Chapter 657: The Foundations of Various Sects, Qiu Xue Emerges from Seclusion (Two in One!)
"Roar!"
From the depths of the ocean, with the death of the Green Shark Demon Emperor, terrifying shark cries erupted from the depths of the Taiqian Abyss.
In an instant, the Taiqian Mist surged densely, like a tsunami, furiously engulfing everything in its path.
The dozens of crimson birds hovering in the sky were completely overwhelmed by the Taiqian Mist and vanished.
At the same time, many True Persons who had rushed out were also swallowed by the mist.
At that moment, the Taiqian Mist seemed to come alive, transforming into a ferocious beast that devoured everything.
The True Persons and Demon Kings engulfed by the mist found their bodies burdened with immense weight, their Divine Senses restricted, and their magical treasures unable to fly far.
Their faces showed alarm, as they hurriedly retrieved various magical treasures and Spirit Talismans, attempting to escape, only to find that they couldn't outrun the mist.
Meanwhile, the Demon Kings within the Taiqian Mist.
Their powers surged, and amidst the rampage of sword light, many weaker True Persons lamented their fates within the mist.
They finally understood why the cultivators of the Southern Sea dared not enter the Taiqian Mist to battle the Taiqian Shark Tribe.
Under this dynamic of mutual enhancement and suppression, the disparity in strength was far too great.
Only a few, with drastically accelerated escape speeds, managed to flee the mist; yet the Taiqian Mist surged even more violently.
Clearly, the mist had been deliberately restrained earlier, only fully unleashed after the South Sea Alliance's plot to slay the Green Shark Demon Emperor.
Moreover, at this moment, over ten beams of light and shadow burst forth from deep within the Taiqian Mist.
Each of these beams grew increasingly intense and displayed astonishing speed; if not for the visibility of Spirit Lights, one might suspect they were teleporting.
Undoubtedly, all of these Spirit Shadows were Demon Emperors.
And without giving the True Persons or True Monarchs a chance to react, two additional Demon Emperors lurked within the mist.
If the group continued with their intent to eliminate the Green Shark Demon Emperor and acted rashly against the Thunder Shark Demon Emperor, they would stand no chance.
Seeing so many radiant beams, which even the Taiqian Mist could not eclipse, everyone heaved a sigh of despair.
Evidently, the Taiqian Shark Tribe had more than ten Demon Emperors in total; counting the two that had perished, there were now still fifteen Demon Emperors.
The terror of the Heavenly Gate sent a shiver through everyone's hearts.
But at the same time, their resolve hardened.
If they did not annihilate the Heavenly Gate today, the Southern Sea would have no chance of survival.
The Taiqian Shark Tribe's thousands of years of concealment within the Taiqian Abyss clearly indicated an ominous larger plot.
"Everyone must set aside their fears—today is the day of our final battle!" Xue Shan True Monarch declared loudly as he landed on Yunyue Island.
His body emitted a crimson glow, and at the same time, the hundred-zhang-high walls of Yunyue Island unleashed countless rays of twilight, radiating outward from the island.
A Sixth Rank array coalesced, forming once again an enormous Crimson Fire Array.
This array had long been prepared on Yunyue Island; it was a fully functional Mountain Protection Array.
Its might far surpassed the Heartless Zither Celestial Formation recently deployed by Granny Qingyu.
The crimson flames instantly consumed vast swathes of the Taiqian Mist, generating billowing steam that floated skyward.
Above, several Nascent Soul figures reappeared.
Nascent Soul auras instantly expanded, blasting a number of Taiqian Demon Kings rampant within the mist far away.
Yet the number of Taiqian Sharks continued to increase.
The unfolding decisive battle saw the Golden Core cultivators and Nascent Souls from both sides revealing themselves.
Granny Qingyu also descended onto Yunyue Island; her Heartless Zither had already snapped several strings, diminishing its power, leaving her with only the Green Snake Scepter.
She took full command of the Sixth Rank Crimson Fire Burning Heaven Array on Yunyue Island.
Facing the Taiqian Mist head-on.
Within the mist, a Demon Emperor wielding the Twin Shark Swords also emerged.
It controlled the Taiqian Mist, clashing directly with Granny Qingyu across the void.
Apparently, the Taiqian Mist itself could be condensed into an array formation.
The confrontation on Yunyue Island saw the two sides locked in a standoff. Their opposing Spirit Lights were like the dual forces of Yin and Yang, one crimson and one white, endlessly advancing and retreating.
Though neither held the upper hand, at least the Taiqian Mist was prevented from further encroaching upon the island.
"Everyone abandon Biyuan Island and gather on Yunyue Island!" Xue Shan True Monarch broke free from the array and commanded again.
The remaining cultivators immediately complied, one after another.
The intensity of the battle was absolutely beyond anyone's imagination.
Initially, they thought the slaying of one Demon Emperor and the destruction of its physical body signaled a triumphant victory.
Yet in the blink of an eye, the Taiqian Mist turned the tables, inflicting losses of over fifty Golden Core cultivators and Golden Core-level combatants.
Even the Lin Family suffered the loss of several dragon corpses and multiple Fifth Rank Spirit Puppets.
The only consolation was that Lin Shimo and Lin Shijie had refrained from charging forward prematurely.
Both understood this time it wasn't about how many Taiqian Sharks they killed or how much Taiqian Shark leather they acquired, but about survival, maximizing their comprehension of Sword Intent, and protecting their family members as much as possible.
This was precisely what Lin Shiming had warned them of before the battle began.
This fight entirely surpassed the Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, and Golden Core levels—only a victory among the Nascent Souls equated to true triumph.
Only the shattering of the Heavenly Gate signalled victory!
The other True Monarchs similarly engaged individual Demon Emperors.
Golden Cicada faced the Thunder Shark Demon Emperor, while Rakshasa Demon Child opposed the newly emerged Green Shark Demon Emperor.
Meanwhile, Golden Light True Buddha stood against the Five Poisons Monster Emperor, alongside five Fifth Rank Poison Demon Kings who had gathered together.
Golden Light True Buddha wielded a Buddha Scroll and a Buddha Ruler.
Both treasures were damaged Spiritual Treasure-level items. The Buddha Scroll was adorned with golden Sanskrit characters, which illuminated the battlefield with dazzling brilliance.
It forced a blue-colored Green Shark Demon Emperor to retreat repeatedly, unable to advance, while the Precept Ruler emerged unpredictably.
It continuously materialized in the void, striking down.
Golden Light True Buddha's strength was on full display; having advanced significantly beyond the Nascent Soul stage, his power clearly surpassed that of Golden Cicada.