Chapter 941: Resurrection

The sword severed the Celestial Venerable's arm; the stone fetus's blood gushed out as its right arm flew off, plummeting towards the great abyss.

The world was violently shaken; everyone was astonished!

Who was this? Taiwu Celestial Venerable! The progenitor of a sect, who had lived for countless years. Even if it was not his true body but a Dao body suppressed to the Illumination realm, it was still connected to a Celestial Venerable. And now it had its arm severed like this?

In the Netherworld, the forces of all races were stunned, their bodies heating up and sweating. Were they about to witness a miracle today?

"Celestial Venerable!" At the edge of the cosmos, people from the Yang Realm trembled, filled with utter dread. If Taiwu Celestial Venerable were to be harmed here, or slain by a white-clad woman, it would have far-reaching consequences, shaking even the Yang Realm to its core.

This was originally something that could never happen. Although currently in the Illumination realm, Taiwu's evolutionary stages were all flawless, making him as strong as could be.

Outside the great abyss, Yao Yao was peerlessly graceful. Wielding a three-foot divine sword, she activated the Daoist Breathing Technique. Each strike was like a phoenix assaulting the heavens, employing her strongest energy. Sword qi like rainbows and sword light like rain poured down.

Even the stone body, like flesh and blood, was pierced with bloody holes. Crystal-clear, luminous blood splattered, only to be sucked in by an unknown force within the great abyss.

Yao Yao's hair flew, her figure slender. As she moved, she was like a Nine Heavens Profound Maiden soaring in the air, her posture elegant. Yet, her killing moves were incredibly decisive. She was determined to slay the Celestial Venerable!

Two more terrible wounds appeared on the stone fetus, severely gashed and stained with blood.

"Excellent!"

In the depths of the cosmos, the Big Black Ox and others roared, their emotions stirred. A hint of grief and indignation mixed within them, for no matter what, Chu Feng was still dead, which pained them.

Now, seeing Yao Yao's peerless grace severely wounding Taiwu Celestial Venerable, they resonated with her, their blood surging. They wished they could rush to the scene and join the fight.

"The foremost under the ancient starry sky!"

The renowned figures of all races recalled the maiden from ancient times, clad in snow-white, who single-handedly defeated the allied genius armies of various races. Although she was eventually slain by a titan, she had left behind too much glory in her time; no one in the same realm could rival her.

Many people still remembered some of the energy bodies she had created back then, which were later studied by various races for many years, having a profound impact.

The stone fetus erupted, its golden eyes growing colder and more ruthless. With one hand, it seized the life ancient tree energy body, using it as a staff, and struck forward.

Outside the great abyss, there were many stellar remnants, similar to normal celestial bodies. But with a single strike from the energy body—the life ancient tree—they instantly turned into dust in vast swathes.

The Celestial Venerable was enraged. The starry sky trembled, and the Netherworld cosmos roared, as if on the verge of disintegration.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The two sides fought fiercely, energy bodies erupting. The crystalline petals, immortal light, and auspicious aura surrounding them collided, evolving into runic rules.

Throughout this process, the stone fetus remained calm, its expression indifferent. Even after losing an arm formed from innate essence, it showed neither joy nor sorrow, as if it were a vessel of the Great Dao, looking down upon the mortal realm.

The Big Black Ox, Yellow Ox, Ouyang Feng, and others truly couldn't stand him. Primarily because he had killed Chu Feng with such an indifferent demeanor, and now, though finally suppressed by Yao Yao, he still maintained this attitude, making them all wish Yao Yao would immediately slay him.

The battle outside the great abyss grew even more intense, leaving everyone dumbfounded.

As the battle progressed, with a boom, a Bodhi tree beside Taiwu Celestial Venerable roared, emitting immeasurable light and hovering there. Rustling, it vibrated with order runes, and beams of light like silken ribbons cascaded down, protecting the stone fetus.

Rumble!

At the same time, near Yao Yao, the chaotic pool glowed, its green lotus swaying brilliantly within. It flew out with the chaotic pool, colliding with the Bodhi tree.

This was a clash of energy bodies, a full-scale, white-hot decisive battle between the two in the Illumination realm.

"Buzz!"

Suddenly, Taiwu Celestial Venerable formed a hand seal, mysterious and unfathomable. He absorbed all the free-floating energy in the cosmos, as if devouring the sky. The star sea dimmed, and endless essence converged towards him.

He swallowed greedily. At the same time, he activated his breathing technique, creating a magnificent aura that intimidated the Nine Netherworlds and Ten Earths, causing the entire star sea to tremble.

He unleashed his ultimate killing move. As a Celestial Venerable, being wounded in this manner seemed to make him impatient, and emotional fluctuations appeared in his eyes.

