Cultivation Starts from Killing Pigs

Chapter 554 - 458: Corpse Traces Reappear, Grotto Heaven’s Strangeness

Helian Wei’s eyes narrowed, immediately understanding why this Demon Immortal was tense. Although these starship wrecks were only remnants, from the exposed cores, they were unmistakably a specialty of the Profound Pavilion, though the Yin Yang True Fire had entirely extinguished.

"It’s the wandering race from Celestial Essence Mall!"

A nearby adjutant exclaimed, "They set off from Celestial Essence Star Realm days ago. By logic, they should have reached the border by now. What kind of calamity did they encounter?"

Helian Wei’s expression was serious: "The question is... where are their bodies? If it was an internal conflict, they would have only plundered the starships. The disappearance of the bodies suggests a problem!"

Thinking of this, she immediately issued an order: "Everyone, stay alert, activate the Protective Grand Array, have the Star Shining Thunderfire Shuttle ready to attack at any moment, and several Immortal Venerables, please go investigate. It won’t take long; use the Moon-taking Skill to trace back!"

Orders were issued one after another, and the entire fleet quickly heightened their vigilance. The National Guardian Divine Artifact, Star Shining Thunderfire Shuttle, displayed arrays and glittered with thunder, brewing a terrifying killing intent.

The carefree voice of the Great Venerate Toad came: "Marshal Helian, it’s just a group of youngsters meeting a mishap. There’s no need to bother, right?"

"Shut up!"

Before Helian Wei could speak, Yuan Huang angrily scolded: "With the changes at the Desolate Ancient Battlefield, everything must be approached with caution. No idle talk during the march!"

"Alright, alright..."

The Great Venerate Toad nodded hastily, "I’ll take people to check it out right now."

"Immortal Venerables, proceed with caution!"

Helian Wei was not concerned, as the Great Venerate Toad was known for this demeanor.

Soon, two Divine Crystal Immortal Ships veered off from the fleet, speeding toward the starship wreckage.

The core of the Divine Crystal Immortal Ship simulated the Earth Evil Silver Lotus, utilizing the Profound Pavilion’s tri-core technology, making its speed incredibly frightening. In the blink of an eye, it hovered over the wreckage.

Six spheres of light instantly teleported out. The Great Venerate Toad’s Divine Thought scanned and immediately furrowed its brow, "The Spiritual Qi here is extremely chaotic; indeed, something’s amiss. Fellow Daoists, be careful."

With that, he nodded to a nearby Three-Eyed Ancient Race member.

As the number of Kaiyuan Divine Dynasty’s Immortals grew, more people reached Great Success with the Moon-taking Skill.

This Three-Eyed Ancient Race member originally served under the Dragon Demon Wu Tianya and had a knack for this, making him part of the Celestial Pavilion’s reconnaissance team.

Without a word, the Three-Eyed Ancient Race Immortal formed a spell with his fingers, and with a wave, cool moonlight scattered down, instantly flashing with light and shadow:

Suddenly, explosion sounds and screams erupted. One starship after another either vibrated into pieces, froze into ice blocks, or burst into flames.

The protective arrays of the starships shattered, and mundane beings within exploded instantly. Many Immortals, having just escaped, stiffened and lost their breath with a purplish-blue pallor, while the enemy never appeared.

The sight left the Great Venerate Toad and others with numb scalps.

A Demon Immortal’s eyelid twitched, "Truly eerie, what did they encounter?"

Before they could figure it out, all the bodies rapidly turned to ash, blood light mixed with the Power of Laws, and even the starships’ Spirit Charm slowly ascended, with the Yin Yang True Fire extinguishing as well.

"It’s above!"

The Three-Eyed Ancient Race member performing the spell’s eyes turned serious, and he gestured to direct moonlight upward, revealing a giant black shadow in front of them, absorbing all blood light and Power of Laws.

"Why can’t we see it clearly?!" the Great Venerate Toad anxiously questioned.

The Three-Eyed Ancient Race gritted his teeth: "The opponent’s Tao Cultivation far exceeds mine, but they haven’t erased the traces. Let me try again!"

Saying this, the Three-Eyed Ancient Race suddenly unleashed his Domain, and the black shadow slowly became outlined, vaguely showing three heads and six arms.

Suddenly, a pair of blood-red eyes appeared above the shadow, surrounded immediately by a bloody and vengeful Qi Mechanism.

"Not good, the opponent has sensed me!"

The Three-Eyed Ancient Race spat a mouthful of golden blood, and the light and shadow dissipated instantly.

At the same time, Tai Shi’s Golden Body suddenly appeared, with a slightly somber expression, "Return quickly, it’s a Starry Sky Dominator Demon Corpse!"

"Damn, how did we encounter this thing!"

