Chapter 794: Sects in Conflict, a Starship Arrives

Dan Gu Chenzi's face darkened as he muttered, "Only three people may obtain the Immortal Divine Herb!"

Xue Mo Jie the Old Devil cackled, sneering at the people on the Immortal Divine Tree below: "Only three shall live!"

The three exchanged glances, each seeing murderous intent in the others' eyes.

Xue Mo Jie the Daoist said nothing and flew down from the Immortal Divine Tree.

Soon he returned, holding a prayer bead, showing it to the two: "I asked Zhu Master Zhutanmo! The Buddhist sects will not join this struggle for the Immortal Divine Herb, but they wish to examine a stone disc—the very one once embedded in my abdomen!"

"That is…" the Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu frowned slightly.

Xue Mo Jie the Daoist smiled faintly: "I refused. I told him that object will eventually be thrown back into the Blood Sea—let him fetch it himself if he has the guts."

Dan Gu Chenzi also received his reply: "The Shenshao Sect will watch from the sidelines, but they wish to know how to sacrifice to the Azure Heaven. Master Sun En need not seek this Immortal Herb, but he desires the Stain of Heaven."

"Bold indeed!"

The Hong Xuesheng Devil raised his thumb in admiration: "Sun En has more courage than any of our demonic sects! I've long heard he inherited the Wei Taiping Dao's grand ambition—'The Azure Heaven is Dead'—and seeks to replace Heaven itself. I never thought he'd dare act on it."

"To receive the Stain of Heaven is to become the Lord of the Universe; to receive Heaven's ill omen is to become the Heavenly Emperor!"

"Does such a thing as the Stain of Heaven even exist?"

Xue Mo Jie the Daoist blinked in surprise: "Could he be after those leftover leaves from when Heaven was wiped clean?"

Dan Dan Chengzi sighed again: "We have no authority over such matters. That stone disc? The Stain of Heaven? All belong to Yan Yan Shixie!"

"This Immortal Divine Herb's refinement relied heavily on his efforts. We contributed little beyond a few auxiliary materials. If we cannot shield him from these troubles, I'll have no face left to show my fellow Shaoying disciples!"

The Hong Xuesheng Devil said coolly: "You contributed nothing. I've already staked half my life."

Dan Gu Chenzi mused: "You've had half your life sealed in the future? Then doesn't that mean this half you still have can be sacrificed?"

The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu raised an eyebrow, his gaze commanding without anger: "Old Dan, what are you thinking?"

"You've been the most useless of us all on this journey!"

The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu pointed angrily…

Dan Gu Chenzi pondered briefly, then transferred all the Doushigong disciples deep into the Lingbao Danlu, added Ling Gong as well, rolled up his sleeves, and declared: "I'm going all out now! May all fellow sects recognize the danger and withdraw—don't force me to commit too many killings…"

"Don't fool yourself! If you'd quietly refined it, maybe you could've gambled they'd fear offending your Daoist sect."

"But with all this commotion, if I weren't involved, I'd already be ready to turn on you!"

The Hong Xuesheng Devil suddenly chuckled: "Fortunately, that old devil from Mo Shi Zong met with terrible misfortune—he's reportedly been chosen by the Yu Jiuyou Demon Zangshan Laozu to fill the front lines of the Yu Jiuyou and Xuantian conflict! Now, I alone speak for the demonic sects."

"The Zhuan Jin Chuan Sect is mysterious, cold, and detached—they likely don't care about the Immortal Divine Herb."

"The Zhu Wuchang Sect has gone searching for their sect's treasure, the Nine Springs!"

"But the demons I've heard from say the underground does hold the Nine Springs—but they've merged into the Wangchuan, and from our demonic Blood Sea's creation, formed a terrifying array! If he dares disturb the Nine Springs, then… Heihei …"

"The ancient Wu Jiao elders have gone to sacrifice to the old gods!"

"No one knows if the Ganshi Sect has infiltrated, but given the scale of this tomb, they'd never miss it—since they haven't appeared, they've probably found something huge!"

The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu laughed: "I hope they all meet disaster and die to the last!"

"Only the Pure Land and Vinaya sects have come from Buddhism, led by Moon Branch Bodhisattva Zhu Master Zhutanmo. Given our past ties, they're no threat."

