Only by personally experiencing it can one truly understand the terror of the Milky Way. Because it's just ordinary water; the water has no restrictions, no Spiritual Power, yet it's endless, and there's no way to even begin to dispel it.
Ye Song scooped up a handful of water from the Milky Way beside him, feeling utterly depressed.
He never understood why he had fallen for the Milky Way's trap. The person he loved? He could only think of Ye Lan. But Ye Song would rather die than admit he liked that little disciple of his, who had a stone-faced expression and whose words were infuriating. He preferred to believe that Lin Bai had the ability to bestow the Milky Way upon everyone. But that seemed even more terrifying... The Dao of Cultivation Law, lacking restraints and counters, was truly detestable.
「…」
The Duke Zhenguo, watching Ye Song trapped by the Milky Way, was somewhat dissatisfied with Lin Bai's unconventional behavior and interrupted them, "Alliance Hierarch Lin, teaching your disciple can wait. The enemy army is at our borders..." He broke off mid-sentence.
At the encampments of the various sects of the Justice League Army, a cloud of black mist suddenly erupted.
Within the black mist, yin spirits could be vaguely seen surging, and mournful cries and calls for help immediately rang out, echoing one after another.
Some cultivators tried to escape the black mist's shroud, but just as they took flight, they were dragged back by yin spirits hidden within. The yin spirits emitted desolate shrieks as they burrowed into their seven orifices, instantly robbing them of their lives...
"Soul Devouring Heart!" Duke Zhenguo blurted out. As soon as his words fell, cultivators from The Northern Army had already activated the Sun-burning State. Scorching light shot from its mirror-like surface, melting the black mist enveloping the Justice League Army.
Wherever the light reached, the yin spirits within the black mist shrieked pitifully and were instantly reduced to ashes.
But the black mist regenerated endlessly, seemingly inexhaustible, shrouding the Justice League Army as if determined to annihilate them completely...
The players on the viewing platform were all dumbfounded.
The female players of the Lin Bai Support Group stood there, stunned into silence, unable to shout any slogans. The horrific scenes, like something out of a horror movie playing out in reality, had terrified them.
「…」
Damn it! The gap between the two sides is too large.
Lin Bai's expression turned extremely grim in an instant. Most cultivators in the Justice League Army were at the Golden Core Realm; any Hollow Realm cultivator could slaughter them as easily as chopping vegetables.
The two sides were not on the same level of existence; this was simply a one-sided slaughter. The enemy's intention was very clear: to eliminate his support first, leaving him a general without an army. The players possessed infinite lifespans; the first to fall were these non-regenerating members of the Justice League... This is the real war between cultivators; his previous methods were indeed too merciful!
Lin Bai's eyes reddened slightly.
Although the cultivators of the Justice League Army weren't highly cultivated, under his training, they had long been fiercely loyal to the Justice League—they were his staunchest supporters! The enemy cultivators are at least in the Hollow Realm. The attack range of the Hollow Realm is very far. Since the enemy could evade The Northern Army's search, they definitely wouldn't be at the scene of the cooking competition...
With the enhancement from the Spirit Fruit, Lin Bai's combat talent was extremely high; he didn't consider searching for the enemy cultivators.
As his mind raced, Rush Moon instantly covered all the Justice League Army members enveloped by the black mist. Then, he pressed the switches on the five recording pens.
The sound of Cui Thick Leg's tongue twister emerged from the recording pens, and Lin Bai shouted to The Northern Army cultivators holding the Sunburning Mirror, "Align the Sunburning Mirror parallel to the sky above the black mist!"
Rush Moon wouldn't protect cultivators during ascension, but it could convert their internal Spiritual Power into speed.
Most cultivators in the Justice League Army had experienced Rush Moon. When the familiar thrust came from beneath their feet, all who were still alive were overjoyed. They hurriedly channeled all their Cultivation Level, shooting upwards like Soaring Monkeys towards the top of the black mist.
