The meditation chamber was deep and serene, with the interplay of light and shadow casting an eerie and mysterious aura around the cloud bed and Meng Qi himself.
Invoking the descent of a deity relies on connections, cause and effect—inevitably falling under the influence of the “Cause of All Effects”!
…
“Could this mutation be caused by those drops of blood?”
Within the realm of Fantasy Heaven, Huiguang had no time to investigate the cause. She made a swift decision, her figure flashing as she descended before the entrance of the Nine-Headed Worm’s cave abode. Due to the permeating aura of the ancient Immortal Realm fragments and the influence of “Words as Law,” she couldn’t directly manifest her omnipresent power within the desiccated wasteland, nor could she peer into the vicinity of the “Pillar of Heaven Mountain.”
Roar!
Before Huiguang could step into the cave, illusory starlight flickered around her, coalescing into a shimmering river of stars that formed a crystalline five-clawed dragon, seemingly crafted from shards of ice. The North Pole Little Sage arrived without hesitation, no longer concerned about the interference of scheming parties.
As for the Skeletal Fire God and the Dragonfish Emperor, despite their exceptional speed and numerous divine abilities, they could only lament their helplessness, utterly incapable of matching the omnipresence of legendary powerhouses!
Without exchanging glances or covert signals, Huiguang and the North Pole Little Sage advanced in silent understanding, their figures diminishing as they disappeared into the cave of the Nine-Headed Worm.
Boom!
The moment they crossed the threshold, the void trembled and darkened abruptly. The distant starry skies in all directions seemed obscured as a golden-winged roc, its aura disturbing the Sea of Bitterness and stirring inexplicable ripples, appeared out of nowhere. With a single flap of its wings, it sought to envelop the entire mountain peak and carry it away—simple, brutal, and a full display of a Creation Great Sage’s might!
Yet at the same time, waves of formidable auras descended. The Bull Demon King, the Flood Dragon King, and other Great Sages, sensing the shifts in heavenly机, arrived one after another. In an instant, the place was teeming with mighty beings and legendary figures.
The Bull Demon King narrowed his eyes and stretched out a huge palm, forcefully slapping away the Roc Demon King’s attempt to seize the cave. With a feigned look of innocence, he asked, “Third Brother, what exactly is going on here? Isn’t this the Nine-Headed Worm’s cave?”
Though bound by sworn brotherhood and years of deep camaraderie sealed within the sacred Ling Mountain, they ultimately belonged to different races with their own respective interests. Subtle schemes were inevitable, especially with so many powerful demon clan members present. Unless the Buddhist or Daoist forces launched a full-scale assault, the situation remained unshakable. Therefore, as long as the ultimate benefits would fall to the demon clan, a bit of personal calculation was hardly blameworthy.
The Roc Demon King assumed human form and said gravely, “Eldest Brother, there seems to be a mutation inside. Let’s move the cave first and discuss later!”
Boom!
Before his words faded, the entire mountain shook violently, weathered rocks crumbling and flying into the starry void.
…
As Jiu Li, Ao Qin, Gu Yue, and Jin Lin Xianzi stood bewildered by the sudden dissipation of the Thirty-Three-Layered Exquisite Pagoda, the Icy Soul Divine Breath, the Skeletal White Flames, and the Golden Scales of Immortal-Slaying—and the altar’s complete loss of power—the ancient, mysterious drops of blood hanging in midair were now stripped of all protection, laid bare before them, ripe for the taking.
Huiguang and the other Little Sage demon gods had cleared all obstacles and hidden dangers, yet ironically missed the harvest!
The blood, emanating an aura of profound mystery, trembled in place, causing the void to flicker between light and darkness, shaking violently. He Mu, inexplicably unsettled, was the first to regain his composure and abruptly conceived the idea of seizing a portion.
This was his destined opportunity.
He had never been more certain.
Though unsure what mishap had befallen Huiguang and the others, the current situation was undeniable. While Jiu Li and the others were still stunned, he had ample chance and ability to claim the ancient blood.
The question was: how to escape afterward?
Disregarding the inevitable obstruction and entanglement from Jiu Li and Ao Qin when they saw him take the blood, his instincts told him that after such an incident, Huiguang and the others would undoubtedly act swiftly, crossing dimensions to reach this place, passing through the gate and the wasteland. By the time he escaped the fragments of the ancient Immortal Realm, he would inevitably confront them head-on, with no possible retreat.
Moreover, they were under the scrutiny of schemers—a single move could trigger a chain reaction. Even if he exploited the wasteland’s terrain to slip away unnoticed, he couldn’t evade the陆续 arriving强者 outside.
What to do?
Should he take the risk?
As his thoughts clashed—greed against reason—the trembling of the blood suddenly intensified, sending seismic ripples through the void, waves replacing mere ripples.
Boom!
A deafening explosion erupted from the gaps between the drops of blood, and the fragment of the Primordial Immortal Realm—with its cloud-shrouded earth and swirling mists—began collapsing eerily inch by inch.
Boom!
