The Supreme Monarch shouted and returned under the Primordial Tree. Its light poured down and protected her.

Triune Immortal also activated her radiant barrier while Tantai Ruonan and her gods gathered the power of the World Tree.

The curse finally activated. Though it wasn’t aimed at the living beings in Eight Desolaces, they still felt its presence.

Just one strand of this curse fell down into the world, one as gentle as a gust of wind. However, it instantly propagated at an insane pace.

“Ahh!” Mortals touched even by one particle of the curse immediately had black thorns growing from them. They pierced through the internal organs and naturally killed the victims.

As for cultivators, their body immediately turned black after being infected. Their grand dao and chaos true energy couldn’t do anything to stop the process. Black thorns still grew from inside and killed them. This curse was absolutely top-rate and impossible to stop.

The coffin was finally open at this point. Inside was a corpse - the source of the terrible curse. Its targets were the main combatants - Old Ghost and the three women.

“It’s that corpse!” Old Ghost warned and used the power of his epoch again. Alas, time itself had thorns shooting from it in no time at all.

He and the three gathered together to combine their might, hoping to stop the curse. 

The Supreme Monarch’s vitality became one with the Primordial Tree. Its primordial affinity engulfed all of them, granting protection. Triune Immortal summoned a special spring with gushing power from her epoch. This washed their body and true fate, immensely improving both. Tantai Ruonan relied on the power of Void Zone and the World Tree. 

These empowerments took them to the next level. Alas, the curse still fully surrounded them. Their skin started becoming black, meaning that the curse was still effective.

Nonetheless, the various powers purified the initial infection right away before it grew into thorns. Just a single mistake and opening would mean the end for them.

“Death Incantation…” Other overlords became frightened. Curses were awfully hard to dodge, unlike techniques and merit laws.

“Dead Immortal used that corpse to gestate the curse, that’s why it’s so strong now.” One of them said.

He had seen the incantation before but it wasn’t strong enough to kill overlords back then. Using the heavenly corpse as a vessel for the curse was clearly an attempt to hunt overlords later.

Of course, opening the coffin and activating the incantation made him pay a heavy price. He could only keep this up after receiving his allies’ true blood.

Meanwhile, screams echoed across Eight Desolaces. Even ancient ancestors fell once infected, let alone mortals.

Remember, only a single strand made it down there yet the casualty has reached an incalculable number. If it had targeted Eight Desolaces, everyone would have died in the blink of an eye.

As the incantation continued to spread, a light flashed inside Bodhisattva City. The survivors suddenly felt a touch of warmth. From this tender feeling came mercy and compassion, and with that, enlightenment was inevitable…

Wisdom, knowledge, and compassion were encouraged as all living beings pulsed brightly with a white glow. This new affinity started chasing away the dark curse, reducing it to smoke.

“What?” The supreme overlords didn’t expect this development.

Though the curse’s landing was accidental, it still should be unstoppable by anyone in Eight Desolaces. Therefore, another force capable of repelling this surprised them.

“It’s part of the overarching plans.” One overlord deep in Inner Wild murmured to himself.

“Bam!” Meanwhile, Triune Alligator Lord returned to Eight Desolaces and seemed greedy to eat once more.

As for Lord of the Deeps and Dead Immortal, they pressed onward against the other opponents, wanting to take advantage of the curse’s suppression to kill them.

“Time’s running out, we just need to devour Li Qiye and the world is ours.” Undying Lord uttered coldly.

Triune Alligator Lord focused back on Li Qiye. The other two also decided to come instead since this was more important.

“How do we break Corporeal Zone?” The alligator lord asked.

They knew that it was easier said than done to take down a heavenly treasure.

“I shall try.” Dead Immortal said and summoned a special immortal flame.

Despite not exuding a hot temperature, its gentle pulse still somehow melted a thousand-mile radius.