Chapter 1712: Wuyou Village, Sword Ritual

As Xu Shenghua had predicted, the first half of the night was quiet in Great Black Mountain. Only beyond the mountain was there still a terrifying scene of cosmic destruction.

Qin Mu no longer took the Dao Dew; instead, he had Xu Shenghua consume it while he helped heal Xu Shenghua's injuries. He did this because Xu Shenghua had another major battle ahead. In the latter half of the night, prehistoric powerhouses would launch a probing invasion, and without sufficient strength, Xu Shenghua wouldn't be able to withstand this wave.

Finally, a cracked mountain trembled, as if some terrifying monster underground was trying to emerge from it.

Xu Shenghua rose, descended from the World Tree, and walked towards it.

Qin Mu collected the Dao Dew and consumed it himself.

By dawn, Qin Mu's cultivation had recovered by sixty to seventy percent. He then descended from the World Tree. Xu Shenghua was burying the prehistoric powerhouses who had died by his hand. Qin Mu approached him and saw that he was even planning to build graves for the Spirit Officials.

“If you can’t hold them off, retreat,” Qin Mu said.

Xu Shenghua looked up and replied, “You too.”

Qin Mu walked away, his voice echoing from a distance, “I have nowhere left to retreat.”

Xu Shenghua froze, then after a moment, resumed building graves and erecting steles.

Qin Mu pushed his speed to the limit, rushing out of the Ancestral Court and heading towards the Primordial Realm. He was still somewhat anxious; he had been delayed in the Ancestral Court for one night, and even at full speed, it would take him five more days to reach the Primordial Realm! Would Heavenly Venerate Yun still be there by then? Could he hold on until that moment?

The Primordial Realm.

The moment Qin Mu left the Primordial Realm for the Ancestral Court, Ancestral God King was leading the Xuandu army across Worry-free Village, where they were entangled by Heavenly Venerate Yue and Lang Wo. Ancestral God King controlled the Celestial Emperor’s physical body. Countless Xuandu Sun Guardians and Moon Guardians dragged suns and moons across the sky. The suns scorched the earth, and innumerable Fire Crow gods flew out from them, attacking Yankang. From the moons, three-legged toad-headed, six-eyed gods leaped forth, unleashing divine abilities. The sky filled with grotesque six-eyed gazes, each shooting beams of light down upon Yankang!

This was an absolutely apocalyptic and terrifying sight.

Heavenly Venerate Yue and Lang Wo personally stood in opposition, but they could only hold back Ancestral God King, not such a vast Xuandu army. Worry-free Village had no more forces to stop this Xuandu army, and Yankang’s forces were far fewer than Worry-free Village's, making it difficult to resist the Xuandu army that surged down from the sky like an ocean.

In Yankang’s divine cities, Sun-shooting Cannons were activated en masse. Hundreds of divine cities, boasting over a thousand Sun-shooting Cannons, fired beams that left dark streaks across the sky. With each shot, a Sun Guardian fell, or a sun in the sky was pierced by the cannon fire! Even so, the Xuandu demon-god army remained unstoppable!

Countless Fire Crow troops charged down. Three-legged Fire Crow gods flapped their wings and swooped towards Yankang’s floating divine cities. From the battlements of these cities, True Essence Cannons were wheeled out, unleashing countless beams of light at the Fire Crow gods. Fiery rain immediately poured from the sky, yet the torrent of Fire Crows relentlessly approached, nearing the city walls! Additionally, Moon Guardians led six-eyed Star Toad gods, whose grotesque eyes filled the sky, shooting divine light that battered and destroyed the True Essence Cannons on the divine cities!

Kang City in the west bore the brunt of the assault. The first wave of Fire Crow gods crashed against its walls, their three feet gripping the surface as they scrambled upwards. Some headed for the top of the wall, while others rushed towards the underside of Kang City, attempting to breach it from the rear by digging through the ground beneath to enter the city. Cannon fire could no longer kill them. On the city walls, gods immediately pushed out flying chariots, and sword towers opened, unleashing countless sword pellets. These pellets poured down towards the base of the wall, continuously disintegrating as they fell, transforming into divine swords that stabbed in all directions, weaving through the air!

