Chapter 2904: Ending
The third battalion was not attacked by one of the True G.o.d Guard Captains, but by Sovereign Shao Yin, Yi Ren, and five ordinary Progenitor-level corpse kings, as well as a horde of weaker corpse kings.
Once Lu Yin and the jiao were gone, the third battalion had only four Progenitor-level experts: Xu Wuwei, Xu Heng, Xu Leng, and Bai Sheng. While it might seem like a good number of powerhouses, they were facing seven of Aeternus’s Progenitor-level experts, which was a substantial threat.
In one of the Endless Frontier’s parallel universes, humans fought against corpse kings, and s.p.a.ce was destroyed.
Sovereign Shao Yin sneered. "That Lu brat really thought that he could conquer the Endless Frontier just because he wanted to? If you want to blame someone for your death, Wuwei, blame that brat. He’s responsible for you dying here."
The power of Extreme Yang burned through s.p.a.ce, and positive transformed into negative, feeding the Extreme Yin, while the negative then transformed back into Extreme Yang. While it appeared that the negative was feeding the positive, the truth was that both were occurring, and Extreme Yin was feeding Extreme Yang as positive fed negative and yin and yang merged.
A solemn expression appeared on Xu Wuwei"s face as he looked at Shao Yin’s Extreme Yang. Xu Wuwei could only counter this power with his Spiral Domain. "Sovereign Shao Yin, you actually cultivate the power of Extreme Yang? You really succeeded in deceiving everyone. Still, you should have had your power stripped from you.”
"Old man, I"ve known for a long time that you don"t like me. You even tried to cooperate with that Lu brat to entrap me. Today, I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done. Regret your actions as you die!"
Sovereign Shao Yin proceeded to not only challenge Xu Wuwei’s Law of s.p.a.ce sequence particles with the Law of Yang sequence particles, Shao Yin also brought out his own Spiral Domain. Blue striped appeared on Shao Yin’s back as he used the Eight-Star Garan to copy the Spiral Domain that Xu Wuwei had used.
At this moment, Shao Yins mastery of Extreme Yang far surpa.s.sed what he had been capable of when he had fought against Lu Yin in the Decaying Diablo Universe.
Xu Wuwei was stunned. How could Sovereign Shao Yin use Xu Wuwei’s Spiral Domain?
The two Spiral Domains clashed, causing the void to collapse. That provided an opening, and the power of Extreme Yang burned Xu Wuwei.
Falling back, blood leaked from the corners of Xu Wuwei’s mouth.
Off in the distance, the Superior Heavenly Cudgel slammed into a disk as Yi Ren and Bai Sheng faced off against each other.
"This is not just a battle between Aeternus and humanity, but also a battle between my Sixth Mainland and your Fifth Mainland!" Yi Ren shouted.
Bai Sheng’s eyebrows rose. "You’re from the Sixth Mainland? That"s great! I always regretted missing out on the war between the Fifth Mainland and your Sixth Mainland. Today, you will be forced to pay the price."
Yi Ren sneered. "Die."
Xu Heng and Xu Leng were dealing with four different Progenitor-level corpse kings at the same time.
Additionally, Yao Di was holding back another Progenitor-level corpse king.
Yao Di was a gatemaster of one of the Heavens Sect’s Twelve Heavenly Gates, and all of those Semi-Progenitors were partic.i.p.ating in the crusade. Yao Di just happened to have been a.s.signed to the third battalion.
Further away, Sky Garan was crossing realms to challenge a Semi-Progenitor corpse king, but the young man’s eyes were focused on the battle between Sovereign Shao Yin and Xu Wuwei. Is that the Eight-Star Garan? Why can he use that? That’s my family’s inherited innate gift. Could he be a member of my Garan family?
"Xu Wuwei, die!" Sovereign Shao Yin shouted. The power of Extreme Yang pressed forward while the two Spiral Domains were locked together.
Xu Wuwei"s face was pale, and yet he showed a mocking smile. "Sovereign Shao Yin, have you forgotten that I an a cultivator from the Voidforce Universe?"
Sovereign Shao Yin’s pupils shrank.
Across from him, Xu Wuwei took out a pot. "In one pot, cook all five of the world’s flavors: sour, sweet, bitter, spicy, salty- Sovereign Shao Yin, try it!"
As the man shouted, a terrifying amount of voidforce energy shot from the pot and slammed into Sovereign Shao Yin.
Both the power of Extreme Yin and the power of Extreme Yang erupted from Shao Yin’s body.
The two struck each other with a bang, and ripples spread through the void.
