Shrouding the Heavens: Starting by joining the Holy Land of Yao Guang

Chapter 344 Don't Leave
No one expected this battle to continue to this point; Yao Guang's tenacity has exceeded everyone's expectations.

Nearly twenty saints tried to break into the Yao Guang Pure Land, but they were blocked outside.

Upon seeing this, the person who made the move also retreated decisively.

They just want to pick up bargains and make a quick buck; there's no need for them to risk their lives.

Seeing this, the evil god felt extremely agitated.

Things had gotten to this point, which was beyond his expectations. He thought he could easily win, but who knew it would turn out like this.

But it doesn't matter, they have victory in their grasp, they can wait until the war outside the region ends.

Qianlun is very strong, but he is no less powerful than either the Twelve-Armed Being or Cangyan. Cangyan is even slightly better. It won't be long before he can defeat them.

At this moment, many powerful forces carved out battle platforms, reflecting the war in the outer realms.

This was a clash of titans, exceptionally intense.

The bell rang softly, shaking the starry sea. A ten-thousand-foot-long purple dragon swayed, and the supreme imperial might swept across the sky. Qianlun and his weapon became one, making him exceptionally brave, but he could not withstand the two Great Saints wielding imperial weapons, and he inevitably fell into a disadvantageous position.

This is still due to the advantage of the weapon. Although the Divine Lamp is a supreme artifact, its master, a Great Perfection Holy Spirit, can challenge the Great Emperor, but that is all. The same is true for the weapon. It is comparable to an Emperor's weapon, but it is still lacking in some foundation.

This is why Qianlun was able to contend with them; otherwise, he would have been defeated and forced to retreat long ago.

Northern Territory,

In a grand hall of divine metal belonging to the Jiang family,
"What should we do? Just watch Yao Guang be destroyed?" an old man asked hesitantly.

"There's nothing we can do. The God-King has entered the starry sky and hasn't returned. The Jiang family is willing but unable to do anything about it. Could it be that we need to rescue Yao Guang and revive the Great Sage Ancestor?"

A casual rhetorical question instantly silenced everyone in the hall.

The enemy is too strong. Whether it's the evil god, the twelve-armed being, or the fire spirit Azure Flame, they are all peak Great Saints. Ordinary people don't even have the qualifications to intervene.

But what if this awakens the Great Sage's inner strength?
That's impossible. The Great Sage's power is crucial to the survival of the Jiang family; we absolutely cannot act rashly.

Let alone saving Yao Guang, even the Jiang family itself would not act rashly in the face of crisis, unless it was a matter of life and death like Yao Guang's, in which case they would awaken the Great Sage Ancestor.

In the past, when the God King was in such a critical situation, his family had not yet mobilized its resources.

This is not cold-bloodedness, but a choice that had to be made for the survival of the family.

Even the most powerful and yakuza groups would find it difficult to act recklessly and without regard for consequences.

Accumulating foundations is difficult. Even for the most powerful forces, it takes thousands of years to accumulate enough foundations in good times, and even ten thousand years may not be enough to preserve them in bad times.

It's true that once you use one, there's one less left; you can't afford to waste the slightest bit.

Not to mention the Great Sage's foundation, which concerns the survival of the family, almost all of which are revealed only when they cannot be sealed away.

The Ji family and Yaochi were in the same predicament. They did not want to see Yaoguang perish, but they could not mobilize the Great Sage's resources to rescue him. For a time, they were in a dilemma.

"No matter what, support is essential. Yao Guang's strength may be greatly reduced, but it cannot be destroyed. Let's ignore the extraterritorial battlefield for now, as we can't get involved there. Let's go to the Southern Region and help Yao Guang resist the evil god." In the Jiang family's temple, Jiang Yifei was full of heroic spirit and extraordinary martial prowess.

He was already the head of the Jiang family, with astonishing cultivation. No one knew the extent of his cultivation; he was incredibly mysterious and held immense prestige.

Ultimately, Jiang Yifei made the decision to go and support the Yao Guang battlefield. At this critical juncture, the destruction of the human race's supreme forces would have far-reaching consequences.

As he said, Yao Guang can be consumed, which he would be happy to see, but it cannot be destroyed.

But just then, an unexpected person came to visit: Elder Wei Yi from Tianxuan Stone Workshop.

Over the southern region,

The Dragon Pattern Cauldron and the Refining Spirit Pot remained locked in a standoff, unable to be separated unless external forces intervened.

