"The rumors from Dingbo Province are actually true!"
Li Wan watched that towering, magnificent figure, her breathing ragged.
Several days earlier, when she first heard news of the God of Judgment's revival, she had merely dismissed it as an amusing rumor.
After all, at her age, the God of Judgment was truly nothing more than a legendary tale.
Yet now, that dreadful giant standing over a hundred meters tall had manifested, his divine voice rolling across the heavens.
She believed it.
More importantly, this God of Judgment seemed to be the very young master who had traveled alongside her in the carriage earlier.
At that thought, she felt a wave of daze wash over her mind.
By the time she gathered her senses, the scarlet hue before her eyes had vanished, leaving only a setting sun hanging in the sky.
The carriage was gone as well.
In the corner of her vision remained only the vast desert and the lone evening sun.
The setting sun was boundlessly magnificent.
"Uncle Li, let's go. We'll help clean up after the God of Judgment and escort these commoners back home!" Li Wan made up her mind.
Uncle Li paused, lowering his head to ponder for a dozen breaths before finally nodding heavily.
"All right!"
***
Da Feng.
The Blood Demon Pool.
Fresh blood surged like pool water, and the swaying of heavy chains stirred continuous ripples amid ceaseless roars and furious bellows, resembling a horrifying monster.
Within a ten-li radius, virtually no one ever approached, aside from servants.
Just then, two slender figures descended.
One was a man with white hair and white eyebrows, an air of effortless harmony with nature lingering between his brows.
The other was a woman clad in a fiery red dress with a slit running exceptionally high, reaching all the way to the root of her thigh. With the right angle and a careful look, one could almost catch a glimpse of the scenery beneath.
Yet no one dared to look, for she was one of the top three supreme experts in Da Feng—a God-rank weapon wielder.
The sultry woman gazed at the mad figure thrashing within the pool of blood, sighing with emotion. "From a single sword strike, the Saber Demon has been driven mad for a century. I wonder just how powerful that God of Judgment from a hundred years ago truly was."
Hearing this, the white-browed man showed a trace of wariness in his eyes. "In its prime, even if all the God-rank weapon wielders of our Da Feng joined forces, we were still no match for it.
"It had already condensed its own domain and walked its own path."
As he said this, an expression of yearning and anticipation surfaced on his face.
God-rank weapon wielders possessed the Seven Steps of Sky Treading.
Only by condensing a Divine Domain could one step into the Fourth Step of Sky Treading and enter an entirely new realm.
Yet in the two thousand years since the founding of Da Feng, no one had ever reached the Fourth Step of Sky Treading.
And back then, Divine Descent was merely a divine artifact, yet it had stood remarkably close to the Fourth Step of Sky Treading.
"Back then, the Saber Demon joined forces with other God-rank weapon wielders to besiege Divine Descent, and his arm was pierced by a sword strike.
"Though the Saber Demon decisively severed his own arm, the power of Divine Descent still pierced through his meridians and heart, eating away at him day and night," the white-browed man remarked.
With just a single sword strike, the Saber Demon, who had once shaken Da Feng and reigned supreme among saber users, fell to such a state and became a lunatic.
Thus, Da Feng constructed the blood pool and imprisoned the Saber Demon here.
The Saber Demon ate no ordinary food, drinking only the blood of the pool day and night.
"The one in Xianle Province... is it him?" the curvaceous woman asked.
The white-browed man fell silent for a dozen breaths before speaking slowly. "Unknown. But... it should possess God-rank combat strength."
In truth, determining whether the other party was the God of Judgment of the past was quite simple; it only required those God-rank weapon wielders who had seen Divine Descent before to go and steal a glance.
However, the God-rank weapon wielders of Da Feng did not dare go, nor did those of Rakshasa Country.
"Sending the Saber Demon over should be enough to test the waters." An eerie smile flickered across the voluptuous woman's eyes.
A magical implement appeared in her hand.
It was an eye mask thin as a cicada's wing—a peak Heaven-rank implement, just half a step away from a God-rank implement.
