Heavenly Court!
The Palace of Destiny!
One after another, celestial officials carried ornate boxes as they walked into the grand hall, moving in and out in an unending stream.
These were tributes of spiritual essence and refined flesh essence sent from the Earthly Immortal Realm.
"Star-Lord," a celestial official respectfully reported, "the major immortal sects have already delivered the first batch of spiritual essence."
"Send the spiritual essence to the Heavenly Pool and the refined flesh essence to the Alchemy Hall," commanded the Destiny Star-Lord with a nod.
"Yes, sir."
The celestial official immediately carried out the order.
But at that moment
"Ah… ahhh!!"
Suddenly, agonized screams echoed through the great hall.
The Destiny Star Lord's expression hardened. "What's happening?"
"Star-Lord, something terrible has happened!"
"Several celestial officials in the Alchemy Hall have suddenly gone berserk no, it's as if they've been poisoned!"
A celestial official rushed in with an urgent report.
And then
Outside the Hall of Spirits, the screams continued one after another.
Beyond the entrance, the scene was horrifying.
Countless immortals writhed in pain, some collapsing onto the ground in agony, desperately trying to suppress their turmoil with their celestial energy. But it seemed uncontrollable.
Some, like the first to fall, convulsed violently before their celestial energy erupted uncontrollably. Their bodies could no longer withstand the chaos within them, and they exploded into a mist of blood and flesh, splattering across the steps before the Hall of Spirits.
The Destiny Star Lord's face darkened.
With a flash, he moved outside the hall.
The sight that greeted him was utterly shocking.
A vast number of immortals were in distress, their faces twisted with pain. Some had collapsed, struggling to endure, while others frantically circulated their celestial energy in vain attempts to suppress the turmoil within them.
And then
Boom!
Another explosion.
Another immortal failed to contain their energy and detonated, painting the sky crimson.
One after another, more immortals met the same fate.
Within moments, dozens had perished, and the number continued to rise. Worse still, their deaths seemed to spread the affliction those who had shown no symptoms moments ago were now beginning to tremble, their auras growing chaotic.
"What is happening?!"
The Destiny Star Lord's voice boomed with authority as he surveyed the devastation.
All around him, nearly every celestial official was affected.
Only the celestial soldiers, who had no physical bodies existing solely as souls bound within enchanted armor remained unaffected.
Likewise, the Destiny Star-Lord himself, being an officially enshrined deity of the Heavenly Court, was immune.
The deities of the Heavenly Court existed as true spirits recorded in the Fengshen Register. Their divine bodies were mere manifestations, making them immortal as long as the court endured.
They required no spiritual essence or refined flesh to sustain themselves. Their power came from the faith and devotion of the mortal world.
"Star-Lord!"
"Disaster has struck!"
"The entire Palace of Destiny almost every celestial official has succumbed to this affliction. No, it's not just here. It's spreading throughout the Heavenly Court!"
A minor deity rushed forward, his expression stricken with horror.
"Report to the Celestial Emperor at once!"
The Destiny Star Lord's face was grim as he issued the order.
Then, in a flash, he vanished heading straight for the Jade Pool.
The Jade Pool, the residence of the Celestial Empress, was where the Celestial Emperor Haotian's wife, the Celestial Empress, resided.
Inside the Jade Pool
"You wish to cooperate with the Buddhist sects? Spreading their teachings is no different from inviting the tiger into our domain!"
"The Buddhists are masters of deception. If we allow them entry into the Eastern Continent, the influence of our Heavenly Court will wane! We risk losing our dominion!"
The Celestial Empress's expression was grave as she addressed Haotian.
"There is an opportunity in the mortal realm an opportunity to ascend beyond the current heavens. How can I let it slip away?"
"My only viable option is to cooperate with Multitude Treasure. The Supreme Elder Lord refuses to act," Haotian said coldly.
"But do you truly intend to allow the Buddhist sects to preach in the Eastern Continent? That land is the very foundation of our Heavenly Court!" The Celestial Empress was still unwilling.
"Rest assured."
