Chapter 342

Chapter 342: Fate

Bang!

Under the relentless assaults of the Chaotic Demon God, the Ziwei Spirit Root trembled violently. Its layer of purple brilliance fractured inch by inch like crystal. Nangong Zhandao teetered on the brink of annihilation.

Seizing the lull in the onslaught, the leader of the Moon Goddess Clan urged her tribe to swiftly retreat from the Star Realm.

Disciples of the Taihao Heavenly Sect also beat a hasty retreat.

However, two Immortal Kings of the Moon God Clan, Li Ruoshui, the man in blue attire, and the Nine-headed golden lion still lingered. They hadn’t left yet.

The Ziwei Spirit Root was a supreme treasure of heaven and earth. Merely obtaining it could propel them to the end of the Great Dao, granting them the status of an Immortal Venerable.

This was an irresistible lure.

Human hearts, greedy since antiquity.

Even those attaining immortality proved no exception.

"The Epoch Golden Book!"

Gritting his teeth, Nangong Zhandao summoned the Xuan Du Forgetting Emotions Heaven Book. His magic power surged into the Epoch Golden Book. The book slowly opened, releasing an ancient character as large as a bucket. This symbol radiated an immeasurably ancient and formidable aura which coalesced into a towering colossus of light. Wielding a giant axe, it bore the unmistakable visage of the creator deity, Pan Gu.

"Pan…"

Madness glinted in the Chaotic Demon God’s three eyes. "My fallen state today is all your doing! Today, I will slay your heir to quell this scourge upon my heart!"

Boom!

It suddenly descended. A single palm strike shattered the power summoned by the Epoch Golden Book. In one swift motion, it captured both Nangong Zhandao and the Ziwei Spirit Root within its grasp. Demonic energy churned violently, unceasingly scouring the Ziwei Spirit Root.

Nangong Zhandao wished for death rather than life.

The Dao King’s expression darkened. If the Chaotic Demon God devoured Nangong Zhandao, his aspiration to seize the luck of the Yuan Realm would be dashed—likely forever.

His scheme to murder Master Sixth was merely the first step in his plan.

Both the man in blue and Li Ruoshui were also ensnared in his designs.

Only by eliminating them could the Dao King, after claiming the Yuan Realm’s fortune, shatter the shackles of the Taihao Heavenly Sect and sever his ties to the sect.

In his heart, the Masters were all thorns in his eyes, tigers blocking his path—they must be eradicated.

"Nangong Zhandao bears the fortune of the ancestral home. He is a true child of fortune. He absolutely won’t perish so easily," the Dao King thought to himself.

Those with great fortune receive heavenly aid.

Nangong Zhandao stood above them all; how could he possibly fall here?

"All hope is gone," sighed the five Immortal King masters in bitter disappointment. The Ziwei Spirit Root was now in the Chaotic Demon God’s grasp. Retrieving it was utterly impossible.

"We should depart," said Li Ruoshui and the man in blue, turning to leave.

Crack!

Suddenly, a streak of white light flashed through the void. The palm of the Chaotic Demon God was severed, tumbling down from the sky.

A youth clad in white robes materialized out of thin air.

With a flick of his hand, he drew the severed palm of the Chaotic Demon God into his own Purple Palace, granting Nangong Zhandao a temporary reprieve.

The sudden turn of events brought everyone to a halt.

"Who is he?" Dao King widened his eyes, his face breaking into a look of pure joy as he sighed deeply.

"As expected of a child of fortune—not so easy to kill," murmured Dao King.

"This person possesses terrifying cultivation!"

The Immortal Kings’ pupils constricted sharply. To sever a Chaotic Demon God’s arm with such ease—what unfathomable power would that require?

Roar!

Having lost an arm, the Chaotic Demon God screamed in agony, its eyes filled with wariness. "Who are you? How dare you wound me?"

"A Chaotic Demon God… hehe…"

Mad Daoist stared at the creature as if gazing upon a peerless treasure, his eyes roaming over it intently. "This thing has long been extinct—truly precious."

"Having come all this way, I might as well dissect it and take it back with me!"

"…"

The crowd could scarcely believe their ears.

This enigmatic youth actually wanted to dissect a Chaotic Demon God—a being capable of annihilating Heaven and Earth?

"An Eternity of Extinguished Heavens!"

Mad Daoist spoke with the authority of cosmic law, and as soon as his words rang out, the Chaotic Forbidden Zone began visibly collapsing. Even primordial chaos itself was utterly annihilated, vanishing without a trace.

The body of that Chaotic Demon God disintegrated.

"Roar!"

The Chaotic Demon God bellowed furiously. But it was merely an Indestructible True Spirit, no match for Mad Daoist. Only in its prime might it have stood a chance.

"Seal!"

Sweeping his wide sleeve, Mad Daoist enveloped the Chaotic Demon God’s fragmented form. With the slightest thought, he effortlessly suppressed its True Spirit.

