Chapter 6341 - 6350
On the morning of the third day, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thick black smoke, illuminating the sky.
Kai and the Judgment Venerable remained locked in a standoff in the void.
Both were covered in wounds, their breaths weak.
The surrounding air felt unusually heavy, save for their heavy breathing and the occasional clang of clashing weapons.
“Kai, you… what kind of monster are you?”
The Judgment Venerable’s voice trembled slightly.
He had never imagined that he would be forced to this point by a cultivator at the peak of the ninth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm.
Three days and three nights of fierce fighting had exhausted most of his spiritual power, leaving him severely injured.
Yet Kai could still stand before him, still possessing the strength to fight.
Kai remained silent.
His throat was choked with blood, allowing only weak gasps.
He raised his purplish-gray longsword and charged at the Judgment Venerable once more.
This strike used the last vestige of chaotic power within him, yet the purplish-gray light on the sword remained dazzling.
A ruthless glint flashed in the Judgment Venerable’s eyes as he also used his last ounce of spiritual power to meet the attack.
The three beams of light—gold, purple, and gray—collided once more.
This time, there was no earth-shattering shockwave, only a faint thud.
Both figures were simultaneously sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground, spitting out mouthfuls of golden blood, unable to rise again.
Kai lay on the ground, covered in wounds, his chaotic power completely exhausted, unable to even move a finger.
But his eyes still shone, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He had won.
At least, he hadn’t lost.
He had blocked the Judgment Venerable, protecting everyone.
The Judgment Venerable lay not far away, his golden robes soaked in blood, his wounds festering, his holy light completely dissipated.
He struggled to raise his head, looking at Kai, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
He was the number one person in the Fifteenth Heaven, a True Immortal of the Eighth Rank, yet he had been beaten to a pulp by a mere Upper Immortal of the Ninth Rank peak.
If word got out, he would lose all face, and the prestige of the Judgment Hall would be utterly destroyed.
The elite warriors of the divine race, seeing the Arbiter Venerable severely wounded, rushed over and surrounded him, their expressions panicked.
“Palace Master! Palace Master, how are you?”
The Arbiter Venerable waved his hand weakly, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.
“Help…help me up, retreat…retreat!”
He knew he couldn’t kill Kai today.
Staying would only result in heavy losses for the divine race’s elite.
Moreover, he was severely injured and needed to recover quickly.
“Palace Master, what about Kai?” a divine race cultivator asked cautiously.
The Arbiter Venerable looked at Kai, a flash of resentment and ruthlessness in his eyes.
“Keep…keep him alive. Next time, I will take his dog’s life!”
With that, he was helped to his feet by the divine race’s elite and slowly walked away towards the Arbiter’s Palace.
A thousand divine race elites followed closely behind, their figures disheveled, their previous arrogance completely gone.
Seeing the Arbiter Venerable retreating with his men, Lang Hao, Yun Xi, and the others finally breathed a sigh of relief and rushed over to surround Kai.
“Kai! Kai, how are you?”
Lang Hao knelt down, carefully helping Kai up, his voice trembling, his eyes filled with heartache.
Kai slightly opened his eyes, looked at the people around him, a faint smile appearing on his lips, his voice hoarse.
“He…they’re gone…we…won…”
He finished speaking, then everything went black, and he fainted.
Yun Xi quickly supported Kai, tears finally streaming down her face.
“Don’t worry, we will definitely save you, you will be alright.” Yun Xi cried.
Ying Wuji and Feng Qingzi stood aside, looking at the unconscious Kai, their eyes filled with admiration.
Feng Qingzi sighed: “Three days and three nights, single-handedly withstanding the Arbiter Venerable, an eighth-grade True Immortal, and even forcing him to retreat. Kai is indeed a genius of all time.” Ying Wuji nodded
, a complex emotion flashing in his dark eyes.
“He is the hope of all of us.” Ying Wuji’s tone carried a glimmer of hope!
In this epic battle, Kai and the Arbiter Venerable were both severely injured, with the Arbiter Venerable retreating in a
sorry state. Kai, however, used his power to protect everyone and brought a brief respite to the Fifteenth Heaven.
The格局 (geju, a concept encompassing the overall structure and overall situation) of the Fifteenth Heaven might truly be rewritten!
It was three days later when the Arbiter Venerable returned to the Arbitration Hall.
His injuries were severe.
The wound on his chest, scorched by the Chaos Fire, had become infected and suppurated. Holy light flowed over the wound, but it failed to heal.
The corrosive power of the Chaos was too strong; even though he had tried his best to dispel it, the remaining power was like a persistent carbuncle, relentlessly eroding his flesh day and night.
“Hall Master, your injuries…” The accompanying healer knelt on the ground, trembling.
“I won’t die.”
The Arbiter Venerable’s voice was hoarse, but a ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. “Kai’s Chaos Power is indeed worthy of its reputation.”
He leaned back on his throne, closed his eyes, and lightly tapped the armrest with his fingers.
The sound echoed in the empty hall, like the tolling of a death knell.
Three days had passed.
He had been pondering one question: why could Kai hold him off?
A peak ninth-grade Upper Immortal against an eighth-grade True Immortal.
A difference of a major realm, and countless minor realms.
Logically, he could crush Kai with a single finger.
But the truth was, he had fought with all his might for three days and three nights, only to end up with both sides severely injured.
The power of chaos.
The power of chaos that restrains all power.
The Judgment Venerable opened his eyes, gazing at the inverted starry sky suspended above the hall’s dome, remaining silent for a long time.
“Kai… if you don’t die, the格局 (geju, a concept encompassing the structure and power structure) of the Fifteenth Heaven will be rewritten.”
His voice was soft, but each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
The majesty of the Judgment Hall was something he had built up over thousands of years.
The divine race’s dominance in the Fifteenth Heaven was bought with the blood of countless ancestors.
If Kai didn’t die, and if the Shadow Palace, the Loose Cultivator Alliance, the Sirius Tribe, and the Nether Moon Kingdom united, the Judgment Hall’s doom would be near.
He couldn’t allow that to happen.
“Someone come here.”
“Hall Master!” A divine race cultivator strode into the hall and knelt on the ground.
“Pass down the order. From today onwards, the Judgment Hall is on high alert. All cultivators on patrol are to be recalled, and all restrictions are to be activated. No one is to leave without my order.”
The cultivator’s expression changed. “Hall Master, you mean…”
“I need to go into seclusion to heal my injuries,” the Judgment Venerable interrupted him. “Until I emerge from seclusion, no conflict with any force is permitted. Especially Kai; upon seeing him, retreat immediately, and do not engage in battle.”
“Yes!”
The cultivator turned and left. The Venerable Judge’s secluded meditation chamber was located at the deepest part of the main hall, sealed by seven layers of ancient restrictions.
The walls of the chamber were forged from extraterrestrial meteorite iron, engraved with the supreme runes of the divine race. In
the center of the chamber stood a stone platform, upon which was engraved a complex magic array—the most ancient summoning technique of the divine race, capable of summoning the projections of powerful beings from the upper realm to the lower realm.
The Venerable Judge had never used this technique before,
because the price was too high.
Each summoning required the expenditure of a hundred years of his cultivation, and the summoned being might not even respond.
Which powerful being from the upper realm wasn’t arrogant and aloof?
Who would care about a summons from the lower realm?
But now, he couldn’t care less.
He sat cross-legged on the stone platform, his hands forming a mudra, activating the holy light within his body.
Golden light surged from his body, pouring into the magic array on the stone platform.
One by one, the runes of the magic array lit up, emitting dazzling golden light that illuminated the entire chamber.
“Using the bloodline of the gods as a guide, and the laws of heaven and earth as a bridge, the supreme being of the upper realm descends upon this place!”
The voice of the Judgment Venerable was deep and solemn, each word containing immense spiritual power.
The light of the magic array grew brighter and brighter, causing the entire secret chamber to tremble.
Then, a beam of light rose from the magic array, shooting straight into the sky.
The Judgment Venerable’s face turned deathly pale.
The depletion of a century of cultivation had almost completely drained his body.
He gritted his teeth, staring intently at the center of the magic array, waiting for the appearance of that figure of light.
