Bones littered the ground.
The world fell silent…
The Myriad Rune Cauldron had shattered, yet the dazzling brilliance of its final moment lingered in everyone’s mind.
Like a radiant tear through endless darkness.
Qi Liujia—sect leader of the Liujia Array Sect, a complete underdog, a wanderer of the Void Heaven—had, at the moment of the Five Phoenixes’ greatest peril, unleashed heaven-shaking might.
As if briefly reviving the will of an Ancient Emperor. It even affected the imperial cauldron carried by three Immortal Hosts above.
Yet…
A moment’s splendor was fleeting.
The Myriad Rune Cauldron ultimately dispersed. Qi Liujia’s primordial spirit had extinguished—like a sacrifice, dying with generosity.
With his own strength, he had cleared countless obstacles for the Five Phoenixes.
“Master…”
Li Sansui stood dazed on the battlefield. Qi Liujia had perished—body and bones gone.
She stared at the field of bones, body ice-cold.
She had deeply respected the old man. She had often listened to him speak of the Ancient Emperor, of the Liujia Array Sect.
But now…
Her master was dead.
The Five Phoenixes’ cultivators fell silent, looking at the bones, feeling the cruelty of war.
Their hearts trembled.
Overlord felt rage surging within, as if ready to burst from his body.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Qi Liujia’s final words had struck him hard.
Work hard to cultivate. Make the Five Phoenixes stronger.
Next moment, Overlord opened his eyes.
He had always pursued strength, but never with such intensity.
If not for their weakness, why would Qi Liujia have needed to sacrifice himself?!
A black-robed figure appeared beside Li Sansui. Li Sansi patted her shoulder, but could find no words of comfort.
What could he say?
Qi Liujia’s death was to ease their burden.
All because they were too weak.
All they could do was grow stronger.
That was Qi Liujia’s lifelong wish.
Qi Liujia was dead.
Unleashing the Myriad Rune Cauldron required burning his primordial spirit—his soul. Its extinction meant the soul’s end.
Thus—
Qi Liujia’s death filled every Five Phoenixes heart with inexplicable sorrow.
But alongside sorrow…
A savage force crashed into their minds.
Their desire to grow stronger began to grow wildly.
Though the Five Phoenixes’ cultivators had never stopped striving—
With White Jade Capital and Lu Fan present, they felt no pressure. As the Five Phoenixes transformed, they grew stronger with little effort.
Qi Liujia had seen this. He had been dissatisfied but powerless to change it.
Perhaps Young Master Lu knew too, but Qi Liujia understood—Lu Fan would never speak of it. Lu Fan always seemed apart from the world.
Qi Liujia didn’t understand why, nor did he pry.
Everyone had secrets.
Especially the unfathomable Young Master Lu.
What Qi Liujia knew was—if the Five Phoenixes continued like this, even under Lu Fan’s lead to surpass Fourth or Third-grade, even reaching Second or First-grade—
The people of the Five Phoenixes might become the obstacle holding it back!
Thus, in his final moments, he had spoken his lifelong wish.
The ground was cold with bones.
The Upper Realm’s ninety thousand troops had crashed onto the blood-colored battlefield as bones, along with ferocious beast corpses.
Qi Liujia’s final brilliance had stunned the world.
Of course, this was also because the army consisted of Nascent Divinity experts and some unlucky Grand Ability ones.
If all had been Grand Ability experts, even igniting divine herb energy, Qi Liujia’s Myriad Rune Cauldron could not have caused such terror and awe.
But the battle was not over.
It had only just begun!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Above the heavens—
After the light faded, figures emerged.
Upper Realm Unity and Transcendent experts stood.
Ascended Immortals floated beyond, expressions complex, lingering fear in their eyes as they gazed at the blood-colored battlefield.
“Kill.”
A calm voice drifted forth.
From the luxurious chariot in Pingyang Heaven—the Divine Son shrouded in purple qi spoke.
BOOM!
Next moment—these experts moved!
They became streaks of light. Without Qi Liujia’s obstruction, they crashed onto the blood-colored battlefield.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Rolling shockwaves scattered. Countless bones rolled across the battlefield.
Grand Ability auras shot skyward, nearly tearing the battlefield apart.
Ascended Immortals hovered beyond, watching coldly.
Qi Liujia’s outburst had cleared the Upper Realm’s ninety thousand troops, but most casualties were Nascent Divinity experts and some unlucky Grand Ability ones.
