Translator: CinderTL
"That brat is Li Chunjun!"
Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord watched Li Chunjun's figure stride toward the dark horned prison, his eyes flickering with conflicted emotions.
Before arriving, he had carefully considered whether to ambush Li Chunjun before he entered the prison, capture him, and leave immediately.
But now...
Facing the profound yellow spirit and the Void passage it had forged with its immense Qi and transcendent realm, he had to abandon such reckless and impractical notions.
Having lived for over a hundred thousand years, he understood perfectly when to flaunt his power and when to lie low.
When he could dominate the situation, he would crush his opponents mercilessly. But when he couldn't...
He would swallow his pride and play the fool.
With that Quasi-Tenth-Tier profound yellow spirit present, capturing Li Chunjun was impossible.
Even if he persuaded his disciple to join the attack, they wouldn't stand a chance of seizing the person the spirit was protecting right under its nose.
Besides...
He vaguely suspected that his disciple would be delighted to see him die sooner rather than later.
If he were to try to stop this Quasi-Tenth-Tier profound yellow spirit, it might seize the opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.
A heartless cur.
For a moment, the Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord, though unwilling, had to suppress his thoughts.
He could only place his hopes on the Blood Eagle Three Brothers, the Six Wind Catchers, the Cloud Mountain Three Venerables, and those Dharma Manifestations who owed him favors.
Turning to the assembled forces behind him, he declared, "This is your mission! Do not disappoint me!"
"Rest assured, Lord," the Blood Eagle Three Brothers replied, bowing solemnly. "We will capture Li Chunjun alive and deliver him to you for judgment!"
The others wore grave expressions, their faces set with a resolute determination to succeed or die trying. They would brave fire and water to fulfill the Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord's command.
Yet beneath this show of resolve, many wore bitter smiles, their hearts heavy with resignation.
The Universal Transformation Venerable was one such man.
The Heavenly Palace had suffered heavy losses in Void Refining cultivators, and someone had to take responsibility.
Of the nine great elders in the current Council of Elders, only the three Venerables directly serving the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor were spared. The remaining six, including the two neutral faction members, were all placed on the list to enter the dark horned prison.
It wasn't just the six great elders; all the remaining Venerables, except for a dozen core members of the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor's faction, were ordered to enter the dark horned prison to atone for their failures.
The Demon-Quelling Great Emperor's resolve was unwavering. He seemed willing to temporarily halt operations at the Heavenly Palace rather than tolerate any dissent.
In this situation, they had no choice.
As they hesitated slightly, the Demon-Quelling Great Emperor's overwhelming mental power surged forth: "What are you waiting for?! Confront a newly advanced Dharma Manifestation Realm cultivator in the dark horned prison and fight with all your might! You still have a chance! Otherwise, don't blame me for stripping your Dharma Manifestations and demoting you!"
Stripping their Dharma Manifestations!
This punishment sent a chill down Universal Transformation Venerable's spine.
He knew their scheme to lure Dragon-Elephant Imperial Lord into this trap had thoroughly enraged the Great Emperor. If they dared to scheme again, he would undoubtedly carry out his threat.
Without further hesitation, the Venerables followed the Blood Eagle Three Brothers into the dark horned prison.
Meanwhile, aboard the chaos vessel, Yuan Taiji watched Li Chunjun and the Heavenly Palace forces enter the dark horned prison. He wasted no time.
"Go," he declared. "The Wu Ji Sect's lost glory can only be reclaimed through your efforts."
He declared solemnly, "Whoever captures or kills Li Chunjun will receive a generous reward from the Wu Ji Sect. Furthermore, if your Dharma Manifestations are shattered, the sect will fund their reconstruction. Should you perish in the dark horned prison, the sect will ensure your designated descendants receive Dharma Manifestation Realm-level cultivation!"
"Yes!" the Dharma Manifestations responded solemnly.
Each of them held positions of great authority within the Wu Ji Sect, commanding reverence wherever they went. Countless individuals relied on them for sustenance and livelihood.
Now, whether driven by the sect's honor and glory, the promised rewards and benefits, or even against their will...
Regardless of their personal motives, having arrived at this point, poised to enter the dark horned prison, their purpose had become singular.
To unite, slay Li Chunjun, and eliminate the greatest threat the Wu Ji Sect had faced in recent years!
"I entrust this task to you all," Yuan Taiji said, bowing deeply alongside the Supreme Sages to the fifty-nine Dharma Manifestations.
"We will not disappoint the Sect Master," the fifty-nine Dharma Manifestations replied in unison, their voices solemn.
In the next instant, they transformed into streaks of light, hurtling toward the dark horned prison.
During this moment, Yuan Taiji cast a covert glance at one among them, a figure whose aura remained deliberately subdued.
And that person...
Yuan Taiji glanced at Yuan Taiji, their eyes meeting in unspoken understanding.
Even the thirteen Dharma Manifestations around them were aware of their additional mission.
Whether it was the hundred and fifty-odd Heavenly Palace Dharma Manifestations or the forty-five Dharma Manifestations accompanying them, their sole purpose was to exhaust Li Chunjun's strength and probe his hidden cards.
Only these thirteen, along with the Supreme Dharma Aspect the Sect Master had hired at great expense, were the true killing blow.
They were responsible for delivering the fatal strike against Li Chunjun!
For this strike...
If necessary, all others could be sacrificed.
At that moment, the dark horned prison was devouring matter.
