Chapter 451: Thunder Over Qitian City

Boom—!!!

The dome of Heaven split the sky with lightning; its sudden radiance lit up Qitian City, formerly hidden by dark clouds, in an instant.

Even the tiniest gap between every brick and tile shone with the flickering brilliance of lightning!

A massive golden portal spanned the heavens and the earth. It wasn’t huge—only a few dozen zhang wide—but it looked as if it were forged from ancient material, gleaming with a brilliant, golden hue.

Intricate engravings and ancient divine symbols intertwined over its surface, as if it were a stairway to the heavens emerging straight from ancient myth.

Most striking of all, the portal seemed to have been pushed open, revealing a vast world behind it. Within that world, a solitary human figure appeared—like a peerless Immortal King—seated gracefully between heaven and earth.

He looked like a Martial Immortal who had honed his martial path to perfection, calmly presiding over the boundless cosmos.

At this moment, the emergence of the Golden Heavenly Gate was unmasked; a terrifying aura seeped from within the portal.

It carried an otherworldly energy, descending like a rolling torrent from above.

Even the myriad demonic energies swirling around the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme above Qitian City felt an oppressive force—not merely a suppression of strength, but a downgrading of power itself.

“Pure Martial Arts to open the Heavenly Gate?!”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s eyes narrowed. “Humans… can they really produce monsters like this?”

In an era when bizarre temples sprang up like mushrooms after rain and divine essence overflowed everywhere, there still existed someone who could resist the lure of divinity, forgoing the path of divine might to pursue Pure Martial Arts—and even reaching the stage of opening the Heavenly Gate?!

Crack, crack—

The golden Heavenly Gate hung in the vast sky, its presence seemingly forcing the dark clouds to tear apart.

Li Che, behind his Ogre Mask, felt a surge of exhilaration. He spread his arms wide, and his body, reinforced by golden-hued sinews, reverberated with a constant roar.

Once the Heavenly Gate opened, torrents of magnificent, flame-like vital energy surged out relentlessly from within it.

With the Martial Saint Fourfold, the opening of the Heavenly Gate marked the pinnacle of achievement!

In that instant, Li Che had truly stepped into the realm of ultimate mastery—not by triggering the Eight Mysterious Gates but by his own martial cultivation reaching the apex.

He could feel his qi and blood continuously soaring and undergoing transformation.

With a long, piercing howl, his golden qi surged upward like a great roc spreading its wings, soaring into the clouds and transforming into a colossal golden Sky Dragon and an imposing golden Demon Elephant!

The Dragon and Elephant spanned the heavens, as though ancient, peerless beasts had burst into life.

Li Che’s qi soared at a frenzied pace, skyrocketing in a truly maddening fashion.

From the Golden Heavenly Gate, a cascading river of qi descended like a beam of golden light, connecting from his back all the way to the portal.

Nearby, the Underworld Ogre’s golden hair fluttered wildly, his entire body shrouded in a misty aura—a scene born of qi exploding outward in a fog-like display.

Beneath the mask, the Ogre’s eyes opened and closed like those of a peerless Divine King echoing the supreme Martial Immortal within the gate.

Boom—

With a tight grip of his five fingers, his spine jolted as if struck by a celestial dragon emerging from the abyss. Beyond the Heavenly Gate, as if aided by an immortal, Li Che nearly transformed into an immortal being at that moment.

His Martial Immortal Golden Body seemed imbued with mysterious power. It boiled to life, every bit of strength squeezed out from even his very bones.

With a single step forward, Li Che launched a punch that cleaved through the air. The overwhelming surge of qi and battlefield fury made him want to keep striking endlessly.

Above, the will of heaven and earth seemed poised to deliver a fierce calamity. But Li Che, shrouded by the mist over Qitian City, managed to momentarily block that impending doom.

Inside, Li Che felt an exhilaration—finally, another calamity thunder was coming. This time, it might just push his Thunder Magnetic Conduit to a new breakthrough!

With fierce determination, his eyes locked onto the increasingly alert White Crane Demon God.

Although the White Crane Demon God had long been subduing the Ogre, he now sensed something amiss. It appeared that the Ogre had been using him as a grindstone to polish his own martial path.

And now, his martial cultivation seemed to have made a breakthrough!

While the White Crane Demon God couldn’t quite decipher what the Ogre was refining—could it be the opening of the Heavenly Gate?

Impossible…

If the Ogre were a Martial Saint who hadn’t even unlocked his Heavenly Gate, how could he spar with a demon god for so long?

