The Spiral Star Domain was frozen far away. The demon immortal armies of the Violet Gaze Roc King and the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor’s "Ao Shan" forces hovered in the void, daring not to advance.
Normally, these immortals frequented the Spiral Star Domain for trade, and they naturally recognized its greatest feature: being encircled by the violent, chaotic sea of stars. If one did not possess the cultivation of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal, even an ordinary Golden Immortal venturing in would face mortal danger.
But today, the Spiral Star Domain before them was laid bare, sparse and open.
It was as if a daughter raised in seclusion had suddenly cast aside her heavy veil, revealing a beautiful and clear visage. The Spiral Star Domain hung before them, seemingly defenseless, yet it caused so many immortals to halt, timidly rooted to the spot.
With the abilities of the Violet Gaze Roc King and the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor, they naturally sensed a strange aura in the starry expanse ahead. Their hearts hammered violently, and a nameless sense of crisis urged them to flee backward.
However, based on their understanding of Gu Xechen, even if he returned to the Spiral Star Domain with his forces, how many experts could he command?
Even if Gu Xechen had broken through to the Great Overarching Golden Immortal realm during this past ten thousand years, he would be crushed beneath the fingers of the Violet Gaze Roc King and the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor. The difference between the peaks of the Great Overarching Golden Immortal realm and the initial stage was simply too vast to compare.
Yet, that heavy premonition of danger clung to their hearts, preventing them from taking another step forward.
The face of the Violet Gaze Roc King twitched intermittently. The claw marks freshly inflicted by the Three-Tailed Black Fox suddenly split open further, allowing a few small beads of blood to ooze out.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor also stared blankly at the Spiral Star Domain. After a long pause, he muttered to himself, as if speaking to the Roc King as well, “Forget the apprentices, and let the nine demonic treasures go—the Ancestor can swallow that silent loss. But to have his entire fortune cleared out, reportedly not even a single piece of lingerie studded with jewels worn by his concubines remaining—this deep humiliation, alas!”
He paused, and just as the Violet Gaze Roc King clenched the halberd beside him, ready to erupt, the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor hastily added, “The Human Origin Star—that is the most crucial matter. What were the words of the Evil Dragon Venerable before he vanished? Didn't someone spread rumors that he knew the whereabouts of the Human Origin Star?”
The Roc King’s hand left the halberd. He, too, seemed to be speaking to himself as he mused, “But that was merely a rumor spread by some low-tier ghost cultivator.”
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor gazed at the Spiral Star Domain and sneered, “How many avatars does the Ghost Saint have? Who can truly say? Perhaps one of his avatars is an unremarkable, insignificant ghost cultivator. Hmm, before the concubines of the Two-Hearted Ghost Saint and the others vanished, rumor had it…”
The Violet Gaze Roc King narrowed his eyes, his hand returning to the halberd. Discreetly, the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor pulled a crimson banner from his sleeve, instantly enveloping the surroundings in rolling waves of blood-red light. His nine most prized and readily available demonic treasures had been conveniently pilfered by Linghu. Now, the only thing he could deploy was this Blood Sea Myriad Phantoms Banner, which he had refined into a natal magic treasure.
Suddenly, a peal of thunder sounded ahead, and a white jade paifang (memorial archway) with nine bays and three inner courtyards erupted into existence from thin air. Streams of pure light shot out from the archway, and Gu Xechen, surrounded by a throng of immortals, surged forward from a swirling mass of five-colored energy.
Gu Xechen was arrayed in a Bagua robe embroidered with the sun, moon, and stars, stepping upon Xiaoyao sandals, and wearing a Nine-Ridge Crown. Around his waist was a dazzling, lustrous strand of Black Ice Rope, and he sat cross-legged upon a White Jade Cloud Couch. Beneath him rested a Wind-Fire Cushion that radiated beams of light. Truly, he exuded an imposing, immortal-like bearing.
To the left of the White Jade Cloud Couch, upon a small white cloud, an archaic censer stood silently. Purple mist billowed from the censer, releasing a fragrant, pleasing aroma. Upon inhaling it, one instantly felt a coolness in the crown of the head and a refreshing chill throughout the body, as if all mundane concerns had been severed. The body felt pure, untainted by any dust.
The eyes of the Violet Gaze Roc King and the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor locked onto it instantly. What a Taoist ultimate treasure, capable of subduing the inner demons! Especially for immortals who cultivated demonic or fiendish arts, this Sutra Listening Furnace, secretly transmitted from Mount Zhongnan, held immeasurable value, promising freedom from the fear of qi deviation or demonic possession.
