Chapter Sixty-Five: Shattering the Ninefold Cosmos Array 2

The Jiuyi and the Wu people had long since withdrawn from the stage of the gods. Reduced to mortal forms, even with their extraordinary magic and longevity, they could not bridge the gulf that separated them from the celestial immortals above.

At the very moment when Hao Dan commanded the Lord of the East to unleash the Eastern Emperor Bell, a violent tremor shook the earth beneath the peaks of Jiuyi, in the White Emperor’s tomb. An overwhelming force seeped into the underground passageways; massive boulders began to fall above the tomb, subterranean rivers surged into torrents, and stones of all sizes crashed down toward the tomb’s location.

For a time, rocks and debris rained down in a chaotic torrent.

Had the White Emperor not set a spiritual barrier in advance, Su Su would have been struck by the falling stones, with unimaginable consequences.

Yet, atop the peaks of Jiuyi, the Eastern Emperor Bell continued to grow ever larger.

Suddenly, at that moment, two figures—one large, one small—sprang forth from within the Grand Ninefold Cosmos Formation. One had a human body with a horse’s head, and upon his back he bore a massive golden scroll, its power palpable even unopened, emanating an uncanny pressure that the Lord of the East could keenly sense.

The other figure was equally strange, with a human head and a turtle’s body. Short-limbed and burdened with heavy shells, he stood atop a great tortoise shell inscribed with the celestial trigrams, exuding an air of supreme arrogance, utterly disregarding both Hao Dan and the Lord of the East.

"The Eastern Emperor Bell descends—are you His Majesty the Eastern Emperor?” one of the voices rang out.

"Hetu, Luoshu! You are bold indeed—knowing the master has returned, yet you dare obstruct us? Do you intend to break the pact sealed a thousand years ago?” the Lord of the East replied.

The horse-headed figure snorted at this, answering at once, "Hmph!"

"Master? Lord of the East, do not forget who once acted willfully and chose to challenge the entire Wu Clan alone. Had we not just been newly formed spirits, we might have followed—and if we had, who knows what fate would have befallen us following such an arrogant master!”

“Hetu speaks truly. We have lain dormant for a thousand years to become true spirit artifacts. Had we followed the proud and haughty Eastern Emperor Taiyi, we would have long since turned to dust, vanished into the heavens!” Luoshu, the turtle-bodied, human-headed spirit, responded immediately.

Watching the pair’s aggressive bearing, Hao Dan realized they hardly regarded him at all. He thought back to the Lord of the East’s words—without overwhelming strength, these two spirits would indeed be difficult to subdue.

Hao Dan spoke coolly, “It seems neither of you intends to rejoin me today. In that case, this formation no longer need exist. I care not who laid it; today I will claim you both—and shatter this array!”

As his words fell, Hao Dan lightly stamped a foot and shot into the sky, landing atop the Eastern Emperor Bell.

All this happened in a flash. Though Hetu and Luoshu were prepared, Hao Dan was quicker. The moment his foot touched the bell, a ripple like a drop of water spread outward, growing rapidly.

“Not good! Such power—?”

“Eastern Emperor’s Step on the Bell—Heaven’s Blossoms Scatter!” An invisible ripple etched with mysterious patterns cascaded through the air like water, each wave brimming with immense power.

In days past, a single step from the Eastern Emperor could shake the heavens and earth, and even this fell short of his former might.

In the celestial realm, the Eastern Emperor Bell’s power was legendary. “Where its ripples pass, heaven’s blossoms scatter!”

Startled, Hetu and Luoshu desperately retreated, seeking escape beyond the formation. Fortunately, their control over the array allowed them to do so—otherwise, escape would have been impossible.

By now, the Lord of the East had vanished; the moment Hao Dan ascended, the two were already as one.

As Hetu and Luoshu crashed against the boundaries of the Grand Ninefold Cosmos Formation, the ripple beneath the Eastern Emperor Bell grew ever wider, layer upon layer expanding outward. Even mortals could sense its terror—sheer, unimaginable force!

Fear twisted Hetu and Luoshu’s faces. They had once witnessed the might of the Eastern Emperor Taiyi’s step upon the bell, but never expected Hao Dan to unleash this signature technique without warning.

