The Buddha raised the Mahavairocana dharma body, slowly pressing down this golden sun that eliminated all heterodoxy and purified the world.

It was so heavy that even with the Buddha’s strength, it moved only gradually.

It was also terrifying—the golden radiance burned everything except the Buddha himself. The black dharma body immediately twisted like glass about to melt.

The power comprising the black dharma body rapidly dissipated, purified by the golden light.

Within moments, the dharma body collapsed. Shen Shu’s immortal body was exposed beneath the Mahavairocana. The Buddha’s eight pairs of arms embraced the blazing golden sun and pressed it against Shen Shu’s chest.

The Mahavairocana dharma body didn’t break through as easily as imagined—it met resistance.

What resisted it was the foundation of a half-step Martial God, the characteristic of immortality itself.

Hiss… Green smoke rose from the bottom of the golden sun—the sound of Shen Shu’s physical body being burned and destroyed.

Years ago, Shen Shu had been defeated by the Mahavairocana, then dismembered and sealed. Five hundred years later, fate seemed to be repeating itself.

No, this time Shen Shu’s fate would not be mere sealing—he would be destroyed.

The Buddha was no longer the Buddha of old. He had merged with the Dao, becoming part of the rules of heaven and earth.

Golden Lotus Daoist, Li Miaozhen, Yang Gong, Kou Yangzhou, and Kalpataru could not hide the despair in their eyes. Although they had prepared for mutual destruction when learning of Xu Qi’an’s journey overseas, when the moment arrived, unwillingness and powerlessness still filled their hearts, dropping these transcendent experts’ morale to rock bottom.

Behind them were the common people of Lei Province, and beyond Lei Province were even more innocent lives. Before them was a half-step Martial God trapped in certain death.

Powerlessness and despair dominated them.

Only one person cast aside all emotional interference, riding a flying sword wreathed in dazzling sword light, plunging straight into the colorless barrier and the spatial screen erected by the Immovable Wisdom King.

Where the sword tip met the spatial barrier, a blinding energy interface ignited. Luo Yuhen’s feathered robes fluttered, her beautiful eyes reflecting the flowing brilliance of sword light. She appeared both like an otherworldly immortal untouched by mortal dust and a peerlessly magnificent goddess of war.

The spatial barrier that had remained undisturbed suddenly began to shake. Space rippled like waves, followed by successive “boom boom” explosions. First, the Immovable Wisdom King’s spatial barrier collapsed, then the Colorless Glazed realm dispersed like a wild wind, and things regained their color.

But what good would this do? With the three Bodhisattvas’ combat power and speed, it would be impossible to bypass them to help Shen Shu… Li Miaozhen and the others thought dejectedly.

The three Bodhisattvas felt the same, but they still had to respond appropriately. Kalpataru stepped forward to meet Luo Yuhen.

The Human Path sword techniques were unmatched in killing power. Both Vairocana and Samantabhadra feared her close combat, but Kalpataru did not fear—on the contrary, Luo Yuhen should fear him.

Bodhisattva Vairocana glanced at Asura and the others. If they made a move, he would immediately retreat with Samantabhadra, buying time to manifest the Great Compassion dharma body and the Great Samsara dharma body.

Once these two dharma bodies appeared, the combat power of the Great Tang forces below the First Realm would plummet dramatically.

Kalpataru clasped his palms together, catching the divinely imposing flying sword. Zizi… Amidst the tooth-aching sound, the flesh of his palms rapidly dissolved. His body’s muscles trembled as he frantically dispersed the sword’s force.

Just one sword strike had caused significant damage to Buddhism’s strongest all-around Bodhisattva.

Kalpataru stepped forward, closing the distance with Luo Yuhen, intending to make this Terrestrial Immortal taste the consequences of close combat, making her pay a terrible price for her reckless action.

The ground suddenly rose, forming a thick shield before Luo Yuhen. The next moment, the earthen shield shattered with a bang as Kalpataru’s fist penetrated Luo Yuhen’s chest, pale golden blood gushing like a fountain from her back.

An unexpected change occurred—from Luo Yuhen’s shadow beneath her, one fluffy fox tail after another emerged.

Without the slightest warning, without any fluctuation in energy, the fox tails split into two groups, entangling toward Samantabhadra and Vairocana Bodhisattvas.

