Shrouding the Heavens

Chapter 278: Chapter 283: King Combat Power

The night fell, yin energy surging to the sky, dark clouds pressing low, an inky blackness pervading all. Crows cawed mournfully, creating a scene of eerie horror.

Thousands of Yin Soldiers and their spectral steeds, men shouting and horses neighing, Iron Armor flashing, murderous intent streaking skyward, swept in like a flood, shaking the earth with an ominous rumble.𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

This scene was incredibly shocking: thousands of ferocious beasts galloping, a vast, dark horde spanning the horizon, transforming into a torrent of steel that destroyed everything in its path. Wherever their Iron Spears pointed, all turned to dust.

The yin wind howled, uprooting towering Ancient Woods, which shattered in the sky, sending wood chips and leaves flying in disarray.

This was a powerful killing intent, sweeping away everything. Trees and Ancient Vines were ripped from the ground, hurtling into the sky. Even boulders dozens of meters long shattered instantly.

Nothing could stop these Yin Soldiers and their spectral steeds; where the spear tips pointed, any tangible material would be annihilated.

"Deep within the earth lies rare treasure, and world-shocking divine treasures!"

Many cultivators couldn’t hold back, their hearts thrilled as they rushed forward.

By now, without anyone needing to say it, everyone knew that a great secret lay beneath this land. Even if it wasn’t one of the nine secret arts, it was certainly something extraordinary.

In just a moment, thousands of Yin people and Yin horses surged out. Such a massive scale was rare, making it hard to imagine what lay hidden underground.

Under the night sky, brilliance shone as many people deployed their spiritual treasures, launching attacks on the flood-like Yin Soldiers and their spectral steeds.

SNAP!

"AH..."

Something shocking happened: the dozens of cultivators at the forefront had their spiritual treasures shattered and their bodies cleaved. They met a grim fate in an instant.

Blood spurted and heads rolled. Thousands of Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses charged through, trampling dozens of bodies into pulp. There was no way to stop their advance!

The mighty Yin Soldiers, the terrifying Yin Horses—wherever their Iron Spears pointed, few cultivators could resist.

ROAR...

Thousands of Yin Soldiers roared. Black yin energy surged, rolling upward, plunging the earth into pitch-blackness as dark clouds nearly pressed down to the ground.

Everyone retreated. There were so many of them, each one terrifying. Gathered together, they struck fear into every heart; to fight them alone meant certain death.

ROAR...

Thousands of Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses roared again. The aura of death surged skyward, blasting a few cultivators from the sky. The result was tragic: trampled by the spectral steeds, they were reduced to bloody paste.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!...

From deep within the Ancient Tomb, a drumbeat resounded—heavy, mournful, and fear-inducing.

The Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses on the ground immediately took to the air, their steeds treading the void as they charged into the sky to battle.

Yin energy engulfed the sky. Thousands strong, a pitch-black mass of soldiers and horses brandished their Iron Spears and attacked the cultivators.

Everyone was greatly shocked. The might of these Yin Soldiers exceeded imagination; they could all traverse the air, an exceedingly formidable Combat Power.

Furthermore, their speed was swift, like a black tidal wave, surging forth.

There were too many cultivators in the sky; it was impossible for everyone to evade the assault. Many couldn’t escape in time and were forced to meet the enemy.

CLANG! CLANG! TWANG!...

Black mist surged and Iron Armor flashed as various Weapons clashed in a life-and-death struggle. The Yin Soldiers’ Combat Power was immense. Over a hundred cultivators were trapped within their encirclement and couldn’t hold them off.

Wherever the Iron Spears pointed, many weapons shattered and blood blossomed. The Yin Soldiers charged through; wherever their blades fell, over a hundred people were turned to pulp, meeting violent deaths.

Of course, in this process, many Yin Soldiers were also slain, turning into black mist and dissipating in the sky.

"Infinite Heavenly Venerate..."

A compassionate Daoist chant, like the grand sound of the Dao, echoed in the sky. An Ancient Daoist Temple, simple, unadorned, and made entirely of bluestone, appeared above the great tomb.

"Infinite Heavenly Venerate..."

These four words kept ringing out, like a tsunami reaching the heavens, grand and righteous. People of the Dao Yi Sacred Land had taken action, using supreme Daoist methods to suppress these fierce Yin Soldiers.

The leading voice belonged to a young Daoist nun, like a divine heavenly melody—utterly beautiful, melodious, and enchanting. This Holy Sound filled the space between heaven and earth.

From the Ancient Daoist Temple, ripples overflowed. Sound waves, like water, flowed in all directions, calming many people.

And the thousands of Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses, under the young Daoist nun’s Divine Sound, began to fade. They charged fearfully towards the ground, desperate to escape back into the Underground Palace.

