Chapter 459: The Emergence of the Heavenly Mask

Floating before him, the Qi Tian Mask shimmered gently, as if a soft breeze were stirring it.

This made the lower third of the mask sway like a hanging wind chime.

On Li Che’s face, the two pieces of the assembled Qi Tian Mask vibrated slightly.

It was as if countless threads sprang forth from the mask, winding around the floating fragment, intertwining as they moved.

Numerous strands of golden monkey hair glimmered and swayed slowly, like fine aquatic weeds in a river.

In the distance, a terrifying roar reminiscent of a divine ape echoed from the mask, shaking the void with its surging force.

With a series of crackling sounds, the remaining mask fragments merged completely.

A torrent of heat burst forth from the mask and surged over Li Che’s body like an electric current.

It filled his mind with new information.

Li Che’s eyes lit up in response.

Inside his chest, the pulse of the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit quickened.

This newfound information was related to the pure Pure Martial Arts.

His mind stirred as he examined it.

It was none other than the complete trinity of martial arts!

The fragments of 【Smash Southern Heavens】, 【Transcendental Furnace】, and 【Step to the Clouds】!

Among these, Smash Southern Heavens and Transcendental Furnace belonged to Transcendent True Martial Way, while the newly acquired piece of Qi Tian Mask had conferred the martial legacy of 【Step to the Clouds】, which was the final form—a Celestial Seed Martial Art!

No wonder the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit pulsed so vigorously!

“Another Celestial Seed Martial Art! As expected of the Sanqing-level Bizarre Temple. It was merely a Temple Spirit Resonance, yet I gained not one, but two Celestial Seed Martial Arts!”

One is the ’72 Transformations of the Tiangang Celestial Martial Art’ and now this 【Step to the Clouds】—the essence of Qi Tian Stick Technique.

“But… why is it the 72 Transformations of Tiangang Celestial Martial Art? Shouldn’t it be the 72 of Dizha?”

A trace of doubt flashed in Li Che’s eyes.

The mask closed as the complete Qi Tian Mask seamlessly merged onto his face.

Faint images seemed to swirl within it, but Li Che held back, not probing further.

The complete mask settled on his face, igniting a fierce flame within his heart that made him feel more unrestrained and defiant than ever!

His fiery determination burned like a raging inferno!

Even the Dao Calamity Fire and Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame that he controlled surged violently at that moment.

Li Che took a deep breath. He felt that if he entered the Dao Calamity Space now and endured the cleansing fire, he might harness even more of that inner fiery spirit to control the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame!

Alas, Li Che had other matters to attend to at this moment.

He could only suppress the surge of impulse deep within.

Besides that, Li Che began to sense the amplification from donning the Qi Tian Mask. His entire spirit seemed invigorated, and his vital energy surged by roughly thirty percent!

A full thirty percent boost in power!

It was almost equivalent to the surge experienced when triggering the fifth and sixth Qimen Divine Seeds in the Eight Mysterious Gates!

In effect, wearing the Qi Tian Mask elevated Li Che from the Eight to the Nine Mysterious Gates!

The mask itself counted as one of the mysterious gates!

His very being—stronger and more resilient than ever!

Beneath the mask, a subtle upward curl appeared at the edge of his lips.

Of course, one reason Li Che had not studied the hidden images in the Qi Tian Mask was that the Mixed Yuan Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff looming over the Inner City Tower had emerged.

This Sanqing-level Divine Weapon was something Li Che had long coveted.

Ever since leaving Feilei City with his wife and daughter and arriving at Jingguang Prefecture, he had heard the legend and knew it ranked among the Sanqing Divine Weapons!

And now he finally had the chance to obtain it!

In his hand, the vibration of the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff was more intense than ever, seemingly resonating with the burning spirit within his chest, trembling incessantly!

Having lived two lifetimes, Li Che’s soul bore memories of his past life, along with an innate excitement,

an eager anticipation of wielding a staff.

He simply couldn’t resist the Qi Tian Stick!

