Jianixi, clad in leather and adorned with bird feathers, wielded an animal bone spear as he ascended the high platform. His aura was that of the Foundation Establishment Realm, heightened only by the brilliant sunrise that enveloped his figure, illuminating him in a divine glow.
A vast crowd of Mount Yue tribesmen kneeled devoutly beneath the platform, their eyes brimming with hope and anticipation. They believed that Jianixi, their king, would usher in a new era, putting an end to Mount Yue’s century of chaos.
However, contrasting with the fervent excitement of his subjects, Jianixi’s eyes projected only ridicule and disdain. Standing rigidly atop the platform, he coldly surveyed the kneeling people of Mount Yue below him.
“Jianixi... it’s time,” rasped the old shaman beside him, draped in a black robe. He wielded a scepter fashioned from a beast’s head, exuding the aura of peak Foundation Establishment Realm.
His hoarse voice echoed in Jianixi's ears.
“Don’t delay this any longer... as long as you die peacefully, we will spare your people,” the old shaman continued, his expression tinged with helplessness as he inwardly cursed those who had coerced him into this situation.
It seems Jianixi has long sensed that something is amiss... no wonder they’ve been passing the buck to each other. I’ve been in seclusion for too long and thought that this would be an easy task, but it seems that I have been mistaken!
To coerce him into being a sacrificial lamb is no easy feat. With no heir nor wife, his only concern is for the hundreds of thousands of Mount Yue. We can only use this to blackmail him... if he hadn’t ascended this altar himself, we would have had to resort to force.
Jianixi cast a contemptuous glance at him, tightening his grip on his spear. Slowly, he stepped forward tentatively, and the patterns on the high platform almost immediately began glowing red.
“Old man, let me ask you: have you ever ruled over subjects and led an army before?” Jianixi asked without warning.
The old shaman noticed the disdain on Jianixi’s face. Gone was the helplessness he had exhibited a few days ago when he had to hold hundreds of thousands of Mount Yue people hostage. His heart raced with unease and his hairs stood on their end as he warned, “Jianixi, think about the hundreds of thousands from Mount Yue and reconsider your action!”
Jianixi laughed, failing to conceal the anger and malice in his voice.
“The army is my lance, the people are my chariot... no one should die for their weapon!” he snarled.
The old shaman suddenly felt that something must be wrong the moment he heard this statement. He sensed the surging mana emanating from Jianixi’s body — so powerful that it seemed capable of crushing even the Profound Scenery Chakra itself.
In a panic, he cried out.
“Master!”
Suddenly, the sky darkened as winds howled ominously.
A massive skeletal hand descended from the heavens, aiming to suppress Jianixi’s burgeoning power. But before it could even come close to touching a hair on Jianixi’s body, a profound light from the east intercepted it, halting its advance.
With a resounding crack, the six Chakras in Jianixi’s body shattered — along with the foundation of the Great Dao.
Crimson blood erupted from his form, and the old shaman’s face paled in shock.
“What do you want, woman?” Jianixi asked calmly as he discarded his armor.
“I want you to live, Great King.”
The scene shifted abruptly — and Jianixi exploded into a shower of blood before the Mount Yue tribesmen, staining the altar a deep, bright red.
One of his eyeballs flew several feet away, coming to rest before a kneeling Mount Yue woman.
The Mount Yue woman, with her child strapped to her back, reacted as though she had been bitten by a snake. She leaped up immediately with a shriek before picking it up and holding it in her hands shakily. Her face flashed between shades of green and white, and a second later, she coughed and spurted out fresh blood.
A heavy silence blanketed the earth which stifled the army and the people below, rendering them speechless. Dark clouds gathered swiftly in the sky and were accompanied by lightning, while gusts of winds swept every corner of the earth.
“Who...” A murmur echoed in the old shaman’s ears. He immediately kneeled down, trembling uncontrollably.
Despite his formidable cultivation, he felt no sense of security. In that moment, only despair filled the old shaman’s heart.
“It’s not an old friend... It’s a newly promoted cultivator of the Purple Mansion Realm... who is it?!”
The thunderous angry shouts reverberated in the ears of the old shaman. Suddenly without any warning, the Mount Yue Qi Cultivators on the altar combusted into a rain of red flesh.
The high platform which was constructed of mud and bricks, crumbled immediately. This had a chain effect, sending rolling mud, sand, and gravel cascading down from the platform. The muddy and earthy atmosphere filled the entire Great Jueting in mere seconds.
“Who taught him how to shatter his cultivation and disintegrate his body!? WHO!”
A black-robed middle-aged man stood in the void and the old shaman remained on his knees, covered in dirt. He raised his hand, his expression filled with tyranny.
“How many years has it been since one has been able to inflict such a significant loss upon myself!?”
His majestic aura reverberated in all directions, causing all the Mount Yue tribesmen gathered in the Great Jueting to tremble.
“Master! That was a Profound Light Spell... I-It’s most likely the work of the devil gate!” The old shaman’s back ran cold as he stammered out a reply.
Then, he heard the middle-aged cultivator of the Purple Mansion Realm coldly declare, “Azure Chi Devil Gate huh? When I was at the peak of my power back then, it was just a small sect guarding a broken mountain gate... and now... they dare to challenge me?!”
The man immediately departed on his shuttle as soon as he was done speaking, leaving the old shaman kneeling in silence for a long time before he finally found the courage to lift his head up again.
