Chapter 672
They've arrived
For powerful beings in the starry sky who possess lifespans of hundreds of billions of years, several years is but a fleeting moment.
However, in just a few short years, this ancient star field, centered on the Ancient Netherworld Holy Land, has undergone unprecedented upheavals.
The already gloomy starry sky, besieged by evil gods, has now been completely transformed into a battlefield where powerful beings gather.
The aura from beyond the stars, like a torrent bursting its banks, continuously surged into this area, causing subtle distortions and groans in the laws of the entire starry sky.
The powerful beings who have arrived are no longer limited to the evil god race.
In the starry sky, figures of powerful human beings continued to break through the air and arrive.
They came in groups of three or five, or alone, but their goal was remarkably consistent—the Ancient Sacred Land!
The news that Emperor Xuantian Gu Qingfeng was in the Ancient Netherworld Sacred Land had been circulating for several years and was no longer a secret.
The principle of "if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold" is something everyone understands.
From a moral standpoint, Gu Qingfeng is a leader of the human race and has made outstanding contributions to the human race. If we sit idly by and watch him besieged and killed by the evil gods, where is our morality?
Who will dare to fight for the human race in the future?
Logically speaking, Gu Qingfeng's survival is directly related to the final outcome of this secret realm exploration, and may even affect the future overall strength comparison between the human race and the evil god race.
If the evil god is allowed to successfully kill this peerless genius who may one day reach immortality or even a higher realm in this secret realm, it will be an immeasurable loss to the human race.
Conversely, if we can seize this opportunity to gather the strength of the human race in this secret realm and work together with Gu Qingfeng from within and without, we can severely damage or even annihilate the elite forces of the evil god race who have infiltrated this time.
This would not only clear obstacles for Gu Qingfeng, but also greatly weaken the power of the evil god, laying the most solid foundation for the human race to completely control this secret realm containing immortal opportunities!
With interests at stake and a struggle for the ultimate truth at stake, there is no room for retreat!
Therefore, not only the powerful figures closely associated with the Xuan Tian Immortal Court, but also many originally neutral human forces and powerful cultivators who had no direct relationship with Gu Qingfeng, after weighing the pros and cons, flocked to the Ancient Netherworld Holy Land.
They may have their own agendas, but they have reached a temporary consensus on the fundamental goal of fighting against the evil god.
As the number of powerful figures from both sides snowballed, the atmosphere in the star field where the Ancient Nether Holy Land was located became extremely oppressive.
An invisible killing intent and oppressive aura, like a heavy leaden cloud, enveloped every inch of space.
The starry sky stopped twinkling; its light seemed to be swallowed up by the dense, oppressive aura of death.
Ordinary creatures, even powerful celestial beasts, instinctively feel a profound terror emanating from the depths of their souls when they approach this area, and they detour far away, not daring to get close.
Such a tremendous commotion could not possibly escape the notice of the ancient beings native to this secret realm's starry sky.
Some living fossil-level celestial beings, who had been hiding deep in the starry sky and sleeping for countless ages to prolong their lifespan, were awakened by this terrifying aura that gathered countless powerful beings from other realms.
They cautiously extended their divine senses to peer at the scene outside the ancient sacred land.
Upon seeing this, even these ancient beings who had lived for hundreds of billions of years and experienced more than one dark upheaval couldn't help but gasp in shock, their minds reeling!
"Hiss—this…this is the power of the outer realms?! How…how can it be so terrifying?!"
An ancient celestial being, hiding in the core of a dying star, swept his divine sense across the star field, feeling the auras burning like torches, each one more powerful than his prime. In particular, his voice trembled slightly when he felt the terrifying pressure of dozens of stars as dazzling as stars, which made his soul tremble with pain.
"Celestial Venerables... their number has probably already exceeded ten thousand! This... this is simply unbelievable! Our myriad races in the starry sky, with their endless lineages, could possibly gather even a thousand Celestial Venerables, whether openly or secretly! They... they, a force from another region, could so easily gather so many Celestial Venerables?!"
Another being, hidden deep within the ancient nebula, was also horrified.
Tens of thousands of celestial beings!
This is a destructive force capable of sweeping away all known forces in the entire secret realm starry sky multiple times in a short period of time!
What made them feel even more desperate and powerless were those dozens of figures that stood like pillars of the sea above the myriad auras!
"Those dozens of auras... there's no mistake! They are... at the Supreme level! Even more profound and terrifying than ordinary Supremes!"
An ancient celestial being's voice was dry and filled with disbelief.
"Dozens of Supreme Beings... This, how is this possible?! In an era of our starry sky, the emergence of even one Supreme Being is enough to suppress countless ages and illuminate the galaxy! How... how could they possibly possess dozens?!"
