Chapter 30:

Su Ningzhen gazed at the dark-robed priest hovering in midair, unable to suppress the surge of hatred and malice within her heart. What was the anger over Xie Xuechen secretly colluding with the demonic race anyway? It wouldn’t matter as long as she killed Sang Qi!

“Master Xie, let’s join forces and kill Sang Qi!” Su Ningzhen stepped forward. “What does it matter if the Yuque Divine Art has been leaked? Everything can be forgiven and forgotten as long as he dies.”

Fu Yuan ting and He Xianwo solemnly nodded. Although they were shocked by Xie Xuechen’s betrayal, their immediate priority was not to settle accounts, but to eliminate Sang Qi. Although it appeared that Sang Qi’s strength slightly surpassed Xie Xuechen’s, they still had three Dharma Bodies on their side. They believed that with the combined strength of the four of them, they could definitely stop Sang Qi.

As soon as Su Ningzhen finished speaking, Fu Yuan ting and He Xianwo moved a few steps away, forming a coordinated battle formation. Xie Xuechen took a deep breath, and the cinnabar mark between his brows faintly emitted a red glow, sacred and dazzling.

— Kill Sang Qi and save Mu Xuanling.

This was what Xie Xuechen was thinking.

Xie Xuechen’s aura surged higher and higher, continuously breaking through his limits. At that moment, the Dharma Body of the Sword God materialized behind him. The indistinct visage of the Sword God appeared like a majestic snow-capped mountain, exuding a vast and frigid presence, with an overbearing and proud dominance that defied the eight directions.

Sang Qi had seen Xie Xuechen within the Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation before, but the Xie Xuechen now had surpassed his previous strength. He couldn’t help but feel wary.

Having just absorbed the power of the Demon Sovereign and perfected the Yuque Divine Art, his strength appeared formidable, yet it was not yet fully consolidated. It could not compare to Xie Xuechen’s unmatched sword qi, honed through ten thousand sword swings each day. Moreover, Xie was now fighting with absolute determination, holding nothing back.

Sang Qi had originally intended to incite internal strife within the Immortal Alliance, causing Xie Xuechen to be abandoned by all, but he hadn’t expected Su Ningzhen’s hatred for him to be so intense that she completely ignored Xie’s betrayal of the human race.

His cold silver eyes swept over Su Ningzhen’s slightly sharp face. Once bearing an 80 percent resemblance to Su Ningxi, she now looked nothing like her.

Sang Qi suppressed the near-uncontrollable killing intent in his heart and redirected his gaze toward Xie Xuechen.

“Xuanling, move back a bit.”

The battlefield between them was not something she could currently involve herself in.

Obediently, Mu Xuanling leapt to a distance, her eyes intently watching the shifting battle.

Surrounding Sang Qi, the four Dharma Body cultivators unleashed their full strength, each manifesting their celestial Dharma Bodies behind them. Dharma Bodies were manifestations of one’s Dao heart and true self. Xie Xuechen’s Dharma Body was a white-robed Sword God brimming with killing intent, exuding a desolate and boundless aura. He Xianwo’s Dharma Body was a Vermilion Bird, dazzling and radiant. Fu Yuan ting’s Dharma Body was a deity with a female appearance but male form, holding a jade vase. Su Ningzhen’s Dharma Body was a six-armed female Asura.

Sang Qi, surrounded by the four, remained calm. Slowly raising his right arm, a silver glow flickered softly along it. A silvery light composed of countless characters floated up from his arm, encircling him. His body gradually expanded, his silver eyes cold and emotionless, gazing down upon the world.

He didn’t possess a Dharma Body—he was the Dharma Body itself.

He inhaled deeply. In an instant, the world’s spiritual energy surged toward him, faintly forming a vortex of power. The next moment, the energy burst outward like an avalanche, warping the space around them, causing it to collapse and twist.

