Chapter 1868: Great Sage

Mortal Realm

A crimson star descended from the sky.

A searing wind rolled in, distorting the void.

With a command, the old Daoist priest abruptly flicked his whisk. Like a sword, it pointed diagonally towards the sky.

The golden light within the battle formation was stirred by the whisk, surging into waves of golden radiance.

*Snap!*

The whisk's strands burst open, yet remained orderly. Thousands of silver threads formed an incredibly complex rune, as golden light furiously converged towards the tip of the whisk.

In front of the whisk, the golden light coalesced into a golden spirit talisman. Its paper was brilliantly golden, thin as a cicada's wing, and as light as water.

The talisman was nearly ten zhang long, resembling a golden banner standing tall in the void. Its surface bore no words, but was covered in golden runes, far more intricate than any spirit talisman the old Daoist priest had used before.

As the golden light flowed, the golden talisman floated up, seemingly slow yet actually swift. It flew towards the meteorite from beyond the heavens, appearing before it in a flash.

The meteorite was colossal, its outer flames forming an even larger fireball. Compared to it, the golden talisman appeared exceptionally tiny and insignificant.

But the moment it touched the golden talisman, the meteorite's momentum ceased abruptly, and its speed plummeted.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze. The fireball struck a solid barrier, its front deeply caving in.

The golden talisman sank into the fireball. Though seemingly flimsy, it caused the crimson flames to roll back.

Amidst the chaotic flames, the golden talisman's light was brilliant and dazzling, piercing through layers of intense fire. It eventually penetrated the fireball, imprinting itself upon the meteorite within.

*Boom!*

The meteorite trembled violently.

*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*

Streams of crimson flowing fire lost control, bursting out of the fireball and shooting in all directions.

The golden talisman, appearing as a small, lightly drifting seal, adhered to the meteorite's surface. Yet, it seemed to possess immense divine power, causing the meteorite to convulse violently and halt in mid-air.

Immediately, the golden talisman erupted with an even denser golden light. Like a blade, this light churned the flame storm and pierced through the meteorite's interior.

*Crack! Crack!*

The meteorite vibrated wildly, as the golden talisman struck out cracks that intersected around its center, forming larger fissures that spread in all directions.

The meteorite's surface was covered in crisscrossing ravines, riddled with holes.

The next moment, the meteorite's other side was also torn apart, with golden light seeping through.

In the blink of an eye, the meteorite was pierced through by the power of the golden talisman, filled with golden light from the inside out.

*Boom!*

A thunderous roar shook the battlefield.

A blinding burst of crimson-gold light erupted. Meteorite fragments, trailing flames, shot out like fireworks. The scene was breathtakingly beautiful, yet astonishing fluctuations spread along with it.

The meteorite had actually been torn apart by a single golden talisman!

All onlookers were stunned. The demon cultivators were horrified, while the human cultivators were ecstatic.

The two Demon King Dharma Idols grunted, retreating several zhang, their forms dishevelled, their aura chaotic.

The meteorite had been summoned from outer realms by their Dharma Idol power and was connected to their essence. With the meteorite destroyed, they inevitably suffered a backlash.

The Earth-Armored Dragon anxiously swung its long tail back and forth, while the Fire Spirit stared intently at the incomplete map of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons.

This treasure was incomplete, far from comparable to the legendary Heavenly Prisons. The ghost soldiers and talisman spirits had limited strength. In past battles, Grand Daoist Masters and Demon Kings were always present, so they hadn't perceived the true might of the Gloomy Heavens Palace. Only after their cultivation was suppressed did they truly appreciate the treasure's power.

The meteorite shattered, and the Demon Kings were set back.

The Daoist faction's morale surged. As the old Daoist priest launched the golden talisman, he naturally pointed his whisk forward.

The three Grand Daoist Masters, commanding their altars, had already surpassed the old Daoist priest. Other Daoist Masters and troops then shifted formation, dividing into three contingents, led by the three Grand Daoist Masters, and charged towards the enemy lines.

The old Daoist priest remained the core of the battle formation, performing hand seals, arcane steps, incantations, and summoning divine generals.

