Chapter 713: War's Instantaneous Moment

Indeed, unlike the concealed power sources of the nine spatial orifices, a world's energy flowing through Emperor Qi's body as a blood-based power core means that simply by draining his blood, he would be rendered powerless.

Yet, the very energy from the flesh and blood of countless deceased gods, Heavenly Emperors, and sentient beings is arguably the world's most potent natural treasure. Flowing through his veins, it nourishes his body, enabling him to thoroughly begin cultivating the martial arts discipline.

At this moment, within the Inner World of the Mother Earth Goddess, countless powerful deities were astonished, as if struck by a massive tsunami."So, cultivating martial arts again was also part of Emperor Qi's plan?""Such tactical brilliance in combat?""No wonder he could defeat stronger opponents; it's simply astounding!""It's no surprise that, back then, ancient and formidable beings like the Mother Earth Goddess, Dao Changsheng, Ancestral Witch, God-Slaying Heavenly Emperor, Sky-Severing Heavenly Emperor, and Azure Emperor were almost single-handedly defeated by this ancient, mythical emperor!""How utterly ruthless! To kill the beings of an entire world, use their souls as internal furnaces to provide power through their lingering spiritual essence, and their flesh and blood as heavenly treasures for martial arts cultivation—it's an ultimate maximization of resources!""Emperor Qi and the Three Pillar Gods are truly of the same ilk; for them, the lives of an era are merely energy to be consumed!"Everyone's faces were aghast. They understood that such a vast amount of energy, if used for martial arts cultivation, could instantly propel one to a formidable level, indeed significantly boosting defensive power.

It's important to note that martial arts and the Pangu True Body are fundamentally incompatible. Why? Because martial arts require an enormous amount of resources. Typically, practitioners of the Nine Turns Profound Art maintain a normal body size, which indeed doubles their defensive power within that smaller form. However, when one transforms into the giant Pangu True Body, it becomes a newly formed exoskeleton of flesh and blood. This new, delicate flesh, having not undergone martial arts training, is naturally extremely vulnerable. But without expanding the body, the "power output" from the enormous world-furnace, containing over ten billion inhabitants, would be insufficient—much like attaching a super-powered aircraft carrier reactor to a small electric scooter. There would be a massive energy surplus, and only by expanding the body can the advantages of the world-furnace be fully maximized. This is precisely why one must enter the second combat form of the Pangu True Body.

"Expanding one's body means a reduction in defensive power, as the new form hasn't been trained in martial arts... and training such a colossal body also demands an immense amount of energy," Dao Changsheng murmured, his expression subtly shifting. "But now, Emperor Qi has detonated the power core, and the energy of an entire world is sufficient—enough to steep this body's defenses in peerless elixirs, cultivate martial arts, and elevate its strength completely!"

"He's a lunatic! That's the lives of an entire world!" Armin nervously pursed her lips. Such a world-shaking feat, built upon millennia of accumulation, was something she felt utterly incapable of achieving.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!A cacophony of crackling bones and resonating muscles erupted within Emperor Qi's gigantic body. His entire being blazed like a fiery furnace, as if he had transformed into an ancient sun, radiating an aura of boundless might.

At this moment, the Three Pillar Gods' expressions utterly transformed."It's an absolute waste! To forcibly elevate himself like this, in such a frenzied surge, who knows how much energy he's squandered!""Is he going to consume it all himself, forcibly wasting it, leaving not a single shred for us?"

The Three Pillar Gods' expressions had utterly changed. How could they not know about martial arts? In fact, they had even discovered a method to cultivate the Nine Turns Profound Art! While they couldn't fully integrate it, their computational power allowed them to instantly replicate and learn it, implanting nine spatial orifices within their bodies, much like Caroline, to cultivate a pseudo-Nine Turns Profound Art. This was a straightforward process, but... energy was simply too scarce! They had no energy at all to practice a new cultivation method. Furthermore, this was not the time for them to cultivate other techniques; they were currently only one-thousandth full. They were like a traveler dying of thirst in the desert—any available energy would allow them to crush their opponent.

A clever housewife cannot cook without rice."It's hard to imagine such an unforeseen variable..."The Three Pillar Gods' expressions utterly changed as they watched Emperor Qi suddenly halt.