Tens of thousands of Mount Yue inhabitants remained crouched on the ground, weeping softly. Tens of thousands of incense transformed into light gray resentment qi that floated over the Great Jueting.
“Great King...”
The Mount Yue inhabitants cried and kneeled around the brown eyeball, the only thing left of their leader. However, their attention was drawn to the sound of rustling wings slowly approaching from the distance.
“Locusts..! Locusts..!”
The guards on the city wall shouted these words loudly as a huge swarm of gray and black locusts appeared in the distance, darkening the sky as they flew freely above the Great Jueting... consuming all the resentment qi that had condensed during the drought.
Buzz...
The locusts flew into people, causing raw pain as the Mount Yue’s inhabitants cried out in agony, trampling and pushing each other, attempting to avoid the passage of the locusts.
Hell was let loose in the entire Great Jueting.
“Great King!”
Seeing the masses of people rapidly surging, the woman carrying her child hastily lifted the boy high and pushed him onto a low boulder with all her might. She was just in time, and almost immediately she was engulfed by the surging crowd, reduced into a pile of blood, flesh, and broken bones on the ground.
Amidst the overwhelming sound of buzzing locust wings, the golden morning sun was obscured by dark clouds, plunging the northern foothills into darkness once again.
————
Moisture filled the air, and the towns echoed with joyful laughter as villagers carried various containers around, eagerly awaiting the torrential downpour.
“It’s finally raining!”
The sorrow on Li Xuanxuan’s face dissipated as he smiled, observing the townspeople bustling about. The prolonged drought, which had lasted eight months, had finally ended with rain.
Beside him, Li Xuanling remained silent, his expression also filled with joy. The blade in his hand glowed gray, indicating his success with the Profound Water Sword Aura.
Li Jingtian sat by the window with a smile, watching the raindrops patter onto the stone road.
Chen Donghe stood beside her, gazing at her quietly.
“Donghe.”
Li Jingtian spoke suddenly, surprising Chen Donghe, who blushed almost instantly as he was caught off guard.
“Huh..?” he stammered hastily.
“Tell me about what my father did in the west,” she requested.
Chen Donghe's expression brightened, and he began recounting events from the west. Li Jingtian listened quietly, occasionally nodding.
Meanwhile, the majestic rain poured into every corner with the villagers rejoicing in the heavy downpour, each wearing joyful smiles. Li Tongya soared through the clouds, his brow visibly relaxed.
“Excellent rain... truly excellent!” he remarked, casting a glance to the west where the suffocating aura had vanished.
I suppose Jianixi is dead... we’ll have to wait for the news before we can finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Having an enemy like Jianixi always kept one on edge. If Jianixi were to perish, the fifteen villages of Mount Yue would be no match for Li Tongya. Even with one hand tied behind his back, he could beat all the Qi Cultivators.
What’s more, with the blood sacrifice made... I wonder how many Qi Cultivators remain among Mount Yue...
Regrettably, the territorial boundaries set by the cultivator of Purple Mansion Realm on Mount Yue and Azure Pond Sect prevented Li Tongya from expanding his domain, as it had annexed nearby villages.
As he descended into the courtyard, Li Tongya was greeted by Liu Rouxuan’s welcoming smile.
“You’re back, my dear.”
Liu Rouxuan had been cultivating for many years, yet she had only been able to reach the third stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. Her natural talent was not particularly remarkable, and she had been practicing a Grade One technique of the Embryonic Breathing Realm which hindered her progress. Looking at her now, there were already strands of white hair from her temples.
“Mhm,” Li Tongya responded gently. He and Liu Rouxuan had spent nearly twenty years together and knew each other very well. Holding her hand, he noticed a hint of concern in Liu Rouxuan’s expression.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, offering a reassuring smile.
Liu Rouxuan lowered her gaze, her eyes tinged with sadness.
“I’ve selected a few concubines for you... they’re waiting outside.”
Confused, Li Tongya waved off the women and chuckled.
“What were you thinking?” he asked with tenderness.
Liu Rouxuan explained softly, “I know my talents are limited, and I fear I may never advance to the Qi Cultivation Realm. I won’t be able to stay by your side forever, and Xuanling is our only son...”
Li Tongya hesitated, grappling with the unspoken truth that the distribution of the clan’s resources had always favored individuals with better talents... leaving Liu Rouxuan neglected due to her modest abilities. It seemed unlikely that she would achieve a breakthrough in her cultivation without a significant change.
“I...” Li Tongya began, struggling to find the right words. His principles made it difficult for him to prioritize his wife’s needs over those of the clan.
However, before he could voice his thoughts, he noticed Liu Rouxuan gently shaking her head.
“That’s not what I mean... I’m not good with fighting and lack innate talent. Even if I were to attain the Qi Cultivation Realm, it would likely be futile. I would never dare to squander the clan’s resources... all I desire is for you to have more heirs.”
Moved by her words, Li Tongya shook his head in response.
“There’s no need to say anymore. I come from a humble farming background... taking multiple wives and concubines isn’t my style.”
“Xuanling is an obedient and level-headed child, thanks to your guidance. I have yet to even properly express my gratitude.”
Before Liu Rouxuan could say anything else, Li Tongya gently silenced her by leaning in and whispering in her ear.
“If you wish for another child, then let’s get to work.”