A figure of light appeared.
It was a blurry humanoid outline, the face indistinct, only vaguely discernible that he wore golden armor and had a pair of enormous wings of light on his back.
His body emanated a terrifying pressure, like a mountain pressing down, making it almost impossible for the Judgment Venerable to breathe.
The Judgment Venerable’s heart leaped with joy.
It’s here! A powerful being from the upper realm!
But before he could speak, a second figure of light appeared.
Then, a third, a fourth, and a fifth.
Five figures, five people, appeared simultaneously within the magic array.
The Judgement Venerable’s pupils contracted sharply.
He had only summoned one person.
Why were there five?
The five figures gradually solidified, revealing the faces of five individuals.
They were all young, appearing to be only in their twenties or thirties, but each possessed a weathered look accumulated over countless years.
Their cultivation levels were all at the eighth rank of the True Immortal Realm, the same as the Judgement Venerable’s.
However, the aura and oppressive presence they exuded far surpassed that of the Judgement Venerable.
It was an aura emanating from their very bones, an aura acquired only through countless life-and-death battles.
The person standing at the very front had a cold and stern face, with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, and long, silver-white hair cascading down his back.
He wore a suit of silver-white armor, covered in runes that the Judgement Venerable had never seen before.
In his hand, he held a long spear, its shaft shimmering with a dazzling silver light. He
looked at the Judgement Venerable, his eyes devoid of any emotion, only a condescending indifference.
“So, you summoned them?”
The Judgement Venerable’s body trembled violently.
He quickly descended from the stone platform, knelt on the ground, and respectfully bowed.
“Junior, the Lord of the Judgment Hall, pays respects to the senior from the Upper Realm.”
The man’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Judgment Hall? Never heard of it. A branch of the divine race in the Fifteenth Heaven?”
“Yes…yes.”
The man was silent for a moment, then turned to look at the four people behind him.
The four people were also looking at him, their eyes filled with a hint of amusement.
“Interesting.” The man turned to look at the Judgment Venerable. “Why did you summon me?”
The Judgment Venerable swallowed hard and said cautiously, “Junior has encountered a powerful enemy, whose strength far surpasses that of cultivators of the same realm. Junior is no match for him, so I wish to ask the senior from the Upper Realm to take action and kill him.”
The man’s brows furrowed slightly. “A powerful enemy? What is his cultivation level?”
“Peak of the Ninth Grade of the Upper Immortal Realm.”
The man paused for a moment, then smiled.
The smile was cold, so cold that it lowered the temperature of the entire secret chamber.
“Peak of the ninth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm? You, an eighth-rank True Immortal Realm cultivator, can’t defeat a peak ninth-rank Upper Immortal Realm cultivator?”
The Judgment Venerable’s face flushed crimson. “Senior, that person possesses the power of chaos, which suppresses all other powers. This junior is truly no match for him.”
“The power of chaos?” The man’s eyes lit up. “Interesting.”
The four people behind him also whispered among themselves, a hint of interest flashing in their eyes.
“Senior…” The Judgment Venerable asked cautiously, “This junior only summoned one, why are there five?”
The man glanced at him and said indifferently, “We weren’t summoned by you.”
The Judgment Venerable was taken aback: “Then who are you, seniors…”
“Pursuing a traitor.”
The man’s voice was cold. “A traitor escaped from the sixteenth heaven to the lower realm. We tracked his aura all the way to the fifteenth heaven. Your summoning technique just happened to resonate with our tracking technique, leading us here.”
The Judgment Venerable was overjoyed.
Pursuing a traitor?
A traitor who escaped from the sixteenth heaven?
Doesn’t that mean that these five people are all experts from the sixteenth heaven?
Although their cultivation was only at the eighth rank of True Immortal Realm, their strength far surpassed that of cultivators at the fifteenth level of the Heavenly Realm.
“Senior, that traitor…” the Judgment Venerable asked cautiously, “Does he need my help?”
The man glanced at him, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. “You? I can’t help.”
The Judgment Venerable’s face darkened, but he dared not say anything.
He knelt on the ground, head bowed, awaiting the man’s next instruction.
The man was silent for a moment, then said, “However, since you’re here, there’s no rush to leave. Where is that person you mentioned who possesses the power of chaos?”
The Judgment Venerable’s heart skipped a beat. “He’s in the Heavenly Wolf Tribe. Senior, are you willing to help?”
“The power of chaos… how many years has it been since I’ve seen it?” the man murmured.
In a certain canyon!
Inside the Demon-Suppressing Tower, Kai sat cross-legged, his body swirling with purple chaotic power.
Three days had passed outside, but a year had passed inside the tower.
During this year, he had tirelessly circulated his cultivation technique, absorbing the spiritual energy from the crystals to repair his damaged meridians and flesh.
The Golden Dragon bloodline’s self-healing ability far surpassed that of ordinary people, but this time the injury was simply too severe.
The holy light of the Judgment Venerable contained the supreme laws of the divine race; even though it was restrained by chaotic power, the residual power remained like a persistent ailment, deeply embedded in his flesh.
It took him a year to gradually dispel, devour, and transform this residual power.
He opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.
The wounds on his skin had completely healed, leaving only faint white marks.
The chaotic power within his body was more condensed and purer than before the battle, and the vortex in his dantian spun more steadily.
His cultivation at the peak of the ninth rank of the Upper Immortal Realm was completely stable, only a thin membrane separating him from the True Immortal Realm.
He clenched his fist, purple light swirling in his palm.
“Judgment Venerable, next time we meet, I won’t give you another chance.”
He leaped out of the Demon Suppression Tower, landing in the valley.
The sunlight was blinding, the air crisp and cold.
He took a deep breath, transforming into a purple streak of light, and flew towards the direction of the Heavenly Wolf Tribe.
Lang Hao was practicing axe training in the training ground.
His injuries had mostly healed; his left arm was still in a sling, but he could already wield the axe.
Seeing Kai flying over, he put down his battle axe and strode forward to meet him.
“Completely healed?”
“Completely healed.” Kai landed in front of him. “What’s the situation with the Judgment Venerable?”
Lang Hao shook his head: “No. The Judgment Hall has sealed off the mountain, all the cultivators patrolling outside have been recalled, and all the restrictions have been activated. Our scouts can’t get in; we don’t know what’s happening inside.”
Kai’s brows furrowed slightly.
Sealed off the mountain?
The Judgment Venerable wasn’t the type to swallow his pride after suffering a loss.
He must be brewing something.
“Continue monitoring,” Kai said. “Tell me immediately if anything unusual happens.”
He turned and walked towards the tent in the center of the camp.
Yun Xi was waiting for him inside. Seeing him enter, she stood up, looked him up and down, and only breathed a sigh of relief after confirming he was unharmed.
“All done?”
“All done.”
Yun Xi nodded, without asking any further questions. She walked to the map and pointed to the location of the Judgment Hall.
“The Shadow Hall and the Loose Cultivator Alliance have both sent people to ask when we’re going to make our move.”
Kai looked at the map and remained silent for a moment.
“Gather everyone. Tomorrow, we’ll discuss how to destroy the Judgment Hall.”
Yun Xi’s eyes lit up. “Okay.”
The next morning, Kai was in the tent discussing the plan to attack the Judgment Hall with Lang Hao, Yun Xi, and others.
Ying Wuji pointed to the Judgment Hall on the map, his voice low: “The Judgment Hall has seven layers of restrictions, each inherited from ancient times. If we force our way in, the losses will be huge.”
Feng Qingzi shook his head: “But we don’t have time to slowly break through them. The Judgment Venerable is in seclusion. If he recovers, it will be difficult to make a move.” Kai remained silent
.
He stared at the map, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his mind racing.
Just then, a deafening roar erupted outside.
The roar was like the sky collapsing and the earth splitting, the entire land trembling.
The tent shook violently, the map on the table falling to the ground. Everyone’s expression changed drastically.
“What’s going on?” Lang Hao rushed out.
Kai followed closely behind.
The sky had changed.
The previously gray sky was now torn open by a massive crack.
