Ha ha ha.
The cruel laughter of the Heaven-Refining Demon Sovereign echoed throughout the entire Heavenly Court.
"What? The Heaven-Refining Demon Sovereign is actually launching an attack upon us?"
"The demonic tyrant is utterly shameless."
The assembled Heavenly Court officials, along with the ten major sects' bug cultivators from Central Plains hiding within the Immortal Bug House, were utterly taken aback. They never imagined that Fang Yuan, a revered figure, would display such utter disregard for propriety by launching an attack against the Central Plains bug cultivators present.
Upon hearing this, the Star Constellation Immortal Sovereign's pallid cheeks betrayed an expression of utter helplessness. As for the Giant Sun Immortal Sovereign, he merely paused for a moment before renewing his assault upon the Star Constellation.
The very heart of the Celestial Court shimmered with dazzling starlight, pearl-like radiance sparkling throughout.
Qin Dingling witnessed this scene and was immediately reminded of the fateful battle when Fang Yuan had charged towards the Celestial Tombs of Heavenly Court: "Damn it, this again."
Without further words, Qin Dingling, Mei Gong, Tong Gong, and the others advanced once more, attempting to block Fang Yuan. They hurled various lethal techniques at him, which Fang Yuan parried with ease.
Having endured successive explosions from the Heavenly Court's qigong fruits and the assault of the Ghostly Demon Sovereign, the Heavenly Court's defenders were utterly spent. Seizing the moment, Fang Yuan unleashed his Dream Path killing technique, hypnotizing them before sealing them within the Supreme Immortal Cavity.
Witnessing the gulf between the Heavenly Court's forces and Fang Yuan, participants from the surrounding Ten Great Sects began to waver.
Suddenly, a man and a woman attacked from both flanks—Chen Zhenchi and Bu Feiyan, renowned flying Dao masters of Central Plains hailed as "Soaring Nine Heavens, Fleeting as Smoke."
With a casual flick of his fingers, Fang Yuan unleashed two finger winds that pierced them both. The famed Central Plains duo died instantly, without even a chance to struggle.
Soon, their immortal orifices fell to the ground, absorbing the residual Heavenly Qi and Earthly Qi surrounding the Celestial Court, as well as the Court's own inherent energies.
This undoubtedly exacerbated the destruction of the Celestial Court, spawning even more fissures.
Observing the remaining Zhongzhou bug immortals, Fang Yuan unleashed his killing move, launching a fierce assault upon the assembled Celestial Court forces.
Immortal Path Killing Move—Seven Slaughter Rainbow Light!
Immortal Art Slaying Technique—Dragon-Snake Sword Soul!
"BOOM!"
The Star Scatter Camp, Slender Willow Camp, Wind-Filled Tower, Cloud-Passing Tower, Sun-Moon Observatory, and several other immortal bug houses shattered one after another, as Fang Yuan systematically breached each seventh-tier immortal bug house.
"The Heavenly Court's eighth-tier bug immortals lie dead or wounded. Now only I remain to barely hold back Fang Yuan."
Fang Zheng summoned his courage, manipulating the eighth-tier immortal bug house, the Demon-Slaying Register, to unleash the Blood-Chilling Killing Technique towards Fang Yuan. Yet Fang Yuan merely exhaled a wisp of white smoke, completely deflecting Fang Zheng's attack.
Fang Zheng's face betrayed his dismay: "Such a disparity is simply..."
Fang Yuan merely cast a faint glance at the Demon-Slaying Register before once again unleashing the Dream Path killing move. Fang Zheng felt, vaguely, that Fang Yuan's gaze had pierced through the register to fix upon him.
Throughout this, he diligently refined the immortal bugs within the Immortal Bug House, reaping substantial rewards. Having already attained the rank of Dao Revered One, Fang Yuan now faced Heavenly Court forces not even at the level of Sub-Immortal Revered Ones—how could they possibly withstand his assault?
Before long, all were defeated. Some were slain by Fang Yuan, others captured through his Dream Path killing technique. Naturally, a few managed to escape unscathed, but Fang Yuan paid them little heed.
