Chapter 1256: One Side Breaches Contract

Chapter 1256: One Party Breaches the Pact

The moment he stepped out of the Flame Tower, the gods shrouded in black heterogeneity sent ripples through the cosmos—shockwaves that trembled the very stars.

Every gaze from the assembled immortals and deities upon this battlefield converged upon the crimson giant star.

The star quaked.

Then those gazes shifted—and settled upon Xu Qing… and upon the cage he dragged behind him!

Gazes carry weight. Especially divine ones—they press down with crushing force, capable of crushing flesh and soul alike. In that instant they fell upon him, it felt as though his body and spirit alike were being ground to dust.

Yet the gazes of the immortals surged forth in counterbalance, swiftly gathering and driving back the oppressive weight of the gods’ stares.

Thus, as Xu Qing advanced, thunder roared around him; space shattered, twisted, swayed—sometimes clear, sometimes collapsing inward.

Expressionless, Xu Qing continued dragging the cage forward until he reached the edge of the star. There, beneath countless watching eyes, he halted. His eyes turned icy, scanning the horizon.

This region lay between the Fourth and Fifth Star Rings—a former battlefield named Azure Shattered Sky for its veil of blue stellar mist.

Gazing outward, one saw the void between black and white suffused with azure fog, within which floated countless shattered stars. Interwoven like the spine of some colossal beast, their jagged forms stretched across trillions of miles through the cerulean haze.

Strange, vein-like patterns crawled across the surfaces of these broken stars. The silent standoff between gods and immortals seemed to pulse through them, causing those veins to shimmer and sending crimson ripples cascading through the surrounding firmament.

Splendor and vastness coexisted in this single breath.

Against this backdrop stood the armies of cultivators—dense as constellations, arrayed according to the orbital paths of the Fifth Star Ring, forming a celestial diagram encircling the heavens.

Their numbers were beyond reckoning—stretching endlessly into the distance.

Each point in that sea was itself a ten-thousand-strong formation.

And at the heart of every formation hovered a war drum emblazoned with the Devouring Heaven motif of Taotie.

As Xu Qing paused, the drums thundered—resounding like heavenly decree through the void.

On the opposite side of this tableau, within the black heterogeneity cloaking the divine host, countless shrunken suns pulsed—each grotesquely transformed, sprouting flesh that breathed in and exhaled corruption.

Upon each orb stood multitudes of gods—dense, boundless, endless.

Behind them loomed countless mutated masses of flesh, shaped into colossal ancient meteor bows, their bowstrings strung with entire galaxies. Now drawn taut, their trembling hum froze the battlefield in tense anticipation.

Golden meteors danced among the divine ranks, tracing arcane trajectories that wove together into a barrier spanning the entire theater of war.

Whenever the shockwaves from the cultivators’ war drums struck it, black-hole vortices bloomed upon the shield, swallowing the sound and spitting it back as twisted spectral rays.

Majestic. Unyielding.

Yet what awed both immortals and gods even more was the infinite expanse above their heads.

There—the Scroll and the Divine River faced off.

On the side of the Scroll stood the towering figure of Immortal Lord Zhanlu, whose presence expanded across the eight directions and six realms. Behind him unfurled golden-cloud patterns that stretched into a scroll covering half a star domain—every stroke inscribed with the living essence of cosmic law.

Opposite him, within the black Divine River, sat the phantom of Divine Sovereign Lizhu upon a throne forged from countless shattered universes.

His fingertips dripped power—the Divine River slowly freezing beneath his will.

Few could clearly discern their true forms—but the pressure and majesty radiating from them imprinted themselves indelibly upon every sentient being’s perception.

And now—they gazed.

Their focus fixed upon the heart of this exchange site—the ancient battlefield’s core.

There, the mists parted before their combined regard, revealing a vast altar suspended in midair!

This altar was built from three hundred and sixty massive coffins and three hundred and sixty towering trees.

The coffins were cast from demon-copper.

Green rust flaked away from their surfaces, exposing dark-red blood-ritual inscriptions beneath.

Whenever storms of star-mist swept past, the coffin lids trembled, exhaling black vapor that coalesced into horrifying, grotesque phantoms.

The trees were formed from condensed immortal crystals.

