Today, I Tread Upon the Immortal Gate

Wang Hao raised his hand.

He threw the black-gold sphere back into the tower.

“Because you belong at the bottom.”

The tower gate closed.

The voice of the Heavenly Lord of the Scales vanished.

The fifth shackle

began to tighten.

More than sixty worlds.

Billions upon billions of living beings.

Like towering mountains,

they pressed down upon Wang Hao’s imperial soul.

To transcend all living beings,

or to bear all living beings on his back.

This was a choice.

It was also the greatest heavenly trial of the fifth level.

Wang Hao did not hesitate.

With one step, he entered the Great River of the Imperial Dao.

He allowed every world,

every voice,

and every strand of karma

to press down upon him.

“I do not slay the living.”

“What I slay

are the shackles above their heads.”

Boom!

The Great River of the Imperial Dao

suddenly erupted into waves that soared billions of feet high.

The fifth shackle

did not fall away from Wang Hao.

Instead, his imperial soul

forcibly shattered it apart.

Crack!

The shackle broke.

Wang Hao’s aura

surpassed the fourth level of Transcendence.

His imperial soul shot into the heavens,

standing above sixty-three worlds.

The lights of ten thousand homes

transformed into an imperial robe.

The voices of billions of living beings

became an imperial crown.

The mountains and rivers of the realm

condensed into a road beneath his feet.

[Current Realm: Fifth Layer of Transcendence!]

The entire Ancient Immortal Ferry

sank with a thunderous roar.

The immortal radiance surrounding the three immortals

was forced back for the first time

by the golden brilliance of the Imperial Dao.

The man in azure rose to his feet.

The transparent sword resting across his knees

rang with a crisp chime.

“Mortal.”

“You are challenging the immortals.”

Wang Hao raised his right hand.

“Entering territory under the jurisdiction of Great Xia,”

“without filing the proper paperwork,”

“without undergoing inspection,”

“and attempting to force your way in.”

“That isn’t called a challenge.”

“That is called law enforcement.”

The man in azure struck with his sword.

There was no sword light.

No thunderous boom.

The entire sea of stars

before the Ancient Immortal Ferry

split apart down the middle.

A transparent sword scar

that could never heal

shot straight toward Wang Hao’s brow.

Wang Hao gripped the new Son of Heaven Sword.

“Nine Heaven-Opening Swords.”

“Fourth Sword.”

“Severing Past and Present.”

The silver blade

met the immortal sword head-on.

Two sword intents

collided in the center of the starry sea.

Boom!

Dozens of dead stars

simultaneously disintegrated into dust.

The new Son of Heaven Sword

began to crack from its tip.

The silver-haired youth let out a cry of pain.

“Master!”

“You’re definitely paying for the repairs!”

Wang Hao gripped the sword with both hands.

All the power of the Imperial Dao at the fifth level of Transcendence

surged into the blade.

“I’ll pay.”

The silver-haired youth’s spirits soared.

His sword intent instantly surged.

“Then I don’t hurt anymore!”

The silver blade

forcefully cleaved through the transparent immortal radiance.

A tiny notch appeared

in the immortal sword held by the man in azure.

He lowered his head and stared at the notch.

For the first time,

anger appeared on his handsome face.

“A mortal weapon.”

“How dare you damage an immortal weapon?”

The silver-haired youth’s voice

came from within the sword.

“You’re the mortal weapon!”

“I have a ranking!”

Wang Hao released the hilt.

The silver-haired youth transformed back into human form,

hugged the cracked blade,

and swiftly retreated behind the Immaculate Boundary Stele.

Wang Hao advanced alone.

His right hand rose slowly.

“Heaven-Imprisoning Earth-Covering Palm.”

“First Palm.”

A golden palm print

slammed toward the man in azure.

The man in azure raised a hand

and blocked it with ease.

“Second Palm.”

The immortal road trembled.

The sleeves of the man in azure whipped about.

“Third Palm.”

A crack appeared

in the star river beneath his feet.

