Chapter 465: The Awakening of Qitian’s Legacy

Li Che brought Fang Han Shu into Mo City Fengdu.

That place was Li Che’s domain; he ruled it entirely. So Fang Han Shu was safest there—a serene sanctuary Li Che had chosen for him to read.

However, with Mo City Fengdu in ruins, Li Che, moved by determination, built a Pavilion where Fang Han Shu could peacefully enjoy his books.

In truth, Fang Han Shu didn’t have much time left.

Choosing honor over life, he was truly ready to sacrifice himself.

Li Che was powerless; rescuing Fang Han Shu was unthinkable. After all, even he couldn’t confront a Divine Calamity Sovereign from the Six Sovereigns and Two Calamities realm face-to-face.

Earlier, when dealing with the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme – a Two Calamity Divine Calamity Sovereign – Li Che had exhausted every trick, resorting to backstabbing and cunning schemes.

Facing a powerhouse from the Six Sovereigns and Two Calamities realm, Li Che himself risked his life.

But now, the situation was very different.

Often, the tide of battle can turn with just one thought.

After depleting every bit of his inner reserve to slay the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme, Li Che completed Spiritual Confinement. Coupled with Fan Hai Jiuying’s metamorphosis, he effectively commanded two Two Calamity realm powerhouse subordinates.

Furthermore, by incorporating the Martial Immortal Golden Body’s cultivation through his own transfer of Martial Immortal Dao Essence, and transforming three Divine Seeds into Qimen Immortal Seeds, his burst power surged yet again!

The changing tide was no longer as desperate.

Alas, Li Che still couldn’t save Fang Han Shu, for while he himself relied on the Grand Inspector’s power, endowing himself with the strength of Heaven and Earth, Fang Han Shu paid with the very cost of his life force.

Thus, Li Che asked him, ‘Was it worth it?’

But Fang Han Shu didn’t care. Perhaps he believed Li Che could rescue him, granting him another form of existence. Even if not, he would accept his fate calmly.

After all, the ancestral edict of the Fang Family was to protect Qitian. Fang Han Shu had fulfilled his duty, never dishonoring the Fang Family or his forebears, and that was enough.

After seeing Fang Han Shu off, Li Che pressed his Divine Monkey Mask against his face, his gaze falling on the five formidable powerhouses.

Immense auras interwove in a chaotic dance, causing the qi within Qitian Temple to surge uncontrollably. Strangely, the temple transformed into an expanse as vast as the cosmos.

Even larger than a typical plaza, a stone coffin was placed right at the center.

It sat there, solitary in the middle of the square.

The atmosphere inside the temple stirred memories in Li Che—it resembled that feeling on the ninth floor of the Imperial Watch Tower where the Grand Inspector resided in the Divine Capital.

On that ninth floor, Li Che had felt the eerie expansion of space.

A modest room could transform into something infinitely vast and boundless.

This was perhaps the power of spatial dao essence.

“The Underworld…”

Zhang Wuji looked at the masked Divine Monkey and let out a soft sigh.

Then he turned his gaze to the two terrifyingly ferocious beasts blocking their path—one a Demon God Sovereign of the Demon Clan, and the other a beast whose savagery was, by far, the most brutal he had ever witnessed.

Yet Zhang Wuji sensed something odd about the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme.

After entering and leaving Mo City Fengdu in the Underworld, he wondered—what kind of understanding had the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme reached with the Underworld Divine Monkey within Fengdu?

An inexplicable unease gripped Zhang Wuji’s heart.

He lifted his head as his Heaven and Earth Soul drifted out, sensing that above Qitian Inner City the space’s fracturing fluctuations were gradually subsiding.

A weight of seriousness settled over him. The longer time lingered, the worse it would be for them.

Once the Temple Protection Corpse King returned, they would have no choice but to retreat; otherwise…

They’d die!

A Temple Protection Corpse King of the Three Calamities realm was an opponent they could never match.

Boom—!!!

“Attack!”

“Finish it quickly!”

Zhang Wuji clenched his five fingers, his divine aura boiling over. From the shrine behind him, countless surges of godly power poured out like a torrent into the silver talisman, speeding straight toward Li Che.

“Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme! What are you thinking? Even if you truly allied with the Underworld, by stalling like this, our supreme inner reserves won’t be enough to bind the Temple Protection Corpse King, let alone Qitian’s corpse and Qitian Divine Weapon… no one will get them!”

