Just as Zhang Yu, Xiang Yu, and Xu Xinwu were finalizing their strategy, preparing to each lead their troops to sweep across the land with overwhelming force, consolidate their Fortune, and then join forces to attack Zilu—
"Snap--!"
A terrifying roar, seemingly capable of tearing apart the soul, came without warning from the very depths of the heavens, so high and so deep that it seemed to touch the Origin of the world!
Immediately afterwards, Dark Clouds, not formed from water vapor but seemingly composed of pure dark Principle and an aura of destruction, spread across the entire sky at an illogical speed, like ink splashed by an invisible giant hand!
The world suddenly fell into an eerie darkness.
The light of the Sun, Moon, and Stars was completely swallowed up, leaving only the thick, tangible darkness that pressed down heavily.
An immense and terrifying pressure, overwhelming all things, poured down like a burst dam, engulfing an area of tens of thousands of miles, and was still spreading rapidly!
Under this oppressive force, whether it was the Immortal War Souls or the elite cultivators of Great Xia and Prosperous Shang, they all felt as if an invisible hand was pressing down on their spines, and their bodies trembled violently uncontrollably.
It was an extreme fear stemming from the most primal instincts of life—a fear of a higher existence, of "the end" itself!
Even someone as powerful as Zhang Yu, a newly ascended supreme Supreme, felt his breath catch in his throat, and the flow of his internal Law Power became sluggish and viscous, as if he were carrying an ancient divine mountain on his back.
"It seems it's too late."
Zhang Yu looked up at the sky, which was rapidly turning pitch black as ink, as if it were about to devour everything, his expression extremely solemn.
He could clearly sense that the core of that oppressive aura was not directed at them, but rather at some earth-shattering, irreversible upheaval taking place at an extremely high altitude!
The aftershocks of this dramatic change were enough to make even those in the Unparalleled Realm feel uneasy.
"It's too late."
Xiang Yu's double pupils were fixed on a certain point in the sky.
In the heart of the dense darkness, a tiny yet blinding white light is rapidly expanding, as if something is forcibly tearing apart the barriers of the world.
His voice was low, tinged with an unusual seriousness, "This is a bit troublesome."
Longqie gripped the dark red spear tightly, his knuckles turning white.
He gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment and anger.
"Damn it, if the Heaven and Earth Principle weren't incomplete and the Origin wasn't lost, how could we have failed to recover our Golden Immortal Cultivation for ten years!"
In his prime, Zilu, who merely survived by devouring the Heavenly Dao, was nothing to speak of!
He was a top-tier existence among the Taiyi Golden Immortal during his lifetime, and his War Souls is immortal.
Given enough "nutrients" and time, restoring Golden Immortal Cultivation should be a natural process.
However, the Heavenly Dao of this realm is incomplete, and the Great Dao is obscure, severely slowing down the recovery speed.
Otherwise, why would he find it so difficult to deal with a Golden Immortal who is breaking through to the next level?
"Judging from the aura emanating from this overlord, it contains the ultimate principles of Confucianism and Daoism, the Heavenly Dao Authority, and a pure intent to 'devour' and 'assimilate'..."
It seems that Zilu has indeed taken the final step and has already achieved the initial stage of the Golden Immortal Dao Fruit.
Fan Zeng frowned, and even the speed at which he waved his feather fan slowed down.
He quickly analyzed:
"At this moment, its aura subtly merged with heaven and earth, causing dramatic changes in celestial phenomena and exerting overwhelming power."
The enemy's situation is unclear, and their momentum is currently strong. In my humble opinion, it would be better to temporarily avoid a direct confrontation and devise a more comprehensive plan...
"It's unavoidable."
Xiang Yu slowly shook his head, interrupting Fan Zeng's suggestion.
He looked up at the increasingly glaring crack, his double pupils seemingly reflecting the patterns of the world's rules, and his tone was resolute:
"Zilu had already begun to devour the remaining Heavenly Dao Origin of this world. Now that he has taken this step, his connection with this world has reached an unprecedented depth."
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he is half the master of this world.
Within this world, no matter where we hide, he can easily find us by following the Earth Vein.
