Chapter 500

In the firmament, the vortex roared. The icy power emanating from within was incomparably cold; iron chains turned to ice, the vortex spat out cold, and the firmament's ghostly light was like a black mirror.

The terrifying existence within was slowly emerging from the vortex.

But outside it, a massive Dao Bell hung suspended, its entire body covered in countless ancient runes that were shining, emitting bell tolls and forming a power of suppression.

However, the aura from the vortex was too astonishing to be completely suppressed. Even though the Dao Bell had exhausted all its might and displayed its power to the extreme, even beginning to crack itself, it still could not stop the arrival of the domain treasure.

Furthermore, a wind that extinguished everything spread outward from within the vortex. Viewed from afar, it looked like a wind wheel, rotating constantly, blowing the cold toward all directions as midwinter descended.

More frost rose from the earth, and countless flesh and remains were frozen into powder; as the wind blew, they became flying ash.

Next came the mangled corpses, followed by the black snow and the earth, blurring everything.

Only one figure remained, walking step by step, carrying the burning of his cultivation base, toward the hazy heavens and earth, walking into the twisted, freezing world.

This figure was also reflected in the eyes of all the Fenghai County cultivators present, reflected in Xu Qing's sight, becoming the only thing that existed.

A suit of black armor forged for a life of war, and a head of gray hair that had turned white as his life burned away.

In the cold wind, the cloak rising behind the Palace Master curled to one side, fluttering like a flag.

In the dimness, the frost and sand whipped up whistled across the deep battlefield, releasing a sense of vicissitudes.

"Palace Master..."

Xu Qing was filled with grief and indignation, a massive ripple churning in his heart.

That figure under the setting sun walked further and further away. With the rise of his aura, he was not only the only thing in the eyes of the crowd but also attracted the universe, becoming the focus of the heavens and earth.

In front of the Palace Master were the millions of troops of the Saint Lan Clan, and the two astonishing Imperial shadows on the Tianlan Mountain Range—a black, oppressive mass that blotted out the sky and sun, filled with fierce evil and endless dimness.

Behind him, ten thousand zhang away, were the Second and Third Legions, as well as the tens of thousands of surviving County Capital Sword-Holders.

One man standing alone!

Watching all this, every human cultivator was filled with grief and indignation, their hearts churning violently. Their eyes, already stained red by the battlefield, now revealed even more blood color.

Kong Xianglong also raised his head, looking at that figure. At this moment, light reappeared in his dim eyes, but amidst this light, his body trembled uncontrollably.

Just as the hearts of the crowd were surging with great waves, the Vice Palace Master's hoarse voice, carrying the same grief, echoed in all directions.

"Everyone!"

"We... retreat!!"

The crowd was silent until the Vice Palace Master's voice roared like thunder.

"This is the Palace Master's order. Execute it!"

The Vice Palace Master let out a loud shout and waved his hand violently. A great wind blew, and the Sword-Holding Palace Deacons and the Great Elders of the two major legions also let out low roars, finally driving the human army here to move slowly.

But everyone looked back frequently, gazing into the distance behind them.

Yet, they could see nothing.

That figure had already merged into the dimness, until a brilliant light that tore through the chaos and pierced the firmament erupted in the direction of the battlefield.

The firmament roared, the earth trembled, and endless sword intent stirred the wind and clouds, dispelling the darkness and causing the heavens and earth to change color. That was a sword light; that was an Imperial Sword!

The Fenghai County Sword-Holding Palace had gathered a total of nine Imperial Swords. Four had been used in the previous war; this was the fifth.

Once this sword appeared, it was brilliant and blinding, tearing open the haze and shattering the distortion. It erupted from the battlefield, charging straight at the two Saint Lan Clan Emperors on the Tianlan Mountain Range.

Wherever this sword passed, a massive trench was directly separated. Like a giant dragon, accompanied by a deafening sword whistle, it destroyed everything in its path.

Its light reflected the pale expressions of countless Saint Lan Clan cultivators, and its intent intimidated all the defensive lines that had been transformed by the main gods.

"Kong Brother Liangxiu, the general trend is gone. What is the point of you burning your life?"

