Chapter 86: What Lies Within the Belly?

Sanqian Zhou, above that shattered Heavenly Dome.

The chaotic Qi currents still rage in a mad backflow, two majestic figures standing opposite each other across billions of miles of void.

The Red Sky Immortal King from the foreign realm gazes at his empty palm, the spot that should have held Thunder State and Fire State now filled only with a solitary breath of air.

His face, long shrouded in divine light that makes all beings avert their gaze, now looks so sullen it seems it could drip water.

"It's gone."

The Red Sky Immortal King's voice is low, each word rattling the surrounding rule fragments with a whoosh.

It was neither destroyed nor teleported, but utterly vanished into thin air.

As if someone, right under his very eyes, had wiped those two massive lands off the scroll with a cloth.

Opposite him, Li Hentian, the Hentian Sword King from the Immortal Realm, also folds away the sweeping Sword Intent.

His eyes, as if containing endless sword graves, stare fixedly at the void, brows tightly knit.

"Deduce."

Though the two are adversaries, when profit is at stake they share a rare tacit understanding, raising their hands almost simultaneously.

As Immortal Kings, they have long transcended the river of time; a single thought lets them trace cause and effect.

Even when an Immortal King acts, it is impossible for them to leave absolutely no trace before the others.

A rustic bone mirror materializes in the Red Sky Immortal King's palm, while Li Hentian brings his fingers together across his brow, opening his Heavenly Eye.

However, the next instant—

"Poof!"

The bone mirror in the Red Sky Immortal King's hand explodes without warning, a bizarre backlash force racing up his arm into his spirit, prompting a muted hum and a slight sway of his body.

Li Hentian's complexion turns even whiter, the causal thread forcibly severed.

The two lock eyes, each seeing the flash of astonishment in the other's gaze.

A blank.

In their deduction, the entity that took the two states does not exist at any node of past, present, or future.

There is only an indescribable mist; even attempting to peer into it would incur the Great Dao's frenzied backlash.

"Great Cause and Effect... untouchable."

The Red Sky Immortal King flicks away the bone shards, his expression heavy,

"How could a shattered place like Sanqian Zhou conceal such a terrifying titan?"

To block the joint deduction of two Immortal Kings and even cause backlash, the opponent's level must have already reached the legendary Imperial Realm.

Li Hentian says nothing, silently closing his Heavenly Eye.

"Not necessarily."

"If one bears an Immortal Emperor's relic, one could achieve this."

The gap between Immortal Kings is vast.

The gap between an Immortal King and an Immortal Emperor is even greater.

Even a mere relic of an Immortal Emperor can, across endless distance, grievously wound an ordinary Immortal King.

"They only dare to strike from the shadows like insects, their realm surely below that of an Immortal King; they must have seized some defying fate opportunity."

"Just a mere True Immortal."

The Red Sky Immortal King snorts coldly; though he fears the Immortal Emperor's relic, obtaining it—even just a glimpse of its secret—

would let them advance another step within the Immortal King realm.

"Since I have come, I cannot return empty‑handed. Whoever took it, unwilling to reveal themselves, must have reservations."

He raises his hand, and at his fingertips a rune glowing dark crimson coalesces, intending to imprint it onto this void.

"I shall leave a divine thought seal here; should that thief dare again..."

Clang!

Before the words finish, a chilling sword light slices across the sky, instantly shattering the newly formed rune.

The Red Sky Immortal King jerks his head up, glaring at Li Hentian: "Li Hentian, what do you mean? You haven't captured anyone; you intend to fight me and fail?"

Li Hentian stands with his arms crossed, his robe rustling; though his eyes still bleed, his proud bearing stands as straight as a celestial sword.

"This is Sanqian Zhou, the lower realm of my Immortal Realm."

Li Hentian's voice is icy, devoid of any feeling,

"You, a foreign Immortal King, overreach. If something is lost, it is lost—this is the fate of this world, unrelated to you. Want to leave a divine thought? Begone!"

The final "Begone" summons billions of sword qi from nothing, forming a sword‑qi wall that spans between them.

The Red Sky Immortal King's complexion flickers between pale blue and white.

Had he been in his prime, he would have certainly fought this Hentian Sword King.

But crossing realms now, his power is limited; his true body remains outside the domain, battling other Immortal Kings.

"Well, well, Li Hentian, well done, Immortal Realm."

The Red Sky Immortal King, furious yet laughing, gazes deeply at the void, "I shall see how long you can guard this broken world!"

Having said that, he sweeps his massive sleeve.

The huge void slowly seals, and his towering figure disappears within the chaos.

