“Let me finish this Go match!”
After the Azure Emperor spoke, he did not wait for Jiang Lianshan to agree but immediately charged at Gu Hai.
“How bold!”
“Traitor, how dare you act presumptuously before His Holy Eminence?!”
“Take him down!”
The soldiers and officials shouted furiously. Some of the consecrates even wanted to rush forward to restrain the Azure Emperor and claim some credit.
“Shut up!” the White Emperor suddenly barked.
The White Emperor’s angry shout made them all freeze.
The expressions of the officials, soldiers, and consecrates changed as they looked at the White Emperor.
The White Emperor still dares to help the Azure Emperor? Is she not afraid of attracting trouble to herself and getting slapped with the label of abetting a traitor?
However, this was the White Emperor, someone whose authority surpassed that of ordinary officials in the Yan Heavenly Dynasty.
The consecrates and officials looked at Jiang Lianshan.
They saw that Jiang Lianshan did not stop the Azure Emperor. Instead, regret flashed in his eyes, like disappointment in the Azure Emperor.
At this moment, the White Emperor also felt incredibly shocked.
The White Emperor had heard the conversation between Gu Hai and Jiang Lianshan. Using the situation as a Go board and people as Go stones? To think that Gu Hai even included me?
No. It was the Azure Emperor and Gu Hai who included me—and everyone else. Unfortunately, Gu Hai was more skilled, foiling the Azure Emperor’s plan.
If Gu Hai were not more skilled, what would have happened? Would the others and I have remained ignorant until the Azure Emperor assassinated His Holy Eminence?
The Azure Emperor had a good scheme. However, he met Gu Hai.
The Azure Emperor rebelled, and Gu Hai ensured the entire world knew about it. Given that, the Azure Emperor has to die, even if he does not want to. This is a major crime. No one can save him. This is why these officials who previously were respectful to the Azure Emperor dare to glare and shout at him.
However, no matter how big the crime, he is still the Azure Emperor. It is not your place to criticize him.
In the end, the White Emperor protected the Azure Emperor’s pride, as well as her own.
Hence, no matter how righteous these officials’ words were, the White Emperor had to shut them up.
Jiang Lianshan watched coldly, remaining silent.
He saw the one-armed Azure Emperor arrive before Gu Hai in a flash.
Ao Shun made to step forward.
“Ao Shun, step back,” Gu Hai said coldly.
“Yes!”
Ao Shun immediately moved to the side. Before that, he handed the Vine World Calabash back to Gu Hai.
Gu Hai waved.
Boom!
The Vine World Calabash erupted with countless vines to protect him.
Gu Hai held the Black Mountain Token and controlled the manifested Nezha.
“Third Crown Prince, sorry to trouble you with this. I will bring you to life in the future,” Gu Hai said.
[TL Note: Third Crown Prince is one of Nezha’s titles.]
“Alright. I believe you!” Nezha shouted.
Nezha’s figure flashed as he charged at the Azure Emperor.
Nezha thrust his Fire-Tipped Spear at the Azure Emperor.
Boom!
The Azure Emperor had only one hand. The attack immediately knocked him back.
Nezha pressed on, charging again.
“Gu Hai, we have never misjudged a person in our life. However, we made mistake after mistake, starting with you. Today, there is no redeeming ourself. In that case, we will bury you with us!” the Azure Emperor howled.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The battle between Nezha and the Azure Emperor produced powerful shock waves.
Jiang Lianshan waved.
Whoosh!
The Lianshan Ritual Array activated, forming a barrier around Gu Hai, the Azure Emperor, and Nezha.
The battle inside the barrier was extremely intense. Nezha was incredible, but the Azure Emperor was no weaker. If not for the loss of his right arm, which significantly weakened the Azure Emperor, Nezha would not be his match.
The longer they fought, the more ferocious the Azure Emperor became.
Over time, it seemed like Nezha would not hold off the Azure Emperor.
“Vine sea!” Gu Hai glared.
Boom!
Countless vines immediately rushed out of the Vine World Calabash and surrounded the three, preventing others from seeing the situation inside.
“Huh?” Jiang Lianshan narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Fire!” Gu Hai shouted coldly.
Boom!
Suddenly, surging flames leaked out from the cracks in the vine ball.
“The Samādhi True Flame? You!” The Azure Emperor’s startled and furious voice came from the vine ball.
“Metal vine!” Gu Hai shouted once more.
“The Immortal Slaying Flying Saber? That’s impossible! It’s not the Immortal Slaying Flying Saber. What is this? I recall now! It’s the Immortal Slaying Calabash’s vine. Long Zhanguo gave it to you. What sharp metal-attributed energy!” the Azure Emperor exclaimed.
