Chapter 456: The Rising Storm in Qitian City

A dense, overwhelming aura of demon energy roared and swept across the land like a raging tornado.

The inky demon energy churned behind his tall, imposing figure, then coalesced into a phantom image of a demonic elephant entangled by a black dragon. With a sweep of its trunk, the phantom whipped the void, sending ripples of distorted space racing outward.

Li Che wore an intricately carved, adorable Cute Elephant Mask, echoing the style of the Cute Cow Mask.

His body erupted with rampant demon energy, every muscle and bone exuding a fearsome force as he brandished the Yin-Yang Demon Blade with exuberance, its shrill, demonic cry piercing the air.

Even Li Che’s jet-black, vigorous hair seemed tinged with a hue of purple under the energy’s influence.

The purple strands lashed through the air as if tearing it apart.

“Tie Ting—”

Li Che’s eyes gleamed with an eerie brilliance—a transformation of demon energy into his gaze.

Achieving his second Demon Immortal Transformation, he absorbed the demon energy of two Demon Gods. Coupled with his Martial Immortal Golden Body, his physical resilience grew far beyond that of ordinary demon gods.

In his metamorphosis into a demon immortal, Li Che felt it was time to adopt a new identity.

Adding another high-energy demon to the Underworld was perfectly acceptable.

It underscored the Underworld’s diversity, deepening its mystique and rendering its origins even more inscrutable.

After his second transformation, as Li Che gripped the Yin-Yang Demon Blade, he could feel its excitement—almost as if the blade had become an extension of his own body.

With a resounding step, he descended, transforming into a figure akin to a celestial crane. In a flash of radiant wings, his blade-like strike parted the air and scattered surging energy waves.

Every bone and sinew of his demon-infused body resonated, merging seamlessly with his Martial Immortal Golden Body to become a true demon immortal.

Satisfied with the overwhelming demon energy bursting from his flesh, Li Che nodded in approval.

Such energy was ample to fill the void left by the abducted demon god, paving the way to secure their allegiance without alerting the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

“The plan for subjugation… must now commence.”

Li Che’s target wasn’t the twelve Demon Gods; his focus was—

That Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme of the Second Calamity!

For daring to conspire against his daughter, Li Che would not miss the chance to deliver a crushing blow to the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

He exhaled sharply.

Wearing the adorable Cute Elephant Mask of Tie Ting, Li Che’s demon form vanished in an instant, swallowed by Mo City Shandu.

In the Outer City of Qitian City.

At the Three-Open Courtyard.

Emerging from Shandu back into the courtyard, the Cosmic Chessboard flared and Li Che’s aura instantly receded.

With his tiptoes barely touching the ground, he darted out like a phantom. Under the blessing of the Dragon Elephant Vajra and Sleeping Dragon Elephant,

his aura seemed to vanish completely as if erased from the mortal plane.

Within Qitian City, demon energy roiled, seeping into every nook and cranny.

Even the human cultivators within the city felt an overwhelming discomfort—a clear display of demon clan dominance. Should a coalition of human cultivators arise, they might tear apart this demonic influence.

But none of the human forces were inclined to engage the demon clan directly.

To them, with the Qitian City inheritance yet to be opened, risking lives for a transmission that might even favor them was unthinkable.

To exchange one’s life for a chance at the Qitian legacy would be too heavy a price to pay.

If a full-scale war with the demon clan were to break out, it would have to wait until after the Qitian Transmission was secured.

Li Che donned the Cute Cow Mask, transforming into the Ogre, and prowled through the darkness, his steps drawing him toward the city’s shadowy fringes.

Through the Cosmic Chessboard, Li Che had already meticulously investigated the profiles of the twelve Demon Gods.

Within the Chessboard, with the Heaven and Earth Soul in command, after excluding the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, the Sword Antelope Demon God at the West Gate, the Golden Wing Demon God at the South Gate, and the Jade-Horned Rhino Demon God at the North Gate, nine Demon Gods remained.

These nine would be Li Che’s targets.

Among them, four were in the First Calamity/Three Tribulation realm, three in the First Calamity/Two Tribulation realm, and the remaining two in the First Calamity/One Tribulation realm.

