Chapter 868: Assault on the Crimson Peak

Outside the Chiyue Mountain Range.

Lu Lingxiao wore scarlet gold armor and held a small golden tree engulfed in red flames. His blood energy and magical power surged as he swept toward the black-robed figure ahead.

In an instant, scorching red flames spread across the sky, like a divine Vermilion Bird diving in, burning the void into twisted vortices.

After several exchanges, Shadowfiend knew that this young lord of Immortal City of Damengze practiced both body and magic. His divine abilities and artifacts were astonishing, so to capture him alive, Shadowfiend avoided direct clashes and just needed to wear him down.

After all, no matter how talented Lu Lingxiao was, he was only a early Core Formation cultivator. His power couldn’t match a late Core Formation expert like Shadowfiend.

Shadowfiend’s legs blurred with speed, his form like a ghost as he “whooshed” away from Lu Lingxiao’s attack, then vanished into a void shadow.

Lu Lingxiao’s golden eyes shone like a god’s, bursting with brilliant light. He locked onto Shadowfiend’s aura, spread his Tianpeng wings, and charged forward with golden flames.

An early Core Formation cultivator battling a late one wasn’t about blind confidence in being unbeatable in his realm.

It was sheer necessity.

The Shadowfiend before him mastered tracking secrets.

Every time Lu Lingxiao fled, Shadowfiend found him mysteriously.

If he kept running, his power and strength would run out, leaving only death.

So he had to fight back hard, wound or even kill this pursuer.

Though it was tough.

But not impossible.

Shadowfiend excelled in assassination, stealth, and evasion—skills Lu Lingxiao could counter.

In a direct fight, he could hold his own.

Most importantly, he had two top-tier third-rank talismans. One good hit, and he could cripple or destroy Shadowfiend.

Seeing Lu Lingxiao see through his shadow divine ability and charge fiercely, Shadowfiend realized he must have innate divine eyes, his ocular techniques at an incredible level.

Otherwise, how could a mere early Core Formation cultivator pierce his shadows?

“Hmph, the more secrets you have, the greater my reward later!”

Shadowfiend’s late Core Formation power surged. He held a heart-protecting mirror in front, bracing against Lu Lingxiao’s assault.

But in haste, the mid-grade artifact mirror trembled violently under Lu Lingxiao’s full strike, its light fading fast.

Shadowfiend fired off several shadow needles then retreated quickly, avoiding a head-on fight.

“Kill!”

Lu Lingxiao’s momentum soared. Relying on his armor, he ignored the incoming shadow needles and pushed True Spirit Nine Transformations to its limit, unleashing the Tianpeng wings divine ability at full force.

Without the Tianpeng wings, he couldn’t keep up with Shadowfiend’s speed.

But it came at a cost—the wings drained his power and blood energy, straining his body. He couldn’t sustain it long.

After this battle, he’d need serious rest.

As Lu Lingxiao pressed on with his divine abilities and artifacts, Shadowfiend had no escape and glared with cold fury.

He’d thrown out the heart-protecting mirror and now unleashed his life-bound treasure, the Shadow Blade, packed with killing intent to end Lu Lingxiao.

“Now’s the chance!”

Lu Lingxiao saw his opening.

Facing Shadowfiend’s attack, he didn’t dodge, as if ready to take them both down.

“Boom!!!” The Golden Fire Vine Tree smashed into the mirror, unleashing endless red flames that engulfed and tore through the surrounding forest, swallowing Shadowfiend whole.

Yet Shadowfiend’s Shadow Blade pierced Lu Lingxiao’s red flames and protective barrier, aiming for his throat.

In a flash, Lu Lingxiao activated his last top-tier third-rank defensive talisman and used the Emperor’s Aura Gazing Technique without holding back.

Emperor’s Aura Gazing—kill with a smile!

With only Core Formation third layer, interfering with a late Core Formation expert’s power was tough.

But it was his only shot!

Lu Lingxiao’s aura exploded, like an ancient emperor grasping the sun and sky. His eyes blazed with golden light, piercing Shadowfiend.

