Ren Xiaoyao knelt on the scorched earth, his fingertips caressing the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword that floated in his palm.
The Star Trails flowing across the surface of the armor suddenly reversed, and the brilliant golden light was instantly tinged with an eerie purple glow.
The illusory images of mountains and rivers on the blade of Houtu Creation Sword twisted as if they were alive, and even wisps of black mist seeped out.
His pupils constricted, and a low growl escaped his throat, "Not good!"
"An ant trying to shake a tree? How utterly laughable! Since time immemorial, only those of the True Emperor Bloodline have been fit to rule us!"
The roar erupting from the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor caused the rock layers of Tongtian Peak to fall in a flurry, and the chains hanging from the edge of the armor sprang up like living snakes, instantly wrapping around Ren Xiaoyao's neck.
The scalding runes burned his skin, and the air was filled with the smell of burning flesh, as if thousands of red-hot iron spikes were piercing his muscles.
The Houtu Creation Sword hummed as it hovered above his head, its blade radiating a burst of eerie blue light. The Pangu Phantom materialized from it opened its massive, fanged maw. "A mortal body dares to covet the Creative Power? I'll shatter your three souls and seven spirits first!"
Ren Xiaoyao flicked his finger on the sword hilt, and the Qilin Phantom roared as it burst from the ground. Crimson flames sizzled as they burned the Golden Chains, and Mars flew as the scorched earth instantly melted into Glazed Ice state.
"The gods choose their masters; how can it be determined by your will!"
He swung his sword at the Pangu Phantom, the Myriad Beast Power condensing into a blade of light at the tip of the sword. The moment it collided with the Chaos Qi, the space within Fang Yuan hundred miles shattered with a deafening roar.
Countless Space-time Fragments, like sharp glass, cut fine, bloody marks all over the two of them.
Ren Xiaoyao staggered half a step, his sleeve torn, blood trickling down his arm, staining the ground with hideous blood flowers. The blood flowers wriggled like living things, and were instantly scorched into black scabs.
"You damned bastard!"
The Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor suddenly split into countless stars, each carrying World-Ending Pressure as it fell.
Ren Xiaoyao stepped on the Bagua position, his longsword swirling with nine Sword Flower. Amidst the roars of tigers and the howls of dragons, nine beast-shaped phantoms rose into the air.
The White Tiger's phantom claws tore through a star, but the aftershocks caused it to dissipate, turning into specks of light.
The illusory image of the Azure Dragon spiraled upwards, its tail shattering three stars, and most of its scales peeled away, revealing its stark white bones.
Before he could catch his breath, Houtu Creation Sword activated the Earth Vein Power, and a deafening roar came from the bottom of Tongtian Peak. The mountain cracked open like tofu, and scalding magma gushed out, forming a wall of fire tens of meters high that surrounded him.
Suddenly, a mysterious crystal floating in the magma shot out, grazing past Ren Xiaoyao's ear like Hidden Weapon, scorching a deep hole in the rock wall that revealed bone. Wherever the crystal passed, the air emitted a piercing shriek, as if space itself was howling in pain.
"Even a cornered beast will fight!"
The Pangu Phantom swung its Giant Axe, and the dark blue Sword Qi it unleashed tore a gap in Ren Xiaoyao's defenses.
He staggered backward, his shoulder grazed by the Sword Qi, instantly revealing stark white bone, and the flesh at the wound strangely carbonized.
The chains of the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor seized the opportunity to wrap around his wrists, and the runes seeped into his blood, burning his vision until it went black. In his mind, he saw the tragic scenes of countless ancestors being devoured by divine objects.
" The Human Emperor sacrificed his Essence Blood back then; you are nothing more than tools for recognizing his master!"
Ren Xiaoyao suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, but a cold smile appeared in the blood mist. "Now you want to use the name of bloodline to deceive me? Dream on!"
Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly bit his tongue, spitting Essence Blood onto the longsword, Myriad Beast Totem to shine brightly.
As he formed the hand seal, the Spiritual Qi around Tongtian Peak converged wildly, forming a huge golden cage.
"Seal up!"
The cage crashed down, trapping the two treasures inside.
