The battle between the Soul Palace and the Hidden Dragon Temple had already alarmed all the forces in the Central Plains, and they were all looking forward to when the mysterious temple master would appear.
When Jiang Liu appeared and killed the deputy hall master of the Soul Hall with a wave of his hand, the news spread to the Ancient Realm, causing another great uproar. All the powerful members of the ancient clans were alarmed and came out.
If news were to spread that Jiang Liu had reduced the Heavenly and Human Palaces of the Soul Hall to ruins in a single day, it would be enough to petrify all the powerful figures in the "Battle Through the Heavens" world. Such methods have already exceeded the scope of a Dou Sheng.
Although the news of Jiang Liu's destruction of the Soul Palace had not yet arrived, all the elders of the Ancient Clan had arrived in the solemn atmosphere of the main hall. At the head of the hall was Gu Yuan, the patriarch of the Ancient Clan, whose face was ashen and who looked like an ordinary person. If Jiang Liu were here, he would be able to sense the terrifying power hidden in that seemingly ordinary body.
This one is also the true peak powerhouse on this Dou Qi Continent today!
A Nine-Star Battle Saint, whose strength is comparable to that of the Soul Emperor.
"What do you all think of the Hidden Dragon Temple? The Soul Palace attacked it recklessly, paying such a high price. What is the origin of the Hidden Dragon Temple? We haven't been able to find out even after more than three years. What kind of strength does the temple master possess? He disappeared without a trace three years ago, and we don't know anything about him either. That Dragon King has the strength of an eight-star Dou Sheng, and his abilities are unique. Now, the Soul Clan has made its move... It seems that the Soul Emperor has recovered! More importantly, the Void Devouring Flame has also emerged!"
"Clan leader, based on the information we've gathered, we can deduce from the battle between the Dragon King and the mysterious figure resembling the Void Devouring Flame that the Soul Clan has recovered its strength after the battle with the Xiao Clan, perhaps even surpassing its former glory. Moreover, according to ancient records, the Devouring Spirit Clan also attacked the Soul Clan back then, but was ultimately repelled. Perhaps the Soul Clan obtained something from the last clan leader of the Devouring Spirit Clan, which allowed them to withstand the test of time and remain intact until now..."
"Clan leader, do you remember that after the Dou Qi Continent rarely saw Dou Di powerhouses anymore, those ancient races declined or disappeared one after another? And the way some of these races disappeared was quite bizarre. Now that I think about it, it should be related to the Void Devouring Flame!"
"Are you saying that those ancient races didn't decline normally, but were wiped out by the Soul Clan?" Gu Yuan frowned and said in a deep voice.
"Over tens of thousands of years, those ancient races have undergone countless replacements, but it seems that only the Soul Clan has remained unscathed each time. Their bloodline power also seems to be endless. Perhaps I am not the only one who finds this strange, but because this race has always been unpredictable, even if we wanted to investigate, there would be no way to find out. Now, with the abilities they displayed in destroying the Hidden Dragon Temple and fighting the Dragon King, we cannot help but suspect that the Soul Clan may also possess the same abilities as the Devouring Spirit Clan."
"If that's really the case, then we... are somewhat like bloodlines being kept in captivity by the Soul Clan." Gu Dao's expression was slightly gloomy, and his voice slowly echoed in the hall, sending a chill down everyone's spine.
"Where is the Void Devouring Flame now? I'm certain the Soul Realm is inside his body, because he's swallowed the entire space into his body..."
"hiss!"
Upon hearing this, many people in the hall gasped in astonishment, as if swallowing the entire space. Was that really something a human could do?
"Find the Void Devouring Flame..."
...
Similar to the ancient clans, the major powers of Zhongzhou also gathered their strongest members to discuss the appearance of Jiang Liu. The emergence of the Hidden Dragon Temple has completely disrupted the peace of Zhongzhou over the past three years.
...
Others may not know the current location of the Void Devouring Flame, but the Soul Palace Master, Soul Extinction, does know a thing or two.
Although Void Devouring Flame ultimately won the battle against the Yangtze River Dragon King, it was not an easy victory. Now, it has retreated into the Burial Sky Mountains, partly to recover from its injuries and avoid the prying eyes of ancient races such as the Ancient Clan, and partly to devour the Dragon King.
