Chapter 690: Unfathomable Intentions

Sinisterly cold wind and dark mist shrouded the blood-drenched Dragon-slaying Stage. The illusory True Dragons with their antlers and serpent-like bodies spiraled in the air, roaring. Together with the bitter taste of resentment in the air, everything appeared nearly tangible.

As he walked, Meng Qi did not feel as if he was in the Immortal Realm in the slightest. Instead, the place felt more like the depths of the Nine Serenities. The coldness pierced deep into his marrow and suppressed his Interior. It was hard for him to connect with heaven and earth. This was not an effect that could be alleviated simply by transforming into a different species. The only exception would be a Dharmakaya master who could truly spread his Interior all over heaven and earth and seek true external help.

“Roar!”

The tails of the golden-scaled True Dragons were linked to the Dragon-slaying Stage, their bodies stretched as they flew. One of them charged at him with eyes that resembled wheels of fire, razor-sharp teeth, and blood-drenched feelers. The unyielding willpower and unexorcized resentment in the air pierced deep into his soul.

The golden lotus inside Meng Qi’s Mud-pill Palace radiated millions upon millions of fine light to resist the intrusion of his Vital Spirit. He calmly took a step forward with his left foot and avoided the illusory True Dragon at just the right timing. The cold wind that grazed his skin caused him to shudder.

The True Dragon had undoubtedly died on the Dragon-slaying Stage. What remained of it was no more than a consciousness that harbored hatred as well as a hint of essence and lifeforce. Usually, immortals and deities would slowly exorcize such beings until they ceased to exist. However, with the collapse of the Celestial Court and the destruction of the Ninth Heaven, one would be hard-pressed to find immortals anywhere. The build-up eventually resulted in the scene that Meng Qi was currently witnessing. Even so, their nature remained. There were no corpses as the dragons relied on a strand of consciousness to spiral in the air and stiffly mimic the rules of the world. Thus, Meng Qi and Gu Xiaosang were guaranteed a safe escape as long as they waited, watched for the gaps between the spiraling dragons, and passed through those gaps.

Of course, Meng Qi dared not let the dragons touch him. If the hatred in True Dragons’ consciousnesses came into contact with his body, he might not be able to withstand the effects with his current Vital Spirit realm. The resentment would instantly pollute his soul and assimilate with his body. He would then become the fertilizer for the dragons’ hatred and consigned to eternal damnation!

Gu Xiaosang walked with quick and light steps, her white dress billowing behind her. Without fail, she would always be able to find the fine gaps between the illusory True Dragons and pass through. Compared to Meng Qi, she was a lot more relaxed as if she was going on a stroll.

“Does she have better deduction skills than me or is she just familiar with such circumstances?” Meng Qi secretly speculated. However, he dared not distract himself with such thoughts and returned his full attention on the dragons.

He did not know how long they had walked when light permeated his vision. The dark mist had largely dissipated, leaving behind only a strange veil of greyness. They had finally left the vicinity of the Dragon-slaying Stage.

They saw two tall platforms standing side by side not too far away, one of them being the Monster-slaying Stage and the other the Demon-slaying Stage. On their respective left side were purple lightning – concentrated until they were incredibly fine bolts – poking out from within the void and striking the surface of the platforms. On their respective right were purple flames burning through the void to reach for the platforms. In midair was a dark vortex that could absorb even one’s gaze. It was so strong that it seemed capable of ripping apart and engulfing everything. Now and then, it would descend on the surface of the platforms and engulf the lightning and flames.

Their breaths leaked out, extending toward three paths. One path resembled a forest of lightning, another resembled a fiery hell, and the last one was dark and indistinct like a ‘demon’ awaiting its nourishment.

The rest was just the void, with everything smashed into pieces. Without a sufficiently high realm, one would not be able to pass through this place.

It was the Monster-slaying Stage that first caught Meng Qi’s attention. It was the platform where the Great Sage Equal to Heaven of yesteryears received his punishment!

…

‘Sun God’ Xi and Star of Northern Dipper finally arrived outside the Celestial Judgment Gate after making haste along the way.

Star of Northern Dipper peeked at what lied behind the gate and said in his hoarse voice, “They have just crossed the place.”

“You want to kill them immediately?” Xi said placidly.

Star of Northern Dipper replied coldly, “Of course not.”

Even though Xi had become a grandmaster after crossing the second layer of the Celestial Ladder, and Star of Northern Dipper was fairly confident in his ability as a Peerless Master Pro, the opponents up ahead were Demoness of Grand Luo and “Killing Blade” Su Meng. Common measures would not work against the two masters who rose through the ranks at once. Moreover, the Demoness had a Dharmakaya master as aid and would most certainly harbor life-saving items. Killing Blade, on the other hand, had always been well-equipped with well-known treasures. He had once used a nearly-damaged divine weapon to force the Oracle of the Covenant of Luo Denomination to retreat. Even if Xi and Star of Northern Dipper had the Samsara and secret treasures to fall back on, they dared not underestimate those two!

