“Their advantage lies in those treasures, but their weakness is also glaringly obvious. They cannot absorb the power of the world, and their combat energy consumption must be replenished using divine crystals. Some rare treasures might forcibly absorb energy, but the absorption rate is ultimately slow. If they fall in battle, the cost of cultivating another avatar would be even higher,” Pang Yi explained. “In contrast, our energy is inexhaustible. Even if we die in battle, we can quickly cultivate new avatars. Moreover, the Blood Blade has allowed us to cultivate an additional avatar each… giving us a greater overall advantage in strength. Up to this point in the war, they have rarely launched attacks.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded.
The Blood Blade Divine Emperor then said, “Apart from this stone pillar, have you carefully examined other areas along the interconnected formations of these pillars?”
“Oh?” Dongbo Xueying immediately focused his senses. Upon inspection, he discovered that the black stone pillar beneath his feet radiated immense power, its formations layered and sprawling across trillions of miles, yet still connected through the void to distant locations. With his current perception, Dongbo Xueying swiftly traced these connections.
“Two, three, four, five…” Dongbo Xueying soon found that surrounding the Mother Goddess Sect’s lair, high and low, front and back, left and right, in distant regions, there were a total of ten black stone pillars interconnected, forming an enormous formation. The power was overwhelming, and each pillar was bound by numerous chains that seemed to stretch through the void, ensnaring the Mother Goddess Sect’s lair.
“Based on the *Atlas of All Things* you provided me, I discovered a formation called the ‘Twelve Primordial Pillars,'” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor said. “Using the materials and treasures we had, I refined these Twelve Primordial Pillars. Though the materials are inferior, the refining method and formation arrangement are identical, so the power should be about fifty percent of the original.”
Twelve Primordial Pillars? But there were only ten stone pillars—why was the formation called the Twelve Primordial Pillars?
Dongbo Xueying was puzzled.
“The formation originally consists of twelve Primordial Pillars, but it is extremely complex. Each pillar requires considerable time to set up,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor explained. “The Mother Goddess Sect isn’t foolish—they will intervene to stop us. So far, we’ve only managed to set up ten pillars. We cannot proceed with the eleventh… because we lack sufficient manpower. Once the Twelve Primordial Pillars are complete, they will completely trap the Mother Goddess Sect. Their lair will be sealed like a prison, preventing them from leaving. Trapped inside, cut off from resources and energy, unable to cultivate or escape, they will be as good as defeated.”
“Thus, they will do everything to stop us from completing the formation.”
“However, before the Twelve Primordial Pillars form a complete formation, each pillar’s power is relatively weak. They require a Ruler to defend against the Mother Goddess Sect’s attacks. Without a Ruler guarding them, the sect’s numerous leaders could easily destroy a pillar’s formation if they joined forces,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor continued. “If one is destroyed, we must rebuild it. If a crucial pillar is lost, refining a new one would be extremely troublesome.”
“Hence, we must have guardians.”
“Currently, the Infernal Prison, Qing Jun, and the Primordial Origin Master each have two avatars. They are spread out, guarding six of the pillars. The Abyss Progenitor’s two avatars jointly guard one pillar, and Pang Yi also guards one with his two avatars.”
“The Island Master of Time and Space and the Hall Master of Ten Thousand Gods jointly guard another pillar.”
“Normally, I guard the tenth pillar,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor said. “But when it comes to setting up the eleventh pillar… my true self and avatars must act together, with the Black Bird assisting me, to withstand the Mother Goddess Sect’s attacks while completing the formation. At that time, the tenth pillar will have to be guarded by Lady Qianhe. But she cannot hold it alone, which is why we’ve been unable to proceed with the eleventh pillar.”
Lady Qianhe sighed helplessly. “The guardians of the Primordial Pillars must engage in direct combat, requiring immense strength. My combat abilities are too weak.”
“The Island Master of Time and Space and I each have two avatars, totaling four, just to guard one pillar. Lady Qianhe, this is no fault of yours,” the Hall Master of Ten Thousand Gods added.
Dongbo Xueying now fully understood.
The Blood Blade Divine Emperor’s true self and avatars, along with the Fifth Uncle Black Bird, must work together to set up a new pillar…
The guardians can only be other Rulers.
The Infernal Prison Ruler, Qing Jun, and the Primordial Origin Master are powerful enough to guard two pillars each.
