Chapter 773

Only dragons die in battle; none surrender.

Yinglong roared across eternity, clashing with Wu Zhiqi; she fought until she went mad, until she went berserk.

She flew into a complete rage; that awesome power was terrifying, enough to shatter heaven and earth, to cast the obscure and vast into chaos, to make the sun and moon vanish, and to bring all things to an end.

Yinglong struck across heaven and earth, causing the boundless mountains and rivers to sink and collapse.

She fought to the death, growing braver with each battle, terrifying the world; her blood‑courage pounded in the hearts of all beings, making their hearts dance together, turning that spirit into fighting strength.

"Huh? Dim and unresponsive!" the Yao Marshal Wu Zhiqi sneered on the surface, but inside he grew more solemn, daring not to be the slightest bit careless or underestimate the enemy.

Because he realized—this youngster isn't easy to handle, is he?

This is only natural, after all, as the saying goes: when one attains the Way, even one's chickens and dogs ascend to heaven.

And what of Yinglong?

She followed the representative of the Way of Humanity, walking through this era, relying on a backing as solid as could be.

Moreover, there is a successor to the Dragon Ancestor, tempered through slaughter and battle, granting her boundless potential, which shines forth in continual forging.

When death loomed ever closer, she grasped the truth of survival; her dragon eyes burst with brilliant light, she revived amidst the ruins, and in dire straits she seized the hope of great life.

The Great Expansion numbers fifty, of which forty‑nine are used; one escapes… At this moment, Yinglong seemed to have obtained that "one".

Her spirit soared, in the dark she crossed a gulf as vast as a heavenly moat—the wisdom accumulated from countless campaigns and battles—now bursting forth, ready to open a brand‑new world.

Thus, despite being destined to lose, she stubbornly delayed defeat, avoided a quick loss, and held out until the dawn of a turning point arrived.

"Kill!"

A murderous aura that shook the ages filled the fields; the banner of the Xiahou clan swept across the sky, and a Human King radiated boundless light, illuminating the entire Huai River.

"Expel the Heavenly Court, rally our people!"

The Human King's shout echoed through the ages.

Wen Ming has arrived!

He came in person, leading an elite force, with a "local snake" as his guide.

—that was the Tushan clan, a major strong tribe among the Eastern Barbarians, commanding considerable forces.

Now this great clan has struck back against the Bird Master.

Bearing Chong Hua's awe‑inspiring presence, they stood side by side with the Xiahou clan.

Providing cover and support, they let Wen Ming enter the heart of the Bird Master's domain and charge straight for the Huai River Pass.

Of course, it's hard to say whether behind this there was Chong Hua's deliberate indulgence, a ploy to lure opponents out so they could be caught all at once.

But no matter what, Wen Ming has arrived!

The Tushan clan rallied for him; by the grass, a girl glanced askance, and a nine‑tailed white fox, teeth bared and claws brandished, raised its voice shouting in human speech—

"Humanity thrives! Long live King Wen Ming!"

"Humanity thrives! Long live King Wen Ming!"

Huh.

A fox of the Eastern Barbarians speaking human language—quite reasonable.

Even more reasonable, this nine‑tailed white fox is still the totem of the Tushan clan—there's nothing wrong with that.

Hmm… perhaps someone might have an opinion.

But after today, those "warriors" may selectively lose their sight, their hearing, even their memory.

Because Wen Ming came fully prepared!

He had prepared a tremendous treasure!

But the chief opponent now, Wu Zhiqi, is unaware of it… or rather, he knows something, but he knows it wrong.

The murderous aura coming forth was not the Slay Immortal Sword Formation, but…

The Heaven‑Opening Divine Axe!

So, although he is tense right now, he can still manage a smile.

"Here it comes! Here it comes!"

"Another one coming to die!"

Wu Zhiqi's power surged, repelling Yinglong; he spread his arms and shouted loudly, "Xiahou clan! How dare you still penetrate the territory of my Heavenly Court?"

"If that's the case, I will grant you eternal rest."

"Heavenly River Divine Formation, arise!"

He unleashed the Killer's Trick!

