Chapter 673
The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation Reappears
"The evil god clan has already made its move; success or failure hinges on this!"
Just as the Heavenly Punishment God's murderous command spread throughout the evil god camp, a roar filled with determination and fighting spirit resounded across the starry sky from the human side.
"kill--!"
Without much mobilization, when they saw the boundless tide of evil gods and demons surging towards the Ancient Netherworld Holy Land like a destructive torrent, all the human powerhouses who had gathered understood that there was no way to retreat and that they had no choice but to fight to the death!
"boom!"
A dazzling, starlight-like sword light, seemingly imbued with the power to create the world, pierced through the oppressive void!
That was an Eight Tribulation Celestial Venerable from an ancient sword sect. His hair and beard stood on end, and his eyes were filled with sword intent. He transformed himself into a sword and was the first to charge into the oncoming vanguard of the evil god!
Where the sword light passed, several fierce-looking third and fourth tribulation evil gods were shredded into a sky full of blood mist by the incomparably sharp sword energy before they could even scream!
This sword strike was like igniting the fuse of a powder keg!
"Kill! Slay the demons and protect the pride of our human race!"
"For the path to immortality, for the destiny of humanity, let us fight!"
The roars instantly coalesced into a terrifying sonic wave that swept across the cosmos!
"Boom—!!!"
The next moment, the terrifying power that had been accumulating for years and suppressed to the extreme finally erupted without reservation!
Using the vast starry sky surrounding the Ancient Netherworld as their battlefield, more than ten thousand terrifying beings at the Celestial Venerable level from both sides collided violently, like two opposing torrents of world destruction capable of shattering galaxies!
The light that burst forth in that instant made billions of stars pale in comparison!
The violent energy shockwave, like billions of supernovae exploding simultaneously, spread wildly in a ring from the point of impact!
Wherever it passed, space crumbled and vanished like fragile glass, turning into the most primordial chaos and nothingness!
The violent energy turbulence tore everything apart, the meteorite belt turned to dust, the asteroid was vaporized, and even the atmospheres of several smaller inhabited planets nearby were instantly torn apart, the earth cracked, and magma spewed out, as if the end of the world had arrived!
"puff--!"
In the aftershocks of the initial collision alone, hundreds of First and Second Tribulation Celestial Venerables, who were relatively weak or on the edge and had not had time to defend themselves fully, were swept up by the unimaginable energy tide.
The protective divine light shattered instantly, the physical body disintegrated, and the soul was utterly obliterated with a wailing cry!
Blood and demonic blood, mixed with fragments of broken magical artifacts, afterimages of supernatural powers, and fragments of the laws of the Great Dao, were splashed wildly across the starry sky, creating a cosmic-scale bloody picture of extreme tragedy!
The shouts of battle shook the heavens and the earth; divine lights intertwined like a net; and the aura of destruction filled every inch of space.
Every breath, a powerful figure falls.
Every moment, stars shatter.
This starry sky has been completely transformed into a battlefield that devours life.
Such terrifying fluctuations could be clearly perceived even from billions of miles away in the void.
The laws of nature were lamenting, the star field was trembling, as if the entire secret realm was shaking for this unprecedented super war.
"Is this... is this what a full-scale war between powerful beings from other realms looks like?"
"This is terrifying! The aftershocks alone are enough to reduce us to dust!"
"Tens of thousands of Celestial Venerables are fighting in a chaotic battle... This is simply... a scene that could only happen in the mythological era!"
Those ancient beings from the starry sky, hidden in the shadows and peering with their divine senses, were now trembling with fear and utterly horrified.
They had lived for countless years, experienced the so-called Dark Turmoil, and witnessed the clash of supreme beings, but they had never seen such a large-scale and brutal battle between celestial beings.
The Dark Turmoil of that time was nothing more than a limited massacre instigated by a few self-proclaimed ancient beings in an attempt to prolong their lives. The number of Celestial Venerables affected was limited, but the disaster was more devastating to lower-level cultivators and mortal beings.
Before them stood two colossal beings from beyond the stars, unleashing their most elite forces in a brutal head-on clash!
Its scale far exceeded their comprehension!
Some of the old folks who had personally experienced a dark period of turmoil were now pale and dazed.
They discovered that the turmoil that had haunted them for years, a nightmare they considered their entire lives, paled in comparison to the war before them, like child's play—utterly insignificant!
"boom!"
A more subtle and unsettling fluctuation emanated from the very heart of the battlefield, seemingly alerting some ancient being.
At this moment, not only those living fossils hidden in various places, but even in the depths of the starry sky, in those forbidden zones of life that are regarded as absolute taboos by native creatures and that even supreme beings are unwilling to easily set foot in, subtle yet powerful auras are awakened and slowly recover.
One after another, decaying divine thoughts, like venomous snakes that have slumbered for eternity, quietly emerged from the depths of the forbidden land, traversing endless distances, and were cast upon the tragic battlefield where the Ancient Netherworld Holy Land was located.