This is a war of imperial weapons. Whether it is an evil god or the powerful forces of Yao Guang, their role is only to act as a conduit for divine power. The contest is to see who can last longer.

In this respect, as the evil god of the Great Sage, his advantage is completely overwhelming.

Many of the elders of Yaoguang Temple have exhausted their magical power, and some have even been drained into dried corpses. Even their foundation is starting to crumble, and their magical power is being severely depleted.

This was only after the emergence of the powerful beings, when Weiwei took out the Medicine King left by Li Yao and gave it to them to consume; otherwise, they would have died long ago upon being exposed to the light.

But this was only a temporary measure and couldn't last. Weiwei saw this and was very anxious.

Years ago, when Li Yao left, he left behind dozens of medicinal king plants. His original intention was to allow the Holy Land to collect the complete ingredients for the Life-Returning Pill, and then use the medicinal king plants to refine the pill, thus extending the lifespan of the cultivators.

However, some of the ingredients for the Life-Returning Pill are very difficult to find. Over the years, only two pills have been refined. This time, they were given priority to the two cultivators with the highest cultivation levels.

At this time, apart from those two with strong foundations, the foundations of the others who took the Medicine King were all in very poor condition.

This is because they have already taken various longevity-promoting medicines. Unless it is a miraculous pill like the Life-Returning Pill, they have developed resistance to other medicines and the effects are not good.

As the essence of the Medicine King was rapidly depleted, his foundation and condition deteriorated further, and even a deathly aura appeared on his face.

Weiwei was very anxious, but she was helpless. Her usual strategic planning was completely useless in this situation.

At this moment, only absolute strength can turn the tide; any schemes are useless.

"Pfft!"

An old man with white hair and wrinkled skin, looking frail and decrepit, collapsed; he simply couldn't hold on any longer.

Weiwei quickly took out the Medicine King and gave it to this person with profound knowledge, but it was only to prevent his death.

In the distance, the evil god sneered, "To put up a stubborn resistance is the only right choice in the face of absolute power. Submitting obediently is the best option."

“Even if you win today, someone will come after you in the future to settle scores with you,” Vivi said angrily, staring directly at the evil god.

The evil god scoffed and was about to mock him, but suddenly his expression changed slightly, and he looked to the other side.

There, three figures appeared: two men and one woman, all young people.

However, their cultivation levels were all quite high, having already entered the Saint Realm. Two of the youths had even progressed quite a distance into the Saint Realm.

However, the evil god valued them not because of their cultivation level. No matter how strong a saint was, they were just ants to him. What truly made him value them was their identities.

Two men and one woman, each with distinct characteristics. One man, with a dashing and imposing presence, was none other than Jiang Yifei, the head of the Jiang family. The woman, possessing beauty surpassing even the stars, was the mistress of Yaochi. The other, of medium build and with an ordinary face, was the young ancestor of the Ji family and the son of the Void Emperor. Each of them represented an extremely powerful force.

"Have you all thought this through? You all want to get involved?" The evil god's face was extremely ugly.

Ji Zi remained silent. Yao Chi was usually gentle and mild-mannered, and at this moment, Jiang Yifei, who was best suited to handle this kind of situation, stepped forward.

"Your Excellency, you have gone too far. To unleash an imperial weapon in the skies above the Southern Region is a recipe for disaster. We urge you to stop."

"What if I don't?" the evil god asked coldly.

"boom!"

The overwhelming imperial might swept across the land, and an ancient mirror appeared, cascading with chaotic energy. Ji Ziren didn't say much, but her actions showed that if you don't agree, then we'll fight!

As the son of the Void Emperor, Himeko's Ancient Mirror possessed far greater power in his hands than that of others.

The evil god was wary, but his expression grew even colder, his eyes icy cold to the extreme. "If you dare to make a move, I will visit you one by one in the future. I want to see how many times your clan's foundation can withstand such turmoil."

These words struck at the Achilles' heel of the extreme forces. The Evil God was at the height of his power, and if he were to launch repeated attacks with his imperial weapon, no extreme force could withstand his attrition.

Unless, today, the evil god is completely left here.

But that's impossible. He's a supreme saint and wields an ultimate weapon. Unless there's a powerful opponent of the same level who sets up numerous traps, it's unlikely he could succeed.

Just like in the original work, Dao Yi's plot against the Fire Kirin Cave was only successful because the Great Sage of the Dao Clan was the main force, and the incomplete imperial array personally inscribed by the Great Emperor was used to suppress and kill Yan Qi.