“What technique is this!?”

Shadowfiend felt his power stall, filled with shock.

He hadn’t expected Lu Lingxiao to master both body and magic, see through shadows, and now disrupt his energy.

And have ways to mess with his power!

In fights between peers, victory hinged on instants.

“Boom!”

Shadowfiend’s mirror went dark, cracked by the Golden Fire Vine Tree’s force.

Then red flames swarmed, engulfing him.

But as a late Core Formation expert, he wouldn’t fall easily.

His power flowed like a river, forming dark layers that cut through the flames. Like a shadow, he lunged at Lu Lingxiao for a brutal lesson.

Lu Lingxiao’s eyes glowed as he activated his final top-tier third-rank talisman.

“Flame Dragon Incinerates Heaven Talisman!”

In a heartbeat, the talisman erupted in wild power, turning into a sea of fire.

It condensed into a massive flame dragon dozens of feet long, roaring at Shadowfiend.

“I hate you born-nobles most!”

Shadowfiend growled in frustration, despising heirs like Lu Lingxiao to his core.

A early Core Formation kid with mid-grade artifacts and several top-tier third-rank talismans—unbelievable.

Even he, a late Core Formation expert, didn’t have many.

“Phantom Cloak!”

His heart-protecting mirror was shattered, so he fully deployed the Phantom Cloak with its defensive edge.

Desperate, he pulled out and activated a top-tier third-rank defensive talisman.

“Emperor’s Aura Gazing Technique!”

Lu Lingxiao wouldn’t let him recover. He shouted like a divine echo, shaking souls and disrupting Shadowfiend’s power as the flame dragon charged.

With his energy stalled, Shadowfiend’s Phantom Cloak dimmed instantly. His barrier broke, and he spat blood.

Luckily, as the dragon overwhelmed him, his talisman activated, forming a golden shield.

“Divine Firmament Thunder Talisman!” Lu Lingxiao drew another third-rank mid-grade talisman and powered it up.

He’d used up his top-tier ones but still had others.

“You’re dead!”

Shadowfiend’s eyes turned red at the sight.

He regretted not finishing Lu Lingxiao earlier.

“Boom boom boom—”

The flame dragon assaulted the golden shield while thunderbolts hammered Shadowfiend.

Seeing another talisman, Shadowfiend panicked and fled like a shadow, not daring to fight on.

He knew Lu Lingxiao was nearly spent.

But who knew how many more tricks that heir had?

With his defenses gone, pushing further was risky.

“Kill!”

Lu Lingxiao saw Shadowfiend was wounded and pushed through his exhaustion, deploying Tianpeng wings to pursue.

Shadowfiend fumed that a early Core Formation dared chase a late one like him.

But with his defenses broken, he didn’t risk it.

Lu Lingxiao had talismans and third-rank body refinement.

After all, the guy had layers of protection.

“Hmm!?”

Suddenly, both felt a massive, mountain-like demonic aura pressing down, silencing everything.

Lu Lingxiao looked up toward the source.

Through Tianpeng Transformation, it felt familiar.

“Is that… the Golden Roc here!?”

Lu Lingxiao realized it might be his father’s spirit pet—the Golden-Winged Roc!

“How could a fourth-rank Demon King appear in Chiyue Mountain Range? Is it a Nascent Soul True Lord from Beast God Mountain?”

Shadowfiend paled, fleeing faster to exhaust Lu Lingxiao.

The kid was on his last legs, yet still chasing—foolish.

Suddenly.

Shadowfiend felt an irresistible force envelop him.

Air surged like waves, crushing in, making his blood churn and bones creak—he couldn’t move.

“No!”

Shadowfiend panicked, burning his True Core essence with the Blood Burning Secret Technique.

But his late Core Formation power was useless against it.

The pressure intensified, his energy faded, bones shattered—he was done.

“Father!”

Lu Lingxiao saw a massive Yin-Yang hand appear, seizing Shadowfiend, and knew his father had arrived. He called out to the sky.

A golden divine rainbow streaked down, stirring vast waves.

