Chapter 427: The Awakening of the Soul and the Rise of the Divine War

A myriad of soul fragments gradually solidified and drifted gently to the ground as swirling black mist roiled ceaselessly.

The souls of those children emanating from the Human Head Toad Pill were all successfully captured by Spiritual Confinement.

After the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit evolved to the 1v6 stage, the restrictions on Spiritual Confinement eased, allowing even these ordinary, untrained children to be captured.

The children, now gathered by Spiritual Confinement, frolicked wildly through Mo City.

It was as if they were rediscovering the sensation of controlling their own bodies—joyful, excited, curious, and moved.

Li Che slowly removed the Underworld Yama mask, a gentle tenderness flickering in his eyes.

For Li Che, these children captured by Spiritual Confinement were insignificant drains—too weak, utterly incapable of resistance.

Gu Changqing rose respectfully, watching the gleeful children run about, his eyes betraying a hint of remorse.

As the Sect Leader of the Tian Dan Divine Sect, he felt hopelessly powerless to prevent what was unfolding.

In truth, the calamity befalling these children was closely linked to him.

“I’ve seen this scene before,” he remarked.

“Back in Feilei City, many children perished. Unfortunately—I lacked the ability to summon them back then.”

Li Che’s dark robe, adorned with intricate golden lotus patterns, billowed as he gazed into the distance, lost in memories of the past.

At that time, Feilei City had been tainted by the Lingying Sect under the Corpse God Sect, ultimately suffering a great calamity.

Had he not bound himself through his daughter’s birth to obtain a Dao Fruit, he wouldn’t have even been capable of protecting her; sheltering his daughter until Li Qingshan—the fated guide—arrived would have been nothing short of a miracle.

With a soft sigh, a cool breeze carrying the chill rains of Mo City brushed past.

The children, delighting in the rain, forgot all about the wails of lost souls and the longing for their parents.

They began to play happily with the water, running wildly through the alleyways with their little companions.

Suddenly, Li Che’s thoughts shifted as he glanced toward Gu Changqing.

“The actions of the Tian Dan Divine Sect here—aren’t they somewhat similar to those of the Lingying Sect? Isn’t your Tian Dan Divine Sect colluding with the Corpse God Sect?”

Li Che inquired.

“Corpse God Sect——”

Gu Changqing’s expression instantly turned somber.

He shook his head and said, “Master, at least during my oversight of our sect, I never observed any liaison between our alchemists and the Corpse God Sect…”

“As for our two patriarchs, the Yin Xuanzu will certainly not, but the Yang Xuanzu… that remains uncertain.”

After a moment’s thought, Gu Changqing stated with absolute certainty.

He candidly revealed that the Yang Xuanzu might indeed be linked to the Corpse God Sect because the method of concocting the Human Head Toad Pill—such an abominable technique—had never been used by the Tian Dan Divine Sect before.

It was, in fact, pioneered by Master Yang Xuanzu.

“The method for crafting these Human Head Toad Pills bears a striking resemblance to that of the Corpse God Sect,” he added.

“The Corpse God Sect—I haven’t paid them attention for a long time…”

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

Stepping out of Feilei City, Li Che felt the weight of two enormous burdens: one was Ji Mo Li, and the other—a relentless pressure pushing him to grow stronger—was the Corpse God Sect!

For Li Che nowadays, clashing head-on with the Corpse God Sect was no issue; however, attempting to annihilate them was another matter.

He was unsure of the true depth of the Corpse God Sect’s power.

In a thought, Li Che erected house after house in Mo City for the frolicking children, granting them a property to call their own.

“Master, these children are clever. May I select a few to train as medicine boys?”

Gu Changqing, noticing the expression on Li Che’s face, couldn’t help but speak up to ease his master’s worries.

Li Che shot Gu Changqing a glance and broke into a smile, giving his approval.

Then he summoned one Temple Spirit after another, instructing them—like Gu Changqing—to choose certain child souls to serve as their personal apprentices. Although the advancement of Spiritual Confinement required consumption, providing these children with a sense of belonging was a bonus.

The Underworld in Shandu was too desolate.

More confined subjects would at least liven things up.

After completing everything and watching the children being claimed by their respective guardians, Li Che felt his spirit stir.

With a clenched fist, he instantly vanished from Mo City.

Snow fell like goose down, swirling and twirling in the sky as it settled.

XiXi sat cross-legged in the snow, her whole body radiating intense heat, like a red-hot branding iron.