The greatest function of this implement was spirit bewitchment.
In the hands of this sultry woman, it was enough to momentarily bewilder a God-rank weapon wielder.
And against a God-rank weapon wielder like the Saber Demon, whose mind was shattered and raving from past trauma, she could manipulate him with ease.
"Saber Demon, I've come to see you."
Slipping on the eye mask, a mesmerizing gleam flashed through the woman's eyes.
Within the blood pool, bound by arm-thick chains, the one-armed man bore a ferocious grimace as he continuously roared.
"Who... are you?!"
"All of you, die!"
He struggled relentlessly, causing the blood in the pool to churn violently as the Saber Demon was completely drenched in gore, looking like a man made of blood.
"I am... your dearest kin and friend," the woman murmured enticingly.
Seemingly affected by the implement, the Saber Demon grew slightly quieter.
"Do you want revenge?" the woman asked.
"Revenge?" A bright light flared in the Saber Demon's eyes, but then, as if recalling something, an expression of sheer terror overtook him. "No! No! No!"
Evidently, that past battle had left a massive trauma etched deep into his soul.
The chains rattled violently, splashing bloody water everywhere.
"Do not be afraid. Divine Descent is already dead; what you will face is merely a junior of his," the woman said coaxingly.
"A junior?" Only then did the Saber Demon calm down.
"Yes, he is currently within the borders of Rakshasa Country.
"The God-rank weapon wielders of Rakshasa Country will not stop you from entering!"
"Good."
***
"Hey, Brother Kitchen Knife, I heard that right after you arrived in Dingbo Province, Rakshasa Country's God of Judgment returned. You wouldn't happen to be connected, would you?"
Inside the Divine Wood Token, the Thorn Blood operator sent a message.
Ji Wuyun promptly put on a nervous expression, like a frightened rabbit.
"That's right, I am Divine Descent. As it happens, I'm short on believers. Do you two want to worship me?" Qi Yuan concealed nothing.
In order to play the role of Divine Descent, he was doing his absolute best.
Now, even a god had to send mass messages to recruit believers.
It was practically the cultivation world's version of 'I am Qin Shi Huang, send fifty bucks.'
"The God of Judgment is a divine artifact without an ego or independent consciousness; how could it be chatting with us here?" Ji Wuyun immediately retorted.
Naturally, she refused to believe that a person could be a divine artifact.
"Even I, a kitchen knife, am chatting with you. Why can't a divine artifact chat?" Qi Yuan replied in surprise.
Ji Wuyun could not be bothered to argue further.
At that moment, the Thorn Blood operator continued, "Brother Kitchen Knife, I'll give you a piece of free intel. Just remember that you owe me a favor."
"What intel?"
Getting things for free was one of the few forms of freeloading Qi Yuan genuinely enjoyed.
"The Saber Demon has set out from Da Feng, heading for Xianle Province to seek out the God of Judgment and do battle with him."
"How is that possible? The Saber Demon went mad long ago. If the God of Judgment truly revived, how would he dare seek him out?
"Furthermore, why would Rakshasa Country permit an enemy God-rank weapon wielder to enter?"
"Naturally, it is to deal with Divine Descent."
"But the Saber Demon is completely insane. If his bestial nature takes over and he slaughters the innocent, how many commoners of Rakshasa Country will die in vain?" Ji Wuyun said in indignation.
"Better that commoners die than they themselves die." The Thorn Blood operator's words dripped with sarcasm.
Ji Wuyun fell silent.
Only after a long while did she ask, "How do you know so much?"
"Naturally because... Da Feng also has members of Thorn Blood. A friendly hint: that person is a God-rank weapon wielder."
A God-rank weapon wielder?
Hearing this, Qi Yuan's eyes lit up.
"Help me pass a message to this God-rank weapon wielder: practice more diligently, or they won't even be able to beat a malnourished kid," Qi Yuan said.
Ji Wuyun said nothing more.
This Kitchen Knife was probably the true Saber Demon, raving mad.
"Brother Kitchen Knife, I'm growing more and more interested in your identity." The Thorn Blood operator was intrigued.
