Chapter 469: Resurgence of the Divine

Boom—

The entire Qitian Inner City shook violently, as if every brick and stone was unsteady. Cracks appeared and streams of sizzling heat erupted from the trembling walls.

A terrifying divine aura swept over the city like a hurricane, its overwhelming power darkening the sky until all brilliance was lost.

The force even burst out through the city gates, reaching Qitian Outer City and leaving numerous cultivators—who had been anxiously speculating on the inner city’s happenings—in absolute shock.

Some cultivators fleeing from the inner city briefly described the scene, claiming that a supreme battle had erupted within.

They spoke of a supreme combatant clashing bloodily with the ancient patriarch of Qitian Temple, who had existed for thousands of years in silent meditation.

Others claimed that the Qitian Temple Spirit had seemingly revived—a living, ancient deity resurrected in this era, an utterly fearsome sight!

Cultivators in the Outer City, who had no chance of entering the inner city, stood dumbfounded, their eyes wide and expressions blank.

The resurrection of the Temple Spirit—the awakening of an ancient deity in this age?

After all, this was a divine being!

Boom—

The dark, ominous gateway of Qitian Outer City trembled once more with an earth-shattering force!

Someone’s eyes widened as a figure emerged from the doorway, exuding an incredibly terrifying aura that twisted the void and made even the winds change color in fear!

The presence of a Cultivator of the Second Calamity was more terrifying than a deluge breaking through a dam!

Zhang Wuji, the esteemed patriarch of the Purple Mansion Divine Sect, escaped from the inner city. Once a paragon of ethereal elegance, his face now bore a grim expression, his body trembling uncontrollably.

In his palm he cradled a crescent of silver radiance, still exuding unbridled divine energy. This was the unsealed divine weapon, whose storm-like pressure left Outer City cultivators nearly breathless.

Zhang Wuji drew a deep breath, his hair whipping wildly as his Taoist robe fluttered. Behind him, the trembling shrine—the very Temple Spirit fused with him—warned silently,

signaling that an unspeakable crisis was about to engulf the Inner City.

Without hesitation, Zhang Wuji fled, departing as decisively as he had once chosen to retreat at the very moment he saw the Qitian remains stir within the stone coffin. His own instinct and the shrine’s warning had proven wise.

Indeed, his decision had been the correct one.

Buzz—

The doorway trembled slightly again, and in the darkness, swift shadows darted out.

It was Lü Taibai, Lü Qiankun, along with the recently ascended One Calamity Martial Gods Ye Pengju and Wang Kui of the Dajing Temple Authority.

Originally, Lü Taibai and Lü Qiankun had intended to hold their ground a while longer to get a clearer picture of the chaos.

But just then, as the gates of Qitian Temple flung open and echoing footsteps reverberated, an incomparable aura erupted from the temple,

soaring into the heavens with such intensity that looking directly at it was impossible!

“Qitian!”

“Temple Spirit of Qitian!”

“The Demon Sage of Yulian, the Invincible Warrior of the Underworld!”

Those few who had escaped from the inner city exchanged horrified glances.

In their lifetime, they could scarcely believe they’d witness the revival of a divine being—a spectacle they felt made their lives not in vain.

Lü Taibai’s silver hair flew as his Taibai Sword trembled within his sleeve. His expression was etched with complexity.

Fang Han Shu… and Li Che…

What exactly was unfolding?

With a divine resurrection and a storm of power, the Qitian Inner City was no longer a place accessible to cultivators of their level.

However, Lü Taibai wasn’t worried about Li Che. The mysteries of the Underworld were impenetrable, and its uncanny translocation skills—combined with Mo City Fengdu—ensured survival.

In this world, anyone could collapse and die, but those fearsome forces of the Underworld were the least likely to perish.

Fang Han Shu’s situation was different…

Fang Han Shu was no member of the Underworld—and Old Fang was merely a half-step Divine Transformation.

Lü Taibai sighed softly.

Within the peak combat force of the Qianyuan Divine Sect, Fang Han Shu was the weakest. Lü Taibai had actually advised Old Fang against coming to Qitian City this time.

But he refused to listen.

Boom—

An awe-inspiring divine might expanded outward.

In Qitian Outer City,

all cultivators instinctively looked up towards the sky.

They saw the heavens stained a deep, blood-red, as if an endless sea of blood churned overhead!

Even among those who had escaped from the inner city, several peak cultivators were present.

They knew all too well what the strange phenomena in the dome signified:

that…

A Cultivator of the Second Calamity had fallen!

It was a tragic, catastrophic demise of a powerful being—a life spent struggling for eons, only to perish in the end. The heavens and earth themselves mourned such a loss!

