Chapter 48

Li Peng knew that if the Three Pure Ones could withstand this move, he would have no choice but to use the Hunyuan Limitless Grand Unity Golden Immortal trial card. Taking a deep breath, he raised his greatsword and began charging power again. Yin-Yang Qi coiled around the blade as an immense, razor-sharp force erupted from within him. A moment later, he opened his eyes and swung. A massive sword qi wrapped in endless Yin-Yang Qi tore through the air.

Wherever the sword qi passed, space split apart. Laozi's Yin-Yang millstone was sent flying in an instant, while the intercepting sword qis unleashed jointly by Yuanshi and Tongtian shattered like Glazed Ware. The Three Pure Ones hurriedly activated the Heaven and Earth Golden Yellow Exquisite Pagoda for defense, but its barrier burst apart amid a thunderous boom. The sword qi pierced through their bodies, and their miserable cries echoed through chaos.

Laozi's legs were severed, Yuanshi was cut in half at the waist, and the right side of Tongtian's body was sheared away. Destructive sword qi lingered around their wounds, preventing them from regenerating. Without pausing, Li Peng leaped forward and swung again, aiming for the Three Pure Ones' heads. Just as his blade was about to fall, a figure suddenly appeared before them.

Li Peng did not need to turn around to know that the only one who would appear to save the Three Pure Ones at such a moment was Dao Ancestor Hongjun.

After all, aside from him, perhaps no one else cared whether the Three Pure Ones lived or died.

"Dao Ancestor Hongjun! What do you mean by this?" Li Peng asked with a dark expression.

"The Three Pure Ones cannot die." Dao Ancestor Hongjun's tone was calm.

"The Three Pure Ones joined forces with the demon clan against me and the human race. Now that they have lost, you tell me they cannot die? Do you think I, Li Peng, have no one behind me to rely on?" Li Peng retorted coldly.

At the same time, he silently recited in his heart, "Use the Hunyuan Limitless Grand Unity Golden Immortal trial card!"

"Ding! Hunyuan Limitless Grand Unity Golden Immortal trial card successfully activated! Countdown begins: 23 hours, 59 minutes, 12 seconds..."

As the countdown began, Li Peng's cultivation started soaring wildly.

From the Late stage Primordial Great Luo Golden Immortal, he broke through all the way to the peak of the Hunyuan Limitless Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm—the peak of the Heavenly Dao—before finally stopping.

As his cultivation surged, an incomparably terrifying aura erupted from him and swept through the surroundings without restraint.

The Three Pure Ones and the Western Second Saints all turned pale when they sensed this aura, terror filling their hearts.

Only then did they realize that Li Peng had not used his full strength at all. If he had truly fought seriously, they likely would have all perished in a single move.

For a time, both the Three Pure Ones and the Western Second Saints revealed deep fear in their eyes, secretly swearing never to become Li Peng's enemies again.

After hearing Li Peng's words and sensing the aura of someone at the peak of the Heavenly Dao, Dao Ancestor Hongjun could not help feeling helpless.

Judging from his aura alone, Li Peng had already reached the peak of the Heavenly Dao. The Yin-Yang Demon God behind him was likely no weaker than Hongjun.

Within the primordial world, Hongjun could still wield the strength of the peak Heavenly Dao by borrowing the power of the Heavenly Dao. But he did not dare wage war against the Yin-Yang Demon God here—it would surely bring about the destruction of the entire primordial world.

And within chaos, he could only exert the strength of the late Heavenly Dao. How could he contend with the Yin-Yang Demon God?

Seeing Li Peng's aura surge, Dao Ancestor Hongjun could only ask helplessly, "Then what will it take for you to spare the Three Pure Ones?"

Li Peng smiled faintly. "Since the Three Pure Ones were the ones who provoked this matter, and they have now been defeated, they should naturally compensate me."

"Say it. What do you want?" Dao Ancestor Hongjun asked through gritted teeth.

Li Peng knew that the time for bargaining had arrived.

Meanwhile, Li Wu's battle against the Zhou Tian Star Formation had already begun.

After several exchanges, both Di Jun and Li Wu had figured out each other's capabilities. The Zhou Tian Star Formation was vast and majestic, and in terms of sheer power, it far surpassed Li Wu. However, Li Wu was incredibly agile. The formation's attacks repeatedly missed him, while he shattered sections of the formation instead, causing the demon clan to suffer heavy losses.

Di Jun was quite helpless over this.

"Big Brother! Li Wu is far too sly. If we keep fighting like this, we won't determine a victor even after ten thousand years!" Eastern Emperor Tai Yi said angrily.

Di Jun frowned and sighed. "His movement technique is too agile. He is truly difficult to deal with."

Just as the two were at a loss, Bai Ze suddenly spoke. "Your Majesties need not worry. It is not difficult to force Li Wu into a direct confrontation."

