At the foot of Spirit Peak Mountain, more than twenty miles from Celestial Phoenix City, two blurry figures—one red and one blue—clashed and collided within a chaotic and violent maelstrom of energy.

Each collision released a deafening roar as a storm of energy surged forth. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Countless boulders were pulverized into dust, and innumerable ancient, towering trees splintered, the fragments filling the sky.

The battle between Hong Yu and Shui Tianji was gradually expanding in scope.

What began as close-quarters combat had transitioned to long-range attacks.

Their figures separated and converged with ever-increasing speed. Luo Xingchen, who had rushed to the scene, dared not approach, watching from a distance while gasping in astonishment.

The battle between King Martial Realm experts was simply too terrifying; every strike was world-shaking.

Each clash caused the very air around them to tremble.

The countless boulders at the foot of the mountain were as fragile as paper; merely touched by the shockwaves, they instantly exploded, tumbling and scattering before turning to dust and smoke.

A violent red Energy and a blue Energy billowing with immense Evil Qi clashed, flashing incessantly as they wreaked havoc, swirling and surging.

In just a short time, half of Spirit Peak Mountain had been completely leveled!

’Amazing! Hong Yu is actually fighting Shui Tianji of the King Martial Realm Fifth Heaven with her cultivation at the King Martial Realm Fourth Heaven, and she’s not losing ground!’

’Back then, when she was surrounded by several of my Martial Uncles, if she had really been trying to kill them, I’m afraid not a single one would have escaped...’

’Thank goodness my Martial Uncles didn’t intend to kill her from the start, and thank goodness Shen Lang eventually grew close to our Imperial Dragon Sect. If things had gone differently, it would have been a huge mess.’

Luo Xingchen swallowed and thought to himself.

Of course, he didn’t know that back when Hong Yu was surrounded by those old-timers from the Imperial Dragon Sect, her cultivation was only at the King Martial Realm Third Heaven, not yet the Fourth Heaven.

Moreover, she hadn’t dared to use her ultimate techniques for fear of revealing her identity and had held back considerably.

That was why the conflict ended with both her and the Imperial Dragon Sect members suffering heavy injuries, creating an opening for a group of Xuanwu Realm Martial Artists from Blood Evil Island to ambush her with Blood Evil Soul-breaking Powder.

But a few months ago, Shen Lang had given Hong Yu another drop of Life Spiritual Liquid, causing her cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds!

The power of this item was so heaven-defying that no other Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in the entire Human Realm could possibly compare!

In less than a year, Hong Yu’s cultivation had directly jumped an entire Heaven, a speed of advancement that was simply inconceivable.

After all, for cultivators at the King Martial Realm, advancing even a single Heaven could often take decades, if not centuries.

Weren’t all those King Martial Realm Elder Ancestors from the Profound Iron Level Influences old monsters who had lived for over a thousand years?

During this time, not only had Hong Yu’s cultivation skyrocketed, but Shen Lang had also forged a Fifth Grade offensive Profound Artifact for her.

Afterward, he had even acquired Top Grade materials from the Imperial Dragon Sect and the other two of the Three Sects to forge a complete set of Top Grade Equipment for Hong Yu!

Hong Yu’s current longsword was a Profound Level Fifth Grade weapon, personally forged by Shen Lang with the assistance of Luo Xingchen and several other experts at the Xuanwu Realm Ninth Heaven.

Not only were its materials exceptionally rare and potent, but the Spirit Array Map within the Profound Artifact was also extraordinarily powerful.

Though both were Profound Level Fifth Grade, her sword was far, far superior to Ling Chen’s Dragon Bone Holy Sword.

A single casual slash produced a thunderous roar, like the stampede of ten thousand beasts—an attack that was nearly impossible to block!

And the armor Hong Yu wore had also reached the Profound Level Fifth Grade.

Most of Shui Tianji’s attacks were blocked by this armor, rendering her unable to harm Hong Yu in the slightest!

In addition to these, the bell on Hong Yu’s wrist was also a Profound Level Fifth Grade Secret Artifact. It didn’t need to be deliberately shaken; the sound produced by its natural movement during combat had already interrupted Shui Tianji’s attacks several times, plunging her mind into a stupor for a tenth of a second!

The two fought back and forth without end, appearing to be evenly matched.

In reality, however, Hong Yu was the one dominating Shui Tianji!

Although Shui Tianji’s actual cultivation was significantly higher than Hong Yu’s, her hands were tied, and she grew more and more frustrated as the fight dragged on!

BOOM!

A thunderous explosion erupted, and a blinding beam of light shot out.

Two terrifyingly powerful streams of Energy, like flashes of lightning, tore through space. Finally, under Luo Xingchen’s watchful gaze, they slammed into each other like two meteorites!

A horrifyingly massive ripple of Energy spread out from the point of impact, like a tidal wave rising from the ocean!

It surged ceaselessly, wild and destructive!

Countless rocks and trees were blasted in all directions, many turning to ash while still in mid-air.

Both Hong Yu and Shui Tianji were thrown back more than twenty meters before they regained their footing. Both were panting slightly—it was truly an even match!

"Damn it!"

Shui Tianji glanced down at the Seven Evils Celestial Net in her hand. Her previously invincible Fifth Grade Profound Artifact now had several nicks in it!

’Her opponent’s cultivation is clearly a Heaven lower than mine, and her weapon is the same Profound Level Fifth Grade as my own, yet she’s managed to damage my Seven Evils Celestial Net this badly!’

’This defied all logic.’

The grade of a Magical Treasure Secret Artifact was primarily determined by three factors: first, its materials and craftsmanship; second, the Spirit Array Map inscribed within it; and third, the Artifact Spirit sealed inside.

’For one weapon to damage another of the same grade, the most likely explanation is that its internal Spirit Array Map is vastly more powerful!’

