CHAPTER 1145: CHAPTER 867: ROUTED

An Immortal can support a family or a faction, while an Immortal Venerable...

...can carry the weight of an entire species.

In the vast starry sky, only those forces with an Immortal Venerable in command are eligible to lead a race.

Those races without even an Immortal Venerable don’t even qualify to be attached to top clans or supreme races and will find no one to support them if they are annihilated.

Even for an Immortal Venerable, this is the case, not to mention a Great Immortal Venerable.

A Great Immortal Venerable can even tangle with the Great Powers of some top-tier species.

Although they cannot match true Great Powers, if a Great Immortal Venerable remains concealing in the shadows, persistently assassinating geniuses and experts of a top species with a Great Power, they can still throw that species into turmoil.

Therefore, even forces with Great Powers in command do not dare to fatally offend a Great Immortal Venerable.

But now...

An Immortal Venerable with such deterrence was outright beheaded by Gu Jinlai.

His True Body exploded like a Supernova Explosion, releasing an incomparably terrifying energy that even the Great Annihilation Realm could not completely obscure, allowing its brilliance, beyond what sight could capture, to illuminate the entire starry sky.

Likewise, its massive energy and matter were scattered into the Endless Star Sea.

This splendor and shock were enough to make the Great Dao wail.

The disturbance spread across numerous worlds in this Star Domain, where Golden Immortals were shocked, turning their eyes toward the direction of the Great Dao’s wailing.

Even though they did not know what had happened at that moment, this intense vibration...

"Something major has happened!"

"What happened in that part of the starry sky?"

"This terrifying fluctuation... as if multiple Immortals fell simultaneously... could the Daoist Ancestors be starting their purge?"

Various speculations emerged in the minds of these Golden Immortals and Immortal Golden Immortals.

But none dared to rush to the battlefield to investigate the truth.

The sheer noise equivalent to the simultaneous fall of multiple Immortals spoke for itself about how fierce a cosmic battle was raging there.

If they rashly went to observe and were swept by the aftermath, they could die in vain.

...

The violent streams of energy poured towards the far end of the sky.

The rapid dispersion of energy seemed to exceed the speed of light.

But at the center of this torrent of energy stood a figure holding a Divine Sword, stepping out like a surfer walking amidst a tsunami, untouched by the towering waves.

This was Gu Jinlai.

In his hand was the Taiyi Sword, which could finally be wielded freely.

With the power of this Supreme Immortal Device, his combat capacity was unleashed to the fullest, dissolving everything in the starry sky wherever the sword light reached.

The Divine System, composed of over ten thousand Divine Spirits, was akin to molds targeted by laser cannons, with each flow of light inevitably accompanying the fall of a Divine Spirit.

This horrific loss caused the will of Emperor Jin Yao, the master of the Divine System, to churn violently: "Stop! Stop! What do you want!? I will give you! Our Divine Race can give you! We are not enemies!"

"What do I want?"

Gu Jinlai’s gaze swept over Emperor Jin Yao: "I want you to assist me in cultivation."

The Taiyi Sword’s light spread out like ten thousand rays released by a Constant Star, illuminating the starry sky.

Yet these lights, in the eyes of many Divine Spirits, were suffocatingly beautiful.

This scene, intending to completely slaughter them, plunged Emperor Jin Yao into deep despair.

"So you... want nothing at all..."

Do you want nothing but the utter extermination of the Divine Race!?

To safeguard the secret that you and the Evil God are dual-embodied?

"I don’t care how you managed to unify the Great Power and Evil God Power into one, but this situation is abnormal... Yan Xuan, a Great Immortal Venerable of the Star Spirit Yan Clan, came to attack you, a reincarnated Great Power of the Human Clan, for this secret? Let us go, otherwise, this secret will soon spread to every corner of the Cosmic!"

Emperor Jin Yao’s will surged madly.

"You have no such chance."

Gu Jinlai’s demeanor remained largely unchanged.

As he extended his virtual hand, an invisible ripple spread, enveloping this piece of sky.

It was the Great Annihilation Realm brought by Yan Xuan.

This Supreme Immortal Device was actually a loan from Yan Zhong, a Great Power of the Yan Clan, to Yan Xuan.

To ensure Yan Xuan could smoothly use this Supreme Immortal Device, Yan Zhong erased his imprint from the device.

With Yan Xuan’s death, this Supreme Immortal Device became unowned, and Gu Jinlai effortlessly grasped and swiftly activated it.

"I have an incarnation; even if I do not, our Divine System’s Divine Spirits certainly have incarnations; you cannot possibly block this information! Only my will can prevent other Divine Spirits in the Divine System from spreading this message, spare me, or we’ll die together!"

"No one will believe the sporadic rumors spread by a few Divine Spirits, especially rumors against a Great Power."

Gu Jinlai liberally unfolded the Great Annihilation Realm, swiftly enveloping the entire Divine System led by Emperor Jin Yao.

At that point, this Divine Emperor fell utterly into despair.

"Even in death, we won’t let you have peace!"

With an angry, unyielding roar, a storm of condensed Divine Will swept toward the periphery of the starry sky.

The information contained within...

"Gu Jinlai is the Evil God!"

...

Much later.

Gu Jinlai stepped out from the Void.

Shaking the Taiyi Sword in his hand, two items then appeared in his grasp.

One...

Obviously was the Supreme Immortal Device, the Great Annihilation Realm, he had just used.

