Chapter 625: Fierce Battle with the Immortal

Since the appearance of these mysterious existences, the situation on the field instantly reversed.

The name of Wan Yao Dian echoed in everyone's ears.

The North Hong creatures, who had just moments ago seemed like immortal soldiers and heavenly generals, scattered and fled in an instant; the massive dragon claw descending from the sky effortlessly tore apart their psychological defenses.

Not to mention the peach blossoms in the sky, which were so brilliant and dazzling, yet soul-stealing.

That was the aura of the Dao Realm, an supreme power of which there were only three in the entire Hongze!

The ancestral stele, the Liangdaohuang Sect's greatest pride, was just summoned when it was tightly grasped by the calamity-lion claws that blocked out the sun and moon, and its aura was further imprisoned by the Greedy Wolf Star Map.

Those famous sect leaders could only watch helplessly as their own immortal treasures were forcibly snatched away, having not the slightest means to respond.

What was even more shocking was that only two of the five Hall Masters had acted; the remaining three still stood there with an air of calm indifference, as if everything was under their control.

What spirit is this!

The San Hong cultivators, whose expressions had previously been dull and numb, now stood with their mouths wide open, eyes full of shock.

This is the true face of Wan Yao Dian.

They are not rats fleeing in the shadows, but ferocious beasts sleeping in the abyss; once awakened, they need only reveal their claws and fangs slightly to suppress the entire North Hong!

"Where is my brother! Where is Lu Xiao?!"

Qi Tianchuan transformed into a black long dragon, fleeing endlessly across the sky. For some reason, that half-step Dao Realm calamity lion, while controlling the Dao Stele, kept its mind fixed on him.

Finally, he erupted with a roar: "Immortal, there are evil demons causing chaos in Hongze; did you see it?!"

Accompanied by a mournful voice piercing heaven and earth, all the cultivators in the field involuntarily held their breath.

He almost forgot: the reason these two great powers could act with impunity was not that they could suppress the Four Hong, but because a true immortal stood behind them.

In an instant, the peach blossoms in the sky suddenly began to scatter.

The immortal array possessing Dao Realm power could not last even a single breath before dissipating into the firmament.

"I saw it."

With a calm voice, dense white clouds formed a long bridge spanning heaven and earth.

Under the shroud of pure qi, a figure with an indistinct face strode forward calmly; even the gently swaying sleeves of his flowing-cloud white shirt seemed capable of sweeping away the demonic qi filling the sky.

Heaven and earth became clear again, the sun and moon reappeared, and the scent of blood gradually vanished.

He stood quietly on the bridge, looking down gently.

The moment that gaze descended, the five fingers of Yue Tian tightly gripping the ancestral stele exploded violently!

"Pfft!"

Ke Shisan also seemed to have suffered a heavy blow; spitting out golden blood, his towering figure retreated repeatedly, looking somewhat ragged and unable to even stand steadily.

"Is this the look with which you gaze upon your parents?"

The immortal's calm voice, gentle as a spring breeze, quietly entered the ears of every living being.

The San Hong cultivators who had just experienced the destruction of their families and clans gradually began to tremble; their arms hung down one after another, the tightly held hand seals quietly dispersed, their five fingers weakly spread open, and the magical treasures they had gripped so tightly floated down lightly.

Yes, it was not demons or evil spirits, nor cruel villains, that took their lives.

It was the immortal officials sent by the Immortal Court, their parents who were supposed to protect them.

If a father orders a son to die... how dare he not go to his death?

The shock in the eyes of the many living beings gradually faded, turning once again into despair.

As the first figure knelt, the crowd, vast as Wang Yang, knelt down one after another.

Thump, thump, thump.

The figure on the white cloud bridge, high above, looked down upon the mortal world and calmly accepted the great tribute of all beings.

In the end, Hongze Daxian ignored that group of demon-stabilizing stones; after all, these were evil demons that needed to be slain, and he did not care.

He quietly gazed at those in the crowd who still remained standing.

Nanhongqi Sect.

Whether at the Heaven Realm or Soul Transformation, they all stood upright; even with pale faces, they refused to kneel.

The ten-thousand-year-old rumor, the destruction of Nanyang Sect, was already engraved in the hearts of every disciple.

The former sun of the Nanhong Seven, died in the hands of that figure draped in flowing pure qi, died beneath that spotless flowing-cloud white shirt.

Before the remaining six sect leaders, they dared not kneel!

A wooden man slowly stepped out from the crowd.

Xuan Qing arrived at the very front of Nanhongqi Sect, expressionless, looking up, straining to open his eyes wide, wanting to see clearly what the face beneath the pure qi actually looked like.

