Great Battle in the Underworld Mountains

Great Battle in the Underworld Mountains . . .

Zi Daoyang fixed his gaze on the trio before him, his eyes eventually resting on Qing'er. "Little Sis Qing'er," he began, "if we were to engage in combat here, how could I face your esteemed father, Uncle Evergreen?"

Qing'er's expression turned glacial as she chose to ignore Zi Daoyang. However, he persisted, turning his attention back to Qin Wentian. "Don't you feel ashamed for resorting to this?"

"When I first set foot in the City of Ancient Emperors, you already held the top rank in the Immortal Ascension Rankings. Back then, I was merely at the seventh level of Celestial Phenomenon. Do you consider yourself invincible here? Perhaps you wish to engage in an honorable one-on-one duel with me?" Qin Wentian challenged Zi Daoyang with unwavering determination. "Once I reach the ninth level, I will seek you out for a fair battle."

Zi Daoyang sneered in response. "Lengyue, bring some of our members to subdue Qing'er. I have no intention of fighting against her. As for Qin Wentian and Nanfeng Yunxi, they're mine to deal with. I've heard whispers that the Qin Sect is now touted as the foremost power in the City of Ancient Emperors. With my Violet Sect present today, I want the people of this city to witness who truly reigns supreme."

With his command, both sects unleashed their formidable auras, creating an overwhelming tempest that swept across the land. It was evident that a colossal battle was on the verge of erupting.

Zi Daoyang's violet radiance illuminated the sky, and his boundless energy condensed into a relentless, sword-like attack. This formidable strike aimed to cleave through the space between Qin Wentian and Qing'er.

Both Qin Wentian and Qing'er swiftly evaded the attack. Zi Daoyang continued his offensive, manifesting a gigantic palm imprint charged with immeasurable force. This colossal violet palm appeared capable of obliterating anything in its path, carrying an irresistible offensive power.

Qin Wentian's body expanded, resonating with a deafening roar. He emanated a brilliant light, adorned with countless swirling runes. With each step, he resembled a supreme being capable of suppressing all opposition. His constellation's radiance enveloped him protectively. However, even with these defenses, standing against the colossal violet palm would be an enormous challenge.

—BOOM!— Qin Wentian's God's Hand unleashed a devastating might that shook the heavens and earth. It clashed head-on with the violet palm imprint, captivating the attention of onlookers. The Ultimate Violet Saint Immortal Art was renowned for its formidable attacks, while the God's Hand, as an inheritance of Ancient Emperor Yi, was equally known for its tyranny. This clash represented a showdown between two of the most potent attacks.

A thunderous explosion reverberated through the air as the palm imprints collided, sending shockwaves through the hearts of the spectators. Although both imprints crumbled simultaneously, it became clear that the God's Hand, the legacy of Ancient Emperor Yi, held a slight edge over the Ultimate Violet Saint Immortal Art. Still, it should be noted that Zi Daoyang held a cultivation base one level higher than Qin Wentian.

On the opposite side, Xiao Lengyue led her forces, surrounding Qing'er and hindering her movements. Four formidable adversaries engaged Qing'er in combat, effectively isolating her from Qin Wentian.

Nanfeng Yunxi stood firmly at Qin Wentian's side, bathed in the radiant aura of an ancient phoenix that filled the heavens with its crimson brilliance. With a swift gesture, she pointed her finger, and the majestic cry of the phoenix reverberated as a fiery projectile soared toward Zi Daoyang.

Zi Daoyang responded with a disdainful snort, his constellation radiating with dazzling light as he too unleashed a finger attack. In an instant, his ray of light, brimming with boundless power, entirely absorbed the fiery phoenix projectile.

"RETURN!" Zi Daoyang bellowed. Astonishingly, the fiery phoenix attack altered its course, hurtling back toward Qin Wentian and Nanfeng Yunxi.

Nanfeng Yunxi's expression shifted, and she once again thrust her finger forward, summoning a second fiery phoenix. The two fire phoenixes clashed mid-air, their explosive collision accompanied by agonized cries before both disintegrated into nothingness.

