Yang Hao remained silent, as did the several Saint Domain experts. They were too stunned to utter a word. When the divine dragon appeared in the sky, unleashing its immense power, even the most powerful experts were left speechless in awe.
It was a realm beyond their imagination, a technique so profound and transcendent that it surpassed all known limits.
This sword technique was neither created by the Creator God nor by any divine race. It was originally devised by an ordinary swordsman who had once comprehended the Divine Dragon Sword Art.
From that moment on, he transformed into an entirely new person. On the battlefield, he reigned supreme, eventually uniting all cultivators under his banner.
He was known as the Supreme.
After his ascension, he left behind this legendary sword technique.
Yang Hao had seen this sword art twice before, both times performed by members of the Wang family.
Unfortunately, the Wang family had only learned the sword forms, not the deeper essence or the intent behind the technique, nor had they ever joined the Supreme’s sect to learn the most difficult cultivation method.
But now, the situation was different.
The one wielding this sword art was the Supreme’s direct disciple, the strongest among the council elders. Moreover, he was empowered by the three divine treasures and countless magical artifacts.
Even more alarming, Wu Yi was using a method that consumed his very life force to push his power to a true peak.
Perhaps even beyond it.
“He used this sword technique to destroy eight of our sects back then,” Hun Yuanzi’s voice trembled with despair. “And now, it won’t be much different. Not much different at all.”
“Could it be…” Hade suddenly gasped. “He wants to kill us all with this one strike?”
His words struck like thunder.
What is a comeback if not this?
Even when cornered, as long as this sword art exists, there is always a chance to turn the tide. This was the Supreme’s ultimate secret, the final safeguard he left behind.
To protect his physical form, he not only wiped out all cultivators in the universe, but also set up the Ten Sword Stream, the Council of Elders, the Xuan Lei Barrier, and even left behind the Divine Dragon Sword Art.
Such intricate schemes were indeed worthy of the greatest strategist a thousand years ago.
Emperor Yinglie watched the divine dragon soaring through the air, his heavy sword already lowered. It was already too late to retreat now. He turned to look at Yang Hao.
Sure enough, Yang Hao moved.
He had been waiting for this moment. Or rather, Hun Yuanzi had been waiting for this moment. A thousand years ago, he had been defeated by the Divine Dragon Sword Art.
Now, a thousand years later, the disciple of Hun Yuanzi and the disciple of the Supreme would engage in a decisive battle once again.
This would settle the grudges of a thousand years.
Yang Hao remained silent, and so did the several Saint Domain experts from Gan Peak. They had no words left to express the shock in their hearts. When the divine dragon appeared in the sky, the sheer power it projected left all the top-tier experts dumbfounded.
This was a realm beyond their imagination, a transcendent move that surpassed all limits—one they could scarcely comprehend.
This sword technique was not created by the Creator God, nor was it devised by any divine race. It was once grasped by an ordinary swordsman who comprehended the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword.
From that moment on, he became a different man. On the lands of old, he was invincible, eventually unifying all cultivators.
That man was revered as the Supreme One.
After his ascension, he left behind this sword technique.
Yang Hao had witnessed it twice before, both times wielded by members of the Wang Clan.
But unfortunately, the Wang Clan had only learned the sword’s form, not its essence or intent, nor had they joined the Supreme One’s lineage to master the most arduous cultivation method.
Now, however, things were different.
The one executing this sword was the Supreme One’s direct disciple, the strongest among the Elder Council’s overseers. Moreover, he wielded three divine artifacts and countless magical treasures to amplify his power.
Even more astonishingly, Wu Yi was burning his own life force to push his strength to its absolute peak—
No, beyond the peak.
“Back then, he used this sword to flatten eight of our mountain sects,” Hunyuanzi’s voice was laced with despair. “And now, this strike is no weaker, no weaker at all.”
“Could it be…” He De suddenly jolted awake. “Does he intend to kill all of us with this single sword?”
His words snapped everyone out of their stupor.
This was the true meaning of a reversal.
Even when pushed to the brink, as long as this sword existed, there was always a chance to turn the tables. It was the Supreme One’s ultimate trump card, his final safeguard.
Yet, for the sake of his own physical body, he had not only purged all cultivators across the universe but also orchestrated the Ten Sword Streams, the Elder Council, the Profound Thunder Barrier, and even left behind the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword.
Such intricate schemes were worthy of the greatest strategist of a thousand years ago.
Ying Liehuang watched the dragon streak across the sky, his heavy sword already lowered. It was too late to flee now. He turned to look at Yang Hao.
Sure enough, Yang Hao moved.
He had been waiting for this moment—or rather, Hunyuanzi had been waiting for it. A thousand years ago, their defeat had come at the hands of the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword.
Now, a millennium later, Hunyuanzi’s disciple and the Supreme One’s disciple would duel once more.
This would settle a thousand years of grudges.
Yang Hao carefully retrieved a tiny ember from his pill pouch. Encased in his spiritual energy, it was nearly unextinguishable. When this flame, no larger than a fingernail, was revealed, those nearby instantly felt as if they had been plunged into a volcanic crater—so scorching that even the oxygen in the air seemed to thin.
This was the Primordial Flame Yang Hao had brought from the Divine Oracle, the remnants of his cultivation after mastering Shadow Moon.
The Primordial Flame was not only a divine forging fire but also had another crucial purpose.
It could provide Yang Hao with enough energy to unleash the pinnacle of the Alchemy Sect’s fire-based sword techniques—the only sword style in the world that could rival the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword.
As Hunyuanzi muttered an incantation, Yang Hao swallowed the Primordial Flame.
Instantly, his entire body turned crimson—a blazing red.
At his current strength, Yang Hao should not have been able to refine the Primordial Flame. If mishandled, it could have backfired, incinerating his very soul. But fortunately, Yang Hao had mastered the Fire’s Essence, making him impervious to any flame in existence.
Thus, the Primordial Flame’s energy now resided wholly within Yang Hao’s body.
The fire’s power coiled around him, and from his throat emerged an involuntary chant—an ancient hymn of the Fire God. In that instant, he became the inheritor of Zhu Rong’s legacy.
Like a living flame, Yang Hao soared into the air, wielding Shadow Moon in his left hand and the Scorching Sun Bow in his right. But this alone was not enough—far from it.
His opponent was wielding the Supreme One’s ultimate sword technique, backed by three divine artifacts and hundreds of magical treasures.
He De realized this first and roared, “Divine artifacts! Divine artifacts!”
He hurled his Shattering Gold Blade toward Yang Hao.
Ying Liehuang and Feng Feng also tossed their weapons to Yang Hao.
Though their weapons were not divine artifacts, they had been tempered over years of cultivation, their power undeniable.
But the true boost to Yang Hao’s strength came from the Alchemy Sect’s long-prepared arsenal.
Seeing Yang Hao readying his final strike, the Ten Sword Streams’ leaders threw six of their sect’s divine swords into the air. Lan Ling unsheathed four divine swords from her person and hurled them toward Yang Hao. Xie Fengting, unwilling to fall behind, revealed for the first time in public the tiny dagger he always concealed in his palm—a crystalline blade no longer than a finger.
Thus, Yang Hao was surrounded by thirteen divine artifacts and countless protective treasures thrown his way by fellow swordsmen.
Thirteen divine artifacts, combined with the Elder Council’s three, represented nearly all the known divine artifacts in existence. In sheer quantity, Yang Hao already held an overwhelming advantage.
But more importantly, since the Supreme One had passed down the Ten Sword Streams, this was the first time the ten divine swords left by the Creator God had gathered together. It was their first reunion since the divine races were sealed away—an opportunity for their latent powers to converge once more.
Yang Hao’s sword was unsheathed. He had transformed into a towering deity, the fire dragon before him now as slender as a serpent, coiling and spreading across his body. In his hand was the Extinguishing Flame Sword, slashing ruthlessly toward the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword in the sky.
The technique Yang Hao now employed was the Alchemy Sect’s supreme sword style—one even Hunyuanzi had never mastered. Its name was the “Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword.”
Every disciple of the Alchemy Sword Sect was required to remember this name.
Because this sword technique had once been hailed as the strongest and most invincible in history. Even after the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword emerged and swept through all immortal sects, the Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword was still regarded as the only technique that could rival it.
Yet they had never truly clashed, for Hunyuanzi had never mastered this move.
Now, Hunyuanzi’s disciple officially represented the Alchemy Sect’s ancestors, wielding the Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword to strike fiercely at Wu Yi’s divine dragon.
The dragon, formed from the universe’s foremost sword technique, was cleaved by Yang Hao’s blade. Wu Yi let out mournful cries as his spiritual energy leaked from his body.
Yang Hao showed no mercy, roaring, “I’ll slash! I’ll slash! I’ll slash off your serpent head!!!”
His Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword now channeled the power of over a dozen divine artifacts, especially the ten divine swords. Originally a set, they had been separated by the Supreme One for safekeeping. Now reunited, they radiated a brilliance surpassing all other artifacts—a seven-colored light shooting vertically into the heavens.
Wu Yi’s Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword could not withstand Yang Hao’s assault, relying only on his three divine artifacts for defense. The ten divine swords hammered against the Radiant Staff and Holy Light Shield, forcing the two defensive artifacts to erupt with sacred radiance, merging with the swords’ light.
Above the Alchemy Cavern, a lotus-shaped crystalline glow appeared.
Yang Hao paid no heed to any miracles. Summoning his remaining strength, he swung the Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword with all his might at Wu Yi.
His overwhelming power manifested as an arc of light, forcing Wu Yi to revert to his original form. The white-robed elder spewed rainbow-colored blood, plummeting like a stone.
Gasps of shock arose from the Elder Council’s ranks.
It was clear to all—Wu Yi had been defeated. Even the Supreme One’s divine artifacts and the Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword had fallen to Yang Hao.
And Yang Hao was undefeated, unkillable. Like the white cape billowing behind him, as long as it soared high in the sky, he would only advance, never retreat—never to know defeat.
The lingering flames on Yang Hao’s Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword had yet to fade. Following Wu Yi’s descent, he intended to use the sword’s final power to obliterate the remaining elders in one stroke.
To slay all the elders with a single sword—this would be a miracle sung throughout the universe for eternity.
The colossal, flame-trailing divine sword descended like divine retribution. Over two hundred elders and seven overseers closed their eyes.
They had neither the strength nor the courage to fight any longer.
By now, the Elder Council had lost its wings, its treasures destroyed, its numbers halved. With enemies closing in from all sides, they lacked even the power to defend themselves.
The elders’ spirits had long since shattered. Before Yang Hao’s overwhelming sword, they lacked the courage to raise a hand in resistance.
If even the Supreme One’s Divine Dragon’s Miraculous Sword had been defeated, what hope did they have?
Thus, hundreds of elders stood helpless, awaiting the fall of Yang Hao’s miraculous sword.
The flames scorched the sky, the heat intense enough to ignite hair. Yet after a moment, death did not come.
A bold elder looked up and beheld a scene beyond his wildest dreams.
Yang Hao’s colossal sword was about to strike, but the ten divine swords emitted beams of light that shot straight into the Alchemy Cavern, resonating with the lotus radiance above it.
Just as the sword was about to land on the elders’ heads, a snow-white hand emerged from the cavern’s entrance and grasped the blade.
*Sizzle!*
Two piercing sounds rang out.
Yang Hao was flung backward without even turning his head. The Extinguishing Flame Miraculous Sword vanished instantly, and a frigid wind blew from the cavern, extinguishing all heat.
Yang Hao, who had just been slaying gods, now seemed to suffer an unprecedented blow. He spat a mouthful of blood and crashed back into his own ranks.
The crowd was aghast.
All eyes turned to the Alchemy Cavern’s entrance, but the snow-white hand had disappeared. The cavern’s doorway was empty once more—had Yang Hao not collapsed, they might have thought it a hallucination.
Yet the celestial phenomena in the sky grew ever more pronounced.
The light from the ten divine swords merged with the lotus radiance above the cavern, forming a heavenly curtain of light.
From within the cavern, a physical body emerged, traversing the entire mountain to unite with the sacred radiance in the sky.
The wandering immortal soul had finally reunited with the body preserved for centuries.
Amidst this resplendent and magnificent curtain, a figure slowly descended.
One hand pointed to the heavens, the other to the earth.
His white hair cascaded to his waist, yet his face was youthful and ruddy. A compassionate smile graced his lips, but his eyes held a disdain for the mortal world.
Countless clouds swirled around him, and all the radiance had solidified into crystalline splendor, rendering him supremely divine.
So transcendent, so peerless in grace—all who beheld him were awestruck, as if their souls had left their bodies.
After a long silence, one of the overseers finally reacted. Though severely injured, Wu Yi was, after all, the Supreme One’s direct disciple. He fell to his knees, weeping and shouting, “Master! Master!!”
The other overseers also knelt, crying out, “Master!!! We greet your immortal return!”
The surviving two hundred elders, even those who had never seen him before, could guess that the figure in the sky was the Elder Council’s sole object of worship—the Supreme Master, the only true god in the universe.
Prostrating themselves, they chanted, “The Supreme grants us strength! The Supreme grants us power! The Supreme grants us strength! The Supreme grants us power!!”
For a moment, their roars shook the mountains. The courage they had lost was suddenly restored.
The Supreme One merely glanced at the overseers, saying nothing. Radiant and solemn, his expression cold, he slowly turned his gaze toward Yang Hao’s side.
“You…” His voice drifted down from the heavens, elegant and clear, “are the rebels?”
Silence reigned below. Even a valiant warrior like Ying Liehuang dared not answer.
“All who defy me are rebels,” the Supreme One said lightly, raising a hand. “Rebels shall enter the Dark Prison, never to be reborn.”
This was his judgment.
As his finger pointed, a tangible white light descended from the sky—sacred radiance from the divine realm, falling like a torrential rain.
Ying Liehuang’s side was plunged into true damnation.
A light—pure and absolute—descended from the heavens. It seemed capable of purging all darkness and filth, yet it was directed to sever the lives of the rebels.
Wherever the Supreme One’s finger pointed, people died screaming. Their flesh, souls, and spirits evaporated under the divine radiance.
No one could resist. Before the might of a god, all resistance was futile.
