The Three Hundred and Sixty-Five Divine Acupoints

The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree cast its radiance across the earth. The Ancestral God essence blazed like a scorching sun. The two interweaved and resonated, causing heaven and earth to tremble in unison.

"Boom!"

The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree clashed with the Great Annihilation War Spear. Light of every color flooded heaven and earth, torrential waves of divine power surging forth in all directions.

Hundreds of the surrounding russet mountains collapsed, rising and falling like ocean swells, until at last they subsided into ash, turning the primeval stone forest into a flat plain.

Overwhelming energy radiated across the eight directions.

Blinding brilliance filled every inch of space. The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree pressed down upon the Great Annihilation War Spear. That strand of Ancestral God essence burned especially fiercely, like a blazing sun, trapping the blood-colored war spear.

Xiao Chen and Babula were almost pressed together, each straining with all their might to shatter the other.

"A pity. Your strength is insufficient to wield this sacred tree's true power. Even with a strand of Ancestral God essence, it's useless!" The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula's eye sockets shot out eerie light as he stared coldly at Xiao Chen. "If Fuxi or Suiren had come to fight me, that would be different. You are far from enough."

"If they had come, you'd have fled in terror long ago. With only a shred of residual consciousness like you have, how dare you spout such nonsense? Someone half-dead like you—I'm more than enough to kill." Xiao Chen showed no mercy with his words, striking at his opponent's pride.

At the same time, six Heavenly Steles descended, pressing down toward Babula.

"Great Annihilation War Spear, pierce through the world!" Babula roared. The blood-red war spear erupted with sky-piercing blood radiance, and for a hundred li, monstrous waves surged, turning everything into a world of blood.

Throughout this process, the Great Annihilation War Spear shuddered continuously, the force it released rising like tidal waves, each wave higher than the last.

He blocked the Heavenly Steles!

Moreover, the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree pressing down on the Great Annihilation War Spear was gradually being lifted up!

"There is no one in this world who can match me. You ant once blasphemed against me—now accept your punishment!" Babula roared. His skeletal frame grew even grander and more imposing, and the Great Annihilation War Spear overturned in an instant, pressing down on the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree.

At the same time, eight snow-white bone spears sprouting from both sides of his body pierced through the void, stabbing toward Xiao Chen, who was right before him.

Clanging rang out without end. Xiao Chen was prepared—twenty-seven War Swords guarded his front, clashing head-on with the eight ancient spears at close quarters. At the same time, he took the initiative to strike, slashing at the Ancestral God skeleton before him.

"I, Babula, am unmatched in heaven and on earth! Lowly human, taste torment!" Babula roared. His entire body erupted with towering demonic flames. The cluster of Ancestral God blood within his skull burst forth completely, dyeing the entire Ancestral God skeleton crimson.

Fresh blood-red became the sole color of heaven and earth. The originally snow-white Ancestral God skeleton now gleamed like translucent red agate, dazzling and brilliant, radiating ten thousand rays of light.

"Boom!"

A wave of divine power that shook the nine heavens erupted from the Ancestral God skeleton—an unthinkably wild and domineering aura!

One after another, over a dozen waves of energy burst from the Great Annihilation War Spear.

Resistance was impossible!

It was a force that swept away all before it. The Great Annihilation War Spear hurled Xiao Chen, the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree, and the War Swords all into the air!

Xiao Chen could not withstand that wild, arrogant aura. He was blasted high into the sky. The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree and the War Swords hummed and clanged. At the same time, because he had been knocked away, the six Heavenly Steles all dimmed and vanished.

Throughout this process, Xiao Chen coughed blood continuously. His entire body ached unbearably. Even with the protection of the Ancestral God War Armor, he felt utterly miserable.

At least seven or eight ribs were broken. His internal organs had suffered a violent shock.

Back then, Babula had stood beyond the starry sky and, wielding the Great Annihilation War Spear, had shaken the earth of the Nine Provinces with Ancestral Gods bleeding into the soil—a truly ghostly and godlike power that shook heaven and earth. Now, he had merely summoned the weapon's spirit, and it had already wounded Xiao Chen severely.

Xiao Chen was blasted more than thirty li away. Throughout this process, he coughed blood without stopping, showing just how severe his injuries were.

