The Underworld Shocks the World

During these years, we have eliminated thirteen Great Saint henchmen of the Divine Ruins. Several Great Saints have formed teams to monitor the Divine Ruins in the Big Dipper Star Domain, maintaining constant contact.

They watched the Divine Ruins' every move from afar. If any cultivator emerged from the Divine Ruins, they would not escape the eyes of several Great Saints.

Furthermore, each time a henchman of the Divine Ruins was discovered, several Great Saints would encircle and annihilate them. Unless protected by an Emperor Weapon, people from the Divine Ruins would have no chance of escape.

We have also investigated more than half of the pond where the master of the Demonic Cultivation Method resides. According to the Great Saints, they easily found many traces of the Demonic Cultivation Method by following the guidance of the cultivators who defected to them.

Based on this, they have drawn a map of the Starry Sky, where each dark spot represents a star polluted by the Demonic Cultivation Method.

After years of development, our methods for dealing with the Divine Ruins have become systematic and diverse. Many countermeasures have been devised to counter the master of the Demonic Cultivation Method.

"Good, continue as you are. If the Divine Ruins make any significant moves, report them promptly and prepare for evacuation."

Zhang Huan cautioned them to be extremely careful, as he was about to go out.

If the master of the Demonic Cultivation Method could no longer bear it and suddenly attacked with an Emperor Weapon while the Great Saints were unprepared, the Demonic Court could be wiped out in one fell swoop. This was something that had to be guarded against.

The Demonic Court still lacked the most top-tier foundation. Zhang Huan could not always be stationed at headquarters. If there was an Emperor Formation to protect it, there would be no worries.

Using the grand cosmic forces as a formation, Zhang Huan concealed the star where the headquarters was located and quietly departed.

Having reached the Quasi-Emperor realm, one is already close to the pinnacle of the cultivation path. Advancing further is extremely difficult, unless aided by a fortunate encounter. Otherwise, it is common to stagnate for a hundred years.

If one wishes to improve rapidly, finding opportunities is the optimal method. Zhang Huan's previous surge to the third heaven of the Quasi-Emperor realm had already exhausted his foundation.

If he wants to advance further quickly now, he can only rely on external forces to accumulate enough foundation for him in a short period.

Guided by his memory towards a coordinate, Zhang Huan's first stop was the Underworld.

In his memory, the Underworld had always harbored ambitions. They had meticulously planned in a certain battlefield, and their secrets were far more complex than they appeared.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, he would investigate thoroughly and then extort the Underworld. With a few more Corpse Pills, he was confident he could break through to the fourth heaven of the Quasi-Emperor realm.

The Underworld was a powerful entity, and the supreme elixirs they refined were extremely effective, even providing considerable help to Quasi-Emperors.

Without delay, Zhang Huan headed for the Canglan Star Domain.

This place had become a battlefield hundreds of years ago. Various forces poured in, each forming their own camps, investing immensely, and engaging in constant slaughter.

This frenzy was all for a celestial plant that could move heaven and earth, the Demon God Flower.

Even the Underworld was blinded by greed, with new resources and cultivators constantly pouring in. Major powers were fighting tooth and nail, and only recently had things calmed down, though friction still persisted.

This was one of the hottest spots in the universe, its fame no less than that of the ancient roads.

Here, Zhang Huan saw the banners of the various Great Saint lands of the Big Dipper. The Hegemon Body and the Golden Clan, encompassing almost all the top forces in the universe, were locked in a contest, with neither willing to back down for the Demon God Flower.

In the past, there were some smaller forces here. As time passed, they either withdrew or were gradually absorbed, leaving behind only behemoths.

The Underworld occupied an ancient star, exuding dense death qi, making it easy to identify. A Law Chain connected to a half-destroyed emerald ancient star.

Other forces were similar, occupying territories also connected to half-destroyed emerald ancient stars via Law Chains, mutually guarding the ruined planet.