"Hiss... Tens of thousands of Celestial Venerables are fighting? When did so many powerful figures appear in the starry sky?"
Deep within a desolate wasteland shrouded in deathly gray mist, came a hoarse and bewildered whisper, the sound like two withered bones rubbing against each other.
"It's not just the Celestial Venerable... there are many auras within that even I find threatening..."
In another forbidden zone of life, where lava and blood flow, a giant eye covered in blood vessels opened in the darkness, filled with awe and a hint of... greed.
It sensed the vast life essence and fragments of the Great Dao dissipated from those fallen powerful beings.
These ancient beings, barely surviving in the forbidden zones of life, spend most of their time in the deepest slumber in order to delay their own collapse and resist the inevitable end of their lifespan, maintaining their vitality with minimal consumption.
Each awakening is often to stir up dark turmoil and harvest the life essence of all living beings to prolong their own lives.
They knew very little about the recent dramatic changes in the starry sky and the arrival of extraterrestrial beings.
The shock and awe they felt at the sight of tens of thousands of Celestial Venerables clashing in a chaotic battle, including some Supreme-level powers that made their hearts tremble, was unimaginable!
This completely overturned their understanding of the power structure of the stars!
What terrified and unsettled them even more was that there were not just one, but dozens of supreme-level auras clashing!
Some of them are even more powerful than they were at their peak!
"Hide well...hide well! We absolutely cannot attract the attention of those terrifying beings!"
In many ancient places where life is confined, after the initial shock, the first thought that arises is self-preservation.
They desperately tried to suppress their decaying yet powerful aura, like frightened turtles retreating into their shells, fearing that some bloodthirsty supreme being on the battlefield might notice their presence and conveniently eliminate these old relics as well.
After all, they are far from being at their peak right now.
Even facing a single Supreme Being in perfect condition might not be easy, let alone dozens of them.
The murderous aura and fighting spirit emanating from those powerful beings from other realms sent a chill down the spines of these old fogies, who were used to slumber and intrigue.
……
Just as the entire outer starry sky was engulfed in a brutal struggle, and the ancient beings in the forbidden zone of life trembled in fear.
At the heart of the battlefield, beyond the border of the Ancient Nether Holy Land, shrouded in layers of divine light and array formations, more than ten terrifying demonic figures had already torn through the chaotic battlefield, ignoring all the human Celestial Venerables who tried to stop them along the way. Like the sharpest black dagger, they plunged straight into the heart of the Ancient Nether Holy Land.
The leader was none other than the Lord of Heavenly Punishment!
His body was enveloped in raging demonic flames. With each step he took, footprints burning with destructive energy left their mark on the void. Ordinary Eight Tribulation Celestial Venerables who came within a hundred miles of him would have their souls crushed by his invisible destructive force. Behind him stood twelve evil god lords, their auras equally unfathomable!
Without exception, they all exuded terrifying demonic power, at least at the peak of the Ninth Tribulation, with several of them even reaching the level of a half-step Immortal!
Their target was clear: Gu Qingfeng, the Heavenly Emperor of Xuantian!
As for the other resistance and entanglements from other human powerhouses along the way, they didn't consider it worth wasting any effort on them.
however--
Just as the thirteen most powerful evil god lords, including the Heavenly Punishment God Lord, were about to forcefully step into the holy land.
"boom--!!!"
Within the ancient sacred land, an indescribable terrifying aura erupted, like a primordial beast that had slumbered for billions of years suddenly awakening, or like the first ray of divine light that burst forth at the dawn of creation!
The ancient formations surrounding the holy land, layer upon layer, capable of withstanding several full-force attacks from a supreme being, spontaneously and respectfully parted to the sides in the face of this aura, making way for a straight path!
Immediately afterwards, a figure stepped out from the end of the passage.
In a single step, they had traveled from the core of the Holy Land to its border, facing off against the thirteen evil gods, including the Lord of Heavenly Punishment.
He wore a black imperial robe embroidered with the stars, mountains and rivers, and the cycle of the sun and moon. He wore a flat crown with tassels hanging down, which partially covered his face, but could not hide his deep eyes that seemed to contain the birth and death of the universe and the cycle of reincarnation.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his posture as upright as Mount Buzhou. Just by standing there, an unparalleled majesty that suppressed countless ages and looked down upon the rise and fall of all beings naturally spread out, forcibly smoothing out and clearing away the chaotic battlefield atmosphere within a million miles!
The dark imperial robes fluttered without wind, the stars on them seemed to be turning, the mountains and rivers seemed to be breathing, and the sun and moon shone brightly in turn.
An indescribable, profound Daoist aura lingered around him, as if the chaotic scene of the creation of heaven and earth was evolving around him, and as if the ultimate annihilation of all things was floating in his eyes.
It is indeed—the Heavenly Emperor Xuan Tian, Gu Qingfeng!
