parentshiftbook Chapter 1957 The building will collapse
Chapter 1957 The building will collapse
Chapter 1957 The building will collapse
The demonic energy was as black as ink, churning like a raging sea, blotting out the sky and completely swallowing the distant horizon, turning it into a chilling, deathly black that seemed capable of devouring all light.
The immense and terrifying demonic power merged into one, like a tangible ancient demonic mountain. Those with slightly weaker cultivation would be shaken to their core with just a glance, their souls feeling as if they were being torn apart by the endless darkness and killing intent.
As Chen Fei and his group arrived, dozens of streaks of light, some bright and some dim, came hurtling towards them from behind, trailing long tail flames.
The number of Sovereign Realm experts on both sides formed a brief and fragile standoff in this shattered void.
All the rulers of the Xuan Yu Realm had extremely solemn expressions, and many even had a hint of disbelief and horror in their eyes.
They originally thought that the Heavenly Demon would continue with its previous strategy of splitting its forces to harass and gradually erode the enemy's strength, but they never expected that the enemy would come out in full force and besiege the city, displaying a resolute attitude of fighting to the death.
This completely overturned the Heavenly Demon's previous style of doing things; it was a world of difference.
This all-out offensive, regardless of cost or casualties, will be a Pyrrhic victory for the Heavenly Demons, even if they ultimately win, and they will have to pay an unimaginable price. Why are they in such a hurry?
At the forefront of the Heavenly Demon camp, the Destroyer, shrouded in an aura of ultimate destruction, slowly raised his gaze.
His dark eyes, which seemed to devour all light and life, swept over the Xuan Yu Realm rulers who were standing guard in front of him as if examining ants. His gaze paused slightly on several Heavenly Ranking experts before finally settling on Chen Fei, who was standing at the back with his aura restrained.
The eyes of the Destroyer narrowed slightly, and a subtle yet chilling fluctuation flashed by.
The ominous warnings given by fate were mysterious and unpredictable. Even the Destroyer could not clearly see where the power that would lead to their crushing defeat would come from.
However, if we talk about the biggest and most illogical variable in the Xuan Yu Realm in recent years, it has to be Chen Fei, who appeared out of nowhere and rose to prominence at an incredible speed.
"This child... could he break through layers of barriers at some incomprehensible speed in the future, cultivate to the limit of the Sovereign Realm? And then, just like when he swept through the Profound Ranking and Earth Ranking, break through the Heaven Ranking and seize the power that belongs to me?"
A seemingly absurd yet unsettling thought involuntarily flashed through the mind of the Destroyer.
Reason told him that every step of cultivation after the fifteenth level was extremely difficult, requiring massive resources, extraordinary opportunities, and the accumulation of a long period of time. It was absolutely impossible to achieve it overnight, so such a possibility was extremely slim, almost delusional.
However, for the Destroyer, who is in charge of the Heavenly Ranking and has a particularly keen sense of destiny, many times, he does not need solid evidence. A reasonable suspicion is enough to make him take the most decisive and cruel action.
He will not allow any potential threat to take root!
A barely concealed yet chilling killing intent flashed in the eyes of the Destroyer Lord, "This child... must die, he must not be allowed to grow!"
"Buzz!"
In front of the Xuan Yu Realm camp, the space rippled slightly, as if water was parting, and a figure dressed in plain robes with an aura as deep as the sea quietly appeared. It was none other than Venerable Tian Xuan.
He completely ignored the immense pressure from the other Heavenly Demon Sovereigns, his gaze piercing straight at the Annihilation Lord.
Without words or negotiation, his overwhelming aura—rising from his body, resonating subtly with the surrounding earth veins, and drawing upon the radiance of the surrounding array formations—clearly expressed his attitude and determination.
If you want war, then let's fight! The Xuan Yu Realm will fight to the bitter end!
