Chapter 438: Calamity Unleashed: The Battle of Fates

Boom—!!!

A terrifying explosion rang through the sky.

Like the most dazzling midday sun, a fierce purple flame, packed with a colossal force, erupted with a deafening roar!

Billions of Nine Divine Mechanical Seals activated at once, sending scorching heat and a clanging din cascading without end!

The void above trembled like a jolted rug, and soon both raging winds and the resilient emptiness collapsed silently.

Space itself crumbled!

One punch—

ripped through the air!

Torrents of wind howled and burst apart, storming out of the shattered void accompanied by a savage, turbulent gust!

Gu Yangxuan—the Divine Calamity Advancer—met a crushing blow that shattered his form like an avalanche.

Above, a blood-red bloom exploded across the heavens!

Countless fine fissures in the void interwove, raging relentlessly.

Then, a piercing wail erupted as Gu Yangxuan’s Heaven-and-Earth Soul converged, his face a mask of agony.

His flesh…

exploded!

Years spent nurturing his mortal body were undone in one devastating strike!

Underworld Ma Mian…

How can such power exist?!

Gu Yangxuan’s Heaven-and-Earth Soul coalesced; his eyes, awash with blood, betrayed endless torment.

He roared in unending anger!

Then his mind latched onto the All-Encompassing Arms, whose rotating mechanical seals surged with raw power!

Those long arms blazed with purple fire, pulsating with a force that stirred both heaven and earth.

They left Gu Yangxuan, stripped to his core, utterly horrified!

But what shocked him even more was that this mechanical beast could unleash combat power rivaling that of a Martial God!

Could there really be such a creature?

Elsewhere…

Gu Yinxuan’s face darkened as he eyed the towering, horrifying mechanical ape emerging before him.

What year is this?!

Has the art of mechanism reached such staggering heights?

A mechanical beast on par with Martial Gods… Has the Tang Clan’s mechanism developed this far?

When Gu Yinxuan—the Poison Saint—was forced into feigned death by titans of the divine sects, mechanism was but a minor art; even Tang Clan’s efforts paled before the renowned divine paths like Divine Weapons, Divine Elixirs, Divine Talismans, and more.

And now, mechanical beasts can rival Martial Gods?

Instantly, despair and irritation surged in Gu Yinxuan, as if he were an outdated relic forsaken by time.

Though he was indeed old…

Gu Yangxuan was halted by the All-Encompassing Arms—the blow shattered his flesh—while Gu Yinxuan, his face growing ever colder, spread his arms, his black robe fluttering as he plunged into the void, choosing to abandon Gu Yangxuan in his escape.

Tian Dan Divine Sect… their momentum was lost.

After a thousand years of feigned death, Gu Yinxuan cared little for Tian Dan Divine Sect; even in Gu Yangxuan’s eyes, they were mere tools.

And now it seemed Gu Yangxuan was to be left behind.

Gu Yinxuan would decisively cast aside Gu Yangxuan—even if they were brothers bound by millennia.

But Li Che’s target this time was none other than Gu Yinxuan.

That insidious, vicious Poison Saint who could wipe out his own disciples without a word…

Such a man, if allowed to roam free, would be a ticking time bomb for XiXi.

Li Che’s strength had grown immensely, giving him the means to protect his daughter.

Yet, Li Che wasn’t omnipotent.

If XiXi were poisoned by something like the Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill, could he save her?

While Li Che could use Spiritual Confinement to revive others, his knowledge of antidotes was limited—curing severe poison was beyond his reach.

Thus, Li Che’s wariness of the Poison Saint Gu Yinxuan far outweighed his caution for Gu Yangxuan.

Such a man must be sent to the Underworld!

No debate.

Boom—!!!

The Divine Mechanical Monkey, its fists ablaze with Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame, roared as it confronted Li Che—who, wearing a mask resembling a horse’s face, was encircled by hundreds of mechanical seals.

Each seal resonated with his mind.

At a mere thought, the Divine Mechanical Monkey obeyed, executing a myriad of maneuvers.

It could even project its divine nature, Dao essence, and martial prowess through the seals.

