Chapter 233: Ruling the World (2)

Under everyone's dumbfounded gazes, the streak of golden light changed direction and swept toward their location at the edge of the Ancient Battlefield.

As the golden light grew brighter and more dazzling, the crowd suddenly realized its terrifying speed. It crossed a thousand li in the blink of an eye and tens of thousands in just a few breaths. Even the world's most peerless Escape Art, paired with a top-tier speed-enhancing ancient treasure, could not possibly match it.

"Is this the mighty power of a Deity Transformation Cultivator?" someone exclaimed.

Before the echo of those words faded, the slender golden figure was upon them. No one dared show the slightest disrespect. As the light drew near, the old Nascent Soul monsters lowered their heads, not daring to look directly at the figure. Their hearts pounded wildly. This was an instinctive dread stemming from the depths of their souls—more visceral and impossible to suppress than any fear they had felt facing a powerful enemy.

Someone subconsciously took a half-step back, only realizing upon recovering their wits that retreating was completely pointless. Others simply stood in place, heads bowed and motionless, frozen to the spot.

"No, I can't stay here. Faster, a little faster! As long as I escape, I still have a chance! I can't die here! I can't!"

Xue Huomo gritted his teeth, pushing every life-saving trump card he had accumulated over his lifetime to its absolute limit. His figure blurred within his escape light as he fled frantically in the opposite direction. Never before had he flown so fast, nor had he cut such a wretched figure. The golden light behind him grew fainter and fainter, as though he were actually widening the distance between them.

Relief washed over him. He assumed the Divine Lord had failed to notice him, giving him a chance to escape with his life.

But the instant that thought crossed his mind, the golden light behind him abruptly vanished. Before Xue Huomo could rejoice, the void directly in front of him tore open with a resounding boom. A massive torrent of spatial turbulence poured from the rift, engulfing him completely. The chaotic currents battered him so violently that he could hardly stabilize his figure.

Amid the turbulent flows, a slender figure faintly appeared. He stood upon the void, watching Xue Huomo in utter silence.

'It's him... how did he arrive so fast?!' Xue Huomo thought hysterically, his eyes brimming with unprecedented terror.

With no time to think, he raised his hand, tossed out a square Token, and crushed it without hesitation. Thick streams of black energy surged from the fragments, wrapping around his body. The tendrils coiled tighter and bit deeper until even his face was swallowed by the dense layers of black mist. His expression shifted wildly between struggle and agony, as if he were enduring a power far beyond his limits.

Immediately after, a halting, hoarse, aged voice drifted from the black mist, sounding as though it were speaking from an extreme distance.

"You... you actually... truly took that step...!"

From within the spatial rift, the slender figure gave no reply. He merely transmitted an icy, deep voice.

"I will come find you myself..."

Before the words even faded, a golden sword light slashed across the void, too fast for the naked eye to track. As it swept through the dense black mist entwining Xue Huomo, the shadows evaporated like thin paper meeting fire. They vanished instantly, leaving not a single trace behind, as if they had never existed at all.

With the black shadows gone, Xue Huomo's figure was fully exposed. His gaze shifted from terror to disbelief, finally settling into pure resignation.

His voice was hoarse yet steady, brimming with bitter unwillingness.

"The heroic talents in the world are truly like carps crossing a river. For a figure like you to emerge in this day and age, in a world where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is failing... my defeat is not unjust. To die at the hands of a Deity Transformation Cultivator right before the end—this life of mine can be considered a blazing, glorious one. It is far better than cowering in some dark corner, slowly waiting to pass away in meditation. Hahahaha!"

As his words concluded, his laughter gradually dimmed, ultimately swallowed whole by the golden radiance. His entire being, along with his very aura, dissipated into heaven and earth.

The distant spectators witnessed this scene with absolute clarity. Everyone fell silent; not a single person made a sound. Some moved their lips as if wanting to speak, only to swallow their words back down. Others clenched their fists so hard their knuckles turned white, not even knowing on whose behalf they were tensing up.

They had watched with their own eyes as a Peak Nascent Soul Stage cultivator proved completely powerless to fight back against a Deity Transformation Cultivator, slaughtered on the spot in a single strike.

Though they had long heard tales of a Deity Transformation Cultivator's might, seeing it in person delivered a shock that shook everyone to their core, leaving them unable to calm down for a long time.

Several streaks of escape light shot over from the distance, most of them belonging to Northern Plains cultivators. The Demonic Path cultivators, having witnessed Xue Huomo's fall, had long since scattered in all directions, fleeing far faster than they had arrived.

A few Nascent Soul rogue cultivators remained in place, observing from afar. In their eyes, the fact that this Divine Lord slaughtered a great Demonic Path cultivator the moment he appeared clearly marked him as a member of the Righteous Path. A figure of his stature would likely disdain dirtying his hands on mere bystanders like them.

Three Northern Plains figures rushed at the forefront. Saint Teacher Mo, Saint Teacher Ma, and Saint Teacher Bao arrived shoulder to shoulder, followed by several Grandmasters. When they made out Jiuyou's face from a distance, their footsteps halted in unison, astonishment washing over their features.

It was actually him.

That Sword Dao Grandmaster from over two hundred years ago, who was rumored to have long since suffered body perishing and Dao vanishing.

The Northern Wilderness Alliance had even erected a stone statue for him, carving his title onto it to commemorate his righteous assistance back then. Yet now, that very man was standing right in front of them. Not only was he alive, but he had also taken that final step, becoming an existence they could only look up to.

The three hesitated for a moment, slowing their flight. The Grandmasters rushing up from behind also recognized Jiuyou, exchanging bewildered glances. No one had ever imagined that this newly advanced Deity Transformation Cultivator would turn out to be that Sword Dao Grandmaster from the past. Silence slowly spread through the air. No one knew what to say.

A moment later, Jiuyou cast a glance in their direction. Saint Teacher Mo was the first to react. He landed, planted his feet, and bowed deeply to Jiuyou.

"Congratulations, Senior Qing, on proving your Dao and reaching Deity Transformation! May your lifespan increase by a thousand years! You have transcended the mortal realm's cage, and your divine might blankets the world. As a Righteous Path sword cultivator, Senior has endured countless tribulations to set foot into this supreme realm. This is truly a great blessing for all living beings in the world. From this day forth, everyone in the Northern Plains is willing to follow Senior's lead, bowing our heads in obedience and awaiting your commands."

The others closely followed suit, bowing one after another without daring to lift their heads to meet his gaze. Saint Teacher Ma and Saint Teacher Bao were among them, their reactions half a beat slower than Saint Teacher Mo's, yet neither hesitated any further.