This sudden development caught the three Bodhisattvas completely off guard. Li Miaozhen and the others were dumbfounded—there was another helper?

Then, upon seeing the fluffy fox tails clearly, buried memories resurfaced. The corresponding figure naturally appeared in everyone’s minds—no, creature—the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox!

The Nine-Tailed Fox had already returned to the Nine Provinces. The reason for staying hidden was Sun Xuanji’s plan.

After returning to the Astronomical Bureau through the transfer array, she met Guardian Yuan waiting outside the door. Guardian Yuan conveyed the plan from the “mute” senior brother to the Nine-Tailed Fox.

The plan was very simple: Sun Xuanji would help screen her and the Shadow Poison Department leader from heaven’s will, then he would transmit a message to Luo Yuhen, having the Shadow Department leader bring the Nine-Tailed Fox to hide in Luo Yuhen’s shadow.

At this point, only Sun Xuanji and Luo Yuhen knew about the shadow and the Nine-Tailed Fox’s existence, not violating the “screening from heaven’s will” restriction.

The reason for choosing to use the shadow as this transfer station was because only this way was sufficiently concealed. Although screening from heaven’s will could hide auras, both the Confucian “transmission” and the Ritualist’s transfer would be accompanied by energy fluctuations.

It would be difficult to deceive the three Bodhisattvas.

But as long as the “shadow” was hidden in advance within Luo Yuhen’s shadow, combined with heaven’s will screening technique concealing the aura, as long as it wasn’t targeting Kalpataru with his danger perception or Vairocana Bodhisattva who controlled the Walker dharma body, they could achieve the effect of a surprise attack.

“Hehehe…”

Accompanied by the appearance of eight tails, silver bell-like laughter rang out. The demonic sound was mesmerizing, shaking the spirit. All the transcendent experts seemed to experience hallucinations, becoming dizzy.

The normally magic-immune Luo Yuhen’s lips parted slightly, spitting out two sword qi streams. Kalpataru’s vision darkened as blood flowed from his eye sockets, dripping down his cheeks.

On the other side, Vairocana Bodhisattva, still maintaining a trace of clarity, instinctively manifested the Walker dharma body, avoiding the fox tails’ entanglement.

Samantabhadra Bodhisattva summoned the Great Compassion dharma body and retreated, but his speed couldn’t compare to Vairocana’s. He was instantly entangled by four fox tails that appeared cute and fluffy but could split rivers and cleave mountains.

Golden Buddhist light showered from the sky.

The opportunity was fleeting…

Yang Gong suddenly stepped forward and declared in a clear voice:

“Samantabhadra shall not manifest the Great Compassion dharma body!”

After speaking these words, he spat out a mist of blood, falling backward stiffly. Yang Gong’s primordial spirit also perished in the spell’s backlash.

Golden Lotus Daoist and Li Miaozhen simultaneously reached out, each catching a strand of the remaining soul and absorbing it into their bodies.

Dao Path transcendent experts had their methods of nurturing primordial spirits.

A Third Realm’s “words become law” couldn’t truly restrict a First Realm expert, but the Buddhist chants in heaven and earth suddenly faltered. Although golden light still showered from the sky, the Great Compassion dharma body failed to coalesce in time.

It was still affected.

The shadow beneath Luo Yuhen suddenly surged skyward, abruptly expanding into a shadow that blocked heaven and earth, stopping the golden light showering from above.

Without the shadow’s support, the silver-haired demon’s beauty sprang out from within.

Seeing this, Vairocana Bodhisattva immediately went to assist, his figure constantly appearing around Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, causing all color in that area to fade.

But the colorless glazed realm couldn’t contain a Nine-Tailed Fox who had entered the First Realm.

The remaining four tails slammed the ground heavily. Amid the earthquake rumble, the colorless glazed realm shattered.

A First Realm descendant of gods and demons had strength no less than a martial artist.

Bang bang bang… Asura, carrying his black dharma body, threw out an air-shattering straight punch that struck Kalpataru’s face, making him stagger.

On the other side, blade qi rolled as vortexes of all-destroying blade light struck Kalpataru’s golden body, sparking dazzling sparks.

Master Kou coordinated with Asura’s attack, furiously assailing the Buddhist Bodhisattva, resolving the crisis for Luo Yuhen.

