Eternal Swordmaster
Chapter 401 - 395 The Path to Ultimate Strength 10

Chapter 401: Chapter 395 The Path to Ultimate Strength 10

"Big brother’s ’Nether Essence Divine Power’ has grown stronger...!" The Crown Prince’s eyes showed a trace of horror.

"If big brother is willing to break through to Yuan Jing now, I’m afraid he could enter ’Yuan Jing Solidification’ instantly! Truly terrifying!"

Enter the Void, Solidification, Integration, True Monarch, these are the five major levels after entering Yuan Jing. As for the True Monarch of the extreme yin, no one knows how to reach that stage.

A True Monarch is indeed the strongest realm in the entire Yuan Jing, so it’s common for the Cultivation World to traditionally bestow the title of True Monarch upon the strongest in any realm.

By now, this title is no longer merely a name of a realm, but more like an honor.

"Prepare to set off, father is currently inside the Divine Palace, and I will control the Netherworld Path. With the guard of the Elders’ Hall, there will be no mishaps, this operation is bound to succeed!"

Huang Yuanqing’s voice suddenly spread throughout the entire city’s palaces.

*********************

Shape-shifting Cave, Myriad Thousand Demons Mountain.

Giant demon statues the size of mountains were scattered among the mountain ranges.

The demon figures included bats, werewolves, male lions, and mythical creatures like the azure luan phoenix, flood dragons, and qilin.

Each giant black statue stood hundreds or even thousands of meters tall.

Dozens of statues formed a ring, with black chains as thick as arms stretching out from all directions, converging in the central space. All the chains gathered on a colossal black palace at the center.

The roof of the palace was covered in thick dense spikes.

Beneath its edges, there were platforms extending outwards. Each platform had tiny figures continuously practicing martial arts and perfecting divine skills.

On the largest platform of all, a majestic man draped in a dark gold robe was holding a terrifying mass of swirling black mist in one hand, his veins bulging as he attempted to gain complete control.

The black mist formed a ball, its surface continuously shifting to reveal twisted and pained human faces.

"Killing intent....?!" A voice came from behind the man.

"What is it?" The majestic man asked without turning around, his voice low.

"This Seven Section Bamboo event has caused major losses to all the powers in Yuan Jing, with the temperament of Red Spine Sect’s Sect Leader, it’s unlikely he would come personally; moreover, he’s been heavily injured and needs recuperation, so this is your greatest opportunity!"

The owner of the voice behind him slowly became visible, and it was none other than a towering emperor shrouded in distortion.

His face was unclear, even his figure was indistinguishable, with space seemingly twisting and rippling around him, blurring all lines of sight.

"Huang Yuerong’s injury offers us the best opportunity during this time of recuperation. If we can obtain that item... and pass the test, our strength will rise and break through to the top level!" the majestic man said gravely. Suddenly, the ball of black mist in his hand exploded with a bang and scattered in all directions.

He turned to face the shadow behind him.

The shadow stared back at him.

"Huai’er, you are the strongest bloodline in the Shape-shifting Cave. In the whole Myriad Realms, except for a few, there is none who can compare with you. This time the Alliance has suffered heavy losses, many elders fallen, and the Red Spine Sect has been damaged, its forces depleted. It is the best time for your rise. If you can control that item, even Huang Yuerong might be challenged in a direct battle!"

The majestic man narrowed his eyes and remained silent, his aura becoming increasingly intense.

************************

Celestial Garments Daoist Palace of the Cloudy Sky Path.

In a luxurious and cold grand hall, an enormous figure clad in a white robe sat regally.

The figure was seven to eight meters tall; even while seated, he towered over the Daoists on both sides. He wore a white jade helmet, and his face was obscured in white light, seemingly void of anything but also appearing to swirl with a vast amount of fog.

On either side of the hall, powerful Taoists, both old and young, stood calmly in rows.

Hong Gui, the elder, occupied the fifth position on the right, holding a horsetail whisk, remaining still with a comminuted expression.

