Chapter 80: The Pearl of Eight Lifetimes Reveals the Truth

Suddenly, Hao Dan saw a flash before his eyes, and a circular black hole appeared out of nowhere, sucking him in. Within the black hole was another world altogether—darkness stretched endlessly, as if he stood in the boundless cosmos, yet with neither stars nor light, only black void, reminiscent of the Eastern Emperor's realm.

Perhaps this was also a small world. Once dragged inside, the passage linking to the outside vanished in an instant. At the moment the entrance disappeared, the purple silhouette of Ba Shi Zhu appeared behind Hao Dan.

He spun around, gripping his golden blade across his chest. Ba Shi Zhu entered with a playful laugh: "This realm belongs to the Witches. Here, everything is under my control! Now, I’d like to see how you plan to defeat me!"

"So what?" Hao Dan retorted. "Elder Black perished at your hands. Today, I will avenge him!" The memory of Elder Black's tragic death surged in his mind, and hatred flickered in his eyes.

Noticing Hao Dan’s aura growing stronger, Ba Shi Zhu immediately sensed something amiss. She bit her lip in surprise. "More than two years have passed, and your cultivation has advanced so quickly?"

But she did not know that Hao Dan's current state could not last long. Dong Jun was urging him to end the fight swiftly. If Dong Jun’s spiritual power faltered, Hao Dan would be in grave danger.

"Enough talk. Today, I will avenge Elder Black!"

With that, Hao Dan slashed his blade. Thousands upon thousands of golden rays erupted, whistling toward Ba Shi Zhu from all directions. She smiled, then waved her hand, and a witch’s staff appeared, which she seized. She cried out sweetly: "Seventy-three Paths of Witch Gods—Demonic Dance!"

Suddenly, countless black shadows surged from the darkness—colossal forms, howling wildly.

These monsters, fearless of death, threw themselves before Ba Shi Zhu to shield her. Then she laughed with eerie delight: "Hehe! Now, let these puppets entertain you!"

The myriad golden rays struck the black puppets, only to be absorbed instantly. No matter how Hao Dan swung his blade, he could not inflict lasting harm upon the endless horde.

In a blink, Ba Shi Zhu appeared again. Her ghostly figure, not as agile as Yi God, was still faster than Hao Dan. He unleashed a myriad slashes, fending off the puppets, but was caught unawares as Ba Shi Zhu appeared behind him. Hao Dan’s brow shot up in surprise—'Hmm?'

Thanks to Dong Jun's timely warning, Hao Dan raised his blade behind him, blocking Ba Shi Zhu’s sneak attack. The clash of staff and blade resounded, 'clang!'

Ba Shi Zhu then leapt into the void, her form shooting upward; she appeared above Hao Dan. He glimpsed the enticing scene beneath her skirt, prompting her furious glare and shout: "Lecher! You deserve to die!"

"Ninety-nine Paths of Witch Gods—Corrosive Sacrifice!"

She had concealed her trump card—this was the killer move of the witches’ great elders. Clearly, Ba Shi Zhu held a high rank among the witches. Legend has it, the highest leaders are the Twelve Ancient Witch Ancestors; beneath them, six great elders; below those, the red-robed witches—thus, Ba Shi Zhu must have inherited the legacy of a great elder. All the ancestors and elders had fallen long ago, save for a few survivors. This art, 'Witch Gods’ Path,' could only be inherited by the strongest.

A massive gray beam, imbued with death, shot toward Hao Dan. The puppets surrounded him tightly—above blocked, below no escape—he could only resist head-on. He raised his blade high; the beam crashed down, engulfing him.

'Boom!'

'Hiss! Hiss!' The hissing filled the world.

The puppets charged madly into the beam, undeterred by any attack, shrieking: "Wah, wah, wah!"

Just then, a golden light burst upward. As the gray beam was about to strike, the blade transformed into the Eastern Emperor's Bell, enveloping Hao Dan. The corrosive gray light fell upon the bell, but it, famed for peerless offense and defense, was unscathed.

The bell suddenly shot upward, flickering like a flying disc, positioning itself above Ba Shi Zhu. Hao Dan leveraged the bell’s base, leaping atop it.

Sensing danger, Ba Shi Zhu looked up. Below the bell, a barely perceptible, colorless ripple was spreading silently.

Her exquisite face twisted in terror; her delicate lips parted, and she cried: "Thirty-four Paths of Witch Gods—Witch God Barrier!"

Immediately, the puppets clustered around her, and a purple-black barrier formed rapidly before her, like a thick shield, awaiting the colorless ripple from the bell.

An invisible chime sounded, delayed as if echoing after the ripple—'clang!' Hao Dan stomped down fiercely on the bell, exerting all his power, sending forth a finer ripple—'clang!'

Ba Shi Zhu’s eyes were filled with shock, her body trembling violently.

For the first time in her life, she felt the approach of death.

"Celestial Blossoms Falling"—the words slipped from her trembling lips with a sob.

This was the instant-kill divine art of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor, Eastern Emperor Taiyi.

How could she not know? Eastern Emperor Taiyi—his reputation soared across heaven and earth, known to all tribes. A thousand years ago, he alone fought the ten Witch Ancestors, not only holding his own but nearly defeating them all. When the ancestors found his weakness, they trapped him with the Twelve Celestial Killing Array. Lacking two ancestors, the array backfired, leading to mutual destruction.

Then, with one step on the bell, Taiyi could battle all ten Witch Ancestors—who could resist such power?

