"Where exactly do these black lotuses come from, and why do they possess such bizarre methods? They simply can't be killed at all." Lin Qiuhan.
"No matter how many times we kill those creatures, they quickly revive and reappear. The black lotus is protected by some unknown power and simply cannot be destroyed. If this continues, I'm afraid we'll be the ones exhausted to death here first."
"We can no longer just sit and wait for death. Everyone must join forces and destroy these black lotuses one by one."
"This Black Lotus Cult is truly sinister."
On Ethereal Peak, the scene was utter chaos, with terrifying auras pervading and the entire heaven and earth trembling.
In the distant world, golden light surged, sweeping across the four directions. Various Dao artifacts shone with multicolored light, sinking and floating through the universe, constantly crashing down.
Terrifying beams of light, as if splitting heaven and earth apart, accompanied by the light of the primordial beginning and the light of primordial chaos, pierced through everything.
Many unfathomably powerful figures of deep foundation took action. They had once looked down upon the world and swept through several eras, yet today they repeatedly hit a wall, their faces ashen and incredulous.
Neither the immeasurably massive black lotuses nor the Ancestral Dao Realm creatures constantly reviving within them were something they could deal with.
Honestly, this was the first time in their lives they had encountered such a scene.
Those Dharma Protectors emerging from the Black Lotus Cult seemed to possess undying bodies. Even for fellow existences at the Ancestral Dao Realm, exterminating them was exceedingly difficult.
When they joined forces and attacked, although they could soon finish off their opponents, it wouldn't be long before the Black Lotus Cult Dharma Protector would once again revive from the black lotus it guarded, possessed of its full peak strength.
Such methods sent chills down everyone's spines and made their blood run cold.
"No being in this world can truly resurrect after death, especially not at our level."
"These Black Lotus Cult Dharma Protectors are no ordinary creatures; they are entirely refined war puppets."
"As expected, this Black Lotus Cult cannot be separated from the former Heaven's Proxy Organization."
An ancient being asserted, his gaze heavy, and his tone could not hide his trembling shock. "During the period shrouded in darkness, the Heaven's Proxy Organization enslaved countless universal civilizations, amassing believers and creating these undying, indestructible war puppets."
"These war puppets are almost impossible to destroy through mere strength. In the past, when they campaigned across the myriad heavens, they swept all before them and were utterly unstoppable. Unless their source of faith is destroyed…"
At this point, his eyes betrayed an even greater fear as he said in a trembling voice,
"However, destroying the source of faith is even more impossible."
"I am fully capable of concluding that the so-called Lord of the Black Lotus is none other than the former Lord of Heaven's Proxy. Only he could provide these war puppets with such a nearly endless supply of power..."
These words instantly caused a colossal uproar on Ethereal Peak. Many ancient existences all revealed deep shock on their faces.
If this were true, wouldn't that mean the power of the Lord of Heaven's Proxy had long since been able to influence the various worlds of the Vast Expanse?
Could he revive and descend upon the world at any moment?
"It's over, it's over. The emergence of the Black Lotus Cult is definitely aimed at catching all the powerhouses participating in this Immortal Dao Alliance in one fell swoop, to perform a dark blood sacrifice and pave the way for the Lord of Heaven's Proxy's descent..."
"This is absolutely a conspiracy of the Dark Clans."
Panic and trembling spread across Ethereal Peak. Everyone felt suffocation and despair.
This was especially true for the many younger generations who had followed their elders to broaden their horizons.
"Before we can ever shine in glory, are we to become nourishment for a blood sacrifice here?" Many young prodigies and top-tier powerhouses of the young and middle-aged generation were filled with despair and unwillingness.
Under such a grand trend of heaven and earth, even Dao Realm existences could be reduced to cannon fodder at any moment, let alone juniors like them.
This era did not belong to them; for them, it was instead the most tragic and desperate of eras.
"The Black Lotus Cult is actually connected to the Lord of Heaven's Proxy?"
The many high-ranking members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance were equally shocked.
Even the Ethereal Sacred Ancestor, in the end, wore an ugly, incredulous expression.
With his power, he simply could not kill off all the endlessly reviving creatures within the black lotuses.
Every time he killed a so-called Black Lotus Cult Dharma Protector, that black lotus would soon bloom with strange power, reviving the protector to face him again.
He had wanted to destroy those black lotuses one by one, but they contained some supreme, terrifying power that could withstand his attacks.
Whenever a black lotus faced destruction-level danger, a vague phantom figure would emerge. Just a wisp of that aura was world-shaking enough to make the Ethereal Sacred Ancestor's hair stand on end.
Under these circumstances, even he felt an indescribable terror.
