Chapter 577: Monkeys and Kin Topple the Majestic Monkey King, Making a Choice in Desperation to Aid Qitian

Chapter 577: Monkeys and Kin Topple the Majestic Monkey King, Making a Choice in Desperation to Aid Qitian

Rumbling—

Terrifying Cosmic Will fluctuations surged, and the alchemy furnace suspended deep within Doutian Palace City roared, emitting waves of sound like the tolling of a great bell.

The vibrations persisted, like thunderous echoes!

Not only Li Che, but almost all the Divine Sculptors who had ventured deep into Doutian Palace City gazed with awe, their hearts trembling.

"That’s… the Demon Monkey of Qitian?!"

"Indeed, it’s the Demon Monkey, and he hasn’t even died yet!"

"Being burned by such a terrifying Earth Fire, day and night, and he still hasn’t been refined! Truly terrifying!"

"That’s a given! This is the Demon Monkey of Qitian, who once fought with the Heaven Immortal! Even an Earth Immortal fell to his cudgel!"

...

One by one, voices filled with shock and disbelief echoed from the mouths of the Divine Sculptors.

Shi Shaogai, Fu Shaoxi, and other young emperors from the Divine Pantheon gazed intently at the Doutian Furnace. This was an artifact of the Laojun Immortal, of the highest rank, exceedingly terrifying!

Even a common Earth Immortal couldn’t withstand the Doutian Furnace for long and would be rapidly refined!

Indeed, the Demon Monkey of Qitian was a formidable Divine Being of the Prison Lotus faction, one who had once turned the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths upside down alongside the Prison Lotus Maiden!

Three Earth Immortals floated in the air, their powerful auras rippling out in waves, shrouding the void in a strange and mysterious aura.

Fiery dragons erupted from the depths of Doutian Palace City, colliding with the alchemy furnace, turning it a fiery red.

The three Earth Immortals were maintaining the burning of the Earth Fire.

Every Divine Sculptor dared not breathe, for to maintain the burning of the Earth Fire, the three Earth Immortals did not conceal their auras.

Thus, an immense pressure, like three great mountains, weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts.

The oppressive aura of the Immortals was too terrifying. Despite being Divine Sculptors with the Dao Severing Realm cultivation, they all trembled in fear at this moment.

Three Immortals appearing together was an extremely rare occurrence.

In the past, it was already very rare for a Dao Severing Divine Being to meet a single Immortal.

The Golden Crane King strode forward, leading eighty-one Formation Sculptors into the city.

He first clasped his fists and bowed to the three Earth Immortals.

Then, his gaze turned toward the Doutian Furnace, his face showing a look of reverence.

The negative emotions from the theft of the Golden Cudgel had long vanished, melting away like ice.

"Master, the eighty-one Formation Sculptors have all been selected and are now present", the Golden Crane King respectfully said to the Doutian Furnace.

As he finished speaking, Shi Shaogai, Fu Shaoxi, and others instinctively raised their heads.

Li Che also felt a stirring in his heart and looked up at the Doutian Furnace.

It turned out that, unnoticed by everyone, a white-robed elder with white hair and beard, his sleeves fluttering, appeared above the Doutian Furnace, exuding a transcendent and extraordinary aura.

He mirrored the massive, ethereal figure that had appeared outside Doutian City!

The Laojun Immortal!

The true Laojun Immortal!

Li Che’s heart tightened, and his breath seemed to pause.

He could feel that the Laojun Immortal, just by sitting there, seemed to become a vast, dark world, overshadowing all light and becoming the source of all radiance in the universe.

The auras of the three Earth Immortals were completely suppressed.

Shi Shaogai, Fu Shaoxi, and the other young emperors all bowed respectfully.

Even though they were from different factions, they set aside their arrogance and showed humility and respect.

In the presence of a Heaven Immortal, anyone would only show respect.

The other Divine Sculptors also bowed respectfully at this moment.

Li Che, too, clasped his fists and bowed slightly.

The Laojun Immortal’s gaze swept over them, his eyes deep and piercing, as if they could see through the void and into the hearts of everyone, causing their souls to tremble.

Every Dao Fruit in Li Che’s body fell silent at this moment, as if cut off from any connection to him, not daring to reveal the slightest bit of aura.

Li Che completely suppressed his Immortal aura, not allowing the slightest bit to leak out!