It was a golden roc bird, forged like pure gold.

On the roc stood a man in a profound robe, handsome and commanding.

“Lingxiao.”

Lu Changsheng looked at his son.

He hadn’t expected to find him chasing a late Core Formation cultivator upon arriving at Chiyue Mountain Range.

Core Formation third layer against seventh—truly his son.

But he saw Lu Lingxiao was strained and wouldn’t last.

“The Lord of Dameng City!?” Seized and dazed, Shadowfiend recognized Lu Changsheng on the golden roc.

As a Shadow Sect expert, he knew the intel.

Shadow Sect’s reports said the Lord’s pet was a top third-rank whale, not this fourth-rank golden roc.

“And this golden roc… it resembles Yangming True Lord’s pet?”

He recalled Yangming True Lord and Qingluan True Lord slaying Zicang True Lord and Tiancang True Lord in Mirage Domain of Vast Sands.

So he knew about it.

“Could Yangming True Lord be the Lord of Dameng City?”

The thought hit Shadowfiend.

It was a Shadow Sect guess before, but differences dismissed it.

Now, seeing the roc and Yin-Yang hand, he realized they were likely the same.

Fear gripped him.

Back when Yangming was Core Formation, he challenged Nascent Soul with Qingluan.

Now, as a Nascent Soul with an advanced pet, teaming with Qingluan would crush Shadow Sect!

“True Lord, spare me…”

Shadowfiend begged Lu Changsheng, not wanting to die.

At this level, who wanted to go?

Lu Changsheng glanced at him, and Shadowfiend blacked out, tossed into a void realm.

He spared him to extract Shadow Sect intel.

Otherwise, he’d have ended him.

“Lingxiao, what’s happening in Chiyue Mountain Range? Do you know about Qingxuan and the others?”

Lu Changsheng pulled a pill bottle from his storage ring and handed it to his son.

Lu Lingxiao stopped his techniques, his face pale under the gold mask.

He took the pills, steadied his energy, and briefed his father.

“Liang Kingdom and Yuan Kingdom forces have taken Chiyue Mountain Range. Qingxuan and the others are likely in danger.”

“I sensed trouble early and got Qingxuan’s warning, so I escaped just in time.”

“But when Lu Mingfeng and I fled, this one appeared and tried to capture me alive.”

Lu Changsheng quickly divined Lu Mingfeng’s situation—it was fine, not in the mountain range.

“I’ll head to Chiyue Mountain Range now. You rest in the Heavenly Yuan Lotus.”

Lu Changsheng saw his son was exhausted and summoned the Heavenly Yuan Lotus.

Lu Lingxiao entered to recover but added, “Father, I heard True Lord Ziguang’s body is destroyed.”

“Though unconfirmed, Purple Light Immortal City’s quick fall means multiple Nascent Soul True Lords hit the front.”

“Don’t worry.” Lu Changsheng smiled and patted his shoulder.

Lu Lingxiao knew his father’s strength and said no more.

Then Qian Zhuyan stepped out from the Heavenly Yuan Lotus, his voice hoarse: “My lord.”

“Xiao Yan, get ready.”

Lu Changsheng told Qian Zhuyan as the Golden-Winged Roc flew toward Red Peak Immortal City.

Though the lines were taken and Red Peak Immortal City might have Nascent Soul True Lords, Lu Changsheng was confident.

The Golden-Winged Roc cried out, its fourth-rank demonic aura spreading unchecked toward Red Peak Immortal City.

“What aura—terrifying!”

“A fourth-rank Demon King!? Is True Lord Nine Spirits here?”

“No, not the Supreme Elder’s Gold Mane Lion King!”

In Chiyue Mountain Range, Jiang Kingdom and Yue Kingdom outposts were mostly conquered by Liang Demonic Cultivators.

The roc’s aura shook the cultivators and beasts in the mountains.

They first thought of True Lord Nine Spirits or Beast God Mountain’s strongest beast.

But Beast God Mountain cultivators knew it wasn’t their Gold Mane Lion King.

“Alert True Lord Youyue!”

