The Left Flank!
This was the path from ancient times, one million years ago, that Limitless Demon Venerable had trampled through the Celestial Court!
Starting from the Central Heaven Gate, passing through Name Plate Palace, Sun Palace, Five Gods Hall, the Central Grand Hall, Heaven Monitoring Tower, Dao Forgetfulness Lake, and finally terminating at the peak of Star Galloping Mountain — the Pavilion of Lingering Regret.
The vast Celestial Court radiated brilliant light, layer upon layer of palaces, pavilions, towers, and terraces, magnificent and splendid beyond measure.
Tribulation Fortune Platform charged forward with crushing momentum.
The Celestial Court, silent for countless ages, finally welcomed the fires of war.
Within the Tribulation Fortune Platform, Grand Mage Five Elements looked down from his elevated position, continuously observing.
He clicked his tongue in amazement and said with emotion: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, it would be absolutely impossible to imagine that every single building here is an Immortal Gu House! Even though the vast majority are only Sixth Transformation Immortal Gu Houses, the foundation of the Celestial Court is truly terrifying."
One of the Northern Wasteland Immortals, Hua Zi, giggled: "There's nothing to be done about it, Xiao Wu. This is the Celestial Court. Founded back in the primordial era, three million years ago, and standing strong to this very day. Even after the Fate Gu was damaged, it has always been the number one force under heaven. With such accumulated resources, it's no surprise to see such a grand sight."
"The palace layout you see was the creation of Tuo Quanshi, an Eighth Transformation Gu Master from the primordial era. Later, it was carried forward and continuously developed by Diao Shen, Lan Gu, Old Lord Huangting, Feng Bo, and Wonderful Immortal Consort Quan Miao, among others, before reaching its final form."
"The entire complex — all the Immortal Gu Houses — can be considered as one body, capable of supporting each other. At the same time, these palaces can also be individually disassembled and upgraded separately, which is very convenient."
"However, you shouldn't overestimate the Celestial Court. The vast majority of these Immortal Gu House palaces are only at the Sixth Transformation level. More importantly, they tend to excel only in a specific aspect — they're not as comprehensive as the Immortal Gu Houses outside."
Grand Mage Five Elements nodded in understanding: "I see. If they wanted to be comprehensive, they would inevitably need to consume far more Immortal Gu and an enormous number of mortal Gu. The Celestial Court holds itself in high regard. Apart from the three Demon Venerables who once attacked them, no one has ever invaded. So there was no need for them to invest so heavily. After all, these Immortal Gu House palaces remain within the Celestial Court permanently and have no external use."
At this point, Grand Mage Five Elements suddenly burst into hearty laughter: "So that's how it is! Our attack on the Celestial Court has caught them completely off guard too. This is a blind spot in their thinking. How interesting, how interesting! Apart from the three great Demon Venerables, I never imagined there would come a day when I too would storm the Celestial Court. Even if I fall here, having such an experience, my life will not have been in vain!"
Grand Mage Five Elements brimmed with heroic spirit. He was, of course, a Northern Plains native. Though he had achieved Eighth Transformation Gu Immortal status many years ago, the temperament of the Northern Plains ran deep in his bones and had never changed.
The people of Northern Plains took pride in bravery, and considered cowardly survival a disgrace!
To them, dying on the battlefield was the greatest honor and ultimate destiny.
Tribulation Fortune Platform smashed its way forward, finally reaching the Central Heaven Gate.
This colossal gate stood tall and imposing like a small mountain, its surface gleaming with golden splendor, its pillars towering and massive, its name plaque radiating the glow of precious jade.
"Is this the Central Heaven Gate?"
"It seems to be an information-path Immortal Gu House?"
Grand Mage Five Elements looked around, pondering.
"That's right. Historically, when the Celestial Court recruits new members, they select elites from the ten great ancient sects under their jurisdiction. Those who qualify at the Eighth Transformation level must pass through the Central Heaven Gate's examination and assessment before entering the Celestial Court," Niu Mo droned in a deep voice.
