Tian Junhong was a Sixth Grade Demon-slaying General of the Great Zhou Dynasty. In terms of official rank, he was even one level higher than Su Yang County Magistrate Fang Jintai.

But under the effect of the Beast Creation Talisman, in that instant, he transformed from a living person into a giant, fluttering moth!

And what is the defining characteristic of a moth?

Without a doubt, an attraction to fire!

Given Tian Junhong’s strength, the Beast Creation Talisman should have only been able to affect him for a few breaths at most.

Unfortunately for him, Tian Junhong was at a critical moment, drawing on the Earth Vein Primordial Qi to empower the Lankao Spring and Autumn Map. The Beast Creation Talisman interrupted this process, causing him to suffer an immediate backlash.

He subconsciously tried to wave his arms, but what actually moved was a pair of heavy moth wings.

Like a moth to a flame!

ARGH—

The moth let out a silent scream. Caught completely by surprise as its instincts took over, the moth-turned-Tian Junhong lunged forward.

PLOP. He leaped into the roiling lava before him!

Chi Hua Fairy was stunned. The scorching lava enveloped the moth. Tian Junhong struggled, sinking and surfacing... GLUG, GLUG!

"ARGH!" A bloodcurdling scream rang out. His head had changed back, and so had his body.

The Beast Creation Talisman’s effect indeed only lasted a moment. Though Tian Junhong had regained his human body in the lava, his flesh was instantly melted away.

He stared with hollow eye sockets, only managing to spit out one more word: "You..."

Finally, pointing toward Song Ciwan, his entire body sank again.

GLUG!

The lava swallowed his skeleton, instantly dissolving it to ash.

Endless ambition and limitless glory—all of it dissolved in the searing lava.

Only four wisps of energy were silently drawn in by the Heaven and Earth Scale.

[Human Desires: The Greed, Aversion, and Ignorance of a Clarity Realm Innate Martial Artist. Weight: two jin and two taels. Eligible for sale.]

[Human Desires: The Hatred, Fury, and Regret of a Clarity Realm Innate Martial Artist. Weight: three jin and six taels. Eligible for sale.]

[Death Qi: From the death of a Clarity Realm Innate Martial Artist. Weight: eight taels and three maces. Eligible for sale.]

[Soul-Locking Spell: A death mark from a Clarity Realm Innate Martial Artist. Weight: two taels and seven maces. Eligible for sale.]

Song Ciwan stumbled back four steps. The Soul-Locking Spell was silent and invisible, landing on her the very instant Tian Junhong’s presence vanished—the moment of his death!

She hadn’t even sensed the Soul-Locking Spell’s approach. It was only when the Heaven and Earth Scale spontaneously activated, drawing a massive amount of her True Qi to intercept it, that she abruptly realized what Tian Junhong’s dying gaze had unleashed.

It wasn’t as terrifying as [the prying of the Divinity Transformation Expert] from before, but it still drained every last bit of True Qi from Song Ciwan’s body in an instant!

At that same moment, the Lankao Spring and Autumn Map, suspended in the air, suddenly plunged downward with its master’s death. Just as the Treasure Map was about to fall into the lava, Chi Hua Fairy flicked her wrist. A diamond-shaped petal shot out from her palm, spinning rapidly like a flying disc to swoop beneath the map and catch it.

DONG!

Deep within the cavern wall, the giant egg shook again.

This very tremor knocked Chi Hua Fairy’s petal off course. At the same time, the Lankao Spring and Autumn Map suddenly snapped shut.

It seemed to have gained spirituality, to have become a living creature. It rolled itself up, and with a single movement, the Scroll tore through the void and vanished.

「In Su Yang City.」

On the bed of the now-dry Bibo Lake, the enormous "Human Meridian Map" was still being drawn. The Dragon Blood snaked across the ground, leaving winding red lines in its wake. As the lines multiplied, it was as if a colossal creature was stirring deep beneath the lakebed. The ground trembled, and the Dragon Bone sank further.

County Magistrate Fang Jintai’s face was ashen. The Official Seal in his hand trembled continuously, as did the protective shield of clear light it projected.

