Black Cloud city was silent. White snow drifted through the air. Many soldiers idled on the streets, still discussing the army-wide military competition that had just concluded recently.
Normally, the battles would have started already. The lengthy ranks of soldiers would collide like gnashing teeth as the opposing armies tore at one another, using their hot-bloodedness to melt the remaining snow and ice. The city would be in full swing, constantly fighting, resting and then fighting again, either reduced to white bones or achieving success with their own two hands, paving the great path of cultivation for them.
Perhaps there was fear, but there was even more eagerness. However, it was surprisingly disappointing today. Not a single demonfolk had appeared, even until now.
Everyone guessed that it was probably related to the fact that Cold Blood pass had been massacred and the Demon domain had not replenished their troops yet. It was impossible for them to kill their way into the Demon domain, so all they could do was wait.
As a result, only the Pure Land sect continued to work. The Upraised Light abbot even set aside the matter of cultivation, using this opportunity to purify demonic souls and shrink the Demon domain’s territory. He did not have any time to convert Li Qingshan either.
In this peaceful atmosphere, the captain of the Scorching Fire army, “first senior brother” Li Liehuo became more and more restless and uneasy. He needed to make the flames burn, to kill to his heart’s content, or it would be painful.
The patterns of flames flowed under his well-defined muscles like raging magma, lighting up and dimming with his breathing. His veins popped, and his muscles bulged.
No one imagined that the thing which the first senior brother who had a personality like fire had to do the most was actually exercise restraint, constantly exercising restraint, either erupting in restraint or smothering out in restraint. He constantly tasted the sensation of smothering out, which was being reduced to a pile of ashes.
If he relinquished his cultivation, his personality would probably be even more sedated than an old monk who spent most of his time meditating.
But recently, due to a certain person, it became even more difficult to exercise restraint.
“Li- Qing- Shan!”
The firelight immediately brightened as he clenched his fist firmly, suppressing the rage within him. His remaining sliver of rational thought told him this was probably his fated tribulation.
The true essence of fire was to rise. He had reached the peak of Human Sovereign a long time ago. If he could not continue to rise up, it would begin turning on him.
If he could not exercise restraint anymore and he killed that kid without any regard, the pressure from the sect would be easy to deal with, but that would mean losing control, and death would not be far. However, if he had to exercise restraint, he truly found it unbearable.
He gritted his teeth in utter anger, making tears of blood flow, only for them to vapourise instantly.
Power was also torment.
However, he believed that if he could make it past this, he would have an opportunity to progress further. This kind of rage was the exact thing required as a medium for the path of scorching fire, not gradually burning away his rationality in the mild flames and using up all the resources.
A fated tribulation was also an opportunity.
In the stone tower, Li Qingshan still had no idea that he had left someone so furious that they began crying. He was just a fuse, but even if Li Liehuo rushed over right now to kill him, he was no longer feeble.
A brand-new small world had already consolidated and taken shape. The ox, tiger, turtle, and phoenix all stretched out completely. Earth, fire, wind, and water all took their respective positions.
Having come so far, the issue of balance between the demonic and divine had finally been resolved completely. He was free to practise whatever he wanted and free to reach whichever layer he wanted, like he had freed from his shackles. From here on out, the world was his oyster.
If this was still not enough to crush Li Liehuo in a direct confrontation, then he would break through the fifth heavenly tribulation. That was already within his arm’s reach. If it were not for the loss of the Yin Soul, he only had to refine it into a Yang Soul in the process, and he would immediately break through.
But that was fine too. His foundations were based on the Nine Transformations of the Demonic and Divine, not the Heavenly Tome of Liberty. Once he reached the sixth layer with the ox, the tiger, the turtle, and the phoenix, he refused to believe he would not trigger the tribulation.
“Ahh. After being repressed for so long, I can finally stretch out a little! Sigh!”
In his delight, he let out another sigh. Chao Tianjiao had not returned yet. If she had succeeded with the tribulation, she should have killed her way back here already. With that woman’s personality, it was impossible for her to not come here and “catch up” with him. He had already come up with a set of excuses in his head.
