The battle around the Tongtian Pagoda continued.
From all directions, various terrifying powers collided and exploded, like fireworks set off during the human New Year.
Zuo Mingqiu sat cross-legged at the peak of the pagoda, his robes billowing in the leaked hurricane. His face was pale, clearly affected by the influx of the Heavenly Master’s Edict.
“Faster, resolve the two segments first!” True Master Bi Xu’s face was ashen, his magnificent Dharma form’s aura extremely weak. Too many laws of the Great Dao had been drawn away to help suppress the Tongtian Grand Formation with those characters.
Even with True Master Bi Xu’s full effort, the Tongtian Grand Formation was on the verge of being suppressed.
The formation eye staff and formation disk were in True Master Liang Duan’s hands. No matter how skilled Bi Xu was, he could not contend with the true controller of the grand formation. Liang Duan was gradually regaining control, and it wouldn't take long!
“We don’t have enough manpower!”
True Master Tai Wu, while enduring the siege of seven people, roared with a grim expression.
He, of course, knew that the key to breaking the deadlock was the Tongtian Grand Formation. As soon as the formation eye staff and disk were recovered, all rebellions would naturally be suppressed.
But the problem was that True Master Baoyun’s side had too many people. The rebellious ranks included not only elders with real power over the various peaks but also many Grand Elders of extremely high seniority residing in the Hidden Peaks. Their strength was immense; many of them might not be able to match their opponents one-on-one, let alone face a siege.
“Quickly call the people below to come up, I can’t hold on much longer!” True Master Du E protected Zuo Mingqiu, his body radiating light, blocking all incoming attacks. His old face was flushed red.
As a Grand Elder of Sheng Yang Peak, and the junior fellow disciple of the old Heavenly Master, True Master Du E should have been enjoying his twilight years long ago.
He was truly old, yet he had held on for so long. To hold on any longer was unrealistic.
“Even if the people from below come up, they might not be helping you!” True Master Baoyun, engaged in a fierce battle with Tai Wu, shouted with a得意 grin. “Wuji, are you still not going to act!”
“I know you want to support Zhao Qingdong to ascend. What’s so difficult about that? After a hundred years, when Liang Duan departs, Zhao Qingdong will surely grow into the second Bi Xu, or even a more powerful female True Master than Bi Xu. At that time, what’s wrong with letting her be the Heavenly Master?”
“Besides, you don’t need to hesitate any longer. You were also involved in the assassination of Zuo Mingqiu. If we fail today, you will also die!”
“What!”
True Master Puxian, who supported Zhao Qingdong, was shocked at this and looked at True Master Wuji beside him.
He never imagined that among them, someone had actually participated in that assassination.
“Although we have made many plans, and even harbored many rebellious thoughts, most of them were for self-preservation after losing the Heavenly Master’s competition. We never thought of assassinating the Dao Child.”
True Master Puxian’s pure eyes were filled with disgust as he said to True Master Wuji:
“If Miss Qingdong wakes up, she will be the first to punish you!”
True Master Wuji was stunned for a moment, then gritted his teeth, his face turning red as he roared, “But what have I done wrong? I just want Zuo Mingqiu dead! As an outsider, why should he replace Miss Qingdong!”
“The Dao battle that made him the Dao Child back then was unfair to Miss Qingdong herself. She was already injured!”
Another True Master sighed and said:
“It’s too late to say anything now.”
“Since you were involved in that matter, then the unspeakable things we did in the dark, Baoyun and the others must also know.”
True Master Lan Qi’s face was gloomy, and he said:
“Indeed, this internal strife has spread too widely. No matter who wins, there will inevitably be a great purge.
“And the one carrying out this purge, if it were Bi Xu and Tai Wu, even if we had no rebellious intent, or even contributed to quelling the rebellion, we would likely be squeezed out of Heavenly Master Mountain in the future. It’s better to go all the way…”
As True Master Lan Qi spoke, a trace of killing intent flickered in his eyes.
At this point, many people present understood what Lan Qi meant.
He wanted to kill Zuo Mingqiu.
“Your meaning is… to help them kill Zuo Mingqiu?” True Master Puxian asked with a frown, then shook his head himself.
The other Daoists also shook their heads.
Although they supported Zhao Qingdong, since Zuo Mingqiu becoming the Heavenly Master was a foregone conclusion, they no longer thought of overturning it. At most, they would scheme for a way out in secret and gather together to use their means to preserve their power.
