Chapter 453: Mechanisms, Calamities, and Unyielding Resolve

Regarding the Way of Mechanisms, Li Che had never given up his research.

Though chasing an ascent via mechanisms might sound far-fetched, its boost to battle prowess was undeniable.

Moreover, with the support and enhancement of Xiangong Dao Fruit, Li Che was convinced that he could elevate the Way of Mechanisms to an extraordinary level.

His focus gradually receded from the delight of crafting a nuclear bomb in his mind.

Even with a general idea and approach in hand, achieving the explosive power sufficient to obliterate a Dao Calamity cultivator demanded an enormous supply of Divine Xiao Prison Thunder Pellets.

One pellet simply wouldn’t cut it.

In addition, he needed to stockpile his reserves of Divine Xiao Thunder.

Shifting his concentration from the transformation of the Thunder Magnetic Conduit Dao Fruit into Dao Induction, his focus settled on another Dao Induction that had evolved from a different Dao Fruit.

It was the Dao Induction evolved from the Wan Yao Di Dao Fruit – the Yin-Yang Demon Blade.

After a brief assessment of its function, he summed it up: this Dao Induction essentially served as a divine weapon.

Clenching his fist, a long blade—half black, half white—materialized in Li Che’s hand, its surface riddled with pore-like openings.

Each of these openings could absorb demonic blood essence, and if they consumed enough, the Yin-Yang Demon Blade’s power could be enhanced and transformed.

‘How peculiar… yet demons are inherently strange. That such strange yet logical Dao Fruits could emerge isn’t surprising,’ he mused.

Gazing at the blade, whose hilt resembled a scorpion’s tail, a strange gleam appeared in his eyes.

The consumption of demonic blood essence was sinister indeed.

But compared to the demons who frequently devour and feast on blood, this was a minor matter.

Besides, this demonic blade inherently suppressed demonic forces—a quality that produced excellent results when slaying demons.

Narrowing his eyes, Li Che regarded the formidable Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme as a hypothetical foe. With his current strength, could he truly defeat such an opponent?

Even wielding the demon blade, it seemed nearly impossible.

Second Calamity…

The gap was still enormous.

Li Che squinted as his entire body roiled with swirling energy, a pressure making him tremble slightly.

It was a kind of pressure he hadn’t felt in ages.

As his strength grew and his Dao Fruit evolved, very few things in the mortal realm could impose such intense pressure on him.

There were threats, sure, but very few that pressed him with such overwhelming force.

Li Che still could not fathom the true level of cultivation possessed by the Grand Inspector.

Beyond that, there was also the Second Calamity Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme of Qitian City.

As for the Boss and Dog Zha, Li Che felt they were not entirely of this world.

“Boss and Dog Zha… weren’t they said to run a restaurant in Qitian City?”

“Now that I’ve entered the city, I might as well look them up. XiXi hasn’t tasted the Boss’s cooking in ages.”

Thinking of Boss and Dog Zha, Li Che couldn’t help but lick his lips, nostalgic for the exquisite dishes once served.

“Within the Bizarre Temple, the Bizarre Temple stands tall—brimming with formidable experts…”

Li Che took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

Compared to the mortal realm, the Bizarre Temple teemed with even more powerful experts. Li Che had long known that aside from the mysterious and formidable forces of the Pantheon, many Dao Calamity cultivators from the mortal realm roamed the Bizarre Temple.

Not only did it shield the mortal world’s will of heaven and earth, but its enigmatic nature was also rife with opportunity.

For cultivators of the Dao Calamity level, essentials like Dao Essence Divine Crystals and Divine Crystals were almost nonexistent in the mortal realm; such resources could only be found in the Bizarre Temple.

After solidifying his recent breakthrough and completing the evolution of his Dao Fruit,

Li Che stretched, his entire body creaking and cracking with the sound of snapping bones.

Yet he did not relax even for a moment. After a brief stretch, his focus stirred as he entered the Dao Calamity Space to commence his cultivation of Dao Calamities.

Currently, Li Che had three Dao Fruits that had evolved through five stages, each granting him insight into a different Dao Calamity.

These were the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame, Primordial Void Slash, and Primordial Purification Flow – embodying the primordial fire, wind, and water calamities!

Inside the Dao Calamity Space, three terrifying calamity forces intermingled and surged.

Purple flames transformed into a dragon elephant as they intertwined; with every roar, the void itself shattered.

Then, a fearsome storm raged, threatening to blow away sinews and crush souls.

The forces of water, fire, and wind calamities continuously interwove.