Surprisingly, there were quite a few in the First Calamity/Three Tribulation realm.

A total of four were present, yet not all were subjects of the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

Only one, while the other three represented other Second Calamity Demon God Supremes.

Li Che wouldn’t take these First Calamity/Three Tribulation Demon Gods lightly. Though his power had greatly increased, he could not afford any slack.

After all, behind each demon god stood a formidable Second Calamity Demon God Supreme.

Even though the Cosmic Chessboard shrouded the entire Outer City of Qitian City, some details still eluded him.

Even after 500 years of demon clan strategizing in Qitian City, these twelve Demon Gods were not the entirety of their military might.

If it were only these twelve confronting the forces of the Great Realm, that might suffice—but adding the forces of the Great Li and the Western Lands of Buddhism left them wanting.

According to the Night Bat Demon God, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme possessed a teleportation technique taught by the gods of the Cunning Demon Grotto, capable of transferring demon clans from across the vast expanse of the great river.

The Night Bat Demon God asserted that the demon clan’s forces along that river were formidable.

Thus, if the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme sensed something amiss and activated his teleportation, drawing in other demon gods, the situation would become all the more dire.

For Li Che, the threat from a First Calamity/One Tribulation Demon God was no longer what it once was.

Once drawn into the Cosmic Chessboard, the long-waiting Fan Hai Jiuying, coordinated with Gu Yinxuan’s lethal tactics, could swiftly subdue them; after which Li Che could execute the Spiritual Confinement.

In truth, for that brief moment of demon energy deficiency, Li Che would unleash his Demon Immortal Nine-Turn Divine Technique, reform his demon form, and replenish the lost energy.

Within Qitian City, there stood numerous residences.

Many were the ancestral mansions from the city’s heyday.

Now, however, they had been overtaken one after another by Demon Gods.

The Cosmic Chessboard hung overhead like an unseen force; only Li Che could glimpse its silhouette when he looked up.

Within his chest, the Chess Sage Dao Fruit beat rapidly. Ever since entering Qitian City, Li Che had been intensely channeling its power; the operation of the Cosmic Chessboard had reached unprecedented perfection.

Before him, streams of light flashed by.

[Dao Fruit: Chess Sage (lv6 66%)]

These days of high-intensity operation had indeed borne fruit—the maturity of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit had markedly advanced.

He couldn’t help but wonder what calamities its newfound power might unleash.

After water, fire, and wind, what further tribulation awaited?

Li Che calmed his mind as he strode through the shadows. Even amidst rampant demon energy, it seemed to merge with him.

His initial targets were the two First Calamity/One Tribulation Demon Gods—he planned to proceed gradually; one cannot devour a fat pig in a single bite.

With the opening of Qitian City’s Inner City drawing near,

Li Che wasn’t sure exactly when it would start; he only aimed to secure the allegiance of all twelve Demon Gods before the Inner City transmission commenced.

Currently, XiXi was safe at the restaurant where the Boss resided, under the protection of the Boss and the Dog Master.

Meanwhile, Li Che reveled in the darkness as demonic energy swirled about him.

Clad in a dark ink-black robe that blended into the night,

inside one residence, countless coils of demon energy whirled like a ceaseless vortex.

It was as if a hulking, terrifying presence lurked there, its every breath causing the demon energy to rise and rumble.

Outside the residence,

Li Che appeared silently wearing the Ogre Mask.

A horde of minor demons guarded the residence—these lesser demons were mostly at the Demon General level, equivalent to the Grandmaster realm among humans.

Yet for Li Che, dispatching these Demon Generals was child’s play; he could effortlessly crush them.

Standing at the entrance, Li Che was in no hurry to enter. Instead, he glanced up at the towering Inner City wall behind the residence.

It was the impenetrable fortress of Qitian City’s Inner City—a steel barrier that cut off all from the Outer City.

Within, a palpable sense of oppression steadily bled outwards, warping the very fabric of space.

The Sanqing Bizarre Temple and the Douzhan Yulian Demon Saint’s Qitian Bizarre Temple were nestled within its confines.

Sensing an ever-intensifying divine aura and pressure, Li Che understood that the inherence of Qitian City was about to commence.

