The Battle of Life and Death in the Capital City after One Year

The sole nine-star genius in Yun State!

This statement, akin to thunder on a clear day, left everyone at Azure Cloud Palace bewildered, their minds in a fog.

Zhao Qing'er trembled all over, her eyes shining like stars, brighter than ever before.

Nine-star talent!

For Zhao Qing'er, all of this felt like a dream. Even in a dream, she wouldn't dare to imagine such a thing.

Everyone had dreams of being a genius, but being a genius and having a nine-star talent were entirely different concepts—a world of difference.

"Ying'er..."

Fang Xiu, in deep sorrow, had all his thoughts focused on Fang Ying. As for Zhao Qing'er, regardless of her talent level, he only cared about Fang Ying's safety.

"Elder Li, you've have your disciple, and the benefits have been gained. In the future, rising to fame, why disturb the peace in the mortal world, attracting criticism? As one of the four-star sects in Yun State, does Myth Sky Sect really want to set a bad example?"

Zhou Huadong, with a majestic posture, firmly blocked Fang Xiu and others behind him, clearly stating his stance.

Li Yunmo frowned.

She knew Zhou Huadong's temperament too well—a stubborn and determined person.

Once he set his mind on something, he would go through with it.

Today, he was determined to stop her; it was impossible to kill Fang Xiu now.

If two Golden Core experts fought openly in the mortal world, it would only bring mockery upon them.

"Qing'er, it seems my intended gift for you may no longer be presented."

Li Yunmo sighed.

"Master is considerate, but..."

Zhao Qing'er's entire demeanor suddenly changed. She rose slowly, her gaze as cold as a knife, directly confronting Fang Xiu.

"I will settle my own grievances. Fang Xiu, the shame and pain you left on me, I will put you through it with my own hands."

Zhao Qing'er, once despondent, transformed into a domineering figure, like an ice lotus about to bloom, radiating a sacred light.

The nine-star talent gave Zhao Qing'er unprecedented confidence.

Twice humiliated, it was an indelible disgrace for any woman in the world.

Before, Zhao Qing'er was in a disadvantaged position.

The weak could only accept their fate, even if there was resentment and deep hatred in their hearts, it was of no avail.

Now it was different.

The nine-star talent gave Zhao Qing'er the prerequisite for seeking revenge.

Hatred and shame were things everyone wanted to handle personally, to regain what they had lost without relying on external forces.

Even if the ultimate result was the same, the feeling of taking matters into one's own hands was worlds apart from seeking help from others.

"Fang Xiu, I want to make a one-year battle appointment with you. One year from now, right here in the capital city, you and I will have a decisive battle. I will personally reclaim what I have lost."

In front of everyone, Zhao Qing'er, full of confidence, issued a challenge.

"Fang Xiu, do you accept my challenge?"

Swish...

For a moment, all eyes at Azure Cloud Palace focused on Fang Xiu, including those of Li Yunmo and Zhou Huadong, the two Golden Core experts.

Facing a one-year appointment from a nine-star genius was something anyone would carefully consider.

Despite Zhao Qing'er currently being only at the eighth rank of Forging Veins, once she entered Myth Sky Sect and received the highest-quality cultivation resources, given her nine-star talent, her cultivation would undoubtedly advance by leaps and bounds.

No one could assert how far a nine-star genius could grow in a year.

Yun State had yet to see such a genius.

"Agreed!"

Fang Xiu, crouching with Fang Ying in his arms, slowly raised his head.

His eyes had turned blood-red like an ancient lion suppressing boundless anger.

His voice was hoarse.

"Zhao Qing'er, I accept your challenge. In a year, I will not only kill you but also her."

Fang Xiu raised his hand, bypassing Zhao Qing'er, pointing towards Li Yunmo.

"Hahaha..."

Li Yunmo was initially stunned, then burst into laughter.

"Kid, I'm starting to feel pity for you now. Do you even know what you're saying?"

This was heartless mockery from a Golden Core expert, filled with disdain and ridicule, like a sharp thorn stabbing Fang Xiu's heart.

He had extraordinary talent, staying in the mortal world for the sake of the country.

Now, it was time to step into the true world of martial cultivation.

The palace was filled with mockery. Indeed, with his current eighth-rank Forging Veins cultivation, boasting about killing a Golden Core expert in a year was a joke to anyone.

How audacious he was to make such arrogant remarks.

"Laugh if you want. I hope you can still laugh a year from now, Li Yunmo. I've remembered your name."

Fang Xiu sneered, ignoring the taunts and the looks that treated him like a clown.

