*Golden Body Continent*

  After being slaughtered by Wu Xing, the world had suffered devastating losses and fallen into utter silence.

  The blood soaking the earth had not dried even after a year.

  Only a few scattered cultivators wandered the land, kneeling to gather fragments of shattered golden statues, hoping to regain the aid of faith.

  BOOM!

  Light faded.

  A figure in utterly ordinary clothes with an ordinary topknot appeared—no special aura at all.

  Bu Nanxing was extremely cautious.

  The moment he landed, his spiritual sense spread in every direction, sweeping the continent for any threat.

  “Blood-soaked earth that never dries, bones littering the ground, broken golden statues wrapped in weeping souls…”

  “Sigh… the world is too dangerous.”

  Bu Nanxing sighed deeply, scanning the ruined land.

  His wariness grew.

  Cultivation was dangerous.

  To seek immortality, one had to survive—no matter how strong you were.

  What could you do against someone stronger?

  Spirit Severing against Soul Projection? Run—if you’re lucky.

  Soul Projection against a passing overlord? You might not even escape.

  Even if you reached overlord realm—there were always greater horrors above.

  This was a world where the weak were prey.

  To live, one had to endure.

  Endure until the end of time, until worlds collapsed.

  “I’ve been a holy son for eighty-nine years. Eighty-nine years of surviving. Eleven more, and I’ll have to find a new place to hide… The holy land is no longer safe. The old man keeps trying to throw me into danger—like the Nihility. Even a forsaken place that buried Ancient Emperors isn’t safe!”

  “Never seen a father who pushes his own son into fire pits.”

  Bu Nanxing shook his head.

  His spiritual sense returned.

  Relief washed over his face.

  “Good… this ruined world is safe. No real threats.”

  His eyes lit up.

  Most cultivators here were below Nascent Soul.

  He exhaled in relief.

  He looked toward the void.

  He could sense the raging battle outside.

  The thunderous booms reached even here.

  “See? They capsized. Seventh Derivative holy sons or not—still capsized.”

  “I told them—the Nihility is dangerous!”

  Bu Nanxing shook his head again.

  Beigong Feng’s aura was fading.

  His caution deepened.

  He scanned for a spot to watch the battle without drawing attention.

  His gaze settled on the highest peak—a collapsed palace at the summit.

  BOOM!

  He shot forward at an utterly average speed, landing inconspicuously.

  Hm?

  He froze.

  Before the ruined palace sat a white-robed youth in a wheelchair, harmless-looking, pondering a chessboard.

  Spiritual sense sweep.

  “Qi Condensation realm?”

  Bu Nanxing narrowed his eyes.

  “Just a Qi Condensation kid… chase him off—no, that might expose me. Too risky.”

  He frowned, thinking.

  “Then trap him in an array. Qi Condensation lifespan is less than five hundred years. Trap him for five centuries—until he dies.”

  Decision made.

  Bu Nanxing approached slowly, wearing his habitual warm, sincere smile.

  He was cautious with everyone—even a Qi Condensation cultivator deserved a heartfelt smile.

  Because he believed: a smiling face was hard to strike.

  If he smiled sincerely enough, even a butcher raising the knife would hesitate one second.

  That second… was his lifeline.

  “This young sir, the mountain wind is strong. Why not go down?”

  Bu Nanxing smiled warmly.

  The white-robed youth seemed to snap out of thought, glancing at him oddly.

  Then ignored him, returning to the chessboard.

  No reaction.

  Bu Nanxing sighed.

  He reached into his sleeve.

  Several jade talismans flew out.

  Buzz…

  Stolen novel; please report.

  They expanded mid-air, forming a profound array that enveloped Lu Fan.

  “Go stay in the array. A few centuries of peace—no worries.”

  Bu Nanxing said.

  Soon, the white-robed youth’s figure blurred within the formation.

  Pa.

  Just as Bu Nanxing relaxed—

  A chess piece fell on the board.

  Like thunder in his mind!

  Shit!

  Bu Nanxing’s soul trembled.

  He turned and ran without looking back!

  BOOM!

  He unleashed everything—no more hiding!

  His aura exploded from early-stage Spirit Severing to late-stage!

  No weaker than Beigong Feng.

  Countless treasures glowed—mostly defensive saint-tier artifacts.

  He flung out bottles and jars.

  “Senior, my mistake! I was just passing by!”

  The jars exploded mid-air.

  Colorful poisons filled the sky—venom that could kill Soul Projection experts in moments.

  Arrays activated, becoming deadly killing formations to trap Lu Fan.

  Lu Fan was mildly surprised.

  He had misjudged.

  This ordinary-looking guy… was stronger than Beigong Feng!

