Chapter 920: Demon Emperor Black Dragon, Sword Slashes the Celestial Dome

The atmosphere in the arena solidified.

The Ten Era Saint Spirit Formation was unleashed but temporarily lost its sense of direction.

Rao Yaoyao couldn't locate the Golden Dragon of Fortune, and Dao Qiongcang was equally astonished that the Divine Sword Xuancang had managed to lose centuries of the Holy Spirit Temple's fortune.

Both of them froze in place, and those standing close by could tell that something was amiss.

"What's going on?" Teng Shan Hai asked, bewildered.

Rao Yaoyao and Dao Qiongcang communicated via telepathy, so outsiders had no idea about the specific developments in the battle.

On the ground, the people from Eastern Heaven King City and Yunlun Mountain Range snapped out of their frenzied state, erupting in collective cheers, loudly extolling the power and virtues of the Holy Spirit Temple.

Yet, high in the sky, the ethereal saintly projections of Rao Yaoyao and Dao Qiongcang exchanged glances, both in incredibly foul moods.

Teng Shan Hai's question went completely unanswered.

Then, a sudden sound pierced the air.

"Burp!"

A loud burp.

It came from the Holy Emperor Dragon Scale!

Rao Yaoyao's face changed drastically; she instantly turned to gaze at the black dragon scale.

Dao Qiongcang also sensed something; upon turning around, even his saintly spiritual projection began to waver and tremble, unable to maintain its form due to the immense shock.

"Cha-ga-ga-ga..."

Following the burp, a bizarre, sinister laugh seeped from the Holy Emperor Dragon Scale.

This was followed by a sinister, deep sigh, the voice laced with utmost satisfaction: "What a marvelous taste. It has been a long time since this Emperor has dined so well..."

The voice wasn't loud, yet it echoed with crystal clarity in the minds of all spirit refiners enveloped by the Ten Era Saint Spirit Formation.

Upon hearing it, the spirit refiners from Eastern Heaven King City and Yunlun Mountain Range froze, as if struck by lightning, falling into a collective stupor.

"Who!" Teng Shan Hai's pupils contracted sharply as he stared at the Holy Emperor Dragon Scale, an ominous premonition stirring within him.

A wisp of black smoke billowed forth from the Holy Emperor Dragon Scale.

In an instant, it expanded to a massive hundred zhang!

High in the sky, all the still-conscious Grand Void cultivators gazed at the sight, collectively struck with awe.

Within the swirling black smoke, a dense golden mist was visibly bound.

The golden mist appeared to be struggling violently, at times morphing into a twisted golden dragon, and at others dissipating into formless vapor, tormented by the black smoke.

"Isn't this... isn't this the Golden Dragon of Fortune that Divine Sword Xuancang just summoned?" In the very back, True Master Huang Yang's eyes widened in utter disbelief.

The Golden Dragon of Fortune... was eaten?

Can such a thing even be eaten?

"It was you all along..." Rao Yaoyao's eyes blazed with fury.

She had never conceived, nor could she comprehend, how her sword strike—wielded with the Sword of Oblivion, imbued with the power of fortune, and aimed at the seven emotions and six desires of every spirit refiner on the ground—could be intercepted midway by the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, which then successfully devoured its fortune power.

It made no sense!

"My strike clearly wasn't aimed at the dragon scale..." Rao Yaoyao gazed at Dao Qiongcang, bewildered, seeking an answer from the Palace Master Dao, who also stood among the Saints.

The Golden Dragon of Fortune was gone.

The Holy Spirit Temple had lost at least a century's worth of fortune.

This magnitude of loss, even for someone of Rao Yaoyao's standing, would be nearly impossible to bear afterwards!

"Demonic Emperor Black Dragon..."

Dao Qiongcang's saintly spiritual projection spoke, his voice now laden with gravity.

No one could have imagined that the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon's scale truly contained a wisp of its original Holy Emperor's will.

This fragment of the Holy Emperor's will was incredibly difficult to awaken.

Yet, after an elaborate scheme, it had obstinately used the Holy Spirit Temple's century of fortune to fully manifest itself.

All gain, no loss!

Rao Yaoyao was losing her composure; she couldn't bear the thought of being toyed with, and black aura instinctively began to manifest in her eyes.

