Chapter 6601 - 6610

Wu Yuan stopped ten feet away from Yan Huo, slowly raising the Dark Abyss Sword, its tip aimed at Yan Huo’s throat.

“Vice Palace Master Yan, prepare to die.”

Just as he was about to attack, he suddenly felt a bone-chilling coldness behind him.

That coldness didn’t come from the northern ice plains, but from the gaze of a person.

Wu Yuan whirled around.

Kai stood less than three feet behind him, the Dragon-Slaying Sword already drawn, purple chaotic fire burning on its blade, slightly distorting the surrounding space.

His purple eyes stared at Wu Yuan, devoid of emotion, like an executioner looking at a prisoner about to be executed.

“Mr. Chen, you…” Wu Yuan’s voice trembled slightly, “What are you doing?”

Kai didn’t speak.

He simply raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple sword energy condensed on the blade, growing longer and brighter, finally solidifying into a purple blade of light over ten feet long.

The blade contained terrifying power, the destructive light released after the power of chaos was compressed to its limit.

“Mr. Chen! We’re friends!” Wu Yuan took a step back, his face deathly pale. “Listen to me…”

Kai didn’t listen.

The sword fell.

A purple blade of light sliced ​​across Wu Yuan’s chest, from his right shoulder to his left abdomen, cutting diagonally.

His silver-white armor was like paper before the Chaos Fire, easily torn apart.

Dark red blood gushed from the wound, splattering onto the grayish-white sand with a hissing sound.

Wu Yuan’s body stiffened.

He looked down at the wound on his chest, his crimson-gold eyes filled with disbelief.

“You… how could you…” His voice was hoarse to the extreme, each word as if using the last of his strength.

Kai sheathed his sword, stood before Wu Yuan, his purple eyes looking down at him.

“I heard your conversation.”

His voice was calm, as if he were talking about something trivial. “From the beginning, you never intended to be my friend. You were just using me, but I’m not stupid.”

“Besides, I’m someone who likes to choose the side that benefits the most. Now it’s obvious that I can get more resources by getting rid of you, so why should I share them with you?”

Wu Yuan’s eyes were wide open.

A trickle of dark red blood spilled from the corner of Wu Yuan’s mouth, dripping down his chin.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

His body slowly fell, crashing onto the grayish-white sand, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Dark red blood gushed from the wound, pooling into a small puddle beneath him.

His crimson-gold eyes remained open, frozen with regret and resentment.

He didn’t close his eyes until his death.

Wu Yuan was dead.

The cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild turned deathly pale upon seeing their guild leader killed.

Some turned and ran, some knelt and begged for mercy, and some stood frozen in place, at a loss.

Kai neither chased after those who fled nor killed those who begged for mercy.

He simply stood there, the Dragon-Slaying Sword held horizontally before him, his purple eyes fixed on the remaining people.

“Put down your magical artifacts, cripple your cultivation, and you may leave alive.” His voice was calm, yet exceptionally clear in the silent battlefield.

The cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild exchanged glances.

Then, one by one, they lowered their magical artifacts.

Golden, silver-white, and cyan artifacts clattered to the ground.

They circulated their spiritual power, shattering their meridians.

Silver-white spiritual power dissipated from their bodies, their cultivation rapidly declining from the Golden Immortal Realm to the True Immortal Realm.

They had once been elite cultivators of the Void Merchant Guild, powerful Golden Immortals.

Now, they were nothing.

But at least they were alive.

Kai did not pursue those who fled.

In the perilous ancient battlefield, those who fled would not survive a day.

They would either be killed by ancient remnant souls, swallowed by spatial rifts, or trapped in some trap, never to escape.

He didn’t need to lift a finger.

Kai sheathed his Dragon-Slaying Sword and turned to look at Yan Huo.

Yan Huo stood rooted to the spot, his hand gripping the golden spear trembling, his crimson-gold eyes filled with terror.

He had witnessed the entire process of Wu Yuan’s death.

Kai had killed Wu Yuan, a fourth-grade Golden Immortal, with a single sword strike, leaving him no chance to resist.

And he, too, was a fourth-grade Golden Immortal.

Moreover, he was injured.

If Kai attacked him, his fate would be the same as Wu Yuan’s.

“Chen… Kai…”

Yan Huo’s voice trembled, “Our divine race…will no longer be your enemy…Let today’s events…before they happened…Let us go…we’ll keep to ourselves from now on…”

Kai looked at Yan Huo, his purple eyes devoid of emotion.

“Keep to ourselves from now on?”

His voice was soft, but exceptionally clear in the silent battlefield. “You divine race chased me all the way to the Eighteenth Heaven. You wanted my life, you wanted my Great Luo Golden Scripture, you wanted my Chaos Power. And now you’re telling me to keep to ourselves from now on?”

Yan Huo’s face was deathly pale.

“Then… then what do you want?”

Kai drew his Dragon-Slaying Sword, purple chaotic flames burning on its blade.

“Strike while the iron is hot. You gods should understand this principle better than I do.”

His voice was calm, but a chilling coldness lurked within it. “You’re all injured now, the perfect time to kill you.

If I let you go now, you’ll come back to me once you’ve healed. Then another battle will begin.

Rather than waiting for you to recover, I’d rather kill you now, once and for all.”

Yan Huo’s body trembled violently.

He knew Kai was telling the truth.

The enmity between the gods and Kai was irreconcilable.

From the very beginning, in the Celestial Realm, Kai had harbored hatred for the gods.

Every step was initiated by the gods.

Every step deepened Kai’s hatred for them.

Now, how could Kai possibly believe the talk of “keeping to ourselves”?

“Everyone, listen to my command!” Yan Huo roared, “Fight! We’ll die if we don’t, but if we fight, there’s

a glimmer of hope!” Hearing Yan Huo’s words, a glint of madness flashed in the eyes of the divine race cultivators.

They gripped their magical weapons tightly, golden holy light burning upon them, dyeing the entire sky gold.

More than twenty people charged towards Kai simultaneously.

Kai looked at the charging divine race, his purple eyes showing no fear.

He did not retreat.

He raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword, purple sword energy condensing on its blade.

He swung the sword.

The purple sword energy struck the leading divine race cultivators, cleaving their bodies in two, golden blood and entrails splattering everywhere.

Another strike.

Several more divine race cultivators fell.

Another strike.

Another strike.

Kai swung his sword again and again, each strike taking the lives of one or more divine race cultivators.

His swordsmanship wasn’t fast, in fact, it was quite slow. Each strike was precise and clear, devoid of any frills or unnecessary movements.

Yet, it was precisely this extreme simplicity of swordsmanship that left the divine cultivators with no chance to dodge, killing them instantly.

In less than half an incense stick’s time, over twenty divine cultivators lay dead in pools of blood.

Golden blood flowed across the grayish-white sand, forming dark golden streams.

The air was thick with the pungent, nauseating stench of blood.

Only Yan Huo remained standing.

He gripped his golden spear, his body covered in blood, the wound on his left arm reopened, golden blood gushing from it and dripping down his arm.

His face was deathly pale, his crimson-gold eyes filled with fear and resentment. He

was the Vice Palace Master of the Flame God Palace, a fourth-grade Golden Immortal.

In the Eighteenth Heaven, apart from Yan Wuji, no one was his match.

But before Kai, he didn’t even have a chance to fight back.

This ninth-grade True Immortal youth was too strong.

So strong that he filled him with despair. “ Kai…”

Yan Huo’s voice was hoarse to the extreme, “You killed me… Yan Shen Palace will not let you go… The Palace Master will avenge me…”

Kai walked up to him and stopped three steps away. His

purple eyes looked down at him, devoid of any emotion, like an executioner looking at a prisoner about to be executed.

“Yan Wuji?”

His voice was calm, “He will come for me. But not to avenge you, but for himself. Because I will go to him.”

Yan Huo’s pupils suddenly contracted.

“You… you’re going to go to the Palace Master?”

Kai did not answer.

He simply raised the Dragon-Slaying Sword.

Purple sword energy condensed on the blade, illuminating Yan Huo’s pale face.

“Do you have any last words?” Kai’s voice was calm.

Yan Huo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing came out.

He knew that in front of Kai, nothing he said would make a difference.

He closed his eyes.

The sword fell.

The purple sword energy sliced ​​across Yan Huo’s neck, and a head flew off, tumbling several times in the air before landing on the ground and rolling a long way.

The headless body stiffened for a moment, then slowly collapsed, crashing onto the grayish-white sand with a dull thud.

Golden blood gushed from its neck, staining the sand a dark gold.

Yan Huo, the Vice Palace Master of the Flame God Palace, a fourth-grade Golden Immortal, had fallen.

Silence returned to the battlefield.

Only the whistling of the wind through the sand and the distant, low howls of ancient remnants of souls could be heard.

More than thirty corpses lay on the ground, golden and dark red blood mingling, creating a bizarre and bloody scene on the grayish-white sand.

