Hunyuan Palace was exceptionally sturdy. It was the Little Celestial Venerable's dojo, and once the very place where Xu Ying had instructed his disciples.
The palace had been constructed upon the ruins of an ancient palace hall and originally bore the name Hunyuan Palace, so not a single character had been changed. In cherishing the memory of his "departed master," the Little Celestial Venerable had naturally poured immense care into refining the palace, dreading that someone might destroy it, and had thus forged it to be incomparably resilient.
When Xu Ying's streak of Zhuxian sword qi pierced into the palace and detonated, even sword qi of such terrifying caliber failed to demolish Hunyuan Palace; instead, blindingly brilliant sword rays merely burst forth from every opening, door, and window lattice!
Dazzling arcs of sword light danced across the sky, their radiant brilliance blinding the eyes.
Outside the palace, those experts who had not yet managed to flee in time were struck by the slicing sword light and collapsed silently, meeting sudden, untimely deaths! The sword light cleaved open the firmament and swept across the earth, leaving behind startling fissures.
Only after a moment did the horrific power contained in Xu Ying's strike exhaust itself.
Outside Hunyuan Palace, the three characters "混元宫" on the lintel plaque had been slashed by sword qi until only "混一口" remained. Inside, dense sword scars marred the pillars, floor, walls, and domed ceiling. The Twelve-Storyed Mansions stood erect within the hall, where the avatar of the Five Extremes Immortal King was crumbling to pieces—he had been impaled to death on the twelfth floor of the mansions.
He had only had time to enter the structure and none to shut its doors and windows before the encroaching sword qi flooded the Twelve-Storyed Mansions. At the top of the mansions, a cave-heaven was still revolving—the Yellow Court cave-heaven of the Nuo Ancestor cave-heavens.
After a long while, Hua Cuoying, bruised and battered, limped out of the Yellow Court cave-heaven. The instant the Zhuxian sword qi surged into Hunyuan Palace, she had fled into the Twelve-Storyed Mansions; still uneasy, she then hid outside the Yellow Court Mansion within the Nuo Ancestor cave-heaven, enduring the searing agony of the immortal fire.
Even with such an ingenious hiding spot, thousands of sword qi streaks had still plunged into the Yellow Court cave-heaven and grievously wounded her.
Crawling out of the cave-heaven, Hua Cuoying looked back, filled with horror. Hundreds upon thousands of gashes, both deep and shallow, had appeared across the cave-heaven, and its power was diminished beyond recovery.
Coughing up blood, she looked down only to discover a puncture straight through her chest, pierced through by the sword qi.
Her Realm of Xiyi was riddled with holes, and her Primordial Spirit was wounded as well, yet she had fortunately survived.
A ringing hum filled her ears, drowning out all other sounds; the shrill whistle of the sword seemed to have burrowed into her mind and taken root. Looking around at the others, she saw Nalan Du kneeling on one knee. She remembered that when the Zhuxian sword qi invaded the palace, the avatar of the Ninth Immortal King had stepped in front of Nalan Du at once, shielding him from the fatal blow with immortal dao might to hold back the Zhuxian sword qi.
Behind Nalan Du was the Immortal Dao Jade Pool, its power pushed to the absolute limit by him to unleash unmatched immortal dao might, yet it had not blocked everything. Nalan Du had still been struck by numerous fragmented streaks of sword qi, leaving his vital qi depleted and scattered.
Nalan Du opened his mouth to say something, pointing to his own ears. Hua Cuoying realized what he meant and touched her ears, her hands coming away slick with blood.
The buzzing in her ears persisted; she could hear nothing. Inside her body, residual sword qi clung to her like bone-deep immortal dao marks, wreaking havoc within.
She had not cultivated genuine Nuo methods and could not mend her physical injuries in short order.
Her breath uneven, Hua Cuoying stumbled outside. It was then that she saw the brocade-clad youth, Young Master Yuchuan. Young Master Yuchuan was pressed tight against the wall, his fine brocade robes tattered with holes, blood leaking from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, and his hands still trembling slightly. Moments earlier, she had watched him unleash an exceptionally formidable divine power, spreading phoenix wings imbued with the might of the nine heavens to face the sword strike head-on. She had not expected him to survive.
