sharp crackling sounds, threatening to shatter. The sensation was excruciating, like a person forced to carry hundreds of pounds while traversing the harshest natural environments—icebergs, volcanoes, and mountains of swords.

“If Heaven presses down on me, I shall cleave Heaven! If Earth presses down on me, I shall shatter Earth! You cannot hold me!” Facing this overwhelming power, Ye Jingyu roared with exertion, and his body began to swell uncontrollably. He manifested the Pangu True Body in that instant... In the blink of an eye, his form soared to millions of feet high, and he brought a single fist crashing down toward the body of the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda.

With a thunderous boom, the void itself fractured, and the entire pagoda shuddered violently. Xuanyuan Jing spat out a jet of blood—the massive recoil force had evidently injured him. “Break for this venerable one!” Ye Jingyu’s mighty roar echoed again, and he launched another punch. That purest essence of power smashed the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda clear out of the Sky City. Indeed, the pagoda had been fixed at the city's core, but now Ye Jingyu’s blow sent it flying. Intense golden light sprayed from the tower, not in defense of Xuanyuan Jing, but to shield the artifact itself, clearly indicating Ye Jingyu’s terrifying strength had nearly shattered it.

At this juncture, the Five Directions Divine Banners shook in unison. The powers of Gold, Wood, Water, Earth, and Fire merged, forming a colossal, ashen-grey palm that slammed down toward Ye Jingyu. “Shatter for this venerable one!” Ye Jingyu’s face contorted into a ferocious expression, and he met the attack with a palm strike of his own, shattering the massive hand formed by the Five Divine Banners. His body continued to expand, soon reaching tens of millions of feet tall. The already massive Sky City now resembled a mere toy in his eyes. Without another word, he brought his foot down... With a crisp snap, the Sky City was crushed into fragments beneath Ye Jingyu's stomp. The Five Divine Banners sprang loose, and the Xuanyuan Sword was flung aside.

Xuanyuan Jing vomited another stream of vital blood, his face turning ashen. His eyes were filled with horror; he had never expected Ye Jingyu to shatter his Sky City using sheer physical force. Only then did he truly comprehend the power of the Pangu True Body—an absolute, overwhelming strength, the ultimate power. Facing the dominant Ye Jingyu, a fierce battle intent flashed in Xuanyuan Jing’s eyes—a stubborn, unyielding resolve to fight even if it meant losing his life... Ignoring the flung-aside Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda, the Taiji Diagram, and even the Five Divine Banners, he single-handedly snatched back the purplish-gold Xuanyuan Sword. The power within him erupted, and a rapidly strengthening Sword Intent radiated from his person.

The Xuanyuan Sword was a perfectly straight longsword, its sharp intent radiating an endless aura of relentless forward momentum—the true essence of the Way of the Sword. “The Sky City has fallen, but the Xuanyuan Sword remains. If I point the sword, the falling leaves will mock the heavens. Ye Jingyu, receive my strongest strike: Falling Leaf City-Toppling Sword…” A low voice resonated from Xuanyuan Jing’s lips. Following this, he slowly raised the Xuanyuan Sword. A sword gleam brighter than sunlight erupted from the blade, quickly coalescing into a colossal sword light spanning tens of millions of feet—a light that promised absolute annihilation. It was a strike capable of toppling not just a city, but an entire nation...

Sensing the immense power, terror contorted the faces of all onlookers. Those with lower cultivation were instantly shaken to the point of soul dissipation. Even Liang Xiaoke’s heart trembled upon seeing this gigantic sword. Ye Jingyu’s expression became one of unprecedented solemnity, even more serious than when he was crushed beneath the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda... “Xuanyuan Jing, your talent surpasses mine, your diligence exceeds mine, and your opportunities are no less than mine. But I possess one thing you lack: Heart. The human heart. If a person, in the pursuit of supreme power, cuts off all sentiment and loses their own heart, are they still a person? How can one devoid of heart truly comprehend the Dao—the Dao belonging to humanity? Therefore, though this strike of yours shakes heaven and earth, though it surpasses all things, you still cannot defeat me, because the strongest power in this world is not destruction, but creation… Go forth, Primordial Genesis Blade!” The moment his words faded, Ye Jingyu raised his Heavenly Sovereign Saber and slashed directly toward the colossal sword light.