A peak Martial Saint battling a Demon God?

It just isn’t possible!

Absolutely impossible!

At the mere thought of even a sliver of such possibility, the White Crane Demon God’s hair stood on end.

But regardless, if one could summon such a Heavenly Gate, the White Crane Demon God had no choice but to take the Ogre seriously and fight with all his might!

A piercing, resounding cry echoed as the calamity wheel of the White Crane Demon God floated behind him, and a storm of demonic aura raged wildly.

Two beams of sword light interwove and exploded—so dazzling that they resembled an inverted white crane unfurling its wings!

Boom—!!!

On the other side, behind the Ogre, a molten crucible burst forth, a formless wave of flames surging across the sky.

It was as if some true Immortal of the martial path, hidden behind the Heavenly Gate, had clenched his fist and struck down!

Though devoid of any direct calamity power, it delivered an overwhelming pressure upon the White Crane Demon God.

It was like mortal strength clashing against true divinity!

Between heaven and earth, torrential and scorching qi churned like titanic footsteps, as if a Qilin were crushing the void, igniting surging flames from a tilted crucible!

All coalesced into a punch more resplendent than starlight!

The surrounding space seemed to freeze as enormous waves of qi rumbled like tsunamis rolling off the point of impact. Layer upon layer of mysterious mists were blown away in an instant.

It was like an inverted heavenly river, its torrent solidifying the very air with an overwhelming force that crashed down relentlessly!

Such an impact was akin to a celestial disaster!

Heaven and earth were bathed in a glowing, ruddy brilliance!

The force of the punch sealed off the area for several dozen miles, as if the very space was being congealed into a solid mass!

It was as though sunbaked mud instantly dried up, leaving anyone within utterly immobilized!

The White Crane Demon God’s expression changed in horror. Transforming into an inverted white crane of sword light, countless beams combined with his own, their shrieks and roars echoing as if the very space was crying out under unbearable strain!

Countless arcs of sword light formed circles with the White Crane Demon God at the center, converging on the enormous Qilin Great Seal that tumbled from the heavens like a collapsing mountain.

Their aim was to shatter the frozen, suppressed space!

Boom—!!!

Fists and sword light collided—the clash of calamity and pure martial might!

A terrifying explosion split the air!

Clang, clang, clang—

The sound of clashing metal echoed like a barrage of cannon fire, the air shredded into torrents as waves of force erupted!

Waves of qi surged like a tsunami from the point of impact, expanding relentlessly, dispersing even the densest mysterious fog.

Qitian City trembled mightily—the city walls shook violently, and the ground’s soil and sand were thrown up, pulverized into dust!

Dust and sand swirled as if the White Crane Demon God’s calamity power had been blasted apart, and the searing, explosive qi ignited sparks like a volcanic eruption, setting everything aflame!

Everyone’s gaze was fixed in stunned silence.

Even Lü Taibai, who had just made his breakthrough, took a deep breath at that moment, the Taibai Sword in his sleeve clanging loudly!

Lü Qiankun, the Ancestral Patriarch of Daocheng, narrowed his eyes and remarked, “What a fierce Underworld Ogre!”

“Pure Martial Martial Saint… Such a physical form, such qi. No wonder Niu Yi, Niu Er, and Niu San could kill three Demon Kings. With the Underworld Ogre leading, victory was assured!”

XiXi jumped excitedly in place.

The ever-combative girl’s little face flushed bright red.

“Master Niu Niu is incredible!”

XiXi’s admiration deepened. She dreamed of someday being as formidable as Master Niu Niu, standing toe-to-toe with divine calamities!

Meanwhile, powerful figures from the Great Jing Court, Divine Sect, Ancient Clan, the Western Lands of Buddhism, Witch God Mountain, and other forces fixed their eyes with determination.

Boom—!!!

A tremendous explosion rocked the open ground before Qitian City.

Billowing clouds of dust followed.

Above Qitian City, demonic energies roiled wildly. In the next moment, a thunderous roar erupted from the mouth of a colossal Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, as if a mountain had materialized from the earth.

This Demon God at the Second Calamity realm now seemed unusually agitated!

“Stop it!!!”

His powerful voice boomed like crashing waves.

Yet no one answered his call.

Everyone looked up. In the sky, black cloud streams had transformed into a dense, blood-red swirl, interlaced with vivid crimson lightning.

Soon, blood-red droplets, as brilliant as glazed beads, began to fall.

Blood rain from the heavens—a portent declared!

