Chaos, having its head stroked, suddenly whipped its tail up like a giant feather fan.
Awakening from its slumber, it eagerly anticipated a hearty meal. Lifting its neck, it let out a long roar toward the sun:
"Roar—"
The roar carried an ancient, oppressive might, awakening the deep-seated fear in the bloodlines of all beasts.
The most timid among the beast tide had already fled without a trace, while others grew more frenzied and restless from terror.
Yet Song Qianji said, "Wait."
Right in front of Xian Jianchen, he openly took out the Pure Bottle and fed Chaos a few sips from the Fountain of Immortality.
The Fountain of Immortality rippled slightly, as if questioning why it was being used as beast feed again.
Xian Jianchen gaped, showing an expression of extreme astonishment for the first time. He reached out to touch the Pure Bottle but withdrew his hand:
"The Fountain of Immortality! You... you used it to tame it?!"
Chaos glared at him with extreme ferocity. He had no doubt that if Song Qianji weren't present, this fierce beast would absolutely try to eat him.
"Not taming. It has a master and its own name." Song Qianji put away the Fountain of Immortality. "Go on now, be good."
Chaos flapped its wings and charged into the beast tide.
Its massive form blotted out the sky, its gaping maw like an abyss, its sharp claws like blades—truly embodying the phrase "one man can hold the pass against ten thousand."
For a time, flesh and blood flew everywhere across the sky and ground, accompanied by agonized screams.
Watching Chaos in battle, Xian Jianchen slowly spoke: "In ancient times, fierce beasts were born from the world's baleful energy. If cultivators wanted to compel them to fight everywhere, they had to form extremely strict contracts with them. When I first saw this Chaos, I found it strange—why could a mount survive alone after its master died, remaining powerful and completely unaffected? Unless the mount found a loophole in the contract, ate its master, and thus broke free from it."
Song Qianji didn't answer, only asking in return: "Have you seen the jade plaque it wears?"
"What plaque?"
"Around its neck, there's a name tag made from Soul-Nourishing Spirit Jade. Wearing this item nourishes the soul and strengthens the Spirit Veins. Even in ancient times, this material was rare and precious. Who would use it to hang on a mount?"
Xian Jianchen was taken aback: "Could it be that the Blood River Patriarch liked to flaunt his wealth?"
"How could you think of that!" Song Qianji said helplessly. "Have you ever considered that it remains unaffected perhaps because its master never formed a contract with it at all, nor treated it as a mere mount? The Blood River Patriarch chose to fight and die alone so that it could live. It slept for thousands of years and forgot its own name upon waking, yet even with the vast, wondrous world outside, it refuses to leave Blood River Valley. Even though countless powerful Great Adepts and astonishing talents have emerged over the millennia, it refuses to acknowledge another master. Even though its master has long been gone, it still waits... You can use contracts to make others fight for you, but you can't make someone share your life's journey with you."
Chaos was still feasting. Only in brutal combat did the true might of an ancient fierce beast fully manifest.
Blood rain fell, staining the pure white snow. The once-ferocious beast tide gradually crumbled and fell into disarray.
"Is that how it is?" Xian Jianchen murmured, stunned.
Frowning in silence, he suddenly had an epiphany, recalling how he had forcibly bound Song Qianji with a master-disciple contract:
"You clever rascal! All that talk was just a roundabout way of scolding me!""No, what I meant is, even humans and savage beasts can trust each other. Xian Jianchen, why don't you try having a little more faith in this world?" Song Qianji handed him the Pure Bottle, speaking candidly, "Here, look if you want to look, touch if you want to touch. The tea you've been drinking these past few days has been infused with mist from the bottle's mouth. Haven't you noticed your injuries improving?"
The Fountain of Immortality gently sloshed inside the bottle, its sound resembling the cheerful tinkling of a spring, clear and melodious.
Xian Jianchen stammered, "My injury is special. It can't be cured."
