Chapter Eighty-One: Battling the Three Immortals in the Rain

At this moment, I, Falling Rain, was locked in fierce combat with Zhao Gongming. The two of us clashed for dozens of rounds, relying entirely on close-quarters combat. The Black Tiger Immortal Lord, Zhao Gongming, possessed a formidable physique—his speed and mastery of the Dao made him renowned among the immortals. In the past, the leader of the Chan Sect, Primordial Lord of Heaven, once praised him as "the greatest immortal beneath the saints."

Nearby, Marshal Shocking Heaven, Yan Lietian, watched coldly. As one of the four great Immortal Lords of the Cut Sect, he would never join forces with Zhao Gongming to fight against the Omniscient. Even if Zhao Gongming found himself at a disadvantage, Yan Lietian would not intervene. This matter was not merely about the dignity of the Immortal Lords and the Marshals of the Three Realms, but also concerned the reputation of the Cut Sect.

Though he remained outwardly detached, his heart trembled with a hint of fear he struggled to conceal. Zhao Gongming, the foremost of the Four Immortal Lords, was being toyed with by the fourth-ranked Omniscient. Everyone knew Zhao Gongming's body was unmatched, yet before me, Falling Rain, not only did he fail to gain any advantage, he was repeatedly restrained. I, in contrast, moved effortlessly, never launching an aggressive attack, but instead, with a playful smile at the corner of my lips, seemed to be mocking Zhao Gongming. Neither side had summoned their treasures, but Yan Lietian, with his keen insight, sensed that even he would not be a match for the Omniscient.

Suddenly, I smiled with careless elegance and spoke, "If any of you feel a hint of fear from me, do not panic! Ever since I prepared to publicly betray our sect, fear has already enveloped you all. You know it well—you do not truly understand me! Even the Master has warned you time and again not to underestimate me, yet you have never paid heed. Thus, your hearts waver, wishing to probe, to discover, but you are not my equals!"

"Senior brothers, am I right?" My tone brimmed with regret.

Hearing this, Zhao Gongming, already unwilling to accept humiliation, glared furiously and shouted, "I am truly curious—what kind of ability allows you to boast so arrogantly, swelling to such extremes!"

I, Falling Rain, laughed instead of growing angry, elegantly dodging his attacks as I replied, "Naturally, it is strength!" My words hinted at deeper meaning, as if speaking in reverse. Just then, my retreat abruptly reversed; with no warning, I extended a finger and tapped Zhao Gongming’s forehead—a move both bizarre and uncanny, without the slightest sign. Yan Lietian failed to sense anything beforehand. Zhao Gongming’s eyes widened in terror as my finger struck his brow.

'Swoosh! Swoosh~~!'

Both Yan Lietian and Lu Tianming, who was assisting Ruo Qianqian, were stunned. Zhao Gongming was suddenly hurled down into the battlefield below, accompanied by a thunderous crash. Countless one-eyed giants below were caught in the chaos, rocks scattered and fell, and the battlefield was littered with corpses, heads and arms strewn everywhere in a gruesome, horrifying scene—a river of blood flowing, a hell on earth with no sign of the fighting abating.

As I withdrew my finger and smiled disdainfully, cries erupted from another direction. A raging sandstorm rose as yellow earth and dust whirled in the wind. The reinforcements—Western Lord and Northern Lord Barbarian King—arrived to aid the Shang Alliance in their assault on Great Xia, their banners raised high at the front, ancient mammoths charging forth, a rhino horn sounded, and the forces of Shang and Great Xia gazed in shock. The momentum was like fifty thousand troops storming in, joining the fray.

Grand Tutor Ranlong, seeing the Western Lord's banner, defected to the Shang Alliance. Heartbroken, he gritted his teeth and gave the order: "All troops retreat, abandon Undying Pass, fall back and defend Tiger Pass!"