Controlling such a mechanical beast was no trivial matter.

But for Li Che, whose Xianggong Dao Fruit had reached LV7, this mastery was effortless.

One had to admit…

The emergence of the Tang Clan’s divine mechanism might indeed shift the balance.

Though commanding such a beast wasn’t simple—it demanded a communion with the heavens and a Heaven-and-Earth Soul level of perception.

And both First Stage Martial Saint and Divine Transformation could reach that level.

In other words, with proper training, a First Stage Martial Saint and one skilled in Divine Transformation could harness and control such a mechanism!

Unleashing combat power rivaling that of Martial Gods!

And most importantly…

It was the raw power Li Che had just shown when the Divine Mechanical Monkey exploded Gu Yangxuan’s flesh.

A force free from the bonds of heavenly calamity!

In other words, unshackled by the Three Calamities and Nine Tribulations!

In a world where divine calamities can’t be fully unleashed, he stood at the pinnacle!

If a Divine Calamity or Martial God were to invoke the Calamity Wheel, the will of heaven and earth would trap them, dooming them to catastrophe.

But without triggering the Calamity Wheel… as with Gu Yangxuan’s fate, his flesh was simply shattered.

Gu Yangxuan wasn’t a Martial God but merely a Divine Calamity—a mortal body, though not feeble, was no match for a Martial God.

Boom—!!!

The Divine Mechanical Monkey lunged once more at Gu Yangxuan.

Elsewhere…

As Gu Yinxuan tried to escape, Li Che shifted his focus; in an instant, Fan Hai Jiuying exploded, disintegrating into countless ink-like traces that broke the hold of the Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill.

In the next heartbeat, those traces reformed into Fan Hai Jiuying, charging straight at Gu Yinxuan!

Rumble—

Lightning plummeted, slamming into Fan Hai Jiuying and sapping much of its strength.

Yet, this reckless assault from Fan Hai Jiuying proved too troublesome for Gu Yinxuan.

Poison couldn’t finish him, and brute force wasn’t enough!

This contraption simply countered every move!

Gu Yinxuan’s face twitched as he sensed something amiss.

This Underworld…

simply wouldn’t let him go!

Was he meant to be trapped here?

“Sir, I, Gu Yinxuan, have been in seclusion and feigned death for a thousand years. We bear no grudges, do we?”

Gu Yinxuan unleashed a Heavenly Poison Pill once more to delay the frenzied Fan Hai Jiuying, though the impact forced blood to trickle from his mouth.

His Dao essence surged relentlessly, anger mounting with every pulse—but he dared not let it all out.

He was about to face the third tribulation of the Calamity Realm—a trial he wasn’t sure he could overcome.

So he had to endure.

Moreover…

He sensed a threat of overwhelming magnitude.

Atop the Inky City, a towering figure stood with his back turned, a purple flame burning atop his head.

Just by standing there, a dread force of calamity seemed poised to overturn the heavens and earth.

Gu Yinxuan’s face darkened in terror…

The Underworld has its own experts!

What force has emerged from the Underworld?

A mad, monstrous beast wielding power rivaling that of the First Calamity’s second tribulation, and a mechanical beast equal to a Martial God—and now…

On the city wall stood a figure whose mere presence sent shivers down the spine.

The purple fire burned quietly—a dreadful, ominous flame of calamity.

Its burning twisted space as if a fearsome beast roared within.

Gu Yinxuan’s grim expression deepened as he shouted toward the figure atop the wall…

“Underworld Ghost Emperor!”

From afar, Gu Yangxuan cried out in terror.

Underworld Ghost Emperor?

Gu Yinxuan mulled over the name—no such figure had existed a thousand years ago.

“Sir, what do you mean?”

“Are we really going to fight to the death?”

Gu Yinxuan growled in a deep, menacing tone.

Yet the Underworld Ghost Emperor continued to turn his back on everyone.

“I will kill you.”

A calm voice echoed, resonating through heaven and earth.

Gu Yinxuan’s face sank—it was over, beyond discussion.

Roar—!!!