The crack was thousands of feet long and hundreds of feet wide, gushing forth blinding white light, mixed with lightning and flames, the entire sky ablaze. At
the edge of the crack, fragments of space scattered like a torrential rain, each containing destructive power.
Then, figures fell from the crack.
One, two, ten, twenty, thirty.
They rained down from the sky, crashing towards the Sky Wolf tribe’s camp.
“Scatter!” Lang Hao roared, and the beastmen warriors scattered in panic.
The figures crashed heavily to the ground, some onto tents, some onto the training ground, and some onto the wasteland outside the camp.
Large craters were created, sending debris flying and dust billowing into the sky.
Within a few breaths, the cracks disappeared. Only a faint white trail remained in the sky, slowly fading away.
Dozens of people lay in the camp.
They were covered in wounds, their clothes tattered, and their bodies stained with blood.
Some were unconscious, some were still struggling, and some lay motionless on the ground, their fates unknown.
Lang Hao’s face was ashen.
He drew his battle axe and stood guard in front of the camp.
“Alert! Everyone, alert!”
The beastmen and ghostmen warriors grabbed their weapons and surrounded the figures.
Kai walked to the nearest large crater and looked down at the person inside.
It was a middle-aged man, burly and with a resolute face, wearing tattered armor.
He had more than a dozen wounds on his body, each bleeding.
His cultivation level was True Immortal Realm Seventh Grade.
Kai’s pupils contracted slightly.
True Immortal Realm Seventh Grade?
Such cultivation level would already make one a regional overlord in the fifteenth heaven.
But he had never seen this person before.
He then looked at another person.
A seventh-grade True Immortal.
Another, a peak sixth-grade True Immortal.
Yet another, a mid-seventh-grade True Immortal.
Dozens of people, the lowest cultivation level was fifth-grade True Immortal, most were sixth or seventh-grade True Immortal, and there was also an old man whose cultivation level was eighth-grade True Immortal.
Kai’s heart sank.
Where did these people come from?
The first to awaken was the old man at the eighth rank of True Immortal Realm.
He lay in the crater, covered in blood, his silver-white hair disheveled and draped over his shoulders.
His fingers twitched, then he slowly opened his eyes.
They were aged eyes, cloudy and weary, but deep within the pupils was a sharpness that only those who had experienced countless life-and-death battles could possess.
He struggled to sit up and looked around.
Seeing the beastmen and ghostmen warriors surrounding him, his body tensed abruptly, a hint of wariness and hostility flashing in his eyes.
“Don’t move.” Lang Hao pointed his battle axe at him. “Who are you? Where did you come from?”
The old man didn’t speak.
His gaze swept over the beastmen warriors, then over the ghostmen warriors, finally landing on Kai.
Seeing that Kai was human, the wariness in his eyes lessened slightly.
“Where is this?” His voice was hoarse, like sandpaper rubbing.
“The Heavenly Wolf Tribe.” Kai crouched down, looking him in the eye. “Beastmen’s territory. Who are you? Where did you come from?”
The old man’s eyes brightened.
Orc territory?
Not god territory?
He turned to look around, seeing the wounds on the orc warriors, the ruins of the camp, the burned tents and collapsed wooden fences in the distance.
This was a battlefield.
They had just finished fighting.
“Is this the Fifteenth Heaven?” His voice trembled.
“Yes.” Kai nodded, “The Fifteenth Heaven.”
Tears welled up in the old man’s eyes.
He looked up at the sky, his lips trembling, as if he were saying something, or perhaps praying.
“Finally… finally escaped…”
The people behind him also woke up one by one.
They struggled to sit up, looking around, their eyes filled with terror and wariness.
Some gripped their weapons tightly, some protected the old man, and some wept softly.
“Elder, where is this?”
“The Fifteenth Heaven.” The old man’s voice was hoarse, “?”
Kai looked at them, a strange feeling welling up inside him.
These people must have come from the Upper Realm.
Their cultivation levels were at least at the fifth rank of True Immortal.
If they harbored malice, the Heavenly Wolf Tribe wouldn’t be able to stop them.
But there was no malice in their eyes, only fear and exhaustion.
“You came from the Sixteenth Heaven?” Kai asked.
The old man looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.
“Yes.”
Kai’s pupils contracted slightly.
The Sixteenth Heaven.
The place he was going to.
“Why did you come to the Fifteenth Heaven?”
The old man was silent.
He looked at Kai, then at the beastmen and ghost warriors around him, a hint of hesitation flashing in his eyes.
“I need to know whether this is human territory or the territory of another race.”
The old man’s voice was soft, but every word was heavy. “If you are a human cultivator, take me to where humans gather. Once we get there, I will tell you everything.”
Kai remained silent for a moment, then stood up.
“Alright. I’ll take you there.”
Lang Hao’s expression changed. “Mr. Chen, these people are of unknown origin, you can’t…”
“I know,” Kai interrupted him, “but I can sense they mean no harm. And if they really want to make a move, we can’t stop them.”
Lang Hao opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but meeting Kai’s calm eyes, he swallowed his words.
Kai was right. These people’s cultivation was too high; if they really made a move, the Heavenly Wolf Tribe wouldn’t be able to stop them at all.
“I’ll go with you,” Yun Xi stepped forward.
Kai shook his head: “No need. You stay here and help Lang Hao guard the camp. I can go alone.”
“But…”
“No buts.” Kai’s voice left no room for argument.
Yun Xi bit her lip and didn’t say anything more.
Kai turned around and looked at the old man.
“Let’s go. I’ll take you to the Loose Cultivator Alliance. There are human cultivators there.”
The old man struggled to his feet, and the people behind him also stood up.
They supported each other and followed behind Kai, walking towards the Loose Cultivator Alliance.
…
The headquarters of the Loose Cultivator Alliance was in Cloud City, a city floating in the air.
When Kai landed on the square of Cloud City with the dozens of people, Feng Qingzi was drinking tea in the council hall.
Hearing the news, he rushed out.
Seeing the dozens of cultivators, covered in wounds but with frighteningly high cultivation levels, Feng Qingzi’s face turned deathly pale.
“Fellow Daoist Chen… Kai, these people are…”
“From the Sixteenth Heaven,” Kai’s voice was calm. “Find a quiet place for them to rest.”
Feng Qingzi swallowed hard and quickly arranged for people to take the dozens of people to guest rooms.
He personally led the old man to a secret room behind the council hall.
In the secret room, only Kai, Feng Qingzi, and the old man were present.
The old man sat in a chair, eyes closed, silent for a long time.
His hands trembled slightly, his lips quivered, and his breathing was heavy, as if he were suppressing something.
“My name is Chu Tianxing,” he finally spoke, his voice hoarse, “Elder of the Human Resistance Army from the Sixteenth Heaven.”
Kai’s pupils contracted slightly.
The Resistance Army?
“The Sixteenth Heaven…” Chu Tian’s voice was low, “…has already been controlled by the God Clan.”
Kai’s heart sank.
“The God Clan’s power in the Sixteenth Heaven is far greater than you imagine.”
Chu Tianxing opened his eyes and looked at Kai. “They have an organization called the God Clan Alliance. All branches of the God Clan obey this alliance. The leader of the alliance is a peak ninth-grade True Immortal.”
“For thousands of years, the God Clan has been expanding. They suppress other races, enslave other races, and slaughter other races. Humans, beastmen, demons, ghosts… all non-God Clan cultivators are their enemies.”
“We resisted for tens of thousands of years. Humans, beastmen, demons, ghosts, all races oppressed by the God Clan united to form a resistance army. We operated in the shadows, raiding God Clan strongholds, rescuing enslaved cultivators, and searching for the weaknesses of the God Clan Alliance.”
“But in the last few hundred years, the God Clan Alliance has grown stronger and stronger. They found our secret headquarters and sent out forces several times our size to surround us.”
Chu Tianxing’s voice trembled.
“That battle lasted three days and three nights. We fought desperately, but we were outnumbered. Our leader used his last ounce of strength to tear open the void, allowing us to escape.”
“The void rift only lasted for less than three breaths. Only a few dozen of us escaped. The rest… all died.”
He lowered his head, tears dripping onto his hands.
Kai fell silent.