"A trivial skill!"
The Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor condensed Dazzling Light like the sun, and the Stellar Power collided fiercely with the prison runes, exploding into Heavenly Fire, each spark containing enough energy to destroy a city.
Not to be outdone, the Houtu Creation Sword transformed the illusory images of mountains and rivers on its blade into countless chains of earth veins, which entangled and strangled the golden light threads of the cage.
Ren Xiaoyao's face was ashen, his hands were bulging with veins from the excessive force, and blood dripped from the corner of his mouth down his chin, spreading into hideous blood flowers on the scorched earth. The blood droplets evaporated into wisps of blood mist the moment they hit the ground, outlining eerie runes in the air.
The battle reached its climax when the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor suddenly split into seven stars, forming the Big Dipper Formation. Each star released energy powerful enough to destroy a city.
Dark purple Destruction Patterns flowed across the surface of the star, and wherever it went, space crumbled as if corroded, revealing the pitch-black void behind it.
Houtu Creation Sword stirred up underground magma, creating a rolling sea of fire within the cage.
Huge bubbles rise from the magma from time to time, and when they burst, the liquid they spew out can melt through the rock instantly and even burn deep, bottomless holes into the ground.
Ren Xiaoyao was surrounded by dim beastly shadows, but he suddenly tore open his clothes, revealing the Myriad Beast Brand on his chest. "Ten thousand beasts, heed my command! With my flesh and blood as the catalyst, I borrow your divine power!"
In an instant, the roars of dragons and tigers echoed from the heavens, and countless phantom images of Divine Beast descended from the sky.
The Taotie Phantom opened its enormous maw to Devouring Stars. Each time it bit into a star, it produced a crisp sound like metal clashing against stone, while simultaneously converting the energy into its own shield.
The Phoenix phantom was reborn from the ashes, dispelling the sea of fire. Wherever its wings swept, the magma solidified into Ice Crystals, emitting a crisp cracking sound.
The Candle Dragon swayed its body, disrupting the earth's ley lines. Its tail swept across the rock face, leaving a ravine hundreds of meters deep from which a foul-smelling Black Liquid seeped.
Ren Xiaoyao's eyes gleamed with golden light as he thrust his longsword towards the center of the cage. " Myriad Beasts Return to Ruin, Heaven and Earth Fall Silent!"
The Sword Qi, containing the power to World Creation, exploded outwards and collided with the power of the two treasures.
Wherever the Sword Qi passed, space was forcibly reconstructed, forming countless miniature stars and phantom images of mountains and rivers.
"No--"
The two great wills roared in unwilling anger, the stars on the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor began to dim, and the illusory mountains and rivers of the Houtu Creation Sword gradually dissipated.
Despite the powerful backlash, Ren Xiaoyao continuously poured Sword Qi into the two treasures. His meridians felt like they were being burned by raging fire, and each movement of power was accompanied by the cracking sound of his bones dislocating, as if countless heavy hammers were pounding on his internal organs.
The Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor suddenly unleashed its final burst of intense light, the Star Trails transforming into chains that bound Ren Xiaoyao's legs, dragging him into the earth. "You dare to dream of subduing a divine artifact? Fall with me into the Endless Abyss!"
The Houtu Creation Sword transformed into a giant, dark blue python, opening its blood-red maw to bite at his throat.
The python's teeth dripped with corrosive venom; the ground sank rapidly upon contact with the venom, and plumes of poisonous smoke rose from it.
Ren Xiaoyao swung his sword sharply, severing the star chains binding his legs. At the same time, he circulated all the Spiritual Qi in his body, forming a Golden Shield in front of him.
The giant python's fangs slammed into the shield, sending sparks flying. The powerful impact forced Ren Xiaoyao to retreat, carving two deep furrows in the ground. Black Earth Vein Blood seeped from the furrows, mixed with broken runes that shimmered with a faint light.
"Having embarked on this path, I will never turn back!"
Ren Xiaoyao shouted loudly, plunged his longsword into the ground, and formed a complex hand seal with his hands.
The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi surrounding Tongtian Peak surged wildly, forming a huge Spiritual Energy Vortex.
