socalfunplaces Chapter 117 The War of Gods Ends
Chapter 117 The War of Gods Ends
The flames of war on the Wuding Sea have temporarily subsided.
Haotian and the Emperor of Fengdu departed one after another, pursuing the Seventy-Two Lotus and the God of Fortune and Prosperity. This vast sea, which gathered most of the universe's water resources, finally shed its extreme killing intent, but it did not return to peace. Instead, it was replaced by a huge upheaval and turmoil that swept through both the Heavenly Court and the Underworld.
The gazes of countless forces across the heavens were fixed on the remaining shattered starry river of the Boundless Divine Sea battlefield.
This battle was so fierce that it overturned the established order of the heavens since the destruction of the Kunlun Realm.
On the Heavenly Court's side, the most powerful figures, including the Master of the Five Elements Temple and the Master of the Hall of Truth, were all stationed on the battlefield to quell the situation and firmly contain the remaining flames of war.
It was precisely because many of the Heavenly Court's most powerful figures remained in this place that Yan Renhuan, Shi Beiya, Qing Cang, and other giants of the Hell Realm, despite still harboring fighting spirits and unfulfilled ambitions, could only suppress their desire to conquer and dared not rashly restart the great war.
Everyone knew that in this battle, the Underworld, though seemingly on the offensive, had actually achieved a pyrrhic victory. The Yama Clan, the Dark Temple, and the three upper clans had almost exhausted half of their resources in a sneak attack on the ancient civilization's defenses.
The Lord of the Death God's Palace, the Lord of the Underworld Palace, the two great masters of Tiannan... all the powerful and unrestrained gods who once held sway over their respective regions perished here. These veteran powerhouses, who once stood high above and looked down upon all the heavens, turned into withered bones in the starry river and were annihilated in the flames of war.
Even more fatally, the two hidden top-tier immortal beings, the Seventy-Two Lotus and the God of Fortune and Prosperity, surfaced, stirring up the battle and secretly vying for power, causing the situation to spiral out of control.
Under the combined pressure of multiple unforeseen events, even top figures in the Hell Realm like the Nine-Death Emperor, Yan Renhuan, Shi Beiya, and Qing Cang had to calm down and were forced to withdraw their troops and cease hostilities.
Compared to the losses suffered by the Yama Clan and the three upper clans, the other six clans of the Hell Realm, as well as the Temple of Destiny, were extremely coordinated, quickly withdrawing their battle lines and slowly retreating to their own camps.
They were only observing before entering the game. The joint operation between the Dark Temple and the four races was kept secret from them, which caused dissatisfaction among the high-ranking members of the various races. Naturally, they were responsible for the war caused by the Dark Temple and the four races. Therefore, the Temple of Destiny and the other six races quietly watched as the four races and the Dark Temple suffered losses on the front lines. The ten races of the Hell Realm have never been of one mind.
The Underworld, the main territory of the Temple of Destiny.
As the Milky Way descended and divine mist swirled, endless Dao patterns of destiny flowed and swirled around the temple camp, which should have been peaceful and solemn, it was now filled with a chilling atmosphere and lurking killing intent.
Dressed in a grey divine robe, Qing Cang's fighting spirit remained undiminished, his spiritual power surging wildly. His blue face was as cold as ancient ice, and his eyes, which had seen through the vicissitudes of time, were fixed on Ling Che, who stood in the hall.
Having just suffered a crushing defeat, and now with the news of his disciple's death, a surge of rage welled up in his chest, threatening to burn away his reason.
Within the camp, all the gods held their breath, and no one dared to speak.
Qing Cang is a veteran supreme being in the Hell Realm, with profound foundations. He is one of the four perfect beings in the Hell Realm and enjoys extremely high prestige.
In his rage, an invisible spiritual domain suddenly expanded, enveloping the entire temple camp. The terrifying divine might suppressed all directions, causing countless gods to tremble, their breaths to become labored, and a suffocating feeling to seep into their very bones.
"Demon Refinement!"
Qing Cang's voice was like thunder, shaking the divine patterns on the palace walls. Every word was filled with anger, and every sentence pressed: "I ask you, how exactly did the Second Prince, Wen Zhiren, and the others die! You must tell me clearly today!"
He always harbored doubts.