Kai sheathed his Dragon-Slaying Sword, standing in the center of the battlefield. His purple eyes swept over the corpses, devoid of any emotion.

He was not a bloodthirsty man.

But some people deserved to die.

Killing members of the Divine Race was his due.

Wu Yuan had been using him from the very beginning.

In Wu Yuan’s eyes, he was merely a pawn, a valuable pawn.

When the value of a pawn outweighs the risk, Wu Yuan will protect him;

when killing him brings greater benefits, Wu Yuan will act without hesitation.

His killing of Wu Yuan is perfectly justified.

Kai picked up the Dark Abyss Sword from the ground.

The dark golden light on the sword had dimmed considerably, but it still radiated an astonishing sword aura.

He could sense an extremely powerful force dormant within the sword, a force that belonged not to Wu Yuan, not to anyone else, but only to the sword itself.

The sword spirit of the Dark Abyss Sword.

Kai stored the Dark Abyss Sword in his storage ring.

This sword was too powerful, so powerful that even the white-robed man, a half-step saint, said, “The one who wields it will surely be devoured by its master.”

He couldn’t use it yet; he needed to wait until his cultivation was higher before slowly studying it.

He then took the storage ring from Wu Yuan’s finger and probed it with his divine sense.

The resources in the storage ring were even richer than the treasure vault of the Bright Hall.

Crystals, pills, magic weapons, cultivation manuals, jade slips, spiritual materials—everything was there.

Wu Yuan had served as the president of the Void Merchant Guild for tens of thousands of years, accumulating wealth far exceeding the imagination of ordinary Golden Immortal cultivators.

Kai then ransacked the storage rings of the deceased cultivators of the Divine Race. Although the resources in these ordinary cultivators’ storage rings were limited, every little bit counted.

These resources, combined with those given to him by the white-robed man, were enough for him to break through from the ninth rank of True Immortal to the Golden Immortal realm.

Kai put away the storage rings and turned to walk towards the Void Passage.

After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped and looked back.

The gray-white earth was a scene of devastation, littered with traces of battle.

Black smoke billowed from the ruins of the stone tomb under the gray sky, and the corpses of Divine Race and Void Merchant Guild cultivators were scattered on the ground, golden and dark red blood intertwined, forming a bizarre and bloody scene on the sand.

In the distance, gray mist flowed slowly, like gray rivers flowing silently.

Further away, the slumbering ancient souls howled softly, like a mournful elegy for this battle.

Kai withdrew his gaze and continued walking towards the void passage.

His steps were steady, each one firm and solid, like a traveler who had traversed countless mountains and rivers and finally found his way home.

He didn’t know if he would ever have the chance to return to this ancient battlefield.

But he would never forget this place.

Because here, he obtained the white-robed man’s inheritance, the Chaos Pearl, and the resources sufficient for him to advance to the Golden Immortal realm.

And because here, he killed Wu Yuan, killed Yan Huo, and severed the two hands of the Void Merchant Guild and the Divine Race in the Eighteenth Heaven.

From this day forward, no one in the Eighteenth Heaven could threaten him.

But this time, there was another enemy: the Void Merchant Guild.

Both the Divine Race and the Void Merchant Guild still had influence outside the Heavenly Realm. Thinking of this, Kai felt a headache coming on.

But things had come to this, and he could only deal with whatever came his way.

The entrance to the void passage was three hundred miles to the north.

Kai walked for about two hours, traversing swamps, bypassing forests, and crossing scorched earth, finally seeing the silvery-white gate of light.

The gate floated in the air, ancient runes on its frame slowly flowing, as if breathing.

Behind the gate was a void passage leading to the outside world.

Kai stood before the gate, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

Within the void passage, spatial turbulence still roared wildly.

But this time, Kai walked much more easily than before.

His cultivation had broken through from the eighth rank of True Immortal Realm to the ninth rank, and his chaotic power was more condensed than before. The Chaos Pearl slowly rotated within his body, releasing a continuous stream of chaotic power, making his protective shield thicker and more solid.

Spatial blades struck the shield, silently dissolving without even causing a ripple.

He walked for about fifteen minutes and saw the exit of the passage.

It was a golden portal, beyond which lay the eighteenth heaven.

Kai stepped out of the portal and landed on a snow-covered ice plain.

Three blazing suns hung high in the sky, their golden, silvery-white, and crimson rays intertwining, painting the entire ice plain a magnificent tricolor.

The ice plain was silent, save for the howling of the cold wind and the faint cracking of ice crystals.

In the distance, the floating islands of Tianlan City appeared and disappeared in the clouds, like celestial mountains floating in a dream.

Kai gazed in the direction of Tianlan City, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

He would not go to the Void Merchant Guild again.

Wu Yuan was dead, Su Jingqiu was dead, and the Void Merchant Guild’s power in the eighteenth heaven was severely weakened.

They wouldn’t bother him for a while.

But in the long run, the Void Merchant Guild wouldn’t let it go.

Someone had to be held responsible for Wu Yuan’s death.

And that person was him.

Kai wasn’t afraid.

He killed Wu Yuan because Wu Yuan deserved to die.

If the upper echelons of the Void Merchant Guild came seeking revenge, he would face them.

Kai withdrew his gaze and turned to walk south.

That was the direction of Qingyun Cave Heaven.

Jiang Xuelan was still cultivating in the Demon Suppression Tower, unaware of everything that had happened outside.

She didn’t know he had gone to the ancient battlefield, didn’t know he had obtained the white-robed man’s inheritance, didn’t know he had killed Wu Yuan and Yan Huo.

She knew nothing, only that he was waiting for her.

Kai quickened his pace.

He needed to return to Qingyun Cave Heaven, needed to go into seclusion to refine the Chaos Pearl, needed to break through to the Golden Immortal Realm, and needed to go to the Twentieth Heaven to find the God King.

His journey was still long, but he was not afraid.The stone archway of Qingyun Cave Heaven gleamed faintly in the morning light, the four large characters “Qingyun Cave Heaven” on it standing out prominently in the golden sunlight.

Kai passed through the archway and stepped onto the stone avenue. The spiritual trees on both sides of the avenue were laden with colorful spiritual fruits, swaying gently in the morning breeze and releasing an alluring fragrance.

The temple gates were open, and two rows of Qingyun Cave Heaven disciples who remained on duty stood on either side of the gate, holding green lanterns in their hands, respectfully welcoming his return.

Their gazes were fixed on Kai, their eyes filled with awe.

The news of the destruction of the Bright Hall had spread throughout the entire Eighteen Heavens; everyone knew that it was this young man who had personally slain the fifth-rank Golden Immortal, the Holy Light Celestial Venerable.

Kai passed through the main hall, walked along the corridor, and arrived at the tea room.

Jade Void True Man was already waiting in the tea room.

He sat in the main seat, holding a teacup, his white hair and beard shimmering silver in the morning light streaming through the window.

His expression was calm, but Kai could see a trace of worry in his eyes.

Having lived for tens of thousands of years, Master Yuxu had witnessed countless people and events, and his intuition was always remarkably accurate.

He had been somewhat uneasy about Kai’s trip to the Void Merchant Guild, and now that Kai had returned, he was even more eager to know what had happened.

Kai sat down opposite Master Yuxu, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured himself a cup of tea.

The aroma of the tea filled the air, fresh and elegant—it was Qingyun Wucha tea.

He picked up the teacup, drank it all in one gulp, then set it down, his purple eyes fixed on Master Yuxu.

“Master, this junior has killed Wu Yuan,” Kai said calmly, as if he were discussing a trivial matter. Master Yuxu’s

hand trembled slightly, the teacup in his hand wobbling, a few drops of tea splashing onto the table.

His pupils contracted slightly, but quickly returned to their usual calm.

He looked into Kai’s eyes; those purple eyes held no ripples, no hesitation, only a matter-of-fact calm.

“Wu Yuan is dead?” Master Yu Xu’s voice was somewhat hoarse. “The president of the Void Merchant Guild?”

Kai nodded. “And Yan Huo, the vice palace master of the Flame God Palace, and the more than thirty Divine Race cultivators he led. They’re all dead.” Master

Yu Xu remained silent for a long time.

He put down his teacup, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, making a soft thumping sound.

It was a habitual gesture he made when thinking, one Kai had seen many times before.

“Mr. Chen, please recount the events in detail.” Master Yu Xu’s voice was calm, but Kai could hear the gravity in his tone.

Kai recounted the events of the ancient battlefield from beginning to end.

From entering the void passage, to encountering Daoist Tai Xu, to obtaining the Chaos Pearl and the storage ring, to Wu Yuan and Yan Huo negotiating to kill him, to him killing Wu Yuan and annihilating all the Divine Race.

He spoke concisely, without embellishment or exaggeration; every word was the truth.

He didn’t need to hide anything from Master Yu Xu.

After listening, Master Yu Xu remained silent for a long time.

His brows furrowed into a deep frown, and his aged eyes flickered with a complex mix of emotions—shock, worry, and a hint of inexplicable relief.