The Nine-Tailed Fox planted her feet on the ground, her willow eyebrows furrowing as she said through gritted teeth with a smile:

“Old man, this State Ruler sends you to reincarnation!”

With a twist of her slender waist, the fox tails suddenly went rigid. Samantabhadra Bodhisattva’s face contorted as he struggled against the tremendous pulling force while summoning the Great Samsara dharma body.

“Crack…”

The wheel had barely appeared before it began spinning, with the characters for “Human” and “Demon” lighting up on the disc.

But this was merely a death struggle. Although the Great Samsara dharma body could effectively weaken an enemy’s combat power, it couldn’t change the current predicament.

The young monk form of Samantabhadra’s physical body was torn to pieces, and the newly formed Great Samsara dharma body immediately dispersed.

A pale golden light rose from the dismembered remains, vaguely in the shape of a young monk.

This was Samantabhadra’s primordial spirit.

Luo Yuhen, Golden Lotus, and Li Miaozhen, the three Dao Path transcendent experts, simultaneously reached out their palms and gripped with all their might!

The young monk’s “body” twisted in the air. He let out a silent, angry roar, seemingly unwilling to perish like this. The next second, his primordial spirit exploded into scattered light.

Soul scattered and spirit destroyed.

Even the Medicine Master’s dharma body couldn’t save a completely scattered life.

At this moment, the dismembered physical body was still squirming, trying to reassemble.

At the First Realm level, even those not of the martial artist system had long surpassed mortal vitality, their flesh possessing powerful vitality.

But Samantabhadra had completely perished—the body’s vitality was just a death struggle.

With this, a breakthrough appeared in the deadly situation.

As everyone joined forces to kill Samantabhadra Bodhisattva, the Golden Lotus Daoist gently exhaled, turning his head to look at Li Miaozhen with a wistful smile:

“It’s my turn.”

Li Miaozhen’s eyes immediately reddened.

This deeply scheming old Daoist who excelled at planning said with a smile:

“The Earth Path cultivates merit. Sacrificing oneself for heaven and earth, dying for the living beings of the Nine Provinces, is the best end. Although this poor Daoist values his life, he does not fear death.

“Miaozhen, I leave the Earth Path to you.”

He handed a weak light to Li Miaozhen and said:

“I often think, if it weren’t for demonic thoughts leading astray, enticing Zhende to cultivate the Dao, would the later events have happened? This poor Daoist moment of error caused countless living beings to die because of me.

“Good and evil have their rewards, cause, and effect cycle. Dying for the world today, this poor Daoist is greatly comforted!”

Tears burst from Li Miaozhen’s eyes. She had never imagined that this deeply scheming senior who excelled at calculation had been troubled by the past events all along.

Golden Lotus Daoist rose on his sword, his body transforming into flowing light as he charged toward the distant battlefield.

A loud and ancient song echoed through heaven and earth:

“Fortune and misfortune have no door, only people summon them themselves. The rewards of good and evil follow like shadows…”

“So-called goodness: all people respect it, fortune and prosperity follow it, all evil stays far from it, the Heavenly Way blesses it. So-called evil: all people detest it, auspiciousness avoids it, punishment and disaster follow it, the Heavenly Way punishes it.”

The Mahavairocana dharma body was tyrannically fierce. Where its radiance shone, nothing could exist. Under the universal Buddhist light, only the Buddha could walk.

Faced with the Earth Path Sect Leader’s suicide attack, the Buddha had to either extinguish the Mahavairocana dharma body or maintain the status quo.

Either choice would achieve Golden Lotus Daoist’s goal.

Golden Lotus Daoist’s form melted inch by inch under the Mahavairocana, turning to flying ash.

Born of heaven and earth, accomplished through merit.

Dying through merit, returning to heaven and earth.

A hundred years of Dao cultivation scattered in an instant!

The previously clear sky was instantly filled with dark clouds. Terrifying energy descended from above as thunder brewed within the cloud layers.

Heaven and earth’s fury!

The heavenly tribulation’s aura covered the sky and earth, countless times more terrifying than when Luo Yuhen underwent her tribulation.

Even First Realm transcendents as powerful as Luo Yuhen, Kalpataru, Vairocana, and Asura had their hair standing on end, fear exploding in their hearts, unable to summon any resistance before the heavenly tribulation.