"Infinite Heavenly Venerate..." The young Daoist nun’s enchanting Heavenly Sound was crystal clear, each word like a pearl dropping onto a jade plate, resonating throughout the Great Heaven and Earth.

The Yin Soldiers had nowhere to hide. They rapidly dematerialized, turning into mist. In just a moment, most of the thousands of soldiers and horses had vanished.

The Heavenly Sound flowed like water, purifying everything in all directions. The spectral troops scattered with the wind. When the enchanting voice faded, all the Yin Soldiers were gone. Even this patch of void was purified, leaving behind a scene of tranquility, with stars and moon shimmering.

Many people gasped, then couldn’t suppress their admiration. The methods of the Dao Yi Sacred Land were indeed refined and miraculous! That young Daoist nun had purified thousands of yin spirits with her immortal music, an astounding feat.

Daoist Duan De nodded, saying, "The Dao Yi Sacred Land’s little Daoist nun is indeed extraordinary. Ji Family’s future divine king, you were truly born at the wrong time. You should have been invincible in the Eastern Wastelands, but now there are several who can rival you."

"You shameless Daoist, don’t go fanning the flames." Ji Ziyue gave him a big roll of her eyes.

"Daoist, are we retreating or staying?" Ye Fan asked.

Daoist Duan De replied, "We’re just humble folk, incomparable to these disciples from the Sacred Lands. We should retreat, but the situation now is somewhat different."

Ye Fan nodded. "So many people from the various Sacred Lands have come, and the Ancient Tomb underground is clearly extraordinary. Perhaps we can fish in troubled waters?"

"Precisely, no need to rush away." Daoist Duan De deeply agreed.

Yao Xi, Ji Ziyue, and Ji Haoyue were somewhat speechless. These two discussed their plans so blatantly, without hiding anything from them.

Of course, both of them harbored ulterior motives and were certainly not genuinely consulting each other.

THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!...

Deep underground, the heavy drumbeats sounded again. Yin energy gushed out, rolling like wolf smoke, instantly covering the stars and moon, rendering everything as dark as an ocean.

Clearly, the Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses would charge out again. Many cultivators on the surface paled; the great tomb underground was exceedingly sinister, and the yin spirits seemed inexhaustible.

Purple Qi from the East arrived, brilliance filling the sky. An ethereal Immortal Palace flew above the great tomb, purple radiance sprinkling down like stardust as it rushed in, following the tomb path.

Immortal music resounded. The palace above, like celestial pavilions from the immortal world, was ethereal and dreamy, appearing unreal.

The Purple Qi rippled gently, incredibly harmonious—a most auspicious omen, perfectly suited to suppressing yin energy. Violet light, like water, extinguished the yin energy that billowed like wolf smoke.

"Have people from the Purple Mansion made a move? Was it one person, or are several young disciples performing the purification?" Ye Fan asked.

Daoist Duan De gazed up at the purple Immortal Palace and said, "If one person acted, it would indeed be remarkable. But it seems very likely that’s the case."

The Purple Qi vanished, and the great tomb calmed down. Clearly, the Sovereign below recognized that those above were formidable and did not recklessly send out more forces.

"This is very bad," Daoist Duan De frowned. "I sense something down below that is impossible to resist!"

At that moment, a Golden Ancient Ship several hundred zhang long flew over, hanging in the air, spectacular and dazzling. A sword aura slashed down, instantly causing the earth to split open.

People from the Dayan Sacred Land had taken action.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!...

Sword Qi, like a dragon and as thick as a mountain, pierced through heaven and earth. The intense killing intent was terrifying; many couldn’t help but tremble.

The powerful Sword Intent demolished everything in its path, effortlessly cutting through the earth!

Nothing could withstand it. Many people, even observing from afar, could not endure it. It was as if the heavens themselves radiated killing intent, powerful enough to shift the stars; a chill pierced to the bone. Faced with such a sword aura, people felt compelled to prostrate themselves in worship.

The Dayan Holy Sword is truly heaven-defying, Yao Xi murmured to herself. Having reached the ultimate Realm, it can slice through anything and even evolve myriad pocket dimensions.

"Such powerful strength, awing and astonishing," the Divine King Body Ji Haoyue also nodded.

Before long, the earth was sliced open. Hundreds of meters of soil were carved away, and the mysterious great tomb was about to be fully exposed to the world.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!...

The sword aura, like a True Dragon, struck the earth, causing it to tremble violently.

The sword aura met resistance. The Golden Ancient Ship, several hundred zhang long, flew away as the people from the Dayan Sacred Land withdrew their attack.

This was a Great Rift Valley. An Ancient Tomb appeared, and below it was a massive Underground Palace. It was not an ordinary tomb but resembled an Ancient City, a corner of its majestic gate now exposed to the world.