The divine calamity had fallen!

Divine Calamity…fallen?!

All eyes turned towards the ruins, where swirling dust and fierce winds suppressed the scene.

Then the battlefield revealed itself.

And there,

a massive deep pit had opened before Qitian City, a cavernous hollow sinking deep into the earth.

A gigantic white crane corpse, grotesquely contorted, dragged a deep furrow hundreds of zhang long through the rubble!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—

The air and void were filled with the charred stench of scorching power.

Thick, sooty black mists, reminiscent of signal fires, drifted upward from the ruins.

Where the white crane’s remains had piled up, the scorched sands melted and then rapidly solidified into a flowing crystal substance.

The towering Underworld Ogre now presented a golden hue—his waist-length hair, flesh, and eyes all glimmered in brilliant gold.

The corpse of the White Crane Demon God was utterly shattered, its form pulverized by countless devastating blows—it was beyond mere flesh, utterly demolished.

And, in front of everyone’s eyes,

the Underworld Ogre tore open the space and, right before the demonic tribes of Qitian City and the Second Calamity Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme himself, stuffed the White Crane Demon God’s corpse into his Qiankun Space as his personal trophy.

At that moment, everyone realized that the command to stop was meant for the Underworld Ogre—to spare the White Crane Demon God’s life.

But it was obvious; the Underworld Ogre wasn’t interested in sparing face for the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

Or rather,

the Underworld has never been one to show mercy.

Rumble, rumble—

Within Qitian City, demonic energies churned violently; columns of demonic power hundreds of zhang wide shot straight up, connecting heaven and earth like demonic pillars!

Unending bursts of demonic power exploded, merging with the mysterious fog, transforming Qitian City and its surroundings into an ocean of demonic aura!

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Blood rained down in torrents, mixed with the mournful, desperate wails of the White Crane Demon God echoing throughout the heavens and earth.

Boom, boom—

At both the south and north gates of Qitian City, demon lords guarding at the same tier as the White Crane Demon God revealed their true forms, watching in disbelief.

The Jade-Horned Rhino Demon God and the Golden-Winged Demon God, their demonic auras raging sky-high, were shaken to their cores.

But none were angrier than the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, who had stirred an ocean of demonic aura!

His gigantic black bull head, as if poised to burst out of Qitian City, descended with oppressive force. His house-sized eyes glared fixedly at the golden figure clad in the Cute Cow Mask.

“I told you to stop! Can’t you understand?”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme exuded a violent aura, completely at odds with his formerly agreeable demeanor.

A fierce, murderous intent surged within him, cold and unyielding!

His terrifying Heaven and Earth Soul—the Second Calamity realm’s very essence—made the void itself groan under its immense burden, as if a mere sweep could shatter it entirely.

That was the destructive power wielded by a Second Calamity expert, one whose ability to tear apart space far exceeded that of even a First Calamity practitioner.

They could shatter the void with ease.

Yet Li Che, behind his Ogre Mask, remained unfazed. He turned to the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme and said coolly, “If the White Crane Demon God killed me, would you have stopped him?”

“You never set any rules forbidding the guardian from killing or the challenger from dying. So if I kill a Demon God… why not?”

“If you can’t bear that price, then don’t set such rules. Let the human cultivators unite and attack the demons in Qitian City instead.”

Li Che’s heart was calm, unshaken by the oppressive aura of the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

No threat could intimidate him. With his Seven Aperture Luminous Heart, he was immune to any level of suppression.

The murderous intent from the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme was so intense it almost solidified as matter.

Yet, to Li Che’s surprise,

the Demon God Supreme suddenly became calm, his murderous impulse and anger over a Demon God’s death subsiding.

Countless surges of demonic energy stilled, the latent killing intent receding.

The swollen, twisted demonic aura relaxed, reverting to the calm demeanor of the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

“Congratulations. You may enter Qitian City,” he intoned in a deep, ambivalent tone.

Li Che pressed down on his face, behind the Ogre Mask, as the Mo City Fengdu suspended in the sky vanished.

A chill ran down his spine.

What schemes was this Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme plotting?

How could he suppress even his own hatred to such an extent?

The White Crane Demon God was supposedly his son-in-law—a pretext to retrieve his corpse out of respect for his daughter.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme said, “If you hand over both the demon corpse and the Demon Pill, I will exchange them for ten pieces of the Underworld Dao Essence Divine Crystals.”

Li Che was taken aback; he had thought the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme intended to flip the situation and kill him in Qitian City.

