Chapter 657: Destiny

The horn of the Yulin Camp's counterattack!

It must be sounded after all!

Unlike the divine tides of previous lives, the Yulin Camp in this divine tide is no longer a target to be butchered at will!

Whether it is the Taiyi Immortal or the Tongtian Divine Emperor, they can feel a rolling sense of oppression emanating from the Yulin Camp.

It is the pressure brought by a single person—the King Dizang, or the father of the Yulin Maiden.

Although Li Che's strength still falls short when compared to these emperor‑ranked celestial immortals…

But the terrifying part is his dreadful rate of growth!

It hasn't been long at all, and the father of the Yulin Maiden has risen from a mere mortal to one who can enter the Nether, slay the Hellfire Divine Tree—such a Second Saint Ascendant Divine Tree—and retire after achieving his feat!

It's unimaginable!

Even the Tongtian Divine Emperor and the Taiyi Immortal themselves cannot guarantee entering the Nether and emerging unscathed!

The dangers within the Nether are enough to overturn the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Otherwise, why would Empress Wa and the Tongtian Divine Emperor exert all their might to suppress the Nether?

They will not allow the Nether's essence to seep even a fraction into the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

"The Yulin Camp… is ultimately a meaningless rebellion, just like every divine tide of the past, struggling… only in vain; failure is destiny."

The Taiyi Immortal's eyes were deep.

The Taiyi Immortal's words made the Tongtian Divine Emperor let out a light snicker.

"Is that so?"

"Do you think the Yulin will still fail?"

"I don't think so."

"I think the Yulin could succeed, under Li Che's lead, breaking out of the siege and piercing the Three Great Divine Camps' blockade."

The Tongtian Divine Emperor sat upright above the mouth of the Nether, countless sword qi floating and cascading around him like an inverted waterfall—utterly unparalleled and dreamlike.

The Taiyi Immortal gave the Tongtian Divine Emperor a strange glance.

"Tongtian, you make me doubt your camp. You are the Divine Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court—why then choose to stand with the Yulin Camp?"

The Tongtian Divine Emperor burst into a hearty laugh.

"One divine tide after another spins endlessly; no force can stay forever strong, just like the three great ancient clans of old—the Zulong Lineage, the Ancient People Lineage, and the Ancient Demon Lineage represented by your Taiyi Ancient Village."

"You three were once the pinnacle forces of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, pressing down on the Three Great Divine Camps, but now? Things have changed… the Zulong Lineage has become a thing of the past, utterly annihilated."

"The Three Great Zulong betrayed the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths and joined the Nether!"

The Tongtian Divine Emperor said in a deep voice.

"So… even though I am the Divine Emperor of the Dark Heavenly Court, it may still be impossible to halt the decline and rot of the Dark Heavenly Court."

The Taiyi Immortal's body slowly faded into the void.

"Perhaps what you say is correct…"

"The Three Great Divine Camps are indeed slowly rotting, yet they still use the Yulin Camp as an executioner, aiming to swing the slaughtering blade toward our indigenous Taiyi Ancient Village of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths…"

"We will not accept fate!"

When the Taiyi Immortal finished speaking, his entire body completely vanished into the void, as if stepping on a swirling void current and disappearing instantly.

The Tongtian Divine Emperor sat alone above the Endless Sea.

He let out a gentle sigh.

"Destiny—who can escape destiny?"

"The ancient clans, the Three Great Divine Camps, or even the Yulin Camp, are nothing but playthings of destiny."

"The ultimate beneficiary…"

"Perhaps only the will of Heaven and Earth."

……

……

Boom—!!!

Li Che, cradling the Dog Lord in his arms, crossed the Endless Sea.

This time, he roamed unchecked; even the great terrestrial immortals sensed his presence yet dared not intervene.

Li Che's fearsome name had already spread throughout the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

He personally beheaded the ruthless immortal!

What shocked many immortals even more was the rumor that King Dizang Li Che had entered the Nether…

That place is one even emperor‑ranked celestial immortals dare not tread, yet Li Che not only went there but returned safely.

This time Li Che entered Yulin Land without any celestial immortal opposition.

He arrived beyond the sheer cliffs of Yuanlei Heaven and soon saw the seated Three‑Eyed True Lord, who also sensed Li Che's arrival, his gaze projecting toward him.

The Three‑Eyed True Lord, whose burning essence radiated, possessed a formidable aura like a vast sun shedding golden light, standing before the boundary wall as Yulin Land's first defense.

"Back?"

The Three‑Eyed True Lord was rather surprised that Li Che returned so early.