He remembered the figures that had descended from the sky, their wounds, the fear and exhaustion in their eyes.
They hadn’t come to invade; they had come to escape.
“What do you plan to do?” Kai asked.
Chu Tianxing looked up at him.
“Hide.” His voice was soft. “The Divine Alliance will definitely send people to hunt us down. We must hide; we can’t let them find us.”
Kai was silent for a moment.
“Elder Feng Qingzi, can you arrange a place for them?”
Feng Qingzi nodded quickly: “Yes. Although the Loose Cultivator Alliance isn’t large, it can still hide a few dozen people.”
“Thank you.” Chu Tianxing stood up and bowed deeply to Feng Qingzi.
Feng Qingzi quickly helped him up, “No, no, no, you’re a senior, you can’t do this.”
Chu Tianxing shook his head and looked at Kai.
“Young brother, what’s your name?”
“Kai.”
“Kai…” Chu Tianxing repeated the name, then nodded, “I’ll remember you. Thank you.”
Kai shook his head, “No need to thank me. I’m also a human.”
He turned and walked out of the secret chamber.
It was already evening when Kai returned to the Sirius Tribe.
Lang Hao and Yun Xi were waiting at the camp entrance, both relieved to see him return.
“Where are those people?” Lang Hao asked.
“They’ve been settled in the Loose Cultivator Alliance,” Kai said, entering the camp. “They came from the Sixteenth Heaven. The Sixteenth Heaven has been taken over by the Gods; they escaped.”
Lang Hao’s expression changed. “The Sixteenth Heaven…taken over by the Gods?”
“Yes.” Kai sat down in the tent and recounted Chu Tianxing’s words in detail.
Lang Hao listened in silence for a long time. Yun Xi’s expression was also grim.
“If the Gods of the Sixteenth Heaven send people down…” Yun Xi’s voice tightened, “then the Judgment Hall won’t be so easily destroyed.”
Kai nodded.
“Therefore, our plan needs to change.”
He stood up and walked to the map.
“Originally, we planned to launch a preemptive attack on the Hall of Judgment. But now, we can’t act rashly. If the gods of the Sixteenth Heaven really send people down, a hasty attack will only hasten our demise.”
“We must relocate immediately. The Hall of Judgment might already be on its way. We’ll settle temporarily at the Loose Cultivator Alliance.”
“At the same time, I’ll inform Ying Wuji to also lead men to the Loose Cultivator Alliance.”
“Yunxi, inform your father that the Youyue Kingdom is no longer safe. Take all the resources and go to the Loose Cultivator Alliance.”
“We must unite our forces and defend fiercely, preventing the Hall of Judgment from defeating us piecemeal.”
Kai’s face was serious. If the gods truly sent pursuers down from the Sixteenth Heaven, they would be in grave danger.
“Alright, let’s move out immediately!” Lang Hao and Yunxi nodded simultaneously!
Although many members of the Tianlang tribe were reluctant to leave their homeland, their lives were at stake. The Sirius tribe’s camp was completely empty at dusk.
The twilight, like blood, dyed the wasteland a dark red.
A wind blew from afar, swirling up ashes and dust, like countless silent sighs.
The tents were gone, leaving only bare ground and wooden stakes deeply embedded in the earth.
The wooden fences were knocked down, lying haphazardly on the ground, some charred, others still emitting faint wisps of smoke.
Dried bloodstains, black and dark red, were everywhere, like scars on the earth. The air was thick with the stench of burning and blood, lingering for a long time.
Lang Hao stood in the center of the camp, gazing at the place where he had lived for thousands of years, silent for a long time.
His left arm was still in a sling, and the wound in his chest still throbbed, but his back was ramrod straight.
His father was recuperating here, the old man who had been in a coma for three hundred years and had just been awakened by Kai. He was now being carried on a stretcher by several young orc warriors, walking at the head of the procession.
His son had grown up here, the young warrior who never returned from his first battle. His body lay buried on the hillside behind the camp, facing the wasteland, facing the land he had guarded his entire life.
His warriors trained here; every morning, the clash of battle axes and the roar of battle echoed across the wasteland.
His people laughed here; children chased and played among the tents, women sang around the campfire, and elders sat at the tent entrances, telling ancient stories.
Now, it was all over.
Not destroyed by the gods, but given up by themselves.
“Let’s go,” Kai said softly as he walked to his side. “We’ll come back.”
His blue robe fluttered slightly in the evening breeze, and the Dragon Slayer Sword hanging at his waist reflected a faint light in the setting sun.
His face was expressionless, but a hint of suppressed self-reproach flickered in his eyes. If it weren’t for him, the Sirius tribe wouldn’t have offended the Judgment Hall, wouldn’t have been forced to abandon their homeland, and wouldn’t have suffered so many deaths.
Lang Hao turned to look at him, remaining silent for a moment.
Then, he smiled. The smile was faint, but sincere. “You’re right, they’ll come back.” He reached out and patted Kai’s shoulder. “Don’t think too much. The people of the Sirius tribe never regret anything.”
He turned and strode towards the group. His back appeared somewhat hunched in the twilight, but every step was steady.
Behind him, the beastmen warriors formed a long line, carrying packs and supporting the wounded, heading towards the Loose Cultivator Alliance.
No one spoke; only the sounds of footsteps and wheels echoed in the twilight.
Some glanced back at the camp, their eyes filled with reluctance; some lowered their heads, staring at the road beneath their feet, afraid to look up; some bit their lips, forcing back tears. But none of them stopped.
Yun Xi led the ghost warriors at the very front of the group.
Her face was calm, but a hint of suppressed exhaustion lingered in her eyes.
Her left shoulder was still wrapped in bandages, stained with faint blood.
Her demonic blade hung at her waist, its black light dimmed considerably; the battle had severely depleted her spiritual energy, and she hadn’t fully recovered.
But she didn’t complain or groan.
She was the princess of Youyue Kingdom, the leader of these demon warriors; she couldn’t fall.
The demon warriors of Youyue Kingdom followed behind her, their armor worn and their weapons shabby, but each one stood ramrod straight.
They were a race hunted by the gods for millennia, hiding in the darkness, barely surviving, believing their lives would end there.
But now, they no longer hid.
They stood up, in the sunlight, on the battlefield, beside those willing to fight alongside them.
Ying Wuji, leading the demon cultivators of the Shadow Palace, arrived from another route, meeting them halfway.
His face was grim; the Shadow Palace, built over thousands of years, was being abandoned so easily—it pained him.
His black robe was still stained with golden blood from the battle at the North Mine, and his right hand trembled slightly.
It was an old wound left by Lei Zhentian’s holy light, which ached faintly on cloudy days.
But he did not hesitate. He knew Kai was right; if the gods of the Sixteenth Heaven really sent people down, dividing their forces to defend would only lead to their defeat one by one.
He waved his hand, and the demon cultivators behind him silently merged into the ranks.
Everyone was moving in the same direction.
Loose Cultivator Alliance, Cloud City.
…
Cloud City was a city floating in the air, shrouded in clouds and mist year-round. From the ground, only a faint outline could be seen.
The city’s foundation was forged from extraterrestrial meteorite iron, covered with densely packed runes that shimmered with a faint blue light in the clouds, like countless fireflies.
The city was not large, only a few dozen miles in circumference, but its walls were sturdy, heavily fortified, and easy to defend.
The city walls were built of black stone, engraved with defensive runes, each rune imbued with the power of ancient warriors.
The city gates were cast in iron, three feet thick, inlaid with several fist-sized spirit stones that emitted a faint glow.
Feng Qingzi stood at the city gate, watching the processions surging in from all directions, his face grave.
He still gripped his broken sword, its blade riddled with nicks, the cloth strip on the hilt soaked with sweat.
Behind him, disciples of the Loose Cultivator Alliance stood in formation on the city walls, weapons in hand, their eyes filled with tension and vigilance.
They had never seen so many people before—beastmen, ghosts, demons, humans—cultivators of different races gathered together, their armor varied, their weapons diverse, but each one’s eyes shone with the same light: survival.
“Elder Feng Qingzi, everyone’s here,”
a disciple of the Loose Cultivator Alliance ran up, panting.
