Chapter 1630: Punishment of the Divine, Execution of Evil Power, Three Honored Ancients Cry Together

Cabei truly had little interest in people like Yi Han and Er Han; they were merely ants to him.

His interest, from beginning to end, had always been centered on "Suijun" and "Overlord."

Originally, these two powerful entities weren't even worth considering. But now, after an accidental encounter and some use, he found them surprisingly effective. Both were divine artifacts that didn't require complex incantations; their sheer weight alone was enough to overwhelm most beings. At the dawn of this revival, when spell-casting still required careful consideration of energy consumption, they proved to be the most practical weapons.

Moreover, as times changed, these mortal soul-possession techniques also became increasingly intriguing. Not only could multiple souls share a single body, but it also appeared they could borrow the abilities their respective souls possessed during their former lives. This was far superior to simple soul possession. Ran Ming's Taoist infant was already destroyed; if he could master these techniques, he would only need to re-possess Cao Yihan's body and assimilate Xu Xiaoshou... Regardless of their original names, Overlord, Suijun, and even the spiritual refining power of this era, would all be mastered. So what if the Sacred Infant-forming Plant was destroyed? Its destruction simply meant a superior alternative existed!

"Dreamfall Three Thousand."

On his divine throne, his thoughts coalescing, Cabei joined his fingers into a hand seal. His thoughts turning sinister, unbound by rules or restrictions, he no longer favored the title "Ancestor of Arts," yet in critical moments, he never allowed himself to be bogged down by trivialities. As his voice settled, the ethereal sky trembled, and sinister light permeated the surroundings. Thousands of figures of disparate forms rapidly materialized, some on the ground, some high in the air.

Cabei perfectly exemplified the value of "ancientness." At that moment, his divine consciousness divided, and the newly fabricated races were all superior bloodlines from different eras. There were horned beastmen clad in heavy armor; Sacred feathered beings standing with slanted spears; Red-eyed elves drawing their bows to a full moon; Proud dragon and phoenix bloodlines circling in the sky; Dark-eyed Falcons, Cloud Mist Spirits, Moon-Worshippers, Brush-Bearing Scholars, Penglai Immortal Witches, Diagram Bearers...

When Dao Qiongcang swept his gaze across them, only he, with his extraordinary knowledge and penchant for studying ancient history, could recognize two or three tenths of these ancient races. If it were Cao Erzhu, Shen Yi, or even Xu Xiaoshou, it would be impressive if they could recognize even a single Minotaur among them. Furthermore, they likely wouldn't even know if the Minotaurs Cabei created were the same species as the ones they imagined.

"Whoosh, whoosh..."

Three thousand ancient races stood poised across the sky. As wild winds surged, they appeared like dark clouds descending, threatening to engulf and destroy any city in their path.

"Moooo—"

The heavy-armored Minotaur, from somewhere, pulled out a blood-red bull horn, opened its mouth, and blew. The three thousand ancient races simultaneously went berserk, their eyes blazing with an eerie, demonic purple, as they charged towards the distant humans. Even the red-eyed elf in the very back, after launching its arrows, seemed afraid of being left behind; swinging its six arms, each thicker than its head, it pursued its projectiles, arriving ahead despite its late start.

"Such power!" Xu Xiaoshou was utterly awestruck. Did Cabei, the evil god, still have this trick hidden? Compared to the "deviousness" of Shugou's grand feast or the "immortality" of the Divine Hidden Ruins, this Dreamfall Three Thousand was truly "reckless." Faced with the combined forces of Dao, Shen, and Cao, Cabei apparently cast aside all other considerations and chose a direct, frontal assault? He likely wanted to test the extent of his power, just as he did with me before taking Cabei... His true intention was "Overlord"!

Xu Xiaoshou glanced at Dao Erzhu, who was directly in the line of fire, suppressed his urge to intervene, and took half a step back: "Flashy old Daoist, how much can you truly achieve?"