But Li Che was bold—in possession of Mo City and the Feilei Shift, he was confident in his entry.

If once inside Qitian City the Demon God Supreme truly revealed his hand, the rules he set would crumble on their own, leading the human cultivators to unite against the demons of Qitian City.

In fact, Li Che secretly preferred that outcome—even if it meant chaos in Qitian City.

Chaos meant more chances.

But clearly, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, even while restraining himself from killing a Demon God, was determined not to let things spiral out of control.

What exactly was he scheming?

Li Che genuinely couldn’t decipher the intentions of this Demon God Supreme.

However, one thing was certain:

A deep-seated grudge now existed between him and the Demon God Supreme.

The Underworld Ogre, his massive, tower-like body shedding its golden luster, donned a black robe and, before the watching eyes inside and outside the city, stepped into Qitian City.

The sprawling Qitian City was even grander and more expansive than Daocheng; Li Che had never seen a city so vast.

Even the Divine Capital of the Great Realm seemed inferior.

If one were to combine the nine cities of the Divine Capital, only then might it rival Qitian City.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Li Che’s black robe fluttered in the wind; under his Ogre Mask, his eyes glowed with a golden haze as a surge of dark wind swept past.

Then, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, his form now composed of demonic aura, appeared before Li Che. This projection was significantly smaller—a rough clone of demonic energy.

It was obviously a crude duplicate, nothing like Li Che’s Painted Immortal Clone; even with close inspection, no differences could be discerned.

“Underworld Ogre…”

The icy voice emerged from the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

Li Che steadied his Ogre Mask, golden smoke gleaming in his eyes, and said, “Are you forcing your hand against me?”

“No…”

In a flawlessly executed sequence,

the Demon God Supreme continued, “I’ve come to make a bargain with you.”

Li Che squinted, “What bargain?”

The Demon God Supreme said, “Hand over the body of the White Crane Demon God and name your price…”

At these words, Li Che froze. He had assumed the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme intended to break ties and ambush him in Qitian City.

Li Che was no stranger to bold moves. With Mo City and the Feilei Shift on his side, he was confident in entering the city.

After all, if the Demon God Supreme truly broke ties upon entry, the rules he set would collapse on their own, leading human cultivators to join forces against the demons of Qitian City.

In fact, Li Che secretly preferred it when human cultivators united to overthrow the demons—it made the chaos even wilder.

And chaos meant more opportunities.

But it seemed the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, even if holding back on killing a Demon God, was unwilling to see the situation turn chaotic.

What exactly was he planning?

Li Che genuinely couldn’t read this Demon God Supreme’s mind.

Still, one thing was clear:

A deep grudge had been sealed between them.

As Li Che’s five fingers tore through the Qiankun Space and gripped the White Crane Demon God’s corpse, his chest thundered as the Wan Yao Di Dao Fruit stirred uncontrollably.

The overwhelming suction devoured nearly ninety percent of the White Crane Demon God’s demonic qi, leaving just a thin trace to maintain the visage of a Demon God.

In the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s eyes, the Underworld Ogre only paused briefly before extracting the White Crane Demon God’s corpse.

With a flourish of demonic aura, fifteen pieces of the Fourfold Underworld Dao Essence Divine Crystals shot towards Li Che.

Li Che opened his Qiankun Space and collected all of the Dao Essence Divine Crystals.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme then retracted the corpse of the White Crane Demon God, his demonic aura swirling as he shot Li Che one last piercing glance before vanishing.

The entire transaction unfolded in a flash.

Even a Second Calamity Demon God Supreme among the demon clans was unusually agreeable.

Li Che was genuinely surprised.

It made him even more cautious; something felt off.

Li Che abandoned any further exploits to exploit loopholes in the rules by slaughtering demons to absorb their qi.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

On the city tower, Niu Yi, Niu Er, and Niu San stepped forward.

They quickly gathered behind the Ogre, and Li Che slipped into a separate courtyard.

Once inside, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme withdrew his perception. His icy murderous intent was laid bare, and amid the surging demonic aura, the corpse of the White Crane Demon God heaved slowly.

“Hmph!”

A cold snort. Li Che’s heart skipped a beat.

In an instant, a figure spread out like bat wings, emerging from the demonic mist in a rampage.

This was the Night Bat Demon God. After five hundred years in Qitian City under the control of the Ten Thousand Great Rivers demon clan, it was clear there were more than three gate-guarding Demon Gods.

