In the end, the Immortal Ascension elder of the Hexagram Minor World chose to accept the bet.
Not because of the Phoenix Feather Sword hovering at his throat, its edge gleaming with lethal intent.
But because he was utterly convinced of victory. As a Yan Five high-martial world dominating all of Blood Evil Heaven, backed by Immortal Transformation experts and several peak Tribulation Transcenders, the outcome seemed inevitable.
He agreed not out of fear of Holy Lord Lu’s threat, but from absolute confidence in their triumph.
“I accept the bet.”
His calm voice echoed through the void.
The Phoenix Feather Sword stilled, then a faint chuckle drifted from the silver-gray spatial rift.
The sword vanished, and the rift sealed itself.
The once-magnificent palace lay in ruins, shattered beyond recognition.
The elder sat cross-legged, swallowing hard.
Holy Lord Lu of the Five Phoenixes—the monster who had once shattered the Cloud Clan’s divine son with a single punch.
He truly lived up to his reputation.
When the Immortal Ascension elder declared that the Hexagram Minor World would wager all its Dao reserves against the Five Phoenixes,
Blood Evil Heaven fell into stunned silence.
This was true dominance. This was what it meant to play by no rules.
The cultivators of Blood Evil Heaven saw it clearly now.
The Phoenix Feather Sword had traversed vast distances, carrying devastating power as it swept through, casually obliterating several Tribulation Transcenders and an Immortal Transformation expert who happened to lie in its path.
Those experts died with deep grievance—but what could they do?
The terrifying might within the sword had even forced an Immortal Ascension elder to yield.
In the eyes of Blood Evil Heaven’s many high-martial worlds, the Hexagram elder had submitted.
Overwhelmed by the murderous aura carried on that single blade.
Hum…
Aboard the ancient warship,
Overlord couldn’t help but laugh. This was pure Young Master Lu—always true to his word.
He himself had once been pushed to his limits by Lu’s uncompromising nature. Now, watching others face it, he felt an exhilarating sense of satisfaction.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
The elder’s colossal projection vanished, instantly reappearing in the vast skies above the Hexagram continent, as though teleporting from the ruined palace.
He exuded an ethereal, immortal-like aura, his presence radiating immense pressure, faint immortal energy swirling around him.
“Let us wager, then. Since the Five Phoenixes insist on this gamble—we shall gamble.”
The elder spoke calmly.
He truly believed the Hexagram Minor World could not lose.
On the ancient warship, Overlord and the others’ cultivations were plain to see. Even the strongest—Overlord—was merely a Tribulation Transcender.
Such power posed no threat.
The elder narrowed his eyes.
Suddenly, his pupils contracted.
An ancient mirror’s illusion materialized, as though reflected from distant space.
“The Dao Evolution Mirror!”
Boom!
Immense power surged from the mirror, projecting images of two continents.
The Five Phoenixes continent and the Hexagram continent.
Of course, compared to the Hexagram, the Five Phoenixes appeared pitifully small.
Strands of Dao reserves from both sides manifested as the stakes.
For some reason, the elder felt a twinge of unease. The Dao Evolution Mirror… an artifact from the Upper Realm.
He hadn’t expected Lu Ping’an to possess such a thing.
Originally, he had considered reneging even if they lost. Now… that seemed impossible.
But having agreed, he could not back down.
“You may choose the venue.”
The Immortal Ascension expert spoke.
He hovered in the air, exuding an air of immortal refinement.
As the sole Immortal Ascension being in the Hexagram world, he was its absolute ruler.
“Then right here in the open sky.”
“We’ll finish quickly—we have more battles ahead.”
Overlord cracked his neck and spoke leisurely.
His words caused the auras of countless Hexagram experts to falter.
Fury boiled across the continent.
“Arrogant!”
“More battles? This is a fight they’re guaranteed to lose.”
“They don’t even have an Immortal Transformation expert—what suspense could there possibly be?”
…
The experts of the Hexagram continent sneered.
Yet one thing gnawed at them painfully:
The Immortal Transformation expert who had tried to block the warship earlier had been crushed by Lu Ping’an, and another had been casually slain by the Phoenix Feather Sword’s “accidental” path.
