Chapter 426: The Inky Storm Over Inky City

The inky rain cascaded relentlessly over the city tower, pelting the dark bricks with pea-sized droplets.

Like a calligraphy brush soaked in thick ink, the storm flung itself about, bursting into a dense, dark mist.

Before our eyes, the majestic, mysterious Inky City floated, its sprawling, interwoven lines resembling a vast chessboard that upheld its towering form.

Above the city gates, turbulent winds wailed as they swept past, their wild gusts nearly smacking the grotesquely distorted face hidden within the cinder furnace until it could barely open its eyes.

On the city gate, the words ‘Shandu’ were inscribed!

A figure clad in a black robe decorated with golden lotus patterns sat with his back turned.

It was as if the entire world had fallen silent at that very moment.

“Kids squabbling—what use have we old folks for meddling?”

The calm voice emerged from the robed figure, as ancient and enigmatic as a timeless beast, imposing an inexplicable pressure on the figure in the furnace.

Such an oppressive aura was beyond belief; beings of his caliber could only be challenged by the disasters and tribulations stirred by the will of Heaven and Earth!

Who was this man that could make even him feel so overpowered?

The fat, lecherous face hidden within the furnace slowly narrowed its eyes.

As expected—

How could a man-drug of such exquisite scent possibly lack its guardian?

Li Che slowly turned from the tower, donning his beloved Ogre Mask—just as he had worn it to protect his daughter in Feilei City.

Now that his daughter had ventured out to hone her skills with a cute version of the mask, he, as her father, naturally donned the Ogre Mask as well.

Old Ogre guarding the young calf—it made perfect sense.

Li Che still clutched the Divine Crystal of the Three Pure Ones, which he had been meditating upon in his study while keeping a strand of his mind on XiXi’s situation.

Even as the martial challengers of the Martial Saint stage targeted XiXi, Li Che refrained from interfering; he wanted her to gain real combat experience.

Though he constantly monitored her safety, XiXi was likely more than capable of handling a First Stage Martial Saint opponent.

But when that monstrous old creature in the furnace, grimacing with every word as if calling everyone a mere ‘man-drug’, appeared—Li Che could no longer turn a blind eye.

For such an entity was far beyond what XiXi could presently withstand.

Though not present in bodily form, the creature was a bona fide case of Divine Calamity Advancement.

From Gu Changqing, Li Che had learned that the oily presence in the furnace was none other than the Yang Xuan Patriarch from Tian Dan Divine Sect’s dual mysteries.

While the Yin Xuan Patriarch specialized in toxins, this Yang Xuan Patriarch was far less ostentatious.

Yet now, it seemed even the Yang Xuan Patriarch had developed a tiny flaw.

Inside the furnace, the greasy face squinted slightly.

“Indeed, you’re right, sir—kids fight among themselves, and we old ones shouldn’t interfere. It’s my fault indeed, haha.”

His thick lips moved as he let out a throaty, mirthful laugh.

Then, a burst of flames exploded as if a great fire had ignited inside the furnace, sending billows of black smoke surging away like a streaking light along the path back towards the Tian Dan Divine Sect’s mountain gate.

Not a hint of intent to confront Li Che.

Beneath his Ogre Mask, Li Che’s face was arctic, a slight smirk curving his lips.

“Man-drug?”

That cool voice resonated.

Then, a terrifying killing intent surged like a tidal wave, as if it could sweep across the Grand Canal of Guangling Daocheng, roaring in unison with the oppressive force of Heaven and Earth!

To use his daughter as man-drug?!

If Li Che did not intervene, would this Yang Xuan Patriarch stoop to abduct his daughter for his alchemy?

And what of the Dengxian Pavilion in Guangling Daocheng?

Surely, it was yet another trick of the Yang Xuan Patriarch!

According to Gu Changqing, Tian Dan Divine Sect had even established the Dengxian Tower to concoct a slow-acting toxic pill solely to amass wealth and gather resources for their patriarchs’ cultivation.

Thus, through XiXi’s eyes, Li Che witnessed the dire conditions within Dengxian Pavilion.

While other Divine Sects suppressed the Bizarre Temple and quelled the Temple Spirit,

Tian Dan Divine Sect instead chose to cozy up to the Temple Spirit, forming a disreputable alliance rather than outright subjugation—and thereby inheriting its legacy.

This was the consequence of the Great Jing Court granting Divine Sects free rein over their local Bizarre Temples!

Now, with the Temple Guardian Division and Imperial Watch troops being redeployed across the land, every sect’s maneuvers came to light.