Facing the unwavering and piercing gaze of Venerable Tianxuan, Venerable Pomesis did not become angry. Instead, he let out a low, hoarse laugh.
"Tianxuan, why be so resolute and fight like a cornered beast?"
The voice of the Destroyer slowly rose, carrying a strange, alluring power that seemed to reach the depths of the soul, spreading in all directions:
"You have cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years, which is no easy feat. If you submit to me, this war can be averted, and all living beings will be spared from carnage. Once I become the master of the Xuan Yu Realm, I promise to preserve your cultivation levels and allow you to continue cultivating in this realm and enjoying its resources."
Upon hearing this, many powerful figures at the Sovereign Realm in the Xuan Yu Realm couldn't help but have their eyes flicker slightly, and the tense atmosphere showed a very subtle wavering and ripple.
Previously, the most unacceptable thing for them was that once the origin of the realm was completely controlled and polluted by the Heavenly Demon, their Dao foundation, which relied on the spiritual energy of the Xuan Yu Realm for cultivation, would inevitably be suppressed and eroded, and their cultivation would fall, or even their Dao would eventually perish and they would die. This was almost an inevitable outcome.
That is true despair, the end of the path!
But now, the Destroyer has actually promised to preserve their cultivation?
If this is true... then the worst-case scenario seems to be that they simply have an additional "realm lord" above them who they cannot match and must submit to.
Now, neither the Destruction Venerable nor the Heavenly Profound Venerable are as powerful as they can be, so there is not much difference between them in essence. If they can avoid this bloody battle that they are bound to lose and have a slim chance of survival, and exchange it for the survival of their path, it is not entirely out of the question!
On the side of the Heavenly Demon camp, upon hearing the words of the Destroyer, nearly a hundred Heavenly Demon Sovereigns, though their expressions varied, did not utter a word of objection or dissent.
A direct confrontation with cultivators from the Xuan Yu Realm and the Yuan Demon Overlords would inevitably result in heavy casualties, possibly even a severe one.
This is also the fundamental reason why they have chosen the more prudent strategy of "the erosion of the demonic tide and gradual encroachment" for so many years.
If it weren't for the Destroyer's insistence on launching a full-scale attack based on the ominous signs he sensed in his own destiny, they would most likely have chosen the safest approach: waiting for the demonic energy to completely cover the entire Xuan Yu Realm, transforming it into a demonic domain suitable for them, before crushing and eliminating them with overwhelming superiority, minimizing their own losses.
At this moment, if we can rely on the power and promise of the Destroyer to subdue the enemy without fighting and take them down without bloodshed, that would naturally be the best outcome.
After all, no one wants to fall on the eve of victory.
"Preserve your cultivation level?"
Venerable Tianxuan looked at Venerable Pomesis and shook his head slightly:
"If you become the Lord of the Realm, our lives will be in your hands. Our lives and deaths will be in your control. How can your promises be guaranteed?"
You extraterrestrial demon cultivators, the only purpose you allow cultivators to exist in the planes you rule is to treat them as food.
They are kept in captivity, to be harvested and devoured when needed. This is the very essence of your demonic path, etched into the very foundation of the Great Dao; how can it be altered!
The voice of Venerable Tianxuan was like a resounding bell, instantly echoing throughout the entire battlefield and clearly reaching the ears of every ruler of the Xuanyu Realm. The slight sense of hope and wavering that had just arisen in many rulers was instantly suppressed by this cold and cruel reality.
Especially those Yuan Demon Lords, as demon cultivators, were even more aware that what Venerable Tianxuan said was true.
The extraterrestrial demons and the primordial demons of the Xuan Yu Realm may seem different, but in essence they are almost identical.
The extraterrestrial demons regard all beings not of their kind as resources; this is an instinct ingrained in the very foundation of their Dao. So-called promises have no binding force in the face of absolute power disparity and can be torn up at any time.
"Hehe, Tianxuan, don't judge me by your own standards."
