Chapter 52: Evergreen Confidence

Just a moment later.

At the command of Patriarch Redbright, the celestial gods, true immortals, and general commanders gathered in the main hall.

"What?"

"Go to war?"

"With that extra Dao Ancestor puppet of the Abyss Gate, how can we possibly win?" When Patriarch Redbright announced the intention to engage in a decisive battle with the Abyss Gate camp, a clamor naturally arose. They were not afraid of death, but no one was willing to throw their lives away for nothing when there was no hope at all.

Patriarch Redbright looked down at those below, then turned his head toward the side door: "Ji Ning, come out."

The celestial gods, true immortals, and general commanders were filled with doubt.

Ji Ning?

"Let Ji Ning come out? After experiencing the betrayal of his Dao partner, I'm afraid Ji Ning hasn't truly recovered yet."

"I wonder what the Patriarch means."

"Could it be that he places his hope on Ji Ning, who is on the verge of collapse?"

"Are you joking?"

They felt both resentment and sympathy for Ji Ning, and even thought that this unparalleled prodigy might never recover from this blow.

Footsteps sounded.

"Hmm?" As soon as they saw Ji Ning emerge, almost everyone was startled.

"This, this..."

"Pure Yang?"

"Impossible!"

Almost all the immortals and demons in the great hall were stunned and shocked. They all knew how great a blow Ji Ning had suffered. In their private discussions, some even thought Ji Ning might be so crushed as to become dispirited. No one expected that at the critical moment, Ji Ning would break through from Celestial Immortal to Pure Yang True Immortal!

Breaking through to Pure Yang was no easy task. After all, the Dao required a complete sudden enlightenment to break through the bottleneck, which was not so simple. Under the blow Ji Ning had suffered, with such a state of mind, it was extremely difficult for his Sword Dao to break through.

But—

The fact was right before their eyes. Ji Ning's vast Pure Yang True Immortal magical power was utterly real!

"Ji Ning has broken through to Pure Yang True Immortal. Commanding the Punishment Celestial, he can also unleash greater strength." Patriarch Subhuti sat high in the great hall, his voice booming, "I will assign nine thousand Celestial Immortals and eight hundred and ten thousand Loose Immortals under his command to form the most perfect Punishment Celestial. Then Ji Ning will lead it! The Punishment Celestial led by Ji Ning will join forces with Red Snow's Seven Radiance God to deal with the Dao Ancestor puppet."

"Now, begin leading your troops immediately and prepare for the decisive battle! This decisive battle... must crush the Wujian Gate camp in one fell swoop and protect our territory." said Patriarch Chiming.

"Yes."

All the immortals and demons snapped awake, each one immensely excited, their eyes shining.

Previously, they had seemed lost, utterly devoid of morale. Not to mention them, even Patriarch Chiming had been listless and dispirited. But now, seeing the hope of victory, all immortals and demons were filled with battle fervor, stirred with excitement, and the hot blood in their chests surged once more.

"Impressive."

"To break through under such pressure and become a Pure Yang True Immortal."

"Remarkable."

"This Ji Ning is truly formidable!"

Some immortals and demons had previously been resentful of Ji Ning, but now those feelings vanished like smoke. All they had for Ji Ning were praise and admiration! One who could turn the tide at the most critical moment of the battle... deserved their respect.

...

The army was mobilized.

Huge Yinglong dragons coiled in the air, the Pangu battle formation took shape again, and even more Xingtian deities were continuously formed.

Among them, the most awe-inspiring in might was Ji Ning's 'Northming Army'.

The current Northming Army, besides Ji Ning, had a full nine thousand Celestial Immortals and eight hundred and ten thousand Loose Immortals! This was the most perfect and consummate state of the 'Xingtian Formation'. The power of heaven and earth that this vast number of immortals could gather would reach an inconceivable level. Even Xingtian himself had created it purely in pursuit of perfection of the formation, and even Xingtian believed... that using this most perfect Xingtian deity for a Heavenly God or True Immortal was a waste, after all, they simply could not mobilize such a massive amount of power.