"Do any of you have insights on this Seven Section Bamboo matter?" the huge figure at the top inquired, his voice deep and resonant, echoing as if it contained countless reverberations.

"Honored Master, after the battle involving Huang Yuerong, the seventh brother perished, and the remaining True Monarch elders are insufficient to suppress other sect forces. Although the Seven Section Bamboo is important, we only have lingering divine consciousness left here and are powerless. Perhaps delegating full authority to Tang Guanyu would be better," spoke a person from the left, his voice unsteady.

"Tang Guanyu? What about Lin Shan?" a female Taoist beside Hong Gui retorted coldly. "Shan’er is the true first Daoist! Are you trying to seize her chance while she’s injured?"

"Sister’s words are misplaced," the man who had spoken earlier replied indifferently. "The treasures and opportunities of heaven should belong to those who are capable. As Daoist Lin Shan was involved in the battle against Huang Yuerong and was severely injured, these occurrences right before the Seven Section Bamboo are also a result of destiny; her fate falls short."

"To even bring destiny into this, you truly live up to the title of Hall Master of Heavenly Mandate," the female Taoist said disdainfully. "Unfortunately, Shan’er will inevitably recover completely before the Seven Section Bamboo."

"If she can recover, naturally there will be no objections. But Huang Yuerong took action personally, shattering even a sixth-grade Divine Weapon with a single strike..." another person spoke calmly. "Even with our Celestial Garments Daoist Palace’s profound background, sixth-grade Divine Weapons aren’t simply available on demand."

"Lin Shan is destined to be on the Heavenly List! Such a cost is worth it!" the female Taoist argued single-mindedly.

"I’ve heard that Hong Gui, in a time of crisis for our sect, managed to provoke the Third Crown Prince of Yuan Dou Demon Sect. Is there truth in this?" another voice inquired coolly.

The people of Celestial Garments Daoist Palace seemed mostly indifferent, as if they were unaffected by any matter, giving a rather eerie impression.

"Aren’t we discussing the matter of the Daoist? Why bring it to me?" Hong Gui thought helplessly but had expected this sort of interrogation from his side.

Resignedly, he stepped forward and bowed slightly towards the immense figure above before speaking.

"It is indeed so."

The one who came forward was an old man with white hair, carrying two snow-white curve-shaped longswords on his back, cross-tied together. He wore a plain white robe that gave him an air of transcendent dignity.

"Hong Gui, you’re most aware of Lin Shan’s circumstance, and as her uncle, leveraging her name as a Daoist, you have secretly traded for profit with those with insidious intentions. Now because of this, you’re hunting down the Third Crown Prince of Yuan Dou Demon Sect. Are you trying to push our relationship with the Yuan Dou Demon Sect to the brink?"

Upon hearing this, the Taoist cultivators were slightly surprised, but that was the extent of the ripple caused.

The Taoist cultivation practiced by Tianyun Dao was centered around purity of heart, desirelessness, and the Supreme Forgetfulness. Perhaps even a disaster of sect annihilation would not cause too great a disturbance among those present.

"Is this true, Hong Gui?" the huge figure seated above asked in a deep voice. The terrifying gaze, carrying an oppressive aura, slowly fell upon the old man known as Hong Gui.

His body involuntarily trembled as he hastily lowered his head.

"It is indeed true. However, a Third Crown Prince does not represent the Yuan Dou Demon Sect, and the Yuan Dou Demon Sect does not represent the entire Xian Sha Alliance."

"How so?" the huge figure pressed.

Hong Gui collected his thoughts and continued.

"Reporting to the Taoist Venerable, Hong Gui has reached a unanimous agreement with the Xian Sha Alliance, and the Yuan Dou Demon Sect has already sent a Message Talisman. It should not be long before we receive a reply from True Monarch Huang Yuan."

"It seems you have come prepared," the female Taoist said coldly, glancing at him before saying no more.

