Chapter 989: A United Will is an Impregnable Stronghold (I)

The towering Tree of Longevity twisted and coiled like a flood dragon across hundreds of li, trapping the numerous powerful cultivators with its branches and vines. It looked like deities and devils had brought about the end of the world.

Chu Liang watched from afar and rapidly spread out his divine sense. He searched for the thickest part of the Tree of Longevity's true form, then he charged toward it without hesitation.

He thought that the chain of having to kill the Dao Master of Longevity to destroy the Tree of Longevity and having to destroy the Tree of Longevity to kill the Dao Master of Longevity... was absolutely absurd. Nevertheless, there was no helping it. One way or another, he had to kill both of them.

Just as Chu Liang arrived at the battlefield, he saw the Noble Dharma kill the Divine Phoenix King. The Divine Phoenix King's crimson-gold blood sprayed across the sky like mist drifting through the air.

If no one stopped the Noble Dharma, there was no doubt he would continue his rampage. Within the Forest of Longevity, time was under the Noble Dharma's control. Who could say how many of those trapped powerful cultivators would meet their end at his hands during this time?

Thoughts raced through Chu Liang's mind as he dove down.

But how am I supposed to stop the Noble Dharma? Even my most powerful attack wouldn't be able to threaten him.

Then a possible solution popped into his mind. He could theoretically use the Great Dao of Creation to create all kinds of life forms. However, if he wanted to reproduce something that already existed in this world, he had to understand its fundamental laws of existence first, and that was far from easy.

But what if it's something that doesn't exist in this world?

That thought opened up a whole new path in his mind.

Great Dao of Creation, grant me your power!

Filled with courage, Chu Liang dove through the boundless clouds above the Forest of Longevity. His hands moved swiftly, making a chain of hand seals as he descended.

"First, I invoke the heavens and earth to stir. Second, I invoke ghosts and spirits to be afraid.[1]

"Third, I invoke the old Daoist of Mount Mao. Fourth, I invoke Sun Boling! Fifth, I invoke the Supreme Elder. Sixth, I invoke Taibai Jinxing! Seventh, I invoke Zhu Bajie. Eighth, I invoke Sun Wukong! Ninth, I invoke the Primordial Lord of the Heavens. Tenth, I invoke the Grandmaster of the Heavens. ... I invoke the Jade Emperor. I invoke Buddha. ..."

Chu Liang invoked a long list of legendary figures from his original world. These were the supreme beings in Chu Liang's heart, each one bearing tremendous divine might. Under normal circumstances, they could never appear in this world. Nevertheless, now that Chu Liang had grasped the Great Dao of Creation, everything was different.

Their corporeal forms began to manifest in this world.

At this moment, the Noble Dharma was about to use the power of the East Sea Chrono Wheel to kill several cultivators, the ones nearest to him. However, a sudden gust of wind swept over his head. He looked up and was utterly stunned!

The sky was filled with deities and buddhas, and they were descending toward the Forest of Longevity!

He didn't recognize them, but those supreme beings radiated with divine might. Every one of them was comparable to the overlords he had seen in the higher realms. It was likely that the sight of these divine beings would only frighten one person in the mortal realm—the Noble Dharma.

He was the only one who had been to the higher realms. He knew what true deities and buddhas looked like. They were exactly like this!

Furthermore, the qi they exuded was real, proving they weren't illusions or fabrications. These were real divine beings who had descended to this lower realm.

For a moment, the Noble Dharma had no idea what he should do. Should he flee or drop to his knees and beg for mercy?

Then his rational side kicked in and quickly reminded him that there were restrictions on this mortal realm. Beings with such overwhelming power couldn't possibly descend to it.

What in the world is going on?

Meanwhile, those divine figures finally landed in the Forest of Longevity and began attacking the Noble Dharma's trees. Yet, their actions only put the Noble Dharma at ease.

The power they displayed wasn't that of supreme beings. These were fake deities and buddhas.

Enraged, the Noble Dharma snarled, "DIE!"

With a wide sweep of his sleeve, he sent those deities and buddhas scattering.

However, just then, someone silently landed behind the Tree of Longevity. It was, of course, Chu Liang.

Taking advantage of the moment when the Noble Dharma's attention was drawn to the numerous divine beings, Chu Liang raised Deity Pan's Bone and drove it fiercely toward the Tree of Longevity.

Even an Eminent One who had just reached the eighth realm wouldn't necessarily be able to harm the Tree of Longevity unless they were like Di Nufeng, the ferocious and formidable Dao Master of Incinerating Heaven.

Nevertheless, the object in Chu Liang's hand was Deity Pan's Bone—an invaluable treasure that rivaled the finest legendary artifacts and was the most effective weapon in existence against demons, devils, and evil entities!

Schk.