Silver-glowing immortal runes flowed across their bark, radiating incomparable vitality.

Each time black mist rose from the coffins, the immortal wood suppressed it—manifesting ethereal spirits of heroic immortals who clashed fiercely against the shadows.

This altar—crafted from such opposing forces—was the very place where the exchange would occur!

Even Xu Qing, seasoned in many wars, found himself awestruck by the sight. His eyes deepened with solemnity. After a brief pause, he lifted his foot once more.

He stepped off the crimson giant star and into the void.

The cage trailing behind him carved a dark-red trail through the stars as he walked toward the altar ahead.

At the same moment, on the divine side, the great golden barrier rippled violently. Before the eyes of countless cultivators, a god emerged from within.

This deity bore a human-like form—an adult male of middle age—but his body towered seven or eight zhang high.

His features were breathtakingly beautiful. Violet hair cascaded down to his feet, drifting as he moved. Clad in golden divine armor, his perfect proportions radiated an aura of stern grace.

As for his cultivation level—it was clearly restrained by the terms of this exchange.

He stood at the peak of the Divine Platform.

As he stepped forth, five ragged, emaciated elders trailed behind him like leashed dogs—ropes tied around their necks.

Each elder bore countless wounds, their bodies ravaged beyond recognition, faces hollowed by suffering. Their life flames flickered dimly—clear signs of years spent in brutal captivity.

These were the very human cultivators meant for exchange—each had once rendered glorious service to the Fifth Star Ring.

The sight ignited fury among the cultivator ranks. War drums pounded ever louder.

The jade-faced god, sensing this rising tide, coldly tightened the ropes around the elders’ necks with a casual tug—making them convulse in agony, as if their throats might snap at any moment.

Then—he looked directly at Xu Qing.

Instantly, tension crackled through the battlefield.

Xu Qing’s eyes flashed with frost.

Though he did not know these five lesser immortals personally, he had learned of their deeds from his commander—and he saw clearly now: the jade-faced god was provoking him.

Without hesitation, Xu Qing raised his hand.

The cage imprisoning the divine maiden dissolved instantly, transforming into chains that coiled around her limbs. With another motion, he yanked her toward him—and clamped his fingers around her throat.

Right before the eyes of all gods—even the Divine Sovereign himself—he began absorbing her primal essence!

The divine maiden trembled violently, jolted awake from unconsciousness, her face contorted in pain.

A roar erupted from the divine ranks.

Killing intent surged—fierce beyond measure.

For Xu Qing to openly drain a divine maiden’s essence in front of everyone was an unbearable provocation to the gods!

The jade-faced god stared at Xu Qing for a long moment—then, expressionless, released the ropes binding the five human cultivators.

And Xu Qing, too, loosened his grip—no longer absorbing—but instead grasped the iron chain, letting the goddess walk ahead of him.

Both sides advanced toward the central altar.

Wherever Xu Qing stepped, resplendent lotuses of celestial light bloomed beneath his feet; within him, his cultivation surged to its absolute peak.

Beneath the goddess’s bare soles, the void itself contracted. Drops of divine blood fell—not dissipating—but floating along the path behind her, each drop seemingly nurturing embryonic stars of flesh and blood from nothingness.

Yet as they pressed onward, the goddess grew ever more frail, her steps increasingly labored. With every footfall, the shackles coiled around her ankles sprouted luminous thorns that pierced deep, their pain echoing like whispers from the netherworld—reminders of all she had endured. Her withered tresses, too, seemed to murmur grievances, unraveling into stardust that drifted downward like falling ash.

Behind her, Xu Qing’s expression remained outwardly calm, yet inwardly his vigilance had reached its zenith. He stood ready for any sudden turn of fate.

A quiet unease gnawed at him.

Though he could feel countless protective gazes upon his back and the thunderous rhythm of drums echoing in support,

he and his squad had discussed many possibilities regarding why he alone had been chosen to escort this exchange—and among them loomed one chilling thought:

“If the goddess knows of this exchange… given her hatred for me, might she demand something extra?”

Xu Qing’s eyes narrowed as he watched the goddess ahead, trudging forward under his lead.

Time crept on. Xu Qing, guiding the goddess, drew ever closer to the jade-faced deity of the divine faction, nearing the asteroid belt surrounding the central altar.