Li Che’s eyes gleamed sharply—

he was determined to seize the Qi Tian Stick!

As the thick, mysterious mist that had erupted from the black vortex of the city gate slowly began to dissipate and thin out,

the figures hidden within the fog gradually emerged.

A Western Lands of Buddhism monk, palms clasped and eyes marked with patterns like cicadas,

and the Underworld Divine Monkey, carrying the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam—a second calamity-level figure among them.

Also present were cultivators from the Great Jing Court’s Temple Guardian Division, including Ye Pengju and Wang Kui.

One after another, silhouettes stirred as if awakening from a hazy slumber; some appeared confused, others lost.

This Temple Spirit Resonance had ended all too quickly.

They were still in the midst of resonating with the Temple Spirit, trying desperately to establish a link for inheritance and opportunity.

But it had ended as abruptly as it had begun—why?

Cloaked in black, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, ready to join the fray with the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam, eyed his target and prepared to charge in a fierce clash with the heavenly soldiers, in perfect sync with the Qi Tian Resonance.

However, just as the epic battle against the heavenly forces was about to begin, he suddenly withdrew.

Frustration welled up within the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, a suffocating lump in his throat that made it hard to breathe!

“Temple Spirit Resonance Complete—”

“Has someone already achieved at least 90% resonance?”

“Who could it be?!”

A ferocious glint flashed in the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s eyes as he scanned the scene.

His gaze finally settled on the figure closest to the city gate.

It was the tall figure wielding a Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff.

Adorned with a Divine Monkey Mask, this fighter had surpassed all other contenders and stood right before the city gate.

Undoubtedly, the Divine Monkey was the one who had forced the premature end to the Temple Spirit Resonance!

In the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s blood-red, bell-like eyes, a mix of unwillingness and wrath erupted: “What a formidable Underworld Divine Monkey!”

Yet there was also surprise—how had the Underworld Divine Monkey managed this?

By what means could he achieve over 90% Temple Spirit Resonance?

It wasn’t just 90%; by the look of it, he had reached 95% or even higher!

How could that be?

First of all, the Underworld Divine Monkey wasn’t even of the demonic clan!

That alone should have prevented him from achieving over 90% resonance!

Could merely wielding the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff really grant such unfettered power?

But the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam—a divine weapon plucked from Dragon Island and of the same caliber as the Freewill staff—was in his hands too!

All eyes were fixed on the Divine Monkey.

One wondered if he had received the Qi Tian legacy, and if so, what kind of legacy it might be!

At that moment, though, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s attention shifted away from the Divine Monkey to the ancient, radiant treasure on the Inner City Wall—a divine staff that had seemingly shed all worldly dust as it emerged.

A Sanqing-level Divine Weapon Treasure Staff!

Even the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam in his hand trembled uncontrollably!

“I must obtain it. I absolutely must have this Divine Weapon!”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s gaze burned with fervor, his heart set ablaze. With this treasure in hand, he might finally gain entry to the Bizarre Temple and be noticed by its denizens—a chance to challenge the Three Calamity Demon God Supreme!

This was his ticket for Black Bull to finally take flight!

All eyes turned to the Mixed Yuan Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff on the Inner City Wall.

Moreover, the completion of the Temple Spirit Resonance meant that the Inner City Gate had opened.

“The Inner City is open!”

“We can now enter the Inner City!”

From the Western Lands of Buddhism, a monk in a yellow robe, palms clasped and with cicada-like markings on his brows, spoke in a low, resonant voice.

His voice carried an almost magical quality, echoing throughout the entire exterior of Qi Tian City.

Even powerhouses like Lü Taibai and Lü Qiankun paused, as a surge of fervor and anticipation swept over them, compelling them to charge toward the Inner City.

“Chi!”

Lü Qiankun’s brows trembled as a surging sword intent spread from his heart.

Lü Taibai’s Dao Calamity Sword quivered incessantly, his expression grave.

