Without any preparations, Zhu Honggong and Jian Bing left the ancient ruins immediately.
The others from the Nihilist Congregation did not dare to ask too much. They knew rumors were flying, and it was chaotic outside. They did not know what was true and what was false.
Zhu Honggong and Jian Bing were very familiar with the route to the runic passage. When they arrived at the runic passage, they heard a rumbling noise.
Jian Bing looked at the sky solemnly and said in a somewhat depressed tone, “The sky is about to fall. Where should I go?”
Zhu Honggong rolled his eyes and said, “I really overestimated you!”
“What do you mean, Brother Zhu?”
“With your words and behavior, I really don’t understand how you became the Cult Master of the Nihilist Congregation. How did you amass so many followers? How did you convince them?” Zhu Honggong asked, puzzled.
Jian Bing smiled and said, “Brother Zhu, you can’t judge a book by its cover. Take you for example. If I didn’t get to know you, I wouldn’t have known you’re as profound as the universe and that you’re extremely intelligent!”
Zhu Honggong nodded. He smiled so widely that his eyes almost could not be seen. “Well said! How eloquent!”
“Of course! Otherwise, why do you think those little bast*rds from the congregation follow me?” Jian Bing said somewhat arrogantly.
Zhu Honggong asked skeptically, “Are you really one of the Four Divinities of Heaven?”
“Of course!”
Zhu Honggong said, extremely curious, “Then, before we return to the Great Void, can you let me see your true form?”
“That’s… not appropriate, right?” Jian Bing said hesitantly.
Zhu Honggong’s expression stiffened, and he said somewhat unhappily, “It’s an honor that I want to see your true form. Isn’t it just your true form? What’s the big deal? It’s not like I can eat you!”
Jian Bing felt that Zhu Honggong’s words were reasonable so he nodded. “Brother Zhu, you really can enlighten a person with just one sentence! Every word is the truth! Very well, Brother Zhu, look carefully!”
Buzz!
Jian Bing leaped into the sky as a humming noise rang in the air. His body began to shine dazzlingly.
Roar!
A tiger’s roar reverberated in the sky, shaking the world.
Zhu Honggong saw a fierce beast with white fur that was incredibly huge in the sky. It was none other than the White Tiger!
The White Tiger shone with a white light, and it had a pair of huge wings on its back. The White Tiger was the ruler of the animal kingdom. In the legends, its might and majesty were able to subdue ghosts and demons. It was a divine beast as glorious as the sun! It was often associated with the dragon. There was even a saying to describe their might and majesty: The clouds follow the dragon, and the wind follows the tiger.
The roar caused all the beasts within 100 miles to flee, frightened by its might.
Zhu Honggong’s eyes were wide open, and an expression of shock could be seen on his face. The tiger’s roar caused his mind to go blank. He gulped as he thought to himself, ‘He’s the freaking White Tiger! I actually let him massage me for so long?!’
Zhu Honggong was still in a trance when the White Tiger lowered its head. Its eyes were like the sun and the moon, and its fangs were like sharp blades. Its fur was like needles.
“Brother Zhu?”
“…”
Zhu Honggong smiled awkwardly and said in a slightly trembling voice, “Y-you can revert to your human form.”
“Oh.”
Swoosh!
Jian Bing turned around, and his body began to shine again before he returned to his human form.
The first time Zhu Honggong saw Lu Wu, he was shocked by Lu Wu’s strength. However, in front of the White Tiger, he felt that Lu Wu was like a kitten. The White Tiger was just too huge!
After Jian Bing returned to Zhu Honggong’s side, he said, “Let’s go, Brother Zhu!”
“Well, you go first,” Zhu Honggong said with a smile.
“How can that be? Brother Zhu, you’re my elder brother! Please go first,” Jian Bing said, shocked. How could he walk ahead of his Brother Zhu? This was against the rule!
Zhu Honggong changed his attitude and said, “Please don’t, Brother Jian Bing. I was insensible in the past. Please forgive me.”
“No, no, no. Big brother, how can you say that?! Big Brother…” Jian Bing said as he pounced over and hugged Zhu Honggong’s thigh.
“…”
Zhu Honggong was speechless.
‘Fine, you win.’
…
At the same time.
At Xuanyi Palace’s Dark Hall.
The people from the Evil Sky Pavilion paced back and forth.
Meng Changdong, the guardian, said, “The Pavilion Master should be on his way here. However, if he doesn’t arrive in time, I’m afraid Emperor Xuanyi won’t be able to hold on for long.”
Kong Wen said, “As Dark Guards ourselves, I feel like we should do our best to support Xuanyi Palace now.”
Lu Li nodded. “I agree with Kong Wen.”
The four elders nodded as well.
“Then it’s decided. Let’s go.”
Led by the four elders, the people from the Evil Sky Pavilion rushed toward Xuanyi Palace’s upper core.
…
At the upper core of Xuanyi Palace.
Countless cultivators surrounded the upper core. Let alone the land, even the sky was crowded.
The flying chariot from Xuanyi Palace hovered in the sky as Xuanyi and thousands of Dark Guards guarded the upper core.
Xuanyi said in a clear voice, “The masses are truly ignorant. Why are you, people of Xuanyi Palace’s territory, so stupid? What’s the difference if you destroy the upper core? Wouldn’t the sky fall as well?”
Previously, the Pillar of Destruction at Chifenruo, which was the ancient name for Ji Ming, that corresponded with Xuanyi Palace had collapsed.
