Demoness who covers the sky, please help me practice

Click!

Suddenly, a dry cracking sound came from the willow tree branches. Everyone hurriedly looked over and found that a section of the branch had dried up, decayed and rotten.

Such a thing would be normal for an ordinary willow tree, but this is the Willow God, who is about to break through to the Immortal Emperor realm.

"How is this possible?" a Dao Ancestor exclaimed in disbelief, unable to believe his eyes.

Many Taoist masters also frowned, pondering the meaning behind it.

However, this was just the beginning. Soon all the branches of the willow tree began to dry up, the willow twigs turned into withered branches, and the withered branches were almost petrified.

The main body of the willow tree, on the other hand, resembles an ancient fossil.

No one spoke; everyone was captivated by the scene. They seemed to see a solitary figure appear behind the willow tree, eyes sunken, lifeless.

Some people were worried that something unexpected had happened to Liu Shen's breakthrough.

The Immortal Emperor realm is terrifying, and this final step is extremely difficult; there's no guarantee that the breakthrough won't be successful.

Neither the Celestial Emperor Luo nor the Celestial Emperor Menghai spoke, lost in their memories. This scene seemed familiar to them; they had all experienced it before.

The path to becoming an Immortal Emperor is extremely dangerous and difficult, a path that is said to be fraught with peril. Countless people have sacrificed their lives for this goal. In fact, some exceptionally talented and powerful individuals have reached this point, but they dare not take the first step, fearing that failure would result in their annihilation.

They encountered a similar situation when they made a breakthrough back then, but it was not quite the same.

The Great Dao is boundless, and every strong person's path is different, possessing different Dao methods and opportunities. Even they cannot fully understand the path that Liu Shen has chosen.

At this moment, the willow trees by the sacrificial sea seemed to have fallen into complete silence, their past glory turning into fleeting clouds, drifting away in the air.

The terrifying aura that had been emanating not long ago lost its source and gradually disappeared. The waves began to roll and crash again, surging towards the willow tree and washing over its trunk.

Each wash and slap carries away a lot of the dry, broken stones from the surface.

"He's truly petrified, no longer possessing any vitality." A Dao Ancestor from an evolved civilization lamented. His path was also unique; during breakthroughs, he would constantly shift between annihilation and flourishing. Initially, he didn't think that Willow God had failed.

But seeing this, he finally shook his head.

Given that things have developed to this point, the only explanation is that a major problem has arisen during the breakthrough process.

Some people are feeling emotional, while others are taking a clear-headed approach.

In the four primordial lands, many Daoist patriarchs were celebrating their success, a scene of utter chaos and debauchery.

"Haha, Willow God, you've finally met your match!" The Dao Ancestor, who had been decisively defeated by Willow God, laughed heartily, filled with smug satisfaction.

An eerie aura emanated from his body, seemingly recounting past sorrows.

Many other strange Dao Ancestors are like this.

That willow tree was a nightmare for many Dao Ancestors, one they didn't even want to think about, but unexpectedly, it stopped at the very last step.

They all believed this was an omen; although the Great Sacrifice was delayed, it did not mean the decline of the Strange Clan, but rather its rise.

"Once the grand ceremony begins, we will turn the heavens into a death trap!" Many Dao Ancestors shouted wildly, rubbing their fists in anticipation, wishing the grand ceremony would begin tomorrow.

Everyone was overjoyed, but Jiang Yun remained calm and composed.

Hou Ming noticed this and asked Jiang Yun softly, "Brother Yun, what's wrong with you?"

Her voice was full of concern, as if she were comforting Jiang Yun.

This startled Jiang Yun, who thought Hou Ming had discovered something, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

Hou Ming gently patted his back and tenderly advised him not to overthink it. Liu Shen's failure to break through was entirely his own fault. Perhaps years of battles had exhausted his energy and potential, and he was worried about the Great Sacrifice, so he risked breaking through, which led to his ultimate destruction.

Unlike Liu Shen, Jiang Yun, as a powerful member of the Weird Clan, is protected by the Weird Aura and can cultivate countless sacrificial essences in seclusion without having to rush to break through or encountering misfortune.

Jiang Yun suddenly realized that Hou Ming had misunderstood her expression.

After successfully undergoing his sixth transformation, Jiang Yun did not reveal much of his strength to outsiders, leading many to speculate about what had happened to him.

Some people believe that Jiang Yun was too eager for quick success and encountered an accident during his cultivation. Fortunately, he had the essence of reincarnation, which allowed him to escape disaster.

Some people believe that Jiang Yun used some means to subdue the Evil Emperor. During this process, a great battle broke out, in which he was severely injured and almost died, but eventually came back to life.

Regardless of their opinions, they all believed that Jiang Yun had suffered a calamity.

Hou Ming felt the same way, worried that Jiang Yun would be reminded of his unbearable past after seeing Liu Shen's fate, so he offered words of comfort.

