Chapter 404: Ruins and Reckoning in Mo City

Within Mo City, everything had been reduced to ruins.

Li Che wore an Underworld Yama Mask split in black and white, his jet-black hair wildly dancing as golden blood surged; a massive blast furnace seemed suspended behind him.

He looked as if he were a mythic warrior chasing the scorching sun, shoulder to shoulder with that burning inferno—his blood roiled with fierce intensity, like a dragon king on patrol!

Mo City had grown far stronger and more resilient than before, yet against a half-step Martial God, it still buckled, as if completely overwhelmed.

Yet beneath Li Che’s piercing eyes, no emotion stirred.

His black robe whipped in the wind as his body swelled; his muscles pulsed like overinflated balloons, and his sinews rippled like coiled dragons—each slight motion releasing a sound like a bow snapping its string.

Scorching blood surged, warping the air with a peerless, resolute, and righteous force!

Beneath his mask, Li Che’s lips moved steadily in rhythm, his inner blood ebbing and flowing like the tide.

“The location of the Eighth Qimen Divine Seed has finally been found,” he declared.

A slight curl at the corner of his lips eased the tension in his heart.

The Eighth Qimen Divine Seed had been the hardest to locate—even pinpointing its position along his spine had continuously eluded him.

Each of the eight spinal Qimen was like a sealed lock waiting to unleash one’s blood for an explosive surge.

So it was no surprise that the eighth was so elusive to Li Che.

“Even if I locate it, drawing the Eighth Divine Seed into the Qimen is not challenging,” he mused.

Li Che narrowed his eyes in determination.

For the Eighth Divine Seed was none other than the Lv Xuan Sword Immortal’s Six Desires Evil-Exterminating Pure Yang Sword Technique!

A sword art that could shift seamlessly between Pure Martial and Divine Martial states.

Li Che had already mastered the Transformation Realm, pushing his skill to the level of Transcendent True Martial Way.

Yet having reached that pinnacle, integrating it into the Qimen proved even more arduous.

“Enough—I’ll settle today’s battle first,” he resolved.

A surge of elation filled him, as if a clear path to the future had finally emerged.

All confusion was torn away, revealing a path bathed in clarity.

“I have slain Tian Can Di Que. They submitted immediately—decisively—and, moreover, these two are rather intriguing,” he remarked.

“Their origins are even linked to the gods…”

Beneath his mask, Li Che’s eyes gleamed mysteriously.

When Tian Can Di Que was besieged, death came without hesitation—he was blasted apart, his blood and flesh scattering.

Together they were invincible; apart, they were little more than weaklings.

Separated, Li Che was confident he could dispatch either within three punches, as they could no longer harness the power of a half-step Martial God to withstand the Heavenly Domain’s pressure.

“It seems that as my strength grows, even these Spiritual Confinements are increasingly likely to submit. Most are wise enough not to resist…”

This state of affairs pleased Li Che immensely.

“Any enemy that steps into my Shandu City will be reborn as a brother,” he vowed.

A soft smile played on his lips.

Then, a towering killing intent erupted around him.

He—was not finished slaughtering yet!

Li Che surged forward like a cannonball, tearing through Mo City and bursting past its walls.

Meanwhile, the shattered remains of Mo City continued to rain down an endless cascade of inky droplets.

Within that dark rain lay potent restorative power, slowly mending Mo City while also accelerating the maturation of the Painted Immortal Dao Fruit.

Boom!!!

In the air above,

A terrifying aura exploded like a surging tidal wave, its white crests expanding in relentless rings.

Fury burned in Tian Can Di Que’s eyes; after leaving Shandu, both spat blood and exuded raw ferocity!

Their half-step Martial God phantom silhouettes spanned the battleground.

Meanwhile, back in Shandu,

The Underworld Yama burst onto the scene, his five fingers clenched while the blast furnace erupted and collided with Tian Can Di Que.

The air, like a still lake struck by a boulder, roiled with surging waves and trembling peaks.

