Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

Just as the Grand Master began to perform the new ritual, thirty-six dazzling bolts of lightning fell one after another from the sky, landing precisely around the altar.

At this moment, the Dharma Master Zhang Zhiwei of the altar is in Takamagahara. Without the Dharma Master's personal decree, the divine generals take no other action, but simply guard the altar from being destroyed.

Seeing this, the senior disciples below the platform exchanged glances. As high-ranking officials of the Celestial Master's Mansion, they naturally knew the details of the ritual. Right now, these divine generals only obeyed the orders of the Dharma Master. With the Dharma Master absent, wouldn't leaving them standing here be a waste of their immense fighting power?

Yi Qian, Zhang Yi, and Zhang Shoucheng almost simultaneously rolled up their sleeves, ready to step onto the high platform and take over the position of Dharma Master.

The three of them had just taken a step when they realized that the other two had the same idea, and they all stopped in their tracks.

The group exchanged glances, and Uncle Yi Qian spoke first, saying, "Zhang Yi, you're the best at this, so you go up and perform the ritual."

Zhang Shoucheng nodded and said, "I have no objection."

Zhang Yi rolled up his sleeves again and said in a serious voice, "In that case, leave it to me!"

Having said that, he strode up to the altar and began to skillfully perform the rituals.

Although Zhang Zhiwei had taken the Three-Five Male and Female Demon-Slaying Swords into Takamagahara, the Yangping Zhidu Merit Seal remained in its original location.

He was able to continue operating the altar by combining his own magic sword with Yangping Zhidu Gong Seal.

As both sides regroup for the upcoming great battle, the fighting in Takamagahara has become increasingly intense!
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Two colossal gods, each wielding their own divine swords, clashed rapidly in the void, unleashing a continuous series of sword cries.

After each clash, a burst of golden lightning or crimson light would erupt in mid-air.

Susanoo attacked furiously, letting out a beast-like roar. He transformed into a fierce storm, wielding the Ame-no-Murakumo sword with impenetrable speed.

Behind him, Amaterasu continuously emitted streams of intense light, like solar storms, providing long-range firepower suppression. The entire sky was filled with a golden sea of ​​fire.

However, in front of Zhang Zhiwei, who was actually the leader of the Tiantong Sect, their seemingly invincible brother-sister alliance had no effect whatsoever.

Zhang Zhiwei didn't unleash any earth-shattering killing moves. He simply calmed himself down, his body surrounded by golden divine lightning for protection. The Three-Five Male and Female Demon-Slaying Sword in his hand seemed to come alive in his hands, sometimes maneuvering cunningly, sometimes sweeping and powerful. With effortless ease, he blocked all of Amaterasu and Susanoo's attacks.

"when!!!"

Another resounding clang of swords clashing rang out. Susanoo felt an unparalleled force emanating from the sword, causing his tiger's mouth to split open and his entire arm to go numb. His massive body was sent flying far away by the sword strike.

The eyes of the Heavenly Master radiated pure golden light. Holding a divine sword, he was like a god-king judging all the sins of the world; his majestic voice resounded throughout the entire realm.

"You Japanese demons and gods, you usurp high positions, act recklessly, and wreak havoc on the human world. Today, I, Zhang Zhiwei of the Celestial Master's Mansion, will cut down mountains and destroy temples, eradicating all your licentious shrines and evil worship!"

After saying that, Zhang Zhiwei ignored the Susanoo who had been knocked away and fixed his gaze directly on Amaterasu in the distance.

With a gentle swing of his three or five male and female demon-slaying swords, accompanied by a clear dragon's roar, a golden lightning sword aura that seemed to tear apart the entire Takamagahara transformed into a ferocious lightning dragon, roaring and tearing towards Amaterasu!
The wind howled and the sea of ​​fire surged! Faced with this earth-shattering sword strike, Amaterasu instinctively raised the sun disc behind her to block it in front of her!
Two divine forces clashed violently!

Click!

The sacred sun behind Amaterasu suddenly trembled painfully.

A tiny crack appeared at the edge of that sun.

Immediately afterwards, the crack spread rapidly in all directions.

Finally, with a deafening roar, the entire golden sun was cleaved in two from the middle!

