Chapter 1789 — When Two Powers Clash, the Bystander Reaps the Gain

The Ancestral Court—the Heavenly Court—had utterly collapsed. Huang Tang, Li Shu, and Yanxiu Pavilion had slaughtered until their eyes ran red, cutting down the Master of the Hall of Joy and Emperor Haotian so viciously that they were forced to flee toward the Heavenly Court's grand army, where the Empress consort dwelt. Those who survived in the Heavenly Court's host were all powerhouses; the Empress consort herself had led reinforcements to their aid, drawing up battle formations to hold back the Three Elders of Fengshu.

As a Goddess of Guixu, the Empress consort's strength was naturally extraordinary. She personally met Li Shu in battle and planted Guixu within his body, all but devouring the old man's vital essence and Grand Dao clean.

Only when Huang Tang and Yanxiu Pavilion joined hands to unravel the Guixu divine art was Li Shu rescued from the brink. Enraged, he mustered a thousand prehistoric powerhouses and came charging in, routing the Heavenly Court's seven hundred thousand gods and demons so thoroughly that they abandoned their armor and fled. Even the Empress consort could not turn the tide, and she was left with no choice but to retreat toward the Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court.

The Three Elders of Fengshu led the prehistoric powerhouses in a relentless massacre; the Heavenly Court's army suffered countless casualties, and by the time they reached the Jade Capital City, only two hundred thousand remained. Even the Empress consort and Emperor Haotian felt the despair of a cornered beast. The Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court only appeared to sit within the Ancestral Court; in truth, it straddled the annihilation tribulations of one cosmic epoch after another.

Within the Jade Capital City, no true Dao-attainer of Miluo Palace had ever truly descended into the Seventeenth Epoch.

Only through blood sacrifice and the transmutation of matter and energy could they descend into the Seventeenth Epoch. The Master of the Hall of Joy could be called the only Dao-attainer to have descended into the Seventeenth Epoch, yet no sooner had she entered than Lord Shang dealt her a grievous blow.

The Jade Capital City of the Ancestral Court was nothing but ruins.

Within the city there seemed to be a thousand palaces and ten thousand halls, seemed to have Dao trees in groves, seemed to be strange and unfathomable—but in truth, no Dao-attainer could walk out of that city. They were all still trapped within the annihilation tribulation. The Empress consort and Emperor Haotian led their remnant army into the city to take shelter.

The Three Elders of Fengshu, eyes red with slaughter, led the prehistoric powerhouses in pursuit—only to suffer heavy casualties once inside.

Strange and uncanny events occurred without cease, so that the prehistoric powerhouses who broke in died without even knowing how they had died. The Three Elders of Fengshu had no choice but to withdraw from the Jade Capital City.

Emperor Haotian gained a moment's respite, only to see the Three Elders of Fengshu set up a grand sealing formation outside the city, and then establish a sacrificial altar, preparing to refine the Jade Capital City.

"The Three Elders of Fengshu truly have no idea of death! " The Master of the Hall of Joy could not help shaking her head.

"Heavenly Emperor, come with me across the river to seek an audience with the Young Master.

I was gravely wounded by Lord Shang, and have also fallen prey to that Yue Tianzun's Dao-Slaying Melody. Only the Young Master can heal these Dao wounds. The Young Master's divine arts are profound and manifold beyond number; slaying the Three Elders of Fengshu would be as easy as turning his hand. " Emperor Haotian assented.

"I was struck down from the Great Luo Heaven realm by Yun Tianzun.

I have lost my Dao tree and Dao flowers, and the Great Luo Heaven as well. Might the Hall Master speak a few kind words before the Third Young Master on my behalf, and let me restore my cultivation realm?

" The Master of the Hall of Joy glanced at him, a half-smile on her lips.

"Heavenly Emperor, in Miluo Palace, who has not struggled and crawled through life under the threat of death? Every one of us in Miluo Palace has suffered more than one defeat in this life—some have suffered defeats even greater than yours! They could return to the Great Luo Heaven and cultivate Dao flowers and Dao fruits. Can you not?

" Emperor Haotian's voice was hoarse. "They never suffered a defeat like mine! Twice in this life I have risen and fallen, and each time afterward I grew stronger than before.

But this third great defeat was different. Before this defeat, I had ascended to the pinnacle of power, with excellent prospects before me—yet Yun Tianzun and Mu Tianzun tore it all down, and everything turned to nothing! My Heavenly Court, my power, even my cultivation realm—I could not preserve any of it! In the eyes of all, I am a joke, a laughingstock! " The Master of the Hall of Joy gazed at his dejected yet somewhat frenzied demeanor, and could not help shaking her head.

"This is the flaw of cultivating the Dao without cultivating the heart. Heavenly Emperor, your heart holds only power; your attainment in the Dao heart is not so strong. If you cultivated the Dao heart, then even if you suffered a defeat a hundred times more vicious than this, you could rise again. In this world, the one who has suffered the greatest defeat is in fact our teacher, the master of Miluo Palace. " Emperor Haotian was slightly taken aback. He shook his head. "The master of Miluo Palace is the strongest being of seventeen cosmic epochs.

What defeat could he possibly have suffered? " "Our teacher cherished the world and wished to save all living beings. In martial might, none could match him. But every annihilation tribulation was a tremendous defeat for our teacher. " The Master of the Hall of Joy instructed him earnestly. "With every great tribulation, he wished to save the people of the world, yet every time he failed.

He had boundless power, yet could only watch helplessly as the people of the world died before his eyes, his power utterly useless. That pain is beyond your imagining.

Yet after every defeat, our teacher's Dao heart was reborn through tribulation, rekindling his fighting spirit. This is what a powerhouse of the Dao heart does. " Emperor Haotian said, "And where is the master of Miluo Palace now?

" The Master of the Hall of Joy fell silent. After sixteen defeats, the master of Miluo Palace had finally collapsed beyond recovery; his Dao heart had died. "If our teacher were here, so many things would not have happened in the Seventeenth Epoch, and Miluo Palace would not be blocked to this day, still unable to descend into the Seventeenth Epoch. " She sighed inwardly, and came with Emperor Haotian onto the Chaos River. In the river, the chaos qi surged and churned, waves roaring more violently than ever before. The Master of the Hall of Joy was astonished.

She activated her Dao tree to steady the wind of heat-death and the churning chaos qi—and it was then that she saw the Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master of Miluo Palace, and the other Hall Masters of Miluo Palace.

These powerhouses of Miluo Palace stood within the annihilation tribulation, gazing toward a single direction.

The Master of the Hall of Joy brought Emperor Haotian forward and hurriedly paid her respects.

"Huanxi has failed. I could not fulfill what the Young Masters and fellow Daoists entrusted to me.

" The Third Young Master raised a hand.

"No need for such courtesy.

The failure of this battle is not your fault. This time, Miluo Palace sent three to descend into the Seventeenth Epoch, and only you survived. Surviving is your merit—only so can the later matters be done.

Other variables have emerged this time; even if you could have presided over the grand sacrifice, it would have been in vain.