Chapter 1157: You Really Appeared

At this moment, all focus converged on the teleportation array.

From the outside, everything appeared normal. The formation remained, and neither the Warden nor the Fourth True Sovereign was visible. The area was isolated by the Fourth True Sovereign's unique formation and temporal fluctuations. Even if someone could detect an anomaly, the Fourth True Sovereign had already informed those qualified to perceive it before his arrival, ensuring a thorough precaution for his actions. Thus, the tranquility observed from outside was an illusion. Should anyone step into this area now, they would immediately hear the thunderous sound of order.

Above the formation, the Fourth True Sovereign stood, radiating immense power and boundless majesty. His gaze seemed to compel all deviations back to their original paths. The sound he emitted solidified into countless shimmering silver runes, arranging themselves around him, instantly forming a vast array. The silver light shone brightly, illuminating the entire space as if it were daylight. This was… the Dao sound becoming order!

As the formation spun and the light flared, the Fourth True Sovereign's decree erupted with the sound, descending with thunderous force, suppressing all and reversing everything with its immense power and majesty. It was like a celestial sea, crushing all land, heading directly for the middle-aged Warden.

The overwhelming pressure and formidable aura made the middle-aged Warden feel like a lone boat amidst a raging sea, swaying precariously in a tsunami. Yet, his eyes showed no hint of retreat; instead, his fighting spirit burned intensely. The colossal broken sword materialized behind him, emitting an even sharper aura.

The moment the vast silver formation descended, veins bulged on his face, vaguely forming a grotesque, sinister, and eerie demonic mask. He raised his hand and abruptly released it towards the descending formation. In a blink, the peerless broken sword behind the middle-aged Warden let out an earth-shattering hum. Streams of light rapidly flowed over its damaged parts, seemingly repairing it. Instantly whole, the sword, guided by the Warden's hand, struck out towards the celestial formation representing order.

The formation and the broken sword collided in the heavens, instantly. A deafening roar reverberated. Though the order formation was mighty, the broken sword was fiercer, like an outlaw, proclaiming, "No matter how order envelops me, I shall cleave the sky with a single strike!" Amidst the rumble, the formation shattered, its fragments swirling backward.

The Warden's body trembled, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood. His body visibly weakened in that instant, as if his life force and even his soul had been absorbed by the broken sword. This was the cost of wielding the broken sword. But at this moment, he clearly disregarded the cost. Seizing the instant the sword broke through the order formation, he surged forward, finally reaching the edge of the array. He was just about to step onto it.

However, the Fourth True Sovereign's methods could not be so limited. What had just occurred was merely a casual utterance. Now, the Fourth True Sovereign, suspended in mid-air, remained perfectly calm. He raised his right hand and waved it. With that wave, chains from all directions, like silver serpents, whistled through the air. Intertwining within this space, they instantly formed an even vaster magical array. Its aura, momentum, pressure, brilliance, and complexity far surpassed the previous one. This was order forged from chains. Appearing now, it surged directly towards the Warden.

The Warden's expression changed. Although he had never fought Star Ring Son, he knew Star Ring Son was powerful, being the top prodigy of this generation in the Eastern Star Domain. But to be this formidable made his heart churn. Yet, there was no other way now. A fierce glint appeared in the Warden's eyes, his expression twisted, and as the veins emerged on his face, the demonic mask completely replaced his features, making him seem like a different person as he unleashed a terrifying aura. With a low roar, as the formation descended, the Warden raised both hands, grasped the broken sword behind him, and with all his might, letting the broken sword drain his life, he struck out at the formation once more.

The sky darkened. The aura unleashed by the broken sword was unparalleled. The moment it touched the formation, a brief stalemate occurred. But soon, the sword's tip shimmered and pierced through the formation. Yet... it was only the tip. It wasn't that the broken sword was ineffective, but rather that its wielder could not sustain it. He spat out blood, and his body rapidly withered.

Meanwhile, the Fourth True Sovereign, behind the formation, remained calm throughout. He now coldly gazed at the Warden outside the formation, then raised his hand and waved. A colossal force erupted from the formation with a thunderous roar. The Warden's body jolted, rolling backward under the immense power, falling to the ground with blood streaming from his seven orifices. The broken sword in his hand also slipped uncontrollably, flying away and impaling the ground, letting out a hum that seemed to convey regret. Everything was over.

"Such fighting strength, to contend with Zhou Zhenli for so many years, it seems Zhou Zhenli's ability to conceal his true power has reached perfection." The Fourth True Sovereign spoke indifferently, his gaze falling upon the Warden on the ground. He raised his right hand and waved it through the air. No matter how the Warden struggled, it was futile. His body was seized by the immense force, lifting him into mid-air. Simultaneously, chains of order arrived from all directions, completely coiling around him. Furthermore, decrees formed from sound flowed over his entire body, creating mark after mark.

"Since you are not honest, I shall strip away the consciousness that descended into this world and send you back." The Fourth True Sovereign spoke calmly, and his decree of order erupted with thunderous force. His decree was unique. After arriving in this fourth-layer world, whether as a reward from the orderly side or because his host shared the same origin as his decree, he had gained the power of annihilation! Using the decree of order, he could annihilate the opponent's consciousness. As it unleashed its power, it was like a purification.