Seeing the Golden Dragon of Fortune still struggling within the black smoke, she thought that if an external force were to intervene now, a portion of the Holy Spirit Temple's fortune power might still be reclaimed.

Even if it was just ten percent, she would be significantly less accountable afterwards!

With this thought, Rao Yaoyao no longer hesitated. She lunged forward, Divine Sword Xuancang in hand, and charged.

"You dare to mock me!"

The black smoke and dragon scale seemed startled, not daring to directly challenge the Sword Immortal's might, and retreated at lightning speed.

Rao Yaoyao pressed her advantage, raising Divine Sword Xuancang, and another surge of fortune power erupted...

"Enough!"

Just then, a thunderous crack echoed through the clear sky, and a voice filled with saintly wrath jolted Rao Yaoyao out of her frenzied state.

"Haven't we lost enough fortune already?" Dao Qiongcang's reprimand resonated in her ears. "Look closely: the Golden Dragon of Fortune has already been completely devoured. Everything you're seeing is an illusion!"

Rao Yaoyao abruptly stopped, as if struck by a sudden realization.

The realization sent a chill down her spine, drenching her back in cold sweat.

When she opened her eyes to look again, sure enough, the black smoke emanating from the dragon scale in the distant sky was entirely different from what she had perceived earlier.

There was no struggling golden mist bound within the black smoke.

There was no Golden Dragon of Fortune that felt as though it could break free and return to the embrace of Divine Sword Xuancang at any moment.

The hundred-zhang black smoke before her had already fully coalesced into the form of a black dragon: ferocious, sinister, and utterly malevolent!

"So, it was already gone..." Rao Yaoyao's red lips parted in stunned silence, dumbfounded.

She finally understood: after that burp, the Golden Dragon of Fortune had already been fully consumed.

Everything she saw afterwards was merely an illusion conjured by the Holy Emperor's phantom power of the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, designed to make her suffer further losses after an initial setback.

"Crack."

Rao Yaoyao's fingers clenched tightly around the hilt of Divine Sword Xuancang, her knuckles cracking audibly.

She was furious.

What a cunning and malicious being!

One successful scheme followed another. If Dao Qiongcang hadn't been watching, influenced by the Holy Emperor's power, she might have foolishly poured all the remaining fortune power within Divine Sword Xuancang into the illusion, incurring even greater losses.

"Cha-ga-ga-ga..."

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon's phantom laughed mockingly again, its words dripping with sarcasm: "You youngsters are truly rather unlovable. When honoring your elders, how can you offer only the main course and no dessert after the meal?"

Its words ceased, and its dragon head twitched.

"Burp!"

It let out another satisfied burp...

Rao Yaoyao's heart quivered with rage.

What audacity!

It had manifested by consuming the Holy Spirit Temple's fortune power, yet it still sought to devour more.

If you succeed, I will surely face utter destruction!

By this point, the spirit refiners from Eastern Heaven King City and Yunlun Mountain Range had recovered from the initial shock of the Holy Emperor's voice. Each of them stared up at the sky, eyes wide with horror.

High above the sky.

On one side stood Dao Qiongcang's saintly spiritual projection, formed from clouds and mist, its outline indistinct, yet towering high enough to touch the heavens.

On the other side, shrouded in black smoke, coiled the Holy Emperor's phantom five-clawed black dragon, a colossal hundred zhang in size, spiraling nine times in the air.

The Demi-Saint phantom cast its gaze downward, seemingly looking with disdain upon the five-clawed black dragon.

Yet, the five-clawed black dragon raised its scarlet eyes, a mocking glint within them, as if it could effortlessly stir up storms and toy with all beings in the world.

—An even match!

"What... what is this..."

The spirit refiners were dumbfounded; the Demi-Saint phantom alone was already an astonishing sight.

And this five-clawed black dragon that suddenly appeared—what kind of creature was it?

Judging by their conversation, it seemed Sword Immortal Rao and Palace Master Dao's saintly spiritual projections had even been outsmarted by this five-clawed black dragon?

"Holy Emperor?"

Someone, eyes wide with disbelief, uttered a word no one had anticipated: "Holy Emperor?" Then, with a sudden bewildered expression, they asked, "What exactly is this five-clawed black dragon? What level of cultivation does it possess?"

