Reclaiming the Heavenly Dao, Execution by Firing Squad

In the Divine Flower Society forum, a post was bumped to the top: "Breaking News: Shuiyun Palace intends to make a move against the Blood-Robed Alliance! Calling Senior Blood-Robed Sword God!" This post immediately caught the attention of many. "What's going on? Where does Shuiyun Palace get the nerve? Didn't Senior Blood-Robed Sword God just wipe out the Palace of Light?" "Shuiyun Palace's background might be a cut above the Palace of Light's, but the gap in their actual strength isn't that large. Where did Shuiyun Palace find the guts?" "Hmph, once the Blood-Robed Sword God acts, Shuiyun Palace is finished!" Little Li of Fox Cave quickly replied. Yet the very next breath, someone commented beneath her post: "Since Shuiyun Palace dares to strike, they must be confident and fully prepared. My bold guess is that the Blood-Robed Sword God provoked Venerable Yeqiong a while back. Venerable Yeqiong intends to move against him, which is why Shuiyun Palace has such audacity!" Hearing this, Little Li of Fox Cave was alarmed. Finding the reasoning plausible, she grew anxious for the Blood-Robed Sword God. After all, he was the only senior cultivator who had ever chatted with her. "Could that really be true? Is the Blood-Robed Sword God all right?!" By now, more and more people were replying to the thread. "Alas, it seems Venerable Yeqiong has definitely made a move!" "The Blood-Robed Sword God was rather unwise. Wiping out the Palace of Light would have been enough back then—why did he have to kill Venerable Yeqiong's subordinate and provoke Venerable Yeqiong on top of that? He offended a Yin God, and now retribution has come." "This old man long foresaw that the Blood-Robed Sword God would suffer such dire consequences. He was simply too arrogant and lacked any humility in how he carried himself. He brought this upon himself." "What a pity—a mighty senior of our generation!" "Hey, the outcome isn't even out yet! How do you all know the Blood-Robed Sword God is going to lose?" Little Li of Fox Cave felt indignant, fiercely shooting back at the naysayers. "Since Venerable Yeqiong chose to strike, success is already guaranteed with thunderous force. The Blood-Robed Sword God is merely a buffoon who suddenly stumbled into formidable cultivation." "If you talk about the Blood-Robed Sword God like that and he sees it, aren't you afraid of his retaliation?" "The Blood-Robed Sword God can barely save himself! Why would this old man fear his revenge? Let him come if he has the guts!" "A great monster like the Blood-Robed Sword God is finally going to die! This is divine retribution! This young master is thrilled—extra dishes for dinner tonight!" One after another, people popped up on the forum to tear into the Blood-Robed Sword God. Back when the Blood-Robed Sword God was at his peak, they had been green with envy and dared not utter a word. The instant something merely seemed amiss with him, they all leaped out to grandstand and pass judgment. Furthermore, unlike those who openly provoked others under their true identities, they posted anonymously and had no fear of retaliation. After all, no one knew who they really were. Seeing this, Little Li of Fox Cave's eyes went red. "You're all done for! I'm going to record everything you've said and send it to the Blood-Robed Sword God!" She pulled out a shadow-recording stone and documented every disparaging remark about the Blood-Robed Sword God on the forum, along with their IDs. At this moment, like a diehard, devoted fan of the Blood-Robed Sword God, she patrolled the entire forum, recording any slander she found. Unfortunately, she was only one person. If there were more of them, they could have controlled the comment sections just like celebrity fan clubs on Blue Star. *** Mountains stood towering and majestic. Venerable Yunju was clad in a white robe, possessing an otherworldly, transcendent demeanor. Suddenly, he opened his eyes, curiosity showing on his face. "What brings my old friend here to visit me today?" In front of Venerable Yunju, a white-haired old man appeared. A thick aura of dusk and decline hung over him. Looking at the old man, Venerable Yunju's thoughts were complicated. He had known this old friend for a long time. The man's talent had once been even greater than his own. Yet a thousand years ago, in order to capture a strand of Heaven Vein Qi to help his granddaughter achieve a Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment, he had inadvertently been tainted by a