Liu City God commanded eight thousand Yin Soldiers to constantly change formations. Billowing Yin Qi surrounded them, but it couldn’t stop the Official Seal’s protective shield from steadily weakening.

Fang Jintai cried out anxiously, "Old Liu, we can only hold out for the time it takes to burn one more incense stick at most! What do we do?"

From ’that Liu,’ to ’Liu City God,’ to ’Old Liu’... Fang Jintai’s titles for the City God had already changed three times.

From Liu City God’s body, Ox-Head and Ma Mian split off. He himself revealed his City God Dharma Aspect—with the eyes of an eagle and the nose of a leopard, his hair and beard bristling with rage. He held a Law Mace, but Yin Qi was continuously leaking from his mouth and nose.

"What do we do?" Liu City God’s rough voice boomed. "What else can we—"

Before he could finish, a long, thin scroll suddenly materialized above Bibo Lake. The scroll moved, and in an instant, it teleported again. The shield of clear light beneath the Official Seal was pierced right through. At that moment, Liu City God’s shocked and furious voice echoed throughout all of Su Yang City.

"The Lankao Spring and Autumn Map?"

"Fuck! Damn Tian Junhong and all eighteen generations of his ancestors!"

But the only response was the faint, overlapping sound of countless women’s ethereal and otherworldly laughter.

"Hee hee hee..."

"Oh my?"

"My, the officer has quite a temper..."

The Lankao Spring and Autumn Map passed through the swirling yin winds. Before Liu City God and Magistrate Fang could even move to stop it, the map leaped and zipped away, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

This treasured item had truly been refined by Tian Junhong to the point of gaining spirituality. It could actually escape on its own, and no one was able to stop it.

And deep beneath Bibo Lake, the final stroke of the Human Meridian Map was drawn—the red line leading to the heart was completed at that very instant!

In a deeper tunnel, the residents of Su Yang City who had been dragged underground earlier were running frantically along the passage.

People screamed in terror. Some fell in the stampede, only to be trampled by those behind. Others who fell were pulled to their feet by the desperate hands of those who followed.

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!

Rubble clattered down around them as they fled.

Someone cried out in despair, "Is there... is there really an exit up ahead?"

"Why... why does it seem to be getting hotter up ahead?"

"The ground is sloping upward! Quick! If we climb, maybe we can get out from underground!"

...

The people, once desperate, were now ecstatic, clambering upward with all their might.

They could never have imagined what awaited them.

Back at the edge of the lava pool, Chi Hua Fairy had just regretfully withdrawn her Petal Flying Disc when her expression changed again.

DONG!

Deep within the rock wall, the giant, membranous egg trembled and then burst apart.

Amid a spray of fiery sparks, a lithe, boneless figure emerged from the surging lava.

The woman wore red and had white hair, with deer antlers sprouting from her head. Her feet were bare, her face a pale white. But the most horrifying part was... her face was completely blank. It had no features!

Chi Hua Fairy took several steps back, retreating until she was beside Song Ciwan and Aunt Zhou. Song Ciwan held Aunt Zhou steady, supporting her trembling frame.

The Lankao Spring and Autumn Map had fled, but the Dragon Maiden had now emerged, transformed.

The tremors from the bottom of Bibo Lake grew stronger. The three women were at the very epicenter. Despite Song Ciwan’s support, Aunt Zhou suddenly coughed up a mouthful of dark blood.

Chi Hua Fairy turned her head, and with a flick of her fingertips, an Armor Talisman flew from her hand. A moment later, it landed on Aunt Zhou, transforming into a hazy shield of light that enveloped her completely.

"This Armor Talisman won’t last long," Chi Hua Fairy said, her tone one of calm detachment. "You and I won’t last much longer either. This one before us..."

’Who knew what this faceless woman was going to do?’

Before she finished speaking, a soft voice echoed through the trembling cavern: "Xiao Lang, we have been married for three years, yet I still haven’t been able to conceive. What are we to do?"

It was the voice of "Ming Zhu"!