Longevity, starting from being a chicken raising servant Chapter 2478: 228: Disappearance (Part 3)

Right at that moment, the horn hidden within his sleeve, imbued with immortal power, finally showed signs of activation. A dim glow shimmered across its surface, accompanied by the faint, ancient resonance of a horn blast.

As the sound vibrated through the air, everything in Wang Ba’s field of vision blurred. Suddenly, he felt an irresistible, unfathomable force dragging him away!

“What?!” Tianshang Buddha Lord, who had been poised to strike with an outstretched finger, wore a look of rare astonishment. The True Spirit of True Man Taiyi had vanished into thin air.

Driven by suspicion, he instinctively reached out toward Wang Ba’s physical vessel. Just as his hand nearly made contact, a voice roared from the deepest, darkest corners of Zhang’s Ruins, rolling forth like a tumultuous ocean: “Enough!”

The voice was both piercing and profound, heavy with a simmering, dangerous fury that sent Tianshang’s very Qi and Blood into a chaotic recoil. A colossal shadow rose slowly from the surface of Zhang’s Ruins. It was so ethereal and intangible that even a typical Rob Cultivator would likely fail to perceive its existence.

Yet, Tianshang Buddha Lord felt a crushing weight descend upon his heart. As the massive silhouette hoisted itself up, its eyes—bottomless black pits—remained fixed on him. Tianshang felt an icy prickling sensation down his spine, his heart hammering against his ribs in terror. He immediately retreated with a graceful gesture and stammered, “Senior, I had no desire to cause a disturbance…”

“You have invited a catastrophe upon this place!” The giant shadow straightened further, appearing to blanket the very light of the entire Realm Sea. With a bellow of absolute rage, it struck out with a single palm.

Tianshang’s expression darkened. Refusing to be careless, he clasped his hands together in a complex seal. The void behind him shattered, manifesting a seated Buddha as gargantuan as the shadow itself. As the shadow’s palm collided with this manifestation, there was no audible roar, yet Tianshang felt a shockwave more powerful than anything he had ever experienced. Boom! The giant Buddha was forced to stumble backward. Its shimmering golden exterior began to peel away, revealing a withered, stone-gray husk beneath.

“Another Dharma Realm exists here?” Tianshang gazed at the shadow and the humanoid continent beneath it, struck by sudden dread. Without a moment’s hesitation, he dove back into the seated Buddha, carved a rift through space, and vanished before a second strike could land.

“Hmph!” The shadow let out a frigid snort. It didn’t bother to pursue, instead shifting its gaze toward Wang Ba and the Wuyuan King, who stood guard nearby. The shadow seemed to hesitate as it swept its eyes over the tablets held by the Wuyuan King, as if about to speak. However, it suddenly caught wind of something, paused for a heartbeat, and dissolved instantly, sinking back into the silent depths of Zhang’s Ruins.

Almost the moment the shadow retreated, the teleportation artifact in Wang Ba’s sleeve sprung to life. A thousand-headed Demonic Beast burst from the void, and from one of its many maws, a white-robed, white-haired figure tumbled out. His tenth-tier Dao Domain spun above his head as he scanned his surroundings with a grim intensity.

Simultaneously, a massive, blood-drenched entity erupted from the void, radiating a vile, murderous Qi. It immediately assumed a combat stance, only to pause in bewilderment upon spotting the vacant-eyed Wang Ba and the equally confused white-robed figure. “Heavenly Monarch Chao? What has transpired here?”

Heavenly Monarch Chao was just as baffled. “I cannot say. I felt that something was terribly wrong and arrived as quickly as I could.” The two turned their attention toward Wang Ba, immediately noticing his strange state—dead silent and devoid of awareness. Despite the vibrant, pulsing aura of life emanating from his body, which made it hard to believe he was merely a Rob Cultivator, they felt as if his body were an empty mansion without a master.

“The lingering scent of a Supreme True Buddha… that is the stench of Tianshang!” The Master of Quiet Cave sniffed the air, a visible flash of hatred crossing his handsome face. Heavenly Monarch Chao, having independently verified the residue, glanced at the Wuyuan King. After a quick interrogation, his face twisted in righteous fury: “It was indeed Tianshang Buddha Lord! A Mahayana Cultivator preying upon Taiyi? How pathetic and dishonorable!

“But if that is the case, why didn't Tianshang abduct him? Where could Taiyi’s True Spirit have gone?” Both men traded looks, their minds heavy with confusion. The Master of Quiet Cave spoke gravely, “Finding his True Spirit is our priority. A cultivator’s True Spirit is fragile compared to that of an Innate Divine Demon. Even at his level of cultivation, surviving in this isolated corner of the Realm Sea is impossible. I shall attempt to summon him.”

“I possess unique techniques for summoning spirits as well. Let us attempt mine first.” Heavenly Monarch Chao did not hesitate, casting aside his usual rivalry with Innate Divine Demons to ensure the safety of his peer. “Very well,” the Master of Quiet Cave agreed. “Proceed with your method.”

Heavenly Monarch Chao worked quickly, approaching Wang Ba’s side. Satisfied that the danger had passed, the glow of the Land-Parting Staff faded into the Primordial Spirit. The Wuyuan King, understanding the severity of the situation, stood aside and watched them with a worried gaze. Heavenly Monarch Chao took a drop of Wang Ba’s essence blood and began weaving signs and chanting incantations. Only a few moments passed before he stopped, his expression dismal. The Master of Quiet Cave pressed, “What news?” Heavenly Monarch Chao shook his head, his face solemn. “There is no response. Either he has been knocked out of the Realm Sea entirely, or… his spirit has been extinguished.”

Deep within the core of Zhang’s Ruins, the consciousness that had just returned to the abyss felt a sense of relief for its timely actions. “Thankfully, I secured the True Spirit within the essence of these ruins and avoided direct conflict with that entity. Even if he returns, he will struggle to find fault with me…” Suddenly, the consciousness froze. It scanned the depths of its own domain in a panic. “Wait, where has his True Spirit gone?! I know I brought it inside!”