Chapter 1089: Praying Mantis Captures the Cicada, Dragon and Sparrow Follow

The Black Tortoise Heavenly Palace traveled north along the Celestial River, moving further and further away from the Heavenly Court. The starry sky sparkled, and the Heavenly Palace occasionally passed by the suns along the Celestial River, their light splendid and captivating. The scenery was as beautiful as a painting.

The Heavenly Court army had retreated, and no pursuers were in sight. The Azure Heavens Bell, being too conspicuous, was put away by Crown Prince Youming, placed inside the High Heavens Hall, and guarded closely.

After the people of the Black Tortoise Heavenly Palace had paid tribute to their fallen kin, they held a grand celebration.

The starlight and moonlight from outside shone down, and combined with the glow from various treasures within the Black Tortoise Heavenly Palace, it created a breathtaking display of iridescent light, truly intoxicating. The joyous sounds and laughter from the Black Tortoise Heavenly Palace reached the Celestial River, prompting the Dragon Kings in the river to send their shrimp soldiers and crab generals to peer out of the water.

Crown Prince Youming, being simple-minded and carefree, was repeatedly plied with alcohol by the Dark Emperor during the celebration until he became thoroughly drunk.

Upon seeing this, Dragon Qilin and Yan'er grew wary, knowing that the Dark Emperor would likely not sit still and would soon make a move for the Azure Heavens Bell.

The celebration continued. Crown Prince Youming, completely drunk, slumped over a table. The Dark Emperor draped the Prince's arm over his own shoulder and began to walk him out, muttering drunkenly, "I'll take the Prince to rest."

Dragon Qilin and Yan'er quietly followed. They saw that not long after the Dark Emperor escorted Crown Prince Youming away from the celebration, he took out a paper figure and subtly pressed it onto Crown Prince Youming's back.

The Dark Emperor released Crown Prince Youming and then took out another paper figure, sticking it onto himself. Crown Prince Youming, however, did not fall; he merely swayed as he stood.

When the Dark Emperor raised his hand, Crown Prince Youming also raised his hand.

When the Dark Emperor lowered his hand, Crown Prince Youming also lowered his arm.

When the Dark Emperor took a step, Crown Prince Youming also took a step.

"Heh heh, my friend, you hid the Azure Heavens Bell inside the High Heavens Hall and had it guarded. If I were to force my way in, wouldn't the Northern Emperor know that I was the one who stole it?"

The Dark Emperor chuckled, saying, "Of course, you will personally retrieve the Azure Heavens Bell for me. I will then take the Bell and flee far away, and pin the blame on the Dragon Mountain Recluse and that woman."

He secretly channeled his mental energy, removed the other paper figure from himself, squatted down and placed the paper figure on the ground, and gently blew on it.

On the ground, the tiny paper figure began to walk forward, and Crown Prince Youming, swaying unsteadily, also started walking towards the High Heavens Hall.

The Dark Emperor controlled the tiny paper figure as it moved forward, the paper figure and Crown Prince Youming moving in perfect synchronization, performing the same actions, controlling Crown Prince Youming all the way to the front of the hall.

Seeing this, the Black Tortoise God and Teng Snake Goddess, who were tasked with guarding the Azure Heavens Bell, hurriedly bowed in greeting.

The paper figure waved its hand, and Crown Prince Youming also waved his hand.

The Dark Emperor whispered to the paper figure, "I'll guard this place; you all can go to the celebration now. I'll stay here and sober up."

The paper figure repeated these words, and Crown Prince Youming, mimicking the paper figure, repeated them as well. The divine beings tasked with guarding the Azure Heavens Bell were both surprised and delighted. They bowed to Crown Prince Youming and then flew off to the banquet.

The paper figure then walked forward again, controlling Crown Prince Youming as he entered the hall.

The Dark Emperor's heart pounded. He suppressed his excitement and had the paper figure open its arms, and inside the hall, Crown Prince Youming also opened his arms and embraced the Azure Heavens Bell.

A moment later, Crown Prince Youming came wobbling out, carrying the Azure Heavens Bell.

The Dark Emperor was ecstatic, his heart nearly leaping into his throat.

Crown Prince Youming drew closer and closer to him. Just then, he suddenly sensed two auras rapidly approaching!

The Dark Emperor was startled, and before he could react, he was fiercely sandwiched between two figures, one on his left and one on his right, unable to help but spit out a mouthful of blood!

On his left was the chubby girl weighing three to five hundred *jin*, who claimed to be a princess from the Southern Emperor's family, and on his right was the Dragon Mountain Recluse, though this Dragon Mountain Recluse was adorned with six celestial dragons!

These two were clearly beings of the High Heavens realm, and the chubby girl's cultivation was likely even higher, as she managed to send both the Dragon Mountain Recluse and the Dark Emperor flying with her impact!

