Chapter 1536

The sound shook the universe, surging through the heart!

The Dream Dynasty overlapped with the mortal realm; the Great Li Taizu, aided by the dream realm and the consciousness of all living beings, achieved free traversal, having just stepped out from the nearest spirit monster's consciousness, rushing toward the azure heavens—He heard these words, his spirit flashed with insight, then froze in place.

For nearly the same sentence came almost simultaneously from two directions.

One was the Lotus Great Scholar of the heart, the other was———

Bai Yuan!

The field of vision focused.

Bai Yun's giant hand tore open the heavens, whipping up a gale; the Whale Emperor's offensive surged violently.

Under the sky-covering pressure, Bai Yuan's eyes blazed golden like torches, he bared his sharp fangs, riding the wind backward all the way, staring directly at the Great Li Taizu, his eyes filled only with "mockery."

"Not good!"

How could he!?

The Lotus Great Scholar of the Huo Fire Sect, his expression changed abruptly.

They two were clearly saying the same thing, meaning the same, yet this sentence could come from his mouth, but absolutely could not come from Liang Qu's mouth!

No time to marvel.

"Lixian, it is deceiving! Do not believe———no, wrong, do not let it disturb you!"

"Boom!"

The Whale Emperor clenched his giant hand, heaven and earth suddenly merged, everything collapsed inward.

The chest caved in, the liver and lungs folded inward.

"Ah!!!"

Bai Yuan roared, roared again.

The Thirteenth Rank, Heavenly Origin, Yinglong position fruit reacted simultaneously, expanded simultaneously, authority madly expanded.

Disaster. Govern?

No.

It is Control!

What thing exploded, what thing burst forth.

A torrent for thousands of miles, a rider leaving dust behind.

Liang Qu felt, deeply felt the refreshing sensation Zhang Longxiang once spoke of—like being squeezed from the deep sea into an infinitesimal bubble, wildly rising, wildly expanding, wildly swelling; shackles, pressure, danger, gravity—all vanished.

From now on, neither dying nor perishing; from now on, neither vanishing nor decaying; from now on, sun and moon eternal, ages unblemished!

Refreshed.

Refreshed!

Truly there is pressure, truly so exhilarating!

【Refining Ze Ling: Huai Vorto Water Monarch (Crimson) (Fusion Degree: 63.5%↑)】

【Refining Ze Ling: Huai Vorto Water Monarch (Crimson) (Fusion Degree: 64%↑)】

The Eastern Sea turned back; the rain-clad old man rushing forward had his pupils tremble slightly, eyes wide open as he watched the Ze State wildly expand, easily surpassing his lifetime's cultivation, his little world.

Central Beast-Fighting Arena, Yun Hua linked, Zhang Longxiang steamed up a blood-red mist, unimaginable surging power, with the pumping of the chest and heart, surged toward the limbs and bones.

Unbelievable, inconceivable, unreasonable!

"Roar!!!"

Bloodline debt strained, fangs violently protruded, both arms resisted the great hand, resisted the collapse.

The retreating figure gradually came to a stop.

Double human form, overlaid with Ze Ling, even bearing the wound of the "Origin." Mouth and nose sprayed blood, sprayed out viscera, both arms broke, spine bent———

Thud!

One punch blasted out.

Five fingers pinched together, clenched tight; the Whale Emperor's palm sheared off two chunks of flesh, violently torn away; Liang Qu, supporting with his palm, turned it into double fists, then, Yinglong raised its head, in an instant imprisoned, swung fist! swung fist! swung fist! swung fist desperately!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Arms danced madly, arms flung wildly.

After withdrawing one punch, the great hand took advantage to press down; the next punch had already risen, re-shocking it open!

Three heads and six arms, three heads and six arms!

Vacuum continuously pulled, continuously lifted, node by node propelling, the Huai River's central flood reversed heavenward.

"Ah!!!"

"Boom!"

Bai Yuan's arms exploded, scattered into blood mist; the sky-covering great hand followed, exploding into white mist!

"Hahaha! Hahaha!"

