Chapter 361: The Three Battlefields, All Approaching Their End

Chapter 361: The Three Battlefields, All Approaching Their End

As Ji Jingqiu's words fell, it seemed as if an endless cold current filled the void, freezing everything solid.

Those who had stepped into this place suddenly found themselves immobilized, unable to move, their expressions showing signs of great terror.

The silence of the universe was but a fleeting moment.

Just as they managed to free themselves from the physical constraints, they sensed another, completely different force pressing down upon them.

It was as if they had just fallen from the endless cold of an eternally frozen world into the boiling heat of a world cooked by the Great Sun!

No matter how they tried to retreat, to avoid the sharp edge of this force, they could not escape its pressure—

Hundred miles, thousand miles, ten thousand miles, it seemed that wherever their eyes could reach, it was his Dao field, his God Realm!

Whoosh—

In the surging, vast currents of energy, Ji Jingqiu's black hair flew wildly, his eyes shining like the sun, his aura in harmony with the divine will.

His gaze fell upon—

All the Heaven King Tier cultivators who had severed their paths, their heads bowed and eyes lowered, unable to resist the overwhelming force of the universe emanating from Ji Jingqiu.

His mind and the Great Dao had merged as one; with a single thought, the laws froze, the Great Dao crushed, and the world was reshaped—this was the Mind Sitting Oblivion!

At this moment, only a few past Emperors managed to maintain their stance.

But after severing their paths, they had lost their respective positions and Dao Power, making it impossible for them to remain in the Seated Oblivion realm, and they had fallen.

With their profound foundations, they could forcefully enter the Seated Oblivion realm, but even then, they were still suppressed by Ji Jingqiu!

Their minds communicated, and their expressions were far from pleasant. After tens of thousands of years of cultivation, they were now being suppressed by a junior.

"Heavenly Favor..."

"This isn't just Seated Oblivion, but the 'Divine Heart' domain. Whoever opposes him today is destined to be suppressed by the Divine Heart and the Great Dao!"

Truly, they were at his mercy, and even trying to escape was difficult!

"This battle... is hard to fight."

"Hard to fight or not, we must engage. If we retreat without fighting, what face will we have left in the world? Are we to bow to him?"

Someone coldly snorted.

The old man known as Qingliu frowned, examining himself. What he had seen earlier seemed like an illusion.

Crack.

Everyone turned at the sound, their expressions changing drastically.

Ji Jingqiu took a step forward, and without any visible force, the void cracked. His physical strength was truly terrifying.

Qingliu and others were shaken by the overwhelming will that surged forth, leaving no room for defiance.

Beneath the young man's seemingly calm exterior lay a fierce and dominant aura—those who followed him would thrive, while those who opposed him would perish!

Could this boy be planning to use the force of the universe to sweep through everyone present?!

Ji Jingqiu's black hair flew, his aura fierce, but his eyes were deep and filled with anger.

After reaching Heavenly Man Perfection, he felt a constraint, a sense of discomfort.

It was as if he had suddenly stood too high, and even standing tall and touching the sky was not enough; he needed to bend down, lower his head, and look down upon all living beings to barely get by.

His Dao Power had touched an invisible barrier, making it impossible to advance further.

It was as if he had encountered the theoretical Heavenly Man Barrier, the Heavenly Man Limit.

Though he was only one step away from the Heaven King realm and had reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Man realm...

Ji Jingqiu felt no joy in his breakthrough, his mind echoing with the words of the various God Emperors.

"After today, there will be few in the Federation who can protect you."

"Ji Jingqiu, the Great Dao lies ahead, and you must learn to walk alone."

At this moment,

Qinglian Taoist's words echoed in Ji Jingqiu's mind:

"Ji Jingqiu, it's not yet your time to feel sorrow. Use this battle to bid farewell to the Federation's forebears, to let them depart with peace of mind."

How can I let the forebears depart with peace of mind?

Ji Jingqiu asked himself and answered:

With me, none can stand.

At this moment, the world seemed vast and desolate, as if Ji Jingqiu stood alone.

Unconsciously,

The battlefield, which had started as a newly formed world, had transformed into the cosmic star sky.

There was only one possibility: Macrocosmic support!

