Chapter 1438: Absolute God Curse Poison

The colossal face of the Saint God vanished into the void, yet a heavy silence fell upon all the Saints in the heavens. They had clearly heard the Saint God's earlier words: the Third God seemed to have been ambushed.

Zhou Yuan appeared beside Yao Yao almost instantly. He clasped her snow-white, delicate hand and watched the black venomous mark slowly wriggle and expand on her palm, his expression turning exceptionally grim. The mark itself seemed no larger than a finger, yet the ominous and sinister aura it emitted made others hesitate to even approach it.

Cang Yuan and others also appeared beside Zhou Yuan. Their faces were etched with fear as they gazed at the venomous mark; they sensed that if even a trace of this poison entered their own bodies, they would instantly dissolve into a pool of black blood. All their cultivation and power would be utterly fragile before such a potent toxin.

"What terrifying poison," Cang Yuan murmured, his brows tightly furrowed. "Is this the true objective of the Saint Race's grand mobilization?" another Twin Lotus Saint gnashed his teeth. With the Saint God's avatar now gone, the Saint Race's entire plot was laid bare. It was undeniably clear that everything had been orchestrated against the Third God.

In a way, despite sacrificing two Ancient Saints, the Saint Race had indeed achieved its objective.

Zhou Yuan gazed at Yao Yao's fair, exquisite face. Even now, afflicted by a mysterious, potent poison capable of threatening a primordial god, her expression remained serene. Zhou Yuan bit his lip, silent, but his eyes welled with profound self-reproach. The ultimate target of the Saint Race's entire plot had been Yao Yao. Whether it was forcing her out or the Saint God's earlier poisonous ambush, Zhou Yuan felt he had been an undeniable liability throughout.

He had once believed that by attaining Sainthood and becoming the Lord of Cangxuan Heaven, he could perhaps alter some outcomes. But reality had shown him its brutal truth. Despite his current strength, which might rank him among the peak experts of the Heaven Primal World, what did it truly mean? In this grand confrontation, he had been entirely exploited as a massive vulnerability to target Yao Yao. Any trace of complacency he had harbored from becoming a Saint and assuming the position of Heaven Lord now seemed utterly ridiculous and foolish.

As Zhou Yuan was consumed by self-reproach, Yao Yao’s other small hand gently took his, its touch delicate, cool, and smooth as jade.

Zhou Yuan looked up to find Yao Yao’s clear, cool eyes, softened by a rare hint of tenderness, gazing at him. She shook her head gently. "Don't dismiss your achievements," Yao Yao murmured. "If even you lack confidence, then the Saints of the heavens might as well incinerate their Saint Lotuses in shame."

The other Saints nearby twitched their faces but remained silent, acknowledging the truth in Yao Yao's words. Zhou Yuan, standing before them, had indeed advanced to the Saint Realm and now commanded the position of Cangxuan Heaven Lord. Even they, seasoned peak experts of the Twin Lotus stage, would likely gain no advantage if they were to contend with him in Cangxuan Heaven.

And yet, which of them had not cultivated for a hundred times, or even more, the duration of Zhou Yuan's cultivation? Nevertheless, Zhou Yuan had now surpassed them, his talent and potential so extraordinary that even they could only sigh in admiration. Such a prodigy, given enough time, would likely ascend to the ranks of the Ancient Venerables even sooner than his master, Cang Yuan.

While Zhou Yuan appeared to be at a disadvantage in this conflict, one must consider the caliber of the adversaries. Against an opponent like the Saint God's avatar, it was not merely Zhou Yuan who would struggle; even the three Ancient Venerables of the Great Void Shrine would likely gain no advantage if they were present. And beyond the Saint God's avatar, were not Mojie and Heizhao infamous figures in their own right? Confronting such beings, even these veteran Twin Lotus Saints would need to rely on sheer numbers and the aid of the Ancestral Dragon Lamp just to barely hold their own.

