Li Qingshan immediately came to a realisation and said “I see” with deep understanding. He stopped his innate ability and began to overlook the burning city with his ordinary vision.
With a bang, the air exploded, dispersing the smoke and fire. Li Qingshan had vanished, having risen up, turning into a black speck in the boundless blue sky.
The terrifying pressure that loomed over Myriad city immediately vanished, only leaving behind a residual might that echoed through the ruins.
But for some reason, Myriad city actually began to “tremble”.
Rumble. The ruins collapsed; the ocean surged!
Myriad city was moving as if it had turned into a huge ship, sailing off once more after being run aground for thousands of years.
Before it could even sail off, the black speck in the sky gradually expanded. In the beginning, it was still like a pebble, but in the blink of an eye, it turned into a meteor, descending from above with a frightening howl and a terrifying pressure!
Boom!
In an instant, Li Qingshan’s punch struck Myriad city. All the rock and soil in front of his punch parted layer by layer like air and water. The heaps of earth raised easily snapped apart the Pavilion of Heavenly Tomes that blazed away but remained standing.
However, basically none of the power behind the punch leaked out until it struck the thick, sturdy “crust”.
Li Qingshan’s eyes narrowed. The great strength of the ox demon within the punch surged out violently!
At that instant, Myriad city was thrown into the air. Each rock and structure was thrown into the sky, while the island that bore everything sank several metres from Li Qingshan’s attack, like it was about to sink into the ocean.
Boom! The sea surged, throwing colossal waves into the air.
A miserable howl that resembled a dragon’s cry but also much deeper rang out from the depths of the ocean. A colossal dragon’s head broke through the surface, glaring furiously at Li Qingshan.
As it turned out, the island that supported Myriad city for thousands of years was the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance. Li Qingshan’s punch had not struck the crust but his shell.
“I haven’t used this move in ages! How satisfying!”
This attack where he descended from above was one of his ultimate moves. He never used it without good reason, but when he did, it would always achieve something!
Even the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance’s shell that was as tough as ancient glaciers became riddled with cracks from his attack, extending into the depths. This was the final line of defence of a spirit turtle, just like regular turtles.
Li Qingshan smiled at the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance. “Hand over the Myriad Heavenly Tome or die.”
Even the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance’s imperturbable heart trembled uncontrollably. He did not see any smiles in Li Qingshan’s pitch-black eyes. There was only endless pain, despair, madness, hatred… That was no longer Li Qingshan, but the lord of the Demon domain!
The lord of the Demon domain’s patience had already run out. His killing intent bubbled to the limit. If the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance tried to put up any more resistance, even just in the slightest, he would no longer care about the heavenly tome or the kindness he had once shown him. He would kill him!
The Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance yielded, drooping his large head and avoiding that pitch-black gaze.
Even when he knew it was his inner demons at work, making him experience fear and pressure, how was he supposed to stand up to the clone of a god after losing the All-encompassing Formation of the Myriad?
Rumble! Myriad city fell back onto the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance’s back, completely shattering to pieces and filling the air with dust. However, neither the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance nor Li Qingshan paid any attention to such a small disturbance.
The Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance’s head sank back under the water disheartenedly, shrinking back into his shell. At the same time, he made up his mind to dive into Ruin’s End as soon as Li Qingshan was gone to avoid the crisis of the world.
Compared to Li Qingshan’s punch, Myriad city was as light as dust. Now, Li Qingshan was completely focused on the Myriad Heavenly Tome.
The Myriad Heavenly Tome obviously was not a book. It could not be stored in regular jade slips. It was basically a summary of all the cultivation paths in the world. The information it contained even surpassed all the books in the Pavilion of Heavenly Tomes combined. It could only be passed on through soul sense.
Li Qingshan eased up slightly inside, and his killing intent scattered. As long as he obtained that, the living creatures of the Demon domain could restart their paths of cultivation again, no longer forced to practise demonic arts and fall into a path of wickedness.
His joy at that moment even drowned out the millions of years of pain from living creatures of the Demon domain, like a ray of light shining into the abyss. It was so bright that it was enchanting.