Zhang Wuji roared at the top of his lungs.

Meanwhile, the Ascetic Monk with Chant-Pattern moved as well. With a shake of his monk’s staff, countless silhouettes intertwined as Two Calamity-level power erupted.

In the Divine realm, the gap between Martial God and Divine Calamity was not as vast as that between Martial Saint and Divine Transformation. Both relied on divine essence to wield their powers, making their techniques somewhat similar.

Only that the Martial Gods mainly relied on physical combat and martial arts.

The Ascetic Monk was a Martial God with unmatched, fierce techniques—a single staff move could shake the heavens.

Perhaps that was why he was chosen to be dispatched to Qitian Temple to vie for opportunity.

Roar—!!!

Fan Hai Jiuying’s six heads flung wildly, ruthlessly lashing out at the Ascetic Monk, whose staff traces cut through the air.

The battle erupted in an instant. Although a slight restraint hung over the enormous power—as if to prevent damage to Qitian’s corpse—the unleashed combat prowess was terrifying.

Even with the restraint, the force that burst forth was fearsome.

The five Two Calamity realm powerhouses unleashed devastating techniques, the catastrophic force rampaging through space like shredded cloth.

Logically, the space within the Bizarre Temple should have been more stable and resilient, harder to break than in the human world.

Since the Bizarre Temple bridged the human realm and Bizarre Temple, the spatial energies adjusted accordingly.

But now, inside this Qitian Bizarre Temple, the space had grown uncharacteristically fragile.

“Fight for Qitian’s Remains!”

A deep, unwavering voice echoed continuously. This was their resolute target.

They were convinced that within the stone coffin lay Qitian’s remains!

The combined might of the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme and Fan Hai Jiuying struggled to hold back the five Two Calamity powerhouses, seemingly on the verge of exploding from the pressure!

Yet Li Che hadn’t activated his Qimen Immortal Seeds. He advanced to meet the enemy head-on.

With a graceful tiptoe landing, the ground rippled as countless currents of qi surged before him, spreading out like displaced waves.

He streaked through the Bizarre Temple like a comet, carving a vivid, white trail in the air.

He charged toward the stone coffin that housed Qitian’s relic.

The ancient coffin was etched with lotus patterns—the Yulian Pattern.

Li Che’s eyes flickered with mixed emotions and a trace of resolute admiration.

There was no doubt that all clues pointed to the fact that the temple deity of Qitian belonged to the Yulian faction within the Bizarre Temple pantheon.

Furthermore, factions such as Black Xumi, Ghostly Demon Den, Dark Heavenly Court, and others opposed Qitian’s revival, vying for Qitian’s remains to shatter the possibility of his resurrection!

This was, in effect, a complete stranglehold on the Yulian faction.

Just like his daughter XiXi, who had once been doomed by the Golden King Tower temple deity of Black Xumi and afflicted with the Yulian Curse—facing a catastrophic trial upon breaking through the Divine Transformation.

And the other gods of the Yulian faction…

The Third Prince was likely one of the Yulian temple deities, along with Yun’e and the temple deities within Zhou Peng—Tian Peng and Guang Han, among others, all belonging to the Yulian faction.

Li Che neither knew nor cared about the righteousness of the Yulian faction; he was merely a mortal, unable to fathom the intricacies of divine affairs.

All he knew was that these divine factions were targeting his daughter—aiming even to capture her—and that was sufficient.

Boom—!!!

A terrible collision erupted as the Ascetic Monk’s staff sliced through, unleashing ominous black sparks that shattered the space around them.

His eyes, ablaze like burning chant-pattern flames, fixed intently on the Underworld Divine Monkey charging toward the stone coffin!

Not only him—Zhang Wuji, Female Guanyin, Late Predecessor Lü Wenchang, and the Witch God Priest among other powerhouses all turned their gazes toward the Underworld Divine Monkey.

They watched curiously, wondering what the Divine Monkey intended to do—would he open the coffin to verify if Qitian’s remains truly lay within?

But while their eyes were fixed on it, their actions grew even more relentless!

Boom—!!!

The void seemed to collapse. The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme and Fan Hai Jiuying roared and thrashed, shaking violently as if on the verge of bursting apart.