Yin spirits clung to them, ascending as well. But as soon as they emerged from the black mist, they were scorched by the Sunburning Mirror's power, shrieked, and retreated back into the mist.
In the blink of an eye, most of the Justice League cultivators enveloped in the black mist were sent skyward by Rush Moon, striking flamboyant poses.
Even so, in such a short time, the Justice League Army of nearly ten thousand cultivators had lost over a tenth of its members. The survivors were still in shock, maintaining the Rush Moon stance, their hearts heavy, and their morale at rock bottom.
「At the same time.」
Ye Song, who was watching the spectacle from the viewing platform, shuddered violently. A scene suddenly burst into his mind: swirling clouds and mist, a palace looming from the distance, appearing before his eyes.
Outside the palace, dozens of heavenly pillars pierced the clouds. Then, three ancient, grand characters—'The Palace of Liberation'—came into view.
The palace gates were wide open.
An elder riding a blue ox emerged slowly.
The elder was dressed in an Eight Trigrams robe, holding a horsetail whisk. Three flowers gathered atop his head, and a halo, formed by light emanating from his nape and back, hovered behind him, giving him an air of transcendent wisdom.
He glanced faintly at Ye Song. "Ye Song, I am the Moral Heavenly Respect. Today, the reincarnated Emperor Zidewei faces peril. You are fated to be a Heavenly Dao Guardian God. You must help Emperor Zidewei overcome this tribulation, and you shall be greatly rewarded in the future."
After speaking, he rode the ox into the clouds.
All the images vanished into thin air.
Ye Song stood rooted to the spot, stunned.
He had seen an image of the Nine Progenitors of the Righteous Door in his mind before, but even though they were in the Star River, they merely looked like cultivators with profound cultivation. But this time, the figure on the blue ox who called himself Moral Heavenly Respect, appearing in his mind, possessed a divine majesty that clearly surpassed the so-called Nine Progenitors of the Righteous Door. He was more like... more like a primordial deity. What shocked Ye Song was the content of Moral Heavenly Respect's words: the reincarnation of Emperor Zidewei, a Heavenly Dao Guardian God? This seemed like monumental news! He turned towards Lin Bai in the sky. Emperor Zidewei? For tens of thousands of years, no cultivator who underwent tribulation and ascended had ever sent back information. Could this so-called Moral Heavenly Respect and Emperor Zidewei be from the legendary Fairy World? The chaos wrought by the immortal and undying Descended Ones has drawn the Fairy World's attention to the lower realms. Does the Fairy World intend to confront the world behind these Descended Ones? Righteous Door? The Dao of Cultivation Law! So there was an even deeper conspiracy behind it all... Lin Bai probably doesn't even know about this conspiracy! The reincarnation of Emperor Zidewei—what an extraordinary background! No wonder Daozis and Buddha's Sons had been reincarnating in recent years... No wonder he had felt an inexplicable urge to attend this nonsensical cooking competition. It seemed the great powers of the upper realm had arranged everyone's destiny long ago.
Under the influence of the Enlightenment Skill, Ye Song naturally connected all the clues and rationalized them.
「…」
「At this time.」
The tongue twister from the recording pens also reached its end.
The Lightning Storm reappeared in the world, raining down into the black mist.
Palm Thunder suppressed yin spirits, its destructive power far exceeding that of the Sunburning Mirror.
The moment the lightning fell, the black mist churned violently like boiling water. The hidden yin spirits within shrieked horrifically, one after another. Any that tried to escape were struck squarely by lightning, instantly turning to ash.
The black mist shrank visibly, revealing the dead and wounded Justice League cultivators. They lay strewn on the ground, all having bled from their seven orifices and died.
Suddenly, a voice echoed from all directions, "Hahahaha, Alliance Hierarch Lin, you're truly all show and no go! So what if you destroyed this batch of my yin spirits? With one strike, I eliminated over a thousand of your Justice League cultivators. How long can your remaining few thousand last? I fear that in a few more rounds, Alliance Hierarch Lin will be a general without an army!"
