Chapter 469 - 468: This Humble Official Arrives Too Late to Save the Throne~

Chapter 469: Chapter 468: This Humble Official Arrives Too Late to Save the Throne~

Chapter 468: This Humble Official Arrives Too Late to Save the Throne~

Within the space where the Trial of Ascension Platform resided.

Those inside this space looked up at the sky, their expressions tinged with confusion.

Not long ago, they had already learned the truth of the situation outside.

The news had been personally announced by representatives of the Immortal Nation, who also orderly suspended the contest for the Human Immortal List and arranged for the crowd’s relocation.

Centered on the Trial of Ascension Platform, a faintly ethereal curtain of power spread outward, enveloping the surrounding five peaks. From it emanated a defensive might that could be vaguely felt—one that seemed capable of effortlessly withstanding even a Divine Transformation realm strike.

This was a contingency long prepared by the royal capital. Corresponding teleportation formations had been set up within those five peaks. Should the Netherkin chaos spiral out of control, the civilians already evacuated to the north of the city would be teleported here to continue the remaining arrangements.

A grand event had transformed into a refuge. Even though such situations were not unfamiliar to people of the cultivation world, panic was still difficult to avoid.

Those who could barely maintain their composure were only the small group who had known about this in advance.

Their gazes were mostly directed toward the location of the Trial of Ascension Platform at the center... though in truth, it could no longer be seen. A pillar of light had already completely engulfed that area, shooting straight into the vast heavens above.

"Bro-Brother Xin, your Daoist Sect has the closest ties with the Immortal Nation. We just want to ask—what exactly is going on right now?"

"What kind of thing will the change in the Ascension Platform bring? Is the Netherkin race about to break through space?"

"It looks like... something is appearing at the edge of the sky..."

Listening to the chatter of the surrounding crowd, Yang Xiaoxin, the personal disciple of Elder Lei of the Daoist Sect, twitched slightly at the corner of his mouth.

"Remain calm. Even if the Netherkin race breaks into this space, with the Ascension Platform suppressing them, they won’t waste effort attacking us," he said casually in reassurance.

After that single sentence, Yang Xiaoxin no longer wished to speak.

These people had been mocking him not long ago because of his second defeat.

He had clearly been one of the top contenders for the championship of this Human Immortal List. Yet yesterday, he had been defeated by the Demon Sect’s Holy Maiden with a single casual strike. And today, he couldn’t even block one sword from a Sword Sect disciple who had come out of nowhere...

He was, after all, a personal disciple of Daoist Sect Divine Transformation realm realm cultivator! Were the prodigies of this generation a bit too outrageous? And why were they all women?

’Sigh... at least our sect still has Senior Sister Yanyao, that flawless peerless genius...’

Thinking of that Senior Sister who had once abandoned several Daoist Sect disciples—including himself—without a second thought, Yang Xiaoxin felt a bit helpless.

Senior Sister Yanyao was indeed unconventional, but her abilities were truly exceptional. Take the affairs of the royal capital’s Daoist Artifact Pavillion—despite it being her first time taking charge, she showed not the slightest sign of panic and even retained ample leeway.

It was hard to imagine such a Senior Sister ever being put in an awkward position.

Just like that Immortal Nation Empress.

Recalling the Immortal Nation’s Empress he had once seen, Yang Xiaoxin couldn’t help but sigh again. As expected of the woman with the highest talent of this generation, the one who upheld an entire nation—her imperial presence was something even he couldn’t withstand.

With such peerless women, it was difficult to imagine any man in this world who could truly be worthy of them.

’Come to think of it... someone in the sect once tried to pursue Senior Sister Yanyao, but was ignored. Who was it again?’

Yang Xiaoxin frowned. As a cultivator, his memory was certainly not poor—especially for an incident that had clearly stirred up quite a commotion. He shouldn’t have forgotten it so easily.

Before he could think further, the noise around him suddenly erupted.

He followed the direction of everyone’s gaze.

The pillar of light erupting from the Ascension Platform gradually dimmed. In its place, the vast expanse of the heavens at the horizon rippled.

It was as though the light that had once been confined within the pillar was now spreading across the boundless sky.

