The forbidden formation shattered, releasing a destructive divine power so terrifying that it seemed capable of annihilating the entire Yin-Yang Sea.
Even a Great Saint-level powerhouse standing in its path would likely be reduced to ashes in an instant.
“Hiss.”
Thousands of miles away, many powerhouses from the four ancient civilizations and the Heavenly Dragon Realm couldn’t help but gasp in shock.
No one had expected that breaking the forbidden formation would unleash such a horrifying attack. Even Ao Xukong and the Golden Sun Twin Kings felt their hearts tremble at the force.
“As expected, Brother Ao’s foresight was wise, or the consequences would have been unimaginable,” the Great Venerable said, a trace of fear flashing in his eyes.
Though they had some trump cards, facing such a terrifying impact up close would inevitably cause massive casualties.
Retreating far away early on was undoubtedly a very wise choice.
A glint of brilliance flashed in the Blazing Sun Emperor’s eyes as he said, “If this force can wipe out the entire Hell Realm army, the treasures in the Dragon God Temple will all belong to us. The Hell Realm would pay a huge price, only to pave the way for us.”
From the current situation, such a possibility wasn’t out of the question. If it came to pass, the gods of the Hell Realm would likely be furious enough to spit blood.
“Boom.”
Towering waves crashed, causing the five massive warships to heave violently.
Even from such a distance, a terrifying force still surged toward them, strong enough to kill a Saint King.
Fortunately, the five warships were extraordinary. In an instant, numerous Great Saint inscriptions appeared, enveloping the ships and successfully blocking all the impact, with no casualties.
In the hidden space where Zhang Ruochen and the others were, only a few thousand miles from True Dragon Island, the impact they faced was undoubtedly far more intense.
Luckily, they were all top-tier powerhouses with formidable strength, unafraid of this force.
While countering the impact, Zhang Ruochen and his group closely monitored the situation in the sea ahead, hoping this destructive divine power would heavily damage or even annihilate the Hell Realm army.
“Bang.”
After holding for a moment, the dark barrier finally shattered.
The nine dragon souls were instantly torn apart, and the nine divine dragon bones within them quickly cracked, turning to dust and scattering in the wind.
The moment the dark barrier broke, countless dark divine inscriptions emerged on the seven warships of the Hell Realm, densely interwoven to form a powerful defensive net.
“Each warship is inscribed with so many divine inscriptions. The Hell Realm has truly calculated everything,” Ao Xinyan said gravely.
This outcome was far from what she wanted to see.
Zhang Ruochen said, “Prepare yourselves. We need to board the island quickly and not fall too far behind.”
Since they could no longer stop the Hell Realm army from landing on True Dragon Island, they could only fight them on the island itself.
Unlike before, this time they didn’t need to confront the Hell Realm army head-on. As long as they could protect the Key to the World Gate, they would succeed.
Of course, this was easier said than done. It was incredibly difficult, as they faced not only the Hell Realm army but also the armies of the four ancient civilizations and the Heavenly Dragon Realm.
With fewer than twenty people, the numerical disparity was overwhelming, placing immense pressure on them all.
But at this point, retreat was not an option. They could only give their all to secure a future for the Kunlun Realm.
“Boom.”
Suddenly, another powerful surge of destructive divine power erupted from within True Dragon Island.
With that, the forbidden formation protecting True Dragon Island completely collapsed, ceasing to exist.
Under the impact of this destructive force, the divine inscriptions on the Hell Realm’s seven warships were damaged, exposing parts of the ships’ hulls.
Though the warships were made of extraordinary materials, they couldn’t withstand this divine power. Upon contact, they began to break apart.
“Ah.”
Some Hell Realm powerhouses reacted too slowly and were instantly engulfed by the destructive force, leaving only desperate, piercing screams.
“Act!”
The Son of Darkness shouted, taking the lead by summoning a black bone mirror.
