Chapter 1849: Residual Light

High above the distant sky, Chi Wuyao, straining against the immense pressure from Dragon Four, still managed to glance back, bidding Yan Tianxiao a final farewell with her eyes.

"Do you regret it?" Mu Xuanyin asked.

Chi Wuyao shook her head: "Since I made the decision, no matter the outcome, I will never regret it... It's just that this guilt and debt may never have a chance to be repaid."

Of the former Three Northern Region Emperors, only she remained.

More accurately, she was now nominally the Devil Master... thus, the Three Northern Region Emperors were a thing of the past.

As the dark confinement vanished, the Western Region profound practitioners who had been pushed away from the battlefield remained sprawled, unable to move. They watched the Northern Region Yan Emperor dissolve into gray dust, their eyes complex, their chests heavy to the point of suffocation.

The White Rainbow Dragon God violently waved a hand, forcefully scattering the dust in the air ahead, as if to vent his rage.

"Go!"

The White Rainbow Dragon God and the Three Western Region Emperors led the way, flying with grim expressions towards the now-ruined Canglan King's Palace.

Behind them, the Dragon Lords and other Western Region profound practitioners had no choice but to suppress their inner turmoil, gritting their teeth and following closely.

To the north, the Azure Dragon Emperor, who had been locked in battle with Cang Shitian, sighed softly, murmuring, "Why must there be conflict in this world... All this blood and life, even if it brings what we desire, is it truly worth it?"

"Heh!" Cang Shitian wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. "Little Azure Dragon, I like your innocent nature."

No sooner had Cang Shitian spoken, an intensely cold ice shard slammed into his face, caving in his entire left cheek. His body tumbled several times in an utterly disheveled state.

"Hmph!" The Azure Dragon God Attendant's eyes were icy, as she coldly declared, "To dare insult my master is to seek death!"

"Heh, heh." Covering his left cheek, Cang Shitian nonetheless laughed. "Little Azure Dragon, the entire God Realm knows that your Azure Dragon Realm has always been unwilling to get involved in any feuds or conflicts, but there are too many things in this world that won't allow you to remain detached."

The Azure Dragon Emperor remained silent.

"Even alone, I'm no match for you, and with this little lady here, you still haven't defeated me." Cang Shitian squinted and grinned. "You're holding back so much that even an idiot like the Dragon Emperor could tell. Do you really think he'll overlook your inaction once all this ends?"

"Oh no, no! This is outright insubordination."

The Azure Dragon Emperor remained silent... The Dragon Emperor of these past few days was completely different from the Dragon Emperor everyone knew. He had transformed from someone calm and anger-free into someone erratic and terrifying.

Or perhaps, this was his true nature.

And the reason behind all this... the earth-shattering words "green hat" from Chi Wuyao's mouth, still shook everyone's heart, but no one dared to ask or mention it.

In the distance, the second-to-last barrier was also riddled with cracks. Cang Shitian let out a bitter laugh, saying, "We're completely done for over here, but we had a few good runs, so dying isn't a loss!"

"As for you, I advise you, while there's still time, quickly use all your strength to cripple or kill me, otherwise, you will definitely regret it."

The Azure Dragon Emperor remained silent, and did not make a lethal move.

"Heh!" Cang Shitian's face showed mockery. "As the Emperor of the Azure Dragons, yet so indecisive and overly compassionate, it seems your Azure Dragon lineage won't last many generations!"

"You seek death!" The Azure Dragon God Attendant was furious. Icy water coiled around Cang Shitian, blasting him completely.

Crack!

Heaven and earth vibrated once more. The sixth barrier finally shattered amidst the ever-spreading blood mist, leaving only the last barrier, shimmering with a glimmer of near-despair.

The sixth barrier had been the one that held out the longest... yet this longest-lasting star of hope shone with the light of the Yan Emperor's self-immolated hope.

The eyes of the Northern Region profound practitioners were bloodshot. Under the last remaining line of defense, they completely transformed into beasts of despair. Their defense entirely shifted to active slaughter, as they frantically unleashed all their remaining power for a final counterattack.

