Chapter 428: Inferno Ascendancy

Purple flames ravage—burning mountains and boiling seas, silent yet searing hot!

The quiet blaze twists space, turning the void into mere kindling.

Inside the study.

Li Che stood silently, yet his entire aura had undergone a cataclysmic change. His head was engulfed in purple flames, dissolving skin, flesh, and hair completely—burned away without a trace.

Only the Golden Bones of his Martial Immortal Golden Body remained, writhing and burning under the purple blaze!

The primordial power of Dragon Elephant Blaze had become a new mask on his face, its flames concealing his features completely, transforming him into a demonic emperor emerging from hell.

A terrifying, domineering, all-consuming aura gradually seeped from Li Che.

The purple primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze exuded an overwhelmingly dreadful tribulation force—a power surpassing even the calamities of the traditional nine tribulations.

Even Zhao Beidou’s White Abyss Calamity Fire, summoned through divine calamity advancement, seemed insignificant in the face of the primordial blaze.

“Underworld Ghost Emperor—”

Li Che’s skull, shrouded in purple fire, bore hollow, eerie eyes, as if endless darkness flickered within. Though golden, the empty sockets appeared infinitely deep, like two whirlpools of shadow.

“Oh, the power of Dao tribulation—”

His five fingers spread wide.

He plucked the purple flame from his head. In an instant, flesh reformed, hair flowed, and his eyes sparkled with clarity.

Li Che returned to his original form.

It was more like a mask that changed his appearance—brutal in its simplicity.

The flames incinerated his flesh and hair completely, leaving only his skeletal structure.

With a resounding strike, the primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze coiled around his head. Flames burst forth, enveloping his skull as his aura soared and the surrounding space twisted, as though gripped by a mesmerizing, overwhelming force.

The interwoven purple flames morphed into a terrifying, indistinct demonic elephant!

A divine dragon wrapped around the demonic form—the fusion of dragon and elephant!

Li Che stood tall, his black robe billowing, purple fire ethereal around him, as if he had become a collapsing black hole devouring countless auras like a raging tornado!

Under the searing flames, beneath the gaze of his golden-skull eyes, all of creation turned desolate and ruined, leaving only a murky, malevolent world.

“Ghost Emperor—Underworld Ghost Emperor!”

“Empowered by the Dao tribulation, hence I am the Ghost Emperor!”

Li Che’s skeletal mouth moved as though breathing in and out.

Long, deep breaths surged while Li Che’s will churned. In an instant, the Cosmic Chessboard enveloped the study, sealing off all external energies!

The next moment, Li Che shifted slightly as countless torrents of vital energy exploded forth!

The great dragon coiled along his spinal column, seemingly awakened by the stimulation, emitting a deafening roar as the latent explosive power within him revived!

As his eight meridian nodes pulsed, surges of energy built like crashing waves one after another!

The Eight Mysterious Gates activated simultaneously!

Surging with blistering, golden energy, it erupted fiercely, all 36,000 pores bursting forth with dense, powerful blood aura!

A wondrous vision of a boundless energy sea and a monumental martial mountain emerged—his complete understanding of martial dao revealed in this moment!

Covering his head, only the skeletal remains of his Dao-tribulation Dragon Elephant Blaze persisted in a raging inferno.

In an instant, the golden sea of energy took on a purple hue, boiling and churning.

Li Che’s entire body of golden energy transformed into purple!

Eerie, cold, and annihilative, it obliterated everything—as if the gates of hell had swung open, unleashing a demonic emperor who commanded countless damned souls from the infernal abyss.

“It’s a pity—I have only begun to master the Primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze. Had I harnessed more of this Dao tribulation fire within the Eight Mysterious Gates’ energy, my aura would have gained an additional tribulation characteristic!”

Li Che’s eyes flickered.

After all, he had only grasped a wisp of the primordial blaze.

