Chapter 1362: Sudden Change in the Situation

"In the final analysis, it's still a conflict over the Great Dao... but it's also equivalent to the entanglements of the previous life. Now that you have turned to comprehending reincarnation, you should understand even more that such struggles are unavoidable. At present, the ties between you and me are not many, and moreover, there is no longer a conflict over the Great Dao. Why not let go of the enmity here and now? I might be able to help you reach the pinnacle of the laws of reincarnation and rank among the Seven Lords. What do you think?" Gu Huojin sighed and advised.

"For you, it's merely a matter of reincarnation, with not even a trace of these memories in your mind. But for me, it is a painful experience branded into my very bones, impossible to eradicate even by scraping the bones and peeling the skin. Moreover, the grievances between the Heavenly Court and the Reincarnation Hall over the years have long ceased to be a matter between you and me alone; they have become intertwined with the enmities and emotions of countless people. This karmic bond cannot be severed clearly." The Reincarnation Hall Master shook his head and said.

"Then, according to the Hall Master's intention, what do you plan to do?" Gu Huojin asked unhurriedly, as if he had long anticipated the Reincarnation Hall Master's answer.

"Only when a final reckoning is made between us, and one side completely dissipates from this world, can true peace be achieved." The Reincarnation Hall Master looked him straight in the eye and said word by word.

"Although we have fought endlessly in the past, I have always regarded you as a kindred spirit. Because many of your methods have surprised me greatly, I have always considered you a fellow traveler. Now it seems I was wrong. Your vision is ultimately too shallow." A look of disappointment appeared on Gu Huojin's face as he spoke slowly.

The Reincarnation Hall Master merely gazed quietly at Gu Huojin, saying nothing, as if waiting for him to continue.

"The death of your Dao companion, the conflict over the Great Dao between us, and even the countless lives and deaths of cultivators in the Reincarnation Hall and the Heavenly Court—all are merely disturbances under the Heavenly Dao. Have you never thought about what lies above the Heavenly Dao, something higher than the Heavenly Dao?" Gu Huojin flicked his sleeves, making the fabric rustle, and an air of unparalleled dominance was instantly revealed.

These words were spoken with great momentum, and anyone who heard them would feel deeply impressed.

"Striving to contend with the Heavenly Dao? You, sir, as the master of the laws of time and the head of the Seven Lords, stand at the pinnacle of all cultivators in the world. Are you still not satisfied?" The Reincarnation Hall Master smiled instead of being alarmed, saying this.

"It's not surprising that you don't understand me. After all, you are not yet a true Dao Ancestor and cannot feel the suffocating pressure of the Heavenly Dao pressing down on you. That feeling is truly... makes one want to punch through it." Gu Huojin paused for a moment, then suddenly clenched his fist and said.

Everyone present was startled upon hearing this, clearly never having seen Gu Huojin speak like this before, and also feeling that today's Gu Huojin was different, very different.

"The strong are beyond rules? Haha... Have you finally revealed your ambition? Unfortunately, I cannot wait to see you contend with the Heavenly Dao, and of course, you cannot wait either." The Reincarnation Hall Master suddenly burst into wild laughter.

As soon as his words fell, a sudden change occurred!

The void near the left and right sides of the Jade Pool suddenly trembled violently, and countless chaotic silver ripples appeared out of nowhere, churning the void like boiling water.

The entire Jade Pool had long been enveloped by powerful restrictions laid down by the various Dao Ancestors of the Heavenly Court. At this moment, rays of light containing immense power emerged, clashing fiercely with the silver ripples.

The power of the silver ripples was evidently immense, and the restrictions at the Jade Pool were at a disadvantage.

Torrents of force like thunderbolts penetrated into the Jade Pool. Some guests at the edge of the pool were directly blasted away, and those with weaker cultivation were severely injured, with cries of pain filling the air.

At that moment, white vapor flashed on both sides of the Jade Pool, and large swaths of white cloud emerged out of thin air, blocking in front of the silver ripples.

The boiling silver ripples were immediately stopped, and the surging force poured into the cloud vapor like mud oxen entering the sea, showing no effect at all.

A white shadow flashed above the Jade Pool, and the White Cloud Dao Ancestor appeared in a flash.

The severely injured cultivators, having escaped death, hurriedly flew toward the central area of the Jade Pool, causing a momentary commotion.

Beside the Jingming Lake, several Dao Ancestors, including Li Yuanjiu, saw this scene and their expressions shifted slightly. They all looked toward Gu Huojin and the Reincarnation Hall Master.

Gu Huojin sat upright on the high platform, his expression utterly unruffled, as if he had no interest in what was happening before him.

The Reincarnation Hall Master also remained silent, as if everything around him had nothing to do with him.

Seeing this, Li Yuanjiu and the Red Blaze Dao Ancestor's gazes flickered, their thoughts unknown.

Chen Ruyan pursed her lips slightly, revealing a smile.

The Hidden Brightness Dao Ancestor had closed his eyes, as still as an old monk in meditation, showing no reaction at all.

The other Dao Ancestors, seeing Gu Huojin's expression, also had varied looks—some puzzled, some frowning slightly, some observing, and some quietly retreating.

The White Cloud Dao Ancestor's gaze also flickered, but his movements were not hesitant. He pointed a finger.

Countless white clouds emerged from the void, covering the silver ripples on both sides like a blanket.