On the Tianlan Mountain Range, the Red Spirit Emperor spoke in a low voice and took a step forward. The moment his foot landed, the heavens and earth roared.

His right hand

was raised, and tens of millions, or even more, small worlds manifested in the surroundings, finally all converging into his palm—three inches in the center of his palm—becoming an illusory Great World.

This was a manifestation of the fourth stage of Returning to Void.

He pressed down lightly.

The heavens and earth shook together, and everything became blurred once again.

Only the storm erupted with unprecedented intensity, sweeping toward the surroundings, causing the frozen earth to lift up countless fragments, like meteors of ice rolling in all directions.

The Tianlan Mountain Range trembled violently, and countless stones fell off.

When things became clear again, Xu Qing and all the Fenghai County cultivators present saw that a gap a full ten thousand zhang wide had appeared in the Tianlan Mountain Range!

A massive trench, spreading hundreds of miles from the direction of the battlefield, pierced through the Tianlan Mountain Range, a shocking sight.

The figure of the Red Spirit Emperor, outside the Tianlan Mountain Range, was currently retreating step by step.

All the Saint Lan Clan cultivators were terrified and felt their hearts tremble.

In front of them, amidst the twisted earth, the figure of the Palace Master was revealed in the haze. His entire body rose with the firelight of burning life and cultivation. His steps were firm as he walked forward step by step, his hoarse voice echoing with his footsteps.

"As long as the Fenghai mountains and rivers remain, why should I begrudge this head of mine."

When these words spread across the battlefield and into the ears of the Fenghai County humans who were retreating, a second brilliant sword light erupted, shaking the heavens.

This was the sixth sword.

Once this sword appeared, the battlefield earth shattered, and the blinding sword light shocked the heavens. In this world like the Nine Netherworlds, it charged straight at the Red Spirit Emperor.

It was not over. As the Palace Master walked forward, and as his entire body burned continuously, the seventh and eighth swords also shone and rose into the heavens. This time, the Emperor of Moon Mist also arrived with a heavy expression, standing beside the Red Spirit Emperor and attacking simultaneously.

The firmament collapsed, visibly tilting somewhat, and the earth crumbled, continuing to sweep toward all directions.

The heavens fell and the earth cracked, a heart-stopping sight.

Everything became blurred again.

This time, the reason for the blur was not due to chaos and distortion, nor frost and falling heavens, but because for the vast majority of cultivators, their cultivation bases could not support watching such a battle, making it difficult to see clearly.

Even for Xu Qing, what he saw was a blur; he could only see three figures within, currently locked in a life-and-death battle. Every touch was a thunderous sound of the heavens and earth.

This roaring sound, which surpassed heavenly thunder, formed sound waves amidst the extreme explosion, filling everyone's minds and forcing them to continue retreating.

The Saint Lan Clan side was the same.

Sword intent swept sharply, the heavens collapsed and the earth sank, destroying everything.

Until the next instant, as a thunderous roar came from the firmament, mixed with the sound of shattering, countless fragments of earth floating in mid-air exploded, and the three figures locked in battle separated from each other.

Only then did everything become slightly clear again.

The Palace Master's forward steps were finally interrupted. He raised his head and looked at the firmament.

As for the Red Spirit Emperor and the Moon Mist Emperor, the Tianlan Mountain Range behind them had collapsed by more than half. Several trenches pierced through and spread to the end of their sight. At this moment, the two of them also raised their heads, looking at the firmament.

At this moment, all the Saint Lan Clan cultivators, including the human race of Fenghai County here, raised their heads, infinite giant waves rising in their hearts as they looked at the firmament.

"The Mouth of the Black Heaven Nine Netherworlds has descended." After battling the Palace Master, the Red Spirit Emperor spoke hoarsely with a pale face.

The source of the roaring and shattering sounds coming from the firmament was precisely that massive vortex.

The extreme cold power emanating from within this vortex had reached the level of being able to freeze life. The vortex itself had also solidified, and vaguely, the blade tip of a weapon could be seen appearing from within the vortex, revealing an edge!

