Five Elements Unify as One

The instant the Flame Emperor detonated himself, Boreas caught the scent of lethal danger. Though her mind was fractured, her combat instincts remained sharp. She immediately harnessed a howling gale, trying to bolt beyond the blast radius. With the ultimate speed of a King of the Sky, her short-distance burst rivaled actual teleportation. Just then, an incomparable pressure crashed down upon her. It felt as though an immense mountain had been slung onto her shoulders; the gravitational force in this sector had been amplified countless times over. Boreas failed to break away. She erected wind wall after wind wall before her, manipulating air currents into a raging tide to push back against the shockwave churned up by the blast. She condensed a blinding armor of lightning, generating an intensely resilient electromagnetic barrier. Yet the expanding fiery glare and monstrous shockwave still swallowed her whole. Fire was the most terrifyingly destructive spiritual power in the world, and self-detonation was a Fire Mage's ultimate skill. That was how Fire Mages operated: opening with their trump cards, never wasting time on fancy counters or intricate maneuvers—blowing everything to bits was all that mattered. In the blink of an eye, Boreas was scorched into a glowing-red skeleton, hurtling into the distance riding the shockwave. "Banish. Banish. Banish..." Mr. President appeared within the area blanketed by the shockwave, his ethereal body entirely immune to damage. He snapped his fingers again and again, trying to seize the moment of Boreas's grave injury to teleport her to the slumbering grounds of the Night Head. Teleportation after teleportation ended in failure. The failure was not merely due to immunity granted by rank suppression; the boss of the Dionysus Club had also warped his abilities, nullifying the teleportation. This demigod of the Alcoholic class seemed to have seen through their plan, covertly disrupting Mr. President's powers the entire time. Fu Qingxuan and the Fear Heavenly King were the first to leap into the sky, turning into two streaks of light—one red, one white—as they swept toward the glowing-red skeleton. *Whoosh!* Amid a shrill howling gale, a torrential shower of wind blades hurtled toward Fu Qingxuan, seeking to halt the approach of this Grand Marshal who excelled in close combat. Fu Qingxuan jerked to a halt midair without bothering to dodge. Her body transformed into what seemed like a sword furnace, unleashing countless rays of sword qi that accurately struck down every single wind blade. On the other side, revealing his avatar with three heads and eight arms, the Fear Heavenly King used the Swordsman's Insight technique to weave through bolt after bolt of lightning, successfully closing in on the skeleton. Wielding sabers, spears, swords, halberds, staves, and various other weapons, his eight arms struck at the enemy all at once, leaving no blind spots and sealing off every escape. He didn't deploy the Eye of Bewitchment or dense fog, knowing they had zero chance of working; a Wind Mage was the natural nemesis of thick mist anyway, so he simply concentrated on close combat. The skeleton wove through the flurry of blades as nimble as a swimming fish. Every time a strike looked certain to land, she slipped through the pincer attack of the weapons like a gentle breeze. Failing to achieve victory in that furious burst, the Fear Heavenly King instead found the skeleton's palm pressed against his chest. The next moment, a loud clang echoed as airwaves blasted outward in ripples. The Fear Heavenly King's bronze skin and iron bones shattered in an instant, and countless fractures spiderwebbed across his demon-tattooed body. He tumbled backward out of control. As he flew, bright-blue bolts crashed down, lightning strikes slamming into the crown of his head one after another. Scorched black all over, the Fear Heavenly King streaked across the sky and plummeted into the equally charred earth. On the other flank, Fu Qingxuan's sword qi shattered all the wind blades. Uniting sword and self, she melded into a beam of sword radiance and crashed toward the skeleton like a cascading rainbow. By now, cervical fascia and flesh were regenerating over the skeleton's surface, the abdominal cavity taking shape and internal organs reforming. Boreas strained to gather spiritual power to accelerate her regeneration, raising an arm and slashing violently downward as a colossal wind blade formed and swept toward Fu Qingxuan. Strands of heavy, earthy-yellow radiance rose into the air and attached themselves to Fu Qingxuan's back, forming a bright-yellow cloak. *Hum!* The gigantic wind blade was blocked by the yellow barrier conjured by the cloak, the cloak's brilliance dimming slightly. Suddenly, the fresh, crimson flesh over the skeleton was tainted with foul, filthy qi, showing symptoms of putrefaction as her aura deteriorated drastically. The Gu Dragon's Fortune Diminishment and the germs the Water God Palace Master had brewed for so long finally erupted, plunging the already severely injured Boreas into an unprecedented state of weakness. The rainbow of sword radiance swept past. The skeleton's skull flew off, tumbling down alongside the body. During the fall, the scorched earth split open like the gaping maw of an abyss. Gravity intensified once more, dragging at the skeleton's torso and severed head, trying to pull her into the depths. *Whoosh!* The gale reversed its flow, attempting to loft the skeleton's torso and head upward, locking in a tug-of-war against the terrestrial gravity. The skeleton's downward momentum ground to a halt. *Clip-clop, clip-clop...