Chapter 497 - 256: Lord of Fate

"Ah!!!"

As the divine light shone through, the Celestial Gate shattered. The body that had never wavered now trembled violently, as if in immense pain, and the ultimate move that was about to form dissipated into nothingness.

"Now is the time!"

"Heaven-Overturning Seal!"

Seeing the opponent’s defense breached, the Jinling Prefect seized the opportunity and launched another golden seal.

The seal was entirely golden, its surrounding Earth Qi formidable, like tassels, hanging down heavily, each strand weighing more than ten thousand pounds.

It was the City God’s treasure and a grand offensive technique, the City God’s Heaven-Overturning Seal, formed by the power of the land and mountains.

This seal, when launched, carried earth-shattering power and immense force, striking towards Shen He with broken defenses.

"Heh!!!"

Three divine lights, like celestial pillars, struck down with a roar, confining Shen He within. In the unseen realm, something unknown was triggered, and a malice of heavenly disdain and divine punishment descended, making him feel as if his merit, fortune, and even the foundation of his life were being mercilessly cut away by a blade. The Merit Golden Body dimmed rapidly, the Celestial Gate Defense turned to void, and even his divine body and Daoist form wavered, akin to an Immortal Dao cultivator having the Triple Crown Blossoms cut away, and the Five Qi in the chest shaken, cultivation body and Dao fruit all disturbed.

If it were an ordinary deity, even with a Third-Grade Venerable Position, they would be knocked off their rank, possibly falling from the divine pedestal.

But Shen He was no ordinary deity, and the Merit Golden Body was not formed by mere merit alone; it also contained the Professional Powers of [Lord Merit and Virtue] and [Earth God]. Even though these three divine lights were extremely suppressive and targeted, they could not completely break it, only shaving off seventy percent, with three parts remaining.

Shen He quickly stabilized his body, enduring the heavenly punishment and the pain of the divine light cutting him, urging his divine power and merging the final Merit Golden Light, raising his hand to meet the rotating City God’s Heaven-Overturning Seal.

"Boom!!!"

With a loud bang, the otherworldly space quivered violently. Shen He’s footsteps and body, which had hardly wavered since the beginning of the battle, were forcefully driven back by the Heaven-Overturning Divine Seal, with immense power along the way, scattering shattered Merit Golden Light.

"Perish!"

The Heaven-Overturning strike was exhausted, and the divine seal flipped back, but the offensive did not cease. A dragon shadow followed closely, launching an attack like a breach, a torrent of rivers converging to strike Shen He’s body.

"Ha!"

Shen He stood firmly in the void, forcibly stabilizing his stance, his palms conjuring Yin and Yang, finally switching from offense to defense.

"Hoo!!!"

Yin and Yang were conjured, the Two-Yi turned into dust, and Shen He transformed his offense to defense using the Yin Yang Dust Array to neutralize the Weishui River Dragon Monarch’s offensive.

"Hehehe!"

Yet at that moment, an eerie laugh arose. In the void, water, fire, wind, thunder, and Yin and Yang converged, seizing the gap, driving straight in, striking Shen He’s body and pushing him back several steps, with the golden light on him dissipating and the remaining power of merit again collapsing.

However, Shen He, with cold eyes, raised his hand with a palm strike, retaliating, and the thunder shook the void, instantly silencing the cold laughter.

Lanruo Old Demon received another blow. Jinling and Weishui watched coldly from behind, observing Shen He, whose golden body was broken, defenses gone, brewing the next wave of attacks.

Shen He stood in the void, one hand pressed to his chest, barely steadying his body, then lifted his gaze beyond the realm: "Qingping Temple, Donglian Temple, Daoist Sect, Buddhist Sect, Three Religions... Dragon Qi!?"

"Indeed!"

As soon as the words fell, a response came, three divine lights shone down, descending into the battlefield, transforming into three deities.

The three deities were different: one had Daoist bones and immortal elegance, another was compassionate, and the third wore a high crown and wide belt, exuding grandeur.

"Song Xiang, you are heartless, destroying my Daoist Sect’s lineage; today is the time of cosmic retribution, blood debt repaid!"

The Daoist took the lead, looking at him coldly, murder intent revealed, further mocking: "How does the taste of the Supreme Destiny Divine Light suit you?"

"Supreme Destiny Divine Light?"

Shen He lowered his eyes, looking at himself, then raised his gaze, addressing the Daoist and the Buddhist-Confucian Gods beside him: "A fine Supreme Destiny Divine Light, you all have gone to great lengths for me!"

"Hmph!"

The Daoist deity’s cold voice responded: "If one wishes not to be known, unless they have not acted, once you relied on this Power of Merit to destroy my Daoist Sect’s lineage, today you will fall because of it, swallowing this bitter fruit of regret!"

"Ha!"

Upon hearing this, Shen He laughed loudly: "This Destiny Divine Light is strong, but it cannot break my golden body. Qingping Temple, Donglian Temple, Celestial Heart Sect, Pure Lotus Sect, Daoist Sect, Buddhist Sect, Confucian Sect, Three Religions united, Six Directions combined, even mobilizing the Southern and Northern Dragon Qi, you truly are willing!"

"For an evil demon like you, we must exert our utmost!"

The Daoist deity’s cold eyes: "Resign to your destined end!"

Within the words, divine power surged, thunder roared.

The Buddhist-Confucian Gods behind, along with the Weishui River Dragon Monarch, Jinling Prefect, Lanruo Old Demon, also launched their offensives.

The Three Religions united, Six Directions surrounded, six Third Grade Ghost Gods, finally revealing daggers at the end, intending the final extermination.

Meanwhile...

Qinghe Port, Weishui Pass.

The sound of battle shook the heavens, signals flamed continuously.

Atop the Dragon Head Tower Ship, Xiao Ye stood with arms crossed, gazing at the battlefield ahead, his expression icy and severe.

Decades have passed, and the former Qinghe Water Village has transformed into a mighty water fortress, blocking the Weishui River, guarding the Jinling gateway.

To take Jinling from the south, one must break this fortress.

But breaking the fortress is no easy task. This time Xiao Ye launched a full-scale onslaught, bringing all the resources he had accumulated over the years, one hundred thousand elite soldiers, swarming regardless of casualties, sparing no cost, but still seeing no hope of breaking the fortress.

Jinyang’s development over decades, relying on Song Xiang’s extraordinary power, has nurtured countless mighty troops.

Though the North and South are at war, Li Mubai went out to attack the Lanruo Ghost Realm, but the defense of Jinling Prefecture has not been left vacant. Song Jian, a battlefield veteran over a hundred years old, is still guarding it, leading the Song Clan disciples promptly to join the battle at Weishui Pass, contending fiercely against him.