Yet their bodies were resilient, unwilling to retreat. Their fighting spirit dug in deep, as though rooted in the void—prepared to fight to the death!

Even as the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme’s Calamity Wheel cracked under the assault, he refused to yield.

It left everyone dumbfounded—had the ten-thousand great rivers’ Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme gone mad?

Was it really necessary?!

Weren’t they all here with the same goal?

Why would the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme choose to align with the Underworld, fighting to the point of madness even as his Calamity Wheel shattered? This was self-destruction—ruining one’s very foundation!

Madness!

Rumble—!!!

A terrifying onslaught rolled over them as divine essence flowed like a vast tidal wave, the power of dao essence intensifying the divine impact, making the assault even mightier!

Bang bang bang bang bang—

“Come on, then!”

“Old Bull isn’t afraid of you all!”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme roared, swelling in size as he hefted the Jia Hai Purple Golden Beam and wildly swung it, spouting blood with every movement.

Meanwhile, Fan Hai Jiuying’s six heads, linked by a neck reminiscent of a divine dragon, spread out their scales and exhaled a thick, dark mist!

Suddenly—

The Ascetic Monk with chant-pattern, his eyes aflame, curled his monk’s staff.

“Toxic!”

Boom!

A fearsome Golden Cicada—an unholy blend of divine aura and Buddhist light—appeared as it flapped its wings.

In an instant, the Golden Cicada turned visibly black at an alarming rate!

“Damn! Has the poison been discovered?”

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme coughed up blood and bellowed in rage.

Why had he been poisoned?

Oh, he’d been backstabbed… but that was fine!

It wasn’t due to the clumsiness of Big Black Bull, but because the master was too cunning… brilliant!

Hidden in the darkness, Gu Yinxuan, clad in a black robe and mask, noticed that his prized Heavenly Poison Pill had lost its use. Under his mask, his brows arched slightly in a growing frenzy!

“Bald Donkey, you’ve piqued the Poison Saint’s interest!”

Raising his hands, between each finger lay a dark, toxic pellet exuding poison. He crushed them fiercely and flung them out!

A rolling cloud of poison mist erupted!

Meanwhile…

Li Che paid no mind to the nearly-splintered Big Black Bull and Fan Hai Jiuying.

Simply holding them at bay with everything he had was enough—after all…

They weren’t afraid of death. Even if they died, they’d simply resurrect and fight again!

Even Gu Yinxuan, who had once been unable to withstand One Calamity from the ancient realm, was thrown aside by Li Che.

But Gu Yinxuan was different. Having mastered the Thousand Bone Centipede Scatter, he had already reached the reserve and might of a Two Calamity Divine Calamity Sovereign!

Thus, Li Che let Gu Yinxuan fight, effectively stalling and drawing their attention for a time.

Li Che’s goal matched Fang Han Shu’s:

As long as they could delay these five Two Calamity powerhouses, it would grant the Temple Protection Corpse King enough time!

When the Fang Family Patriarch returned, everything would be secure!

Every one of those coveting Qitian’s remains would have to pay with their lives!

But his intent was delay; Li Che had no plans to launch a full-scale attack.

Because he still had one more task to accomplish.

Whoosh——

Li Che arrived before the stone coffin. The plain, unadorned coffin lay silently at the center of the Bizarre Temple.

He looked up toward the rear of the temple, where on the sacrificial platform a temple deity eagle was seated.

Yet this temple deity eagle was completely shrouded in dense, eerie mist—its form hidden entirely.

But within the swirling mist, one could glimpse exquisitely carved armor—chainmail, golden-silk garments, cloud-woven boots, flowing capes, and two soaring phoenix feathers, faintly visible!

The closer he looked, the more oppressive the presence felt, as if beyond the mist, a pair of fiery eyes were staring directly at him.

The complete Qitian Mask trembled ever so slightly.

It was irresistibly drawn by a powerful allure emanating from the ancient coffin.

At that moment, the Mythic Weapon seemed to have been completely awakened with divine essence.

That was exactly why Li Che chose not to confront the five Two Calamity Divine Calamity Sovereigns directly, but instead rushed to the coffin to seize the initiative.

A bold and desperate idea had taken root in his heart.

These powerful figures from various factions aimed for Qitian’s remains—to extract them from Qitian Temple and prevent his revival.