Smooth as jade, the bone mirror was activated by dark power, its surface revealing naturally formed secret inscriptions that radiated dazzling divine light, blocking the destructive force.
The Bone Clan’s Three Emperors and Twelve Venerables, the Seven Ultimate Killers of the Nether Hall, and other powerhouses didn’t hesitate, each summoning powerful weapons or treasures, unleashing their maximum potential to counter the remaining destructive force.
After a long time, the destructive divine power finally dissipated, and the sea gradually calmed.
The Hell Realm’s seven warships still floated on the sea, not destroyed but severely damaged, with one ship nearly two-thirds ruined.
Despite the timely actions of the Son of Darkness and others, the Hell Realm army suffered significant losses. Many Saint King powerhouses perished, and many more were injured.
Seeing such heavy casualties, the Son of Darkness frowned slightly, as this deviated significantly from his expectations.
But soon, his expression relaxed, and he turned his gaze to the now-revealed True Dragon Island.
No matter what, they had successfully broken the forbidden formation. The plan was half-complete, and the cost was worth it.
The eyes of many Hell Realm powerhouses burned with fervor, as if they could see the countless treasures in the Dragon God Temple beckoning to them.
Of course, their primary focus was the Key to the World Gate. Seizing it would earn them unparalleled merit, and upon returning to the Hell Realm, they would receive great rewards from the gods.
“What nonsense forbidden land? It still couldn’t stop our Hell Realm army’s advance,” Deathless sneered disdainfully.
A cold smile appeared in Blood Ripple’s eyes as she said, “It won’t be long before the Kunlun Realm becomes history. The destruction of an eternal great world should strike fear into the Heavenly Court’s realms, shouldn’t it?”
For the Hell Realm, destroying one eternal great world was far more valuable than annihilating a hundred ordinary ones.
After all, how many eternal great worlds were there in the entire universe?
“Board the island.”
The Son of Darkness gave the order calmly.
“Swoosh.”
The Hell Realm powerhouses immediately sprang into action, leaping from the damaged warships like a flood of ferocious beasts, surging toward True Dragon Island.
Without the forbidden formation, True Dragon Island could no longer halt the Hell Realm army’s advance.
In moments, the vast Hell Realm army had fully landed on True Dragon Island.
By then, the warships of the four ancient civilizations and the Heavenly Dragon Realm had swiftly approached, arriving at the edge of True Dragon Island’s waters.
Though the Hell Realm army noticed, they didn’t attempt to stop them, as it wasn’t yet time to wage war against the four ancient civilizations and the Heavenly Dragon Realm.
“The Hell Realm is indeed formidable, breaking such a powerful forbidden formation. Warriors of the Blazing Sun Civilization, follow this emperor to the island and seize the treasures amassed by the Dragon Clan over billions of years!” the Blazing Sun Emperor called out, brimming with vigor.
From start to finish, the Blazing Sun Emperor had been the most eager to seize True Dragon Island’s treasures, no different from the Hell Realm.
With the Golden Sun Twin Kings by his side, the Blazing Sun Emperor had no reservations and led the charge toward True Dragon Island.
Behind him, the powerhouses of the Blazing Sun Civilization swiftly followed.
Next came the powerhouses of the Big Dipper Civilization and the Witch God Civilization. The Thousand Star Civilization and the Heavenly Dragon Realm, however, seemed unhurried, moving slowly.
“The Kunlun Realm is at a critical juncture of life and death. I wonder if it can survive this calamity,” Fairy Linglong sighed.
Ao Xukong pondered briefly before saying, “Leave it to fate and do our utmost. Everything hinges on the Key to the World Gate. Nothing else truly matters.”
“Big brother, with the Kunlun Realm in such chaos, why does Father God still want our Heavenly Dragon Realm to get involved?” Fairy Linglong asked, puzzled.
Ao Xukong’s face showed a thoughtful expression. After a moment, he said, “Since Father God has made this arrangement, there must be a deeper purpose. We should do our best to carry it out.”
