Time passed in a fleeting moment, yet for Nü Mei, it felt like countless eons. She sensed she was about to melt away.
It would take too long to explain everything, yet reality was nothing more than the blink of an eye.
This blissful silence, however, was shattered by the Mute Girl. Night Girl was no less excited than Nü Mei; with a single leap, she threw herself into her elder sister’s arms. The Mute Girl’s weeping finally rescued Nü Mei, who had been teetering on the edge of despair.
Shame surged through her heart once more. The radiant beauty gently patted Night Girl’s slender back, with the tenderness of both sister and mother combined, softly saying, “Night Girl, don’t cry anymore. Sister is fine!”
After the initial emotional “assault,” Nü Mei regained her composed and heroic demeanor, quickly dispelling the faint, hazy atmosphere between them. As soon as Qiao San finished explaining the terms of the exchange with Gou Yuan, the beautiful woman decisively declared, “I will accompany you into battle. Although my magical powers are ordinary, I can still assist with military strategy and formations!”
Nü Mei’s words rang firm and resolute. Whether it was because Qiao San was too soft-hearted around women or all the women he knew were so strong-willed, freshly released from captivity, Nü Mei immediately donned her armor and joined the ranks.
It wasn’t only Nü Mei—Night Girl’s gestures were equally resolute. Just as the man finally considered voicing his objection, the Book Spirit suddenly reappeared, compelling Qiao San’s mind to sigh and nod in reluctant agreement.
“Yu——!”
A neigh from the earth steed shook heaven and earth. Under the leadership of the Saint Monarch Defying Heaven, a hundred thousand demon soldiers and generals surged forth toward the sacred Kunlun Mountains.
Under the command of Nü Mei, the strategist of the underworld, the Fox Queen led the vanguard, Qiao San commanded the central army, and Princess Jade Fan willingly took charge of the rearguard. The war drums, played with apparent seriousness, stirred the hearts of the Three Realms. The brief peace was torn away in an instant, revealing the hypocrisy beneath.
Pushed by those with hidden motives, Qiao San, the audacious rogue, stood for the first time at the peak of a grand celestial battle!
※※※※※※※
In the Palace of Jiuyou, after repeated requests for an audience, Jade Fan finally met with the Ten Thousand Demon King, who had long been in retreat.
“Father, I beg you—please let me handle the matter of the Ten Sun Pearls!”
“Jade Fan, this matter has already been entrusted to the National Sage. You need not concern yourself with it anymore.” The Ten Thousand Demon King, seated on his throne, remained shrouded in eerie mist. Even during a private meeting with his daughter, he refused to reveal his true face.
The Ten Sun Pearls were crucial to the future of the underworld, and Jade Fan had planned everything. Just as success was within reach, Gou Yuan suddenly intervened. How could the underworld princess accept this willingly?
“But, Father…” Jade Fan, anxious, unconsciously stepped across the boundary line in the Jiuyou Hall.
A sudden, fierce gust of wind erupted from nowhere, blowing Jade Fan back in disarray. She tumbled across the floor, rolling once before regaining her footing.
“Jade Fan, you crossed the line!” The Ten Thousand Demon King’s voice was stern and authoritative, his words laced with double meaning. Without a trace of warmth between father and daughter, he coldly commanded, “Father has made his decision. Leave now!”
“Yes!” Jade Fan reluctantly withdrew from the Jiuyou Hall. As she turned to leave, she couldn’t help but glance back at the tightly closed palace doors, a flash of intense doubt flickering in her eyes.
Moments later, the scene shifted to the National Sage’s Mansion in Jiuyou.
The face of the One-Horned Demon King, usually sly and cunning, was now completely blank. Before Gou Yuan, he was as obedient as a dog. “Master, what should I do next?”
Gou Yuan remained formless and invisible, his beautiful radiance shifting through countless shapes. He mused, “You’ve done well lately. Take the magical artifact I gave you and reach Kunlun before Qiao San. I hope you bring me good news.”
The beautiful light shifted again, exuding a sinister and cruel aura that chilled the Demon King to his bones. He prostrated himself completely submissive, saying, “This old ghost obeys!”
Kunlun Mountain, located among the mountains near the southern continent of Jambudvipa, adjacent to the western continent of Godless Ox, covered an area of eight hundred miles. Its highest peak rose ten thousand feet, surrounded by immortal trees and veiled in clouds and mists. The trees bore pearls, while jade-like ribbons floated in the mist. Below the mountain waist lay the human followers of Kunlun Taoism; above it lay the Jade Pond paradise. Although the Queen Mother no longer cultivated there, a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers were still stationed there year-round.
Kunlun truly deserved to be the capital of the celestial realm, the ancestor of all mountains!
A scream shattered Kunlun’s millennia of tranquility. War drums ignited the flames of battle; banners stirred the killing intent. The vanguard of the underworld army suddenly attacked, unstoppable, advancing from the foot of the mountain all the way to halfway up the slope.
The disciples of Kunlun were merely human cultivators. Despite their blood-soaked resistance, they could not halt the iron hooves of the demon soldiers and generals. Finally, the bell of distress was rung.
“Dang——”
The lingering echoes of the bell spread far and wide. From the sky descended a rain of colorful clouds, and the hundred thousand heavenly soldiers finally halted the underworld’s advance.
The celestial and demonic forces clashed back down to the foot of the mountain, eventually facing each other in a standoff.
“Brother, the Queen Mother will never allow her sacred ground to be destroyed. We only have one day. Once that time is up, heavenly reinforcements will swarm in!” Nü Mei was well aware of the situation between the celestial and earthly realms. Yet Kunlun Mountain was the capital of heaven itself—how easily could it be breached in just a single day?
“Fine, then we must act quickly! I’ll go take out their leading heavenly general and issue a challenge!”
Indeed living up to his reputation, the Saint Monarch Defying Heaven immediately issued a challenge. With that, the path of defiance was firmly set, and from that moment on, the Three Realms would echo with the laughter of demons and the weeping of gods!
The war drums thundered in unison, the banners fluttered in the wind. At the foot of Kunlun Mountain, gods and demons faced each other in battle!
Suddenly, the ten thousand demon soldiers roared, parting the demonic ranks as a mighty demon general soared into the sky.
With the Undying Phoenix beneath his feet, clad in the Unbreakable Huang Xuan Armor, wielding the Tai Xu Heaven-Sundering Sword, the Saint Monarch stood proudly between the two armies. Behind him, a mighty banner fluttered in the wind, fully embodying the untamed and audacious spirit of this rogue.
Since he bore the name “Defying Heaven,” naturally he regarded heaven itself as his enemy. A crimson glow flashed from the blood mark between his brows. His soft tone rang out like thunder among the heavenly soldiers: “Heavenly gods, come forth and meet your doom!”
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