Chapter 956: Whose Opportunity

The sky collapsed and the earth sank, the Jade Pond’s golden water dried up, and it was on the verge of disintegration.

Blades of swordlight opened and closed, seemingly composed of countless tiny sword arrays, nearly translocating the grand mountain-protecting formation directly to this place. It enveloped Gourdo, isolating him from the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

More than a decade later, Gourdo once again faced this familiar yet unfamiliar sword formation. He sensed within it a world being born, its vast power far surpassing what he had experienced before.

This was an attainment bordering on a Celestial Immortal.

Without the aid of a supreme divine weapon and with a cultivation method not at the peak, Lu Da had astonishingly reached this level so quickly!

Under different circumstances, even if he himself hadn’t suffered grave injuries years ago and retained only his True Spirit, over a decade wouldn’t have sufficed to elevate him to such a level. Only if the Tianzhu Axe had awakened further, reaching the pinnacle of a Celestial Immortal, might that have been possible.

One who is utterly devoted to emotions becomes utterly devoted to the sword, living a lifetime with singular focus—was this the might of a self-taught pathfinder?

At this moment, Gourdo felt no jealousy or discouragement, only deep admiration, for he knew he could never achieve such a state himself.

Unfortunately, you met me in the Nine Heavens. Otherwise, even with the Tianzhu Axe’s aid, you could have held your own against a single opponent.

Loneliness without friends is one thing, but to lack even a worthy opponent is not just loneliness—it is solitude. Gourdo composed his expression and faced Lu Da with solemnity, his body enveloped in votive power, echoing chants of “Eternal Heaven.” With the body of Heaven itself, he wielded the Tianzhu Axe.

The great axe rose, its clear light condensing. Illusory liquid gathered midair, forming a pool of water capable of restoring mortals to flesh and blood.

Even Su Wuming dared not directly parry this axe blow, instead slicing his own sword to evade it. Lu Da, how about you?

The axe fell. The pool water poured onto the swordlight filled with countless arrays, causing everything to dissipate into mist, spreading toward the unassuming “Single-Minded Sword” and Lu Da himself.

Although the Tianzhu Axe had several other powerful attacks, at this moment, the power of a demigod was the most convenient and practical.

Just then, purple lightning pierced the sky, illuminating the now darkened and shattered Jade Pond. Meng Qi’s dharma body merged with the Overlord’s Supreme Blade, instantly slashing forward without avoiding the demigod axe light!

The broken branch of the Seven-Jeweled Wondrous Tree wasn’t the main body; though its essence was high, its power was limited. After one sweep, it needed time to recover, allowing Meng Qi to seize the chance and break through.

The demigod axe light was hazy, the purple lightning dazzling. They collided midair with a thunderous boom.

Crackling sounds erupted as the righteous, yang, and mighty purple thunder wrapped around the blade, slicing through the demigod pool water!

His current cultivation level was insufficient. Even the Supreme Infinite Primordial Celebration Cloud might degrade under the demigod’s axe. The Dao Tree, facing attacks derived from the Nine Heavens, appeared indifferent, as if it had fallen back into slumber—hardly something he could rely on anytime soon.

However, he still possessed the Overlord’s Supreme Blade, a supreme divine weapon ranked among the Six Paths, a terrifying entity at the Bisheng level, comparable to the Tianzhu Axe. With such an essence, even if it had not fully regained its peak power, its blade and Dao patterns alone could withstand the current level of demigod force!

Thus, hiding his dharma body within the blade, he had no fear of this axe strike!

The water light evaporated, vanishing completely, leaving only purple lightning and thunder reflected in Gourdo’s eyes.

With no choice, he could only block the Overlord’s Supreme Blade with the handle of his axe.

The axe head suddenly grew heavy, with Dao patterns emerging and gravitational force intensifying. The void bent inward, seemingly collapsing into a dark sphere. Even the lightning curved, and time appeared to slow, slicing past Gourdo’s side without landing a direct hit on his Eternal Heaven body.

Before Meng Qi could recover and strike again, a bright light appeared before him—the broken branch of the Seven-Jeweled Wondrous Tree reappeared, sweeping toward him.

Persistent, it seemed to have targeted him specifically.

Could it have been broken by the Primordial Heaven Lord using the Infinite Seal, the Pangu Banner, the Sky-Sundering Axe, or something similar? The battle during the fall of the Celestial Court must have been fiercer than imagined! A heavy feeling settled in Meng Qi’s heart. He worried that Lu Da might not be able to hold off Gourdo in the Nine Heavens. In fact, only by combining their strength might they have a chance to resist.

Having inherited the Primordial legacy naturally meant bearing its corresponding karmic consequences!

While worrying, suddenly a blazing light surged forth, striking the Tianzhu Axe and nearly causing Gourdo to lose his grip.

It was a curved, gleaming white metal fragment, seemingly part of a bracelet, its essence not much inferior to the Tianzhu Axe.

“The fragment of the Vajra Bracelet? Even it shattered? What truly happened in the battle of the Celestial Court? History seems deliberately erased…” A thought stirred in Meng Qi’s mind as he recognized the identity of this fragment.

