Chapter 436: The Shattering of Mountains

Rumbling—!

A terrifying explosion erupted!

Sound waves like thunder shook the heavens and earth, rattling all around!

It was as if countless bolts of lightning exploded deep within the mountain, simultaneously triggering millions of Wanxiang Nine Gods Divine Mechanism Seals, sending tremors that made the sound ripple like a vibrating thunderpool!

Crackling—!!

The earth trembled as the heavens were shaken!

Mountains and rivers swayed!

The entire Jingguang Prefecture’s Shendiao Ridge quaked, with intricate cracks weaving across every surface…

Inside the Shendiao Master Workshop beneath the mountains, the master carvers and wood sculptors laboring on the Divine Eagle fled in panic, tremors overtaking them in sheer terror.

They turned around with jaws agape because…

The mountain split open!

That colossal, snow-capped stone mountain began to crack from deep within, as if brutally split apart by an axe.

The fracture spread from its peak all the way to the base.

Accumulated snow cascaded down like an avalanche, roaring mightily as it poured toward the foot of the mountain!

Suddenly, a fierce wind burst from the shattered mountain core, surging upward like a towering tornado, bathed in incandescent crimson light—as brilliant and relentless as a volcanic eruption.

It streaked straight into the dark, ink-stained sky!

Gasps and cries of terror erupted from the wood sculptors sheltering in the clearing; they had never witnessed such a spectacle. What was happening?

Above, the firmament churned with rolling black clouds, while countless lightning bolts danced like dragons and snakes, roaring through the sky!

Boom—!!!

From within the fissures of the stone mountain,

a clumsy figure shot forth—a hulking, imposing presence. It was none other than Tang Sanjia.

Yet Tang Sanjia now wore a look of manic excitement, almost to the point of madness!

“It’s done…”

“Ha ha ha! It’s done!”

“It really happened!”

Tears streamed down Tang Sanjia’s face, mingling excitement, mania, and sorrow.

A torrent of conflicting emotions surged within him.

Boom—!!!

A series of terrifying explosions rocked the mountain, and before everyone’s eyes a colossal, humanoid mechanism beast—nearly a hundred zhang tall—burst forth from the mountain’s depths, exuding an overwhelming, fearsome aura.

It was as if it had sprung straight out of the rock!

Its deafening roar resounded as the beast charged into the heavens, upending the balance of earth and sky. Shockwaves collided and stirred the clouds into tumultuous, endless waves—a display so vast and terrifying it seemed to shake the very foundations of existence!

Within Jingguang Prefecture, warriors from the Divine Sect branch, along with forces from the Imperial Watch and Temple Guardian Division, sensed the disturbance; hairs stood on end as they raced over at breakneck speed.

Divine Sect powerhouses such as Nan Lihuo, Zhang Qingzheng, and Zhu Hongdou stared in shock.

Upon arriving, they immediately felt the oppressive, fearsome pressure that spanned the heavens and earth.

They also saw Tang Sanjia standing amidst a vast avalanche-like pile of snow, laughing wildly—his deranged appearance leaving them utterly dumbfounded.

“It’s done!”

Tang Sanjia roared with laughter.

Nan Lihuo, who knew Tang Sanjia best, felt a sudden jolt of alarm.

Done?

What could be ‘done’ about that mechanism beast…

Nan Lihuo knew some secrets—he had learned that Tang Sanjia had hidden an unparalleled mechanism beast within the mountain.

It was a secret passed down through the Tang Clan’s mechanical arts.

In fact, although many were aware of Tang Sanjia’s secret, few could refine that beast; most lacked the capacity to perfect it.

Even Tang Sanjia—a genius mechanism master who perfectly embodied the Tang Clan’s philosophy—could not achieve it, so how could outsiders?

Now, with the earth trembling and the stone mountain crumbling,

it seemed the mechanism beast had succeeded!

Nan Lihuo looked up at the massive, hovering, brilliantly blazing humanoid mechanism beast.

