Bai Qing’er resembled a Lingbo fairy who had stepped out of a painting. Her forehead was delicate, her eyebrows like moth antennae. Her black hair was coiled into a bun adorned with bright pearls and jade hairpins. Beneath her feet, an origin divine sea glowed softly, clashing against Ji Fanhan’s origin divine sea.
“Boom!”
Origin divine light surged like massive waves.
“Our thousand-year appointment. A battle today. It is not too late, is it?” Her voice was melodious, echoing throughout Heaven Lord Mountain.
Hundreds of flower petals flowed around Ji Fanhan, forming a seven-coloured sea of flowers. She said, “You have already retired behind the scenes. You should focus on cultivation. Why come to the Tianchu Civilisation with Princess Rakshasa? You should know this will anger him.”
Bai Qing’er’s voice was as indifferent as autumn frost. She said, “The Tianchu Civilisation submitting to the Rakshasa clan might not be a bad thing. At least until the war between the Heavenly Court and Hell ends, it will continue to benefit.”
“And after it ends?” Ji Fanhan said.
Bai Qing’er said, “I cannot see that far, and no one can. The situation in heaven and earth is always changing. To take care of the present is already difficult enough. By the time the future arrives, we will also be strong enough. Then, naturally, we can hold the right to speak.”
“No matter how the situation changes, what we lack is only time.”
Thick evil sha qi pervaded heaven and earth. The entire Heaven Lord Mountain grew dim and demonic.
The seven Rakshasa clan gods released myriad divine sense avatars. In an instant, they constructed a hundred-zhang-high suppression pattern altar. The altar was planted with profound black array flags. Beneath each flag lay millstone-sized divine stones emitting piercing divine light.
Luo Yi held a staff. Standing at the centre of the suppression pattern altar, her jade neck was as slender as a white swan’s. She said, “I truly have good intentions, wanting to ease Dust brother’s worries. Yet you misunderstand me and treat me as an enemy. Only Sister Qing’er understands my thoughts.”
Ji Fanhan was not swayed in her convictions by their words. She said, “The Rakshasa clan is not decided by you, Luo Yi. Nor can Luo Ji decide for the Tianchu Civilisation. These two points you should understand clearly. So all those nice words you spoke are actually just for the fire seeds of the Tianchu Civilisation, or rather, for its civilisational treasury.”
Luo Yi did not deny this at all. She said, “As long as the fire seeds and civilisational treasury go first to the Tianluo Divine Kingdom, the old Heaven Lord and Yu God King will have no choice! If they wish the civilisation to continue, they can only submit. As long as those two still live, which god of the Rakshasa clan would dare provoke the Tianchu Civilisation?”
“But if those two fall, even if the fire seeds of the Tianchu Civilisation go to the Qianrui Realm, can Sister Ji guarantee that the fire seed cultivators will not be bullied by those of the Heavenly Court? Sister Ji, you cannot even guarantee that the cultivators of the Qianrui Realm will not be bullied!”
Luo Yi’s words were sharp, as if she held reason in every point. Ji Fanhan could find no flaw. For a moment, she fell into a passive position.
Luo Ji had already activated a corner of the divine array. Myriad thunderbolts shuttled overhead. Heaven and earth shook ceaselessly. She said, “Different paths cannot lead to common goals. The Tianchu Civilisation indeed wishes to pass on its legacy, but the way we live must be chosen by ourselves. If you force us to choose, how is it different from holding a knife to our necks and forcing us to kneel?”
“The starry battlefield has been fought for so many years. The hatred between both sides has long reached irreconcilable depths. Some have lost lovers, some parents, some all their kin and friends. Submitting to the Hell Realm. Even if I agree, the cultivators of the Tianchu Civilisation will not.”
“Fight then. No need for more words.”
Luo Yi sighed, “This is truly regrettable. The last thing I wished for was for matters to develop to this point.”
“Boom!”
The two origin divine seas collided together. The divine patterns within Heaven Lord Mountain were activated, appearing one after another.