Xie Xuechen slashed his sword, cleaving the heavens. The white-robed Sword God held the Jun Tian sword, breaking through the surging waves of energy with unyielding resolve. A golden light blazed from the sword, radiating a brilliance like the midday sun, blinding to behold.

There was a distinction between Dharma Bodies. He Xianwo and Fu Yuan ting were evenly matched, with Su Ningzhen slightly weaker. Only Xie Xuechen and Sang Qi were evenly matched, each blow between them unleashing a devastating force that shook heaven and earth.

From afar, Mu Xuanling watched the battle between these transcendent beings, her hand gripping Duan Nian trembling slightly. She keenly realized the vast gap between herself and the Dharma Bodies. She was still too weak—even Su Ningzhen was stronger than her.

The spiritual energy within her, inherited from Xie Xuechen, seemed to resonate with the extraordinary battle above, surging and boiling through her meridians and blood. Mu Xuanling shifted her gaze from Sang Qi to Xie Xuechen. Clad in white, his expression calm and eyes resolute, he stood unmoved beneath Sang Qi’s overwhelming spiritual pressure, like an ageless glacier atop a snow-capped city—serene yet vast. Though demonic energy blotted out the sky, wherever he stood, light emerged.

It was hard to tear her eyes away from him.

Feeling her spiritual energy drawn toward him, Mu Xuanling forced herself to close her eyes and flee far from the battlefield. She gripped her trembling right hand, trying to steady her breath.

Among the three sect leaders, only Su Ningzhen fought recklessly without restraint. He Xianwo was relatively cautious, while Fu Yuan ting deliberately conserved his strength. Their lack of unity made it easy for Sang Qi to break their formation. Blood trickled from Su Ningzhen’s lips, her eyes blazing red. Her Dharma Body’s six arms stretched wide, six orbs of golden-red light gathering in her palms. She was ready to take Sang Qi down with her!

He Xianwo and Fu Yuan ting were startled, wanting to stop her but already too late. Sang Qi’s silver eyes swept over Su Ningzhen, a cold smirk curling his lips. “Overestimating yourself. Do you really think you can harm this Sovereign?”

His dark robe billowed as the demonic right arm slammed down toward Su Ningzhen. It was as if the sky itself had collapsed, engulfing her Dharma Body in an unstoppable force. Her Dharma Body blocked for only a moment before shattering completely. Su Ningzhen spat blood and plummeted from the sky. A young girl’s figure flew toward her, catching her falling body.

Mu Xuanling narrowed her eyes, murmuring in realization, “Gao Qiumin?”

At that moment, she heard Sang Qi’s voice transmitted through space— “Xuanling, capture Su Ningzhen alive!”

Though puzzled by Sang Qi’s command, Mu Xuanling immediately dove toward Su Ningzhen.

Gao Qiumin sensed Mu Xuanling’s approach and hastily raised the Spring Sword in defense. Mu Xuanling raised her right hand, and Duan Nian lashed out, striking the Spring Sword. The heavenly-grade weapon vibrated violently, and Gao Qiumin felt her entire arm go numb. The Spring Sword flew from her grasp, snatched up by Mu Xuanling’s whip and seized in her hand.

“Demoness! Don’t hurt my master!” Gao Qiumin glared at Mu Xuanling with hatred. She deeply regretted not killing her with one strike back in the Yongsue City dungeon!

It was all because of that meddlesome Nan Xuyue!

Mu Xuanling cast a cold glance at her but said nothing, walking directly toward Su Ningzhen. Su Ningzhen’s Dharma Body had suffered grave damage. Her usually meticulously kept hair was now disheveled, and blood speckled her clothes. Her fierce gaze glared at Mu Xuanling as the Fushi Zhichen lashed toward her face.

Mu Xuanling flicked Duan Nian outward, entangling it with Fushi Zhichen. Purplish-red and silvery-white twisted together, locked in a relentless struggle.