"Eighty-one Formation Sculptors, please assist me in forming the array to refine the Demon Monkey."

The Laojun Immortal spoke, his voice rumbling and echoing in everyone’s ears.

"Yes, Master."

Every Divine Sculptor bowed in unison.

The Golden Crane King’s gaze swept over them, and he began to arrange the Formation Sculptors in their positions.

To ensure the accuracy of each Formation Sculptor’s position, the Golden Crane King personally led each one to their designated spot.

Li Che was the first to be taken, as the one who had ranked first in the first two rounds of the Divine Craftsmanship Competition, naturally receiving the best position in the array.

The Earth Fire continued to spout from the ground, like writhing dragons, spreading intense heat.

The Golden Crane King glanced at Li Che, reminding him to release his divine aura to resist the power of the Earth Fire.

However, since Li Che had passed the first test, the Golden Crane King only gave a brief reminder.

The two challenges of the Divine Craftsmanship Competition were designed to prepare them for this moment, when they would step into the formation.

Buzz—

Divine aura enveloped Li Che, like a divine veil, protecting his body from the burning of the Earth Fire.

Patterns of various clouds and totems were etched into the ground, appearing and disappearing, like a celestial map, fantastically vast and ancient.

"Cangche Sculptor, you are the first in the sequence for this Divine Craftsmanship Competition. This is your position."

"Do not stray beyond a five-meter radius. Within this range, you are free to move about without affecting the Divine Pill Formation." The Golden Crane King, with his sword feathers fluttering, reminded him sternly.

These instructions were essential, and the Golden Crane King had to make them clear.

"If your improper handling causes the Divine Pill Formation to lose control, we will hold you responsible."

"Furthermore..."

The Golden Crane King gave Li Che a deep, meaningful look.

"Should the Divine Pill Formation fail due to your actions, you should be well aware of the consequences."

"Too many cultivators are eagerly awaiting the Qitian Divine Pill forged in the Laojun Immortal's Doutian Furnace."

"So, if your failure results in Qitian's failure to be refined into a Divine Pill, you will be torn to shreds by countless cultivators, suffering eternal damnation!"

The Golden Crane King was dead serious.

Li Che, upon hearing this, solemnly clasped his fists and assured him that he would not do anything dangerous.

Satisfied, the Golden Crane King nodded.

"Cangche Sculptor, your ability to become the first in the sequence is indeed surprising. It speaks volumes about your potential."

"Do not let minor details lead to mistakes that could plunge you into an endless abyss."

After his warning, the Golden Crane King turned to guide the second Divine Sculptor, Shi Shaogai.

Shi Shaogai stood about a hundred meters away from Li Che's position, the spot precisely marked.

The Golden Crane King's sword feathers clanged as he led the way, cutting through wave after wave of crimson flames to guide the Divine Sculptors to their correct positions.

One by one, the eighty-one Formation Sculptors took their places.

Each stood quietly in their designated spot, not daring to make any sudden moves, even the two young emperors, Shi Shaogai and Fu Shaoxi, remained cautious.

The burden on their shoulders was immense, and any failure could have severe consequences.

Li Che understood this as well. As the first in the formation sequence, his position was the most crucial and, paradoxically, the safest.

If Li Che were to act covertly to rescue Qitian, without drawing attention, few would suspect the first in the formation sequence as the mastermind!

However, under the perception of three Earth Immortals and one Heaven Immortal, it would be challenging for Li Che to make any moves.

But since he was here, Li Che would try. He couldn't just stand by and watch Qitian be refined into a Divine Pill in the alchemy furnace.

Although Li Che had already transferred Qitian's essence to the Myriad-Element Golden Cudgel, rescuing Qitian's physical body would still be the most ideal outcome.

Standing quietly, his black robe fluttering in the heat, the scorching Earth Fire roared, causing beads of sweat to form on his forehead.

Li Che knew that the Laojun Immortal needed the Heaven and Earth Fire to refine Qitian. Currently, only the Earth Fire was present, while the Heaven Fire had yet to merge with it.

The purpose of the formation might be to control the Heaven and Earth Fire?

The eighty-one Divine Sculptors carved their sculptures, forming the array, much like a reactor controlling temperature?

In Li Che's mind, he slowly pieced together his current situation.

He closed his eyes and began to plot the possible ways to rescue Qitian on the Heaven and Earth Chessboard in his mind.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

Time passed, and the Divine Sculptors felt a subtle tremor in their hearts.