Compared to the devastating, all-consuming Sword Intent of the Falling Leaf City-Toppling Sword, Ye Jingyu’s strike appeared deceptively simple, as if a mere person were casually swinging a blade. It was a strike riddled with apparent flaws, lacking any elegance or refinement. Anyone, even the slow-witted, could easily evade it. This strike looked like an attempt to kill, yet paradoxically seemed like a gesture of suicide. Others watched Ye Jingyu’s casual swing with astonishment, unable to comprehend why he would strike with such nonchalance—had he given up resisting?

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, Xuanyuan Jing felt that this simple blow enveloped his entire Sword Intent. No matter how powerful his intent, no matter how magnificent his technique, under this crude slash, it would appear pallid and utterly weak. The strongest power in the world is not destruction, but creation? Creation of what? Creation of the world? The Pangu Sacred Emperor created the world, which is why he could reach the other shore by his own power; was it precisely because he possessed the ultimate power of creation? What exactly was that power?

Amidst the astonishment of the crowd and the dawning realization in Xuanyuan Jing’s eyes, Ye Jingyu’s seemingly casual strike effortlessly cleaved apart Xuanyuan Jing’s sword—shattering that invincible sword, shattering that nation-toppling sword... The sword light fragmented, and Xuanyuan Jing’s body followed suit, for this was the strike he unleashed at the cost of his own life... His form scattered like autumn leaves, breaking into countless pieces that gradually dissolved into the sky... The Falling Leaf City-Toppling Sword truly lived up to its name, leaving the city in ruins like falling leaves...

Silence descended upon the entire scene. No one could fathom how such a formidable strike could be so fragile. Was the strike truly weak, or was Ye Jingyu simply too powerful? Ye Jingyu stepped forward and snatched the Xuanyuan Sword, which had absorbed the power of Creation. Without hesitation, the Chaos Power within him flooded into the blade. The sword, already on the verge of breaking, could not withstand such immense energy and shattered completely, releasing an explosion of violet energy.

The Heavenly Sovereign Saber appeared in the air and completely absorbed the burst of violet energy. The blade hummed loudly, seemingly excited, as if thrilled by having devoured the peerless divine artifact, the Xuanyuan Sword.

Witnessing Ye Jingyu slay Xuanyuan Jing, watching him shatter the Xuanyuan Sword, and then seeing his own weapon absorb the remnants to evolve, Li Jing’s face shifted rapidly. Facing such a supreme powerhouse, how could he resist? Escape? He was surrounded by their forces; could he flee? Surrender? Would the victor even accept his surrender? Was he destined to perish this time too? If he had known, why had he descended to the lower realm? He had already escaped catastrophe when Ancestor Hongjun established the Bridge to the Other Shore; why interfere in this turmoil? Wasn't it better to remain an observer of the game? Why drag himself into this mess?

Just as Li Jing sank into despair, and Ye Jingyu prepared to seize the Heaven and Earth Profound Illusory Linglong Pagoda and the Taiji Diagram, a sudden flash of light shimmered in the void. Following this, a monk clad in a blood-red kasaya, seated upon a lotus pedestal, materialized in the sky. With his appearance, an army composed of hundreds of millions of demons and monks emerged from the void, enveloping Ye Jingyu’s and Liang Xiaoke’s respective forces in a reverse encirclement.

Moreover, Jue, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, also manifested from the void. He sat upon a blood-red lotus pedestal—the Nine Nether Lotus Platform. Suspended above his head were twenty-four Sea-Calming Divine Pearls, and in his hands, he cradled a purplish-gold bowl—the Purple Gold Alms Bowl. Seeing the sudden appearance of these two figures, Ye Jingyu raised an eyebrow: “Jue, are you also going to oppose this venerable one now?” He did not know the monk, but he recognized Jue clearly.

“My Master has issued an order; I dare not disobey! As for this one, you should get to know him properly. Amitabha, this is the most powerful Bodhisattva in terms of combat strength: Ksitigarbha!” Jue simply smiled faintly, pointing at the monk in the blood-red kasaya. However, Li Jing, upon seeing the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls and the Purple Gold Alms Bowl, felt his brow twitch violently. Those were the Dharma treasures of his own master, Venerable Lamp-Burning Buddha! How had they fallen into this fellow’s hands?

"Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva?" Ye Jingyu let out a cold snort. As the Eye of Reincarnation swept across, he saw a churning sea of blood behind the Bodhisattva. The aura of gore was immeasurably stronger than that of any ordinary demon, clearly indicating that he had slain far more beings than demons ever could. Was this truly Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva? The one who guarded the Underworld, who vowed not to attain Buddhahood until Hell was emptied?

"This humble monk is indeed he!" Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva offered Ye Jingyu a warm smile, betraying no hint of hostility towards him.

