Tianling cradled the twelve-petaled blood-colored lotus. Countless vengeful souls churned within it, along with surging malice and resentment.
The resentment had a clear target—Ancient Emperor Hao. After all, he had sacrificed every living being in the Nine Heavens. It was impossible for them to feel no hatred toward him.
Even if his goal had been to save the Nine Heavens and resist the powerful god-demons.
To the living beings of the Nine Heavens, none of that mattered. They neither understood nor cared.
In the Five Phoenix Continent.
Dantai Xuan, Mi Jia, the Overlord, Lu Jiulian, and other Golden Immortals flew over at high speed.
Their divine souls flared outward, forming terrifying energy ripples that enveloped the malice and resentment within the twelve-petaled blood lotus, preventing it from leaking and harming the living beings of the Five Phoenix.
“Give it to me.”
Dantai Xuan frowned and took the lotus from Tianling’s hands.
Tianling didn’t refuse. After all, Dantai Xuan was the Netherworld Emperor—dealing with souls and resentment was his specialty.
“Once this is over, I’ll personally go with you to see Young Master Lu and beg him to grant these souls a chance at reincarnation.”
Dantai Xuan sighed.
In truth, if these souls entered the Netherworld, it would greatly benefit it.
Originally, he had harbored deep hostility toward Ancient Emperor Hao. After all, Hao’s goal had always been to invade the Five Phoenix Continent.
But now, seeing that solitary figure walking alone through a dead and silent world with his back to all living beings…
Dantai Xuan found himself unable to say anything harsh. His hostility faded somewhat.
They were all people bearing heavy burdens.
There was something pitiable about even the most hateful.
Everything Ancient Emperor Hao had done was for the Nine Heavens—for his beliefs, for his faith.
It was simply that the paths of the Five Phoenix and the Nine Heavens were incompatible.
The others fell silent as well. They frowned, gazing gravely toward the Nine Heavens.
The outcome of the battle between Ancient Emperor Hao and that god-demon would determine whether the Five Phoenix Continent would be affected.
Right now, the Five Phoenix and the Nine Heavens shared a “lips die, teeth grow cold” relationship.
That was why Young Master Lu had intervened earlier—helping Ancient Emperor Hao and blocking the god-demon for a brief moment.
That single moment had given Ancient Emperor Hao the time he needed to break through.
After hundreds of thousands of years of preparation and accumulation, Ancient Emperor Hao had finally succeeded.
It was an inevitable breakthrough.
If he hadn’t broken through after all this, Ancient Emperor Hao… would probably have gone mad.
“Beyond Extreme Emperor… what realm is that?”
Everyone exchanged glances. They knew it was the Great Luo Immortal level, but… how strong was a Great Luo Immortal? None of them had ever seen one.
…
On Lakeheart Island.
Lu was somewhat stunned.
“He sacrificed every living being in the Nine Heavens… yet still left a sliver of hope.”
Leaning back in the Thousand-Blade Chair, Lu murmured.
Ancient Emperor Hao had indeed reclaimed all the Heavenly Dao’s power, achieving a breakthrough and stepping into the Great Luo Immortal realm.
This was the culmination of hundreds of thousands of years of planning—an inevitable success.
But Ancient Emperor Hao hadn’t annihilated the souls of the Nine Heavens’ living beings. Instead, he had condensed them into a twelve-petaled blood lotus within the sea of blood.
The lotus carried the hopes of every living being in the Nine Heavens.
“He left behind a seed for the Nine Heavens… hoping for reincarnation?”
Lu’s eyes flickered.
Clearly, Ancient Emperor Hao had left the seed in the hope that Lu would help the souls of the Nine Heavens reincarnate through the Netherworld.
Of course, this would require Lu’s consent.
That was why Ancient Emperor Hao had entrusted the lotus to Tianling.
In Hao’s view, since Lu was willing to help Tianling, perhaps Tianling’s face carried some weight.
Ancient Emperor Hao hadn’t come himself.
Because he couldn’t be sure he would return alive.
The god-demon at the passage—Qiang Huo—was far too powerful. Stronger even than the god-demon that had once brought catastrophe to the Nine Heavens.
So Ancient Emperor Hao could only fight with everything he had.