With such a thought crossing his mind, Star of Northern Dipper hesitated before saying, “Heaven Sovereign and the rest will be catching up soon. There is no need for us to risk our lives to kill or exchange blows with those two. It is enough for us to disturb them from time to time and delay their journey forward.”

Even if he was a cultivator of the Murderous Swordplay, being able to reach his current realm meant he was more than a mindless evil spirit with only killing in mind.

Xi glanced apathetically at him. “Since you know we are dealing with the Demoness of Grand Luo, you still dare to suggest that we disturb her? Have you lived for too long?”

“What do you mean?” Star of Northern Dipper’s body jerked.

Xi looked away from him and stepped inside the Celestial Judgment Gate. “Stay here and wait in ease for Heaven Sovereign,” he said placidly.

…

Inside the Peach Garden, two figures appeared above the blood-drenched ground. One wore a wide robe and the mask of Heaven Sovereign. The other was dressed in a black robe and donned a featureless mask. Instead of looking strange or sinister, the latter exuded a cold yet dignified air. These two were none other than ‘Evil Master’ Han Guang and ‘Mad Prince’ Gao Lan.

Han Guang glanced at the ground and muttered irresolutely to himself. He then began walking with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling. “Sure enough, a change had occurred in this place as well.”

Instead of replying, Gao Lan commented coolly, “Your subordinate sure is knowledgeable.”

Han Guang sneered as he moved forward steadily. “Who doesn’t have secrets? It is fine as long as he is loyal and will work for me.”

Gao Lan focused into the distance and clear images entered his eyes one by one like distinctive scrolls of painting unveiling in his vision. He said coldly, “Longevity Sage is dead and his skull is empty.”

…

Lightning, flames, and the Chaotic Hole washed the Monster-slaying Stage clean over and over. The remaining essence, lifeforce, willpower, and consciousness had long disappeared into nothingness. Meng Qi could not find any traces of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

“The monkey survived the Monster-slaying Stage unscathed because his Vajra is solid. Why would he leave behind any consciousness?” Meng Qi could not help mocking himself.

Just then, the Supreme-wisdom Tree inside his Space Ring made a very faint move. It was not as desperate as it was inside the Peach Garden.

“Is it also interested in the Dragon-slaying Stage, Monster-slaying Stage, and Demon-slaying Stage?” Meng Qi was a little startled. He became increasingly confused about the true nature of the little green tree and just what it liked consuming.

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Gu Xiaosang smiled, revealing her dimples. “Please quickly reveal your thunderbolt mark, my husband. We will be passing through the path of Thunderclaps. Even though it is the longest path, it is also the safest.”

The thunderbolt mark once again reappeared on the back of Meng Qi’s hand. Gleaming with a purple glow, the mark exuded a dignified and divine air. The breath that was brimming with strong Yang energy that slowly overflowed.

The breath had barely appeared when something shifted within the forest of Thunderclaps. Sounds of crackling and rattling reverberated chaotically as it pushed the two sides open.

Meng Qi plucked a strand of hair from his head and used his doppelganger to test the place. Only then did he cautiously step inside. He saw that purple and green bolts of lightings had condensed to form what appeared to be illusory shadows that welcomed his presence!

“Since this area is guarded by the Thunder Troops, it ought to be under the Thunder God’s control.” Gu Xiaosang was half a step behind Meng Qi as she walked. She was full of smiles as she spoke, looking so carefree it seems as if she was not in mortal danger. She looked like she was going on an excursion.

“Do I need you to tell me that…” Meng Qi retorted silently.

Gu Xiaosang walked at a controlled pace and she said in a light tone, “When the ancient Celestial Court was at its peak, there were often large monsters and evil spirits who were captured and brought here. The court would mete divine punishment on them with spears, lightning, fire, and pressure from Chaotic Hole.”

“I know this too! I paid attention when I read the tales of Journey to the West, you know!” Meng Qi remained quiet and concentrated on guarding against his surroundings. He never stopped walking for he dared not make any delays.

Gu Xiaosang pursed her lips into a smile and telepathically relayed her voice to him. “The court chose the Celestial Judgment Gate as their punishment ground because this place is the manifestation of the Punishment by the Heavenly Law. It carries on the Great Enlightenment and punishes on behalf of heaven. Like the distant Fairy-banishing Pool, even immortals and Dharmakaya masters would be washed away once they fall into it. They would emerge out of the waters with their mortal bodies and their Interiors and skills eroded. This was the Heaven Sovereign’s trick to punish violators of heavenly laws.”

Though he did not show it, Meng Qi was deeply shocked. On one hand, he reminded himself to be careful of ‘Punishment by the Heavenly Law’. On the other, his mind was going haywire with possibilities. If he could gather some water from the Fairy-banishing Pool, wouldn’t he possess the ‘most potent poison’?

