Chapter 544 - 180: Astonishing Harvest, Realm Dao Fruit, Seventh Realm Free Dharma Aspect Formed

The Wushang Demon God and Huangfu Hao had been locked in a fierce battle for so long that both had expended a great deal of energy. Naturally, the Demon God wouldn’t let Huangfu Hao simply escape at such a critical juncture.

"So you finally think to run? It’s too late..."

The depths of the Oceanic Trench erupted. Billowing Demonic Qi surged forth as a black Celestial Blade howled through the water, cleaving a path forward. The Wushang Demon God’s spiritual will was completely attached to it, making this an ultimate strike, imbued with a sharp intent to slaughter all.

Huangfu Hao’s figure had grown much fainter. Without the slightest hesitation, he turned and fled. One pursued, one escaped. In an instant, they had covered hundreds of miles, rushing up toward the surface of the Oceanic Trench.

Jiang Lan had been watching their fight the entire time. He had assumed Huangfu Hao’s deal with the Wushang Demon God would include the reconstruction of his physical body, but he never expected that Huangfu Hao, in his dealings with the Demon God, had never revealed the fact that he didn’t have one.

As a result, their deal never included it.

Instead, the Wushang Demon God seemed to have faintly sensed this, deliberately using all sorts of powerful techniques to force Huangfu Hao into a direct confrontation, all to drain his Magical Essence Qi.

On the surface, it seemed the Wushang Demon God constantly had the upper hand, having thoroughly outwitted Huangfu Hao.

However, Jiang Lan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. ’How could someone as cunning as Huangfu Hao truly reveal his own fatal flaw to the Wushang Demon God?’

’It all seems intentional, as if he’s leading the Wushang Demon God on. He knows he lacks a physical body to serve as a foundation, so why would he engage in a prolonged battle with a Demon God? Why do something so disadvantageous to himself?’

’This great battle seems to be drawing to a close, and Huangfu Hao appears defeated, but it’s all just an illusion...’

’Huangfu Hao’s real trump card has yet to be played. He’s deliberately luring the Wushang Demon God away—leading him to a place where he’s laid a trap.’

’That wily old fox.’

’But this works out perfectly. I was worried you wouldn’t be able to handle the Wushang Demon God, and I’d have to be the one to clean up the mess.’

Jiang Lan’s gaze grew profound, his thoughts racing. With a flicker, his figure appeared at the location where Huangfu Hao’s clone was sealed. Grabbing it with one large hand, he vanished back into the depths of the Oceanic Trench.

The battle between the Wushang Demon God and Huangfu Hao had left this part of the Oceanic Trench in ruins, littered with scars of their conflict. However, none of it had affected the seal left behind by the Three Saints.

The mountain peak remained as majestic as ever, exuding a sacred and immortal aura that suppressed the immeasurably heavy Demonic Qi churning below.

’The Free Ancient Talisman is in this turbulent space-time...’

Jiang Lan landed. His gaze penetrated the layers upon layers of dimensional space-time, where he saw a shimmering mass of light, hazy yet brilliant.

It appeared close, but in reality, it was extremely far, separated by numerous layers of space-time. Moreover, he didn’t possess an object of the same origin that could be used to retrieve it.

But he had come prepared. He raised his palm, and a simple, unadorned, token-like stele appeared in his hand. Wisps of an aura resembling Profound Yellow Mother Qi coiled around it. This was the Heaven-Reaching Stele he had obtained from the Qianyuan Cave Realm.

Jiang Lan had already thoroughly studied the stele’s many wondrous properties. What did "Heaven-Reaching" mean? It meant possessing the power to connect heaven and earth, to stabilize space-time, transmute passageways, and soar into the sky.

The next moment, he flicked his palm. The Heaven-Reaching Stele shot out as a streak of light, flying into the turbulent space-time. It then began to expand, transforming into a majestic and immortal cyan mountain peak. The peak breathed in and refined Profound Yellow Qi as chaotic matter evolved around its periphery, stabilizing the turbulent flow of space-time.

In that instant, the Heaven-Reaching Stele seemed to support the boundless heavens above and connect to the Nine Netherworld Yellow Springs below. It possessed the weight of the earth and the vastness of the sky.

Under this immense power, the layers of space-time were instantly ordered and stabilized, becoming unshakable.

With a thought, a brilliant golden path of light extended from beneath Jiang Lan’s feet, forming a bridge that led directly to the Free Ancient Talisman’s location.

His Magical Power surged. He thrust out a palm, and a blood-red mist shrouded the Void. He transformed his own vital qi and blood into a colossal crimson palm that shot forward to grab the talisman.

The instant it made contact, the Free Ancient Talisman seemed to awaken. Its light flared to a blinding intensity, and a terrifying power erupted from it, as if trying to overturn heaven and earth in its struggle to break free from his grasp.

"Rise!"

But Jiang Lan had anticipated this. A phenomenal vision manifested behind him: beneath a brilliant, starry sky, a boundless Blood River appeared. Monstrous, bloody waves crashed within it, countless corpses bobbing on the surface. The river instantly swept the Free Ancient Talisman away, submerging it within its depths.

Simultaneously, he swiftly retreated, recalling the Heaven-Reaching Stele and concealing the aura of his Heaven-Deceiving Talisman. Then, he slapped Huangfu Hao’s clone, sending it flying into the churning, chaotic maelstrom of space-time.

"You..."

Huangfu Hao’s clone had had its five senses sealed this entire time; it had no idea what was happening.

With that slap from Jiang Lan, the God-Binding Rope was also retracted. Huangfu Hao’s clone could instantly see everything clearly. It understood what had happened and was immediately filled with rage.

"Such brilliant scheming, Martial Uncle, playing the Wushang Demon God in the palm of your hand."

"However, this Free Ancient Talisman is too hot to handle. I’m afraid you can’t manage it, Martial Uncle. So allow me, your junior, to graciously accept it on your behalf."

As his figure sped into the distance, Jiang Lan also recalled the Ten Thousand Spirits Blood Puppet, which had been floating in the Oceanic Trench as a pool of blood mist.

Huangfu Hao’s clone was furious and wanted to curse Jiang Lan for his despicable, shameless actions, but any words he might have spoken were swallowed and drowned out by the raging, chaotic maelstrom of space-time.

Not even the Wushang Demon God, or even his own main body, would dare to tread there lightly. To do so would be to risk being instantly crushed by the vast, boundless Power of Space-Time, annihilated without a trace.