As a weak Ninth-Order being, slaughtering a world to acquire energy was a trivial matter! Even if Heaven-defying experts banded together, they might not be able to resist. And even if they could, the Pillar Gods wouldn't need to engage in a direct fight; they could first consume the sentient beings, replenish their energy, and then easily eliminate the experts. However, they never anticipated the "safe mode" offered by the Nine Turns Profound Art; it was incredibly stifling! This unique, native cultivation method of the Six Realms—the Nine Turns Profound Art—allowed one to carry an entire world within their body while fleeing.

Who could have possibly devised such a method?

"Three Pillar Gods, do you finally understand the suffering I endured in those days?" Emperor Qi offered a faint smile, his hands clasped behind his back. "Back then, I, too, felt immense frustration! I, too, felt utterly humiliated! When I descended, the entire world seemed to have been completely emptied by a despicable band of brigands! It was a desolate wasteland, not a single blade of grass, as if locusts had swept through, leaving not even a flower or a plant for me..."

Emperor Qi mused, the expression in his eyes as though he were idly conversing with a like-minded old friend after a meal. "Those were individuals whose thinking far surpassed the norm, for they pioneered such a brazen cultivation technique!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!As Emperor Qi spoke, in the very next second, his defense not only surged due to his cultivation of the Nine Turns Profound Art but he also began to unlock his "genetic lock," entering a berserk flesh-and-blood state, further multiplying his defensive power severalfold.

"Hmm? Planning to make a move? You certainly won't be able to kill me instantly now. Why not sit down and have a drink with me? Let's discuss matters of state! Talk about the progress of civilization! We can establish friendly diplomatic ties with my Primordial Heavenly Court, and perhaps I can observe your physical body more closely for some in-depth exchange..."

Boom! Boom! Boom!The Three Pillar Gods brandished their three swords, manifesting a furious whirlwind.Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Barbarians from beyond the domain, still unrefined indeed!" Emperor Qi let out a boisterous laugh, instantly retaliating as his cultivation realm surged. Their figures intertwined in an instant, but Emperor Qi continued to bleed profusely, steadily pushed back.

Even Xu Zhi's expression shifted. Emperor Qi, having cultivated demon cores, dragon veins, and various other enhancements, now possessed an aura akin to that of Xu Zhi's own Reincarnation Prefect."Emperor Qi is truly Emperor Qi," Xu Zhi remarked with an admiring gaze. "He is indeed the world's most formidable and peerless prodigy. The Zerg sub-brain once stated that others merely had the potential to become Zerg heroes, but Emperor Qi was fated to become one. Previously, he was too far behind and couldn't keep pace with the era, but now he has also learned from me, cultivating countless system-based techniques. Perhaps, at the same cultivation level, two Emperor Qis could already contend with me."Xu Zhi secretly pondered, "Of course, that's assuming he doesn't secretly learn my own methods."

How powerful was the Reincarnation Prefect? At the same cultivation level, even Yun Dì Dū, who had merged countless talents, was no match. Emperor Qi had only mastered half of what was available; Xu Zhi, on the other hand, possessed the bloodlines of all races, True Qi bloodline, Death God's Immortality, and a variety of other top-tier, genuine cultivation methods, which represented the grand unification of countless systems within the entire sandbox civilization! Therefore, the Reincarnation Prefect remained the strongest at their current cultivation level.

The Three Pillar Gods cannot yet be considered true Ninth-Order beings. Thus, others employ their rudimentary comprehension of law phenomena to distort themselves, thereby protecting themselves from being pierced and twisted by the Pillar Gods' laws, allowing them to still engage in battle. While the Pillar God's energy is a transformed 1, and Emperor Qi's energy is also 1, the difference is not vast. However, once the Pillar God replenishes his energy to 1000, he will become a true Ninth-Order being, at which point he will be utterly unbeatable!

"But I am a '1' who has cultivated seven or eight different techniques," Xu Zhi constantly assessed.

If the Reincarnation Prefect were to advance to Emperor Qi's level 53, he might be able to disregard the power gap and contend with the weak Ninth-Order Three Pillar Gods. This would be a true act of defying heaven and striking down the Dao, in full view of everyone's shocked gazes, beating the weak Ninth-Order Three Pillar Gods to death and making him the most humiliated Ninth-Order being to ever perish. After all, the Three Pillar Gods are not considered strong among their peers at the same cultivation level! As single-system cultivators, they, like Emperor Qi, cannot keep pace with the latest era of the myriad heavens! However, things might change in the future; they will undoubtedly begin to secretly cultivate the various techniques of the Six Realms, drawing inferences and practicing multiple systems simultaneously!

Yet, such a thought makes it seem as if the Six Realms are the origin of everything.