The two great men and Wen Zhiren were among the strongest below the Undying Limitless level, possessing formidable combat power and profound foundations. When they joined forces, they could contend with even ordinary Undying Limitless beings. How could they have all perished silently?
On the battlefield, only Ling Che was at the heart of the situation throughout, and no one knew the truth better than him. Therefore, Qing Cang was convinced that this matter was inextricably linked to the Demon Refining!
Ling Che stood tall and imposing, his black robes fluttering silently, his aura of killing intent contained within him. He appeared calm and gentle, but in reality, he possessed an unparalleled divine power that could suppress heaven and earth.
Faced with Qing Cang's overwhelming rage and forceful questioning, he remained calm and composed, his eyes open and honest, showing no sign of panic or guilt. He spoke calmly, his steady voice resounding throughout the hall: "Senior Qing Cang."
"I have explained this many times before. The Second Lord, the Lord of Wen, and all their colleagues died in a sneak attack launched by the Seventy-Two Lotus and the God of Fortune and Prosperity."
"As a cultivator from the Hell Realm, the Palace Master of the Temple of Destiny, and the ruler of the Ferocious Palace, bearing the heavy responsibility of the temple, how can I destroy my own foundation and slaughter my own allies?"
His words were frank, logical, and well-founded, leaving no room for error.
But Qingcang's gaze remained deep and unwavering, his azure pupils fixed on Ling Che, as if trying to pierce through his divine body and soul, and uncover all the hidden schemes in his heart.
The air froze completely, a deathly silence enveloped the entire scene, and the invisible tension of the standoff made the gods tense.
Just as tensions were about to rise, a deep and steady divine voice suddenly rang out, breaking the deadlock.
The Wrathful God stepped forward slowly, his divine might vast and imposing. His gaze swept over the enraged Qing Cang, and his tone carried a clear sense of protection and an undeniable warning: "I trust the character of the Fierce Fiend God."
"The Emperor of Fengdu has already personally pursued the God of Fortune and Prosperity. We only need to find him, confront him, and investigate. The truth will naturally come to light. Why make unfounded suspicions?"
The tone shifted, and the Wrathful God's expression turned cold. He stared directly at Qing Cang, displaying his majesty: "The Fierce God is the Palace Master of my Temple of Destiny, and is currently the most outstanding pillar of the Hell Realm."
"To question the Palace Master of the Temple without cause is to question the entire Temple of Destiny! Fellow Daoist Qing Cang, without evidence, refrain from making statements that are detrimental to unity. Such words only harm internal harmony and do nothing to benefit the overall situation of our Hell Realm!"
These words served as a wake-up call to Qing Cang. The Temple of Destiny would not tolerate provocation from outsiders, much less questioning from others.
Qing Cang's pupils contracted slightly, his heart surging with anger, yet he knew it was not the right time to completely sever ties. Mo Lian had already broken through to the Undying Limitless realm and was backed by the immense power of the entire Temple of Destiny.
He suppressed his rage, let out a cold snort, flicked his sleeves, and turned away without looking back, his back filled with resentment and anger. In the camp, the gods exchanged bewildered glances, none daring to utter a single word.
Watching Qing Cang's aloof figure depart, Ling Che's calm smile slowly faded, and a chilling glint flashed deep in his eyes.
He thought coldly to himself, "Old fool, relying on his age, how dare he press me so hard and interrogate me in public."
Ling Che had already harbored murderous intent. If Qing Cang weren't still somewhat useful and had some value, Ling Che would have eliminated him along with Qing Cang based solely on this rude provocation.
However, Ling Che saw things very clearly. Qing Cang was a rare hero in this era, and he still had potential. Keeping him alive would allow him to play the greatest role in maintaining balance in the future chaotic world. He was not someone who could be easily eliminated at this moment.
Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut? It's better to keep useful people around and plan for the long term. That's the way to go. Suppressing his murderous intent, Ling Che's expression returned to calm.
The Wrathful God looked at him, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and slowly said, "Fierce Fiend, the Emperor of Fengdu has issued a divine decree, and He and Haotian have reached a consensus among all the heavens."
"This battle between the gods of the Boundless Sea has now come to an end."
The Wrathful God was filled with mixed emotions. Looking back on the entire war, no one had expected that the person who would ultimately benefit the most, gain the greatest prestige, and awe the heavens from this unprecedented divine war that affected both the Heavenly Court and the Hell, and swept across all the heavens, would be the newly appointed Palace Master of the Ferocious Palace.
