Calamity of Tomorrow

Everyone present had not felt any change in the direction of the array layer beneath their feet. The spiritual environment remained as calm as ever, showing no signs of the Celestial Star Formation being destroyed.

Wan Xing True Monarch's face was expressionless but he still looked at the ground with a solemn expression, while inwardly he was annoyed: "Zhu Ye! What's going on? Why hasn't the array core been detonated?"

Zhu Ye was panic-stricken as he said, "I don't know, I clearly initiated the incantation."

The other three, however, were already looking at Zhu Ye with suspicion. Zhu Ye's behavior today was too strange, a series of actions always dragging behind, making it hard for them to trust what he said.

But suspicion was of no use; the atmosphere at the scene had become somewhat awkward. If they continued to wait, Wan Xing True Monarch and the others felt the situation would only grow more embarrassing.

Yet if they pretended that nothing had happened and continued the battle, that too seemed a bit odd.

On the other side, members of the Sky Flipping Sect also started to harbor thoughts of retreat.

Annie said, "The opponents have three immortal god-ranked powerhouses. Right now, we're only hanging on because they're not fighting with full strength, and also because of the threat of the Blood Transformation Divine Sword. If Hao Ran Celestial joins, there will be four immortal god-ranked powerhouses."

But Li Xiuzhu shook his head and said in a deep voice, "Four are better than ten. This is our best chance, even if we die today until only one of us is left, as long as we can slay these four and refine Jiaojiao into an aberrant weapon, we would have succeeded."

Li Xiuzhu let out a deep breath and said, "Go all out, let's fight them with everything we've got. You help me restrain the other two, and I'll find an opportunity to cut down Wan Xing True Monarch first."

Only by slaying the opponents before Hao Ran Celestial's arrival and the more they killed, the higher the chance of defeating Hao Ran Celestial.

In the next moment, Li Xiuzhu and his five companions' auras surged wildly, their body shapes expanding and changing, all unleashing the power of their demonic bloodline.

Li Xiuzhu transformed into a dragon-human figure, his qi and blood surged, and his body moved about, charging towards Wan Xing True Monarch with speed akin to instantaneous movement. He swung the Blood Transformation Divine Sword in his hand, unleashing a colossal wave of blood towards Wan Xing True Monarch.

Wan Xing True Monarch kept retreating at the sight of Li Xiuzhu's sword, determined to slack off to the very end.

Qian Wangsun and his four companions also transformed into demons and began to besiege Gu Lan and Zhu Yan.

One side transformed into demons and fought desperately, while the other side, still concealing the power of their demonic bloodline, dared not to exert full strength or fight desperately. The battle thus became tense for a moment.

But the Sky Flipping Sect side was also unable to slay their opponents promptly. Li Xiuzhu attacked Wan Xing True Monarch with all his might, but the latter didn't engage in a desperate struggle, instead using instantaneous movement and superior cultivation to evade.

This situation felt like being trapped in a spider web—the longer the time dragged on, the more passive they became.

And Wan Xing True Monarch and his people were happily slacking off, unconcerned, as Donghua City was their territory. They had no issues with dragging out the time, as reinforcements would only grow, and Hao Ran Celestial was secretly in power.

It was a pity they could not use the Celestial Star Formation to lead Li Xiuzhu and his group to their deaths, which made Wan Xing True Monarch regretful.

Christina's face was pressed against the projection of the battlefield emitted by the Void Crown, speaking excitedly, "Have all the troops arrived?"

Zhou Bai nodded. Just now, his mechanical minions and the forces borrowed from Heavenly Demon had indeed arrived.

However, facing Christina's eager gaze, he still shook his head, "Wait, wait for Li Zhengdao to come out."

Christina sighed, "How much longer do we have to wait?"

Zhou Bai patted Christina and said, "Don't be in a hurry, Tina. Even if I'm not at the scene, we can still take action."

At that moment, while looking at the temporarily tense battlefield, Zhu Ye suddenly burst into maniacal laughter and then spoke resentfully, "Li Xiuzhu, you all are too incompetent. I've made it so obvious that I'm supporting from the side, and you still can't eliminate them?"

Wan Xing True Monarch and the other two snapped their gazes towards Zhu Ye, "Zhu Ye, you really are problematic!"

Facing the suspicious eyes of his comrades, he said, "No choice, I'll be direct, I already betrayed you guys a long time ago, submitted myself to a greater existence, I never went to the array level."

Wan Xing True Monarch intelligence -8

Zhu Yan intelligence -10

Gu Lan intelligence -12

Zhu Yan shouted in anger, "Have you gone mad, Zhu Ye? By betraying the celestial court, you're doomed."

"Celestial court?" Zhu Ye burst into hearty laughter, his smile filled with a touch of madness, "You have no idea what true greatness is! It's darkness, despair, the origin of all things, the sovereign of the universe. Compared to it, the celestial court doesn't even count as a speck of dust."