Deity Pan's Bone pierced straight into the trunk of the Tree of Longevity!

...

The protruding, pulsating veins coiled around the trunk of the Tree of Longevity like flood dragons all tensed at once, and a strange, blood-curdling scream rang out across the land.

"AAAAAAHHHHH!"

Gray specks of light sprayed out like a fountain from the wound in the trunk, unleashing a powerful shockwave that nearly sent Chu Liang flying.

Noticing the disturbance, the Noble Dharma's expression turned from anger to shock.

Then his divine sense picked up Chu Liang's presence, and he roared furiously, "You little scumbag!"

Whoosh.

With a rush of wind, the Noble Dharma appeared above Chu Liang and threw out a fierce buddha palm strike, intending to crush Chu Liang under his palm.

However, that strike never landed on Chu Liang. The huge hand of a vajra warrior reached out above Chu Liang and blocked the Noble Dharma's palm strike.

Wham!

It was Lu Jiuwai!

Earlier, after being ensnared by countless branches and vines, Lu Jiuwai summoned all his strength and broke free with a loud crack. More branches and vines reached for him endlessly, but they could no longer fully restrain the Xuanhuang Battle Armor. Lu Jiuwai was among the first few to break free from the Tree of Longevity's bindings.

He noticed that the Noble Dharma looked extremely anxious, indicating Chu Liang might have actually dealt a serious blow to the Tree of Longevity.

Without a second thought, Lu Jiuwai charged through the vines and branches pulling at him. Then he raised his hand to shield Chu Liang.

This was the protection of a brother from the Great Astral Sect!

With Lu Jiuwai by his side, Chu Liang was filled with a sense of security as he focused on the task on hand. He drove Deity Pan's Bone deeper into the trunk and then dragged it downward, ripping the trunk open with a crack. He enlarged the wound by several times!

This time, the specks of light spraying out from the Tree of Longevity gushed down like a waterfall!

"AAAAHHHH!"

As a shrill and eerie cry rang out from the trunk of the Tree of Longevity, the Noble Dharma trembled violently. He was furious but also extremely afraid.

He plunged headfirst into the giant tree and merged with it once again. He twisted all the branches and vines into countless huge buddha palms that moved to smack Chu Liang one after another!

Faced with the Noble Dharma's overwhelming strength, many of the trapped cultivators had already begun to despair. Then they felt the pressure pushing down on them suddenly lighten. The barrage of attacks was being focused entirely on spot!

That was when they finally noticed what was happening. The Noble Dharma's target was Chu Liang! Chu Liang had broken through the towering Tree of Longevity and drawn all of the Noble Dharma's fury toward himself.

Hundreds of huge buddha palms, formed from Yang Wood, all went smacking toward Chu Liang. Lu Jiuwai blocked the first buddha palm and then the second, but he was finally pushed aside by the third and fourth, leaving Chu Liang exposed and defenseless once more!

Nevertheless, Chu Liang didn't care. He continued running around the Tree of Longevity and dragging Deity Pan's Bone through it, draining its blood!

"STOP!!!" the Noble Dharma yelled desperately as he sent more buddha palms after Chu Liang.

Boom.

Another huge buddha palm lunged toward Chu Liang, but this one didn't land on Chu Liang either. It was stopped by an inferno.

The raging flames and wind parted to reveal a beautiful, domineering woman.

She shouted, "You want to hit my disciple?! Did you ask me, your grandmother, first?"

Di Nufeng was wreathed in divine fire, wild surging waves of turbulent flames. Even the Yang Wood, which had been unafraid of the Divine Phoenix Fire, twitched and evaded under the blaze of her fire.

Two huge buddha palms smacked down on her in quick succession and slammed her into the ground, stacking on top of her. A third huge hand clenched into a fist and ruthlessly pounded her!

Wham, wham, wham!

After the three heavy attacks, the earth split open, and crushed rocks flew into the air.

With a pop, Di Nufeng burst up from the ground in the distance. She shook her hair out and barked, "Unfilial brat. He nearly pounded me to death!"

Chu Liang had just run almost half the circumference of the Tree of Longevity when another huge buddha palm rushed over to block his path. The fierce wind it brought blew his hair upward, but he neither flinched nor dodged.

Schk!

A powerful beam of swordlight shot over from afar and sliced through eight of the huge buddha palms near Chu Liang.

The Imperial Supervisory Commissioner hovered in midair with the Seven-Star Sword in hand and shouted to Chu Liang, "You need not be afraid!"

1. This is a chant that originates from traditional Chinese folk culture, often used for showmanship or spiritual effect in Chinese folk rituals and performances. The line is basically just saying the world will be shaken up because of the legendary figures being summoned in the next paragraph. See the Translator's Thoughts for info on those legendary figures. ☜