So why shouldn’t Li Che do the opposite?!

Why not let Qitian…

revive early!

Could it work?

Li Che didn’t know the method to awaken Qitian, but these divine factions all believed that Qitian could be revived. Perhaps the right conditions or timing simply hadn’t come?

Anyway, Li Che intended to try…

He even felt a trace of anticipation and excitement. He longed to know if this world’s Qitian was linked to the mythic Qitian of his past life.

The similarities between the two legends—whether it was the Third Prince, the Second Manifestation True Lord, Tian Peng, Qitian… or the Four Heavenly Kings—filled Li Che with deja vu.

Were there secrets hidden in the interlacing of these two mythologies?

And might they…

lead him to a path that bridged his past life’s world?

Could it be?

If there was a way to find his past life, Li Che would gladly take XiXi and return home—at least that world was far more peaceful than this one.

Li Che wouldn’t need to tread so carefully. After all, few things now could threaten him—not even planes or cannons.

So he could simply watch his daughter grow up in peace.

Sigh——

Li Che exhaled deeply, his eyes suddenly aflame with golden fire.

Within his chest, his Xiangong Dao Fruit trembled!

It was as if the Qitian Mask, fused with his skin, suddenly tore open—flesh and blood ruptured as the Star Plucking Gaze emerged from his brow!

In a cascade of analyses and revelations,

his gaze shifted from the shrouded temple deity eagle to the ancient stone coffin.

The coffin was old and worn, crudely carved with obvious marks from a chisel, as if roughly hewn and intended as a simple casket.

Primitive and unadorned.

Li Che laid his palm on the ancient coffin. Etched along its surface were stripe after stripe of Yulian markings that seemed to come alive under the wash of divine aura—as if stirred by a passing breeze, the Yulian patterns gently swayed.

At the moment his Thousand Analysis Hand touched the coffin, his mind began to unravel its structure.

It was simple—the lid was merely laid on top, not even secured with coffin nails.

Push it open, and it’s done.

Thud, thud, thud, thud, thud, thud——

Li Che could hear his own heart pounding, each beat echoing in his ears like resounding drums!

Excitement, tension, anticipation…

An array of emotions surged unexpectedly within him.

Qitian…

Li Che’s eyes grew complex yet resolute. Within his chest, the Unsullied Heart Dao Fruit pulsed, its power washing over his soul and calming his spirit instantly.

In his mind, even the Fa Tian Xiang Di Luminous True Primate Divine Transformation had stilled, no longer howling in rage.

After all, that Divine Transformation had been cultivated through the secrets within the Qitian Mask, so it naturally bore a connection to Qitian.

Push it open…

Li Che formed his resolve. In the next instant, golden qi-blood surged forth, pure martial qi-blood manifesting into a brilliant golden pillar that shot skyward, crashing brutally into the roof of Qitian Temple.

Rumble—

The entire Qitian Temple trembled violently, as if the earth itself was quaking.

In the distance, the five powerhouses—who had nearly driven the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme and Fan Hai Jiuying to the brink—paused their attacks, their eyes locking as one.

“He’s opening the coffin!”

Zhang Wuji’s voice was grim.

The Ascetic Monk Chant-Pattern, Late Predecessor Lü Wenchang, Female Guanyin, and others similarly fixed their gazes.

Though their lethal movements hadn’t ceased, their intensity had notably diminished.

Every one of them watched, focused on how the stone coffin in the center of the Bizarre Temple would be opened.

Boom—!!!

Pure martial qi-blood transformed into a towering column, surging skyward!

Li Che’s muscles, wound tight by his Martial Immortal Golden Body, trembled as his sinews shuddered violently; every meridian pulsed as blood roared through him—an ear-splitting clamor!

Earth-shattering!

…

…

Qitian Inner City.

The entire Inner City trembled. Every palace corridor swayed wildly, and every cultivator’s face turned ashen with shock.

Those scouring for resources rushed out of the palaces, staring in terror toward the direction of Qitian Temple in Qitian Inner City…

What was happening?

How could there be such a tremendous upheaval?

“Roar——!!!”

Above the Yunqiong, countless mists burst forth in a deafening explosion!

Crash, crash——

Enormous chains, as thick as phoenix feathers, swung wildly, lashing the space until it shattered into fragments!

