190: Chapter 190 Three Heavenly Punishments Bestowed by Man

Blood continued to seep from her mouth, and the purplish-red fabric on the back of her magnificent Noble Consort's gown had already shredded, revealing the mangled flesh beneath.

Although Xu Xinlei's claw strike just now hadn't landed directly,

the sharp wind from the claw was enough to severely wound her already fragile body once again.

"Cough... Your Majesty."

When Su Daji saw him, she tried her best to squeeze out a smile.

But the movement aggravated her injuries, causing her to cough up another large mouthful of blood.

Su Chen could no longer care about anything else and was about to rush over.

This investment target was truly the most troublesome one he had ever handled across so many terms.

Whether it was out of guilt or because she loved him too deeply,

compared to Zhuge Jinyu and the other two, Su Daji was more inclined to sacrifice herself for Su Chen's sake.

Just as Su Chen was prepared to rush over and properly punish this vixen,

another transformation occurred.

In the four directions of north, south, east, and west around the Altar of Heaven,

the originally clear sky darkened simultaneously without any warning.

Four pillars of light, each a different color and radiating powerful auras, descended from the high, distant heavens.

They happened to envelop the entire Altar of Heaven within them.

The pillars of light were green, white, red, and black, corresponding to the four directions.

Within the light, four towering figures with fluttering robes and blurred faces were faintly visible.

They did not fully manifest, seemingly restricted by certain rules, only casting projections that contained their power.

It made sense.

Even on this day when the rules of heaven and earth were at their weakest, for the Immortals to manifest in the mortal realm through this method

was already the limit.

But even so,

an Immortal was still an Immortal.

The descending pressure caused countless mortals below the altar to instantly collapse to their knees, trembling in fear.

Even the elite guards felt it difficult to breathe, their minds on the verge of shattering.

The Immortals' majesty was as oppressive as a prison!

"Hmph, a mortal emperor who is actually quite meticulous, decisive, and ruthless."

From the green pillar of light came the indifferent voice of an old man.

"Unfortunately, going against the heavens is ultimately futile."

"If the pawn Xu Xinlei is useless, then so be it."

A cold female voice from the white pillar of light joined in.

"The cycle of the Heavenly Dao dictates that the Yin Shang Dynasty shall perish."

"As for the Nine-Tailed Sky... oh no, Su Daji,"

"as the Saintess of the Hehuan Sect, you murdered your master and betrayed your sect, and further entangled yourself with a rebellious ruler; your crimes deserve death."

"We shall use this woman's blood as a minor sacrifice to the Heavenly Dao."

"Indeed."

A booming voice echoed from the red pillar of light.

"We are restricted by the Heavenly Dao and cannot directly take action against a mortal emperor."

"However, this woman has defied the boundary between Immortal and mortal, and as a cultivator, she has aided a tyrant."

"We can still construct a Heavenly Punishment Grand Array with only three chances to execute her here."

In the final black pillar of light, the silent figure slowly raised a hand.

With his movement, the four-colored pillars of light enveloping the Altar of Heaven suddenly flared with intense brilliance.

A massive array diagram covering the entire Altar of Heaven slowly rose.

In the center of the array diagram, a terrifying, high-and-mighty aura rapidly condensed.

The locked target was none other than Su Daji, who was leaning against the railing, her breath fading.

"Vixen."

"If you can withstand these three Heavenly Punishments,"

"I will spare your life."

"Oh no."

Su Chen was startled.

Although the aura of those three Heavenly Punishments was limited by the world's constraints and had not exceeded the upper limit of the mortal realm,

it was already very close.

If Su Daji could use her full cultivation, it would be one thing.

But in her current state...

it would be extremely difficult for her to survive this tribulation.

"These 'Immortals' of this investment world truly have some tricks..."

They couldn't kill him directly, so they used the name of 'Heavenly Punishment' to execute Su Daji.

They wanted to cut off his assistance and force him to watch his loved one die before his eyes.

"Su Chen,"

the female Immortal in the white pillar of light spoke.

"We spare your life today."

"On the day the Xiqi Royal Army tramples Zhaoge, your soul shall be scattered."

"Enjoy these final moments while you can."

As her voice fell, the destructive energy condensed in the center of the array diagram was about to burst forth.

"I have to try..."

Su Chen channeled the remaining Power of National Destiny in his body and rushed recklessly toward the center of the array diagram.

However, there was a figure even faster than him.

Just a moment before the destructive pillar of light was about to fall,

Su Daji, drawing strength from some unknown source and using her last shred of clarity, shoved Su Chen with all her might.

She wanted to push Su Chen out of the core area locked by the destructive pillar of light.

"Your Majesty, go!"

Su Chen, who had already figured out her patterns, reacted even faster.

The moment she pushed him, instead of using the force to retreat,

he lunged forward in the direction she was pushing.

Su Chen's body pressed tightly against Su Daji's delicate frame.

In her suddenly widened, tearful eyes, something was slowly expanding.

Su Chen's figure, like the most steadfast mountain, instantly covered her entire field of vision.

He opened his arms in a completely protective stance, taking her, who was seriously injured and dying,

and pulled her tightly into his embrace.

Then, he spun around abruptly.

He used his entire back to face the destructive pillar of light that represented 'Heavenly Punishment'.

"No... Your Majesty."

Su Daji wanted to scream something, but found she couldn't make a sound no matter what.

She wanted to struggle, to push him away,

but her broken body no longer had an ounce of strength.

"Voom—!"

The four-colored destructive pillar of light slammed solidly into Su Chen's back.

"Crack..."

The sound of bones shattering rang out abruptly.

Su Chen's solemn Black Ceremonial Robe turned to ash the instant the pillar of light touched it.

His tall frame shuddered violently, and his back was instantly torn open and charred black.

"Pfft—!"

A large mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs sprayed from his mouth, splashing all over the pale, blood-stained face and neck of Su Daji in his arms.

It was warm and metallic.

His arms around Su Daji

tightened further out of sheer instinct,

as if he were afraid she would fall.

After the single strike, the four-colored pillar of light slowly dissipated.

The sky cleared once more, and the four towering Immortal figures were gone.

Only that indifferent voice still faintly echoed between heaven and earth.

"Foolish, to do this for a woman..."

"Overestimating your own strength."

Everything went silent.

Only now did the crowd below, who had been intimidated by the Immortals' majesty, wake up from the nightmare.

Countless guards swarmed toward the Altar of Heaven.

But the terrifying scene before the altar made them hesitate to approach no matter what.

Upon the high platform, there was a deathly silent mess.

Xu Xinlei's corpse lay in a pool of blood.

Su Daji was held tightly in Su Chen's arms.

She was covered in his blood.

She stared blankly with wide eyes at the face so close to hers.

This face, which had always been calm and composed before her, as if it could shoulder the weight of the world for her,

was now as pale as golden paper, blood constantly oozing from the corners of his mouth, his breath as weak as a flickering candle in the wind.