Chapter 0701: Black Plaque
"Principal Pang? A hand?" When Li Luo heard that familiar voice, he was completely dazed for two seconds before he replied softly with a bitter smile. "Principal. don't you think you're putting me on too high of a pedestal? There are three Kings clashing in the Umbra Cave. Someone as insignificant as me can't even fart in the presence of Dukes! Do you actually think I'd dare to scurry over to where you Kings are? I'm afraid I’ll just drop dead if the Other Kings simply stare at me!"
"I don't need you to personally act. I'll loan you something." Principal Pang seemed to find Li Luo's comments a little amusing.
"Lending me something?" Li Luo paused for a moment before immediately nodding.
"Do you want some blood essence too? No problem! Have it!"
"Hehe. I don't need your blood essence this time. Plus, I think you've already realized that you're a little drained. If I take any more, I'm afraid you will be finished," Principal Pang bantered.
Li Luo sighed with a hint of melancholy. Ever since the day of the Housemeet, when he roused all of the Three-tailed Heavenly Wolf's strength and paid for it with ten drops of blood essence, he felt a sense of emptiness within himself. Clearly, Principal Pang could see it too.
"So you don't need blood essence... then what can I give you in return?" He felt a little depressed at this point. He was a tiny Fiend Palace Tier cultivator, and the only thing that had attracted Principal Pang's attention in the past was his Heavenly Emperor blood essence. What else could he give?
"Obviously, it has to do with the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li," Principal Pang replied.
Li Luo was suddenly hit by a realization. He swiped his hand over his pocket sphere, and an ancient plaque appeared in his hand. A mystical "Li" character was engraved upon it. Beneath it was a slightly blurry image of a dragon that still radiated a tyrannical and coercive aura.
"Are you referring to this?" This was the only thing he had that had to do with the Bloodline of Heavenly Emperor Li.
"Indeed. This is the item I'm looking for. I will have to borrow it for a while," Principal Pang replied.
"Principal Pang, are you alright?" Li Luo couldn't help but blurt out. Judging by the current situation, it seemed as though he was planning to use a method that would harm both sides. It might very well be a pyrrhic victory if he succeeded.
"I am the Astral Sage College's Principal. Although I was unable to protect the Tree of Resonant Power, that does not mean that I will absolve my responsibilities of protecting the college. If these Others think I will choose to abandon this place and escape on my own, they have underestimated Pang Qianyuan! I will seal them together with me, but this will only last for a few years. The Dragon Bone Holy Grail's seal will eventually falter, and we will have to see if the Academic Federation will take action." Pang Qianyuan smiled. At the same time, the black plaque in Li Luo's hand zoomed away into the depths of the Umbra Cave.
The slowly ossifying Pang Qianyuan reached out and retrieved the black plaque, feeling a mighty presence within. He squinted slightly before saying to himself, "Heavenly Emperor Energy is truly extraordinary."
He rapidly formed a series of hand seals as he roused his triple resonances and poured all of his energy into the black plaque. The plaque seemed to have been activated as a result, and a beam of golden light blasted into the sky. The golden light was not simply blinding, it also emitted a faint brilliance. At the same time, the Ichythian King and the Cadaverous King began to turn pale.
"Heavenly Emperor Energy?!" A look of fear formed on their expressions for the first time. Even they felt an indescribable pressure and fear that they had only ever experienced in the presence of the Saturnine Hydra Emperor.
"Pang Qianyuan! You actually still had more moves to play!" Fury arose within the Ichythian King's grayish-white fish eyes. On the other hand, Pang Qianyuan completely disregarded it, combining the golden light that was emitted with the Dragon Bone Holy Grail's sealing light. At the same time, the white smoke strengthened, accelerating the rate at which the three parties were turning into bone.
Even the roiling river of evil was affected, gradually turning calm and no longer flowing forward.
White spots began to quickly appear all over the trio's bodies as the ossification process sped up.
"Pang Qianyuan, your little tricks are ineffective and worthless! You actually used Heavenly Emperor Energy to seal us and the river of evil! Even so, all we need to do is hold on for a few years and then the seal will naturally break! Everything will proceed as per plan then! Your Tree of Resonant Power has already been ruined, so even if you seal the river of evil today, its corruption will still seep forth! Pang Qianyuan! The Astral Sage College and the Xia Kingdom are beyond salvation no matter what you do!" the Ichythian King gloomily declared.