His presumptuous action clearly caused a ripple in the heart of Hongze Daxian.

"Heh."

The immortal shook his head and turned his gaze back to that pile of demon-stabilizing stones.

Alone, his figure thin, facing that group of terrifying forms blocking out the sky and moon, he slowly raised his palm.

With the might of the Immortal Court, he would suppress the crowd of demons.

Ke Shisan blocked in front of all the stabilizing stones; the scales on his body began to shatter rapidly, and his magnificent form gradually became covered in cracks.

In the blink of a finger, this group of ferocious beasts capable of shaking Hongze would be completely annihilated.

"You just said Hongze belongs to you?"

Hongze Daxian smiled slightly, watching as the body of that azure dragon gradually sank, its two knees smashing down onto the ground with a boom.

Behind Xuan Qing.

Ye Jiu silently raised his palm; towards that immortal figure, the Sword of Ten Thousand Things began to gather.

Of course, he knew that with his late Heaven Realm cultivation, he could pose no threat to this immortal official.

Yet he still raised his palm, still drew his sword, merely to show his stance.

In an instant, that azure dragon propped up its body with its arms; even though its legs exploded, it did not truly kneel.

It raised its head and let out a savage laugh: "You cur, have you forgotten? I have a master."

The instant the words fell, the faces of the six sect masters of Nanhong all changed at once.

The powerful beings of Wan Yao Dian, who had shown not the slightest ripple of emotion even when an immortal appeared, now had boundless reverence surging into their eyes.

As the dark-gold ceremonial robe fluttered, the remaining four hall masters besides Ke Thirteen suddenly led the gathered demons in a bowing salute.

Such uniform, eerie movements caused even those cultivators who had already submitted to look up in confusion.

There was no earth-shaking change.

Between the azure sky and the green sea, only a faint, barely perceptible distortion appeared.

Within the gaze of all beings of heaven and earth, a thin, lean figure stood in silence.

Before the five hall masters' reverent grand salute, that person hovered at the front of Wan Yao Dian.

The master of Wan Yao Dian was not, as all beings imagined, some rare and monstrous creature, but rather more like a quiet, reserved young man, forming a stark contrast with the terrifying fierce demons behind him.

That familiar ink-black robe was thus abruptly reflected in everyone's eyes.

"We greet our lord!"

The next instant, the fierce demons' unified roar surged to the heavens, thunderous, numbing the faces of all present.

Ye Jiu gripped his sword hilt tightly, Ji Jingxi's breathing grew ragged, Qi Yansheng was already trembling all over like a sieve… and countless disciples of the Nanhongqi Sect besides.

They raised their heads high, staring fixedly at the center of heaven and earth.

In the place where the southern sun hung high, its radiance filling the firmament and the Wang Yang, the youth standing still before the immortal was dazzlingly brilliant.

That person had emerged from the desolate treasure land of Nanyang, step by step walking to this place, once again illuminating all things and all beings!

"He's finally back." Qi Yansheng tugged at his collar, suddenly feeling an urge to laugh and cry at once.

"When did he ever leave?" A smile of relief appeared on Ji Jingxi's face.

Even facing an immortal, as long as Shen Yi stepped forward, it seemed everything still had a chance to turn around.

After all… that person had never once failed.

"So it's you who wants my Hongze?" Shiren finally saw this person; the other was even younger than he had imagined, and his realm was even lower than he had imagined.

Therefore, he suddenly felt very much like laughing.

"Mm." Shen Yi gave a slight nod of his chin, likewise sizing up this immortal.

He was truly curious—what manner of being was this, whose very existence Xuanqing's seniors had not dared to even imagine.

Seeing him with his own eyes now, it seemed nothing more than this.

Hearing this reply without the slightest hesitation, a hint of savagery crept into Shiren's smile: "On what grounds? On those unorthodox, demonic tricks of yours, stealing this seat's immortal power?"

As he spoke, he suddenly thrust out his palm, the Bai Xi seal hovering above it, and said playfully: "Go on, try again—are those crude tricks of yours still of any use before this seat?"

Between heaven and earth, the massive Bai Xi stood on four hooves, each treading upon one of the Four Hongs, suppressing all immortal power.

The instant the Bai Xi seal manifested—

All living beings of the Four Hongs felt that indescribable, suffocating sensation.

This was heavenly might!

Before this jade seal, they once again prostrated their bodies.

Before the Immortal Court, whether Hongze or Wan Yao Dian, both were so utterly insignificant.

That mortals cannot contend with immortals was an unchanging truth since time immemorial.

"Come, try it." Shiren raised an eyebrow, eyes full of amusement; before this young man who dared to challenge immortal might, he had finally lost a measure of an immortal's composure.

