Chapter 196 Greetings to the Goddess Houtu! The old turtle spirit... he finally couldn't hold back any longer...

As the immortals cheered, a notification appeared on the Milky Way Net that the third competition had ended.

The contestants, including those immortals who had spent countless years in the Immortal Realm yet remained true to their original aspirations and finally returned to heaven to attain their positions, were clearly "heroes" who had overcome countless hardships and returned victorious. Yet, no one received them, no one congratulated them, and even the lightning array had to be set up by Mingguang and the other ascendants themselves to avoid being killed by the excessively fierce lightning strikes.

Bitao glanced at Yin Hangu's ranking; below her name at the top was Mingguang.

Their names were placed right next to each other, and when Bitao saw them, her eyes welled up with tears.

The collective ascension of over seven hundred people who had achieved perfect merit would have been an unprecedented and thrilling event in any other context.

But now, Bitao dares not rejoice or be happy.

Mingguang and the others stood solemnly in the clouds, surrounded by soldiers and star gods. Clearly, they had been taken hostage.

It wasn't just Bitao who saw through all of this; most of the immortals' expressions shifted constantly.

At that moment, as the Big Dipper constellation deity finished asking, "Where is the rebellious immortal?", another group of people immediately appeared above the clouds.

They are a group of little fairies.

The people leading them were the same group that had left Zhu Ming's side earlier, righteously declaring that they were going to rescue Tong Xian.

As the immortals ascended amidst the chaotic lightning, Zhu Ming was still worried about them. But upon seeing them appear in the clouds, his expression suddenly changed.

He reached out and grabbed Bitao's wrist. Their eyes met, and they both saw a miscalculation in each other's eyes.

They made the wrong move again.

Jing Su's voice was not loud, but it carried throughout the entire cloud layer: "The rebellious immortal Bi Tao Tai Xian stole the sky and changed the sun, intending to use her official position to send the six immortal chiefs to the mortal world. Then she instructed Zhu Ming, the immortal supervisor who was in cahoots with her, to send the Return to the Void Order without authorization, inciting a great war among the immortals and colluding with the Earthly Fiend Ghost King to devour the immortal position. Her crimes are too numerous to count and are unforgivable."

The leading star deity, Jing, said to the Big Dipper constellation deity, "Every single event has been recorded in the Nine Heavens as evidence! All star deities, please take a look!"

Jing Su and his team worked together to activate the immortal spirits and form a restoration array. Immediately, a shadow appeared in the sky above the clouds.

It depicts Zhu Ming and Bi Tao "plotting a rebellion" in the Jade Bone Palace.

His performance was vivid and moving, and his formula was superb.

Bitao rested her elbow on Zhu Ming's table, turned her head and smiled slyly, her words even more arrogant: "Your Highness, we have been plotting for many years, and yet, You Tian's meritorious immortal position still has not occupied many important positions in the Nine Heavens."

Zhu Ming asked, "So what do you plan to do?"

The scene shifts, and Bitao says, "Why don't we take this opportunity to frame the leaders of the six ancient immortal clans who haven't even had a chance to react yet, and send them to the mortal realm?"

"Who says I only want to cut down the beams and pillars? Can't I just tear off the whole roof?"

"Think about it carefully, really think it through. Is there any better opportunity than this?"

"If I were to merge with the star gauge, I would become the Immortal Emperor. Could the Heavenly Dao of all realms still defeat or kill me?"

The shadows moved extremely fast, but even the immortals in the Nine Heavens could see and hear everything clearly.

The immortals... or rather, all the immortals who had never fought alongside Bitao, were in an uproar.

The act of taking photos continues.

Soon it was Zhu Ming's turn to ask Bi Tao, "Aren't you afraid that after you usurped the throne from Ming Guang's father, Ming Guang will break ties with you after he passes away?"

Bitao scoffed and said, "I'm already an emperor, why would I be afraid of him?"

"Once things are settled and you have power in your hands, what kind of man can't you have?"

The final scene and sound show Zhu Ming looking at Bi Tao and saying, "You Tian will live and die with you."

...

At this point, Bitao and Zhu Ming were "unable to defend themselves."

Zhu Ming gritted his teeth and said to Bi Tao, "There is no image retention array in my Jade Bone Palace at all!"

Bitao was not surprised at all.

Because she knew that the person behind this had been plotting for thousands or even tens of thousands of years, and Zhu Ming had only ascended to immortality a little over a thousand years ago, it was perfectly normal for someone to tamper with his Jade Bone Palace.

If no one tampered with things, how could Bitao use these words to induce the Star God to leave his post and realize that the Nine Heavens were "rotten to the core"?

She didn't care at all how these people pieced together what she had said. Even if she were killed by the combined forces of the Big Dipper constellation gods the next moment, so what?

