While the raging fire blazed and covered the sky and earth, a figure flashed on the dome, and a drop of fresh blood fell from the very top of the thick smoke.

Blood entered the fire.

Gone in an instant.

Yu Konghou, who was dodging the flames, suddenly looked up.

With a clear sound, a golden sword suddenly appeared, carrying thick smoke and raging fire from the person’s body, like flowing gold being tempered by fire, plummeting straight down from the great hall’s dome.

Yu Konghou let out a roar, “Tang! Li! Ci!”

That ball of tempered golden flowing fire descended upon his head.

Yu Konghou had obtained the Insect King. All the spider webs on his body flew skyward, wrapping toward Tang Lici’s “Golden Thread Song.”

Tang Lici’s red robes were ignited by the fierce flames. His clothing was of different material—though the hem was already burning, it didn’t catch fire, only carrying faint red flames. He struck down with one sword. Seeing that Yu Konghou had gained the power of the Insect King and was manipulating venomous spiders, unable to achieve a quick victory, he immediately turned and plunged into the sea of fire.

Yu Konghou was stunned—then burst into loud laughter—this madman broke through the roof and descended, arriving one step too late—then still unwilling to give up, still wanting to save people!

The Bai Suche and Wang Lingze inside were probably already cooked!

He watched helplessly as Tang Lici flew like a moth to flame, truly throwing himself into the great fire.

The flames danced and flickered, repeatedly erupting violently. The great hall shook like an earthquake. Yu Konghou dared not watch anymore and turned to search for an exit.

Clanking sounds echoed—all the exits were networks of refined steel iron nets. Yu Konghou’s strength was exhausted, he had no sharp weapons, and his heart was filled with despair. He was like a rat locked in a cage being roasted, with nothing but endless curses and venomous hatred toward Bai Suche. Who could have seen back then that this silent, obedient woman full of weaknesses could be so patient and so ruthless?

Tang Lici threw his entire body into the fire, his clothes and hair all burning.

Bai Suche carried combustible materials, and the fierce fire had started from her body. But Wang Lingze, firmly grasped by Bai Suche, didn’t die immediately and was still struggling desperately in the fire, like a twisted ghostly shadow in the flames.

But it wasn’t just Bai Suche alone holding her. Behind Wang Lingze, several others pressed against her, a sword stabbing toward Wang Lingze’s back, and another person firmly gripping her legs.

Many strange insects fell from Wang Lingze’s body, one by one, carrying flames.

Tang Lici entered the raging fire.

But human affairs in the fire were already concluded.

Righteous and evil grudges had been decisively settled.

There was no one here who needed his salvation.

Among all living beings like ants, who doesn’t face death?

I come to repay deep grudges and hidden hatred.

Perhaps he still owed this great fire a debt of gratitude.

He suddenly turned back and leaped out of the fire.

Yu Konghou was startled and retreated. Tang Lici’s red robes and gray hair emerged from the great fire and immediately extinguished. In the air, they stirred up wisps of smoke and dust. That hollow “Golden Thread Song” aimed and slapped down at him flatly—if Yu Konghou hadn’t been panicked and confused in the fire, he should have known that Tang Lici’s sword wasn’t chopping down but slapping down flatly because he too was emotionally turbulent and unable to calm down.

Tang Lici… willing to sacrifice himself and step through fire, willing to feed eagles and become mud, because if Tang doesn’t go, who in this human world can be saved? They pray to me, hope for me, wait for me… so I promise, I’m willing, I can do it.

Because I am omnipotent.

And all people in the world are like ants.

But step by step… day by day…

They keep dying, keep dying.

I…

If I am not omnipotent.

And people in the world are not all like ants.

Then I…

I…

His “Golden Thread Song” heavily slapped Yu Konghou’s head, then he spat out a mouthful of blood, spraying it all over Yu Konghou’s head and face.