His face was covered in sweat, and a scar on his forehead, burned by holy light, was still oozing blood.
Feng Qingzi nodded and turned to walk into the city.
His steps were quick, but his back was somewhat hunched.
The Loose Cultivator Alliance had survived for thousands of years in the cracks, relying on not offending or provoking anyone.
But now, he had chosen to take sides, chosen to be an enemy of the Judgment Hall.
He didn’t know if this choice was right or wrong, but he didn’t regret it.
The council hall was packed with people.
Lang Hao, Yun Xi, Ying Wuji, Yun Quan, Han Shuang, Jiang Xuelan, and Chu Tianxing, the old man who had escaped from the Sixteenth Heaven, a True Immortal of the Eighth Rank.
His silver-white hair was somewhat disheveled, and several unhealed wounds lingered on his face, but his eyes shone brightly, like stars in the night.
Kai stood before the map, his fingers lightly tapping the table.
His brows were slightly furrowed, his gaze sweeping across the map, his mind racing.
His injuries had healed, and his chaotic power had recovered most of its strength, but he knew it was far from enough.
They had received news that five True Immortal Realm Eighth Grade cultivators had arrived from the Sixteenth Heaven.
The Judgment Venerable was a True Immortal Realm Eighth Grade cultivator, as were the five Upper Realm Divine Race cultivators. Although their cultivation levels were the same, the strength of the Upper Realm cultivators was far superior to that of the Lower Realm.
And he, he was only at the peak of the Ninth Grade Upper Immortal Realm.
He was a whole major realm below him.”Everyone’s here. Let me explain the current situation.” His voice was calm, but every word carried weight.
All eyes were on him.
“Cloud City is our last stronghold. The walls are sturdy, the restrictions are numerous, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. But we lack manpower and experts. The Judgment Hall has three thousand Divine Race cultivators, a Judgment Venerable, and five True Immortals at the eighth rank, pursuers from the Sixteenth Heaven. We…”
He glanced at Chu Tianxing.
“We have friends who escaped from the Sixteenth Heaven. But their injuries haven’t healed, and not many can fight.”
Chu Tianxing stood up, clasped his hands, and said, “Young friend Kai is right. Although our injuries haven’t healed, if the Divine Race attacks, we won’t stand idly by.”
His voice was hoarse, but firm.
The dozens of human cultivators behind him nodded, their eyes filled with fighting spirit.
Kai nodded and continued, “Therefore, our strategy is defense, not offense. Hold Cloud City and wait for my strength to break through.”
He paused, his voice calm and firm.
“I need to break through to the True Immortal Realm.”
The council hall fell silent.
Everyone knew Kai was right.
Only his Chaos Power could restrain the Holy Light of the Divine Race, only he could fight against the Judgment Venerable.
If he couldn’t break through, Cloud City couldn’t be defended.
“What do you need?” Lang Hao was the first to speak.
His voice was loud, making the teacups on the table tremble slightly.
“Resources,”
Kai said, “Crystals, pills, spiritual herbs, anything that can improve cultivation.” Chen
Ping knew that with his cultivation level rising, he needed a massive amount of resources.
Lang Hao stood up: “All the resources of the Heavenly Wolf Tribe are yours.”
He took out a storage ring from his robes and placed it on the table.
The storage ring was old, covered in scratches, but what was inside was the Heavenly Wolf Tribe’s savings accumulated over thousands of years.
Yun Xi also stood up: “All the resources of the Youyue Kingdom are yours.”
She took out a black storage ring and placed it on the table.
That was the last remaining asset of the Youyue Kingdom. The Ghost Race had been hunted down for thousands of years, and there wasn’t much left, but Yun Xi didn’t hesitate.
Ying Wuji nodded: “The resources of the Shadow Palace are yours too.”
He took out a silver-white storage ring from his sleeve and placed it on the table.
His fingers lingered on the ring for a moment; it represented ten thousand years of accumulation for the Shadow Palace, but he knew that if he couldn’t protect it, these things would be useless.
Feng Qingzi sighed: “Although the Loose Cultivator Alliance is poor, we’ll give you everything we can.”
He took out a cyan storage ring from his robes and placed it on the table.
Most of the disciples in the Loose Cultivator Alliance were desperate rogue cultivators with little savings, but Feng Qingzi still turned the alliance’s treasury upside down.
Jiang Xuelan didn’t speak, but simply took out a storage ring from her sleeve and placed it on the table.
It contained all the resources of the Ice God Palace, gathered from the disciples who had awakened their bloodlines.
Her fingers gently caressed the ring, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes.
The Ice God Palace had just been rebuilt and had nothing; these resources were what she had painstakingly accumulated.
But she also knew that if she couldn’t protect them, the Ice God Palace would truly be finished.
Kai stared at the storage rings on the table, remaining silent for a moment.
His gaze shifted from one ring to another, a complex mix of emotions welling up within him.
These resources represented the accumulated wealth of these forces over thousands, even tens of thousands of years. They had placed all their hopes on him.
“Thank you,” he said softly, yet with profound weight.
He picked up the storage rings, turned, and left the council hall.
…
Kai found a secret chamber beneath Cloud City.
The chamber was small, only a few feet in diameter, but its walls were thick, its defenses tight, and it was remarkably quiet.
The walls were forged from meteorite iron from outer space, covered with defensive runes that shimmered with a faint blue light in the darkness.
The floor was smooth rock, covered with a thick carpet of animal hides, soft and silent underfoot.
He sat cross-legged, placing the Demon-Suppressing Tower before him.
The tower doors opened, releasing an ancient aura.
The aura was desolate and heavy, like a call from the distant past.
He took a deep breath and leaped into the tower.
Inside the Demon-Suppressing Tower, crystals were piled up like small mountains. Resources
from the Sirius Tribe, the Nether Moon Kingdom, the Shadow Palace, the Loose Cultivator Alliance, and the Ice God Palace—
all concentrated here, enough for a True Immortal cultivator to cultivate for thousands of years.
The light from the crystals illuminated the entire tower, a kaleidoscope of colors: crimson, ice blue, purplish-black, bluish-white, golden—a dazzling spectacle, like a dreamlike fairyland.
Kai gazed at the crystals, silent for a moment.
Then, he closed his eyes and placed his hands on the pile of crystals.
Chaotic power circulated within his body, and purple light surged forth, illuminating the entire tower.
The spiritual energy within the crystals flowed into his body like rivers flowing into the sea.
This spiritual energy flowed through his meridians into his dantian, where it was devoured, transformed, and fused by the chaotic power, becoming his own strength.
One crystal was drained, turning into grayish-white powder that fell softly from between his fingers.
Ten, a hundred, a thousand. The powder piled up into a small mountain before him, grayish-white like snow.
His meridians expanded and strengthened under the impact of spiritual energy.
Each surge of spiritual energy was like a flood roaring in a river, widening the banks little by little.
Pain was inevitable, but Kai had grown accustomed to it.
He gritted his teeth, remaining silent, letting the spiritual energy rampage through his body.
The vortex of chaotic energy in his dantian spun faster and larger.
What was originally the size of a fist had now become the size of a bowl, with purple light flowing within it, like a rotating Milky Way.
At the center of the vortex, chaotic fire burned quietly, purple and gold intertwined, its temperature high enough to melt everything, yet it remained serene within his dantian, like a sleeping phoenix.
Time flowed silently within the Demon Suppression Tower.
Ten days, twenty days, thirty days.
His cultivation level, starting from the peak of the ninth rank of the True Immortal Realm, began to surge upwards.
The thin membrane, under the constant impact of spiritual energy, began to crack.
With each impact, another crack appeared, each accompanied by a sharp pain, but Kai did not stop.
Fifty days later, the membrane shattered.
Kai’s body shuddered violently, and an unprecedented power surged from within him.
Purple chaotic energy transformed into a pillar of light shooting into the sky, causing the entire Demon-Suppressing Tower to vibrate and hum.
The runes on the tower walls flickered violently, as if cheering, or perhaps trembling.
True Immortal Realm.
He had finally broken through.
But he did not stop. There were still many resources. The crystals were still being absorbed, the spiritual energy was still flowing in, and his cultivation was still improving.