"Above Demi-Saint, right?"

"To me, this is definitely a Holy Emperor incarnate... Uh, what was I going to say? Right, it's definitely above the Demi-Saint level!"

Whispers rippled across the ground.

Everyone was discussing the five-clawed black dragon and the Demi-Saint phantom.

What they witnessed today would provide spirit refiners with countless topics of conversation for years to come.

A confrontation at the Saint level—something an ordinary person might never witness in a lifetime!

High above the sky.

After the initial fright, Rao Yaoyao, having entrusted the battle to Dao Qiongcang, had retreated to the rear alongside Teng Shan Hai, True Master Huang Yang, and the others.

The ensuing battle was clearly beyond their participation.

Dao Qiongcang's saintly spiritual projection showed a noticeable fluctuation in emotion only at the exact moment the Golden Dragon of Fortune was devoured; immediately afterwards, he regained his composure.

"Demonic Emperor Black Dragon, you should be aware of the Void Island's inner rules: the more powerful one's cultivation realm, the harder it is to escape."

"This Saint doesn't know what great price you paid to send a wisp of your remnant consciousness back to the Holy Spirit Continent, but even though you devoured the Golden Dragon of Fortune, I won't need the Ten Era Saint Spirit Formation to deal with you..."

"How long can this wisp of your remnant consciousness persist?"

Dao Qiongcang spoke, shaking his head, and his saintly spiritual projection gradually solidified, transforming into a white-robed man of ethereal and immortal bearing.

In his left hand, he held a Si Nan compass, as if cradling a world. With his right index finger and thumb, he lightly tapped and formed hand seals, as if locking the stars and the universe with his very touch.

The pointer of the Si Nan subtly rotated.

With every subtle movement, vast fluctuations of saintly power rippled outward, completely isolating the ordinary spirit refiners on the ground from the holy sounds and the malevolent influence emanating from the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon.

"Cha-ga-ga-ga!"

The five-clawed black dragon cackled sinisterly, then trembled in the void, transforming into a man in black scale armor. Dragon horns sprouted from his head, scale patterns subtly adorned his face, and black lightning flickered within his scarlet eyes.

"Indeed, even your voice is full of provocation..."

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon licked its lower lip, then its scarlet eyes fixed on Dao Qiongcang, sneering: "If this Emperor isn't mistaken, you're the pompous little Daoist he spoke of, the top dog of the younger generation on the Holy Spirit Continent, what was your name again... Dao Qiongcang?"

Dao Qiongcang's expression remained unchanged. He calmly stated, "So, none of this was your scheme, but his?"

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon's scarlet eyes widened, and it retorted, "What scheme? And who is 'he'?"

"Heh."

Dao Qiongcang chuckled softly, a look of knowing relief dawning on his face, and he slowly recounted:

"First, by having the Void Island fissures erupt treasures twice, causing Red Robe to drop her guard. Then, using Yi's death as a pretext, forcing Red Robe to constantly shuttle back and forth, exhausting her."

"Next, through internal and external collusion, after uncovering the secrets of Red Robe's 'Seventy-Two Section Dragon Essence Array,' your dragon scale—secretly containing a wisp of Holy Emperor's remnant consciousness—was sent out, along with the Demonic Sword Myriad Weapons Demon Lord, to lure Ai Cang Sheng into making a move."

"Myriad Weapons Demon Lord's sword strike against the arrow of the Evil Sin Bow forced out this Saint's prepared countermeasure. Then, by draining the demonic sword of its last remnant power, it bought time, delaying the Ten Era Saint Spirit Formation's attack and allowing your dragon scale to breathe and hatch."

"Finally, using Cang Sheng as bait to force Rao Yaoyao's hand, you had already laid your trap. Using the black dragon power hidden within the spirit refiners' bodies, you divided and consumed the Golden Dragon of Fortune, consolidating its power within the dragon scale, thereby allowing your remnant consciousness to successfully hatch and manifest."

Dao Qiongcang smiled faintly, calmly stating, "Is this Saint's summation correct?"

Behind him, a flash of realization seemed to electrify Rao Yaoyao's mind, and she suddenly understood.

