Chapter 1880: 破军

The Mortal Realm

A celestial chariot patrolled the heavens, inspecting all gods!

When Celestial Lord Tianyue revealed its origin, the golden dragon seemed to sense something and let out an excited roar.

The roar echoed through the Divine Court!

However, no matter how earth-shattering the dragon's roar was, it didn't shock Qin Sang as much as Celestial Lord Tianyue's words.

Celestial Lord Tianyue!

Helping me refine the Void?

Qin Sang struggled to suppress the shock in his heart.

Judging by Celestial Lord Tianyue's tone, he had long seen through Qin Sang's identity and origin.

When did his identity become apparent?

Qin Sang couldn't discern Celestial Lord Tianyue's cultivation level from a mere phantom, but it was certainly not at the Mid-Integration Stage.

Even when facing True Lord Zuo, Qin Sang had never felt such unfathomable depth.

He had a premonition that Celestial Lord Tianyue's power might exceed his imagination!

If Celestial Lord Tianyue had fallen into this realm earlier than him, met him by chance, and deduced that Qin Sang also came from the Storm Realm's Beichen Territory based on his cultivation techniques and Taoist arts, then why did he say he came at someone else's behest?

Who was that person?

Were the initial meeting in Star Valley and the reunion in Ghost Fang Kingdom all carefully orchestrated arrangements, like waiting for a rabbit by a tree stump?

What was their purpose?

Why did Celestial Lord Tianyue approach him in this manner?

Flower Spirits, the 'Poison God Canon,' Vajra Fruits...

Marquis Li, Saint King Azure Fox, and even Spirit Ghoul King, who had self-severed his cultivation.

Those rare opportunities and perfectly matched opponents made his cultivation and comprehension of the Path of Slaughter incredibly smooth; it was like having a pillow whenever he felt sleepy.

How many of these were tailor-made arrangements for him?

Perhaps there was no Vajra Bodhi Tree at all in the Jushan Altar, and it was merely a ploy to lure him out of his cave abode and face danger directly.

Vajra Fruits had appeared in Beichen Territory before. Celestial Lord Tianyue must have entered the Ziwei Palace, and given his strength, it wasn't surprising for him to obtain a few Vajra Fruits.

But how did he know Qin Sang would definitely risk seizing the Vajra Fruits?

No wonder the Daoist Court had always opened its doors wide for him.

Talismans, spiritual materials, and artifact refining techniques—as long as he had a valid reason, they never made things difficult, granting his every request.

How many of the True Lords he had befriended knew about this and had been cooperating with him in this charade?

And during this time, how many people had unknowingly become pawns of the powerful?

It was laughable how he had always believed he was well hidden.

Qin Sang felt his scalp tingle.

Too many questions assaulted his mind, and Qin Sang's feeling at that moment was not honor, but dread!

The only thing that brought him comfort was that Celestial Lord Tianyue had not harmed him before, but had instead guided him multiple times in the Path of the Sword.

With Celestial Lord Tianyue's strength, if he wished to harm Qin Sang, there would be no need for such elaborate schemes.

Qin Sang opened his mouth, but saw Celestial Lord Tianyue's expression change slightly. He glanced into the depths of the cloud sea, then shifted his gaze back to Qin Sang's celestial chariot, and said gravely, "I will transmit a seal to you. Control the chariot as quickly as possible! This old man and the two True Lords cannot attend to you. Within the Divine Court, relying on the chariot, you should be able to contend with those demon kings for a while…"

Before he finished speaking, Celestial Lord Tianyue's phantom gradually faded, leaving behind an exceptionally complex talismanic seal.

"Senior…"

Qin Sang's words died on his lips. His sight was now empty, and seeing the talismanic seal also dissipating, he quickly concentrated to memorize it.

For a moment, Qin Sang felt incredibly bewildered, unable to make sense of things.

What were Celestial Lord Tianyue and the True Lords going to do? Shouldn't they enter as soon as possible? Why did he have to contend with the demon kings?

It was then that Qin Sang noticed the surrounding clouds and scenery rapidly receding, realizing that the golden dragon had not stopped its swift flight.

The golden dragon was pulling the Taiyi Astral Chariot, galloping through the sea of clouds. Clearly, whatever was attracting the golden dragon was still deep within the Divine Court.

