Chapter 674

The trump card is the Killer's Trick.

To a certain extent, it is enough to turn the tide and shock the gods.

This also destined that its making is not easy——it requires deceiving every clever opponent for any hope of success.

After all, there are far too many clever people in the world.

Especially upon reaching the Da Luo level, one can even perceive boundless spacetime, eternal freedom, countless horizons linked; any slight flaw in the planner will be caught, the slightest trace exposed, and the dark curtain pulled back.

——Once the trump card is revealed ahead of time, it is no longer a trump card!

Even if it remains powerful, it can still be targeted and restrained!

Only by acting covertly, deceiving heaven and crossing the sea, fooling many ancient gods and sages, plotting beyond their expectations, can one successfully accumulate a trump card.

Just as the Dragon Ancestor Great Sage's sublimation and transformation of the Dragon's Dao—everyone knows the Dragon Ancestor is stubborn, but who could imagine he would be stubborn to such an extent as to directly meddle with the Daos of two top powerhouses?

Moreover, he even put on an appearance of helplessness, endurance, and gloom, unwilling but forced to submit under Nüwa's management, persisting throughout, truly fulfilling that saying—

Dragons can be great or small, rise or hide; when great they stir clouds and spit mist; when small they conceal their form; when rising they soar through the cosmos; when hiding they lurk within the waves.

This ability to extend and contract shows the Dragon Ancestor is not merely stubborn, but wisely stubborn, and also succeeded in doing a great deed that was beyond the gods' expectations yet reasonable.

Afterward, in a single turn, he dealt a heavy blow to the Heavenly Court.

That ancient stellar sea of the Zhou Tian will be torn apart by him!

——The fall of the Azure Dragon's Seven Mansions is merely the beginning!

When the eight ancestral witches, following a layout centered on Gonggong, constructed the Four Seasons Grand Array that spans time and space, affecting past, present, and future, the fall of the starry sky deepened!

The Vermilion Bird's Seven Mansions were seized by the 'Summer God' Zhurong.

The Black Tortoise's Seven Mansions were plundered by the 'Winter God' Xuanming.

The White Tiger's Seven Mansions were taken control of by the 'Autumn God' Rushou.

The Twenty-Eight Mansions, now all fallen, under the Dragon Ancestor's years of scheming, all fell into the hands of the Wu Clan, truly shaking the foundation of the Zhou Tian Star Dou Grand Array.

Using this as a spread, one sees the starry sea tinged red, faint bloodlight, the Heavenly River surging, yet it can no longer serve as the Heavenly Court's strongest defense.

Countless great and lesser witches, along the Mount Buzhou Pillar, taking advantage of the gate opened in the Heavenly River defense line by the ancestral witches, truly slaughtered the core of the Heavenly Court, for the first time in history bringing the war's flames into the enemy's homeland!

This is an extraordinarily profound lesson, destined to be recorded in history, proving——

There is only catching thieves for a thousand days, never guarding against thieves for a thousand days.

Because defense cannot prevail!

「Kill! 」

The cries of slaughter are endless, infinitely spreading through the ancient starry sky.

The Wu Clan's forces split into several routes: some went to attack the various camps of the Heavenly River navy, some went to slaughter the guards stationed at many demon gods' abodes, some carried out a strategy of striking points to reinforce, aiming to eliminate the Heavenly Court's living forces that dared to roam about during the turmoil.

With the help of sufficient guides, the whole process went smoothly; the Wu Clan's great army appeared and disappeared mysteriously in the starry sea, becoming even more familiar with the starry environment than the Heavenly Court itself!

There's nothing to be done.

The Heavenly Qi Ancestral Witch——She Bi Shi, whose true identity is Doumu Yuanjun, is the starry sky representative of the Dragon and Phoenix era.

The Purple Star Sovereign also, in this era, sides with the Wu Clan, a neutral great power that has dealings with the underworld's reincarnation.

Under the tangled web of relations, one sees the Wu Clan's conquering army advancing all the way, victorious and unmatched…… Naturally, there are those who wish to welcome the 'Royal Army'!

Perhaps this is also a drawback of the Demon Race's creed of 'the weak are meat, the strong eat'.

Now the Wu Clan's performance is clearly stronger…… So, does following and aiding them count as something?

