The entire earth began to shake.
In an instant, demonic energy surged into the sky, and the northern horizon was completely drowned by it.
A gust of demonic wind swept through, and in that moment, sand and stones flew as the heavens and earth turned dark.
Just from the roar of the beast alone, one could judge how powerful it was.
The entire sky seemed to be covered by a layer of black demonic energy.
Xu Zimo looked up at the skies, and he could feel that at this moment, it was as though countless eyes had appeared.
They were all staring at the Heavenly Dao Academy at the same time.
The next moment, a white barrier appeared with the academy at its center, spreading outward in all directions.
It enveloped the entire Heavenly Dao Academy.
Then came mist and haze, covering everything and blocking those prying gazes.
“So lively,” Xu Zimo chuckled softly.
“What’s happening?” Pure Water asked with a solemn look in her eyes.
“Relax, it won’t involve us here just yet,” Xu Zimo replied with a smile. “When the battle fully spreads out, then it’ll affect us.”
Strange phenomena within the Heavenly Dao Academy continued to unfold.
Golden lotuses surged from the earth, layer upon layer, rising into the sky and blooming everywhere.
There were also phantoms of golden lions roaring across mountains and rivers, stepping forward to shatter void and smoke as if about to break through illusion itself.
Tornadoes formed of demonic wind swept across half the academy.
Any building without someone guarding it was mostly destroyed.
Cracks in the ground spread from just a few dozen at first to hundreds and thousands.
The cracks multiplied and even turned into gorges.
In an instant, wind and storm raged, heaven and earth lost their color, sun and moon seemed to vanish.
A streak of light shot from the edge of the horizon, slamming hard into the white barrier outside the academy.
With a loud boom, the barrier exploded in ripples and waves of light.
A figure in purple robes dispersed the mist, appearing outside the barrier.
This purple-robed figure gave off an aura of grandeur.
Standing in the heavens, it felt as though he alone suppressed the sky. Thunder surged faintly around him.
Crackling bursts of lightning erupted around his body.
His purple robe fluttered in the fierce wind.
The man’s gaze carried a faint pressure as he looked toward the Heavenly Dao Academy.
His voice thundered, “Where is Night Blade?”
The sound carried supreme majesty, echoing throughout the entire academy.
“Who is Night Blade?” Xu Zimo turned to Pure Water and asked.
“You don’t even know that?” Pure Water said helplessly. “Have you never studied the history of our Heavenly Dao Academy?”
Xu Zimo shook his head with a smile.
“Our academy was founded by the Ten Sages. Night Blade was the disciple of the Lightflow Swordsage, one of the Ten Sages. He is also one of the oldest living ancestors of our Heavenly Dao Academy,” Pure Water explained.
Xu Zimo nodded slightly, his gaze turning to the purple-robed man in the sky.
He said, “His clothing looks familiar.”
“That’s the uniform of the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground, no wonder it looks familiar,” Pure Water snorted.
“This man should be none other than Ancestor Thunder Demon, war general of the Thunder Emperor, the third Grand Emperor of the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground.”
“Imperial Throne Sacred Ground?” Hearing this, Xu Zimo finally remembered.
He had once had enmity with the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground.
Back then, he had slain Xiang Kunlun, the Holy Son of the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground. But since it had been a fair duel, and Xu Zimo himself was the Holy Son of the True Martial Sacred Ground, the matter had been left unresolved.
Unexpectedly, they were meeting again now.
“They say seven lineages are leading the attack on Heavenly Dao Academy. It seems the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground is one of them,” Xu Zimo said with a laugh.
…
At this moment in the heavens, as Ancestor Thunder Demon’s voice fell, another figure from within the academy strode out into the sky to face him.
This figure was none other than the academy’s vice dean, Li Changhe.
Clad in white robes, with the air of an immortal, he met the other’s gaze with overwhelming presence.
“May I ask why Lord Thunder Demon has come to my Heavenly Dao Academy?” Li Changhe asked.
“Vice Dean Li, let us not beat around the bush. I want the Glazed Lamp of the Glazed Hall. Give it to me, and my Imperial Throne Sacred Ground will immediately withdraw from this battle,” Ancestor Thunder Demon said indifferently.
“Thunder Demon, when North Emperor was young, he once trained at my Heavenly Dao Academy. He was taught by our Sages. Now your Imperial Throne Sacred Ground would attack us?” Li Changhe said coldly.
The North Emperor was the second Grand Emperor of the Imperial Throne Sacred Ground.
Hearing Li Changhe’s words, Ancestor Thunder Demon chuckled.
He replied, “The North Emperor did indeed receive the kindness of your academy. But in his era as bearer of Heaven’s Will, he also protected your academy, ensuring its safety for a thousand years. That debt has already been repaid.”
As he spoke, his aura surged mightily, forming a river of thunder that surrounded him.
“In today’s world, without a Grand Emperor, it is survival of the fittest. Your academy cannot rely on that little bit of kindness to demand my Imperial Throne Sacred Ground’s eternal loyalty. I am not greedy. I ask only for a single Glazed Lamp.”
“If that is the case, then there is nothing more to say,” Li Changhe replied calmly. “If you wish for battle, then battle it shall be.”
“It seems Vice Dean Li is truly obstinate. Night Blade has not appeared, perhaps he cannot free himself,” Ancestor Thunder Demon said flatly.
“When the Sky Blue Demon Roc breaks free, that will be the moment when we seven imperial lineages launch our full assault on your academy. I will see then how you resist.”
After speaking, Ancestor Thunder Demon’s figure vanished into the mist.
Leaving Li Changhe alone, standing in the void with an angry face.
…
“This Imperial Throne Sacred Ground is truly ungrateful,” Pure Water said angrily. “Now that the academy faces disaster, even if they would not help, they should not add insult to injury.”
“Because this piece of meat is too fat,” Xu Zimo said with a smile.
His gaze turned toward the northern skies, where demonic energy surged upward.
Never before had he seen demonic energy so dense.
Dense to the point of surpassing even a Zenith Immortal’s presence.
But Xu Zimo knew in his heart that in this world there was no existence beyond Zenith Immortal.
The God Emperor was an exception, but he could not stay long. Eventually, he too would leave for the Outer Heavens.
The rules of the Heavenly Dao did not permit such beings, for they would disrupt the development of the Primordial Heartlands.
Their existence would render Heaven’s Will meaningless.
Time passed bit by bit, and the number of gazes fixed on the Heavenly Dao Academy grew ever greater.
Everyone coveted this fat prize accumulated over countless eras.
Finally, at dawn the next day, the northern sky completely collapsed, drowned in demonic energy. A storm of violent wind and rain swept forth.
Amid the flying sand and rocks, Xu Zimo saw a massive figure soar into the heavens, spreading its wings across the sky.
Beastly roars rang out in succession, each louder and more forceful than the last.
“I am out, finally out!” an aged voice roared.
As if venting endless resentment that had accumulated for ages.
“Ten Sages, you cannot imprison me. No one can.”