Some even speculated it might start at any moment.

“We need to speed things up,” he murmured.

With his words falling into the silence,

Li Che rolled up the wide sleeves of his black robe, slung it behind him, and strode past the Demon Generals guarding the entrance with regal nonchalance.

Even as he passed right before their eyes, aided by the shielding of the Sleeping Dragon Elephant and the Cosmic Chessboard, he seemed to evaporate completely, leaving not a trace.

Inside the residence, apart from the stationed Demon God, there stood two top-tier Demon Kings and one triple-tier Demon King.

It was said that every Demon God was accompanied by top-tier Demon Kings and their cohorts—a norm among the demon clan inhabiting the great river lands.

Just as a Demon King would have subordinate Demon Generals, and those in turn, minor demons, etc…

Rankings were of utmost importance for the demon clan of the great river lands.

This First Calamity/One Tribulation Demon God was the Plum Blossom Demon God, whose true form was that of a plum blossom deer. According to the Night Bat Demon God, though it looked like a deer, it was vicious and relished blood.

Demon energy tumbled and surged, mixed with an overpowering stench of blood.

A young man crowned with antlers sat upright, as a blood-red demon pill floated before him, with streams of sanguine energy crackling like lightning all around.

He was refining his demon pill. Even for a Demon God, demon pills were essential—after all, the forces of the Witch Demon Tribulation relied on them.

His plum blossom-patterned robe rustled continuously.

The Plum Blossom Demon God’s brows furrowed unexpectedly as a vague unease took root in his heart.

As a deer demon, he was naturally attuned to imminent danger.

After all, before attaining true essence, one must always remain vigilant against lurking predators in the dense forest—”there’s murderous intent…”

The Plum Blossom Demon God opened his eyes and bared two sharp fangs.

A powerful surge of Heaven and Earth Soul erupted forth.

Yet in an instant, his expression turned to shock.

The murderous intent was overwhelming, surging from all directions like a tidal wave on the great river!

“Who?!”

Immediately, the Plum Blossom Demon God unleashed an enormous burst of demon energy upward, which was then halted by an unseen force.

A formidable demon spirit emanated from the swirling energy around his brow, its rippling aura disturbing the very air, much like water churned on a mirror-like lake by a sudden gust.

Startled, the Plum Blossom Demon God sprang to his feet, swallowing his demon pill as his gaze hardened.

But in the next moment, an overwhelming surge of demon energy from all around nearly smothered him, robbing him even of the courage to draw his weapon.

Inside the residence, a cloaked figure in a black robe appeared, slowly turning. With purple hair streaming wildly, the adorable Cute Elephant Mask came into the Plum Blossom Demon God’s view.

“Who are you?”

The Plum Blossom Demon God broke into a cold sweat as a feeling of despair overwhelmed him.

Who was this demon god from nowhere?!

“Underworld Tie Ting.”

“From the Underworld—I have heard your voice.”

A soft, echoing voice, accompanied by rolling demon energy, resounded through the space.

Beneath the Cute Elephant Mask, his voice reverberated.

The Plum Blossom Demon God let out a piercing howl, as if his tongue had burst like spring thunder. His surroundings shattered as he bolted out of the residence.

However, as soon as he moved, that masked figure appeared right behind him, fingers clamping onto his neck and forcefully pressing him down.

In an instant, the ground transformed into a black portal that split open with a screech.

Thus, the Plum Blossom Demon God plummeted into the pitch-black expanse of Mo City.

Inside the residence, several Demon Kings stared in horror at the spectacle.

They attempted to flee like the Plum Blossom Demon God, but the terrifying demon energy and aura emanating from the masked demon god forced them to cower.

The 【Wan Yao Di】 Dao Fruit trembled incessantly; the suppression exerted from the soul level rendered these Demon Kings utterly helpless.

Beneath the Tie Ting Mask, Li Che calmly cast a glance at them.

He didn’t even need to toss these Demon Kings into Mo City Shandu.

With a swift motion of his five fingers, the Yin-Yang Demon Blade swept out. As if imbued with its own will, it savagely decimated the Demon Kings.