"The Cold Moon Palace's madwomen seem allied with the Great Radiance Palace!"

"But the Cold Moon Immortal's emergence makes their stance suspicious—her sect's orthodox faction likely wants to welcome her back, yet the second mistress who came—I know her well—Cold Moon Palace has always been known for its eccentric women, and this second mistress is among the most unhinged of them!"

"This woman will never sit idle!"

Dan Gu Chenzi analyzed: "No Penglai starship has appeared—they've probably gone searching for the lost relics of the Immortal Qin. They're always obsessed with such things."

"The Shenshao Sect is friendly with our Daoist sect—I still have enough face to keep them from acting. The Southern Jin clans and the Yuan Shi Dao Academy are nearly one and the same—they dare not act against us, lest they offend Doushigong. Northern Wei is much the same; their Cao family, clinging to their status, trembles in fear—this Immortal Herb is a death sentence to them!"

"If Sun En doesn't act…"

"The Fengwen Tower, Minghai Alliance, Hundred Herbs Sect, Shennong Hall, Jin Wu Sect, Danxia Sect—all are merchants! But merchants are most prone to foolishness—stay alert, but they won't dare openly attack."

"Then there are the overseas immortals like the Three Friends of the East Sea… Heihei … their hearts have no scale—if they were nearby, they'd strike. But they lack magic treasures—no one like Great Friend True Person or the Dragon-Fishing Elder is a threat."

"As for the Qitian Sect, True Water Palace, Yunxiao Palace, Nine Palaces City, Golden Court Jade Spring, Xuanzhen Taiyi Sect, Wu-Wu Yue Sword Pavilion, Xiao Xie Xuan Kong Tianxing Gate, Luo Fu Sect, Qingxu Mountain, Kunming Sect—all these inland and overseas immortal clans."

"To be honest, a few may harbor Nascent Soul True Immortals, but few dare bring out their sect's treasured artifacts."

"Old Dan, all your analysis is useless. When the sects' treasures entered the Gui Xu, there were over twenty—some, like the Great Radiance Palace's Rift-Mountain Black Whale, were just fillers, ancient aberrations who achieved the Ten Thousand Kalpas Unblemished state!"

"At most, ten will dare strike us!"

"Nascent Soul beings without magic treasures mean nothing to you or me."

"I've already seen Nascent Soul True Immortals slip away—they've likely changed their appearance."

"These cowards, even if they wield magic treasures, can only strike once—any second strike will expose them. They dare not provoke Shaoying, Doushigong, and the three titans of our Blood Sea Dao—orthodox and demonic alike!"

Dan Dan Chengzi asked: "So?"

"So?" The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu laughed loudly: "Strike first! Make those who promised to stand down leave, then force the rest to choose—those who refuse to retreat are enemies!"

Saying this, he flung out eight banners, each bearing a divine demon, fierce and majestic.

One, a body of white bone, its spines grotesque like a demonic beast;

One, standing on a red lotus, eight arms extended, four faces turned to the four directions, dancing wildly in karmic flames;

One, like a nine-headed lion with a human body, each lion head biting a human skull, its fur dark red, floating like flames;

One, a demonic Buddha embracing two incomparably beautiful consorts, a thousand hands holding countless magical artifacts;

Alongside them, the Arm-Extending Demon Monkey, the Floating Pagoda Demon Elephant, the Soul-Devouring Taotie, and the Four-Armed Demon Steed—four beast-bodied demons—emerged from the banners, each manifesting as immortal, indestructible divine-demonic bodies.

"The Eight Demon Heavenly Banner!"

Xue Mo Jie the Daoist suddenly shuddered.

Each was a former demonic elder who had achieved the Immortal Demon Body, forged into a treasure by demonic masters—those who escaped became true demonic seeds; those who didn't became part of this magic treasure.

He, Xue Mo Jie the Old Devil, had cultivated the Prison-Subduing Demon Dragon Elephant—if not for Yan Shu's Immortal Herb trading his freedom, this Eight Demon Heavenly Banner would have become the Nine Demon Heavenly Banner!

No wonder the Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu feared no Nascent Soul being without a magic treasure—when unfurled, this banner summoned eight Nascent Souls, even forming the Eight Demon Overturning Heaven Array, unleashing boundless tribulations of immense power!