wisp of the Great Tribulation's aura. From then on, his cultivation had been unable to advance an inch, and his lifespan had dwindled continuously. In merely a millennium, he had entered his twilight years, like a flickering candle in the wind. Likely in less than another thousand years, a Yin God would perish because of this. When it came to the Great Tribulation, all Yin Gods were terrified. The white-haired Yin God's affliction was known only to a few old friends like him; no one else knew. Even the granddaughter who had achieved the Heavenly Dao Foundation Establishment was kept in the dark. "It's all because of my granddaughter. She insisted that I come ask about the Blood-Robed Sword God. What, has Venerable Yeqiong truly moved against him?" the white-haired elder asked. Venerable Yunju sighed. "I cannot disclose this matter." He had just sworn an oath in Heaven and Earth Cave and could not break it. Looking at the white-haired elder, he added, "Even if you went, you wouldn't be able to change the outcome." "Is that so? Alas... Ever since I was wounded by the Great Tribulation, I've become useless. I can't even fulfill a minor request from my own granddaughter." The elder sighed ruefully, understanding in his heart that Venerable Yeqiong had indeed moved against the Blood-Robed Sword God, and had likely already struck. "Yunju, please do this old man a favor. I cannot help the Blood-Robed Sword God, but his Blood-Robed Alliance ought to be looked after." Hearing this, Venerable Yunju gave a soft chuckle. "You truly dote on that granddaughter of yours. This is a trifling matter. I will have someone write a letter to Shuiyun Palace to halt the dispute." "Many thanks, old friend," the white-haired elder sighed. "Binghun, your injury..." Venerable Yunju looked at the elder steeped in the aura of dusk, his mind churning with thoughts. "I already sought an audience with a Great Venerable, but even that Great Venerable was powerless to help," Venerable Binghun said bleakly. "Now that I have one foot in the grave, my only hope is that my granddaughter can step into the Yin God realm before I pass." "The Yin God realm—how difficult it is," Venerable Yunju lamented. "Especially with the Great Tribulation approaching, breaking through is harder than ever." Venerable Binghun fell silent. In the Canglan Realm today, to become a Yin God, one had to journey to Beyond Heaven to transform one's spiritual power into divine spiritual power. In Beyond Heaven lay a boundless sea of lightning. Without a Dao protector, his granddaughter lacked sufficient foundation and could not possibly break through into the Yin God realm. Yet with the Great Tribulation looming, every Yin God could barely protect themselves. Who would be willing to expend their own divine spiritual power to travel to Beyond Heaven and protect her Dao? Such depletion was even greater than that of a battle between Venerables of the same rank; without a century of time, one could not even dream of recovering. "Binghun, you once saved my life. If you... pass away, I will look after your granddaughter," Venerable Yunju said. A gentle smile appeared on Venerable Binghun's face. "Thank you, old friend." *** Heavy snow fluttered down. Qi Yuan reached out his hand, catching a snowflake. True Monarch Dazhi stood beside him, watching the sky full of drifting snow. "I once heard someone say that no two snowflakes in this world are identical. Snowflakes are just like people... There are no two completely identical people in this world either." "Then why don't snowflakes speak human words?" Qi Yuan asked. True Monarch Dazhi looked at the snowflake. "Perhaps because it doesn't have a mouth." "Really?" "Probably," True Monarch Dazhi said uncertainly. By now, the snow was falling heavier and heavier. The aura on Qi Yuan was undergoing a silent transformation. Yet no one could perceive this change; even the white-robed woman, who was a Yin God, failed to notice it. Only Qi Jianjun looked at Qi Yuan with a curious expression. Standing close to Qi Yuan, she felt the divine spiritual power within her body continuously rising, and the speed at which her divine apertures opened was also accelerating. After an unknown time, Qi Yuan held a snowflake in his grasp. Looking at the snowflake, he whispered softly, "Grow a mouth." Upon that petal of snow, an imperceptibly tiny mouth genuinely sprouted. "The snowflake has a mouth now. It should be able to speak human words, right?" "Little Snow, speak!" Not far away, Jiang Ya saw this and had to fight the urge to