The falling snowflakes melted instantly upon touching her, turning into droplets.

Jin Taisui, Yun’e, and Zhou Peng stood vigilantly in three directions, determinedly protecting XiXi.

None had expected that as soon as XiXi returned, she would immediately enter a state of cultivation. Her body pulsed with fluctuating qi and divine energy, clearly on the verge of a breakthrough.

This left the trio both astonished and envious…

Especially Jin Taisui, who felt that while he had once narrowly lost to XiXi, the gap between them now had widened considerably.

Jin Taisui was left speechless, only able to redouble his efforts to bridge the gap.

His eyes, sharp as ever, watched over XiXi with resolute determination.

Initially, Yun’e and the others had feared that martial saint-level pursuers from the Tian Dan Divine Sect might be after them. If such formidable foes arrived, they wouldn’t stand a chance.

But after nearly an incense stick’s length of time, only the whistling winds and howling snow persisted, with no sign of any martial saint pursuit.

This left the three in bewilderment—could it be that the martial saint had been severely injured in XiXi’s mushroom formation?

Otherwise, how could a martial saint, pummeled by a seven-year-old, refrain from pursuing her with the usual ferocity?

Their eyes suddenly shifted toward XiXi, who sat amid the melted snow.

Her striking red robe fluttered as an overwhelming surge of qi burst forth from her.

The set of mythic weapons—Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel, God-Slaying Gold Brick, Yulian Yin Divine Sword, and Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear—whirled into action, their immense divine power surging out to cleanse her flesh and qi.

As they bolstered her physical form, they also elevated her martial cultivation!

“Heh-ha!”

XiXi sprang to her feet, grasped the Fire-Tipped Spear, and began to showcase her martial prowess in the snow.

With swirling spear shadows and roaring flames, it looked as if dragons and serpents were dancing wildly.

After a while, the surging qi around XiXi gradually settled, marking her advancement from an early Divine Guts Grandmaster to the late stage of the same!

Wave after wave of Divine Guts energy intertwined and raged on as her acupuncture points glowed faintly.

“XiXi is growing even stronger!”

XiXi sheathed her spear, stood upright with one hand on her hip and the other clutching the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear Fire-Tipped Spear, brimming with excitement.

She hadn’t expected that harnessing her older sister’s power would yield such a serendipitous benefit.

If she could borrow her power every day, wouldn’t she become even mightier, even faster?

When she later returned in glory, her father and mother would be utterly astonished!

XiXi almost envisioned the moment her father saw her supreme martial prowess, finally yielding the family leadership.

Her excitement even made her little belly tremble uncontrollably!

Bzzzz—

Within one of those mythic weapons, a surge of divine energy was forcefully drawn into XiXi’s Mud Pellet of Eyebrow, steadily enhancing her divine cultivation.

Boom!

It was as if a black flame burned within her Divine Vision, the immense divine energy of the world converging into her body as if pulled by a mighty will.

Slowly, her Divine Vision power rose in leaps and bounds, as though a swirling vortex of divine energy had materialized, drawing in all the latent divinity of the desolate snowfields.

Yet, XiXi still felt it was not enough.

She began extracting one Divine Crystal after another from the Qian Kun Jade, steadily absorbing their divine energy.

Usually, the absorption of divine crystals was a slow process, but today it accelerated astonishingly.

The divine energy within the crystals surged into her like a tidal wave, overwhelming her body.

“Ouch—XiXi’s growing so fast!”

XiXi’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

“Come on, everyone! XiXi the Great now possesses transcendent insight—join me in cultivation!”

Turning her head, XiXi called out to Yun’e, Jin Taisui, and Zhou Peng.

After a brief, wordless exchange, the three trusted her and abandoned their guard. Drawing near, they began to cultivate alongside her.

And once they started, their cultivation became unstoppable!

The pace of their divine energy absorption turned silky smooth and astonishingly fast!

It was as if a divine meridian had been unlocked, with divine energy surging rapidly into their bodies.

Before they knew it, the four youngsters had spent the entire day cultivating in the snowfield.

The vortex above XiXi’s head gradually subsided.

She opened her eyes, exhaled a warm breath, and her gaze shone brilliantly as her Mud Pellet of Eyebrow flickered with a dancing flame.

Soon, that flame transformed into a potent wave of primordial spirit energy that swept through the area!

XiXi the Great had stepped into the Primordial Form realm!

Looking at her little companions, each exuding the aura of an impending breakthrough, XiXi’s eyes narrowed into crescent moons.

