frightfiction Chapter 1035 The Big Picture? I am the big picture.
Chapter 1035 The Big Picture? I am the big picture.
Huanglong Zhenren stood with his hands behind his back. His golden dragon robe shone with a cold luster under the light of the Four Symbols Divine Light. The dragon patterns on the edges of his robe seemed to move with life, and each line exuded a domineering aura that looked down on all living beings.
He tilted his head slightly, looking with great interest at the Azure Nether Immortal crawling on his knees on the ground. The amusement in his eyes was like ice, as if he were watching a farce that was about to end: "Feigning surrender to lure them into the game? So, not only are you blameless, you've even done something good? Should we prepare fine wine and a celestial banquet to properly thank you, this 'wise and righteous' inside man?"
"Senior Huanglong, you flatter me! You flatter me!" True Immortal Qingming hurriedly kowtowed, his forehead hitting the scorching rock with a dull thud. Drops of immortal blood slid down his brow bone, but he didn't bother to wipe them away. His face was plastered with a fawning smile that was almost distorted. "To be able to share your burdens, Senior, and to rid my Xuanzhen Immortal Realm of this great calamity is all my duty. Even if I were to be shattered to pieces, I would not hesitate. How dare I take credit? I dare not take credit!"
"Oh? The Mysterious Immortal Realm?" Huanglong Zhenren chuckled as if he had heard something interesting. The chill in his laughter was like a winter wind, causing Qingming Zhenxian to break out in a cold sweat that trickled down his spine. "Unfortunately, we are not fools. Save these kinds of lies for the unjustly killed souls in the Nine Nether Hells—oh, I almost forgot..." His tone suddenly changed, his eyes as cold as ten-thousand-year-old ice, chilling one to the bone. "What awaits you is the annihilation of your soul, leaving not even a trace of reincarnation. You probably won't even be able to touch the threshold of the Nine Nether Hells."
"Senior Huanglong, no! No!" Qingming True Immortal was terrified, scrambling forward as if his soul had left his body. His fingernails scraped against the rocks, trying to grab Huanglong True Immortal's robes, but he was repelled like a wall by an invisible dragon aura, crashing heavily to the ground. His chest heaved, and he spat out another mouthful of purple blood. He lay there weeping bitterly, his voice hoarse like the scraping of a broken gong, mixed with sobs: "It's all my fault! I was blinded by greed, I was blinded by the huge profit promised by the Crimson Fire Old Monster, and I made a mistake in a moment of confusion! I am worse than a pig or a dog, please have mercy, Senior!"
He stared intently at Huanglong Zhenren's boots, his fingers digging into the scorching rock, oblivious to his breaking nails, as if the boots were his only lifeline: "I beg you, senior, for the sake of our shared Xuanzhen Immortal Realm and our past friendship, give me a chance to atone for my sins. I am willing to hand over all my treasures and battle merits, I only ask that you spare my life."
"Old man Qingming, now you realize we're all part of the Xuanzhen Immortal Realm?" Ancestor Tianya's purple hair stood on end, starlight surging around him. His mockery was like icicles, each word sharp and biting. "When you betrayed us and ruthlessly attacked Fellow Daoist Yun Han, where was your sense of kinship? Now you're spouting the words 'Xuanzhen Immortal Realm' all over your head. Don't you feel ashamed?"
Yun Han Zhenxian's eyes flashed with icy light, and his hand, which was covering his back wound, trembled slightly, not only because of the excruciating pain, but also because of the hatred that ran deep in his bones: "Huang Longdao... Senior, such a despicable villain must not be allowed to live! If we spare him today, he will surely become a future problem! He can betray us, and there is no guarantee that he will not betray you again. Such a fickle person is a disaster to keep alive. It is better to get rid of him as soon as possible."
Huanglong Zhenren ignored Tianya Laozu and the other, his gaze remaining fixed on Qingming Zhenxian as if he were examining a piece of dusty junk. The indifference in his eyes was colder than the ice that had never melted in the depths of a volcano, without the slightest ripple, as if the other's wails and pleas were nothing more than an insignificant gust of wind.
Then, he slowly raised his hand, and a wisp of golden dragon energy condensed in his palm. The dragon energy seemed weak, no more than the length of a finger joint, yet it struck Qingming True Immortal, a mid-stage eighth-rank True Immortal, as if struck by lightning, causing the hairs on his body to stand on end. Before the dragon energy even landed on him, an invisible pressure had already locked onto him, and the True Immortal power surging within his body froze instantly, like a frozen river, like a stagnant pool, no matter how he tried to mobilize it, he couldn't move it even a fraction of its power.
"No! Senior!" Qingming True Immortal panicked completely, his voice trembling uncontrollably. He scrambled backward, only to find his body already bound by dragon energy, unable to move. "Among the nine immortal realms, my Xuanzhen Immortal Domain has always been relatively weak. Any eighth-rank True Immortal is a vital fighting force for my Xuanzhen Immortal Domain! I beg you, Senior, for the sake of the greater good, spare this junior this time! I can ask the original will of the Nine Realms Continent to witness that from now on, I will fight on the front lines of the battlefield until the end of this Nine Realms Immortal War. All the merits I gain during this time will be offered to you, Senior! I hope you will have mercy and give me another chance!"
"The big picture?" Master Huanglong scoffed, his disdain almost overflowing. "You think you're worthy of talking about the big picture? Don't overestimate yourself!"
The dragon energy at his fingertips trembled slightly, creating ripples of gold. "Those who truly stand at the pinnacle of the Nine Realms Immortal War are always the half-step Golden Immortals. Don't even mention a mere eighth-grade True Immortal like you. Even a ninth-grade True Immortal is nothing but a pawn in the face of such a grand scheme. What are you anyway?"
