Nine Venoms Sect Founder

Chapter 131: Scourge of Heaven

Back to the Obsidian Soul Stone mine's final yard—or bloody cave, in case—Team Harun struggled to survive the last and strongest Landgraves' offensive. Survive, yes, because the fight quickly turned into a one-sided beatdown. By laying down all their cards, the current Harun and Jiyan could easily defeat most late-stage Ascending Gods.

But this strength only gave them a chance against the 19th and 20th Landgraves. Anyone higher ranked Landgrave was leagues above their level. Realizing this, the Sanguine Dolls did what they did best: play with the food. 

Lips stretched in slasher smiles, the 19th, 20th and 21st Landgraves became flickering bolts of red light as they shot at Harun's group. The 19th aimed at Mukri and Birandar, the 20th at Jiyan and the 21st at Harun. And while the strongest two could hold their own, Birandar and Mukri didn't even have the chance to gasp for breath. With a raucous laugh, the 19th descended like an eagle's claws on Birandar, making the youth riposte with a succession of Truth barriers which all collapsed before the 19th Landgrave's fleshly body. Punch after punch, he smashed through the barriers, bashed Birandar's chest—vanished—and kicked him toward the sky. Breaking into a frontal charge, Mukri rammed his flaming horns into the 19th Landgrave, but was sent flying with a casual slap. 

At lighting-bolt speed, Jiyan and the 20th traded blows. Powered by seven golden marks, the 20th met her corrosive sword blows with his bare flesh, casually punching at the blade with no care for defense. Better, even though the corrosive energies that ripped the 14th and 17th Landgraves' lifespan struck past his stainless body, the 20th didn't bat an eyelid, as if telling Jiyan that he could end it all when he pleased. 

Harun had it worse. Activating his Golden Barrier, the 21st Landgrave attempted to outright suppress him, and while his Six Incarnation Bridge didn't respond to the suppression, the legions of toxic lifeforms within Harun's body shook, as if pleading guilty before the golden barrier's inquisition. Harun's Internal Flame gushed forth, morphing into a ten meters long spear that shot through the barrier. Squalls of flames hurtled at the 21st Landgrave, but with a grasping motion, he twisted space to hurl them at Jiyan, instead. 

On maximum alert, Jiyan attempted to cross a space portal. But expecting that move, the 20th Landgrave slammed his hand into the ground, unleashing vibration forces that sealed the spatial laws surrounding Jiyan. Needless to say, in a pure clash of Mysteries, the 20th Landgrave couldn't lose to Jiyan who'd just started her training. Whirling back, the Empyrean princess held her sword in a horizontal stance, dark-blue flames gushed out, making the temperature drop to absolute zero. Golden light coiled around the 20th and 19th Landgraves, protecting them from instantaneous destruction. Harun's flames froze, broke free, then froze again, trapped in an endless battle with Jiyan's Extreme Yin. 

Racing across the air, Harun ignored the confrontation between the 20th and Jiyan, and aimed his right hand at the 19th. Dozens of vines grew and lashed at his limbs, but aware of his surroundings, the 19th Landgrave escaped through a Space Portal, landing straight before Jiyan's sweeping kick. Neither the 19th nor the 20th had expected this burst of speed, and by the time the former crashed into Harun, a dropping ax kick smashed into the latter's skull. Avoiding destruction by a hair's breadth, the 20th Landgrave raced back, gasping for breath. 

Disrupting the laws of space, the 19th reappeared beside his brother, and the two were startled to see two Jiyans now standing on the scene. Instantly, the 20th Landgrave glanced at Birandar, whose third intently stared at one of the Jiyans. Blood streamed down his eye, proof that it'd reached its limits. With the Mystery of Truth, Birandar could make identical copies of virtually anything. However, the copy was an independent lifeform that would act exactly like the original. Birandar had no control over its actions, and at his current level of insight, couldn't sustain a copy of Jiyan for over 10 seconds. 

