As Ceku Huisheng charged forward, everyone noticed the raging killing intent, revealing just how furious he was at that moment.
“Heh, this Moru Heavenly Emperor has some guts, daring to tear down the seal. Isn’t he afraid Poxu Holy Path will use this as an excuse to wage war against Moru World?” chuckled a sect master from Dunyi World, unable to resist a mocking remark.
In their view, Ceku Huisheng’s audacity to break the seal was already outrageously bold. The idea that he would dare attack Jie Chuanqi never even crossed their minds.
Gu Jin, the sect master of Daqiong Silent Path, said in a low voice, “He’s not going to tear down the seal. All his killing intent is aimed straight at Jie Chuanqi.”
“What?” The sect master who thought Ceku Huisheng was targeting the seal was stunned. Had Ceku Huisheng lost his mind? Daring to challenge Poxu Holy Path’s Seventh Step Path Master as a mere Sixth Step Great Path cultivator?
Not just that sect master, almost everyone who realised Ceku Huisheng was attacking Jie Chuanqi shook their heads in disbelief. This wasn’t courage, it was suicide.
If Ceku Huisheng struck first, they could kill him. Though he was a Heavenly Emperor, and killing him would cause trouble, this was Poxu Holy Path’s Third Path Master. With their supreme power, and since Ceku Huisheng attacked first, killing him likely wouldn’t have major consequences.
Pei Qionghu frowned slightly. He hadn’t expected Ceku Huisheng to be so reckless. Though a Heavenly Emperor, he was only at the Sixth Step. Charging in now was tantamount to seeking death. Had he not acted, he’d have faced only humiliation, not this dangerously passive situation.
Jie Chuanqi stared in astonishment at the charging Ceku Huisheng. Was this guy an idiot? He’d never imagined Ceku Huisheng would dare attack. Then, wild joy surged within him. Since he was offering himself up to die, Jie wouldn’t be polite.
A mere Sixth Step Saint Domain? Jie didn’t even take it seriously. He stood still, hands behind his back, sneering at the oncoming Ceku Huisheng. When Ceku reached him, Jie would unhesitatingly slap him down, shredding his body and soul to pieces.
At that moment, everyone watched Ceku Huisheng charge at Jie Chuanqi, so few noticed Lan Xiaobu summoning his Longevity Halberd behind him. The first to spot it was Gu Jin, the sect master of Daqiong Silent Path. Terrified of Lan Xiaobu, he instinctively stepped back without saying a word.
Jie Chuanqi, still unmoving with hands behind his back, sensed Ceku Huisheng was indeed at the Sixth Step. He planned to humiliate him to the utmost, crushing the Moru Heavenly Emperor with a single move.
This would not only disgrace Ceku Huisheng and Moru Heavenly Court but also serve as a warning to other Heavenly Emperors. Poxu Holy Path wasn’t to be trifled with. He could defeat a Heavenly Emperor with hands behind his back, so who would dare provoke Poxu Holy Path in the future?
As Ceku Huisheng appeared before him and Jie prepared to crush him, his expression suddenly changed. Ceku’s killing domain surged tenfold, its vast and endless killing principles sweeping in, instantly tearing apart Jie’s unprepared Saint Domain. A breath of death surged forward, and Jie realised he’d been deceived by Ceku Huisheng.
Though furious and initially unwilling to attack Jie, Ceku Huisheng was a Heavenly Emperor. How could someone of his stature be ordinary? When he decided to act, he leveraged every advantage.
His first advantage was his enraged state, making it seem he was recklessly attacking Jie without regard for consequences. His second advantage was that no one knew he had reached the Seventh Step of the Great Path. When he struck, he deliberately suppressed his strength, keeping his Saint Domain’s power at the Sixth Step, or even weaker.
Otherwise, no matter how dismissive Jie was, he wouldn’t have dared stand with hands behind his back against a Seventh Step cultivator’s attack.
Now, Jie had no time to care about his embarrassment. He frantically summoned his treasure, but Ceku’s Saint Domain had already locked the space. Despite Jie’s deeper Great Path and stronger domain, he’d lost the initiative. His treasure was doomed to be useless in this round, and to turn the tide, he’d need to withstand Ceku’s first wave of ferocious attacks.
