Chapter 1366: Chapter 1367 “Rope Them In
The crowd below fell silent. The sheer amount of information was overwhelming. Above the Central Origin Realm, there was the Immortal Gods Realm, and now they were being targeted by it. Yet, judging from Li Xiaobai’s demeanor, it seemed he had a foolproof plan in mind.
But even someone as powerful as Xueshenzi, a great figure of the Demon Path, was instantly killed in one move. What chance did they stand?
Did they truly have any means to resist? But if they didn’t resist, then what else could they do?
There was no channel of communication between the Central Origin Realm and the Immortal Gods Realm. Even if they knelt before the rift and begged for mercy, it was unlikely those above would even glance their way.
“So, does this mean someone in the Immortal Gods Realm wants to sever our opportunities?”
“That rift was opened by the Heavens themselves, yet it’s being blocked by vile beings. I refuse to accept this!”
“But those beings are from the Heavens, with extraordinary power, far beyond us. If we were to face them directly in battle, we’d surely stand no chance. Is there any flawless strategy to counter this?”
“Either way, we’re doomed. They’ve already decided not to spare us, so why should we hold back? Even Xueshenzi was killed in one move—what chance do we mere ants have?”
“No, no, no! We have Sect Master Li! As long as Sect Master Li is here, what do we have to fear?”
“Exactly! We have Sect Master Li! I believe he is the undisputed leader of the Central Origin Realm today—the one everyone looks up to!”
“Look at Sect Master Li—so calm and composed. It’s clear he already has a plan. Describing the situation as dire and critical must be his way of testing us. The more critical the moment, the less we can panic! We must hold our ground and not disappoint Sect Master Li!”
Below the mountain, the cultivators quickly reined in their brief chaos and steadied themselves. The reason? None other than seeing Li Xiaobai standing atop the mountain, hands clasped behind his back, puffing clouds and exhaling mist. With someone as composed as Sect Master Li, what reason did they have to panic?
If their guesses were correct, this was surely a deliberate test by Sect Master Li to gauge how many people were truly loyal to the cause of the Central Origin Realm. All they needed to do was follow his lead and focus on their own responsibilities.
Watching the crowd below gradually quiet down, Li Xiaobai allowed a faint smile to play upon his lips.
He was well aware that human nature was the most fragile when it came to tests. Naturally, he wasn’t foolish enough to expect ordinary cultivators to independently awaken to the harshness of reality. All it took was a subtle nudge to have them follow his lead—just a matter of rhetoric, really.
By stirring anger in people’s hearts and then stoking despair within them, combined with the faith in the name “Li Xiaobai,” he had no doubt they would rally behind him.
“A proper person wouldn’t bother testing human nature!”
The corners of Li Xiaobai’s lips curved into a smile as he spoke slowly, “Each of you is a pillar of the Second Peak of the Sword Sect. As long as you hold faith in your hearts, strength will dwell within you.”
“A fortune teller once told me that I am a Chosen One, destined at birth to become a supreme powerhouse. Though the Central Origin Realm now faces an unprecedentedly powerful enemy, I, as the Sect Master, firmly believe that the cultivators of the Central Origin Realm will conquer the Immortal Gods Realm, break the shackles, and carve out a future for our descendants!”
The transmission formation clearly broadcast his words into the ears of every cultivator present. Their blood boiled as they listened. Sure enough, Sect Master Li’s earlier words had been a test of them. Faced with the terrifying beings of the Immortal Gods Realm, he must have a way to counter them.
“Sect Master Li, rest assured! From this moment on, we will look to you and you alone. Sect Master Li, just give the order! As long as it helps us fight against the Immortal Gods Realm, we are ready to shed our blood and lay down our lives!”
The cultivators shouted in unison.
“I can feel your sincerity,” Li Xiaobai said with a cheerful tone. “Since that’s the case, let’s not waste time. Fellow cultivators, I’ll trouble you to hand over all your top-grade Immortal Stones. I will personally take charge of consolidating resources so we can face off against those beings!”
Li Xiaobai’s voice was full of mirth.
“What if someone refuses to cooperate?”
Someone posed the question. It was Steward Chen Yuan who spoke. Li Xiaobai appreciated him greatly. At such a crucial juncture, he openly tore down the pretense, addressing the issue directly—a wise move. After all, there were some things Li Xiaobai couldn’t say himself and required someone to act as a proxy.
“If someone doesn’t cooperate, then bring them into the fold!”
Li Xiaobai’s expression remained indifferent as he spoke nonchalantly.
“All resources will be handed over to Steward Chen Yuan of the Second Peak of the Sword Sect for unified management. Cough it up!”
After tossing out this remark, Li Xiaobai vanished from the mountaintop.
This left a wave of devout disciples and cultivators handing over their top-grade Immortal Stones. Though a few hesitated, they eventually complied—this was about survival, a matter they couldn’t afford to take lightly.
Chen Yuan was brimming with excitement and enthusiasm. Collecting money? He knew just how much Sect Master Li valued wealth. For Sect Master Li to entrust him with this responsibility was proof of his senior’s trust in him.
He had to give his best—to repay Sect Master Li’s trust.
…
Elsewhere.
Li Xiaobai stood atop a golden war chariot as it descended upon the territory of the Buddha Country. He summoned the Saint Realm Godzilla, which merged into the void, and proceeded step by step toward the entrance of the Great Thunderclap Temple.
The Transmigration Ladder was located here. He intended to ascend its peak and attempt to unlock the task of touching the Heavenly Dao.
With a single thought, Godzilla carried the golden war chariot in its hands and began climbing the Transmigration Ladder, moving step by step upward.
The Transmigration Ladder had been constructed by human hands, its purpose being to connect to that segment of the staircase leading to the Immortal Gods Realm. It once brimmed with the Power of Faith, testing one’s mind and will. Now, however, it was nothing but a staircase, entirely bereft of its prior strength.
In a few mighty bounds, Godzilla reached the highest peak, arriving at the end of the Transmigration Ladder. Before him lay traces of blood and scattered corpses—still fresh. These were the remains of cultivators from the Western Continent. After discovering that the Transmigration Ladder had lost its original strength, everyone naturally wanted to explore its full extent. However, what they didn’t realize was that the latter half of the staircase was the true nightmare. The power here didn’t belong to the Central Origin Realm but rather the Immortal Gods Realm. Countless heroic figures across the ages had met their demise here—let alone ordinary cultivators like them.
“After today, we must issue an order to seal this place, lest others are driven by curiosity and seek their own destruction.”
Li Xiaobai muttered to himself as he directed the Saint Realm Godzilla to take another step toward the latter half of the staircase.
As during his previous visit, this portion of the ladder was shrouded in mysterious gray mist, exuding an air of strangeness and danger.
The Saint Realm Godzilla moved its short legs forward and stepped in. Instantly, the gray mist surged, engulfing it completely.
At the same time, the system panel abruptly displayed a series of numerical fluctuations.
[Attribute Point + Ten Billion!]
All fell silent, and no further numbers appeared on the system panel.
The outcome was clear: with just that single step, the Saint Realm Godzilla had ceased to exist.
Even the Saint Realm Godzilla couldn’t last more than a second on this section of the ladder.
The moment it took a step, it was obliterated. A torrent of terrifying energy swept out, surging in all directions. This was likely the residual energy unleashed when Godzilla burst apart.
“What the hell, that’s it?”
Li Xiaobai scratched his head, pondered for a moment, then waved his hand. In an instant, one hundred Saint Realm Godzillas appeared in the void, roaring toward the heavens.
“See that staircase? Don’t climb it—just breathe fire and blast through the other side for me!”