"Today, I'm truly privileged to witness two of the Violet Emperor's supreme arts—the Ultimate Violet Saint Immortal Art and the Thousand Autumns Emperor Art," Nanfeng Yunxi remarked. The Ultimate Violet Saint Immortal Art was a peerless offensive technique, while the Thousand Autumns Emperor Art possessed both defensive capabilities against formidable assaults and the power to redirect an adversary's attacks back toward them. This technique surpassed even the Xuan Emperor's Heavenly Mystic Mirror Art. In the face of Zi Daoyang, Xuan Yang was utterly insignificant.

It was essential to note that in the immortal realms, the Xuan Emperor couldn't hold a candle to the Violet Emperor. The Violet Emperor reigned as a supreme immortal emperor of the highest echelon.

"Nanfeng, ordinary attacks are futile against me. The two of you are no match," Zi Daoyang asserted, stepping forward while maintaining his icy demeanor. "No one can obstruct me."

As his voice trailed off, the heavens filled with violet energy, converging around Zi Daoyang like a rising eastern tide. A supreme power surged forth as he unleashed a thunderous palm strike, materializing an incomprehensibly colossal violet hand capable of obliterating everything, even challenging the gods themselves.

Qin Wentian pushed his limits, a cacophony of thunderous roars accompanying his colossal growth in stature. Divine energy surged within him as his God's Hand struck once more, dominating the sky as it clashed with the gargantuan violet palm imprint. The world trembled under their titanic clash, yet the violet palm imprint remained unbroken.

A cold, contemptuous smile curled Zi Daoyang's lips as he mused aloud, "I wonder if the Brahma Heavenly Emperor's inheritance can consume the energy within the God's Hand."

As the echoes of his words faded, a menacing cascade of shadowy runes emanated from Zi Daoyang's outstretched palm. These runes coalesced into a dreadful vortex, voraciously siphoning the energy from Qin Wentian's God's Hand, as if seeking to consume it entirely. The colossal violet palm imprint that was once dominant now transformed into a dark abyss, while the God's Hand seemed to be inexorably devoured, slowly disappearing into the void. Zi Daoyang's eyes glittered with a radiant malevolence as he watched the spectacle unfold.

"ROAR!" A deafening roar reverberated through the heavens as an enormous demonic beast lunged forward, its massive paws poised to swipe at Zi Daoyang's head. The raw power exuding from the beast left everyone with the chilling notion that Zi Daoyang's head might indeed explode upon impact. The monstrous might of this creature was utterly terrifying.

Yet, Zi Daoyang merely chuckled coldly. He extended his left hand, effortlessly seizing the beast's attack with a gargantuan violet palm imprint that descended from the heavens. Astonishingly, the demonic beast managed to snap its jaws onto the palm imprint, successfully devouring it.

Nanfeng Yunxi's form became cloaked in resplendent flames as she advanced toward Zi Daoyang. Like an ancient phoenix, she wielded a razor-sharp phoenix sword that descended from the sky, painting the firmament in brilliant red hues.

"Futile," Zi Daoyang declared, summoning the full might of his innate technique. Boundless violet light erupted from his being, and the phoenix sword struck a formidable barrier, imprinting its image upon it without causing any harm.

"ATTACK!" Zi Daoyang bellowed as the blazing phoenix sword altered its course once more, repurposing Nanfeng Yunxi's own assault against her.

"The Thousand Autumns Emperor Art," Nanfeng Yunxi muttered, her expression growing increasingly grim. She executed yet another strike to obliterate her own attack, the exertion evident. While she possessed enough power to overcome Xuan Yang's Heavenly Mystic Mirror Art due to her third-place ranking compared to his fourth, battling against the top-ranked Zi Daoyang was a monumental challenge.