On the half-destroyed ancient star at the center, several Supreme Emperor Weapon auras hovered, not interfering with each other, as if a tacit understanding had been reached, coexisting harmoniously.

"This is where the Demon God Flower is located. It is about to mature!"

On the planet, besides cracked rocks and earth, only a four-colored divine flower drifted, scattering petals everywhere. It was nearing maturity, emitting a fragrance. Zhang Huan estimated it would fully mature within a few years.

Looking at the chaos in the star domain, with fragments of stars and traces of battles everywhere, even the habitat of the most important Demon God Flower was left in ruins. It was evident that the various forces had fought fiercely, almost obliterating the Demon God Flower itself.

This brutal battle, he wondered, was it related to the Supreme Emperor Weapon battles of previous years?

Regardless, the major powers seemed to have reached an agreement to protect the Demon God Flower, setting up some kind of restriction and leaving behind contingency plans to guard it together.

With Law Chains and the personal presence of Supreme Emperor Weapons guarding it, it was clear they had spared no expense to protect the Demon God Flower.

This way, it could be kept safe at least until the Demon God Flower matured.

However, he wondered how these forces would compete and determine the final winner.

Zhang Huan speculated.

Given the temperament and disposition of these forces, Zhang Huan felt that even if a victor emerged, it would not end peacefully. A world-shattering battle would likely erupt.

They were all capable of overturning tables and dared to do so. The current scene of mutual restraint was merely the calm before the storm.

Zhang Huan, hidden in the void, quietly approached the ancient star occupied by the Underworld.

Below was a Domain Gate that reached the sky, and a Five-Colored Altar covered more than half of the ancient star.

This was the Domain Gate used to receive Underworld cultivators. It matched the pair belonging to the Underworld, and the Law Symbols on it corresponded.

The rest of the area was where the cultivators resided. The Underworld had a strict hierarchy, with cultivators ranked according to their level. The lowest-ranked cultivators could only live in ordinary dwellings.

The higher the rank, the better the place of residence. Looking into the distance, in the deepest part, there were Great Saint-level fluctuations emanating from a palace, and there was more than one person.

Quasi-Emperor auras were not revealed.

Zhang Huan pondered. Given the Underworld's vast resources and foundation, it would be unreasonable if there were no Quasi-Emperors here.

Among the cultivators who had traveled with him earlier was a Quasi-Emperor from the Underworld, who had also carried an Emperor Weapon. That was over a decade ago.

By now, the Underworld's Quasi-Emperors must have been prepared. There must be some method for concealing their auras, which they simply had not revealed.

The atmosphere of the giant star had defensive formations. Trespassing casually would trigger an alert, so Zhang Huan remained in the void above the Underworld.

He looked around. He did not find the Mysterious Bird Egg, which he had heard about in the Underworld. It was likely being closely guarded by the Underworld's Quasi-Emperors. After all, it was of great importance and closely related to the Underworld's plans, so strict vigilance was understandable.

After waiting for a while, the Domain Gate on the planet began to glow. The Five-Colored Altar was receiving them, and Zhang Huan sensed that several people were rapidly traversing the void, being teleported over.

Their strengths varied, but they all came from the Underworld!

Most of them were Outer Saints who had joined the Underworld. They radiated vitality, unlike the native Underworld inhabitants who were shrouded in death qi, but their faces were etched with worry.

Before Zhang Huan had left the Underworld, someone had told him that the Underworld sent Outer Saints to the battlefield with a ninety percent probability. He had sensed that something was amiss.

After so long, they were still dispatching Outer Saints. Even someone who didn't know the inside story could sense the abnormality.

Zhang Huan separated a wisp of his spiritual soul and hid it in a small cauldron that could isolate spiritual sense. As these Outer Saints traversed the void, he used a divine technique to send it out. It was as fast as lightning, and he hid behind a Saint.

