Fighting Like This Won't Kill Anyone, Let Me Do It

In the White Emperor Palace. A man clad in a white crane robe pinched a white piece between his fingers and set it down upon the board. A murmur escaped his lips: "Born divine... Blood Lord... preaching the Dao... Sovereign..." "Eldest Senior Brother, this matter is of vital importance. Should we report it to Master?" asked a girl with a youthful, baby-faced countenance—the second disciple of the White Emperor Palace. Yun He shook his head. "Some days ago, Master had an exchange of blows with the Venerable and suffered grievous wounds. He is currently in seclusion nursing his injuries, and I doubt he will see anyone in the near future." At these words, worry surfaced in the baby-faced woman's eyes. "Master was injured?" "Alas..." A gloom hung within Yun He's gaze as well. "The Venerable presses forward step by step. The North-South Accord... is difficult beyond measure!" Once the North-South Accord concluded in defeat for the Southern Lands, the state Liufeng Realm would fall into was simply unimaginable. Demonic monstrosities would overrun everything, leaving ordinary people with no room to survive. "Were it not for the Venerable possessing the Slate of Fate, why would Master ever fear her!" the baby-faced woman said, filled with indignation. The White Emperor and the Venerable had always been evenly matched. Yet the shift in the balance of power had begun with the Slate of Fate. She remembered that only after the Venerable obtained the Slate of Fate did the Northern Lands begin to utterly overpower the Southern Lands. Prior to that, although the Southern Lands were at a disadvantage, it had not been distinct. "The Slate of Fate..." Hearing this, Yun He was suddenly startled. "Do you think that Blood Lord... might also have a Slate of Fate?" There was not only one Slate of Fate in existence. A look of realization appeared on the baby-faced woman's face. "If it is a Slate of Fate, then it truly is possible... It's just, it's just... Master said the Slate of Fate is an ominous relic. If the Blood Lord obtained it and mass-produced Sovereigns, wouldn't things become... even harder for our Southern Lands?" She had already cast the bearer of the Slate of Fate onto the opposing side. Though a Slate of Fate could not manufacture Sovereigns en masse without limit, producing several dozen or nearly a hundred was entirely within reason. The Southern Lands were already disadvantaged; if the Northern Lands gained another hundred Sovereigns, their odds of victory in the North-South Accord would become even greater. The time of the decisive battle would also be brought forward. Master's preparations were not yet sufficient. "No, I must head to the City of No Return immediately to meet this Blood Lord." Complex emotions flickered through Yun He's eyes before he finally said, "If Master exits seclusion, inform him at once about the Blood Lord and the Slate of Fate." "All right." The baby-faced woman looked at Yun He. "Eldest Senior Brother, take every care. If there is danger, return to the White Emperor Palace." She was somewhat worried that this might be a trap—a plot designed to ensnare him. "I know what to do." Yun He smiled calmly. He resembled the White Emperor the most: harboring the world in his heart, what did he have to fear from death? *** Six years later. The City of No Return. Yuan Qi was now old and frail. When he first arrived at the City of No Return, he had been a spirited young man; now, he had stepped into his twilight years. Over the years, his cultivation had grown stronger, yet it remained powerless against the passage of time. In the now-bustling City of No Return, he had become a gatekeeper. Watching the people come and go, a smile surfaced in Yuan Qi's eyes. "Lord Guardian... you finally no longer have to guard a solitary city all on your own." As he spoke, he let out a cough. Over the past six years, the City of No Return had seen many changes. The greatest change was the crowd. Currently, the city's population had reached two hundred thousand. Among them, the number of Sovereigns had shockingly reached a terrifying three hundred. Were such a figure to be made known, it would undoubtedly shock the world. In just five short years, the speed at which the Blood Palace had grown was terrifying to behold. Unfortunately, the North-South Accord turned the Hundred and Eight Thousand Cities into isolated islands, and many people remained completely unaware of this. Even among those who heard of it, some sneered in disbelief. Naturally, there were also many Terrestrial Myths who traveled ten thousand li to make their way to the City of No Return. Regrettably, quite a few perished along the journey. At this moment, many Terrestrial Myths had gathered in the City of No Return. In half a month, the fabled grand assembly for preaching the Dao would commence. For this assembly, a full thousand peak Terrestrial Myths had gathered. Of course, many Terrestrial Myths who were still some distance from the peak also came to listen to the Dao and elevate