Refining the Mountains and Rivers

Do Ermo took a step forward. But at this moment he furrowed his eyebrows and stepped backwards. In the next instant, a pitch black crack appeared where his foot had been. Space shuddered and started to collapse.

The Saint furrowed his eyebrows even more. He flicked his sleeves and fluttered backwards. A cold and severe look flashed in his radiant eyes.

Bathed in darkness, the sinful attendant stepped out from the collapsed space. Her tall figure stood stiff and straight, but her breathing was labored.

She had broken free from Do Ermo's imprisonment and forcefully torn through the space of the mystic realm to arrive here. In order to achieve this she had to pay an enormous price.

"Saint, this is the restricted holy site. It is not a place you can approach. Leave immediately!" Her cold voice was filled with a firm resolve.

Do Ermo slowly said, "You sinful attendant, do you not feel anything even when seeing the skull of your former master?"

Beneath the darkness, the attendant shivered. Traces of pain appeared in her frozen eyes.

Bang -

Do Ermo attacked without warning. He pressed a hand forward and a dazzling light arrived like a rising great sun, wrapping around the attendant. The darkness that enveloped her began to melt like snow beneath the summer heat, rapidly sizzling away at a speed visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye.

"Sinful attendant, you want to delay for time so that the Divine Seat can arrive? But since I decided to come here, I've made all the preparations I need. The Divine Seat won't be able to come here any time soon."

The First Saint smiled and walked forward. "After today, I will fuse together with the strength the Holy Monarch left behind and become his speaker in this world. With the aid of your former master's head I will be reborn and become the ruler of these heavens and earth."

Suddenly, Do Ermo stopped. A rope condensed from dark strength twined around his foot. Light and darkness hissed and crackled as they came into contact, like cold water being splashed onto hot oil.

"Why resist? If I succeed, it can be considered as another way in which your former master is reborn in this world."

As he took a step forward, the rope of darkness collapsed around him. The sinful attendant that was barely managing to support herself beneath the bright sun cried out loud.

The Saint continued forward. But as he took one more step he came to a stop. Two hands condensed from the power of darkness drilled out from deep beneath the earth, grabbing hold of him.

Do Ermo let out a long breath, and all the fluctuations of emotions in his eyes thoroughly vanished. He turned around and looked at the sinful attendant that was suffering beneath the great sun. "I originally wanted to allow you to live and become my servant, but since you remain so stubborn I will send you along the road first."

He lightly sighed, as if he were feeling some regret. But when he attacked, his movements were cruel and merciless, without any hint of hesitation or pity. He lifted a hand and pointed a finger. The intensity of the light that the great sun released increased ten times, a hundred times over, like an erupting volcano.

The light nearly condensed into tangible essence. It pierced through the darkness like an arrow, violently crashing onto the attendant and making her screams of pain twist in agony. Most of the darkness that bathed her was extinguished beneath this light. Her true appearance was slowly revealed, and one could see the enchanting person beneath.

But there was no change in the indifference that was within the Saint's eyes, nor would he become softhearted because of this. The sinful attendant's cries weakened. When the darkness was completely scattered, her life would reach its end.

At that time, no one would be able to stop the Saint from obtaining the power that the Dao Monarch left behind in this world, kept in the skull of her old master.

Then, another great sun appeared. It was much smaller and less bright than the Saint's. But the moment it appeared, the Saint's complexion changed. He looked up and hissed, "Divine Seat!"

At the same time, the great sun he controlled burst out with an even greater light. However, the second great sun seemed to possess some strange absorbing attribute. It sucked in most of the light so that the sinful attendant didn't suffer too many injuries.

Within the second great sun, a face appeared. The face's eyes slowly opened. It was the face of the Western Tomb's Divine Seat, Ji Xiangtian!

"Saint, I am disappointed in you."

Do Ermo had no change in expression. He remained calm and thoughtful. Since he decided to make his move today, he had already expected this moment.

"The Ji Family has ruled over the Western Tomb for hundreds of thousands of years already and their fortune is unparalleled in this society. Still, it is time for you all to abide by the laws that govern the river of time and be gradually eliminated before disappearing."

Ji Xiangtian lightly said, "The Ji Family was chosen by the Dao Monarch to be the bloodline which governs over the Western Tomb on his behalf. Your actions today have violated the will of the Dao Monarch. Are you not afraid that you will trigger a backlash and be incinerated by the power of dao arts?"

Do Ermo chuckled, "Divine Seat, there is no need to deceive me. The Dao Monarch has not passed down any edicts for the last several tens of thousands of years. During this period of time, there have been no new Cardinals or Saints born in the Western Tomb. Do you actually believe that I wouldn't notice this change?"

He sighed with emotion, his eyes drifting towards the heavens. "It is truly hard to imagine that an existence as formidable as the Dao Monarch can also fall from the skies. This world is vast beyond our imagination and we have only come into contact with a miniscule corner of it. Today, I came here to take advantage of the Western Tomb's power, opening up a path for me that will lead me to a higher realm."

Ji Xiangtian fell silent, as if tacitly confirming Do Ermo's inference. And at this moment, his face within the second great sun fiercely twisted in pain.

"Hahaha!" Do Ermo laughed, his heart carefree. "Divine Seat, did you think I wouldn't know you are attempting to arrive at this Hell Mystic Realm? I intentionally gave you time so that you could fall into the trap I laid down.

