Without any surprise, the terrifying battle erupted once again.
The overwhelming fluctuations swept through the entire sea of time and space, stirring up boundless waves. Even the moon at the end of the sky trembled, battered by the surging tides, as if it might fall at any moment.
Five Ancestral Gods, primordial deities of the highest order, had appeared, intent on seizing the portion of origin belonging to Taixuan Ancestral God.
Such a situation was extremely rare, especially in these turbulent times.
Each Ancestral God hid deeply, rarely revealing themselves, fearing the karma and calamities that might follow.
However, for that portion of origin, these five Ancestral Gods were willing to take the risk, even though they knew it was a trap, a bait.
Of course, they were confident in their own strength, unafraid of any opponent, especially now that five beings of the same level had appeared together. They had no reservations.
"If you want my divine authority, then come and take it. Although I am no longer at my peak, I can still severely injure one of you with all my might. Then, I'll see if you too will fall prey to others coveting your divine authority..."
Taixuan Ancestral God stood amidst the boundless waves, divine halos radiating around her, one after another.
Three thousand divine kingdoms shone brightly, dazzling and majestic, unleashing boundless power.
Her eyes were cold, her lips curled into a icy smile, filled with indifference, disdain, and mockery.
Vast divine power surrounded her, as if she were encircled by stars. With every movement, she wielded terrifying forces capable of sweeping everything away, facing the Ancestral Gods who were charging at her.
In the collisions between their palms and fingers, worlds were born and destroyed, chaotic energy erupted, as if countless universes were being created. Billions of divine rays burst forth, spreading across the surrounding time and space.
"In your current state, thinking you can severely injure one of us is nothing but a pipe dream. Taixuan, don't think your words can shake our resolve. The path of the gods has reached its end. You might as well accept your fate and contribute your power to the continuation of the divine path. It might even spare you some pain."
The Ancestral God with nine heads and nine wings sneered, its eyes as cold as eternal ice.
Its true form was unimaginably vast, shrouded in endless shadowy mist. Even the towering waves crashing toward the sky could not shake it, making it appear utterly terrifying.
As its wings flapped, it seemed as if universes and worlds were collapsing and being destroyed. Each wing was inscribed with countless divine runes, massive and radiant, rotating like black holes, causing all nearby laws and matter to collapse and disintegrate into dust.
Whether it was a universe or a great world, they were nothing more than fragile bubbles before the sweep of its wings.
Ripples of time and space spread out, layer upon layer, continuously impacting and destroying the divine kingdom projections around Taixuan Ancestral God, grinding away at her divine halos.
This was an incredibly fearsome power, capable of erasing even the true Great Dao.
At this moment, all nine of its wings were flapping, creating a massive storm.
Various ancient and terrifying visions emerged one after another: a river of time submerged in a sea of blood, black blood dripping from the edge of the sky, the blood-stained corpse of an emperor falling from the heavens...
These were the divine forms etched into its wings, witnessed or experienced by it, all real events that had occurred in the world.
Even in various universes and timelines, records of these bizarre and forbidden events still existed.
Although the path of the gods had declined and faded into obscurity in the Vast Expanse, in many regions and universes, tales and legends of this ancient deity could still be heard, and temples enshrining its image could still be found.
From all this, one could still glimpse the terror and might of these Ancestral Gods.
"How laughable. Let's see what you're capable of."
Taixuan Ancestral God spoke indifferently, her words resonating with divine power, transforming into thousands of divine punishment swords that roared toward her enemies.
At this moment, she was like a ruler reigning over all worlds, representing the heavens to deliver judgment. Her words became law, and the Great Dao resonated with her, condensing terrifying symbols in the void that blasted forward.
This display of power was overwhelming. Facing five Ancestral Gods of the same level, she showed no fear whatsoever.
"A wise man knows when to yield. Taixuan, having come this far, you should understand that the path of the gods has reached its end, on the verge of collapse. We have been stagnant for countless years. Since you wish for the divine path to regain its former glory, why not be generous and成全 us?"
The sneering voice of the nine-headed, nine-winged Ancestral God echoed across the sea of time and space, causing tremors in various universes and timelines, giving rise to terrifying visions. In many regions, powerful cultivators and beings trembled in fear and awe.
Although this place existed in a dimension beyond the world, it still affected the present in various great universes and timelines.
At the same time, its wings flapped forward, as if rotating and crushing worlds, accompanied by a storm of the Great Dao, blocking Taixuan Ancestral God's attacks.
The other four Ancestral Gods stepped forward, walking on the waves of the sea of time and space.
Their expressions were cold as they each employed their unique methods, attacking from different directions. Like wolves hunting a tiger, they surrounded Taixuan Ancestral God, intending to trap her completely and leave her no chance of escape.
