A dark shadow flickered, and eerie winds surged from all directions. He Mu immediately felt his blood freeze, as if frost were creeping inch by inch through his veins. His spiritual awareness struggled to remain active, and everything before his eyes seemed veiled in a yellowish-brown icy haze. Even the air appeared to solidify, while illusions swirled in his mind—as though he had plunged into the deepest abyss of the Nine Netherworld, surrounded by vengeful spirits and an advancing army of the dead.
If not for the sharp resonance of his immortal sword and the brilliant rays of the Five Elements—red, cyan, yellow, white, and black—blinding all around, He Mu was convinced he would have turned into an ice sculpture, to be blown into dust by the cold winds.
The world seemed to transform into a spectral domain of the Nine Nether, permeated with an aura of death and darkness. Qi Zhengyan’s black-armored demon general stepped forward beside him, clenched his right fist, and fixed his gaze upon the shadowy figure.
Was this a ghostly entity summoned from the depths of the Nine Abysses, a creature of ten thousand years?
Even his black demonic armor bore traces of yellowish-brown frost, indicating he was not at ease. Although he had awakened self-awareness, he remained far from reaching his peak condition, separated by countless universes.
Wu!
Wailing ghostly cries rose, and a terrifying force erupted like a frigid sun. Qi Zhengyan remained expressionless, with red currents swirling around him. Two brilliant golden stars emerged above his head.
One was named “Equality,” and the other “Self-Strengthening.”
As “Equality” appeared, the dreadful aura of the ancient ghostly entity was instantly halved. Qi Zhengyan’s power surged rapidly, bringing him to an equal footing with the ghost. The “Self-Strengthening” star radiated a crimson glow, like the rising sun brimming with vigor and vitality. Wherever the glow swept, the ghostly shadows froze momentarily, as if gaining independent thoughts and the will to advance.
“Shall one slumber eternally after death? Let the red currents sweep through the ghostly realm!” Qi Zhengyan uttered softly, clenching his fist and striking forward. The Demon Emperor’s Claw lay motionless, as if subdued.
Crimson light converged upon his fist, and the ghostly shadows, as if summoned, turned against the ancient ghostly entity, raising their banners and charging forth.
Bang!
Dark energy surged, black mist swirled chaotically. The terrifying ghostly figure shattered into pieces, transforming into streams of black mist attempting to reassemble.
At that moment, He Mu saw his five-colored immortal sword fly forth of its own accord, as if descending from the heavens. It traced a circle of light, binding yin and yang, reversing the Taiji, and forming a point of primordial chaos.
The streams of black mist fell into the circle and vanished without a trace, leaving no sound behind.
The icy chill around them melted away, leaving only a faint residue of sinister aura. Everything returned to normal.
He Mu regained his senses, his heart pounding with anxiety, fearing that the Demon Emperor might be enraged, suspecting him of deliberately concealing the ghost’s presence and allowing it to bypass the forbidden techniques.
“A ghost emperor who has cultivated in secret beneath the Nine Nether for countless millennia indeed possesses the ability to possess others undetected by gods and spirits. If we cannot locate its true body, destroying its manifested form will merely deplete its strength, allowing it to regenerate within the Nine Nether,” the black-armored demonic general suddenly spoke.
Qi Zhengyan nodded slightly, “An old subordinate summoned by the Demon Lord.”
His words were concise and to the point. Then he turned to He Mu and said calmly, “The presence of an immortal sword alone cannot stop the ghost emperor’s possession. Only by fully revealing one’s power can it be prevented.”
“Grateful for your guidance, Senior,” He Mu immediately felt relieved.
Only now did he notice how familiar the Demon Emperor’s face seemed, as if he had seen it before in Ye Capital.
Indeed, it was a disciple of the Huanhua Sword Sect.
Qi Zhengyan accepted the letter, briefly scanning its contents. “It is fine to offer the martial arts I created to the orthodox sects, but they must guarantee not to hinder those who wish to come to the Southern Wilderness.”
“The junior will inform my master accordingly. However, my master has also remarked that with supreme martial arts available, who would bother to travel far? The orthodox sects have no reason to block those who have already been rejected and are seeking another chance,” He Mu replied honestly.
“Very well,” said Qi Zhengyan, a man of few words, as he directed the black-armored demon general to prepare the “Opening the Apertures” and “Outer Manifestation” sections of the supreme martial art. These segments encapsulated the essence of numerous techniques and would not impede future progress in diverse paths. As for the “Dharma Body” section, Qi Zhengyan had only recently achieved mastery over it. Despite inheriting the Demon Lord’s legacy and insights, refining and perfecting it was still no simple feat.
As He Mu sheathed the “Li Immortal Sword” and the martial arts scrolls and departed, the black-armored demonic general frowned and asked, “Master, the orthodox sects are truly ungrateful, daring to come here seeking supreme techniques!”
