Chapter 20: The Curtain Falls

"Go."

"Quick, go. Flee."

"Scatter and run."

With the command of Demon Hand Patriarch, the entire army of the Heartless Sect instantly collapsed. Even great formations like the Heartless Boundless Formation, the Heartless Boundless Array, and the Two Realms Calamity Dragon Birth Extinction Array directly disintegrated. One by one, Celestial Immortals and True Immortal gods took some 'Heavenly Immortals and Loose Immortals' into their immortal mansions, then madly fled in all directions.

For a time, the battlefield was densely packed with figures of immortals and demons. So many immortals and demons were fleeing that the Nuwa camp dared not actively dissolve their formations.

"Haha, these damned Heartless Sect have been scared out of their wits. Feiyou, let's compete to see who can kill more True Immortal gods."

"Fine, a competition it is."

One after another, Seven Luminaries gods madly charged in all directions, sweeping everything before them. The 'Ten Thousand Immortals World Destruction Formation' launched ultra-long-range attacks from afar. Originally, the Ten Thousand Immortals World Destruction Formation had only been auxiliary on the battlefield, but when used against True Immortal gods, it could be called a slaughter.

After all, any single strike from the Ten Thousand Immortals World Destruction Formation had the power of a Patriarch.

"Boom~~" "Bang~~" The entire battlefield roared. The Nuwa camp's army slaughtered madly, doing their utmost to kill as many as possible. After all, killing more now meant fewer enemies in the future.

And what terrified the Heartless Sect army the most was undoubtedly the demon god Ji Ning, who had transformed into a black electric serpent.

The demon god Ji Ning's divine swords swelled to a million zhang in length. Six divine swords swept in all directions. Wherever he arrived, he swept that area clean, chilling the hearts of the Heartless Sect.

"Haha, Beiming, having your Dao companion buried with us is worth it."

"Beiming, we'll go first. You won't live long either."

The slaughtered True Immortal gods cursed angrily.

But the demon god Ji Ning killed coldly.

He held no hatred for these ordinary True Immortal gods of the Heartless Sect. But this was war. They were on opposing sides! If he didn't kill them all, they would kill the Nuwa camp. There was no choice! To let more of his own side survive, he had to kill more, slaughter more at this moment.

…

After all, the Heartless Sect's army had completely disintegrated into countless True Immortal gods, densely packed and too numerous. Scattering as they fled, some eventually reached the Heartless City.

On the city walls of Heartless City.

Watching the occasional True Immortal god escape in, while the vast majority were slaughtered in the wilderness, Black Robe Godking and Demon Hand Patriarch wore grim expressions.

Disastrous!

The loss was too devastating!

This was the outcome of being slaughtered!

If back then, when the Myriad Things Emissary first appeared, Xuanyuan's army had been forced to retreat, at least the Nuwa camp's army had retreated in an orderly manner. But this time, they were completely routed, forcing Demon Hand Patriarch to issue the order for 'free retreat'.

"It's all because of this Ji Ning." Demon Hand Patriarch said hoarsely.

It was Ji Ning, who in an instant broke the Heartless Boundless Array, killed the Boundless Demon God, and even captured their trump card, the 'Myriad Things Emissary'. Moreover, this demon god Ji Ning could even use the Nine-Angle Electric Serpent Escape Art... With such an escape technique, his pursuit was too terrifying.

"Damn it." Black Robe Godking's eyes flashed with cold light.

Time flowed like an hourglass, gradually passing.

A large number of True Immortal gods were slaughtered on the battlefield, while occasionally some escaped back.

Finally...

The battlefield fell silent. There were no longer any living True Immortal gods of the Heartless Sect on the entire battlefield.

The demon god Ji Ning, with the fiercest killing intent, looked up at Black Robe Godking on the city wall of Heartless City. The murderous look in his eyes chilled the heart. At this moment, Ji Ning truly wanted to charge straight into Heartless City and fight the Godking. But he also saw 'Demon Hand Patriarch' beside Black Robe Godking. Demon Hand Patriarch was a terrifying existence who had fought fiercely with Nuwa herself during the ancient destruction war. If he really charged up, Demon Hand Patriarch would likely have a reason to act, and might slap him to death with one blow.

He was still not strong enough to face such top-tier existences in the Three Realms.

…

On the Heartless City side, there was pain, anger, and unwillingness, while the Nuwa camp was filled with joy.

The seven great powers on the city wall were all smiling.

"We won." Lord Sanqing stroked his beard and smiled.