Li Yunmo must die because she had harmed Fang Ying, the most important person to him.

That reason was enough!

"Being an ego when you are young is not a good thing. If you want to kill me, make sure you're still alive when the time comes."

Li Yunmo didn't want to waste words.

A mere Marquis of Guanjun in the mortal world wasn't enough to bother a Golden Core expert.

Then, Li Yunmo turned around and took out a jade bottle, tossing it in front of Zhao Qingyun.

"The pills inside can heal your injuries within three days and advance you to the late-stage of Innate Realm within three months."

At these words, Zhao Qingyun was overjoyed, kneeling and kowtowing.

"Thank you, Elder."

Zhao Qingyun couldn't help but be excited, tightly holding the jade bottle.

The pills inside were priceless, and any one of them was a supreme treasure unseen in the Mo Nation.

All of this was because of having such a good daughter.

"Qing'er, let's go."

Li Yunmo held Zhao Qing'er's hand, and with her aura surging, they soared into the air, disappearing from the main hall in the blink of an eye.

"Fang Xiu, one year from today, I hope you will come as promised."

Outside the hall, Zhao Qing'er's voice grew fainter.

In a year, this woman, for the sake of past humiliation and to restore her reputation as the Princess Royal of the Mo Nation, would undoubtedly practice at any cost.

She wanted Fang Xiu dead but didn't wish for him to die within this year.

Fang Xiu's life must be taken by Zhao Qing'er herself.

Otherwise, even if Fang Xiu died, it would be meaningless.

With Li Yunmo taking Zhao Qing'er away, the turmoil in Mo Nation caused by the Marquis of Guanjun came to an end.

In this turmoil, there were no winners, and for the entire Mo Nation, it was a blow.

However, Zhao Qing'er's awakening as a nine-star talent filled the Zhao family and the entire Mo Nation with hope.

Just like Zhao Qingyun at this moment, his eyes gleamed, already beginning to fantasize and envision.

One day, Mo Nation would transcend the mundane, becoming a true force of martial nations.

It was not impossible.

In the Xuanhuang World, the division between the mundane and martial worlds was simple: as long as there were experts in the Flying Realm, they had truly entered the ranks of martial practitioners.

Martial forces in the Xuanhuang World were also divided into different levels.

Forces with experts in the Flying Realm were called one-star forces; those with Golden Core experts were two-star forces. The strongest were the nine-star forces.

Myth Sky Sect, as a giant in Yun State, was a genuine four-star sect.

"Master, please help Ying'er."

Yu Shuai had been concerned about Fang Ying's injuries.

Zhou Huadong turned around, glancing at Fang Ying lying in Fang Xiu's arms, unable to hide his frown.

He quickly crouched down and placed a hand on Fang Ying's wrist. Strands of elemental force seeped into Fang Ying's body.

Fang Xiu, Bai Zhan, and Ji Mo anxiously watched Zhou Huadong.

The Golden Core expert's brow furrowed more and more, forming a knot.

"Master, how is she?"

Yu Shuai urgently asked.

Shaking his head, Zhou Huadong retracted his palm and sighed heavily.

"Meridians are completely severed, vitality almost extinguished, only a faint soul fluctuation remains. This girl won't make it."

Boom!

Zhou Huadong's words were like thunder on a clear day, leaving Fang Xiu and the others in a daze.

"Master, please save her."

"Please, senior!"

"Senior!"

Yu Shuai, Bai Zhan, and Ji Mo almost simultaneously knelt in front of Zhou Huadong, their eye sockets turning red, filled with supplication.

No one could understand the emotions between the four great companions.

They had grown up together, their relationship transcending blood ties.

Although there was no blood relation, the sibling bond had long surpassed everything.

Without exaggeration, if one person needed to sacrifice their life to save Fang Ying, the three would undoubtedly step forward without hesitation.

"Yu Shuai, don't blame me for not helping; it's just that there's nothing I can do. I have a Soul-Protecting Pill here, which can temporarily prevent her soul from dispersing. As for her fate... sigh! It was a strike from a Golden Core expert, after all."

Zhou Huadong took out a pill and handed it to Yu Shuai.

He didn't finish the rest of his words, but the meaning was already clear.

Blocking a strike from a Golden Core expert with an eighth-grade Forging Veins cultivation, it was already a miracle that her soul was not instantly shattered.

The Soul-Protecting Pill was just a comforting measure, utterly useless for Fang Ying's injuries.

Crack...

Fang Xiu clenched his fists, producing cracking sounds.