The ancient, timeworn drops of blood abruptly disintegrated, transforming into streaks of light that shot in all directions, instinctively seeking sources of power and vitality.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Jiu Li, just awakened by the explosion, saw a droplet of blood—imbued with the dim vastness of the starry void—streak toward her. Devoid of any malice, it pierced through her protective halo of Sage Virtue and penetrated the ancestral aperture between her brows.
Bewildered, she instinctively channeled all her power to resist the intruding drop.
The blood dispersed upon contact, merging with her energy and seeping into her meridians. Jiu Li’s vision darkened abruptly; the world seemed to crumble, the void reconstructing around her.
At the same time, Ao Qin, Gu Yue, and Jin Lin Xianzi each had a drop of blood seep into their ancestral apertures. Their instinctive repelling force dissolved and merged with the invader, their vision flooded with illusions.
Meanwhile, He Mu found himself encircled by several lingering droplets of blood. They suddenly shot toward the space between his eyebrows, startling him into raising his sword in defense.
But suddenly, the artifact he wore glowed faintly, forming a vortex that drew the drops of blood toward it.
What’s going on? He Mu froze, letting a single lingering droplet slip past his sword’s defense and pierce into the ancestral aperture between his brows, merging with his power, bloodline, and flesh.
His vision dimmed as the Primordial Immortal Realm shattered piece by piece—from whole to planes, planes to lines, lines to points. Enraptured by the surreal spectacle, he was then engulfed by a storm of blinding white light that severed his senses.
Boom!
The Primordial Immortal Realm completely shattered, the shockwaves of the explosion hurling Jiu Li and the others—shielded by their divine weapons—outward, while the ensuing devastation reduced the boundless wasteland to utter collapse and ruin.
Boom!
With keen eyes, Huiguang and the Little Sage of the North Pole spotted familiar figures and swiftly apprehended them. Subsequently, the “Words as Law” effect within the Nine-Headed Worm’s cave dissipated, and the cavern completely collapsed amid the catastrophic upheaval.
Boom!
The Roc Demon King, Bull Demon King, and others watched helplessly as the cave and mountain peak crumbled, their hearts sinking. By the time they could act, it was too late—they could only witness Huiguang and the North Pole Little Sage emerging with Jiu Li and the others.
“What happened?” the Roc Demon King demanded sharply, eyeing Huiguang.
Huiguang snorted. “The cave collapsed the moment I entered.” Her gaze shifted to her daughter in her arms.
Explaining now would avert suspicion.
Still in a daze, Jiu Li struggled to recall. “We discovered the Nine-Headed Great Sage using divine artifacts and spiritual treasures to nurture droplets of ancient blood. We set up an altar to summon your power, but as soon as the outer formations were dismantled, the core underwent a violent mutation. The explosion shattered the fragments of the Primordial Immortal Realm, scattering the droplets of blood—their current location remains unknown.”
She deliberately omitted her fusion with a drop, instinctively sensing it was a secret for her mother alone. Besides, it wasn’t entirely a lie—most of the blood had indeed scattered beyond recovery.
Ao Qin, Gu Yue, and Jin Lin Xianzi, equally aware of their windfall, echoed in agreement without revealing their gains.
Satisfied with the logical account, the Roc Demon King and Bull Demon King questioned them further about the blood’s characteristics before exchanging glances. After inspecting the youths’ storage rings, they began scouring the area for the scattered blood.
As the Little Sages and Great Sages dispersed, Jiu Li finally exhaled in relief—only to suddenly remember: “Where’s Mr. Yueluo?”
“Don’t know…” Jin Lin Xianzi shook her head.
Ao Qin frowned. “Could he have perished in the collapse?” After all, no elder had come to his rescue.
“Impossible. He has virtue and fortune,” Jiu Li retorted firmly.
Huiguang and the North Pole Little Sage exchanged glances. A radiant light emerged behind them, forming the Five Virtues patterns and summoning the Heaven-Earth Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda to shield the group as they returned to Fantasy Heaven. Upon arrival, they activated the ancient forbidden spells left by past demon sages before solemnly demanding, “Now, tell us everything you omitted earlier.”
Jiu Li, Ao Qin, and the others confessed to integrating the ancient blood and detailed Yueluo’s role throughout the expedition.
“Severed connections… inexplicable explosion…” Huiguang’s expression turned grave. “Could it be his doing? Only he could accomplish this so effortlessly…”
“Whose doing?” Jiu Li asked, baffled.
After conferring with the North Pole Little Sage, Huiguang declared, “Since you’ve each gained something, this trip wasn’t wasted. Let the matter rest—never speak of it again!”
Though disappointed, she could barely accept that her descendants had profited.
Confused, Jiu Li and the others retreated to divide their spoils equally.
Watching them leave, Huiguang and the North Pole Little Sage sighed in unison, their gazes turning toward the Kunlun Mountains in the mortal realm.
…
By now, He Mu had inexplicably returned to the Jade Void Palace, while Meng Qi now held several drops of ancient, timeworn blood in his hand.
This was the blood of the Heavenly Emperor Haotian—devoid of spirituality, vitality, or the power of regenerating from a single drop. Ancient blood from the previous era!
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