"Six Paths of Dao Qiongcang Heavenly Mechanism, activating...""'Cao Erzhu' body data analysis complete.""'Overlord' combat model training complete.""Mimicked Spiritual Refiner Lightning Essence, data retrieval in progress... retrieval complete.""Ancient Martial Arts Eight Gates, Seven Constellations, acupoint calibration in progress... calibration complete.""Ancient Martial Arts Six Paths: Heavenly Dao, Human Dao, Hell Dao, Animal Dao, Hungry Ghost Dao, Asura Dao, information gathering in progress... gathering complete.""Physical development plan modification in progress, modification complete.""Cao Erzhu's muscle-bone meridian map replication complete, Cao Erzhu's twenty-six-year cultivation plan deduction in progress... deducing... deduction failed... re-deducing...""Cao Erzhu's memory search complete, preliminary organization in progress... 'Conversation with Cao Yihan,' 'Conversation with Shen Yi,' 'Conversation with Yu Tu'... preliminary organization complete.""'Profound Divine Thought, Divine Punishment Tribulation' data recording complete, currently deducing a Profound Divine Thought cultivation plan compatible with Heavenly Mechanism Arts... deduction failed... re-deducing...""'Open-Ended Heavenly Mechanism Control' permission activated, retrieving Heavenly Mechanism plan for parallel operation of 'Mimicked Spiritual Refiner,' 'Mimicked Ancient Martial Arts,' and 'Profound Divine Thought' modes... no records found... synthesizing training plan, estimated twelve hours, countdown initiated...""Confirmation complete, second Heavenly Mechanism brain activating, third Heavenly Mechanism brain activating...""Activation complete.""'Open-Ended Heavenly Mechanism Control Three Modes Parallel Operation' Heavenly Mechanism plan training in progress, countdown: seventy breaths...""Stealth mode activated, unleashed state activated, accelerating...""Acceleration complete!""Training complete!""Data assimilation complete!""Memory input complete!""Welcome, Six Paths of Dao Qiongcang Heavenly Mechanism. Please name the new mode..."

*Zzzzt—*

Two streaks of purple light sparked from Cao Erzhu's pupils, and the world seemed to slow down, as if he had entered a strange dimension. His face subtly transformed, taking on a hint of Dao Qiongcang's features.

Just before this moment! Without anyone noticing, when the card, an avatar of Dao Qiongcang's true form, was inserted into his chest, countless streams of information simultaneously activated and ran in parallel in the background. Important, unimportant... Desired, undesired... With Dao Qiongcang's will as the guiding principle, the parallel processing proceeded with virtually "no priorities." Indeed, there were no priorities! This was because the current data volume was not the largest he had encountered in his life; it was far, far less than what he processed when creating the Heavenly Mechanism Divine Emissary. Dao Qiongcang's simultaneous Heavenly Mechanism computational power was more than enough to deconstruct this relatively modest amount of analysis, summary, and training data. How much brainpower could a single Cao Erzhu possibly consume? The only thing Dao Qiongcang accelerated was the training of the combat model for this new physical body, searing it into memory to better contend with Cabei. And just as the evil god Cabei finished his mockery and unleashed Dreamfall Three Thousand, almost simultaneously, precisely hitting the timing, Dao Qiongcang had completed the training of the "Three Venerables Qiongcang" mode.

*Zzzt...*

Erzhu's eyes blinked. Though still purple lightning swirling, in mere seconds, the style of the electricity was no longer Cao's, but possessed a touch more flair. Dao Qiongcang held Overlord, Divine Punishment Tribulation coursed around his body, he trod upon the essence of lightning, and his mind continued its Heavenly Mechanism computations during the battle... He was still himself. Yet, he was no longer himself. The "Three Venerables Qiongcang" mode was put into live combat training!

"Boom!!!"

After the bull horn's blare, the first strike of the cross-era, trans-racial battle was a demonic arrow that pierced through space and time. Inside and out, it bore a striking resemblance to Aicangsheng... No, it was a shadow of Aicangsheng! The demonic arrow arrived in an instant, undeniably shooting fiercely towards Dao Qiongcang's face, who was in his "Three Venerables Qiongcang" form.