The terrain of Undying Pass was difficult to defend, and Xuanwu Pass offered no advantage either. The ever-victorious General Wu Qigong had been wounded by Hao Shan and had not yet recovered. Only by leveraging Tiger Pass’s terrain and tactical cooperation could they withstand the enemy’s million-strong army. Thus, the balance shifted again. Fortunately, Grand Tutor Ranlong understood the dynamics of the battlefield. Had he insisted on holding Undying Pass, even the Four Heroes of Great Xia with their hundred-thousand troops would struggle to resist the Shang Alliance.

With the tide turning, the Shang Alliance pressed their advantage. King Wu Cheng Tang led the vassals, charging into Undying Pass and advancing straight to Xuanwu Light.

Above, I, Falling Rain, stared down at Zhao Gongming. Suddenly, a fierce aura erupted—the Black Tiger flame blazed, Zhao Gongming rose and hovered in midair. Yan Lietian, suspended in the sky, was startled: I had so easily forced Zhao Gongming into his unleashed Immortal Dao state, greatly boosting his power. Usually proud and dominant, Zhao Gongming found his sense of superiority dampened and dried out by the Omniscient, Falling Rain, humiliation and powerlessness fueling his rage.

Just as the Shang Alliance army stormed Undying Pass below, a black hole suddenly appeared, and a figure shot out—it was Hao Shan, released by the Eight-Life Pearl.

The sudden scene left everyone stunned. Kong Qiandao, burning with shame and anger, darted forward to catch Hao Shan. Nearby, the witch Yi Shen's eyes flashed with a spiritual light—she silently invaded Hao Shan's mind, delving into his heart, and instantly sensed everything that had happened inside the Eight-Life Pearl's world. Her gaze darkened with sorrow as she withdrew her delicate hand, her face filled with melancholy, utterly unwilling to fight any longer.

I, Falling Rain, paid no heed to Zhao Gongming's current state. Smiling, I surveyed the crowd and said, "Even if you all attack together, you still cannot change today's outcome!"

Hearing my arrogant words, Bai Ling broke free from Yi Shen's illusion just then. Hao Shan leapt from Kong Qiandao’s arms to catch her. Bai Ling was briefly unconscious. Yi Shen abruptly said to Hao Shan, "Luckily, your heart was kind; otherwise, her damaged soul might have been torn apart by my mistake!" With that, Yi Shen vanished. I, Falling Rain, glanced over, my face expressionless. Witch Wu Tong noticed something amiss—so did Jia Luo and Yi Shen. What transpired between Hao Shan and the Eight-Life Pearl sisters that caused them both to flee the battlefield?

Cradling the unconscious Bai Ling, Hao Shan had no will to fight. Wu Tong met my gaze and sent a message, "I will handle things here. Go investigate why those sisters are acting so strangely."

Suddenly—a thunderous roar! The Black Tiger Immortal Lord Zhao Gongming shot upward with explosive force. I glanced at him with impatience, stepped forward, and chanted a mysterious incantation: "Mercury, shattered yet still crystalline, fragments that can never be reformed, unleash the spirit of all creation, release the blessings and gifts of the Creator—entwine! Dance! Seal!"

"Divine Formula, Ninth Path: Shattered Mirror Restored—Seal!"

Lu Tianming and Yan Lietian cried out in disbelief, "The Divine Nine Heavens Formula?!"

This art, the 'Divine Nine Heavens Formula', was a lost primordial spell—even the Eastern Emperor Taiyi coveted it. It transcended the laws of heaven and earth, and could not be mastered by talent alone, but required enlightenment through all celestial arts. Only by such comprehension could one grasp its true essence.

I, the Omniscient, Falling Rain, had spent a thousand years tirelessly studying every celestial art of the heavens, repeatedly contemplating the Dao, finally attaining this divine formula.

Perhaps it was destiny!

The moment I invoked it, everyone present was astounded—the poetic chant rang in their ears, swirling and soaring. The space beside Zhao Gongming suddenly cracked with a 'zzzz'—as if a mirror were shattering. It was as if the space around Zhao Gongming was an invisible mirror, breaking silently. After the fragments fell, endless darkness and void appeared, and the shattered pieces glistened like crystalline glass, radiating light around Zhao Gongming. The Black Tiger Immortal Lord was encircled by fragments of the void, illuminated by a black-purple glow, unable to move.