Confident enough to face the united onslaught of the Great Jing Court, Divine Sect, Ancient Clan, Western Lands of Buddhism, Witch God Mountain, and other human forces, it was impossible that only three Demon Gods were stationed at Qitian City.

“Keep an eye on the Underworld Ogre…”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme said coldly.

The Night Bat Demon God, without another word, tore through the void and vanished.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s demonic aura roiled like black flames as he reformed his colossal, spectral figure, signaling that the rules must continue.

Meanwhile, beyond Qitian City, after the Underworld Ogre’s triumphant entry following his slaying of a Demon God,

powerful figures from all sides finally relaxed and began to launch assaults against the demon lords and Demon Kings guarding Qitian City.

Outside Qitian City, battle erupted in endless waves.

This, however, had nothing to do with Li Che.

In the Outer City’s courtyard, Li Che stepped into the enclosure, and the Cosmic Chessboard expanded in an instant. Squinting his eyes, from the board he sensed a massive, awe-inspiring demonic qi chess piece.

“So the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme has deployed a First Calamity, Second Calamity Demon God as his lookout…”

“This level of emphasis is truly weighty. But it’s understandable—paid for with the life of the White Crane Demon God.”

Li Che smiled softly.

“The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme is a Second Calamity Demon God… I must admit I cannot match him.”

Though Li Che’s foundation was magnificent, contending with a First Calamity-level divine calamity would be extremely challenging.

How much less then, a Second Calamity Demon God—a being spanning a huge stratum!

From the moment he entered Qitian City, Li Che had been ready with his Feilei Shift.

He had no intention of dueling the Second Calamity Demon God head-on.

Even though the aid of the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit allowed him to ignore most suppressive forces, he still sensed the crushing pressure of the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s Second Calamity!

It was terrifying; a single glimpse made it clear that he was outmatched.

“Powerful indeed, and yet I still can’t figure out what schemes that Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme is hatching,”

“I must tread carefully.”

Li Che’s eyes sparkled with caution.

Thud, thud, thud, thud—

The Wan Yao Di Dao Fruit in his chest pulsated incessantly.

Sensing the stir in his heart, Li Che left behind only his Painted Immortal Clone in the courtyard.

In the blink of an eye, he vanished into Mo City Fengdu.

Perhaps Mo City had now been fully restored. Gone was the inky rain; countless drifting black mists surged and receded.

Upon appearing, Li Che pounded his chest forcefully with his palm.

Immediately, a wisp of the White Crane Demon God’s demonic qi was drawn from the Wan Yao Di Dao Fruit, transforming into the semblance of the White Crane Demon God. Then, Li Che spread his five fingers wide.

Alongside, there lay the corpses of the White Mantis, Yuan Leopard, and the Black Bear—three top-tier Demon Kings.

Clatter, clatter…

Behind him, the Ten Fierce Ink Splatter Scroll unfurled slowly.

“Let there be ink splattered,”

Li Che gently flicked his sleeve.

In the next moment,

within the Ten Fierce Ink Splatter Scroll, the image of Fan Hai Jiuying—the form of the Old Dragon God—erupted in a roar!

Chain-like ink strokes burst forth, binding the qi-formed White Crane Demon God and the corpses of the three Demon Kings, then extracting their demonic souls!

Screams of agony and despair tore through the heavens and earth.

The Ten Fierce Ink Splatter Scroll devoured the demonic souls in an instant.

[Ten Fierce Ink Splatter Scroll: Fan Hai Jiuying (40%)]

Boom—

Originally, only two of Fan Hai Jiuying’s nine heads glowed. Now, four shone—

Two of them were dragon heads, one a crane head, and the remaining one, constantly shifting among the three Demon Kings’ visages, finally solidified into that of the Yuan Leopard Demon King—a leopard head.

Rumble, rumble!

Ink-like mists swelled and surged like turbulent tides—

As if black lightning crackled and lashed out repeatedly!

The inky waves rolled like an endless sea, unleashing a terrifying, towering surge; and Fan Hai Jiuying roared furiously amidst the tide, his aura shaking the heavens!

In Li Che’s gleeful gaze, Fan Hai Jiuying’s qi had finally stepped into the First Calamity, Third Calamity realm!

Feeling Fan Hai Jiuying’s burgeoning might,

Li Che’s eyes shone brilliantly as he glanced toward the second panel of the Ten Fierce Ink Splatter Scroll…

Although it seemed pristine,

Li Che couldn’t shake the feeling that his vision was failing him.

It was as if that spot…

should have featured the head of the Black Bull.