A suffocating, overwhelming pressure spread like a storm, threatening to engulf the mountains and skies.

Nan Lihuo’s eyes narrowed as he spotted a figure atop the beast.

It was a figure he hadn’t seen in years, yet one that struck a familiar chord.

“Li Che…”

Nan Lihuo’s gaze grew a bit hazy.

News of Daocheng being besieged by the Imperial Army had reached him long ago. He was unaware of a second battle, but the first had seen Daocheng victorious—even slaying one of Ji Mo Li’s clones.

The news brought Nan Lihuo to tears.

Old grudges of city slaughter seemed to be unleashed with this revelation.

As Li Che and XiXi’s statuses in Daocheng evolved, Monitor Hu Yingyue of the Imperial Watch always kept Nan Lihuo informed.

Recalling that little girl from long ago, pride shone in Nan Lihuo’s eyes.

“Wonderful,” he murmured with a smile.

Li Che and his daughter were growing ever stronger and more eminent—a development that filled their old mentor with pride.

His heart overflowed with genuine joy.

……

……

Rumbling—!!!

Li Che sat cross-legged atop the head of the Divine Mechanism, Tongbi Qitian Armor; every hair on the Divine Mechanism Primate seemed to come alive, drifting in the wind.

Fierce winds howled around him, interweaving with cascades of colorful afterglow.

It was as if a massive bell had been struck, its resonance echoing endlessly, as though awakening slumbering deities.

His heart pounded fiercely as a rush of heat surged within him.

A relentless, terrifying surge of force battered him, continuously flooding and stirring his being!

It evoked in Li Che a familiar sensation—the unprecedented feeling of transformation!

Just as before when his 【Dragon Elephant Vajra】 Dao Fruit evolved to lv7, Li Che now sensed the metamorphosis of his 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit.

Whoosh—!

The soaring Tongbi Qitian Armor roared as if alive, exuding vigor that rivaled even the mechanism beast, blending unrefined simplicity with profound wisdom!

It was as though it had gained a soul—a transformation truly extraordinary.

As he ascended, roaring winds and turbulent gusts sent Li Che’s ink-black robe billowing wildly.

The golden mist that filled his eyes evoked the vision of him seated amid a sea of clouds, gazing upon a horizon ablaze with sunrise and sprawling, dazzling vistas.

In an instant, he seemed to enter a mystical state—a deep communion with the cosmos.

His understanding of the Mechanism Way and the Divine Eagle Way exploded within his mind like a cosmic blast.

Lv7 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit—Five Transformations!

A spark of unexpected joy flashed in Li Che’s eyes!

Indeed, it was a welcome surprise; since his breakthrough to Divine Eagle Hand, the advancement of his 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit had noticeably slowed.

Li Che knew that hastening its pace wouldn’t be easy. Coming to Shendiao Ridge to fulfill an old promise, he hadn’t dared to hope for too much.

Even the sight of the jubilant Tongbi Qitian Armor had not convinced him that transformation was imminent.

Yet delightful surprises always arrive when least expected.

He was deeply invested in the potential of the Dao Fruit—a skill that could transform his family’s fortunes from humble beginnings—and he awaited its evolution with keen anticipation.

A subtle smile curved Li Che’s lips.

“Huh—”

“Inhale—”

With each breath, the roaring winds softened around him.

In that moment, his spirit trembled, drawn into the vast, wild expanse.

A familiar, boundless energy overwhelmed him as he beheld the towering Dao Tree, its branches reaching straight into the heavens.

He also noticed the multicolored, glazed Dao Fruit hanging from it.

His gaze fixed on the radiant 【Xiangong】 Dao Fruit, swaying as if caressed by an invisible storm.

Bang—

The Dao Fruit trembled and erupted with countless rays of afterglow that enveloped Li Che.

Familiar visions slowly unfurled before his eyes.

A roaring, winding river of light surged through the darkness, slicing through the void like a luminous ribbon.

Within this radiant river, Li Che spotted a figure seated atop a massive fish, its tail swishing as it rode the currents.

