When the Kaleidoscopic King sent out the Nineworld Origin Diagram to suppress Qing Yu, Lu Yun deployed the Netherdark Formation in return!
Blue and purple energy intersected in the air as dark and nether fire materialized at the same time, combining into fearsome netherdark power within the formation.
Rumble!!
A deafening explosion rocked the Nineworld Origin Palace. The Nineworld Origin Diagram shook and became one with the palace, marking the direct clash between the ultimate treasures of two valleys.
Crackle.
Teeth-numbing sounds crawled through the air as fragments of space peeled away from the void; the netherdark flame reached out for them and consumed them completely.
Color draining from his face, the Kaleidoscopic King quickly retreated to safety.
Pillars of nine-colored light trailed down from the dual entity of diagram and palace. Qing Yu floated to the ground, still brandishing Quiet. The little fox and Shenyu remained locked in a staring contest; they seemed to be caught in a mental realm of illusion as neither moved.
Seventeen ninth step kings remained in the palace. There’d been twenty-seven in Origin World to begin with, which meant eight had fallen in the battle if one excluded the World King and defected Autumn King.
Though the eight weren’t truly dead, it would be an arduous journey for them to return to the peak. The Profound and Yin Yang Kings were also injured.
With the Netherdark Formation fighting the palace to a standstill, Qing Yu upped the ante. She brandished Quiet in the Dragonrise technique and stabbed the sword at a certain point in the air.
“World King! Come out and fight since your injuries have healed. With all this hiding and scuttling around, are you planning on ambushing me?” She transformed into a dragon with dense clusters of sword light circling around her.
In the world of immortals, Qing Yu had practiced the art of the cosmos, then formula dao, followed by the Dragonquake Scripture. Lu Yun’s Dragonrise was a product of his sword dao combined with the Dragonquake Scripture, so she’d naturally learned it as well.
“What kind of sword dao is this?!” Hidden in the void, a shocked World King materialized with a broadsword in hand and fiercely smashed it down on the huge dragon.
Boom!
Traveling with the power of the Nineworld Origin Diagram, the sword clashed with Qing Yu in midair.
Scatter.
The World King’s sword dispersed in motes of starlight while Qing Yu landed on the ground. Fighting around the palace petered out, apart from the little fox and Shenyu.
Their eminent ruler had arrived.
He was still legless and wielded his sword with only one hand as he floated in the air.
Qing Yu snorted when she saw his appearance. “You’ve already recovered from your injuries, World King. Who are you putting on this show for?”
Slightly displeased at being unmasked, the World King revealed his lost limbs after a series of gurgling noises from his body. Limbs that Quiet had severed would never regrow, and yet, he’d somehow managed to recover his.
“Come on out, new friend. You’re no ordinary person since you can recreate the World King’s limbs.” Qing Yu looked in another direction.
A hazy figure appeared in that part of the void, but they didn’t reveal themselves.
A ghastly shriek suddenly echoed in the Nineworld Origin Palace at this time—a victor had been determined in the fight between the little fox and Shenyu.
Shenyu’s enormous fire formation abruptly shrank in on itself, exposing his body to public view. However, a dull look registered in his eyes; he was caught in the throes of boundless illusions.
Inspiration struck Lu Yun and he stepped forward, bolstering the little fox with the Netherdark Formation. This took the World King off guard and he withdrew his hand to wait on the sideline.
Casting frosty looks at Lu Yun and the others, the Kaleidoscopic King and remaining ninth step kings of Origin World also retreated to their liege’s side.
The Profound and Yin Yang Kings looked like they were on death’s doorstep—both of them had suffered varying degrees of heavy injury. They were still alive because they were peak ninth step kings. If it’d been the Daredevil or Acclaim Kings here instead, they would’ve died a long time ago.
“Shenyu? You’re a ninth step king too. What’s your title? Let’s have a look at it,” Miao suddenly proposed in highly seductive, throbbing tones. They traveled into Shenyu’s ears from all directions, causing a small ripple in his slack expression.
There must be something he very much disliked about his title, but he had no choice since the little fox’s mental illusion was in complete control of his mind. His minuscule struggle was utterly futile.
Miao had brought out the treasure she’d refined from several hundred kilograms of Mirage Sand to thoroughly beguile Shenyu. This was also the same treasure she’d used to defeat the Imagination King.
Standing strong against the pressure from the Nineworld Origin Palace, the Netherdark Formation wrapped protectively around the little fox and her formation of illusion. The World King’s face was an ominous study in surprise.
He hadn’t anticipated that the Empyrean King would be so bold as to bring the Netherdark Formation straight into Origin World! Wasn’t she afraid of losing it or being trapped here with it?
Did she think that Origin World was in the bag for her?
“Ummm…” His expression froze before he had the chance to say anything.
Shenyu had released his title: The Runaway King.
“Runaway King? What’s that supposed to mean?” Miao paused and turned around to look blankly at Lu Yun and Qing Yu.
They were equally baffled.
Runaway King?
Did this mean that Shenyu’s speed was unparalleled in swiftness? Or…
Something occurred to Lu Yun.
“Why is your title the Runaway King?” the little fox asked. “Is it because you run really fast?”
“Hmph!” the figure indistinct in the void huffed coldly. Overwhelming aura pressed down from the air and swept furiously toward the little fox.
However, the Netherdark Formation’s full protection enveloped her; it diffused the aura before it had a chance to reach her.
“My master taught me since young that I should never dig my heels in if I run into something I can’t handle. Saving my life is of paramount importance, but I misunderstood what he meant. I ran away whenever I encountered danger and received a nickname of Runaway God before I was a titled king. When I ascended to kinghood, the tower named me the Runaway King.” Shame colored Shenyu’s tones.
“So it really is that kind of runaway…” Lu Yun shuddered. This kind of title was an absolute humiliation.
The World King raised his eyebrows and looked at the figure next to him. Plainly, that was Shenyu’s master. The Nineworld Origin Palace was completely entangled with the Netherdark Formation, so it was impossible for him to save Shenyu at the moment.
“Who’s your master?” Miao asked curiously. “Running away when you can’t win is a good principle. You’ll always have a chance if you’re still alive, but you’ll have nothing if you’re dead.”
“My master?” Shenyu puffed his chest out and declared proudly, “My master is the foremost supplemental king of the Hongmeng, the Dao King! I am his first disciple!”
