261-263

Chapter 261: Sorrow (Combined Chapter)

The two Sacred Heart Treasures, both for offensive purposes, were a pale yellow short sword and a purple pagoda.

They were enveloped in the radiance of the sun and moon, floating in the air, seemingly merging with heaven and earth, shining brightly.

Upon obtaining the treasures, Long Jueshen and Feng Lingxiao exchanged glances, knowing that if they didn't take down the Li Family soon, they wouldn't be able to answer to the three Divine Saints.

"I'll break the formation, you deal with that old dog!"

Feng Lingxiao said in a stern voice.

"After breaking the formation, your Sacred Palace will be the first to attack." Long Jueshen simply stated.

The two top demon forces had come out in full force. Although they were allies, they were also very clear about their respective roles.

Feng Lingxiao didn't haggle further. He was injured and didn't want to engage in a full-scale battle with Li Muxiu, risking further injury. He could only rely on the Sacred Palace elders to make up for it.

The two quickly submerged their souls into the Sacred Heart Treasures, merging with them, communicating with the treasures' Sacred Heart Essence, understanding their properties.

In a short time, their eyes shone brightly as they absorbed and refined the treasures. Suddenly, they soared into the air, issuing orders.

The demon kings and elders of both forces received the orders and immediately understood that they were about to forcibly break through Qingzhou City.

Orders were issued, and demon banners rose from the demon horde, along with ancient, desolate horns.

Simultaneously with the demon horde's movements, Long Jueshen and Feng Lingxiao were the first to charge out, attacking Qingzhou City.

Boom!!

As the first rays of dawn illuminated Qingzhou City, accompanied by the morning light, a deafening roar shook the sky above the city.

The violent tremor jolted everyone in the city awake from their uneasy sleep, causing fear and panic. They hastily pushed open their windows, peering out nervously from the gaps.

They saw that the golden magical formation above Qingzhou City suddenly manifested, like an inverted divine bowl, resisting a terrifying purple-black beam of light.

Countless divine runes were rapidly flashing, like frantic, fluttering butterflies.

The deafening sound shook the entire city wall.

Countless soldiers who were on rotation and resting were jolted awake from their makeshift camps on the edge of the city.

On the city wall, Li Muxiu, who was taking medicine and regulating his breath, suddenly opened his eyes. His divine soul perception quickly spread out of the city, immediately spotting the two figures in the air outside the city, the leaders of the two demon forces.

His pupils constricted, noticing the treasures they held in their hands.

"Sacred Heart Heavenly Treasures!"

Li Muxiu's face changed drastically. He suddenly charged out of the corner tower, his aged body soaring into the air. He roared, "Stop!"

At this moment, Feng Lingxiao, holding the treasure, ignored him and used all his strength to activate the purple-black Xuan Yu Heavy Tower, smashing it down.

The Sacred Heart Essence of the tower unleashed its power, mobilizing the power of the ten thousand Xuan Heavy Waters contained within the treasure. A single drop of Xuan Heavy Water weighed ten thousand pounds. Now, ten thousand drops of Xuan Heavy Water were falling together, with the force of billions of pounds, concentrated into a single point. With just one strike, the magical formation of Qingzhou City was nearly breached.

If it were any other city, the formation would have been shattered instantly.

The magical formation of Qingzhou City was not comparable to the formations of Liangzhou's Heavenly Gate Pass or the border formations of other states. It was the state capital of the Li Family's stronghold, and its magical formation was among the top in Great Yu, second only to the Xuan Tian Emperor Formation in the Imperial City!

Like other state capitals of the Divine General's Mansions, it was built by the first Grand Heavenly Master of the Heavenly Observatory over three thousand years ago, during the founding of the empire. It was incredibly powerful, and even a full-fledged Pinnacle Realm cultivator couldn't destroy it with a full-force attack!

But now, under Feng Lingxiao and the Sacred Heart Treasure, the formation's power was rapidly diminishing.

Li Muxiu, filled with anger, launched an attack, but a figure suddenly rushed towards him, blocking his path.

A pale yellow sword light slashed down, nearly splitting the void in front of Li Muxiu. The power of a Dao Domain instantly condensed and enveloped his body.

Countless sword lights within the Dao Domain erupted in a burst of killing intent. A dragon's roar echoed, and the power of suppression fell upon Li Muxiu, causing his entire body to tremble. His flesh and strength were all forced to submit and shrink, constantly decaying.

Li Muxiu was shocked and enraged. He suddenly punched out, the ultimate meaning of the Half-Step Invincible Fist, granting him temporary invincibility. If it were just a simple Pinnacle Realm cultivator, he wouldn't be able to enter the ultimate meaning under the rules of this Dao Domain. But as he unleashed the ultimate meaning, his own Dao Domain also surged around him, enveloping him and resisting the erosion of Long Jueshen's Dao Domain.

The Half-Step Dao Domain was weaker than the Great Peace Dao Realm in terms of offense, because the speed at which it unfolded was too slow.

But for self-defense, as long as it enveloped the user, the speed at which the Dao Domain expanded wasn't much slower.

"Ten Extreme Sword Shadows!"

Long Jueshen also suddenly activated the power of the Ten Extreme Sword Treasure. The Sacred Heart Essence revealed its pressure, and ten extreme sword lights split from the short sword, each one whistling as it slashed towards Li Muxiu.

Li Muxiu's face changed drastically. A green ribbon suddenly appeared in his palm. The ribbon quickly transformed, seemingly imbued with life, wrapping around his fist.

Then, facing the extreme Dao sword lights slashing towards him, he punched out repeatedly.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The sword lights shattered. Li Muxiu stepped forward, his movements like those of a dragon or a tiger, but each step was small, his body as steady as a mountain.

His hand glowed green, and the Invincible Fist, carrying terrifying destructive power, actually pushed forward against Long Jueshen's Dao Domain, tearing through the sword lights as he charged towards Long Jueshen.

Long Jueshen's face changed slightly. This old dog actually had something hidden. That ribbon was also a Sacred Heart Treasure.

However, he wasn't too surprised. After all, the Divine General's Mansion had a legacy of thousands of years. It wouldn't make sense if they didn't have a few Sacred Heart Treasures.

His expression turned cold as he repeatedly used the pressure of his Dao Domain to suppress and kill. Countless dragon roars echoed in Li Muxiu's ears, causing his face to flush red. Although he appeared to be pushing forward, his blood was churning inside, forcefully suppressed.

At the same time, a loud bang came from nearby. Feng Lingxiao, holding the Xuan Yu Heavy Tower, smashed it down again. A dazzling purple-black light fell, like a mountain crashing down.

"Stop!"

"Block him!"

From within the city, figures flew towards them, led by Li Xiaoran.

The deafening sound had not only awakened the citizens of the entire city but also alerted those in the Divine General's Mansion. They all summoned their souls and flew out to observe the situation outside Qingzhou City. They saw Li Muxiu and Long Jueshen engaged in a fierce battle, and the Sacred Palace Master attacking the formation.

With a hum, a dazzling blade light, as bright as a galaxy, tore through the sky, slashing towards Feng Lingxiao.

Feng Lingxiao's eyes were cold. He simply sneered, his Dao Domain unfolding. Before the blade light reached him, it was burned and extinguished within the Dao Domain. He continued to hold the heavy tower, with the pressure of his Dao Domain, and smashed it heavily against the magical formation.

The formation trembled violently, the divine runes flashing incessantly, almost becoming afterimages.

This meant that the attack it was enduring was nearing the formation's limit.

Whoosh!

Another blue figure rushed out, silently slashing a sword light. The sword light pierced through the formation and landed on the heavy tower. Under the burning of the Dao Domain, the sword light didn't weaken at all. It shook the heavy tower, slowing its attack slightly.

Feng Lingxiao's face changed slightly. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the figures flying towards him. The one who had attacked was a woman.

This woman was Ji Qingqing. Although she was at the Pinnacle Realm, she practiced the Ji Family's techniques, slightly stronger than even the imperial family of Great Yu at the same realm.

When she was banished from the Ji Family, Ji Tianchao and the others, although angry at her choice, hated and even despised their niece. But under the plea of Qingqing's father, the Thirteenth Elder's soul, they secretly brought Qingqing many good things, including the Sacred Heart Heavenly Treasure weapon she now held, the Taiyuan Sword.

The Sacred Heart Essence contained within the sword's power of law allowed Ji Qingqing's attacks to be unaffected by other rules. It was an incredibly rare and powerful treasure that allowed her to injure a Great Peace Dao Realm cultivator with her Pinnacle Realm cultivation!

Of course, if they were to clash head-on in the open, a Great Peace Dao Realm cultivator would only need to seize an opportunity to get close and envelop her in their Dao Domain. Even this sword wouldn't be able to protect her, and she would be refined in an instant.

But now, with the formation protecting her, she could attack without restraint.

"Damn it!"

Feng Lingxiao's eyes were filled with anger. He once again used his energy to activate the Xuan Yu Heavy Tower and bombard the formation.

Ji Qingqing also attacked repeatedly. Her swordsmanship was exquisite and unparalleled. She continuously slashed at the heavy tower, reducing its power. But the Xuan Yu Heavy Tower's ten thousand Xuan Heavy Waters, condensed to their ultimate power, still caused the formation to rapidly consume its energy.

"Quickly, block him!"