As for the earlier words, they were completely unfazed. They had no effect on their state of mind or decisions, let alone动摇 their goals and desires.
The Nine Ao Ancestral God and Taixuan Ancestral God had an irreconcilable grudge.
This time, the Nine Ao Ancestral God had chosen to strike while Taixuan Ancestral God was weakened, a plan it had long contemplated.
The others had not been persuaded by the Nine Ao Ancestral God.
They had their own reasons. Who wouldn't covet the divine authority of an Ancestral God?
The fall of an Ancestral God would inevitably lead to a new generation of deities inheriting their divine authority, divine kingdoms, and followers. This was the destiny of the primordial gods.
Unless the Ancestral God was completely erased from existence, leaving no trace or karma behind.
But what kind of existence could completely annihilate an Ancestral God?
That was something far beyond their current considerations.
"Back then, I shouldn't have shown mercy because of the legacy of the previous Nine Ao Deity. If I had eradicated the root of the problem, I wouldn't be facing so much trouble today. Let's see if you've made any progress over all these epochs."
Taixuan Ancestral God responded coldly, her emotions unshaken by these words.
The nine-headed, nine-winged Ancestral God was named Nine Ao, though it was not a true primordial deity. Even its current name was inherited from the previous Nine Ao Deity.
The divine system had many ways of inheritance, and taking on the name of a previous deity was not uncommon.
However, the grudge between Taixuan Ancestral God and the current Nine Ao Ancestral God dated back to before the latter had inherited this divine name.
That the two would immediately engage in a life-and-death battle was something the other Ancestral Gods had expected.
"How laughable. Back then, you took advantage of the fact that I hadn't fully inherited the divine name and hadn't fully mastered this power, trying to seize the legacy left by the previous Nine Ao Deity. If it weren't for Taisu Ancestral God stopping you, Taixuan, you would have already taken it for yourself. Now you speak as if you were justified. Your current predicament is well-deserved."
Hearing this, the Nine Ao Ancestral God's expression darkened, its tone growing even more hostile.
Its nine pairs of wings flapped, unleashing vast and mighty power. All surrounding matter began to boil, then violently erupt, before silently disintegrating. At this moment, it was like a black hole, devouring everything that came near.
This kind of power was simply unimaginable. It swept through the area, instantly obscuring the sea of time and space.
Taixuan Ancestral God's expression was now completely cold, devoid of any other emotion. She extended a slender, jade-like hand and casually swiped forward. The motion was simple, without any trace of grandeur, yet this single palm strike managed to block all of Nine Ao Ancestral God's power.
Around her body, a hazy glow appeared. Upon closer inspection, one could see that it was composed of three thousand divine flames, forming an impenetrable domain that made her invincible.
Moreover, in her palm, ancient symbols condensed, and the power of reincarnation alternated, driving the rotation of the sun and moon, the movement of stars, all crashing forward together.
When the two terrifying forces collided, the area was instantly vaporized. Even the sea of time and space sank significantly. Many mysterious and bizarre creatures living within it screamed as they turned to ash, leaving nothing behind.
It was hard to imagine the chaos and calamity such power would unleash if it descended upon the mortal world.
Even Ancestral Dao realm experts who had survived seven Heavenly Decline Tribulations would tremble in fear before such power.
"It seems your strength has indeed diminished greatly." Nine Ao Ancestral God sneered.
"I'm stronger than before, but that's no reason for you to act so arrogantly in front of me." Taixuan Ancestral God replied coldly.
"Taixuan, you should know who left you with these injuries. Since that person had the audacity to not refine your origin but instead use it as bait, they must be trying to lure you out."
"Among the Ancestral Gods I know, including some of your enemies, none have the ability to push you to such a desperate state. I'm curious now, who exactly have you offended?"
"With so many enemies, and knowing full well that this is a trap, you still dared to show up. Should I call you confident, or just foolish?"
As Taixuan Ancestral God and Nine Ao Ancestral God clashed, the three-headed, six-armed Taisu Ancestral God, who had remained expressionless, suddenly showed a subtle change in demeanor.
The expressions of the other three Ancestral Gods also shifted slightly upon hearing this.
Taixuan Ancestral God was a special existence even among the primordial deities. She was one of the few remaining ancient Ancestral Gods still alive today.
After the end of the Innate Era, the era of coexistence between immortals and gods also came to an end.
Many primordial deities gradually retreated, hiding in various dimensions of time and space. The number of primordial deities dwindled, and among them, Ancestral Gods became exceedingly rare.
In terms of heritage and origins, the Ancestral Gods present here were far inferior to Taixuan Ancestral God, which was why they coveted her divine authority so much.
