Chapter 1497: Battle is Joined

Too many similar happenings often occurred in the fourth realm. If it wasn’t for him being at the end of his rope, Longshan Yan would have never requested help from a Nihil World Sovereign. Would someone on the level of a lofty world sovereign help an ant survive their tribulation, especially out of the goodness of their hearts? It was far more likely that the ant could offer sufficient treasures to make it worth the world sovereign’s while, or have another compelling reason to elicit aid.

After Lu Yun arrived at Dragonmountain Clime, Longshan Yan tried his utmost to curry favor with the august personage. He could finally relax now that something finally caught the world sovereign’s eye.

It was wonderful that the mighty one wanted his father’s Thunderstruck Wood! If they gave it to him, he wouldn’t treat them as useless pawns and randomly send them to die at some point in time.

Nihil World Sovereigns comprehended “nothing” when they cultivated. They needed to ensure that their hearts remained free of distractions and that they didn’t have any karmic relationships plaguing them.

……

“If the venerated world sovereign likes the Thunderstruck Wood, we will offer it to the esteemed one as soon as my father weathers his tribulation!” Longshan Yan quickly promised.

“Do you know what that wood is?” Lu Yun asked faintly upon sweeping a gaze over Longshan Yan.

The man paused.

“There are five hells in existence—the Hadal, Sanguine Nihil, Abyssal, and Nether Hells. There is an unparalleled spirit root called the Karmic Tree that supports each of the hells!”

Longshan Yan’s breath hitched.

Everyone in the fourth realm knew of the legends of the five hells, but the stories came from such a distant era that their origins could no longer be ascertained. Their reputation was what continued to dominate the realm.

Numerous depraved and unspeakably evil villains had once been suppressed in the five hells, including Nihil World Sovereigns!

However, they’d eventually all perished and only the Hadal Hell remained, but its whereabouts were unknown. As for the five Karmic Trees, very few had ever heard of them.

“I’d always thought that the five trees were individual entities, but I realized how wrong I was when I saw the Thunderstruck Wood,” Lu Yun murmured. “The five Karmic Trees are all split off of an unparalleled spirit root…”

“Your Mightiness, do you mean…” Longshan Yan’s heart began to tremble.

“That’s right, the Thunderstruck Wood is the main entity of the five spirit roots supporting the five hells,” Lu Yun nodded.

“This lowly one will surely convince my father to offer the wood to Your Mightiness!” Longshan Yan hastened to say.

Lu Yun inclined his head.

“If I take action now, I can erase everything around the clime and defeat even the heavenly tribulation. What do you think?” He smiled at Longshan Yan.

Longshan Yan took a deep breath and bowed at Lu Yun. “This humble one will forever remember the great one’s generosity. However, please take action only when the Longshans are about to fall. If you solve all of our problems now, our clan will never change and will always be content with the status quo!

“…and we would lack the right to follow by your side.” He never would’ve dared voice such sentiments at any other time, but since the world sovereign wanted their family’s Thunderstruck Wood, this was the best time for the clan to rise.

“Then do you know that the coming battle will see a lot of casualties? Your kin, your friends, your disciple, and even you might die in the battle to take place.”

“Even my father, the forefather of the Longshans, has the conviction to die for our cause! If any Longshan disciples are afraid of death, then they do not have the privilege to have my father die for them!” Longshan Yan drew himself upright.

“Then alright, let’s do as you say,” Lu Yun nodded in conclusion. “I will not take action until the critical moment—not even if you die.

“However, heed my warning well. There are too many spies and traitors among you. A lot of your core family members have already sold you out, so you should watch yourself.”

Longshan Yan shook at Lu Yun’s words and finally understood why his father wanted to use his death to propel the family forward.

“Please protect my father well, venerated one. The family will not truly perish as long as my father is alive!” Longshan Yan bowed once more at Lu Yun.

Though they were holding a conversation out in the open, no one discovered anything unusual about Longshan Yan—not even that he’d broken through to major World Manifest.

……

The thunder tribulation reached its climax and furiously battered Longshan Yin’s body. He alternated between throwing attacks right back at it and using the Thunderstruck Wood to absorb the tribulation’s power.

The thunder tribulations of the fourth realm could take physical form and possess true spirits. They could deploy any combat art or secret methods like a regular living being. This was more than just a tribulation for Longshan Yin, it was also a fight at close quarters—a skirmish!

Combat arts from tribulations were all connate ones of the fourth realm. This was actually a fortuitous encounter for the one undergoing the tribulation. If they could peek into the connate arts of the realm during their trial, the benefits to their strength would be unimaginable.

Despite that, Longshan Yin wasn’t paying attention to them. He nursed a death wish; as soon as the tribulation ended, he would use his strongest abilities to go down with Revered Rednote and the others!

Revered Rednote could also read Longshan Yin’s condition from his vantage point in the distance and his expression turned exceedingly ugly.

“He’s determined to go down dying and wants to take me with him.” He glanced at Big Dragon Cong. This was his scapegoat, his answer to his expectation that Longshan Yin would want to die with him.

“That’s strange, why is the tribulation so short?” Revered Rednote frowned at the fading tribulation clouds. He wasn’t Lu Yun, so he couldn’t detect the presence of the Thunderstruck Wood, but he could keenly perceive that the thunder tribulation was weakening and about to conclude.

Longshan Yin was covered in blood and his nascent spirit on the verge of shattering. Though he just barely counted as a Void World King, he was weaker than before.

This was the best time to kill him.

Once he recovered, Revered Rednote would never be able to touch him. The would-be avenger’s cultivation level didn’t even reach the threshold of Void World King.

“Longshan Yin is injured by the tribulation! Fellow daoists, it is time for you to take revenge!” he called out in ringing tones. “We have been put under their heels for endless eons, our fortunes and treasures robbed by these bastards! Even our family was enslaved and tortured to death at their hands. This is their weakest moment, yet it is the one of our vengeance and glorious rise!”

His words seemed to be laced with a strange magic. When those around him heard his words, their eyes turned bloodshot and they charged Dragonmountain Clime with shrieks and howls.

Battle was joined in an instant. The fires of war raged over the clime the moment the tribulation disappeared.

“Revered Big Dragon, let’s go kill Longshan Yin!” Revered Rednote looked at the figure next to him.

“Let’s go!” Big Dragon Cong nodded, but he remained hidden in the void. He was no fool; he wasn’t about to be cannon fodder for Revered Rednote.

There are a shit ton of plots and counterplots on this battlefield. I really wonder how it'll all play out.