Expressionless, the Supreme One watched with solemn, compassionate eyes as thousands—tens of thousands—perished in the sacred light. This was an ocean of death, an ocean of judgment.
The universe’s most formidable force had gathered here today, pushing the Elder Council to the brink. Yet before the only true god, such power was weaker than a fragile willow.
He needed not fight. Merely by shining his light, those he willed to die would perish.
This was a power beyond human comprehension, beyond the understanding of even Saint Domain experts.
After the Supreme One pointed five times, the people on the Elder Mountain had been nearly wiped out. The vibrant lives, the proud banners, the indomitable spirit—all had vanished, leaving only emptiness.
True emptiness.
Yang Hao carried it—a small portion of the Primordial Flame brought from the Divine Edict. It was the remainder after Yang Hao cultivated the Shadow Moon technique.
The Primordial Flame was not only a divine fire for forging, but it also had one crucial function.
It could provide Yang Hao with enough energy to unleash the ultimate fire-element sword art of the Dan Ding Sect—the only sword technique in the world capable of rivaling the Divine Dragon Sword Art.
As Hun Yuanzi muttered incantations, Yang Hao swallowed the Primordial Flame.
Instantly, his entire body turned crimson—blazing red.
Under normal circumstances, Yang Hao’s current strength would not be enough to control the Primordial Flame. If he were careless, the fire could backfire, completely incinerating his soul. Fortunately, he had already grasped the Essence of Fire, making him immune to any flame in the world.
Thus, the energy of the Primordial Flame could safely reside within Yang Hao’s body.
The Primordial Flame’s energy swirled around him as an ancient fire god’s chant involuntarily escaped his throat. In that moment, he became the heir of Zhurong.
Like a blazing fireball, Yang Hao soared into the air, his left hand wielding Shadow Moon, his right hand holding the Zhurong Bow. But even this was not enough—not nearly enough.
His opponent wielded the Supreme’s ultimate sword art, supported by three divine treasures and hundreds of magical artifacts.
Hade realized this and roared first, “Divine treasures! Divine treasures!!!”
He was the first to throw his artifact, the Golden Severing Blade, high into the air toward Yang Hao.
Emperor Yinglie and Feng Feng also tossed their weapons to Yang Hao.
Though not divine treasures, these weapons had been cultivated for many years, their power undeniable.
But the real source of strength for Yang Hao came from the Dan Ding Sect’s preparations.
Seeing Yang Hao ready to unleash his ultimate strike, the leader of the Ten Sword Stream tossed six of the sect’s sacred swords into the air. Lan Ling followed suit, drawing the four divine swords she carried and throwing them toward Yang Hao. Xie Fengting was naturally unwilling to be left behind. The small dagger he always kept hidden in his palm was finally revealed before everyone—a crystal-clear blade as short as a finger.
In an instant, Yang Hao was surrounded by thirteen divine treasures and countless protective artifacts thrown by sword cultivators.
Thirteen divine treasures, combined with the three from the Council of Elders, nearly represented all known divine treasures in existence. Just in terms of numbers, Yang Hao already had an overwhelming advantage.
More importantly, since the Supreme established the Ten Sword Stream, this was the first time all ten divine swords created by the Creator God had been gathered together. It was the first reunion since the divine race had been sealed away, and the first opportunity for the ten swords to reunite and unleash their combined power.
Yang Hao’s sword was drawn. He had become a god-like figure, towering and mighty. The flame dragon before him was but a small serpent crawling and spreading across his body. In his hand was the Absolute Flame Sword, which he swung fiercely toward the divine dragon in the sky—the Divine Dragon Sword Art.
What Yang Hao was now wielding was the ultimate sword art of the Dan Ding Sect, a technique Hun Yuanzi himself had never mastered. It was known as the “Absolute Flame Sword!”
Every member of the Dan Ding Sect had to remember this name.
Because this sword technique had once been hailed as the strongest and invincible in history. Even after the Divine Dragon Sword Art emerged and swept away all cultivation sects, the Absolute Flame Sword was still considered the only sword art capable of rivaling it.
Yet, they had never truly clashed before, because Hun Yuanzi had never completed the technique.
Now, his disciple stood in his place, representing the ancestors of the Dan Ding Sect, wielding the Absolute Flame Sword to strike down the divine dragon manifested by Wu Yi.
The divine dragon, formed from the ultimate sword art in the universe, was struck by Yang Hao’s sword. Wu Yi let out piercing cries as his spiritual light began to leak from his body.
Yang Hao showed no mercy, roaring, “I slash! I slash! I’ll cut off your snake’s head!!!”
His Absolute Flame Sword had absorbed the power of over a dozen divine treasures, especially the ten sacred swords, which were originally a set. The Supreme had separated them for safekeeping, but now, reunited, they radiated a brilliance surpassing all other treasures. A beam of seven-colored light shot straight into the heavens.
Wu Yi’s Divine Dragon Sword could not withstand Yang Hao’s assault and could only rely on the three divine treasures for defense. The ten sacred swords struck fiercely against the Divine Light Staff and the Holy Light Shield, causing the two defensive artifacts to suddenly erupt, releasing waves of holy light merging with the swords’ glow.
Above the Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling, a lotus-shaped crystal light appeared.
Yang Hao paid no heed to any miracles unfolding. Summoning his remaining strength, he swung the Absolute Flame Sword powerfully toward Wu Yi.
The brute force transformed into an arc of light, striking Wu Yi and forcing him to reveal his true form. The white-robed elder spat out a rainbow of blood and plummeted like a stone.
From the Council of Elders came cries of alarm.
For all could see clearly now—Wu Yi had been defeated. Even the Supreme’s divine treasure, the Divine Dragon Sword, had been bested by Yang Hao.
And Yang Hao was unbeatable, immortal—like the white cape fluttering behind him, forever soaring high, never retreating, never failing.
The Absolute Flame Sword still blazed with fury as it followed Wu Yi’s descent, aiming to unleash its final devastating blow and wipe out the remaining elders in one fell swoop.
A single sword strike to slay all the elders—this would become an eternal legend throughout the cosmos.
The massive divine sword, trailing a long flame, descended like divine punishment from the heavens. Two hundred elders and seven council members closed their eyes.
They had no strength left to fight, nor the courage to resist.
Today, the Council of Elders had lost all its wings, its treasures destroyed, half its members fallen, and enemies encircling them outside. On their side, even the will to defend was gone.
If even the Supreme’s Divine Dragon Sword had been defeated, how could they stand a chance?
Thus, hundreds of elders stood helpless, waiting for Yang Hao’s sword to fall.
The sky burned with searing heat, the kind that could ignite even hair. Yet the elders waited, and death did not come.
One daring soul looked up and saw something he could scarcely believe.
Yang Hao’s colossal sword was about to strike, but the ten sacred swords within it emitted beams of light straight into the Dan Ding Sect’s cave dwelling, as if responding to the lotus-shaped glow above.
Just as Yang Hao’s sword was about to strike the elders, a snow-white hand suddenly emerged from the cave dwelling’s entrance and gripped the giant sword.
Hiss! Hiss!
Two piercing sounds rang out.
Without even turning his head, Yang Hao was violently repelled backward. The Absolute Flame Sword vanished from the sky in an instant. A wave of icy cold air blew from the cave dwelling, instantly dispelling all the heat.
The mighty Yang Hao, who had just moments ago been capable of slaying gods, was now struck with an unprecedented blow. He spat out a mouthful of blood and fell back to his side.
The crowd was stunned.
All eyes turned once more to the entrance of the cave dwelling, but the white hand had already vanished. The entrance remained empty, as if nothing had happened. If not for Yang Hao’s battered form, people might have thought they had merely imagined it.
But the celestial phenomenon in the sky grew more intense.
The light beams from the ten reunited sacred swords merged with the lotus-shaped glow atop the cave dwelling, forming a radiant curtain like a rift in the heavens.
Inside the cave dwelling, a physical body traversed the entire mountain, merging with the holy light in the sky.
The wandering divine soul had finally reunited with the body it had preserved for centuries.
Amidst this dazzling and magnificent curtain of light, a figure slowly descended.
One hand pointed to the heavens, the other to the earth.
His white hair flowed down to his waist, yet his face was youthful and ruddy. A compassionate smile graced his lips, but his eyes carried a quiet disdain for the mortal world.
Countless white clouds swirled around him, and all the radiant light had solidified into a crystalline form, making him appear even more divine and sacred.
So transcendent, so peerless in demeanor. Everyone who saw him was deeply awed, as if their souls had left their bodies.
The council elders stood in stunned silence for a while before one finally reacted. Though severely wounded, Wu Yi was still the Supreme’s direct disciple. He wept and knelt, crying out, “Master! Master!!!”
Other council elders followed suit, kneeling and weeping loudly, “Master!!!”
“Welcome back, Master!!!”
The more than two hundred elders still alive, though some had never seen him before, could now guess who the figure in the sky was—the only deity revered by the Council, the sole god in the universe today.
The two hundred elders prostrated themselves fully, shouting in unison, “The Supreme grants us strength! The Supreme grants us power! The Supreme grants us strength! The Supreme grants us power!!!”
In an instant, the howling voices echoed through the mountains and forests, and the courage they had lost moments ago surged back.
The Supreme merely glanced at the elders, saying nothing. His body radiated brilliant light, his expression solemn and cold as he slowly turned his gaze toward Yang Hao’s side.
“You…” The Supreme’s voice drifted down from the heavens, elegant and clear. “Are you the rebels?”
Below, silence reigned. Even the mighty Emperor Yinglie dared not answer the Supreme’s words.
“All who defy me are rebels,” the Supreme said calmly, slightly raising his hand. “Rebels shall be cast into the Dark Prison, never to be reborn.”
This was the judgment.
With a wave of the Supreme’s finger, a sheet of solidified white light descended from the heavens. This light came from the Divine Realm. Threads of divine radiance, as fine as silk, rained down like a storm.
To Emperor Yinglie’s side, it was as if they had fallen into a true hell.
A light, pure and absolute, fell from the sky, capable of cleansing all darkness and filth. But now, it was directed to strip the rebels of their lives.
Wherever the Supreme’s finger pointed, people screamed and died. Their bodies, souls, and spirits all evaporated under the divine radiance.
No one had the chance to resist. Before the might of the divine, all resistance was futile.
The Supreme’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes solemn yet compassionate, silently watching thousands, then tens of thousands perish in the divine light. It was an ocean of death, an ocean of judgment.
The most powerful martial force in the universe had gathered here today. The Council of Elders had been pushed to the brink. Yet before the One God, even such power was weaker than a willow in the wind.
He did not even need to fight. Just by shining his light, when the Supreme willed someone to die, they perished.
This was a power no human could resist, nor a force any Saint Domain cultivator could comprehend.
After the Supreme had pointed his finger five times,
The people atop the Elder Mountain were already nearly wiped out. The once vibrant life, the proud banners waving, and the bold ambitions that once seemed to swallow tigers whole were now gone—truly gone.
The forty sword master corps of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated; tens of thousands vanished without leaving a single corpse.
The Ten Sword Streams, with thousands of sword masters and six clan leaders, represented a century of accumulated strength among the ten greatest sword sects, yet they too were utterly destroyed, their leaders reduced to dust.
Dozens of sword master corps from the Imperial Guard, numbering several ten thousand elite warriors clad in black armor, were wiped out, their black armor littering the cliffsides.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing a century of accumulated strength from the Ten Great Sword Sects—were also completely wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
The dozens of swordmaster regiments of the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s overwhelming power. Those who remained frantically dodged the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting by one’s side—suddenly having their lives ripped away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had transcended the realm of a flying immortal. He was far beyond anything Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint realm, could hope to oppose.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held a slightly better chance. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had seemed doomed to lose.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had assumed was dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose immortal, flying immortal, golden immortal—these corresponded to the lower, middle, and upper tiers of divine beings. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a mid-tier deity. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by the barrier that sealed their strength—except the Supreme One, who retained his full divine power.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
As Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, despair overwhelmed him. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if death had claimed it.
At this moment, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago. Watching those closest to him die before his eyes—that feeling was enough to break a man.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, still proud and defiant, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Who would have thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth,” Qin Feng murmured, rubbing his hands together. A dark mist enveloped him and the emperor.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, ascending into the sky to strike at the Supreme One, whose radiance illuminated the nine provinces, towering like a god or a buddha.
Yang Hao remained silent, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng stood starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they refused to retreat.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, once a peerless young swordsman, had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew it was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both he and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to consider. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Jia Ran.
“If not me, then who?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched in horror as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Rong Wei. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier shattered, draining the space’s energy, could she emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she witnessed this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew the truth—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation to play the role of the seductress.
Now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rong Wei. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, hurling herself toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she crashed into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rong Wei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazed with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships before setting out, just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s vendetta. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” He De tried to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew full well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were still alive.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
He De stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, had turned half-white. Finally, with a roar, He De raised his great axe. “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold’s Cleave sliced through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo swirled with the reflections of time and space.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the wormhole’s traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in nearly a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the essence of fire could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flame grew thicker and longer, dominating the sky.
This arrow had once required four elder stewards to barely withstand, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap. The sinister flame dissipated instantly, the arrow effortlessly crushed.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than the others—strong enough to surpass even the elders under the Supreme One’s command.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of sinister flame toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flame was tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“It is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger to the bow’s body and slid it across. Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian, scanning his surroundings. His people had fled. The Elder Council’s mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow and turned his gaze back to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to the contents of Yang Hao’s dantian.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression shifted—a rare occurrence. “Still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or died. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Lightflow Shadow Steps.
This was no joke. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao leave. With a wave of his hand, Yang Hao’s Lightflow Shadow Steps failed.
The Lightflow Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You truly live on, old friend?” The Supreme One’s expression was odd, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
Yet his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth to protect its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? Just an old pervert!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?!”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice. Only out of courtesy did he speak. “Brat, you’ve got loyalty, protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits once more.
At this point, it was no longer a day of bloodshed; true death had arrived, unrelated to spilled blood.