Most experts still lived.
But they sensed something different.
The Five Phoenixes’ cultivators no longer feared them as before. Instead, they felt soaring killing intent.
Even weak Golden Core cultivators radiated killing intent.
“Fight!”
Jiang Li in silver armor, face ice-cold.
Qi Liujia had been someone he respected. An old man willing to die generously for the Five Phoenixes!
What reason did Jiang Li have to hide behind?!
Young Master Lu had been drawn away—life or death unknown.
Without Young Master Lu, did the Five Phoenixes have no power to resist?!
BOOM!
The blood-soaked Great Xuan iron riders roared.
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They might not be strong, only Body Storage Realm cultivators, but at this moment—they feared no battle!
In this moment, Jiang Li gained a special enlightenment.
The army’s auras united, forming the blood-colored war god.
Jiang Li’s primordial spirit trembled—transforming, condensing a primordial spirit flower!
Beneath his silver armor, he smiled.
Though this breakthrough was a drop in the ocean—
Every bit of strength counted. Victory!
Upper Realm experts attacked coldly, streaking as light.
Terrifying energy slashed out, carving countless ravines across the blood-colored battlefield.
Jiang Li gathered the army’s power, fighting several Transcendents to a standstill.
Overlord too battled several Transcendents to madness!
Demonic qi rolled around him, on the verge of breakthrough.
A zither’s notes rang out.
Luo Mingyue from the tomb returned. Having inherited the Piano King’s legacy, she killed coldly.
Her ten fingers danced. Sound waves trapped and slew Grand Ability experts!
Ximen Xianzhi drifted in.
Having inherited the Sword King’s legacy, he slashed—one strike, sword qi like thunder within ten, twenty, thirty zhang!
The Five Phoenixes showed unprecedented resilience.
In the void—
The blood-colored battlefield cracked.
Cultivators from the Five Phoenixes’ lands surged forth. The battlefield truly became one of life and death!
Upper Realm experts attacking the Five Phoenixes were stunned.
Experts from Pingyang Heaven who had participated in the tournament were shocked.
They had not expected the Five Phoenixes’ resilience to be so terrifying—even stronger than imagined.
BOOM!
On the blood-colored battlefield, one after another peerless Five Phoenixes cultivator displayed their grace.
A white-robed swordsman, Unity Realm, slashed—each strike matching Transcendents, blade cries like mournful dragon roars.
In one corner, a disheveled scholar laughed, walking slowly.
Lotuses seemed to bloom from his mouth, words like pearls, eloquent!
With one aura, he forced several Unity experts back!
His presence like vast mountains.
A young girl sat atop a fire bird resembling a phoenix.
A painter’s brush drew scrolls—mountains and rivers suppressing the void.
The number of Grand Ability experts in the Five Phoenixes exceeded expectations.
But so what?
BOOM!
Three Ascended Immortals entered.
Vast auras rolled like waves.
The grieving Five Phoenixes erupted with unimaginable power—but so what?
Ascended Immortals acted. Without Saint Lord Lu—how could the Five Phoenixes resist?
Without Saint Lord Lu—they were nothing.
An Ascended Immortal sat in the void, smiling faintly.
He slapped out a palm.
A terrifying palm covered the sky, making Overlord and others feel ice-cold, as if to crush them into the ground.
Just as they refused to yield—
A cyan lotus quietly bloomed. One petal, two, three…
Nine petals bloomed, each resounding!
Lu Jiulian rose into the sky.
Above his head—primordial spirit flower, golden body flower, and a Dao Intent flower bloomed.
Three flowers gathered atop his head, spinning.
Lu Jiulian, already at the peak of Creation Venerable, in this moment—three flowers gathered, becoming one with heaven and man!
Three flowers atop the head—heaven and man as one!
Lu Jiulian pointed.
He actually repelled an Ascended Immortal’s attack.
“Why does he have an extra flower beyond primordial spirit and golden body?”
An Ascended Immortal was puzzled.
Lu Jiulian displaying Ascended Immortal combat power invigorated the Five Phoenixes!
The three Ascended Immortals unleashed terrifying pressure, as if to crush Lu Jiulian into the earth.
Awoo!
On the blood-colored battlefield—
Little Yinglong’s eyes blazed with rage.
The blood, the bones—his heart trembled.
Old Qi was dead.
The old man who often visited the island and sometimes played with him—was dead!
Ni Yu’s eyes were red, constantly stuffing pills into her mouth.