Moreover, he sensed a distinct change emanating from Li Che.

Li Che's Martial Immortal aura had become even stronger!

Undoubtedly, Li Che had grown stronger again, achieving a breakthrough on the Path of Martial Immortal.

The Three‑Eyed True Lord's gaze was complex; in truth, at this height on the Martial Immortal path, no one could guide him.

The Celestial Immortal road—each person's path is different.

Now, how Li Che should walk his road can only be forged and tried by himself.

Even if the final life-and-death Dao fades, it is still the destiny determined by fate.

"Senior, you have worked hard."

Li Che clasped his fist.

The Three-Eyed True Lord waved his hand: "Go on, I can still hold on for a while, but when my origin is completely burned..."

"The three major divine god camps should no longer just watch your development and strengthening in Hell Lotus Land; they will surely launch a collective attack, and then... you will need to bear it yourselves."

The Three-Eyed True Lord said.

"My corpse is buried in the mortal realm, on that Peach Mountain; if you want to find my corpse, you must return to the mortal realm..."

"But for you now, wanting to return to the mortal realm is not an easy thing."

The Three-Eyed True Lord said.

Li Che, upon hearing this, also fell silent.

"Indeed, to resurrect the Three-Eyed True Lord, Li Che needs to obtain the Three-Eyed True Lord's corpse, but the current Three-Eyed True Lord is not a true body descending, but rather a form condensed from burning origin, namely the state of a burning temple deity."

"When the temple deity burns out its origin, it truly dies."

"And now Li Che, after breaking through to become a Martial Dao Mystic Immortal, wanting to return to the mortal realm is no longer easy."

"Moreover, the killing karma he created is too terrible."

"The immortals he has killed number many, and the immortal karma staining his body is enough to block his path back to the mortal realm."

"Unless..."

"Li Che understands, unless he can break through to Martial Dao Heavenly Immortal."

"Becoming the supreme existence that truly stands at the peak of Martial Dao, one can wash away all karma and easily return to the mortal realm without attracting the targeting of Heaven and Earth's will."

"By then, even if Heaven and Earth's will targets him, he can rely on his strong cultivation to block that targeting."

"Li Che said no more, clasped his fist and bowed."

"Go, go resurrect Equal Heaven and the Third Prince; if those two can be resurrected to their peak state, they will surely become the pillars of Hell Lotus Land."

"Hell Lotus Land needs them."

"The Three-Eyed True Lord slowly closed his eyes, all three of his eyes closed."

"The Howling Heaven Divine Dog lying beside him glanced at the Dog Grandpa in Li Che's arms, made no extra movement, and also closed his eyes following his master."

"Li Che exhaled, tore open the domain barrier, like a meteor streaking across, and returned to Hell Lotus Land."

"From leaving Hell Lotus Land to returning, he experienced many battles."

"He also completed the third day's Opening Heaven."

"His Martial Dao cultivation increased, time passed, actually not short, also some days have passed."

"Of course, these days, compared to the long lifespans of many deities in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, they are but a snap of the fingers, essentially nothing."

"Boom—"

"Li Che returned, and the sky of Hell Lotus Land seemed to undergo change and tremor."

"Successfully opening the origin heaven of Hell Lotus Land, Li Che has become the sovereign of Hell Lotus Land, his will almost able to represent Heaven and Earth's will."

"With his return, Hell Lotus Land is in celebration."

"The deities and cultivators surviving within Hell Lotus Land also all understand: Li Che has returned, their mainstay has returned."

"Hum—"

"Li Che turned into a stream of light, landing beside the Hell Lotus Mound Pool."

"A gentle breeze swayed, rippling the surface of the Hell Lotus Mound Pool, water traces spreading waves upon waves, undulating without cease."

"The boss was watering; the stream splashed from the water kettle traced an arc, watering the ordinary flowers."

"This is life nurtured within Hell Lotus Land, nothing miraculous, just ordinary grasses and flowers."

""You're back?""

""Pretty quick... you entered the Netherworld, but what did you encounter?""

"The boss continued watering, asking while watering."

""The Netherworld... is very strong; are they going to attack the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths? The Abyss of Hell... is it related to Dog Grandpa?" Li Che narrowed his eyes and asked."

"The boss's watering motion paused."

"He lifted the water kettle, letting the water flow back inside, and gave Li Che a faint glance."

""Actually, everything between Heaven and Earth is a huge circle, or rather, a spinning top.""

""Being struck by an invisible force, it spins.""