Moreover, the reason why Yan Qi couldn't leave in that battle was largely because of Huo Qi Zi; he left the hope of survival to the other party.

The Daoist clan had all the advantages of timing, location, and popular support, which allowed them to surround and kill this Great Sage.

If any one link in the chain is missing, Yan Qi can retreat with ease.

The situation today is the same. Unless a Great Sage of the same level suppresses the situation, even if three or four Imperial Weapons are deployed, the Evil God cannot be stopped.

The divine energy required for the revival of an imperial weapon is enormous. Even the Great Sage can only revive imperial weapons to a certain extent. The so-called "resurrection of imperial weapons" is only relative.

Therefore, the evil god was very confident. Looking at Himeko and the other two, he said, "You'd better retreat and not get involved in this matter. Besides, this is not the main battlefield. No matter what you do, you can't change the outcome of the extraterrestrial war."

The people of Yaoguang felt very depressed. Even they felt that what the evil god said made sense, and they could not see any hope.

The atmosphere was unusually tense, but suddenly a soft laugh rang out. Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and found it was Jiang Yifei.

"What you say makes sense, but you underestimate the Beidou human race. In the great war outside the realm, there will naturally be people who step forward."

"boom!"

As Jiang Yifei finished speaking, a terrifying imperial aura emanated from beyond the realm, where a new imperial weapon had appeared.

In the distance, there were array platforms carved by ancient sages, transmitting back the situation from beyond the realm.

The phoenix cried out, and the sunset glow swept across the starry sea. Wei Yi, the old man from Tianxuan Stone Workshop, wielding the Hengyu Furnace, charged into the battlefield.

The situation, which had been steadily declining, suddenly reversed. The Great Sage Qianlun and Elder Wei Yi joined forces and began to put Cangyan and the Twelve-Armed Beings in a counterattack.

"It's Elder Wei Yi! He's made his move!"

"My God, he's not just any saint, he's a Great Saint!"

People were moved. After the grand gathering at Yaochi, they all knew that the old man sitting in the Tianxuan Stone Archway was extraordinary, having represented the human race at the negotiations among all races.

But everyone thought that Elder Wei Yi was just a saint, never imagining that he was actually an invincible great saint.

This time, the evil god was completely shaken, unable to remain calm. But then, his eyes turned incredibly sinister. "Fine, truly a fine tactic. Did you think I would back down after this?"

Enraged, the evil god severed the connection between the Refining God Pot and the Dragon Pattern Cauldron.

"The ancient emperor has been resurrected, the gods have awakened, lend me a hand!" He roared madly, spitting out a mouthful of primordial blood as a blood sacrifice to the imperial weapon.

Everyone in the Southern Region heard it and felt a chill run down their spines. It was unsettling to see a Great Saint at the pinnacle of cultivation acting so hysterically.

Himeko and the other two also changed color. The Void Mirror cut across the two realms and pressed forward.

At the same time, the Western Emperor Tower appeared, shrouded in a hazy green light, flowing with a massive column of energy as large as a mountain, shaking the thirty-three heavens.

The dragon-patterned cauldron shook, and lightning flashed and thunder roared at its mouth, as if a starry sea was floating within it, like an ancient universe pressing down.

The three imperial weapons moved simultaneously, each displaying unparalleled divine power, pressing down on the Refining God Pot. At the same time, the Void Mirror also pierced through the void, connecting to the outer realm.

Then, a colossal collision erupted, wiping out all the extraterrestrial stars and shattering them all. Distant mountains collapsed, rocks pierced the clouds, and the earthquake created countless cracks.

"Dengdengdeng!"

Himeko staggered, coughing up blood, as she was devoured by the terrifying force.

At the last moment, he used the Void Mirror to gather the aftershocks and send them outside the domain, enduring immense pressure.

This was because he was in harmony with the Great Dao of the Void Mirror, displaying various mysteries. If it were an ordinary saint, he would definitely be backfired and killed.

This is the Southern Region. The evil gods come from beyond the region and don't care about the impact they might have, but they can't afford to destroy this place.

Jiang Yifei decisively shouted, "Go beyond the realm, we can't fight here."

As soon as he finished speaking, the three imperial weapons trembled and forcefully pressed down on the Refining God Pot, causing it to shift.

Most of the creatures in the Southern Region breathed a sigh of relief, collapsed to the ground exhausted, feeling as if they had just escaped a life-or-death ordeal.