The might of the three disasters and nine tribulations is a power reserved for the likes of divine calamity masters and martial gods. Although Li Che had not yet reached that level, even a trace of the primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze allowed him to barely evoke an aura of divine tribulation and pressure.

“I must work harder to refine the Primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze.”

The more of it I master, the higher my Ghost Emperor might will climb!

I could even rival—and perhaps surpass—the true divine tribulation fire!

A shift in Li Che’s mind sent him once more into the Dao tribulation space, and then—

There was no ‘then.’ With one breath, Li Che was repelled by a demonic elephant form forged from Dao tribulation fire.

He shook his head vigorously.

To reach the zenith of the Ghost Emperor’s might, it seems the journey is still long and arduous.

Frozen clouds shrouded the peaks, Suxue and Xiaoninghua.

At the ends of the earth, the outlines of blue mountains were cloaked in ethereal mists, and the night was so deep it seemed impenetrable.

Divine Capital First City.

The Palace Shrine.

Snowflakes danced, draping the magnificent shrine in a coat of snow, lending it an almost otherworldly icy aura.

The entire Divine Capital First City lay within the realm of the Palace Shrine; a city transformed into a vast palace, its myriad buildings adorned like blooming palatial corridors.

Sky Palace.

The Emperor, his face veiled in divine aura and coursing energy, sat at the main desk reviewing memorials.

After a long while, he finally set aside the documents.

A respectful Eunuch Lian from Purple-Clad Diao Si approached.

“In recent days, the National Teacher has led the army to Daocheng to subdue the enemy. What of his campaign? With so many masters involved—even Old Dragon God from the Dragon God lineage—why is there not the slightest sign of action?”

The Emperor rose, shaking off his bright yellow court attire.

Accompanied by Eunuch Lian, he strolled along the long corridor. Cold air drifted through, carrying snow like tiny grains, swept in by the wind from outside.

“Your Majesty, the National Teacher has yet to report back. I heard he’s reassembling the troops and waiting for the right moment,” Eunuch Lian replied, head bowed.

“Waiting for the right moment?” The Emperor sneered.

“What devilry is National Teacher Xie Yunshen up to? It’s been ages, and failing to act only tarnishes Great Jing’s reputation further.”

“Ji Mo Li, the heads of the major Divine Sects, even the Three Divine Tribulation Masters—such an alliance yet they cannot break a single Divine Sect. Would Great Jing Court be the laughingstock of the world?”

“Do you plan to arm National Teacher Xie Yunshen with ten divine tribulation masters—ten times the power—to shatter a Divine Sect?”

Though the Emperor’s features were obscured, his words dripped with anger.

Eunuch Lian lowered his head, barely daring to breathe.

He dared not offer any excuse for Xie Yunshen, for under his command, the army’s battle strength was several times that of Qianyuan Divine Sect. Except for the inscrutable Purple Mansion Divine Sect, the other Divine Sects were nearly certain to be broken!

“Even if the Mountain Gate of the Divine Sect isn’t breached, why is there not a peep of movement? With the Dragon God having arrived, along with Zhao Beidou—the Ancestral Patriarch of Dragon and Tiger Divine Sect—and Gu Qianchi, the ancestral master of Bashu Sword Pavilion, the combined might of the court and two major Divine Sects should encircle Qianyuan effortlessly, right?”

The Emperor coldly remarked,

“Before any alliance, with news that Ji Mo Li’s split form was slain, I have cause to suspect that Xie Yunshen has colluded with Ji Mo Li. What scheme is he plotting?”

A cold sweat broke on Eunuch Lian’s brow.

“Your Majesty, surely King Ping Luan wouldn’t toy with his own split form? His split form is quite important.”

The Emperor, leaning in the corridor, looked out over the falling snow and laughed, “Important? To Ji Mo Li, it’s just another city to massacre. Does the life of every citizen truly matter to him?”

In a low, eerie tone, the Emperor continued, “Don’t think I am oblivious to his machinations with the elite families of Jiangnan Dao and Haoran Academy. I never intended for him to merge with the Corpse God Sect—”

Eunuch Lian quickly bowed his head, saying nothing.

