Chapter 1290: Arrival

The power of the lantern in Yan'er's hand began to erupt, and a string of light split open on both sides.

The lantern slipped from her grasp and floated in the air. Yan'er transformed into a Dragon Sparrow, extending its sharp claws to grasp the string of light. It flapped its wings backward, flying away, while the lantern remained stationary.

The string of light shot forward, accompanied by crisp zither music that reverberated throughout the valley.

The moment the zither string resonated, the twang of a bowstring also echoed, and an arrow of light, like a rainbow or lightning, shot out from the stone wall, piercing through the lantern.

The sun within the lantern immediately exploded, and raging flames instantly reduced the lantern to ashes, completely annihilating the spatial divine ability contained within Moon Heavenly Venerate's treasure.

As the fireball expanded outwards, the string of light cut through the flames and reached beneath the neck of the emaciated figure.

The emaciated figure's eyes glowed, emitting two rays of light like sharp arrows. One ray cut precisely at the center of the string of light, splitting it in two. The two halves flew past either side of his neck, leaving two streaks of blood and nearly severing it.

Meanwhile, the other divine light from his eye pursued the Dragon Sparrow that Yan'er had transformed into, reaching behind her. The Dragon Sparrow flapped its wings to ascend, but had no time to dodge.

Just then, the Twenty-Eight Heavens of the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner expanded, drawing the Dragon Sparrow into its first heaven.

Dragon Qilin fully activated the heavens, desperately shifting the order of the various realms to constantly displace the Dragon Sparrow, helping it dodge the terrifying arrow light.

Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! The arrow light pierced through one heaven after another, whistling through the air. It astonishingly shot through all twenty-eight heavens consecutively, flying out beyond them. It traced a bright trajectory across the dark night sky before disappearing.

Dragon Qilin sighed in relief, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

At this moment, First Ancestor Human Emperor, Jiang Yunxian, and others had already been transported by him through the Twenty-Eight Heavens, their figures landing one by one on various supreme treasures. Each person unleashed their remaining magic power, activating the treasures.

Inside the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner, numerous supreme treasures gradually brightened, shining like twinkling stars.

As the foremost supreme treasure in the world, the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner, though now without the responsive Grand Primeval Egg, had its formations re-forged and re-designed by the Blind Man and the Mute Man, making them even more intricate than before.

However, redesigning and forging this supreme treasure required an extremely long time, and the Blind Man and the Mute Man had not yet completed it.

Furthermore, there were not many divine beings in the Great Darkwood, and the cultivators present were insufficient to unleash the full power of this supreme treasure—this was its greatest drawback.

Qin Mu was also swept up by the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner, landing on a supreme treasure. He drew the divine bow, but it unexpectedly pulsed uncontrollably in his hand, attempting to fly out of his grasp and return to its owner.

Startled, Qin Mu used all his strength to suppress the divine bow.

"Finally, I am free from that ruined universe!"

The armless, emaciated figure looked up at the sky, his immensely grand thoughts vibrating through space-time, allowing everyone present to clearly understand his intentions without hindrance.

"Fresh air, a fresh world, fresh life—without that scent of decay and death!"

He was terrifyingly thin, like a completely dehydrated person; no blood flowed beneath his withered skin, only dried muscles clinging to his bones.

When he moved, his body made creaking sounds, as if his tendons were snapping.

"My era is too ancient, so ancient that it has lost all vitality."

"The particles forming matter are disintegrating and collapsing, and the Grand Dao forming order is crumbling, losing its activity. The great tribulation that destroyed everything has ruined everything, and here, this will be where I start anew!"

Dragon Qilin ignored his lament and activated the Twenty-Eight Heavens of the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner to envelop him, intending to draw him into the heavens and combine the power of the treasures within to refine and kill him.

However, the heavens passed through the figure's body, yet the emaciated figure remained motionless; the Twenty-Eight Heavens simply could not draw him in.

