frightfiction Chapter 1031 You lot have really made me wait a long time.
Chapter 1031 You lot have really made me wait a long time.
The silence within the hall was almost tangible; even breathing seemed deliberately suppressed. The auras of four eighth-grade True Immortals clashed silently in mid-air, each carrying their own weighing and vigilance—after all, this distribution was related to the foundation of their subsequent cultivation. Once the balance was lost, they might have to fight amongst themselves before even besieging and killing the Crimson Fire Old Monster. At that time, not only would they have no share of the credit, but they might also become a laughingstock, or even lose their lives.
After a moment of silence, the Azure Nether True Immortal, clad in a green robe, broke the deadlock. His fingertips lightly tapped the smooth armrest of the throne, producing a soft "tap-tap" sound that resonated in everyone's hearts. He slowly spoke: "Fellow Daoists, in my humble opinion, the four of us should each receive two layers of the Crimson Fire Old Monster's battle merits. The remaining two layers will be determined based on everyone's performance in the upcoming battle, divided into ten parts—the one who contributes the most will receive four parts, the next three parts, and the remaining two will each receive two parts and one part. As for his immortal artifacts, true immortal medicines, and other treasures, they should also be distributed proportionally. What do you three think?"
These words were impartial and balanced, taking into account the basic interests of all parties and determining merit based on "how much effort was put in," which was fair and appropriate, easing the tense atmosphere somewhat.
"Four portions, three portions, two portions, one portion?" Huanglong Zhenren clapped his hands and chuckled. The five-clawed golden dragon embroidered on his dragon robe seemed to move slightly because of his movement, its scales shimmering with tiny golden light, as if it wanted to break free from the constraints of the fabric. "That's fair enough. The more capable you are, the more you should do, and the more you do, the more you should earn. I think it's feasible."
As he spoke, Huanglong Zhenren turned his gaze to Tianya Laozu and the white-robed Daoist Yunhan Zhenxian, his tone carrying a perfectly timed question: "What do you two think?"
The old ancestor of the world's purple hair rippled slightly, like a flowing river of stars in the dark night. The ends of his hair brushed against his shoulders, and a hint of approval flashed in his eyes: "Fellow Daoist Qingming, Fellow Daoist Huanglong, I have no objection."
He was already worried that unequal distribution would ruin things, and this method of distribution could both unite people's hearts and allow the most hardworking people to get the most, which suited his wishes perfectly.
Yun Han Zhenxian frowned slightly, as if weighing the pros and cons. After a moment of silence, he finally nodded and said, "It's acceptable." Although he was as cold as ice, he knew that this was not the time to fuss over trivial matters. Besides, there was no obvious fault in this distribution method. Rather than getting bogged down in endless arguments, it was better to settle the matter as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen complications that might alert the Crimson Fire Old Monster.
"Since none of the three fellow Daoists have any objections, let's make a vow." Qingming True Immortal's expression turned solemn, and his tone became serious. "Witnessed by the original will of the Nine Domains Continent, anyone who goes back on their word afterward, or who hoards battle merits or treasures, will be severely punished by the original will, their origin will collapse, and their soul and spirit will be annihilated!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already risen from his seat, formed a hand seal, and a turquoise True Immortal essence shone from his fingertips. He proclaimed loudly, "I, Qingming, swear by the True Immortal essence that today I will join forces with Ancestor Tianya, Fellow Daoist Huanglong, and Fellow Daoist Yunhan to besiege and kill Old Monster Chihuo. After the battle, the merits and treasures will be distributed according to the previous agreement. If I break this oath, I am willing to accept the punishment of the Nine Realms' Origin Will, my soul and spirit will be destroyed, and I will never be reborn!"
As the oath fell, a green light shot out from his fingertips, transforming into an ancient rune that merged into the void. In an instant, the entire hall seemed to be enveloped by an invisible will, and a faint ripple spread through the air, carrying the heavy aura of the Nine Domains Continent's origin—it was the Nine Domains Continent's origin will responding to the oath, causing all four present to shudder.
