The most direct confrontation has brought about the most direct result.
Jiang Li's true form descended, harnessing the End of Dharma Power, displaying an undeniable crushing stance.
Even though Emperor Yan used the Heavenly Pillar Power to resist the suppression from the Path of Sun, he was ultimately defeated without question, and although the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji secretly recovered for a period with the help of The Queen Mother of the West, he was still not at his peak.
He had no chance to fully recover.
The Five Turbid Evil World was about to end, spiritual mechanisms were reviving, and the Second Grade True Spirit also got a chance at reincarnation, how could Jiang Li not know this?
Furthermore, Jiang Li had long set the plan to seize the Dao Fruit of the Four Imperial Lords, silently watching over Yuxu Temple. Under such circumstances, he naturally counted the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji into this unpredictable variable.
No matter how secretly The Queen Mother of the West helped, it was useless, because from the beginning, Jiang Li considered the likelihood of the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji participating in the fight, regardless of his resurrection.
And now—
Void rolled out, devouring ten thousand thunders, space shifted, and Jiang Li instantly appeared in front of the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji.
At the juncture of life and death, the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji's will to fight remained undiminished, his Daoist Heart cultivated for countless years stood firm against adversity, as he manipulated Thunderclap to evolve the Primordial Mechanism.
"Boom!"
A clap of thunder echoed like when Pangu created heaven and earth, ten thousand thunders manifested again, about to carve out a path to survival.
However, unexpectedly, as soon as the ten thousand thunders approached Jiang Li, they turned into strands of Primordial Qi, integrating into his body, and the thunderous roar akin to the creation of heaven and earth was instead guided by Jiang Li.
The End of Dharma Evil Soldier shed its sense of nothingness, transforming into a banner, and the created momentum descended upon this place.
In terms of strength, Jiang Li surpassed the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji, and in cultivation, Jiang Li evidently also surpassed him.
His cultivation had caught up to his power, at least enough to surpass a powerhouse like the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji.
The created momentum suddenly descended, Thunder Light and Immortal Energy dissipated, the Divine Body of the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji decomposed, and the world of Thunderclap reappeared. However, the price was his own downfall.
The power of creation opened up the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji into an illusory realm.
Jiang Li reached out, extending his hand into the world of Thunderclap, and grasped the Dao Fruit he left behind.
"The Dao Fruit of Emperor of Longevity at Nanji, acquired."
Jiang Li said casually, about to refine the Dao Fruit.
However, at this moment—
"Boom!"
Thunder roared again, but it was not the True Spirit of the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji reviving, it came from within Jiang Li's grand sleeve.
"Roar!"
The Dragon Roar emerged alongside the thunder, an explosively fierce Thunderclap tore through Jiang Li's grand sleeve, and from the space within his sleeve, a Thunder Dragon, claws and teeth bared, soared out.
"Thunder Ancestor?!"
Even with Jiang Li's scheming, his expression changed at this moment.
The Thunder Ancestor, or rather Thunder Marsh Ancient God, father of Emperor Xi, the Dao Fruit Jiang Li acquired from Zhenze, suddenly erupted at this moment, breaking Jiang Li's restriction and escaping.
Because of continuous battles and emerging enemies, Jiang Li had almost forgotten he still had this Second Grade Dao Fruit in his possession.
And the Thunder Ancestor Dao Fruit had been lying dormant, showing no signs of True Spirit resurgence.
Until now!
Jiang Li's restriction cut off the connection to Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi, theoretically the Thunder Ancestor True Spirit couldn't be nourished by spiritual mechanism to recover, even if it escaped, it would be in a weakened state. But at this moment, the demise of the Emperor of Longevity at Nanji, the remaining Thunderbolt Essence provided a chance for the Thunder Marsh Ancient God.
As soon as the Thunder Dragon emerged, it naturally attracted the world of Thunderclap, absorbing Thunderbolt Essence into its body, shaping the dragon figure into a tangible form, its dragon head like playing with a pearl, snatching the Heavenly Mirror floating beside Jiang Li.
All of this happened too fast, too abruptly, the explosive speed of Thunderclap, all occurring in an instant.
But Jiang Li's reaction was equally quick.
"Stop!"
[Emperor Emerges from Zhen] was executed, an invisible great strength forcibly restrained the fleeing Thunder Dragon, meanwhile, the Heavenly Mirror glimmered, automatically slipping out of the Thunder Dragon's mouth.
The Heavenly Mirror had already been refined by Jiang Li, further sealed by the Emperor's Pole Worldly Book, it wasn't so easily taken.
