The head of the Panorama Pavilion had decisively sold the Tribulation Traversing Pill to the Lins because the trading guild had formations of heaven and earth in their arsenal—to the tune of equipping thirteen primordial arcane dao immortals. With those formations, they could pluck origin dao fruits with their own strength.
The dominating appearance of thirteen arcane dao immortals by Lu Yun’s side sent waves throughout the world. They represented a staggering half of the world’s fortune!
Hot on the heels of the merchant alliance were the five forefathers of the Star Demon Sect. Dense demonic air wreathed around them, fully concealing their true appearances and leaving room for unfettered release of frosty killing intent.
These five had remained at the Skandha Range after the destruction of Witherdew Major, staying out of the public eye and going without formations of heaven and earth. The strength they demonstrated with their showing now rivaled that of the crippled origin dao immortals, and in fact threatened to exceed it.
Apart from these reinforcements, Lu Yun also sensed the presence of Chen Xiao, Qing Buyi, Mo Yi, and Lu Feng in the area. Though they didn’t reveal themselves in person, their forceful auras locked on to every person present.
Thus, a curiously frozen scene presented itself as no one dared make the first move.
More than eighty percent of the most elite powerhouses of the world were gathered in the skies over Life Province of Nephrite Major. Tragic devastation would visit every local denizen—and even those beyond—if battle were to break out. Though it might not reach the level of the great war of a hundred thousand years ago, it wouldn’t be that far off either.
All along, the Purple Firmament had curbed flawless origin dao immortals from taking the stage because the current world of immortals couldn’t endure their strength. When Ashu had battled Yin Jiuying last time, they’d done so in the outer realm. If they’d remained in the atmospheric reaches of the world of immortals, their overpowering auras would’ve decimated all life.
As time went on, the enormous Central World continued to shrink and disappear into Qing Yu.
“Witherdew Major is already no more, so what of destroying another Nephrite Major?” Qi Hai’s voice suddenly rang out. “These are tumultuous times, and truce was never declared in the war from a hundred thousand years ago. We are just a continuation of it! …chaaaaaarge!”
He flew into motion as he could ill afford to wait any longer. He needed the kingdom of hell that Lu Yun possessed! Hell was the foundation of the human race, but the boy didn’t place humanity at the top of his priorities. This was at great odds with Qi Hai’s principles and would be tolerated no longer.
Boom!
An enormous pill cauldron shot up from Destiny City and bore down on the Central World with harrowing heat and light.
“Lu Yun is wielding Violetgrave’s strength and can only maintain it for four hours. His power will disappear after that!” Qi Hai loudly announced to the crowd. “We don’t need to pay any attention to him, we just need to prevent Qing Yu from refining the Central World!”
“Bring it on, then.” Lu Yun exploded in size until he was greater than even the twenty-fourth facet. Standing in front of it, he punched out at the blazing pill cauldron headed his way.
“Kill!”
“Kill!”
“Kill!” Silverlight, Goldenlight, the Dark North Sword Sect, Ingress Island, and several celestial emperors took action at the same time. Taking Qi Hai’s words to heart, they ignored the gigantic Lu Yun and made for Qing Yu. Snarling in anger, the five Star Demon Sect forefathers and thirteen merchant alliance heads met them head on.
Battle was joined.
In Destiny City, Zhao Shenguang stomped his feet with frustration. He couldn’t take part in the hostilities as he was deploying the Nephrite mandate to protect his nation. He didn’t even dare use it to sweep away the dueling powerhouses—Nephrite Major wouldn’t be able to withstand the shockwaves resulting from their clashes.
Mo Yi, Chen Xiao, Qing Buyi, and Lu Feng stayed their hands as well. Creatures from the Blood Sea and powerhouses from the underworld were hidden in the surroundings. Though they remained concealed, the quartet could still sense the existence of hostile entities. Thus, the four remained firmly in place, deterring those beings from joining the fray.
Those of the Crimson and Purple Firmaments also remained on the sidelines, but the sword cauldron and bell had entered the battlefield and were in turn met by the Skyturning Seal and Sugato Sword.
The Venerated Sacrosanct Demon Sovereign howled with challenge and roared into battle. He’d fully refined the Skyturning Seal by now, and most importantly, his nascent spirit had returned to true existence after practicing Lu Yun’s nascent spirit observation method. It’d become one with the Hadal Bonefire, making it so that the demon god would never be able to possess him anymore.
After his nascent spirit had transmuted into Hadal Bonefire, his Hadal Bonefire Method reached heights never before seen and truly entered the realm of great perfection. This was why he’d manifested in person to help Lu Yun.
A straightforward personage who wore his heart on a sleeve, the demon sovereign had been one who dared defy the primordial immortal emperor. Unyielding and unwavering, he refused to capitulate even in death. Instead, he’d formed an undying true spirit, a development facilitated by the immortal emperor.
It’d only been a difference of perspective between the demon sovereign and immortal emperor.
In his hands, the Skyturning Seal took the size of a towering mountain and stoutly blocked the sword bell. As they weren’t in the Central World anymore, they were no longer subject to the immortal restriction. The demon sovereign fully combusted his Hadal Bonefire, using the gleaming bones of his skeleton for fuel—every piece as pure as white jade. Power exploded out of the seal under his fullest deployment.
Next to him, Yu Qinghun of the Green Firmament wielded the Sugato Sword. He’d suffered fatal injuries in the world of the Emperor Sunflower and almost died. Lu Yun had snapped his neck at the last second and destroyed his nascent spirit to preserve him as an Infernum, returning him to life through the Tome of Life and Death. Infernum enjoyed closer relationships with Lu Yun than the golden-armored warriors summoned from the beans.
In Yu Qinghun’s hands, the Sugato Sword unleashed a power that was stronger than any it’d ever displayed in Lu Yun or the demon sovereign’s hands.
“This Sugato Sword… is the Sword Pagoda! It was once the ultimate treasure of my Green Firmament countless aeons ago!” Yu Qinghun’s wide eyes stared at the sword and he unconsciously formed a strange hand seal. Green light shimmered over the sword in response, as if something had awakened.
“The Sword Pagoda died… then returned to life in master’s hands and birthed a new weapon spirit! No wonder it can cut down connate treasures! Sugato Sword, oh Sugato Sword, you don’t rank number one among all man-made treasures, you’re the king of treasures!”
As he spread his arms wide, the sword reconstructed itself from nine hundred ninety nine layers to a pagoda shimmering with hazy green light, one thousand and eighty layers tall. It was thirty percent stronger than before, and its sword energy stuck close to Yu Qinghun. With just a casual slash, the newest Infernum sent the sword cauldron flying backward.
“Hahaha—!” Yu Qinghun threw his head back with laughter. “Crimson Firmament, you marred our Sword Pagoda all those years ago! Today, I will return an eye for an eye and destroy your Sword Cauldron!”
Whoosh!
A brilliant halo of bluish-gold radiance burst out of his body and melded into the Sugato Sword, honing its keen edge and coalescing its pagoda form out of thin air. Picking up domineering momentum, it smashed right into the sword cauldron.
