Several days later, the descendant of an ancient Great Emperor, the own son of a primordial emperor, and Ye Fan — they each emerged in turn. Yet not a single one of them had undergone tribulation.
“The evolution fluid was ineffective for them?” Li Tian was stunned.
“It was effective — we can now go kill our way through Hell and the mortal world.” The Holy Emperor’s Son said in a low, serious voice.
Ye Fan and Ji Zi both nodded. They had all arrived at the same idea: undergoing tribulation now would be too wasteful. All three had absolute confidence that they could endure the lightning seas with composure.
The killing intent from the three of them swept across a thousand mountains, felling grass and trees, divine light blazing around their bodies — all preparations complete. The counter-assault on the mortal world and Hell was about to begin!
“You plan to undergo tribulation inside a killing divine dynasty?” Dongfang Ye asked with an honest, good-natured smile, his hair disheveled, lifting a spiked wolf-tooth mace — a holy weapon!
“Undergo tribulation…” Li Heishui was at a loss for words. Back in the day, Ye Fan had done this kind of thing more than once.
“Since tribulation is coming and carries immense destructive power — if it can be used well, it might even injure ancient Saints. Why not make use of it!”
Every advantage should be used. To waste it willingly would be the true shame.
The way everyone looked at Ye Fan, Ji Zi, and the Holy Emperor’s Son instantly changed. Just thinking about it was terrifying — what kind of people were these? Every one of them was an Emperor’s Son-tier figure!
Three such transcendent existences — even one person undergoing tribulation would be terrifying. Three of them at once? That would be an outright catastrophe. Who could withstand it?
“In this battle, Hell and the mortal world must be struck from existence — there can be no failure!” Ye Fan gritted his teeth. This enmity had gone on for too long, carried from the moment he had first walked the world to this very day — it could not be dissolved.
“Avenge Tianqi Grandfather and Jingshan Grandfather!” Little Sparrow clenched her small fists, tears shimmering in her eyes, and called out loudly.
“Trample Hell beneath our feet, shatter the mortal world with our fists!” Little Baldy wiped his tears and cried out alongside her. Though he was always up to mischief, he truly, deeply missed those kind-hearted elders.
“Master, let the divine son of Hell and the divine daughter of the mortal world be left to me!” Ye Tong strode forward, her expression resolute.
“Good!” Ye Fan nodded.
“This time, not a single one escapes — we wipe them all out!” The Holy Emperor’s Son, every hair on his body crystalline and glimmering, gripped his black iron staff, like a divine warrior-demon.
Before long, Qi Luo emerged from seclusion. First a vast ocean of killing intent surged out of him — and then it transformed into a spring breeze, warm and gentle, washing over everyone’s faces.
One of his eyes was deep and dark as a black abyss; the other blazed with divine radiance, brilliant as the noon sun. His pupils shifted between light and dark, within them the image of mountains and rivers being born, of universes collapsing.
“When we press the attack, we must also be mindful of our own safety — we cannot be careless.” Killing Saint Qi Luo spoke, lingering worry in his heart.
These were two great killing divine dynasties. Though their glory from ancient times was long past, they were not adversaries that ordinary people could provoke.
“There are only two Killing Saints, aren’t there? With our combined strength now, we should be able to manage!” Wu Zhongtian said.
“It is a pity. Some of our Celestial Court’s old accumulated foundation from back then has never surfaced — no one knows where it is lost. If it could be found, sweeping the two current divine dynasties would be certain.” Qi Luo said.
What he was worried about was the two dynasties’ deep reserves of power. If the worst came to worst, that could be a very serious problem.
“More afraid of their foundation than anything else? Then we’ll bring people too!” Dongfang Ye howled, darting a glance at the monkey, and broke into a crafty grin.
“Let’s go invite our master!” Yan Yixi and Li Tian said together — though they had never formally taken the elder Saints of the Heavenly Jade Stone Workshop as their master, the relationship of teacher and student was real in all but name.
“I will also go invite my master.” Li Heishui said, planning to invite the Northern Region’s foremost unruly immortal out of seclusion.
Killing Saint Qi Luo suddenly furrowed his brow. “Mm, perhaps it won’t be that troublesome. The two Killing Ancestors entered the False Immortal Gate — most likely, that has caused Hell and the mortal world to lose their deep reserves.”
“Why?” Everyone was puzzled.
The killing divine dynasties were different from other inheritances. Because they had offended too many powerful forces, their most ancient halls, once discovered, nearly always meant that they were about to be destroyed.