According to the Book of Qingshan, Divine Descent's destruction was recorded.
Later, based on the timeline, around this period, fragments of Divine Descent did indeed awaken, but they never stirred up any significant waves.
In the end, the fragments of Divine Descent were merely a flash in the pan, eventually sinking into the Divine Wood Abyss, its birthplace.
"Another friendly hint for you: be wary of Rakshasa Country's old emperor, Diwu Bufan... Over the years, he received gifts from beyond the sky, and his strength has reached a terrifying degree."
"Gifts from beyond the sky?" Qi Yuan mused thoughtfully. "Thanks for the heads-up. When I reach the Divine Wood Abyss, I'll treat you to steamed buns."
On the official highway, the carriage continued along its path.
This stretch of the highway was approaching Xianlong Commandery, so merchant caravans had grown far more numerous, making Qi Yuan's carriage appear much less conspicuous.
"It seems the waters behind Divine Descent's death... run quite deep."
Qi Yuan could not help but sigh.
The gap between God-rank weapon wielders was immense.
According to Qi Yuan's assessment, given Divine Descent's sheer strength, it would have been nearly impossible for it to be beaten to death in a group brawl during the battle of Phoenix Fall Slope back then.
"So that means a third-party force might have been involved?"
Qi Yuan looked up at the sky.
To play the role of Divine Descent properly, he naturally needed to uncover the true cause of Divine Descent's demise.
"No matter. As long as I'm strong enough, I can just slaughter my way through. The more I kill, the clearer the truth becomes; the harder I strike, the closer the reality gets."
Qi Yuan did not mind in the slightest.
During this recent period of manifesting before the public, his assimilation rate for playing Divine Descent had climbed at an astonishing pace.
And through Divine Descent, he had slain guiling and wicked individuals along the way, racking up a massive amount of experience.
His level was constantly climbing.
Yet the greatest boost was the gift granted when his Divine Descent assimilation reached fifty percent.
[God Descent].
True to its name, when activating this boon, Qi Yuan gained ninety percent of Divine Descent's power, though it lasted for only a hundred breaths.
Furthermore, it could only be used once per day.
To Qi Yuan, this was exceptionally useful.
His current level was still 145. Although the harmony of heaven and humanity of a Heaven-rank weapon wielder was useless to him, Heaven-rank was still Heaven-rank, and his overall physical constitution was far behind that of a God-rank weapon wielder.
With [God Descent], however, everything changed.
What was more... most crucially, he could also merge with Xiao Jia and use Share the Same Robe, directly boosting his level by six.
In that case, his level would rise even higher.
Perhaps... he might even unleash power that surpassed the Third Step of Sky Treading.
"Old man, slow down a bit," Qi Yuan said at that moment.
He wanted to wait for the Saber Demon to arrive.
This God-rank weapon wielder was the true white moonlight, traveling thousands of li from Da Feng just to deliver his head on a platter.
Love was a two-way street; if he did not wait, how could the Saber Demon reach him?
Chen Kangbao hastily nodded. "Understood!"
***
Three days later.
Along the official highway, an old woman wore a grave expression as she stared ahead.
"The Saber Demon... Da Feng actually let him in, and Rakshasa Country didn't stop him either!"
This crone was none other than the Vice Master of the Council of Judgment—the courtesan, or rather yarn-washing girl, who had once slain the Third Prince with a sword strike. Now, however, she could only be considered a yarn-washing crone.
"A court like this will eventually meet its doom!" beside her, an Earth-rank weapon wielder of the Council of Judgment remarked.
The yarn-washing crone stared at the back of the Saber Demon ahead, her eyes complex and wary.
Ever since learning news of Divine Descent, she had rushed without rest to Dingbo Province, and then onward to Xianle Province.
Regrettably, even as Divine Descent's most loyal believer, she could not recognize the present Divine Descent.
In the end, she had resorted to the inferior plan of following the Saber Demon.
Because the Saber Demon was insane, he was being guided by a death guard who had been forcefully elevated to Heaven-rank, so their travel speed was not particularly fast.