Zhang Wuji gazed upward, his hair streaming, his face a mask of conflicted emotion.

“They’re dead… all dead…”

Zhang Wuji shook his head slowly. The Former Great Jing Emperor Lü Wenchang, the Cicada-Patterned Ascetic Monk of the Western Lands of Buddhism, Maiden Guanyin of the Purple Bamboo Grove, and the Witch God Priest of Witch God Mountain—they were all gone.

If they hadn’t fled, they would have become nothing more than the revived divine’s nourishment.

Who could have imagined that deities were such untouchable beings?

Being divine means looking down upon mortals and ruling the world!

Divine cultivators rarely roam the mortal realm. When they do, the will of heaven and earth locks onto them, subjecting them to countless calamities.

Moreover, the appearance of a living deity is even more unthinkable.

Even the mere descent of divine aura would trigger the reactive force of nature, unleashing calamity and purging the divine essence.

That’s why Zhang Wuji never dared to unseal his divine weapon nor release the divine aura within it.

“Qitian has revived… Inside Qitian Inner City, everything is likely spiraling beyond control.”

Zhang Wuji shook his head.

“No matter what, as long as I’m still alive, that’s all that matters.”

“Let them flaunt their monstrous talent, their peerless physiques.”

“Let them wield their unmatched divine might, transcend the mortal realm.”

“But time is unforgiving. Only those who survive can truly be called strong—the ultimate victors!”

…

…

A blazing red cloak, flowing for a thousand miles, unfurled like a crimson dragon swirling across the skies!

The Temple Spirit of Qitian resurrected from death, climbing out of its stone coffin, slowly stepped out of the temple.

In just three strides, it transformed completely!

From a humble old monkey in plain clothes to the Qitian Great Sage—now decked in cloud-worn sacred boots, adorned in golden scale armor, and crowned with a splendid golden phoenix headdress!

In that instant, the entire world lit up. His majestic presence dazzled with radiant golden armor and a cloak like raging fire, exuding an aura of immense grandeur!

Every single hair on his head seemed to gleam, moving gently as if stirred by a breeze, while his eyes shone like twin suns, embodying supreme elegance!

Boom—

Above the dome, dark clouds roiled while the stench of death surged!

Old Monkey gripped his Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff and aimed it at the heavens. His fiery, golden eyes burst forth with dazzling brilliance, like twin golden beams set to pierce the dark clouds!

Old Monkey scanned the entire Qitian Inner City with his piercing gaze.

Inside, death and decay churned—a multitude of Temple Protection Corpse forms knelt on the ground, their bodies trembling incessantly. Each face was marked with a look of fervent emotion.

A trace of complex sorrow and lament flickered across Qitian’s eyes.

He recognized them as the elite and disciples of Qitian Temple—the very disciples recruited by the young Fang of the Fang family when he established his sect.

Now, after thousands of years, though the marks of time had all but erased everything, these people still guarded Qitian.

A careless jest and promise by the young Fang had compelled the disciples of Qitian Temple to practice for millennia.

Qitian’s twin phoenix feathers whipped fiercely as if attempting to pierce the void, causing the very fabric of space to ripple!

The momentum surged, consuming the blood, flesh, and spiritual energy of the four fallen Cultivator of the Second Calamity, rapidly restoring and amplifying his aura!

Yet he did not remain inside Qitian Temple to recuperate slowly.

Instead, he stepped out boldly, donning divine armor and seizing his treasured staff—ready to fight!

Ready to strike down his enemies!

Boom, boom, boom—!

Even the void seemed to twist under the relentless barrage of divine energy. Although he had not yet reached full deity status, his posture was unmatched.

Though still an old monkey at heart, every pillar of divine aura he exuded illuminated the darkness that had once shrouded Qitian Inner City!

The murderous intent coalesced into a tangible force, surging forth like a tidal wave!

This was…

The killing intent of the Qitian Great Sage!

“Roar—”

With arms outstretched, Old Monkey brandished his Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff towards the sky as lethal intent spread. The ancient city, which had guarded him for thousands of years, now awaited the protection of Qitian!

Killing intent permeated the air as both the inner and outer cities of Qitian plunged into a winter-like chill, as if flurries and endless falling leaves marked the onset of a cold, harsh season!

Li Che trailed behind, his spirit rattled by the sheer terror of the display—a power unlike any he had witnessed before!

It was nothing short of the pinnacle of strength he had ever seen!

Yet…

Li Che’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. In his heart, he wondered: Could the revived Great Sage maintain his current state? Could he keep it up indefinitely?

Had his resurrection, this brush with death, propelled him to his peak state?