Then, Huanglong Zhenren took half a step forward, his golden dragon robe fluttering, and his aura suddenly surged: "Furthermore, I never talk about the big picture—I am the big picture!"
As he spoke, Huanglong Zhenren curled his five fingers, and the wisp of golden dragon energy shot out like an arrow, with a sound of tearing through the air, straight towards Qingming Zhenxian's brow!
"Do not......"
The Azure Nether Immortal let out a final, piercing scream, a sound filled with boundless fear and resentment, yet it only left a brief echo in the void. His eyes were wide open, bulging with extreme horror, and his face was frozen with a final plea. His natal soul had already rapidly collapsed and dissolved under the scorching dragon energy, leaving not even a trace of his true spirit.
However, the golden dragon energy did not shatter his immortal body. Instead, it acted like a fine net, firmly locking the scattered divine soul power within his lifeless body, transforming it into a condensed true immortal essence that pulsated slightly within his immortal body.
For his true self, the power of a mid-stage eighth-grade True Immortal's origin was a great tonic, equivalent to ten eighth-grade True Immortal herbs, or even more. Naturally, True Immortal Huanglong would not waste it easily and destroyed it to ashes.
......
Iron Arm Mountain Range, Fortress No. 507, within that hidden cave that even a seventh-grade True Immortal would find difficult to detect.
The Twenty-Fourth Grade Primordial Void Purple Lotus floated quietly, its petals swirling with a faint primordial energy that enveloped Su Mo, who sat upon it.
Looking at the lifeless Qingming True Immortal lying quietly on the ground, Su Mo couldn't help but feel a pang of regret. A mid-stage eighth-rank True Immortal was worth 80 billion merit points, enough to exchange for eight eighth-rank True Immortal artifacts. Unfortunately, this old man Qingming belonged to the Xuanzhen Immortal Domain as well. Killing him would not earn him any battle merits. Even the battle merits he had accumulated were just a bunch of illusory numbers without the confirmation of his own soul imprint, and it was impossible to transfer them to his identity tablet.
"Sigh, I was still too impulsive and lacked experience." Su Mo shook his head, a hint of reflection flashing between his brows. "I should have used the hands of Old Monster Chi Huo and his group first, let them kill Old Man Qing Ming and gain merit, and then deal with Old Monster Chi Huo and his group. Next time I encounter such traitors from the same domain, I must learn from this lesson and never ruin my plans because of momentary impulse."
......
At the border between the Thousand Cliffs Domain and the Crimson Flame Domain, within the Four Symbols Suppressing Immortals Formation.
A flicker of regret crossed Huanglong Zhenren's eyes. He had only thought of quickly eliminating the traitor when he acted, without carefully considering the gains and losses in the battle. However, that regret vanished in an instant. What's done is done; dwelling on it was pointless. He could simply be more calculating in the future. The Nine Realms Immortal War had only been going on for a hundred billion years; it was merely the beginning. There would be plenty of opportunities to make amends later.
The next second...
With a sudden flick of his sleeve, Huanglong Zhenren sent a golden dragon aura carrying Qingming Zhenxian's corpse into the air, which he then absorbed into his natal sea of consciousness.
Then, he slowly turned around, his gaze like two solid golden rainbows, sweeping over the six True Immortals, including the Crimson Fire Old Monster.
The playful look he had given Qingming True Immortal was gone, replaced by a cold scrutiny and undisguised killing intent, as if he were weighing the "weight" of these six True Immortals. The moment his gaze swept over them, Crimson Fire Old Monster and the others felt as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their immortal bodies trembling involuntarily.
With a thud, the only eighth-rank female immortal's knees buckled, and she knelt on the ground. Her voice was trembling with sobs, yet she forced a weak expression, trying to evoke a trace of pity from Huanglong Zhenren: "Senior... spare my life... If only you would spare my life, I would be your slave from now on, serving you faithfully for all eternity..."
At this moment, she was no longer the aloof and ethereal woman she once was. The water element around her was in disarray, her skirt was stained with blood, and her once smooth face was covered in dust, making her look disheveled.
As she spoke, she slowly removed the blood-stained outer gauze robe, revealing a pale white, form-fitting fairy dress underneath, outlining her slender figure, attempting to exchange her frail appearance for a sliver of hope. Her eyes, which had once been filled with tears, were now brimming with fear and pleading, her gaze towards Huanglong Zhenren filled with a desperate humility, as if she were placing all her hopes on this final gamble.
The other five True Immortals, including the Crimson Fire Old Monster, all lowered their heads in silence, their heads almost reaching their chests, as if they had completely resigned themselves to their fate.
This old man Huanglong can kill even the old man Qingming who doesn't offer much benefit, let alone these foreign immortals who offer immense benefits.
Begging for mercy? That would only bring shame upon yourself. It's better to be dignified and wait for the outcome.
"To be a slave or a maid? Do you think you deserve it?"
Master Huanglong's gaze fell on the blue-skirted immortal. His voice was so calm that it revealed no emotion, yet it was filled with deep-seated disdain, like a resounding slap across her face, causing her to freeze instantly and turn deathly pale.
For other True Immortals, an eighth-grade True Immortal female slave is quite a temptation, and many ninth-grade True Immortals would probably be tempted by her. However, in Su Mo's eyes, she is not much different from those Heavenly Immortal or Void Immortal female slaves. None of them can truly keep up with his pace. Before long, they will just be decorative vases. It would be better to provide him with some battle merits so that he can break through to the eighth-grade Perfect True Immortal as soon as possible and make contributions.
As soon as he finished speaking, Huanglong Zhenren waved his right hand, and a vast dragon aura surged out like dark clouds covering the sky, carrying a world-destroying power, and pressed down on the six true immortals!
"No... Senior, spare my life..."