Lu Ya wore a fish-tail crown, stepping in the rhythm of the stars with an unprecedented solemnity, shedding his usual image of a profound and composed Daoist.
For him, every step taken and every talisman burned was akin to a life-and-death struggle against a formidable foe. There was no room for the slightest negligence—each action had to perfectly align with the hidden workings of the Great Dao, compressing the remaining efforts into mere fleeting moments.
The straw effigy gradually took on a bloody glow, its face vaguely forming a handsome yet eerily sinister visage.
…
The Demon Monarch was a peerless scourge of his era, reigning supreme in the late ancient times and founding the Primordial Demonic Path. Among the great supernatural powers, he stood alongside figures like Maitreya. Even temporarily deprived of the Demon Emperor’s Claw and one of his demonic bodies, he was not something that Shao Xuan, Xi E, the Howling Celestial Hound, or Meng Qi’s Three Treasures Ruyi could contend with. He had not even manifested in person—only endless streams of Primordial Demon Sword Qi slashed from the infinite void, shifting between reality and illusion, assailing both body and mind. With effortless grace, he intercepted all interference aimed at the Sealing Heaven Platform, buying Zhao Heng ample time to “borrow a chicken to lay eggs.”
High above, black light weaved through the sky, agile yet obscure, like countless demonic serpents entangling and isolating the azure, white, and golden Ruyi, as well as the “Doomsday Ark” capable of crossing the sea of suffering. Just as Zhao Heng was about to place the golden-glowing “List of Deification” at the core of the Sealing Heaven Platform, roars erupted from all directions, as if billions of lions were roaring in unison. Even the mighty Demon Monarch found his black qi and sword light faltering for an instant.
In that very instant, a colossal lion with nine heads emerged from the void. It seemed to bear the weight of countless universes, its entire body enveloped in layers of radiant halos. On its back sat a figure, hazy and floating—less a physical form and more like a lingering trace.
This was the mount of the Qing Emperor’s Daoist incarnation, the Heavenly Venerable of Salvation from Suffering—the Nine Spirits Holy Sage, a being ranked among the foremost of the great supernatural powers!
As if receiving a message from the future, it shattered the heavens to descend and aid the current Human Emperor, preventing the Sealing Heaven Platform from changing hands.
**ROAR!**
The Nine Spirits Holy Sage opened its massive maws, ready to devour the heavens and earth before it, swallowing the Demon Monarch whole. There was no underestimation—it unleashed its signature divine ability from the very start.
Though not of the same era as the Demon Monarch, the Nine Spirits Holy Sage had clashed with him several times due to its role as the guardian of the Nine Nether Gates. They were far from strangers.
**ROAR!**
The Howling Celestial Hound, Meng Qi’s Three Treasures Ruyi, and the Doomsday Ark piloted by Shao Xuan and Xi E were tossed about in the stormy waves, yet they were fortuitously excluded from the fray, no longer entangled by the Demon Monarch. Now free to act, they could focus on the Sealing Heaven Platform. Meanwhile, the Demon Monarch’s Primordial Demon Sword Qi shattered on its own, the black serpents dissolving into illusion, creating a chasm between them and his hidden true form—thus evading the Nine Spirits Holy Sage’s devouring strike.
Amidst the flashing azure, white, and gold, the Ruyi appeared outside the “Broidered River Mountain Painting,” poised to pierce through. But at that moment, the space around the Nine Spirits Holy Sage suddenly folded inward, trapping it within!
This change came without warning, leaving no one time to react. Amidst the Nine Spirits Holy Sage’s furious roars, a giant hand reached out, lifting a scroll of ink-washed landscapes—vivid and lifelike, depicting a nine-headed lion fleeing through a monochrome world.
The Demon Race’s supreme treasure—the **River Mountain Society Painting**!
The Bull Demon King emerged from hiding, gripping the scroll with both hands, his body radiating light as images of a white divine bull and others manifested. He strained to maintain the painting’s operation, preventing the Nine Spirits Holy Sage from breaking free too soon.
With the Human Emperor on the verge of proving his legend and the Sealing Heaven Platform at risk of changing hands, how could the Demon Race stand idly by?
The illusory black serpent sword qi surged once more, slashing at the Three Treasures Ruyi and the Doomsday Ark, forcing them away from the Broidered River Mountain Painting. With the Bull Demon King using the River Mountain Society Painting to trap the Nine Spirits Holy Sage, the Demon Monarch regained his freedom to entangle the legendary powerhouses.
