In the eighteen layers of hell, the entrances to the various layers slowly closed. It looked like they would all close soon.
Kong Xuan stood in the second layer of hell’s entrance to the first layer of hell, looking around for Gu Hai.
However, Gu Hai was currently in the secret realm immortal firmament. Naturally, Kong Xuan could not see Gu Hai, only countless evil ghosts.
“Your Reverence! Your Reverence! Where are you? The entrance is about to close!” Kong Xuan shouted anxiously.
However, the surroundings remained quiet. Kong Xuan only looked for a while before sighing. He did not dare linger, so he prepared to return to the first layer of hell.
Just then, a beam of red light lit up the surroundings from a distance.
This was the red light from the crimson heavenly eye. A massive beam of light over three kilometers wide shot out of the secret realm immortal firmament and struck the land in the second layer of hell.
Boom!
The red light entered the ground, and the second layer shuddered. Numerous volcanos erupted simultaneously, and the entire world burned. Chaos broke out, and countless evil ghosts drowned in lava. A powerful aura of destruction spread out.
Kong Xuan’s hair stood on end when he sensed the might of that red light.
“What’s going on?” Kong Xuan exclaimed.
However, it was simply too late to investigate. He could only return to the first layer of hell anxiously.
Boom!
After Kong Xuan returned to the first layer of hell, all the passageways between the eighteen layers of hell closed.
Secret realm immortal firmament, the second layer of hell:
Under Heavenly Gautama’s control, the secret realm immortal firmament quickly mended.
The crimson heavenly eye in the sky looked around for a while but found no trace of Vairocana.
Buzz!
Suddenly, the crimson heavenly eye above the crimson clouds vanished.
The third eye on Heavenly Gautama’s forehead also closed.
“It is indeed a Heaven-defying treasure. It instantly destroyed the Sahā World. Hah! Gu Hai’s Divinity Destroying Light is far weaker than the crimson heavenly eye!” Jiang Gautama said confidently.
Heavenly Gautama walked to where Vairocana was destroyed.
Mortal Gautama and Jiang Gautama also carefully checked the surroundings.
However, everything about the Sahā World had been eradicated, leaving no trace behind.
“It got reduced to ashes and scattered?” Mortal Gautama commented curiously.
After Heavenly Gautama searched for a while, his eyes suddenly narrowed. He stepped to some rubble and picked up a fountain pen.
If Gu Hai were here, he would recognize this fountain pen. This was the treasure of Sa’s lackeys on Earth, the one which Sa had sealed a wisp of the time laws into. It helped his lackeys erase the memories of others as they carried out their missions.
However, this fountain pen no longer contained any time laws.
“What is this? Vairocana’s remnant?” Jiang Gautama smiled.
Heavenly Gautama frowned slightly as he looked at the surroundings. Then he closed his eyes and focused.
“Heavenly Gautama, what are you worried about? Vairocana is already dead!” Mortal Gautama smiled.
Heavenly Gautama frowned slightly. “Dead? But I keep feeling that he is not.”
“What? That’s impossible, right?!” Jiang Gautama exclaimed.
“I’m not sure, but this feeling is quite intense. Vairocana should be dead, but why do I feel this way?” Heavenly Gautama frowned.
“Perhaps because Gu Hai and Vairocana gave us too many shocks?” Mortal Gautama suggested.
Heavenly Gautama nodded. “Perhaps.”
The three looked around carefully again but simply could not find any sign pointing to Vairocana’s survival. Only then did they look at the Buddhist Energy sea.
The divine blood poison ant had already hidden within the Buddhist Energy sea.
“Gu Hai is dead for sure. That is the divine blood poison ant’s poison gland, the most dangerous place in the divine blood poison ant’s body. There’s no need to worry. In ancient times, consummate Upper Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators had been tossed into this poison gland to nourish the divine blood poison ant. No matter how strong he is, he is just in the early-stage Upper Heavenly Palace Realm.” Mortal Gautama smiled.
