Archangel King Michael held a small black jar containing an extremely viscous liquid, which he had previously poured out sparingly, using it most efficiently to avoid waste.
But now, he turned the jar upside down, pouring out all the black liquid.
“Whoosh.”
Though small, the jar contained a universe within. The black liquid instantly engulfed a vast range of divine inscriptions.
This black liquid, a blend of divine blood and various exotic substances, was specifically formulated to break divine inscriptions, making it extremely precious.
To breach the Primordial Divine Temple swiftly, they had to go all out.
“Sizzle.”
The black liquid’s corrosive power was immense, rapidly dissolving the divine inscriptions upon contact.
Simultaneously, numerous Heaven Realm faction powerhouses acted, unleashing various powerful holy techniques, war weapons, and talismans, accelerating the erosion of the inscriptions.
Sensing the weakening of the inscriptions’ power, the Seventy-Two Palace Saintesses showed anxiety, no longer holding back. They released their holy blood, merging it with the inscriptions.
Having been baptized by Empress Chi Yao’s divine blood, though in small amounts, they carried traces of her divine aura.
Now, the Seventy-Two Palace Saintesses used this divine aura to push the inscriptions’ power to its limit. Yet, even so, they only slightly delayed the inscriptions’ erosion, unable to stop it entirely.
In this situation, all the powerhouses within the temple gathered, their gazes resolute, filled with determination, ready to face death.
Even knowing they were outmatched, they would never give up resistance.
Kunlun Realm’s cultivators could be killed but never humiliated.
“Kongle, are you afraid?” the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady asked softly.
Chi Kongle’s eyes were firm. “Not afraid. To contribute to protecting Kunlun Realm, I’d die without regrets.”
“You’re truly like your father—once decided, no regrets even in the face of death,” the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady sighed.
She no longer cared about life or death, but she would do everything to protect Chi Kongle, preserving a spark of hope for Kunlun Realm.
“Crack.”
The divine inscriptions showed signs of collapse, no longer able to protect the Primordial Divine Temple.
Archangel King Michael’s expression was cold as he ordered, “Capture Chi Kongle and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady. Kill the rest without mercy.”
The Heaven Realm faction’s Saint King realm cultivators surged forward, rushing through the torn opening into the Primordial Divine Temple.
“Fight for Kunlun Realm until the last drop of blood.”
“Fight to the death.”
…
The court’s powerhouses didn’t retreat, their fighting spirit soaring.
With no way out, death was certain either way. They’d rather go all out, clashing with the Heaven Realm faction to the bitter end, showing their courage and resolve.
The Bloodstained Sword’s spirit and the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady stood at the forefront, the only ones with real fighting strength at this moment.
The Bloodstained Sword, Empress Chi Yao’s weapon, though a newly ascended supreme holy artifact, held immense power, having absorbed vast amounts of divine blood. In Chi Yao’s hands, it could even slay gods.
Even without a wielder, the Bloodstained Sword’s spirit possessed formidable strength, with few below the Great Saint level able to match it.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady had many treasures, like the *Sacred Book of Confucian Ancestor* and the Food God’s Cleaver, each extraordinary, capable of serving as a realm-suppressing treasure in weaker great worlds.
As for the court’s other powerhouses, few had even reached the ninth-step Saint King realm, their strength far too inferior to confront the Heaven Realm faction.
The Bloodstained Sword’s spirit stood resolute, its cold gaze fixed, holding the sword’s body in its slender arm, faintly radiating powerful divine might, as if Empress Chi Yao herself had descended.
“Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.”
Led by Archangel King Michael, over a dozen leaders from various great worlds attacked together, each extending a palm.
Each palm was like a cloud, stacking layer upon layer, with countless holy path rules weaving through, pressing toward the Bloodstained Sword’s spirit.
“Rumble.”
The sword’s spirit swung the blade, releasing intense death energy, resisting with all its might.
Despite its formidable strength, facing so many leaders simultaneously, it was firmly suppressed, unable to protect others.
Seeing the Bloodstained Sword suppressed, the Heaven Realm faction’s powerhouses flooded into the Primordial Divine Temple.
With the greatest threat neutralized, the court’s others posed little concern.
“What an exquisite beauty, in looks and temperament, not inferior to the nine beauties on the *Nine Heavens Beauty Scroll*. No wonder Yaotian is so infatuated with you. You’d best surrender quietly, lest this Evil Lord accidentally harms you,” Wu Xin Evil Lord sneered, eyeing the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady’s delicate frame.