Where were the demon kings?

Celestial Lord Tianyue's warning still echoed in his ears. Qin Sang dared not underestimate it and looked towards the direction Celestial Lord Tianyue had glanced earlier.

Qin Sang didn't know where that patch of cloud sea was. Even with his Heavenly Eye Divine Ability fully activated, he could only see a vast, profound void.

Initially, there was nothing unusual.

Suddenly, the cloud sea churned into waves, and the clouds surged high, covering the sky and earth, forming a mighty tide of clouds.

Amidst the churning clouds, pillars of qi suddenly shot forth, as if from beyond the heavens, intruding into the Divine Court. They were of various, vibrant colors: green, crimson, black…

Even from here, Qin Sang could sense the astonishing demonic qi emanating from those pillars of qi!

Among them were the auras of demon kings, absolutely incomparable to those like Spirit Ghoul King, who had self-severed his cultivation.

The demons had entered the Divine Court first, and there were demon kings at their full strength!

Qin Sang faintly felt gazes fixated on him from that direction, startled, and finally realized how perilous his current situation was.

'Roar!'

The dragon's roars grew more excited with each sound.

Qin Sang immersed his entire focus into the Celestial Patrol Chariot.

He could sense the golden dragon's 'emotions,' still finding it difficult to communicate, but it was no longer as resistant to him as it had been outside the Divine Court.

The talismanic seal appeared in his mind. Qin Sang dared not hesitate and exerted all his effort to comprehend it.

Ghost Fang Kingdom.

Grand Saint's Residence.

This place was actually one of the Daoist Court's four separate jurisdictions, the Ganggong Altar. Golden halls were arrayed within the altar, displaying a magnificent aura, completely devoid of any sense of defilement.

Just looking at the surface, it was hard to believe that this place had already been occupied by demons.

The true Grand Saint's cave abode was actually just a stone cave located at the peak of an immortal mountain.

'Boom!'

Mountains crumbled and the earth cracked. Amidst a deafening roar, terrifying power erupted from within the immortal mountain. The mountain body collapsed, sending countless rocks scattering.

The next moment, the mountain body from halfway up was completely destroyed, revealing a high altar and numerous figures.

The dragon-robed man, wearing an imperial crown, rose. The surrounding figures also noticed the lunar change, and one by one, they stood up, looking at the night sky with apprehension and uncertainty.

"Divine Court?"

The dragon-robed man was none other than the Demon Grand Saint.

A hint of apprehension also flashed in his eyes.

The scheme to seize the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map originated from his hand, and he knew perfectly well that the South Heaven Gate in the Jushan Altar was fake.

The true Divine Court had actually appeared, right on the moon, a place everyone could see every night!

The Demon Grand Saint turned his head to look west. Until this moment, the Daoist Court had shown no unusual movements.

"Could it really be an accident, and the Daoist Court was also caught off guard?"

This thought flashed through the Demon Grand Saint's mind, but he felt no excitement. For he knew perfectly well the consequences of the Divine Court's sudden appearance.

Furthermore, he felt a faint unease in his heart; the truth might not be as simple as it appeared!

The Daoist Court's True Lords' prolonged inaction only deepened this unease.

'Swish!'

The Demon Grand Saint's gaze shifted to the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

"Where are the Demon Gods!"

His shout echoed throughout the Grand Saint's Residence.

Immediately, figures rose from the foot of the mountain, hastily flying towards the high altar, their expressions a mix of bewilderment and shock.

Among them were those with low cultivation, far from transforming, as well as many Demon Marquises.

Even among the figures seated around the high altar, some stepped forward.

These individuals were all Demon Kings of the Ghost Fang Kingdom, rulers of their own domains, who had previously assisted the Grand Saint in comprehending the remnants of the map and deducing the Divine Path.

The demon cultivators who answered the call had all switched to the Divine Path, and were Demon Gods who had already merged with the talismanic deities in the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map. All of them had been carefully selected by the Grand Saint, being astute, capable, and extraordinarily talented.

While deducing the new Divine Path, they were also using the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map to comprehend the Daoist Court's old Divine Path.

The Ghost Fang Kingdom had deep ties with the Daoist Court, and their deductions progressed rapidly. Within just a few decades, some Demon Kings had successfully merged with the true form.

