Even at such a moment, Ouyang Jianwang was still laughing.

“Old Ghoul, you’ve been crippled!” 

In the powdery sky, Po Suo raised her head and stared blankly, then broke out in laughter. 

“Now that it’s dead, I should return to how I was before. The blood pact has bound me for so many years. Do you think I’ll be sad?” 

“What do you mean?” Ouyang Jianwang frowned.

“You don’t have to understand anything.” 

As she spoke, her body underwent a terrifying transformation, stretching and growing to more than three meters tall. She turned into a pale humanoid monster, her hands becoming claws. What was more amazing was that nine hundred and ninety-nine stars had appeared in her eyes. 

“What the hell?” Ouyang Jianwang gasped.

“What on earth is this?!” The big yellow dog that had returned to his side stuck out its tongue, eyes widened in astonishment.

“My ancestors had a higher-level blood pact with lifebound beasts to conceal ourselves. From then on, our cultivation level was restricted by our lifebound beasts. Now that my contract beast is dead, I can no longer hide my identity. But with your key, I don’t have to hide at all." 

Po Suo was muttering to herself, so Ouyang Jianwang couldn’t hear her clearly at all. And even if he had, he wouldn’t have understood a word she was speaking as he didn't have the relevant information. After all, Ye Bodhi had been killed by Tianming before his lifebound beast. 

Po Suo’s body finally completed its transformation. White hair grew all over her so she resembled an ape. It was hard to imagine that this thing was once a beauty. She stretched her limbs and locked on to the severely injured Ouyang Jianwang. 

“Die!” 

There was no one else on Heaven Sacred Mountain, so she had nothing to fear. Ouyang Jianwang’s cauldron pattern had also been broken. Now that Po Suo had exposed her true body, how could she let Ouyang Jianwang live, even if he didn’t understand what was going on at the moment? She stretched out her paw. 

Ouyang Jianwang was rooted to the spot, mind sluggish from the shock. Death was coming for him. If he stayed here, he was destined to fight to his death and make a heroic sacrifice. 

“Logically speaking, I must die heroically after this to achieve a sensational effect. But did you think I was Yi? The key is so important, why wouldn’t I leave myself a way out?" 

Despite the crisis, Ouyang Jianwang suddenly burst out laughing and quickly returned the big yellow dog to his lifebound space. 

“Sword! Heaven Cauldron, activate escape mode!” 

With the Intoxicant Godsword in hand, he stepped onto the cauldron.

“Man and sword become one! Let’s soar into the sky!” 

The Heaven Cauldron immediately responded, vibrating with power for the last time. That explosive force sent Ouyang Jianwang whizzing away like a sword. 

Destination: Xuanyuan Lake.

In the blink of an eye, Ouyang Jianwang disappeared in the sky, leaving behind the words, “If the wind isn’t right, run!” 

A thunderous boom sounded the moment Po Suo pounded the Heaven Cauldron, almost hitting Ouyang Jianwang. If she had landed the blow, it would have torn his flesh apart. She froze for a moment. It felt as if she was being toyed with. When she turned around, her eyes were blood red. 

Her sturdy legs jolted and she let out a deafening roar, then shot after the disappearing sword light that was Ouyang Jianwang. 

Ouyang Jianwang’s laughter echoed in the wind.

“I, Ouyang Xiaoyu, protected the key and fled from danger! What emotions! What circumstances! Why not recite a poem?” 

“Listen carefully— 

I have wine in a jar so great, in which you shall also partake 

Though I had but taken a sip, your drunk face is already hidden jar-deep

A toast to the shortness of life, a toast to the shameless lowlives

As fine wine goes dry, the drunk dogs start to decry

The stench of wine, mixed with blood raining divine 

Dragons' howls drown out the agonizing cries

Lugging my wine jar with sword in hand

I asked for a drinking buddy, my offer still stands 

To whine about suffering, or something else bland.”

Po Suo was about to cry. After all that posturing, the man still had the time to recite a poem? 

……

Within the Nine Dragon Formation, Jiang Wuxin unexpectedly burst out with a roar louder than Lan Huang’s. God knows how big his lungs were! His contenders were Xuanyuan Dao, the ancestral dragon spirits, Li Caiwei, the Dreamheart World, and Li Caiwei's lifebound beast, the cloudveil illusory fox. 

The fox was a snow-white nine-tailed fox demon with glossy, white fur that had a touch of pink in it, a pair of clear, yet enchanting pink eyes, a graceful body, and dreamlike movements. Its nine tails resembled slender, beautiful legs. Nine tails meant the highest talent in the history of their clan. The beautiful fox had Ying Huo staring foolishly. 

“I understand now,” Ying Huo said with feeling.

“What do you understand?” 

“No wonder I’m not interested in those beautiful little phoenixes from the Sterling House of Fang. It turns out that true love happens across different species!" 

“Fuck off!” 

Tianming frowned; Jiang Wuxin was too powerful. Fortunately, the Dreamheart World had a certain restrictive effect on him and had temporarily trapped him in the illusion. Otherwise, he would have caused more destruction. 

However, his flesh was extremely tough. Even with the Kilostar Photondragon, Xuanyuan Dao had failed to kill him, which demonstrated just how hard it would be to deal with Jiang Wuxin.

More importantly, the enemy legions had all assembled.

“It’s great they’ve arrived at the same time, so I won't have to repeat myself. We’ll see what kind of men Feng Qingyu, Dugu Jin, and Changsun Shenqiong are!” 

Next to Tianming were Sect Masters Lin Yuntian, Jiang Yuanjun, and the coral and rose fairies. The coral fairy’s expression was gloomy. Jian Wuyi’s betrayal had hit her hard. Although she was under great pressure at the moment, she managed to hold on. 