"I have already considered this matter thoroughly."
"The Buddhist sects may be skilled in persuasion, but I will only permit them to spread their teachings on the borders of the Eastern Continent never at its heart. Moreover, the Eastern Continent is the stronghold of the Daoist path. Do you think the Supreme Elder Lord will remain indifferent if the Buddhists overstep their bounds?"
"I will ensure that the Supreme Elder Lord has no choice but to act."
"The era of the saints is over. He must serve my cause."
A glint of cunning flashed in Haotian's eyes.
"You are playing a dangerous game."
"The Supreme Elder Lord's ties to the ancient saints run deep. He knows more about the secrets of the past than anyone. Are you not concerned that he may turn against us?"
"This is a struggle of ideologies between Buddhism and Daoism."
"In the end, the Supreme Elder Lord will have to choose a side."
Haotian remained unconcerned.
At that moment
"Your Majesty."
"The Destiny Star Lord requests an audience."
A warrior in celestial armor approached and respectfully announced the visitor.
He was Marshal Curtain-Lifting.
"It has been three months."
"This must be about the first batch of spiritual essence from the mortal realm."
"With this tribute, we will be able to replenish the ranks of our celestial soldiers."
"The mortal realm… is a place of constant change," Haotian said solemnly.
With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "Let him in."
Moments later, the Destiny Star Lord hurried into the Jade Pool.
"Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty, Celestial Empress."
The Destiny Star Lord bowed deeply.
"Have the immortal sects of the Eastern Continent delivered the tribute of spiritual essence?" Haotian asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"The first batch has already arrived…"
"But something has gone wrong."
The Star Lord of Fate wore a solemn expression as he recounted the events that had just taken place in the Palace of Fate.
Upon hearing this
Haotian's face immediately darkened.
"Has the cause been determined?" he asked in a grave tone.
"Based on my calculations…"
"It seems… it seems that there is something wrong with the spiritual essence," the Star Lord of Fate reported at once.
"The spiritual essence is problematic?"
Haotian frowned. "How could there be a problem with spiritual essence?"
Spiritual essence was the purest energy extracted from living beings, far more refined than even the natural spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
"Your Majesty,"
"According to my investigation, it appears that this mass outbreak of Qi deviation among the heavenly officials coincided with the arrival of a new tribute of spiritual essence from the mortal realm," the Star Lord of Fate respectfully explained.
"Immediately recall this entire batch of spiritual essence and seal it within the Palace of Fate," Haotian ordered without hesitation.
"Also, seal away all the refined blood and flesh from the mortal realm."
"Send them to the Tusita Palace and have the Grand Supreme Elder Lord (Laozi) personally examine them."
"Your servant obeys," the Star Lord of Fate responded promptly.
At that moment
"Report!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Celestial Master Zhang requests an audience."
The Curtain-Lifting General stepped forward and bowed in respect.
"Celestial Master Zhang?"
"He has always opposed the extraction of spiritual essence and the refining of mortal flesh. Why would he come today?" Haotian's expression flickered with surprise, though an ominous feeling stirred within him.
Zhang Daoling.
One of the Four Great Celestial Masters of the Heavenly Court.
His strength was formidable, and unlike most immortals, he had ascended in the flesh, making him immune to the constraints of the Fengshen (Investiture of the Gods) List.
Of course
Though the immortal world had long practiced the cultivation and harvesting of human spiritual essence and flesh, not all deities agreed with the practice.
Zhang Daoling was one of its fiercest opponents.
"Summon him," Haotian commanded in a deep voice.
In response
An elderly man, clad in a flowing Taoist robe with a head full of white hair, entered the Jade Pool Palace.
"Your servant greets Your Majesty," Zhang Daoling said, bowing deeply.
"Celestial Master Zhang, you have long remained in the Earthly Immortal Realm, avoiding courtly affairs. What brings you to the Heavenly Court today?" Haotian asked in a calm yet inquisitive tone.
"Your Majesty,"
"A great catastrophe has occurred in the Earthly Immortal Realm."
