Chapter 509: The Li Family’s Annihilation
In the overlapping Yin and Yang time-space of Xinxiang's Imperial Capital, the Kings of Hell from each hall led ghost gods from the underworld, surging like a tidal wave toward the Thick Virtue and Great Light Palace. The judges participating in the battle alone numbered over a hundred.
Behind their heads hung layers of hell, radiating immense magical power as they joined forces to besiege Daoist Willow.
Daoist Willow floated in the air, countless branches dancing behind him as he strained every fiber to resist their siege. But from the hells behind those judges' heads, countless ghost spirits flew out, climbing up along the willow branches.
They raised their magic treasures and activated their divine abilities, hacking at the willow branches, severing them one by one.
Suddenly, many willow branches intertwined, coiling like great serpents swimming together, crushing and breaking the bones of the ghost spirits on the branches, even severing heads from bodies, causing them to fall from the tree.
At that moment, the Nine Hall Kings of Hell walked forward together, each receiving one of Daoist Willow's attacks. Their bodies shook slightly as they praised in unison, "Magnificent, magnificent! This Daoist's magical power is even stronger than our divine power!"
Daoist Willow wanted to keep them there, but he was already entangled by the many judges, too flustered to manage.
The Nine Hall Kings of Hell continued upward, arriving before the temple. Above them hung the Dog Head Executioner's Blade, Tiger Head Executioner's Blade, and Dragon Head Executioner's Blade. From time to time, astonishing blade light fell from the sky, swooping down with a swish, often leaving behind a trail of ghost spirit corpses.
Though called executioner's blades, when one looked up, one couldn't see the blades themselves—only three beams of light in the shapes of dragons, tigers, and dogs.
These three blade lights were raised by the little Yama, truly capable of cutting through anything. A judge from the Gu family channeled the great Dao power of hell to strengthen himself and arrived before the Empress Temple. Just as he was about to strike at the little Yama cradling the toad in his arms, the little Yama pointed a finger, and the blade light in the sky fell, cleaving through the judge and the hell behind his head!
The Dragon Head Executioner's Blade's light returned to the sky. The blade light fell again, but suddenly a treasured umbrella flew over, whistling and spinning, blocking the Dragon Head Executioner's Blade.
A voice laughed, "As expected of Lord Blue Sky, your magical power is truly profound! If not for the Blue Goat Treasured Umbrella, I wouldn't have been able to block your executioner's blade!"
That treasured umbrella was the Xia family's immortal artifact, the Blue Goat Treasured Umbrella. Once raised, the great umbrella spread for thousands of acres, and beneath it, a blazing sun shone, forming a Pure Yang Immortal Realm. The blade light fell on the umbrella's surface but failed to cut through this treasure.
The one who raised the treasured umbrella was the Xia family's King Bian Cheng, Xia Huaijin. After blocking the blade light, he retracted the Blue Goat Treasured Umbrella to the size of an ordinary umbrella, holding it in his hand.
Whenever the Dragon Head Executioner's Blade fell, green light surged upward like a green sun, blocking the blade light.
The little Yama raised his hand and pointed again. A cold light fell from the sky—the Dog Head Executioner's Blade—heading straight for the Blue Goat Treasured Umbrella.
Xia Huaijin's expression shifted slightly. He could block one executioner's blade, but two was beyond him.
Just then, a demon-suppressing pagoda flew up, blocking the Dog Head Executioner's Blade. It was the Jiang family's immortal artifact.
Though the Dog Head Executioner's Blade wasn't as powerful as the Dragon Head, its attack speed was faster. The blade light fell like rain, swish swish swish.
The demon-suppressing pagoda emitted demonic aura. Each time a blade light fell, a demon creature flew out from the pagoda, its massive head dropping from mid-air. The blade light would then withdraw, and the pagoda's power would actually strengthen by one degree.
This happened again and again, killing dozens of demons and monsters, and the pagoda's power grew increasingly stronger.
This pagoda was originally an immortal artifact from the Divine Continent of China, obtained by the Jiang family and used to refine demons and monsters with astonishing power. However, the more demons it suppressed, the more its power was consumed in restraining them. Now, the Dog Head Executioner's Blade had instantly killed dozens of demons, releasing the immortal artifact's might!
Seeing this, the little Yama immediately mobilized the Tiger Head Executioner's Blade. Fifth Officer King Zhang Ruoshu laughed, "Little Yama, your tricks are exhausted! Your methods are nothing more than this!"
