Hell Emperor.

Chapter 571 Xia Wei - Illusion Array
The land of Taiyin.

The once cloudless night sky, where stars were visible, is now shrouded in thick, dark clouds.

Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and a oppressive aura pressed down, as the wrath of Heaven was about to erupt.

On the desolate land riddled with potholes, a thin mist drifted by, hazy and indistinct, and the figures of two girls were vaguely visible.

One of them had piercing eyes, sharp eyebrows, a resolute gait, and a heart of iron. Two braids swayed in the wind behind her head. The other had slightly red eyes and lips parted into three sections, resembling a demon in human form.

Yao Bai looked up and gazed at the gathering tribulation clouds in the distance, a sight she had never seen before. If Xia Wei hadn't been there, she probably would have dug a hole and hidden herself long ago.

"I never imagined that the completion of the elixir of immortality would attract such a powerful tribulation! If we don't take measures to resist it when it descends, the entire Guanghan Palace will be razed to the ground. Even a small amount of it overflowing would be enough to wipe out my entire clan..."

The impact of the pill tribulation terrified Yao Bai, but Xia Wei's gaze remained unchanged before her: "The pill tribulation of the elixir of immortality is far inferior to the lightning tribulations I've seen before!"

"Really?" Yao Bai expressed his doubt. "Pills are exquisitely crafted objects, containing the essence of heaven and earth. When a pill is completed, it will summon numerous tribulations, far more powerful than the tribulations of ordinary immortals. Not to mention a supreme immortal pill like the Elixir of Immortality, how could you possibly have seen a tribulation stronger than the tribulation of the Elixir of Immortality?"

Xia Wei did not answer, but a strange feeling welled up in the depths of her eyes.

The Tribulation of the Elixir of Immortality is indeed powerful. The tribulation of immortality attracted by a single immortal is far inferior to it, almost like competing with the bright moon. However, when the tribulations of immortality of hundreds of millions of living beings across the entire continent are superimposed, even the Tribulation of the Elixir of Immortality is nothing more than that.

Yao Bai didn't ask any further questions, and looked around:
"Speaking of which... ever since you broke in last time, a Water Moon Illusion Array has been erected outside the palace to prevent outsiders from approaching. This Water Moon Illusion Array is flawless. We've been searching here for so long, but we haven't found the slightest flaw in the array. Could it be that by the time we break through the array, the people in the palace will have already taken the elixir of immortality?"

Xia Wei's gaze darkened: "So what if I take it? I want to see if someone who takes the elixir of immortality can really live to the end of time."

Yao Bai looked at Xia Wei carefully and reminded her:
"Now that you have comprehended the true meaning of the Thunder Dao from the Mysterious Maiden Thunder Seal, the ordinary fairies in the palace are no match for you. However, among your enemies is the Longevity Fairy who controls her lifespan. She can turn all attacks against her into a loss of lifespan. If she takes the elixir of immortality, no one in the world will be able to harm her in the slightest."

Upon hearing Yao Bai mention that formidable enemy, Xia Wei's gaze sharpened. The culprit who manipulated the lifespan of mortals and caused the displacement of all living beings was right before her eyes. She vowed to act on behalf of Heaven and settle things with the Fairy of Longevity no matter what, distinguishing right from wrong and life from death.

"The reason why the Elixir of Immortality has been delayed is only one: it is only a semi-finished product and has not yet been fully condensed. We must break through the illusion array ahead and destroy that evil crystal before the Elixir of Immortality is completed, or it will be too late!"

Xia Wei seemed a little anxious. If she hadn't been blocked by the Water Moon Illusion Array, she would have already rushed forward to fight the evil immortal in the palace.

Yao Bai was also quite helpless: "These past few days, we've tried everything, but we're completely helpless against the Water Moon Illusion Array. If we just blindly run around, we'll only lose our sense of direction and end up coming out on the other side. No matter how many times we try, it's always the same result. Why don't you learn from this?"

Xia Wei said angrily, "Are you just going to leave me here to watch? Even if it doesn't work the first time, what about ten times, a hundred times? Eventually, I'll find the right way. Or do you have some better idea?"

Yao Bai snorted: "I told you long ago that the oldest Moon Rabbit has a way to break through the Water Moon Illusion Array, but you insisted on trying it according to your own ideas, wasting a lot of time."

Xia Wei frowned. This couldn't go on. With her and Yao Bai's expertise in formations, they probably would never be able to break the Water Moon Illusion Formation. She had heard that this formation was personally set up by the Moon Goddess, so she could only say:
"Let's do as you say. Let's go find the oldest moon rabbit. Hopefully, this won't take up too much time."

Yao Bai smiled, knowing that Xia Wei would listen to her, and immediately left with Xia Wei.