Thus, at this moment, heaven and earth grew grim and deadly.

Boundless killing and choking qi surged from the Huai River, sweeping across endless time, space, heaven and earth, resonating with the Heavenly River.

For a fleeting instant, the Huai River ceased to be itself, becoming indistinguishable from the Heavenly River.

The Huai River—its river god is Wu Zhiqi… and the Heavenly River is also a river!

Such power was in his grasp, and countless myriads of elite demons entered the formation to serve him; with the three powers of heaven, earth and man fulfilled, it transformed into the ultimate military array, a killing formation.

This is the Heavenly Court's home turf!

Eerie blood‑light spread across the land; countless demon soldiers and generals there combined their power perfectly, gathering and dispersing at will, empowering Wu Zhiqi, so that his aura seemed to reach some limit, his divine might boundless.

Certainly, this Yao Marshal is a pawn of Di Jun, set out openly to lure the enemy into a trap… but that never meant he was weak!

On the contrary, he is still very strong!

Especially now, he is still fighting on his home ground!

He will restrain and even suppress all foes, creating the perfect opportunity for Chong Hua and the absolute kill of the Demon‑Slaying Sword.

Yinglong let out a mournful roar; at that moment the Dragon Master bled to death, and countless soldiers fell.

Wenming gave a long whistle; even if the commander's elite troops came to kill, it still seemed difficult.

Wu Zhiqi truly became the Yao Marshal at first, but today he shines brilliantly.

"Despair!"

"Give up!"

Wu Zhiqi burst into loud laughter, "Or perhaps, what surprise do you have for me?"

"Is it the Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation?"

"What a pity!"

Without favorable timing and advantageous terrain, even holding this killing formation, what use is it?

"Useless!"

All that awaits you is the fate of destruction!

In the blood rain, these are the Yao Marshal's ravings.

The flame of humanity's destiny flickers now, as if it could be extinguished at any moment.

Until a certain moment!

"Crack!"

Heaven and earth were torn apart, and another reinforcement arrived.

That is the Nine Li Clan!

They also had guides; an elite force covertly approached, only then erupting in hostility here, they fiercely attacked Huai Pass, attempting to coordinate inside and outside, to meet the breakout of the Dragon Army remnants guided by Jieyin.

"Great!"

Wu Zhiqi's divine form towers to the heavens, golden eyes and snow-white fangs, revealing a chilling smile: "Huan Dou! And also Three Miao… you dare to rebel as well?!"

"Chonghua has treated you most generously!"

"Different paths, no need to plot together." Among the Nine Li Clan's elite army, Huan Dou gave a low response: "Let's see the true skills in action."

As the words fell, the Nine Li Clan's attack became fiercely violent.

They emerged from the most brutal meat-grinder battlefield!

On the brink of life and death, each had nearly cultivated an immortal golden body, indestructible against myriad calamities; now they fiercely charged into Huai Waters, aiming to disrupt the Heavenly Court's battle line and create opportunities for other allies.

"Good! Good! Good!"

Wu Zhiqi coldly snorted, "Then let's see how I will slaughter you all cleanly today!"

He raised an iron rod and swung it with force, as if to crush everything between heaven and earth!

……

"Everything, indeed as I expected."

Wu Zhiqi is in the light, Chonghua in the dark.

Compared to the blood-soaked Yao Marshal, the Sovereign is clearly more composed, with a leisurely mind, writing down names one by one.

"We've caught many fish."

"The Tushan Clan, the Three Miao Clan…"

"These guys, each one is born with a rebellious bone!"

"What a pity, they don't realize… just how terrifying the opponent truly is."

"The result of jumping out is death!"

"The Heavenly Court offers a path, but you refuse to take it… then I have no choice but to send you to reincarnation."

"After this battle, I will thoroughly erase all traces of these rebels' existence…"

He made the decision in a casual, offhand manner.

"Slaughter."

"Exile."

"And so on, and so on."

It was once not easy to act upon.

But today, someone voluntarily presented the evidence, handing him the hilt of the blade.

What need is there for politeness then?