Yu Konghou stared at Tang Lici in disbelief, then burst into loud laughter, “Hahahaha… even you have such a day! Hahahaha…” He almost wanted to dance with joy, momentarily forgetting his fear of not finding an exit. His emotions swelled to the point of madness, “Hahaha… pretending to be casual and indifferent, I thought you were somebody! So you actually do care about their life and death! Young Master Tang! Competing for kingship is no child’s play. Don’t think that just because you win, all the people who died before don’t count as dead—your chess pieces are also people! They can also die! From the day you arranged for her to be a spy here, you should have known she would have this day!”

Tang Lici’s lips curved slightly. Though he had spat blood, his expression remained calm, “Miss Bai is not my chess piece.”

He rarely explained anything, “I indeed thought that if I won, all people wouldn’t die. But…” He took a deep breath, looking at Yu Konghou, “Everyone doesn’t listen because no one is my chess piece.”

Yu Konghou was stunned. For a moment, he couldn’t laugh anymore.

Tang Lici smiled faintly, drew his sword again, “Spit out the Insect King!”

The large and small venomous spiders on Yu Konghou’s body stirred restlessly, “Dream on!”

Just then, the flames in the great hall erupted again with a thunderous sound. The hole in the hall’s roof that Tang Lici had broken through was burned and collapsed by the flames. Yu Konghou saw there was an escape route. Regardless of the intense heat, he forcefully gathered his breath, converting all his true power into cold yin energy, and pounced toward the opening above. His clothes were tattered, unable to gather wind for leverage. He simply rolled up spider webs, coiling them into a thread, and with a flick of his hand threw it out like “Ten Thousand Li Peach Blossoms,” rolling and clinging upward, actually pulling Yu Konghou to fly up.

Tang Lici’s true qi was in disorder. He had battled for days, wounded repeatedly. Though his injuries hadn’t worsened, they hadn’t improved either. Just now, entering and exiting the fire and spitting blood again, even with his confidence in being invincible in battle, he was already at the end of his strength. Seeing Yu Konghou flying upward, he drew his sword to pursue but hesitated slightly. His true qi stagnated, and his dantian suddenly experienced sharp pain. The “Golden Thread Song” sword lost its true power enhancement and turned into a ball of golden thread. Tang Lici fell forward softly, supporting himself with his left hand. He raised his head and saw Yu Konghou flying up with the spider silk, almost reaching the opening.

Yu Konghou was in mid-air, seeing Tang Lici spitting blood and kneeling, feeling extremely pleased, almost wanting to laugh heartily. What could be more delightful than himself about to escape successfully while his enemy couldn’t get up? If he weren’t also in extremely bad condition, he would definitely smash ten or eight large stones down on Tang Lici!

With a faint “crack” sound, something flew through the thick smoke.

Yu Konghou felt his hand lighten. The spider silk was cut by something. He turned in horror and saw a brilliant golden object sweep past his face and shoot through the opening.

That ghostly thing looked like a golden orchid.

It was “Fragrant Orchid Smile” again!

“No—” Yu Konghou fell from the air with a tremendous crash, falling into the depths of the raging fire. Only the sound of the iron net that Bai Suche had suspended in the center of the great hall breaking could be heard as he fell into the fire pit filled with charcoal and poisonous substances.

The underground had become a charcoal hell, certain death.

After waiting a while, except for the sound of raging fire, there was no other movement.

Tang Lici knelt on the ground, his right hand tightly gripping the golden thread of “Golden Thread Song.”

In the urgency just now, he had put “Fragrant Orchid Smile” in his mouth and used it to shoot and cut the spider silk in Yu Konghou’s hand. Yu Konghou carried the Insect King, but having fallen into the depths of the fire and charcoal, even before the charcoal fire extinguished, no one else could penetrate deep into the charcoal. And when the charcoal fire extinguished, not to mention the Insect King, even Yu Konghou would have already turned to ash.

Tang Lici listened carefully to various movements inside and outside Floating Zero Brow Garden, took a deep breath, and shakily stood up. He similarly leaped up, heading toward the opening.

Something flew from his sleeve. The Floating Red Insect Silk was riddled with holes but still tough, carrying him over the great fire, rising through the smoke, leaving the deep underground.