It's nothing more than the Thunder Pattern Seal breaking, triggering the return of the Heavenly Dao of all realms, at which time the truth will naturally come to light.

Moreover, Bitao felt that she had already completed Qingming and Kunyi's "mission".

Looking at Jing Su, who was righteously exposing her, Bi Tao suspected that he was a pawn planted in the Thunder Department of the Heavenly Realm by the person behind the scenes when he first identified her with the Three Officials of Heaven, Earth and Water.

Jing Su fits the role of a pawn perfectly. He is not outstanding, but he is quite talented. He just happens to be able to infiltrate Bing Lun's side as a servant, so he can know about the "major events" in the Nine Heavens at any time and has everything under control in the Thunder Department.

But Bitao had at least known him, so she didn't "sentence him to death" because of his two unusual actions. She was afraid that he was forced to become a "scapegoat" because he was coerced by the rebellious Lei Di, so she didn't hold it against him.

The wisp of spirit left on him was merely a silent mark on his soul, to see what he would do.

Even after realizing that he helped Zhu Ming activate the sundial and later led people to rescue others in the chaos of battle, Bi Tao did not give up monitoring him.

However, when he exposed her again in front of the Big Dipper, Bitao became certain that he was at least one of the old turtle spirit's clones.

He was lingering around Zhu Ming, waiting for an opportunity to join the Star Dial. He had previously tried to persuade Zhu Ming to leave the Star Dial to save people, but failed, so he took most of the elite troops with him.

The reason why Bitao and Zhuming were always one move behind was precisely because "Jingsu" was always in the Nine Heavens, at the very center of the battle.

Therefore, the person behind the scenes was able to seemingly unpredictably orchestrate the conflict between the Queen Mother of the West and the Thunder Department, nearly causing their defeat.

Now, as long as the Heavenly Dao of the Myriad Realms returns and captures Jing Su, they can use that wisp of spiritual thread to trace the clues and uncover the true form of the old turtle spirit.

After the Big Dipper Star Gods finished watching Jing Su's "evidence," they all stood solemnly and cast their gazes across the distance.

Bitao smiled disdainfully, her arrogant expression completely mirroring the image of herself plotting rebellion in that "photograph".

She looked at Mingguang, who was being "held hostage" by them, and saw that his face was gloomy and that the vertical line between his eyebrows made her want to touch him.

She thought to herself, "Please hurry up and 'kill' me, Lord Big Dipper!" She couldn't wait to end this chaos so she could soon retreat into her own "gentle haven."

Having gone through life and death several times, she and Mingguang were no longer someone whose inferior scheme of "Jing Su" could easily separate them.

Mingguang is so smart, he will surely be able to see at a glance that she did it on purpose.

Moreover, there were many "reasonable" immortals around Bitao who, seeing that Bitao remained silent, tried to defend her.

"This isn't true! Even if it is, it's just something that Immortal Bitao deliberately told the Rebellious Immortal to lure out the real one!" Luo Hui anxiously nudged Xuanming Wenqu Xingjun, who was standing in front of him. "Star God, say something! We finally won this battle! Aren't you with the Six Stars of the Big Dipper?!"

Xuanming Wenqu Star Lord: "..." They were together, but he had been away from his star constellation post for too long, and hadn't seen these colleagues for a thousand years.

Moreover... he has been residing in the Heavenly Realm for a long time now, and his Star God power has been severed. He is no longer comparable to these six people, and his words probably carry little weight.

But he still spoke up, saying, "Fellow Star Gods, this matter was indeed a scheme devised by the Immortal Bitao to lure out the truly rebellious person. This image cannot be entirely trusted."

As expected, six of the seven stars of the Big Dipper mistook the words of the Xuanming Wenqu Star Lord for farts.

They moved quickly. The six of them worked together, activating the power of the Star God, and without saying a word, they used the Star Orbit Array to cover everyone on Bi Tao's side.

This time, no one can escape.

Bitao breathed a slight sigh of relief, preparing herself to "die." Once the lightning seal was broken, everything would be over.

However, these Star Lords of the Big Dipper had no intention of directly attacking Bitao. Instead, they turned around, bowed and cupped their hands in the direction of Mingguang, and said, "We Star Gods are in charge of celestial phenomena and dare not overstep the bounds of law. We humbly beseech the Mysterious Immortal Mingguang, who oversees the laws of all realms, to personally descend and punish this rebellious immortal, cleanse the heavens, and restore order!"

Bitao's serene expression, which had been gesturing as she thought everything was about to end, suddenly changed!

Are they trying to force Mingguang to kill her?!

Zhu Ming's lips trembled, and Zhan Kui and Xuan Jia, who had returned to Bi Tao's side, also looked grim.

Dongwanggong turned his head and glanced at Bitao, his expression one of "helplessness," for the Big Dipper Seven Stars were truly no match for them.

