Chapter 131
As the High Immortal fell to the ground, the black mist suddenly leaped onto the Nine Palaces Tower. From within, a pair of massive palms stained with dark aura emerged, transforming into several faintly visible strands of Demonic Power that sealed the tower firmly in place.
A figure emerged from the black mist, clad in a black royal robe, with sharp eyes and a prominent nose—it was the Peacock King. He cast a disdainful glance at the trapped immortals on the Azure Dragon Platform, his gaze sweeping over the fallen High Immortal who was vomiting blood, his eyes devoid of any warmth.
"Anyone who dares to speak disrespectfully or offend this king will meet the same fate."
Watching the gloomy and ruthless Peacock King, the immortals' eyes burned with anger, yet they no longer held the shock and disbelief they had felt when Hua Shu seized the Emperor's Seal.
If even the Peacock King had fallen to the Demon Tribe, what was Hua Shu's ambush on the Immortal Venerable and theft of the Emperor's Seal in comparison?
"Shu'er, act now!"
Although the Demonic Qi had temporarily sealed the Nine Palaces Tower, the tower was a Divine Artifact of the Immortal Realm, capable of resisting the erosion of Demonic Power. The most powerful Immortal Venerables of the Immortal Tribe were all inside the Nine Palaces Tower. If they emerged, the Peacock King would have no hope of easily capturing the Heavenly Palace.
Everything that happened outside the tower occurred in the blink of an eye. By the time the Peacock King's cold command rang out, Hua Shu, who had been waiting for the right moment, snatched the Celestial Emperor's Seal and swiftly retreated several steps to distance herself from Feng Yin. With a wave of her hand, she summoned an object from her sleeve. As soon as it appeared, its thick Demonic Power suppressed the Immortal Power of Feng Yin and the others, causing them to falter.
Yu Feng, Feng Yin, and the others recognized the object's origin, their expressions shifting instantly. Yan Huo's eyes darkened, his gaze toward Hua Shu turning even colder. "The Demon Gathering Banner!"
Hua Shu channeled her Spiritual Power into the Demon Gathering Banner. In an instant, the palm-sized banner expanded to a height of ten zhang, hovering over the Ninth Palace Tower. Piercing roars erupted from the banner as dozens of crimson demonic shadows flew out, transforming into massive beasts such as tigers, foxes, and bears, landing before Hua Shu. As if sensing the presence of the Immortal Tribe nearby, their skeletal eye sockets gleamed with a joyful, bloodthirsty aura.
Most of these powerful members of the Demon Tribe had died at the hands of the Immortals, their deep-seated resentment toward the Immortal Tribe driving them to willingly enter the Demon Gathering Banner to serve the Demon Emperor. Their hatred for the Immortals was ingrained in their very bones, and even without Hua Shu's command, they would not spare the immortals inside the Nine Palaces Tower.
These demonic shadows were nothing but piles of white bones, yet their bodies were enveloped in intense flames and Demonic Power—all of them were ferocious beasts of the Demon Tribe. They had no memories, only rudimentary intelligence and an undying hatred for the Immortal Tribe. After death, they were collected into the Demon Gathering Banner, refined and absorbed, and driven by its power. The Demon Gathering Banner was a Supreme Treasure of the Demon Tribe, traditionally kept by successive Demon Emperors. Though Hua Shu used Demonic Power to activate it, she could only release about one-tenth of the ferocious beasts within. However, each of these beasts possessed the strength to challenge a High Venerable of the Heavenly Palace, making it no difficult task to annihilate Yu Feng and the others.
No wonder the Peacock King and his daughter dared to challenge the Heavenly Palace with just the two of them—they had the Demon Gathering Banner in their possession!
Hua Shu looked at Feng Yin, her eyes revealing a complex emotion. "No matter who you are, it doesn't matter. I could kill you a thousand years ago, and I can do it again now!" With a loud shout, she commanded, "Go!"
Hua Shu waved the Demon Gathering Banner in her hand, and the skeletal Demon Beasts in the sky let out a deafening roar. Amidst the shocked cries of the immortals outside the tower, they swarmed toward Yu Feng and the others. Flames spewed from their mouths as dozens of gaping maws opened, unleashing Demonic Power that seemed to blot out the sky.
Feng Yin frowned deeply and shouted, "Heavenly Favor!"The Heavenly Favor Sword, which had been standing silently beside Feng Yin, flew to her at her summons, suddenly transforming into a giant blade several zhang tall. It ignited with white flames, blocking the roaring skeletal demon beasts before Yu Feng and the others.
White Ember Fire—the flame in this world capable of burning anything. The charging demon beasts abruptly halted under the Heavenly Favor Sword’s imposing aura. The bones stained with Ember Fire instantly began to burn. They roared in fury, biting off the bones that had caught fire, then raised their eyes toward Feng Yin’s direction, revealing a chilling murderous intent in their gaze.