Elsewhere, above Chang’an—adorned with the spectacle of golden merit lanterns—the sky abruptly darkened as a golden-winged roc blotted out the heavens, diving toward the palace. Simultaneously, water coalesced into rain as the Flood Dragon Demon King manifested as a towering figure, wielding his sea-treading trident and leading a deluge to drown the mortal world.
This was the last chance to stop Gao Lan. Once the golden lanterns vanished, it would signify his successful passage through the trial akin to heavenly punishment, crossing the threshold of legend. The subsequent third spectacle would emerge naturally, leaving no further opportunity for disruption.
The roc obscured the sky, the flood engulfed the world—it was as if doomsday had arrived. Yet moonlight spilled down, shielding the living beings below. Outside the secret chamber where Gao Lan secluded himself, a figure sat cross-legged—a handsome youth with a spear across his lap and silk ribbons wrapped around his body. This was none other than the Great God of the Three Altars, **Nezha**!
Acting on the decree of the current Jade Void Sect’s leader, Meng Qi, he had stood guard here, unmoved by the chaos outside—unless someone dared to assault the palace directly.
This was Meng Qi’s final safeguard!
“Defeated foes!” Flames erupted as Nezha—having somehow already dashed from the hall—charged toward the Flood Dragon Demon King on his wind-fire wheels, spear aimed straight between the eyebrows. At the same time, his Universe Ring shot toward the Roc Demon King.
He held no regard for these two Great Sages, who had only recently regained power close to the Creation Realm, not even bothering to reveal his Dharma Body.
Suddenly, the heavens and earth inverted. All colors faded, leaving only five—red, azure, yellow, white, and black. These hues stood side by side, symbols of the fundamental elements, sweeping down to claim all things material!
The Five-Colored Divine Light was too swift. Before Nezha could react, he was engulfed.
After years of refining the five tail feathers left behind by Kong Xuan, Tai Li had finally mastered them, attaining a semblance of the ancient great supernatural powers. However, at his current level—below the Legendary Realm—he could not wield them freely, just as a mortal could not lift a mountain. Thus, he relinquished control, lending them to the Great Sages to jointly activate and trap formidable foes.
The five-colored radiance retracted, standing erect behind the Roc Demon King. The light trembled violently—Nezha was on the verge of breaking free.
At this moment, the Roc Demon King, the Flood Dragon Demon King, and the other Great Sages formed an array, pooling their strength to sustain the Five-Colored Divine Light’s mystery, ensuring Nezha remained trapped at this critical juncture.
The battles raged fiercely across the board, with forces locked in mutual stalemate. Aside from the Demon Monarch, none had any strength to spare. Now, even a Celestial Immortal could descend upon Chang’an to halt Gao Lan’s final step.
Outside the Sword Washing Pavilion, Su Wuming and Jiang Zhiwei—despite their omnipresent abilities—were blocked by a golden-bodied Bodhisattva, unable to leave the mountain or contribute to the battle in Chang’an.
This was the Great Marvel Bodhisattva. Though severely depleted from his last ordeal and not yet fully recovered, barring a Celestial Immortal without a peerless divine weapon was effortless.
Amidst the raging battles, Chang’an’s palace stood as an oasis of tranquility, bathed in the sacred glow of golden lanterns.
As the lanterns dimmed, signaling Gao Lan’s approach to the final threshold, a figure abruptly materialized midair.
Clad in loose robes, exuding an untamed charm, his black hair framing a perpetually smiling face—this was the “Demon Teacher” Han Guang, the other half of the era’s twin stars alongside Gao Lan.
Gazing at the palace veiled in restrictive formations, Han Guang seemed to pierce through to the towering imperial figure within, sensing that aloof yet resolute gaze. Unbidden, a wave of emotion surged within him.
Since their debut, the “Demon Teacher” and the “Mad King” had shone as twin stars of their era, both ascending to the Dharma Body Realm, disrupting the world’s tides with their schemes and stratagems. The title “Twin Stars of the Age” was destined for the annals of history. And now, both stood on the cusp of legend!
Yet, across all these years, the two had never truly fought to the death. In their few clashes, each had wisely retreated to avoid mutual destruction—like the last time, when Han Guang, recognizing his disadvantage, conceded defeat and accepted captivity.
Who would have thought their first life-and-death duel might also be their last?
Han Guang had no need to intervene. But how could he not personally escort his lifelong rival to his final rest?
This was respect. This was reverence.
With a slight bow, Han Guang composed himself and solemnly intoned:
“**Treasure, reveal yourself.**”
A crimson gourd sprang forth, emitting a beam of light thirty feet long. From within emerged a creature with eyes and brows—its gaze shot out two streaks of white radiance, piercing straight through the palace’s defenses to strike at Gao Lan’s secluded chamber.
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