Fang Han Shu’s scholar’s robe billowed behind him as the mighty Haoran River cascaded down his back, effortlessly parrying the enticing call of the Buddhist monk.

“Amitabha!”

“With the Inner City Gate open, the legacy of Qi Tian Temple is within reach. Comrades, time waits for no one—what are we waiting for?”

A resounding chant of Buddha’s name filled the air.

Lü Taibai’s eyes flicked in that direction, and his face froze in shock.

For the one chanting was none other than Huang Mei—whom Li Che had dispatched for a message from Xie Yunshen’s legion.

Lü Taibai’s expression turned peculiar.

Only he knew the secrets hidden in Great Master Huang Mei’s demeanor.

This man was already dead!

Resurrected by the Underworld, he had secretly joined their ranks!

At Huang Mei’s words, numerous spurting cultivators, including the aged elder of divine calamity from Xiao Lingyin Temple and several top-level monks with peerless or even godlike cultivation, instantly abandoned their hesitation and surged toward the archway.

A Western Lands of Buddhism monk with cicada-like brow markings tilted his head in puzzlement as he watched.

Seeing the monks of Xiao Lingyin Temple answer his call, his lips twitched in a wry smile.

Soon, not only did the strong from Xiao Lingyin Temple set off, but those who hadn’t participated in the Temple Spirit Resonance also cast aside their caution, their eyes burning with excitement as they charged through the dark gateway of the Inner City.

Vital energy, divine nature, Dao essence, and the force of calamity intertwined wildly!

Within the mystical shroud of Qi Tian City, they unleashed their full might without restraint.

“We’re on the move.”

Lü Qiankun’s five fingers closed around an ancient treasure sword—it was his long-dormant Qiankun Sword, which had not been wielded in years but was now ready for action.

However, Lü Qiankun and Fang Han Shu’s actions were halted by Lü Taibai.

“Let’s hold and observe for now,” Lü Taibai commanded.

Fang Han Shu exchanged a puzzled look with Lü Taibai—this level of composure was truly unlike Master Taibai!

Yet, they didn’t ignore Lü Taibai’s words entirely and halted their actions to observe.

But they remained keenly focused on the direction of the Inner City.

After all, the legacy of Qi Tian Temple lay within the Inner City.

Once, the mighty Divine Sect had dominated half of the Great Realm, and even the slightly less formidable Witch God Mountain ardently coveted the legacy of Qi Tian Temple.

BOOM!!!

A torrent of energy erupted as divine nature, vital energy, and Dao essence rained down on the area above the Inner City of Qi Tian City, suppressing even the mysterious fog completely.

Leading the charge, the monks of Xiao Lingyin Temple soared forward, their robes fluttering, joined by top-level experts from Xiao Lingyin and even awakened demon cultivators—all clashing at the position once held by the Divine Monkey.

Li Che, wearing the mask, tilted his head slightly as he glanced at the fervent cultivators of Xiao Lingyin Temple gashing their way into the inky gateway of the Inner City.

Huang Mei maintained unwavering focus on Li Che, for it was Li Che who had ordered him to incite the monks of Xiao Lingyin Temple into action.

Neither Huang Mei nor Li Che had expected the plan to work so well.

Of course, the precondition was that the Western Lands of Buddhism monk had been the first to speak and incite the others.

THUMP, THUMP, THUMP!!!

Suddenly, a deafening, explosive sound rocketed from the dark gate—a shockwave that sent gusts of air surging forth!

It was the sound of battle drums, reminiscent of a deity pounding them on a mountaintop monastery, bare-chested and dripping with sweat!

ROAR!!!

A dense miasma of death and decay erupted!

The first wave of Xiao Lingyin Temple’s warriors, caught off guard by the aggressive attack of the temple-protecting undead, were flung backward in a spray of blood!

Their eyes betrayed a mixture of shock and confusion!

“It’s the cursed corpses—hordes of temple-protecting undead!”

As the dark city gate flung open, a torrent of deathly miasma and decay mixed with the mysterious fog surged out of the city like an overflowing river!

