The imperial capital, now swollen with influx from all regions, boasted a population of over ten million. At this moment, every soul gazed upon the Rivers and Mountains Atlas, trembling with dread.
This artifact, the very guardian of the imperial capital and the celestial destiny of the Great Yu Dynasty, had been pried open at one corner by a pair of colossal hands, which then snatched people inside.
Celestial Destiny Artifacts were the foundation of a nation, the very symbol of a dynasty's authority.
Yet none could have imagined that the Summoning Demonic Sect had "left a hand" within it.
In an instant, unease rippled through the imperial capital.
That the Emperor had not personally intervened was still understandable.
But what of the eighth-realm experts of the imperial clan?
Could it be that the Great Yu Dynasty, which commanded the divine land and drew upon the majesty of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, lacked an eighth-realm powerhouse?
Just as this absurd notion fermented in the hearts of the people, a cold snort echoed from within the imperial palace.
The voice reverberated through heaven and earth, yet its origin was indistinct—neither male nor female, neither old nor young—like the natural sounds of rivers crashing against shores or the earth shifting.
A small, bright-yellow banner materialized in the void.
Its vast and boundless majesty illuminated the firmament, its oppressive might so profound that even sixth-realm martial artists present found their will dimmed, their inner and outer worlds frozen, and all divine abilities nullified.
Another seventh-realm expert making a move?
No. This was no seventh-realm power, but a genuine eighth-realm existence, one whose divine might reached the heavens.
From within the banner, dragon roars arose—hundreds, thousands of them. The national destiny energy within the Rivers and Mountains Atlas coalesced into countless dragon scales, swiftly taking the form of a dragon.
This dragon's body stretched beyond measure, adorned with five claws, horns, and whiskers, yet its majestic visage lacked eyes.
The colossal dragon surged through the skies, charging straight toward the Rivers and Mountains Atlas.
Its shadow tore through the air, illuminating the heavens.
A drop of blood emerged from the gate of the Celestial City.
Blood mist veiled the sky, shadows of crimson multiplied, and scarlet light seemed to set the Rivers and Mountains Atlas ablaze, staining the Celestial Destiny Artifact with an eerie, bewitching hue.
The next moment—
The dragon plunged into the sea of blood, churning waves tens of thousands of meters high. The two forces clashed and eroded, swallowing everything above the imperial capital.
Strange lights condensed and collapsed—a contest of power beyond mortal comprehension.
The world within the Rivers and Mountains Atlas transformed into a kaleidoscope of colors, beautiful yet terrifying.
"Second Imperial Ancestor..."
The assembled civil and military officials knelt en masse, as did the commoners and martial artists not shielded by seventh-realm experts.
Li Mo nearly buckled at the knees as well.
Fortunately, the ice block (Ying Bing) held onto him. Her cool, soft hand inexplicably ignited a stubborn defiance in his heart.
Within his inner world, the unremarkable rod emitted a resonating hum, its indomitable spirit helping him straighten his back bit by bit.
"So this is the eighth realm... a Heaven-Reaching expert..."
Li Mo's throat felt parched.
And this was merely a clash within the Rivers and Mountains Atlas, with only scattered remnants of their aura leaking out.
Had they fought directly above the imperial capital, even this mighty city would have struggled to protect ordinary lives without seventh-realm guardians.
"Ice block, have you ever seen eighth-realm experts fight before?"
It had taken Li Mo a while to steady himself.
Yet Ying Bing remained utterly composed, her demeanor so unshaken it seemed she wasn't even standing on the ground. Though she looked up, her cool, detached gaze felt like a downward glance.
"Not in this lifetime."
"Then why—"
"Jiang Wen is among the weakest of the eighth realm. His attainment... isn't entirely his own."
Ying Bing's tone was light, but her words made Li Mo lean back slightly.
How did she know that?
Sounded like she'd fought him before...
"Hmph! Just borrowing the nation's destiny, that's all."
Shang Wu wrinkled her nose, rolling up her sleeves as if still itching for a fight.
"Master, uh... let's give them a pass today."
"Fine. For my precious disciple's sake, we'll postpone overthrowing the Great Yu Dynasty."
Shang Wu shamelessly seized the excuse, her words dripping with ambition.
"Between those two, who will win?" Li Mo asked.
Ying Bing's delicate brows furrowed slightly as she pondered.
"Evenly matched. If the Rivers and Mountains Atlas fully supports Jiang Wen, his victory is certain—merely a matter of time."
A Celestial Destiny Artifact could tip the scales even among eighth-realm powerhouses...
Li Mo gained new appreciation for such artifacts, but then a doubt arose.
"The Rivers and Mountains Atlas has been under the Great Yu imperial clan's control for centuries, while the Blood God was merely a prisoner sealed within. How could it wield the artifact's power?"