Fairy Linglong nodded slightly. At a time like this, overthinking was pointless.
Seeing the Thousand Star Civilization’s powerhouses also land on True Dragon Island, the Heavenly Dragon Realm powerhouses no longer delayed and quickly followed.
In the hidden spatial passage, Zhang Ruochen and his group silently watched the armies of both factions land on True Dragon Island. Everyone fell into silence, their hearts heavy.
Faced with this situation, they all felt unwillingness and anger but were helpless. With so few of them, they couldn’t possibly stop these invaders.
Regrettably, the destructive divine power from the forbidden formation only wiped out a small portion of the Hell Realm army, far from a significant blow. None of the top-tier powerhouses were harmed, which was deeply disappointing.
“Let’s begin.”
Ao Xinyan spoke, breaking the silence.
The Destiny Corpse Emperor flipped his hand to retrieve the Destiny Talisman, saying, “Zhang Ruochen, go ahead and act. This emperor and Dead Zen will fully assist in concealing the heavens’ secrets.”
As he spoke, the Destiny Corpse Emperor activated the Destiny Talisman, releasing a peculiar fluctuation that seemed to resonate with the Kunlun Realm’s Heavenly Dao.
This talisman was forged when the Destiny Corpse Emperor established the Central Empire,凝聚帝国气运, and was closely tied to the Kunlun Realm’s fate.
Dead Zen Ancestor summoned the Divine War Corpse, driving it with Dead Zen Buddhist techniques, releasing waves of eerie divine power to disrupt the heavens’ secrets in the sea.
After years of repeated refinement, the Divine War Corpse had undoubtedly grown stronger, capable of unleashing extraordinary combat power.
Seeing the Divine War Corpse, the awakened ones couldn’t help but show astonishment.
Even a fallen god was not to be trifled with, yet Dead Zen Ancestor could control a divine corpse—an unimaginable feat.
At this moment, Ao Xinyan also acted. The divine dragon silver armor she wore radiated dazzling divine light, drawing the power and rules of heaven and earth from the Yin-Yang Sea toward her. The black mist, which had dissipated, reappeared, growing denser and shrouding all perception.
Seeing this, Zhang Ruochen said nothing. He flipped his hand to retrieve the Secret Tome of Time and Space, creating a multidimensional space that enveloped all the awakened ones.
Then, with swift hand seals, Zhang Ruochen mobilized the Laws of Time and Space, releasing powerful forces of time and space.
“Buzz.”
The space trembled slightly, and a faint shadow of a miniature river of time appeared, circling the Secret Tome, making it seem as if it existed in another dimension.
With such measures to conceal the awakened ones’ presence, combined with the assistance of Ao Xinyan, the Destiny Corpse Emperor, and Dead Zen Ancestor, even the gods of the Hell Realm, no matter how powerful, should be unable to detect them.
Zhang Ruochen had considered storing the awakened ones in the Qiankun Realm, which would be the safest option. At most, the Hell Realm gods could sense a world within him but wouldn’t know its contents.
However, Ao Xinyan had warned him that True Dragon Island was extraordinarily strange. With his current strength, once inside, he might not be able to open the Qiankun Realm’s gate.
Left with no choice, he had to devise other methods.
With everything prepared, Zhang Ruochen didn’t hesitate. He flashed out of the spatial passage, appearing on the misty sea.
Instantly, he sensed the obscure divine consciousness of the Hell Realm gods, imperceptible to ordinary beings.
These divine consciousnesses wove into a net, covering a vast expanse of the sea. No creature entering True Dragon Island could escape their scrutiny.
The Hell Realm gods seemed to be deliberately searching for something.
This made Zhang Ruochen even more cautious. He pushed the Way of Time and the Way of Space to their limits while activating the Fire God Armor, releasing divine power to envelop his body, blocking all probes.
After several rapid flashes, Zhang Ruochen successfully landed on True Dragon Island.