Fan Hai Jiuying let out a bloodcurdling roar, its nine heads tossing wildly as calamity lightning crashed down and it charged on relentlessly.

Crunch, crunch…

The gates of Fengdu in the Underworld burst open.

Dark, profound, and chilling—like the gateway to death.

“Fengdu’s Gate is open. Want to live?”

“Within Fengdu lies the Minor Cavern of the Heavens, free from calamity. Enter if you wish to live, and break out if you dare.”

A calm voice emanated from the figure of the Underworld Ghost Emperor, his back to all.

Gu Yinxuan’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the deep, endless gate…

Would anyone survive entering this forsaken place?

Gu Yinxuan felt ice-cold all over; as a master of poison, he now faced his greatest nemesis—a beast that nullified his venom.

Even a Demon Emperor would fall to poison—any living thing could be felled…

Yet this beast, as if foolish, swallowed the Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill without a care.

But entangled with it, escape seemed unlikely…

The mortal realm is not the Bizarre Temple—he couldn’t free himself.

And this absurd beast, bearing lightning like a weapon, meant only pain for him.

“Ah!”

Gu Yangxuan roared in anger.

He clearly saw the gravity of his situation…

The Underworld and the Imperial Court had united—Xie Yunshen had deceived Tian Dan Divine Sect. Their aim was clear: to strike at the fate of the Divine Sect.

They could no longer sustain the destiny of Tian Dan Divine Sect.

Thus, Gu Yangxuan did not want to die.

He wanted to live!

Even if his flesh was shattered, his Heaven-and-Earth Soul remained. With his alchemy, reassembling his body with enough medicinal herbs was within reach.

He simply did not want to die!

Kill!

Gu Yangxuan’s eyes blazed red; in the mortal realm he had been suppressed to the point of shattered flesh…

Kill!

Boom—!!!

Gu Yangxuan transformed into a streak of light and charged for the open Fengdu Gate of the Underworld.

Gu Yinxuan cast a disdainful glance at Gu Yangxuan, muttering a curse for his foolishness.

Entering and expecting to leave?

Even if the Minor Cavern of the Heavens allowed one to fully unleash their cultivation and invoke the Calamity Wheel, so what?

Yet, with the sweeping gaze of the Divine Mechanical Monkey, the howls of the maddened beast, and the relentless presence of the Underworld Ghost Emperor on the wall…

In the distance, even Gu Qianchi of the Imperial Court, a Divine Calamity practitioner, found no other choice.

It seemed…

There was only one chance left.

Staying in the mortal realm meant certain annihilation!

“Damn it! I refuse to let poison kill you all!”

Gu Yinxuan, driven to fury, could do nothing but roar.

Next, with no alternative, he charged headlong into Fengdu.

Meanwhile…

With a deafening bang, Fan Hai Jiuying exploded and vanished.

The Divine Mechanical Monkey roared as it too surged into Fengdu.

On the city wall…

Purple fire burned.

The Ghost Emperor slowly turned; a hint of a mocking smile flickered on his golden skull.

“Welcome… to the Underworld.”

……

……

Rumble, rumble, rumble—

Ink-colored rain poured down relentlessly.

In the inky city, everything was cast in darkness, as if black were the only tone in this world.

Gu Yangxuan and Gu Yinxuan now appeared in this desolate place, and as Gu Yinxuan surveyed the Minor Cavern of the Heavens, his expression sank.

Steadfast, imposing, unyielding…

This cavern… was unnervingly stable!

“At least it’s the cavern of a Divine Calamity cultivator at the First and Third Tribulation!”

The cavern’s stability reflected the owner’s strength and prowess.

Gu Yinxuan’s heart sank further.

Then, a roaring thunder arose as countless ink-colored raindrops swelled into a massive flow above the heavens, and Fan Hai Jiuying reappeared!

“Damn despicable beast!”

Gu Yinxuan spread his arms and clenched his fist as a Seven-Colored Longsword, infused with toxic venom, materialized in his hand.

Behind him, the Calamity Wheel emerged in an instant—its presence marking the First and Second Tribulations!

Boom—

“Kill!”