As the Chaotic Forbidden Zone dissolved, the overwhelming suppression binding Heaven and Earth gradually faded.

All present watched the scene unfold, rendered speechless by shock.

Dao King, in particular.

His eyes blazed with fervor, brimming with desire. This—this was the very power he had relentlessly pursued.

"My deepest thanks to our honored predecessor for the rescue!"

Nangong Zhandao bowed low in salute.

Mad Daoist ignored him entirely. Fixated on the Ziwei Spirit Root, his eyes burned with greed. "This, beyond doubt, lives up to its name among the Nine Great Spirit Roots of Heaven and Earth. The primordial spirit pathway it contains… exquisite in its purity."

"Now… it belongs to me."

Channeling his divine power, Mad Daoist caused the Ziwei Spirit Root to instantly leap from Nangong Zhandao’s hand, hurtling straight toward him.

"Elder!"

Nangong Zhandao paled, stricken with alarm. The Ziwei Spirit Root was one of his life-saving treasures—ever since the Talented Individuals and Rare Treasures List had been unveiled, he knew its vast potential.

How could he ever permit Mad Daoist to simply snatch it away?

However, the Mad Daoist’s strength was too terrifying; he easily severed Nangong Zhandao’s connection to the Ziwei Spirit Root.

At this moment, the Ziwei Spirit Root no longer belonged to Nangong Zhandao.

"Senior, to seize it by trickery and force like this—aren’t you afraid of being mocked by all under heaven if word spreads?" Nangong Zhandao clenched his fists, consumed with fury.

The Mad Daoist glanced at him, his expression indifferent.

"Who in this world dares mock me?" The Mad Daoist stated coldly. "Don’t think just because you bear the fortune of the ancestral home that I cannot take your life."

"The only reason I spare you is out of respect for the human ancestor."

Nangong Zhandao was the one chosen by the human ancestor. Although the human ancestor hadn’t appeared during his ordeal today, the Mad Daoist knew well that while guarding the scars of the heavens, the human ancestor was constantly monitoring the movements of the lower realms.

Nothing in the Star Realm could hide from him.

The Mad Daoist had subdued the Chaotic Demon God, eliminated a scourge for the people, and incidentally saved Nangong Zhandao. This Ziwei Spirit Root was the thanks for that.

Nangong Zhandao took a deep breath, filled with unwillingness.

"Thinking about stealing it back?" The Mad Daoist chuckled (heh-heh), not giving Nangong Zhandao the slightest regard. "Wait until you’ve cultivated to the human ancestor’s realm. Then come argue with me."

"That day will come."

Nangong Zhandao stated solemnly.

The Mad Daoist scoffed dismissively.

He slowly vanished from the spot.

Seeing this, the Dao King grinned.

The Mad Daoist had descended for the Ziwei Spirit Root, subdued the Chaotic Demon God, and rescued Nangong Zhandao. This was Nangong Zhandao’s fortune at play, his ordained fate.

However, by seizing the Ziwei Spirit Root, the Mad Daoist had also weakened Nangong Zhandao’s fortune.

Fortune and misfortune were inseparable; all was destiny.

"Next, killing Nangong Zhandao and seizing his fortune won’t carry as many entanglements," the Dao King murmured to himself.

He bore the fortunes of the Mysterious Realm and the Spirit Realm; his understanding of fortune was definitely superior to Nangong Zhandao’s.

Therefore, Nangong Zhandao’s predicament was as clear as fire to the Dao King.

"One other problem remains…" The Dao King’s gaze turned profound. "Exactly who was the yellow sparrow waiting behind, releasing the Chaotic Demon God from the ten life heavenly coffin just a step ahead of me?"

"Aside from me, it should only be the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion."

Thinking this, the Dao King shook his head slightly.

It couldn’t be the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

With his level of cultivation, why would he care about the mere fortune of a single Star Realm?

The Dao King was filled with doubt.

"Withdraw." He commanded.

The disciples of the Taihao Heavenly Sect boarded the Starship and left the Star Realm.

Contaminated by the Chaotic Demon God, most of the Star Realm had become a wasteland, devoid of spiritual energy, no longer fit for cultivators to dwell or cultivate.

From that day forward, the Star Realm was no more.

Naturally, the Taihao Heavenly Sect saw no point in bleeding for a useless wasteland in a fight to the death against the Moon God Clan.

"The Taihao Heavenly Sect!"

The expressions of the two Ancestors of the Moon God Clan turned grim as water.

In this battle, the Moon God Clan was the greatest loser.

Not only had their clansmen suffered heavy casualties, but their homeland had also been destroyed by the Chaotic Demon God, leaving them to drift without roots.

"Pass down my order," the white-clad Immortal King roared, killing intent suffusing his voice. "Investigate the entire clan! Who was it that leaked the secret of the ten life heavenly coffin?"

"Once discovered, I’ll make him wish he were dead!"