When fighting, people from the Voidforce Universe were capable of wielding multiple times their own energy reserves with their voidforce puppets. There were people who could even control ten times their own power, which could provide a significant advantage in a battle.
Even if Shao Yin was using the powers of Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang together to wield a law of the universe that surpa.s.sed the law that Xu Wuwei wielded, it would be difficult for Shao Yin to force his way through so much raw power anytime soon.
At this critical moment, a figure suddenly appeared directly behind Xu Wuwei, an arm raised high and a large black bar in the hand. The rod dropped down to crush Xu Wuwei.
The Void Suprema spun around. The danger he sensed sent tremors through his body, but while he wanted to evade this attack, he was surrounded by the powers of Extreme Yin and Extreme Yang, and Xu Wuwei’s voidforce energy was occupied suppressing Shao Yin. It was nearly impossible for Xu Wuwei to respond to this sneak attack.
As the black bar fell, a golden light suddenly illuminated the entire universe as an Invest.i.ture of the G.o.ds appeared above Xu Wuwei.
"All these guys from Aeternus are so weird." Lu Qi appeared with his back to Xu Wuwei as he faced the figure wielding the black bar.
The long black weapon struck the Invest.i.ture of the G.o.ds, and the black bar merged with the golden light to create a ma.s.sive shadow that spanned the entire universe.
Xu Wuwei was frightened. "Be careful! That should be one of the True G.o.d Guard Captains."
Lu Qi had been following the third battalion across the entire Endless Frontier. This was because the third battalion was the one that faced the greatest risk of the four battalions. As soon as the fourth battalion dispersed, it made sense for Aeternus to target the third battalion as they tried to move. The first and second battalions were still too far to be able to help.
Lu Qi was powerful enough to deal with a sequence powerhouse, despite not being one himself. This was due to the man’s unique situation, rather than his own strength.
However, Lu Qi was not facing a powerful Sequence Progenitor, but a True G.o.d Guard Captain.
Sovereign Shao Yin’s face twisted into an ugly expression. The fact that Lu Qi could suddenly appear suggested that other experts from the Heavens Sect might do so as well. The Heavens Sect had been prepared for this ambush, which meant that it had already failed.
"You have such a weird and disgusting power that covers you." Lu Qi stared at his opponent with the black bar, and then leaped forward while attacking with the Hidden Needle.
At the same time, the summoned form of w.a.n.g Jian stepped out of the Invest.i.ture of the G.o.ds and went after Yi Ren.
Yi Ren had betrayed the Sixth Mainland. Regardless of whatever grudges might exist between the Fifth and Sixth Mainlands, the fact that Yi Ren had betrayed the Sixth Mainland made him Lu Qi’s primary target. After all, it was completely impossible for Lu Qi to kill Shao Yin.
Lu Qi alone was the same as two Progenitors joining the battle, and Shao Yin was left with no choice but to order a retreat. If the Aeternals did not pull back, they would be trapped as soon as the first battalion arrived to support the third battalion.
Yi Ren wanted to leave as well, but was stopped by Bai Sheng. Once the summoned w.a.n.g Jian arrived, there was no way for Yi Ren to escape.
"Sovereign Shao Yin, save me!" Yi Ren shouted.
Just as Sovereign Shao Yin was about to intervene, Xu Wuwei’s Spiral Domain spread out and stopped the Sovereign.
Shao Yin would not get into a deathmatch with Xu Wuwei just to save Yi Ren, which meant that the only option was to leave.
The True G.o.d Guard Captain who Lu Qi had stopped from attacking Xu Wuwei also left.
Yi Ren looked furious, and divine energy erupted from his body and shot towards Bai Sheng.
Bai Sheng was afraid of divine energy, so he quickly pulled back.
Yi Ren took the opportunity to escape, only to discover that at some point in time, he had become surrounded by the Spiral Domain.
So long as the Spiral Domain was present, there was no way for Yi Ren to tear the void and leave, and wanting to pull out a Cosmic Door to escape was even more impossible. The traitor’s every path of escape had been cut off by Lu Qi, Xu Heng, and Xu Leng.
Yi Ren"s heart dropped. This was not an outcome that he had ever considered. It was clear that the Aeternals had been counter-ambushed.
Lu Yin had only dared launch a crusade against the Endless Frontier after making ample preparations.
Lu Qi looked at Yi Ren with a sneer. "Getting rid of one of them isn’t bad."
Bai Sheng raised his Superior Heavenly Cudgel and pointed it straight at Yi Ren.
The traitor gritted his teeth. "I’ll betray Aeternus. I’m willing to share all of their secrets with you, so long as you don’t kill me and allow me to join the Heavens Sect.
"I know many of their secrets, and I promise that they will be useful to you."
