The spear, eight chi long, was like a golden dragon, accompanied by a sound as if shattering the void, ruthlessly striking toward Meng Qi’s body. Its speed and power were so overwhelming that it seemed as if Du Gu Shi himself had launched a full-force attack, rather than a constrained strike amidst a fierce battle.
At this moment, Meng Qi’s right hand formed the “Cut Jade Saber,” instinctively delivering a heavy downward slash sideways at the incoming spear, attempting to deflect it slightly and avoid its full force. Meanwhile, his left hand, wielding Liuhuo, emitted streams of sword light like sparks, dividing into two, then into four, layering into a dense net to neutralize the residual force.
The heavy blade brought distortion to the void, as if all the power of the heavens and earth converged upon it. It precisely and appropriately struck one cun below the spear tip. Yet, Meng Qi did not feel any actual impact. Suddenly, the golden spear accelerated, leaping like a fish crossing the dragon gate, brushing past the blade without being truly severed.
Bad! Only now did Meng Qi sense that the golden spear concealed a spiraling, explosive force. By rotating the spear shaft, it had evaded his perception. Once external force was applied, the hidden power activated, propelling the spear forward—an ambush impossible to guard against!
Bang! The sonic boom trailed far behind the golden spear. Using this acceleration, the spearhead pierced through the net of Liuhuo’s sword lights just before they fully converged, only slightly weakened.
The spearhead gleamed with golden light, subtly concealing its might. Meng Qi felt a chill from deep within, as if even activating the Kunlun Robe would not stop it from exploiting the pivot of force changes to pierce through. The might of a true peak-level Grandmaster was evident!
Compared to those who ascended via bloodline, Six Paths exchange, or secret techniques for temporary enhancement, although both sides had crossed the second Heaven’s Ladder and had similar mastery over the laws of nature, the differences in subtlety, control, and the application of the fundamental principles and essence of power between them were beyond mere measure.
Just a distant thrown spear had already placed him in peril. Although this was partly due to his own near-exhaustion after a grueling battle, Du Gu Shi indeed lived up to the title of “Emperor of Martial Arts.”
The sharp chill of impending death struck Meng Qi. He could no longer afford distractions. Two more arms sprouted from his back—one wielding Tian Zhi Shang, the other holding Xuan Gui Jian. One was so heavy it could crush the void, the other radiating light that illuminated every corner.
The blades had barely begun their arc when, unlike previous occasions where they collided midway, they struck from both sides right in front of Meng Qi.
This was extremely dangerous. Meng Qi would be unable to prevent the force of “Zang Xing He” (River of Stars) from affecting himself, but he had no choice. Otherwise, the golden spear would pierce the Daoist robe before the blades could strike together, and the amount of force it could neutralize or resist was unpredictable.
Boom!
A point of white-hot brilliance appeared first, rapidly expanding with rolling flames. The terrifying shockwave transformed into a tangible storm, surging toward the golden spear with an encompassing force.
The third hidden layer of power within the golden spear erupted. The spearhead trembled, following the wave of force toward its pivot point. However, “Zang Xing He” was an indiscriminate, wide-range technique. The boiling heat and the crushing, mountainous waves of force instantly engulfed the golden spear.
It struggled forward, its speed slowing and strength waning, while Meng Qi tasted firsthand the consequences of unleashing “Zang Xing He” so close. The rolling heat nearly melted his body, and the impact, strong enough to tear the void, struck him painfully.
Golden light flickered as the Kunlun Robe was activated. Meng Qi calmly used the force to leap backward, finally evading the golden spear!
Clang!
The spear struck the altar, leaving a faint white mark on its seemingly indestructible surface before falling away. Meng Qi’s internal energy churned violently, but he barely steadied himself. Although his defense was formidable and he suffered no serious injury, his energy was nearly depleted. The Fa Tian Xiang Di (mirroring heaven and earth) technique, already pushed to its limit, ceased, and his four-armed, two-headed form could no longer be maintained.
