Chapter 1802: Shangguan Tianhong vs Sun Tianhu

The East-Hedge Realm, Burial Immortal Sea.

Hundreds of cultivators patrolled high in the sky, led by three Nascent Soul cultivators. Everyone wore a grim expression; the dissipation of the Spirit-Depleting Qi presented a tremendous threat.

Fortunately, for unknown reasons, the Tianlan Sect cultivators had not yet emerged from the Burial Immortal Sea.

East-Hedge Island, Council Hall.

Sun Tianhu, Liu Ruyi, Baili E, and Feng Li were deep in discussion.

“It’s strange,” Sun Tianhu said with a frown. “The Spirit-Depleting Qi in the Burial Immortal Sea has dissipated for over two months, yet there’s no sign of the Tianlan Sect cultivators. Fellow Daoist Feng, have your scouts sent into the Burial Immortal Sea returned with any news?” Sun Tianhu had dispatched messages to several Spirit Transformation cultivators when the Spirit-Depleting Qi showed signs of dispersal, inviting them to the Burial Immortal Sea to confront the Tianlan Sect. The Qi had indeed dissipated, but the absence of Tianlan Sect cultivators was puzzling.

“The Burial Immortal Sea is a natural magnetic field,” Feng Li sighed. “Ordinary demonic beasts cannot penetrate its depths. Only the Ice Ape clan and the Flood Dragon clan are capable of entering. However, they haven’t sent back any messages so far. Either they’ve been killed, or they’re trapped by restrictions.” She added that cultivators’ divine sense was severely limited in the Burial Immortal Sea, and demonic beasts were no exception. It was inherently difficult to venture deep into the sea, let alone locate the Tianlan Sect cultivators. This was a mission with a slim chance of survival. While the Ice Ape clan and Flood Dragon clan had indeed sent individuals to carry out the task, it was hard to say how diligently they performed it.

“Do you think it’s possible that all the Tianlan Sect cultivators have died?” Liu Ruyi put forth a bold hypothesis. It wasn’t impossible; trapped by the Spirit-Depleting Qi for over a century, cultivators would find it extremely difficult to survive without their spiritual power.

“That’s not necessarily true,” Baili E began. “If they were properly prepared, surviving for several centuries wouldn’t be an issue. After all, they came prepared and must have anticipated the outbreak of Spirit-Depleting Qi, surely having made contingency plans...” Before Baili E could finish, a loud alarm blared, and several communication talismans flew into the hall.

Sun Tianhu crushed a communication talisman. A panicked male voice suddenly rang out: “Grandmaster Sun, this is bad! The Tianlan Sect cultivators have burst out of the Burial Immortal Sea, led by more than ten Spirit Transformation cultivators!”

“More than ten Spirit Transformation cultivators!” Sun Tianhu and the other three exchanged glances, their expressions turning grim.

“Whether it’s good fortune or calamity, we can’t avoid it,” Sun Tianhu said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go out and see, and try to stall for as much time as possible while we wait for other fellow Daoists to arrive.” He transformed into a streak of light and flew out. Liu Ruyi and the other two quickly followed.

A dragon boat, shimmering with a faint blue light, carried over a thousand cultivators. Leading them was Shangguan Tianhong, with Lei Yunbin and others standing by his side. True Monarch Qianhu was also present.

This time, Shangguan Tianhong had seemingly mobilized all his forces. He had nearly plundered all the cultivation resources from the Tianlan Realm, and he had no intention of returning from this expedition.

Shangguan Tianhong possessed three Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures: one for defense, one for offense, and one for flight, making him virtually invincible.

Sun Tianhu and the three others hovered high in the sky, their expressions tense.

“Shangguan Tianhong! Sect Master of Tianlan Sect, you’ve come personally!” Sun Tianhu exclaimed with some surprise upon seeing him.

They had captured many Tianlan Sect cultivators and made them draw portraits of the sect’s high-ranking members, including Shangguan Tianhong’s.

“Beast Isle, Fellow Daoist Sun,” Shangguan Tianhong said with a dismissive smile and a flat tone. “I’ve heard much about your esteemed reputation, and I finally get to meet you in person. Is it just the four of you Spirit Transformation cultivators?”