At this moment,

Ji Jingqiu strode through the cosmic starry sky, his expression calm, exuding an invincible aura that could overwhelm the six directions and the eight desolate lands. No matter who stood before him, he was invincible!

In an instant.

Daoxuan Tianzun felt a blankness in his vision, his senses clouded, trapped in a bizarre state that was neither dream nor reality!

In front of him, there was only a pair of eyes, deep as the abyss, robbing him of everything—his senses, his mind, and even his self-control.

Heart demon?!

Is this truly Wu Zhou?!

By the time he reacted, the fist had already slammed into his face, a violent and fierce Dao Power sweeping across the vast expanse, forcefully displacing all the celestial bodies around him from their orbits!

The sharpness of this punch silenced all the arrogant and powerful figures present.

Such force was rare, even among the early-stage Heaven Kings, let alone the Heavenly Men.

And the most formidable skill this young man possessed, according to rumors, was the sword technique inherited from He Donghuang?!

A drop of Tianzun's blood fell from the fist into the starry sky.

Ji Jingqiu surveyed the crowd, his clothes fluttering, his pores exuding an endless glow of blood qi.

He looked at everyone, his gaze meeting no one's, as all avoided his sharp gaze.

Thus, his eyes reflected only the vastness of the world.

"Come at me all together," Ji Jingqiu's voice echoed coldly, filled with the grandeur of standing alone against all foes, unmatched in the heavens and the earth.

...

"Good lad! The invincible spirit has been ingrained in your bones, just like our youthful glory!"

Federation elder Baiyuan Gong Liu Huai praised him.

"You? Invincible? Which part of that applies to you?" Dao Number Liuyi, actually named Liuli, the Daoist, sneered.

As the two bickered, the old monk sitting beside them smiled silently, his gaze on the young man in the void particularly gentle.

To him, the young man was not only a reliable successor but also a new Savior.

The man named Gaoxiu smiled and said, "With such young people in the Federation, we can leave with peace of mind."

Qinglian Daoist, seated in the center, lowered his head, seemingly unwilling to look at the crowd, and sighed softly, "You poor guys."

Qi Xuantian laughed heartily, "What do you mean, elder? To subdue the Four Demons with the body of a Tianzun, we are destined to be remembered in history!"

Liu Huai raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "I thought I was pretty dumb, but after traveling around, I realized that it took me four thousand years to attain the Tianzun realm, making me a world-renowned genius. Since that's the case, realms and such are just nonsense! I'll start over in the next life."

The middle-aged man with white eyebrows, Lan Bai Feng, said leisurely, "Life should be... enjoyable! If we can pin this bastard down today, I'll be satisfied!"

The Daoist in green robes, Dao Number Fan Zhou, said softly, "The Death Devil slaughtered millions of our people back then. Today, we will subdue him to comfort the souls of our compatriots."

"Heh, he's still as hypocritical as ever," Liuli tugged at the sleeve of a woman named Qingyi, indignant, "Why do you even like him?"

The woman smiled without a word, her eyes soft as she gazed at the green-robed Daoist she hadn't seen in ten thousand years.

In these ten thousand years, you knew where I was, and I knew where you were. Even if we couldn't meet, it was enough.

Lan Bai Feng shook his head, hands behind his back, and turned away, sighing, "To have to eat dog food at the end, what a world, not at all enjoyable."

Listening to the lively conversation, Qinglian Daoist remained silent, his expression sad.

To perfectly set up today's killing calamity, not a hint could be leaked.

Otherwise, even the slightest clue could be calculated by Wu Zhou.

So, ten thousand years ago, when the Federation faced a great calamity, these people could not strike a single blow and were forced to hide their identities for ten thousand years.

Sometimes, not striking is harder than striking.

Now, they had finally reached the Tianzun realm, but they did not have the fate to return in glory. Instead, they had to sacrifice themselves to subdue the Death Devil...

Today, the one who would subdue Wu Zhou is Mu Shitian.

But to subdue the Death Devil, just the four of them—Ke Qingxiu and the others—would not be enough!

Among the Four Demons, the Death Devil [Yan] was known for his formidable killing power. In his early days, his path in his world of origin was that of a [sword cultivator].

One person with four slaying swords, he had fought his way out of the heavenly killing calamity.

