In Southern Qian, inside the prime minister's manor.
Red ji wood had been lit, crackling and snapping.
The blazing flames were startlingly blood-red!
This was the finest conduit for curse-killing arts.
Wen Zhongyong's gaze was razor-sharp. In one hand, he supported the Nation-Stabilizing Ruler; in the other, he held a fly-whisk.
"Trace the form across ten thousand li, spirit severed in mortal dread!
"Curse!"
At his command, the blood-red flames atop the red ji wood leaped nearly half a zhang into the air.
The crimson firelight reflected across the faces of Wen Zhongyong and Sima Ting, appearing chillingly sinister.
Standing to one side, Sima Ting's beard twitched with eager anticipation. "Mister, how is it?"
Holding the Nation-Stabilizing Ruler, Wen Zhongyong replied calmly, "The curse-killing art has been unleashed. We need only wait a few moments to see blood."
He was already a Sovereign-rank powerhouse. Aided by the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord's Nation-Stabilizing Ruler to cast a curse-killing art, he could execute even a Supreme Sovereign!
Sima Ting breathed a sigh of relief. "My thanks for your trouble, Mister!"
As he spoke, he picked up a crimson-purple crane cloak and moved to drape it over Wen Zhongyong's shoulders.
*Bang!*
A thunderous blast erupted.
Gore and minced flesh exploded outward. Sima Ting was drenched in blood from head to toe, and the deep purple crane cloak was instantly dyed scarlet. Held in Sima Ting's hands, it caught an entire garment's worth of shredded flesh.
"How could this be... How can this be..." Sima Ting stared at the scene before him in disbelief. His face was covered in fresh blood, bits of mangled flesh clinging to his beard.
Because Wen Zhongyong had just exploded!
And Wen Zhongyong's sudden detonation was caused by the severe backlash of the curse-killing art.
Just who... who was the target?
Even the Nation-Stabilizing Ruler had been destroyed?
***
Ten thousand li away, at the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect.
Within an underground palace, half of the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord's body had crawled into a coffin.
This coffin had been crafted by expending centuries of accumulated wealth from the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect, peerless in both attack and defense.
Back outside Mount Heavenly Fortune, the moment he had seen the crow take flight, an ominous premonition seized him. Abandoning any further arrangements, he had rushed straight for the coffin.
Yet just as he scrambled into it, he felt a vast, irresistible force hunting him down, as if traveling across eternity.
His eyes bulged wide, filled with bewilderment and bitter resentment.
*Why?!*
He had painstakingly planned and kept a low profile for three thousand years, living more like a turtle than actual turtles.
He had thought he was destined to soar into the heavens.
Instead, disaster struck him out of nowhere.
It was as though an almighty supreme being had passed through the heavens above, casually sneezed, and jolted him to death.
All his careful schemes had become a joke.
The Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord... died a tragic, inexplicable death.
About an incense stick's burn later, the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord's corpse suddenly exploded, blown into bits.
A quarter of an hour later, a spider crawled into the underground palace.
Half an hour after that, two figures entered the underground palace.
One of them looked identical to the deceased Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord.
He was none other than the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord's body double—the nominal Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord on the surface of the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect.
Looking at the shredded flesh scattered before the coffin, excitement washed over his face. "That old turtle is finally dead!"
Beside him, a gold-robed man said calmly, "Our ancestor performed the Life-Exchange Technique in person. How could he possibly survive?"
Truth be told, the gold-robed man was somewhat surprised himself.
His clan's ancestor had been a Supreme Sovereign who had reached the end of his natural lifespan.
Before passing away, he had unleashed the Life-Exchange Technique to perish together with the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord.
Thus, the gold-robed man had allied with this puppet Sacred Lord of the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect.
Originally, he had expected the ancestor's Life-Exchange Technique to only leave the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord critically wounded; he had never imagined it would kill him outright.
Though startled, he made sure to claim the credit for himself.