This was the rules of heaven and earth suppressing mortal beings. The accompanying fear couldn’t be eliminated by mere cultivation alone.

“Boom!”

Blazing white lightning pillars descended, striking into the vast “quagmire” like an ocean. The flesh and blood matter didn’t splash but silently annihilated.

Boom boom boom… Lightning bolt after lightning bolt descended, their frequency becoming faster and more urgent until finally, the distance became a sea of lightning, obscuring all scenery.

The “ocean” composed of flesh and blood rapidly vanished within the heavenly tribulation, exposing the mottled earth below.

If this were in the Western Regions, He could dispel the heavenly tribulation with a thought because He was “Heaven” itself. But Lei Province wasn’t His territory yet—even a Super Realm expert had to accept heaven’s backlash and endure the tribulation.

The heavenly tribulation certainly couldn’t kill the Buddha, but such powerful and concentrated divine punishment had destructive power definitely surpassing a half-step Martial God. With this “companion’s” aid, Shen Shu could resolve the current crisis.

The golden sun suddenly dimmed, and the Buddha’s suppressive force weakened accordingly. He needed to divert part of His power to resist the heavenly tribulation.

“Boom!”

With a tremendous sound, Shen Shu broke free from the Buddha dharma body’s suppression, sprinting between lightning pillars. He didn’t dodge, but the heavenly tribulation perfectly avoided this half-step Martial God.

The surrounding dark red flesh matter frantically pursued, trying to delay his steps and wrap around his legs, but the descending heavenly tribulation struck and annihilated them.

This included the Buddha’s “true body” manifesting the Walker dharma body.

…

Xu Qi’an’s gaze followed the Director’s dispersing form, watching him drift away with the wind.

The final color in this half-step Martial God’s eyes seemed to disappear with the Director’s departure. Indescribable emotions flashed across his face, his facial muscles slowly twitching before he lowered his head, not letting the Poison God and Huang see his expression.

“So, you were also playing me just now.”

Huang couldn’t help glancing at the Poison God, issuing a reproachful query.

The Poison God said flatly:

“I was just buying time. I didn’t expect you to be so easily bewitched by him, your will shaken. The subsequent developments exceeded my control.

“It was that close. If he had succeeded a step earlier, perhaps we would be the ones facing desperate straits now.”

Speaking to this point, His clear, intelligent eyes stared at the head-bowed Xu Qi’an:

“I must admit, you’re a terrifying opponent. Among the humans I’ve seen, though you don’t rank in the top three, you certainly rank fourth, somewhat stronger than the Buddha’s other aspect, Shen Shu.”

Xu Qi’an, blade in left hand and sword in right, kept his head lowered.

He quietly listened to the Poison God’s words, then asked emotionlessly:

“I can’t compare to the Confucian Sage, but who are the other two?”

The Poison God answered unhurriedly:

“The Buddha is the Human Path body of the Dao Sovereign, and the Witch God existed since ancient times among humans.”

As He spoke, He applied concealment to Xu Qi’an, the Pagoda of All-Things, and the Nation-Stabilizing Sword.

The single horn lying on the ground returned to Huang’s head. The air vortexes of the six horns expanded and merged into one, transforming into a black hole that devoured all things.

It crashed toward Xu Qi’an.

Whoosh… The vortex caught him, pulling him toward the black hole’s center as waves of life essence swarmed toward the black hole.

This half-step Martial God didn’t resist. He seemed to have given up resistance, accepting fate.

“Comparing them to the Confucian Sage insults him, and listing them before me insults me.” He raised his head, his expression already calm, though deep in his eyes remained intense sorrow and loss.

The next moment, even this sorrow vanished, replaced by manic fighting spirit.

His qi and blood drained like a breaking dam, but an even stronger vitality awakened within his body. The immortal tree essence hidden in his flesh began continuously supplying vitality, repairing injuries.

Xu Qi’an’s aura not only didn’t decrease but rose steadily.

A person in desperate straits had nowhere to retreat!

“Jade-shattering” was Xu Qi’an’s Way, the Way of a half-step Martial God.

Only when facing certain death could he align with his Way, truly unleashing jade-shattering’s power.

This couldn’t be achieved through mental self-hypnosis or temporary crisis—only when truly plunged into despair could he truly master jade-shattering.