Gu Yinxuan said nothing more; he knew that within this city, his only chance was to carve a bloody path.

As long as he could survive and break free, there was hope!

Bang—!!!

Gu Yinxuan and Fan Hai Jiuying clashed fiercely, as toxic mists burst forth from the Seven-Colored Longsword—a dazzling yet deadly spectacle.

Yet Fan Hai Jiuying, emerging from the Ten Fierce Diagram, seemed immune to his venom.

Still, Gu Yinxuan spared no effort in his desperate onslaught.

Boom—!!!

A terrifying explosion erupted!

Two divine beings at the First and Second Tribulation levels unleashed their full, devastating force, shattering Mo City’s ground into countless fragments with crisscrossing cracks.

Fan Hai Jiuying roared; two ferocious inky dragon heads bellowed, wings slapping, gale-force winds tearing space apart!

Freed from the bonds of heavenly calamity, Fan Hai Jiuying became even more frenzied!

Meanwhile…

Having entered the cavern, Gu Yangxuan eagerly invoked the Calamity Wheel.

“Underworld Ma Mian!”

“Die!”

Boom—!!!

Behind Gu Yangxuan, the Calamity Wheel hovered, its First and Second Tribulation power emboldening him.

Then…

there was nothing left.

A spear-like Dust Whip pierced the chest of his remaining Heaven-and-Earth Soul.

A terrifying surge of Dao essence and calamity erupted!

“Zhao Beidou?!”

Gu Yangxuan’s Heaven-and-Earth Soul was critically wounded; his Dao essence and divine nature were steadily draining away…

He stared in disbelief at Zhao Beidou, who had silently struck from behind…

Worse yet, he hadn’t sensed Zhao Beidou’s presence at all!

The Divine Mechanical Monkey roared again, delivering a crushing blow.

Zhao Beidou smirked and, with a grab, transformed the Dust Whip into a spear as it lunged forward.

Gu Yangxuan’s Dao essence diffused away…

According to the original text, he understood…

He was finished.

He was doomed to die here with no chance of escape.

Bang—

A terrifying attack came crashing down—his flesh exploded, his Heaven-and-Earth Soul shattered, and the Calamity Wheel broke apart…

In his final moments, Gu Yangxuan…

was violently torn apart!

When the monstrous explosion echoed, Gu Yinxuan—engaged in battle with Fan Hai Jiuying elsewhere—trembled at the sight of Gu Yangxuan’s destruction.

Turning, he beheld the bitter spectacle of his millennia-old brother being torn apart.

At last, the ancient brothers had succumbed to death today.

“Eons of divine tides surge—this era’s divine tide has begun. Under its influence, even divine calamities cannot escape; death is inevitable.”

Gu Yinxuan’s withered face showed a touch of sorrow.

Yet there was no time for grief, as his clothes tore away abruptly to reveal his emaciated flesh.

But his body was studded with numerous Poison Pills of every hue.

They flashed in an array of colors.

“The Body of the Hundred Poison Pill God!”

Gu Yinxuan’s gaze swept over everyone in Fengdu—Zhao Beidou who had slain Gu Yangxuan, Ma Mian hidden within the divine mechanism, the frenzied Fan Hai Jiuying, and the Underworld Ghost Emperor still looming on the dark edifice.

Gu Yinxuan knew that entering this cavern was perilous.

Yet outside, in the mortal realm, danger was even greater. Within the cavern, he could unleash his full might unrestrained!

Come on!

He roared, unleashing a torrent of formidable Dao essence—a surge of the Poison Pill Way!

This Poison Saint was a master who had reached the pinnacle of venom!

Waves of toxic mist roiled and surged!

In the next moment, five poisonous phantom figures materialized behind Gu Yinxuan!

A massive toad, a millipede, a venomous scorpion with hooked pincers, and a deadly poisonous snake…

Gu Yinxuan was enveloped by these five phantom creatures, as if suspended in a seething toxic fog.

Li Che even detected the aura of the Temple Spirit within them.

This Poison Saint had refined and corrupted all five Temple Spirits!

Boom—!!!

Each of these five poisonous beings wielded the power of the First and Second Tribulations!