The golden sun disc collapsed, revealing the true form of the Yata no Kagami.

However, the Yata Mirror is, after all, a national treasure of Japan, and it carries far too much power of faith. Even the Three or Five Demon-Slaying Swords would find it difficult to completely destroy it.

Even so, it still suffered considerable damage, and its power was greatly reduced.

And the damage suffered in the spiritual world also extends to its physical body.

Even the Grand Master of the Ise Palace, who was holding the Yata no Kagami (Eight-Span Mirror), was severely affected.

The high priest, who was performing a ritual on the altar, suddenly felt a terrifying, soul-tearing pain, as if someone had opened his skull and reached in to rummage through it.

"Ahhhh!!!"

The pain that penetrated to the very core almost made him kneel on the ground and scream out loud.

Prince Fushimi and Matsui, who were standing nearby, were startled by his sudden change and quickly stepped forward to support him.

The chief priest shoved the two of them aside and took a deep breath.

Suddenly, streaks of black energy bearing painful facial features flew out from his body.

The black mist emitted a silent scream, which he then inhaled entirely into his mouth and nose.

This is a forbidden technique in Shintoism called the "Method of Consuming Spirits," which allows one to strengthen oneself by consuming spirits and deities. It can also help one recover quickly by devouring spirits and deities when one's body or mind is severely injured.

However, this method of consuming spirits has significant side effects.

It will severely pollute the life foundation of the spellcaster, causing their life to be entangled with the resentment and evil spirits of the devoured ghosts and gods.

Ordinary people may not feel this resentful aura deeply.

However, ghosts and spirits are extremely sensitive to this kind of malevolent energy.

They will instinctively dislike and resist such people.

Therefore, the more spirits one uses, the more difficult it will become to command ghosts and spirits in the future.

Commanding spirits and deities is the core skill of their Shinto religion. If they can no longer command spirits and deities, it's as if most of their abilities have been rendered useless.

Therefore, even for someone as high-ranking as the Grand Palace Master, they would never choose to take the spirit unless absolutely necessary.

For the Grand Master, the current situation is extremely critical and urgent.

Let alone subduing a few demons and gods, he wouldn't hesitate to eat his foolish cousin, Prince Fushimi, on the spot!

After swallowing several ghosts and spirits, the effect was very weak.

The Grand Master still felt the trembling pain coming in waves.

Having cultivated for so many years, his will was already incredibly firm. Even if he were forced to commit seppuku on the spot, he could remain unmoved. However, he couldn't bear this pain originating from his soul and could only continue to consume spiritual energy.

After swallowing several demons in succession, the pain gradually subsided. "What happened? Is it because of the situation in Takamagahara?" Prince Fushimi asked hurriedly.

He wasn't an idiot. The sun disc behind Amaterasu was actually a manifestation of the Yata no Kagami (Eight-Span Mirror).

In the mirror, the sun disk behind Amaterasu is shattered, and the chief priest immediately shows such pain, which is clearly related.

The chief priest ignored him; time was of the essence, and he had no time for idle chatter! He staggered back to the altar and began to continue the ritual.
He had already realized that it would be difficult to completely defeat the opponent within Takamagahara, and he needed to deal with the altar of the Tentong Church as soon as possible.

Once the altar is destroyed, the giant god intertwined with golden lightning will become a rootless duckweed without a source of power.

In that case, the situation will be reversed instantly, and the balance of power will change on the spot!
Even now, he still stubbornly believes that the golden thunder god, who is like a colossal god reaching the sky, is the Thunder Ancestor in Taoist legend.

He never expected that the giant god was Zhang Zhiwei himself!

He raised the dimly lit Yata no Kagami again and continued the ritual. As he moved, thick streams of black energy suddenly emerged from within the surface of the Yata no Kagami.

Previously, if he wanted to invoke the powerful spirits in Takamagahara, he needed to perform very complicated rituals, and sometimes he even had to sacrifice living people.

This time, the ritual was not complicated and there were no offerings, but the spirits in the mirror responded one after another, some even vying for attention and impatiently.

The reason is simple...

The chief priest glanced at the scene reflected in the Yata no Kagami.

The world in the mirror is now filled with destructive flames, thunder, and storms.

Clearly, the gods of Takamagahara were eager to escape from that hellish place.

