Ch. 1359 - The Poison Sovereign

“The Poison Sovereign… so he really exists,” said the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign. “I’ve heard of such a Saint Sovereign before, but he’s rarely shown himself.”

“This Myriad Poisons Mountain is his domain,” Moonlight Fairy explained. “When the Nether God Realm settled here, the Nether God paid a tremendous price to gain his protection. That’s why the sect’s disciples can live here unharmed, otherwise, the poisonous beasts would devour them all.”

A deep, booming laugh echoed through the mist that covered the mountain.

“So, Moonlight Fairy, what brings you here today?”

The fog churned, and a massive centipede emerged from within. It had more than a dozen legs, its body thousands of meters long, sprawling across the entire mountain. The poison swirling around it was so strong that even the void itself sizzled and warped. No living creature could approach without being dissolved.

“We’re here to destroy the Nether God Realm,” Moonlight Fairy said. “We hope you’ll stay out of it, Poison Sovereign.”

“I’m afraid that’s not possible,” said the Poison Sovereign, chuckling. “The Nether God and I struck a bargain. I promised to protect the Nether God Realm as long as they remain within my mountain. Once they leave this place, they’re on their own, but here, they are under my protection.”

“In that case,” Xu Zimo said flatly, “we’ll just crush this mountain along with you. A petty bug dares to bargain?”

“You’ve got quite the tongue on you,” said the Poison Sovereign, his bulbous eyes narrowing. “And who might you be?”

“You’re not qualified to know my name,” Xu Zimo replied. “I’ll ask you once, fight, or get out of the way.”

The Poison Sovereign hesitated. At his level, rash pride had long since given way to survival instinct.

“You’re nothing but a freshly ascended Saint Sovereign,” Xu Zimo said coldly. “You think you can posture because the Nether God, a newly risen Saint Sovereign, tolerated you for your poison? Don’t fool yourself, you’re not beyond being slain.”

The Poison Sovereign laughed a few times, his tone suddenly more humble. “You jest, honored one. The path of cultivation is long, and I’m but a small creature chasing enlightenment. Since you intend to deal with the Nether God Realm, I’ll not interfere, only, please spare the creatures of this mountain. They are my disciples and descendants.”

With that, his enormous body faded into the mist.

The toxic fog parted instantly, opening a broad path straight up to the Nether God Realm’s gates. The poisonous beasts lurking nearby slithered and crawled away, hiding in the shadows.

“He actually backed down,” Moonlight Fairy said in surprise.

She’d fought the Nether God for years, but always kept her distance from the Poison Sovereign. It wasn’t that his strength was overwhelming, it was his venom. A single drop could turn a saint to bones.

“He’s just a frog in a well,” Xu Zimo said, shaking his head. “He’s grown comfortable ruling this poisonous mountain. If you try reasoning with him, he’ll only press his luck. But if you show thunderous force, he won’t dare to move.”

“Well said,” the Violet Mist Saint Sovereign agreed with a nod.

The three followed the cleared path up the mountain toward the Nether God Realm.

A heavy gloom hung over the sect like a dark cloud. The disciples were terrified, whispering among themselves. Their patriarch, sect master, and every powerful elder had gone out, and none had returned. The remaining disciples had no leader to command them.

The three arrived before the Nether God Realm’s gate. Though the sect had stood for thousands of years, its architecture remained grand and imposing, more like an imperial palace than a temple.

The walls were built from Netherstone, stones that naturally formed formations, dense with ghostly energy so thick it almost condensed into liquid, drifting through the air.

“Who are you people?” a group of disciples demanded as they rushed to block the entrance.

“Senior brother, they’re here!” one of them cried, trembling.

Only the leading youth remained calm. His gaze was steady as he said, “Our master is away. The Nether God Realm is not receiving guests. Please, leave.”

“We’re not guests,” Xu Zimo replied casually. “We’re here to erase your sect. So drop the polite nonsense.”

The young man’s expression hardened. He waved his hand sharply. “Activate the Guardian Formation!”

The disciples retreated inside. Xu Zimo and his companions didn’t stop them, they simply watched in silence.

Moments later, the protective formation ignited.

Above the sect, a raging storm of ghostly energy swirled, coalescing into a massive divine beast.

“Qiongqi,” Moonlight Fairy murmured.

“Do not panic!” shouted the senior brother, his voice ringing across the mountain. “Merge your spirit power with the formation! Live and die with the sect!”

The disciples rallied, channeling their energy into the formation. The spectral beast grew stronger, its aura swelling as it roared at Xu Zimo.

“There’s still time to retreat,” the young man warned, his eyes gleaming with defiance. “Spare yourselves needless death.”

“Pathetic,” Xu Zimo said, raising his hand.

He tossed Shadow Tyrant, his blade, into the sky.

It streaked upward, carrying a killing aura so sharp it seemed to cut through reality itself. The knife light fell like a bolt from the heavens, slicing through the Qiongqi before it could even react.

The beast exploded in a storm of light and vanished.

“How, how can this be?” the young man gasped.

He had believed the formation, empowered by the disciples’ combined strength, could withstand anything. Yet it had fallen in a single stroke, fragile as paper.

As the formation shattered, the disciples caught within had no time to flee. They were obliterated along with it, reduced to mist and blood.

“From this day forward,” Xu Zimo said from high above, his voice ringing like thunder, “the Nether God Realm shall exist no more. Your patriarch and your Realm Lord are dead. Run, if you can.”

His gaze swept across the sect as he spoke, his tone calm and final.

Panic erupted.

“The Patriarch… slain? Impossible! He’s a Saint Sovereign, immortal!”

“Then why hasn’t he appeared? Run! Run for your lives!”

The disciples scattered in chaos.

“Master Xu,” Moonlight Fairy said quickly, “you must uproot them completely. If any survive, they’ll cause trouble for Moonlight City.”

She wasn’t afraid of weaklings, but too many fleas could still make a lion itch.

“Don’t worry,” Xu Zimo said with a faint smile. “Do you really think they’ll make it off this mountain alive?”

“What do you mean?” Moonlight Fairy asked, confused.

Before she could finish, screams echoed from within the sect.

The poisonous beasts of the mountain were surging into the compound, tearing through the fleeing disciples, devouring them alive.

“The Nether God Realm is finished,” Xu Zimo said. “The Nether God is dead, or soon will be. Do you think the Poison Sovereign would pass up such a feast?”

Moonlight Fairy suddenly understood.

“Come,” Xu Zimo said. “Let’s find the location of the Nether God’s Life-Death Soul.”

The three descended from the sky and walked into the shattered remains of the sect.

Behind Xu Zimo, the Traceless Compass continued to spin, pointing the way forward.

At last, they reached the back mountain of the Nether God Realm.

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