"Countless disciples of the immortal sects have been afflicted by an unknown plague. The mild cases suffer from Qi deviation, with their immortal energy reversing and their cultivation regressing. The severe cases… their bodies explode and they perish instantly."
"This matter requires Your Majesty's immediate attention," Zhang Daoling said solemnly.
"The Earthly Immortal Realm as well?" The Star Lord of Fate's face changed drastically.
"What do you mean by that, Star-Lord?" Zhang Daoling asked, surprised.
"Celestial Master,"
"A great number of officials in the Heavenly Court are also exhibiting similar symptoms."
"It appears to be related to the spiritual essence," the Star Lord of Fate explained.
"Your Majesty,"
"I have warned before extracting spiritual essence and consuming mortal blood and flesh is an abomination. This sudden disaster must be retribution from the Heavenly Dao," Zhang Daoling stated firmly.
Haotian's brows furrowed slightly, his expression turning unreadable.
Though displeased, he did not immediately refute the claim. Instead, he asked, "Which region of the Earthly Immortal Realm is affected?"
"Nearly all immortal sects in Southern Continent (Jambu-dvipa) have succumbed to this unknown plague."
"The exact origin of the outbreak remains unclear, but given what the Star Lord of Fate has said, it must be linked to the spiritual essence."
"Investigate this matter thoroughly," Haotian commanded.
"Mobilize all resources to heal those afflicted by Qi deviation."
But just as his voice fell
"Your Majesty!"
"Disaster has struck!"
"The Hall of Merit and Longevity, the Six Halls of the Southern Dipper, and the Seven Halls of the Northern Dipper"
"Tens of thousands of celestial officials are now showing symptoms of Qi deviation."
"It's as if the entire Heavenly Court is being consumed by a plague!"
The Grand Marshal of Heaven, Tai Bai Venus (Venus of the Supreme Purity), rushed into the Jade Pool Palace, reporting with great urgency.
"Star-Lord."
"Did you distribute the spiritual essence that quickly?" Haotian asked gravely.
"Your Majesty,"
"The new batch of spiritual essence has only been issued to my Palace of Fate and the Heavenly Guards at the Celestial Pool."
"It has not yet been distributed elsewhere."
"I swear upon my divine name," the Star Lord of Fate answered hastily.
"Then it is not the spiritual essence?" Haotian's expression darkened further.
At this moment
The situation had become even more mysterious and alarming.
"Your Majesty,"
"This increasingly resembles a plague," Zhang Daoling said grimly.
"A plague… infiltrating the Heavenly Court?"
The Queen Mother of the West (Wangmu) narrowed her eyes, her expression turning ice cold.
How could this be?
What kind of plague could infect celestial beings?
"Send emissaries to the Buddhist Pure Lands immediately," Haotian ordered.
"Find out if they, too, have been afflicted."
Haotian pondered for a moment before immediately addressing Tai Bai Venus.
If the situation in the Heavenly Court was like this, the Buddhist Pure Land would be the same. After all, the two major forces in the Earthly Immortal Realm, extracting spiritual essence and consuming flesh and blood were practices most prevalent in both the Heavenly Court and the Buddhist sect.
If this disaster was indeed linked to the spiritual essence, the Buddhist sect could not escape blame.
Within the Heavenly Court, the air was filled with the sounds of wailing as immortals exploded from within, dying in a violent, tragic fashion.
Even in the Western Buddhist Pure Land, within Lingshan (Spiritual Mountain), the situation was no different.
Many monks, arhats, and even Buddhas were showing signs of Qi deviation, with many perishing in explosions.
The plague was spreading.
At this moment, Zhao Feng was, of course, unaware.
Meanwhile, in the Eastern Divine Continent at the Kunlun Sect.
A cave paradise stood proudly here.
Though it was called Kunlun, it was not located at the actual Kunlun Mountain.
At this moment, a hundred thousand black-armored soldiers, filled with the aura of death, hovered in the air, surrounding the entire Kunlun Immortal Sect.
The killing intent spread, sweeping across the sky. The oppressive pressure affected the surrounding void for millions of miles.