The Vajra Bracelet of Lord Laojun! The Vajra Bracelet of the Virtue Heaven Lord!

The fragment of the Vajra Bracelet targeted Gourdo, allowing Lu Da to respond at ease. The two sides temporarily reached a stalemate.

Meanwhile, the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror attempted to illuminate Meng Qi, aiding the broken branch of the Seven-Jeweled Wondrous Tree in its assault. Other divine weapons and treasures, transformed into fierce beams of light, some eagerly sought to attack the most prominent enemy, while others sensed the Jade Pond’s destruction and the imminent opening of the path to the outside world, waiting for the chance to escape. The scene became exceptionally chaotic.

Meng Qi’s dharma body pulsed with purple energy, his heart calm as the sea, maneuvering through the chaos, gradually approaching the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

He wasn’t anxious, knowing an opportunity would arise, and he was preparing himself, waiting for that moment.

On the other side, Han Guang, with his left hand wielding the Yama Seal, extinguished the void and the ocean of primal energy, creating chaotic whirlpools between Su Wuming and the fragment of the Donghuang Bell. With his right hand, he wielded a shimmering long blade, flowing with time, slowing Su Wuming’s movements. However, he did not directly confront Su Wuming, avoiding the sharp edge of Su Wuming’s sword strikes, whether they were “Sword Without Self” or “Supreme Forgetfulness,” and instead engaged in a prolonged entanglement, delaying time.

This fighting style was extremely annoying. Coupled with the unique nature of Han Guang’s cultivation method and divine weapon, although his manifested form was significantly weaker than Su Wuming’s, it still slowed Su Wuming’s progress, preventing him from quickly reaching the Donghuang Bell fragment.

Han Guang adopted this strategy because he, too, was waiting for an opportunity!

Drifting amidst the collapsing world, the Donghuang Bell fragment appeared to be cast in bronze, inscribed with patterns resembling a phantom river of time. It bore numerous fine cracks, some deep enough to nearly split the fragment into several pieces, similar to the condition of the Haotian Mirror’s core fragment.

Despite millennia of nurturing, these fragments had not yet healed their fissures.

At this moment, the Donghuang Bell gathered a faint bronze glow, overlapping with time, accumulating power.

Suddenly, it moved on its own, revealing the illusory River of Time.

Dong!

The bell’s sound vibrated across myriad worlds. The shattered world was absorbed by the Dao Tree, unable to “rewind,” and instead fell into a frozen state where even black and white turned gray. Gourdo and the Tianzhu Axe, Lu Da and his Single-Minded Sword, Su Wuming and his nameless sword, as well as the non-primary forms of the Seven-Jeweled Wondrous Tree’s broken branch and the Vajra Bracelet fragment, all froze in place. Only the Donghuang Bell fragment and the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror could still move between the black and white.

Wait, there was also one more person. Han Guang’s right-hand Time Blade flared brilliantly, fully activated. Time enveloped him, accelerating its flow, allowing him to break free from the frozen black and white. Though his movements were still much slower than normal, they were sufficient for him to seize the Donghuang Bell fragment.

At this moment, Su Wuming could no longer compete with him, and the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror would not assist the Donghuang Bell fragment. If he didn’t leave now, when would he?

This was the opportunity Han Guang had been waiting for!

The opportunity to leave without obstruction and with rich rewards!

He extended his left hand toward the briefly exhausted bronze fragment, his mind calm, neither storm nor calm, as if this were an expected outcome.

Just then, a cone-shaped breath of light suddenly appeared, blowing past Han Guang!

“Who?” Han Guang was startled to find a monster nearby the Haotian Mirror core fragment—a creature with a human face and a snake’s body, entirely crimson, its eyes showing the alternation of cold and heat, the passage of time. It was clearly Zhujuyin, the divine beast that controlled time, moving slowly but able to act within the frozen black and white!

Su Meng! Han Guang immediately realized—it was Kuang Dao Su Meng transformed!

He could actually transform into Zhujuyin!

This was the opportunity Meng Qi had been waiting for!

When the Donghuang Bell fragment rang, those who mastered time-related cultivation techniques and traits could seize the unimpeded opportunity!

The cone-shaped breath did not blow toward Han Guang, as his time-related divine weapon protected him, making it impossible to cause real damage. Instead, it blew directly onto Su Wuming.

“Time Flowing Cup”—time accelerated. Su Wuming suddenly broke free from the stasis, jumping out of the black and white void. His swordlight flared, slashing toward Han Guang’s hand that had touched the Donghuang Bell fragment!

At the same time, Meng Qi once again received power from the Dao Tree, reverting to his original form. His eyes displayed the Dao Yi Liulian, and the illusory river around him reappeared. Above his head, the Chaos Celebration Cloud emerged, glowing faintly, as he rushed toward the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

With a plop, the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror released its gathered light, striking Meng Qi’s boundless radiance. The two forces canceled each other out, momentarily halting Meng Qi. Seizing the chance, the Haotian Mirror fragment projected layers of universes, attempting to connect with other realms and escape the shattered Jade Pond.