"So you've finally given up? It seems no one will bother you when you're about to complete your elixir."

Inside the exquisitely designed Guanghan Palace with its intricately arranged eaves, Fairy Su'e gazed into the distance, her eyes seemingly piercing through layers of mist, and saw the departing figures of Yao Bai and Xia Wei.

Seeing that the completion of the elixir was a foregone conclusion, Fairy Su'e glanced at Fairy Wanshou beside her. From the very beginning, she had been extremely anxious. At first glance, her hunched body seemed to have aged decades, and she could not calm down for a moment.

"Honorable guest, there is no need to be nervous. Just wait for the right time. When the moon shines brightly, the elixir of immortality will be refined. The palace servants will protect you from the tribulation, and there will be no accidents."

The Fairy of Longevity gave a bitter laugh, her expression more wry than tears: "What worries me is not this matter, but my father..."

The Moon Goddess was taken aback. Having lived in the Moon Palace for so long, she knew little about human affairs. However, she vaguely remembered that the Longevity Fairy was the daughter of the Black Tortoise.
"I remember your father was the divine beast Xuanwu, but it seems like it's been many years since I've heard any news about him..."

The Fairy of Longevity clenched her knuckles, the veins on her hand gripping her cane bulging:

"Years ago, he fell into depravity and became like a wild beast. The descendants of Xuanwu tried many methods but failed to awaken his consciousness. Over time, they gave up on the idea and instead used Xuanwu's name to make their own plans."

She paused, then her eyes trembled: "I thought he would never wake up, but things have changed. He has awakened from darkness and chaos, and he knows what good deeds his descendants did while he was unconscious, and they are settling scores with him one by one..."

"what?"

Even Fairy Su'e realized the seriousness of the problem and couldn't help but frown.

Given the temperament of the divine beast Xuanwu, it would never tolerate the trade of lifespan. If the Fairy of Longevity were punished for this, causing the supply of lifespan to be cut off in the future, what would the alchemists in the palace use to improve their pill formulas?

Thinking of this, her attitude towards the Longevity Fairy cooled down, no longer as eager as before. She could only place all her hopes on the elixir of immortality that she was currently refining. Once the elixir was completed, she would no longer need to worry about the supply of lifespan.

"Where is Xuanwu now?" asked Fairy Su'e.

The Fairy of Longevity trembled. Even with her current strength and status, she couldn't help but shudder at the thought of Xuanwu's formidable reputation.
"He doesn't even have time to come to the moon to find me. The Serpent Sect in Beiju Luzhou is being ruthlessly purged by him. The matter of resurrecting demon gods is far more serious than the trade of lifespan. Now, none of them can escape. The trade of lifespan is at most a mistake in the method of governing mortals, but the resurrection of demon gods has fundamentally shaken the safety of the continent. Now they will suffer the consequences."

The thought of the potential tragedy facing the Serpent Sect members filled Fairy Wanshou with schadenfreude. Who told them to commit such a heinous act? Instead of worshipping the Tortoise-Snake God Xuanwu, they planned to completely erase their tortoise origins and instead join the Serpent God Xiangliu's sect—essentially abandoning their ancestral graves. But the thought of Xuanwu's future retribution forced her smile to falter. The Cave of Ten Thousand Serpents.

The once majestic Snake Immortals, envied by countless sects in the surrounding area, now have drastically changed expressions.

Faced with the enormous creature that had come knocking on their door, they dared not put up any resistance. The difference in strength was one factor, but more importantly, the giant beast in front of them was the ancestor of the entire Ten Thousand Serpent Cave, and even the cave master had to pay great respects to it.

"The ancestor of the tortoise and snake, Xuanwu... why is he here?"

"It's over, it's all over now..."

"By the Serpent Ancestor, all these things that happened in the cave were forced upon me by them, and have nothing to do with me..."

Faced with the Xuanwu that came to question them, even the snake immortals with the highest cultivation levels dared not show any disrespect. They all tucked their tails between their legs, and some even prepared to flee as soon as they sensed the danger.

Xuanwu remained silent. Its towering figure, like a mountain, was enough to exert immense pressure. No one would be foolish enough to make an enemy of a divine beast that guards an entire continent; doing so would only lead to certain death.

The majestic serpent head snaked its way in, and Xuanwu faced the immortals of the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave with its serpent body. As it flicked its tongue, many serpent immortals who had fled in the distance suddenly felt a heat rising in their bodies and instantly turned into blood-soaked figures. They couldn't even use the technique of riding the mist with a soaring serpent, and their immortal bodies were completely destroyed.

Once upon a time, they were endowed with the Xuanwu bloodline, which granted them power far exceeding that of ordinary people. Now, with the arrival of the true Xuanwu, it has become a death warrant buried within them. With just a slight thought from Xuanwu, it can turn around and take their lives.

