The Ancient Saint Emperor of the Heaven-shading

Chapter 95 The army breaks through the northern plains, and the path to salvation is fraught with corpses (6K)

The battlefield of Beiyuan was a blood-soaked sky, filled with shouts of battle, flashing swords, and falling corpses, a sight that made one's eyes turn red.

However, in one corner of the battlefield, an eerie calm appeared. A single sentence from the visitor from the forbidden zone caused all the saints to furrow their brows.

The one destined for calamity?

Is he the one who will avert the calamity of the decline of the world and the decay of the Dao?

Their gazes fell on Wang Hongwu, and they couldn't help but ponder that if this were true, then only the Heavenly Dragon King and the Sun King, a pair of dazzling stars in the world, would fit the bill.

But to avert such a calamity, one would need to attain enlightenment within a thousand years. Is that even possible?
“Born to face calamity, born for the Dao, such a crown is too heavy. Can anyone truly bear it?” Recalling the ancient emperors and celestial beings of the past, the saints couldn’t help but feel doubtful and uncertain.

This is probably an impossible feat, not to mention the suppression of the Dao traces left by the Fighting Saint Emperor. What kind of person could break through two cosmic shackles at the same time?

Even if it were true, the only person destined to face this calamity under such circumstances would probably be someone incredibly powerful.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Did you come here just to say this?" Wang Hongwu frowned. The appearance of the forbidden zone gave him a bad feeling. In such a short time, the Underworld had entered the Big Dipper and started a war. Could it be that even the beings in the forbidden zone were going to come out?
Seeing this, the Daughter of Ruins shook her head and pointed towards the Eastern Wilderness, saying, "There are many forbidden zones of life, and there are many beings like me. It's just that everyone chooses a different path. Among those who have left the world, most are unwilling to see the calamity of the decline of the Dao resolved, and instead try to seize the fortune of those who are destined to face the calamity, or even become those destined to face the calamity themselves and soar to the heavens."

As for me, I am merely a witness, an observer who has ushered in a new era. This, too, is a form of spiritual practice; not everyone's path must be forged amidst bloodshed and turmoil.

Her words were cryptic, and few could understand their meaning, but Wang Hongwu and Duan De immediately grasped the implication. The supreme being within the forbidden zone clearly had some prophecy about this era and held a different attitude.

Their descendants will naturally follow suit, either ignoring it or choosing to withdraw from the world, but without exception, their realm will be higher than that of the ancient imperial descendants of their time.

Because these people were not carefully selected and sealed away to await immortality, but instead went out to train when their fathers were born and started the dark turmoil, killing various experts to strengthen their power, and generally stood in the Holy Domain.

"You mean, other beings from forbidden zones will come to cause me trouble and compete for fortune and opportunities?" Wang Hongwu looked at the Daughter of Ruins and vaguely understood that she was reminding him that forbidden zone beings, like Yama's children, were about to be born.

"Isn't this the underworld you're facing now? Many people are watching this battle, and you have many opponents to contend with." The other party glossed over this with a casual remark, standing in the distance, silently observing.

Boom!

Just then, the underworld launched its counterattack.

A million ghostly soldiers prostrated themselves devoutly, facing the burial pit, chanting incantations like spells. They were performing a ritual to welcome the terrifying power into the world.

Deep accumulation, long-standing fortune, ancient heritage, and unfathomable depth—this is how some people perceive super powers, believing that this is their foundation.

But those who truly understand will only shake their heads in shock, because that is far from enough. The so-called foundation is a truly immortal deterrent, with concrete tangible things.

At that moment, billowing black mist surged into the sky, shattering the clouds and turning the area into a dark place.

Roar! Then, a demonic roar shook the heavens and earth, and the entire Northern Plains trembled. Invisible killing intent surged in all directions, and terrifying holy might rose. The war corpses buried here were revived.

The earth was cracking open, revealing countless hideous fissures from which one after another skeletal dragons flew out. These were all monsters pieced together from the bones of living beings, war puppets crafted using evil methods, each capable of fighting against an ancestral king.

Looking around, there were eighty-one demonic dragons, forming a perfect array. They instantly tore a descending extraterrestrial saint to pieces, their holy blood splattering across the sky.