His hair moved without wind, his clothes fluttered, and he seemed to be one with the world.
As he moved, countless golden rays of light shot out from the vortex, wrapping around the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword, as if shackles were being placed on the two divine objects.
The moment the light filament came into contact with the divine object, it emitted a sharp whistling sound as metal rubbed together. The sparks that flew out condensed in the air into ancient runes, and as the runes flickered, they faintly revealed a scene of an ancient God-Demon War between gods and demons.
The two great wills struggled fiercely, with the Stellar Power of the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Earth Vein Power of the Houtu Creation Sword constantly impacting the light shackles.
Ren Xiaoyao's face grew paler and paler, and large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, but his eyes became more and more determined.
"Quiet down!"
He roared, summoning the last of his strength to tighten all the light threads.
The light thread, like a fine needle, slowly pierced into the divine object. As the light thread penetrated deeper, the divine object seemed to feel immense pain, and it began to emit mournful cries. These cries were like thunderbolts, shaking the entire world and moving all who heard them.
The voice was filled with resentment and anger, as if the divine creature was lamenting its injustice and helplessness. It was unwilling to be eroded by the light threads, unwilling to have its power stripped away. However, no matter how it struggled, the light threads continued to penetrate relentlessly, devouring the divine creature's power bit by bit.
At the same time, Tongtian Peak also began to shake violently. This ancient mountain seemed to feel the pain of the divine creature, trembling along with its mournful cries, as if lamenting its fate. Boulders tumbled down the mountain, dust filled the air, and chaos reigned.
Just then, a clear, ethereal bell rang out between heaven and earth, as if it came from the depths of the universe.
The Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword trembled simultaneously, and the resistance of the two great wills suddenly became frantic.
"Impossible! Heavenly Dao will not allow Mortals like you to control us!"
The will of the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor let out a sharp scream, Stellar Power transformed into countless meteors, shooting towards Ren Xiaoyao.
The meteor trailed a long, dark purple flame, ionizing the air in its path into an eerie blue, accompanied by crackling electrical sounds.
Ren Xiaoyao showed no fear, his hands rapidly changing hand seals as he chanted, " Myriad Beast Power, condense!"
In that instant, time seemed to stand still, and countless beast shadows slowly emerged from the Void like ghosts. These beast shadows were of various shapes; some resembled ferocious lions, some resembled agile cheetahs, and some resembled enormous dragons. They gathered together to form an indestructible Beast Wall.
This Beast Wall, like an impregnable fortress, completely blocked the meteors falling from the sky. Each meteor struck the Beast Wall at an astonishing speed, producing a deafening roar and Dazzling Light. The light was like the sun exploding, instantly illuminating the entire night sky, making it impossible to look directly at it.
At the same time, a massive sonic boom was generated, and the shockwave swept in like a storm. The surrounding mountains seemed so fragile in the face of this powerful force; they were sheared in half, and rubble rained down like raindrops. Some of the rubble even caught fire in mid-air, blooming into brilliant sparks like fireworks.
Seeing this, the will of Houtu Creation Sword stirred up the Spiritual Qi of the earth's veins, causing the earth around Tongtian Peak to tremble violently. Countless sharp stone spikes burst from the ground, pointing directly at Ren Xiaoyao.
The stone spikes were covered in eerie green runes. Even before they got close, Ren Xiaoyao's skin began to show signs of burning, and he also smelled a pungent sulfur odor.
From the depths of the earth came a roar like an ancient beast awakening. A river of lava gushed out from the cracks in the rock spikes, condensing in mid-air into burning fire Fire Snakes. The scales of the Fire Snakes were covered with patterns resembling human faces, each face emitting a shrill scream, a heart-wrenching sound, as if telling of endless suffering.
"Snort!"
Ren Xiaoyao snorted coldly, and the Myriad Beast Totem on his body shone brightly, while a huge Beast Form Array appeared beneath his feet.
" Beast Transformation!"
With a low shout, he instantly transformed into a gigantic divine Divine Beast, exuding an aura of majesty.
The scales of the Divine Beast shimmered with seven-colored light, each scale containing a different Power of Principle.