These skeletal demon beasts actually stopped in their tracks, suddenly rushing together toward the leading skeleton. In an instant, dozens of massive demon beasts merged into a single skeletal form several zhang tall. It let out a long howl and charged toward Feng Yin.
This skeletal demon beast was more than twice the height of the Heavenly Favor Sword. It spewed a massive tongue of flame from its mouth, entangling with the sword’s fire. Though the bones scorched by the sword’s flames burned, it had no flesh or blood, and thus simply charged through the Heavenly Favor Sword’s Ember Fire with its enormous skeletal body. Its towering form took a single stride, landing right before Feng Yin.
Feng Yin leaped high into the air, recalling the Heavenly Favor Sword and slashing down. Unexpectedly, the skeleton that had breached the Ember Fire instantly transformed back into the dozen or so demon beasts, roaring and spewing flames as they eagerly rushed toward Yu Feng and Kunlun, who were seated cross-legged recuperating from their injuries!
Who said these dead skeletal demon beasts were of low intelligence? When they were alive, they were all mighty figures of the Demon Tribe, each holding their own territory. On the battlefield, they were cunning and treacherous beyond measure!
Seeing the skeletal demon beasts charge toward Yu Feng and the Kunlun Patriarch, Feng Yin’s expression finally changed. But she was surrounded by seven or eight skeletal demon beasts, unable to break free!
Yu Feng and the Kunlun Patriarch had been severely injured by Hua Shu during the battle and had been regulating their internal energy ever since. These demon beasts’ demonic power was no weaker than theirs, yet strangely, the beasts charged toward Yu Feng and Kunlun without ever attacking Supreme Venerable Yan Huo, who had been standing beside the two all along.
Not only Kong Que and the other immortals outside the Nine Palaces Tower, but even Hua Shu sensed something amiss. She had just furrowed her brow, with no time to ponder further, when Feng Yin’s Heavenly Favor Sword suddenly erupted with a burst of white light. With a single strike, she repelled the skeletal demon beasts around her by several meters. Seeing that Yu Feng and Kunlun were about to be engulfed by the demon beasts’ flames, Feng Yin flew toward them while shouting furiously in Yan Huo’s direction, “Hong Yi!”
As soon as she cried out, before the immortals could react, a figure leaped from the side. A massive wheel materialized in his hand, its soaring crimson light shattering the gaping maws of the skeletal demon beasts with a single rotation. The vast demonic aura emanating from him sent the demon beasts staggering back several meters in terror. Seizing the opening, Feng Yin, wielding the Heavenly Favor Sword, landed before Yu Feng and Kunlun.
The immortals focused their gaze and saw that the one who had repelled the demon beasts with a single strike, holding the Nirvana Wheel, was none other than Demon Emperor Hong Yi!
Why would the Demon Emperor be in the Heavenly Palace during the struggle for the Immortal Realm’s throne? The immortals saw clearly that the Demon Emperor had transformed from Supreme Venerable Yan Huo. If the Demon Emperor was here, where had Supreme Venerable Yan Huo gone? Judging by the Phoenix Sovereign’s earlier shout, she clearly knew Yan Huo’s true identity. Though the immortals were bewildered, they were at least relieved that the Demon Emperor had just saved Kunlun and Venerable Yu Feng. Compared to the emergence of the Demon Tribe, the immortals treated the Demon Tribe with somewhat more amity.Hong Yi, as a Ten-Tailed Heavenly Fox, was inherently one of the most powerful beings among the Demon Tribe. Having inherited the position of Demon Emperor for a thousand years, the retreating skeletal demon beasts caught the thick, regal aura emanating from him and trembled as they retreated several steps. In their hollow eye sockets, they exchanged glances, revealing clear confusion.
Seeing the skeletal demon beasts retreat, Hua Shu’s face flushed with shame and anger. She cast a cold sneer toward Feng Yin. “The dignified Phoenix Sovereign colludes with the Demon Tribe to infiltrate the Nine-Layered Heavenly Palace. What right do you have to accuse me of cultivating demonic techniques!”
As she spoke, she shook the Demon Gathering Banner. The skeletal demon beasts growled lowly, hesitating and unwilling to advance. They dared not defy or offend Hong Yi, yet they also dared not disobey the banner’s command.
“Where did you obtain the Demon Gathering Banner?” Hong Yi’s expression turned icy as he looked at Hua Shu.
A thousand years ago, the previous Demon Emperor was assassinated in the Heavy Purple Hall, and since then, the Demon Gathering Banner had vanished without a trace. The Demon Realm had mobilized its entire tribe to search for it for a millennium, yet no one expected it to be in Hua Shu’s hands.
Hua Shu glanced toward the direction of the Peacock King. Suppressed simultaneously by the divine auras of the Phoenix Sovereign and the Demon Emperor, she, having only recently attained divinity, would have been unable to contend with both of them if not for the Demon Gathering Banner in her possession.
“Shu’er, offer a blood sacrifice, and they will naturally not dare to defy you.” Outside the Nine Palaces Tower, the Peacock King, watching Hong Yi reveal his True Form, narrowed his eyes and commanded loudly.