In other words, in previous exchanges, Xu Qi’an hadn’t shown his strongest aspect. He hadn’t erupted with the Way that martial artists took pride in.

When the Director returned to the Heavenly Way and everything became irreversible, when the last hope shattered and there was truly no retreat—

Instead, it pushed him to his peak.

Trapped in the black hole, Xu Qi’an let his qi and blood drain away, showing neither panic nor anger, and snapped his fingers.

Snap!

The black hole suddenly stalled, Huang’s angry roar sounding from within.

The qi and blood essence He had devoured vanished without a trace the instant the snap sounded.

Blue veins bulged on Xu Qi’an’s forehead as patterns symbolizing power appeared on his skin. He thrust his blade and sword into the ground and clenched his fists.

“Bang!”

His fist struck into the black hole. The all-devouring black hole couldn’t even hold its enemy but was instead punched away.

At this moment, a shadow covering heaven and earth enveloped Xu Qi’an. The Poison God descended from above, His enormous body crashing down like Mount Tai.

Crimson blood mist sprayed from His pores as His giant body collapsed into pieces. Space made sounds of unbearable strain.

This time, Xu Qi’an wasn’t concealed, because before the Poison God crashed down, He spat out a group of devastatingly beautiful women, completely unclothed, with prominent curves, full breasts, ample buttocks, and body lines filled with temptation, arousing desire.

The Poison God once again ignited Xu Qi’an’s lust.

Moreover, these beauties contained poison lethal even to First Realm martial artists, corpse worms that could control a half-step Martial God, and simultaneously, the Poison God attempted mental control over Xu Qi’an.

But Xu Qi’an’s eyes held only soaring fighting spirit and resignation to death.

It wasn’t that he had no lust—despair simply overwhelmed any emotion, his will to fight no longer swayed by anything.

Sinking his waist, clenching his fist, he struck toward the heavens.

The devastatingly beautiful women dissolved in his fist force. The force reversed skyward with a “boom,” entering the shadow. The Poison God’s body burst with cracks, flesh splitting open, deep red blood spraying like rain.

But He still relied on His powerful physique and strength surpassing a half-step Martial God to smash Xu Qi’an flat.

Boom!

The earth shook and mountains trembled. Countless dust clouds soared skyward, accompanied by ripples of energy spreading in all directions, becoming a terrifying sandstorm.

A giant crater appeared on the Divine Demon Island, with a mountain of flesh at its bottom.

After suppressing Xu Qi’an, the Poison God repeated the scene from not long ago—poison worms corroding him, corpses controlling him, charm worms bewitching him, planning to gradually wear down the supposedly immortal and indestructible half-step Martial God.

Huang prowled in the distance, waiting for an opportunity but not coming forward to compete for the victory.

First, a half-step Martial God wouldn’t die so easily; second, He caught a familiar “scent.”

Sure enough, the Poison God’s enormous body began to shake. This mountain of flesh sometimes tensed, sometimes relaxed, as if wrestling with someone.

He was slowly lifted up. Beneath the flowing shadows was Xu Qi’an, who had lifted the “mountain.”

His skin was corroded, his eyes blind, all bones broken, countless offspring worms planted within him fighting for control of his body.

But the moment he lifted the mountain of flesh, all injuries recovered completely. Long, thin offspring worms crawled out from his pores, falling and withering away.

His strength had grown even greater.

Huang wasn’t surprised at all. He recalled that tribulation battle that should have overthrown the Central Plains dynasty.

At that time, Xu Qi’an, as merely a Second Realm martial artist, had relied on the immortal tree essence and his Way of growing stronger through battle to forcibly hold Him back, buying precious time for Luo Yuhen’s tribulation.

Thus reversing the situation.

The immortal tree essence and his jade-shattering were a perfect match… Huang cursed inwardly, immediately letting the six horns on His head generate vortexes, evolving into black holes rushing toward the Poison God and Xu Qi’an.

“Don’t give him a chance to repair his body—he’ll grow stronger through battle!”

As the words fell, Xu Qi’an kicked out, sending the entire mountain floating skyward as he himself vanished.

When he reappeared, he was already high in the sky.

Under the blue sky, Xu Qi’an stretched his limbs, unprecedented power surging through his body. His skin showed an eerie blood-red as blood droplets seeped from his pores—the result of expanding muscles breaking tiny blood vessels.