Valuing reality, slighting ideals, unable to fully comprehend sacrifice and dedication…… This is where the Demon Race differs from humanity.

When the war flames spread into the starry sky, when the foundation of the Zhou Tian Star Dou Grand Array was dismantled, when the power of the demon gods' orthodox lineage was continually eradicated, when the Heavenly Court's fate was damaged and turbulent…… All these consequences even affected the Heavenly Emperor Di Jun, who was contending against Pangu's true form, causing his power supply to become unstable at a certain moment and his form to fade——

This is extremely deadly!

Because Nüwa, who is locked in battle with him, will not hold back——strike while he is ill, take his life!

Having the upper hand, she very much wants to beat Di Jun to death with a single punch.

She indeed threw the punch!

Pangu's true form mecha, at that moment, erupted with twelvefold battle power, essence and blood burning to the extreme, unleashing the ultimate great destruction punch!

「Boom! 」

In the flowing light of ages, the Sovereign Battle Form that Di Jun condensed from the Zhou Tian——which integrated the supreme principle of the stars, plus three hundred sixty-five Zhou Tian star gods and forty-eight thousand Taiyi star masters assisting, together becoming a conduit for energy and information flow——all these forged the supreme battle body, which was smashed to pieces outright!

Buzz!

The raging fist wind swept wildly, tearing apart the void's silent background at the origin of heaven and earth. Occasionally blood‑colored waves surged up—these were the true forms of many star gods and star masters, but they ultimately shattered, becoming blood‑colored spray, drifting in this moment's remnant‑wave‑opened and destroyed endless world's abyssal sea.

So tragic!

The strong warriors who followed Di Jun in battle, many of them Da Luo…… but alas, facing Pangu's mecha, they were ultimately too feeble—a graze meant injury, a hit meant death.

Their power could momentarily condense into something decent, but Nüwa could only stare helplessly.

But if the foundation of the Zhou Tian Star Dou Grand Array went awry, leaving each isolated…… then it truly was a sheet‑by‑sheet death!

Of course, even if they died——their true bodies exploded into bloody mud, their primordial spirits shattered into calamity ash, and before Pangu they were utterly fragile.

But after all, they are outstanding figures of the Honghuang world, the essence drawn from the countless myriad beings; even in death…… they die in a glorious, resounding manner!

Their Dao, their methods, their residual blood, their lingering thoughts—drifting from this world's origin toward the future, toward the Myriad Heavens, transforming into all kinds of strangeness, some becoming untouchable old gods, some becoming terrifyingly evil spirits…… these are mere side branches.

On the battlefield, Nüwa and the Heavenly Emperor, in their eyes the only target of conquest remains each other.

「Di Jun, are you still hiding things? 」

Nüwa raised a long cry, looking down on the Heavenly Emperor who barely reassembled his Zhou Tian Sovereign avatar amidst ruin, encouraging him to rescue the star gods so they wouldn't collapse into slumber, saying: 'You like this, I'll give you another dozen punches—I can beat you to death!'

「Come on! Quickly give me a surprise……」

「No, it's to give Dragon Ancestor a surprise! 」

「Let my path on Pangu's road allow me to witness some splendid scenery! 」

Nüwa, at the peak of transcendence, power in hand, suddenly no longer fears those schemers full of dirty tricks.

What conspiracies, what schemes…… I'll just beat you to death, and that'll be fine!

Translation: "What conspiracies, what schemes…… I'll just beat you to death, and that'll be fine!"

What conspiracies, what schemes…… I'll just beat you to death, and that'll be fine!

Make sure it's one line.

Under absolute power, everything is nothing!

Translation: "Under absolute power, everything is empty!"

One force breaks myriad laws!

Translation: "One force breaks myriad methods!"

"Cough… cough… sigh…"

Translation: "\"Cough cough…… sigh! \""

The Heavenly Emperor coughed blood, softly sighed, "I don't want… I really don't want to play this trump card so soon."

Translation: "The Heavenly Emperor coughed blood, let out a soft sigh, \"I don't want…… I really don't want to activate that trump card so soon. \""

Use Heavenly Emperor as the translation.

"Could it be that I guessed wrong?"

Translation: "\"Could it be that my guess is wrong? \""

"Is Hongjun truly a great benefactor?"