True Immortal Realm, early stage, middle stage, late stage, peak.
True Immortal Realm, second rank.
He opened his eyes and looked down at his hands.
Purple light flowed in his palms, more condensed and pure than before.
He could feel that every inch of his flesh, every bone, and every meridian had been tempered by the power of chaos, becoming as tough as refined steel.
He could feel that the vortex of chaotic power in his dantian was several times larger than before, spinning faster, and containing even greater power.
He could feel that the chaotic fire was more intense than before, and the source of lightning was more violent than before.
He clenched his fist, and purple light condensed in his palm, transforming into a purple flame.
…
Just as Kai was in seclusion, the Judgment Venerable, accompanied by five Upper Realm God Clan cultivators, arrived at the Sirius Tribe.
Five silver-white streaks of light flashed across the sky, like five shooting stars, trailing long, fiery tails, landing on the ruins of the Sirius Tribe camp.
The man with long silver hair surveyed his surroundings, his brows slightly furrowed.
His spear twirled gently in his hand, the silver tip gleaming with a blinding cold light in the twilight.
“Empty?”
The Judgment Venerable’s expression was grim.
His wounds hadn’t fully healed; the gash in his chest still throbbed.
He stepped forward, looking at the dismantled tents, the toppled wooden fences, and the dried bloodstains, a bad premonition rising within him.
His steps faltered; the battle three days prior had severely depleted his spiritual energy, and he hadn’t recovered yet.
“They…ran away.”
The captain’s eyes narrowed. “Ran away?”
“Yes…yes.” The Judgment Venerable’s voice trembled, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “They probably received word and moved ahead of time.”
The captain was silent for a moment, then let out a cold laugh.
The smile was cold, so cold it seemed to lower the surrounding temperature. “You’ve gone through all this trouble just to show us an empty camp?”
Cold sweat beaded on the Arbiter’s forehead as he quickly bowed, saying, “Senior, please calm down. They must still be in the Fifteenth Heaven. I know where they might be…”
“Then lead the way.” The captain’s voice was icy. “Don’t waste any more of our time.”
The Arbiter nodded hastily and led the five towards the Shadow Palace.
The Shadow Palace was empty.
The underground palace of Shadow Abyss was deserted.
The secret chambers had been emptied, the restrictions closed, and even the stone doors remained ajar.
The black throne stood alone in the empty hall, as if mocking them.
The mineral stones embedded in the dome still glowed, their eerie blue light illuminating the deserted corridors.
The Arbiter’s expression darkened further. “They… they’ve even abandoned the Shadow Palace.”
The captain’s patience had reached its limit. “Where else?”
“The Nether Moon Kingdom… there might still be people in the Nether Moon Kingdom.”
The Arbiter, leading his five companions, flew to the Nether Moon Kingdom deep within the Netherworld Mountains.
The ancient city was empty.
The streets were deserted, the stone halls were empty, even the runes on the city walls had faded.
Only the sound of the wind blowing through the ruins, a mournful wail, like weeping.
A black flag still stood at the city gate, embroidered with the emblem of the Nether Moon Kingdom, fluttering in the wind, as if saying: We’ve left, but we will return.
The captain’s face turned completely grim. “Arbiter, are you playing us?”
The Arbiter knelt on the ground with a thud, trembling all over.
His forehead pressed against the ground, he dared not raise his head.
“Senior, this junior dares not! They must still be in the Fifteenth Heaven! They must have gone to the Loose Cultivator Alliance! The headquarters of the Loose Cultivator Alliance is in Cloud City, a city floating in the air! That must be their last stronghold!” the Arbiter said respectfully.
The captain looked at him, remaining silent for a long time.
Then, he turned around and said to the four people behind him, “Let’s go. To the Loose Cultivator Alliance.”
Five silver-white streaks of light streaked across the sky again, flying towards the Loose Cultivator Alliance.
The Judgment Venerable got up from the ground, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and hurriedly followed.
…
Cloud City.
Feng Qingzi stood on the city wall, looking at the distant horizon.
His brows were furrowed, and the broken sword in his hand trembled slightly. His hand was shaking, not because of fear, but because he knew that it had come.
In the distance, golden light was shining.
It was not the light of the sun, but holy light, the holy light of the divine race cultivators.
Thousands upon thousands of holy lights converged, dyeing the entire sky a dazzling gold.
The golden light rose from the horizon, growing brighter and brighter, closer and closer, like a golden ocean surging towards them.
The Judgment Venerable stood at the forefront, his golden robes fluttering in the wind.
Behind him were three thousand elite divine race warriors, each with a cultivation level of at least the third rank of True Immortal Realm, their armor gleaming, their spears sharp.
Behind them stood five upper-realm divine cultivators, their silver armor gleaming in the sunlight, their weapons gleaming with a blinding cold light.
They were unscathed, their clothes perfectly wrinkle-free; the strength of sixteenth-level Heavenly experts was indeed far beyond that of those in the lower realms.
Feng Qingzi’s face turned deathly pale.
He had lived for thousands of years, witnessing countless storms, but at this moment, his legs trembled slightly.
“Three thousand troops… and five from the upper realm…” His voice trembled, but he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
He turned and shouted to the cultivators on the city wall, “Everyone, prepare for battle!”
Lang Hao gripped his battle axe, standing at the forefront of the city wall. His injuries hadn’t fully healed; his left arm was still in a sling, but his eyes shone brightly.
Behind him were over two hundred beastmen warriors, each one burning with fighting spirit.
Yun Xi stood beside him, her ghost blade twirling gently in her hand.
Her left shoulder still throbbed, but she didn’t retreat.
Behind her stood over a hundred ghost warriors, their armor tattered and their weapons worn, yet each stood ramrod straight.
Ying Wuji stood on the city wall, black chaotic demonic energy surging around him.
His eyes held no fear, only a battle intent suppressed for too long.
Behind him were over three hundred demon cultivators, each possessing a cultivation level above the True Immortal realm.
Yun Quan led the ghost warriors of Youyue Kingdom, guarding the city gate.
His body was still…?
Jiang Xuelan stood atop the highest point of the city wall, icy blue divine light swirling in her palm.
Behind her stood the 137 disciples of the Ice God Palace, each with a burning flame in their eyes.
They had only recently awakened their bloodlines, their cultivation still unstable, yet not one of them flinched.
Chu Tianxing stood at the entrance of the council hall, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as he looked at the five Upper Realm God Clan cultivators in the distance.
He gripped a longsword, its blade shimmering with a dazzling silver light.
Behind him were the dozens of human cultivators who had escaped from the Sixteenth Heaven, each possessing a cultivation level of at least the fifth rank of True Immortal.
Their wounds were still fresh, bandages wrapped around their bodies, but their eyes shone brightly.
“The Sixteenth Heaven… lackeys of the God Clan Alliance.” Chu Tianxing’s voice was soft, but each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth.
He tightened his grip on his longsword, turning to the dozens of human cultivators behind him and saying, “Brothers, are you ready?”
“Ready!” The voices of the dozens of people were unified and resolute.
The Arbiter stood in the void, gazing at Cloud City, his voice booming like thunder, “Kai, hand over Kai! I might spare your lives!”
No one answered from the city walls.
Feng Qingzi gripped his broken sword, coldly staring at him. Lang Hao tightened his grip on his battle axe, his eyes filled with killing intent.
Yun Xi’s Ghost Blade spun gently in her hand, black light flowing across its blade.
Ying Wuji’s black chaotic demonic energy surged around him, like a sleeping black dragon.
The Arbiter’s face darkened. “Don’t hand him over? Then die.”
He raised his hand, golden holy light condensing in his palm, transforming into a gigantic sword of light.
The sword was a hundred feet long, its blade covered in dense runes, each rune containing destructive power.
“Attack!”
Three thousand divine cultivators attacked simultaneously, golden holy light surging towards Cloud City like a tidal wave.
From the city walls, Feng Qingzi shouted, “Defend!”
All the restrictions of the Loose Cultivator Alliance activated, a golden light curtain enveloping the entire city.
The runes on the light barrier were densely packed, like countless eyes, flickering under the impact of the holy light.
