Journey to the head

He skimmed through the entire message, his face turning deathly pale and his body trembling violently.

His lips trembled as he was about to confirm the truth of the matter when a second message arrived, sent by a Dao-Merging Immortal Lord from the Tianquan Continent.

Then, urgent messages drifted in like snowflakes, from scouts across the Immortal Fall Islands who had detected enemy activity!
If it weren't for the True Lord's incredibly strong divine soul, he would have truly fainted!

Even so, he felt a sudden dizziness, and a bone-chilling cold rushed to his head. He suddenly sat up and shouted, "Quickly move to the grotto-heaven!"

After shouting, he suddenly realized that this was the Immortal Spirit Cave Heaven, which only a few Dao-Merging Ancestors had the ability to move to.

Master Cunlu, Master Cunlu!
This True Lord burst forth, stepping into the core of the cave, where silver light stretched like a sea, and countless stars drifted in the air.

Yuandou Seeking Immortality Hall! Yuandou Seeking Immortality Hall!

He was so terrified that his hands trembled, and he almost made a mistake in his hand seals. Before the extremely bright star even descended before him, he had already jumped up and crashed headfirst into it.

"Master Cunlu, the Dragon Clan is attacking! Quickly move to a new grotto for refuge!"

Panic-filled shouts echoed through the vast hall. The five people, including Cunlu Immortal Lord and Xuming True Lord, who were standing at the six points of the six-pointed star and holding the incantation chains, were immediately thrown into disarray. The incantation chains trembled violently, and the starlight threads extending from the billions of stars in the star trail flickered, suddenly being pushed up by the central cluster of starlight.

Immortal Lord Cunlu gritted his teeth, struggling to stabilize the incantation chains in his hands, and cursed, "Fool! Don't you know I'm in seclusion?! How dare you disturb the Great Zhou Celestial Starfall Disintegration Technique! If this fails, I will—"

"Ancestor! Our entire army of the Six Pillars of Immortal Fall heading to the Dragon Palace has been almost completely wiped out!" The Refining Void cultivator, disregarding everything else, shouted urgently, "Two Immortal Lords and dozens of True Lords in my palace were killed by the Sea-Treading Lord after he became an immortal. Now the Dragon Clan has mobilized its entire army and is marching towards the Immortal Fall Islands!"

With a sharp, piercing bang, the incantation chains nearly snapped, and the billions of starlight threads within the star trail instantly became chaotic. Instead, the starlight in the center grew brighter and brighter, vaguely revealing two identical figures.

"What nonsense are you spouting? Our two masters have merged with the Dao, they are immortal and indestructible, how could they perish!" Immortal Lord Cunlu's eyes were red, and True Lord Xuming's eyes were glazed over, unable to speak. "What Daohai Jun after becoming an immortal? Even if he became an immortal, he would be taken away by the Luo Tian Forbidden Immortal Tent. Where did you hear this rumor from, and why are you acting crazy here!"

Lianxu was frantic, jumping up and down and shouting, "It's an urgent message from Tianji Continent and Tianquan Continent, and scouts from all over. The Dragon Clan will arrive in an instant, or it will be too late!"

At this moment, even Immortal Lord Cunlu felt a buzzing in his head and his vision go black. Unable to release the cursed chains in his hands, he cried out, "Quick! Send aid to Tianji, Tianquan, and the other continents! If the lips are cold, the teeth will perish—"

"Tianji and Tianquan have already said in the message that they cannot take action. They told us to immediately relocate our grotto-heavens, and they will meet us on land," the Refining Void cultivator shouted coldly. "Hurry, hurry, Ancestor!"

"Heh." A cold laugh suddenly rang in everyone's hearts. It came from the center of the star trail, within the starlight, as the woman slowly opened her eyes.

"Do you dare break the curse, Cunlu?"

Immortal Lord Cunlu opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word; beads of cold sweat slid down his forehead.

The two sides are currently locked in a fierce struggle over the "Immortal Technique: Great Zhou Heavenly Starfall Disintegration Technique". If he suddenly releases the curse lock, he will inevitably be severely injured by the backlash of the immortal technique!