At the same time, Babula transformed into a streak of blood light and pursued him. The Great Annihilation War Spear slanted toward the southern sky before tracing a terrifying trajectory and piercing through the void.

Xiao Chen's expression changed dramatically. The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree had already resuspended above his head, protecting his skull, while the twenty-seven War Swords arrayed themselves into formation to resist the blood-colored war spear.

"Boom!"

Xiao Chen crashed to the ground, smashing a human-shaped crater into the stone forest.

Although the Ancestral God War Armor had not shattered, against this kind of annihilation war spear that could strike across the starry sky, it seemed somewhat inadequate.

Xiao Chen's face was pale. Over a dozen bones in his body were broken, and he had spat out who knew how much blood.

This was one of the few truly humiliating defeats he had suffered since setting out on his path.

Ever since he began standing against Half-Ancestors, he had swept all before him. Even when facing the Asura Half-Ancestor and the Skeleton King, he could overpower them. But today, he had suffered such a crushing defeat.

This made him clearly aware that he was still far from a true top-tier expert. Even among the Half-Ancestors at the fourth or fifth heavenly tier, there were still terrifying individuals.

After so many years of advancing without meeting an opponent, being so heavily wounded today was no small blow.

"Even though my flesh and blood are gone, my divine soul shattered, leaving only a fragment of consciousness, you ant are still no match for me." The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula moved through the stone forest, his steps shrinking the earth. Thirty li passed in an instant.

Xiao Chen stood up from the shattered ground and walked forward step by step. "You're strong, so you kill me. I'm strong, so I kill you. Today, it's that simple!"

Xiao Chen walked forward barehanded, all his War Swords guarding his side.

"Then vanish from this world!" The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula roared. The Great Annihilation War Spear swung down. Where the spear tip pointed, space collapsed, time froze, and supreme divine power surged.

At that moment, Xiao Chen threw back his head and roared, his entire body erupting with skyward light. Every acupoint blazed brilliantly. His mysterious art revolved to its ultimate limit.

Six enormous Heavenly Steles materialized, clearer than before. The patterns carved into them were distinctly visible, and the ancient, age-worn aura they exuded made one feel as if they had traveled back to the primeval age.

"Bang!"

As Xiao Chen swung his right arm, the first Heavenly Stele crashed down, pressing toward Babula.

"Clang!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula raised the Great Annihilation War Spear diagonally upward to meet the Heavenly Stele. The immense energy tremor made heaven and earth seem about to overturn.

With a thunderous boom, the Heavenly Stele was sent flying. But Babula also staggered back more than ten steps.

At that moment, the second Heavenly Stele descended, pressing down on Babula.

"Open for me!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula bellowed. The war spear in his hand blazed with skyward blood radiance, carrying a fierce, unmatched murderous aura that shook the heavens.

With a resonant hum, the blood-colored war spear bent, but it still sent the second Heavenly Stele flying.

"Suppress!" Xiao Chen roared.

His entire body blazed brighter than the sun. The third Heavenly Stele descended.

"Clang!"

A piercing sound spread for hundreds of li. Even a Deathless Longevity expert nearby would have had their eardrums shattered by the shock.

The third Heavenly Stele was sent flying by the war spear.

"Boom!"

At that moment, the fourth, fifth, and sixth Heavenly Steles all pressed down at once.

The ground, reinforced and protected by ancient divine formations, split apart. The three Heavenly Steles pressed down on Babula. Although the Great Annihilation War Spear blazed with blood light, it was pressed down until it bent.

"Crack!"

The war spear shattered. But at the same time, the fourth and fifth Heavenly Steles were knocked away.

The sixth Heavenly Stele descended, slamming solidly onto Babula's Ancestral God skeleton, driving him deep into the earth.

This was not sealing space with the Heavenly Steles but wielding them. It nearly drained all of Xiao Chen's power. However, the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree quickly replenished his divine energy, preventing him from collapsing from exhaustion. Still, he could not immediately condense six Heavenly Steles again.

"Bang!"

The earth shattered. Babula rushed up from the deep underground. At the same time, the war spear in his right hand blazed with ten thousand blood-colored rays. A new Great Annihilation War Spear had taken shape once more.

"I am eternal through the ages, imperishable and undying!" He swung the Great Annihilation War Spear, piercing through the void, stabbing toward Xiao Chen.