Gu Xiaosang continued without any shift in expression, “In the beginning, there was a possibility that even those who were about to reach the other shore would find themselves here. Before the domination of Heaven Sovereign in the ancient times, the Celestial Judgment Gate drew essence from the fertile lands of the Ninth Heaven to nurture a Peerless Godly Weapon. The weapon left on its own accord and disappeared in the human world. Since then, the Thunder Troops, Fire Troops, and Dipper Troops had to take over. This resulted in a great decline in their power.”

Meng Qi’s heart leaped. “A Peerless Godly Weapon that symbolizes the Punishment by the Heavenly Law?”

“Why does this sound so familiar?”

“Your guess is correct, my husband.” Gu Xiaosang smiled. “That weapon is the same one as Gu Erduo’s Heaven-killing Axe. Unfortunately, he can only arouse a little of this weapon’s power. Otherwise, not even Taoist Chonghe and Master Lu would be a match for him.”

“The nurturement of the Immortal Realm… Symbol of the Punishment by the Heavenly Law… Even those who were about to reach the other shore would find themselves here…” Meng Qi had never once thought that Heaven-killing Axe would have such an impressive background. Doubt began rising in his mind and he could not help asking telepathically, “Heaven-killing Axe and Extinctive Blade of the Overlord are both included in the top ten of the List of Out-of-the-world Weapons of Six Realms. But the latter is clearly inferior in terms of origin, material, and refinement method. How can it be considered on par with the axe?”

Considering the situation during medieval times, Overlord was at most a newcomer to the legends. Otherwise, one would not be able to resist him even after gathering the strength of all Dharmakaya masters in the world. On the other hand, Thunder God was far weaker than Devil-rinsing Primogenitor. Certainly, the former could not be discussed with the words ‘nurturement of the Ninth Heaven’ in the same breath!

“Putting aside the forger of the weapon and Thunder God’s arrangement, you must not underestimate the Ancient Thunderous Pool as it ought to be the remnant of the previous era. Thunder God was a product of the pool’s nurturement.” Gu Xiaosang seemed delighted to explain the whole situation.

“No wonder he is called the archaic Thunder God and not ancient Thunder God…”Realization suddenly dawned on Meng Qi. Pre-ancient times and archaean eon were essentially the same things. Based on Gu Xiaosang’s words earlier, this particular time period also referred to the previous era.

With purple and green lightning thundering on both sides, Meng Qi sped through the place. The more he thought about it, the stranger he found things to be. “Why would Gu Xiaosang so calmly tell me all these secrets?”

She had been emphasizing all along that they must not stop for there could be troops chasing after them. Even so, she also spent her own sweet time introducing and explaining. Though she never lagged in her speed, she was still being distracted.

His extensive experience in dealing with Gu Xiaosang told him that the Demoness might be conspiring something!

This thought had just risen in his mind when two fearsome and grandiose breaths came drifting from behind. The sinister wind that carried grudgeful air swept them, causing the lightning to sway, the flames to dim, and the Chaos to retreat.

“Dharmakaya!”

“Two Dharmakaya masters!”

Meng Qi could tell that one was ‘Heaven Sovereign’ Han Guang.

He was stunned that Han Guang managed to break away from the siege and catch up to them at such a terrifying speed.

Right then, the void behind Gu Xiaosang drifted and revealed a nearly transparent shadow. The air surrounding her began swaying. Here came another Dharmakaya master!

“Dharma King Dushi?” Fear gripped Meng Qi’s heart. Though he had predicted this, he never expected that Dharma King Dushi to be so close.

Dharma King Dushi moved in their opposite direction to intercept Han Guang and Gao Lan. He said in a hollow voice,

“Go ahead and acquire the treasure first!”

Gu Xiaosang sped up upon hearing his words, so much so that Meng Qi nearly failed to catch up to her. Behind them, the sound of explosion boomed and produced waves of aftershock. Were it not for the suppression of the Celestial Judgment Gate, Meng Qi would have found his body crushed if he did not use the main ingredient for forging a divine weapon.

Suddenly, Gu Xiaosang turned to look at him with her lips curved into a bright smile.

“I predicted it to be Tai Li but who knew it would be two Dharmakaya strangers?”

“But that is beside the point. In the special environment of the Celestial Judgment Gate, Dharma King won’t have a problem temporarily obstructing them.”

“Moreover, now that we have lured Dharma King away, we can now properly journey as husband and wife.”

“Predicted it to be Tai Li? Lure Dharma King away?” Meng Qi could not help glancing at Gu Xiaosang. Just now, her brush-like long and dark eyelashes drooped ever so slightly to cover her eyes. What a show of innocence and harmlessness she had put up!

“Sure enough, it is hard to decipher Demoness’ unfathomable intentions!”