In this battle, the Heavenly Court suffered heavy losses, its foundation severely damaged. Murong Huan, Yu Jingzhen, Yan Mingjun, Yan Wuque... one after another, the old high-ranking officials of the Heavenly Court, the masters of the various temples, and the palace masters all perished.
These were all powerful and unrestrained beings who once held sway over the Heavenly Court and dominated all the heavens. Now, they are all buried in the Boundless Divine Sea, which is simply unbelievable.
The Venerable Tianyun gazed at the distant star field, watching the massive amounts of supplies, ancient civilization treasures, and slaves from various races being continuously transported by cultivators from the Yama Clan and the Upper Three Clans. He couldn't hide the envy in his eyes and sighed softly, "Although our Hell Realm suffered heavy losses in this battle, including the death god's palace master, the underworld palace master, and many other top experts, our losses were considerable."
"But from a strategic point of view, this battle has been a great victory. The top ancient civilizations that relied on the Heavenly Court, such as the Yanyang Civilization and the Juling Civilization, have all been crushed and destroyed. The Yama Clan and other high-ranking members have also achieved their goals, plundering massive resources to make up for the losses of their clans."
The leaders of the main camp nodded in agreement, each with their own plans.
Ling Che stood silently, his gaze piercing through billions of stars, looking towards the Heavenly Court Universe opposite the Boundless Divine Sea, and then towards the Asura Star Pillar Realm that was constantly approaching and suppressing the starry sky at the edge of the heavens. His eyes were deep and his thoughts were many.
He saw things more clearly than anyone else.
The war among the heavens has come to an end, and while there may be a brief period of peace, it is in fact just the calm before the storm.
The fundamental conflict between Heaven and Hell has never been resolved. The struggle among the heavens, in essence, is a struggle for cosmic resources, for survival interests, and for the continuation of countless eons.
With the imminent impending catastrophe, and the mysterious secrets of immortality lurking in the shadows, all the powerful beings in the heavens live in constant fear. Various forces are frantically waging war, plundering resources, and rapidly breaking through to higher realms, all in an attempt to seize a sliver of survival during this final catastrophe—a situation with no solution.
Unless a powerful progenitor emerges to suppress all the heavens, quell the chaos, and subdue all conflicts, the flames of war will never truly end.
Haotian and Fengdu Emperor, as the most powerful beings in the heavens of this era, wield supreme authority and overlook all the heavens.
People only know that they dominate the heavens and are majestic and awe-inspiring, but they do not know that the two supreme beings also harbor endless fears in their hearts.
Those immortal beings, hanging high above the heavens and hidden in the dust of time, are like a sword hanging overhead, constantly threatening all the strongest beings in the world.
However, unlike high-ranking officials like Murong Huan and Yan Wuque who are selfish and self-serving, Haotian, the Emperor of Fengdu, and others are truly supreme beings who care about all the heavens and bear the heavy responsibility for all living beings. In the midst of chaos and upheaval, there are very few who dare to shoulder the heavy burden of the heavenly beings and bear the fate of all the heavens.
Based solely on this vision and sense of responsibility, Haotian deserves Ling Che's admiration.
Ling Che silently reviewed the entire battle: "After this battle, the Yama Clan, the three upper clans, and the Dark Temple of the Underworld have suffered heavy losses and will not take the initiative to provoke a large-scale divine war in the short term."
The situation is even worse in the Heavenly Court. Several temple masters have perished, resulting in a severe gap in the leadership. The positions in the major temples are vacant, inevitably leading to fierce power struggles within the court. The Heavenly Court is too preoccupied with its own problems to muster the strength to retaliate against the Hell Realm.
After the battle, the name of the Ferocious God of the Temple of Destiny resounded throughout the heavens and shook the ages!
Ling Che's current reputation is comparable to that of veteran immortals like Qing Cang and Yan Renhuan, truly establishing him as one of the top figures in the heavens.
Currently, within the Temple of Destiny, Xu Feng is in seclusion, cultivating and comprehending the supreme sword path of the Twenty-Four Swords, detached from worldly affairs. The Wrathful God, having concealed his cultivation, has no strong desire to control the Temple of Destiny and poses no threat to Ling Che.
In the vast Temple of Destiny, only Ling Che, an indestructible and boundless being, sits at the center, wielding great power.