Within the Dao Calamity Space, Li Che endured the torment—a painful yet exhilarating trial.

However, mastering the force of a Dao Calamity was no simple feat; even Li Che could not easily seize control.

In moments of hazy disorientation, he lost count of how many times the Dao Calamity force had annihilated his focus, only for him to re-enter the space again.

With each cycle of near-extinction and revival, Li Che felt his spirit become as resilient as tempered steel.

The strengthening of his soul greatly bolstered both his martial and divine cultivation.

Inside Mo City Fengdu, Li Che entered a state of intensive cultivation.

Even though he was already formidable, he dared not relax.

He needed ever greater strength to protect his small family.

Buzz—

Suddenly, Li Che sensed something.

It was a message from the Cosmic Chessboard remaining in Qitian City, relayed through its probing.

Hmm?

Within Mo City Fengdu, Li Che abruptly opened his eyes wide.

A look of gravity and astonishment flashed in his gaze.

In the next instant, he stepped forward and vanished from Fengdu in the blink of an eye.

Outside in Mo City, amidst ongoing winds and rains, a shattered void created by Divine Xiao Prison Thunder Pellets slowly mended as if it were flesh and blood.

…

…

Outside Qitian City’s Outer City,

inside the Three-Open Courtyard,

a towering figure clad in the Ogre Mask stood with three others wearing scratched masks seated beside him.

Four figures sat in orderly rows in the courtyard, deeply engrossed in their cultivation.

Suddenly, a white chess piece floated up, then appeared to be clutched as if in an invisible hand.

Li Che’s Ink Robe, adorned with ornate golden lotus patterns, billowed as he seamlessly traversed space—from Mo City Fengdu to this very courtyard in Qitian City.

The Cosmic Chessboard trembled.

Outside the courtyard, the Night Bat Demon God, hanging inverted in the void, suddenly experienced a glitch in his ultrasonic perception.

Yet after a brief pause and a sweep of the courtyard—finding everything in order—he dismissed it.

Li Che, still wearing the Ogre Mask, completed his transformation into the Painted Immortal Clone.

Linking his spirit with the Cosmic Chessboard, an image instantly manifested.

That image…

was of the scene inside the City Lord’s Residence in Qitian City.

Demonic energies ravaged the residence, transforming it into an ocean of demonic aura. If not for the Cosmic Chessboard’s powerful detection, Li Che would never have seen beyond the swirling miasma.

Numerous fearsome demonic gods, each unique and radiating potent energy, filled the residence.

A gathering of Qitian City’s demons?

These demonic gods, in a manner that took Li Che completely by surprise, sat around a massive round table in the City Lord’s Residence, as if holding a formal meeting.

The atmosphere was undeniably intense.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme sat at the head, his overwhelming presence suppressing the demonic gods present with a mere spread of his aura.

Yet his words, transmitted through the image, caused a slight narrowing of Li Che’s eyes.

“Capture the Daughter of Yulian?”

To apprehend the Daughter of Yulian and bring her into the Ten Thousand Great Rivers of the Bizarre Temple, delivering her to the Xie Yao Cave camp.

Li Che could hardly believe his ears upon hearing such news.

The Daughter of Yulian clearly referred to XiXi. Li Che had never expected a conflict between the demons and XiXi, yet the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme was now fixated on her in this manner.

“So this is an internal conflict within the Bizarre Temple Pantheon that has spilled into the mortal world… Is that Black Bull’s target XiXi?”

Inside the room, a cold gleam began to flash in Li Che’s eyes.

His only taboo was his wife and daughter—his daughter was paramount. Anyone daring to harm her was squarely on his kill list.

And now, this Black Bull Demon God Supreme…

Not only had your name been written in his little notebook, but so had the names of many other demonic gods.

“The discord among the pantheon seems significant. Black Xumi and Xie Yao Cave are targeting Yulian, and as the Daughter of Yulian, XiXi appears to be a major focus.”

Li Che furrowed his brows.

He was fully aware of the profound consciousness of Big XiXi hidden within XiXi’s soul.

Yet he still wondered—was it consciousness from a past life or one from the future?

Why did it appear within XiXi’s soul?

Was it the same as the Big XiXi he had seen through the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit Dream Butterfly?

Too many questions surged like tidal waves, leaving him confused and disoriented.

He had encountered too few things to have answers.

XiXi’s birth had bound him, spawning countless Dao Fruits—could they be linked to Big XiXi?

That bond had been the most crucial factor in his growth from weakness to strength.

For Li Che, understanding that bond was of utmost importance.