Li Che also wondered if the revival of the Great Sage was truly due to the transformation of his Freewill Gold-Iron Divine Staff into a heart that activated the divine aura within the Ruyi Golden Hoop Staff?

Additionally, had the Pure Heart divine energy he transferred into Qitian’s remains played a part?

Boom—!!!

Above the dome…

Perhaps the sight of the Temple Spirit emerging from the Bizarre Temple had triggered the appearance of one terrifying figure after another beyond the necrotic clouds.

Unleashing horrific power, countless domes burst open in an instant!

The dark clouds dissipated to reveal five figures emanating overwhelming supreme aura.

Each supported the primordial foundation of supremacy as they floated over Qitian City. Their terrifying presence intermingled like deities surveying the mortal world.

Boom—!

A thunderous blast heralded the rapid descent of a figure like a cannonball from the sky.

It crashed onto the surface of Qitian City, causing the ground to collapse into a gigantic chasm!

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—

Countless jets of black blood splattered. Though icy cold, they radiated a burning heat, rising as mist that shrouded the ruins of the chasm.

The Qitian Inner City, though built with remarkable resilience, now yielded a deep fissure like crumbling tofu. Countless fragments burst forth like scattered debris.

Above the dome, five figures shone with an awe-inspiring supreme aura, bathed in radiant light. Their divine presence intertwined with the colorful afterglow behind them, and their colossal Calamity Wheels loomed, exuding oppressive power.

These were the supreme beings who had pushed their cultivation to the extreme, standing as paragons at the pinnacle of power.

They were but a hair’s breadth away from the realm of divinity.

At this moment, they looked on somberly, as phantom figures formed behind them while their eyes fixed on the figure of Qitian emerging from the Bizarre Temple.

“Damn it… he’s really revived!”

“Unbelievable! A divine being reviving ahead of schedule—this will upend everyone’s calculations!”

“If Qitian revives, won’t the other fearsome deities of Yulian also awaken?”

…

Five supreme beings clashed in a titanic exchange of celestial energy, each channeling their infinite reservoir to pinpoint Qitian Inner City’s primordial foundation.

Their eyes held a mix of gravity and disbelief.

They pondered many things and worried about what was to come.

Would the Yulian camp finally rise in this declining era?

Buzz…

Qitian stepped out from the Bizarre Temple and, with a single stride, appeared in the midst of the ruined chasm.

There lay the collapsed Temple Protection Corpse King, its body riddled with cracks, oozing black blood as its flesh, tendons, and bones disintegrated.

Using the divine energy of the Temple Spirit, the Corpse King, now contaminated, could no longer hold itself together—it was collapsing irretrievably.

It was on the brink of oblivion, long divorced from human form; its dark, jet-black skin, like broken jade, had been utterly tainted by the stench of decay.

“Teacher…”

The Fang Family Patriarch, Fang Xinyuan, struggled to sit up.

His eyes shone a fierce scarlet. As his life neared its end, his will surpassed the chaos wrought by the collapsing Corpse King,

and a glimmer of joy and brilliance shone in his gaze.

At last, after enduring the storm, light broke through the clouds and his heart soared.

“Teacher, you have been reborn.”

Fang Xinyuan smiled warmly.

Qitian now appeared amid the ruins, gazing down at the children it had guarded for millennia—the disciples of his temple—who were now drifting away.

For reasons unknown, a boundless sorrow welled within Qitian’s heart.

“Sigh…”

Softly, Qitian exhaled and shook his head, his twin phoenix feathers soaring skyward.

“Thank you for your dedication.”

At long last, countless sighs and profound sorrow coalesced into a single cry.

Fang Xinyuan looked upon the revived Qitian with satisfaction and deep reverence, admiring the radiant golden armor, the vigorously waving phoenix feathers, and the blazing red cloak behind him…

Just as in days long past.

It was the peerless divine monkey who had once rescued him from the abyss.

“Teacher… I can only protect you until now.”

“You must fight until the very end!”

Fang Xinyuan pressed his lips together, his eyes soft with both tenderness and hope.

Qitian patted Fang Xinyuan’s head gently and said, “Don’t worry, little Fang…”

“Since Old Monkey has been reborn, not even the countless gods, heavens, or earth can claim my life again!”

Qitian’s eyes shone with brilliant golden light, his gaze piercing and lethal, his murderous intent both dazzling and overwhelming—a declaration of war to all divine camps!

“Alright… fight with all your might!”

Fang Xinyuan’s lower body began to crumble, disintegrating into fine particles like falling sand.

He heard Qitian’s resolute words, and his eyes burst forth with radiant brilliance.

