The dark clouds in the sky parted as auspicious white clouds gathered from all directions, encircling a round patch of blue sky.
Above the auspicious clouds, translucent figures flickered. Banners unfurled and armor glinted as Celestial Soldiers descended.
Li Qingxian looked up at the sky and could vaguely make out the words on the banners: "Thunder Duke General of the White Emperor," "Water, Thunder, Lightning, and Light General," "Thunderbolt Black General," and more.
The heavens thundered with divine drums and battle hymns. A dense barrage of lightning and celestial fire rained down, relentlessly striking the four Third Grade masters from the Demon Sect.
Jiangg Youfei stood amidst the encircling thunder and fire, her white dress fluttering and her black hair flowing like water. She looked like a Female Immortal gazing down upon the world.
The four Third Grade masters from the Demon Sect, who had just been radiating a ferocious aura, were now retreating repeatedly, frantically using their Magical Artifacts and Magic Techniques to defend themselves.
The Celestial Thunder and Celestial Fire were of the Supreme Yang, shattering the Demon Sect’s Magical Artifacts on contact and melting their Magic Techniques upon encounter.
Only Gongg Wu, relying on his Outer Realm Demon Fire, managed to hold his ground. The other three looked like drowning dogs.
All the horses in the convoy fainted and collapsed, causing the carriages to land askew.
Li Qingxian stood on a tilted carriage, his eyes fixed on Jiangg Youfei. He saw that she seemed to be straining but didn’t look like she would get hurt.
While controlling the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal, Jiangg Youfei said, "Open the Demon Array and let them go!"
The four Third Grade Demon Sect masters said nothing, using every means at their disposal to block the descending thunder and fire.
Zhou Henn’s excited voice transmission reached him: "I never expected the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal to be this powerful, nor that Jiangg Youfei could unleash its full might. This battle is a guaranteed victory."
But Li Qingxian felt that something was wrong.
A moment later, Li Qingxian had a sudden realization. ’The Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal is so powerful, there’s no way the enemy can harm Jiangg Youfei with a frontal assault.’
’Yet, the result of Observing Qi on Ye Han showed Jiangg Youfei being seriously injured, even coughing up blood.’
’There’s only one possibility—an ambush!’
Li Qingxian shouted, "Watch out—"
Almost at the exact moment Li Qingxian cried out, an ordinary soldier in the Night Guard Team suddenly shot out, transforming into a streak of black light that soared into the sky.
BANG!
An iron palm flew out from the black light and struck Jiangg Youfei squarely in the back.
A spray of blood...
Jiangg Youfei coughed up blood and fell. The Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal lost its master’s control and plummeted with her, releasing a faint, shimmering barrier that protected her and blocked the ambusher’s second strike.
Li Qingxian, no longer caring about the right moment, raised the purple crystal.
Nothing happened.
The four Third Grade Demon Sect masters and the successful ambusher, also a Third Grade master, gathered together and roared with laughter.
In that instant, their presence became as vast as the seas and as mighty as mountains. They had only been feigning weakness before.
Despair filled everyone’s hearts.
"Come out!" Gongg Wu commanded.
From beyond the thin black mist, hundreds of Demon Sect disciples and Ministry of Justice officials emerged.
Zhou Henn had been about to grab Li Qingxian and flee, but he froze when he saw Li Qingxian standing motionless, holding the purple crystal.
"What are you...?"
Li Qingxian instantly understood why it failed. He lowered the hand holding the purple crystal and whispered to Zhou Henn, "Don’t worry, I have a plan."
’After all, I’m not Ye Han. I probably lack the necessary Qi Fortune or Fate Grid to activate this purple crystal.’
’Celestial Destiny Instrument!’ Li Qingxian screamed in his mind.
RUMBLE...
The sound of the Celestial Destiny Instrument turning echoed as an invisible burst of Qi Fortune exploded and landed on the purple crystal.
The purple crystal seemed to be protected by some kind of power; it would take some time for the Qi Fortune to activate it.
The five Third Grade Demon Sect masters advanced slowly, their Demon Flames soaring to the heavens. Their terrifying aura whipped up a gale, gradually driving away even the Celestial Soldiers and Generals.
Jiangg Youfei sat sideways on the ground, propping herself up with her right arm.
Jiangg Youfei turned to glance at Li Qingxian, a flicker of self-blame in her eyes. She then turned back to the five Third Grade Demon Sect masters and said, "Let them go, or I will sacrifice myself to activate the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal!"
"None of you are getting away!" Gongg Wu waved his right hand, and a vast river of Demonic Qi rushed toward Jiangg Youfei.
BOOM...
Jiangg Youfei and the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal were sent flying backward, crashing heavily in front of a carriage.
Jiangg Youfei spat out a large mouthful of blood, dyeing her white dress red.