Taotie devoured, arms retracted and recovered; the white mist great hand likewise extended and recovered; after the great hand, more of the Whale Emperor's body appeared, gradually becoming complete.

The Whale Emperor stretched six hundred li, the giant floated in the cloud sea; the five-zhang great ape was like an ant, yet the ant feared not, meeting head-on and charging again!

"Come come come!"

【Spanning the Great River, Shining Like the Sun】

【River Dominion Degree: 6】!

"Pa-ta!"

The crisp lotus root strips fell; before the Long Gong of the Jianghuai Great Hall, Long Yinrui, Long Pingjiang, waves unperturbed, the remaining dragon people,

dragon women and shark people, stared dumbfounded!

Ten thousand-plus beast-fighting arenas, the Huaiyin Martial Hall, the Yingchun Tower, the Tianbo Tower — all under heaven shaken.

Everyone saw the transformation, everyone heard the roar, everyone witnessed the miracle.

King of Huai!

Ape King!

The Sweat King retreated.

The Tusi's pupils dilated, his scalp tingling numb.

Pansong, the Flood Dragon — he understood, he finally understood everything.

The Great Li Taizu halted his steps, his index finger trembling faintly.

The Whale Emperor had ascended to the Transforming Rainbow stage, yet for unknown reasons his progress was slow, not yet reaching a crushing degree. But why, why could Liang Qu, a mere freshly minted Furnace fellow, in a few short moments see his strength swell explosively, nearly catching up to the self of the Three Immortals era?

"Li Xian! The Blood River World lacks one fraction of fate," lacks one fraction of karmic cycle," we need the Water Lord, but the Water Lord can surely be replaced! Complete the Transforming Rainbow!" the Lotus Bodhisattva urged, "The White Ape can no longer be caught; this is the only way to break the deadlock right now!"

Earnest advice, spittle flying.

The more the Lotus Bodhisattva spoke, the more he wanted to vomit blood.

Because the Great Li Taizu hesitated!

On the only method, he hesitated!

White Ape!

"Li Xian!" the White Ape laughed while fighting, chiming in, "This is our only chance; you can't take me down, and I'm not willing to sacrifice myself — why not settle for the next best thing? You and I turn enemies into friends, join forces against the Whale Emperor!"

The Great Li Taizu clenched his fists, his heart pounding violently.

The sleeve's thoughts opened for the Lotus Bodhisattva and Liang Qu.

The Dream Dynasty takes the Mirage Dragon as its foundation, the Old Dragon Lord as its bones, opens the world's upper limit, lacking only that final fraction of "flesh and blood."

Because of this lack of flesh and blood, it has never counted as a true world; everyone's "fate" is fixed, everyone's "strength" is limited by their realm in life, everyone's accent is the same — lacking only that final fraction of water-nature "flow"; once the water-nature Grand Position Fruit is attained, it can be thoroughly liberated, letting the Dream Dynasty become a true world, a living world!

But —

Why does the White Ape support Him?

Is there a trap? He trusts the Lotus Bodhisattva, but could there be something the Lotus Bodhisattva hasn't considered?

The Jiang-Huai waves surged greatly, thunder rumbled above the nine heavens.

Authorities collided, flesh and blood shattered, cycling endlessly.

Liang Qu felt himself turn into dough under the Whale Emperor's hands, now kneaded, now flattened.

Everyone finds it hard to die, and no one dies.

Grand Trend against Grand Trend, madly colliding, madly wrestling!

Zhang Longxiang upheld the River God Sacrifice; the Straw-Hatted Old Man dared hardly approach lightly.

The White Ape laughed loudly, it leaped, it swung its fists, it smashed the Whale Emperor, together with the Great Li Taizu and the Four Immortals opposing the Whale Emperor, the corners of its mouth unable to be suppressed no matter what.

Fell for the scheme!

One day!

Hold out for twelve double-hours!

Stepping into the Sea of Consciousness, chatting idly with Wu Zhiqi, he was thinking, he had been thinking all along.

