BOOM!
Brilliant light erupted like a shattered blazing sun—dazzling and blinding. Extreme radiance and heat bloomed above the Five Phoenixes.
All eyes were drawn upward. Countless beings felt suffocation—as though their throats were gripped, unable to breathe.
That oppressive force came from the light in the sky.
Under Lu’s single punch, Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor could not withstand it. He exploded completely.
Like fireworks scattering in all directions.
A Great Emperor perished on the spot.
When the cascading energy finally subsided—like a waterfall reaching its end—the fluctuations dispersed.
Lu saw a flame hovering before him.
This flame contained immense power.
It was the essence of Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor’s life—the crystallization of his energy. Even Lu couldn’t help but be astonished.
“This flame could be considered an excellent Innate Spiritual Treasure.”
“Far nobler than the Heavenly Profound Flame I once encountered.”
Lu raised his hand.
With a flick of his finger, the flame split into five portions.
Then, with a wave of his hand, these flames shot toward various corners of heaven and earth.
“This flame has been divided. Each portion can nurture an outstanding cultivator, contributing to the Five Phoenixes’ construction.”
Lu said.
Though Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor was dead, his legacy would live on in a unique way across the Five Phoenix Continent.
Perhaps one day, on the stage of the Five Phoenixes, some prodigious cultivator would display Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor’s inheritance in an extraordinary manner.
But toward Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor himself, Lu felt no mercy.
The other had come to destroy the Five Phoenixes. Lu was no saint—if he killed, then he killed.
Originally, he had planned to keep him as a tool, but he never expected Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor to be sold out so thoroughly.
Lu hadn’t even held back that punch—Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor was directly obliterated.
If Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor knew Lu had intended to keep him as a tool, he would probably spit blood in rage—his mentality shattering once again on top of its previous shattering.
After dispersing Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor’s flame across the Five Phoenixes, silver blades stacked behind Lu, reforming the Thousand-Blade Chair.
Seated upon it, Lu’s gaze shifted toward the Abyss of Nothingness.
Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor had been only one part of this crisis.
The true threat still lay in the Primordial Divine Demons within the abyss.
“Immortal-tier Divine Demon…”
Lu twisted his neck. His eyes gradually turned cold.
Raising his hand, space tore open. Controlling the Thousand-Blade Chair, he stepped inside.
“Bullying my little cotton-padded jacket, bullying my own father…”
“I, Lu Ping’an, have remembered you well.”
After Lu vanished,
Gu Mangran rose into the air. Clutching his chest, with the divine herb’s help, his injuries were gradually recovering.
He had wanted to follow and see if he could assist Lu.
But looking up at the Golden Immortal tribulation clouds gathering above him, he could only focus fully on facing the tribulation.
As for the situation in the Abyss of Nothingness—Gu Mangran wasn’t too worried.
He believed…
With Lu going there, the crisis should not be too difficult.
Young Master Lu could now erupt with Peak Emperor-level combat power. Against an Immortal-tier Divine Demon… it should be quite easy, right?
BOOM!
Thunder brewed.
Gu Mangran could no longer afford distraction. He concentrated fully on facing the tribulation.
…
In the Ninth Heaven,
within the void rift,
deathly silence reigned.
A cold, solemn atmosphere pervaded, yet within that solemnity was something strange.
BOOM!
Powerful spatial energy surged. With it came overwhelming auras crisscrossing.
Then, the heavily damaged Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao was forcibly pulled out from the spatial rift.
The ancient Great Emperors—shrouded in haze—drew deep breaths.
Looking at the Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao’s miserable state, they didn’t know what to say.
They had thought this would be a perfect hunt for the Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao.
Yet the situation had developed in such an unexpected way.
The Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao had nearly been devoured by the Five Phoenixes Heavenly Dao.
If not for Ancient Emperor Hao’s timely intervention, the Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao might have been completely consumed…
“The Five Phoenixes Heavenly Dao has already formed great momentum!”
“By common sense, it should not be able to contend with the Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao. Could the Five Phoenixes Heavenly Dao truly have transcended?”
“Beyond high-martial Heavenly Dao… is Immortal-Martial Heavenly Dao?!”
The ancient Great Emperors’ auras intertwined as they focused entirely on the Ninth Heaven Heavenly Dao’s wretched condition.
Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor’s death caused no emotional fluctuation among them.
If Lu were here, he would surely find it strange.