The lineage left behind by Jiang Liu, as well as the path to godhood through the incense offerings of the Yangtze River Dragon King, seem to have attracted the covetous eyes of the Soul Emperor and the Void Devouring Flame.
The Burial Sky Mountain Range is located in the northwest region of Zhongzhou. People in Zhongzhou may be unfamiliar with this area now, but for some elders among the ancient races, it is still a well-known place. This is because it was the site of the war between the Soul Clan and the Xiao Clan. That great battle once made Zhongzhou tremble.
The Soul Emperor was seriously injured in that battle and has not yet fully recovered.
Deep within the mountains lies an ancient battlefield. The battlefield is extremely vast and is usually teeming with magical beasts, making it a dangerous place and thus quite remote.
No one could have imagined that Void Devouring Flame was hiding here instead of in the Soul Palace.
The ancient battlefield now appears somewhat strange. The many demonic beasts that once roamed freely have all vanished completely. There isn't even a trace of a demonic beast to be seen on the vast battlefield. It's as if they sensed the earth-shattering battle that was about to erupt here.
Looking around, all that could be seen was ruins, littered with signs of destruction. In the distance were broken and collapsed mountains, with huge ravines and cracks, and traces of fire.
Judging from the traces left behind by these battles, the destructive power was almost at the level of a celestial being.
"A nine-star Dou Sheng seems to be approaching the strength of a Celestial Immortal. So what about the strength of a Dou Di? A Celestial Immortal?"
As long as it doesn't surpass the Celestial Immortal level, Jiang Liu has nothing to fear. In this world of "Battle Through the Heavens," only the Strange Flame can be considered a supreme treasure, and his alchemy skills are not bad either, but when it comes to weapon crafting, he's really not that great. Once he unleashes his acquired spiritual treasure, almost no one can stop him.
Jiang Liu looked around, grinned maliciously, and unleashed a powerful fist intent that seemed to have a physical presence.
The body of a human immortal is one that connects to all other organs; the intent of their fist can break through the strongest defenses and directly attack the mind.
The intent of a fist is not tangible; it has no destructive power over physical objects like clothes or clothing. However, its power to attack the mind is devastating.
Martial arts intent is a pure mental attack. Jiang Liu's fist intent permeated every inch of space in this area, and suddenly, countless black rays of light flashed from the cracks in the ground.
Just as the black light flickered in the distance, the three women were suddenly horrified to see endless black flames seeping out from the void, eventually spreading out and covering the entire world, plunging it into darkness.
"An extremely dangerous feeling!"
"I actually had the thought of running away!"
"This is so incredibly uncomfortable..."
The three women were initially overwhelmed by this aura and were about to be completely crushed, but Jiang Liu stood in front of them and immediately blocked the terrifying pressure.
"...You are the abbot of the Hidden Dragon Temple!"
The black flames coalesced into a human form, indistinguishable from ordinary people; this was none other than the Void Devouring Flame, cautiously observing Jiang Liu. That fist intent just now was extremely terrifying. Then, with a single step, it traversed space and appeared before Jiang Liu. Black flames surged continuously from its body, finally transforming into several enormous black dragons that coiled around it, their roars shaking the heavens.
The Nine-Star Dou Sheng truly lived up to his reputation. Moreover, the power of his Void Devouring Flame was beyond the comprehension of ordinary Nine-Star Dou Shengs. His terrifying devouring power was enough to allow him to defeat any opponent of the same level.
Unfortunately, he was facing Jiang Liu, a visitor from outside the region.
"snort!"
Jiang Liu gazed at the endless black flames, calmly extending a finger, and the Immortal Binding Rope was already binding them. This acquired treasure not only bound the physical body, but also imprisoned the primordial spirit and magical power.
But the results were somewhat beyond Jiang Liu's expectations.
The power of the Immortal-Binding Rope is undeniable; it can even bind a Heavenly Immortal like Princess Asura. If Julusun were to personally intervene, anyone below the Golden Immortal level could be captured with ease.