In an instant, it spread in a fan shape, reaching a range of three hundred zhang in front of the Inner City of Qi Tian City!

Wave after wave of grotesque, bloated, and misshapen temple-protecting undead appeared.

Some even wore ancient robes, reminiscent of the attire worn by disciples during the zenith of Qi Tian Temple’s power!

The elite warriors from Xiao Lingyin Temple, caught off guard by the undead’s assault, quickly suffered numerous casualties.

An old monk at the divine calamity stage’s visage turned ashen, as if poisoned by the curse of the undead; his aura rapidly withered.

He had been struck by a single punch from a one-calamity, three-tribulation temple-protecting undead and was infected by its toxic curse.

Yet Li Che, standing at the end of the three hundred zhang long city gate, remained completely unaffected by the surge of deathly energy billowing from the Inner City.

The undead swarming out seemed to bypass him completely, as if ignoring his presence.

Li Che knew well that this was the benefit of completing the Temple Spirit Resonance—seizing the initiative.

He laughed heartily at what he perceived as a heavenly gift from Qi Tian.

Raising his hand to cover the complete Qi Tian Mask, Li Che’s voice began to swell with an increasingly unrestrained laugh.

“Everyone—I’ll take the lead!”

He slowly turned around. The golden monkey hair on the Divine Monkey Mask fluttered, his arms resting casually on the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff, his eyes streaming with golden fumes—unbridled and wild!

With a sudden tiptoe, his feet struck the ground. Amidst the furious glares of countless strong foes, the Divine Monkey transformed into a streak of light

and shot into the pitch-black, abyss-like gateway of the Inner City of Qi Tian.

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme gripped the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam with one hand and smashed it out, sending a temple-protecting undead—who had locked onto his aura and charged at him—crumpling to its knees.

Though that one undead was formidable—a one-calamity, three-tribulation being—the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, a two-calamity expert, felt no threat.

Among the horde of undead, the strongest were barely at the one-calamity, three-tribulation level, posing no real danger to him.

Thus, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme paid them little heed.

His eyes, as red and resonant as copper bells, fixated intently on the Divine Monkey who had dashed into the gateway, hoping that a mightier temple-protecting undead—perhaps even at the two-calamity level—would appear and forcibly eject the Divine Monkey.

Alas…

Nothing happened.

After several breaths, the gateway fell silent, still shrouded in darkness, as the Divine Monkey vanished within.

A wave of unease stirred in the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

He raised his head and let out a long howl. Four one-calamity, three-tribulation demonic gods surged forward at lightning speed, joined by another twelve, all converging to attack.

“I will lead you into the Inner City of Qi Tian! The legacy of Qi Tian Temple and that left by Qi Tian Demon Sage—we have guarded Qi Tian City for five hundred years. We will not allow them to slip away into others’ hands!”

“We, the demon clan, have defended Qi Tian City for five centuries. We will not serve as a stepping stone for anyone!”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme roared and bellowed. His voice shook the air as his devastating force sent the one-calamity, three-tribulation temple-protecting undead flying.

BOOM!

Gripping the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme charged toward the Inner City of Qi Tian, chasing after the Divine Monkey.

In his heart, the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme seethed with determination—not willing to let the Mixed Yuan Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff fall into the hands of the Divine Monkey!

Chaos erupted almost instantly, and the grand battle unfolded far beyond anyone’s expectations.

Battle drums thundered within the Inner City as countless temple-protecting undead, enveloped in deathly miasma, surged forth like a black tide!

In just moments, several cultivators met their demise!

One such casualty was a Divine Nucleus Great God—a Celestial Seed martial artist from Xiao Lingyin Temple who had been summoned by Huang Mei to charge into the Inner City. Already grievously injured, he was savagely torn apart by a temple-protecting undead!

“How can there be so many temple-protecting undead?”

“Something is terribly wrong! The Inner City of Qi Tian holds so many undead guardians—could it be that the entire Dao lineage of Qi Tian City has been transformed into cursed corpses?!”

“Kill them!”

