Chapter 540 - 179: Why So Eager to Harm Your Own? Li Ran Descends, The Dust Settles

Chaos reigned in the depths at the end of the Oceanic Trench. Two terrifying orbs of light collided relentlessly. One moment, they would erupt with the scorching, dazzling light and heat of a sun, and the next, they would rapidly separate. Their struggle invoked the tyrannical Power of Heaven and Earth, making the ocean currents seem to boil.

Jiang Lan closely monitored the battle through his Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Puppet.

The Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Puppet had already been blasted apart during their clash, dissolving into a cloud of blood mist. However, the puppet had no fixed form to begin with. Though scattered, its existence was not threatened.

As long as Jiang Lan himself remained unharmed, the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Puppet would not disappear.

At the moment, neither Huangfu Hao himself nor the descended Wushang Demon God had any attention to spare for a mere "Barbarian."

"Huangfu Hao, you are audacious! To dare to deceive and betray Me..."

Vast, profound, and ancient syllables resounded, shaking the entire seabed.

The Demon God’s Fang, translucent and crystalline, floated in the seawater. It seemed to awaken as an ancient, tyrannical will surged forth from within.

Billowing Demonic Qi converged, coalescing into a towering, muscular figure with three heads and six arms. Its hair flew wildly, and its arrogance seemed to pierce the heavens. One hand wielded a black Celestial Blade, another held a black Pagoda, and its other arms brandished different weapons.

His enraged voice seemed to contain some manner of law, sweeping out like a scythe. The surrounding seabed heaved and churned. Fragments of broken weapons shattered, instantly turning to dust.

The Wushang Demon God could not descend in his true form, but even a mere fragment of his will was unbelievably powerful. A typical Great Power would have likely had their internal organs pulverized by the force of that roar.

Huangfu Hao himself had lean, ascetic features and deep-set eyes, and seemed to be wreathed in an aura of pure energy. He was immensely powerful in his own right, facing the Demon God without a shred of fear.

In his palm, another crystalline Demon God’s Fang appeared. This one, however, radiated no Demonic Qi. Instead, it shared a spiritual connection with him, having already been refined into his own possession.

"Our arrangement was always a transaction. How can you speak of deception and betrayal? If you had simply held up your end of the bargain without trying any tricks, why would I have needed to be on guard?"

Huangfu Hao’s expression was indifferent. The crystalline Demon God’s Fang in his hand shone brilliantly before melting away.

The next moment, it transformed into a silver Long Sword. Its edge was terrifyingly sharp, and it emanated a dense, sunset-colored glow, as if on the verge of ascending to immortality.

This was one of the teeth from the Wushang Demon God’s true body. He had used extraordinary measures to send it to this side, and it had been a crucial part of his plan.

His plan was to use the tooth as a vessel for his will. Since they shared the same origin, it would allow him to unleash even greater power.

However, Huangfu Hao had long seen through the scheme. After obtaining the Demon God’s Fang, he successfully neutralized the trap the Wushang Demon God had left behind and used Refinement to make it his own.

Furthermore, he had used the vessel, Helian Wen, as a pawn. He inscribed a Grand Array into his very flesh and blood, waiting for the Wushang Demon God to descend so he could turn the tables on him.

Unfortunately, these Demon Gods who had lived for eons were all exceedingly cunning. The Wushang Demon God had never fully trusted him, and had even made a deal with the Barbarian God of the Barbarian Race to bring over another Demon God’s Fang.

When Huangfu Hao didn’t hear back from his avatar, he sensed something was amiss, suspecting a mishap had occurred. That was why he had come to the Oceanic Trench early to wait. And just as he’d suspected, he discovered the tracks of the Barbarian Commander.

"You despicable human! I never should have trusted you, never should have entrusted you with my own fang..."

A portion of the Wushang Demon God’s will had already descended here through that Demon God’s Fang. But with Huangfu Hao present, he was not entirely confident he could seize the Free Ancient Talisman.

The other portion of his will was still inside Helian Wen’s body. If he were to forcibly withdraw it, the commotion at the Demon Abyss would inevitably be noticed by the Three Great Guardian Noble Families.

With more factions joining the fray, his chances of seizing the Free Ancient Talisman would become even slimmer.

This was precisely why the Wushang Demon God was so enraged.

"There’s no point in talking anymore. I am determined to obtain the Free Ancient Talisman. Today, I will slay a god to prove my Dao."

Huangfu Hao’s expression remained indifferent. Even in the depths of the Oceanic Trench, his robes billowed around him, projecting an invincible aura. The silver Long Sword, transformed from the Demon God’s Fang, erupted with a dazzling light. A brilliant Sword Aura burst from his grasp as he slashed downward.

The sword strike was incredibly slow, yet it seemed to freeze this part of the seabed. With a single slash, it was as if yin and yang were split asunder, separating dusk from dawn. Time itself seemed to live and die in its wake. The seawater parted, revealing a scene of pure black on one side and pure white on the other. Its might was absolute.

The Wushang Demon God strode forward boldly. One of his arms swung the Celestial Blade, unleashing a pure black blade energy that tore through the water for dozens of miles to collide with the sword strike.

In that instant, the seabed was thrown into turmoil. Though only a moment passed, they clashed thousands of times. This was a collision of Daoist Techniques, constantly entangling and bombarding one another.

During this process, the majestic mountain that sealed the seabed below began to tremble violently. The seal seemed on the verge of shattering at any moment.

Their battle reignited, far more intense than before. If it weren’t for the crushing pressure of the deep sea pressing in from all directions, the resulting commotion would have been terrifying beyond measure—destroying mountains and razing cities would have been a simple matter.

Jiang Lan concealed his aura, remaining perfectly still. To avoid being caught in the aftershocks of their battle, he even activated several Self-defense Talismans.