His power had completely transcended half-step Martial God, rising to a realm that couldn’t be evaluated.

Because there were no Martial Gods in the world, and no martial artist had ever possessed his current power.

Xu Qi’an reached into empty space and grabbed the Peace Blade, then settled all emotions, contained all energy, his dantian collapsing into a “black hole,” gathering all his mighty power.

Then, before the Poison God could apply concealment, he struck with the Peace Blade.

Jade-shattering!

An enormous sense of crisis exploded in their hearts, pushing their divine abilities to the extreme as the black hole generated rolling suction.

This was both Their strongest killing method and strongest defensive measure.

Because any energy produced by attacks would be devoured by the black hole.

In heaven and earth, a dark golden blade light flashed and vanished.

The next moment, the black hole collapsed. Huang, with His human face and sheep body, revealed His original form. A wound that nearly bisected His waist appeared as the scent of blood instantly spread.

He howled in agony.

High in the sky, Xu Qi’an’s waist split open, tearing muscle and spine, but immediately recovered under the nourishment of the immortal tree essence and the half-step Martial God’s qi and blood.

Xu Qi’an in the air teleported away again, appearing on Huang’s back.

Thud!

The Peace Blade plunged into the spine. He kicked up, the Peace Blade instantly vanishing. The next second, Huang’s body split open, ribs breaking one by one.

Huang roared in anger and pain. Since the end of the God-Demon Era, His true body had never suffered such severe wounds.

Darkness fell as Xu Qi’an lost his five senses and six consciousnesses.

The Poison God sprang up from the ground, crashing toward this half-step Martial God like a comet.

The blind Xu Qi’an clenched his fist, drew back his arm, and relying on instinct, turned and threw a punch.

Space showed visible wrinkles as black lightning appeared on the surface of Xu Qi’an’s fist—the phenomenon of space being torn.

The Poison God’s body split into quarters, chunks of flesh spraying in all directions. Pat pat pat… The meat chunks fell on Divine Demon Island, staining the ground red.

Xu Qi’an also flew backward. The terrible reactive force exceeded the limits that a martial artist’s force transformation could disperse, scattering bone fragments.

He lost his right arm.

The scattered flesh chunks extended web-like white threads, attracting and adhering to each other, rapidly reassembling in the distance.

Huang’s body was also gradually recovering as muscles writhed.

Ancient god-demons had powerful physiques and naturally strong vitality. Though lacking the immortal vitality of the Poison God and martial artists, ordinary fatal wounds couldn’t kill Them.

Two Super Realm beings joining forces actually couldn’t suppress a half-step Martial God, instead paying a huge price.

“Damn it, damn it…”

Huang cursed loudly.

Fighting to this point, His heart held only anxiety and anger, along with a trace of fear He was unwilling to acknowledge.

Two mighty Super Realm beings, actually held back until now by a half-step Martial God, not only failing to kill their opponent but suffering heavy injuries themselves.

More anxiously, the Buddha and Witch God were currently devouring the Central Plains, dividing territory.

In the distance, the Poison God’s abdomen pulsed rhythmically, His back pores spurting gale-force airflow, consuming massive oxygen every second like a human who had over-exercised.

His consumption was equally enormous, His energy dropping severely.

This aroused anxiety even in the supremely intelligent Poison God. He hadn’t anticipated this half-step Martial God being so terrifying.

On the other side, Xu Qi’an’s full muscles began to atrophy. In his violently heaving chest, his heart finally couldn’t withstand it and exploded into blood mist, his pupils accordingly growing dim.

His legs began trembling, seemingly struggling to stand.

Whether the Flower God’s essence or his own stamina, both had reached their limits.

In an instant, he fell from peak state into the abyss.

Seeing this, Huang and the Poison God actually felt relieved.

Fierce light flashed in Huang’s amber pupils as He issued a thunderous sound:

“Besides the Dao Sovereign, you’re the strongest human I’ve seen. After you die, I’ll devour you myself.”

The Poison God slowly said:

“A true hero!”

This was His final evaluation of this half-step Martial God.

No power is born from nothing—any eruption must pay a price.

After crushing two Super Realm beings with his half-step Martial God body, Xu Qi’an inevitably headed toward decline.