Translation: "\"Is Hongjun really a great philanthropist? \""

"But he doesn't seem like it usually."

Translation: "\"But looking at him normally, he doesn't really seem like one, does he? \""

The Heavenly Emperor sighed deeply, "If he hadn't prepared some table‑flipping Killer's Trick to bind me and prevent me from losing control, I wouldn't believe it at all."

Translation: "The Heavenly Emperor sighed long, \"If he hadn't prepared some table‑flipping Killer's Trick to bind me here and prevent me from losing control, I wouldn't believe it at all. \""

Use table‑flipping Killer's Trick as the translation.

"His intention is clear…… he just wants to see the Wu and Yao suffer mutual destruction, then he'll clean up the aftermath."

Translation: "\"His intention is clear to those involved…… he just wants to watch the Wu and Yao suffer mutual destruction, then he'll clean up the remnants. \""

Wu and Yao refers to witch and demon.

"But that's just an unrealistic dream—how could mutual destruction possibly happen?"

Translation: "\"But this is just an unrealistic dream—mutual destruction, how could that happen? \""

"Most likely one side will win overwhelmingly, perhaps even in better shape."

Translation: "\"Most likely one side will win miserably, or even be in better shape. \""

"Against such a challenger, Hongjun must prepare a solid trump card to ensure he can crush them."

Translation: "\"Facing such a challenger, Hongjun must prepare a solid trump card, ensuring he can crush them. \""

"Kill the future Heavenly Emperor who could oversee the Heavenly Dao, and according to the Primordial emergency measures, he himself would become the first in line to inherit!"

Translation: "\"Kill the future Heavenly Emperor who can oversee the Heavenly Dao, and according to Honghuang's emergency measures for unexpected events, he himself would become the first‑in‑line heir! \""

Use Heavenly Emperor for future Heavenly Emperor.

"But now… we've come to this point, the Wu tribe is about to win completely."

Translation: "\"But now…… we've come to this point, the Wu Clan is about to win a total victory. \""

"Can Hongjun still endure?"

Translation: "\"Can Hongjun still endure?! \""

"This is somewhat beyond my expectations."

Translation: "\"This is somewhat beyond my expectations. \""

The Heavenly Emperor admits, things have somewhat slipped out of control.

Translation: "The Heavenly Emperor admitted, things have somewhat slipped out of control."

"Your guess makes sense, but…… Nüwa smiled faintly, 'Perhaps back then I was decisive enough in pressing the palace that he had a belly full of dirty tricks he hadn't had a chance to release, or maybe that's the case.'"

Translation: "\"Your guess makes sense, but……\" Nüwa smiled faintly, \"Perhaps back then, when I pressed the palace with enough decisiveness, he had a belly full of dirty tricks but didn't have time to release them, or maybe that's the case. \""

Note: Nüwa; I (the royal we) pressed the palace, had a belly full of dirty tricks, or maybe that's the case.

"Impossible……" Dìjùn coughed up another mouthful of blood, "For a long time, Hongjun's cultivation was unparalleled in the world."

Translation: "\"Impossible……\" Di Jun coughed up another mouthful of blood, \"For a long time, Hongjun's cultivation was unmatched in the world. \""

"Before you take control of reincarnation, his strength was invincible in the Primordial world!"

Translation: "\"Before you take control of reincarnation, his strength was already invincible between heaven and earth of Honghuang! \""

"Back then, he hadn't yet been imprisoned in the Zixiao Palace…… even with heavy shackles, he was still capable of doing something."

Translation: "\"Back then, he hadn't yet been imprisoned in Zixiao Palace…… even with heavy shackles, he was still capable of doing something. \""

Moreover, his cultivation was the highest and strongest; he set up means sufficient to conceal many traces, leaving us unable to notice…… then, with intent calculating unintentionally, he buried a hidden killing move.

Translation: "\"Precisely because his cultivation is the highest and strongest, he set up means sufficient to hide many traces, making us unable to detect…… and then, using the intentional against the unintentional, he buried a hidden killing move. \""

Note: hidden killing move.

Listening to Dìjùn's words, Nüwa's brows suddenly furrowed, she felt an inexplicable unease, her heart tightened for no reason, as if something had been triggered.