Wan Xing True Monarch and the others watched Zhu Ye in front of them, listening to his words, feeling that he had simply gone insane.

But in the next moment, they saw Zhu Ye pressing his palms together, praying with all the sincerity of a devout believer, "Oh, existence darker than the universe, you who reign in madness, you who are the hope amid despair, please grant everything before me the same insanity. Rationality is but a curse, may these ignorant fools receive your blessing..."

Whispers of fear in Zhu Ye's ears were activating the ritual, as the worshipful kin spread Zhou Bai's murmurs.

With Zhou Bai's permission, his power abruptly descended upon the scene.

Behold, right behind Zhu Ye, a rift in the void suddenly unfurled.

Simultaneously, the worshipful kin continued to spread Zhou Bai's murmurs.

"Who is calling..."

After four words came a string of indistinct and unintelligible whispers.

Then the calamity of foolishness struck!

Gu Lan, who had been fighting most earnestly, suddenly let out a scream. Veins bulged on his face as 90 points of pollution were injected into him, followed by another 90 points pulled by Zhou Bai from the Black Tortoise, driving him directly into the fourth state of disaster, 'Madness'.

Flesh tore and bones twisted, and amid the agonized screams, Gu Lan was on the verge of grotesque transformation.

She let out a piercing scream, and nine thick, long tails surged up from her back. At the final juncture of mutation, she chose to unleash her demonic power in an attempt to suppress the transformation.

Yet even so, the delusions, fear, despair, and madness consuming her heart from the depths still relentlessly devoured her from within.

The sensation instantly brought something to her mind, something that had been repeatedly circulated within the Heavenly Court...

"Zhou Bai!" Gu Lan pressed her hands against her head, trembling as she stared at the void and darkness behind Zhu Ye. "It's really Zhou Bai! This is his power! I'm about to mutate..."

Seeing this horrific sight, everyone scattered at once, and the battle came to an abrupt halt.

Wan Xing True Monarch exclaimed in shock, "Zhou Bai?"

He regarded the void and darkness behind Zhu Ye with extreme wariness, feeling a surge of shock. "Zhou Bai can directly release his power from the void at long range? Was he really responding just now to Zhu Ye's prayer? What on earth has he become?"

Zhu Ye spread his arms wide, laughing madly. "He is omnipresent! You simply cannot comprehend His greatness!"

Wan Xing True Monarch communicated through secret transmission, "Kill Zhu Ye! He has probably become the medium through which Zhou Bai exercises his power."

The methods Zhou Bai displayed were too bizarre and dangerous. Zhu Yan didn't feel like holding back any longer. With a sprint, he tore through the air. Accompanied by the explosive sound of air bursting and myriad thunderclaps, he rushed toward Zhu Ye.

At the same time, Wan Xing True Monarch also made his move but was intercepted by Li Xiuzhu, a moment too slow.

Meanwhile, Zhou Bai's whispers echoed once more beside Zhu Ye: "Enjoy my blessing."

Zhu Yan's heart lurched, and he went on full alert to the extreme, but to no avail. Another 90 points of pollution were infused into his sea of consciousness; he entered a state of delusion and fear. His offensive momentum shattered instantly, and as he retreated in madness, he stared at everyone with a face filled with horror and nervousness.

Zhu Yan, touching his head and speaking in pain, said, "He put something in my mind."

Watching two divine beings transform in an instant into such states left everyone present with a chill running down their spine.

'What exactly is happening? When did Zhou Bai gain such power?' Wan Xing True Monarch felt an urge to flee immediately as the scene before him was too eerie and terrifying.

To this point, he still didn't understand how Zhou Bai had attacked; it was like fighting against a ghost, impossible to predict or defend against.

Even in Wan Xing True Monarch's heart arose an uncontrollable thought: 'Such power... Such power truly surpasses that of most deities... Even the Divine Emperor might not possess such a capability.'

Li Xiuzhu, Qian Wangsun, and the others also looked at this terrifying scene with faces filled with doubt and uncertainty.

San Mei and the rest couldn't help but feel waves of shock: 'Zhou Bai didn't even show his face... And yet he gravely wounded divine beings with mere conversation. Such formidable might. Has he grown this powerful? Could this be the power he gained from the Heavenly Demon?'

Annie was stunned, 'Just a whisper... And yet it almost drove two divine beings to the edge of mental collapse. If he were to truly descend, what sort of might would he have?'

Yet without Zhou Bai physically present, his power had already terrorized the entire battlefield, bringing the fight to a halt as nobody dared to make a move. The only sounds in the air were Gu Lan's and Zhu Yan's pitiful screams.

...

Christina gasped sharply, "Long-range show-off, terrifying indeed."

She stared intently at the screen, observing the expressions of fear and shock of those on the battlefield. "Incredible, Zhou Bai, you've truly outdone yourself, silencing the crowd with just a few words."

Zhou Bai smiled faintly and said, "It was just a trick, and this is only the beginning." He looked toward the direction of the battlefield and murmured, "The real target is about to make its move."