It was said that his earliest path to transcendence was to merge with the heavenly Killing Calamity, but after slaughtering almost all the living beings in hisRealm, the killing calamity faded, and his Dao also declined.

Dissatisfied with this path, he wanted to forge a river of blood to expressthe truth of life and death, standing shoulder to shoulder with time and fate.

But later, he felt this was not pure enough.

He abandoned the river of blood he had created and dedicated himself to the four slaying swords, eventually forging 3000 Kill Dao diagrams.

Once the Dao diagrams were complete and the four swords merged, he would reach the pure realm he had been chasing for countless years.

At thatTime, not only would his transcendence be simple, but his killing power would be so overwhelming that even among the transcended, he would be the [invincible one]!

The Federation had planned for ten thousand years, and this Reverse Ten Thousand Spirits Array was prepared solely for the Death Devil!

And everyone present was a key... sacrificial offering in this great array.

A woman named Hongxiu looked at Qinglian Daoist and asked softly, "Elder, after subduing the Four Dem’ons, will the four marshals leave any legacy to protect the Federation’s golden era?"

The ancient daoist, with a solemn voice, said, "Yes! Rest assured, we have a backup plan! As long as we are not opposing all the sages of the worlds, no one can harm us today!"

"The backup plan is that Ji tianxing fellow?" Liu hai suddenly asked.

"Idiot." Dao Number liuyi said with a radiant smile, "The one who can open a ten thousand years of peace for the federation is naturally he general!"

Everyone couldn't help but smile in anticipation.

Gaoxiu softly said, "Alright, everyone, it’s almost time. The four marshals are also nearing 'the time'."

Lan bai feng looked at qinglian daoist with envy, "Sadly, I only have the tianzun fruit position and can't withstand the death devil's sword. Otherwise, I would have loved to fight alongside the four marshals for the final, exhilarating battle."

(Chapter End)

Liu Huai suddenly said, "Lan, do you still have the leisure to envy? Go and deal with your master first."

Lan Baifeng frowned and forced a bitter smile.

...

...

Unconsciously, Qin Tianfeng and the other three had already reached the outskirts of the Greater Universe in their battle with the Death Devil.

At the moment a heavenly sword forcefully broke through the blood-colored river, a sword, a saber, and a spear followed, cutting into the Death Devil's golden body.

In an instant, four golden bodies rose from the ground, chasing the Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator who towered over the heavens!

Yang Qingshan's saber light was as heavy as mountain ranges, attacking without defense, allowing his golden body to be cut by countless sword lights, leaving it covered in wounds. He laughed aloud:

"Young knights dream of valor, claiming to be brave among ten thousand. Drinking a cup of wine, we mock the cold waters of Yi, and the rainbow pierces the sky at noon!"

Ke Qingxiu tugged at the corners of his mouth; this half-baked fellow always liked to deconstruct ancient poems, adding a line or two to make them his own.

He stood in the star sea, using his sword to stir the void, gradually wearing down the killing intent and sword light that darkened the stars.

In this battle, Qin Tianfeng temporarily aligned with the Macrocosmic Intent, serving as the center, supporting the pseudo-True Emperor status of the four of them while suppressing the Death Devil's supreme Dao.

"Almost there."

Li Shoucheng suddenly spoke, relaying a message to the four of them.

They all nodded in unison.

Li Shoucheng held his spear with one hand, the tip pointing directly at the Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator. The formation of his spear technique made the latter frown, sensing its extraordinary nature.

A point of spear light emerged from the spear tip, unexpectedly plunging into the depths of the void, its destination unknown.

The Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator raised his eyebrows, looking at the place where the spear light had disappeared, showing a rare interest.

This spear, wielded by a single person, could almost match his three combined sword techniques, possessing the power to severely wound a True Emperor!

To be able to wield such a spear with a pseudo-True Emperor's form, Li Shoucheng should be the leader among the four!

However, where did this spear light land?

The Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator strained his eyes but could not see.

"What is this spear called?" he suddenly asked.

The previous flame has been exhausted, and it is passed on to the next.

After throwing this spear, Li Shoucheng's aura began to decline continuously.

The Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator murmured to himself: "What a pity, ten thousand years ago, I should not have pressured you so much. Otherwise, today would not be four incomplete golden bodies but four True Emperor elixirs."