The Whale Emperor unites the Three Realms, wants a complete Netherworld, therefore indulged the Great Li Taizu. The Great Li Taizu wants a complete Netherworld, needs three generations of Dragon Lords, therefore always indulged the White Ape.

And because the Great Li Taizu completing the Netherworld means Transforming Rainbow, even harder to usurp. Therefore the Whale Emperor had to strike first with his fin, hold the Grand Hunt first, swallow the world like a whale, perfect himself.

The Great Li Taizu saw through the scheme, yet by a twist of fate revived first, preemptively disrupting the Grand Hunt.

Everyone is the mantis, everyone is the oriole.

But, why, on what grounds!?

"Dong!"

Qi waves burst open, residual waves swept across horizontally.

Feeble air became harder than black iron, harder still; the White Ape flew out ten thousand li, the Yinglong flashed in an instant, bringing the Huaijiang ten thousand li with it, once more swinging a fist at the Whale Emperor, fangs bared!

On what grounds can three Dragon Lords perfect the Netherworld?

There is no logic at all — why does the Great Li Taizu believe so firmly? Advance so firmly? At the same time the Whale Emperor likewise chooses to wait.

If Wu Zhiqi's trait can arbitrarily combine any lineage within himself.

The Whale Emperor's trait is Whale Swallowing the World, leveraging the Grand Trend to forcibly refine every Position Fruit.

What role does the Great Li Taizu's trait play on the sleeve's Transforming Rainbow path?

Obsession brings absolute control — how does absolute control manifest? Merely interfering with others' authorities?

Wanting eternal life, the Great Li Taizu therefore destroyed the Mirage Dragon, borrowing the "Dream" — in the dream everyone lives forever. The dream has limits, limited capacity; therefore borrowed the Old Dragon Lord to remove limits. The dream lacks flow, lacks vitality; therefore needs a third-generation Water Lord. Thus the sleeve believes the Mirage Dragon, the Old Dragon Lord, plus the White Ape, can achieve a true Netherworld!

The answer gradually becomes clear.

Wu Zhiqi can compose any lineage world at will.

The Whale Emperor can forcibly Whale Swallow, refine every Position Fruit.

Interfering with others' authorities has always been only the appearance of control! The essence is that the Great Li Taizu can construct the world he wants, using suitable, similar Position Fruits to directly fill it.

Shoot the arrow first, draw the target afterward!

Likewise, swap in another Water-nature Position Fruit with the same fluidity, and it can fully achieve the same effect; the Great Li Taizu collected Position Fruits from all under heaven in the past, there must already be refined minor Position Fruits!

The sea of clouds splits again.

Ten million giant whales roam, each giant whale passing through the chest, souls nearly shaken out.

The Whale Emperor grows ever more ferocious, fighting with his life to suppress.

The Great Li Taizu and the White Ape's fleshly bodies shatter and recombine unceasingly; even though the White Ape's momentum surges, on the Grand Trend level they still show a declining trend, gradually withering.

At the critical juncture of life and death, no other way — Liang Qu believes the Great Li Taizu can figure this out.

The Taizu of Great Li never imagined that the Lotus Arhat could also achieve this—it was inevitable!

Success came from Xiao He, failure also came from Xiao He.

The Taizu of Great Li, who could shoot arrows and hit targets, was clearly the easiest to achieve rainbow transformation, yet after ten thousand years he still hadn't, precisely because he was the Taizu of Great Li! The first immortal! Absolute control brings absolute unwillingness!

How could the position fruit of a non-dragon lord enter his eyes?

One body, two aspects—this is the key to Liang Qu delaying time!

"The Whale Emperor's formation consists of the four disaster river realms of Feng Fruit, Yi Fruit, Bing Fruit, and Yuan Fruit, while the Old Dragon Lord and White Long Wang possess only two median fruits, so they must first split into two, separate them, hence their promotion is slow."

"The Taizu of Great Li will inevitably transform into a rainbow to resist, but he absolutely cannot do so now!"

The Whale Emperor's strength keeps growing, and the Taizu of Great Li quickly follows; after twelve hours, he will surely fall completely behind, reduced to fish and meat.