Lu gazed calmly at the Spirit Pressure Chessboard.
In the scene, Ancient Emperor Hao walked step by step—alone and desolate—through a cold, dead world filled with the stench of blood.
His pace seemed slow, yet it was not. Soon he passed through layer after layer of the Nine Heavens and arrived at the passage.
He faced Qiang Huo, who was still seething with rage after being struck by Lu’s Spirit Pressure beam.
Lu exhaled slowly.
He held a wine cup in his hand.
“Though Ancient Emperor Hao and I are enemies…”
“If our positions were reversed—if I were Hao in this moment… what would I do?”
“If the Five Phoenix Continent faced such a catastrophe and required the sacrifice of all living beings, could I make that choice?”
Lu asked himself.
He couldn’t.
Ancient Emperor Hao, as an incarnation of the Heavenly Dao, was colder, more rational—even ruthless.
But Lu was different.
The Five Phoenix Continent held too many ties for him.
The Witch Clan, the Demon Clan… races he had personally created, like his own children.
And Lu Changkong, Zhu Long, and others—family, bonds.
Lu had poured too much of himself into the Five Phoenix Continent. He already felt completely integrated into it.
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He belonged to the Five Phoenix.
If that moment ever came, perhaps… Lu would fight to the bitter end.
But to sacrifice all living beings? He still couldn’t do it.
He wasn’t ruthless enough. He lacked Ancient Emperor Hao’s heartlessness.
Lu shook his head and set the thought aside. There was no comparison.
“That god-demon… is one of the Elemental Gods’ prized disciples. His strength is formidable—likely at the Great Luo Immortal level…”
“Though not the Elemental God himself, the threat is no less.”
Lu’s eyes flickered.
If Ancient Emperor Hao truly couldn’t defeat Qiang Huo,
then in the future, the Five Phoenix Continent would face cleansing by this terrifying god-demon.
Of course, Lu also had to guard against Ancient Emperor Hao joining forces with Qiang Huo.
After all, Hao had a history.
So though Ancient Emperor Hao’s actions moved Lu, he still remained wary of him.
One must always guard against others—especially a powerhouse who had now surpassed Extreme Emperor and entered the Great Luo Immortal realm.
But the disciple of the Elemental God was also a major threat.
Lu narrowed his eyes.
Compared to Ancient Emperor Hao—who had suffered many losses at his hands—this newcomer, Qiang Huo, posed a greater danger.
After all, Lu had shown off in the comprehension ground, then fled—taking the adorable little statue with him.
The Elemental Gods were probably furious beyond measure.
So for now, Lu needed to keep a low profile.
The arrival of the Elemental God’s disciple was unexpected, but their goal seemed to be revenge for the twenty-two immortal-rank god-demons Lu had tricked and killed earlier.
Not the adorable little Beast Ancestor statue.
While the enemy hadn’t realized yet and hadn’t spread the news—
Lu had to kill him!
For his own sake, and for the Five Phoenix Continent’s sake.
Leaning back in the Thousand-Blade Chair, Lu finally made his decision.
Fuse the Indestructible Fire Body.
With his Indestructible Golden Body now perfected, he finally qualified to fuse the Indestructible Fire Body. If successful, Lu estimated that while his realm might not reach Great Luo Immortal, his combat power should… meet the mark.
Together with Ancient Emperor Hao, they might have a chance to kill this disciple of the Elemental God!
No sooner said than done. Lu sat upright in the pavilion. Sparks began flickering around his body, causing the air temperature to rise rapidly.
Fusing the Indestructible Fire Body was no easy task.
Lu had to proceed with extreme caution. He couldn’t guarantee success—he had failed once before.
But as the fusion progressed,
a searing pain and burning heat surged through his body. Lu felt as though he had been thrown into a furnace, being tempered over and over.
…
In the Nine Heavens.
Ancient Emperor Hao walked step by step.
The entire Nine Heavens had turned into a dead, silent wasteland. Shattered continents floated everywhere. Without the Heavenly Dao’s protection, they had been crushed by the void’s power, reduced to rubble drifting in space.
A scene of utter ruin.
Ancient Emperor Hao walked on, blood and malice coiling around his body!