their strength. When the time came, the Blood Lord would make an appearance to preach the Dao to all these Terrestrial Myths. "It has gotten too dark; time to shut the city gates." Yuan Qi was decrepit with age, not knowing whether he would ever live to see the day the North-South Accord drew to a close. Yet he firmly believed that so long as the Blood Lord was here, the North-South Accord would one day end. The victor... would be the Blood Lord. *** Outside the City of No Return. Within a newly constructed underground palace. A smile curved upon Qi Yuan's lips. "Having many subordinates really is satisfying." Right now, he sat upon a grand armchair, extending the broken sword in his hand forward. Demonic monstrosities, lined up like merchandise on a conveyor belt, were severed one by one by Qi Yuan, who functioned like a machine. He did not even need to move. Every day, an immense tide of demonic monstrosities was captured and brought over by his Sovereign subordinates for him to butcher and execute. After all, capturing one hundred demonic monstrosities of the Terrestrial Myth rank granted another opportunity to listen to the Dao. How could those Sovereigns not work tirelessly? Day and night, they ventured forth to hunt and capture demonic monstrosities to deliver to Qi Yuan. The reason this was done outside the City of No Return was that if a demonic monstrosity set foot inside the city, it would count as Qi Yuan failing his guardianship. Thus, he had no choice but to build a monstrosity processing factory outside the city. Every day was spent slaughtering demonic monstrosities. Suddenly, Qi Yuan paused. "Don't I look like a worker tightening screws in a factory right now?" As countless points of experience poured into him, Qi Yuan truly felt like a factory hand tightening screws. These demonic monstrosities were the products. The only difference was that other people might be standing or sitting on stools, whereas he was lounging in a grand armchair. "Doesn't that make me... an employee working for the Liufeng Realm?" The more Qi Yuan thought about it, the more annoyed he became. He looked up toward the firmament. "Little punk of a world, if you don't grant me some little perks, I'm definitely refining you into a Golden Core." As he grumbled, he crossed his legs, holding his sword straight out and letting the demonic monstrosities pass by one after another, shattering into fragments. Monstrosity Origin was also surging furiously. The reserves for the origin divine ability of the Virtual Realm Sovereign's Inner Demon Summons were ballooning at an alarming rate. Qi Yuan felt that he could never possibly exhaust this origin divine ability. As for... the Great Oblivion Heart Scripture, that was the polar opposite extreme. Against foes of the same realm, Qi Yuan was loath to waste it. Just then, the copper bell outside the door chimed. "Come in," Qi Yuan said lazily. The door swung open, and Chen Huan walked in, clad in red robes. Compared to five years ago, the aura he radiated had grown far more intimidating. "Big Brother, a new batch of Sovereigns has arrived in the Land of a Thousand Blood-Falling Cities. There are quite a few of them, and they seem to be plotting something major." By now, Chen Huan had become the chief steward of the Blood Palace, overseeing numerous affairs. "How many?" Qi Yuan asked casually. "Over twenty. Among them are a few mid-stage Sovereigns," Chen Huan reported. Because mid-stage Sovereigns were present, they had not dared to investigate too closely to avoid being discovered. Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "No Grand Sovereigns?" Mid-stage Sovereigns might be perilous to others, but to Qi Yuan, they were nothing at all. So long as their origin divine abilities had not reached the state of being complete and flawless to protect their bodies, who could withstand his Virtual Realm Sovereign's Inner Demon Summons once it was unleashed? Naturally, in reality, that many Sovereigns—including mid-stage Sovereigns—were enough to encircle and kill a Grand Sovereign. A Grand Sovereign's might lay in single combat. Yet even they would find it hard to endure the simultaneous assault of dozens of origin divine abilities. For Qi Yuan, however, it posed little threat. What he feared were Grand Sovereigns. They were troublesome to deal with and required talk-no-jutsu. And talk-no-jutsu was not guaranteed to work every time. "None. Grand Sovereigns are exceedingly rare. A Grand Sovereign like Daoist Purple wouldn't easily come to the Land of a Thousand Blood-Falling Cities either," Chen Huan answered. "Shall I lead a hundred Sovereigns to surround them?" Chen Huan was eager to give it a try. In his eyes nowadays, Sovereigns were as cheap as carrots. Chen Huan added one more line at the end: "Sovereign Yang Hun said they seem to be planning to finish this major task, and then come to wipe out our City of No Return." Sovereign Yang Hun was a Sovereign dispatched later to the Land of a Thousand Blood-Falling Cities. That Sovereign was rather comical; upon arriving in