A heavy sensation surged forth like a collapsing sky, compressing everything around as if the space itself were bending and shrinking, trapping the Star God of the Northern Dipper like in a cage, making him feel immovable, like an ant in someone’s palm. If he attempted to resist, he had no doubt his sword or left arm would be crushed outright, followed by a fatal blow to his head, shattering his skull and scattering his soul.
Gocheng Heavenly Venerable?
At that moment, only this thought surfaced in his mind.
The position of “Primordial Unity” within the Immortal Path remained vacant. At least, “Myth” had never encountered anyone bearing this title within the Immortal Path. In the current mission, however, Gocheng Heavenly Venerable’s involvement was certain. With such an aura and transformation of heaven and earth, the “Reversal Heaven Seal” was undoubtedly at the external-scene level.
Thus, in this “critical moment,” it was natural for him to associate this terrifyingly heavy “Reversal Heaven Seal” directly with Gocheng Heavenly Venerable.
He sensed he couldn’t seize Xi, so he turned back halfway, avoiding the Forgetful Hermitage, and reunited with Bixia Yuanjun, intending to enter the Demon Realm directly?
After discovering the two of them, he disguised himself as a novice cultivator, waiting for the right moment, then suddenly attacked, aiming to eliminate him first and turn the tide?
Although Gocheng Heavenly Venerable was an unrivaled expert, he was still slightly inferior to Xi. If they engaged directly, even if he couldn’t win, he could still manage to escape. But now, with a sudden ambush and a pincer attack, his situation had become perilous.
Faced with this situation, the Star God of the Northern Dipper, a veteran in life-and-death cycles, acted decisively, turning to Meng Qi and unleashing a full-strength sword strike.
He did not employ any movement techniques. All his focus and spiritual energy were poured into this single sword strike. How could he afford divided attention when blocking the ancient divine palm art, the “Reversal Heaven Seal”?
At this point, the only option was to first block this world-destroying palm strike, risking injury to seize an escape opportunity.
The sword light was a thin, dim beam, as if arising from the depths of the underworld, intangible and elusive, yet brimming with intense killing intent, leaving only a sense of death in its wake.
Snap, snap, snap—the void itself seemed pierced. The sword light, though launched later, arrived first, cutting toward Meng Qi, whose aura was ancient and majestic.
At the same time, behind him, Bixia Yuanjun clapped his palms together, then extended his right hand, bending his index finger. With a joint that was half white and half black, he struck at the Star God’s back.
The surrounding life-and-death intent condensed, forming a black-and-white Taiji symbol near the joint, continuously shifting between life and death, making it difficult to grasp.
At that moment, the plants on the peak, tainted by demonic qi, first withered, then sprouted anew, repeatedly reviving and dying within half a breath, completing two cycles.
The violently shaking Peak of Extreme Heaven abruptly stilled, as if engulfed in an eerie silence.
The Star God’s Sword of Life and Death was aimed at where the “Reversal Heaven Seal” was descending. However, he discovered that the majestic “Gocheng Heavenly Venerable” had not actually struck. The sword light pierced through space and hit him directly.
A glow of rosy light emerged, deep green concealing weightiness, making Meng Qi appear like a towering mountain, rendering the Sword of Life and Death minuscule and weak.
Crack—the sword light struck Meng Qi. The rosy glow turned black, losing vitality, its heaviness dissipating, its elegance gone.
Meng Qi staggered backward, spitting blood. Even with the “Mountain Unmoved Talisman,” which prevented the Sword of Life and Death from penetrating, the sheer impact of this external-scene force still seeped inward, injuring his internal organs. Fortunately, his physical body was strong, reinforced by the Eight-Nine Mystical Art and the Golden Bell Seal, so he sustained only minor injuries.
A fake?
It was actually a fake?
A surge of fury rose in the Star God’s heart, but it was already too late. He had fully committed to confronting the “Gocheng Heavenly Venerable.”
The reason Meng Qi imagined himself as the “Primordial Unity” was precisely to boost his aura, drawing all the Star God’s attention and attacks onto himself, creating the perfect opportunity for Bixia Yuanjun!
