CHAPTER 443: CHAPTER 85

After cleaning up the battlefield and resting for a day, Chen Jiuge began leading the remaining people to find the route to the main force. Although communication was now possible, there were no maps available here. Yaksha Jing had previously been active near the edge of a battlefield close to the core; although he had not yet entered the core, it couldn’t be far.

***

Lush grass thrived on the black mud, colorful butterflies flitted about, and a clear stream meandered nearby, its fish swimming leisurely. From time to time, an exquisitely colored bird would occasionally appear in the scattered, towering trees, curiously observing these outsiders.

"Scenery like this is indeed rare!" Yue Jun exclaimed. Ever since arriving at the core of the Star Sea Realm, Yue Jun hadn’t seen such pleasant scenery for a long time. He had spent his days amidst blood and battle, and now he couldn’t help but be moved.

Chen Jiuge felt much the same; beautiful scenery always brought a pleasant feeling.

THUD, THUD, THUD.

Hideous True Demons continuously emerged from all directions. Wei Wu, grinning widely and looking somewhat crazed, said, "So many, so many! Moya, right? You’ve rendered meritorious service. You don’t have to die now."

Moya nodded, cold sweat beading on his forehead, his heart filled with relief. Perhaps I really don’t have to die now.

Looking around, the pleasant scenery was all an illusion; all the beautiful things were rapidly withering away, only the colorful birds remained.

"Weird, isn’t it? This is the Magic Treasure of my True Demon Clan, ’Heaven and Earth Transform.’ Although this is just a small piece of the True Realm’s scenery transplanted here, you should die without regrets for having witnessed it," Mia said with a faint smile, pulling out a colorful pearl.

"HAHAHAHA, you lowly prey, take my strike!"

Wei Wu had no interest in chatting with Chen Jiuge and the others. His broad saber swept toward the densest part of the crowd, a saber light hundreds of meters long arriving in an instant.

The Death Shura Dharma Image blocked most of the attack, but stray glints of the blade still severely injured many cultivators, even leaving faint cracks on the Dharma Image itself.

This True Demon is incredibly strong! Chen Jiuge’s heart sank at this development.

From the very start of the battle, Chen Jiuge’s side was at a disadvantage in terms of numbers, cultivation levels, and the strength of their main combatants.

Barely withstanding Wei Wu’s explosive attack, Chen Jiuge felt as if his internal organs were tearing apart. His saber is terrifyingly sharp!

Sweeping his black War Spear to force Wei Wu back, Chen Jiuge took a moment to assess the situation. Yaksha Jing and Yue Jun could barely hold their ground against the opposing generals. Moya was intercepted by Yue Meng and Bai Ya, while Li Kui, Ming Yujing, and other Spiritual Beasts did their best to support the faltering cultivators and hold the line, managing to maintain the situation for a while longer.

As for casualties, they had already exceeded thirty percent. If the True Demon Clan hadn’t made a habit of either killing or eating cultivators, the army would have likely scattered long ago.

"You are really quite good. Become my human pet," Wei Wu seemed to have sobered slightly, a strange light shining in his eyes.

Chen Jiuge didn’t respond, merely focused on rapidly recovering his mana.

Wei Wu seemed in no hurry and said lightly, "Become my human pet, and you can witness the splendor of the True Realm, meet true Immortals, and see sights beyond your wildest imagination. Instead of languishing in this hunting ground with those experimental subjects."

"Experimental subjects?" Chen Jiuge asked, alarmed.

Wei Wu casually grabbed an Asura, crushed him to death, then flicked his saber, gesturing with it toward the bloody entrails. "Look closely. Familiar, aren’t they? These are the internal organs of the Human Clan. Most of the races you know are merely failed experiments, casually created by the Great Powers of our clan."

As if fearing Chen Jiuge wouldn’t believe him, Wei Wu grabbed a member of the Yaksha Clan and dissected them. "Look. See? Exactly the same, aren’t they?"

At that moment, Chen Jiuge suddenly recalled what he had discovered about the Corpse Demon Clan. He also remembered that he couldn’t transfer Bloodlines within the Star Sea Realm, yet in the Heavenly Realm, he had been able to use his Golden Finger for the Merfolk. A seed of doubt sprouted in his heart.

Wei Wu suddenly showed a friendly smile and said, "Can you still revert to being a pure Human?"

Chen Jiuge was taken aback. How does he know?

Seeing Chen Jiuge’s change in expression, Wei Wu suddenly burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! The Supreme Treasure! It’s actually in the hands of a lowly prey like you! Heaven itself is aiding me!"

"Die!"

Countless saber lights engulfed Chen Jiuge. Wei Wu’s attack was too sudden, but fortunately, Chen Jiuge had remained vigilant.

After the dazzling barrage of saber light, the shattered Dharma Image reformed.

Before either could make another move, the sky abruptly darkened. A figure appeared. Chen Jiuge recognized him instantly—it was the Netherworld King!