His profound knowledge, combined with the incomplete map, unleashed a dazzling array of divine abilities.

At this moment, it could be seen that the front of the golden battle formation had three protruding peaks, like three golden arrowheads, advancing abreast. Led by the three Grand Daoist Masters, they charged into the enemy formation, their assault like a tide, sweeping everything before them!

In contrast, on the Ghostfang Nation's side, the Demon Marquises' morale was shattered by the meteorite's destruction. Even the Demon Kings seemed intimidated by the power of the incomplete map of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons, failing to make an effective response for a long time. This led to widespread panic, with each acting independently, a disunited mess.

A Demon King Dharma Idol, with the body of a lion and tail of a scorpion, even retreated instead of advancing. As soon as it fell back, a cloud of green mist rushed towards it.

The green mist contained potent poison, originally the Scorpion-Tailed Lion's divine ability.

During the previous skirmish, it had secretly released poison, but unexpectedly, before it could take effect, the old Daoist priest's whisk strike sent it back.

Faced with its own poisonous mist, the Scorpion-Tailed Lion dared not meet it head-on, because the mist was imbued with the power of a talisman spirit.

*Swish! Swish! Swish!*

Its scorpion tail whipped rapidly, unleashing streaks of divine light, only then dispersing the poisonous mist.

Similar situations frequently occurred within the demon formation.

With one side gaining and the other losing, the demon formation fell into chaos. The Daoist sect's momentum was like a rainbow, ready to break through the enemy lines in one fell swoop and charge into the auspicious clouds.

At this point, the White-Robed Demon King finally made a move. He seemed to only now perceive the changes in the battle behind him, and slowly turned around.

The battlefield came into view, yet the White-Robed Demon King's expression remained unmoved, his gaze indifferent.

Casually glancing at the old Daoist priest and the others, the White-Robed Demon King tilted his head slightly, murmuring with a hint of contemplation: "Ah, the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons..."

No panic could be seen on the White-Robed Demon King's face; instead, there was an eerily unfathomable expression.

The Daoist Masters' hearts skipped a beat. They felt an inexplicable unease, yet couldn't pinpoint the source of the problem.

The demon formation's arrogance had been extinguished, and it was too late to regroup. The Demon Kings' reactions didn't seem feigned; there was no trace of a trap.

Nor was there any unusual fluctuation emanating from the White-Robed Demon King.

All signs indicated they had gained the upper hand, yet for some reason, their unease grew stronger.

Suddenly, a cold, mocking smile appeared at the corner of the White-Robed Demon King's mouth. He raised a hand and beckoned behind him.

The tremor within the auspicious clouds abruptly ceased.

The vortex of auspicious clouds suddenly stopped spinning, and the rotating five-colored clouds immediately dissipated. A streak of light flew from the vortex into the White-Robed Demon King's hand – it was precisely that half of the imperial decree.

The passage to the Divine Court vanished.

The White-Robed Demon King held the imperial decree, his gaze coldly sweeping across the battlefield, then clenched his hand tightly.

*Crack!*

The imperial decree shattered in response.

The shattering sound was not loud, but to the Daoist Masters' ears, it was like a clap of thunder, making their hearts leap.

The old Daoist priest quickly looked at the other half of the imperial decree hovering beside him, finding it also covered in cracks.

Simultaneously, four streaks of light suddenly flew out of the demon formation, including three Demon King Dharma Idols, among them the Earth-Armored Dragon.

In the center of the three Dharma Idols was an unassuming young man. Though only a Demon Marquis in cultivation, he was protected by the three Demon Kings.

The young man, his face tense, flew to the White-Robed Demon King's side. He took out a grey cloth pouch from his robes, opened its restriction, and immediately a purple light flew out, landing before the White-Robed Demon King.

"This humble marquis has not failed his mission," the young man exhaled a long breath, bowed, and retreated, his expression filled with excitement.

The purple light shimmered; it was a large purple drum. It had no drumstick, but golden threads wrapped around its waist, delineating various strange beast forms.

*Roar!*

Suddenly, a tiger's roar.

The White-Robed Demon King manifested his Dharma Idol for the first time: a ferocious white tiger. With a leap, it merged into the White-Robed Demon King's body.