Puuuh—The black-and-white Taiji symbol struck the Star God’s back, igniting a burst of brilliant starlight, both forces canceling each other.
Then, Bixia Yuanjun’s black-and-white joint latched onto the same spot.
The Star God’s body trembled violently. Blood spurted from his seven orifices. His skin first turned deathly pale, dark and terrifying, then abruptly whitened, frail as paper.
Enduring the injuries to both body and soul, he had no time to pursue Meng Qi. With a swift motion, he thrust his thin sword backward, seven acupoints on his body emitting pure light, rising into star mist, seemingly forming the Big Dipper constellation, perfectly aligned with his sword intent.
The Big Dipper governs death!
This sword strike was concentrated solely in the immediate vicinity, brimming with deathly intent, extremely focused.
Bixia Yuanjun’s left palm flipped upward, like a falling mountain, pressing down on the sword tip.
Nearby peaks shook violently, as if about to rise. Threads of heavy, spiritually infused air gathered, forming small mountains weighing thousands of catties, descending alongside Bixia Yuanjun’s palm.
Crack—the ground collapsed, unable to withstand this pressure. Even from a distance, Meng Qi felt his blood flow slowing, his body instinctively crouching lower.
Meanwhile, as the Star God was severely wounded by Bixia Yuanjun, two faint golden glimmers flickered behind the Queen Mother of the West’s mask. The “Phoenix’s Ninefold Cry”’s suppression and binding of his soul were instantly shattered. The surrounding Metal Primordial Unity Qi surged, the icy imprisonment from the “Thousand Miles of Frost” shattering into countless fragments.
At this moment, Jiang Zhiwei’s “Sword of No Self” and Zhao Heng’s transformed palm storm were already upon him.
A faint sigh echoed. The Queen Mother of the West’s right index finger traced an unimaginable trajectory and rhythm, aligning with Metal Qi, carrying profound laws.
Crack—the surroundings turned blindingly white, as if heaven and earth had been shattered by this single finger strike. Sword Qi surged, whistling continuously, collapsing walls, and leaving countless holes in the collapsed ground.
Jiang Zhiwei flew backward, blood trickling from her lips. Zhao Heng retreated several steps, his hands bleeding profusely. The Queen Mother’s dark robe bore multiple tears, and a faint sword mark appeared on her mask’s forehead.
She spat a mouthful of crimson blood. Taking advantage of Ruan Yushu and Qi Zhengyan’s momentary recovery, she employed another controlling technique. Her foot tapped, seemingly transforming into a sword beam, whooshing out the window and fleeing from the Peak of Extreme Heaven.
A wise woman never waits for trouble!
Normally, even facing five opponents alone, she would fear no one. Her techniques were no inferior to theirs, and her cultivation and strength surpassed theirs by far. Fully exerting herself, she could easily protect herself. In a prolonged battle, they would eventually exhaust themselves. However, the Star God of the Northern Dipper appeared to be in a dire situation. If Bixia Yuanjun freed her hands, it would spell disaster. Thus, she decisively withdrew from the battlefield.
As for the Star God, joining such a high-level external-scene battle was too much for him—it might even become a burden. She believed in his strength to carve a bloody path to survival.
The mountain fell, pressing down on the sword tip. The Big Dipper flared brightly, unleashing a burst of killing intent.
Sword Qi slashed through the mountain, slicing it into countless fragments, forcing Bixia Yuanjun to retreat a step.
The Star God of the Northern Dipper bled again from his seven orifices. Seizing the opportunity, he transformed into a streak of starlight, dashing straight out of the hall.
He dared not linger. If Bixia Yuanjun entangled him, he might perish on the spot.
Bixia Yuanjun did not pursue. Though she had severely wounded the Star God, killing him would be difficult. A slight misstep could lead to mutual destruction. Therefore, she decided to prioritize dealing with the Demon Realm matters first. If the Star God recovered by taking pills and suppressing his injuries, returning with a vengeance, it would become a major problem. After all, destroying the Demon Realm passage required three Demon Crystals, a task not easily accomplished in a short time.
“Enter the Demon Realm,” she turned to Meng Qi and the others.