During his duel with Lü Taibai, Ji Mo Li kept a sharp eye on the situation within Mo City.

When Fang Han Shu unleashed a mighty, river-like aura at a half-step Divine Tribulation level, it dramatically shifted the tide of battle!

Thus, he could do nothing but hope for a breakthrough in Mo City.

When Tian Can Di Que was dragged into Mo City, Ji Mo Li’s heart skipped a beat, fearing he might die within its ruins.

If the enemy reinforced with a half-step Divine Tribulation while we lost a half-step Martial God, the consequences would be cataclysmic—

Absolutely earth-shattering!

So, when he saw Tian Can Di Que and Huang Mei, Ji Mo Li exhaled a long-held breath of relief.

Yet, a tinge of regret also flickered within him.

It appeared that the great master from Xiao Lingyin Temple, Huang Mei, truly was not a half-step Divine Tribulation cultivator and had not mastered the Three Calamities Dao Essence Catastrophe Force.

Otherwise, once dragged into Underworld Shandu, Huang Mei could not hide his cultivation any longer and would inevitably erupt.

Even after being beaten, his aura remained at the pinnacle of his strength.

Thus, Ji Mo Li reached his conclusion.

“In that case, our cooperation with Huang Mei will take the lead,” he declared.

Ji Mo Li’s eyes glittered with determination.

Boom!!!

His umbrella spear shuddered, unleashing countless misty spear shadows that exploded across the sky, merging into a dense storm of dragon silhouettes.

Lü Taibai’s brow split with gashes of blood as he invoked the Tao Calamity Sword—a gust of azure wind that stirred souls as it clashed against Ji Mo Li’s brutal spear technique!

The two clashed once more in a ferocious melee.

Neither would yield, their fight igniting a battle fueled by raw fury.

Lü Taibai battled under immense pressure, struggling with every move.

Ji Mo Li’s combat prowess clearly outweighed his; all Lü Taibai could do was try to stall him.

Elsewhere,

Huang Mei burst out of Mo City Shandu, blood spraying, his long brows drooping as he bellowed, “Tian Can Di Que, hold off Underworld Yama!”

His calm vanished, and he wiped the blood from his lips with grim determination.

Behind him, his golden Buddha-like visage was fissured as if on the verge of shattering.

Huang Mei appeared startled, his instinct urging him to retreat.

“I’ll go assist the others first!”

With a swift flick of his long brows and clasping his hands in prayer, his gentle expression belied his urgency.

After speaking, he strode off toward the distance.

Hearing this, the Old Man of Tian Can Di Que roared, “You dead bald mule! Don’t run! Let’s take down Underworld Yama together!”

Yet Huang Mei kept sprinting without a backward glance, forcing Tian Can Di Que to abandon Underworld Yama and chase after him, intent on dragging him back to the fray.

For a brief moment, the battlefield grew oddly chaotic.

Sensing the pursuit, Huang Mei’s expression hardened; his eyes fixed on Ji Mo Li, who was expertly confining Lü Taibai.

“King Ping Luan, I’ve come to help you!” he shouted.

At his feet, radiant Buddhist light spread out like smooth ice, propelling him through the night sky toward Ji Mo Li.

Tian Can Di Que also surged forward, while Underworld Yama’s eyes blazed with golden fire and his mighty Dragon Elephant Furnace roared in defiance!

Was he trying to divert the calamity?

Ji Mo Li squinted, his sharp senses detecting something amiss.

But when Lü Taibai saw Huang Mei charging in, he sneered coldly.

“Huang Mei—you damned bald mule! Dare you show up? Today, I will kill you! Your Xiao Lingyin Temple’s vile Buddhists on Xiling Road make my blood boil!”

“And you dare meddle in a half-step Divine Tribulation battle!”

Yu Yijian’s sword intent howled in response!

Lü Taibai’s sword trembled, its silvery blade coalescing as it crashed like a torrent of sword Qi, laced with the terrifying Annihilating God-Wind!