The various restrictions in the nearby void also immediately shone brightly, cooperating with the white clouds summoned by the White Cloud Dao Ancestor to suppress the silver ripples fiercely.

But the light of those silver ripples suddenly flared up, and two forces, overwhelming yet extremely sharp, surged out from within, tearing violently.

With a "rip" sound,

The white clouds on both sides of the Jade Pool were torn apart directly, and the restrictions only paused briefly before being shattered and swept away like dry weeds.

The White Cloud Dao Ancestor in midair trembled violently, as if struck by lightning, retreating more than ten steps before stabilizing himself.

Having been humiliated in front of everyone, the Azure Cloud Dao Ancestor's face flashed a purple hue. After steadying himself, he prepared to strike again.

On both sides of the Jade Pool, silver light flickered once more. The void split open directly, and two spatial passages emerged, dark and bottomless.

Countless figures flew out from the spatial passages, landing on either side of the Jade Pool. There were so many they formed a dense, black mass, with banners fluttering.

Those on the left side of the Jade Pool were all dressed in purple-black robes, exuding rolling demonic energy—they were the army of the Demon Realm.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with slender eyebrows and a square face, appearing like a refined scholar, yet his demeanor carried immense authority. He was the Demon Lord, Shi Kongyu.

Shi Kongyu wore a suit of purple armor covered in black patterns, with a blood-red cape fluttering behind him, radiating boundless majesty.

Beside him stood four people in a row.

On the left were a man and a woman. The man had straw-like, withered yellow hair and an emaciated body, like a skeleton wrapped in skin.

The woman was quite beautiful, with a slender waist and full hips. Every move she made exuded a seductive and sinister charm, like a blooming evil flower, inspiring both fear and irresistible attraction.

On Shi Kongyu's right stood two others. One was a woman in a white dress, tall and large, two heads taller than the Demon Lord, extremely obese. Her eyes were squeezed into slits by the fat on her face, and her neck was filled with layers of fat. She stood there like a mountain of flesh.

The other was a man in yellow robes, appearing only in his twenties. He wore an ordinary black sword at his waist and had a very common appearance, except for his eyes, which were extremely hollow and lifeless, without a glimmer of light.

If one had to use a word to describe this person's gaze, the most fitting would be 'death.'

The auras of these four people were unfathomable, all of them being Dao Ancestors.

Behind the Demon Lord and his group stood forty to fifty people, sparse in number, with profound and沉稳 auras—all were Great Luo realm existences.

Third Prince Shi Pokong and Fifth Princess Shi Jingyan were among them. Both had reached the Great Luo realm, though still at the early Great Luo stage.

Beside them stood another young man in royal attire, with a handsome face and a complexion full of purple aura, looking extremely noble.

This person's aura was exceptionally powerful, far stronger than Shi Pokong and the others, having actually reached the late Great Luo stage.

Further back were the demon army, whose cultivation levels were mostly above Golden Immortal. Clearly, the entire elite force of the Demon Realm was gathered here.

On the other side of the Jade Pool, the aura was wild—it was the true spirit clans of the Primordial Wasteland.

Three figures stood at the forefront, two of whom were Bai Ze and Yue Mian.

The third was a bald middle-aged man with a playful grin on his face.

The bald man wore an ancient bronze armor, devoid of spirit patterns or designs, as if it were an ordinary piece of mortal armor. Yet, when worn by him, it exuded a domineering aura that rivaled the heavens, no less imposing than Bai Ze or Yue Mian.

Behind the three stood thirty or forty beings at the Great Luo stage, including the other clan leaders of the Primordial Wasteland's eight tribes, as well as Li Qima, Xiao Bai, Liu Le'er, Hu San, and others.

The Primordial Wasteland army behind them was also the main force and elite of the wasteland tribes, mobilized in full strength.

The two sides immediately converged, the dense armies of demons and monsters surrounding the entire Jade Pool.

……

At the same time.

In the unknown realm, within the Ten Directions Ten Thousand Immortals Grand Formation.

Han Li's sleeves fluttered, and as he spread his large sleeves wide, golden light surged from the cuffs. Seventy-two Azure Bamboo Cloudswarm Swords shot forth, like two golden dragons charging wildly from his sleeves, flying straight toward the four figures that had just appeared ahead.

Wherever the golden lightning passed, the void trembled violently, stirring up lightning ripples as wide as ten thousand zhang.

Among the four, the one at the very front assumed a galloping posture in the void, swift as a tiger, blocking the other three. He brought his hands together and charged forward with a sudden thrust.

His hands pressed together were like a sharp sword, directly splitting the void left and right, whereupon golden light gushed forth, revealing a towering mountain peak condensed from golden light. Though it lacked the substance of a real mountain, it possessed the imposing momentum of one.

A colossal mountain peak, as if condensed from golden light, then stood across the front. The two golden dragons slammed into the golden mountain, but instead of piercing straight through, they bored two massive holes through the mountain's flanks and slid off to either side.

After the golden dragons' attack failed, they flew into the distant sky, directly dispersing into seventy-two sword-spirit children, each wrapped in golden electric threads, floating in the surrounding void.

The children, all with arms crossed, frowned as they watched the four people in the center, seemingly in no hurry to attack or to form an array.

"Four Dao Ancestors gracing me with your presence at the same time—I am truly honored." Han Li, with his hands behind his back, strode through the void.