381: Chapter 372 The Sixth Incarnation: Heavenly Venerable (Sixty)

More importantly, the world itself would produce an instinctive, continuous rejection and suppression against such "overly powerful, balance-breaking" manifestations of Law!

This suppression was not a tangible attack, but an invisible yet pervasive "repelling force" originating from the fundamental rules of the world.

It would constantly attempt to "push back" their true bodies into the depths of their respective Dao Origin, or forcibly "dilute" and "assimilate" their overly condensed existence.

As time passed, this suppression would grow stronger, and the consumption would increase, until their true bodies could no longer maintain their descended state and were forced to retreat, potentially even suffering significant Dao injuries!

This was the fundamental reason why they had previously acted through thought projections or Incarnations, never truly allowing their true bodies to descend onto the battlefield, even when refining the "heaven refining cauldron" or hunting Dao Monarchs!

It wasn't that they couldn't, but that the price was too high and there was a time limit!

However, Shang Qing's move of self-detonating the "heaven refining cauldron" was a blatant and unavoidable "open scheme"!

The power of the "heaven refining cauldron" self-detonation was enough to instantaneously destroy all their thought projections present!

And these projections were not simple energy constructs; they contained a portion of their Origin will and Dao insights, serving as important mediums for them to interfere with the mortal world and plan for the future.

Once destroyed, it would not only cause them to lose everything they invested in the "heaven refining cauldron" project but also subject their main bodies to violent backlash and tremors, very likely plunging them into a long slumber or period of weakness!

In this critical moment, as the "Great Golden Age" was about to reach its final climax and the "Soul Transformation" Opportunity could appear at any time, falling into a slumber?

This was no different from directly announcing their withdrawal from the ultimate competition that would determine the structure of the future era!

This was unacceptable to any Ancient Venerable aiming for "The One Dao"!

Therefore, Shang Qing didn't care at all whether they saw through his calculation. By self-detonating the "heaven refining cauldron," he forced them into a choice between only two paths:

One, sit idly by while their projections were destroyed and their main bodies suffered injuries and fell into slumber, missing the chance for Soul Transformation.

Two, regardless of the cost, descend with their true bodies, using their powerful foundations to withstand the power of the "heaven refining cauldron" self-detonation, protect themselves, and try to snatch chestnuts from the fire amidst this destruction by vying for the explosive energy mixed with the essence of countless Dao Monarchs, accumulating capital for the subsequent "Soul Transformation" struggle.

But this also meant they would be exposed to the continuous suppression of the world, their consumption would increase drastically, and they had to end the battle, achieve their goals, and retreat to the Origin before the suppression reached its critical point; otherwise, they would similarly risk injury or even backlash from the Laws of the world.

This was Shang Qing's "open scheme"!

Forcing these oldest chess players to step out from behind the scenes to the front stage and personally join the fray, engaging in the most primitive, cruel, and non-negotiable slaughter within this destructive purgatory he had personally ignited!

What he wanted was to completely muddy the waters and drag all potential competitors to the same dangerous starting line!

"Damn it!"

The thoughts of the Dao Monarch Destruction were filled with rage, but he also understood the current situation.

He looked at Dao Lord of Death's already condensing true body and felt the destructive fluctuations inside the "heaven refining cauldron" about to reach their critical point; a flash of crazed determination crossed his eyes.

"Fine! In that case, let it be as he wishes! Destruction True Body, descend!"

Boom!

Another terrifying aura descended!

"River of Time, appear!"

Dao Monarch Space was also a decisive person; the phantom images of the rivers of time and space intertwined and emerged.

"Chains of Order, suppress!"

Dao Monarch Order's true body descended.

...

One by one, the oldest Dao Monarchs, at this life-and-death moment of being cornered by an open scheme, no longer cared about hiding or the cost, and chose to descend with their true bodies!

In an instant, the Laws of the entire battlefield became completely disordered and boiled!

Gray mist of death spread, causing living beings to wither; the phantom wash of the River of Time induced the intersection of past and future Light and Shadow; the spatial structure was constantly torn and reorganized; divine Chains of Order and Chaos vortices confronted and intertwined with each other; thunderous flames of destruction burned everything...

The Laws of various root Daos collided and manifested wildly here!

Even more terrifying was that with the descent of their true bodies, an invisible yet vast and boundless pressure began to seep in from all directions, from every inch of space and every Law of the world, like invisible shackles, beginning to entwine and suppress their true bodies!

This was the rejection of the world!

Though not violent, it was continuous, causing their power circulation to become slightly sluggish and their consumption to increase sharply!

"End this quickly! Before the world's suppression reaches its limit, seize enough 'resources,' and then... wipe out all unstable factors!"

Dao Lord of Death's cold voice, like a final death knell, rang out over the Chaos battlefield filled with destructive light and violent Laws.

His true body was shrouded in billowing gray mist of death, and those eyes, containing the scenes of the end of all heavens, coldly swept over the "heaven refining cauldron" that was about to explode completely, and then over the scattered Dao Monarchs remaining on the battlefield, who were shivering under the pressure of the Ancient Venerables' true bodies and the precursor to the "heaven refining cauldron" self-detonation.

Finally, his gaze fixed on the "myriad treasures river" in the distance, which was still operating frantically to resist the destructive tide, and on the Humanity Dao Monarch Wei An atop the river, who made even him feel a trace of inexplicable threat.

"Kill!"

The cold Dao sound carried no emotion, yet it contained the purest killing intent and resolve!

Before the words had even faded, Dao Lord of Death's right hand, covered in thick gray mist of death, had already reached out like lightning—not to attack the "heaven refining cauldron," but to press down upon it!

Endless death Dao principles condensed, transforming into a giant gray hand that blotted out the sky. Within its palm, terrifying visions of billions of worlds coming to an end emerged, emitting a supreme power that returned all things to silence, as it slammed heavily onto the body of the "heaven refining cauldron," which was blindingly bright, riddled with cracks, and about to explode!

"death... Return to Silence! Suppress!"

Dao Lord of Death shouted low, attempting to use his own Dao of death to forcibly suppress and delay the explosion process of the "heaven refining cauldron"; even if only for an instant, it would be enough to win him precious time!

At the moment the giant gray hand touched the cauldron's body, sizzling sounds of corrosion were incessant. The death Dao principles and the rampaging destructive energy within the cauldron clashed violently, actually causing a minute pause in the cauldron's vibration and the eruption of light!

Meanwhile, his left hand, while suppressing the "heaven refining cauldron," had already silently formed an ancient, complex gray seal emitting an ominous aura!

Once this seal was completed, the aura of death on the entire battlefield suddenly intensified several times!

It was as if an invisible web of death, centered on him, instantly spread out, enveloping all existences on the battlefield except for the other Ancient Venerables' true bodies!