After casting a greedy glance at the Furnace, the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor’s expression abruptly shifted. Although the Sutra Listening Furnace, capable of shaking inner demons, was wondrously mysterious, it specifically countered all demonic cultivation methods. While possessing this treasure would be unparalleledly excellent, having it in Gu Xechen’s hands now was extremely detrimental to him.
To even consider seizing the Furnace, whether he could gain any advantage under its influence was a significant question.
The Violet Gaze Roc King glared venomously at Blackjack, who stood smiling beside Gu Xechen, clad in an opulent tailcoat that made him look more like a businessman than an immortal cultivator.
Gu Xechen held the Whisk of Purity, his eyelids half-lowered as if asleep while seated on the cushion, silently circulating his profound arts, never sparing the Violet Gaze Roc King or the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor a single glance.
The two sides remained locked in this stalemate for a long time before Blackjack shattered the silence.
Leaning slightly toward Gu Xechen’s cloud couch, Blackjack clasped his hands in greeting toward the Roc King. “Your Majesty Roc King, it is truly wonderful to see you again!”
The flames in the Roc King’s chest immediately exploded. He pointed at Blackjack and roared, “Blackjack, you conniving bastard!”
Blackjack hastily waved his hands. “You have mistaken one detail, Your Majesty. I possess pure Nordic blood; I am a pure-blooded human, not a bastard.”
He let out a strange laugh, and Blackjack spoke with utterly venomous sweetness. “As for complicated matters like mixed heritage, your sons are all prime examples! Fox-spawn, White Wolf-spawn, Spirit Snake-spawn—hey, your six sons, are they not six bastards?”
The Violet Gaze Roc King was so enraged he nearly fainted. Blackjack’s words were piercingly sharp, yet he had absolutely no retort. His concubines were all peerless beauties from the great demon clans of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths; his children, naturally, had mixed bloodlines. His eyes rolled once, and two faint beams of spiritual light shone forth from his seemingly dull, ashen eyes.
The subtle pressure made the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor and the Violet Gaze Roc King tremble in their hearts. Both hurriedly retreated a few steps. Although Gu Xechen’s eyes appeared dim, a strange spiritual light within them conveyed a formidable threat, and an unfavorable intuition prevented them from letting down their guard.
“We are all figures of status. Such vulgarities from the latrine should not be aired here,” Gu Xechen coldly snorted. He looked toward the Roc King and sneered, “Violet Gaze Roc King, what is your purpose in violating my domain?”
The Roc King was equally forthright. He felt that cursing Blackjack publicly was beneath his dignity. He pointed fiercely at Blackjack and snarled, “I want this traitor and the worthless dogs he brought along who betrayed their kin, along with all the wealth he stole.”
Gu Xechen glanced at Blackjack and spoke slowly and deliberately, “Not a chance!”
The Violet Gaze Roc King froze. He dug in his ear, asking in disbelief, “What?”
Gu Xechen spoke slowly and coldly, “I said, not a chance. Are you deaf? Blackjack is my man. All his subordinates revere me as a god; they are all mine. You want to take them? Impossible!”
He let out a few cold laughs, asserting his claim with brutal arrogance. “No excuse, no reason, no justification. Blackjack is mine, so no one is permitted to touch a single hair on his head. All the wealth he brought is his private property. No one is allowed to harm a single companion! It’s that simple!”
The Violet Gaze Roc King trembled violently with rage, gripping his halberd. He had certainly engaged in unscrupulous seizure, murder, and robbery before, but afterwards, he always took care to cover his tracks to avoid a terrible reputation. Like Gu Xechen—openly protecting his own, righteously shielding wrongdoers, shamelessly pocketing ill-gotten gains, and shamelessly lecturing the victim—no one in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths had ever acted so brazenly!
Surely, as a Great Overarching Golden Immortal, even if his power fluctuations registered only at the initial stage, he was still a Great Overarching Golden Immortal. Did he possess no dignity as one of the foremost beings in the Three Realms? Did he not even know how to write the words for ‘shame’?
The Violet Gaze Roc King was stunned. It was the first time anyone had spoken to him in such a manner. A seasoned brigand encountering a bandit even more savage and shameless than himself was momentarily rendered speechless.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor promptly stepped forward. He pointed at Linghu, who stood smiling benignly beside Gu Xechen, and declared angrily, “Linghu!”
Gu Xechen brutally cut him off with a cold laugh. “Shut up! Linghu is an old brother of mine of many years. The Jiuzhou Temple’s Yiru Nunnery is my private retinue. You were blind to accept them as your disciples; any loss you suffer is deserved!”
Gu Xechen continued with unshakeable righteousness, “Your nine demonic treasures are rare and exceptional items. Even with your cultivation, you couldn’t refine them or carry them with you—they must be at least of the Ancient Immortal Artifact class. Since you couldn't refine or carry them, it proves those nine treasures had no destiny with you!”