As a result, only three Immortal Transformation experts remained available for battle.
“We cannot be careless. The Five Phoenixes dare act so domineeringly for a reason—after all, all our Dao reserves are on the line.”
A Hexagram expert spoke gravely.
Boom!
From the ancient warship,
five figures shot forth, standing proudly in the void.
Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, Ni Chunqiu, Luo Mingyue, and Ximen Xianzhi.
The five for the team battle.
Overlord, Tang Yimo, and Nie Changqing remained aboard the warship, watching calmly.
Countless gazes pierced the void from surrounding minor worlds—Holy Lords and Tribulation experts alike.
The Five Phoenixes’ reckoning with Blood Evil Heaven, starting with the strongest Hexagram Minor World and wagering everything, had drawn widespread attention.
Even in Pingyang Heaven’s Little Thunderclap Buddha Realm, many gathered in the pagoda, staring at the scenes projected in the golden alms bowl.
…
Five Phoenixes.
After subduing the Hexagram’s Immortal Ascension elder with a single sword, Lu recalled the Phoenix Feather Sword.
He leaned back in his Thousand-Bladed Chair, lines dancing in his eyes as he seemed to peer through the void, observing the battle in Blood Evil Heaven.
The Hexagram Minor World possessed over a thousand Dao reserves. Seizing them all would easily elevate the Five Phoenixes. Of course, fully integrating and converting such reserves would take time.
But time was no concern for Lu.
The Five Phoenixes had their time acceleration array—digesting the gains would be effortless.
His only worry now was whether the expedition force could secure victory.
Yet Lu had great faith in them.
Each had endured the trials of the time-reversal secret realm, struggling in desperation, clawing their way back from the brink.
Their minds had been forged into unbreakable steel.
That was why Lu dared send them on this campaign.
In the ancient tomb,
emaciated Gu Mangran waved a hand.
Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
An image projected within the tomb.
Lu Changkong, busy hybridizing spirit herbs, paused. Bu Nanxing, assisting him, stared in shock.
“Young Master Lu sent them to conquer Blood Evil Heaven in the name of reckoning.”
Gu Mangran explained, mainly for Lu Changkong’s benefit.
Lu Changkong’s eyes narrowed with gravity.
Bu Nanxing drew a sharp breath.
Insane!
The Hexagram Minor World—a Yan Five!
He recognized the expedition members—they were monstrous talents, true.
But none had reached Immortal Transformation. How could they win?
“This is a wager of all Dao reserves. Young Master Lu’s reckoning means stripping them bare of every strand.”
Gu Mangran said.
“General, what are their chances?” Lu Changkong asked solemnly.
Bu Nanxing looked over as well.
Though skeletal, Gu Mangran smiled.
“If Young Master Lu dares make such a decision, he must be certain. Even if not ten out of ten, at least seven or eight.”
“Besides, Mingyue and Xianzhi are there.”
His eyes flickered.
Luo Mingyue and Ximen Xianzhi, inheritors of the Zither King and Sword King…
They were no weaklings.
…
Hexagram continent.
Above the vast land, clouds churned as mountain ranges coiled like dragons below.
The Immortal Ascension elder’s mind stirred, quickly deciding the team representatives.
Hum!
Mysterious ripples spread.
Five figures emerged amid the clouds.
Onlookers from the Hexagram continent scattered, clearing a massive expanse of sky for the arena.
The Hexagram team:
One Immortal Transformation expert, backed by four peak Tribulation Transcenders.
A lineup befitting a Yan Five.
A single Immortal Transformation could usually dictate the outcome!
Even in Pingyang Heaven, only the Great Venerable of Little Thunderclap had reached that realm.
Immortal Transformation experts were no joke.
“No restrictions. Life and death decided by fate.”
The elder’s hair whipped in the wind as he spoke calmly.
Since they were competing…
Let it be brutal.
In his view, victory was assured.
As for Lu Ping’an—
His arrogance wouldn’t last. Word of his actions in Blood Evil Heaven would soon reach the Upper Realm.