"I wonder how far Divine Descent's revival has progressed... whether he is a match for the Saber Demon!" Worry was etched across the yarn-washing crone's face.
Three years ago, she had encountered an extraordinary individual.
That person had given her a prophecy, predicting that three years later—which was right now—Divine Descent would awaken.
However, this revival was said to be merely a brief flash in the pan.
Faced with fate, the yarn-washing crone felt helpless, yet she refused to let things proceed along their original trajectory.
She did not want this to be Divine Descent's final stand.
She hoped that Divine Descent could achieve a true, complete revival.
Yet that was merely a wish.
When Divine Descent was destroyed back then, not even a fragment had been left behind.
The royal family had mobilized the entire nation's might to erase every trace of Divine Descent's existence.
Even if Divine Descent had revived now, it was like a candle in the wind; it might still illuminate a single room, but how could it shine across an entire empire?
Against a foe like the Saber Demon, Divine Descent would likely find it hard to endure.
"No matter what, I will never sit by and watch Divine Descent die before my eyes this time!" the yarn-washing crone's aged voice rang out with firm resolve.
When Divine Descent perished back then, she had begun cultivating to become a weapon wielder.
Her talent was exceptional, and she was now a Heaven-rank weapon wielder.
Against the Saber Demon, she naturally could not withstand a single clash, but... she might be able to buy an instant of time and a slim chance for Divine Descent.
Just then, however, her expression suddenly shifted.
"Not good, the Saber Demon has accelerated! Could it be... Divine Descent?!"
Her heart tightened, and without hesitation, she picked up her speed, flying toward the Saber Demon's location.
As a Heaven-rank weapon wielder, her speed approached the speed of sound, yet the distance between her and the Saber Demon continued to widen.
"Not good, the Saber Demon is drawing his blade!"
The yarn-washing crone was alarmed.
Beneath the crescent moon, a terrifying, grotesque one-armed man radiating an appalling aura swung his saber with all his might.
The killing intent packed into this single strike was enough to shake and shock anyone to their core.
This single strike was powerful enough to cleave a mountain in two.
"Not good, Divine Descent hasn't fully revived yet! Facing such a horrifying strike, how can Divine Descent—"
Suddenly, the yarn-washing crone's eyes went wide.
Under the cold moonlight, a flash of light shot across the sky in an instant.
This light was a beam of blood, a ray of sword radiance!
The formerly terrifying and incomparably vicious Saber Demon saw his head severed from his torso.
In fact, before the enemy had even come into view, merely a single streak of sword radiance flashed, and the Saber Demon... was already decapitated.
"How could Divine Descent... slay the Saber Demon with a single sword strike?!" The yarn-washing crone's thoughts pivoted abruptly.
One moment she had been wondering how Divine Descent could resist, and the next moment, the Saber Demon had been slain with a single blow.
It had all happened far too fast; right now, her heart was still overwhelmed by profound shock.
Naturally, she had no idea that she was far from the only one stunned at this moment.
In that brief instant, countless eyes had been fixed upon the Saber Demon.
Yet all of them were left astounded and terrified by that single sword strike.
Even if the Saber Demon was mad, he was still a God-rank weapon wielder.
Slain in a single strike!
Divine Descent was... even stronger than in the past!
On the other side, feeling the immense flood of experience, Qi Yuan wore a calm expression.
Activating God Descent and combining it with Share the Same Robe, that sword strike of his had even surpassed Divine Descent in its prime.
Instantly killing the Saber Demon was naturally effortless.
Beside him, Chen Kangbao's frame trembled violently, shaking to an exaggerated degree. "Young Master, you... you're invincible!"
Even Chen Kangbao was thoroughly frightened by the scene before his eyes.
He was mad, but he was neither foolish nor stupid.
Qi Yuan cast a look of disgust at him. "Stop shaking. You're shaking so creepily that people might think you've got something clamped in your crotch."
"Ah, Young Master, how did you know I have steamed buns clamped in my crotch?"
Chapter 531