Naturally, it is to eradicate all hidden threats that would affect his great undertaking!

"All right."

"Wu Zhiqi's task of fishing is complete… now it's my turn to appear and grant them a final blow."

Chonghua raised his hand, made a grasping motion, and the Slayer-Witch Sword came into his hand.

He lightly plucked, the sword hummed, and a faint mournful song resonated.

The Sovereign's form faded, appearing and disappearing, the drawn sword existing only for an instant!

……

Wu Zhiqi has already seized the initiative on the battlefield.

He is the Yao Marshal, destined to be the strongest in cultivation realm here on the surface… even Yinglong and Chiyou would fall short by three parts.

This place is also the Heavenly Court's home ground, with countless restrictive formations laid out over ages.

Moreover, the troops are elite and numerous… even if the Dragon Army, Xia Clan, and Nine Li Clan forces combined, they still cannot match the number of heavy troops the Heavenly Court has stationed here.

With such a trump card in hand, how could one possibly lose?

Wu Zhiqi holding the upper hand is utterly normal.

But, having the upper hand is one thing; seeking a quick victory is also unrealistic… after all, the mighty have come for the Dragon Army, and the Dragon Army merely needs to break through to win.

There's no need to fight to the death.

As long as one finds the opportunity, breaks through the encirclement, and then departs triumphantly… the Heavenly Court's face will lose all luster!

The Yao Marshal naturally also understands this principle... therefore he focuses more on leveraging his own strengths, consciously targeting hostile heavyweight figures, abandoning petty gains, only taking the most important objectives!

Pulling and restraining, he took a liking to Yinglong, to Chiyou, to Wenming, striking them heavily, trapping them here to create an opportunity for Chonghua's strike!

A heaven-supporting iron rod stirred the boundless primordial qi of the vast mountains and rivers, infinitely heavy, as if even the Suiyue Changhe could be shattered, letting the past no longer continue, letting the future no longer arrive.

That divine monkey fought to frenzy, displaying full divine might in the fierce battle; without sparing any cost, he finally unleashed the most perfect rhythm.

"Break... Break... Break!"

Astonishing world-shaking triple strike, under the monkey's three staff blows, heaven and earth shattered, time and space collapsed... Wenming retreated, Yinglong sank, Chiyou even more so had his defenses wide open, revealing a fatal flaw!

"Die then!"

Wuzhong Qi's eyes blood-red with ferocity, he pursued the victory, as if already seeing the imminent scene of victory.

Under the violent staff wind of the flood-filled extreme lands, a dim sword light silently slipped across, plain and unremarkable.

That is a situation only the Yao Marshal understands; it is the Heavenly Emperor carrying out slaughter!

However, it is precisely at this moment!

"Hum!"

Heaven and earth trembled!

A divine wind came from the vast void; in the previous instant it was still soft and weak like a spring breeze, merely sweeping past unnoticed.

The next instant, it became a boundless wind filling the nine wilds! A storm!

It swept over the eternal mountains and rivers, like the Suiyue Changhe—illusory yet irresistible—shifting the universe's impermanence, moving the trajectories of all things.

Before such a divine wind, Wuzhong Qi changed color.

His iron rod is indeed infinitely heavy, capable of smashing and destroying all things, but facing such an intangible, formless opponent that seems to exist everywhere in heaven and earth, what can he do?

Even shatter the entire Honghuang heaven and earth together?

If he had such ability, what would he still be doing as a Yao Marshal!

Even the Yao Emperor's seat would have to invite him to sit!

At the first moment, Wuzhong Qi felt it.

—— A terrifyingly powerful opponent has come!

This opponent, on the path of cultivation, has gone farther than he!

"Who could it be?"

He felt doubtful in his heart.

"Who is it?!"

He also questioned in that way.

"It is I, Jiu Li... Feng Bo!"

With the wind's whisper, a figure came sweeping in, moving above the nine heavens; that speed was terrifying, actually directly bypassing the iron rod's obstruction, in an instant killing to Wuzhong Qi's face!

"Swish!"