clutch her stomach and laugh. Just because this Blood-Robed Sword God conjured a mouth onto a snowflake, that meant the snowflake could speak? Naturally, she did not know that Qi Yuan was not using a spell to make the snowflake sprout a mouth. Rather, he was using the power of the Heavenly Dao. Just moments ago, he had completely gained control of Wangyue Continent's Heavenly Dao. Right now, he was terrifyingly powerful. Looking at the snowflake, he wore a curious expression. Even though he used the power of the Heavenly Dao to grant it a mouth and commanded it to speak, the snowflake remained as silent as before. True Monarch Dazhi spoke up: "Perhaps it lacks a brain and doesn't know how to speak." "A brain?" Qi Yuan pondered. A miniature pig's brain appeared inside the snowflake, looking extraordinarily peculiar. Seeing this, Jiang Ya was completely helpless. "Creating a living being out of thin air is something even a Great Venerable cannot do." "Is that so?" Qi Yuan was somewhat disappointed. He had originally thought that upon becoming this realm's Heavenly Dao, the world would belong entirely to him. He would be comparable to a game developer, capable of deleting saves, creating game characters, and rolling back saves at will. Yet... he couldn't. He could only alter Wangyue Continent within certain rules. It was as though even he, the Heavenly Dao, still had a heaven above his head governing him. Right at this moment, the white-robed woman hurried over. "Grand Priest, the Moluo army is gathering in ever greater numbers. In perhaps another three months, they will be at our city walls. The Yin Gods of the Moluo Clan will strike then as well! Please, Grand Priest, make preparations early and activate the teleportation array!" At these words, the expressions of most people present shifted slightly. The Moluo Clan's army was finally coming. Those Yin Gods were finally arriving as well. The time left for them was dwindling—only three months remained. "Three months?" Qi Yuan sounded surprised. The white-robed woman glanced at Qi Yuan, knowing the Grand Priest listened closely to the Blood-Robed Sword God. "Yes, we only have three months left." "Three months is way too long. These people are dragging their feet too much—no wonder they can't achieve anything great," Qi Yuan remarked with a sigh. At a glance, the Moluo Clan clearly wasn't cut out for big accomplishments. Look at him back then: the moment he offended a nobody from the Palace of Light, he immediately drew up the Hundred-Day Plan to Destroy the Palace of Light. Yet these Yin Gods of the Moluo Clan were dilly-dallying so much. Hearing Qi Yuan's words, the white-robed woman was momentarily at a loss. She was worried the time was too short, but the Blood-Robed Sword God... claimed the enemy was too slow. Did he think his life was too long? Qi Yuan ignored her. Holding Qi Jianjun's little hand, he glanced back at True Monarch Dazhi. "Since the enemy is taking their sweet time coming, I'll go find them myself. Orchestra, assemble! Today, I shall take you all out for another feast." A delighted look appeared on Qi Jianjun's little face. "Father, you're going to strike at the Moluo Clan?" "Mm. It's time to pour this fertilizer into the garden," Qi Yuan said earnestly. After slaying a certain number of Yin Gods, that icon in his game might unlock. And now that he had become the Heavenly Dao of Wangyue Continent, it was time to deal with these enemies. This time, he wouldn't live off a woman. "Are you preparing to strike at the Yin Gods of the Moluo Clan?" The white-robed woman looked anxious, as if she had just heard something earth-shattering. "Mm." "If you go, you will be facing at least four Yin Gods! If you are not certain of victory, you should avoid going at all costs, especially... the Grand Priest cannot go!" the white-robed woman said. If the Grand Priest died there, the Moon Dynasty would be completely finished. The teleportation array would not be opened. And she wouldn't be able to leave either. "I believe in Father. I want to go," Qi Jianjun's voice brooked no dissent. Seeing this, the white-robed woman knew she could not dissuade her. Her heart burned with indignation toward the Blood-Robed Sword God. What kind of father are you? You don't care about your daughter's safety at all! "Since the Grand Priest is going, I will go as well," the white-robed woman gritted her teeth and chose to take the risk. "You're not a member of my orchestra, nor are you my daughter. Why are you tagging along?" Qi Yuan looked at the white-robed