Song Qianji led by example, demonstrating mutual trust between companions, but Xian Jianchen didn't seem appreciative: "Before we set out, you said we'd always have one more thing than them. Was this what you meant? Why didn't you say so earlier?"
Song Qianji: "Not this, but luck. In this lifetime, my luck has been particularly good. If I'd said it then, you probably wouldn't have believed me, thinking I was deceiving you."
Xian Jianchen had to admit that although they had been fighting continuously along their journey, they always managed to turn danger into safety and break through encirclements.
Song Qianji was extremely familiar with the escape routes, as if he had traveled them before. Moreover, various parties had stepped forward to help, taking turns escorting them into the snow plains.
This wasn't just good luck—it was heaven-defying.
Song Qianji suddenly called out: "Good boy, come back."
Chaos stopped in its tracks, its violent aura receding as it turned its head and tilted it, asking with its eyes why.
Song Qianji fed it more Fountain of Immortality: "They're already thinking of retreating. No need to wipe them all out."
With the cool, sweet water, Chaos immediately forgot about the dry, tough beast meat that reeked of blood.
The beast horde seized the chance to flee, moving even faster in retreat than in advance.
As the beast tide receded, it revealed the pure white snow stained crimson with filthy blood.
Under the clear blue sky, the golden morning sun shone upon broken bones and scattered limbs. The snow plain resembled a canvas wantonly smeared with paint, both sacred and terrifying.
Xian Jianchen muttered: "I think you're the Tang Sanzang, and it's Sun Wukong..."
After eating and drinking its fill, Chaos extended its two front paws, lowering its forebody and arching its back.
"Go back and sleep." Song Qianji patted its head.
Chaos wagged its furry tail, refusing to leave.
"I'll come see you and give you more sweet water." Song Qianji promised.
Chaos let out a low roar and shot into the sky like a meteor in broad daylight.
Song Qianji and Xian Jianchen mounted the Shadowless Sword and continued their journey.
The battlefield was left behind them, the strong scent of blood gradually scattered by the cold wind.
"Since you can command it, why not let it stay, or send it to Thousand Canals?" Xian Jianchen asked.
Song Qianji: "Don't you understand? It came to help, not to be commanded by me. I'm not its master, and I won't let it eat people. It can sense how others treat it. If you regard it as a beast or a weapon, you'll only provoke its anger."
"So you left Painted Spring Mountain in Blood River Valley both to suppress and protect? You're really strange!" Xian Jianchen suddenly sighed, "You've even summoned Chaos, which you never wanted to use. It seems you've played all your cards, and our good luck is about to run out."
The peaceful smile faded from Song Qianji's face.
The great war was like a vortex, pulling the entire Cultivation World into its whirlpool.
By now, all backup plans had been deployed, and all hidden cards had been played. Xu Yun had been defeated by Song Qianji, the beast tide had been crushed by Chaos, yet Thousand Canals city remained impregnable as ever.
On the surface, the righteous immortal alliance had exhausted its tricks, while the Thousand Canals side held the advantage and was certain to achieve victory.
But Song Qianji and Xian Jianchen knew with absolute clarity that the final trial was about to arrive.The Shadowless Sword soared into the continuous snow-capped mountains, vanishing into the vast mountain mist.
This time, it was Xian Jianchen standing at the front controlling the sword, while Song Qianji sat behind him to rest.
"Actually," Song Qianji said softly, "I still have one more card up my sleeve."
Xian Jianchen: "What did you say? Say it again."
Song Qianji shouted: "I said, don’t you have anything to explain? Why did you leave your Lifebound Sword at the edge of the world? Why did you hold a grudge against the Huawel Sect two hundred years ago? What exactly is the feud between you and the person you sealed under the Sky-Supporting Tree?"
Xian Jianchen covered his ears: "The wind is too loud—your master can’t hear you—"
…
Under the expectations of the righteous immortal alliance, the Huawel Sect’s leader, Xu Yun, went to the snow plains to intercept Song Qianji and Xian Jianchen.
