Chapter 123: Kill! Kill! Kill! No, hurry up and finish!

Northern Plains, Tianyuan City.

The [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Array]—grand arrays nested within smaller ones, stretching on without end. Every thousand li, a minor array falls; every hundred thousand li, a medium array is placed; at a million li, a major array stands tall.

Now, with Elder Ghost Wanhua presiding, the super [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Array]—crafted over centuries—would soon be completed, blanketing a third of the Northern Plains. In the future, each year’s snow disasters would be drastically diminished by the array, benefitting the present age and leaving a legacy for the ages.

Several [Divine Emperor Soldiers] responsible for constructing the core array hubs were chatting idly, and before they knew it, the conversation turned to Elder Ghost Wanhua’s famed first battle.

In those days, a well-known Nascent Soul True Lord of the Tianhe Sect, revered and a fierce foe of demon cultivators, was hailed as the righteous path’s “White Jade Pillar.” But he caught the eye of Elder Ghost Wanhua, who had just achieved Golden Core and created the 《Transforming Myriad Forms with a Single Thought》.

Elder Ghost Wanhua did not strike openly, but used puppet avatars and false identities, hiding around his target. By coincidence, the two “met.”

Before long, the True Lord fell in love, married, and became Dao Companions with Wanhua—what should have been a beautiful romance and blessed union. Yet, fate is ever unpredictable. On an expedition to eradicate demon cultivators, the True Lord was cursed in secret, leaving his lower body paralyzed and his yang energy waning.

With no other choice, the True Lord secluded himself for a century, painstakingly seeking a cure. Meanwhile, Elder Ghost Wanhua seduced one of the True Lord’s closest friends, engaging in a clandestine affair.

When the affair was discovered, the True Lord vomited three mouthfuls of blood in rage, sought out his friend, and they fought three hundred rounds, shaking heaven and earth.

The friend was already wracked with guilt, but Elder Ghost Wanhua fanned the flames from the sidelines, pushing them into a deadly struggle.

In the end, both were drained, their vitality spent, and only then did Elder Ghost Wanhua reveal his true, ferocious fangs. He exposed the truth and dispatched them both with ruthless efficiency, collecting two Nascent Soul puppets and seizing a trove of precious cultivation resources.

From then on, the entire cultivation world grew wary, a crisis of trust erupting everywhere.

Thus was Elder Ghost Wanhua’s rise to infamy, and also the moment when the 《Transforming Myriad Forms with a Single Thought》 technique became renowned.

It was not an offensive divine ability, but indirectly claimed the lives of two Nascent Soul True Lords—methods at the Spirit Transformation level.

“Wanhua, since you’re so gifted and insightful, how did you stumble during your Spirit Transformation Tribulation?” one of the elder ghosts questioned.

“Don’t ask me. Now I’m just a remnant soul.” Elder Ghost Wanhua shrugged. “From what fragments I remember, I clearly passed my Spirit Transformation Tribulation, yet somehow, I still died for no reason.”

The elder ghost pressed on. After all these years, haven’t you had any guesses?

“I have, actually.” Elder Ghost Wanhua stroked his chin. “Back then, I’d already touched upon the edge of the ‘Heavenly Demon’ realm. By my reckoning, I should have opened a path stemming from the same source as Spirit Transformation, yet different—a Heavenly Venerate’s path.”

“But I failed, and there’s only one explanation: someone else had already walked this road, and their cultivation was far above mine.”

“How much higher?”

“About as high as three or four [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Arrays] stacked atop each other~~” Elder Ghost Wanhua said, tilting his head skyward. Just then, he saw a meteor—a blazing fireball—racing down from thousands of meters above in an instant. “Where’d that fire meteor come from?” Elder Ghost Wanhua stood up without thinking.

The other elder ghosts followed his gaze, and the next moment, they saw—not a meteor, but a long halberd engulfed in roaring flames!

“Enemy attack!!!”

At the same time, in the depths of Longevity Heaven in the Northern Plains—hidden away and never revealed—in the lavish Purple-Gold Palace, two indistinct figures played chess. Between them, a board. Beside them, a simple Xuanyi Treasure Mirror.