Yao Yao was sent flying backward. Her white battle attire was stained with blood, and blood trickled from her mouth and nose. She was wounded!

In an instant, the stone fetus was close again. Its single arm suppressed the sky, shrouding everything and emitting a terrifying light. Its entire body was crystalline, and the emitted blood qi was mixed with numerous Great Dao runes. This was a forbidden chapter of the breathing technique he practiced, suppressing the Netherworld.

Yao Yao also activated the Daoist Breathing Technique, her white clothes fluttering. The sword embryo in her hand was so sacred that it continuously burst forth with light rain. Her own body was like ice skin and jade bones, so sacred that it made others feel ashamed of their own inferiority, as brilliant energy surged out!

In this life-and-death struggle, blood splattered everywhere, continuously being absorbed by the mysterious power within the great abyss.

Yao Yao stumbled back, half her body stained with blood. There was even a finger-mark on her forehead, and she was almost pierced through the head by Taiwu Celestial Venerable's finger.

It was truly perilous; she nearly had the place where her soul light converged destroyed.

On the other side, Taiwu Celestial Venerable was bisected at the waist. His lower half separated and plummeted into the great abyss.

"Kill!"

Yao Yao softly cried out, rose into the air, and charged again. This time she abandoned the sword embryo and formed a fist seal with her hand. She appeared ethereal and immortal, but once she truly swung her fist, it was as if she could shatter heaven and earth, seeking eternity.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Fist after fist, she sent the stone fetus recoiling. Originally covered in sword marks, it was now cracking.

Taiwu Celestial Venerable disintegrated, an enraged expression appearing on his face, no longer so indifferent. He was blasted apart in an instant, his innate stone body shattering into pieces, falling into the great abyss amidst a rain of blood.

Yao Yao staggered backward, unstable on her feet. She was also gravely wounded and near death, with various energy bodies corroding her.

Heaven and earth fell silent; evolutionary beings of all races were dumbfounded. Their hearts trembled, their souls quivered, hardly believing their own eyes. Yao Yao, the foremost of the ancient Golden Generation, had actually slain a Celestial Venerable!

At the edge of the cosmos, people from the Yang Realm were even more shocked. Then a group of them knelt down, trembling uncontrollably. Two Daoist children wailed, "A Dao body of the Celestial Venerable has been slain! This will cause a major incident!"

"Celestial Venerable, how could you possibly be defeated? Who in the same realm could contend with you? I don't believe it!"

"This must be false, unreal!"

The people from the Yang Realm could not accept it; they shouted at the cosmic frontier, their bodies shaking.

"Well killed! Brother Chu Feng, Princess Yao Yao has avenged you!" The Big Black Ox and others also roared, filled with sorrow.

Yao Yao rose into the air and leaped directly into the great abyss, chasing after where the stone box had fallen, hoping to find it and bring it up.

After a long time, Yao Yao emerged, her face pale and devoid of color. Holding the stone box, she appeared in the darkness, gradually ascending from the great abyss.

However, she suddenly paused, then immediately turned around, and surprisingly, dove back down towards the great abyss.

A stone fetus appeared, clinging to the edge of the great abyss. Its entire body flowed with a halo. He raised a hand and pointed forward, restraining Yao Yao, who was rushing into the great abyss.

The stone fetus reappeared!

This Dao body of Taiwu Celestial Venerable had not died at all. The stone arms and blood seen falling into the great abyss had actually reassembled below, hiding there.

Yao Yao's perception was too keen. Realizing something was wrong instantly, she turned and plunged downwards, seeking the great abyss's protection.

Rumble!

Taiwu Celestial Venerable's stone body glowed, crystalline and brilliant, as if composed of immortal Dao Ancestor material, becoming even more unfathomable. He was using all his might to restrain Yao Yao, intending to bring her and the stone box up.

"This treacherous person!"

The Big Black Ox, Northeast Tiger, Zhou Quan, and others were astonished, frightened, and enraged. They realized that Taiwu Celestial Venerable's apparent death earlier was a deliberate act.

All he wanted was to paralyze everyone, and have the stone box brought up by Yao Yao!

Although Taiwu Celestial Venerable was unfathomable, he dared not enter the great abyss. So he feigned defeat, creating the illusion that he was killed and swallowed by the great abyss.

A dignified Celestial Venerable of his generation was actually willing to bear the stigma of being slain just to obtain the stone box. This showed how highly he valued this artifact.

Yao Yao knew that Taiwu Celestial Venerable had held back. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so easily defeated!

She didn't want any accidents, unwilling for the stone box to fall into Taiwu's hands. She dove downwards with all her might, but it was like being caught in a quagmire.