He raised the Heavenly River Star Sand, and the blade light clashed with countless star sands. These star sands were refined from extraterrestrial stars, forming a brilliant Milky Way when raised. Even the immensely heavy Tiger Head Executioner's Blade couldn't cut through the starry river and fall.
Three immortal artifacts blocked the little Yama's three executioner's blades.
As the Nine Hall Kings of Hell approached, the little Yama released his Primordial Spirit. A crescent moon appeared in the sky, and in the darkness, a massive phantom vaguely raised its hand, slapping down toward the Nine Hall Kings of Hell.
With this movement, surging divine power surged and crashed, causing the Nine Hall Kings of Hell to each wear solemn expressions. They roared in unison and raised their hands to meet this attack.
Both sides were deities. As divine power clashed, countless sounds erupted around the high ridge—whispers of ghosts, prayers of sentient beings, and chants of ghost gods!
The chants and prayers of sentient beings, ghosts, and ghost gods merged with the energy of incense offerings, forming extraordinary power that became their divine abilities and divine power!
The moment they clashed, the little Yama's face flushed red. He involuntarily flew backward and fell into the Empress Temple.
A gentle surge of magical force caught the little Yama. He felt his surging blood and qi instantly calm down without any injury.
"Thank you, Your Ladyship!" The little Yama turned and bowed in thanks.
On the lotus platform, the Empress of Earth smiled and nodded.
The little Yama held the giant toad in his arms and stepped aside.
The Nine Hall Kings of Hell walked forward, followed by ghost gods from families like Fei and Zhai. These families hadn't won the position of King of Hell, so their ghost gods ranked slightly lower than the Nine Halls.
"How insolent."
On the lotus seat, the Empress of Earth flicked her sleeve. The Nine Hall Kings of Hell's expressions changed drastically. They all channeled their divine power to resist, each grunting as they were sent flying backward!
The next moment, they landed at the foot of the high ridge. Looking up, they saw the yellow earth hanging like an inverted sky, that temple pressing down on their heads like the heavens themselves.
The little Yama withdrew the three executioner's blades, while Daoist Willow continued to single-handedly hold off the army of hell ghost gods under the Nine Hall Kings of Hell, fighting with extreme difficulty.
"Impressive, truly worthy of being the Empress of Earth's clone."
King Zhuanlun Cui Qingwu laughed coldly and raised the Twenty-Four Formations Heavenly Book. This treasure was the Cui family's immortal artifact, also from the Divine Continent of China. Legend said it was the immortal artifact of Li Jing, the War God of the Tang Dynasty, containing twenty-four formation diagrams within.
Xia Huaijin also retracted the Blue Goat Treasured Umbrella, Zhang Ruoshu withdrew the Heavenly River Star Sand, Gu Huaiyuan raised the Heaven-Earth Bridge, the Ma family's ghost god raised the Dragon Beard Whip, the Zhai family's ghost god raised the Heavenly Silkworm Treasure Box, and the Gao family's ghost god raised the Kui Dragon Drum.
Multiple immortal artifacts radiated overwhelming immortal might, even pressing that high ridge lower and lower.
They walked together toward the high ridge, preparing to unleash the immortal artifacts' power and attack the Empress Temple!
The Empress of Earth was still inside the temple, not coming out to face them.
The Nine Hall Kings of Hell drew closer and closer to the Empress Temple. Just then, wisps of incense energy drifted toward them, flowing into the sashes around King Du Shi Xu Luoying, King Chu Jiang Li Tang, and King Qin Guang Yang Tianhe.
That was the incense energy from the people of the Xu, Li, and Yang families, mixed with various thoughts from their clansmen. These thoughts were all cries for help!
At the same time, the ghost gods of the three families who were besieging Daoist Willow also received incense energy from their clansmen, immediately learning about the siege on Lingzhou, Quanzhou, and Tingzhou!
Yang Tianhe furrowed his brow, stopping in his tracks, hesitant.
So many members of the Yang family were begging him for help, indicating that the Yang family was in imminent danger!
If the Yang family was destroyed, they ghost gods would become rootless duckweed.
"Brother Yang, let's capture the Empress Temple first and level the Imperial Capital!" said King Chu Jiang Li Tang.
Yang Tianhe was indecisive. King Du Shi Xu Luoying was also somewhat hesitant, knowing that if the Xu family in the mortal world was destroyed, there would be no successors for the Xu family in the underworld.