Without saying a word, Wang Hongwu immediately summoned the Immortal Ascension Cauldron to protect himself. Duan De rushed in with a start. When the holy power descended from the sky, it touched the rippling blue waves, which dissolved it and protected the two of them.

Then, a roar came from the burial pit below the ground. Many mountains collapsed, and a fleshy giant covered in black beast hair rose from it. Its body was made up of various melted and piled-up corpses. It had ten thousand eyes, ten thousand arms, and ten thousand mouths. As soon as it appeared, it let out a war roar that spread for thousands of miles. It was actually a being with the title of Ancestral King.

A beam of azure light flew out from its mouth, emitting a chilling aura. The vast earth was cleaved in two. It was a legendary holy weapon that instantly obliterated the ancestral king of a royal family.

While collecting the essence of fallen saints with the sacrificial bowl, Wang Hongwu used the Immortal-Slaying Gourd to clear a path forward, his expression growing increasingly solemn. "The Netherworld's foundation is so profound that expelling the Northern Plains stronghold is no less difficult than infiltrating a royal family. It would be easier to make them back down."

Duan De was also determined. He took the bronze lamp that was used to chant the sutra of salvation and spun it forward with a roar. Wherever the sound of the sutra passed, the ghost soldiers fell down in droves. He spun, jumped, and closed his eyes. The world seemed to go silent, and the ghosts disappeared.

Soon, their team attracted the attention of the underworld experts. A cold-blooded underworld general waved his command flag, urging a portion of the defensive fortifications to advance.

Suddenly, a terrifying tremor came from ahead, and one after another ancient chariot soared into the sky, gleaming with a cold metallic luster, eerie and unsettling.

Wang Hongwu and Duan De's advance was halted by a thousand chariots blocking their path. Each chariot was riddled with knife marks and arrow holes, bearing the marks of time after enduring the baptism of war.

They charged in together with a thunderous roar, crushing the heavens and earth. Their attack power was unmatched, shattering all obstacles. Surprisingly, each of them was engraved with a part of a Saint-level killing array!
"Damn it, how can the underworld be so rich! Little Dragon Man, hurry up and grab some, these things are all valuable items to take back home. I have a way to break the array patterns."

Duan De urged them on, and Wang Hongwu had the same idea. He directly activated the Immortal-Slaying Gourd to block the chariots that were crashing into him. Then, the gourd opened its mouth and created a chaotic vortex, continuously taking in the chariots. The unscrupulous Taoist priest was also using array patterns to break the connection.

One collected the chariots, the other cracked them; their teamwork was seamless, and they quickly achieved their goal, capturing a chariot. They continued forward, collecting one hundred and eight chariots in a row, which finally attracted the attention of the underworld experts, who were furious and hurriedly moved the chariots away to attack in other directions.

"Damn it! Bandits have broken in! I've never seen anything so despicable in my two lifetimes, doing something like this!" The group of Yin generals were speechless. Who would do such a thing? Robbing someone's foundation without a word?

Who exactly is in the underworld?

After a series of battles, many chariots were shot down, but at this moment, a powerful aura surged forth, and a vast expanse of dark clouds appeared in the sky. More than a hundred ancient castles rose up, awe-inspiring and terrifying. The underworld had once again drawn out a wealth of secrets.

This is a genuine war fortress, forged entirely from sacred materials and refined gold, tempered and refined through countless trials, making it sturdy and indestructible. It is far more terrifying than ancient ships and chariots, resembling a series of small cities, where kings gather and demigods reside, driving the army to press forward and causing great damage to the allied forces of all races.

Their impact created a massive crater, from which countless divine lights cascaded down like waterfalls, effortlessly turning tens of thousands of lives into ashes. Each war fortress was like a steel divine city, impenetrable and blocking the way like a formidable fortress.

Wang Hongwu snorted coldly, his true dragon blood energy surging into the sky, shattering the sea of ​​clouds. Like a ferocious humanoid beast, he charged forward alone, unleashing a dragon fist that blasted an iron fortress into pieces with his own fighting prowess.

"He can shatter a fortress forged from sacred materials with a single punch?! What kind of heaven-defying physical body is that?!"