For a time, Taiwu Celestial Venerable and Yao Yao were locked in a stalemate. They were too far apart, and Taiwu couldn't forcibly drag the brilliant Yao Yao completely up.

"Go!"

Yao Yao softly cried out, gathered all her energy, and slashed out with a sword, breaking through the restraint, and threw the stone box back into the great abyss.

Then, she turned to look at the stone fetus, pointing her sword at him from a distance.

"What a pity, just one step short." Taiwu Celestial Venerable finally spoke, regret visible on his face.

Then, he looked at Yao Yao, his expression calm and unruffled, and said, "I wish to take you as my disciple, to inherit my legacy. I will eventually retire, and you will be revered as the leader of my sect."

This promise, this offer of discipleship, not only startled all the evolutionary beings in the Netherworld cosmos but also left the people from the Yang Realm dumbfounded and utterly shocked.

How much Taiwu Celestial Venerable valued talent, to want to take the white-clad woman as a disciple? The group of people from the Yang Realm couldn't believe it.

They knew that Celestial Venerables generally did not speak lightly. Once they made a decision and spoke it, it was no trifling matter.

Soon, they fell silent again, because Yao Yao's performance was indeed too stunning. To be able to fight Taiwu Celestial Venerable to that extent, even if Taiwu held back and deliberately feigned defeat, it was still an astonishing display!

After calming down, the people from the Yang Realm realized that this Yao Yao was indeed exceptionally gifted. Even as a rogue cultivator, if she continued to grow, she would likely become a Celestial Venerable in the future!

And if she received guidance from Taiwu, her future achievements would be unimaginable, stunning people!

The response to Taiwu was a flash of sword light. Yao Yao attacked, cleaving downwards at him. A world-shocking sword beam streaked across the dark great abyss!

The stone fetus silently vanished from its spot and reappeared outside the great abyss. It looked at her indifferently and said, "You are not my match. A Celestial Venerable possesses infinite methods. Even if you are flawless in the Illumination realm, you have ultimately not comprehended realms beyond the divine."

However, he did not attack, because no matter what, Yao Yao was too stunning; it would be impossible to simply capture her.

Taiwu stood outside the great abyss, extending a hand, piercing through space and opening a wormhole.

In the infinitely distant depths of the cosmos, space cracked open. Then everyone on a life-bearing planet trembled, and with a boom, the place became a dead zone.

An entire planet was annihilated, condensing a vibrant life energy that was seized by a colossal hand in the sky and swiftly absorbed.

The next moment, this colossal hand appeared in another starfield. Another planet disintegrated, and its boundless, vibrant life energy was devoured.

These scenes shocked the Netherworld cosmos.

In this instant, Taiwu Celestial Venerable consecutively annihilated six life-bearing planets. Each planet harbored tens of billions of high-level life forms, such as humans, the Golden Giant race, and others.

This was simply unimaginable! Two hundred billion lives perished unnaturally, vanishing in an instant!

Meanwhile, at the great abyss, the stone fetus became increasingly lustrous. Some of the vitality it had lost earlier was replenished.

But he still hadn't absorbed enough and continued his actions. However, Yao Yao moved, refusing to allow him to act so recklessly. She surged up from the great abyss to confront him in battle once more.

In fact, when Taiwu Celestial Venerable destroyed the star bodies, he showed neither joy nor sorrow, no emotional fluctuation whatsoever.

In his eyes, whether it was Chu Feng or the tens of billions of living beings on a life-bearing planet, there was no difference. They were all mere mortals.

His state was similar to the "Supreme Detachment" described in ancient texts. Looking down upon all living beings, indifferent to everything, yet treating all equally, like a humanoid vessel of the Great Dao walking among the world.

This detachment, this cold indifference, was unacceptable to Yao Yao, Yellow Ox, and others.

"What kind of Celestial Venerable is he, truly believing himself to have transcended the cosmos and looking down on everything within this iron cage? Damn him!"

Throughout the cosmos, many people cursed. The Big Black Ox and others were even more furious. Taiwu Celestial Venerable's calm demeanor, showing no joy or sorrow even after killing, was unbearable to them.

"Bring me the stone box!"

Taiwu Celestial Venerable spoke, no longer shattering planets. Instead, he stood there, one hand deflecting the mother gold sword blade in Yao Yao's hand, calm and composed.

It was unknown how long had passed, but in the depths of the great abyss, the stone box vibrated slightly with fluctuations within. Many glowing fragments were gathering; it was Chu Feng's soul light—he had not died!

When he was shattered by Taiwu, a lingering bell chime sounded from the stone box, drawing his soul light into the open crack of the stone box, thus saving him.

Within the stone box's space, there was not only Qin Luoyin's corpse, but also several important items, such as three seeds and the Vajra Bracelet. Chu Feng had been drawn in by the Soul Bell!