The middle-aged Warden, bound in mid-air, immediately trembled violently, letting out a mournful wail. The decree of order moved through his body, rapidly annihilating all traces belonging to the Evil Spirit Son. The process was brief. In the next instant… The purification was complete, and the consciousness was annihilated. The middle-aged Warden died, his body crashing to the ground. The iron sword beside him also vanished at that moment.

This scene caused Star Ring Son's unchanging expression to suddenly shift. "My order has no intent to kill. Normally, when the Evil Spirit Son's consciousness is expelled and annihilated, the person should return to normal. But this person... died?" Star Ring Son fell silent, then raised his head, looking into the distance, his eyes gleaming with cold light. "There is only one explanation. This person is the Evil Spirit Son, and yet not the Evil Spirit Son! To be precise, this was someone who believed himself to be the Evil Spirit Son, a belief so deeply ingrained, and the iron sword within him was real, thus confusing perception. Until his death, he believed himself to be the Evil Spirit Son. So, after the expulsion, 'the Evil Spirit Son' died, and he died too. Because the traces of the Evil Spirit Son that were dispersed included him! The true Evil Spirit Son is still out there!"

The Fourth True Sovereign's expression immediately darkened. Many were playing this game. Just as in a pond, it was impossible for only one person to be fishing. On this chessboard, Xu Qing was playing, the Fourth True Sovereign was playing, and others were playing as well. Those who reached their level of cultivation were rarely simple-minded; even if they appeared to be, it was merely a facade, a protective coloration. If anyone truly believed that facade, their demise would be close. But whether it was a hidden plot or an overt scheme, whether playing chess or fishing, there were always ways to counter them.

A faint glow flickered in Star Ring Son's eyes. Though everyone was complex, he could suppress them all the same. Even if a flaw appeared, he had the ability to rectify it. He then raised his hand and seized towards the spot where the iron sword had vanished. Immediately, a wisp of aura, distinct from order, swiftly arrived from that location. This was the aura of the broken sword, and through it, he could instantly pinpoint the location of its master, finding the true Evil Spirit Son. However, this aura did not last long; it was continuously dissipating.

"There's enough time. I'll just kill him again!" A surge of killing intent flickered in the Fourth True Sovereign's eyes. With a swift movement, he was about to head towards the indicated location, but just then, an anomaly suddenly occurred!

Suddenly, the heavens and earth changed color. In the space where the teleportation array was located, a storm appeared in the sky, and sand and mud spontaneously emerged from the ground, intertwining with the storm to form... a dust storm. It instantly approached, blocking the Fourth True Sovereign's departure. A thunderous roar surged. The Fourth True Sovereign's steps halted. He stood in mid-air, his long hair fluttering, his robes whipping, and a sharp glint in his eyes. Where he looked, a figure emerged from within the vast dust storm that permeated the entire space. This person wore black robes, their face obscured and blurry. From their physique, it appeared to be a man. But everything could be faked; outward appearances revealed little.

"You have indeed appeared." Gazing at the person and sensing the unfamiliar aura, a dark glint flickered in the Fourth True Sovereign's eyes as he slowly spoke. His objective in this gambit was originally twofold: first, to suppress the Evil Spirit Son and restore order; second, to lure out the mastermind behind the rumors. Since the opponent was targeting him, it was highly probable that they followed a different path and were not from the orderly faction. In that case... if the opponent did not intervene with the Evil Spirit Son, he would have successfully turned the tide. If they did intervene... they would reveal traces, allowing him to pinpoint and verify their identity. This was originally a dilemma for the opponent. However, although the opponent had appeared now, the timing was inconvenient, precisely when he needed to find the Evil Spirit Son. Thus, a sharp gleam flashed in the Fourth True Sovereign's eyes, and he swayed, preparing to leave. He needed to suppress the Evil Spirit Son first. After all, the broken sword's aura was dissipating, and most importantly, the Evil Spirit Son was clearly also fishing, using the fake body to lure him. This would create an opportune moment for rebellion, which he would be unable to immediately rectify. Therefore, time could not be wasted.

But while the Fourth True Sovereign wished not to fight, the black-robed figure in mid-air would not grant his wish. Almost the instant the Fourth True Sovereign moved, the black-robed figure waved a hand. Immediately, a thunderous roar erupted from within the sky's dust storm, and a pair of colossal eyes materialized within it. Those eyes were gray. They exuded indifference and ruthlessness. The moment they gazed upon the Fourth True Sovereign...

The Fourth True Sovereign's body stiffened. He distinctly felt that the moment he was gazed upon, his physical body was unharmed, but his own consciousness seemed to be separating, as if it was about to transform into countless particles of sand and mud. And within each particle, an independent will was emerging. "Interesting..." The Fourth True Sovereign's eyes flashed. He raised his right hand and pressed it forward. Instantly, chains flew out of thin air, forming a vortex before him. From within the vortex, thirteen silver coffins emerged. These thirteen coffins, varying in size, erupted with a rich aura of order the moment they appeared. But they did not open. It seemed that even with Star Ring Son inhabiting the Fourth True Sovereign, his consciousness alone was still insufficient. This was the true Fourth True Sovereign's doing!