Steadily becoming a saint, the immortal officials hired me to tend the horses - Chapter 858: 850: A Moment's Difference

Chapter 858: Chapter 850: A Moment’s Difference

Rumble——

In the dim cosmic void, the sound of thunder echoed, overwhelmingly oppressive.

XU YOU and ZHANG BUKU, clad in golden battle armor, soared through the clouds. Their gaze was fixed on the depths of the void, where red clouds surged, seemingly like a massive and terrifying demon baring its claws and fangs.

“This realm is at the edge of the Heavenly Dao, and the destiny here is weak. Occasionally, chaos evil demons invade. We must be extremely cautious this time. Once we find the Life Heart Mysterious Iron, we’ll withdraw immediately.”

Xu You turned his head to Zhang Buku and earnestly said.

Zhang Buku rolled his eyes and snapped, “Whenever have you not been the more reckless one between us?”

Xu You laughed and said, “I’m just worried you might become conceited after your breakthrough.”

As they bantered, they flew onward, their Divine Sense sweeping across the void, scanning one meteor after another.

After a long while.

The two arrived at a dark red void, dotted with red spots and intertwined lightning. There were not only meteors here but also pieces of broken continents and even remnants of ancient, colossal buildings floating.

Zhang Buku suddenly felt uneasy, as if a terrifying power was secretly watching them, making him even more vigilant.

Xu You raised his right hand and wiped his forehead, where a vertical eye opened, bursting with golden light, creating multiple golden eye shadows.

The two continued forward in silence.

“The Life Heart Mysterious Iron is over there!”

Xu You suddenly spoke. His figure flashed, appearing out of thin air on a meteor, which seemed small from afar but felt like a vast and desolate land upon his landing.

Before him lay a massive iron stone reflecting cold light, like the blade of a giant sword piercing the ground, towering a thousand feet high.

Zhang Buku joined Xu You by his side, his face showing delight upon seeing the Life Heart Mysterious Iron.

Xu You wasted no time and raised his hand, attempting to extract the Life Heart Mysterious Iron, but his expression changed the next second.

The Life Heart Mysterious Iron trembled but remained firmly on the ground.

Frowning, Zhang Buku also raised his hand, using his mana to assist Xu You. Yet, even combined efforts could not pull the iron from the ground, as if a formidable hand was dragging it below.

“No, we must abandon this piece!”

Zhang Buku said solemnly, feeling certain that continuing would lead to disaster.

Xu You replied seriously, “There is certainly danger further ahead. The best outcome is taking this piece. Persist a little longer, and if unsuccessful, then abandon.”

The golden eye on Xu You’s forehead opened wide, and a beam of golden light shone on the Life Heart Mysterious Iron, a golden stream flowing down its surface and penetrating the soil.

Rumble——

The ground began to quake. More precisely, the entire meteor trembled as though about to explode.

Xu You’s face changed drastically. He instantly grasped Zhang Buku’s wrist, carrying him away.

Zhang Buku, momentarily flustered, pulled out a Divine Weapon with his other hand.

An unimaginable pressure descended, darkening the void further, pressing upon Zhang Buku and Xu You, who instinctively unleashed all their mana to resist.

“We are no longer Immortal Gods; if we die, we are truly consigned to oblivion!”

Xu You gritted his teeth, a Treasure Tower appearing on his hand. He raised it, and it emitted azure light enveloping them, yet the pressure remained intense and their flight speed slowed significantly.

“Need you say it; I told you to stop earlier, but you didn’t listen!”

Zhang Buku muttered with darkened expression, having experienced such situations countless times, almost used to them.

Then, their vision suddenly darkened. Zhang Buku instinctively looked up, seeing a colossal, dark hand descending towards them.

Even though they hadn’t halted, the hand remained overhead as if their flight was ineffective.

Grinding his teeth, Zhang Buku tightly gripped his Divine Weapon and struck upwards despite knowing the disparity in strength; he resolved to fight.

Meanwhile.

GU AN, far away on the Immortal Seeking Island in the Celestial Spirit Great World, observed Zhang Buku’s calamity within an auction.

“Named Buku, yet suffering endlessly. Oh, my dear disciple, truly hard to safeguard you.”

Gu An murmured, seated in a private room of a pavilion, where translucent curtains allowed him a view of the terrace outside.

On the terrace, a cultivator was showcasing auction items, while the other rooms were shrouded by curtains, appearing engulfed in dark mist from outside, obscuring their interiors.

Gu An was not there to buy anything, just to enjoy the spectacle.

The calamity that befell Zhang Buku drew his attention.

Zhang Buku had cultivated in the Celestial Extreme Nine Heavens for years, recently breaking through to the Innate Golden Immortal Realm. He and Xu You ventured to that realm to seek materials for crafting supreme treasures. Having forged the Vajra Undying Body, his strength far exceeded his realm, necessitating a fitting supreme treasure to reveal his divine skills’ power.

They faced misfortune not due to bad luck but premeditated targeting.

Dark Heavenly Court!

Thı𝐬 ƈhⱥp𝐭𝑒r 𝐢𝘴 p𝐨ʂ𝕥𝘦đ b𝖞 Ҡıţɛη𝘰ⱽ𝘦𝕝

More precisely, the Dark Heavenly Court targeted Xu You, not Zhang Buku.

Acting was Emperor Bone Profound Venerable, whose cultivation level was Mixed Element Profound Venerable Immortal. Even if Xu You unleashed his Heavenly Son Origin, he was no match for such a foe.

Gu An didn’t immediately intervene to rescue Zhang Buku, having foreseen Zhang Buku’s future.

Though Zhang Buku would endure hardship under Emperor Bone Profound Venerable, he would also gain substantial opportunities, leading to a surge in cultivation level.

Even if Zhang Buku became tainted by the Dark Heavenly Court’s destiny, Gu An knew ways to extricate him from the Sea of Suffering.

Gu An looked at Emperor Bone Profound Venerable, his sentiments starkly different from their previous encounter.

During their last confrontation, though Emperor Bone Profound Venerable wasn’t his match, now, everything about Emperor Bone Profound Venerable was apparent to him; he could dictate his fate and negate his past.

When Emperor Bone Profound Venerable led the Dark Heavenly Court against the Celestial Court, the Celestial Emperor likely felt similar.

In chaos or the Heavenly Dao, Emperor Bone Profound Venerable’s strength was formidable, yet to Gu An and the Celestial Emperor, he was akin to a Mortal Spirit.

Gu An pondered whether higher-level existences viewed him and the Celestial Emperor similarly.

Currently, he didn’t sense such power, but he would assume it existed.

Such invisible pressure kept him grounded.

Supreme Emperor of Ultimate Merging Dao wasn’t enough for him!

He aimed to not only surpass Emperor Bone Profound Venerable by one great realm but two, three, four, even more!

As long as life evolution continues, his limits won’t exist!

“If you make the right choice for him, there’s a path to life; if you choose wrongly, if the Celestial Emperor doesn’t destroy you, then I will.”

Relaxed in his chair, Gu An propped his face with one hand, speaking softly.

Everyone possesses myriad fates; a single thought can alter their destiny. Gu An kept all of Emperor Bone Profound Venerable’s potential fates in view.