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Chapter 778: Chapter 530: Spirit Ancient Dao Soldiers! Divine Ancient Evil Thought! Heavenly Court Imperial Pond! _2
Swish!!
Like ink dripping into water, Qin Zheng’s aura instantly turned dark and twisted, as if with just this single arrow he had been pulled into the polluted abyss.
Emperor Gouchen’s face was pale at this moment, seemingly having exhausted his entire Essence Qi Spirit. Yet upon seeing Qin Zheng’s state, his eyes surged with a brilliant gleam.
Though this arrow only lasted for half a month, it was enough to drag a legendary figure into pollution!
Moreover, the expenditure of that one arrow—he could restore it after the battle by cultivating for a night at the Imperial Pond!
Emperor Gouchen’s thoughts surged, but when he looked once again at the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation above his head, his expression suddenly changed.
The Immortal Slaying Sword Formation was still functioning?!
At the same time.
Whoosh~
A long exhalation echoed, and the dark, twisted essence surging around Qin Zheng instantly melted away, like the first snow meeting the scorching sun, returning him to his original appearance.
"Impossible!"
Emperor Gouchen’s pupils instantly contracted.
But before he could take the chance to shoot a second arrow, the terrifying sword-light of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation engulfed him completely like a torrential flood.
Given Qin Zheng’s current Realm and strength, combined with his inherent mastery of the Three Pure Ones’ Way, the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation’s power exceeded even when Guang Chengzi had wielded it!
Under the formation’s coverage, Emperor Gouchen could not escape. His vitality was obliterated entirely by the endless sword-light, leaving nothing but a dense Pollution Qi that transformed into a pearl suspended in midair.
...
[Emperor Gouchen (False), formed of pollution, condemned by Heaven and Earth, killing him awards five million Merit Treasure Crystals!]
...
From the Immortal Gods encountered early on to today’s Emperor Gouchen, the entries on the Merit Scroll all described beings formed of pollution, not true Polluted Bodies.
This meant that the once noble Immortal Gods—whether it was their own will or forced by the Heavenly Emperor—could not escape their demise after being polluted.
What manifests now in the world is merely formed of pollution. Even if memories are retained, their essence is no longer the same as the original Immortal Gods.
A realization welled up in Qin Zheng’s heart. He then waved his hand to retrieve the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation and collected the Pollution Pearl left behind by Emperor Gouchen into his mirrored space, while reaching toward the grand bow.
The arrow Emperor Gouchen had shot earlier—formless and intangible—could not even be blocked by the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Linglong Treasure Tower, as it had landed directly upon his Heart Sea.
Soon after, a pure yet grotesquely twisted Pollution Qi erupted in his Heart Sea, spreading through his physical body and Divine Soul within the blink of an eye.
Though the arrow caused no physical harm, it could drag an unpolluted being instantaneously into a polluted abyss.
Fortunately, at the critical moment, the Merit Scroll radiated divine light like a blazing sun, eradicating all the invading Pollution Qi within Qin Zheng’s body.
Thus, it wasn’t hard to imagine—had it been another legendary figure targeted by that arrow, they would have surely been overtaken by pollution and turned into one of its army.
The Heavenly Emperor descended from the Thirty-Three Heavens and pulled strong beings from other Great Realms into the polluted abyss, likely using the very same method!
Qin Zheng’s thoughts weighed heavy, and as he extended his hand to grasp the grand bow, an extreme chill surged forth abruptly, coinciding with the moment he touched it.
Bang!
The bow shattered apart instantly in his grip.
Qin Zheng attempted to prevent the destruction but had no time, watching helplessly as the bow crumbled into ashes. Fortunately, at that moment, the Merit Scroll trembled lightly above his Heart Sea, and a line of text promptly appeared.
...
[Heavenly Bow, Spiritual Ancient Dao Soldier, master of destruction and end. It contains Divine Ancient Evil Thought, capable of corrupting the Divine Soul and altering essence!]
...
Qin Zheng’s gaze landed upon the Merit Scroll, and upon reading its newly revealed information, his mind stirred; countless thoughts surged instantly.
Spiritual Ancient Dao Soldier... Divine Ancient Evil Thought...
While Dao Soldiers and Evil Thought were understandable, what was the meaning of Spiritual Ancient and Divine Ancient?
Moreover, ’contains Divine Ancient Evil Thought, capable of corrupting the Divine Soul and altering essence.’ Reflecting on the arrow’s earlier power...
Could it be that pollution itself is this Divine Ancient Evil Thought?
If Divine Ancient is the name of a mighty being, does pollution stem from this being’s Evil Thought?
And if Divine Ancient represents a Realm of power, then pollution must originate from the Evil Thought of that realm’s experts?
In that fleeting instant, Qin Zheng’s thoughts raced, as though he had brushed against the fundamental essence of pollution.