"Boom!"

Xiao Chen was instantly sent flying again, suffering another severe blow as he was blasted more than twenty li away.

Babula, single-handedly holding the Great Annihilation War Spear, shrank the earth to an inch and was upon him again in an instant, demonic flames surging to the heavens.

The demeanor of a peerless expert who looks down on the world with contempt—one could easily imagine that this was exactly how Babula had been at the peak of his former state.

Now, his flesh and blood were gone, his divine soul shattered, leaving only a nail-sized shred of residual consciousness. Yet, relying on his skeleton body, he still displayed a presence that dominated heaven and earth.

He held the war spear aloft with one hand, piercing through the heavens.

Babula and the Great Annihilation War Spear were one, as if born together. At this moment, his aura pressed down upon the nine heavens. For a hundred li, everything was crimson red, filled with blood light, a vast energy that made all tremble.

Nearby, a million rat demons groveled on the ground, trembling in fear and dread.

"Die!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula took a single step forward. The war spear swept across, and with a bang, Xiao Chen was sent flying once more.

This was one of the few crushing defeats Xiao Chen had suffered since leaving seclusion. He had always annihilated his enemies, but now he was clearly outmatched.

The Grand Dread Nether King was comparable to an Ancestral God—that level of being didn't count. But this Babula, who clearly only stood at the Half-Ancestor realm, nonetheless made Xiao Chen feel he could not prevail.

It had been many years since he had last tasted the flavor of such defeat.

But he was not disheartened. Killing him would not be so easy. He still had the strength to fight. Who would win and who would lose was still far from decided.

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula strode forward. Heaven and earth trembled with each step. He was like a demon king who had descended upon the world.

"You have fearsome battle skills and terrifying divine weapons. But your absolute strength is too weak. Ant, disappear!" Babula raised the Great Annihilation War Spear.

"Killing me is not that easy."

Xiao Chen once again grabbed the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree, letting the twenty-seven War Swords stand guard above his head. At the same time, he took out a jade bottle from his acupoint space and poured out a few drops of Ancestral Lord blood, applying it to the sacred tree.

"Ancestral God's blood?!" Babula's eye sockets shot out two terrifying beams of light. "Someone like you actually possesses such a thing—remarkable."

At that moment, the Ancestral God essence within the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree seemed to sense something. Its light flared intensely as if it wanted to burst out from the tree and reunite with the Ancestral God blood.

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula sneered coldly. "Let's see what you can do!"

"Boom!"

Xiao Chen brandished the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree and swept it toward the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula. The Ancestral God essence within shot forth like an eternal, undying beam of light, dazzling beyond compare.

"Chi!"

The Ancestral God essence, like sword qi, emitted a sound of tearing the void.

"Boom!"

It collided with the Great Annihilation War Spear and shattered the blood-colored weapon. At the same time, the sacred tree struck Babula's Ancestral God skeleton, sending him flying dozens of li away.

Xiao Chen had not expected the Ancestral God essence to be so overwhelmingly powerful. He transformed into a streak of black light and pursued.

"Bang!"

The Seven-Colored Sacred Tree swept out again, striking Babula as he crashed to the ground, sending him flying once more. His skeleton joints groaned under the impact.

"Lowly crawling insect, you have defiled the dignity of an Ancestral God once again. Now, enjoy the torment."

"Imperishable Heavenly Shield, a shield that even Martial Ancestor and Fuxi could not shatter, combined with my Great Annihilation War Spear—let's see what means you have left to defy heaven!"

Babula's voice was deathly cold. He seemed unwilling to prolong the fight any further and wanted to end it immediately.

Although the Imperishable Heavenly Shield looked ancient and timeworn, it gave Xiao Chen an immense pressure—even greater than the Great Annihilation War Spear.

If such a pristine Heavenly Shield truly existed in the world, it would certainly be a peerless treasure that Ancestral Gods would fight over.

Xiao Chen did not answer. He swung the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree down once more.

"Boom!"

The seven-colored radiance, coupled with the Ancestral God essence, smashed violently into the Imperishable Heavenly Shield. The vast energy surged, and both of them were sent flying.

"It blocked it!" Xiao Chen's pupils contracted sharply. He sensed grave trouble. That Imperishable Heavenly Shield had indeed stopped his attack.

