With Feng Yan’s current cultivation, he serves merely as the sword’s consciousness and cannot grant any power boost to the Pure Yang Divine Sword. He is just like Zhang Ruochen when he obtained the divine power of Tianmu!
After slashing out the second sword, more cracks appeared on Feng Yan’s body. He did not pursue the human-skin lantern. Instead, he let out a long howl of grief and rage, then chased in the direction where Feng Yunba and Wuyue had departed.
Mr Mo felt worried. He transmitted a message to Zhang Ruochen and Xuanyuan Qing, handed the Xufeng Divine Vessel over to them, and then went after Feng Yan.
No matter how strong the Pure Yang Divine Sword was, Feng Yan was only a lower god. If he encountered Wuyue, the consequences would be unthinkable.
The entire world suddenly became quiet. Those survivors in the Saint Realm who had been forced to the ground by divine power stood up one after another. Everyone wore excited smiles on their faces, or tears of agitation streamed down.
They had finally endured through the endless darkness.
Zhang Ruochen and Xuanyuan Qing returned to the Xufeng Divine Vessel and received kneeling reverence from countless cultivators.
Even the proud Shang Hong clasped his fists and saluted them.
“The two great gods displayed unparalleled heroic bearing. It is truly admirable. Today’s battle, in the midst of utter despair, caused the gods of the Darkness Divine Hall to die or flee. It was simply turning the tide, legendary and peerless. It will surely be passed down for several yuanhui.”
These words came from Jialin Nan of the Light Divine Hall.
A mid-level god who could survive a confrontation at the great god level was indeed extremely fortunate, no wonder he was so excited. After all, he had a share in this legend.
As long as one did not die, who would dare say they had not contributed?
Not everyone was joyful. Feng Xi, Feng Xuan, and many cultivators of the Feng clan all showed sorrowful expressions, their eyes filled with immense worry as they gazed in the direction where Feng Yan and Mr Mo had left.
This divine war ended quickly, and Xuanyuan Lian arrived in good time, but still, a quarter of an hour had passed.
…
The Dark Grand Triangle Star Domain was endless darkness and cold. Many places were utterly empty.
But today, a vast chaotic region had been born. Countless billions of li of space were shattered, divine flames burned, turning everything crimson red. Divine power fluctuations were intense and chaotic.
One could imagine how fierce the divine war had been.
Feng Yan pursued here with sword in hand and saw a suit of armour standing in the chaos. The dragon head on its chest was ferocious and menacing.
Feng Yunba’s divine body had become somewhat transparent. He looked at Feng Yan. His aura remained domineering and unmatched, but his eyes were filled with gratified smiles.
Feng Yan’s eyes were bloodshot, yet he could shed no tears. At this moment, he was merely a mud figure. He swung his sword in all directions and roared, “Wuyue, come out and fight me to the death!”
Mr Mo caught up and saw Feng Yunba’s fading body. Although he had long anticipated the outcome, his heart still felt blocked. Unworthily, old tears streamed down.
“A Pure Yang practitioner can only advance, never retreat.”
With these final words left for Feng Yan, Feng Yunba’s fading body transformed into wisps of crimson light mist that rushed into Feng Yan’s brow.
In truth, Feng Yunba had already died long ago. Only a strand of obsession had sustained him, wanting to see if Feng Yan would disappoint him.
After the remnants of Feng Yunba’s Pure Yang vital essence and profound truths surged into Feng Yan’s body, the dragon-head armour passed down from the Pure Yang Heavenly Venerable was now worn on Feng Yan.
…
In the sky above Pangu Realm, the star soul divine seat belonging to Feng Yunba dimmed.
In an instant, the entire Heavenly Court was shaken. Many divine spirits hurried to the Feng clan.
Although before this, gods from the Light Divine Hall and the Feng clan had fallen one after another, causing widespread panic, the vast majority were false gods. Compared to the fall of Feng Yunba, it was simply insignificant.
The wielder of the Pure Yang Divine Sword, the future boundless one of the Feng clan, a figure even more powerful than the clan leader “Feng God”, how could he fall so silently?
Why had that Tian of the Feng clan not rushed to rescue him?
Those in the know naturally understood where Feng Yunba had gone and immediately formed new judgments about the perilous situation in the Dark Grand Triangle Star Domain.
Those unaware spread increasingly bizarre rumours and speculated wildly.
…
Kunlun Realm, Central Imperial City.
The Ziwei Palace rose layer upon layer, grand and magnificent, stretching five hundred li, utterly spectacular.
The Yuan Chu Divine Hall was located at the very top of Ziwei Palace, above the sea of clouds, divine light illuminating the nine provinces. Standing by the Tianchi pool outside the divine hall, one could overlook all living beings in the world.
By the Tianchi pool, a nine-zhang-long vermilion table was set out, covered with snow-white paper.
The Saint Book Talented Lady stood to the side grinding ink. Her temperament was gentle and elegant. She wore Confucian robes, her starry eyes extremely lively.
With her current attainment in spiritual power, she had become a representative figure of contemporary Confucianism. The only one who could make her set aside her status to grind ink was naturally Chi Yao.
After all, from childhood, she had followed Chi Yao, serving as both disciple and minister.
Chi Yao wore a goose-yellow phoenix-and-thousand-birds embroidered skirt. She held a white jade dragon-que brush and was copying the “Chapter on the Water Classic’s Emergence” from the Confucian Ancestor’s sacred book left by the Third Confucian Ancestor.
Each time she copied this chapter, she gained different insights.
Of course, more importantly, it was the calm state of mind cultivated while practising calligraphy, something she had been pursuing ever since returning from the Tianchu Civilization.
After finishing one copy, the characters on the paper emitted divine light, as if they were about to come alive.
