Chi Kongle, filled with astonishment, scanned her surroundings, as if searching for something.
“Father, is that you?” she wondered silently.
Though the time sword technique was profound, defeating Hongkun Saint King with a single strike seemed improbable. While the swallow pendant likely played a role, Chi Kongle hoped it was Zhang Ruochen, quietly protecting her from the shadows.
Sadly, despite her prolonged search, she found no trace of him, leaving her deeply disappointed.
Sensing her gaze, the other talents grew tense, fearing they might be implicated.
Bolan and Yanyu stared wide-eyed, incredulous that even Hongkun Saint King was no match for Chi Kongle. They had hoped he would swiftly subdue her, letting them vent their anger, but never expected this outcome.
“Let’s go,” Bolan and Yanyu muttered, seizing the chance to flee.
When Hongkun Saint King arrived, he had lifted their restraints, and after taking healing pills, their injuries were rapidly improving, allowing their holy qi and mental power to function again.
Snapping back to reality, Chi Kongle used her mental power to wield the pendant’s strength, moving with astonishing speed to intercept them, her holy sword pointed at the pair.
“Still not kneeling to apologize? Where do you think you’re going?” she said, her chilling killing intent enveloping them.
Feeling this, Bolan and Yanyu froze, having witnessed her reduce Palas to blood mist. They no longer dared hope for leniency.
“Enough, you insolent child!” Hongkun Saint King roared, rising to his feet.
Though gravely wounded and his lifespan diminished, he couldn’t back down or watch Bolan and Yanyu be killed.
He believed Chi Kongle’s earlier attack wasn’t her own power, doubting she could use such external force indefinitely.
As he roared, he summoned a miniature holy temple crafted from rare mutton-fat jade, like an exquisite artifact.
Infused with holy qi, the temple expanded rapidly, radiating pure light, its surface interwoven with countless inscriptions, pressing toward Chi Kongle.
This Seven-Star Ten-Thousand-Pattern Holy Weapon could confine even a peer Nine-Step Saint King.
As it descended, the space around the spiritual lake froze.
Chi Kongle trembled, feeling as if an ancient divine mountain bore down on her, threatening to crush her.
Her gaze sharpened; the more she was oppressed, the less she would yield.
As if sensing her resolve, the pendant’s power surged, the divine shadow behind her growing more solid, like an ancient god crossing time to descend.
Relieved of pressure, Chi Kongle channeled vast Five-Element Chaos Qi, forming a chaotic world shadow behind her—a phenomenon of the Five-Element Chaos Body, achievable only at a high level of mastery.
Legend held that, at its peak, the body could become divine, its phenomenon forming a true world capable of suppressing the heavens.
Trusting the pendant’s defensive power, Chi Kongle refused to remain passive. Even if facing a Great Saint, she’d fight with all her might, let alone a Nine-Step Saint King.
“Hm?” She sensed a strange shift in her manifested phenomenon but had no time to ponder as the temple loomed.
The chaotic world shadow rose, colliding fiercely with the temple.
*Crack.*
The supposedly indestructible temple cracked, its surface splitting visibly.
“Not good!” Hongkun’s face paled, scrambling to recall the temple.
A Seven-Star Holy Weapon, worth over a hundred million holy stones and acquired through a millennium of savings, couldn’t be lost.
But he was too slow. The chaotic shadow exploded, unleashing terrifying force.
*Boom.*
The temple shattered, fragments scattering everywhere.
Thousands of Five-Element Chaos Qi streams broke through, forming a vivid five-colored divine dragon that lunged at Hongkun.
“Damn it!” Hongkun cursed, his heart bleeding. He never imagined his treasure would be destroyed by a junior.
Facing the dragon, he didn’t dare underestimate it. His snow-white wings flapped, shooting feathers like arrows, each blazing with destructive holy light.
*Boom.*
The feathers exploded, their devastating force engulfing the dragon.
As Hongkun prepared to relax, the dragon reemerged, largely unscathed.
At such close range, he couldn’t evade. He summoned all his holy qi, forming dozens of protective shields.
*Crack.*
The dragon tore through them like paper.
“Hold!” Hongkun roared, wrapping himself in his wings.
But he underestimated the dragon’s power. His wings snapped, bloodied feathers flying.
Gravely wounded, his body mangled beyond recognition, Hongkun was slammed into the lake, the arrays unable to stop the dragon’s force, which tore a rift in them.
In moments, the lake turned blood-red, boiling with energy.
A Saint King’s blood held immense power, overwhelming ordinary holy weapons.
Without the lake’s arrays, it would have evaporated.
“How can she wield such power? Why?” Hongkun’s eyes brimmed with disbelief and despair.
His injuries were severe, his holy soul cracked. Even if he survived, reaching the Dao Domain was impossible, and with over two hundred years of lifespan lost, he had few centuries left.
“Is that the Five-Element Chaos Body’s phenomenon? Terrifying.”
“Chi Kongle is defying the heavens, even more fearsome than Zhang Ruochen was.”
“This commotion will surely alert the big shots at Lianzhu Mansion. What will the Paradise Realm’s leader think?”
The talents were stunned, itching to flee. If Chi Kongle got carried away, they might suffer.