“Mr. Chen, you killed Wu Yuan and offended the Void Merchant Guild. Things won’t be easy for you now,” said

Jade Void Master, his voice tinged with concern. “The Void Merchant Guild’s influence spans countless realms, no less than that of the Gods. Their influence in the Eighteenth Heaven is just the tip of the iceberg; they have branches in the Nineteenth Heaven, the Twentieth Heaven, and even the Divine Realm.

Although Wu Yuan was only the guild leader in the Eighteenth Heaven, the Void Merchant Guild won’t let his death go unpunished.”

Kai picked up his teacup, took another sip, then set it down, his purple eyes fixed on Jade Void Master.

“Master, the Void Merchant Guild are all merchants; they’re all about business. Merchants pursue profit; it’s in their nature.”

His voice was calm, but every word was like a nail driven into the table. “Wu Yuan wanted to kill me because he felt killing me would bring him greater profits.

I killed him because killing him was more beneficial to me. If the upper echelons of the Void Merchant Guild come to seek revenge, they will weigh what they can gain by killing me and what they can gain by not killing me.”

Master Yu Xu looked into Kai’s eyes. In those purple eyes, there was no fear, no hesitation, only an extremely calm calculation.

That look didn’t seem like that of a young man; it was more like that of an old fox who had been navigating the business world for tens of thousands of years.

“Do you think they will choose not to kill you?” Master Yu Xu asked.

Kai shook his head. “I don’t know. But I know one thing: as long as I have what they want, they won’t kill me easily.

The Great Luo Golden Scripture, the Power of Chaos, the fragments of the key to the Chaos Dao Palace, the Chaos Pearl—these are all things they want. They won’t kill me until they get these things.”

He paused, a cold smile curving his lips. “Besides, Wu Yuan is dead. A dead guild leader versus a living collaborator who can bring enormous benefits—I don’t need to say more about how the upper echelons of the Void Merchant Guild will choose.”

Master Yu Xu remained silent for a long time.

He looked at Kai, a complex expression flashing in his aged eyes.

This young man was far smarter and calmer than he had imagined.

He could make the right judgment at the critical moment of life and death, maintain a clear head in the face of profit, and fight his way through an environment surrounded by powerful enemies.

This kind of person was the kind of leader the Daoist sect needed.

“Mr. Chen, what do you plan to do next?” Master Yu Xu asked.

Kai stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the verdant bamboo forest and the distant, mist-shrouded mountain peaks.

Silvery moonlight spilled into the bamboo forest, bathing the entire grove in a silvery glow.

The bamboo leaves rustled gently in the night breeze, like an ancient melody.

“Seclude yourself,”

he said calmly. “Use the resources obtained from the ancient battlefield to break through to the Golden Immortal realm. Then go to the Flame God Palace, kill Yan Wuji, and destroy the Flame God Palace.”

Master Yuxu frowned slightly. “Yan Wuji is at the peak of the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm, far stronger than the Holy Light Celestial Venerable. Although Mr. Chen can kill the Holy Light Celestial Venerable at the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm, Yan Wuji has been cultivating his power in the Eighteenth Heaven for tens of thousands of years. The Flame God Palace’s foundation is far deeper than that of the Bright Hall. If Mr. Chen goes alone, I’m afraid…”

“Therefore, this junior needs Master’s help.”

Kai turned around, his purple eyes looking at Master Yuxu. “During this junior’s seclusion, please guard the area outside. Do not let anyone disturb this junior. When this junior emerges from seclusion, we will storm the Flame God Palace together.”

Master Yuxu looked at Kai, a burning light flashing in his aged eyes.

“Good.”

His voice was soft but firm. “I have been waiting for this day for tens of thousands of years.”
Kai nodded, turned, and walked out of the tea room.

He passed through the corridor, walked past the main hall, and arrived at the courtyard where Jiang Xuelan cultivated.

The courtyard was silent, save for the rustling of bamboo leaves in the night breeze.

The Demon-Suppressing Tower lay quietly on the stone table in the courtyard, its surface shimmering with a faint purple light, its surface reflecting a cold luster under the moonlight.

Kai walked to the stone table and placed his hand on the Demon-Suppressing Tower.

Probing the tower with his divine sense, he sensed Jiang Xuelan’s presence.

She had been cultivating in the tower for nearly a month, and almost ten years had passed within it.

Her cultivation had broken through to the third rank of the Golden Immortal Realm, and the Heart of the Cold Abyss was slowly rotating within her body, its icy blue light illuminating the entire Demon-Suppressing Tower.

Her aura was several times stronger than before, and her Ice God Power was more condensed and purer.

He could feel that her Ice God Bloodline had been activated to its limit, and she was only one step away from achieving the Great Perfection of the Ice God Body.

Kai withdrew his divine sense, a satisfied smile curving his lips.

Jiang Xuelan did not disappoint him.

He turned and walked out of the courtyard to the Enlightenment Cliff.

The Enlightenment Cliff was the place with the densest spiritual energy in Qingyun Cave Heaven. Standing on the top of the cliff, one could overlook the entire valley and see the distant, continuous mountain peaks appearing and disappearing in the moonlight.

The night wind on the cliff top was strong, making Kai’s robes flutter, but he was completely unaware.

He placed the tower in the center of the cliff top.

The Demon Suppression Tower stood quietly on the cliff top, its body flowing with a faint purple light, shimmering with a cold luster under the moonlight.

Inside the tower, Kai sat cross-legged on the stone platform, surrounded by dense chaotic energy, the gray-purple light illuminating the entire tower.

Before him, resources were piled up like mountains.

There were hundreds of millions of crystals, their multicolored lights intertwined, making the entire tower look like a dreamlike realm.

Hundreds of thousands of pills floated in the air, like a dazzling sea of ​​stars.

Thousands of magical artifacts were piled up like small mountains, including swords, knives, spears, halberds, hammers, whips, ropes, and seals—everything imaginable.

Tens of thousands of jade slips containing cultivation techniques recorded various techniques, secret methods, formations, and pill formulas collected by the Daoist and Divine races over hundreds of thousands of years.

Spiritual materials were piled up like mountains, including all kinds of rare and precious herbs, demon beast cores, and spiritual medicines and fruits—a dazzling array.

These resources were what he had risked his life for in the ancient battlefield.

He had concentrated all the resources from Wu Yuan’s storage ring and those of dozens of Divine race cultivators here.

Kai took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and fully activated the Mind Concentration Technique.

The chaotic fire in his dantian surged high, the purple flames burning fiercely, drawing in all the surrounding spiritual energy.

The chaotic power surged through his meridians, several times faster than before, widening, strengthening, and reshaping every meridian.

All the protective runes of the Great Luo Golden Scripture lit up, and golden dragon patterns emerged from beneath his skin, slowly moving across his body.

The Chaos Pearl rotated slowly within him, gray light surging from it, merging with the Chaos Fire to release an even purer and more powerful chaotic force.

He began to absorb resources.

Crystals shattered one after another.

Thousands upon thousands of crystals were simultaneously drained of their spiritual power, turning into grayish-white powder that accumulated around him in a ring of white powder.

Spiritual liquid surged into his meridians like a burst dam, then was devoured, transformed, compressed, and devoured again by the chaotic force.

Pills exploded one after another.

The medicinal power converged into a torrent rushing into his body, its force so violent it almost tore his meridians apart, but the protective runes of the Great Luo Golden Scripture instantly activated, locking the medicinal power firmly within his meridians.

Golden dragon patterns moved beneath his skin, pressing every strand of medicinal power into his dantian, allowing no waste whatsoever.

The Chaos Fire burned in his dantian, melting all the spiritual power, medicinal power, and fragments of laws into the purest Chaos Power.

The flames burned ever brighter, changing from purple to deep purple, then to grayish-purple, and finally to an almost transparent gray.

This was a sign that the Chaos Power was becoming more condensed, a sign of approaching the origin of chaos.

His cultivation was rapidly improving.

The time flow in the Demon Suppression Tower was a hundred times faster than outside.

A hundred days inside the tower were equivalent to only one day outside.

This time difference gave Kai ample time to cultivate.

Early stage of True Immortal Rank 9, mid-stage of True Immortal Rank 9, late stage of True Immortal Rank 9, peak of True Immortal Rank 9…

The Chaos Power in his dantian grew increasingly dense, and the spiritual power in his meridians became increasingly abundant.

He could feel that the invisible barrier was right in front of him, like a tightly closed stone door, blocking him from the Golden Immortal Realm.

The bottleneck began to loosen.

A faint cracking sound emanated from deep within his body, like ice melting under the first rays of spring sunlight, or dormant seeds sprouting in spring rain.

The sound was so faint it was almost inaudible, yet Kai heard it clearly.

It was a sign of a breakthrough.

He didn’t rush to break through the bottleneck, but instead accumulated power bit by bit.

The Chaos Pearl slowly rotated within him, its gray light constantly surging forth, merging with the Chaos Fire to transform into a purer form of Chaos Power.