Gazing at the flurrying snow, the Emperor’s eyes flashed coldly, “Li Che—has it truly been taken from the Millennial Peach Grove, that Ju Xian Flag?”

“If so—then I can wait no longer.”

“It’s not that I doubt the National Teacher. His achievements are well known. He is an ambitious man, eager to realize his own worth. He is like my own right-hand man, as trustworthy as Eunuch Lian.”

“I could even entrust him with the fate of Great Jing’s national destiny—so why would I not trust him?”

“Yet this time, his performance has truly disappointed me.”

The Emperor shook his head and sighed, “Qitian City is about to open. The Imperial Watch has been working tirelessly. It seems the Grand Inspector will soon announce the exact date for Qitian Temple’s opening.”

“I hope—should the National Teacher fail to extinguish Qianyuan Divine Sect before the Grand Inspector’s announcement.”

The Emperor squinted his eyes, “Eunuch Lian, prepare an edict. You will go in person!”

At these words, Eunuch Lian trembled all over.

He truly felt the Emperor’s urgency.

What could have driven the Emperor to such desperation?!

Is it the many gods awakening in the Bizarre Temple?

“As you command, Your Majesty.”

Eunuch Lian asked no further questions. As the Emperor’s most loyal servant, his concern for the Emperor only compelled him to obey.

Boom—rumbling!

Even on the unfrozen surface of the Grand Canal, tidal waves rolled and surged, each burst of splashing spray forming a shrouded mist.

Old Dragon God sat cross-legged on the river, his massive form imposing. His twin horns, like divine spears, pierced through the void.

Seated in meditation, the overwhelming divine aura of the canal swarmed toward him, making his aged yet mighty body seem on the verge of shattering the void and vanishing into nothingness.

Centered on Old Dragon God, within a ten-zhang radius, the Dragon Prince and three other dragon sons also sat in meditation, drawing in the divine aura from the canal under his guidance.

This was why Li Che never summoned the Dragon Prince—Old Dragon God was constantly watching over, guiding, and supervising his cultivation.

After all, the Dragon Prince was the hope of the Dragon God lineage, and Old Dragon God could not guarantee that the journey through Qitian City would resolve their crisis or extend their lifespan.

After what felt like an eternity, Old Dragon God slowly opened his eyes. His entire being trembled as though returning from the void.

“After all this time—why is there still no word from the National Teacher? If we wait any longer, the Bizarre Temple of Qitian City will awaken.”

Old Dragon God’s brows furrowed, his two white hairs twisting like blades.

With a sudden, earth-shaking rise, the entire river trembled.

Old Dragon God looked toward the military camp, blanketed by descending snowflakes.

With a single step, a terrifying surge of burning energy steamed the snow, the flurries dissolving under torrents of rain!

In a few strides he reached National Teacher Xie Yunshen’s tent.

Inside the tent, Xie Yunshen was playing chess with a subordinate from Purple-Clad Diao Si. When the subordinate noticed Old Dragon God, his expression shifted.

Seeing Old Dragon God approach, Xie Yunshen’s pale face lit up immediately.

“Senior Dragon God, come join me for a game!” Xie Yunshen greeted warmly.

However, Old Dragon God replied coolly, “National Teacher, my visit isn’t to play chess. I’ve been here for over a month. When will you finally make your move?”

“Continuing this stalemate? When will it end? Old Dragon, we don’t have time to dither.”

Old Dragon God drove straight to the point.

Xie Yunshen sighed, “Senior Dragon God, I know you’re anxious; but after our first defeat and without full knowledge of the Underworld’s forces, I dared not act rashly.”

“The deaths of the Divine Sect heads—Gu Changqing of Tian Dan Divine Sect, Bai Buyi of Haoran Academy, Zhao Chunqiu of Dragon and Tiger Divine Sect—and the slaying of King Ping Luan’s split form still haunt me.”