Translation: "Listening to Di Jun's words, Nüwa's brows suddenly furrowed, she felt a sudden inexplicable unease, her heart tightened for no reason, as if something had been triggered."

It's not that she minds Hongjun's hidden move——after all, the one having the most fun down below is the Azure Dragon anyway!

Translation: "It's not that I care much about Hongjun's hidden move——anyway, the one jumping happiest down below is also the Dragon Ancestor!"

Mainly, it's still about herself……

Translation: "It's mainly still on myself……"

Dìjùn guards against Hongjun, and Nüwa…… is she not also wary of Fuxi?

Translation: "Di Jun guards against Hongjun, and she, Nüwa…… is likewise wary of Fuxi, isn't she?"

They're all thinking of overthrowing their superiors!

Translation: "They're all thinking of overthrowing their superiors and rebelling!"

Moreover, likewise, the opponents they face have each once had a period of invincible vacuum, allowing them to do many unimaginable things.

Translation: "Moreover, likewise, the opponents they face have each once had a period of invincible vacuum, allowing them to do many unimaginable things."

Even if later they were 'imprisoned' or 'suppressed', they still shouldn't be underestimated.

Translation: "Even if later they were \"imprisoned\" or \"suppressed\", they still shouldn't be underestimated."

"Mmm……" Nüwa's gaze deepened, "If it's as I think……"

Translation: "\"Mmm……\" Nüwa's eyes deepened, \"If it's as I think……\""

"Perhaps then, through Hongjun's performance, I can speculate…… when I ascend to the family throne and hold my head high, what kind of blow will I face from Fuxi?"

Translation: "\"Perhaps then, by observing Hongjun's performance, I can speculate…… when I ascend the family throne and raise my brows in triumph, just what kind of blow will I face from Fuxi? \""

Nüwa harbored thoughts.

Translation: "Nüwa harbored worries."

Of course, even if she had thoughts, when she acted she showed no mercy——she wanted to "help" Dìjùn a bit, forcing out Hongjun's Killer's Trick!

Translation: "Of course, even if she had an idea, when she acted she showed no mercy——she wanted to \"help\" Di Jun a bit, forcing Hongjun's Killer's Trick out!"

As for whether this process might beat Dìjùn to death…… it doesn't matter!

Translation: "As for whether she'd beat Di Jun to death in the process…… it doesn't matter!"

And finally……

Translation: "And finally……"

Heaven does not betray those who strive!

Translation: "Heaven rewards the diligent!"

As the Wu tribe wins battle after battle, as the starry sky crumbles inch by inch, as Taiyi fights to the point of broken bones and blood, as Dìjùn nears the limit of endurance……

Translation: "When the Wu Clan won victory after victory, when the starry sky shattered bit by bit, when Taiyi fought until his bones were broken, when Di Jun could barely endure……"

"Alas."

Translation: "\"Sigh. \""

A soft sigh echoed in the ears of the ancient gods, sages, and the vast multitudes.

Translation: "A soft sigh echoed, reverberating in the ears of the ancient gods and sages, the vast multitudes."

Immediately after, a chilling feeling surged over the hearts of countless beings, turning into boundless shadow in a daze, making them suffocate.

Translation: "Immediately after, a chilling sensation surged onto the hearts of countless beings, turning into boundless shadow in a daze, making them suffocate."

Whether it be the numerous Wu tribes that have slaughtered their way into the heavens,

Translation: "Whether it be the many Wu Clan members who slaughtered their way into the starry sky,"

or the dinosaur clans rampaging across mountains and rivers on the Primordial earth,

Translation: "or the dinosaur clans rampaging across mountains and rivers on the Honghuang earth,"

at this moment, they all sensed an aura of impending doom, an omen of death!

Translation: "at this moment all sensed an aura of impending catastrophe, an omen of death!"

"Wait?"

Translation: "\"Wait? \""

"No!"

Translation: "\"No! \"

"Heaven…… the heavenly court……"

Translation: "\"Heaven…… the Heavenly Court……\""

Many ancient gods and sages realized that what seemed to be the Wu tribe's clear future of sweeping the starry sky had suddenly become hazy…… as if some colossal entity hidden beneath the depths of time had unexpectedly risen, obscuring the entire view!