For instance, when Fang Yuan attempted to partially refine the Love Parasite, it once again asserted its power, carrying Zhao Lianyun away. Fang Yuan did not pursue further, merely conducting reconnaissance to ascertain that Zhao Lianyun's current location posed no threat to him, thus leaving the matter be.
Truth be told, Fang Yuan harbored a measure of apprehension towards this legendary immortal bug from the Human Ancestor's Transmission—the very key the Crimson Lotus Immortal had used to shatter destiny. This was a critical juncture in his plan; there could be no room for error.
With the three Immortals—Constellation, Giant Sun, and Ghostly Soul—now locked in combat, Fang Yuan could potentially seize the opportunity to slay all three, thereby mitigating the drawbacks of the Supreme Immortal Orifice.
"That sly fox Fang Yuan," Giant Sun cursed inwardly, "even at a moment like this, he still hasn't forgotten to reap benefits, leaving me to face Constellation alone." Clearly, Giant Sun was unwilling to watch Fang Yuan steadily gather advantages.
Most infuriatingly, Fang Yuan had even seized the Demon-Slaying Register—a tome containing vast records of Blood Path achievements, including the Bloodline Immortal Parasite he coveted so deeply.
Ignoring the gaze of the Immortal Sovereign Ju Yang, Fang Yuan pressed onward into the depths of the Celestial Court.
Seizing this opportunity, he returned to the Soul-Sealing Hall, storing his split soul and the Ancestral Spirit of the Primordial Qi within his Immortal Cavity.
The Soul-Binding Hall remained in its original location. Truth be told, even the Constellations hadn't anticipated that after their revival, the Celestial Court would fall to an outsider's assault.
Incidentally, he also claimed the Celestial Vine, hailed as the Tenth Heaven of the World.
Originally, the Yuan Lotus Will had intended to merge with it, using the Celestial Fruit nurtured by the vine to sever the Heavenly Will. Alas, Fang Yuan, that rogue, had intercepted it.
Naturally, Fang Yuan did not neglect to reclaim the Imperial Treasure of Life.
Having accomplished all this, Fang Yuan proceeded to voraciously absorb the immortal orifices left behind by the fallen Gu Immortals of Central Plains. The remnants of the Ten Great Sects of the Central Plains numbered well over a hundred, representing a truly immense haul.
Just then, Fang Yuan sensed the aura of another immortal bug. He seemed somewhat shocked as he exclaimed,
"This is the fluctuation of the Nine-Transformation Immortal Bug! Who would have thought the Celestial Court possessed a second immortal bug besides the Love Bug?! This aura is..."
Fang Yuan hastily probed the situation, attempting to discern the nature of this immortal bug.
But just then, the Star Deity Immortal, having freed his hands, activated a grand formation.
The Five Divine Halls, the Central Grand Hall, the Sky-Watching Tower, the Lake of Forgotten Paths, the Pavilion of Departing Fire, the Star-Magnetic Ridge, the Waterwood Clear-Flower Garden, the Pavilion of One-Shortfall Regret, the Immortal Emperor's Garden, the Empty-Containing Pavilion, the Sumeru Marsh, the Constant-Sand Cave, the Gallery of a Million Heavenly Kings, the Embroidered Tower, the Central Grand Hall,
Lotus Immortal Pool, Bright Moon Treasure Light Hall, Central Heavenly Gate, Renowned Palace, Sun Palace, Twelve Dao Spirit Gates, and several Immortal Parasite Chambers—all were interconnected through the celestial court's Dao traces.
Together they formed an unparalleled grand formation, successfully halting Fang Yuan's advance.
By the time Fang Yuan broke free, the Divine Emperor City had already flown far away towards the constellations. Only the celestial insects left behind by the Heavenly Court to record its million-year-old true teachings remained at the original site. Infuriated, Fang Yuan reluctantly chose to collect the million-year-old true teachings accumulated by the Heavenly Court.
Yet just as he prepared to seize them, the Heavenly Court's Wisdom Dao traces flickered. The immortal insects shattered one after another. Fang Yuan forcibly suppressed them, retaining only a small fraction.
