Xu Ying asked in confusion, "A woman? What woman?"
Chongxiao shook his head. "Back then, all sorts of rumors were flying around, throwing everyone into panic. No one knew what was true and what was false. Some said your weakness was the Emperor's daughters, while others said 'the Emperor's daughter' was a misunderstanding and she was actually the Emperor's woman. There were even rumors that the Emperor himself was that woman! Some claimed she was your childhood sweetheart, while others insisted it was a honey trap orchestrated specifically to eliminate you."
Xu Ying said resentfully, "Even heroes stumble before beautiful women; I am no exception. However, in this life as I make my comeback, I no longer have this weakness."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou sneered, parting his lips to speak. Grand Preceptor Jiang hurriedly tugged at his sleeve, signaling that he had better remain silent.
Chongxiao continued, "When we were at the Third Pass, we heard that you had fought your way back into the Immortal Realm. It must have been that weakness of yours—that woman—taking effect, luring you back and buying us time to make our preparations. While you fought your way back to the Immortal Realm to fetch her, we mobilized the strongest experts from across the myriad heavens and realms, preparing to eliminate the demon and defend the Dao."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou could not help interrupting, asking, "Fought his way back to the Immortal Realm? How could he fight his way back? Hadn't he already severed his own cultivation?"
Chongxiao glanced at him. "I don't know either. But for an existence who had severed his own cultivation, fighting his way back to the Immortal Realm should have been simple enough, shouldn't it? All he had to do was cross the heavenly tribulation."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou was silent for a moment before saying bitterly, "All he had to do was cross the heavenly tribulation?"
Chongxiao nodded. "It wasn't difficult for him. He just had to cross the tribulation and ascend once more."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou grew even more bitter. "Not difficult?"
"Mm, not difficult," Chongxiao said. "We ambushed him in Taiyi Minor Mystic Heaven. When he arrived there, he bore the brunt of two hundred and sixty-seven heavenly tribulations and succeeded in crossing them. So you can see it wasn't difficult."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou looked eagerly toward Grand Preceptor Jiang. Grand Preceptor Jiang coughed and said, "Your Majesty, in Taiyi Minor Mystic Heaven, this subject did indeed see the traces left behind by two hundred and sixty-seven heavenly tribulations."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou went numb. After a long while, he exhaled a mouthful of foul air and smiled. "The power of Heavenly Dao divine artifacts is limited. By my estimate, Heavenly Dao divine artifacts can at most unleash six or seven times the might of a super heavenly tribulation. Even so, Fellow Daoist Xu was truly extraordinary."
Grand Preceptor Jiang agreed with a smile. "Two hundred and sixty-seven times a super heavenly tribulation would be far too terrifying. But if it was six or seven times a super heavenly tribulation, it is somewhat believable."
Chongxiao also nodded in agreement. "The power of Heavenly Dao divine artifacts has an upper limit. Even if the might of all Heavenly Dao divine artifacts were combined, there is still a ceiling; of course it could not be two hundred and sixty-seven times. Once our arrangements were properly made, the Great Villain finally returned, coming back wounded from the Immortal Realm. It must have been that—"
The Son of Heaven of Zhou gave a muffled grunt, his voice trembling slightly. "How many heavenly tribulations?"
"Two hundred and sixty-seven."
Chongxiao said, "The might of heavenly tribulations has an upper limit, and that upper limit is the resilience of the Heavenly Dao divine artifacts. Two hundred and sixty-seven heavenly tribulations were not two hundred and sixty-seven times a super heavenly tribulation; the Heavenly Dao divine artifacts could not hold up under that. The actual power was likely not as terrifying as you imagine."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou looked eagerly at Grand Preceptor Jiang. Grand Preceptor Jiang coughed and said, "Your Majesty, at the Taiyi Minor Mystic Pass, this subject indeed saw the traces left behind by two hundred and sixty-seven heavenly tribulations."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou was stunned. After a long time, he exhaled a breath of turbid air and chuckled. "The power of Heavenly Dao divine artifacts is limited. By my estimate, Heavenly Dao divine artifacts can at most unleash six or seven times the might of a super heavenly tribulation. Even so, Fellow Daoist Xu was truly extraordinary."
Grand Preceptor Jiang agreed with a smile. "Two hundred and sixty-seven times a super heavenly tribulation is too frightening, but six or seven times a super heavenly tribulation is believable."
Chongxiao also nodded in agreement. "The power of Heavenly Dao divine artifacts has an upper limit. Even with the power of all Heavenly Dao divine artifacts added together, there is still a ceiling; of course it couldn't have been two hundred and sixty-seven times. After our arrangements were made, the Great Villain finally returned, bearing wounds from the Immortal Realm. It must have been that woman taking effect that caused him to be injured."