At this moment, Long Bai's brow suddenly furrowed slightly.

With only the last dark barrier remaining, its isolation of his spiritual senses was greatly diminished. His divine sense penetrated the barrier from a great distance, but what he perceived was not Yun Che's aura, but another extremely unique and familiar aura.

The Heaven Smiting Pearl!?

He was momentarily stunned, then suddenly realized that Yun Che had not been absent due to secluded cultivation, but was rather within the Heaven Smiting Divine Realm of the Heaven Smiting Pearl!

"Temporarily halt attacks on the barrier, seize control of everyone!" Long Bai suddenly commanded, his words like thunder.

He finally made his move. As his figure soared, a vast dragon might instantly stirred up the winds and clouds across the entire world. The sand and blood mist of the battlefield were also swept towards the Canglan King's Palace by his dragon shadow.

Under the Dragon Emperor's command, the battle situation dramatically changed again. When the Western Region God Masters no longer needed to divide their strength to attack the barrier but instead fully suppressed their opponents, the pressure on the Northern Region profound practitioners surged.

Dragon One, Dragon Two, Dragon Three, and the powers of the three Dragon Gods converged in the air, simultaneously pressing down on the Three Yan Ancestors.

The Three Yan Ancestors dared not evade, because if they retreated, this power would directly strike the barrier. They attacked simultaneously, the Yan Devil shadows behind them roaring into the void.

Two extremely terrifying forces collided in mid-air. During the stalemate, space was compressed to its extreme, like a balloon about to burst.

In terms of power, the Three Yan Ancestors were ultimately at a great disadvantage. The moment the terrifying stalemate began, the faces of the Three Yan Ancestors became violently contorted, but their feet were firmly planted, refusing to retreat. Only their arms, supporting the world-destroying power, trembled with extreme violence.

Long Bai's aura terrified everyone. For the Northern Region profound practitioners, if his power descended, it would surely be the straw that broke the camel's back... No, a colossal mountain.

Mu Xuanyin's eyes turned sharply cold. Her figure flickered, instantly breaking free from Dragon Five's dragon energy blockade with a Moon Severing Shade movement. Behind her, a seemingly corporeal Ice Phoenix divine shadow appeared. With an intensely clear phoenix cry, the Snow Princess Sword, carrying a dazzling ice-blue light like heavenly radiance, pierced through the dragon domains of the two withered dragons, sliced through hundreds of miles of space, and thrust directly at Long Bai.

But the distance was ultimately too great.

Long Bai swept his right arm, and a massive Dragon Emperor force field unfurled. As the ice-blue meteor approached, he easily twisted its trajectory.

Whoosh—

The Ice Phoenix divine power exploded behind Long Bai, an arctic aura piercing through heaven and earth. Yet it failed to harm Long Bai in the slightest, merely causing a brief obstruction.

The storm roared, space trembled. As Long Bai arrived, merely the terrifying air current and oppressive aura sent large numbers of Northern Region profound practitioners and Primordial Dragons tumbling to the ground. A sizable vacuum was violently cleared in the blood-stained battlefield.

Long Bai's figure descended, his hand forming a claw shadow, striking directly at the last barrier.

Under the impact of chaotic power, the last barrier had already dimmed and was covered in cracks.

As the Dragon Emperor's claw struck, the final barrier violently trembled, shattering into countless dark fissures with a mournful wail.

The hearts of the Northern Region profound practitioners plummeted into an abyss. Yan Three gritted his teeth fiercely and roared, "Old ghosts, hold your ground for me!"

He suddenly withdrew his power, and like a rabid dog, he lunged at Long Bai amidst his cries.

Without Yan Three's power, Yan One and Yan Two's pressure sharply increased. Their two pairs of withered arms instantly tore open, spilling black blood.

Though their state was utterly miserable, they stubbornly refused to collapse, desperately holding up the power of the Three Withered Dragons and the Three Dragon Gods... No one could imagine the immense pressure their dried, stick-like bodies and arms were enduring.

Every single moment was like the heavens collapsing.

What sustained them until this moment was perhaps no longer their own power, but the absolute loyalty to Yun Che ingrained in their will.