Bitao pursed her lips tightly. She thought that the old turtle spirit had sent these star gods and heavenly soldiers to hold Mingguang and the others hostage and send them to heaven, just as a threat to prevent Bitao and the others from acting rashly or resisting stubbornly.

Unexpectedly, he was trying to force Mingguang to kill her with his own hands.

Above the clouds, Mingguang glanced at the Big Dipper Star Lord in front of him, and after a moment, he actually nodded.

wrong.

Bitao watched as Mingguang easily agreed to Beidou Xingjun's request for him to "uphold the moral order," while the immortals who had ascended with him, Bitao's former subordinates, including Taiji who was willing to risk his life for her, did not react at all.

That's not right!

Bitao attempted to activate her spiritual energy and kill herself before Mingguang could act, but the power of the Star God quickly detected her reckless use of spiritual energy and suppressed her.

Under this immense pressure, her arms and legs felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, making them impossible to lift or do anything. Even the immortal spirit within her body was frozen and could not be activated.

Bitao was so anxious that her eyes turned red, and she could no longer support herself and knelt on the ground. She watched as Mingguang and several star gods flew to the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao and walked towards her.

The example of the Ascension Platform in the third competition is a case in point. The old turtle spirit deliberately forced Mingguang, but she clearly knew that Mingguang would not kill her!

Even the King of the East and the Queen Mother of the West are no match for the Star Lord of the Big Dipper. Mingguang has no one to guide him to ascension. He has not yet been able to successfully become a Grand Immortal. How can he resist the Star Lord of the Big Dipper's coercion and save Bitao?

It seems that the only option left is to forcibly connect to the star dial and borrow its power.

Once Mingguang is forced to connect to the Starry Sky Rotating Yin-Yang Sundial, he is still just a young golden crow, unable to withstand the impact of the will of all living beings. His delicate and easily broken wings are also unable to withstand the pressure of mobilizing the power of the star sundial.

Mingguang is certain to face a near-certain death!

This is yet another blatant and overt conspiracy.

It's exactly the same open scheme as the one in the third competition.

Ultimately, he still wanted to kill Mingguang, a member of the Golden Crow clan, and he wanted to do it in a way that made Mingguang seek his own death.

Mingguang and Beidou Xingjun walked up to Bitao.

Bitao met Mingguang's eyes, which shone like gold. Ignoring the absolute pressure of the Star God's power, she forced out a voice, her voice hoarse and filled with tears, "Mingguang, kill me..."

"Don't fall for their...trick...I have, Thunder..." Thunder Pattern Seal!

Mingguang's expression was cold and stern. He reached out and grabbed Bitao by the neck, choking her back the words she was about to say.

Zhan Kui and Xuan Jia both tried to break free, but the Big Dipper is the head of all stars, and even if only six of them made a move, it was not something that these two minor star gods could break free from.

They couldn't even speak, their mouths agape like stranded, thirsty fish, and could only watch as Mingguang grabbed Bitao by the neck and lifted her off the ground.

Bitao's feet were off the ground, her breath and throat were being choked, and she could no longer utter a single word.

Their peach blossom eyes, brimming with tears, met each other's gazes at close range, their golden pupils as cold and hard as ice.

For a fleeting moment, a blood-red hue filled Mingguang's eyes, and a surge of emotion overwhelmed Bitao like a tsunami or a landslide, drowning her completely.

Another fifty years have passed in the human world.

The world was strangely peaceful. After Xu Li's death, everything went so smoothly that it terrified Ming Guang.

He didn't know what Xiao Taozhi had done to make those who originally wanted to kill him, those who had been plotting for countless years and would never stop, no longer have time to care about him accumulating merit in the mortal world in order to ascend to immortality.

He knew Xiao Taozhi too well; he could imagine that she would once again risk her life and use herself as a bargaining chip.

Every day and every night, he fell asleep and woke up with longing in his heart, powerless to let himself grow old and frail, unable to know what kind of perilous situation his little peach branch was facing in the heavenly realm.

He could only do his best to utilize his strengths and try his utmost to bring as many people as possible to their deaths.

Not for the competition, but so that after his passing, he could lend a helping hand to his little peach branch.

When Mingguang received the Guixu Order, he knew it was too late.

No matter how hard you try, it's too late. All your scheming and painstaking efforts will ultimately be in vain.

He could only hope that the time difference between the Celestial Realm and the Competition Star Realm would give him a chance to bring people back to Heaven before everything ended.

He consolidated his influence across fifteen continents, reaped immense merit, and tirelessly calculated the opportune moment for ascension.

Until—on the eve of his ascension, he was found by six of the seven stars of the Big Dipper.

Mingguang once again fell into a state of helpless despair and anger.

Yet again, they were trying to use him to coerce Xiaotaozhi.