Of course, there were still diligent sects like Qianyuan Divine Sect, steadfastly quelling Bizarre Temples for the local people.

They even relocated numerous odd temples around Daocheng within the sect’s Mountain Gate, demonstrating immense resolve.

Yet there were also those, like Tian Dan Divine Sect, who shamelessly colluded with the Temple Spirit.

Boom—

A muffled thunderclap echoed, and the fog-laden air rippled as if disturbed by surging waves.

Beneath the Ogre Mask, Li Che’s body suddenly grew in stature, muscles coalescing as if molten metal in hues of black and red intertwined with a shimmer of golden blood, encircled by a veil of golden mist.

Bang!

With a deft flick of his fingers, Li Che dropped a piece onto the Cosmic Chessboard and shifted position as swiftly as a shooting star.

He appeared right in the path of the Yang Xuan Patriarch, halting the advance of that furnace.

The Cosmic Chessboard spanned across Inky City, the ancient gate bearing the word ‘Shandu’ pulsed as if a myriad of souls were roaring in protest!

It was like a city symbolizing death itself!

The furnace exploded in towering flames, and the greasy visage dumbfounded as its eyes widened, bellowing in anger, “You’re getting greedy!”

“I’ve abandoned this man-drug—what more do you want?!”

Inside the furnace, the Yang Xuan Patriarch roared in a frenzy, his chaotic will battering outward in a relentless onslaught.

Behind the Ogre Mask, Li Che’s eyes were as cold as icicles.

“I’ll kill you.”

His quiet, husky voice resonated in the air.

The frenzied roars from the furnace seemed to choke mid-scream.

Boom!

!!

The massive black door of Mo City Shandu gaped like a bloodied maw, swallowing everything whole.

Snow fell, only to be instantly twisted and burned by black flames into showering rain.

Clanging sounds echoed relentlessly as the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel flared with black fire—devouring every ray of light—while one of XiXi’s eyes sparkled with liveliness and the other turned pitch black, its pupil blossoming like a dark lotus.

Her braids trembled as the Yulian Divine Mark on her brow radiated brilliance; the three-headed, eight-armed Yulian visage behind her transformed dramatically, her open fingers suddenly gripping a Fire-Tipped Spear, slicing a half-moon arc as she glared sideways at Gu Chuan.

Gu Chuan, having ingested a forbidden pill, was now neither fully human nor ghost; he never imagined that a seven-year-old could corner him so utterly.

Yet at that moment, the overwhelming aura emanating from XiXi sent a chill down his spine.

The forbidden pill he swallowed had drawn on the power of the Temple Spirit—but now that divine force was fading like melting snow.

A grim premonition spread within him.

XiXi sensed a surge of unprecedented might and grandeur!

So this is what true strength felt like!

When one grows truly mighty, change is inevitable!

Boom!

!!!

Patterns resembling prison lotus spread all over XiXi’s skin, as her blood and qi surged and transformed.

With a single step, her power soared; her small frame now harbored the force to shatter skies, burn voids, and twist reality!

In that instant as she stepped forward, she vanished completely.

The air above erupted into swirling, chaotic currents.

Gu Chuan howled in fury!

His heart sank—he realized he might never see his patriarch again.

For he could no longer sense the patriarch’s presence…

At that moment, Gu Chuan almost cursed his master. Had he known the patriarch wouldn’t come, he would have let XiXi go—what use was provoking this little girl?

Who would have thought that a seven-year-old could harbor such terrifying power?

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

The air vibrated as if an unseen force was transmitted; a dark spear flashed past him like a roaring black dragon.

Gu Chuan’s twisted qi felt frozen, leaving him no time to react—

and he suddenly sensed a massive, lotus-shaped gap opening across his body!

A long spear ablaze with black fire pierced him. The sheer, unbridled divine force tore through his meridians, severing his vital qi.

It shattered his already cracked organs under extreme strain!

“You…”

Gu Chuan’s eyes widened in terror as his mouth gaped.

Bang!

XiXi’s chubby hand, wrapped around the spear, trembled violently as if black flames transformed into a relentless dragon’s assault!

Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant! Whether by spear, fist, blade, or sword!

These were the martial techniques Li Che had passed on to XiXi!

Now, in her Emperor XiXi state, she had grasped even deeper layers of martial arts!

The fierce, raging black flames twisted the void as if a black fire-dragon emerged from the depths, bursting forth from the abyss, the ocean, and even the heavens!

Just like a fire-dragon, its roaring flames raged unchecked!