Seeing this, Huanglong Zhenren also stood up. The golden dragon phantom on his dragon robe suddenly spread its wings and he said loudly, "I, Huanglong, swear by the origin of a true immortal that after killing the Crimson Fire Old Monster with the three fellow Daoists, I will definitely share the spoils of war as agreed. If I break this oath, I will be erased by the will of my origin and my soul will be destroyed!"
Golden dragon energy condensed into oath runes, spiraling and soaring into the sky like a dragon, merging into the void shrouded by the primordial will. Ripples spread out again, clearly recording this oath. The dragon energy and the primordial will intertwined, exuding an aura of majesty.
The Old Ancestor of Tianya followed closely behind, his purple hair moving without wind, and starlight scattering around him like shattered diamonds, as if he were draped with a galaxy: "I, Tianya, swear as before, those who break this oath will have their souls destroyed and be forever plunged into nothingness!"
A purple light streak shot through the air, intertwining with the previous two runes in the void. The three oath runes reflected each other, exuding an undeniable majesty.
Finally, it was Yun Han's turn. Although his expression remained as cold as ice, he stood up and raised his hand. A chilling aura, like ice crystals, condensed into an oath, carrying a bone-chilling resolve: "I, Yun Han, swear to be the same as above. Those who break this oath will be severely punished by the will of the origin, their bodies and souls scattered!"
The ice crystal rune flew into the void, merged with the previous three runes into a single mass, transformed into a stream of light that shot straight into the sky and disappeared beyond the dome of the divine palace, completely absorbed by the primordial will of the Nine Domains Continent as proof.
Only then did the invisible will that had enveloped the hall slowly dissipate. The four of them felt lighter at the same time, as if a heavy shackle had been removed. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with trust born of their oath.
"With the original will as our witness, we can proceed with peace of mind." Qingming True Immortal breathed a sigh of relief, a look of understanding in his eyes. In the Nine Domains Continent, oaths witnessed by the original will are of paramount importance, and no one dares to easily break them unless some immortal golden immortals intervene to protect them. Otherwise, if one dares to break them, they will surely be fulfilled, with no chance of escape.
"Let's not delay, let's set off now."
As soon as the Azure Immortal finished speaking, his figure floated to the palace gate. His azure Daoist robe was fluttered by the air currents, carrying a fresh fragrance of grass and trees. It was as if tender buds sprouted wherever he walked, forming a stark contrast with the surrounding golden splendor.
Tianya Laozu immediately echoed, "Good."
Before he finished speaking, he had already stood up and stepped out of the main hall. His long purple hair left a trail of afterimages behind him, and starlight fell around him like shattered diamonds. He walked on the void as if it were flat ground, and instantly disappeared into the halo outside the hall, leaving only a faint afterglow of starlight.
Master Huanglong followed closely behind. The golden dragon phantom on his dragon robe seemed to possess sentience, raising its head and swaying its tail the moment he set off, bringing with it a powerful dragon aura. With a light tap of his toes, he shot out of the palace gate like an arrow, golden light piercing the sky of Tianya City, merging with the aura of the Tianya Ancestor in the void, and then together they sped towards the border of the Thousand Cliffs Domain.
Yun Han Zhenxian was the last to set off. His figure flickered, like an icy lightning bolt, as he swept across the palace gate. Wherever he passed, the air condensed into fine ice crystals, and in an instant, he caught up with the two figures in front of him.
......
Time flies, and 1.3 billion years have passed in the blink of an eye.
At the border of the Thousand Cliffs Domain and the Crimson Flame Domain, a colossal volcano, dormant for countless cosmic eras, stands majestically. Its body is composed of solidified crimson magma, its surface riddled with bottomless cracks, from which shimmering, molten lava can be faintly seen churning within. The void surrounding the volcano is distorted by the perpetual heat, even light refracting into eerie arcs. Any ordinary True Immortal who were to approach would likely be instantly refined by the heaven-scorching, sea-boiling heat, leaving not even a trace of their immortal bones.
Inside the volcano, an elderly man with red hair and a red beard, dressed in a red robe, sat quietly cross-legged above the rolling lava. A faint layer of crimson flame light floated around him, like amber, isolating the lava below, powerful enough to melt even the bones of immortals. The flames leaping on the light blended seamlessly with the color of the lava, almost indistinguishable unless one looked closely. His eyes were closed, his face calm and still, as if he had been dormant with the volcano for billions of years. Only the occasional slight twitch of his nostrils revealed that he was patiently waiting for something.