Boom!

Long Bai unleashed another palm strike. Under the vast dragon might, the barrier was completely shattered, with only faint wisps of dark residual light struggling to hold on.

A desperate shriek ripped through the air!

Yan Three lunged forward with a ferocious cry, his five fingers like dark hooks, carrying violent dark light, stabbing towards Long Bai's eyes.

Long Bai did not turn his head. His right arm shot out suddenly, his palm, shimmering with a faint white glow, met it directly, seizing Yan Three's dark withered hand.

Crack!!

Amidst a terrifying, soul-rending crack, the dark light on Yan Three's hand dispersed, and all his finger bones shattered.

Long Bai's recovery ability was truly terrifying. Having quietly observed the battlefield until now, his power had almost fully recovered. His previously seemingly severe injuries had also recovered for the most part during this not-so-short period.

Yan Three, on the other hand, was not only injured all over but had also expended most of his power. How could he possibly contend with Long Bai alone?

Yan Three let out a strange cry. Yan Devil power surged again, but before he could unleash it, the Dragon Emperor's power heavily struck his body along his arm.

Yan Three's mind buzzed, his consciousness half-collapsed. His body was sent flying like a withered leaf.

But in mid-air, he fiercely bit his tongue, his arms flailing wildly as he flew backward. He sent the undissipated Yan Devil shadows behind him crashing downwards, and the forcibly unleashed Yan Devil power violently threw a large number of Western Region God Masters backward. This also allowed the Northern Region Realm Kings to temporarily escape suppression.

"Stop him... stop him!!" Yan Three shrieked with all his might. His body was sent flying hundreds of miles away by the Dragon Emperor's power... yet his hoarse roar still echoed from afar.

Long Bai poked a finger, piercing directly through the barrier. With a crisp shattering sound, the last barrier collapsed like a soap bubble.

In the center of the collapsing barrier, the Heaven Smiting Pearl floated quietly, emitting a somewhat dim, yet still pure and spotless white glow.

"Heaven Smiting... Pearl?"

"The Heaven Smiting Pearl!!"

Numerous exclamations erupted from all around. They, too, suddenly understood why the Dragon Emperor had ordered them to stop forcefully attacking the barrier.

How could such a divine artifact be carelessly destroyed?

In the distance, Zhou Xuzi, resembling a mangled corpse, seemed to sense something. He very slowly raised his head from the ground, looking at the faint white glow in the distance, and uttered a barely audible whimper.

"Alas."

Long Bai was now within arm's reach of the Heaven Smiting Pearl, and there was nothing left to stop him. Chi Wuyao slowly closed her eyes, letting out the most helpless and powerless sigh of her life.

Yet, even at this moment, some still refused to give up.

Just as Long Bai took a step, nearing the Heaven Smiting Pearl, from the pool of blood, Tian Guhu, who had escaped suppression thanks to Yan Three's power, suddenly burst forth, slamming fiercely into Long Bai. He channeled all his power into his limbs, desperately entwining himself around Long Bai's body.

Tian Muyi, half-kneeling in the pool of blood, his heart already plunged into the abyss, stiffened completely. He cried out in horrified alarm, "Guhu!"

Long Bai's expression was rigid and cold. He extended his arm, and the Dragon Emperor's claw instantly pierced through Tian Guhu's body, lifting his form directly, then fiercely smashing him to the ground. The sound of shattering bones was deafening, like mountains collapsing.

"Guhu!!" Tian Muyi cried out pitifully, his eyes bloodshot.

Long Bai did not look back, taking a step forward... But a chilling wind suddenly assailed him from behind, and a blood-stained arm firmly locked around his neck from behind.

Long Bai's brow furrowed slightly.

Under his previous attack, at least sixty percent of Tian Guhu's bones were shattered, and his internal injuries were enough to be fatal. Yet he almost immediately rose and counterattacked... Frankly, Long Bai felt a moment of shock.

"Don't... approach... the Devil... Master..."

Tian Guhu's arm tightened desperately, almost tearing his own arm bones. Long Bai stopped, casually extending his arm backward, placing it on Tian Guhu's right arm and gently exhaling dragon energy.