At the same time, a spear that struck like a soaring dragon surged forward; the umbrella spear expanded suddenly, its spear light showering down like a cascade of stars, while black Netherfire incinerated the void in a clash with the Annihilating God-Wind!

Ji Mo Li countered, intercepting the blow aimed for Huang Mei.

Furious, Lü Taibai shouted, “Ji Mo Li, get lost!”

His sword quivered as its Qi slashed through the air, targeting the faltering Huang Mei with another strike.

Huang Mei roared in indignation, his palms striking out with golden Buddha light to form a protective shield; yet Lü Taibai’s sword light effortlessly tore through the defense with a single, decisive blow!

“Pathetic,” he sneered.

Lü Taibai smiled thinly.

“Weak—so weak!”

He laughed derisively, “Your opponent is me,” as Ji Mo Li emerged, clad in obsidian armor with brilliant bloodlight flashing beneath his mask!

Boom!!!

The umbrella spear arched ominously, as if ready to shatter the void.

Huang Mei’s face paled; his long brows nearly knit together as he retreated, glancing at Ji Mo Li—who had shielded him from Lü Taibai’s lethal strike—with eyes flickering with restless intent.

It seemed the urge to strike was building within him.

That urge to backstab was becoming almost irresistible.

“Don’t move,” came a sudden command.

Then, the Spiritual Confinement spirit stirred, and Li Che’s voice rang in his ears, making Huang Mei shudder.

Puzzled by such a prime opportunity, he wondered why his master would hold back.

But Li Che offered no explanation, and Huang Mei dared not press further; he subdued his eagerness and continued to retreat.

Meanwhile, Lü Taibai, locked in combat with Ji Mo Li, looked perplexed.

He had set up such favorable conditions for Huang Mei—so why did Huang Mei still choose to strike?

Boom!!!

The clash of blood-fueled blasts and half-step Martial God phantoms erupted in a terrifying explosion.

Tian Can Di Que’s duo of half-step Martial God phantoms began to blur as blood splattered continuously.

They cursed Huang Mei, trying to drag him back into the battle against Underworld Yama.

Because Huang Mei was hidden behind Ji Mo Li, Tian Can Di Que’s pair advanced from behind.

Underworld Yama also charged forward.

For a moment, the night sky became a battlefield where four titanic experts—the half-step Divine Tribulation and half-step Martial God cultivators—clashed in a cataclysmic collision!

The oppressive might and the collision of blood energy were overwhelming!

Boom!!!

Tian Can Di Que’s duo, using their half-step Martial God phantoms, slammed a punch into Underworld Yama; the blast furnace unleashed a torrent of terrifying blood energy that sent colossal ripples across the field.

Thud!

The two elders trembled violently as blood splattered once more!

“Damn it! The combined power of our half-step Martial God technique is no match for true half-step Martial God force!”

“King Ping Luan, help us out! Otherwise, we’re finished!”

“If we fall, this battle will be over for us!”

The two elders wiped away their blood and renewed their assault on Underworld Yama, their half-step Martial God phantoms relentlessly battering him.

But they were being pushed back with every blow!

The half-step Martial God phantoms began to blur even further.

Ji Mo Li, diagonally gripping his umbrella spear and frowning, suddenly unleashed a forceful punch imbued with misty Netherfire, smashing into Underworld Yama!

At that moment, Li Che’s eyes darkened as the Thunder Magnetic Conduit Dao Fruit in his chest pulsed mightily!

Sssssss—

Countless black-gold thunderbolts flashed—the Divine Xiao Thunder!

They transformed into the Prison Thunder Network, slamming into Ji Mo Li’s punch.

“You want to seal me off?!” he sneered.

Within that single blow, numerous dragon silhouettes burst forth, colliding frenetically with the Prison Thunder Network as Netherfire coiled around them, shattering it!