"The Blood Sea Dao is stingy!"

Dan Gu Chenzi sneered: "Either bring out your sect's true treasure—the Great Asura Banner forged from the four Asura clans who rebelled against the Blood Sea Demon Zangshan Laozu—or are you just trying to scare us with this imitation?"

He then slapped the Danlu, and one of Doushigong's three great magic treasure furnaces suddenly spat out nine crimson dragons, circling the furnace.

Each was an ancient Yan dragon, though manifested from nine primordial and post-primordial fire seeds—Nanming Li Fire, Solar Taiyin Zhenhuo, and others—they had also been infused with the souls of nine ancient heavenly dragons by Doushigong's elders, radiating boundless heat, each as potent as a Nascent Soul.

And this was merely a fraction of the treasure's power…

The Hong Xuesheng Devil suddenly transformed into a demon banner at his feet, its surface teeming with countless wailing ghosts and spirits—his own primordial spirit forged into a magic treasure: the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.

Nine demon banners converged, forming a great array, and the nine demons, carrying the array, dove down, tearing open a sect's encampment in a single strike.

"Blood Sea friends, wait! We're leaving now…"

That overseas immortal sect was likely the Golden Court Jade Spring's Nascent Soul True Immortal, who raised a magic treasure to gather his dozen disciples.

But the Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu laughed coldly: "Too late!" He tore away the treasure's aura and snatched half the disciples, tossing them into the nine demons' mouths to crunch.

Blood splattered; the sound of bone and flesh grinding sent chills down the spine.

The Nascent Soul screamed and fled with the remaining disciples…

Instantly, many immortal sects retreated.

The Hong Xuesheng Devil laughed, spat out the Golden Court Jade Spring disciples—they screamed and transformed into demonic heads, flying to merge into the great array.

Unless one cultivates true demonic form, one is doomed to eternal damnation.

The Clan Chronicles, Ice Well Terrace, Yellow Heaven Jade Court, Rift-Mountain Black Whale, Ancient Moon Palace, Nine Heavens Thunder Palace's True Form Map, and other magic treasures withdrew with their bearers.

Instantly, the Nascent Souls on the Immortal Divine Tree split into two factions.

Some decisively withdrew; others on the tree remained, wavering…

Dan Gu Chenzi sank his magic treasure furnace, and the Yan dragon formed from Solar Taiyin Zhenhuo opened its mouth and drained the flames from a golden pavilion shimmering with countless treasures.

The countless treasures sank and coalesced into a single seal, which fell, reinforcing the iron pavilion's golden radiance—but it could not escape the furnace's suction.

A Nascent Soul clad in golden robes burst from the pavilion: "Stop burning! I withdraw my Jin Wu Sect!"

He grumbled: "Doushigong, you've allied with demons—you've thrown away all pretense of being a Daoist leader!"

Dan Gu Chenzi's face darkened; the other eight fire dragons flew out, circling the iron pavilion, their mountain-sized eyes staring through its windows and doors at the trembling Jin Wu disciples inside.

The Nascent Soul True Immortal immediately bowed: "I was wrong! Please, friend, show mercy…"

Dan Gu Chenzi's five fire dragons coalesced into a giant hand and hurled the Jin Wu's iron pavilion far away.

After Dan Gu Chenzi acted, even more magic treasures withdrew.

Those mere magical artifacts fled even faster—the Hong Xuesheng Devil had already slaughtered three sects without magic treasures to defend them, even imprisoning a Nascent Soul True Immortal within the Nine Demon Overturning Heaven Array.

The nine immortal demonic beings flipped within the array.

Each flip turned the array upside down; each time, the Nascent Soul True Immortal was pressed deeper, the array opening another layer of demonic hell, directly reaching Avici—terrifying the Nascent Soul into begging for mercy.

Yet he was slowly crushed into the Avici Hell…

Now, only four or five magic treasures remained, each hovering on a branch of the Immortal Divine Tree, utterly unafraid of the combined might of the two supreme orthodox and demonic lineages.

A jade vase hung high on a branch of the Immortal Tree, its pure light cascading down, white lotuses blooming.

Such a Dao-Buddhist cultivation path clearly belonged to a disciple of the Southern Sea's sacred Mount Luojia Mountain.