Her heart pounded with excitement and she knew the secret: her rapid breakthrough was connected to the power she borrowed from her elder sister.

“Sister, XiXi wants to become super strong—strong enough to rival Dad!”

Muttering to herself, she gestured with her hands in an exaggerated circle.

But…

After waiting for ages, there was still no response.

The little girl couldn’t help but pout.

Becoming strong wasn’t easy, XiXi sighed.

Within the Qianyuan Divine Sect.

In the study,

Li Che held a Three Pure Divine Crystal and looked at XiXi, who was mumbling to herself, and burst into laughter.

“This little one has such big ambitions—she even wants to become the pillar of our family!”

Li Che shook his head with a smile.

Yet his expression grew slightly somber.

As XiXi’s divine energy broke through into the Primordial Form, the power of the Yulian within her brows began to stir restlessly once more.

Li Che still remembered how the gods from the Black Xumi camp had once deceived him.

That Yulian power was like a curse, exerting a tremendous influence on XiXi. If she broke through the Divine Transformation realm, it would undoubtedly trigger a backlash from that Yulian force.

Nevertheless…

Now Li Che had found that deep within XiXi resided the power of Da XiXi; he only wondered if XiXi could confront the threat of that Yulian power when she challenged the Divine Transformation realm.

It wasn’t that Li Che doubted Da XiXi; her well-being was simply far too precious for him to risk everything on her.

“I must find a way to strengthen XiXi’s mortal form—

we need to secure the Immortal Yulian Hun Tian Ling and the Xuan Lei Vajra Qiankun Ring for her.”

“The Immortal Yulian Hun Tian Ling is housed at the Corpse God Sect’s headquarters—and the Xuan Lei Vajra Qiankun Ring is on the ancestral Dragon Island of the Dragon God Clan…”

Li Che’s eyes narrowed as a thought struck him.

“Dragon Island—”

“No, the entire Dragon God Clan is preparing to disembark. Does this mean they’re abandoning Dragon Island?”

“What could have happened on Dragon Island that forces the Dragon God Clan to forsake it?”

His brows furrowed slightly.

He considered summoning the Dragon Prince to inquire, but the Dragon Prince was currently with Old Dragon God.

Summoning him abruptly might expose their plans.

“Forget it—for now, there’s no rush.”

“Once I also transform Old Dragon God into a confined spirit, I should have the answers.”

Li Che’s eyes flickered.

Soon.

Qitian City was about to open. The legacy of Qitian Temple was nearly unveiled, and too many powerhouses found it hard to sit still—they were scrambling to seize this grand opportunity at the junction of Inner and Earthly Weird Sanctuaries!

Patriarchs of every major sect, along with formidable divine warriors from the Corpse God Sect, Western Lands of Buddhism, Witch God Mountain, and countless other forces, would soon converge on Qitian City.

Even the Imperial Court was likely to dispatch hidden divine warriors and martial gods.

Perhaps the opening of Qitian City would evolve into the ultimate showdown among the world’s top cultivators!

Those whose fates were nearing their end—martial gods and Divine Calamity cultivators alike—would risk one last bout.

Much like Old Dragon God, who had once reluctantly stepped into the realm of the Great Jing,

Li Che could foresee that Old Dragon God wouldn’t be able to stay idle.

He would be eager to resolve matters in Daocheng and then hasten to Qitian City.

“Hastiness leads to errors and exposes weaknesses,” Li Che’s eyes flashed as he murmured.

“Breathe… inhale…”

Sitting in the study, Li Che’s body pulsed with divine energy with every breath.

The Three Pure Divine Crystal in his hand steadily yielded divine energy, and as his Seven Aperture Luminous Heart focused, his absorption rate increased dramatically.

In a moment of inspiration, a golden cigarette pouch materialized before his eyes.

[Dao Fruit: Xiangong (Iv6 40%), Dragon Elephant Vajra (Iv7 0%), Unsullied Heart (LV6 88%), Chess Sage (LV6 45%), Painted Immortal (lv6 35%), Thunder Magnetic Conduit (lv5 80%), Dream Celestial (lv3 95%), Wan Yao Di (lv5 0%)]

Upon the Dao Tree, the maturation of various Dao Fruits slowly came into view.

Seeing the abundant harvest reflected in his pupils, Li Che’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.

The Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit had advanced to the Iv7 stage, holding his gaze a little longer.

Then his eyes shifted and finally rested on the Thunder Magnetic Conduit Dao Fruit, and his brows furrowed.