In the heart of Kang City, Yankang gods were fully encased in divine armor, their helmets meticulously sealed, with only their eyes and mouths visible. Some carried various divine weapons on their backs, others clutched long spears and greatswords. Many of these gods were on the battlefield for the first time, nervously staring at the continuously vibrating ground. The ground in the city center vibrated more and more rapidly. Suddenly, with a thunderous roar, the ground melted, and molten gold and copper liquid surged skyward, burning through Kang City’s foundations! From the molten gold and copper liquid, countless Fire Crow gods flew out, scattering in all directions like insects erupting from underground!

On Kang City’s battlements, someone activated Yankang’s replicated Western Emperor divine artifact, boosting the blood and qi of the defending soldiers. Yet, even with this aid, they were embroiled in a bloody battle, suffering continuous casualties! Kang City was just one of many divine cities in the west, and the situation in other cities was hardly any better.

The Xuandu army swelled, encircling Yankang’s divine cities in the sky. Beneath these cities lay numerous towns and villages in western Yankang, home to mortals and divine arts practitioners. If the divine cities fell, these mortals and practitioners would undoubtedly face a massacre!

“Brother Celestial Emperor, there’s no need to wait any longer!” Ah Chou Earth Count said in a deep voice, “Ancestral God King won’t reveal a weakness for some time. At this moment, only you can activate the Celestial Dao ultimate treasures to block Xuandu’s gods and devils!”

Celestial Emperor looked up, staring intently at Ancestral God King, who was fighting Heavenly Venerate Yue and Lang Wo. Suddenly, he gritted his teeth, roared, and activated the Celestial Dao ultimate treasures, the Heavenly Net Dao Soldiers. One by one, these treasures soared into the sky, attacking the Xuandu gods and devils. Ah Chou Earth Count sighed in relief and charged out alongside him. Both of them were Heavenly Venerate-level beings. Their entry into the battle immediately halted the Xuandu demon-god army, preventing them from descending!

Just then, one hundred thousand demon-gods of the Left and Right Dragon Martial Guards burst forth, forming battle formations and charging towards the two.

Meanwhile, in Worry-free Village, the tide had turned against them. Emperor Yiyue, Yan Yunxi, and others began leading their forces in a breakout, fighting their way out of the various heavens. The battle of the Thirty-three Heavens of Worry-free Village was unimaginably fierce. Nearly every heaven was a grueling tug-of-war, where both sides’ demon-god armies piled up mountains of enemy and ally corpses, and blood stained the heavens of Worry-free Village. Only the Grand Purity Realm, without a garrison, remained relatively peaceful. However, with the momentum gone, Founding Emperor Yiyue had no choice but to retreat from Worry-free Village in tears.

The Heavenly Court’s Divine Masters and Naval Divisions, along with other armies, pursued relentlessly. The Earth Master, meanwhile, occupied Worry-free Village and attacked the Grand Purity Realm, where only one person remained: Lan Yutian. The Earth Master's countless troops continuously ascended from the other thirty-two heavens of Worry-free Village, consolidating a superior army to assault the Grand Purity Realm. In the Grand Purity Realm, Lan Yutian controlled his Imperial Heavenly Venerate divine artifacts to set up a killing formation, and the sounds of battle at the entrance to the Grand Purity Realm shook the heavens!

On the other side, Red Emperor Qi Xiayu, Southern Emperor Vermillion Bird, the two Chishang Emperors, and Zhu Yan'er led the Phoenix Clan, Chishang, and Yankang armies, charging from the southern borders to rendezvous with Worry-free Village’s retreating forces.

At the same time, Wei Suifeng and Northern Emperor Black Tortoise slew the Spirit Official ancient god’s clone, routing the various armies in the Northern Heavens. Wei Suifeng left the Black Tortoise army and the Kundi Realm defenders, then, together with the two Black Tortoise Emperors, traveled southwest from the Kundi Realm to provide support.

In the Western Lands, the Divine Firmament was breached, and Yue Tingge fought his way in. Dragon Qilin, leading the Beast Realm army alongside Western Emperor White Tiger, advanced from the west, aiming to attack the Heavenly Court's army from the rear and relieve the pressure on Worry-free Village.

“Founding Emperor, we can begin.”