The Nation-Stabilizing Sword flew over, standing before Xu Qi’an. He exhaled with relief, leaning on the sword.

Xu Qi’an slowly turned his head, looking toward the distance—the direction of the Nine Provinces. In his dim eyes, pupillary light burst forth like the final flash before death.

He opened his mouth as if wanting to say something, but in the end said nothing.

From a small bronze gong, stepping forward to here, standing here—it was fate’s push, but also his own choice.

Since it was his own choice, there was nothing to say.

“Pah!”

He withdrew his gaze and spat a mouthful of blood at Huang and the Poison God.

This too seemed to use up all his remaining strength.

Xu Qi’an slowly closed his eyes, dying of exhaustion.

…

Sky Path Sect, peak of the Immortal Mountain.

Within the majestic Dao Sovereign Hall, numerous elders stood on both sides as voices faintly carried up from the mountain foot.

“Dao Sovereign, f*ck your mother, I f*ck your mother…”

“Bulls*it Supreme Emotionlessness, f*ck your mother…”

“Could be a good person but no, cultivating your mother’s Supreme Emotionlessness…”

“I, Li Lingsu, am leaving the Sky Path Sect today, f*ck your mother, Dao Sovereign what can you do to me…”

“Aren’t you sealing the mountain? Come kill me if you can, f*ck your mother…”

The cursing had continued all day without stopping.

No matter how detached the elders in the hall were, veins still bulged on their temples. With one word from the Dao Sovereign, they would descend the mountain to dismember that traitor and clean house.

After long hesitation, Daoist Xuancheng’s expressionless face emerged from the ranks to make a Dao greeting:

“Dao Sovereign, let this disciple go down and drive away that rebellious disciple.”

Though the Dao Sovereign practiced Supreme Emotionlessness, He wasn’t a statue. Not showing anger didn’t mean He wouldn’t kill.

On the contrary, when killing, He was more decisive, never swayed by emotion or feeling.

At this moment, the Dao Sovereign, head bowed and cross-legged as if dozing, finally spoke.

A vast ethereal voice echoed in the hall:

“From this day forward, remove Li Lingsu’s position as Holy Son.”

The hall’s elders bowed in acknowledgment.

“From this day forward, abolish the Supreme Emotionlessness method. Sect disciples may practice original Dao Path techniques.”

The hall’s elders all raised their faces, their usually expressionless faces filled with shock.

Even Daoist Xuancheng and Sovereign Bingyi, who had long ago forgotten emotion, slightly furrowed their brows.

This decree from the Dao Sovereign was shaking the Sky Path Sect’s foundation.

“From this day forward, Sovereign Bingyi shall be the Dao Sovereign.”

Earth-shattering—the elders gaped in astonishment. Even Sovereign Bingyi’s snow-white beautiful face showed surprise.

She and Daoist Xuancheng exchanged glances, seeming to know what the Dao Sovereign intended.

The next second, the Dao Sovereign answered them with action.

Beneath the cross-legged Dao Sovereign on the lotus platform, transparent flames ignited, using the Dao Sovereign as fuel, blazing high.

The transparent flames quickly burned away the Dao Sovereign’s lower body, leaving nothing below the chest.

Still rising, burning through chest and abdomen until completely consuming this peak First Realm powerhouse of the Dao Path.

Atop the nine-petaled lotus platform, nothing remained.

The Dao Sovereign had merged with the Dao!

The Dao Sovereign actually merged with the Heavenly Way at this moment?!

He had just experienced the Heaven-Human Struggle—how could He merge with the Dao?!

…

Overseas.

Above the Nine Heavens, a gate of light slowly coalesced. It seemed both truly existent yet also formed merely from concept.

The Heaven Gate was sealed shut!

The quietly lying Peace Blade suddenly began vibrating with “hum hum”—it had awakened.

“Whoosh!”

It soared skyward, straight into the clouds.

The Peace Blade rose higher and higher, striking the Heaven Gate, vanishing into this conceptual gate.

The next moment, the Heaven Gate suddenly opened wide. It had broken through—the Peace Blade had knocked open the Heaven Gate.

From within the gate descended a brilliant pillar of light. Its aura was both gentle yet powerful, both all-embracing yet all-suppressing. The light pillar enveloped Xu Qi’an as he leaned on his sword.

Within the light pillar, the Director’s figure slowly descended.