The Moru Banner unfurled, transforming into a grey, chaotic space, making Jie’s surroundings viscous. Having lost the initiative, Jie desperately burned his essence blood and dao charm to break free from Ceku’s dual suppression of the Saint Domain and Moru Banner. Otherwise, he’d lose all face today. As for being killed by Ceku, Jie wasn’t worried. Even if Ceku had reached the Seventh Step and gained the upper hand with a sneak attack, killing him was far from possible.
The Moru Banner’s killing principles tore at Jie’s skin and flesh, blood bursting in the air.
Though onlookers couldn’t clearly see who had the upper hand in the Moru Banner’s space, they knew Jie was likely injured. Caught off guard and trapped in Ceku’s banner and domain, Jie couldn’t break free quickly.
Ceku knew he was tearing through Jie’s body. Each killing principle from the Moru Banner carved deep gashes, shredding flesh and even exposing and breaking Jie’s bones.
Yet Ceku felt no joy. He knew his strength was slightly inferior to Jie, an established Seventh Step cultivator. His advantage came from the sudden attack, catching Jie off guard by hiding his true power.
Once Jie regained his composure, it would become a grueling battle, and the outcome would be uncertain.
Feeling his domain and banner space weakening against Jie’s resistance, Ceku let out a long roar and began burning his own essence blood.
By now, Jie had started to fight back, expanding his own Saint Domain.
Their domains clashed, space trembling as fragments of divine principles exploded everywhere.
Boom! Though the protective array outside Jinluo Tower was set by a Dao Ancestor, it was still shattered under the clash of two Seventh Step cultivators.
Crack! The tower’s restrictions broke, and countless rooms and caves collapsed under the divine principles’ impact, leaving Jinluo Tower in ruins.
At that moment, everyone realised Ceku Huisheng had reached the Seventh Step of the Great Path.
Several Heavenly Emperors still lingering at the Sixth Step felt a bitter taste. Another Heavenly Emperor had reached the Seventh Step while they remained stagnant.
Pang Jie and Gu Changjian were ecstatic, knowing their Heavenly Emperor had reached the Seventh Step. Even if he couldn’t defeat Jie today, Moru Heavenly Court would no longer be bullied.
Just then, Ceku’s domain was torn apart, and Jie’s roar echoed, followed by a furious shout, “Ceku Huisheng, what a cunning one, reaching the Seventh Step yet pretending to be a weakling. Heh, even so, Poxu Holy Path will make Moru Heavenly Court learn that some places aren’t for you to provoke.”
As he spoke, a brilliant purple light struck Ceku’s chest. Ceku spat out a blood arrow and was sent flying backward.
Jie didn’t pursue to kill but retreated to catch his breath. Once he recovered, he’d show Ceku that not all Seventh Steps were equal.
But before Jie could land or even catch his breath, a terrifying killing aura blasted from the side.
Halberd beams, carrying the sound of clashing metal, enveloped the space, as if Jie had willingly stepped into this killing field.
“Courting death…” Seeing it was Lan Xiaobu, Jie roared. A mere ant, not even at the Seventh Step, dared attack him?
But after just two words, Jie’s face paled. Even the first wave of halberd beams brought a threat far greater than Ceku’s Saint Domain.
In Ceku’s domain, he felt danger but not a threat to his life. Now, he clearly sensed his vitality was at risk.
Intending to counter with his purple spear, Jie, feeling this threat to his life, immediately retreated again.
As he did, he realised he’d likely made the greatest regret of his life.
Lan Xiaobu’s halberd beams broke through all restraints, the killing sound of the dao growing ever more fervent, like the thundering war drums of a million-strong army, making onlookers’ blood boil.
Even the watching cultivators clenched their fists, caught up in the killing intent.
Terror filled Jie’s eyes. It was too late to undo his regretful retreat, and now he could only struggle against the shadow of death. Though the halberd’s dao sound was rousing, he heard only a dirge.
No, he couldn’t die here, especially not to an ant. But death loomed, and in Jie’s disbelief and horror, Lan Xiaobu’s Longevity Halberd locked onto his vitality and struck down…
A mournful note, like a farewell at Yangguan, rang out. The halberd’s music rose, slashing across ninety thousand miles!
“Pfft!” Blood sprayed, the dao sound exploded!
Boom! The halberd tore through Jie’s body, splitting him in two, and didn’t stop. It cleaved Jinluo Tower, spanning a hundred thousand feet, leaving a deep halberd trench in Anluo Heavenly City.
