Chapter 256

The void battlefield outside the Boundary Wall.

Wind Lord and Martial Sovereign, while besieging Gu Cangsheng, also received an edict from the Tai Shang Immortal Palace, ordering them to intercept Li Hentian and prevent his escape!

However, before Wind Lord and Martial Sovereign could turn their spears, something faster than their reaction was Li Hentian's sword!

At the moment Gu Yuan unleashed that light curtain, Li Hentian knew he was utterly doomed!

He hesitated not at all; the natal god sword, its blade covered in cracks, sprang from its sheath, its ink‑black sword light carrying the ultimate slaughter of severing karma, not striking at Gu Cangsheng but backhanding a single slash straight at the nearest Wind Lord!

Pfft!

Wind Lord didn't even have time to fully incorporealize his form before that gray‑white storm was cleaved cleanly in two by this peerless sword!

Immortal King's blood poured down like a waterfall; Wind Lord let out a piercing wail, half of his dharma body shattering on the spot, instantly suffering grave injury!

One sword grievously wounded his comrade; Li Hentian's face turned ashen as paper, yet the madness in his eyes grew even fiercer.

He spat a mouthful of essence‑blood, containing the pure sword‑dao origin of an Immortal King, onto the god‑sword.

"Karma reversed, sword seals the heavens and earth!"

Li Hentian, at the great cost of burning his own origin, forcibly tugged at the karma threads in the void.

The next moment, the Thunder Emperor, who had already charged toward Zhongzhou in Sanqian Zhou and was preparing to strike Gu Yuan again, felt his surrounding space violently twist, an irresistible suction yanking him wildly along the karma trail of his arrival.

"What the hell?!"

The Thunder Emperor roared in fury, yet could not break free of this space‑swap bought with the sacrifice of an Immortal King's origin.

The Zhongzhou scenery before his eyes shattered instantly, and he was forcibly hauled back from inside Sanqian Zhou to the void battlefield beyond the Boundary Wall!

"Li Hentian! You've got the gall of a dog!"

The storm that Wind Lord had become also ceased, re‑condensing into his form.

His gaze upon Li Hentian was like looking at a dead man.

Martial Sovereign was the most direct; his golden three‑headed, six‑armed dharma image had two arms already turned, locking onto Li Hentian from afar.

The situation, in this instant, underwent a complete overturn.

What was originally four against one became three against one, plus a traitor who must die.

Li Hentian's heart sank to the bottom of the valley.

He had calculated everything—Gu Yuan's greed, Gu Cangsheng's strength, the Immortal Realm's reaction.

He alone had not expected that a mere trifling cultivator of the Ten Realms could wield such heaven‑reaching means, crossing the endless void to splice and project anew the karma thread he had severed with his Sword Intent.

Such divine ability, he had never even heard of!

It was his carelessness!

"Three fellow Daoists."

Li Hentian's voice remained calm, but beneath that calm lay madness suppressed to the extreme,

"The Tai Shang's edict, you have heard it. Now, between us, it is a matter of life and death."

Thunder Emperor sneered: "Knowing that is good! Today, neither you nor this old thing will get away!"

"Leave?" Li Hentian suddenly laughed, his smile tinged with self‑mockery and resolve, "If I wanted to leave, could you three stop me?"

Before his words faded, the ancient‑looking long sword, its blade covered in cracks, hummed free from its sheath on his back!

A pitch‑black sword light, as dark as ink, illuminated the entire void battlefield; within that light there was no sharpness, no slaughter, only a pure, ultimate "severing".

Sever space, sever law, sever karma!

This is his hidden lifesaving secret art, the Hentian Sword!

This sword is not aimed at the three Thunder Emperors, nor at Gu Cangsheng.

But is directed at severing all ties between himself and this void!

He wants to flee!

However, at the instant he drew his sword, a withered palm covered in chaotic runes lightly pressed upon the spine of his blade.

Gu Cangsheng!

"Kid, now is not the time to run." The old man grinned, revealing a mouth of teeth yellowed by malt sugar, "I haven't had enough fun yet."

Li Hentian's sword was held fast by that palm, unable to move an inch.

That Sword Intent, which cuts through anything, upon contacting Gu Cangsheng's chaos‑infused domain, vanished like a mud‑bull entering the sea.

"You!" Li Hentian was both shocked and furious.

This old madman would rather let the three Thunder Emperors go than stop me?

"If we join forces, we still have a sliver of hope!"

Li Hentian's divine sense raced, transmitting sound swiftly,

"You don't know the Tai Shang's temper; he said whoever he marks for death, none in heaven or earth can escape! He won't come himself, but those five—each not weaker than the Thunder Emperor—when they arrive, we'll both be fish on the chopping block!"

"Oh?"

Gu Cangsheng raised his eyebrows, the hand pressing his sword's spine not loosening.

"You aren't able to open some kind of door, are you?"

Li Hentian almost roared, "Take one with me! Otherwise I die, and you won't live either! Those three plus the Immortal Kings behind them—ten Jue Dian Immortal Kings—even if you were a true titan, you'd still drink hatred!"

In Gu Cangsheng's murky eyes, a fleeting glint of sharpness flashed.

He certainly knew Li Hentian spoke the truth.

A half‑step titan may be strong, but it is not invincible.

Facing an unknown number of Jue Dian Immortal Kings, even Gu Cangsheng would surely perish!

"Take one with you?" Gu Cangsheng slowly loosened his grip, "It's not impossible. But, old man, what reason do I have to trust you?"

"Just count on this!"

Li Hentian gritted his teeth fiercely, and the natal god sword, its blade covered in cracks, let out a mournful wail.

He actually forcibly drew a thread of utmost pure sword essence from his own sword Dao origin and infused it into Gu Cangsheng's body!

That's tantamount to cutting off one's own arm!

"This is my letter of allegiance!" Li Hentian's voice carried a hint of weakness, "Now we are grasshoppers on the same rope!"

Gu Cangsheng felt that pure sword essence within him, smacking his lips.

"Alright." The old man nodded, turned to face the three Thunder Emperors, "Well then, today I'll first try my hand on you three."

The three Thunder Emperors stared at this sudden turn of events, looking at each other in dismay.

Traitor and mortal enemy have joined forces?

"Kill!"

Without hesitation, the three Jue Dian Immortal Kings struck again.

This time, their assault was more frenzied and reckless than before.

They must eliminate these two serious threats before the reinforcements from the Supreme arrive!

The void battlefield was once again submerged in endless radiance of law.

But this time it became two versus three.

……

Zhongzhou, ancient altar.

Gu Yuan kept watching the farce beyond the Boundary Wall.

Li Hentian, that old schemer, as expected, would do anything to survive.

But this was also within his plan.

A dying, cornered top sword king can exert far more effect than a dead man.

"Young master! All set! The preparations are complete! We can activate the formation!" Gu Xuan Ce lifted his head, his blood‑stained face showing a joy of relief.

Gu Yuan nodded.

He glanced behind him at the cultivators who had rushed from all over Zhongzhou, the throngs of them, the allied sect leaders, and the countless beings brought by the Vanguard Camp.

Then he raised his hand and gently grasped at the void.

"Home."

Hum—!

The Zhou Tian Star‑Drawing Great Array was fully activated!

Those twenty‑eight deep‑blue light bands burst forth at this moment with unprecedented brilliance.

Twenty‑eight major provinces, together with their mountains, rivers, sun and moon, stars, plus over ten neighboring major provinces.

At this moment, an irresistible force…… tore them away from the territory of the Sanqian Zhou!