“The Haotian Fist! It really is you…” A murmuring Miao tilted her head up to watch the terrifying punch descend.
It really was Haotian—Haotian, not the Dao King!
She was entirely too familiar with this punch. It was the signature combat art of Great Emperor Haotian of the primordial world of immortals! Back in the day, this move could sweep the world and vie for dominance with the immortal emperor!
And now she was seeing it again.
Boom!
A stone bridge flashed in front of her and shook as it blocked the harrowing blow. The Bridge of Forgetfulness howled with defiance and trembled all over, brushing off the force that lingered over it.
“Good, good, very good!” The Dao King swept his long sleeves around and brought up Shenyu within them.
Both of them vanished without further ado, leaving a deathly silence in their wake. The collision between the bridge and Haotian Fist was too staggering—it exceeded the one between the bridge and the Nineworld Origin Cannon.
Apart from select high level kings, the rest of Origin World’s kings were heavily injured after the clash. Even seventh and eighth step kings outside of the palace were riddled within wounds. The World King hovered in the air with his singular arm, darkly taking in the scene. His faction had been dealt a grievous blow this time.
Lu Yun and Qing Yu approached a still dazed little fox.
“That was Haotian?” asked Lu Yun.
“Mmhmm.” Miao nodded.
“Celestial Emperor Haotian?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Great Emperor of the South, Haotian?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Then he’s probably the huge shadow who veiled the river of time a hundred thousand years ago.” Lu Yun took a deep breath and sighed, “No wonder it was obscured, no wonder Lu Qing couldn’t pick up on anything. Someone like the Dao King had set plans in motion for the world of immortals a long time ago.”
If Lu Yun still couldn’t guess what the shadow in the long river of time was, then he’d be a bonafide idiot.
The Dao King’s strength beggared belief, his last blow had rivaled the Nineworld Origin Cannon! Though the bridge had stymied the punch, its force was inconceivable. Origin World was gravely injured from the fallout alone and countless numbers of cultivators injured or dead.
“Empyrean King, do you seek the end of my Origin World?” the World King growled lowly, his eyes fixed on Qing Yu as he carefully enunciated each word. He didn’t explain what the Dao King was doing in Origin World—there was no need to.
“You will give me the Army Pagoda and half of the wealth in your vaults.” If Qing Yu’s tones were any frostier, ice would form in the air from them.
She wasn’t one of the ten valleys and what happened to them had nothing to do with her. However, they were a protective barrier for the world of immortals and more important than previously understood since the Dao King had already set up plans in the world. Destroying any one of the ten valleys wouldn’t benefit Qing Yu or her people.
“Fine, they’re yours!” The World King set his jaw. “But you must repair my severed limbs.”
“Very well.” Qing Yu inclined her head.
He waved his remaining arm and summoned a crystalline pagoda in his hand, sending it to Qing Yu. Origin World’s vault doors opened and its contents streamed to her as sparkling rivers when she beckoned.
Outraged and heartbroken, Origin World cultivators wanted nothing more than to beat Qing Yu into the ground, but the deterrence from the Dao King’s earlier blow was too great. If the Empyrean King could withstand even the Dao King, then the World King was no match for her.
The Empyrean King was too strong.
“What, are you feeling humiliated?” the Yin Yang King sneered. “Her Eminence is magnificently benevolent and leaves you with half of your wealth. When you breached Hopeless Major that year, you took much more than what we leave you.”
The Origin kings ceased their grumbling.
Though Hopeless Major had lost more than what they were losing now, that had been due to the combined efforts of the nine other valleys. It hadn’t been Origin World alone who attacked them. Since they hadn’t destroyed Hopeless Major then, Qing Yu naturally wouldn’t destroy them now.
“Let’s go.” Qing Yu took a look at the World King and left. Lu Yun, the little fox, and others hastened to catch up to her.
The World King’s lost arm and legs slowly began to regrow.
“Your Eminence!” Origin World’s remaining ninth step kings walked up.
“The fault is mine for ushering the wolf into the house.” The World King took a deep breath. “From now on, I am no longer the eminent ruler of Origin World. Heartgorge King, the position falls to you from this moment forth. Kaleidoscopic King lacks the right to rule as well.”
Kaleidoscopic’s face dimmed; he’d been so sure of his schemes and victory that all he needed was for the Empyrean King to walk into his trap. Who would’ve thought that she’d be so strong that she’d defeat the Dao King and his disciple? They had no other choice but to retreat.
What the World King meant by ushering in the wolf wasn’t Qing Yu, but the Dao King.
Though Origin World and Hopeless Major were at odds with each other, they were still allies on the surface. The Empyrean King may have arrived with great fanfare, but she wouldn’t have destroyed Origin World even if she’d won. However, if the Dao King had won, he would’ve crushed Hopeless Major and Origin World wouldn’t be too far behind.
If the World King continued to rule Origin World, its people would be at cross purposes with their eminent ruler.
……
In the depths of Qi Sea, a forbidden zone deep within Origin World.
The group had utilized the Autumn King’s formation to transport directly into the zone when they arrived. Now that he was dead and returned to the Tome of Life and Death, Lu Yun and the others immediately traveled to the Qi Sea when they left Origin World.
A variety of jumbled qi churned within the sea, forming terrible qi currents. Ordinary beings could survive here, but if cultivators absorbed the energy within the surroundings, they’d instantly explode.
This was a haven for arcane beasts.
Countless arcane beasts thrived within the Qi Sea and there were high level beasts, even arcane beast kings to be found further inside. Due to the peculiarities of this area, none of them were intelligent.
This was a forbidden zone for others, but it wasn’t much of anything to Qing Yu’s group. The Yin Yang and Profound Kings raised a streak of white light that pierced through the sea and rushed out of it.
“Your Eminence, Kun Paradise is attacking Hopeless Major,” Profound King suddenly reported to Qing Yu.
Kun Paradise was another one of the Ten Valleys of Evil eyeing up Hopeless Major just like Origin World had. They nibbled away at Hopeless Major given any opportunity to do so, wanting to scavenge anything they could from it.
“It’s a trap,” Lu Yun said before Qing Yu could. “We’ve seen through the Dao King’s stratagem in the valleys, so all he can do now is provoke the other eight into attacking us.
“With his capabilities, he can refine the voids of the other eight into one with Hopeless Major. If we return now or head to Kun Paradise, we’ll be ambushed.”
He rubbed his forehead—a headache brewed.
“What should we do now?” asked the Yin Yang King, also considering all of the implications.
Exposure of the Dao King, especially his disciple’s words in how they’d created conflict between the valleys, raised the hair on one’s back. Most importantly was that they didn’t know how the Dao King had obtained the World King’s trust and what kind of role he played in all this.
“Let’s go to Multitude City.” Lu Yun grinned. “We’ll just ignore his latest move. What happened at Origin World will travel throughout the valleys sooner or later.”
“Then Hopeless Major…”
“Give him an empty shell if he wants it,” Lu Yun’s grin deepened. “I made arrangements for our retreat a long time ago.”
