Chapter 1611: Self-Destruction of the Transformation God

In the Eastern Wilderness, amidst a continuous stretch of verdant green mountains, tens of thousands of cultivators were engaged in an intense battle with hundreds of thousands of demonic beasts, and deafening roars echoed. The cultivators were divided into multiple teams, either controlling magic formations or deploying battle arrays to combat the demonic beasts. Demonic beasts, vast in number, had their high-level members entangled by high-level cultivators. Though individually no match for the cultivators, their sheer numbers allowed them to hold their ground, resulting in a stalemate. Over a hundred high-level cultivators were clashing in the sky. Various spirit-imbued treasures, shimmering with light, collided, unleashing powerful energy surges.

Wang Qingshan's expression was cold. His nine Azure Glaze Swords had trapped a burly, red-clothed youth. The youth, with thick eyebrows and large eyes, had bulging muscles all over his body, exuding a wild, untamed aura. The red-clothed youth's true form was a mid-grade fourth-tier Golden-Patterned Fiery Bear. It possessed immense strength, thick hide, and tough flesh, making it impervious even to late Nascent Soul cultivators.

The nine Azure Glaze Swords transformed into nine streaks of azure light, circling the red-clothed youth erratically. The red-clothed youth saw only afterimages. His hands flared with a dazzling red light, transforming into furry bear paws. He swiped at the surrounding afterimages. With dull clangs, sparks flew. He glanced at his palms, where the skin had been scraped.

Enraged, the red-clothed youth opened his mouth and spewed out a hazy red sound wave, sending it toward the void in front of him. A loud rumble followed! With several dull thuds, the nine azure sword lights were sent flying back. The red sound wave shot directly towards Wang Qingshan.

Wang Qingshan remained calm. The hum of swords intensified, and his nine Azure Glaze Swords burst forth with blinding azure light. After a blur, they coalesced into a single entity, transforming into an azure flood dragon with a wide mouth and fangs. It lunged towards the red sound wave.

With a massive crash, the red sound wave shattered. The azure flood dragon reached the red-clothed youth. The red-clothed youth swung his massive paws, striking the azure flood dragon. The azure flood dragon instantly burst apart, releasing countless sharp azure sword qi. These successively slashed the red-clothed youth, producing clanging sounds of metal striking metal. The azure sword qi seemed to strike an impenetrable copper wall and iron barrier.

A loud dragon roar reverberated, as a hundred-zhang-long azure sword dragon swooped in. As it moved, it created continuous sonic booms and rolling energy waves. The red-clothed youth was startled. He slapped his right palm toward the void opposite him. A red light flashed, and a red bear paw, over ten zhang in size, flew out, striking the azure sword dragon. After a series of rumbling explosions, the azure sword dragon was shattered, transforming into sword qi that scattered in all directions.

The hum of swords intensified. Nine azure sword lights shot in from all directions. This time, the nine azure sword lights were even faster. The red-clothed youth could only continuously swing his paws, striking out in all directions. Demonic beasts prioritize cultivating their physical bodies, playing to their strengths and avoiding their weaknesses. With dull clangs, sparks flew. The red-clothed youth's palms each had a dozen or so tiny blood marks.

Wang Qingshan snorted coldly. His sword incantation changed, and the hum of swords resonated throughout the heavens and earth, clear for all to hear. The nine azure sword lights blurred, transforming into nine massive azure flood dragon heads. With gaping maws, they lunged at the red-clothed youth from all directions. Terrified, the red-clothed youth opened his mouth. A chasm-like fissure flew out, transforming into a red-glowing shield that spun continuously around him.

With a massive roar, the red shield was torn to shreds by the nine azure flood dragon heads. The nine azure flood dragon heads then bit into the red-clothed youth's body, and pulled forcefully. An excruciating scream ripped through the air. The red-clothed youth disintegrated into a shower of blood, and a mini bear flew out, soaring towards the distant horizon.

Wang Qingshan flicked two fingers, and an azure sword light shot forth. His sword incantation changed again, and the nine azure flood dragon heads reverted to nine hazy azure flying swords, releasing thousands of azure sword qi that slashed towards the mini bear. Just then, a white light suddenly flared. It was an egg-sized white treasure bead, emitting a soft white radiance that enveloped and protected the mini bear.

"Daoist Friend Wang, long time no see! Your divine abilities have grown considerably!" A melodious female voice suddenly rang out. A streak of white light flew from the distance and stopped near the mini bear. The white light receded, revealing Bai Ling'er's figure.

