Everlasting Immortal Firmament

Book 5: Chapter 188: Manifold Deity Palace

Twenty-five million kilometers north of the Solar Divine Palace:

The thirty-three layers of heaven flew quickly.

Long Zhanguo sat on a throne in the Rising Heaven Throne Hall, wearing a crown and white imperial robes embroidered with a golden dragon. Gently tapping on the armrest with his finger, he looked down at the two columns of officials before him.

The three crown princes, the dragon race’s prime, and Sima Zongheng stood at the front of the two columns. The other officials stood respectfully behind them.

Long Zhanguo looked at Ao Tianhuang, the dragon race’s prime. “Ao Tianhuang, the Solar Divine Palace sent word that the Supreme Genesis captured Ao Shun. Is the Supreme Genesis going to use Ao Shun as a hostage against you?”

Ao Tianhuang stepped forward and took a deep breath before speaking. “Your Holy Eminence, Ao Shun was unfortunate and cannot blame anyone else for it. Your Holy Eminence, rest assured, my Northern Sea Dragon Palace will lead the dragons and is ready to fight to the death. We will share glory or humiliation with the Qian Nation!”

Long Zhanguo stared at Ao Tianhuang for a while before nodding. “Alright. Since that is the case, I install Ao Tianhuang as the Primary Vanguard Supreme Commander. Ao Tianhuang will lead the dragon race to attack the Supreme Genesis’s line of inheritance.”

Ao Tianhuang immediately answered, shouting, “This official, Ao Tianhuang, obeys!”

“Although the Supreme Genesis did not perform well in the thirty-three layers of heaven, we are going to his territory, after all; he will have the support of blessings there. Furthermore, he has the tenth of the top sixteen ancient treasures, the Cross Annihilation. Ao Tianhuang, do not let your guard down,” Long Zhanguo said.

“Your Holy Eminence, don’t worry!” Ao Tianshuang answered.

Long Zhanguo nodded.

“The Solar Divine Palace has three hundred sixty-one Upper Heavenly Palace Realm animal spirit kings. All of them possess extraordinary strength and are the strongest animal spirit kings that the Supreme Singularity subdued out of more than ten thousand animal spirit races around the world. They are each conferred a spirit star and can use them to lay the Cyclic Star Ritual Array. That ritual array possesses great power and is one of the Supreme Genesis’s important tools,” Long Zhanguo said seriously.

Sima Zongheng stepped out of the column of officials.

“This official—Sima Zongheng—asks to be part of the vanguard and lead the Qian Nation’s army in battling the Cyclic Star Ritual Array!” Sima Zongheng said seriously.

“This official is willing to follow Imperial Tutor Sima to the frontline!”

“This official is willing to be part of the vanguard to destroy the Cyclic Star Ritual Array!”

Many of the generals in the assembly hall immediately volunteered.

While the Solar Divine Palace had vast accumulations, the Qian Heavenly Dynasty was not weak, either. Despite having been established for only a few thousand years, the Qian Heavenly Dynasty spanned a large area and gathered countless experts from all over the world. Right now, these experts all felt intense battle hunger.

“We confer Sima Zongheng as the Left Vanguard Supreme Commander. You will lead the army of the thirty-three layers of heaven to battle the Solar Divine Palace’s three hundred sixty-one animal spirit kings and break the Cyclic Star Ritual Array!” Long Zhanguo instructed.

“Yes! Your subject will not let you down!” Sima Zongheng and the many officials answered, shouting.

“Reporting to Your Holy Eminence!” The first crown prince, Long Shenying, stepped forward.

“Huh?” Long Zhanguo looked at Long Shenying.

“Aside from the Supreme Genesis and the Supreme Wa, the Eastern Monarch, Supreme Singularity, has two important tools at his disposal. One is the Cyclic Star Ritual Array. The other is the Ten Rising Suns Ritual Array the ten golden crow crown princes can lay, which possesses overwhelming power and can burn the world. This subject, Long Shenying, volunteers to battle the ten golden crow crown princes!” Long Shenying said.

“This subject, Long Shenwen, volunteers to battle the ten golden crow crown princes!” the second crown prince, Long Shenwen, added.

“This subject, Long Shenwu, volunteers to battle the ten golden crow crown princes!” the third crown prince called out as well.

“We install Long Shenying as the Right Vanguard Supreme Commander, and Long Shenwen and Long Shenwu as the Right Vanguard Deputy Supreme Commanders. You will lead your armies to kill the golden crow crown princes!” Long Zhanguo said.

“Yes!” the three crown princes shouted in response.