Only now did Meng Qi exhale in relief. Participating in an external-scene battle was truly perilous. He would absolutely avoid such situations in the future.
“The Queen Mother of the West is truly formidable,” he remarked to Jiang Zhiwei and others as he approached the Demon Realm passage. The Golden Empress was indeed living up to her reputation. Five of them together had only inflicted minor injuries on her. Especially himself and Jiang Zhiwei, whose main strength lay in sword and blade techniques, fighting her was like being bound hand and foot.
Of course, everything in the world had its counter. Not necessarily bare-handed, perhaps someone’s divine skill could only be damaged by weapons. Anyway, he had the Eight-Nine Mystical Art, equally effective with fists, blades, or swords.
“If she attains the Dharmakaya, she might directly suppress all Metal elements, including ours,” Jiang Zhiwei mused in reply.
During the brief exchange, Zhao Heng treated his injured palms while advancing with the group toward the Demon Realm passage.
The surroundings were dim and shadowy, revealing a path stretching into unknown depths before Meng Qi. It resembled an intestine, pitch-black, faintly pulsing with a reddish hue.
Perhaps the Demon Realm was truly a living being… this thought suddenly crossed Meng Qi’s mind.
Treading the slippery, soft path, Bixia Yuanjun radiated green light, enveloping the group as they moved swiftly forward. After a few breaths, a pitch-black, lightless cavern appeared ahead.
The green glow entered the dark hole. Meng Qi felt his soul tremble. The surroundings turned pitch-black, demonic qi surging, instantly triggering the autonomous defense of the Eight-Nine Mystical Art and the Golden Bell Seal.
His body emitted a faint golden glow, isolating the black aura. Looking around, he saw mountains and rivers in the Demon Realm, but all were twisted and grotesque, either pitch-black or blood-red, filled with a sense of corruption and filth.
In the hazy distance, the Luli Buddha Light illuminated the sky, forming a colossal Swastika symbol that firmly enveloped the land below.
Buddhist chants arose, “Thus have I heard,” golden light pure and clear.
Within the Luli Buddha Light, countless black tendrils writhed, repeatedly striking the Wanzi Symbol, causing it to shrink and expand, chaotic roars mingling with the Buddhist chants, evoking a sensation of half-Buddha, half-demon, half-good, half-evil.
“First, we must search for demons and collect Demon Crystals,” Bixia Yuanjun suppressed her turbulent emotions, diverting her gaze from the Wanzi Symbol. “The Star God of the Northern Dipper will suppress his injuries within at most a quarter of an hour. He will not allow us to destroy the passage. Time is pressing; we must act swiftly, so it is best to split up.”
She casually produced a strange mirror, merging it with the entrance, radiating a faint golden glow before fading away. Once someone passed through here again, she would instantly detect it and lock onto their aura, preventing the Star God from skillfully sneaking in before fully recovering, healing within the Demon Realm.
Meng Qi nodded, “Alright, Yuanjun, since you can fly, you can go deeper. We five will search nearby together.”
With many demons possessing the strength of True Demons, the five of them absolutely could not separate.
“Alright, I’ll try to collect two as quickly as possible,” Bixia Yuanjun said, unwilling to carry any burden.
She wrapped herself in green light, soaring across the sky toward the direction of Yuanmo.
Meng Qi glanced at the dark void behind him, signaling the others to follow him away from Yuanmo. Even if the Star God entered, and the Martial Star God and Xi returned, their target would certainly be there. The Demon Realm fragment was still vast enough for them to hide until the chaos erupted, allowing them to gather the Demon Crystals and complete their mission.
Qi Zhengyan took out the Demon-Purging Talisman, activating it. A ripple of green light enveloped the five of them, isolating the demonic qi.
This was the Demon Realm, where impure demonic qi was everywhere. Even with Zhao Heng’s protective aura, Meng Qi’s Eight-Nine Mystical Art and Golden Bell Seal, Qi Zhengyan’s Mei Xia Waves, and Jiang Zhiwei and Ruan Yushu’s ability to resist through internal harmony, their energy would deplete significantly in heavily demonic areas. It was better to use the Demon-Purging Talisman directly. After all, one talisman could last a quarter of an hour.
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