In this fleeting moment.
The divine banner pierced the sky, obscuring the sun!
All eighty thousand heavenly demon phantoms plunged into Xu Fu's body! Xu Fu's eyes were immediately infected by demonic energy, his mind trembled, countless demonic sounds circled his ears, and arose from his heart, dwelling deep within his desires, indelible!
A deafening roar echoed in his ears!
"Thank you, Jiuhuangtian, for eliminating the demonic energy."
"Yuqing Hidden Scrolls, Lesson Thirteen."
"Chapter of Annihilation!"
The divine banner fluttered, forming its own world, transforming into a demon-suppressing realm. That demon-suppressing realm swallowed an entire expanse of land, its black city walls like an iron prison, a world unto itself.
Xu Fu was suppressed by the Dust-Burden Great Sin Demon-Subduing Divine Banner and directly consumed!
This strike nearly affected Toyotomi Hideyoshi as well.
However, he had already fled after warning Xu Fu, and the divine banner's target was only Xu Fu, not him, thus he escaped with his life!
But this also filled him with both shock and anger.
Shocked that he, an existence surpassing Quasi-Immortals, far beyond the Pure Yang realm, a powerhouse even further advanced than False Immortals, was now treated like an ant, insignificant on the battlefield. And angry that he was completely disregarded by the opponent!
Not even a sliver of attention was paid to him! In fact, Toyotomi Hideyoshi sensed boundless demonic energy from that colossal divine banner, but for some reason, a great premonition had arisen in his heart the moment he saw the banner. It seemed that as soon as he approached it, he would be "subdued and refined"!
That demonic energy was not for him to absorb, nor for those demons to consume as sustenance!
That demonic energy was not some heretical cultivation method, nor a treasure that demons could wield!
That demonic energy was meant to subdue beings like himself who still retained the characteristics of demons and spirits!
"Emperor Jinmu... May you fare well! This junior truly finds no room to intervene in this battle!"
Toyotomi Hideyoshi felt his powerlessness. This was not an excuse to flee the battlefield, but how he truly felt, a sense of despair gradually spreading within him.
If he couldn't win against the Ming Dynasty... no, it was already impossible to win. The so-called victory would merely be a compromise, occupying the southern lands of Joseon, thereby expanding his territory and taking the final step towards divine ascension.
Although there were alternative methods, this one was still the most favored by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It was just a pity that Emperor Jinmu did not seem to believe this matter could succeed, which caused Toyotomi Hideyoshi some dissatisfaction.
And if he couldn't ascend.
Then, even a powerful False Immortal who coexisted with the nation would still be inferior to True Immortals and Pseudo-Immortals!
Yes, not only inferior to True Immortals, but even to Pseudo-Immortals! Toyotomi Hideyoshi had even considered becoming a Pseudo-Immortal like Xu Fu if he couldn't ascend, but just now, he had witnessed Xu Fu controlling those important False Immortals, the very pillars of his divine kingdom, to fly towards the Heavenly Gate, perishing in the process, and integrating their immortal power into the national destiny.
This was no longer the attitude of a lord towards his subordinate; it was as if they were not on the same level from the very beginning, clearly a relationship of emperor and slave!
At that moment, Toyotomi Hideyoshi realized that Xu Fu would never allow him to become a Pseudo-Immortal.
Pseudo-Immortal, in this world, there could only be one person! That was Xu Fu, that was Emperor Jinmu!
Toyotomi Hideyoshi felt a pang of bitterness.
It was at this very moment!
Xu Fu's voice echoed from the deepest part of his heart!
A rumbling roar!
"This battle indeed has no room for you to intervene! You don't need to intervene!"
"As my important pawn, you must not die innocently here. Retreat! I am not so easily refined by such a thing!"
...
Boom! The divine banner had already drawn Xu Fu into it, but at this moment, a change occurred! The banner flapped violently, and Xu Fu emerged from it as a surge of heaven and earth primal energy, gathering on the ground, still enveloped in rolling demonic energy. That demonic energy coiled around him like flames, attempting to refine him, but it failed!
"I am the Lord of the Divine Kingdom! Do you think eighty thousand heavenly demons can kill me! At least eight hundred thousand!"
Xu Fu roared, believing that such a spell could not easily kill him, a Divine Monarch!
But within the dust cloud surrounding Osaka, dark figures moved. Those shadowy figures with over a dozen arms, their jade-white arms tore towards Xu Fu like a torrential downpour!
Another series of heavy blows!
The demonic energy on Xu Fu dissipated, the demonic fire extinguished. This should have been a good thing, but it also meant that the Qi-refining divine ability he used to escape was completely torn apart by the more than ten jade-white hands!
One punch, two punches, three punches, four punches...!
The shadowy figures with over a dozen arms, their true forms unseen within the dust cloud, their fists swung with unstoppable force, each blow possessing the might to gravely wound all worldly techniques!
Xu Fu's Pseudo-Immortal foundation was once again heavily damaged, and the national destiny began to drain from him once more, enraging him, causing him to roar!
"You wish to destroy all my methods, and I shall destroy all your methods!"
"Sky-Following Cloud Sword!"
A pitch-black iron sword appeared in Xu Fu's hand. It was ancient in style but inscribed with extremely twisted and bizarre runes. This was the true Sky-Following Cloud Sword, an ancient artifact of immortals and gods, and it had received the blessings of the entire nation, not a fake product conjured by the divine position of Kagu-tsuchihiko! With this sword strike, all techniques could be shattered!
