Once one's cultivation reached the Demigod Realm, a fundamental change occurred.
They would possess Divine Power and a Divine Aura, and when facing ordinary Emperor Realm experts, the Divine Aura alone was enough to force them into submission.
As the Ice Emperor attacked, countless streams of energy in the void converged on a single point, forming a giant hand of ice that came crushing down on the Black Emperor.
This giant hand of ice was as massive as a city.
It came crushing down.
A golden light pulsed around the Black Emperor. He had already integrated the Celestial Demon Ancient Castle into his body, transforming it into a suit of battle armor. His physical strength had become even more terrifying. With a single beat of his wings, he shot into the sky as a streak of golden light, slamming violently into the giant hand of ice and shattering it to pieces.
The Black Emperor threw his head back and roared. As his mouth opened, a pitch-black vortex formed. "Devouring Heaven and Earth!"
RUMBLE!
The entire void began to tremble.
An incomparably terrifying Devouring Power emanated from the pitch-black vortex.
A Purple-winged Heaven-devouring Bat!
This was an Ancient Exotic Beast. In the years he had spent fighting alongside Jiang Chen, his cultivation had already recovered to the Emperor Realm, and his Devouring Space was also incredibly vast.
It transformed into a massive vortex that enveloped the Ice Emperor.
"Hm?"
The Ice Emperor's figure shuddered. Caught off guard, he was swallowed by the vortex.
He entered the Devouring Space.
Inside the pitch-black Devouring Space, the Ice Emperor showed no fear and sneered, "I didn't expect that brat Jiang Chen to be so lucky as to have such a powerful Battle Pet. If you were also a Demigod, it might be difficult for me to escape this Devouring Space. But you are, after all, only at the Early Stage of the Emperor Realm. For me, shattering your Devouring Space will be child's play!"
"Hmph," the Black Emperor sneered. "I have roamed the Eight Desolates and Six Harmonies, devouring True Dragons and Divine Phoenixes to perfect this Devouring Space. You think you can break it so easily?"
"Then I will break it just to show you!"
The Ice Emperor laughed heartily, his face filled with confidence, as he relentlessly bombarded the Devouring Space.
VMMMM!
As soon as his terrifying Divine Power manifested, more than half of it was dissolved by the Devouring Space. The remaining force only managed to make the Devouring Space tremble violently once.
The Ice Emperor's expression changed slightly. "What a powerful Devouring Space. It seems I underestimated you. I'd like to see just how long you can keep me trapped!"
RUMBLE!
The Ice Emperor continued to bombard the Devouring Space.
The Black Emperor's entire body shook violently, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. His blood-red eyes flickered. 'Dammit! If I were at my Peak, I'd never let a junior who just entered the Demigod Realm act so atrociously... Jiang Chen, you have to hurry! This guy's power is too strong. I can only trap him for half a double-hour. I hope that's enough time...'
***
「Before the 2nd Floor Treasure Vault of the Celestial Demon Ancient Castle.」
Jiang Chen casually flicked out the drop of the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable's Essence Blood. The Essence Blood burst forth with a brilliant radiance, like a drop of blood-red crystal, and flew into the gate of the 2nd Floor Treasure Vault.
VMMMM!
The Essence Blood melted, transforming into streams of blood-red patterns that coursed over the Treasure Vault's gate.
The thin, blood-red lines traced the outline of a Grand Array, causing the Treasure Vault's gate to erupt with bloody light before swinging open with a deafening rumble.
An aura of radiant treasures emanated from within the Treasure Vault.
"It's finally open!"
A look of joy appeared on Jiang Chen's face as he rushed into the Treasure Vault.
Inside the Treasure Vault.
There were clearly far fewer treasures here than in the 1st Floor's Treasure Vault—only three items. But each one pulsed with an incomparably terrifying energy.
The first item was a suit of battle armor!
The second was a puppet, around which a purple light pulsed.
The third item was a Sword Soul!
What is a Sword Soul?
The soul of a sword!
The soul of a weapon!
VMMMM!
A figure flickered out from the battle armor and appeared before Jiang Chen. It was a form that hovered between illusory and solid, much like the Mystic Sect Master's remnant will. This was a remnant will left behind by the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable.
His face held an arrogant expression. He swept his gaze over Jiang Chen and frowned. "So you're the successor Little Black found for me? Human Emperor Realm Ninth Stage? Your cultivation is this pathetic? It seems Little Black is as unreliable as ever!"
Jiang Chen: "..."
He finally understood where the Black Emperor had learned his foul mouth.
He gave a wry smile and said, "Disciple Jiang Chen pays his respects to Master!"
"Stop!"
The Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable waved his hand dismissively. "Before you ascend to the Demigod Realm, don't you dare tell anyone you're my successor. I can't afford that embarrassment. For fuck's sake, you even needed my Essence Blood just to open the 2nd Floor Treasure Vault. You're completely useless..."
"..."
Jiang Chen felt lines of frustration forming on his forehead. He forced himself to say, "This disciple has disappointed you, Master!"
"It's not about disappointment. I perished in a shithole like the Eastern Continent, so I never had much hope of finding an outstanding successor anyway. Judging by your appearance, you must have run into some kind of emergency, right?" said the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable.
Jiang Chen gave another wry smile and quickly explained the situation to the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable.
The Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable frowned. "Fuck, he actually dared to use a blood sacrifice of the common people to ascend to the Demigod Realm? This junior named Ice Emperor is quite something. Back when I was known as the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable, even I didn't dare use such a forbidden technique. However, with the Eastern Continent's Ancestral Vein severed, there's no one left to keep him in check. Kid, since you're my disciple, I naturally won't treat you poorly!"
He pointed to the three treasures and said nonchalantly, "When I fell back then, most of my treasures were destroyed in that battle. There aren't many left. This first item, the Celestial Demon Armor, will give you a Demigod Body when you put it on. The second, a puppet, is called the Substitute Puppet. Once you refine it, it can block one fatal attack for you, essentially giving you a second life. As for the third item... you should still have the Spirit-Slaying Sword I gave you, right? Have the Spirit-Slaying Sword absorb this Sword Soul, and it can ascend to become a Divine Soldier!"
"Alright, Little Black is about to be overwhelmed. I'll help you refine these three treasures!"
The Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable snorted coldly.
His remnant spirit unleashed a terrifying power. The three treasures flew toward Jiang Chen and, under the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable's refinement, merged into Jiang Chen's body in the blink of an eye.
A suit of pitch-black Celestial Demon Armor appeared on his body.
Jiang Chen felt his body's durability increase by a whole level, reaching the Divine Weapon Level!
The Substitute Puppet, however, merged into his body and could not be perceived.
The Spirit-Slaying Sword absorbed the Sword Soul, erupted with seven-colored light, and ascended to the Divine Weapon Level!
The Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable's remnant will gradually dissipated. His indifferent voice carried an all-encompassing arrogance and confidence: "Kid, don't you lose face for me."
"Disciple respectfully sees you off, Master!"
Jiang Chen bowed deeply in the direction where the Celestial Demon Emperor Venerable had vanished. Clad in the Celestial Demon Armor and wielding the Slaying Spirit Demon Sword, he emanated an incomparably terrifying aura. He took a single step and left the Treasure Vault. A predatory, ice-cold glint flickered in his chilling eyes. "Ice! Emperor! I'm coming for you..."
[End of the Seventh Update!]