King Song Di Gu Huaiyuan said in a deep voice, "This is a strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao! The rebel Chen Shi wants us to lose our unity of purpose, so he can break us one by one! Three brothers, let us first conquer the Empress Temple and destroy the Imperial Capital. Those forces besieging your families will collapse on their own!"
Xu Luoying's expression shifted uncertainly, then suddenly turned and left, laughing, "Everyone, the Xu family's immortal artifact, the Sun-Moon Pearls, is still in the hands of the Xu family in the mortal world. If the Xu family loses, this treasure will fall into enemy hands, which is even worse for us! I'll go and return!"
He rode the wind and said solemnly, "Xu family warriors, follow me to kill the enemy!"
Thousands upon thousands of Xu family ghost spirits flew up, landing in the hells of the Xu family judges. The six Xu family judges sprinted, chasing after Xu Luoying.
Xu Luoying frowned. The Xu family had brought fourteen judges this time, but only six had come. The remaining eight judges were all tied up by Daoist Willow, hanging from trees.
"This Daoist is indeed worthy of being the immortal tree before the Empress Temple, truly formidable!"
He had no time to dwell on it. He immediately led the six judges, leaped up, and with a crack, a bolt of Yin Lightning rolled past, and they vanished.
"Your Majesty!"
A ghost god of the Li family called out, "The Li family in the mortal world is also asking for our help. They say the Skeleton King of the Heavenly Pool Ghost Kingdom has killed into the underworld and broken through all nine layers of hell! Should we go back?"
King Chu Jiang Li Tang's expression shifted, uncertain and hesitant.
He very much wanted the current family head, Li Xiaozai, to suffer a major loss, but he didn't want the Li family to be uprooted because of it.
But the matter at hand was extremely important. Without him, they might not be able to conquer the Empress Temple!
"The Li family is what matters!"
He suddenly made up his mind, smiling a cold smile. "Everyone, my Li family's immortal artifact, the Patriarch's Robe, is not in my hands but in the Li family in the mortal world. I also need to make a trip, so that Li Xiaozai won't lose in battle and hand over the Patriarch's Robe to the enemy!"
He immediately flew up, sweeping up the Li family's judges and ghost spirits, and hurried away.
Fifth Officer King Zhang Ruoshu stared at Yang Tianhe. "Brother Yang has no reason to go back, right? This time, we must complete the mission in one battle. If even you leave, the Twelve Great Clans will likely be broken one by one by the thief Chen!"
Yang Tianhe made up his mind and said in a deep voice, "The Yang family disciples are extremely powerful. I don't believe Chen Shi can have such a large force to attack three great families simultaneously and wipe them out!"
Hearing this, the other kings all felt their spirits lift.
If Yang Tianhe also left, there would be no point in their siege of the Empress Temple.
"Brother Yang, rest assured. I have already ordered the Xia family disciples to rush to the Yang family for support!"
Xia Huaijin said, "The Twelve Great Clans are connected like branches on a tree. When one thrives, all thrive; when one suffers, all suffer. We will not sit by and watch the thief Chen's atrocities."
The ghost gods of other families also ordered their families in the mortal world to support the Yang family.
Yang Tianhe breathed a sigh of relief. He took the lead and walked toward the Empress Temple, saying solemnly, "This battle is a battle of survival. If you want to live, you must fight bravely!"
The ghost gods followed him as they charged toward the Empress Temple.
At the Quanzhou Li Family.
"Why haven't Li Tinglan and the others come to support us yet?"
Li Xiaozai, along with the Li family's two ancestors, was battling Little Duan Immortal, but they were repeatedly injured.
He was the main force in this battle. Facing Little Duan Immortal's attacks, he could only use the Patriarch's Robe, this immortal artifact, to defend, but in a short time, he had been severely wounded by this woman!
If not for his desperate resistance, his father and grandfather would likely have died at Little Duan Immortal's hands in a single exchange.
The ghost spirit army from the underworld had not arrived for a long time, causing panic in his heart. In his haste, his Primordial Spirit cast a brief glance into the underworld. When he saw the nine layers of hell below Puming Palace, his heart grew heavier and heavier.
"I miscalculated. I thought Chen Shi would definitely target the Li family in the mortal world, so I had King Chu Jiang Li Tang leave nine layers of hell to guard the Li family. I never expected Chen Shi's skeleton form to lead the Heavenly Pool Kingdom's army straight at the nine layers of hell. Lost. The Li family is completely lost."