Li Tiangang's body soared into the air, his hand tightly gripping an ancient bronze battle axe. It was a Sacred Heart Treasure of his ancestors. As he unleashed his full power, the axe light pierced through the formation and slashed towards him.

But the power of law emanating from the battle axe was different from the Taiyuan Sword. It couldn't ignore Feng Lingxiao's Dao Domain, and the axe light quickly dissipated.

Li Tiangang's face was grim. At the same time, he heard a desolate horn sound from outside the city, as if it had come from the distant ancient times. Following it, the walls of Qingzhou City began to tremble slightly.

The tremor was felt by all the citizens in the city. The ground beneath their feet shook slightly, as if a thousand horses were galloping.

And outside the city, the demons who had been besieging it, they were more than a thousand horses. They numbered in the millions, and they were all elite demons who had fought their way here.

Now, with the long horn sounding, they all charged forward in unison.

Li Tiangang's face changed. The demons had finally lost their patience and were ready to attack in one fell swoop.

"Quickly! Prepare for battle, the vanguard to the city walls!"

Seeing that he was useless against Feng Lingxiao, Li Tiangang didn't hesitate to stay there. He quickly rushed towards the city walls, sending a voice transmission to his generals, ordering them to form a counterattacking formation.

On the city walls, the soldiers who had been on standby, now with the demon horde approaching, had already launched countless talismans and rockets from the arrow towers and gun emplacements.

Millions of arrows rained down, a vast, dark cloud, falling into the demon horde.

But powerful figures surged out of the demon horde, revealing their enormous demon forms. They blocked some of the ranged attacks from the soldiers on the city walls, wielding divine weapons and bombarding the magical formation outside the city.

These were the demon kings and elders of the two forces. They all revealed themselves, a total of over a dozen.

Each demon king was at the Four Pillars Realm, and among them were several Pinnacle Realm demon kings. Their attacks were fierce, shaking the divine runes on the formation like fluttering butterflies.

Seeing this, Li Tiangang felt a chill run through his blood. Although he knew that the top combat power of both sides was vastly different, he hadn't expected it to be this much.

Seeing the magical formation swaying precariously, his eyes turned red. He gritted his teeth and roared, "Quickly, activate the formation's life wheel!!"

The magical formation of Qingzhou City was one of the ten greatest formations in the world, known as the Sun-Illuminating Life Wheel Formation.

This formation not only sealed the powerful souls of demon kings within the formation, making them fight for the formation, but more importantly, it could absorb the essence of the sun and moon to repair itself.

Furthermore, its life wheel power could temporarily absorb a portion of the lifespan of all living beings within the formation, transforming it into the formation's power.

This formation was no longer something that a simple Four Pillars Realm cultivator could easily destroy. It contained the essence of the Dao.

Following Li Tiangang's order, the formation reversed, and the life wheel power activated. Within countless buildings in the city, golden threads of lifespan seemed to float, flowing into the formation. This included Li Tiangang and the others, as well as all the soldiers in the city.

The people in the Divine General's Mansion were isolated by the mansion's own formation and were unaffected.

But deep within the Divine General's Mansion, in the ancestral temple that stood on the edge of the mountain, all the candles in front of the ancestral tablets suddenly flickered, almost extinguishing.

Li Qingzheng, sitting at the entrance of the ancestral temple, his hair white, his body aged, looked into the distance with worry.

Seeing the countless golden threads of lifespan rising from the city, his body trembled slightly, as if realizing something. He suddenly turned his head and looked at the solemn ancestral temple behind him.

He saw that golden divine light emerged from the previously silent ancestral tablets, floating out one after another, revealing the souls of the ancestors.

The ancestors of the Li Family, those who had not perished, all revealed their souls at this moment.

One after another, figures of extraordinary bearing, who had once been dazzling and brilliant, leaving their mark on the world, stood before their respective tablets.

"The life wheel has appeared. It seems Qingzhou City has reached its final hour."

"I never thought I would live to see the Life Wheel Formation activated."

"The Seventeenth Ancestor sacrificed his residual soul first to guide the bloodline. It seems like it wasn't long ago. It seems we have to build the final path back for these children."

"We stand before millions of people. We cannot allow them to stand before us. Everyone, it's time for us to act!"

"The Life Wheel Formation has been activated. What are we waiting for? Take my residual soul, kill!!"

One after another, the souls of the Li Family's ancestors charged out, leaving the solemn ancestral temple that had stood for thousands of years and received offerings of incense.

Li Qingzheng, standing at the entrance of the ancestral temple, watched his ancestors resolutely charge into battle, his tears flowing freely.

"You don't need to guard here anymore."

An ancestor passed by Li Qingzheng, saying calmly before soaring into the air and rushing towards the Divine General's Mansion.

"You've worked hard."

Other ancestors passing by also whispered a word to Li Qingzheng before leaving the ancestral temple and flying away.

Each passing ancestor's soul made Li Qingzheng's tears flow freely. The burden he had carried for decades was lifted at this moment, but he could no longer lift his head.

"Fifth Brother, don't cry. Are you willing to join hands with your brother again and fight one last battle?"

Li Xuan胤, the third brother of the Li Family, his residual soul flew in front of Li Qingzheng, his eyes gentle.

He was in the form of a young man, one old and one young, but he was the older one.

Li Qingzheng looked up at his third brother, who had died in his youth and still looked like a spirited young man. Countless memories flooded his mind. He suppressed his grief, wiped away the tears from the corner of his eyes, and revealed a relieved smile:

"This time, I can accompany you!"

Li Xuan胤 smiled slightly, then his residual soul suddenly burst into golden light, like a feathered garment, enveloping Li Qingzheng.

"Brothers united!"

"Their sharpness can cut through gold!"

Li Qingzheng's bones creaked. His aged body, which had been sitting in the ancestral temple for decades, straightened its spine at this moment. His hair still flowed white, but his eyes seemed to regain the youthful vigor of his younger days, the time when he had earned a formidable reputation on the border.

"Let's go!"

He took a step forward, charging out of the ancestral temple, transforming into a golden streak of light, rushing towards the battlefield.

The other ancestor souls who had stepped out of the ancestral temple bid farewell to the first Li Family ancestor whose golden body was revealed in the center. Then, they flew out of the ancestral temple one by one, rushing towards various parts of the Divine General's Mansion.

Li Tianyuan sat on the golden body, his eyes devoid of obvious sadness but revealing an extreme sense of desolation, the sorrow of having witnessed countless bloodlines perish and countless soldiers die.

He was waiting, waiting for those Li Family bloodlines to return, to be forged with bloodline, to wear his residual soul as a garment, and fight once more for these descendants of thousands of years!

The other ancestor souls rushed towards the various Li Family bloodlines within the Divine General's Mansion.

Golden lights streaked across the sky. Everyone in the various courtyards of the Divine General's Mansion looked up, stunned.

They had seen portraits of their ancestors when they worshipped them, and now they recognized them all. These were the residual souls of the Li Family's ancestors.

"Our ancestors..."

In various courtyards, He Jianlan, Gao Qingqing, and others looked up at the ancestor souls flying out of the ancestral temple, all stunned.

But then, a wave of immense sorrow washed over them.

"Child, are you willing to wear my soul garment, inherit my Dao will, and exterminate those demons?"

A spirited female general's soul descended in front of He Jianlan. The heroic spirit between her brows was proud, but her eyes were gentle as she looked at He Jianlan.

He Jianlan was stunned. She quickly bowed, but a wisp of the soul's power held her up.

"Ancestor, I don't have the Li Family's bloodline..."

He Jianlan recognized her. This was the 32nd generation ancestor, a female general who had once dominated the battlefield, earning a formidable reputation over two thousand years ago.

"It doesn't matter."

The female general smiled, "Those who enter my Li Family are members of the Li Family."

Hearing this, He Jianlan's eyes welled up. She nodded vigorously.

The female general's figure flickered, her entire body seeming to burn with flames, transforming into golden light, enveloping He Jianlan, forming a golden battle skirt.

Her residual soul's power and Dao intent merged with He Jianlan's soul, causing He Jianlan, who was initially at the early stage of the Three Immortal Foundations Realm, to suddenly burst forth with the power of the Dao Heart Realm.

The same thing happened in other courtyards.

In the Feihua Courtyard, Wang Xiangru looked at the elderly residual soul who had invited her, her eyes changing, her face turning pale. She said,

"I, I..."

She took a step back.

The elderly residual soul paused and looked at her deeply. Then, without saying anything, he suddenly soared into the air and flew away.

As they passed by the Shuihua Courtyard, many ancestor souls saw that there was a prohibition outside the courtyard. It seemed to be where those who had committed crimes were imprisoned, so they simply passed by.

In the Linglong Courtyard, two golden souls flew in and landed in the courtyard.

"Child, are you willing to go with me to the battlefield and slay demons?"

A young man looked at Li Yuanzhao. Although he was in the form of a young man, his voice was very old.

Li Yuanzhao was stunned. He said timidly, "I, can I do it?"

"Are you willing?"

"Of course, I'm willing!"

"Then that's fine."

The young man smiled slightly, then transformed into golden light, enveloping Li Yuanzhao.

A violent aura surged. Li Yuanzhao, who was only at the Divine Wandering Realm, suddenly burst forth with the power of the Three Immortal Foundations Realm.