The violent wind gathered into a blade-like strand, like a tangible blade; with a lift of the hand it pierced Wuzhong Qi's body, tearing open a huge blood wound.

"Splash!"

Divine blood dyed a stretch of mountains and rivers red, letting the Huai River run entirely crimson!

And at the instant Wuzhong Qi's furious sweep passed, that figure vanished again; the timing was seized to perfection, fully displaying the strength of his battle consciousness.

"Such power, such aura, such Dao traces..."

Wuzhong Qi roared, his tone tinged with disbelief: "Feng Bo... no! You are Fei Lian!"

Such a roar is undoubtedly a heavyweight bomb, exploding in the hearts of countless people.

Feng Bo?

Fei Lian?

A divine general of the Jiu Li clan?

Actually becoming entwined with a deceased Yao Marshal of the Heavenly Court?!

What on earth is going on?!

Such a startling change even caused Chonghua, who had already silently sent out a destructive sword light, to hide his figure again.

"The Yao Marshal Fei Lian has long been dead..." Feng Bo vanished in all directions, omnipresent, displaying transcendence.

Without a doubt, as an existence not dragged down by the demon calamity, he is strong!

Perfect strength!

Transcending the version's foundation, it gives him limitless composure: "Those still alive now are Feng Bo Fei Lian..."

"Young monkey, you must be able to understand..."

"If it were not for Houtu Lady intentionally giving me this opportunity, letting me return, how could I stand before you today?"

Feng Bo let out a long, lingering sigh.

"You have betrayed the Heavenly Court! Your sin is unforgivable!"

Wuzhong Qi said coldly.

"Moreover… do you know that, with your betrayal, all your past merits in the Heavenly Court have come to nothing!"

"That doomed ship, destined to sink, merely struggles to survive… as fellow Yao Marshals, I am ashamed to be alongside you!"

"Haha!" Feng Bo laughed, "The outcome is undecided, who will win the deer is still unknown; why not place a new bet? Just like now, if Dragon Master can break free of his shackles, the final victory still counts!"

"Exactly!" Chiyou let out a long whistle in the high heavens, "Things are made by people; what is there predestined?!"

"Wuzhong Qi, we have won this round!"

"Nüwa Lady has schemed for millennia, laid the piece at the dawn of ages, already stored away countermeasures for all kinds of dangers…… Do you really think our expedition is unprepared?"

"Everything, all of it, is within our expectations!"

Chiyou shouted loudly.

"Well said."

A light chuckle followed, "Then… how about this? Is it within your expectations?"

"Hiss!"

"Pfft!"

The sound of a sharp blade piercing the heart.

The sound of spitting blood.

They came together.

Chiyou lowered his head with difficulty and saw a blade shining brilliantly.

Chonghua appeared.

At the same moment, the girl's face paled.

"Wait… this sword?!"

She was dazed.

"How is that possible?"

However, no matter how unbelievable it is, reality will not change.

Such a murderous weapon as the Slaughter Witch Sword has disrupted too many plans.

With this sword's aid, wanting to kill Chonghua… how could that be possible?

The girl's face was filled with worry.

——This is definitely an accident!

However…

But the accident is far more than just this!

"Of course!"

"Everything is under control!"

In response to Chonghua's curious inquiry, someone gave a merciful answer.

"Mother Nüwa, cultured and martial, virtuous through the ages, unifier of Honghuang!"

"With your meager skills, how could you escape her control?"

As the words fell, a ball of light leapt from Wenming's hand.

That is the light that opened up Honghuang and created myriad worlds!

A delicate, small axe spun about, rejoicing in that light, as if cheering for its own existence!

"Chonghua!"

"Have you ever wondered what great treasure I have prepared for you?"

"Now you see it!"

Wenming smiled; at this moment his ordinary body seemed to possess infinite power.

He raised the axe high, locked onto Chonghua's position, and brought it down with force!

At this very moment.

Too many twists unfolded.

The Heaven-Opening Divine Axe emerged.

Wenming smiled.

Chonghua stood stunned.

The girl was dazed.

The three fishing guests.

Together they directed the most ludicrous tragicomedy!

(End of Chapter)