Amidst the flailing chains, the Temple Protection Corpse King—adorned with countless curse marks and serving as the founding patriarch of Qitian Temple—emerged!

The terrifying aura of the Three Calamity Supreme pressed down as if a divine mountain had been split and toppled!

This fearsome pressure, like a hurricane, swept over Qitian Inner City, causing every cultivator in the palace corridors to buckle and become pinned to the ground, only left in stunned disarray.

That overwhelming ferocity and the world-ending sense of imminent death were enough to evoke despair!

Escape!

Some who were struck by the force didn’t dare remain in Qitian Inner City any longer, sprinting toward the portal that had brought them here.

Lü Taibai’s silver hair streamed as he gripped the Taibai Sword, his eyes filled with terror.

It was unbearably terrifying…

If this Three Calamity Temple Protection Corpse King were left unchecked, he’d likely slaughter everyone in the city!

Lü Qiankun swiftly approached Lü Taibai. The two met, their expressions grave.

“Stay or go?”

Both hesitated. “Li Che and Old Fang… they’re still inside. Are we really going to leave them behind?” Lü Taibai queried.

He had a gut feeling that Li Che might have slipped into Qitian Temple.

And Fang Han Shu… in a fleeting glimpse, Li Che had seen the vast flow of righteous qi. Perhaps Fang Han Shu, too, had dashed into Qitian Temple.

But Lü Taibai couldn’t fathom—what was Fang Han Shu doing in there?

Li Che had Underworld methods at his disposal—strike or flee. What did Fang Han Shu have? Some sacred book weighing three jin?

“Wait… just wait a bit…”

Lü Taibai exhaled deeply.

Lü Qiankun remained silent. In present-day Qianyuan Divine Sect, as long as Lü Taibai remained its patriarch, their sect wouldn’t falter. Yet, this was a choice only Lü Taibai could make.

…

…

And as Li Che pried open the coffin lid, the tremors weren’t confined to Qitian Inner City—Qitian Outer City convulsed with equally fierce shakes!

The mighty warriors gathered in Qitian Outer City were utterly shocked.

Numerous buildings collapsed outright, and across the ground, huge cracks crisscrossed in an ever-widening web!

From these fissures, streams of eerie mist hissed upward.

Within that mist, the inherent divine essence bore a corrosive force; even many cultivators could feel the oppressive pressure within it.

And as Qitian Outer City underwent its drastic transformation…

In an alleyway,

Dim lights bathed everything in a soft, warm orange glow.

The restaurant, under the gentle orange hue, exuded an odd serenity, as if out of place in that chaotic world.

XiXi sat comfortably on a chair, her short legs swinging as she cradled a bowl of sesame oil dumplings, noisily slurping and savoring every bite.

XiXi truly loved this restaurant; ever since coming here, the Boss had always catered to her cravings.

It made her incredibly happy!

Suddenly,

the restaurant shuddered slightly. XiXi gulped down her dumplings, wide-eyed,

and stared at the Boss who dangled a Rolled Cigarette in his mouth.

The Boss nodded subtly, signaling that there was nothing to worry about.

At the same time, the large Black Dog, lazily sprawled at XiXi’s feet acting as a soft cushion, abruptly raised its head. Its eyes, as dark as black dates, shone with a glimmer of mystery as it fixed its gaze toward Qitian Inner City.

“Have they opened the coffin?”

“Is it not too late?”

The Boss pinched the cigarette between two fingers.

He lightly tapped off the ash.

“If it’s too late…”

…

…

Blistering, seething, and boiling!

Qi-blood roared like fire, its aura defiant!

Scorching heatwaves rampaged through Qitian Temple!

Columns of qi surged upward, as if about to overturn the temple!

Li Che’s body exuded dense, resplendent golden qi-blood. Vortices formed along his spine, and a colossal furnace seemed to rise, as if the sun itself were ascending!

One chain after another in the furnace snapped under intense heat!

They all ascended!

Relentlessly rising!

Outside Li Che, the Martial Immortal Dao Essence outlined a phantom form around him!

It was as if he merged with Heaven and Earth—the cosmos itself trembling in fury!

Li Che’s Martial Immortal Golden Body, forged like steel and iron, unleashed a fearsome, unprecedented power!

Creak…

Creak—!!!

