Chapter 325: The Heaven-Stealing Thief Strikes, Eradicating the Earth Yang Fire!

The fiery light of the self-detonations illuminated more than half of the Eight Treasure Table.

They were merely a group of nobodies—people without true spiritual roots, who had no hope of attaining Qi Refining in this lifetime, insignificants who would never catch the eye of a True Person even if they reached the Tribulation Transcending Third Layer.

Yet in this very moment, the brilliant flares of their consecutive self-detonations could not be ignored even by True Persons and arhats. The Qi Refining practitioners and Ascetic Monks in the Cosmic Deep Space couldn't help but narrow their eyes. Without a doubt, this strike completely sealed the outcome, leaving no room for suspense.

All the Brahma Cultivators were fleeing!

Even though Arhat Shengle had issued a death order, dispatching over thirty Opening Wisdom Brahma Cultivators who served under the Wisdom Kings into the fray, it still could not stop the massive collapse.

"Returning to Heaven and Reversing the Sun, and Extracting Primal Yang..."

Arhat Shengle's sigh rumbled across the higher dimensions. "The signature techniques of the Great Rebellion Immortal-Conquering Army back in the day. To think I would be fortunate enough to witness them again after all these years."

These two profound Immortal Physique traits—one originating from the Earth Yang Fire, the other from the Earth Yang Wood—were both manifestations of the Ancient Qi of the Six Heavens that had already been eradicated by the Great Rebellion.

As such, similar combinations had long since vanished. Even though the Immortal Gate had developed a Major Divine Ability capable of reversing time based on Returning to Heaven and Reversing the Sun, and had even shifted the toll from lifespan to magical power, they could not replicate Wang Ping's method of sustaining war with war, allowing people to self-detonate almost infinitely.

"This loss is not unjustified."

With those words, Arhat Shengle shifted his gaze toward the three towering figures of the Immortal Gate in the distance. "My Brahma Nation will take half of the heavenly abodes' treasures."

With those few words, he changed the terms.

It was glaringly obvious that having Baohu sever Wang Ping's Great Rebellion imagery to cultivate the Deep Blue Eyes Phase was no longer possible. He could only settle for the next best thing.

With the deaths of so many Brahma Cultivators causing their auras to pierce the heavens, the already unstable Heavenly Frost Cave Abode grew increasingly distinct; it was only a hair's breadth away from opening. In that case, claiming half of the Great Rebellion treasures inside, along with various inherited scripture scrolls, spiritual artifacts, and precious materials, would at least prevent them from taking a total loss.

The Immortal Gate quickly gave their answer:

"Acceptable."

Simultaneously, thoughts surged among the three towering figures, interweaving through the higher dimensions. "The Heavenly Frost Cave Abode is opening earlier than planned."

"The pawn is too outstanding."

"No matter. We watched him acquire those two Immortal Physiques, so this outcome was well within our expectations. If it opens early, we shall set things in motion early."

"Fellow Daoist Xuanxiao?"

The twenty-four-colored radiant light turned toward the rumbling thunder decree. After a brief silence, Xuanxiao quickly gave his response. "Excellent. The momentum is full and complete; there are no longer any obstacles."

At this moment, Wang Ping still carried Xianfu's imperial decree. Now that he was slaughtering the Brahma Cultivators in droves Beyond the Pass, almost single-handedly ending the Immortal-Brahma Sword Battle, the massive backlash of destiny was undeniable. It was completely sufficient for Xianfu to initiate the ascension of the entire dynasty, drawing the human-yang wood to return to the natural order of heaven and earth!

"Everything is ready."

The radiant light rippled, a tone of satisfaction echoing in the voice.

"However... we are still missing one little thing."

"Although the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode has completely revealed its contours and the external pressure is sufficient, it still requires a push from the inside to truly reappear in the world."

"...You may go."

After the twenty-four-colored light finished speaking, it turned to the third True Person present—the most silent Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master, who offered a slight nod in response.

...

Inside the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode.

Winds whipped up from all directions, gathering to follow heaven and respond to the people. Ultimately, they reflected the figure of the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master. He stood alone, no longer wearing Tianqu's face.

In the next instant, the True Person's figure flickered. He vanished silently from the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode and entered the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode that was about to manifest in the world.