The first wave of attack was blocked. The golden holy light crashed into the barrier, unleashing a deafening roar; the barrier trembled violently, but did not shatter.
The second wave of attack caused cracks to appear in the barrier. The cracks spread outwards like a spiderweb, and golden light shone through, dyeing the entire sky a dark gold.
The third wave of attack shattered the barrier. Golden fragments scattered in all directions, like countless golden butterflies fluttering in the air.
Golden holy light poured down on the city walls like a torrential rain, sending debris flying and dust billowing into the sky.
The cultivators of the Loose Cultivator Alliance hid behind the city walls, using shields to block the holy light. Some were struck and fell into pools of blood.
Some were blasted away, crashing off the city walls and landing heavily on the ground, never to rise again.
Lang Hao charged at the forefront.
His battle axe spun in his hand, shattering the holy light and severing the light blades.
His body was scorched by the holy light, his flesh charred black, but he did not retreat.
Behind him were his people, his brothers, and those who believed in him.
Yun Xi followed behind him, her ghostly blade flashing in the black light.
Her swordsmanship was cunning and ruthless, each strike aimed at the vital points of the divine cultivators.
Blood still flowed from her left shoulder, her face as white as paper, but her sword was swift.
One strike, one divine cultivator fell. Two strikes, two. Three strikes, three.
Ying Wuji’s black chaotic demonic energy surged across the battlefield, and with a single palm strike, a black palm print sent a group of divine cultivators flying.
His face was expressionless, but in his eyes was a hint of suppressed pleasure.
Five thousand years of hatred, five thousand years of resentment, today could finally be avenged.
Jiang Xuelan’s icy blue divine light bloomed on the city wall, freezing the charging divine cultivators into ice sculptures.
Her face was pale, her spiritual energy rapidly depleting, but she did not stop.
Behind her, the disciples of the Ice God Temple were also fighting, their icy blue light rising and falling on the city walls like countless blooming ice flowers.
The battle lasted for a whole day.
The attacks of the gods came wave after wave, relentlessly.
The defenses of Cloud City were torn apart time and time again, only to be blocked again and again.
Beneath the city walls, corpses piled up like mountains—gods, beastmen, ghosts, demons, and humans.
Blood stained the city walls, turning the gray rocks a dark red.
Lang Hao had seven or eight new wounds.
His left arm was completely unable to be lifted, and he could only grip his battle axe with his right hand.
His chest was pierced by holy light, blood flowing down his armor and dripping onto the ground, forming a small pool.
But his eyes were still bright, and his battle axe was still in his hand.
Yun Xi’s wound on her left shoulder reopened, blood staining most of her clothes.
Her ghost blade was broken in half, but she was still fighting.
She pierced the throat of a divine cultivator with her broken sword, then turned and pierced another.
Her face was covered in blood, indistinguishable between her own and her enemy’s.
Ying Wuji’s black robe was torn to shreds by the holy light, his body covered in charred wounds.
His spiritual power was mostly depleted, but fear remained in his eyes.
He stood on the city wall like a black statue, striking out with each palm, sending the charging divine cultivators flying one by one.
Jiang Xuelan’s icy blue divine light had dimmed considerably, her breathing rapid and erratic, yet ice needles still coalesced in her hands.
A trickle of blood escaped from the corner of her mouth; she too had been struck by the holy light, but she did not retreat.
The cultivators of the Loose Cultivator Alliance suffered heavy casualties.
Almost all cultivators below the fourth rank of True Immortal were killed or wounded, and many cultivators above the fourth rank of True Immortal also suffered losses.
Feng Qingzi’s broken sword was completely shattered; he stood bare-handed on the city wall, condensing his spiritual power into light blades to fight the divine cultivators.
His body was covered in wounds, but his eyes still shone brightly.
On the city wall, a young cultivator from the Loose Cultivator Alliance had been pierced through the chest by a sword from a Divine Clan cultivator and fell to the ground.
His eyes were still open, gazing at the sky, a hint of resentment on his lips.
He still clutched a broken sword in his hand, its blade stained with golden blood.
Beside him, another cultivator from the Loose Cultivator Alliance rushed forward, grabbing the leg of the Divine Clan cultivator to buy time for his companion.
The Divine Clan cultivator slashed down with his sword, his head rolling to the ground, blood gushing out and splattering onto the city wall, leaving a long trail of blood.
Seeing this, Lang Hao’s eyes reddened.
His teeth clenched so tightly they rattled, and his fists clenched so hard they cracked.
“I’ll fight you to the death!”
He raised his battle axe and charged towards the Judgment Venerable.
He staggered, his body swaying, but his eyes were filled with killing intent.
He wanted to kill the Judgment Venerable; he wanted revenge for his fallen brothers.
But before he could take more than a few steps, a silver-white light descended from the sky, blasting him away.
The light was as fast as lightning; Lang Hao didn’t even have time to react before it struck him in the chest.
He felt his sternum shatter, his internal organs churning, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Lang Hao crashed heavily to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth.
His battle axe was stuck in the ground beside him, its blade chipped and broken.
His eyes were still open, but his body was paralyzed.
The captain with the long silver hair stood in the void, looking down at Lang Hao, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
His spear was still stained with Lang Hao’s blood, the silver tip now dark red.
“Ants.” His voice was cold, chilling to the bone.
He raised his spear, ready to end Lang Hao’s life.
A blinding silver light condensed at the spear tip, growing brighter and brighter, illuminating the entire city wall.
Just then, an aged voice came from within the city.
“Stop!”
A silver-white sword beam flew out from the city, striking the captain’s spear.
The sword beam collided with the spear, unleashing a deafening roar.
The captain was knocked back several steps, nearly dropping his spear.
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes; the power of this sword was no weaker than his own.
Chu Tianxing walked out of the city.
His silver-white hair fluttered in the wind, and he held a longsword in his hand, its blade shimmering with a blinding silver light.
Behind him followed dozens of human cultivators, each with a cultivation level of at least the fifth rank of True Immortal.
They were still bandaged, some bleeding, but their eyes shone brightly.
The captain’s eyes narrowed. “Chu Tianxing? You really are here.”
Chu Tianxing looked at him, his voice icy. “A lackey of the Divine Alliance, you’re quick to catch me.”
The captain sneered. “Traitor, you think you’re safe just because you’ve escaped to the lower realm?”
Chu Tianxing didn’t answer.
He raised his longsword, pointing it at the captain.
“Brothers, attack!”
Dozens of human cultivators attacked simultaneously. Silver-white sword light, black demonic energy, blood-red axe light, and icy blue divine light intertwined on the battlefield, creating a magnificent spectacle.
Although their cultivation was inferior to the five upper realm divine cultivators, their numbers and perfect coordination allowed them to entangle the five for a time.
The captain’s face darkened. “You’re courting death!”
His spear erupted with a blinding silver light as he thrust it towards Chu Tianxing’s chest.
Chu Tianxing dodged to the side, slashing at his shoulder with his sword.
The two clashed, their figures flashing through the void, too fast to see clearly.
Silver-white sword light clashed with silver-white spear light, each impact unleashing a deafening roar.
The situation on the battlefield temporarily stabilized.
But everyone knew this was only temporary.
The five upper-realm god-race cultivators were too powerful; Chu Tianxing and his group couldn’t hold out for long.
Their injuries hadn’t healed, and their spiritual energy was insufficient; they could only barely hold off the five.
If it dragged on, they would surely be defeated.
Just then, a purple light shot up from beneath Cloud City.
The light was dazzling yet warm, enveloping the entire city.
The cultivators on the city walls felt a warm power surge into their bodies; their wounds healed, their spiritual energy recovered, and their fatigue dissipated.
The light contained chaotic power, suppressing all forces and healing all wounds.
Everyone was stunned.
Lang Hao lay on the ground, watching the purple light, tears welling up in his eyes.
His chest wound was healing, the broken bone in his left arm was set, and his spiritual energy was recovering. He knew that Kai had emerged from seclusion.
“Kai…” His voice was hoarse, but tinged with a smile.
Yun Xi stood on the city wall, watching the purple light, a slight smile playing on her lips.
