Chapter 99: Ups and Downs

The answer was revealed in an instant, accompanied by several muffled explosions echoing in the air, sustained and endless.

What appeared before everyone was a vast expanse of whiteness, with countless pairs of pure and flawless wings shielding the sky. Over ten thousand two-winged angels formed an army, descending simultaneously upon the human realm.

More than ten thousand angels, including several four-winged ones. What an imposing formation! It would not be an exaggeration to describe it as terrifying. A two-winged angel possessed combat strength equivalent to a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, while a four-winged angel had powers surpassing those of a Tribulation Crossing cultivator.

In the blink of an eye, both Eastern and Western sides changed expressions completely. The Western Church's survivors were all ecstatic, never imagining they could witness such a grand angel army in their lifetime. For them, who were utterly loyal to God, it was a life without regrets.

On the cultivators' side, Si Tu Lanya's face changed drastically, body trembling slightly; Bu Tian Palace's Palace Master Qingxuan was slightly better, but shock was evident on her face; Zi Xiao Sword Sect's Sect Master Qu Xinghua, with strength at late Nascent Soul and early Tribulation Crossing combat level, perhaps due to experiences, and being male, his expression was better, calm and composed, but inwardly astonished; Chaos Demon Sect, inherently bold, even if all died, they would remain unyielding, so little reaction to the angel army.

Qing Xu, as the Yu Xu Palace Sect Master, inheriting Yuanshi Tianzun's Dao lineage, and the leader of the cultivator world this time, naturally could not be defeated. He frowned slightly, thinking: the situation is extremely unfavorable for Eastern cultivators. The Western side plus the newly arrived angel army, at least thousands of late Nascent Soul fighters, with even four-winged angels. Meanwhile, cultivators mostly Nascent Soul to God Transformation, only about a hundred late Nascent Soul.

This is troublesome.

Then why this time the Western Church participating in the Eastern expedition with angel army? Completely different from usual. Could the Western divine realm be so brazenly sending angels to the East without fearing to anger the Eastern Immortal Realm and dispatching lower immortals? He dismissed the thought: though Immortal Realm is higher than Western divine realm, the passage to human world is sealed long ago, not easy to dispatch lower immortals.

Pressure increased.

Gao Zhuyi lost his previous unrestrained nature, but his gap with angels is huge. But in a moment, his inner fire burned again: no match in strength? Let's fight, worst is death.

Lu Yang Daoist and White Brow Daoist shook their heads secretly. "No double blessings, only troubles. Oh well, oh well!"

The situation fluctuated wildly, victory's balance swinging from favoring Western Church to Eastern cultivators like a floating weed on the sea.

Cultivators thought rapidly, deciding in an instant: fight!

Flying swords, talismans, and some strange spiritual treasures appeared. No more reservations, as enemies' power is shocking. Under masters' control, they emitted different colored lights and rushed towards the angel army several miles away.

Like a drop in the bucket, flying swords and talismans had no effect like a stone cow entering the sea, no ripples. Enchantments were completely blocked by the angels' colorful magic.

Seeing this, cultivators felt their hearts tighten, as if suffocating. These angels were too powerful, all at least late Nascent Soul, without upper realm immortals descending, many enemies, truly more disaster than fortune.

When their minds were in turmoil and the Holy See was ecstatic, the sea suddenly boiled, white waves rising tens of meters high, huge bubbles rising from the bottom. At the same time, gray clouds in the sky, turning purple, lightning bolts falling straight down, hitting the angels in the air, some falling down. But for cultivators, the lightning bypassed them, no damage.

The sea turned blood red, churning more.

Boom! Sea split, a light pillar hundreds of meters wide shooting from sea bottom, through the angel army's center, no hesitation, many angels hit. This time thorough, angels losing heads, almost a thousand lost.

When people were disturbed, after the pillar, a figure appeared in the middle of both camps. She had faint smoky eyebrows, starry eyes, delicate nose, red lips, perfect face, smooth skin, graceful figure. Holding a plain copper mirror. A woman, facing Western Church, back to Eastern cultivators.

From this, guess which side.

Qing Xu frowned, not knowing her identity or why helping, but more power is good. If not wrong, she has immortal qi, definitely strong.

So Qing Xu approached, bowed: "This poor Daoist Qing Xu, contemporary Sect Master of Yu Xu Palace of Eastern cultivators, may I know your name, senior?"

She looked at him, smiled faintly: "Not worthy of 'senior', just cultivated earlier. You are the Sect Master of Yu Xu Palace inheriting Yuanshi Tianzun's lineage? Hmm... late Tribulation Crossing, it fits the identity."

Qing Xu not displeased, cultivators value ability over all. She saw his realm at a glance, even if rude words, nothing to say. Asked carefully: "May I ask if you are a lower immortal dispatched to the mortal realm?"

She thought: "I am an immortal, but not from Immortal Realm, but dormant under East Sea until recently, the commotion woke me. As for title, many call me Tianzhao."

Qing Xu sweated: Tianzhao!

Legend: this woman, Tianzhao, was once a mirror, then absorbed a five-colored stone from Nuwa's mending heaven, gained spirit power, became human, cultivated on Kunlun for years, learned agriculture, went to Eastern islands, educating locals. Locals called her goddess Tianzhao.

Tianzhao is the core goddess in Japanese mythology—the sun goddess, ancestor of Japanese imperial family, main god of Shinto. Japanese gods include Susanoo etc. Tianzhao is not original, but arrived by chance.

There are also Yamata no Orochi, but mostly beasts. Called Japanese two great gods with Tianzhao.

Bing Yan once met a burly man claiming to be Tianzhao in Japan's underworld, but he's not, since Tianzhao is female. Tianzhao, a being from copper mirror, after forming human, the mirror became her weapon, reflecting enemy energy attacks.

Also, mirror has two sides, yin and yang. Since female Tianzhao, there is male form. As main body is yin, male is subordinate, strength 1/9th, but still has immortal realm.

Her real strength: mid-stage Immortal Lord, slightly weaker than Western Jehovah, much weaker than Bing Yan.

After educating Eastern islands' locals, she cultivated under East Sea until recently awakened. The islands are now Japan. A thousand years, if Tianzhao knew modern Japan was violent, would she still educate?

Many words, now back to topic.

For Tianzhao with mid Immortal Lord strength, Qing Xu admired, can't say more. Whether right or wrong, Japanese people's behavior should be borne by themselves or evil male Tianzhao, not this female Tianzhao.

After signaling Qing Xu to retreat, Tianzhao raised her main body copper mirror, shouted loudly: "You Western barbarians, if you dare to bully me, the East has no one?"

Mirror moved, Tianzhao's immortal energy surged, pressure making angels feel internal fear. Power and realm gap unbridgeable.

Immortal Lord mid-stage, for 2-wing and 4-wing angels at Nascent Soul, Tribulation, etc., incomparable.

Then: brilliant light, strong gale, roaring flames, sharp ice spikes, small tornadoes, various attacks.

Qi and spirit energy intertwined, "boom" thunder in angel army center.

Huge sound, deafening, terrifying.

Then: wind surging like angry sea, Tianzhao cold eyes, action again: blood arrows raining down like rain, piercing angels, turning them into sieves, then torn to pulp in wind.

This scene, desolate and miserable.