However, at almost the exact same time at Jingyuan Pass, within Kunlun's sea of consciousness, the Heaven-Stealing Thief suddenly froze. Just moments before, he had been eagerly cheering while watching with great interest as Wang Ping led the eight inner sect disciples to bomb everything in sight, forcing even Baohu to avoid their sharp edge. Now, he abruptly snapped his head up to stare at the firmament.

"...They triggered it early?"

In a flash, all the relaxed amusement dissolved from the blurry face of this former number one True Transmission disciple, now an apostate of the Immortal Gate, replaced by profound solemnity.

"Kunlun."

A second later, the Heaven-Stealing Thief's call rang in Kunlun's ears. "It seems this natural-born rebel disciple of mine has done us a massive favor."

"The time has come."

Hearing this, Kunlun's expression also grew sharply serious. He gave a heavy nod and said, "I understand. I am at your command, Senior Brother Gan."

...

Immortal Gate, Ghost Axe Grotto-Heaven.

At the peak of Heavenly Furnace Mountain, upon a Daoist platform layered with heavy curtains, the aging Corpse Dissolution Immortal Ghost Axe suddenly felt a stir in his heart and awoke from his deep slumber.

Within his sea of consciousness, a Life-Stealing Thief talisman shone radiantly.

"Senior Ghost Axe."

As the light converged, the figure of the Heaven-Stealing Thief materialized, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "That person has already left the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode. It is time to act."

From the very beginning, he had known there was something wrong with the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master hiding in the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode. At the very least, he definitely wasn't that former great minister of the Great Rebellion, the qi-ingesting practitioner Tianqu. Even though the man's disguise was remarkably convincing, he could never deceive him. After all, he cultivated the Xun Trigram.

'And Tianqu cultivates the Zhen Trigram.'

'Even though he deliberately feigned the illusion that Tianqu cultivated the Xun Trigram, that trick could only fool people who know nothing of the Great Rebellion's history.'

It couldn't fool him.

He had only played along to keep the man complacent, holding off on exposing him until this exact moment—waiting for him to step out of the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode!

'True Persons cannot enter the Eight Trigrams Furnace. The only exception is the once-in-three-centuries Immortal Decree, and even then, they must leave afterward. The one in the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode must have slipped in secretly centuries ago using the decree in Daoist Master Hanguang Danyang's hands.'

Of course, it couldn't be his true body.

At most, it was just a strand of will. Unfortunately, even a lingering strand of will was enough to decide the life or death of any cultivator beneath the True Person realm.

This was also why the Heaven-Stealing Thief had chosen to endure it.

He couldn't beat him, so there was nothing else to do.

Fortunately, this Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master was not omnipotent. The strand of will he had left in the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode was heavily restricted.

The first restriction was on his outside movement.

The Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master's true body was far beyond the heavens. The will inside the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode had to comply with the changes in the qi of heaven and earth; it couldn't venture out to act easily.

The second restriction was his ability to interfere with other cave abodes.

"The five great heavenly abodes are all connected. Relying on the Heavenly Craft Cave Abode, that person can freely extract items from the other four, but he cannot enter them."

"Now that the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode is shaken and nearly manifesting in the world, he has finally found the opportunity to enter it. By forcing the abode to completely break free from its hidden state, he will drive the Heavenly Yin Metal and the heavenly frost seasonal slaughter premier qi to return, thereby facilitating the schemes of the other two True Persons."

Three True Persons had joined forces to lay down this plot.

Every True Person had their own task, their own layout, and their own interests. Every link was tightly woven, and it all began with the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master!

"Time does not wait for me."

The Heaven-Stealing Thief looked at the Corpse Dissolution Immortal Ghost Axe on the Daoist platform. He offered a solemn bow, then said in a tranquil tone, "I must ask you to go to your death, Senior."

"...Very well."

Ghost Axe closed his eyes.

The very next second, his body began to age. A massive amount of life force and vital energy was drawn out by the Heaven-Stealing Thief, wholly merging into the Life-Stealing Thief talisman!

This was an operation that the Life-Stealing Thief normally could not perform. Although this secret art could strip away life force and even extract a mortal's lifespan, that was its limit. Once someone had cultivation and forged a Flawless True Body, their lifespan was firmly locked within their physical vessel; the Life-Stealing Thief would be powerless to siphon it.

Yet right now, things were different.