If it weren’t for his intention to unite with the East-Hedge Realm to attack the Thousand Gourd Realm, he would have already attacked. The Nascent Soul cultivators of the East-Hedge Realm wouldn’t have even had time to send a warning.

“It seems an exceptionally fierce battle is unavoidable today,” Sun Tianhu said gravely. “Allow this old man to experience your divine abilities.” He understood that to catch the bandits, one must first catch their leader. If they didn’t show the Tianlan Sect cultivators some strength, the four of them would face a grim outcome today.

“Very well, I’d also like to see what divine abilities Fellow Daoist Sun possesses,” Shangguan Tianhong replied with a hearty laugh, agreeing to the challenge.

With his three Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures, he naturally had no fear of Sun Tianhu.

Sun Tianhu and Shangguan Tianhong simultaneously ascended to the high sky, separating by a thousand zhang.

Sun Tianhu flicked his wrist. A loud tiger roar echoed as a silver light shot out from a spirit beast bead, transforming into a massive tiger with two pairs of silver fleshy wings on its back. This was the fifth-tier spirit beast, the Thunderwing Blazing Tiger, Sun Tianhu’s innate spirit beast.

He flicked his sleeve, and a shimmering small pagoda shot out. He chanted an incantation, and a deafening beast roar erupted as the pagoda’s size rapidly expanded. Various demonic beast patterns appeared on its body; it was precisely the Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure, the Myriad Demon Pagoda.

Facing the Tianlan Realm’s foremost expert, Sun Tianhu dared not be careless.

Shangguan Tianhong was enveloped in a shimmering golden barrier, his expression cold and indifferent.

He flicked his wide sleeve, and nine red lights flew out. They were nine exquisite small red mirrors, floating in the void.

He chanted an incantation, and countless red runes appeared on the surfaces of the nine small red mirrors. Dense red light shot out, transforming into tens of thousands of crimson fireballs, so numerous they blotted out the sky.

Tens of thousands of crimson fireballs hurtled towards Sun Tianhu. Before they even reached him, a scorching wave of heat washed over, causing large amounts of seawater to evaporate.

Sun Tianhu dared not be careless. He struck the Myriad Demon Pagoda with an incantation. The pagoda immediately emitted an extremely piercing bird cry, and a peacock, completely enveloped in a faint blue light, appeared on its body.

The peacock fiercely flapped its wings, suddenly coming to life and flying off the pagoda’s body. The blue peacock flapped its wings, whipping up gusts of strong wind that caused the calm sea surface to churn violently, creating monstrous waves.

The strong winds and towering waves collided with the crimson fireballs, erupting in powerful shockwaves.

Above Sun Tianhu’s head, the void rippled, and a massive golden hand, over a hundred zhang in size, appeared out of nowhere. Composed of countless golden flames, the hand radiated an astonishing wave of heat.

Reacting quickly, he flipped his palm, and a shimmering blue short ruler appeared in his hand. With a gentle wave, countless blue seawater droplets materialized out of thin air, forming a thick blue water column that surged towards the golden hand.

The golden hand clashed with the blue water column, generating a powerful shockwave and simultaneously emitting a large amount of white mist.

Before the white mist could dissipate, a hot wind suddenly blew from behind Sun Tianhu. A crimson flame appeared out of thin air and, after blurring, transformed into Shangguan Tianhong’s figure.

Shangguan Tianhong’s back now sported a pair of shimmering red feathered wings, emitting astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations. These were the Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasure, the Wind-Fire Wings.

He had used the Wind-Fire Wings to instantly teleport behind Sun Tianhu, clearly intending to end the battle swiftly.

In his hand, he held a shimmering golden great axe, which he swung down towards Sun Tianhu.

Just then, Sun Tianhu’s innate spirit beast, the Thunderwing Blazing Tiger, let out a roar. Countless crimson electrical arcs erupted from its body, striking towards Shangguan Tianhong.

A rumbling thunder echoed, and the blinding lightning enveloped Shangguan Tianhong.