It feasted on their demon blood, further amplifying its own formidable aura.

As the Cosmic Chessboard dissipated, after his second Demon Immortal Transformation, Li Che’s demon energy roared forth, instantly filling the void left by the captured Plum Blossom Demon God.

In no more than a few breaths,

the void was cleaved into perfect, neatly-cut blocks.

Gu Yinxuan’s pale, eerie face glowed with a faint green light.

“Master!”

Gu Yinxuan called out.

Shortly after, he nonchalantly tossed out the corpse of the Plum Blossom Demon God.

The corpse was so mangled and rotten from a savage beating by Fan Hai Jiuying that any resistance was futile.

After all, Fan Hai Jiuying was now at the First Calamity/Three Tribulation realm—a level at which subduing a First Calamity/One Tribulation foe was child’s play.

For Fan Hai Jiuying to resist swallowing demon souls was already an act of obedience.

The allure of demon souls was simply too potent for him to ignore.

Without further courtesy, Li Che extended his five fingers to complete the Spiritual Confinement.

The Plum Blossom Demon God, with due reverence, stood at Li Che’s side, his corpse discarded back into Mo City Shandu. Alas, between Spiritual Confinement and feeding Fan Hai Jiuying, only one choice could be made.

Without another word, after completing the Spiritual Confinement, the Plum Blossom Demon God voluntarily undertook the task of channeling and releasing the demon energy.

Within his courtyard, Li Che studied the energy for half a day to ensure its smooth transition and absence of any flaws before stealthily departing to secure the allegiance of the second First Calamity/One Tribulation Demon God.

Soon enough, using his strategies, Li Che quietly subjugated two Demon Gods within a single day.

Inside Qitian City, the demon energy remained largely unchanged—perhaps with only the slightest fluctuation, too subtle for untrained senses.

Who could have foreseen that, amidst the growing clamor in Qitian City, someone was discreetly scripting a horror story?

At least, from the perspective of the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, it was a horror tale indeed.

For in the future, he might discover that while everything seemed normal, his comrades and subordinates had all turned against him.

With a knife honed to perfection, striking from behind, his heart would be impaled until riddled with countless wounds.

On the following day at the Outer City’s Three-Open Courtyard of Qitian City,

Li Che relaxed his grip. A fragment—a shard of an Underworld Dao Essence Divine Crystal—transmuted into rubble, having been completely devoured from the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

The pummeling of Mud Pellets reverberated like the tolling of ancient drums.

The Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate Divine Transformation had entered the Four Gods Transformation stage, reaching a nascent state of deification as energy steadily accumulated for the next breakthrough.

Meanwhile, the Seven Emotions Six Desires Divine Transformation and Lv Xuan Sword Immortal Divine Transformation were also continuously evolving.

Of course, out of the fifteen Dao Essence Divine Crystals, Li Che had cultivated some himself while feeding others to the Temple Spirit meatballs birthed by Huang Jianjiu, awaiting the day Huang Jianjiu would ascend as the Temple Spirit.

Sizzling thunder intertwined and converged in his palms. Under the oppressive pressure of Thunder Magnetic, a Divine Xiao Prison Thunder Pellet emerged, warping and distorting as if the very space were twisting.

In Mo City Shandu, the Painted Immortal Clone was busy modifying the Xiangong Gatling and Xiangong Barrett mechanisms, planning to integrate the Divine Xiao Prison Thunder Pellet to enhance their power.

Simultaneously, improvements to the Guanyin Lotus Bullet were underway.

Thanks to the Painted Immortal Clone’s assistance, Li Che was able to dispatch in multiple directions.

He carefully gathered the compressed Prison Thunder Pellets.

Slowly, Li Che exhaled a long breath.

With the Tie Ting Mask securely in place, he turned his attention to the second First Calamity/Two Tribulation Demon God, his body melding into the darkness.

His methods remained unchanged from yesterday.

However, First Calamity/Two Tribulation Demon Gods put up a far stronger resistance than their One-Tribulation counterparts.

BOOM!!!

As the expanse of the Shengtian Dao Domain expanded a hundred feet, the aura of the First Calamity/Two Tribulation Demon God began to wane.