His eyes were bloodshot, containing boundless resentment.

A Marquis of Guanjun, in this state today, what had led to all of this?

Why was the heavens so unfair?

Fang Xiu roared in his heart, his black hair fluttering without wind, like an ancient beast about to erupt.

"Kid, this is how the world works, survival of the fittest. Strength is the only truth, and fairness is something you have to fight for with your fists. With Eternal Divine Palace's assistance and being the Supreme Eternal Body, you are destined to become the supreme authority who sets the rules. Awaken, let hatred be your strength, explode your little universe; your path to becoming the Supreme Eternal has just begun, without taking a step."

The voice of Old Rascal echoed from Eternal Divine Palace, no longer old, but powerful and resonant, like the sound of ancient bells, reverberating in Fang Xiu's soul.

"That's right, strength is the key. With strength, one can surpass everything. A strong fist is the truth. The so-called fairness needs to be fought for by myself."

Fang Xiu's heart surged, and he let out a loud roar, creating waves that overturned the ceiling of Azure Cloud Palace.

Old Rascal's words brought Fang Xiu unprecedented enlightenment.

Seven years of military service, loyalty, and courage, were exchanged for countless scars.

He had given too much for this country, sacrificed his innate talent, and abandoned the path into the martial world, only to end up with injustice.

From this moment on, that foolishly loyal Marquis of Guanjun was completely dead.

He wanted to become the Supreme Eternal, to open up his path to martial cultivation with his fists.

Boom...

Eternal Divine Palace trembled, and the doors of the second floor burst open.

At the same time, the true energy in Fang Xiu's dantian began to transform frantically.

This was the process of converting postnatal qi into prenatal qi.

"Haha, good lad. It seems you've laid the foundation of a martial heart, opening the resonance with Eternal Divine Palace, activating the second floor."

Old Rascal's laughter echoed throughout Eternal Divine Palace.

Apparently, he was surprised that Fang Xiu had opened the second floor.

Opening the second floor was not easy.

It was not about cultivation; it was a change in Fang Xiu's heart that caused the resonance with Eternal Divine Palace.

It was a kind of enlightenment, extremely rare.

Huff...

Endless madness, with crackling electric lights, emanated from Fang Xiu as the center, spreading outwards.

The entire Azure Cloud Palace was stirred up by an unprecedented storm.

Including Zhao Qingyun, everyone trembled under this overwhelming pressure, their faces pale.

They feared that if Fang Xiu got angry, he might slaughter them all.

A Ninth-Rank Fang Xiu was already so terrifying.

Even Zhao Qingyun was not his opponent.

Now that Fang Xiu had broken through to the Innate Realm, who dared to say anything?

The second floor of Eternal Divine Palace was bathed in endless golden light, and a large scroll unfolded like an ancient list of gods, revealing itself before Fang Xiu.

"Nine-Kill Thunder God Technique."

Five large words emitted ancient divine light, piercing Fang Xiu's eyes.

The incantation of the Nine-Kill Thunder God Technique was densely packed, with each word resembling lively dragons, wandering around Fang Xiu's spiritual consciousness.

"The Nine-Kill Thunder God Technique, specially created for the Ninety-Nine Thunder Veins, is shocking through the ages. With this technique, you can display double combat power, invincible in the Innate Realm."

Old Rascal said with a satisfied tone.

Fang Xiu couldn't concentrate on Old Rascal's words anymore.

He was immersed in the mysteries of the Nine-Kill Thunder God Technique, unable to extricate himself.

Above Azure Cloud Palace, Fang Xiu bathed in the radiance of thunder, like a thunder god. His aura was overwhelming.

Zhou Huadong watched Fang Xiu, his eyes sparkling.

"This kid's temperament is unexpectedly excellent. At this critical moment, he can turn grief and hatred into strength, breaking through himself. His future achievements might be limitless."

Yu Shuai and the others, with sorrow written all over their faces, each harboring a volcano within, waiting to erupt.

They knew that Fang Xiu's breakthrough was due to the extreme pain in his heart.

Although it was gratifying, it was also pitiful.

Yu Shuai carefully fed the Soul-Protecting Pill into Fang Ying's mouth, and even though the Golden Core expert was helpless, they still clung to a glimmer of hope.

Fang Xiu gradually emerged from the Nine-Kill Thunder God Technique, the red color in his eyes gradually fading away.

He looked at the unusually quiet Fang Ying in his arms, his heart twisting like a knife.

"Don't worry; this girl won't die."

Old Rascal's voice sounded again.