"Just give me your body." The young man said softly, "You might die. Are you afraid?"

Li Yuanzhao's face changed. He suddenly thought of the young man who had always walked ahead of him in his childhood. His eyes suddenly flashed with determination, "I'm not afraid!"

"Good!"

The young man's carefree laughter echoed, and then he soared into the air, charging towards the battlefield.

"Yuanzhao..."

Xiao Yujing stared blankly, tears streaming down her face. She still had many things on her mind. She hadn't truly invested much emotion in Li Yuanzhao before, but now, with the Li Family about to be destroyed, at this moment of life and death, seeing Li Yuanzhao's resolute figure rushing to his death, she felt a pang of heartache she didn't believe she could feel.

"Madam, are you willing to go to war with me?" The elderly man beside her smiled and invited her.

Xiao Yujing glanced at him, took a deep breath, and said, "Marrying into the Li Family was a mistake."

The elderly man was slightly stunned.

"But I don't regret it." Xiao Yujing said through gritted teeth.

Her husband had died in battle shortly after their wedding, leaving her with a certain resentment towards the Li Family that she couldn't explain. But now, she seemed to understand a little of her husband's feelings when he went to war that time.

The elderly man looked at her, then said softly, "The Li Family protects the border and is respected by the people, but it has been hard on you women who married into the Li Family. The Li Family owes you."

He bowed slightly, as if paying her respects.

Seeing the Li Family ancestor's actions, Xiao Yujing was stunned.

The resentment she had harbored for years was suddenly struck by lightning. Her tears suddenly welled up, and she couldn't help but sob.

Besides the Li Family ancestor souls who went to find people in various courtyards, there were also some ancestor souls who were more aggressive. Some rushed out of the Divine General's Mansion directly towards the Li Family members on the battlefield, while others stood in the air above the Divine General's Mansion, shouting loudly:

"Is there anyone among the Li Family's bloodline who is willing to fight to the death with me?!"

"Me!"

"Me!!"

From various courtyards, figures rushed out, including strong members of the Li Family's collateral branches.

Then, these figures, cloaked in the residual souls of their ancestors, flew towards the battlefield like meteors, supporting the approaching demon horde.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 262: Second Master!! (Bonus Chapter 4)

The Sun-Illuminating Life Wheel Formation, absorbing the life force of the entire city, erupted once more with brilliant divine light, and the rapidly swirling inscriptions became steady and orderly.

But with Feng Lingxiao's attacks, and the Demon Kings leaping from the demon tide, launching their attacks together, the formation shook repeatedly. Each time it endured an attack, it consumed a vast amount of life force.

This was the lifespan of the entire city's populace. Once the formation absorbed a certain amount, it would no longer absorb life force, and then the formation would reach its limit.

Li Tiangang abruptly turned his head and looked towards the General's Mansion. He recognized the golden meteor-like figures rushing towards him at a glance. They were the Li family's ancestors, going to war once more.

Tears welled up in his eyes, and his heart was filled with shame.

"Child, let me assist you."

A kind voice echoed, and an ancestral remnant soul flew towards Li Tiangang.

Li Tiangang looked at him, remembering that he was the 21st generation ancestor, a powerful warrior who had once slain demons on the border and perished alongside six Demon Kings in a distant era.

"Your descendant is unworthy. Please, ancestor, protect me!"

Li Tiangang said, suppressing his grief.

The kind old man smiled slightly, his figure flickering, transforming into golden flames that enveloped Li Tiangang.

Powerful energy surged into his body. The ancient bronze blade in Li Tiangang's hand erupted with dazzling divine flames. He suppressed his grief and anger, becoming decisive and ruthless. He sent a message to his wife, Ji Qingqing, instructing her to restrain Feng Lingxiao.

Ji Qingqing's Taixuan Sword, a Saintly Treasure, could counter Dao Domains. Only she and Li Muxiu could fight against a Dao Domain here.

"Fourth Uncle, let's go deal with the other Demon Kings!"

Li Tiangang said to Li Xiaoran.

Li Xiaoran glanced at him, his gaze falling on the ancestral soul garment on Li Tiangang's body. For a moment, his eyes flashed with the image of the young man in the River of Death, clad in the remnant soul of ancestor Li Tianyuan, fighting valiantly amidst a sea of blood.

His heart ached, and his fingers clenched into fists. He didn't respond to Li Tiangang but turned and charged directly towards the other Demon Kings.

Shortly after Li Xiaoran flew out, an ancestor arrived to join him, merging with him. Li Xiaoran's aura instantly surged, but he was already in the Absolute Skill Realm, so the ancestor could only provide a limited boost. It was equivalent to his soul activating the Unfading Realm.

"Die, all of you!!"

Li Xiaoran roared, not wasting the ancestor's soul energy. His eyes were bloodshot, and he roared as he charged into the battlefield, breaking out of the formation.

The Demon Kings of the Dragon Gate and the Saint Palace, seeing Li Xiaoran, were filled with a mixture of old and new hatred. For thousands of years, the General's Mansion had guarded the four corners of the world, and their conflicts with the demons had long been deeply rooted, their hatred and entanglements endless.

Boom!!

A deafening roar of battle erupted. Li Xiaoran unleashed a flurry of attacks, his blade flashing, forcing four or five Demon Kings to retreat. He then unleashed a reverse-hand strike, a supreme skill called the "Unfettered Heaven Blade," cleaving a Dao Heart Realm Demon King in two!

The Demon King's soul escaped, screaming in terror, but Li Xiaoran's second strike, a strike that tore through the void, caught up to it and killed it instantly.

In the blink of an eye, a Demon King had fallen.

The other Demon Kings were both shocked and enraged. This Li family's Unfettered Blade Saint was too brutal. An Absolute Skill Realm cultivator, he was no less formidable than their Grand Elder.

"You continue attacking the formation. I'll handle this!"

A figure emerged from the Saint Palace, radiating emerald green light, revealing a massive peacock's true form. It suddenly spread its tail feathers, covering the sky like a curtain, reaching a height of over a hundred feet, unleashing strange soul attacks that made Li Xiaoran's consciousness suddenly become sluggish.

"Wake up!"

The ancestral spirit that had merged with him roared angrily.

Li Xiaoran abruptly woke up. His thoughts were only confused for a moment before he saw a sharp peacock feather shooting towards him, imbued with purple lightning, its power astonishing.

He quickly swung his blade to cleave it apart, then roared and unleashed a series of supreme skills, dazzling streaks of blade light appearing in the blink of an eye, slashing at the peacock Demon King.

Space was sliced apart, the Unfettered Blade was unavoidable, transcending the Dao's guidance, each strike finding its mark!

Bang! Bang!

The peacock Demon King's tail feathers were instantly severed, and its chest was repeatedly torn open by two strikes, feathers exploding, revealing deep wounds.

It spat out blood, its body retreating in defeat, its eyes filled with disbelief.

"Die!!"

Li Xiaoran roared in anger, unleashing his strongest supreme skills one after another, fueled by the ancestor's soul energy.

Each strike landed, his entire body surging with power. The peacock Demon King was terrified. This Unfettered Blade Saint, empowered by an ancestor's soul, was simply brutal, unstoppable.

The other Demon Kings dared not engage. After all, Li Xiaoran was in the Absolute Skill Realm, his blade techniques were unpredictable, and they couldn't withstand him.

At this moment, Li Xiaoran was displaying his extraordinary power, forcing back numerous Demon Kings with his single-handed might.

The peacock Demon King hastily spat out a green ring, which spun rapidly, blocking all of Li Xiaoran's blade light. The light on the ring dimmed considerably. It was a top-tier divine weapon, but it was now somewhat damaged.

The Demon Kings were both shocked and enraged. They hadn't expected this old Li family fellow to be so strong. Aside from Li Muxiu, Li Xiaoran was also not to be underestimated.

Bang!

In the air, the Xuanwu Heavy Tower was still shaking the formation.

Although Ji Qingqing was attacking with all her might, Feng Lingxiao, using the Saintly Heart Treasure, directly suppressed her attacks. Though some of the power was dissipated, the force was still formidable.

Each impact caused the inscriptions on the formation to twitch rapidly. The previously steady and orderly inscriptions were gradually speeding up. Clearly, the life force absorbed earlier was being consumed rapidly.

A figure rushed towards them, Li Qingzheng. He saw Feng Lingxiao continuously attacking the formation, his eyes filled with rage. He roared and charged into battle.

"Get lost!"

Feng Lingxiao's face turned cold. He had also seen Li Xiaoran defeat numerous Demon Kings outside the battlefield, and he was both angry and anxious.

Once he broke the formation, those people would be suppressed by his Dao Domain. But this formation was like a turtle shell, extremely difficult to break.

Even with the destructive power of the Saintly Heart Treasure, he hadn't been able to destroy it for a while. It was clear that the state capital where the General's Mansion was located was truly impregnable.

Li Qingzheng's attack entered the Dao Domain and was quickly dissipated, achieving nothing. He was both anxious and angry, realizing that he was useless here, except for worrying.

He glanced at another battlefield outside the formation, where a fierce battle was taking place. His second brother, Li Muxiu, was fighting against the Dragon-Slaying God. From a distance, it seemed that his second brother was at a disadvantage.

But that was also a Dao Domain battle, and he couldn't intervene.

However, the battlefield where Li Xiaoran was fighting was the front line of the demon tide.