Sensing that familiar aura, Xuanqing's shoulders trembled slightly as he recalled the nightmare that had replayed for a hundred thousand years within his dreams.

Once again the same scene—still, the master of Nanyang stood before him.

The instant he saw the immortal raise his palm in the exact same manner, Xuanqing had already almost seen what would happen next; his features twisted as he looked back, starting from Li Qingfeng to every disciple of Nanyang, as if wanting to remember what each of them looked like.

"…"

Shen Yi suddenly lowered his gaze and let out a soft laugh.

Qinghua cursed well—truly a vile beast.

He shook his head, stepped forward, and walked toward the long bridge of piled white clouds that spanned the heavens.

"You…"

Shiren suddenly noticed something amiss.

He furrowed his brow tightly, staring at the figure walking step by step toward him, gripping the Bai Xi seal in his palm ever tighter, instinctively lifting his foot, his body wanting to retreat backward.

But before the boot had fully landed, this great immortal of Hongze suddenly awoke to himself.

How could he retreat!

A mere mortal—how could he possibly resist heavenly might!

The warmth upon that Bai Xi seal seemed to grant him boundless security.

"A demon like you is unworthy of receiving this seat's immortal punishment—you should be suppressed and slain beneath the immortal seal!"

Shiren roared in anger and suddenly hurled forth that jade seal.

Under the gaze of all, this jade seal swelled violently in the wind, swiftly merging with the Bai Xi phantom in the sky, blotting out the firmament of the Four Hongs!

As mortal cultivators, when had they ever seen such a vast, boundless thing—beneath those four hooves, even late Heavenly Realm cultivators found their minds overwhelmed by thick despair.

"What is this—"

Ye Jiu felt only a parched mouth and tongue; his pupils had shrunk to pinpoints.

Before this official seal of the Immortal Court, living beings could deeply comprehend their own insignificance.

How could any mortal possibly contend with this?

How could any mortal possibly comprehend such a thing?!

"Hah."

Lingyun Shiren stood beneath the Bai Xi seal, and even he was intoxicated by this sensation of commanding heaven and earth.

In an instant, he became once more the Lord of Hongze.

"For this seat — suppress and slay!"

The sharp words rang out, and the Bai Xi in the sky brought down its foreleg without the slightest hesitation.

As if the heavens themselves were collapsing, the massive rhino hoof blanketed the entire stretch of water and land, descending to suppress the figure in ink-black robes — and all the living beings between water and land!

Countless creatures began to flee in all directions, their livers and gallbladders splitting with terror — yet beneath that hoof, where could any path of survival lie?

Yet Shen Yi did not spare even a glance for the commotion in the sky.

He looked quietly at Lingyun Shiren, his footsteps slowly crossing this long bridge of white clouds.

"Roar!"

Just as the giant hoof was halfway down, this Bai Xi — now possessed of a physical body — suddenly let out a scream that tore at the eardrums!

One could see that on its translucent, flawless jade-like foreleg, golden patterns suddenly emerged—a golden Azure Dragon, tightly coiling around its hoof like a bone-burrowing maggot, writhing upon it and causing it agony beyond endurance.

"Hah!"

Lingyun Shiren had never encountered such a situation; beneath the mask of clear Qi, a rare flash of helplessness crossed his features.

In the next instant, it transformed into an even more surging fury.

"Suppress him for this seat!!"

The golden patterns lay within the Bai Xi's body and could not be shaken off; under Lingyun Shiren's command, it could only step out another hoof, still ferociously stomping toward Shen Yi!

Yet another change arose.

This time it was pale frost patterns, in the shape of a fierce tiger, likewise gnawing at the Bai Xi's giant hoof, causing its massive form to sway unsteadily, on the verge of losing its footing entirely.

"You… what demonic art did you use?"

Lingyun Shiren stared in disbelief at the sky, then looked at the young man in ink-black robes who was now only a few zhang away.

In his understanding, these common mortals—with but a slight mobilization of immortal power, even those of the Slaughter Dao realm could be slaughtered like pigs and dogs.

But at this moment, the treasure he relied on most — the official seal bestowed by the Immortal Court — had suffered a setback for the first time!

"You stole this seat's immortal register!"

Lingyun Shiren seemed to finally realize something, and plopped down onto the long bridge.

Shen Yi looked down at the man beneath his feet, shook his head: "Before, it was stealing."

"Th-then…" Lingyun Shiren was gasping for breath, his palms flailing as he wriggled backward.

The young man's lips curled slightly: "Now it's robbery."