woman with a peculiar gaze. "Trying to be a creep?" The white-robed woman was struck speechless. Just a few days ago he had called her a big boss, and now he was calling her... a creep? She felt utterly helpless. "If you want to come along, that's fine too. Join my orchestra and play the suona. Otherwise, forget about it," Qi Yuan stated. He couldn't be bothered to drag extra people along. The white-robed woman's expression fluctuated. When had she ever suffered such... humiliation? Yet remembering that he had two Yin God wives and a Yin God daughter, she knew she could only endure it. She was thoroughly baffled: could it be that divine maidens of the heavens all had a taste for this overbearing, lunatic style? "Fine!" the white-robed woman gritted her teeth and agreed. Qi Yuan beamed. "Perfect!" He had finally swindled a Yin God into playing the suona for him. His status and prestige had leaped up another notch. "Is everyone here?" Roughly the time it takes to burn an incense stick passed before Qi Yuan scanned the members of the orchestra behind him. To his surprise, he found that even Jiang Ya held an instrument in her hand this time. Holding Qi Jianjun's little hand, he said, "I told you to blow a suona, not a trumpet!" Jiang Ya froze at his words, then pulled a suona from her storage bag. "Wrong one." "Now that everyone's here, let's go." Qi Yuan waved his hand. Instantly, everyone was enveloped by the worldly rules. They felt as though their life and death were no longer in their own hands. The white-robed woman's eyes went wide, filled with disbelief. Just now, when the Blood-Robed Sword God waved his hand, she had been left entirely unable to resist, no different from those ordinary cultivators. Her heart trembled in shock. She was a Yin God, a deity who commanded divine spiritual power! Yet with a casual wave of the Blood-Robed Sword God's hand, she felt as powerless as an infant, stripped of all cultivation. Just... what kind of method was this? A terrifying conjecture rose in her mind, though she dared not be certain of it. *** Within the valley. The Moluo gathered like clouds. Several terrifying figures congregated together. Perhaps because there were so many Yin Gods, the worldly rules of the entire valley seemed somewhat unstable. A childish voice rang out: "Venerable Mochen, in this cooperation, Venerable Youqing and I cannot deal with that expert at Step Two of Sky Treading. We can only assist you in capturing the Blood-Robed Sword God alive and stopping the array from operating." Venerable Youqing stood beside Venerable Yeqiong, a seductive expression in her eyes as she looked at the towering purple figure before them. That dreadful figure was Venerable Mochen, a powerhouse at the peak of Step Two of Sky Treading, merely a single step away from Step Three. Such a powerhouse would be a peerless expert even in the Canglan Realm. "Anyone who dared kill my younger brother is doomed to die, that Step Two of Sky Treading included! There is no need for your assistance!" Venerable Mochen's voice was deep and resonant, brimming with intense confidence. "Today, even if Moon Goddess Yuanjun descends to the mortal realm, she will not be able to save them!" The latter half was, of course, sheer boasting. The faction Venerable Mochen served was the Black Demon Abyss. With his strength, he could only be considered a nobody in the Black Demon Abyss camp; he had never even laid eyes on the Black Demon Yuanjun. "I heard that Blood-Robed Sword God once provoked Venerable Yeqiong back in the Canglan Realm?" a Yin God of the Moluo Clan spoke up, mockery glinting in his eyes. "How does it feel to be humiliated by a Purple Mansion?" Venerable Yeqiong's expression did not change as his childish voice replied, "A cultivator who relies on women is not worth mentioning." "This venerable one, on the other hand, rather wishes a Great Venerable took a liking to me," Venerable Mochen quipped with a chuckle. Yet right at that moment, an abrupt, bleak, and mournful instrumental tune rang out. The six Yin Gods present all shifted in expression. "This is..." Venerable Yeqiong's face changed slightly. He had heard about the Blood-Robed Sword God. When the suona blew, it was time for the Blood-Robed Sword God to start a slaughter. But why would the sound of a suona echo here? An ominous foreboding could not help but rise in his heart. Every Yin God on the scene took on a look of grave shock. Boundless divine spiritual power surged ceaselessly, threatening to uproot the entire mountain range as they