"However, the Three Pillar Gods must also realize how terrifying Emperor Qi is. Despite their absolute crushing power, they are constantly being caught up to, and they need to change their strategy." Xu Zhi's eyes subtly shifted. Sitting on the rooftop, with the biting cold wind whipping around him, he sipped hot tea from his chair and continued to gaze at the arena, a vast expanse of blood-red earth spanning a hundred mu.

The Three Pillar Gods relentlessly battered Emperor Qi, leaving him riddled with wounds and bleeding profusely. The Pillar Gods continuously drank his blood, replenishing their own energy. Yet, as Emperor Qi's physical body was repeatedly broken down, it surprisingly grew more resilient and formidable. This was the rapid advancement of martial arts cultivation. After all, the martial arts discipline is fundamentally about forging the body. To temper one's body with external force, pushing it to the brink of death, and then nourishing it with vast amounts of natural treasures from within, truly allows for exceptionally swift progress!

The Three Pillar Gods gradually found themselves unable to inflict such terrifying injuries. Furthermore, Emperor Qi had also activated his "gene lock" state, though his version was only a semi-finished product, merely doubling his capabilities. Despite maintaining an overwhelming advantage, akin to an adult with a Gatling gun riddling an indestructible doll, the disparity between the two combatants remained enormous. Under these circumstances, they could still beat Emperor Qi to death, completely draining his blood!

However, once the efficiency of blood drainage began to decline, even as Emperor Qi remained riddled with wounds, they chose to cease their assault.A murderous intent erupted.The Three Pillar Gods shifted their forms and attacked the Mother Earth Goddess, who had been observing from a distance.

They were fighting each other, so why had they suddenly remembered her?! Mengmei was instantly aghast. Instinctively, she turned and fled, unable to suppress her alarmed cry: "The Three Pillar Gods know Emperor Qi is constantly learning. Who knows what new technique he might devise when he's on the verge of defeat? So, they're looking for an easy target—they'll kill me, consume my energy, replenish their own, and then Emperor Qi won't stand a chance against them anymore!" She took off running, terrified out of her wits!

Whoosh! Whoosh!The three longswords behind her unleashed an endless barrage of slashes through the air, like a tidal wave or a furious downpour, instantly reducing her entire body to minced flesh, her bones and blood dissolving into a pulpy sludge. This was an immediate, merciless killing blow, intended to utterly annihilate her!

Thump! Thump! Thump!As the Mother Earth Goddess, Qing Teng, sprinted wildly, a mass of flesh and blood reformed and regenerated, coalescing back into a human shape. Under the sheer terror of death, her speed utterly erupted, as the Three Pillar Gods relentlessly pursued her from behind.

Mengmei knew she had only recently rested, and her life was about to go into overdrive once more!

Bang! Bang! Bang!The scene once again devolved into an incredibly bizarre chase.

"Emperor Qi, help! If I die, you're as good as dead!" The Mother Earth Goddess circled back, roaring as she sprinted, "If he kills me now to replenish his energy, he'll become complete, and you'll be instantly annihilated." In this predicament, they were all in the same boat.

"Of course I know. If you die, everything will be lost." Emperor Qi's expression remained serene, composed and understated. He had reverted to his form as a graceful, refined emperor. "However, I am not skilled in speed; I am far inferior to the prowess you've honed over millennia. When it comes to speed, you are unparalleled in this world. I cannot outrun you, so permit me to observe and learn."

Mengmei's face darkened, though she knew it was true.

Thump! Thump! Thump!Mengmei sprinted frantically.The Three Pillar Gods completely disregarded Emperor Qi, who stood rooted to the spot, and continued their relentless pursuit.

"When it comes to evading, the Mother Earth Goddess is truly the foremost of her era," Emperor Qi said, clapping his hands and laughing, a look of unreserved admiration on his face. "I recall the era of the Ancestral Witch Heavenly Court, when Dao Changsheng concealed an entire world, and I, along with the eleven Ancestral Witches, emerged from the Great Luo Heaven—it was an absolutely astonishing sight! At that time, I kept wondering: who was it that had plundered my world?"

"Now, it seems the ancient eras are all unfolding once more. Through the long passage of years, I departed in my prime and have returned to this land in my twilight, yet you remain so youthful and vibrant, steadfastly vowing to fight for the common people, for the cosmos itself, for the balance of all ages..."

