The Eternal God Emperor and the Demon Ancestor

Chapter 65 Haotian

In the Taiwei Realm, shattered stars and broken worlds lay scattered, divine blood and the embers of laws intertwined to form a dark red mist. The lingering power of the fierce battle between the God-Emperors was still churning in the void. The God of War and the Underworld Lord, their auras heavy and their divine armor stained with blood, fixed their gazes on the handsome man who had appeared. The atmosphere was extremely tense, as if a string would snap at the slightest touch.

The man's gentle yet imposing figure emerged slowly from the depths of the void. A purple-gold radiance surrounded him, his scholar's robes fluttered without wind, his face was like jade, and his brows and eyes held the composed air of someone who could rule all realms. He was none other than Haotian, the Lord of the Heavenly Palace, the strongest being in the Heavenly Court, and one of the former Twenty-Four Heavens.

He looked at Qingcang and the others, who seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, and smiled slightly. His gentle smile made the entire star field's atmosphere stagnate: "Why are you all so nervous? I am not some kind of monster."

Mingde, who was still catching his breath after recovering from the mental pressure of Qingcang, almost choked on his own breath upon hearing this. His eyes rolled back, and he thought to himself, "Big boss, with your reputation, it's normal for people to be afraid. Do you really think you can play the role of the Sword God of Shili Slope and pretend to be weak while actually being strong?"

Qing Cang, one of the four legendary figures of spiritual power in the underworld and the master of the Tiannan Ruins of Life and Death, had a solemn expression on his gaunt face. He had restrained his death energy to the extreme and said in a deep voice, "Since Haotian has arrived, how dare we be negligent?"

His words revealed his identity, and all the gods present were greatly shocked.

Haotian, who was ranked among the Twenty-Four Heavens of the Universe 250,000 years ago, has dominated the universe for hundreds of thousands of years, and has survived countless calamities. Today, both the Heavenly Court and Hell acknowledge Haotian as the strongest being in the world. His true form descended upon the Taiwei Realm, a vital star region leading to the Hell Realm, which was tantamount to half of the Heavenly Court pressing down on it, instantly stirring the nerves of all the powerful beings in the Hell Realm.

Gong Xuanzang, the Three Fiends Emperor, and the others abandoned their opponents, their divine senses piercing the void as they traversed the shattered starry sky, instantly gathering beside Qing Cang and confronting Haotian from afar. Each of them exuded an immeasurable, indestructible pressure, yet they could not conceal the solemnity in their hearts.

The figure of Yan Renhuan, the current patriarch of the Yama Clan, also emerged from the shadows, his brows furrowed deeply, his heart filled with turmoil: Haotian had actually come here in his true form! Was he not afraid that the defense line of the Boundless Divine Sea would be breached by the Nine Deaths Heavenly Emperor and others? That defense line was the key to resisting the Hell Realm.

Haotian, being such a figure, saw through the suspicions in everyone's hearts at a glance. He laughed loudly, his voice resounding across billions of miles of starry sky: "Everyone, there is no need to worry. I am not here to participate in the war. As for the Wuding Divine Sea defense line, you need not worry about it either. I have already persuaded Pangu's primordial spirit and Ancestor Chongming. Even if the Alien Emperor has the will, he would never dare to act rashly."

Yan Renhuan's pupils shrank sharply, and his heart was filled with even greater horror: even the old Chongming from the Demon God Realm, who had always been at odds with Haotian, had been persuaded? The price Haotian paid to stabilize the situation was probably far beyond imagination.

"Greetings, Haotian!"

The Lord of Truth, the Ancestor of Commerce, and other celestial gods quickly gathered, bowing respectfully in unison. With this number one figure of the era presiding over the battle, the previously precarious Taiwei Battlefield instantly gained confidence, and its decline vanished.

In the distant starry sky, the Undying Blood Clan Chief felt the overwhelming pressure that spanned the heavens. He slowly withdrew his monstrous blood aura, and the crimson divine wings that blotted out the sky behind him gradually closed, no longer suppressing his opponent. Zhenyu and Xuandao, who had been tightly restrained by him, took the opportunity to sort out their disordered divine energy, and their auras calmed down. The two had fought fiercely for many rounds without suffering serious injuries, clearly indicating that the Blood Clan Chief had never gone all out from beginning to end.

The vampire patriarch gazed at the two young prodigies before him, their energy surging and their talents extraordinary. A hint of emotion flickered across his aged face. "You two are quite remarkable. In my millions of years of cultivation, I have found few who can rival you."

As his lifespan drew to a close, nearing its end, the vibrant life force and vigorous Dao aura emanating from Zhenyu and Xuandao filled him with a profound sense of loneliness. As the patriarch of the Undying Blood Clan, his talent was among the most exceptional in the universe; even the Immovable King, who reigned supreme over the entire universe, had personally acknowledged his genius. Few of his generation's prodigies had survived to this day. Watching the astonishing talent displayed by Zhenyu and Xuandao in their battle, a red-clad figure, long forgotten by time, quietly resurfaced deep within his heart.