Young Master Yuchuan's legs and hands continued to shake, his eyes wide and round, his Adam's apple bobbing with difficulty.
Staggering out of Hunyuan Palace, Hua Cuoying leaned against a pillar outside and looked ahead. The sky before her shone with immense brilliance, cast by six magnificent cave-heavens.
Nuo Ancestor cave-heavens!
Those six cave-heavens were scarcely inferior to the Yellow Court cave-heaven behind her, weaving swiftly amid immortal artifacts and silhouettes. Their master was none other than the white-robed scholar, the Little Celestial Venerable.
This legendary figure of the demonic realm unleashed power far more terrifying than immortal artifacts with every casual gesture, holding his own against dozens of immortal artifacts without yielding an inch.
His sinews grew mightier and his stature taller. With his divine art at the fifth revolution, even immortal artifacts striking his body could not wound him in the slightest!
Outside Hunyuan Palace, it was an absolute slaughter—a completely unopposed slaughter!
And the source of all this stemmed entirely from the music of the qin and pipa, and that incomparably horrific sword strike!
Had that horrifying sword qi not magnified the killing intent of the qin and pipa music to draw out the ambushers early, the Little Celestial Venerable could never have withstood the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Extermination Immortal Formation.
Once entrapped within the formation, even a Great Luo Golden Immortal would have met a bitter end!
Yet that sword strike had arrived, piercing into Hunyuan Palace to obliterate the avatars of the two Immortal Kings and gravely wound Young Master Yuchuan. At this moment, they likely lacked the strength to deploy the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Extermination Immortal Formation at all.
Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, Hua Cuoying muttered to herself, "This place is too dangerous. I have to leave quickly..."
The ringing in her ears persisted; she could not even hear what she was saying. Nalan Du swayed over and said something to her. Hua Cuoying said loudly, "We must leave at once! My father's avatar was destroyed; with his temper, he will definitely strike in person! If we don't leave now, we won't get away!"
Nalan Du gestured to her, pointing toward the people ambushing the Little Celestial Venerable ahead, clearly urging her to come along and save them.
"If we don't leave now, we won't even be able to save ourselves."
Ignoring him, Hua Cuoying limped outward on her own and shouted, "You know how terrifying Weixu is! Staying here is a death sentence!"
Nalan Du hesitated. Just then, Young Master Yuchuan staggered out of Hunyuan Palace. Nalan Du hurriedly said, "Young Master, we need to get them out of here quickly!"
Young Master Yuchuan coughed up a mouthful of blood and shook his head. "Too late. The avatars of both Immortal Kings have been slain, and my plan to refine the demon using the Nine Heavens Ten Earths has been shattered. The two Immortal Kings will likely destroy this heaven and earth to eliminate the Little Celestial Venerable. Brother Nalan, you had better leave at once."
Stumbling forward, he waved his hand. A massive formation chart detached from the mountains—none other than the chart for the Nine Heavens Ten Earths Extermination Immortal Formation.
Young Master Yuchuan rolled up the formation chart, slung it over his back, took to the air, and flew toward the outside of the Ziwei Remnant Realm.
Nalan Du hesitated for a moment, seeing that the battle near Hunyuan Palace had already collapsed under the Little Celestial Venerable's might. From killing one foe and shattering one immortal artifact with every step, the Little Celestial Venerable was now slaying several enemies with every stride. Even when immortal artifacts smashed into him, it was the artifacts that cracked, not him!
Unbeknownst to all, he had pushed his art to the sixth revolution of his arcane art, erupting with combat power possessed only by Immortal Kings. Rushing into the throng of experts, he tore through them like dry weeds!
There was no longer any need for Nalan Du to rescue anyone, for the crowd had been frightened out of their wits and were fleeing in utter rout!
Gritting his teeth, Nalan Du summoned the Immortal Dao Jade Pool, took flight, and sped away from the battlefield.