Jiang Liu had broken through twelve restrictions, only gaining a fraction of the power of the Immortal Binding Rope, but even that shouldn't be something a mere Nine-Star Dou Sheng could break free from. Yet, once it entangled the Void Devouring Flame, it felt as if it were about to be devoured.
Of course, given the material of the Immortal Binding Rope, the Void Devouring Flame couldn't destroy it. However, the binding and sealing power was broken by the Void Devouring Flame, making it difficult to achieve the sealing effect.
Jiang Liu was somewhat surprised as he retrieved the Immortal Binding Rope. Then, his eyes lit up. The power of the Void Devouring Flame was so unique that he couldn't help but want to study it.
In an instant, under the evolution of the Nine Secrets Fighting Technique, a fiery red Vermilion Bird soared into the sky from between Jiang Liu's eyebrows, carrying a wild aura and endless flames, burning down the heavens and earth.
It swooped down towards the several enormous black dragons released by the Void Devouring Flame, blocking all the black flames.
But the worst is yet to come!
Between its brows, a burst of intense light flashed, condensing into a terrifying rune that transformed into an ancient character that was difficult for the world to decipher, and it came down to suppress it!
The character rapidly grew larger, each stroke resembling a flame, dazzling, translucent, and heavy with weight exceeding a billion pounds.
This is a Dao, a divine script that connects to the heavens! It is Jiang Liu's comprehension of the rules of fire!
However, the Void Devouring Flame, known as something that devours the heavens and the earth, possesses the ability to devour all things, even space itself. This flame's power is truly extremely strange.
Using fire magic to fight against the Void Devouring Flame allowed Jiang Liu to more clearly perceive the power of the Void Devouring Flame's origin.
While the two were fighting, Medusa and her two companions were not idle either. They rescued the Yangtze River Dragon King from the place where the Void Devouring Flame had just appeared.
His two fiery red eyebrows twitched. Although his physical body was not completely destroyed, it was almost destroyed. In time, with his strength, he would definitely be unable to resist the devouring of the Void Devouring Flame. Even his soul would be completely integrated into the Void Devouring Flame, and his origins would inevitably be known to it.
Although she was now extremely weak, she was at least not completely exhausted. She slightly opened her eyes, watching Jiang Liu unleash his fire-based divine power, and said in a hoarse voice, "This...this strength has already reached the level of a Celestial Immortal?"
The more Void Devouring Flame fought, the more alarmed he became. He could clearly sense that Jiang Liu was not using his full strength. In fact, he felt that Jiang Liu was studying and analyzing his origin while fighting.
In an instant, four figures flew out from the black flames within his body. The figures shrouded in black robes were clearly members of the Soul Clan without needing to sense them, and their strength was considerable, all possessing cultivation levels above the six-star Dou Sheng realm.
"Silence reigns in all directions; the realm of death!"
In the sky, the four figures suddenly opened their mouths, and four points of light flew out, eventually transforming into three enormous black gates, each a thousand feet long. The gates were filled with an aura of death; these were none other than the four gates of deathly silence!
The black giant gate stood in the four directions of the sky, and the aura of death surged out, enveloping this area. Under the influence of the aura of death, the three women, whose strength was insufficient, were immediately horrified to find that the life force in their bodies was gradually draining away!
The four gates formed a formation, surrounding Jiang Liu, the three women, and the Dragon King.
This formation is a notorious and terrifying formation in Zhongzhou. By constructing four gates of deathly silence, it can create a realm of death. Any powerful person who falls into it, even a seven-star or eight-star Dou Sheng, will be shrouded in endless death aura and eventually gradually succumb to it.
Jiang Liu glanced at the sealed space, sneered, and placed the bronze cauldron above his head. In an instant, the world seemed to collapse, and an invisible pressure swept over, as if the sun, moon, and stars were suppressed. Everything trembled under the bronze cauldron.
The four gates of annihilation that had been constructed collapsed with a roar. Jiang Liu then unleashed several more punches, blasting the four Soul Clan members into four clouds of black mist, making them utterly dead.