Chiyue Mountain Range had no fourth-rank beasts left—Yue Kingdom cleared them.

This sudden appearance was ominous.

A Core Formation cultivator quickly informed the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain.

In Red Peak Immortal City.

“A fourth-rank Demon King!?”

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain was interrogating prisoners when she got the news. She frowned and asked for details.

“Holy Maiden, we couldn’t see clearly. It’s likely a flying beast king.”

Facing a fourth-rank, they dared not probe.

They only glimpsed a golden divine bird.

“Golden… flying?”

The Holy Maiden tensed, thinking of Yangming True Lord as per True Lord Nine Spirits’ warnings.

“Yangming True Lord…”

She knew him from his past exploits against Heavenly Corpse Sect and slaying Tiansha True Lord.

And destroying Tiancang True Lord’s body, costing them dearly.

“Ancestor!”

Though unsure, she was cautious and sent word to True Lord Nine Spirits.

True Lord Nine Spirits replied, “Fully activate the city’s formation. If it’s Yangming, alert me at once. I’ll send Tiancang and Huangquan back.”

He warned her not to fight and flee if needed.

“Yes, Ancestor.”

She agreed but felt a twinge of pride—

As a Nascent Soul, she rivaled many, yet he told her to run from Yangming.

“I’ll see what makes him so special.”

With a cold expression, she left the camp and checked the walls and formation repairs.

“Report, True Lord: The walls will be fixed in half a month.”

The Liang Kingdom cultivators answered.

Though they won quickly, the fourth-rank beast’s rampage damaged the city badly.

She nodded, knowing the formation repair would take time due to its ties to the walls and complexity.

“Run the formation at full power through the current nodes and plates. Fix it later.”

She ordered, then went to the sleeping ground of their fourth-rank beast king.

This beast was bred with secrets, short-lived and draining in battles, so it slept to extend its life.

The Holy Maiden stood on its shoulder, gazing toward Lu Changsheng.

Time passed.

Finally, her sharp purple eyes caught a golden roc speeding toward them with two figures.

“Two people?”

She narrowed her eyes, noting the tall one seemed like a puppet.

“A puppet?”

Then she focused on the man in the profound robe—Lu Changsheng, confirmed as Yangming True Lord.

“Impressive, Yangming True Lord. That golden roc must have a dense True Spirit bloodline!”

From Beast God Mountain’s techniques, she sensed the terror in the roc.

It was a heavenly top bloodline with True Spirit traces!

“When that roc was third-rank, it held off a fourth-rank corpse king. Now at fourth-rank, it’s far beyond normal. If I could capture it…”

She thought of her pet, the Heavenly Wolf, and how its blood could boost with the roc’s essence.

Plus, with Ming Sha True Lord dead, Yin Ghost Sect’s Ten Thousand Ghost Blood Pool likely in Yangming’s hands—perfect for refining with this blood.

“Ancestor!”

Without hesitation, she informed True Lord Nine Spirits that it was indeed Yangming.

She then fed a large pill to the sleeping beast and used secrets to wake it.

The scene faded as preparations escalated, tensions mounting in the immortal city.

“Roar!!!”

With a thunderous rumble that shook the earth like an earthquake, the slumbering Fourth-Rank Beast King slowly awoke, standing like a massive mountain and radiating a terrifying aura.

“What’s going on?”

“Why is the Beast King awake?”

The cultivators of Red Peak Immortal City were all startled, looking up toward the Fourth-Rank Beast King, baffled by its sudden awakening.

“Everyone, pour all your energy into the grand formation!”

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain stood tall and graceful on the shoulder of the Fourth-Rank Beast King, her voice amplified by Nascent Soul magical energy echoing across the entire Red Peak Immortal City.

The moment she spotted the Golden-Winged Roc, she dropped all her underestimation of Yangming True Lord and grew intensely serious.

“A Fourth-Rank Demon King is attacking!”

“Who could this be?”

“I don’t recall any Nascent Soul True Lord like this in the Yue Kingdom?”