After all, Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor was a Great Emperor of the Ninth Heaven—discarded so casually by Ancient Emperor Hao. Shouldn’t these ancient Great Emperors feel some sense of shared fate?
Yet no such emotion appeared.
Powerful spiritual fluctuations spread from deep within the rift.
“The Five Phoenixes… has exceeded our expectations.”
“But the Five Phoenixes has also given us a rare opportunity…”
A cold voice echoed from the rift’s depths.
The ancient Great Emperors’ hazy gazes turned toward the depths.
BOOM!
In the next moment, terrifying aura surged from the rift.
Gradually, vast energy gathered and intertwined within the depths—like an embryo evolving… finally taking the form of a human figure.
Flames danced and spread. A familiar face reappeared.
His aura was slightly weakened, but his appearance was unmistakably that of Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor—whom Lu had punched into oblivion, body and soul destroyed.
“The Divine Demons of the Primordial Starry Sky have torn open the passage. Next, the Five Phoenixes will face the terrifying assault of the Immortal-tier Divine Demon ‘Evil Eye’… When both sides are exhausted, we strike and seize the Five Phoenixes’ Immortal-Martial Heavenly Dao!”
The cold voice resounded from the depths.
In the next moment, the ancient Great Emperors’ primordial spirits collided—cold and grave.
Then their gazes turned profoundly toward the Five Phoenixes, watching the battle between the Innate Divine Demons and the Five Phoenix cultivators.
…
In the Abyss of Nothingness,
the passage entrance was completely blocked.
A massive foot stepped through. Terrifying Immortal-tier aura spread like a powerful energy storm—chilling to the bone.
Tantai Xuan, Micah, Lu Jiulian, and Zhu Long all grew solemn.
They had wanted to return and deal with the internal situation in the Five Phoenixes, but with this Immortal-tier Divine Demon entering, they had no chance to leave.
Immortal-tier… equivalent to Peak Emperor.
The pressure it brought was overwhelming!
Even Zhu Long—who had reached Sixth-Revolution Golden Immortal—felt oppressed.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Why was the passage torn open so quickly?”
“It shouldn’t be this fast—even with early-tier Divine Demons self-detonating to widen it, it should take much longer.”
“It’s that array—the array forming the passage was tampered with to accelerate its collapse…”
“Those ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven are secretly sabotaging us! They’re helping these Divine Demons tear open the passage!”
Tantai Xuan and the others exchanged rapid thoughts.
Their expressions were extremely grave.
“We must act before this Immortal-tier Divine Demon fully enters…”
Micah said seriously.
In the next moment, the Five Phoenixes’ Golden Immortals erupted with aura, transforming into streaks of light, charging toward the passage entrance.
Their target was naturally the Immortal-tier Divine Demon whose entire foot had already stepped through.
Zhu Long swung her Yin-Yang Grinding Disc. Innate Yin-Yang qi flowed. The pressure this opponent gave her was immense.
Unless Father acted, she truly had little confidence in stopping him.
Lu Jiulian was somewhat dazed.
He sensed the sudden surge of vast energy within his body. A trace of bewilderment appeared on his face.
How had he become stronger again?
Unknowingly, he had grown stronger in ways he himself couldn’t understand.
But it was good. Becoming stronger now might influence the battle.
Raising his hand, energy surged madly from his arms. Between them formed a basin-sized rotating seven-colored Wrath Lotus.
Surging energy rose and fell within the lotus. Once detonated, it seemed capable of annihilating heaven and earth.
BANG!
A terrifying collision erupted.
The rift at the passage entrance grew larger. A massive eyeball appeared beyond it.
With the Immortal-tier Divine Demon’s arrival, the surrounding high-tier and early-tier Divine Demons seemed to sense the descent of a supreme existence. They knelt in the void.
BOOM!
The passage entrance shattered completely.
A massive arm—wrapped in spatial barrier fragments—slammed forth.
It was the Immortal-tier Divine Demon’s arm. The flesh corroded by Lu Changkong was slowly regenerating.
But even so, the power erupting from this arm was astonishing.
Lu Jiulian’s expression turned icy.
He hurled the basin-sized seven-colored Wrath Lotus. It transformed into a streak of light, crashing toward the massive arm.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Energy capable of annihilating derivative second-tier high-martial worlds erupted.
Dark rifts spread. Terrifying explosive waves completely engulfed the arm.