It swung its sharp claws, smashing all the stone spikes to pieces. The claws sliced through the void, leaving behind Space Cracks from which Chaos Qi continuously surged.
At the same time, it spewed out a golden flame, shooting it towards the Houtu Creation Sword.
The raging flames, like demons, devoured everything in their path. The air, scorched by the intense heat, seemed to lose its original form, twisting into enormous vortexes that spun wildly.
Even the spatial barriers couldn't withstand the terrifying flames, being burned into countless honeycomb-like holes. These holes resembled wood eroded by termites, densely packed and chilling.
From these holes, Chaos Qi continuously surged forth, like black torrents sweeping away everything around it. The Chaos Qi was also mixed with a nauseating stench, an indescribable stench, as if it came from the depths of hell.
Seeing that the situation was not good, the two great wills began to merge their powers.
The Stellar Power in the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Earth Vein Power in the Houtu Creation Sword intertwined, forming a huge Chaos Vortex from which came terrifying roars.
" Mortals, feel the true power of this divine artifact!"
The merged wills let out a triumphant laugh, and a beam of light containing world-destroying power shot out from the vortex.
Wherever the beam of light passed, spacetime was forcibly folded, and half of the distant mountains were instantly erased, revealing their burning cores.
Countless runes flowed across the surface of the pillar of light, each representing a Principle of destruction. As the runes flickered, the surrounding space began to distort and deform, and time itself became chaotic. In some places Time Flow Rate accelerated, while in others, time seemed to stand still.
Ren Xiaoyao's expression was solemn; he knew this was the final, crucial moment.
He took a deep breath and mobilized all the power within him— the Myriad Beast Power, his own cultivation, and the Spiritual Qi he had gained from communicating with heaven and earth—all converging at his fingertips.
At the same time, the Myriad Beast Brand on his chest glowed with Blood Light, forcibly condensing the aura of Spiritual Beasts within Fang Yuan miles, and countless beast shadows appeared in the sky, forming a huge energy matrix.
The beastly figures let out a deafening roar, their voices containing the power to World Creation, causing the surrounding air to buzz and even scattering the distant clouds.
"Break!"
He shouted, and a dazzling beam of light shot from his fingertip, colliding with the Chaos Pillar of Light.
The moment the light collided with the beam of light, the world seemed to stop breathing.
A massive energy surge spread outwards, shattering space and distorting time wherever it reached.
Ren Xiaoyao's Divine Beast body disintegrated under the impact, with scales falling off like rain. Each scale made a crisp sound as it fell off, and golden blood flowed out, forming dazzling trails in the air.
But he gritted his teeth and persisted, spraying even more of his Essence Blood into the pillar of light.
As each drop of Essence Blood was absorbed, phantom images of galloping beasts gradually emerged within the pillar of light, engaging in a fierce battle with the Primordial Chaos power.
Each collision of the myriad beast phantoms caused spatial tremors, and the distant space began to collapse, forming Black Hole that devoured everything. Strange sounds emanated from these Black Hole, as if countless wronged souls were wailing.
Finally, under Ren Xiaoyao's full-force attack, cracks began to appear in the Chaos Pillar of Light.
"No! This is impossible!"
The merged wills let out a terrified scream.
As the crack widened, the pillar of light shattered with a deafening roar, and the will of the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword also completely dissipated under this powerful impact.
Before dissipating, the two Dao Intent let out unwilling roars, and the resentment contained in their voices transformed into black lightning, outlining a ferocious Totems in the sky.
Where the black lightning struck, a huge, charred crater formed in the ground. Black smoke billowed from the crater, and from the smoke came the wails of countless wronged souls. The wails echoed throughout Tongtian Peak, sending chills down one's spine.
As the smoke cleared, Ren Xiaoyao transformed back into human form and staggered to the two divine artifacts.
He reached out and grasped the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword. At that moment, the two divine artifacts finally fell silent, emitting a soft light, as if acknowledging their new master.
Ren Xiaoyao looked at the divine artifact in his hand and revealed a tired smile. This thrilling battle for the divine artifact had finally come to an end.
His body was covered in wounds, each Dao Wound telling a story of the fierce battle. His clothes were tattered and stained with blood and dirt.