“Alas, scaling the ultimate peak of martial arts did not trigger the calamity lightning, for the extreme calamity had already been crossed once.”

“But once I open the Heavenly Gate, perhaps the calamity lightning will descend.”

No rush.

Li Che’s gaze drifted to the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit—a fruit that, true to its name, felt as ephemeral as a dream and scarcely present.

He hadn’t deliberately prioritized its advancement.

Often, he used the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit to build a dream realm for XiXi’s cultivation, guiding her martial arts like her Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant, whose speed improved dramatically when guided within dreams.

“It won’t be long—” that Dao Fruit was nearing its time. If it reached Iv4 and evolved, it would trigger the Dream Butterfly Divine Technique, and perhaps Da XiXi would appear again in the visions.

Li Che’s eyes shimmered.

He planned to find time to further nurture this Dao Fruit’s maturation.

As for the final Wan Yao Di Dao Fruit, its pace of advancement was exceptionally rapid—mainly because procuring demonic qi was trivial for Li Che these days.

“Old Dragon God—the martial god of Divine Calamity—possesses demonic qi far denser than that of the Dragon Prince who devoured the Dragon Emperor Pearl!”

“I wonder if I can raise Wan Yao Di to Iv6…”

He couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation.

“It must be Old Dragon God!”

Li Che exhaled deeply. His next breakthrough in cultivation was intricately tied to Old Dragon God.

He stashed away the Divine Crystal and ceased further cultivation.

Balanced training was the only way. Leaving the study, Li Che caught sight of Jin Taisui respectfully guiding Zhang Ya in cultivation.

Zhang Ya was drenched in sweat, her body taut as her qi and blood intermingled; swallowing a Nine-Thousand-Year Peach had given her a remarkable boost.

Even though she had not yet completely absorbed the peach’s power, the mere presence of a Nine-Thousand-Year Peach within her boosted her innate talent, accelerating her cultivation tremendously.

She was determined not to fall behind.

And most importantly—

she wished to keep pace with her husband and eventually bear him children!

To give XiXi little brothers and sisters!

Snowflakes drifted softly, and the courtyard was calm and serene.

In the days ahead, Li Che would no longer seclude himself in the study; he would periodically come out.

Cultivating, enjoying tea, admiring the snow, and watching XiXi the Great traverse the martial world—

Li Che felt his life was fulfilling and joyful.

Yet he knew that such blissful days would soon end.

With Qitian City’s opening drawing near, Old Dragon God would surely grow restless and rally the imperial forces to wage a catastrophic war.

That day.

Amid the drifting snow, icicles glinted sharply along the eaves.

Li Che sat under the eaves, chatting casually with Li Qingshan and Granny Mu who emerged from the inner rooms.

Looking at the venerable Granny Mu, Li Che retrieved two Five-Thousand-Year Peaches.

Occasionally, Li Che would venture into the Peach Grove of Divine Capital to pick some peaches. Thus, his stock was substantial.

And when it came to secretly plucking peaches from the Great Realm Imperial House, Li Che felt no pang of guilt.

After all, he had completely fallen out with the Great Jing Emperor. To Li Che, an enemy’s possessions were his by right.

So when Li Che picked the peaches, he was merely gathering what was rightfully his.

“These are too precious!”

Granny Mu, seated in a chair, quickly waved her hand in protest.

Li Qingshan’s eyes flickered, and he accepted the two peaches on behalf of Granny Mu.

“Thank you, A Che!”

“I shall remember this favor,” Li Qingshan said gravely.

He knew that he could no longer match Li Che’s pace or even the grim forces of the Underworld; his Cat Face had truly become the Underworld’s mascot.

Yet Li Qingshan harbored a fierce determination—although his Cat Face might be fading, his heart still roared like a tiger!

He, too, was resolved to grow stronger!

“No thanks needed. At the Peach Festival, I gathered plenty of peaches—my Uncle and others share in this bounty,”

Li Che laughed.

“But Granny Mu, though the peaches might extend your life, ultimately—”

Li Che continued.

Li Qingshan laughed, taking Granny Mu’s hand: “Rest assured, A Che, I’m long prepared—

Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural. Even divine calamities can’t grant immortality. As mortals, our time is limited; living each life to its fullest is enough.”

Li Che nodded, lifting his cup to sip some hot tea while his gaze rested on his wife diligently cultivating in the courtyard—a gaze filled with gentle warmth.

He vowed to explore what lay beyond mortal confines!

Li Che would not give up.