Calm and composed, the figure gripped an axe and, with a gentle swing, seemed to carve the void into another living giant fish that leaped through the river—a moment reminiscent of a fish ascending the Dragon Gate.

It was an act of divine ingenuity—using the void as raw material to sculpt the Divine Eagle and even imbuing it with life, creating something out of nothing!

Li Che was no novice in the Divine Eagle Way; he knew all too well that creating something from nothing was an arduous task.

“Another strong cultivator mastering the Dao Fruit?”

“The former master of the Xiangong Dao Fruit?”

Li Che’s emotions no longer trembled as they had when he first encountered a Dao Fruit master.

There, seated atop the luminous river, a figure wielded an axe to cleave through the void, carving with the very fabric of the cosmos.

The void was segmented into chunks—like stone or wood—each carved out with precise, square cuts.

One statue after another, bathed in radiant light, was formed from the very essence of space.

They spanned the cosmos in varied postures, as if eternal.

When the eighth statue was completed, the figure atop the luminous river suddenly paused.

Their gaze seemed to span the cosmic void—a stellar collision with Li Che’s own eyes.

A serene sigh echoed through the expanse.

“Art endures, but mortals do not.”

“Nine Transformations, nine transformations—never enough.”

Eight statues graced the luminous river, yet the ninth never emerged.

Boom—!!!

The visions before Li Che exploded like an endless storm, sweeping away everything and annihilating all in its path.

His spirit withdrew, leaving behind only a profound sense of regret and emptiness—a shock too intense to bear.

The Master of Dao Fruit.

Then he saw another Master of Dao Fruit.

Perhaps the downfall of previous Dao Fruit masters allowed a new Dao Fruit to manifest, bound by the ties of his daughter’s growth?

Li Che furrowed his brow, pondering in vain as the vast cosmos revealed inscrutable mysteries he could not decipher.

Hah—

It was as if a hazy celestial light burst forth from his entire being.

Li Che exhaled deeply.

Before him, white light coalesced, swirling with radiant hues.

[Dao Fruit lv7, Five Transformations, Dao Induction (Ghost Axe) Advancement, Dao Calamity (Primordial Void Slash)]

Boom—!!!

It resounded like a celestial symphony, shaking his ears as if his eardrums were about to burst.

Endless gales roared relentlessly, like a never-ending storm.

Streaming light slowly gathered before his eyes, coalescing into a sign.

A second calamity!

Li Che’s gaze suddenly hardened!

The second form of disastrous calamity!

The first calamity came from the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit—Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame.

But the second disaster stemmed from the Xiangong Dao Fruit—Primordial Void Slash!

It raged like a storm!

A true tempest calamity!

A familiar, cataclysmic force targeted Li Che’s entire being, with winds threatening to shatter his soul into countless fragments.

Rumbling—

At that moment, Li Che’s cosmic soul seemed to undergo an indescribable metamorphosis, growing ever stronger as it was pounded by soul-shattering gales.

Beneath that relentless force, his soul continuously fortified.

[Dao Calamity (Primordial Void Slash): Channeling Calamity, Primeval Cosmos, Fundamental Wind Calamity, Void-Slash Xiangong]

Accompanied by howling, slicing force.

Each phrase, as if etched deep within his soul like resounding truths, slowly emerged before him.

Stirred, Li Che soon found himself plunging into the space of Dao Calamity.

Yet, with a mere thought, the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame did not trigger.

Instead, it transformed into another form of Dao Calamity.

A wisp of wind howled as it drifted lazily; soon, more gusts multiplied, splitting space into countless fissures.

Splat…

Just as Li Che’s spirit surged, it was instantaneously obliterated by the storm.

Not even a tenth of a breath could be spared.

Li Che opened his eyes to find himself once again seated atop the Tongbi Qitian Armor, looking rather bewildered.

As the confusion dissipated, Li Che, defiant as ever, re-entered the Dao Calamity space. His brow trembled with the Mud Pellet as his Seven Aperture Luminous Heart erupted, and the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate roared…

Facing the storm head-on!

