406: Chapter 397 The Sixth Incarnation: Heavenly Venerable (85)

The auras of the other Ancient Venerables also erupted, each manifesting a vision of their Root Great Dao.

Although they were shocked and even felt a trace of chill at the strength displayed by Shang Qing and Yu Qing, as well as destiny's schemes, as the Dao Lord of Time said, as fellow controllers at the Root level, who was stronger or weaker could not be determined by Dao cultivation Realm alone!

Understanding of the Great Dao, application of Divine Abilities, combat experience, accumulation of foundation, and even Heart-Nature and calculation were all keys to determining victory or defeat.

They had traversed eternity and experienced countless tribulations; how could they be intimidated before the battle by the performance of two "up-and-comers"?

destiny's methods were indeed shocking to the world, sacrificing himself and using the Blood Sacrifice of the heavens as a furnace to forcibly push two new Daos to the Root level. This shrewdness, courage, and calculation made them wary.

But that was all!

The opportunity for Soul Transformation was right before their eyes; why would they hand it over just because of a little wariness?

"You want the Soul Transformation opportunity? Have you asked this seat?!"

"destiny is already dead. You two are nothing more than the remnants of two remnant Souls; are you even worthy of competing?"

"Let our skills show the truth!"

"Kill!"

Cold, tyrannical, greedy, and murderous thoughts collided fiercely in the Void Realm.

The nine Most Ancient Dao Lords, after their initial shock and wariness, quickly reached a cold tacit understanding—to first join forces and completely suppress, or even... devour these two biggest variables, these "newly promoted" Root Dao Lords who had achieved Perfection in their Dao cultivation and were born from destiny's corpse!

By dividing their Dao fruits, they might be able to gain a greater advantage in the upcoming struggle for "Soul Transformation"!

As for how they would compete with each other afterward, that was a matter for later!

"Heh, stubborn and foolish."

Facing the towering killing intent and the momentum of the nine Ancient Venerables joining forces, Dao Lord Shang Qing's expression remained indifferent, but deep in his eyes, the silver-white light of the Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate became increasingly brilliant and cold.

"In that case, I shall let you all witness what it truly means... that Heavenly Mandate cannot be defied!"

As his voice fell, Dao Lord Shang Qing did not continue to weave a great net with Karma Threads or use the trajectory of Heavenly Mandate to interfere, as the Ancient Venerables had expected.

He made a move that caught everyone by surprise!

He held his hands together in front of his chest, forming an ancient and profound seal.

In an instant, the aura around him changed abruptly. That originally pure and vast Dao Rhyme of Karma and Heavenly Mandate suddenly collapsed and condensed inward, as if turning into a silver-white, constantly rotating core.

At the same time, six distinct phantom images, which were faintly but deeply connected to the Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate, slowly emerged behind him, beside him, and even from the profound nothingness!

These six phantom images were the other six Daos held by Dao Lord Shang Qing besides the Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate.

"Burn!"

Dao Lord Shang Qing's voice was cold and decisive, like a final judgment. He slammed his joined hands downward!

Boom—!!!

The six Great Dao seal phantoms floating behind him erupted with a final light the moment his voice fell, and then, like lamp oil being ignited, they burned with a roar!

It was not fire, but a kind of Dao Rhyme, a kind of Law, an "imprint" itself being violently consumed and disintegrated, turning into the burning of the purest Origin power and "Dao" information!

Six different colored flames of light soared into the sky. They did not dissipate but were instead like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, being crazily devoured and absorbed by that silver-white core of the Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate—that constantly rotating silver-white light wheel!

Although these six Great Daos were not Root Daos, Dao Lord Shang Qing had held them for countless years, and they contained majestic Dao Rhyme and information.

At this moment, Shang Qing burned and sacrificed them without hesitation, turning them into the purest "firewood," all of which was injected into his primary, newly born, yet direct-to-the-essence-of-destiny "Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate"!

Receiving the infusion of the majestic "firewood" formed by the burning of these Six Great Dao Seals, the Dao Rhyme of Karma and Heavenly Mandate on Dao Lord Shang Qing instantly expanded and sublimated to an unimaginable height!

The silver-white light wheel rotated rapidly, its light so intense it seemed to shine through eternal time and space. Countless clearer, more complex, tougher, and more terrifying Karma Threads surged out from the light wheel. They were no longer scattered and guiding as before, but... all pointed toward one direction, one source, a "Cause" that all Ancient Venerables could not avoid or cut off!

That was—the heaven-towering killing sins they had jointly initiated, burying the myriad worlds and blood-sacrificing countless living beings! An immeasurable debt of blood!

"Not good!" The Dao Lord of Time was the first to react, his face changing drastically. "He is triggering the Karma and Karmic Hindrance of our slaughter of the heavens!"

"Stop him!" Dao Lord of Order's voice was urgent, and the Chains of Order frantically strangled forward, attempting to interrupt Shang Qing's casting.

"Kill!" The Ancient Venerables of death, Chaos, and others also realized something was wrong. Various killing moves overwhelmed Shang Qing, and even their offensive against Yu Qing was temporarily slowed!

However, it was already too late!

With the help of the majestic "firewood" from the burning of the Six Great Dao Seals, Shang Qing's Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate was instantly pushed to the extreme. In an inconceivable way, it crossed the barriers of time, space, and Dao principles to directly, forcibly, and completely trigger the... Karma and Karmic Hindrance that was entangled around the nine Most Ancient Dao Lords, heavy enough to crush a great world, formed from the annihilation of countless living beings and the collapse of infinite worlds!

"Blood for blood, Karma follows the body. This is... the principle of heaven and earth, the iron rule of Karma!" Dao Lord Shang Qing's voice was like a great bell, echoing in the depths of every Ancient Venerable's Soul. "Did you all think that by slaughtering the heavens and blood-sacrificing all spirits, you could enjoy the fruits without paying any price? Today, I shall let you taste the fruit of backlash formed by this immeasurable blood debt, this resentment of the heavens, and these infinite Karmas that you personally severed!"

Buzz—!!

The Void Realm trembled, and the Laws wailed!

It did not come from Shang Qing's attack, but from the nine Most Ancient Dao Lords themselves!

From the depths of their Dao fruits!

From the inseparable, most fundamental "connection" between them and this world, and the myriad worlds they had destroyed!

"Ugh, ah—!"

The first to be hit was the Dao Lord of Death, whose killing sins were the heaviest and whose aura was the coldest!

His surrounding Death Domain suddenly stalled, then began to churn violently!

Countless grey phantoms, full of despair, unwillingness, anger, and curses, like resentful Souls crawling out from the deepest part of Hell, crazily emerged from his Dao fruit, his aura, and even the phantom of the Great Dao of death he manifested!

Those were the infinite living beings he had ended. Their deepest resentment and curses before death, under the extreme triggering of the Dao of Karma and Heavenly Mandate, turned into the most vicious and direct backlash of Karma, impacting his Dao Heart, eroding his Dao fruit, and biting his Divine Soul!

"Damn it! Mere remnants of ants..."

The Dao Lord of Death was both shocked and furious. His grey divine light fluctuated violently, and he had to distract himself to suppress the rampaging Karma and resentment within his body.