Chapter 1235: 658: Do Not Jeopardize the Emperor Palace’s Eternal Legacy! Sacrificing Oneself as an Offering! (Part 2)

Although, at this stage, the Ten Thousand Spirits Casting Venerable Array can forge Demon Venerables. It can even elevate the realms of some Demon Venerables.

But similarly, it will forcibly drain the Spirit Vein of the Demon Domain, triggering great decline.

The silent opposition within the hall surged like hidden currents.

The black vortex in Dragon Venerable’s eyes momentarily slowed, even easing the pressure on Heaven-Burning slightly.

He opened his mouth to say something, but he also knew that if he spoke, he would certainly lean towards this risky move that gambles with his clan, a cost that exceeds the limit.

In the midst of silence, an ephemeral sigh echoed from the indigo space where Kunpeng Demon Venerable resided.

"What Phoenix Venerable said is indeed the only viable strategy to erase this variable."

A ghostly light flashed deep within the vortex, Kunpeng Demon Venerable continued,

"Insufficient array source is indeed a problem; entering the Great Array, an unstable Dao Foundation is even more deadly."

"Ordinary Demon Venerable origins are not even qualified to serve as kindling, requiring a body strong enough and compatible with the resentment of Ten Thousand Spirits in the array to merge first, barely filling the ’spiritual gap,’ only then can we attempt."

All divine thoughts within the hall instantly converged at one point, like an invisible sharp blade, falling on the bleeding shoulder of Heaven-Burning Ancestor.

Heaven-Burning’s body exploded with molten-red scales like lava, as he suddenly raised his head, staring intently at that indigo vortex.

"Kunpeng! What do you mean?!"

His wounds ruptured, and golden-red demon blood dripped to the black rock ground, emitting a sizzling burn.

Although his status does not compare to Kunpeng Demon Venerable, still, as one of the Great Powers second only to them, he naturally understood what becoming this experiment meant at such a time.

Kunpeng’s voice remained calm and distant, as if merely stating a simple fact.

"Among all the Venerables present, only you, Heaven-Burning, have the deepest foundation, practicing the Burning World Demon Fire, which shares the same origin as the vile blood and miasma extracted by the Ten Thousand Spirits Immortal Formation, making you the best fit."

"By sacrificing yourself and merging into that nascent fortune, you can advance significantly in a very short span."

"If this succeeds, we will naturally find a way to lure Jiang Taixuan out, allowing you to kill him with your own hands, washing away your disgrace."

"At that moment, unless Taiwu Daoist Venerable comes personally, none will be your match."

Heaven-Burning Ancestor knew Kunpeng Demon Venerable intended to make him a test subject, so he spoke bluntly, ignoring some so-called formalities: "And if it fails?"

Kunpeng Demon Venerable didn’t get angry, defiantly staring at him with eyes like two great suns, speaking flatly.

"If it fails, you, Heaven-Burning, will be reduced to ashes, yet pave the way for the Emperor Palace to clear the path, not in vain."

Before his voice ended, a dark red ring of flames burst around Heaven-Burning Ancestor.

"Want me to be this sacrifice?!"

His rage peaked, disregarding his shoulder wound splitting open.

"Kunpeng, you intentionally seek to ruin my path!"

"Ruin your path?"

From above, Phoenix Venerable suddenly spoke, her voice as cold as the abyssal ice.

"This is offering you a chance to break through and reach the summit, do not be ungrateful."

The golden flames flickered in her eyes, directly stabbing into Heaven-Burning’s gaze.

"Or should I say you no longer have the courage to face Jiang Shu, only willing to live with this Earth Suppression Seal scar, forever a stray dog in front of the Human Clan?"

Though both Phoenix Venerable and Heaven-Burning Ancestor belonged to the Phoenix Clan, Heaven-Burning usually relied on some unspeakable ancestor for protection and showed little respect for his Clan Leader, seizing this opportunity to dispose of him.

"Stray dog" like poisoned spikes, stabbing into Heaven-Burning Ancestor’s boiling divine soul.

Before his eyes, Jiang Shu’s figure was knocked back by the Earth Suppression Seal, flashing the disappearing Space Ripple in the Desolate Sand Sea!

The humiliation of being toyed by a junior for a millennium, being blocked thrice in confrontation, the anger of being despised as a sacrifice by those of the same clan...

Molten blood thundered against his head!

Heaven-Burning’s pupils completely turned into burning blood holes, a dull roar like a furnace emanated from within him, the ground beneath began melting into a boiling lava pool.

The hall’s temperature suddenly soared, and numerous Demon Venerables moved back a few meters.