""The ancient clan once suppressed the Three Major Divine God Camps; the Three Major Divine God Camps suppressed Hell Lotus Land; Hell Lotus Land, following Heaven and Earth's will, gave birth to the Hell Lotus Maiden to suppress the ancient clan...""

""Actually, behind it all there is an invisible force pushing; perhaps you think it's those supreme heavenly immortals standing at the peak...""

""But perhaps those Supreme Heavenly Immortals themselves aren't clear; they too are being pushed by that invisible force, making calculations.""

""All are deeply trapped in this fate's closed loop, spinning in this top.""

"The boss said lightly, his voice somewhat profound."

"But the meaning of his words, Li Che vaguely understood some. ""As for the Netherworld... it is likewise trapped in the fate's closed loop, merely a larger closed loop; you will understand later...""

""The boss stretched lazily: ""They want to invade the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, to devour the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths... actually, it's just self-preservation.""""

"The boss's words made Li Che's head buzz."

"In his view, the Netherworld's overall strength is actually greater than that of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths."

"But the boss said, the Netherworld is also self-preserving..."

"The Netherworld is likewise trapped in a closed loop; then who is behind the Netherworld, or which force is pulling the Netherworld?"

"Is what the boss said really true?"

"Li Che's heart surged with shocking waves."

Complete closed loops one after another, spinning tops one after another, like an invisible great hand is moving them.

Li Che slowly exhaled.

He asked nothing further.

"Want something to eat?"

The owner asked.

"Then… a bowl of noodles, please."

Li Che, hearing that, was not at all hesitant.

Ding—ling.

The wind chime hanging on the restaurant's doorframe was struck, emitting a crisp ding‑ling.

The owner went into the kitchen to start making the noodles.

……

……

After eating the noodles, Li Che sat on the chair, smoking the rolled cigarette the owner had prepared; the smoke curled and spread, seeming to whirl in the air.

He stared at the utterly placid surface of the pool, his heart trembling slightly.

He could feel that within the pool, Xixi's aura was continuously growing, already reaching a terrifying level!

The Jail Lotus Daughter may be about to complete a full metamorphosis!

However, this incarnation of the Jail Lotus Daughter ultimately could not obtain the amplification of the Heaven‑and‑Earth Will; although, with the inheritance aid of previous Jail Lotus Daughters, she mastered the Jail Lotus Curse.

Yet, there remains some gap compared with the pinnacle Jail Lotus Daughter.

The pinnacle Jail Lotus Daughter should possess Imperial‑level Heavenly Immortal combat power, blessed by the Heaven‑and‑Earth Will, and would not be weak even among Imperial‑level Heavenly Immortals.

But the blessing of the Heaven‑and‑Earth Will is not eternal; when the destiny borne by the Jail Lotus Daughter is fulfilled, the power of the Will's blessing will be drawn away.

At that time, the Jail Lotus Daughter would become merely an ordinary Heavenly Immortal.

After all, a Heavenly Immortal artificially accelerated by the Heaven‑and‑Earth Will cannot be a rival to the old‑guard Imperial‑level opponents.

Thus the fates of the successive Jail Lotus Daughters… all end only in a fall.

"My daughter… ultimately walked the same path as the previous Jail Lotus Daughters."

"And, without the Heaven‑and‑Earth Will's blessing, she cannot match the pinnacle state."

Li Che took a deep breath.

"Therefore, I must become stronger, because only a truly strong father like me can truly protect my daughter!"

Boom—

Li Che's spirit trembled slightly.

In the next instant, a flesh sphere materialized.

It was the divine flesh sphere nurtured with Huang Jianjiu as its spirit.

The will of the Third Prince was slowly reviving within it.

Qi Tian's will was also gestating within.

Now, what Li Che must do is awaken their wills.

Li Che stood up, his back expanding violently, his spine seeming to become a true dragon, and he let out a roaring howl.

Hell Qi Tian Armor and Third Prince Battle Armor burst forth, soaring into the sky.

On Li Che's back, three Immortal Martial Qimen orifices opened, vortices swirling, and massive qi and blood surged like tide after tide.

Of course, Li Che did not intend to use his own qi and blood to nurture them.

Instead, he drew upon the primordial source power obtained from opening the heavens within those Immortal Martial Qimen orifices.

Rumble—

The source of the Jail Lotus Land, the source of Yuan Lei Heaven, and the source of Divine Craft Heaven…

The three great sources roared and surged out, seemingly endless.

Entwining together, they poured into the divine flesh sphere, causing it to begin voraciously devouring.

Like a massive influx of resources, continuously flooding, as if to burst it open.