The black surface revealed a peerless killing intent and contained an even thicker sense of death.

The terrifying extreme cold that made even Returning to Void tremble erupted from within.

The Dao Bell that was suppressing it from the outside was currently trembling and shattering. As cracks appeared one after another, this object bestowed by the Imperial Capital began to collapse.

Because what it was facing was a supreme war treasure.

Its material was mysterious, bestowed by the Red Moon; it was rumored to be transformed from the weapon of a god destroyed by the Red Moon. It could emit extreme cold, turning the world into a dead zone.

This was a war domain treasure.

A war domain treasure was the foundation of a clan; its power far exceeded the ordinary. It was the same in importance as the taboo magic treasures of the sects of the Eastern Wanggu Continent.

Its existence was one of the criteria for whether a clan was powerful.

The Saint Lan Clan had no domain treasure.

Too many clans had no domain treasure.

The human race once had one, but now they did not.

Any clan possessing a domain treasure was equivalent to having obtained the power on the Eastern Wanggu Continent to protect itself from invasion, deter all directions, and wage war against other clans. What appeared here was not the true body of this Black Heaven Clan domain treasure, but merely a projection of this supreme war treasure.

But the power emanating from within was still not something Returning to Void could resist or stop.

The heavens and earth withered and perished.

When cold reached the extreme, it meant extinction; nothing existed, everything was dust.

On the golden net not far away, countless instrument spirits manifested, emitting shrill sounds, wanting to resist, but they could not do so and were constantly shattering.

This scene fell into the eyes of the Fenghai County human army, and all of them were lost in a daze.

Xu Qing's mind was a blank.

Their world was replaced by midwinter.

On the battlefield, the Red Spirit Emperor and the Moon Mist Emperor fixed their gazes on the Palace Master. Amidst this frost-covered world, Red Spirit spoke slowly.

"Soldiers, listen to my order: advance toward Fenghai County. The target is the County Capital. Converge with the two nations of Tianfeng and Ditu!"

As the words spread, low roars came from the endless earth behind him, numbering in the millions or more. Once merged together, they shook the heavens and earth.

"Yes!"

After this sound appeared, countless armies, accompanied by more clans of the Saint Lan Domain, appeared like a tide, covering the sky and earth.

Subsequently, the Red Spirit Emperor and the Moon Mist Emperor walked toward the Sword-Holding Palace Master.

"I have one sword!" Standing in front of the millions of troops, the Palace Master looked at the vortex in the sky and spoke softly. As he raised his right hand, he gripped the air behind his back.

A brilliant Imperial Sword slowly took shape in his hand. This was the ninth Imperial Sword of the battlefield, and also the sword belonging to the Palace Master himself.

At this moment, as his words spread, the hundreds of thousands of bronze coffins floating in mid-air within the golden net opened simultaneously!

And the same voice echoed in all directions.

"I have one sword!"

"I have one sword!!"

"I have one sword!!!"

Sentence after sentence of sound came from the opened coffins, and figure after figure appeared between the heavens and earth.

They were all Sword-Holders who, throughout history, had reached the peak of cultivation, lived in relatively peaceful times, chosen to sleep in the final stage, cultivated their lives with the Imperial Sword, and chosen to strike the sword at the most critical moment for Fenghai County!

Sword lights erupted from these awakened Sword-Holders one after another.

Hundreds of thousands of sword lights shone in the firmament, converging into a sword river. While charging straight toward the Palace Master, the bodies of these Sword-Holders withered rapidly, finally dissipating into the world as if they had been erased.

Before dissipating, everyone looked toward the direction of their hometown in Fenghai County.

There was lingering attachment, blessings, relief, and reminiscence, but there was no regret.

"I have one sword."

The Palace Master raised his head. Hundreds of thousands of sword lights converged in his hand, merging with his Imperial Sword. The brilliance was so dazzling that even the cold of the sky seemed to give way to it at this moment.

The sword rose and the heavens shook, the sound destroying the ages.

"Protect my homeland!"

Amidst his words, the Palace Master pulled out his back sword and, facing the approaching Red Spirit and Moon Mist, slashed down with one sword.