Translation: "Many ancient gods and sages realized, what had seemed like a clear future of the Wu Clan sweeping the starry sky suddenly became hazy…… as if some huge entity hidden beneath the sea of ages had risen unexpectedly, veiling the whole view!"

The stronger top-tier powers saw even more…… upon calculation, they could know that the source of this strange change came from the heavenly court!

Translation: "The stronger top experts saw even more…… upon calculation they could know that the source of this strange change came from the Heavenly Court!"

But, what of the heavenly court?

Translation: "But, what of the Heavenly Court?"

They struggle to perceive it clearly.

Translation: "They could not discern it clearly."

But it is Emperor Jun of Heaven.

Translation: "But it was Heavenly Emperor Di Jun."

At this moment his face showed an inexplicable expression, as if sighing yet also realizing, he muttered to himself, "The thirty‑three heavens……"

Translation: "At this moment his face showed an inexplicable expression, as if sighing yet also realizing, he muttered to himself, \"Thirty‑Three Heavens……\""

"My control over the thirty‑three heavens…… has been completely lost……"

Translation: "\"My control over the Thirty‑Three Heavens…… has been completely lost……\""

"I understand…… I now know where Hongjun's trump card is hidden……"

Translation: "\"I understand…… I understand where Hongjun's trump card is hidden……\""

"Truly…… the most dangerous place is the safest place……"

Translation: "\"Truly…… the most dangerous place is the safest place……\""

"No……"

Translation: "\"No……\""

"Wrong!"

Translation: "\"Wrong! \""

"All these years…… I've been sitting on the most dangerous place!"

Translation: "\"All these years…… I've been sitting on the most dangerous place! \""

The Emperor felt a chill run down his spine.

Nüwa looked at him, at first puzzled, then she lowered her head to scrutinize; using her present cultivation to peer into the Heavenly Court that had lost the Heavenly Emperor and enough demon race qi to conceal it, and with a certain unnamed Dao Ancestor no longer hiding, she naturally could gain something.

Upon seeing this, she was moved, she urgently shouted, transmitting her voice downward into the ears of the many leaders and powerhouses of the human race and the Wu Clan.

"Retreat quickly!"

The powerful ones were startled, and for a moment none of them reacted.

Naturally.

Even if they could react, it would already be too late.

Disaster has already descended!

In the next instant, everyone understood: how Hongjun, in ages past, had laid an ambush with what kind of lethal move, and furthermore, even while the gods forced him to seal himself in the Purple Sky Palace, and he scoured the world erasing traces of the Dao Ancestor, was the reason he could still deceive heaven and cross the sea.

Simply because……

The problem lay in the entirety of the Thirty-Three Heavens, which is the foundation where the Heavenly Court takes its stand!

At this moment, all the gods recalled the origin of this wondrous land of creation.

— That was, in former times, the Wu and Yao's 'joint military exercise': Xihuang and Nüwa fought side by side, each commanding the heavenly stars and Pangu's true form, launching heavy punches at the Dao Ancestor who sought to be the oriole.

At that time, the Dao Ancestor wielded the Jade Disc of Creation, opening up a heavenly realm as a means of resistance… yet he still could not prevail, and finally retreated in disgrace.

That heavenly realm later became……the foundation of the Heavenly Court!

And at this moment.

The entire heavenly realm is now……collapsing!

A blurry figure condensed in the core of the heavenly realm, indifferently gazing at the world; a hint of will coalesced, locking onto a certain target, leaving no escape above or below——this is the absolute suppression of cultivation!

Even to this day, in the years when Pangu does not appear, the Dao Ancestor's cultivation achievements remain topmost—except for Nüwa who later caught up, no one else can stand beside him!

Even if the Dragon Ancestor secretly snatched many achievements, the same holds true!

Therefore, upon sensing the locked-on Dragon Ancestor Great Sage, he could only utter a futile lament.

"Hongjun!"

"You have such a ruthless heart!"

The Dragon Ancestor roared, leading the entire clan into battle.

There was no way.

Under the lock of a single will, the entire dragon kind became the target of the Absolute Kill strike!

"Cang, you are wrong."

An ancient, vicissitudinous Daoist resonance sounded: "I am merely correcting an error in a procedure."

"Rapidly bred dinosaurs, destroying balance, contrary to the human way……a great cleansing, I hope you can recognize the error."

(End of chapter)