Crack!!

Tian Guhu's entire right arm instantly shattered into dozens of pieces.

"Ugh."

Unimaginable pain only elicited a hoarse groan from Tian Guhu. His left arm, replacing the shattered right, had already hooked tightly onto Long Bai's throat once more!

A white light flashed in Long Bai's eyes, and his dragon energy violently erupted.

Boom!!!

Amidst a muffled roar, Tian Guhu finally let out a shriek of agony. Both his arms shattered mid-air, turning into widely scattered bone fragments and bloody foam. His armless body was sent flying, spraying blood, and crashed into the viscous blood pool.

"Ahhhhhhh!"

Tian Muyi was clearly already exhausted and nearing death, yet at this moment, he erupted with power that nearly surpassed his lifelong limits. Like a desperate fierce beast, he fiercely lunged onto Long Bai, using his blood-soaked body to desperately halt Long Bai's advance.

"Sect Master... we're coming!"

Roars erupted from behind. The Imperial Heaven Grand Elder... all surviving Imperial Heaven profound practitioners shrieked as they charged forward.

Following them, Disaster Star, Viper Saint Lord... all higher-level Realm Kings who had escaped suppression, their eyes bloodshot, either descended from the sky, leapt forward, or sprang from the ground, one after another, in waves.

Their bodies intertwined, their powers overlapped, forming a tragic human wall, blocking Long Bai's path forward.

Under this physical onslaught, transcending life and death, will and belief, Long Bai's body violently swayed, then heavily stumbled back a step.

And this single step was, without a doubt, a profound humiliation for the Dragon Emperor.

His eyes darkened. A dragon shadow emerged on his body, and a furious dragon power, accompanied by a soul-shaking dragon roar, erupted.

Boom!!!!

Amidst the merciless roar, geysers of blood sprayed wildly.

In his brimming fury, Long Bai's attack was almost at full strength. How could these Northern Region God Masters, who were already at their limits, possibly withstand it?

The human wall formed by the piled bodies of God Masters was violently blown apart, turning into scattered fragments of bodies and limbs. Half were instantly killed, and half were severely wounded.

And Tian Muyi, the Imperial Heaven Realm King who stood at the very front, was instantly shredded, unable to even leave behind a single dying word.

"Hmph!" Long Bai flicked his arm, malevolently scattering the foul blood on him. Just as he was about to lift his foot, a sharp pain shot through his heel.

Tian Guhu, with all his leg bones broken and both arms lost, could no longer stand. Yet he used his teeth to bite fiercely into Long Bai's heel. His pupils, though already dull and unfocused, now reflected a chilling light of absolute resolve that made everyone's heart tremble.

Long Bai's irritation suddenly spiked. He kicked out. With an even more piercing sound of shattering, Tian Guhu was flung away like a broken blood-sack.

"Ugh... ah..."

He still hadn't lost consciousness, or rather, stubbornly refused to. His head twitched, a movement that made hearts tremble. But this time, he could no longer stand, no longer move.

His injuries were beyond severe, his life force completely severed. Even if an ancient True God descended, they could not save him. His current signs of life were entirely sustained by the unyielding belief that clung desperately to his last breath.

He fought for Yun Che until his last breath, his last drop of blood... just as he had sworn years ago.

With no more "flies" obstructing his path, Long Bai strode forward. As his dragon eyes narrowed, his outstretched palm slowly reached for the Heaven Smiting Pearl.

It was over...

It was truly over...

This was the darkest sound echoing in the hearts of all Northern Region profound practitioners at that moment.

But at this very moment, the white light on the Heaven Smiting Pearl suddenly vanished completely, and the space around it abruptly warped.

A spatial repulsive force surged forth, so domineering that even Long Bai could not resist it. His expression changed, and he quickly withdrew his hand, simultaneously retreating his body.

Within the distorted space, in everyone's suddenly constricted pupils... two black figures appeared side by side.

The Heaven Smiting Pearl slowly descended from the air, landing on the man's raised palm, and disappeared into his palm.