That Martial Saint, Gu Chuan, let out a piercing, mournful scream—

then his entire body exploded into countless fragments of burning, black flame, like shattered meteors plummeting from the sky.

Emperor XiXi.

The seven-year-old had achieved the Martial Saint rank!

Behind her, the eight-armed, three-headed invincible Yulian Divine Mark hovered as she casually gripped the black-fire spear.

One eye burned with icy coldness while the other sparkled with unbridled joy, alternating like the dual nature of her being.

“I’m so powerful!”

“Emperor XiXi, you’re just too strong!”

XiXi drew a deep breath, marveling at her own strength in awe.

Yet, stepping on the Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, she transformed into a streak of black light and darted downward, snatching the Qian Kun Jade that had fallen with Gu Chuan’s shattered corpse.

This was her hard-earned prize!

The Yulian Divine Mark that had adorned her body began to shift back, merging into the mark on her brow.

Only after all was done did XiXi exhale a long, relieved breath and pick up the Feilei Chess Piece.

“Let’s roll, let’s roll!”

“Kill a Martial Saint and then dash—this is exhilarating!”

Amidst the swirling snow, the commotion slowly subsided.

The raging winds finally stilled.

It was only Jin Taisui, Yun’e, and Zhou Peng who paused their advance.

Yun’e clutched the White Feilei Chess Piece tightly in her hand.

XiXi had promised her that she could use the chess piece to escape the Martial Saint’s pursuit.

Yet, even after so long, XiXi had not returned…

Then, with a deafening explosion, the mushroom formation detonated, its earth-shattering shockwaves nearly dissipating all remnants of its destructive force.

But XiXi still hadn’t come back…

Yun’e’s heart filled with deep worry—could it be that XiXi was in danger?

The thought left her pale and trembling, barely able to stand.

She feared that such tremendous commotion might summon the patriarchs of Tian Dan Divine Sect.

After all, the sect’s patriarchs were all masters of Divine Calamity Advancement.

Should one of them act—

XiXi might not even have time to use her evasion techniques!

“Sister Yun’e, don’t worry. XiXi is clever and knows her limits. She wouldn’t let anything happen.”

Zhou Peng, ever cool, smiled gently as he replied, stuffing a couple of buns into his mouth.

Yun’e, however, paid him no mind.

Even Jin Taisui grew restless, rising as if to dash back towards the blast.

But Zhou Peng quickly pulled him back, “Where are you going?”

“Going back to meet death?”

“I’m off to find XiXi,” Jin Taisui replied in a low, steady voice.

Just as his words faded,

Yun’e gasped—a flash! The Feilei Divine Chess Piece in her hand vanished suddenly.

When it reappeared, it was as a distorted silhouette, gradually coming into focus.

There stood XiXi, radiating a torrent of heat.

As soon as she returned, she collapsed onto the ground, melting the accumulated snow into a vast pit in mere moments.

Her cheeks flushed, her divine energy and life force surging and fluctuating wildly.

XiXi sat cross-legged and resumed her cultivation.

Her cultivation seemed to be reaching a breaking point—she was about to ascend into a higher state.

Tears of relief and joy welled in Yun’e’s eyes as she finally felt at ease seeing XiXi return.

A small smile crept onto Jin Taisui’s face.

Even the ever-stubborn Zhou Peng couldn’t help but exhale in relief.

Boom!

Guangling Daocheng!

The entire city trembled as if convulsing violently at that very moment.

The Grand Canal that cut through the city burst into tumultuous torrents, as if unleashing a wild, howling storm upon the entire metropolis!

At the mountain peak of Tian Dan Divine Sect’s main gate,

inside a vast temple,

a massive cinder furnace was placed atop an altar.

Suddenly, the furnace began to shake.

A cracking sound issued from its surface as a fissure appeared.

Soon, smoke billowed out from the furnace, gradually coalescing in midair into the shape of an old man.

“How dare you! You actually eradicated someone from my side with that blasted toad furnace!”

The old man’s eyes flashed with ferocity.

Drifting gracefully to the temple doorway, he looked up to see the heavens and earth boiling; dark clouds churned overhead and thunder leaped—a catastrophic response to the divine calamity stirred by a deity’s demise.

The old man ignored the shifts in Heaven and Earth’s will, his Dao Soul sweeping over the scene as he quickly grasped what had transpired.

His gaze darkened.

His own toad furnace had sensed the aura of the supreme man-drug and reached out to capture it—only to have it backfire.