"Go, leave this girl to hold him back. Let's go kill all those Demon Kings!"

Li Xuanyin said quickly.

Li Qingzheng didn't hesitate. He took a step forward and quickly chased after Li Tiangang, joining him in breaking out of the city's formation.

"Die!!"

Li Qingzheng roared. He was also in the Absolute Skill Realm, though his supreme skills weren't as powerful and terrifying as Li Muxiu's, he wasn't someone ordinary Demon Kings could match.

He caught up to Li Xiaoran, and the three brothers, joined by Li Xuanyin on his body, fought side by side once again after many years!

"Kill all these Demon Kings first!"

Li Xiaoran roared, swinging his blade continuously, unleashing the Unfettered Heaven Blade. His strikes never missed. Every time he unleashed a supreme skill, a dazzling streak of blade light tore through the void, severely injuring a Demon King!

Three strikes in a row, and a Demon King fell.

Li Qingzheng also charged into the demon tide, wreaking havoc. The two brothers pushed back, forcefully stopping the surging demon tide, like reefs against a raging current, tearing a bloody gap in the demon tide.

The Demon Kings of both factions were terrified and could only retreat. Many of them, though Demon Kings, were not in the Absolute Skill Realm. There were only two, and they were no match for Li Xiaoran and Li Qingzheng.

Moreover, with their ancestors' souls fueling them, the two brothers had boundless strength, continuously unleashing their strongest supreme skills, seemingly inexhaustible.

Feng Lingxiao, seeing this scene, was so angry he wanted to curse. He quickly withdrew from the formation and charged towards Li Xiaoran and Li Qingzheng.

He stopped breaking the formation, giving it time to recover. Ji Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief, but she knew her duty. She immediately chased after him, following wherever he went.

"Be careful, he's coming!"

Li Qingzheng noticed Feng Lingxiao rushing towards them and hurriedly called out.

Li Xiaoran's eyes narrowed, and he quickly said, "Retreat!"

They quickly flickered, continuously exchanging positions in the air, teleporting back to the front of the formation.

When Feng Lingxiao's attack arrived, all three of them had already returned to the formation.

"You break the formation, and we'll kill all your demon subordinates!"

From within the formation, Li Xiaoran stared intently at him, his eyes filled with a surging killing intent.

They had switched to attacking the Demon Kings earlier to draw Feng Lingxiao's attention, and now they had achieved their goal. In this short period, they had killed four Demon Kings, a significant gain.

"You're all going to die!!"

Feng Lingxiao gritted his teeth in anger. His handsome face contorted, "Once I break the formation, I will make the Li family bleed rivers!"

"Then come and try. The Li family fears no death!"

Li Qingzheng's eyes were cold. The bloodthirsty killing intent he had suppressed for years was now unleashed.

"All of you, break the formation with me!"

Feng Lingxiao didn't bother with words anymore. He commanded the surrounding Demon Kings to break the formation with him. With his Dao Domain protecting them, Li Xiaoran and the others couldn't hurt them anymore.

Li Xiaoran and the others' faces turned grim. They knew this wasn't a solution. They were useless here, so they could only shift their focus again, breaking out of another part of the formation and charging into the demon tide.

If the Demon Kings were protected, they would simply eliminate the demon tide, which would be faster.

Ji Qingqing rushed over and swung the Taixuan Sword, dissipating the attacks of the Xuanwu Heavy Tower.

Feng Lingxiao saw Li Xiaoran and the others charging into the demon tide, slaughtering them like wolves among sheep. He was furious, but he couldn't manage those demons anymore. If the formation wasn't broken, the longer they waited, the more casualties there would be.

"Li family! Li family!!"

Feng Lingxiao was furious. He roared, unleashing his true power and continuously smashing the formation.

But on the other side, the demon tide was unleashing a bloody storm. Li Xiaoran, Li Tiangang, and the others charged into it, causing massive casualties with every casual attack.

Without the protection of the Demon Kings, these demons were helpless against Four Pillars Realm cultivators. They were slaughtered like wheat before a scythe.

Meanwhile, in the Huai River secret passage to the east, Li family members who were closer to Qingzhou arrived first.

Among them were strong individuals, such as Li Qingling and Li Xueyun, who had already married out. They had helped in Liangzhou earlier, and now, they were not far away when the ancestral blood summoning called. They rushed over.

Both were in the Three Immortality Realm. After they arrived, they were quickly met by soldiers who had been sent to receive them. They quickly used their soul awareness to sense the situation in Qingzhou City and were horrified. Although it seemed stable for now, once the formation broke, they would quickly be in a desperate situation.

Without hesitation, they charged out. With their ancestors empowering them, their strength surged. They also broke out of another part of the formation and charged into the demon tide.

For a time, except for the battlefield where Feng Lingxiao and the Dragon-Slaying God were fighting, the demon tide battlefield outside the city was being rapidly slaughtered. The demons were wailing and screaming everywhere, and the Li family was gaining the upper hand.

Within the city, countless citizens looked out of their windows, seeing the Li family figures flying through the air. Some of the older citizens, seeing the golden remnant souls, widened their eyes in disbelief and excitement, tears streaming down their faces.

They recognized those as the Li family ancestors who had long since passed away. Now, they had emerged from the ancestral temple to fight for Qingzhou City!

Boom! Boom!

The Xuanwu Heavy Tower in Feng Lingxiao's hand was constantly thundering, but its soul was flickering, stubbornly holding on.

On the other side, the demon tide was on the verge of collapsing under the onslaught of Li Xiaoran and the others. They had to do something.

Amidst this stalemate, where one side was breaking the formation and the other was slaughtering, on a distant mountain behind the demon tide, two figures stood, resembling abysses.

They didn't release any aura. The breeze that blew towards them seemed to stop at this point, becoming still and thick like stagnant water.

"What a bunch of useless fools. They have a treasure and still can't break through. No wonder the Dayu Divine Kingdom treats them like dogs."

At this moment, one of the figures was the beautiful woman who had been condensed from black energy. Her eyes were cold, and the purple veins on her face extended and twisted like vines.

"It should be said that the Li family's foundation is truly deep. This Sun-Illuminating Life Wheel Formation, I don't know whether to call it ingenious or vicious. It can actually convert the lifespan of all living beings within the formation into power. It's truly terrifying."

The other figure was a young man in black robes, his face cold, his eyes crimson, but not bloodthirsty or cruel, just a world-weary indifference.

"A thousand years ago, the Immortal Gate opened, and the most outstanding prodigies of these General's Mansions went to the Saint Realm. I didn't expect there to be such strong remnants. In these short thousand years, many talented individuals have been born. No wonder they are the race that produces the most Saints. Their potential is truly terrifying."

The beautiful woman's eyes were sharp, and her voice held a hint of envy.

"They've left all these remnant souls behind to guard this kingdom for that hundred-meridian prodigy. It's a pity. If we could have waited a few more decades, attacking this General's Mansion wouldn't have been so difficult. But that damned prodigy appeared in Liangzhou. The Liangzhou War exposed our intentions, and we had to act sooner."

The young man in black robes shook his head. Only they knew that the prodigy in Liangzhou had not only quelled the demon chaos in Liangzhou but had also disrupted their plans of a hundred years. Many things had to be done sooner than expected.

This meant they would have to pay a higher price.

"The Li family has sent out all their heroic spirits. They're even using the blood summoning. They're going all out. It's possible they've noticed us. Forget it, let's give them a little push. We've been delaying for too long. The Ancient Demon Palace can't hold out much longer. There are too many reinforcements coming to the Li family. This thousand-year-old family has too many connections!" The young man in black robes said.

The beautiful woman frowned, looking at Feng Lingxiao, who was still using brute force to break the formation. A hint of disdain flashed in her eyes. She raised her finger, and one of the purple veins on her face contracted, quickly extending down her arm to her fingertip.

Then, it transformed into a beam of intense purple light.

"What a bunch of useless fools."

As she spoke, the beam of intense purple light on her fingertip suddenly shot out, breaking through the air at a speed that transcended space. It arrived in an instant, silently traversing the battlefield, and struck the formation of Qingzhou City.

Bang!

At the exact moment the purple light struck, Feng Lingxiao was also swinging the Xuanwu Heavy Tower, smashing it hard against the formation.

Ji Qingqing hurriedly swung her sword, its light cleaving through the Saintly Heart Treasure, dissipating much of its radiance. But a violent tremor still echoed.

However, this sound was different. Amidst the rumbling tremor, the rapidly vibrating inscriptions suddenly trembled, then, like disoriented insects, they spun chaotically. Soon, the inscriptions stopped, and the brilliant formation slowly cracked open.

Ji Qingqing's pupils constricted, looking at the scene in shock.

Feng Lingxiao was also stunned, somewhat bewildered. He hadn't expected this strike to actually break the formation.

But he had faintly sensed an extremely cold aura. His heart tightened, and he instinctively turned his consciousness to the battlefield behind him, but he saw nothing.

He didn't have time to think. He quickly seized the opportunity and activated the Xuanwu Heavy Tower again, smashing it down.

Bang!!

The formation that had enveloped Qingzhou City suddenly shattered, completely torn apart at this moment!

The sudden breaking of the formation caused Li Xiaoran, Li Tiangang, and the others, who were fighting in the demon tide, to freeze, staring blankly at the formation as its divine light faded.