sought the source of the sound. "Who is it?! Sneaking around in the shadows!" Venerable Mochen bellowed. They could not locate the source of the sound at all. "Didn't your mothers ever teach you not to speak ill of others behind their backs?" The voice echoed abruptly through the valley. "Oh, I forgot. You don't have mothers. Your mothers died long ago." The moment he said that, Qi Yuan regretted it and felt like slapping himself. Along with Qi Yuan's voice, a group of over fifty people materialized out of nowhere in front of the six Venerables. Leading them was none other than Qi Yuan in his blood-red robe. His gaze fell upon Venerable Yeqiong and Venerable Youqing, and a look of surprise appeared on his face. "Huh? Why are there humans here too?" Venerable Yeqiong's brow furrowed tightly. "Blood-Robed Sword God, you're actually a Yin God as well!" Now the Blood-Robed Sword God had appeared out of thin air, and he had even brought his orchestra with him. It was exceedingly strange. Naturally, he had to be a Yin God without a doubt. For some reason, an ominous foreboding welled up within him. Venerable Mochen was also filled with suspicion. Faced with six Yin Gods, the enemies hadn't fled; instead, they had launched an offensive on their own initiative. Were they courting death? There could only be two explanations. First, the other party was out of his mind. Second, the other party had a hidden trump card. Venerable Mochen scanned the surroundings, remaining deeply wary of that Step Two of Sky Treading powerhouse appearing. Looking at Qi Yuan, though fraught with caution, he still barked, "Since you've all come, we can wipe you all out in one swoop! Venerable Yeqiong, Venerable Youqing, according to our agreement, the Blood-Robed Sword God is yours to handle." Venerable Yeqiong and Venerable Youqing's brows twitched. That had been the prior agreement under the assumption that the Blood-Robed Sword God was a Purple Mansion. Now, however... the person before them was clearly no Purple Mansion. The two of them wanted to object. Yet unexpectedly, Qi Yuan spoke straight up: "No wonder none of you can accomplish anything decent—you're so wishy-washy even when killing someone. Today, I shall teach you how to kill a person! By the way, there's no need to be touched, nor should you fall in love with me for it." At this moment, Qi Yuan pointed his finger. Pointing at the six Yin Gods before him, he said softly, "God says, gathering in crowds to badmouth others behind their backs is a crime." Following Qi Yuan's words, the heavens and earth of this realm transformed in an instant. Endless rules of the earth descended straight upon the six Yin Gods. The expressions of the six Yin God Venerables shifted drastically. They felt as though the Heavenly Dao of this realm had awakened, suppressing them with the full might of an entire world. Their divine apertures were clogged, and their divine spiritual power could not circulate at all! A horrified expression surged into Venerable Mochen's eyes. "This is a Divine Domain! You're a Great Venerable!" Such a phenomenon belonged undeniably to a Great Venerable. Only a Great Venerable could condense a Divine Domain and effortlessly suppress ordinary Venerables. Venerable Yeqiong, present as well, went pale with terror. How could it be?! How could he possibly be a Great Venerable?! How could the Blood-Robed Sword God be a Great Venerable?! The white-robed woman blowing the suona also widened her eyes; the scene before them exceeded all expectations. Qi Yuan paid no heed to the six of them at all, instead speaking unhurriedly: "God says, speaking ill of others behind their backs is a heinous crime punishable by death. He has already dispatched someone to your residential address to execute you by firing squad, effective immediately." Qi Yuan snapped his fingers, but for some reason, they failed to make a click. Somewhat embarrassed, he had to provide his own sound effects. "Bang!" "Bang!" As if six consecutive gunshots rang out, the six Yin Gods had no power to resist whatsoever and were executed by gunfire right on the spot by Qi Yuan. Incomparably mighty Yin Gods died... so humiliatingly... and far too simply, without even creating a splash. The sound of the suona continued. Qi Yuan turned to the people behind him and said earnestly, "Make sure never to speak ill of others behind their backs, or you'll be executed by firing squad. I once received a text message like that, and it scared me half to death back then." Everyone present was completely dumbfounded.