Empress Water Mirror raised her arms, mustering all her power to withstand the overwhelmingly terrifying palm strike of the Three-Eyed Demon Lord.
Alas!
It was utterly futile.
Though her cultivation was profound and her strength considerable, the Three-Eyed Demon Lord's Great Demon's Might, the Overwhelming Evil Might of the Great Dao, was simply too terrifying. The demonic aura and malevolent energy that filled the sky converged in the Demon Lord's palm, forming a vortex akin to a black hole that madly tore at Empress Water Mirror's power.
"Heh heh heh!
Little lady, your life is mine!"
The Three-Eyed Demon Lord roared with maniacal laughter. The vortex formed by the Overwhelming Evil Might in his palm was like a primordial beast, seemingly intent on devouring Empress Water Mirror whole.
*Gush!*
Empress Water Mirror was once again sent reeling, blood spraying from her nose and mouth. Her form grew increasingly indistinct, as if it might dissipate into mist at any moment.
"Ahhh—" In that instant!
Empress Water Mirror let out a furious cry. With a sudden *whoosh*, a sacred white radiance erupted from her body. The light was holy and bright, supremely pure, and brimming with vast Heavenly Might.
*BOOM!*
The white radiance formed a pillar of light, shooting straight into the heavens like a divine dragon. Instantly, it pierced a hole through the roiling black clouds that blotted out the sky.
Eastern Peak Great Emperor, Duke Lingyin, and Pure Robe Bodhisattva within the battlefield all recognized this white radiance. It was none other than Empress Water Mirror's Great Dao Destiny Guardian.
Not every Great Dao Destiny holder possessed a Great Dao Destiny Guardian.
To have one required not only integrating the Great Dao Destiny into oneself but also nurturing a Great Dao Destiny Heart. Only then could one possess a Great Dao Destiny Guardian.
Putting it into words was easy, but achieving it was exceedingly difficult.
Throughout the ages, many Great Dao Destiny holders had spent millennia, tens of millennia, hundreds of millennia, or even their entire lives, yet failed to integrate the Great Dao Destiny into themselves.
And that was just the first step of integration. Nurturing a Great Dao Destiny Heart was a difficulty of an even higher order.
Some said that merely possessing a Great Dao Destiny Seed without integrating it into oneself did not qualify one as a true Great Dao Destiny holder. In such a case, the seed could be snatched away by others at any time, and you were, at best, a temporary custodian of the seed.
Even if you integrated the Great Dao Destiny Seed into yourself, you still could not be considered a true Great Dao Destiny holder—only a pseudo-Destiny holder, a Destiny bearer.
Similarly, even after integration, if someone else killed you, they could seize the Destiny.
Moreover, after snatching the Destiny, the other party would not face Destiny's judgment.
The reason was simple: merely integrating the Great Dao Destiny into oneself did not fundamentally allow one to bear the Mandate of Heaven; the Destiny would not acknowledge your existence.
Only by nurturing the integrated Great Dao Destiny Seed into a Great Dao Destiny Heart could one truly be said to bear the Mandate of Heaven.
Only then would the Great Dao Destiny acknowledge your existence.
And only when the Great Dao Destiny acknowledged your existence would you possess a Destiny Guardian.
At this very moment, Empress Water Mirror, enveloped in sacred light, radiant and illuminated, with Heavenly Might descending upon her, was manifesting her Great Dao Destiny Guardian.
Clearly, she had already nurtured a Great Dao Destiny Heart. She was a true Great Dao Destiny holder in the fullest sense.
One had to admit that a Great Dao Destiny was indeed a Great Dao Destiny. It not only contained vast, rolling Heavenly Might but also sacred and powerful Destiny Power. The moment it appeared, it scattered the Three-Eyed Demon Lord's Great Demon's Might, the Overwhelming Evil Might, and sent the Demon Lord staggering backward.
"Heh heh heh!"