He didn't choose cultivators with too high a realm. Although they would know more, they would also be more likely to be exposed, which would be counterproductive and arouse the Underworld's suspicion.

This group of cultivators successfully arrived at the ancient star. As soon as they disembarked on the Five-Colored Altar, they were taken to the camp. Restrictions were placed on them, rendering them unable to resist, and they obediently carried out their assigned tasks.

As time passed, Zhang Huan learned much about the situation.

There was indeed an agreement between the major forces to select cultivators from two forces to fight a decisive battle on the battlefield at regular intervals. There were participants from all levels, the purpose of which was to deplete each other's resources and foundations.

Whichever side couldn't hold on would withdraw, otherwise, the cycle would continue.

It was a vicious scheme, forcing the major forces to suffer heavy losses even before the Demon God Flower matured, thus diminishing their strength when the time came to compete for it.

There was no doubt that the Underworld had initiated this rule.

Only they would treat the lives of high-level cultivators with such disregard. The Underworld had already fought several battles, suffering heavy losses, yet they continued to do so with relish.

The continuous fighting between the various factions caused too much damage. Some forces secretly began to throw matches, and the Underworld, knowing this, did not expose them, continuing to use Outer Saints to exchange for the lives of cultivators from other forces.

"What a dark heart."

Zhang Huan muttered to himself, "Not a single good person in the Underworld."

No wonder they sent Outer Saints to the battlefield; they were being used as expendable resources, unwilling to sacrifice their own Underworld Generals.

As soon as they arrived on the battlefield, they would be controlled, no different from War Slaves, only executing orders, with even their lives decided by others.

Looking across the void at the other forces, the fluctuations at the Great Saint level were not even enough to match the number of forces. They had likely been significantly depleted, not comparable to the Underworld's deep foundation.

This way, the Underworld's advantage would be even greater, as they already had an overwhelming advantage in terms of the number of cultivators compared to other forces.

Zhang Huan then looked towards the several Supreme Emperor Weapons on the central, broken planet.

"However, in the end, it still depends on the war between the Supreme Emperors."

Even if other forces were weakened, with the Supreme Emperor Weapons suppressing them, it wouldn't be easy for the Underworld to reap the final rewards.

Suddenly, Zhang Huan's gaze sharpened as he looked into the distance.

His gaze met with the Emperor Weapons and then looked into the deeper void.

Fragments of several shattered planets emitted Origin Arts auras that were imperceptible to ordinary people.

This is...

Zhang Huan concealed his presence and observed from up close. The fragments were empty, but at their core, he discovered some Origin Arts imprints.

Zhang Huan became vigilant. Someone had been here and carved these things. He couldn't discern their purpose; the divine patterns and symbols carved on them were simple, something a beginner could learn with diligent practice.

Following the trajectory of the Origin Arts, he discovered several more imprints. These, along with imprints in other directions, formed the hub of a grand Origin Arts formation that was constantly in operation.

It was alive, activated at some unknown time.

Zhang Huan scoured the star domain, carefully investigating each one. He discovered that the person behind this was extremely skilled, with a deeper understanding of the Dao of Origin Arts than Zhang Huan himself. If this Origin Arts formation, which covered an entire star domain, were a killing formation, its power would be terrifyingly infinite.

Studying every detail, he found that this Origin Arts formation had no offensive capabilities. It reached the pinnacle in isolating auras and spiritual sense. Its true purpose was to conceal another great formation.

Such a formation, merely used to deceive the eyes, had almost fooled even a Quasi-Emperor like Zhang Huan, who had profound attainments in Origin Arts. How terrifying must the formation it concealed be?

"So that's how it is. The Underworld's, a clever tactic."

Zhang Huan caught a trace of an aura similar to the formation on the ancient star occupied by the Underworld on the battlefield.

That formation concealed the most crucial array eye and shared the same origin as this super formation covering the star domain. Neither possessed offensive capabilities. Perhaps it was the key to controlling the formation.

