Chapter 1981: Widespread Shock

A stretch of mountains.

“You’re racing toward the edge of a cliff, but it’s not too late to rein in your horse,” said a man seated cross-legged in Daoist robes.

He looked young, and he had his hair in a Daoist topknot. His features were delicately handsome, and he was swathed entirely in wisps of divine luster. Even his voice was young and clear.

“You have my utmost gratitude, Senior!” said Divine Venerate Xi Yue, and indeed, she was visibly overcome with gratitude. Inwardly, she sighed in relief.

We’ve finally found a solution!

“From this moment forth, you and that girl will stay close to me,” commanded the seemingly youthful Daoist.

“Understood!” said Divine Venerate Xi Yue before hurriedly expressing her gratitude once more.

The Daoist seated before her looked young, and he had a peaceful aura, but those of the God Domain knew him as a Master God of the Three Purities Daoist Court, an unparalleled expert even other gods could only lower their heads in front of. He was a legend, and his name shook the God Domain!

With a terrifying existence like him protecting those, no one in the Epoch Battlefield would dare accuse Xi Ning of being Su Yi’s ally!

In the distance, a man approached, then kowtowed in a solemn display of respect. “Disciple Huo Jianfeng solemnly greets you, Ancestor!”

“Quick, get up.” A smile tugged at Master God Yun He’s lips. “When we return to the God Domain, cultivate in my seclusion grounds. There, I’ll personally teach you unparalleled arts of the Divine Dao.”

Huo Jianfeng’s spirits soared. “Many thanks, Ancestor!”

Only then did he slowly rise to his feet.

Two days ago, he acquired a supreme Epoch Fragment with Master God Yun He’s support. Then, just yesterday, he broke through and became a god!

Huo Jianfeng’s gaze shifted, then landed on the nearby Xi Ning. He couldn’t help but jeer. “Xi Ning, I truly wouldn’t have guessed that someone of your disposition would distance yourself from Su Yi. You were even pushed to beg Ancestor Yun He for support.”

Xi Ning’s brow furrowed. In the end, she said calmly, “It was the Xi Family that distanced itself from Su Yi, not me!”

Divine Venerate Xi Yue’s expression shifted. “A’Ning, no more nonsense out of you. You’re the Xi Family’s divine daughter. You naturally must go along with the clan’s decisions.”

Xi Ning pursed her lips and fell silent, but Huo Jianfeng didn’t let it go. “So, you still plan to stand beside Su Yi?”

Master God Yun He looked at Xi Ning too. The atmosphere was instantly stifled. Divine Venerate Xi Yue hurriedly transmitted a message to Xi Ning, urging her to endure.

But Xi Ning did no such thing. Instead, she said solemnly, “During the time I’ve known Fellow Daoist Su, he and I have become dear friends in our pursuit of the Grand Dao. If I choose to draw a line between him and myself to avoid disaster, even I’ll look down on myself!”

Huo Jianfeng’s eyes glinted with cold light, and Divine Venerate Xi Yue’s heart thudded in her chest.

But against all expectations, Master God Yun He said approvingly, “You’re righteous and sincere. Not bad. Not bad at all.”

The crowd was stunned. Even Xi Ning was a bit caught off guard.

But then, Master God Yun He continued, “Although I admire your strength of character, if you dare to interfere in my pursuit of Su Yi, I won’t spare you.”

Xi Ning pursed her lips and sank into silence.

Divine Venerate Xi Yue sighed in relief, then said hurriedly. “Thank you so much for your magnanimity, Senior.”

Only Huo Jianfeng’s brow furrowed, and when he looked at Xi Ning, his gaze was decidedly unfriendly. He hated Su Yi to the bone, and even now, Xi Ning stubbornly stood beside him. How could he not be vexed?

Suddenly, Master God Yun He flipped his palm, and a talisman floated into the air. He examined it briefly, then rose. “The heretic has appeared. Ol’ Providence and the Dipankara Buddha are chasing him as we speak!”

The crowd’s hearts shook.

Xi Ning’s jade-like fists silently clenched.

Two Master Gods’ avatars of will are chasing Fellow Daoist Su? No! Nothing can happen to him!

“Come on, we’d best take action too!” Master God Yun He waved his sleeves.

Boom!

A swath of divine light surged forth, enveloping the crowd. A moment later, they vanished without a trace.

……

Practically simultaneously, elsewhere on the Epoch Battlefield, word that Su Yi was currently being pursued spread. Soon, practically every god who’d descended into the Immortal Realm knew it.

“Qingyu, come with me,” whispered a woman in fiery red robes. She was tall, then, and swathed in resplendent divine flames, and her aura was terrifying.

“Yes.” Wenren Qingyu nodded her assent.

The woman in red was a Master God of the Wenren Family, Wenren Qin!

……

A barren plain.

“Hmph. The Angler and that bald donkey Dipankara can forget about catching him first! Pass on my orders. The others are to gather here with the utmost haste!” said a voice that boomed like thunder.

A tall, majestic man strode through the air, blurring into a dazzling beam of electric light and boring a hole through the sky. In an instant, he’d vanished completely.

This was the Rahu Yao Ancestor, one of the Six Great Yao Ancestors of the God Domain, as well as unparalleled divine son Feng Wuji’s senior!

……

“Senior, I understand Su Yi better than anyone else here. Please permit me to accompany you,” Nan Pingtian said respectfully.

A man in warrior’s robes stood before him, his face cold and harsh. His entire body billowed with monstrous divine majesty.

Divine Venerate Eternal Sands!