He pressed all this power into his dantian, compressing, condensing, and purifying it little by little.

Time passed within the tower.

One month, two months, three months…

Kai sat cross-legged on the stone platform, motionless, like a statue.

Only the aura emanating from him constantly changed, growing stronger, deeper, and more unpredictable.

Resources were rapidly depleting; the pile of crystals was shrinking, the pills were dwindling, and the spiritual materials were drying up.

In the tenth month of cultivation within the tower, the bottleneck finally loosened completely.

At that instant, a crisp cracking sound rang out from within Kai’s body, as if something had been broken.

The chaotic fire in his dantian surged several meters high, its grayish-purple flames burning wildly, devouring, melting, and transforming all the spiritual power, medicinal power, and fragments of laws that had flooded into his body.

The chaotic power in his meridians, like a flood bursting its banks, surged through the bottlenecks with unstoppable force, roaring and cheering within his meridians.

Golden Immortal Realm, First Rank.

Kai opened his eyes.

The chaotic energy in his purple eyes was so dense it almost overflowed their sockets.

Deep within his pupils, a grayish-purple flame slowly burned—a projection of the Chaos Fire within his eyes, an outward manifestation of the ultimate condensation of chaotic power.

In that instant, the entire Demon-Suppressing Tower trembled.

Not because of his oppressive aura, but because his very presence caused the tower’s time laws to groan under unbearable strain.

The runes on the tower flickered wildly, as if enduring a force beyond its capacity.
All the protective runes of the Great Luo Golden Scripture were activated.

Golden dragon patterns emerged from beneath his skin, covering his entire body, intertwining with the gray-purple chaotic power, making him appear like a god emerging from the primordial chaos.

These dragon patterns were no longer faintly visible, but had become clear, deep, like ancient marks etched into his skin.

Kai looked down at his hands, the gray-purple chaotic power flowing in his palms, more condensed and pure than before.

He clenched his fist, the space within his palm slightly distorted, emitting a faint cracking sound.

It wasn’t the sound of air being compressed, but the groan of space itself bearing his power.

First Grade Golden Immortal.

It took him nearly a year, consuming most of the resources obtained from the ancient battlefield, to break through from the ninth grade of the True Immortal Realm to the first grade of the Golden Immortal Realm.

The resources required for chaotic power were enormous; each breakthrough required dozens, even hundreds, of times the spiritual energy of cultivators of the same level.

But correspondingly, his combat power far surpassed that of his peers.

When he reached the eighth rank of the True Immortal Realm, he could kill the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, a fifth-rank Golden Immortal.

Now, at the first rank of the

Golden Immortal Realm, what level could he reach? The sixth

rank? The seventh rank?

Or even higher?

Kai didn’t know, but he knew one thing: Yan Wuji was no longer his match.

He wasn’t in a hurry to leave seclusion.

After breaking through to the first rank of the Golden Immortal Realm, he began to consolidate his foundation.

The Golden Immortal Realm was different from the True Immortal Realm. The True Immortal Realm focused on the accumulation and refinement of spiritual power, while the Golden Immortal Realm focused on the comprehension and application of laws.

The reason why Golden Immortal Realm cultivators were stronger than True Immortal Realm cultivators was not because they had more spiritual power, but because they had begun to come into contact with and apply the power of laws.

The Holy Light Law, the Fire Law, the Ice Law, the Space Law, the Time Law.

Each law contained the ultimate principles of the operation of heaven and earth. Mastering one law would give one an absolute advantage in battle.

Kai cultivated the power of chaos, which was the source of all elements and also the source of all laws.

This meant he didn’t need to specifically comprehend one or more laws like other Golden Immortal cultivators.

The power of chaos itself contained the seeds of all laws; as long as his cultivation was sufficient, the power of chaos would automatically evolve the corresponding laws.

This was the most powerful aspect of the Great Luo Golden Scripture, and also the most heaven-defying aspect of the power of chaos.

Kai continued his seclusion, consolidating his cultivation, refining the remaining power within the Chaos Pearl, and comprehending the seeds of laws contained within the power of chaos.

Time continued to pass within the tower.

Kai’s power of chaos became more condensed than before, and his comprehension of laws deepened.

He could feel that the seed of the spatial law had already sprouted within him.

Although he couldn’t yet tear through space and traverse the void at will like a Tai Xu Realm cultivator, he could already utilize spatial power in battle, making his sword faster, more accurate, and more unpredictable.

While Kai was diligently cultivating within the Demon Suppression Tower, the outside world was in turmoil.

…

Tianlan City, Void Pavilion.

The headquarters of the Void Merchant Guild in the Eighteenth Heaven was currently in chaos.

Many days have passed since Wu Yuan took Kai to explore the ancient battlefield, and there

has been no news of them. Su Jingqiu is also unreachable.

Initially, the deacons of the Void Merchant Guild did

n’t care. Wu Yuan was a fourth-grade Golden Immortal, Su Jingqiu a third-grade Golden Immortal, and along with a dozen or so elite Golden Immortals, they were virtually unmatched in the Eighteenth Heaven.

Even if they encountered danger, their strength would allow them to escape unscathed.

However, as time passed, unease began to spread in the void.

Wu Yuan’s communication jade talisman was no longer working.

Su Jingqiu’s communication jade talisman was also no longer working.

None of the elite cultivators they had brought could be contacted.

The Void Merchant Guild’s inter-heaven communication array was an extremely precious ancient relic, consuming hundreds of top-grade spirit stones each time it was activated, and it was never used lightly unless absolutely necessary.

But this time, the deacons left behind couldn’t afford to worry about that anymore.

A middle-aged man’s face appeared in the communication array. He had a refined appearance, with the shrewdness characteristic of a businessman, but his eyes were deeper and more unfathomable than Wu Yuan’s.

His robe was dark gold, embroidered with the Void Merchant Guild’s emblem, but surrounded by a ring of silver patterns.

That was the emblem of the Nineteenth Heaven Void Merchant Guild.

Zhou Yuanqing, Vice President of the Nineteenth Heaven Void Merchant Guild.

Seventh Rank Golden Immortal.

“What is it?” Zhou Yuanqing’s voice was calm, but it carried an air of authority that made people dare not be disrespectful.

The steward, whose forehead was pressed to the ground, trembled: “Vice President Zhou, Wu Yuan, the president of the Eighteenth Heaven branch, Vice President Su Jingqiu, and the dozen or so elite cultivators they brought with them have all lost contact. There is no news of them.”

Zhou Yuanqing’s brows furrowed slightly.

“Disappeared? What happened?”

The steward recounted the events:

Wu Yuan had taken Kai to explore the ancient battlefield, while Su Jingqiu had led a team to intercept and kill the divine cultivators who were tracking them. Then, everyone lost contact.

The entrance to the ancient battlefield was inaccessible, and there was no news from the divine race.

Zhou Yuanqing remained silent for a long time.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest of his chair, producing a dull thud.

It was a habitual gesture when he was thinking, exactly the same as Wu Yuan’s.

“Send people to investigate,” Zhou Yuanqing finally spoke, his voice as cold as ice. “Find out the whereabouts of Wu Yuan and Su Jingqiu. Live or dead, find them.”

“Yes!”

The message ended.

Three days later, a massive silver flying boat descended from the nineteenth heaven and landed on the platform of Tianlan City.

More than thirty cultivators dressed in silver-white robes disembarked, each with a cultivation level above the Golden Immortal realm.

Leading them was a middle-aged man, burly and with a resolute face. A silver mark between his brows was a symbol only worn by high-ranking members of the Void Merchant Guild. He is

a sixth-rank Golden Immortal.

He is a special envoy sent by Zhou Yuanqing to investigate this matter. His name is Han Qianshan, and he serves as an inspector in the Void Chamber of Commerce, specifically responsible for investigating major events in the various Heavenly Branches.

Han Qianshan entered the Void Pavilion and sat in the seat Wu Yuan had once occupied. His crimson-gold eyes swept over the kneeling deacons before him.

“Tell me the whole story, from beginning to end, without omitting a single word.”

The remaining deacon dared not conceal anything and recounted in detail how Wu Yuan met Kai, how he invited Kai to cooperate in exploring the ancient battlefield, how he led Su Jingqiu and the elite cultivators on their journey, and then how everyone lost contact.

Han Qianshan listened in silence for a moment.

“Where is the entrance to the ancient battlefield?”

“Deep within the icy plains of the far north,”

the remaining deacon replied. “But that entrance is surrounded by spatial turbulence. Cultivators below the third rank of the Golden Immortal realm would be torn apart upon entering, and even those above the third rank could only endure for a few dozen breaths. Only Kai, possessing the power of chaos, could pass through.”

Han Qianshan stood up. “Take me to see it.”
The group traveled by airship to the depths of the icy plains of the far north.

The enormous void rift still hung in the air, black spatial turbulence surging wildly within it like angry black dragons.

The space around the rift was extremely unstable, and the airship stopped dozens of miles away.