It was the loss of living souls—warriors who had fought beside them moments ago, suddenly snatched from existence, erased entirely from the world.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their existence worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had transcended the realm of a flying immortal. He was no longer an opponent that someone like Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint realm, could hope to challenge.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Blazing Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the unthinkable—the smallest probability—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose immortal, flying immortal, golden immortal—these corresponded to lower-tier, middle-tier, and upper-tier divine races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a middle-tier divine race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were restricted by the barrier, their powers sealed—except for the Supreme One, who could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago. Watching those closest to him die beside him—that feeling was enough to drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie still standing proudly, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?” Emperor Yinglie laughed wildly. “Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng, soaring into the sky toward the Supreme One, who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, Jaran, had transformed from a peerlessly talented young swordsman into an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had withered, his sword no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this were a gamble, both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
“If I don’t enter hell, who will?!” Emperor Yinglie roared madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jaran and Qin Feng dissolved into the rainbow brilliance surrounding the Supreme One.
The heroes of this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in a desperate charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Rongxuan. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy of that space dissipate, allowing her to emerge.
But the moment she rushed out, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation and disgrace to play the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rongxuan, and in his eyes, she understood much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she crashed into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rongxuan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress cultivated by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Blazing Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take the others. Take everyone back to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand, just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Herd asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold him off, none of those remaining on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s vendetta. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at Herd. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”
“But—” Herd still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Blazing Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still unharmed.
If they could return to Divine Elm, they would at least retain the ability to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
Herd stared blankly as Yang Hao soared toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, with a roar, he raised his great axe and bellowed, “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Severing Gold’s Cleave sliced through the air, opening a wormhole. A black halo twisted, reflecting the passage of time and space.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Blazing Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to buy them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the traces of space with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was the second time in a thousand years that someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, the second time—a direct attack on the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This kind of malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who had comprehended the essence of fire. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, dominating the air.
This flaming arrow had once required four elder stewards to barely withstand, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The most powerful divine artifact in the world, combined with the essence of fire—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap. All the malevolent flames dissipated instantly, the arrow effortlessly dispersed.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still locked onto Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the elders under the Supreme One’s command.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Blazing Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Blazing Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of malevolent flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, and the bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
“It is the Blazing Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it along the surface. Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger, it had no choice but to submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His people had already fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place here.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as Emperor Yinglie, throwing his life away the moment defeat was certain.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Blazing Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely—to Yang Hao’s dantian, and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder the Supreme One reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to use the Lightflow Shadow Step.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, Yang Hao’s Lightflow Shadow Step failed.
The Lightflow Shadow Step manipulated space—a specialty of the gods. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You truly are alive, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
But his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon emerged from his body, ready to defend its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him in a disturbingly invasive manner, preparing to tear open his lower body.
“Damn it, what kind of Supreme One is this? More like a dirty old man with a thing for kids!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why poke at my crotch?!”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice. Only out of courtesy did he speak. “Brat, you’ve got loyalty. Even at death’s door, you still protect him. If you hadn’t already joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits once more.
“He… has returned…” Hunyuanzi finally managed to speak after all this time.
But he would never utter a second word.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also utterly destroyed, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were wiped out, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving—those who frantically dodged the divine radiance, now living a fate worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the sight of living people—warriors who had just been fighting beside you—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword School family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had surpassed the Rogue Immortal realm, reaching the Flying Immortal stage—far beyond what Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint realm, could ever hope to oppose.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the unthinkable—the smallest probability—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had assumed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by the divine barrier, their powers sealed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance flickering at the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago—watching those closest to him die before his eyes, a feeling so unbearable it could drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng, both soaring into the sky to strike at the Supreme One—who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
From his throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man weighing pros and cons, his ambitions dulled, his blade no longer as sharp.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both he and Yang Hao had staked everything.
With the Supreme One’s arrival, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more pros and cons for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Jia Ran.
“If not me, then who?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Ronglai. Only when the Thunder Barrier was shattered did the spatial energy collapse, allowing her to escape.
But the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Nearly everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew the truth—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
Now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Ronglai—and in his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, hurling herself toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she crashed into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Ronglai screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and cunning princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazed with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Sacred Elm Dominion. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Heider asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold him off, none of those remaining on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at Heider. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” Heider still hesitated.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, those closest to Yang Hao were still unharmed.
If they could return to the Sacred Dominion, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, had turned half-white. Finally, with a roar, he raised his great axe. “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Golden-Cleaving Slash tore through the air, opening a wormhole—a swirling black vortex distorting space and time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew Yang Hao was sacrificing himself to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a savage flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, dominating the sky.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely withstand, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s might, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the savage flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly brushed aside—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than the others—so strong that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even his Elder Stewards.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a burst of savage flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the Scorching Fusion Bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grip.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger to the bow and slid it across the surface.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even mightier, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. He glanced around and saw that his allies had all fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as Emperor Yinglie—throwing his life away the moment defeat was certain.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The great experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao leave. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You truly live, old friend?” The Supreme One’s expression was odd—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
But his next move was ruthless. He reached out with both hands, intending to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Entirely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it, what kind of Supreme One is this? Just an old pervert!” Yang Hao, even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my lower half?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice. Only out of courtesy did he speak: “Brat, you’re loyal—protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
Now, judging from the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme, he had transcended the realm of Ascended Immortal, reaching a level far beyond what even a peak Saint like Yang Hao could challenge.
There was no way to turn the tide today.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving, desperately dodging the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing completely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already broken through to the Flying Immortal realm—far beyond what Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint level, could hope to oppose.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held the better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had happened.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had assumed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Worse still, in this universe, all divine beings were restrained by the divine seal, their power suppressed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible. Supreme. Nearly without equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance flickering at the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago—watching those closest to him die beside him, a feeling so crushing it could drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?”** Emperor Yinglie laughed. **”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and the emperor.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, ascending into the sky to strike at the Supreme One—who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the nine provinces.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie Jaran had transformed from a peerless young swordsman into an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had withered, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost. Lost completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
**”If I do not enter hell, who will?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the protective radiance surrounding the Supreme One. **”The longsword is still in hand!!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jaran and Qin Feng dissolved into the seven-colored brilliance surrounding the Supreme One.
Heroes in this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in a desperate gamble, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Rong Wei. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy of that space dissipate, allowing her to emerge.
But the moment she rushed out, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation and played the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rong Wei. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she crashed into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Rong Wei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and cunning princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazed with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”** He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. **”It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**”What about you?”** He De asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold them back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you!”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was always the grudge of my Alchemy Cauldron Sect! It has nothing to do with you! Get out!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We are your brothers. We will never leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao’s icy gaze fixed on He De. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—!”** He De still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he did not act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Alchemy Cauldron Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still unharmed.
If they could return to Divine Decree, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding back the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
He De stared blankly as Yang Hao soared toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, had turned half-white. Finally, He De raised his great axe and roared, **”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Severing Gold Cleave slashed through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo twisted the fabric of space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to create an escape route for them.
At last, these men hesitated no longer. They gathered the remaining Hidden Dragons and the shattered remnants of the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, all plunging into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the traces of space-time with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who had comprehended the essence of fire. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This flaming arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely withstand it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the malevolent flames instantly dissipated. The arrow was effortlessly brushed aside.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—so strong that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even the elders under his command.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden proximity. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of malevolent flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames became as docile as the tamest insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** A strange light flickered in the Supreme One’s eyes. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it along the surface.
Yang Hao’s heart wrenched violently, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong wailed within the bow, but in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian, his eyes darting around. He saw that his people had already fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao also wanted to escape. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he was not as foolish as Emperor Yinglie—ready to throw his life away the moment he lost.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze returning to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao did not answer. He turned, preparing to activate the Lightflow Shadow Step.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Lightflow Shadow Step failed.
The Lightflow Shadow Step manipulated space—a skill that was the exclusive domain of gods. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
**”You truly are alive… old friend.”** The Supreme One’s expression was odd. The way he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian could almost be described as delighted.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only hover in the air, whimpering, unable to advance further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for him in a disturbingly invasive manner, preparing to tear open his lower body.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! Just an old pervert with a thing for kids!”** Yang Hao, unshaken even in the face of death, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just kill me! Why poke at my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were not even worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak.
**”Brat, you’re loyal to the end—still protecting him even now. If you hadn’t already joined the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits once more.
But the one scenario no one wanted to imagine had occurred.
After years of wandering among the immortals, with no trace or news, everyone assumed the Supreme was dead. Yet now, he had returned—
And as a Ascended Immortal.
Wandering Immortal, Ascended Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Ranks of divine beings. The Supreme now possessed the divine power of a Middle-Rank deity. Even more terrifying was that in this universe, all gods were restricted by a barrier limiting their power, except for the Supreme, who alone retained full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, and nearly without equal.
Yang Hao gazed at the divine light radiating from the Supreme’s fingertips, his heart drowning in despair. Watching his loved ones and friends die before his eyes had left him hollow, as if he too were dead.
At this moment, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s feelings from a thousand years ago—when those closest to you die before your eyes, the pain is unbearable.
Yang Hao turned his head and saw the Heroic Emperor still standing proudly, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” the Heroic Emperor roared.
“Present!” Qin Feng’s hands had already emerged from his sleeves, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
“We once killed side by side in our youth. What about today?” the Heroic Emperor laughed. “Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought I’d return to the battlefield of our youth,” Qin Feng muttered, clapping his hands together. A dark aura enveloped him and the Heroic Emperor.
Leading the charge, the Heroic Emperor charged into the sky alongside Qin Feng, rushing toward the Supreme Being, who stood radiant and godlike over the entire continent.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng, two lone figures, appeared dark and insignificant against the dazzling light, like sunspots—small and powerless.
Yet at this moment, they no longer retreated.
Once seated on the throne, the Heroic Emperor Jiaran had transformed from a brilliant young swordsman into a calculating old man, his ambitions worn away, his sword no longer sharp.
But today, he understood—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both the Heroic Emperor and Yang Hao had bet everything.
With the Supreme’s return, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There was no more balance to weigh, no more decisions to make. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were his sword and his brothers.
Qin Feng followed Jiaran like a shadow.
“If I won’t go to hell—who will?!” the Heroic Emperor roared as he thrust his sword into the Supreme’s protective light, “My longsword is still in hand!!”
“My longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, the Heroic Emperor Jiaran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme’s radiant multicolored light.
Heroes always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave palace, a graceful, sorrowful figure suddenly leapt forth.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were completely destroyed, their armor strewn across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors, desperately dodging the divine radiance, were left in a state worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting by one’s side—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter another.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had only just become a Rogue Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nowhere near as vast as it was now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had broken through to the Flying Immortal realm—far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who was merely at the peak of the Saint realm.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held a slightly better chance. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had happened.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were restrained by the divine barrier, their power sealed—except for the Supreme One, who could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago—watching those closest to him die before his eyes was enough to drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, ascending into the sky to strike at the Supreme One, whose radiance illuminated the nine heavens, standing tall as a god or Buddha.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
From the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambition had been worn away, his sword no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew it was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Emperor Yinglie.
“If I do not enter hell, who will?!” Emperor Yinglie roared madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The long sword is still in hand!”
“The long sword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in a desperate charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Rongwei. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy of that space dissipate, allowing her to emerge.
But the moment she rushed out, she was met with this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew that everything she did was for her father—she could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation to play the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she gave Elder Rongwei a solitary glance—and in his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Elder Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and leave. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring certain victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Heider asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet over. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold it back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao’s gaze was icy as he looked at Heider. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” Heider still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the forces they had painstakingly gathered had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces remaining. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still alive.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they would at least have the strength to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao soared toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, with a roar, Heider raised his great axe. “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold’s Cleave sliced through the air, opening a wormhole. A black halo twisted the fabric of space and time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in nearly a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This kind of baleful flame could only be wielded by those who had comprehended the Fire Dao. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This flaming arrow had once required four Elder Council members to barely block it, leaving each of them severely injured. It had also gravely wounded Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap. All the baleful flames instantly dissipated, the arrow effortlessly brushed aside.
The gap between gods and mortals was as vast as an abyss.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Council members.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he was right in front of Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and grabbed the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of baleful flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the Scorching Fusion Bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it across the surface. Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. He glanced around and saw that his people had already fled. The Elder Mountain was empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no sign of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were mortal enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao leave. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You really are alive, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
But his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon was left hovering in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? Just an old pervert!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just kill me! Why poke at my lower half?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak. “Brat, you’re quite loyal—willing to protect him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t already joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
But the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart shattered. Almost everyone believed she was a traitor to the royal family, working for the Senate elders. But only Xianlan knew the truth—she had only ever acted for the sake of her father. She couldn’t bear to see him die at the hands of the Senate, so she endured humiliation and became a seductive concubine.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had been for nothing.
Her eyes were red and swollen from crying, and the enchanting beauty on her face had faded. She floated in the sky, gazing at Elder Rongli with a lonely expression. From Rongli’s eyes, Xianlan understood many things.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, hurling herself toward the Supreme’s body.
With barely any force, she collided into the Supreme’s divine light.
“Xianlan!!” Rongli cried out in shock.
But it was already too late. The alluring and brilliant princess of the Milky Way Empire, the cunning beauty who had been cultivated by the Senate for years as a seductress, evaporated into nothingness within the Supreme’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
The Imperial Guards’ dozens of swordmaster regiments, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their existence worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation to kill the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had surpassed the realm of a flying immortal. He was no longer an opponent Yang Hao—at the peak of the Saint realm—could hope to challenge.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his mind painfully clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least probable outcome—the one no one wanted—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the lower, middle, and upper tiers of divine beings. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a mid-tier deity. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by seals that suppressed their strength—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago—the sheer devastation of seeing those dearest to him die before his eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?”** Emperor Yinglie laughed. **”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and the emperor.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, ascending into the sky to strike at the Supreme One—who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambition had faded, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew this was his final moment.
If this was a gamble, both he and Yang Hao had staked everything.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to consider. He had already lost everything. The only things remaining were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Emperor Yinglie.
**”If not me, then who?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **”The longsword is still in hand!!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rongwei, but when the Thunder Seal was broken, the space collapsed, allowing her to escape.