Lin Bai hadn't spoken yet when Ye Song, on the viewing platform, suddenly dissolved into a cloud of black mist and vanished.
Everyone was startled by this sudden development.
Duke Zhenguo was shocked. It turned out Lin Bai wasn't making a mountain out of a molehill; Ye Song truly was that old Great Cheng ancestor from the Holy Extreme Sect. This showed that many enemies were likely still hidden within Zhen City. Zhen City's defensive formation could attack inward, but if hidden enemies launched a surprise attack, The Northern Army, caught off guard, would likely suffer losses similar to the Justice League. After all, their lowest cultivation level was also the Hollow Realm. Duke Zhenguo frowned. Time was too short; with the previously lax defenses, Zhen City had probably been infiltrated as thoroughly as a sieve. This battle was going to be tough! Taiyi Country and Lin Bai's cooperation was probably a misjudgment.
Xu Longyun's expression was grim; she was responsible for the cooking competition. Moreover, she had been certain Ye Song was an ordinary person. Yet the Divine Skill Ye Song had just used to disappear was clearly something only a Great Cheng realm master could command. If Ye Song had launched a sneak attack then, the consequences would have been unthinkable...
"Ji Huo, quickly relay orders to The Northern Army: be wary of enemies lurking within the city! If Ye Song is sighted, expel him from Zhen City at all costs!" Duke Zhenguo commanded gravely.
His words had just fallen when a flash of black mist occurred, and Ye Song reappeared on the viewing platform. He had reverted to his slender, youthful form. Now, he held a withered old man in his hand, a smile in his eyes as he looked at the tense Duke Zhenguo. "Duke, no need to be on guard against me. We're on the same side; we should unite against the external threat."
Ye Song appeared handsome and elegant, with the refined air of a master.
However, the ring of the Milky Way surrounding him completely ruined this image.
"Ye Song, you betrayed the Five Demonic Sects! You'll die a dog's death!" The old man held by Ye Song had a venomous look, roaring fiercely and struggling desperately. But he couldn't break free from Ye Song's grip. Instead, Ye Song forced his head into the Milky Way, making him choke on its water.
The Duke Zhenguo watched Ye Song, maintaining his Silence. He wasn't foolish enough to provoke a Great Cheng expert so close to him. Besides, he couldn't quite fathom Ye Song's intentions.
"Good disciple, I knew I wasn't mistaken about you." Lin Bai stopped the recording pens, looking at Ye Song with a half-smile.
As he spoke, three Magpie Bridges extended towards Xu Longyun, Jiang Qingqin, and Little White Fox.
Xu Longyun, Jiang Qingqin, and Little White Fox stepped onto the Magpie Bridges and, in a flash, arrived by his side.
He had to see the act through. The Mind Reading Technique and the Enlightenment Skill were what he had implanted in Ye Song's mind, but Lin Bai wasn't sure how much impact the combination of these two Skills would have. The show had to go on.
Everyone was forced to smile.
Ye Song was no exception. He looked at Lin Bai, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. "Master, you trust me, right? Look, I've captured the fellow who was lurking in the shadows for you. The spy from the cooking competition earlier? I took care of him too."
"What were you planning to do by sneaking into Zhen City?" Lin Bai asked.
"Naturally, I wanted to become your disciple and learn the Dao of Cultivation Law." Ye Song looked at the wary Lin Bai, his belief in Moral Heavenly Respect's words growing. "Otherwise, I would have just assassinated you. Why go through all the trouble of participating in some cooking competition? Regardless of what others think, I firmly believe that the future belongs to the Dao of Cultivation Law."
"I reckon you don't know how to deal with the Milky Way affecting you, do you?" Lin Bai gestured to the Milky Way beside Ye Song and asked with a smile. He was trying to find a more plausible reason for Ye Song.
After all, suddenly trusting an enemy Great Cheng expert seemed too frivolous. The process of winning Ye Song over had to appear more convincing.
"Master, have you heard of Moral Heavenly Respect?" Ye Song suddenly asked, looking at Lin Bai.