Han Qianshan stood at the bow, his crimson-gold eyes fixed on the rift, probing it with his divine sense.

The moment his divine sense touched the rift, it was repelled by a powerful spatial force.

That force was extremely strong; even he, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal, could not force his way through.

“We can’t get into the entrance,”

Han Qianshan withdrew his divine sense, his expression grave. “But I sensed the lingering aura of Wu Yuan at the edge of the rift. He went in, but didn’t come out.”

His brows furrowed even more.

There were two possibilities for Wu Yuan’s failure to emerge:

either he died inside, or he was trapped inside.

Either way, it would be a huge loss for the Void Merchant Guild.

“Find Su Jingqiu’s whereabouts.”

Han Qianshan turned and walked back to the cabin. “She was intercepting the Divine Race outside and didn’t enter the Ancient Battlefield. We should be able to find her.”

Over the next few days, Han Qianshan led his men to investigate.

They went to the outer edge of the Qingyun Mountains and found the valley where the Divine Race and Demon Race had fought.

Traces of the battle remained in the valley; dark red blood seeped into the sand and had solidified into a black film.

Scattered fragments of magical artifacts and broken armor shimmered dimly in the sunlight.

Han Qianshan carefully searched the valley with his divine sense and found several abandoned corpses.

They weren’t Su Jingqiu’s, but those of Divine Race cultivators.

He then went to the outer edge of the Northern Dark Abyss and found the place where the Bright Hall cultivators had been slaughtered.

Golden blood had solidified into a dark golden film, shimmering eerily in the sunlight.

The scattered fragments of magical artifacts and broken armor still retained the aura of chaotic power.

That was the aura left by Kai.

Han Qianshan crouched down, dipped his finger in the remaining aura of chaotic energy, and smelled it.

The aura contained extremely powerful law energy, causing even this sixth-grade Golden Immortal to feel a slight tremor in his heart.

“This is the power of chaos?” he muttered to himself, a complex emotion flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

The investigation lasted nearly ten days.

Finally, Han Qianshan drew some conclusions…

Su Jingqiu was dead.

Her aura disappeared in an area on the outskirts of the Qingyun Mountains, an area where the auras of numerous divine race cultivators remained.

Judging from the intensity and quantity of the auras, the divine race had mobilized at least fifty people, led by a fourth-grade Golden Immortal.

The dozen or so people Su Jingqiu brought couldn’t possibly be a match for fifty divine race cultivators.

She was dead, and those she brought were also dead.

The cause of Wu Yuan’s death was not determined. He entered the ancient battlefield and never came out.

What happened in the ancient battlefield, no one knew.

But Han Qianshan noticed one thing: Kai came out.

Kai came out of the ancient battlefield alive.

Moreover, Kai’s cultivation had broken through.

He had advanced from the eighth rank of the True Immortal Realm to an even higher realm.

Han Qianshan didn’t know what Kai had experienced in the ancient battlefield, but he knew one thing: Wu Yuan’s death was definitely related to Kai.

Either Kai killed Wu Yuan, or

Kai failed to save him. Either way, Kai was implicated.

” Kai…” Han Qianshan uttered the name, a hint of killing intent flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

But he didn’t immediately go to find Kai.

Because Kai was in Qingyun Cave Heaven, where Jade Void True Person and three hundred disciples resided, along with the legendary Eight Trigrams Heavenly Evolution Array.

He wouldn’t gain anything by going alone.

He needed help.

And the Flame God Palace was the best helper.

Han Qianshan led his men straight to the Flame God Palace.

…

The Flame God Palace.

Yan Wuji sat on the Flame God Throne, holding a newly delivered intelligence report, his crimson-gold eyes filled with shock.

Intelligence reports indicated that the Void Merchant Guild had dispatched a special envoy from the 19th Heaven, led by Han Qianshan, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal, to investigate the deaths of Wu Yuan and Su Jingqiu.

They had already visited the outer reaches of the Azure Cloud Mountains and the Northern Netherworld Abyss, and were now en route to the Flame God Palace. Yan Wuji

was furious.

Kai was already a headache, and now a special envoy from the Void Merchant Guild had arrived.

Moreover, this envoy was a sixth-grade Golden Immortal, a minor realm higher than him, and far stronger.

“Palace Master, what should we do?” An elder knelt in the hall, his face deathly pale.

Yan Wuji remained silent for a long time.

“Let them come,” he finally spoke, his voice calm. “I want to see what the Void Merchant Guild is up to.”

Three days later, Han Qianshan arrived at the Flame God Palace with his entourage.

Yan Wuji personally came out of the palace to greet them, his face beaming with smiles, as warm as if he were seeing a long-lost brother.

“Special Envoy Han’s presence is an honor to the Flame God Palace!” Yan Wuji bowed respectfully, his posture extremely humble.

Han Qianshan looked at Yan Wuji, his crimson-gold eyes devoid of emotion.

“Palace Master Yan, I’ve come to investigate the deaths of President Wu and Vice President Su. Vice President Su died at the hands of your Flame God Palace’s people. How do you intend to explain this?”

Yan Wuji’s smile froze for a moment, but quickly returned to normal.

“Special Envoy Han, I only learned of this later.”

His voice carried a hint of helplessness. “Vice President Su was killed by my Deputy Palace Master Yan Huo and his men. But Yan Huo is already dead, dead in the ancient battlefield. I have no way to hand him over.”

“Dead?” Han Qianshan frowned. “How did he die?”

Yan Wuji shook his head. “I don’t know. Yan Huo led his men to hunt down Kai, entered the ancient battlefield, and then never came out. Like President Wu, he died inside.”

Han Qianshan was silent for a moment.

Yan Huo was also dead.

Kai emerged. Wu Yuan was dead, Yan Huo was dead, and dozens of elite cultivators from the Divine Race were all dead.

Only Kai survived.

Han Qianshan had a guess in his mind: the deaths of Wu Yuan and Yan Huo were likely the work of Kai.

Kai killed them, seized their resources, and then left the ancient battlefield alone.

If this guess was true, then Kai’s methods were terrifying.

“Where is Kai now?” Han Qianshan asked.

“In Qingyun Cave Heaven,”

Yan Wuji said. “He led three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven, destroyed the Bright Hall, and killed the Holy Light Celestial Venerable. Now the entire Eighteen Heavens knows his name. He will come to the Flame God Palace sooner or later; I know that.”

A cold glint flashed in Han Qianshan’s eyes.

“Palace Master Yan, let’s make a deal.”

Yan Wuji’s eyes narrowed slightly. “What deal?” ”

The Void Merchant Guild and your Yan God Palace will join forces to kill Kai.”

Han Qianshan’s voice was calm, but beneath the calm lay a chilling killing intent. “The Great Luo Golden Scripture, the power of chaos, and the secrets of the Chaos Dao Palace on Kai’s person will all belong to the Void Merchant Guild. We’ll split the other treasures on Kai’s person equally. The Void Merchant Guild will guarantee the safety of the Yan God Palace.”

Yan Wuji fell silent.

He knew what Han Qianshan meant. The Void Merchant Guild wanted the Great Luo Golden Scripture and the secrets of the Chaos Dao Palace, while the Yan God Palace wanted peace.

If they could kill Kai, the Yan God Palace could rest easy.

But was Kai easy to kill?

An eighth-grade True Immortal could kill a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, the Holy Light Celestial Venerable. Now that Kai’s cultivation had broken through, what level could he reach?

Yan Wuji dared not think about it.
“Envoy Han, are you confident?” Yan Wuji asked.

Han Qianshan’s lips curled into a cold smile. “I am a sixth-grade Golden Immortal. Even if Kai breaks through, he’s only a first-grade Golden Immortal. I can crush a first-grade Golden Immortal with one hand.”

A sixth-grade Golden Immortal against a first-grade Golden Immortal is indeed overwhelming.

But Kai is no ordinary first-grade Golden Immortal.

Yan Wuji opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing.

He needed the help of the Void Merchant Guild.

Without the Void Merchant Guild, he couldn’t deal with Kai alone.

The three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven, plus Kai who could kill a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, were simply too much for the Flame God Palace to handle.

“Alright.” Yan Wuji nodded. “I agree. The Void Merchant Guild and the Flame God Palace will join forces to kill Kai.”

Han Qianshan nodded in satisfaction.

“Then we’ll wait. We’ll wait for Kai to come to us.”

…

Meanwhile, at Qingyun Cave Heaven.

Inside the Demon-Suppressing Tower, Kai opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing in his purple pupils.

Nearly ten years had passed inside the tower, while almost forty days had passed outside.

His cultivation had broken through from the ninth rank of the True Immortal Realm to the first rank of the Golden Immortal Realm. His chaotic power was several times more refined than before, and the seed of the spatial laws had already sprouted within his body.

It was time to emerge from seclusion.

Kai stood up, stretched his limbs, and his bones cracked slightly.

He put away the Demon-Suppressing Tower and stepped out.