We must firmly bite down on this progressive gear!

Thunder rumbled wave after wave above the azure heavens, light and shadow on the curtain shifted instantly, disciples of the Huayin Martial Hall sat dazed, their ears buzzing.

"Instructor, you said there's no young dragon that could be a match for the Huai King, right?" a disciple raised his hand.

Chang Song held back: "Opponent, possibly, probably, or perhaps————not a young dragon anymore?"

"Not a young dragon?"

The martial hall disciples stared wide-eyed.

Light and shadow intertwined.

The Lotus Arhat and Bai Yuan's voices collided repeatedly, the Taizu of Great Li fixed his stare on Bai Yuan.

That upturned corner of the mouth seemed mocking, waiting to be ensnared, then in a blink it looked like hope for survival—always allowing two interpretations.

Only one thing: Liang Qu's joining eased the immense pressure on Xuan, giving him more time.

The Blood River Realm ceased burning.

Wu Lingxu and Fei Taiyu collapsed helplessly to the ground.

The Lotus Arhat pleaded desperately: "After rainbow transformation, it's not necessarily impossible to withdraw and replace! The furnace is hard to self-nurture— isn't the Li Immortal just as successful in achieving the fourth immortal?"

"Shut up!"

The Taizu of Great Li roared in anger!

The Lotus Arhat broke out in cold sweat.

What exactly is Liang Qu trying to do? He didn't expect that at the brink of life and death, Liang Qu had likewise seen through this layer, but why is he delaying? What benefit does delay bring him?

The Straw Hat Old Man stood at the edge of the battlefield, completely unable to find a chance to intervene.

The Whale Emperor is transforming into a rainbow, and the Taizu of Great Li alone occupies the volume of four furnaces, benefiting from the special accumulation of the Dream Dynasty, even more so.

Liang Qu transformed into Bai Yuan, simultaneously advancing in the furnace, self-conceived and matured, equivalent to the volume of three furnaces—no, initially so, now already gradually approaching four!

Far beyond the level that ordinary furnaces could interfere with, to the point that only at the edge could he pull and drag Linchuan.

What kind of monsters are these three fellows?

He even caught Liang Qu's words.

Can the Taizu of Great Li also transform into a rainbow?!?

The Whale Emperor transformed into a rainbow, the Taizu of Great Li also transformed into a rainbow, the Straw Hat Old Man broke out in cold sweat, having completely lost hope of a comeback, only able to follow the map and seek the horse, his mind racing wildly.

Gradually, he grasped some of Liang Qu's intentions.

Using the Taizu of Great Li's arrogance and suspicion, to slow his rainbow transformation? Why slow it? There must be a turning point—where is it?

Having just transformed into a rainbow, slightly surpassing the Taizu of Great Li, the Whale Emperor, due to Liang Qu's joining, was again countered—but this is necessarily temporary.

Wait for the Whale Emperor to counter back again————

Lightning split the sea of consciousness.

Intuition told the Straw Hat Old Man that Liang Qu wanted precisely this moment.

Long Gong cave wall.

The round head stared fixedly at the small red-gold speck on the gourd, having used up three strands of precious vital breath, his promotion speed increased greatly, yet still insufficient.

【Refining Marsh Spirit: Huai Vortex Water Lord (Crimson) (Fusion Degree: 69.5%↑)】

Ehe, Huang Shahe.

The Old Dragon Lord and White Long Wang were completely replaced by white mist, their internal position fruits resonating and gradually splitting.

【Refining Marsh Spirit: Huai Vortex Water Lord (Crimson) (Fusion Degree: 70%↑)】

The Taizu of Great Li grew increasingly strained, increasingly urgent.

Liang Qu's strength is actually catching up to my own!

Can water-attribute position fruits truly substitute? Can a single median fruit substitute?

One gives rise to two, two gives rise to three, three gives rise to all things.

Three great position fruits are the best path to rainbow transformation—two great and one median, how could they compare to three great position fruits?