The wound on her left shoulder was healing, her spiritual power was recovering, and her fatigue was dissipating. “Finally out of seclusion.” Her voice was soft, but carried an indescribable sense of relief.
Jiang Xuelan looked at the purple light, a surge of inexplicable emotions welling up within her.
She remembered that night under the Tree of Life, remembered the man who almost died to save her.
He always appeared at the most crucial moment.
Ying Wuji looked at the purple light, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.
He wanted to know what realm Kai had broken through to.
First Rank of True Immortal Realm?
Or Second Rank?
Could he defeat those five Upper Realm God Clan cultivators?
Feng Qingzi looked at the purple light and let out a long breath.
His broken sword was completely shattered; he stood empty-handed on the city wall, covered in wounds.
But at this moment, he smiled. He knew they had hope.
Chu Tianxing stared at the purple light, his pupils slightly contracting.
He could sense that the chaotic power contained within that light was several times stronger than before.
“Chaotic power… True Immortal Realm, Second Rank… Good lad.” His voice was soft, but tinged with a hint of satisfaction.
The purple light gradually dissipated.
Kai emerged from underground, his cyan robe fluttering in the wind, the Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist reflecting a faint light in the sunlight.
Purple chaotic power swirled around him; the light wasn’t violent, but tranquil, like a sleeping dragon.
His eyes were purple, and stars seemed to swirl within his pupils.
He walked to the city wall, looking at the cultivators fighting, the corpses lying in pools of blood, and the warriors still fighting desperately.
His fists clenched, his nails digging into his palms.
“I’m sorry, I’m late.”
His voice was soft, but every word struck the hearts of everyone like a hammer blow.
He leaped into the air, transforming into a streak of purple light, and flew towards the center of the battlefield. A deep purple, chaotic stream of light tore through thick clouds like a doomsday comet, slicing through the deathly silence of the sky.
Its tail, carrying annihilating purple lightning and swirling gray mist, crashed towards the center of the battlefield, littered with corpses, like the furious roar of an ancient demon god awakening .
The air ignited from the high-speed friction, leaving a purple streak across the heavens and earth, even distorting spacetime slightly under its power.
Like a meteor falling to earth, it trailed a long, fiery tail as it flew towards the center of the battlefield.
The purple light was intensely bright, blindingly so, that all other radiance paled in comparison.
The golden holy light, the pride of the gods, paled in comparison, and the sharp, silvery spear light in the hands of cultivators appeared weak and feeble, as if it might be completely swallowed by this domineering purple power at any moment.
It was so bright that even the golden holy light paled in comparison, so bright that even the silvery spear light seemed dim.
In an instant, the entire sky was enveloped in a dense, impenetrable deep purple, like a purple sun bearing the essence of chaos rising from the depths of Cloud City, hanging high in the heavens. Its oppressive power swept across all directions, causing the laws of the entire Fifteenth Heaven to tremble slightly, as if paying homage to this supreme power.
It was as if a purple sun had risen from beneath Cloud City, hanging in the sky.
All the surviving beings on the battlefield, regardless of race, faction, or the severity of their injuries, all had their eyes uncontrollably drawn to that purple streak of light. Their hearts stopped, their breaths ceased, and only that purple trajectory that pierced through despair remained in the world.
The cultivators of the Divine Race stopped their attacks, raised their heads, and looked at the purple light, their eyes filled with terror.
Their legs trembled uncontrollably, their divine weapons trembling slightly, as if they were afraid of the world-destroying pressure brought by the purple figure, an irresistible surrender and despair rising in their hearts.
The warriors of the Beast Race gripped their battle axes tightly, their eyes filled with hope.
The long-suppressed resentment and despair vanished instantly. Veins bulged on his arms, gripping his battle axe, and his eyes burned with the flames of revenge, as if he saw the dawn of victory.
The demon warriors straightened their backs, their eyes filled with excitement. The demonic energy surging around the demon cultivators calmed, their eyes filled with anticipation. The
human cultivators gripped their longswords, their eyes filled with admiration.
Kai landed in the center of the battlefield, his feet slamming into the ground, creating two deep craters.
Debris flew, dust billowed, and a purple shockwave emanated from him, blasting away the surrounding divine cultivators.
Those divine cultivators tumbled several times in the air before crashing heavily to the ground, spitting blood, unable to rise again.
He straightened up, raised his head, and his purple eyes swept across the battlefield.
Wherever his gaze fell, the divine cultivators involuntarily took a step back.
His gaze held no emotion, only a chilling indifference that sent shivers down one’s spine.
He stared at the corpses lying in pools of blood—beastmen, ghosts, demons, humans—old and young, some he knew, some he didn’t.
His fists clenched, nails digging into his palms, blood dripping from between his fingers. His
knuckles turned white, sharp nails embedded deep in flesh, hot blood slowly dripping down, splashing onto the blood-stained ground, creating tiny sprays. An endless surge of rage and sorrow welled up within him. His gaze fell
on Lang Hao.
Lang Hao lay on the ground, covered in blood, his left arm severed, his chest pierced, his battle axe stuck in the ground beside him, its blade chipped and broken.
His eyes were still open, looking at Kai, a faint smile playing on his lips.
His lips moved, but no sound came out, yet Kai understood: kill.
His gaze fell on Yun Xi.
Yun Xi stood on the city wall, blood still flowing from her left shoulder wound, her ghost blade broken in half, her face covered in blood.
Her eyes were red, but she didn’t cry.
She looked at Kai and nodded slightly.
His gaze fell on Jiang Xuelan.
Jiang Xuelan stood atop the highest point of the city wall, her icy blue divine light dimmed considerably, her face as pale as paper, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
She looked at Kai without speaking, but her eyes held an indescribable emotion—trust, expectation, or something else entirely.
Kai withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and looked at his hands.
Purple chaotic power flowed in his palms, more condensed and pure than before.
He could feel an unprecedented power surging within him, like a sleeping dragon opening its eyes, like a volcano that had been suppressed for too long finally finding its outlet.
Kai raised his head and looked at the Arbiter Venerable.
The Arbiter Venerable stood in the void, his golden robes fluttering in the wind.
Behind him were three thousand elite Divine Race soldiers, and beside him were five Upper Realm Divine Race cultivators.
His injuries had not yet healed; the wound on his chest still throbbed faintly, but there was no fear in his eyes. He had three thousand soldiers and five Upper Realm experts—what did he have to fear?
“Kai, you’ve finally emerged.”
The Judgment Venerable’s voice carried a hint of smugness. “You think breaking through to the second rank of True Immortal Realm will guarantee victory? I have three thousand soldiers here, and five eighth-rank True Immortal Realm seniors. How many can you kill alone?”
He looked down at Kai condescendingly, his golden robes fluttering in the wind, confident of his complete control, his eyes filled with disdain for lower-level cultivators and an arrogant sense of certain victory.
Kai remained silent.
Purple chaotic energy surged around him like a tide, his eyes as cold as ancient ice, and the oppressive aura emanating from him grew increasingly intense, causing the surrounding air to solidify and distort.
He drew his Dragon-Slaying Sword.
The instant the sword was drawn, a purple sword beam shot into the sky, tearing a huge gash in the clouds.
Sunlight streamed through the crack, illuminating Kai and casting a long, long shadow.
The cracks on the Dragon-Slaying Sword had disappeared. While cultivating in the Demon-Suppressing Tower, he had nourished the sword with chaotic power, filling and repairing the cracks, making the blade smoother and sharper than before.
Purple light flowed across the sword, and the dragon patterns on the hilt were lifelike, as if they might fly off at any moment.
He gripped the Dragon-Slaying Sword tightly, purple chaotic power surging from his palm into the blade, making the light on the sword brighter and more dazzling, like a purple sun rising in his hand.
“Three thousand troops?” Kai’s voice was calm. “I, one man and one sword, am enough.”
His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears.
The cultivators of the Divine Race changed their expressions. They sensed that this human cultivator at the second rank of True Immortal Realm possessed an aura even more terrifying than that of the Judgment Venerable.
It was an aura that suppressed all power, an aura that instilled fear in people to the very core.
The Arbiter’s expression also changed.