The jade-white hands that annihilated all methods, the Heavenly Venerable level divine ability "Manifestation of Majestic Power," now faced the Sky-Following Cloud Sword, which could also annihilate all methods. Neither side compared techniques, only power.
With a single strike, the Sky-Following Cloud Sword emitted a violent hum, and one of the jade-white hands showed cracks, clearly visible. Xu Fu was overjoyed and mocked, "Heavenly Demon! You possess the immortal arts to summon a Heavenly Venerable, but it seems you yourself cannot wield it freely!"
"A mere manifestation of an immortal art, can it contend with my genuine divine kingdom immortal artifact? This immortal artifact is not of the same kind as those you took before; this is a national immortal weapon that simultaneously possesses the characteristics of a 'Resonant Artifact'!"
"The worship and desires of a nation, symbolizing the highest spirit of a country. How can a mere immortal manifestation contend with my national immortal weapon that has reached the state of 'Unity of Heaven and Man'!"
Second sword, third sword, fourth sword...
The Sky-Following Cloud Sword vibrated more and more frequently, and the cracks on the jade-white hands also increased! As they clashed here, the surrounding land's spiritual energy was violently drained. The era had already entered the threshold of the Dharma-ending Age, and in the area of Osaka Castle, it had completely become a "Land of No Law"!
Apart from immortal arts, which could still be briefly employed, even Toyotomi Hideyoshi found his magic power being restricted, even draining!
He fled far away in terror, no longer daring to stay, and the great Buddhist formation used for defense beneath Osaka Castle suddenly collapsed into dust, all the Buddhist power within it erased!
Powerful spells were indeed terrifying.
But to annihilate all methods, even to completely erase the spiritual energy of a region, turning it into a绝地 (place of absolute peril), that was true great terror. Cultivators would be reduced to lambs awaiting slaughter!
Xu Fu had kept a close eye. As the two sides clashed for twenty-two moves, dense cracks appeared on the Sky-Following Cloud Sword, and only two jade-white hands remained relatively intact. Before the next sword strike, the surrounding spiritual energy had been completely depleted, and the situation looked extremely unfavorable for Xu Fu.
"If a Qi cultivator has no Qi, how can they fight?"
Ji Xiang's voice came from the dust cloud. Xu Fu, however, gave a sinister smile, and in the next moment, said, "All methods of heaven and earth are useless! Your death is imminent!"
"Penglai Immortal Art, Nine True Qi!"
Xu Fu's robes vibrated, and from his nine orifices, each generated a Qi!
This ninefold Qi flowed, forcibly snatching Ji Xiang's aura from the dust cloud!
"Do you imagine the methods of pre-Qin Qi cultivators! Mixed Qi, Cavern Qi, Bright Qi; Celestial Qi, Scenery Qi, Hidden Qi; Harmonious Qi, Blazing Qi, Evolving Qi! In ancient times, heaven and earth had the Primordial, Origin, and Profound Qi. Each of these three Qi gave birth to three more Qi, thus there are nine Qi!"
"As long as one masters one of the Primordial, Origin, or Profound Qi, one can perform the art of generating nine Qi and seize the Qi of others for one's own use! Your vitality is scattering, what else do you have to say!"
Xu Fu felt confident of victory, sensing a continuous stream of energy entering his body... within?!
His seven orifices suddenly spurted blood, Xu Fu's pupils trembled violently. At this moment, a large number of sword strikes from the dust cloud arrived before him!
Ji Xiang revealed the manifestation of the Great Sage Who Kills Ghosts, his face pale, his eyes narrow and ferocious, with over ten arms, clad in a purple robe, a golden belt, wearing a crown, surrounded by a mighty aura!
"Heaven and earth have the Primordial, Origin, and Profound Qi. If the art of Qi cultivation primarily cultivates Origin Qi, then my own aura..."
"Its origin is from the Primordial Azure Heaven, above the Azure Nether!"
In his panic, Xu Fu blocked with the Sky-Following Cloud Sword. The two divine swords clashed, their power dissipating into nothingness, but immediately afterward, the Nine True Qi surrounding Xu Fu was enveloped by a stream of white smoke and then devoured like wind sweeping away clouds!
A large amount of white smoke dispersed, then gathered back into the dust cloud like a roaring sea of clouds!
Xu Fu understood the situation in an instant, his expression changing drastically!
"Self-generated Primordial Qi! You are not a heavenly demon enlightened by Yuan Shi; you are a born celestial god!"
He had spent two thousand years creating a "man-made celestial god" in unity with heaven and man, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Before him stood someone who was born with the unity of heaven and man, a born celestial god!
Xu Fu gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with furious indignation! However, his expression quickly turned to one of utter horror!
"What Dongfang Shuo said was actually true!"
As he spoke, a magatama instantly materialized in his hand. Azure light flowed, instantly causing the heavens and earth to change color, in a moment reversing mountains and rivers, with a flick of his finger, heaven and earth repelled each other!
Ji Xiang and Xu Fu were instantly pulled far apart from their combat state, repelling each other like magnets! Ji Xiang, thinking some divine power was at play, quickly tried to stop it, but unexpectedly, Xu Fu's face turned ashen, and he roared, his words actually being:
"Yasakani no Magatama!"
"Flee!"
The vast azure light instantly spun, filling heaven and earth! In the blink of an eye, he vanished from his spot, disappearing like smoke and clouds!