Chapter 222

Chapter 222: Path of Immortals Duel

"Urgh…"

The Creation spiritual embryo suffered severe damage. The Divine Sense left by Nangong Zhandao within the spiritual embryo was nearly completely erased by the man in yellow. This inflicted heavy damage upon his primordial spirit, causing cracks to form that could not be easily mended.

Nangong Zhandao sat down cross-legged. His Ziwei Spirit Root swayed gently, scattering flecks of purple beams that fell like dewdrops into his primordial spirit. These beams accelerated the healing of his fractured spiritual form.

Yet, for the time being, he could no longer hinder the man in yellow’s advance.

The gap in their power was simply too vast.

The man in yellow stepped toward the fragments of rules, his body shielded by immortal light. He remained alert.

Vast as the world was, few could make him wary.

The master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion was definitely one such person.

Furthermore, as an Immortal Path expert, the man in yellow was well aware that the lower realm harbored more than one true immortal. For instance, Su Miao Zhen’s master, the World Master of the Xuankong World, was also a formidable Immortal Path expert.

"Why hasn’t the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion appeared yet?" The Dao King frowned. "Could he feel no temptation toward the fragments of rules from our ancestral home?"

Swoosh!

The man in yellow drew near the fragments of rules. A faint smirk played upon his lips as they were now within his grasp.

Dang!

Just at this moment, a resonant bell toll suddenly shattered the air. Ripples spread through the void, expanding rapidly, layer upon layer, like a tidal wave engulfing heaven and earth.

Instantly, the world seemed cleaved apart, tier after tier, endless and infinite, resembling countless overlapping rings ensnaring the man in yellow.

Meng Feixian glanced back toward the heart of the Godfall Ridge, her beautiful eyes lighting up.

"Grandfather Changan has made his move." Meng Feixian murmured.

Within the true immortal’s cave, countless members of divine clans watched in shock. The Ji clan patriarch’s expression turned complex. The intervention of the Da Meng Clan was entirely expected.

This lineage, having once followed the Heavenly Emperor in conquests against all realms, possessed profound and mighty foundations. Even confined within Godfall Ridge for tens of millions of years, it had birthed true immortal-level powerhouses.

Duty-bound to defend the fragments of rules from their ancestral home, the Da Meng Clan acted without hesitation.

The man in yellow furrowed his brows. Lifting his hand, he slashed his palm downward. The power of the Path of Oblivion erupted, plunging the world into absolute stillness. Layers of void collapsed, disintegrating into primal chaos.

Yet, he could not shatter the Great Dao of space.

The being who had intervened possessed strength certainly not inferior to his own.

"It grows increasingly riveting." Ye Xu chuckled.

He had long suspected that Godfall Ridge concealed true immortals. After all, it was a force of paramount glory from the Primordial Era. Across countless millions of years, it was inevitable it would foster exceptional strong ones.

"Yellow springs!"

The man in yellow thrust his finger forward. A river of yellow springs pierced through the countless layers of void, his fingertip dispelling the Great Dao of space. The ripples faded. With a broad sweep of his sleeve, he attempted to seize all the fragments of rules for himself.

Dang!

Another bell toll rang out. Above the void, immortal light swelled. A colossal primordial spirit manifested, vast as a universe. Snow-white eyebrows fluttered amidst swaying strands of silver hair, emanating an aura as immense as the cosmos itself.

This primordial spirit held an immortal bell in hand. With a movement of its arm, the Celestial Bell descended from the sky. Spatial Divine Patterns interwove and danced wildly, instantly transporting the man in yellow hundreds of thousands of miles away.

Yet, with a single step, the man in yellow teleported back instantly. His Domain of Silence expanded as he unleashed his second supernatural power: Spirit Prison. Possessed by a demon god, his fist obliterated the Spatial Divine Patterns and struck the Celestial Bell head-on.

Clang!

A terrifying bell toll echoed. The void shattered inch by inch. Emperor Venerables were forcibly shaken from the sky, their blood and qi churning violently. The heavenly tribulations faced by the eight Great Emperors crossing their tribulations—like Yue Ruyi and others—were shattered as well, allowing them to easily pass the Great Emperor heavenly tribulation.

As though granted a great pardon, the eight instantly fled into the distance.

The three most exceptional Emperor Venerables—Dao King, Emperor Venerable Four Extremes, and Su Miao Zhen—also fled at extreme speed, not daring to approach the zone where the two mighty beings battled.

Boom!

The Celestial Bell trembled, a fist imprint surfacing upon its surface.

The man in yellow was also sent flying, staggering back four steps.

The first bout ended in a draw.

A glint flashed in Nangong Zhandao’s eyes. A true immortal from Godfall Ridge had made a move. The fragments of rules integrating into the Yuan Realm should proceed safely now.

"Daoist friend," the man in yellow suddenly spoke, "we all come seeking the fragments of rules. Hide any longer, and you might just end up watching helplessly as they merge into the Yuan Realm."

Swoosh!