"Damn it... So what if it's a divine beast? The Serpent Envoy's plan will not be ruined by anyone! Go back to where you came from!"

Unlike the timid and submissive Snake Fairy, Snake Eyes was furious. His snake braids hung upside down from the back of his head, as if his head was covered with small snakes, making a noisy and fierce hissing sound. He then rushed forward, ready to compete with him.

A massive shadow descended, enveloping the area within a ten-mile radius. Seeing the danger, the nearby snake spirits quickly retreated, fearing they would be implicated.

Snake Eyes looked up in astonishment, only to see a colossal pillar descending from the sky—the foot of Xuanwu. Xuanwu had merely raised its foot slightly, yet it had sealed off all escape routes. Snake Eyes dared not be careless; it burrowed into the ground, using earth-遁 (earth-遁 is a technique of escaping from the heavens) to try and avoid the attack descending from the sky.

With a deafening roar, the earth collapsed under Xuanwu's weight. The once solid ground undulated like waves, causing everyone to stagger and lose their balance. The entire continent was shaken by Xuanwu's stomp, creating an earthquake that stretched for thousands of miles, as if even the continental plates had shifted.

In the very center of the trampling, the snake's shattered remains mingled with the mud and rubble, indistinguishable from one another, and without offering a single act of resistance, it perished in an instant.

"This...this is the power of Xuanwu?"

"Serpent Ancestor, we simply took the wrong path for a moment. Please forgive us this time..."

"This was all a conspiracy by the Serpent Envoy. He even killed the Cave Master. Serpent Ancestor, you must avenge the Cave Master!"

Having witnessed the power of Xuanwu, many snake immortals immediately gave up the idea of ​​resistance. Whether they tried to escape or fight back, they would be mercilessly killed on the spot by Xuanwu. Only by sincerely repenting and begging for mercy could they have a glimmer of hope in the face of the divine beast.

"Was it the Serpent Envoy's idea to resurrect the Demon God? Where is he now?"

A muffled, deep voice came down from above, sounding like rocks shattering or iron trees cracking. The content could only be vaguely discerned from the syllables.

Seeing that Xuanwu's spearhead was entirely aimed at the snake-shaped envoy, the many snake immortals seemed to have found a hope for survival and immediately pointed the way for Xuanwu:
"Serpent Ancestor, the Serpent-Form Envoy is over there."

“That’s right. He has tarnished the name of the Serpent Ancestor with his cruel demon god. He must not be let off lightly.”

"Now that the Serpent Ancestor has returned, he must be punished severely! It is he who has caused chaos and filth in the Serpent Cave!"

The many snake spirits offered their advice, pointing out the way to Xuanwu in exchange for a chance to live.

Xuanwu didn't want to get entangled with them any longer. He took heavy steps and followed the directions of the crowd to find the serpentine messenger who had caused all of this.

Seeing Xuanwu leave, the snake immortals finally breathed a sigh of relief, while also casting pitying glances at the snake-shaped envoy in the distance.

Although the Serpent Envoy is powerful, surpassing all the serpent immortals in the cave, he probably can't make much of a fuss against the Xuanwu, the ancestor of turtles and snakes, whose strength is unmatched across the entire continent. What awaits him is a rather tragic end.

Unlike many other snake spirits, Xuanwu had a serious expression, showing no sign of relaxation.

All divine beasts have heard of the Beast Form Envoys, a group of extremely dangerous and incomprehensible madmen. Behind them stands an absolutely formidable Nine-Turn Being. The appearance of Beast Form Envoys in any place signifies an impending calamity, from which countless lives will be drawn.

If Xuanwu were still conscious, he would have gathered the power of all his offspring the moment he heard the name of the Serpent Envoy and done everything he could to drive the Serpent Envoy out of Beiju Luzhou. However, it is too late now.

For hundreds of years, Xuanwu had been stripped of his consciousness by the Underworld Emperor's Ghost Seal until now. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the Serpent Envoy completely took control of the Ten Thousand Serpent Cave and secretly prepared with the help of his many disciples. Now, the situation is set.

Even Xuanwu dared not be careless in the slightest when it thought of the demon god Xiangliu, whom the snake-like envoy planned to resurrect. The demon god who was killed by the saint in the past was no less powerful than ordinary divine beasts, and was quite troublesome.

However, Xuanwu did not come rashly. He had made various preparations in advance. As soon as he learned of this, he felt that something was wrong. He immediately sent a distress signal to the Heavenly King Duowen and the Heavenly Venerable Dangmo, who guarded the north. Before long, many immortals would come to help. Under the siege of the immortals, even if the demon god returned, he probably wouldn't be able to make any waves.

(End of this chapter)