His face darkened, and he gritted his teeth, snarling, "Well done, Xingxu."
As the Divine Emperor City swiftly flew towards the Star Deity with the Nine-Transformation Immortal Parasite, the Great Yang Immortal Sovereign swiftly discerned the critical nature of the situation. Shocked, he exclaimed, "It is the Nine-Transformation Derivation Parasite!"
The Great Yang Immortal Sovereign hastened to intervene. Yet, they were currently within the Heavenly Court. Even with the combined might of Fang Yuan, the Great Yang, and the Ghostly Soul Immortal Sovereigns, they would struggle to withstand the Star Deity.
Moreover, Ghost Soul had been forcibly suppressed by Star Constellation, and Fang Yuan was far away. Grand Immortal Sun found himself struggling to hold the line alone. Ultimately, Star Constellation succeeded, and the Divine Emperor City returned to his side.
"Immortal Sovereign Xingxu, you truly live up to your reputation as one who attained sovereignty through wisdom. What a masterful scheme indeed.
I had assumed Fang Yuan reaped the greatest rewards from the Mad Demon's Den battle, yet it turns out you were the true beneficiary. No wonder my fortune felt perpetually low whenever I examined my luck, and why my fate-slaying techniques targeted you rather than Fang Yuan."
"If I'm not mistaken, the location where the Derivation Parasite once resided has been transformed by you into a Derivation Immortal Array. You must have harnessed this array to propel your sect's advancement. I suspect Qin Dingling has already been drawn into it."
The Immortal Sovereign of the Constellations remained expressionless, offering no reply.
Seeing his demeanor, the Immortal Sovereign of the Giant Sun understood further words were futile. He ceased conserving his immortal energy and launched a full-force assault: Fang Yuan, with the Celestial Court now in this state, do you still intend to shirk your responsibilities?"
Fang Yuan's expression grew cold. "Of course not. Juyang, the Celestial Sovereign of the Constellations, has likely already surpassed us. Should she succeed in reviving the Primordial Celestial Sovereign, the Five Domains and the Dark Heavens may well fall under the Celestial Court's dominion once more."
However, Fang Yuan did not immediately turn to confront Xingxu. Instead, he began exploiting the vulnerabilities and fractured fissures within the Celestial Court's cavernous realm to launch his assault.
A thunderous crash echoed.
Large sections of the Celestial Court's cavernous realm shattered, scattering towards Central Continent.
The scenario Xingxu Immortal Lord dreaded most had indeed materialised. Though she had recently refined the Heavenly Court's wisdom-path traces, within that realm she was bound by countless such imprints, granting her formidable combat prowess.
Yet should the Heavenly Court be shattered, the concentrated wisdom-path traces she had assimilated would scatter, causing her strength to steadily wane.
The Celestial Court was both the Star Deity Immortal's greatest source of power and her greatest vulnerability—the true reason lay precisely here.
The Giant Sun, observing Fang Yuan's actions, instantly grasped his intent. He intensified his assault on the Qi Gong Fruit and the Divine Emperor City, denying the Star Deity any respite, while simultaneously launching psychological attacks against her.
"Ha ha ha! Celestial Star, you'd do well to abandon your endeavours at once. Should you relinquish your quest to resurrect the Primordial Immortal Sovereign and surrender the Derivation Parasite, I shall depart forthwith with my companion, Great Love Immortal. I might even offer compensation. What say you?"
Naturally, she gave no credence to Giant Sun's deceitful words. Already wounded and unhealed, Celestial Star's gaze fell upon Giant Sun and Fang Yuan, her uneasy foreboding intensifying.
As for Fang Yuan, he feigned urgency in destroying the Celestial Court while secretly anticipating the clash between Juyang and Xingxu. By this point, the bulk of his objectives in this battle had been achieved; only the final touches remained.
The gains from this conflict were immense. The sole regret was not seizing the Derivation Parasite. Had Fang Yuan done so, the Immortal Sovereign Juyang might not have intervened to block Xingxu, introducing unforeseen complications.
"After all, it was merely a Nine-Transformation Immortal Parasite. Hardly worth expending such effort, nor risking war with the Celestial Court."