  In a real life-or-death fight, Beigong Feng would die without knowing how.

  Lu Fan waved lightly.

  All poisons evaporated.

  Arrays shattered.

  This casual display made Bu Nanxing’s heart sink.

  Done for.

  This white-robed youth was a master of disguise—an old monster!

  BOOM!

  Lu Fan opened his hand.

  Energy surged, forming a sky-blotting palm that descended on Bu Nanxing.

  “Senior, mercy!”

  Bu Nanxing cried.

  “Don’t worry. Reaching here is fate. This Young Master has a good temper—I won’t kill you yet. Come play chess.”

  BOOM!

  Bu Nanxing unleashed his full late-stage Spirit Severing power, shining like a diamond in the sun.

  But…

  Lu Fan’s palm pressed down.

  Pfft!

  The brilliance extinguished.

  Bu Nanxing was slammed face-down, unable to move.

  The palm withdrew, dragging him along.

  His fingers carved ten furrows in the stone.

  …

  The entire world fell silent.

  Holy sons and maidens, distant wanderers—all frozen in shock.

  What did they just witness?

  Beigong Feng… defeated?

  Smashed from the void into the Bloody Battlefield?

  A Seventh Derivative holy son…

  Monstrous talent, raised in a top sacred ground, peerless in combat.

  Yet beaten by a cultivator from a mid-martial world!

  The golden boy and jade girl on the immortal crane exchanged glances—something was wrong.

  Beigong Feng’s defeat was beyond expectation.

  “End it quickly!”

  They spoke in unison.

  Battle erupted anew in the heavens.

  The crane screeched, becoming sword light that slashed toward Nie Zha!

  The sky tore open.

  Nie Zha grew solemn.

  Her Dao Intent might not match Overlord’s third-tier Unyielding, but it was still powerful.

  Her cicada-wing sword danced—snow fell.

  Ice walls formed one after another.

  The crane shattered them all.

  Annoying—entangling her like a flying sword.

  On the Bloody Battlefield,

  Giggles rang out.

  “Sister Nie, let Little Feng help!”

  At a corner of the battlefield stood several figures.

  A gentle scholar with a book box.

  A graceful woman with an oil-paper umbrella.

  And a farm girl who raised chickens—Ni Yu.

  “Cluck!”

  A chick was thrown skyward.

  It shot toward the heavens.

  The twins were baffled.

  Their immortal crane was a powerful spirit beast!

  Throwing a chick at it?

  But—

  A piercing phoenix cry!

  The chick transformed mid-air, flames erupting.

  Nine Phoenix Transformations—Fifth Stage!

  A resplendent fire phoenix spread wings of flame, turning the void into a sea of fire!

  BOOM!

  Phoenix and crane collided!

  The crane wailed, black-and-white feathers scattering.

  Nie Zha felt the pressure lift.

  Her sword flashed toward the twins.

  They flung their golden rings.

  Clang!

  Battle turned deadly.

  On the Bloody Battlefield, after long silence, the crowd erupted.

  “King of Western Liang won!”

  “Overlord is invincible!”

  “Those who offend the Five Phoenixes—die!”

  Western Liang warriors roared, veins bulging, faces red with excitement.

  Overlord’s victory ignited their morale.

  Dust cleared.

  Overlord landed, axe and shield on his back, walking toward the massive crater and the ruined bronze warship.

  BOOM!

  One punch sent the warship flying.

  He dragged the pulped Beigong Feng from the pit.

  Beigong Feng was a bloody mess—face shattered, robes soaked crimson.

  Just as Overlord lifted him—

  BOOM!

  Terrifying aura exploded in the heavens!

  “How dare you!”

  Energy rippled like a tsunami.

  A muffled groan.

  Du Longyang was blasted back.

  The armored Soul Projection expert abandoned him, shooting forth!

  “Release the Holy Son!”

  His thunderous roar changed the weather.

  He charged, aura crushing friend and foe alike—many holy sons and maidens retreated in shock.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Like rolling thunder.

  Headless Overlord dropped Beigong Feng like trash.

  Demonic qi erupted.

  He shot skyward, axe-shield raised, meeting the Soul Projection strike!

  Explosion!

  Overlord’s body smashed back into the Bloody Battlefield, legs buried in the earth.

  He had taken the blow head-on.

  The small flag flew back.

  Du Longyang, spear in hand, Yang God emerged, bell fragment above his head.

  He charged again!

  The armored expert’s face changed.

  The situation was slipping from their control.

  On the Bloody Battlefield,

  Beigong Feng staggered to his feet.

  While Overlord was buried, he dragged his broken body, desperate to escape the battlefield.

  The world’s protection suppressed him.