“Fourth Palm.”

The small black flower on the left side of his face

began to wither.

“Fifth Palm.”

The lights of ten thousand homes across Great Xia

shone into the Ancient Immortal Ferry.

The corpses of countless worlds

emerged within the golden radiance.

“Sixth Palm.”

The three hundred worlds sacrificed by the Merchant Alliance

roared at the same time.

The immortal radiance surrounding the man in azure

finally began to waver.

“Seventh Palm.”

The Great River of the Imperial Dao

surged into the immortal gate.

Along both sides of the ancient road,

countless polluted shadows

let out shrill screams.

“Eighth Palm.”

Wang Hao’s imperial soul

merged with the sixty-three worlds.

The golden palm print

had grown so enormous

that it covered the entire Ancient Immortal Ferry.

A trace of disbelief

appeared in the eyes of the man in azure.

“Fifth layer of Transcendence.”

“How can you possess such power?”

Wang Hao said,

“Because you miscalculated.”

“You’re still only one man.”

“Ninth Palm.”

The man in azure raised his transparent immortal sword.

Three thousand full moons

rose simultaneously behind the white-haired female immortal.

The child in red

also slowly opened its mouth.

A pitch-black tongue

extended from within.

The three immortals

attacked at the same time for the first time.

Wang Hao’s right hand

crashed downward.

“Heaven-Imprisoning.”

“Earth-Covering!”

All the power of the first eight palms

erupted completely within the ninth palm.

The Great River of the Imperial Dao,

the lights of ten thousand homes,

the three hundred worlds,

and billions upon billions of living beings

all transformed into a single golden palm.

It collided head-on

with the power of the three immortals.

Rumble!

The Ancient Immortal Ferry

exploded down the middle.

Dense cracks

spread across the surface of the Immaculate Boundary Stele.

Three hundred and forty-one black-gold warships

were hurled back hundreds of thousands of miles by the impact.

The legs of the Dragon-Slayer,

which he had only just repaired,

broke again.

He lay on the deck,

his face dark with misery.

“My legs…”

“Are they somehow at odds with Great Xia?”

The Crone of Hundred Burial Mountain

spat out a mouthful of blood.

“At least you still have legs.”

The half of her body that had only just been reborn

was torn apart once more by the shockwave.

A-Li clung desperately to the helm.

“All warships!”

“Hold formation!”

“Don’t fall outside the range of the Immaculate Boundary Stele!”

The silver-haired youth hugged himself

as the shockwave sent him rolling across the deck.

At last, he slammed headfirst into a cannon emplacement.

“Who put the cannon here?”

An official from the Ministry of Revenue replied,

“It came with the warship.”

“Any damage must be paid for.”

The silver-haired youth immediately scrambled to his feet

and inspected the cannon.

Only after confirming that it was undamaged

did he breathe a sigh of relief.

At the center of the starry sea,

the golden giant palm

remained locked in a stalemate with the immortal radiance.

Wang Hao’s imperial soul

continued to crack apart.

The transparent immortal sword in the man in azure’s hand

likewise let out a strained, mournful cry.

Behind the white-haired female immortal,

three thousand full moons

exploded one after another.

The pitch-black tongue in the child in red’s mouth

was scorched by the golden flames of the Imperial Dao,

billowing black smoke.

“Fall!”

Wang Hao clenched all five fingers.

The power of the ninth palm

surged once more.

Boom!

The immortal sword in the man in azure’s hand

finally snapped apart at the notch.

The golden palm

struck him head-on.

Half of his previously intact face

exploded in an instant.

Immortal blood gushed forth.

It was neither pure white

nor golden.

It was thick, foul-smelling black fluid.

Within the black blood,

countless insects with human faces

screamed and scattered in all directions.

The skin of the man in azure’s face

peeled away completely.

Beneath the crystalline immortal bones,

there was no normal flesh.

Only a mass of constantly writhing black fungal matting.

Most of the three thousand compound eyes

behind the white-haired female immortal

were shattered by the impact.