Tap!

A black stone fell, encircling most of the white pieces. The Zhou Xuan Will wore a cold expression, looking at the shadowy figure opposite.

Tall and slightly gaunt, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, a high, straight nose—he exuded the steely resolve typical of Northern Plains folk. His ink-black eyes glinted with a wolf’s predatory light. His dark hair was tied carelessly, a few locks falling to frame his cheeks, drifting in the wind, lending him a hint of immortal grace and easy charm.

It was—the master of Longevity Heaven, Celestial Wolf Immortal Lord!

“Celestial Wolf Immortal Friend, I’ll win this round.” Zhou Xuan Will’s gaze remained indifferent, not even glancing at the other.

The Celestial Wolf’s will was unbothered, still seated in his chair. He gazed down at a certain fierce battlefield in the Northern Plains and suddenly smiled lightly. “Immortal Friend Xuantian, what a fine game you’ve laid. Several centuries thrown away, all for a few Nascent Soul juniors.”

“Time holds no meaning for us. As for these insects—they’re a nuisance. Better to sweep them all away.”

“And besides, what I’m more interested in is…” Zhou Xuan Will placed another black stone, pushing the white stones to the brink. He raised his head slightly, eyes sharp.

“Centuries ago, the Fusion Immortal Venerates and Spirit Transformation Heavenly Venerates vanished without a trace. Countless cultivators have searched ever since, but to no avail. Celestial Wolf Immortal Friend, could you answer this puzzle for me?”

As the two conversed, the battle below only grew fiercer—or, more accurately, it had become a one-sided slaughter!

The flaming halberd swept through the field, a piercing flute melody rising to the heavens. Wherever it passed, the group of [Divine Emperor Soldiers], mostly at Foundation Establishment and Golden Core, were all butchered, reduced to scattered corpses, blood flowing like rivers!

Right now, Bai Changsheng was in the thick of killing—after ten years of secluded cultivation, he broke out and started slaughtering, venting all his pent-up frustration, a feeling like playing an invincible version on 4399, unleashing it all with utter satisfaction!

“Bai-mei, stop! We’re here for the central hub of the [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Array]. Destroy its core, and the Qing Emperor Divine Palace’s centuries of work will be reduced to ashes—a serious blow.”

Wuji, beside him, saw Bai Changsheng getting carried away and called out in warning.

Bai Changsheng paused his flute playing, pouting a bit. Bai-mei, Bai-mei—who’s your little sister? I used to be a dashing, handsome young man, beloved by countless fans in the Northern Plains and East Sea.

Damn Zhou Xuan! Damn Yu Shu!

One day, I’ll skin you both alive!

Bai Changsheng cursed inwardly but didn’t slow down. His figure shot like lightning toward the unfinished core of the [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Array], his flute melody soaring, as if piercing the clouds.

This time, to destroy the super [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Array] covering a third of the Northern Plains, [Extinguish the Sun] had gathered thirty percent of its strength. Besides Bai Changsheng and Wuji, there were two more Nascent Soul cultivators and a group of Golden Core cultivators, all aiming to wipe it out with swift, mobile tactics. After all, destruction is always easier than creation.

In no time, Bai Changsheng caught sight of the array’s core hub in the distance, guarded by only a handful of [Divine Emperor Soldiers], the strongest of whom was merely at the Golden Core level.

A trace of joy surfaced in his heart—then, suddenly, he received a message from his true body.

“Retreat! Retreat!!”

Before Bai Changsheng could react, a hearty, mocking laugh exploded around him.

“We’ve been waiting for you!!”

Five overwhelming Nascent Soul auras erupted, shooting skyward like five pillars propping up the heavens. In an instant, a grand array radiating faint golden light crashed down like a heavenly curtain, sealing off the battlefield completely.

It was—the [Heavenly Emperor Spirit-Locking Array]!

Bai Changsheng’s face changed dramatically.

It’s over, I’ve walked right into an ambush!