Standing on Little Yinglong’s back, fighting Grand Ability experts.
Though Ni Yu’s cultivation was weak, her black pot swung dazzlingly.
She had actually condensed a golden body flower. One Grand Ability expert struck by her pot was left dizzy.
Little Yinglong and Ni Yu together roamed the battlefield—comparable to a Transcendent!
But…
There were too many Upper Realm Grand Ability experts.
Little Yinglong bled.
Dragon scales shattered.
Ni Yu’s golden body showed cracks, but she paid no heed. Her white dress turned red.
She kept swallowing pills, having Little Yinglong carry her to deliver medicine to wounded Five Phoenixes cultivators.
The once stingy girl was now endlessly generous on the battlefield.
In the distance, Jing Yue’s body was blood-soaked.
Leaning on his sword, he tremblingly pulled a pill from his bloodied robes.
He looked—alas, it was crushed.
He smiled.
In the distance—
Ni Yu rode Little Yinglong over.
“Old Jing! Catch!”
Ni Yu flung several pills.
Jing Yue slapped them back with his sword.
“No need. Give to others. I have one.”
He said, then licked the crushed pill he had licked countless times and swallowed it.
BOOM!
Sword intent rolled around him.
One thrust!
A brilliant sword light appeared in the world.
Swordsman!
Master of killing!
Forward without retreat—he slashed a Transcendent, drawing blood.
Sword light faded.
Jing Yue staggered, leaning on his sword, and sat heavily on the ground.
…
Lu Jiulian sat cross-legged in the void.
Newly entered heaven-man realm, holding off three Ascended Immortals.
Cyan lotuses floated in the air—each containing extreme killing intent.
Lu Jiulian’s expression was calm, vowing to die rather than retreat.
Though he did not know who he was or where he came from—
He knew the Five Phoenixes had his family.
One cute little disciple—Tang Guo.
The three Ascended Immortals were somewhat uncertain.
Lu Jiulian’s resilience exceeded expectations.
The Five Phoenixes had another expert besides Saint Lord Lu.
But still only one. They beckoned.
Three more Ascended Immortals crossed over.
Six joined forces—determined to crush Lu Jiulian.
Killing him would deal a massive blow to the Five Phoenixes’ morale!
Suddenly—
The entire blood-colored battlefield fell silent for a moment.
A crimson color appeared.
A crimson dragon soared into the sky. Atop its back, a white-clothed girl stood quietly, eyes closed.
The Ascended Immortals rushing to support against Lu Jiulian felt their hearts leap.
“Those who bully Father—must die!”
Red lips parted. Words spoken.
No one knew what she said.
They just felt it was very domineering.
The girl opened her eyes.
Left eye black, right eye white.
Behind her—a black-white millstone rose.
Da da da da!
The three Ascended Immortals saw only black and white. Their bodies were crushed in the void!
Everyone was horrified.
The Five Phoenixes…
Had another such person!
…
The ancient tomb detached from the Five Phoenixes, floating in the Void Heaven.
Battle ripples spread far.
Four peerless figures guarded the tomb’s four sides. Upper Realm Immortal Hosts attacked constantly but always failed.
In truth, the Upper Realm experts knew—the Four Kings had only borrowed blood to regenerate. They were at the end of their strength, barely holding on.
Yet…
They could not break through these four spent forces—these decayed Four Kings!
The Piano King smiled beautifully, gently stroking her ancient zither. Lashes trembled as if lightly powdered. Ten fingers danced—tidal sound waves repelling attacking Immortal Hosts.
“Beings of the ancient era should have perished in time. Why cling to life?!”
An Immortal Host roared.
He raised a palm. Space shook. Immortal qi formed a terrifying whip capable of shattering mountains and rivers.
The handsome daoist Sword King smiled lightly.
As if dancing with his sword, he thrust gently.
The sword hid profound mystery.
The immortal qi whip shattered inch by inch.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Suddenly—
Every Immortal Host paled.
They heard powerful heartbeats—from deep within the tomb!
The Blood-Robed General was reviving!
The Immortal Hosts panicked. They gritted teeth, taking out treasure after treasure shrouded in immortal qi, unleashing even more terrifying power.
The Void Heaven’s space collapsed.
Yet…
They still could not breach the tomb.
But there was progress.
The Piano King’s ten fingers bled.
The Sword King’s tiger’s mouth split.
The War King’s armor cracked.
The Shadow King could no longer hide.
But the four smiled at each other and continued guarding.