"Soul Emperor, if you don't show up soon, I'm really going to die!" The Void Devouring Flame released black flames again, condensing into a black dragon form to resist the terrifying talisman characters that Jiang Liu had condensed, but it was still difficult to stop them. It watched helplessly as the talisman slowly approached and was about to enter his body.
After the Void Devouring Flame spoke, the space rippled, and a vortex slowly formed. Then, from within the vortex, a slightly slender hand reached out and pressed against the top of the vortex. A figure slowly walked out and finally appeared under Jiang Liu's gaze.
The figure who emerged from the vortex was dressed in gray and white clothes. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with a handsome face and exceptionally bright eyes that seemed to see right through people. His first impression was one of refinement. If he were holding a book, he would look no different from a scholar.
The Soul Emperor has finally made his move.
Chapter 400 Hunting Down the Soul Emperor
"The Soul Emperor?"
Jiang Liu looked at this refined, scholarly-looking middle-aged man and narrowed his eyes slightly. This Soul Emperor, who had one foot in the Dou Di realm, was much stronger than the Void Devouring Flame, a nine-star Dou Sheng.
"After all, he's the biggest boss in Battle Through the Heavens! Even if Xiao Yan becomes the Flame Emperor, he'll still have to sacrifice his physical body to seal him! Speaking of which, before he becomes the Soul Emperor, should we kill him, seal him, or let him wreak havoc on the world before we suppress him?"
Jiang Liu glanced at Tianyu. The will of this world was far beyond what "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" could compare to. Even though it was just a small world within the vast world, it would be difficult to steal and devour it.
"If I were to forcibly devour the will of Heaven like in the Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, several Dou Di would be born in no time!"
Jiang Liu never intended to conquer this world; what he wanted to do was ascend to the Great Thousand World and enter the world of the Great Ruler.
Xiao Yan, a transmigrator, ascended to the Great Ruler after becoming a Dou Di, able to sense the will of the world, summon the Heavenly Ranking, and leave his complete name behind to transcend. Jiang Liu believed he could do the same, gaining unimaginable power.
Just as Jiang Liu was lost in thought, the voice of the Soul Emperor rang out from the sky.
"The abbot of Qianlong Temple? You've finally shown up. I'd like to see just how skilled you are, this suddenly appearing expert?"
Just as he finished speaking, the void suddenly cracked open with a huge spatial rift, and a vast expanse of black mist howled within it, with exceptionally powerful and chilling auras emanating from the rift.
Sensing the immense power emanating from the crack, Queen Medusa and the other two women's expressions immediately changed.
"Waaah!"
A crack appeared, and black mist surged out from it like a flood, eventually transforming into a massive black seal tens of thousands of feet tall. The black seal hovered in the sky, and its enormous shadow completely obscured the entire mountain range!
"All show and no substance!"
Jiang Liu stared at the massive black seal, which resembled a mountain, without a change in expression. The art of weapon crafting in the Doupo world was truly lacking. This seal, condensed from soul energy, merely used boundless soul power to crush its opponent; it failed to produce any qualitative change, thus not generating divine patterns similar to those in the "Covering the Sky" world, or the restrictions on magical artifacts in "Journey to the West."
Therefore, Jiang Liu glanced at the massive black seal, which was tens of thousands of feet in size, but didn't pay much attention to it.
"Although it's not very impressive, I'll use this much soul power as materials to build my underworld!"
As Jiang Liu finished speaking, a small bronze cauldron appeared above his head. It was ancient and majestic, growing to a height of ten feet, like a mountain, awe-inspiring and standing in mid-air, imprinted on the void. The Dao, woven from heaven and earth, slowly rotated on the cauldron, exuding an indescribable pressure.
The cauldron stood firm in all directions, its surroundings radiating brilliant light. Streams of immense, powerful energy, enough to send shivers down one's spine, roared up as beams of light.
Looking at the small cauldron above Jiang Liu's head and sensing the power contained within it, the Soul Emperor discovered that he couldn't understand or comprehend the mysterious patterns, the mysterious characters, or the Dao and principles they contained.
"This cauldron... I feel its boundless power, an unmatched force!" The Soul Emperor was extremely shocked. The strength Jiang Liu displayed was vastly different from the information he had received!
"The Mark of Destruction!"