As his words fell, a golden sword light slashed across from the distant horizon. Its radiance seemed capable of chilling to the core and extending across nineteen continents; its sword energy spanned thousands of miles, splitting the heavens and earth in half.

Boom!

As this sword descended, sword marks appeared on the Celestial Bell. Meng Changan of the Da Meng Clan had his primordial spirit forced back by the sword strike, retreating into the depths of Godfall Ridge.

"Master…" Su Miao Zhen stirred slightly. She was all too familiar with the aura of this sword energy—it belonged to her master, the World Master of the Xuankong World.

"Who is this now?" Both Emperor Venerable Four Extremes and Dao King wore grave expressions. Emperor Venerable Four Extremes quietly complained to himself; he had thought Godfall Ridge dangerous enough, how come there were even more powerful experts out here?

"Another true immortal…" The numerous Emperor Venerables felt numb shock. How could another true immortal appear?

Just what was going on?

Dozens of Emperor Venerables gazed at the treasures within the new heaven and earth but dared not step forward, fearful of becoming mere cannon fodder.

A graceful figure walked from the edge of the sky, her steps like lotus petals, her skirt sway gently. It was a female immortal, yet she was shrouded in immortal light, obscuring her features.

She exuded an aura both ethereal and tinged with sharpness. As she approached slowly, ten thousand swords rang out simultaneously as if cheering her arrival.

"It’s actually a female immortal…" Great Emperor Ziwei looked completely astonished. True immortals were rare, female immortals even rarer.

"It’s a pity my master is trapped in the Heaven Deficiency Forbidden Land and cannot witness today’s grand spectacle. Truly regrettable."

"Daoist friend, alone, you cannot protect these fragments of rules."

The female immortal’s voice sounded like celestial music, carrying a lofty, almost detached indifference. "I come for the fragments of rules, harboring no intent to harm. I advise you to know your limits."

"The rules of our ancestral home have always been protected, from the human ancestor to the Heavenly Emperor, and down to the modern Human Emperor—all were guardians. Now that no strong defenders remain in the Yuan Realm, a pack of petty schemers presume to seize the fragments of rules. Truly laughable."

A seven-colored radiance emerged from within Godfall Ridge. Meng Chang’an sat cross-legged in mid-air, clad in an immaculate moon-white robe. Hovering above his head was a Celestial Bell. His eyes, full of contempt, fixed upon the man in yellow and the World Master of the Xuankong World. "Do you two truly believe our ancestral home has no protectors?"

"Hahaha…"

Uproarious laughter echoed. Within the true immortal’s cave of the Ji clan, a primordial spirit manifested. Draped in green robes, it clasped a wine gourd, drinking as it spoke, "Even if ten more came, they wouldn’t succeed in taking the fragments of rules."

"Dream Ghost, over a hundred thousand years it has been since we last met. Who knew our reunion would involve joining forces against a foe? Exhilarating! This calls for a grand toast!"

Gulugulu!

The Green Robe Drunkard drank deeply, his expression bold and unrestrained.

Frowns creased the brows of the man in yellow and the World Master of the Xuankong World. The emergence of these two true immortals leveled the playing field; it was now two against two.

"Esteemed Seniors," came a voice, "this junior wishes to offer his humble aid."

Whoosh!

The great mountain trembled as the Creation spiritual embryo flew over. The voice belonged to Nangong Zhandao. His wounds, healed by the nurturing power of the Ziwei Spirit Root, were fully mended. Once more, he could wield the Creation spiritual embryo in battle.

Moreover, he held yet another trump card — the Gate of Origin.

This treasure, bestowed by the human ancestor, was not something Nangong Zhandao dared wield lightly. A common man’s innocence attracts no blame, but possession of rare jade invites thieves. If discovered, it would surely make him a target.

"So be it," sighed the man in yellow, shaking his head. "You remain sealed within an age long past, blind to the present order. Allow me to enlighten you to the reality of today."

"Braggart!" sneered the Green Robe Drunkard with disdain. His gaze flickered towards the fragments of rules. The Yuan Realm was actively assimilating them. Within an hour, its rules would be fully integrated. At that point, barring the arrival of a powerhouse on par with the human ancestor, no force could sever the rules from the Yuan Realm.

"True immortals are already a rare sight," Ye Xu stated solemnly. "Now four manifest almost at once. It is likely one shall perish this day."

"Perhaps others lie hidden in the shadows," offered the Great Emperor Ziwei.

Ye Xu shook his head. This was the critical juncture. Any true immortal present would surely intervene now, not stand idly by. But… one could never discount the possibility of a vile schemer lurking, waiting to profit from the chaos.

Meanwhile, elsewhere within the nascent world, a figure flitted ceaselessly through the space.

The Duobao Daoist carried bundles of formation flags, methodically channeling them into the void.

He had worked ceaselessly from the Celestial Shift until this very moment. Finally, as he placed the last flag, it was done. A sense of relief washed over him. He released a breath of Turbid Energy. "Everything is prepared. All that remains is the east wind," Duobao Daoist thought.

He channeled his magic power and vanished into the roiling chaos.