The Three-Eyed Demon Lord halted his retreat, still laughing maniacally, as if he didn't give a whit about Empress Water Mirror's Great Dao Destiny. He chuckled, "Truly worthy of a Great Dao Immortal Emperor who bears the Mandate of Heaven. Even the Destiny Guardian is so sacred. However..." His tone shifted, and his laughter grew even more unrestrained. "That's all there is to it. It still can't do anything to this lord!
Heh heh heh heh!"
Accompanied by the Three-Eyed Demon Lord's raucous laughter, thick smoke once again billowed around him. The black clouds that had been scattered earlier reformed, even more frenzied than before. He took a step forward, crossed his hands, and raised them high. The rolling black clouds gathered in his palms, forming a gigantic sphere that he hurled toward Empress Water Mirror.
Empress Water Mirror, her body radiating the light of the Great Dao Destiny like a brilliant sun of holiness, pointed a finger. She unleashed the power of the Great Dao Emperor Seal, infused with rolling Heavenly Might, like a heaven-shaking finger that left onlookers breathless.
*BOOM!*
*CRACK!*
When Empress Water Mirror's Great Dao Destiny Emperor Seal Guardian clashed with the Three-Eyed Demon Lord's Great Demon's Might, the Overwhelming Evil Might, the collision of these two forces was like thunder meeting wildfire, like the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting apart. The shockwaves roiled through the entire Ancient Ruins, filling the sky with dust and plunging it into darkness.
The crowd marveled at the formidable power of Empress Water Mirror's Great Dao Destiny Emperor Seal.
Yet, what was even more astonishing was the Three-Eyed Demon Lord's Great Demon's Might, the Overwhelming Evil Might of the Great Dao. Even under the suppression of the Great Dao Destiny Emperor Seal's power, it showed no sign of weakness. If Empress Water Mirror was like sacred light and holiness enveloping her surroundings, like Heavenly Might of the Great Dao surging forth, then the Three-Eyed Demon Lord was darkness and evil incarnate, with Great Demon's Might surrounding him. One was like the embodiment of justice, the other of evil; one a pure and holy celestial deity, the other a fierce and malevolent demonic god.
In the distance.
Gu Qingfeng leaned lazily against a large rock, standing there in a casual, slovenly manner. He sipped fine wine while watching the spectacle.
Though he wasn't one to join in the fun, he absolutely loved watching it unfold, especially a spectacle like the one happening now, which delighted him immensely. As he watched, he nodded and remarked, "It's been a long time since I woke up that I've seen such an exciting show."
Beside him, Da Xing the Mad Monk sat cross-legged on the same large rock, fanning himself with a tattered fan in one hand while also drinking some wine. He watched the ongoing spectacle and nodded, as if sharing a similar sentiment. "You're not wrong, kid. Today's show is indeed thrilling."
Clearly,
Da Xing the Mad Monk was also a fellow who enjoyed a good spectacle. He added, "However, it looks like Empress Water Mirror might not hold out much longer. Although she's nurtured a Great Dao Destiny Heart and possesses a Great Dao Destiny Guardian, a guardian is still just a guardian. Even if it contains Great Dao Destiny Power, without nurturing a Great Dao Destiny Spirit, she ultimately cannot unleash the true might of the Great Dao Destiny."
He paused, then continued, "You have to realize, that brat Three-Eyed Demon Lord is currently holding his own against Empress Water Mirror's Great Dao Destiny Guardian using only his Overwhelming Evil Might of the Great Dao. Once he unleashes that innately extraordinary third eye of his and the Nine Netherworlds Banner behind him...
Empress Water Mirror will likely be completely outmatched."
"And furthermore...
That brat Three-Eyed Demon Lord has been holding back his other moves. This old monk suspects the bastard is brewing something nasty, or perhaps I should say he's waiting for the right moment. It's possible this scoundrel is aiming to kill two birds with one stone—planning to snatch Empress Water Mirror's Great Dao Destiny first, then seize the Seven-Colored Lotus."