On the ground, Jian Zhenli could see that Emperor Weide was weakened. Someone had been able to break his pseudo-Domain! Obviously, this shocked everyone present, not just Jian Zhenli. But the general was flabbergasted by the one who had done it. Indeed, it was the young boy he had slain himself. Now he clearly remembered how he had sliced open his body and left him for dead in a deep ravine. But in less than two decades, this young man had become one of the most powerful cultivators on the entire Piaolu planet. Not only that, but he had literally cultivated two cultivation systems, which was impossible according to everything Jian Zhenli thought he knew.
Cao Yun was a 9th-grade Accomplished Demon. And now, Jian Zhenli had just sensed that he had become a 9th-grade Spirit Warrior as well. Obviously, seeing the sinister energies around the young man and sensing his aura, everyone could tell that he had deeply injured his Soul Embryo in the process. However, he had definitely reached the ultimate stage of the Spirit Warrior realm. Besides, since he could cultivate the asura path, he might become an Immortal Demon in the future. Even if his Qi cultivation was over, his blood cultivation had no reason to stop.
In other words, Jian Zhenli was sincerely terrified of this young man. Even before the Forsaken Dao Era, the average cultivator who reached the 9th-grade Spirit Warrior stage was typically around two hundred years old. But Cao Yun wasn't even forty at the moment. Of course, Jian Zhenli didn't know everything Cao Yun had gone through, but he could imagine that the boy had found something extraordinary. In fact, it was more than likely that he had discovered it in that very ravine since that was where he had left him for dead. Cultivating the two systems at the same time had improved his cultivation speed, but this was still beyond Jian Zhenli's comprehension.
Anyway, Jian Zhenli was seeing his Emperor weakened and unable to press on the offensive. At the same time, Cao Yun was injured and was being consumed by this sinister energy all around him. In other words, it was the perfect moment to strike. If only Jian Zhenli could get to him, he was absolutely certain that he could kill him and end this. In front of him, Yong Ke was having more and more doubts. She felt a deep familiarity and closeness with this young man, but couldn't tell why. Jian Zhenli had helped Emperor Weide when they had erased her memories. She simply couldn't remember a thing. But apparently, her flesh still retained something of her past.
Moreover, Jian Zhenli was also facing Director Hua and Spirit Master Xiao. More than that, he was completely alone. The array formations set up by Sun Liao had all been activated by Cao Yun. As such, Jian Zhenli had no way of knowing how long it would take for his comrades to break free and come help. He had a great opportunity before him, but he wasn't sure whether he had to take it or not. Hopefully, Emperor Weide would act first and slaughter this threat. Unfortunately, he was too unstable. Emperor Weide had to recover after this terrifying backlash.
With all that in mind, Jian Zhenli began to circulate his cultivation and prepare himself. Instantly, he felt the spiritual senses of Director Hua and Spirit Master Xiao all around him. If he moved a finger, they would act. Although he wasn't too worried about either of them individually in a fight, he wasn't too sure of his actual chances while fighting them both at the same time. Besides, he wouldn't take the risk of killing them as they were great alchemists. Not only did the Hongchen Kingdom need them, but their deaths would also cause several dangerous political issues. Unless Emperor Weide himself gave him the order, Jian Zhenli wouldn't kill or even maim either of them. However, he had to do something.
The surrounding alchemists all understood what was going on, even if they didn't have all the details. The two most revered alchemists in the entirety of the Forsaken Dao Era, the two who had first broken the curse of that era, were rebelling against Emperor Weide. And they were doing so with the help of the one alchemist who had refined the most powerful pill in recent history. Besides, this man happened to also be the young sect master of the Wubei Sect. Obviously, the alchemists didn't know what to do. However, they steeled their resolve and decided to back up Director Hua and Spirit Master Xiao. As such, they stood proudly behind them and also spread their spiritual senses.