Specks of scenery manifested within that radiance.

"It’s Her Majesty!"

Someone with sharp eyes cried out at once.

At that, everyone noticed that within the scene projected by the light stood an unparalleled Empress, holding a dark-gold longsword in her hand.

Yet at this moment, the Empress’s situation clearly did not look good. Each time the Human Emperor Sword was swung, her complexion grew paler and paler. Only her pair of phoenix eyes remained icy cold, concealing imperial majesty within.

Although the crowd could see her, they could not clearly make out what she was facing. All they could see was a vast black shadow that blotted out the sky.

As this continued, the manifested image gradually expanded.

The scenery around the Empress and that shadow slowly came into view.

Clouds formed steps, star rivers became roads; palaces of golden bricks and jade tiles, pavilions shrouded in drifting immortal energy...

"The Ancient Heavenly Gate!"

Yang Xiaoxin’s eyes widened.

...

The Empress’s current state was indeed terrible.

When, back in the royal capital, she saw something suddenly burst out from the rift where the Netherking descended—charging straight into the pillar of light of the Immortal Soul Summoning ritual—she realized that the most critical step had still gone wrong.

That said, this was not entirely beyond her expectations.

When you place your hopes on a single point, you must also be prepared for that very point to be sabotaged by the enemy.

Just as many within the Immortal Nation placed their hopes on the Daoist Sect Master taking action, while also mentally preparing for the possibility that the Daoist Sect Master might not act.

The Netherking had ruled the Netherkin race for three years and possessed cultivation nearing the peak of the Divine Transformation realm. That he might have means to cause an accident in the Immortal Soul Summoning ritual—this was something the Empress had long considered.

What she had not expected was that the Netherking would go mad enough to barge directly into this place.

Since it was called immortal soul summoning, it naturally wouldn’t involve barging into the immortal soul’s home and dragging it out in a hurry.

Under normal circumstances, the power of the Ascension Platform would first communicate with the soul’s true body within the Ancient Heavenly Gate. Then, through guidance and induction, the true soul would descend via that pillar of light. Only at that point would the soul enter the range of the light pillar and be drawn into the body.

If things had developed that way, then even if the Netherking could influence the immortal soul at that time, she would still have had a final method to withstand all interference.

But now, everything was completely in chaos...

The Empress knew she could not simply watch as the Netherking so clearly intended to do something to the immortal soul while she herself did nothing.

If she failed to bear the immortal soul, she would lose at this most critical step.

’But what exactly is this place? It’s neither real nor illusory, yet it clearly resembles the Ancient Heavenly Gate. And I can feel the immortal soul summoned by the ritual drawing ever closer... Could this be the channel that guides the immortal soul here? Before the soul arrives, does it instead transfer those who participate in the ritual into this place?’

’Imperial Alter Ego, stop distracting yourself. Now is not the time to think about that... Can you handle it? If not, I’ll take over the next move.’

’You’ve prepared Dao Extremity: Starfall already? Wait—I am the Daoist Alter Ego, aren’t I? Why is your spell-forming speed with Daoist Sect techniques almost catching up to mine, you embarrassing Mortal Alter Ego?’

As her thoughts raced, the Empress slightly withdrew the Human Emperor Sword she had just swung, while her other hand formed a seal.

In the next instant, spiritual energy traced layer upon layer of formations behind her.

"Go."

The Empress gave a soft shout.

Within the incomparably vast formation, a gigantic illusory meteor formed of spiritual energy slowly forced its way out, crushing forward with an unstoppable momentum.

And the target it was aimed at was an existence countless times larger than itself.

It was a great roc that occupied half of the heavens.

As for how large the roc was—ahem, if one had to make a comparison, then with its wings spread, this roc would be more than enough to cast the entire royal capital into shadow.

Its body was wrapped in sinister, ominous darkness, obscuring its true form. Only a hint of golden feathers at the tips of its wings stood out clearly.

Boom!

The illusory meteor struck the massive roc head-on, kicking up a storm of luminous dust as spiritual energy exploded outward.

Yet the Empress’s expression darkened.

"Ascension... ascension..."

