Chapter 181 - 210: Black Spirit Ancestor, Ferocious Statue, This Sword, I’ll Take It
The group exchanged a few jokes but didn’t really mean them.
They resumed escorting the convicts toward the prison.
En route, Su Bai noticed the unusual activity in the sky above. A hint of delight touched his lips as he thought to himself, ’Things are getting more and more lively!’
"Brother Su Bai! What are you smiling about?"
As they neared the prison, Zhang Wei noticed Su Bai’s pleased expression and asked curiously.
"I was just thinking of something pleasant."
’Something pleasant?’
Zhang Wei was taken aback.
’What sort of pleasant thing?’
He wanted to press for more, but Su Bai merely smiled without a word.
This left Zhang Wei practically itching with curiosity.
...
High in the celestial vault, Martial Arts Great Powers were steadily gathering.
Some were infamous Demons from the Demon Sects, their names carrying weight far and wide; others were celebrated figures from the Righteous Sects, renowned throughout the land.
The two factions occupied opposite sides, each keeping to their own.
Neither side made a move, limiting their conflict to the occasional verbal sparring.
The sky above Xia Imperial City was now the scene of a boisterous spectacle, like a grand convention for Great Powers.
There were no fewer than ten great figures at the Daoist Palace Realm alone.
This was to say nothing of the Elders and disciples from the major sects who were at the Spirit Transformation and Divine Platform Realms.
All these figures stood poised in the heavens, their forms shrouded by the clouds.
If an ordinary person walking on the streets of the Imperial City below were to look up and strain their eyes toward the sky...
...they would only see drifting clouds shimmering with a radiant glow.
They would be completely unable to spot any trace of these figures.
In contrast to the bustling Xia Imperial City below, this assembly resembled a group of Exiled Immortals, standing apart from the mortal world.
They resided high amongst the clouds, wreathed in mist.
Members of both the Righteous and Demonic paths with lesser Martial Dao strength lacked the qualifications to even watch from the sidelines, let alone participate.
The so-called Tofu Lady, the Profound Celestial Saintess of the Soul-devouring Demon Sect, secretly took in every figure from both the Righteous and Demonic paths present.
Yet, in her heart, she felt...
’All the Daoist Palace experts here might not measure up to even a fraction of the new Boxing Saint’s power.’
As she thought this, a glint flashed in her eyes. She turned to the man in the black robe and asked, "Master!"
"Why haven’t we seen anyone from the Black Lotus Sect for this operation?"
Xiang Wentian glanced down at the Great Xia Imperial Palace below before speaking impassively. "The Sect Leader of the Black Lotus Sect isn’t interested in these two Sacred Artifacts."
"Besides, he is currently outside the Great Xia Domain, personally overseeing a major affair and is unable to get away."
"However, they did promise to send people to intercept the experts of the Great Xia Dynasty."
"Even Great Xia’s new Boxing Saint is accounted for in their plans."
"Otherwise, why would I have said this is a godsent opportunity...?"
"I see."
The Profound Celestial Saintess finally understood.
Then, she turned to look toward the prison, staring blankly as she was lost in thought.
Based on her understanding of these great figures from the Righteous and Demonic paths, a standoff like this wouldn’t be broken any time soon.
Every last one of them was as shrewd as they come. By now, everyone knew for certain that the Celestial Net Sword and the Mingfeng Saber were deep within the prison.
And yet, not a single one of them dared to go in.
Of course, such a tense stalemate was bound to be broken sooner or later.
After all, a number of people had already risked death to enter the prison, and none had yet emerged.
Every moment they delayed out here, the chances of those inside finding the Sacred Artifacts increased.
Now it was just a matter of who would be the first to break the deadlock.
’It will most likely be someone from the Demon Dao.’
’The longer this drags on, the more people from the Righteous Sects will arrive, which is highly disadvantageous for the Demon Dao.’
Just as the Profound Celestial Saintess was mulling this over...
...the sky suddenly went dark!
Someone saw this, their expression changing in alarm as they roared, "A Sacred Artifact is emerging!"
In an instant, everyone was shocked!
Waves of auras belonging to the Daoist Palace and Divine Platform Realms surged and roiled.
For a moment, undercurrents swelled, and the atmosphere grew incredibly tense!
A few breaths later, a Daoist Palace Great Power came to his senses. His expression darkened, and his ferocious eyes swept his surroundings as he barked coldly.
"Which ignorant fool is spouting nonsense!?"
But by then, no one was paying attention.
All eyes were fixed on the ominous clouds that blotted out the sky, watching as they spread relentlessly in every direction.
Vast stretches of these ominous clouds had completely blanketed the entire Imperial City.
A casual sweep with Divine Thoughts revealed that they already covered an area of over ten thousand miles!