“I loathe my own carelessness and overconfidence!”

Xie Yunshen’s exhausted expression revealed, “I must ensure the safety of the demonic army and the remaining elites under my command—”

“In truth, it isn’t only you who are anxious. Even the Emperor in Divine Capital is agitated.”

“Is that why Eunuch Lian arrived with an edict?”

Xie Yunshen spread his hands in resignation.

He wished to convey that it wasn’t that the court forbade battle—it was that he needed to understand the situation fully first.

Old Dragon God’s gaze shifted to Eunuch Lian of Purple-Clad Diao Si, immediately recognizing the trusted attendant at the Emperor’s side.

Eunuch Lian smiled subtly.

Old Dragon God’s expression softened slightly, though his brow remained furrowed, “National Teacher, whether you can fight will only be revealed in battle.”

Xie Yunshen managed a bitter smile, “Senior Dragon God, you’ve just arrived. You have yet to witness the unfathomable depths of the Underworld—”

He added, “Though Zhao Zushi claimed that Underworld Yama was gravely injured… isn’t the Underworld bound to have powerful masters of divine tribulation and martial god realms? How could such a mysterious force lack them?”

“Honestly… I’m afraid,” Xie Yunshen confessed with a heavy sigh.

Old Dragon God, tired of excuses, snapped, “Afraid of this and that? What’s the point of fighting if you cower?”

Xie Yunshen merely shook his head, not angered by Old Dragon God’s tone. He gently waved his feather fan, a cool breeze brushing his face.

Stepping outside the tent, he looked at the snow melting under the dissipating energy of Old Dragon God’s aura.

His eyes grew deep with determination.

“Senior Dragon God, I’ve set my plans in motion. In a little while—sooner rather than later—we’ll shatter Qianyuan Dao City. Do you believe it?”

“Senior, do you trust me?”

Xie Yunshen’s voice resonated deep and low, exuding unstoppable confidence.

That confidence even caused Old Dragon God, a master of divine tribulation advancement, to be momentarily taken aback.

Where did such certainty come from?

Eunuch Lian from Purple-Clad Diao Si smiled slyly as he observed Xie Yunshen, thinking, “As expected, the National Teacher remains his self-assured self, always tactful, always in command.”

Xie Yunshen turned, his long cloak billowing wildly, “Senior Dragon God, rest assured: if we are to shatter a Divine Sect, the might of a senior like you is indispensable.”

“It’s coming soon, rest easy—very soon,” he declared.

His words weighed on Old Dragon God, whose inquiries over several days had all been brushed aside by Xie Yunshen—until now, when such a firm vow was rare.

Inside the tent, as Old Dragon God turned to leave, Xie Yunshen’s confident smile lingered.

Soon, very soon, you, Senior Dragon God, will break through Qianyuan Divine Sect before Qitian City’s legacy continues.

And the master, too, grows anxious.

The battle for Qianyuan Divine Sect is about to begin.

Passion and turmoil abound.

After receiving the Calming Tribulation Pill brewed by a renowned Underworld alchemist at the behest of Li Che, Lü Taibai entered seclusion. He retreated into the Bizarre Temple atop Mei Mountain, seeking to break his realm.

Lü Qiankun personally guarded him.

Li Taibai’s attempt to break through had been completely sealed; few even knew of it.

Thus, the atmosphere within Qianyuan Dao City improved markedly. The court and the city stood in a stalemate, unable to clash for the time being, which oddly reassured many.

Inside the study,

Li Che’s days became rigorously regimented.

Beyond cultivating Divine Crystals, he now dedicated extra time to entering the Dao tribulation space and enduring the purifying flames of tribulation.

He sought to absorb more of that Dao tribulation fire.

[Dao Tribulation: Primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze (2%)]

Yet, advancing with the Primordial Dragon Elephant Blaze proved even harder than expected.

Ever since he first captured a wisp of it—transforming into the Underworld Ghost Emperor—Li Che spent additional time each day enduring the tribulation, barely inching forward by 1%.

