Golden armor and golden spear, a body of three zhang in the Yellow Springs Pond.
The aura of Jiuyou was far more imposing than described in the historical records, exuding an unparalleled dominance that struck observers at first sight. Alas, this overbearing figure had finally met his end at Ye Yun’s hands today.
With Jiuyou’s appearance, all factions watched in shock at the figure that had suppressed the ten directions and heavens for hundreds of thousands of years. They were not surprised that he was still alive, but that this figure retained only two-thirds of his body!
Indeed, endless Dao wounds ceaselessly devoured his flesh and soul. Even with his immense power, and despite bathing in Yellow Springs water daily, he could not withstand this corrosive damage for such a long time. By now, his hands and legs had vanished entirely. Suspended in the air, he resembled a living roly-poly toy.
Though his presence remained formidable, his overall appearance was truly a sight of ruin.
“To injure you with this lightning Dao is rather interesting. Your plan to refine this minor Dao and ascend to the divine world is likely impossible,” Ye Yun remarked with a smile after a mere glance at the lightning that clung to Jiuyou’s limbs.
“Your Majesty, you jest. Since failing my tribulation, I have strived to refine it for countless ages, yet I have not even found the path to entry,” Jiuyou replied. Despite his missing limbs, his spirit and vitality remained robust.
“You aspire to refine the Dao of lightning without achieving perfection in the lightning法則, I know not if you are ignorant or foolish,” Ye Yun stated, his divine sense like a silver needle, effortlessly entering Jiuyou’s sea of consciousness and implanting Ye Yun’s mark within.
“You do not resist?” After implanting the mark, Ye Yun, observing Jiuyou’s composed demeanor, could not help but feel curious.
“Your Majesty, you are correct. My Nether race faces the brink of extinction. If we do not turn back now, there will be no Nether beings left in this universe.”
“Before embarking on the Emperor’s Road, I sought the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion for a divination. Their answer was that my destiny was not that of an emperor, but a general. Previously, I defeated all my opponents and believed I had conquered fate, only to realize I was ultimately one step short.”
At this moment, Jiuyou appeared to have shed a heavy burden, his demeanor significantly more carefree. He spoke of past failures and triumphs as if he were an uninvolved observer.
The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion?
Ye Yun paused. This force was extraordinary. Throughout history, many had trod the Emperor’s Road, yet none dared to act against this organization, nor even express discontent. This baffled Ye Yun.
However, relevant information about them was scarce within the Heavenly Dao Academy.
Ye Yun was not impatient. Once he conquered the fifth universe, he would have access to this transcendent force and learn its true nature.
Unbeknownst to him, Jiuyou was utterly stunned by Ye Yun’s power. As Ye Yun’s divine sense withdrew from him, Jiuyou could not resist checking the imprint in his sea of consciousness.
Upon inspection, he was dumbfounded. His own divine sense had surpassed the third realm, reaching the legendary pinnacle of the ten directions and heavens, the fourth realm! Yet, from the imprint Ye Yun left behind, he felt a divine sense far exceeding his own. His divine sense, in comparison to this imprint, was like a solitary boat in a vast ocean.
What an incredibly potent divine sense! Was it not said that the divine sense in this world could only cultivate to the third realm? He, having broken through to the fourth realm, had believed he could roam the universe unimpeded. Now, he had encountered someone so terrifying!
Had the rules of the ten directions and heavens changed during his years of decline? Had the foundational laws become more stable?
Jiuyou roared inwardly. As a powerful cultivator who had walked the Emperor’s Road, he had weathered countless storms in the ten directions and heavens, but Ye Yun’s divine sense truly terrified him.
“Very well. Since you have decided to join my court, we shall establish the Seventh Army Group. This army group will be composed of your Nether race, with no less than ten million members. You may retain twenty percent of all spoils for yourselves, and the remainder shall be submitted to the empire. You shall serve as the commander of this army group.”
As Ye Yun spoke, hundreds of divine sense light clusters, before anyone could react, merged into the beings below.
Though the Nether race was small in number, they possessed considerable high-end combat power! They had as many as two experts in the Ultimate realm, twenty-two in the Monarch realm, and a staggering over three thousand five hundred in the Lord God realm, far surpassing the Seven Races of the past. Recall that the Seven Races had no experts in the Ultimate realm back then, and only about twenty in the Monarch realm.
This was evident of the race’s formidable foundation.
“Your command!” Jiuyou, without hands or feet, could only bow his head in assent.
Ye Yun imprinted his mark on his kin and descendants using his divine sense. Jiuyou witnessed this but did not show excessive resistance. Having made his decision, there was no turning back.
Ye Yun waved his hand, and then, with Xiao Tong, vanished from the spot, leaving behind eleven items emitting a faint light, which drifted towards Jiuyou.
“To refine the minor Dao of Heavenly Lightning, one must master the lightning法则 completely. After I conquer the ninth universe, I will offer you assistance. As for that Heavenly Dao Golden Body, it shall be for that old fellow nearing his end to use for now!”
The figure disappeared, but Ye Yun’s words echoed throughout the secret realm.
This is…
Countless eyes watched as Jiuyou’s True Essence, transformed into phantom hands, grasped the ten halos. Their gazes were fervent. Although they did not know what these objects were, they could sense that their True Essence was somewhat affected by their appearance.
Such pure elemental power! And so pure that it seemed one could directly transform it into the elemental power of their imagination for absorption and refinement!
Jiuyou’s face was filled with awe and fervent desire!
He could feel his heart, which had been like stagnant water, now beating like the drums of a floating war.
He had never imagined that such terrifying items existed in this world! Had he obtained such heaven-and-earth treasures in his earlier years, he might have completely refined the minor Dao of Heavenly Lightning long ago!
And now…
Jiuyou first managed a wry smile, then re-examined the “Heavenly Dao Golden Body,” causing his scalp to prickle and a hint of lingering fear to surge.
As one who had entered the game, Jiuyou, upon encountering Ye Yun’s items, understood all the information thoroughly. He also comprehended why Ye Yun had instructed him to give this item to Qi Ren. This item could directly extend the lifespan of a dying person by ten thousand years! Coupled with the forced enhancement of innate talent, Qi Ren could undoubtedly advance further within ten thousand years, significantly extending his lifespan.
“Decree! My Nether race shall officially join the Ten Directions Empire’s ranks! Clansmen, open the gates and welcome the great era!…”
The heavens and earth were vast and ancient. Jiuyou’s voice boomed across the entire starfield!