As he spoke, an eerie force emanated from him, attempting to infiltrate her body.
But it failed. The *Sacred Book of Confucian Ancestor* flew from her body, hovering above, emitting soft holy light that completely blocked the eerie force.
Simultaneously, her temperament transformed dramatically—from refined and gentle to valiant and domineering. Her gaze turned razor-sharp, her body radiating blue-white Purifying Divine Fire, and a pair of phoenix wings emerged behind her.
Clearly, Martial Saint Canglan now controlled her body.
“Invading the Empress’s palace is a capital offense.”
A chilling killing intent radiated from her brow.
The phoenix wings unfurled, like two heavenly blades, gathering countless holy path rules, slashing toward Wu Xin Evil Lord.
These wings contained half the inheritance power of the Ice-Fire Phoenix, akin to a powerful ancient Great Saint artifact, with unimaginable might.
“Quite a personality. Let this lord play with you properly.”
Wu Xin Evil Lord raised his skull staff, instantly releasing two violent blood-evil gales, colliding with the phoenix wings.
“Bang.”
The phoenix wings were blocked, their divine fire extinguished.
A grave look flashed in the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady’s eyes, truly feeling Wu Xin Evil Lord’s terror.
Her mental power flowed, and with a gentle wave, she sent the *Sacred Book of Confucian Ancestor* forward.
“Form the array! Seal heaven and suppress earth!”
The Seventy-Two Palace Saintesses moved simultaneously, instantly forming a battle array, channeling all their power to the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, jointly activating the *Sacred Book*.
Individually, their strength wasn’t top-tier, but their seamless coordination, combined with the battle array crafted by Empress Chi Yao, multiplied their power exponentially.
“Whoosh.”
The *Sacred Book* flipped page by page, releasing thousands of bright light points, each a character.
These points grew enormous, like stars, containing immense power, capable of crushing all.
Wu Xin Evil Lord’s eyes gleamed with sinister amusement. His skull staff unleashed vast evil energy, summoning evil corpses that charged fearlessly.
Elsewhere, the six World Sons—Xue Wuye, Monk Lidi, Beigong Lan, Gai Tianjiao, Chi Wansui, and Mi Yingzi—stood in a line before the other court powerhouses, each activating their World Son Seals.
The six seals’ powers combined, radiating dazzling divine light, summoning Empress Chi Yao’s divine shadow, its might unparalleled.
Perhaps due to being in the Primordial Divine Temple, the seals’ power was enhanced, drawing divine energy from all directions.
“Boom.”
A flood of Heaven Realm faction Saint Kings stormed the temple, unstoppable, shattering Chi Yao’s divine shadow in an instant.
The six World Sons shuddered, spitting blood, retreating involuntarily. Their strength was considerable, but their short cultivation time meant they had barely reached the ninth-step Saint King realm.
In Kunlun Realm, they were top-tier, but in stronger realms, they were insignificant.
Knowing their limitations, they had formed Chi Yao’s battle array from the start to face the enemy together.
Chi Yao had crafted a battle array for the nine World Sons, usable by as few as two, its power growing with more participants.
Even so, they had no strength to resist the Heaven Realm faction’s many powerhouses.
The court’s other powerhouses fared worse.
The temple’s inscriptions were crumbling, leaving them no retreat.
Filled with grief and rage, despair crept into their eyes. They were truly at a dead end, with no hope left.
“Kunlun Realm will never fall. Your reckoning will come.”
A disheveled, bloodied Military Department Heavenly King roared defiantly.
He charged toward Xing Yuan of the Merit Temple, his holy body igniting, his holy source cracking, releasing violent energy.
Xing Yuan clapped his palms, enveloping the Heavenly King with dense holy energy. No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free.
“Boom.”
The Heavenly King’s holy body exploded into a blood mist.
The violent force slightly trembled Xing Yuan’s hands.
“Reckoning? Too naive. Kunlun Realm will fall this time, and no one can stop it. Self-detonation? Your cultivation is too weak to harm me. Pathetic weaklings,” Xing Yuan sneered, shaking his sleeves.
Last time, outside Peacock Manor, he watched Shang Ziyu die without stopping it, earning severe punishment back at the Merit Temple. This time, he came to redeem himself.
Xing Yuan was furious. He wasn’t Zhang Ruochen’s match, but killing Kunlun’s other cultivators was no challenge.
Seeing this, the court powerhouses’ hearts sank to rock bottom.
The gap between them and the Heaven Realm faction was like heaven and earth. How could they fight?