"Form the formation." Ji Ning gave the order.

The nine thousand Celestial Immortals dispersed around Ji Ning, like a cluster of stars surrounding him.

The eight hundred and ten thousand Loose Immortals were like countless grains of star sand, densely packed. As this profoundly mysterious great formation began to activate, the vortex of heaven and earth power above the Eight Dragon Cloud City became astonishingly immense. This was the first time the 'Xingtian Formation' had fully displayed its most powerful form in the Chiming Territory. When the number of immortals reached the perfect count, the heaven and earth power it drew surged to a staggering level.

"Rumble~~~"

The power of heaven and earth completely materialized, like enormous pillars of water. Pillars of various colors converged madly.

Huge pillars tens of thousands of feet long intertwined in the sky, twisting together, then condensed violently. Gradually... bones, muscles, and skin began to solidify, and an unprecedented gigantic 'Xingtian deity' started to take shape.

"Such a powerful aura."

"This is too strong."

"It feels almost like a True God or Patriarch."

The appearance of this mightiest Xingtian deity shocked the other immortals and demons of the Chiming Territory camp. However, they also understood that although the power contained in this Xingtian deity was immense, if it could not be mobilized, it would be a waste! After all, even among Heavenly Gods and True Immortals, many could not fully mobilize even the simplest Xingtian deity, let alone the mightiest one.

"Whoosh."

Commanding the strongest Xingtian god, Ji Ning sensed that inconceivable power.

"Rise." Ji Ning began to mobilize the power of this Xingtian god, using his heartforce to direct his divine soul, then taking his own pure yang法力 as a guide, he exerted all his strength to mobilize the power of the grand formation! The power of the Xingtian god was continuously mobilized—ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent... an inconceivable might was steadily grasped by Ji Ning.

Only what is grasped truly belongs to oneself. Otherwise, it is merely wasted.

Ji Ning finally stopped mobilizing.

"Ninety percent! It's faintly the ninety percent power of the strongest Xingtian god." Ji Ning himself was shocked, for he sensed that even a mere ten percent of this strongest Xingtian god's power far surpassed that of the Xingtian god formed earlier by three thousand Celestial Immortals and three hundred thousand loose immortals.

Fortunately, he had reached the fourth level of heartforce.

Otherwise, with his previous third level of heartforce, even if his heartforce divine soul technique were perfected, he would likely be lucky to mobilize even ten percent of the strongest Xingtian god's power.

...

From the outside, no one knew how much power Ji Ning had actually grasped.

Even the ancient war god 'Xingtian' who created the grand formation would not have believed that a True God or True Immortal could nearly fully control the power of the strongest Xingtian god.

"Good." The voice of Daoist Crimsonbright boomed, his eyes filled with battle intent. "It's time for the final battle. Kill all of the Netherworld Court."

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The murderous intent soared to the heavens, driving countless immortals and demons into a frenzy.

"Advance!" Patriarch Chiming pointed from afar at the distant City of Wujian.

Instantly, rumbling~~~ the entire army set out, blotting out the sky and covering the sun, charging directly toward the City of Wujian.

...

A vast, dark world.

"What?"

The Godking on the ten-thousand-zhang throne was enraged. "He actually broke through, becoming a Pure Yang True Immortal?"

"After such a blow, he actually broke through?"

"His heart, mind, and soul techniques were already perfected, and now he has become a Pure Yang True Immortal. Now, commanding the strongest Punishment Heavenly God... I'm afraid this single Punishment Heavenly God of Ji Ning's can rival the three great demon gods of Tunlong Mountain. I clearly foresaw his threat long ago, yet I was one step short, just one step short!" The Godking was both enraged and regretful.

...

