Moments later, someone stepped forward: "The Shadow Sect can make sacrifices; how could our Heavenly Court not? I am willing to stay and command the Heaven Monitoring Tower!"
"This old man is also willing."
"To shed this remnant body to slay a Demonic Venerable, what is there that cannot be done?"
More and more Gu Immortals stood forward.
Of course, there were also Heavenly Court Gu Immortals who held other opinions.
"In this old man's view, the pressing matter is still to ascertain exactly what Venerable Ghost is refining!"
"Matters have not yet reached the point of no return. As long as the green mountain remains, there is no fear of lacking firewood."
"Back then, when Venerable Ghost was alive, he could not even storm Heavenly Court. Now that he is dead, he is certainly weaker than in life. What is there for my great Heavenly Court to fear?"
The Tower Lord of Heaven Monitoring waved his hand: "My mind is made up. Those resolved to stay, assist me in activating the Heaven Monitoring Tower. As for the rest, I will send you up to the Upper Plane. Regardless of victory or defeat, do your utmost to gather the Immortal Gu Remnants and bring them back to Heavenly Court."
Thus, the side of Heavenly Court finally reached a consensus.
The Heaven Monitoring Tower suddenly blazed with a sky-piercing radiance as a pillar of light descended from the high heavens, enveloping the tower.
Venerable Ghost was secretly startled, struggling to control the Heaven Monitoring Tower, preventing it from breaking free of its ethereal state.
However, the Heaven Monitoring Tower had no intention of escaping its ethereal condition. In fact, its final countermeasure required it to maintain this state constantly.
The voice of the Tower Lord of Heaven Monitoring echoed between heaven and earth: "Venerable Ghost, let me show you the Heaven Monitoring Tower's newest and greater power!"
Amid a tremendous boom, the surrounding world underwent a subtle but profound shift.
The Ten Calamities Thorn Dragon, which had been tightly coiled around Venerable Ghost's body, now, under the tower's influence, changed its target and lunged directly at the Ten Absolute Grand Formation.
Venerable Ghost's expression finally changed.
This move from the Heaven Monitoring Tower exceeded his expectations. Even though he had plotted for tens of thousands of years, calculated countless times, and exhausted the lives of multiple generations of Wisdom Path Gu Immortals, refining his great plan again and again to perfection...
He still had not calculated that the Heaven Monitoring Tower possessed the means to manipulate the Calamities!
What manner of power was this?
A formidable aura erupted violently. Venerable Ghost could no longer remain indifferent; he quickly deployed his methods to resist the onslaught of the myriad vines.
He had experienced the Calamities several times. To fulfill the requirements of the mysterious Immortal Gu within the Ten Absolute Grand Formation, his combat strength had already been severely diminished.
But now, with his full power unleashed, his demonic might was still overwhelming, his dominance sweeping the world.
The numerous Soul Path DAO Marks on his body, though more than half were lost, now all lit up with the light of their marks, shining denser and more brilliantly than a sky full of stars.
An unimaginably fierce clash ensued.
One side controlled the Ten Calamities to attack, while the other transformed into an intangible soul form, resisting the bombardment of countless vines.
Despite being alone, even reduced to only his soul, Venerable Ghost displayed battle techniques of near-divine skill.
He blocked all the incoming thorny vines.
The Ten Absolute Grand Formation under his protection was tightly shielded, not letting a drop of water penetrate.
Meanwhile, the Heaven Monitoring Tower, still in its ethereal state, was disintegrating.
And the speed of disintegration grew faster. The countless mortal and Immortal Gu composing the tower were damaged and destroyed by the thousands every second.
Within the tower, every few breaths, an Eighth Transformation Heavenly Court Gu Immortal lost their vital breath, sacrificing themselves on the spot.
To control the Calamities, the Heavenly Court side paid an excruciatingly heavy price!
Venerable Ghost was the same.
Already heavily wounded, resisting the Thorn Dragon Calamities further depleted his soul body at a frightening rate, like a balloon with a massive hole torn in it.
His aura, which had previously filled the heavens and earth, weakened dramatically. The demonic might that had once surged like a wildfire now resembled scattered bonfires.
"Ghost! You defy heaven's will; you will meet no good end!" Before perishing, the Tower Lord of Heaven Monitoring uttered his final curse.
Around him, all the Heavenly Court Gu Immortals had already fallen, not one remaining.
*Boom!*
The remaining half of the Heaven Monitoring Tower completely collapsed, shattering into myriad fragments.
The fragments then reverted into mortal and Immortal Gu. Following the pillar of light, they pierced through the Heavenly Spirit Qi barrier and flew deep into the Upper Plane.
The Heavenly Court Gu Immortals who remained in the Upper Plane moved in unison to recover these Gu. Above all, the priority was, naturally, the Destiny Immortal Gu.
Venerable Ghost's form, originally a thousand zhang tall, had diminished to several hundred zhang, then several dozen, and now was only several zhang in height.
Not only that, his true soul body was no longer solid but extremely transparent, drifting with the wind, his aura incredibly feeble.
The Catastrophe of Earth Sinking also dissipated completely at this moment.
In mid-air, a sword light flashed as the Immortal Zombie Bo Qing had already flown before Venerable Ghost.
The remnant soul of Mo Yao within him shouted coldly: "Ghost, give my Qing-er back to me!"
But Venerable Ghost's gaze was fixed on the Ten Absolute Grand Formation. The formation's dark mist had vanished entirely; the ten Immortal Zombies had already sacrificed themselves voluntarily, leaving only a sphere shining with a nine-colored, dazzling brilliance.
The Immortal Zombie Bo Qing continued to approach: "You promised me you would resurrect him."
Venerable Ghost slowly shifted his gaze to the face of Immortal Zombie Bo Qing: "The split soul that created Bo Qing was long since destroyed in the Calamities. With the split soul lost, how can I resurrect him?"
"You lied to me?" Immortal Zombie Bo Qing clenched her fists, a dangerous light flashing in her eyes.
"I certainly did not lie to you. I am Bo Qing's true body. My imminent resurrection includes his resurrection. When I rule the world in the future, it also means Bo Qing has reached the Ninth Transformation realm. Is that not precisely what you always hoped for back then?" Venerable Ghost spoke in an unhurried, deliberate tone.
"Old bastard!" Immortal Zombie Bo Qing was furious and lunged to kill Venerable Ghost.
But her sword light had just ignited when it abruptly froze.
Immortal Zombie Bo Qing hovered before Venerable Ghost, unable to move.
"Are you my final obstacle? Hehehe, truly a pity. If not for that Yan Shi's dying reminder, perhaps you might have caused some trouble. But now... humph. You've forgotten that all the Immortal Gu on your body, of the Sword Path, are sustained by my split soul's will. You've even more forgotten who has been secretly feeding them all these years."
Venerable Ghost's tone was icy. He paused, then continued: "Now, I give you one last chance. Kill them, and atone for your act of defying me."
"Them" naturally referred to the Heavenly Court Gu Immortals deep in the Upper Plane.
"Pah!"
"Hmph, foolish woman."
In the next instant, Mo Yao's remnant soul was forcibly ripped out, then swallowed whole by Venerable Ghost.