"Are you here to cause trouble for me?" Ye Jingyu scoffed...

"Indeed..." Jué and Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva both chimed in with a faint smile.

"Then die!" Ye Jingyu paid no mind to the Sky Venerable Saber, which was still absorbing the spirit of the Xuanyuan Sword, and instead brought his hand down in a sweeping blow toward Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva and Jué.

"Amitābha, the sea of blood is boundless, go..." Seeing Ye Jingyu’s colossal Pangu true body hand descending upon them, Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva hummed softly. A monstrous sea of blood surged forth from behind him, instantly submerging his entire form. Ye Jingyu’s massive hand plunged only into this blood-red expanse...

This sea of blood was condensed from the blood of countless demons and the uncooperative souls he had slain over the ages. It was saturated with resentment and possessed an extreme corrosive power. Even ordinary Immortals, even those of the highest caliber, would be utterly annihilated, leaving no trace behind, if they merely touched it. His intent was to use the power of this sea to corrupt Ye Jingyu’s arm.

"Petty tricks, daring to show off before this Honored One! Break for me!" Knowing that his Pangu true body could not be maintained for long, Ye Jingyu spared no strength. The Chaos power within him surged fully, directly sweeping aside the towering sea of blood and revealing Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’s true form.

As the gigantic hand lunged toward him, terror flashed across Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’s face. How could he have known his proudest creation, the sea of blood, would be so fragile?

Yet, he was Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva, a Bodhisattva enlightened through slaughter, and he would not be killed so easily. He pointed a single finger, and crimson blood lotuses bloomed around his body, intended to intercept the descending giant hand.

But though the blood lotuses possessed great power, they seemed as fragile as tofu beneath Ye Jingyu's mighty grasp, instantly crushed into powder. By the time Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva realized the danger, the colossal hand was already above his head.

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva could no longer afford to maintain his Bodhisattva facade. He rolled desperately, tumbling off the golden lotus beneath him to evade the fatal strike. However, the golden lotus he sat upon was smashed to smithereens, and the residual shockwave swept him violently away.

Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva’s expression contorted into one of profound dismay. He had always believed that the cultivation of a mere mortal from the lower realms could not be that high; even with good fortune, he should never be his match. Yet, in their first exchange, he found himself utterly powerless to resist Ye Jingyu? Could this truly be the power of the Pangu true body? Was the Pangu Holy Emperor of antiquity truly this terrifying?

At this moment, Jué’s face also changed. He suddenly realized that the Ye Jingyu before him had far surpassed his earlier estimations. Daring not to stand by and watch the show any longer, he willed a thought, and the twenty-four Sea Calming Pearls flew out, hurtling toward Ye Jingyu like twenty-four miniature stars.

"Heh heh, do you two really think I'm just decorative? Ye Jingyu, leave this fellow to me!" Seeing the two of them ganging up on Ye Jingyu, Liang Xiaoke knew Ye Jingyu’s Pangu true body couldn't last long. He held back no longer; his feathered wings unfurled, and his entire form transformed into a streak of light rushing toward Jué. The Four Swords of Zhuxian shot out immediately, intercepting the twenty-four Sea Calming Pearls.

Seeing that the two strongest opponents were now engaged, Li Jing knew this was his best chance to escape. He had no intention of lingering. With a flash beneath his cloud platform, he prepared to flee.

"Where do you think you’re going..." But as soon as he moved, the enchanting figure in the flowing pink gauze skirt, Yao’e, blocked his path.

"You court death..." Li Jing was already brimming with suppressed fury. He, the dignified Heavenly King Li, was now cornered by two juniors to the point of not daring to fight, and now a mere young girl dared to bother him and try to stop him? This was sheer suicide! After all, he was once a Marshal of the Heavenly Court! He snorted coldly, preparing to strike, when he suddenly spotted a Golden Dou in her hand, causing his expression to shift dramatically...

"The Primordial Golden Dou... Th-this thing... why is it in your hands?" Before the words fully left his mouth, a ray of golden light erupted, completely enveloping him.

The next moment he regained consciousness, he found himself trapped within a massive formation. Back in the day, the three sisters of the Cloud Firmament sect had set up the Nine Bends Yellow River Formation with the Primordial Golden Dou. But what formation was this?

As he gazed in confusion, twelve massive, grotesque figures materialized...

Seeing the twelve savage visages, Li Jing’s face darkened beyond measure...

The Twelve Heaven Witches Annihilation Grand Array... I am not the Great Emperor Haotian...

(Two chapters combined—wondering if I’ll see the meteor shower tonight)F