"Holy Body! His physical body is already comparable to that of a sage; he only lacks the laws of law. Run!"

The experts inside the fortress were horrified, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. However, with a loud bang, thousands of lives inside were torn to pieces. Even the Great Completion Kings were crushed to death with a single blow, and the Half-Saint who was in charge coughed up blood and flew out. Just as he was about to retaliate, Duan De smashed his head with the bronze lamp of the Salvation Scripture, thus converting his primordial spirit.

After defeating several experts, Wang Hongwu pressed forward relentlessly, continuing his fight. The surrounding army roared and followed the Heavenly Dragon King's lead. Soon, another war fortress was destroyed and ceased to exist, leaving only a ripple that seemed to tremble like a star field.

"Counterattack! Crush them to death!" a Ghost Saint roared, sounding the horn. War fortresses, bone ships, bronze chariots, and other massive formations filled the sky and pressed forward relentlessly. The soldiers of all races who were unable to retreat were instantly turned into mincemeat and blood mist, dying in droves.

Having only recently entered this underworld, the Alliance of Ten Thousand Races has already lost 100,000 members. The fierce battle has reached its climax, with both sides clashing intensely. Corpses continue to fall from the sky, and the earth has long been stained red with blood.

"Taiyi, clear the way with the Quasi-Emperor Weapon!" At this moment, the Dragon Girl led the Wanlong Nest team to join Wang Hongwu, and summoned a golden divine bell. The Quasi-Emperor Weapon charged ahead, like a golden arrow beam, sweeping across the world with overwhelming force.

Bang! Bang! Bang! A series of fortresses were destroyed. The Dragon Girl and Wang Hongwu joined forces, their methods were extraordinary. The two quasi-royal soldiers killed so many people that their scalps tingled. No one could stop their advance.

"Join forces and launch a full-scale attack!" In addition, Huo Qizi from Huolin Cave also arrived, wearing Primordial Battle Armor and wielding a blue treasure staff. He also went on a killing spree, his quasi-royal weapon power sweeping forward as if entering an empty land.

The Golden Goddess descended, charging forward with unstoppable force, wielding her golden whips to cut down one war fortification after another, advancing rapidly. She seemed to be intentionally competing with the Dragon Girl, advancing with sweeping, powerful strokes, occasionally glancing back provocatively.

Not far away, the Holy Prince leaped high into the air, his body spinning like a wheel, and swung down with the Quasi-Emperor's Staff. The staff instantly turned red-hot and extended to a height of a thousand feet, smashing through a huge rift that swallowed up many Yin soldiers.

Huang Xudao and Yuan Gu appeared on the left and right respectively, each urging their quasi-emperor weapons to bombard their opponents and directly broke through this battle line; their seven quasi-emperor weapons joined forces, urging them forward to bombard and directly pierce through this battlefield, fighting all the way to the gate of the Underworld Fortress.

Ah! The half-saints of the underworld guarding this place were directly blasted into ashes by the crowd with quasi-royal weapons. They couldn't resist at all. After the gate opened, the guards inside didn't even have time to utter a sound before turning into blood mist.

It's not their fault, because all the saints went to the outer battlefield, and what remained were all half-saints and kings who had achieved great success. Strictly speaking, this number was enough to suppress the allied forces of all races, but they couldn't withstand a group of ancient royal heirs coming over, and they even brought out seven quasi-royal weapons. No matter how many half-saints came, they would all die.

"They've broken in!" "Charge with the imperial heirs!"

The allied forces of all races immediately shouted and rushed in through the gap in the gate. The creatures guarding this stronghold in the underworld were stunned. They had never seen anything like this before. The mighty underworld had been attacked and its fortress breached!
They've never suffered such a loss, not even in the starry sky!

Regardless of the outcome, this battle will undoubtedly send shivers down the spines of many star systems beyond the heavens. It is a momentous event, a war against an immortal mythical force.

The great saints all came out to intercept the experts of the underworld, creating a good opportunity for others to infiltrate the underworld's northern stronghold. With the cooperation of a group of ancient royal heirs and quasi-royal soldiers, they naturally broke through with unstoppable momentum.