“Eastern Emperor’s Step on the Bell”—the very name conjured its effect. As Hao Dan’s foot struck the bell, a subtle, uncanny ripple spread forth, so stealthy even the bell’s tone was almost imperceptible. The attack was silent and unseen; those caught by the ripple vanished without realizing it.

It was nearly impossible to evade—else the countless desert sand dragons within the Tower of Heavenly Guidance would not have been annihilated in an instant by the Lord of the East.

Recalling that scene, how terrifying and awe-inspiring was the Lord’s technique!

This day, a great battle was inevitable. Hao Dan knew his strength could not match the two spirits; even borrowing the Lord of the East’s power, he could only hold out for a time. Prolonged combat would not favor him.

At that moment, as the bell’s ripple struck the Grand Ninefold Cosmos Formation—

A crimson mushroom cloud billowed skyward.

With a deafening boom, the explosion echoed to the heavens.

Hetu and Luoshu had already escaped the array. Gazing down upon the Jiuyi mountains, now a scene of utter devastation, the thunderous echoes rolled on. With a single step, Hao Dan had shattered the formation’s defenses and collapsed much of the mountain range, even destroying the White Emperor’s tomb at the mountain’s foot.

The battle was not fierce; so great was the power unleashed that Hetu and Luoshu fled in panic.

With the array gone, Hao Dan was finally free. Within the formation, the sense of being bound had been suffocating—unable to unleash his spells or confront his foes head-on. Such tactics did not suit Hao Dan or the Lord of the East.

At that moment, a graceful figure floated into view, standing across from Hao Dan, who stood atop the Eastern Emperor Bell. He saw her clearly—a striking silhouette, captivating and delicate. At once, Hao Dan recognized her: it was Su Su, who had been in the White Emperor’s tomb.

Now, Su Su’s aura was transformed; a verdant radiance surrounded her, giving her an air of sacred inviolability. She trod the air with steps light as lotus petals, each step leaving a faint, cyan ripple beneath her feet. She seemed almost a celestial maiden descended to earth, her presence rivaling Hao Dan’s, her royal bearing undisguised. Had any of the Jiuyi people witnessed her now, they would have been moved to instant reverence by her majesty.

The two faced each other across the void—one with deep affection, the other calm and indifferent.

Hao Dan’s heart, possessed by the Lord of the East and still longing for Bai Ling, was torn as he gazed upon Su Su’s tender gaze. He was uncertain how to face her. For the sake of breaking his bonds, he had been willing to sacrifice Su Su and destroy the array, and guilt welled up within him. Just as he was about to apologize, Su Su spoke:

“Your Majesty, Su Su has successfully inherited the White Emperor’s legacy. I now ask you to assist me on the battlefield, to quell this rebellion!”

Looking upon the transformed Su Su, Hao Dan found himself inexplicably agreeing, a sense of warmth rising in his chest.

“Just now, I sensed two auras fleeing at great speed. What exactly happened to cause such upheaval?” Su Su asked.

Hearing her question, Hao Dan glanced toward the distant, fleeing figures, anger burning within him.

The Lord of the East emerged from his body and replied, “It was Hetu and Luoshu who controlled the Grand Ninefold Cosmos Formation, trapping myself and the master within. In order to help the master escape, I unleashed the power of the Eastern Emperor Bell and broke the array. I beg the Empress not to blame him!”

“Hetu and Luoshu? So that is what happened. Those must be the two escaping spirits,” Su Su said, following Hao Dan’s gaze.

The Lord of the East did not answer her, but turned to Hao Dan: “Master, there is no need to pursue Hetu and Luoshu. They have already fled far. When the time is right, I shall help you subdue them.”

Exchanging these words, Hao Dan merely nodded, then turned to Su Su. “There is still unfinished business in my heart. We must make haste—quelling the Jiuyi rebellion is our most urgent task.”

“Su Su obeys!”

...

A short time later, amid the devastation of Jiuyi, Su Jing and Su Moran gazed upon the ruined peaks, toppled rocks, and splintered trees, unable to suppress a bitter smile.

The patriarch Su Jing turned to Su Moran and said, “Twelve, our clan’s civil strife requires strong support. The Empress Thirteen has already gone to the battlefield with His Majesty the Eastern Emperor. You must go at once to assist her!”

“Twelve will depart immediately!”

With that, Su Moran took his leave and soared into the sky, riding upon his magical artifact.