As the thirty-three layers of heaven approached the Solar Divine Palace, Long Zhanguo continuously issued military orders.

Long Zhanguo needed to take charge in the thirty-three layers of heaven. His target was the Eastern Monarch, Supreme Singularity.

The various armies quickly convened and marched on the Solar Divine Palace in full force.

——

Dragon Star Palace, Heavenly Chen City:

Ao Tianhuang sat in the center of the palace hall as a group of dragons respectfully reported the information they obtained from the Solar Divine Palace.

“Ao Shun? Did he get captured from carelessness?” Ao Tianhuang asked with an unsightly expression.

“Gu Hai got captured as well. There was a massive battle under the fusang tree recently. Crown…Crown Prince Ao Shun is currently under tight guard,” a dragon reported anxiously.

“Prime, that is Crown Prince Ao Shun. If we charge in rashly, the Supreme Genesis will kill him!”

“Prime, if we march there now, what will the crown prince do?”

The dragon race elders felt incredibly anxious.

Ao Tianhuang frowned heavily. Previously, he had spoken decisively in the Rising Heaven Throne Hall. However, this was the son that he cared about the most. How could this situation not bother him at all?

After some silence, Ao Tianhuang sighed, “Perhaps this is fate. Shun`er is unfortunate. I can only hope to find Shun`er’s souls afterwards.”

“What? Prime, are you going to abandon Crown Prince Ao Shun?” the elders asked anxiously.

“Remember this: don’t even think about anything else. If His Holy Eminence succeeds, he will control the world’s cycle of reincarnation. Even if you die, he can bring you back to life. Ao Shun dying? He can come back to life soon!” Ao Tianhuang said with a ferocious expression.

“Yes!” the elders said, feeling helpless.

A guard rushed into the Dragon Star Palace. “I have a report!”

“Reporting to Prime! The Han Royal Dynasty’s crown prince, Gu Qin, is outside and seeks an audience. He said he had a way to rescue Crown Prince Ao Shun!” that guard reported respectfully.

“Oh? Let him in!” Ao Tianhuang’s eyes lit up.

Soon, Gu Qin and Meng Tai stepped into Dragon Star Palace.

“Han Royal Dynasty’s crown prince, Gu Qin, greets Prime Ao Tianhuang!” Gu Qin bowed.

Meng Tai bowed as well.

“Gu Qin, why did you seek me out?” Ao Tianhuang asked.

“Time is tight. This humble one does not dare to beat about the bush with Prime Ao. The experts of my Han Nation are here with me, and we desire to go with Prime Ao to rescue Crown Prince Ao Shun and my imperial father at the same time,” Gu Qin replied gravely.

“Gu Hai? Humph! Your information network is pretty good. To think that you already know about what happened at the Solar Divine Palace!” Ao Tianhuang said.

“Yes. Although my Han Nation has many experts, our accumulations are much weaker than the Solar Divine Palace’s. Ao Shun and my imperial father are in Heaven City. I have a plan to rescue them and only ask that Prime Ao cooperate with us. We will each get what we want!” Gu Qin said seriously.

Ao Tianhuang narrowed his eyes slightly. “Young, inexperienced rookie, why should I trust you?”

“Prime Ao, this is my plan. Please take a look!” Gu Qin handed over a bamboo strip scroll.

Ao Tianhuang received the scroll with some hesitation. When he unfurled it, he saw that it was densely packed with tiny characters.

Ao Tianhuang’s pupils suddenly constricted at the sight of these tiny characters. Then, he narrowed his eyes as he pondered the feasibility of the words in the scroll.

“Prime Ao, time is tight. Once the two armies clash, this opportunity will be gone,” Gu Qin said with some anxiety.

“Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Gu Hai’s son is not an easy person to deal with, either. I underestimated you!” Ao Tianhuang said as he stared at Gu Qin.

“You want to rescue Ao Shun, and we want to rescue Imperial Father. We are just getting what we need,” Gu Qin said with a smile.

“We will use your plan!” Ao Tianhuang said.

——

Evil Valley, Heaven City:

Many angels stood guard here, and holy light soared into the sky.

Yanxuan stood respectfully behind the Supreme Genesis.

The Supreme Genesis waved, and a vast amount of white powder suddenly emerged from the mud. The powder gathered and slowly coalesced into five hundred skeletons.

“Skeletons? These are skeletons? Father, someone killed all the missing prisoners and guards? And Yehua as well?” Yanxuan’s expression changed.

The Supreme Genesis showed an extremely sullen expression. He did not deny it, tacitly acknowledging Yanxuan’s words.