Ji Fanhan knew clearly that in martial cultivation, she was far inferior to Bai Qing’er. Therefore, she used mental strength to urge the Heavenly Dao Flute. Placing it against her crystalline gem-like lips, she began to play.
The origin rules of heaven and earth flowed around the flute sound, deriving origin divine flowers, origin divine halls, great path heavenly bells… and other magnificent and mysterious phenomena.
The flute sound was melodious, like billions of sound blades piercing through time and space. It broke open the divine realm worlds of gods, directly attacking souls and spirits.
“So strong… such strong mental strength…”
Three Rakshasa clan gods in succession could not withstand the Heavenly Dao Flute’s sound. They fell to one knee, heads splitting with pain. Their internal organs seemed about to shatter.
These three Rakshasa clan gods were all upper gods.
Bai Qing’er said, “I long ago heard from my senior brother that your mental strength has reached a level that shocks the world. Yet you cannot control it, so it was heavily sealed. Even he believed you have the potential to be the next with flawless mental strength. Today, I finally believe it!”
The senior brother Bai Qing’er referred to was naturally the Lord of Xing Tian Cliff.
Back then, when the Mandala Flower God found the Nether Ancient Illumination Divine Lotus in the starry sky, it possessed only simple consciousness, no wisdom, and no cultivated physical body.
But when defending itself, the chaotic mental strength it erupted with could injure the Mandala Flower God of the Taixu Realm.
The Mandala Flower God went to Xing Tian Cliff and invited the Star Sea Angler to act. Only then was the mental strength of the Nether Ancient Illumination Divine Lotus sealed layer by layer.
Afterwards, the Mandala Flower God mobilised divine power to seal its strength. She spent vast time preaching the Dao to it. Only then was perfect spiritual intelligence nurtured, an infant body cultivated, and the path of cultivation begun.
The mental strength of the Nether Ancient Illumination Divine Lotus had slowly condensed over hundreds of millions of years. It required step-by-step cultivation, tempering of will, and understanding of heaven and earth to master it.
Like a child inheriting billions in wealth, constant learning and growth are needed to one day reasonably use that wealth.
Back when Bai Qing’er caused great upheaval in the Hell Realm to break through her realm, she transformed into Ji Fanhan’s appearance. This was actually because she had learned many secrets about the Nether Ancient Illumination Divine Lotus from the Lord of Xing Tian Cliff.
“Dong! Dong! Dong…”
Bai Qing’er did not fear Ji Fanhan’s powerful mental strength. With a sweep of her long sleeves, bronze bells appeared one after another, arranging themselves in the void and playing deafening heavenly sounds.
“Ah!”
An early-stage upper god of the Rakshasa clan could not withstand the intense impact of the two different sound waves. Blood flowed from both ears. He let out a miserable cry.
“This is too domineering! The flute in her hand must be the legendary Heavenly Dao Flute, a divine artefact.”
Among the Rakshasa gods, there were also powerhouses.
Both Emperor Feng and Divine Marquis Ximen possessed peak upper god cultivation. Back then, the two had joined forces, lending divine power to Luo Yi and even repelling Chi Yao.
Emperor Feng struck out with an array diagram. Divine Marquis Ximen threw a rusty firewood knife.
The array diagram resisted the sound wave impacts from the Heavenly Dao Flute and bronze bells. The firewood knife slashed towards Luo Ji, who was urging the divine array.
Luo Ji activated the divine array. Dense array inscription patterns condensed into a light curtain, blocking the incoming firewood knife. A powerful wave of divine force erupted outwards.
Holding the home advantage and commanding the divine array, even if a great god of the Rakshasa clan came, Luo Ji feared nothing.
The only thing that worried her was the suppression pattern altar beneath Luo Yi’s feet.
…
Under Qing Shen’s guidance, Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao arrived below the mountain gate of Heaven Lord Mountain.
