“Now then, let’s go take of Luohu,” Da Hai said to Wangshu.

“Right,” she said but didn’t follow him immediately however. “You go on ahead first, I need to say a few things.”

“I see.” Da Hai scanned an approaching Xihe and decided it was none of his business. He then broke through the void and left the Netherworld.

Seeing this, the Ancestral Divinities did not hesitate jumping through the same spatial tunnel to follow through. Various other dragons and phoenixes who were strong enough decided to head towards the Great Wilderness as well.

But when Di Jun and his wife Xihe acted to do the same, Wangshu appeared in front of them.

“Master?” Xihe exclaimed. Seeing Wangshu again after her life’s changed so much brought about an unsureness in the demon empress. Her palm gravitated towards her abdomen. 

“Oh? Mother in law,” Di Jun was quick to show respect to the ruler of the Starry Skies. She held great status before the tribulation kicked off. Even though she wasn’t there for the vast majority of it, she still contributed greatly to the war. She was worthy of his Demon Emperor’s respect.

However, Wangshu did not look happy when she scanned Xihe. This was evident enough to make Taiyi weary. The younger sun crow understood more then any other how overwhelming Limitless Supreme Chaos Immortals were.

Changxi flinched unable to look at either Xihe nor Wangshu. She met a tense Taiyi’s gaze and shook her head.

“Why are you fighting while pregnant?” Wangshu blunting told Xihe. 

A million other things she wanted to ask. Why was Xihe using another school’s arts, why was she married without her consent, why she embroiled herself in another world superpower, why she was even fighting so far away from home. She also felt hurt when she failed to detect an ounce of her lineage’s cultivation techniques in her eldest disciple.

But she disregarded all of that to address her disciple’s health. The burgeoning live within Xihe’s belly was well hidden in a wall of fire, but Wangshu’s gaze penetrated that easily.

“What?” Di Jun exclaimed at Xihe.

Wangshu felt a wave of mixed feelings running through her. At the foremost was disappointment. She didn’t even know what to say at this point, especially not now at such an urgent event. Her rush to get back, the current war, and the final battle with Luohu that was just about to erupt. He gave both of them a cool gaze.

“Xihe, I know I haven’t been the ideal master for you. But please understand me when I tell you what the risk you’re taking is monumentally stupid…”

“But Di Jun needed my help.”

“Not to such an extend.”

“She’s right wife,” Di Jun said with a displeased look. He wasn’t sure to the validity of Wangshu’s words, nor could he see through Xihe’s belly, but from the reaction of his wife it became quite clear. “What possessed you to join me here if you were with my child?”

“Enough,” Wangshu interrupted. She felt decisively unprepared for the inevitable couples drama. “Remove my disciple from the battlefield, make sure shes protected at all cost. Personal matters can be settled after the battle is won.”

Di Jun nodded but still felt dissatisfied at her just ordering him around. He was the Demon Emperor, not an average immortal without status. Nevertheless he ordered some of his men to take Xihe away.

“Di Jun you can’t do this,” Xihe called out. “Without me, who will watch your back? I need to fight beside you!”

“Xihe, this is for your own protection,” Di Jun protested.

As Wangshu watched from the side, she asked Changxi. “What happened to your older sister?”

“I can’t claim to fully understand the emotions in her heart,” Changxi answered as she’s never experienced what Xihe felt. “But she seems to have placed Di Jun as the centre of her whole universe. Probably because he was the reason she is who she is today,” Changxi surmised.

“Center of…” Wangshu trailed off in thought. She looked back into the void. “Changxi, guard your sister. I’m going to confront Luohu.”

She ripped a new hole in reality and teleported into the Great Wilderness’ West Continent.

The Great Wilderness was not like it was in her memory anymore. Wangshu could feel a sense of brokenness in this archaic piece of land. The earth, the sky, countless living beings were all crying in unison. 

In the distance where Mt Sumeru stood, four pillars of sword light manifested once more converging into a solid dome. The Four Symbols Divine Beasts were also present fighting against the Immortal Extermination Four Swords. It’s four bestial constructs clawed ruthlessly against defensive sword light.

“Da Hai, what did I miss?” She asked.

Surrounding Mt Sumeru, a ring of dimension alternating seawater entrapped the mountain. The shadow of a willow tree was assaulting one side of Luohu’s stronghold. Beside the tree shadow, both Yang Mei and Da Hai stood side by side. They didn’t speak to each other, but worked together all the same.

Wangshu appeared beside them in a flash of moonlight and repeated her question. Da Hai turned to her with a barely suppresses fury that she knew wasn’t directed at her.

“Not much,” he said. “I’ve surrounded him so he can’t run like last time. Was about to go in though.” He took notice of Wangshu’s mood but didn’t pry further, now was not the time.