Simultaneously, the void appeared in his hand, the End of Dharma Evil Soldier like an illusory Dragon Shadow, slicing towards the Thunder Dragon.
But variables emerged again.
The mirror of the Heavenly Mirror reflected a dragon-shaped curve, outside the Taiji Ball sealed in the mirror, divinations formed into the shape of the Eight Trigrams, orbiting the Taiji, suddenly extricating the Taiji Seal from the Heavenly Mirror.
The seal cast by the Emperor's Pole Worldly Book didn't block it.
It's Emperor Xi!
Emperor Xi broke through the additional seal Jiang Li imposed, permeating his own power through it, enabling Taiji Seal to detach from the Heavenly Mirror.
"My cultivation technique..."
In that instant, Jiang Li's mind raced like lightning, "Exposed."
The penetrated power by Emperor Xi was not through brute force but by deciphering the seal Jiang Li implemented.
When previously trapped in the Heavenly Mirror by Jiang Li, he was not completely without resistance, choosing to be sealed intentionally.
Then, at this moment, in this perhaps only opportunity, Emperor Xi allowed the Taiji Seal to temporarily escape Jiang Li's control.
"Buzz—"
The spatial tremor sounded at that instant, three monumental energies shattered the locked space, linking the heavens and earth, as Yellow Emperor, Shakyamuni Tathagata, and The Queen Mother manifested simultaneously.
The Seven-colored Divine Light blocked the blade of the End of Dharma Evil Soldier, the Creation Mysterious Light weighed down the Heavenly Mirror, refining Yin Yang, with golden Sword Gang crisscrossing the heavens and earth, suppressing Jiang Li's power while simultaneously slaying his form.
"Boom—"
Thunder Marsh Ancient God forcibly detonated the world of Thunderclap, the Thunderclap echoed explosively, cleaving space apart.
The four forces acted in unison, shattering space, refining Yin Yang, severing the body, an unstoppable power hammered into Jiang Li, sending him crashing hundreds of miles, colliding with the East Pole Sky Pillar.
Immediately, the space shifted again, as Yellow Emperor, Shakyamuni Tathagata, The Queen Mother, along with the Thunder Marsh Ancient God carrying the Taiji Seal, their figures vanished within the spatial ripples.
All of this transpired so abruptly, like a hare leaping or a hawk swooping, disappearing in an instant.
By the time Jiang Li broke through the Sword Gang Divine Light, it was already too late.
"This is truly..."
Jiang Li's Divine Thought swept through the heavens and earth, finally landing on the East Pole Sky Pillar, his gaze shifting to the spot where the sun fragmented, "Unexpected, ancestors."
The East Pole Sky Pillar was still aflame with True Sun Fire, at the point where the Sun Wheel formed from Emperor Yan shattered, Emperor Yan's True Spirit was equally bound there.
He used a Secret Technique, sacrificing himself to merge with the East Pole Sky Pillar, even upon death, his True Spirit remained confined to the pillar.
It was for this reason that Jiang Li initially believed this battle was over.
He didn't anticipate that the backup plan of Emperor Yan and the others wasn't used to support Emperor Yan but aimed at seizing the Taiji Seal.
He never thought Emperor Xi would still have a backup plan hidden.
Jiang Li's cultivation technique leaked, part of his foundation recognized by Emperor Xi, whose wisdom sufficed to research in secret how to unlock the seal Jiang Li placed.
"Emperor Xi... will soon be free."
An appreciative thought echoed from within the True Sun Fire.
"Breaking the Three Pure Ones Seal isn't easy, even for me, I can't unlock this seal, only Emperor Xi can decipher it from within."
No hint of anxiety appeared on Jiang Li's face as he even took the leisure to remind Emperor Yan regarding the seal.
This unexpected demeanor caused the Divine Thought of Emperor Yan to waver uncontrollably.
"I underestimated Emperor Xi, failing to foresee he still had a backup plan."
Jiang Li couldn't help but marvel, simultaneously displaying a trace of peculiarity, "Just to see whether Emperor Xi underestimated me."
"The seal has left my grasp, I must admit that your backup hit me off-guard, but this outcome I have once anticipated."
The process was unexpected, yet the result isn't too surprising.
Jiang Li once anticipated the possibility of the Taiji Seal being taken; he always considered both victory and defeat, no matter how confident, he never looked at the bright side alone.
Among the many outcomes Jiang Li anticipated, the loss of the Taiji Seal wasn't the worst one.
'My goal has been achieved.'
Jiang Li floated mid-air, his gaze subtly observing the East Pole Sky Pillar.
The vast Primordial Qi surged from the sea below, gradually covering the entire East Pole Sky Pillar.