Even though he continuously evolved his Dao Fruits—some even reaching Lv7—the fear in his heart still lingered.

Deep inside, he harbored a terror.

He dreaded the day when the bond between him and XiXi might vanish…

For if that bond were to break, all the Dao Fruits he acquired would vanish as well.

It was an inner dread—a relentless uncertainty he could not shake.

So, would the Dao Fruits disappear?

Li Che had no idea, nor did he wish to speculate—it was unnecessary and meaningless.

Often, he relied on the Dao Fruits to focus on his own cultivation, using them more as a tool.

Even though many of his actions were accomplished through the Dao Fruits’ divine abilities and Dao Induction, Li Che never abandoned the enhancement of his own strength.

After all, only when he was strong enough could he throw a punch at this world when the Dao Fruits eventually failed him one day.

The image captured by the Cosmic Chessboard gradually faded.

It wasn’t a live feed but rather a snapshot taken while Li Che was training in Mo City—preserved by the Cosmic Chessboard under the manipulation of the Heaven and Earth Soul due to its value.

One thing was clear: as the evolution stage of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit rose, the capabilities of the Cosmic Chessboard grew ever stronger.

Even as the image dissipated, the murderous intent in Li Che’s heart only intensified.

A tremendous pressure suddenly crashed down upon him.

After all, his daughter had been targeted by not just a Second Calamity Demon God Supreme… No, it wasn’t just one demonic god.

The entire Xie Yao Cave camp had set its sights on XiXi as soon as her identity as the Daughter of Yulian was confirmed.

And the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme was merely the dagger that reached out from the Bizarre Temple into the mortal realm.

If the target were Li Che himself, the pressure might be less overwhelming.

But with his daughter XiXi in danger, the pressure was immense.

“Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme…”

Li Che slowly closed his eyes.

In the next moment, he flung them open wide.

Clearly, his rate of growth needed to accelerate—at least within Qitian City, he had to match the power of the Second Calamity Demon God Supreme to counter any attack on XiXi.

He could not afford to be helpless when his daughter came under threat.

Buzz—

Li Che’s gaze shifted toward the void outside the courtyard; it seemed he had spotted the inverted Night Bat Demon God.

This Night Bat Demon God was an informant planted by the Underworld Ogre to keep tabs on him.

“First, take out that informant.”

Li Che rose, a hint of murderous intent in his eyes. In the next moment, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit in his chest beat fiercely.

It was as if he had been completely erased from the cosmos—a mastery of the Sleeping Dragon Elephant Breath Convergence, concealing every trace of energy.

Coupled with the aura-blocking effect of the Cosmic Chessboard, he virtually became invisible.

Not even a crack appeared on the ground as he landed; instead, an invisible ripple spread out, and Li Che drifted toward the edge of the courtyard.

…

…

Hanging in the void, the Night Bat Demon God left only a slender crack behind—a gap through which he could extend his perception without being detected.

Hidden in the void, his aura was completely concealed, leaving nothing but a hairline fracture.

In the vast expanse, a single hair-thin strand floated, nearly impossible to detect without careful scanning.

An invisible, circular expansion of perception surged forth repeatedly from the crack.

This perception was unique—not from the power of the Heaven and Earth Soul, but emanating from the Night Bat Demon God’s own organs.

Its mysterious and covert nature had earned him the title of a master scout.

As the Underling in charge of reconnaissance under the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, the Night Bat Demon God had a heavy responsibility. When the legacy of Qitian Temple was opened inside Qitian City, he would be the first to venture into the inner city to scout for resources.

Dao Essence Divine Crystals, Divine Crystals… these resources were invaluable. And not to mention the divine weapons, pill recipes, secret techniques, martial arts, and divine secret techniques of Qitian Temple!

He placed great importance on this opportunity because it might be his only chance to officially join the Xie Yao Cave camp under a divine master!

Fully aware of his own significance, the Night Bat Demon God acted with unwavering caution.

Especially since his target was the enigmatic Underworld Ogre, he treaded carefully—tearing open space and concealing himself in the void to spy.

Then, suddenly,

the Night Bat Demon God felt the sky darken.

His ultrasonic sensors, expanding in concentric circles without obstruction, were suddenly overwhelmed by a massive suffocating force.

As a Demon God at the First Calamity level of the Two Calamities, his vigilance was extremely high.

Buzz—

His smooth, pitch-black eyes snapped open as his bat-like fur stood on end.

His bat wings suddenly spread wide!

For before him, a ridiculously cute Cute Cow Mask had appeared!

Beneath that Cute Cow Mask, the eyes were cold and ruthless, their chilling killing intent left unmasked.