He revived, dazed. His soul light reassembled, recovering with the breathing technique, gradually brightening. And the blood staining the stone box was also drawn in.

He couldn't quickly restore his physical body. Now, his entire body was crimson, blood and soul light congealed together, and he finally regained consciousness.

He appeared outside the stone box, holding it, suspended in the dark great abyss.

He was now conscious, and although he was a mere condensation of blood and soul, the runes of the Fiery Golden Eyes still appeared, allowing him to see the scene above the great abyss.

Yao Yao and the stone fetus were locked in a fierce battle; blood light appeared intermittently.

Yao Yao's situation was not good. Although she inflicted one bloody mark after another on the stone fetus, her own injuries were more severe; her body had been pierced by a palm print, staining the starry sky with blood!

"Yao Yao, come back!" He desperately wanted to shout it, but he was too weak to transmit his voice.

Then, his heart pounded. He saw Taiwu Celestial Venerable, with a single hand, covering the sky, piercing through space, opening a wormhole, and snatching Yellow Ox, Zhou Quan, Northeast Tiger, and the others to this location!

"Roar!"

The Big Black Ox and others roared, inside the Demon Ancestor Cauldron. Wielding the artifact, they crashed towards Taiwu.

Taiwu Celestial Venerable regarded them indifferently and flicked his finger lightly. Even though the Demon Ancestor Cauldron tried its best to evade, it was still grazed by a beam of light. Some great demons within the cauldron were shattered into pieces by the violent impact, turning into a bloody mist.

At the same time, Taiwu Celestial Venerable sensed something, looked down into the great abyss. His golden pupils glowed, fixing on Chu Feng's soul light and the stone box within the bloody mist.

"Chu Feng, not dead," he murmured.

This startled Yao Yao, who then also sensed the situation within the great abyss.

The Big Black Ox, Yellow Ox, Zhou Quan, and others were even more overjoyed. But their hearts soon grew heavy. Although Chu Feng was not dead, Taiwu Celestial Venerable was also still alive. Who could kill him?

"I heard that a Mastiff bravely marched to its death, which I found quite admirable. Now, I also wish to observe the various emotional fluctuations of Netherworld creatures and understand the power of your soul waves. At this moment, who dares to step forward and die for Yao Yao and Chu Feng? If you dare to do so, I, in the name of a Celestial Venerable, will pardon Yao Yao and Chu Feng, guaranteeing their survival."

"My life does not need your pardon!" Yao Yao rebuked. Her battle attire was stained with blood, yet she was still fighting, showing no surrender, her fighting spirit high as she fiercely battled.

However, Chu Feng, the Big Black Ox, Yellow Ox, and others could all see that Yao Yao was ultimately at a disadvantage, possibly facing her first defeat in life and perishing here.

It wasn't that she wasn't strong enough, but that Taiwu Celestial Venerable had employed methods beyond the Illumination realm. Those were insights beyond the divine; although he didn't activate energy exceeding this cosmos's limits, it was enough to kill Yao Yao.

Even if Taiwu had fought with only Illumination realm methods, Yao Yao might not have been his match, nor able to kill him. Much less now, with Taiwu holding nothing back and using his true abilities.

Their realms differed greatly, and their comprehensions were incomparable. Such a chasm was insurmountable.

No matter how stunning Yao Yao was, it was impossible for her to truly kill a Celestial Venerable. With such a vast difference in realms, no one, from ancient times to the future, could achieve it!

The Big Black Ox, Ouyang Feng, Yellow Ox, and others cried out in alarm. The continuous blossoming of blood flowers on Yao Yao's body made them unable to bear it.

At the same time, Chu Feng also rushed upwards, roaring weakly, filled with immense worry.

"I am willing to die for my brother Chu Feng and Princess Yao Yao, to satisfy your perverted Celestial Venerable's cold-blooded preference!" The Big Black Ox roared, charging out of the Demon Ancestor Cauldron.

"I, too, am fearless!" Yellow Ox stepped forward.

"Is your Tiger Lord afraid of death? Never!" The Northeast Tiger and others also stepped out one after another.

"Even your Donkey Lord... will be strong-willed this once!" Even the most cowardly Old Donkey stepped forward.

Taiwu Celestial Venerable didn't even look, simply pointed a few fingers, and several great demons among that group exploded!

"Damn you, Taiwu!" Chu Feng trembled. Lacking a physical body, he still felt the surge of enraged blood shaking his entire being, uncontrollable, as if he himself would explode.

"Is this truly the Netherworld? From now on, it will be flattened and forged into a spatial artifact," Taiwu Celestial Venerable spoke calmly, his power so immense it instilled despair, leaving no means of resistance.