Under the pressure of the immortals, they suddenly felt the weight lift off their shoulders as the immortals redirected their pressure to the Doutian Furnace, intensifying the output of the Earth Fire.

"Everyone, form the array now."

"A Divine Wood will appear. Use your lifetime of sculpting knowledge to carve a Demon Monkey."

The voice of the Laojun Immortal echoed from the void.

Each Divine Sculptor's heart raced.

Li Che's eyes narrowed as he saw a burst of Earth Fire shoot toward him. When the flames subsided, a large block of crimson crystal Divine Wood appeared before him.

The wood seemed more like a crystal, as large as a millstone and standing three meters tall.

Carving a Demon Monkey?

This wasn't a particularly difficult test. The Divine Sculptors, their heads held high, could clearly see the demon monkey leaping in the Doutian Furnace.

It was a routine task of copying.

For the Divine Sculptors, such a task with a clear reference was relatively easy.

However, creating a sculpture of high quality was no simple feat.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

With the sound of clashing blades, brilliant flashes of light swept through the air.

One by one, the Divine Sculptors began their work.

Li Che frowned, gripping his carving knife. He had no choice but to act; otherwise, he would stand out too much.

Li Che suspected that his extraordinary performance at the Divine Craftsmanship Competition had already drawn the attention of many powerful figures.

Ji Shaohao, Shi Shaogai, and Fu Shaoxi were likely already watching him closely.

So, Li Che couldn't afford to be too different.

His divine weapon carving knife swung out, striking the crimson crystal Divine Wood, instantly sparking a brilliant light!

Sss, sss, sss—

With a clear reference, the task was not too difficult for the Divine Sculptors.

Amid the sound of carving knives and the flash of light, each Divine Sculptor completed their carving of the Demon Monkey.

Lifelike and varied, even though they couldn't clearly see the demon monkey leaping in the Doutian Furnace, each sculpture was exquisitely detailed.

Li Che began his carving, holding nothing back as he showcased his most powerful divine sculpting technique.

The blade glinted like flowing water, slicing smoothly along the divine wood, removing a piece.

His movements were unhurried, each cut as smooth as silk, imbued with a profound understanding.

After about half a day, almost all the divine sculptors completed their carvings at the same time!

Each statue of the Majestic Demon Monkey shone with a crimson glow.

When the last divine sculptor finished the final touches on his statue, the Laojun Immortal, seated atop the Doutian Furnace, lowered his eyes and his gaze fell upon the eighty-one statues of the Majestic Demon Monkey.

With a sweep of his duster, an endless divine aura cascaded down like a waterfall from the Nine Heavens.

It thunderously struck the ground below the Doutian Furnace!

The eighty-one statues of the Majestic Demon Monkey floated up, as if they had come to life, imbued with vitality!

"The divine pill formation to refine the Majestic Demon Monkey is about to begin. Please sit down and connect your mind to your statue, and relax your spirit", the Laojun Immortal’s voice echoed.

Li Che’s eyes narrowed, and he, like the other divine sculptors, sat down on the ground.

The scorching heat of the Earth Fire seemed to pass through the ground to his buttocks, spreading throughout his body like a hot current rising from the lower body to the top of the head.

With a flick of his duster,

The Laojun Immortal spread his fingers wide, and a swirling golden flame lotus appeared in his palm.

With a flick of his finger, the flame lotus drifted gracefully and finally landed at the center where everyone’s gazes converged.

A thunderous boom!

The already burning sea of Earth Fire seemed to ignite once more!

The golden flames transformed into a sinuous golden dragon, starkly different from the original Earth Fire dragon.

The temperature soared instantly, distorting the void as if it were about to shatter under the immense pressure!

"This is the Heaven Fire. With both the Heaven and Earth Fires gathered, we are truly about to refine the Majestic Demon Monkey!"

Shi Shaogai clasped his hands together, his eyes wide open, the Cicada Patterns covering his eyes emitting a brilliant golden light.

"We carved the statues of the Demon Monkey to draw the Heaven and Earth Fires, locking onto the Demon Monkey and burning it to refine it into a pill!"

Fu Shaoxi’s body exuded a rolling aura of demonic energy, his eyes glowing brightly.

"This is a method to refine the Demon Monkey by breaking down its soul!"