“Earth!” Gu Hai shouted.
“The Renewing Soil? Trying to sink me in mud? Gu Hai, you truly have a lot of treasures!” the Azure Emperor said in shock.
Everyone outside itched with curiosity. They did not know what was happening inside, only that Gu Hai’s various treasures were working together to trap the rampaging Azure Emperor.
It took many treasures and that Third Crown Prince Nezha to block the severely injured Azure Emperor.
Another furious shout came from the vine ball. “I underestimated you. However, Gu Hai, we still have one move that you definitely cannot block. All-Knowing Fond Emotion Technique! Attack!”
“Huh?” Jiang Lianshan’s face sank.
The White Emperor narrowed her eyes. “The All-Knowing Fond Emotion Technique? The Azure Emperor is going all out?”
Whoosh!
Now, Tang Gu flew over, leading a group of experts.
“Imperial Lord, what is the All-Knowing Fond Emotion Technique?” Tang Gu asked with a frown.
“This is a technique the Azure Emperor uses to project himself into someone else. It is a kind of soul attack. It will directly send his souls into Gu Hai’s body,” the White Emperor explained.
“Ah? Souls? Then, the Azure Emperor’s souls will enter the old…enter Gu Hai’s body?” Tang Gu’s face sank.
“Yes! Previously, the Azure Emperor left a strand of will in the bodies of others. Then, he used his Soul Energy to transcend time and space to possess that strand of will in their bodies. Now, he is going to pour all his souls into Gu Hai’s body, giving up his own body. He intends to go down with Gu Hai,” the White Emperor said.
“Is there no saving Gu Hai now?” Tang Gu asked in shock.
“It’s useless. The Azure Emperor is even willing to abandon his body. How is Gu Hai to resist that? This is a battle of spiritual souls. Spiritual souls do not grow strong in a day or two. Gu Hai has just established his heavenly palace and started cultivating his mortal soul, right? However, what about the Azure Emperor? How long has he been cultivating his souls? Gu Hai can never catch up with the Azure Emperor’s cultivation. Gu Hai’s spiritual souls will be destroyed for sure,” the White Emperor replied, her voice sinking.
Boom!
The vine ball bonged.
“Argh!”
The Azure Emperor’s scream came from the vine ball.
“What?” The White Emperor’s expression changed.
The consecrates in the surroundings appeared shocked. “That’s impossible! Why is the Azure Emperor the one who sounds miserable?”
“This heavenly palace! How can there be such a huge heavenly palace?!” the Azure Emperor yelled in fright.
The Azure Emperor’s body in the vine ball had stopped moving. Gu Hai’s body stopped moving as well.
Although Nezha shielded Gu Hai, the Azure Emperor’s three spiritual souls had still rushed into Gu Hai’s body.
Gu Hai closed his eyes and sent his consciousness into his body to the lower heavenly palace where his mortal soul was.
The Azure Emperor’s three spiritual souls had entered Gu Hai’s body and turned into three spiritual bodies. All of them flashed azure and were more than sixty-six meters tall.
Sixty-six meters. This was a horrifying number. After all, Ao Shun was also in the Upper Heavenly Palace Realm, but his spiritual souls were only thirty meters tall. Furthermore, the larger one’s spiritual soul was, the harder it was to grow them further. The Azure Emperor had cultivated for a long time before reaching this size.
Ordinary Lower Heavenly Palace Realm cultivators usually possessed mortal souls that were just dozens of centimeters tall. The Azure Emperor’s mortal soul could trample such mortal souls with one foot.
However, when the Azure Emperor’s three spiritual souls entered Gu Hai’s lower heavenly palace, he saw a scene that made his mind crumble.
One hundred sixty-three meters tall? Gu Hai’s mortal soul is one hundred sixty-three meters tall?
This is absurd!
“No! No! I must be seeing wrong. Break!” Each of the Azure Emperor’s three spiritual souls held an azure lotus that released an intense azure light at Gu Hai’s mortal soul.
Gu Hai’s mortal soul dodged. The light of that azure lotus crashed into the lower heavenly palace’s wall, causing the entire palace to shake.
“Oh? What treasure is that?” Gu Hai’s eyes widened.
Gu Hai extended his hand and swung the Mortal Soul Register at the Azure Emperor’s mortal soul.
“Watch my azure lotus!” the Azure Emperor shouted.
Boom!
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
Before the azure lotus could do anything, the Mortal Soul Register smashed into him, and crackling came from his mortal soul.