The Taixuan Divine Realm she had founded was a renowned and vast divine kingdom within the divine civilization system, its strength and heritage no less than those of the supreme true worlds.
"There aren't many beings in the Vast Expanse who could push Taixuan to such a state, forcing her to sever an arm and abandon her origin to escape..."
"Although this is the sea of time and space, with coordinates that are elusive and constantly changing, the one who set this bait must also have the means to descend at any moment."
"When that happens, there will be another competitor. So we must act quickly to avoid complications..."
The three Ancestral Gods exchanged glances and quickly made a decision. One of them took the lead, unleashing vast divine power that blotted out the sky and earth as it surged toward Taixuan Ancestral God.
Only Taisu Ancestral God did not move. Its eyes flickered with contemplation, as if weighing something, occasionally glancing at the Ancestral God origin shrouded in dense divine matter in the distance.
"Taixuan is no fool. Knowing full well that this is bait and a trap, she still chose to appear. Even in her weakened state, why would she do this?" It looked at Taixuan Ancestral God with confusion, then turned its gaze to the origin.
Within the hazy glow, the jade arm wrapped in divine matter was crystal clear, delicate, and pure, like the most perfect work of art, quietly suspended in the void.
No matter how fiercely the Ancestral Gods fought around it, it remained unmoved, as if it were at the eye of the storm, unaffected by any interference.
High in the sky, on the dim moon, a crystalline fishing line hung down, completely unconcealed.
Using the origin of an Ancestral God as bait and openly fishing in such a manner was beyond arrogance—it was outright recklessness.
"Are they truly confident that no one can take the bait? Or do they simply not care about it? Who could be behind this?" Taisu Ancestral God's gaze was deep.
Just as it pondered this, the situation in the ongoing battle suddenly changed.
A radiant Ancestral God, shining like the sun, suddenly abandoned its fight with Taixuan Ancestral God and turned toward the Ancestral God origin, clearly intent on seizing it.
At the same time, another Ancestral God also made its move. The two seemed to have coordinated in advance, striking at the perfect moment, completely disregarding Taixuan Ancestral God, who was still engaged in battle with several others.
Taixuan Ancestral God, held back by Nine Ao Ancestral God, had no time to react and could only watch coldly as this unfolded.
"Chu Wu, Hao Jin, what do you think you're doing?" Nine Ao Ancestral God's expression also changed, becoming grim. It had no intention of being left to deal with Taixuan Ancestral God alone while others reaped the benefits.
Who knew if these two would seize the origin and flee, abandoning the rest?
"The one behind this fishing scheme will likely descend soon. If we don't take the bait now, it'll be too late when they arrive. Nine Ao, please hold off Taixuan Ancestral God for us. We'll repay you generously in the future." The Ancestral God named Chu Wu laughed loudly, reaching out with a massive hand to grab the fishing hook, line, and bait all at once.
"You want to use me to stall her? Don't be ridiculous."
Nine Ao Ancestral God's expression turned ugly, and it roared in anger, abandoning Taixuan Ancestral God and also rushing toward the origin.
It had never expected that the group, who had agreed to work together to deal with Taixuan Ancestral God and share her divine authority, would suddenly turn on each other and go for the origin instead.
Perhaps in their eyes, killing Taixuan Ancestral God and seizing her divine authority was far more difficult than taking this portion of her origin.
Terrifying mist surged around Nine Ao Ancestral God, as if the true Nine Nether Hell had descended upon the world.
"How dare you!" Taixuan Ancestral God's eyes turned even colder. She hadn't expected her enemies to abandon her so quickly and turn to seize her origin.
Her robes fluttered, the belt at her waist swaying as she swiftly charged forward. Her remaining jade-like hand formed an ancient seal, striking out with a devastating force.
The entire sea of time and space trembled and wailed. The sky seemed on the verge of collapsing, and even the void began to crack.
The two Ancestral Gods who had tried to seize the origin cursed and dodged, unwilling to face Taixuan Ancestral God's palm strike head-on.
"In that case, I'll gladly take the origin. You short-sighted fools..."
Seizing the opportunity, Nine Ao Ancestral God reached out, about to grab the fishing line and take it away.
But at that very moment, silently and without warning, a massive hand emerged from behind the dim moon. It was vast and boundless, surrounded by a torrent of terrifying aura. The previously turbulent sea of time and space instantly fell into dead silence, as if time itself had frozen.
The hand descended—or rather, it clenched down, as if trying to grab an insect.
Nine Ao Ancestral God's face instantly turned pale, filled with terror and disbelief. Its nine pairs of wings flapped frantically as it tried to escape.