Yet, the real danger had only just begun!
On the ninth level, Shen Yunqing had completed the sacrifice of prepared treasures. The blood and flesh of previously slain Grandmasters and Opening experts had fully merged into the altar. This was also why, during Meng Qi’s relentless charge upward, he had severed limbs and decapitated bodies, ensuring enemies wouldn’t die immediately.
The altar trembled, emitting streaks of blood-red light and golden rays rapidly converging upward. The blood-character talismans surrounding the ninth level began burning one by one. Once all were consumed, the ritual would complete, and the path to heaven would be established!
Shen Yunqing had freed his hands. Gazing at Meng Qi not far away, he revealed a sinister grin. Previously, the enemy had moved unpredictably across a wide area, preventing him from locking on. Cautiously, he had refrained from activating his divine weapon. But now, the enemy had just been broken by the “Emperor of Martial Arts,” retreating several steps to regain his stance—this was the perfect moment to lock on and strike!
It was all because of him that things had reached this point, causing heavy casualties among the imperial martial experts!
Thought followed intent, intent followed movement. He raised the “Imperial Saber,” channeling his entire strength and drawing upon the power of heaven and earth. The blade radiated brilliant light, piercing the dim sky over the river. Coiling around it were faint golden dragons with five claws, exuding a vast and terrifying aura that slowed Zhu Shou and others by a breath in their attacks.
Meng Qi had just steadied himself when an extreme sense of danger surged in his mind. In his perception, Shen Yunqing had vanished, replaced only by a divine blade brimming with humanistic aura, and its boundless, overwhelming presence.
A divine weapon!
He was locked onto by a divine weapon!
Sweat hadn’t even formed on his forehead or back, for Meng Qi’s very soul and body seemed frozen, trembling involuntarily, unable to think or move!
No! A golden great Buddha appeared, pointing to heaven and touching the earth, proclaiming supremacy alone. Meng Qi forcibly regained a sliver of clarity, activating the Immortal Primordial Form to attempt the Tian Xin Yi Yi (Will of Heaven and Self) technique, seeking a glimmer of hope amid certain death.
Unfortunately, the Tree of Great Dao held no interest in divine weapons!
Just then, as Shen Yunqing was about to swing his blade, a figure both sacred and sinister suddenly emerged behind him—a human-headed, dragon-bodied entity, entirely crimson, with six arms, wielding destruction and carnage. It was another Qi Zhengyan.
His Dharma-body and physical form could strangely separate and act independently, as seen at the Southern Heaven Gate and now.
While the original body cooperated with Wenshi Zhenren to engage Du Gu Shi, the Dharma-body had silently infiltrated the topmost level of the altar, waiting for the perfect moment. Now, with Shen Yunqing having activated the divine weapon, there was nothing left to threaten him!
Emotionless, Qi Zhengyan swung the arm holding the blood bead, striking Shen Yunqing’s back at the very moment the divine weapon was activated.
Instantly, Shen Yunqing flew backward, his back flesh melting away, his aura weakening. The divine weapon lost its lock and slashed upward into the sky!
The five-clawed golden dragons gathered, coiling into a golden-yellow blade of light, sweeping upward, slicing through clouds to reveal the blazing sun. Golden light patches illuminated the river surface, clearing the sky.
Thump, thump, thump—Meng Qi’s heartbeat finally resumed, violently erratic. He had just narrowly escaped death. Fortunately, Master Qi’s techniques were mysterious and endless, seizing the initiative at last.
The Devil Monarch’s inheritance was truly formidable!
At this moment, only nine of the sixteen blood-character talismans surrounding the ninth-level altar had burned. There was still ample time to disrupt the ritual!
Suddenly, Meng Qi heard a dragon’s roar—vast and ancient, yet different from Ruan Yushu’s zither tones. It was filled with nobility, majesty, and sanctity, as if the emperor of heaven and earth, the sovereign of all beings.