"When Beiming said he would join the battle in a month, he truly had the strength, not empty words." Buddha Tathagata said cheerfully, "With the Luohu Formation, he could display such power. Look at how he commanded the Luohu Demon God and even used the Nine-Angle Electric Serpent Escape Art. It seems he has fully mastered all the power of the Luohu Formation, with no leakage."

"Yes." Fuxi nodded, curious, "I wonder how Ji Ning managed it. Perhaps it has something to do with the Moon Under the Abyss."

"Moon Under the Abyss?" Buddha Tathagata also nodded, "After Jueming emerged from the Moon Under the Abyss, though he sat in meditation for a long time and rarely came out, his strength became something even I find hard to determine. Ji Ning also came out of the Moon Under the Abyss on his own; he must have gained something special."

"Probably so."

"That should be the case."

The great powers spoke. The Moon Under the Abyss was quite mysterious in their hearts; they had tried every means but could not enter.

Because the black-robed Ji Ning was nearby, he heard the great powers' conversation clearly. They even watched his expression, but clearly, Ji Ning at this moment... was not in the mood. He still could not fully emerge from the pain and anger of Yu Wei's death.

"Withdraw the troops." Xuanyuan Huangdi gave the order.

…

Heartless City.

"It's over." Demon Hand Patriarch's face was somewhat pale. Losing so badly was a first. "Over two thousand True Immortal gods, and less than two hundred survived in the end."

Black Robe Godking was silent for a long time, then couldn't help asking, "Uncle-Master, how could this Ji Ning be so strong? I simply can't understand. Could he already be a Patriarch, deliberately concealing his aura and pretending to be a True Immortal god? If he were a Patriarch, he would not be allowed to meddle in the struggle for fortune."

"If he were a Patriarch, he would have comprehended the Heavenly Dao." Demon Hand Patriarch said softly, "But I observed very clearly. Although this Beiming's sword technique is supremely exquisite, even the best in the Three Realms, that is because he has mastered Wu Bao's sword art to perfection, allowing his sword to surpass the limits of the Heavenly Dao, combined with his subtle skill. In his sword technique, I cannot detect any other Heavenly Dao principles."

"Whether in movement, combat, or anything else, I find no trace of the Heavenly Dao's mysteries."

"Moreover—"

"If he truly had comprehended the Heavenly Dao, then the Heart Demon, who is merged with the Heavenly Dao, would definitely notice." Demon Hand Patriarch looked at the Godking. "The Heart Demon is your master."

Black Robe Godking was startled, then helplessly nodded. Yes, if Ji Ning could comprehend the Heavenly Dao and cause a response from the Heavenly Dao, how could he hide it from Heart Demon Lord, who was merged with the Heavenly Dao?

"Then could he have become a True God?" Black Robe Godking couldn't help asking.

Demon Hand Patriarch frowned at Black Robe Godking: "The Luohu Formation uses magical power to command the Heavenly Immortals and Loose Immortals, guiding and controlling the boundless power of heaven and earth. Even a True God, with only powerful divine power, would be useless. Even a True God could not command the Luohu Formation to such an extent. Don't you even know that?"

Black Robe Godking bowed his head at the reprimand. He was just unwilling, truly unwilling.

A pawn he had dismissed as insignificant had ultimately ruined the entire battle situation.

"Then what do we do?" Black Robe Godking couldn't help asking. "Now that the Myriad Things Emissary has been taken, Ji Ning has both his true body and second soul. His true body commands the Luohu Formation, and his second soul can fully command the Myriad Things Emissary. With his terrifying sword technique, combined with the Emissary's strength, the Emissary he commands... might become another Luohu God."

The Godking guessed wrong.

He didn't know...

Ji Ning actually had Patriarch-level magical power. Patriarch-level magical power commanding the Myriad Things Emissary, combined with Ji Ning's terrifying sword technique, would recreate the combat power of the Myriad Things Emissary under Myriad Things Lord during the ancient destruction war. The Myriad Things Emissaries of that war were close to the leader level; three or five of them together could fully match the leaders of the Buddhist and Daoist sects.

Clearly, whether in magical power or sword technique, Ji Ning was enough to make the Myriad Things Emissary he commanded display strength close to the 'leader' level! It would far surpass the current Luohu God and be almost on par with Bodhi, Source Elder, and the like.

"He has one true body and one second soul." Demon Hand Patriarch also frowned. "Troublesome, indeed troublesome. Alright, let's go back and think this over carefully. Let your masters also consider how to deal with this Ji Ning."

Previously, the Nuwa camp had headaches over the Myriad Things Emissary.

Now it was the Heartless Sect's turn to have headaches over Ji Ning.

"Now, we leave the Zhuolu Great World." Demon Hand Patriarch said in a low voice.

This war was lost. It was time to leave.