All the intricate twists and turns, the ultimate goal was to hatch the Holy Emperor's remnant consciousness. So, all previous successes and failures were merely pretense?

So...

This was a "scheme within a scheme within a scheme!"

Teng Shan Hai, however, was utterly bewildered by it all.

Even with Dao Qiongcang's explanation, he struggled to discern what was real and what was feigned.

Gazing at the Demonic Sword Myriad Weapons Demon Lord, Teng Shan Hai vaguely recalled the demonic sword letting out a mournful cry after being sealed by Palace Master Dao... Was that real or fake? Could a sword truly cooperate?

Then, looking at Rao Yaoyao, Teng Shan Hai felt a shock.

Rao Yaoyao had actively cooperated in sending out the Golden Dragon of Fortune... Was that real or fake? Wasn't she on their side?

And Palace Master Dao!

Palace Master Dao clearly seemed aware of the opponent's entire plan, yet he didn't stop it. Instead, he cooperated in its execution. What exactly was he playing at?

Was he only going to explain things *after* they happened?

If he wasn't the enigmatic Dao Qiongcang from before, any excuse would be meaningless, wouldn't it?

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon was equally stirred and astonished by Dao Qiongcang's calm recounting.

This pompous little Daoist, he shouldn't be one of us, should he? How could he know the plan so intimately?

But if he wasn't, could such a "tactic" be deduced through mere intellect?

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon pondered, getting nowhere. Its scarlet eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing, and it concluded: "Humans, their hearts truly are tainted!"

Dao Qiongcang's lips curved upward as he continued to form hand seals. "Where is Ba Zun An? Call him out. If you truly had the intellect to devise such a plan, the Void Island's inner sanctum wouldn't be able to contain you."

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon erupted in fury: "Are you mocking this Emperor?"

"You could interpret it that way..." Dao Qiongcang took a step forward, each stride seemingly conjuring a lotus.

His fingers shifted through hand seals, slowly and deliberately. "You could even interpret it as disdain, mockery, contempt... Oh, I forgot you aren't highly cultivated. To put it simply, this Saint looks down on you!"

"ROAR—"

The Demonic Emperor Black Dragon raised its head, a deafening roar erupting, black dragon breath hissing from its nostrils. Its eyes blazing scarlet, it roared, "In the presence of this Emperor, no one stands as a Saint!"

With an outstretched hand.

The Demonic Sword Myriad Weapons Demon Lord, which had been bound by the Ten Era Saint Spirit Formation, suddenly erupted with a clangorous sword cry. Its light chains shattered, and the demonic sword flew, landing directly into the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon's palm.

"With one strike, I'll cleave you!"

All the spectators outside were horrified, never imagining that a grand battle was about to erupt.

This was a Holy Emperor's strike against a Demi-Saint. Judging by Palace Master Dao's gestures, he should have been prepared; surely he wouldn't be instantly killed, would he?

Rao Yaoyao's heart was also gripped by anxiety.

She found it hard to comprehend. How could Dao Qiongcang, famed for his Heavenly Secrets Arts but relatively weaker in physical strength, dare to approach the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon—a creature renowned for its physical might—alone and so closely?

Even if facing only a wisp of the Holy Emperor's remnant consciousness, Dao Qiongcang shouldn't be so overconfident...

As she pondered, she saw Dao Qiongcang's saintly spiritual projection cease its hand seals and gently swipe forward with its right hand.

"Thump. Thump."

Two distinct sounds echoed.

Everyone assumed Dao Qiongcang had already prepared a Heavenly Secrets Killing Array, ready to counterattack the moment the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon's sword descended.

Unexpectedly, with that casual swipe, Dao Qiongcang merely manifested two bloody objects before himself.

Heart?

And... a gall bladder?

Everyone was bewildered, failing to grasp the meaning.

Dao Qiongcang raised his gaze, calmly smiling as he awaited the Demonic Emperor Black Dragon's descending sword. He pointed to the two objects before him, his voice as serene as ever: "This is 'a bear's heart,' and this is 'a leopard's gall.'"

He paused, watching as the demonic sword descended, almost touching the crown of his head. Only then did his eyes gleam with sharpness as he slowly, deliberately, enunciated:

"This Saint gives you the 'bear's heart and leopard's gall,' and I wager that with this sword, you dare not strike!"