"Bodhi!" the Netherworld King’s voice thundered, directed at the True Demon leader.

A gigantic black hand descended, covering the entire battlefield. The terrifying pressure forced everyone on the field to halt their actions.

A similar gigantic black hand rose from the pillar of light. When they collided, the very color of heaven and earth seemed to change, and the Barrier trembled, on the verge of collapse.

A muffled groan was heard. The Netherworld King had suffered a significant blow; having just broken through, his cultivation and foundation were far inferior to Bodhi’s.

"Interesting. A true Dao Yi," Bodhi chuckled.

"The interesting part is yet to come!" the Netherworld King retorted.

"HAHAHA! Netherworld King, you’re too impatient! We haven’t even arrived yet!"

One voice after another echoed as well over ten Dao Yi materialized in the air.

Bodhi’s expression gradually grew solemn. These natives are moving too quickly!

"Bodhi, you owe me a life," an arrogant voice declared from within the black pillar of light.

"Heh, the life of a lower-class person is worthless."

One by one, True Demons, their auras no less imposing than Bodhi’s, slowly emerged.

It was unclear which Great Power struck first, but a battle of historic proportions thus commenced.

***

Chen Jiuge had no way of knowing whether the True Demon Clan or the Star Sea Realm would win this momentous battle. When the Dao Yi of the True Demon Clan appeared, Chen Jiuge had already retrieved all his Spiritual Beasts back to the Green Bamboo Realm.

The instant the colossal battle erupted, the Barrier established by the Heavenly Dao shattered with a deafening crash. True Immortals with weaker cultivation instantly perished, their internal organs ruptured. Even Heavenly Immortals sustained injuries of varying severity.

Just as he thought he was doomed, Chen Jiuge faintly heard Wei Wu’s roar: "The Supreme Treasure is here!"

Then, a massive hand reached for Chen Jiuge, only to be repelled by other Dao Yi.

Positioned at the epicenter of the conflict, Chen Jiuge was knocked unconscious by the ensuing shockwaves. If not for his cultivation of the Life Dao and his thoroughly tempered physique, he would likely have perished on the spot.

A purple halo emanated from the unconscious Chen Jiuge’s body, spreading a supreme, unparalleled aura throughout the entire Star Sea Realm.

"Supreme Treasure!" Bodhi’s eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. The Supreme Treasure is actually inside this Little Cultivator!

In the shadows, Jian Wuli’s spirits lifted slightly, though she cursed inwardly, Damn that Netherworld King! Still, he really is the Child of Destiny.

Immortal Artifacts nurtured by an Immortal’s mana over long periods can develop Artifact Spirits. Surely, the Supreme Treasure must have one too.

The black stick figure, clearly displeased by the greedy stares fixed upon him, declared grumpily, "If my injuries weren’t still unhealed, none of you would be left alive!"

Having said this, the stick figure decisively activated its emergency plan.

A purple pillar of light shot skyward, and Chen Jiuge vanished within it.

"A random Transmission Array... and its destination is still the True Realm," Bodhi muttered, his mouth twitching as he watched the pillar of light.

"I recall the Chaos Pearl doesn’t possess teleportation abilities, does it?"

"It doesn’t. That means this is a wild Supreme Treasure! Is the Chaos Pearl still in the hunting grounds then?"

"That makes sense."

"But... are we still fighting?"

While the True Demon Clan were still discussing, several Dao Yi from the Star Sea Realm, upon hearing it was a Transmission Array leading to the True Realm, instantly darted into it. The Netherworld King, Jian Wuli, and six others entered one after another. The Dao Yi who were a fraction too slow could only watch helplessly as the pillar of light vanished.

Having lost key personnel and their will to fight, the remaining Dao Yi of the Star Sea Realm gave the True Demon Clan’s Dao Yi one last, deep look before departing individually. Dao Yi were on an entirely different level from other Immortals. They were ancient beings who had lived for untold eons, concerned only with themselves; their respective clans were often seen as mere burdens.

***

"My Lady, there’s someone up ahead, collapsed by the roadside!" the young girl in green, who had been skipping ahead, suddenly exclaimed with an anxious expression.

A beautiful woman—her brows like emerald feathers, skin like white snow, waist as slender as bound silk, and teeth like perfectly aligned shells—peered out from the carriage. Looking worriedly at the man collapsed by the roadside, she said, "Place him in the carriage behind us."

The Female Official inside the carriage stated sternly, "My Lady, you should not meddle in others’ affairs."

The beautiful woman’s expression remained deeply worried. "The world is in chaos. This man is most likely just another victim."

"He’s strong and robust, with vigorous qi and blood. He’s clearly a cultivator of considerable skill. To be found collapsed by the roadside like this, he’s either being hunted or he’s a deserter," the Female Official stated, her tone not at all deferential to the Lady.