Screech—!!!

A piercing ultrasonic shriek erupted from the Night Bat Demon God’s mouth.

No longer able to suppress his ultrasonic waves, they exploded like a storm—smashing through space and racing toward Qitian City.

He had been discovered?!

Startled, the Night Bat Demon God immediately unleashed an ultrasonic shock to rouse the atmosphere.

After all, the Underworld Ogre had slain the White Crane Demon God and was extremely formidable.

Even though the Night Bat Demon God was a First Calamity Demon God of the Two Calamities, he wasn’t willing to engage in head-on combat with the Ogre. His expertise was reconnaissance, not brawling.

So he directly called for the Demon God Supreme!

The fact that the Underworld Ogre had spotted him and appeared meant that action was imminent—a good reason for the Demon God Supreme to strike!

But then…

The ultrasonic shock waves continued to expand, only to bounce back after striking some invisible barrier.

Those waves, inexplicably, returned to him.

In an instant, the Night Bat Demon God was left dizzy and disoriented by his own shock waves!

Damn it…

The Underworld Ogre had tampered with the surrounding space!

It hurt terribly…

His overly sensitive perception had ended up harming him with his own ultrasonic waves.

Nonetheless, the Night Bat Demon God acted decisively. Realizing something was wrong, he flapped his wings to break through the confines of space.

A surging wave of demonic aura erupted as the Witch Demon Calamity Wheel materialized in an instant.

Boom—

Space began to fracture, every inch splitting apart.

But then, the Night Bat Demon God suddenly sensed thick, inky black chains wrapping around his hands and feet, restraining him.

His bat wings flapped furiously as he unleashed all the power of his First and Second Calamities, nearly shattering the chains.

Yet, before he knew it, the Underworld Ogre had appeared behind a chain.

Crackling,

a massive hand swept in and with a forceful elbow, clutched the inky chains together.

A terrifying explosion of strength emanated from the Ogre.

Boom—

As the Night Bat Demon God beat his wings, an irresistible force from the Ogre struck him.

In that moment, the Night Bat Demon God was violently dragged into a dark, ink-black fortress.

Filled with immense apprehension, his ultrasonic waves erupted relentlessly!

Buzz buzz buzz—

Yet there was no response—not even the slightest.

This area, although clearly within Qitian City, was completely sealed off by an unseen force!

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme… could not fathom what was happening!

A cry of despair and anguish rang out.

The Night Bat Demon God, who thrived in darkness, was now consumed by it.

…

…

At the City Lord’s Residence,

the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme sat at the head of the round table. A swirling miasma of demonic aura enveloped him, obscuring his form.

Above his massive ox head, his eyes gleamed fiercely.

His perception swept over the three city gate areas in Qitian City, monitoring the clashes among the mortal strong.

“The forces from the Western Lands of Buddhism are attacking the South Gate, the cultivators of Witch God Mountain the North Gate, while the strong of the Great Jing Court, along with many from the Divine Sect and Ancient Clan within the Great Realm, are assailing the West Gate…”

“Mankind really is a divided force. If only they were as united as we demons—the hierarchical structure in our kind, as oppressive as it may be, ensures absolute unity. Once our leader gives the order, no one dares defy or betray us!”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme smiled lightly.

He believed that in the face of such united demonic forces, the future of the mortal realm would belong to the demons—the entire stage of the world would be theirs!

From the Night Bat’s end, no message came through. Being cautious, he reported the Underworld Ogre’s situation every three incense sticks’ time.

Since three incense sticks hadn’t elapsed yet, the Black Bull remained unconcerned, continuing to monitor the battles at the three city gates where mortal strong fought to break into Qitian City.

Yet, inexplicably, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme felt a growing unease.

He couldn’t pinpoint its source.

…

…

In Mo City Fengdu,

endless inky rain exploded overhead.

Crackling, the sound of chains snapping filled the air, followed by an almost sonic boom.

A figure, like a speeding cannonball, was forcefully dragged down from Mo City’s cloudy dome.

Thud—!

Li Che, still wearing the Ogre Mask, tensed as every sinew and bone in his body coiled together like intertwined steel ropes.

A dreadful force, as if capable of shattering the heavens and earth, crashed down.

Thud!

Li Che smashed into the ground of Mo City, creating an enormous crater!

Clutched under his arm were four chains.

The other ends of these chains were drawn tight, connecting to the Heavenly Dome—leading all the way to that Night Bat Demon God.

A colossal bat-like creature with a cat’s head, its massive bat wings stretching a hundred feet wide, blotted out the sky!