Further behind were Ren Chao, Mei Hua, Sun Liao and Feng Yingyue, the younger generation of geniuses of the Hongchen Kingdom. If Jian Zhenli acted impulsively, he might cripple the future of mankind. Only Emperor Weide could make this decision, but he couldn't make this decision at the moment. And if Jian Zhenli didn't act, he might never get the opportunity either. As much as he didn't want to admit it, Cao Yun might actually kill Emperor Weide. After that, it wouldn't be too difficult to blame it all on a demon. After all, Cao Yun was literally exuding the aura of Empyrean Asura, which happened to be Demon God Da Mo's very aura, unbeknownst to everyone. Only two people, apart from Cao Yun, had recognized this aura. The first one was Emperor Weide, of course. But the second one was still invisible and unnoticed by all.
In the very core of the Everlasting Earth Palace, a powerful presence had awakened and spread farther and farther without anyone sensing it at all. While Jian Zhenli was in doubt, the presence was examining the scene lying in front of its senses. At first, it almost rushed toward Da Mo's presence, but it slowed down. Now the presence was slowly looking at Cao Yun, then at Emperor Weide and even at the array formations around them all. Panic turned into curiosity.
At the same time, Cao Yun was suffering as he had never suffered before. Forcing his breakthrough had been a terrible idea. Unfortunately, he had been in a situation where only terrible ideas remained. As such, he had chosen the least terrible option possible. That didn't mean much, though. His Soul Embryo was clearly cracked all over the place. Although he might become an Immortal Demon, it was definitely the end of his Qi cultivation. From now on, he would have to devote his life to the asura path. Without the human path, his hopes of cultivating all three treasures from the Three Jade Saints were now dead. However, he didn't think about any of that at the moment.
Currently, Cao Yun was simply trying to survive. His very soul, now merged fully with his Soul Embryo, had cracked. The pain was beyond everything he had not only experienced but even imagined. His emotions were in chaos, and bits and pieces of his life were assaulting his memory. Without his mind cultivation, his mind would have collapsed into unconsciousness, maybe never to wake up again. Thankfully, Cao Yun forced himself to stay conscious. He pushed through the pain. Thus, the powerful light emanating from the Third Eye of his Soul Embryo had pushed most of Da Mo's presence outside his sea of consciousness, and also his own flesh.
Unfortunately, his body had already suffered a lot. Even without Da Mo's presence, the Shattered Soul Hellbloom was still a huge threat. Cao Yun knew what he was fighting against, so it was a bit easier, but not that much. For now, he was able to contain it rather than anything else. Moreover, there was another poison. From the outside, Da Mo's aura was also trying to consume his flesh and kill him.
In order to simply stay alive, Cao Yun had to push all of his cultivation systems to the limit. Now that he was free from Emperor Weide's pseudo-Domain, Cao Yun mobilized his blood cultivation once more. His skin turned as red as blood, his hair as white as snow, and his eyes as black as the starless sky. At the same time, there was a strange aura of holiness and wisdom around him. In a sense, he appeared to be a savage demon who had been civilized. All the brutality of the flesh and the serenity of the mind.
The presence looking at Cao Yun was shocked and surprised. But it was also very pleased. Although Da Mo's aura was all around him, the young man was clearly in opposition to it. Besides, he had a very familiar aura in his blood, the aura of the Weaver of Souls. That sense of familiarity also emanated from his very mind. In other words, the young man had cultivated the strange mind and soul method of the Weaver of Souls. Then the presence turned toward Emperor Weide and examined him. It was also pleased by his cultivation, as he had been able to develop all of Nuwa's techniques and methods further and further. Most likely, every emperor had pushed it further a little bit. But there was no denying Emperor Weide's genius and talent.
Of course, the main question of that presence was about the reason for this fight. If humanity had been able to produce two such geniuses, they should have been united against the very present threat of the demons. Considering Demon God Da Mo's presence, it was clear that the threat of the demons was unfortunately still vivid.