“That formation of his has proven incredibly difficult to break,” Yang Mei said. “I couldn’t do anything last time and nearly lost my life.”

“That formation was said to need four sai…four equal cultivators as the caster to break I think,” Da Hai corrected himself. ‘The closest equivalent to saints in stories would be Dao realm beings. But there’s no way that kind of power is needed.’

Zulong, Zufeng, and Qi An approached the three transforming into their humanoid Dao bodies. All three appeared incredibly weary. The dragon sovereign walked up to Da Hai.

“I’ve looked around, the laylines of the West Continent is converging on Mt Sumeru. Whatever’s left of the ghost devil reincarnation system is pooled towards it as well. Looks like Luohu wants to make an impenetrable stronghold.”

As of this moment, the Immortal Extermination Formation had resumed an egg like structure to block out everything. Even Luohu was not visible underneath the dome.

“Hmph, he want’s to turtle in? What can that achieve, at best he’d be trapped here forever,” Zufeng scoffed. 

“For one thing, he clearly doesn’t even want to risk combat. It’ll take some time to make it back inside,” Qi An said. “If anything, it proves he’s scared.”

“Undoubtedly,” another voice interrupted.

“The fuck do you want coward?” Da Hai spat. Zulong turned around and emanated an unforeseen bloodthirsty. The others did not react aggressively, merely in confusion.

“Hello Da Hai.” Qiankun, the man who ran away after the disaster at Mt Buzhou occurred. After learning of this thirty thousand years ago, a part of Da Hai couldn’t help but blame him for Qinglong. But Zulong’s own anger was beyond even his master’s.

“The audacity to show your face,” Zulong growled. If he weren’t aware of the bigger picture, he would’ve captured the man for punishment. 

“Peace dragon sovereign,” Qiankun surrendered. “I…I too have unresolved business with Luohu.” He flashed back to the guilt he felt at fleeing when Sichen was killed and subsequently broke his promise of aid to Hongjun. No matter what, they were still kin as Chaos Godfiends. 

It was that same guilt that was why he didn’t flee from the Primitive World right away. He chose to remain hidden to recover from his injuries, but also to see how things played out. Now he’d reemerged to join the fight.

“Unresolved hahaha,” Zulong chuckled. “You had thirty thousand years to make up your sin.”

“Enough,” Yang Mei told off the dragon. “Qiankun I sense part of the Wuji principle in you. You(pointing at Zulong) would be wise to accept his aid and not cause further conflict.”

The oldest godfiend present then turned his unimpressed gaze down at the sword at his throat. Then turned to Da Hai who held out said Heavenly Cloud Gathering Sword. “Have care how you speak to my disciple.” 

Whatever affection he had for Yang Mei that he’d inherited from Huoyun and the original Tian Hai, none of it restricted his own dissatisfaction. The tension between them built up reminding Wangshu of how it was like when they’d last met before the Shenni war.

“Everyone please,” Wangshu mediated. “The you and the Heavenly Dao is holding Luohu in place right now. But we still need to puncture through.”

“Daoist Wangshu is right,” Yang Mei said with a proud smile. “Qiankun, use your Spacetime Sundering Arrow and combine it with my Element Piercing Spiral Roots. Wangshu, bring the Lunar Star’s chilling yin qi and the combined…”

Da Hai wordlessly cast a spell before Yang Mei could finish.. Giant water dragon constructs emerged and impacted the Immortal Extermination Formation. Though it was as harmless to the formation, it drew Luohu’s gaze

When their gazes met, Da Hai taunted Luohu. He conjured up an image of the Reincarnation Pagoda and an image of Mara. The Devil Ancestor’s eyes went mad with anger.

“Hiding when he’s got nowhere to run. A coward till the end,” Da Hai added. He summoned the Xuanyuan Water Control Flag and twirled it around before pointing it directly at Luohu. “In comparison to him, always was and still is Hongjun’s second.”

The moment Hongjun’s name was uttered, Luohu roared. “Come fight me if you dare!”

“There, I’ve opened a way.”

“I do remember him trailing blindly behind the Chaos Cricket,” Yang Mei idly commented. He proceeded to follow Da Hai with Qiankun and Wangshu. The three beast sovereigns assumed their true forms and followed.

…

Luohu calculated why he’d so hastily opened a path. He was severely outnumbered, but thankfully was still fully intact. The Four Symbols doesn’t have the firepower to pierce through and can eventually be defeated. Inside his formation, he’d have the home ground advantage against the other cultivators.

If Mara can back him up, he’d win even in this situation. But the thought of his latest sworn brother brought back a hauntingly empty feeling. His grip on his spear tightened until his knuckles went white.

‘For his sake I can’t fall here now. I must escape, achieve Dao and find a way to bring his spirit back.’