Lu Jiulian stared fixedly at the explosion site. But as the smoke cleared, the massive arm paused—then slammed down with terrifying speed.
BANG BANG BANG!
Space itself seemed unable to withstand the palm’s speed, shattering continuously.
Zhu Long opened her eyes.
Left black, right white.
Black and white cycled. Her divine ability activated.
Her divine ability clashed with the palm.
Sixth-Revolution Golden Immortal Zhu Long possessed immense combat power and special suppression against Innate Divine Demons.
Yet against this Immortal-tier Divine Demon, that suppression became negligible—almost ineffective.
Divine ability and palm collided, erupting in a heaven-shaking explosion.
But ultimately, it stopped the palm’s advance.
And the passage entrance was completely torn open.
The ancient, powerful aura of the Primordial Starry Sky surged madly inward.
The Immortal-tier Divine Demon’s full appearance was finally revealed to the world.
It was an enormous Divine Demon—its body mountain-sized yet grotesquely proportioned. Its head was massively oversized. At its center was a gigantic eyeball radiating endless eeriness—as though a single glance could seize one’s mind and strip away control.
Below that enormous eerie eyeball was a maw lined with razor-sharp teeth.
Further down was a shrunken humanoid torso.
Though “shrunken,” it was still gigantic—merely proportionate to the head, giving it a deformed appearance.
The humanoid torso was covered in dark cyan scales. Blood vessels throbbed beneath the flesh.
Its powerful heartbeat contained a unique magic.
It seemed to draw everyone’s heartbeat into its rhythm—making hearts beat in sync with its own.
“This is… Immortal-tier?”
Tantai Xuan stared at the colossal being. Its terrifying aura spread like a storm.
Micah clenched his fists. His gaze grew even sharper.
He walked the path of the Extreme Realm—he could not afford fear.
Fight then!
Besides, they were the strongest Golden Immortals of the Five Phoenixes. If they retreated, the Five Phoenixes behind them would be exposed—becoming food for these savage Primordial Starry Sky Divine Demons.
ROAR!
The Evil-Eyed Divine Demon roared.
Its massive eyeball rolled. Its pupils focused.
It locked onto the Five Phoenixes Golden Immortals before it.
The Hegemon, Tang Yimo, Sima Qingshan, and others stared fixedly at this Immortal-tier Divine Demon.
Their bodies trembled slightly—the pressure of an Immortal-tier existence made their flesh quiver uncontrollably.
Yet the newly ascended Golden Immortals—the Hegemon and Tang Yimo—felt little fear.
When facing peerless ferocious beasts before, they had felt the same. They had overcome it.
The Hegemon twisted his neck, gripping his axe and shield. His gaze was razor-sharp.
Behind him was the Five Phoenixes—the land he had lived in for countless years, his home. How could he easily surrender it?
Tang Yimo spun the bandages around his hands.
He glanced at the Hegemon. The two seemed to reach an unspoken understanding.
“Looks like we have to go all out this time.”
Tang Yimo said.
The Hegemon’s eyes flickered. He looked complicatedly at Tang Yimo, then nodded solemnly.
Just going all out.
At worst—he’d die!
The massive Evil Eye moved—like a gigantic black hole growing in the cosmos—slowly stepping toward the Five Phoenixes.
Its eyeball locked onto Zhu Long.
Zhu Long’s black-and-white eyes met its gaze fearlessly.
BOOM!
Black-and-white beams shot forth, forming an impact wave.
The Evil Eye’s pupil also unleashed an eerie impact wave.
The two collided.
Zhu Long’s delicate body trembled. Then she was sent flying backward through the void.
“Charge!”
The Five Phoenixes Golden Immortals overcame their inner fear. Flames seemed to burn within them. With their tiny bodies, they charged madly toward the colossal Evil-Eyed Divine Demon.
Divine Demons possessed intelligence. This Evil Eye naturally had it too.
Its massive maw split open. Razor-sharp teeth gleamed coldly—as though mocking the Five Phoenixes cultivators’ overconfidence.
A massive arm swept out.
Its powerful flesh suppressed the void, shattering it inch by inch.
This sweep treated the Five Phoenixes cultivators like mere flies.
Lu Jiulian’s expression was icy.
His arms intertwined. Gritting his teeth, he prepared to form an eight-colored Wrath Lotus.
Above Tantai Xuan, the Life-and-Death Register hovered. He chanted. Life-and-death qi transformed into divine dragons, coiling around the arm.