During this, though divine consciousnesses swept over him, they didn’t linger, likely detecting nothing.
Seeing Zhang Ruochen safely land, Ao Xinyan, Little Black, the Destiny Corpse Emperor, and Dead Zen Ancestor didn’t delay and quickly followed.
“True Dragon Island is indeed special, completely blocking the divine consciousness of the Hell Realm gods,” Zhang Ruochen murmured.
As he spoke, he took the Secret Tome of Time and Space from his chest, preparing to release all the awakened ones.
Inside the island, there was no longer a need to worry about exposure.
Ten thousand years ago, True Dragon Island suffered a devastating attack from the Hell Realm, enduring a catastrophic disaster. Even the most sacred Dragon God Temple was shattered.
Even now, True Dragon Island remained barren, not a blade of grass growing, shrouded in a lingering dark aura.
Seeing this, Little Black roared in anger, “Damn Hell Realm, turning the Dragon Clan’s sacred land into this state, and now daring to target the Dragon God Temple and the Key to the World Gate. This emperor is furious! This time, I’ll take down a few of the Hell Realm’s top talents to vent my rage!”
Ao Xinyan’s eyes flickered with anger, sorrow, and a sense of powerlessness. The Dragon Clan had once been so mighty, yet they still couldn’t protect the Dragon God Temple. The enemies they faced were simply too terrifying, despairingly so.
But since the Kunlun Realm’s ancestors never gave up, fighting to the death to protect it, they could not abandon hope or let their predecessors’ blood be shed in vain.
Quickly composing herself, Ao Xinyan said, “The Hell Realm army, along with the armies of the four ancient civilizations and the Heavenly Dragon Realm, are already heading toward the Dragon God Temple. We need to hurry.”
Hearing this, Zhang Ruochen took the Secret Tome of Time and Space from his chest, preparing to release all the awakened ones. Now on True Dragon Island, there was no need to fear exposure.
But at that moment, Zhang Ruochen suddenly felt a chill, his hairs standing on end.
Not just him—Little Black and Dead Zen Ancestor’s expressions also shifted, faintly sensing a dangerous aura.
“Danger! Scatter!”
Zhang Ruochen transmitted mentally.
“Swish.”
The instant he sent the message, a spear carrying world-destroying might descended from the sky like a falling star, unstoppable.
At the same time, a highly condensed three-colored Nether Thunder erupted from the void, appearing beside Dead Zen Ancestor in an instant.
“Boom.”
The spear was unstoppable. Though True Dragon Island was incredibly sturdy, an area dozens of miles wide was shattered by the impact.
The explosion of the three-colored Nether Thunder was equally terrifying, disintegrating all soil and rock within dozens of miles, vanishing into thin air.
When the destructive force dissipated, a pit dozens of miles wide and hundreds of meters deep appeared.
In this area, even the finest Supreme Saint Artifacts would be reduced to scrap.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen and the others stood a hundred miles from the pit, their expressions grave. Had they not reacted quickly, the spear and thunder would have killed or severely injured them.
Just then, seven figures appeared out of nowhere, surrounding Zhang Ruochen and his group from different directions.
At their center, a Nether Lotus with seven petals emerged, radiating terrifying power fluctuations. As it slowly rotated, the surrounding heaven and earth’s vital energy surged toward it.
“The Seven Ultimate Killers of the Nether Hall.”
Zhang Ruochen’s eyes narrowed.
To think that the Seven Ultimate Killers of the Nether Hall would hide in the shadows to ambush him was something he hadn’t anticipated.
“Zhang Ruochen, Dead Zen Ancestor, you two are bold indeed to set foot on True Dragon Island. Your vigilance is impressive, but you still can’t escape death.”
Deathless’s eyes were icy, exuding thick killing intent.
His gaze locked onto Zhang Ruochen and Dead Zen Ancestor, completely ignoring Little Black, Ao Xinyan, and the Destiny Corpse Emperor.
