Chapter 97

How could this be?

With great difficulty her soul broke free, and the Golden Mother of the Yaochi felt as if she had been fished out of the water.

She never imagined that merely being spiritually linked to Princess Longji would bring about such a situation.

Stepmother, what is this?

At the side, the Seven Fairies said anxiously.

Upon hearing this, the Golden Mother of the Yaochi struggled to calm her turbulent emotions and said lightly, "Get ready; this palace will bathe and change clothes!"

Yes, stepmother!

The Seven Fairies assented and immediately began preparing.

Hmph, don't let me know who you are, otherwise this palace will……

The Golden Mother of the Yaochi's eyes held a hint of chill; in her blurred vision she seemed to see the other's appearance, though not distinctly.

……

Strange, this time the Red Phoenix Star Movement seems to have had no effect!

Ao Yifan mused: since Fairy Yunhua and Princess Longji conceived again, a period has elapsed, but nothing has occurred, leaving him bewildered.

Forget it, this isn't important; what matters most now is the Jade Void Palace!

Ao Yifan shook his head and ceased pondering the Golden Mother's worldly affairs.

Huh?

Suddenly, Ao Yifan's heart moved, and two golden beams shot from his eyes.

In the next moment, accompanied by a miserable cry, a middle-aged man in Daoist attire stumbled out above Chen Tang Pass, clutching his eyes.

Xuan Nu!

He shouted it out.

Before Ao Yifan's words had finished, a military manual flew up and instantly turned into an ancient battlefield that enveloped the Daoist.

This is an ancient battlefield formed from the Heavenly Book's military arts, Nine Heavens Profound Maiden—why do you ambush this true person?

The Daoist's face drastically changed.

However, the Nine Heavens Profound Maiden did not respond to his intent; instead, she answered with a host of illusory ancient war chariots and warriors.

Hmph!

Seeing the ancient war chariots charging at him, the Daoist did not retreat; he let out a cold snort and immediately unleashed his treasure, the Wu Gou Double Swords.

The double swords moved with extreme speed; wherever they passed, the chariots were destroyed and the warriors turned to ash and smoke.

However, the chariots and warriors formed by the ancient battlefield seemed endless; no matter how the Daoist slew them, more chariots and warriors kept surging forth.

Nine Heavens Profound Maiden, we have no grudge; why must we fight to the death?

The Daoist, while devising strategies against the enemy, continuously urged her.

However, the Nine Heavens Xuannü in the dark still gave no response.

Damn it!

The Daoist's face darkened, he brandished his sword, and slashed once more at a war chariot.

However, the Daoist never imagined that the moment his twin swords contacted the warrior's spear, a horrifying demonic aura surged from the spear.

In an instant, the twin swords were corrupted by the demonic aura, and the Daoist also suffered a backlash, his whole body swaying on the verge of collapse.

How could this be, such powerful demonic aura—what exactly is this spear?

Demonic aura invaded, the Daoist gathered the three flowers atop his head, transforming them into myriad rosy lights that shielded his surroundings to resist the demonic corrosion.

However, before the Daoist could react further, a great seal descended from the heavens.

How could this be?

Gazing at the huge seal that almost covered the entire sky above his head, the Daoist's soul fled in terror.

He tried to flee, only to discover in shock that an invisible force bound his surroundings, rendering any escape technique unusable.

Boom—

The Heaven-Opening Seal fell, and instantly one of the three flowers atop the Daoist's head vanished.

Seeing this, the Daoist grew even more frantic; he never imagined that this seal could actually shear off the three flowers atop a Great Luo Golden Immortal.

Nine Heavens Xuannü, cease! This Daoist is willing to surrender; I beg you to spare my life!

Until now, the Daoist believed his assailant to be the Nine Heavens Xuannü, and he repeatedly begged for mercy.

However, the Nine Heavens Xuannü in the dark still gave no reply, and the Heaven-Opening Seal fell again.

Boom—

Another of the three flowers atop his head was obliterated, and the Daoist's countenance instantly turned ferocious beyond measure.

Nine Heavens Xuannü, do you truly intend to be irreconcilable with my Chan Sect? I, Puxian, am one of the Twelve Golden Immortals; if you kill me, my master will certainly not forgive you!

However, neither pleading nor threats availed.

As the Heaven-Opening Seal fell again, the Daoist's three flowers atop his head were completely obliterated.

At the same moment, a spear pierced through the Daoist's chest.

Demonic aura swept over, the Daoist's face turned ashen, and shortly thereafter he lost all signs of life.

One of the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect, Puxian Zhenren, has fallen!

At the same time, the Investiture of the Gods List swept forth, instantly enveloping the soul of Puxian Zhenren.

This Puxian Zhenren thus became the first person in the Three Realms to ascend the Investiture of the Gods List!

The ancient battlefield faded; the pregnant Nine Heavens Xuannü gazed at Ao Yifan, who was collecting the Investiture of the Gods List, with a complex expression.

You killed Puxian and took his soul—aren't you afraid the Chan Sect will come after you for trouble?

Even the Nine Heavens Xuannü did not expect that Ao Yifan would strike so swiftly and ruthlessly; before she could react, Puxian Zhenren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals, was slain on the spot.

Upon hearing this, Ao Yifan gestured, and the World-Exterminating Demon Spear instantly appeared at his side.

"This spear kills without leaving karmic traces; without karma, it cannot be schemed against. Moreover, I have also captured Puxian's soul—even a sage cannot calculate me."

Ao Yifan said.

Upon hearing this, Jiutian Xuannü's expression froze slightly; she had not expected that Ao Yifan's procedure would be so flawless.

"Do as you see fit, but I must remind you that a sage's methods are unfathomable; you had better be careful."

Jiutian Xuannü said this, then turned and flew back.

After all, she is still pregnant and needs proper nourishment.

There's no way around it—bearing offspring is inherently difficult for celestials, let alone for Jiutian Xuannü, who possesses late-stage Great Luo Golden Immortal cultivation; no one knows how long her pregnancy will last.

Withdrawing his gaze, Ao Yifan looked at the Gods' Roll in his hand.

"Now, the Gods' Roll in my hand has already begun the investiture; thus, the fake becomes genuine. What can the true Gods' Roll held by the Three Teachings possibly match against mine?"

A smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

The two Gods' Rolls—one real, one fake—are inherently indistinguishable.

Now, Ao Yifan prematurely used the fake Gods' Roll in his hand to absorb the souls of immortals, and even those of the Twelve Golden Immortals' level.

This allowed the fake Gods' Roll to overwhelm the genuine one in terms of fate.

Consequently, the souls of all those destined to face calamity will naturally be summoned by the fake Gods' Roll in his hand.

He really wanted to see, when the investiture finally concludes, what expression the Three Teachings' immortals will wear upon discovering that their Gods' Rolls are empty.

And at the very instant Puxian Zhenren fell, a violent upheaval occurred within the Jade Void Palace.

Wuliang Xianweng gazed at the Longevity Lamp representing Puxian Zhenren, which had already gone out, and remained silent for a long time.

The Great Tribulation had not yet begun, yet Puxian Zhenren, one of the Twelve Golden Immortals, perished outright.

The Killing Tribulation—how terrifying it is!

Moreover, this Killing Tribulation entangles all the Twelve Golden Immortals.

"No, we must inform the remaining junior brothers and sisters, urging them to be extremely cautious!"

Wuliang Xianweng thought, then promptly summoned Lutong, preparing to forcefully convene the Assembly of the Twelve Golden Immortals!