Huang Jianjiu also sat cross‑legged, entering a frenzied cultivation state, rapidly devouring and refining the source Li Che generously offered.

The source transformed into the energy that enlarged the divine flesh sphere.

One flesh sphere began to bounce, another seemed to turn into stone.

Both hovered above the Jail Lotus Tomb Pool, circling each other, as if pulling the pool's water flow.

The owner sat in front of the restaurant, with Dog Lord lying beside him.

Man and dog, watching this astonishing scene, their eyes flashed with a hint of amazement.

"It actually happened, and moreover, the Hell‑fire Divine Wood taken from the Abyss of Hell was forged into a mechanical armor."

"This kid… really is a variable."

The owner said.

"Spinning tops or closed loops, the greatest fear is a variable; even an extremely tiny variable can cause the top's rotation to lose balance, soon breaking equilibrium and stopping, and a closed loop to collapse and disperse, unable to close."

The owner, expression blank, slowly exhaled.

"But…"

"Once this variable is discovered, perhaps a terrifying thunderous power will be encountered to smooth out the variable."

……

Rumble—!

The sky of the Jail Lotus Land trembled incessantly.

Li Che primarily triggers the primal source of the Prison Lotus Land, wildly channeling that source into the three divine flesh spheres.

Li Che stands, like a god‑demon at the beginning of heaven and earth, opening his orifices, drawing forth the source, creating a deity!

Dong dong dong—

A flesh sphere begins to tremble rapidly, its surface bulging oddly, as if a baby were kicking inside, trying to tear the sphere's skin.

The blood‑red flesh sphere, like a spirit pearl, is covered on its surface with strange ancient sigils.

Those are ancient sigils condensed by Li Che with the power of the primal source, also the fundamental source that enhances and restores the Third Prince's power.

"Third Prince, return to your place!"

Li Che intoned in a deep voice.

"Open!"

Suddenly.

Within the flesh sphere, a sharp shout rang out.

The rotating sigils on the surface converged, forming a keen long blade.

Heaven and Earth Eight Symbol Blade!

Blade light sliced from within; instantly, a slash appeared on the sphere's surface.

As the slash kept expanding,

an immensely powerful soul spirit was birthed, a form of blood and flesh solidified, naked, soaring upward.

"Ha ha ha ha! The little lord has returned!"

The Third Prince laughed up at the heavens.

As soon as he was born, his eyes fell on the Hell Battle Armor Li Che had prepared for him; his spirit stirred, and the Hell‑fire‑god‑wood carved armor instantly erupted with blazing Hell fire, shooting forward at high speed.

The armor draped over his small body, gradually exuding a heroic aura like a war god!

A mighty aura rose step by step; in an instant it returned to the Third Prince's former pinnacle, yet this was not the limit, it kept surging toward an immortal heavenly apex!

Hell Fire God Wood Battle Armor, combined with countless resources that revived a powerful soul spirit!

The Third Prince restored to his utmost peak!

And even further!

"Chi!"

The Third Prince's tongue split like thunder.

In the next moment, he began to take a dharma body, becoming eight‑armed and three‑headed; each arm was sheathed in Hell armor, each of the three faces covered with a mask!

His aura tore through the barrier in one go, stepping into the Imperial Tier!

Li Che's constantly tense heart, with the Third Prince's reborn soul spirit and the aid of the Hell Fire God Wood Eight Symbol Battle Armor, broke through to the Imperial Tier.

His whole body relaxed slightly.

The Prison Lotus Land finally possessed a truly Imperial‑level combat force of its own!

Completely filling the gap of Imperial‑level combat power!

Even in the ages of Divine Tide, only the First‑style Divine Tide's Third Prince may have reached the Imperial Tier, but as the will of heaven and earth was drawn, the Third Prince fell from the Imperial Tier.

And now…

The Third Prince, reborn from the shattered flesh sphere, re‑enters the Imperial realm!

A smile curled at Li Che's mouth corner.

Moreover…

That is not enough!

His eyes shifted, looking toward the stone formed by the Qi Tian soul spirit.

Yet the stone, transformed from the divine flesh sphere, cracked; a fissure twisted and spread, then an arm protruded.

Li Che's gaze burned.

He snapped his fingers.

In the void.

The Hell‑fire‑blazing Hell Qi Tian Armor's eyes lit up.

He stepped toward the continuously cracking stone.

Li Che clenched his five fingers, gripping the Ruyi Golden Cudgel, twisted his waist, as if hurling a golden thunder, and flung the cudgel outward.

"Qi Tian, return to your place!"

(End of chapter)