Wen Tiange gathered the defeated Worry-free Village army and met with Emperor Yiyue and others. This battle had inflicted heavy losses on Worry-free Village’s soldiers, with sixty percent casualties, and the remaining soldiers were all wounded. Their divine weapons were tattered, their armor riddled with holes. Elixirs were depleted, and supplies exhausted. All the formation maps, war chariots, and various divine weapons sent by Yankang had been consumed by the war. Even heavy armaments like the Ark of the Other Shore were rendered unusable and abandoned by Emperor Bodhi Li Youran. If Worry-free Village continued fighting, total annihilation was the only outcome.

Emperor Yiyue's expression was complex as he gazed towards Worry-free Village, his voice hoarse, “Heavenly Master Wen, Lan Yutian is still holding off the enemy in the Grand Purity Realm…”

“Don’t worry about him. He will be able to escape,” Wen Tiange said. “This time, I asked him to confront Mother of Earth in the Grand Purity Realm to attract more enemies there. Only by staying there can he unleash the full power of Worry-free Village!”

Emperor Yiyue sighed, “Then, let’s begin…”

The leaders of each heaven in Worry-free Village stepped forward, leading their remaining forces. They gazed at Worry-free Village with complex emotions. Worry-free Village was their second home, yet now it was to be destroyed, by their own hands!

“Our first home is the Primordial Realm. Worry-free Village was merely a temporary refuge. Now, to defeat the enemy and protect our first home, we destroy this place—and in doing so, break the ‘worry-free’ state in our hearts!” Wen Tiange’s voice was low, “Gentlemen, let Worry-free Village burst forth with its destined brilliance.”

His gaze fell upon Su Maiqing, the founder of the Yankang Dao Sect, who wielded Founding Emperor Qin Ye’s first Sword Dao technique, the Grand Emperor’s World-Pacifying Sword! Su Maiqing and his subordinate soldiers gave a low cry, activating their divine abilities, and remotely paid homage to the first heaven of Worry-free Village, Grand Emperor Heaven!

Wen Tiange’s gaze then moved to Yan Rihuan, the chief general of Worry-free Village’s second heaven. Yan Rihuan was the ancestor of Yan Jingjing, the Yankang Sun Guardian, and primarily cultivated the second sword of Founding Emperor’s Sword Dao, the Grand Brightness Heaven-Equalizing Sword!

In the third heaven, Grand Brightness Heaven, Assistant Shao Bao Fang Youji cultivated the third sword of Founding Emperor’s Sword Dao, the Pure Brightness Heart-Plundering Sword!

In the fourth heaven, Mysterious Fetus Heaven, Assistant Shao Fu Gao Baixun cultivated the fourth sword of Founding Emperor’s Sword Dao, the Mysterious Fetus Heaven-Suppressing Sword!

In the fifth heaven, Grand Tutor Zhou Jingmeng, the Primordial Brightness Literary Grand Sword!

Across the thirty-two heavens, the thirty-two grand generals under Founding Emperor Qin Ye, including Yan Yunxi, had mastered thirty-two levels of Founding Emperor’s Sword Dao. Only the thirty-third heaven of Sword Dao remained unmastered by anyone else.

“The one who mastered the thirty-third heaven of Sword Dao is Imperial Heavenly Venerate Lan Yutian in the Grand Purity Realm. He stayed there precisely to activate all the power of Worry-free Village.” Wen Tiange suddenly roared, “Gentlemen, activate Worry-free Village!”

As soon as his voice faded, all the soldiers simultaneously channeled their magic power. In the distance, Worry-free Village suddenly trembled. Then, countless rocks flew, mountains toppled, seas dried up, and the earth turned over, revealing the steel and iron framework buried deep underground! The internal structure of the Thirty-three Heavens was a magnificent edifice built from colossal divine metals and materials, imprinted with innumerable Sword Dao runes! From Grand Emperor Heaven to Jia Yi Heaven, each heaven lit up in succession!

At this moment, a torrent of Sword Dao power surged through Worry-free Village. In the Grand Purity Realm, Lan Yutian glanced at Mother of Earth, who was still dazed, and immediately shot into the air. Beside him, various divine artifacts in the form of Lan Yutian flew up, floating in the sky parallel to the ground of the Grand Purity Realm. Looking up from below, each Lan Yutian figure had four arms outstretched, swaying up and down like blue kites released into the wind.

Lan Yutian brought his right hand into a sword-finger gesture, using his fingers as a sword, and with a series of swooshing sounds, activated the Sword Dao!

“The thirty-third sword of Sword Dao, Grand Purity Dao Sword! Worry-free Village, rise!”