“I have broken through Extreme Emperor. Now… I am beyond Extreme Emperor—I am the Heavenly Emperor!”
Ancient Emperor Hao’s eyes blazed.
The sovereign of this heaven and earth!
Even if he was the only one left in this heaven and earth, he was still its Heavenly Emperor!
Boom!
With each step, his aura grew stronger.
He stared at Qiang Huo at the passage. Battle intent burned within him. After hundreds of thousands of years of planning, this was the moment—he would protect the Nine Heavens with his own power.
He had surpassed Extreme Emperor and shattered the Heavenly Dao’s barriers.
Though he had gained immense strength, he felt no joy.
And if he felt no joy, then he would vent it all on this god-demon!
A god-demon who had surpassed immortal rank and reached the great-path rank!
Let him… fight to the death!
“Come!”
Ancient Emperor Hao’s cold shout thundered, shaking the heavens and earth.
The Golden Immortals of the Five Phoenix Continent felt their expressions change.
Deafening!
Even from such a vast distance, they felt a heart-palpitating terror from that overwhelming power.
“Great Luo Immortal level!”
“Ancient Emperor Hao calls this realm… Heavenly Emperor realm!”
“Beyond Extreme Emperor is Heavenly Emperor—the sovereign of heaven and earth!”
Everyone’s eyes flickered as they stared at Ancient Emperor Hao’s back. The passage was collapsing inch by inch, torn apart by terrifying force.
Around Qiang Huo, crimson flames coiled into a massive fire dragon that spiraled around him, burning and distorting the void.
“Sacrificing an entire world for power—ruthless. A true genius among humans.”
“But gods and demons are sworn enemies of humanity. Since you’re a genius… there’s no need for you to live.”
Qiang Huo sneered. Strange runes emerged on his crimson skin like tattoos.
His aura climbed higher and higher.
It was like two flames colliding in the void—one Ancient Emperor Hao, the other Qiang Huo.
And Ancient Emperor Hao’s flame was slightly weaker.
It seemed it could be extinguished at any moment!
Ancient Emperor Hao had only just broken through. In combat power and foundation, he was still inferior.
Moreover…
This god-demon gave everyone a bone-chilling sense of despair—overwhelming, hopeless power.
The ordinary immortal-rank god-demon had already fled far away.
The shockwaves from Ancient Emperor Hao and Qiang Huo’s battle could easily injure him gravely. He didn’t dare linger near the center.
That would be suicide.
The ancient starry void was far more stable than the Nine Heavens.
Yet their battle was still terrifying. Explosive shockwaves shattered stars. Many stars were split by a single slash.
Many were melted by fire dragons.
The starry sky was torn into countless black spatial rifts, chaotic spatial currents spreading beneath them…
Crimson and eerie, yet dazzling like immortal light.
Flames fierce enough to incinerate all things in the void!
Boom!
With every clash, the two figures streaked through the void, unleashing heaven-shaking attacks!
The stray divine light could easily shred any immortal-rank god-demon!
They were like peerless immortals!
Beyond the Void Abyss.
The people of the Five Phoenix Continent felt their hearts sink.
Too strong!
So strong that none of them could muster the courage to join this battle.
“This… is a battle at the immortal-martial level…”
The Overlord spoke heavily.
No one could refute him.
The Five Phoenix Continent had entered the immortal-martial path and was gradually transforming.
But though it was immortal-martial, it had no Great Luo Immortal-level powerhouse. It couldn’t truly represent immortal-martial.
Only a battle like this—between Ancient Emperor Hao and Qiang Huo—was truly immortal-martial level!
A single flash of attack could shatter stars!
The people of the Five Phoenix Continent felt an overwhelming weight.
“No matter who wins… it doesn’t seem like good news for the Five Phoenix.”
“Because the Five Phoenix has no combat power at this level…”
“If we all joined forces, could we defeat either of them?”
Everyone shook their heads.
This was immortal-martial combat power—the legendary Great Luo Immortal level.
“I wonder if Young Master Lu could defeat them?”
“Does Young Master Lu have combat power at the immortal-martial level?”
Many spoke with faint hope, but none could be sure.
…
Puff!
Blood sprayed from Ancient Emperor Hao’s chest, forming a crimson river across the starry sky.