A cold female voice spoke softly: "Regardless of others, I fear not your Blood Sea demons—or Doushigong. Others seek your elixirs and grant you face—but Mount Luojia Mountain finds your arrogance intolerable!"

Dan Gu Chenzi sneered: "Lingshan Longnu, do you dare speak? Your sister, Cihang Dao Ren, might."

Another magic treasure was a great bronze drum, atop which stood a barbarian with a copper forehead and iron skull, his body covered in tattoos, radiating ferocity—he glanced coldly at the nine demonic figures.

The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu frowned, unusually: "When did the Jiuli divine clan arrive? Does a divine clan truly care about this Immortal Herb?"

The Jiuli Great Shaman spoke indifferently: "There never was a Jiuli divine clan—only a few surviving tribes, clinging to life, called the Jiuli tribes. I only ask: where is the Ten Thousand Gods Cave? Where is the Warlord's Temple?"

The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu roared: "If you want the Ten Thousand Gods Cave, go back!"

The Great Shaman remained calm: "I divined the Warlord's rebirth. I joined forces with several other sects to pierce through the Gui Xu—how many dangers did we face? How could I turn back? I heard you cultivators all crave the Immortal Herb, so I intend to seize one. If someone will guide us to the Warlord's Cave, we'll gladly hand over this Immortal Herb!"

"You Jiuli tribe—you steal my things to buy off others!"

The Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu immediately turned hostile, summoning the Nine Demons to surround and attack, while the Great Shaman beat the bronze drum, the sound of slaughter rising deafeningly, utterly unafraid of the Nine Demons' encirclement.

On another branch stood two Primordial Spirit True Immortals, jointly activating a magic treasure resembling a spiritual disc.

Facing off against the two Flame Dragons.

These were the Two Elders of Great Wilderness Mountain in the Eastern Extreme, whose Zi-Wu Magnetic Cosmic Spirit Disc, though inferior to Dan Dan Chengzi's Spirit Treasure Dan Furnace, was no weaker than the Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu's Nine Demons Banner…

The ones protecting the Penglai disciples were another great sect of Yingzhou—the Ten Thousand Gods Palace.

It was said to have been formed by the exiled Wu gods and barbarian deities driven out of Zhongtu and several other continents, recognizing Penglai's Three Islands and the Yingzhou Sect as their leaders.

Legend says these barbarian spirits managed to establish contact with the Heavenly Court, rendering great service during the campaign against the Immortal Qin, thus gaining respite and tacit approval from the Upper Realm to spread their teachings.

They activated an ancient jade hook, firmly guarding a branch of the Immortal Tree.

The final sect activated an ancient bronze cauldron; its Primordial Spirit True Immortal belonged to the previously seen Overseas Praying Heaven Sect from the Jiazi Sea Market.

Within the bronze cauldron resided a deity, who faintly opened its eyes, glanced at this place, then closed them again in weariness.

The Praying Heaven Sect's Primordial Spirit stood on guard, yet its gaze was fierce, fixed on Yan Shu, who sat cross-legged before the jade tripod atop the Immortal Tree, a flicker of greed flashing in its eyes!

The Jiuli Great Shaman, half-naked, stood atop the bronze drum, battling the Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu.

The two sides clashed in hand-to-hand combat.

Though the demons on the other side had nine pairs of limbs, and some even more, the Great Shaman danced wildly upon the drum, feet pounding its surface, unleashing waves of slaughterous sound, while his hands unleashed terrifying combat arts—his martial skill was terrifyingly formidable.

Combined with his surging blood qi and immensely powerful body, he held his own against the Nine Demons in a brutal stalemate.

At that moment, a dark, heavy iron whip, curled by an elephant trunk, struck the Great Shaman's back.

The Great Shaman cried out in pain!

His entire body's tattoos, washed by blood qi, nearly came alive; his battle fury surged even higher…

After his sneak attack, Blood Xiao Xie swiftly withdrew, but the Mountain-Driving Whip he held was now targeted by another— a jade hook sliced through the air, aiming for the whip in his hand.

Within the Ten Thousand Gods Palace's Primordial Spirit, twelve deities resided; now united, they pulled at Blood Xiao Xie's Mountain-Driving Whip, causing it to tremble violently, nearly slipping from his grasp.