Micah was fearless. Hair flying, he unleashed his Extreme Dao Emperor Fist.
But the moment they clashed, blood sprayed from every pore.
On the other side,
Tang Yimo instantly opened seven meridians. Hair stood on end. Terrifying energy currents surged around him.
His body swelled. Skin turned cyan-purple.
Life energy surged and roared!
BOOM!
A terrifying muffled sound exploded.
The Evil-Eyed Divine Demon’s weakened strike was blocked by the Hegemon raising his axe and shield.
At the moment of impact, blood sprayed from the Hegemon’s body. But his eyes were filled with excitement and sharpness!
Come! Come!
Hit me with everything!
Stack the thickest armor to take the heaviest beating!
Tang Yimo became a black streak, landing on the massive Evil-Eyed Divine Demon’s arm.
His arms moved like windmills as he sprinted upward.
Along the Divine Demon’s arm, he ran toward the Evil Eye’s enormous eyeball.
The eye—surely its weakest point.
Bai Qingniao’s waist-length fiery red hair flew upward.
She spread her arms, seeming to chant softly.
Then, nine fire phoenixes spiraled upward, forming a flame whirlwind that charged toward the Evil-Eyed Divine Demon.
Sima Qingshan splashed ink—mountains and rivers forming a prison of ink that enveloped the Evil-Eyed Divine Demon.
Nie Changqing drew Dragon-Slaying Blade. Blade light obscured the sky as it slashed toward the Evil-Eyed Divine Demon.
Their attacks covered and supported Tang Yimo.
The Evil-Eyed Divine Demon raised its other arm, blocking the onslaught.
Its massive eyeball rolled—seeming to notice Tang Yimo’s movement.
But at that moment, Zhu Long’s Yin-Yang Grinding Disc hovered above her head. Her eyes opened. Black-and-white light waves shot toward the Evil Eye.
Zhu Long’s attack posed a tremendous threat to the Evil Eye.
Thus, its eyeball lifted, locking onto Zhu Long, unleashing its own impact wave.
The two clashed again!
Zhu Long’s delicate body trembled.
But this time she was not sent flying—because the little Yinglong flapped its fleshy wings, gritting its teeth and supporting her from behind.
The two impact waves collided in the abyss, drawing the Evil Eye’s attention.
Tang Yimo’s speed grew faster and faster.
So fast he became a wisp of cyan smoke.
Finally,
Zhu Long’s clash with the Evil Eye’s impact wave ended. In the instant it ended,
Lu Jiulian’s arms bled.
He hurled an eight-colored Wrath Lotus formed by draining all his energy. The lotus hovered above the Evil Eye’s head.
It detonated instantly.
Transforming into a massive eight-colored lotus that enveloped the Evil Eye, causing its eyeball to daze momentarily.
Lu Jiulian panted heavily. Watching the explosion envelop the Evil Eye, a faint smile appeared on his cold face.
Though the explosion’s power was insufficient to harm an Immortal-tier Divine Demon…
that wasn’t his goal.
It was to provide final cover for Tang Yimo.
Whoosh!
In the instant the eight-colored Wrath Lotus’s aftermath dissipated,
Tang Yimo reached the end of the arm. He leaped upward. His body swelled, hovering directly before the Evil Eye’s massive eyeball.
The pupil in the Evil Eye suddenly contracted—focusing on Tang Yimo.
Even the Evil Eye hadn’t expected that the main attacker among the Five Phoenixes Golden Immortals would be Tang Yimo.
Even the ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven watching from the rift were stunned.
The cooperation displayed by this group of Golden Immortals against a Peak Emperor-level Immortal-tier Divine Demon astonished them.
This group of Golden Immortals… would surely become terrifying opponents in the future.
Tang Yimo’s hair stood on end.
His eyes turned completely blood-red.
Flashes of the Five Phoenixes appeared in his vision.
Tang Guo, Southern Commandery, the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty… such beautiful people and world—how could they be destroyed before such an ugly being!
“Eighth Meridian!”
“Open!”
BOOM!
Tang Yimo roared lowly.
His skin seemed to melt instantly. Terrifying energy shockwaves erupted from his body, piercing through the entire void starry sky!
In this moment, even the Evil Eye felt an unparalleled threat!
This tiny existence—only early-tier Divine Demon level—brought him unimaginable danger!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Tang Yimo transformed into a blood-colored figure of light. In an instant, he unleashed nearly ten thousand punches toward the Evil Eye’s massive eyeball.