The Great Venerate Toad’s scalp went numb. He hurriedly supported the Three-Eyed Ancient Race, leaping into the Divine Crystal Immortal Ship and speeding towards the Celestial Essence Star Realm.

Though they hadn’t been to the Desolate Ancient Battlefield themselves, Zhang Kui had shared much intelligence upon his return: the entire crew of the Vast Sea Star Realm perished, the Deceitful Immortal Path suffered heavy losses, the Blood God and star beast leaders were True Monarchs under Ancient Immortal Monarchs, and the star beast’s trump card was the mutated Demon Corpse of the Netherworld Realm Master...

These unexpected revelations were shocking, let alone the revival of Immortal Monarchs.

Everyone thought avoiding the Desolate Ancient Battlefield or even leaving the Longevity Star Realm was wise, little expecting the Demon Corpse would move faster than them.

"Highest alert!"

Helian Wei aboard the Dragon-Body Centipede flagship simultaneously issued orders:

"All Immortal Venerables, return immediately!"

"Stargazing Disc, full detection; activate All Heaven Star Array; all Immortal Venerables and Divine Dynasty Fleet, enter the grand array immediately..."

Following her orders, starships entered the All Heaven Star Array, each taking a position at the array’s nodes, linking through the Divine Path network.

As the saying goes, one person plans short, many plan long.

The Kaiyuan Divine Dynasty, having developed with Zhang Kui at the helm, also embodied the efforts of countless individuals. Often when Zhang would accomplish many things, others would refine and perfect them further.

For instance, the All Heaven Star Array, due to material constraints, Zhang Kui only arranged a simplified version. Though it could gather infinite starlight, its defense and lethality were considerably weakened.

Thus, with research from profound and numerous Celestial Pavilion Immortal Level Array Masters, a solution was designed using 365 Array Pillars as cores, substituting starships for 14,800 Small Celestial Stars.

Though lacking the mythical blessing of countless divine and demonic stars, each starship equates to a small Magical Artifact, greatly amplifying the array’s might.

As starships took their places, the Celestial Essence Star Realm was soon obscured by endless starlight, gradually vanishing from sight.

This enhanced All Heaven Star Array not only concealed the Qi Mechanism but was also filled with killing intent within.

Unknowingly, a day passed.

"Where did this Demon Corpse go?"

The entire God Dynasty couldn’t help feeling puzzled. Based on what was traced from the Moon-taking Skill, the Demon Corpse of the Netherworld Realm Master was fond of devouring the blood Qi Law of life and the Divine Materials and Spirit Charm, making the Celestial Essence Star Realm an unparalleled attraction for it, and it had already been detected.

Could it have left already?

Yet, far ahead in distant starry skies, a two-headed black bird corpse the size of the Moon Star floated silently, once one of the star beast ancestor leaders that fled from the Desolate Ancient Battlefield.

Star beasts often killed each other and parted ways upon survival. At this time, this powerful Starry Sky Giant Beast was quickly decaying, with its feathers and body, while its attached race had long turned to ash.

Above its corpse, the Netherworld Realm Master’s Demon Corpse with three heads and six arms, fiercesome fangs, sat cross-legged. Its whole body burned with black calamity fire like a black sun, the Qi Mechanism even more terrifying than at the Desolate Ancient Battlefield...

...

While the God Dynasty united to counter the calamity, Zhang Kui wasn’t idle.

At this moment, all he saw before him was a hazy white mist, pervading with the Time Law.

The power of the Longevity Immortal Monarch’s Grotto Heaven!

Ancient Immortal Monarchs used the All Heaven Immortal Monarch Banner as a node to release the power of Grotto Heaven, ruling and suppressing the entire star realm. When Zhang Kui first entered, he was a bit puzzled, not expecting the entirety of the Grotto Heaven’s power to be accumulated here.

Though this power was now incapable of harming him, even if some penetrated the void, it would be eroded by the black protective light formed by the "Black Calamity." However, he couldn’t help a sense of urgency.

This power had already altered following the Longevity Immortal Monarch’s mutation, with different time flows inside and out. Though he had only entered a moment ago, the outside may have experienced days.

Were the two Immortal Monarchs’ battle well?

Since this place hadn’t collapsed, the Longevity Immortal Monarch should still be alive.

But the longer it dragged, the more perilous it might be!

Thinking this, Zhang Kui again looked at the central golden ball of the Immortal King Tower in his hand, seemingly glowing brighter as he approached the destination.

What could it be?

Zhang Kui couldn’t help but quicken his pace. Soon, a colossal object appeared before him, an unseen golden Cave Heaven Divine Crystal sphere adorned with gorgeous patterns, its array unknown.

"Is this it?!"

Zhang Kui felt a bit disappointed, but a shiver instantly ran down his spine.

A figure had appeared silently behind him...