This sword shook the earth and heavens, its aura destroying a thousand armies.

This sword caused divine weapons to lose their light and extreme cold to retreat.

The two Emperors were moved, ten thousand cultivators were terrified. The sword, gathering the strength of hundreds of thousands of Sword-Holders, was unstoppable. It became the only brilliance in the heavens and earth, taking the Heavenly Dao, transforming into rules, slashing away evil thoughts, and punishing the invasion.

The Red Spirit Emperor retreated in a hurry, placing the Red Bird Imperial Carriage in front to resist the disaster and carry the tribulation.

The sword intent destroyed everything, the sound of

wailing was extremely miserable, passing through the center of the bird's brows, splitting it in two.

Behind it, Red Spirit's expression was terrified. The Great World manifested to block the Imperial Sword. The roar was deafening; the Great World became more and more illusory until it blurred and collapsed in front.

Red Spirit spat out blood, his cultivation base collapsed, and amidst his shock and anger, the sword light slashed across his brows!

Beside him, Moon Mist assisted with all his might, but it was difficult to ensure that Moon Spirit's physical body would not collapse and shatter, not disintegrate inch by inch. He could only protect his divine soul, while he himself was also slashed in half.

In his panic, the Imperial robe shattered, the Imperial crown separated, countless curtain beads scattered, and he was incomparably disheveled, retreating again and again.

Only the Palace Master stood in place, no sword in his hand. A mouthful of blood overflowed, turning into blood rain in the firmament, falling toward the earth.

But this blood rain was destined never to reach the ground. As the sword might dissipated, the extreme cold within the firmament vortex rose again, and the thick, cold wind that extinguished the heavens erupted from within, sweeping outward.

Wherever it passed, the heavens and earth were frozen and cracked into nothingness, and the nothingness was shattered into holes.

That Dao Bell, bestowed by the Sword-Holding Headquarters of the Imperial Capital when Fenghai County was established, emitted its final toll, becoming a swan song.

The bell body shattered into pieces, collapsing in the firmament.

The Black Heaven Clan domain treasure emerged more than halfway from the firmament vortex with the momentum to crush everything.

The pitch-black color exuded endless evil, leaving the firmament without a sky.

The sharp halberd body, carrying infinite ferocity, left the earth without shelter.

The taboo magic treasure net of Fenghai County was twisted to the extreme. The instrument spirits manifested from the taboo magic treasures of the various sects of Fenghai County upon it wailed shrilly, and a large number died.

The taboo net was about to collapse.

Seeing this, the Moon Mist Emperor, who had retreated thousands of zhang away with a disheveled expression and only his upper body remaining, currently emitted a large amount of flesh and blood threads from his body, constantly weaving to form his missing body. He raised his head and looked at the Palace Master's figure in front with fear.

"Kong Brother Liangxiu, do you still have a sword!"

Beside him floated a soul; it was the Red Spirit Emperor, whose physical body had completely collapsed and could not be rebuilt, and whose divine soul had also been severely damaged. His soul was different from a normal soul shadow; there were countless red lines on it, deep into the soul, woven into a net. While protecting his soul, it was also being invaded and bound. That was the method of the Black Heaven Clan, and also the fate of the Saint Lan Clan. It could bless his divine soul, but it also restricted everything.

At this moment, he looked at the Palace Master and spoke solemnly.

"The power of the sword shattered my boundary body, collapsed my Great World, severed my Dao foundation, destroyed half of Moon Mist's body, and shook his soul. Kong Brother Liangxiu, you are a character!"

Cracks spread across his face amidst his smile, spreading over his entire body, and his armor was the same, dense like a spider web.

He did not pay attention to these, nor did he respond to the Moon Mist Emperor's words. At this moment, he turned around and walked toward the shattering net of Fenghai County. As he took steps, his body became taller.

Larger and larger, and as this change occurred, the armor on his body could no longer support itself, shattering on its own, as if shedding armor, constantly falling off.

Piece by piece.

Until he walked past the battlefield and finally reached the net of Fenghai County that had begun to collapse, his body had become tens of thousands of zhang tall. His gaze looked through the broken ice net in front of him toward the human army that had retreated a hundred miles away.