It was as if the power of ages blurred his vision, transporting him back thousands of years—to the time when, with Qitian’s aid, he, an unloved illegitimate child, carved out a glorious path and ascended to the pinnacle of mortal cultivation.

He had even established Qitian Temple, heralding an era of brilliance!

“But alas… a disciple may never witness the moment when his master unleashes his full divine might.”

Fang Xinyuan’s nostrils twitched with salt, his heart heavy with regret as tears fell.

The curse marks on the Corpse King shattered, and Fang Xinyuan’s own body crumbled in tandem—a tragic side effect of becoming a cursed corpse. Although he had gained great power and immortality, if his body shattered completely, he would vanish forever, with no chance of even an improbable rebirth in the netherworld.

“It’s alright. Watch, I’ll show you,”

Qitian said as he ruffled Fang Xinyuan’s head.

An ancient monkey caressed an elder as

the darkness beneath them surged like tidal waves, revealing black lotuses. Their inky depths, though mysterious, surprisingly evoked comfort.

High above, five supreme beings radiated awe-inspiring brilliance. Their formidable presence, bathed in dazzling light and intertwined with ethereal clouds, spoke of oppressive, calamitous force.

Li Che also emerged from Qitian Temple, witnessing this spectacle from afar.

Wherever one goes in life, partings are inevitable—even for divine beings. Sorrow and grief are universal.

“Watch well. See how mighty your master is upon his rebirth!”

Old Monkey chuckled warmly, though as he smiled, his golden eyes blinked repeatedly. Lifting his gaze, the blood-red cloak behind him suddenly billowed.

Buzz, buzz, buzz—

In the next moment, from atop Old Monkey’s head, a pair of golden eyes flashed coldly, shooting forth twin bolts that pierced the void, captivating all as they fixed on the five supreme beings.

“Little brother, please take care of my cherished disciple,”

Old Monkey called out.

Li Che paused, realizing that Old Monkey was speaking directly to him.

He nodded slightly as the golden skull under the Primordial Dragon Elephant Flame shifted ever so subtly.

“Alright.”

“He’s delicate and needs someone by his side. Please take care of him.”

Old Monkey repeated softly.

In the very next moment,

Qitian bent his knees sharply, then sprang upright as if performing a somersault before reappearing right in front of a supreme being—a Buddha Monk whose hands cradled a string of resplendent Buddha beads exuding supreme aura. The sight left the stout, round-faced monk utterly shocked!

So swift!

The howling void roared as a golden staff, expanding in an instant like a mountain crashing down,

while the Buddha beads in the monk’s hand burst forth with a brilliant, chilling radiance from every bead!

It was as if a host of furious Buddhas had arisen, their golden light both magnificent and bone-chilling, as the overwhelming force of divine energy raged like a boundless ocean!

Yet that golden staff stirred with unstoppable might!

Crack, crack, crack—

Explosions rang out in the void as Buddha beads shattered, and statues of Buddhas broke apart into countless golden fragments that rained down onto the surface of Qitian Inner City.

“He’s only just resurrected. Even after absorbing several supreme cultivators, he remains at a peak battle force. We must not cower. He’s not a god yet!”

“Kill him! Suppress him!”

“When the gods arrive, his end will be certain!”

“The Yulian camp dares not allow a final resurgence in this divine tide!”

Roars of anger echoed from the fat, round-faced supreme Buddha Monk’s mouth—indeed, an enraged Buddha bellowed!

The other four supreme beings, after their initial shock, launched their counterattacks with even more effort than when clashing with the Corpse King!

For Qitian and the Corpse King were not even in the same league!

Suddenly, Li Che exhaled slowly. His muscles tensed as he felt the crisis looming overhead.

“Do the gods of the divine camp truly hold such bitter grudges against Yulian?”

Li Che’s eyes gleamed with questions.

He couldn’t fathom why, even though all belonged to the divine camp, groups like the Guiyao Cave, Dark Heavenly Court, and Black Xumi would suppress Yulian so ruthlessly as to preemptively snuff out any chance of their revival.

What had Yulian ever done?

A flicker of worry passed through Li Che’s heart as visions from the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit he once witnessed surfaced in his mind—visions of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood entwined with the great XiXi.

Could that be the truth?

“So, given that XiXi is Yulian’s daughter… in the future she must inevitably clash with the divine camp? Or do they intend to eliminate her as well?”

“This grudge… it’s just too vast.”

Li Che furrowed his brow, a trace of concern clouding his features.

High above the dome, the Qitian Great Sage’s battle resolve surged. His fiery, golden eyes sparked like lightning, and his mane, tainted with gold, raged wildly in the turbulent air.