On the Enlightenment Cliff, silvery moonlight spilled onto the cliff top, enveloping the entire cliff in a silvery glow.

A night wind blew from the north, carrying a chill—the cold air emanating from the Northern Abyss, which could still be felt even thousands of miles away.

Jade Void True Man sat cross-legged on the edge of the Enlightenment Cliff, his white hair and beard fluttering in the night wind, his blue Daoist robe gleaming faintly in the moonlight.

His eyes were closed, as if in deep meditation, but Kai knew that his divine sense covered the entire Enlightenment Cliff, and no movement could escape his perception.

Sensing Kai’s aura, True Man Yu Xu opened his eyes and turned his head.

His gaze fell on Kai, a hint of shock flashing in his aged eyes.

First Rank Golden Immortal.

Forty days ago, when Kai entered the Demon Suppression Tower, he was only at the Ninth Rank True Immortal.

Forty days later, when he came out, he was already at the First Rank Golden Immortal.

Forty days, he had crossed a major rank.

Such a cultivation speed had never appeared in the history of the Daoist sect.

Even the ancestors of the Daoist sect had not been this fast.

“Mr. Chen, you…” True Man Yu Xu’s voice was a little hoarse.

Kai nodded, “First Rank Golden Immortal. Thank you for guarding the pass, True Man.”

True Man Yu Xu stood up, walked to Kai, and looked him up and down.

He could sense that the chaotic power within Kai’s body was several times stronger than before. That power was as deep as an abyss and as heavy as a mountain; even he, a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, felt a sense of oppression.

“Mr. Chen, what level of combat strength do you possess now?” Jade Void Master asked.

Kai was silent for a moment, a thoughtful glint in his purple eyes.

“Below the sixth grade of the Golden Immortal realm, one sword strike. Above the sixth grade of the Golden Immortal realm…” He paused, “I haven’t fought them, so I don’t know.”

Jade Void Master’s lips twitched slightly.

Below the sixth grade of the Golden Immortal realm, one sword strike.

In the entire Eighteenth Heaven, only Kai dared to say such a thing.

“Where is Miss Jiang?” Kai asked, “Has she emerged from seclusion?”

Jade Void Master nodded, “Miss Jiang emerged from seclusion three days ago. She broke through to the third grade of the Golden Immortal realm. She is currently cultivating in the back mountain, saying she’s waiting for you to emerge.”

Third grade of the Golden Immortal realm.

A slight smile curved Kai’s lips.

Jiang Xuelan had not disappointed him.

He turned and walked towards the back mountain.

Behind the mountain was a verdant bamboo forest, through which a clear stream flowed, its water splashing white droplets on the pebbles.

Deep within the bamboo forest stood a simple bamboo hut, in front of which was a clearing paved with moss-covered flagstones.

Jiang Xuelan stood in the clearing, her ice-white dress fluttering gently in the morning breeze, her long, ink-black hair tied up with an ice-blue hairpin.

She was surrounded by an ice-blue light, a chill emanating from her, freezing the surrounding air into tiny ice crystals.

Her eyes were closed, as if in meditation.

Sensing Kai’s presence, she opened her eyes, a glint of light flashing in her ice-blue pupils.

“You’ve emerged from seclusion?” Her voice was soft, but carried an undisguised joy.

Kai walked up to her, scrutinizing her from head to toe.

Golden Immortal Realm, Third Rank.

Her aura was several times stronger than before; her Ice God Power was more refined and purer.

The Ice God bloodline within her had been activated to its peak, just one step away from achieving the perfect Ice God Body.

“Not bad,” Kai nodded. “Golden Immortal Realm, third rank. What level of combat power do you have now?”

Jiang Xuelan remained silent for a moment, a thoughtful glint in her icy blue eyes.

“Below the fourth rank of the Golden Immortal Realm, I should be able to win. Above the fourth rank…” she paused, “I might not be able to beat them, but I can run.”

A slight smile curved Kai’s lips.

Being able to run is also a skill.

Although you’re now at the third rank of the Golden Immortal Realm, your aura is still unstable. I’ll use bloodline fusion to help stabilize your aura.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xuelan immediately smiled.

“You don’t need to go to such lengths. Just say you want to do it, why make excuses…”

Jiang Xuelan said, slowly removing her clothes.

Kai smiled and pounced on her.

Jiang Xuelan felt waves of heat surging through her, her body feeling extremely comfortable.

A day later, Kai got up.

“Let’s go. We’re going to the Flame God Palace.”

Jiang Xuelan followed behind him, her ice-white dress fluttering gently in the morning breeze, her long hair flying in the wind.

In the main hall of the Taoist temple, Master Yuxu had already gathered the three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven.

Three hundred disciples stood in neat rows on the plaza in front of the main hall, their azure robes gleaming faintly in the morning light. Three hundred longswords were drawn simultaneously, their blades flashing in the sunlight like a verdant forest of swords.

Their faces bore solemn expressions, their eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.

The Hall of Light had been destroyed; next was the Palace of Flame Gods.

If they could destroy the Palace of Flame Gods, Azure Cloud Cave Heaven would become the strongest force in the Eighteen Heavens.

The Daoist sect could then rise again, breaking the suppression of the gods for hundreds of thousands of years.

True Man Jade Void stood on the high platform, his white hair and beard fluttering in the morning breeze, his azure robe gleaming faintly in the sunlight.

His gaze swept over the three hundred disciples, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his aged eyes.

“Let’s go.” His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached everyone’s ears.

The three hundred disciples turned simultaneously and walked towards the mountain gate.

Kai walked at the head of the group, his Dragon-Slaying Sword hanging at his waist, his purple eyes fixed on the southeast.

That was the direction of the Palace of Flame Gods.

And that was his target this time.

Unbeknownst to him, two groups were waiting for him within the Flame God Palace. One

was Han Qianshan of the Void Merchant Guild, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal. The other was Yan Wuji

of the Flame God Palace, a peak fifth-grade Golden Immortal.

The two groups had joined forces, laying a trap, waiting for him to walk right into it.

But Kai didn’t care.

He possessed the power of chaos, the Great Luo Golden Scripture, the protection of a fully-formed Golden Body, and the seed of spatial laws.

A sixth-grade Golden Immortal, so what?

One sword wasn’t enough, then two.

Two swords weren’t enough, then three.

He refused to believe he couldn’t be killed.
The gates of Qingyun Cave Heaven opened wide, with two rows of disciples standing guard on either side, each holding a green lantern, respectfully seeing off their sect leader as he embarked on his campaign.

The flames in the lanterns flickered in the morning breeze, tinging the golden morning light with a bluish glow, as if the entire mountain gate was praying for the departing warriors.

Kai passed through the gates and stepped onto the bluestone path, his steps steady and swift, each stride covering several meters, yet landing with an extremely soft sound, almost imperceptible.

Jade Void Master and Jiang Xuelan followed closely behind, followed by three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven.

The procession moved swiftly along the bluestone path, like a long, blue dragon winding through the mountains.

The morning breeze blew, causing their Daoist robes to flutter, and their longswords clinked lightly at their waists, producing a crisp, ringing sound that echoed through the silent forest.

The Flame God Palace was located in the Flame Mountain Range, southeast of the Eighteenth Heaven, a mountain range stretching for tens of thousands of miles, with towering peaks and treacherous terrain.

Beneath the Flaming Mountains, nine earth fire spiritual veins converge, their fire-attribute spiritual energy so dense it’s almost tangible, making it an ideal place to cultivate fire-attribute techniques.

The Flame God Palace occupies the core area of ​​the Flaming Mountains, where this spiritual energy is most abundant. Its palace grounds stretch for hundreds of miles, with pavilions and towers standing side by side. The magnificent palace, resplendent in gold, appears and disappears in the red spiritual mist, like a celestial palace burning in flames.

The entire Flame God Palace is shrouded by a massive protective array. The array’s spiritual energy barrier shimmers with a crimson-gold light under the sunlight, like an inverted giant bowl, completely enveloping the entire palace grounds.

This array is called the Flame Heavenly Divine Fire Array, an ancient array set up by the ancestors of the Flame God Palace over tens of thousands of years, exhausting three of the nine earth fire spiritual veins.

Once activated, the array can unleash divine fire capable of scorching the heavens and boiling the seas; cultivators below the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm are instantly killed upon contact, and even powerful experts above the fifth rank of the Golden Immortal realm find it difficult to break the array in a short time.

At this moment, the Flame God’s Divine Fire Array was fully activated. The crimson-gold spiritual energy barrier was several times thicker than usual, its light so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at it.

In the plaza in front of the main hall of the Flame God Palace, thousands of disciples stood in neat formation. Their crimson armor gleamed with a blood-red light in the sunlight, and the spears, swords, and sabers in their hands gleamed coldly in the morning light.

Their faces were filled with a murderous expression, their eyes burning with fighting spirit, but deep within their eyes lay a trace of barely perceptible fear.