At that moment.

The Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator's gaze suddenly fell on the place where the spear light had disappeared, his aura surging, his eyes icy cold:

"You actually... are summoning the Five Pillars?!"

Li Shoucheng remained calm: "Please, Dao Brother Yan, carry out the condemnation."

"Condemnation?!" The Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator laughed, not angry, "Who gave you the audacity?"

He suddenly realized that Ke Qingxiu and the other three were standing in the four directions, surrounding him.

At the same time, a great sun hung in the sky above, burning with the accumulated Dao aura and divine intent of countless years, pressing down!

Chi Yinghuo stepped on the head of the Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator, with the Sun True Emperor following behind. The former's expression was solemn as he responded to the four:

"Let's begin."

The Great Sun Ancient God, who had been absent for a long time, reappeared, and the Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator's killing intent suddenly boiled.

But just as he was about to attack, he found himself trapped in a great array.

Endless incense and prayer power erupted from all directions, intersecting to form a... furnace that enveloped all of the void!

In the boundless starry sky, this alchemy furnace had nine orifices and eight holes, immeasurably large, with flames roaring inside, as if billions of stars were burning simultaneously, and boundless Dao aura converged and fell!

"Chi Wanyang!!!" The Crimson-haired and Blood-cloaked cultivator roared.

...

...

As the first two battlefields reached their climax, the battlefield of Wu Zhou and Mu Shitian also saw a turning point.

Wu Zhou used mental communication, attempting to strike a deal with Mu Shitian.

For some reason, the longer this battle lasted, the more Wu Zhou felt a sense of unease.

It was as if someone was manipulating him.

Being manipulated was not rare; too many people had tried to manipulate him, and he had long since stopped caring.

Not everyone was Mu Shitian.

With Wu Zhou's status, even just mentioning his name caused ripples in his mind.

But this time was different.

It was like a sudden premonition.

In Wu Zhou's cultivation journey, this had only happened twice.

Once when he first entered the path of cultivation.

The other before he transcended and attained true enlightenment.

Mu Shitian did not answer but asked, "Dao Brother Wu Zhou, do you know how long our Federation has prepared for this day and how much we have sacrificed?"

Wu Zhou smiled:

"Entering the true realm of transcendence, my thoughts and intentions are the only truth. A single thought can reverse time. No matter how many sacrifices, how much bloodshed, how many regrets, they are all trivial."

"If Dao Brother feels the Federation has sacrificed too much, I can promise that, apart from the seven of you, all Federation citizens will live, including those who died ten thousand years ago."

Mu Shitian softly said, "That's the key. We have never feared death."

Wu Zhou's gaze deepened, and he laughed bitterly: "You just want me dead?"

"Wrong," Mu Shitian said coolly, "What we desire today is not just one Wu Zhou but the Four Demons."

Only now did Wu Zhou realize that Mu Shitian's goal today was not just to keep him but to include Yan, and even Taiyi, whose whereabouts were unknown!

"This is a joke."

Wu Zhou shook his head, stepping on a black lotus, splitting and devouring Mu Shitian's soul particles.

Up until now, the two were evenly matched, still in a stalemate.

But in this battlefield, he had the upper hand.

"Dao Brother Shitian, I have devoured one hundred and thirty-seven million eight hundred and fifty thousand of your soul particles. Is this Dao contest just like this?"

Wu Zhou's words were cut short as he suddenly stopped.

His gaze shifted to the other two battlefields outside the boundary, and he praised, "The Yanhuang Federation has truly outshone everyone today."

"The four pseudo-saints of the older generation managed to halt Brother Yan, whose killing power had ascended to a new level, and there are even two returning Tianzun."

"Having such a disciple, you would have no regrets even if you were to ascend to immortality today."

At this moment, Wu Zhou felt an inexplicable sensation in his heart. He actually sensed an emotion that shouldn't have been there in the ripples of Mu Shitian's heart.

It was fury.

The Savior who had enlightened countless sentient beings revealed his furious true form.

But where did this fury come from?

Wu Zhou narrowed his eyes and smiled, continuing, "Today’s events prove that our choices back then were correct."