Their deep reserves were hidden in a separate location, with only one person knowing its whereabouts in each generation — revealed only to the next leader just before the current one passed away.
“This approach prevents their inheritance from being completely wiped out — but it also carries a grave problem…”
In those years, a portion of the Celestial Court’s reserves had been lost in exactly this way. Catastrophe struck without warning; the lord of the Celestial Court was hunted down and killed, and as a result, that portion of the deep reserves remained slumbering in the earth forever.
“Destroying them won’t be difficult — because we already know where the two divine dynasties’ ancient halls are located!” Ye Fan said with a cold laugh.
A killing divine dynasty that could not abide the light had survived until now for one reason alone: absolute secrecy. Now that they had been exposed and brought into the open, every advantage they possessed was gone.
Ye Fan said calmly: “Before the attack, go and inform the Jiang Family, Jade Pool, and Yao Guang — tell them that we have found the ancestral grounds of Hell and the mortal world, and that they may go there to bring back the skulls of their founding ancestors.”
Everyone drew a sharp breath. This would force the great human race’s sacred grounds to act. Once word like this reached them, who could remain without responding? Not to act would be to be unworthy descendants — and if word spread, it would surely damage the reputation of their clans!
The world knew well that the two divine dynasties had used the skulls of Saints and those blessed with exceptional physiques to forge their immortal halls — the sacred grounds through which they displayed their majesty and might.
Among those skulls, naturally, were the ancestors of the various great sacred grounds — Saints who had been assassinated in times gone by, as well as the skulls of various kings, all displayed there as trophies.
“Good — the two ancient divine dynasties won’t get away with it!” Everyone nodded, eyes blazing with fire, eager to set out immediately.
“If they’ve already exhausted their deep reserves, all the better — we can bring about their destruction on our own. If they still have reserves, we need not fear — just wait for the wave upon mountainous wave of attackers to come crashing down!”
Everyone began to discuss in secret, making every manner of arrangement, preparing with great urgency and energy to sweep the two divine dynasties clean in a single stroke!
The Celestial Court’s “remnants,” carrying boundless hatred through ages past and present, had been tracking and investigating throughout all their years of effort. They had long since determined where the ancient halls of Hell and the mortal world were located — and this was the most crucial factor of all.
In the days that followed they moved ceaselessly, laying detailed plans and communicating with various parties. Ye Fan went out personally, visiting the Jiang Family, the Extraordinary Scholar Manor, and other places.
When Ji Zi returned, he brought with him an extraordinarily aged cultivator — an ancient Saint, in fact. In the man’s eyes, everyone could see the desolation of ten thousand ages past.
“Is this the Ji Family’s deep reserve?” Ye Fan asked quietly.
Ji Zi nodded. That this clan had a Saint would surprise no one — they had produced ancient Great Emperors. How could they possibly have no Saint alive even now?
Now, as the road to immortality was about to open, anyone who had been specifically waiting for this age ought to be emerging.
“His elder brother’s skull rests within the bone hall of the mortal world.” This was information Ji Zi disclosed.
“Good — I’d like to see how the two divine dynasties can possibly avoid destruction!” Ye Fan said.
The Celestial Court’s deployment across many fronts was complete. Every person who needed to be notified had been sent word. Everything proceeded with precision and secrecy — a thunder-strike was imminent.
The moon was large and bright. The earth seemed draped in a layer of white snow. On this very still, very quiet night — killing intent was fermenting!
Deep within Southern Range, killing intent suddenly surged toward the sky. The people of the Celestial Court were moving out. Three enormous mother ships blotted out the sky, and five ancient holy war machines glimmered with cold radiance.
Those of lesser strength who rode aboard the mother ships could still unleash Saint-level power.
Dongfang Ye, Yao Yuekong, Li Tian, Yan Yixi, and Old Knife Handle each took command of one of the five ancient Saint mechs. With their level of strength, they could absolutely unleash these machines’ full might.
As for Ye Fan, Ji Zi, the Holy Emperor’s Son, the Black Emperor, and Long Ma — they required none of this. They each had the power to hold their own in battle.
Beyond that, there were several warships hundreds of zhang in length, left for the rest of Heaven Village to pilot. Everyone moved out — including children like Huahua, who would go to observe the battle and broaden their experience.
In the end, they constructed domain gates, tore open space, and charged into the Eastern Desolation.
They intended to destroy the two divine dynasties with their own strength alone — provided, of course, that the other side no longer had deep reserves to fall back on. Otherwise, a confrontation of far greater weight would unfold.