The Dark Emperor was currently at the peak of the High Heavens realm and possessed many techniques. However, achieving the Emperor's Throne realm was incredibly difficult, and thus he remained stuck at the High Heavens realm.

The Dragon Han era had lasted for four hundred thousand years until the present. In the six hundred thousand years since Emperor Heavenly Venerable created the Heavenly Palace realm, fewer than ten powerful individuals had managed to achieve the Emperor's Throne, and the Dark Emperor was not among them.

Even so, he shouldn't have been so easily ambushed by the two, but his injuries had not fully healed, and although he had regained some cultivation, the injuries persisted.

Furthermore, his entire mind and spirit were focused on controlling Crown Prince Youming with his paper figure technique, which led to him suffering a great disadvantage!

Moreover, even if his injuries had healed and even if he had been fully alert, he would still have been no match for Yan'er.

Yan'er possessed the bloodlines of the Azure Dragon and Vermilion Bird. She was also Moon Heavenly Venerable's maidservant, having trained under Moon Heavenly Venerable and learned the Dao methods and divine abilities of the Southern Emperor Vermilion Bird, making her exceptionally skilled.

However, Yan'er did not particularly enjoy cultivation, nor did she wholeheartedly immerse herself in comprehending Dao methods and divine abilities, which was why she had been slow to break through and achieve the Emperor's Throne.

Nevertheless, she was a formidable being who had devoured several ancient gods, and having assimilated them, her power was even more formidable than before!

As the Dark Emperor was sent flying through the air, he saw the chubby girl rush towards him like a whirlwind, and the space around him inexplicably mirrored itself—a sight that made his blood run cold.

All around him, space was like a multitude of mirrors, reflecting his figure. Then the mirrors began to crack, and his reflection within them started to shatter.

The Dark Emperor had witnessed Moon Heavenly Venerable's ambush of Heavenly Emperor's reincarnated form, Chu Xiao. Even the reincarnated Heavenly Emperor had been instantly torn apart by Moon Heavenly Venerable's spatial Dao.

This chubby girl's spatial divine ability seemed even more profound than Moon Heavenly Venerable's. The Dark Emperor immediately felt his physical body and primordial spirit almost shatter along with the cracking mirrors, on the verge of being completely annihilated!

"Dragon Mountain Recluse, I will make you two adulterers pay!"

The Dark Emperor cried out, his body suddenly plummeted towards the ground, where demonic energy surged from the earth like a dark demonic flower emerging from the soil, its petals unfurling outwards.

The Dark Emperor's body splintered as it fell into the surging demonic energy.

The demonic flower fully bloomed, reaching three to five *zhang* in height, then exploded with a *bang*, dissipating into wisps of demonic energy.

Yan'er quickly rushed forward, but as the demonic energy dispersed, there was no sign of the Dark Emperor's body.

Meanwhile, Dragon Qilin, along with the six celestial dragons, tumbled and rolled before finally coming to a stop. Yan'er's strength had been too great, sending him flying too far.

Shouts echoed from a distance, likely due to their brief confrontation, which had startled the Black Tortoise tribesmen, who were now flying over to investigate.

Dragon Qilin stood up, his body aching all over, secretly astonished.

The two quickly rushed towards Crown Prince Youming, arriving at his side one after another. Crown Prince Youming stood there, fast asleep and drooling, still clutching the Azure Heavens Bell, with the paper figure still stuck to his back.

Yan'er tried to retrieve the Azure Heavens Bell from his embrace, but the Prince held it too tightly, refusing to let go.

Dragon Qilin took out the Primeval God Stone that Qin Mu had given him and activated the partial Great Luo Supreme Divine Sense technique he had learned. He softly murmured, "Prince, there is a soft cloud bed here. You are sleeping as if on a cloud. You are very sleepy, very tired. You are holding a blanket as soft as a cloud…"

His divine sense burst forth, invading Crown Prince Youming's mind.

Crown Prince Youming released the Azure Heavens Bell and fell backward. Yan'er quickly caught him, gently lowered him to the ground, then hoisted the Azure Heavens Bell onto her shoulder and quickly said, "Let's go!"

Around them, voices roared, with shouts of "thieves!" coming from all directions. Dragon Qilin's expression shifted slightly. "I'm afraid we won't make it in time! This treasure grants all requests, let it help us!"

Yan'er shook the Azure Heavens Bell and declared, "Let there be mist! Let there be wind and thunder!"

Immediately, thick mist billowed from the Azure Heavens Bell, instantly enveloping the Black Tortoise Heavenly Palace. Then, strong winds and thunder roared, drowning out the shouts of the crowd.

Dragon Qilin grabbed Yan'er and dashed away.