Chapter 8 The Summit of the Heavens
In the dense blood mist of the eighth realm, blood pills radiating mysterious power floated about.
At the center of the blood pills, a figure was refining the grand formation.
These blood pills were not enough.
For such a vast realm, only a million blood pills had been refined; it was too few.
There were still many powerhouses within the Cold Abyss, including three Ninth Stage experts hidden within, along with over a thousand Great Emperors.
Most importantly, the three Ninth Stage experts had plundered over half of the eighth realm's energy when they retreated into the Cold Abyss.
"Continue attacking."
The figure in the blood dance spoke: "The ninth and tenth realms have failed, the grand formation is incomplete, and the enemy will arrive soon."
The news of Chu Huo and Hua Yan returning to the Upper Nine Heavens had also spread.
"Yes."
Upon receiving the order, the subordinates attacked with even greater ferocity.
...
Within the Cold Abyss.
The black-clothed, black-haired Lord of the Cold Abyss sat cross-legged within an Eight Trigrams formation.
The majestic power of the Great Dao continuously flowed through the Eight Trigrams formation into the rift of the Cold Abyss, resisting the attacks from outside.
Around him sat the Dao King and Lord Yitian.
On the outer perimeter stood the wall formed by Great Emperors.
*Bang.*
Suddenly, the body of the Lord of the Cold Abyss trembled.
A trace of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and the Eight Trigrams formation shook violently, nearly shattering.
"Suppress it."
Yitian and the Dao King's expressions were grave.
The power of the Great Dao surged madly into the Eight Trigrams formation, finally stabilizing the wavering formation.
*Boom, boom, boom.*
At this moment, the attacks from outside the Cold Abyss intensified.
The Great Emperors providing power on the outer perimeter turned pale. Those with weaker cultivation and excessive consumption directly vomited blood and retreated from the formation.
They could not endure it any longer.
"Damn it."
Beneath Yitian sat a top-tier Eighth Stage expert with a fiery temper.
Flames surged, coalescing into a fierce tiger that roared to the heavens.
That was his Dao Spirit.
"Lord of the Abyss," the fiery expert shouted, "instead of waiting here to die, why not go out and fight? We'll take one down with us if we die."
"Yes."
"Lord of the Abyss, let's fight."
The fiery expert's suggestion was met with approval from most of the assembled individuals.
Defending in this manner was too humiliating.
If this continued, they would all perish.
Rather than slowly disintegrating and exhausting all their strength, only to become lambs for slaughter, it was better to break out and fight the enemy to the death.
No one wanted to die here in such a demeaning way.
For a moment, all eyes turned to Lord Yitian.
They awaited his final decision.
This decision could only be made by the three Lords of the Abyss.
"No."
Lord Yitian's attitude was resolute.
...
For a moment, the agitated crowd fell into an inexplicable silence.
The Dao King also remained silent.
The Lord of the Cold Abyss, presiding at the center of the Eight Trigrams, spoke: "Yitian, Dao King, share your thoughts. If this continues, we will fall into internal strife before the enemy even breaks through."
Hearing this, everyone's hearts were shaken.
All gazes turned to Lord Yitian.
...
Yitian remained silent, exchanging a glance with the Dao King.
"Speak."
"Alright."
Seeing that the Dao King also agreed, Lord Yitian could only nod.
After a brief contemplation, he began: "The Dao King and I once joined forces to divine the destiny of the eighth realm. Of one hundred divinations, ninety-nine were destined for death."
The crowd erupted in murmurs.
Fortunately, everyone knew Yitian's character and that he often spoke only half the story.
As expected, Lord Yitian did not disappoint.
He continued: "However, in the hundredth divination, we found a sliver of hope."
"What hope?"
Joy bloomed on everyone's faces.
Hope, was Lord Yitian waiting for this final glimmer of hope?
Yitian continued: "In that divination, the Dao King and I saw a sword-wielding youth, followed by heavenly soldiers and generals, descending from below and stirring up a bloody storm."
"Who?"
Someone asked.
...
Lord Yitian did not answer.
He and the Dao King had already formed a guess. That youth... the Dao King had already met him.
A Great Emperor below asked: "Will there be enough time?"
...
There was no answer.
The Dao King and Yitian were willing to hold onto this last sliver of hope.
Before millions of tribulations, this final glimmer of hope would be everyone's only salvation.
"Are we still waiting?" someone asked.
"Wait."
Lord Yitian provided the answer.
They had to wait, for it was their only hope.
For a moment, the crowd fell silent, but hope had taken root in their hearts, knowing that they were not simply waiting to die here.
*Boom!*
Another attack arrived.
The Cold Abyss trembled, and the assembled individuals poured their strength into the Eight Trigrams formation with unified will.
*Rumble.*
The attacks grew fiercer.