"That old turtle was nothing more than strong on the outside and hollow within all along. Now that he is dead, the Heavenly Fortune Sacred Sect belongs to Your Excellency." The gold-robed man looked at the person beside him. "Can our cooperation continue?"
"Naturally, naturally!" The Heavenly Fortune Sacred Lord's body double was ecstatic.
In all the world, what could be more satisfying than a body double taking over the real role?
***
Inside the Robe and Crown Forbidden Ground, Qi Yuan sneezed.
"I'm doomed. I caught a cold."
Just a moment ago, Qi Yuan had sneezed and felt a slight chill.
Xiao Jia trailed behind Qi Yuan, keeping a distance of one body length.
As if understanding his words, a wooden sign slipped from her sleeve reading *Snuggle*.
Qi Yuan glanced back at Xiao Jia. "Never mind. Your fabric is too silky smooth. I'm afraid I'd only feel colder."
Having emerged from the underground mausoleum, Qi Yuan decided to bring Xiao Jia along to slaughter in every direction.
With Xiao Jia by his side, he wouldn't be at a complete disadvantage even against the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign.
Qi Yuan resolved to take down the Robe and Crown Forbidden Ground during this period.
With Xiao Jia, his level could jump up by five levels directly.
Level 90 and Level 88 were completely different concepts.
The gap was a whole major tier.
"Let's go! When a guy and a girl team up, farming mobs is a breeze!"
With Xiao Jia in tow, Qi Yuan was brimming with confidence.
The mountain was pitch-black, illuminated only by a hanging full moon.
Holding his great sword, Qi Yuan reappeared where the robe monsters slept.
"Die!"
With a roar, Qi Yuan charged like a wolf among sheep, cutting them down ceaselessly.
Whether suspender overalls or stepmother dresses, he wiped them all out.
Experience points rose rapidly as well.
+200!
...
+300!
This time, Qi Yuan was much bolder than before.
As he slaughtered his way through, nearly half an hour passed, and he swiftly leveled up to Level 89.
Right at that moment, a chilling gaze locked onto Qi Yuan.
"Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign, you're here!"
Qi Yuan's spirits soared.
*Share the Same Robe!*
In an instant, he unleashed Share the Same Robe. Blood-red battle armor enveloped his body, turning even his great sword red.
His stature shot upward rapidly, reaching ten meters in height.
Of course, Qi Yuan could grow even taller, but there was no need.
Ten meters suited Qi Yuan best for now.
"Let's see if your health bar goes down at all!"
Facing the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign, even Qi Yuan at effective Level 94 felt a prick of pressure.
*Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique!*
The moment Qi Yuan struck, it was his strongest blow.
Clad in red battle armor, he leaped into the air, shaking the ground with sheer power.
With the full moon appearing to rest at his back, a blood-red sword beam descended from the sky.
*Crack!*
The Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique landed squarely on the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign.
The Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign reached out a claw blended of pale white and pitch-black.
With a single claw, it caught Qi Yuan's sword.
The Heaven-Cleaving Sword-Drawing Technique could not advance an inch further. The Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign gazed at Qi Yuan without a shred of emotion.
Seeing this, Qi Yuan was momentarily stunned.
"It only lost a sliver of health?"
"Time to bail!"
Qi Yuan decided that this tough customer was too much to handle, and making a quick exit was the wisest move.
"Looks like the gap between Level 94 and Level 95 is a massive hurdle!"
Qi Yuan switched the bridal gown armor from combat form to defensive state and took off running.
Without the bridal gown armor, escaping would have been excruciatingly difficult, and he might even have been intercepted by the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign.
Now, however, he could run away boldly and openly, without scurrying like a cornered rat.
After getting away, Qi Yuan was actually in quite a good mood.
In the past, he might have found the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign terribly troublesome.
Now, it would only be a matter of four or five days.
Using the bridal gown armor, he could farm until he reached Level 90, and the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign wouldn't be able to stop him.
When that time came, they would see whether the Ugly Robe Monster Sovereign's claws were tougher, or Qi Yuan's sword was sharper!
Chapter 45