This is a serious injury that is difficult to heal in a short time, and because of his serious injury, he is unable to move to the Immortal Spirit Cave!

The other five Void Refinement cultivators who chanted the incantation were likely more severely injured than he was, and probably wouldn't even be able to traverse the void...

As Immortal Lord Cunlu stared at the star trails before him, he felt as if he were trapped in an abyss of no return, rapidly sliding towards death and being swallowed by endless despair.

The net that Tian Shi Yuan Dou Palace meticulously wove for Xuan Chen Tian Jun's avatar ultimately trapped him!
The woman said something else, but Cunlu Immortal Lord could no longer hear anything. After utter despair, his thoughts seemed to transcend to another dimension.

He saw himself turn towards the nearly collapsed Lianxu, and heard his own voice calmly speak.

"We have no hope of escape. You can go on your own."

"Using that pseudo-immortal artifact, the Starry Sky Lamp, we can bring as many people as we can. We can take as many of the treasures from the treasury as we can."

"As the seed of the Heavenly City Palace..."

"Walk!!!"

As if struck by lightning, Lianxu cried out in pain and turned to flee from the Yuandou Immortal-Seeking Palace.

Immortal Lord Cunlu breathed a sigh of relief and looked at the five Void Refinement cultivators, including True Lord Xuming, whose faces were now completely bloodless.

"Is this what karma is...?"

His eyes suddenly sharpened, and the incantation chains in his hands suddenly became incredibly bright!

"Kill Xuan Chen Tianjun!" he roared like a wild beast, filled with resentment and rage. "Since we're going to die anyway, let's fight to the death!"

"To be able to take a Heavenly Emperor down with you before you die, even if it's just a clone, is enough to make you a legend for future generations!"

"Do it!"

The six risked their lives to activate the Great Zhou Heavenly Starfall Disintegration Technique. Instantly, billions of stars shone with a blood-red light, and the threads formed from those starlight pierced down like madmen.

A cloud of blood mist burst from Jiang Baitao's body. She only twitched once like a dead fish before falling still.

The woman groaned in pain as more and more starlight threads pierced through her last barrier and burrowed into her body.

But now, these threads no longer draw Dao energy from her; they want to tear her apart completely!

"Give it your all!" Immortal Lord Cunlu's face was contorted with madness, and streaks of blood seeped from his features. "Kill her! Kill Heavenly Lord Xuanchen!"

As True Lord Xuming was squeezing out his last bit of spiritual power, he suddenly realized something.

Now, Immortal Lord Cunlu is destroying his own Great Dao foundation, intending to perish together with Xuan Chen's clone. In this Great Zhou Heavenly Starfall Disintegration Technique, he has contributed the vast majority of his power and also borne the vast majority of the injuries.

If he really killed Xuan Chen's clone, although he himself would be exhausted, the immortal technique would be canceled!
In other words, I will be able to escape from the magic at that time, and I will still have a chance to escape!

True Lord Xuming's eyes widened suddenly. This True Lord, who had once been considered by the three Immortal Lords in the palace to be steady and reliable and a potential successor to the Palace Master, immediately restrained some of his power.

He silently apologized to Immortal Lord Cunlu and his fellow disciples, then his face turned red and he broke out in a sweat, while the spiritual energy he was channeling from his hands decreased.

I'm sorry, Patriarch Cunlu.

Have you all forgotten that I even possess my own ethereal grotto? Even without the celestial grotto in the palace, I still have a bright future. I cannot die here!

Since you are destined to die, let me be the spark that leads the Heavenly City Palace on its journey!

But the next moment, he keenly sensed that the power in the hands of the four Void Refinement cultivators beside him was also decreasing. They were having the same idea as him!
Immortal Lord Cunlu suddenly realized what was happening. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his face contorted in rage as he roared, "Beasts! You—"

boom!
The entire Yuandou Immortal Seeking Hall shook violently, and amidst the loud cracking sounds, huge cracks were spreading around the entire hall.

This caused a massive tremor throughout the entire space. The few people who were still fused with the immortal magic were violently shaken and almost fell over due to the pull of the cursed chains. As their grip loosened, the fluctuations of the immortal magic backfired, and they all coughed up blood.