"This adversary is truly formidable," Jun Mengchen, Hua Taixu, and Zi Qingxuan, fighting in tandem, grappled with their own opponents. With their cultivations all at the eighth level of Celestial Phenomenon, their combined combat strength was extraordinary. Even ninth-level ascendants would find themselves swiftly defeated when facing this formidable trio. Nevertheless, they remained significantly outmatched by the likes of Zi Daoyang.

Zi Daoyang's prowess, earning him the number one ranking in the Immortal Ascension Rankings of the City of Ancient Emperors, placed him at the pinnacle, not only within the city but across the entire immortal realm.

"Absolutely formidable—his attacks and defenses leave no room for error. Moreover, he possesses a portion of the Brahma Heavenly Emperor's inheritance," Zi Qingxuan murmured softly.

Members of the Qin Sect and the Violet Sect continued their intense confrontation, the space between the ancient emperors' caverns transforming into their battleground. Their collisions generated turbulent torrents of energy that ravaged the surroundings.

Yet, in a distant location, a group of formidable experts descended. Their presence exuded an icy, ruthless aura, as if they were born to be merciless. At the forefront stood a young man with dark golden eyes, their penetrating gaze seemingly capable of puncturing the very fabric of reality. He stood atop a mountain peak with an air of calculated composure.

"Palace Lord, should we eliminate all who stand in our path?" inquired one member, their gaze locked onto the young leader with anticipation.

"No need to rush. The Qin Sect is no pushover. Qin Wentian, Nanfeng Yunxi, and Qing'er all possess formidable combat capabilities. Even if Zi Daoyang intends to confront them, it won't come without a significant cost. Let us bide our time," Mo Xie replied with chilling indifference. His dark golden eyes shuttered, as if the matter held no personal significance to him.

Those who stood behind Mo Xie constituted the cadre of experts who had joined the Evil Palace he had established. Fully primed for battle, they awaited the escalation of chaos before making their move to seize everything within their grasp.

The sudden eruption of battle within the Underworld Mountains took everyone by surprise. It had ignited the very moment Little Rascal completed his comprehension. Leading the charge was none other than Zi Daoyang, at the helm of his formidable Violet Sect, while Qin Wentian rallied his devoted followers from the illustrious Qin Sect. This dramatic conflict remained shrouded in secrecy, with the rest of the inhabitants in the City of Ancient Emperors completely unaware. Only now were murmurs and whispers beginning to ripple through the city's populace.

The Violet Sect, the Qin Sect, and the ominous presence of the Evil Palace had all mysteriously vanished, their collective trajectory aimed squarely at the enigmatic Underworld Mountains. It was abundantly clear that this impending showdown would be of unprecedented proportions, setting the stage for a battle that would reverberate throughout the ages.

...

Meanwhile, in a discreet corner of the City of Ancient Emperors, a group of more than three hundred esteemed experts was converging on the headquarters of the Qin Sect. Their concerted movement naturally drew the attention of many curious onlookers. Over three hundred of these skilled individuals rode upon their lightning-fast treasures, hurtling toward the Qin Sect's headquarters. Yet, when they arrived at their destination, a disconcerting sight met their eyes – the premises were eerily desolate, devoid of any signs of life.

"They're not here?" The leaders of this group exchanged perplexed glances, their brows knitted in contemplation. Turning their collective gaze toward the distant cluster of gifted individuals, they issued a stern command, "Halt!"

The distant gathering of prodigies pivoted their attention to the newcomers, their faces revealing a blend of curiosity and apprehension in response to the formidable formation before them.

"Where have the members of the Qin Sect vanished to?" A commanding voice resonated from the skies above. One of the bystanders tentatively offered a response, "There appears to be significant turmoil unfolding within the Underworld Mountains. I suspect that Qin Wentian has led the entirety of the Qin Sect there."

"You, lead the way." The request hit the designated individual like a ton of bricks. Overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the pressure bearing down upon him, he had little choice but to nod, his voice quivering, "Very well."

As the reluctant guide ascended into the skies, a flurry of perplexing speculations churned within him. Who were these enigmatic experts, and what cataclysmic events awaited them in the shadowy recesses of the Underworld Mountains?