Individually, they withstood the onslaught of the ferocious Fan Hai Jiuying, Zhao Beidou, and the Divine Mechanical Monkey!

One had to admit, this legendary Poison Saint was indeed cunning.

Inky rain cascaded swiftly from the sky once again.

Li Che spread his fingers wide as bursts of Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame erupted, releasing a fearsome surge of calamity!

Boom—!

The blazing fire above intensified, and finally, the golden skull turned to face the fierce battle where Li Che’s three divine forces clashed with Gu Yinxuan.

Gu Yinxuan’s eyes narrowed.

That golden skull, cold and hollow, seemed to echo with the wails of countless lost souls.

A foreboding aura suddenly sent chills down Gu Yinxuan’s spine.

He saw the Underworld Ghost Emperor slowly raise his hand, aiming directly at him.

Yet the five poisonous mists around him began to tremble violently.

Gu Yinxuan’s expression changed dramatically!

His Hundred Poison Pill God Body—his trump card, concealing five refined Temple Spirits—now trembled!

The five Temple Spirits within his toxic mist quivered in unison!

The Underworld Ghost Emperor fixed him with his skeletal, hollow eyes.

Then, in a measured tone, he spoke.

Two voices, chilling enough to freeze a soul, reverberated through the expanse.

“Spiritual Confinement.”

In a deep, resonant tone, the word emerged from Li Che’s lips, like the churn of the underworld’s boiling, cracking bones.

The clatter of chains echoed incessantly.

A ferocious wind arose, howling through the inky city as streams of black air swirled around.

Slowly, these black currents intertwined.

The crumbling, grim realm seemed to coalesce into a twisted silhouette.

At the sight of that figure, Gu Yinxuan’s head nearly burst with shock.

His eyes filled with an intense, unyielding disbelief!

“You—”

For that twisted figure, formed by interlaced black currents, was none other than the resurrected Gu Yangxuan!

How could this be?!

Gu Yinxuan had mourned his ancient brother’s death—and now, Gu Yangxuan had returned!

Without a word, the revived Gu Yangxuan absorbed the message, immediately understanding his new master.

Faced with life and death, Gu Yangxuan naturally chose submission.

Boom—!!!

Without hesitation, Gu Yangxuan charged furiously at Gu Yinxuan!

Gu Yinxuan’s pressure mounted unbearably.

Already, facing three foes, he was overwhelmed—especially with his old, familiar adversary, the resurrected Gu Yangxuan…

Gu Yinxuan felt suffocated under the crushing pressure.

But it seemed the battle was far from over.

Then, Gu Yinxuan suddenly lifted his head as a hair-raising, bone-chilling voice echoed in his ears.

From the purple-fire-enshrouded golden skull of the Underworld Ghost Emperor burst forth an endless, eerie light.

“Summon the Divine.”

Summon the Divine?!

At that very moment, Gu Yinxuan’s body trembled violently.

In the next heartbeat…

The five Temple Spirits he had refined let out a piercing cry.

His Hundred Poison Pill God Body’s toxic mist began to disintegrate as the five spirits shattered, ripped from his very being.

With a crunch—

Gu Yinxuan lost all control over his venom.

Bang—!!!

A massive inky dragon claw slammed down, battering him until his flesh felt ready to burst apart.

Boom, boom, boom—

The relentless blows from the Divine Mechanical Monkey, Gu Yangxuan, Zhao Beidou, and others poured down in succession!

Gu Yinxuan, blood streaming, let out a final, bitter laugh.

“Let’s all die together! Poison you all to death!”

Even in his dying moments, Gu Yinxuan clung stubbornly to his poisonous way, desperate to curse his foes.

But he failed…

These foes were utterly immune to his toxins!

Gu Yinxuan looked at the resurrected Gu Yangxuan as if he had anticipated it all…

Immune to every poison…

Was it because they were already dead?

The Underworld Ghost Emperor…

Using the dead for his own ends?!

It was a terrifying thought.

Gu Yinxuan once believed his venom was the height of cruelty.

But now he realized there were even crueler methods out there!