"What Moral Heavenly Respect?" Lin Bai snorted.
"Alright, I did indeed want to join the Righteous Door through you. But I didn't expect you to be so vigilant as to use the Milky Way on me for no reason. I can't break your Divine Skill, nor could I just stand by and watch you get killed by others. So, I decided to cooperate and help you overcome this crisis. Are you satisfied with that reason?"
Ye Song sighed inwardly and went along with Lin Bai, concocting the most plausible excuse. Lin Bai clearly didn't know about Moral Heavenly Respect. If he brought up the reincarnation of Emperor Zidewei, Lin Bai would be even less likely to believe him; it would only backfire.
"Just this?" Lin Bai asked.
"The renowned Master of Metamorphosis, with a ring of the Milky Way constantly around him wherever he goes—what kind of image is that?" Ye Song said helplessly. "If you die, who will help me get rid of this Milky Way?"
PFFT! Little White Fox looked at Ye Song and couldn't help but laugh.
Xu Longyun smiled.
"Ye Song, if you help Lin Bai, you'll become the public enemy of the world, with nowhere to hide... Mmphh, GLUG GLUG!" the old man held by Ye Song shouted resentfully. But halfway through, Ye Song shoved his head back into the water.
Seeing Lin Bai remain silent for a long moment, Ye Song said, "With my abilities, I haven't attacked you even at such close range. What more reason do you have to distrust me? A Great Cheng expert is offering to help you, yet you're hesitating like a timid girl..."
"Alright, we'll join forces to fight the enemy. If we win this battle, I'll rid you of the Milky Way." Lin Bai looked at Ye Song and smiled heartily. "But if you try anything against me during the battle, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"Just removing the Milky Way isn't enough." Ye Song forced a smile. He looked at Lin Bai and said, "You also have to accept me into the Righteous Door. You heard what this old codger said. By attacking those people outside, I've essentially betrayed the Holy Extreme Sect. If the Righteous Door doesn't take me in, I'll have nowhere else to go."
Compared to the position of a Heavenly Dao Guardian God, being an ancestor of the Holy Extreme Sect was worthless. Naturally, Ye Song wasn't willing to let go of Lin Bai, this powerful patron, and intended to ride his coattails.
「…」
Duke Zhenguo's eyes nearly popped out. He couldn't comprehend the situation. A Great Cheng expert had inexplicably submitted just because of the Milky Way? And was now shamelessly begging to join the Righteous Door? What on earth? This was too ridiculous! He couldn't help but warn, "Lin Bai, be careful he doesn't trick you!"
Lin Bai looked at Duke Zhenguo and said, "Rest assured, Duke, I know what I'm doing. Cultivating the Dao of Cultivation Law requires a pure heart and unwavering determination once a path is chosen. Although my Way of Incompleteness is unorthodox, when I saw Ye Song, I felt an inexplicable, unbreakable karmic bond with him. Otherwise, I wouldn't have used the Milky Way only on him. I believe him..."
Ye Song laughed heartily, secretly sighing in relief. "Believing me is the right choice! From this moment on, we, master and disciple, shall join forces and crush the allied army of the seven orthodox sects!"
"But I cannot remove your Milky Way prematurely," Lin Bai said.
"It doesn't matter; I can bear it," Ye Song said with a smile. "Whenever Master truly feels at ease, then you can help me remove the Milky Way."
"Disciple, how about you bring that old fellow in your hands to the brink of death?" Lin Bai winked, pointing at the old man Ye Song was holding.
"No problem, Master." Ye Song, utterly shameless, directly addressed him as Master. With a flick of his wrist, the old man from the Valley of Thousand Souls coughed up a mouthful of blood and fainted.
Lin Bai seized the opportunity to fling out a Blank Card, collecting the old man into it.
「…」
Duke Zhenguo speechlessly watched the two in the sky, who had eliminated their discord with just a few sentences and were now cooperating seamlessly. His brow furrowed slightly. In a daze, he felt a sliver of confidence in the upcoming battle rekindle.