After all, such an act was treasonous. Doing it in front of all their peers would be to be damned for eternity!
True Master Lan Qi and True Master Wuji exchanged a glance, then spoke again:
“Everyone, stop hesitating. At this point, we have only one path to choose. Instead of living in fear under Zuo Mingqiu’s rule, why not seize the opportunity to rebel and then support Miss Qingdong to ascend later!?”
“I disagree!” True Master Lan Qi said, and an elder from Bi Yun Peak, with a solemn expression, walked over and shouted indignantly, “I disagree with you doing this!”
“Junior Brother, why are you getting involved!” True Master Wuji saw the newcomer and immediately yelled.
But the latter cast a disdainful glance at him and said, “I taught Miss Qingdong for over three months. I know her character best.”
“According to her temperament, if she lost to Zuo Mingqiu, she lost. The Heavenly Master’s position is his. Even if you kill him, Miss Qingdong will not sit in it!”
True Master Puxian nodded at this and then looked at Lan Qi, saying earnestly:
“Heavenly Master Mountain is the ancestral court of the Daoist sect, and it absolutely cannot be torn apart by internal strife.”
“That’s precisely why we must kill Zuo Mingqiu!”
True Master Lan Qi’s face was grim. He formed a hand seal and summoned a giant stone humanoid from space, thousands of feet tall.
Seeing this, True Master Wuji no longer concealed himself, and spat out endless water elements, summoning a pale blue translucent water whale demon from the sky.
“Finally, they appear.”
From afar, Xu Mu’s eyes lit up.
The earth veins of Qian Ji Peak and the water veins of Bi Yun Lake were indeed raised by the two of them into demonic beasts, just as he had guessed!
“What do you want to do!”
True Master Puxian asked in shock.
True Master Lan Qi chuckled, stepped onto the stone humanoid’s palm, and said to everyone:
“Hesitating leads to failure.”
“Those willing to rebel with us, follow quickly. Those unwilling, stay below, but you won’t get any future benefits.”
“Think carefully before you decide. Open your eyes and see who is about to win!”
“Boom!”
True Master Wuji and True Master Lan Qi, riding their demonic beasts, soared into the sky and joined the great battle with an extremely powerful stance. The stone humanoid’s power was terrifying and invulnerable. The blue whale was immune to water and fire, and even the Five Thunders True Method only stirred up some ripples when it struck its body.
The other elders below, seeing this, gritted their teeth and joined the fray.
Their previous indecisiveness was mostly because they didn’t know which side would bring them greater benefits. Now, the outcome was becoming clear.
If they didn’t act, not only those who supported Zuo Mingqiu would be purged, but they would likely be too!
Thus, the situation in the arena instantly tilted.
“Foolish!”
True Master Puxian shook his head, exchanged glances with the other elders in the distance, and his face showed a hint of helplessness.
Putting aside the fact that the person they supported was Zhao Qingdong, even if they changed their minds and supported Zuo Mingqiu, their combined efforts could only maintain a balance with Lan Qi’s side.
But the most crucial point was that the Tongtian Grand Formation was in True Master Liang Duan’s hands, and True Master Bi Xu was desperately buying time. Once he couldn’t hold on, the Tongtian Grand Formation would activate, and everything would be decided.
They knew they couldn’t win, so they could only watch.
“Get back!”
On the Tongtian Pagoda, Zuo Mingqiu suddenly opened his eyes. The Three-Flower Lotus Crown above his head glowed, devouring a lightning strike that was about to kill him.
The moment the light shone, the Heavenly Master’s aura appeared, and everyone in the arena froze.
“The Heavenly Master has awakened!”
Among the rebel elders of Xian You Peak, someone saw Zuo Mingqiu stand up and felt an involuntary fear well up inside.
There was no way around it. Even though Zuo Mingqiu was only a Lord not yet in the fourth stage, the Heavenly Master’s aura emanating from him was too similar to the old Heavenly Master, and it suppressed them to their very bones.
True Master Baoyun turned his head and said:
“Don’t be afraid, he’s just a child!”
“Zuo Mingqiu is not capable of being the Heavenly Master. Otherwise, how could he have plunged Heavenly Master Mountain into such a situation as soon as he took office? Even without us, there are many people below who support Zhao Qingdong!”