The cry for slaughter echoed skyward, as though it could overturn Qi Tian City. With such a show of force, even the most foolish would recognize that something truly valuable lay hidden within the Inner City!

For a normal Bizarre Temple, even at the Sanqing level, the number of temple-protecting undead, including the Undead Kings, would never exceed nine—nine being a sacred number. Surpassing it implied a major anomaly in the Bizarre Temple!

No one could have imagined that an all-out, ferocious battle would break out even before anyone had stepped into the Inner City of Qi Tian!

The cries of slaughter reverberated through the heavens. The battle turned exceptionally brutal as high-level experts unleashed relentless attacks; the force of calamity raged and intertwined, oppressing even the top-tier and Divine Nucleus Great Gods.

Yet no one retreated. Whether it was the mysterious allure of the fog or the irresistible temptation of the Inner City, the fight grew ever more savage.

Casualties mounted, and the space before the gate gradually turned bloody.

Even formidable figures such as Lü Taibai, Lü Qiankun, and other stalwarts from Qianyuan Divine Sect leaped into the fray, while familiar faces like Xuan Jiu Zhuan and others hacked their way through toward the Inner City.

Various factions began forming their own camps, clashing with one another in a bid to suppress the surging tide of temple-protecting undead.

In the midst of the bloody melee, no one noticed a figure cloaked entirely in a black robe, silently striding over the corpse-strewn battlefield, greedily absorbing the miasma of death and decay.

Only after Lü Taibai and the others had surged through the gate did the robed figure slowly lift his hood, revealing a hideously twisted face, his eyes shifting as if driven by six different wills, battering his mind incessantly.

“Teacher—disciple… here to see you off…”

“Little Junior Sister, I will be the one to guard you!”

“Little Junior Sister, it’s time you set off on your path!”

Inside the Inner City of Qi Tian,

Li Che, wearing the Qi Tian Mask, passed through the gateway. His very being seemed to flicker as if traversing through time and space.

As he walked through the gate, the cries of battle faded into silence.

Carrying the Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff, his black robe billowed, and his eyes narrowed into a focused glare.

The vastness of the Inner City far exceeded Li Che’s expectations—endless and wild. Countless palaces sprawled along both banks of a straight river slicing through the city.

White jade railings separated the city into two distinct halves.

It was less an inner city and more like…

a sprawling imperial palace complex!

Countless magnificent palaces rose, their carved beams and painted rafters shining in golden splendor—untouched by the ravages of time.

Li Che glanced back at the city wall, but to his shock, the Mixed Yuan Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff that once graced the wall had vanished. The shining treasure was no longer on the tower?!

Li Che’s brows furrowed as he raised a hand to his forehead.

Suddenly, the Cosmic Chessboard erupted skyward, coiling and then flaring open!

The expansive Inner City unfolded before Li Che’s eyes—

At its far end, upon a small hill guarded by a white jade stairway, stood an even more resplendent palace, flashing with golden light.

And there, emerging from behind that palace, was the Mixed Yuan Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff.

“So even the Grand Inspector can make a miscalculation…”

Li Che couldn’t help but laugh.

This Sanqing-level Divine Weapon Treasure Staff wasn’t actually mounted on the wall—it only appeared so from a certain angle, overlapping with the wall from the outer city perspective, making it seem as if it stood along the wall.

Thus, the Grand Inspector’s deduction must have been based on what everyone saw from outside Qi Tian City.

For some reason, Li Che’s heart relaxed slightly.

Perhaps the Grand Inspector’s error diminished his aura of superiority a bit.

Placing a hand on his brow, the Qi Tian Mask seemed to meld with Li Che’s own face, as if flesh and blood had become one—erasing even the sense of wearing a mask.

“So the Inner City of Qi Tian is essentially an isolated Minor Cavern of the Heavens?”

“No!”

Li Che suddenly felt as if he’d remembered something.

With a split of skin at his brow, his Star Plucking Gaze materialized.