He raised his right hand, and a purple mark appeared on his palm. Purple light, like a tide, gathered towards his palm, transforming into a purple drumstick.

Purple lightning coursed across the surface of the drumstick, making it extraordinarily divine.

After forming this drumstick, the White-Robed Demon King's face turned ashen white, utterly devoid of blood, clearly indicating immense exertion.

"The Demon-Calling Drum!"

Upon seeing the large purple drum, the old Daoist priest's expression completely changed.

The three Grand Daoist Masters and some well-informed Daoist Masters also paled in shock, uttering exclamations.

The Demon-Calling Drum was *the* supreme treasure of the Ghostfang Nation, without equal.

Even true treasures and acquired spirit treasures were far inferior to this artifact in the eyes of the Ghostfang Nation's demon cultivators.

The very existence of the Ghostfang Nation was largely tied to this treasure.

None of the Daoist Masters present had ever witnessed the power of the Demon-Calling Drum firsthand, but all had heard its legends.

Legend had it that once the spirit drum was struck, its sound would instantly spread for ten thousand li.

Spreading into the Land of Evil, fierce beasts and monstrous entities deep within would go mad upon hearing the drum's sound, drawn towards it by the spirit drum.

It was said that the drum's sound could attract fierce beasts and monstrous entities with power comparable to a Grand Saint, or even more terrifying beings!

The Land of Evil and the Sea of Evil were boundless and more perilous than imagined.

These fierce beasts and monstrous entities instinctively detested the fluctuations of the Duguang Seal. The stronger they were, the more sensitive their perception. Unless provoked, they generally wouldn't approach on their own.

But once driven mad by the drum's sound and charging into the Four Jurisdictions, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Fortunately, the Ghostfang Nation couldn't fully control these fierce beasts and monstrous entities.

Even a Grand Saint personally trying to command them risked backlash. If they failed to destroy the enemy and instead had the Ghostfang Nation trampled by fierce beasts, it would be a catastrophic loss. Thus, they dared not easily strike the spirit drum.

However, when the Ghostfang Nation faced a life-or-death crisis, they would undoubtedly recklessly summon fierce beasts to destroy the Four Jurisdictions and perish alongside the Daoist sect.

With the Demon-Calling Drum as a deterrent, the Daoist sect dared not push the Ghostfang Nation to such an extreme.

This was precisely why the Daoist sect in this realm occupied two jurisdictions. For years, their strength consistently surpassed that of the Ghostfang Nation, yet even at their peak, they never managed to annihilate it.

The Demon-Calling Drum was indeed a national treasure, always carefully preserved and heavily guarded within the Grand Saint's residence.

Should this treasure be lost, the fate of the Ghostfang Nation would then be in the hands of the Daoist sect.

At this very moment, they dared to bring the Demon-Calling Drum into the Land of Evil!

The White-Robed Demon King's face was ferocious. He raised the drumstick high with both hands and brought it down heavily.

*Thump!*

The drumstick in the White-Robed Demon King's hand vanished, as if all his strength was expended. His face was covered in sweat, his body trembled, unable to conceal his weakened state.

The drum's surface erupted with intense purple light, stinging the Daoist Masters' eyes.

The drum sound was distant and resonant.

It reached the battlefield, pierced through layers of illusions, and entered the ears of Qin Sang, True Monarch Zuo, and the others within the altar.

The Grand Daoist Masters and Demon Kings outside the altar also heard the drum sound.

These events happened almost simultaneously. The drum sound continued to spread across the Land of Evil, traveling ten thousand li in an instant, reaching deep into the land.

*Thump!*

Another Demon King took over from the White-Robed Demon King, striking the second drumbeat, then a third Demon King stepped forward...

A certain majestic mountain range.

The mountain body resembled black iron, with no vegetation on its dark rocks, nor any trace of fierce beasts.

The mountainside was steep and towered into the clouds. Approaching this mountain brought an overwhelming sense of oppression.

The oppressive force instilled a deep-seated fear, preventing any fierce beasts from daring to approach.

At the summit was a colossal platform, with a concave center.