Many beings from other great domains regretted it, feeling they shouldn't have joined in the fun.

Of course, this idea only came about under these circumstances, and if the same situation happens again, it will probably be "next time, definitely".

"Quickly, inscribe the array platform! We can't miss this great battle!" Before long, they were fully restored.

Outside the territory,

The universe was desolate and boundless. The scene here had remained unchanged for millions of years, but now, it was as if the universe was being created, with terrifying collisions constantly erupting.

The evil god, the twelve-armed being, and the Azure Flame joined forces, with three supreme saints wielding two imperial weapons.

On the other side, there were two Great Saints, Qianlun and Weiyi, each wielding one of the five Supreme Emperor Weapons, and the two sides were locked in a standoff.

As for Ji Zi and the others, none of them came; they simply sent the imperial weapon to the outer realm.

The battle among the Great Sages was far more dangerous than the battle at Yao Guang. If these Sages were to go, they would only be a hindrance.

“Stop fighting. You can’t win in the current situation. Continuing to fight will not end well,” Wei Yi said.

Although their cultivators are weaker, they have more imperial weapons. The five imperial weapons—the Myriad Dragon Bell, the Eternal Universe Furnace, the Western Emperor Tower, the Void Mirror, and the Dragon Pattern Cauldron—can completely make up for the difference in cultivator strength.

"Hmph, who are you trying to scare? Two Great Saints wielding five Imperial Weapons, how long can you hold out?" The Evil God's tone remained icy.

"Emperor weapons are powerful, but it depends on who wields them. One of you is a supreme Great Saint, and the other hasn't even reached the pinnacle of the Great Saint realm. If you simultaneously wield five Emperor weapons, your magical power will be exhausted in no time," the twelve-armed creature also spoke up.

Cang Yan remained silent, standing quietly, his attitude quite clear.

For the Holy Spirit lineage, this attack on the Yao Guang Holy Land was merely a transaction.

They helped the Light Clan once, and when they attacked the Ancient Road of the Human Clan in the future to seize the Heaven-Mending Scripture, the Light Clan dispatched imperial weapons to assist the Holy Spirit Clan once more.

Therefore, whether or not to continue fighting depends on the evil god's will.

"Since you don't want to leave, then none of you should leave." Suddenly, a voice, calm yet brimming with boundless rage, like a volcanic eruption, resounded throughout the sea of ​​stars.

The five people present were all stunned, not expecting that someone else would arrive and join the battle.

In the distant sea of ​​stars, a young man stood in the universe, arriving silently, unnoticed by anyone.

Li Yao was dressed in a blue robe, his black hair was loose, his figure was tall and slender, and his handsome face was covered with ice. His killing intent solidified and trembled, shaking countless stars.

Sensing the change in Yao Guang, he traversed the starry sky from the Minglan Star Region. However, the distance between the two was too great. Although the Divine Light Platform was convenient, it was not good at long-distance teleportation, so the speed was a bit slow.

He had already been to the Southern Region, learned everything, and witnessed the tragic state of the Yao Guang Holy Land, which filled him with immense anger.

"Lord of Yaoguang, you have broken through to the Great Sage realm!" the evil god exclaimed in surprise.

How is that possible? In just a few years, he has broken through from Saint King to Great Saint!

In the five major domains of the Big Dipper, everyone in front of the array was stunned and breathless.

Li Yao is back!

Then, the five major domains trembled simultaneously, unleashing terrifying waves, and cries of alarm rang out continuously.

No one expected that Li Yao would actually return at this critical juncture!
Isn't he supposed to have embarked on an ancient path and be unable to return in a short time? It's only been a few years.
On the ancient path through the starry sky, one can only move forward relentlessly. Unless one is defeated and annihilated, there is no turning back. One is either invincible or ends in desolation.

This is also why some people dare to covet Yaoguang; they are certain that Li Yao will not return in the short term.

By the time he returned, many years had passed, and he could no longer find them even if he wanted to investigate.

But what's going on with Li Yao now? It's impossible for him to die halfway through. But if it's the Invincible Ancient Road, isn't it a bit too fast? Can he reach the end in such a short time?
The Yao Guang Holy Land had already landed at the pre-selected location and inscribed the array platform when they happened to see Li Yao appear.

"It's the Holy Lord! He's back! Waaah, he's finally back!"

"The Holy King is back! Let's get those bastards and kill them!"