"Now that Haotian has descended, the war in Taiwei must be coming to an end. Yan Renhuan and the others are no match for Haotian. I should go and catch up with this old acquaintance of Haotian."

After giving Zhenyu and the other two a final, deep look, the vampire patriarch stopped and summoned a massive blood millstone that stretched across the starry sky. His blood energy surged as he rushed towards the core of the battlefield to join Yan Renhuan and the others.

At this moment, the place where Haotian stood had become the absolute core of the entire star field.

The several Netherworld giants who had previously besieged Mingde—the War God Netherworld Lord, the Netherworld Palace Master, and the Netherworld City Lord—were already drenched in sweat, their divine bodies taut. Although Haotian hadn't made a move, his astonishing, formless yet all-encompassing domain had already firmly enveloped them. They were all giants of the Great Freedom Boundless Realm, figures who would be awe-inspiring in any corner of the universe, yet before Haotian, they didn't even have the courage to raise a hand.

Everyone knows that Haotian sealed the heavens more than 200,000 years ago, and his current realm is unfathomable, no less than that of the Rebellious God Heavenly Venerable of yesteryear. Their cultivation levels are nothing compared to Haotian's; they wouldn't even be a match for him. Back then, the Ten Tribulations Heavenly Lord of the Kunlun Realm fought alone against the ten clan leaders of the Hell Realm, and although he ultimately perished, he still instilled fear in the gods. Haotian is only stronger than the Ten Tribulations Heavenly Lord of that time. If he were to forcefully attack today, they would undoubtedly be among the first to fall.

Thinking of this, the hearts of the War God and the Underworld Lord pounded wildly. Even with Yan Renhuan, Qing Cang, and other celestial beings by their side, they dared not make the slightest move. They knew in their hearts that if Haotian really wanted to kill them, Yan Renhuan and the others would not be able to protect them at all, not to mention that there was also the powerful and vengeful Mingde beside them.

Yan Renhuan remained silent for a moment, his divine sense quickly weighing the pros and cons, before finally speaking. His voice was steady yet tinged with a hint of compromise: "Haotian, since you have come in person, I will grant you this favor. The army of the Underworld shall immediately withdraw from the Taiwei Realm star field. The Heavenly Court shall not obstruct or pursue you. If you insist on fighting, we will fight to the bitter end!"

Haotian clapped his hands and laughed, his gaze deep: "As expected of Yan Renhuan, your thoughts are exactly the same as mine."

As soon as he finished speaking, his gentle expression suddenly turned stern, his majesty spreading across the starry sky: "The war in the Taiwei Realm should never have continued. The Taiwei God was loyal to the Heavenly Palace all his life. Even after the Kunlun Realm fell into silence, he still placed the Mother Realm in this forward position. Now that the realm has been destroyed and its people have perished, you have taken full advantage and it is time to stop."

When the death of Taiwei God was mentioned, a trace of undisguised guilt and heartache flashed across Haotian's eyes. Taiwei Realm was a key piece in the Heavenly Court's infiltration of the Underworld, and Taiwei God was the Heavenly Palace's most steadfast supporter. Its complete destruction was an immeasurable loss for the Heavenly Court.

Upon hearing this, the Three Fiends Emperor was unwilling and was about to argue when Gong Xuanzang, who was beside him, forcibly stopped him with his divine sense.

Their original plan was to exploit the discord between the Heavenly Realm faction and Mingde, using the God of War and the Underworld Lord to openly restrain Mingde, while their real killing move was Yan Renhuan, hidden in the shadows, who was prepared to eliminate this newly ascended supreme spiritual power in one fell swoop. But who could have predicted that Mingde would directly summon Haotian?

The entire plan fell through, and Yan Renhuan had no choice but to painfully abandon it. With Haotian present, all arrangements were futile; there was no other option but to cease hostilities and withdraw troops.

At this moment, the Blood Clan Chief arrived riding the Blood Mill. In an instant, he grasped the situation on the battlefield and immediately echoed Yan Renhuan's decision with his divine sense. The risk of war was too great, and the losses would not outweigh the gains. The strategic objective had already been achieved, and the plan to surround and kill Mingde was not even within the Undying Blood Clan's considerations. As for the Fierce God Venerable, Dingzu, and others who were suppressed by the Heavenly Court, they were even less relevant to him; their deaths were simply a matter of life and death.

Unlike the vampire patriarch's ruthless attitude, the Rakshasa Clan, the Temple of Destiny, the Death Clan, and other forces that suffered heavy losses were filled with resentment. However, Haotian's overwhelming power made it hard for them to breathe, so they could only suppress their anger and choose to retreat.

Under the command of Yan Renhuan and others, the gods of Hell began to evacuate in an orderly manner.

The gods of the Primordial Realm, trapped within the Myriad Fiends Netherfire Refining God Array, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the Dark Temple gods retreat. Had it not been for True Emperor Qing wielding a divine artifact to withstand the array's power, these dozen or so True Gods would have long since been refined into ashes.