Ultimately, a Dharma Body was still a Dharma Body. Though gravely injured, it was not easily subdued. Mu Xuanling abandoned any notion of underestimating her and focused entirely on confronting Su Ningzhen. Gao Qiumin, seeing that Mu Xuanling was preoccupied, seized the opportunity to form seals with both hands, sending a blast of spiritual energy toward her.

Mu Xuanling cast a sidelong glance, her left hand wielding the Spring Sword in a casual slash, effortlessly shattering Gao Qiumin’s attack.

“Born with nine spirit apertures—yet still nothing special,” Mu Xuanling said indifferently. She raised the Spring Sword again, unleashing a sharper sword beam toward Gao Qiumin. Startled, Gao Qiumin rolled aside, her hair scattering instantly.

She had avoided the fatal blow but still suffered from the sword’s edge. A sharp pain shot through her neck, warm wetness spreading across it. Her face turned pale as she clutched her throat, blood still flowing between her fingers.

Mu Xuanling turned and slashed again. This strike landed on Gao Qiumin’s left arm, nearly reaching the bone.

“This is for those two strikes you gave me in the dungeon,” Mu Xuanling’s lips curled slightly. “With a bit of interest.”

Her master was right—vengeance must be taken personally. No one else could truly understand. Those who claimed to love her only saw her wounds heal, forgetting the pain she had endured.

She also felt wronged and sorrowful.

“There are still fifty-one lashes left,” Mu Xuanling said.

“What?” Gao Qiumin, enduring the pain, looked at Mu Xuanling in confusion and fear.

Mu Xuanling tightened her grip on Duan Nian, glancing at the weakened Su Ningzhen, and smiled. “You people always forget your sins so easily.”

Su Ningzhen’s hand trembled as she gripped the feather duster. She knew she probably couldn’t defeat Mu Xuanling.

She roared, “Master Fu, Master He, hurry and capture this demon girl!”

Fu Yuan ting and He Xianwo had been focused on battling Sang Qi, but upon hearing Su Ningzhen’s cry, they snapped back to reality. Fu Yuan ting felt a surge of joy and immediately rushed toward Mu Xuanling. Seeing Fu Yuan ting charging fiercely, Mu Xuanling had no choice but to withdraw Duan Nian and face Fu Yuan ting instead.

He Xianwo, seeing that the opponent was merely a half-demon not yet at the Dharma Body stage, was unwilling to gang up on her and thus did not follow Fu Yuan ting.

Fu Yuan ting had conserved his strength while battling Sang Qi, so his condition remained intact. Dealing with Mu Xuanling with his Dharma Body strength was more than sufficient. However, his goal was to capture Mu Xuanling alive as a hostage. Seeing Duan Nian strike toward him, Fu Yuan ting held a slight contempt and reached out barehanded to seize her weapon. However, the moment he touched Duan Nian, a piercing pain shot through his palm. Startled, he withdrew his hand, narrowly avoiding her attack.

— Duan Nian carried a sharpness extremely similar to Xie Xuechen’s sword intent.

Fu Yuan ting’s expression darkened, no longer daring to underestimate Mu Xuanling. He harbored killing intent now—so long as she remained alive, even barely.

Fu Yuan ting’s spiritual energy became tangible, thickening the surrounding air, making Mu Xuanling’s flurry of whip strikes slow down, her attacks weakening. Fu Yuan ting slowly raised his palm, gathering spiritual energy, then struck toward Mu Xuanling.

Mu Xuanling retracted Duan Nian, conjuring a purple shield before her. She crossed her hands over her chest, her eyes shimmering faintly, her lashes fluttering. Slowly, white light emanated from between her fingers, carrying a frigid, desolate chill, a sense of withering stillness. The light grew blinding. At the moment the purple shield shattered, the white light erupted from her palms, colliding fiercely with Fu Yuan ting’s palm strike, unleashing dazzling brilliance.

