"Rumble!"
That day, heaven and earth shook violently. The entire Hundred Broken Mountains shone with dazzling brilliance, while the golden passages scattered throughout the region dimmed and then vanished completely.
From then on, all the regions were connected. There was no longer any need to pass through those golden passages to travel between them. Only at this moment did the Hundred Broken Mountains reveal its true entirety.
"The passages have vanished. The opening of the Hundred Broken Mountains is nearly over."
Yet none of the gathered heroes smiled. Their expressions were utterly grave, for the real danger was about to arrive.
The disappearance of the passages meant that the native inhabitants sealed within the various small worlds had been released. A new round of hunting was about to begin.
Although many Pureblood Vicious Beasts had entered the Hundred Broken Mountains, the natives often possessed centuries of cultivation. They could not be underestimated either, and were more than capable of hunting the newcomers down.
"Roar!"
Deep, muffled roars shook heaven and earth. Turmoil erupted deep within every great mountain range, and terrifying auras swept across the world.
Breaking free of their seals, these natives emerged from their long confinement with centuries of pent-up fury and began slaughtering the visiting geniuses without restraint.
"These outsiders have had their freedom long enough, endlessly plundering spirit medicines and treasures. Now it's our turn to take the stage. This will be a feast."
The Hundred Broken Mountains descended into utter chaos. All manner of vicious beasts and divine birds emerged, their killing intent towering into the sky as they hunted the outsiders.
They acted without restraint. Having cultivated for centuries, their attainments were already unfathomable. Now they swept through like thunder scouring out nests, blood splattering along their paths. Neither princes of ancient kingdoms nor heirs of the Primordial Divine Mountain could escape. No one was spared.
For a time, wails filled this world. Blood flowed deep enough to float shields, and corpses littered the wilderness. This was a bloodstained demonic land, a hell of grim horrors.
"Roar!"
A Golden Roc emerged, bursting out of a deep mountain amid flying rubble and tremors that rocked the surrounding wilderness. It spread its wings and struck the heavens, blotting out the sky and sun as golden radiance flooded the highest firmament.
Its gilded wings shivered gently, sending feathers like immortal swords pouring down. In an instant, bloody light shot into the sky. Countless outstanding young geniuses gathered nearby were utterly annihilated before they could even cry out.
"Strange. Why hasn't that Pu Demon Tree emerged yet?"
Outside the crowd, Xi Yue and Qing Shuang quietly withdrew as well, looking around for traces of the Pu Demon Tree.
By all rights, that little tree should have emerged by now. Why was it nowhere to be seen?
She had not found the ancient coffin carved from an immortal spring pool either. The Pu Demon King's primordial spirit was very likely buried there.
An Immortal King's vitality was extraordinarily powerful, making true extinction all but impossible. This was even more so for a plant being like the Pu Demon King, who stood among the titans and possessed tenacity beyond all bounds.
During this time, she had not been wandering aimlessly. She had cultivated while searching for traces of that ancient coffin. Unfortunately, she had found nothing, and even the Little Pu Demon Tree had disappeared.
"What's going on? Could my arrival have caused some changes through the butterfly effect?" Xi Yue muttered.
Still, she intended to test the waters. As for how she would do that, naturally...
She stopped concealing herself and revealed her true form. In an instant, a Black Hou lunged at her, while an Iron-Blood Ancient Tree rushed toward her from another direction.
They had sensed something. The life essence within this human surged like a boundless sea. Though she was merely a Cave Heaven Realm fledgling, she exuded a piercing, formidable pressure.
If they devoured her, they would surely achieve a leap in the level of their existence and evolve their bloodlines. They might even become true purebloods.
After cultivating bitterly through long years, their auras were terrifying beyond measure. They were confident they could easily capture the human before them.
Several gazes turned toward her, curious about what allure this humanoid being possessed to draw two ferocious creatures into attacking her together.
Xi Yue formed the Six Paths of Reincarnation seal. Six black holes revolved and pulsed around her arm, releasing a low rumble like thunder rolling through the heavens.