Much of the strain lay in the burden of his Martial Immortal Golden Body.

Li Che attempted to merge the primordial blaze into the energy released by the Eight Mysterious Gates along his dragon-spine. It was a difficult process.

His plan was simple: if the primordial blaze could be ignited like blood energy through the Eight Mysterious Gates, its growth would double, greatly enhancing his power.

With a snap of his fingers,

a black Spiritual Confinement Chess Piece exploded in the study.

It slowly twisted into a human shape. Xie Yunshen waved his feather fan gently as a Spiritual Confinement apparition emerged.

Bowing respectfully with clenched fists, he said, “Your subordinate, Xie Yunshen, greetings, master.”

Xie Yunshen smiled as he quickly summarized why Old Dragon God had sought him, also relaying the Emperor’s urgent words from Divine Capital.

“The Emperor is anxious, and so is Old Dragon God—”

“Old Dragon God’s urgency is understandable; he wishes to settle all worries before Qitian City’s legacy is passed on. But why is the Emperor so anxious?”

“After all, even if Qitian City opens, the Emperor will not personally lead the troops—so what is he so desperate about?”

Li Che couldn’t help but wonder. Perhaps the Emperor had learned some secret of the Bizarre Temple.

Or maybe, the Emperor was simply impatient to seize that Ju Xian Flag from Li Che’s hands.

Speaking of which, Li Che also eagerly anticipated the Emperor’s Ju Xian Flag. With only one of the eight aspects in his grasp, he was far from complete, and the effect of the aggregated yellow flag was rather ordinary.

“Divine Capital is brimming with excellent treasures—the Qian Kun Mirror, the Ju Xian Flag, and the Three Pure Divine Weapons are all marvelous.”

Li Che exhaled deeply.

Xie Yunshen gently swayed his feather fan and smiled, “Master, your enmity with the Emperor presents a great opportunity. Eunuch Lian, being a favorite at the court, could be converted into one of our own. Then our operations would be much smoother.”

Xie Yunshen implied his suggestion indirectly.

But Li Che immediately understood. However, he feared that the eunuch might stubbornly refuse his orders.

Li Che narrowed his eyes.

If he refuses, so be it—at worst, he dies.

Even if Eunuch Lian’s death raised the Emperor’s suspicion of Xie Yunshen, it wouldn’t be a major setback.

Li Che gave a slight nod.

Xie Yunshen’s eyes gleamed as he bowed his head, then dissolved into black smoke and departed back to the court camp.

Clearly, the master agreed with his proposal and had decided to act.

Back in the tent, Xie Yunshen casually swung his feather fan, clearly in a good mood.

The Emperor had sent Eunuch Lian with an edict—not only to urge but to reprimand.

It was obvious the Emperor was dissatisfied with this campaign.

Even his most trusted Eunuch Lian had been dispatched personally, not just with an edict, but also to convey his displeasure.

The Emperor’s dissatisfaction was mirrored by Xie Yunshen’s own vexation.

He resented that outside, orders were not being followed.

The Emperor had even been meddling—

Xie Yunshen recalled the overwhelming pressures of the first battle. He felt bitter—if the Emperor was so capable, he should have led the troops himself to reveal how terrifying the Underworld truly was.

In the first campaign to shatter a Divine Sect, Xie Yunshen had schemed extensively, yet in the end, he failed.

Now, he had entirely become the embodiment of the Underworld!

The Emperor even dispatched messengers to hurry him along—is he in such a rush to reincarnate?!

And now, Eunuch Lian’s arrival was as useless as throwing meat to a barking dog!

Xie Yunshen shook his head, clutching his feather fan. His expression turned ashen—betrayed by the backlash of fate.

Just as he emerged from the tent, Huang Mei Great Master, with a gentle countenance, met his gaze. Their eyes instantly conveyed understanding.

They proceeded to the tent where Eunuch Lian was stationed.