Each punch represented his faith.
Represented his will to protect!
This was the spirit of the Five Phoenixes’ people!
Protecting what they wished to protect!
For the Five Phoenixes…
They fought!
Fearless of death!
The Five Phoenixes Golden Immortals panted heavily, watching this scene.
Seeing Tang Yimo erupt with astonishing power, they fell silent.
When Lu tore open space and appeared, what he saw was this deeply moving scene.
Looking at every Five Phoenix Golden Immortal, Lu could feel their resolve—their will to protect.
They loved the Five Phoenixes deeply.
For a moment, Lu felt a touch of emotion.
And wasn’t he the same?
They felt a strong sense of belonging to the Five Phoenixes—unwilling to see it destroyed.
And so did Lu—even more so. Lu had personally guided the Five Phoenixes step by step from a weak low-martial world to the mighty Immortal-Martial it was today.
Lu’s feelings for the Five Phoenixes were deeper than anyone else’s.
Perhaps this was also why Lu had subconsciously—and urgently—sought to strengthen the Five Phoenixes, pursuing Qi Refining.
He wanted the Five Phoenixes to become strong—strong enough that no external force could destroy it!
BOOM!!!!!
A terrifying energy storm erupted from the Evil Eye’s eyeball.
The hazy waves of energy spread and expanded, stirring up dust throughout the abyss.
This terrifying energy storm was like a massive black hole—making the starry sky tremble.
In the explosion,
Tang Yimo’s blood-soaked body was sent flying backward like a broken kite.
His arms were mangled, bones shattered.
The Five Phoenixes Golden Immortals’ pupils contracted. They swiftly flew forward to catch Tang Yimo’s body.
Many felt their hearts tremble.
They remembered Tang Yimo saying that opening the eighth meridian would surely kill him.
But it would also grant him heaven-defying power!
This time…
they had witnessed it.
Tang Yimo had struck the Evil Eye’s eyeball with a single blow.
Truly astonishing to all.
Even Zhu Long’s attack might not have achieved such an effect.
But just as everyone prepared to catch Tang Yimo,
a white robe fluttered.
Lu raised his hand, supporting Tang Yimo’s bloodied back.
Everyone stared at Lu in shock.
In the next moment…
wild joy surged!
Seeing Tang Yimo’s life force rapidly fading, Lu raised his hand and waved lightly.
A beam of light descended from the sky, enveloping Tang Yimo.
Instantly, rich vitality filled Tang Yimo’s body—restoring him to peak condition.
Even in his unconscious state, Tang Yimo’s body shuddered, a groan escaping his nose.
Sweeping his gaze across the Five Phoenixes cultivators,
Lu picked up a piece and slowly placed it.
The piece landed on the chessboard.
Instantly, countless beams of light enveloped the Five Phoenixes cultivators—fully healing all their injuries and restoring them to peak condition!
When it came to support—Lu… was a professional.
In the distance!
BOOM!
A terrifying explosion rang out.
The Evil-Eyed Divine Demon’s colossal body was finally forced back—crashing into the massive torn passage entrance.
The passage trembled.
The Evil-Eyed Divine Demon let out a roar of pain and fury.
Its eyeball was covered in cracks. Murky green blood sprayed from it.
“Kill!”
“Slaughter them all!”
The Evil Eye’s furious will spread.
Then, the originally reverent early-tier and high-tier Divine Demons received the Evil Eye’s command and went berserk—surging forth with murderous intent, intent on killing everything.
They transformed into streaks of light, erupting with Emperor Realm might, charging toward the Five Phoenixes cultivators.
The Five Phoenixes cultivators tensed. Immense pressure descended.
But Lu merely smiled.
He waved his hand, signaling everyone to relax.
He sat calmly in the Thousand-Blade Chair, white robes fluttering.
Alone, he blocked the path of the countless early-tier Divine Demons and ferocious high-tier Divine Demons.
The corners of his mouth curved upward.
Title [Divine Demon Hunter] activated.
Buzz…
Lu leaned back in the Thousand-Blade Chair, white robes fluttering.
His calm gaze carried a unique power as he looked directly at the Divine Demon legion.
Then, the countless ferocious, savage early-tier and high-tier Divine Demons charging toward him…
froze in midair.
An indescribable fear… spread among them.