The Central Heaven Gate was tightly shut, firmly blocking the path forward.
The Central Grand Hall.
Duke Long asked: "The Central Heaven Gate is an Eighth Transformation information-path Immortal Gu House, but it's very weak in terms of offense and defense. It certainly won't be able to hold back or delay for long. How many Gold Pearls do we have in reserve?"
Ziwei Fairy immediately replied: "Only about three thousand six hundred remain."
Duke Long nodded: "Deploy all of them. Send them out to assist the Central Heaven Gate's defense. I believe Immemorial Heaven's surprise attack must have a backup plan. The Northern Plains people are brave, that's true, but they are not without strategy. We must remain steadfast and adapt to whatever comes. We only need to stall for time — as long as the Fate Gu is fully repaired, all efforts and sacrifices will have been worth it."
"Yes, Your Excellency." Ziwei Fairy accepted the order and immediately began operating the Central Grand Hall.
The Central Grand Hall was the nexus of all the Immortal Gu House palaces in the Celestial Court. Through it, Ziwei Fairy opened the Celestial Court's treasury and retrieved all of the remaining Gold Pearls.
*Whoosh whoosh whoosh...*
Sharp whistling sounds rang out from high above as the Gold Pearls poured down like a torrential downpour, their golden light shimmering, brilliant and resplendent, cascading from the sky.
Tribulation Fortune Platform was in the midst of crashing against the Central Heaven Gate. The gate immediately began to falter, cracks spreading across its massive doors.
The Gold Pearls struck against Tribulation Fortune Platform, producing crisp clanging sounds that rang out ceaselessly.
The Tribulation Fortune Platform remained utterly immovable, without a single crack.
The power of the Gold Pearls then fully manifested — each pearl transformed into a giant soldier, fully armored, covering every inch of their bodies. Beneath their helmets lay total darkness, with only two eyes that shot out blinding golden light. In their hands they wielded axes, halberds, swords, spears, and other weapons.
Soon, the Gold Pearl soldiers had swarmed over the Tribulation Fortune Platform. Countless blades and spears hacked, stabbed, and slashed at the platform, sending up showers of sparks.
The Tribulation Fortune Platform shook with wave after wave of impacts. To maintain its defense, the consumption of Immortal Essence dramatically increased.
"What are these things?" A flash of surprise crossed Grand Mage Five Elements' eyes. "Each soldier possesses the strength of an ancient desolate beast, yet they have no life force at all. Could it be an Immortal Path killer move?"
"These are Gold Pearls. In the middle ancient era, a Gold Path supreme figure emerged among the Celestial Court's members, known as the Gold Pearl Immortal King. These Gold Pearls were precisely his proudest killer move — a one-of-a-kind technique," Niu Mo said flatly.
Hua Zi covered her mouth and giggled: "The Celestial Court only deployed these Gold Pearls. I don't see Duke Long or Ziwei Fairy coming out to fight. It seems they intend to hold their ground and stall until the Fate Gu is fully repaired."
Niu Mo slowly nodded: "This tactic is also quite wise. The Celestial Court may be vast, but the clear-headed Eighth Transformation Gu Immortals are only these few. The outside battlefields have already drawn away much of their fighting strength."
"Then we need to hurry even more." Hua Zi's eyes brightened.
Niu Mo said in a deep voice: "Let me handle this."
With that, he focused all his concentration and began operating the Tribulation Fortune Platform.
A technique was unleashed by Niu Mo, and the Tribulation Fortune Platform immediately burst forth with dazzling radiance.
Within the radiance, auspicious clouds billowed forth, pushing back the Gold Pearl soldiers.
The next moment, with a deafening boom, the Tribulation Fortune Platform smashed through the Central Heaven Gate.
The Immemorial Heaven group did not bother slaughtering the Gold Pearl soldiers, nor did they follow up with lethal attacks on the half-destroyed Central Heaven Gate. They continued their charge forward.
This was a battle of offense and defense, and equally, a battle against time.