Millions of feet below him, a thirty-sixth-grade red lotus was rooted in the deepest part of the magma. Its petals were layered upon each other, and all thirty-five petals were in full bloom. Each petal was like a piece of red jade, its surface flowing with pure innate fire energy. The scorching heat it emitted was enough to make even a fourth-grade True Immortal turn pale at the mere mention of it, and to extinguish it upon contact. Only the very center petal remained half-rolled, like a tender bud about to bloom, greedily devouring the primordial fire energy in the surrounding rolling magma. Streams of fire energy, refined to the extreme, flowed into it like fine streams, causing the half-rolled petal to slowly unfold at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.
The Nine Realms Continent, as a continent of Golden Immortals, is not only a place where immortals can exchange their battle merits for rare and precious materials. It also nurtures many rare and precious materials, and some top-tier treasures are even enough to drive some half-step Golden Immortals crazy.
Suddenly, a voice of the Great Dao, seemingly from time immemorial, pierced through the heatwave barrier of the volcano and rang out clearly amidst the roaring lava, carrying an undeniable majesty: "The Four Symbols Suppressing Immortal Formation is activated; the Four Symbols Sacred Beasts emerge!"
Before the words were even finished, the entire giant volcano suddenly trembled, and brilliant divine light simultaneously lit up the sky in all four directions, illuminating the heat-shrouded sky with vibrant colors.
Immediately afterwards, a surge of azure light erupted in the east, and a phantom of a blue dragon, spanning billions of light-years, burst forth from the wall. Its scales were like carved jade, and its whiskers drooped with abundant vitality. A dragon roar that shook the universe resounded throughout heaven and earth, drawing together the wood element rules from all directions. In the west, a blazing white light appeared, and a phantom of a white tiger appeared in mid-air. Its roar, echoing through the mountains and forests, made the void hum. Its silver claws gleamed with a sharpness capable of tearing everything apart, sweeping in with the energy of metal. In the south, a crimson light appeared, and a phantom of a vermilion bird flapped its wings as if about to take flight. Its phoenix cry was clear and melodious, and the Southern Bright Fire surrounding its body was enough to incinerate everything, suppressing the surrounding heatwave by three-tenths. In the north, a pitch-black light appeared, and a phantom of a black tortoise lay prostrate on the earth. The tortoise shell was engraved with the trajectory of billions of stars, and its serpentine tail swayed, bringing with it a heavy water element force. A deep tortoise roar caused the magma to freeze.
The phantoms of the Four Symbols Divine Beasts hovered around the volcano, their auras interconnected. The dense, interwoven power of the Four Symbols' rules, like warp and weft, collided and erupted with streams of gold, cyan, red, and black light, instantly transforming into a thick, four-colored barrier that completely sealed off the entire volcano from its base to its summit. Runes flowed across the barrier's surface, even light was firmly locked within, leaving no opening. Even at the bottom of the magma, a layer of fine Four Symbols patterns quietly emerged, enveloping every corner where the red lotus grew, leaving absolutely no flaws.
Almost at the same instant the Four Symbols Barrier took shape, another chilling voice, like a cold wind sweeping through, echoed within the volcano: "Activate the Frost Soul-Locking Array!"
As soon as the words fell, a layer of crystal-clear ice suddenly covered the four-colored barrier. This was no ordinary ice, but rather an extremely cold aura containing the power to freeze the soul. As soon as it appeared, it spread along the patterns of the barrier, and wherever it passed, the four-colored divine light seemed to be frozen, its flow speed noticeably slowed down. The intensity of that cold aura was enough to freeze the soul of a seventh-grade True Immortal. Now, attached to the Four Symbols Barrier, it was like coating the barrier with an indestructible layer of ice crystal armor, not only increasing the barrier's defensive power to another level, but also adding a touch of eerie "soul-locking" power—even if an eighth-grade True Immortal's primordial spirit wanted to penetrate the barrier to escape, it would have its soul frozen and shattered by this extremely cold aura.
"You've finally arrived! I've been waiting for you for a long time."
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