Chapter 1460: Catastrophe

The Dragon Horse strongly advocated entering, trailing Dao Yi, biding its time, and striking at the critical moment to emerge as the ultimate victor of this battle.

Ye Fan mused that Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's killing formation was undoubtedly perilous. Entering it was a gamble; while there might be rewards, significant trouble could also arise. Ultimately, he uttered only a single word, using the Sky-Deceiving Formation patterns to mask his presence. He quietly guarded outside the Divine Domain, refraining from action until the critical juncture.

He had several considerations. Having followed them, he could almost confirm that the individual cloaked in the Dao Tribulation Golden Immortal Robe was Dao Yi's protector, not Dao Yi himself. Dao Yi had yet to appear, and he also possessed an ancient emperor's formation map. Though incomplete, it was undeniably a devastating weapon, capable of rending stars asunder at a whim.

"Crucially, Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's killing formation diagram is immensely powerful. Should we enter, the Green Bronze Cauldron would likely be pressured into glowing, thereby revealing our presence and drawing widespread attention."

Four immortal swords hung in the four cardinal directions, each guarding a gateway. Chaos surged, and sword energy was as boundless as the sea; even a minuscule gleam of light could cleave a Great Saint asunder. This was a forbidden zone of life; entry required possession of an Emperor-level artifact. Without one, failure was guaranteed, and even a minor misstep could prove fatal.

"He did not come!"

After waiting for a full half an hour, Dao Yi still did not appear. Outside the Divine Domain, thunder roared deafeningly, lightning ripped across the sky, and torrential blood rain poured down, transforming the area into an incredibly terrifying nightmare. One could well imagine that within the Divine Domain, the fighting had reached a cataclysmic, utterly frantic pitch. This was the clash of Emperor Weapons; without the array's protection, the entire ancient star would have shattered.

At this point, all four swords had become unstable, nearly plummeting. Forces from all directions attacked, almost breaching the grand formation, fighting with frantic intensity. The Great Saints split into four groups, exerting their utmost. Their objective was to seize the four killing swords and utterly dismantle Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's magical formation.

The Dragon Horse, Ancient Golden Peng, and others were consumed by envy. These were Emperor Artifacts, laid out before them, seemingly within reach yet feeling impossibly distant. They yearned to rush forward and claim the immortal swords. Ye Fan offered a wry smile. Half an hour had passed. The combined efforts of so many Great Saints, wielding four Emperor Artifacts against the killing formation, had still yielded no success. It was truly terrifying.

"Boom!"

A violent upheaval erupted within the Divine Domain; the most ancient sacred mountain had exploded. The power of faith surged wildly, like a landslide and tsunami, completely igniting the Divine Domain. Its vastness was immense. This was divine power accumulated throughout the ages; the Divine Domain had been ruled by an untold number of generations of deities. Its profound foundation and accumulated power were truly immeasurable. It was utterly colossal!

The moment this power manifested, it rivaled the resurrection of an Emperor Artifact, displaying unparalleled might. It assaulted everyone on the Great Saints' side, and almost immediately, some unfortunately perished.

"Quickly raise the ancient coffin! Use the Emperor's malevolent aura to counter the power of faith!" roared an elder Great Saint.

This was an arduous battle as the power of faith surged back. The ancient coffin, however, was too massive to be quickly brought into the formation. Apart from the Ji family siblings, others typically found it difficult even to approach it, let alone carry it. A protracted struggle ensued as the power of faith erupted and the most ancient sacred mountain disintegrated. The Divine Domain, enveloped by the killing formation, was instantly inundated with spiritual power, surging like a vast ocean, with not a single drop escaping to the outside.

The Great Saints endured immense suffering; had it not been for the four Emperor Artifacts, many would likely have sustained severe injuries, or even perished. Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's killing formation diagram stabilized through this, and the four immortal swords hummed and vibrated. They re-suspended above the four gateways, as chaos churned and a murderous aura that startled the ages permeated the air.