The Destroyer was not angered by the Heavenly Profound Venerable's revelation; instead, he chuckled lightly.
"If you are still worried, I can swear on my Dao heart that once I become the master of the Xuan Yu Realm, I will open the interdimensional passage and let you leave the Xuan Yu Realm safely to go to the Primordial Continent to continue seeking the Great Dao. What do you say?"
For powerful individuals at their level, swearing an oath of faith carries immense binding force. They would never utter such an oath lightly without genuine sincerity, lest they suffer a severe backlash from the Great Dao.
These words once again stirred the will to survive among the powerful figures of the Xuan Yu Realm.
Going to the Primordial Continent to continue cultivation is better than being annihilated in a bloody battle and having one's path to cultivation severed... Perhaps, this is really feasible?
Venerable Tianxuan glanced at the crowd behind him, whose expressions were shifting and whose hearts were in turmoil. He sighed inwardly, thinking that the Xuanyu Realm was ultimately too weak, and that a decisive battle would almost certainly result in certain death, which was why they were so easily swayed.
"The words of demonic cultivators are treacherous and unpredictable, containing too many loopholes for manipulation and distortion. What may seem like a way out could actually be a greater trap. Compromise will never bring survival; it will inevitably lead to death and the annihilation of all your possessions!"
"Hmph! Tianxuan, tell me, do you think you can survive by resisting to the bitter end? Do you think you can change the outcome of your destruction?"
The cold voice of the Destroyer came from behind. At the same time, a terrifying aura, boundless and seemingly capable of suppressing eternity and destroying the heavens, crashed down on the Xuan Yu Realm camp.
Top of the Heavenly Ranking!
The undisputed strongest being in the Xuan Yu Realm unleashed his power without reservation; it was a force powerful enough to dim the plane and cause all things to wither.
In the Xuan Yu Realm camp, cultivators and Yuan Demons below the Dominator Realm immediately turned pale, as if struck by a heavy blow. Their blood and qi surged, and some even groaned, their bodies swaying, almost unable to maintain their balance in the void.
Absolute military suppression and a stark disparity in strength—this is the most fundamental and despairing reality.
The Destroyer is unstoppable!
How will you know if you don't try?
Venerable Tianxuan suddenly took a step forward, his aura erupting with a thunderous roar. A profound and powerful aura, no less than that of Venerable Pomesis, soared into the sky, like a pillar stabilizing the sea, forcefully resisting the terrifying pressure that Venerable Pomesis was crushing down upon him.
"Ok?"
For the first time, a noticeable fluctuation of surprise and doubt appeared on the indistinct face of the Destroyer.
Over the years, he had fought against Venerable Tianxuan several times. Although the other party was able to hold his own against him by taking advantage of the terrain, he was confident that if they fought to the death, he would be the one to win in the end, and it wouldn't take too long.
Destroyer Venerable believed he knew the extent of Heavenly Profound Venerable's strength perfectly.
But at this moment, the aura that Venerable Tianxuan unleashed made him feel something different, a kind of fundamental improvement.
It's not that Venerable Tianxuan has surpassed him; Venerable Pomesis is confident that he is still stronger!
However, the feeling that Venerable Tianxuan gave Venerable Pomesis became more profound and weighty, as if his Dao foundation had undergone some kind of qualitative transformation and sublimation, making up for some of the shortcomings of the past and becoming more perfect and powerful.
If they were to fight again, the difficulty of killing Venerable Tianxuan would increase dramatically, far more difficult than before, and might even require paying an unexpected price.
"The real variable...is it him? Has Tianxuan obtained some great opportunity?"
The gaze of the Destroyer Venerable deepened once more, his brows furrowing slightly, but the killing intent in his heart surged even more fiercely. Could it be that the crisis warned by the fortune was due to the Heavenly Profound Venerable's great increase in strength, enough to turn the tide of the battle?