"You vile thief! How dare you plot to seize the Jade Family's Spirit Treasure? I shall now act in Heaven's name, reclaim this artifact, and return it to Jade Jing Shan!"

The Primordial Spirit's face glowed with strange light, staring fixedly at the Mountain-Driving Whip.

Blood Xiao Xie, the Fu Fu Lao Mo, merely sneered: "If you'd truly wanted to be the Jade Family's dog, why didn't you act earlier?"

The Primordial Spirit's expression flickered slightly—so many Spirit Treasures had targeted Jade Jing Shan before; how could he have dared to step forward then? Now, though the Doulu Palace and Blood Sea sects appeared fierce, they had already angered countless sects and immortal clans.

The reason no one had yet risen against them was not because they were respected, but because both sects had powerful patrons behind them—others feared retaliation for old grudges.

But now, striking at them, the other immortal clans would likely be glad to watch.

The Ten Thousand Gods Palace understood shifting tides best; thus, it stepped forward without hesitation, becoming the first… now the fourth… to challenge the hegemony of these two sects!

After being gravely wounded, the Great Shaman was knocked off the bronze drum by the Hong Xuesheng Zangshan Laozu's Nine Demons merging into one, performing a sky-reversing somersault. Yet the Jiuli tribesmen, all born warriors, still fought fiercely under the drum's protection, shielding the Great Shaman.

After the Hong Xuesheng swallowed seven or eight Jiuli tribesmen into his demonic array.

The Great Shaman struggled to his feet and said to the Hong Xuesheng: "Return my people, and I shall withdraw immediately!"

The Hong Xuesheng had no desire to provoke these divine bloodlines, and knew they kept their word; he released the Jiuli tribesmen from his demonic array. The Great Shaman stepped down from the Immortal Tree atop the drum, gazing at the Spirit Treasures clashing above, sighing softly.

"Our Jiuli have declined too long, content to linger in the Southern Wilderness Continent. Though our bloodline endures, the younger generation grows ever farther behind these Zhongtu Daoist and Demon sects!"

"O Great Shaman! When will your indestructible body be reunited, so you may be resurrected and lead us once more to conquer the Divine Court?"

After the Jiuli bronze drum, the Mount Luojia Mountain jade vase was also smashed down by the Doulu Palace's dan furnace.

The Pure Good Dragon Maiden angrily cried: "Doulu Palace! Don't you think you're being too tyrannical?"

"The Immortal Medicine was painstakingly refined by our Doulu Palace, after we persuaded a True Person from Shaoqing to assist!"

Dan Gu Chenzi coldly replied: "What merit have you shown to dare covet it? Pure Good Dragon Maiden, your father is the Southern Sea Dragon King, yet you joined Mount Luojia Mountain. Master Cihao claimed he took you as a disciple on behalf of his master—but in truth, he taught you himself! By that reckoning, you're still my junior…"

"Your dragon clan threw all its strength here, yet we shattered the Ancient Dragon City and drove you away in disgrace!"

"Now, with nothing but a borrowed Spirit Treasure and the name of Mount Luojia Mountain's Bodhisattva lineage, you dare challenge the Doulu Palace?"

Both sects were cast down from the Immortal Tree; seeing the tide turn, the Ten Thousand Gods Palace once again considered withdrawing.

The Two Elders of Great Wilderness Mountain, surrounded by nine Flame Dragons, sat calmly, unmoving—no one knew what backing they had. The Praying Heaven Sect also did not join the assault on Dan Gu Chenzi and his two companions; the deity within merely closed its eyes in indifference, its intentions unknown.

At that moment, a roaring surge of waves rushed toward them.

A colossal wave, propelled by an object piercing the sky, slammed into Western Kunlun Xu. Outside the lone island where Western Kunlun Xu stood, a massive vessel—equal in size to the Immortal Tree, shrouding nearly half of Western Kunlun Xu—descended from the heavens.

A mysterious figure, masked in bronze, stood at the ship's prow, coldly gazing at all present…

The Ten Thousand Gods Palace's Primordial Spirit saw it and cried out in delight: "It's a Penglai elder! The Zhou Tian Starship has arrived!"