Golden light flickered as it connected with the Cosmic Chessboard, sweeping over the entire Inner City of Qi Tian.

Infinite details revealed themselves, exposing hidden truths!

“Indeed…”

Li Che exhaled, his eyes filling with sudden insight and shock.

Within this Inner City lay the heart of the Bizarre Temple—a borderland between the Earthly and Inner Weird Sanctuaries.

No wonder…

Li Che sensed an overwhelming, majestic divine aura permeating the space between heaven and earth—a concentration of divine power beyond compare!

The sound of clashing chains resounded.

Li Che’s heart tightened. He no longer focused on the fact that the Inner City was part of the Bizarre Temple.

Separated only by a wall lay the mortal world and the Bizarre Temple!

Though awestruck, there was no time to admire it.

A shuddering thought crept into Li Che’s mind.

The Cosmic Chessboard expanded, and combined with the Star Plucking Gaze, it sought to perceive everything.

Li Che fixed his attention on the location of the Bizarre Temple—the magnificent palace at the far end of the Inner City, raised upon a small hill.

The Mixed Yuan Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff protruded from that palace.

Thus, that was where the Bizarre Temple resided!

Yet through the Cosmic Chessboard, Li Che could not discern what lay within.

Thick mysterious fog, intermingled with overwhelming Dao essence, divine nature, deathly miasma, and decay, reigned in chaotic turbulence.

This was the first time Li Che’s 【Chess Sage】 Dao Fruit, having evolved to 1v6 level, encountered such a situation.

“The grade of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit is still somewhat lacking. If it reached IV7, perhaps I could perceive everything!”

Li Che’s brows furrowed slightly.

The Cosmic Chessboard roared, its myriad crisscrossing lines spreading across the sky above the Inner City.

Li Che pondered this quietly.

For he noticed that one figure after another had appeared in different sections of the Inner City—scattered across various locales.

Between heaven and earth, the swirling fog revealed imprints of divine nature forming intricate patterns that served as teleportation conduits.

Each strong cultivator who passed through the gateway was transported to a designated area.

Through the Cosmic Chessboard, Li Che saw the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme wielding the Ji Hai Purple-Gold Beam,

as well as the monk from the Western Lands of Buddhism with cicada-like markings,

and even familiar faces like Lü Taibai, Lü Qiankun, and Fang Han Shu dispersed in different regions of the Inner City.

They were scattered like dots throughout the vast expanse.

Since Li Che had always been alone, he didn’t feel any strong connection.

After standing at the gate for so long, he noticed no one emerging from the dark corridor behind him. Clearly————

Li Che glanced back. The flickering Star Plucking Gaze revealed that the dark gateway was formed by intertwined divine patterns emerging from the mysterious fog,

serving as a portal connecting Qi Tian City in the mortal realm with this Inner City of the Bizarre Temple!

A city bridging two worlds!

Like a magnificent bridge connecting the mortal and the otherworldly, yet hidden from the notice of mortal heaven and earth!

Extraordinary indeed!

Li Che couldn’t help but marvel.

Then, amid the pounding of battle drums echoing across the sky of the Inner City,

Li Che’s heart trembled as he silently closed the distance to the far end of the Inner City—a point near the limits of the Cosmic Chessboard’s perception.

There—

Where the divine fog, Dao essence, deathly miasma, and decay all dissipated completely.

Very slowly—

the Bizarre Temple emerged into Li Che’s view.

Through the clearing of the fog and energies,

Li Che saw that within the opulently adorned palace, a stone sarcophagus sat in the center, its surface etched with black lotus patterns.

From the sarcophagus, a tide of death and decay flowed out.

Inside lay a corpse.

Using the limits of the Cosmic Chessboard combined with the Star Plucking Gaze, Li Che peered inside.

His pupils contracted sharply.

Within the stone coffin, a body lay—a fleeting light raced momentarily across his mind as the sorrow of the Qi Tian Mask flashed upon his face.

It was none other than the corpse of the Temple God of Qi Tian!

The true…

the corpse of the Great Sage!