Wu Zhou seized the opportunity presented by Mu Shitian's slip, tracing the ripples of his heart and attempting to breach his mental defenses.

Hearing Mu Shitian's question, Wu Zhou laughed heartily, "You have asked the right person. It is freedom! Purely following one's heart is the most satisfying thing in this world!"

"Love brings suffering, and all beings suffer, but only freedom can soothe the heart!"

In this world, what could be more satisfying than the ultimate freedom to do as one pleases?

Unrestrained and unbound, doing whatever one desires...

This was the attitude Wu Zhou had maintained both before and after attaining the Dao.

Reason? Rules? Constraints?

Wu Zhou acted without regard for good or evil, without being bound by the rules set by others. He followed the pure freedom of his heart and mind, unshackled and unrestrained.

He even allowed the countless thoughts that arose in his mind to develop into new Wu Zhou, each doing what they wished.

For a cultivator, the last thing one should do is let their heart be like a small boat, drifting with the waves, their mind as chaotic as willow fluff. But Wu Zhou found joy in the opposite.

Such "freedom," who could say Wu Zhou wasn't the most dashing?

So, when he had not yet attained the Dao, people called him the "most dashing person in the world," and his actions were like those of a strange figure.

What was most remarkable was that even if Wu Zhou became entangled in countless karmic ties, no one could trace these ties back to him. This was the true essence of his freedom.

Until he met Mu Shitian.

At this point, Wu Zhou shook his head and took another step. The golden statue of Mu Shitian in this pure land began to crack, showing signs of defeat.

Carrying the momentum of a great victory, Wu Zhou let out a long, contented howl, speaking from the depths of his heart:

"The Dao is solitary, my heart is the heart of heaven, what can the heavens and earth do to me?!"

"If ten thousand years ago, He Tong Huang had had just a fraction of my spirit, even if he couldn't break through Taiyi's shackles, he wouldn't have died on the spot!"

Hearing this, Wu Zhou raised an eyebrow, "Why do you say that?"

Mu Shitian replied, "It is freedom. Among the seven of us, Dong Huang represents a freedom that is similar yet different from yours."

At first, Wu Zhou felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

He Tong Huang, who had been constantly manipulated by Ji Tian Xing and lived under the shadow and oppression of the four of them, was actually the one most like him among the seven of the federation?

But soon, Wu Zhou's expression changed dramatically.

If He Tong Huang had indeed been the least free among the seven due to his background and personality, could Ji Tian Xing's manipulations be seen as a strategy to force him onto a path of great freedom?

"He was waiting for me?!"

Wu Zhou suddenly realized.

He Tong Huang was indeed not completely dead; he had left a backup plan specifically for him!

But soon, Mu Shitian shook his head, denying this claim.

Yet, Wu Zhou could tell that, regardless of anything else, Mu Shitian was not lying about this.

He said—

"The one who will subdue Wu Zhou today is only Mu Shitian."

"But those who wish to kill Wu Zhou today are not just the martial artists of the Yanhuang Federation."

Those who wish to kill him are not just from the Yanhuang Federation?

Who else? The True Emperors of the realms? How absurd.

Wu Zhou's heart, rarely disturbed, rippled, his eyes flickering with uncertainty as he stared intently at Mu Shitian.

Speaking of which, this mental avatar should have been completely assimilated by him. Why did it still retain such a complete self-awareness?

At this moment, Mu Shitian looked beyond the pure land.

He saw his old friends and acquaintances, the True Emperors of the realms, his disciple, and the ten thousand years of the federation's history...

All beings suffer.

So, should they not live?

He quietly guarded his heart, murmuring, "The most satisfying thing today will be the moment the sword falls."

Just as Wu Zhou continued to trace the mental traces Mu Shitian had revealed, everything changed.

Heaven and earth were inverted.

Size was inverted.

Primary and secondary were inverted.

The golden statue of Mu Shitian, which had been crumbling, suddenly grew as tall as all the mountains in the world combined, as vast as Mount Sumeru, towering over Wu Zhou. His voice thundered, his words carrying the weight of law:

At the same moment, the 137,855,000 "Wu Zhou" raised their heads, one hand pointing to the sky, the other to the earth, and said calmly:

"Those who can unify all things, can they not also transform the one into many?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end