He was one of Divine Son Fu Tianyi’s clan elders.

During the recent Immortal Peach Assembly, Fu Tianyi died a brutal death at Su Yi’s hands. Everyone in the Immortal Realm knew about it.

Divine Venerate Eternal Sands had sent his avatar of will into the Immortal Realm in part to avenge Fu Tianyi.

“Very well!” Divine Venerate Eternal Sands nodded.

Nan Pingtian’s spirits soared. He was one of Wang Ye’s old enemies. He’d love nothing better than to watch with his own eyes as Su Yi perished at the hands of a god!

….

Throughout the Epoch Battlefield, one terrifying figure after another shot forth. All of them were rushing in the same direction.

The newly advanced gods received orders, and all of them rushed into action too.

As for those yet to achieve divinity? Most of them were still scouring the periphery of the Epoch Battlefield for good fortune. They naturally had no idea that an enormous disaster was headed Su Yi’s way!

……

Beneath the dome of heaven.

The Angler and Master God Tian Huang shifted through the sky, chasing Su Yi at top speed.

It was just that as time passed, the two Master Gods’ expressions darkened, and their hearts were increasingly frantic.

“My Blazing Sun Spear pierced the heretic’s chest, but even before that, he was injured to the brink of death. Who could have imagined that he’d hold out this long?” Master God Tian Huang furrowed his brow.

They’d been chasing Su Yi for almost an hour already!

Both of them had attacked Su Yi many times over, but every time, Su Yi either dodged or blocked. It was simply unbelievable!

Who would dare believe that a Great Unity Stage cultivator could have accomplished this?

“In this incarnation, he’s mastered reincarnation, and he has that Dao Sword. How could he be so easily killed?” The Angler’s expression was unsightly, and fury blazed in his chest.

“I just received word that other old-timers have set off. The more time passes, the more troublesome this will become,” Master God Tian Huang said suddenly. “Don’t tell me

you

spread the message?”

The Angler was so angry that he laughed. “How stupid would I have to be to do something like that?”

“Then I’m sure that bastard Dipankara was behind it!” Master God Tian Huang’s expression darkened.

“Who could it be, if not that bald donkey?” The Angler gnashed his teeth so hard that they almost shattered.

He didn’t even need to think to understand why the Dipankara Buddha had done this. He’d chosen to set aside chasing Su Yi in lieu of seizing the Book of Karma. He knew he couldn’t capture Su Yi before the Angler and Master God Tian Huang, so he deliberately spread word. He planned to make a complete and utter mess of things.

If he couldn’t capture Su Yi, the Angler could forget about capturing him either! This was unquestionably despicable.

Master God Tian Huang was furious too. “If everything’s in chaos, that gives him an opportunity to fish in troubled waters. That Dipankara… isn’t just black-hearted. He’s simply depraved!”

Suddenly, the Angler said out of nowhere, “Have you noticed that the heretic’s life force is flowing away?”

Master God Tian Huang froze, stunned, then looked over. A moment later, his eyes lit up.

There was no doubt about it. Su Yi had completely run out of options. He’d been forced to use a forbidden technique that expended his vital source energy just to keep fleeing!

But just as Master God Tian Huang was about to say something, the Anger’s expression shifted. “Shit! Others have come to take advantage of the situation!”

Master God Tian Huang immediately looked over.

Su Yi’s situation really was perilous to the extreme. His face was deathly pale, translucent with blood loss, and his vital energy was silently slipping away. The dense collection of wounds all over his body was even starting to emanate death qi.

He’d long since stopped bleeding, but his wounds were even worse than before.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

His soul power had all but dried up, and within his body, the Tree of All Worlds had withered. Even his consciousness was under attack; agony and exhaustion assailed his heart in endless waves.

The moment he entertained even the barest thoughts of giving up, his will would break, and he’d fall apart completely!

But Su Yi didn’t give up.

Of all the life-or-death struggles he’d experienced in his lifetime, this was the most perilous.

But if he survived, his body, cultivation, soul, and mentality… would welcome an earth-shattering transformation akin to rebirth!

He was dancing amidst grave peril, tempering himself on the edge of a knife. He might die, but so what? Besides, while others might think he had no hope of turning this around, Su Yi most certainly didn’t think so!

Almost there! I’ll reach the place the monkey told me of in less than fifteen minutes!

Su Yi thought to himself.

But then, a group suddenly appeared on the road ahead. They were obviously all newly ascended gods!

But just as Su Yi was about to change course, heaven-shaking divine flames appeared in another direction, then soared into the firmament.

Master Goddess Wenren Qin was here with Divine Daughter Wenren Qingyu!

When Su Yi looked over, he saw a group of terrifying figures in yet another direction, and they were rushing right toward him!

All the while, the Angler and Master God Tian Huang were gaining on him from behind!

Suddenly, Su Yi had enemies on all sides. They were in front, behind, to the left, and to the right. Every possible escape route was sealed off.

There were wolves in front of him and tigers behind him. Danger lurked on all sides. The situation was so dire that even Creation Realm Lesser Gods would have given into despair.

But it was as if Su Yi didn’t even notice.

He looked absolutely miserable and wretched, but the depths of his gaze were as calm as the waters of an ancient well. They didn’t ripple in the slightest.

That was true even now.

Without the slightest hesitation, Su Yi charged ahead. His gait never slowed.

His enemies hailed from different camps, and there was surely competition and conflict between them. There was no way they could work together seamlessly.

The net around him had yet to truly take shape. This was the perfect opportunity to break out!