Although Emperor Qi continued to speak, his gaze remained fixed intently on the Mother Earth Goddess, Qing Teng's figure. After a moment, he finally spoke: "I have a method of improvement you might want to hear. It can increase your speed by another thirty percent and allow you to endure for much longer."

Mengmei's expression subtly shifted. Make *her* learn it? She wasn't Emperor Qi, nor was she Zhang Wuji before Zhang Sanfeng. Was she the kind of person who could learn on the spot? She couldn't help but shout, "You've already learned it and even improved upon it, so why don't you carry me and run?"

"You're too heavy," Emperor Qi replied, shaking his head and answering earnestly. "If I were to carry you, I would be far too slow. I still need a bit more time to refine it; you just keep holding on."

Mengmei fell utterly silent, completely numb. As for allowing her to enter Emperor Qi's internal space? That was impossible. If one space could infinitely contain another, wouldn't it create an endless nesting loop? Imagine a group of people cultivating the Nine Turns Profound Art, stored within the body of a Nine Turns Profound Art practitioner, who then in turn stored another group of Nine Turns Profound Art practitioners? Within the Nine Turns Profound Art's inner world, a stable, mature large space can indeed contain a smaller space, and spatial rings can still store objects. However, attempting to contain a large space comparable to one's own would lead to spatial instability and immediate collapse!

Thump! Thump! Thump!Mengmei continued her frantic sprint for another day, then two, then three... Enduring three hundred and twenty-four deaths. After the first death, she had rested and replenished her spiritual energy to near full. Now, her tolerance for the second instance of being torn apart, killed, and transformed into a fireworks display of flesh and blood had unexpectedly grown stronger. She felt as though she were becoming a second Subaru, yet even then, she could no longer bear it. It was almost solely her sheer willpower that sustained her consciousness. Her head grew increasingly heavy and dizzy. Her vision blurred into an indistinct haze. She was like a female giant eternally pursuing the sun, knowing that the moment she fell would be the moment of her demise.

Finally, Emperor Qi's eyes suddenly burst with brilliant light. He shot up, transforming into an incredibly swift meteor, and lifted the Mother Earth Goddess, Qing Teng, onto his shoulder, moving with unimaginable speed."Whew..." Mengmei was on the verge of collapse, relieved to have finally survived. As she was carried swiftly on his shoulder, she suddenly saw a gentle, elegant woman standing on Emperor Qi's shoulder, looking down at her. In an instant, she recognized her."Empress... Ru Yun Niang Niang," Mengmei uttered. This was the ancient empress who had served two consecutive Primordial Divine Courts: first, the Primordial Ancient Court of the innate beings, and later, the Ancestral Witch Heavenly Court during the era of acquired beings. She was the continuously serving Empress, the Moon Goddess Ru Yun, who was revered as a mother figure to the world.

"Long time no see, Qing Teng," Ru Yun said softly, her voice still a gentle whisper as she looked at the person before her. "When I reflect on it, among all of us from the same era of the Primordial Ancient Gods, only you remain. I truly never imagined we would have a chance to meet again, and that you haven't been beaten to death yet."

Mengmei simply smiled in response.

Boom!Emperor Qi's speed surged even further. His figure became an elusive blur, so much so that even the Three Pillar Gods behind him could no longer land an attack.

"Truly, an individual whose fate is beyond calculation. Against an alien race, we are not omnipotent!" A rumbling, cold, mechanical voice suddenly emanated from the Three Pillar Gods, who halted their pursuit slightly.The Three Pillar Gods silently gazed up at the sky.Crack!A brilliant white spatial gate opened.The figures of the Three Pillar Gods vanished into the void, tearing through space-time, and slowly walked onto the lava earth.

"They returned to the ancient lava land?" Mengmei was momentarily stunned, then her heart swelled with delight. She understood clearly that, from the Three Pillar Gods' purely rational perspective, there was no longer any opportunity to defeat her. After all, fleeing with an entire world, there was no other means to overcome her. Further pursuit would be pointless. However, she was still only a weak Ninth-Order, capable of making a comeback at any moment; she could be held back for a time, but not forever.

But in the very next second, Mengmei suddenly realized something else. The two great world enemies had finally determined a victor. However, while the Pillar Gods had departed, there remained another super monster: Emperor Qi...

Thud!In the next second, the Mother Earth Goddess was casually dropped onto the ground. Mengmei's scalp tingled with dread; only then did she fully grasp what she was about to face.Emperor Qi looked at her with a knowing, half-smile. "Well then, it's time we discuss our private affairs."