In the void, the auras of the two powerful beings at the Sovereign Realm collided violently, like two invisible, destructive torrents crashing together.
Invisible force fields clashed, compressed, and shattered fiercely in the middle, emitting a teeth-grinding sound. Space, like fragile glass, cracked with countless fine black marks that could not be healed for a long time.
The primordial energy of heaven and earth went completely berserk, becoming chaotic and transforming into a destructive energy storm that swept outwards, stirring up countless fragments of space. The light flickered erratically, as if the entire world was trembling.
The atmosphere was tense, a great battle was about to break out, and the air was thick with killing intent. Everyone's mind was taut, waiting for that earth-shattering, fate-determining first blow.
"Do you know that the top of the Heavenly Ranking actually has some special privileges?"
At this critical moment, the voice of the Destroyer, carrying a hint of eeriness, mockery, and absolute control, rang out again, breaking the suffocating silence.
Before the people of Xuan Yu Realm could react to what the Destroyer Venerable had said...
"Boom!"
The entire Xuan Yu Realm trembled violently, as if a pair of invisible giant hands were shaking the very foundation of this world.
The next moment, the light in the world suddenly dimmed, as if it were being swallowed up by some invisible, greedy force.
A colossal battlefield, woven from countless chains of rules, descended from the depths of the endless void, ignoring all spatial barriers.
It expanded instantly, completely enveloping an area spanning hundreds of millions of miles, including both opposing sides.
It is not a physical entity, yet it seems to form its own world, temporarily covering and isolating the real space, where the rules are rewritten.
This is the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena!
Almost at the same time that the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena descended, in the Heavenly Demon camp, a Heavenly Demon in the early stage of the Sovereign Realm, Suo Hongtao, whose entire body was covered with dark red scales and exuded a violent and bloodthirsty aura, grinned and his eyes flashed with cruel light, and he jumped into the center of the martial arts arena without hesitation.
"Buzz!"
The laws of Heaven trembled violently, and a beam of light containing irresistible power of the laws fell randomly from above the martial arts arena, instantly enveloping Xue Yangyan, an early-stage Sovereign Realm cultivator in the Xuan Yu Realm camp, whose face was filled with panic.
Xue Yangyan's face turned deathly pale instantly. He desperately tried to break free by channeling his Yuan energy. His body was forcibly moved, and the next moment, he appeared in the martial arts arena, facing the Heavenly Demon Suo Hongtao from afar.
Upon witnessing this sudden and completely unreasonable scene, the faces of all the rulers of the Xuan Yu Realm instantly turned extremely ugly, filled with shock and anger.
The rules of this Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena are so unfair and so domineering!
The Heavenly Demons deliberately sent a powerful expert into the arena, clearly indicating they came prepared.
On the other hand, those from the Xuan Yu Realm were randomly selected and had no choice in who would fight them. They were completely passive and might even be chosen by someone who was still injured or in poor condition.
Moreover, they immediately recognized the Heavenly Demon Suo Hongtao in the arena as one of the most fearsome and powerful individuals among the early-stage Heavenly Demon Sovereigns.
This isn't a duel; it's clearly a one-sided hunt!
All the rulers of the Xuan Yu Realm couldn't help but turn their gazes to Venerable Tian Xuan at the forefront. However, Venerable Tian Xuan's face was ashen, and he slowly shook his head, his hand clenching slightly in his sleeve.
Even Venerable Tianxuan did not know before today that the top of the Heavenly Ranking possessed such domineering authority, capable of directly summoning the martial arts arena and forcibly conducting such an unfair duel.
However, with the arrival of the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena, some fragments of information about this special rule also flowed into the minds of all the Heavenly Ranking experts present.
"The Destroyer used his own authority over heaven and earth, which was ranked first on the Heavenly Ranking, as collateral to forcibly summon and establish this rule."