Not only that, but massive quantities of Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, Demonic Qi, and Evil Qi were present as well.
They roared and churned within the ominous clouds!
In just an instant, they converged above the Imperial City, forming an immense gray-black maelstrom.
Then, the crowd saw a figure shoot out from the gray-black maelstrom with a piercing shriek!
The sound drew everyone’s gaze.
It was a gaunt old man in a black robe.
His face was wizened and his movements were bizarre. On his hunched back, he carried a thirty-foot-tall black Lotus Platform.
The Lotus Platform was completely empty.
The old man carried the Lotus Platform, a dark light glinting in his eyes and a smirk-like expression on his face.
He flew toward them, streaking through the air at an unbelievable speed!
"Ancestor!"
Upon seeing the old man in black, the red-haired, brawny man’s expression immediately changed, and he became as meek as an obedient child.
He obediently approached, his face a mask of reverence as he bowed and spoke.
"It’s Black Spirit Ancestor of the Red Flame Demon Sect!"
A Daoist Palace Great Power recognized the old man’s identity and blurted it out, his face full of dread.
"Black Spirit Ancestor! You certainly took your time getting here!"
Xiang Wentian was smiling, intending to get chummy with the old man.
But the other man completely ignored him.
Upon reaching the crowd, the old man suddenly stopped.
He placed the Lotus Platform in the void, faced toward the Great Xia Prison, and slammed his knees down hard!
Then, he stretched his arms upward, his old face a mask of frenzied piety, and cried out, "This descendant of the Red Flame Demon Sect respectfully welcomes Lord Demon God’s return to his throne!"
With that, he prostrated himself, his head bowed low in the void.
Just as everyone was looking on in confusion, unsure of the old man’s true purpose...
...a tremendous BOOM echoed!
Immediately after, the crowd saw a black shadow, like a bolt of black lightning, shatter the roof of the prison below and shoot upward, whipping up a black wind!
With a WHOOSH, it landed on the black Lotus Platform in front of the old man.
When they finally got a clear look at the black shadow...
...the expressions of everyone in the Demonic Lineage, including Xiang Wentian, Lady Xuan Yin, and the other old Daoist Palace Realm demons, changed drastically!
It was a...
...massive, ferocious statue with four heads and eight arms, radiating an evil aura!
"It’s the Demon God Statue of the Red Flame Demon Sect!"
Xiang Wentian looked horrified and was about to strike a blow at Black Spirit Ancestor!
The Red Flame Demon Sect already possessed two Demon God Statues, making them a power within the Five Demonic Sects of the Outer Realm, second only to the White Bone Hall.
If they were allowed to get another Demon God Statue, the consequences would be unimaginable!
BOOM!!
However, before he could act...
...the phenomenon in the heavens above changed again!
One after another, golden Divine Dragons appeared, dancing joyfully in the sky. Where they flew, spectacular, colorful clouds were born in their wake.
Amidst the roars of the golden Divine Dragons, the dense, ominous clouds from before clearly began to scatter!
"It’s the phenomenon that heralds the arrival of the Celestial Net Sword!"
This time, everyone understood.
They stared intently high into the celestial vault, their gazes burning with passion.
Sure enough!
A moment later, the crowd saw a golden longsword, suspended high in the air, flickering in and out of existence!
In that moment, all eyes were drawn to the Celestial Net Sword. No one paid the black statue any mind.
"It really is the Celestial Net Sword!"
Seize it!!
Immediately, three Daoist Palace Great Powers shot forward at incredible speeds, their figures blurring as they were wreathed in cascading waves of True Qi.
They lunged for the Celestial Net Sword!
PFFT!!
However, they had barely come within ten feet of the Celestial Net Sword when their bodies were engulfed by an incredibly tyrannical aura.
All three spat up blood as their figures were violently flung backward!
One man’s body even began to crack apart.
His Divine Spirit was gravely injured!
"This sword is mine!"
Amidst the crowd’s horrified expressions, a gigantic cyan claw tore through a thousand miles of ominous clouds and ripped several golden dragons apart!
It lunged through the air!
「At the same time, deep within the prison.」
Su Bai, seated cross-legged in the void, also broke into a smile.
"I’ve been waiting for you."
Then.
His figure dissolved into a hazy mist and vanished from his spot.
BOOM—
High in the heavens, the owner of the cyan claw, having seized the Celestial Net Sword, immediately retracted its talon, preparing to retreat!
However, at that very moment, the crowd watched in utter horror!
Above the Cloud Sea...
...an even more massive golden hand suddenly shot out!
In the blink of an eye, it seized the cyan claw, along with the ten thousand miles of ominous clouds...
...and crushed them in mid-air!