* A rapid clatter of hooves rang out as eight azure steeds drawing a war chariot charged from the distance. Like a falling blue meteor, they rammed into the skeleton's torso from above. *Bang!* Fractures shattered across the ribs and spine of the skeleton's torso, which was forcibly rammed down into the fissure, leaving only the head desperately holding out. Having waited for this opportunity, Old Mai inverted the rules, turning the upward air currents downward to actively drive the head down into the crack. Though numerous demigods were present, their moves were orderly. There was no indiscriminate barrage of conflicting skills, no chaotic scuffle; who provided support and who struck the main blow required no words—an unspoken understanding guided them. The fissure snapped shut and compacted instantly, returning the surroundings to calm. The demigods present all breathed an internal sigh of relief. Dominator-level Earth Monsters possessed three core abilities: Cage, Decompose, and Earthquake. Among them, Cage and Decompose formed a combo skill. Cage was a sealing technique second only to the Sleeping Spell; once at the demigod realm, it became a rule-level power. Anyone swallowed by the earth could never break free for all eternity. Decompose, true to its name, meant yellow earth decomposing all things; anything trapped underground would turn into a handful of dust. Combined, the two skills could slay a demigod. The twin gods of wind and thunder possessed unmatched speed and offensive power, but defense and vitality were their weaknesses. There was no method of suppression better suited against them than this combination. "Although we can no longer banish her to the slumbering grounds, we hold the initiative now." Mr. President teleported back, bringing the microphone to his lips. "Once Boreas has reached the end of her tether, we'll release her and send her into the slumbering grounds." Even as he spoke, fiery spiritual energy rapidly coalesced between heaven and earth, forming a ball of lava that spewed scorching rays. The interior of the lava collapsed inward, shaping into a human silhouette before settling into a burly, fiery-haired giant. Gang Leader Jiang had completed his Rebirth through Fire. Rebirth through Fire was a Dominator-level skill—once per day for a level-7 Dominator, three times per day for a peak Dominator. At the demigod realm, there was no limit on the number of rebirths; only when spiritual power was completely exhausted would true death occur. Since they had cast aside their brains, they naturally received compensation elsewhere; otherwise, the Fire Mage class would have gone extinct long ago. A tender green vine broke through the soil, shooting upward to coil around Gang Leader Jiang's body. Emerald light nourished his exhausted frame like spring rain, swiftly dispelling the weakness left by his self-detonation. The President of Baihui preferred peace and detachment, loathing conflict. Even when forced into battle, he participated only in a supporting capacity, tending to injuries and detoxifying poisons. The evil faction's demigods detested this contemporary Azure Emperor. Back during the battle for the Compass of Light, adhering to the principle of focusing the squishies first in team fights—and healers above all—the evil faction had poured all their firepower onto the Azure Emperor. The result: he simply could not be killed. His monstrous vitality and regenerative ability were enough to make even Asura frown. "Done already?" Gang Leader Jiang looked around. Seeing no corpse of Boreas, he beamed with delight. "Blown to kingdom come by yours truly, not even ashes left? Wait, no, I didn't get any Spirit Realm reward." Fu Qingxuan pointed expressionlessly at the ground. "Swallowed by the Lord of the Central Court." "Then it should be settled." Gang Leader Jiang breathed a sigh of relief. No sooner had his voice fallen than dull rolls of thunder sounded from deep underground, and the earth trembled violently. Dark clouds rolled across the clear sky amid howling gales. Branches of dendritic lightning contorted and flared, blanketing the entire firmament like a sprawling spiderweb. Amid this apocalyptic spectacle, a blurry figure formed of lightning slowly emerged between heaven and earth. The seal of the Lord of the Central Court was torn to shreds by even greater brute force. The earth shattered open, and a skeleton rose slowly into the sky, merging into that tall, shadowy silhouette. In a flash, the figure turned solid and distinct. Reaching hundreds of meters in height, it stood towering between heaven and earth. Its body was cast from lightning, its robe woven from howling gales. A crown rested upon its head, a staff of wild winds grasped in its left hand, and a spear of lightning held in its right. Thick, twisted bolts of lightning radiated outward in all directions with it at the epicenter. A terrifying aura surged like tidal waves, deep as an abyss, sending a shiver through every god present. It was the suppression of higher beings over lower ones. Though the fusion had gone awry and driven them insane, in terms of elevating their power and status, the twin gods of wind and thunder had actually succeeded. Their strength was infinitely close to that of a Spirit Realm Administrator. Far away in Hua City, a frightful hurricane surged. The entire city's power grid was instantly paralyzed, communications were disrupted, and all equipment reliant on electricity crashed and failed. Within a radius of a hundred li, hurricanes ran rampant, tearing down houses like dry weeds and wreaking catastrophe. Amid this apocalyptic spectacle, a voice echoed from afar: "Boreas! Thunder God!" The terrifying figure between heaven and earth froze. The staff