He sighed repeatedly, saying, "During that trip into the Immortal Realm and back, who knows how many gods and immortals lost their lives trying to intercept him along the way? Who knows how many gods and immortals were knocked down into the mortal dust, never to return to the heavenly realms or the Immortal Realm for all eternity? Is this not committing monstrous evil? Is this not intolerable to the laws of heaven?"
He lamented at length, then cast a hostile glare toward Xu Ying, the hatred in his eyes impossible to conceal.
The deaths of those former colleagues and comrades-in-arms made his hatred for Xu Ying impossible to dissolve.
Xu Ying inquired, "And then?"
Chongxiao let out a snort of vindication. "And then you fell into our ambush in Taiyi Minor Mystic Heaven. You were finally gravely wounded, fell from grace, and plummeted into the Yuanshou world."
His expression turned sorrowful as he said, "When we took stock of the strongest experts of the myriad heavens and realms, less than one in a hundred of those tens of thousands of Ascension-stage Qi Refiners survived. Less than twenty percent of the heavenly gods remained, and the immortals who had severed their own cultivation suffered even more devastating casualties, with only a handful surviving. Later, when we surviving heavenly gods returned to the Heavenly Dao world..."
Xu Ying asked in confusion, "Didn't you divide the spoils?"
Chongxiao was bewildered. "Divide the spoils? What spoils?"
Xu Ying had a realization and smiled. "I was carved up like war trophies, so naturally there was no share for you heavenly gods or the surviving Qi Refiners. To the immortals, you were merely tools, not even worth as much as dogs."
"You!" Chongxiao flared with rage.
Xu Ying said indifferently, "A dog must be given bones to eat, but you didn't even deserve that. When tools are no longer needed, they can simply be discarded—no bones required."
A fierce glint flashed in Chongxiao's eyes as he glared at Xu Ying. "You ask why I hate you? We first-generation heavenly gods quelled the turmoil of primitive deities in Kunlun, the Netherworld, and beyond, establishing the Heavenly Realm and ensuring that the myriad heavens and realms operated in orderly harmony under the Heavenly Dao! Yet because of you, our casualties were so devastating that new gods seized power and drove us down from the Heavenly Realm! Should this feud be avenged or not?"
The Son of Heaven of Zhou could not help chuckling. "It should be avenged. However, it wasn't Fellow Daoist Xu who ordered you down to intercept and kill him, nor was it Fellow Daoist Xu who treated your lives like worthless dirt—it was the Immortal Realm. You rendered monumental meritorious service, yet not only were you denied rewards based on merit, but they took the opportunity to strip away your authority. That, too, was the Immortal Realm. In seeking revenge against Fellow Daoist Xu, you are merely swinging your blade at the weaker party."
Chongxiao bristled with fury. "You are a rebel as well!"
The Son of Heaven of Zhou sneered. "And aren't you? If you are not a rebel, why did you flee to the Benshi world?"
This counter-question struck straight at Chongxiao's Dao heart. As if struck by lightning, his eyes went wide, and he stood frozen on the spot.
"That's right... I am a rebel as well. Driven down from the Heavenly Realm, no longer wielding a Heavenly Dao divine artifact, I am no longer a heavenly god. I am an outer god..." His wolf head also murmured, "Acting as a heavenly god in the Benshi world while being an outer god is overstepping authority, usurping power, and committing treason. I am guilty..." His avian head drooped dejectedly. "I even killed the Heavenly Demon High God, adding crime upon crime. So it turns out... I was already a rebel all along."
The Son of Heaven of Zhou sneered, "You were already aboard the pirate ship without even realizing it. Since you are already aboard, you ought to turn weapons of war into gifts of jade and silk with Fellow Daoist Xu..."
Chongxiao snorted and angrily flicked his sleeve. "Never! That old villain and I cannot share the same sky!"
Xu Ying's temper flared as well, and he sneered, "Seeing as your conduct in the lower realm hasn't crossed the line, I spare your life today. If you dare provoke me again, I will send you to join your former colleagues and comrades!"
Chongxiao ground his teeth, his form towering ever higher as he said coldly, "Empowered by the myriad living beings of the Benshi world, if I risk everything against you, I might not lack the strength to fight!"
Xu Ying laughed heartily, his tone unyielding. "I will crush you together with the collective spirit of the Benshi world's living beings, and see what you use to empower yourself then!"
