MTLNOVEL Chapter 637: Sudden Change
In the mountains without calendars, the year is unknown after the cold ends.
Earth Immortal Realm, East Victorious Divine Continent, Nine Heavens Immortal Court.
In Lingxiao Hall, songs and dances created an atmosphere of peace and harmony.
Jade Emperor and Jade Empress sat above the hall, watching palace maidens dance with their graceful shadows, discussing the changes in the world below.
"Your Majesty, have another drink!"
Jade Empress smiled charmingly, pushing forward a cup brimming with sentiment.
"Very well!"
Jade Emperor too laughed heartily, taking the cup and draining it in one gulp, then grew melancholic, "Fifty thousand years of arduous cultivation, and only now have I reached the Seven Tribulations Realm. This title of Great Heaven Honored doesn't quite fit me."
"What is Your Majesty saying?"
Jade Empress shook her head, consoling him, "Looking across the Earth Immortal Realm, among the Four Great Continents, which of the Immortal Gods hasn't cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years to achieve their Immortal God Fruit? Your Majesty has only spent fifty thousand years and already holds the Seven Tribulations Fruit. A hundred thousand years from now, with hopes of becoming a True Immortal, your speed of cultivation is unmatched in history!"
"Unmatched?"
Jade Emperor chuckled bitterly, "That Honored Wandao... "
Upon hearing this, silence fell, and after a long while, he waved his sleeve, "Everyone, leave."
"Yes!"
At his command, the palace maidens halted their dance, and together with a group of attending Spiritual Officials, they exited the Lingxiao Hall.
With everyone gone, just the Emperor and Empress remained, the clamor turned into a chilling silence, the mood became indescribable.
Jade Empress turned her gaze towards her husband, venturing to ask, "Does Your Majesty have worries again?"
"I cannot help but worry, I cannot help but contemplate!"
Jade Emperor shook his head, sighing, "Since first entering the Heavenly Secret Realm, Honored Wandao has crossed the Seven Layers of Immortal Tribulations. Now, he possesses the Eight Calamities Fruit, nearly reaching the True Immortal state. His power is absolutely unfathomable; even the Buddhism's Great Sun Mahavairocana is inferior, and even the Demon Emperor and Demon Lord keep their distance, as he has the bearing of one who commands the Immortal Realm."
After speaking, he turned his gaze towards the Taihuang Emperor Palace, "My father, back then, was only so much!"
"Your Majesty..."
Hearing this, Jade Empress too felt helpless. She spoke earnestly, "The Honored Wandao is a true cultivator of the Dao, a sage and gentleman. As long as our Heavenly Court acts rightly, even if he questions the leadership of the Immortal Realm, there is no chance of rebellion. Moreover, Your Majesty has vested him with great judicial powers. He upholds the law very strictly, and will set an example—how could he destroy his own achievements!"
"Empress misunderstands. Am I such a narrow-minded person?"
Jade Emperor shook his head, sighing, "Since ancient times, the Divine Artifact changes hands to the virtuous. If Honored Wandao wishes it, I would not mind abdicating and yielding to the virtuous, laying down this heavy burden. My worry now is about the state of the Immortal Realm."
"The state of the Immortal Realm?"
Jade Empress's gaze sharpened, "Your Majesty means...?"
"Demons, demons!"
Jade Emperor exhaled deeply, speaking with a ghostly air, "Demon Nation Abyss has profound potentiality. Although they have given way to Honored Wandao these years, they still have the strength for a final struggle, even risking mutual destruction."
"Now that Honored Wandao has reached the Eight Calamities, causal entanglements make it hard for him to act. But they are like cornered beasts ready to fight; a battle in the Four States could erupt at any moment, possibly leading to a world turned upside-down, with innocents caught in the crossfire..."
"Beyond this, the events of yore must also not be overlooked. Though the Earth Immortal Realm appears balanced and stable from all sides, in reality, it's like walking on a knife's edge, as precarious as a pile of eggs."
Jade Emperor shook his head once more, then shifted his gaze: "There's also our Eastern Victory Heavenly Court. The Western Pole Emperor Lord was defeated by Honored Wandao's hand within the Heavenly Secret Realm, and had to punish his own descendants over the affair of the Wandao School. Given his temperament, he would undoubtedly harbor resentment, I fear... ah!"
A sigh of powerlessness, then he looked to his companion, "With such concerns, how could I not worry?"
"Your Majesty..."
Hearing this, Jade Empress resonated deeply, "Your Majesty, rest assured, although demons have potentiality, they are no match for the foundation of our Celestial Court. Now with Honored Wandao about to become a True Immortal, and Buddhism's Great Mercy Bodhisattva looking to cross the Nine Tribulations, even if demons fight recklessly unto death, we Immortals and Buddhas can join hands to suppress them."