A murmuring voice, like a delirious chant, carried a power that seemed capable of dragging one into degeneration. Immediately after, a roc’s head—apparently not badly damaged at all—thrust out from the dust. It opened its beak and spat, and spiritual energy condensed into a beam of light that blasted toward the Empress.

The place where the Empress stood was swallowed by the beam.

But her figure appeared elsewhere in the next instant.

’Its power has grown again.’

’But it’s still strange. If it really is the Netherking, why does it still look like something without intelligence?’

’More than that, ever since it began attacking, although the level of spiritual energy it uses is above the Divine Transformation realm, its application is extremely crude. It hasn’t even involved dao resonance at all.’

Light flickered in the Empress’s eyes.

In battles between cultivators above the Nascent Soul realm, dao resonance was a crucial component.

When a cultivator advances to Nascent Soul, the nascent soul opens its eyes and comprehends the dao resonance suited to itself. From that point on, the dao can be integrated into techniques, unlocking various applications—or at the very least, greatly enhancing their power.

As for her, aside from the corresponding characteristic dao resonances inherent to the Trinity of Pristine States, she also possessed a measure of spatial dao resonance. That was why her teleportation was far more special than that of ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators—and it was precisely through this that she had just evaded those light-beam attacks.

"No matter whether it truly is the Netherking or not, its current state is more favorable for us."

Taking advantage of its abnormal condition, she turned her present passivity back into initiative.

The Empress could clearly feel that the immortal soul she had summoned was drawing closer and closer.

As long as she could bear the immortal soul, then even if this great roc before her was not the Netherking, she would still be able to leave this place and fight the Netherking to the death.

’He’s already helped me this far. I absolutely cannot fail at the final step.’

The Empress took a deep breath.

At that very moment, a ray of light seemed to descend from beyond the heavens. Within it surged a luminous shadow whose core could not be clearly seen...

The immortal soul!

The Empress keenly sensed that the roc opposite her began to go berserk.

The great roc spread its wings and soared upward, riding the wind for ninety thousand li.

But she did not move.

Only the Human Emperor Sword in her hand slowly lifted.

[Mortal dust as a prison, all beings are bound...]

[He who is emperor—all beings bow their heads, mountains and rivers without end...]

[The Great Dao is formless...]

Her voice rang out, yet it split into three, faintly resonating together.

Around her, mortal dust surged like rolling tides. On her sword coiled ten thousand zhang of golden radiance, while a pair of yin–yang fish gently unfurled.

In that instant, the world turned black and white, frozen in stillness. Only she retained color as she brought down her sword.

This single strike cleaved yin and yang, swept up mortal dust, crossed the barriers of space itself, and fell upon the roc’s brow with a momentum that pressed down upon all under heaven.

At first it was only a tiny point. In the blink of an eye, it expanded into a ten-thousand-li aurora, completely engulfing the massive roc.

As for the Empress who had swung that sword, her face was no longer merely pale—it had turned utterly ashen, her aura weakened to the extreme.

Yet she still forced herself to draw a breath and flew toward that light which seemed to come from beyond the heavens.

Even now, with the three bodies merged into one and temporarily possessing Divine Transformation realm combat strength, she could only unleash such sword light once.

As long as she could stall for a few breaths...

"Geee—!"

From within the aurora, a shadow burst forth.

It was a roc, no larger than an ordinary person.

In an instant, the roc plunged into that light from beyond the heavens.

The Empress’s body stiffened.

She stared blankly at that light, momentarily dazed, then slowly closed her eyes.

Her sword-gripping hand tightened again and again. Within her originally empty dantian, a strange, unfamiliar power was faintly beginning to gather.

And then, she heard a voice.

"Your Majesty~ this humble official arrives too late to save the throne~~"

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Cultivation Realm:

1, Qi Refining

2, Foundation Establishment

3, Golden Core

4, Nascent Soul

5, Divine Transformation (Formerly Known as Tribulation Crossing)

6, Tribulation Transcendence

7, Land Immortal

Note: Link to the character Illustration:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lkIcPnCxeyuyZA4Kkb621dPC05UvWjhD

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