As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life Chapter 1659 - 435: Immortal Artisan’s Fifth Molting, Second Type of Primordial Dao Tribulation; State Preceptor Invites the Underworld to Join His Side...
Previously on As a father, I just want to quietly watch you live a long life...
Upon hearing these words, the Emperor's fingers lightly drummed against the desk: "Qian Yuan has met with failure time and again—should we turn our forces toward the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect?"
"That might prove effective, so long as we manage to collect the Divine Sect’s Qi Fortune..."
"These Divine Sects may profess loyalty to the Imperial Court, yet their submission rings hollow... In truth, since the Qi Fortune hasn't yet flowed into Great Vista, it doesn't count as real allegiance. This moment is perfect..."
A subtle smile curved the Emperor's lips, his satisfaction unusually evident.
True, the mission for the State Preceptor to shatter Qian Yuan Dao City and seize Li Che alive appeared far from achievable.
Still, the Emperor remained largely unconcerned by that outcome.
After all, the State Preceptor had already gathered substantial Qi Fortune from the Divine Sects, and once the full measure from all of them converged, assaulting Qian Yuan would probably cease to be a challenge.
In truth.
The real source of the Emperor's unease lay with the Purple Mansion Divine Sect...
This ancient Divine Sect, on par with the Equal Heaven Temple in legacy, filled the Emperor with dread.
And with Xie Yushen's strength alone, shattering the Purple Mansion Divine Sect was utterly out of the question.
Xie Yushen had endured back-to-back losses against Qian Yuan—how could he possibly overcome the Purple Mansion?
...
...
Crack crack—!!!
Within Guangling Dao City.
Across the vast Heavenly Dome, the explosive clash of Divine Tribulation energies unleashed a storm of thunderbolts that savagely pierced through the brooding clouds, weaving into a massive web!
Numerous Human Head Toad Furnaces floated high above, encircling the rotund Yangxuan Grandmaster.
At this instant, this Heavenly Pill Divine Sect Grandmaster displayed a wild, exhilarated fervor.
He spread his arms wide, as though rousing some ancient, slumbering force.
From the depths of the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect's Mysterious Temple, a colossal pillar of divine radiance erupted skyward, tearing through the gloom of the clouds and sending shockwaves rippling far and wide.
A silhouette in gray robes, with hair flecked by silver strands, gradually materialized from the luminous shaft linking to the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect’s Mountain Gate.
The very moment it appeared, the surrounding air twisted unnaturally.
The fierce gales and swirling snow were swiftly broken down into droplets by the overwhelming power, which then vaporized them into haze right in the atmosphere, blending seamlessly with the world around.
Yet this haze carried a murky gray-black tint, making it impossible to tell if it was mere vapor or a deadly toxin.
Gu Qianchi, locked in confrontation with Yangxuan Grandmaster, felt his features twist in shock.
"Poison Saint Yin Xuan?!"
Gu Qianchi clearly recognized the infamous title of Grandmaster Yin Xuan, one half of the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect's renowned Yin Yang duo...
In their era, they dominated the cultivation world, with Gu Yinxuan standing out as the dreaded Poison Saint.
His most notorious deed was unleashing a plague that felled every Grandmaster of the Dan Sect, wiping that rival off the map and elevating the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect to supremacy among Dan Sects.
But hadn't the loathed Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan met his end a thousand years back, slain by the collective wrath of the realm?
Gu Yinxuan's face twisted into a grim scowl upon his arrival.
His gaze swirled with an inky darkness, scanning slowly across the scene before lingering briefly on Gu Qianchi, then fixing upon Xie Yushen and his forces below.
"The Imperial Court... daring to invade my Heavenly Pill Divine Sect?"
Gu Yinxuan uttered coldly.
Gu Qianchi's frame stiffened, an inexplicable wave of terror surging through him at the sound of Gu Yinxuan's voice.
Furthermore, Gu Yinxuan's sudden manifestation had flipped the battlefield's balance in an instant.
Shadows darkened Gu Qianchi's visage—could it be? Was it possible?... How could the Imperial Court's fortune be this cursed?
After endless setbacks against Qian Yuan, would this strike on the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect also crumble into defeat?
What kind of cursed fate clung to Xie Yushen?
Forever charging headlong into unbreakable barriers?
Gu Qianchi drew in a steadying breath, acknowledging once more the profound depths of each Divine Sect's foundations.
Even the relatively obscure Heavenly Pill Divine Sect harbored such formidable reserves.
Gu Yinxuan shot a casual look downward: "Imperial Court forces, withdraw."
"Or else, this old man sees no issue in trapping you all right here."
"Don't test me—even with your legions numbering in the tens of thousands, it matters little; a mere drop of venom from this old man's fingertip could fell every last one of you."
Gu Yinxuan declared with a sly grin.
Fresh from his awakening, he was taken aback to discover the court's troops besieging and attempting to raze his sect, but as a founding Grandmaster of the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect, he refused to stand by while the legacy he'd built faced annihilation.