'As if frozen in place.'

'Shock!'

Next, everyone gasped in horror. Enveloped in black-purple light, Zhao Gongming was revealed in his true form—shrouded in black light, he was gradually transforming, turning into a monster. A massive, pitch-black, fat tiger appeared, its head raised in a roaring howl, eyes fiercely staring at the crowd, warning them not to approach!

Yan Lietian, Lu Tianming, Kong Qiandao, Ruo Qianqian, Hao Shan, and the awakening Bai Ling, all watched in awe. The world seemed to dim, and Zhao Gongming, at that moment, became the most dazzling light in all creation, bathed in black-purple mirror light.

I, Falling Rain, smiled faintly and addressed the crowd below, "Now, you should understand the gap between us."

Before my words faded, the crowd was startled. A look of disdain flashed across my face as my hand gestures shifted. "Come at me all together!"

"Next, I shall show you what true divine power is!" Before the words finished, I suddenly appeared before Yan Lietian, Marshal of the Three Realms. His eyes widened in shock, and he saw my mocking smile. Then, he felt a tremendous pain strike his Shocking Heaven Armor—'Boom!'—he plummeted downward, unable to defend. The others quickly dodged, but my voice rang out coldly, "Divine Formula, Tenth Path: Sunfall Blaze—Descend!"

As my voice faded, Yan Lietian, falling rapidly, was suddenly engulfed in blazing flames like the sun. His armor boiled, gray-blue smoke and fire rising, and he became a falling meteor, more brilliant than any star.

The others scattered, each weaving their own spell. Hao Shan, standing atop the Eastern Emperor Bell, darted over my head and shouted, 'Heavenly Flowers Fall!' Beside him, Bai Ling leapt onto the bell and recited, 'Gate of Wounds, First Form: Divine Judgment Net!'

Lu Tianming, adept in talismans, manipulated his hands in profound patterns and uttered, 'Heaven-Penetrating Talisman, Ultimate Spiritual Domain!' This spell summoned a grand gathering array, shielding him and Ruo Qianqian—both to resist my attacks and to help Ruo Qianqian rescue the falling Yan Lietian. They knew only Yan Lietian remained the strongest force.

Kong Qiandao, wielding his immortal sword, flew toward the imprisoned Zhao Gongming, but no matter how he wielded his rainbow sword arts, he could not break the black-purple seal.

With the situation dire, Hao Shan stomped atop the Eastern Emperor Bell, causing a subtle ripple to spread. The celestial beings heard the slow chime and turned to look in surprise at Hao Shan atop the bell. Bai Ling’s 'Divine Judgment Net', as powerful as the Divine Formula, instantly bound me, the dazzling purple light wrapping around me like a heavenly eye opening, countless purple spirits leaping forth to restrain me.

All parties pulled back; the colorless ripple descended from the Eastern Emperor Bell toward me. I looked up, a trace of fear flashing in my eyes—the oppressive force was indescribable.

'Rumble~!'

A deafening explosion, followed by countless whistling winds!

The colorless ripple collided with me, erupting in a mighty blast, colorless flames boiling skyward—a giant colorless mushroom cloud formed, its power beyond words.

Just then, the blazing sun figure rising from below shot upward—Yan Lietian, shirtless, blood streaming from his arm, charged at the bound me. With a loud strike, he hammered at me in midair. 'Bang bang bang~!'—a series of muffled blows, like iron fists beating a bronze wall.

All this happened swiftly; in the blink of an eye, the situation reversed. Moments ago, I was toying with my foes—now, I was beset by their joint assault. Just then, a flawless, pale hand reached out of the mushroom cloud’s turbulent mist, firmly gripping Yan Lietian’s neck and hurling him downward like a corpse, with ruthless efficiency.

"You have truly surprised me. It seems the Eastern Emperor Bell is fully awakened now, but unfortunately, the Eastern Emperor is no longer Taiyi of old. Even that mighty stomp is nothing special!"

The words came out calm and emotionless, utterly devoid of feeling.