“Divine Xiao Thunder? So you command one of the Three Calamities—Divine Xiao Thunder. But it’s nothing special,” he taunted.

Ji Mo Li sensed that Underworld Yama’s grasp of Divine Xiao Thunder was merely superficial.

He hadn’t even reached the Dao level.

Such an Underworld Yama was not to be feared!

However, his physical prowess was immense, built solely on Pure Martial Arts—a fact Ji Mo Li acknowledged, as it was truly formidable.

Achieving such mastery in Pure Martial Arts was exceedingly rare!

Even during the glorious days of Mo City, few had reached such heights in Pure Martial cultivation.

Boom!!!

The Dragon Elephant Furnace roared as it clashed with Ji Mo Li’s shattering punch that had also erupted his own Dragon Elephant Furnace.

A tremendous crash echoed like an ancient bell tolling atop a mountain.

Its shockwaves reverberated across countless miles!

The heavens seemed to burst as a thick, searing mist of blood spread like an impenetrable fog!

The battle descended into utter chaos!

Bang!!!

A divine weapon, once radiant like a copper mirror, lost its divine luster and crumbled into shattered scrap!

Ning Caishen’s face contorted; though he owned many divine weapons, none could withstand the relentless, life-risking assault of this top-tier Underworld force.

He detonated every last one of his Qimen Divine Seeds in a desperate, do-or-die gambit!

From the start, Ning Caishen had been completely overwhelmed; he had no desire to spar with a madman!

Meanwhile, Gu Cheng of the Bashu Sword Pavilion, bursting with sword intent and fierce martial spirit, clashed evenly with Vermilion Bird in a heated duel.

Yet facing Vermilion Bird—who risked everything by igniting his Divine Seeds—Gu Cheng gradually faltered.

His injuries mounted, and he suddenly realized that this could not go on!

As for Zhao Chunqiu of the Divine Sect from Divine Capital, oppressed all his life by the Imperial Court, his once upright stature now sagged in defeat.

Three top-tier Divine Sect Patriarchs had already begun to contemplate retreat during the battle,

especially after Bai Buyi’s demise—

Fang Han Shu, channeling his mighty, flowing aura, locked his gaze onto them.

Fortunately, Fang Han Shu’s attention did not fall on them.

The scholarly gentleman, his long beard whipping in the wind, zeroed in on Xie Yunshen aboard the battle ship.

“Capture the leader first—”

“But—”

Fang Han Shu hesitated from striking immediately.

He was a scholar, and so was Xie Yunshen; between scholars, there existed a mutual resonance.

Fang Han Shu wondered: if Xie Yunshen dared challenge the Qianyuan Divine Sect, did he truly bring only these few strong figures?

Qianyuan Divine Sect—

Yet, there was the Ancestral Patriarch!

That Ancestral Patriarch had never claimed to be dead!

In fact, every major Divine Sect had an ancestral patriarch at the Divine Tribulation stage!

So…

Was Xie Yunshen’s hand really just these figures?

Tian Dan Gu Changqing, Qi Bao Ning Caishen, Longhu Zhao Chunqiu, Haoran Bai Buyi, and Jiange Gu Cheng—only these five Patriarchs?

Plus King Ping Luan and Ji Mo Li.

Is that all?!

Not so—

Divine Tribulation?!

Fang Han Shu hovered in midair, his mighty aura surging as pages inscribed with messy characters swirled about him; every page was as sharp as a blade.

His scholarly robe whipped wildly as his long beard danced in the wind.

His gaze met Xie Yunshen’s in the vast sky.

Xie Yunshen, in humble attire, sliced through the air repeatedly, his feather fan swaying calmly as he stood unruffled amidst the oppressive might.

Next to him, his bodyguard Ning An could barely remain upright.

The Country Master muttered, “This is too dangerous!”

In front, Ma Mian aimed a terrifying weapon mechanism but hesitated to fire.

Also, a vacant half-step Divine Tribulation cultivator—the Sacred Confucian who commanded the mighty aura—had appeared.