Ye Fan and his group had studied the two divine dynasties thoroughly. Each stronghold was laid out with great care, scattered across hidden, unknown depths of the Eastern Desolation — extremely well-concealed. But tonight, every last one of them would be pulled out by the roots!
Qi Luo, the Holy Emperor’s Son, and Ji Zi surged directly toward the ancient halls. The various Saints who had been invited to act waited in the shadows; unless needed, they would not make their move.
As for Ye Fan and the others, they would first go and eliminate those strongholds. Though they operated in separate groups, in order to avoid accidents, each team was formidable enough — they would wash every last place clean in blood.
Boom!
Wu Zhongtian and some of the younger people from Heaven Village piloted a mother ship thousands of zhang in length and launched the first attack, crashing into a small world.
The mother ship’s power was extraordinary — comparable to a single strike from a Saint. Dao runes shimmered and divine light swept forward, and this stronghold of Hell was nearly leveled in one blow.
“Die — all of you! Give Liu Kou back his life, give Grandpa Liu back his life!” Wu Zhongtian screamed like a madman, his eyes gone crimson.
In those years, Liu Kou had died, and his grandfather had been pierced through the skull by an old assassin and nailed to a mountain cliff, his blood dyeing that clifface red.
“Aaah…” Wails of agony rose one after another. Eighty percent of the people were wiped out in that first strike. A minority were sent flying with flesh and blood in tatters, bone fragments scattering, trying desperately to flee.
“Not a single one survives!” Wu Zhongtian roared. The mother ship’s second strike descended, and every last person was reduced to a flash of blood.
At the same moment, on another battlefield, Li Heishui’s eyes were streaming with blood-tears. He piloted a mother ship, weeping as he swept clean a small world belonging to the mortal world.
“Grandfather, I’ve come to avenge you…”
He roared, weeping as he went. In those years, Li Heng had sacrificed himself to save him — nailed alive to his death by people of the killing divine dynasties, that crimson blood staining the old man’s body, those dim and fading eyes, that gaunt and wasted form… Every time he thought of it, the pain was enough to make him wish he were dead.
This was a slaughter. No mercy. No restraint. Blood-mist swirled; bones and flesh flew.
In another small world — a stronghold belonging to Hell — it now lived up to its name, becoming a true hell. Dongfang Ye had given his ancient Saint mech to his brother Dongfang Man, and now stood bare-chested, his bronze skin strong and powerful, muscles like coiling dragons. He gripped a great wolf-tooth staff in his hand and swept through the enemy like a force of nature, blood flowing like rivers in his wake, flesh turned to mud with every blow.
As for Dongfang Man, he too was a typical Savage Tribe powerhouse — wild, tangled hair, piloting the ancient Saint mech and swinging a great battle axe, harvesting lives like a beast, making this place ring with ghostly wails and divine howls, no one able to escape.
The assassins of the two great ancient divine dynasties moved through shadows in ordinary times, striking across all under heaven. Today they had become the lambs being slaughtered.
Before setting out, everyone had studied the Celestial Court’s killing arts deeply. They understood the assassination techniques of Hell and the mortal world well — and felt no fear of them at all.
“Aaah…”
Blood-soaked images. Savage, cruel scenes. The laments of lives ending. The release of pent-up rage and hatred.
“Tianqi Grandfather, Jingshan Grandfather — we’ve come to avenge you…” Little Sparrow wept. Gu Fei and Gu Lin were also sobbing. Huahua wept and shouted along with them. They were all aboard a mother ship, following the campaign as witnesses, not yet directly taking part — but watching this battle with their own eyes.
Boom!
Ye Fan entered a stronghold in the Northern Region alone — it belonged to the mortal world. He shattered the formation gate with his golden fist-force and broke inside.
“Who’s there?” A cold, sharp voice rang out in challenge.
From a different direction, a terrifying killing intent swept toward him from the shadows. This was the most important small world outside of the ancient hall itself, and a Great Accomplishment King was stationed here, who now acted in silence.
“The one who kills you.” Ye Fan strode in openly, answering as he hurled a fist toward the Great Accomplishment King lurking in the darkness.
Pff!
Blood sprayed on the spot. With a single punch, he struck dead this world-shaking assassin king, ending that blood-soaked life.
“Aaah…”
The others cried out too. Who could block Ye Fan’s path? Alone, he moved as if through empty space, killing until blood flowed like rivers, shattered bones scattering in every direction!
It was a night of blood. Even the stars and the bright moon in the sky could not bear to look. Chaos erupted in all directions — Hell and the mortal world were being soaked in blood, laid waste to by the campaign.