"Could it be? Has the Spirit Array Map in your longsword already reached the level of an Imperial Artifact? Is it only classified as Profound Level Fifth Grade because its materials don’t meet the standard for an Imperial Artifact?"

Shui Tianji held back for a long moment before she finally couldn’t resist asking.

On the one hand, she genuinely wanted to know the reason. On the other, she was naturally trying to use these words to mask the embarrassment of being on the back foot, attributing her disadvantage to her Profound Artifact being inferior.

Hong Yu’s expression was indifferent. "That’s not important," she replied. "What’s important is that your defeat today is certain."

"You’re celebrating too soon!" Shui Tianji fumed.

"The King Martial Realm isn’t like the realms below it. The gap between each Heaven is like an entire mountain. If you think you can defeat me with a slightly stronger Profound Artifact, you are gravely mistaken!" As she spoke, Shui Tianji slowly raised the Seven Evils Celestial Net.

The Seven Evils Celestial Net was one of the Exotic Weapons refined by Blood Evil Island.

Its entire body was jet-black and as flexible as a ribbon. The tip was as sharp as a sword, while the main body was rounded like a staff.

At a glance, it seemed to be neither a whip nor a sword.

The power of this Profound Artifact lay in the unique space within it, which contained seven types of Evil Qi: the Qi of Fear, the Qi of Frenzy, the Qi of Rage, the Qi of Doubt, the Qi of Confusion, the Qi of Hatred, and the Qi of Arrogance.

All seven types of Evil Qi were born from human negative emotions and energy, infused into the Profound Artifact using Blood Evil Island’s unique Secret Technique.

Once the Evil Qi within it surged forth, its baleful might would be immeasurable, sweeping away all who stood in its path!

"I haven’t used the Evil Qi within my Seven Evils Celestial Net for many years. To be devoured by this Evil Qi and transformed into a Resentful Spirit... you could consider it a worthy death!"

Shui Tianji brandished her Seven Evils Celestial Net, and ink-black Evil Qi erupted from it, instantly surging toward Hong Yu to envelop her.

"When it comes to Evil Qi, it’s not just people from Blood Evil Island who know how to use it," Hong Yu said with a chilling tone.

The next moment, Hong Yu shot into the sky, moving rapidly with a bizarre footwork pattern.

Her longsword constantly shifted its angle and trajectory in sync with her movements.

"One sword to pierce the heavens, as wind and clouds surge! Where the blade rises, ghosts and gods are stirred!"

As the cold, clear words left Hong Yu’s lips, she unleashed the first strike of the Netherworld King’s Three Extremes Sword, a technique she had received from Shen Lang!

An overwhelming and terrifying wave of Blood Evil Qi erupted from the longsword’s blade.

In the blink of an eye, the Blood Evil Qi permeated the heavens and earth, enveloping a disbelieving Shui Tianji.

The Evil Qi released from Shui Tianji’s Seven Evils Celestial Net was actually forced back!

’What swordsmanship is this? How can it possess such a powerful Blood Evil Qi!’

Facing this peerless strike, Shui Tianji felt her very soul tremble. She could barely breathe!

Experts at the Emperor Martial Realm, like Shark’s Kiss, would have been able to recognize the Netherworld King’s Three Extremes Sword, but Shui Tianji could not.

Before her horrified eyes, a wave of Sword Qi like a sea of blood descended from the heavens.

It devoured the Evil Qi released from the Seven Evils Celestial Net and continued its inexorable descent.

This Sword Qi was composed of a sky full of sword phantoms, each one a solid entity when perceived by one’s Divine Thought!

The Sword Qi covered an area of more than a dozen acres, completely sealing off Shui Tianji’s escape in every direction. It was as if it had torn open the Azure Vault, ready to obliterate everything in its path!

The power of this Emperor Level Sword Technique from the Netherworld King Sect was no trivial matter; even Elder Ancestors like Shangguan Feiyue and Shark’s Kiss had once eagerly begged Shen Lang to teach them.

Ling Chen, with his mere Xuanwu Realm Fifth Heaven cultivation, had followed Shen Lang’s guidance and produced a crude imitation on the spot. Yet even with less than one ten-thousandth of its true power, he had heavily wounded Yuwen Huaji, an expert at the Xuanwu Realm Ninth Heaven.

And Hong Yu’s cultivation was more than a hundred times greater than Ling Chen’s!

Furthermore, she had been practicing this swordsmanship for over eight months!

As this strike was unleashed, wind and clouds roiled wherever the Sword Qi passed. An ethereal, blood-red river of stars ran through the Sword Qi, as if the Azure Vault itself had been torn in half, spewing forth an endless torrent of blood!

’This is bad! Even if I release all seven Evil Qis from the Seven Evils Celestial Net, I won’t be able to block this strike!’

Enveloped by the Sword Qi, Shui Tianji was chilled to the bone. Without a second thought, she tossed the Seven Evils Celestial Net into the air, where it transformed into a shield constructed from Evil Qi.

The shield spun rapidly, momentarily holding back the Blood Evil Qi from above.

The next moment, a red light flared from Shui Tianji’s body as a bloody mist began to spread.

Countless blood-red bats appeared, ready to take flight in all directions!

She was actually planning to use the brief opening created by her Seven Evils Celestial Net to escape using the Demon Dao’s Blood Escape technique!

Shui Tianji had used this heretical escape technique—one that caused such immense self-harm that recovery could take decades or even centuries—without a moment’s hesitation!

This just showed how utterly terrified she was while under the power of this sword strike!

"Thinking of running now? Isn’t it a little too late?"

Hong Yu sneered. Raising her left hand, she tossed a small Purple Copper Mirror into the air.

——————

Three Chapters today, with two more to follow.