Countless streams of energy were being pulled toward it, like a black hole consuming a star, forming a dazzling halo of light around its perimeter.
At the very center of this radiant halo lay a darkness so profound that it emitted no light whatsoever.
Li Chunjun followed the dark horned prison's devouring force, plunging deeper into its depths.
The surging energy relentlessly battered his body. Each particle released an impact far exceeding the explosive force of a hydrogen bomb.
Yet, this relentless bombardment—akin to being pummeled by a hydrogen bomb storm—posed little threat to Li Chunjun, who had already cultivated his Dharma Manifestation and could maintain the Void Storm form.
The Void Storm itself was a terrifying cosmic calamity.
Calamity against calamity—neither could truly overcome the other.
As Li Chunjun penetrated deeper into the dark horned prison, the increasingly powerful devouring force suddenly ceased.
He knew this wasn't because the devouring force had stopped, but rather because he had reached the prison's core.
Here, all the devouring forces had reached equilibrium, canceling each other out, like the eye of a storm.
And here...
This was also the battleground chosen by Li Chunjun for his final confrontation with the Wu Ji Sect and the Heavenly Palace.
"One hundred and fifty-four from the Heavenly Palace, fifty-nine from the Wu Ji Sect..."
The numbers were small.
But...
The quality was exceptional.
Individuals at Life Level 36 or higher likely accounted for half of them.
Compared to the Wu Ji Sect sending hundreds or even thousands of Dharma Manifestations in a chaotic swarm, this arrangement was actually preferable.
The experience gained from these two hundred Dharma Manifestations would be no less than that from a thousand ordinary ones.
More importantly...
Their superior Dharma Manifestation quality meant the ultimate rewards would be far greater.
After surveying the surrounding environment and confirming its correspondence with the data, Li Chunjun turned his gaze behind him.
A line of over a hundred Dharma Manifestations had already crossed the Devouring Zone and was advancing toward this stable region.
These were the Heavenly Palace Dharma Manifestations.
What surprised him was...
Despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, when they sensed his presence, they seemed inclined to temporarily avoid confrontation, preferring to regroup before launching a full-scale assault.
Seeing this, Li Chunjun had no intention of wasting his early entry into the dark horned prison. He strode boldly into the Void.
Behind him, the Void Storm Dharma Aspect materialized, unleashing countless sword lights from its vortex. Each blade shimmered with the pure essence of the Destruction Dao, radiating a chilling aura that sent shivers down the spine.
Yet, facing Li Chunjun, who charged forward with his Void Storm Dharma Aspect still below its peak, the Heavenly Palace Dharma Manifestations abruptly shifted their course.
They intended to bypass him and escape the encroaching darkness from another direction.
Even with one hundred and fifty-four Dharma Manifestations entering the dark horned prison simultaneously, their formation inevitably fractured under its terrifying devouring force.
Now, as they scrambled to regroup...
Inevitably, flaws emerged in their formation.
Seizing the opportunity, Li Chunjun held nothing back. He channeled his Sword Qi into the Void Storm Dharma Aspect, unleashing it into the devouring zone.
The moment he entered, the dark horned prison's terrifying devouring field twisted and tore at the Sword Qi composing the Void Storm.
But equally, when the Dharma Manifestations reacted and unleashed their attacks, their Mystical Powers, dao techniques, and Dao Artifacts were also weakened by the dark horned prison's devouring force.
In fact, due to the varying strengths and coordination among the Heavenly Palace Dharma Manifestations, they suffered even greater interference than Li Chunjun.
Some Dharma Aspects, weaker in cultivation and positioned further away, hadn't even reached Li Chunjun before the dark horned prison's devouring force threatened to tear them apart. Terrified, they hastily retracted their Dharma Aspects, focusing on self-preservation.
"Cloud Mountain Three Venerables, take your people and stall Li Chunjun! The rest of us, we're heading to the center of the dark horned prison! The devouring force at the prison's perimeter targets everyone equally. In this area, our numerical advantage is useless!" Universal Transformation Venerable transmitted his orders telepathically.
But...
One of the Cloud Mountain Three Venerables glanced at him, completely ignoring the command.
You Longevity Sect people think you can order around the Demon-Quelling Faction?
Who do you think you are?
Besides, they were well aware of Li Chunjun's formidable strength. While his Void Storm Dharma Aspect hadn't seemed particularly special, who knew what hidden killing techniques he might be concealing?
You want us three to hold off Li Chunjun?
Why don't you go yourself?
With this thought in mind, the nearest Cloud Mountain Three Venerables not only failed to engage Li Chunjun but instead led their followers at full speed toward the center of the dark horned prison.
After all, the dark horned prison's devouring force would only grow stronger over time, compressing the prison's overall volume.
When the dark horned prison's volume was compressed into a sufficiently small area, the devouring force would become so overwhelming that it would tear apart everything, forcing all combatants into the narrow central space for a final, desperate showdown.
Only then would the ultimate life-or-death battle be inevitable.
Under these circumstances, the Void Storm Dharma Aspect controlled by Li Chunjun swept through the battlefield. The originally imposing Heavenly Palace Dharma Manifestations scattered in disarray, with no one organizing an effective defense.
Only a few unfortunate souls, directly targeted by Li Chunjun, were caught in the Void Storm Dharma Aspect's vortex, their Dharma Manifestations instantly shattered.
They became the first casualties in the dark horned prison.
(End of the Chapter)
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