"This Sword God grants you Heaven and Earth’s Longevity!!!"

High above in the sky!

Qin Yang slammed a palm onto the Venerable’s head!

His eyes erupted with light like a molten sun.

His Star Force turned chaotic, surging like a violent undertow in the ocean!!

"You’re insane! Jianghai Sword God!"

The Beast God Sect’s Venerable sensed Qin Yang’s aura, and terror instantly seized him. He tried to swat his hand away and flee, to escape the high skies.

After all.

The self-destruction of a Venerable Realm expert was world-ending. Even he, another Venerable Realm expert, couldn’t withstand it!

’For the people of Jianghai...’

’The Jianghai Sword God would actually go this far?!’

’I’ve spent one hundred and fifty years on my Cultivation...’

’How could I possibly perish together with you!!!’

"Wait...."

At this thought, the Venerable resisted Qin Yang. Their two torrents of Star Force collided as he tried to weaken the blast and buy time. "I have something to discuss...."

But before he could finish his sentence...

Qin Yang just looked down at him with indifference, the molten light in his eyes growing even brighter...

In the face of death, all beings are equal.

’You had so much fun beating me just now!’

’And now you realize you were wrong!’

’Too late!’

’I much preferred your arrogant and untamable look from before!’

The next moment!

BOOM!!!

Heaven and Earth’s Longevity activated!

A shockwave rolled across the firmament. Explosive starlight filled the sky, space itself collapsed, and a boundless ocean of Star Force erupted from within Qin Yang’s skull.

The heatwave poured entirely into the Venerable’s body, as if a great sun had descended upon him!

"No—"

The Venerable’s roar echoed across the horizon until it was drowned out by a deafening rumble. His throat dissolved, his skin vaporized layer by layer, and his bones cracked and shattered!

His powerful Celestial Being physique...

...was as fragile as paper before the might of this self-detonation!!

Above Jianghai City, a white light illuminated the sky, bringing the dawn ahead of schedule!

A furious wind swept out in all directions.

The aftershock of the Star Force explosion rained down, a high-temperature heatwave engulfing thousands of Star Beasts. The Beast Tide thrashed and struggled as their bones were scorched black, sending up wisps of white smoke...

CRACK!!

Under the force of the aftershock, the City Defense Array cracked with a thunderous roar!

The crack spread rapidly. The explosive power was beyond conventional limits; even from thousands of miles high in the sky, its force was not to be underestimated!

"Not good! The aftershock is too strong!"

"Everyone, maintain the array!!!"

Li Daoming roared, raising his hand to send out Star Force in an attempt to mend it. The other Li Family city defenders all acted at once, helping to pour in their Star Force.

A majestic tide of Star Force poured in. The Array Patterns glowed like molten gold, and every arcane thread trembled and hummed as the Li Family’s power forcefully stabilized it.

But...

...it still wasn’t enough!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!!!

The full might of the aftershock descended, and the City Defense Array shattered!

The newly restored array couldn’t withstand it, dissipating into nothing like a soap bubble!

The next moment.

THUD! THUD!

Several Li Family guards fell to the ground, their Spiritual Power completely drained. Their eyes lost focus as they stared blankly at the night sky.

"Such terrifying power..."

Blood trickled from the corner of Li Daoming’s mouth. He looked down at the disintegrated Array Map in his hand, feeling a sense of relief.

’Thankfully, the City Defense Array mitigated the pressure, allowing me to survive.’

’Otherwise...’

’The consequences would have been unimaginable!’

’If it was this powerful on the ground...’

’It’s hard to imagine...’

’...just how immense the power was at the epicenter of the battle in the sky.’

At this moment, under the aftershock of the self-detonation...

The City Defense Array was shattered...

Most of the Beast Tide on the ground had been reduced to charred bones. The once-terrifying disaster was now less than half its former size, no longer a threat.

However, no one cared about that now!

The Sword God’s self-destruction high in the sky had captured everyone’s hearts and minds.

Everyone on the city wall looked up, their gazes sweeping across the firmament, trying to find Qin Yang’s figure.

As they looked up,

the white light gradually faded, and the night grew dark again.

A sky full of ash fluttered down.

But there was still no sign of anyone on the battlefield...

"His Star Force is gone... Senior Sword God... he... he deliberately took the Cult Demon down with him..." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Lin Mofeng sensed the aura from above and murmured to himself, completely dazed. "Only the Senior’s true body could unleash a self-detonation of this magnitude..."

He didn’t say the rest.

Silence spoke louder than words.

Everyone understood what he meant.

The Venerable Realm Cult Demon was powerful, so the Jianghai Sword God had sacrificed himself in the explosion, burning away his life for the citizens of Jianghai...

In an instant,

a hush fell over the city wall.

The night wind blew, carrying the cloying stench of blood.

"No....."

Li Zixuan looked up, her face streaked with tears. The white light had filled the sky, and now she just stared at the falling ash.

’For a single Cult Demon, Teacher actually self-destructed?’

"Grandmaster... he actually self-destructed with the enemy..."

Li Qinghe’s eyes were glazed over as he raised a finger toward the sky.

He was completely stunned...

’Just a moment ago, I was saying the Sword God had won a great victory and crushed the Venerable Realm Demon. But now... this is completely unexpected.’

"Senior... I never even got to speak with you..."

Elder Li sank to one knee, his face contorted in agony.

It was as if he had aged several years in an instant.

’I always saw the Jianghai Sword God as my idol, but now with his self-destruction, everything has turned to dust.’

The other garrisoned soldiers also had looks of sorrow.

’One second I was basking in the Senior’s blessing, like a spring rain, enjoying the Body Tempering of the Law...’

’And in the blink of an eye...’