The Heaven-Stealing Thief flipped his palm, and a magnificent imagery spontaneously arose. In a blur, one could see a city, with countless scenes of the mortal world surfacing.

Longxing County!

Years ago, in this small county town, he had taken on the guise of the White Lotus Sect's Shouchong and sabotaged Mingyou's plot to harvest the lifespan of the entire city and combine it with the luck of the Great Rebellion to forge a magical treasure.

In the end, he had even returned the extracted lifespans to the commoners of the city, leaving behind only the pure imagery of the Life-Stealing Thief... And the imagery captured that day was meant precisely for this moment: to strengthen the profound power of this talisman so that he could extract Ghost Axe's lifespan as well!

Even after doing all this, the Heaven-Stealing Thief did not stop.

His hands shifted through incantation seals as he unleashed yet another profound art. It was the Merit-Stealing Thief, meant to usurp deeds and identity. He made another grabbing motion toward Ghost Axe.

Ghost Axe did not resist; he even actively cooperated.

Thus, in the next second, the identity of 'Ghost Axe' was also drawn out.

Whoosh!

A gentle breeze blew past.

In an instant, the nameless man's body turned into a sky full of dust, collapsing into ruin. His soul vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye, evidently heading off to reincarnate.

With his death, heaven and earth instantly transformed!

Because under the heavens, he was the sole surviving Corpse Dissolution Immortal of the Earth Yang Fire and the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi. His death was by no means a trivial matter.

A Corpse Dissolution Immortal harmonized with the qi of heaven and earth. While they were naturally restricted by the shifts in the world's qi, conversely, the state of a Corpse Dissolution Immortal could also influence the qi of heaven and earth!

And with the death of a ruling Corpse Dissolution Immortal, the resulting upheaval immediately struck the already fragile Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi that had shrunk back into the Eight Trigrams Furnace.

This strand of qi was weakened even further!

Immediately after, bearing a boundless, ocean-like volume of lifespan, the Heaven-Stealing Thief's figure faded into nothingness and stepped right back out on the other side, reappearing within Kunlun's sea of consciousness.

Rumble!

Without a hint of hesitation, the massive influx of lifespan was poured into Kunlun's body, causing Kunlun's life aura to madly surge toward its breaking point in that instant!

Lifespan also had mass and quality.

To Ghost Axe, it might have merely been his final three or four years of life, but when bestowed upon Kunlun, it was enough to abruptly grant him thirty or forty thousand years of time!

This was a lifespan that even Qi Refining practitioners wouldn't dare to imagine!

Of course, this type of lifespan was highly illusory. The moment Kunlun took another step forward and reached Qi Refining Entering the Dao, this lifespan would instantly collapse and revert to its original state.

None of that mattered anymore, however.

The Heaven-Stealing Thief didn't stop moving. He also pressed the freshly extracted 'Ghost Axe' identity into Kunlun, causing his aura to undergo an immediate, miraculous transformation.

'Possessing Senior Ghost Axe's identity is enough to make the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi gravitate to you. Furthermore, you have already transcended your life tribulation, so you can absolutely attempt Qi Refining Entering the Dao. Combined with the fact that this qi just suffered a heavy blow and is currently at an unprecedented low point, by my calculations, you should be able to make contact with it.'

The Heaven-Stealing Thief said softly:

'Over forty thousand years of lifespan, paired with your Immortal Physique's profundity Returning to Heaven and Reversing the Sun, and assisted by my Time-Stealing Thief, should be enough.'

Kunlun gave a slight nod.

Indeed, it was enough. It was enough to completely reverse the state of the Heavenly Craft Supreme Yang Nine Smeltings Qi, dialing it all the way back to when it had yet to emerge and remained in its eradicated state!

Almost at the exact same moment, in the Cosmic Deep Space and the higher dimensions.

Just as the Heaven-Stealing Thief made his move, the Mysterious Wood Qi Daoist Master who had entered the Heavenly Frost Cave Abode sensed the upheaval unfolding in his old lair right behind him.

The other two True Persons also cast their gazes downward.

Given the cultivation depths of True Persons, the Heaven-Stealing Thief could have stayed hidden as long as he didn't act. But once he made a move, it was naturally impossible to deceive their dharma eyes. Heavenly voices abruptly boomed like thunder:

"Such audacity!!!"