Fourth on the Heavenly Ranking, Shi Ruifeng, the patriarch of the Boundless Sect, spoke in a deep voice, explaining to everyone, his voice tinged with a hint of helplessness:
“Every time such a forced duel takes place, regardless of the outcome, a portion of the Heavenly Authority that the Destroyer has pledged will return to the Xuan Yu Realm. Therefore, this kind of duel is not without end.”
Hearing this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief, but Yuan Mo Le Chengfeng, the eighth-ranked on the Heavenly Ranking and the city lord of Tiandang City, added in a heavy tone: "However, as long as the Heavenly Demon wins a match, he can sacrifice all the loser's luck and origin to the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena. The Martial Arts Arena will return a portion of the power to the winner based on the quality of the sacrifice, and reduce the Heavenly Authority consumed by the Destroyer Venerable, and may even give him some benefits."
These words struck like a bolt from the blue. The expressions of all the powerful figures in the Xuan Yu Realm changed drastically once again, becoming even more grim than before. Despair spread like a plague.
This rule is absolutely vicious and shameless!
This means that if the Xuan Yu Realm is defeated, not only will they lose a Sovereign Realm expert, but their hard-earned cultivation and fortune will also become resources, which in turn will reduce the cost to the Destroyer Venerable, indirectly prolonging the number of such unfair battles, and may even make the Heavenly Demon stronger with each battle.
If the Heavenly Demons are defeated, although they will lose their authority, they can continue to send out powerful warriors, and the initiative will still be on their side.
If in the previous head-on decisive battle, the Xuan Yu Realm fought desperately, and with the determination to perish together, they were able to make the Heavenly Demons pay a heavy price.
Now, the arrival of this Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena is like a blunt knife, slowly cutting and draining the blood from the Xuan Yu Realm.
A dark cloud of despair completely enveloped the Xuan Yu Realm camp.
The duel has begun on the training ground.
The unfolding situation fully confirmed, and was even more brutal than, the worst fears of the people of Xuanyu Realm.
Xue Yangyan's cultivation had reached the late stage of the early Dominator Realm, making him a formidable opponent among his peers in the Xuan Yu Realm. However, facing Suo Hongtao, whose strength had reached the peak of the early stage and who was filled with a bloodthirsty desire, he was at a complete disadvantage from the very beginning.
Suo Hongtao's attacks were as violent as a storm, his dark red demonic claws tearing through the void, carrying poisonous flames that corroded the soul, each move deadly, completely disregarding defense, trading injury for injury.
Xue Yangyan fought with all his might, unleashing his full power and dazzling his light, yet he still suffered repeated defeats. His protective divine light dimmed and shattered continuously, and he faced constant danger.
"puff!"
In less than six breaths, Xue Yangyan was caught off guard and struck in the back by a strange and unpredictable demonic shadow clone. His protective Yuan Power instantly dissipated, and he immediately spat out a mouthful of dark golden blood mist. His aura weakened instantly, and his face turned ashen.
"die!"
Suo Hongtao grinned maliciously, his eyes flashing red, and launched a fierce attack.
In the thirteenth breath, accompanied by a muffled thud, Suo Hongtao's demonic claws struck Xue Yangyan's head, which was too injured to dodge in time.
A terrifying power erupted instantly, and Xue Yangyan's head exploded, splattering red and white everywhere. Even his soul was instantly annihilated by the domineering demonic energy, turning into nothingness.
With his body and soul gone, a powerful expert at the Sovereign Realm perished!
"Hahaha, utterly pathetic, trash!"
Suo Hongtao stood in the center of the field, with dissipated energy dust beneath his feet. He looked up at the sky and let out a wild and triumphant laugh, flaunting the posture of a victor. He licked his lips as if he had tasted something delicious.
Suo Hongtao reached out and forcibly condensed Xue Yangyan's scattered essence and remaining fortune into a ball of light, then unhesitatingly sacrificed it to the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena above.
"Buzz!"