Kai’s name had spread throughout the entire Eighteen Heavens.

An eighth-grade True Immortal had slain a fifth-grade Golden Immortal, the Holy Light Celestial Venerable, and led three hundred disciples of the Azure Cloud Cave Heaven to raze the Bright Hall, massacring the entire sect in blood.

Such achievements were enough to instill fear in anyone.

Yan Wuji stood on the high platform, his crimson-gold armor gleaming blindingly in the sunlight. The armor was covered with flame runes, each rune slowly rotating and releasing a scorching aura.

In his hand he gripped a crimson-gold longsword, its blade ablaze with flames—the Flame Emperor Sword, the treasure of the Flame God Palace, said to be the personal sword of the ancient Flame Emperor, imbued with a wisp of his divine will, possessing boundless power.

Beside him stood a burly middle-aged man, his face resolute, a silver mark between his brows—the insignia of a high-ranking

member of the Void Merchant Guild. Han Qianshan, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal and Inspector of the Void Merchant Guild.

Behind Han Qianshan stood over thirty Void Merchant Guild cultivators in silver-white robes, each at least a third-grade Golden Immortal.

Their faces were expressionless, their eyes devoid of emotion, like a group of cold statues; only the oppressive aura emanating from them proved they were alive.

That oppressive aura coalesced into an invisible mountain pressing down on the plaza, making it almost impossible for the Flame God Palace disciples to breathe.

Yan Wuji wore a smug smile, his eyes gleaming with smugness.

Han Qianshan, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal from the Void Merchant Guild, along with over thirty elite Golden Immortals, thousands of disciples and dozens of elders from his Flame God Palace, and the Flame Heaven Divine Fire Array.

With such a lineup, he wouldn’t fear even if the entire Azure Cloud Cave Heaven were to mobilize, let alone Kai.

“Palace Master, Kai has arrived.”

A scout flew in from afar, landing before the high platform, kneeling on one knee, his voice trembling slightly.

Yan Wuji’s eyes narrowed slightly, a cold glint flashing in his crimson-gold pupils.

“How many people have come?” “Over

three hundred. All the disciples of Azure Cloud Cave Heaven have been mobilized. Kai is leading the way.”

A cold smile curved Yan Wuji’s lips.

“Over three hundred? With just this many people, you think you can raze my Flame God Palace to the ground?” His voice was filled with disdain. “I’d like to see what Kai’s abilities are.”

Han Qianshan stood to the side, his crimson-gold eyes gazing into the distance, remaining silent.

His divine sense had already detected Kai’s aura, an aura as deep and unfathomable as a mountain, carrying a chilling sense of oppression.

First-grade Golden Immortal.

Forty days ago, Kai was merely an eighth-grade True Immortal.

Forty days later, he had broken through to the first grade of the Golden Immortal realm.

This speed of cultivation even made Han Qianshan, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal, feel a chill.

But he quickly suppressed that chill.

Between the first and sixth grades of the Golden Immortal realm lay five minor realms, each a formidable chasm.

Even if Kai was incredibly powerful, he couldn’t possibly challenge across five minor realms.

He was a sixth-grade Golden Immortal, not a fifth-grade Golden Immortal like the Holy Light Celestial Venerable.

Thinking of this, Han Qianshan’s heart calmed down.

…

Kai’s group stopped at the outer edge of the Flame Mountain Range.

Three hundred disciples of the Azure Cloud Cave Heaven lined up at the foot of the mountain, their azure robes standing out against the red spiritual mist. Their longswords were drawn simultaneously, their light shimmering in the sunlight, like a forest of azure swords.

Kai stood at the forefront of the group, his purple eyes gazing at the Flame God Palace atop the distant mountain peak. His gaze pierced through the layers of spiritual mist, landing on the massive crimson-gold spiritual energy barrier.

The Flame Heavenly Divine Fire Array.

He had heard of this array before; an ancient relic, its power boundless. It was said that even a sixth-grade Golden Immortal would struggle to break it in a short time.

But Kai’s lips merely curled into a cold smile.

A grand array?

Before him, no grand array was unbreakable with a single sword strike.

If one, then two strikes would suffice.

“Let’s go.”

Kai lifted his foot and began to walk up the mountain, his pace neither fast nor slow, each step firm and heavy.

Jade Void True Person and Jiang Xuelan followed behind him, one on each side. Three hundred disciples filed forward, a long, cyan dragon winding its way along the red mountain path, their Daoist robes fluttering in the spiritual mist, their longswords jingling at their waists.

The spirit trees on both sides of the mountain path were covered with fiery red spirit fruits, which were faintly visible in the spirit mist and exuded a scorching aura.
he branches and leaves of the spirit tree swayed gently in the morning breeze, rustling softly, like whispers or a prelude to the impending slaughter.

The procession moved smoothly without encountering any obstacles.

The Flame God Palace was clearly prepared; all its disciples had retreated into the palace grounds, waiting for Kai to walk right into their trap.

Moments later, Kai’s group arrived at the Flame God Palace’s mountain gate.

The gate stood dozens of feet tall, crafted entirely from crimson-gold flame crystal. Lifelike fire beasts were carved into the pillars, each beast’s eyes made of genuine, top-grade fire spirit crystal, shimmering with intense heat in the sunlight.

Above the gate hung a massive plaque bearing three large characters—Flame God Palace.

The characters were carved with the power of the laws of fire, each one slowly burning, releasing a scorching aura.

The mountain gate was tightly shut, a crimson-gold spiritual energy barrier completely enveloping the entire palace. Countless fiery runes flowed across the barrier, each slowly rotating and releasing terrifying heat.

Kai stopped before the gate, his purple eyes fixed on the spiritual energy barrier, devoid of any emotion.

“Yan Wuji, come out.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly reached the ears of everyone in the Flame God Palace, like an invisible sword piercing through the spiritual energy barrier of the Flame Heavenly God Fire Array, echoing across the plaza in front of the main hall.

A moment later, a crack slowly appeared in the spiritual energy barrier on the mountain gate, and Yan Wuji emerged, followed by Han Qianshan and a group of cultivators from the Void Merchant Guild, and behind them, dozens of elders and thousands of disciples of the Flame God Palace.

Yan Wuji stood before the gate, his crimson-gold armor gleaming blindingly in the sunlight. He gripped the Flame Emperor Sword, its blade ablaze with flames that distorted the surrounding air.

A smug smile played on his lips, his eyes gleaming with pride as he sized Kai up and down, a contemptuous curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

” Kai, you’ve finally arrived,” Yan Wuji said, his voice thick with disdain. “I’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

Kai stared at Yan Wuji, his purple eyes utterly still, like a stagnant pool.

“Yan Wuji, I’ve come to kill you.”

His voice was calm, so calm it didn’t sound like a declaration of war, but rather a statement of fact.

Yan Wuji paused, then burst into laughter, the sound echoing before the mountain gate, causing the surrounding spiritual trees to tremble.

“Kill me?”

Yan Wuji laughed breathlessly. ” Kai, what do you think you can use to kill me? Just these three hundred pieces of trash behind you?”

His gaze swept over the Qingyun Cave disciples behind Kai, his contempt deepening.

“Three hundred juniors below the third rank of Golden Immortal, plus you, a first-rank Golden Immortal, and Jade Void True Person, a fifth-rank Golden Immortal, and you think you can flatten my Flame God Palace?”

Yan Wuji’s voice was filled with sarcasm. ” Kai, aren’t you overestimating yourself?”

He raised the Flame Emperor Sword in his hand, the tip pointing at Kai. The flames on the sword suddenly shot up several feet, and the scorching heat swept in all directions, burning the surrounding spiritual wood branches and leaves until they were charred and curled.

“Look behind me!”

Yan Wuji’s voice was filled with an almost manic smugness. “Thousands of disciples of the Flame God Palace, dozens of elders, nearly a hundred experts above the third rank of Golden Immortal! Envoy Han, a sixth-rank Golden Immortal from the Void Merchant Guild, and more than thirty elites of the Golden Immortal realm! And the Flame Heaven Capital Divine Fire Array!”

His voice grew louder and more smug, and his crimson-gold eyes flashed with a mad light.

” Kai, do you think you still have a chance of winning? Do you think you can leave alive?”

Kai looked at Yan Wuji, his purple eyes remaining completely calm.

His gaze shifted from Yan Wuji to Han Qianshan.

Han Qianshan stood half a step behind Yan Wuji, his crimson-gold eyes also scrutinizing Kai. His eyes showed no emotion, but Kai could see a hint of apprehension hidden deep within them.

That apprehension wasn’t due to Kai’s cultivation level, but rather the unfathomable aura emanating from him.

A first-grade Golden Immortal cultivation level, yet it made Kai, a sixth-grade Golden Immortal, feel uneasy.

This was abnormal.

“You’re the special envoy of the Void Merchant Guild?” Kai looked at Han Qianshan, his voice calm.

Han Qianshan nodded slightly, “Inspector of the Void Merchant Guild, Han Qianshan.”