the region, before Chen Huan and the others were even aware of him, he had come straight to the City of No Return to surrender. Now, he had become a pawn planted by the Blood Palace in the Northern Lands. He was the one who revealed the locations of many fiend caverns, allowing the Sovereigns of the Blood Palace to capture so many monstrosities. "The City of No Return has always kept to itself, yet they dare seek its destruction? Courting death!" Qi Yuan's eyes held murderous intent. "No need for you to lead the team. I will lead them personally to wipe them out. "Pick one hundred Sovereigns... worthy of cultivation to accompany me." Qi Yuan did not care if Sovereigns betrayed him. However, he still needed Sovereigns who would genuinely handle affairs on his behalf. Taking these hundred Sovereigns along would allow Qi Yuan to display his might, flex his muscles, and strengthen their loyalty. Human nature was not something to be tested, and most people feared strength rather than virtue. Qi Yuan needed to demonstrate his power. "Understood," Chen Huan nodded hastily. *** In the Land of a Thousand Blood-Falling Cities. Twenty-three Sovereigns were gathered within a grand hall. Sovereign Yang Hun, as the local host, currently stood in a corner, given little regard. The five leading Sovereigns, all at the mid Sovereign stage, sat upon the higher seats of honor. A grim, murderous look rested on Sovereign Lan Mei's face. "In three days, a Grand Sovereign will pass through this place. "You need not know the identity of that Grand Sovereign. "We have gathered here solely to make sure she stays." "A Grand Sovereign... that will be difficult!" a Sovereign remarked. With so many Sovereigns striking together, they could certainly pin a Grand Sovereign down. Yet to speak of executing her was arduous. Furthermore, if a Grand Sovereign launched a fierce assault against a few individuals, she could still kill quite a number of them. "There is no need to worry on that front. That Grand Sovereign is already heavily injured and of little concern. Moreover, I possess a treasure jointly refined by two Grand Sovereigns, capable of unifying our defenses into a single whole," Sovereign Lan Mei said. Over twenty formation banners descended, falling into the hands of the various Sovereigns. Catching them, the Sovereigns all revealed looks of astonishment. This formation was even stronger than they had imagined. "With this treasure in hand, our lives are secure," one Sovereign chuckled. Though a Grand Sovereign was powerful, a Dharma treasure refined by two Grand Sovereigns and wielded by over twenty Sovereigns was enough to integrate offense and defense to contend with one. Not to mention, against a Grand Sovereign who was already gravely wounded. "During this period, we shall remain here to refine the formation banners and are forbidden from stepping outside," Sovereign Lan Mei said, his expression darkening, "to prevent any leaks of information." At this moment, a Sovereign laughed and said, "Even if word leaks, could anyone possibly come to save her?" "That is not certain. Three years ago when I emerged from seclusion, I heard that some Blood Palace appeared in the City of No Return. The so-called Blood Lord supposedly can help people break through to Sovereign, and several Sovereigns seem to already be residing in the Blood Palace," another Sovereign said. The Liufeng Realm was vast, so the transmission of news suffered from distortion and delay. The information he possessed was years out of date. "Helping someone break through to Sovereign? How laughable! "We wasted countless years just to barely step into the Sovereign realm. "If someone could attain the Sovereign realm with another's help, wouldn't becoming a Sovereign be far too easy?" someone scoffed. Anyone who became a Sovereign was undeniably a true chosen prodigy of the heavens. Only after enduring thousands of hardships and myriad trials could one become a Sovereign. Naturally, they did not believe the Sovereign realm could be reached so simply. "Sovereign Yang Hun has been stationed here all along and is most familiar with local affairs. Is that City of No Return truly so miraculous?" Sovereign Lan Mei looked toward Sovereign Yang Hun in the corner. Hearing this, Sovereign Yang Hun wore a disdainful expression. "Nothing more than rumors. All that nonsense about helping people step into the Sovereign realm is fake. "The City of No Return only has six Sovereigns holding down the fort in total, and all are merely early-stage Sovereigns, hardly worth mentioning. "Their leader is a disciple of the White Emperor, which is how they managed to gather so many Sovereigns." Sovereign Yang Hun's words won the agreement of all the Sovereigns present. Only that made sense. "Once we execute that Grand Sovereign, we shall take the opportunity to sweep through and level the City of No Return, earning ourselves some battle merits," Sovereign Lan Mei stated indifferently. He had mentioned this before. Since they had come all this way, taking free battle merits was an easy