Supreme!
That is the end point of the cultivation path in this starry sky, a synonym for invincibility!
Even the most powerful Eight Tribulation Celestial Venerables are like adults and children in the face of a true Supreme Being, an insurmountable gap.
Throughout the history of the stars, the number of prodigies who have been able to defy the supreme beings with the power of the Eight Tribulations can be counted on one's fingers, and each of them has become a legend that has illuminated several eras.
But right now, there are dozens of terrifying beings who seem to be at the Supreme level, belonging to two opposing camps, and they are in a standoff!
This overturned their understanding and made them deeply aware of the insignificance of their own world.
After the initial shock, a chilling feeling mixed with relief washed over these ancient, powerful locals.
"Fortunately...fortunately, these terrifying outsiders are not from the same source, but rather they are sworn enemies, with swords drawn!"
An ancient being whispered in secret.
"If they join forces, where would we find a place to stand in this starry sky? We would probably have been completely conquered and enslaved long ago!"
They could clearly see that the tens of thousands of Heavenly Venerables and dozens of Supreme Venerables were clearly divided into two major camps.
Evil spirits filled the air, creating chaos and filth.
A celestial light swirled around it, majestic and grand.
The two forces clashed and canceled each other out, forming two massive energy fields that were fiercely confronting and rubbing against each other, as if a world-destroying war could break out at any moment.
"Let's fight... It would be best if we fought to the death, resulting in mutual destruction!"
Many more ancient beings secretly harbored the same idea.
The power of the foreign forces made them feel threatened like never before.
They were hoping the two tigers that had invaded their backyard would fight each other to the death.
At the very least, both sides should be severely weakened, their strength reduced to a point where they can no longer threaten the survival of the native forces in the starry sky.
In an instant, numerous hidden gazes, like venomous snakes in the darkness, coldly spied on the star field that was about to turn into a purgatory, filled with calculation and anticipation.
……
Meanwhile, on a star occupied by the evil god's faction, a magnificent yet sinister demon palace was forcibly carved out.
Inside the hall, raging demonic flames illuminated dozens of figures of varying shapes, each exuding a terrifying, suffocating demonic aura.
These are the most powerful forces of the evil god race who responded to the immortal decree, entered the secret realm, and have already arrived in the Ancient Nether Starfield—the God Lords!
The lowest level is the seventh tribulation level, and nearly half of them are at the ninth tribulation level or even half-step immortal level!
Leading the group was none other than the Heavenly Punishment God, whose aura was the most unfathomable.
His tall, demonic body sat upright in the main seat. As his eyes opened and closed, it seemed as if the creation and destruction of the universe flowed within them. An invisible pressure enveloped the entire area, causing the other gods to unconsciously restrain their auras slightly in order to show their respect.
As one of the oldest god-kings of the evil god race, his seniority, strength, and even his status in the hearts of the immortal god-kings far surpassed those of the other god-kings present.
As the initiator of this operation, he naturally possesses the highest decision-making authority.
At this moment, the atmosphere inside the hall was heavy and somber.
A male god-lord with eight pairs of blood-red bat wings, an eerily handsome face, and an aura as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice spoke first, his voice sharp and full of killing intent: "God-lord of Heavenly Punishment, according to the latest intelligence, more than 90% of the gods-lords of our clan who responded to the decree, entered the secret realm, and could be contacted have gathered here!"
Continuing to delay and wait is pointless.
He paused, his scarlet tongue licking his lips: "On the other hand, the number of the small fry who came after hearing the news is constantly increasing."
The longer it drags on, the stronger their combined forces will become.
Although they are a rabble, their sheer numbers can cause considerable trouble and hinder our plan to kill Gu Qingfeng.
Another deity, whose body seemed to be composed of countless writhing shadow tentacles and whose voice was like the whispers of thousands, echoed, "Indeed, delay will only lead to unforeseen changes."
Gu Qingfeng is cunning and his strength is unpredictable. Allowing him to continue to merge with the human forces will only increase the variables.
In my opinion, now is the best time to take action!
With our current combined strength, we are well-positioned to overwhelm them, achieving a swift and decisive victory. Before other human reinforcements can form a cohesive force, we must first eliminate them! "Seconded!"
"Make a decisive decision!"
"A long night may bring unforeseen complications; a swift and decisive strike is better!"
The other deities in the hall nodded in agreement, expressing similar views.
They were all seasoned veterans who had fought their way through countless battles, and naturally understood the principle that opportunities in battle are fleeting.
Gathering 90% of our strength is enough.