A dense surge of demonic aura roiled upward. The mighty demon at the First and Second Calamity level struggled intensely.

The force erupted, ripping the space apart with countless fractures spreading everywhere!

Debris flew, and within the city, buildings and ground alike were violently shattered.

“Underworld Ogre—!!!”

A piercing scream echoed.

The shockwave rippled wildly through Mo City’s alleys, causing numerous walls to collapse in explosions.

Even Li Che, behind the Ogre Mask, couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

He felt his head pressure build, as if about to burst.

Crack—

Releasing his arms, countless chains suddenly snapped, dissolving into a cloud of inky mist that rose into the Heavenly Dome.

The Night Bat Demon God was both enraged and fuming!

But Li Che had no time to chat with him.

After all, he was in the act of decisively slaying a First and Second Calamity level demon right under the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s watchful eye.

He needed to act quickly, for via the Cosmic Chessboard he knew that the Night Bat Demon God had to report the Underworld Ogre’s status every three incense-stick intervals.

With only one incense-stick period remaining, Li Che had to swiftly dispatch the Night Bat Demon God and complete Spiritual Confinement!

With a flick of his finger,

a black chess piece shot through the air toward the massive, thrashing Night Bat Demon God.

The chess piece exploded midair,

unleashing a rolling surge of black mist, like titanic waves in a vast sea!

In the next moment,

an overwhelming wave of demonic aura burst forth, a pressure that made the Night Bat Demon God’s heart pound with fear.

A demon of the Fan Hai Jiuying level!

Flailing nine heads—two dragon heads, one crane head, and one leopard head!

At the sight of the crane and leopard heads, the Night Bat Demon God’s very breath seemed to freeze.

“White Crane Demon God?!”

Could it be that the White Crane Demon God had been merged into this terrifying demonic form?!

What kind of dark sorcery was this?!

And with the Underworld Ogre involved, it was diabolical!

The Night Bat Demon God’s hairs stood on end as the threat of death triggered a surge of unprecedented power. He flapped his wings and unleashed the full might of his calamity!

Screech—!!!

Though his hairs bristled, at that moment he had only one thought:

Delay!

Delay the inevitable!

With just one incense-stick period remaining, if he could stall long enough…

Before the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme received his report, he would know something was wrong!

Then, perhaps, there might still be a chance to save him!

Delay!

A Fan Hai Jiuying level demon—

powerful and enigmatic indeed—

but if he could hold on for one incense-stick period, it might work!

Boom—!!!

A terrifying burst of energy erupted—a golden column of blood energy stretching from earth to sky!

The Underworld Ogre stepped forward like a mountain rising from the ground, as miraculous Qimen Divine Seeds materialized one after another, exploding with thunderous force. The surging energy smashed the divine mountain to pieces.

Every second counted!

Amidst the murderous intent,

…

…

Between heaven and earth, it was as if a single incense-stick burned quietly.

Like the countdown of life itself.

With a resounding thud, the Night Bat Demon God bled continuously, his massive demonic form seemingly about to burst.

The Fan Hai Jiuying demon was simply too strong—the Night Bat Demon God exhausted all his defensive power.

But if he could just endure, delay…

if he could last one incense-stick period!

…

…

Inside Qitian City,

the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme inexplicably felt a deep unease—a premonition intrinsic to his demonic soul.

That uneasy feeling grew stronger, more intense.

Yet he couldn’t determine its source.

Was it the guarding demon gods at the three gates?

Could another demon god have met the fate of the White Crane Demon God?

It shouldn’t be, for the Black Bull had clearly instructed them: if overpowered, surrender immediately, for he would hit them without hesitation.

“So… where does this unease come from?”

Then suddenly,

the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme narrowed his eyes.

“Night Bat Demon God!”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme suddenly rose.

Boom—

A colossal surge of demonic aura erupted, and the void itself seemed to shatter.

The three incense-stick period…

was almost up!

Night Bat…

The unease grew ever stronger. The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme stirred, and a terrifying wave of demonic aura exploded within the city.

It coalesced into a jet-black, straight current that appeared right before the Underworld Ogre’s courtyard.

His mighty demonic soul scanned the courtyard, noting that the Underworld Ogre, Niu Yi, Niu Er, and other fierce figures were quietly cultivating.

He then appeared at the site where the Night Bat had hidden.

There, a fissure slowly tore open in space.

Gradually, the crack widened.

Revealing the smiling face of the Night Bat Demon God.

“Master, why have you come?”

“I was just about to receive your report—the three incense-stick period has just ended.”