Letting the sect's Qi Fortune drain away unchecked.
Xie Yushen remained seated in his palanquin, eyeing the newly arisen Gu Yinxuan with narrowed lids.
Moments later, a faint smirk played across his features.
Gu Yinxuan, the Poison Saint?
Gu Qianchi hurried back to the palanquin's side, his countenance grim beyond measure: "State Preceptor... that's Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan—he's no simple foe..."
"We've made no provisions against his poisons; we may not endure them."
Gu Qianchi warned gravely.
Having shared an era with Gu Yinxuan, Gu Qianchi knew all too well the horrors the man could unleash.
Yet Xie Yushen's expression glowed with unyielding confidence, betraying neither dread nor any urge to fall back.
"Grandmaster Gu, are you aware... of the reason behind my boldness in marching an army against the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect?"
"Rather than pressing the assault on the Qian Yuan Divine Sect?"
Gu Qianchi could only shake his head, utterly perplexed.
Xie Yushen rose from the palanquin, the wind tousling his robes with a resonant flutter.
With a graceful flick of his feather fan, a icy grin tugged at his mouth.
His eyes lifted toward the heavens over the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect's Mountain Gate, where the Yin Yang Grandmasters—two powerhouses of the Divine Tribulation Realm—suspended themselves.
Gu Yinxuan clearly outmatched Gu Yangxuan in might, his cultivation probably at the One Disaster Two Tribulations stage, rivaling the Old Dragon God in stature.
Gu Yangxuan, by contrast, lingered at the One Disaster One Tribulation level.
A pair of Divine Tribulations...
But in the current state of the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect, these two Divine Tribulations stood as the sole guardians, nothing beyond that.
The Ascending Immortal Pavilion had already stripped Guangling Dao City bare, just as it had hollowed out the Heavenly Pill Divine Sect.
And beyond that...
The Heavenly Pill Divine Sect had crossed a line by provoking the wrong adversary.
"Grandmaster Gu, remember this: in this world, foes are never forever—only... interests endure eternally."
"Those who once blocked our path to eradicate the sect might yet turn into our steadfast partners."
Xie Yushen intoned with layered intent.
Gu Qianchi caught the words, his forehead creasing in bewilderment, grasping little of the implication.
What scheme was Xie Yushen weaving?
As Xie Yushen's statement concluded, he turned his palm upward, unveiling a pitch-black chess piece, carved as if from polished inkstone.
This was...
An eruption of ferocious energy burst from the ebony chess piece.
In the instant that followed, it hurled skyward with sudden force.
As it ascended, the dark chess piece quivered faintly before streaking upward at blinding speed.
Gu Qianchi stared in disbelief.
Abruptly, his gaze sharpened.
For...
The obsidian chess piece ballooned outward in midair, swelling massively!
Then, a foreboding black citadel materialized with explosive fury, dominating the space between sky and earth!
Coils of deathly Qi swirled, unleashing an enormous pressure akin to a nightmarish fortress that commanded the thresholds of existence and oblivion, brooding threateningly over Guangling Dao City.
A savage, turbulent aura exploded forth, as though demonic forces were clashing in frenzy.
The citadel's gates creaked open...
Like rivers of ink spilling free, they painted the firmament as their canvas, outlining the horrifying form of a savage beast!
Nine heads, evoking the majesty of Divine Dragons, lashed wildly from the gateway's shadow—though seven remained hazy, just two shone in vivid clarity.
Those two distinct dragon heads parted their jaws, unleashing a thunderous bellow that overpowered the heavens and earth!
With the fortress quaking, the monstrous entity boasting nine writhing heads inched forth from within.
Its pair of inky wings unfurled in a rush, eclipsing the daylight entirely!
Swish, swish...
Without warning, droplets of ink-black rain began pattering from above!
Swish, swish, immense and unrelenting!
As though an oceanic deluge had vaulted into the clouds, only to cascade back as relentless downpours.
Among the Underworld’s ten legendary beasts...
The Sea Flipping Nine Infants!
Gu Qianchi tilted his head upward.
The grip on his treasured blade quivered faintly.
Confronting this awe-inspiring monster, he sensed its profound menace on instinct... without doubt, a Devil God-tier being at the Divine Tribulation Realm!
But...
That wasn't the crux of it!
Gu Qianchi stared in puzzled recognition at this fortress...
This all-too-familiar stronghold.
Not only Gu Qianchi...
Ning Caisen, Gu Cheng, and countless Martial Saints from the court army, plus the Divine Fetus Practitioner leaders, all stared in stunned silence.
Etched on that fortress's signboard were the bold strokes of "Fengdu."
Two characters at once intimate and jarringly bold.
The Underworld's Fengdu?!
Only days prior, they had clashed viciously with the Underworld, the battles raging to brutal extremes...
And now, the State Preceptor's cunning diplomacy had swayed the Underworld to their side?!
Thus...
The Underworld... had joined their ranks?!