Behind every eye

was a black tentacle.

The black sun held in the arms of the child in red

split open with a crack.

Inside the sun,

countless immortal corpses

lay curled up.

The corpses had been gnawed away

until only their heads remained.

Yet every head

was still alive.

They opened their eyes

and cried out in unison.

“Don’t open the gate!”

“The Immortal Realm is sick!”

“We’re all sick!”

“Close the gate!”

“Close it now!”

Within the Ancient Immortal Ferry,

the three immortals froze simultaneously.

The man in azure lowered his head

and stared at the black blood flowing from his body.

The anger on his face

gradually twisted into a grin.

“Mortal King.”

“You’ve seen it.”

“Then stay here.”

“Become one of us.”

Countless overlapping voices

resounded from within the bodies of all three immortals.

Men.

Women.

The elderly.

Infants.

And a shriek

that belonged to something beyond all living beings.

The immortal radiance

completely faded away.

Boundless darkness

erupted from within their bodies.

Wang Hao stood before the shattered Ancient Immortal Ferry.

His imperial robe was stained with blood.

The aura of the fifth layer of Transcendence

pierced through the heavens.

He looked at the three already-rotting immortals

and slowly raised his right hand.

"The Law of Great Xia."

"Any carrier of contamination."

"Is prohibited from entering the territory."

"Those who refuse to cooperate."

"Will be put down on the spot."

Three hundred and forty-one Black Gold Battleships.

Crossed the Imperial River of Dao all at once.

Every God-Slaying Cannon.

Locked onto the Immortal Sect.

A-Li gripped the ship's helm left behind by Uncle Shi.

"All ships."

"Fire at will!"

Boom!

Boom!

Three hundred and forty-one Black Gold Battleships.

Fired in unison.

The radiance of the God-Slaying Cannons.

Merged into a torrent that covered the entire star sea.

On both sides of the Ancient Immortal Ferry Crossing.

Countless world debris was illuminated in an instant.

Those dead stars that had lost their light for countless eons.

At this very moment.

Seemed to burn anew.

The green-robed male immortal lifted his head.

Beneath his half-peeling face.

Black fungal mats squirmed wildly.

The white-haired female immortal's shattered compound eyes.

Locked onto the Great Xia fleet at the same time.

The red-clad child opened its mouth.

Its pitch-black tongue swelled rapidly.

Stretching out like a black river that spanned the star sea.

Three immortals.

Moved to block the artillery fire together.

But the next instant.

The overwhelming God-Slaying Cannon beams.

Swerved right past them.

And slammed straight into both sides of the Ancient Immortal Ferry Crossing.

The sixty-three Formation Eyes of Consecration.

Boom!

The first formation eye blew apart.

A contaminated world origin.

Flew out from the depths of the formation eye.

Right after that.

The second one.

The third.

The tenth.

Large swathes of formation patterns began to crumble.

The green-robed male immortal's expression darkened.

"Mortal King."

"You dare not face the immortals head on?"

Wang Hao stood atop the Imperial River of Dao.

Not a hint of shame on his face.

"Why fight you directly."

"When I can just knock down your door?"

"How much are you even worth in cannon fire?"

The green-robed male immortal's gaze turned icy.

"Despicable."

Wang Hao nodded.

"Thanks for the compliment."

"Keep firing."

"Don't aim for the immortals."

"Prioritize tearing down these illegal structures."

A-Li spun the ship's helm sharply.

The Great Xia main battleship.

Sliced across the star sea.

On both sides of its hull.

All cannon muzzles lit up once more.

"Second round, load the cannons!"

"Formation eye coordinates have been re-marked!"

"Left wing fleet, bombard formation eyes seven through nineteen!"

"Right wing, seal off the contaminated immortal power!"

"Main fleet!"

"Follow me, charge right in!"

Three hundred and forty-one battleships.

Shifted formation swiftly.

They looked like more than three hundred black-gold battle blades.

Charging straight down the Imperial River of Dao.