In this all-out sect war, who was really attacking whom?!

Xie Yunshen’s feather fan swayed gently as his deep gaze, clad in simple robes, met the overwhelming pressure without fear.

“Rest assured, Fang Han Shu wouldn’t dare strike me lightly,” he said quietly.

As for why Ma Mian and Li Che had not fired yet—

he guessed they were waiting for our final trump card to emerge!

In battles between Divine Tribulation cultivators, the one who strikes first must face the wrath of the cosmos, while delaying confers the upper hand.

Li Che must have deduced the same.

“Li Che wants to kill me in one blow—so he waits until all our trump cards are played out before he acts,” Xie Yunshen explained calmly.

Li Che intended to wait for his backup Divine Tribulation to manifest before unleashing his confirmatory strike.

If that divine force hadn’t appeared, his one-hit finish might be blocked.

So—

Li Che’s target was clear.

“This Li Bansheng… is not bad at all—he has immense faith in Underworld power, believing their strength will gradually suppress ours until our final trump card is forced out,” Xie Yunshen said in a low tone.

Ning An, drenched in sweat and clutching his long blade, added, “But, Country Master—our current situation truly is dire!”

“We’ve lost two Divine Sect Patriarchs, and the remaining three are barely holding on—”

Xie Yunshen shook his head.

His eyes shifted to the Grand Canal.

“Dragon God’s Crown Prince, now is your time.”

“The Great Jing Court will never forget the Dragon God Clan’s support,” Xie Yunshen declared.

As his words faded,

Along the Grand Canal, slender, elongated dragon silhouettes erupted from the water in a burst of force.

Fang Han Shu’s gaze fell upon them.

“Dragon God Clan?”

Sure enough, as the water receded with the roaring cascade,

A figure in ornate robes with horns and eyes emitting a purple glow emerged, his overwhelming aura thundering with might!

“Dragon God’s Crown Prince Aofa!”

Fang Han Shu squinted.

His purple hair flew wildly, and beneath his neck, dragon scales shone brightly.

He was none other than the Dragon God Clan’s top son, Crown Prince Aofa, ranked ninth at Heavenly Gate and possessing the might of a Dragon King!

A title: Dragon God’s Crown Prince!

“Even you have come. It appears the Dragon God Clan is staking everything on the Imperial Court.”

“Let me guess—your clan’s fervent support for Ji Mo Li and alliance with the Great Jing Court is because you want to go ashore?”

Fang Han Shu remarked.

The Dragon God’s Crown Prince, grasping a trident in one hand, sighed, “Yes, we want to go ashore. Nowadays, with more Bizarre Temples sprouting and countless Demon Emperors emerging from Weird Sanctuaries, my clan can no longer hold the line.”

Fang Han Shu sneered, “Aren’t you Dragon God Clan… demons yourselves?”

“Not content to live in harmony with demons, yet fighting humans for territory?”

“So you’ve fixed your eyes on Qianyuan—planning to turn it into your clan’s future breeding ground?”

The Dragon God’s Crown Prince merely shook his head, his meaning clear without words.

One hand clutching his trident, the other slowly raised a dragon pearl radiating majestic Dragon Might into view.

Within the pearl swirled a terrifying demonic aura!

“Dragon Emperor Pearl?!”

Fang Han Shu’s eyes narrowed.

He saw the Dragon God’s Crown Prince swallow the Dragon Emperor Pearl, his aura skyrocketing as demonic energy raged—one step later, he stood before Fang Han Shu.

The trident swept out, and the very fabric of space seemed to tear asunder!

Empowered by the Dragon Emperor Pearl, the Crown Prince had reached the level of half-step Demon Emperor!

Boom!!!

The mighty river of energy surged, water erupting thousands of feet into the air!

Elsewhere, three other sons of the Dragon God Clan soared skyward; their three-headed dragon silhouettes intertwined as they unleashed a terrifying aura.