Even if the five supreme beings summoned all their primordial reserves, or even unsealed their divine weapons to unleash their full divine aura, the Qitian Great Sage pressed on relentlessly!

He charged against the current!

A single somersault!

A streak of golden light!

And one bold, resolute staff strike!

It was the legendary Qitian One Staff Strike!

This was the ultimate expression of celestial martial arts—a display of the Dao made truly simple!

It was as though godlike ferocity had descended!

With an attack so mighty, the heavens and earth paled in comparison. The dome of Qitian Inner City, the sky above the Bizarre Temple—it all seemed to split open into a vast chasm, as unfathomable as the abyss itself!

Boom—!!!

A resounding explosion shattered countless Buddha beads into dust; the fat, round-faced Buddha Monk, now drenched in blood and gore, burst apart like a shattered doll, its remains exploding in midair like a final firework!

Then, another supreme being roared—a furnace burning with four kinds of flames surged forward with a mournful wail!

Yet the Qitian Great Sage, draped in his red cloak, stepped forward gracefully. His foot touched down, and in an instant, cracks spread like a mirror in the void; in the next moment, he stepped onto the furnace.

Thud—!!!

The weight of his cloud-worn sacred boot tilted the furnace drastically, unleashing four kinds of mysterious flames that set the dome ablaze—a roaring sea of fire!

Within that fire, yet another supreme being emitted an agonized, ear-splitting wail!

In that inferno, as supreme flesh and blood disintegrated and all divine weapons and secret techniques fell to nothing, Qitian disassembled everything into dust!

“Why? Why, having just been resurrected with only a fraction of supreme battle force, can he contend with us? Why?!”

One supreme being bellowed amidst the flames.

“Listen carefully for all eternity—can you not remember the name of Old Monkey?”

“Listen up!”

“I, Old Monkey, am…”

“QITIAN GREAT SAGE!”

Boom—!!!

…

…

Li Che lifted his head, taking a deep breath as his eyes filled with awe.

It was a display of utter annihilation—a power unfathomably beyond continuum.

The gap in strength was like that between a one Calamity and a three Calamity state.

Yet before Qitian, that gap meant nothing.

That staff technique…

Inside Li Che’s chest, the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit trembled violently, as if in wild celebration, reflecting and reconstructing this awe-inspiring strike!

In that moment, his understanding of the Celestial Seed Martial Art soared to a new level!

He felt as if he’d finally grasped the essence of a true staff strike.

The attack of a True Battle-Surpassing One!

“So dazzling, so terrifying…right?”

Just as Li Che’s heart was stirred by the spectacle, a proud voice rang out from the side.

It came from Fang Xinyuan, who, seated amid the ruins of the chasm, was slowly disintegrating into flecks of ash—yet he remained blissfully unaware as he lifted his head proudly, almost as if boasting about having an extraordinary teacher.

Li Che smiled gently. “Indeed… it’s dazzling.”

Fang Xinyuan, though his body exuded the aura of one nearing its end—transformed as he had been into a cursed corpse with a fierce reek of death—began to crumble as the curse marks dissolved, causing his features to collapse.

In that moment, Li Che’s eyes shone with admiration and sorrow. He reached out with five spread fingers, attempting to seize the fading essence of the old man.

He tried to channel Spiritual Confinement.

But to no avail.

A shroud of despair fell upon Li Che as the Pure Heart Dao Fruit pulsed in his chest!

Its pure divine energy surged into the old man’s form—

yet it was all for naught.

“Don’t bother, little brother…”

Fang Xinyuan waved his hand dismissively.

“I have a successor—someone who has followed my ancestral teachings and now stands ready to protect Qitian. I have seen it… it touches my heart. After I die, I will pass this jade talisman to him.”

Fang Xinyuan halted Li Che’s actions, handing him a jade talisman while speaking softly.

Li Che understood he meant Fang Han Shu—the scholarly man who had chosen righteousness over life.

In truth, Fang Han Shu was also destined to die. Yet Old Fang had managed to channel Spiritual Confinement—though in becoming the embodiment of the Temple Protection Corpse King, he had sacrificed his soul and could no longer restrain the chaos.

“Alright,” Li Che replied softly.

The old man fell silent, raising his head to gaze heavenward one last time.

He could no longer maintain his earthly form,

but he clung to the pride of having forever looked up to Qitian.

Until the last bit of flesh and blood dissolved into dust, scattered as if blown away by the wind.

This ancient guardian, having lingered for millennia, did not end his life in decay but rather with pride—melding with the cosmos as he closed his eyes for the final time.

Above, amidst a sea of four-colored flames,

a solitary ape’s cry finally tore through the heavens and earth!