C1562 The World Was Shocked!

A phoenix's cry startled the world.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Mount Solarian, Haunted Hills, Phoenix Ridge, Churchsor Hill, Mensend Hill, Blackwood Hill, and Sunlit Mountain.

The seven towering peaks of the Mountain of Flames quaked violently. Rings of dark red, scarlet, deep red, and orange-red spiritual energy waves rippled from the mid-slopes of the seven mountains, attempting to form a protective circle.

Regrettably, as the mountains trembled, the waves of light were nullified into oblivion.

The protective circle of the Sunlit Order failed to manifest its intended power, it hadn't even fully formed...

Then, a deep purple sea slowly swallowed Sunlit Mountain where Yuwen Hao was in deep cultivation.

All the cultivators of the Sunlit Order, witnessing the purple sea brimming with endless vital energy, felt an oppressive force on their spirits, making even breathing difficult.

Once they recognized what the deep purple sea signified...

Cultivators nearer to Sunlit Mountain began to vomit in agony, as if overwhelmed by the intense stench of blood.

They wailed on their sect's holy ground, crying out for Han Miaoyuan, praying for Lin Daoke's descent...

Xu Jingyao, disheveled, rushed out from his meditation cave. Gazing at Sunlit Mountain, now submerged in purple vital energy, his face was etched with utter despair.

"How could this happen? How could this be?"

He sobbed uncontrollably.

Cultivators of the Sunlit Order, weeping as he was, were scattered across every peak.

Those who wished to approach Sunlit Mountain, to make one last desperate effort, were held back by the sect's elders, forbidden from taking even a single step.

For they knew what the surging purple sea of demon energy signified and what it portended.

It signified the Dark Phoenix, a symbol of invincibility.

...

Moonfall Sanctuary.

The Tianqi God-King was suddenly jolted and burst into the sky from the majestic temple, even surpassing the confines of the Soulforge Matrix, his face set grimly as he gazed upon the continent of Euwrea.

Beside him, an evil stone statue, carved from the Sword Prison, also hovered in the void.

The Tianqi God-King, born in the extraterrestrial Star River and adhering to the philosophies of that being, felt the overwhelming demon energy that seemed to engulf the entire Everlands. His expression darkened as he contemplated, "Is this truly her power?"

The statue with a benevolent expression softly inquired, "How do you feel?"

"I finally understand why even the Abyssal Leviathan was subdued within the Embers Sea," Tianqi replied, taking a deep breath, his tone strained. "When it comes to the magnitude of vital energy, I've never encountered anyone stronger than her in my lifetime. She surpasses even the cosmic giant beasts we're familiar with."

"The supreme entity that descended into the Everlands, it was she who hunted the cosmic giant beasts across the world," the God-King Gui Xu spoke of the Dark Phoenix with a sense of oppression. "Her continuous self-improvement came from the demise of these cosmic giant beasts. Now, you must realize that we need to think long-term."

Tianqi nodded gravely.

...

At the Skyreach Consortium.

Jun Chen and Zhongli Dapan were initially stunned, then turned their attention to Green Willow, who had just returned from the Forgotten Ruins.

Feng Zhong and Zhou You stood there, dumbfounded.

"She, she..."

As the new leader of the Forgeroses sect, renowned for their robust vitality, Zhongli Dapan was particularly attuned to such energies.

The more he pondered, the clearer it became to Zhongli Dapan how horrifying the surge of demon energy from the Sunlit Order truly was!

Never had he sensed such potent vital energy in any creature, whether within the Everlands or beyond.

"It's her."

Green Willow nodded, clearly in a foul mood.

Suddenly, he realized that the other "him" in the small glass bottle given to him by Yu Yuan might actually prove useful in the future.

"What in the world happened at Skyreach Peak? Why did she want to kill Yuwen Hao?"

Zhou You was frantic, itching to rip through space to check the council's valley and then the Sunlit Order.

But he dared not.

"The Everlands are on the brink of a major upheaval," Feng Zhong murmured.

...

At the mouth of Skyreach Peak.

Following the cry of a phoenix, everyone's faces turned ashen, their piercing gazes fixated on the tiger.

Unexpectedly, the Dark Phoenix had attacked the Sunlit Order during the council meeting.

She hadn't bothered to consult with anyone, brazenly launching an assault on Yuwen Hao.

Her stance was unmistakable...

With the Kylin gone for good, and Han Miaoyuan insisting on coercing me to relinquish a divine seat, I'll just have to eliminate Yuwen Hao as compensation.

And she's already taken action!

Nobody could fathom her thoughts. Before she acted, nobody anticipated she would be so irrational and tyrannical!

Since the council's inception, Lin Daoke, who had always kept his eyes shut, indifferent to everything, suddenly opened them at the sound of a phoenix's cry and promptly rose to his feet.

Lin Daoke, forever bearing only a single sword, squinted his eyes and gazed toward the Sunlit Order.

His gaze was icy, brimming with a desire for battle.

A sword's will, so pure it could cleave the heavens, burst forth from above him, instantly slicing through the vast white mists of Skyreach Peak and transforming into a striking silver-white beam.

The beam halted high above Skyreach Peak, its aim fixed on Sunlit Mountain.