The training ground trembled slightly, and a pure, dark red beam of light, carrying a hint of bloodlust, descended and enveloped Suo Hongtao.
Suo Hongtao recovered from the slight depletion he had just experienced in the battle in an instant, and his aura returned to its peak state in the blink of an eye, even showing a slight improvement, with his demonic flames becoming even stronger.
Outside the training ground, the Destroyer sensed that the trace of Heavenly Authority he had lost in this battle had been greatly reduced, and a smile appeared on his face as well.
After enjoying the bounty of the training ground, Suo Hongtao's savage and bloodthirsty gaze swept over all the early-stage Dominator Realm experts in the Xuan Yu Realm camp with the same ruthless scorn he had shown to livestock in a pen. A cruel grin spread across his face, revealing his gleaming white teeth.
The meaning in his eyes was crystal clear: you are all my prey!
"Buzz!"
Above the sky, the pillar of light, representing death and coercion, fell mercilessly once again, without the slightest pause.
This time, it enveloped a female cultivator, Teng Yunlan, whose cultivation level was only at the early to mid-stage of the Sovereign Realm. She was already suffering from internal injuries due to the destruction of her sect, and her face was pale.
"No!"
Teng Yunlan let out a desperate cry as her body was uncontrollably pulled into the training ground by an irresistible force.
The result was, unsurprisingly, even faster.
Faced with Suo Hongtao, who was at full strength, brimming with murderous intent, and even more excited by the killing, Teng Yunlan's resistance seemed pale and powerless, like a candle flickering in a storm.
A dozen breaths later, Teng Yunlan's protective divine weapon was forcibly shattered by a violent demonic blade, its brilliance dimmed, and her delicate body was then cut in half at the waist by another demonic blade, blood spurting out, instantly engulfed by the demonic fire that followed, her body and soul annihilated.
Another ruler has perished and his power has vanished!
Outside the martial arts arena, several top-ranked experts, including Venerable Tianxuan, Shi Ruifeng, and Le Chengfeng, had ashen faces as they attempted to use their authority and power to disrupt the rules of the arena or even destroy this small world.
However, the moment their power touched the cold, rigid barrier of the training ground, they were repelled and could not be shaken in the slightest.
The Xuan Yu Realm is a quasi-sixteenth-order plane, and even with the power of a Sovereign Realm expert, it is impossible to forcibly trigger its core rules.
One after another, cold beams of light fell, like the scythe of death. One after another, the early-stage Sovereigns of the Xuan Yu Realm were forcibly dragged into the training ground, where they were mercilessly killed and sacrificed by Suo Hongtao in despair, resentment, and anger.
In just a quarter of an hour, six powerful individuals at the early stage of the Sovereign Realm had perished in the Xuan Yu Realm. The void was filled with a thick stench of blood and a deathly silence of despair.
Chen Fei stood quietly among the crowd, his gaze fixed intently on the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena, observing the subtle spatial fluctuations, energy undulations, and the trajectory of the rules as each pillar of light descended.
With the ultimate insight of the Purple Extreme Divine Eye, and further aided by the extraordinary comprehension brought by the martial arts arena of all realms, the seemingly random and elusive patterns of the light beams' landing points are becoming increasingly clear in their underlying rules and patterns.
As yet another cultivator was annihilated amidst Suo Hongtao's maniacal laughter, and the pillar of light in the sky was about to reassemble and fall, a glint suddenly flashed in Chen Fei's eyes.
The vast and powerful energy within his body instantly ignited fiercely.
The next moment, the beam of light that should have randomly fallen towards another early-stage Sovereign Realm cultivator trembled slightly in the air, and its trajectory underwent a very subtle deflection.
"Shh!"
The beam of light precisely enveloped Chen Fei's head, and a powerful teleportation force came through, but Chen Fei did not resist.
The next moment, Chen Fei's figure disappeared from the spot and appeared in the Heavenly Ranking Martial Arts Arena.
(End of this chapter)