Eastern Emperor Tai Yi hurriedly asked, "What brilliant plan do you have, Bai Ze?"

"I merely spotted one of Li Wu's weaknesses." Bai Ze smiled calmly.

Di Jun urged, "Speak quickly."

Bai Ze said bluntly, "Simply redirect the attacks toward the places where the human race is gathered. Li Wu will not dare evade and will surely step forward to protect them. Otherwise, the human race will suffer devastating casualties."

Upon hearing this plan, Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Tai Yi both felt that though vicious, it was indeed effective.

Having made their decision, Di Jun immediately redirected the attack. Meteorites condensed from the power of countless stars hurtled toward the human race's settlements.

Deafening explosions rang out one after another. Mountains and rivers crumbled, and river waters flowed backward. Spiritual roots and immortal herbs were utterly destroyed, while countless humans perished.

With that single strike, countless lives vanished in an instant!

In only a short while, a region stretching millions of miles before the Zhou Tian Star Formation had become a dead and silent wasteland, devoid of all life.

When Li Wu sensed the casualties Di Jun's attack had inflicted upon the human race, his eyes instantly turned bloodshot. He roared, "Di Jun, I will kill you!"

Before his words had faded, layers of blood-colored flames ignited around Li Wu, and his aura began climbing sharply.

In the blink of an eye, his aura had surged to the Peak early Saint stage.

Sensing Li Wu's change, Di Jun cried out in shock, "This madman is actually burning his blood essence? Is he trying to risk his life?"

Eastern Emperor Tai Yi merely sneered. "So what if he burns his blood essence? Can he break my Zhou Tian Star Formation?"

At that moment, Li Wu charged directly toward the Zhou Tian Star Formation.

Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Tai Yi both sneered. "Courting death!"

Immediately afterward, Di Jun controlled the formation and opened a gap, allowing Li Wu to rush inside.

Li Wu had no choice but to do this.

If Di Jun continued attacking with the Zhou Tian Star Formation, the human race's losses would become impossible to calculate.

To preserve more lives, he had no choice but to enter the formation and confront Di Jun and Eastern Emperor Tai Yi head-on.

Originally, he had intended to rely on hit-and-run tactics to delay things until his main body returned, but now he could wait no longer.

Wu Clan, Pangu Hall.

"This is simply unbelievable!" Zhu Rong said with a stunned expression. "Gonggong, hit me and see whether I'm dreaming."

A crisp slap rang out.

"That hurts! Who told you to hit my face?" Zhu Rong snapped angrily.

"Didn't you tell me to hit you?" Gonggong asked innocently.

"But I didn't say you could hit my face!"

"You didn't say I couldn't hit your face either."

The other ancestral witches ignored the two as they argued. Di Jiang wore a solemn expression as he said, "I believe more and more in the future Zhu Jiuyin foresaw."

As soon as he said this, all the ancestral witches fell silent. Even Zhu Rong and Gonggong quieted down.

Zhu Jiuyin asked, "Big Brother, do you mean we should first join forces with the demon clan and destroy the human race?"

Di Jiang hesitated for a moment before ultimately nodding.

The ancestral witches immediately erupted in uproar.

"I object!" one ancestral witch shouted. "The human race is tied to my younger sister's bloodline. I will never agree to attack the human race!"

"If we truly do that, how will Sister Houtu face us in the future?" Zhu Rong was the first to object.

"I object as well! The human race has never done anything to wrong the Wu Clan. Now that they are suffering a calamity, it would be bad enough if we did not help them. How can we kick them while they are down? I, Gonggong, will never do such a despicable thing." Gonggong rose to state his position.

"I object too! Our Wu Clan has always fought against heaven and earth. Since when did we need to rely on schemes and tricks to survive?" She Bi Shi said disdainfully.

In an instant, six ancestral witches rose one after another and voiced their opposition.

Such a fierce reaction caught Di Jiang completely off guard.

"We are all brothers and sisters. What is there that we cannot say openly?" Di Jiang forced a smile.

"I believe that even if the Wu Clan declines in the future, it will not have much to do with the human race. Just as the decline of the Three Precelestial Clans had nothing to do with our Wu Clan and demon clan," Xuan Ming said calmly.

Di Jiang's expression stiffened at her words. He already understood the deeper meaning behind them.

"Little Sister, what do you mean?" Di Jiang asked stiffly.

"From the future scenes Zhu Jiuyin revealed, the Wu Clan will ultimately suffer mutual destruction with the demon clan and follow the Three Precelestial Clans down the path of decline. What we should be discussing now is not how to deal with the human race, but how to preserve descendants for the Wu Clan and avoid the disaster of extinction," Xuan Ming said helplessly.

The ancestral witches all nodded in agreement. Di Jiang also abandoned the thought of attacking the human race.