And then, nothing followed.

He could still only catch a fifth of his breath.

Everything was shattered…

His soul seemed too fragile—this time the Dao Calamity’s winds did not assault his flesh but directly targeted his spirit.

The Primordial Void Slash left his soul as delicate as paper before the might of Dao Calamity.

Not to mention space itself—it was even crisper than fragile paper.

[Dao Calamity: Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame (2%), Primordial Void Slash (0%)]

……

Li Che exhaled, his eyes shining brilliantly: “My body can still endure with a Martial Immortal Golden Body, but my soul… it just can’t hold up, even with the Seven Aperture Luminous Heart or invoking Divine Nucleus Cultivation…”

Shaking his head, Li Che knew that tempering his soul was a task of immense difficulty.

Yet this Dao Calamity—the Primordial Void Slash—offered him a means to strengthen and elevate his soul.

Each day, he would harness the power of Dao Calamity to temper his soul, fortify himself, and refine both spirit and body!

If you’re weak, then practice more!

Li Che’s self-awareness was both profound and plain.

The colossal Tongbi Qitian Armor floated high above, its primate hairs fluttering, its eyes dazzling as though a mythical Qi Tian had been revived.

Its imposing aura roared as the power of Dao circulated through it—terrifying and immensely potent.

Above the heavens, the force of calamity surged tumultuously.

Alas, the target was merely a mechanism; thus, the will of heaven and earth did not unleash the full punishment of three disasters and nine calamities.

“Divine Mechanism, Celestial Mechanism…”

“Indeed, it unleashes power at a Martial God level—with millions of Wanxiang Nine Gods Seals operating in unison, its burst is utterly terrifying!”

Li Che was in awe.

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At the command of his spirit, the Tongbi Qitian Armor crashed down to the ground, as if the earth itself were about to collapse.

It was enormous—like a mountain.

Its awe-inspiring presence was overwhelming.

Li Che descended gracefully from it to the ground.

Seeing familiar faces nearby, Li Che greeted them with a smile.

“Everyone, long time no see.”

……

……

Ta—ta—ta—

Divine Capital.

Second City.

The Eight Treasures, Double-Eaved, Dripping Water Imperial Watch Tower.

An ancient great bell was struck, its sound waves rippling out for miles.

All nine cities of the Divine Capital heard the toll; the sound burst in their ears, stirring the hearts of noble families and dignitaries alike.

Meanwhile.

Fang Shangzhen announced that Qitian City had been reopened and that the legacy of Qitian Temple would emerge within a month—a message that swept through Divine Capital like a storm.

The news spread so swiftly, as everyone eagerly awaited it.

It was relayed by the Imperial Watch Headquarters’ Imperial Watch Orb to the stations at all eleven Daocheng of the Eleven Routes of Dajing.

In no time at all, the news spread across the entire realm.

Divine Capital First City.

Inside the Palace Shrine.

On the throne within the Shrine, the Emperor’s face was enveloped in the aura of Dao and divinity, seated regally and imposing.

When Eunuch Lian returned with the news, the Emperor’s gaze finally stirred.

“Is this news delivered personally by the Grand Inspector?”

“Qitian City has been reopened—the tide is turning…”

“Eunuch Lian, what about the National Teacher?”

The Emperor asked in a deep tone.

Eunuch Lian bowed his head, his eyes flickering as he said, “The National Teacher’s second assault on Daocheng failed… they shifted targets. Now, they are attacking Tian Dan Divine Sect, and news has just come in that he shattered Guangling Daocheng like breaking bamboo—the Tian Dan Divine Sect is on the brink of collapse…”

“Daocheng has suffered successive defeats; now they’re focusing on Tian Dan Divine Sect?”

“That should work, as long as it consolidates the Divine Sect’s aura…”

“These sects’ so-called submission to the court isn’t genuine… without their aura entering Dajing, it doesn’t count. This is actually perfect now…”

The Emperor smiled faintly, unusually pleased.