After a few breaths, the high-ranking cultivators of Red Peak Immortal City saw the speeding Golden-Winged Roc approaching, their expressions turning grave.

The Golden-Winged Roc was incredibly fast.

In the blink of an eye, it arrived outside Red Peak Immortal City.

Spotting the tall, striking woman on the Fourth-Rank Beast King’s shoulder—her long, slender legs, flowing dark purple hair, and poised figure—Lu Changsheng instantly recognized her.

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain!

“But why only the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain and one Fourth-Rank Beast King?”

Lu Changsheng frowned slightly.

Based on what he knew, Red Peak Immortal City should have multiple Nascent Soul cultivators stationed there, right?

So how come there’s only one Nascent Soul cultivator and a single Fourth-Rank Beast King?

Lu Changsheng didn’t dwell on it and prepared for a quick, decisive battle.

He pulled out the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror from his embrace and called to the towering Qian Zhuyan beside him, “Xiao Yan.”

As a top-tier third-rank formation master, Lu Changsheng could see at a glance that the immortal city had endured a fierce battle and wasn’t fully repaired yet.

The grand formation was damaged, offering at most quasi-fourth-rank defense.

In this state, he could break through alone and capture the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain.

“Hmm? City Lord Wang Lin of Dameng?”

As the Golden-Winged Roc drew near and stopped outside Red Peak Immortal City, the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain finally made out the face of the figure in dark robes on its back.

Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise.

She had no idea what was happening.

How had Yangming True Lord suddenly become the lord of Dameng Immortal City?

Before she could think more, she saw the tall puppet with its cold, metallic sheen rise into the sky from the Golden-Winged Roc.

Right after that.

“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—”

One! Two! Three!

A total of thirteen puppets appeared beside Qian Zhuyan.

“So many third-rank puppets?”

Even though these puppets weren’t operating at full power yet, from their quality, the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain could tell they were all third-rank and of excellent make.

She was surprised, wondering why Lu Changsheng had summoned so many puppets, then she fixed him with a cold stare and said, “City Lord of Dameng, what brings you to Red Peak Immortal City?”

Lu Changsheng said nothing, channeling his Nascent Soul magical energy endlessly into the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror, aiming to blast a gap straight through the weakened formation and charge in.

As for Qian Zhuyan, she would use the puppet battle formation to seal off the city and prevent anyone from escaping.

“Buzz, buzz, buzz!!!”

Qian Zhuyan’s tall, metallic body hummed with power.

Like a precision war machine fully activating, it erupted with intricate formation lights, linking with the thirteen puppets nearby to form a mysterious array, then condensing into a puppet power diagram.

“A fourth-rank puppet!? A puppet battle formation!”

As Qian Zhuyan’s puppet power started running, the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain realized it was a fourth-rank puppet.

She couldn’t hide her shock.

A fourth-rank puppet was incredibly valuable, on par with the fourth-rank beast kings their Beast God Mountain nurtured through secret techniques.

Yet this City Lord of Dameng had casually deployed a fourth-rank puppet and thirteen third-rank ones to set up a puppet battle formation.

Just this formation alone made her wary.

The next moment, her gaze shifted to the mirror in front of Lu Changsheng, which glowed like a rising sun and radiated intense, domineering heat.

Danger!

Pure danger!

Their Beast God Mountain techniques fused beast traits into the body, granting some animal-like abilities, like sensing danger.

Facing the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror now, a strong sense of foreboding washed over her.

“Pour everything into the grand formation and destroy this man and the fourth-rank puppet!”

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain’s eyes turned icy and sharp as she issued the order.

Though Red Peak Immortal City’s grand formation was damaged, it still had offensive capabilities.

Earlier, True Lord Ziguang hadn’t counterattacked because he was facing four Nascent Soul True Lords and a fourth-rank beast king, forcing him to focus on defense.

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

The formation’s attacks were already building.

In an instant, two shockwaves, each as powerful as a full Nascent Soul cultivator’s strike, formed and blasted toward Lu Changsheng and Qian Zhuyan.

“Screech!”

