Chapter 2598: The Major Mistake of Héluó Tiān

What's worse is, the Heavenly Demon knows these two have already merged into one.

In the Battle of Yujing City, Shangguan Biao borrowed the power of the Earth Mother and fought the immortals of Ling Mountain to a standstill; after his defeat, Panlong Ancient City was taken away by the awakened true Earth Mother.

So, the stone giant daring to single-handedly challenge the immortals and demons of Lingyun Palace is very likely the Earth Mother!

This towering city wall ahead most likely belongs to Panlong Ancient City!

The immortals and demons didn't make this connection earlier because of the ghost-head carving beneath the city gate tower—no one had heard of Panlong Ancient City having such a thing.

But once the black dragon totem appeared, this could no longer be hidden.

The immortals and demons sucked in a breath of cold air, their gaze toward the ancient city changing.

If this truly is Panlong Ancient City, it means they are within the Earth Mother's sphere of influence.

Trying to defeat it on the Earth Mother's turf is harder than defeating Héluó Tiān in the YunTai Small World.

There are many Secret Realms in Yujing City; the Heavenly Demons have long heard of them. If they accidentally stepped into the Panlong Secret Realm, that would be plausible.

But the legendary Earth Mother Plain is vast—how could it be just a small island protruding from the sea?

However—Xiānzǐ Wúyú gazed at Míngkē Xiānrén laughing openly on the city gate tower, took a deep breath—these shifty-eyed fellows won't let them go easily; a fierce battle is inevitable now, impossible to resolve lightly!

Terrible—Cāngyàn is much harder to fight than Ling Mountain.

……

During the fierce fighting inside the Panlong Secret Realm, where was Hè Língchuān?

Inside the Snail Toad.

Dōng Ruì, while driving the Snail Toad to burrow underground, exclaimed in alarm: "More than a dozen immortals and demons can't handle you! Oh my god, when did you secretly train to this level?"

Hè Língchuān was busy regulating his breath, giving him only a white-eye to figure out himself.

Dōng Ruì couldn't grasp it: "Does Aunt Zhu know? Huh?"

Did this guy secretly tell Aunt Zhu but not tell me?

Hè Língchuān suppressed his surging qi and blood, then let out a long sigh: "Use your brain—why did we go to such trouble setting up traps?"

"Oh, that's also the case."

If Jiǔyōu truly became a True Immortal, he could directly strike down those nineteen immortals and demons—why go through all this left-and-right maneuvering?

"Oh, it's just for show—I get it now." Dōng Ruì's heart calmed instantly, and he stopped asking.

Actually, after the Black Dragon Totem swallowed Héluó Tiān's incarnation, Hè Língchuān's mission here was complete, so he immediately left the Panlong Secret Realm and Earth Mother Plain, secretly rushing to Yānxiá Bay.

Having barely seized this initiative, he must make every second count.

This is a solo journey—he brought no one except having Dōng Ruì substitute as his carriage driver.

Zhu Xiuer expressed strong desire to follow, because, just as when he once caused havoc in the Heavenly Palace, Hè Língchuān did it together with it, not alone. Re-entering Lingyun Palace this time is more dangerous than before.

But Hè Língchuān refused, demonstrating "stubbornly going his own way" to the fullest.

"This intrusion is special. With you around, I can't perform well."

He is already the Jiǔyōu Great Emperor—his decision admits no questioning or disturbance.

The Heavenly Demons and Lingyun Palace didn't miscalculate: to invade Lingyun Palace, external enemies must first deal with Héluó Tiān's incarnation. As long as it remains uncontrolled in the human YunTai, enemies can exploit the opening.

From the moment Héluó Tiān lost this incarnation until it sends a new one down, enemies have a large window of opportunity. So Lingyun Palace has prepared, standing firm and ready.

This gap won't exceed half an hour; then Héluó Tiān's new incarnation arrives at Lingyun Palace and can re-control the YunTai. The Heavenly Demons' experimental field returns to safety.

Procedurally, the Heavenly Demons' deduction has no flaw.

But they and Lingyun Palace overlooked a key point:

The invaders are not Ling Mountain—but the Jiǔyōu Great Emperor!

Hè Língchuān holds in his hand a treasure capable of changing the battle's outcome—Ling Mountain lacks it: that is the Great Square Vessel.

Thus, his plan to invade Lingyun Palace has two key points in its first phase:

First, lure Héluó Tiān's incarnation into the Panlong Secret Realm.

Over ten years ago, in the Panlong Desert, he dealt with Nuòluò Tiān's incarnation this way—this time he will do the same to Héluó Tiān's incarnation. Formerly, the Great Square Vessel captured Nuòluò Tiān's incarnation, planted it as a tree in Mist Valley, putting it in a deathless, lifeless state. This locked the BUG, because, limited by heavenly and earthly laws, Heavenly Demons can only project one incarnation into the human world—old incarnation not extinguished, new one not descending.

After Nuòluò Tiān suffered that ambush for many years, until he wiped the Heavenly God seal from Hè Língchuān's mind, Hè Língchuān then released his incarnation.

This god and man have openly and secretly competed countless times; Hè Língchuān understands his temperament, knowing that although he suffered a dumb loss, he won't speak of it outside—true to "family shame should not be aired." Nuòluò Tiān also has many enemies in the Heavenly Realm; he absolutely cannot expose his weakness. Thus, though the Heavenly Realm has many guesses about him, no Heavenly Demon could guess his incarnation had been tightly trapped by Hè Língchuān.

Even Hé Chūnhuá, who participated in the Panlong Ruins War, doesn't know what really happened between Nuòluò Tiān's incarnation and Hè Língchuān in the Secret Realm.

Repeating the old trick to ambush Héluó Tiān, Hè Língchuān believes the success rate is high, and his method will only grow more skilled.

The Earth Mother's body is too massive—whether floating on land or submerging, it draws unnecessary attention. So Hè Língchuān chose the ambush site at sea.

Though the Hundred Pearls Archipelago is large, it cannot hold the entire Earth Mother Plain.

Therefore, the Earth Mother did not fully surface—only lifted a small part of its back above water to feign an island; in fact, nine-tenths remain submerged.

When enemies patrol high altitude, they think they've reached the outer islands of the Hundred Pearls Archipelago—actually, this is merely the tip of the iceberg.

On this "island" lies a Pangze relic—it was a city in ancient times, but after a volcanic eruption sank into the seabed; its secret realm guardian spirit is various sea beasts.

This relic seamlessly connects with the submerged Panlong Ancient City; enemies entering the Pangze Secret Realm unknowingly get drawn into the Panlong Secret Realm, thus enjoying the enthusiastic hospitality of the Cāngyàn immortals.

Second, capture Héluó Tiān's incarnation before it decides to self-destruct, then hand it over to the Great Square Vessel for disposal.

Even as an incarnation, it consumes vast cultivation and divine power from Héluó Tiān—so it won't self-destruct upon seeing Hè Língchuān, nor self-implode when disadvantaged; it must struggle, realize there's no chance to win, only then self-terminate.

Therefore, Hè Língchuān's strategy to capture Héluó Tiān's incarnation centers on "unexpected action."

Before Héluó Tiān's incarnation reacts, just throw it into the embrace of the Great Square Vessel.

The Black Dragon Totem swallowed Héluó Tiān's incarnation in one breath, then in the next tossed it to the Great Square Vessel—no pause in between.