Sects and clans across the human domains soon learned that a fierce battle had broken out in the Domain of Heaven Python through various means.
“The Domain of Heaven Python is suffering from a ma.s.sive outsider invasion. Grand Monarch Bloodl.u.s.t, Grand Monarch Dark Nether, and Grand Monarch Nether Channeler have each led a troop of ninth grade grand patriarchs there!”
“Their target is the seventh Son of the Stars of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace, Nie Tian!”
“Nie Tian?”
“Perhaps this goes beyond simple retaliation for Nie Tian defeating Ophelia and taking the dark stone from the Demons. This may turn into a inter-racial war that’ll sweep across the human domains!”
“Do we summon our sect’s experts and join the battle in the Domain of Heaven Python?”
“It’s said that Gupi has entered the Domain of Heaven Python as well. Who of us can contend against it?”
“Gupi!”
Three powerful outsider races had sent three grand monarchs, numerous grand patriarchs, and fleets of ancient stars.h.i.+ps to kill Nie Tian.
The Saint domain experts who had previously evacuated from the Domain of Heaven Python had only learned about Gupi’s impending arrival, but hadn’t realized that outsiders would launch such a ma.s.sive invasion against an insignificant domain like the Domain of Heaven Python, and that they would be so bent on annihilating Nie Tian, rather than the four great sects.
...
In the Void Spirit Society.
Qi Lianshan went to meet Xuan Guangyu. With a grim expression, he asked, “Vice Sectmaster, do we send powerful experts to join the battle in the Realm of Maelstrom? Miss Pei split open a spatial rift with her s.p.a.ce Boundaries Crystal and headed to the Realm of Maelstrom as soon as she came out of secluded cultivation. Ji Yuanquan went there too. Now he’s leading the defenses, along with Ye Wenhan and Fan Tianze.
“Both Miss Pei and Ji Yuanquan are of great importance to our sect. We can’t just sit back and watch while they fight a dangerous battle, right?”
Inside the white s.p.a.cious grand hall, Xuan Guangyu, Hong Minghui, and a few others had their eyes fixed on a s.h.i.+ny magical mirror.
Fleets of ancient stars.h.i.+ps could be seen facing each other in the mirror.
As glorious beams of light blasted across, some of the ancient stars.h.i.+ps that belonged to the Five Elements Sect and the Phantasms shattered, their debris flying everywhere.
Face grim, Xuan Guangyu looked attentively into the mirror, as if he hadn’t heard what Qi Lianshan had just said.
A number of Void Spirit Society elders who were at the Saint domain stood off to the side. They snuck glances at Xuan Guangyu from time to time, unpleasant looks filling their eyes.
After a long while, Xuan Guangyu seemed to come back to reality as he snorted and said, “Nie Tian is a Son of the Stars of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. What profound connection does he have with our sect?
“I fail to see the reason why Pei Qiqi and Ji Yuanquan were so keen on putting their lives at risk to help him in the Domain of Heaven Python.”
“Nie Tian might be the key to dealing with Gupi, Vice Sectmaster...” Qi Lianshan said.
Xuan Guangyu let out a derisive snort. “Well, he’ll have to prove his ability to seal Gupi first.
“Even Jiang Yuanchi from the Shadow Society suffered a destructive backlash after sealing Gupi inside of him for ages. No one understands Jiang Yuanchi’s abilities and strength better than I do. Even he failed to suppress Gupi completely. What makes Nie Tian think he can?”
Everyone fell silent.
Xuan Guangyu waved his hand and said, “Alright, this is the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s problem. Let them take of it. This meeting is over. This battle in the Domain of Heaven Python may only be the first of many to come. What we need to do now is protect our own territory from any potential outsider invasions.”
Qi Lianshan sighed softly. “Umm... got it.”
...
Outside the Realm of Maelstrom.
Dharma idols that were large enough to prop up heaven and earth were engaged in fierce battles against Grand Monarch Dark Nether and Grand Monarch Nether Channeler in the starry river.
Wielding his divine sword, Fan Tianze was fighting Grand Monarch Bloodl.u.s.t in a distant area.
Berated by Grand Monarch Dark Nether, Luo Wanxiang hesitated briefly before charging off with his All Manifestations Star Banner, as if to team up with Grand Monarch Bloodl.u.s.t against Fan Tianze.