The Divine Domain's previous decline was entirely reversed; leveraging the ocean-like spiritual power, it gained the upper hand and launched a furious counterattack. The formation diagram spun, and the four killing swords clanged deafeningly. One could clearly see the dark red sword bodies continuously vibrating, unleashing thousands of sword lights. Their attack power was unparalleled, with no peerless individual able to withstand them. The immortal swords turned a vivid crimson, as if bleeding, a truly terrifying sight. Each ray of light shattered the firmament, and chaotic qi surged forth.

"This is dire. How can this killing formation be so terrifying? Is it truly capable of suppressing four Emperor Artifacts?" someone among the Ten Saints stammered, trembling.

"It's merely a final burst of energy," Ji Haoyue stated. This was a result of the unleashed power of faith, but it could not be sustained indefinitely. The spiritual power would eventually deplete, completely consumed by the Emperor Artifacts. At that point, Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's killing formation would struggle to long withstand the four Emperor Artifacts. These were, after all, the culmination of four ancient emperors' life's work, ancient weapons that had accompanied them through countless battles.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, an earth-shattering roar erupted as the colossal stone coffin was lifted into the Divine Domain. As blood was poured upon it, it opened layer by layer, flinging everyone nearby away. The Emperor's malevolent aura surged forth, igniting the power of faith. This was a monumental catastrophe. The inhabitants of the Divine Domain, densely packed, plummeted from the sky like raindrops, their countless bodies reduced to ashes amidst the raging flames.

The scene was extremely gruesome; even powerful hall masters couldn't withstand it, their bodies spontaneously exploding, sending blood mist swirling and spiritual power burning.

"Saintess!"

A blue-clad woman, ethereal and otherworldly, now with a face streaming with tears, exploded amidst the flames, her blood raining down. This was one of the Divine Domain's Saintesses, an extraordinary and divinely gifted woman, who succumbed to the overwhelming pressure and met an untimely demise. Many wailed in sorrow; this was an unbearable burden. The Divine Domain had been breached today, suffering grievous casualties, a truly tragic and tearful event.

"Ah..."

A Divine Elder glared with furious eyes, his hair standing on end, the corners of his eyes splitting and bleeding. Yet, it changed nothing; he was struck by an Emperor Weapon's killing aura and instantly annihilated. Within the Divine Domain, all four Saintesses perished, and two Divine Elders also fell in battle. Their flesh and blood were evaporated, reducing them to dust. The overall situation here was decided and irreversible. The Divine Domain was destined for a crushing defeat. This battle was utterly brutal, with heavy casualties, and they were powerless to reverse their fate.

"Abandon everything here! Leave it all behind!" a hall master roared, leading the remnants of the group in a desperate attempt to break out.

All wars are bloody and brutal; sometimes, there is no right or wrong, only differing stances. The Divine Domain, situated above all living beings, received sustenance from countless spirits, transcending existence like the gods themselves. To the various races on this star, it was an insurmountable behemoth, perched untouchably among the clouds. For countless years, they had held absolute power over life and death, with everything under their command. They had never conceived of a day when they, too, would become objects of pity, their destiny completing a full cycle.

Meanwhile, the leaders of many major clans were invigorated. The Divine Domain, that colossal entity, had finally collapsed; the immense mountain that had weighed upon them had disintegrated, no longer able to restrain them.

"Grandfather, you can now rest in peace. The Divine Domain, which once annihilated our clan and seized our ancestral scriptures, now faces a similar fate."

"This is a cycle. With the Divine Domain overthrown, our clan members no longer need to worship them; instead, they will venerate our own ancient ancestors!"

Outside, reactions varied. Common people were consumed by trepidation, while the rulers of various clans were overcome with profound joy, clenching their fists. "'Those who kill will themselves be killed!' Such were the cold words of some old clan patriarchs. Unlike their bewildered tribesmen, they harbored their own ambitions."

Within the Divine Domain, corpses lay strewn in heaps, blood splashed high, rendering the entire landscape a crimson spectacle.

"Boom!"

Several hall masters had tears in their eyes. They led a group of people in a desperate charge, fleeing the Divine Domain. This place was truly doomed, beyond salvation. At this juncture, Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's killing formation finally became unstable. The formation diagram's rotation noticeably slowed, the four killing swords' radiance dimmed, losing their vivid crimson hue, and their murderous aura gradually receded.