Zhou Nei Si Lu

"Quick! Warriors, take the elderly and children and move at full speed! The demon clan could catch up at any moment. We must reach the Human Ancestral Land as soon as possible!" Tang Jun, leader of the Tang Clan Tribe, shouted urgently.

Before his words had faded, a gust of demonic wind suddenly swept in.

"Everyone, be on guard! The demon clan is here!" Tang Jun sensed the abnormality and immediately shouted.

The warriors sprang into action, quickly grabbing their weapons and forming a battle formation.

The moment the formation took shape, a chilling voice came from all directions.

"There's no need to run. Today, all of you will remain here and become our food!"

The humans' expressions turned grave as they looked around, yet they saw no trace of anyone.

"Petty demons who hide their heads and show their tails, and you dare play tricks here? Show yourselves if you have the guts!" Tang Jun roared.

"Hahaha! Since you asked us to come out, don't regret it!" a disdainful voice rang out from the sky.

In the blink of an eye, tens of thousands of demon clan members revealed themselves before Tang Jun and the others.

Seeing the despair on his clansmen's faces, Tang Jun immediately shouted, "Pull yourselves together! Even if we die, we'll take a few demons down with us!"

Hearing his cry, madness ignited in everyone's eyes. They had clearly resolved to fight to the death.

"You ants think you're worthy of dragging us down with you? A tiny tribe without even a single Golden Immortal dares speak such wild words?" the leading demon mocked.

Tang Jun and the others' hearts sank. Any demon who could see through their cultivation at a glance was surely far stronger than them. The momentum they had just gathered instantly collapsed again.

Just as Tang Jun was about to encourage his clansmen once more, vast swathes of white light suddenly descended from the sky and enveloped all the demons.

In the next instant, before the stunned eyes of the crowd, every demon turned to dust.

As the white light faded, a young man who resembled Li Peng appeared.

Everyone hurriedly bowed. "Thank you, Saint Father, for saving our lives!"

White Lotus Daoist had no interest in explaining. After all, being mistaken for his main body had become commonplace during this journey.

"Leave quickly. I still need to save other humans," he said calmly before vanishing from where he stood.

It turned out that Golden Lotus, Black Lotus, White Lotus Daoist, Kong Xuan, and the others had led the elites of the human race and Phoenix Clan in separate groups to rescue their people everywhere.

Within the Zhou Tian Star Formation.

The moment Li Wu entered the formation, he threw a punch forward with all his strength.

The fist imprint surged forth. Wherever it passed, space collapsed and stars shattered. Countless demon clan members had their souls annihilated in an instant, and the entire formation trembled.

"How can this strike be so terrifying?" Eastern Emperor Tai Yi exclaimed.

"He burned his blood essence, so this state cannot last long. We only need to stabilize the formation and delay him. Victory will belong to us," Di Jun analyzed calmly, continuously forming seals with his hands.

As the seals shifted, the Zhou Tian Star Formation began to turn.

A moment later, Di Jun shouted, "Zhou Tian stars, descend!"

Ancient stars each spanning millions of miles crashed down toward Li Wu.

Li Wu frowned tightly at the sight. The stars filling the sky were endless. If he remained entangled here, he feared that even after exhausting all his blood essence, he would not harm the demon clan in the slightest. Time was running out. He had to inflict severe damage on the demon clan within the limited time available, or burning his blood essence would be meaningless.

His gaze sharpened as the blood essence within him burned frantically. In an instant, a martial spirit billions of zhang tall, clad in a dragon robe, emerged from his body. It looked exactly like Li Wu. Deep blue flames burned around the martial spirit, and Li Wu's aura rose steadily, breaking through the Peak early Saint stage in an instant and reaching the Mid Saint stage.

Di Jun's face drained of color at the sight. Li Wu was actually burning his soul? Was he not afraid of having both body and soul destroyed? Eastern Emperor Tai Yi was likewise too shocked for words.

While the two were distracted, the billions-of-zhang martial spirit burning with deep blue flames transformed into a streak of light and charged straight for the core of the Zhou Tian Star Formation. Di Jun hurriedly swept his sleeve, sending countless ancient stars raining down upon the martial spirit. Yet the martial spirit ignored them and charged forward without hesitation.

The instant the martial spirit collided with the endless stars, it exploded with a deafening boom!

The stars shattered, space tore apart, and the entire Zhou Tian Star Formation shook violently, nearly collapsing. Di Jun spat out a mouthful of blood, clearly suffering internal injuries from the terrifying impact. The explosive aftermath swept outward from the center, and countless demon clan members wielding Star Banners were reduced to ash by the destructive energy.

Di Jun was frantic. If this power continued spreading, every demon present aside from the distant Grand Unity Golden Immortals would be annihilated. Gritting his teeth, he forced out a massive mouthful of blood essence and sprayed it onto the River Diagram and Luo Book.