"The divine pill formation is indeed miraculous, befitting the First Alchemy Ancestor of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!"

Fu Shaoxi marveled deeply.

Xuanyuan Hao from the Two Holy Ancients Village and the Dongyang Sculptor also expressed their amazement.

However, after their initial awe, their eyes shone even brighter.

Because the Laojun Immortal’s confidence in refining the Majestic Demon Monkey and creating the divine pill had increased significantly!

Rumbling!

The Doutian Furnace, originally floating in the sky,

In the moment the Laojun Immortal flicked his duster, activating the formation,

It seemed to be suppressed by the entire world. Three Earth Immortals emitted vast Cosmic Will, combining their forces to form three massive palms that pressed down together.

Boom!

The Doutian Furnace’s descent scattered the Earth Fire in all directions!

The three-legged Doutian Furnace, now a deep crimson, seemed to sense the situation and its impending fate. It began to emit a shrill scream, its powerful attacks slamming fiercely against the furnace walls!

Thud, thud, thud—

Impact waves spread out!

A deep, resonant explosion!

The three-legged Doutian Furnace slammed into the ground, causing countless cracks to appear, as if the earth itself was awakening, with lava rapidly flowing out and forming an array!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—

The intense heat made every divine sculptor feel as if their souls were being scorched!

Fortunately, the points where they stood were protected by the Cosmic Will, forming an invisible barrier to shield them from the intense heat!

Each statue of the Majestic Demon Monkey, carved by the divine sculptors, seemed to ignite!

Li Che’s eyes scanned the scene, landing on the eighty-first divine sculptor.

The Majestic Demon Monkey he had carved fell to the ground, as if coming to life, and was enveloped by the Heaven and Earth Fires, which clung to it like a leech.

The statue of the Demon Monkey immediately emitted a piercing scream, rolling around in the sea of flames.

Li Che’s gaze sharpened.

In the next moment,

The statue of the Demon Monkey’s agonized howl abruptly stopped, and the entire statue exploded!

It transformed into a fiery form of the Demon Monkey, running on all fours, screaming wildly within the formation, and hurtling toward the Doutian Furnace.

A loud clang!

The Demon Monkey slammed into the furnace, its body of Heaven and Earth Fire twisting and burning, turning the furnace crimson!

The Laojun Immortal, floating above the Doutian Furnace, flicked his duster again.

He brought his two fingers together and pointed lightly at the statue of the Demon Monkey carved by the eighty-first formation sculptor.

Instantly, this statue came to life, screaming and burning in despair, until it was consumed by the Heaven and Earth Fires, transforming into a fiery Demon Monkey that rushed toward the furnace!

The Laojun Immortal, seated above the furnace, continued to point remotely.

One by one, the statues of the Demon Monkeys were consumed by the Heaven and Earth Fires, screaming in agony.

The scene was breathtaking.

Every divine sculptor held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

Li Che’s eyes narrowed, his fingers clenched, his breathing heavy like thunder.

He could clearly sense the Earth Fire continuously burning and seeping into the furnace, scorching the Majestic Demon Monkey inside.

What a ruthless move!

Li Che took a deep breath.

His fingers clenched, and a Thunder Chess Piece seemed to appear in his palm.

However, this Thunder Chess Piece, which had always been infallible, couldn't achieve teleportation.

Even though the alchemy furnace was floating right in front of him, a mere arm's length away, the Thunder Chess Piece couldn't teleport him there.

This Doutian Furnace was an unrivaled Heavenly Immortal artifact, its power too terrifying.

It even blocked the Space Essence required for Thunder Teleportation.

Unless he could get close enough to touch the surface of the alchemy furnace, there was no way to teleport...

Looking at the eighty-one Divine Sculptures of Demon Monkeys, most of which had already exploded, and the forty Earth Fire Demon Monkeys clinging to the outside of the Doutian Furnace, almost making it impenetrable.

The scorching Heaven and Earth Fire, releasing temperatures that could incinerate anything, was seeping through the alchemy furnace.

Li Che couldn't imagine how terrifying the temperature inside the furnace must be!

Even his Mortal Saint Body might not last more than ten breaths in there!

In such a dire situation... how could he attempt to rescue Qitian?

Li Che's expression darkened, his face illuminated by the blazing golden flames, shifting with gloom and confusion.

No wonder... no wonder Qitian was so desperate.

He chose to channel all his essence through the Golden Cudgel, trying to preserve his very being.