Some rushed towards a sacred mountain, intent on seizing the Ancient Tree of Life. Others prepared to claim the immortal swords, while still more, wielding Emperor Artifacts, surged towards the sky, aiming to acquire the rare and supreme formation diagram. The Divine Domain's power had utterly waned, its collapse imminent. Even the killing swords and the formation diagram were now likely to be equally divided among those wielding Emperor Artifacts, parcelled out as spoils.

With a deafening roar, the formation diagram lifted, the four swords became unstable, and all four gateways fell. Chaotic energy erupted, and the grand array was declared utterly disintegrated, left in ruins. The formation diagram dimmed and became suppressed in the firmament, unapproachable. The four immortal swords transformed into several streaks of divine light, darting about and occasionally clashing with Emperor Artifacts, creating a terrifying, heaven-shaking spectacle. However, the four killing swords were no longer as formidable as they had been. Originally a unified entity, how could they, fighting independently at this moment, withstand four Emperor Artifacts?

"Dao Yi is there!" Ye Fan exclaimed, opening his Source Heaven Eye. With it, he could perceive the scene within the Divine Domain, seeing through all things in the world. At this point, the grand array had been broken, and nothing could obstruct the Source Heaven Eye. He saw through Dao Yi's disguise; indeed, it was not the person cloaked in the Dao Tribulation Golden Immortal Robe.

"Enter the Divine Domain!"

With Lingbao Heavenly Venerate's killing formation breached, and the four immortal swords scattered, the oppressive Dao Mark aura was gone. Even entering the formation now wouldn't cause the Green Bronze Cauldron to glow from immense pressure.

Dao Yi ascended the ancient mountain, where a precious tree stood, its jade-green foliage resembling divine jade, exuding potent life essence. It was an immortal medicine. Ye Fan and his companions, concealed by the Sky-Deceiving Formation patterns, silently approached and reached the same location. Dao Yi, evidently possessing a secret treasure, suddenly looked up and gazed in their direction, sensing a hidden approach.

Simultaneously, the Great Saints engaged in the nearby struggle for the four immortal swords sneered upon seeing someone approach the Ancient Tree of Life, preparing to attack with their Emperor Artifacts. Naturally, they refrained from directly unleashing their Emperor Weapons in that direction, as it risked destroying the precious medicine. They were hesitant, fearing damage to the treasure, but Dao Yi dared to act decisively. With a roar that shook the heavens, two terrifying beams of light shot from his eyes, piercing the firmament.

Boom!

A terrifying calamity descended. The vast Five-Element Immortal Qi from beyond the domain boiled and cascaded overwhelmingly, pouring down from five continents and flowing towards this ancient star. The Divine Domain bore the immediate brunt. In that instant, the entire ancient star fragmented into pieces, rapidly disintegrating, then utterly exploded! Except for the Divine Domain, which was somewhat protected by several suppressed Emperor Artifacts, no other place could withstand it. This was the immortal qi conceived by a Great Emperor, and it utterly annihilated the ancient star.

Undoubtedly, the land was ravaged, blood ran in torrents, and corpses piled into mountains. Almost all inhabitants of the star perished! Moments earlier, the major races had harbored hopes that with the Divine Domain's overthrow, they would rise and usher in a new era. Little did they imagine that in the very next moment, this ancient land would be utterly annihilated, and all life on the entire world extinguished. Every ten thousand years, the Five-Element Continents beyond the domain would experience a period of intense activity. Now, after a full cycle, that period had arrived again, yielding this devastating outcome. Many died with their eyes wide open in disbelief, unaware that someone had exploited this surge of Five-Element Immortal Qi, deliberately provoking it to unleash this boundless catastrophe.

"Dao Yi is utterly ruthless!" Pang Bo's pupils contracted sharply. To achieve his objectives, this individual was truly unscrupulous, barbaric, and cruel. Ye Fan's heart also tensed. This young Emperor's son, seemingly gentle and refined, yet capable of setting a trap to slaughter the Great Saint Yan Qi of Fire Kylin Cave, was far more terrifying than he had imagined.

The Divine Domain endured a horrific impact. The Five-Element Immortal Qi, birthed within the Great Emperor's body, descended overwhelmingly, obstructing the approach of the Emperor Weapons.