’...it all vanished into thin air.’

"Senior... what a righteous act..."

The Chief Commander murmured, taking off his police cap and staring blankly out from the city walls.

He saw only the distant horizon.

The sky was turning fish-belly white. The ground was littered with the dismembered remains of the Beast Tide.

The groans of the dying, carried on the morning breeze, filled the air with a sorrowful cry.

The tide of battle had clearly been turned. The Emperor Level Star Beasts were dead, and the Beast Tide army had suffered heavy losses... but no one could bring themselves to feel happy.

They were silent.

Their minds were filled with the image of the Sword God’s self-destruction...

...

...

「Fuhai District.」

The television broadcast signal returned, replaying the previous scene. The camera was aimed at the night sky. All that could be seen were motes of starlight drifting down, with not a single figure in sight.

On the city wall, the defending soldiers’ faces were etched with grief...

"Master! I didn’t expect you to know a move like that!"

Xiaobai watched the scene on the TV, flicking its tail as it looked back at Qin Yang.

"When did you learn to self-destruct? And you even stole it from that Cult... Confess to this Fairy! Did you secretly join them?!"

"Tsk, join what cult?"

Qin Yang rolled his eyes and said perfunctorily, "So they’re allowed to blow me up, but I’m not allowed to blow them up?"

As he spoke...

"..."

...Qin Yang frowned. He stopped paying attention to Xiaobai and focused his thoughts on something else.

’System!’

’Where’s the system’s reward!?’

’I just eliminated a Venerable Realm Demon and set off fireworks for the entire city of Jianghai... It’s unacceptable not to get a huge reward for that!’

’With great power comes great responsibility... you’ve got to give me something good, right?’

Thinking of this,

Qin Yang continued to concentrate, calling out to the system in his mind.

’System! Get out here! Where the hell are you!!’

’Where’s my reward?’

Just as the thought crossed his mind,

the system’s long-absent voice finally sounded—

"Shocking! The Host actually defeated an Emperor Venerable Realm expert using only a Clone! This system is truly shocked!"

"Ding! Detected that the Host has severely injured an Emperor Venerable Realm expert!!"

"Congratulations, Host! You have obtained an Emperor Level Divine Weapon, the Sun-Shooting Bow!!!"

A series of reward announcements sounded off.

Qin Yang finally felt satisfied and was about to take out the system’s reward to play with it...

But just then.

"?"

Qin Yang’s brow furrowed. Recalling the system’s notification, he suddenly noticed a crucial point...

’The Demon was severely injured...?!"

’That’s not right!’

’During the self-destruction...’

’I personally watched that Venerable Realm expert die right before my eyes!!’

’And now you’re telling me that after taking such a massive hit, this Cult Demon is still alive?!’

"This is trouble."

As his thoughts reached this point,

Qin Yang frowned slightly, watching the live broadcast and pondering.

’Since he was able to reach the Venerable Realm and has been cultivating for so long, it’s normal for him to have some life-preserving tricks up his sleeve.’

’If the system’s prompt is correct...’

’...it means that old bastard still had a trick up his sleeve?!!’

......

「Jianghai City Gate.」

Dawn finally broke, the first light advancing slowly like a tide line.

A crimson mist evaporated. The remaining Star Beasts were heavily wounded and no longer posed a threat.

After a full night of bloody battle, the Star Martial Police Bureau began to clean up the battlefield.

The Sword God was gone, but in the end, more people would have to stand up and carry on with their lives.

"Team B, go clean up the border of the city wall!"

The Chief Commander pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to smooth out his furrowed brow, while sending a telepathic message to the stationed police units. "We’re short-staffed in the southeast corner..."

"You should rest."

Li Daoming walked over and put a hand on his shoulder, speaking softly. "You’ve been fighting on the wall all night. You really should get some rest..."

"I’m fine. Later,"

the Commander shook his head, looking down at the Star Beasts below the wall. "I’ll rest after this tide is cleaned up... We can’t let the Sword God’s sacrifice be in vain."

"The citizens of Jianghai won’t forget his contribution."

Li Daoming said in a low voice, "Once this Beast Tide is over..."

Before he could finish,

CLANG—

A sharp, cold Sword Qi erupted from within the Beast Tide!

"What’s that?"

A chill ran down the Commander’s spine. He looked toward the source of the commotion and was surprised to see Li Zixuan carving a path through the Beast Tide. He asked in surprise:

"Isn’t that the young lady from your Li Family?"

"Yes... Since just now, Xuanxuan’s emotions have been a bit off."

Li Daoming sighed.

"Forget it. Just let her blow off some steam. Don’t stop her."

....

....

Below the city wall,

the flash of blades and Sword Intent crisscrossed, and the sound of gunfire rang out in unison.

Star Martial Artists frantically hunted down the Star Beasts, venting the anger in their hearts.

"KLANG—"

A sharp sword light shot into the sky!

Li Zixuan’s clear eyes were hazy with tears. Like a madwoman, she raised her sword and began to wantonly slaughter the Star Beasts, slicing them in half at the waist.

Countless Star Beasts shrieked in pain,

only to be cut down by her sword moments later!

"..."

Li Qinghe silently guarded her back, maintaining an Array to prevent other Star Beasts from getting close.

’Their Master was incredibly important to Li Zixuan. Right now, she needs to vent her anger, and all I can do is quietly stay by her side.’

......

And just then,

in a remote corner of the city defense wall,

"Damn Star Beasts!!!"

A Star Martial Artist in a tunic suit, holding a battle blade, lopped off the head of a spider-wolf. He spat a thick glob of phlegm in anger and began searching for his next target.

Suddenly!

A stream of black blood shot out from a crack in the ground.

It shot into his nostrils and instantly merged with his body!