Crack!
The sky shook violently as an abyss stretching countless tens of thousands of li from east to west appeared across the firmament.
White clouds and mists billowed around the abyss, while the immense rift tore apart to either side, widening continuously.
Nalan Du clenched his teeth and flew with all his might toward the distance, desperate to put space between himself and the widening rift.
He had witnessed Weixu erupting with its full might before. That was a power capable of obliterating an entire heaven, a power no being of any cultivation realm could withstand!
In mere moments, Weixu could devour all the Qi Refiners of a heavenly world and convert them into nourishment for Weixu.
The experts from the myriad worlds who had besieged the Little Celestial Venerable were also scattering in flight; Weixu was just as terrifying to them!
Those heavenly worlds without powerful factions or backing were often purged by Weixu at regular intervals, their entire populations of Qi Refiners vanishing and causing a break in their civilizations. Thus, to everyone, Weixu was an absolute nightmare!
Thunder rumbled across the sky. As Weixu tore outward to both sides, lightning poured from the fractured void; in just moments, the energy unleashed by this abyss rivaled a super heavenly tribulation!
Weixu continued to spread open, gradually revealing a colossal eye.
Within the eye, corpses of immortals floated one after another, as if drowned to death.
The abyss of Weixu was like the upper and lower eyelids of this eye. Normally, the lids remained shut; when half-open, they formed the abyss; and when fully parted, this apocalyptic giant eye was revealed!
Inside True Lord Yan's Cloud Mist Palace, Xu Ying looked up, his expression shifting slightly.
True Lord Yan stood up, clenching his fists, and said in a low voice, "In the past, the Little Celestial Venerable cooperated with the Immortal Kings of Weixu, so Weixu never laid a hand on the Ancestral Court. I wonder if the Ancestral Court can survive this time."
Suddenly, all the myriad Daos fell silent. Nearly everyone felt the vital qi inside their bodies lose its vitality, their Primordial Spirits paralyzed, and their divine senses rigid.
Beside Xu Ying, Zhou Yashu found that his body could not move. Involuntarily floating upward like a drowned corpse, he drifted toward the grotesque eye in the sky.
Zhou Yashu was only the prelude. In the next moment, young maidens throughout Cloud Mist Palace floated up against their will, screaming in terror as they drifted skyward!
True Lord Yan summoned his Primordial Spirit, sending chains of Dao shooting out in all directions to plunge into the Ziwei Remnant Realm, binding himself to the heavens and earth!
Yet in the following instant, the earth quaked with continuous cracking explosions. The land, mountains, and rivers spanning hundreds of li around were forcefully ripped up from the ground, carrying Cloud Mist Palace skyward!
True Lord Yan was horrified. Although Weixu could not suppress him, neither could he resist Weixu's gravitational pull!
"Hah!"
Xu Ying instantly dispersed his divine sense outward, linking to the myriad worlds of the heavens to anchor his form.
Behind him, the Yellow Court cave-heaven spun furiously, magnifying his divine sense and strengthening its bond with the myriad worlds. For Weixu to pull him was tantamount to pulling all the heavens and myriad worlds.
Devouring cultivators throughout the world was one thing for Weixu, but could it possibly swallow all the myriad worlds together?
Borrowing Xu Ying's strength, True Lord Yan finally stabilized the landmass hovering midair, preventing it from being sucked into Weixu. His mind raced with uncertainty: Has Celestial Venerable Xu truly not regained his memories?
Looking all around, across the vast Ziwei Remnant Realm, people were floating upward everywhere—whether cultivators, common folk, or the experts from various worlds who had come to hunt the Little Celestial Venerable. Anyone within Weixu's shroud ascended toward it.
Ascending into Weixu was by no means a good thing!
Just then, a white-robed figure shot into the sky, flying toward the colossal, grotesque eye of his own accord!
With his divine art at the seventh revolution and all six secret depositories wide open behind him, the six cave-heavens spun madly. As the Little Celestial Venerable flew toward Weixu, his voice rang out clear and sonorous, echoing throughout the Ancestral Court:
"Hear my command, all people of the Ancestral Court!