"Bai Ling'er, you're not dead?" Wang Qingshan looked utterly bewildered. This entire conflict was supposedly triggered by Bai Ling'er's death. Yet, Bai Ling'er was alive and well. Why would the demonic race launch a counter-attack against humanity? After all, there was little benefit for the demonic race in doing so. The cultivation worlds of the Northern Frontier and Southern Sea wouldn't simply stand by and watch. If the Eastern Wilderness demonic race and the Six Great Immortal Sects fought to a mutual ruin, and the Northern Frontier and Southern Sea cultivation worlds intervened, the demonic race would be in grave trouble.

Bai Ling'er smiled charmingly, saying, "Oh? Does Daoist Friend Wang wish me dead?"

"Your life and death are irrelevant to me. I have no interest." Wang Qingshan's tone was flat.

"Stop! Cease fighting, all of you! Retreat! All cultivators, halt your actions!" A majestic male voice suddenly boomed, echoing for tens of thousands of miles around. A loud wolf howl rang out, and the demonic cultivators exchanged bewildered glances.

"The Ancestor has given the order: full retreat!" Bai Ling'er's voice was not loud, yet every demonic beast heard it clearly.

The high-ranking members of both the human and demonic races were utterly bewildered. Wang Qingshan, too, had no idea what was happening. Just moments ago, they were locked in a fight to the death. Now, a ceasefire? Wang Qingshan sheathed his flying swords and flew back to the human camp.

Inside a palace adorned with green bricks and glazed tiles, over thirty Nascent Soul cultivators were gathered. They exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes full of confusion. None of them knew the reason for the withdrawal. So many cultivators had died or been wounded. How could a ceasefire suddenly be declared, without the slightest warning?

Just then, a middle-aged Daoist priest, clad in purple robes, walked in. He was tall, with a square face, brows that reached his temples, and eyes like daggers, exuding a sharp, formidable aura. This was Li Yunluo, an early Soul Transformation cultivator, hailing from the Shangqing Temple.

"Disciples (Juniors) pay respects to Martial Uncle Li (Senior Li)." Wang Qingshan and the other cultivators promptly bowed, their expressions respectful. Li Yunluo's figure flickered, and he instantly appeared in the main seat. He sat down, while the other cultivators remained standing, not daring to take their seats.

"We've just received urgent news," he began, "people from other realms intend to invade our Dongli Realm. This great calamity is likely related to this. We don't yet know which realm's cultivators they are. If we continue to fight among ourselves, it will only benefit these foreign cultivators. Issue orders: without my command, no cultivator is to launch an offensive. Violators will be severely punished without leniency." Li Yunluo's gaze swept over the assembled cultivators as he issued his solemn command.

"Yes, Martial Uncle Li (Senior Li)," the cultivators responded in unison.

Wang Qingshan was still somewhat confused. Why would Bai Ling'er fake her death? Could this entire war have been a performance for cultivators from other realms? What was the purpose? To deliberately lure foreign cultivators into invading? Were Soul Transformation cultivators using the other cultivators as pawns, orchestrating a trap for foreign cultivators?

***

Central Plains, Fallen Immortal Cave.

An earth-shattering boom resonated, as a dazzling blue light engulfed an area hundreds of miles in circumference. The force was terrifying. Some cultivators caught in the aftershocks instantly disintegrated into a shower of blood. Zhou Xingguo, Liu Xiuyun, and Niu Kun all looked pale, exchanging bewildered glances.

"They actually self-detonated to break the Ten Directions Demon Extermination Array! What audacity!" Zhou Xingguo stated solemnly. The foreign cultivators had suffered heavy casualties under their siege. A Soul Transformation cultivator had self-detonated, destroying two array cores.

Within the blue light, a streak of silver light flared, shooting directly towards the horizon. "Trying to escape! Stay where you are!" Zhou Xingguo roared. Before he could make a move, an ear-splitting bird cry echoed, and a colossal azure peacock lunged at them. The azure peacock had lost a good portion of its tail feathers, and its body was marred with many bloodstains.

"Oh no, this creature might self-detonate! Quick, get away!" Zhou Xingguo's face contorted in alarm. He was greatly startled, as the power of a self-detonating Soul Transformation cultivator was immense. He certainly didn't dare to take it head-on. The three quickly dodged. The azure peacock's body suddenly flared with a brilliant azure light, then dissolved into a gust of clear wind and vanished.

The next moment, the azure peacock reappeared above a mountain range a hundred miles away. The moment it appeared, countless thick beams of light shot up from the ground, blocking the azure peacock's escape route. Within an area spanning a hundred thousand miles, various magical lights flared, forming elaborate arrays. With a series of rumbling explosions, a fourth-tier array proved incapable of trapping a fifth-tier demonic fowl. The azure peacock powerfully flapped its wings, sending countless azure wind blades streaking out in all directions. A chorus of screams erupted as hundreds of cultivators were sliced into mincemeat by the dense azure wind blades. Dozens of mountain peaks were shattered to dust.