However, he couldn't summon all the ghosts and spirits.

Although he has the Yata no Kagami as a passage, each time he summons a demon or spirit, it causes some damage to his mind, so he cannot command them indefinitely.

The chief priest closed his eyes and began quickly selecting the spirits to be commanded this time. Because so many spirits responded, he had to choose some that were powerful enough.

In the previous battle of the gods in Takamagahara, a large number of war gods and powerful deities were severely injured.

Although their true spirits can be revived as long as the power of faith continues, it takes time. For the time being, it is impossible to summon spirits like Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Originally, the chief priest did not have high hopes for this summoning of gods; he only planned to invite some medium-to-high or medium-to-low-level spirits.

But to his surprise, an incredible being responded to him.

"How...how is this possible? The Yata Mirror is the divine body of Amaterasu Omikami, how could it...summon this being?" The Shinto High Priest muttered to himself, his face filled with disbelief.

However, despite his extreme bewilderment, he immediately made a decision. He knelt on the ground and began a more solemn and ancient ritual to invoke the gods!

He even resorted to blood sacrifice again!
He had previously performed a sacrifice, offering up many Chinese who had come to him as sacrifices.

It's extremely urgent now, and it's too late to find people from China to offer sacrifices.

He looked around at the priests, priestesses, and soldiers guarding the perimeter.

"To be able to die for the Emperor is a gift from Heaven. Come, use your lives to turn the tide!"

Without the slightest hesitation, the chief priest issued an order for the surrounding soldiers to serve as sacrifices in loyalty to the emperor.

Meanwhile, the battle continues in Takamagahara.

The great sun of faith behind Amaterasu was shattered. Although it did not damage her fundamental nature, her aura was weakening at a visible speed, and she no longer possessed the invincible power she had just displayed.

However, the Yata Mirror was, after all, a divine artifact, and the immense power of faith contained within it began to operate on its own, rapidly repairing the cracks. Her aura was slowly returning.

However, it will take some time for it to fully recover.

Just as Zhang Zhiwei was about to press his advantage, Susanoo, seeing this, brandished the Kusanagi Sword and, disregarding everything, once again unleashed a whirlwind and charged forward.

"court death."

Zhang Zhiwei snorted coldly, wielding the Three-Five Male and Female Demon-Slaying Swords in his hand, unleashing a golden sword aura that was even more intense and chilling than before!

Susanoo felt a deep and terrifying sense of death approaching him. He quickly used his divine power to protect himself while trying to avoid the fatal sword strike.

But how easy is it to dodge this sword strike?

Even though Susanoo tried his best to dodge, the edge of the sword energy still grazed his chest, leaving a long line of blood.

Susanoo let out a painful howl. The line of blood on his chest suddenly widened, turning into a long, deep gash that exposed the bone.

A large amount of divine blood splattered out, and you could even see the beating heart and wriggling internal organs inside!
This sword strike really caused serious injury.

If he hadn't reacted quickly and hadn't been protected by a layer of bull-head-shaped divine light, this sword strike would have cut him in two on the spot!
Seeing her younger brother severely injured again, Amaterasu rushed over, and a milky white light shot out from her hand, landing on Susanoo.

Soon, Susanoo's declining aura stabilized, and his injuries began to heal rapidly.

They are blessed by the Three Divine Artifacts, and the power of faith carried by these artifacts is immense.

If they cannot be completely killed in one blow, they can regenerate continuously.

However, they did not fully unleash the power of the three divine artifacts.

It's not that these three divine artifacts themselves possess such great power, but rather that the power of faith they embody is simply too immense.

However, Amaterasu and Susanoo could not fully mobilize that enormous power of faith.

The reason for this is that their own status is not high enough, or rather, their potential is not high enough.

That's the end of the divine authority they possess, and the power they can wield.

If their authority were greater, the power they could wield would be even greater.

"You two little gods from Japan, you have done your best."

Zhang Zhiwei, sword in hand, coldly surveyed them. He'd lost patience; they were the only two they'd fought. He issued his final ultimatum:

"Of the three siblings, there's still one left. Why hasn't he come out yet? Where is your father? Why isn't he making a move? If he doesn't act soon... then there really won't be another chance." (End of Chapter)