"Heh!" He chuckled lightly, uttering no words, yet his knees subtly bent.

*Boom—*

An earth-shattering thunderclap erupted. With just a glance, an airwave swept through the void. The extremely solidified demonic power from Cabei, the evil god's true form, on the demonic arrow, surprisingly met its match, being electrified open and shattered by the surging Divine Punishment Tribulation.

"Shattered?!" What defined a cross-era feat? What defined power comparable to ancestral might? Previously, it might have been mere speculation, thinking that some were overpraising Kuileihan by elevating "Profound Divine Thought" and "God-Slaying Power" to the same level. What was witnessed now was the prime example!

"Profound Divine Thought is truly invincible!" Xu Xiaoshou's pupils constricted, his face filled with shock, not daring to utter a sound, he continued to observe. This very first glance startled not only him but also Cabei's true form on the divine throne. His lazy sleeping posture stiffened, as if he had suddenly grown serious. His slightly open eyes seemed to hold surprise and doubt, as if wondering why he hadn't witnessed this ant's mastered power, possessing such divine might, back in the Thirty-third Heaven.

In reality... Cao Erzhu himself had no idea how strong he truly was. Because no matter what kind of opponent he believed he had faced, he had always adhered to his father's teachings: One, always hold something back. Two, never reveal the essence of lightning or Divine Punishment Tribulation. He hadn't even dared to fully unleash the essence of lightning, and since his debut, he had almost never pushed Divine Punishment Tribulation to its absolute limit. But! Dao Qiongcang had long personally witnessed the ultimate speed of Divine Punishment Tribulation's full development, and its training mode had been completed decades ago. What he was employing now was not merely extreme development; it was an over-the-top, ultra-extreme level of mastery, surpassing even that! This would inevitably come at a cost. But it was Erzhu's body that was suffering, while he himself felt immensely satisfied. With a hundred benefits and no downside for him, what did it matter?

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Time barely paused. The ancient figures following closely behind the arrow, those who hadn't cultivated body techniques or whose physical bodies couldn't keep up, had already vanished without a trace after Dao Qiongcang's mere glance in his "Three Venerables Qiongcang" mode. And at this point! The elf arrow, stripped of its demonic power, had only just pierced through the kneeling figure of Dao Qiongcang.

*Whoosh...*

Like a phantom bubble, Dao Qiongcang's afterimage dissipated. —At the instant he bent his knee, he had already, with lightning speed, moved from the Eighteenth Heaven into the space-time rift. Who said one couldn't linger in space-time rifts? Rules were always meant only for mortals. From the perspective of Dao Qiongcang, who possessed an incredibly profound understanding of combat, failing to simultaneously utilize favorable timing, geographical advantage, and harmonious human relations would simply tarnish his reputation as "unfathomable"!

"Divine Firmament Sovereign!" With a soft cry, Dao Qiongcang, within the space-time rift, summoned a magnificent lightning giant that rose from behind him. The sudden gush of massive Divine Punishment Tribulation, like an unleashed flood, showed no mercy to the body. For a moment, Cao Erzhu's muscles and flesh began to dissolve, melting directly before even a single drop of blood could flow. Yet, the Great Blessing Art descended from the heavens... The essence of lightning continuously stimulated itself... At the very edge of endurance, at a "speed" Cao Erzhu could never have imagined in his entire life, he activated his "combat mode."

"Can I... really be this strong?" Erzhu was stunned. Responding to him was the same elf arrow that had first paved the way, now shot into the space-time rift like a bone-marrow maggot. First, a burst of vigor; then, a decline; finally, exhaustion. This time, the elf arrow, having lost its demonic power, having curved more than once, and already at the end of its strength, was as insignificant as dust in Dao Qiongcang's eyes.

The most formidable power! The most intricate calculation! Never a wasted drop, a vow to counter every attack with the most precise retaliation... this was "Three Venerables Qiongcang"!

