Chapter 1439: Knife Cuts the Dark Emperor

Attaining Dao.

This term was often on the lips of Ancient God Taiji, who spoke it with profound envy. Founding Emperor was not invincible; if they had exerted their full strength, they could have stopped him. However, Ancient God Taiji was unwilling to intervene further, and with only Consort Yan Tian and the unseen Exalted God Haotian, she couldn't hold Founding Emperor back.

Consort Yan Tian was somewhat perplexed. How could a post-celestial being be envied by an existence like Ancient God Taiji, whose origins were similar to those of Heavenly Emperor Taichu, and be explicitly told that he was about to attain Dao?

“Have we truly taken the wrong path?” A mix of emotions swirled in Consort Yan Tian's heart. Exalted God Yu established the Heavenly Palace cultivation system, and Qin Mu and Exalted God Haotian, on behalf of Exalted God Yu, disseminated its teachings to all beings. This Heavenly Palace cultivation system became the cultivation path for countless beings over the next million years. Even Consort Yan Tian was a seeker on this path, having immersed herself in the Heavenly Palace system for far too long. When Founding Emperor emerged from Wuyou Township, he claimed to have created the Dao Realm cultivation system. At the time, the Ten Exalted Gods considered the Dao Realm system merely a supplement to the Heavenly Palace system; though they valued it, they didn't place too much importance on it. Now, however, Ancient God Taiji was stating that Founding Emperor was about to attain Dao, even *before* Ancient God Taiji herself. This filled her heart with a multitude of feelings—bitterness, acerbity—and for a time, she couldn't recover from the shock.

Exalted God Gong swayed as she rose to her feet. Looking back, Founding Emperor was already gone without a trace. “Founding Emperor wouldn't come to kill me without reason. So, who instigated her to attack me?” Qin Mu's figure suddenly appeared in her mind, and she made a judgment. She stumbled as she flew up, hastily returning to her Heavenly Palace, preparing to immediately enter seclusion to heal the injuries inflicted by the sword arts.

Just then, Exalted God Haotian's voice reached her ear: “Founding Emperor came to kill you at someone’s request. Surely, Fellow Daoist Gong, you can guess who that person is? You championed Qin Mu to become the Heavenly Alliance leader, yet this ally of yours has betrayed you, Exalted God Gong. Can you tolerate this?” He had appeared in Exalted God Gong's Heavenly Palace at some unknown moment and was now stepping towards her. The seals Exalted God Gong had set up seemed utterly useless against him. Faintly, Exalted God Gong saw a shadow swaying behind him, but her injuries were too severe for her to see it clearly.

Exalted God Haotian approached her, speaking with a cryptic smile: “Exalted God Gong, Emperor Tai betrayed you, Taichu betrayed you, your son and my brother, God Emperor Langxuan, also betrayed you, and now, Exalted God Mu, whom you considered an ally, has also betrayed you. Have you ever considered the reasons behind this?”

Exalted God Gong's body swayed as she coldly replied, “I never considered Exalted God Mu an ally; our relationship was purely one of mutual exploitation. My feelings for Emperor Tai were never deep; I married him because the Nüxin and Juyu clans uniting through marriage was beneficial for suppressing other races. I also had no affection for your father, Taichu; I merely used him to take revenge on Emperor Tai. As for your brother Langxuan, he was simply an accidental outcome. I have no feelings for him whatsoever.”

Exalted God Haotian chuckled, “That is precisely why you are repeatedly injured. You only foster relationships of utility with everyone. Without true allies, how could others treat you with wholehearted devotion?”

Exalted God Gong snorted, remaining silent. In her previous life, she was an ancient God King, and in this life, an Exalted God. Her high status and immense power would not allow her to lower her head and admit fault.

Exalted God Haotian smiled, “You repeatedly claim not to be a Creator, and that you no longer have a race. But since Exalted God Mu wanted Founding Emperor to kill you, have you considered the reason behind it?”

Exalted God Gong suppressed her Dao injuries and calmly stated, “He is afraid I will go to see God King Langwo.”

Exalted God Haotian smiled faintly, “Then will you see God King Langwo?”

Exalted God Gong was silent for a moment, then looked up resolutely and said, “Yes! This battle in Xuandu is the best time for me to see God King Langwo! I now possess boundless power, yet among the Ten Exalted Gods, I have always been a solitary figure, without allies. Therefore, I need the Creators, I need the strength of the Creator race, and I need Langwo to assist me! Most importantly, I now have the means to ensure the Creators' survival!”

“What’s more important is that deep down, you still see yourself as a Creator, as God King Gongyun!” With a single remark, Exalted God Haotian exposed her inner thoughts, coldly stating, “You have never forgotten the glory of the Creators. You have never forgotten that you are one of the Three Ancient Kings. You have never abandoned your race. If you cannot forget your hatred for Emperor Tai and Taichu, then you certainly cannot forget that you are a Creator! Now you are severely wounded and can no longer go to see Langwo.”