Lu Qi’s eyes narrowed. "That’s just pathetic. First you betrayed us humans and joined Aeternus, now when you’re facing death, you’re willing to betray the Aeternals. Who would ever dare accept someone like you?"
Yi Ren clenched a fist. "I just want to survive! Humans weren’t able to stop what was happening to the Fifth Mainland. Just let me go. I am still a Progenitor, and the Heavens Sect wants to chase after its ancient glory, which means the more Progenitors that join, the better. Isn’t this a good deal?”
Xu Heng and Xu Leng glanced at each other. It was rare to see such shamelessness from a peak powerhouse.
Xu Wuwei said, "We will capture you if you stop fighting. I promise that we won’t kill you now."
Yi Ren’s expression changed. "I want Lu Yin"s promise."
"Then you can just die." Bai Sheng’s Superior Heavenly cudgel dropped down. At the same time, a Hidden Needle shot at Yi Ren and Xu Wuwei’s Spiral Domain shrank as a terrifying amount of voidforce energy surged forward. Yi Ren was pushed to the edge of death, and he begged for mercy as he spat out blood, "Alright! I surrender! No conditions! I just want to see Lu Yin and talk to him."
There was no denying that Yi Ren could be a valuable source of information, given how long he had been a part of Aeternus.
Bai Sheng’s Superior Heavenly Cudgel pressed down upon Yi Ren’s shoulders. A miserable expression decorated the Progenitor’s face. This was not the outcome he had expected.
He had genuinely not believed humans were capable of winning in the Origin Universe. Who would have thought that someone like Lu Yin would suddenly appear and lead the Fifth Mainland to drive the Aeternals out? If Yi Ren had known that such a thing would happen, he never would have betrayed mankind.
His extreme regret caused him to cough up more blood.
Bai Sheng reached out to grab their captive, but Xu Wuwei’s Spiral Domain suddenly contracted and forced Bai Sheng back. The Progenitor was confused, but then saw divine energy surge out of Yi Ren’s body and proceed to incinerate him. Yi Ren let out a miserable howl, and his screams echoed, piercing the entire universe.
He was enveloped by an unspeakable pain. Yi Ren had never considered such a thing, and his body writhed as he tried to get rid of the divine energy. "I was wrong! True G.o.d, I was wrong! I did not mean to betray the Aeternals!
"True G.o.d, please, let me go! I was wrong, ah–!
"Ah–!"
Everyone stepped back, staring in horror as things played out before them.
They could only imagine how much pain Yi Ren must be experiencing, for a Progenitor to scream in such a manner.
His body was consumed by the flames of divine energy, but it happened very slowly. Inch by inch, his hair, skin, muscles, and bones were consumed by the flames. However, his head was not injured at all, and his brain was not damaged at all. He was fully cognizant of all of the pain he was experiencing.
The people watching felt chilled.
Bai Sheng was horrified. If Xu Wuwei had reacted any later, Bai Sheng would also have been burned by the divine energy. Just the thought terrified the man.
Yi Ren kept screaming and thrashing about as he begged for mercy until his voice grew hoa.r.s.e.
Everything lasted as long as it took for a stick of incense to burn.
Yi Ren was consumed by the flames of divine energy until, finally, only his head remained.
His head was consumed more slowly than the rest of his body. The purpose of the flames had been to produce pain, which meant that the skin and muscles of his head were incinerated much slower than his body had been burnt. Yi Ren"s miserable screams were chilling. "Ossis Ark! The Ossis Ark! Beware the Ossis Ark! When the Ossis Ark arrives, everything will be destroyed--"
Once Yi Ren started to speak those words, the flames suddenly accelerated, and they drowned out his voice. He was quickly left unable to make any sound, though a smile of relief appeared on his face.
There were times that living was worse than dying, and that was definitely what Yi Ren had just experienced.
Many members of the third battalion watched as Yi Ren was incinerated until there was nothing left at all. They felt as though they had just been dunked in ice water, and their entire bodies felt chilled to the bone.
This was the fate of those who betrayed Aeternus.
...
The moment that Shao Yin and the others retreated, Greenridge, Yu Huo and the others in the Transcendent Universe received word that the attempt to ambush the third battalion had backfired and they had been countered.
The Aeternals had not miscalculated, as if they were confident that the first battalion could not reach the third battalion in time, Sovereign Shao Yin and others likely possessed enough strength to fight the third battalion to the death.
Yu Huo finally understood why Lu Yin had not been at all concerned.
Aeternus had failed to wipe out the third battalion in an ambush, and they were also unable to gain any advantage in the Transcendent Universe. Their only choice was to withdraw.