When the Red Sky Immortal King departs, Li Hentian does not leave immediately.

He stands silently for a long while, then slowly raises his hand, drawing from his sleeve a wooden sword no longer than a finger, flicking it with a snap.

The wooden sword transforms into a streak of light, vanishing into the deep void where Sin State once lay.

"No matter who you are, to snatch away under our very eyes is your skill."

Li Hentian murmurs, "Having such means, you must be deeply linked to my Immortal Realm. This Sword Intent remains here; should you appear again, you may follow this Sword Intent to the Sword Gate to find me."

Having finished all this, the Hate Sky Sword King's figure faded, and the crack in the Heavenly Dome was smoothed over, as if nothing had ever happened.

…

Ancient Immortal Realm, Everlasting Gu Family, Supreme Hall.

Gu Lin Tian sat on the family head's throne, his fingers unconsciously tapping the armrest, his brows tightly knit.

Since he was forcibly summoned by the Old Patriarch.

Since Yuan'er left home, many days have passed.

Although the soul lamp told him that everyone was safe, that uneasy feeling in his heart never left.

"I also don't know whether Yuan'er is having fun in Sanqian Zhou."

Gu Lin Tian sighed, "Father too, having to rush off so suddenly. Give me a little more time and I can break through to True Immortal; then wouldn't it be fine to let me go?"

Buzz!

At that moment, on the plaza outside the Supreme Hall, space suddenly twisted violently.

A massive light gate materialized out of nowhere, and immediately, waves of oppressive breath that made Gu Lin Tian feel suffocated surged out of the gate like tides.

Gu Lin Tian sprang to his feet, his expression icy.

"Back?"

He took a step forward and instantly arrived on the plaza.

The light gate rippled, and Gu Yuan, hands behind his back, hummed a tune, strolling out leisurely.

Behind him, the Old Patriarch's face glowed red, his spirit vigorous as if a hundred thousand years younger.

Further back were Gu Lin Jiang, Gu Xuan Ce, Gu Zhan…

Wait!

Gu Lin Tian's prepared welcoming smile froze completely the instant he saw Gu Lin Jiang and Gu Xuan Ce.

He rubbed his eyes, then projected his mind to examine carefully.

Indeed.

That terrifying pressure, towering above ten thousand paths, matched his own, even more vigorous in vitality…

"Heaven… Heaven Emperor?!"

Gu Lin Tian let out a startled cry; his usually composed imperial bearing shattered at that moment.

He pointed at Gu Lin Jiang, his fingers trembling: "Grand Elder, you… you broke through?!"

Gu Lin Jiang stepped forward, his face flushed with red light, and clasped his hands in a bow:

"Thanks to the Old Patriarch and the Young Master's great fortune, I accidentally broke the realm, accidentally broke the realm, ha ha ha!"

"And you, Xuan Ce…"

Gu Lin Tian turned his gaze to the nearby Zhen Chi.

Gu Xuan Ce chuckled, array patterns swirling around him, faintly exuding a breath of immortal Dao:

"Family head, I too was lucky, I slightly broke through a bit."

Slightly?

Gu Lin Tian felt his head buzzing.

He, as family head, toiled for half an era before attaining the path of Heaven Emperor.

And now these old guys went on a trip, less than half a month later they returned, all becoming emperors in bulk?

That's not the most disheartening part.

His gaze swept over Gu Zhan and the others behind.

Eighteenth Realm Peak, Late Eighteenth Realm…

Even the one hundred shadow guards who were only Seventeenth Realm now had several emitting the aura of newly entered Supreme!

"Is this… is this a trip or a procurement?"

Gu Lin Tian felt his throat dry, a huge absurdity named "Who am I, where am I, what did I miss" instantly filled his heart.

"Father, why are you spacing out?"

Gu Yuan walked up to his own father, waved his hand before his eyes, "Our family struck it rich this time, hurry up, make space, I'm about to vomit something."

"Vomit something?" Gu Lin Tian stared blankly at his son, "Vomit what?"

The Old Patriarch came over, patted Gu Lin Tian's shoulder, his face saying "you've never seen the world", and said earnestly:

"Lin Tian, broaden your perspective a bit. Dismantle the defensive Great Array around the Divine Island, then expand the family's territory by dozens of times. Yuan'er this time brought us some local specialty back."

Gu Lin Tian's mouth twitched.

Local specialty?

What local specialty requires expanding the territory by dozens of times?

"Father, stop dazing, hurry up, I have two continents inside my belly, it's cramped." Gu Yuan urged.

Gu Lin Tian: "???".

You say you have what inside your belly?!