Her faint voice reached Li Qingxian’s ears: "Little monkey, run... I’ve let you down..."
But Li Qingxian just smiled and said, "Jiangg the Stubborn Donkey, will you still be so stubborn from now on?"
Jiangg Youfei sighed, clutched the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal, and watched the five approaching Third Grade Demon Sect masters.
Gongg Wu raised his right arm high, and a sky full of Demon Heads rose behind him like a city wall.
Zhou Henn sighed. ’Jiangg Youfei is a generational talent. If not for the ambush, she could have fought off four Third Grade masters with the Thunder Light Fire Rune Seal. But in the end, we underestimated the Demon Sect’s determination and viciousness.’
Li Qingxian raised the purple crystal again and sighed, "I really didn’t want to do this, but for Sister Youfei’s sake, I have no choice but to risk it all."
Jiangg Youfei’s eyes widened. Reflected in her pupils was a colossal figure that connected heaven and earth.
The purple crystal blazed with dazzling Divine Light as Thunderbolt crackled and hissed.
BOOM!
A ball of lightning erupted from Li Qingxian, expanding in all directions. It instantly covered a radius of over ten li, unleashing a gale and a shockwave that sent everyone stumbling.
OMMM...
The auspicious clouds in the sky had been about to disperse, and the silhouettes of the Celestial Soldiers and Generals had faded to the point of vanishing.
But now, even more auspicious clouds rolled in from all directions, forming three distinct layers and encircling a new patch of azure sky.
Each layer of auspicious clouds was packed with countless Celestial Soldiers and Generals.
The banners of the Celestial Soldiers and Generals on the highest layer were different from before, now bearing titles like "Northern Black Emperor Thunder Monarch," "Wind-Fire Primordial Monarch," and "True Ruler of Celestial Thunder."
The figures under these banners were ten times taller than the ordinary Celestial Soldiers and Generals.
The round, azure sky encircled by the auspicious clouds suddenly transformed into a vast, starry expanse.
From the depths of this starry sky, a corner of a magnificent city was revealed.
All that could be seen were golden bricks, Jade Belts, and swirling Thunderbolt. Nothing else was visible. It seemed to be just a section of a city wall, yet it emanated a boundless, colossal aura that could crush the starry sky and annihilate the world.
"Divine Sky Thunder City, the residence of the Celestial Emperor..." Jiangg Youfei murmured, her head tilted toward the heavens.
The disciples of the Celestial Cloud Sect all fell to their knees, chanting, "High Supreme Divine Sky Yuqing True King, Emperor of Eternal Life, and Celestial Ruler of Heaven and Earth."
The moment the Thunder City appeared, its immense aura pressed down. The five Third Grade Demon Sect masters’ knees slammed hard into the dirt. Their backs were forced to bend and their foreheads pressed to the ground. They used all their Magical Power but remained completely motionless.
The younger Demon Sect disciples were crushed into the mud by the formless, mighty force, their bodies splayed out in the shape of the character for "great."
"Jiangg Youfei, how dare you humiliate a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice! I..." Gongg Wu, still thinking this was Jiangg Youfei’s doing, began to curse loudly, but his voice died mid-sentence.
High above, Divine Drums thundered, and the Celestial Soldiers and Generals let out a united war cry.
The massive circle formed by the three layers of auspicious clouds was suddenly filled with an endless torrent of pure white lightning.
From a distance, it looked like a massive pillar of lightning, over ten li in diameter, was descending from the starry sky. It pierced through the heavens, striking directly at Li Qingxian’s location.
It was as if a Celestial God had descended upon the land of the Qii Country and planted a Thunderbolt Spear.
The scholars of Jiangnan, the fishermen of the East Sea, the farmers of the Western Land, the soldiers of the north, and even the Demon Race north of the Great River all looked up in unison.
All living beings, in all their forms, watched the thunder that filled the world.
Fate Masters everywhere were in an uproar.
One after another, powerful consciousnesses took to the sky, their focus turning to a location over a hundred li directly south of the Qii Country’s Divine Capital.
「On Celestial Destiny Mountain.」
An old man gazed at the pillar of lightning from afar, stroking his long beard. He smiled and said, "This must be Ye Han’s Life Formation taking shape, with his Qi Fortune reaching Approaching Officer. With this, we can help him ascend to the Dragon Court and strengthen our Celestial Fate Sect."
「Divine Capital, Imperial Palace.」
An old man in a bright yellow robe had sagging skin, heavy bags under his eyes, and a face full of liver spots.
He stopped reviewing his memorials and glanced outside.
In an instant, his eyes transformed into a clear, azure sky, looking down from the Nine Heavens to survey the Human World.
After a single glance, he lowered his head and, while continuing to review the memorials, said, "Look into it."
"As Your Majesty commands." A Red-Robed Eunuch in a Python Robe transformed into a wisp of black wind and vanished.