Mu Xuanling’s body shot backward dozens of feet, her face slightly pale, her breath unsteady, though she sustained no real injury.

Fu Yuan ting never expected that his full-strength palm strike would be blocked by Mu Xuanling—was the Yuque Scripture truly so profound?

Though shocked, he understood this was already Mu Xuanling’s limit. She could not defeat a Dharma Body cultivator.

As Fu Yuan ting was about to pursue, a sudden surge of immense spiritual energy swept toward him like a hurricane. He turned to block, only to see a black shadow flash past him, standing protectively before Mu Xuanling.

Sang Qi had broken free from Xie Xuechen’s assault, striking Fu Yuan ting away with a palm and smiling as he stepped aside.

“Today, I’ve truly witnessed Master Xie’s might. Truly admirable,” Sang Qi said with a smile. “Our battle doesn’t need to be settled today. We’ll have plenty of time in the future.”

Mu Xuanling looked at Sang Qi and asked with concern, “Master, are you alright?”

“The one likely in trouble is Master Xie,” Sang Qi said with a pleased smile, looking at Xie Xuechen’s cold expression. “Master Xie, I owe my current state to your generous gift of divine techniques. You can’t stop me today. Perhaps you should think about how to explain this to the others.”

Mu Xuanling said, “Master, your disciple failed to capture Su Ningzhen.”

“She had help. It’s not your fault,” Sang Qi gently comforted. “Xuanling, let’s go back.”

“Mu Xuanling.”

As she turned to leave, she heard Xie Xuechen’s restrained voice calling from behind. Her steps paused slightly, and she glanced over her shoulder.

Those jet-black, deep phoenix eyes gazed silently at her, as if waiting for something.

But what he received was only an extremely cold, indifferent gaze from Mu Xuanling.

As if, in her eyes, he was no different from any blade of grass or stone in this world.

Once, she had whispered joyfully in his ear— to her, aside from Xie Xuechen, everyone else was just “others.”

Now, to her, there was no longer a unique Xie Xuechen in this world.

Within the Hall of the Demon Gods, rows of demons and monsters knelt in devout and fervent worship before Sang Qi. This half-demon, once of the lowest status, had accomplished a miracle unparalleled across the Three Realms. He was the first half-demon to channel demonic energy into his body, forging his own demonic techniques. Revered by the demon race as the Grand Priest, his status was exalted—yet he remained unsatisfied.

He orchestrated a scheme to pit Xie Xuechen against the Demon Sovereign in a battle to the death, seizing the spoils for himself by absorbing the Demon Sovereign’s formidable demonic energy. Thus, he ascended as the true Supreme Ruler of the demonic realm. But even that was not enough.

He then opened divine apertures, drawing upon the energies of heaven and earth, granting half-demons a new path to life. Those who possessed these divine apertures no longer needed to endure the agony of demonic cultivation and could rival human cultivators in power.

Sang Qi sat upon the throne, resting his chin on his hand as he looked down at the kneeling demons below. With a lazy tone, he declared, “From this day forth, I shall be the Supreme Ruler of the demonic realm and the Emperor of the demon race.”

“All hail the Supreme One! The Supreme One reigns over all under heaven, peerless and supreme!” A unified voice echoed through the hall, reverberating endlessly.

Standing at Sang Qi’s right hand, Mu Xuanling held a distinct position. As Sang Qi’s most trusted disciple and the Saintess of the half-demons, she was exempt from kneeling before Sang Qi and wielded authority over both the demon and monster realms.

Just after emerging from seclusion, Sang Qi sensed the talisman he had left with Mu Xuanling had burned away—her signal of danger. Coincidentally, he had just fused the Demon Sovereign’s demonic energy with his divine aperture’s spiritual energy and wanted to test his strength against Xie Xuechen. On impulse, he went directly to the human camp. The last time in Yongsue City, Xie Xuechen had collapsed from exhaustion, but this time, he seemed even stronger than during the Ten-Thousand Immortals Formation, exceeding Sang Qi’s expectations. He nearly perished there. However, he retreated decisively, the spiritual energy within his divine aperture surging, leaving him unscathed and granting him new insights. After a few days of rest, his cultivation would further improve.