The moment he appeared, the faint pressure he unconsciously emitted, seemingly transcending the rules of this secret realm's starry sky, caused the twelve ferocious evil god lords behind the Heavenly Punishment God Lord to change their expressions drastically, their pupils contracted, and an uncontrollable fear and trepidation stemming from their life instincts surfaced in their hearts!
Although they already knew how terrifying this human emperor was.
But when you actually face its true form, the sense of oppression is far more terrifying than you can imagine!
The Heavenly Punishment God Lord keenly sensed the momentary disturbance in the aura and wavering in the mind of his colleague behind him.
He knew that he must not allow fear to spread; to be cowardly before the battle is a major taboo in warfare!
"Hmph! What are you afraid of?!"
The God of Heavenly Punishment suddenly let out a thunderous roar, his voice containing a demonic power that shook the very soul, forcefully dispelling the newly risen shadow of fear.
His body was enveloped in a burst of destructive demonic flames, which transformed into a towering demonic pillar that stood in stark contrast to Gu Qingfeng's invisible imperial might.
"Think clearly, all of you! Look around and see where you are!"
The voice of the God of Heavenly Punishment was cold yet seductive.
"This is the Immortal Realm! It possesses supreme rules that suppress all immortal power!"
No matter how strong Gu Qingfeng is, even if he can defy immortals in the outside world, here he is at most at the peak of half-step immortality, and it is impossible for him to surpass that limit!
His eyes flashed with murderous intent, and his demonic voice rang out: "We, the thirteen Divine Lords, are all at the peak of the Ninth Tribulation or even half a step into Immortality!"
Together, they are powerful enough to annihilate any being below the level of immortality!
Gu Qingfeng is doomed today! What is there to fear?!
These words were like a wake-up call, instantly sobering up the wavering evil god lords.
Yes! The rules of the secret realm are fair! They suppress everyone! Gu Qingfeng is no exception!
Half-step into immortality is the limit of what he can achieve!
The combined might of these thirteen top-tier god lords is enough to crush any half-step immortal!
The advantage lies with me!
Gu Qingfeng took it all in, and from beginning to end, his expression remained unchanged, as calm as an ancient, icy pool.
Only the slightly upturned corners of his mouth carried a faint, almost imperceptible, mocking curve, as if looking down upon the struggling ants.
His gaze finally fell upon the Lord of Heavenly Punishment, and his indifferent voice rang out, like a divine decree, clearly reaching the ears of every evil god.
"You were lucky enough to survive that battle back then, but I never expected you would still dare to appear before me."
This time, you won't have a chance to leave alive!
"Hahahaha!"
Upon hearing this, the Lord of Heavenly Punishment laughed instead of getting angry; his laughter was filled with violence and madness.
"Gu Qingfeng! Stop bluffing and putting on airs!"
If we were in the endless immortal realm outside, I might still be somewhat afraid of you! But here, in this secret realm, under the rules, all beings are equal!
Today is your death day! This day next year will be the anniversary of your passing!
He was convinced that Gu Qingfeng was using words to exert psychological pressure and try to disrupt them, but he would never fall for it!
"Enough with the nonsense! Everyone, follow me and slay this fiend!"
Without further hesitation, the Heavenly Punishment God Lord's demonic flames reached their peak, ready to strike first.
The last trace of emotion in Gu Qingfeng's eyes vanished into indifference.
"Stubborn and obstinate".
He said no more, but slowly raised his right hand and gently pressed it against the empty space in front of him.
"Buzz—!!!"
A buzzing sound, seemingly emanating from the depths of the universe's origin, resounded.
The next moment, an ancient array plate, entirely blood-red in color, with blood-red patterns flowing across its surface like those of living beings, only the size of a palm, yet radiating a terrifying killing aura that made even the thirteen evil god lords feel a stinging pain in their souls, appeared out of thin air in Gu Qingfeng's palm.
The moment the array plate appeared, the world lost its color, and all things cried out in anguish!
It is indeed—the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation!
Immediately afterward, under Gu Qingfeng's indifferent gaze, the array plate shone with a brilliant crimson light!
"Clang!!!"
Nine earth-shattering sword cries, seemingly capable of severing cause and effect and shattering the cycle of reincarnation, tore through the heavens and resounded throughout the universe!
Nine crimson rainbows shot into the sky from the array plate!
The nine swords ascended into the sky without scattering. Instead, the instant they rose, they instantly arranged themselves according to a profound trajectory that exhausts the ultimate principles of heaven and earth and contains the great secrets of the universe's birth and death!
Sword energies connect, and array patterns arise spontaneously!
A terrifying killing sword domain that enveloped the heavens, sealed off time and space, and slayed gods and immortals was completely formed in a fraction of a second!
The crimson sword light filled the heavens and earth, engulfing Gu Qingfeng and the thirteen evil god lords opposite him whose auras soared to the sky!
The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation—Reappears in the Mortal World! (End of Chapter)