Yet the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Nearly everyone believed her a traitor to the royal family, a pawn of the Elder Council. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had acted solely for her father’s sake. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rongwei, reading much in his gaze.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, hurling herself toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no strength left, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and cunning princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed about to ignite into flames, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”** Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. **”It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and leave. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**”What about you?”** Herd asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold it back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you.”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s ancient grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao glared coldly at Herd. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—”** Herd tried to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect retained half their forces. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were still alive.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Herd watched numbly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, with a roar, Herd raised his great axe.
**”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Sundering Gold Cleaver sliced through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, saw Yang Hao drawing the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, diverting the Supreme One’s attention entirely. They knew—Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such defiance against the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who comprehended the essence of fire. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire incantation, the flames grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This flaming arrow had once required four Elder Council members to barely withstand it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. All the malevolent flames dissipated instantly. The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze shifted toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than the others—so strong that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even his own Elder Council members.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of malevolent flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grasp.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** A strange light flickered in the Supreme One’s eyes. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down forcefully. Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian, scanning his surroundings. His allies had already fled. The Elder Council’s mountain stood empty—the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, no trace remained of the great battle that had just taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as Emperor Yinglie—ready to die the moment defeat was certain.
But he was too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze fixed once more on Yang Hao.
More precisely, on Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression shifted—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an ancient nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to use the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were mortal enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues beyond Yang Hao.
**”You truly live, old friend!”** The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Entirely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers—in a disturbingly invasive manner—approached his lower body.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! More like a lecherous old pervert!”** Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, but spoke out of courtesy. **”Brat, you’re loyal—protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limit once more.
“Yang Hao!!” Hede blocked his path. The old bear understood exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Flee now!”
Yang Hao’s face was calm. “You take everyone back to Shenyu Autonomous Territory. Our spacecraft can carry you all.”
Though he had believed victory was certain today, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out, just in case. He never imagined they would actually be needed.
“And you?” Hede asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiant light rained down like falling rain. If no one held it back, those remaining on the mountain would never escape.
“Together! We all go together!!” Longyun, Xiefengting, and Lanling all gathered around. “We won’t leave you behind.”
“Go! All of you go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared. “This feud was always between my sect and them. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Longyun also roared. “We are your brothers. We will never leave you alone.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao coldly stared at Hede. “Old bear, you take them and flee. Perhaps one day you can avenge me.”
“But—” Hede tried to protest.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their existence worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives ripped away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the Heavenly Tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was nowhere near as formidable as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had transcended the Rogue Immortal realm, reaching the Flying Immortal stage—a level far beyond Yang Hao’s Saint-level peak.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But the least probable outcome—the one no one wanted—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Divine Race. Worse still, in this universe, all divine beings were restrained by the divine barrier, their powers sealed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with virtually no equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago—the sheer devastation of seeing those dearest to him die before his eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?” Emperor Yinglie laughed wildly. “Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng, soaring into the sky to strike at the Supreme One—a figure radiant as the sun, towering like a god or Buddha.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng stood starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie Jaran had transformed from a peerlessly elegant young swordsman into an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, his sword no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both he and Yang Hao had staked everything.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things left to him were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
“If not me, then who?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as his sword pierced the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jaran and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched in horror as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rongxuan. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier shattered, collapsing the dimension’s energy, could she escape.
But the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her a traitor to the royal family, a pawn of the Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
Now, it was all over. Everything she had done was meaningless.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rongxuan. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no force at all, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rongxuan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitchingly beautiful princess of the Silver River Empire, the cunning strategist, the seductress cultivated by the Elder Council for years—vanished without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships can carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Heider asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet over. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s ancient grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at Heider. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” Heider tried to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect retained half their forces. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were unharmed.
If they could return to the Divine Elm Territory, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, Heider raised his battle-axe and roared, “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Severing Gold Slash split the air, carving open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such defiance against the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who comprehended the Fire Dao. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker, longer, overwhelmingly dominant.
This very arrow had once required four Elder Council members to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also critically injured Elder Gui and even slain Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s might, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. The malevolent flames instantly dissipated, the arrow effortlessly scattered.
Such was the chasm between god and mortal—vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than the others—so strong that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even his Elder Council members.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “Is this the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden proximity. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of malevolent flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
“So it is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it along the surface. Instantly, Yang Hao felt a wrenching pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong wailed within the bow, but in the hands of one even stronger, he could only submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. Glancing around, he saw his allies had all fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Bare earth remained—no trace of the great battle that had raged here.
Yang Hao, too, wanted to flee. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze fixed once more on Yang Hao.
More precisely—on Yang Hao’s dantian, and what lay within.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually shifted—a rare occurrence. “Still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or slain. To encounter an ancient nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
What a joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were mortal enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One surpassed Yang Hao by countless levels.
“So you truly live, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was merciless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Entirely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? Just an old pervert!” Yang Hao, even in peril, cursed furiously. “Kill me if you must, but why grope my crotch?”
The Supreme One glanced at him dismissively, as if Yang Hao were beneath notice. Only out of courtesy did he speak: “Brat, you’re loyal to the end, protecting him even in death. Had you not joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
Even the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng had died, nearly wiping out the entire Sword Sage lineage.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even the last remnants of their forces would be lost.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Sects, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Schools over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Blessing Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving, now frantically dodging the divine radiance, living a fate worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the sight of living people—warriors who had just been fighting beside you—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Sect family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched the agony in the eyes of the fallen warriors of the Hao Sword Regiment as they stared at him before death.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter another.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to slay the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already transcended the Rogue Immortal realm, reaching the Flying Immortal stage—far beyond what Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint realm, could hope to oppose.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. Once both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But the unthinkable had happened—the smallest probability had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by the barrier that sealed their strength—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago. Watching those closest to you die beside you—that feeling was enough to break a man.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?”** Emperor Yinglie laughed wildly. **”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng, both soaring into the sky to strike at the Supreme One, who stood towering like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But now, they would retreat no more.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, once a peerless young swordsman, had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, his sword no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to consider. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Emperor Yinglie.
**”If not me, then who?!”** Emperor Yinglie roared madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **”The longsword is still in hand!!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng dissolved into the rainbow brilliance surrounding the Supreme One.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched in horror as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Rongwei. Only after the Profound Thunder Barrier was shattered, and the dimensional energy dissipated, could she emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the Elder Council. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rongwei. From his eyes, she understood much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Elder Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”** Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. **”It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and leave. Return to the Sacred Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**”What about you?”** Heider asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold him off, none of the survivors on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you!”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you! Get out of here!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao glared coldly at Heider. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—!”** Heider still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been utterly exhausted after the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Blessing Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest comrades were still alive.
If they could return to Sacred Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned half-white. Finally, Heider raised his great axe and bellowed, **”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Cleaving Gold Split tore through the air, opening a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no more. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This kind of baleful flame could only be wielded by those who comprehended the Fire Dao. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, domineering and unstoppable.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even slain Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s might—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. All the baleful flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly deflected—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still locked onto Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Stewards.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden proximity. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of baleful flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grip.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** A strange light gleamed in the Supreme One’s eyes. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it across. Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart—as if his soul’s connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. He glanced around and saw that his comrades had all escaped. The Elder Council’s mountain stood empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long since been vaporized by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to flee too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as Emperor Yinglie—ready to die the moment defeat was certain.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, and his gaze returned to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian and what lay within.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder the Supreme One reacted so strongly. The great experts of his era had long been sealed away or slain. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to use the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were mortal enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One would not let Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
**”You truly live on, old friend!”** The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
But his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, intending to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only whimper in midair, unable to advance further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! Just an old pervert!”** Yang Hao, even in dire straits, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, and only spoke out of courtesy. **”Brat, you’re loyal to the end, protecting him even now. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
As long as they returned to Shenyu, at least they would have the strength to protect themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay behind. Only by holding the Supreme at bay could he give the others a chance to escape.
Hede stared at Yang Hao flying toward the Supreme. His ancient fur had turned half-white. Finally, Hede roared, swinging his axe. “Move out!! Everyone follow me!!”
A rift tore through the sky, a wormhole opening as black light spiraled through space-time.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor strewn across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, living in agony worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword School family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Loose Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had broken through to the Flying Immortal realm—far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who was only at the peak of the Saint realm.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the unthinkable happened—the smallest probability, the one outcome no one wanted, had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Worse still, in this universe, all divine beings were sealed by the barrier, their power suppressed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible. Supreme. Nearly without equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and friends die, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood what Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago—the sheer devastation of seeing those closest to you perish before your eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side,”** Emperor Yinglie laughed. **”And today?”**
**”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, their blades aimed at the Supreme One, who stood towering in the sky like a god or a buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood burned within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had withered, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost. Lost completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things left to him were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Yinglie.
**”If I don’t enter hell, who will?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as his sword pierced the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **”The longsword is still in hand!!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-like brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rongxuan, but when the Profound Thunder Barrier shattered, the space collapsed, allowing her to escape.
Yet the moment she emerged, she was met with this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, a pawn of the Elder Council. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She couldn’t bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she had endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rongxuan. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Rongxuan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Milky Way Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazed with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”**
Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. **”It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**”And you?”** Herd asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment wasn’t finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, none of the survivors on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you!”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was always the grudge of my Alchemy Cauldron Sect! It has nothing to do with you! Get out!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao’s icy gaze fixed on Herd. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—!”** Herd still wanted to argue.
But Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints left. Half of the Dragon Protector Corps and the Alchemy Cauldron Sword Sect remained. Most importantly, none of Yang Hao’s closest companions had fallen.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Herd stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, had turned half-white. Finally, with a roar, he swung his great axe and bellowed:
**”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Severing Gold’s Cleave split the air, carving out a wormhole. A black halo twisted the fabric of space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to create their chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the shattered remnants of the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, they plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the traces of the wormhole with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao’s mysteries could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the sinister flame grew thicker, longer, and overwhelmingly domineering.
This flaming arrow had once required four Elder Council members to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Ghost Elder and even killed Celestial Strategist Elder with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s mysteries—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the sinister flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly deflected—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Council members.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the Scorching Fusion Bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart—as if his connection to the Scorching Fusion Bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even mightier, it could only submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian, scanning his surroundings. His people had already fled. The Elder Council’s mountain stood empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long been vaporized by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had raged here.
Yang Hao also wanted to escape. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was a step too slow. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze fixed once more on Yang Hao.
More precisely—on Yang Hao’s dantian. On what lay within.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed or slain. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
But the Supreme One wouldn’t let Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues beyond Yang Hao.
**”You truly live, old friend?”** The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to defend him. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him in a disturbingly invasive manner.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! Just an old pervert!”** Yang Hao, even in mortal danger, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just kill me! Why grope my lower half?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t worth his attention, but spoke out of courtesy:
**”Brat, you’ve got loyalty. Even at death’s door, you still protect him. If you hadn’t joined the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. Gathering all his energy, he unleashed the Fire Dao’s mysteries at their peak once more.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were utterly annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were annihilated, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Guard and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors, frantically dodging the divine radiance, were left in a state worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives ripped away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched the agony in the eyes of the fallen warriors of the Hao Sword Regiment as they stared at him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the Heavenly Tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had only just become a Loose Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had already transcended the realm of a Flying Immortal. He was far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who stood at the peak of the Saint realm.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand, his mind painfully clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Council of Elders had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted to happen—had unfolded.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Worse still, in this universe, all gods were bound by the barrier that sealed their strength. Only the Supreme One could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
As Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, despair overwhelmed him. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago. Watching those closest to you die beside you—that feeling was enough to break anyone.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie still standing proudly, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Who would have thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, striking toward the Supreme One, who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood burned within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng stood starkly dark against the brilliant light, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, once a peerless young swordsman, had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, and his blade was no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s arrival, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng followed Jia Ran like a shadow.
“If I do not enter hell, who will?!” Emperor Yinglie roared madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The long sword is still in hand!”
“The long sword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in a desperate charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Rong Xuan. Only when the Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy sealing the space dissipate, allowing her to emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed she was a traitor to the royal family, working for the Council of Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew the truth—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Council, so she endured humiliation and played the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rong Xuan, and in his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rong Xuan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Milky Way Empire, the seductress cultivated by the Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazed with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take the others and go. Take everyone back to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out, just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance fell like rain. If no one held him back, none of those remaining on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s vendetta. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” He De still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants of their forces would be lost.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Guard and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their numbers remaining. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still unharmed.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
He De stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, turned half-white in an instant. Finally, He De raised his great axe and roared, “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleave sliced through the air, carving open a wormhole. A black halo swirled, distorting space and time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the shattered remnants of the Dan Ding Sect, they all plunged into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in nearly a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a savage flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, dominating the sky.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
Fired from the world’s most powerful divine artifact and infused with the Fire Dao’s essence, this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap. All the savage flames dissipated instantly, the arrow effortlessly swatted aside. The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—so strong that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even the power of his Elder Stewards.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was already too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a burst of savage flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it along the surface. Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed within, but in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it could only submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around and saw that his people had already fled. The Council’s mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no sign of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao also wanted to flee. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was a step too slow. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow and turned his gaze back to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian and what lay within.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a specialty of the gods. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You truly still live, old friend?” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to defend him. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only whimper in midair, unable to advance further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for him in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it, what kind of Supreme One are you?! More like a dirty old man with a thing for kids!!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my lower half?!”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, but spoke out of courtesy. “Brat, you’ve got loyalty. Even at death’s door, you still protect him. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao sneered. Gathering all his energy, he unleashed the Fire Dao’s essence at its peak once more.
As Hede entered last and erased all traces of the wormhole with a single axe strike, Yang Hao’s black flame arrow, filled with rage, shot toward the Supreme’s face.
This was the second time in nearly a thousand years that someone dared such a disrespectful act against the Supreme.
The first had been Yang Hao himself, attempting to assassinate the Supreme’s physical body inside the cave. Now, it was a direct assassination attempt.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving, desperately dodging the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—the warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives ripped away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi have the strength to utter his first words. But he could not speak another.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already transcended the realm of a flying immortal. He was no longer an opponent that someone like Yang Hao—at the peak of the Saint realm—could hope to challenge.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. This had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held the greater odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose immortal, flying immortal, golden immortal—these corresponded to the lower, middle, and upper tiers of the divine race. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a middle-tier god. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were sealed by the barrier, their power suppressed. Only the Supreme One could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago. Seeing those closest to him die before his eyes—that feeling was enough to drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie still standing proudly, his broadsword raised high.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“I never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, striking toward the Supreme One, who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the nine provinces.