Sang Qi had always been skilled in patience. Having underestimated his opponent this time, he would not make the same mistake again.

“Master, what shall our next move be?” Mu Xuanling asked.

“There’s no need to rush into battle with the human cultivators. You and I need time to consolidate our cultivation, and the demon army also requires time to recruit more soldiers,” Sang Qi bent his index finger, tapping his chin. “Spread the word—I have obtained the Yuque Divine Art. Half-demons who practice it can unlock divine apertures. Any demon who pledges loyalty to me will receive the transmission of this divine technique.”

Thus, he would never be short of followers—not just half-demons, but also those demons without the “Good Demon Certificate” would rally to his cause. Why endure humiliation under human dominion when they could unleash destruction and reclaim the world?

However, he concealed the truth—the Yuque Divine Art was not easily mastered. Having previously implanted the Lingxi Bug Curse into Mu Xuanling’s heart, he could perceive the flow of her techniques and the fluctuations of her spiritual energy. After Mu Xuanling consumed the Wuxin Water, he extracted the Lingxi from her heart in an attempt to draw spiritual energy from her divine aperture, but failed. The spiritual energy within her divine aperture belonged to Xie Xuechen, which fiercely repelled him. Forced fusion would likely prove detrimental rather than beneficial. Yet this energy harmonized perfectly with Mu Xuanling—perhaps due to their emotional bond, or perhaps because she had dispersed her demonic energy, no longer resisting it.

Sang Qi, however, had practiced demonic techniques for too long and had even absorbed the Demon Sovereign’s demonic energy. He could not afford the consequences of dissipating his own demonic power. Thus, although he barely managed to cultivate the Yuque Scripture and open his divine aperture, his starting point was far inferior to Mu Xuanling’s. She had trained for only a month, yet she could already withstand a full-force strike from a Dharma Body cultivator.

This made Sang Qi extremely envious. Since he could not obtain Mu Xuanling’s power, he could only make good use of her. Perhaps Xie Xuechen’s attachment to her was a piece he could use to his advantage…

Sang Qi thoughtfully stroked his chin, his gaze resting on Mu Xuanling’s face.

“Master, today in your battle with Xie Xuechen, your spiritual energy clearly surpassed his in thickness and vastness. Why didn’t you kill him while you had the chance?” Mu Xuanling asked.

“Xie Xuechen is not that easy to kill,” Sang Qi smiled at her, thinking to himself that she truly had severed all emotional ties, holding no affection for Xie Xuechen anymore. “My spiritual energy is mixed with the Demon Sovereign’s demonic energy, stronger than his. However, that man’s sword intent is unyielding, sharp and unstoppable. Killing him would likely cost me dearly.”

Mu Xuanling nodded in realization, “Master has just mastered the Yuque Scripture. Your strength will only grow stronger over time. The longer the battle drags on, the more advantageous it will be for you.”

“Exactly,” Sang Qi smiled and nodded. “Moreover, killing someone doesn’t always have to be done personally. Being alive isn’t necessarily more comfortable than being dead. Xie Xuechen leaked the human race’s divine techniques for personal reasons. Even without us acting, the Immortal Alliance won’t easily let him off. Their alliance lacks unity—how can they possibly contend with us?”

Compared to killing personally, Sang Qi clearly preferred manipulating people’s minds.

Watching those self-righteous hypocrites tear off their masks of virtue, revealing their hideous, grotesque faces. Watching that snow-white-cloaked celestial swordsman become isolated, surrounded on all sides, torn between internal and external conflicts. Watching lovers turn into enemies, locked in endless conflict until death…