Then there was another loud bang!
The top of the main hall was almost shattered, and the layers of restrictions were peeled off like an eggshell.

The crazed expression on Immortal Lord Cunlu's face suddenly froze, and he uttered a low murmur.

"Do not……"

Boom!

The vast palace was torn to shreds! Only the massive star trails and a few people held back by the incantation chains remained, stranded in a pitch-black void.

The oppressive force swept across like a storm, and four pseudo-realms unfolded, blooming with dazzling colors in the void. But for the people of Tian Shi Palace, those were the colors of despair. Xu Ming Zhenjun's glimmer of hope had barely begun when it was crushed to death.

Four dragon clan immortal lords, having torn open the cave, descended!

With a muffled thud, a corpse was thrown out, landing at the feet of Immortal Lord Cunlu like a tattered sack.

It was that Heavenly Market Palace cultivator from before!

He still couldn't escape!
"One, two, three, four..." The leading dragon immortal lord pointed to each one in turn. "Including this little mouse who tried to escape, the remaining Dao Integration Realm and six Void Refinement Realm cultivators from the Heavenly Market Palace are all here. Much easier than I expected?"

Another Immortal Lord chuckled, "We will advance with the force of thunder, directly shattering the void to get here. The Six Pillars of Immortal Fall will have no chance to react. We also have an absolute advantage in strength. Two of us who have reached the Dao Integration stage will keep an eye on the Suspended Sea Sect, while the majority of us who have reached the Void Refinement stage will surround the two sects. None of the big fish will be able to escape."

"When our massive army of millions arrives, those small fry will all be reduced to fertile mud on the seabed!"

"It's quite unexpected that your Heavenly Market Palace is all huddled here, with no one in charge of the defense of the Immortal Spirit Cave Heaven—"

The four dragon cultivators froze in shock.

They could clearly see the star trails surrounding the six people from Tian Shi Palace, six extremely thick chains of incantations, billions of bright and dazzling stars, and countless dense wisps of starlight.

Most importantly, the aura emanating from the figure within the halo bound by those thin threads—

Immortal! Immortal!
That's an immortal! The Heavenly Market Palace locks up a true immortal!
The four Daoists felt their minds go completely blank.

"That's right! Look closely, this is the 19th Heavenly Lord, the avatar of the Celestial Lord of the Universe and the Starry Sky!" Immortal Lord Cunlu coughed up another mouthful of blood, his expression a mixture of madness and pride.

"This is the most precious treasure of my Tian Shi Yuan Dou Palace!"

He shook the spell lock in his hand as if he were pulling on a dog leash.

The four Dao Masters all took a step back in unison.

"Hehehehehehehe," Immortal Lord Cunlu laughed loudly, then glared fiercely at the woman in the star trail before turning to the four dragon clan Dao cultivators.

"Listen, I can give you all the secrets that our Tian Shi Yuan Dou Palace has obtained from Xuan Chen's clone over the past ten thousand years, including how to use this clone. Then you can continue to imprison her and obtain the Great Dao of the Stars from her!"

"The condition is simple. Let Xu Ming go!"

When Immortal Lord Cunlu pointed at True Lord Xuming, the latter's breathing suddenly became rapid, his face filled with shame, yet a glimmer of hope rose in his heart.

However, a flash of crimson light disappeared in an instant!

The blood-red light illuminated a void, and the oppressive aura that sent shivers down one's spine was released and then immediately withdrawn.

A strangely shaped, crimson dagger with patterns resembling knuckles and an overall claw-like appearance was taken back by the leading dragon clan member.

He murmured in horror, "...How could there be such a madman in this world!"

As Cunlu Immortal Lord made a hoarse sound, he looked down with difficulty and saw that a wound had appeared on his chest, running from front to back, and blood was spreading from the wound to his whole body like a spider web.

Such a vicious and ruthless fake immortal artifact.
These were his last thoughts. The next instant, the backlash from the Immortal Technique: Great Zhou Celestial Meteor Disintegration Technique destroyed him even faster than this pseudo-immortal artifact.

Countless strands of starlight burst forth from his body!