Exalted God Gong said bitterly, “I need an ally…”

“Wrong!” Exalted God Haotian coldly stated, “You need an object of loyalty; you need to submit! Before, you had room to bargain with me, but now you no longer have that privilege! Come to me, bow to me, and I will heal your injuries, restore you to your peak, and let you see God King Langwo!” He stood before Exalted God Gong, extending his hand, and spoke with an undeniable tone: “If your Creator race wishes to survive in this universe, they can only rely on me! Not on you, not on God King Langwo, and certainly not on Exalted God Mu! I can restore you to the glory of a God King, and help your Creator race reclaim its past splendor! Kneel, bow to me, kiss the back of my hand, and I will lift you from your decline!”

Exalted God Gong looked at his outstretched palm and vaguely saw the shadow behind him, yet she still couldn't discern its form clearly. Her gaze dimmed.

On a small boat on the Celestial River, Qin Mu, Butcher, Zhe Huali, and Tian Shu burst into raucous laughter, abandoning all decorum. Each held a jug of wine, laughing so hard their eyes seemed about to pop out.

“Yin Tianzi!” Tian Shu laughed until wine spurted from his nostrils and eyes, gasping, “That fellow established the Netherworld, and it's full of Earth Count's statues! He even carved Earth Count's face into totems, drawing them everywhere!”

Qin Mu laughed breathlessly, “Every time he sees Emperor Yi Yue, he runs away with his tail between his legs, yet he constantly claims he's not afraid of her! He’s been a scoundrel since the early Dragon Han era! His Netherworld Heavenly Gate was even completed with Emperor Yi Yue’s help. That scoundrel shamelessly fawned over Emperor Yi Yue, only to ambush her on their wedding night—and he stabbed her in the back!”

“I heard he even used his fair complexion to ambush Heavenly Yin Empress!” Butcher laughed until he was out of breath, his voice like thunder, “Some even say he's a consort of a palace empress—could it be Empress Haotian, Exalted God Haotian herself?”

Zhe Huali snorted two streams of wine from his nostrils, laughing so hard he nearly wet himself, “Butcher, you should see Yin Tianzi’s pathetic face! Look, look, his face has gone pale again, and he's still pretending to watch the song and dance!”

As the small boat approached the Netherworld Heavenly Gate, the four men's laughter grew louder as they constantly peered towards Yin Tianzi. Luo Wushuang, ever composed, was unaccustomed to such boisterous occasions and did not join in.

Yin Tianzi rested his chin on his hand, observing the singing and dancing before the Heavenly Gate. From the corner of his ear, he heard Qin Mu and the others' uproarious laughter, recounting all his embarrassing deeds, both real and fabricated, piling all sorts of disgusting tales upon him.

“You didn’t see what happened in the Netherworld when I chopped off his head!” Tian Shu laughed, “I simply severed his head right under the Netherworld Heavenly Gate—it was a one-slice job! That fellow is so incompetent; without Empress Haotian, how could he have survived until now?”

The smile on Yin Tianzi's face stiffened, and his other hand crushed the armrest of his throne to dust.

“Silence! At least give him some face in front of his Netherworld army.” Qin Mu laughed until tears streamed down his face, gasping, “You didn’t see the scene when he met my brother in the Great Void—it was utterly humiliating! I killed his son, I killed his beloved wife, and I even beat him senseless right in front of the Heavenly Court’s Four Grand Preceptors and Four Heavenly Kings…”

“Silence!” Yin Tianzi could no longer tolerate it. He abruptly stood up, his voice shrill and stern, “Exalted God Mu, have I given you too much leeway? To be frank, I am here on behalf of Exalted God Haotian to stop you from going to Xuandu. If you insist on going, then this place shall be your burial ground today!”

Zhe Huali guffawed, “Exalted God Haotian? You mean Empress Haotian, don't you?” The four men on the boat erupted in a roar of laughter, nearly tumbling over with mirth. Even the usually solemn Luo Wushuang couldn't help but crack a faint smile.

“How dare you be so insolent!” Yin Tianzi could endure no more. He shot into the air, his clothes fluttering, his crimson robes billowing. Behind him floated four Heavenly Palaces, while the colossal and majestic Netherworld Heavenly Gate also revealed four Heavenly Palaces within its portal, totaling eight Heavenly Palaces. He roared, crushing down on the five individuals on the small boat, “Today, I shall send you five scoundrels to your graves!”

He pressed down from above, directly in front of his Northern Netherworld army, intending to establish his prestige and authority before his troops. He wanted to show that he had not ascended to the position of Netherworld's Black Emperor through others' power, but by his own genuine skill! Although he was not an Exalted God in the Heavenly Court, he was still a Minor Exalted God with eight Heavenly Palaces!

Yin Tianzi's power was overwhelming. Before he even reached the small boat, the expressions of the five individuals on board suddenly became solemn. Their figures intertwined, and in but an instant, a blade tore open thirty layers of void!

Swoosh—

A divine blade slashed down from the air, severing Yin Tianzi's head and body. The Heavenly Palaces behind him cracked open, and the Netherworld Heavenly Gate was also split into two with a resounding crash!