"It's broken!!"

The Demon Kings surrounding Feng Lingxiao erupted in joyous cheers. The turtle shell had finally been broken!

"Kill!"

Some Demon Kings quickly charged out, waving a scorching wave of heat that swept through the city, instantly incinerating half a street.

The joy in Feng Lingxiao's eyes instantly turned into a raging killing intent. He fixed his gaze on Ji Qingqing, who had been constantly hindering his efforts to break the formation:

"You, die!!"

His Dao Domain swept out, and at the same time, the Saintly Heart Treasure he had used to break the formation, carrying the force of millions of tons, pressed down on Ji Qingqing.

Ji Qingqing's face drained of all color. A figure rushed towards her, roaring, "Run!!"

Li Tiangang, at this moment of life or death, charged in front of her, pushing her away. Then, he turned and faced the surging power of the Dao Domain.

With a bang, his body was engulfed in the Dao Domain, enduring countless flames.

At this moment of life or death, he unleashed his power of defying fate.

The flames that had just begun to burn his body suddenly weakened. Feng Lingxiao coughed up a mouthful of blood. The internal injuries he had been suppressing had suddenly flared up, and he couldn't hold them back.

His handsome face turned as white as paper. He had continuously swung and activated the Xuanwu Heavy Tower, and though the treasure was powerful, the toll on the wielder was also great. He had overexerted himself.

By the time he quickly swallowed a divine medicine to suppress his injuries, Li Tiangang had already escaped from the Dao Domain and was rushing towards the General's Mansion with Ji Qingqing.

"Damn it!"

Feng Lingxiao's face was ugly. He didn't know whether his injury had flared up because of his continuous exertion or because of the unpredictable power of defying fate.

Once one unleashed the power of defying fate, unpredictable "accidents" would occur, saving them.

But these accidents seemed to be in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, like pre-planted seeds, merely triggered by the power of defying fate, not the kind of overwhelming power one could directly feel.

This was why the Heavenly Dao was so difficult to comprehend.

Feng Lingxiao dared not chase after Li Tiangang. The other man was currently enveloped in the power of defying fate, and he was afraid that if he continued to pursue him, it would cause other accidents. Even though he was now in the Great Peace Dao Realm, he couldn't sever the power of defying fate. He could only watch helplessly as the other man escaped.

But fortunately, the opportunity to defy fate only came once. He could kill him later. Unless the other man fled Qingzhou City directly.

"I let you have your fun killing earlier. Now, it's my turn!!"

Feng Lingxiao turned his head and looked at Li Xiaoran and Li Qingzheng. They had been killing Demon Kings and slaughtering countless demons, making his blood boil with rage.

Li Xiaoran's face changed, and Li Qingzheng's face also turned ugly. They couldn't understand why the formation had suddenly shattered. It had seemed like it could hold out for a while longer.

"Die!"

Feng Lingxiao instantly chased after them, intent on killing them.

"Run!"

Li Xiaoran shouted, not intending to face him head-on. Facing a Great Peace Dao Realm cultivator wielding a Saintly Heart Treasure head-on was no different from suicide.

They could only run!

Running was a way to restrain him, to buy time.

The two brothers were highly synchronized. Without any communication, they quickly dispersed, fleeing in opposite directions, east and west.

Meanwhile, within the city, as the formation shattered, a massive demon tide surged in, clashing with the soldiers on the city walls.

The Demon Kings charged into the city, attacking in various directions.

He Jianlan, Gao Qingqing, Li Xuanli, and the others, all clad in the remnant souls of their ancestors, fought against the demon tide.

They could barely fight against the Demon Kings, but they were not in the Four Pillars Realm. Though they could temporarily unleash immense power with the aid of their ancestors, they were still inferior to true Four Pillars Realm Demon Kings.

Bang!

Li Xuanli was chased by a Fate Realm Demon King, who slapped him away, smashing him into a building. The force of the impact destroyed the building and shook the surrounding area, directly killing the residents hiding inside.

Li Xuanli spat out blood, his face flushed. He roared, unleashing the Unfading Realm, fighting as one with the ancestral remnant soul. He managed to engage the Demon King, but he was steadily losing ground.

In various parts of the city, fire and battle erupted in an instant.

"The demons, they've entered the city…"

"The city has fallen!!"

Those citizens hiding in their homes, seeing the giant figures of Demon Kings fighting in the air above the city, felt the fear they had forgotten during their thousand years of peace creeping back onto their faces.

Inside the city, the Li family army clashed with the demon tide, fighting chaotically. Without the formation to block them, the demon tide was simply too numerous. Many demons directly took advantage of the chaos, climbing over the army and entering the city, destroying and slaughtering everywhere.

Li Wushuang, Li Yuanzhao, and the others, seeing this, quickly separated and charged towards the demons wreaking havoc in the city.

But as the battle continued, more and more demons entered the city, and the army's defenses were torn apart by the Demon Kings. Although the Yuan Battalion soldiers were elite, they couldn't withstand the Demon Kings leading the charge.

On the peak of the Tan Palace Academy, Song Yufeng watched the falling city, his expression filled with sorrow. Behind him were the numerous Tan Palace Academy masters and disciples, including his own granddaughter. The sadness in his eyes had subsided, replaced by a resolute gaze.

"The Tan Palace teaches martial arts, but it also teaches people!"

Song Yufeng turned his head and looked at the numerous Tan Palace masters and disciples behind him, including his own granddaughter. The sadness in his eyes had subsided, replaced by a resolute gaze.

"The demons are attacking the city, and the people are suffering. My Tan Palace disciples, are you willing to fight for the people before you?!"

"Fight!!"

"Fight!!!"

The disciples roared in unison.

Song Yufeng's eyes softened with satisfaction. He nodded, then said solemnly, "Then follow me, and we will slay the demons!"

As he spoke, he took a step forward, his hands behind his back, and charged towards the bustling human world.

The numerous Tan Palace masters followed him, flying through the air. The disciples, some flying, some rushing down the mountain.

Among them were many Outer Courtyard disciples with the Strength Realm cultivation. Some were cowardly and hid, but most were fearless, rushing into the flames below.

In a blue pool on the mountaintop, the water suddenly surged, creating a thousand waves. A sapphire-blue water kirin leaped out, carrying the icy water, charging towards the mountainside.

In front of the General's Mansion, Li Tiangang, carrying Ji Qingqing, escaped to this spot. They turned their heads and saw that the demons who had been outside the city were now swarming over the city walls, fighting with the soldiers.

Many of the demons, taking advantage of the chaos, had charged into the city, destroying everything in their path.

The entire city of Qingzhou, which had prospered for a thousand years, was now engulfed in flames, feeling like it was about to fall.

Li Tiangang's eyes glazed over for a moment. He had never imagined that Qingzhou City, which he had known since childhood, where he had seen only prosperity and splendor, would be engulfed in flames, with demons swarming the skies, and citizens fleeing through the streets.

Who could… save them all?

He was stunned, and his wife's voice reached his ears, "Tiangang, go take charge of the situation. I'll go kill demons!"

Ji Qingqing finished speaking to Li Tiangang, gave him a look, and then, wielding the Taixuan Sword, charged towards the Demon Kings in the city.

Li Tiangang also snapped out of his daze. He quickly regained his composure and rushed into the General's Mansion. He needed to gather the Li family members who had come from the Huai River secret passage, to rebuild their ancestors' bodies and fight to the death.

At this final moment, as the Li family's True Dragon, he had to protect everything, even if it meant dying!

As Li Tiangang entered the General's Mansion, on the city walls, Feng Lingxiao was quickly chasing after Li Qingzheng, the distance between them closing rapidly.

"Stop!"

Li Xiaoran shouted in anger and frustration. Feng Lingxiao had noticed that his blade techniques were integrated into his movements. Instead of chasing after him, he chased after Li Qingzheng.

And his fifth brother's movements were slightly slower.

Whoosh!

He suddenly swung his blade, and the blade light arrived in an instant. But it landed within Feng Lingxiao's Dao Domain. Before it could fly a hundred meters, it was incinerated.

"Fifth Brother, run!!"

Li Xiaoran could only shout anxiously.

Li Qingzheng saw Feng Lingxiao closing in on him, his face turning ugly. But soon, his eyes became calm. He didn't flee into the city but instead charged towards the demon tide.

He knew that at this speed, even if he ran into the city, he would die. There was no escape. Rather than that, he would kill as many demons as he could before he died.

"Third Brother, it seems we're going to end together."

Li Qingzheng said.

Li Xuanyin, who was attached to him, was now burning weakly, but he smiled and sighed, "Yes. It's a pity that we couldn't kill two more Demon Kings in the end. We can only kill these small fry."

"We'll kill them next time, if there's a next time."

Li Qingzheng said, then charged into the demon tide, plowing a massive bloody furrow.

Feng Lingxiao quickly caught up to him, raising the Xuanwu Heavy Tower and smashing it down, intending to kill him instantly, body and soul!

But at that moment, a terrifying fist force roared down, shaking the Xuanwu Heavy Tower slightly, causing it to deviate from its attack.

Li Muxiu, covered in blood, arrived at this point. His robes were torn to shreds, the muscles in his arms seemed to be torn, and blood was constantly seeping out. The Saintly Heart Treasure ribbon in his hand was also stained red.

"Second Brother!"