Everyone eagerly awaited the celebration of victory, but instead of news of their deaths, they received word of Xu Yun’s defeat and severe injuries, and witnessed Chaos roaring as it swept across the sky. For a time, a storm seemed imminent, and hearts were filled with unease.
The Cloud Ship above Hongfu Prefecture drifted in the wind, unable to advance or retreat.
Wangshu Fairy’s celestial sound technique was countered by the Thousand Canals chorus, and the gates of Thousand Canals remained unbreached.
What other tricks did the righteous immortal alliance have left?
"Even Sect Leader Xu Yun, with the highest cultivation, was injured. Who can stop their westward advance now?"
"Once that person retrieves his Lifebound Sword and regains his invincibility, none of us will escape!"
Someone tentatively suggested with a trembling voice: "What if… we retreat?"
This suggestion was immediately refuted: "Do you think retreating now will make that person spare us? There’s no turning back once the arrow is loosed—it’s too late!"
An elder of the Ji Family shouted angrily: "It was your Huawel Sect that dragged everyone onto this pirate ship in the first place, claiming Song Qianji was dead and that the mortals and low-level cultivators of Thousand Canals were nothing to fear. And what happened?"
"Exactly! We were all deceived by you!"
A Huawel Sect elder retorted defiantly: "What’s the use of saying this now? You all know very well why you came here in the first place!"
Why? For nothing more than Thousand Canals’ dense Spirit Qi, fertile land, high-yielding Spirit Stone mines, and the rumored treasure vault left behind by Song Qianji.
Arguments erupted within the Cloud Ship, splitting the group into two factions, nearly breaking all pretense of civility and coming to blows.
Their anger was matched only by their despair.
"Enough!" Yuan Qingshi shouted. "There’s only one path to survival left—can’t you see it?"
"What path? There’s no path left—every road leads to death."
"Before Xian Jianchen reaches the edge of the world, we must capture Thousand Canals Prefecture. Use its land, people, and the disciples of Song Courtyard as hostages to threaten Song Qianji and bind them with vows."
The room fell silent, with only sharp intakes of breath heard one after another. No one spoke further.
Yuan Qingshi declared word by word: "If we win this battle, we can negotiate terms. Song Qianji may not be diligent in governance, but he cares for his people. With the upper hand, we can easily secure half of Thousand Canals’ treasures, more than enough to cover the costs of this war. If we lose, we’ll all become souls under his sword. Given that person’s temperament, even if we flee to the ends of the earth, we won’t escape his blade. What will you choose?"
The cultivators aboard the ship exchanged glances, their expressions gradually shifting from hesitation and doubt to resolve.
Initially, their attack on Thousand Canals was driven by greed, with each faction carefully calculating their investments, always hoping others would take the risks while they reaped the benefits from behind.
Now, bound together on the same ship and racing against the shadow of death, their will to survive was instantly ignited.
"In this situation, there is no other way!""If Song Qianji remains unthreatened, we all perish together. Thousand Canals is our only bargaining chip!"
"Breach Thousand Canals, reverse our defeat!"
Despair, hatred, and fear could break a person, but they could also forge a group of desperate outlaws with no way out.
Yuan Qingshi breathed a slight sigh of relief. His master hadn't concealed the news of his injury precisely for this purpose.
He looked toward the back of the crowd: "Although the Celestial Sound Technique may not shake the enemy's morale, it can enhance our attack power. I implore Fairy Wangshu to perform it once more."
The crowd before Wangshu parted, and the surrounding cultivators stared at her with burning intensity.
She stood with her hair piled high in clouds, adorned in solemn and luxurious attire, her expression icy, a slight frown between her brows.
The Celestial Sound Sect disciples beside her worriedly dissuaded her: "Fairy, your old injury hasn't healed. I'm afraid it's not convenient..."