He paused, his tone becoming even more somber:
"Moreover, if he has indeed gained initial control over a portion of the world's power, even if we want to leave this world, we will likely be forcibly interfered with and blocked by him using the power of the world, and we may even be tracked down by him following the spatial fluctuations."
This place has become a prison, and also a battlefield.
Only by fighting to the death can we have a glimmer of hope.
Xiang Yu's words plunged Zhang Yu and Xu Xinwu into despair.
There's no way to avoid it, no way to escape it, only a fight to the death!
Facing a terrifying being who may have already achieved the Golden Immortal and controls a portion of the world's power, this is almost certainly a situation where death is the only outcome!
"Western Chu War Souls, heed my command!"
Xiang Yu suddenly turned around, facing the army of War Souls burning with Soul Flame behind him.
His voice boomed like thunder, carrying a resolute determination and overwhelming fighting spirit:
A formidable enemy has arrived; there is no turning back!
Today, only a bloody battle will secure our survival!
"We swear to fight to the death! We will follow the Overlord!"
"Blood battle! Blood battle! Blood battle!"
Longqie roared first, his voice shaking the heavens!
Immediately afterwards, Zhongli Mei, Jibu, and other generals, along with Million Battle Souls, roared in unison!
In that roar, there was no fear, only boiling fighting spirit, indomitable will, and the madness to tear off a piece of the enemy's flesh even in the face of desperate circumstances!
The soaring Blood Sha Qi and fighting spirit briefly dispersed some of the terrifying pressure that descended upon them!
Seeing this, Zhang Yu quickly calmed down as well.
He turned around, looked at the pale-faced, barely able-bodied subjects of the Great Xia behind him, and gave a deep order:
Li Yuansheng, Zhao Tianyi!
Immediately organize everyone, activate all Formation, and evacuate all citizens and cultivators of the Imperial City and surrounding areas as quickly as possible, away from this place, the farther the better!
"Your Majesty!" Li Yuansheng and the others exclaimed urgently.
Go quickly.
Such battles are beyond your capabilities; remaining here will only increase casualties!
Zhang Yu's tone left no room for doubt. At the same time, he waved his hand and unleashed a Golden Light containing the National Destiny's destiny, which entered the Imperial City's Grand Formation below, temporarily enhancing the Formation's protective and teleportation capabilities.
Looking at the scene before him, which seemed like an impending storm and the end of the world, and then at Xiang Yu's army with its fighting spirit soaring to the sky and Zhang Yu calmly giving orders, Xu Xinwu felt a sense of powerlessness for the first time.
Faced with an enemy of this caliber, he felt like he... was somewhat of a liability.
"Boom--!!!"
Just as the Western Chu War Souls roared and the Great Xia was urgently evacuated, Xu Xinwu with unease.
From the dark center of the sky, through the crack where the white light was blinding, came another deafening roar, even more terrifying and chaotic than before!
It was as if countless stars were colliding and exploding within it, and as if unimaginable forces were frantically tearing apart the barriers of the world.
Then, under the horrified and incredulous gazes of everyone—
"Pfft!" "Pfft!" "Pfft!"
Three streaks of light.
No, it was three rather disheveled figures who, as if hurled by an invisible force, flew backward from that terrifying crack.
Three figures pierced the dark sky, carrying chaotic yet powerful auras, and plummeted rapidly towards the location of the battlefield!
"That is...?"
Xiang Yu's double pupils narrowed.
"The aura of the Empress Houtu?"
Zhang Yu felt a jolt in his heart when he sensed the familiar, earth-like aura emanating from one of the figures.
"And Buddhist techniques... and a Pure Yang Sword Intent?"
Xu Xinwu also noticed the unusual nature of the other two figures.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Three muffled thuds echoed as three figures crashed heavily onto the ravaged ground not far from the Altar, amidst the aftermath of a fierce battle, raising clouds of Smoke and Dust.
As the Smoke and Dust slowly dissipated, the true faces of three figures were revealed.
The woman in the center was dressed in a pale yellow palace gown, with a gentle and graceful demeanor, but at this moment her face was pale, blood was trickling from the corner of her mouth, and her breath was weak. She was Empress Houtu!
The person on the left, with a large belly and a prosperous face, is none other than Maitreya!
The man on the right, dressed in a blue robe and carrying a long sword, with a handsome face, is none other than Donghua!