“Please lend me your support.” 

Without Fang Taiqing and Jian Wuyi, Tianming was forced to rely on the sect masters for protection.

……

Outside Xuanyuan Lake, the legions of Nonahall, Hexapath, Quadform, and Heptastar had gathered. Eight hundred thousand samsaran powerhouses surrounded the Nine Dragon Formation. Di Zang, Dugu Jin, and Changsun Shenqiong were the first to arrive. Across the crowd, Dugu Jin exchanged a meaningful look with Ghoul King Di Zang before walking toward him. 

The two conversed in a low voice.

“Where’s Ghoul King Po Suo?” asked Dugu Jin.

“She went to get the other key. Its guardian is stationed at the Heaven Cauldron,” said Di Zang. 

“We have to be careful. He’s rather formidable with the Heaven Cauldron," Dugu Jin replied. 

“She ‘s probably already gotten the key. Xuanyuan Dao is the only one left." Turning to look into the depths of the formation, Di Zang locked on to the Heaven Branch Sect Master. 

“Why’d Li Caiwei betray us?” asked Dugu Jin.

“She thinks she’s very smart, but she’ll only end up bringing about her own destruction. It doesn’t matter. Regardless of her betrayal, the outcome will be the same, won’t it?” said Di Zang.

“Yes, it will." Dugu Jin laughed ambiguously.

“You deal with the last key and I’ll lead our legions in breaking the formation. I’ll leave Xuanyuan Dao to you," Di Zang said generously.

“I can't thank you enough," Dugu Jin said excitedly. 

“That’s your proof of allegiance. Make good use of it and your future will be limitless,” said Di Zang. 

Right then, they were joined by Changsun Shenqiong.

"What’re you two talking about?" he asked curiously. 

“I’ve pledged my allegiance and asked him if I can join the Nonahall Ghost Sect and become a ghoul king." Dugu Jin smiled. 

“With your abilities, how could Ghoul King Di Zang refuse?" Changsun Shenqiong laughed. 

After Changsun Shenqiong joined the conversation, their voices grew louder and many people overheard them. The scene was abuzz. 

“If Brother Dugu is willing, we would of course welcome him. But what about your Quadform Sect?" asked Di Zang. 

“We’ll merge with Nonahall!” said Dugu Jin.

Everyone burst out laughing. This was obviously a joke that no one took seriously. After all that laughter, Di Zang cleared his throat and his expression regained solemnity as he said, “Most of us are here, so listen up! We’ll take Xuanyuan Lake in one go, seize total victory, and divide up the land!” 

When he turned around, he saw more than four hundred thousand Nonahall powerhouses whose eyes had turned red from all the carnage. At that moment, they drove their lifebound beasts along, their roars shaking the earth. They were waiting for Di Zang’s orders. This was the moment they would change history! 

“Attack! Kill!!” 

“Flatten the Archaion Sect beneath our feet! Annihilate the Xuanyuan clan!” 

Their fierce roars shook Xuanyuan Lake; they had all bared their fangs. 

At that moment, Feng Qingyu descended before them.

“Has anyone seen Jian Wuyi?” he asked. 

Di Zang and Dugu Jin exchanged a look.

“I haven’t seen him. Wasn’t he going to get the Hexapath Sword Insight Rock? Could he have been killed by Xuanyuan Dao?” said Dugu Jin. 

“Ghoul King, we found the corpses of Jian Wufeng and Jian Qingyuan, but not Jian Wuyi!" Someone brought their bodies up. 

Feng Qingyu frowned upon seeing their corpses.

“There’s not much time left. Your whereabouts are obvious, yet Jian Wuyi hasn't looked for you. There are only two possibilities: he was either killed or captured by Xuanyuan Dao,” said Dugu Jin. 

“If you want answers, fight your way in and ask Xuanyuan Dao,” Di Zang said most ‘sincerely.’

Feng Qingyu didn't want to continue mingling with them. But now, Jian Wuyi’s life and death was still uncertain. His indifferent gaze bore through the formation and landed upon Xuanyuan Dao. However, it was Jiang Wuxin’s inhuman strength that gave him a sinking feeling. 

“Brother Di Zang.” Feng Qingyu looked back.

“Please speak.” 

“What’d you do to turn Jiang Wuxin into this?” asked Feng Qingyu.

“Brother Feng, the star map is in your hands, and he’s ours now. You shouldn’t be asking questions, should you?” Di Zang laughed.

“You’re right.” Feng Qingyu smiled.

He turned around and stared at the Firmament Godsword in Jiang Wuxin's hand, his heart heavy with unease. No one knew that he had gifted this sword to Jiang Wuyi. 

“Wuyi....” What had happened?

Feng Qingyu felt dark clouds gathering above his head. He was afraid to think of what might have happened. 

At this moment, Di Zang raised his hand to mobilize the violent, raging army of eight hundred thousand samsarans.

“Ladies and gentlemen, although the Nine Dragon Formation is strong, it’s only one formation and merely possesses the ancestral dragon spirit. Now that Jiang Wuxin has restrained the dragon spirits, Xuanyuan Lake basically has no formation. Dugu Jin, Feng Qingyu, and I will lead you to level Xuanyuan Lake and slaughter the powerhouses of Monorigin, Triflair, Octagram, and Pentaphase. From today on, the nine divine realms no longer exist. Only five divine realms will remain under the heavens and on this continent! The goddess, Xuanyuan Xi, must die! Now listen to my orders—KILL!!!” 

The legions boiled with passion. 

To their surprise, a white-haired young man rushed out of the Nine Dragon Formation before the battle could begin. He tossed countless corpses out of his spatial ring, piling them up in front of them. There were thousands of them! More importantly, these people had never seen such corpses.