Piercing right into the Ancient Immortal Ferry Crossing.

The smile on the red-clad child's mouth.

Widened little by little.

Its pitch-black tongue.

Suddenly lashed out toward the dozens of battleships at the front of the fleet.

The surface of the tongue.

Grew mouths by the thousands.

And every single one of those mouths.

Was wailing.

"It hurts."

"It hurts so bad."

"Save me."

"Let me in."

Several soldiers who only heard the wails.

Started shriveling up rapidly.

Their souls felt as if they were being torn out of their bodies by an invisible force.

On the Immaculate Boundary Stele.

Cracks spread across its surface, growing denser by the second.

The transparent light barrier.

Only had a few remaining layers left.

The Crone of Hundred Burial Mountain lifted her hand.

The coffin behind her.

Creaked open at the same time.

Tens of thousands of ancient skeletons.

Stepped out from the coffin.

They did not charge toward the three immortals.

Instead, they linked up to form a long bone bridge right in front of the fleet.

The mouths stretching out from the pitch-black tongue.

Frenziedly gnawed at the skeletons.

Crunch.

Crunch.

The teeth-grinding sound of chewing.

Echoed across the entire starry sky.

The crone's already broken body.

Oozed fresh blood once more.

"It wants to feast on souls."

"All my burial companions here."

"Lost their souls long ago."

The red-clad child tilted its head.

On the pitch-black tongue.

Every single wailing mouth looked confused.

The silver-haired youth poked out from the brand-new Imperial Sword.

He looked at those mouths chewing on bones.

Couldn't help licking his lips.

"Looks like."

"They might be nice and crispy."

The Dragon-Slayer lay on the deck.

His two newly reattached legs.

Were still twitching nonstop.

"Just a second ago you were saying they were all maggots."

The silver-haired youth said earnestly.

"Roasted."

"They're not completely out of the question."

Wang Hao spoke in a calm tone.

"If you so much as take a bite."

"You pay for all the repairs yourself."

The silver-haired youth immediately turned into a streak of silver light.

Charged straight at the red-clad child.

"Maggots are gross!"

"I hate maggots more than anything!"

The brand-new Imperial Sword.

Pierced through the starry sky.

On its silver blade.

The Immaculate Fire of Kindling burned quietly.

All those wailing, gnawing mouths.

Screamed the second they touched the flame.

The pitch-black tongue.

Retreated like a scalded viper.

The red-clad child's lips.

Oozed black blood for the first time.

It stared at the brand-new Imperial Sword.

Its childish, tender voice.

Turned muddy and guttural.

"I'm so hungry."

"I'm going to eat you."

The silver-haired youth yelled from inside the sword.

"Get in line first!"

"There's a whole queue of people who want to eat me!"

"Do you even have a number ticket?"

The red-clad child went silent for a moment.

It actually seemed to be thinking.

What a number ticket even was.

But Wang Hao had already lifted up the Thunder Abyss Demon Suppression Pagoda.

"All nine levels."

"Open fully."

Boom!

The first pagoda door swung open.

Rolling thunder fire.

Turned into countless thunder soldiers.

The second level.

The third.

The fourth.

Thunder beasts.

Thunder eagles.

Thunder flood dragons.

Thunder generals.

Layer after layer of thunder-born creatures.

Poured out from the Demon Suppression Pagoda.

Behind the eighth level's door.

Hundreds of thunder phoenixes beat their wings and cried out.

And on the ninth level.

Two pairs of massive purple eyes.

Slowly opened.

Roar!

Two enormous purple thunder dragons.

Burst out of the pagoda gate.

Peak Martial Sovereign realm thunder might.

Swept across the entire Ancient Immortal Ferry Crossing.

An ordinary Martial Sovereign.

Wouldn't stand a chance against a true immortal, not even being able to block a single drop of their blood.

But every single one of these thunder-born creatures carried the Immaculate Fire of Kindling on their bodies.

The thunder might didn't matter much.

The fire was the real threat.