Clack!

Suddenly, a finger bone flew over from the forest and landed by one of the skeletons.

“Yehua is not among them, right? Father? Yehua is not dead?” Yanxuan said anxiously.

“This is Yehua!” The Supreme Genesis looked coldly at the skeleton before him.

“This is Yehua?” Yanxuan inhaled sharply, his expression changing.

“Second Young Master!” Countless angels immediately knelt.

“Yehua? He already revived once and cannot do so again. He died?” Yanxuan’s face turned cold.

“Are you sure that only Gu Hai was in the valley at that time?” the Supreme Genesis asked with a cold expression.

“Yes! There was only Gu Hai. It has to be him! He killed Yehua!” Yanxuan ranted.

The Supreme Genesis suddenly turned his head and looked coldly at Yanxuan. “Preposterous!”

“What?” Yanxuan’s expression turned stiff.

“I checked Lu Ya’s seal. Even I cannot undo it. Gu Hai had his cultivation sealed and was bound by chains. How could he kill so many prisoners and angels? How would he kill Yehua?” the Supreme Genesis said coldly.

“I…” Yanxuan’s expression turned stiff.

“Furthermore, if Gu Hai killed Yehua, why would he remain in the valley and wait for you to arrive?” the Supreme Genesis said coldly.

“I-I don’t know!” Yanxuan’s expression changed.

“If it were someone coming to rescue Gu Hai, that person would naturally take Gu Hai away. However, Gu Hai did not go missing. Is someone trying to sabotage Gu Hai? Is the person who killed Yehua Gu Hai’s enemy?” the Supreme Genesis speculated with a sullen expression.

“However, how could Gu Hai’s enemy enter Heaven City? There are black angels guarding the perimeter!” Yanxuan argued anxiously.

“Gu Hai’s enemy?” The Supreme Genesis looked at Yehua’s bones and suddenly noticed a green feather in a joint.

This feather was small and fine. The Supreme Genesis picked it out, narrowing his eyes at the feather.

“This is…a peacock’s feather?” Yanxuan’s face suddenly sank.

“A peacock? That’s impossible. The Great Light Sovereign Deity would not kill Yehua to sabotage Gu Hai. It’s not Kong Xuan!” the Supreme Genesis rebutted.

“Father, our Heaven City is heavily guarded. Aside from Kong Xuan, who else can sneak in?” Yanxuan yelled in anger.

“Veritable Lord, I recall that when Gu Hai faced off with Kong Xuan the other day, Gu Hai said that Kong Xuan was Long Zhanguo’s spy!”

“Indeed! Veritable Lord, I heard it too!”

The angels in the surroundings called out.

“Shut up! Remember this. It’s not Kong Xuan. It’s someone else!” the Supreme Genesis shouted coldly.

“Huh? Yes!” Yanxuan and the angels answered.

Although the Supreme Genesis emphasized that it was not Kong Xuan, his heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Kong Xuan is the Supreme Singularity’s most trusted man. That is why the Supreme Singularity handed authority over the Cyclic Star Ritual Array to him. What if…what if Kong Xuan betrayed us?

The Supreme Genesis’s hair immediately stood on end. This thought suddenly took root in his heart and grew.

——

Lu Ya brought Gu Hai and Bing Ji into the skies above the fusang tree to a large city.

“This is…Lu Ya City? Crown Prince Lu Ya, is this your own conferred city?” Bing Ji asked.

Lu Ya did not answer. Instead, he flew in with the two. A thick fogbank veiled the city, preventing anyone from seeing in.

In the center of the city was a large palace called the Manifold Deity Palace.

Countless animal spirits stood guard outside the Manifold Deity Palace.

“The Manifold Deity Palace. What bold words!” Gu Hai narrowed his eyes.

“The Manifold Deity Palace? This is the most mysterious palace hall in the Solar Divine Palace. Even the Supreme Singularity has never been in there.” Bing Ji narrowed her eyes.

“I’ll bring you in to take a look today,” Lu Ya said with a cold smile.

“Bring us in to take a look? I recall that this Manifold Deity Palace is mysterious because anyone who enters never comes back out, including one of your elder sisters. Hah! Are you trying to kill us?” Bing Ji said coldly as she looked at Lu Ya.

Lu Ya landed at the Manifold Deity Palace’s entrance with the two.

“Salutations, Master!” The many animal spirit guards in the surroundings bowed respectfully.

Lu Ya ignored the guards and looked at Gu Hai and Bing Ji. “Do I need to wait until now to kill you? The Manifold Deity Palace contains an independent world, my world. Let’s go.”