Chapter 1701: All Cards Revealed

"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, what is the meaning of this?" Wang Changsheng asked with a grim expression. Shangguan Wei's actions clearly indicated a complete break, signifying her intention to settle their grievances. Wang Changsheng also wanted to kill Shangguan Wei, but only after dealing with the cultivators from the Sky-Ocean Realm. Shangguan Wei's current move was to sit back and watch them fight.

"Hmph, you think we wouldn't recognize you just because you're disguised as the Azure Lotus Couple?" Shangguan Wei sneered, her face full of sarcasm. "I heard that the Sky-Ocean Sect possesses a secret talisman that can conjure the appearance of specific cultivators. You might fool others, but you can't fool me." She knew perfectly well that the Azure Lotus Couple before her were not disguised; the Sky-Ocean Sect had no need for such elaborate tricks. She merely needed an excuse, something she could use to deflect suspicion even if the news spread. The Sky-Ocean Sect did indeed have a secret talisman that could mimic the appearance of specific cultivators, but it couldn't replicate their actual divine abilities, only their physical form. As long as she lived and the Azure Lotus Couple perished, what did it matter if others suspected? She cared only about the outcome, not the process, and certainly not others' opinions.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan's expressions darkened. They hadn't expected Shangguan Wei to concoct such a lie. "You intend to trap us with a spiritual treasure? To reap the spoils?" Wang Changsheng scoffed, his face filled with killing intent. Blinding blue light erupted from his and Wang Ruyan's bodies, and a blue cloud mass appeared out of nowhere, enveloping them.

The azure flood dragon let out a furious roar, and a fierce gale erupted around its body. The wind raged, blowing countless stones into the air and tearing up the very ground. The azure flood dragon quickly circled high above, generating a powerful airflow that transformed into an azure tornado over a thousand zhang tall, heading straight for Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan.

The Nine Nether Phoenix spread its wings, letting out a loud cry. A vast expanse of black flames surged around its body as it circled erratically high in the sky, stirring up waves of black fire. In less than five breaths, a black fire cloud several li wide appeared in the sky. The black fire cloud churned violently, like an endless river, its momentum astonishing. A piercing cry echoed through the clouds, and house-sized black fireballs shot out, making it seem as if a black meteor shower was falling from the sky.

The azure tornado suddenly halted, letting out an agonizing roar. Immediately afterward, a blue blade light over a thousand zhang long shot out from the blue cloud mass, striking directly at the seven-colored barrier. Boom! With a tremendous crash, the seven-colored spiritual light was struck by the blue blade, caving inward. The Seven-Colored Glazed Bowl wobbled and swayed.

Shangguan Wei was utterly shocked by this sight. Even two peak-fourth-tier demonic beasts trapped by the Seven-Colored Glazed Bowl couldn't shake it. Could the Azure Lotus Couple actually break through it? She poured her vast magical power into the Black Phoenix Bell and said in a mild tone, "The cultivators from the Sky-Ocean Realm invaded our Eastern Fence Realm, causing widespread devastation. Their sins are unforgivable. Fellow Daoist Wang, even if you die, you must take cultivators from the Sky-Ocean Sect with you. Don't let them off easy." She continued, "Unleash your strongest divine abilities to kill the Sky-Ocean Sect cultivators. If all else fails, self-destruct to give them a taste of their own medicine." While casting illusions to interfere with the Azure Lotus Couple, she also commanded the Nine Nether Phoenix to attack them.

Strangely, the Azure Lotus Couple did not self-detonate. Instead, a graceful pipa melody emanated from the blue cloud mass, and a silver light flew out, revealing a gigantic silver roc. Its body was enveloped by countless silver electric arcs—a peak-fourth-tier puppet beast. This puppet beast was crafted by True Man Heavenly Soldier, and Wang Changsheng had collected it with a magic treasure. After True Man Heavenly Soldier's death, Wang Changsheng had easily erased the imprint he left behind. As soon as the silver roc appeared, it flew directly toward the Nine Nether Phoenix.

Boom! Dozens of house-sized black fireballs rained down, striking the silver roc. The silver roc was engulfed by rolling black flames, but soon, a vast expanse of silver light shone within the black inferno, and the black flames abruptly dissipated. Countless silver electric arcs surged across the silver roc's body, emitting dazzling silver lightning, and it vanished in an instant.

Shangguan Wei inwardly cried out in alarm and hastily ordered the Nine Nether Phoenix to evade. At that moment, however, the Nine Nether Phoenix let out a pained shriek and plummeted from the sky. "Divine sense attack!" Shangguan Wei's expression grew even uglier. She could now confirm that the Azure Lotus Couple possessed a rare treasure that countered illusions and had also mastered divine sense attacks.

Before the Nine Nether Phoenix hit the ground, a silver lightning flash lit up the void—it was the silver roc. Lightning Evasion Art! The silver roc, crafted from the bones of a demonic bird, could unleash some of the original creature's unique divine abilities. As soon as the silver roc appeared, the silver electric arcs on its body seemed to be guided by some force, shooting directly toward the Nine Nether Phoenix.

A miserable cry from the phoenix rang out as dazzling silver lightning engulfed the Nine Nether Phoenix. A fierce wind rose, and a black light shot out from within the silver lightning, striking the silver roc, sending it flying backward. When the silver lightning dissipated, the Nine Nether Phoenix was bleeding profusely, and a burnt smell emanated from its body. A blue blade light over a thousand zhang long then shot forth. Wherever the blue blade light passed, the void trembled as if on the verge of collapse, and winds surged backward.

The Nine Nether Phoenix attempted to evade, but another sharp pain surged through its sea of consciousness. Let alone a mid-fourth-tier Nine Nether Phoenix, even Zhao Hengjiang, a perfected Nascent Soul cultivator, couldn't withstand Wang Changsheng's divine sense attacks. The blue blade light sliced the Nine Nether Phoenix in two; even its spirit couldn't escape. Shangguan Wei was both shocked and enraged. The Nine Nether Phoenix's strength was comparable to a late Nascent Soul cultivator, yet it couldn't last five breaths against the Azure Lotus Couple. She had still underestimated them.

"Elder Lei, set up the formation. Use the array to eliminate them," Shangguan Wei transmitted to Lei Yiming, her face filled with murderous intent. No matter how powerful the Azure Lotus Couple were, could they withstand a peak-fourth-tier formation?

"Sect Master, if we deploy a formation, the commotion will be too great, and it might attract cultivators from the Sky-Ocean Realm," Lei Yiming said with hesitation.

"What? Do I need to say it again?" Shangguan Wei's tone turned cold. She demanded unconditional obedience. The stronger the Azure Lotus Couple proved to be, the more uneasy she felt. Once the arrow was shot, there was no turning back. She would never regret what she had done.

Lei Yiming shivered, quickly acknowledged her command, and took out hundreds of shimmering silver array flags and dozens of array plates.

Wang Changsheng conjured the Ice Moon Ring. After emitting a blinding white light, it suddenly expanded to a hundred zhang in size, heading directly for the seven-colored barrier. Simultaneously, a blue blade light over a thousand zhang long and hazy green sound waves swept out one after another, also flying towards the seven-colored barrier. The silver roc, enveloped by countless silver electric arcs, transformed into a silver rainbow and slammed into the seven-colored barrier.

The azure flood dragon tried to attack the Azure Lotus Couple, but before it could get close, waves of excruciating pain surged through its sea of consciousness.

Boom! A tremendous roar resounded. The seven-colored barrier shattered, and the Seven-Colored Glazed Bowl flew backward, its surface showing several tiny cracks.