Coupled with the descriptor ’master of destruction and end,’ his conjectures expanded swiftly.
The Polluted Land... Could it be a tomb of a mighty figure?
A figure named Divine Ancient, or a mighty being from the Divine Ancient Realm!
The Evil Thought this being harbored before death might have soaked the entire tomb, and when the Heavenly God Haotian transcended within the Chaos Sea, it attracted the Evil Thought’s attention, drawing the Polluted Land toward the Chaos Sea.
As Haotian ascended and the Chaos Sea opened, the Evil Thought seized the opportunity to invade, attempting to pollute and assimilate the living beings in the Chaos Sea, using them as its foundation for resurrection?
Qin Zheng’s mind churned with theories, his expression growing more grave.
If this were true, then the various transcendent figures of the past who once reached the other shore and joined forces to assault the Polluted Land may have directly supplied the mighty figure’s Evil Thought with resources!
After all, with the Polluted Land drawn near to the Chaos Sea, its primary intent might have been to seize Haotian upon his transcendence. The collective actions of those earlier transcendent beings perfectly aligned with the Evil Thought’s grand scheme!
At these conclusions, Qin Zheng’s heart sank, sensing the murkiness of the heavens and earth around him, devoid of clear hope.
If beings of the Transcendence Level were merely fodder for the Evil Thought within the Polluted Land, what could the denizens of the Chaos Sea do to protect themselves?
No matter how diligently one cultivates, reaching greater heights, it would still merely fulfill the prerequisites for being harvested!
But Qin Zheng—having reached this stage of cultivation—would not let these speculations unsettle his heart so easily. He forcefully suppressed and restrained his wild musings, regaining composure.
What he pieced together was far from the truth; it was extrapolated conjecture derived from the scroll’s cryptic clues.
Moreover... Even if it were true, he possessed the Merit Scroll—this ultimate Divine Artifact—and with it, he might just defy the odds and find a way to overturn fate!
With these thoughts steady in his heart, Qin Zheng returned his focus to reality, sweeping his gaze across the desolate land around him before locking onto a certain space in the void. His eyes hesitated for a brief moment.
But within a heartbeat, Qin Zheng’s gaze steadied. He took a step forward, ascending to a higher realm of existence, arriving deep within the Heavenly Court to a tranquil domain.
Gentle breezes swept past, as towering, majestic mountains pierced through the clouds on all sides. Below the encircling peaks lay a crystal-clear lake shrouded in pure white mist.
It looked like an Immortal Realm!
Yet beneath this pristine lake lurked the darkest, most twisted, most malevolent—even the purest—source of pollution within the Chaos Sea!
Qin Zheng stepped forward a few paces, gazing down at the crystal-clear waters of the lake. Then, flipping his palm, he captured a droplet of lake water within his grasp.
Buzz!
The Merit Scroll trembled once more.
...
[Primordial Dew, supremely pure within Heaven and Earth, capable of cleansing body and mind, repelling all evils!]
...
Capable of cleansing body and mind, repelling all evils...
Qin Zheng’s brows furrowed slightly. This was the very antithesis of a source of pollution—a force that could drag one into the abyss versus one that could purify and repel all evils.
But, Heaven manifests Yin and Yang, and the Taiji produces Two Elements. Housing a source of pollution within such a supremely pure domain might be the key to maintaining balance and preserving stability.
Just as these thoughts surfaced in his mind, the mist over the lake began to dissipate, revealing a shape coming into view on the other side.
A towering figure, clad in the Emperor’s Robe, stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing at Qin Zheng with a calm demeanor. Slowly, the figure spoke: "Did you ever expect that the so-called Heavenly Court Imperial Pond would be such a pure land?"
Qin Zheng, seemingly noticing the Heavenly Emperor’s presence long ago, showed no surprise. He nodded faintly and replied: "Indeed, I didn’t expect it, but now it seems it must be so."
The Heavenly Emperor smiled softly at Qin Zheng’s words, a vast contrast to the aloof and domineering image of him from a decade prior.
He spoke no further, and the tranquility of the Heavenly Court Imperial Pond was restored once more.
Qin Zheng took the opportunity to redirect his gaze toward the depths of the lake, peering down with his keen vision. He discerned within the depths numerous cocoon-like forms being nurtured.
Inside those white cocoons resided figures—Heavenly Dao Realm beings who had been defeated ten years prior, and whom he himself had slain recently within the Eight Scenic Palace!
This Heavenly Court Imperial Pond could indeed nurture legends! 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓅𝓊𝓫.𝒸ℴ𝓶
Qin Zheng’s eyes narrowed slightly.
At that moment, the Heavenly Emperor smiled again and leisurely spoke: "You have seen what lies within the depths of the Heavenly Pond, and now you must understand their strength. Submit to this Emperor, and your death shall be spared."
