"Monster!"

The True Person couldn’t manage to board his own skyship in time, and could only angrily turn and throw a punch at Cang Linzu. Cang Linzu, without a word, countered with his own punch; fist meeting fist, unexpectedly shattered the arm of the True Person, breaking it, caving it in, pulverizing it, bursting it apart, even causing the shoulder on the side where they had struck to vanish, leaving a gigantic fist-shaped hole.

The excruciating pain didn’t even have time to reach the brain; the True Person’s face still frozen in rage and determination, was replaced the next moment by boundless terror. He watched as his right arm and half his body were as though gnawed by a giant beast disappearing into thin air, the violent force even continuing to plough a trench extending for dozens of miles into the heavenly dome and clouds behind him.

Immediately after, a cold hand grasped his throat, Cang Linzu grabbed the True Person’s neck, his strength was so immense that it directly shattered the muscles around the neck, the outer bones, leaving only the core spine. That neck bone, firmer than divine steel, groaned under unbearable strain in his grip.

Holding the other’s neck spine, he asked coldly.

"Have you eaten humans?"

This voice, vast and distant, simultaneously emanated from either end of the place. The questioned True Person’s soul and spirit trembled, unable to lie. He understood the true meaning behind the words, and thus could not help but reveal the truth: "I have, I have eaten many."

"But! I am not..."

Boom. Without any chance for argument or explanation, his head exploded.

Not only that, his body also exploded. The entire True Person shattered completely, blew apart, transformed into scattered flesh and blood throughout the sky. In the place where his body once was, only a misty, dazzling void map remained—this was the ’Inner Array Realm,’ something sublimated from the Martial Vein Array Diagram, laying down the basis for the future Daoist Foundation.

At a glance, it looked like a star map consisting of rays and runes, flickering in the blood mist, attempting to regroup as Spiritual Fiend, maintaining its existence.

But now, this formation map, formation realm was rapidly distorting, compressing, the shadow of Xuanming twisting, devouring, and merging them all—this is the original power of ’Jidu Star Destiny,’ to devour an enemy’s soul and spirit for one’s own use. But for the one who had already set foot on the righteous path of mastering one’s own heart and soul, Cang Linzu had no use for it. Therefore, ’Heaven’s Will’ guided him to compress this power, condense it, and transform it into his own attacking strength.

At this moment, high above the heavenly dome, over dozens of massive ships finally began to operate. They floated on the clouds, their enormous hulls blocking out the light of the sun, moon, and stars, casting sinister shadows. The operators on the ships never expected they would be needed; or rather, who would dare to resist against Heavenly Soldiers, against the forces that represented Da Chen and the Yuan Family?

But now they’ve encountered them, leading to surprise, anger, fear, intimidation. They roared, shouted, each launching an attack.

In the next instant, a series of flashes rose at the top of the sky, like stars shining.

Eleven exceptionally robust white pillars mixed with golden flecks descended from the sky, like binds of light, locking down all of Cang Linzu’s evading space, including the Great Void and shadows. As the beams passed through, the space became solidified, shadows illuminated, even the finest particles of dust seemed pinned in place, unable to move.

Under this absolute lockdown, Cang Linzu had an epiphany.

This was not something he could deal with.

This was pure power suppression; no skill would work, eleven heavenly ships with pure power far exceeding that of True Lords, coordinated with eleven True Persons pressing in with battle formation—even a real True Lord would be constrained—though even if he had been refined by the Eldest Senior and possessed a Void Elixir, no method of distant guidance would allow passing this ordeal.

Unless... completely.

Complete ’Divine Presence.’

But, how to achieve this? Cang Linzu knew invoking gods’ essence meant turning oneself into a container. If he could completely let go of his own self, empty himself, even if only temporarily, it could naturally prompt An Jing to descend on him.

But the Eldest Senior would not be happy; this is certainly not the righteous path, true invocation is not like this, turning oneself into a container is a shortcut among shortcuts, a compromise of the weak.

True divine and Dao unity, unity of heaven and man, is certainly not twisting one party to accommodate the other, but two forces resonating due to similarity, walking side by side along the same path.

—So, ultimately how should this be done? What is the right way?

If it were someone else, they would inevitably contemplate a moment at this juncture, the break of life and death, choosing shortcuts to preserve life, who could reproach?

But Cang Linzu does not need to.

For, even before today, he had understood.

He understood An Jing’s... anger.

Anger is natural; in such a world, witnessing such sins, hearing such evil deeds, who could not be angry? Who could be unaffected?

Therefore, release your anger—

Just like rivers flowing in rage, then converging into the sea. But the sea does not need the river’s flow; instead, the sea will rise in clouds and rain due to anger, transforming into storms sweeping the world, casting down infinite and boundless power. It will transform into icy cold fury, into streaming fury, into silent fury, into fury operating everything in this world.

All anger is the same.

"I and the Eldest Senior are the same."

At this moment, Cang Linzu understood.

"I see, I am Cang Linzu, I am completely myself, I have my own thoughts, faith, will, love and hate, and freedom, not controlled by the Eldest Senior, I am not his puppet, not a clone under his control."

"But, my anger, my thoughts, my aspirations, the world I yearn for, are they not the same as the Eldest Senior, An Jing, the Heavenly Destiny Seven Calamities?"

Indeed. Indeed!

—I am Cang Linzu, but I am also his will here, I am the companion star of Heavenly Destiny, I am the incarnation of Heaven’s Will.

—I am his sword, wherever he directs, I follow!

—Whether the world can change is no longer important—the important thing is you now, must be destroyed!

This is the tribulation!

—I am free; my freedom has led me down this path, drawing power, imparting to you all...

Punishment!

He let out a long howl skyward.

Thus, Heaven’s Wrath descended!

At this instant, a grand will, summoned by an angry heart, descended; however, this will did not completely replace Cang Linzu’s will, akin to a vehicle switched from automatic to manual control, the original ’intelligence of the vehicle’ does not disappear, only the operator changes, and the vehicle’s intelligence can even more accurately interpret and assist the driver’s operations in some areas.

Thereby becoming... a better self.

At this moment, Cang Linzu’s will receded.

’Heaven’s Wrath’ took control of his body.