Precisely because the furnace self-nurtured, he knows how difficult it is—misstep one step, and accumulation becomes hard to reverse!

He is unwilling, he is unwilling!

"Ah!!!"

The miserable cry pierced the eardrums, the Taizu of Great Li glanced sideways.

The Bai Yuan who had just fought the Whale Emperor, one careless move, now only half his upper body remained.

A lone tree cannot stand.

Though utterly unwilling, the Taizu of Great Li could only go to save him, yet a shocking scene appeared before him.

With only half a body left, the Bai Yuan used his single arm to death-grip the Whale Emperor's mist, then opened his huge mouth, protruding his canine teeth, and bit down hard!

Flesh and blood exploded in his mouth, thousands of needle-like piercings, skewering his skull.

【Spanning the Great River, Shining Bright as the Sun】

【River Control Degree: 6.5】

Never-ending!

Liang Qu's eyes turned bloodshot as he activated the Taotie's Unyielding Impact damage, resisting the Whale King while his mouth filled with blood, frantically devouring.

Swallowing, swallowing!

Eating meat, drinking blood, eating meat, drinking blood.

Now, He is the Water Lord, the Huai River Water Lord!

Sacrificing to the Huai River, sacrificing to the Huai River!

This is the sacrifice to His Five Zang Temples!

The Whale King, astonished by such means, strained and flung, breaking free of Bai Yuan.

"Hahaha!" Bai Yuan laughed to the heavens, utterly fearless, holding aloft white mist flesh in his hand, shouting three times, "Offer the sacrifice! Offer the sacrifice! Offer the sacrifice!"

This monkey has gone mad!

The Taizu of Great Li felt his heart leap.

The Straw Hat Old Man's face showed shock, then he saw the flung Bai Yuan, using momentum to charge forward, his mouth full of blood-red.

Lin Chuan sensed danger and swiftly withdrew.

"Straw Hat, reach out!"

The Straw Hat Old Man followed his intuition.

"Boom!"

Liang Qu waved his hand and struck — the Straw Hat Old Man's entire palm exploded into blood mist, vanishing without a trace.

Lin Chuan hesitated, the Straw Hat Old Man froze, but in the next moment, the Straw Hat Old Man reacted.

His small world began to expand rapidly!

The Straw Hat Old Man's pupils widened in shock, Lin Chuan's face showed astonishment.

"Boom!"

East Sea, Central Beast Arena, everyone stared at Dragon Spirit Gauze, staring at the Lipid Dragon's offering.

"Offer the sacrifice! Offer the sacrifice! Offer the sacrifice!"

The deafening cries echoed back.

The whale king's flesh in Bai Yuan's hand exploded into white smoke; in that instant, the fat fish, Long Eying, Xu Zishuai, and the Xu clan all reacted.

"Continue! Continue!"

"Continue what?"

"The sacrifice has been offered, continue the sacrifice!"

Zhang Longxiang startled, then immediately ordered, and the entire beast arena swiftly reacted.

"Chief Priest, proceed!"

The Holy Emperor stepped forward!

Above the Nine Heavens, the situation changed again.

The Straw Hat Old Man joined the battle!

Yun Hua appeared too late, failed to follow the transformation into the Great Position Fruit, could not fully connect with the Straw Hat Old Man, but even a partial link was enough to double his strength! Lin Chuan dragged away the Fourth Immortal, the remaining three joined forces, and once again suppressed the Whale King!

【Refining Marsh Spirit: Huai Vortex Water Lord (Crimson) (Fusion Degree: 72%↑)】

【———— (Fusion Degree: 75%↑)】

The Taizu of Great Li grew increasingly furious.

The Whale King surged, Liang Qu surged, the Straw Hat Old Man also surged.

Only Lin Chuan — could his sleeve be like Lin Chuan's?

The Straw Hat Old Man's aid was limited; in just half an hour, the Whale King's power again overwhelmed.

The Taizu of Great Li could bear it no longer, again charging at Bai Yuan to strike.

"Boom!"

The Second Immortal shattered more than half, flying backward!

Bai Yuan roared in fury.