Pang Yi and the Abyss Progenitor are slightly weaker, guarding one each.
The Island Master of Time and Space and the Hall Master of Ten Thousand Gods must join forces to guard one.
Lady Qianhe is even weaker than them—far from capable of guarding a pillar alone.
“I had hoped you would achieve Ruler status through the Path of Slaughter, which would have made you far stronger in combat,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor said. “Even as a newly ascended Ruler, working with Lady Qianhe and leveraging the pillar’s formation, you might have held the line. But you ascended through the Path of Illusions.”
The other Rulers also seemed regretful.
Ascending through the Path of Illusions granted strong survival skills but weaker direct combat abilities.
The Primordial Origin Master smiled. “Let’s test it first. With one more Ruler, perhaps we can erect the eleventh pillar.”
“Dongbo’s strength might still be lacking, but working with Lady Qianhe, they might succeed,” Pang Yi added. “We don’t have to worry about energy depletion, as the world replenishes us endlessly. There’s no harm in trying.”
“Let’s try,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor agreed.
Dongbo Xueying felt helpless.
He sensed the other Rulers’ lack of confidence in him, but arguing about his strength would be pointless. Only battle would prove his worth.
“When do we begin?” Dongbo Xueying asked.
“I’m quite looking forward to it,” the Abyss Progenitor teased.
“Eager for battle, I see,” the Primordial Origin Master chuckled.
“Don’t rush. First, review some past attacks by the Mother Goddess Sect to prepare yourselves,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor said, waving his hand. A scene appeared in midair.
Atop a massive Primordial Pillar stood Qing Jun, barefoot and bald, clad in loose golden robes, calmly watching as a colossal wooden warship covered in tangled roots rumbled toward him…
…
Scene after scene of battle played out.
Dongbo Xueying witnessed how the Mother Goddess Sect never engaged in one-on-one combat with the cultivators. Instead, they relied entirely on accumulated treasures, their power surpassing even that of Rulers. No wonder the Blood Blade Divine Emperor’s avatars had fallen multiple times. The Primordial Pillars were extraordinary—with their support, Qing Jun could defend a pillar with just one avatar.
Dongbo Xueying couldn’t resist asking, “Don’t we still have our true selves at the Lakeheart Island? If they joined the defense, we could complete the formation quickly.”
“Under no circumstances shall our true selves enter the battle!” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor said sternly.
Pang Yi added with a smile, “We don’t know if the Mother Goddess Sect has any terrifying hidden tactics. If our true selves are deployed and perish, we would truly die. There have been times when we were close to victory, only to realize it was a trap set by the sect. Fortunately, we never sent our true selves, no matter the temptation. That’s why we maintain absolute superiority. Their treasures and energy are dwindling—they will inevitably lose.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded.
The greater the temptation, the more one must resist gambling. The cultivators’ universe could not afford to lose.
…
At the summit of a towering Primordial Pillar, Dongbo Xueying and Lady Qianhe stood side by side.
“You must hold the line at all costs. Fight with everything you have—deploy all your avatars,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor instructed.
“Understood,” Dongbo Xueying replied. His other body, the red-robed Dongbo Xueying, was ready within a portable pocket realm, poised to emerge at any moment.
“I will complete the formation as swiftly as possible. Once it’s done, I’ll leave one avatar to guard the new pillar while the others and the Black Bird reinforce you,” the Blood Blade Divine Emperor assured them. “Now, I shall begin.”
Dongbo Xueying nodded.
Glancing around, he saw the other pillars, each guarded by a Ruler—Qing Jun, Pang Yi, the Infernal Prison Ruler, the Primordial Origin Master, and others—all looking his way with encouraging smiles.
This time, the critical point was Dongbo Xueying’s position. The Mother Goddess Sect had failed to breach the other pillars and would undoubtedly focus their assault here.
“Dongbo Xueying, the outcome rests on your strength—though I will fight with all I have,” Lady Qianhe said.
“Just watch, Lady Qianhe,” Dongbo Xueying replied, scanning the starry void around them.
“Be vigilant. Once they detect the Blood Blade setting up the formation, they will attack at full speed,” Lady Qianhe warned, her gaze darting nervously. Though she lacked confidence in Dongbo Xueying, she would give her all.
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