The sound of stones grinding together echoed like rolling thunder, accompanied by the beat of war drums that fell from the heavens!

Resounding through Qitian Temple,

hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss—

Countless torrents of divine energy surged from the gaps of the opened coffin!

And once the coffin split open, Li Che barely had to apply a little more strength to slide the lid aside.

Revealing the sight inside the stone coffin.

Li Che’s heart trembled as he peered in.

There he saw a shabby, simple figure dressed in plain cloth—a scantily furred monkey body, lying in silence.

Its golden eyelids were shut, as if in deep, tranquil sleep.

That monkey was emaciated, skeletal, utterly withered—its flesh seemingly vanished, leaving only skin clinging to bone.

A chilling aura of death and decay seeped out from the coffin.

Nothing else was amiss.

It was as though what lay there wasn’t a divine being at all, but… a brutally slain monkey.

Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss—

Death and decay surged skyward!

The tremors of Qitian Temple gradually subsided.

After the initial lament, the chaos calmed to an eerie stillness.

In the distance,

Five streams of Heaven and Earth Soul suddenly swept over, as if they too sensed the silent, resting monkey corpse!

“Qitian’s Remains!”

“The Great Sage’s Relics!”

At this moment, all five Two Calamity Sovereigns were invigorated!

It was real!

Inside the coffin, Qitian’s remains truly existed!

Before the coffin was opened, no one dared to confirm if Qitian’s remains were indeed inside.

The greatest fear was an empty coffin—where else could Qitian be? Had he revived prematurely?

But now everything was certain!

“Qitian’s Remains!”

“Seize them!”

Zhang Wuji’s eyes lit up. The silver talisman in his hand glowed brilliantly, interlaced with divine energies and ancient inscriptions.

With a sudden buzz, it was shot out!

Bang—!!!

The Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme roared in defiance as half his body exploded, blood and flesh scattering.

The Ascetic Monk Chant-Pattern clenched his five fingers; a Golden Bowl manifested in his palm. His monk’s staff then struck the bowl sharply—the bowl vibrating at millions of hertz.

In the next moment, it crashed down on Fan Hai Jiuying, shattering four out of his six heads in an instant!

These warriors unleashed their formidable prowess without hesitation!

Had Li Che been present, he would have marveled at the deep reserves of these faction leaders.

Even the blunt Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme was straightforward to an extreme.

Perhaps he even possessed a hidden trump card—but Li Che’s successive schemes left him no time to reveal it before he died.

Boom—!!!

The five combatants, each employing their signature techniques, tore the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme and Fan Hai Jiuying apart, completely annihilating them!

Their blood and flesh exploded, scattering in every direction.

Yet in the very next moment, it condensed into swirling masses of thick black mist!

The five warriors, their bodies charged with divine weapons and techniques, were shrouded in obsidian mist. And suddenly… within the darkness,

the Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme reappeared, carrying the Jia Hai Purple Golden Beam with his head held high once more.

Fan Hai Jiuying, swinging his newly regenerated six heads, roared defiantly!

The five looked on in disbelief as the two, seemingly reborn with full vitality, flashed an incredulous glint in their eyes.

“What is he doing?”

Suddenly, the cool voice of Female Guanyin resonated,

diverting everyone’s attention from the fully revived, defiant Black Bull Demon God Supreme Supreme and Fan Hai Jiuying.

They all turned to the Divine Monkey, who after pushing aside the coffin,

raised one finger to his face.

Slowly, he removed his Divine Monkey Mask.

And as he did…

A burst of purple flames ignited atop his head, unleashing a terrifying calamity force that intertwined and raged.

Beneath the purple fire, only a Golden Skull aimed menacingly at them.

The Underworld Ghost Emperor!

Zhang Wuji had long kept a close watch on Underworld intelligence.

At that moment, the silhouette of the golden skull amid purple flames immediately reminded him of the Ghost Emperor!

Li Che gripped the Qitian Mask tightly with five fingers.

Gazing at the monkey corpse in the coffin—the Great Sage’s relic—

he slowly pressed the mask onto the monkey’s face…

meticulously and precisely.

Yet…

There was no response from within the coffin.

The Great Sage’s relic, now wearing the Qitian Mask, showed no special change.

A trace of disappointment flickered in Li Che’s golden, skull-like eyes.

“Still… not it?”