In the City of Wujian, Patriarch Mozhu urgently summoned the Heavenly Gods, True Immortals, and various generals under his command.

Ink Bamboo Dao Ancestor looked down from above, his voice low: "As you have no doubt seen, the army of the Crimson Bright Territory is outside the city issuing a challenge! The reason they dare to come is because Ji Ning among them has broken through to become a Pure Yang True Immortal."

"Pure Yang True Immortal?"

"He became Pure Yang? Wasn't his Dao companion Yu Wei one of our people? Betrayed by his Dao companion, and he still managed to break through to become a Pure Yang True Immortal?"

The immortals and demons of the Voidgate were shocked and puzzled.

Devouring Mountain Great Sage, one of the three demon gods of Devouring Mountain, narrowed his eyes and said: "This Ji Ning is skilled at leading the Heaven Punisher formation; his power was already extraordinary before. Now that he has broken through to become a Pure Yang True Immortal, I'm afraid that the Heaven Punisher he commands alone can match our three brothers' Three-Eyed Demon God."

"Right," the Seventh Fairy of the Cloud Mist Nine Fairies frowned and said, "Last time, because of that Seven Luminaries God, we ultimately caused the army to collapse and flee, and many were slaughtered. Without the Dao Ancestor puppet, our strength is actually at a disadvantage compared to theirs. If Ji Ning and Red Snow, commanding the Heaven Punisher and Seven Luminaries God respectively, hold back the Dao Ancestor puppet, I'm afraid we will lose!"

"Mm."

Ink Bamboo Dao Ancestor above nodded: "Right, the key to this battle is whether Ji Ning and Red Snow, working together, can hold back our Dao Ancestor puppet."

"If they hold it back, they still have that Shennong's medicine! And they outnumber us. Although we have the three demon gods of Devouring Mountain, I'm afraid we might still lose." Ink Bamboo Dao Ancestor looked at Evergreen Sword Immortal: "Evergreen, the key to this battle rests on you."

"Rest assured, Dao Ancestor."

A sharp glint flashed in Evergreen Sword Immortal's eyes, his voice cold and confident: "The power of the Dao Ancestor puppet is inconceivable; even a true Dao Ancestor would find it hard to harm it. Moreover, the Dao Ancestor puppet I control is known for its agility. They probably won't be able to form a joint attack; instead, I will break them one by one."

"Right, the Dao Ancestor puppet is not so easy to deal with."

"They definitely can't stop it."

The Voidgate camp would not easily admit defeat either.

The Dao Ancestor puppet versus the Heaven Punisher and Seven Luminaries God commanded by Ji Ning and Red Snow—which side was stronger?

Neither side was absolutely certain.

"Evergreen, you bear the most important task of this war." Ink Bamboo Dao Ancestor looked at Evergreen Sword Immortal: "Whatever you do, don't disappoint me and the God King."

"Dao Ancestor, rest assured. I will surely take the heads of Ji Ning and Red Snow and present them to the Dao Ancestor and the God King." Sword intent faintly burst from Evergreen Sword Immortal's eyes, his confidence brimming.

"Mm."

Ink Bamboo Dao Ancestor then swept his gaze across the hall and said solemnly: "Then, go to battle! In this decisive battle, crush the Crimson Bright Territory and sweep them away."

"Yes." All the immortals and demons acknowledged the order.

Soon.

Above the Voidgate City appeared one after another white-faced flood dragons, bi fang birds, zhu yan beasts, and other fierce creatures, along with numerous Celestial God puppets, even Three-Eyed Demon Gods and other powerful beings with formidable auras. The most dazzling was the enormous, golden-red behemoth suspended high in the sky; it resembled a giant spider, exuding a pressure no less than that of a True God or Dao Ancestor!

For a moment, the two armies of immortals and demons faced each other from afar.

"Kill." With a sky-shaking roar, the Voidgate army charged down from the air, blotting out the sky, and surged toward the Crimson Bright Territory side.