Yang Hao remained silent, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But at this moment, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, once a peerless young swordsman, had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, his sword no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to consider. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jia Ran like a shadow.
“If I do not enter hell, who will?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
The heroes of this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in a desperate charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Rong Wei. Only when the Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy of that space dissipate, allowing her to escape.
But the moment she emerged, she was met with this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Nearly everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she had endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rong Wei. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rong Wei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching princess of the Silver River Empire, the cunning beauty nurtured by the Elder Council for years—the seductress—evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take the others. Take everyone back to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. If no one held them back, the remaining people on the mountain would not escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” He De still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he did not act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still alive.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding back the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
He De stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the years, had turned half-white. Finally, with a roar, He De raised his great axe. “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold’s Cleave sliced through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, reflecting the passage of time and space.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to create an escape route for them.
At last, these men hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the traces of the wormhole with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This kind of baleful flame could only be wielded by those who had comprehended the essence of fire. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn under his breath, the flames grew thicker and longer, dominating the sky.
This flaming arrow had once required four elder stewards to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tian Ce with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the baleful flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly swatted aside.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still turned toward Yang Hao. Because his attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even the elders under his command.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he was right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was already too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of baleful flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, and the bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed with an unusual light. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it across the surface.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His people had already fled. The Elder Mountain was desolate, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie after a loss.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze fixed once more on Yang Hao.
More precisely, on Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder the Supreme One reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a skill that gods excelled in. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You truly are alive, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
But his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon was frozen midair, whimpering helplessly.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him in a disturbingly invasive manner, poised to tear apart his lower body.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? More like a dirty old man!” Yang Hao, even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope me down there?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, but spoke out of courtesy. “Brat, you’re loyal, protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t already joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits once more.
This fire arrow once required four Elder Stewards to barely withstand, each suffering greatly. It had severely wounded the Ghost Elder and even killed the Heaven Strategy Elder with a single shot.
The most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire, represented Yang Hao’s ultimate strength.
Yet the Supreme merely extended a delicate, jade-like hand, lightly flicking the arrow. All the fierce flames instantly dissipated, the arrow effortlessly swatted away. The gap between divinity and mortals was as vast as a chasm.
But the Supreme’s gaze still turned toward Yang Hao, for his attack had surpassed all others, strong enough to draw the Supreme’s attention.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
The Imperial Guard’s dozens of swordmaster regiments, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving, frantically dodging the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—the warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing completely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the Heavenly Tribulation to kill the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had transcended the Rogue Immortal realm, reaching the Flying Immortal stage—far beyond the capabilities of someone like Yang Hao, who was only at the peak of the Saint level.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his mind painfully clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held the better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had seemed doomed.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Divine Race. Worse still, in this universe, all divine beings were restricted by the barrier, their powers sealed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago—the sheer devastation of watching those closest to him die before his eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, attacking the Supreme One, who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the brilliant light, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they refused to retreat.
From his throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man weighing gains and losses, his ambitions dulled, his sword no longer as sharp.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew it was his final hour.
If this was a gamble, both he and Yang Hao had staked everything.
With the Supreme One’s arrival, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses to consider. Emperor Yinglie had already lost everything. All he had left was his sword and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jia Ran like a shadow.
“If not me, then who?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s multicolored brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rong Luan, but when the Thunder Barrier shattered, the space collapsed, allowing her to escape.
Yet the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She couldn’t bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts were meaningless.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rong Luan, understanding much from his gaze.
Yet, with resolute determination, she shook her head and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no force, she plunged into his radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rong Luan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching, resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire—the seductress cultivated by the Elder Council for years—vanished without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was calm. “Take everyone back to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships can carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment wasn’t finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared. “Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s vendetta. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, no one escapes!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and flee. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”
“But—” He De tried to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew their accumulated strength had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were unharmed.
If they returned to the Divine Elm, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
He De watched numbly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, He De raised his axe and roared, “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Golden-Cleaving Slash tore through the air, opening a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, saw Yang Hao draw the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, diverting the Supreme One’s attention entirely. They knew—Yang Hao was sacrificing himself to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and Dan Ding Sect survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the spatial traces with his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flame grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elder Council members to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also critically injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance in a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s essence, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. The sinister flame dissipated instantly, the arrow effortlessly dispersed.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze shifted to Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than the others—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Council members.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of sinister flame toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flame was tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“So it is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger to the bow and slid it down. Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed within. But in the hands of one stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His allies had fled. The Elder Mountain was empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Only bare earth remained, with no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie after a loss.
But he was too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze fixed on Yang Hao once more.
More precisely, on Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression shifted—a rare occurrence. “Still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao leave. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The technique manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues beyond Yang Hao.
“So you really live, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was odd—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was merciless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon emerged to protect its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One are you? Just an old pervert!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope me down there?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath notice, but spoke out of courtesy. “Brat, you’re loyal—defending him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have recruited you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. Gathering all his energy, he unleashed the Fire Dao’s essence once more at its peak.
Startled by the Supreme’s sudden appearance, Yang Hao tried to retreat, but it was already too late.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Sects, along with six clan leaders—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Schools over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
The Imperial Guard’s dozens of swordmaster regiments, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were completely obliterated, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving. These survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the sight of living people—warriors who had just been fighting beside you—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Sect leaders before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was annihilated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi have the strength to utter his first words. But he could not speak another.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already transcended the realm of a flying immortal. He was far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who stood at the peak of the Saint realm.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But the least probable outcome—the one no one wanted—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed to be dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose immortal, flying immortal, golden immortal—these corresponded to the lower, middle, and upper ranks of the divine clans. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a middle-rank deity. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were restrained by the divine barrier, their powers sealed. Only the Supreme One could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
As Yang Hao gazed at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, despair overwhelmed him. Watching his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
At this moment, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago—the sheer devastation of seeing those closest to you die before your eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, attacking the Supreme One, whose radiance illuminated the nine provinces, standing tall like a god or a Buddha.
Yang Hao remained silent, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the brilliant light, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, once a peerless young swordsman, had become an old man who weighed pros and cons. His ambitions had faded, and his sword was no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew this was the final moment of his life.
If this were a gamble, both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more pros and cons for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Emperor Yinglie like a shadow.
“If not me, then who?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The long sword is still in hand!”
“The long sword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s multicolored divine light.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched in horror as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Ronglai. Only after the Profound Thunder Barrier was shattered, and the dimensional energy dissipated, could she emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew that everything she had done was for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation and played the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Ronglai, and in his gaze, she understood much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Ronglai screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Milky Way Empire, the seductress cultivated by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins felt like it was turning to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Heider asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold it back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s vendetta. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at Heider. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”
“But—!” Heider tried to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces remaining. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were still alive.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they would at least have the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, with a roar, Heider raised his great axe. “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleaver sliced through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the essence of fire could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire incantation, the flame grew thicker and longer, exuding overwhelming dominance.
This arrow had once required four elder stewards to barely block, leaving each of them severely injured. It had also gravely wounded Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. All the sinister flames dissipated instantly. The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—so strong that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even his elder stewards.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“So it is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down. Instantly, Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger, it had no choice but to submit.
Gritting his teeth against the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His people had already fled. The Elder Mountain was empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long been vaporized by the holy light, leaving only bare earth—no trace of the great battle that had raged here.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Lightflow Shadow Step.
This was no joke. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, Yang Hao’s Lightflow Shadow Step failed.
The Lightflow Shadow Step manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues ahead of Yang Hao.
“So you really are alive, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost gleeful.
But his next move was ruthless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon froze midair, whimpering helplessly.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One are you? More like a dirty old man!” Yang Hao, even in peril, couldn’t resist cursing. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope me?!”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak. “Brat, you’re loyal to the end, protecting him even now. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies shattered to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—the warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation to kill the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had only just become a Loose Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had already transcended the realm of a Flying Immortal. He was far beyond anything Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint Realm, could hope to oppose.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. This had always been a gamble—one where Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Council of Elders had no chance of turning the tide.
But then, the unthinkable happened.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace—whom everyone believed dead—had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were sealed by the barrier, their power suppressed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible. Supreme. Nearly without equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood what Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago. Seeing those closest to him die before his eyes—that feeling was enough to break a man.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side,”** Emperor Yinglie laughed. **”And today?”**
**”Who would have thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth?”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and the emperor.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, striking toward the Supreme One—a figure of divine radiance, towering like a god or Buddha over the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng stood starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But now, they would retreat no more.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie, once a peerless young swordsman, had become an old man who weighed every decision. His ambitions had faded, his sword no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both he and Yang Hao had staked everything.
With the Supreme One’s arrival, they had lost. Lost utterly.
There was no more weighing of pros and cons. Emperor Yinglie had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng followed Jia Ran like a shadow.
**”If not me, then who?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **”The longsword is still in hand!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in a desperate charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Ronglai. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier shattered, releasing the energy sealing the space, could she emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, working for the Council of Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Ronglai—and in his eyes, she saw much.
Yet, this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Ronglai screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and cunning princess of the Silver River Empire—the seductress nurtured by the Council for years—evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins burned like fire. The Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand seethed with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”**
Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. **”It’s over. All of it. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone back to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships can carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they would be needed.
**”What about you?”** Herd asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, none of those remaining on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you!”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared. **”Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s vendetta. It has nothing to do with you! Get out of here!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao glared coldly at Herd. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—!”** Herd still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had painstakingly gathered had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he did not act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints. Half of the Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect remained. Most importantly, those closest to Yang Hao were still unharmed.
If they could return to Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
Herd watched dumbly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned half-white. Finally, with a roar, he swung his great axe and bellowed:
**”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Severing Gold’s Cleave split the air, carving open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, saw Yang Hao drawing the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, diverting the Supreme One’s attention entirely. They knew—Yang Hao was giving his life to buy their escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in nearly a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who comprehended the Fire Dao. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker, longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elders to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had critically injured Ghost Elder and even slain Celestial Strategist Elder with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the malevolent flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly dispersed.
Such was the chasm between god and mortal.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than any other’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elders under the Supreme One’s command.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a burst of malevolent flame toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the Scorching Fusion Bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** A strange light flickered in the Supreme One’s eyes. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down forcefully.
Yang Hao’s heart wrenched violently, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the spirit within the bow, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even mightier, it could only submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian, scanning his surroundings. His people had already fled. The Council’s mountain stood empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long been vaporized by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he was not foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was a step too late.
The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze returning to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian and what lay within.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression shifted—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or slain. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao did not answer. He turned, preparing to activate the Lightflow Shadow Step.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were mortal enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One would not let Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Lightflow Shadow Step failed.
The technique manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One surpassed Yang Hao by countless levels.
**”You truly live on, old friend!”** The Supreme One’s expression was strange—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
But his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, intending to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only whimper in midair, unable to advance further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Entirely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers—in a disturbingly invasive manner—reached to tear open his lower body.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! Just an old pervert!”** Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were not worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak:
**”Brat, you have loyalty. Even at death’s door, you still protect him. Were you not already a disciple of the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor strewn across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors, desperately dodging the divine radiance, were left in a state worse than death.
By now, this was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the sight of living people—warriors who had just been fighting by one’s side—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**“He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to utter his first words. But he could not speak a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the Heavenly Tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Loose Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already broken through to the Flying Immortal realm—far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who was only at the peak of the Saint level.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their final cards, the Council of Elders had no chance left to turn the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed to be dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Worse still, in this universe, all gods were restrained by the barrier, their powers sealed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish before him, his heart withered as if dead.
At this moment, Yang Hao finally understood what Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago—the sheer, soul-crushing agony of watching those closest to him die beside him.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**“Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**“Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**“In our youth, we killed side by side. What about today?”** Emperor Yinglie laughed wildly. **“Today, we have another chance.”**
**“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, attacking the Supreme One—who stood towering like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, and his sword was no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to consider. He had already lost everything. The only things left to him were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Jia Ran.
**“If I don’t enter hell, who will?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **“The long sword is still in hand!!”**
**“The long sword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**“Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge. The woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Rong Wei. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier shattered, collapsing the space’s energy, could she emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the Council of Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Council, so she endured humiliation to play the role of the seductress.
Now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rong Wei—and in his eyes, she saw much.
Yet, with resolute determination, she shook her head and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**“Xianlan!!”** Rong Wei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching princess of the Milky Way Empire, the cunning beauty nurtured by the Council of Elders for years—vanished without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
**“Yang Hao!!”** He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended. **“It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **“Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**“And you?”** He De asked.
**“I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold it back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
**“We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **“We won’t abandon you.”**
**“Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **“Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s old grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”**
**“Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **“We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. **“Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”**
**“But—”** He De still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect retained half their forces. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still alive.
If they could return to Divine Elm, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding back the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
He De stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, He De raised his great axe and roared, **“Go!! Everyone, follow me!!”**
The Severing Gold’s Tear slashed through the air, carving open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, diverting the Supreme One’s attention entirely. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to buy their escape.
No longer hesitating, they gathered the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, all plunging into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker, longer, and overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elders to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had critically injured Ghost Elder and even killed Celestial Strategist Elder with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s might—this was Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow.
All the raging flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly dispersed—highlighting the vast chasm between god and mortal.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than the others—strong enough to surpass even the Elders under the Supreme One’s command.
**“You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **“This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a torrent of flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist—but under the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
**“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and wiped it forcefully.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his soul’s connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. He glanced around—his people had already fled. The mountain of the Elders stood empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long been vaporized by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was a step too late.
The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian and what lay within.
**“Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression shifted—a rare occurrence. **“You’re still alive?”**
No wonder the Supreme One reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, ready to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao leave. With a wave of his hand, Yang Hao’s Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
**“You truly are alive… old friend.”** The Supreme One’s expression was strange—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
But his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to defend him. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon froze midair, whimpering helplessly.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers moved obscenely toward his lower body.