This place was naturally turned into a dragon's den and tiger's lair by the underworld. Within the fortress of the underworld, a terrifying aura surged up, as if it were about to destroy the world. Like a million volcanoes erupting at once, a strange and terrifying pattern appeared and pressed forward.

"Great Sage Killing Formation!" The Dragon Goddess's expression hardened. This thing was flawless, and when fully activated, it was no less powerful than a Great Sage unleashing a devastating attack. Although its range was limited to this area, it was definitely beyond their ability to withstand.

"Leave it to me. No one knows more about formations than me, except for that guy I can't remember who likes to play with swords." Just then, Duan De took the lead and rushed forward, single-handedly throwing out thousands of formation platforms to clear a path. He set up a formation with each step, and using some unknown method, he actually managed to break through a corner of the great formation and dig out a path.

The scene was bizarre; the killing formation of the underworld was broken by a single person, as if he had an exceptional understanding of its methods, dismantling it at its source and exploiting its weaknesses. "Just who is this Taoist priest?" At this moment, even the ancient royal heirs were astonished. His methods were truly extraordinary, far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

At the same time, the saints in the great war in the heavens also noticed the changes here. They did not expect that it would be breached so quickly. Did they have to abandon the territory of the Northern Plains?
Hmph! The Blood Demon Great Sage snorted coldly and directly summoned the Heavenly Venerable Forbidden Artifact to bombard the Big Dipper Ancient Star below, wanting to unleash his full power and sink or destroy the Northern Plains.

The crowd grew even more terrified, and the more powerful the cultivators were, the colder they felt. The entire world fell silent, and for a long time, no sound was heard.

But at that moment, auspicious wisps of energy rose up and swirled around the ancient star, protecting the area and preventing the imperial majesty from falling.

Even the supreme divine power falling from the heavens was blocked by a terrifying force.

"The Great Dao of the Ancient Emperors!" The Great Saints of the Underworld couldn't help but change color, recalling some things. Their expressions were uncertain. The stars that had once housed the Ancient Emperors bore the imprint of their Great Daos. Destroying them would result in a certain backlash.

In that instant, the immense pressure from beyond the heavens vanished, returning to calm as if nothing had ever happened.

In that brief moment, a figure suddenly rushed down from the battlefield above the Underworld Fortress. A saintly aura flowed around him. A ghost saint realized that the battlefield's collapse was caused by the Heavenly Dragon King and that fat Taoist priest, and was determined to kill them and reverse the tide.

Overwhelmed by the overwhelming pressure, the extraterrestrial saint who was fighting him was a step behind, but he still gritted his teeth and chased after him.

Bang! The Ghost Saint moved with incredible speed, blasting away the attacks of the ancient royal descendants with a single blow. The Holy Domain Laws blasted them backward, causing them to cough up blood. Then, he flew over and headed straight for Wang Hongwu, forming thirty-six hand seals and unleashing a killing move that brought him right in front of him.

However, the next moment, an arm made of immortal gold and divine jade suddenly emerged from Wang Hongwu's body, shattering his killing move with a single punch. The laws of the Holy Domain flew everywhere, turning into dazzling light fragments.

There are saints?!
The imperial heirs were also astonished, wondering which ancestral king was hiding inside the Heavenly Dragon King. Even the Dragon Girl hadn't expected it.

"You ambushed me? Then you will die today too." Wang Hongwu stared at the Ghost Saint. He walked step by step, shaking the entire earth. The next moment, the Holy Spirit Artifact Spirit rushed out with the Eastern Emperor Bell on its back. The purple light of divine marks covered its body, so bright that people could not open their eyes or see the battle. It directly blasted away the Ghost Saint who was attacking. With one stomp, it crushed the remaining fortress array patterns of the Underworld and killed thousands of half-saints.

what? !

The Ghost Saint who made the move was horrified. He, a Saint, had his sneak attack blocked. Who was protecting him?
However, the Great Banner Holy Spirit, who made the move, concealed his figure with the Eastern Emperor Bell, revealing only a humanoid phantom woven with purple, red, and cyan colors. He unleashed the Eight Forbidden Holy Power, and with a single punch, he shattered the Ghost Saint's arms, turning them into bloody mud.