That inky city, with its imposing black-robed figure seated against the mortal realm—

His toad furnace was renowned for its top-tier combat prowess—abilities that even the highest elites might envy—after all, a toad is venomous!

But it was utterly helpless and had been shattered without resistance.

“Damn it, this accursed supreme man-drug—and her guardian! They all deserve to die!”

Fury, madness, and twisted rage contorted the old man’s features.

The temple floor trembled underfoot as he roared, “They must die! They’ve shattered my toad furnace! Damned be them!”

With a final bellow, he stormed back into the furnace and sealed the shattered fissure permanently.

From deep within his heart,

he felt no disgrace.

Bang! Bang!

Winds roared like an unstoppable torrent!

The entire inky city shuddered as wild, dragon-like gusts spun around, violently eroding the ground until it sank into chasms, with countless web-like cracks spreading outward.

The force was so terrifying that it seemed capable of crushing the very air into dust, rippling outward like a series of concentric waves!

After what felt like an eternity, the tumult subsided, and the dreadful energy within Inky City gradually quieted down.

In a deep pit, a grotesquely twisted cinder furnace lay smashed amidst gnarled fragments.

Among the rubble, stones tumbled as fleeting human silhouettes stepped by, shattering into powder upon impact.

Li Che, beneath his Ogre Mask, stretched his arms wide; nine thick tendons along his spine tensed as if his backbone were the very rampart of a roaring dragon ready to burst through flesh.

With a sharp crack, the cinder furnace finally broke apart…

revealing an enormous, hideous figure inside—one resembling a toad.

A split personality? It seemed his will had been transferred into this toad form—no wonder it was so weak.

Beneath the Ogre Mask, Li Che’s eyes glowed coldly.

“This is… the Toad Furnace of the Yang Xuan Patriarch! The Toad Pill within is forged from the divine power of the Temple Spirit—a vessel for his earthly will!”

Gu Changqing hurriedly explained, “The Toad Furnace is akin to the Three-Life Technique of Buddhist alchemy; our sect’s Tian Dan Doppelganger stems from it—”

“Yet compared to the doppelgänger technique, this is far more refined. After all, this Toad Furnace carries the will of a true Divine Calamity Advancement figure.”

Gu Changqing said with utmost respect, though he was clearly puzzled by how their Lord had shattered a patriarch’s toad furnace.

“So—you call this abomination a pill?”

Li Che’s low, resonant voice echoed.

The toad’s prowess was formidable, its methods strange, but it was equivalent to top-level mastery—even half a step in Divine Calamity was beneath him, so dispatching it came with little effort.

Gu Changqing managed an ingratiating smile, “My lord, there are four Toad Furnaces in all, each containing a fraction of the Yang Xuan Patriarch’s will. They are positioned at the four corners of Guangling Daocheng, where their toad pills are used to refine alchemic qi.”

He continued, “These furnaces require the blood of infants to operate—and their medicinal effect is superb, greatly aiding divine cultivation, for they contain the divine might of the Temple Spirit—”

Li Che’s eyes flashed with disgust.

Even though he had erased the Divine Calamity Advancement’s Heaven-Earth Dao Soul from that Toad Pill, there was no way he would ever consume such a pill.

“My lord, if you refuse to take this pill, might you bestow it upon me? I could use it as an alchemic catalyst,” Gu Changqing pleaded reverently, desperate to prove his worth.

Li Che raised an eyebrow, “So you wish to refine that toxic pill—the Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill?”

Gu Changqing shook his head and, with a hint of bashfulness, replied, “Even an alchemy sage knows a little about poisons. I plan to develop my own toxin—”

Li Che didn’t object, sweeping his hand and sending the Toad Pill straight to Gu Changqing.

“My lord, the four Toad Furnaces each contain a part of the Yang Xuan Patriarch’s Heaven-Earth Dao Soul. Positioned around Guangling Daocheng, they are used to refine alchemic qi.”

“With the furnace shattered, the Yang Xuan Patriarch must have sensed it—your life might be in danger,” Gu Changqing warned.

Li Che’s eyes sparkled beneath his Ogre Mask as he replied, “Oh? Not to worry.”

“If he truly wishes to die, let him make a move,” Li Che said coldly, his tone laced with confidence and ruthlessness. “If that Yang Xuan Patriarch dares act, he’ll experience the might of my Spiritual Confinement—I won’t hesitate to tear him apart!”

He added, “Zhao Beidou, the Divine Calamity specialist, hasn’t even made a move yet!”

Gu Changqing, sensing the palpable confidence radiating from Li Che, immediately bowed his head in deference.