Seeing that the situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control, Grand Preceptor Jiang hurriedly drew the Tianzhu Sword and thrust it between the two. "Both of you, please say one less word and take a step back. Chongxiao, you wouldn't want any harm to come to the living beings of the Benshi world, would you? Fellow Daoist Xu, he can break your divine powers, and backed by the empowerment of all living beings, it would indeed be perilous for you. A step back for both sides, a step back for both sides!"
Chongxiao caught sight of the Tianzhu Sword and sneered, "So it's you! The butcher who used the Tianzhu Sword to annihilate an entire heavenly realm and extorted the primordial spiritual roots from every major heaven! Shameless scum!"
Just as the Son of Heaven of Zhou was about to speak, Chongxiao swept his gaze over. "You are no better! Walking alongside this Xu fellow and that spiritual-root butcher makes you jackals from the same lair, scoundrels who wallow in the same mire!"
The crowd glared at one another, murderous intent surging.
Right at that moment, the sky suddenly turned overcast. A chilling wind blew, swirling fallen leaves through the air and casting a grim, somber atmosphere over the land.
Thunderclouds gradually gathered in the heavens, and lightning darted among the clouds like flying dragons, etching brilliant, luminous patterns across the sky. Xu Ying glanced upward casually, only to discover that the patterns left by the lightning did not fade for a long time, hanging suspended in the sky.
Gradually, as thunder detonated continuously, the lightning patterns multiplied, resembling ink strokes painting strange and bizarre characters. Xu Ying's expression changed slightly. "Chongxiao, are you activating your Heavenly Dao domain?"
Chongxiao looked toward the sky, his face changing drastically. The lightning patterns were growing denser, thunder roared, and countless electric arcs sizzled across the void, interlocking to form an enormous Heavenly Dao rune!
Immediately, another clap of thunder detonated, connecting numerous lightning patterns into a second Heavenly Dao rune!
"Not good! A God King of the Heavenly Dao world is descending!"
Chongxiao sprinted frantically toward the Cangwu Abyss, shouting, "When I fought you just now, I deployed my Heavenly Dao domain and was detected by a God King of the Heavenly Dao world. Now that God King is descending to hunt me down!"
Xu Ying, the Son of Heaven of Zhou, and Grand Preceptor Jiang accelerated at the same time, rushing toward the Cangwu Abyss.
"Maybe it wasn't Chongxiao's Heavenly Dao domain that drew the God King," Xu Ying thought, blinking. He had slain quite a few heavenly gods recently and activated his own Heavenly Dao domain numerous times. While his domain was not as vast as Chongxiao's, it was by no means negligible.
More importantly, many of the Heavenly Dao runes he employed came from Netherworld titans such as Dongyue, Cangwu, and the Northern Emperor, and some even hailed from Kunlun. To the heavenly gods of the Heavenly Dao world, those were the runes of rebels!
Perhaps it was Xu Ying's use of those runes that had drawn the God King's attention!
Thunder clattered incessantly in the sky. With each thunderclap, the lightning patterns formed more Heavenly Dao runes, gradually plastering the entire firmament. The majesty of the Heavenly Dao grew increasingly heavy, making it seem as though this place had transformed into the Heavenly Dao world itself!
*Crack!*
A startling clap of thunder detonated across the heavens, blindingly bright. Yet as the flash dimmed, a solitary silhouette appeared in the previously empty sky.
Xu Ying and Chongxiao instantly felt an overwhelming heavenly majesty bear down upon them, crushing them so heavily they could barely breathe! The colors of the Heavenly Dao blinded their eyes, its celestial tones deafened their ears, and its overarching will drove their minds toward madness, dragging them near the brink of delirium.
Xu Ying let out a long whistle. Behind him, Nuo Ancestor cave-heavens leaped forth one after another, his Hidden Scenery latent transformation ground unfurled, and his body stepped into the Four Immortals realm, finally resisting the heavenly might! His immortal domain enveloped the others as he streaked toward the Cangwu Abyss.
Yet in the next moment, above Xu Ying's Hidden Scenery ground, thunder and lightning intertwined. After countless flashes of lightning blazed, Heavenly Dao runes materialized in the sky—that God King from the Heavenly Dao world was actually invading his Hidden Scenery ground!
Seeing this, Chongxiao did not hesitate. He activated his Heavenly Dao domain, rising tall in an attempt to erase those Heavenly Dao runes. At the same time, Grand Preceptor Jiang unleashed the Tianzhu Sword, slashing toward the invading runes as well.
Outside the Hidden Scenery ground, Xu Ying turned into a streak of rainbow light, speeding toward the Cangwu Abyss. Glancing back, he saw the silhouette standing within the lightning move, drifting toward them.