*Pfft! Pfft!* The sounds continued as the Holy Spirit unleashed a series of powerful blows, his palms and fingers striking down, causing the Ghost Saint's legs, chest, and head to explode one by one. Bones flew up, blood splattered everywhere, and even his primordial spirit could not escape, being grabbed and refined in an instant.

Everyone was stunned. This was too brutal! They had directly destroyed a saint!

Where did this expert come from? He even possesses the terrifying Daoist aura of the Eight Forbidden Realms! The extraterrestrial saint who had been chasing after him was also stunned, unsure whether to advance or retreat, and was somewhat embarrassed.

Wang Hongwu remained silent. Since they had already been exposed, there was no need to delay any longer. There were no more saints on this battlefield, and the Holy Spirit Artifact Spirit was an invincible existence. He directly led everyone to advance with overwhelming force and stormed into the Underworld Fortress.

The terrain inside this underworld is uneven, and a piece of land has been deliberately set aside as a medicinal field. It is rich in products, including demon fruits that look like they are made of red agate, crystal clear and fragrant; fairy orchids carved from jade, emerald green and tender, translucent and fragrant; and cloud vines that are entwined with blue clouds, misty and fragrant.

There are countless ancient medicines of various grades and types. The underworld has unearthed many hidden treasures from the Northern Plains and gathered them here. Each ancient medicine is radiant and dazzling.

Wang Hongwu collected herbs along the way and soon obtained eight King Herbs. He then charged forward, and screams rang out as a King Herb was cleaved in two. Huang Xudao rushed through the gap between the two halves of the corpse.

*Poof!* The Fire Kirin struck, beheading a Dao-Slaying King and cleaving his mount in two, sending up a shower of blood as the corpse plummeted from the sky.

*Crack!* A golden whip slammed down, shattering a king's head into countless petals. Red blood and white brain matter mingled together, a horrifying sight. The Golden Heavenly Maiden swept through, leaving behind a trail of corpses.

There were no other sounds at this moment, only shouts of battle. After the fortress was breached, the fighting became even more brutal.

All the holy weapons were unleashed and began to clash, occasionally leaving behind traces of the Great Dao that pierced through the Nine Heavens, giving birth to new small worlds, with holy light descending and filling the sky.

The earth, wind, water, and fire rotated, creating numerous small worlds in the creation of heaven and earth, and giving rise to the chaotic energy.

The seven quasi-royal soldiers were invincible, causing the Netherworld chariots and ancient ships in the sky to disintegrate in large numbers. However, the Allied Forces of Ten Thousand Races were also occasionally struck by the Netherworld Holy Soldiers, turning into blood mist, with casualties on both sides.

Seeing that he could not break through after a long siege, Wang Hongwu directly summoned Duan De. The two of them worked together to activate the bronze lamp and began to recite the Scripture of Salvation left by Lingbao Tianzun in order to save this underworld.

"Thirty-two Heavens. Thirty-two Emperors. The Heavens conceal their secrets. The Heavens hide their names. The Heavens are hollow. The natural spirits reside within."

The hidden melody of the heavens. The sound of the heavens. The supreme being of the heavens. The god of the heavens. The great demon of the heavens. The spirit of the heavens.

The two shouted in unison, their voices like heavenly music, sacred, melodious, and pleasing to the ear; this holy sound filled the heavens and earth.

"This is the legendary Scripture of Salvation!" Many beings from beyond the realm changed color, especially those who had heard of the deeds of the Celestial Venerable Lingbao, who were greatly surprised.

The Scripture of Salvation is not an ancient scripture for cultivation and combat, but it has extraordinary uses. Although its combat power is not strong, it can save all living beings.

Ripples began to emanate from Wang Hongwu and Duan De, which, amplified by the bronze lamp, surged like waves, washing outwards in all directions, and many people quieted down.

The millions of ghost soldiers and horses around them began to fade and flee in fear under the melodious sound of the sutra of salvation, but they quickly became ethereal and then turned into mist. In just a moment, most of them disappeared.

Then the soldiers scattered with the wind. When the enchanting voices disappeared, all the ghostly soldiers vanished. Even this void was purified, leaving behind a serene and peaceful scene with twinkling stars and moon.