With his illustrious record of slaughtering many powerful figures in the Heavenly Court and crushing the strongest beings in the heavens, no one dared to question his status in the Temple of Destiny, and no one dared to challenge the majesty of the Ferocious Palace.
Only Qing Cang, deeply mired in grief and rage over his disciple's death, and with his mind consumed by emotions, dared to publicly challenge him and make pointed remarks.
Having grasped the situation, Ling Che suppressed his distracting thoughts, his gaze hardened, and he made up his mind about his next cultivation plan.
In chaotic times of fierce competition, strength ultimately prevails. The most urgent task is to retreat into seclusion for a period of time to cultivate and strive for a higher level.
The Demon Body is different from the other three avatars. As the original body of the main body, the Demon Body inherited the original pseudo-first-grade divine path "Primordial Transformation". It has a solid foundation and infinite potential, and is the avatar with the best chance of breaking through to the half-ancestor level first among the four bodies.
In this unprecedented battle, the Demon Body's foundation has surged, and a number of high-ranking officials from Heaven and Hell have fallen into its hands. As long as it goes into seclusion to refine these resources, it will surely be able to reach new heights.
In addition, the layout also needs to keep up.
Once Zhenyu has completely taken control of the Space Temple and found the Purple Heart Celestial Orchid, he can use the power of the divine medicine to help his four avatars advance at the same pace.
Furthermore, the body of the Primordial Black Dragon must be completely intercepted and transformed into resources for cultivation to strengthen one's own foundation.
Suppressing all his thoughts, Ling Che moved his divine sense and issued the divine decree of the temple.
The gods of the Temple of Fate gathered their troops, reorganized their formation, withdrew from the Battlefield of the Boundless Divine Sea, and returned to the Yellow Springs Star Region.
At the same moment, within the Heavenly Court's camp, the vast temple was deathly silent, the oppressive atmosphere suffocating. The entire camp was shrouded in an atmosphere of decay and despondency.
The three temple masters and the palace master of the Annihilation Palace all perished, along with countless temple elites who were buried in the starry river.
The losses in this battle can be described as the most devastating defeat suffered by the Heavenly Court since the destruction of the Kunlun Realm 50,000 years ago.
Not only did many powerful figures perish, but the front-line defenses also completely collapsed.
The ancient civilization factions' star defense line failed to hold, and top ancient civilizations such as Yanyang, Cangxu, and Juling, which had stood for thousands of years, were all destroyed and their territories were shattered.
If it weren't for Haotian's leadership in overseeing the overall situation and his decisive victory over five powerful figures from the Underworld, stabilizing the battle lines and salvaging some face, the Heavenly Court would have suffered a complete and utter defeat.
The only consolation after the entire battle was that Xuan Dao suppressed the Lord of the Death God Palace, barely salvaging a semblance of face for the Heavenly Court.
In the center of the main hall, the Five Elements Abbot, the most powerful cultivator present under the Heavenly Emperor, looked at the silent, dejected, and gloomy gods below him. He could only suppress the heaviness in his heart and speak up to comfort them, trying to calm their hearts: "Fellow Daoists, there is no need to be too dejected."
"This time, the Hell Realm has been plotting for a long time, coming out in full force with overwhelming momentum, and has a well-prepared plan. Our Heavenly Court reacted quickly and fought desperately to resist. Although we suffered losses, we also severely damaged the enemy's army. The Hell Realm's losses are no less than those of our Heavenly Court. A slight setback is not enough to shake the foundation of the Heavenly Court, so there is no need to worry excessively."
After he finished speaking, the hall remained deathly silent, and no one responded.
The Black Witch Ancestor of the Witch God Civilization let out a long sigh, his eyes filled with sorrow and helplessness: "Master, you are mistaken."
"The Four Yang Heavenly Lords were dismembered and suppressed, the Giant Spirit God Ancestor self-destructed and died, and the two great God Ancestors, Tianchu and Cangxu, were severely injured and on the verge of death."
"The Hell Realm's offensive is extremely fierce. Our ancient civilization faction has been severely weakened and can no longer withstand a battle of this magnitude."
His gaze turned grave as he looked at the Five Elements Temple Master and solemnly advised, "The defensive line is currently severely weakened and on the verge of collapse. The Heavenly Court must dispatch its top experts to oversee the ancient civilization's star-studded aerial defenses; otherwise, our ancient civilization factions will have no choice but to retreat and abandon our territory!"