Though wounded, Qing Shen was after all a god. Her essence, qi, and spirit remained full. She said, “Not good! A corner of Heaven Lord Mountain’s protective array has been opened and not closed. It seems a great change has truly occurred.”
Zhang Ruochen looked upwards, about to step into the mountain gate.
Qing Shen stopped him. She said, “Wait. Do not rashly charge in. Heaven Lord Mountain is the cultivation place of the old Heaven Lord. It not only has the protective array but also divine patterns left by successive Heaven Lords.”
Yet she did not know that with Zhang Ruochen’s Heart of Truth and Immeasurable Divine Dao, he could sense even heavenly venerable divine patterns somewhat, let alone those in Heaven Lord Mountain.
“I will lead you in.”
The fire seeds and civilisational treasury were both in Heaven Lord Mountain. Qing Shen was naturally anxious as if burning.
With her cultivation, she could not contend against gods from the Hell Realm. At this moment, she could disregard the prohibitions of Heaven Lord Mountain and could only bring Zhang Ruochen and Chi Yao inside.
Passing through layer after layer of destructive divine patterns, the three emerged from the mist. Their view opened wide.
“Boom!”
Waves of divine qi spread from afar, shaking the surrounding divine patterns into revival. They released scorching divine flames.
Seeing the scene before him, black lines appeared on Zhang Ruochen’s forehead. His originally calm heart suddenly became extremely irritable. Anger rushed through his crown.
Great!
It was truly lively.
Even Bai Qing’er had unexpectedly rushed over from Xinghuan Heaven. This was completely beyond his expectations. Was this meant to be a surprise for him? What a great surprise.
If in future they all lived together, even if he forged a divine hall, it would probably be overturned.
Each one was so capable. Divine artefacts, arrays, mental strength, mysteries, divine abilities… means emerged endlessly. Secret techniques he had never seen before were now used.
Look, Luo Yi raised her staff. Behind her appeared a massive and bright Gate of Destiny…
More precisely, a Gate of True Self.
Zhang Ruochen had not known before that she had actually cultivated a Gate of True Self.
Look again. The mental strength Ji Fanhan erupted with had reached the seventy-sixth order. Compared to Zhang Ruochen, she was stronger if anything. Truly deeply hidden.
Look again. Above Bai Qing’er’s head unexpectedly appeared the divine light phantom of “Thousand Stars Linked”.
What was going on?
How long had she comprehended this heavenly venerable divine ability?
Impressive. All very impressive. Each a proud daughter of heaven, gifted, powerhouses among gods.
Each possessed hidden trump cards, one more astonishing than the next. Sorry for underestimating you before!
Qing Shen had not expected the divine battle in Heaven Lord Mountain to be so intense. She watched dumbfounded. More crucially, the four female gods currently fighting were each devastatingly beautiful and all deeply connected to Zhang Ruochen.
She could not help glancing at Zhang Ruochen with a strange look.
Zhang Ruochen’s chest nearly exploded with anger. He said gravely, “Stop!”
Cold winds howled!
No one paid him any heed.
Because the sound waves and mental impacts formed by the Heavenly Dao Flute and bronze bells engulfed the entire Heaven Lord Mountain. Any sound, any mental strength would be dispersed.
“I will go separate them.”
“Swoosh!”
Chi Yao drew her Blood-Dripping Sword. Stepping on an origin divine sea, she flew straight towards the battlefield.
Zhang Ruochen secretly felt gratified. At last there was one rational person, and with sufficiently powerful cultivation. She should be able to suppress them.
But soon Zhang Ruochen realised he had thought too much. After Chi Yao charged into the battlefield, the fight grew even more intense! Especially Luo Yi and Bai Qing’er, who displayed even more hidden techniques.
From Luo Yi’s Gate of True Self emerged evil divine corpses one after another.
Bai Qing’er summoned the Earth Demon Sparrow. Driving this divine artefact, she drew heavenly fire, causing the sky to burn crimson. Waves of fire rolled.