Dark light shimmered as the Six Paths of Reincarnation Heavenly Art appeared once more. Mountains shook and the void roared, as though several True Dragons were letting out long cries. Such was the might displayed by the heavenly art, its vast power like the stars of all the heavens crashing down.
"That's terrifying! What Precious Art is that, to possess such divine might?!"
Even the natives could no longer remain calm. What kind of peerless technique was this? Merely invoking it, before even unleashing it, produced such unrivaled divine power?!
Beam after beam shot up, carrying savage divine might as they smashed forward. This was the power of the field stirred into being by the heavenly art!
Beyond that, six Precious Arts, including those of the Nine-Headed Snake, Bi Fang, and Suanni, overlapped in her hands. Rune after rune interwove, forming supreme runes with killing power that surged to the heavens!
The strike pierced the vast sky. Heavenly winds howled, and bloody light splashed across the firmament, as though an enormous pillar of heaven had come crashing down into the mortal world.
In a single instant, the Black Hou's immense body was pierced through. Unable to withstand even one attack, it was reduced to ashes.
The Iron-Blood Ancient Tree was also pierced on the spot, more than half its blood-colored branches shattering. Yet its vitality was so immense that it survived a direct blow from the heavenly art. Only the second strike destroyed it completely.
"How bizarre. She's only in the Cave Heaven Realm, yet she can wield such a powerful Precious Art and destroy the Black Hou and the Iron-Blood Ancient Tree."
At that moment, the Golden-Winged Roc, Five-Colored Peacock, Reckless Bull, and other powerful beings battling the Divine Monkey King all stopped and looked toward the extraordinary phenomenon in the sky.
Those six black holes were far too intimidating, as though they could cow the heart and oppress the soul. Even beings like them could not help feeling afraid and dared not confront them head-on.
They did not know what the Six Paths of Reincarnation Heavenly Art was, but that did not stop them from coveting such a powerful divine technique. Wealth moved the heart, let alone a Precious Art this formidable.
Xi Yue's long hair cascaded over her shoulders like a waterfall, its dark strands dancing in the wind. Her figure was exquisite and untouched by worldly dust, like a banished immortal descending beneath the moon.
She was no longer dressed as a man, but wore a plain white gown patterned with silver. Its hem trailed along the ground, and moonlight seemed to flow through it as it swayed gently in the wind.
For a time, no one dared approach. They all feared that divine ability. The Black Hou and Iron-Blood Ancient Tree were vivid examples, and no one wanted to be the first bird to stick its head out.
The Pu Demon King had once been an Immortal King. Even though his true body had fallen, that wisp of remnant spirit still possessed supreme might.
Naturally, Xi Yue had something to rely on if she dared display the Six Paths of Reincarnation Heavenly Art so openly, hoping to hook a big fish like the Pu Demon King.
Although she could not actively wield the Little Pagoda within her sea of consciousness, she could still trigger the imprint of the Immortal King Burial Shroud branded upon it.
Moreover, before she left, the Willow Deity had left her an imprint she could use to call at any time. Besides, she was carrying an Immortal King with her. No matter how recklessly she acted, nothing could go too terribly wrong.
"Another fat
girl. How scary. She's even fiercer than the last one. Could she be some Pureblood Vicious Beast in human form?" At the edge of the crowd, a boy muttered quietly.
Just then, from a mountain range deep within the Hundred Broken Mountains, chaotic light shot into the heavens and pierced the firmament. Auspicious radiance streamed in countless strands, making the great Dao throughout this world roar and resonate.
"What's that? Is a supreme treasure of chaos about to emerge?" someone in the crowd exclaimed. A single remark stirred a thousand waves, and the whole place erupted.
If such a thing truly appeared, it would certainly ignite a bloody battle that shook the heavens. Even Venerables would be unable to remain calm and would seek to fight for it.
A smile curved Xi Yue's lips. The facts proved her right. Since this thing was here, the Pu Demon King had to be here too.