"These were the two divine weapons that followed me in ancient times, accompanying me through a thousand ages, making me unmatched in the world. Using them to kill you truly feels like using an ox-cleaver to slaughter a chicken."

"Unmatched in the world? That's a title you gave yourself! Back then, Fuxi and Martial Ancestor killed you like slaughtering a dog. Don't forget—you have already died!"

Xiao Chen's words choked Babula severely.

"Kill!"

Babula spat out only this single word and charged forward.

Xiao Chen vibrated the twenty-seven War Swords while simultaneously striking with the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree, battling the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula.

But as Babula had said, whether it was the War Swords or the Sacred Tree, they were both top-tier divine weapons. It was only because Xiao Chen's absolute strength was insufficient that he could not push them to their limits.

"Boom!"

The boundless light seemed like eternal brilliance, heaven and earth utterly illuminated.

Babula blocked all of Xiao Chen's attacks with the Imperishable Heavenly Shield while piercing through heaven and earth with the Great Annihilation War Spear, sending Xiao Chen flying dozens of li.

"Bang!"

When Xiao Chen crashed into the rubble-strewn stone forest, Babula was already upon him, closing in step by step. His face was icily cruel. "Everything ends now. You can die."

Xiao Chen coughed up a few mouthfuls of blood. Even standing up was difficult. Babula, whose residual consciousness had merged with his Ancestral God skeleton, made him feel a terrifying, overwhelming power.

The methods of a fallen Ancestral God were still beyond imagination, even in death!

The earth trembled with Babula's footsteps!

On Babula's left arm was the Imperishable Heavenly Shield; in his right hand, he held the Great Annihilation War Spear. Both weapons shone with blinding brilliance.

"Weak race. Lowly crawling insect. Even killing you soils my hand, but I will still make your body and soul utterly perish!" Babula revealed a cruel smile.

Xiao Chen roared, pushing his mysterious art to its absolute limit. He tried once more to summon the six Heavenly Steles to fight the enemy.

But just then, he heard a rumbling sound within his body. His mysterious art had reached its utmost extreme. All three hundred and sixty-five major acupoints suddenly blazed like brilliant stars, as if about to burst out of his body!

Three hundred and sixty-five furious roars rang out from Xiao Chen's body, instantly stirring the winds and clouds, making heaven and earth lose their color!

The three hundred and sixty-five acupoints blazed with dazzling light, together forming a miniature, brilliant starry sky.

The shimmering radiance forced the Otherworld Ancestral God back a few steps.

"Chi!"

With a tearing sound, Babula's Great Annihilation War Spear pierced through the void and stabbed down. He sensed something uncomfortable and did not want to give Xiao Chen any chance.

"Bang!"

Xiao Chen was blasted away, but this time he did not suffer a lethal blow.

All three hundred and sixty-five divinely transformed acupoints erupted with terrifying light, like hundreds of billions of starlight interweaving, dazzling and brilliant.

At the same time, the three hundred and sixty-five furious roars sounded again, even louder this time, shaking the nine heavens above and stirring the nine netherworlds below, forcing the pursuing Babula to halt.

Xiao Chen's entire body blazed with radiance. Every one of the three hundred and sixty-five major acupoints shot forth dazzling divine light.

Babula's pupils contracted sharply. He was stunned.

At that moment, a human silhouette appeared beside Xiao Chen—hazy and indistinct, hard to see clearly.

But it exuded a terrifying aura, an unmistakable presence of one who would yield to none, who was supreme and unrivaled.

"Roar..."

This time, the roar echoed in the outside world, even more terrifying, shaking entire mountain ranges to collapse.

Illusion or phantom? Neither—this was like a living, breathing great god!

At the same time, the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree trembled violently. Within it, not only the Ancestral God essence but also seven strands of Ancestral Dragon essence had appeared. Wind and thunder raged around the sacred tree, dragon cries shaking the heavens.

"Kill!"

With Xiao Chen's shout, he gripped the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree and charged forward. The great god behind him moved in perfect unison, advancing together.

Finally, that great god seized control of all the hovering War Swords and slashed at the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula.

"Boom!"

Xiao Chen struck the Imperishable Heavenly Shield. This time, the seven Ancestral Dragon essences and the one Ancestral God essence all erupted with terrifying fluctuations. Instantly, the ancient shield shattered. At the same time, the great god controlling the twenty-seven War Swords used them to block the Great Annihilation War Spear.