The refinement techniques of Laojun Immortal were indeed beyond imagination!

Li Che clenched his fists, his eyes reflecting the flames.

He was contemplating how to save Qitian...

Was he really going to stand idly by?

A feeling of reluctance slowly welled up in his heart. He had come so far, finally meeting the Divine Spirit of Qitian Temple.

But against Laojun Immortal's alchemy formation, he was powerless.

Li Che sat cross-legged where he was.

He clenched his fists and slowly closed his eyes.

Around him...

One scream after another echoed continuously.

Each scream represented a Divine Sculpture of a Demon Monkey, carved by a Divine Sculptor, being incinerated by the Heaven and Earth Fire, transforming into an Earth Fire Demon Monkey that charged towards the alchemy furnace, joining the refinement of Qitian.

It was as if countless monkeys and their descendants were trying to pull their king from his throne, leading to his ultimate downfall and corruption.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Fu Shaoxi suddenly stood up, his body trembling, demonic energy twisting and surging.

He looked at the Demon Monkey he had carved with a greedy and excited expression.

Streams of Heaven and Earth Fire burned his Demon Monkey, causing it to crack and split apart!

"Burn! Burn faster!"

"Refining the Qitian Divine Pill is the only way for this young emperor to compensate for the pain of losing the Divine Weapon!"

Fu Shaoxi's sharp teeth showed as he nearly danced with excitement.

Bang!

A scream!

His Demon Monkey exploded, transforming into an Earth Fire Demon Monkey that was larger than the others. It roared and charged, slamming into the alchemy furnace.

Thud!

The alchemy furnace emitted a loud, muffled rumbling sound!

A muffled groan of pain seemed to come from within!

"Useful! It's almost done!"

Fu Shaoxi was ecstatic, his face contorted with greed, almost drooling!

Dongyang Sculptor also stood up, though he was more composed than Fu Shaoxi.

His Demon Monkey also exploded, the Earth Fire Demon Monkey even larger and containing a more concentrated Heaven and Earth Fire!

Dongyang Sculptor took this opportunity to sit cross-legged, his powerful Divine Being consciousness expanding, beginning to perceive the rules and order within the Heaven and Earth Fire!

He drew a bit of its power, refining his Divine Being consciousness, as if trying to open the Netherworld Path of Life and Death!

This was also their opportunity.

Not just Dongyang Sculptor, many other Divine Sculptors were using the moment their sculptures were incinerated to capture the power of the Heaven and Earth Fire, enhancing their cultivation!

When Dongyang Sculptor's sculpture also burned away,

Shi Shaogai slowly stood up, the Cicada Pattern appearing in his eyes.

The Demon Monkey he had carved exploded, transforming into an eighty-foot-tall Earth Fire Demon Monkey. It roared, pounding its chest, its massive form distinctly different from the others.

Shi Shaogai's eyes showed excitement.

The golden Cicada Pattern on his eyes vibrated, drawing a thread of Heaven and Earth Fire into itself.

His monk's robe fluttered continuously.

Behind him, it seemed as if an Ancient Golden Cicada appeared, absorbing the Heaven and Earth Fire to refine itself!

Though his face showed some pain,

it was clear that compared to the gains, this pain was negligible.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

It seemed like an endless sea of flames was boiling, ape roars shattering the sky, everything breaking apart, filled with destruction and chaos!

Li Che suddenly opened his eyes.

His body trembled slightly.

Because...

It was finally his turn.

Crack!

A crack sounded, and the Demon Monkey Li Che had carved immediately showed cracks.

A stream of Heaven and Earth Fire burst out, and the living sculpture let out a screaming roar!

Li Che did not stand up, maintaining his cross-legged position.

He lifted his head.

His black hair danced wildly.

Looking at the sculpture being burned by the Heaven and Earth Fire.

Looking at the hundred-foot-tall Earth Fire Demon Monkey standing tall.

Li Che felt his heart trembling at this moment.

But.

Soon, his heart steadied.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and he made his decision.

The Pure Heart Dao Fruit pounded in his chest.

He focused his gaze.

At the moment his Earth Fire Demon Monkey slammed into the alchemy furnace,

Li Che's fingers clenched tightly.

The Thunder Chess Piece in his palm vanished instantly.

In that instant, he left behind a Sovereign Avatar.

And then, he disappeared.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end