As the silhouette moved, the Heavenly Dao runes across the entire sky of the Benshi world were pulled along, shifting in tandem with his body. They coalesced into a Heavenly Dao cape that fluttered behind him!
The silhouette approached with astonishing speed, his cape snapping violently in the wind.
Meanwhile, within Xu Ying's Hidden Scenery ground, Chongxiao, the Son of Heaven of Zhou, and Grand Preceptor Jiang struck simultaneously to resist the intrusion of the Heavenly Dao runes.
Such was the might of a God King of the Heavenly Dao world! Merely descending was enough to throw four supreme experts—Xu Ying and Chongxiao included—into disarray.
"Rebellious traitors!"
The God King moved with incredible speed, crossing vast distances as if they were mere inches. In the next instant, he appeared directly behind Xu Ying and the others. Within Xu Ying's Hidden Scenery ground, countless thunderclaps detonated across the sky, generating Heavenly Dao runes faster than Chongxiao and the rest could erase them!
Moreover, Chongxiao's own Heavenly Dao domain was invaded by a vast, profound Heavenly Dao will. Thunder clashed above his domain, giving rise to a wide variety of different Heavenly Dao runes—the God King was even invading Chongxiao's Heavenly Dao domain!
Even the Tianzhu Sword wielded by Grand Preceptor Jiang was being infiltrated by the Heavenly Dao; the God King was forcibly seizing control of the sword!
*Thank goodness Chanchan added a few extra imprints for me!* Grand Preceptor Jiang's heart leaped in fright. He channeled his vital qi, desperately defending the imprints on the Tianzhu Sword, thinking to himself, *Now it all depends on Heavenly Artisan Zhu's skill to see whether it can withstand the God King's erasure!*
The Tianzhu Sword thrashed violently, yet the imprints carved by Zhu Chanchan remained unerased.
"Your Majesty, unleash the immortal artifact!" Grand Preceptor Jiang cried out.
Although the Heavenly Dao God King could not erase the imprints on the Tianzhu Sword, he had infiltrated Grand Preceptor Jiang's Realm of Xiyi, causing lightning to crackle within it and trace out luminescent patterns.
This sight was truly terrifying; even a self-proclaimed man of wisdom like Grand Preceptor Jiang felt his scalp tingle with dread.
Hearing the call, the Son of Heaven of Zhou immediately activated the immortal treasure of Great Zhou. A five-colored banner soared into the air. With his Primordial Spirit expanding to immense proportions, the Son of Heaven of Zhou gripped the five-colored immortal banner and waved it with all his might!
In the sky of Xu Ying's Hidden Scenery ground, the Five Qis surged upward. The Heavenly Dao runes detonated with crisp pops, shattering the Heavenly Dao!
However, the power of this five-colored banner was so immense that it even shook Xu Ying's Hidden Scenery latent transformation ground, the Five Qis nearly tearing this domain apart! The Son of Heaven of Zhou hurriedly planted the banner upright, not daring to wave it again.
"The Five-Colored Immortal King Banner?" an astonished voice rang out. "How do you possess such a supreme treasure?"
Ahead, the Cangwu Abyss was within sight. Yet right at that moment, the slender figure descended from the sky, landing directly in front of Xu Ying. The fluttering cape snapped in the wind before settling slowly against the figure's back.
The God King of the Heavenly Dao world turned around, facing Xu Ying directly, and smiled. "So it was you, rebel, making trouble. Xu Ying, I wasn't even waiting for you, yet you delivered yourself right to my doorstep. Don't you remember me? During the Great Shang era, I received an imperial edict to capture you. Back then, you still had a Golden Crow by your side."
Xu Ying shook his head. "I have not yet fully recovered those memories."
Chongxiao, the Son of Heaven of Zhou, and Grand Preceptor Jiang stepped out of his Hidden Scenery ground, each wearing a vigilant expression. Behind the Son of Heaven of Zhou, his hundred-zhang Primordial Spirit stood majestically, leaning upon the Five-Colored Immortal King Banner.
The God King's gaze fell upon the great banner, a flicker of delight surfacing in his eyes. Then he smiled. "Let me remind you: I am God King Xuanhao. Do you still remember the reincarnation of Yan Bao'er? I was the one who led the ambush against you."
Chongxiao said in a low voice, "Xu, didn't you claim you no longer have a woman as your weakness? Don't act on impulse—we cannot beat him."
Xu Ying took a long, deep breath and suddenly called out at the top of his lungs, "Cangwu!"
From the depths of the distant Cangwu Abyss, an elderly man in gray robes walked forth. Gray mist flowed around him like a cascading waterfall, and as the old man stepped forward, the earth of the Benshi world split open in his wake!
Chapter 296