Destroying his own foundation, exhausted and weakened, suffering immense damage, and experiencing the backlash of his immortal techniques, the Dragon Clan cultivators paid no further attention to the gradually collapsing Immortal Lord Cunlu, nor did they spare a glance at the five Void Refinement cultivators who lay on the ground due to the backlash of their immortal techniques.

They bowed respectfully and offered their Taoist titles to the supreme being in the star trails.

"We pay our respects to the Celestial Lord of the Universe and the Stars!"

Having just personally witnessed Dao Haijun's ascension to immortality and seen the power of the Luo Tian Forbidden Immortal Tent diminish, no one understands better than them how to face a true immortal.

Does it matter whether the one before you is the true immortal himself or an avatar, whether he is overwhelmingly powerful or extremely weak?
The immortals will one day return to the mortal realm!
After the Dragon Clan completely lost power and left the continent, retreating to the Starry Sea, they endured nearly 20,000 years of humiliation and bided their time. Three members of the Dragon Clan and the Sea Clan successfully ascended to immortality, making four now, including the Sea-Treading Lord. If they could also gain the friendship of the Nineteenth Heavenly Lord, it would be an immense and joyous occasion.

The group of madmen who imprisoned the avatar of a True Immortal in the Heavenly Market Palace must be the most outrageous and insane group in the world!
Could humans really be this greedy?
Even now, despite rescuing Xuan Chen's avatar, the four Dao Integration Realm cultivators remained quite apprehensive. After all, immortals come in all shapes and sizes, and Xuan Chen, the Heavenly Lord, had been imprisoned for so long. What if he developed a twisted personality and took his anger out on them?
Fortunately, the group heard the woman's cool, clear voice.

"No need for formalities. I will remember your meritorious service in the rescue."

The four still didn't dare to look up: "May I ask, Heavenly Lord, what should be done with these Void Refinement cultivators? What about the Heavenly Market Palace?"

The woman's gaze swept over the five Void Refinement cultivators before settling on True Monarch Xuming.

"Keep this person alive, kill the rest. Let the Heavenly Market Palace disappear forever."

Xu Ming Zhenjun closed his eyes in agony; at this moment, even a quick death had become a luxury.

"Now, I will tell you how to open this star track."

With a gentle tremor, all restrictions were lifted, and a ray of starlight shimmered out from the star trail.

The dragon clan members bowed again: "Congratulations, Heavenly Lord! The Heavenly Lord's avatar has descended to this realm for an important matter. Our dragon clan is willing to serve and share the Heavenly Lord's burdens!"

However, Xuan Chen Tianjun did not speak. She stared at Jiang Baitao in her arms, or rather, at that pool of flesh and blood that could no longer be formed.

His physical body had been completely destroyed by the Great Zhou Tian Starfall Disintegration Technique, and his soul had also completely collapsed.

You arrived two thousand years too early, disrupting my plans. But fortunately, there was an unexpected bonus: I regained my freedom. However, your cultivation level is too low, preventing me from returning to my peak state.

I'm so weak right now, I don't know how long it will take to recover.
Never mind, I'll take back this true spirit first, lest it fall into the hands of someone else and become a weapon to harm me.

She reached out and gently pulled, drawing out the hazy starlight from Jiang Baitao's shattered soul.

Suddenly, Fomalhaut appeared, circled the starlight, and let out a mournful groan. Then it lowered its head and nuzzled against the starlight.

That was the core and foundation of the soul, a true spirit. And also Jiang Baitao's memories of this life.

Xuan Chen Tianjun absorbed the starlight into his body and suddenly paused for a moment.

One hundred and seventy-nine years unfolded before her eyes with unparalleled clarity.

The most intense emotions of mortals—happiness, pain, sorrow, joy, passion, and obscurity—sent a sharp pain through her chest.

This was an experience she had never had before, born from the void and attaining enlightenment as a celestial being. She even felt a sense of dread.

Two hundred years is less than a blink of an eye for me, but why is it like this?

At this moment, have I become Jiang Baitao, or has Jiang Baitao become me?

After a moment, she spoke in a low voice.

"Let's go." (End of Chapter)