Jiang Yun was touched. Hou Ming, who was always aloof, was now showing such concern for her, even noticing such a small detail.

He smiled, turned around, took Hou Ming's hand, and gently shook his head at her.

"Sister Houming, I wasn't thinking about myself, but I felt there was something strange about this."

"Strange?" This sentence was quite abrupt, attracting the attention of all the Dao Ancestors present. Some of them turned their heads to look at him, all with doubt in their eyes.

It's clearly Liu Shen who failed to break through and fell into a state of desolation, so why would there be anything strange about it?

Among the Dao Ancestors, Shi Yi and the Emperor also cast hopeful glances, hoping that Jiang Yun could say something inspiring to them.

However, Jiang Yun did not speak, but instead pointed to the sacrificial sea.

"Look!"

The Dao Ancestors frowned and looked back, only to discover that two figures had appeared beside the withered willow tree at some unknown time.

Both figures exuded an eerie and ominous aura, yet they remained hidden, their identities unknown.

At this moment, many other people also noticed their presence and began to speculate.

"Are they dark beings from the source?"

"That's probably it! It's infuriating! They didn't dare to step forward when Liu Shen was powerful, but now they're jumping out!"

Soon, someone guessed the intentions of the two mysterious figures. Liu Shen failed to break through and fell into complete silence, but it was still a treasure trove.

The treasures accumulated over countless years may be left nearby, their unimaginable value enough to make any Dao Ancestor envious.

Those two figures approached first, they must have had the same idea.

The heavens and the Dao Ancestors were all furious and planned to rush over immediately to kill the two Dao Ancestors.

"These guys are shameless! They're not even as good as dark creatures!" Ancient Dao Ancestor roared angrily, his eyes blazing with fury, unable to contain himself any longer.

He realized that the two figures had not completely fallen, but were simply entangled with the supernatural.

But that's precisely why he was even angrier.

"kill!"

The roar was earth-shattering, as if it wanted to pierce through endless space and kill the two Dao Ancestors from afar.

At this moment, someone finally recognized the figures of these two Dao Ancestors. They were both powerful figures who had fought against Liu Shen in the past, but they were defeated by Liu Shen and suffered severe injuries. Their Dao foundations were even damaged, and they disappeared without a trace.

Many people thought they had long since perished, but unexpectedly they colluded with dark beings, exuding an astonishingly eerie aura, and escaped the ravages of time, living to this day.

These two Dao Ancestors went so far as to delve into the strange aura and live to this day, all to wait for their chance for revenge, and they have indeed waited for it.

Just as Liu Shen fell into a deathly silence, they finally made a powerful breakthrough, determined to seize the treasures left behind by Liu Shen. "Terrifying!" a Dao Ancestor exclaimed. He was a contemporary of the two Dao Ancestors and had even witnessed their decline firsthand.

I never expected that I could survive the test of time.

River of Souls.

Kong Zun remained silent from the very beginning; he had just suffered a great loss and was unwilling to speak.

But upon seeing those two figures, he couldn't help but sneer. These two Dao Ancestors had no relation to him, nor were they reincarnation slaves.

Therefore, it is only possible that the Dao Ancestors of the Four Extremes Floating Soil and the Heavenly Emperor's Burial Pit secretly intervened to win over these two people.

"Hmph!" Kong Zun curled his lip, his tone filled with anger.

He didn't expect that he wasn't the only one secretly plotting, and that the underworld wasn't the only one at the forefront, using the Eight Paths of Reincarnation to expand its influence.

The other two major origin sites also had methods that influenced some Dao Ancestors, and even managed to keep it from him.

In the underworld, the Dao Ancestors also witnessed this scene. They quickly understood the reason behind it and recognized the origins of these two Dao Ancestors.

"I see!" Di Tian clapped his hands, thinking he understood the meaning behind Jiang Yun's words.

"Daoyuan, are you suggesting that we should also try to seize the treasures left behind by the Willow God, or even simply move that withered willow tree to the Underworld?" He rubbed his hands together, revealing a rare excitement.

Immediately, a Dao Ancestor nodded in agreement, saying that this was the way it should be, as the Willow God had also fought a great battle with the Dao Ancestor of the Underworld, and they should retaliate.

Moreover, the underworld has a connection with stone tools. Now that the Willow God has been petrified, it is only right that he be moved to the underworld.

These words made many Daoist masters smile, but they were also moved.

The thought of being able to leave Liu Shen's petrified body deep in the underworld is a rare and wonderful thing.

One of the Dao Ancestors was tempted, but dared not take action. Instead, he looked at Jiang Yun with expectant eyes.

The agreement still stands, and this Dao Ancestor dares not take the risk himself, hoping that Jiang Yun can make the trip.

It contains a huge crisis, and may lead to a great battle with the Dao Ancestor of Heaven, but if successful, Jiang Yun's status in the Underworld will rise further.