He wished for his family’s longevity.

At the door, Fang Han Shu, who had been missing for days, drifted in gracefully in his scholar’s robe, his long beard fluttering in the wind.

“Great Elder,”

Li Che greeted with a smile.

Fang Han Shu nonchalantly sat under the eaves, poured a cup of hot tea, and began to drink.

Then, he produced a piece of Qian Kun Jade and handed it to Li Che.

“This is the resource you need. Your inner self harbors many toxins—it’s dangerous. What exactly are you planning to do?” Fang Han Shu squinted slightly.

Even with his vast knowledge, he couldn’t deduce what those toxins were meant for.

Li Che just laughed, offering no explanation.

“Qitian City—the revival of that Bizarre Temple is imminent. All the great sects are stirring; I hear they’ve already dispatched their top cultivators.”

“Old Dragon God is also restless. I suspect the Imperial Court’s punitive army is about to make a comeback.”

“This time, with Old Dragon God—a terrifying martial deity at the One Calamity level—intervening, the danger may surpass that of last time.”

“A Che, will the Underworld also intervene?”

Fang Han Shu asked, stroking his beard.

He had heard of the Underworld Yama’s failed assassination attempt on Zhao Beidou, and circulating rumors said that the Underworld’s Minor Cavern had been shattered, leaving the Underworld Yama grievously wounded, among other things.

This had everyone in Daocheng on edge.

“They will.”

Li Che nodded firmly.

“I will use all my influence to call upon the Underworld’s most powerful warriors.”

Li Che stated earnestly.

He cherished the Qianyuan Divine Sect not only because his family now resided here but also for the lasting protection and support it had always provided them.

Be it in Jingguang City or Daocheng,

The moment Li Che thought of Jingguang City, he recalled one thing:

That is, the Shendiao Ridge of Jingguang City, where he had promised Tang Sanjia that once his Divine Condor Technique advanced, he would help him out.

These days had been exceedingly busy, and now his Divine Condor Technique had reached a masterful level—enough to fulfill Tang Sanjia’s requirements.

Upon hearing Li Che’s affirmative response, Fang Han Shu’s eyes sparkled, and he exhaled a long breath of relief.

“Then it’s all in your hands, A Che…”

Suddenly, Fang Han Shu remembered something and squinted at Li Che: “In the Underworld—besides Yama, are there any other experts? Perhaps—

“Even higher-level experts?”

Fang Han Shu’s curiosity was genuine.

Though he was well-read and had perused countless scriptures, no book detailed information about the Underworld.

Fang Han Shu was deeply curious about the Underworld.

Li Che’s eyes darkened as he considered whether there existed anyone in the Underworld superior to Yama.

Fang Han Shu’s question was plain: Does the Underworld have divine warriors or martial gods of the Divine Calamity level?

If so—what level are they?!

After all, even divine calamities have their gradations.

Calamity levels, from the first disaster to the second and third, can differ as dramatically as the distance between heaven and earth.

In the mortal realm, those at the first disaster level can still emerge to defy the weight of heaven and earth with great effort.

But those at the second disaster level, once appearing, would surely be struck by lightning!

And let alone the third disaster level!

However, if a cultivator at the third disaster level could transport a Minor Cavern and block out the will of heaven, it wouldn’t matter much, for their actions would inevitably cause far graver consequences.

At this thought, Li Che recalled the Grand Inspector of the Imperial Watch in Divine Capital—what was his cultivation? First, second, or third disaster?

At the very least, Li Che was certain that the Grand Inspector far surpassed Zhao Beidou and Gu Qianchi—

Even Old Dragon God was no match for him.

“Above Underworld Yama, there are even higher experts…”

Li Che smiled.

“There are.”

He assured Fang Han Shu that if he wished, such experts would appear.

Though he hadn’t yet figured out who exactly stood above Yama,

it did little to stop Li Che from boosting Fang Han Shu’s confidence.

“Then the safety of the Qianyuan Divine Sect should be secure.”

Fang Han Shu’s eyes gleamed as he laughed.

Without lingering any longer in the courtyard, he bowed and departed gracefully.

Watching Fang Han Shu leave, Li Che’s eyes shimmered with a mysterious light; he, too, knew some details about this Great Elder’s background—

indeed, even the Lie Shen Assassin in the Lie Shen Pavilion concealed many secrets.

Perhaps, even if the Underworld remained inactive, with such a high-ranking Great Elder lurking, the Qianyuan Divine Sect could weather this calamity.

