Chapter 977: Devouring

In the Heavenly Lake Elysium, True Immortal Tang Yu forced her way in and tried to interrupt Lou Yi’s ascension the moment she arrived.

The might of a True Immortal was enough to suppress everything and there was no one in the Elysium who could contend against her at the moment. She felt that as soon as she acted, Lou Yi’s ascension process would go up in smoke.

Who would have thought that a tired and aged sigh would ring through the skies the next second as dense clouds appeared to form some sort of Cloud Robes. True Immortal Tang Yu’s attempt to stop Lou Yi from breaking through was intercepted.

“Hmm?” A surprised cry came from the skies above the Elysium. Even though she was surprised, True Immortal Tang Yu wasn’t affected by the sudden change. “I didn’t think that True Immortal Chong Shan would actually risk it all and enter an Elysium like this. Moreover, I never expected you to dare to show yourself in front of me.”

When the finger was pressing down earlier, Huang Yu nearly activated his rank five Teleportation Talisman. However, when he saw the Cloud Robes appearing to stop True Immortal Tang Yu, he understood that True Immortal Chong Shan’s preparation came into play. Heaving a sigh of relief, he stared at Lou Zhe and Dai Yikong with a trace of lingering fear. However, he discovered them staring behind him with a look of shock.

Huang Yu felt his heart turning cold. Slowly turning his head, he looked at where Shan Yunchao was. However, ‘Senior Brother Yuan’ was nowhere to be seen! In his place was an old man who had a head full of white hair. His beard was also snow-white in color. There were spots all over his skin like how an old man would and there was no doubt about it. The expert who appeared was getting on in age.

“Is that... Is that True Immortal Chong Shan?!” Huang Yu was quite sure of the old man’s identity. However, the true question was... Where did Shan Yunchao go?!

There was no way True Immortal Chong Shan disguised himself as Shang Yunchao to follow them on their expedition. It was easy to change his facial features, but the unique aura of a cultivator wasn’t so easily replicated. One’s martial dao was unique to themself, not to mention the fact that the vitality Shan Yunchao exuded was something True Immortal Chong Shan would never be able to pull off.

However, he soon noticed that he wasn’t the only one who was surprised. Lou Zhe and Dai Yikong were similarly shocked to discover True Immortal Chong Shan before them. It was clear how big their shock was!

Only then did True Immortal Chong Shan sigh powerlessly, “I had no choice... At the end of the day, trying to ensure our rank six inheritance remains unbroken is an extremely difficult task. Since the new True Immortal of our Emptiness Drifting Mountain is about to appear and also taking into account that he’s part of my bloodline, there’s no way I can sit by and watch without interfering!”

In the skies above the Heavenly Lake Elysium, the lustrous mist started to swarm over to the experts of the Emptiness Drifting Mountain. The figure hidden within became even more blurry as she closed the gap.

True Immortal Tang Yu’s crisp voice rang through the skies. “It’s a shame I’ve already set my sights on the Heavenly Lake Elysium. There’s no way I will allow you to do as you wish as his breakthrough will greatly exhaust the world origin and foundations of the Elysium. The Origin Holy Artifact will be greatly damaged as well... Moreover, you will anger the World’s Will by drawing so much energy from the Elysium to ascend!”

True Immortal Chong Shan’s aged voice appeared again. “The Heavenly Lake Elysium never belonged to you, True Immortal Tang Yu. Are we truly out of options? Is there no room for negotiation?”

“I wouldn’t mind a battle against you! I believe you understand that I can call over another expert to help me anytime I wish! Your true body isn’t here either and there’s no way you’re my opponent. Even if you start rushing over now, you won’t make it!” True Immortal Tang Yu declared resolutely.

True Immortal Chong Shan nodded slowly in acknowledgment. “I know that True Immortal Su Kun is right outside the Five Links Ridge. Moreover, she should have already detected my presence. True Immortal Tang Yu, are you really not willing to let go of this matter?”

“True Immortal Chong Shan, you of all people should know what an Elysium means to me. For you to waste so much time talking to me... Are you buying time for your junior’s ascension?”

Along with the exchange between 2 True Immortals, the Heavenly Lake Elysium faced pressure like never before. Mighty auras crashed into each other as undercurrents filled the Heavenly Lake. Powerful waves rose into the air and smashed against each other as loud crashes could be heard from time to time.

The lustrous mist that filled the Heavenly Lake Elysium became even more dense as True Immortal Tang Yu’s true body entered. Powerful fluctuations filled the region as the Elysium had to withstand her full presence.

“Old Man, since you’re not willing to give it up, I’m forced to offend you!” True Immortal Tang Yu muttered as the air in the Heavenly Lake Elysium changed again. It was as though the entire region turned into her territory.

“Hold it!” Seeing as the battle was unavoidable, True Immortal Chong Shan chose to compromise. “We can stop the process of ascension, but I must bring him away!”