“It matters not,” Qi Zhengyan said, gazing beyond the cliff with his hands clasped behind his back. “I merely seek to offer all beings an opportunity—a chance for those who are willing to strive ceaselessly and endure hardship to advance. I never intended to surpass sects and aristocratic families. Now, those with talent need not travel far to the Southern Wilderness, as they can cultivate within local sects. Those who are rejected still have the Southern Wilderness as an option. Why not welcome this?”
“Master’s magnanimity is beyond my comprehension,” the black-armored demonic general sighed.
Qi Zhengyan smiled slightly. “However, whether aristocratic families and sects will disintegrate and essentially perish in this process is not my concern.”
“Eh?” The black-armored demonic general, often influenced by violent impulses, expressed confusion.
“When every sect practices our martial arts for both Opening the Apertures and Outer Manifestation, their distinctions will fade to the barest minimum, inevitably transforming their very essence,” Qi Zhengyan remarked impassively. “Yet the allure of supreme techniques and their immediate efficacy in resolving crises blinds them to long-term repercussions. Furthermore, their traditions and sects may appear to endure—though the nature of that endurance is an entirely different matter.”
“Vast is the great trend; those who follow it shall prosper, while those who resist shall perish,” the black-armored demonic general seemed to grasp the idea. “Thus, the Demon Lord seeks to obstruct this matter, ensuring that before he awakens, you do not grow too powerful to control, or even fully subdue the Demon Emperor’s Claw.”
“The Demon Lord, having founded the Primordial Demon Path amidst the pressures of the Human Emperor and the Demon Sage, is no traditional villain ruled by desire rather than wisdom. He must have learned from the past mistake regarding the Jiangdong Wang family, becoming increasingly cautious and thorough in his actions, and will not recklessly provoke conflict for now,” Qi Zhengyan walked to the window of the pavilion, hands clasped behind his back. “He summoned this former subordinate turned ghostly entity for two reasons: first, to test my current strength and truly understand the effects of the two stars I have condensed, preparing for future conflict; second, to create a sense of pressure, letting me know he is watching closely, thus unsettling my mind, making me impatient for quick success, creating more conflicts with the orthodox sects, and then stirring chaos from the shadows, reigniting past conflicts like those of the Hegemon King.”
“Truly cunning…” The black-armored demonic general hadn’t expected such a simple attack to carry such deep implications. “Fortunately, Master has always been rational and insightful.”
Qi Zhengyan shook his head. “He will never understand the path I pursue. Therefore, no matter how much he imagines and calculates, he will fail to accurately grasp my mindset. His ‘psychological warfare’ will also fail.”
“However, we will inevitably clash with the orthodox sects sooner or later. The longer we delay, the better.”
“Sooner or later clash?” The black-armored demonic general was startled. Hadn’t they just sent out the supreme martial art? It seemed as if they could coexist peacefully with the orthodox sects!
He was more adept at combat, killing, and corruption, often influenced by such emotions, and appeared dull when analyzing situations.
This was a common affliction among the Nine Nether Demons, with only a few able to break free from such shackles.
Qi Zhengyan’s expression remained calm as he said peacefully, “Human greed knows no bounds. If we keep retreating, they will only press further. Once they have absorbed that martial art and gained more confidence, they will surely harbor other intentions. Only by standing firm and not fearing conflict can we truly coexist peacefully.”
“Throughout history, there has never been a case of genuine peaceful coexistence achieved through one-sided concessions.”
“Therefore, we must prepare early.”
…
As time passed, the Golden Crow Sect’s forges burned continuously, and one piece after another of the Myriad Worlds Universal Recognition Sphere’s auxiliary components were successfully refined.
Fang Huayin always diligently guarded the refining process. The intense heat not only aided in crafting the artifacts but also significantly accelerated his own refinement of heavenly treasures and rare medicinal herbs. In a few more days, all the items would be completed.
Above the sea of clouds, the Night Emperor’s magnificent warship floated silently. Yun Yue was reporting received intelligence:
“Master, the disciples of the Jade Void Palace provided materials of extremely high quality, but the crafted items are very strange, seemingly serving no clear purpose. According to our contact’s judgment, these are likely only auxiliary components, while the core items are crafted internally within the Jade Void Palace without involving outsiders.”
The Night Emperor’s eyes sparkled with a love for life as he smiled, “Truly intriguing. Let our contact memorize the details of some items’ crafting. We will supply the materials, and have him replicate one or two to send over. I will personally examine them to discern what the Jade Void Palace intends to craft, allowing us to prepare accordingly.”
“Then send word to the Luo Sect, instructing them to dispatch strong fighters to intercept the Jade Void Palace disciples. Capturing all the items would be ideal. We won’t act directly, as the ‘Primordial Emperor’ is currently rising in power, and we shouldn’t openly antagonize him.”
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