Knowing that time was of the essence, the two Jiyans flanked the 19th and 20th. Harun's clash with the 21st still raged on. And though they fought on different fronts, Harun and Jiyan remained in synch, leading their enemies closer to the remaining Landgraves, who watched the show with amusement—well, all except the 27th. Indeed, seeing how much difficulty Harun had dealing with the 21st, the leading Sanguine Doll's face twisted into a frown. "How sorrowful. Should I feel pleased or offended? To think that even Your Highness would fall to the point you must try so hard before such insects. For the sake of the Myriad Devil Palace, should I give you a dignified death? I'm confused and conflicted. If only we'd we never met," the 27th Landgrave suppressed a sigh. Murderlust replaced the frustration, and he raised his right hand. In-between an exchange of blows, boundless pressure crashed on Harun's shoulders, forcing him on the ground. 

But though this moment of weakness would likely lead to his defeat, Harun remained stoic. "Mukri, take a short breath and fire Heavenly Tribulation at me, then retreat with Birandar and Jiyan," Harun ordered as he gritted his teeth to take on the 21st Landgrave's sweeping kick.

BANG!

In nearly 200 years of existence, Harun had never withstood such a dreadful blow. If not for his tyrannical defensive abilities, his skull would have shattered on the spot. But even as blood dripped down his face and faces, Harun's lips curled into a smile. Catching him mid-air, Jiyan sent him flying back at the Landgraves, who now all stood within ten meters of one another. Taking in a short breath, Mukri didn't question Harun's words and summoned Heaven's wrath. Dark clouds gathered above Harun's forehead, but while Mukri and the confused Landgraves expected the typical, several meters wide clouds, a veil of darkness filled the whole mine. Outside, the crimson sky turned pitch-black, and across tens of thousands of meters, growling thunder and red lightning bolts battered the listeners' eardrums. 

Without exception, the nine Landgraves ignored Birandar, Mukri, Jiyan and Harun to glance at this unprecedented phenomenon. Jiyan's brows creased, Mukri was scared out of his wits, and even Birandar dropped on his rear. With every flash of lightning and growling thunder, the earth shook, cracked, and made veterans such as the Landgraves and Weeping Soul fear for their lives. "What the…I…did this?" Mukri reeled back, confused by his achievements. Only Harun remained stoic, as if he'd always expected the deluge of barbarous lightning forming above him. 

"Wait…we're interfering in a tribulation. Damn it all…" the 27th Landgrave realized, a step too late.

Thanks to the Flame Spirit King's captivity, Harun learned much of the Landgrave hierarchy. Started with the 25th, each was stronger than all the lower-ranked Landgraves combined. Therefore, Harun never hoped to defeat the Assembly in an honest confrontation. 

Endless rays of purple lightning shafted toward the Obsidian Soul Stone mine, blasting through its walls to exterminate Harun and the Landgraves. Alas, as intruders, the Landgraves received thrice Harun's punishment, and all faced an insurmountable nightmare. 

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Spiritual Incense, kaleidoscopic light and flames gushed out of Harun's form. Purple and Life Essence followed, reinforcing his impregnable defenses while Death, Extreme Yin and Withering Essence eroded the lightning bolts' might. The 27th, 26th and 25th Landgrave led their group's resistance, unleashing the full might of their golden marks and Mysteries to resist the infernal strike. Alas, anything they put forth was pummeled into oblivion by the unending waves of red lightning. josei

"All along, the bull was the strongest? How is this a God-level Tribulation? Even a Heavenly God may not survive! And where are his subordinates?" Weeping Soul thrashed in his blood bubble prison, and desperately sought Jiyan and the rest—they were long gone.

"Ran! They all ran! How despicable! Master, save yourself!" Weeping Soul lost his eternal composure and squealed at the 27th Landgrave. Alas, his cries didn't carry the Mystery of Truth. The 27th Landgrave's 11 bolt marks shone at their brightest, clashing, but crumbling before the lightning strikes.

BOOM!

The lightning bolts pierced through the last defenses and struck their targets, triggering earsplitting explosions that sent Weeping Soul and hundreds of flying fishes crashing into distant walls. Even Jiyan, Mukri and Birandar, who raced down the cavern roads, couldn't escape the explosions' impact. Propelled across the rugged cavern walls, they rolled down several meters before stopping their fall—sustaining minimal injuries. 

Looking above her shoulders, Jiyan glanced at the red clouds of smoke, remembered Harun's words, but still turned to Mukri with undisguised killing intent. "You better have a magnificent explanation ready. Otherwise, one year from today I will celebrate your death anniversary."