The Cloud Clan, whose divine son he had beaten into seclusion, would never let him go.
Thus, this battle was also about stalling the Five Phoenixes forces.
“Any objections?”
The elder swept his gaze over the Five Phoenixes group.
Du Longyang and the others met it with razor-sharp eyes. In their minds, scenes from the time-reversal realm resurfaced—faces of the slain flashing before them.
Killing intent surged like a blaze!
“Let’s fight!”
Du Longyang, clad in black, gripped his Martial Emperor Spear with one hand, voice ice-cold.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Luo Mingyue’s goose-yellow dress fluttered. A pipa appeared in her hands as she sat serenely amid the clouds, like a celestial maiden.
Ximen Xianzhi stood beside her, sword case on his back, robes billowing, hands clasped behind him.
Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, and Ni Chunqiu readied themselves.
Thousands of meters away, high in the sky, stood the Hexagram experts.
The Immortal Transformation expert sat cross-legged, four Tribulation Transcenders poised.
“Begin!”
Boom!
The command rang out.
Terrifying auras clashed above the heavens, instantly shredding the clouds!
The four near-Immortal Transformation Tribulation Transcenders of the Hexagram streaked forward like rainbows, unleashing full power from the start.
This was a wager of everything—how could they hold back?
The skies darkened as though night had fallen.
Du Longyang laughed.
Radiant and heroic, his spirit soared.
These people had sought to conquer Five Phoenixes land, to slaughter its people!
In the time-reversal realm, they had witnessed endless carnage, endured unimaginable despair.
The pressure they had shouldered there dwarfed anything these four could muster!
“I, Du Longyang, hail from the Tianyuan domain. Though Tianyuan was not originally part of the Five Phoenixes… the day it merged, I became a man of the Five Phoenixes—for life!”
Du Longyang roared.
His Martial Emperor Spear bent, then thrust forward—a streak of starlight piercing the darkness.
Fearlessly, he met all four Tribulation Transcenders alone!
“We come by Holy Lord Lu’s command to settle accounts with you!”
“We will prove it all… with an overwhelming victory!”
Boom!
Above the heavens,
the two sides collided.
Du Longyang held off four alone, undaunted!
Ye Shoudao, cold and stoic, gripped his blade with his single arm. He closed his eyes slowly.
Memories of Tianyuan flooded back.
Yet nothing in Tianyuan compared to any battle after joining the Five Phoenixes!
Du Longyang was right—they were from Tianyuan, but Tianyuan belonged to the Five Phoenixes. They, too, were people of the Five Phoenixes!
Ye Shoudao opened his eyes.
His robes whipped wildly.
His blade slashed out.
One stroke birthed thousands of blade shadows.
One became two, two became four, four became ten thousand!
Ni Chunqiu’s red robes swirled. She wielded strips of red silk—mere cloth, yet each cut like the sharpest sword, laced with terrifying slicing power.
In her eyes appeared the white-robed figure of Lu.
She was Brother Lu’s little fangirl, but she was also chasing his footsteps.
In this era, if you didn’t advance madly, you didn’t even qualify to be a fangirl!
The former three overlords of Tianyuan unleashed dazzling techniques in this moment.
All wielding fifth-sequence Dao intent.
Like three radiant rainbows, perfectly coordinated, erupting with devastating might.
Explosions thundered endlessly. Clouds tore apart; the atmosphere itself seemed to shatter.
Everyone on the Hexagram continent stared in shock, as though heavenly thunder raged above.
Boom!
One Tribulation Transcender was hurled downward, crashing into a mountain range. The peaks came alive under his control, seized and flung back.
Du Longyang’s spear thrust down, spear intent swirling, pulverizing the mountains!
Ye Shoudao’s blade art—taught by Lu himself—possessed unrivaled killing power.
In this initial clash, the four Hexagram Tribulation Transcenders were evenly matched against the three!
Onlookers across the void gasped.
“How can Five Phoenixes cultivators be this strong?!”
Experts watching exclaimed in disbelief.