**“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! More like a dirty old man with a thing for kids!”** Even in mortal peril, Yang Hao didn’t falter, cursing furiously. **“If you want to kill me, just do it! Why poke at my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak.
**“Brat, you’ve got loyalty—protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t already joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Council.”**
**“Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
In an instant, with a single finger, the Supreme had erased the soul imprint between Yang Hao and the divine bow.
Zhurong wailed within the bow, but in the hands of a being even stronger than itself, it could only submit.
Yang Hao endured the excruciating pain in his core, glancing around. He saw that his comrades had already escaped. The mountain was empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the divine light. Except for the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had just taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to flee too. Though he had the spirit of sacrifice, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like the Heroic Emperor.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Sects, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Schools over a century—were also utterly destroyed, their bodies reduced to dust.
The Imperial Guard’s dozens of swordmaster regiments, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were wiped out, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s overwhelming power. Those who remained were frantically dodging the divine radiance, their existence worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside you—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing completely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Sect family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter another.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Loose Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was nowhere near as formidable as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already transcended the Flying Immortal realm. He was no longer an opponent that someone like Yang Hao—at the peak of the Saint realm—could hope to challenge.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the unthinkable happened—the smallest probability became reality.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed to be dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by seals that suppressed their power—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and comrades perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood what Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago—the sheer devastation of seeing those closest to you die before your eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Today, we have another chance.”
“I never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, attacking the Supreme One—who stood towering like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao remained silent, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they refused to retreat.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed pros and cons. His ambitions had faded, and his sword was no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this were a gamble, both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more pros and cons for Emperor Yinglie to consider. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jia Ran like a shadow.
“If I don’t enter hell, who will?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as his sword pierced the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The long sword is still in hand!”
“The long sword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s multicolored brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!!” Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rong Xuan, but when the Profound Thunder Barrier shattered, the energy maintaining the space collapsed, allowing her to escape.
Yet the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She couldn’t bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rong Xuan. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!!” Rong Xuan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Milky Way Empire, the seductress cultivated by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment wasn’t finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, none of the survivors on this mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared. “Today’s battle was always the grudge of my Alchemy Cauldron Sect. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, no one escapes!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—!” He De still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Alchemy Cauldron Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were still alive.
If they could return to Divine Elm, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
He De watched dumbfounded as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, turned half-white in an instant. Finally, He De raised his great axe and roared, “Go!!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleave split the air, carving open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, saw Yang Hao drawing the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, diverting the Supreme One’s attention entirely. They knew—Yang Hao was using his life to buy their escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Alchemy Cauldron Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in nearly a thousand years that someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire incantation, the flame grew thicker, longer, and overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely block, leaving each of them severely injured. It had also gravely wounded Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s might—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave it a light tap.
All the sinister flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly neutralized—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Stewards.
“You?” The Supreme One didn’t move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames became as docile as the tamest insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the Scorching Fusion Bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grip.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down. Instantly, Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong wailed within the bow, but in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His people had already fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Aside from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely—to Yang Hao’s dantian, and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or perished. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year existence would surely end.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a skill that gods excelled in. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“So you truly live, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to defend him. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon was left hovering helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? More like a dirty old man!” Yang Hao, unfazed even in peril, cursed angrily. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why poke at my crotch?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, but spoke out of courtesy. “Brat, you’re loyal—protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t joined the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also utterly destroyed, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were wiped out, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, living a fate worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives ripped away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword School family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had only just become a Loose Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had already broken through to the Flying Immortal realm—far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who stood at the peak of the Saint realm.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand, his heart painfully clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the unthinkable happened—the smallest probability, the one outcome no one wanted, had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by seals that suppressed their power—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his friends and loved ones perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a millennium ago—the sheer devastation of seeing those closest to you die before your eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
With a battle cry, Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, their blades aimed at the Supreme One, who stood towering in the sky like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng stood out starkly against the dazzling light, like sunspots—small and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
Seated upon the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew it was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things left to him were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng followed Jia Ran like a shadow.
“If I don’t enter hell, who will?!” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jia Ran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!!” Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Rong Xuan. Only when the Thunder Seal was broken did the spatial energy dissipate, allowing her to escape.
But the moment she emerged, she was met with this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew the truth—she had done it all for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation to play the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rong Xuan. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet, with resolute determination, she shook her head and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!!” Rong Xuan screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to flame, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. All of it. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet over. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold the line, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also shouted. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”
“If I don’t stay, no one escapes!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and run. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” He De tried to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces remaining. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were still alive.
If they could return to the Divine Elm Territory, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
He De watched numbly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, turned half-white in an instant. Finally, with a roar, He De raised his great axe. “Go!!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleave split the air, carving open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was sacrificing himself to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they plunged into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker, longer, and more domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely withstand, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Ghost Elder and even killed Celestial Strategist Elder with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine weapon, combined with the Fire Dao’s might, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the sinister flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly swatted aside—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still locked onto Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than any other, surpassing even the Elder Stewards.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a burst of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the Scorching Fusion Bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down forcefully.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong wailed within the bow, but in the hands of one even stronger, he had no choice but to submit.
Gritting his teeth against the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His allies had already fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had raged here.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to face death, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually shifted—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One would never let Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The technique manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues beyond Yang Hao.
“You truly live, old friend?” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost… delighted.
But his next move was ruthless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth to defend its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only whimper in midair, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers descended toward his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? More like a lecherous old pervert!” Yang Hao, even in peril, couldn’t help but curse. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why poke at my crotch?!”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t even worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak. “Brat, you’ve got loyalty. Even at death’s door, you still protect him. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao sneered. Gathering all his energy, he unleashed the Fire Dao’s power to its limit once more.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme’s expression actually changed, which was rare indeed. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder the Supreme reacted so strongly. All the masters of his era had either been sealed or perished long ago. To see an old enemy still alive was nothing short of a miracle.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their existence now worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the sight of living people—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing completely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nothing compared to the vast might he wielded now.
But now, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had broken through to the Flying Immortal realm—far beyond the reach of someone like Yang Hao, who stood at the peak of the Saint realm.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had assumed was dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all divine beings were restricted by the barrier, their power sealed—except for the Supreme One, who could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance flickering at the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood the emotions Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago—watching those closest to him die before his eyes was enough to drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned and saw the Heroic Emperor, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” the Heroic Emperor roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” the Heroic Emperor laughed. “And today?”
“I never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and the Heroic Emperor.
The Heroic Emperor charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, ascending into the sky to strike at the Supreme One, whose radiance illuminated the nine heavens like a god or a Buddha.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng stood starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But now, they would retreat no more.
Seated upon the throne, the Heroic Emperor, Jaran, had transformed from a peerlessly talented young swordsman into an old man who weighed every decision. His ambitions had withered, and his blade was no longer as sharp as it once was.
But today, the Heroic Emperor knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both the Heroic Emperor and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more calculations for the Heroic Emperor to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
“If I do not enter hell, who will?!” the Heroic Emperor bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the protective radiance surrounding the Supreme One. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, the Heroic Emperor Jaran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the rainbow brilliance surrounding the Supreme One.
The heroes of this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!!” Princess Xianlan watched as the Heroic Emperor threw his life away in a desperate gamble, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Ronglai. Only when the Profound Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy sealing the space dissipate, allowing her to emerge.
But the moment she broke free, she was met with this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—everything she had done was for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she had endured humiliation to play the role of the seductress.
But now, it was all over. Everything she had done before had lost its meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Ronglai. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!!” Ronglai screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
“Yang Hao!!!” Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships before setting out—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Heider asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. Without someone to hold it back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We are your brothers. We will never leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, no one escapes!” Yang Hao glared coldly at Heider. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”
“But—” Heider still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even the last remnants of their forces would be lost.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints left. Half of the Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect remained. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still alive.
If they could return to Divine Decree, they would at least retain the ability to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao soared toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, had turned half-white. Finally, with a roar, Heider raised his great axe and bellowed, “Go!!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleave sliced through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to create an escape route for them.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the shattered remnants of the Dan Ding Sect, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the traces of space-time with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao—when he attempted to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This kind of malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who had comprehended the essence of fire. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This flaming arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely withstand, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap. All the malevolent flames dissipated instantly, the arrow effortlessly dispersed.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough that the Supreme One felt it surpassed even the Elders under his command.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of malevolent flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the bow from Yang Hao’s grasp.
“It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow’s body and slid it across. Instantly, Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the spirit within the bow, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. He glanced around and saw that his people had already fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like the Heroic Emperor after a loss.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “You’re still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Lightflow Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Lightflow Shadow Steps failed.
The Lightflow Shadow Steps manipulated space—a skill that gods excelled in. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You truly are alive… old friend.” The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
But his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him in a disturbingly invasive manner, poised to tear open his lower body.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? More like a dirty old man with a fetish!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?!”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, but spoke out of courtesy. “Brat, you’re loyal to the end, protecting him even now. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao scoffed. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits once more.
As if that would work. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme were ancient enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year-old life would surely end.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors vanishing without a trace—not even a single corpse remained.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six of their patriarchs—representing a century of accumulated strength—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered beyond recognition.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s overwhelming power. The survivors, desperately dodging divine radiance, were left in a state worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the sight of living people—warriors who had just been fighting beside you—suddenly having their lives ripped away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ patriarchs in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the Heavenly Tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had only just become a Loose Immortal. Though he already possessed divine power, it was nowhere near as vast as it was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already transcended the Loose Immortal realm, ascending to the Flying Immortal stage—a level far beyond Yang Hao’s Saint-level peak.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. Today had always been a gamble—one where Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their final cards, the Elder Council had already lost any chance of turning the tide.
But then, the one outcome no one wanted—the least probable scenario—had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had assumed was dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Loose Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to Lower Deity, Middle Deity, and Upper Deity among the divine races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Deity. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all divine beings were restricted by the Great Seal, their powers suppressed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible. Supreme. Nearly without equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his friends and loved ones perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood what Hunyuanzi had felt a thousand years ago. Seeing those closest to you die before your eyes—that kind of pain could drive a man to madness.
Yang Hao turned his head and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?”** Emperor Yinglie laughed wildly. **”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”I never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, Qin Feng at his side, their blades aimed at the Supreme One—who stood in the sky like a god or a Buddha, his radiance illuminating the nine provinces.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling divine light—like sunspots on the sun’s surface, tiny and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
Seated upon the imperial throne, Emperor Yinglie—Jaran—had transformed from a peerless young swordsman into an old man who weighed every decision. His ambitions had withered, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more calculations to make, no more pros and cons for Emperor Yinglie to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed Jaran.
**”If I do not enter hell, who will?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as his sword pierced the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **”The longsword is still in hand!!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jaran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued divine light.
Heroes in this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched in horror as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cave by Elder Rongwei. Only when the Thunder Seal was broken did the dimensional energy dissipate, allowing her to escape.
But the moment she emerged, she was met with this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed she was a traitor to the imperial family, working for the Elder Council. But only Xianlan herself knew the truth—she had done everything for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she had endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rongwei. In his eyes, she saw many things.
Yet, this woman shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The seductive and cunning princess of the Silver River Empire, the beauty nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”**
Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. **”It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and leave. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would end in victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they would actually be needed.
**”What about you?”** Herd asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold it back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you!”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out of here!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao’s gaze turned icy as he stared at Herd. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—!”** Herd tried to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants of their forces would be lost.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. Half of the Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect remained. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still alive.
If they could return to Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
Herd watched dumbly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by the ages, had turned mostly white. Finally, with a roar, Herd raised his great axe and bellowed, **”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Severing Gold’s Tear sliced through the air, opening a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space and time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, saw Yang Hao drawing the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, diverting the Supreme One’s attention entirely. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to create an escape route for them.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—back in the cave, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black. This kind of malevolent flame could only be wielded by those who had comprehended the Fire Dao. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker, longer, and more domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elder Council members to barely block it, leaving each of them severely injured. It had also critically wounded Ghost Elder and even killed Celestial Strategist Elder with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s ultimate technique—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow.
All the malevolent flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly deflected.
The gap between gods and mortals was as vast as an abyss.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still locked onto Yang Hao. Because his attack was far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Council members.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and grabbed the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of malevolent flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard—and the Scorching Fusion Bow was torn from Yang Hao’s grasp.
**”It really is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow’s body and wiped it forcefully.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even stronger than itself, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian, glancing around. His people had already fled. The Elder Council’s mountain was empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long since been vaporized by the divine light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place here.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as Emperor Yinglie—throwing his life away the moment defeat was certain.
But he was a step too late.
The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts from his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to use the Lightflow Shadow Step.
This was no joke. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were mortal enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, the Lightflow Shadow Step failed.
The technique manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
**”You really are alive… old friend.”** The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
But his next move was merciless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon froze midair, whimpering helplessly.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward him with an almost obscene intent—ready to tear apart his lower body.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? More like a dirty old man with a fetish!”** Even in mortal peril, Yang Hao didn’t hold back his curses. **”If you want to kill me, just kill me! Why poke at my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t even worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak.
**”Brat, you’ve got loyalty. Even at death’s door, you still protect him. If you hadn’t already joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies reduced to dust.
The Imperial Guard’s dozens of swordmaster regiments, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were utterly destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were decimated under the Supreme One’s might, with only half surviving, desperately dodging the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter another.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation to kill the Supreme One in revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had transcended the realm of a flying immortal—far beyond what Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint-level, could hope to oppose.
This battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart painfully clear. Today had always been a gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held the greater odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Council of Elders had seemed doomed.
But then, the unthinkable happened—the smallest probability became reality.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose immortal, flying immortal, golden immortal—these corresponded to the lower, middle, and upper tiers of divine beings. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a mid-tier deity. Worse still, in this universe, all gods were bound by seals that suppressed their strength—except the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance flickering at the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a millennium ago—the crushing agony of watching those dearest to him die before his eyes.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” Emperor Yinglie roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we fought side by side,” Emperor Yinglie laughed. “And today?”
“Who would have thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth,” Qin Feng murmured, rubbing his hands together as a dark mist enveloped him and the emperor.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, attacking the Supreme One—who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao remained silent, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they refused to retreat.