Whoosh!
The first azure lotus landed in the hands of Gu Hai’s mortal soul. He sensed a strange energy in it that felt like something his mortal soul needed greatly.
Gu Hai’s eyes widened. “This lotus has a divine nature? It contains boundless divine nature?”
Gu Hai opened his mouth and placed the lotus inside.
“What?” The Azure Emperor’s expression changed.
Crunch!
Gu Hai munched that lotus.
Boom!
Surging azure energy suddenly rushed into Gu Hai’s mortal soul, turning it azure.
“Hahaha! You are seeking death. The divine nature of this lotus is not easy to absorb. This azure lotus allowed our mortal soul to grow this much. However, it contains too much divine nature. No one can endure it. You will explode soon!” the Azure Emperor said while glaring.
However, Gu Hai’s mortal soul did not explode despite the Azure Emperor’s raving.
“It is not enough. You still have more azure lotuses. They are all mine now!” Gu Hai immediately stepped forward.
One hundred sixty-three meters tall versus sixty-six meters tall. Gu Hai was currently more than two times larger. It was like a burly man chasing three toddlers. They were simply not on the same level.
Thud!
Gu Hai knocked down the Azure Emperor’s earthly soul with a palm strike and simultaneously slammed the Mortal Soul Register on the Azure Emperor’s face, cracking the Azure Emperor’s earthly soul. Now, he obtained another azure lotus.
Crunch!
Gu Hai ate the azure lotus like peanuts.
“You’re actually not exploding?” the Azure Emperor said, wide-eyed.
“The foundation of my mortal soul is quite solid. The amount of divine nature it can accumulate is much more than yours. Naturally, I won’t explode. However, it is still not enough. I still lack one more before I can advance to the second layer of the Lower Heavenly Palace Realm.” Gu Hai charged over.
“No, I won’t let you have your way! I will self-detonate!” the Azure Emperor’s heavenly soul exclaimed in a rage.
Boom!
Gu Hai sent the Azure Emperor’s heavenly soul flying with a palm strike and the Mortal Soul Register. Countless cracks appeared in the Azure Emperor’s heavenly soul.
Crunch! Gu Hai ate the last azure lotus.
Buzz!
Surging azure energy filled Gu Hai’s mortal soul.
“It is finally full. Divine nature, activate!” Gu Hai shouted.
Boom!
The boundless azure energy rushed to the head of Gu Hai’s mortal soul.
Buzz!
Gu Hai’s mortal soul returned to its original appearance. However, an azure halo now shone behind his head.
Powerful divine might immediately pressed down on the Azure Emperor’s three shattered spiritual souls.
“How…how can this be? A divine nature halo? Hahaha!” The Azure Emperor tried to rush out in pain.
However, while entering the lower heavenly palace was easy, leaving was not.
“The Lower Heavenly Palace Realm’s second layer. The azure wood divine nature halo can intimidate the mortal souls of all wood-attributed cultivators?” Gu Hai’s mortal soul seemed to be in an ebullient mood.
“Explode!” the Azure Emperor’s three spiritual souls roared in despair.
He evidently wanted to take Gu Hai’s lower heavenly palace down with him.
“Humph! Don’t explode in our lower heavenly palace!” Gu Hai’s mortal soul waved a hand.
The Azure Emperor’s three spiritual souls flew out, expelled with boundless force.
Boom!
Gu Hai’s vine ball exploded, immediately revealing the three within.
Gu Hai seemed to have a faint azure halo behind his head. A severely injured Nezha stood before him, having shielded him from the explosion.
The Azure Emperor’s shattered souls returned to his body. Although Gu Hai’s treasures no longer pressured him, he appeared to be in a sorry state.
“Hah! Hahahahaha! We hate it! We truly hate it! Why did we not kill you earlier?! Why?! Hahahaha!” the Azure Emperor laughed in despair.
“You should have expected such a day to come the moment you killed my wife.” Gu Hai finally revealed some of his resentment as he looked at the Azure Emperor.
This revelation startled the Azure Emperor. He stared at Gu Hai in disbelief. “You…you pitted yourself against us because of Chen Xianer?”
To the Azure Emperor, women were like clothes. He would not possibly seek revenge over the death of just one woman.
“What do you think?” Gu Hai said sullenly.
“Hah! Hahahaha! Hahahahaha! Cough! Cough! Cough! Cough!”
The Azure Emperor guffawed sorrowfully. As he laughed, he started coughing. Then, he coughed out two mouthfuls of blood and stopped breathing.
The Azure Emperor fell.
Chapters for August: 05 / 30