"Huang Yuan, huh..." The huge figure above also said no more, for regardless of the attitudes of others in the Yuan Dou Demon Sect, it was Huang Yuan who held the true authority; his word was the decree. Hong Gui implied that only Huang Yuan’s voice truly represented the Yuan Dou Demon Sect.

************************

At the edge of the Central Prefecture’s yang membrane.

The sun was setting, and dusk was approaching.

A massive pitch-black warship slowly flew from the distant sky towards the yang membrane.

The warship was shuttle-shaped, and at the very tip, there was a broad room, half of which was made of transparent crystal.

Inside, True Monarch Huang Yuan was seated on the ground, surrounded by floating silver orbs. These solid spheres were condensed from Yuan Dou Star Force.

Should any one of them fall to the ground, it had the power to obliterate all life within thousands of kilometers in an instant, eradicating every living being.

Yuan Dou Star Force, while imitating the properties of ordinary star force, had the terrifying effect of containing and overpowering most other forces.

But even more formidable was its tyrannical special effect of annihilating and repelling everything.

Practitioners of Yuan Dou Star Force invariably became extremely selfish and wilful.

Whatever Huang Yuan coveted, he would seize by force. Lin Xin had joined the ranks in just this manner.

And so it was with Quan Sheying, Duan Chizi, and most others—domineering and supremely conceited, which were the defining characteristics of the Yuan Dou Demonic Technique.

At that moment, True Monarch Huang Yuan was holding a white message paper that detailed a series of events that had taken place after the Daoist scriptures in Central Prefecture.

"Tianyun Dao..." Huang Yuan set down the message paper, his expression darkening slightly. "The Evil God fetus was not given to me but was hoarded by themselves?"

Princesses and Crown Princes returning to the Yuan Dou Demon Sect had the direct privilege to contact him, but since Lin Xin had obtained the fetus for so long without reaching out, it was apparent he intended to keep it for himself.

"What are our odds of winning if we were to go to war directly with Tianyun Dao?" he suddenly asked, turning to someone behind him.

"Less than ten percent," a woman’s voice directly answered from behind him. "If it weren’t for their loss of a Garrisoned True Monarch this time, we wouldn’t even have a ten percent chance. Unless the entire Xian Sha Alliance acted together."

"That’s impossible," Huang Yuan muttered. His gaze flickered, and he finally crushed the message paper to dust, letting it scatter in the wind.

"Tell Duan Chizi to send a message to that youngster—if he offers up the Evil God fetus, I will protect him. If not, he is on his own."

"Understood," the woman promptly answered.

**********************

Somewhere within Central Prefecture’s Chaotic Stone Forest.

Sunlight slanted through the Stone Pillar Forest and fell upon a levitating silhouette in the center.

Lin Xin’s long hair was disheveled, and from the roots, a tinge of dark red imperceptibly spread. Yet he was completely unaware.

His eyes still a bloody red, his usually stern face now carried a faint trace of madness.

He held in his hand a silver Message Talisman, the contents of which he had already examined.

"Offer up the Evil God fetus?" A cold laugh flickered in his eyes as Lin Xin casually crushed the talisman.

"They really think they’re my Honored Master?" he sneered.

A growing sense of restlessness continually surged from his heart, stimulating his nerves.

Just a few days ago, he were lucky enough to come across a gathering place of the Netherworld’s children, where he slaughtered a group and obtained hundreds of Demon Talisman Seeds. He was now rapidly adapting and merging them.

He had also elevated his body’s attributes to over two hundred points.

His evasion and defense had not kept pace because he wanted to first reach maximum speed, then accelerate the acquisition of more attributes.

Now, discounting Yuan Jing and ignoring realm differences, almost everyone was undone by a single sword strike.

"Let’s just wait and see... left to our own devices... heh heh heh..."

Lin Xin could no longer suppress the rising torrent of murderous intent in his heart. He faintly felt it must be the Netherworld’s power sharply rebelling.

Perhaps it was some major move from Red Leaf Sword Master that caused a subtle restlessness in the power of the Netherworld within him.

But what did that matter? As long as his power increased, nothing else was of consequence...