If we wait any longer, and a troublesome half-step immortal old monster from the human race arrives, it might cause problems with the plan.
The Heavenly Punishment God Lord's deep, abyss-like eyes slowly swept across the faces of every god lord present, taking in their expressions.
He paused for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest made of star core, producing a low and rhythmic "tap-tap" sound, as if weighing the final pros and cons.
Finally, the knocking stopped.
The Heavenly Punishment God Lord slowly raised his head, a flash of blood-red light in his eyes, and made his final decision.
"it is good!"
His voice was deep and powerful, like the clanging of demonic metal, carrying an undeniable authority.
"Since everyone agrees, there's no need to wait any longer; the opportunity is right before our eyes!"
He suddenly stood up, and a terrifying aura of destruction swept through the Demon Palace like a storm, invigorating all the gods.
"Issue my command!"
The voice of the Heavenly Punishment God Lord resounded throughout the hall and was also transmitted to the ears of all the powerful evil gods in the surrounding area through a secret method.
"At dawn tomorrow, the entire army will launch an attack. Target—Ancient Netherworld Holy Land! Crush the Holy Land and kill Gu Qingfeng!"
"Roar--!!!"
The gods inside the hall let out excited and violent demonic howls, their killing intent soaring to the heavens.
The Heavenly Punishment God pressed his hands down to suppress the howling sound, and continued to deploy his forces. His voice was cold and clear: "The key to this battle is to kill Gu Qingfeng!"
"Once this fiend is dead, the remaining human forces will be no threat; a single battle will suffice!"
His gaze locked onto the dozen or so God Lords with the strongest auras present, including himself: "All those whose cultivation has reached the peak of the Ninth Tribulation, and those who have stepped into the half-step Immortal Realm, shall act with me!"
Our only goal is Gu Qingfeng!
No matter the cost, no matter the means, we must surround and kill them in the shortest possible time! Absolutely no accidents can be tolerated!
He then looked at the other god lords: "The remaining god lords will lead the elite evil gods of each division to be responsible for frontal restraint and blocking of the ancient Netherworld Holy Land's formation and other human reinforcements!"
Your mission is to hold them back, create chaos, divide the battlefield, and create the best environment and time for us to kill Gu Qingfeng!
There's no need to force an annihilation; the main goal is to hinder and disrupt them!
"it is good!"
"no problem!"
The other deities also nodded in agreement.
Everyone knows that the key to this battle lies with that Heavenly Emperor Xuan Tian.
If Gu Qingfeng is killed, then the Evil God Clan will have won a great victory.
and so.
It is perfectly reasonable for a top-tier fighting force, led by the God of Heavenly Punishment, to carry out a decapitation operation.
"Then everyone, disperse!"
The God of Heavenly Punishment waved his hand, and the other gods also left the main hall.
……
The next day.
A terrifying aura erupted from the starry sky, and all the powerful members of the evil god clan who had gathered over the years were now making their move.
That instant.
The void shattered.
One after another, evil gods emerged from the sky.
The raging demonic flames swept across everything, causing the entire starry sky to tremble.
"They're here!"
Within the ancient sacred land, in a celestial palace, Gu Qingfeng opened his eyes, and a wisp of celestial light burst forth from his eyes, only to vanish in an instant.
Then.
A cold smile appeared on his lips.
Several years.
The evil god clan could no longer restrain themselves.
The opponent's attack at this moment caused Gu Qingfeng's blood to boil, and a long-dormant fighting spirit arose spontaneously.
Just as Gu Qingfeng stepped out of the Immortal Palace, Gu Xuan, Gu Xiu, and the Ancient Nether Saint Lord arrived upon hearing the news.
"Father!"
"senior!"
When everyone saw Gu Qingfeng appear, their expressions visibly relaxed.
Gu Qingfeng stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze falling on the people in front of him, and said calmly: "In this battle, your task is to guard the Ancient Nether Holy Land and not allow the Evil God Clan to set foot in it."
As for other matters, I will handle them myself; you need not interfere too much!
In his view.
This battle is destined to be a fight to the death.
Gu Xuan and the others were only Fourth Tribulation Heavenly Venerables, and even the Ancient Nether Saint Lord was only a Sixth Tribulation Heavenly Venerable. If they participated in this battle, they would be no different from cannon fodder.
It's just a pointless death, offering no real help.
and so.
The most appropriate course of action is for these monks to remain and guard the holy site.
"Father Emperor—"
Gu Xiu was about to speak when Gu Qingfeng raised his hand to interrupt him.
"My mind is made up, you need not say more!"
Seeing Gu Qingfeng's resolute expression, Gu Xiu could only swallow back the words that were on the tip of his tongue. (End of Chapter)