The other seemed somewhat peculiar.

Gu Jinlai gazed at the transparent little porcelain bottle in his hand.

The bottle appeared to contain a flowing water that shimmered with a dim blue light.

"Soul anchoring, this looks somewhat like True Spirit Water... only..."

His thoughts surged.

Compared to a Supreme Immortal Device, the value of True Spirit Water is much more expensive.

After all, a Supreme Immortal Device, as long as a Great Power is willing to spend the time, can eventually be forged; it’s merely a matter of time.

But True Spirit Water...

This is a Cosmic Oddity.

Cosmic Oddities have effects that are strange and varied.

Although most of them seem to have little value, their origin comes from the deepest part of the Heart of the Cosmic.

Just the fact that a Cosmic Oddity flows from the Cosmic Core is enough to drive Great Powers to bid a sky-high price.

Such matters related to the Cosmic Core, a three thousand Dao Ancestor level existence, cannot be easily exchanged by any Great Power.

Even if it has no use.

Ordinary Cosmic Oddities are this way, let alone True Spirit Water, which can indeed anchor souls, preventing them from easily dispersing or leaving.

Only...

"Why, after I came into contact with True Spirit Water, did I not feel any soul anchoring?"

This is the reason why Gu Jinlai, even though he recognized this Cosmic Oddity, dared not fully confirm it.

He felt that despite coming into contact with True Spirit Water, his soul could still leave his body, dividing into billions.

"There are only two possibilities leading to this situation: either this is not the rumored True Spirit Water, or it’s not pure True Spirit Water, merely tainted with some traits of True Spirit Water, looking similar to it."

Gu Jinlai speculated based on the knowledge he had.

As for another possibility...

His Divine Sense turned slightly somber.

His soul is not complete.

Or rather, his True Spirit is not here, hence True Spirit Water did not truly ’hit’ him, resulting in ineffectiveness.

If it’s the former, it’s nothing but an empty delight.

But if it’s the latter...

Gu Jinlai looked at the Taiyi Sword in his hand, then glanced at the newly acquired True Spirit Water, and remained silent for a long time.

After a while, he composed himself, with his eyes slightly narrowed.

"If it’s fortune, it’s not misfortune; if it’s misfortune, it cannot be avoided."

Having thought this, he calmed down and resumed his journey towards Blue Star.

...

After Gu Jinlai had left for some time, numerous figures appeared on this battlefield.

"Failed."

"Over ten thousand Super Divine System members plus a top Great Immortal Venerable still failed, and... seemed to have been completely annihilated!? Could he have recovered his strength to a Great Power level? But, how is this possible!?"

"Major discovery! The Primordial Reincarnation Body actually... Quick, relay the news back immediately!"

These figures, representing various identities and species, hovered in the starry sky for a while, ensuring they investigated every detail before leaving one after another.

Once these people left, only then did nearby Golden Immortals and Immortal Golden Immortals, who sensed the demise of a Great Immortal Venerable and the tremors of the Great Dao, hesitantly approach from afar, observing for a while. Only after confirming that the paramount entity indeed departed did they step into this starry sky.

However, these matters had little connection with Gu Jinlai by now.

...

Gu Jinlai was on his way back to Blue Star, and as expected, received a communication from Emperor Bai.

As soon as the message was connected, the impatient Fire Cloud Palace Master inquired, "Ancient Immortal Venerable, how are you? Were you hurt?"

Clearly, he had received information about Gu Jinlai’s encounter with Yan Clan masters and the Super Divine System’s attack.

"I’m fine, a Great Immortal Venerable and a Divine System isn’t enough to defeat me."

Gu Jinlai replied.

"Good that you’re alright. Emperor Yan is already en route with a team of Sword Holders to provide support. He’ll soon be in contact with you."

Emperor Bai said.

"Emperor Yan?"

Gu Jinlai said, somewhat surprised.

Fire Cloud Palace actually sent out this Great Immortal Venerable?

Moreover, Sword Holders are the core force of the entire Human Clan; every Sword Holder is at least of Immortal Venerable cultivation, a team often consists of ten to twelve people.

A Great Immortal Venerable leading ten to twelve Immortal Venerables for reinforcements...

This lineup is undeniably strong.

From this, you can indirectly see the importance the Human Clan places on him.

"There’s no need for Emperor Yan to personally make a trip, I believe after this battle, no Great Power from other species will target me again."

Gu Jinlai said with a smile.

Hearing this statement, Emperor Bai was silent for a moment before saying, "According to the information we received... you simultaneously faced over ten thousand Divine Spirits forming a Super Divine System and the Star Spirit Yan Clan’s Great Immortal Venerable Yan Xuan’s encirclement?"

"Yes."

Gu Jinlai nodded.

"And... according to feedback from our Dark Son within the Yan Clan, the Yan Clan’s Great Immortal Venerable Yan Xuan fell, and that Super Divine System... was also defeated by you?"

Emperor Bai said.

"More or less."

Gu Jinlai responded.

The specifics are more accurately described as the Super Divine System being annihilated.

But using defeated to describe it...

Is also appropriate.

Emperor Bai observed Gu Jinlai’s relaxed demeanor, seemingly unscathed, and his Divine Sense inadvertently transmitted a cautious tone: "Ancient Immortal Venerable... regardless of the risk in asking... have you... recovered your strength to that of a Great Power?"

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