But the cost would be far greater than it was now.

Returning to the study,

Li Che pressed his fingertips to his brow as the Cosmic Chessboard soared into the sky.

With a flick of his fingers,

in the midst of the mist, Gu Changqing’s Spiritual Confinement figure slowly emerged.

“Greetings, Master!”

Moreover, flanking Gu Changqing were two confined spirit apprentices, their rosy faces and cute demeanors accentuated by their child robes, as they bowed clumsily in respect.

“Greetings, Master!” they chimed in unison.

Li Che smiled broadly, flicked his fingers, and from the Qiankun Space, sent out several prepared pastries for the two alchemy apprentices to enjoy.

His gaze then shifted to Gu Changqing,

who now looked fervent as he lifted his robe and produced a blue jade bottle.

“Master, I have not disgraced your trust!”

“This is the Calamity-Averting Wind Pill. I’ve successfully forged it—each furnace yields three pills per batch.”

This was the pill that Lü Taibai had requested Li Che to have the Underworld’s master alchemist concoct.

At last, the pill was complete.

“Excellent,”

Li Che smiled as he handed the pill to the Painted Immortal Clone, instructing it to deliver the pill to Lü Taibai immediately.

Lü Taibai prepared to challenge the Divine Calamity realm, and this surge of energy might just be the boost he needed to break through.

If that burst of energy passed, another Divine Calamity would make failure far more likely.

With the help of the Calamity-Averting Wind Pill, the success rate would be several tens of percent higher. And if Lü Taibai failed to break through, it wouldn’t matter—he had comrades in the Underworld.

“These are the ingredients needed for the Nine-Turn Ascending Dragon Pill. You can expedite the toxic pill. How soon can it be completed?”

Li Che inquired.

At this, Gu Changqing’s eyes lit up with brilliance.

Finally, he could unleash his hands in forging the toxic pill!

His fate was long sealed!

“Master, grant me seven days!”

“One life per day. If in seven days even seven lives cannot forge the Heavenly Toxic Pill, then it means my alchemy skills are inadequate—I’ll accept the punishment!”

Seven days?

Li Che laughed.

After Gu Changqing submitted the military order, he gathered the ingredients and summoned the pastry-clutching apprentices back to Mo City.

The house fell silent once again.

Li Che poured himself a cup of hot tea and sipped thoughtfully.

His mind turned to the question posed by Fang Han Shu.

“Above Underworld Yama—”

All boastful claims aside, surely there must be someone above Underworld Yama?

His eyes flickered.

Deep within his chest, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit thundered mightily.

Amid the mists, the stimulation of Tribulation exploded.

In an instant, he vanished from that spot, entering the Dao Tribulation Space—

The Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame!

Boom!

A burst of searing heat erupted in an instant, flames surging like an inferno that scorched everything, reducing the lands to silence and the quadrants to oblivion.

Purple flames roiled and tumbled, incinerating mountains and boiling seas, shattering stars with fierce might!

Li Che threw his head back and howled, his hair wildly whipping about!

In his eyes, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit fiercely stimulated a golden qi blood explosion.

The Martial Immortal Golden Body surged to its extreme!

Clenching his fist, his qi and blood converged into a golden, sweeping strike of Dragon Elephant might!

Myriad Transformations of Dragon Elephant!

It crashed onto the Heavenly Dome above, colliding forcefully with the vast, purple conflagration formed by endless flames!

In an instant back in the study,

Li Che’s figure returned abruptly.

His eyes snapped open; the scorching air seemed to warp with heat!

The searing pain of a tribulation-humbled body spread through him like wildfire.

He panted heavily.

A surge of intense heat raised the temperature in the room dramatically!

Li Che’s once brilliant golden eyes gradually lost their luster.

In the next moment,

a wisp of purple light began to pulse and glow.

Slowly rising, Li Che extended his outstretched fingers.

Between his long, spear-like digits, a strand of soft purple flame danced, as space itself trembled under its flickering assault.

[Dao Tribulation: Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame (1%)]

Li Che stared at the purple flame, a new plan forming in his mind.

He slowly spread his fingers and pressed the purple flame onto his head.

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, Li Che’s entire head was engulfed in the purple flames.

His skin melted away, his hair incinerated, his flesh vanished—only a golden skeletal frame glimmered under the onslaught of the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame!

He resembled a demonic emperor emerging from the depths of hell, set on incinerating the sullied world!

Thus, above Underworld Yama,

reigned the Underworld Ghost Emperor!