Even when faced with these harsh words, Pang Qianyuan remained unfazed as he observed the seal work its magic. "Who knows what will happen in a few years’ time? Perhaps when I open my eyes again, reinforcements will already be here."
"Naive! The Academic Federation can't even take care of their own issues. They don’t have the time or resources to send someone to the outer divine continents." The Ichythian King coldly smiled.
Pang Qianyuan similarly returned a grin. He would soon turn into a statue made of bone, quietly resting in the void.
The Ichythian King and the Cadaverous King had yet to be completely sealed as well, but their gazes were full of frustration, anger, and despondence. As they glanced at each other, a conversation occurred between the two, one that could not be heard by anyone else.
"Damn it! That damned Pang Qianyuan actually obstructed us with this shitty seal!"
"The river of evil can no longer propagate forth. We are unable to continue with our plan."
"We need the river of evil to help us find the Original Seed of Genesis. This was the order given to us!"
"Perhaps we can get the Leader to act."
"No. The Leader has already said that he cannot act lightly. Otherwise, the news of the Original Seed of Genesis will be sensed by other existences!"
"Then we can only wait. Pang Qianyuan's seal can only hold us back for two or three years. On the other hand, we still have an ally outside that can assist us."
After that quick exchange, the two were completely covered in white and silently transformed into statues of bone as well.
The depths of the Umbra Cave had turned eerily silent.
However, waves of corruption continued to emit endlessly.
Within the college, everyone could see that the three Kings had turned into bone, and it had plunged the depths into absolute silence. At the same time, everyone secretly heaved a breath of relief as the two Other Kings were simply too terrifying. If they were able to escape from the Umbra Cave freely, they would undoubtedly be the harbingers of the apocalypse.
It was a pity that Principal Pang had been sealed as well.
"Principal..." Vice Principal Su Xin had a pained look as she glanced at the Principal.
"Principal!" Countless students were similarly beset with a wave of sadness, their eyes welling up. Although Pang Qianyuan did not often show his face, his presence within the hearts of the students was undeniable. The very fact that he had sacrificed himself to protect the college from the creatures in the Umbra Cave was more than sufficient to earn their respect.
Now that he had been sealed, the Astral Sage College's strength had also diminished.
Yu Hongxi, Duze Yan, and the rest were similarly glum. Pang Qianyuan was the Xia Kingdom's only King, so his disappearance would have a huge effect on the kingdom's internal structure.
On the other hand, the Regent was ecstatic as he glared at the bone statue of Pang Qianyuan, his heart surging with excitement.
The only mountainous weight hanging over his shoulder had chosen to seal himself away today!
Who else could obstruct him, Gong Yuan, now?
The youth helplessly smiled as he disrespectfully commented, "Ah. Those two Other Kings weren't very bright."
"My Lord, with Pang Qianyuan and the two Other Kings sealed, you're the strongest one here now." Shen Jinxiao smirked.
The youth was about to speak when his expression warped. Everyone saw a black light shoot forth from the depths of the Umbra Cave. It was the black plaque Pang Qianyuan had borrowed from Li Luo.
As the black plaque shot over, it circled once in the void and then created a frightening blade light. It was constructed of triple resonance energy, and everything crumbled before its might.
The target?
It was the youth with dual pupils of gold and silver!
His grin was wiped off his face, replaced with an expression of displeasure.
"Pang Qianyuan!" The youth snorted in anger with an incensed gaze.
Clearly, Pang Qianyuan had left behind one last move before being sealed away, and it was directed towards the youth!
The youth did not dare to tarry, explosively retreating as he quickly formed a series of hand seals.
"Duke's Worldspace Domain!" he exhorted. A domain quickly took form with him at the center, spreading in all directions like a protective field.
However, the domain that was unshakeable in the face of Vice Principal Su Xin and everyone else’s attacks was as sturdy as a piece of tofu before that horrifying blade light.
Bzzst!
An ear-piercing scream echoed out at that moment.
At the next moment, the youth was bisected from head to toe.