Li Che extended his hand, and the Toad Pill flew into the air, hovering before him.

In the depth of a Mud Pellet chamber, the Seven Aperture Luminous Heart throbbed violently,

like rolling thunder. The unsullied heart’s divine essence poured over the Toad Pill,

and a piercing shriek echoed out!

Slowly, a long-dormant Heaven-Earth Dao Soul emerged from deep within the pill, writhing and twisting as it shot upward towards the Heavenly Dome.

“I grant this to you,” Li Che pronounced, watching as the released Dao Soul was bestowed upon Gu Changqing.

Gu Changqing’s eyes lit up with joy as he exclaimed, “Thank you, my lord!”

Seizing the moment, his Spiritual Confinement surged as his eyes burned bright red, and he dashed off in pursuit of the divine Heaven-Earth Dao Soul.

Clearly, the patriarch had incurred his wrath!

Today, Gu Changqing felt he was defying his teacher and even his own ancestors!

“It’s irresistible,” he murmured.

After swallowing the Heaven-Earth Dao Soul, Gu Changqing’s aura surged rapidly—a growth rate that rivaled even those who absorbed other Spiritual Confinement energies!

Li Che’s eyes brightened as if an entire cosmic pathway had been revealed.

Apparently, the Divine Calamity Advancement’s Heaven-Earth Dao Soul possessed hidden benefits!

When Zhao Beidou was slain, his Heaven-Earth Dao Soul was utterly obliterated—what a shame! It was such a waste!

Gu Changqing’s aura spiked, swiftly elevating him to a half-step Divine Calamity level!

Although Gu Changqing’s own cultivation was already formidable and he had consumed countless pills (despite plateauing), his transformation had broken through once again after switching to Spiritual Confinement mode.

Thus, his power surged effortlessly, achieving a substantial boost in his half-step Divine Calamity stage.

Li Che’s eyes gleamed as he realized a new path for augmenting Spiritual Confinement had opened.

Recently, Li Che had been troubled by the fact that as Spiritual Confinement cultivators grew stronger, their will became clearer. Unless one truly craved death, most would wisely choose to submit and seek survival.

Thus, for many Spiritual Confinement practitioners like You Liqing or Su Lei Ba, opportunities to boost their strength had evaporated.

His gaze fixed again on the Toad Pill. His fingers spread as his Pure Heart Dao Fruit throbbed, and the Seven Aperture Luminous Heart released its divine essence—

amidst a cacophony of cries from little maidens’ souls, ethereal figures floated like wisps of blue smoke, drifting throughout Inky City.

Li Che watched in silence.

Gu Changqing kept his head bowed, too fearful to speak but sighing softly.

In Tian Dan Divine Sect, though he was the nominal sect leader with high honor, in truth he held little real power.

The true authority lay with the patriarchs openly stationed in Guangling Daocheng, notably the venerable Gu Yangxuan, who had arranged the four Toad Furnaces.

Since the Imperial Court allowed Divine Sects to manage their own Bizarre Temples, the patriarchs had been running amok.

Between him and the Yang Xuan Patriarch, Gu Changqing clearly favored—and respected—the Yin Xuan Patriarch, even though the latter was notorious for his toxic pill mastery.

At least, the Yin Xuan Patriarch would never make a deal with the Temple Spirit or use children’s blood for alchemy.

That was partly why Gu Changqing had pledged his loyalty to the Imperial Court.

Out of sight, yet free of worry.

Watching the forlorn souls of children—three, four, even five years old—all staring back with innocent curiosity despite their demise, Li Che’s eyes began to shimmer with emotion.

Which father could endure such sights?!

“Gu Changqing,” the deep voice of Ogre resonated.

Gu Changqing, lost in his breakthrough, instantly wiped the smile off his face.

He knelt in deep reverence, embodying absolute loyalty as he lowered himself before the drifting souls of the children.

“My lord, such a Tian Dan—should be destroyed!”

“Once I was the leader of Tian Dan Divine Sect, but today I, Gu Changqing, am willing to be the vanguard!”

Li Che paid no heed to Gu Changqing’s kneeling salutation.

Once he had converted all the Imperial armies to his own, Tian Dan Divine Sect would be the first to endure the court’s ultimate betrayal.

In a single breath, the world fell eerily silent.

No whisper of wind or patter of rain could be heard.

Li Che spread his five fingers wide, directing his gaze at the souls of those children, a rare tenderness flickering in his eyes.

“Souls, return home.”

“Children…”

“May you live happily in the Underworld Shandu.”