Then, Li Che’s Demon Immortal Nine-Turn Divine Technique, bolstered by the demon energy of the two recently subjugated Demon Gods, magnified the energy further.

With the suppressive force of the Wan Yao Di Dao Fruit,

Li Che effortlessly sealed his foe into Mo City Shandu during the energy transfer.

The third day.

The fourth day.

Days passed like a gentle breeze, imperceptibly.

Each day, as the light shifted and darkened, a Demon God’s encounter with an unseen black hand went unnoticed.

Every three incense sticks, the Night Bat Demon God reported on the conditions of the Big Black Dog and Li Nuǎnxi to the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme was exceedingly pleased. With the capable Night Bat Demon God at his side, everything seemed under control.

Meanwhile, the three Demon Gods guarding Qitian City’s three gates grew busier than ever.

Some human cultivators, unwilling to remain idle, sensed that the Qitian City transmission was drawing near.

But those strong enough to enter Qitian City had already completed the challenge and awaited inside.

The less capable, barred from entering, could only fret outside.

Above the Heavenly Dome, dark clouds rolled ominously, suffocating the sky with oppressive gloom.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme stood in his courtyard, enveloped in an overwhelming aura of demon energy, his two black bull horns seemingly poised to pierce the heavens.

“It’s about to begin…”

“We demon clans have waited a full five hundred years…”

“The Demon Saint is returning!”

The swirling demon energy around the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme roiled uncontrollably.

“Night Bat, will I be able to successfully usher the Demon Saint back?”

The Night Bat Demon God folded his bat wings and bowed his head in deference.

“Respected one, you will surely succeed!”

Inside a lavish residence in Qitian City,

the Cosmic Chessboard ceaselessly spiraled overhead, isolating all surrounding forces. As demon energy cascaded, the cycle of power shifted imperceptibly.

Li Che, sporting the Tie Ting Mask, used the Black and White Yin-Yang Demon Blade as a crutch planted firmly on the ground, his purple hair blazing like a fiery inferno in the wind.

The oppressive atmosphere thickened, growing ever more intense.

Suddenly, a deep rumble vibrated the ground as a gigantic crocodile-headed Demon God’s corpse crashed down, utterly shattered.

Fan Hai Jiuying grew increasingly agitated. With Demon Gods parading before him, he found himself in a predicament—like a child surrounded by unattainable candy, his temper flared.

Yet Fan Hai Jiuying remained loyal and dutifully completed the tasks Li Che had set, his small outbursts confined to suppressed sulking.

After all, if the Master didn’t nourish him, what was he to do?

Li Che then completed the Spiritual Confinement on the final First Calamity/Two Tribulation Demon God.

Excluding the three Demon Gods guarding the city gates, among the twelve Demon Gods, Li Che had successfully secured the allegiance of five.

The remaining four were First Calamity/Three Tribulation Demon Gods.

Each of these four was a foe not easily overcome.

After all, Fan Hai Jiuying had only just reached the First Calamity/Three Tribulation realm…

Moreover, behind these First Calamity/Three Tribulation Demon Gods loomed even other Demon God Supremes, making the battle far more perilous than facing a mere Two-Tribulation Demon God.

With this in mind, Li Che turned and departed, his demon energy surging as he left under the respectful gaze of the Crocodile-Headed Demon God.

He did not return to the residence.

Removing his mask, Li Che dispelled the Demon Immortal Nine-Turn Transformation.

He strode down the dark alley, his footsteps echoing clearly all around as he made his way.

Under the warm, descending glow of amber streetlights, one small restaurant appeared especially inviting.

At the restaurant’s entrance, XiXi and Big Black Dog were playing.

Ding-a-ling.

The curtain lifted as the Boss, dressed in brilliant white, emerged with a steaming bowl of food.

“XiXi, come have some late-night snacks.”

Sensing something, the Boss glanced in Li Che’s direction.

XiXi paused in her dash for the snacks, her eyes lighting up as she turned to look at Li Che.

After a brief back-and-forth between late-night treats and Father, the little girl bounded into Li Che’s embrace.

“Daddy! Are you here to take me home?”

XiXi blinked in response.