Since she did not return, she was probably done for already, but he still had a sliver of hope. If she fell in battle and her life lamp went out, it was impossible for the Myriad sect to stay silent. However, it was also possible for them to lock down the news, just in case it swayed the morale of the army.
Had he ventured too deeply into the game? Thinking too much brought no benefits, so he discarded all of his thoughts and stood up, notifying Xiao An. “I’m going out for a walk. I’ll find a good place to cultivate and undergo the tribulation!”
“Alright.” Xiao An smiled. “I’ll watch over you.”
“Then I’ll be troubling ma’am Xiao An.”
……
Chao Tianjiao suddenly looked back, only to see the pale-white colour sealing off the sky.
She had just scaled an impossible cliff, escaping death by the skin of her teeth, only to be beaten back into the abyss, thrown into danger again.
She furrowed her brows and closed her eyes. A thought flashed through her head, Am I simply unable to avoid death?
Then she opened her eyes again. Her eyebrows were straight like blades as she smiled brightly, welcoming the pale-white situation of hopelessness and slashing out with her fingers like a blade!
“Wicked demon, your arrogance ends here!”
In the sky, a bellow rang out thunderously.
With a flash, blood sprayed everywhere. The pale-white claw had been severed along the wrist.
The Faceless Heretic God was in pain, pulling his hand back quickly, but the only thing he recovered was a severed arm. His face wriggled intensely as he said hoarsely, “The Sword of Zhenwu!”
A divine general in golden armour descended from above, glowing brilliantly. The cape behind him danced furiously like a flag in the wind.
He held a black sword sheath with both hands, coiled with turtles and snakes and aligned with seven stars. The aura of harshness it gave off swept through the surroundings.
The twelve Demon Sovereigns trembled. Even Ying Zhe’s teeth chattered despite how chaotic and wicked he was, like he faced immense danger. If it were not for the Faceless Heretic God, he might have fled already.
The light circled around and returned to the sheath. The aura of harshness vanished with it.
Having escaped death, Chao Tianjiao blinked her eyes. “A Divine General of the Six Jia?”
The divine general in golden armour smiled and nodded. “That’s me. I am the Jiazi God, Wang Wenqing. I carry the Sword of Zhenwu, so forgive me for being unable to bow. Under the Xuantian Emperor’s orders, I’ve specially come to invite you to the Desireless Heavenly Palace, fellow.”
The Xuantian Emperor was the Zhenwu Emperor. It was one of his titles of respect.
Chao Tianjiao glanced down. The pale-white claw had yet to hit the ground, but it had already stiffened and turned a deathly grey. The Faceless Heretic God led the twelve Demon Sovereigns, but he was actually afraid to take a step closer to her.
The Divine General of Jiazi, Wang Wenqing, possessed slender eyes and eyebrows. His complexion was fair, and he was at ease. He did not look like a divine general who waged war in the Demon domain but a scholar who recited poems in his courtyard. He did not take the Faceless Heretic God or the twelve Demon Sovereigns seriously at all.
She bowed. “Thank you for saving my life, fellow!” However, she could not help but look at the sword in his arms. She felt a sense of closeness, yet also some respect, like she was facing a strict father.
The Six Ding and the Six Jia were renowned throughout the world. They were the personal guards and divine generals of the Zhenwu Emperor, but their main duty was not to face the Demon domain. Normally, they were summoned by various daoist priests to subdue daemons and purge demons with great force, so everyone knew about them.
However, while the God of Jiazi was the leader of the Six Jia, he was not enough to deter a Heretic God. The greater his cultivation was, the greater the restraints he faced from the laws were too. In the Demon domain, if the Faceless Heretic God ordered the twelve Demon Sovereigns to cast the Twelve Citadel Demon Formation of the Ominous, he could put up a fight even if a few more Human Immortals arrived.
What they truly feared was the Sword of Zhenwu in his hands, the Zhenwu Emperor’s personal sword.
Chao Tianjiao was amazed inside, Just a single slash actually possesses such power!