His heart was bitter.
When he noticed this scene, the skeleton Chen Shi had already swung the Tianluo Blood-Transforming Divine Blade, cutting through the nine layers of hell!
The Tianluo Blood-Transforming Divine Blade was the most powerful immortal artifact to have fallen into the Western Ox New Continent. This treasure was invincible, bloodthirsty by nature. Since it appeared in the world, Chen Shi was the only one who could subdue it.
Now, Skeleton Chen Shi had crossed the Tribulation and was a half-immortal, pushing this blade's power to its limit!
His first slash severed the head of Judge Li Tinglan from the Tongue-Pulling Hell.
The ghost clan army charged straight in. Facing the many Li family ghost spirits in hell, it was a one-sided massacre!
These ghost clan members were all cultivators of Great Shang immortal techniques. While channeling their cultivation methods, they could also activate the shamanic ritual markings in their bloodline, making their combat power truly astonishing!
Skeleton Chen Shi's speed in breaking through the nine layers of hell was so fast that by the time Li Xiaozai noticed this scene, it was already too late.
Moreover, even if he had noticed it earlier, there was no way to stop it.
Facing Chen Shi's Tianluo Blood-Transforming Divine Blade, neither he nor the Li family's two ancestors were a match for even a single exchange.
The Li family was already defeated.
Li Xiaozai withdrew his gaze. In his last glance, he saw Chen Shi's skeleton form dragging the blade toward the mortal world. The Blood Sea Hell behind his head had already grown to the size of an immortal realm.
Li Xiaozai's Primordial Spirit returned to his physical body, his heart filled with unbearable sorrow. Suddenly, he said, "Great Ancestor, Great Ancestor Lord, I'll leave things here to you!"
Upon hearing this, the Li family's two ancestors understood like a mirror.
Great Ancestor Li Qianfeng laughed, "Xiaozai, has it come to this? Then go!"
Great Ancestor Lord Li Yiran smiled, "We'll hold off this evil immortal! Go quickly! Take as many Li family members as you can!"
Tears in his eyes, Li Xiaozai immediately turned. His sleeve swept and scooped, taking as many Li family disciples as possible.
Li Qianyun and several hundred other Li family cultivators, who were fighting against Red Mountain Hall experts, were swept up by his sleeve. Li Xiaozai broke through the air and flew away.
Red Mountain Hall had many experts, but the highest cultivation level among them was only the Spirit Refining Realm. However, three of them were exceptionally formidable. These three all had Chen Shi's face, but with some differences from the real Chen Shi—one had a lecherous aura, one had a big belly, and one was elegantly dressed.
The aura of all three was extremely powerful!
Especially the lecherous-faced Chen Shi, who was absurdly strong, giving off a god-like or demon-like pressure.
They stormed into Quanzhou City, killing wildly. Even the highest-ranked elder of the Li family couldn't withstand them, falling within a few exchanges at the hands of these three.
The lecherous-faced Chen Shi saw Li Xiaozai flying away and immediately leaped into the air to intercept him mid-flight.
Li Xiaozai swung his other hand, clashing hard with him. The lecherous-faced Chen Shi grunted, fell to the ground, and coughed up blood on landing, dying instantly.
"Seems like a Corpse God!"
Li Xiaozai was astonished.
He teleported a thousand miles away and suddenly landed in a forest below. He released the people from his sleeve and said in a deep voice, "Chen Shi is chasing us. We'll split into two groups. Qianyun, take these few dozen people on that path!"
With a sweep of his sleeve, several dozen Li family disciples were involuntarily sent tumbling over to Li Qianyun's side.
Li Qianyun froze. Li Xiaozai had already taken off the Patriarch's Robe from his body and draped it over her shoulders, smiling, "You go that way. I saw the direction Tianqing left in—it's that direction. Hurry! Hurry!"
Li Qianyun gritted her teeth and flew away with the few dozen Li family disciples.
Li Xiaozai looked at the remaining several hundred people, his expression complex. He smiled, "We'll go this way. Everyone, follow me!"
They flew out of the mountain range and saw a vast sea of blood ahead. Skeleton Chen Shi stood before the Blood Sea.
Li Xiaozai faced Chen Shi and said in a deep voice, "Everyone, I'll hold him off. Use this chance to escape! Go!"
He channeled all his cultivation and charged at Chen Shi.
The blood-colored blade light flashed.