Lu Changsheng stood firm as the Golden-Winged Roc beneath him let out a piercing cry, its golden light blazing as it charged straight at the shockwaves.

Qian Zhuyan remained calm.

In recent years, though she hadn’t improved much herself, the number of puppets in her battle formation had grown to thirteen, and their quality had all been upgraded.

Now, with the formation set, it could stand against some Nascent Soul True Lords head-on.

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

The hastily formed puppet diagram unleashed beams of puppet power, clashing with the incoming formation shockwaves.

“This!?”

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain saw Lu Changsheng activating a supreme treasure.

But in the current situation, she didn’t dare leave the city; she had to merge with the formation and push Red Peak Immortal City’s grand formation further.

However, the formation was still broken, and the main control plate was in True Lord Ziguang’s hands, so she couldn’t operate it at full strength, only managing to suppress the Golden-Winged Roc and Qian Zhuyan for a short time.

“Ah Wu, that’s enough!”

In just one breath, the Sun-Moon Yin-Yang Mirror before Lu Changsheng shot into the sky like a great sun.

It blasted a blinding beam of Solar Divine Light at a damaged section of Red Peak Immortal City’s walls.

In that instant, the entire sky lit up.

Endless light and heat spread out, scorching the void and causing it to collapse.

“What is this!?”

At that moment, not just the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain, but every cultivator in Red Peak Immortal City felt a chill.

From that Sun Profound Light, they sensed unprecedented danger!

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

Under the Solar Divine Light, Red Peak Immortal City’s grand formation melted away rapidly, soon tearing open a breach.

“Clang!”

The Nine Calamity Sword appeared.

Lu Changsheng gripped the Nine Calamity Sword and charged into Red Peak Immortal City alone.

“How bold!”

A frosty veil fell over the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain’s exquisite face, her killing intent sharp as a blade.

With the formation not yet fully breached, she could still draw on its power, yet this opponent dared to rush in.

It was like he didn’t take her, a Nascent Soul True Lord, seriously at all!

Pure disrespect!

“Pour all power into the formation and seal the city!”

The Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain snapped coldly, her body surging with purple eerie light as she tried to block Qian Zhuyan and the Golden-Winged Roc outside the formation, planning to use the formation and the city’s cultivators to deal with Lu Changsheng first.

As for whether Lu Changsheng was really the City Lord of Dameng or Yangming True Lord, she no longer cared.

“Roar!!!”

At the same time, the Fourth-Rank Beast King beneath her, covered in black scales and looming like a mountain, opened its massive maw and roared at Lu Changsheng.

Its pillar-like limbs stomped the ground, creating spiderweb cracks and kicking up dust in a ferocious charge.

This Fourth-Rank Beast King lacked the innate divine abilities and demonic power of a true fourth-rank shapeshifting demon king, but it had a physical strength rivaling that of a fourth-rank body cultivator, making it a nightmare in close combat with its relentless style.

“No wonder something felt off—it’s just a fake fourth-rank beast king.”

Lu Changsheng eyed the roaring Fourth-Rank Beast King charging at him and quickly saw through its facade.

This wasn’t a genuine fourth-rank demon king; it lacked the fourth-rank essence core.

The Nine Calamity Sword in his hand hummed with a sharp ring.

A tide of peerless sword energy erupted, forming a devastating blade of light that could annihilate all things.

“Wait! Who are you? You’re definitely not the City Lord of Dameng!”

As this peerless sword light struck, the Holy Maiden of Beast God Mountain felt a primal terror, sensing unmatched danger and concluding that the man before her wasn’t the City Lord of Dameng.

According to intelligence, the City Lord of Dameng had Nascent Soul-level power but was rumored to be in poor health and rarely left his domain.

The sword light tore through everything in its path, unstoppable, and sliced into the Fourth-Rank Beast King.

With a sickening “thud,” the beast’s massive body froze mid-roar.

Then, it split cleanly in two, blood gushing like a waterfall, threatening to flood Red Peak Immortal City, before crashing to the ground.

One sword stroke— and the Fourth-Rank Beast King was slain!