Chapter 2242 - The Hum of That Sword

That gaping maw hovered in midair, like a massive abyss.

Off in the distance, Master God Tian Huang gasped.

What is that!?

Boom!

A moment later, that gaping maw transformed into a bald, big-bellied, short old man in red robes. His eyes were an unearthly blue-green. His features were strange, even hideous, but when he appeared, space contorted and collapsed around him, like a revolving whirlpool.

A mountain-sized toad appeared reflected behind him. Its whole body was blood-red, and a thunderous rumbling emanated from its mouth.

“The Heaven-Swallowing Blood Toad! That’s the Celestial Yao Ocean’s Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor!” someone cried out in astonishment.

This was yet another extraordinarily terrifying old-timer. His infamy was beyond even that of Divine Corpse Blood Robe. He'd once devoured a true Nine-Tribulation Master God alive!

“So, it’s him.” Master God Tian Huang’s expression was incomparably solemn.

“Do you want to fight him?” asked Su Yi.

The bald, stout, hideous Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor spat and said disdainfully, “Ol’ Tian Huang, dare you fight me?”

Master God Tian Huang’s expression shifted erratically. It would have been obvious to anyone that he was afraid of the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor.

“I just knew you were the most useless of them all.” The Heaven-Swallowing Blood Toad sneered, then swept his gaze across the other Master Gods. He shook his head. “Daoist Brother Li Fuyou, is that old bastard the Angler even here? Why don't I see him?”

The crowd instantly understood.

So, the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor is here for the founder of the Divine Court of Providence!

It sounds like he hates the Angler, too. He even called him an ‘old bastard!’

“He’s hiding somewhere nearby, unwilling to show himself,” said Su Yi. “You’ll just have to go looking for him.”

Boom!

The Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor took to the skies and sniffed the air. His eerie blue-green eyes instantly lit up with excitement. “You really are here, you old bastard! Your bloody stench is apparent even from a distance!”

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, he shot into the sky and vanished in a flash. A moment later, in the far reaches of the firmament, a grand battle broke forth.

One combatant was the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor, the other, a gaunt, gray-robed old man. This was none other than Old Man Providence!

The battle was so fierce it seemed to overturn the firmament. It was terrifying beyond measure.

Just like the Dipankara Buddha and Divine Priestess Celestial Rains, they’d chosen to distance themselves from the chessboard.

Master God Yun He and the others’ expressions were increasingly unsightly. It wasn’t that Su Yi’s hidden cards had scared them, but that the Dipankara Buddha and the Angler had been their hidden aces!

For one thing, they could intimidate the competition watching from the shadows, giving them reservations about swooping in to loot a burning house.

For another, they could play a critical role when the storm broke out in earnest, catching Su Yi off guard and dealing heavy damage.

Yet now, Su Yi had seen through, and suppressed, even their hidden aces!

Their hidden trump cards had been countered before they’d even come into play. This significantly weakened their whole lineup! This was why Master God Yun He and the others’ expressions were so unsightly.

None of them had anticipated that Su Yi would come so meticulously prepared. It was as if he’d predicted their every move, countering every card they had planned before they could even play them!

It was unbelievable, and it put immense pressure on them. It even dealt a heavy blow to their will to fight.

No one could imagine how many cards Su Yi had yet to play!

The distant onlookers yet to flee watched in wide-eyed, tongue-tied astonishment.

This chess match was no longer a clash of one against many, Su Yi against his powerful foes. Rather, it was a clash of the strongest lineups in the entire God Domain!

Master God Yun He and his allies were terrifying indeed, but it wouldn’t do to underestimate Su Yi’s allies, either.

That’s even disregarding everyone Su Yi had sent into battle outside of the chess match. He’d arranged for Wan Zitian, Ancestor Blood Lake, Zang Wushu, and other terrifying existences to attack his enemies’ home bases.

And who knew how much he still had hidden up his sleeves?

The level of this confrontation was so high, and his lineup was so terrifying, that it would have been no exaggeration to call it dazzling and unprecedented!

“It’s just so satisfying! I really never even considered the possibility that he’d prepared so many countermeasures in just a few days’ time,” sighed Qi Wei, waves of emotion crashing through his heart.

She dared say with certainty that Su Yi had spent the past few days racking his brains and doing everything in his power to prepare. Otherwise, he could never have faced his enemies with such assurance, and without ever finding himself at a disadvantage!

The atmosphere was increasingly stifled. This storm seemed like it was on the brink of erupting in full force.

Who knew how many old-timers were watching from the shadows, their hearts full of shock, too intimidated to act recklessly?

Everyone had assumed that when Su Yi appeared, a chaotic fight over the power of reincarnation and the Epoch Spark would break out. Those watching from the shadows had hoped to slip in and pilfer fish from muddied waters.

But reality was like a sharp blow to the head. All of them realized that although Su Yi was “just” a Lesser God, he was no soft persimmon they could abuse however they pleased!