These words express the sentiments of all the gods of ancient civilizations.
The Five Elements Temple Master looked grim as he glanced at the group of ancient civilization leaders in the hall.
But all the gods below bowed their heads in silence, their expressions complex, none of them willing to take on this mess.
This battle completely shattered the confidence of the ancient civilization factions and left an indelible psychological shadow.
Beside him, Shang Zu, still exuding an air of dominance and maintaining his superior status in the Heavenly Realm, spoke loudly, attempting to exert pressure: "Although the Yanyang Civilization has been destroyed, many civilizations such as Wushen, Qianxing, Beidou, and Tianchu are still intact and their foundations remain."
"Your civilizations possess profound foundations, sufficient to support the defenses of the entire starry sky. Why then does the Heavenly Court need to dispatch additional powerful figures to assist you?"
His words were forceful and seemingly righteous, but in reality, his selfish motives were fully exposed.
Despite Shang Zu's eloquent and forceful speech, the gods of the ancient civilizations in the hall either remained indifferent or harbored a cold smile in their eyes. Top figures such as the Thousand Star God Ancestor and the Big Dipper God Ancestor were even more expressionless and indifferent.
When the Shang Ancestor bluntly stated that the major ancient civilizations needed to share the territory and take over the huge defensive gap left by the Yanyang Civilization, the entire audience remained silent.
No one was willing to step forward, and no one was willing to sacrifice the strength of their own clan to fill this defensive gap.
Everyone knew perfectly well that taking over the defense line meant facing the onslaught of hellish forces head-on, akin to snatching chestnuts from a fire.
Shang Zu's face turned ashen instantly, his anger rising to the top of his head, his chest burning with fury, and he was about to lash out and demand answers.
Seeing that the situation was about to spiral out of control and factional conflicts were escalating openly, the leader of the Five Elements Temple quickly spoke up to stop the situation and smooth things over: "The matter of the defense line is of great importance and cannot be decided hastily."
"The most important task at hand is to repair the shattered Starry Sky Divine Array and stabilize our territory. All other disputes and disagreements will be decided upon upon Haotian's return!"
With these words as a buffer, the Shang Ancestor finally managed to suppress his anger. His face was icy cold, and he remained silent. He turned around, flicked his sleeves, and strode out of the hall, his back view filled with resentment.
Inside the hall, Mingde, Zhenyu, and Xuandao exchanged glances, a subtle smile flashing in their eyes. Everyone knew that the one presiding over this place today was the divine corpse of the Shang Ancestor.
All his calculations were solely for the benefit of Heaven and his own interests.
The Ancient Starry Sky Defense Line is the last barrier of the Western Universe. Once it completely collapses, the flames of war will spread unchecked throughout the entire Western Universe, eventually reaching the territory of the Heavenly Realm and threatening the very foundation of the Heavenly Realm.
That is why the Shang Ancestor insisted on forcing the major ancient civilizations to fill the gaps and withstand the pressure, just so that the Heavenly Realm could stay out of it and rest easy.
However, after this battle, the ancient civilization factions were utterly terrified by the underworld. Even top-tier ancient civilizations like the Radiant Sun and the Giant Spirit were destroyed and their clans collapsed within days, let alone the other civilizations.
Over the past tens of thousands of years, the power of the Underworld has been expanding and geniuses have been emerging one after another. Now, with the addition of Mo Lian, an indestructible and immeasurable supreme being, the gods are even more uneasy. Most of the weak ancient civilizations are already restless and fearful, and some are even secretly considering leaving the Heavenly Court and joining the Underworld.
Factions are disaffected, morale is low, and the internal problems within the Heavenly Court have far exceeded the apparent battlefield defeat.
However, Mingde and his two companions no longer cared too much about these undercurrents of chaos and factional infighting.
The most urgent thing right now is for them to return to their respective temples as soon as possible and divide up the temple's resources left behind by Murong Huan and the others.
In the vast Heavenly Court, the sudden fall of several supreme experts has left behind a feast of power and resources that is a rare opportunity. If one is even a step too late, and others seize these resources, it would be an enormous loss.
In an instant, the originally heavy and oppressive Heavenly Palace was filled with undercurrents, and the gods each harbored their own ulterior motives.