Seated on the throne, Emperor Yinglie—once a peerless young swordsman—had become an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had faded, his sword no longer as sharp.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew it was his final hour.
If this was a gamble, both he and Yang Hao had staked everything.
With the Supreme One’s arrival, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses to consider. Emperor Yinglie had already lost everything. All he had left was his sword and the brother at his side.
Qin Feng, like a shadow, followed him.
“If not me, then who?” Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The longsword is still in hand!”
“The longsword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng dissolved into the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world died so simply.
From the side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!” Princess Xianlan watched in tears as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rongwei, only freed when the Thunder Barrier shattered.
Emerging, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart shattered. Most believed her a traitor to the royal family, aiding the elders. But only she knew her true purpose—to protect her father, to prevent his death at the elders’ hands. She had endured humiliation, playing the role of a seductress.
Now, it was all meaningless.
Her eyes swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded, Xianlan hovered in the air, casting one last glance at Elder Rongwei. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet she shook her head resolutely and turned, hurling herself toward the Supreme One’s body.
With no power behind it, she vanished into his radiance.
“Xianlan!!” Rongwei cried out.
But it was too late. The bewitching, cunning princess of the Milky Way Empire—the seductress nurtured by the elders for years—evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins burned like fire, the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazing with fury.
“Yang Hao!!” He De blocked his path. The old bear knew what Yang Hao intended. “It’s over. All of it. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was calm. “Take everyone back to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships can carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships just in case. Now, they were needed.
“And you?” He De asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat,” Yang Hao said, looking skyward. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet done. More radiance rained down. Without someone to hold it off, none on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared. “This is the Dan Ding Sect’s ancient feud. It has nothing to do with you! Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun shouted back. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you!”
“If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!” Yang Hao glared coldly at He De. “Old bear. Take them and flee. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”
“But—” He De protested.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared upward, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew their accumulated strength had been exhausted by the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively, even these last remnants would be lost.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints. Half of the Dragon Protector Corps and Dan Ding Sword Sect remained. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest companions were unharmed.
If they returned to Divine Elm, they could still defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay—only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy their escape.
He De watched numbly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His aged fur turned half-white. Finally, he raised his axe and bellowed, “Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleaver split the air, carving a wormhole. A black halo twisted spacetime.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, eyes red, saw Yang Hao draw the Scorching Fusion Bow, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew he was sacrificing himself for their escape.
No longer hesitating, they gathered the remaining Hidden Dragons and Dan Ding warriors, plunging into the black hole.
As He De entered last and erased the spacetime trail with his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a millennium someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s mortal form in the cave. Now, he attacked the Supreme One directly.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury turned black—a savage flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As he chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thick and long, overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four elder stewards to barely block, leaving each wounded. It had gravely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance.
Fired from the world’s mightiest artifact, infused with the Fire Dao, this was Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. The savage flames dissipated instantly, the arrow crumbling—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze locked onto Yang Hao. His attack had been stronger than any other, surpassing even the elders.
“You?” The Supreme One stood motionless, yet in the next instant, he was right before Yang Hao. “Is this the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Startled, Yang Hao tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One grabbed the bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing flames at the Supreme One’s wrist—but under the holy light, the fire was tamer than the most docile insect.
Without flourish, the Supreme One yanked, tearing the bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“So it is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger to the bow and wiped—instantly, Yang Hao felt a wrenching pain, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that touch, the Supreme One erased Yang Hao’s soul imprint on the divine bow.
Zhu Rong wailed within the bow, but in the grasp of one mightier, it could only submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His people had fled. The Elder Mountain was empty, the warriors’ bodies long vaporized by the holy light. Only bare earth remained, showing no trace of the great battle.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though willing to die, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like Emperor Yinglie.
But he was too late. The Supreme One held the Scorching Fusion Bow, his gaze returning to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to the contents of his dantian.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression shifted—a rare occurrence. “Still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The masters of his era had long been sealed or slain. To encounter an ancient nemesis now was nothing short of miraculous.
Yang Hao didn’t answer, turning to activate the Lightstream Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If caught, the old man’s thousand-year life would end.
The Supreme One wouldn’t let him escape. With a wave, Yang Hao’s Lightstream Steps failed.
The Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. In spatial control, the Supreme One outclassed Yang Hao by countless levels.
“You truly live, old friend?” The Supreme One’s expression was odd, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He reached out, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon burst forth to defend him—but the Supreme One flicked a finger, freezing the divine weapon mid-air, powerless to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Helpless in the Supreme One’s grasp, he could only watch as those fingers descended toward his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it, what kind of Supreme One is this? More like a lecherous old pervert!” Yang Hao, unshaken even in peril, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath notice, but spoke out of courtesy: “Brat, you’re loyal, protecting him even at death’s door. Were you not already a Dan Ding disciple, I might have inducted you into the Council of Elders.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao sneered, channeling all his energy to reignite the Fire Dao to its peak.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Sects, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Schools over a century—were also wiped out, their bodies shattered into dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were completely destroyed, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and the five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their lives worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Sect family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the Heavenly Tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was nowhere near as formidable as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding him, the Supreme One had already transcended the Rogue Immortal realm, reaching the Flying Immortal stage. This was a level far beyond Yang Hao’s Saint-level peak strength.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble—though Yang Hao’s side had held a slightly better chance. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had already lost any hope of turning the tide.
But then, the least expected, most improbable event occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace—whom everyone believed to be dead—had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all divine beings were restrained by the divine seal, their powers suppressed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao stared at the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Watching his loved ones and comrades perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago. Seeing those dearest to him die before his eyes—that feeling was enough to break a man.
Yang Hao turned and saw the Heroic Emperor, still proud and unyielding, raising his broadsword.
**”Qin Feng!”** the Heroic Emperor roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?”** the Heroic Emperor laughed. **”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and the Heroic Emperor.
The Heroic Emperor charged forward, leading Qin Feng, both soaring into the sky to strike at the Supreme One—who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the nine provinces.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they no longer retreated.
Seated upon the throne, the Heroic Emperor, Jaran, had transformed from a peerless young swordsman into an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had withered, his blade no longer as sharp as before.
But today, the Heroic Emperor knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both the Heroic Emperor and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for the Heroic Emperor to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
**”If not me, then who?!”** the Heroic Emperor bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. **”The longsword is still in hand!!”**
**”The longsword is still in hand!!!”**
In an instant, the Heroic Emperor Jaran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued brilliance.
Heroes of this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cave, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched in tears as the Heroic Emperor threw his life away in a desperate charge. She had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension by Elder Rongwei, unable to escape until the Thunder Seal was broken and the space’s energy dissipated.
But the moment she emerged, she witnessed this heart-wrenching scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the royal family, working for the Elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done it all for her father. She couldn’t bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation, playing the role of the seductress.
Now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rongwei—and in his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching, resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire—the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years—evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins felt like it was turning to flame. The Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”**
Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. **”It’s over. All of it. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and go. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would bring victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**”What about you?”** Herd asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment wasn’t over yet. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold it back, none of the survivors on the mountain would escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you!”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was the Dan Ding Sect’s old grudge. It has nothing to do with you! Get out!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind!”**
**”If I don’t stay, none of you will escape!”** Yang Hao glared coldly at Herd. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe one day, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—”** Herd still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the others’ shouts. He knew full well—the strength they had accumulated over time had been utterly exhausted the moment the Supreme One arrived.
Even the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragons still had over two hundred Saints left. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect retained half their forces. Most importantly, Yang Hao’s closest comrades were still alive.
If they could return to Divine Elm, they would at least retain the power to defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy the others time to escape.
Herd stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, Herd raised his great axe and roared, **”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Sundering Gold Cleaver sliced through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo swirled with the reflections of time and space.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was using his own life to create an escape route for them.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the wormhole’s traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in nearly a thousand years that someone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao—attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cave. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker, longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely block it, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also critically injured Ghost Elder and even killed Celestial Strategist Elder with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s might—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and gave the arrow a light tap.
All the sinister flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly swatted aside.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao—because his attack had been far stronger than the others, surpassing even the Elders in the Supreme One’s estimation.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”Is this the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a surge of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist—but under the holy light, the flames became as docile as the tamest insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down forcefully.
Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair—but in the hands of one even mightier, it had no choice but to submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His comrades had already fled. The Elder Mountain stood empty. The corpses of fallen warriors had long been vaporized by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had just taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as the Heroic Emperor—ready to die the moment defeat was certain.
But he was a step too late.
The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao—or more precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian and what lay within.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, Yang Hao’s Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
**”You truly live on, old friend!”** The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao came under attack, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to defend him—but the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only whimper in midair, unable to advance further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! Just an old pervert!”** Yang Hao, even in mortal danger, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao wasn’t worth his attention. Only out of courtesy did he speak:
**”Brat, you’re quite loyal—protecting him even at death’s door. Had you not already joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were completely annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not even a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Schools, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Sects over a century—were also utterly destroyed, their bodies reduced to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were wiped out, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons, under the might of the Supreme One, were reduced to half their number. The survivors frantically dodged the divine radiance, their existence worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting beside them—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from this world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild swordmasters perish, witnessed the terror and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Schools’ family heads in their final moments, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
**”He… has returned…”**
Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a Rogue Immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already surpassed the Rogue Immortal realm, reaching the Flying Immortal stage. This was a level far beyond Yang Hao’s Saint-level peak strength.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But then, the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had occurred.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone had assumed was dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a Flying Immortal.
Rogue Immortal, Flying Immortal, Golden Immortal—these corresponded to the Lower, Middle, and Upper Divine Races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a Middle Divine Race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all divine beings were restrained by the divine barrier, their power sealed—except for the Supreme One, who retained his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with almost no equal.
Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, his despair bottomless. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago. Watching those closest to him die beside him—that feeling was enough to break a man.
Yang Hao turned and saw Emperor Yinglie still standing proudly, his broadsword raised high.
**”Qin Feng!”** Emperor Yinglie roared.
**”Here!”** Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
**”In our youth, we fought side by side. What about today?”** Emperor Yinglie laughed wildly. **”Today, we have another chance.”**
**”Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.”** Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and Emperor Yinglie.
Emperor Yinglie charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, striking toward the Supreme One, who stood towering like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the land.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the dazzling brilliance, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
Yet now, they refused to retreat.
Seated upon the imperial throne, Emperor Yinglie Jaran had transformed from a peerlessly elegant young swordsman into an old man who weighed every decision. His ambitions had withered, and his sword was no longer as sharp as before.
But today, Emperor Yinglie knew—this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, then both Emperor Yinglie and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There was no more weighing of pros and cons for Emperor Yinglie. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
**”If not me, then who?!”** Emperor Yinglie bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the protective radiance surrounding the Supreme One. **”The sword is still in my hand!!”**
**”The sword is still in my hand!!!”**
In an instant, Emperor Yinglie Jaran and Qin Feng dissolved into the rainbow-hued brilliance around the Supreme One.
Heroes of this world always die so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
**”Father!!”** Princess Xianlan watched helplessly as Emperor Yinglie threw his life away in this suicidal charge, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Rongwei. Only when the Thunder Barrier was shattered, and the dimensional energy dissipated, could she escape.
But the moment she emerged, she was met with this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew—she had done everything for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation and played the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she cast a lonely glance at Elder Rongwei. In his eyes, she saw much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind it, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
**”Xianlan!!”** Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress cultivated by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins felt like it was turning to flame. The Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand burned with fury.
**”Yang Hao!!”**
Herd blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. **”It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”**
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. **”Take everyone and leave. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”**
Though he had believed today would bring certain victory, Yang Hao had still prepared escape ships beforehand—just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
**”What about you?”** Herd asked.
**”I’ll cover your retreat.”** Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance rained down like droplets. If no one held them back, the remaining people on the mountain would not escape.
**”We leave together!!”** Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. **”We won’t abandon you.”**
**”Go! All of you, go!!”** Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. **”Today’s battle was always the grudge of my Alchemy Cauldron Sect. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”**
**”Yang Hao!”** Long Yun also bellowed. **”We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”**
**”If I don’t stay, no one escapes!”** Yang Hao glared coldly at Herd. **”Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”**
**”But—”** Herd still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao tightened his grip on the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew full well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even Emperor Yinglie and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saint-level warriors. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Alchemy Cauldron Sword Sect had half their forces remaining. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still alive.
As long as they returned to the Divine Elm, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding back the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Herd stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned mostly white. Finally, Herd raised his great axe and roared, **”Go!! Everyone, follow me!!!”**
The Sundering Gold Cleaver slashed through the air, tearing open a wormhole. A black halo twisted the fabric of space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew—Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the shattered remnants of the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, they plunged into the black hole.
As Herd entered last and erased the traces of space-time with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight toward the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical body in the cavern. Now, the second time was a direct assault on the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the Fire Dao could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four Elder Stewards to barely withstand, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the Fire Dao’s ultimate technique—this arrow represented Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. All the sinister flames dissipated instantly. The arrow was effortlessly deflected—such was the chasm between god and mortal.
Still, the Supreme One’s gaze turned toward Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the Elder Stewards.
**”You?”** The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he stood right before Yang Hao. **”This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”**
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden proximity. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
**”It truly is the Scorching Fusion Bow!”** A strange light gleamed in the Supreme One’s eyes. He pressed a finger against the bow and slid it down forcefully. Yang Hao felt a sharp pang in his heart—as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One had erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed in despair. But in the hands of one even mightier, it had no choice but to submit.
Yang Hao endured the agony in his dantian. He glanced around and saw that his people had all escaped. The Elder Mountain stood empty, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to flee too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t as foolish as Emperor Yinglie—rushing to die the moment defeat was certain.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One now held the Scorching Fusion Bow and turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, he was looking at Yang Hao’s dantian—at what lay within.
**”Hunyuanzi!”** The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. **”You’re still alive?”**
No wonder the Supreme One reacted so strongly. The great experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned, preparing to activate the Light-Shadow Steps.
This was no joke—Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao escape. With a wave of his hand, Yang Hao’s Light-Shadow Steps failed.
The Light-Shadow Steps manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial control, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
**”You truly are alive, old friend!”** The Supreme One’s expression was peculiar—almost delighted as he stared at Yang Hao’s dantian.