"Demon Gods, enter the Heavenly Prisons!"

The Demon Grand Saint swept his gaze over the Demon Gods, waved his hand, and the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map expanded explosively against the wind. Profound Yellow Qi surged forth, pouring towards the Demon Gods.

The Demon Gods dared not resist. Submerged by the Profound Yellow Qi, they transformed into streaks of light and plunged into the Heavenly Prisons.

At the same time, the Demon Grand Saint raised his right hand and violently unleashed a palm strike.

A phantom palm print flew out, golden light shimmering from its palm, constantly changing, instantly transforming into a golden seal.

The golden light was dazzling, making it impossible to clearly see the inscription on the golden seal. With a flash, it flew into the Heavenly Prisons and merged into the Profound Yellow Qi.

'Boom!'

The Heavenly Prisons trembled violently, and a beam of Profound Yellow Light erupted, as thick as a mountain, soaring straight into the sky.

At this moment, both the Demon Grand Saint and all the demons felt that this beam of Profound Yellow Light had touched an unknown entity, connecting it to the Heavenly Prisons.

"All of you, quickly enter the Divine Court and seize it! The Daoist sect will then be our prey! Establish unparalleled merit, and this Grand Saint will grant you River Chart positions!"

The Demon Grand Saint bellowed, offering great rewards.

The Divine Path was established by the Daoist Court. River Chart positions correspond to the True Lords of the River Chart Dharma positions, equivalent to the Demon Grand Saint in the demon race.

In the past, the Demon Grand Saint would not have been able to make such a promise.

Now that the Divine Court had appeared, he could feel that the Ganggong Altar's Duguang Seal was gradually restoring its connection with the Divine Court, and there would be no more restrictions in the future!

'Roar! Roar! Roar!'

Excited roars came from within the Heavenly Prisons. Streaks of light rushed skyward along the beam of Profound Yellow Light.

Then, however, came bursts of screams.

After all, the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons were only remnants of a map, barely connected to the Divine Court. Forcing entry would inevitably incur terrifying pressure. Those with weaker cultivation were instantly wiped from existence, and less than one in ten successfully entered the Divine Court.

The Demon Grand Saint gazed coolly at the Heavenly Prisons, his expression unfazed. With a flick of his sleeve, a golden hall in the mountain surged with purple light.

The purple light shot into mid-air, revealing a massive drum, suspended at the very center of the altar, none other than the Ghost Fang Kingdom's ultimate treasure, the Demon-Calling Drum!

Without any apparent action from the Demon Grand Saint, purple light flickered on the Demon-Calling Drum, and drum sounds rang out.

Unlike the drum sounds at the Jushan Altar, this one was very muffled, carrying a sense of unease.

Hearing the drum sounds, all the surrounding Demon Kings adopted solemn expressions.

Throughout the Ghost Fang Kingdom, all Demon King residences, Demon Marquis residences, and even Demon Commander mansions simultaneously resonated with the sound of bells and cauldrons.

At this moment, the entire kingdom was in chaos.

Demon cultivators recalled an ancient legend: once this drum sound rang out, it meant the Ghost Fang Kingdom had reached a moment of life-or-death crisis.

The entire nation, united in weal and woe, would spare no effort to resist the external enemy!

Shock, fear, doubt, panic…

Various negative emotions spread throughout the Ghost Fang Kingdom, but this was a decree from the Grand Saint, and demon cultivators dared not defy it.

The Demon Commanders immediately left their mountains, gathering their demon soldiers to depart.

Luminous glows lit up one demon city after another. Small teleportation arrays, regardless of the spiritual stones consumed, remained constantly active. Squads of elite soldiers and powerful generals either rushed to the Yellow Springs Path or gathered at the Grand Saint's Residence, moving from Demon Marquis mansions to Demon King residences.

Soon, blood flowed like rivers in the Yellow Springs Path, as vast armies charged recklessly towards the Daoist sect.

The Demon Grand Saint's gaze was burning, fixed on the west, seemingly oblivious to the chaos caused by the drum sounds. He stamped his foot heavily.

'Boom!'

His footfall on the void caused the immortal mountain to tremble violently.