He also became convinced of the earlier ancient being's claim: there was indeed an inextricable connection between the Black Lotus Cult and the Lord of Heaven's Proxy.
That wisp of a vague phantom was very likely a trace of a projection from beyond the world belonging to the Lord of Heaven's Proxy.
No wonder the Black Lotus Cult was so fearless; it had backing and confidence, not caring at all that there were so many powerhouses present.
If even Ancestral Dao Realm existences could do nothing, then Dao Realm existences at other levels were even less worth mentioning. They could only watch helplessly, unable even to intervene.
In the other areas of the Ethereal Sacred Domain, the scene was even more tragic.
As the black rain poured down, many living beings and cultivators were corroded. Even using defensive artifacts proved useless. Once corroded, it was no longer just a matter of spirit soul damage and becoming believers of the Black Lotus Cult as before.
They would truly transform into entities akin to semi-dark beings and actively attack their dearest and closest companions.
These scenes made everyone's expressions change in horror.
After probing to no avail, many ancient figures sighed, had no choice but to withdraw, and retreated to Ethereal Peak to protect their clansmen and juniors as much as possible.
"Lord Alliance Leader, might you have any method to deal with this Black Lotus Cult?"
Someone looked towards Gu Changge and finally couldn't help but question.
From the very start, Gu Changge had appeared extremely calm and composed, as if he didn't take the Black Lotus Cult seriously. Such an attitude naturally gave rise to many speculations.
Furthermore, as the Alliance Leader of the current Heaven-Slaying Alliance of the Vast Expanse, Gu Changge's strength needed no elaboration. Even the Ethereal Sacred Ancestor was highly courteous towards him and dared not slight him.
He had yet to take action, which made many feel a sense of hope, thinking he might have a way to deal with this.
Quite a few people from the Alliance of Righteous Unity also looked over, deeply wary of this "great enemy."
"This Black Lotus Cult is a bit troublesome. I'm not fully confident in dealing with it; I need to observe further."
"All of you may try again. Perhaps once all the believers within are dead, it can be broken." Gu Changge merely said casually.
The gathered ancient existences all sighed inwardly.
The Heaven-Slaying Alliance had also dispatched many powerhouses and high-ranking members this time. As the Alliance Leader, Gu Changge would certainly not permit his subordinates to perish here.
Him saying so clearly indicated that the Black Lotus Cult was indeed difficult, and even he might not be able to handle it easily.
"Heh heh..."
"May I ask, Lord Alliance Leader, is it that you are unwilling to act, or that you do not wish to act?"
Just then, a questioning voice rang out from the somewhat subdued Ethereal Peak. A being with flickers of silver light shining in his eyes abruptly rose, stood midair, and addressed Gu Changge.
"Now that all fellow Daoists are gathered here, may I ask why the Lord Alliance Leader schemes against us?"
Several high-ranking members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity beside him also suddenly stood up, their voices like muffled thunder rolling out.
"Insolence!"
These words immediately caused a wave of shock and commotion on Ethereal Peak.
Many people looked over in astonishment, not understanding why the Alliance of Righteous Unity would suddenly question like this.
Even Zhao Tianqi, the Deputy Alliance Leader of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, was greatly surprised and shaken, for he had known nothing of this beforehand.
Nor had he expected these few to suddenly launch such an attack.
But soon, several high-ranking members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance roared in fury, their faces murderous. A terrifying baleful aura swirled around them like dreadful wolf smoke, threatening to tear apart the cosmos and shake the highest heavens.
"Can it be that you all still do not see it?"
"The Heaven-Slaying Alliance has long been colluding with the Black Lotus Cult in secret. This Immortal Dao Alliance is a scheme the two had already arranged together."
"We were previously curious why the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would personally come. Presumably, it was to personally oversee matters here and prevent any mishaps."
"Lord Alliance Leader, how much longer do you intend to keep up this self-directed act?"
These high-ranking members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, silver light gleaming in their eyes, displayed an attitude of throwing caution to the wind, coldly sweeping their gazes over the gathered guests.
"Our Alliance of Righteous Unity had already investigated. When the Black Lotus Cult first emerged, we detected that this heretical cult had countless ties with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance."
"From the very start, the Black Lotus Cult sprang up from territory under the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's control, then spread and expanded everywhere, only reaching today's terrifying scale."
"With such bizarre and terrifying methods, why does the Black Lotus Cult not move against the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, but instead choose this exact moment of the Immortal Dao Alliance's founding to suddenly strike?"
"We wish to ask the Lord Alliance Leader: did you already know of the Black Lotus Cult's existence earlier, yet chose not to intervene or inquire? Why is that?"