Twin chimes rang from within the bell, two colorless ripples moved slowly toward Ba Shi Zhu's barrier. Facing such world-shattering force, she had no courage to flee; suspended above the ripple, there was no escape.

As the ripples approached the purple-black barrier, Ba Shi Zhu closed her eyes, despair etched across her beautiful face. A tear slid from her eye.

'Boom!'

Both impacts struck the barrier.

'Hiss! Hiss!'

Hao Dan gazed coldly down at Ba Shi Zhu, now barely alive. The countless puppets vanished with the ripples; only the sound of the barrier peeling away remained, cracking like an eggshell.

Her closed eyes quivered. Hao Dan watched as the witch’s staff slipped from her delicate hand.

Suddenly, as the staff fell, the Seven-Star Witch Robe on her body disintegrated into powder. Dong Jun’s power abruptly withdrew; Hao Dan felt dazed, and the bell fell.

Luckily, Ba Shi Zhu was not entirely exposed—only a few parts were covered. Hao Dan forced himself toward her, now uninterested in her alluring figure. With a fierce glare, he said, "You have no strength left. I've changed my mind—I won't kill you now. But I hope you’ll answer a few questions."

Her frail body still trembled. She struggled to cover herself, slowly opening weak eyes with a final, stubborn smile: "Heh...heh...you...you should just kill me!"

Hao Dan replied sternly, "I won't. You should live so Su Su can slay you herself."

The atmosphere grew tense, silent for a moment...

"If you do, you will regret it!" Ba Shi Zhu managed to recover some strength and said;

"Speak! Just now, I saw a tear of regret fall from your eye. I don't know what you've been through, but from that tear, I sensed that beneath your cruel laughter lies a softer side." Hao Dan had withheld the second ripple, causing Dong Jun to suffer backlash and withdraw.

'Astonishing!'

"Beneath your cruel laughter lies a softer side."

Her heart stirred. Ba Shi Zhu’s beautiful, stubborn face showed astonishment. She never imagined that the one who understood her inner vulnerability was this youth, the reincarnation of the Eastern Emperor, and her conqueror.

A surge of humiliation and grievance rose within her.

"If you truly will not kill me, I’ll tell you everything I know!" At last, Ba Shi Zhu seemed to yield. Hope flickered in her sidelong gaze, sadness lingering.

"Is that true?" Hao Dan asked in surprise.

With a weak, defeated smile, she said, "It’s true."

"Agreed! I won’t kill you before we leave here!"

"As for the future, if you meet the Nine Yi Empress, I can’t guarantee she won’t kill you!"

Ba Shi Zhu shook her head with a smile, unconcerned. "Actually, my teacher’s true aim is to resurrect the ten Witch Ancestors. To do so, she needs the Eastern Emperor’s Bell—and you!" Those last words she spoke deliberately.

"Me?" Hao Dan was shocked, confused.

"Exactly! The Witch Ancestors are sealed within the Eastern Emperor’s Bell. The Celestial Star Array is hidden in its inner world. Only you, after uniting your three souls and awakening, can activate the array. In all the world, only the true Eastern Emperor Taiyi can unlock this greatest formation—the Celestial Star Array."

"My teacher has prepared a mad ritual for this. She intends not only to sacrifice all the people of the Nine Provinces, but also to use the Empress as her trump card to initiate the array. If you fail to awaken, she won’t relent—because the Empress possesses a mysterious, complex demon bloodline. That’s why she’s so desperate to capture her. The Seven-Star Tower in Yudu City is actually a hidden altar of the witches!"

Listening, Hao Dan was utterly stunned. Such an intricate, thousand-year plot—so ruthless—was orchestrated for him. He could hardly believe it.

"In fact, you must have noticed how unpredictable things have become today. My teacher could have escalated the war, but didn’t. Her ultimate hope is to sacrifice the Empress directly. So she abruptly changed her plans. Originally, she meant to aid the Merchant Alliance in attacking Daxia’s army, letting you easily breach the city, increasing casualties—more deaths would empower the ritual."

"But when she suddenly arrived at the Undying Pass today, I sensed something was wrong—she must have begun the sacrifice! So hurry to Yudu. Little Eight thanks you for sparing me. If I can survive in obscurity, I am content. I still have my own wishes unfulfilled. Please go, save the world! Though I am of the witch tribe, I never wished to join their vengeance—the slaughter of innocents is not my nature."

Before she finished, a shaft of light shone behind Hao Dan. Ba Shi Zhu looked relieved, struggling to stand as her strength slowly returned. Before Hao Dan could react, a powerful force pulled him away.

He watched in astonishment as Ba Shi Zhu receded into the distance, her snowy, alluring skin revealed. Hao Dan was pulled back to the sky where he had been moments ago.

Suddenly, Hao Dan appeared in the midst of the fierce aerial battle. Many battlefields were shocked, especially Ga Luo, who sensed danger. Her brows furrowed in concern.

At once, a memory surged within her. Ga Luo lost all will to fight, withdrew swiftly, prompting Kong Qian Dao, who was entangling her, to shout angrily: "After fighting me, you want to run? I won’t let you escape!"

Ga Luo ignored him, waved her hand, and a portal appeared before her. She stepped through gracefully and vanished.

Leaving behind the furious Sword Immortal Kong Qian Dao, who stood stubborn and indignant.

This scene also alarmed the two other witches nearby, but they had no intention of retreating.