The Piano King even began to sing. Her faint song echoed between the tomb’s palaces.
Accompanied by increasingly powerful heartbeats.
Suddenly—
A zither string snapped. The Piano King’s ten fingers bloomed with ten blood flowers. Her aura rapidly declined.
But as it declined—she smiled brilliantly.
“This general… welcomes the General.”
The Sword King leaned on his rusted sword like a withered bamboo.
The rusted sword was covered in cracks like him.
When his last wisp of sword qi faded, life force drained—
A smile appeared on his handsome face.
“This general… welcomes the General.”
The Shadow King and War King—two cold figures—also faded, standing atop the tomb, smiling lightly in welcome.
Suddenly—
A faint sigh drifted from the tomb’s depths.
Next moment—
BOOM!
A coffin lid tore through darkness, smashing palace walls, shooting from the depths!
…
Within the dragon head—
The “Zhe” rune hung quietly, trailing strands of light.
Silver blades stacked into the Thousand-Blade Chair. Lu Fan sat upon it, white robes fluttering.
His brows were furrowed. Killing intent blazed in his eyes.
Phoenix Feather Sword hovered around him, releasing rolling aura.
Array runes floated around.
In the distance, a robed figure sat at the bow of an ancient warship—like an immortal, face shrouded, immortal qi coiling like a divine dragon around his body.
The mist concealing his face dispersed, revealing an aged countenance.
The old man smiled faintly at Lu Fan.
Lu Fan looked at him too, expression terrifyingly calm.
The two stared in silence.
Gradually, the atmosphere grew strange.
The old man looked puzzled at Lu Fan. He had not seen the expected fear from this Five Phoenixes Saint Lord.
“You junior… why are you not afraid?”
The old man spoke.
He was an Immortal Host beyond Ascended Immortal—an immortal veteran of the Upper Realm.
Immortal Host realm—only Fifth-grade sacred ground Saint Lords or Fourth-grade worlds could produce.
“Why should I fear you?”
Lu Fan said calmly.
He put away the Spirit Pressure Chessboard, hands slowly resting on the armrests.
He did not know what was happening outside, but his heart suddenly jumped.
He dared not imagine the Five Phoenixes without him.
This time—Lu Fan was truly angry.
“You shouldn’t have pulled me into this array.”
Lu Fan said.
“Oh? You junior… so arrogant.”
The Immortal Host old man laughed.
“What realm are you?”
Lu Fan looked at the calm old man sitting on the warship and asked.
The old man smiled.
This one was scared.
“Above Ascended Immortal—Immortal Host.”
The old man spoke. He was in no rush. Attacking the Blood-Robed General’s tomb was extremely dangerous even with an imperial weapon.
He had unexpectedly been assigned to deal with this Five Phoenixes Saint Lord.
How could he not seize the opportunity?
Ending the fight too soon—once out of the array, the Divine Son would surely send him to attack the tomb.
The Blood-Robed General’s infamous name still made him tremble.
Thus, he was not anxious. He would drag this out with the Five Phoenixes Saint Lord.
When the outside battle was nearly over, he would slap this Saint Lord dead and exit.
“Immortal Host?”
Lu Fan lowered his head, hair falling, pondering the realm.
“You junior, why ask my realm? Afraid?”
The old man said, robes whipping.
“Afraid?”
Lu Fan raised his head. His hands on the armrests slowly pressed down.
Being pulled into this array had been unexpected. Even more unexpected—being suppressed by the “Zhe” rune.
The Nine Runes were Ancient Emperor laws. Even he could not easily break them.
Thus, to escape the array…
He had to kill this old man.
“Not really. Just asking your realm…”
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Demonic qi rolled around Lu Fan.
Next moment—he suddenly stood from the chair.
His eyes turned pitch-black. Demonic qi surged like a roar.
“So I can gauge my own strength.”
“Gauge my strength.”
The words fell.
The old man on the ancient warship’s smile gradually vanished.
“Special… constitution?!”
Next moment—
In his pupils—
Lu Fan’s figure became a black streak, instantly crossing the distance.
The Immortal Host old man’s neck suddenly tightened. The black shadow grabbed him and slammed him into the cabin!
BOOM!
Terrifying attacks surged within the cabin. The old man’s wretched cries rang out.
The ancient warship filled with age-old aura suddenly collapsed, exploding into fragments!
The immortal qi whips that had stood straight around the warship—
Fell limply, scattering.