As the words fell, flame patterns surged forth on the Bai Xi's hind hoof; a blue phoenix leapt forth upon it, ferociously flipping the entire beast over!

The Azure Dragon let out a long cry, the blue phoenix a sharp screech, the frost tiger a low growl.

Amid those terrifying, ferocious sounds, the Bai Xi's wailing was gradually swallowed up.

Soon, a jade seal wobbled and tumbled down from the sky; the newly added patterns upon it still surged wildly, firmly pinning the Bai Xi within.

During their struggle.

Whether it was Shen Yi or Lingyun Shiren, both simultaneously lost control over the immortal power of the Four Hongs.

"Give it back to me!"

Lingyun Shiren lunged forward, watching helplessly as Shen Yi caught the jade seal and casually tucked it into his sleeve; he stumbled and fell at the young man's feet like a dog eating filth.

Without the shroud of clear Qi, his mean, thin face was written full of terror.

The next moment, Shen Yi bent down and reached a hand toward him.

Lingyun Shiren seemed to startle into a frenzy, wildly waving both arms, his voice shrill to the point of breaking: "Get away! I am a seventh-rank immortal official appointed by the Immortal Court, the father-mother of Hongze, I am of the immortal lineage! Dare you lay a hand on me!"

Yet those flailing arms — how utterly powerless they were before Shen Yi.

He suddenly seized this man clad in flowing-cloud Bai Shan, lifted him into the air, studied him carefully for a long while, and a complicated expression rose upon his face.

The long bridge of white clouds stretched between heaven and earth.

The two figures stood at the center of every gaze.

At this moment, even Qi Yansheng's eyes had begun to drift, unfocused.

Born with a flaw, late Earth realm… seen only in three cities… never entering Heaven realm…

This was their immortal — this was the true face beneath Hongze's shroud of immortal clear Qi.

"Ahhh!!!"

Lingyun Shiren's features twisted grotesquely; feeling the strange gazes from all sides, he suddenly clamped both palms over his face, nails digging deep into flesh, letting out a beast-like howl: "Do not look at this seat! You lowly breeds of the mortal world — I will cut you down, gouge out your eyeballs, and condemn you to never escape for all eternity!"

"Do not look!"

When the howling ceased, he pleaded again: "I beg you, return the Bai Xi seal to me — we are both immortals, they are nothing but straw dogs, you and I are the same kind of people, we shall become immortals and ancestors… we can cooperate… I beg you…"

Hearing this, Shen Yi seemed to feel a touch of nausea.

He slowly peeled away Lingyun Shiren's hands, gripped the man's mouth with his Hukou, his voice flat and indifferent:

"Without the Bai Xi seal, you don't even qualify to stand before me."

"The same kind of people…"

Shen Yi felt a touch of absurdity; he slowly crushed the man's jaw, and said softly: "You think you're worthy?"

The Yin-Yang Life-and-Death Pendant drifted forth; the Xuan Hu stood quietly, while the soul-guarding Bai Hu instead stepped out and surged into Lingyun Shiren's mind.

Feeling that warm, gentle sensation, Lingyun Shiren — half his face caved in, his mouth full of blood — stared blankly upward.

Yet what he saw was a faint, barely perceptible savagery upon Shen Yi's handsome face; within that faint smile, an uncanny, bone-chilling dread rose within him.

"It's not over yet — what you swallowed from me, you'll have to spit it all back out."

Shen Yi's murmur-soft whisper drifted lightly at Lingyun Shiren's ear; he gently patted the face of this Hongze Daxian, lifted him like a dead dog in his palm, and strode toward the immortal's dwelling of the Northern Hong.

The ink-black robes drifted among the white clouds.

He raised his palm and brought it down before the eyes of all.

"Not one left alive."

If the blue sky is unseen, then dye the firmament with blood.

The sky-filling suppression stones seemed to suddenly come alive, a baleful aura slowly spreading, and the peach blossoms in the sky bloomed once more, reflecting against the desolate heavens.

Amid the peach blossoms, the living beings of the Northern Flood suddenly trembled as one, letting out despairing howls in unison:

"Immortal, spare our lives!"

Ke Thirteen transformed into a dragon body, seized the old turtle in one grip, and, watching that thin, retreating back in the distance, grinned ferociously: "Immortal? Your immortal is already dead."

"Shh." It gently raised a fingertip.

"Don't complain — you chose this yourselves."

"Since it is already decided, then be quiet…"

"Enter my belly, and worship our emperor together!"

Amid the terrifying dragon's roar, the old turtle's body was torn apart by five sharp claws, its five viscera and six bowels becoming a sky-filling rain of blood that poured down upon the Flood Marsh!

(End of chapter)