"Your Majesty! If you do not decide now, it will be too late! Bai Yuan is surely stalling!" The Lotus Great Scholar pleaded again, nearly wailing, "Transform into the rainbow, follow the rainbow — the only way! The rest are merely clinging to life! The later it gets, the more variables arise!"

Clinging to life.

Clinging to life!?

A flicker of confusion passed through the Taizu of Great Li's eyes, veins throbbing violently at his temples — he could not tolerate this phrase.

Having endured enough of his youth's experiences, humiliations, he is the Son of Heaven beneath heaven, the first emperor, the first supreme!

"If I do not die, you all————are nothing but sycophants!!!"

Rainbow light shot into the sky, overturning Liang Qu and the Straw Hat Old Man.

The azure heavens faded, suddenly turning blood-red.

Dark red blood light, like the Milky Way, spanned heaven and earth!

The blood river boiled, surged eastward, waves rising and falling.

The world gained a hint of flowing wind, a trace of returning tide, dreams began to cycle, began to expand, the Lotus Great Scholar fell seated on the ground, brows and eyes filled with joy.

The slanting sun sank westward.

The cloud giant resembled a fire giant.

The Third Prince spat out mist beasts, the fat fish beheaded with one stroke.

The Holy Emperor raised his cup, poured out wine, shattered gold glimmering.

【Refining Marsh Spirit: Huaijiang Water Lord (Vermilion) (Fusion: 80%)】

【Sacrificing to Huaijiang, utmost orthodox legitimacy, heaven above earth below, on land and in water, none dare not revere, River Favor +1000】!

【River Dominance: 16.5】!

Light twisted.

【River Dominance: 6.5】

【Marsh Essence: 14,910,000】

【Huaijiang Water Lord (Vermilion) (Fusion: 80%↑)】

A rainbow bridge spanned across.

The Straw-Hatted Old Man gaped slightly, and Linchuan stared in shock at the scene before them, their gazes dull and foolish.

The Great Li Taizu's "Riverbed" began to blur, began to churn, began to rise! He opened his eyes, rage uncontainable, and reached for Liang Qu in the first instant.

The firmament tore open a gap, pitch-black like an abyss.

Bai Yuan spat a mouthful of blood, immediately urging the Giant Spirit and Yinglong to shift and flee————

"Collapse!"

Yinglong and Giant Spirit authorities collapsed, Bai Yuan's pupils dilated.

"Seal!"

Vision pitch-black, up and down completely inverted.

In a flash, white clouds hung descending!

The Whale Emperor struck ruthlessly, pitch-black collapsing inward, light splashing forth. Liang Qu seized the chance, urged Yinglong and Giant Spirit to cleave again, broke free once more, backhanded and sealed the Whale Emperor!

"Whale! Emperor!"

Four Immortals suspended in air, black hair dancing like snakes, clouds and mist splitting apart.

Dream Dynasty overlapped with reality, the entire Huaijiang, swiftly turned blood-red!

"Hey————"

Liang Qu panted violently, mouth full of broken teeth.

Things having come to this, no fear facing two Rainbow-Transcending beings, still grinned wide and laughed loudly.

Great Li Taizu seized, Whale Emperor protected.

At this very moment, exactly like that moment back then!

The Straw-Hatted Old Man suddenly realized.

Taizu ascended too early; at that time Liang Qu's strength would definitely not have kept up, caught in the cracks, not a sliver of survival space.

Now————

Half a day's delay, Whale Emperor, Great Li Taizu, Bai Yuan, just so happened to be arranged from high to low, in sequence!

Great Li Taizu grabs Bai Yuan, Whale Emperor saves Bai Yuan, just like the Grand Hunt's opening, no one Transcended Rainbow, no one Furnace.

But, so what?

Dragged out this half day, gained half a day's balance, so what?

The blazing sun completely slanted downward, pitch-black curtains spread across the sky.

Inside the cave, fire blazed fiercely, Haiya King's corpse burned entirely to ash, leaving only a transparent soul.

Green light completely enclosed the last fingernail-sized red spot.