*Zzzzt.* There wasn't even an unusual sound. The electrified Overlord lightly struck, turning even space-time storms into ashes, let alone a mere elf arrow. But the arrow was only the beginning! Under the berserk effect of the charging horn, thousands of ancient figures who had endured the first wave of Divine Punishment Tribulation followed closely.

"Screech—" A Dark-eyed Falcon pierced through spiritual light, its attack directly targeting the soul.

"Hell Dao." With a dull thud, Dao Qiongcang's body seemed to sink slightly, and all his attacks became imbued with soul-piercing power. He could freely switch between Human Dao and Hell Dao—Cao Erzhu's mastery of the Six Paths was remarkably high, far exceeding expectations. But it was also the most satisfying to use!

*Zzzzt.* Again, there was no massive sound. Overlord was merely lifted slightly; upon touching the Dark-eyed Falcon, whose soul body was exceptionally formidable, it evaporated instantly, overwhelmed by Overlord's immense power and the Divine Punishment Tribulation, before any real force was even applied.

"Hmph!" The young Feathered Being let out a heavy cry, and a spear pierced through the clouds, traversing the darkness. However, upon reaching the space-time rift, it was slightly hindered by the constraints of space-time power.

*Zzzzt.* Still, there was no superfluous sound. Overlord swept towards its head; with no effort, the young Feathered Being's headless body shattered.

"Roar—" The red-eyed elf, after firing its arrows, surprisingly caught up with astounding speed. Its raised six arms—four clenched into fists, two gripping a bow—arrived right in Dao Qiongcang's face just as he shattered the Feathered Being's head.

"Boom!" An unusual sound, piercing through the space-time rift, erupted in the Eighteenth Heaven. Xu Xiaoshou witnessed "archer melee combat" for the first time—so, those capable of drawing the first offensive arrow possessed such formidable physical strength? In that case... Should Aicangsheng also possess immense physical strength? That "God-Love War" in the Divine Ruins back then—he heard they fought in close quarters. Could it be that Aicangsheng also swung his arms to pummel Shen Yi? This was truly unexpected. Xu Xiaoshou felt that if he was fortunate enough to emerge from the Divine Ruins, he would need to guard against such a move when fighting Aicangsheng.

But for now... Looking back at the battlefield, the red-eyed elf's formidable arm only slightly shook Dao Qiongcang, and that was after all his acupoints had been opened in the Eight Gates and Seven Constellations positions, and the Human Dao and Heavenly Dao of the Six Paths had been simultaneously activated. Dao Qiongcang suddenly became as colossal as the Divine Firmament Sovereign, which had yet to move behind him. The elf's punches, originally aimed at his head, now merely struck his toes.

"Thunderstorm." Overlord swept horizontally. No brute force, just relaxed grace. Yet, the space-time storm abruptly ceased, like a waterfall suddenly cut off. Immense power, enveloped in the lightning of Divine Punishment Tribulation, transformed into tens of thousands of miles of surging purple electricity as the Divine Firmament Sovereign mirrored the movement...

"Boom!!!" Power surged from the space-time rift, dyeing the Eighteenth Heaven purple with electricity. Feathered Beings, elves, dragons and phoenixes, and others... were overwhelmed and submerged in the lightning calamity. The lightning storm swept through, extending from the front lines and rolling towards the rear. Cloud Mist Spirits, Moon-Worshippers, Brush-Bearing Scholars, Penglai Immortal Witches, and others had only just remotely applied their respective powers of spirit control, moonlight, runes, and curses onto the distant "Six Paths Three Venerables Qiongcang," before even inflicting any damage...

"Boom!!!" From outside to inside, lightning chains linked up. This group of "mages" at the rear, who had not yet entered the battlefield, shattered and disintegrated under the lightning, returning to where they came from. Overlord quelled the storm, and blood flowed like a river, carrying away countless bodies. Of the thousands of ancient races, only a scattered few remained.

