Chapter 999: 擎天魔柱

Watching Ye Chen's departing figure, Taixu Gǔlóng slightly narrowed his dragon eyes, his expression filled with an indescribable depth of meaning.

By now, Ye Chen had descended the mountain and was wandering aimlessly through Héngyuè Sect. It was worth noting that everywhere he went, Chǔxuán had once been there in the past. Even though those memories were from long ago, he could still catch faint traces of her presence in the air.

It was not until nightfall that he returned to Yùnǚ Peak, sitting quietly at the summit.

In the silent night, a gentle breeze carried a chill, lightly ruffling his white hair and brushing against his slightly frail figure. He sat like a statue, unmoving amid the desolation of heaven and earth.

At some point, he subconsciously lifted his head and gazed at the vast starry sky.

Suddenly, he stood up, his brows furrowing as he looked at the cosmic expanse. The vast stars were being obscured by swirling chaotic clouds, which grew denser and thicker, surging like an ocean and threatening to engulf the entire sky.

Because of this, the heavens turned pitch-black, with not a single light in sight.

Hmm?

Sensing something amiss, Taixu Gǔlóng stepped out of his pavilion and onto the mountaintop.

On a nearby peak, Zǐxuán emerged as well, along with Dào Huáng and Ōuyáng Wáng, all of them stepping onto their summits. They furrowed their brows and narrowed their eyes, staring at the sky shrouded in chaotic clouds.

It was not just them—the various lords of the Heavenly Court, the descendants of the Dàchǔ emperors, the successive kings of Dàchǔ, and everyone else had come out, their gazes all turning toward the boundless starry sky in that instant.

This feeling was deeply unsettling!

Under the stars, many murmured such words to themselves. Even powerhouses like Ye Chen, Taixu Gǔlóng, and Zǐxuán now regarded the sky with a sense of wariness.

Boom!

In the midst of everyone's bewilderment, a sudden thunderous roar echoed across the vast land, making everyone's hearts tremble collectively. Those with weaker cultivation even shuddered in their bodies.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

From that first roar, the entire sky became restless. Thunderous booms resounded like raging storms, shaking the heavens and earth. Many activated their heavenly eye abilities, staring into the ethereal void in hopes of tracing the source of the noise.

Yet, all they saw were the chaotic clouds covering the sky. They knew only that the booms originated from within those clouds, and each one shook them to their core, as if the heavens themselves were furious, making the very world quiver.

Boom!

Another earth-shattering roar erupted, and a massive magic pillar, thousands of zhàng thick, descended upon Běizhèn Cāngyuán, standing tall and piercing the sky.

It's the Tiānmó!

In the grand hall of Tiānxuán Gate, Dōnghuáng Tàiyī's expression changed dramatically.

Boom!

No sooner had Dōnghuáng Tàiyī spoken than the void split open, and a massive sky-covering cage descended, enveloping the entire Tiānxuán Gate and trapping everyone inside.

Quick, send word to Zhūtiān Wàndù!

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī's voice rang out across Tiānxuán Gate, her tone urgent.

Too late!

As soon as Dōnghuáng Tàiyī finished speaking, an ethereal voice echoed through the void. Its origin was unknown, but it carried a stern, icy, and desolate tone, as if coming from an ancient era.

In an instant, the divine light sent from Tiānxuán Gate, which had just shot into the sky, was swallowed by the chaotic clouds.

At the sight, Dōnghuáng Tàiyī's face turned deathly pale. The connection between Dàchǔ and Zhūtiān Wàndù had been severed, and they were all sealed within this sky-covering cage. Everything had far exceeded her expectations.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

From all directions around the vast Tiānxuán Gate, banging sounds erupted. Streams of divine light flew out, transforming into figures that filled the void and covered the ground, each one enveloped in brilliant godly radiance.

These were the long-dormant members of Tiānxuán Gate, who awakened only in times of crisis.

What was shocking, however, was the sheer number of people from Tiānxuán Gate—upon counting, there were tens of millions, and any one of them was an invincible existence in Dàchǔ.

Where did the Tiānmó come from?

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī's voice was ice-cold, her expression gravely serious.

Divine Maiden, rest assured. If Zhūtiān Wàndù senses something unusual in Dàchǔ, they will surely come to suppress it.

Fù Yá spoke, his breath ragged.

It's no use.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī clenched her jade hands tightly, her face bloodless.

The sky-covering cage trapping us is an Extreme Dao Heavenly Emperor Weapon, and the chaotic clouds enveloping Dàchǔ form a Zhìxiān Heavenly Emperor Array. It has cut off all contact between Dàchǔ and Zhūtiān Wàndù—they won't detect anything here.

Then... then aren't we completely isolated?

Fù Yá's body trembled, his words shaking as well.

Without reinforcements, we may still not lose.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī's voice was resolute. She stepped into the void and gazed toward Běizhèn Cāngyuán, as if she could see through millions of lǐ to the Qīngtiān Magic Pillar piercing the heavens.

Divine Maiden.

Hundreds of figures followed her into the void, each with white hair and an aura of ancient weariness. They were all from Tiānxuán Gate, genuine Quasi-Emperors.

Use the Extreme Dao Emperor Weapons! Perhaps we can break through the Tiānmó's Zhìxiān Heavenly Emperor Array.

The hundreds of Quasi-Emperors looked at Dōnghuáng Tàiyī.

No.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī rejected it outright.

Xuānyuán Sword, Fènghuáng Zither, Xiānrén Tower, Kūnlún Mirror, and Kāitiān Axe are all key components of the Zhūtiān Wheel of Reincarnation. The wheel relies on them to maintain balance. If we disturb them, all of Dàchǔ will be instantly exposed to Tiānmó Domain. In that case, not just Dàchǔ, but the entire Zhūtiān Wàndù will fall. This era has no Great Emperor to oversee it—we would be doomed to defeat.

Without the emperor weapons, we're just waiting to be slaughtered!

No, we still have a chance.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī took a deep breath.

Ye Chen's Heavenly Court may still have the power to fight.

Them?

Many frowned.

All of Dàchǔ doesn't even have a single Heavenly Realm expert. How can they withstand the incoming Tiānmó army?

That's why Tiānxuán Gate has value even while sealed.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī pressed her hands together, her gaze firmer than ever.

The purple-robed figure who descended in Northern Chǔ and the black-robed figure in Southern Chǔ were both from Tiānmó Domain, both Quasi-Emperors. The Zhūtiān Wheel of Reincarnation suppressed them to the Quasi-Heavenly Realm, and it can do the same to the entire Tiānmó army. In that case, Dàchǔ's Heavenly Court might not lose.

Better to trust in using the emperor weapons and fight to the death.

Nonsense.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī rebuked sharply.

If we don't use them, we face only the Tiānmó army. If we do, we'll face all of Tiānmó Domain. Can't you tell which is the lesser evil?

But...

No buts.

Dōnghuáng Tàiyī's tone turned cold, an ancient rune appearing on her forehead.

In this battle, Tiānxuán Gate must assist Dàchǔ's Heavenly Court without question, no matter the cost. If they win, Dàchǔ survives. Holding this land means holding all of Zhūtiān Wàndù.