Hua Shu’s expression froze. A blood sacrifice—after this battle, she feared she would no longer be able to retain her divine status. But what did it matter? As long as she could kill Hong Yi to avenge Lan Feng, she was willing to do anything! Moreover, there was also Feng Yin, the reincarnation of Ayin. If she did not eliminate these two, she would never know peace again.
Hua Shu nodded, raising her palm to offer her spiritual blood to the Demon Gathering Banner. Hong Yi’s expression changed. With Hua Shu’s divine spiritual blood, a blood sacrifice could summon at least a hundred skeletal demon beasts possessing the power of a Demon Monarch. Even as the Demon Emperor, he could not suppress such a massive horde of demon beasts simultaneously.
Just as Hua Shu raised her hand to offer her blood, the top of the ninth palace tower suddenly radiated a dazzling white light. The tower’s peak, previously sealed by Demonic Power, transformed into a giant umbrella. Two figures descended from within the umbrella—one, a red-clad figure, shattered the black seal cast by the Peacock King with one palm, while with the other, she swept up Feng Yin, Yu Feng, and the others, flying them out of the Nine Palaces Tower’s confinement.
That person placed the injured Yu Feng and Kunlun on the other side of the Azure Dragon Platform to recuperate, then slowly flew to a position level with the Peacock King. She snapped her fingers lightly, and an imperial throne materialized in the air. Lifting her leg lazily, she settled onto the throne and looked up at the Peacock King, whose expression had shifted slightly.
Behind her stood a handsome Immortal Lord clad in emerald-green robes. In one hand, he held a miniature, roofless Nine Palaces Tower, while in the other, he raised a green umbrella, standing dutifully beside the throne with an almost sycophantic air. This was none other than Qing Qiong, the guardian of the Nine Palaces Tower. And the red-clad Lady seated upon the throne was none other than the Celestial Emperor Feng Ran, whom the Peacock King had supposedly struck dead with a single palm.
The trapped immortals below the Azure Dragon Platform, seeing the Celestial Emperor reappear, all revealed hopeful expressions in their eyes. How wonderful—the Celestial Emperor still lived! There was still hope for the Heavenly Palace and the Immortal Tribe!
“So you had already entered the Nine Palaces Tower long ago!” the Peacock King snorted coldly, summoning dark clouds to fly not far from Feng Ran, effectively splitting the Azure Dragon Platform in two. He held the High Lord imprisoned in the dark cage behind him, confronting Feng Ran as an equal. His gaze swept over Hong Yi and Feng Yin. “I suppose the Demon Emperor’s appearance here is also your doing. Your Majesty truly has skillful methods, using your beloved disciple’s life as bait. If Hua Shu had offered her spiritual blood earlier, how could the Phoenix Sovereign have survived the demon beasts and escaped the tower?”The Peacock King was adept at sowing discord, with a single sentence he sought to drive a wedge between the master and disciple, Feng Ran and Feng Yin.
"If not for this, how could we have drawn you out?" Feng Ran paid no heed to the Peacock King's provocation. She smiled, leaning back on the imperial throne. "The Peacock King is truly a master of schemes and cunning, hiding his malicious heart within our Immortal Tribe for thousands of years without anyone noticing." Feng Ran's gaze swept lightly over Hua Shu, who was flying toward Hua Mo, revealing a meaningful look. "But when it comes to sacrifice, this Emperor is far inferior to you."
The depth of meaning in Feng Ran's eyes made Hua Shu pause, a flicker of confusion appearing on her face as she landed beside Hua Mo.
The Celestial Emperor's gaze was too complex and obvious, leaving Hua Shu no choice but to ponder it deeply.
At that moment, Feng Yin and Hong Yi flew to Feng Ran's side. She glanced at Hua Shu before turning her gaze to the Peacock King, speaking calmly.
"Your Highness suddenly appeared to subdue the immortals and exposed the Demonic Power within you. This wasn't the best time for you to seize the Heavenly Palace, was it? It would have been more opportune to wait for Hua Shu to cause chaos in the Heavenly Palace with the Demon Gathering Banner, allowing you to reap the rewards." Feng Yin's lips curled slightly, her face revealing a lazy smile remarkably similar to Feng Ran's.
"So why did Your Highness act so suddenly..." Her gaze suddenly focused on Hua Mo, sharp as ice and snow. "Was it for fear that my identity from a thousand years ago would be exposed to the world, or that the bloody crimes of that era would become known to all?"
"Was it the destruction of my sect, Great Marsh Mountain, or the assassination of the Demon Emperor in Heavy Purple Hall..."
Feng Yin's voice trailed off slightly, her gaze gently falling upon Hua Shu, who was shrouded in Demonic Qi, revealing a hint of compassion in her eyes. "Or was it the death of Lanfeng Supreme Lord in the Hall of Imperial Cosmos within the Nine-Layered Heavenly Palace?"
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