No one wanted despair, but despair was all that remained.
Elsewhere, several powerhouses lunged at Chi Kongle, as capturing her alive was a critical task.
An elf tribe female Saint King waved her ice-jade staff, unleashing powerful mental energy to control Chi Kongle.
Her mental power, at tier fifty-nine, could easily dominate Chi Kongle, who had just reached the fourth-step Saint King realm.
“You dare target Princess Kongle? Ask this Pot Pot if it agrees!”
Swallowing Elephant Rabbit roared, leaping from Chi Kongle’s arms.
Vast demonic energy surged from it, transforming it into a hundred-zhang-long Heaven-Devouring Demonic Dragon in a blink.
If not for the temple’s spatial limits, its current strength could stretch dozens of li.
The elf female Saint King shifted her attack, directing her mental energy at Pot Pot.
“No effect?”
She was shocked.
Her mental power sank into Swallowing Elephant Rabbit like a stone in the sea, useless. As she froze, the rabbit pounced, its sharp dragon claws striking.
Though she reacted quickly, unleashing her full mental power, it remained ineffective against the rabbit.
“Pfft.”
The dragon claws struck, shattering the elf female Saint King’s body, ending her life.
“Trying to use mental power against this Pot Pot? You don’t know I’ve eaten divine medicine, immune to mental attacks, heh heh,” Swallowing Elephant Rabbit grinned, showing its two rabbit teeth.
Each leaf of the Seven-Star Divine Ling had unique effects. The azure dragon leaf enhanced mental power but, more importantly, granted immunity to mental attacks.
Though its martial cultivation was only at the Dao Domain realm, its mental power had reached the peak of tier fifty-nine.
In mental power contests, few below the Great Saint level could intimidate it.
Now, it actively released mental power, enveloping the surrounding Heaven Realm faction powerhouses.
Many were affected, some falling into a daze.
“All food for this Pot Pot!”
Swallowing Elephant Rabbit shouted, opening its massive dragon maw, biting at the faction’s powerhouses.
Meanwhile, Demon Ape’s body grew ten zhang tall, holding Chi Kongle, displaying astonishing speed as it darted through the temple.
If not for over a dozen faction leaders guarding the temple’s entrance, it might have escaped with Chi Kongle.
On its back was a massive black turtle shell, covered in natural patterns, containing profound mysteries.
Demon Ape’s speed was so fast that few faction powerhouses could keep up.
“Don’t escape!”
A cultivator of the Way of Flowing Light caught up, slashing a terrifying sword beam with his holy sword.
“Clang.”
The beam struck the turtle shell on Demon Ape’s back, producing a metallic clang but leaving no mark.
The cultivator, surprised, slashed several more times.
Other Saint Kings joined, some unleashing holy techniques, others holy artifacts, drowning Demon Ape in attacks.
All struck solidly, yet Demon Ape was unscathed, not even losing a hair.
“What kind of monster is this? Its cultivation is only at the Dao Domain realm, yet its body is so tough? Has it reached the Immortal Holy Body level?”
The attacking cultivators were stunned.
They didn’t know Demon Ape had eaten the Seven-Star Divine Ling’s Black Turtle leaf, granting a robust body and immense strength.
The turtle shell came from further refining the Black Turtle leaf.
Thus, Demon Ape’s body rivaled an Immortal Holy Body, immune to ordinary attacks, which merely tickled it.
Knowing Swallowing Elephant Rabbit and Demon Ape’s abilities, Zhang Ruochen had tasked them with protecting Chi Kongle.
Even against unbeatable foes, they should be able to escape with her.
…
“World Sons? Let this lord slaughter you all, extinguishing Kunlun Realm’s hope.” A black-clad man with twin swords charged forward, his eyes gleaming with ferocity.
He was Xu Tianjing, the second strongest in the Sword God Realm, becoming its new leader after Lone Heart Arrogant’s death.
The Sword God Realm’s previous leader died ignominiously in Kunlun Realm, a great humiliation.
Thus, they were particularly proactive in this operation against the flat peach tree and Zhang Ruochen, sending many powerhouses.
Xu Tianjing’s gaze swept over Xue Wuye, coldly saying, “You’ve got some luck. Let’s see who saves you this time.”
As he spoke, he drew a sword, thin and soft like a willow leaf, vibrating endlessly, creating countless afterimages.
Xue Wuye’s pupils constricted, hurriedly activating his time seal, pushing his sword speed to the limit, unleashing the eighth level of the *Flying Immortal Sword Art*.