Yet his next move was ruthless. He extended both hands, intending to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon burst forth from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One merely flicked a finger, and the divine weapon hovered helplessly in the air, unable to advance.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached toward his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
**”Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this?! More like a dirty old man!”** Yang Hao, even in dire straits, cursed furiously. **”If you want to kill me, just kill me! Why poke at my crotch?!”**
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao was beneath his notice. Only out of courtesy did he speak. **”Brat, you’re quite loyal—willing to protect him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t already joined the Alchemy Cauldron Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”**
**”Bullshit!”** Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the Fire Dao to its limits once more.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Yingyue instantly emerged from his body to protect him. But the Supreme merely flicked a finger, and the divine artifact could only wail in the air, unable to approach further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly helpless. He was completely at the Supreme’s mercy, watching helplessly as those fingers reached toward his lower body in a grotesque manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme are you?! Just some old pervert with a fetish for boys!!” Yang Hao, unfazed by danger, cursed furiously. “If you’re going to kill me, just do it! Why grope me down there?”
The forty swordmaster regiments of the Merchant Guild were annihilated, with tens of thousands of warriors leaving not a single corpse behind.
The thousands of swordmasters from the Ten Sword Sects, along with six family heads—representing the accumulated strength of the Ten Great Sword Schools over a century—were also completely wiped out, their bodies shattered to dust.
Dozens of swordmaster regiments from the Imperial Guard, tens of thousands of black-armored warriors, were annihilated, their armor scattered across the cliffs.
Even the Dragon Protector Corps and five hundred Saint-level Hidden Dragons were reduced to half their number under the Supreme One’s might. The survivors, frantically dodging the divine radiance, were left in a state worse than death.
By this point, it was no longer just a day of bloodshed. True death had nothing to do with blood.
It was the living—warriors who had just been fighting by one’s side—suddenly having their lives snatched away, vanishing entirely from the world.
Yang Hao struggled to his feet. He saw the Merchant Guild’s swordmasters perish, witnessed the fear and despair in the eyes of the Ten Sword Sect family heads before their deaths, felt the Hidden Dragons’ grief and fury, and watched helplessly as the Hao Sword Regiment was obliterated, their pain-filled gazes fixed on him.
“He… has returned…” Only now did Hunyuanzi find the strength to speak his first words. But he could not utter a second.
A thousand years ago, when Hunyuanzi summoned the heavenly tribulation in an attempt to kill the Supreme One for revenge, the Supreme One had just become a loose immortal. Though already possessing divine power, he was not as overwhelmingly powerful as he was now.
But today, judging by the solidified, glass-like halos surrounding the Supreme One, he had already transcended the realm of a flying immortal. He was no longer an opponent Yang Hao, at the peak of the Saint realm, could hope to challenge.
Today’s battle was already lost.
Yang Hao clenched the Scorching Fusion Bow, his heart crystal clear. This had always been a high-stakes gamble, though Yang Hao’s side had held slightly better odds. When both sides had played their trump cards, the Elder Council had no chance of turning the tide.
But the least likely scenario—the one no one wanted—had come to pass.
The Supreme One, who had vanished for years without a trace, whom everyone believed to be dead, had descended upon the world once more.
And he had become a flying immortal.
Loose immortal, flying immortal, golden immortal—these corresponded to lower, middle, and upper-tier divine races. The Supreme One now wielded the divine power of a middle-tier divine race. Even more terrifying, in this universe, all gods were bound by the seal of the divine barrier, their power suppressed. Only the Supreme One could wield his full divine might.
He was invincible, supreme, with virtually no equal.
As Yang Hao watched the divine radiance emanating from the Supreme One’s fingertips, despair overwhelmed him. Seeing his loved ones and friends perish, his heart withered as if dead.
Now, Yang Hao finally understood Hunyuanzi’s emotions from a thousand years ago. Watching those closest to him die before his eyes—that feeling was enough to break a man.
Yang Hao turned and saw the Heroic Emperor, his face still proud, raising his broadsword.
“Qin Feng!” the Heroic Emperor roared.
“Here!” Qin Feng’s hands emerged from his sleeves, a faint smile on his face.
“In our youth, we killed side by side. What about today?” the Heroic Emperor laughed. “Today, we have another chance.”
“Never thought… we’d return to the battlefield of our youth.” Qin Feng rubbed his hands together, and a dark mist enveloped him and the Heroic Emperor.
The Heroic Emperor charged forward, leading Qin Feng as they soared into the sky, attacking the Supreme One, who stood like a god or Buddha, his radiance illuminating the nine provinces.
Yang Hao said nothing, but his blood boiled within him.
The two solitary figures of the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng appeared starkly dark against the brilliant light, like sunspots—tiny and powerless.
But this time, they did not retreat.
Seated upon the throne, the Heroic Emperor, Jaran, had transformed from a peerlessly elegant young swordsman into an old man who weighed gains and losses. His ambitions had withered, and his sword was no longer as sharp as before.
But today, the Heroic Emperor knew this was the final moment of his life.
If this was a gamble, both the Heroic Emperor and Yang Hao had staked everything they had.
With the Supreme One’s appearance, they had lost—utterly and completely.
There were no more gains or losses for the Heroic Emperor to weigh. He had already lost everything. The only things he still possessed were the sword in his hand and the brother by his side.
Qin Feng followed Jaran like a shadow.
“If I don’t enter hell, who will?!” the Heroic Emperor bellowed madly as he thrust his sword into the Supreme One’s protective radiance. “The long sword is still in hand!”
“The long sword is still in hand!!!”
In an instant, the Heroic Emperor Jaran and Qin Feng were dissolved by the Supreme One’s rainbow-hued divine light.
The heroes of this world always died so simply.
From the other side of the cavern, a graceful figure suddenly leaped out.
“Father!!!” Princess Xianlan watched as the Heroic Emperor threw his life away in a desperate gamble, tears streaming down her face. This woman had been imprisoned in a pocket dimension beside the cavern by Elder Rongwei. Only when the Thunder Barrier was shattered did the energy of the entire space collapse, allowing her to emerge.
But the moment she rushed out, she witnessed this heartbreaking scene.
Xianlan’s heart truly shattered. Almost everyone believed her to be a traitor to the imperial family, working for the elders. But only Xianlan herself knew that everything she did was for her father. She could not bear to see him die at the hands of the Elder Council, so she endured humiliation and played the role of the seductress.
But now, everything was over. All her past efforts had lost their meaning.
Xianlan’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, her enchanting beauty faded. Floating in the air, she glanced at Elder Rongwei, and in his eyes, she understood much.
Yet this woman still shook her head resolutely and turned, charging toward the Supreme One’s body.
With almost no power behind her, she plunged into the Supreme One’s radiance.
“Xianlan!!!” Rongwei screamed.
But it was too late. The bewitching and resourceful princess of the Silver River Empire, the seductress nurtured by the Elder Council for years, evaporated without a trace in the Supreme One’s holy light.
Yang Hao witnessed it all.
The blood in his veins seemed to turn to fire, and the Scorching Fusion Bow in his hand blazed with fury.
“Yang Hao!!!” Heider blocked his path. The old bear knew exactly what Yang Hao intended to do. “It’s over. Everything is over. Run!”
Yang Hao’s expression was eerily calm. “Take everyone and leave. Return to the Divine Elm Autonomous Territory. Our ships are enough to carry them all.”
Though he had believed today would bring certain victory, Yang Hao had prepared escape ships before setting out, just in case. Now, they were truly needed.
“And you?” Heider asked.
“I’ll cover your retreat.” Yang Hao looked up. The Supreme One’s divine punishment was not yet finished. More radiance fell like rain. Without someone to hold him back, no one left on the mountain would escape.
“We leave together!!” Long Yun, Xie Fengting, and Lan Ling gathered around him. “We won’t abandon you.”
“Go! All of you, go!!” Yang Hao suddenly roared in anger. “Today’s battle was always the Dan Ding Sect’s grudge. It has nothing to do with you. Get out!!”
“Yang Hao!” Long Yun also bellowed. “We’re your brothers. We won’t leave you behind.”
“If I don’t stay, no one escapes!” Yang Hao glared coldly at Heider. “Old bear. Take them and flee now. Maybe someday, you can avenge me.”
“But—” Heider still wanted to argue.
Yang Hao gripped the Scorching Fusion Bow and soared into the air, ignoring the shouts behind him. He knew all too well that the strength they had painstakingly accumulated had been utterly exhausted with the Supreme One’s arrival.
Even the Heroic Emperor and Qin Feng were dead. The old Sword Saint’s lineage was nearly extinct.
If he didn’t act decisively now, even these last remnants might not survive.
The Hidden Dragon Pavilion still had over two hundred Saints. The Dragon Protector Corps and the Dan Ding Sword Sect had half their forces left. Most importantly, the people closest to Yang Hao were still unharmed.
If they could return to the Divine Elm, they could at least defend themselves.
So Yang Hao had to stay. Only by holding off the Supreme One could he buy time for the others to escape.
Heider stared blankly as Yang Hao flew toward the Supreme One. His fur, weathered by time, had turned half-white. Finally, Heider raised his great axe and roared, “Go!!! Everyone, follow me!!!”
The Sundering Gold Cleave sliced through the air, opening a wormhole. A black halo twisted, distorting space-time.
Long Yun and Xie Fengting, their eyes red, watched as Yang Hao drew the Scorching Fusion Bow in midair, drawing the Supreme One’s full attention. They knew Yang Hao was sacrificing his life to give them a chance to escape.
At last, they hesitated no longer. Gathering the remaining Hidden Dragons and the Dan Ding Sect’s survivors, they all plunged into the black hole.
As Heider entered last and erased the spatial traces with a swing of his axe, Yang Hao’s black arrow of fury shot straight for the Supreme One’s face.
This was only the second time in a thousand years that anyone had dared such disrespect toward the Supreme One.
The first time had also been Yang Hao, attempting to assassinate the Supreme One’s physical form in the cavern. Now, he was directly attacking the Supreme One himself.
Yang Hao’s arrow of fury had turned black—a sinister flame only those who comprehended the essence of fire could wield. As Yang Hao chanted an ancient fire hymn, the flames grew thicker and longer, overwhelmingly domineering.
This arrow had once required four elder stewards to barely block, leaving each of them grievously wounded. It had also severely injured Elder Gui and even killed Elder Tiance with a single shot.
The world’s most powerful divine artifact, combined with the essence of fire, made this arrow Yang Hao’s strongest attack.
Yet the Supreme One merely extended a jade-like hand and lightly flicked the arrow. All the sinister flames dissipated instantly, the arrow effortlessly dispersed.
The gap between god and mortal was as vast as an abyss.
But the Supreme One’s gaze still locked onto Yang Hao. His attack had been far stronger than anyone else’s—strong enough to surpass even the elders under the Supreme One’s command.
“You?” The Supreme One did not move, yet in the next instant, he was right before Yang Hao. “This is the Scorching Fusion Bow?”
Yang Hao was startled by the Supreme One’s sudden approach. He tried to retreat, but it was too late.
The Supreme One reached out and seized the Scorching Fusion Bow. Yang Hao exhaled sharply, unleashing a wave of sinister flames toward the Supreme One’s wrist. But within the holy light, the flames were tamer than the most docile insect.
Without any flourish, the Supreme One yanked hard, tearing the bow from Yang Hao’s grip.
“It is the Scorching Fusion Bow!” The Supreme One’s eyes gleamed strangely. He pressed a finger against the bow and wiped it forcefully. Yang Hao felt a sharp pain in his heart, as if his connection to the bow had been severed.
With that single gesture, the Supreme One erased the soul imprint binding Yang Hao to the divine bow.
Zhu Rong, the bow’s spirit, wailed within. But in the hands of one even stronger, it had no choice but to submit.
Enduring the agony in his dantian, Yang Hao glanced around. His people had already fled. The Elder Mountain was desolate, the corpses of fallen warriors long evaporated by the holy light. Apart from the bare earth, there was no trace of the great battle that had taken place.
Yang Hao wanted to escape too. Though he had the spirit to sacrifice himself, he wasn’t foolish enough to throw his life away like the Heroic Emperor after a loss.
But he was a step too late. The Supreme One, now holding the Scorching Fusion Bow, turned his gaze back to Yang Hao.
More precisely, to Yang Hao’s dantian—and what lay within it.
“Hunyuanzi!” The Supreme One’s expression actually changed—a rare occurrence. “Still alive?”
No wonder he reacted so strongly. The experts of his era had long been sealed away or killed. To encounter an old nemesis now was nothing short of a miracle.
Yang Hao didn’t answer. He turned to activate the Lightflow Shadow Step.
This was no joke. Hunyuanzi and the Supreme One were sworn enemies. If captured, the old man’s thousand-year lifespan would surely end here.
The Supreme One had no intention of letting Yang Hao leave. With a wave of his hand, the Lightflow Shadow Step failed.
The Lightflow Shadow Step manipulated space—a divine specialty. When it came to spatial manipulation, the Supreme One was leagues above Yang Hao.
“You’re truly alive, old friend!” The Supreme One’s expression was strange, his gaze at Yang Hao’s dantian almost delighted.
But his next move was merciless. He reached out with both hands, aiming to tear open Yang Hao’s dantian and extract Hunyuanzi’s soul.
As Yang Hao was attacked, Shadowmoon emerged from his body to protect its master. But the Supreme One flicked a finger, and the divine weapon could only whimper in midair, unable to advance further.
Now, Yang Hao was truly out of options. Completely at the Supreme One’s mercy, he could only watch as those fingers reached for his lower body in a disturbingly invasive manner.
“Damn it! What kind of Supreme One is this? Just an old pervert!” Yang Hao, even in dire straits, cursed furiously. “If you want to kill me, just do it! Why grope my crotch?”
The Supreme One glanced at him, as if Yang Hao were beneath his notice, but spoke out of courtesy. “Brat, you’re loyal, protecting him even at death’s door. If you hadn’t joined the Dan Ding Sect, I might have taken you into the Elder Council.”
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao sneered. He channeled all his energy, pushing the essence of fire to its limits once more.
“Bullshit!” Yang Hao spat, channeling all his energy into unleashing the essence of fire to its peak once more.
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