Even the hovering Immortal Ascension elder focused intently, a bad premonition rising.
“The Five Phoenixes’ cultivation method differs from the norm…”
“Back when they were all Unity realm, they defeated forces with Tribulation Transcenders…”
“But that time they had someone mastering army formations. This battle lacks that—so suspense remains.”
Some who had witnessed the earlier Grand Competition against the Star Moon Minor World spoke up.
Yet compared to then, Du Longyang and the others were vastly stronger now.
Not just in raw power—
Their greatest leap was in willpower.
A momentum forged crawling through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, born from great terror and despair!
“What are you waiting for?!”
Sensing trouble, the elder barked coldly at the seated Immortal Transformation expert.
The expert moved instantly!
Boom!
Immortal Transformation—a metamorphosis after surviving heavenly tribulation, a stepping stone to Immortal Ascension.
Primordial spirit and golden body refined to their pinnacle.
As he charged,
pipa notes rang out.
“City Lord Du, fight to your heart’s content… leave this Immortal Transformation to me.”
Amid the music, Ximen Xianzhi smiled lightly.
His fingers pressed together, sword intent surging in his pupils.
Faintly, his silhouette overlapped with a withered skeletal daoist.
“Though the Four Kings are gone, their legacies endure.”
Ximen Xianzhi spoke softly.
His billowing robes stiffened, infused with upright sword energy.
He brushed two fingers across his sword case.
Clang!
A torrent of sword energy cascaded from the heavens like a mighty river.
Countless strands swirled around him.
“Come on!”
Ximen Xianzhi laughed heartily.
He hailed from the Sword Pavilion, once called the “sword maniac,” obsessed with the blade.
In the era of the Hundred Schools, he was a genius swordsman.
He secluded himself to perfect techniques, only to emerge into a new age of cultivation.
Gifted yet always lagging, a lone boat in the tide of the cultivation era.
But he believed himself a sheathed blade, awaiting the day it would be drawn.
Today was that day!
He had devoted his life to the sword—for one purpose:
To slay enemies!
“Courting death!”
The Hexagram Immortal Transformation expert charged like a ferocious beast, aura overwhelming.
He struck with a palm, condensed power threatening to crush Ximen Xianzhi!
A mere early Tribulation Transcender daring to block an Immortal Transformation?!
Clear pipa notes resounded.
Amid the clouds, the goose-yellow-clad maiden sat like a painting.
Slender fingers danced across the strings, sound waves rolling like tides.
Crisp and melodious, like pearls falling on jade.
The waves enveloped Ximen Xianzhi,
causing his aura to skyrocket, climbing relentlessly!
The Immortal Ascension elder’s expression changed drastically.
He stared at Luo Mingyue and Ximen Xianzhi.
“Under the Blood-Robed General… the Zither King and Sword King…”
His body trembled faintly. These two were inheritors of the Zither and Sword Kings!
Demonic figures who once drenched the Nihility Heaven in blood.
The Immortal Transformation expert’s golden body blazed like a dharma idol, towering dozens of zhang, striking like an enraged vajra.
Before it, Ximen Xianzhi seemed tiny.
Yet he laughed with unrestrained joy.
His fingers spun the sword ceaselessly.
Sword King—why dare claim kingship over swords?
Ximen Xianzhi had obsessed over swordplay, only to realize upon entering true sword cultivation that all his prior practice had been wasted.
True swordsmanship was a vast great Dao.
He remembered the withered daoist cleaving an Upper Realm emissary with one strike.
That daoist had been at the end of his life, sustained only by the tomb’s restored spiritual energy—barely Yin God level.
Yet he had slain an Immortal Transformation with a single sword.
Ximen Xianzhi might not match the old Sword King’s peerless mastery and boundless dominance.
But…
Slaying an Immortal Transformation during his own tribulation—was that too much to ask?
Especially with the Zither King’s music aiding him…
If he couldn’t manage even this, how could he claim the title of Sword King?!
Sword intent surged from Ximen Xianzhi.
His blade rounded into flawless jade, light swirling.
“Sword, rise!”
Boom!