Li Che ruffled her head tenderly, “No, Daddy is just here to see you.”

Recalling how much the little one had grown plump from the Boss’s delicious meals, it was obvious she was well-fed.

“Yay! But oh, how disappointing!”

XiXi clapped her hands reflexively, but noticing her father’s teasing glance, she quickly softened her tone.

“Better early than late—plus there’s more late-night food,” Li Che chuckled softly.

Staring at the exquisite presentation of glistening Shaomai, Li Che wasted no time and began to eat heartily.

He shared the sumptuous late-night meal with XiXi.

The Boss sat in a chair, rolled two cigarettes, and tossed one to Li Che.

Li Che clicked his chopsticks, giving up on contesting over the last Shaomai with his beloved daughter. He set down his chopsticks, took the cigarette, and lit it with a spark from the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame.

Together with the Boss, he began to exhale billowing clouds of smoke.

“Qitian City is about to open,” the Boss remarked in a calm tone.

Li Che nodded, unsurprised by the news.

“Tomorrow,” the Boss added.

At this, Li Che’s eyes flickered. He looked over and asked, “Tomorrow?”

A tinge of regret stirred within him.

He had only managed to secure the allegiance of half of his twelve Demon Gods—

Four Three-Tribulation Demon Gods and three One-Tribulation Demon Gods still remained unbound.

Yet Li Che showed little concern.

Plans always change, and perfection is but an illusion.

“Tomorrow… how swift time flies,” he mused.

“Time waits for no one.”

Li Che exhaled a cloud of smoke.

The Boss shot him a sidelong glance, “Look at you, speaking like a human. Time waits for no one—give it a little more time and soon you might be ruling Qitian City!”

Li Che stood and dusted off the cigarette ashes. “Boss, please take care of XiXi,” he said.

The opening of Qitian City’s transmission signaled that chaos would soon engulf the city, and the hidden demons would begin to emerge.

Naturally, XiXi would continue to stay with the Boss.

The Boss flicked away the cigarette ash and remarked coolly, “Don’t worry, even a hungry Dog will never let XiXi go hungry.”

Li Che couldn’t help but laugh heartily, then, with a flourish of his fingers, tore open the Qianyuan Space and dangled it before the Boss.

“How about these ingredients?”

Inside were the real corpses of slain Demon Gods—

The Boss’s eyes sparkled like that of a master chef discovering exquisite ingredients.

“I’ll take them,” he replied.

Without further ado, the Boss gathered the ingredients.

After bidding farewell to the Boss and XiXi, Li Che returned to the courtyard where the Ogre resided.

The night was as black as ink; dark clouds roiled overhead, their oppressive atmosphere relentlessly weighing down upon the mortal world.

With little concern for the remaining unconquered Demon Gods, Li Che did not bother further and sat cross-legged.

He closed his eyes, entering a Dao Calamity space with his mind,

and began to refine the power of the Dao Calamity.

BOOM!!!

When his mind stirred and he abruptly emerged from the Dao Calamity space,

Li Che’s eyes sparkled. His fingers parted to reveal a single gleaming drop of deep blue water swirling within his palm.

“It is done!”

The Primordial Water Calamity, the Purification Flow—mastered!

[Dao Calamity: Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame (4%), Primordial Void Slash (2%), Primordial Purification Flow (1%)]

A slow, subtle smile crept across Li Che’s lips.

A tremendous rumble shook the heavens—

Above the Heavenly Dome, electric serpents danced as wild winds howled!

Countless twisting electric currents interwove like a vast spider’s web!

In his hand, Li Che cradled a droplet of Primordial Water Calamity.

At that very moment, the entirety of Qitian City trembled with a resounding roar!

Li Che scanned the area of his small courtyard.

An incredibly thick, eerie mist was slowly rising from beneath the ground—

In an instant, it enveloped everything!

And in the direction of Qitian City’s Inner City—

a thunderous roar shattered the silence!

Clanging chains resounded noisily as countless locks rattled.

Li Che looked up and, within the Inner City, he could just about make out a human-shaped figure ensnared by chains, struggling desperately!

The Qitian Temple Spirit—

had been revived!