However, he could not sacrifice himself to save Xiao Taozhi from danger, because that would mean allowing the person behind her to win without a fight.

He could not abandon the many immortal positions that had followed him throughout his life. Once he died, these immortal positions, which would never collude with the person behind him, would be slaughtered like pigs and dogs.

Mingguang ascended to immortality under duress.

Upon seeing the ruins of Juntian and Xiaotaozhi standing among the immortals, he could barely contain his heartache.

Before I could even rejoice for her successful promotion to Grand Immortal, I noticed she had lost a lot of weight.

How many days has it been in the Heavenly Realm? How could someone who has just ascended and attained the rank of Supreme Immortal have lost so much weight?

She looked haggard, probably because she hadn't rested for a moment these past few days.

Mingguang placed his palm against Xiaotaozhi's neck, feeling her throbbing pulse and rapid breathing.

This is probably the only good news he has received in all these years.

She is still alive.

Live well.

But after so many years, the first thing Xiao Taozhi said to him was crying and begging him to kill her.

The surge of emotion that welled up in Mingguang's heart due to his vulnerability and helplessness abruptly subsided because Bitao still had a strong pulse.

He knew, of course, that it was a trap.

They also knew that Xiao Taozhi might still have ways to turn the tide and survive.

So what?

He's already flown back, so why should Xiao Taozhi be coerced into dying in front of him again?

Mingguang held Bitao's neck with a firm grip, his strong arm becoming the source of all her strength at that moment.

Bitao looked up at him, speechless, her eyes filled with pleading.

Don't be fooled, don't go...

Mingguang's features remained as cold and sharp as ever, seemingly indifferent to everything before him. The chilling spiritual pressure emanating from his body seemed as if he could close his palm and crush Bitao's throat bones in the next instant.

But he almost obsessively hooked his thumb around Bitao's neck, groping for her hoarse throat, begging himself to kill her.

Mingguang's thumb slowly climbed up to Bitao's cheek and lips.

He wiped away the blood that had welled up from her lips as she forced herself to speak, defying the power of the Big Dipper Star Lord.

Bitao opened her mouth, still trying to force herself to speak and persuade Mingguang.

The Star God of the Big Dipper couldn't wait any longer and spoke before Bi Tao: "Please, Immortal Mingguang, personally slay the rebellious immortal to quell the chaos in the Nine Heavens and demonstrate the righteousness of Heaven's might!"

With a forceful push from his thumb, Mingguang rubbed open Bitao's lips. Urged on by the Big Dipper God, he didn't even turn his head, and a powerful golden light suddenly burst forth from his body.

don't want--

Bitao was speechless, her heart screaming with anxiety.

The powerful golden light emanating from behind Mingguang had already transformed into the shape of golden crow wings in mid-air.

With a sudden flap of its wings, the star array of the Big Dipper constellation swayed slightly.

The moment Bitao was completely enveloped by the golden spirit, she was finally able to cry out due to the fluctuations of the star orbit array: "No... Ugh!"

Amidst the vast golden light, Mingguang suddenly lowered his head and sealed Bitao's lips with his own.

Mingguang has always been disciplined and rigid. Even after being together for so long, he would shyly refuse any advances from Bitao during the competition in the lower realm. This was the first time he had kissed Bitao in public.

He knew it was inappropriate and untimely, but he tried to restrain himself; he simply couldn't control himself.

Excessive longing accumulates and eventually overwhelms reason, like a flood bursting its banks.

He cupped Bitao's face in his hands and pressed his lips hard against hers.

This seemingly gentle land is actually a deadly swamp; once you're trapped in it, you can never escape.

He still carried in his chest the peach blossom hairpin that he had worn smooth over fifty years in the mortal world, and he couldn't bear to destroy it even during the tribulation of lightning.

Seeing an object evokes memories of someone, but how can that compare to having a real, warm, and soft woman in your arms?

Bitao was held tightly in his arms, her waist was constricted into a crescent shape, and only her toes touched the ground, her breath was completely cut off.

Mingguang savored this brief, luxurious bliss, thinking to himself, if he had already ascended to immortality and still had to rely on Xiaotaozhi's self-destruction to survive, what use was his position as a Celestial? How could he possibly compete with Xiaotaozhi for the highest position in the Nine Heavens?

Bitao's eyes widened suddenly. A golden light pierced through their lips and entered her body, going straight into her unguarded sea of ​​consciousness, which was exposed to the bright light. It surrounded the thunderous runes and locked them in place inch by inch!

...This is a portion of Mingguang's immortal essence! Bitao is all too familiar with this taste!

What he formed was—the spirit-shifting protective array that Bitao had set up for Wei Danxin during the second competition!

He completely sealed off the possibility of Bitao sacrificing herself to activate the Thunder Pattern Seal.