As the presence was trying to understand, both Cao Yun and Emperor Weide were recovering. Try as he might, Cao Yun didn't succeed. In fact, he quickly realized that he was dying faster than he was recovering. He had simply pushed too far too fast. No matter what happened in this fight, he wouldn't survive. At the very least, he could slay Emperor Weide. In fact, even injuring him heavily enough might be sufficient. If Cao Yun were able to annihilate his Soul Embryo, he would have no reason to sacrifice his so-called daughter. Just to be sure, Cao Yun had to completely cripple his enemy's cultivation.
Unfortunately, Emperor Weide was recovering very well. It was taking some time, but he wasn't in such a dire situation as Cao Yun. The young man had brutalized and almost destroyed his Soul Embryo just to stay alive, and he was even failing at that.
On the ground, it wasn't that clear. Jian Zhenli and the others couldn't sense everything going on within the two warriors. As such, they couldn't know who had the upper hand. Behind, Sun Liao, Mei Hua, Ren Chao, and Feng Yingyue were all worried about Cao Yun's health. Even if he won, if it cost him his very life, they wouldn't accept it. Mei Hua and Feng Yingyue could tell that he was in a terrible state and suffering a lot. Sun Liao was monitoring the array formations. Already, several guards were about to break free, and they were obviously all very powerful. The middle Spirit Warriors were on the verge of freeing themselves. After that, they would support Emperor Weide, and there would be no chance of success at all. Finally, Ren Chao was fuming that he couldn't help. He couldn't even perceive what was actually going on. And he had nowhere to vent this frustration.
The presence looked at all of them in detail. Finally, it coalesced around Yong Ke and studied her for quite some time. There was something familiar and distant in her blood. No, it wasn't directly in her blood, it was in her soul. Yes, the presence had already sensed such a soul in the distant past. This Yong Ke had a very special condition. She had traces of the Perfect Soul, the Hun Po, from the Three Jade Saints. Of course, it wasn't exactly a Perfect Soul, but it had faint traces of it. In other words, if it was sufficiently awakened, as it was now, her Soul Embryo could be used to push someone's Soul Embryo further and further. It might actually help one break through the Greater Tribulation almost effortlessly. But it could also do much more than that. Sadly, there was no middle ground. It was impossible to just draw a bit of her soul.
When someone had a special blood, it was possible to draw some of it, and even let it replenish over and over again. When it came to one's Soul Embryo, ripping a piece of it was almost impossible without killing the person. In fact, only an Immortal could cut a piece of their soul without being maimed or killed.
Now that the presence had a very good idea of what was going on, it wanted to know absolutely everything. As it was trying to satiate its curiosity, the presence grew more and more curious about everything and everyone present. First of all, it went toward Cao Yun, who was still covered in the presence of Da Mo. That evil presence was an insult to the presence, but the aura of the Weaver of Souls was too nostalgic to ignore it.
-
In the Saint Citadel Sidi, Empyrean Asura was alone in his meditation room. Once again, he was naked in a room covered in glyphs and runes made from blood and various precious metals melted and mixed with the blood. Slowly, his eyes began to open. It was very faint, but he could feel something. He had a hard time putting it into words, but he felt as if a very old acquaintance had brushed past his soul. However, it was too fleeting for him to truly understand this sensation. Maybe it was just because he was done.
Indeed, after more than a decade of preparing it, he was finally done. For now, he was just focusing and preparing himself for the activation of the array formation. At last, he had enough souls and torments to fully activate the array formation. This distraction had interrupted his work. Instead of going back to his meditation, he took it as a sign. As such, Empyrean Asura stood up and walked out of the room. As he did, clothes appeared all around his naked and gracious body. With his robes on, he really looked like an elegant woman. But there was a primitive ferocity in his eyes. Empyrean Asura was about to perform the worst possible ritual that mankind and the demons had known for millennia.
It wouldn't pale in comparison to the Blood and Dirt Era or even the Great Sorrow Era.