"The truth is because the Black Lotus Cult was single-handedly founded by you, is that not so?"
"The so-called Lord of the Black Lotus is you, the Lord Alliance Leader!"
Their series of questions were delivered with immense magical power.
Not only did it resound across Ethereal Peak, but it also shook the entire universe, causing the expressions of many living beings and cultivators battling the Black Lotus Cult believers in the distance to abruptly change, filled with disbelief.
Even some high-ranking members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance had their faces fall.
"Master..."
Yao Yao did the same, for she had previously returned to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance to report the matter of the Black Lotus Cult to Gu Changge. Although Gu Changge had agreed to send people to investigate, he had been very casual and not taken it to heart.
At that time, she already harbored doubts.
Now, with these thunderous words from the high-ranking members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, she couldn't help but feel an absurd sensation.
Because... she was the sole person to have personally experienced the Black Lotus Cult's sacrificial ritual. That blurry figure at the time had felt very familiar to her, truly very similar to Gu Changge.
"Could it really be like this?" Yao Yao's little face went pale.
Behind Gu Changge, Luo Zhu and the Eternal Primordial God were inwardly shaken, not expecting that someone within the Alliance of Righteous Unity could see through this and even have the boldness to say it in front of so many beings.
However, in their eyes, this person was already dead, and their gazes turned pitying.
"How ridiculous."
"By that logic, we also wish to ask why the Black Lotus Cult does not move against the Alliance of Righteous Unity. As the world now knows, the Alliance Leader of your Alliance of Righteous Unity, the Weiyang Emperor Lord, was long ago corrupted by darkness and has joined the Dark Clans. You know this clearly, yet you still honor him as your Alliance Leader."
"What is the meaning of this?"
The high-ranking members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance refused to be outdone, laughing coldly as they similarly wrapped their voices with Dao magic and hurled their questions, shaking the firmament and roiling the blood of listeners.
"A bloody slander! The Alliance Leader of our Alliance of Righteous Unity has merely been framed and defamed by you all. There has never been any issue with him. If he were truly corrupted by darkness, how could he have possibly hidden it from the many powerhouses of our Alliance of Righteous Unity?" That high-ranking member of the Alliance of Righteous Unity retorted, the silver light in his eyes intensifying, his tone resolute.
"Whether there is an issue with my father, I know better than any of you."
"The Alliance of Righteous Unity colluded with the Dark Clans to corrupt the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty. Fortunately, my father had long detected the anomaly. To avoid an even greater catastrophe, he had no choice but to withdraw from the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty and commit himself to the Alliance of Righteous Unity."
"Compared to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, the Alliance of Righteous Unity's suspicion is likely far greater. As for why the Black Lotus Cult does not attack the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, do you all not clearly know the reason in your hearts?"
"With the Alliance Leader personally overseeing the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, even the Dark Clans dare not invade, let alone the Black Lotus Cult. If the Black Lotus Cult had any designs, it would have long been detected by the Alliance Leader and nipped in the bud."
At this moment, a figure whose eyes were covered by a plain silk cloth stepped out from the crowd of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. Her voice was soft, yet seemed to carry an unshakable power.
"The princess of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty?"
Many of the younger generation recognized her, greatly shocked and astounded. Then, some had an epiphany—there had been prior rumors and news that the princess of the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty had fled her marriage to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance; it seemed to be true.
And she had actually come to the Ethereal Sacred Domain.
"You little wench! Does your father know that you collude with the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and slander him like this?"
"As the daughter of the Weiyang Emperor Lord, you choose to collude with an outsider and slander your father in front of numerous powerhouses. You have truly embodied both disloyalty and unfilial piety." That high-ranking member of the Alliance of Righteous Unity sneered.
Jiang Weiyang said calmly, "As for what is true and false, you all surely know better than I."
"When my father sent me away from the Weiyang Immortal Dynasty, he left behind a jade slip, instructing me to flee to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. In the current myriad worlds of the Vast Expanse, only there could be considered a pure land, free from the corruption of darkness."
As she spoke, a brocade pouch appeared. She opened the jade slip within, and hazy light emerged, transforming into a rain of light.
A man with a majestic yet refined bearing appeared—it was precisely the Weiyang Emperor Lord Jiang Yun.
The high-ranking members of the Alliance of Righteous Unity, upon seeing this, all had their expressions change. Whether this person was Jiang Yun or not, his aura could not be faked.
The many guests on Ethereal Peak also had varying expressions. They could naturally recognize and judge whether Jiang Weiyang's words were true or false.
Some foundational figures of various clans who had interacted with the Weiyang Emperor Lord before could identify his aura.