It was a miracle that brought him and Mara into contact. He a lost soul who’d just learned his inevitable fate and betrayed by his long time brother and mentor. Mara an illusional being on the verge fading away who’d somehow escaped from his former prison.

They became kindred spirits, Luohu using his natal treasure to combine with Mara transforming it into the Reincarnation Pagoda. Numerous yuanhui’s worth of friendship ended because of Da Hai and his ilk. And to top it off, Hongjun saw it all with that disdainful gaze of his, as if he hadn’t been beaten on Buzhou.

Luohu roared, fuelled by his own emotions. The shadow of his own true form flashed alongside him, showcasing a dragonic head connected by a thick neck to a lion’s head. His eight tails waved through the expanse of sword light, while his four arms and two gargantuan leathery wings made him seem like a mutant dragon.

“Don’t you all ever learn? I’m untouchable in here!” He was surrounded by sword light, by the qi he’d drained from the West Continent. After all, he was it’s master. He’d refined the western lands of the Great Wilderness over countless years.

Da Hai snorted and swung a blast of Chaotic Sword qi. The power that split heaven from earth spilled out to envelop the Devil Ancestor. The roars of a dragonic connate lifeform and an eight headed serpent could be heard throughout the formation. 

Qiankun felt fear wash over him as he witnessed Luohu’s presence again. How could the gap had gotten so far? He watched as Zulong roared alongside his master and clawed towards the Devil Ancestor. He struggled to imagine himself fighting in their place. Shaking his head, he went after his objective of clearing away the Immortal Extermination Four Formation. 

The fire from Zufeng also reached around Da Hai to burn Luohu. While Qi An when to help destabilize the formation, the phoenix chose to fight Luohu head on. Her sense of urgency only increased with the knowledge that her eggs are kept inside the Great Wilderness.

From Da Hai’s head, his serpent heads transformed out of his hair to grapple with tails emerging from Luohu’s body. The shadow of his own serpentine true form started clashing against Luohu’s own on a metaphysical level.

The clanging of sword against spear was also heard as they disappeared into a mess of water and sword light. Only beings with immense defences like Zulong and Zufeng could resist the aftershocks of their clashes and help out with their own moves. Yet with the formation still in the way, none of them could inflict true harm on Luohu.

Overhead, Wangshu and Yang Mei worked together with Qiankun and Qi An. The light of the Lunar Star shone outside, pulled by Wangshu’s presence in the Great Wilderness. Not even the skybox could block out it’s radiant light.

Both of them released spells with of incredibly vitality, sourced from their essence as trees. Their power drilled through Luohu’s sword light to grab his remaining swords.

Luohu sensed this and felt dread. Just as they could not hurt him through the formation, his formation cannot hurt them. Maybe if it were focused in one place, it could do damage. But it was being dragged apart again.

As Da Hai drew the Xuanyuan Water Control Flag, Luohu felt a wave of water slide against his being. He felt his armour of sword light flicker at contact and knew his formation was weakening severely. 

He threw a spear strike at Da Hai through the gaseous form of Chaotic Sword Qi. He wanted to pierce Da Hai’s body but found it impacting a flat white surface. Then his spear’s own destructive power began being dispelled.

“12 Petals White Lotus of Purification.”

Loose particles resembling petals broke off from the barrier into a scene resembling leaves falling during autumn. Da Hai gritted his teeth as he held out the flower to cover himself and the two sovereigns fighting by his side.

“Now’s our chance!” Zulong and Zufeng attacked from behind the barrier. The energy form of a gargantuan dragon and a titanic phoenix manifested by their will. Luohu felt as if he were a peasant looked down upon by kings.

The two images swam through his sword light and smashed against him within the formation. Though physical damage was not dealt, he found his footing pushed back as a result. 

Da Hai took this chance to withdraw the flower and blasted Luohu with his spells. He screamed as he fought releasing years upon years of rage and frustration.

“This is for Huoyun!” He roared as sword met spear.

“You’ll join him soon enough!” 

Zulong roared as he circled around. He ignored countless sword strikes assaulting his body all for a chance to draw blood from Luohu. His famous ‘Nine Clawed Killing’ was used at full power. His claws smashed into Luohu’s back before retreating to avoid being caught in Luohu’s grip. 

“You think that’ll be enough? My Immortal Extermination Formation’s defence is unbreakable!” Luohu screamed. Zulong gazed down at the claw he attacked with and saw a crack. 

As Luohu twirled around to launch a wave of destruction energy at him, Zulong’s scales flew gold and black. It formed a scaled dragon construct around him to resist the blow, albeit with difficulty. This was his physique’s power at work.

Da Hai knew he could not afford to be hit like Zulong could. A direct hit from Luohu could very well kill him. He continued to dance around Luohu looking for ways to attack. He simply had to hold him long enough for the others to work.