“So we are not rebelling, but reforming for the better future of Heavenly Master Mountain!”
“The Tongtian Grand Formation is in our hands. Let’s attack together, kill him, and we will be the heroes who protect Heavenly Master Mountain!”
This speech was utterly shameless.
But it was very effective for the rebels of Xian You Peak. They quickly adjusted their states and surrounded him again.
Seeing this, Zuo Mingqiu’s face became solemn. He summoned the Innate Eight Trigrams formation disk beneath his feet, which suddenly spread out, enveloping dozens of elders, including True Master Tai Wu.
“Everyone, follow my command.”
Zuo Mingqiu’s expression was stern. He had just absorbed some of the previous Heavenly Master’s insights into divination, combined with the Innate Eight Trigrams taught to him by Xu Mu. He was confident in commanding everyone to resist the attacks.
Even though his Innate Eight Trigrams had just begun, and he had never had the chance to use the divination methods he had absorbed.
But even if he could defend, he couldn’t kill Liang Duan.
“Tai Wu, you and the four closest to you, occupy the seventh and third positions of the Northern Zhen star, form the Minor Unbounded Formation. After sixty-one breaths, it will be the White Tiger Returning to Heaven Formation, then go and support Master Bi Xu!”
“Immortal Master Fu Yuan, first stand in the Gen position and release the Mountain Talisman for defense. After five breaths, use the Fire Talisman. After seven breaths, use the Water Talisman. At thirty-six breaths, set up the Nine Dragon Cauldron Formation and defend with the Mountain Talisman!”
“True Master of Jie Sect, you guard the west…”
Zuo Mingqiu spoke at an extremely rapid pace, his right hand calculating, the formation disk under his feet rotating. He calculated millions of possibilities, then chose the optimal solution from them and issued commands to everyone.
All of this was accomplished in an instant.
Xu Mu, watching from below, clearly perceived the speed at which the Innate Eight Trigrams rotated like a whirlwind, and he couldn’t help but admire Zuo Mingqiu.
“After waking up, he has improved again. This speed is almost catching up to me.”
Xu Mu clicked his tongue. Zuo Mingqiu’s current proficiency with the Innate Eight Trigrams was already very close to his level when he commanded the allied forces in the Ancient Wilderness battlefield, yet he had only learned it for ten days!
“Strange, why can’t I break through!”
True Master Lan Qi, riding the stone humanoid beneath his feet, charged and attacked, swaying from side to side. Even launching a full-force killing blow, he could not break through the interception in front of him.
“It’s Zuo Mingqiu, he’s directing the battle!”
True Master Wuji looked at the Innate Eight Trigrams formation disk flashing beneath Zuo Mingqiu’s feet, and his heart trembled violently.
If he wasn’t mistaken, was that the Innate Eight Trigrams? The technique used by the monstrous Xu Mu at the Myriad Races Alliance. Why did it appear on Zuo Mingqiu?
“He must not be kept alive, he must die!”
At this thought, True Master Wuji unleashed his full power. The water whale demon spat furiously, its sea currents raging.
“Xu Mu, help me deal with Liang Duan, True Master Bi Xu is about to collapse!”
Zuo Mingqiu transmitted his voice to Xu Mu, shouting frantically.
“I can’t do anything either!”
Xu Mu looked at the battlefield in the sky and said helplessly.
“I really want to help you, but I can’t get involved in a battle of this magnitude!”
“You must have a way.”
Zuo Mingqiu’s voice transmitted with certainty.
Xu Mu was startled. Just as he was about to sigh and shake his head, he suddenly sensed a familiar aura in the distance.
He turned his head in surprise and saw a giant crimson figure suddenly appear in front of him.
“Good fellow, I’m here!”
“Little Qiongqi, you’ve grown so big!” Xu Mu’s eyes widened in surprise. As old friends met, he was about to step forward for a hug, but then he remembered something and quickly asked.
“Did you bring the things I asked you to?”
“Don’t worry, it’s all here.” Little Qiongqi shook its fur, and a dazzling array of high-tech weapons fell to the ground with a clanging sound.
Seeing this, Xu Mu’s face lit up with a smile.
He casually picked up a matte rocket launcher and aimed it at True Master Liang Duan.
“Brother Zuo, I’m here to help you!”
…