Immortal Martial Emperor

"Kill!"

Led by Xue De and Tie Heng, everyone except Hong Yu and Qi Tianbao attacked the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

"ROAR!"

The Thousand-Year Tai Sui fully emerged from the ground, letting out a dull, low roar as thousands of its tentacles lashed out.

The tentacles were extremely long, and their speed was astonishing.

They swept forward like streaks of impossibly fast lightning, each possessing immense power. Even someone as strong as Tie Heng could only withstand the assault of thirty tentacles at once.

If more than fifty tentacles were to strike him simultaneously, he would be severely wounded—or even killed—despite his Early-Stage Primordial Core Realm cultivation.

It was a testament to how formidable the Thousand-Year Tai Sui truly was!

"Chasing Star Finger, sever them!"

Xue De unleashed the Chasing Star Finger again and again.

A beam of light, as if condensed from the vast starry sky, shot out. With unstoppable momentum, it annihilated three of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s lashing tentacles in a single blow.

The Tai Sui roared in pain and fury.

This time, a hundred tentacles swarmed toward Xue De at once!

He was simply outnumbered. No matter how fast Xue De was, he was still struck by several tentacles.

Though he endured the blows with his powerful physique and the support of his Primordial Gang’s Power, the impacts still made his blood roil, and he nearly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"I’ll fight you to the death!"

Xue De roared, but even as the words left his mouth, he was already retreating, gradually backing away to the edge of the battle.

To think that a dignified expert of the Primordial Core Realm would commit such a despicable act.

Unfortunately...

Everyone else was completely absorbed in their life-or-death struggle with the Thousand-Year Tai Sui; no one had the spare attention to notice his actions.

Qi Tianbao tore his gaze away from the fierce battlefield and looked at Hong Yu. "How do we get inside the Tai Sui?"

Hong Yu pointed below the mass of tentacles. "Its mouth is hidden beneath them. Right now, Chairman Tie and his men are busy keeping those troublesome tentacles occupied. We just need to find the right moment to get inside the Tai Sui. However, there’s something I need to make clear first..."

"What is it?" Qi Tianbao asked, his eyes narrowing.

Hong Yu rubbed his nose. "If we fail to kill this Tai Sui, given its fearless and vengeful nature, it will absolutely hunt us down at any cost. I hope we can cooperate in good faith. Whatever grudges we might have, can we at least put them aside until after the Tai Sui is dead?"

’Once we’re inside the Tai Sui, many things will become uncertain.’

’It would be a place filled with unknown and unpredictable dangers.’

’If Qi Tianbao and I are still suspicious and wary of each other, or worse, try to sabotage one another, it would be no different from having a death wish!’

Qi Tianbao’s eyes shifted for a moment before he nodded. "I agree. I won’t make a move on you until the Thousand-Year Tai Sui is dealt with!"

"Good!"

Hong Yu took the lead, leaping down with Qi Tianbao. They bounded across the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s enormous body, landing on its foremost leg.

"That’s the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s mouth. The moment it opens, we charge in!"

Hong Yu explained patiently, pointing to a dark, gaping maw beneath the tentacles that was as large as a city gate.

「Meanwhile...」

"Celestial Falling Star Kill!"

Tie Heng’s muscles swelled, and veins pulsed like Flood Dragons beneath his skin.

His powerful frame became even more immense, transforming into what looked like a perfect physique forged entirely from steel.

His muscles bulged with explosive power, his meridians thrummed with the terrifying Primordial Gang’s Power, and he projected an aura of majesty and Momentum, like a king returned.

Between his hands, a massive sphere that seemed condensed from steel began to form. As Tie Heng infused it with his Primordial Gang’s Power, it glowed a fiery, molten red.

"Go!"

Tie Heng roared and thrust his hands forward.

The fiery sphere streaked through the air, leaving a long, flaming tail in its wake. Like a star falling from the sky, it shot toward the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s head.

"WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH!"

As if sensing the attack, the Thousand-Year Tai Sui sent thousands of tentacles to intercept the sphere, slowing it down and engulfing it.

Tie Heng’s face was expressionless as he let out a low growl. "Explode!"

"BOOM!"

A muffled boom echoed from within the dense mass of tentacles.

Immediately, blinding rays of light shot out, piercing through the cocoon of tentacles. More and more energy burst through the encirclement.

"BOOOOOOM!"

The terrifying explosion created a deafening shockwave.

Countless shards of iron flew out in all directions.

The shards were incredibly sharp. Even tentacles as tough as the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s were shredded by the assault, sending flesh and blood flying everywhere.

The Thousand-Year Tai Sui was immense!

An explosion of this magnitude created a veritable rain of blood and gore.

"SCREEECH!"

The Thousand-Year Tai Sui let out a pained shriek, its entire body convulsing violently.

"Now’s our chance!"

A glint flashed in Hong Yu’s eyes. He had been waiting for this. He and Qi Tianbao shot forward at their top speed.

With two soft squelching sounds, they slipped inside its mouth just as it snapped shut again.

Strangely, there was no strange odor inside the Thousand-Year Tai Sui’s body, none of the foul stench one would expect. Instead, there was a faint, fresh fragrance, like that of a Snow Lotus Fruit.

But the two of them didn’t dare let their guard down.

"HUMMM."

Hong Yu took a Luminous Pearl from his Storage Ring, illuminating a path ahead. "Follow me!"

Qi Tianbao followed closely behind Hong Yu, and the two began to feel their way through the innards of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

Time passed as the two of them explored...

「Outside!」

The severe wound it had sustained from the Celestial Falling Star Kill had thoroughly enraged the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

Its attacks became even more terrifying and frenzied.

In the short span of a grueling half-hour battle, more than fifteen experts had fallen at the hands of the Thousand-Year Tai Sui.