The gods of the Dark Temple were filled with resentment. They were about to annihilate more than ten true gods of the Primordial Realm and seize a supreme treasure, but the orders of the Boundless Venerable were as solid as a mountain, and they dared not disobey. They could only reluctantly abandon the Primordial Gods and retreat towards the Hell Realm.

As they departed, several high-ranking gods, nearing the Great God realm, stared greedily at the dark yellow banner in the hands of True Emperor Dao. That banner possessed immense divine power; it was precisely because of it that the gods of the primordial world were protected from the vast majority of the Myriad Fiends Netherfire. Such a top-tier defensive treasure, held by a mid-ranking god, made them drool with desire, yet they could only watch helplessly as it slipped through their fingers.

Seeing the great formation dissipate, Zhen Qingdaohuang slowly withdrew the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, his divine energy nearly exhausted. Activating divine artifacts consumed terrifying amounts of energy; during the stalemate just now, the divine power of the dozen or so True Gods had already been nearly depleted. If the battle had not suddenly changed, their only option would have been to self-destruct their divine sources.

As Yanfeng Daojun gazed at the Xuanhuang Divine Banner, he exclaimed sincerely, "Thanks to the True Universe Divine Lord for bestowing this Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner, otherwise we would surely have been doomed!"

He had long heard that this flag was personally crafted by Zhenyu and was a top-tier defensive treasure in the world. Today, having witnessed its power firsthand, he was even more impressed by Zhenyu's strength and crafting skills.

Just as the gods of the primordial world were rejoicing at surviving such a calamity, Zhenyu's divine message arrived, informing them of Haotian's descent and the retreat of Hell's troops.

"The Jade Emperor himself has arrived! No wonder the gods of Hell have all retreated. With the Jade Emperor in charge, who dares to provoke the Heavenly Court!"

The gods of the primordial world were excited. The war was about to end, and they could finally return to the primordial world to recuperate. What the primordial world needed most now was time for stable development.

At the heart of the battlefield, Haotian stood with his hands behind his back in the starry sky, watching the army of the Underworld slowly retreat, his face calm and expressionless. The army had retreated, but the shattered star field beneath his feet, the floating corpses of gods, and the remaining scars of the laws all silently testified to the ferocity of the battle that had just taken place.

"Until we meet again, Haotian!"

Yan Renhuan and the others left a message and disappeared into the dark space.

Haotian did not respond, but turned to Mingde, his tone carrying a hint of concern: "Qingcang's death psychic power was extremely domineering, but it did not harm you fundamentally, did it?"

Mingde shook his head with a wry smile: "Qingcang's spiritual power is indeed well-deserved. Fortunately, Senior Haotian arrived in time, otherwise I would have had to fight desperately. As for Senior Haotian, since you're already here, why didn't you just take down the War God and the Underworld Lord directly? One move would have thrown the Underworld Clan into chaos!"

Haotian chuckled and slowly shook his head: "Killing the likes of the War God and the Underworld Lord is not difficult. But Qing Cang's spiritual power is already close to the ninety-third level, making him extremely troublesome. I am not confident that I can suppress him in a short time. In addition, Yan Renhuan is secretly spying on us. If we act rashly, it will only backfire. The flames of war in the Taiwei Realm should indeed be extinguished completely."

Seeing that the army of the Underworld had almost completely retreated, Haotian lightly stepped forward, and endless purple-gold divine radiance suddenly burst forth. Above his head, billions of miles of pure energy rose and condensed into the image of the order of the heavens. He threw a punch, and a fist imprint spanning billions of miles traversed the starry sky, directly obliterating the camp where the gods of the Underworld had previously stationed themselves, along with the foundation of the divine array they had painstakingly carved, leaving only an empty, chaotic void.

"Yan Wuque!"

Yan Wuque, the Palace Master of Zhenmie Palace, immediately bowed and stepped forward, his voice respectful: "Yan Wuque awaits the decree of the Heavenly Emperor!"

Haotian's majestic voice resounded throughout the entire arena: "I command you to destroy the palace immediately, repair the shattered starry sky of the Taiwei Realm, and establish a protective array here, connected to the star array, to completely isolate the intrusion of the Hell Realm!"

"I humbly obey the decree of Heaven!"

Yan Wuque dared not delay and immediately led the array masters of the Array Extinction Palace into the air to inscribe supreme array patterns in the starry sky.

Haotian nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the assembled gods of Heaven. His voice was steady and solemn: "You have all fought valiantly against the invasion of Hell, rendering meritorious service to Heaven and to all realms. The Heavenly Palace will surely reward you according to your merits. One month from now, I will convene the Dan Yuan Conference in the Tongming Hall to host a banquet for all the gods and celebrate your achievements!"

Upon hearing this, all the gods bowed down in unison, their shouts of gratitude echoing like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami reverberating throughout the Taiwei Realm, which was still under repair.