"Moo?" Beneath the colossal lightning storm, the few heavily armored Minotaurs who had withstood the dual assault found their red eyes clearing somewhat, and they let out a sound of surprise. But the next second, this beastman drew two axes, and its body rapidly swelled in size. Without an ounce of fear, it charged towards the Six Paths Three Venerables Qiongcang, who was now as colossal as the Divine Firmament Sovereign.

"Too slow." Not only had his combat understanding drastically increased under the Heavenly Dao mode of the Ancient Martial Arts Six Paths, but even with Dao Qiongcang's pure Heavenly Mechanism computations, this Minotaur was essentially throwing its life away. Aside from its naturally superb defense, it had no other redeeming qualities!

"Vertical chop." The silhouette of the staff plunged downwards. Amidst the crackling electric light, even the space-time rift was pulled, creating distorted ripples that followed its downward trajectory. Before the hurried parry of its twin axes, following the shadow of Overlord's staff, Divine Punishment Tribulation surged forth, providing reverse thrust. Its already extreme speed suddenly surged again!

"Boom!" The colossal lightning staff, having already accelerated, violently struck the Minotaur's head before it could parry. In that instant, the sound of helmet bursting and bones cracking nearly echoed through the heavens. Visibly, the Minotaur's massive head twisted and convulsed downwards, shattering its own neck bones, cracking its breastbone, and piercing its spine... it was utterly cleaved in two, the strike emerging directly from beneath its rear! As the charging Minotaur, twin axes raised, rushed towards the "Heavenly Dao Three Venerables Qiongcang," it split cleanly into two halves, sliding past on either side, then fell and vanished into the space-time storm, consumed by lightning.

And so, the world fell silent.

"Damn!" Xu Xiaoshou could no longer hold back a shocked exclamation, a storm of astonishment raging in his heart. This was too brutal! No, this was the dual art of "brutality" and "beauty"! Kuileihan's power, combined with Shen Yi's Overlord, was simply enhanced with special effects, transforming into Dao Qiongcang's supremely flashy style...

"How are you using this so smoothly?" Xu Xiaoshou's scalp tingled, realizing the terrifying implications upon closer thought. This should be the first time he's been possessed, my Cao Erzhu, my dear Pillar... But how much did you truly yield to Dao Qiongcang? How could he have grasped and combined Ancient Martial Arts and Divine Punishment Tribulation to this extent so swiftly upon taking over?

On the divine throne, Cabei, the evil god, was also moved as he watched his divine consciousness avatars—which he had expected to hold the opponent for at least half an hour, allowing him to test seventy to eighty percent of his abilities—now, after just one exchange, only a handful of them remained with any residual combat power. "How can this be?" In his era, no one, not even an Ancestral God, had condensed the power of "thought" to such an extent. Furthermore, he had never highly regarded this young lightning-element practitioner, who had devoted himself to ancient martial arts after that bald man, back in those days. He never imagined... "Could the might of this thought truly reach such a level?" To say it rivaled ancestral power would be no exaggeration! This Cao Yihan had surprisingly developed his own grand Dao, possessing the potential to slay a divine official like Ran Ming?

Utterly exhilarating... It was merely a small test, yet it had already dismantled the thousands of ancient races, each incredibly powerful in his memories, to this extent. It was utterly impossible for Dao Qiongcang not to feel satisfied in his heart. In his Heavenly Dao Giant form, he lightly raised his gaze, looking at the few remaining figures ahead...

*Zzzzt—* Purple lightning surged. Overlord's staff shadows, accompanied by electric light, simultaneously materialized in seven scattered positions, vertically and horizontally.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom!" In an instant, the remaining seven ancient figures exploded into a pulpy mess; even demonic power couldn't halt the lightning giant, who was now gradually revealing his berserk state.

In a blink of an eye, when Cabei on the divine throne realized something was amiss and looked up, the Heavenly Dao Three Venerables Qiongcang was already descending from the sky, holding the Divine Punishment Tribulation Overlord, delivering a vertical staff chop. The Divine Firmament Sovereign followed with a heavy punch from behind, aiming directly at the Ancestral God: "Cabei, your demise is at hand!"