Heavenly Gautama nodded.
“Go and recuperate first. I’ll continue to refine this crimson heavenly eye,” Heavenly Gautama instructed.
“Yes!” the two answered.
The instant Kong Xuan flew out of the entrance to the second layer of hell, all the passageways between the eighteen layers of hell closed.
“Milord, His Reverence did not come out?” the Divine Demon Army soldiers asked anxiously.
Kong Xuan looked at the entrance with an unsightly expression. “I did not see His Reverence, but he will be fine. Just follow His Reverence’s commands before he left; guard the first layer of hell.”
“Yes!” the Divine Demon Army soldiers shouted in response.
The Divine Demon Army soldiers stood guard at the first layer of hell. They would have to wait for one thousand years before Gu Hai could next come out.
Although Kong Xuan told the Divine Demon Army not to worry, he still felt worried internally. After all, that earlier red light attack looked horrifying, almost destroying the entire second layer of hell.
While all the passageways between the eighteen layers of hell had closed, the entrance opened by the Reincarnation Lotus remained open and intact. Kong Xuan flew to that exit and used a zither puppet to communicate with Borderless Heavenly Capital. Soon, Mo Yike’s voice came from the zither puppet.
“Borderless Heavenly Capital’s blessings are intact. Everything is fine with His Reverence. Lord Kong, follow His Reverence’s arrangements; do not let anything go wrong.”
Kong Xuan let out his bated breath when he heard the zither puppet’s reply.
“Many thanks, Lord Mo. Since His Reverence is fine, I can stop worrying. Just wait for our good news,” Kong Xuan said to the zither puppet.
After putting away the zither puppet, Kong Xuan returned to the first layer of hell.
Upon entering, Kong Xuan heard loud reports in the distance.
“Argh!” countless Divine Demon Army soldiers screamed miserably.
Kong Xuan’s expression suddenly changed.
Although Kong Xuan had left for only a while, at least a month had passed in the first layer of hell. What happened in the past month?
Kong Xuan immediately flew to the center of the battlefield.
He saw a Jiang Gautama about to smash ten Divine Demon Army soldiers to pieces.
“Die!” Jiang Gautama said ferociously.
Kong Xuan’s expression changed as he instantly arrived before Jiang Gautama and threw a palm strike.
Boom!
A loud, overwhelming report rang out as an intense shock wave blew everyone back. As the two’s palms met, space trembled.
Jiang Gautama’s and Kong Xuan’s palms met, appearing equal. The two paused for a moment before moving back over three hundred meters.
“Kong Xuan?” Jiang Gautama snarled.
“Jiang Gautama? Aren’t you in the second layer of hell?” Kong Xuan exclaimed.
A faint crack on Jiang Gautama’s face was mending slowly.
“Lord Kong, he is the replica whom Vairocana killed previously. Back then, Vairocana split him in half, and he should have died. Who knew? He returned to life!” a Divine Demon Army soldier said anxiously.
“Oh? Jiang Gautama’s replica?” Kong Xuan narrowed his eyes.
Then Kong Xuan recalled. When they first entered the first layer of hell, Vairocana fought five Jiang Gautama replicas and killed one. The other four fled into the second layer of hell. After that, they had given the dead one no further thought.
“I understand now! I nearly forgot about the attributes of the eighteen layers of hell; it can restore everything. The eighteen layers of hell will fix those who get injured—or even die—here!” Kong Xuan’s face sank.
“Hah! Kong Xuan, you know quite a bit. However, I did not expect to return to life, either. Hahaha! Gu Hai and Vairocana entered the second layer of hell? They are dead for sure, then. Now that I have returned to life, you are dead for sure too!” Jiang Gautama said frostily.
“Dead for sure? It is not certain yet!” Kong Xuan said coldly.
“All Divine Demon Army soldiers, move aside. I’ll kill this Jiang Gautama replica!” Kong Xuan shouted coldly.
“Yes!” all the Divine Demon Army soldiers shouted.