All attacks that land on Bitao, regardless of their origin, will be redirected to attack Mingguang's immortal essence first.

Bitao raised her arms, which felt as heavy as a thousand pounds from her restraints, to embrace Mingguang, but suddenly found herself holding nothing at all!

Mingguang's kiss was a product of his uncontrollable longing, but he would not completely lose his mind in a crisis.

He quickly released Bitao, and transformed into a golden crow with flapping wings. His wings restrained the vast lightning accumulated during his ascension. With the help of this overwhelming heavenly power, he forcefully broke through the magic array that the Big Dipper constellation god had used to restrain him, and boldly entered the sundial!

Bitao cried out in anguish, "Mingguang—"

Once the golden light begins to merge with the sundial, it becomes unstoppable.

The Golden Crow clan has ruled the Nine Heavens for tens of thousands of years. A token imbued with the power of the Golden Crow bloodline can activate the star dial to issue the Return to the Void Order.

The obedience of the sundial to the bloodline of the Golden Crow, as observed in the rotation of the stars, is an instinct similar to that of humans.

The bright, sky-obscuring wings folded, and the moment it plunged into the sundial, the celestial sphere rotated, and the yin-yang sundial was "thumped" into motion.

In an instant, the earth shook on the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao, and a golden spirit shot into the sky. In a flash, the dark clouds dissipated as if the sun had risen in the east, and the evil and filthy air fled east and west, none daring to avoid the sharp edge of the blazing sun. The Zhou Tian Star Chart reappeared in the clouds, and the 36,000 main stars lit up again.

At the very center of the star chart, the Big Dipper's rays suddenly become much brighter, connecting and appearing in the sky above.

The Big Dipper God suddenly looked up—and saw a golden light appear between the orbits of the Big Dipper.

At first, it was just a tiny, shimmering golden light, like a star, which quickly coalesced into a line. The line then lengthened and widened, eventually forming the shape of a golden crow spreading its wings—

The immortals looked up and saw the golden crow let out a clear cry, flap its wings, and swoop down towards the first constellation of the Big Dipper, the Greedy Wolf Star!

The golden crow's wings seemed to transform into long, sharp blades that pierced through heaven and earth, crashing into the star trails connecting the Greedy Wolf constellation and the other stars of the Big Dipper.

"boom--"

Amidst the earth-shattering tremors, Bitao and the other immortals watched helplessly as Mingguang severed the connection between the Greedy Wolf Star and the star orbit with his wings!

"Pfft!" The Star God of Greed immediately spat out blood and knelt on the ground. The power of the Star Orbit Array used to imprison the immortals also dissipated on the spot.

The myriad stars were originally the "subjects" of the Golden Crow Clan. Although Mingguang was an underage "regent prince," he was also the "ruler."

He severed the connection between the star trails, much like an emperor in the mortal world ruthlessly cutting off the supply lines and resources of a general who held considerable power and disobeyed orders.

The might of Heaven is inviolable; none dare to challenge it!

Just after the Star God of Greed was cut off from the power of the Star God, Taiji and the others who were "held hostage" suddenly began to fight back above the clouds, and joined forces to attack the immortals around them!

Mingguang had planned this all along. He pretended to be "coerced" into returning to heaven, and was prepared to fight these rebellious immortals to the death.

The soldiers he personally trained were once able to fight against Xu Li's "divine" ruler in the mortal realm. Now, having ascended to the heavens and regained their immortal positions, they are all capable of fighting against hundreds of enemies, fearless and true "Martial Gods".

The heavenly soldiers and generals were naturally all exceptionally brave and valiant, but unlike those who followed Mingguang to ascend to heaven and, like Mingguang, were reckless and oblivious to pain, they did not become madmen who absorbed the lightning tribulation into their bodies.

So the two sides suddenly attacked. Before these heavenly soldiers and generals could even engage in close combat with the newly ascended immortals in the clouds, their formations were disrupted by a chaotic barrage of five thunderbolts!

Furthermore, the pair of Thunder Emperors, Binglun and Bingjing, directly unleashed a torrent of violent lightning upon the heavenly soldiers and generals!

However, both sides tacitly avoided attacking the year's ruling deity. After all, these people's souls are connected to the myriad worlds and stars, and leaving their positions without permission would already cause the seasons to go awry. If any one of them were to fall today, it would cause the collapse of the four seasons.

Beneath the clouds, as the power of the star chakra was severed from the star chakra of the Star Lord Tanlang, the immortals beside Bitao also broke through the Big Dipper star chakra array above their heads.

The immortals fight back!

The Star Lord of Greed, whose power as a star deity had been severed, was trapped under the combined forces of the lesser immortals, pinned to the ground and unable to move.

He lay there, looking at these "younger generation" from the heavens, so united and dedicated. Whether it was self-mockery or satisfaction, he actually smiled as he lay there.