of wild winds contorted, nearly falling apart, while the spear of lightning simply dispersed. But in the next second, it neutralized the influence, and the spear condensed once more. The demigods looked toward the sound, only to see a deep purple cloud rolling in from the distant horizon. Beneath the cloud stood a towering figure, likewise a hundred zhang tall. Its appearance was horrifying beyond measure: generally humanoid in form, with giant pythons for hair and beastly heads sprouting across its body, oozing foul-smelling pus. Beneath the pus peered pairs of cold, heartless eyes. Where the pus dripped onto the ground, the earth turned into a pitch-black swamp. The purple clouds were none other than the breath exhaled by the serpents upon its head. "The Smoking One..." Mr. President muttered softly. As he stared at the colossal monster, he suddenly felt his body itch. Looking down in shock, he saw black scales pushing out of his arms, with slick, greasy mucus oozing from between them. A chill gripped his heart, and he quickly averted his gaze. Looking toward the leaders of the Five Elements Alliance, he discovered that they, too, had undergone varying degrees of mutation. Merely laying eyes upon it had subjected them to mild contamination. This monster's status had already surpassed the demigod level, standing on the same tier as Asura and the twin gods of wind and thunder. Yet the Biological Alchemy Society could not possibly possess a being of such status. Mr. President thought of the demon seed Yuanshi Tianzun had reported—the deity of the evil faction. The god who, unable to stomach losing, had personally entered the field. Over the past century, the gods had never intervened. The President had assumed that the demon seed was constrained by the Spirit Realm, unable to truly manifest in reality; now it seemed it had merely bided its time. Squinting at the monster striding forward, Old Mai suppressed the mutations brewing within his body and sneered, "The Spirit Realm's bounty is ours, and the spiritual essence of Boreas and the Thunder God is ours as well. Heh, you want to send the Lord of Wind and Thunder to the slumbering grounds? Not a chance while I'm around." As his mutations worsened, he dared not look any longer, pulling his gaze away and turning it upon the orthodox demigods. "Did you think you could share the Spirit Realm's bounty with us? No, you are part of the reward—our spoils from this mission. Thank you all for helping weaken the Lord of Wind and Thunder." The Gu Dragon, the Illusion God of the Southern Sect, and the Fear Heavenly King dispersed in tacit coordination, cutting off the retreat of the Five Elements Alliance demigods. A single Lord of Wind and Thunder was not enough to satisfy the appetite of the Freedom faction. The god had endured for a century and prepared this game for thirteen years; the orthodox faction had to be bled dry and flayed to the bone. Mr. President opened a deep spatial tunnel and urged, "Get out of here." Old Mai of the Dionysus Club smiled faintly. "You can leave, but they cannot. The other end of that spatial tunnel will always open beside me." Such was the confidence of the Dionysus class: distorting rules, toying with rules. The President fell silent. At that moment, the ground split open. A yellow-robed elder with white hair and a white beard emerged from below, standing atop an ascending stone pillar. His face was etched with deep wrinkles, his posture frail and aged, appearing no different from any ordinary octogenarian. Yet he was also the only demigod whose body showed no change after gazing directly upon the deity. The Lord of the Central Court let out a sigh. "So you seek to crush the orthodox faction in one stroke? Enduring for a century, plotting for a century—this lethal gambit truly caught us off guard. But the orthodox faction has hardly spent this past century indulging in idle pleasure. Especially in the twenty years since the Five Elements Alliance was founded, we have managed to develop a few tricks of our own." Having spoken, he looked toward his four companions, his voice calm and unhurried: "Everyone, Five Elements Unify as One!" As his words fell, the earth collapsed with a roar. Strands of earth spiritual power peeled away from the surface like unspooled silk and merged into the body of the Lord of the Central Court. His frame rose steadily higher, the earthy-yellow spiritual power sculpting a colossal deity shod in cloud boots. Earth: boundless virtue carrying all things, serving as the foundation. Dark clouds tumbled down from the sky, swirling around the colossal deity to form a black robe embroidered with subtle patterns. From the distance, a wisp of emerald light drifted over, wrapping around the waist to become a jade-inlaid green belt. Fu Qingxuan transformed into a streak of sword radiance that descended upon the titan's head, turning into an imperial crown draped with jade beads. Gang Leader Jiang raised a sea of fire across the sky, roaring forward to crash against the giant. The colossal deity grasped that sea of flames and snapped it behind his back, casting the fire into a billowing mantle. Thus, the god's features sharpened into focus: square-jawed, solemn of brow and eye, commanding and majestic. At this moment, all five spiritual powers—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—boiled and intermingled, giving rise to a hazy, primordial radiance of chaos that blotted out the blue sky and white clouds, carrying the faint aura of re-forging heaven and earth. That titan cloaked in wild winds and gripping the lightning spear blurred violently, teetering on the verge of collapse. In the distance, The Smoking One halted its steps.