When they were less than ten thousand zhang away—

“You who devour every strand of my essence,” the goddess suddenly whirled around, “shall have each one become a star piercing your fate—a curse and regret you will carry for the rest of your life!”

The strange energies of this place reignited the extinguished galaxies within her pupils, setting them ablaze with golden flame.

Xu Qing said nothing. With a sharp tug on the Godfetter Chain, ancient immortal sigils flared along its length, unleashing a force that began siphoning her essence anew.

The goddess grunted in pain. Her essence seeped from her wounds as her bare feet landed upon a drifting asteroid fragment.

The black stone beneath her writhed as if alive, staining her rust-marked robes deeper still. Meanwhile, Xu Qing’s Daoist robe stirred without wind, swirling counterclockwise into a nebular vortex around him.

This vortex drew in the leaking essence, transforming it into pulsing motes of moonlight.

Then, coolly, he spoke a single word:

“Noise.”

The goddess glared at him, gritting her teeth as she resumed walking—desperate to hasten her pace, yet bound by the chain whose tempo Xu Qing controlled.

Thus, under his measured rhythm, they closed the distance to three thousand zhang from the altar.

From here, Xu Qing could clearly see the full visage of the jade-faced god—and discern the exact condition of the five human cultivators accompanying him.

His inner disquiet intensified.

In that instant, Xu Qing’s eyes flashed. His right hand shot out, seizing the struggling goddess by the neck before she could take another step.

He sucked—violently.

This time, the suction far exceeded anything before.

Previously, he would pause after draining her dry. But now, though her essence had barely regenerated, he drained her completely—and kept pulling, as if determined to leave nothing behind, as if release were imminent and sustainability no longer mattered.

Such ruthless extraction inflicted agony beyond anything she’d known, pushing her mind to the very brink of collapse.

The divine faction erupted in fury. Roars echoed across the void; oppressive auras crashed like tidal waves. Even the jade-faced god’s expression hardened—he quickened his pace.

On the cultivator side, shock rippled through the ranks at Xu Qing’s sudden brutality.

Just as the exchange teetered on chaos, the goddess’s struggle reached its apex. Perhaps due to the strange energies of this place—or perhaps aided by unseen forces—

in that moment of unbearable torment, she unleashed a terrifying surge of power. Her shriek shattered Xu Qing’s grip.

Every iron chain binding her exploded into fragments.

Freedom—sudden and absolute!

So overwhelming was the sensation that the weakened goddess gave no thought to its plausibility. In an instant, she shot forward like a streak of light, vanishing behind the rapidly approaching jade-faced god.

She had rejoined the divine ranks!

Xu Qing’s face darkened as he stared after her. Then, abruptly, he spoke:

“You cannot escape. We will meet again.”

His words rang out—and within the radiant barrier shielding the divine front, the Star-Eyed Goddess turned back. Her golden eyes burned crimson as she locked gazes with Xu Qing. All restraint shattered; through clenched teeth, she spat the words she’d long suppressed:

“Yes! We shall meet again soon!

Xu Qing—you’ve tolerated me this whole way. Did you truly believe you held everything in your grasp? How laughably arrogant! Do you even realize—you yourself are the true object of this exchange! It was I who demanded you in the pact between my father-god and your Immortal Sovereign!”

In this extraordinary state, Xu Qing could discern truth from falsehood. All emotion vanished from his face in an instant. Calmly, he replied:

“So that’s how it is.”

As he spoke, he raised his hand—and with a single wave, everything before the goddess shattered like soap bubbles.

She was still beside him. Still gripped by the throat. Still three thousand zhang from the altar!

Stunned, her mind reeled as if struck by a cosmic storm. Her pupils contracted violently. “Impossible!” she cried. “True God Illusion—how can you wield a True God Illusion?!”

Xu Qing gave no answer. In the next breath, he sealed her consciousness and swiftly withdrew.

At that same moment, from the depths of the void, an ancient voice resonated. The frozen river of divinity at the tip of Li Zhu’s finger shattered, breaking into countless colossal icebergs that plummeted across the starry expanse.

Within each fragment descended a presence transcending time and space—manifesting as divine eyes that gazed upon all.

“Zhanlu,” the voice intoned, “your side has broken the covenant.”