Kai nodded, his purple eyes meeting Han Qianshan’s directly, his gaze devoid of hostility, only a calmly scrutinizing gaze.

“Envoy Han, have you thought it through?”

Han Qianshan’s brows furrowed slightly. “Thought it through what?”

“Thought it through cooperating with the Flame God Palace.” Kai’s voice remained calm. “Thought it through making me your enemy.”

A cold glint flashed in Han Qianshan’s eyes, but he remained silent.

Kai continued, his voice unhurried, as if chatting with an old friend.

“Envoy Han, I know your Void Merchant Guild is investigating Wu Yuan’s death. I also know you suspect I killed Wu Yuan. That’s right, I killed Wu Yuan.”

Upon hearing this, the thirty-odd Void Merchant Guild cultivators behind Han Qianshan changed color simultaneously, their auras suddenly unleashed, like mountains pressing down on the plaza.

Han Qianshan’s hands clenched slightly, a hint of killing intent flashing in his crimson-gold eyes.

Kai looked into Han Qianshan’s eyes, a slight smile playing on his lips.

“But Envoy Han, have you considered one thing?”

“What thing?” Han Qianshan’s voice was cold.

“Why did Wu Yuan want to kill me?”

Kai’s voice was soft, but every word was like a nail driven into Han Qianshan’s heart. “He’s the president of the Void Merchant Guild, and I’m just a rogue cultivator. We have no enmity, no grudge. Why did he want to kill me?”

Han Qianshan was silent for a moment. “Because he wanted what you had. The Great Luo Golden Scripture, the power of chaos, the secrets of the Chaos Dao Palace.”

“That’s right.”

Kai nodded. “He wanted what I had, so he wanted to kill me. I killed him because I didn’t want to die. That’s perfectly normal; the strong prey on the weak, it’s only natural.”

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

“But now, Envoy Han, you want to avenge him. Have you considered what you’ll gain by avenging him?”

Han Qianshan remained silent.

Kai continued, his voice carrying an irrefutable logic.

“You killed me, and what you obtained were the Great Luo Golden Scripture, the Power of Chaos, and the secrets of the Chaos Dao Palace. These things are indeed very precious, precious enough to tempt anyone. But Envoy Han, have you considered another possibility?”

“What’s possible?” Han Qianshan’s voice was somewhat hoarse.

“You won’t kill me,”

Kai’s voice was calm. “You’ll cooperate with me. I’ll give your Void Merchant Guild what you want, and your Void Merchant Guild will give me the protection I need. That way, you’ll gain more than you could from killing me.”

Han Qianshan’s pupils contracted slightly.

Kai looked into his eyes and continued,

“Killing me will only give you what I currently possess. But if you cooperate with me, what you can gain is limitless.

The Daoist sect has a total of one hundred and eight Daoist techniques, and the Great Luo Golden Scripture is just one of them. I’ve only unlocked a small part of the secrets of the Chaos Dao Palace. The value of these things will continuously increase as my cultivation level improves.”

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

“Killing me will give you inanimate objects. Cooperating with me will give you living things. Killing me will only give you the present.

Cooperating with me will give you the future. Envoy Han, you’re a businessman; you should know better than me which choice is more worthwhile.”

Han Qianshan fell silent.

His brows furrowed into a deep frown, and his crimson-gold eyes gleamed with complex emotions—hesitation, wavering, and struggle.

Every word Kai said was true.

Wu Yuan was dead; a dead guild leader was of no value to the Void Merchant Guild.

Offending a young man with limitless potential for the sake of a dead man was a bad deal no matter how you looked at it.

But if they let Kai go, what would become of the Void Merchant Guild’s reputation?

Han Qianshan was caught in a dilemma.

Yan Wuji, seeing the hesitation on Han Qianshan’s face, felt a sudden pang of unease.

He knew that if Han Qianshan was swayed by Kai, his Flame God Palace was finished.

He had to stop it.

“Envoy Han, don’t listen to him!”

Yan Wuji’s voice was filled with anxiety. ” Kai is lying to you! He’s telling the truth! He’s trying to sow discord between us!”

Yan Wuji turned to look at Han Qianshan, his crimson-gold eyes filled with urgency.

“Envoy Han, think about it. Kai killed Wu Yuan, that’s an undeniable fact! If your Void Merchant Guild lets him go like this, how will you maintain your standing in the Heavenly Realm?

What will other forces think of you? They’ll say the Void Merchant Guild is nothing special, their guild leader didn’t even dare to seek revenge after being killed!”

Han Qianshan’s brows furrowed

even more. Yan Wuji was right.

If Kai were let go like this, the Void Merchant Guild’s reputation would suffer a severe blow.

“And Envoy Han, think about it,”

Yan Wuji continued, his voice growing increasingly urgent, ” Kai is fickle and ruthless. He even dared to kill Wu Yuan, what wouldn’t he dare to do? If you let him go today, he’ll turn his back on you tomorrow! You can’t trust this kind of person!”

Han Qianshan remained silent for a long time, his crimson-gold eyes scanning back and forth between Kai and Yan Wuji.

Kai looked at Han Qianshan, his purple eyes showing no urgency, no tension, only an extreme calmness.

He was waiting for Han Qianshan to make a choice.

No matter what Han Qianshan chose, he had a way to deal with it.

If Han Qianshan chose to cooperate, that would be best, saving them a bloodbath.

If Han Qianshan chose to be an enemy, it didn’t matter; killing one was killing, killing a group was killing too.

Silence lasted a long time.

The air in front of the mountain gate seemed to freeze; everyone held their breath, waiting for Han Qianshan’s decision.

Yan Wuji’s palms were already sweating, his crimson-gold eyes fixed on Han Qianshan, filled with anticipation and tension.

The thousands of disciples of the Flame God Palace behind him were also extremely nervous, their weapons gripping them so tightly they cracked.

The three hundred disciples of Qingyun Cave Heaven behind Kai were quite calm; with their sect leader standing in front, they feared nothing.

Finally, Han Qianshan spoke.

” Kai, what you said makes a lot of sense.”

Yan Wuji’s expression suddenly changed.

“But,” Han Qianshan’s tone shifted, a cold glint flashing in his crimson-gold eyes, “Wu Yuan is a member of my Void Merchant Guild. He’s dead, we can’t just ignore it. Otherwise, where will the Void Merchant Guild’s reputation be?”

Yan Wuji’s face instantly lit up with wild joy, his eyes gleaming with the light of relief.

Kai looked at Han Qianshan, his purple eyes remaining completely calm.

“So, Envoy Han, you mean to avenge Wu Yuan?”

Han Qianshan nodded. “ Kai, I apologize.”

His voice carried a hint of apology, but it was so faint it was almost imperceptible.

Kai’s lips curled into a cold smile.

“Fine.”

His voice was calm, a calmness that sent chills down one’s spine.

“Envoy Han, I want you to wait a little longer.”

Han Qianshan’s brows furrowed. “Wait for what?”

Kai raised his right hand, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

“Wait and see what my strength is. If you make a move and fail to kill me, but instead get killed by me, wouldn’t that be a huge loss?”

Han Qianshan was genuinely stunned after Kai finished speaking.

He truly didn’t know Kai’s strength, but judging from Kai’s calm and collected demeanor, Kai must have a killing move, otherwise he wouldn’t be so composed.

Seeing that Han Qianshan was motionless, Kai slowly summoned the Dragon-Slaying Sword. A

purple sword light, like a bolt of lightning tearing through the heavens and earth, flew from Kai’s waist, slicing through the sky with a world-destroying aura, slashing towards the Flame God Palace’s Flame Heavenly Divine Fire Array.

Wherever the sword light passed, space was torn open with black cracks, from which violent spatial turbulence surged, swallowing all the surrounding spiritual trees and rocks.

The purple sword light collided with the crimson-gold spiritual energy barrier.

Boom—

A deafening roar resounded, the entire Flame Mountain Range trembled violently, rocks tumbled from the mountaintop, trees were uprooted, and all the birds and beasts within a hundred miles scattered in terror.

On the crimson-gold spiritual energy barrier, countless fiery runes simultaneously lit up, releasing terrifyingly high temperatures in an attempt to withstand the attack of the purple sword light.

However, the chaotic power contained within that purple sword light was far too domineering.

Chaotic power is the source of all elements and the source of all laws.

The divine fire laws released by the Flame God’s Fire Array were utterly powerless before the chaotic power, like a grandson before his grandfather, utterly unable to resist.

*Crack*—a

faint cracking sound emanated from the spiritual energy barrier, like the first crack appearing on ice.

Then, the cracks rapidly spread, from one to ten, from ten to a hundred, from a hundred to a thousand.

Dense cracks spread across the crimson-gold spiritual energy barrier, like a giant spider web, enveloping the entire array.

*Boom*—the

spiritual energy barrier shattered completely.

Crimson-gold fragments rained down from the sky like a storm, each fragment ablaze with flames, illuminating the entire Flame God Palace.