—On the Zhou Tian star chart, Ming Guang flapped his wings and severed the star track of the second constellation of the Big Dipper, Ju Men Xing Jun!

Several golden crow feathers, gleaming brightly, flew down from the star map in the sky.

Even though Mingguang has the bloodline of the Golden Crow and can regulate the sundial, the power of his young bird is simply not enough to continuously supply the sundial, and he will soon be exhausted.

Bitao caught a golden feather, tucked it into her bosom, gritted her teeth, and mobilized the laws of heaven and earth to strike the Big Dipper Star God—

She must end this chaotic battle as soon as possible so that Mingguang can escape the Stardial and have a chance of survival.

While fighting against the swarms of beings from all realms rushing into his sea of ​​consciousness, trying to tear him apart, Mingguang was also shaking his incredibly heavy wings within the star chart. His Dharma form feathers were cut and withered by the backlash of the Big Dipper. He also couldn't withstand the power of mobilizing the sundial, and cracks appeared in his immortal essence, causing blood to flow from his seven orifices.

But he resolutely rushed toward the next star—the orbit of the Third Lu Cun Star Lord!

Bi Taoqiang was facing off against Lu Cun Xingjun. He looked at this immortal, who had been blasted away several times but was still fearless, with a complicated expression.

This was the first time he had ever seen a celestial being who was over two hundred years old.

Lu Cun felt a pang of regret, but dared not deliberately unleash his power. He mobilized his star energy, intending to blast the little immortal's immortal essence to annihilation—

But before he could make a move, blood spurted from his acupoints. His Star God Power had been severed!

Lu Cun's expression at that moment was even one of relief. After being knocked away by Xiao Tai Xian, he spun in mid-air and crashed to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood, but his eyes were still smiling.

This is incredible...

Who said that all the second-generation immortals this year are lacking in virtue and unworthy of their positions?

Aren't they all incredibly impressive?

Golden feathers filled the sky like snow, and Mingguang was about to collapse!

Bitao looked up sadly and saw that Mingguang's crimson gold had turned into a golden-red color like the melting gold of the setting sun, and he had lost a lot of blood.

Even at this point, he still hadn't forgotten that Xuanming Wenqu Star Lord was on Bitao's side. He bypassed Xuanming Wenqu Star Lord's star orbit and crashed into the star orbit of the Fifth Lianzhen Star Lord.

Even after Lianzhen Xingjun's star orbit was blocked, he used his fallen golden feathers to weave a star orbit line for Xuanming Wenqu Xingjun by binding them with spiritual energy.

The power of the star orbit that Xuanming Wenqu Star Lord had severed many years ago has been restored!

Xuanming Wenqu Xingjun is the most beloved deity among scholars throughout the human world, and has enjoyed flourishing incense offerings and countless believers for many years.

If it weren't for his frequent descents from the celestial realm, where excessive star power would interfere with the star chart, he would be the strongest star among the seven stars of the Big Dipper.

Now that his Star God power has returned, Bi Tao has gained another powerful general, and the battle situation has suddenly reversed once again.

At the height of his power, Xuanming Wenqu Xingjun faced his former colleagues, still bothered by their earlier disregard for him, and wanted to teach them a lesson.

However, he encountered the Sixth Star Lord of Martial Stars and discovered that the other party was not using his full strength at all.

It should be noted that Wuqu Xingjun is known for his powerful martial arts. Even if Xuanming Wenqu Xingjun's power returns, it would be like a scholar encountering a soldier. Having not mobilized such powerful divine power for many years, he would inevitably be rusty in a short time and might not be a match for him.

But Wuqu Xingjun was sent flying by him...

Xuanming Wenqu Xingjun looked down at his long, slender hands, wondering what kind of unparalleled divine skill he had practiced in his dreams all these years.

When Mingguang charged toward the Sixth Star Lord of Martial Arts, the battle above the clouds had already reached the ruins of the Immortal Capital.

Bitao and the others brought the situation under control on the Six Imperial Platforms of Chongxiao and immediately led people to assist the newly ascended immortals.

Taiji was not the strongest among the ascended immortals, but when he was in the lower realm, he experimented by connecting four more spiritual veins to himself, thus completing the five elements.

Now that he has passed away, there is no Thunder King to guide him, no Heavenly Dao of the myriad realms to watch over him, and no one to sever his other immortal veins. Now he has a full five immortal veins, all of which are usable...

Furthermore, the five elements generate each other, and yin and yang are in perfect harmony within his body. In the short time he has been flying, his immortal rank has risen again and again, rising while fighting.

Each advancement in rank would attract five thunderbolts, thus he became a vanguard bearing the tribulation of lightning, single-handedly taking on a hundred, and invincible.

Even Yun Chuan, a born martial god who reached the Immortal rank through sheer hard-fought battles, felt his teeth ache from watching.