In that instant, every formidable being in the Everlands, whether or not they could see the silver-white beam from Skyreach Peak, felt an inexplicable sensation.

A sword hung in the skies above the Everlands, poised to plunge down at any moment.

It could target anyone!

Regardless of the sword's intended mark or how well it might be hidden, the sword would find its mark with unerring precision.

"Lin Daoke!"

Countless were moved, their hearts filled with unease.

Particularly in the northern reaches of the Land of Quiescence, home to Shadow's Keep, nearly every Monster Lord of the ninth level felt as though they were staring death in the face...

Yet, they were acutely aware that they were merely collateral; the sword's true target was not among them.

"Stop!"

Emerging from the Banner of Duality, Han Miaoyuan's real body approached with a grave look, grasping Lin Daoke's shoulder and sternly cautioned, "Hold back for now!"

Lin Daoke's face grew cold, his displeasure evident as he cocked his head, awaiting an explanation.

The tension was palpable at the entrance to the deep valley, where the mightiest cultivators of the Everlands stood, their faces devoid of any trace of ease.

They all recognized that a cataclysmic battle could erupt at any second.

The ferocious Astral Tiger stood immovable as a mountain, his demeanor the epitome of calm. It was as if he had prepared himself to withstand any tempest that might come his way. As a representative of Shadow's Keep and a member of the evilkind, he was resolute. Should the Dark Phoenix come under attack, he would stand his ground, regardless of the consequences, and fight alongside all present to the bitter end, unrepentant even in the face of death.

Zu Ann, Youyu, and Yu Yuan all turned their gaze to Mo Baichuan. As the envoy of the Sunlit Order, Mo Baichuan's face quivered with emotion. The sorrow and helplessness in his eyes were palpable to anyone who looked upon him. Yet, he remained silent, his eyes locked on Han Miaoyuan. No words were necessary; his countenance and demeanor said it all—he implored Han Miaoyuan to ensure Yuwen Hao's survival.

At that moment, Qin Luo of the Ruby Hand was wrestling with a maelstrom of emotions. For millennia, the Sunlit Order had been the arch-nemesis of the Ruby Hand, their dominance unchallenged due to Yuwen Hao's presence. The Ruby Hand had been unable to produce an Utmost Being for many years because of him. Yuwen Hao was like an insurmountable peak looming over the Ruby Hand, a peak that seemed impossible to overcome with their strength alone.

This peak, being the primordial spirit of a human, possessed an endless life. All the leaders of the Ruby Hand before Qin Luo had either fallen in battle or succumbed to old age, none managing to unsettle Yuwen Hao. Even the proud Qin Luo recognized that without Yuwen Hao's demise, victory would be exceedingly difficult for him.

But now, the Utmost Being of Shadow's Keep had taken action, casting a shadow over Sunlit Mountain. Based on Qin Luo's limited knowledge of the Dark Phoenix and the tales he had heard, without external intervention, Yuwen Hao's end was certain, and the mountain that had long stood in their way would finally crumble.

With Yuwen Hao's death, his Blazing Sacred Way would be left vacant, allowing Zhou Cangmin to seize the opportunity to ascend to godhood when the time was ripe. Consequently, the two sacred ways, once tightly held by the Sunlit Order, would fall under the control of the Ruby Hand. The status of the Sunlit Order and the Ruby Hand was poised to be reversed in Qin Luo's era.

He was the only one among the humans present who wished to see Yuwen Hao dead.

Moreover, he was aware that Tan Xiaotian of the Devil Palace had long admired him and had nothing but contempt for Yuwen Hao's passive cowardice.

Qin Luo was secretly thrilled and full of anticipation.

"Tan Xiaotian."

Han Miaoyuan, emerging from the Banner of Duality, placed a hand on Lin Daoke, signaling him to stay calm. He then suddenly called out, his eyes locking onto the dense darkness.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The intense darkness began to churn violently, undergoing a rapid and frenzied transformation.

It was as if hundreds of strands of dark magic coalesced in a flash.

And then, in a moment, the darkness vanished.

A striking young man in black, levitating off the ground, materialized before them.

His black hair, longer than his frame, cascaded down his back, and would have touched the ground had he not been suspended in midair.

"What a hassle."

He grumbled, gathering his long black hair and tying it at his waist like a rope, preparing himself for the impending battle.

"Lin Daoke, you alone wouldn't be enough. But with me joining, we should be sufficient."

Tan Xiaotian, who should have been traversing the extraterrestrial Star River, had descended in his real body.

Rolling up his sleeves, he chuckled with a mischievous grin, "Chased by Cardo, Ballo, and the Blood King across the Star River, I've barely grasped an immature divine seat. I've been working myself to the bone every day, only to discover a fire in my own backyard."

"Zhu Zhenlin is dead, and Yu Zhu, with her half-evilkind lineage, I refuse to believe she wasn't involved."

Tan Xiaotian fixed his gaze on the Astral Tiger, smiling, "We've made the greatest contributions to the divine seats beyond the Everlands. To be precise, my contributions have been far greater! I can understand why your Shadow's Keep would want the divine seats, but to snatch them from me? That's hardly honorable."

"I fought for those divine seats. What gives you the right to take them from me?"

He glared at Youyu with a fierce expression.

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