Someone shouted, “The truth is right in front of our eyes! The pillars that correspond with Rou Zhao Hall and Shang Zhang Hall have already collapsed. We would rather destroy the upper core than allow someone to absorb the Great Void energy to comprehend the Great Dao! At least, there’ll be remnants of the Great Void energy left!”
“Fools!” Xuanyi said sternly, “Once the upper core is destroyed, the Great Void energy will return to heaven and earth! At that time, not only what should collapse will collapse, but it’d be in vain as well!”
“How would we know if we don’t try? Your Majesty, this is the people’s will. Please go along with our will!”
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
Countless avatars appeared in the sky. From Thousand Realms Whirling cultivators, to Venerable Masters, Saints, Dao Saints, and Great Dao Saints, everyone manifested their avatars as a show of power to Xuanyi.
“We’ll die either way! If Your Majesty won’t follow the people’s will, then we’ll use our life to destroy the upper core!”
Xuanyi’s expression was slightly unsightly as he asked, “Where did you hear this rumor?”
“The entire Great Void says so!”
“I’ll severely punish whoever dares to approach the upper core.”
After Xuanyi’s voice fell, not only did the cultivators not put away their avatars, but the avatars advanced as well.
Xuanyi really did not understand why these people were so resolute. “Dark Guards!”
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
Over 1,000 Dark Guards flew into formation in the sky.
At the same time, a group of cultivators rushed over from the distant sky.
Everyone looked over.
“More Dark Guards?!”
The newcomers were the people of the Evil Sky Pavilion.
The four elders led the others over.
Leng Luo, who stood at the lead, said in a deep voice, “Get out of the way, or I’ll kill you without mercy!”
The crowd was shocked by the arrival of the people from the Evil Sky Pavilion and instinctively opened up a path.
Although the people of the Evil Sky Pavilion were not even Dao Saints, their energy, spirit, and demeanor were that of experts.
At this moment, someone shouted, “Block them!”
A figure flew out following that.
Leng Luo’s eyes glinted coldly. He danced in the air as he used the Dao Invisibility technique.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Leng Luo and the other party fought to a draw after several rounds.
The other party said, “You dare to meddle in Xuanyi Palace’s affairs with such weak strength?”
Leng Luo pushed his hand out.
Boom!
Two palm seals collided, and the force from the collision pushed both of them back.
Pan Litian flew to Leng Luo’s side and asked in a low voice, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Leng Luo replied as he looked at the other party with a strange look, “I keep feeling that things aren’t that simple. There’s a conspiracy.”
“I feel it too.” Pan Litian chuckled.
Leng Luo said, “There should be someone who wants to bring chaos to the world. It’s better not to act rashly and wait for the Pavilion Master to arrive.”
“Hmm.”
The others from the Evil Sky Pavilion, who heard this, exchanged a look tacitly and nodded in agreement. They ignored the other party’s mockery and flew over to Xuanyi’s side and bowed to him.
Xuanyi nodded in response. “You’ve worked hard.”
Leng Luo said, “The Pavilion Master will be here soon. We have to watch out. I think someone’s trying to sow discord and cause chaos.”
“Sow discord?” Xuanyi’s eyes glinted coldly. Then, he turned to look at the person who attacked Leng Luo earlier. Without any warning, he struck with his hand.
An energy seal like deathly claws tore through the sky and arrived in front of that person in just a blink of an eye. He crossed his arms, trying to defend against the energy seal, but it only grew bigger and grabbed him, pulling him back. With that, he was captured by Xuanyi.
“Ahh!”
Xuanyi asked in a deep voice, “Who gave you the order?”
“Order? What order? I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” the person said as he struggled with all his might, “Emperor Xuanyi, you’re Xuanyi Palace’s protector! Are you going to attack the people of Xuanyi Palace?! Are you going to chill the hearts of the people?”
Xuanyi asked again, “I’ll ask you one more time: who was it?”
Needless to say, the masses did not understand what was going on.
Someone stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, why must you make things difficult for us? You’re high and mighty, and you control the life and death of many people. Our lives are cheap, and we can’t even compare to grass. However, can’t we even choose how we want to die?!”
These words stirred up the others, and one after another, they began to protest loudly again.
Xuanyi had been patiently enduring the clamoring cultivators since earlier. He was the master of this land so he would not easily make a move. He tried to reason with them, but no one would listen. As a result, he was stuck in this deadlock. Now, it was clear that they did not intend to back down even if they had to contend with him. ‘Do I really have to make a move on them?’
Just as Xuanyi was pondering his choices, a voice rang from the distant western sky.
“That’s right. You don’t have the right to choose.”
The voice was sonorous, powerful, steady, and filled with unmistakable killing intent.
Everyone’s hearts trembled as they looked at the western sky. They saw two figures flying over at lightning speed. The duo was far away, but in just a blink of an eye, they had arrived in front of everyone.
Buzz!
An avatar appeared in the sky. It was not a golden avatar, but a blue avatar! Even the Unholy One’s avatar was not a pure blue avatar. Not only was the color unique, but the lotus and 14 leaves were unique as well.
The people from the Evil Sky Pavilion naturally recognized the familiar voice. They bowed and called out, “Greetings, Pavilion Master!”
Xuanyi raised his head. He felt as though he was seeing the Unholy One of the past again before feeling like the supreme ruler of the world had returned. He was filled with emotions and could not help but call out, “Teacher!”
The blue avatar slowly descended.
The cultivators in the upper core did not dare to move.
“If you don’t want to die, you better not move. I don’t have any kindness or compassion that you might think I have.”
As soon as Lu Zhou’s voice fell, everyone trembled and gulped. No one dared to speak or move.