Golden light burst forth from the four golden halls, giving rise to towering golden pillars that reached the sky.

Each golden pillar was carved with soaring dragons, lifelike and with gleaming golden scales. Upon closer inspection, one could discern that the patterns on every scale were unique, resembling intricate talismanic diagrams.

A total of 108 golden pillars stood aloft above the Grand Saint's Residence, forming a mysterious grand array.

With countless demon soldiers and this golden pillar grand array, even if the Demon Grand Saint did not personally oversee the Grand Saint's Residence, the Daoist Court would find it impossible to easily seize the Demon-Calling Drum!

Having completed all these preparations, the Demon Grand Saint let out a long cry, suddenly transforming into a ball of golden light.

The next moment, a five-clawed golden dragon appeared within the golden light, its body covered in scales, with dragon horns on its head.

Thunder rumbled across the sky, truly accompanied by wind and lightning, adding a touch more majesty than the golden dragon pulling the chariot.

Its dragon eyes swept across.

Upon encountering that exceptionally fierce gaze, all the Demon Kings' hearts tightened. Only then did they awaken from the series of rapid changes.

"All of you, strike the Demon-Calling Drum with all your might! Do not stop without my command!"

His voice rumbled like thunder.

Upon hearing this, the Demon Kings were greatly alarmed.

The Demon-Calling Drum had always been a national treasure used to deter the Daoist Court. Even at its most critical moments, the Ghost Fang Kingdom had never struck it with full force.

Was the Grand Saint intending to fight to the death, drawing in endless fierce beasts to perish with the Daoist Court?

'Thump!'

Purple light stung the eyes of all the demons. A drum sound, carrying a strange rhythm, propagated out of the Ghost Fang Kingdom, reaching the Barren Wastes, the Sea of Calamity…

The five-clawed golden dragon flicked its tail, striking the drum surface with all its might. Then, with a leap, it unfurled the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map and soared into the sky.

The Barren Wastes.

Beast roars echoed through the mountains and fields, mixed with eerie hisses. Waves of terrifying auras surged out, incredibly violent.

Oppressive dark demonic clouds permeated the skies above the Barren Wastes.

The Sea of Calamity.

Winds stirred and clouds surged.

Giant waves rose on the sea, and countless shadows burst from the surface, forming terrifying storms that pressed directly towards the coast.

Celestial Lord Tianyue stepped through the air, rising steadily.

What had communicated with Qin Sang earlier was merely a trace of his divine consciousness, forcibly sent in; his true body was still outside.

He gazed at the bright moon in the sky.

The Moon Palace seemed extremely far, yet also extremely near.

His steps seemed slow, but in reality, each stride could traverse vast stretches of void.

'Thump!'

The drum sounds shook the heavens.

Celestial Lord Tianyue had reached the edge of the lunar halo. He lowered his gaze slightly, extended his right hand, and said calmly, "Sword, come!"

'Clang!'

A sword hum suddenly resonated on Sword Heart Island.

A beam of sword light split open the cave abode, tore through the sky, and appeared before True Lord Sword Master, revealing its blade.

'Clang!'

The treasured sword hung inverted. The runic strips wrapped around its blade suddenly snapped, revealing an ancient divine sword. On its blade were archaic characters: 'Po Jun'!

As if unsealed, divine light flowed across the sword's surface.

Celestial Lord Tianyue reached out to grasp the divine sword. The sword trembled slightly, but he held it firmly.

With a slight flick of his wrist, the divine sword quivered, splitting into two sword shadows.

'Swish!'

The sword shadows slashed through the air.

One slashed towards the demonic clouds over the Barren Wastes.

The other slashed towards the storms over the Sea of Calamity.

Just then, the five-clawed golden dragon, carrying the remnants of the Twenty-Four Heavenly Prisons map, flew through the air.

Seeing Celestial Lord Tianyue, its dragon eyes sharply contracted, and it roared angrily, "Who are you? How dare you obstruct me!"

Celestial Lord Tianyue, unafraid of the Demon Grand Saint's fierce power, stepped into the lunar halo and stood before the South Heaven Gate's crimson steps.

He could not enter the Divine Court, but instead stood guard in front of it.

Standing guard with his sword at the South Heaven Gate!

"Intruders of the Divine Court shall die!"