Although he had ordered the National Teacher to capture Li Che alive by breaching Daocheng, that task might remain unfulfilled.

Yet the Emperor seemed unconcerned.

Because once the National Teacher consolidates the aura of numerous Divine Sects, future assaults on Daocheng would scarcely be an issue.

In fact,

what truly troubled the Emperor was the Purple Mansion Divine Sect…

This sect—steeped in history just like Qitian Temple—was what the Emperor dreaded.

Relying on Xie Yunshen’s power to subdue the Purple Mansion Divine Sect was utterly impossible.

Xie Yunshen couldn’t even overcome Daocheng in two attempts; how could he possibly defeat Purple Mansion?

……

……

Clatter, clatter—!!!

Guangling Daocheng.

Above the heavens, the collision of divine calamity energies spawned countless sinister bolts of lightning that emerged through the dark clouds, interweaving in a deadly web!

One after another, human-headed toad furnaces floated in the air, encircling the corpulent Patriarch Yang Xuan.

At that moment, the founding Patriarch of Tian Dan Divine Sect appeared both frenzied and exhilarated.

He spread his arms as if summoning a long-dormant force.

Within a mysterious temple of Tian Dan Divine Sect, an overwhelming pillar of divine radiance burst forth, tearing apart the dark clouds and sending ripples across them.

A figure in a gray robe with streaks of white hair emerged slowly from the mountain gate of Tian Dan Divine Sect, guided by the light.

Barely having appeared, the air itself seemed to twist and distort.

Howling winds and drifting snow were dissolved into countless droplets by the overwhelming aura, evaporating midair into mist that blurred heaven and earth.

Yet this mist appeared grim and ashen—one couldn’t tell whether it was water or poison.

Gu Qianchi, confronting Patriarch Yang Xuan, suddenly paled.

“Poison Saint Yin Xuan?!”

Gu Qianchi had indeed heard of Yin Xuan, one of the two founding patriarchs of Tian Dan Divine Sect—the two Xuan…

Once renowned, ancient Yin Xuan was even dubbed the Poison Saint.

He was infamous for poisoning all the founding patriarchs of the Dan Sect, leading to its collapse and enabling Tian Dan Divine Sect to rise as the premier Dan Sect.

But wasn’t Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan killed centuries ago for being too detestable?

When Gu Yinxuan first appeared, his looks were anything but handsome.

His eyes, swirling with dark light, slowly swept over Gu Qianchi before settling on Xie Yunshen and the others.

“The court… is attacking our Tian Dan Divine Sect?”

Gu Yinxuan replied coolly.

Gu Qianchi tensed up; facing Gu Yinxuan sent an inexplicable shiver of terror through him.

Moreover, Gu Yinxuan’s arrival abruptly shifted the balance of power.

Gu Qianchi’s complexion darkened—could it be? How could the court be so unfortunate?

If they had already suffered repeated defeats at Daocheng, would their assault on Tian Dan Divine Sect also end in failure?

What kind of luck does Xie Yunshen have?

Always choosing to charge headlong into a dead end?

Gu Qianchi took a deep breath; each Divine Sect possessed a formidable legacy.

Even the unruliest of Tian Dan Divine Sect had its own foundation.

Gu Yinxuan glanced coldly and said, “Court, retreat.”

“Otherwise, I won’t hesitate to leave you all behind.”

“Don’t doubt me. Even if you muster tens of thousands of troops, a mere speck of poison from my fingernail can obliterate you.”

Gu Yinxuan replied with a faint smile.

Freshly emerged, he was naturally shocked to sense the court’s forces attacking the sect; yet as a founding patriarch of Tian Dan Divine Sect, he could not bear to see his creation collapse.

To let the sect’s aura dissipate.

Xie Yunshen, seated in his sedan chair, squinted slightly as he looked at the newly emerged Gu Yinxuan.

Then he revealed a faint smile.

Gu Yinxuan, Poison Saint?

