At the top of Pitch-Black Peak, Meng Qi opened his eyes. He sat quietly for a long while, savoring what he had gained.
Suddenly, he raised a finger and slashed through the air, sending a blade of dim, chaotic Sword Qi toward the heights.
As he and Yang Jian had agreed, once their realms had stabilized, they would join forces to strike at the Black Heavenly Emperor, one of Bodhi Ancient Buddha's Three Corpses, a Pseudo-Other Shore!
Sword Qi surged forth, twisting into a spiral that churned the surrounding space and time. Demonic Beasts, foul miasma, the Black Sun, and clouds of mist were dragged into its path and torn apart. Everything became darkness, almost frozen, stripped of any sense that time was passing.
In one layer of the Nine Abysses, where the Black Heavenly Emperor's dojo stood, Evil Gods flying through the sky, Demonic Beasts rampaging across the earth, and ghosts roaming the mountains all froze in place, as though turned to stone. All fell silent. Only that sword light cut across the heavens, coming from nowhere, slashing toward the place that loomed like the Sky-Supporting Divine Mountain.
Layer upon layer of forbidden spells rose into the sky, rippling like water and washing over everything as they clashed head-on with the surging Sword Qi. Yet the dim, chaotic Sword Qi seemed able to contain all things—even time itself. The ripples curled inward, overlapping layer upon layer against the Sword Qi, and the forbidden spells fell into disarray, riddled with holes like whirlpools in a river.
A sigh sounded. A hand reached out, absorbing every ray of light. Its clarity and luster were like black gemstones. It bent a finger and flicked it against the middle of the Sword Qi, striking the perfect spot with unerring precision.
At the same