The battle only grew more intense...

After more than an hour, the death toll had reached thirty. Everyone was exhausted.

"ROAR!"

The Thousand-Year Tai Sui continued its rampage, claiming one life after another.

Tie Heng and Xue De led the surviving experts from the Guiyuan Sect and the Iron Soldier Pavilion, still holding on.

Watching disciple after disciple, expert after expert, die horribly or be grievously wounded by the Thousand-Year Tai Sui, the two men’s eyes nearly split with rage and despair. ’Hong Yu! Qi Tianbao! Our lives are in your hands!’

「Inside the Thousand-Year Tai Sui...」

"I found it! The Heart of Tai Sui is right here!" Hong Yu suddenly exclaimed, pointing at a throbbing, crimson object ahead.

It was a heart, a full five meters tall and four meters wide, beating with a steady, rhythmic pulse—the Heart of Tai Sui!

"And if we destroy it, the Thousand-Year Tai Sui is finished?" Qi Tianbao asked.

Hong Yu nodded, his voice grave. "But the Heart of Tai Sui won’t be easy to deal with. We have to be careful!"

"It’s just a heart. What’s there to be careful about? Watch me destroy it!"

Qi Tianbao snorted.

He channeled surging Momentum into his Primordial Battle Halberd. With a RUMBLE of energy coursing through his arm, he thrust it forward.

The weapon unleashed a mighty Halberd Aura that shot straight for the Heart of Tai Sui.

However...

Just as his attack was about to strike true, a deep, dull THUMP vibrated out from the Heart of Tai Sui.

The force of the vibration instantly shattered the attack Qi Tianbao had just launched.

He clutched his head with both hands, screaming in agony.

Bright red blood trickled from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He had been wounded by the Heart of Tai Sui’s Spiritual Attack. If he didn’t receive immediate treatment, he would be left a mindless vegetable even if he survived.

’Forget it. We were allies, after all,’

Hong Yu sighed.

A faint blue light swirled in his left, cyan eye, then flowed through his palm and into Qi Tianbao’s body. At last, the excruciating pain wracking Qi Tianbao’s body began to subside.

He stared at Hong Yu with bloodshot eyes. "What just happened?"

Hong Yu said coolly, "The Heart of Tai Sui can launch a Spiritual Attack. You were nearly killed. Now, stand aside and stand guard for me. I’ll deal with the Heart."

"Fine!"

A flicker of something passed through Qi Tianbao’s eyes as he retreated to one side.

Hong Yu walked up to the Heart of Tai Sui. Within his cyan eye, a Star River seemed to swirl. The best way to deal with the Heart of Tai Sui was to use Spiritual Power to completely obliterate it.

"BOOM!"

His Ice Divine Blade slammed mercilessly into the Heart of Tai Sui, and the Heart fought back with all its might.

Two terrifyingly powerful torrents of Spiritual Power collided, clashed, and battled wildly. The first one to falter would be utterly annihilated.

The Ice Divine Blade was on the verge of destroying the Heart of Tai Sui.

But at that critical moment, a sinister glint appeared in the eyes of Qi Tianbao, who was standing right behind Hong Yu. As his hand flexed, a black light flashed and vanished.

’Not good!’

An alarm bell went off in Hong Yu’s mind. He tried to dodge, but it was too late!

"PFFT!"

Hong Yu felt a sharp pain in his chest, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood that splattered across the Heart of Tai Sui.

He looked down in a daze. A dark object had pierced straight through his heart—and had also penetrated the Heart of Tai Sui behind him.

Hong Yu could feel his Life Force draining away at a frightening rate.

He wanted to pull the black object out, but found he lacked even the strength to lift his hand. He was pinned firmly to the Heart of Tai Sui.

In a daze, Hong Yu heard Qi Tianbao’s mocking, singsong voice. "Tsk, tsk, isn’t this the great genius Hong Yu? How did you end up in such a state?"

Qi Tianbao grinned, patting Hong Yu’s cheek. "That look in your eyes... you must really want to kill me, don’t you? Heh heh heh, what a shame. Even an expert of the Primordial Core Realm is doomed if they’re hit by the Yama Shuttle, let alone someone like you."

"You... you bastard..."

Hong Yu trembled in body and soul, his furious gaze locked on Qi Tianbao.

’The Yama Shuttle. A single-use, Celestial Level Lower Grade Hidden Weapon capable of killing an expert at the Early-stage Primordial Core Realm!’

He couldn’t fathom why Qi Tianbao would use such a thing to kill him. This was a Treasure worth ten billion Gold Coins!

As if seeing through Hong Yu’s confusion, Qi Tianbao sneered, "To be honest, I find it unbelievable myself. To think that in order to deal with you, Senior Sister Wang Fei would even take the Grand Elder’s prized Yama Shuttle from his collection!"

"Oh, right. Senior Sister Wang Fei wanted me to pass on a message. After you’re dead, she’ll take *very* good care of Beichen Celestial Frost and that little bastard for you..."

"And don’t you worry about missing the sight of them being tortured. Senior Sister Wang Fei was very specific... she wants me to cut off your head and bring it back to her!"

Qi Tianbao roared with laughter, his Battle Halberd vibrating in the air. A sharp Halberd Aura flared as he prepared to take Hong Yu’s head.

Hong Yu’s heart had been pierced by the Yama Shuttle, and ninety-nine percent of his life force had been drained away. He was already impossibly weak, unable even to lift his eyelids.

How could he possibly resist Qi Tianbao’s vicious attack?

As he watched the Battle Halberd draw closer, feeling the cold whisper of the Halberd Aura against his neck, Hong Yu’s heart sank...

’Am I going to die? I refuse to accept this!’

[Update Complete!]