More and more people within the Cold Abyss were injured.
Severe injuries meant they had to withdraw.
As more withdrew, the pressure on those remaining grew.
At a certain moment...
*Crack.*
A crisp sound echoed, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
A fissure appeared in the Eight Trigrams formation.
Though small, it was undeniably there.
The instant the Eight Trigrams formation cracked, a corner of the Cold Abyss, which spanned across the heavens, suddenly shattered.
*Boom!*
A surge of immense energy erupted from the rift.
The power of this surge was so great that it immediately sent several individuals flying upon its release.
"Damn it, so much energy," someone cursed.
When Yitian and the others had descended into the Cold Abyss, they had taken more than half of the eighth realm's Dao energy, channeling it all into the Cold Abyss.
If not for this, the Cold Abyss would have been breached long ago.
"Kill."
The shattering of a corner of the Cold Abyss brought hope to the masses.
This hope was enough to send everyone into ecstatic joy.
...
Those within the Cold Abyss were in dire straits.
The moment the energy dissipated, the Eight Trigrams formation of the Cold Abyss became precarious.
This formation relied entirely on the immense energy for its support.
"It's no good, we can't hold on," the Lord of the Cold Abyss's expression turned terrifyingly grim.
Her eyes shone with a brilliance like countless stars.
A thunderous voice boomed: "Yitian, Dao King, prepare to fight to the death."
The two Ninth Stage experts: "..."
They sensed the unwavering resolve in the Lord of the Cold Abyss's tone and asked, "Is there no longer any possibility?"
The Lord of the Cold Abyss shook her head. "I will wait until the moment the Cold Abyss is breached. Once an enemy enters, I will detonate the Cold Abyss, taking everyone with me as my sacrifice."
This was the Lord of the Cold Abyss's trump card.
She knew she would become the target of everyone, and she knew the importance of the Earth Core Stones.
No matter what, she could not survive.
Therefore, she had established the Cold Abyss to absorb the Dao energy plundered from the eighth realm, all for this very moment.
If anything went wrong, she would detonate the Cold Abyss and perish with the enemy.
...
This time, the two Ninth Stage experts fell silent.
More cracks appeared on the Eight Trigrams formation.
*Boom.*
The Cold Abyss was breached.
A sea of killing intent descended, figures like a boundless tide, with ferocious smiles, charged into the depths of the Cold Abyss.
"Hoo."
The Lord of the Cold Abyss took a deep breath of stale air.
She raised her palm and clenched it. With this clench, she held the entire Cold Abyss.
And in the deepest recesses of the Cold Abyss, countless Earth Core Stones were scattered.
These were the fuses she had laid.
"Everyone," the Lord of the Cold Abyss's voice slowly spread, "we are about to die. Let us perish together with the enemy."
"Haha, that's more like it!"
"Kill these scums."
"..."
Laughter and curses mingled.
They had had enough.
The Lord of the Cold Abyss's face was calm as she watched the figures surging into the Cold Abyss, remaining silent for a long time.
She was waiting.
Waiting for all of them to enter the Cold Abyss, so not a single one could escape.
"Cold Abyss," a calm voice echoed from the swirling blood clouds at the summit of the heavens, "this Heavenly Lord offers you two choices: first, surrender to this Heavenly Lord; second, leave alone, and I will not stop you. What say you?"
The speaker was the Heavenly Lord Fanyun, the lord of the Sixth Heaven.
His words were imperial decrees.
"Heh heh."
A cold laugh, laced with deep mockery, replied: "Fanyun, if you have the guts, come here and see if this seat can't take you down with me."
If she had wanted to surrender, she would have done so long ago.
There were plenty who had sought to bring her Cold Abyss under their wing, even the Illusion God under the Son of Heaven had extended an olive branch.
She scoffed: "Who do you think you are, Fanyun, to want this seat to serve you?"
"I know your plan," Fanyun Heavenly Lord's voice was ethereal, "you intend to detonate the Cold Abyss and take everyone with you?"
Upon hearing this, the Lord of the Cold Abyss's expression instantly changed drastically.
He had actually... guessed it.
"Heh heh," Fanyun's laughter grew more sarcastic, "Everyone, withdraw from the Cold Abyss immediately, and attack from the periphery."
"Yes."
Dense figures retreated from the Cold Abyss.
Seeing this, the Lord of the Cold Abyss's eyes turned red: "They must not be allowed to leave."
Saying so, her hand began to clench tightly: "Explode... now."
*Buzz.*
The Earth Core Stones were ignited.
At this moment, everyone's expression turned solemn.
Death was imminent.
*Clang.*
Suddenly, a brilliant sword light pierced the dimness of the eighth heaven.
The sword energy spanned a hundred thousand miles, its brilliance chilling the nineteen provinces.