"Palace Master..."

The human army was filled with weeping.

Kong Xianglong could no longer stand steadily. Xu Qing supported him, his eyes red. He hadn't seen the previous scene very clearly, but he had seen the general picture.

The others were the same.

Outside the ice net, the Palace Master gazed at the crowd and spoke strictly.

"Who doesn't die? What is there to cry about? Everyone stand straight!"

The human army stood with grief, everyone standing straight!

Looking at this group of human sons, the Palace Master nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over every person in the army. It lingered on Xu Qing for a breath, filled with expectation.

On Kong Xianglong, the Palace Master's gaze lingered for two breaths, filled with reluctance and gratification.

On the Vice Palace Master, it lingered for three breaths. Outsiders did not understand, but the Vice Palace Master understood the meaning of this gaze.

He nodded heavily, infinite grief rising in his heart. He knew this was a final entrustment.

Finally, as Kong Xianglong

trembled more and more, the Palace Master's gaze fell toward the direction of the County Capital, and then... the last piece of armor on his body fell off.

Amidst the more terrifying destruction emanating from the war domain treasure within the vortex, and amidst the Saint Lan Clan army on the battlefield advancing once again, the Palace Master turned around, his back to Fenghai County, spread his arms, and merged into the net collapsing behind him.

The next instant, small worlds appeared one after another on the net. After becoming boundless, they converged into the Great World that the Palace Master was currently burning.

And all the cold on the taboo net, at this moment, surged rapidly into the Palace Master's Great World, converging on his body.

He and the taboo net merged completely!

After burning his own lifespan, burning his own cultivation base, and slashing that sword after this battle, he was indeed exhausted, but he still chose to burn himself.

He transformed himself into a part of the County Capital's taboo net, using his own temperature to delay the time of collapse.

"Order... all human legions within Linlan State to retreat to the County Capital," the Palace Master said in a deep voice. Infinite extreme cold gathered from the surroundings, roaring from in front of him, all surging over, causing the Palace Master to become an ice sculpture at this moment.

But he could still support the heavens and earth.

Even now, there was not a hint of fragility in his tone or his expression.

A touch of gold appeared on the taboo net once again.

With his integration, this taboo net could not only hold on a little longer here, but the entire range of Fenghai County it covered could also benefit.

Whether in the north or the west, the golden net appeared once again behind those scattered Fenghai County legions, blocking the Saint Lan Clan army that was pursuing them.

In places that had originally been occupied, the golden net rose once again at this moment, attempting to block the life-and-death tragedies occurring within the heavens and earth.

The source of all this, the Palace Master's body, was currently dissipating.

The pain formed by the extinction power of the cold from the domain treasure was indescribable.

But for the Palace Master, it seemed to be nothing. His limbs had already dissipated into dust, his body was also scattering, his face slowly drooped, and his eyes were somewhat unable to open.

On the battlefield, the Red Spirit Emperor and the Moon Mist Emperor raised their hands, stopping the army's advance. They stood in front of the golden net. Whether it was the two of them or the endless army behind them, everyone was silent at this moment.

An indifferent voice came from the nothingness to the Palace Master's right at this moment.

"Kong Brother Liangxiu, I could have not appeared and just watched you fall, but you have won my respect, so I have come to ask you one thing: you haven't let out this last breath—are you waiting for me?"

As the voice echoed, a black shadow transformed from mist appeared out of thin air in front of the Palace Master's face.

The appearance of this figure caused everyone on the battlefield to feel their minds shake.

The Saint Lan Clan side was like this, and the human Fenghai County side was the same.

Only the two Emperors had restrained gazes, seemingly unsurprised.

Xu Qing's eyes widened suddenly, staring fixedly at that figure. He remembered the matter the Palace Master had asked him to investigate. His breathing was rapid, and he tried his best to remember the other party's appearance.

But unfortunately, that mist shadow was completely blurred.

The Palace Master, whose eyes had already closed, suddenly opened them, looking at the mist shadow in front of him.

"County Governor—was it you who harmed him?" the Palace Master's deep voice, carrying hoarseness, echoed in all directions.