"Bang!"

The moment Xiao Chen shattered the Imperishable Heavenly Shield, he continuously swung the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree, attacking the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula.

Babula was sent flying. Xiao Chen pursued relentlessly, striking again and again. The great god who controlled the War Swords advanced shoulder to shoulder with him, using the swords to hack at this Otherworld Ancestral God.

A fierce battle erupted. Heaven and earth collapsed; ghosts wailed and gods cried.

For fully two hours, the fighting raged on!

"Boom!"

At the instant Xiao Chen once again hurled Babula into the air, the great god controlling the War Swords rushed forward. With a crack, he severed Babula's left lower leg bone.

Even after knocking Babula down, the Ancestral God skeleton could not be shattered—dismantling it was the only option!

"Death!"

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula flew into a rage. He fought back for the leg bone, ultimately reclaiming the foot bone, but the left lower leg bone was seized by Xiao Chen's side.

"Boy, you have angered me. Today, no matter how bizarre you are, I will make sure your body and soul are utterly annihilated!" Babula stood on one leg, his hollow eye sockets shooting out icy, cold light as he stared at Xiao Chen.

At that moment, towering killing intent filled the air, shaking heaven and earth!

But suddenly, Babula felt dizzy. An unreal sensation washed over him. Behind Xiao Chen, he saw... a vast crowd of figures, hazy and indistinct—over three hundred of them!

Babula was utterly dumbfounded, thoroughly dizzy. Then he could not help blurting out an Otherworld curse: "Qiugolema!"

And then, without looking back, he turned and fled!

Xiao Chen still had no idea that a crowd of figures had appeared behind him. Seeing Babula flee, he was confused. He tried to pursue but could not catch up.

The Otherworld Ancestral God Babula had actually run away! He had abandoned his own leg bone, without any Ancestral God dignity—he was truly an outstanding escape artist. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished without a trace.

Only when Xiao Chen turned around did he understand what had happened. He, too, felt dizzy. There were a full three hundred and sixty-five hazy phantom figures, all standing behind him! They were hazy and indistinct, somewhat resembling him, but on closer inspection, they did not seem to be him.

Observing carefully, Xiao Chen saw the truth. Aside from the first great god, who possessed very strong combat power, the other three hundred and sixty-four hazy phantoms were all mere illusions, without any combat ability.

Xiao Chen was a bit dumbfounded. So it was this crowd of phantoms that had scared off the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula!

"Hahaha..." In the end, he could not help but laugh. This was too absurd. If the Otherworld Ancestral God Babula ever learned the truth, he would probably vomit three liters of blood in rage.

The three hundred and sixty-five great gods transformed into three hundred and sixty-five beams of light and all flew back into his acupoints.

If it had not been for the manifestation of these three hundred and sixty-five great gods frightening Babula away, the outcome of this battle would have been very hard to predict.

The Otherworld Babula was truly powerful. After merging with his own skeleton body and wielding the weapon's spirit, his combat strength soared, making him nearly unbeatable among Half-Ancestors.

This battle made Xiao Chen clearly recognize that he was still far from being a top-tier expert. Suffering a setback was not necessarily a bad thing.

Thinking of Babula's dizzy expression at the end, and his use of divine sense to hurl an Otherworld curse before fleeing, Xiao Chen could not help but smile.

He estimated that Babula would certainly be depressed for several days.

Xiao Chen walked back into the underground palace and picked up the jade book. But he did not continue exploring. This place was near the corpse river, and that sleeping, unknown existence had terrified even Babula—it was obviously extremely dangerous.

It was only half a month later that Xiao Chen finally left this stone forest. He did not know how to break the ancient divine formation of this region until he discovered traces of Babula's departure. Only then did he painstakingly find a path out.

After leaving this eerie mountain range, Xiao Chen flew several hundred li and soon encountered many cultivators.

They were all people searching for the Eternal Light.

Through brief conversations, he learned that the "Most Sinister Place" of the Soul World had supposedly been discovered, and everyone was flying in that direction.

Xiao Chen followed them, flying over one lush mountain after another. After traveling several hundred li, he was startled to discover that the suspected "Most Sinister Place" seemed to be the upper reaches of the underground corpse river!