However, Jiang Yun still shook his head.

"It's not that simple!" His calm voice seemed to carry a certainty that saw through the fog, calming all the Dao Ancestors of the Underworld and making them look forward to Jiang Yun's next words.

However, Jiang Yun did not explain, but instead gestured for the Dao Ancestors to look at the sacrificial sea once again, and the truth would soon come to light.

At this moment, above the sacrificial sea, two mysterious figures approached the huge tree trunk and even landed directly on the branches.

They were both wary and anxious.

The powerful beings from the heavens could strike at any moment; they don't have much time left.

The two figures exchanged a glance and decided to make one last test to confirm that Liu Shen had truly perished.

Each of them possessed a magical artifact, radiating a powerful aura.

One of the magical artifacts was a large axe, entirely blood-red, as if forged from fresh blood. The axe head exuded a bloody stench that was nauseating.

Many people could tell at a glance that this great axe was definitely related to dark creatures, and it was very similar to the ninety-nine altars of the Evil Emperor, exuding an almost identical aura.

Some speculate that this great axe may have been used in sacrificial rites, severing the heads of countless powerful individuals and refining and sealing their primordial spirits within it.

The other figure held a very ordinary magical artifact, a sword. However, some people recognized it as a magical artifact forged by a peerless powerhouse countless millennia ago. That powerhouse perished in a great battle, and the artifact disappeared without a trace.

It seems it fell into the hands of a strange race and was then handed over.

Two figures manipulated magical artifacts, slashing heavily at the trunk of the large willow tree.

boom!
A tremendous roar erupted instantly, deafeningly loud, sending countless fragments of rock flying and obscuring all vision.

The petrified willow tree began to sway, its leaves falling like giant boulders crashing into a lake, creating towering waves and bringing an aura of destruction.

Some branches also fell, and there was no sign of life at the broken ends.

It seems that this willow tree has truly lost all vitality.

Finally, the deafening roar subsided, and two figures reappeared, standing beside a huge gaping hole—the very hole they had carved out with their magical weapons.

The two figures revealed arrogant smiles, an explosion of suppressed emotions. They had never imagined that they would have a day of revenge, and that they would witness the fall of the Willow God.

"You've finally met your match!" they cursed at the petrified willow tree, completely unaware that some Dao Ancestors had returned, hiding in the shadows and nervously moving about, their eyes filled with suspicion.

They might have noticed, but assumed they were also there to steal the treasure and didn't take them seriously.

The two figures laughed for a long time before finally stopping and beginning to use their divine senses to search the petrified willow tree, hoping to find the treasure left behind by the Willow God.

However, their smiles quickly froze, as if frozen by a powerful force.

In the distance, a young cultivator asked in a low voice, "Master, what's wrong with them?"

This cultivator was a disciple of the Dao Ancestor of an evolved civilization, and was brought along to watch the spectacle.

The Dao Ancestor's eyes, which had initially held suspicion, now held shock and disbelief.

He did not answer his disciple's question, but instead muttered to himself:

"It was all a setup!"

The disciple was even more puzzled and wanted to ask again, but he was interrupted by a powerful aura. He turned around in fright and immediately saw a scene that left him stunned.

The willow tree, which had been completely petrified, miraculously regained its vitality. Tender green buds sprouted from the broken ends of the fallen branches, and each bud was covered with leaves in a very short time.

The willow tree trunk was also trembling.

It turns out that only the surface layer is petrified; the inside still contains a vigorous life force, which it actively conceals, so that even a Dao Ancestor-level expert cannot detect it when he gets close.

At this moment, Liu Shen no longer concealed herself; the petrified surface, like a tattered suit of armor that had endured countless years, crumbled and fell away.

The two figures were completely dumbfounded, standing there blankly watching everything unfold.

"This……"

How is this possible? The Willow Goddess, who should have been completely lifeless, is still maintaining such vigorous vitality? Could it be that there was no accident from the beginning, and it was all just a setup?
The goal is to lure out these enemies hiding in the shadows.

At this moment, many Dao Ancestors also had similar thoughts, and they were all filled with lingering fear.

The strange Dao Ancestors of the four Origin Lands were even more so. They were all thankful that if they hadn't been able to resist and had gone to risk their lives to compete for the Willow God's treasure like those two mysterious powerhouses, they would have inevitably met with unpredictable consequences.

"Phew!" They breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, someone finally remembered Jiang Yun's behavior just now and asked in confusion.

Jiang Yun calmly explained, "It's too simple. How could things be so calm after failing to break through to the Immortal Emperor realm? There must be a secret hidden here."

The Daoist patriarchs all nodded in agreement. The reasoning was indeed simple, but they had been deceived and hadn't even considered it.

The pressure from Liu Shen was immense, making it difficult for them to think calmly for a moment. (End of Chapter)