“Tian Huang, are you looking to be the first to die in this game?” Su Yi asked calmly.

Master God Tian Huang’s brow furrowed, and he felt inexplicably ill at ease. Out loud, however, he just snorted coldly. “Quit trying to scare me. When you were Li Fuyou, we fought for years. How could I not know what you’re capable of?”

Su Yi laughed. “My past self died in the Boundless Battlefield; he most certainly didn’t die by

your

hand. Back then, I gave you numerous opportunities to fight me one-on-one, but you refused them all.”

Master God Tian Huang’s expression was instantly overcast, but he couldn’t argue. Way back when, he and numerous other terrifying existences had joined forces. Only then did Li Fuyou meet his end in the Boundless Battlefield.

This was common knowledge.

Looked at from another angle, not one of the experts involved would have dared to provoke Li Fuyou one-on-one!

“But all of that is in the past,” said Su Yi, raising a jug of wine to his lips and having a sip. “I’m now Li Fuyou and Yi Daoxuan, but more importantly, I’m me. I’m different from my past lives.”

Some people understood what he was saying, while others didn’t. Others only sort of got it.

But only Su Yi understood the unique feeling of “competing with himself, and deciding to be himself.”

Su Yi was currently raising his jug of wine to his lips in a casual, thoughtless little gesture, but even that made the distant Master Gods’ eyelids twitch and their bodies stiffen; they instinctively assumed that Su Yi was about to whip out yet another trump card.

He’d called out Master God Tian Huang by name, putting him instantly on guard. His hands tightened on his halberd.

But... All Su Yi did was take a sip of wine.

That made Master God Tian Huang’s reaction rather awkward; everyone could tell how nervous he was!

Qi Wei almost couldn’t resist bursting into laughter.

He’s a long-established older-generation expert, yet now, he’s scared out of his wits. How rare!

If word got out, I’m afraid no one would believe it!

Meanwhile, on that same unassuming little hillock, an old man shook his head and laughed. “In terms of courage and momentum, all of them are inferior to Fellow Daoist Su.”

Di E frowned, then let out an uncharacteristic sigh. “We paid an enormous price to kill Yi Daoxuan. Tens of thousands of years later, we paid a similarly enormous price to kill Li Fuyou.

“All of them experienced it firsthand. They naturally know better than to lower their guard around Su Yi, the one who returned through reincarnation.

“There’s no avoiding dread or caution. Both were inevitable, but...” Di E took a sip of tea. “We managed to kill both Yi Daoxuan and Li Fuyou in the end. We can naturally kill Su Yi, too!”

The old man said nothing. The long-brewing storm would soon erupt. It was too soon to make any proclamations about the outcome.

It was then that something unexpected happened.

Yun Shaoke and the eight Master Gods under his leadership attacked simultaneously, completely out of nowhere.

Boom!

All of them drew on the strongest weapons at their disposals, unleashing all of their accumulated power at once to attack Su Yi.

Dao swords, sabers, fly-whisks, treasure towers, divine seals...

All of these treasures erupted with divine majesty, connecting heaven and earth and illuminating everything on all sides.

Their combined terrifying energy fluctuations made heaven and earth change color. It was as if the apocalypse were descending upon the surrounding one hundred thousand miles.

There was no need to even question it. If this onslaught landed, Su Yi would be doomed, Skybright Mountain would be destroyed, and everyone in the Xi Family would die!

Master God Yun He, Master God Tian Huang, the Severed Heavens Demon Master, and their allies were all ready to attack at a moment’s notice.

The distant onlookers’ hearts clenched.

At the same time, Divine Corpse Blood Robe erupted with monstrous, blood-red light, while Si Ming readied his taboo treasure, the Lotus Seed of Light and Shadow.

Even those fighting fierce battles in the distant skies, the Angler, the Dipankara Buddha, Divine Priestess Celestial Rain, and the Heaven-Swallowing Toad Ancestor, sent over wisps of their divine sense.

Countless dark talisman markings surged around Di E. The old man seated across from him noticed immediately, his gaze intent and flashing with divine radiance.

Those terrifying existences watching from the shadows were ready and raring to go, their qi suddenly rumbling through their bodies.

Over on Skybright Mountain, Xi Ning’s heart was on tenterhooks, Xi Jingshan looked stricken, and everyone in the Xi Family held their breath.

They seemed to realize that the long-brewing storm was finally upon them.

It was then that a strange sword hum emanated from Su Yi’s body, like a rusted iron sword against a whetstone, or a long sheathed blade grinding against its sheath.

As this sword hum rang out, a sheath appeared in Su Yi’s hand.

It was covered in rust, and it looked incomparably ancient and on the verge of falling apart. It had no spirituality to speak of, and it looked no different from scrap metal.

But even though no one would have been the least bit surprised to see it in a rubbish heap, the moment Su Yi swung it, an unbelievable scene unfolded.