"How is it? The energy of withered souls doesn't feel great, does it? This is something good I've prepared after using up 10,000 years. Now, Divine Seat, I fear you are unable to descend here any longer. And by the time you manage to force out the energy of withered souls, everything will have finished.

"I, the First Saint of the Western Tomb, Do Ermo, will fuse with the Dao Monarch's strength and revive within the body of the former master. I will become his incarnation in this world and spread the light of the Western Tomb throughout the entire world."

Ji Xiangtian was silent for a moment. After a long time he gently sighed. There was some helplessness, but there was even more serenity.

"Saint, you think too much."

As his voice fell, a light breaking sound spread out from the second great sun. Countless cracks suddenly erupted all over it!

Do Ermo's eyes widened with shocked anger. "Ji Xiangtian!"

Bang -

The great sun collapsed.

The temperature between the heavens and earth rapidly fell. A layer of white frost appeared on the towering shattered mountain summit, spreading outwards at an astonishing speed.

Beneath the blinding light, the suppressed and powerless darkness began to violently roil. It turned rich and deep in color.

It was like a great beast that was finally awakening from its slumber!

Do Ermo's complexion sank. He raised his hands, solemn and reverent words flowing from between his lips, "You are Eternal, You are Extinction, You contain All Things, You are One."

The dark skies up above were torn apart by a creamy white light. A massive phantom appeared, wearing blue daoist robes. Heavenly bodies swirled behind him. His face was blurry, but his faint eyes seemed to reflect the revolution of everything.

Beneath the gray white layer of stone, Qin Yu's pupils shrank. He was able to instantly determine that this phantom was the unsurpassed Dao Monarch that the Western Tomb believed in. And according to the conversation between the Western Tomb Divine Seat's Ji Xiangtian and the First Saint Do Ermo, this giant that lived on some unknown world should have perished. If so, why could he still be summoned with divine arts?

The Dao Monarch's phantom raised its hand and pointed down at the mountain summit. No aura arrived, but Qin Yu instinctively screamed out in his mind, his soul trembling! At this moment he could feel the shadow of death approach. It was like the heavens had turned pitch black and there was no more light in the world.

"There is no need to panic. Just wait here and watch." A calm voice echoed in his mind. There was a bit of disdain in it too, as if this voice thought this scene playing out in front of them was nothing more than a farce.

Qin Yu's thoughts raced and he decided to believe in these words. He bitterly smiled within. In truth, facing the power of just a single finger from the Dao Monarch's phantom, he simply didn't have the strength to escape. This unbelievable sensation left him feeling powerless.

"Ahh!" With a sharp scream, the darkness suppressed by the bright light suddenly gushed outwards.

The great sun was instantly corroded by darkness. It fell into the pitch black darkness and was swallowed up. The sinful attendant's figure started to rapidly grow and balloon.

In several breaths of time, she grew to be several thousand feet tall. The power of darkness condensed into a suit of chilling armor around her. She was awe-inspiring and amazing, like a goddess of war in a dark world.

For the first time, Qin Yu clearly saw the sinful attendant's appearance. Even though she had grown to be several thousand feet tall, she still possessed a delicate and mesmerizing beauty. With her cold expression and the imposing armor she wore, it also served to make her appearance even more soul-stirring!

At this time, the sinful attendant lifted a hand. The power of darkness surged, condensing into a jet black sword in her hands. She slashed downwards.

In the next moment, the dark sword collided with the Dao Monarch phantom's finger and the world fell deathly silent. Time and space seemed to come to a standstill. This appeared to last for only a moment but also a hundred years. Then, with the point of collision as the center, annihilation arrived.

A shockwave swept out. Wherever it went, destruction followed in its wake. Everything was disintegrated into powder, forever destroyed.

The entire process lasted for less than a single breath of time, but the shattered mountain summit was leveled and smoothed over. Several thousand layers of the stone steps vanished, turning into a massive platform that was soon as flat and smooth as a mirror. Only the Ancient's skull and the stone-covered Qin Yu survived the fallout.

The Dao Monarch phantom in the skies had vanished from sight. Do Ermo's body of light turned dark and gloomy.

Across from him, the sinful attendant's body size had returned to normal. The sword of darkness in her hands had disappeared. She was slumped to her knees and blood dripped down from her nose and mouth, falling onto the ground.

Do Ermo lifted his hands and light appeared once more, turning into a ten foot long lance. Its tip was incomparably sharp and flashed with a dazzling light. Just looking at it made one feel as if their soul would be torn apart!

He locked his gaze onto the sinful attendant. Then, he softly said, "It's over."

The sinful attendant looked up, a cold sneer on her lips. The blood that dripped to the ground started to wriggle and twist, drawing the outline of a rune.

It was incomparably complex and blood red in color.

"Sinners that perished in rebellion, this is your final opportunity to use your dead bodies filled with hate to fight for the master once more…die, and you will be freed!"

Because thousands of layers of steps had been erased, the corpses that were pierced through with wooden stakes had become much closer. As the sinful attendant spoke, these withered corpses that had dried up over the years and lost all moisture suddenly began to shiver and quake. Then, they reached up with their hands and grabbed the wooden stakes that pierced through them. A tooth-aching sound followed as these withered corpses started to pull them out!