"Yet He seems... intimately familiar with it, as if He participated in its creation."
Ying Bing voiced her suspicion.
Li Mo found it equally mystifying.
But the young genius had a wild guess. While he might not grasp grand daos or celestial artifacts, his past-life knowledge offered an analogy.
The Rivers and Mountains Atlas was like a program, and the Blood God, imprisoned within for ages, had become its virus.
The Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were reconstructed by the Nine Immortals led by Ying Huang, and the Atlas's primary function seemed to mirror the world.
Meaning the Blood God might have been one of the original programmers...
While the Great Yu Dynasty was merely its current administrator.
As he mused—
The battle within the Rivers and Mountains Atlas paused, though not concluded. The two forces now stood in stalemate.
A voice resounded through heaven and earth—sometimes majestic and imperious, other times dark and deep.
It was as if two beings conversed, yet their language transcended mortal comprehension, its meaning conveyed beyond words.
Their communication resembled Li Mo and Ying Bing's telepathic exchanges via lunar will.
"What are they saying?"
A halo of moonlight shimmered behind Ying Bing as she transmitted to Li Mo's consciousness:
"The Blood God says: 'You betrayed your oath back then. Hinder My return now, and We perish together—the Rivers and Mountains Atlas drowned in blood.'"
"Jiang Wen replies: 'Were You not hiding within the Atlas, Your scattered limbs would have long vanished entirely.'"
"The Blood God demands not just freedom, but the Celestial Phoenix Domain too."
"Jiang Wen refuses, telling Him to take it by force if He can."
After a pause, the lunar will continued:
"They seem to have reached terms."
"A wager set by the Celestial Trials—if the Celestial City falls during the trials, the Blood God wins and takes the domain. Otherwise, He departs freely."
Hearing this, Li Mo frowned. The terms seemed unbalanced.
Win or lose, the Blood God walked away.
Viewed as a virus, His departure might benefit the Atlas...
But in reality, unleashing this demonic patriarch would plunge the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths into chaos.
Unless... the enigmatic Nine Immortals intentionally left room for negotiation?
"Jiang Wen agreed," Ying Bing murmured.
ut it can buy an entire year of absolutely perfect training results! Su Yu stared at his empty wallet and decisively opened up various online loan platforms. “Borrow a thousand bucks! Recharge my vitality!” Boom! His vitality broke a hundred points, shattering the limits of the human body! “Borrow ten thousand bucks! Recharge my combat skills!” Boom! A basic punching technique so common it was everywhere instantly maxed out, revealing the ultimate assassination technique of Five Elements Unity—Inner Force! When a rich kid hired assassins for a midnight ambush, aiming to break both of his legs, they instead ran headfirst into a monster—a human-shaped tyrannosaur, brimming with dragon-like vitality. With just two fingers, Su Yu snapped a steel staff reinforced with alloy. Staring at the killer’s stash of stolen cash—a staggering quarter-million dollars—he showed a corporate-sincere smile: “Thanks for the pre-exam gift pack, Mr. Zhao! I’m gonna go re-invest this!” Three days later, at the National Martial Arts College Entrance Exam, while everyone else struggled just to reach the passing line, Su Yu threw a single punch—and more than a thousand vitality points literally detonated the entire arena!
tions: attribute allocation, analysis, proficiency, and simulation. Specializing in mechanical alchemy, from crafting sorcerous battle armor to handcrafting mechanical maidens, his mechanical legion conquers endless realms... Relying on his wits, he begins with a student-teacher romance, wins over a female director, enslaves a female assassin and a underworld queen, becoming the husband of a Grand Duchess... He enslaves the Goddess of Magic from the divine realm, developing his power simultaneously in both the Wizard World and the Realm of Gods...
orn and Humiliation】【Forced Love】 In his past life, Lin Ran was betrayed and murdered by his girlfriend and family, while the yandere female aristocrat, who had treated him as a mere plaything, avenged him by doing in his enemies. Upon seeing the yandere female aristocrat lying in the same coffin, ready to die with him, Lin Ran realized how profoundly mistaken he had been. Reborn, he abandoned the fickle campus beauty and wholeheartedly embraced the yandere female aristocrat's arms. "Ran! If I dig out your eyes and turn them into a specimen, you'll only be able to look at me!" Lin Ran: "Darling, kiss me!" "Ran! If I break your legs, you won't run away anymore, right?" Lin Ran: "Love, hold me tight!" "Ran! If..." Lin Ran: "Hush now! Love me more!" Luo Yao: ... Seeing his scumbag dad: "Take him out!" Seeing his stepmother: "Get rid of her!" Seeing his brother: "Eliminate him!" Seeing his white moonlight: "Send that to Southeast Asia!"
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