gain. "Many thanks, Sovereign Lan Mei." A delighted expression appeared on Sovereign Yang Hun's face. Just then, another Sovereign asked, "If I recall correctly, several Sovereigns used to be stationed here previously, including a Grand Sovereign, Daoist Purple. Why are they nowhere to be seen?" Sovereign Yang Hun's expression remained steady. "Daoist Purple came here for a major undertaking as well. After arriving, he led the other Sovereigns away to carry out that task. "As for the specifics, I have no knowledge." He spouted sheer nonsense without batting an eye. Hearing this, the others asked no further questions. They had been transferred here from other regions and were unfamiliar with local matters. "Refine them quickly! We execute the Grand Sovereign, then destroy the City of No Return!" Sovereign Lan Mei commanded coldly. What they were doing carried a degree of risk, but the reward was immense. It was well worth the effort. *** Nine days flashed by in an instant. Within a fractured mountain valley, Ning Tao was dressed in a black gown, the skin on her face as fair as pear blossoms after rain—exceedingly pale. She had always possessed cool, porcelain skin, as though she had never seen sunlight. Then again, this realm truly lacked a sun. At this moment, a touch of gloom darkened her countenance. "You truly are like lingering specters!" Behind her, five mid-stage Sovereign cultivators were in hot pursuit. Having suffered grievous injuries long ago, it was best for her to avoid striking whenever possible. "Leave behind the Blood Demon, and we may let you leave," one of the mid-stage Sovereign cultivators shouted arrogantly from behind. After all, hunting down a Grand Sovereign was an exhilarating sensation. Ordinarily, in the presence of a Grand Sovereign, who among them would dare even breathe loudly? "Hmph!" Ning Tao did not bother to respond. Relinquishing that mass of flesh was impossible. If she were willing to let it go, she would have done so long ago. It was the medium through which her husband could find her. Yet at this moment, deep anxiety filled her eyes. From childhood to maturity, she had endured nearly a thousand years of being hunted. How similar the scene before her was. The five Sovereigns behind were herding her toward a specific location. And that place happened to be the destination she intended to reach. Several times she had attempted to alter her course, only to be blocked by the Sovereigns behind, leaving her no choice but to advance along this path. She understood that she would likely run straight into a dead end very soon. Unfortunately, she was entirely powerless to change it. Even if her husband came to her aid, there was not much he could do. Her current predicament was truly dire. Sure enough, half an hour later, Ning Tao, transformed into a streak of light, halted her steps. Standing in a desert, her face showed neither sorrow nor joy. "What grand scale!" Behind her, smiles surfaced on the faces of the five mid-stage Sovereign cultivators. "Demoness, you have nowhere left to flee." From every direction around Ning Tao, twenty-three new figures suddenly appeared. Every single one was a Sovereign, including five at the mid Sovereign stage. Ten mid-stage Sovereigns, over a dozen early-stage Sovereigns, plus the formation treasure refined by Grand Sovereigns—it was more than enough to besiege and kill a heavily wounded Grand Sovereign. Sovereign Lan Mei looked at Ning Tao, disgust evident in his eyes. Looking toward the mass of flesh behind her, however, a hint of complexity surfaced. "Demoness, this place shall be your burial ground!" The other Sovereigns looked at Ning Tao with looks of revulsion as well. After all, a demoness was abhorred by heaven and despised by mortals; even they could hardly escape this influence, involuntarily feeling disgust toward her. Ning Tao smiled faintly. She glanced at the blood sphere behind her, her gaze gentle. "My husband is not a Blood Demon, and I... am no demoness. "Yet none of that matters anymore." Looking at the blood sphere, her hand tightened around the chain, unwilling to part from it. Having reached this point, Ning Tao had actually accepted her fate. All along the way, she had endured endless hunts. When she set off for the Ends of the Earth, she had already possessed a premonition that she would never arrive. Human strength had its limits. She was no chosen child of heaven; more accurately, she was someone heaven reviled. "Enough idle talk. Kill!" Sovereign Lan Mei barked, and the twenty-three Sovereigns struck simultaneously. The five Sovereigns behind also launched their attacks. Powerful origin divine abilities swept out. Ning Tao's delicate face was pale, yet she showed no fear. Like a black butterfly dancing through heavy rain, she dodged every origin divine ability. One after another, those mighty origin divine abilities were evaded by her. "As expected of a Grand Sovereign; even injured, she remains so formidable! "Everyone, join forces again and grind her down to death!" Sovereign Lan Mei understood that a