Far away in another world, at the top of the highest peak in the Demon domain, Li Qingshan’s main body also stopped what he was doing. A smile appeared on his face. That was a true smile, not one of nostalgia, but one of hope for the future.
At the same time, within the towering temples, millions of followers performed worshipping activities, offering up their most fervent and most sincere faith towards the black statue that stood high above, the man that had brought the golden sun. There were no longer any blood sacrifices and wails in the grand hall anymore, only endless silence and deep sorrow.
Suddenly, as if warmth had filled the hall, every follower felt a wondrous sensation of joy.
The Demon domain had never lacked the joy of savagery and the ecstasy of doing as they pleased, but they had never experienced something so wondrous before. It was so warm and peaceful, yet also filled with hope.
This was a god’s joy!
Many followers began to shed tears, even weeping lowly, prostrating themselves before the statue.
God and man, man and god, mutually connected, mutually influenced.
Li Qingshan experienced these sensations as he continued with his work. Legends had it that the demon among demons, Maheśvara, spent all of his time cultivating arduously on a great snowy mountain.
However, the highest peak in the Demon domain under Li Qingshan’s feet had become a great fiery mountain, constantly spewing forth with lava, fire, and smoke, constantly releasing scorching lightning.
The living creatures of the Demon domain all saw the golden sun, yet his headquarters as the lord of the Demon domain was instead constantly surrounded by darkness, never to see the light of day.
Li Qingshan could not help but sigh. He felt like he resembled the villain in all those stories more and more, but he did not turn this place into a volcano without reason.
The underground magnetic field constantly surged forth from the depths of the volcano. He gathered it all before drawing in heavenly lightning from above and the flames of the earth from down below. Then he channelled in the power of faith to further forge it, gradually forming a rudimentary shape, which resembled a spear or lance.
Li Qingshan was skilled with the blade and his swordsmanship was decent too. He had only ever used the spear when he first began his journey, but today, he seemed to be picking up that skill again.
At the same time, a streak of silver light shot over Myriad city. Chao Tianjiao rushed over on the skyhorse, gazing at the ruined Myriad city in disbelief. The Pavilion of Heavenly Tomes that served as a landmark for the city had been split in half, now burning away.
“What’s happened!?”
For a moment, Chao Tianjiao was unable to understand just what had happened. However, she did see a figure that was both familiar and unfamiliar standing at the bottom of a colossal pit several hundred metres deep.
“Qingshan!?”
Li Qingshan was currently focused on accepting the Myriad Heavenly Tome. He split out a wisp of his attention and smiled at Chao Tianjiao in the sky.
“Tianjiao, long time no see!”
“Qingshan, what’s happened here?”
Perhaps because Li Qingshan’s expression was far too calm, Chao Tianjiao was filled with suspicion, but she still refused to believe he was behind this all.
“Can’t you tell, first senior sister? He’s already become a demon! This is all his handiwork!”
A scorching yet cool and aloof voice rang out. A streak of scarlet light shot over from the south and stopped mid-air, turning into Li Liehuo. Gazing at the ruined Myriad city and Li Qingshan in the pit, his face was also filled with shock and caution.
“What did you say? You’re saying this kid did it alone? First senior brother, you haven’t had your head broken when you faced the heavenly tribulation, did you?”
Chao Tianjiao pointed at Li Qingshan. She found it absurd. Of course, she did not forget to give a suitable answer to Li Liehuo’s “first senior sister” either.
Even if Li Qingshan had really fallen as a Heretic God—she had always been slightly worried about this—it was impossible for him to take down Myriad city that was protected by the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance!
Oh right, where has the Spirit Reverend of Ocean Returnance gone? Don’t tell me he refuses to be a mount anymore, so he’s destroyed Myriad city and fled back to the Daemonic Beast realm? That’s the most unlikely possibility, but that also seems like the only possibility.
Li Qingshan continued to smile, neither refuting nor admitting it.
Li Liehuo said, “Hmph, desires truly cloud the mind. Don’t you understand yet? He is the daemon star of misfortune!”