"As for the Western Pole Emperor Lord, even if he truly resents Honored Wandao, with his dignity as an Emperor Lord, he would know what's at stake. I'll ask my father to go with the Southeast Two Emperors to offer words of comfort, to reason with him, and to appeal to his emotions. Surely we can convince him to open his heart and avert this disaster..."
"Boom!"
Before she could finish speaking, a loud boom interrupted their conversation.
"Hm!?"
Jade Emperor's gaze hardened as he rose in alarm, "What is the matter?"
"Report!!"
A Spiritual Official rushed into the hall anxiously: "Your Majesty, dark clouds are gathering above the Taihuang Emperor Palace, and a strange force is shaking the Immortal Court!"
"What?"
Jade Emperor's face changed with shock and anger, without regard for his regal demeanor, he flew out of the hall.
Not just from Lingxiao Hall, but from all palaces and halls, columns of Immortal Light shot out, rushing towards the Taihuang Emperor Palace.
The Taihuang Emperor Palace, originally the foremost palace of the Heavenly Court, was the residence of the previous Heaven Honored, Taihuang. Only when Taihuang withdrew into seclusion 70,000 years ago was it replaced by the Lingxiao Jade Palace.
The residence of the Heaven Honored, needless to speak of its dignity, stood as the most magnificent hall in the Heavenly Court, towering above all Immortals, overlooking the Nine Heavens.
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However, now this palace was shrouded in dark clouds, with an undercurrent spilling out as if the miasma of demons were surging.
"This…"
"How could this happen!"
"Heavenly Court is located at the pinnacle of the Nine Heavens, level with the sun and moon of the Immortal Realm, how could it be engulfed by dark clouds?"
"Even the Taihuang Emperor Palace, could it be…"
The Immortals gathered, whispering among themselves, discussing fervently.
"What in the world is going on!"
The Jade Emperor also arrived at this moment, his voice a mix of shock and anger as he questioned the Immortals.
"Your Majesty Brother!"
The Jade Pool Palace Master stepped forward, "For reasons unknown, there was a disturbance in our father's palace, bringing about this scene."
"A disturbance in the palace!?"
The Jade Emperor's eyes focused sharply, he opened his mouth as if to speak.
But unexpectedly…
"Boom!!!"
Another loud noise, the palace shook, Heavenly Court trembled, and a stream of darkness burst through the top of the Taihuang Emperor Palace.
As the dark stream gushed out, it seemed to form a Great Dark Heaven, the Nine Heavens Immortal Court as if trapped in the Demon Realm, within the dark stream loomed an ominous silhouette of a demon; its face unseen, outlined but vicious, causing the Immortals to tremble with fear.
"This…"
"What demon dares to do this!"
"Your Majesty, lead the way!"
The Immortals cried out in shock, immediately attacking, beams of Immortal Light shooting forth, directly aimed at the silhouette within the darkness.
"Hahaha!"
But a chilling, sinister laughter was heard, the silhouette neither retreated nor avoided, allowing the Immortal Light to strike it, as if a bottomless abyss instantly swallowed everything, not only unharmed but growing stronger, standing atop the Taihuang Emperor Palace, as if ready to soar to the heavens.
"Clank!"
Just at that moment, an unusual sound rang out, like chains swinging, the silhouette's movements halted, and it fell back into the Taihuang Emperor Palace.
"Ah!!!"
Affected in such a manner seemed to provoke its viciousness, the dark silhouette howled in rage, struggling fiercely.
"Demon Head!"
"Fiendish barrier!"
"How dare you run rampant here!"
Right then, voices came from all directions, the mighty powers of True Immortals arriving from across the sky, ferociously descending onto the top of the Taihuang Emperor Palace.
"Emperor Lord!"
The Immortals' gaze focused, recognizing the identity of those who had arrived—it was the Six Imperial Majesties and Four Ministers, the Emperor Lords from the east, west, south, and north.
With the Four Immortals taking action, suppressing the demon silhouette, the dark stream retracted and began to quiet down.
However…
"Boom!!!"
Another loud noise erupted, demon light blazed fiercely, and the dark stream surged.
The Taihuang Emperor Palace shattered violently, a fierce shadow burst forth, and a rolling Demon Flow swept in all directions.
"Bang!!!"
"Ah!!!"
Caught off guard, the Immortals suffered heavy casualties, blown away by the Demon Flow.
Even the Jade Emperor, with Seventh Rank Cultivation, could not withstand such demonic might and was forcefully repelled a hundred zhang.
"Fiendish barrier!"
Seeing this unfold, the Four Emperors were also enraged, their four beams of Immortal Light descended, revealing Heavy Weapons within, forming a blockade, strongly suppressing the demon silhouette.
"Your Majesty!"
"Brother Emperor!"
On the other side, the Empress and other Immortals rushed to the side of the Jade Emperor, anxiously checking his condition.
"Lady Yao!"
But the Jade Emperor, completely ignoring his own state, merely said to the approaching Lady Yao, "Hurry to South Observance and summon the Honored Wandao!"
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