Gu Qianchi returned to the sedan chair, his face grim: “National Teacher… that’s Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan; he’s formidable…”

“We weren’t prepared for his poison; we might not be able to withstand it.”

Gu Qianchi said in a heavy tone.

Being a contemporary of Gu Yinxuan, Gu Qianchi understood his terrifying nature.

Yet on Xie Yunshen’s face shone an unyielding brilliance, with not a trace of fear or retreat.

“Grandmaster Gu, do you know why I dare lead the assault on Tian Dan Divine Sect?”

“Instead of continuing the attack on Daocheng Divine Sect?”

Gu Qianchi simply shook his head in bewilderment.

Xie Yunshen rose from his sedan chair, his robe rustling in the gentle breeze.

He twirled his feathered fan gently, a cold, sharp smile curving his lips.

He looked up at the two Xuan—founding patriarchs of Tian Dan Divine Sect—suspended above the mountain gate in their divine calamity realms.

Gu Yinxuan was evidently more powerful than Gu Yangxuan, his cultivation likely reaching the level of one disaster and two calamities—a peer to the Old Dragon God.

Gu Yangxuan, however, was only at the level of one disaster, one calamity.

The two divine calamities…

In truth, Tian Dan Divine Sect now relied solely on these two patriarchs.

The Dengxian Pavilion had drained both Guangling Daocheng and Tian Dan Divine Sect of their resources.

Moreover…

Tian Dan Divine Sect had offended those it should never have.

“Grandmaster Gu, in this world there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests.”

“Those who once hindered our assault can become our allies.”

Xie Yunshen said with deep insight.

Gu Qianchi frowned slightly, looking perplexed.

What did Xie Yunshen… truly mean?

As Xie Yunshen finished speaking, he flipped his hand to reveal a pitch-black chess piece, as if carved from ink.

This is…

An aura of extreme ferocity surged from that ebony chess piece.

In the next instant, it was hurled upward.

The black chess piece trembled slightly before streaking rapidly into the sky.

Gu Qianchi was stunned.

Then his eyes suddenly narrowed.

Because…

That ebony chess piece suddenly expanded in midair!

Then, a pitch-black city materialized with a resounding crash, looming over the heavens and earth!

Roiling, lifeless energy and overwhelming pressure—like a terrifying city that controlled the gates of life and death—hovered darkly over Guangling Daocheng.

An explosive, ferocious aura erupted as if demonic energy were surging uncontrollably.

The city gates flung open…

It was as if countless droplets of ink floated out, gradually sketching the terrifying form of a beast against the canvas of the world!

Nine dragon-like heads flung wildly from the gate; seven were blurred, while only two appeared sharply.

The two clear dragon heads bared their mouths, unleashing deafening roars, an aura of terror that rivaled the heavens!

Amid the trembling city, the fearsome beast with nine swinging heads slowly emerged.

Two ebony, fleshy wings unfurled dramatically, blotting out the sky!

Splash—splash…

Somehow, ink-black rain began to fall from the heavens!

Splash—splash, overwhelmingly mighty!

It was like giant ocean waves surging into the sky only to plummet down and become mighty rain.

The Ten Horrors of the Underworld…

The Tumultuous Nine Infants!

Gu Qianchi looked upward.

His hand gripping the treasured sword trembled.

One glance at the terrifying beast told him it was of a demonic god level—a being in the realm of divine calamity!

But…

That wasn’t the point!

Gu Qianchi stared blankly at the city…

This eerily familiar city.

Not just Gu Qianchi…

Ning Caishen, Gu Cheng, and numerous Martial Saint and Divine Nucleus Cultivator generals from the Imperial Army all looked on in bewilderment.

On a plaque above the city, the words “Fengdu” were inscribed.

Two familiar yet glaring characters.

Underworld Fengdu?!

Not long ago they had battled the Underworld in a gruesome, life-or-death struggle…

And now, the National Teacher had somehow convinced the Underworld to join forces?!

So then…

The Underworld… has become our ally?!