Xie Yunshen, still holding the edict, had Eunuch Lian quickly usher him inside upon hearing the commotion.

“National Teacher—do you not understand His Majesty’s edict?” asked Eunuch Lian with a smile.

He glanced at Xie Yunshen, then at the quietly standing Huang Mei Great Master behind him.

For some reason, Eunuch Lian’s heart began to pound uncontrollably.

A premonition of catastrophe transformed his features instantly.

“Something’s not right!”

What was off?!

Eunuch Lian’s eyes narrowed as his face drained of color.

A tremor of overwhelming doom gripped his heart.

Then, Huang Mei Great Master stepped forward and appeared by his side; her hand, like a Buddha’s palm, fell onto his shoulder.

Eunuch Lian was skilled, but when compared to a top-tier supreme divine like Huang Mei, he was no match…

“National Teacher! Are you rebelling?!”

Eunuch Lian’s voice turned shrill as he roared in fury.

But—

In the next moment, Eunuch Lian felt his throat constrict, his shriek stifled completely.

Because—

Amid the gentle swaying of Xie Yunshen’s feather fan, a jet-black portal materialized by his side without warning.

Above the portal, an inscription read 【Shandu】.

The ancient door creaked open slowly.

An intense heat surged through the tent as fiery currents roiled.

With a distant, creaking echo—ancient, desolate, and searing—

From within that inky black portal,

a figure slowly emerged, footsteps plain yet striking as if each step pounded on Eunuch Lian’s heart.

An aura of bone-chilling death and ghostly flames surged!

The terrifying pressure of primordial will, like a mountain cleaved in two, descended brutally upon him.

Eunuch Lian collapsed, overwhelmed.

“Underworld… Underworld…”

At that moment, his mind went blank.

He felt as if plunged into an icy lake, his core frozen, his thoughts jumbled.

He was utterly dumbfounded—

Why would the Underworld appear at the side of National Teacher?

And why was Huang Mei Great Master acting on Underworld orders?

Could it be—

That National Teacher and Huang Mei Great Master are Underworld affiliates?!

There was no time for thought as the oppressive energy in the air grew ever more fearsome!

Eunuch Lian’s eyes widened in terror as he stood paralyzed under Huang Mei Great Master’s crushing might.

Desperation and horror filled him as the dark figure from Mo City Shandu slowly came into focus.

Clad in a billowing black robe, its garments whipping wildly, it slashed through the void like a blade.

Its head burned with purple flames that twisted space and seared the heavens—aiming to incinerate all sin in this realm.

Yet beneath that purple blaze lay a golden skull!

What kind of flame was this? One look threatened to extinguish his very soul, leaving it barren and desolate—

A divine calamity advancement even Eunuch Lian had witnessed before!

Just as Zhao Beidou of Dragon and Tiger Divine Sect had visited the Divine Temple, Eunuch Lian had seen the fearsome White Abyss Calamity Fire.

But these purple flames were beyond comparison—buried within were unspeakable horrors!

Who is that?!

Could the Underworld harbor such an entity?!

Purple flames danced ethereally; a mass of terrifying energy loomed behind the dark portal like countless wailing souls, the gates of hell flung open,

unleashing endless phantasmal specters!

Underworld Yama, Ogre, Ma Mian, Divine Monkey—beings of Underworld fury, contorted like demonic apparitions, monstrous amidst a vile world!

Eunuch Lian shivered uncontrollably. He then saw National Teacher Xie Yunshen and Huang Mei Great Master—

Their forms twisted, flesh shattered, contorted into monstrous visions as if transformed into infernal demons!

Yet National Teacher Xie Yunshen and Huang Mei Great Master bowed fervently, hands clasped in reverence.

“Underworld Xie Yunshen!”

“Underworld Huang Mei!”

“Welcome, Ghost Emperor!”

Eunuch Lian collapsed onto the ground.

He had witnessed within the Underworld—

an existence even beyond Underworld Yama!

Ahhhh—

What misfortune have I incurred?!