[Heavenly Dao Affinity Halo]:
A one-time consumable halo. Upon activation, it raises the user’s affinity with the Heavenly Dao to the absolute limit for a short duration.
Under the protection of the Heavenly Dao, all laws fail to侵—no method can harm you. You may, to a certain extent, influence the Heavenly Dao’s actions; even if the Heavenly Dao must violate its own rules and suffer backlash, it will do so regardless.
Warning: After the halo expires, it will significantly increase the Heavenly Dao’s aversion toward the user.
Each subsequent exchange of the Heavenly Dao Affinity Halo will increase the fortune-point cost by tenfold.
Exchange cost: 3,000,000 fortune points.
………
Affinity Halo!
Seeing the contents displayed in the projection, Chu Jungge smiled.
Perfect timing. The fortune points he’d gained from killing the Sons of Fortune Chu Fan and Xiao Luo’er were more than enough to exchange for this halo.
With this halo, not only could the Heavenly Punishment be resolved—but he could also use it to obtain the immortal artifact in one fell swoop!
Heavenly Punishment, as the chastisement of the heavens, determines its intensity based on the cultivator’s realm—but this refers to the ultimate level of that realm.
For example, Chu Jungge’s cultivation was at the Heavenly Bone Realm. The Heavenly Punishment would therefore be at the Heavenly Bone Realm as well—but at its absolute peak.
Moreover, if anyone intervened to help, the Heavenly Punishment would adjust to target the helper as well, inflicting the same extreme-level punishment upon them.
That was precisely why Heavenly Punishment was known as nine deaths out of ten—or even ten deaths out of ten. Though it seemed similar to a heavenly tribulation, both being trials imposed upon cultivators, in truth the difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth.
Even if Chu Jungge could survive the Heavenly Punishment, he would certainly be injured—perhaps gravely so.
But with this halo, everything changed.
He wouldn’t need to endure the Heavenly Punishment at all. He could even turn it to his own use.
As for the Heavenly Dao’s aversion afterward?
Did he care if the Heavenly Dao hated him?
He was a villain by fate anyway. Why would he give a damn whether the Heavenly Dao liked him or not?
In fact, he’d welcome the Heavenly Dao’s hostility—let it create more obstacles, send more Sons of Fortune after him. That would only mean greater gains for him.
“Exchange the Heavenly Dao Affinity Halo.”
Chu Jungge made the decision without hesitation.
“Ding! Deducting 3,000,000 fortune points from the host.”
“Ding! Heavenly Dao Affinity Halo exchanged successfully. Activate now?”
Two system notifications sounded.
“Activate.”
Chu Jungge responded silently.
“Ding! Activation successful. Remaining time: 59:59:59… 59:59:58… 59:59:57…”
The system’s countdown began.
In that instant, Chu Jungge felt something wondrous stir in the unseen depths. Heaven and earth suddenly felt close—friendly—even intimate. It was as if the radiance of the entire cosmos had descended upon him.
He lifted his head.
The Heavenly Punishment, once filled with destruction and violent power, now felt strangely gentle. With but a single thought, it seemed he could disperse it entirely.
And so—
Under the focused gazes of all sides, Chu Jungge moved.
His expression calm, he lifted his leg and stepped forward, unhurried, walking straight toward the passage leading to the Immortal Artifact Sealing Ground.
One hour?
More than enough.
“Is he changing locations to undergo the tribulation?”
Seeing Chu Jungge’s movement, many powerhouses froze for a moment, then pondered thoughtfully.
They didn’t think much of it—and couldn’t be bothered to. In fact, they were glad. If he went elsewhere to face the Heavenly Punishment, all the better; it wouldn’t implicate them.
But very quickly, something felt off.
Wait.
Chu Jungge’s direction looked an awful lot like… the immortal artifact passage?
What the hell was this supposed to mean?
Ignoring Heavenly Punishment and heading straight for the small world containing the immortal artifact???
The crowd of experts stood dumbfounded, completely baffled by Chu Jungge’s move. Then, one by one, they sneered.