Grand Sovereign was not so easily slain. Facing a wounded Grand Sovereign required wearing her down bit by bit. Once a Grand Sovereign's origin was completely exhausted, flaws would appear in the flawless and complete origin divine ability. When that happened, she would be no different from a strong mid-stage Sovereign cultivator, capable of being destroyed in an instant. Sovereign Yang Hun stood among the crowd, constantly slacking off, going through the motions without exerting any real force. Besieged, Ning Tao continually dodged the origin divine abilities. She gripped the chain tightly. Even as wounds appeared on her body, she refused to let that sphere of flesh suffer the slightest scratch. "Everyone, do not hold back, lest complications arise!" Sovereign Lan Mei bellowed. The Sovereigns present lashed out frantically once more. Yet their attacks were still evaded by Ning Tao with flawless precision. Even so, the Sovereigns remained composed; Ning Tao was merely putting up the desperate struggle of a cornered beast. Suddenly, however, a disdainful voice drifted over: "Fighting like this won't kill anyone. Let me do it!" A man clad in a red robe appeared, his face seemingly veiled by a mask, preventing anyone from discerning his features. A profoundly mysterious, terrifying aura radiated from his body. Sovereign Lan Mei's expression shifted slightly. "The Blood Lord?" He was merely somewhat surprised. "The Blood Lord of the City of No Return? We haven't even gone looking for trouble with you, yet you dare meddle in our affairs. "It seems you find your life too long!" Sovereign Lan Mei proclaimed loudly. "You surely didn't come alone, did you? Where are the Sovereigns behind you? Have them all come out. It just so happens that today, we shall execute a Grand Sovereign and take the City of No Return while we're at it!" Sovereign Lan Mei possessed ample confidence. At this moment, in the center of the battlefield, Ning Tao glanced at that blood-red robe. Her obscured left eye twitched slightly, while her right eye remained unchanged. The other Sovereigns present also looked toward the red-robed figure with wariness, though it was mostly accompanied by ease. Sovereign Yang Hun had said that the City of No Return had only a handful of Sovereigns, all at the early stage—nothing to fear. "Do you truly want me to call my people? I'm afraid that if I call them out, it'll frighten you half to death," Qi Yuan said softly. He was observing the battle ahead, observing everyone's origin divine abilities. This way, the effect of his Virtual Realm Sovereign's Inner Demon Summons would be even more terrifying. After all, ten mid-stage Sovereigns still posed some degree of challenge. "Hmph, Blood Lord!" Sovereign Lan Mei sneered coldly, unwilling to pay heed to this clown, though remaining on guard. The other Sovereigns felt the same. A mere handful of Sovereigns could not alter the outcome. Qi Yuan smiled faintly. "Since you wish to see them, I shall let you see. "Come forth... my enforcers." Following Qi Yuan's voice, the void rippled. High above in the firmament, one hundred figures clad in blood-red robes densely appeared. These red-robed figures looked down coldly upon the crowd, their expressions grim, and the auras radiating from them were unmistakably all of Sovereigns. The sudden appearance of so many Sovereigns threw the field into utter shock. "All Sovereigns?" "So many?" The Sovereigns besieging Ning Tao underwent drastic changes in expression. Some sucked in a sharp breath of cold air. Truth be told, having over twenty Sovereigns gathered together was already an immense force. Yet an entire hundred Sovereigns had appeared, uniform in attire, standing like common soldiers. The visual impact was overwhelmingly jarring. Many Sovereigns involuntarily hissed in disbelief. Hadn't Sovereign Yang Hun said there were only a few? How were there a hundred Sovereigns? This intelligence was ridiculously wrong! Standing before the crowd without shielding himself behind these Sovereigns, Qi Yuan remarked casually, "I knew I shouldn't have called them out. Look, the moment they appeared, you all gasped in shock and sucked in cold air. Global warming is all your doing." As he spoke, Qi Yuan took another step forward. Ignoring their shock, he turned to the people behind him and repeated his earlier words once more: "Fighting like that won't kill anyone. Watch me." The Sovereigns behind him, including Wang Gai, revealed astonished expressions in their eyes. The Blood Lord... was going to take on nearly thirty Sovereigns all by himself? How dared he! Even that Grand Sovereign was being suppressed by the siege of these Sovereigns. Yet the orders they had received were to stand here and watch. None dared to move, for doing so would disobey the Blood Lord's command. Qi Yuan stepped forward, his blood-red robe growing increasingly bewitching. Share the Same Robe! In an instant, he transformed into a blood-armored giant nearly a hundred zhang tall, clutching a blood-red broken sword in hand. "This... is how one kills!"