As Kong Xuan spoke, he brought out his divine Dao domain. Azure light spread into the surroundings, and many Kong Xuan clones appeared. The image of a peacock deity hovered in the sky.
“Do you think you are the only one capable of a divine Dao domain?” Jiang Gautama sneered.
As Jiang Gautama spoke, he waved his hand.
Buzz!
A bright, golden light spread into the surroundings, and Jiang Gautama’s replica suddenly manifested ten thousand clones. When Jiang Gautama’s divine Dao domain spread out, a huge golden cicada image appeared above the domain.
“A golden cicada deity? So, the Gautama Heavenly Demon’s true form is a cicada spirit? Hahaha! Cicada spirits! My peacock race feasts on cicada spirits!” Kong Xuan guffawed.
After Kong Xuan spoke, the clones of the two clashed.
Boom!
Spirit Mountain Holy Land, Divine Continent:
The Divine Demon Army soldiers executed the five million Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples at Gao Xianzhi’s command.
Ao Sheng felt slightly worried as he stood at the side. However, Gu Hai had put Gao Xianzhi in charge and instructed that everyone obey Gao Xianzhi. Gao Xianzhi’s commands were equivalent to the emperor’s commands; no one dared disobey.
Some distance away, after the five million Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples’ execution:
Boom!
“Argh!”
“Argh!”
“Argh!”
A loud sound rang out, and ten-odd Divine Demon Army soldiers were knocked into the air.
“Huh?” Ao Sheng’s expression turned cold.
The Divine Demon Army soldiers showed stony expressions as they looked at the fog at the foot of the mountain.
Jiangchen slowly walked up the mountain with his subordinates, taking his time in making his way to the Hall of Great Strength’s entrance.
It was Long Aotian who had knocked the Divine Demon Army soldiers into the air.
The Divine Demon Army soldiers wanted to retaliate, but Gao Xianzhi shouted, “Stop!”
The Divine Demon Army soldiers appeared confused, but they backed off.
However, Gao Xianzhi showed an uncertain expression.
While others did not know how horrifying Jiangchen was, Gao Xianzhi, as one of the Han Imperial Dynasty’s core officials, naturally knew.
Jiangchen? The leader of the ancient shaman race. He had given the Long brothers a drop of blood eight hundred thousand years in the past, helping them reach their peak. He was the primogenitor of the jiangchen zombies.
Gu Hai had already classified Jiangchen as one of the strongest people in the world because of his various accolades. He was even more dangerous than Ji Dihong, Ba, or Essence Genesis.
Now, this person was walking over. Send the Divine Demon Army soldiers to fight him? What a joke!
Jiangchen stepped onto the Hall of Great Strength’s plaza and looked around, revealing a faintly satisfied expression. “Pretty good. The Spirit Mountain Holy Land is indeed a treasure land. This place is suitable for my abode.”
“Han Imperial Dynasty’s First Corps commander, Gao Xianzhi, greets Mister Jiangchen!” Gao Xianzhi bowed to Jiangchen extremely politely.
“Han Imperial Dynasty’s acting prime of the dragon national beasts, Ao Sheng, greets Mister Jiangchen!” Ao Sheng greeted, giving a slight bow.
As the two spoke, the Divine Demon Army soldiers stood at the side, remaining extremely wary.
The two’s polite greetings brought Jiangchen’s gaze back to them.
Looking at Gao Xianzhi, Jiangchen nodded. “Alright. You can go. This place is mine now.”
“Huh?” Gao Xianzhi felt slightly startled.
Then Jiangchen looked at the twenty flying ships hovering nearby. These were the spirit stones and treasures Gao Xianzhi gained from interrogating the Spirit Mountain Holy Land disciples. He had been preparing to move them back to Borderless Heavenly Capital to fill their treasury.
“These twenty flying ships are mine too,” Jiangchen suddenly said calmly.
While Jiangchen’s tone sounded calm, it did not permit any objection, feeling exceedingly overbearing.