This Underworld Ghost Emperor was far deadlier than he.

“Eons of divine tides are coming… but alas, I missed the last one…and now, I’ve missed this one too… born at the wrong time!”

Gu Yinxuan let out a bitter laugh.

Next, his entire body exploded, unleashing a surge of fearsome energy that formed a dazzling, seven-colored toxic mushroom cloud over Mo City!

Fan Hai Jiuying roared, its two ferocious dragon heads gaping as they devoured the massive toxic cloud completely.

It seemed as though Fan Hai Jiuying had even acquired a new ability—breathing poisonous mist.

Gu Yinxuan was dead.

Overwhelmed, he had been slain.

His flesh shattered, his Heaven-and-Earth Soul obliterated—he was completely gone.

Li Che had never struck a blow—from no lack of skill, but because he dared not.

The Poison Saint… Li Che held a deep fear of him.

Though he had ingested Gu Changqing’s sugar-sweetened antidote, it was only meant for the Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill.

Faced with the Poison Saint’s toxic mist, Li Che wasn’t sure if it would work.

Gu Yinxuan was formidable—his venomous, cunning Five Poison Divine Mist was truly terrifying.

Alas, none of the opponents Li Che arranged possessed any living essence.

They were completely immune to potent toxins.

Within Mo City Fengdu, the only living soul was Li Che.

And Li Che…

by avoiding direct contact with the toxins, he evaded poisoning.

Witnessing Gu Yinxuan’s dread and venom only confirmed for Li Che that killing him was the right choice.

For if someone like that, swayed by Gu Yangxuan, should target his daughter…

it would be a living nightmare.

With such lethal poison at play, Li Che had no confidence in a fair fight—only methods like Spiritual Confinement and splattering inky death could prevail.

Thus, Gu Yinxuan had to be eliminated—made to serve him.

Only then could Li Che rest easy.

Sensing that Gu Yinxuan’s Five Poison Divine Mist had merged with his Five Temple Spirits, Li Che conceived a plan to summon the divine.

If it was a Temple Spirit…

all could be summoned!

Sure enough, the souls of the Temple Spirits were drawn to Li Che; Gu Yinxuan’s Five Poison Divine Mist, now lacking their support, began to collapse.

The souls of the five Temple Spirits drifted within Mo City Fengdu.

They wailed ceaselessly, hovering around Li Che’s burning purple aura, enhancing his terrifying presence.

Soon, Fengdu fell silent.

With light, measured steps,

Li Che appeared before the shattered corpse of Gu Yinxuan.

Though Fan Hai Jiuying had consumed all the toxic mist, traces lingered in the air as Li Che’s Dao Calamity Fire twisted around him, burning away every wisp of venom.

Gu Yinxuan was a ruthless killer.

He killed without hesitation—even his own Tian Dan Divine Sect disciples were not spared; he had planned to poison everyone in Guangling Dao City.

He spread his poison with cold indifference.

Such enemies, if they dared target XiXi, would drive Li Che to despair.

Thankfully…

he had now killed him.

And a poison master like that, when turned to his side, would bring unparalleled reassurance.

Zhao Beidou and Gu Yangxuan stood reverently at Li Che’s side.

Fan Hai Jiuying and the Divine Mechanical Monkey—towering behemoths—also stood by him, as formidable as mountains.

Black robes fluttered while purple flames danced violently in the wind.

Li Che gazed down at the shattered corpse of Gu Yinxuan…

Beneath the golden skull, his eyes shone with an eerie glow.

Qitian City had begun; the legacy of Qitian Temple was about to emerge…

Qitian City—a gathering of heroes—held untold dangers.

Li Che had lived his life on thin ice, ever ready to face these challengers.

A few loyal heroes by his side was hardly unusual, right?!

Rumble, rumble, rumble—

Ink-colored rain pounded the ground in a furious outpour, roaring as it splattered.

Li Che stood before Gu Yinxuan’s corpse.

“The eternal divine tide—you wouldn’t want to miss it, would you?”

“Then submit to me…”

“I will bring you to witness the eternal divine tide.”

“Spiritual Confinement—”