"It was me," the black shadow nodded and spoke softly. "Weren't you arranging for people to investigate? Unfortunately, you investigated in the wrong direction."

The Palace Master was silent.

"Aren't you going to ask who I am?" the black shadow transmitted calmly.

"Would you say?" The black shadow shook his head and sighed.

"Then, goodbye, Kong Brother Liangxiu." The black shadow retreated a few steps, bowed with cupped fists, and dissipated between the heavens and earth. But just as his figure was about to dissipate completely, the Palace Master's eyes suddenly emitted a brilliant light. A heart-stopping Imperial Sword gathered from his eyes, charged out rapidly, and slashed at the black shadow.

The speed was astonishing, giving the other party no chance to dodge, and the timing was just as he was about to dissipate. So, in the blink of an eye, this Imperial Sword instantly

pierced through his brows.

It even traced the origin, heading toward the endless nothingness, hunting down the true body of this phantom, wanting to slash every body connected to him—past, present, or future—all were within the range of this sword's slash.

The black shadow's body paused and dissipated completely, but a murmur echoed between the heavens and earth.

"You really did have one more sword."

"I have no past, no future, and I have never had a present. Kong Brother Liangxiu, there are few people I admire, and you are one of them. Let you slash me with one sword, keep me in your heart, so I will not forget you."

The Palace Master gazed, his eyes cold, turning into eternity, until the frost submerged his face.

Ashes, annihilation.

"Palace Master!!"

The human army was heartbroken and weeping, filled with endless grief. Tears flowed from the eyes of every cultivator. Their eyes were red, and their minds were filled with infinite sorrow at this moment.

The Sword-Holding Palace Master had fallen.

The sky of Fenghai County had collapsed once again.

The firmament roared at this moment, as if it had experienced grief, turning into blood rain. As it stirred up a storm and sprinkled onto the earth, it turned blood-colored.

Amidst the blood ice, Xu Qing's body trembled, his eyes filled with sorrow and tears. His heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible giant hand; it hurt, it hurt so much.

The past with the Palace Master appeared before his eyes like a series of images.

Crying echoed all around him, and pain filled all directions.

Kong Xianglong's body could no longer support him and he fell, kneeling on the ground. Tears flowed down. Helplessness and sorrow dominated everything in his heart.

Until he curled up on the ground, unable to stop sobbing.

And at this moment, a roar echoed between the heavens and earth. The taboo magic treasure net shattered into pieces, completely broken. Following the collapse of the northern frontline, the western frontline collapsed at this moment.

This scene announced the failure of Fenghai County.

Infinite extreme cold transformed into a storm, whistling from the front. While stirring all directions, the earth trembled violently. Within that storm, the Saint Lan Clan army was advancing.

The sky was filled with cold air, making it impossible to distinguish between night and day. In reality, at this moment... it was the dawn of daybreak. Although frost covered the firmament, a rainbow would always appear, but only after the wind and rain, when the first sun raised its head.

The despair and grief of Fenghai County caused the earth to stir with wind at this moment.

Thus, the moment the Saint Lan Clan army stepped over the fourth defensive line, the first sun rose in the distant sky.

A piece of golden light converged into a sea, coming from the firmament.

That was not just sunlight.

In that sea of light, there were countless flags fluttering, like a rainbow.

There were countless figures wearing golden armor shining, like rainbow light.

There were countless black dragons roaring, echoing, and countless fluctuations of arrays erupting.

The heavens and earth changed color, wind and clouds surged.

Above the supreme peak of the heavens, a four-clawed golden dragon, a full hundred thousand zhang in size, tore through the void and emerged. Its sound shook the sun and moon, stopping the moving clouds, rolling in.

The earth shook wildly, the supreme clan's great chariots paused simultaneously. The two Emperors, Red Spirit and Moon Mist, raised their heads violently.

Because on the back of that golden dragon, there was a golden throne, and sitting upon it was a figure who was majestic without anger.

He wore a yellow robe, neither Emperor nor King.

And the four-clawed golden dragon already represented his status.

"The Seventh Son of the Human Emperor!"