“Impossible!” True Immortal Tang Yu remained resolute and rejected the proposal without even thinking about it. She sneered, “Old man, do you really think I’ll leave a hidden threat like him alive so that he can take revenge in the future?”

A soft sigh escaped True Immortal Chong Shan’s lips. “Looks like True Immortal Tang Yu not only doesn’t want my junior to leave. You plan to keep my projection here too, right?”

True Immortal Tang Yu didn’t deny it. Instead, a cold snort left her lips, “Old man, from the day you plotted against the Heavenly Lake Elysium, we have already been at odds with each other. Your Emptiness Drifting Mountain has strong foundations. For me to take over the Solitary Peak Heavenly Lake now, of course I won’t be a match for you guys. Since you came all the way over here to give up a portion of your fighting strength, I won’t miss the chance!”

“Looks like True Immortal Su Kun truly found a good helper... The only question is... Will your Heaven Embroidery Palace smash your own foot with all your schemes?” True Immortal Chong Shan praised. His tone changed the next moment. “My projection might not be your opponent, but if I choose to go all out and give up this projection, I’ll still be able to destroy this Elysium.”

The lustrous mist in the air started to gather into a ball as True Immortal Tang Yu’s cold voice rang word for word. Every word that came out her mouth caused the temperature in the surroundings to fall slightly. “Old man, are you threatening me?”

True Immortal Chong Shan’s expression didn’t even change. “I’m just speaking the truth. Who would have thought that of the 3 Holy Artifacts of the Elysium, 2 of them are right in front of me!”

As he spoke, he smiled and made a slight gesture at Dai Yikong and Lou Zhe. It was a clear indication that they should hand him the Elysium Boundary Marker and Origin Holy Artifact.

Under such circumstances, the lives of Lou Zhe, Dai Yikong, Huang Yu, Lou Yi who was still breaking through, Shan Yunchao whose fate was unknown at the moment, and every other cultivator in the Heavenly Lake Elysium were under the control of the 2 Martial Void Realm experts who arrived.

Even though True Immortal Chong Shan seemed to have gained the upper hand in their first exchange, it was because True Immortal Tang Yu had many concerns and had to control the extent of the damage they would cause.

No matter how unwilling she was at that point, she had no choice but to take a step back. “Alright, you can leave. You can even bring the rest of your disciples away, but the one breaking through has to die. I’ll refine him in the Origin Holy Artifact to restore the world origin and power of the Elysium he absorbed!”

𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

True Immortal Chong Shan’s expression darkened and he roared with rage, “True Immortal Tang Yu, are you really going to eliminate the last hope of my Lou Family?”

A sneer remained on Tang Yu’s face as she remained in the ball of lustrous mist in mid air.

Eventually, a soft sigh escaped True Immortal Chong Shan’s lips. “Since you aren’t willing to let my grandson go... Rather than dying in your hands, why don’t I send him on his way?”

As soon as the words left his lips, True Immortal Chong Shan’s projection appeared in front of the Origin Holy Artifact that resembled a giant Stone Mortar. He smacked the treasure heavily.

DONG...

A dull blast rang through the Heavenly Lake Elysium and everything within seemed to freeze for a second.

In the space within the Origin Holy Artifact, Lou Yi’s transformation stopped.

Lou Yi, who was in a state of deep cultivation during the transformation of his Dipper Origin, opened his eyes violently. Before he could make sense of the situation, he was struck by a massive backlash. Boundless energy burst forth and his body exploded instantly. The only thing that was left in the Stone Mortar was a layer of Origin Liquid.

From the time True Immortal Chong Shan’s projection forced Lou Yi’s advancement to fail to Lou Yi turning into a puddle of Origin Liquid, not even a second had passed.

Even True Immortal Tang Yu, who was much stronger than the projection, didn’t have time to react.

“What are you doing?!” True Immortal Tang Yu roared and she seemed to have guessed something. She was stuck in a state of disbelief, or to put it more accurately, she found what he had done hard to accept.

True Immortal Chong Shan’s projection pointed at the Origin Holy Artifact and the puddle of Origin Liquid that contained the essence of half a True Immortal emerged before going straight into his mouth.

True Immortal Chong Shan’s aura nearly tripled the instant he swallowed the liquid, but he quickly restrained it.

His aged appearance started to fade as he returned to the prime of his life. A middle-aged cultivator whose facial features were sharp and exuded an imposing air was revealed.

Pressing his lips together, True Immortal Chong Shan looked like he wasn’t satisfied with what he devoured and he sighed softly, “It’s a shame... He failed to complete the transformation and I’m afraid it won’t be enough for me to reach the third tier of the Martial Void Realm... Fortunately, it allowed me to regain 50 to 60 years of my life! It’s not as though I made a complete loss this time.”