  Injured, he couldn’t fight at full power!

  He had to escape—recover under protection—then fight again!

  He had to live—to uncover this world’s secrets!

  Overlord did not move.

  Perhaps recovering.

  No one stopped Beigong Feng.

  Joy flickered on his bloodied face.

  He could live!

  Suddenly—

  He froze.

  A chill crawled up his spine.

  Unnoticed…

  A figure clung silently to his back.

  Killing intent like a venomous snake seeped into his pores.

  “You…”

  Horror.

  A whoosh of silver shears cutting air.

  The figure behind him gripped silver scissors.

  And sliced across Beigong Feng’s neck.

  Pfft!

  Blood sprayed skyward.

  Just as he nearly escaped the Bloody Battlefield—head and body separated.

  “NO!!!!”

  In the void,

  The armored Soul Projection expert paled!

  The Holy Son… decapitated?!

  On the Bloody Battlefield, many stared in shock.

  Overlord’s body trembled slightly.

  A lean figure floated in the air, cloaked as an assassin…

  Blood dripped from silver shears.

  Then—like smoke in the wind—dissolved.

  Mo Liuqi of the Ink Tower!

  The cultivators of the Five Phoenixes gasped!

  The overlooked Mo Liuqi had assassinated a holy son!

  The remaining holy sons and maidens felt chills.

  How many bizarre monsters did this world hide?!

  Beigong Feng’s body fell.

  But as a Spirit Severing expert, he wasn’t dead yet.

  His soul condensed, still trying to flee.

  But—

  A yin wind blew.

  His soul froze.

  Before him, Yin soldiers with rusted halberds and cold spears appeared in formation.

  Yin Soldiers on the march—stepping in perfect, soul-shaking unison.

  In the distance, a cold city of wandering spirits exerted irresistible pull.

  His soul drifted uncontrollably toward the Bloody Battlefield.

  Cold chains descended.

  A massive shadow sat on a throne, dropping chains that bound Beigong Feng’s soul.

  Then vanished.

  “One of the Ghost King City Lords from the Nine Hells Secret Realm!”

  Nie Changqing, Jing Yue, and others recognized it.

  The armored Soul Projection expert fighting Du Longyang froze.

  He pulled out a jade pendant—cracked, Beigong Feng’s aura… gone!

  A Seventh Derivative holy son—truly dead!

  The first holy son to completely fall!

  “You… are all dead!”

  The expert’s face was ice, body trembling.

  He blasted Du Longyang back.

  Scanning the void,

  He spoke through gritted teeth.

  “Keep hiding! The Holy Son is dead! If Holy Lord Beigong blames us, all you Soul Projection experts who hid and did nothing will pay!”

  “You could have saved him!”

  His furious roar shook the heavens!

  The void rippled.

  Figures emerged—terrifying auras erupting.

  The protectors of Eighth Derivative holy sons and maidens—all Soul Projection experts!

  Their auras wove into a net.

  Ninth Derivative worlds couldn’t afford such luxury.

  Nie Changqing and the others paled.

  “Retreat!”

  They disengaged instantly, shooting toward the Overturning Sky Array.

  “Stay. With the Holy Son dead… your lives will pay the debt.”

  The Soul Projection experts sighed.

  Using native lives to appease a Holy Lord’s wrath was worth it.

  They attacked Nie Changqing and the others—to atone by capture or death.

  The sudden shift stunned Du Longyang and the others.

  The three rang the bell fragments, trying to block.

  But they couldn’t stop so many!

  On the dead continent,

  Qi Liujia sighed.

  He raised a withered hand—array runes swirling.

  It seemed… his turn had come.

  Hm?

  But—

  He paused.

  His murky eyes turned toward the Five Phoenixes.

  Roar!

  The teenage Azure Dragon fighting Qingling suddenly transformed into a colossal dragon.

  A Soul Projection elder’s palm struck—dragon blood sprayed across the void.

  Azure Dragon fled toward the Overturning Sky Array, trailing blood.

  Pathetic and tragic.

  Suddenly—

  On the battlefield,

  A cyan lotus bloomed silently.

  Made of qi.

  On the lotus sat two figures.

  One a youth in cyan lotus robes.

  The other a serene, closed-eyed maiden.

  The dragon-form Azure Dragon’s eyes lit up!

  He stopped fleeing!

  He was a Heavenly Dragon created by Father!

  The word “flee” did not exist in his dictionary!

  With a sorrowful roar, he turned and slashed with a claw.

  The elder was stunned.

  Pfft!

  Azure Dragon expertly spat a mouthful of dragon blood.

  Scales fell like rain.

  With a heaven-shaking wail, his massive body crashed back into the Bloody Battlefield.