Zhou Yuan held Yao Yao’s small hand, remaining silent for a moment before gradually composing himself, understanding that such emotions served no purpose. Just then, the surrounding void suddenly warped and shattered, as three intensely oppressive light figures descended from the heavens, landing near Zhou Yuan and the others.

"Ancient Venerable Jinluo," "Ancient Venerable Dilong," "Ancient Venerable Chiji." As the three light figures descended, Cang Yuan and the other Twin Lotus Saints respectfully held a single palm upright before their chests. These three were indeed the Ancient Venerables of the Great Void Shrine, who had previously been held back by the Saint Race's Ancient Saints. With the Saint Race now in retreat, they had immediately descended upon Cangxuan Heaven.

Zhou Yuan's gaze swept over them. Besides the familiar Ancient Venerable Jinluo, he took an extra moment to observe Ancient Venerable Dilong and Ancient Venerable Chiji. Ancient Venerable Dilong, hailing from the Xuanlong Clan of Myriad Beasts Heaven, possessed a robust physique draped in golden dragon armor. His face was stern and composed, constantly emanating waves of dense draconic might that caused the void to tremble. Ancient Venerable Chiji, from Qiankun Heaven, was a beautiful woman who embodied both allure and gentle grace. Tall and voluptuous, she exuded a mature intellect and immense charm with every subtle movement and smile.

The moment the three Ancient Venerables appeared, their gazes immediately fixed on Yao Yao. They then respectfully held a single palm upright before their chests, bowing solemnly. "Greetings, Third God." Even the domineering and arrogant Ancient Venerable Dilong had curbed his pride. Regardless of his initial stance when first encountering the divine stone from which Yao Yao had yet to emerge, now that she had been born and her divine nature awakened, he naturally discarded those past notions. After all, Yao Yao was now the heavens' ultimate hope.

Especially after witnessing the Saint God's avatar today, all three Ancient Venerables felt profoundly heavy-hearted and unsettled. The Saint God's ability to project an avatar signified that His complete awakening was imminent. Having personally endured the ancient world-ending war, the three Ancient Venerables understood the true terror of the Saint God more profoundly than anyone.

Yao Yao's gaze swept indifferently over the three, and she simply nodded slightly.

Ancient Venerable Jinluo then turned his gaze to the others, saying warmly, "Thank you all for your arduous efforts in defending Cangxuan Heaven this time." Cang Yuan and the others offered bitter smiles, their eyes heavy with concern. If Yao Yao had not been poisoned, this might indeed have been a great victory for the heavens, as the Saint Race had, despite everything, lost two Ancient Saints. However, with Yao Yao now afflicted by the so-called "God-Slaying Curse Poison," any mishap on her part would mean the complete loss of all hope for the heavens.

Observing their expressions, the three Ancient Venerables' faces tightened. They then turned to Yao Yao and inquired, "May we ask about the Third God's current condition?" Yao Yao's expression remained detached, though it was evident she was not in a good mood, as she didn't even bother to reply. Ancient Venerable Jinluo and the other two couldn't help but feel a slight awkwardness.

Zhou Yuan gently squeezed Yao Yao’s small hand, his eyes clouded with worry. The Saint God had clearly gone to great lengths for this; the so-called "God-Slaying Curse Poison" was undoubtedly far from simple. Otherwise, it would not have been worth the Saint Race sacrificing two Ancient Saints.

Yao Yao glanced at Zhou Yuan, paused for a moment, then spoke: "This is a God-Slaying Poison. When the Saint God clashed with the Ancestral Dragon's will, He was severely wounded and fell into dormancy. Over these countless years, He expelled the lingering Ancestral Dragon's will that had infected His body, refining it to form this so-called 'God-Slaying Curse Poison.'"

"I can feel the boundless darkness and savagery contained within this curse poison. It is the very pain the Saint God endured while lying dormant in the darkness, which He extracted and incorporated into the poison."

Yao Yao's bright eyes calmly observed the black venomous mark slowly spreading on her palm. "He intends to use this curse poison to impede my progress," she whispered, "and then fully awaken before I can."