The scene was all too familiar to Fang Han Shu—it resembled the combined techniques of the Four Symbols guardians of the Great Jing Court.

Fang Han Shu’s face darkened.

How could Xie Yunshen be so composed, having prepared so many trump cards just to face the Qianyuan Divine Sect?

Merely the power of half-step Divine Tribulation and half-step Martial God were represented by four figures alone!

Not to mention the hidden Divine Tribulation cultivator!

Xie Yunshen surely had one—I was certain of it!

Boom!!!

“Everyone, come to me!”

Fang Han Shu’s scholarly robe whipped in the wind as a fierce scholarly rage lit his eyes.

He blocked the Dragon God’s Crown Prince and the three Dragon God Clan sons, forming a half-step Dragon God phantom barrier!

A roar erupted instantly.

Whether in Qianyuan Dao City or on the battle ships along the Grand Canal, the Imperial forces wore grim expressions.

In Qianyuan Dao City, Zhao Fangzhou, Feng Zhiqi, and other Divine Sect experts looked extremely tense.

They had believed their advantage secured against the Imperial assault.

Yet now, the Imperial side had added two more half-step Martial God level fighters!

How were they to fight back?!

Prolonging the battle further would only grant the Imperial side another half-step Martial God force; even the Elder might not hold them off.

Over time, vulnerabilities were bound to appear!

But then, just as everyone’s anxiety peaked, all eyes were drawn to the fierce melee between Fang Han Shu, the Dragon God’s Crown Prince, and his half-step Dragon God phantom.

Suddenly, a roar split the sky as if it tore the heavens apart!

A thunderous blast, like an extremely sharp blade, rent the sky with its fury!

That roar carried with it sheer astonishment and disbelief!

Everyone’s ears buzzed, their minds muddled, as if their very blood had turned chaotic.

Feng Zhiqi, Zhao Fangzhou, Hong Shifo, and the others all stared toward the tumultuous clash of the four half-step Divine Tribulation experts!

In an instant—

They were utterly dumbfounded!

And on the Xuantie Spirit Wood battle ship,

Xie Yunshen restored order with a light flick of his feather fan as a gentle breeze caressed his face; he knew that if they delayed any longer, victory would be theirs for certain.

Although Ning Caishen, Gu Cheng, and Zhao Chunqiu were struggling under injuries,

the Underworld’s mysterious top-tier force had detonated its Divine Seeds in a near-suicidal bid for advantage.

The trio fought on, determined to delay the enemy at all costs.

This self-destructive tactic was unsustainable.

Once the Divine Seeds’ blood energy and divinity were exhausted, it would be time for the three Divine Sect Patriarchs to counterattack.

Yet—

A furious, enraged roar shattered the dark clouds and tore through the streams!

Countless drifting snowflakes in the sky evaporated in an instant!

Xie Yunshen’s eyes trembled.

A wave of deep unease surged through him!

He turned to the direction from which the roar came.

That roar—

It was the roar of King Ping Luan Ji Mo Li!

“Impossible!!!”

And yet,

For the first time, the usually composed Xie Yunshen’s face contorted, his eyes bloodshot with fury!

Because—

The two elders of Tian Can Di Que…

Glanced upward to see the heavens torn asunder by terrifying, chaotic currents!

The two elders, though fighting alongside Ji Mo Li—and even as he bore extra burden against Lü Taibai and Underworld Yama—

Suddenly, their once-illusory half-step Martial God phantoms solidified.

They simultaneously detonated every one of their Qimen Divine Seeds!

Their half-step Martial God phantoms became even more concentrated and formidable!

Then,

With a sweep of demonic elephant hooves, a fierce, penetrating glare burst forth with deadly intensity!

The full force of their half-step Martial God power crashed into Ji Mo Li!

Xie Yunshen’s body trembled violently, as if on the verge of collapse, his chest stabbed as if the heavens themselves were falling.

1

He—so loyal—

Tian Can Di Que!

Betrayed!