Li Qingzheng, who had been prepared to accept death, was startled when he saw Li Muxiu rushing towards him.

"Go quickly, join Fourth Brother and help the ancestors rebuild their bodies!"

Li Muxiu coughed up a mouthful of blood and quickly transmitted a message, "I'll hold them off!"

His face was flushed, and the blood surging within him couldn't be contained, appearing on his face. He had heard Li Xiaoran's call earlier and had noticed Li Qingzheng's situation. He had rushed over despite his injuries.

Li Qingzheng looked at Li Muxiu, covered in blood. He felt as if his own heart was about to burst with pain. His eyes were red, but he didn't say anything more. He gritted his teeth and charged into the city.

"Second Brother…"

Li Xuanyin looked at Li Muxiu's back, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. It was impossible for a Half-Step Dao Realm cultivator to hold off two Great Peace Dao Realm cultivators!

"Don't even think about it!"

Feng Lingxiao was furious. He immediately unleashed his Dao Domain, intending to envelop Li Qingzheng.

But at that moment, Li Muxiu's Dao Domain also suddenly expanded, crashing into his, blocking it for Li Qingzheng.

"Dragon-Slaying God, what are you doing!!"

Feng Lingxiao couldn't help but roar.

The Dragon-Slaying God caught up to them, his face also extremely ugly. Faced with Feng Lingxiao's roar, he could only vent his anger on Li Muxiu. As a Dao Realm cultivator, he had not only failed to kill Li Muxiu, but he had also allowed him to escape. It was simply disgraceful!

Boom!

The Dragon-Slaying God swung the Ten Extreme Sword, and the countless Extreme Dao sword shadows that had split from it condensed one after another, ten swords merging into one, forming a single, strongest blade light that slashed towards Li Muxiu.

Li Muxiu had already experienced this attack earlier. He roared and swung his fist again.

The Half-Step Invincible Fist, combined with his Dao Domain, instantly seemed to enter a state of temporary invincibility, suppressing the strongest Extreme Dao Sword.

However, after suppressing the sword, as the invincible force dissipated, the backlash caused his face to flush even more, his eyeballs bloodshot and red.

"Kill him!"

Feng Lingxiao also saw that Li Muxiu was at the end of his rope. He attacked furiously.

In an instant, the two of them joined forces and fought against Li Muxiu.

Earlier, when they had first attacked the city, they had fought two against one, and Li Muxiu had managed to hold them off with the help of the formation. Now, each of them wielded a Saintly Heart Treasure, increasing their destructive power. And without the formation to give Li Muxiu a chance to breathe, they could defeat him in one fell swoop!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Their continuous attacks shattered the thunderous divine light and霞光 in the sky. The roaring fist force shook everyone in the city, drawing their attention to this battlefield.

Looking at the old figure, a Half-Step Dao Realm cultivator holding off two Great Peace Dao Realm cultivators, everyone in the Li family felt a pang of sadness.

They could only watch from afar, unable to intervene. Their attacks dissipated like dust within the Dao Domain, causing no harm.

Pfft, Li Muxiu coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining his tattered robes. The blood in his body was surging uncontrollably, seeping out from his mouth, nose, and ears.

He had been fighting with all his might, and his Unfading Realm had long since been exhausted. His already weakened body was being held together by his will, and he had been fighting until now by shattering his major meridians.

The blood seeping from his eye sockets stained his vision, and the world before him seemed to be a sea of red.

Li Muxiu was about to raise his hand to wipe it away when, suddenly, a sharp Dao Domain tore through, lacking the invincible force of the Extreme Righteousness. Under the friction of the two Dao Domains, his Dao Domain became thin, and the Dragon-Slaying God's Dao Domain suddenly attacked.

With a crack, Li Muxiu's arm was suddenly torn off, along with his bloodstained sleeve.

The fist on his severed arm was still holding the Saintly Heart Treasure. The Dragon-Slaying God took it, feeling the Saintly Heart Essence resisting within it. He immediately sealed it and threw it into his celestial space.

Then, his eyes gleamed with a predatory hunger as he stared at Li Muxiu:

"Now you only have one fist left, old dog. Your time has come!"

Li Muxiu stood up, his body swaying, but the blood from his severed arm had stopped.

However, it had only stopped bleeding, not regenerated.

He didn't have enough power to regenerate his arm.

"One fist is enough. If I reach the Dao Realm, one punch will be enough to kill you!"

Li Muxiu shook his head slightly, wiping away the blood from his eye sockets. His face was covered in blood, his appearance desolate. His arm was severed, but his old body still stood in the air.

"To be able to achieve this at the Half-Step Dao Realm, you truly deserve a glorious death. But we won't let you die gloriously. I will crush you into pieces, slowly and painfully, in front of your Li family members!"

Feng Lingxiao's eyes were icy. As he spoke, he suddenly attacked, smashing the Xuanwu Heavy Tower down hard.

Li Muxiu abruptly turned, his foot stepping out half a step. His remaining fist clenched, and he punched out hard.

Bang!

His Dao Domain seemed to instantly become invincible. Without a Saintly Heart Treasure as a weapon, just a mortal fist of flesh and blood, he struck the Xuanwu Heavy Tower.

The terrifying impact force reverberated, and Li Muxiu's body slid backward rapidly, but he didn't fall. He simply coughed up another mouthful of blood.

But at that moment, an extremely sharp sword force suddenly arrived, instantly cutting into the Dao Domain. As the invincible force of the Dao Domain dissipated, it broke through his Dao Domain and struck him directly.

In an instant, Li Muxiu felt weightless, followed by a tearing sensation. His left side, the side with his arm, was severed.

The force of the sharp sword energy flipped his body, sending him plummeting towards the ground.

The last bit of strength in his entire body seemed to be drained away.

Li Muxiu looked up at the sun, which had just risen above the horizon, shining on his face.

For a moment, it felt a bit blinding.

So tired…

Father always said I was the least capable. He was right…

He had failed miserably in front of his ancestors. He had embarrassed them…

His lips twitched in bitterness. He thought of the woman he had wronged, the child fishing by the lake, and Old Wind…

"Second Master!!!"

Suddenly, a roar like a mountain collapsing and a sea surging echoed from the distant horizon.

It seemed to carry the sound of ten thousand thunderclaps, rushing towards him, like a bolt of lightning, roaring through the sky above Qingzhou City, shaking the entire city, engulfed in flames, causing it to hum!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 263: A Sword Cleanses the City (Two-in-One)

This earth-shattering, furious roar shook everyone, causing them to stare in astonishment at the distant horizon.

But they were too far away to see anything. This also indicated that the speaker possessed terrifying strength, their senses far exceeding theirs.

"Who is that?"

"Who's shouting?"

"Is it reinforcements for our Li Family?"

Within the city, all the soldiers were startled. The roar was so loud, deafening, indicating that the speaker was an incredibly powerful being.

The fleeing citizens on the streets also heard it, stunned. They felt as if a god from the heavens, overlooking the world, had let out a furious roar!

"Is that the child's voice? Impossible. He's dead…"

贺剑兰, Li Hongzhuang, and the others were shocked, their eyes widening slightly. The voice was too familiar, yet different from their memories.

But that address, only a junior would call Li Mu Xiu that way. And among the juniors, the one closest to Li Mu Xiu was that child.

Could it be a miracle?

They felt their blood surging and contracting rapidly, a mixture of excitement, tension, and trembling. They couldn't believe it, nor did they dare to look.

But they still strained their eyes, gazing towards the distant horizon.

In the air, Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao, who were about to launch their attack, were stunned.

Reinforcements for the Li Family?

They could sense the anger and attempt to intimidate them within the voice, but compared to the intensity of the emotion, when they tried to perceive the source, they couldn't see who was speaking.

It was too far away, beyond their perception. Didn't that mean the other party was even stronger than them?

The two exchanged glances, seeing the shock in each other's eyes. Then, their killing intent surged rapidly.

Quick kill!

They had to eliminate Li Mu Xiu before anything else happened, preventing any unforeseen complications.

At this moment, Li Mu Xiu, his strength depleted, preparing to accept death, also heard the sudden roar.

The grief and familiar address in the voice caused his body, which had relaxed in acceptance of death, to tense up slightly.

His closed eyes opened once more.

Was it an illusion? Before death, he could actually hear that little brat's voice.

But the child was dead. He had heard it from the couple themselves, seen it with his own eyes. He had died in the mouth of a demon saint, without even the chance to enter the River of Oblivion like a normal person, completely dissipating.

And when he went to investigate the Heavenly Gate Pass again, he heard that Li Hao's clone had also disintegrated and disappeared at some point.

The demise of a clone was proof enough that Li Hao's main body was dead.

But now… was he overthinking things?

In Li Mu Xiu's eyes, he saw Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao rushing towards him. Their Dao domains expanded rapidly, even before they got close, attempting to envelop and kill him with their domains.

But Li Mu Xiu could no longer muster a Dao domain to defend himself.

Even if the child was alive, there was no reason for him to come here…

The Li Family owed him too much…

Li Mu Xiu thought bitterly, looking at the approaching Dao domains. He wanted to resist, but his body felt like it was falling apart. He could only wait for the agonizing end that was about to come.

Just as the Dao domains were about to engulf him, suddenly, time seemed to slow down. A blazing light, like divine fire, bloomed before Li Mu Xiu's eyes.