At this moment, all the grievances were released. From the most powerful members of Yao Guang to ordinary disciples, everyone seemed to have found their backbone. They were all shouting, completely disregarding the fact that Li Yao couldn't hear them at all.

Weiwei and Yao Xi exchanged a glance, then relaxed completely. Li Yao was back, and all the crises were over.

In their hearts, Li Yao was already the embodiment of a god, and there was nothing in this world that could stump him.

As Ji Zi and her two companions escorted the relocation of the Yao Guang Holy Land, they witnessed the situation outside the realm and couldn't help but fall into doubt.

The Great Sage...

They've fallen so far behind! They're clearly cultivating so fast, so why is the gap widening?

"Come forth, Ding!" Li Yao shouted, his voice shaking the starry sea like thunder from the heavens.

"boom!"

The dragon-patterned cauldron shone brightly, spontaneously unleashing its power, tearing through the void, and its resounding clang echoed throughout the land.

The supreme divine power swept across the sky, and the Dragon Pattern Cauldron erupted with unprecedented might, as if it were about to be fully revived. It resonated with Li Yao and became active because of his appearance, with dragon roars, expressing a joyful emotion.

Within the Imperial Cauldron, a dazzling light, accompanied by thunder, faintly revealed a human-shaped silhouette, whose figure and temperament were very similar to Li Yao's.

The dragon-patterned cauldron has changed dramatically!
Li Yao never expected that the last time he used the Emperor Cauldron to perform the immortal technique "Dragon Tail Swing," it would trigger the awakening of the dragon-patterned black gold.

At first, it wasn't obvious, but over the years, its awakening has become quite profound. Furthermore, due to the special nature of the Dragon Pattern Cauldron, when the ruthless person forged it, they only used supreme magical power to refine it into an imperial weapon, but did not incorporate any of their own Dao laws.

Therefore, the dragon-patterned cauldron is, to some extent, without an owner.

The difference can be seen from the deities associated with them; the deities of other imperial weapons are very similar to those of the masters who forged them.

In the past, the deity of the Dragon Pattern Cauldron was a hazy, indistinct figure. It possessed intelligence but lacked a divine form, and its voice was neutral. It could not be found to have any connection with the Ruthless Great Emperor.

That's why, even after hundreds of thousands of years, no one can tell which emperor created the Dragon Pattern Cauldron. It seems as if it was truly crafted by the heavens themselves, without any trace of an emperor's Dao, and the deity is also very mysterious.

Li Yao awakened the profound mysteries of immortal gold in the Dragon Pattern Black Gold, which was equivalent to giving the Dragon Pattern Cauldron a second life and allowing it to evolve. Therefore, the appearance of the deity's incarnation was extremely similar to his.

Everyone was stunned by this scene. Could the creator of the Dragon Pattern Cauldron be Li Yao's ancestor, and because he had a bloodline that had returned to its ancestral form, he looked very similar to that creator?
Cang Yan looked at the evil god and transmitted his thoughts: "Fellow Daoist, another Great Sage has entered the game. There's no chance left. Let's retreat."

He had no obsession with whether or not he could defeat Yao Guang; he simply agreed to help in exchange for the Light Clan's assistance.

Anyway, he made a move, and according to the promise between the two parties, the Light Clan should also make a move in the future.

The evil god was unwilling, but he also knew that the moment Li Yao came out, they would have no chance at all.

Five imperial weapons and three great saints, although two of the great saints had not reached the pinnacle of their respective realms.

However, the Imperial Weapon made up for the gap, and in some ways, it made up for it too much.

The evil god gave up and did not intend to continue. After transmitting his thoughts to Cangyan and the twelve-armed beings, he prepared to cross the void and leave.

Immediately, the three of them changed their expressions slightly, as this void was actually sealed off.

“It’s too late to leave now. You all have to stay today.” Li Yao’s eyes were cold.

"We three supreme saints are not so easy to keep," the evil god said coldly, showing no fear whatsoever.

In his view, their retreat was not a defeat, but simply a lack of opportunity to retreat voluntarily. Li Yao's actions made it seem as if they were no match for him.

What a joke!
"Old friend, you have such good fortune, then I will set aside my reservations and grant your wish." Li Yao looked at the Dragon Pattern Cauldron, ready to lend it a hand and fully awaken the profound mysteries of immortal gold in the Dragon Pattern Black Gold.

"boom!"

The dragon's might was overwhelming, sweeping across the starry sky, as if a real dragon had come from the ancient immortal realm and descended to the mortal world.

(End of this chapter)