The searing heat evaporated his blood into black mist.
Qiang Huo sneered.
“You’ve only just proven yourself as Heavenly Emperor. You think you’re worthy to fight me?”
“I’ll kill you in ten moves!”
“You’re not the first human Heavenly Emperor to die by my hand—nor will you be the last.”
Qiang Huo’s lips curled.
Boom!
He raised his hand.
A purple fire dragon coiled around him.
Within the purple flames, golden light shimmered—the Gold Origin mysteries.
Though he hadn’t obtained the Beast Ancestor inheritance, he had sat on one of the top five stars and comprehended profound Gold Origin mysteries.
With the Gold Origin mysteries amplifying him, his attacks were multiplied many times over.
There was no way this newly ascended human Heavenly Emperor could withstand it!
The Gold Origin mysteries and fire dragon fused into a single punch—blasting forth.
The punch wove golden and crimson light, instantly draining all energy around it. Space collapsed. Rifts tore open, annihilating everything in their path.
It was as though a massive star was crashing down.
Like the wrath of the heavens!
Ancient Emperor Hao’s robes whipped wildly. His skin cracked, releasing white light—the radiance of the Heavenly Dao.
As a Heavenly Dao incarnation who had proven himself, he now squeezed every last drop of the Heavenly Dao’s power.
His blood-colored long blade shattered inch by inch, but the pale blade light seemed ready to cleave the starry sky apart.
It sliced through space itself.
One fist. One blade.
Two supreme forces collided!
Brilliant light illuminated the void. Every ancient star in the surroundings was obliterated.
A muffled groan echoed.
Then Ancient Emperor Hao’s battered body flew backward, blood spraying like rivers.
He dropped to one knee in the starry void, gasping like a dragon.
His body was beginning to falter. The gap in combat power and foundation was too great.
He had no mysteries to amplify him.
In the end… he would still die.
Still not enough…
Even after breaking through Extreme Emperor and entering Heavenly Emperor realm.
He still couldn’t resist the god-demons.
Ancient Emperor Hao felt deep unwillingness. He couldn’t understand why a god-demon as powerful as Qiang Huo had appeared.
He hadn’t been given enough time to grow.
Qiang Huo’s burly frame blazed with flames.
He looked like a fire-elemental god-demon.
But he was far nobler—a prized disciple of the Elemental God, inheritor of their legacy.
So what if Ancient Emperor Hao had sacrificed an entire world to break through?
Qiang Huo had devoured entire human immortal-martial worlds before. When it came to ruthlessness, Ancient Emperor Hao couldn’t compare.
“It’s over.”
Qiang Huo said calmly.
“Kill you, then flatten that newborn immortal-martial world…”
“A fresh human immortal-martial world… just thinking about it excites me. It must be a rare delicacy.”
Qiang Huo grinned, a hint of thrill in his voice.
This trip had turned out to be an unexpected bonus!
He stepped forward.
His powerful body shattered space as he charged toward Ancient Emperor Hao. This punch would surely annihilate him!
But.
Just as Qiang Huo surged forward—
A sound like a chess piece landing on a board echoed through the heavens and earth.
Suddenly.
Qiang Huo realized a colossal chessboard phantom had appeared, enveloping his body.
Hm?
Qiang Huo froze.
Ancient Emperor Hao was also stunned. Then his eyes flickered.
His divine soul surged wildly into the void.
“Lu Ping’an… you and I join forces?!”
“Kill him!”
Ancient Emperor Hao’s divine soul transmitted.
He stared into the void. He knew—Lu Ping’an had acted again.
Though he and Lu Ping’an were enemies—hostile to the core—and though he knew Lu’s petty nature had long disliked him…
The Nine Heavens had reached this point. There was no retreat.
The Five Phoenix Continent might be the only hope for the reincarnation of the Nine Heavens’ living beings.
Qiang Huo was too strong!
But Lu Ping’an hadn’t entered Heavenly Emperor realm.
If the two of them joined forces, there might still be a chance!
Yet Lu’s reply left Ancient Emperor Hao stunned.
“Join forces?”
Lu’s faint laughter drifted over.
“No need.”
“This Young Master doesn’t like ganging up on others.”