Wangshu had just suffered a backlash and truly shouldn't exert her power again. Moreover, He Qingqing was still here, watching like a tiger.
Yet Wangshu said, "What difficulty is there?"
Earlier, when the two factions of the Celestial Sound Sect were in conflict, they were persuaded and pacified by the crowd.
Superficially, it was to advise both parties that with the great battle at hand, they should prioritize the overall situation and not stir up further disputes. In reality, no one wanted to muddy the waters.
Without benefit, none rise early. Even if Wangshu had truly betrayed her master and harmed her fellow disciples, so what? The matter was already in the past.
Even if He Qingqing held the Celestial Sound Command, no one was willing to "uphold justice."
Seeing the cultivators protecting Wangshu, He Qingqing surprisingly didn't leave in anger.
Though the two had clearly reached the point of drawing daggers, they strangely coexisted in the same room.
Wangshu continued, "If we are to assist the battle with music, our sect still has a forbidden technique that can draw upon the Spirit Qi of Great Fortune, infusing it into the music to continuously replenish everyone's Spirit Qi consumption. You need only fight with all your might, without worrying about conserving Spirit Qi."
"Senior's righteousness is commendable!" Yuan Qingshi bowed.
The crowd was overjoyed, praising the Celestial Sound Sect one after another.
Wangshu's sharp gaze pierced through the crowd, landing squarely on a certain spot:
"This method damages oneself, which is why it was classified as a forbidden technique. Moreover, my master taught it only to me. Now that the sect has produced a traitor, my concerns are unresolved. How can I perform the technique when I lack the strength to clean house?"
After their confrontation, He Qingqing hadn't left in anger but remained here, which made Wangshu even more wary.
Her intuition told her she must eliminate this enemy at all costs, and as quickly as possible.
Though everyone knew Wangshu was setting conditions, they still shared a common hatred and stood on moral high ground:
"The fragmentation of the Celestial Sound Sect pains us deeply."
"Upholding righteousness is everyone's duty. Since the fairy spares not herself, we naturally must ease her worries."
"This, this..." Yuan Qingshi followed Wangshu's gaze and saw He Qingqing sitting quietly by the window, neither smiling nor speaking, yet she seemed to be sitting deep within a flower grove, her beauty more radiant than the morning glow behind her.
A wave of pity rose in his heart, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.
Before Wangshu could speak again, various Magical Artifacts were already drawn.
Someone said, "Fairy He, why not return the Celestial Sound Command and leave? Do not make this difficult for everyone."
The Celestial Sound Sect disciples surrounding He Qingqing looked furious.
One shouted, "How dare you! The Celestial Sound Command is here, and Fairy He is the legitimate successor! What do you think you're doing?"
Wangshu adjusted the pearl hairpin in her hair: "It's merely a lifeless object. Aside from mobilizing the Celestial Sound Array, what use does it have?"The disciple standing behind her spoke up: "How can He Qingqing claim to represent the true lineage of Celestial Sound? How many years have you even been in our sect? Every disciple of Celestial Sound is as beautiful as celestial maidens, while you come from lowly origins with an ugly appearance. Without this fake face your master gave you, would you dare show yourself?"
"Whoosh!" Wangshu triumphantly waved her sleeve, unfurling a scroll that hovered mid-air.
"Hiss!" The crowd stared intently, their expressions abruptly changing as if struck by lightning.
The painting vividly depicted He Qingqing's former appearance—crisscrossed scars, distorted features, resembling a fierce ghost.
Simultaneously, He Qingqing heard a voice transmission: "Had you used the Celestial Sound Token to cause trouble in our sect, I might have hesitated. But you're too foolish, coming here to seek your own doom. You said you'd make me nowhere to belong? Look now—who's the one with nowhere to go?"
He Qingqing stood up, approached the scroll, and stared directly at the ugly visage.
Despite Wangshu's mocking voice transmissions and the crowd's pointing fingers, she seemed to hear nothing.