Bad! A sense of dread surged in Meng Qi’s heart. He watched as a royal saber flew from the ninth-level altar, exuding imperial aura, instantly clearing the battlefield’s smoke, blood, and killing intent, forcing Miao Hu, Liu Tui, and others to retreat.
The divine weapon had automatically protected its master—or rather, the altar!
Qi Zhengyan’s expression remained unchanged. His six arms struck like a spinning wheel, unleashing abstract sensations of blood beads, crimson flames, icy cold, filth, destruction, and slaughter toward the ninth-level altar, aiming to sabotage it before the divine weapon fully activated.
Crack!
An illusory rupture sound echoed. The ninth-level altar’s enchantments were mysteriously shattered, revealing the blood-character talismans clearly. Six remained unburned.
The Imperial Saber seemed angered, suddenly slashing sideways. The blade light tore through the void, terrifyingly powerful. Qi Zhengyan’s Dharma-body strangely dissipated, leaving only a trail of crimson in midair.
Behind Qi Zhengyan’s original body, who was battling Du Gu Shi, the Dharma-body reformed and merged into him.
His face alternated between pale and greenish. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of black blood.
Though he had dodged the direct strike, he was still caught in the divine weapon’s ripple, sustaining grave injuries.
At the same time, Qi Zhengyan calmly turned his gaze, his deep eyes settling on Du Huaishang.
Zheng!
A sword’s cry sounded like a dragon. A long sword abruptly flew forth, slashing toward the altar. The Imperial Saber had no choice but to intercept.
“Cheng Tian Jian” (Heaven-Bearing Sword) had spontaneously activated!
Sensing the Imperial Saber’s aura, it had nearly activated on its own. Previously, it had been attuned by Du Huaishang, and now, startled by Qi Zhengyan’s secret technique, it finally fulfilled its role!
The two divine weapons clashed fiercely midair, their blade lights and sword beams raining down, killing countless beings. If not for Du Huaishang returning to the warship and Cheng Tian Jian blocking the shockwaves, even Ruan Yushu and Zhao Heng would have suffered grave consequences, at best left in disarray.
As only four blood-character talismans remained unburned, Meng Qi’s fierce bravery surfaced. He swallowed a Dongji Changsheng Pill, rapidly restoring his condition to peak. Without using Fa Tian Xiang Di, he darted toward the ninth-level altar like a fish, dodging falling blade lights and sword beams.
Following the steps recorded in Yuan Shi Jin Zhang, he pushed his eighth and ninth premonitions of danger to their peak, using them to evade the attacks.
Swift as a ghost, fluid as a dragon, Meng Qi narrowly dodged wave after wave of blade lights and sword beams, finally reaching the front of the ninth-level altar. The Imperial Saber attempted to stop him, but was intercepted by Cheng Tian Jian’s sudden surge!
At this moment, the second-to-last blood-character talisman had just finished burning. Meng Qi had no time to activate Fa Tian Xiang Di. With the Cut Jade Saber, he cleaved through the heavens!
The saber light blazed, piercing through darkness, severing all, directly targeting the final blood-character talisman.
At last, he had made it! Joy surged in Meng Qi’s heart after swinging his blade, but his left hand’s sword followed without hesitation.
Just as the saber light was about to strike the talisman, the altar suddenly trembled. Streams of blood light instantly surged forth, surrounding the altar and forming massive glowing characters:
“Heaven and Earth, vast and boundless; Universe, primeval chaos!”
Crack!
The saber light broke through most of the blood-written characters. However, just as they blocked Meng Qi’s left-hand sword, the final blood-character talisman burned up, quickly sinking into the altar!
Within the blood-light characters, faint human figures appeared. The familiar voice of the Blood Sea Rakshasa echoed from an infinite distance, filled with satisfaction and mockery:
“You are all doomed.”
The altar’s light converged into one, suddenly piercing into the sky and plunging into the earth!
Meng Qi’s heart instantly turned ice-cold.
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