Simultaneously, Monk Lidi lunged, swinging his Great Slaughter Buddha Blade at Xu Tianjing.
Gai Tianjiao released intense masculine energy, like a blazing sun, raising the temple’s temperature sharply.
Beigong Lan entered a man-sword unity state, unleashing her holy sword’s vast Great Saint power, pouring all her skills into one strike.
Mi Yingzi mobilized powerful mental energy, casting illusions while forming mysterious array seals, drawing on heaven and earth’s power.
Chi Wansui’s aura surged, wielding his Qilin lance with the might to sweep thousands.
The six World Sons held nothing back, unleashing their strongest techniques to resist Xu Tianjing’s sword.
“Bang.”
Xu Tianjing’s sword was unstoppable, easily breaking their techniques.
The six flew backward, bloodied holes in their bodies, holy blood flowing. Their eyes filled with shock—they, together, couldn’t withstand a single strike.
Without the World Son Seals’ protection, they might have died.
…
“A bunch of trash, can’t even handle two beasts!”
A cold rebuke echoed as a graceful, beautiful woman entered the temple.
She was Wan Qi Fangze, leader of the Rhea Realm, known as “King Fangze.” Though stunning, she was ruthless.
The Rhea Realm had suffered heavy losses in Kunlun Realm, with two temples’ prodigies killed, enraging its leaders.
Thus, they sent King Fangze for this operation.
“You witch, calling us beasts? Come here, and this Pot Pot will beat you senseless,” Swallowing Elephant Rabbit taunted.
King Fangze’s eyes flashed coldly. Raising her hand, hundreds of thousands of palm path rules emerged, combining with vast holy energy to form a massive flaming holy furnace, crashing toward the rabbit.
The rabbit glared, shouting, “Stupid Demon Ape, block it quick!”
Rarely, Demon Ape didn’t argue, flashing forward to shield the rabbit.
“Roar.”
Demon Ape roared earth-shatteringly, unleashing a punch with vast demonic energy.
“Boom.”
The flaming furnace shattered, flames scattering.
Demon Ape retreated a dozen steps, steadying itself, shaking its arm.
King Fangze’s strength was overwhelming; even its near-Immortal Holy Body struggled.
“Hm? Quite tough, but you can’t stop this king.”
King Fangze moved with exquisite grace, like dancing, catching up to Demon Ape instantly.
With a wave, she summoned a holy stele, suppressing Demon Ape.
Simultaneously, she clawed at Chi Kongle in its arms.
“Kongle!”
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady’s expression changed, rushing to help.
“Daring to be distracted while fighting me?”
Wu Xin Evil Lord sneered, raising his skull staff.
The staff glowed eerily, releasing vast evil energy, with a sinister ghost king faintly appearing within.
“Crack.”
The ghost king breached the *Sacred Book*’s defenses, unleashing a powerful mental attack.
The Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady’s face showed pain, her holy soul feeling torn apart.
Just as King Fangze’s claws neared Chi Kongle, a figure appeared before her, blocking the claws with their body.
It was Xue Wuye.
“Seeking death.”
King Fangze’s eyes flashed with killing intent, her claws piercing Xue Wuye’s body.
Already wounded, Xue Wuye spat blood, collapsing.
His life, saved by Zhang Ruochen, was now repaid.
“Uncle Wuye!”
Chi Kongle cried out, hurling a talisman.
The talisman erupted in dazzling silver lightning, unleashing seven terrifying bolts at King Fangze.
“Still not accepting your fate, little girl?”
King Fangze was unfazed, extinguishing all the lightning with a wave.
As the Rhea Realm’s leader, her strength neared the top tier below Great Saint, not easily resisted.
But as she reached for Chi Kongle again, a sudden sense of danger made her shift to defense, recalling the holy stele.
“Seeking death.”
A cold voice echoed through the temple.
A peerless sword beam appeared, slicing the space behind King Fangze. The unmatched sharpness sent the stele flying, breaking all her defenses.
“Pfft.”
King Fangze’s holy body was cleaved in two, her holy soul split.
As her halved body flew back, her eyes widened in terror.
“Such powerful sword energy.”
“Who is it?”
…
All eyes turned outside the temple. A tall figure, holding a holy sword, appeared in their view.
“Zhang Ruochen.”
Many Heaven Realm faction powerhouses gasped.
They couldn’t believe that, despite so many top Saint Kings setting a trap, Zhang Ruochen had reached the Primordial Divine Temple.
Had the outer defenses collapsed?