"The myriad worlds have invaded our realm, abducted our people, disgraced our Daoist heritage, and deemed us demons! From this day forth, those who invade our borders—slay! Those who disgrace our heritage—slay! Those who brand us demons—slay!
"Go!
"Annihilate every invading enemy for me!"
His figure climbed higher and higher. Suddenly, a towering silhouette emerged within the grotesque eye, five qi piercing the long sky behind him like a lofty Immortal King gazing down upon all living beings.
In the eyes of an Immortal King, even the Little Celestial Venerable was an ant.
The Immortal King's voice boomed like thunder: "Little Celestial Venerable, you have come to die!"
Behind that Immortal King, another equally towering figure appeared.
"Heavenly Halberd! Come forth—"
With a shout from the Little Celestial Venerable, a mountain below abruptly exploded. An immortal artifact burst forth—three-pointed and double-edged—soaring into the heavens as a streak of flowing light to catch up to him.
The Little Celestial Venerable reached out, and the Heavenly Halberd fell into his grasp. He swung it upward, slashing toward the grotesque eye in the sky. The heavens shook violently; as if feeling the pain, the eye slowly began to close.
As Weixu closed, three incomparably powerful figures clashed furiously within the grotesque eye. Shockwaves from horrifying divine powers erupted from the abyss, crashing down like dazzling auroras.
Yet when these brilliant hues struck the ground, mountains crumbled and the earth split, gaping chasms tearing open without warning! In the sky, the people who had been floating helplessly toward the grotesque eye fell back toward the ground; any unfortunate enough to plummet into the auroras were pulverized to dust.
The battle within Weixu grew fiercer, sweeps of radiant light blasting in all directions and shredding the sky!
Xu Ying looked up, his heart in his throat. Others might not know, but he knew well that the Little Celestial Venerable had not fully recovered from his injuries. Vaguely, he saw that within the grotesque eye of Weixu, the Five Extremes Immortal King was suddenly grievously wounded and fled.
Xu Ying was startled. Why didn't the Five Extremes Immortal King use my Twelve-Storyed Mansions and Yellow Court cave-heaven?
Far away, Hua Cuoying was fleeing madly with the Twelve-Storyed Mansions and Yellow Court cave-heaven, thinking to herself, Father, since you are unkind, don't blame your daughter for being disloyal. I won't be returning to Weixu. These Twelve-Storyed Mansions and the Yellow Court cave-heaven will serve as the dowry you prepared for me!
"The witch is over there!" Spotting Hua Cuoying, the big snake immediately called upon the big bell and gave swift chase.
With the Five Extremes Immortal King gone, the Ninth Immortal King fought the Little Celestial Venerable alone, yet he did not employ Xu Ying's Immortal Dao Jade Pool either. In the end, the Ninth Immortal King also retreated, choosing not to fight the Little Celestial Venerable to the death.
Xu Ying was puzzled. And why didn't the Ninth Immortal King use my Jade Pool?
What he did not know was that the Ninth Immortal King cared deeply for his disciple; anxious that Nalan Du might not survive, he had not taken back the Jade Pool from Nalan Du's hands.
Bloodied all over and clutching the Heavenly Halberd, the Little Celestial Venerable flew out of Weixu. Hovering in the sky, his voice resounded across the wilderness: "Everyone, do not let a single invader escape!"
The experts who had entered the Ziwei Remnant Realm to surround and eliminate the Little Celestial Venerable fled toward the outside of the Ancestral Court in panic. Someone shouted, "Leave the Ancestral Court immediately!"
"What are you afraid of?" one person declared loudly. "Would those demon whelps dare intercept and kill us? We have run rampant across the demonic realm for tens of thousands of years! It has always been us refining demons—when has anyone ever dared to intercept and slaughter us?"
Before his words had even settled, four figures of varying heights and builds appeared on the road ahead.
The Four Sages of the Ancestral Court.
Chapter 360