She wore a blue silk dress today, its hem rippling with shimmering light as she moved, her posture straight as a pine:
"The artistry is quite good. This is indeed what I used to look like."
She actually smiled.
"He—He Qingqing," Yuan Qingshi whispered, "Leave the Celestial Sound Token, and I'll escort you away from here."
"But I don't wish to leave." He Qingqing sighed, "I understand now. To breach Thousand Canals and beg Song Qianji for a sliver of survival, you're truly willing to accept any condition and do anything."
Her mocking tone ignited the crowd's fury.
An elder from the Ji Family shouted: "Demoness! You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"
Yuan Qingshi urgently transmitted: "If you don't leave now, there may be danger. I know you hold hatred in your heart, but while there's life, there's hope..."
"Where is True Person Xuyun?" He Qingqing ignored him, calling out loudly, "This ship has a voice transmission array. You can hear every word we speak here in Cosmos Palace, can't you?"
"Audacious! The sect leader is severely injured and resting in seclusion. How dare you disturb him!" Six elders of Huawel Sect surrounded her.
Given Xuyun's long-standing friendship with Wangshu, the older generation of Huawel Sect tacitly agreed to help Wangshu deal with He Qingqing.
Seeing the situation settled, Wangshu turned away contemptuously, as if she looked down on her opponent: "If she won't leave, throw her overboard.""
He Qingqing suddenly said: "That day you severely injured me—don't you want to know how I survived?"
Wangshu turned back: "Oh?"
"I obtained much sap from the Sky-Supporting Tree and refined it into an elixir. Taking this Ascension Pill can heal any injury, no matter how severe..."
She took out a translucent jade vial, twirling it between her fingers: "I have plenty of Sky-Supporting Tree sap, and I'm the only one who can refine this elixir."
Before she finished speaking, Wangshu felt a sudden sense of foreboding and urgently shouted: "Demonic lies to confuse the masses!"
Someone already asked laughingly: "What if someone isn't injured? Can they still take it?"
He Qingqing smiled: "It's beneficial without harm, naturally allowing one to reach higher realms."
The crowd exchanged glances—had this He Qingqing, driven to desperation, started spouting madness?
"True Person Xuyun, won't you appear?" He Qingqing called loudly.
"The sect leader is someone of great stature, how could you expect to see him just because—S-Sect Leader?!"
A sudden pressure descended as a shimmering illusory figure appeared mid-air.Everyone hurriedly bowed, addressing him as "True Master" and "Sect Leader," but He Qingqing remained motionless: "I know what cultivation method you practice. Shall I reveal it?"
An elder of the Huawel Sect shouted, "The cultivation method our Sect Leader practices is known to all of us!"
Xu Yun's expression stiffened slightly as he lowered his gaze in silence.
The Huawel Sect disciples suddenly sensed something amiss and fell into panicked silence.
He Qingqing raised her arm slightly, revealing a string of deep red prayer beads on her wrist: "Only I can cure you."
Xu Yun let out a long sigh: "Fairy Wangshu, you... you should leave for now."
"You!" Wangshu turned pale with shock, "Have you gone mad?!"
The crowd was struck speechless with astonishment. The Cloud Ship fell so silent one could hear a pin drop.
"Is that all?" He Qingqing actually seemed dissatisfied.
Xu Yun continued, "All sects of the Immortal Alliance are originally one family. I implore Fairy He to prioritize the greater cause and distribute the Ascension Pills to everyone. In my absence, Huawel disciples shall regard Fairy He as they would me and follow her commands without question!"
Wangshu felt the world spin around her as she stumbled back two steps, her vision filled with nothing but cold, hostile faces.
The portrait of the "fierce ghost" burst into flames, flickering brightly before turning to ashes in an instant.
In her dazed state, she faintly heard He Qingqing's transmitted voice: "I won't kill you. I want you to witness how this vast world will no longer have a place for you. I want you to watch how your disciples betray you, and I want you to see me unify the entire Cultivation World."
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