However, just as he was preparing to recover, a strange pulse suddenly came from the depths of Tongtian Peak.
Dark purple mist seeped from the cracks in the destroyed mountain. Wherever the mist passed, black vines sprouted anew from the scorched earth, and the vines were covered with fruits that shimmered with an eerie light.
The fruits seemed to be alive, constantly twisting and deforming in the mist, emitting a teeth-grinding friction sound.
Ren Xiaoyao gripped his two treasures warily. The mist condensed into a blurry human face, emitting a hoarse laugh, "Young man, do you think you can control divine objects by obliterating will? The secrets of Imperial Heaven and Houtu are not so simple..."
Before the words were finished, the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword suddenly trembled again, and the same dark purple patterns as those in the mist appeared on their surfaces.
Ren Xiaoyao felt as if the power within his body was being stirred by an invisible hand, and the excruciating pain struck again, as if his internal organs were being torn apart.
Dark purple patterns, like living things, roamed across the surface of the divine object, attempting to penetrate Ren Xiaoyao's meridians. With each step forward, corresponding purple patterns would appear on Ren Xiaoyao's skin, and at the same time, he could feel an evil force eroding his soul.
"No matter who you are, don't even think about causing trouble again!"
A resolute glint flashed in Ren Xiaoyao's eyes, and the two treasures in his hands shone with unprecedented brilliance, gradually forcing back the dark purple mist.
When the light came into contact with the mist, it made a crackling sound and was accompanied by a pungent smell.
The face in the mist let out a defiant roar before gradually dissipating.
But before disappearing, it left behind its last words. "Remember, under this heaven and earth, no one can truly control the Imperial Heaven and Houtu... We will meet again."
As the words disappeared, the strange phenomena around them gradually subsided.
Looking at the still slightly warm Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and Houtu Creation Sword in his hands, Ren Xiaoyao understood that this struggle over divine artifacts was far from over.
A hint of worry lingered in his eyes, but more so, a resolute determination. He knew he had to become stronger to face the challenges of the future.
He sat down on the ground and began to use his internal energy to heal his injuries.
Just as his Fortune throughout his body, images suddenly appeared in his mind: on the ancient Altar, the Human Emperor confronted the mysterious Black Robed Man, and the Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword unleashed World-Destroying Power, staining the entire sky blood red.
In the dark abyss, countless tentacles entwined the divine object, emanating a low murmur that seemed to tell an ancient and evil secret.
At the end of the scene, Ren Xiaoyao stands in a sea of blood, holding his two treasures, while countless eyes in the sky watch him, eyes filled with greed and murderous intent.
"What does this mean?"
Ren Xiaoyao suddenly opened his eyes, his clothes already soaked with cold sweat.
He gripped the two treasures tightly, feeling the faint fluctuations emanating from them, as if they were responding to his question.
The twin treasures flickered slightly, as if conveying some kind of message to him.
Just then, the distant sky was suddenly dyed an eerie green, and a deafening roar resounded, causing the entire earth to tremble.
Ren Xiaoyao stood up and looked in the direction from which the roar came, his eyes filled with vigilance and determination.
He saw a gigantic figure appear on the horizon, surrounded by dark purple mist, holding a Giant Axe that exuded an aura of death.
The Giant Axe was covered with strange runes, each one shimmering with an eerie light, as if absorbing the life force of its surroundings.
The Imperial Heaven Ancestral Armor and the Houtu Creation Sword glowed faintly in his hands, as if they too were anticipating the next battle.
Ren Xiaoyao took a deep breath, mobilizing the remaining power within his body, preparing to meet the new challenge.
As the Giant Axe swung down, a dark purple energy wave swept towards Ren Xiaoyao. Wherever the energy wave passed, space shattered inch by inch, forming a terrifying path of destruction.
The energy wave was also mixed with countless tiny black lightning bolts. The lightning struck the ground, instantly blasting deep craters into the ground and producing deafening explosions.
Ren Xiaoyao knew that this would be an even more difficult battle than before, but he was prepared. No matter how many dangers lay ahead, he would protect these two divine artifacts and uncover the secrets hidden behind them.