A small knife is more powerful than a large knife, right?

No wonder Mingguang values ​​Tai Chi so much, and even had clothes and accessories custom-made for him!

When Bitao arrived with her men, Taiji was standing amidst a vast army, having somehow captured Jing Su.

Before Bitao could stop him, Taiji swiftly ripped open Jing Su's abdomen, leaving his internal organs spilling onto the ground. Taiji then laughed as he hooked Jing Su's intestines around his neck.

The scene was so brutal that the heavenly soldiers standing nearby were scared away by Tai Chi.

And Tai Chi didn't know what he had learned from this scene of "liver and intestines wrapped around the neck," but he advanced once again!

During the advancement of immortal status, regardless of the specific immortal rank, one is invincible.

Bitao couldn't get through and could only watch helplessly as Taiji dissected Jing Su like a master butcher.

After the tribulation of lightning passed, Jing Su's skeletal frame was completely exposed.

It was rare for Bitao to be so furious, but before she could try to trace that wisp of spiritual thread to make amends, a sudden change occurred on the Zhou Tian Star Chart!

The star orbit of the constellation god, which had been broken by the rampaging of Mingguang's Dharma form, is rapidly being repaired.

Bitao looked towards the source of the spiritual light that was repairing the star map—and saw the gods of the year forming a united array, with a faint spiritual light crossing the sky and entering the star map, where time suddenly reversed!

No, this isn't a time reversal, it's a stellar time tear!

These year-ruling deities can not only reverse time, but also use formations to tear time apart, only reversing the timeline related to the Big Dipper's orbit.

The broken star trails were repaired, but the injuries to Mingguang, who was struggling to fly through the star map, could not be reversed.

And... they are accelerating Mingguang's timeline, pushing him forward rapidly, and it looks like they are about to wipe him out of the star map!

Bitao was utterly terrified!

In that instant, she understood why the Azure Nether Emperor, who had been guarding the star track for many years, still caused the disaster of banished immortals!

If these deities in charge of the year are always "outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant," outwardly weaving a normal flow of time while secretly erasing time points related to the punishment of sinful immortals in the mortal realm, like termites gnawing at a dam, wouldn't they be able to deceive the celestial rotation of the yin and yang sundial? And then deceive the Azure Emperor?

But figuring this out was useless; she had to come up with a way to save Mingguang as soon as possible.

Did you kill the Tai Sui God?

Their individual martial prowess is not high, but their souls are connected to the timeline of countless worlds, making them an absolutely inviolable group of "fragile glass".

If we kill them, the order of time will be thrown into chaos, and countless people will die at birth due to this disorder.

Bitao is a celestial being of the Nine Heavens; she cannot abandon all living beings in the myriad realms to save one person, even if that person is the one she loves.

Moreover, the deity in charge of the year's ruling constellation should be at peace with the world and may not actually be rebelling. Perhaps, like the deity of the Big Dipper constellation, he is being controlled by others.

Based on the battle, Bitao had already discovered that Beidou Xingshen was not using his full strength, which was obviously due to being controlled and having no other choice!

Bitao watched as Mingguang remained unaware that he was being pushed to his death by "time." He was still within the star map, fearlessly crashing into the orbit of the Seventh Star God, Po Jun, for their sake.

Bitao almost lost her mind, experiencing firsthand what it meant to be completely devastated.

However, she could not kill herself, because if she wanted to trigger the Thunder Pattern Curse Seal to self-destruct and recall the Heavenly Dao of Myriad Realms, she would first have to break Mingguang's Immortal Essence and kill Mingguang.

ah--

She tilted her head back, looking absolutely mad.

But soon, she bit her tongue hard, using her own heart's blood to awaken her spirit.

Bitao turned around and saw Xuanjia using his body as a shield to help the ascending immortals fight against the endless heavenly soldiers.

She immediately transmitted her voice secretly.

A moment later, a Dharma image suddenly appeared above the clouds.

His true form stands tall and upright, draped in a dark yellow robe, wearing a crown depicting the Five Sacred Mountains, earrings adorned with mountains and rivers, and robes embroidered with the constellations of the Twenty-Four Solar Terms, with a belt of mountains, rivers, and the state cinnabar around his waist. ①

Her face was like a full moon, her eyes shone with compassion, and the mountain and river mark symbolizing the control of the earth's veins was faintly visible between her brows.

He holds a map of mountains and rivers in his left hand and a peach wood vine root staff that connects yin and yang in his right.

The moment it appeared in the clouds, all the chaotic battle among the immortals ceased, and all fell silent.

The Dharma image appeared right in front of the Tai Sui deity of the year, whose image was formed by clouds.

Upon seeing this divine form, the spirits in the hands of the Tai Sui gods suddenly froze, and one of them stammered, "By the grace of Heaven, following the example of the Empress Earth..."