Suddenly, Meng Qi extended both hands. On the right, yang thunder gathered, forming a palm blade. On the left, rippling water flowed, soft and defensive, forming a finger sword. Together, they slashed toward the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

Using his own hands as divine weapons, he executed “Chaos Devours the Universe,” returning to the Boundless Origin!

Yin and Yang reversed, merging into one. First forming Taiji, then progressing through Tai Su, Tai Shi, Tai Chu, and Tai Yi, ultimately returning to the Boundless Origin.

At this moment, Meng Qi transformed into a mass of chaos, a directionless chaos, directly enveloping the numerous illusions projected by the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The sound of a phantom heartbeat arose, and the Yuanxin Seal stirred the violent intent within the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

Dong! Dong! Dong! The core fragment of the Haotian Mirror struggled momentarily, its instinct clouded by the violent force.

Silently, the lightless ancient mirror fell into chaos, wrapped and consumed by Meng Qi, its violent intent being worn away!

At the Donghuang Bell fragment, since Han Guang had already touched the main body, Su Wuming could not contest it and instead focused his swordlight on Han Guang’s left hand, intending to strike through it to his body.

Han Guang’s expression remained calm, showing no emotion. Suddenly, his left hand trembled slightly, shifting position slightly, causing Su Wuming’s sword strike to first land on the Donghuang Bell fragment, precisely on the deepest crack.

Dong! Crack!

With a crisp sound, the bronze fragment, which had only recently reformed, split into two halves again. Han Guang did not let go, enduring the sword strike with all his might, his dharma body shattering and nearing dissolution.

Seizing this chance, his residual consciousness and power, aided by the Yama Hand and the replica Time Blade, wrapped around the half-fragment he had grasped and vanished into the rifts of the surrounding world.

Su Wuming failed to stop him and could only collect the remaining half.

As the Donghuang Bell fragment split, the surrounding black-and-white stasis vanished, and Gourdo, Lu Da, and others resumed normal movement.

However, Gourdo could only see Meng Qi transformed into chaos, consuming the Haotian Mirror core fragment. Lu Da and Su Wuming both turned their gazes toward him.

If he didn’t leave now, he might never get another chance!

A sudden realization struck him. Swinging the Tianzhu Axe, he altered gravity, drawing some divine weapon fragments toward him. Then, he forcefully shattered the broken barrier and fled from the scene.

The barrier shattered, and the remaining divine weapon fragments turned into streaks of light, attempting to escape.

At this moment, Meng Qi completed his consumption. With a flick of his left sleeve, the Qiankun descended, forcibly drawing in some fragments. Lu Da and Su Wuming also unleashed swordlight, each capturing some. The Vajra Bracelet fragment dimmed its glow and landed on Lu Da’s shoulder.

Since these divine weapon fragments were extraordinary, they had only been temporarily subdued. Meng Qi and the others spent considerable time working together, subduing them one by one, each taking what they needed. For example, Meng Qi collected fragments of the Xuan Ming Sword, Zhuque Fire Sword, and Dongji Wood Sword to prepare for forging his own divine sword. Su Wuming took the Heavenly Earth Qi Bottle and the Green Flame Seven-Sabre Blade fragments. Lu Da took the Bodhi Prajna Banner and others.

The broken branch of the Seven-Jeweled Wondrous Tree had disappeared, perhaps following Gourdo or Han Guang.

“Is this the Donghuang Bell fragment?” Meng Qi examined the new bronze fragment in Su Wuming’s hand.

He knew it was the Donghuang Bell fragment and its time-controlling ability because, after the struggle began, Su Wuming had informed him and Lu Da through their connection.

“It can be used to gain early insight into the River of Time,” Su Wuming succinctly explained.

Meng Qi nodded. He could borrow it for cultivation in the future. Unfortunately, since it had shattered again, it might not display its former power.

Shattered again… A sudden thought struck Meng Qi. He took out the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror.

He had previously thought that he couldn’t erase the Demon Monarch’s imprint within it, but since he was only going to temporarily suppress it for Lu Ya’s trouble, it didn’t matter much.

This was Meng Qi’s previous thought, but now it had slightly changed. He took out the Overlord’s Supreme Blade and measured the positions of several deep grooves on the Haotian Mirror core fragment, determining where to strike.

“What are you planning to do?” Lu Da asked, puzzled by the scene.

Meng Qi grinned, “Of course, I’m going to split it in two.”

Split it in two? Lu Da became even more puzzled. Wasn’t that a waste of a treasure?

But he didn’t ask further, knowing Meng Qi must have his reasons.

By doing this, the core fragment of the Haotian Mirror would be divided into a larger and a smaller piece. The smaller piece would naturally belong to him, which he could use in the future to communicate with different universes, establish connections, leave imprints, and lay the foundation for legends!

Lu Ya, you play hidden agendas, but I’m not a fool either. You want the core fragment? Then I’ll give you the core fragment! As for how much smaller it is compared to before and how much power it retains—that’s another matter entirely!

In the chaos of battle, collateral damage is inevitable!

Seeing this, Lu Da smiled. Little Meng was truly unchangeable in his nature.