Chapter 1378: 8-Essences Arrive! (1/2)
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The first to emerge was none other than Wang Youcai!
In the beginning, he was not among the most powerful of the group of Chosen; quite to the contrary, his cultivation base had been the lowest. He was even the worst in terms of latent talent. However, his willpower and determination was something that left even Meng Hao impressed. The entire Ninth Mountain and Sea had witnessed his vicious tactics, and were left rattled.
In order to join a powerful sect, and in order to pursue the Dao, he had dug his own eyes out, all in order to fix within his mind that final image, that final Dao projection he had seen before losing his sight.
He acted the same within his sect. However viciously he treated others, he treated himself even more so. When others in the 33 Hells had cried out in anguish because of the pain, his reaction had been to laugh.
He laughed viciously the entire time he absorbed the good fortune of the soul fire, and did not hesitate to sacrifice some of his longevity and life force Essence in exchange for an incredible advancement in cultivation base!
He completely passed beyond the Ancient Realm and stepped into the Dao Realm. He became a Dao Lord, a Dao Sovereign and finally, an Imperial Lord!
In the end, the will which existed in the soul fire was also moved by Wang Youcai’s ruthlessness and relentlessness. Eventually, it too began to laugh, and almost willingly allowed its life force to merge into Wang Youcai.
After breaking through and then emerging, he transformed; his hair was white as if with age, but when he sent his cultivation base power surging out, everything went dark, and the entire world of the 33 Hells shook.
More people came out after Wang Youcai, but few had made such incredible progress. It wasn’t until Li Ling’er emerged, with hair as white as Wang Youcai’s, that another aura similar to an Imperial Lord’s radiated out.
Li Ling’er’s appearance had changed. She was no longer young; instead, she looked like an old woman. She had forsaken her youth and beauty in exchange for a shocking cultivation base. In sixty years, she would die, but that was her choice!
In contrast to what Meng Hao would have predicted, Chen Fan did not choose to sacrifice his life force. Nor did he even reach the level of a true Dao Sovereign, but rather, the 5-Essences level. He came out slowly, a seemingly emotional expression on his face, almost as if he were hesitating about something.
Ji Yin, on the other hand, chose to make the same decision as Li Ling’er!
As the Chosen flew out, energy surging, the entire 33 Hells trembled. Of the entire group, twenty-four emerged, with the other nine... being forever interred within the 33 Hells. They had failed in their attempt to acquire good fortune, and were dead for all eternity.
As for the twenty-four Chosen who did acquire good fortune, eight of them had chosen to sacrifice some of their longevity. That group acquired cultivation base power equivalent to an Imperial Lord. Of the rest, more than half were now as strong as true Dao Sovereigns, with a few being at the 5-Essences level or so.
Regardless of the final outcome for each individual, their fates had completely changed now that they had successfully emerged. As they came out, the hells crumbled behind them, layer by layer. Then, they collectively chose to wait for Meng Hao.
During the ten months that had passed, all of these people who had obtained good fortune had been unable to sense the progress of those around them. Now, when they sent their cultivation base power out, they could tell that Meng Hao... was still in the deepest 33rd Hell.
As the various Hells collapsed, Outsider beasts emerged, but didn’t dare to even get near the group which was waiting there.
Several more days passed, but Meng Hao still hadn’t come out. As they waited there silently, they could tell that Meng Hao's aura was gradually fading away, which caused them to frown and look to the cultivator among them with the most powerful cultivation base, Wang Youcai.
After a long moment passed, Wang Youcai turned and headed toward the exit of the 33 Hells, simultaneously speaking to everyone behind him. “Let’s go. The fighting outside will begin soon. Waiting here is pointless. The good fortune Meng Hao seeks will surely be greater than ours; naturally, he needs more time than us.
“I only have a single sixty-year-cycle of life, and I don’t want to waste any of it. I want to fight!” Despite the fact that his eyes were nothing but dark pits, they somehow seemed to glitter with a strange light. Even as his words continued to echo about, he vanished through the exit.
The other Chosen looked around silently, then clasped hands and bowed to the collapsing Hells. Finally, they turned and flew out. Li Ling’er sighed inwardly and followed them. As for Chen Fan, he seemed to be in somewhat of a daze. Looking down at the Hells, it seemed as if he were peering into their deepest depths, but if one looked closely, one would see that he was actually gazing at the place where he had acquired his good fortune, the 19th Hell.
“How... should I choose what to do...?” he thought bitterly. Looking away, he concealed the confusion inside of him and flew away.
Meanwhile, out in the Mountain and Sea Realm, the final battle with the 33 Heavens was beginning!
The starry sky was shaking, and various areas were being ripped open. Soon, the land mass that was the 17th Heaven became visible in complete detail!
Above it was the 18th Heaven, the 19th Heaven... all the way to the 33rd Heaven. They were all visible now.
Massive pressure weighed down, along with shocking energy. Rumbling filled the starry sky of the Mountain and Sea Realm as the 17th Heaven... began to descend, as did all of the other Heavens, all the way to the 33rd!!
RUUUUUUMMMMBLLLLE!
The starry sky was torn to pieces as a massive tempest sprang out in all directions. Two figures emerged from the Heavens, a man and a woman. In terms of appearance, they didn't seem to be Outsiders at all, but rather, ordinary cultivators.