Talents from other lake areas, including stronger ones from the Paradise Realm’s faction, arrived but hesitated to act. Given Chi Kongle’s display, even Dao Domain experts might not prevail.
None among the gathered talents, capped at Seventh-Step Saint King, felt confident facing her.
Bolan and Yanyu were ashen, regretting provoking her. Bolan, humiliated by his earlier words, wished to disappear.
Chi Kongle retracted her Chaos Qi, pulling the near-dead Hongkun from the lake.
Pointing her sword at the trio, her killing intent clear, she said coldly, “Last chance: kneel and apologize. Empress Chi Yao and my father are not to be insulted.”
“You’re going too far, Chi Kongle. You killed Palas, and now you want us dead? Are you trying to spark conflict between the Kunlun and Paradise Realms?” Bolan said gravely.
As a divine heir, born of two gods after millennia, kneeling would disgrace not just him but his divine parents.
Chi Kongle waved, enveloping Hongkun and Yanyu in holy qi, lifting them into the air.
“You still won’t kneel?” she asked again.
“I don’t want to die! Bolan, save me!” Yanyu cried in panic.
“My life is over,” Hongkun muttered, despair in his eyes.
Bolan understood her intent, rage filling him. No one had ever dared force him like this, but he was powerless.
“Stop!” a majestic roar echoed.
From the deepest hall of Lianzhu Mansion, a dazzling holy light surged, its terrifying aura enveloping the estate.
*Hmph.*
Chi Kongle snorted, her sword slashing swiftly.
*Splatter.*
Thousands of sword qi erupted, reducing Hongkun and Yanyu to blood mist, their holy souls obliterated.
A veteran Nine-Step Saint King and a promising Elf talent perished.
Their searing holy blood dyed the lake red, blood-colored mist rising and spreading.
The stench of blood filled Lianzhu Mansion.
“Who gave you the nerve to kill Paradise Realm Saint Kings?” a furious voice thundered.
A tall figure bathed in holy light appeared above the lake. Eight feet tall, clad in spotless white robes, with golden hair and jade-green eyes, millions of holy path rules converged toward him, drawing the world’s rules and qi.
It was Zhou Yu, the Paradise Realm’s leader.
Having suffered losses at the Blood God Sect, losing the *Book of Light* and Truth Mysteries to Zhang Ruochen, Zhou Yu nearly broke. After retreating to the Paradise Realm, he recently returned to Kunlun.
Furious that Chi Kongle killed Hongkun and Yanyu despite his command, he saw it as a challenge to him and the Paradise Realm.
“Zhou Yu’s grown stronger after his setback, nearing the top tier below Great Saint, comparable to Qingtian Holy Dragon or Moyin. If he had the *Book of Light*, he’d match Moro Grand Prince at his peak,” Zhang Ruochen mused.
Still, Zhou Yu didn’t impress him. Only someone like Archangel Michael might catch his attention.
Following Zhou Yu, an elderly man with graying whiskers appeared, wearing a purple robe and jade crown, exuding refined authority. It was Grand Chancellor Wang Shiqi, disciple of Emperor Wen, a Confucian master with near-sixtieth-tier mental power.
Sensing Zhou Yu’s killing intent, Wang Shiqi stepped in front of Chi Kongle. As Empress Chi Yao’s heir, she couldn’t be harmed.
“Wang Shiqi, you dare block me?” Zhou Yu’s face darkened.
“We should first clarify what happened,” Wang Shiqi said.
“Isn’t it clear? Your Kunlun Realm’s people violated heavenly law, killing three of our powerhouses. She must die, and Kunlun must answer to us,” Zhou Yu demanded aggressively.
Someone had informed him of Palas’s death.
Zhang Ruochen had repeatedly defied the Paradise Realm, and now his daughter dared act so boldly. It was intolerable.
Chi Kongle stepped forward, “They blasphemed a god, deserving death.”
“Kongle, what happened?” Wang Shiqi asked.
Chi Kongle recounted the events.
Wang Shiqi’s face darkened, glaring at Zhou Yu, “Blaspheming Her Majesty is a capital crime. It’s your Paradise Realm that owes us an explanation.”
Zhou Yu frowned. Blasphemy was a serious matter, a rule set by all gods: “Those who blaspheme shall die.” Who dared challenge that?
“It’s just Chi Kongle’s word, not proof. Bolan, did you blaspheme Empress Chi Yao?” Zhou Yu asked.
Bolan seized the chance, “Never. I hold utmost respect for her. How could I blaspheme?”
Chi Kongle pointed to the dozens of talents in the pavilion, “They all heard it.”
“Did you?” Zhou Yu turned, his invisible pressure bearing down on them.
The talents trembled, knowing a wrong word could bring dire consequences.
Offending the Paradise Realm for a doomed Kunlun was unwise. They shook their heads, distancing themselves.
Seeing their reaction, Chi Kongle shook her head, disappointed.
Bolan smirked. By denying the blasphemy, no one could touch him, and they could turn the tables on Chi Kongle—a satisfying prospect.
Zhou Yu faced Chi Kongle and Wang Shiqi, saying coldly, “Anything else to say?”