"Our Kunlun is a celestial sect bestowed by the Heavenly Court, serving its will."
"Who dares to surround my Kunlun with an army?"
"Our ancestor, Guang Chengzi, was once a disciple of a saint!"
"Do you understand the consequences of attacking us?"
In the face of such overwhelming killing intent, the Kunlun Sect gathered hundreds of thousands of disciples within its gates. However, their cultivation levels were uneven, with only around five thousand of them having reached the realm of immortals.
The rest were below the immortal level. Compared to the Heavenly Court's might, their strength appeared feeble.
Under the immense killing intent, Zhao Feng stood at the front of the formation.
He issued a loud command: "Xuan Jia Army!"
"Wind, wind, wind!"
"Great wind!"
The Xuan Jia Army, with a roar that shook the heavens, responded.
Today marked the first battle of the Xuan Jia Army.
After years of cultivation in the small world, the Xuan Jia Army was no longer the same as it was when Zhao Feng first arrived in the Immortal Realm.
Each soldier now had the strength of a martial grandmaster. Their combat power could easily crush ordinary immortal soldiers.
"Not a single immortal cultivator will be spared in this sect!"
Zhao Feng commanded coldly.
With a swift motion, he waved his hand: "Immortal Slayer Sword Formation!"
In an instant, four fierce swords rose into the air, heading straight toward the Kunlun Immortal Sect.
However, Zhao Feng intentionally directed the sword formation only at the frontline disciples of Kunlun, who were the strongest among them.
The most powerful among them had already reached the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm there were as many as eight such cultivators.
Beneath the Great Luo Golden Immortal, the Taiyi level was considered revered. With eight Taiyi Golden Immortals, it was clear the Kunlun Sect was powerful.
Apart from the Taiyi Golden Immortals, there were over a thousand Golden Immortals and over six or seven thousand Celestial Immortals.
All these formidable beings were now enveloped in Zhao Feng's Immortal Slayer Sword Formation.
Today, Zhao Feng intended to use the blood-soaked lives of these immortals to further enhance his attributes.
Following that, nearly the entire Kunlun Immortal Sect, with all its millions of disciples, was trapped within the sword formation.
The Great Qin Xuan Jia Army did not hesitate in the slightest.
Meng Tian, raising his battle-axe, issued a loud command: "Xuan Jia Army, kill! Spare no one!"
"Soul of the Army Formation."
"Gather!"
Meng Tian took the lead, and with a great shout, he activated the formation.
"Soul of the Army Formation, activate!"
One hundred thousand Xuan Jia soldiers shouted in unison.
The blood energy from their bodies surged toward Meng Tian, gathering with overwhelming power.
In the past, even when they were mortal, their blood energy had been extraordinary due to their martial prowess. Now, with their cultivation reaching the Immortal Realm, the blood energy was far more terrifying.
In the blink of an eye, Meng Tian was enveloped in an endless torrent of blood energy.
The blood energy from the hundred thousand soldiers gathered together, reaching a power comparable to that of a Taiyi Golden Immortal at its peak.
This was the true power of an army, a force far beyond any combat formation used by the Heavenly Court.
"Slash!"
Meng Tian, gripping his battle-axe, swung it downward toward the Kunlun disciples below.
A blood-red blade of light, reaching a length of ten thousand miles, came crashing down.
With such overwhelming force, the sky itself seemed to be stained red.
Tens of thousands of Kunlun disciples were instantly obliterated.
"No mercy!"
Meng Tian shouted.
"Obey the command!"
The hundred thousand Xuan Jia Army immediately formed into battle lines and charged toward the Kunlun disciples below, intent on slaughtering them all.
Meanwhile, within the Immortal Slayer Sword Formation, Zhao Feng had already activated the sword formation's power.
The strength of Taiyi Golden Immortals was no longer sufficient before Zhao Feng's might.
"Immortal Slayer Sword Formation!"
"Annihilate!"
-support me on Patreon for more chapters, 375+ chapters in there
patreon.com/LordoftheReader