When the Demon God Flower matured, the major forces would turn their attention to the center and rush to seize it. At that time, the Underworld would unleash the formation they had long prepared...

The Underworld dared to prepare so stealthily, clearly intending to achieve something grand, not even putting several Emperor Weapons in their eyes. Such madness suggested they might be hiding a true Emperor Formation.

There might be other hidden cards yet unknown, but the Underworld dared to do this, so they must have their reasons.

The thought alone was chilling. The Underworld's ambitions in this era were too astonishing, unprecedented.

No wonder they went to such lengths to deplete the major forces, using Outer Saints to sacrifice their lives. They intended to make everyone die in this star domain to achieve the Underworld's goals.

It was all a trap. The Underworld had long prepared everything. When the cultivators of the major forces fell into the trap, they would reveal their fangs at the most critical moment.

The meteorite beneath his feet suddenly reacted. White light erupted from the Origin Arts imprints, and it began to decompose, revealing a corner of a world-shattering killing formation. Zhang Huan retreated explosively.

In the distance, at the very center of the battlefield, where the Demon God Flower was located, tens of thousands of Law Chains pierced through heaven and earth, descending with divine light, dazzling and brilliant, illuminating the firmament!

No one expected the Demon God Flower to bloom at this moment.

Petal after petal unfurled, with thousands of auspicious colors and myriad rays of divine light, incredibly magnificent. Various ripples spread out, continuously evolving into the most fundamental Dao.

Divine light of four colors—wind, earth, water, and fire—intertwined on the flower, making it radiant and dazzling. Flower petals rained down, sparkling and crystal clear, with a pervasive fragrance.

Upon blooming, its fragrance became rich and intoxicating, captivating the mind. It contained the Dao power of heaven and earth, possessing remarkable spirituality and a strong life aura.

Several Supreme Emperor Weapons simultaneously revived, their imperial aura permeating the air. After a long wait, the final moment had arrived.

On the other side, within an ancient star occupied by the Underworld, several Quasi-Emperors revealed sinister smiles, their gazes fixed on the Mysterious Bird Egg covered in dark divine patterns.

The Mysterious Bird was originally an auspicious beast of heaven and earth, but now it exuded an evil aura, emitting the scent of death and decay. The black Dao patterns on its shell flickered as if breathing, indicating that this was no ordinary, lifeless egg.

"The Undead will possess the Mysterious Bird Egg, devouring and inheriting everything within it before the life inside is even born."

A Quasi-Emperor cackled, his voice chilling and hoarse.

Although its Origin Source would be damaged, making it inferior to a true Mysterious Bird, by sacrificing the flesh and blood of countless great cultivators, it would transform into an Undead Mysterious Bird. Coupled with the Demon God Flower to complete its foundation and cultivation through secret arts, its potential would still be limitless.

This hard-won Ancestral Mysterious Bird Egg must be utilized well.

The Underworld's high-ranking officials, including the Lord, had placed great hopes on it.

They would not hesitate to offend some Supreme Dao forces for this. High-level cultivators in the universe primarily came from major powers, and now they were gathered together, all destined to become the Origin Source of the Undead Mysterious Bird.

If the Underworld could produce another Emperor, the myriad spirits of the universe would be within their grasp.

The world would become a paradise for the undead and ancient corpses, and ancient stars would once again witness scenes of ancient corpses rampaging without restraint. This was precisely what the Underworld Quasi-Emperors pursued.

From within the eggshell, a faint wail echoed, as if unwilling to dissipate, making a final desperate resistance. The golden Dao patterns had receded to the most fundamental core.

Alas, no one responded to it, and the Quasi-Emperors laughed maniacally.

"With the Supreme Killing Formation brought from the Underworld, even an Emperor Weapon cannot escape unscathed, let alone..."

The Origin Arts formation shattered, shaking the Starry Sky. In the horrified gazes of everyone present, a complete Emperor Formation revealed itself.