Suddenly, a sharp shriek, filled with endless rage, echoed from within the mountain. Outside, chaos erupted as countless fierce beasts scattered and fled.

*Screech!*

The piercing shriek resounded through the heavens, actually overpowering the drum sound.

The next moment, the entire mountain range was shrouded by an enormous shadow. In the sky, only a pair of black wings could be seen, covering the sun and sky, like clouds hanging from the heavens.

Meanwhile, in another direction deep within the Land of Evil, lay a vast, endless plain.

When the drum sound reached this place, an earth-shattering explosion occurred in the center of the plain.

Waves of earth surged tens of thousands of feet into the sky, and an unfathomably deep massive pit abruptly appeared on the plain.

A thunderous roar, shaking heaven and earth.

No fierce beast was seen, but a grey lightning bolt shot out from the massive pit, tearing through the void.

Wherever the lightning passed, it left behind twisting streaks of electricity in the void. Endless lightning filled the void, sketching a divine thunder diagram across the canvas of the sky, as if tearing the heavens apart.

Occasionally, an electric arc would strike the ground, easily obliterating a mountain and extinguishing all life within it.

The piercing shriek and thunderous roars shook the Land of Evil, and the armies outside the altar also heard them.

All the cultivators looked towards the depths of the Land of Evil. In their sight, the auspicious clouds within the altar glowed even more brilliantly, like a rainbow.

Behind the auspicious clouds lay a deep, dark sky, where terrifying existences resided.

Even Grand Daoist Masters and Demon Kings couldn't help but tremble upon hearing the sounds, seemingly sensing the horrifying, malevolent aura. They were all aghast.

Inside the altar.

Qin Sang still didn't understand. He knew nothing of the Demon-Calling Drum or what its sound signified.

True Monarch Zuo clearly had no leisure to explain it to him.

However, seeing True Monarch Zuo's expression, Qin Sang understood that a major event unfavorable to the Daoist sect must have occurred.

After three drumbeats, Qin Sang suddenly frowned. He vaguely heard shrieks and roars.

The sounds came from outside the altar, not very distinct, yet they made his heart pound, as if something extremely terrifying was approaching.

Beside him, True Monarch Zuo suddenly looked up, his expression even more startled and angry, confirming to Qin Sang that it was not an illusion.

Deep within the altar.

The Daoist sect charged frantically, but there was no time to stop the Demon King from striking the Demon-Calling Drum.

The white-robed scholar's face was pale with weakness, yet he gazed greedily at the incomplete map of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons.

At this moment, the astute Daoist Masters faintly realized.

There was no Divine Court appearing at all!

Everything was fake, a trap laid by the Ghostfang Nation. They had exploited that unusual disturbance within the altar, plotting for a century, luring the Daoist sect into the trap step by step, all for this very day!

So, what was the Ghostfang Nation's objective?

The old Daoist priest suddenly looked up.

The incomplete map of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons!

The Ghostfang Nation wanted to seize the incomplete map of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons!

In ancient times, Grand Master Houtu founded the Divine Dao and forged the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons; this treasure was the origin of the Divine Dao.

If the Ghostfang Nation truly intended to revive the Divine Dao, referencing the incomplete map would be of immense significance to them.

However, this treasure had always been hidden in Mount Hemin. With the Gloomy Heavens Palace's sect array and the Daoist Court ready to provide support at any time, it wouldn't be easy to snatch.

But once the incomplete map left the Gloomy Heavens Palace, or even if it was brought into the Land of Evil, it would be much easier. Striking the Demon-Calling Drum here would also entail fewer concerns.

The old Daoist priest instantly understood the whole situation. His arm, gripping the whisk, trembled as he desperately tried to retrieve the incomplete map.

The border between the Land of Evil and Gangshan Jurisdiction.

When the imperial decree was crushed, a storm suddenly brewed here.

Dark clouds covered the sky, rapidly spreading towards the direction of the Jushan Jurisdiction altar. In an instant, they traversed the vast Land of Evil, faintly revealing golden light within the clouds, like scales.

The armies outside the altar suddenly felt the sky darken. Looking up, they saw dark clouds covering the eastern sky, accompanied by wind and thunder, rumbling as they approached.