Many people gasped in astonishment, and then couldn't help but admire how incredibly effective this ancient scripture was at suppressing evil spirits; its restraint was truly remarkable.

"Everyone, chant the sutra to subdue the demon!" Seeing the miraculous effect of Wang Hongwu and Duan De's chanting, the Dragon Girl decisively shouted, ordering everyone to chant the sutra for saving people.

"The path of humanity is boundless. The path of immortals is vast and boundless. The path of ghosts is joyful. At the gate of life, the path of immortals values ​​life. The path of ghosts values ​​death. The path of immortals is always auspicious. The path of ghosts is always ominous. High above, pure and refreshing, a mournful song resounds in the vast sky. I only wish to achieve immortality, and not to be impoverished in the path of humanity!" The crowd chanted the sutra together, and the sutra for saving humanity echoed throughout this underworld.

It can be clearly seen that a ray of light flew up from each person, connecting together and pressing down on the black iron fortress. It is said that everyone has endless potential, and some scriptures can allow ordinary people to unleash certain divine powers. The Scripture of Salvation is like this. When people work together, they can save gods and demons.

However, it is somewhat weak if used for one-on-one battles, and needs to be supplemented by other ancient scriptures to be strengthened.

The allied forces of all races that arrived numbered 800,000. Even after losing a third of their strength in the series of battles, they still numbered nearly 500,000. The combined effect of their chanting of scriptures was naturally terrifying. Without a saint to resist, they were invincible and could suppress the entire field!

"I miscalculated. I never expected these guys to use the Scripture of Salvation to this extent!"

"That fat Taoist priest is really strange. Every time he delivers a scripture, it is incredibly powerful, as if it has an innate advantage over us!"

The army of the underworld suffered repeated defeats, and the ghost soldiers evaporated in droves. They were truly invincible. They kept retreating and could not even hold their fortresses.

If they don't adapt, they may all perish here, meeting a tragic end.

"Retreat! Abandon the Northern Plains stronghold and return to the Western Desert!" Many powerful figures from the Underworld roared. Deep within the fortress were numerous array platforms leading to distant places, allowing them to traverse the void and prepare to abandon their base and retreat.

Strictly speaking, there haven't been many losses yet; most of the manpower is still there. It's just a matter of abandoning one stronghold.

They had only occupied Beiyuan for a short time, and many of their resources and facilities were still incomplete; otherwise, they would never have been invaded so quickly.

At the same time, they used a forbidden trump card, and the entire underworld fortress was glowing and about to burst into flames. All the divine sources, ancient weapons, divine formations, etc., were to be destroyed, evaporated, and burned to ashes.

If it were to erupt, it would be a force capable of destroying heaven and earth. Countless king-level divine weapons, tens of thousands of experts, hordes of holy soldiers, and great formations would be extremely terrifying. Once ignited, it would absolutely annihilate the allied forces of all races.

"We can't self-destruct! I'm planning to grab some good stuff!" Duan De grabbed Wang Hongwu and rushed in, using the Immortal Ascension Cauldron for protection and the Quasi-Imperial Weapon to clear the way. They broke through the Underworld's methods along the way, determined to take all the good stuff out before the fortress was destroyed.

"What? The Beiyuan stronghold has been wiped out and breached?" "Let's go back to the Western Desert first."

"It's the Scripture of Salvation! Damn it, how could the scriptures left behind by the Celestial Venerable Lingbao be so effective against my Underworld lineage?"

In an instant, all the celestial saints withdrew, ceasing their pursuit, and flew back to defend the Western Desert, abandoning the Northern Plains region.

If this continues, it could cause trouble if the Scripture of Salvation were to reach them.

This battle is coming to an end, and a major earthquake is about to occur in the outer regions.

An unprecedented feat: all races joined forces to attack the underworld and reclaim the Northern Plains.

At the same time, inside the Ziwei Sect's mountain gate in Zhongzhou, the five-colored altar that had been operating for a long time finally lit up, and a crack appeared.

A figure slowly emerged from the crack, surveying the land with a blank expression.

(End of this chapter)