Once Heavenly Punishment formed, it should descend immediately. Was he trying to exploit the fact that others wouldn’t dare act while it was locked onto him—so he could snatch the immortal artifact?
Laughable. And futile.
“In the end, he’s still someone who returned to an imperial clan midway. Strong as he is, his foundations are lacking—he doesn’t even know this basic common sense.”
The experts of all factions shook their heads inwardly, watching with amused anticipation.
Then—
They stopped laughing.
Faces stiffened. Expressions turned blank.
Someone instinctively looked up at the Heavenly Punishment.
Yes.
It was Heavenly Punishment.
But—
Why the hell… hadn’t it fallen yet?!
Chu Jungge was already standing right before the immortal artifact passage. The thunderclouds of the Heavenly Punishment were flashing with ever more lightning, the aura of destruction growing more terrifying by the second—
But the Heavenly Punishment itself?
It. Still. Hadn’t. Fallen.
How was this even possible?!
If it didn’t fall now, Chu Jungge would actually enter the small world sealing the immortal artifact!
“It’s been far too long since Heavenly Punishment last appeared—could it be that over the passage of ages, the rules of the Heavenly Dao have changed?”
“This is bad—if Chu Jungge really slips through a loophole, we’re finished!”
“He’s already this strong. If he gets an immortal artifact on top of that, what’s the point of anyone else even playing?”
“Immortal artifacts transcend the lower realm’s rules and are not bound by them. If Chu Jungge obtains one—if he can actually wield it—then what meaning does this Heavenly Punishment even have…?”
Thought after thought flashed through the minds of the faction experts. One by one, they went completely numb. Heads buzzing, minds blank.
“Stop!”
“Chu Jungge—what are you doing?!”
“Chu Jungge, do you know what you’re doing?!”
“Hurry and stop at once!”
“If you’re going to endure Heavenly Punishment, then endure it—why are you taking the immortal artifact?!”
“All of our sacred lands and imperial clans are gathered here—Chu Jungge, how dare you commit such a cosmic transgression and forcibly seize the immortal artifact?!”
One powerful figure after another spoke up, voices raised in furious rebuke.
Of course—rebuking was one thing. Acting, or actually trying to stop him, was another matter entirely.
The Heavenly Punishment was still following Chu Jungge as it moved. Who would dare step into its range? If the Heavenly Dao so much as suspected they were trying to assist Chu Jungge, the consequences would be unthinkable.
Chu Jungge, with seven Ultimate Dao Domains open, might still have a chance of surviving the Heavenly Punishment. They did not. If they entered its range, they would die under the punishment and still fail to stop Chu Jungge—nothing more than a pointless sacrifice.
Watching Chu Jungge ignore them completely, already on the verge of entering the passage, the experts of the major factions panicked. Every last one of them had eyes splitting with anxiety and rage.
“Chu Jungge, stop right there!”
“The Chu Clan may be strong, but if all our factions join forces, the Chu Clan will be annihilated without question!”
“That’s right! Your Chu Clan has ultimate imperial weapons—so do we! If you dare take the immortal artifact on your own, then even if the Ye Clan falls today, your Chu Clan will be buried alongside them!”
“Stop this at once!!!”
The quasi-emperors of the major factions had completely torn off the last shred of civility. Faces dark, they issued cold, naked threats.
Chu Jungge was about to take the immortal artifact—at that point, who still cared about appearances?
If Chu Jungge truly obtained it, then the sky would fall. They didn’t even dare imagine how terrifying he would become with an immortal artifact added to his already overwhelming strength.
Finally, upon hearing these words, Chu Jungge—who had ignored them all this time—came to a halt.
He slowly turned around.
Seeing this, the experts of all factions felt a wave of relief wash over them. One by one, they let out long breaths.
So—he knew fear after all?
Just a junior, yet daring to be so arrogant and contemptuous of everyone—what audacity!
“You haven’t forgotten,” Chu Jungge said calmly, his expression indifferent as his gaze swept over the assembled experts,
“that I still haven’t settled the account for you all ganging up on me earlier… have you?”
I was planning to take the immortal artifact first—
but you insisted on rushing headlong toward your own deaths.