The Underground Palace, over 10,000 years old, was indestructible and perfectly preserved. It was undoubtedly inscribed with profound Dao Glyphs, rendering it immortal and allowing it to remain intact to this day.

The enormous gates of the Ancient City, previously half-open with wisps of black mist seeping out, suddenly slammed shut with a CLANG, isolating the interior from the outside world.

"The nine secret arts of the human race! Let me see what’s so special about them, why they astound the world!" the Little Celestial Roc King roared. He was the first to act, transforming into a golden streak of light and descending to the base of the Great Rift Valley, landing before the Stone Gates of the Underground Palace.

BOOM!

A pitch-black weapon, as heavy as a mountain, materialized in his hands, its weight causing the void itself to collapse. When he swung it, the void trembled with a BUZZING sound.

CLANG!

The Little Celestial Roc King wielded the Great Wilderness Halberd, striking the gates of the Underground Palace with a sound that shook the heavens; the indestructible city gates began to crack.

CLANG!

Even the immortal Underground Palace couldn’t withstand such an impact; the cracks on its gates multiplied.

Above, everyone was dumbfounded. This young King from the Celestial Roc Clan possessed world-shocking divine energy! The Dayan Holy Sword hadn’t managed to cut through the gates, yet he had forcefully smashed them open.

CLANG!

The Little Celestial Roc King swung the Great Wilderness Halberd. On the third strike, the black, malevolent halberd caused the void to tremble, and with a mighty BOOM, he shattered the colossal gates.

His strength was unparalleled. It was hard to imagine just how formidable his Combat Power was; truly, he possessed the might to uproot mountains and the spirit to overwhelm the world!

Suddenly, a sound like a surging flood erupted as countless Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses charged from the Underground Palace, seeking to kill the Little Celestial Roc King.

"You think *you* can kill *me*?!" He stood alone before the shattered gates, holding the black Great Wilderness Halberd, and bellowed, "One hundred and eight thousand swords!"

At that very moment, tens of thousands of golden rays of light burst forth. Tens of thousands of golden Great Swords shook heaven and earth—an indiscriminate assault that destroyed everything in its path.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!...

One hundred and eight thousand swords moved as one, slaughtering all the advancing Yin Soldiers and Yin Horses. Only he remained standing in the center of the field.

The Little Celestial Roc King had a robust physique. Strands of his golden hair danced wildly as if stirred by an unseen wind, blazing like a golden sun. His eyes were incredibly sharp, like unsheathed Heavenly Swords, emitting a light that struck fear into onlookers’ hearts.

"The nine secret arts of the human race! I’ll take a look at them first!" he roared, then rushed into the Underground Palace.

"This is bad! We absolutely cannot let the demon clan obtain them!" the cultivators above shouted, all springing into action and charging towards the interior of the Underground Palace.

The Yin Soldiers were relentless. To enter the city, one had to carve out a "Yin path"; there was no other way. The powerful experts forged ahead, fighting at the very forefront.

The divine body of the Jiang Family left an afterimage, flashing past and vanishing within the city gates.

The Flickering Light Saint Heir, his Holy Light dazzling and Immune to All Techniques, was like a Divine Furnace. With divine flames billowing to the heavens, he charged into the city.

Subsequently, representatives from the Dayan Sacred Land, Wanchu Sacred Land, Purple Mansion Sacred Land, and Dao Yi Sacred Land all descended, each vanishing in a flash as they entered the Underground Palace.

KILL!

The cries of battle shook the heavens. Experts from all factions and disciples of numerous Great Sects all rushed forward, unwilling to lag behind, clashing fiercely with the Yin Soldiers.

No one knew what lay in the depths of the Underground Palace or how terrifying it might be, but everyone raced onward, battling their way inside.

Amidst the swirling mist, even the Yaochi Saintess stirred. No longer maintaining her calm demeanor, she entered the Ancient City.

Afterward, Yan Ruyu, like a divine lotus blossoming and bathed in rosy light, also vanished in a flash.

"Ziyue, wait here. Don’t follow. A terrifying battle will erupt inside. I’m going in." After speaking, the future divine king of the Ji Family instantly disappeared, leaving only the phantom of a Divine Moon in his place.

Yao Xi let out a light laugh and also disappeared in the blink of an eye.

"Brother..." Little Ziyue called out but received no response.

"A perfect time for us to fish in troubled waters! Little Zhengde, let’s prepare," the shameless Daoist chuckled.

Ye Fan nodded and said, "We came only for the nine secret arts; everything else is insignificant."

"The nine secret arts will likely be very difficult to obtain. There’s probably something inside that we can’t deal with," Daoist Duan De mused, pacing back and forth without moving immediately.

KILL!... The cries of battle shook the heavens. Outside the Underground Palace, cultivators were everywhere, and Yin Soldiers were everywhere.