Lifting his chin, Gu Xechen sneered without a trace of embarrassment. “My Master and several senior brothers took a liking to your nine demonic treasures, so now those nine treasures are the sacred treasures of the Nine Nether Dao’s sect. They are no longer yours to claim.”
He pointed at the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor and commanded like one shooing away a beggar, “There is nothing for you here. If you don’t want to invite trouble, go back the way you came!”
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor was also stunned. He was the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor, a notorious leader among the demonic paths of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths. How dare someone treat him like this?
How dare someone treat him like this?
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor erupted into a sinister grin, pointing at Gu Xechen and nodding repeatedly. “Good, good, good. The Ancestor has come today only to invite humiliation! However, junior, you truly fear no death; you have courage, which I admire! Today, I will tear you to shreds! I will tear you to shreds!”
With a cold snort, Gu Xechen slapped the Sutra Listening Furnace.
Vast clouds of purple flower-like fireworks erupted from the Furnace, shooting toward the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor accompanied by ethereal, melodious sounds.
The Demon Ancestor was startled. He flipped the Blood Sea Myriad Phantoms Banner in his hand, and a rolling sea of blood instantly rose to envelop himself and his subordinates behind him.
However, these purple flower-fireworks were created by Tai Shang Laojun; they were pure Yang artifacts forged by Laojun himself within the Sutra Listening Furnace, specifically designed to counter all demonic cultivation methods. As soon as the sea of blood touched the purple flower-fireworks, it ignited. In the blink of an eye, a sea of purple fire covering hundreds of miles enveloped the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor and his hundreds of thousands of demonic immortal followers.
The vapor from the purple fireworks was fearsome. The sea of blood, several zhang thick, caught fire immediately upon contact with the sparks, burning away completely in moments. The hundreds of miles of blood-sea were reduced to wisps of smoke and dispersed in the time it took for the flames to sweep over them. At least one hundred thousand demonic immortals had the purple fire spread onto them; their demonic immortal power served as the perfect fuel for the purple flames. They were instantly incinerated to ash, like small paper figures in a steel refining furnace.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor shrieked, his hand again whipping the Blood Sea Myriad Phantoms Banner. Large masses of deep crimson figures rushed out from the blood sea, brandishing various weapons, swiftly forming a grand array, spewing forth red, evil mists and summoning countless nether lightning bolts to bombard the purple fireworks pressing down from above.
Gu Xechen impassively flicked a finger toward the swirling purple fire-smoke, and the dense sparks instantly exploded into a wide expanse. Every spark detonated like thunder, shattering the red, evil mists into pieces, causing the countless distorted crimson figures to fragment and scatter explosively.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor felt a pain so intense he nearly wept. The myriad phantoms within the Blood Sea Myriad Phantoms Banner were condensed from fierce souls and malevolent spirits, possessing near-immortality; neither lightning nor flames could harm their true forms. But encountering the Heavenly Fire Purple Flame forged personally by Laojun within the Sutra Listening Furnace—an artifact specifically designed to subdue demons—even if his cultivation was trillions of times deeper than Gu Xechen's, he still suffered a crushing defeat when facing such targeted fire.
With a helpless, heaven-shaking roar, the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor, acting with pragmatic resignation, retreated backward with the few subordinates who had managed to survive.
He came fast, but the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor retreated even faster. He understood that as long as Gu Xechen held the Sutra Listening Furnace, no demonic immortal in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths could possibly defeat him. Why was this treasure, inherently designed to counter demonic immortals, in Gu Xechen’s hands?
Gu Xechen sneered, gathering his strength, and violently shook the Sutra Listening Furnace. A plume of purple smoke carrying countless fine sparks surged out with a crackling sound, releasing an intoxicatingly pure fragrance. This stream of purple smoke flashed behind the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor in an instant, condensing into a purple thunder-fire the size of a spear that detonated in the Demon Ancestor’s back.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor let out a miserable howl. A bowl-sized hole was blown through his back, and the pure blood Dao essence accumulated over countless eons of bitter cultivation sprayed out as a viscous torrent of blood from the wound. His entire body was alight, and the fierce purple fire spread rapidly, scorching the loyal demonic immortals around him. In the blink of an eye, dozens more Tai Yi Golden Immortal level demonic immortals were burned to death.
With a strange laugh, Gu Xechen gently waved his hand, and two streams of light, one black and one white, shot out. The brothers Prajñā and Mahā, chanting Buddhist mantras, shot behind the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor. Their two heavy, pitch-black demon-subduing pestles slammed down upon the Demon Ancestor’s head.