The two terrifying Dao domain attacks were abruptly erased!

But following the domains, Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao's Sacred Heart Treasures attacked in succession, crashing down, instantly obscuring all light and shadow.

But then, the world suddenly fell silent.

The treasures, which were about to smash directly into Li Mu Xiu, roared with earth-shattering power, but suddenly slammed into a crimson figure in front of him.

With a loud bang, a violent, scorching roar echoed.

The world trembled!

All the violent attacks, all the howling winds, were blocked. A golden young man's body stood in the way, preventing any impact on Li Mu Xiu.

The young man's golden hair fluttered, and the intense divine fire around him, under the impact of the two Sacred Heart Treasures, scattered into the air. It was like a red-hot sword being hammered relentlessly, sending sparks flying.

But his feet didn't move an inch. Relying solely on his flesh, on his chest, he withstood the furious attacks of the two treasures!

Li Mu Xiu stared blankly, slightly dazed.

The figure was both familiar and unfamiliar, causing his previously despairing heart to tremble violently. His eyes widened, and the guesses and thoughts in his heart made him hesitant to touch them, afraid to disturb them, fearing that it was all a dream, a hallucination in the moment before his death.

And now, the young man slowly raised his head. His golden, angry hair fluttered like flames. His eyes burned with indescribable rage as he glared at the two astonished faces:

"How dare you!!!"

With a whoosh, the ground below seemed to churn up a thousand zhang of dust. A vast force swept through like a hurricane, scattering all the dust.

At the same time, it forced Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao to stop.

"Dao domain, you are…"

"Impossible!"

Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao were incredulous, staring in horror at the young man. His golden-red body, with its perfectly balanced proportions, was like a golden wall they couldn't overcome.

What shocked and terrified them wasn't the Dao domain aura emanating from the young man, but the fact that he had withstood the attack of the Sacred Heart Treasures with his bare body?!

What kind of monster was this!!

"Kneel!"

The young man slowly uttered a single word.

Five layers of Dao domain instantly suppressed outwards. With a bang, the hundreds of meters of void in front of him were completely suppressed. The ground trembled violently as if something had pressed down on it.

Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao didn't even have time to react. The speed at which the young man unleashed his Dao domain was too fast, exceeding their reaction time. As soon as they realized what was happening, they hurriedly erected their Dao domains to defend, but something shocking happened again.

Their Dao domains were sealed within their bodies, unable to manifest in the slightest!

Without the Dao domain to resist, the vast might of the young man's Dao domain instantly acted upon them. With two thuds, the leaders of these two top demon forces fell straight to the ground, crashing heavily.

Their entire bodies, from head to toe, even their hair, were enveloped and suppressed by a force, unable to move in the slightest!

The force was vast and boundless, beyond their imagination and resistance. It could easily kill them, as simple as crushing an insect.

The shock in Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao's hearts was beyond measure. Their eyes widened in disbelief. For thousands, even tens of thousands of years, they had never felt such bewilderment and terror. The sudden change had come too abruptly, and the young man's appearance had been too sudden!

Earlier, their senses hadn't even detected the young man, but in an instant, he had crossed the limit of their perception and appeared before them. The speed was simply unbelievable!

Li Hao looked at the two demons suppressed to immobility, the flames in his eyes hadn't subsided, but the cold anger in his heart prevented him from ending their lives so easily.

He turned around, his back to the entire city. A force lifted Li Mu Xiu's body gently.

Looking at the old man's broken arms and the tragic sight of half his body severed at an angle, a hint of moisture appeared in Li Hao's enraged eyes.

And seeing Li Hao's face turn towards him, Li Mu Xiu's slowly widening eyes widened to their limit.

The face was slightly different from his memory, but the eyes, the emotions in them, instantly confirmed that this was the child who had made him cry countless times.

The child who had fished with him by the lake.

The child he had eaten barbecue with in the Listening Rain Tower.

His body trembled, and he croaked, "Is it Hao'er? Am I getting old and blind? I can barely recognize you…"

Li Hao had rebuilt his body with the power of heaven and earth from the abyss. His face and voice were slightly different from before, but those who knew him well could still see traces of his past self.

"It's me, Second Uncle."

Li Hao held his tattered body, lowered his head, gritted his teeth, and said in grief, "I'm late!"

Youzhou was close to Liangzhou. When he had left the Li Family in the snowy weather to go to the Heavenly Gate Pass in Liangzhou, it had taken him five days.

Now, returning from Youzhou across Liangzhou, with Candle Flame God speeding at full speed, it had still taken half a day.

And since entering Qingzhou, Li Hao had seen the devastated cities and land, many city walls already occupied by demons. He immediately knew that Qingzhou City was in imminent danger. Otherwise, with the Li Family's military strength, they would never abandon these cities and people, unless they were in a desperate situation.

Therefore, he hadn't even bothered to rescue the cities occupied by demons. He had Candle Flame God unleash his Undying Power and sprint at full speed, barely making it in time.

Fortunately, he had the Flying Stage attribute, which doubled his attack distance. Just now, he had unleashed his nine Dao domains simultaneously, pushing his power to the limit, constantly performing air displacement at the limit of his attack distance, which was equivalent to maximum consecutive teleportation. This allowed him to block those fatal attacks in a critical situation.

Hearing Li Hao's words, Li Mu Xiu finally confirmed that this was the child he had longed for, the one he had never forgotten.

"You still call me Second Uncle…"

Tears welled up in Li Mu Xiu's eyes, "But Second Uncle failed to protect you, causing you so much hardship. Second Uncle is incompetent…"

Li Hao knew what he meant. Images flashed through his mind, but he shook his head slightly, suppressing his grief. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Second Uncle, rest and recover. Xi Yan, take care of Second Uncle for me."

"Yes, your Second Uncle is my Second Uncle."

Xi Yan obediently agreed. Extending from Li Hao's wrist, she rooted herself in the ground beside them. Then, she extended a crimson beard, like a soft little hand, gently touching Li Mu Xiu's wound, delivering energy to heal him.

Li Mu Xiu sensed that it was a demon, but he wasn't afraid. He allowed her to heal him.

At this moment, Candle Flame God's figure rushed over. Li Hao's extreme burst of power to block the attack for Li Mu Xiu had been so fast that he had left Candle Flame God far behind.

Seeing Candle Flame God, Li Mu Xiu's pupils constricted slightly. Although the Taixu Realm had been secluded for a thousand years, and the Taixu Realm master rarely appeared, others hadn't seen him, but he had. He recognized him at a glance – the Taixu Realm master!

"Second Uncle, don't be afraid."

Li Hao said, placing Li Mu Xiu on Candle Flame God's back.

Li Mu Xiu was stunned. He immediately sensed that Candle Flame God was extremely respectful and deferential to Li Hao, without any killing intent.

Could it be that he had been tamed by Li Hao?

Thinking of this, his heart trembled. This was the Taixu Realm master…

After placing the old man on Candle Flame God's back, Li Hao turned around to face the vast city.

He didn't restrain the energy surging from his body. He was like a burning deity, his gaze cold, exuding a domineering aura of supreme authority.

At this moment, he stood outside the city, but he was the only light in the world.

Within the city, apart from the demon tide still charging on the city walls, the demon elders from the two forces fighting within the city all stopped in shock, staring at the young man.

Just now, with a single word, the young man had suppressed the two demon leaders, shattering their understanding and filling them with horror!

Besides these demon kings, 贺剑兰, Li Hongzhuang, and the others in the city were also staring blankly at the young man.

The young man's face was as handsome as a god, but his brows were as cold as frost, with a heavy murderous aura.

His face felt familiar, but they didn't dare to recognize him. But the young man's actions, only that child would treat Li Mu Xiu like that, giving them a sense of witnessing a miracle.

Could it be that he really wasn't dead?!

"Who is that?"

"He doesn't have the Li Family's aura, but he's strong, incredibly strong!"

"Dao domain, and he's cultivated more than one. His flesh can actually withstand a Sacred Heart Treasure. Is this for real?"

In the air, many Li Family ancestral souls were also startled by the young man who had suddenly appeared on the battlefield. They all showed expressions of shock, awe, and joy, but mostly confusion.

When did the Dayu Divine Dynasty cultivate such a monster?

"Who is that? Our Li Family has actually befriended such a person. If we had known, why would we have left the ancestral shrine?"

An old Li Family ancestral soul couldn't help but ask.

Beside him was a young boy. The boy stared blankly at the golden figure and said, "That should be… Brother Hao."

"Brother Hao?"

The old ancestral soul couldn't help but look at the chubby boy. He called him so affectionately. Did the two know each other?

But aside from their age, their cultivation levels seemed to be vastly different. How could they possibly interact?

"It's him, it can't be wrong. He's calling out to Second Uncle. It must be him…"

Li Wushuang murmured beside them, gazing at the young man. Although his face had changed, the aura and the golden-red body hadn't. She knew that it was that person who had returned!

Tears welled up in her eyes. He wasn't dead. He was back!

"As expected, I knew it. Chong Er was really him…"

High in the sky, Song Yu Feng also saw the young man, his eyes blazing with light.

The news released by the Li Family, even holding a funeral for the young man, couldn't have been fake. This had even made him doubt whether he had been mistaken about Chong Er, whether it wasn't Li Hao.