However, just before this destructive energy was about to explode uncontrollably, Dragon Venerable’s deep dragon’s cry enveloped the scene, pouring down like ice of ten thousand years, instantly freezing Heaven-Burning’s runaway demonic power.

"Enough!"

The Dragon Venerable looked down at Heaven-Burning who was panting slightly below, his tone calm but filled with an undeniable will.

"Heaven-Burning stays; the rest of you, withdraw and prepare for battle."

A few subtle divine thoughts hesitated for a moment, ultimately not daring to defy the Dragon Might.

The Phoenix Venerable silently glanced at the distorted face of Heaven-Burning, and the Red Crystal Bone Throne dissolved into light and disappeared.

The azure vortex of the Kunpeng slowly faded, leaving behind a nearly inaudible whisper.

"Do not delay the legacy of the Emperor Palace for ten thousand generations."

The Great Hall fell into utter silence, with only the sound of blood dripping from Heaven-Burning’s wounds and scorching the ground.

The massive figure of the Dragon Venerable seemed to melt into the sticky darkness, with only two bottomless glows locking onto Heaven-Burning.

"The opportunity has already been handed to you."

"If you wish for revenge, use this life to fight for the creation on the Ten Thousand Spirits Casting Venerable Array."

"Moreover, once the array is activated, resources from the Demon Race will come continuously; if you can endure, you might even advance further."

The Dragon Might suddenly tightened like iron chains binding the body,

"Now, only you and I remain on the stage. I’ll be honest with you, with Jiang Shu’s talent, such deep enmity with him, if you do not go to kill him, in ten years’ time, in a hundred years, what realm do you think he would reach?"

Hearing this, Heaven-Burning Ancestor’s entire Scale Armor shook violently.

He bit his teeth hard, with hot white smoke seeping through his clenched jaw.

The space ripple from Jiang Shu’s escape at the Desolate Sand Sea, the cold "stray dog" of the Phoenix Venerable, the Earth Suppression Seal of Supreme Master Taiwu that suppressed the myriad ways of the heavens... countless scenes fiercely raged within his burning Sea of Consciousness.

Thinking of Jiang Shu, that kid, advancing from the earliest Daoist Monarch Realm to a Daoist Venerable Realm capable of confronting him multiple times.

Among the rest of the Demon Venerable, how many would now go all out against Jiang Shu?

If they wait for Jiang Shu to grow again...

Finally, a shattered beast-like howl squeezed out of his throat.

"...I will refine it!"

Deep within the core of the Emperor Palace.

This was a place of ultimate darkness where even light was completely devoured.

A gigantic circular void rose thousands of meters high, with the rock walls made of shifting, twisting energy veins like countless dark red blood vessels, woven together like the meridians of a living being, greedily absorbing the complex spiritual flood delivered from various array hubs.

At the center of the void, a chaotic light mass, unable to be captured visually and only perceptible by its "existence," hung suspended.

This was the fortune core of this infinite continent.

Heaven-Burning Ancestor stood on a black suspension bridge extending from the edge of the void.

Beneath him was a boiling and surging sea of filthy blood, extracted from the origins of countless beings, with black soul shadows, condensed from wild grievances, howling and floating amidst the blood waves.

He looked up at the chaotic light source, molten lava rolling in his eyes, while the Earth Suppression Seal scars on his shoulders seeped out gold-red Demon Blood under the surrounding destructive spiritual pressure.

"Go."

The will of the Dragon Venerable crashed into the Sea of Consciousness like an unseen giant hand, leaving no room for retreat!

With a violent tear-like roar, Heaven-Burning’s colossal demon body leapt into that silent darkness.

He instantly transformed into the core of a furiously burning World-Burning Demon Flame, like a red meteor falling into a black hole, violently colliding with that massive chaotic light mass!

Thud!!!

An indescribable dull impact exploded directly at the Divine Soul level, making the entire core of the Emperor Palace seem to collapse inward for a moment, with the sticky darkness tearing into web-like glaring white fissures.

At the instant Heaven-Burning’s demon fire met the chaotic light mass, there was no earth-shattering explosion, only a dissolving state that chilled the heart.

His Demon Venerable Daoist Rules, capable of incinerating star rivers, were devoured inch by inch by the chaotic aura like wax melting in boiling water!

"Ah ah!!"

The excruciating wail pierced through the core, Heaven-Burning’s will instantly overwhelmed by endless chaotic fragments.

Countless fragments of dying beings mixed with the chaotic and fierce spiritual essence of the heavens, like billions of red-hot steel needles, crazily piercing and reshaping his Divine Soul and demon body!