Dragon Qilin was startled; it was his first time encountering such a terrifying being, and he was completely at a loss.

First Ancestor and the others activated the supreme treasures within the Sky Banner, unleashing their power and blasting them all towards the emaciated figure!

The emaciated figure had no hands, and his body was withered and decayed, completely devoid of qi and blood. Yet, he faced this world-shaking attack with utmost composure.

"My blood needs to flow again; my body needs to revive."

"To resist that great tribulation of destruction, I expended far too much power. I need to replenish my strength!"

The emaciated figure opened his mouth, which was wider and larger than his head. Facing the terrifying combined attack from the Twenty-Eight Heavens' treasures, he took a mighty inhale, and the attacks whistled and rushed into his mouth!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Muffled sounds echoed from his belly as it suddenly swelled and contracted, swelling and contracting again, over ten times continuously, before finally settling down.

His complexion also regained some color.

The people within the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner felt a chill in their hearts; this powerhouse from the previous universe was manageable when he was in the stone wall, but after he emerged, he became impossible to contend with!

His strength had reached an incredible degree; even the attacks from the supreme treasures within the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner could be swallowed and converted into energy to replenish himself!

"I still need more qi and blood!"

The emaciated figure's immense thoughts surged forth. He suddenly opened his mouth wide and inhaled deeply towards the sky. In the valley, everyone's primordial spirits wavered, almost pulled out of their bodies by this inhale!

Everyone stabilized their primordial spirits, resisting the terrifying suction, yet their own qi and blood uncontrollably flew out of their bodies!

Qin Mu shouted loudly, "Use the Creation Demonic Arts to seal your hundred apertures!"

Many young generation experts immediately activated the Creation Demonic Arts, their fingers moving rapidly to seal their qi and blood. However, even with their qi and blood sealed, their cultivation couldn't withstand the force, and they were lifted by the suction, flying uncontrollably towards the outside of the heavens.

Dragon Qilin hastily activated the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner, adjusting the various heavens to keep these people within them, acting in a flustered manner.

Other older generation experts, such as the Blind Man, Apothecary, and First Ancestor, had not cultivated the Heaven Saint Sect's Creation Demonic Arts. Their qi and blood spiraled out of control and rapidly drained, spewing from the top of each person's head like a long rainbow, as they were sucked up by the emaciated figure!

Qin Mu's expression was solemn. He held the divine bow tightly and moved rapidly through the various heavens, using the Creation Demonic Arts to seal First Ancestor and the others, preventing their qi and blood from continuing to drain.

However, before he could seal the qi and blood of the older generation experts, the younger generation couldn't withstand the pressure. Their own seals burst open one after another, and qi and blood surged wildly.

A trace of despair couldn't help but arise in Qin Mu's heart: "Didn't Brother Grand Beginning say he was coming? Why hasn't he arrived yet?"

Just then, he suddenly saw the Grand Beginning Egg being lifted by the suction force, rolling and flying towards the outside of the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner.

This ancient god egg seemed unable to resist the emaciated figure's long inhale, falling uncontrollably towards his large mouth!

Qin Mu quickly pursued, having just chased out of the Lapis Lazuli Sky Banner, but he was still a step late. He saw the Grand Beginning Egg fall into the emaciated figure's mouth with a thud. However, this ancient god egg was too large; it got stuck in the figure's throat, unable to be swallowed.

The emaciated figure didn't seem to mind. Streams of Grand Beginning Qi rapidly flowed from the Grand Beginning Egg, being swallowed by the emaciated figure.

The energy within the Grand Beginning Egg was unexpectedly vast, surging wildly into his body.

Only then did the emaciated figure realize something was wrong: he couldn't refine or absorb the Grand Beginning Qi emanating from this large egg!

Obscure Daoist words came from the Grand Beginning Egg: "Heavenly Venerate Mu, the Dao of Grand Beginning: Yin and Yang merge to become one. From one, form is born; it has form but no substance. Take Yin and Yang to form Taiji! Why are you not acting?"