Cannon strikes illuminated this area of the dim starry river.
Immediately after retreating to the Realm of Maelstrom, Saint domain experts teleported back to areas in the starry river that were away from the Domain-corroding Flames, where they engaged in fierce fights against outsiders.
Meanwhile, clutching the Star Behemoth bone in his enlarged form, Nie Tian fought Ophelia in close quarters in the starry river.
Wielding the Doom Blade, Ophelia, who had activated Ancestral Awakening and the Demons’ Indestructible Form, was just as huge as Nie Tian.
While fighting, she, who carried Grand Monarch Illusory Demon’s bloodline, released numerous illusions that not only looked identical to her, but also carried the same flesh and soul auras as her. It was almost impossible to tell them from her true self.
Nie Tian, however, stood unwavering as he shattered the illusions that swooped toward him one by one with the divine spear-like bone in his hand.
After shattering another illusion, Nie Tian seemed somewhat bored as he said, “Put your Demonic Mirage Pearl away already. It’s not like we haven’t fought each other before. You know those illusions you create with it won’t work on me.”
“Alright,” Ophelia said with an ice-cold voice.
Drops of demon blood then oozed from her skin and flew into the demonic weapon in her hand, the Doom Blade.
Every single drop was devoured by the blade’s soul, the Doom Spirit.
Immediately afterwards, a heaven-destroying, earth-extinguis.h.i.+ng aura came from the demonic blade.
The Demon Qi wreathing the other Demon grand patriarchs was somehow attracted, and started fusing into the demonic blade, further strengthening its aura.
The Doom Blade was worthy of being called a powerful magical treasure of the Demons.
All of a sudden, blackish-violet light shot out of the Doom Blade, along with black demonic flames that seemed mighty enough to burn all living beings to ashes.
Furious, soul-shaking roars also echoed from the Doom Blade.
Even Nie Tian felt numbness in his scalp.
He frowned and thought to himself, “This is a bit tricky now that I don’t have the flame spark anymore. During our previous duel, soul communication was established between the flame spark and the Doom Spirit, resulting in them adopting mutual inaction. But the flame spark has transformed into a brand new life form and left me. I’m afraid I have nothing I can restrain the Doom Spirit with this time.”
Even with this thought, he wasn’t scared.
CRACK! CRACK!
The void cracked as the demonic light spread, black flames and purple lightning bolts flying towards Nie Tian, as if to annihilate any life force it came across.
“Destroy, destroy, destroy all lives...”
Vague echoes continued to come from the Doom Blade. They grew increasingly loud and rapid, as if they could twist people’s minds.
“This is far from enough.” With a derisive smile, Nie Tian drew a bit of power from the five evil G.o.ds within his Spirit Pearl, and the evil will that had invaded his mind was easily eradicated.
WHOOs.h.!.+
The Flame Dragon Armor burned furiously as it took its flame dragon form and wrapped itself around Nie Tian in his enlarged form.
“Primal Chaos!” As soon as Nie Tian let out a soft exclamation, powers of different attributes formed a frenzied, twisting magnetic field around him, which immediately started channeling all sorts of energies from the starry river.
Enveloped in his Primal Chaos, all of the demonic light, black flames, and purple lightning bolts released by the Doom Blade were instantly contained.
His face split into a smile as he said, “Ophelia, I’ve got to admit that you can use the Doom Blade more skillfully now that you’ve entered the ninth grade and joined the ranks of grand patriarchs.”
“However, you should know that I didn’t cease to progress either. So what if you’re a grand patriarch now? Your bloodline is still going to be suppressed by me!”
With these words, he activated the Star Behemoth bone’s bloodline talent, Bloodline Suppression, targeting Ophelia only.
Ophelia, who carried Grand Monarch Illusory Demon’s bloodline, then instantly felt great difficulty in mobilizing her bloodline power, as if the Bloodline Crystal Chains within her heart had been tied into knots.
“I’ll win this battle against you even if I have to rely solely on my fleshly strength.”
Laughing wildly, Nie Tian charged towards Ophelia enveloped in his Primal Chaos, brandis.h.i.+ng his spear-like bone to clash repeatedly with her Doom Blade.