"It's the Goddess Houtu!"

"Greetings, Empress Houtu!"

Countless deities of the year knelt and kowtowed, emulating the Empress Earth, who is the mother of all mountains and rivers and the creator of the cycle of time.

In short, she is the "mother" of these Tai Sui gods.

Even if the Azure Emperor were to arrive, it might not be effective, but if the Goddess Houtu manifests her divine form, these Tai Sui gods will surely submit.

As the Tai Sui deity bowed to the Dharma image, the stellar-time split on the star chart suddenly froze.

Exhausted and on the verge of death, Mingguang, without the power of starlight or the ability to manipulate the yin-yang sundial, was thrown off the magic array and fell from the sky.

Bitao disregarded maintaining her divine form and reverting Xuanjia's form, which she had forcibly sculpted with her immortal essence. She remained in this "Empress Houtu" form, soaring through the sky and catching the falling Mingguang, who had transformed back into human form.

Mingguang was severely injured, and this time he had almost no immortal energy left. His consciousness was in a daze and on the verge of death, and he was only able to hold on by his willpower.

However, when Bitao Anran caught him in his palm, he still widened his eyes slightly.

—Following the example of Heaven and the Empress Earth.

Little Peach Branch was indeed an ancient incarnation of a god... the destined one for someone as talented as his brother, Dongjun.

But why is it Houtu Niangniang?

Why……

Mingguang was overwhelmed with emotion and his will was about to collapse.

Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth again. Before he completely lost consciousness, he thought desperately—how could a dull-witted golden crow like him be worthy of the goddess Houtu, who had been transformed into a deity?

At this moment, most of the immortals were unaware that all of this was an illusion created by Xuanjia, and they still thought that Bitao was really the incarnation of the Earth Goddess who followed the example of Heaven.

In an instant, all the immortals submitted, and the Seven Stars of the Big Dipper also laid down their weapons.

Bitao's Dharma form couldn't hold on in mid-air, and she landed with Mingguang in her arms, almost crashing down.

All the immortals went to protect the unconscious Mingguang. They themselves had fallen quite hard, so they simply knelt there without moving.

Seeing an opportunity, Zhu Ming took the lead and knelt down before Bi Tao, shouting, "Greetings, Empress Houtu!"

The immortals were stunned for a moment, then the lesser immortals were the first to kowtow to the peach blossom: "Greetings, Empress Houtu!"

The Eastern King and the Western Queen Mother exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

What shocked people was not the peach blossoms, but the fact that Chengtian, following the example of Houtu Huangdi, had no choice but to transform into a god.

Rather, she even dared to impersonate the Empress Dowager, who followed the example of Heaven.

Houtu Niangniang is an ancient goddess, the mother of the earth, who governs the land and the underworld. She is one of the Four Emperors, along with the Jade Emperor, the Purple Emperor of the North Pole, and the Heavenly Emperor of Gouchen Shanggong. ②

Above that are the Three Pure Ones of Taoism...

But this is the perfect opportunity! A chance to make the immortals lay down their weapons and surrender!

So the Eastern King Duke and the Western Queen Mother exchanged a few words and were about to kneel down when they lifted their robes.

It doesn't matter.

So be it, juniors are juniors.

Kneel down once and you won't have to be hit.

But just as the immortals were submitting, three more divine beings, representing the mandate of heaven and earth, appeared once again above the celestial clouds.

Once again, all was silent among the immortals.

Bitao turned her head to look at the sky; she was quite familiar with these three Dharma figures.

They are all incarnations of the Great Emperor of the Eastern Pole, the third of the Ten Directions Saviors of Suffering, whom the immortals have studied in ancient texts since childhood.

From left to right, they are, in order: the Eastern Jade Treasure Emperor Heavenly Venerable, the Northwest Boundless Great Splendor Heavenly Venerable, and the Southeast Good Life Salvation Heavenly Venerable.

Since the Guixu Decree was issued, an ancient immortal has finally returned to aid them. This is not only ordinary, but also a great joy, indicating that they no longer need to fight a bitter battle.

Even the Star God of the Big Dipper is no match for the Heavenly Venerables who save us from suffering.

No matter how powerful the old turtle spirit is, it's impossible for it to turn the ancient immortal chieftain against his will.

But... Bitao looked at the image of the Southeast Good Life Salvation Heavenly Venerable on the far right, dressed in green robes, holding a lingzhi mushroom and riding a blue phoenix—her inspiration was touched, and her eyelids twitched wildly!

She sensed from this Celestial Venerable the extremely fine, subtle spiritual thread that she had previously attached to Jing Su's soul—a thread so fine that no one would notice it!

The old turtle spirit... was actually the Southeast Good Life Salvation Heavenly Venerable.

He finally couldn't hold it in any longer and poked his head out!