One pestle shattered the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor’s skull; the other shattered his physical body.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor’s divine soul, protected by the Blood Sea Myriad Phantoms Banner, shot heavenward, fleeing into the distance with a venomous cry.
But the matter had reached this point; how could Gu Xechen allow him to escape?
He patted his waist, and the Black Ice Rope transformed into a thousand-mile-long white beam of light that shot out, carrying an overwhelming chill that locked onto the Demon Ancestor’s soul, binding him tightly and dragging him back.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor’s soul writhed and struggled within the bonds of the Black Ice Rope, shouting furiously, “I am a peak Great Overarching Golden Immortal! Can you destroy my soul?”
At that moment, a formation diagram radiating strange, varied light shot out. The Corpse Emperor, controlling the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, rushed forth. The four-colored sword light encircled and twisted inward. The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor let out a sharp scream and was instantly slain.
The Violet Gaze Roc King watched, completely rigid, as the terrifying scene of the Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor, an equal in power, being slain in a mere two breaths of time.
It was one thing for the Sutra Listening Furnace to perfectly counter the Demon Ancestor’s demonic arts; but the demon-subduing pestles in Prajñā and Mahā’s hands were Innate Dharma Treasures—he could not have misidentified them. Were two initial-stage Great Overarching Golden Immortals wielding two Innate Dharma Treasures? Was this a joke?
As for the Black Ice Rope, the Roc King dared not even imagine what level of artifact it was. The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor’s soul had been dragged back with no power to resist at all. Could it be an Innate Supreme Treasure?
But the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation commanded by the Corpse Emperor brought the Violet Gaze Roc King to despair.
Ancient legends were passed down through generations in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, and the terrifying reputation of the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation had lingered throughout the Three Realms.
The Immortal Slaying Sword Formation! Why would such a supreme terror of the Three Realms appear here?
He let out a long sigh to the heavens, and the Violet Gaze Roc King hissed, “My children, flee for your lives!”
A massive golden Roc, a thousand miles in span, soared into the sky. The Violet Gaze Roc King reverted to his original form, pouring all his strength into escaping toward the distant starry expanse.
The hundreds of thousands of demon immortals roared in unison, pouring all their might into fleeing back the way they came.
A white beam of icy light shot down through the void, and countless thumb-thick cold rays whipped erratically across the sky. The hundreds of thousands of demon immortals were bound by the cold light, pulled back before Gu Xechen like bundled dumplings. Countless Grand Yin Talismans fell from high above, landing precisely on the heads of these demon immortals, sealing off their immortal power.
The Corpse Emperor directed the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation, sneering at the frantically fleeing Violet Gaze Roc King.
The starlight around the void flickered, and the Corpse Emperor used the power of the starlight to take a step forward, instantly appearing before the Violet Gaze Roc King.
The four-colored sword light soared into the heavens, and the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation swept the rushing Violet Gaze Roc King into its confines.
With sword qi crisscrossing and immortal light faintly visible, Miao Hua, Yan Jiang, Siren, and Aruya stabilized the four banner gates, continuously sending streams of lightning to bombard the four Immortal Slaying Swords suspended overhead. Vast amounts of sword light coalesced into streams of sword qi that tore through the void, slashing toward the Violet Gaze Roc King with sharp whistles.
The Violet Gaze Roc King roared in indignation and resumed human form.
Wielding his halberd, the Roc King surged with immortal power, his weapon stirring up ten thousand cold rays to meet the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation’s assault.
With a crash of thunder, the halberd shattered, and the Roc King’s protective immortal light was pierced, leaving dozens of transparent holes his body.
“It really is the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation!”
The Violet Gaze Roc King stared blankly at the ceaselessly attacking sword qi, then gave a self-mocking laugh. “To deal with me, must you deploy such a grand formation?”
With a frank smile, the Roc King’s body rapidly expanded and then violently self-detonated.
The furious explosive force blasted the Corpse Emperor and the others out of the sword formation, but the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation remained entirely undamaged. Countless strands of sword qi relentlessly surged forward, shredding the shockwave generated by the Roc King’s self-destruction into dust.
Gu Xechen watched the spot where the Violet Gaze Roc King had been annihilated. He rubbed his hands together, and countless sound transmission tokens shot into the sky, rapidly flying out in all directions. The Nine Nether Dao proclaimed its existence to the world; the Nine Nether Dao officially revealed itself in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths on this day.
The Scarlet Blood Demon Ancestor and the Violet Gaze Roc King were the first sacrifices recorded on the formidable ledger of the Nine Nether Dao’s renown.
The Three Realms shook, and countless immortals across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths fell utterly silent. (To be continued) Update Fastest F