His robes flared. Without gripping the sword, he pointed forward, meeting the Immortal Transformation palm head-on!
Utter focus filled his eyes,
like the relentless practice on the great plaza long ago.
With his body as center,
within a hundred zhang, endless jade-like sword energy soared skyward.
Each strand became a dragon, converging in a roar.
Pfft!
The Immortal Transformation palm was torn apart by his sword!
“Impossible?!”
The expert’s heart jolted.
His primordial spirit flower and golden body flower bloomed,
unleashing ferocious aura.
He punched, clashing with the cascading sword torrent.
Shockwaves and shattered sword energy raged.
Ximen Xianzhi stood in the heavens, a withered daoist’s shadow faintly behind him.
Clang clang clang!
Pipa notes rang gracefully,
then exploded mid-air.
The music materialized, like heavenly demons dancing wildly.
Golden chimes bound the Immortal Transformation expert, restricting his movement!
In this moment, it was as though the new Sword King and new Zither King fought in perfect harmony!
Ximen Xianzhi’s eyes lit up, robes whipping.
He raised his sword fingers like a sword god incarnate.
Pointing distantly at the expert’s crown.
Then he slashed downward—as though dropping a heavenly blade!
Sword energy boiled. Thousands of strands wove together into one terrifying, massive beam!
One sword’s chill light illuminates nineteen continents!
Pfft!
The strike pierced the Immortal Transformation expert’s skull. Both primordial spirit flower and golden body flower were severed!
Boom!
The expert roared in fury, breaking the golden bindings, hammering with dharma idol waves.
Young Master Lu might casually “brush” past and slay Immortal Transformations,
but they were truly formidable!
Ximen Xianzhi’s sword seemed on the verge of shattering!
Yet Luo Mingyue, face cold, half-veiled behind her pipa, goose-yellow skirts dancing, fingers flying even as blood mist sprayed from them—unflinching.
The once-sharp notes transformed into terrifying blades.
Crisscrossing, they formed a mysterious domain, shredding the expert’s flesh to bloody ribbons!
Pfft!
Ximen Xianzhi shuddered, blood spraying from his mouth, yet his sword fingers continued tracing the air.
Sword energy like a pillar—suddenly exploded the expert’s body!
The team battle’s sole Immortal Transformation expert was thunderously slain by Luo Mingyue and Ximen Xianzhi in absolute dominance!
His primordial spirit fled.
But how could a fragile spirit withstand the sweeping sword rain and terrifying pipa onslaught?
The Immortal Transformation primordial spirit was forcibly erased!
Amid drifting blood rain,
Luo Mingyue and Ximen Xianzhi rose like two new kings.
…
In the ancient tomb,
emaciated Gu Mangran stared at Luo Mingyue and Ximen Xianzhi.
Faintly, he saw familiar figures who once fought beside him.
He smiled openly.
Though the Four Kings are gone, their legacies live on.
…
Blood Evil Heaven fell deathly silent.
The Immortal Ascension elder’s breathing quickened. The higher the realm, the harder to leapfrog—Unity realm might slay Tribulation, but Tribulation slaying Immortal Transformation…
Near impossible!
“Zither King and Sword King…”
His hair and beard whipped wildly, gaze icy.
Yet he wasn’t overly shocked by the leapfrog kill.
After all… these were the inheritors of the two kings under the Blood-Robed General!
Ximen Xianzhi’s hair flew. Sword fingers traced the air lightly.
In the next instant, sword energy materialized from nothing,
enveloping the four remaining Hexagram Tribulation Transcenders!
Ye Shoudao’s blade shadows crisscrossed.
Blade and sword formed a terrifying killing field!
Blood rain poured. In an instant, the four Tribulation experts became bloody paste.
Their primordial spirits wailed,
only to be wrapped and strangled by red silk!
Amid the blood rain, faint anguished soul cries echoed…
Luo Mingyue sat serenely on blood-colored clouds.
Ximen Xianzhi sheathed his flying swords. Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, and Ni Chunqiu radiated killing intent.
A crushing victory.
On foreign soil, the campaign of reckoning had begun.