The Saint Book Talented Lady smiled and said, “The brushwork flows like clouds and water, completed in one breath. It captures the charm of the Confucian Ancestor while bearing the teacher’s unique momentum. The teacher’s state of mind has advanced another step.”
Chi Yao showed no pride and said, “The Confucian Ancestor’s characters are like the vast universe. Each one contains different truths. My copying merely captures the form. I only use it to nurture my temperament, to view matters more peacefully. Since they have arrived, let them in!”
Soon after, a Xuan female with a slightly plump figure, graceful posture, and enchanting like a spirit led Ling Feiyu and Zhang Hongchen to the edge of Tianchi.
The vermilion table and paper and brush had already been cleared away. Several Xuan females stood in the misty smoke, their figures shadowy.
With a gentle wave from Chi Yao, they all withdrew.
Chi Yao could finally seriously appraise the red-clothed woman before her. Indeed, she possessed the sharp momentum of Red Tower Flying Feather. Even facing her, an apex upper god, she showed no timidity.
Like an unyielding sword edge, a red plum in harsh winter.
One who could catch his eye was indeed no ordinary woman.
“Please sit!” Chi Yao said.
Ling Feiyu said, “Before a true god, how dare a Saint Realm cultivator sit?”
“Very well.”
Chi Yao’s gaze turned to Zhang Hongchen and said, “Hongchen’s talent is peerless. Her achievement in swordsmanship surpasses the Sword Emperor of that year.”
“In the era of the Sword Emperor, the heavenly rules were incomplete. Divine qi and saint qi were far less abundant than now, yet he could defy the trend and reach Great Saint realm. Hongchen is still far from that.”
Ling Feiyu continued, “The true god might as well speak directly about the reason for recalling this sect leader to Kunlun Realm.”
Daring to call herself “this sect leader”, clearly Ling Feiyu harboured no fear of Chi Yao, even carrying some confrontation and coldness.
Chi Yao did not quibble with her. Very peacefully, she overlooked the sea of clouds and said, “Back then, the Demon Emperor supported my unification of Kunlun. His battle with me at Tonglu Plain was to gauge whether I had the strength. He had an arrogant nature. He said that if I could not even kill him, then talk of unifying Kunlun was merely a joke, and I lacked the qualification to uphold Kunlun’s future.”
Ling Feiyu always gripped her sword and said, “The Worship Moon Divine Sect is called a demonic sect by cultivators of the world. It is indeed a gathering place for demons. Whatever the true god does is right. No one killed is wronged. There is no need to explain so much to this sect leader. Having reached the true god’s cultivation, why still obsess over right and wrong?”
Zhang Hongchen stood to the side, listening in shock. She secretly glanced at Chi Yao’s expression.
If a true god grew angry, she could destroy the Worship Moon Demonic Sect.
“Good!”
Chi Yao said, “Since Miss Ling speaks thus, you must be an enlightened person. This god shall be frank. In your view, is it benefit or harm for Brother Chen to be lord of Xing Huan Tian?”
In Ling Feiyu’s eyes, sharp as divine swords, a trace of desolation finally flashed.
She had long known that Chi Yao’s purpose in recalling her to Kunlun Realm must relate to Zhang Ruochen.
If Chi Yao wished to put her and Hongchen to death, she would fight desperately, at worst her soul scattering.
But seeing Chi Yao’s words, it seemed like mending relations, intentionally drawing her in. Instead, it made Ling Feiyu unsure how to respond.
Ling Feiyu said, “Where he goes, what does it have to do with me? Benefit or harm, he surely understands himself.”
Chi Yao shook her head and said, “Xing Huan Tian is ultimately caught between Heavenly Court and Hell. Perhaps now, both sides tolerate it much, fearing the strength of the Star Sea Angler. But when it truly must be uprooted, it will surely be thunderous and overwhelming. They will give them no chance to survive. I do not wish Brother Chen to perish with them!”
With Ling Feiyu’s current cultivation, she naturally had some understanding of the universe’s situation and said, “You cannot change his will.”
“One person cannot, but with a few more, it may not be impossible!” Chi Yao said softly, eyes downcast.
In this journey to Tianchu Civilization, Chi Yao had also discerned where her greatest rivals lay. Bai Qing’er of Xing Huan Tian was a beauty bringing calamity. The Luosha clan’s Luo Yi was no kind soul. Ji Fanxin of Qianrui Realm was even more unfathomable. Her move of advancing by retreating was truly clever.
Chi Yao was not a woman who lived only for Zhang Ruochen. She had her own ambitions and pursuits. But Xing Huan Tian indeed held too many uncertain factors, like a volcano ready to erupt at any time.
The marriage between Zhang Ruochen and Luo Yi bore too many traces of design.
Kunlun Realm was different. The Taishang elder held no selfish intent toward Zhang Ruochen and would not deliberately design or use him. Sending him this time to the Dark Grand Triangle Star Domain to seek Sword Realm, Chi Yao gradually came to realise.
Sword Realm must exist. Taishang surely knew some truths from that year, otherwise he would not let Zhang Ruochen take such risk.
Secondly, if Yuqing and Taiqing were truly found, would Zhang Ruochen not gain two more backers?
Taishang was paving the way for Zhang Ruochen, not cultivating him merely as lord of Kunlun Realm, but with greater expectations.
Chi Yao looked at Ling Feiyu, whose gaze was no longer so sharp, and said, “You and Hongchen are both people he cares about. Your words will surely influence him. You must know the legends about Bai Qing’er. What kind of person that Luosha princess is, the world knows well. They are both too clever, and their methods ruthless. Even this god admits inferiority in some aspects. You need not reply now… hmm…”
Chi Yao sensed something. Her expression changed slightly. She raised her head to look toward the starry sky beyond the universe.