After all, when a person died, their name would be removed from the Merit List.

But Chong Er's name was still on the Merit List.

And the Li Family wouldn't joke about something like this.

Faced with this contradiction, he had doubted his sanity. But now, he was so happy he wanted to laugh.

Undoubtedly, the Merit List wouldn't be wrong. It wasn't something controlled by ordinary people. But people could make mistakes. Apparently, the Li Family had made a mistake. The child hadn't died. Perhaps what they saw was just a false image of the young man's death!

Whatever the reason, the prodigy was still alive. He wasn't just a prodigy of the Li Family, but also a top-tier force in the future of the Dayu Divine Dynasty!

"It seems he's already in the Dao Realm. What a little monster…" Song Yu Feng exclaimed in amazement after his initial surprise.

Not far from him, the Water Qilin stopped. Its pair of sky-blue eyes, as if overflowing with water, gazed at the figure.

"Who is that…"

Ji Qingqing gazed from afar, feeling a sense of familiarity, but mostly strangeness.

At this moment, Li Hao's gaze had swept across the entire city, his divine sense enveloping Qingzhou City.

After all, the entire city was only a hundred miles wide. Although it was a huge city with a vast area, even an ordinary Four Pillars Realm practitioner could traverse it with a thought, let alone him.

His gaze swept over the familiar figures in the city, seeing that some familiar faces were still there, causing Li Hao's heart to relax slightly. He briefly met eyes with the sky-blue Water Qilin and gave her a slight smile.

Then, his gaze fell on the golden remnants of souls. These souls were like feathered garments draped over the Li Family members. This scene reminded him of the scene in the Dragon City River of Oblivion, and he immediately understood.

And the demon king elders seemed to be intimidated, not daring to act rashly.

However, the demon tide outside the city was still relentlessly attacking, charging towards the city. The demons in the front had been terrified, but those in the back couldn't sense that far and were still charging according to orders.

Li Hao's eyes were cold, like frost. He raised his hand, and the veins of the earth extended outwards. In an instant, he gathered all the power of heaven and earth within a radius of hundreds of meters, like a whale sucking water, converging in his palm.

This power continued to condense, forming a sword energy tens of meters long, dazzling and sharp, as if piercing the heavens and causing the sky to lose its color.

And as the sword energy condensed in Li Hao's palm, more sword energy split from it, soaring into the sky above Qingzhou City, forming a dense array, instantly creating a curtain of swords.

The vastness of its range and the sheer number of swords caused all the demon kings and demons in the city to stiffen.

Among them, the demons who had participated in the battle in Liangzhou, like Bai Shenjun, turned pale.

He finally came to his senses. Although his appearance had changed, the feeling was unmistakable.

That young man… was the terrifying young man from Liangzhou!

"It's Haotian, it's that General Haotian!!"

Fear flashed in Bai Shenjun's eyes, but it was mostly despair.

During the battle in Liangzhou, he had experienced the young man's power outside the pass. In the final battle, he hadn't chosen to join the siege against the young man, which had saved his life.

But now, the young man was back, and he was even more terrifying, growing at an unimaginable rate!

Their palace master had been suppressed, and Dragon Gate's Dragon God had been suppressed.

Moreover, Bai Shenjun recognized Candle Flame God, the Taixu Realm master, obediently standing beside the young man, seemingly having submitted to him.

"Run!!"

A strong desire to survive made Bai Shenjun roar in despair, turning to flee. At this moment, he didn't care about any demons, nor about his status as an elder of the Sacred Palace. He just wanted to escape.

To escape from here, from Qingzhou, from Dayu!

Bai Shenjun's terrified and desperate cry brought the other demon kings back to their senses, their hearts pounding.

Haotian!

Since the battle in Liangzhou, this name had been like thunder in the ears of the demons!

It was almost a reflex!

It was the human Haotian, the incredibly monstrous young war god!

"He… he wasn't dead…"

Some demon kings looked at the sword energy that filled the sky, sensing the boundless power, as if losing even the courage to flee.

The Li Family had already spread the news of the young man's death, and they had already learned about it.

But how to explain the scene before them? Was this a ghost?

No one answered, no answer was given.

Only the sword energy, which continued to condense, seemed like countless eyes, coldly overlooking the demons.

As the demon kings fled, the sword energy instantly shot down, chasing after them at unimaginable speed.

The sword energy rained down, forming dragons, killing the fleeing demon kings.

Bai Shenjun knew that Li Hao's attacks were strange and didn't dare to resist with his flesh. He roared, unleashing his full power, revealing his true form, and using his demonic arts to destroy the sword energy.

But the sword energy formed dragons, far more ferocious than the ones he had encountered in Liangzhou. As the dragons roared with fangs and claws, they instantly tore apart his demonic arts and struck him.

Bai Shenjun's pupils constricted. He suddenly realized a terrifying problem. The young man's attacks were incredibly strange and untouchable. But now, the young man had entered the Four Pillars Realm, and it was the Taiping Dao Realm, so he naturally possessed the Dao rhyme manipulation of the Dao Heart Realm.

In other words, once locked on, the attack would definitely hit.

Unless he could interrupt the Dao rhyme!

But obviously, although he had this ability, it consumed a lot of energy. Once or twice was fine, but there were countless sword energies, and he couldn't interrupt them all!

Most importantly, on this vast battlefield, in this torrential rain of swords, the young man could actually imbue every sword energy with Dao rhyme manipulation. What kind of terrifying divine sense was this?!

Bang!

The sword energy struck his body like raindrops. Bai Shenjun roared. The sword energy tore his flesh, not enough to kill him, but his roar and struggle didn't last long. It was as if his spine had been suddenly pulled out.

His soul seemed to be hooked away, and his strength rapidly faded.

"I…"

Bai Shenjun's eyes widened, losing their luster, filled with intense unwillingness and fear. He once again experienced the terror of the young man's attacks.

But he had no chance to defy fate again.

Thump!

As Bai Shenjun's body fell, the other demon kings suffered a similar fate. In the air, they were chased by sword energy dragons, quickly falling and dying, losing their breath.

The elders of the two demon forces, who had once made the entire Li Family, even the Li Family ancestors, fight desperately, were now like panicked insects, fleeing everywhere. But they were continuously killed. No one could escape the young man's attack range. As soon as they approached the edge of the city, they were met with even more ferocious attacks!

These once-arrogant demon kings were now screaming and falling, some begging Li Hao to submit to him, to be his servants, but they still met their deaths.

A rain of swords, a bloodbath, stunned everyone who had been fighting.

The names of the demon kings they called out were also familiar to them.

They had been uncertain before, but now they were completely sure of the young man's identity.

"Hao'er…" 贺剑兰 and the others' eyes were red-rimmed with tears.

They hadn't expected that in this most desperate moment, Li Hao would return to save them.

The young man who had left the Li Family had now, with his own strength, saved the entire city of Qingzhou.

At this moment, the demon tide outside the city was still relentlessly attacking. The demons in the front had been terrified, but those in the back couldn't sense that far and were still charging according to orders.

Li Hao's gaze swept over them calmly. Then, the sword light that had condensed in his hand slashed towards them.

It seemed like a casual flick, but the sword energy, under the manipulation of Dao rhyme, transformed into a shocking sword glow, slashing into the massive demon tide outside the city.

This sword was like a finger pressed down by a god. The demon tide, like ants, was instantly pressed into a trench. The ground cracked, and where the sword energy had slashed, countless demons were killed. Some bodies were annihilated, leaving no trace.

And the sword energy that had been slashed didn't dissipate. Instead, it transformed into countless sword lights, shooting into the demon tide, speeding through it.

Bang bang bang…

One demon after another, before they could react, were pierced by the sword energy, their souls extinguished.

The demon tide, which stretched for tens of miles, was collapsing at a visible speed under these flying sword lights.

Li Hao retracted his hand, his gaze falling on the two demon leaders lying on the ground in front of him.

"Don't, don't kill me. I can be your mount too!"

Feng Lingxiao hurriedly said.

The Dao domain suppressing him made him feel like a chick on a chopping board, completely powerless.

Long Jue Shen, however, gritted his teeth. As a Dragon God, having cultivated for tens of thousands of years, he had an intense desire to live. But his dragon pride didn't allow him to be so humble.

"Even if you kill me, my Abyss Dragon Clan will never let you off."

Long Jue Shen stared at Li Hao. He knew that begging would at most earn him a fate like a mount. Rather than living a miserable life, he would rather die with his head held high.

Not all life would bow down in the face of death.

"You plotted against the Dayu Divine Dynasty. Someone must have instructed you, right?"

Li Hao looked down at them, his eyes cold, devoid of emotion. "Who gave you the courage to take such a desperate gamble?"

Feng Lingxiao hurriedly said, "I'll tell you. It was the Three Desolate Gods who forced us to do this. Our Sacred Palace and the Dayu Divine Dynasty had always coexisted peacefully. We had an agreement with the previous Emperor thousands of years ago, not to invade each other. We were forced."

"Three Desolate Gods?"

Li Hao's eyes flickered slightly. When he had just expanded his Dao domain, he had sensed a strange force in the air – true Dao power. He had felt it before on the Dao Comprehension practitioner from the Ji Family.

Being able to control these top demon forces, making the expert from the Qian Dao Palace as still as death, he must also be a Dao Comprehension practitioner.

(End of Chapter)